Hidden Scriptures

The Kybalion - CHAPTER XV

2010-05-04T02:26:00.001-04:00

HERMETIC AXIOMS

    "The possession of Knowledge, unless accompanied by a
     manifestation and expression in Action, is like the
     hoarding of precious metals-a vain and foolish thing.
     Knowledge, like wealth, is intended for Use. The Law of
     Use is Universal, and he who violates it suffers by
     reason of his conflict with natural forces."--The Kybalion.

The Hermetic Teachings, while always having been kept securely locked up in the minds of the fortunate possessors thereof, for reasons which we have already stated, were never intended to be merely stored away and secreted. The Law of Use is dwelt upon in the Teachings, as you may see by reference to the above quotation from The Kybalion, which states it forcibly. Knowledge without Use and Expression is a vain thing, bringing no good to its possessor, or to the race. Beware of Mental Miserliness, and express into Action that which you have learned. Study the Axioms and Aphorisms, but practice them also.

We give below some of the more important Hermetic Axioms, from The Kybalion, with a few comments added to each. Make these your own, and practice and use them, for they are not really your own until you have Used them.

"To change your mood or mental state--change your
vibration."--The Kybalion.

One may change his mental vibrations by an effort of Will, in the direction of deliberately fixing the Attention upon a more desirable state. Will directs the Attention, and Attention changes the Vibration. Cultivate the Art of Attention, by means of the Will, and you have solved the secret of the Mastery of Moods and Mental States.

    "To destroy an undesirable rate of mental vibration,
     put into operation the principle of Polarity and
     concentrate upon the opposite pole to that which
     you desire to suppress. Kill out the undesirable by
     changing its polarity."--The Kybalion.

This is one of the most important of the Hermetic Formulas. It is based upon true scientific principles. We have shown you that a mental state and its opposite were merely the two poles of one thing, and that by Mental Transmutation the polarity might be reversed. This Principle is known to modern psychologists, who apply it to the breaking up of undesirable habits by bidding their students concentrate upon the opposite quality. If you are possessed of Fear, do not waste time trying to "kill out" Fear, but instead cultivate the quality of Courage, and the Fear will disappear. Some writers have expressed this idea most forcibly by using the illustration of the dark room. You do not have to shovel out or sweep out the Darkness, but by merely opening the shutters and letting in the Light the Darkness has disappeared. To kill out a Negative quality, concentrate upon the Positive Pole of that same quality, and the vibrations will gradually change from Negative to Positive, until finally you will become polarized on the Positive pole instead of the Negative. The reverse is also true, as many have found out to their sorrow, when they have allowed themselves to vibrate too constantly on the Negative pole of things. By changing your polarity you may master your moods, change your mental states, remake your disposition, and build up character. Much of the Mental Mastery of the advanced Hermetics is due to this application of Polarity, which is one of the important aspects of Mental Transmutation. Remember the Hermetic Axiom (quoted previously), which says:

    "Mind (as well as metals and elements) may be transmuted
     from state to state; degree to degree, condition to
     condition; pole to pole; vibration to vibration."--The Kybalion.

The mastery of Polarization is the mastery of the fundamental principles of Mental Transmutation or Mental Alchemy, for unless one acquires the art of changing his own polarity, he will be unable to affect his environment. An understanding of this principle will enable one to change his own Polarity, as well as that of others, if he will but devote the time, care, study and practice necessary to master the art. The principle is true, but the results obtained depend upon the persistent patience and practice of the student.

"Rhythm may be neutralized by an application of the Art
of Polarization."--The Kybalion.

As we have explained in previous chapters, the Hermetists hold that the Principle of Rhythm manifests on the Mental Plane as well as on the Physical Plane, and that the bewildering succession of moods, feelings, emotions, and other mental states, are due to the backward and forward swing of the mental pendulum, which carries us from one extreme of feeling to the other. The Hermetists also teach that the Law of Neutralization enables one, to a great extent, to overcome the operation of Rhythm in consciousness. As we have explained, there is a Higher Plane of Consciousness, as well as the ordinary Lower Plane, and the Master by rising mentally to the Higher Plane causes the swing of the mental pendulum to manifest on the Lower Plane, and he, dwelling on his Higher Plane, escapes the consciousness of the swing backward. This is effected by polarizing on the Higher Self, and thus raising the mental vibrations of the Ego above those of the ordinary plane of consciousness. It is akin to rising above a thing and allowing it to pass beneath you. The advanced Hermetist polarizes himself at the Positive Pole of his Being-the "I Am" pole rather than the pole of personality and by "refusing" and "denying" the operation of Rhythm, raises himself above its plane of consciousness, and standing firm in his Statement of Being he allows the pendulum to swing back on the Lower Plane without changing his Polarity. This is accomplished by all individuals who have attained any degree of self-mastery, whether they understand the law or not. Such persons simply "refuse" to allow themselves to be swung back by the pendulum of mood and emotion, and by steadfastly affirming the superiority they remain polarized on the Positive pole. The Master, of course, attains a far greater degree of proficiency, because he understands the law which he is overcoming by a higher law, and by the use of his Will he attains a degree of Poise and Mental Steadfastness almost impossible of belief on the part of those who allow themselves to be swung backward and forward by the mental pendulum of moods and feelings.

Remember always, however, that you do not really destroy the Principle of Rhythm, for that is indestructible. You simply overcome one law by counter-balancing it with another and thus maintain an equilibrium. The laws of balance and counter-balance are in operation on the mental as well as on the physical planes, and an understanding of these laws enables one to seem to overthrow laws, whereas he is merely exerting a counterbalance.

    "Nothing escapes the Principle of Cause and Effect,
     but there are many Planes of Causation, and one may use
     the laws of the higher to overcome the laws of the
     lower."--The Kybalion.

By an understanding of the practice of Polarization, the Hermetists rise to a higher plane of Causation and thus counter-balance the laws of the lower planes of Causation. By rising above the plane of ordinary Causes they become themselves, in a degree, Causes instead of being merely Caused. By being able to master their own moods and feelings, and by being able to neutralize Rhythm, as we have already explained, they are able to escape a great part of the operations of Cause and Effect on the ordinary plane. The masses of people are carried along, obedient to their environment; the wills and desires of others stronger than themselves; the effects of inherited tendencies; the suggestions of those about them; and other outward causes; which tend to move them about on the chess-board of life like mere pawns. By rising above these influencing causes, the advanced Hermetists seek a higher plane of mental action, and by dominating their moods, emotions, impulses and feelings, they create for themselves new characters, qualities and powers, by which they overcome their ordinary environment, and thus become practically players instead of mere Pawns. Such people help to play the game of life understandingly, instead of being moved about this way and that way by stronger influences and powers and wills. They use the Principle of Cause and Effect, instead of being used by it. Of course, even the highest are subject to the Principle as it manifests on the higher planes, but on the lower planes of activity, they are Masters instead of Slaves. As The Kybalion says:

    "The wise ones serve on the higher, but rule on the lower.
     They obey the laws coming from above them, But on their
     own plane, and those below them they rule and give orders.
     And, yet, in so doing, they form a part of the Principle,
     instead of opposing it. The wise man falls in with the Law,
     and by understanding its movements he operates it instead
     of being its blind slave. Just as does the skilled swimmer
     turn this way and that way, going and coming as he will,
     instead of being as the log which is carried here and
     there--so is the wise man as compared to the ordinary
     man--and yet both swimmer and log; wise man and fool,
     are subject to Law. He who understands this is well on
     the road to Mastery."--The Kybalion.

In conclusion let us again call your attention to the Hermetic Axiom:

"True Hermetic Transmutation is a Mental Art."--The Kybalion.

In the above axiom, the Hermetists teach that the great work of influencing one's environment is accomplished by Mental Power. The Universe being wholly mental, it follows that it may be ruled only by Mentality. And in this truth is to be found an explanation of all the phenomena and manifestations of the various mental powers which are attracting so much attention and study in these earlier years of the Twentieth Century. Back of and under the teachings of the various cults and schools, remains ever constant the Principle of the Mental Substance of the Universe. If the Universe be Mental in its substantial nature, then it follows that Mental Transmutation must change the conditions and phenomena of the Universe. If the Universe is Mental, then Mind must be the highest power affecting its phenomena. If this be understood then all the so-called "miracles" and "wonder-workings" are seen plainly for what they are.

"THE ALL is MIND; The Universe is Mental."--The Kybalion.

FINIS

<< (The Kybalion Main)

The Kybalion - CHAPTER XIV

2010-05-04T02:23:00.001-04:00

MENTAL GENDER

Students of psychology who have followed the modern trend of thought along the lines of mental phenomena are struck by the persistence of the dual-mind idea which has manifested itself so strongly during the past ten or fifteen years, and which has given rise to a number of plausible theories regarding the nature and constitution of these "two minds." The late Thomson J. Hudson attained great popularity in 1893 by advancing his well-known theory of the "objective and subjective minds" which he held existed in every individual. Other writers have attracted almost equal attention by the theories regarding the "conscious and subconscious minds"; the "voluntary and involuntary minds"; "the active and passive minds," etc., etc. The theories of the various writers differ from each other, but there remains the underlying principle of "the duality of mind."

The student of the Hermetic Philosophy is tempted to smile when he reads and hears of these many "new theories" regarding the duality of mind, each school adhering tenaciously to its own pet theories, and each claiming to have "discovered the truth." The student turns back the pages of occult history, and away back in the dim beginnings of occult teachings he finds references to the ancient Hermetic doctrine of the Principle of Gender on the Mental Plane-the manifestation of Mental Gender. And examining further he finds that the ancient philosophy took cognizance of the phenomenon of the "dual mind," and accounted for it by the theory of Mental Gender. This idea of Mental Gender may be explained in a few words to students who are familiar with the modern theories just alluded to. The Masculine Principle of Mind corresponds to the so-called Objective Mind; Conscious Mind; Voluntary Mind; Active Mind, etc. And the Feminine Principle of Mind corresponds to the so-called Subjective Mind; Sub-conscious Mind; Involuntary Mind; Passive Mind, etc. Of course the Hermetic Teachings do not agree with the many modern theories regarding the nature of the two phases of mind, nor does it admit many of the facts claimed for the two respective aspects--some of the said theories and claims being very far-fetched and incapable of standing the test of experiment and demonstration. We point to the phases of agreement merely for the purpose of helping the student to assimilate his previously acquired knowledge with the teachings of the Hermetic Philosophy. Students of Hudson will notice the statement at the beginning of his second chapter of "The Law of Psychic Phenomena," that: "The mystic jargon of the Hermetic philosophers discloses the same general idea" i.e., the duality of mind. If Dr. Hudson had taken the time and trouble to decipher a little of "the mystic jargon of the Hermetic Philosophy," he might have received much light upon the subject of "the dual mind"--but then, perhaps, his most interesting work might not have been written. Let us now consider the Hermetic Teachings regarding Mental Gender.

The Hermetic Teachers impart their instruction regarding this subject by bidding their students examine the report of their consciousness regarding their Self. The students are bidden to turn their attention inward upon the Self dwelling within each. Each student is led to see that his consciousness gives him first a report of the existence of his Self-the report is "I Am." This at first seems to be the final words from the consciousness, but a little further examination discloses the fact that this "I Am" may be separated or split into two distinct parts, or aspects, which while working in unison and in conjunction, yet, nevertheless, may be separated in consciousness.

While at first there seems to be only an "I" existing, a more careful and closer examination reveals the fact that there exists an "I" and a "Me." These mental twins differ in their characteristics and nature, and an examination of their nature and the phenomena arising from the same will throw much light upon many of the problems of mental influence.

Let us begin with a consideration of the Me, which is usually mistaken for the I by the student, until he presses the inquiry a little further back into the recesses of consciousness. A man thinks of his Self (in its aspect of Me) as being composed of certain feelings, tastes likes, dislikes, habits, peculiar ties, characteristics, etc., all of which go to make up his personality, or the "Self" known to himself and others. He knows that these emotions and feelings change; are born and die away; are subject to the Principle of Rhythm, and the Principle of Polarity, which take him from one extreme of feeling to another. He also thinks of the "Me" as being certain knowledge gathered together in his mind, and thus forming a part of himself. This is the "Me" of a man.

But we have proceeded too hastily. The "Me" of many men may be said to consist largely of their consciousness of the body and their physical appetites, etc. Their consciousness being largely bound up with their bodily nature, they practically "live there." Some men even go so far as to regard their personal apparel as a part of their "Me" and actually seem to consider it a part of themselves. A writer has humorously said that "men consist of three parts--soul, body and clothes." These "clothes conscious" people would lose their personality if divested of their clothing by savages upon the occasion of a shipwreck. But even many who are not so closely bound up with the idea of personal raiment stick closely to the consciousness of their bodies being their "Me" They cannot conceive of a Self independent of the body. Their mind seems to them to be practically "a something belonging to" their body-which in many cases it is indeed.

But as man rises in the scale of consciousness he is able to disentangle his "Me" from his idea of body, and is able to think of his body as "belonging to" the mental part of him. But even then he is very apt to identify the "Me" entirely with the mental states, feelings, etc., which he feels to exist within him. He is very apt to consider these internal states as identical with himself, instead of their being simply "things" produced by some part of his mentality, and existing within him--of him, and in him, but still not "himself." He sees that he may change these internal states of feelings by all effort of will, and that he may produce a feeling or state of an exactly opposite nature, in the same way, and yet the same "Me" exists. And so after a while he is able to set aside these various mental states, emotions, feelings, habits, qualities, characteristics, and other personal mental belongings--he is able to set them aside in the "not-me" collection of curiosities and encumbrances, as well as valuable possessions. This requires much mental concentration and power of mental analysis on the part of the student. But still the task is possible for the advanced student, and even those not so far advanced are able to see, in the imagination, how the process may be performed.

After this laying-aside process has been performed, the student will find himself in conscious possession of a "Self" which may be considered in its "I" and "Me" dual aspects. The "Me" will be felt to be a Something mental in which thoughts, ideas, emotions, feelings, and other mental states may be produced. It may be considered as the "mental womb," as the ancients styled it-capable of generating mental offspring. It reports to the consciousness as a "Me" with latent powers of creation and generation of mental progeny of all sorts and kinds. Its powers of creative energy are felt to be enormous. But still it seems to be conscious that it must receive some form of energy from either its "I" companion, or else from some other "I" ere it is able to bring into being its mental creations. This consciousness brings with it a realization of an enormous capacity for mental work and creative ability.

But the student soon finds that this is not all that he finds within his inner consciousness. He finds that there exists a mental Something which is able to Will that the "Me" act along certain creative lines, and which is also able to stand aside and witness the mental creation. This part of himself he is taught to call his "I." He is able to rest in its consciousness at will. He finds there not a consciousness of an ability to generate and actively create, in the sense of the gradual process attendant upon mental operations, but rather a sense and consciousness of an ability to project an energy from the "I" to the "Me"--a process of "willing" that the mental creation begin and proceed. He also finds that the "I" is able to stand aside and witness the operations of the "Me's" mental creation and generation. There is this dual aspect in the mind of every person. The "I" represents the Masculine Principle of Mental Gender-the "Me" represents the Female Principle. The "I" represents the Aspect of Being; the "Me" the Aspect of Becoming. You will notice that the Principle of Correspondence operates on this plane just as it does upon the great plane upon which the creation of Universes is performed. The two are similar in kind, although vastly different in degree. "As above, so below; as below, so above."

These aspects of mind-the Masculine and Feminine Principles-the "I" and the "Me"-considered in connection with the well-known mental and psychic phenomena, give the master-key to these dimly known regions of mental operation and manifestation. The principle of Mental Gender gives the truth underlying the whole field of the phenomena of mental influence, etc.

The tendency of the Feminine Principle is always in the direction of receiving impressions, while the tendency of the Masculine Principle is always in the direction of giving, out or expressing. The Feminine Principle has much more varied field of operation than has the Masculine Principle. The Feminine Principle conducts the work of generating new thoughts, concepts, ideas, including the work of the imagination. The Masculine Principle contents itself with the work of the "Will" in its varied phases. And yet, without the active aid of the Will of the Masculine Principle, the Feminine Principle is apt to rest content with generating mental images which are the result of impressions received from outside, instead of producing original mental creations.

Persons who can give continued attention and thought to a subject actively employ both of the Mental Principles-the Feminine in the work of the mental generation, and the Masculine Will in stimulating and energizing the creative portion of the mind. The majority of persons really employ the Masculine Principle but little, and are content to live according to the thoughts and ideas instilled into the "Me" from the "I" of other minds. But it is not our purpose to dwell upon this phase of the subject, which may be studied from any good text-book upon psychology, with the key that we have given you regarding Mental Gender.

The student of Psychic Phenomena is aware of the wonderful phenomena classified under the head of Telepathy; Thought Transference; Mental Influence; Suggestion; Hypnotism, etc. Many have sought for an explanation of these varied phases of phenomena under the theories of the various "dual mind" teachers. And in a measure they are right, for there is clearly a manifestation of two distinct phases of mental activity. But if such students will consider these "dual minds" in the light of the Hermetic Teachings regarding Vibrations and Mental Gender, they will see that the long sought for key is at hand.

In the phenomena of Telepathy it is seen how the Vibratory Energy of the Masculine Principle is projected toward the Feminine Principle of another person, and the latter takes the seed-thought and allows it to develop into maturity. In the same way Suggestion and Hypnotism operates. The Masculine Principle of the person giving the suggestions directs a stream of Vibratory Energy or Will-Power toward the Feminine Principle of the other person, and the latter accepting it makes it its own and acts and thinks accordingly. An idea thus lodged in the mind of another person grows and develops, and in time is regarded as the rightful mental offspring of the individual, whereas it is in reality like the cuckoo egg placed in the sparrows nest, where it destroys the rightful offspring and makes itself at home. The normal method is for the Masculine and Feminine Principles in a person's mind to co-ordinate and act harmoniously in conjunction with each other, but, unfortunately, the Masculine Principle in the average person is too lazy to act-the display of Will-Power is too slight-and the consequence is that such persons are ruled almost entirely by the minds and wills of other persons, whom they allow to do their thinking and willing for them. How few original thoughts or original actions are performed by the average person? Are not the majority of persons mere shadows and echoes of others having stronger wills or minds than themselves? The trouble is that the average person dwells almost altogether in his "Me" consciousness and does not realize that he has such a thing as an "I." He is polarized in his Feminine Principle of Mind, and the Masculine Principle, in which is lodged the Will, is allowed to remain inactive and not employed.

The strong men and women of the world invariably manifest the Masculine Principle of Will, and their strength depends materially upon this fact. Instead of living upon the impressions made upon their minds by others, they dominate their own minds by their Will, obtaining the kind of mental images desired, and moreover dominate the minds of others likewise, in the same manner. Look at the strong people, how they manage to implant their seed-thoughts in the minds of the masses of the people, thus causing the latter to think thoughts in accordance with the desires and wills of the strong individuals. This is why the masses of people are such sheeplike creatures, never originating an idea of their own, nor using their own powers of mental activity.

The manifestation of Mental Gender may be noticed all around us in everyday life. The magnetic persons are those who are able to use the Masculine Principle in the way of impressing their ideas upon others. The actor who makes people weep or cry as he wills, is employing this principle. And so is the successful orator, statesman, preacher, writer or other people who are before the public attention. The peculiar influence exerted by some people over others is due to the manifestation of Mental Gender, along the Vibrational lines above indicated. In this principle lies the secret of personal magnetism, personal influence, fascination, etc., as well as the phenomena generally grouped under the name of Hypnotism.

The student who has familiarized himself with the phenomena generally spoken of as "psychic" will have discovered the important part played in the said phenomena by that force which science has styled "Suggestion," by which term is meant the process or method whereby an idea is transferred to, or "impressed upon" the mind of another, causing the second mind to act in accordance therewith. A correct understanding of Suggestion is necessary in order to intelligently comprehend the varied psychical phenomena which Suggestion underlies. But, still more is a knowledge of Vibration and Mental Gender necessary for the student of Suggestion. For the whole principle of Suggestion depends upon the principle of Mental Gender and Vibration.

It is customary for the writers and teachers of Suggestion to explain that it is the "objective or voluntary" mind which make the mental impression, or suggestion, upon the "subjective or involuntary" mind. But they do not describe the process or give us any analogy in nature whereby we may more readily comprehend the idea. But if you will think of the matter in the light of the Hermetic Teachings you will be able to see that the energizing of the Feminine Principle by the Vibratory Energy of the Masculine Principle Is in accordance to the universal laws of nature, and that the natural world affords countless analogies whereby the principle may be understood. In fact, the Hermetic Teachings show that the very creation of the Universe follows the same law, and that in all creative manifestations, upon the planes of the spiritual, the mental, and the physical, there is always in operation this principle of Gender-this manifestation of the Masculine and the Feminine Principles. "As above, so below; as below, so above." And more than this, when the principle of Mental Gender is once grasped and understood, the varied phenomena of psychology at once becomes capable of intelligent classification and study, instead of being very much in the dark. The principle "works out" in practice, because it is based upon the immutable universal laws of life.

We shall not enter into an extended discussion of, or description of, the varied phenomena of mental influence or psychic activity. There are many books, many of them quite good, which have been written and published on this subject of late years. The main facts stated in these various books are correct, although the several writers have attempted to explain the phenomena by various pet theories of their own. The student may acquaint himself with these matters, and by using the theory of Mental Gender he will be able to bring order out of the chaos of conflicting theory and teachings, and may, moreover, readily make himself a master of the subject if he be so inclined. The purpose of this work is not to give an extended account of psychic phenomena but rather to give to the student a master-key whereby He may unlock the many doors leading into the parts of the Temple of Knowledge which he may wish to explore. We feel that in this consideration of the teachings of The Kybalion, one may find an explanation which will serve to clear away many perplexing difficulties--a key that will unlock many doors. What is the use of going into detail regarding all of the many features of psychic phenomena and mental science, provided we place in the hands of the student the means whereby he may acquaint himself fully regarding any phase of the subject which may interest him. With the aid of The Kybalion one may go through any occult library anew, the old Light from Egypt illuminating many dark pages, and obscure subjects. That is the purpose of this book. We do not come expounding a new philosophy, but rather furnishing the outlines of a great world-old teaching which will make clear the teachings of others-which will serve as a Great Reconciler of differing: theories, and opposing doctrines.

<< (The Kybalion Main)

The Kybalion - CHAPTER XIII

2010-05-04T02:21:00.001-04:00

GENDER

    "Gender is in everything; everything has its Masculine
     and Feminine Principles; Gender manifests on all
     planes."--The Kybalion.

The great Seventh Hermetic Principle--the Principle of Gender--embodies the truth that there is Gender manifested in everything--that the Masculine and Feminine principles are ever present and active in all phases of phenomena, on each and every plane of life. At this point we think it well to call your attention to the fact that Gender, in its Hermetic sense, and Sex in the ordinarily accepted use of the term, are not the same.

The word "Gender" is derived from the Latin root meaning "to beget; to procreate; to generate; to create; to produce." A moment's consideration will show you that the word has a much broader and more general meaning than the term "Sex," the latter referring to the physical distinctions between male and female living things. Sex is merely a manifestation of Gender on a certain plane of the Great Physical Plane--the plane of organic life. We wish to impress this distinction upon your minds, for the reason that certain writers, who have acquired a smattering of the Hermetic Philosophy, have sought to identify this Seventh Hermetic Principle with wild and fanciful, and often reprehensible, theories and teachings regarding Sex.

The office of Gender is solely that of creating, producing, generating, etc., and its manifestations are visible on every plane of phenomena. It is somewhat difficult to produce proofs of this along scientific lines, for the reason that science has not as yet recognized this Principle as of universal application. But still some proofs are forthcoming from scientific sources. In the first place, we find a distinct manifestation of the Principle of Gender among the corpuscles, ions, or electrons, which constitute the basis of Matter as science now knows the latter, and which by forming certain combinations form the Atom, which until lately was regarded as final and indivisible.

The latest word of science is that the atom is composed of a multitude of corpuscles, electrons, or ions (the various names being applied by different authorities) revolving around each other and vibrating at a high degree and intensity. But the accompanying statement is made that the formation of the atom is really due to the clustering of negative corpuscles around a positive one---the positive corpuscles seeming to exert a certain influence upon the negative corpuscles, causing the latter to assume certain combinations and thus "create" or "generate" an atom. This is in line with the most ancient Hermetic Teachings, which have always identified the Masculine principle of Gender with the "Positive," and the Feminine with the "Negative" Poles of Electricity (so called).

Now a word at this point regarding this identification. The public mind has formed an entirely erroneous impression regarding the qualities of the so-called "Negative" pole of electrified or magnetized Matter. The terms Positive and Negative are very wrongly applied to this phenomenon by science. The word Positive means something real and strong, as compared with a Negative unreality or weakness. Nothing is further from the real facts of electrical phenomenon. The so-called Negative pole of the battery is really the pole in and by which the generation or production of new forms and energies is manifested. There is nothing "negative" about it. The best scientific authorities now use the word "Cathode" in place of "Negative," the word Cathode coming from the Greek root meaning "descent; the path of generation, etc," From the Cathode pole emerge the swarm of electrons or corpuscles; from the same pole emerge those wonderful "rays" which have revolutionized scientific conceptions during the past decade. The Cathode pole is the Mother of all of the strange phenomena which have rendered useless the old textbooks, and which have caused many long accepted theories to be relegated to the scrap-pile of scientific speculation. The Cathode, or Negative Pole, is the Mother Principle of Electrical Phenomena, and of the finest forms of matter as yet known to science. So you see we are justified in refusing to use the term "Negative" in our consideration of the subject, and in insisting upon substituting the word "Feminine" for the old term. The facts of the case bear us out in this, without taking the Hermetic Teachings into consideration. And so we shall use the word "Feminine" in the place of "Negative" in speaking of that pole of activity.

The latest scientific teachings are that the creative corpuscles or electrons are Feminine (science says "they are composed of negative electricity"-we say they are composed of Feminine energy). A Feminine corpuscle becomes detached from, or rather leaves, a Masculine corpuscle, and starts on a new career. It actively seeks a union with a Masculine corpuscle, being urged thereto by the natural impulse to create new forms of Matter or Energy. One writer goes so far as to use the term "it at once seeks, of its own volition, a union," etc. This detachment and uniting form the basis of the greater part of the activities of the chemical world. When the Feminine corpuscle unites with a Masculine corpuscle, a certain process is begun. The Feminine particles vibrate rapidly under the influence of the Masculine energy, and circle rapidly around the latter. The result is the birth of a new atom. This new atom is really composed of a union of the Masculine and Feminine electrons, or corpuscles, but when the union is formed the atom is a separate thing, having certain properties, but no longer manifesting the property of free electricity. The process of detachment or separation of the Feminine electrons is called "ionization." These electrons, or corpuscles, are the most active workers in Nature's field. Arising from their unions, or combinations, manifest the varied phenomena of light, heat, electricity, magnetism, attraction, repulsion, chemical affinity and the reverse, and similar phenomena. And all this arises from the operation of the Principle of Gender on the plane of Energy.

The part of the Masculine principle seems to be that of directing a certain inherent energy toward the Feminine principle, and thus starting into activity the creative processes. But the Feminine principle is the one always doing the active creative work-and this is so on all planes. And yet, each principle is incapable of operative energy without the assistance of the other. In some of the forms of life, the two principles are combined in one organism. For that matter, everything in the organic world manifests both genders--there is always the Masculine present in the Feminine form, and the Feminine form. The Hermetic Teachings include much regarding the operation of the two principles of Gender in the production and manifestation of various forms of energy, etc., but we do not deem it expedient to go into detail regarding the same at this point, because we are unable to back up the same with scientific proof, for the reason that science has not as yet progressed thus far. But the example we have given you of the phenomena of the electrons or corpuscles will show you that science is on the right path, and will also give you a general idea of the underlying principles.

Some leading scientific investigators have announced their belief that in the formation of crystals there was to be found something that corresponded to "sex-activity" which is another straw showing the direction the scientific winds are blowing. And each year will bring other facts to corroborate the correctness of the Hermetic Principle of Gender. It will be found that Gender is in constant operation and manifestation in the field of inorganic matter, and in the field of Energy or Force. Electricity is now generally regarded as the "Something" into which all other forms of energy seem to melt or dissolve. The "Electrical Theory of the Universe" is the latest scientific doctrine, and is growing rapidly in popularity and general acceptance. And it thus follows that if we are able to discover in the phenomena of electricity-even at the very root and source of its manifestations a clear and unmistakable evidence of the presence of Gender and its activities, we are justified in asking you to believe that science at last has offered proofs of the existence in all universal phenomena of that great Hermetic Principle-the Principle of Gender.

It is not necessary to take up your time with the well known phenomena of the "attraction and repulsion" of the atoms; chemical affinity; the "loves and hates" of the atomic particles; the attraction or cohesion between the molecules of matter. These facts are too well known to need extended comment from us. But, have you ever considered that all of these things are manifestations of the Gender Principle? Can you not see that the phenomena is "on all fours" with that of the corpuscles or electrons? And more than this, can you not see the reasonableness of the Hermetic Teachings which assert that the very Law of Gravitation-that strange attraction by reason of which all particles and bodies of matter in the universe tend toward each other is but another manifestation of the Principle of Gender, which operates in the direction of attracting the Masculine to the Feminine energies, and vice versa? We cannot offer you scientific proof of this at this time-but examine the phenomena in the light of the Hermetic Teachings on the subject, and see if you have not a better working hypothesis than any offered by physical science. Submit all physical phenomena to the test, and you will discern the Principle of Gender ever in evidence.

Let us now pass on to a consideration of the operation of the Principle on the Mental Plane. Many interesting features are there awaiting examination.

<< (The Kybalion Main)

The Kybalion - CHAPTER XII

2010-05-04T02:20:00.001-04:00

CAUSATION

    "Every Cause has its Effect; every Effect has its Cause;
     everything happens according to Law; Chance is but a
     name for Law not recognized; there are many planes of
     causation, but nothing escapes the Law."--The Kybalion.

The great Sixth Hermetic Principle--the Principle of Cause and Effect--embodies the truth that Law pervades the Universe; that nothing happens by Chance; that Chance is merely a term indicating cause existing but not recognized or perceived; that phenomena is continuous, without break or exception.

The Principle of Cause and Effect underlies all scientific thought, ancient and modern, and was enunciated by the Hermetic Teachers in the earliest days. While many and varied disputes between the many schools of thought have since arisen, these disputes have been principally upon the details of the operations of the Principle, and still more often upon the meaning of certain words. The underlying Principle of Cause and Effect has been accepted as correct by practically all the thinkers of the world worthy of the name. To think otherwise would be to take the phenomena of the universe from the domain of Law and Order, and to relegate it; to the control of the imaginary something which men have called "Chance."

A little consideration will show anyone that there is in reality no such thing as pure chance. Webster defines the word "Chance" as follows: "A supposed agent or mode of activity other than a force, law or purpose; the operation or activity of such agent; the supposed effect of such an agent; a happening; fortuity; casualty, etc." But a little consideration will show you that there can be no such agent as "Chance," in the sense of something outside of Law-something outside of Cause and Effect. How could there be a something acting in the phenomenal universe, independent of the laws, order, and continuity of the latter? Such a something would be entirely independent of the orderly trend of the universe, and therefore superior to it. We can imagine nothing outside of THE ALL being outside of the Law, and that only because THE ALL is the LAW in itself. There is no room in the universe for a something outside of and independent of Law. The existence of such a Something would render all Natural Laws ineffective, and would plunge the universe into chaotic disorder and lawlessness.

A careful examination will show that what we call "Chance" is merely an expression relating to obscure causes; causes that we cannot perceive; causes that we cannot understand. The word Chance is derived from a word Meaning "to fall" (as the falling of dice), the idea being that the fall of the dice (and many other happenings) are merely a "happening" unrelated to any cause. And this is the sense in which the term is generally employed. But when the matter is closely examined, it is seen that there is no chance whatsoever about the fall of the dice. Each time a die falls, and displays a certain number, it obeys a law as infallible as that which governs the revolution of the planets around the sun. Back of the fall of the die are causes, or chains of causes, running back further than the mind can follow. The position of the die in the box; the amount of muscular energy expended in the throw; the condition of the table, etc., etc., all are causes, the effect of which may be seen. But back of these seen causes there are chains of unseen preceding causes, all of which had a bearing upon the number of the die which fell uppermost.

If a die be cast a great number of times, it will be found that the numbers shown will be about equal, that is, there will be an equal number of one-spot, two-spot, etc., coming uppermost. Toss a penny in the air, and it may come down either "heads" or "tails"; but make a sufficient number of tosses, and the heads and tails will about even up. This is the operation of the law of average. But both the average and the single toss come under the Law of Cause and Effect, and if we were able to examine into the preceding causes, it would be clearly seen that it was simply impossible for the die to fall other than it did, under the same circumstances and at the same time. Given the same causes, the same results will follow. There is always a "cause" and a "because" to every event. Nothing ever "happens" without a cause, or rather a chain of causes.

Some confusion has arisen in the minds of persons considering this Principle, from the fact that they were unable to explain how one thing could cause another thing--that is, be the "creator" of the second thing. As a matter of fact, no "thing" ever causes or "creates" another "thing." Cause and Effect deals merely with "events." An "event" is "that which comes, arrives or happens, as a result or consequent of some preceding event." No event "creates" another event, but is merely a preceding link in the great orderly chain of events flowing from the creative energy of THE ALL. There is a continuity between all events precedent, consequent and subsequent. There is a relation existing between everything that has gone before, and everything that follows. A stone is dislodged from a mountain side and crashes through a roof of a cottage in the valley below. At first sight we regard this as a chance effect, but when we examine the matter we find a great chain of causes behind it. In the first place there was the rain which softened the earth supporting the stone and which allowed it to fall; then back of that was the influence of the sun, other rains, etc., which gradually disintegrated the piece of rock from a larger piece; then there were the causes which led to the formation of the mountain, and its upheaval by convulsions of nature, and so on ad infinitum. Then we might follow up the causes behind the rain, etc. Then we might consider the existence of the roof In short, we would soon find ourselves involved in a mesh of cause and effect, from which we would soon strive to extricate ourselves.

Just as a man has two parents, and four grandparents, and eight great-grandparents, and sixteen great-great-grandparents, and so on until when, say, forty generations are calculated the numbers of ancestors run into many millions--so it is with the number of causes behind even the most trifling event or phenomena, such as the passage of a tiny speck of soot before your eye. It is not an easy matter to trace the bit of soot hack to the early period of the world's history when it formed a part of a massive tree-trunk, which was afterward converted into coal, and so on, until as the speck of soot it now passes before your vision on its way to other adventures. And a mighty chain of events, causes and effects, brought it to its present condition, and the later is but one of the chain of events which will go to produce other events hundreds of years from now. One of the series of events arising from the tiny bit of soot was the writing of these lines, which caused the typesetter to perform certain work; the proofreader to do likewise; and which will arouse certain thoughts in your mind, and that of others, which in turn will affect others, and so on, and on, and on, beyond the ability of man to think further-and all from the passage of a tiny bit of soot, all of which shows the relativity and association of things, and the further fact that "there is no great; there is no small, in the mind that causeth all."

Stop to think a moment. If a certain man had not met a certain maid, away back in the dim period of the Stone Age--you who are now reading these lines would not now be here. And if, perhaps, the same couple had failed to meet, we who now write these lines would not now be here. And the very act of writing, on our part, and the act of reading, on yours, will affect not only the respective lives of yourself and ourselves, but will also have a direct, or indirect, affect upon many other people now living and who will live in the ages to come. Every thought we think, every act we perform, has its direct and indirect results which fit into the great chain of Cause and Effect.

We do not wish to enter into a consideration of Free Will, or Determinism, in this work, for various reasons. Among the many reasons, is the principal one that neither side of the controversy is entirely right-in fact, both sides are partially right, according to the Hermetic Teachings. The Principle of Polarity shows that both are but Half-Truths the opposing poles of Truth. The Teachings are that a man may be both Free and yet bound by Necessity, depending upon the meaning of the terms, and the height of Truth from which the matter is examined. The ancient writers express the matter thus: "The further the creation is from the Centre, the more it is bound; the nearer the Centre it reaches, the nearer Free is it."

The majority of people are more or less the slaves of heredity, environment, etc., and manifest very little Freedom. They are swayed by the opinions, customs and thoughts of the outside world, and also by their emotions, feelings, moods, etc. They manifest no Mastery, worthy of the name. They indignantly repudiate this assertion, saying, "Why, I certainly am free to act and do as I please--I do just what I want to do," but they fail to explain whence arise the "want to" and "as I please." What makes them "want to" do one thing in preference to another; what makes them "please" to do this, and not do that? Is there no "because" to their "pleasing" and "Wanting"? The Master can change these "pleases" and "wants" into others at the opposite end of the mental pole. He is able to "Will to will," instead of to will because some feeling, mood, emotion, or environmental suggestion arouses a tendency or desire within him so to do.

The majority of people are carried along like the falling stone, obedient to environment, outside influences and internal moods, desires, etc., not to speak of the desires and wills of others stronger than themselves, heredity, environment, and suggestion, carrying them along without resistance on their part, or the exercise of the Will. Moved like the pawns on the checkerboard of life, they play their parts and are laid aside after the game is over. But the Masters, knowing the rules of the game, rise above the plane of material life, and placing themselves in touch with the higher powers of their nature, dominate their own moods, characters, qualities, and polarity, as well as the environment surrounding them and thus become Movers in the game, instead of Pawns-Causes instead of Effects. The Masters do not escape the Causation of the higher planes, but fall in with the higher laws, and thus master circumstances on the lower plane. They thus form a conscious part of the Law, instead of being mere blind instruments. While they Serve on the Higher Planes, they Rule on the Material Plane.

But, on higher and on lower, the Law is always in operation. There is no such thing as Chance. The blind goddess has been abolished by Reason. We are able to see now, with eyes made clear by knowledge, that everything is governed by Universal Law-that the infinite number of laws are but manifestations of the One Great Law-the LAW which is THE ALL. It is true indeed that not a sparrow drops unnoticed by the Mind of THE AL--that even the hairs on our head are numbered--as the scriptures have said There is nothing outside of Law; nothing that happens contrary to it. And yet, do not make the mistake of supposing that Man is but a blind automaton-far from that. The Hermetic Teachings are that Man may use Law to overcome laws, and that the higher will always prevail against the lower, until at last he has reached the stage in which he seeks refuge in the LAW itself, and laughs the phenomenal laws to scorn. Are you able to grasp the inner meaning of this?

<< (The Kybalion Main)

The Kybalion - CHAPTER XI

2010-05-04T02:18:00.001-04:00

RHYTHM

    "Everything flows out and in; everything has its tides;
     all things rise and fall; the pendulum-swing manifests
     in everything; the measure of the swing to the right,
     is the measure of the swing to the left; rhythm
     compensates"--The Kybalion.

The great Fifth Hermetic Principle--the Principle of Rhythm-embodies the truth that in everything there is manifested a measured motion; a to-and-from movement; a flow and inflow; a swing forward and backward; a pendulum-like movement; a tide-like ebb and flow; a high-tide and a low- tide; between the two-poles manifest on the physical, mental or spiritual planes. The Principle of rhythm is closely connected with the Principle of Polarity described in the preceding chapter. Rhythm manifests between the two poles established by the Principle of Polarity. This does not mean, however, that the pendulum of Rhythm swings to the extreme poles, for this rarely happens; in fact, it is difficult to establish the extreme polar opposites in the majority of cases. But the swing is ever "toward" first one pole and then the other.

There is always an action and reaction; an advance and a retreat; a rising and a sinking; manifested in all of the airs and phenomena of the Universe. Suns, worlds, men, animals, plants, minerals, forces, energy, mind and matter, yes, even Spirit, manifests this Principle. The Principle manifests in the creation and destruction of worlds; in the rise and fall of nations; in the life history of all things; and finally in the mental states of Man.

Beginning with the manifestations of Spirit--of THE ALL--it will be noticed that there is ever the Outpouring and the Indrawing; the "Outbreathing and Inbreathing of Brahm," as the Brahmans word it. Universes are created; reach their extreme low point of materiality; and then begin in their upward swing. Suns spring into being, and then their height of power being reached, the process of retrogression begins, and after aeons they become dead masses of matter, awaiting another impulse which starts again their inner energies into activity and a new solar life cycle is begun. And thus it is with all the worlds; they are born, grow and die; only to be reborn. And thus it is with all the things of shape and form; they swing from action to reaction; from birth to death; from activity to inactivity--and then back again. Thus it is with all living things; they are born, grow, and die--and then are reborn. So it is with all great movements, philosophies, creeds, fashions, governments, nations, and all else-birth, growth, maturity, decadence, death-and then new-birth. The swing of the pendulum is ever in evidence.

Night follows day; and day night. The pendulum swings from Summer to Winter, and then back again. The corpuscles, atoms, molecules, and all masses of matter, swing around the circle of their nature. There is no such thing as absolute rest, or cessation from movement, and all movement partakes of rhythm. The principle is of universal application. It may be applied to any question, or phenomena of any of the many planes of life. It may be applied to all phases of human activity. There is always the Rhythmic swing from one pole to the other. The Universal Pendulum is ever in motion. The Tides of Life flow in and out, according to Law.

The Principle of rhythm is well understood by modern science, and is considered a universal law as applied to material things. But the Hermetists carry the principle much further, and know that its manifestations and influence extend to the mental activities of Man, and that it accounts for the bewildering succession of moods, feelings and other annoying and perplexing changes that we notice in ourselves. But the Hermetists by studying the operations of this Principle have learned to escape some of its activities by Transmutation.

The Hermetic Masters long since discovered that while the Principle of Rhythm was invariable, and ever in evidence in mental phenomena, still there were two planes of its manifestation so far as mental phenomena are concerned. They discovered that there were two general planes of Consciousness, the Lower and the Higher, the understanding of which fact enabled them to rise to the higher plane and thus escape the swing of the Rhythmic pendulum which manifested on the lower plane. In other words, the swing of the pendulum occurred on the Unconscious Plane, and the Consciousness was not affected. This they call the Law of Neutralization. Its operations consist in the raising of the Ego above the vibrations of the Unconscious Plane of mental activity, so that the negative-swing of the pendulum is not manifested in consciousness, and therefore they are not affected. It is akin to rising above a thing and letting it pass beneath you. The Hermetic Master, or advanced student, polarizes himself at the desired pole, and by a process akin to "refusing" to participate in the backward swing or, if you prefer, a "denial" of its influence over him, he stands firm in his polarized position, and allows the mental pendulum to swing back along the unconscious plane. All individuals who have attained any degree of self- mastery, accomplish this, more or less unknowingly, and by refusing to allow their moods and negative mental states to affect them, they apply the Law of Neutralization. The Master, however, carries this to a much higher degree of proficiency, and by the use of his Will he attains a degree of Poise and Mental Firmness almost impossible of belief on the part of those who allow themselves to be swung backward and forward by the mental pendulum of moods and feelings.

The importance of this will be appreciated by any thinking person who realizes what creatures of moods, feelings and emotion the majority of people are, and how little mastery of themselves they manifest. If you will stop and consider a moment, you will realize how much these swings of Rhythm have affected you in your life--how a period of Enthusiasm has been invariably followed by an opposite feeling and mood of Depression. Likewise, your moods and periods of Courage have been succeeded by equal moods of Fear. And so it has ever been with the majority of persons--tides of feeling have ever risen and fallen with them, but they have never suspected the cause or reason of the mental phenomena. An understanding of the workings of this Principle will give one the key to the Mastery of these rhythmic swings of feeling, and will enable him to know himself better and to avoid being carried away by these inflows and outflows. The Will is superior to the conscious manifestation of this Principle, although the Principle itself can never be destroyed. We may escape its effects, but the Principle operates, nevertheless. The pendulum ever swings, although we may escape being carried along with it.

There are other features of the operation of this Principle of Rhythm of which we wish to speak at this point. There comes into its operations that which is known as the Law of Compensation. One of the definitions or meanings of the word "Compensate" is, "to counterbalance" which is the sense in which the Hermetists use the term. It is this Law of Compensation to which the Kybalion refers when it says: "The measure of the swing to the right is the measure of the swing to the left; rhythm compensates."

The Law of Compensation is that the swing in one direction determines the swing in the opposite direction, or to the opposite pole-the one balances, or counterbalances, the other. On the Physical Plane we see many examples of this Law. The pendulum of the clock swings a certain distance to the right, and then an equal distance to the left. The seasons balance each other in the same way. The tides follow the same Law. And the same Law is manifested in all the phenomena of Rhythm. The pendulum, with a short swing in one direction, has but a short swing in the other; while the long swing to the right invariably means the long swing to the left. An object hurled upward to a certain height has an equal distance to traverse on its return. The force with which a projectile is sent upward a mile is reproduced when the projectile returns to the earth on its return journey. This Law is constant on the Physical Plane, as reference to the standard authorities will show you.

But the Hermetists carry it still further. They teach that a man's mental states are subject to the same Law. The man who enjoys keenly, is subject to keen suffering; while he who feels but little pain is capable of feeling but little joy. The pig suffers but little mentally, and enjoys but little--he is compensated. And on the other hand, there are other animals who enjoy keenly, but whose nervous organism and temperament cause them to suffer exquisite degrees of pain and so it is with Man. There are temperaments which permit of but low degrees of enjoyment, and equally low degrees of suffering; while there are others which permit the most intense enjoyment, but also the most intense suffering. The rule is that the capacity for pain and pleasure, in each individual, are balanced. The Law of Compensation is in full operation here.

But the Hermetists go still further in this matter. They teach that before one is able to enjoy a certain degree of pleasure, he must have swung as far, proportionately, toward the other pole of feeling. They hold, however, that the Negative is precedent to the Positive in this matter, that is to say that in experiencing a certain degree of pleasure it does not follow that he will have to "pay up for it" with a corresponding degree of pain; on the contrary, the pleasure is the Rhythmic swing, according to the Law of Compensation, for a degree of pain previously experienced either in the present life, or in a previous incarnation. This throws a new light on the Problem of Pain.

The Hermetists regard the chain of lives as continuous, and as forming a part of one life of the individual, so that in consequence the rhythmic swing is understood in this way, while it would be without meaning unless the truth of reincarnation is admitted.

But the Hermetists claim that the Master or advanced student is able, to a great degree, to escape the swing toward Pain, by the process of Neutralization before mentioned. By rising on to the higher plane of the Ego, much of the experience that comes to those dwelling on the lower plane is avoided and escaped.

The Law of Compensation plays an important part in the lives of men and women. It will be noticed that one generally "pays the price" of anything he possesses or lacks. If he has one thing, he lacks another--the balance is struck. No one can "keep his penny and have the bit of cake" at the same time Everything has its pleasant and unpleasant sides. The things that one gains are always paid for by the things that one loses. The rich possess much that the poor lack, while the poor often possess things that are beyond the reach of the rich. The millionaire may have the inclination toward feasting, and the wealth wherewith to secure all the dainties and luxuries of the table, while he lacks the appetite to enjoy the same; he envies the appetite and digestion of the laborer who lacks the wealth and inclinations of the millionaire, and who gets more pleasure from his plain food than the millionaire could obtain even if his appetite were not jaded, nor his digestion ruined, for the wants, habits and inclinations differ. And so it is through life. The Law of Compensation is ever in operation, striving to balance and counter-balance, and always succeeding in time, even though several lives may be required for the return swing of the Pendulum of Rhythm.

<< (The Kybalion Main)

The Kybalion - CHAPTER X

2010-05-04T02:16:00.001-04:00

POLARITY

    "Everything is dual; everything has poles; everything
     has its pair of opposites; like and unlike are the same;
     opposites are identical in nature, but different in degree;
     extremes meet; all truths are but half-truths; all paradoxes
     may be reconciled."--The Kybalion.

The great Fourth Hermetic Principle--the Principle of Polarity embodies the truth that all manifested things have "two sides"; "two aspects"; "two poles"; a "pair of opposites," with manifold degrees between the two extremes. The old paradoxes, which have ever perplexed the mind of men, are explained by an understanding of this Principle. Man has always recognized something akin to this Principle, and has endeavored to express it by such sayings, maxims and aphorisms as the following: "Everything is and isn't, at the same time"; "all truths are but half-truths"; "every truth is half-false"; "there are two sides to everything"--"there is a reverse side to every shield," etc., etc.

The Hermetic Teachings are to the effect that the difference between things seemingly diametrically opposed to each other is merely a matter of degree. It teaches that "the pairs of opposites may be reconciled," and that "thesis and anti-thesis are identical in nature, but different in degree"; and that the "universal reconciliation of opposites" is effected by a recognition of this Principle of Polarity. The teachers claim that illustrations of this Principle may be had on every hand, and from an examination into the real nature of anything. They begin by showing that Spirit and Matter are but the two poles of the same thing, the intermediate planes being merely degrees of vibration. They show that THE ALL and The Many are the same, the difference being merely a matter of degree of Mental Manifestation. Thus the LAW and Laws are the two opposite poles of one thing. Likewise, PRINCIPLE and Principles. Infinite Mind and finite minds.

Then passing on to the Physical Plane, they illustrate the Principle by showing that Heat and Cold are identical in nature, the differences being merely a matter of degrees. The thermometer shows many degrees of temperature, the lowest pole being called "cold," and the highest "heat." Between these two poles are many degrees of "heat" or "cold," call them either and you are equally correct. The higher of two degrees is always "warmer," while the lower is always "colder." There is no absolute standard-all is a matter of degree. There is no place on the thermometer where heat ceases and cold begins. It is all a matter of higher or lower vibrations. The very terms "high" and "low," which we are compelled to use, are but poles of the same thing-the terms are relative. So with "East and West"--travel around the world in an eastward direction, and you reach a point which is called west at your starting point, and you return from that westward point. Travel far enough North, and you will find yourself traveling South, or vice versa.

Light and Darkness are poles of the same thing, with many degrees between them. The musical scale is the same--starting with "C" you move upward until you reach another "C" and so on, the differences between the two ends of the board being the same, with many degrees between the two extremes. The scale of color is the same-higher and lower vibrations being the only difference between high violet and low red. Large and Small are relative. So are Noise and Quiet; Hard and Soft follow the rule. Likewise Sharp and Dull. Positive and Negative are two poles of the same thing, with countless degrees between them.

Good and Bad are not absolute--we call one end of the scale Good and the other Bad, or one end Good and the other Evil, according to the use of the terms. A thing is "less good" than the thing higher in the scale; but that "less good" thing, in turn, is "more good" than the thing next below it--and so on, the "more or less" being regulated by the position on the scale.

And so it is on the Mental Plane. "Love and. Hate" are generally regarded as being things diametrically opposed to each other; entirely different; unreconcilable. But we apply the Principle of Polarity; we find that there is no such thing as Absolute Love or Absolute Hate, as distinguished from each other. The two are merely terms applied to the two poles of the same thing. Beginning at any point of the scale we find "more love," or "less hate," as we ascend the scale; and "more hate" or "less love" as we descend this being true no matter from what point, high or low, we may start. There are degrees of Love and Hate, and there is a middle point where "Like and Dislike" become so faint that it is difficult to distinguish between them. Courage and Fear come under the same rule. The Pairs of Opposites exist everywhere. Where you find one thing you find its opposite-the two poles.

And it is this fact that enables the Hermetist to transmute one mental state into another, along the lines of Polarization. Things belonging to different classes cannot be transmuted into each other, but things of the same class may be changed, that is, may have their polarity changed. Thus Love never becomes East or West, or Red or Violet-but it may and often does turn into Hate and likewise Hate may be transformed into Love, by changing its polarity. Courage may be transmuted into Fear, and the reverse. Hard things may be rendered Soft. Dull things become Sharp. Hot things become Cold. And so on, the transmutation always being between things of the same kind of different degrees. Take the case of a Fearful man. By raising his mental vibrations along the line of Fear- Courage, he can be filled with the highest degree of Courage and Fearlessness. And, likewise, the Slothful man may change himself into an Active, Energetic individual simply by polarizing along the lines of the desired quality.

The student who is familiar with the processes by which the various schools of Mental Science, etc., produce changes in the mental states of those following their teachings, may not readily understand the principle underlying many of these changes. When, however, the Principle of Polarity is once grasped, and it is seen that the mental changes are occasioned by a change of polarity-a sliding along the same scale-the hatter is readily understood. The change is not in the nature of a transmutation of one thing into another thing entirely different-but is merely a change of degree in the same things, a vastly important difference. For instance, borrowing an analogy from the Physical Plane, it is impossible to change Heat into Sharpness, Loudness, Highness, etc., but Heat may readily be transmuted into Cold, simply by lowering the vibrations. In the same way Hate and Love are mutually transmutable; so are Fear and Courage. But Fear cannot be transformed into Love, nor can Courage be transmuted into Hate. The mental states belong to innumerable classes, each class of which has its opposite poles, along which transmutation is possible.

The student will readily recognize that in the mental states, as well as in the phenomena of the Physical Plane, the two poles may be classified as Positive and Negative, respectively. Thus Love is Positive to Hate; Courage to Fear; Activity to Non-Activity, etc., etc. And it will also be noticed that even to those unfamiliar with the Principle of Vibration, the Positive pole seems to be of a higher degree than the Negative, and readily dominates it. The tendency of Nature is in the direction of the dominant activity of the Positive pole.

In addition to the changing of the poles of one's own mental states by the operation of the art of Polarization, the phenomena of Mental Influence, in its manifold phases, shows us that the principle may be extended so as to embrace the phenomena of the influence of one mind over that of another, of which so much has been written and taught of late years. When it is understood that Mental Induction is possible, that is that mental states may be produced by "induction" from others, then we can readily see how a certain rate of vibration, or polarization of a certain mental state, may be communicated to another person, and his polarity in that class of mental states thus changed. It is along this principle that the results of many of the "mental treatments" are obtained. For instance, a person is "blue," melancholy and full of fear. A mental scientist bringing his own mind up to the desired vibration by his trained will, and thus obtaining the desired polarization in his own case, then produces a similar mental state in the other by induction, the result being that the vibrations are raised and the person polarizes toward the Positive end of the scale instead toward the Negative, and his Fear and other negative emotions are transmuted to Courage and similar positive mental states. A little study will show you that these mental changes are nearly all along the line of Polarization, the change being one of degree rather than of kind.

A knowledge of the existence of this great Hermetic Principle will enable the student to better understand his own mental states, and those of other people. He will see that these states are all matters of degree, and seeing thus, he will be able to raise or lower the vibration at will--to change his mental poles, and thus be Master of his mental states, instead of being their servant and slave. And by his knowledge he will be able to aid his fellows intelligently and by the appropriate methods change the polarity when the same is desirable. We advise all students to familiarize themselves with this Principle of Polarity, for a correct understanding of the same will throw light on many difficult subjects.

<< (The Kybalion Main)

The Kybalion - CHAPTER IX

2010-05-04T02:14:00.001-04:00

VIBRATION

"Nothing rests; everything moves; everything
vibrates."--The Kybalion.

The great Third Hermetic Principle--the Principle of Vibration--embodies the truth that Motion is manifest in everything in the Universe--that nothing is at rest--that everything moves, vibrates, and circles. This Hermetic Principle was recognized by some of the early Greek philosophers who embodied it in their systems. But, then, for centuries it was lost sight of by the thinkers outside of the Hermetic ranks. But in the Nineteenth Century physical science re-discovered the truth and the Twentieth Century scientific discoveries have added additional proof of the correctness and truth of this centuries-old Hermetic doctrine.

The Hermetic Teachings are that not only is everything in constant movement and vibration, but that the "differences" between the various manifestations of the universal power are due entirely to the varying rate and mode of vibrations. Not only this, but that even THE ALL, in itself, manifests a constant vibration of such an infinite degree of intensity and rapid motion that it may be practically considered as at rest, the teachers directing the attention of the students to the fact that even on the physical plane a rapidly moving object (such as a revolving wheel) seems to be at rest. The Teachings are to the effect that Spirit is at one end of the Pole of Vibration, the other Pole being certain extremely gross forms of Matter. Between these two poles are millions upon millions of different rates and modes of vibration.

Modern Science has proven that all that we call Matter and Energy are but "modes of vibratory motion," and some of the more advanced scientists are rapidly moving toward the positions of the occultists who hold that the phenomena of Mind are likewise modes of vibration or motion. Let us see what science has to say regarding the question of vibrations in matter and energy.

In the first place, science teaches that all matter manifests, in some degree, the vibrations arising from temperature or heat. Be an object cold or hot--both being but degrees of the same things--it manifests certain heat vibrations, and in that sense is in motion and vibration. Then all particles of Matter are in circular movement, from corpuscle to suns. The planets revolve around suns, and many of them turn on their axes. The suns move around greater central points, and these are believed to move around still greater, and so on, ad infinitum. The molecules of which the particular kinds of Matter are composed are in a state of constant vibration and movement around each other and against each other. The molecules are composed of Atoms, which, likewise, are in a state of constant movement and vibration. The atoms are composed of Corpuscles, sometimes called "electrons," "ions," etc., which also are in a state of rapid motion, revolving around each other, and which manifest a very rapid state and mode of vibration. And, so we see that all forms of Matter manifest Vibration, in accordance with the Hermetic Principle of Vibration.

And so it is with the various forms of Energy. Science teaches that Light, Heat, Magnetism and Electricity are but forms of vibratory motion connected in some way with, and probably emanating from the Ether. Science does not as yet attempt to explain the nature of the phenomena known as Cohesion, which is the principle of Molecular Attraction; nor Chemical Affinity, which is the principle of Atomic Attraction; nor Gravitation (the greatest mystery of the three), which is the principle of attraction by which every particle or mass of Matter is bound to every other particle or mass. These three forms of Energy are not as yet understood by science, yet the writers incline to the opinion that these too are manifestations of some form of vibratory energy, a fact which the Hermetists have held and taught for ages past.

The Universal Ether, which is postulated by science without its nature being understood clearly, is held by the Hermetists to be but a higher manifestation of that which is erroneously called matter--that is to say, Matter at a higher degree of vibration--and is called by them "The Ethereal Substance." The Hermetists teach that this Ethereal Substance is of extreme tenuity and elasticity, and pervades universal space, serving as a medium of transmission of waves of vibratory energy, such as heat, light, electricity, magnetism, etc. The Teachings are that The Ethereal Substance is a connecting link between the forms of vibratory energy known as "Matter" on the one hand, and "Energy or Force" on the other; and also that it manifests a degree of vibration, in rate and mode, entirely its own.

Scientists have offered the illustration of a rapidly moving wheel, top, or cylinder, to show the effects of increasing rates of vibration. The illustration supposes a wheel, top, or revolving cylinder, running at a low rate of speed--we will call this revolving thing "the object" in following out the illustration. Let us suppose the object moving slowly. It may be seen readily, but no sound of its movement reaches the ear. The speed is gradually increased. In a few moments its movement becomes so rapid that a deep growl or low note may be heard. Then as the rate is increased the note rises one in the musical scale. Then, the motion being still further increased, the next highest note is distinguished. Then, one after another, all the notes of the musical scale appear, rising higher and higher as the motion is increased. Finally when the motions have reached a certain rate the final note perceptible to human ears is reached and the shrill, piercing shriek dies away, and silence follows. No sound is heard from the revolving object, the rate of motion being so high that the human ear cannot register the vibrations. Then comes the perception of rising degrees of Heat. Then after quite a time the eye catches a glimpse of the object becoming a dull dark reddish color. As the rate increases, the red becomes brighter. Then as the speed is increased, the red melts into an orange. Then the orange melts into a yellow. Then follow, successively, the shades of green, blue, indigo, and finally violet, as the rate of sped increases. Then the violet shades away, and all color disappears, the human eye not being able to register them. But there are invisible rays emanating from the revolving object, the rays that are used in photographing, and other subtle rays of light. Then begin to manifest the peculiar rays known as the "X Rays," etc., as the constitution of the object changes. Electricity and Magnetism are emitted when the appropriate rate of vibration is attained.

When the object reaches a certain rate of vibration its molecules disintegrate, and resolve themselves into the original elements or atoms. Then the atoms, following the Principle of Vibration, are separated into the countless corpuscles of which they are composed. And finally, even the corpuscles disappear and the object may be said to Be composed of The Ethereal Substance. Science does not dare to follow the illustration further, but the Hermetists teach that if the vibrations be continually increased the object would mount up the successive states of manifestation and would in turn manifest the various mental stages, and then on Spiritward, until it would finally re-enter THE ALL, which is Absolute Spirit. The "object," however, would have ceased to be an "object" long before the stage of Ethereal Substance was reached, but otherwise the illustration is correct inasmuch as it shows the effect of constantly increased rates and modes of vibration. It must be remembered, in the above illustration, that at the stages at which the "object" throws off vibrations of light, heat, etc., it is not actually "resolved" into those forms of energy (which are much higher in the scale), but simply that it reaches a degree of vibration in which those forms of energy are liberated, in a degree, from the confining influences of its molecules, atoms and corpuscles, as the case may be. These forms of energy, although much higher in the scale than matter, are imprisoned and confined in the material combinations, by reason of the energies manifesting through, and using material forms, but thus becoming entangled and confined in their creations of material forms, which, to an extent, is true of all creations, the creating force becoming involved in its creation.

But the Hermetic Teachings go much further than do those of modern science. They teach that all manifestation of thought, emotion, reason, will or desire, or any mental state or condition, are accompanied by vibrations, a portion of which are thrown off and which tend to affect the minds of other persons by "induction." This is the principle which produces the phenomena of "telepathy"; mental influence, and other forms of the action and power of mind over mind, with which the general public is rapidly becoming acquainted, owing to the wide dissemination of occult knowledge by the various schools, cults and teachers along these lines at this time.

Every thought, emotion or mental state has its corresponding rate and mode of vibration. And by an effort of the will of the person, or of other persons, these mental states may be reproduced, just as a musical tone may be reproduced by causing an instrument to vibrate at a certain rate--just as color may be reproduced in the same may. By a knowledge of the Principle of Vibration, as applied to Mental Phenomena, one may polarize his mind at any degree he wishes, thus gaining a perfect control over his mental states, moods, etc. In the same way he may affect the minds of others, producing the desired mental states in them. In short, he may be able to produce on the Mental Plane that which science produces on the Physical Plane--namely, "Vibrations at Will." This power of course may be acquired only by the proper instruction, exercises, practice, etc., the science being that of Mental Transmutation, one of the branches of the Hermetic Art.

A little reflection on what we have said will show the student that the Principle of Vibration underlies the wonderful phenomena of the power manifested by the Masters and Adepts, who are able to apparently set aside the Laws of Nature, but who, in reality, are simply using one law against another; one principle against others; and who accomplish their results by changing the vibrations of material objects, or forms of energy, and thus perform what are commonly called "miracles."

As one of the old Hermetic writers has truly said: "He who understands the Principle of Vibration, has grasped the scepter of Power."

<< (The Kybalion Main)

The Kybalion - CHAPTER VIII

2010-05-04T02:11:00.001-04:00

PLANES OF CORRESPONDENCE

"As above, so below; as below, so above."--The Kybalion.

The great Second Hermetic Principle embodies the truth that there is a harmony, agreement, and correspondence between the several planes of Manifestation, Life and Being. This truth is a truth because all that is included in the Universe emanates from the same source, and the same laws, principles, and characteristics apply to each unit, or combination of units, of activity, as each manifests its own phenomena upon its own plane.

For the purpose of convenience of thought and study, the Hermetic Philosophy considers that the Universe may be divided into three great classes of phenomena, known as the Three Great Planes, namely:

     1. The Great Physical Plane.
     2. The Great Mental Plane.
     3. The Great Spiritual Plane.

These divisions are more or less artificial and arbitrary, for the truth is that all of the three divisions are but ascending degrees of the great scale of Life, the lowest point of which is undifferentiated Matter, and the highest point that of Spirit. And, moreover, the different Planes shade into each other, so that no hard and fast division may be made between the higher phenomena of the Physical and the lower of the Mental; or between the higher of the Mental and the lower of the Physical.

In short, the Three Great Planes may be regarded as three great groups of degrees of Life Manifestation. While the purposes of this little book do not allow us to enter into an extended discussion of, or explanation of, the subject of these different planes, still we think it well to give a general description of the same at this point.

At the beginning we may as well consider the question so often asked by the neophyte, who desires to be informed regarding the meaning of the word "Plane", which term has been very freely used, and very poorly explained, in many recent works upon the subject of occultism. The question is generally about as follows: "Is a Plane a place having dimensions, or is it merely a condition or state?" We answer: "No, not a place, nor ordinary dimension of space; and yet more than a state or condition. It may be considered as a state or condition, and yet the state or condition is a degree of dimension, in a scale subject to measurement." Somewhat paradoxical, is it not? But let us examine the matter. A "dimension," you know, is "a measure in a straight line, relating to measure," etc. The ordinary dimensions of space are length, breadth, and height, or perhaps length, breadth, height, thickness or circumference. But there is another dimension of "created things" or "measure in a straight line," known to occultists, and to scientists as well, although the latter have not as yet applied the term "dimension" to it--and this new dimension, which, by the way, is the much speculated -about "Fourth Dimension," is the standard used in determining the degrees or "planes."

This Fourth Dimension may be called "The Dimension of Vibration" It is a fact well known to modern science, as well as to the Hermetists who have embodied the truth in their "Third Hermetic Principle," that "everything is in motion; everything vibrates; nothing is at rest." From the highest manifestation, to the lowest, everything and all things Vibrate. Not only do they vibrate at different rates of motion, but as in different directions and in a different manner. The degrees of the rate of vibrations constitute the degrees of measurement on the Scale of Vibrations--in other words the degrees of the Fourth Dimension. And these degrees form what occultists call "Planes" The higher the degree of rate of vibration, the higher the plane, and the higher the manifestation of Life occupying that plane. So that while a plane is not "a place," nor yet "a state or condition," yet it possesses qualities common to both. We shall have more to say regarding the subject of the scale of Vibrations in our next lessons, in which we shall consider the Hermetic Principle of Vibration.

You will kindly remember, however, that the Three Great Planes are not actual divisions of the phenomena of the Universe, but merely arbitrary terms used by the Hermetists in order to aid in the thought and study of the various degrees and Forms of universal activity and life. The atom of matter, the unit of force, the mind of man, and the being of the arch -angel are all but degrees in one scale, and all fundamentally the same, the difference between solely a matter of degree, and rate of vibration--all are creations of THE ALL, and have their existence solely within the Infinite Mind of THE ALL.

The Hermetists sub-divide each of the Three Great Planes into Seven Minor Planes, and each of these latter are also sub-divided into seven sub-planes, all divisions being more or less arbitrary, shading into each other, and adopted merely for convenience of scientific study and thought.

The Great Physical Plane, and its Seven Minor Planes, is that division of the phenomena of the Universe which includes all that relates to physics, or material things, forces, and manifestations. It includes all forms of that which we call Matter, and all forms of that which we call Energy or Force. But you must remember that the Hermetic Philosophy does not recognize Matter as a thing in itself, or as having a separate existence even in the Mind of THE ALL. The Teachings are that Matter is but a form of Energy--.that is, Energy at a low rate of vibrations of a certain kind. And accordingly the Hermetists classify Matter under the head of Energy, and give to it three of the Seven Minor Planes of the Great Physical Plane.

These Seven Minor Physical Planes are as follows:

     1. The Plane of Matter (A)
     2. The Plane of Matter (B)
     3. The Plane of Matter (C)
     4. The Plane of Ethereal Substance
     5. The Plane of Energy (A)
     6. The Plane of Energy (B)
     7. The Plane of Energy (C)

The Plane of Matter (A) comprises the forms of Matter in its form of solids, liquids, and gases, as generally recognized by the text-books on physics. The Plane of Matter (B) comprises certain higher and more subtle forms of Matter of the existence of which modern science is but now recognizing, the phenomena of Radiant Matter, in its phases of radium, etc., belonging to the lower sub-division of this Minor Plane. The Plane of Matter (C) comprises forms of the most subtle and tenuous Matter, the existence of which is not suspected by ordinary scientists. The Plane of Ethereal Substance comprises that which science speaks of as "The Ether", a substance of extreme tenuity and elasticity, pervading all Universal Space, and acting as a medium for the transmission of waves of energy, such as light, heat, electricity, etc. This Ethereal Substance forms a connecting link between Matter (so-called) and Energy, and partakes of the nature of each. The Hermetic Teachings, however, instruct that this plane has seven sub-divisions (as have all of the Minor Planes), and that in fact there are seven ethers, instead of but one.

Next above the Plane of Ethereal Substance comes the Plane of Energy (A), which comprises the ordinary forms of Energy known to science, its seven sub-planes being, respectively, Heat; Light; Magnetism; Electricity, and Attraction (including Gravitation, Cohesion, Chemical Affinity, etc.) and several other forms of energy indicated by scientific experiments but not as yet named or classified. The Plane of Energy (B) comprises seven subplanes of higher forms of energy not as yet discovered by science, but which have been called "Nature's Finer Forces" and which are called into operation in manifestations of certain forms of mental phenomena, and by which such phenomena becomes possible. The Plane of Energy (C) comprises seven sub-planes of energy so highly organized that it bears many of the characteristics of "life," but which is not recognized by the minds of men on the ordinary plane of development, being available for the use on beings of the Spiritual Plane alone--such energy is unthinkable to ordinary man, and may be considered almost as "the divine power." The beings employing the same are as "gods" compared even to the highest human types known to us.

The Great Mental Plane comprises those forms of "living things" known to us in ordinary life, as well as certain other forms not so well known except to the occultist. The classification of the Seven Minor Mental Planes is more or less satisfactory and arbitrary (unless accompanied by elaborate explanations which are foreign to the purpose of this particular work), but we may as well mention them. They are as follows:

     1. The Plane of Mineral Mind
     2. The Plane of Elemental Mind (A)
     3. The Plane of Plant Mind
     4. The Plane of Elemental Mind (B)
     5. The Plane of Animal Mind
     6. The Plane of Elemental Mind (C)
     7. The Plane of Human Mind

The Plane of Mineral Mind comprises the "states or conditions" of the units or entities, or groups and combinations of the same, which animate the forms known to us as "minerals, chemicals, etc." These entities must not be confounded with the molecules, atoms and corpuscles themselves, the latter being merely the material bodies or forms of these entities, just as a man's body is but his material form and not "himself." These entities may be called "souls" in one sense, and are living beings of a low degree of development, life, and mind--just a little more than the units of "living energy" which comprise the higher sub-divisions of the highest Physical Plane. The average mind does not generally attribute the possession of mind, soul, or life, to the mineral kingdom, but all occultists recognize the existence of the same, and modern science is rapidly moving forward to the point-of-view of the Hermetic, in this respect. The molecules, atoms and corpuscles have their "loves and hates"; "likes and dislikes"; "attractions and repulsions". "affinities and non-affinities," etc., and some of the more daring of modern scientific minds have expressed the opinion that the desire and will, emotions and feelings, of the atoms differ only in degree from those of men. We have no time or space to argue this matter here. All occultists know it to be a fact, and others are referred to some of the more recent scientific works for outside corroboration. There are the usual seven sub-divisions to this plane.

The Plane of Elemental Mind (A) comprises the state or condition, and degree of mental and vital development of a class of entities unknown to the average man, but recognized to occultists. They are invisible to the ordinary senses of man, but, nevertheless, exist and play their part of the Drama of the Universe. Their degree of intelligence is between that of the mineral and chemical entities on the one hand, and of the entities of the plant kingdom on the other. There are seven subdivisions to this plane, also.

The Plane of Plant Mind, in its seven sub-divisions, comprises the states or conditions of the entities comprising the kingdoms of the Plant World, the vital and mental phenomena of which is fairly well understood by the average intelligent person, many new and interesting scientific works regarding "Mind and Life in Plants" having been published during the last decade. Plants have life, mind and "souls," as well as have the animals, man, and super-man.

The Plane of Elemental Mind (B), in its seven sub-divisions, comprises the states and conditions of a higher form of "elemental" or unseen entities, playing their part in the general work of the Universe, the mind and life of which form a part of the scale between the Plane of Plant Mind and the Plane of Animal Mind, the entities partaking of the nature of both.

The Plane of Animal Mind, in its seven sub-divisions, comprises the states and conditions of the entities, beings, or souls, animating the animal forms of life, familiar to us all. It is not necessary to go into details regarding this kingdom or plane of life, for the animal world is as familiar to us as is our own.

The Plane of Elemental Mind (C), in its seven sub-divisions, comprises those entities or beings, invisible as are all such elemental forms, which partake of the nature of both animal and human life in a degree and in certain combinations. The highest forms are semi-human in intelligence.

The Plane of Human Mind, in its seven sub-divisions, comprises those manifestations of life and mentality which are common to Man, in his various grades, degrees, and divisions. In this connection, we wish to point out the fact that the average man of today occupies but the fourth sub-division of the Plane of Human Mind, and only the most intelligent have crossed the borders of the Fifth Sub-Division. It has taken the race millions of years to reach this stage, and it will take many more years for the race to move on to the sixth and seventh sub-divisions, and beyond. But, remember, that there have been races before us which have passed through these degrees, and then on to higher planes. Our own race is the fifth (with stragglers from the fourth) which has set foot upon The Path. And, then there are a few advanced souls of our own race who have outstripped the masses, and who have passed on to the sixth and seventh sub-division, and some few being still further on. The man of the Sixth Sub-Division will be "The Super-Man"; he of the Seventh will be "The Over-Man."

In our consideration of the Seven Minor Mental Planes, we have merely referred to the Three Elementary Planes in a general way. We do not wish to go into this subject in detail in this work, for it does not belong to this part of the general philosophy and teachings. But we may say this much, in order to give you a little clearer idea, of the relations of these planes to the more familiar ones--the Elementary Planes bear the same relation to the Planes of Mineral, Plant, Animal and Human Mentality and Life, that the black keys on the piano do to the white keys. The white keys are sufficient to produce music, but there are certain scales, melodies, and harmonies, in which the black keys play their part, and in which their presence is necessary. They are also necessary as "connecting links" of soul-condition; entity states, etc., between the several other planes, certain forms of development being attained therein--this last fact giving to the reader who can "read between the lines" a new light upon the processes of Evolution, and a new key to the secret door of the "leaps of life" between kingdom and kingdom. The great kingdoms of Elementals are fully recognized by all occultists, and the esoteric writings are full of mention of them. The readers of Bulwer's "Sanoni" and similar tales will recognize the entities inhabiting these planes of life.

Passing on from the Great Mental Plane to the Great Spiritual Plane, what shall we say? How can we explain these higher states of Being, Life and Mind, to minds as yet unable to grasp and understand the higher subdivisions of the Plane of Human Mind? The task is impossible. We can speak only in the most general terms. How may Light be described to a man born blind--how sugar, to a man who has never tasted anything sweet--how harmony, to one born deaf?

All that we can say is that the Seven Minor Planes of the Great Spiritual Plane (each Minor Plane having its seven sub-divisions) comprise Beings possessing Life, Mind and Form as far above that of Man of to-day as the latter is above the earth-worm, mineral or even certain forms of Energy or Matter. The Life of these Beings so far transcends ours, that we cannot even think of the details of the same; their minds so far transcend ours, that to them we scarcely seem to "think," and our mental processes seem almost akin to material processes; the Matter of which their forms are composed is of the highest Planes of Matter, nay, some are even said to be "clothed in Pure Energy." What may be said of such Beings?

On the Seven Minor Planes of the Great Spiritual Plane exist Beings of whom we may speak as Angels; Archangels; Demi-Gods. On the lower Minor Planes dwell those great souls whom we call Masters and Adepts. Above them come the Great Hierarchies of the Angelic Hosts, unthinkable to man; and above those come those who may without irreverence be called "The Gods," so high in the scale of Being are they, their being, intelligence and power being akin to those attributed by the races of men to their conceptions of Deity. These Beings are beyond even the highest flights of the human imagination, the word "Divine" being the only one applicable to them. Many of these Beings, as well as the Angelic Host, take the greatest interest in the affairs of the Universe and play an important part in its affairs. These Unseen Divinities and Angelic Helpers extend their influence freely and powerfully, in the process of Evolution, and Cosmic Progress. Their occasional intervention and assistance in human affairs have led to the many legends, beliefs, religions and traditions of the race, past and present. They have superimposed their knowledge and power upon the world, again and again, all under the Law of THE ALL, of course.

But, yet, even the highest of these advanced Beings exist merely as creations of, and in, the Mind of THE ALL, and are subject to the Cosmic Processes and Universal Laws. They are still Mortal. We may call them "gods" if we like, but still they are but the Elder Brethren of the Race,--the advanced souls who have outstripped their brethren, and who have foregone the ecstasy of Absorption by THE ALL, in order to help the race on its upward journey along The Path. But, they belong to the Universe, and are subject to its conditions--they are mortal--and their plane is below that of Absolute Spirit.

Only the most advanced Hermetists are able to grasp the Inner Teachings regarding the state of existence, and the powers manifested on the Spiritual Planes. The phenomena is so much higher than that of the Mental Planes that a confusion of ideas would surely result from an attempt to describe the same. Only those whose minds have been carefully trained along the lines of the Hermetic Philosophy for years--yes, those who have brought with them from other incarnations the knowledge acquired previously--can comprehend just what is meant by the Teaching regarding these Spiritual Planes. And much of these Inner Teachings is held by the Hermetists as being too sacred, important and even dangerous for general public dissemination. The intelligent student may recognize what we mean by this when we state that the meaning of "Spirit" as used by the Hermetists is akin to "Living Power"; "Animated Force;" "Inner Essence;" "Essence of Life," etc., which meaning must not be confounded with that usually and commonly employed in connection with the term, i.e., "religious; ecclesiastical; spiritual; ethereal; holy," etc., etc. To occultists the word "Spirit" is used in the sense of "The Animating Principle," carrying with it the idea of Power, Living Energy, Mystic Force, etc. And occultists know that that which is known to them as "Spiritual Power" may be employed for evil as well as good ends (in accordance with the Principle of Polarity), a fact which has been recognized by the majority of religions in their conceptions of Satan, Beelzebub, the Devil, Lucifer, Fallen Angels, etc. And so the knowledge regarding these Planes has been kept in the Holy of Holies in all Esoteric Fraternities and Occult Orders,--in the Secret Chamber of the Temple. But this may be said here, that those who have attained high spiritual powers and have misused them, have a terrible fate in store for them, and the swing of the pendulum of Rhythm will inevitably swing them back to the furthest extreme of Material existence, from which point they must retrace their steps Spiritward, along the weary rounds of The Path, but always with the added torture of having always with them a lingering memory of the heights from which they fell owing to their evil actions. The legends of the Fallen Angels have a basis in actual facts, as all advanced occultists know. The striving for selfish power on the Spiritual Planes inevitably results in the selfish soul losing its spiritual balance and falling back as far as it had previously risen. But to even such a soul, the opportunity of a return is given--and such souls make the return journey, paying the terrible penalty according to the invariable Law.

In conclusion we would again remind you that according to the Principle of Correspondence, which embodies the truth: "As Above so Below; as Below, so Above," all of the Seven Hermetic Principles are in full operation on all of the many planes, Physical Mental and Spiritual. The Principle of Mental Substance of course applies to all the planes, for all are held in the Mind of THE ALL. The Principle of Correspondence manifests in all, for there is a correspondence, harmony and agreement between the several planes. The Principle of Vibration manifests on all planes, in fact the very differences that go to make the "planes" arise from Vibration, as we have explained. The Principle of Polarity manifests on each plane, the extremes of the Poles being apparently opposite and contradictory. The Principle of Rhythm manifests on each Plane, the movement of the phenomena having its ebb and flow, rise and flow, incoming and outgoing. The Principle of Cause and Effect manifests on each Plane, every Effect having its Cause and every Cause having its effect. The Principle of Gender manifests on each Plane, the Creative Energy being always manifest, and operating along the lines of its Masculine and Feminine Aspects.

"As Above so Below; as Below, so Above." This centuries old Hermetic axiom embodies one of the great Principles of Universal Phenomena. As we proceed with our consideration of the remaining Principles, we will see even more clearly the truth of the universal nature of this great Principle of Correspondence.

<< (The Kybalion Main)

The Kybalion - CHAPTER VII

2010-05-04T02:08:00.001-04:00

"THE ALL" IN ALL

    "While All is in THE ALL, it is equally true that THE
     ALL is in ALL. To him who truly understands this
     truth hath come great knowledge."--The Kybalion.

How often have the majority of people heard repeated the statement that their Deity (called by many names) was "All in All" and how little have they suspected the inner occult truth concealed by these carelessly uttered words? The commonly used expression is a survival of the ancient Hermetic Maxim quoted above. As the Kybalion says: "To him who truly understands this truth, hath come great knowledge." And, this being so, let us seek this truth, the understanding of which means so much. In this statement of truth--this Hermetic Maxim--is concealed one of the greatest philosophical, scientific and religious truths.

We have given you the Hermetic Teaching regarding the Mental Nature of the Universe--the truth that "the Universe is Mental--held in the Mind of THE ALL." As the Kybalion says, in the passage quoted above: "All is in THE ALL." But note also the co-related statement, that: "It is equally true that THE ALL is in ALL." This apparently contradictory statement is reconcilable under the Law of Paradox. It is, moreover, an exact Hermetic statement of the relations existing between THE ALL and its Mental Universe. We have seen how "All is in THE ALL"--now let us examine the other aspect of the subject.

The Hermetic Teachings are to the effect that THE ALL is Imminent in ("remaining within; inherent; abiding within") its Universe, and in every part, particle, unit, or combination, within the Universe. This statement is usually illustrated by the Teachers by a reference to the Principle of Correspondence. The Teacher instructs the student to form a Mental Image of something, a person, an idea, something having a mental form, the favorite example being that of the author or dramatist forming an idea of his characters; or a painter or sculptor forming an image of an ideal that he wishes to express by his art. In each case, the student will find that while the image has its existence, and being, solely within his own mind, yet he, the student, author, dramatist, painter, or sculptor, is, in a sense, immanent in; remaining within; or abiding within, the mental image also. In other words, the entire virtue, life, spirit, of reality in the mental image is derived from the "immanent mind" of the thinker. Consider this for a moment, until the idea is grasped.

To take a modern example, let us say that Othello, Iago, Hamlet, Lear, Richard III, existed merely in the mind of Shakespeare, at the time of their conception or creation. And yet, Shakespeare also existed within each of these characters, giving them their vitality, spirit, and action. Whose is the "spirit" of the characters that we know as Micawber, Oliver Twist, Uriah Heep--is it Dickens, or have each of these characters a personal spirit, independent of their creator? Have the Venus of Medici, the Sistine Madonna, the Apollo Belvidere, spirits and reality of their own, or do they represent the spiritual and mental power of their creators? The Law of Paradox explains that both propositions are true, viewed from the proper viewpoints. Micawber is both Micawber, and yet Dickens. And, again, while Micawber may be said to be Dickens, yet Dickens is not identical with Micawber. Man, like Micawber, may exclaim: "The Spirit of my Creator is inherent within me-- and yet I am not HE!" How different this from the shocking half-truth so vociferously announced by certain of the half-wise, who fill the air with their raucous cries of: "I am God!" Imagine poor Micawber, or the sneaky Uriah Heep, crying: "I Am Dickens"; or some of the lowly clods in one of Shakespeare's plays, eloquently announcing that: "I Am Shakespeare!" THE ALL is in the earthworm, and yet the earth-worm is far from being THE ALL. And still the wonder remains, that though the earth-worm exists merely as a lowly thing, created and having its being solely within the Mind of THE ALL--yet THE ALL is immanent in the earthworm, and in the particles that go to make up the earth-worm. Can there be any greater mystery than this of "All in THE ALL; and THE ALL in All?"

The student will, of course, realize that the illustrations given above are necessarily imperfect and inadequate, for they represent the creation of mental images in finite minds, while the Universe is a creation of Infinite Mind--and the difference between the two poles separates them. And yet it is merely a matter of degree--the same Principle is in operation--the Principle of Correspondence manifests in each--"As above, so Below; as Below, so above."

And, in the degree that Man realizes the existence of the Indwelling Spirit immanent within his being, so will he rise in the spiritual scale of life. This is what spiritual development means--the recognition, realization, and manifestation of the Spirit within us. Try to remember this last definition--that of spiritual development. It contains the Truth of True Religion.

There are many planes of Being--many sub-planes of Life--many degrees of existence in the Universe. And all depend upon the advancement of beings in the scale, of which scale the lowest point is the grossest matter, the highest being separated only by the thinnest division from the SPIRIT of THE ALL. And, upward and onward along this Scale of Life, everything is moving. All are on the Path, whose end is THE ALL. All progress is a Returning Home. All is Upward and Onward, in spite of all seemingly contradictory appearances. Such is the message of the Illumined.

The Hermetic Teachings concerning the process of the Mental Creation of the Universe, are that at the beginning of the Creative Cycle, THE ALL, in its aspect of Being, projects its Will toward its aspect of "Becoming" and the process of creation begins. It is taught that the process consists of the lowering of Vibration until a very low degree of vibratory energy is reached, at which point the grossest possible form of Matter is manifested. This process is called the stage of Involution, in which THE ALL becomes "involved," or "wrapped up," in its creation. This process is believed by the Hermetists to have a Correspondence to the mental process of an artist, writer, or inventor, who becomes so wrapped up in his mental creation as to almost forget his own existence and who, for the time being, almost "lives in his creation," If instead of "wrapped" we use the word "rapt," perhaps we will give a better idea of what is meant.

This Involuntary stage of Creation is sometimes called the "Outpouring" of the Divine Energy, just as the Evolutionary state is called the "Indrawing." The extreme pole of the Creative process is considered to be the furthest removed from THE ALL, while the beginning of the Evolutionary stage is regarded as the beginning of the return swing of the pendulum of Rhythm--a "coming home" idea being held in all of the Hermetic Teachings.

The Teachings are that during the "Outpouring," the vibrations become lower and lower until finally the urge ceases, and the return swing begins. But there is this difference, that while in the "Outpouring" the creative forces manifest compactly and as a whole, yet from the beginning of the Evolutionary or "Indrawing" stage, there is manifested the Law of Individualization--that is, the tendency to separate into Units of Force, so that finally that which left THE ALL as unindividualized energy returns to its source as countless highly developed Units of Life, having risen higher and higher in the scale by means of Physical, Mental and Spiritual Evolution.

The ancient Hermetists use the word "Meditation" in describing the process of the mental creation of the Universe in the Mind of THE ALL, the word "Contemplation" also being frequently employed. But the idea intended seems to be that of the employment of the Divine Attention. "Attention" is a word derived from the Latin root, meaning "to reach out; to stretch out," and so the act of Attention is really a mental "reaching out; extension" of mental energy, so that the underlying idea is readily understood when we examine into the real meaning of "Attention."

The Hermetic Teachings regarding the process of Evolution are that, THE ALL, having meditated upon the beginning of the Creation--having thus established the material foundations of the Universe--having thought it into existence--then gradually awakens or rouses from its Meditation and in so doing starts into manifestation the process of Evolution, on the material mental and spiritual planes, successively and in order. Thus the upward movement begins--and all begins to move Spiritward. Matter becomes less gross; the Units spring into being; the combinations begin to form; Life appears and manifests in higher and higher forms; and Mind becomes more and more in evidence--the vibrations constantly becoming higher. In short, the entire process of Evolution, in all of its phases, begins, and proceeds according to the established "Laws of the Indrawing" process. All of this occupies aeons upon aeons of Man's time, each aeon containing countless millions of years, but yet the Illumined inform us that the entire creation, including Involution and Evolution, of an Universe, is but "as the twinkle of the eye" to THE ALL. At the end of countless cycles of aeons of time, THE ALL withdraws its Attention--its Contemplation and Meditation--of the Universe, for the Great Work is finished--and All is withdrawn into THE ALL from which it emerged. But Mystery of Mysteries--the Spirit of each soul is not annihilated, but is infinitely expanded--the Created and the Creator are merged. Such is the report of the Illumined!

The above illustration of the "meditation," and subsequent "awakening from meditation," of THE ALL, is of course but an attempt of the teachers to describe the Infinite process by a finite example. And, yet: "As Below, so Above." The difference is merely in degree. And just as THE ALL arouses itself from the meditation upon the Universe, so does Man (in time) cease from manifesting upon the Material Plane, and withdraws himself more and more into the Indwelling Spirit, which is indeed "The Divine Ego."

There is one more matter of which we desire to speak in this lesson, and that comes very near to an invasion of the Metaphysical field of speculation, although our purpose is merely to show the futility of such speculation. We allude to the question which inevitably comes to the mind of all thinkers who have ventured to seek the Truth. The question is: "WHY does THE ALL create Universes" The question may be asked in different forms, but the above is the gist of the inquiry.

Men have striven hard to answer this question, but still there is no answer worthy of the name. Some have imagined that THE ALL had something to gain by it, but this is absurd, for what could THE ALL gain that it did not already possess? Others have sought the answer in the idea that THE ALL "wished something to love" and others that it created for pleasure, or amusement; or because it "was lonely" or to manifest its power;--all puerile explanations and ideas, belonging to the childish period of thought.

Others have sought to explain the mystery by assuming that THE ALL found itself "compelled" to create, by reason of its own "internal nature"--its "creative instinct." This idea is in advance of the others, but its weak point lies in the idea of THE ALL being "compelled" by anything, internal or external. If its "internal nature," or "creative instinct," compelled it to do anything, then the "internal nature" or "creative instinct" would be the Absolute, instead of THE ALL, and so accordingly that part of the proposition falls. And, yet, THE ALL does create and manifest, and seems to find some kind of satisfaction in so doing. And it is difficult to escape the conclusion that in some infinite degree it must have what would correspond to an "inner nature," or "creative instinct," in man, with correspondingly infinite Desire and Will. It could not act unless it Willed to Act; and it would not Will to Act, unless it Desired to Act and it would not Desire to Act unless it obtained some Satisfaction thereby. And all of these things would belong to an "Inner Nature," and might be postulated as existing according to the Law of Correspondence. But, still, we prefer to think of THE ALL as acting entirely FREE from any influence, internal as well as external. That is the problem which lies at the root of difficulty--and the difficulty that lies at the root of the problem.

Strictly speaking, there cannot be said to be any "Reason" whatsoever for THE ALL to act, for a "reason" implies a "cause," and THE ALL is above Cause and Effect, except when it Wills to become a Cause, at which time the Principle is set into motion. So, you see, the matter is Unthinkable, just as THE ALL is Unknowable. Just as we say THE ALL merely "IS"--so we are compelled to say that "THE ALL ACTS BECAUSE IT ACTS." At the last, THE ALL is All Reason in Itself; All Law in Itself; All Action in Itself--and it may be said, truthfully, that THE ALL is Its Own Reason; its own Law; its own Act--or still further, that THE ALL; Its Reason; Its Act; is Law; are ONE, all being names for the same thing. In the opinion of those who are giving you these present lessons, the answer is locked up in the INNER SELF of THE ALL, along with its Secret of Being. The Law of Correspondence, in our opinion, reaches only to that aspect of THE ALL, which may be spoken of as "The Aspect of BECOMING." Back of that Aspect is "The Aspect of BEING" in which all Laws are lost in LAW; all Principles merge into PRINCIPLE--and THE ALL; PRINCIPLE; and BEING; are IDENTICAL, ONE AND THE SAME. Therefore, Metaphysical speculation on this point is futile. We go into the matter here, merely to show that we recognize the question, and also the absurdity of the ordinary answers of metaphysics and theology.

In conclusion, it may be of interest to our students to learn that while some of the ancient, and modern, Hermetic Teachers have rather inclined in the direction of applying the Principle of Correspondence to the question, with the result of the "Inner Nature" conclusion,--still the legends have it that HERMES, the Great, when asked this question by his advanced students, answered them by PRESSING HIS LIPS TIGHTLY TOGETHER and saying not a word, indicating that there WAS NO ANSWER. But, then, he may have intended to apply the axiom of his philosophy, that: "The lips of Wisdom are closed, except to the ears of Understanding," believing that even his advanced students did not possess the Understanding which entitled them to the Teaching. At any rate, if Hermes possessed the Secret, he failed to impart it, and so far as the world is concerned THE LIPS OF HERMES ARE CLOSED regarding it. And where the Great Hermes hesitated to speak, what mortal may dare to teach?

But, remember, that whatever be the answer to this problem, if indeed there be an answer the truth remains that: "While All is in THE ALL, it is equally true that THE ALL is in All." The Teaching on this point is emphatic. And, we may add the concluding words of the quotation: "To him who truly understands this truth, hath come great knowledge."

<< (The Kybalion Main)

The Kybalion - CHAPTER VI

2010-05-04T02:05:00.001-04:00

THE DIVINE PARADOX

    "The half-wise, recognizing the comparative unreality of
     the Universe, imagine that they may defy its Laws--such
     are vain and presumptuous fools, and they are broken against
     the rocks and torn asunder by the elements by reason of
     their folly. The truly wise, knowing the nature of the Universe,
     use Law against laws; the higher against the lower; and by
     the Art of Alchemy transmute that which is undesirable into
     that which is worthy, and thus triumph. Mastery consists not
     in abnormal dreams, visions and fantastic imaginings or
     living, but in using the higher forces against the lower--escaping
     the pains of the lower planes by vibrating on the higher.
     Transmutation, not presumptuous denial, is the weapon of the
     Master."--The Kybalion.

This is the Paradox of the Universe, resulting from the Principle of Polarity which manifests when THE ALL begins to Create--hearken to it for it points the difference between half-wisdom and wisdom. While to THE INFINITE ALL, the Universe, its Laws, its Powers, its life, its Phenomena, are as things witnessed in the state of Meditation or Dream; yet to all that is Finite, the Universe must be treated as Real, and life, and action, and thought, must be based thereupon, accordingly, although with an ever understanding of the Higher Truth. Each according to its own Plane and Laws. Were THE ALL to imagine that the Universe were indeed Reality, then woe to the Universe, for there would be then no escape from lower to higher, divineward--then would the Universe become a fixity and progress would become impossible. And if Man, owing to half-wisdom, acts and lives and thinks of the Universe as merely a dream (akin to his own finite dreams) then indeed does it so become for him, and like a sleep-walker he stumbles ever around and around in a circle, making no progress, and being forced into an awakening at last by his falling bruised and bleeding over the Natural Laws which he ignored. Keep your mind ever on the Star, but let your eyes watch over your footsteps, lest you fall into the mire by reason of your upward gaze. Remember the Divine Paradox, that while the Universe IS NOT, still IT IS. Remember ever the Two Poles of Truth the Absolute and the Relative. Beware of Half-Truths.

What Hermetists know as "the Law of Paradox" is an aspect of the Principle of Polarity. The Hermetic writings are filled with references to the appearance of the Paradox in the consideration of the problems of Life and Being. The Teachers are constantly warning their students against the error of omitting the "other side" of any question. And their warnings are particularly directed to the problems of the Absolute and the Relative, which perplex all students of philosophy, and which cause so many to think and act contrary to what is generally known as "common sense." And we caution all students to be sure to grasp the Divine Paradox of the Absolute and Relative, lest they become entangled in the mire of the Half-Truth. With this in view this particular lesson has been written. Read it carefully!

The first thought that comes to the thinking man after he realizes the truth that the Universe is a Mental Creation of THE ALL, is that the Universe and all that it contains is a mere illusion; an unreality; against which idea his instincts revolt. But this, like all other great truths, must be considered both from the Absolute and the Relative points of view. From the Absolute viewpoint, of course, the Universe is in the nature of an illusion, a dream, a phantasmagoria, as compared to THE ALL in itself. We recognize this even in our ordinary view, for we speak of the world as "a fleeting show" that comes and goes, is born and dies--for the element of impermanence and change, finiteness and unsubstantiality, must ever be connected with the idea of a created Universe when it is contrasted with the idea of THE ALL, no matter what may be our beliefs concerning the nature of both. Philosopher, metaphysician, scientist and theologian all agree upon this idea, and the thought is found in all forms of philosophical thought and religious conceptions, as well as in the theories of the respective schools of metaphysics and theology.

So, the Hermetic Teachings do not preach the unsubstantiality of the Universe in any stronger terms than those more familiar to you, although their presentation of the subject may seem somewhat more startling. Anything that has a beginning and an ending must be, in a sense, unreal and untrue, and the Universe comes under the rule, in all schools of thought. From the Absolute point of view, there is nothing Real except THE ALL, no matter what terms we may use in thinking of, or discussing the subject. Whether the Universe be created of Matter, or whether it be a Mental Creation in the Mind of THE ALL--it is unsubstantial, non-enduring, a thing of time, space and change. We want you to realize this fact thoroughly, before you pass judgment on the Hermetic conception of the Mental nature of the Universe. Think over any and all of the other conceptions, and see whether this be not true of them.

But the Absolute point of view shows merely one side of the picture--the other side is the Relative one. Absolute Truth has been defined as "Things as the mind of God knows them," while Relative Truth is "Things as the highest reason of Man understands them." And so while to THE ALL the Universe must be unreal and illusionary, a mere dream or result of meditation,--nevertheless, to the finite minds forming a part of that Universe, and viewing it through mortal faculties, the Universe is very real indeed, and must be so considered. In recognizing the Absolute view, we must not make the mistake of ignoring or denying the facts and phenomena of the Universe as they present themselves to our mortal faculties--we are not THE ALL, remember.

To take familiar illustrations, we all recognize the fact that matter "exists" to our senses--we will fare badly if we do not. And yet, even our finite minds understand the scientific dictum that there is no such thing as Matter from a scientific point of view--that which we call Matter is held to be merely an aggregation of atoms, which atoms themselves are merely a grouping of units of force, called electrons or "ions," vibrating and in constant circular motion. We kick a stone and we feel the impact--it seems to be real, notwithstanding that we know it to be merely what we have stated above. But remember that our foot, which feels the impact by means of our brains, is likewise Matter, so constituted of electrons, and for that matter so are our brains. And, at the best, if it were not by reason of our Mind, we would not know the foot or stone at all.

Then again, the ideal of the artist or sculptor, which he is endeavoring to reproduce in stone or on canvas, seems very real to him. So do the characters in the mind of the author; or dramatist, which he seeks to express so that others may recognize them. And if this be true in the case of our finite minds, what must be the degree of Reality in the Mental Images created in the Mind of the Infinite? Oh, friends, to mortals this Universe of Mentality is very real indeed--it is the only one we can ever know, though we rise from plane to plane, higher and higher in it. To know it otherwise, but actual experience, we must be THE ALL itself. It is true that the higher we rise in the scale--the nearer to "the mind of the Father" we reach--the more apparent becomes the illusory nature of finite things, but not until THE ALL finally withdraws us into itself does the vision actually vanish.

So, we need not dwell upon the feature of illusion. Rather let us, recognizing the real nature of the Universe, seek to understand its mental laws, and endeavor to use them to the best effect in our upward progress through life, as we travel from plane to plane of being. The Laws of the Universe are none the less "Iron Laws" because of the mental nature. All, except THE ALL, are bound by them. What is IN THE INFINITE MIND OF THE ALL is REAL in a degree second only to that Reality itself which is vested in the nature of THE ALL.

So, do not feel insecure or afraid--we are all HELD FIRMLY IN THE INFINITE MIND OF THE ALL, and there is naught to hurt us or for us to fear. There is no Power outside of THE ALL to affect us. So we may rest calm and secure. There is a world of comfort and security in this realization when once attained. Then "calm and peaceful do we sleep, rocked in the Cradle of the Deep"--resting safely on the bosom of the Ocean of Infinite Mind, which is THE ALL. In THE ALL, indeed, do "we live and move and have our being."

Matter is none the less Matter to us, while we dwell on the plane of Matter, although we know it to be merely an aggregation of "electrons," or particles of Force, vibrating rapidly and gyrating around each other in the formations of atoms; the atoms in turn vibrating and gyrating, forming molecules, which latter in turn form larger masses of Matter. Nor does Matter become less Matter, when we follow the inquiry still further, and learn from the Hermetic Teachings, that the "Force" of which the electrons are but units is merely a manifestation of the Mind of THE ALL, and like all else in the Universe is purely Mental in its nature. While on the Plane of matter, we must recognize its phenomena-- we may control Matter (as all Masters of higher or lesser degree do), but we do so by applying the higher forces. We commit a folly when we attempt to deny the existence of Matter in the relative aspect. We may deny its mastery over us--and rightly so--but we should not attempt to ignore it in its relative aspect, at least so long as we dwell upon its plane.

Nor do the Laws of Nature become less constant or effective, when we know them, likewise, to be merely mental creations. They are in full effect on the various planes. We overcome the lower laws, by applying still higher ones--and in this way only. But we cannot escape Law or rise above it entirely. Nothing but THE ALL can escape Law--and that because THE ALL is LAW itself, from which all Laws emerge. The most advanced Masters may acquire the powers usually attributed to the gods of men; and there are countless ranks of being, in the great hierarchy of life, whose being and power transcends even that of the highest Masters among men to a degree unthinkable by mortals, but even the highest Master, and the highest Being, must bow to the Law, and be as Nothing in the eye of THE ALL. So that if even these highest Beings, whose powers exceed even those attributed by men to their gods--if even these are bound by and are subservient to Law, then imagine the presumption of mortal man, of our race and grade, when he dares to consider the Laws of Nature as "unreal!" visionary and illusory, because he happens to be able to grasp the truth that the Laws are Mental in nature, and simply Mental Creations of THE ALL. Those Laws which THE ALL intends to be governing Laws are not to be defied or argued away. So long as the Universe endures, will they endure--for the Universe exists by virtue of these Laws which form its framework and which hold it together.

The Hermetic Principle of Mentalism, while explaining the true nature of the Universe upon the principle that all is Mental, does not change the scientific conceptions of the Universe, Life, or Evolution. In fact, science merely corroborates the Hermetic Teachings. The latter merely teaches that the nature of the Universe is "Mental," while modern science has taught that it is "Material"; or (of late) that it is "Energy" at the last analysis. The Hermetic Teachings have no fault to find with Herbert Spencer's basic principle which postulates the existence of an "Infinite and Eternal Energy, from which all things proceed." In fact, the Hermetics recognize in Spencer's philosophy the highest outside statement of the workings of the Natural Laws that have ever been promulgated, and they believe Spencer to have been a reincarnation of an ancient philosopher who dwelt in ancient Egypt thousands of years ago, and who later incarnated as Heraclitus, the Grecian philosopher who lived B. C. 500. And they regard his statement of the "Infinite and Eternal Energy" as directly in the line of the Hermetic Teachings, always with the addition of their own doctrine that his "Energy" is the Energy of the Mind of THE ALL. With the Master-Key of the Hermetic Philosophy, the student of Spencer will be able to unlock many doors of the inner philosophical conceptions of the great English philosopher, whose work shows the results of the preparation of his previous incarnations. His teachings regarding Evolution and Rhythm are in almost perfect agreement with the Hermetic Teachings regarding the Principle of Rhythm.

So, the student of Hermetics need not lay aside any of his cherished scientific views regarding the Universe. All he is asked to do is to grasp the underlying principle of "THE ALL is Mind; the Universe is Mental--held in the mind of THE ALL." He will find that the other six of the Seven Principles will "fit into" his scientific knowledge, and will serve to bring out obscure points and to throw light in dark corners. This is not to be wondered at, when we realize the influence of the Hermetic thought of the early philosophers of Greece, upon whose foundations of thought the theories of modern science largely rest. The acceptance of the First Hermetic Principle (Mentalism) is the only great point of difference between Modern Science and Hermetic students, and Science is gradually moving toward the Hermetic position in its groping in the dark for a way out of the Labyrinth into which it has wandered in its search for Reality.

The purpose of this lesson is to impress upon the minds of our students the fact that, to all intents and purposes, the Universe and its laws, and its phenomena, are just as REAL, so far as Man is concerned, as they would be under the hypotheses of Materialism or Energism. Under any hypothesis the Universe in its outer aspect is changing, ever-flowing, and transitory--and therefore devoid of substantiality and reality. But (note the other pole of the truth) under the same hypotheses, we are compelled to ACT AND LIVE as if the fleeting things were real and substantial. With this difference, always, between the various hypotheses--that under the old views Mental Power was ignored as a Natural Force, while under Mentalism it becomes the Greatest Natural Force. And this one difference revolutionizes Life, to those who understand the Principle and its resulting laws and practice.

So, finally, students all, grasp the advantage of Mentalism, and learn to know, use and apply the laws resulting therefrom. But do not yield to the temptation which, as The Kybalion states, overcomes the half-wise and which causes them to be hypnotized by the apparent unreality of things, the consequence being that they wander about like dream-people dwelling in a world of dreams, ignoring the practical work and life of man, the end being that "they are broken against the rocks and torn asunder by the elements, by reason of their folly." Rather follow the example of the wise, which the same authority states, "use Law against Laws; the higher against the lower; and by the Art of Alchemy transmute that which is undesirable into that which is worthy, and thus triumph." Following the authority, let us avoid the half-wisdom (which is folly) which ignores the truth that: "Mastery consists not in abnormal dreams, visions, and fantastic imaginings or living, but in using the higher forces against the lower--escaping the pains of the lower planes by vibrating on the higher." Remember always, student, that "Transmutation, not presumptuous denial, is the weapon of the Master." The above quotations are from The Kybalion, and are worthy of being committed to memory by the student.

We do not live in a world of dreams, but in an Universe which while relative, is real so far as our lives and actions are concerned. Our business in the Universe is not to deny its existence, but to LIVE, using the Laws to rise from lower to higher--living on, doing the best that we can under the circumstances arising each day, and living, so far as is possible, to our biggest ideas and ideals. The true Meaning of Life is not known to men on this plane .if, indeed, to any--but the highest authorities, and our own intuitions, teach us that we will make no mistake in living up to the best that is in us, so far as is possible, and realising the Universal tendency in the same direction in spite of apparent evidence to the contrary. We are all on The Path--and the road leads upward ever, with frequent resting places.

Read the message of The Kybalion--and follow the example of "the wise"--avoiding the mistake of "the half-wise" who perish by reason of their folly.

<< (The Kybalion Main)

The Kybalion - CHAPTER V

2010-05-04T02:02:00.001-04:00

THE MENTAL UNIVERSE

"The Universe is Mental--held in the Mind of THE
ALL."--The Kybalion.

THE ALL is SPIRIT! But what is Spirit? This question cannot be answered, for the reason that its definition is practically that of THE ALL, which cannot be explained or defined. Spirit is simply a name that men give to the highest conception of Infinite Living Mind--it means "the Real Essence"--it means Living Mind, as much superior to Life and Mind as we know them, as the latter are superior to mechanical Energy and Matter. Spirit transcends our understanding, and we use the term merely that we may think or speak of THE ALL. For the purposes of thought and understanding, we are justified in thinking of Spirit as Infinite Living Mind, at the same time acknowledging that we cannot fully understand it. We must either do this or stop thinking of the matter at all.

Let us now proceed to a consideration of the nature of the Universe, as a whole and in its parts. What is the Universe? We have seen that there can be nothing outside of THE ALL. Then is the Universe THE ALL? No, this cannot be, because the Universe seems to be made up of MANY, and is constantly changing, and in other ways it does not measure up to the ideas that we are compelled to accept regarding THE ALL, as stated in our last lesson. Then if the Universe be not THE ALL, then it must be Nothing--such is the inevitable conclusion of the mind at first thought. But this will not satisfy the question, for we are sensible of the existence of the Universe. Then if the Universe is neither THE ALL, nor Nothing, what Can it be? Let us examine this question.

If the Universe exists at all, or seems to exist, it must proceed in some way from THE ALL--it must be a creation of THE ALL. But as something can never come from nothing, from what could THE ALL have created it. Some philosophers have answered this question by saying that THE ALL created the Universe from ITSELF--that is, from the being and substance of THE ALL. But this will not do, for THE ALL cannot be subtracted from, nor divided, as we have seen, and then again if this be so, would not each particle in the Universe be aware of its being THE ALL--THE ALL could not lose its knowledge of itself, nor actually BECOME an atom, or blind force, or lowly living thing. Some men, indeed, realizing that THE ALL is indeed ALL, and also recognizing that they, the men, existed, have jumped to the conclusion that they and THE ALL were identical, and they have filled the air with shouts of "I AM GOD," to the amusement of the multitude and the sorrow of sages. The claim of the corpuscle that: "I am Man!" would be modest in comparison.

But, what indeed is the Universe, if it be not THE ALL, not yet created by THE ALL having separated itself into fragments? What else can it be-- of what else can it be made? This is the great question. Let us examine it carefully. We find here that the "Principle of Correspondence" (see Lesson I.) comes to our aid here. The old Hermetic axiom, "As above so below," may be pressed into service at this point. Let us endeavor to get a glimpse of the workings on higher planes by examining those on our own. The Principle of Correspondence must apply to this as well as to other problems.

Let us see! On his own plane of being, how does Man create? Well, first, he may create by making something out of outside materials. But this will not do, for there are no materials outside of THE ALL with which it may create. Well, then, secondly, Man pro-creates or reproduces his kind by the process of begetting, which is self-multiplication accomplished by transferring a portion of his substance to his offspring. But this will not do, because THE ALL cannot transfer or subtract a portion of itself, nor can it reproduce or multiply itself--in the first place there would be a taking away, and in the second case a multiplication or addition to THE ALL, both thoughts being an absurdity. Is there no third way in which MAN creates? Yes, there is--he CREATES MENTALLY! And in so doing he uses no outside materials, nor does he reproduce himself, and yet his Spirit pervades the Mental Creation.

Following the Principle of Correspondence, we are justified in considering that THE ALL creates the Universe MENTALLY, in a manner akin to the process whereby Man creates Mental Images. And, here is where the report of Reason tallies precisely with the report of the Illumined, as shown by their teachings and writings. Such are the teachings of the Wise Men. Such was the Teaching of Hermes.

THE ALL can create in no other way except mentally, without either using material (and there is none to use), or else reproducing itself (which is also impossible). There is no escape from this conclusion of the Reason, which, as we have said, agrees with the highest teachings of the Illumined. Just as you, student, may create a Universe of your own in your mentality, so does THE ALL create Universes in its own Mentality. But your Universe is the mental creation of a Finite Mind, whereas that of THE ALL is the creation of an Infinite. The two are similar in kind, but infinitely different in degree. We shall examine more closely into the process of creation and manifestation as we proceed. But this is the point to fix in your minds at this stage: THE UNIVERSE, AND ALL IT CONTAINS, IS A MENTAL CREATION OF THE ALL. Verily indeed, ALL IS MIND!

    "THE ALL creates in its Infinite Mind countless Universes,
     which exist for aeons of Time--and yet, to THE ALL, the
     creation, development, decline and death of a million Universes
     is as the time of the twinkling of an eye."--The Kybalion.

"The Infinite Mind of THE ALL is the womb of Universes."--The
Kybalion.

The Principle of Gender (see Lesson I. and other lessons to follow) is manifested on all planes of life, material mental and spiritual. But, as we have said before, "Gender" does not mean "Sex" sex is merely a material manifestation of gender. "Gender" means "relating to generation or creation." And whenever anything is generated or created, on any plane, the Principle of Gender must be manifested. And this is true even in the creation of Universes.

Now do not jump to the conclusion that we are teaching that there is a male and female God, or Creator. That idea is merely a distortion of the ancient teachings on the subject. The true teaching is that THE ALL, in itself, is above Gender, as it is above every other Law, including those of Time and Space. It is the Law, from which the Laws proceed, and it is not subject to them. But when THE ALL manifests on the plane of generation or creation, then it acts according to Law and Principle, for it is moving on a lower plane of Being. And consequently it manifests the Principle of Gender, in its Masculine and Feminine aspects, on the Mental Plane, of course.

This idea may seem startling to some of you who hear it for the first time, but you have all really passively accepted it in your everyday conceptions. You speak of the Fatherhood of God, and the Motherhood of Nature--of God, the Divine Father, and Nature the Universal Mother--and have thus instinctively acknowledged the Principle of Gender in the Universe. Is this not so?

But, the Hermetic teaching does not imply a real duality--THE ALL is ONE--the Two Aspects are merely aspects of manifestation. The teaching is that The Masculine Principle manifested by THE ALL stands, in a way, apart from the actual mental creation of the Universe. It projects its Will toward the Feminine Principle (which may be called "Nature") whereupon the latter begins the actual work of the evolution of the Universe, from simple "centers of activity" on to man, and then on and on still higher, all according to well-established and firmly enforced Laws of Nature. If you prefer the old figures of thought, you may think of the Masculine Principle as GOD, the Father, and of the Feminine Principle as NATURE, the Universal Mother, from whose womb all things have been born. This is more than a mere poetic figure of speech--it is an idea of the actual process of the creation of the Universe. But always remember, that THE ALL is but One, and that in its Infinite Mind the Universe is generated, created and exists.

It may help you to get the proper idea, if you will apply the Law of Correspondence to yourself, and your own mind. You know that the part of You which you call "I," in a sense, stands apart and witnesses the creation of mental Images in your own mind. The part of your mind in which the mental generation is accomplished may be called the "Me" in distinction from the "I" which stands apart and witnesses and examines the thoughts, ideas and images of the "Me." "As above, so below," remember, and the phenomena of one plane may be employed to solve the riddles of higher or lower planes.

Is it any wonder that You, the child, feel that instinctive reverence for THE ALL, which feeling we call "religion"--that respect, and reverence for THE FATHER MIND? Is it any wonder that, when you consider the works and wonders of Nature, you are overcome with a mighty feeling which has its roots away down in your inmost being? It is the MOTHER MIND that you are pressing close up to, like a babe to the breast.

Do not make the mistake of supposing that the little world you see around you--the Earth, which is a mere grain of dust in the Universe--is the Universe itself. There are millions upon millions of such worlds, and greater. And there are millions of millions of such Universes in existence within the Infinite Mind of THE ALL. And even in our own little solar system there are regions and planes of life far higher than ours, and beings compared to which we earth-bound mortals are as the slimy life-forms that dwell on the ocean's bed when compared to Man. There are beings with powers and attributes higher than Man has ever dreamed of the gods' possessing. And yet these beings were once as you, and still lower--and you will be even as they, and still higher, in time, for such is the Destiny of Man as reported by the Illumined.

And Death is not real, even in the Relative sense--it is but Birth to a new life--and You shall go on, and on, and on, to higher and still higher planes of life, for aeons upon aeons of time. The Universe is your home, and you shall explore its farthest recesses before the end of Time. You are dwelling in the Infinite Mind of THE ALL, and your possibilities and opportunities are infinite, both in time and space. And at the end of the Grand Cycle of Aeons, when THE ALL shall draw back into itself all of its creations--you will go gladly for you will then be able to know the Whole Truth of being At One with THE ALL. Such is the report of the Illumined--those who have advanced well along The Path.

And, in the meantime, rest calm and serene--you are safe and protected by the Infinite Power of the FATHER-MOTHER MIND.

"Within the Father-Mother Mind, mortal children are at
home."--The Kybalion.

"There is not one who is Fatherless, nor Motherless in the
Universe."--The Kybalion.

<< (The Kybalion Main)

The Kybalion - CHAPTER IV

2010-05-04T02:00:00.001-04:00

THE ALL

    "Under, and back of, the Universe of Time, Space and Change,
     is ever to be found The Substantial Reality--the Fundamental
     Truth."--The Kybalion.

"Substance" means: "that which underlies all outward manifestations; the essence; the essential reality; the thing in itself," etc. "Substantial" means: "actually existing; being the essential element; being real," etc. "Reality" means: "the state of being real; true, enduring; valid; fixed; permanent; actual," etc.

Under and behind all outward appearances or manifestations, there must always be a Substantial Reality. This is the Law. Man considering the Universe, of which he is a unit, sees nothing but change in matter, forces, and mental states. He sees that nothing really IS, but that everything is BECOMING and CHANGING. Nothing stands still-everything is being born, growing, dying-the very instant a thing reaches its height, it begins to decline--the law of rhythm is in constant operation--there is no reality, enduring quality, fixity, or substantiality in anything-- nothing is permanent but Change. He sees all things evolving from other things, and resolving into other things--constant action and reaction; inflow and outflow; building up and tearing down; creation and destruction; birth, growth and death. Nothing endures but Change. And if he be a thinking man, he realizes that all of these changing things must be but outward appearances or manifestations of some Underlying Power--some Substantial Reality.

All thinkers, in all lands and in all times, have assumed the necessity for postulating the existence of this Substantial Reality. All philosophies worthy of the name have been based upon this thought. Men have given to this Substantial Reality many names-some have called it by the term of Deity (under many titles). Others have called it "The Infinite and Eternal Energy" others have tried to call it "Matter"--but all have acknowledged its existence. It is self-evident it needs no argument.

In these lessons we have followed the example of some of the world's greatest thinkers, both ancient and modern--the Hermetic. Masters--and have called this Underlying Power--this Substantial Reality--by the Hermetic name of "THE ALL," which term we consider the most comprehensive of the many terms applied by Man to THAT which transcends names and terms.

We accept and teach the view of the great Hermetic thinkers of all times, as well as of those illumined souls who have reached higher planes of being, both of whom assert that the inner nature of THE ALL is UNKNOWABLE. This must be so, for naught by THE ALL itself can comprehend its own nature and being.

The Hermetists believe and teach that THE ALL, "in itself," is and must ever be UNKNOWABLE. They regard all the theories, guesses and speculations of the theologians and metaphysicians regarding the inner nature of THE ALL, as but the childish efforts of mortal minds to grasp the secret of the Infinite. Such efforts have always failed and will always fail, from the very nature of the task. One pursuing such inquiries travels around and around in the labyrinth of thought, until he is lost to all sane reasoning, action or conduct, and is utterly unfitted for the work of life. He is like the squirrel which frantically runs around and around the circling treadmill wheel of his cage, traveling ever and yet reaching nowhere--at the end a prisoner still, and standing just where he started.

And still more presumptuous are those who attempt to ascribe to THE ALL the personality, qualities, properties, characteristics and attributes of themselves, ascribing to THE ALL the human emotions, feelings, and characteristics, even down to the pettiest qualities of mankind, such as jealousy, susceptibility to flattery and praise, desire for offerings and worship, and all the other survivals from the days of the childhood of the race. Such ideas are not worthy of grown men and women, and are rapidly being discarded.

(At this point, it may be proper for me to state that we make a distinction between Religion and Theology--between Philosophy and Metaphysics. Religion, to us, means that intuitional realization of the existence of THE ALL, and one's relationship to it; while Theology means the attempts of men to ascribe personality, qualities, and characteristics to it; their theories regarding its affairs, will, desires, plans, and designs, and their assumption of the office of '' middle-men'' between THE ALL and the people. Philosophy, to us, means the inquiry after knowledge of things knowable and thinkable; while Metaphysics means the attempt to carry the inquiry over and beyond the boundaries and into regions unknowable and unthinkable, and with the same tendency as that of Theology. And consequently, both Religion and Philosophy mean to us things having roots in Reality, while Theology and Metaphysics seem like broken reeds, rooted in the quicksands of ignorance, and affording naught but the most insecure support for the mind or soul of Man. we do not insist upon our students accepting these definitions--we mention them merely to show our position. At any rate, you shall hear very little about Theology and Metaphysics in these lessons.)

But while the essential nature of THE ALL is Unknowable, there are certain truths connected with its existence which the human mind finds itself compelled to accept. And an examination of these reports form a proper subject of inquiry, particularly as they agree with the reports of the Illumined on higher planes. And to this inquiry we now invite you.

    "THAT which is the Fundamental Truth--the Substantial
     Reality--is beyond true naming, but the Wise Men call
     it THE ALL."--The Kybalion.

"In its Essence, THE ALL is UNKNOWABLE."--The Kybalion.

"But, the report of Reason must be hospitably received,
and treated with respect."--The Kybalion.

The human reason, whose reports we must accept so long as we think at all, informs us as follows regarding THE ALL, and that without attempting to remove the veil of the Unknowable:

    (1) THE ALL must be ALL that REALLY IS. There can be
     nothing existing outside of THE ALL, else THE ALL would
     not be THE ALL.

    (2) THE ALL must be INFINITE, for there is nothing else
     to define, confine, bound, limit; or restrict THE ALL.
     It must be Infinite in Time, or ETERNAL,--it must have
     always continuously existed, for there is nothing else to
     have ever created it, and something can never evolve from
     nothing, and if it had ever "not been," even for a moment,
     it would not "be" now,--it must continuously exist forever,
     for there is nothing to destroy it, and it can never
     "not-be," even for a moment, because something can never
     become nothing. It must be Infinite in Space--it must be
     Everywhere, for there is no place outside of THE ALL--it
     cannot be otherwise than continuous in Space, without break,
     cessation, separation, or interruption, for there is nothing
     to break, separate, or interrupt its continuity, and nothing
     with which to "fill in the gaps." It must be Infinite in
     Power, or Absolute, for there is nothing to limit, restrict,
     restrain, confine, disturb or condition it--it is subject to
     no other Power, for there is no other Power.

    (3) THE ALL must be IMMUTABLE, or not subject to change in
     its real nature, for there is nothing to work changes upon it
     nothing into which it could change, nor from which it could
     have changed. It cannot be added to nor subtracted from;
     increased nor diminished; nor become greater or lesser in any
     respect whatsoever. It must have always been, and must always
     remain, just what it is now--THE ALL--there has never been,
     is not now, and never will be, anything else into which it
     can change.

THE ALL being Infinite, Absolute, Eternal and Unchangeable it must follow that anything finite, changeable, fleeting, and conditioned cannot be THE ALL. And as there is Nothing outside of THE ALL, in Reality, then any and all such finite things must be as Nothing in Reality. Now do not become befogged, nor frightened--we are not trying to lead you into the Christian Science field under cover of Hermetic Philosophy. There is a Reconciliation of this apparently contradictory state of affairs. Be patient, we will reach it in time.

We see around us that which is called "Matter," which forms the physical foundation for all forms. Is THE ALL merely Matter? Not at all! Matter cannot manifest Life or Mind, and as Life and Mind are manifested in the Universe, THE ALL cannot be Matter, for nothing rises higher than its own source--nothing is ever manifested in an effect that is not in the cause--nothing is evolved as a consequent that is not involved as an antecedent. And then Modern Science informs us that there is really no such thing as Matter--that what we call Matter is merely "interrupted energy or force," that is, energy or force at a low rate of vibration. As a recent writer has said "Matter has melted into Mystery." Even Material Science has abandoned the theory of Matter, and now rests on the basis of "Energy."

Then is THE ALL mere Energy or Force? Not Energy or Force as the materialists use the terms, for their energy and force are blind, mechanical things, devoid of Life or Mind. Life and Mind can never evolve from blind Energy or Force, for the reason given a moment ago: "Nothing can rise higher than its source--nothing is evolved unless it is involved--nothing manifests in the effect, unless it is in the cause. " And so THE ALL cannot be mere Energy or Force, for, if it were, then there would be no such things as Life and Mind in existence, and we know better than that, for we are Alive and using Mind to consider this very question, and so are those who claim that Energy or Force is Everything.

What is there then higher than Matter or Energy that we know to be existent in the Universe? LIFE AND MIND! Life and Mind in all their varying degrees of unfoldment! "Then," you ask, "do you mean to tell us that THE ALL is LIFE and MIND?" Yes! and No! is our answer. If you mean Life and Mind as we poor petty mortals know them, we say No! THE ALL is not that! "But what kind of Life and Mind do you mean?" you ask.

The answer is "LIVING MIND," as far above that which mortals know by those words, as Life and Mind are higher than mechanical forces, or matter--INFINITE LIVING MIND as compared to finite "Life and Mind." We mean that which the illumined souls mean when they reverently pronounce the word: "SPIRIT!"

"THE ALL" is Infinite Living Mind--the Illumined call it SPIRIT!

<< (The Kybalion Main)

The Kybalion - CHAPTER III

2010-05-04T01:56:00.001-04:00

CHAPTER III

MENTAL TRANSMUTATION

"Mind (as well as metals and elements) may be transmuted, from state to state; degree to degree; condition to condition; pole to pole; vibration to vibration. True Hermetic Transmutation is a Mental Art."--The Kybalion.

As we have stated, the Hermetists were the original alchemists, astrologers, and psychologists, Hermes having been the founder of these schools of thought. From astrology has grown modern astronomy; from alchemy has grown modern chemistry; from the mystic psychology has grown the modern psychology of the schools. But it must not be supposed that the ancients were ignorant of that which the modern schools suppose to be their exclusive and special property. The records engraved on the stones of Ancient Egypt show conclusively that the ancients had a full comprehensive knowledge of astronomy, the very building of the Pyramids showing the connection between their design and the study of astronomical science. Nor were they ignorant of Chemistry, for the fragments of the ancient writings show that they were acquainted with the chemical properties of things; in fact, the ancient theories regarding physics are being slowly verified by the latest discoveries of modern science, notably those relating to the constitution of matter. Nor must it be supposed that they were ignorant of the so-called modern discoveries in psychology--on the contrary, the Egyptians were especially skilled in the science of Psychology, particularly in the branches that the modern schools ignore, but which, nevertheless, are being uncovered under the name of "psychic science" which is perplexing the psychologists of to-day, and making them reluctantly admit that "there may be something in it after all."

The truth is, that beneath the material chemistry, astronomy and psychology (that is, the psychology in its phase of "brain-action") the ancients possessed a knowledge of transcendental astronomy, called astrology; of transcendental chemistry, called alchemy; of transcendental psychology, called mystic psychology. They possessed the Inner Knowledge as well as the Outer Knowledge, the latter alone being possessed by modern scientists. Among the many secret branches of knowledge possessed by the Hermetists, was that known as Mental Transmutation, which forms the subject matter of this lesson.

"Transmutation" is a term usually employed to designate the ancient art of the transmutation of metals--particularly of the base metals into gold. The word "Transmute" means "to change from one nature, form, or substance, into another; to transform" (Webster). And accordingly, "Mental Transmutation" means the art of changing and transforming mental states, forms, and conditions, into others. So you may see that Mental Transmutation is the "Art of Mental Chemistry," if you like the term--a form of practical Mystic Psychology.

But this means far more than appears on the surface. Transmutation, Alchemy, or Chemistry on the Mental Plane is important enough in its effects, to be sure, and if the art stopped there it would still be one of the most important branches of study known to man. But this is only the beginning. Let us see why!

The first of the Seven Hermetic Principles is the Principle of Mentalism, the axiom of which is "THE ALL is Mind; the Universe is Mental," which means that the Underlying Reality of the Universe is Mind; and the Universe itself is Mental--that is, "existing in the Mind of THE ALL." We shall consider this Principle in succeeding lessons, but let us see the effect of the principle if it be assumed to be true.

If the Universe is Mental in its nature, then Mental Transmutation must be the art of CHANGING THE CONDITIONS OF THE UNIVERSE, along the lines of Matter, Force and mind. So you see, therefore, that Mental Transmutation is really the "Magic" of which the ancient; writers had so much to say in their mystical works, and about which they gave so few practical instructions. If All be Mental, then the art which enables one to transmute mental conditions must render the Master the controller of material conditions as well as those ordinarily called "mental."

As a matter of fact, none but advanced Mental Alchemists have been able to attain the degree of power necessary to control the grosser physical conditions, such as the control of the elements of Nature; the production or cessation of tempests; the production and cessation of earthquakes and other great physical phenomena. But that such men have existed, and do exist today, is a matter of earnest belief to all advanced occultists of all schools. That the Masters exist, and have these powers, the best teachers assure their students, having had experiences which justify them in such belief and statements. These Masters do not make public exhibitions of their powers, but seek seclusion from the crowds of men, in order to better work their may along the Path of Attainment. We mention their existence, at this point, merely to call your attention to the fact that their power is entirely Mental, and operates along the lines of the higher Mental Transmutation, under the Hermetic Principle of Mentalism.

"The Universe is Mental"--The Kybalion.

But students and Hermetists of lesser degree than Masters--the Initiates and Teachers--are able to freely work along the Mental Plane, in Mental Transmutation. In fact all that we call "psychic phenomena,"; "mental influence"; "mental science"; "new-thought phenomena," etc., operates along the same general lines, for there is but one principle involved, no matter by what name the phenomena be called.

The student and practitioner of Mental Transmutation works among the Mental Plane, transmuting mental conditions, states, etc., into others, according to various formulas, more or less efficacious. The various "treatments," "affirmations," "denials" etc., of the schools of mental science are but formulas, often quite imperfect and unscientific, of The Hermetic Art. The majority of modern practitioners are quite ignorant compared to the ancient masters, for they lack the fundamental knowledge upon which the work is based.

Not only may the mental states, etc., of one's self be changed or transmuted by Hermetic Methods; but also the states of others may be, and are, constantly transmuted in the same way, usually unconsciously, but often consciously by some understanding the laws and principles, in cases where the people affected are not informed of the principles of self-protection. And more than this, as many students and practitioners of modern mental science know, every material condition depending upon the minds of other people may be changed or transmuted in accordance with the earnest desire, will, and "treatments" of person desiring changed conditions of life. The public are so generally informed regarding these things at present, that we do not deem it necessary to mention the same at length, our purpose at this point being merely to show the Hermetic Principle and Art underlying all of these various forms of practice, good and evil, for the force can be used in opposite directions according to the Hermetic Principles of Polarity.

In this little book we shall state the basic principles of Mental Transmutation, that all who read may grasp the Underlying Principles, and thus possess the Master-Key that will unlock the many doors of the Principle of Polarity.

We shall now proceed to a consideration of the first of the Hermetic Seven Principles--the Principle of Mentalism, in which is explained the truth that "THE ALL is Mind; the Universe is Mental," in the words of The Kybalion. We ask the close attention, and careful study of this great Principle, on the part of our students, for it is really the Basic Principle of the whole Hermetic Philosophy, and of the Hermetic Art of Mental Transmutation.

<< (The Kybalion Main)

The Kybalion - CHAPTER II

2010-05-04T01:47:00.001-04:00

THE SEVEN HERMETIC PRINCIPLES

    "The Principles of Truth are Seven; he who knows these,
     understandingly, possesses the Magic Key before whose
     touch all the Doors of the Temple fly open."--The Kybalion.

The Seven Hermetic Principles, upon which the entire Hermetic Philosophy is based, are as follows:

    1. The Principle of Mentalism.
     2. The Principle of Correspondence.
     3. The Principle of Vibration.
     4. The Principle of Polarity.
     5. The Principle of Rhythm.
     6. The Principle of Cause and Effect.
     7. The Principle of Gender.

These Seven Principles will be discussed and explained as we proceed with these lessons. A short explanation of each, however, may as well be given at this point.

1. The Principle of Mentalism

"THE ALL IS MIND; The Universe is Mental."--The Kybalion.

This Principle embodies the truth that "All is Mind." It explains that THE ALL (which is the Substantial Reality underlying all the outward manifestations and appearances which we know under the terms of "The Material Universe"; the "Phenomena of Life"; "Matter"; "Energy"; and, in short, all that is apparent to our material senses) is SPIRIT which in itself is UNKNOWABLE and UNDEFINABLE, but which may be considered and thought of as AN UNIVERSAL, INFINITE, LIVING MIND. It also explains that all the phenomenal world or universe is simply a Mental Creation of THE ALL, subject to the Laws of Created Things, and that the universe, as a whole, and in its parts or units, has its existence in the Mind of THE ALL, in which Mind we "live and move and have our being." This Principle, by establishing the Mental Nature of the Universe, easily explains all of the varied mental and psychic phenomena that occupy such a large portion of the public attention, and which, without such explanation, are non-understandable and defy scientific treatment. An understanding of this great Hermetic Principle of Mentalism enables the individual to readily grasp the laws of the Mental Universe, and to apply the same to his well-being and advancement. The Hermetic Student is enabled to apply intelligently the great Mental Laws, instead of using them in a haphazard manner. With the Master-Key in his possession, the student may unlock the many doors of the mental and psychic temple of knowledge, and enter the same freely and intelligently. This Principle explains the true nature of "Energy," "Power," and "Matter," and why and how all these are subordinate to the Mastery of Mind. One of the old Hermetic Masters wrote, long ages ago: "He who grasps the truth of the Mental Nature of the Universe is well advanced on The Path to Mastery." And these words are as true today as at the time they were first written. Without this Master-Key, Mastery is impossible, and the student knocks in vain at the many doors of The Temple.

2. The Principle of Correspondence

"As above, so below; as below, so above."--The Kybalion.

This Principle embodies the truth that there is always a Correspondence between the laws and phenomena of the various planes of Being and Life. The old Hermetic axiom ran in these words: "As above, so below; as below, so above." And the grasping of this Principle gives one the means of solving many a dark paradox, and hidden secret of Nature. There are planes beyond our knowing, but when we apply the Principle of Correspondence to them we are able to understand much that would otherwise be unknowable to us. This Principle is of universal application and manifestation, on the various planes of the material, mental, and spiritual universe--it is an Universal Law. The ancient Hermetists considered this Principle as one of the most important mental instruments by which man was able to pry aside the obstacles which hid from view the Unknown. Its use even tore aside the Veil of Isis to the extent that a glimpse of the face of the goddess might be caught. Just as a knowledge of the Principles of Geometry enables man to measure distant suns and their movements, while seated in his observatory, so a knowledge of the Principle of Correspondence enables Man to reason intelligently from the Known to the Unknown. Studying the monad, he understands the archangel.

3. The Principle of Vibration

"Nothing rests; everything moves; everything vibrates."--The
Kybalion.

This Principle embodies the truth that "everything is in motion"; "everything vibrates"; "nothing is at rest"; facts which Modern Science endorses, and which each new scientific discovery tends to verify. And yet this Hermetic Principle was enunciated thousands of years ago, by the Masters of Ancient Egypt. This Principle explains that the differences between different manifestations of Matter, Energy, Mind, and even Spirit, result largely from varying rates of Vibration. From THE ALL, which is Pure Spirit, down to the grossest form of Matter, all is in vibration--the higher the vibration, the higher the position in the scale. The vibration of Spirit is at such an infinite rate of intensity and rapidity that it is practically at rest--just as a rapidly moving wheel seems to be motionless. And at the other end of the scale, there are gross forms of matter whose vibrations are so low as to seem at rest. Between these poles, there are millions upon millions of varying degrees of vibration. From corpuscle and electron, atom and molecule, to worlds and universes, everything is in vibratory motion. This is also true on the planes of energy and force (which are but varying degrees of vibration); and also on the mental planes (whose states depend upon vibrations); and even on to the spiritual planes. An understanding of this Principle, with the appropriate formulas, enables Hermetic students to control their own mental vibrations as well as those of others. The Masters also apply this Principle to the conquering of Natural phenomena, in various ways. "He who understands the Principle of Vibration, has grasped the scepter of power," says one of the old writers.

4. The Principle of Polarity

    "Everything is Dual; everything has poles; everything has its
     pair of opposites; like and unlike are the same; opposites are
     identical in nature, but different in degree; extremes meet;
     all truths are but half-truths; all paradoxes may be
     reconciled."--The Kybalion.

This Principle embodies the truth that "everything is dual"; "everything has two poles"; "everything has its pair of opposites," all of which were old Hermetic axioms. It explains the old paradoxes, that have perplexed so many, which have been stated as follows: "Thesis and antithesis are identical in nature, but different in degree"; "opposites are the same, differing only in degree"; "the pairs of opposites may be reconciled"; "extremes meet"; "everything is and isn't, at the same time"; "all truths are but half-truths"; "every truth is half-false"; "there are two sides to everything," etc., etc., etc. It explains that in everything there are two poles, or opposite aspects, and that "opposites" are really only the two extremes of the same thing, with many varying degrees between them. To illustrate: Heat and Cold, although "opposites," are really the same thing, the differences consisting merely of degrees of the same thing. Look at your thermometer and see if you can discover where "heat" terminates and "cold" begins! There is no such thing as "absolute heat" or "absolute cold"--the two terms "heat" and "cold" simply indicate varying degrees of the same thing, and that "same thing" which manifests as "heat" and "cold" is merely a form, variety, and rate of Vibration. So "heat" and "cold" are simply the "two poles" of that which we call "Heat"--and the phenomena attendant thereupon are manifestations of the Principle of Polarity. The same Principle manifests in the case of "Light and Darkness," which are the same thing, the difference consisting of varying degrees between the two poles of the phenomena. Where does "darkness" leave off, and "light" begin? What is the difference between "Large and Small"? Between "Hard and Soft"? Between "Black and White"? Between "Sharp and Dull"? Between "Noise and Quiet"? Between "High and Low"? Between "Positive and Negative"? The Principle of Polarity explains these paradoxes, and no other Principle can supersede it. The same Principle operates on the Mental Plane. Let us take a radical and extreme example--that of "Love and Hate," two mental states apparently totally different. And yet there are degrees of Hate and degrees of Love, and a middle point in which we use the terms "Like or Dislike," which shade into each other so gradually that sometimes we are at a loss to know whether we "like" or "dislike" or "neither." And all are simply degrees of the same thing, as you will see if you will but think a moment. And, more than this (and considered of more importance by the Hermetists), it is possible to change the vibrations of Hate to the vibrations of Love, in one's own mind, and in the minds of others. Many of you, who read these lines, have had personal experiences of the involuntary rapid transition from Love to Hate, and the reverse, in your own case and that of others. And you will therefore realize the possibility of this being accomplished by the use of the Will, by means of the Hermetic formulas. "Good and Evil" are but the poles of the same thing, and the Hermetist understands the art of transmuting Evil into Good, by means of an application of the Principle of Polarity. In short, the "Art of Polarization" becomes a phase of "Mental Alchemy" known and practiced by the ancient and modern Hermetic Masters. An understanding of the Principle will enable one to change his own Polarity, as well as that of others, if he will devote the time and study necessary to master the art.

5. The Principle of Rhythm

    "Everything flows, out and in; everything has its tides;
     all things rise and fall; the pendulum-swing manifests in
     everything; the measure of the swing to the right is the
     measure of the swing to the left; rhythm compensates."--The
     Kybalion.

This Principle embodies the truth that in everything there is manifested a measured motion, to and fro; a flow and inflow; a swing backward and forward; a pendulum-like movement; a tide-like ebb and flow; a high-tide and low-tide; between the two poles which exist in accordance with the Principle of Polarity described a moment ago. There is always an action and a reaction; an advance and a retreat; a rising and a sinking. This is in the affairs of the Universe, suns, worlds, men, animals, mind, energy, and matter. This law is manifest in the creation and destruction of worlds; in the rise and fall of nations; in the life of all things; and finally in the mental states of Man (and it is with this latter that the Hermetists find the understanding of the Principle most important). The Hermetists have grasped this Principle, finding its universal application, and have also discovered certain means to overcome its effects in themselves by the use of the appropriate formulas and methods. They apply the Mental Law of Neutralization. They cannot annul the Principle, or cause it to cease its operation, but they have learned how to escape its effects upon themselves to a certain degree depending upon the Mastery of the Principle. They have learned how to USE it, instead of being USED BY it. In this and similar methods, consist the Art of the Hermetists. The Master of Hermetics polarizes himself at the point at which he desires to rest, and then neutralizes the Rhythmic swing of the pendulum which would tend to carry him to the other pole. All individuals who have attained any degree of Self-Mastery do this to a certain degree, more or less unconsciously, but the Master does this consciously, and by the use of his Will, and attains a degree of Poise and Mental Firmness almost impossible of belief on the part of the masses who are swung backward and forward like a pendulum. This Principle and that of Polarity have been closely studied by the Hermetists, and the methods of counteracting, neutralizing, and USING them form an important part of the Hermetic Mental Alchemy.

6. The Principle of Cause and Effect

    "Every Cause has its Effect; every Effect has its Cause;
     everything happens according to Law; Chance is but a name
     for Law not recognized; there are many planes of causation,
     but nothing escapes the Law."--The Kybalion.

This Principle embodies the fact that there is a Cause for every Effect; an Effect from every Cause. It explains that: "Everything Happens according to Law"; that nothing ever "merely happens"; that there is no such thing as Chance; that while there are various planes of Cause and Effect, the higher dominating the lower planes, still nothing ever entirely escapes the Law. The Hermetists understand the art and methods of rising above the ordinary plane of Cause and Effect, to a certain degree, and by mentally rising to a higher plane they become Causers instead of Effects. The masses of people are carried along, obedient to environment; the wills and desires of others stronger than themselves; heredity; suggestion; and other outward causes moving them about like pawns on the Chessboard of Life. But the Masters, rising to the plane above, dominate their moods, characters, qualities, and powers, as well as the environment surrounding them, and become Movers instead of pawns. They help to PLAY THE GAME OF LIFE, instead of being played and moved about by other wills and environment. They USE the Principle instead of being its tools. The Masters obey the Causation of the higher planes, but they help to RULE on their own plane. In this statement there is condensed a wealth of Hermetic knowledge--let him read who can.

7. The Principle of Gender

    "Gender is in everything; everything has its Masculine
     and Feminine Principles; Gender manifests on all
     planes."--The Kybalion.

This Principle embodies the truth that there is GENDER manifested in everything--the Masculine and Feminine Principles ever at work. This is true not only of the Physical Plane, but of the Mental and even the Spiritual Planes. On the Physical Plane, the Principle manifests as SEX, on the higher planes it takes higher forms, but the Principle is ever the same. No creation, physical, mental or spiritual, is possible without this Principle. An understanding of its laws will throw light on many a subject that has perplexed the minds of men. The Principle of Gender works ever in the direction of generation, regeneration, and creation. Everything, and every person, contains the two Elements or Principles, or this great Principle, within it, him or her. Every Male thing has the Female Element also; every Female contains also the Male Principle. If you would understand the philosophy of Mental and Spiritual Creation, Generation, and Re-generation, you must understand and study this Hermetic Principle. It contains the solution of many mysteries of Life. We caution you that this Principle has no reference to the many base, pernicious and degrading lustful theories, teachings and practices, which are taught under fanciful titles, and which are a prostitution of the great natural principle of Gender. Such base revivals of the ancient infamous forms of Phallicism tend to ruin mind, body and soul, and the Hermetic Philosophy has ever sounded the warning note against these degraded teachings which tend toward lust, licentiousness, and perversion of Nature's principles. If you seek such teachings, you must go elsewhere for them--Hermeticism contains nothing for you along these lines. To the pure, all things are pure; to the base, all things are base.

<< (The Kybalion Main)

The Kybalion - CHAPTER I

2010-05-04T01:41:00.001-04:00

THE HERMETIC PHILOSOPHY

"The lips of wisdom are closed, except to the ears
of Understanding"--The Kybalion.

From old Egypt have come the fundamental esoteric and occult teachings which have so strongly influenced the philosophies of all races, nations and peoples, for several thousand years. Egypt, the home of the Pyramids and the Sphinx, was the birthplace of the Hidden Wisdom and Mystic Teachings. From her Secret Doctrine all nations have borrowed. India, Persia, Chaldea, Medea, China, Japan, Assyria, ancient Greece and Rome, and other ancient countries partook liberally at the feast of knowledge which the Hierophants and Masters of the Land of Isis so freely provided for those who came prepared to partake of the great store of Mystic and Occult Lore which the masterminds of that ancient land had gathered together.

In ancient Egypt dwelt the great Adepts and Masters who have never been surpassed, and who seldom have been equaled, during the centuries that have taken their processional flight since the days of the Great Hermes. In Egypt was located the Great Lodge of Lodges of the Mystics. At the doors of her Temples entered the Neophytes who afterward, as Hierophants, Adepts, and Masters, traveled to the four corners of the earth, carrying with them the precious knowledge which they were ready, anxious, and willing to pass on to those who were ready to receive the same. All students of the Occult recognize the debt that they owe to these venerable Masters of that ancient land.

But among these great Masters of Ancient Egypt there once dwelt one of whom Masters hailed as "The Master of Masters." This man, if "man" indeed he was, dwelt in Egypt in the earliest days. He was known as Hermes Trismegistus. He was the father of the Occult Wisdom; the founder of Astrology; the discoverer of Alchemy. The details of his life story are lost to history, owing to the lapse of the years, though several of the ancient countries disputed with each other in their claims to the honor of having furnished his birthplace--and this thousands of years ago. The date of his sojourn in Egypt, in that his last incarnation on this planet, is not now known, but it has been fixed at the early days of the oldest dynasties of Egypt--long before the days of Moses. The best authorities regard him as a contemporary of Abraham, and some of the Jewish traditions go so far as to claim that Abraham acquired a portion of his mystic knowledge from Hermes himself.

As the years rolled by after his passing from this plane of life (tradition recording that he lived three hundred years in the flesh), the Egyptians deified Hermes, and made him one of their gods, under the name of Thoth. Years after, the people of Ancient Greece also made him one of their many gods--calling him "Hermes, the god of Wisdom." The Egyptians revered his memory for many centuries-yes, tens of centuries-- calling him "the Scribe of the Gods," and bestowing upon him, distinctively, his ancient title, "Trismegistus," which means "the thrice-great"; "the great-great"; "the greatest-great"; etc. In all the ancient lands, the name of Hermes Trismegistus was revered, the name being synonymous with the "Fount of Wisdom."

Even to this day, we use the term "hermetic" in the sense of "secret"; "sealed so that nothing can escape"; etc., and this by reason of the fact that the followers of Hermes always observed the principle of secrecy in their teachings. They did not believe in "casting pearls before swine," but rather held to the teaching "milk for babes"; "meat for strong men," both of which maxims are familiar to readers of the Christian scriptures, but both of which had been used by the Egyptians for centuries before the Christian era.

And this policy of careful dissemination of the truth has always characterized the Hermetics, even unto the present day. The Hermetic Teachings are to be found in all lands, among all religions, but never identified with any particular country, nor with any particular religious sect. This because of the warning of the ancient teachers against allowing the Secret Doctrine to become crystallized into a creed. The wisdom of this caution is apparent to all students of history. The ancient occultism of India and Persia degenerated, and was largely lost, owing to the fact that the teachers became priests, and so mixed theology with the philosophy, the result being that the occultism of India and Persia has been gradually lost amidst the mass of religious superstition, cults, creeds and "gods." So it was with Ancient Greece and Rome. So it was with the Hermetic Teachings of the Gnostics and Early Christians, which were lost at the time of Constantine, whose iron hand smothered philosophy with the blanket of theology, losing to the Christian Church that which was its very essence and spirit, and causing it to grope throughout several centuries before it found the way back to its ancient faith, the indications apparent to all careful observers in this Twentieth Century being that the Church is now struggling to get back to its ancient mystic teachings.

But there were always a few faithful souls who kept alive the Flame, tending it carefully, and not allowing its light to become extinguished. And thanks to these staunch hearts, and fearless minds, we have the truth still with us. But it is not found in books, to any great extent. It has been passed along from Master to Student; from Initiate to Hierophant; from lip to ear. When it was written down at all, its meaning was veiled in terms of alchemy and astrology so that only those possessing the key could read it aright. This was made necessary in order to avoid the persecutions of the theologians of the Middle Ages, who fought the Secret Doctrine with fire and sword; stake, gibbet and cross. Even to this day there will be found but few reliable books on the Hermetic Philosophy, although there are countless references to it in many books written on various phases of Occultism. And yet, the Hermetic Philosophy is the only Master Key which will open all the doors of the Occult Teachings!

In the early days, there was a compilation of certain Basic Hermetic Doctrines, passed on from teacher to student, which was known as "THE KYBALION," the exact significance and meaning of the term having been lost for several centuries. This teaching, however, is known to many to whom it has descended, from mouth to ear, on and on throughout the centuries. Its precepts have never been written down, or printed, so far as we know. It was merely a collection of maxims, axioms, and precepts, which were non-understandable to outsiders, but which were readily understood by students, after the axioms, maxims, and precepts had been explained and exemplified by the Hermetic Initiates to their Neophytes. These teachings really constituted the basic principles of "The Art of Hermetic Alchemy," which, contrary to the general belief, dealt in the mastery of Mental Forces, rather than Material Elements-the Transmutation of one kind of Mental Vibrations into others, instead of the changing of one kind of metal into another. The legends of the "Philosopher's Stone" which would turn base metal into Gold, was an allegory relating to Hermetic Philosophy, readily understood by all students of true Hermeticism.

In this little book, of which this is the First Lesson, we invite our students to examine into the Hermetic Teachings, as set forth in THE KYBALION, and as explained by ourselves, humble students of the Teachings, who, while bearing the title of Initiates, are still students at the feet of HERMES, the Master. We herein give you many of the maxims, axioms and precepts of THE KYBALION, accompanied by explanations and illustrations which we deem likely to render the teachings more easily comprehended by the modern student, particularly as the original text is purposely veiled in obscure terms.

The original maxims, axioms, and precepts of THE KYBALION are printed herein, in italics, the proper credit being given. Our own work is printed in the regular way, in the body of the work. We trust that the many students to whom we now offer this little work will derive as much benefit from the study of its pages as have the many who have gone on before, treading the same Path to Mastery throughout the centuries that have passed since the times of HERMES TRISMEGISTUS--the Master of Masters--the Great-Great. In the words of "THE KYBALION":

"Where fall the footsteps of the Master, the ears of those
ready for his Teaching open wide."--The Kybalion.

"When the ears of the student are ready to hear, then cometh
the lips to fill them with Wisdom."--The Kybalion.

So that according to the Teachings, the passage of this book to those ready for the instruction will attract the attention of such as are prepared to receive the Teaching. And, likewise, when the pupil is ready to receive the truth, then will this little book come to him, or her. Such is The Law. The Hermetic Principle of Cause and Effect, in its aspect of The Law of Attraction, will bring lips and ear together--pupil and book in company. So mote it be!

<< (The Kybalion Main)

The Kybalion

2010-05-04T01:37:00.001-04:00

A Study of The Hermetic Philosophy of Ancient Egypt and Greece

BY THREE INITIATES

"THE LIPS OF WISDOM ARE CLOSED, EXCEPT TO THE EARS OF UNDERSTANDING"

THE YOGI PUBLICATION SOCIETY MASONIC TEMPLE
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS

[1912]

TO HERMES TRISMEGISTUS

KNOWN BY THE ANCIENT EGYPTIANS AS

"THE GREAT GREAT" AND "MASTER OF MASTERS"

THIS LITTLE VOLUME OF HERMETIC TEACHING IS REVERENTLY DEDICATED

The Kybalion, by Three Initiates, [1912], at sacred-texts.com

Blogger’s Preface

I do not regard the following text to be 100% godly words, but rather a discussion and relaying of godly precepts. As a result, I believe the reader should ensure he has faith correctly, in order to best capture the truth found in this text.

Table of Contents

I. The Hermetic Philosophy
II. The Seven Hermetic Principles
         1. The Principle of Mentalism
         2. The Principle of Correspondence
         3. The Principle of Vibration
         4. The Principle of Polarity
         5. The Principle of Rhythm
         6. The Principle of Cause and Effect
         7. The Principle of Gender
   III. Mental Transmutation
   IV. The All
   V. The Mental Universe
   VI. The Divine Paradox
   VII. "The All" in All
   VIII. Planes of Correspondence
   IX. Vibration
   X. Polarity
   XI. Rhythm
   XII. Causation
   XIII. Gender
   XIV. Mental Gender
   XV. Hermetic Axioms

The Kybalion, by Three Initiates, [1912], at sacred-texts.com

INTRODUCTION

We take great pleasure in presenting to the attention of students and investigators of the Secret Doctrines this little work based upon the world-old Hermetic Teachings. There has been so little written upon this subject, not withstanding the countless references to the Teachings in the many works upon occultism, that the many earnest searchers after the Arcane Truths will doubtless welcome the appearance of this present volume.

The purpose of this work is not the enunciation of any special philosophy or doctrine, but rather is to give to the students a statement of the Truth that will serve to reconcile the many bits of occult knowledge that they may have acquired, but which are apparently opposed to each other and which often serve to discourage and disgust the beginner in the study. Our intent is not to erect a new Temple of Knowledge, but rather to place in the hands of the student a Master-Key with which he may open the many inner doors in the Temple of Mystery through the main portals he has already entered.

There is no portion of the occult teachings possessed by the world which have been so closely guarded as the fragments of the Hermetic Teachings which have come down to us over the tens of centuries which have elapsed since the lifetime of its great founder, Hermes Trismegistus, the "scribe of the gods," who dwelt in old Egypt in the days when the present race of men was in its infancy. Contemporary with Abraham, and, if the legends be true, an instructor of that venerable sage, Hermes was, and is, the Great Central Sun of Occultism, whose rays have served to illumine the countless teachings which have been promulgated since his time. All the fundamental and basic teachings embedded in the esoteric teachings of every race may be traced back to Hermes. Even the most ancient teachings of India undoubtedly have their roots in the original Hermetic Teachings.

From the land of the Ganges many advanced occultists wandered to the land of Egypt, and sat at the feet of the Master. From him they obtained the Master-Key which explained and reconciled their divergent views, and thus the Secret Doctrine was firmly established. From other lands also came the learned ones, all of whom regarded Hermes as the Master of Masters, and his influence was so great that in spite of the many wanderings from the path on the part of the centuries of teachers in these different lands, there may still be found a certain basic resemblance and correspondence which underlies the many and often quite divergent theories entertained and taught by the occultists of these different lands today. The student of Comparative Religions will be able to perceive the influence of the Hermetic Teachings in every religion worthy of the name, now known to man, whether it be a dead religion or one in full vigor in our own times. There is always certain correspondence in spite of the contradictory features, and the Hermetic Teachings act as the Great Reconciler.

The lifework of Hermes seems to have been in the direction of planting the great Seed-Truth which has grown and blossomed in so many strange forms, rather than to establish a school of philosophy which would dominate, the world's thought. But, nevertheless, the original truths taught by him have been kept intact in their original purity by a few men each age, who, refusing great numbers of half-developed students and followers, followed the Hermetic custom and reserved their truth for the few who were ready to comprehend and master it. From lip to ear the truth has been handed down among the few. There have always been a few Initiates in each generation, in the various lands of the earth, who kept alive the sacred flame of the Hermetic Teachings, and such have always been willing to use their lamps to re-light the lesser lamps of the outside world, when the light of truth grew dim, and clouded by reason of neglect, and when the wicks became clogged with foreign matter. There were always a few to tend faithfully the altar of the Truth, upon which was kept alight the Perpetual Lamp of Wisdom. These men devoted their lives to the labor of love which the poet has so well stated in his lines:

     "O, let not the flame die out! Cherished age after age
      in its dark cavern--in its holy temples cherished. Fed
      by pure ministers of love--let not the flame die out!"

These men have never sought popular approval, nor numbers of followers. They are indifferent to these things, for they know how few there are in each generation who are ready for the truth, or who would recognize it if it were presented to them. They reserve the "strong meat for men," while others furnish the "milk for babes." They reserve their pearls of wisdom for the few elect, who recognize their value and who wear them in their crowns, instead of casting them before the materialistic vulgar swine, who would trample them in the mud and mix them with their disgusting mental food. But still these men have never forgotten or overlooked the original teachings of Hermes, regarding the passing on of the words of truth to those ready to receive it, which teaching is stated in The Kybalion as follows: "Where fall the footsteps of the Master, the ears of those ready for his Teaching open wide." And again: "When the ears of the student are ready to hear, then cometh the lips to fill them with wisdom." But their customary attitude has always been strictly in accordance with the other Hermetic aphorism, also in The Kybalion: "The lips of Wisdom are closed, except to the ears of Understanding."

There are those who have criticized this attitude of the Hermetists, and who have claimed that they did not manifest the proper spirit in their policy of seclusion and reticence. But a moment's glance back over the pages of history will show the wisdom of the Masters, who knew the folly of attempting to teach to the world that which it was neither ready or willing to receive. The Hermetists have never sought to be martyrs, and have, instead, sat silently aside with a pitying smile on their closed lips, while the "heathen raged noisily about them" in their customary amusement of putting to death and torture the honest but misguided enthusiasts who imagined that they could force upon a race of barbarians the truth capable of being understood only by the elect who had advanced along The Path.

And the spirit of persecution has not as yet died out in the land. There are certain Hermetic Teachings, which, if publicly promulgated, would bring down upon the teachers a great cry of scorn and revilement from the multitude, who would again raise the cry of "Crucify! Crucify."

In this little work we have endeavored to give you an idea of the fundamental teachings of The Kybalion, striving to give you the working Principles, leaving you to apply therm yourselves, rather than attempting to work out the teaching in detail. If you are a true student, you will be able to work out and apply these Principles--if not, then you must develop yourself into one, for otherwise the Hermetic Teachings will be as "words, words, words" to you.

Authoritative Teaching

2007-11-04T22:06:00.001-05:00

Translated by George W. MacRae

[...] in heaven [...] within him [...] anyone appears [...] the hidden heavens [...] appear, and before the invisible, ineffable worlds appeared. From these the invisible soul of righteousness came, being a fellow member, and a fellow body, and a fellow spirit. Whether she is in the descent or is in the Pleroma, she is not separated from them, but they see her and she looks at them in the invisible world.

Secretly her bridegroom fetched it. He presented it to her mouth to make her eat it like food, and he applied the word to her eyes as a medicine to make her see with her mind and perceive her kinsmen and learn about her root, in order that she might cling to her branch from which she had first come forth, in order that she might receive what is hers and renounce matter.

[...] he [dwelt...] having [...] sons. The sons [...] truly, those who have come from his seed, call the sons of the woman "our brothers". In this very way, when the spiritual soul was cast into the body, it became a brother to lust and hatred and envy, and a material soul. So therefore the body came from lust, and lust came from material substance. For this reason the soul became a brother to them.

And yet they are outsiders, without power to inherit from the male, but they will inherit from their mother only. Whenever, therefore, the soul wishes to inherit along with the outsiders - for the possessions of the outsiders are proud passions, the pleasures of life, hateful envies, vainglorious things, nonsensical things, accusations [...] for her [...] prostitution, he excludes her and puts her into the brothel. For [...] debauchery for her. She left modesty behind. For death and life are set before everyone. Whichever of these two they wish, then, they will choose for themselves.

That one then will fall into drinking much wine in debauchery. For wine is the debaucher. Therefore she does not remember her brothers and her father, for pleasure and sweet profits deceive her.

Having left knowledge behind, she fell into bestiality. For a senseless person exists in bestiality, not knowing what is proper to say and what it is proper not to say. But, on the other hand, the gentle son inherits from his father with pleasure, while his father rejoices over him because he receives honor on account of him from everyone, as he looks again for the way to double the things that he has received. For the outsiders [...].

[...] to mix with the [...]. For if a thought of lust enters into a virgin man, he has already become contaminated. And their gluttony cannot mix with moderation. For if the chaff is mixed with the wheat, it is not the chaff that is contaminated, but the wheat. For since they are mixed with each other, no one will buy her wheat, because it is contaminated. But they will coax him, "Give us this chaff!", seeing the wheat mixed with it, until they get it and throw it with all other chaff, and that chaff mixes with all other materials. But a pure seed is kept in storehouses that are secure. All these things,then, we have spoken.

And before anything came into being, it was the Father alone who existed, before the worlds that are in the heavens appeared, or the world that is on the earth, or principality, or authority, or the powers. [...] appear [...] and [...] And nothing came into being without his wish.

He, then, the Father, wishing to reveal his wealth and his glory, brought about this great contest in this world, wishing to make the contestants appear, and make all those who contend leave behind the things that had come into being, and despise them with a lofty, incomprehensible knowledge, and flee to the one who exists.

And (as for) those who contend with us, being adversaries who contend against us, we are to be victorious over their ignorance through our knowledge, since we have already known the Inscrutable One from whom we have come forth. We have nothing in this world, lest the authority of the world that has come into being should detain us in the worlds that are in the heavens, those in which universal death exists, surrounded by the individual [...] worldly. We have also become ashamed of the worlds, though we take no interest in them when they malign us. And we ignore them when they curse us. When they cast shame in our face, we look at them and do not speak.

For they work at their business, but we go about in hunger (and) in thirst, looking toward our dwelling-place, the place which our conduct and our conscience look toward, not clinging to the things which have come into being, but withdrawing from them. Our hearts are set on the things that exist, though we are ill (and) feeble (and) in pain. But there is a great strength hidden within us.

Our soul indeed is ill because she dwells in a house of poverty, while matter strikes blows at her eyes, wishing to make her blind. For this reason she pursues the word and applies it to her eyes as a medicine <opening> them, casting away [...] thought of a [...] blindness in [...] afterwards, when that one is again in ignorance, he is completely darkened and is material. Thus the soul [...] a word every hour, to apply it to her eyes as a medicine in order that she may see, and her light may conceal the hostile forces that fight with her, and she may make them blind with her light, and enclose them in her presence, and make them fall down in sleeplessness, and she may act boldly with her strength and with her scepter.

While her enemies look at her in shame, she runs upward into her treasure-house - the one in which her mind is - and (into) her storehouse which is secure, since nothing among the things that have come into being has seized her, nor has she received a stranger into her house. For many are her homeborn ones who fight against her by day and by night, having no rest by day or by night, for their lust oppresses them.

For this reason, then, we do not sleep, nor do we forget the nets that are spread out in hiding, lying in wait for us to catch us. For if we are caught in a single net, it will suck us down into its mouth, while the water flows over us, striking our face. And we will be taken down into the dragnet, and we will not be able to come up from it, because the waters are high over us, flowing from above downward, submerging our heart down in the filthy mud. And we will not be able to escape from them. For man-eaters will seize us and swallow us, rejoicing like a fisherman casting a hook into the water. For he casts many kinds of food into the water because each one of the fish has his own food. He smells it and pursues its odor. But when he eats it, the hook hidden within the food seizes him and brings him up by force out of the deep waters. No man is able, then, to catch that fish down in the deep waters, except for the trap that the fisherman sets. By the ruse of food he brought the fish up on the hook.

In this very way we exist in this world, like fish. The adversary spies on us, lying in wait for us like a fisherman, wishing to seize us, rejoicing that he might swallow us. For he places many foods before our eyes (things) which belong to this world. He wishes to make us desire one of them and to taste only a little, so that he may seize us with his hidden poison and bring us out of freedom and take us into slavery. For whenever he catches us with a single food, it is indeed necessary for us to desire the rest. Finally, then, such things become the food of death.

Now these are the foods with which the devil lies in wait for us. First he injects a pain into your heart until you have heartache on account of a small thing of this life, and he seizes (you) with his poisons. And afterward (he injects) the desire of a tunic, so that you will pride yourself in it, and love of money, pride, vanity, envy that rivals another envy, beauty of body, fraudulence. The greatest of all these are ignorance and ease.

Now all such things the adversary prepares beautifully and spreads out before the body, wishing to make the mind of the soul incline her toward one of them and overwhelm her, like a hook, drawing her by force in ignorance, deceiving her until she conceives evil, and bears fruit of matter, and conducts herself in uncleanness, pursuing many desires, covetousnesses, while fleshly pleasure draws her in ignorance.

But the soul - she who has tasted these things - realized that sweet passions are transitory. She had learned about evil; she went away from them and she entered into a new conduct. Afterwards she despises this life, because it is transitory. And she looks for those foods that will take her into life, and leaves behind her those deceitful foods. And she learns about her light, as she goes about stripping off this world, while her true garment clothes her within, (and) her bridal clothing is placed upon her in beauty of mind, not in pride of flesh. And she learns about her depth and runs into her fold, while her shepherd stands at the door. In return for all the shame and scorn, then, that she received in this world, she receives ten thousand times the grace and glory.

She gave the body to those who had given it to her, and they were ashamed, while the dealers in bodies sat down and wept because they were not able to do any business with that body, nor did they find any (other) merchandise except it. They endured great labors until they had shaped the body of this soul, wishing to strike down the invisible soul. They were therefore ashamed of their work; they suffered the loss of the one for whom they had endured labors. They did not realize that she has an invisible spiritual body, thinking, "We are her shepherd who feeds her." But they did not realize that she knows another way, which is hidden from them. This her true shepherd taught her in knowledge.

But these - the ones who are ignorant - do not seek after God. Nor do they inquire about their dwelling-place, which exists in rest, but they go about in bestiality. They are more wicked than the pagans, because first of all they do not inquire about God, for their hardness of heart draws them down to make them their cruelty. Furthermore, if they find someone else who asks about his salvation, their hardness of heart sets to work upon that man. And if he does not stop asking, they kill him by their cruelty, thinking that they have done a good thing for themselves.

Indeed they are sons of the devil! For even pagans give charity, and they know that God who is in the heavens exists, the Father of the universe, exalted over their idols, which they worship. But they have not heard the word, that they should inquire about his ways. Thus the senseless man hears the call, but he is ignorant of the place to which he has been called. And he did not ask during the preaching, "Where is the temple into which I should go and worship my hope?"

On account of his senselessness, then, he is worse than a pagan, for the pagans know the way to go to their stone temple, which will perish, and they worship their idol, while their hearts are set on it because it is their hope. But to this senseless man the word has been preached, teaching him, "Seek and inquire about the ways you should go, since there is nothing else that is as good as this thing." The result is that the substance of hardness of heart strikes a blow upon his mind, along with the force of ignorance and the demon of error. They do not allow his mind to rise up, because he was wearying himself in seeking that he might learn about his hope.

But the rational soul who (also) wearied herself in seeking - she learned about God. She labored with inquiring, enduring distress in the body, wearing out her feet after the evangelists, learning about the Inscrutable One. She found her rising. She came to rest in him who is at rest. She reclined in the bride-chamber. She ate of the banquet for which she had hungered. She partook of the immortal food. She found what she had sought after. She received rest from her labors, while the light that shines forth upon her does not sink. To it belongs the glory and the power and the revelation for ever and ever. Amen.

The Teachings of the Elect

2007-04-08T13:49:00.001-04:00

The ESSENE GOSPEL OF PEACE

The Teachings of the Elect

Book Four

The Original Hebrew and Aramaic Texts
Translated and edited by
EDMOND BORDEAUX SZEKELY
MCMLXXXI
INTERNATIONAL BIOGENIC SOCIETY
Book Design by Golondrina Graohics
Copyright @ 1981, by the International Biogenic Society
Printed In the United States of America-All Rights Reserved

Preface

The Essene Communions

The Gift of Life in the Humble Grass

The Sevenfold Peace

The Holy Streams

The Illustrations are by Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo,
Fra Angelico, Botticelli, and El Greco

PREFACE

It was in 1928 that Edmond Bordeaux Szekely first published his translation of Book One of The Essene Gospel of Peace, an ancient manuscript he had found in the Secret Archives of the Vatican as the result of limitless patience, faultless scholarship, and unerring intuition, a story told in his book, The Discovery of the Essene Gospel of Peace. The English version of this ancient manuscript appeared in 1937, and ever since, the little volume has traveled all over the world, appearing in different languages, and gaining every year more and more readers, until now, still with no commercial advertisement, over a million copies have been sold in the United States alone. It was not until almost fifty years after the first French translation that Book Two and Book Three appeared, and these also have now become classics of the Essene literature.

Book Four, The Teachings of the Elect, will come as a surprise to those readers who are aware of Dr. Szekely's death in 1979. if I were also a philologist, or scholar, or archeologist, I might be able to provide some explanation. But I am only his faithful famulus amanuensis, and the instructions he left me were clear and explicit: "Two years after my death, you shall publish Book Four of The Essene Gospel of Peace. " That was all, and I am now carrying out his wish.

This Book Four, The Teachings of the Elect, represents yet another fragment of the complete manuscript which exists in Aramaic in the Secret Archives of the Vatican and in old Slavonic in the Royal Library of the Habsburgs (now the property of the Austrian government). As to the reason for the delay in its publication, I can only surmise that Dr. Szekely wanted the vivid reality of these ageless truths to stand alone, unobscured even by the presence of the translator. He did say in his Preface to the first London edition of Book One in 1937 that "we have issued this part before the rest, because it is the part of which suffering humanity has most need today." Perhaps, in the same way, the troubled world of forty-four years later needs this fourth volume of The Essene Gospel of Peace.

Again the words of Dr. Szekely: "We have nothing to add to this text. It speaks for itself. The reader who studies the pages that follow with concentration, will feel the eternal vitality and powerful evidence of these profound truths which mankind needs today more urgently than ever before."

"And the truth shall bear witness of itself."

THE ESSENE COMMUNIONS

And it came to pass that Jesus gathered the Sons of Light by the shore of the river, to reveal to them that which had been hidden; for the space of seven years had passed, and each one was ripe for truth, as the flower opens from the bud when the angels of sun and water bring it to its time of blossoming.

And all of them were unlike one to the other, for some were of age, and some had still the dew of youth on their cheeks, and some had been raised according to the traditions of their fathers, and others knew not who their father and mother had been. But all shared in a clearness of eye and a suppleness of body, for these were signs that for seven years they had walked with the angels of the Earthly Mother and obeyed her laws. And for seven years the unknown angels of the Heavenly Father had taught them through their sleeping hours. And now was the day come when they would enter the Brotherhood of the Elect and learn the hidden teachings of the Elders, even those of Enoch and before.

And Jesus led the Sons of Light to an ancient tree by the side of the river, and there he knelt at the place where the roots, gnarled and hoary with age, spread over the river edge. And the Sons of Light knelt also, and they did touch with reverence the trunk of the ancient tree, for it was taught to them that the trees are the Brothers of the Sons of Men. For their mother is the same, the Earthly Mother, whose blood runs in the sap of the tree and in the body of the Son of Man. And their father is the same, the Heavenly Father, whose laws are written in the branches of the tree, and whose laws are engraved in the forehead of the Son of Man.

And Jesus reached out his hands to the tree, and said: "Behold, the Tree of Life, which stands in the middle of the Eternal Sea. Look not only with the eyes of the body, but see with the eyes of the spirit the Tree of Life at a source of running streams; at a living spring in a land of drought. See the eternal garden of wonders, and at its center the Tree of Life, mystery of mysteries, growing everlasting branches for eternal planting, to sink their roots into the stream of life from an eternal source. See with the eyes of the spirit the angels of day and the angels of night which protect the fruits with flames of Eternal Light burning every way.

"See, oh Sons of Light, the branches of the Tree of Life reaching toward the kingdom of the Heavenly Father. And see the roots of the Tree of Life descending into the bosom of the Earthly Mother. And the Son of Man is raised to an eternal height and walks in the wonders of the plain; for only the Son of Man carries in his body the roots of the Tree of Life; the same roots that suckle from the bosom of the Earthly Mother; and only the Son of Man carries in his spirit the branches of the Tree of Life; the same branches that reach to the sky, even so to the kingdom of the Heavenly Father.

"And for seven years have you labored throughout the day with the angels of the Earthly Mother; and for seven years you have slept in the arms of the Heavenly Father. And now your reward shall be great, for it shall be given unto you the gift of tongues, that you may draw to you the full power of your Earthly Mother, and have command over her angels and dominion over all her kingdom; and that you may draw to you the blinding glory of your Heavenly Father, that you may command his angels and enter into life everlasting in the heavenly kingdoms.

"And for seven years these words were not given unto you, for he who uses the gift of tongues to seek after riches, or to hold sway over his enemies, he shall no longer be a Son of Light, but a whelp of the devil and a creature of darkness.

For only the pure water can mirror forth the light of the sun; and that water which has become dank with filth and murk can reflect nothing. And when the body and the spirit of the Son of Man have walked with the angels of the Earthly Mother and the Heavenly Father for seven years, then is he like the running river under the noonday sun, mirroring forth dazzling lights of brilliant jewels.

" Hear me, Sons of Light, for I will impart to you the gift of tongues, that by speaking to your Earthly Mother in the morning, and to your Heavenly Father in the evening, you may go closer and closer to oneness with the kingdoms of earth and heaven, that oneness for which the Son of Man is destined from the beginning of the times.

"I will make known unto you deep and mysterious things. For I tell you truly, all things exist by God and there is none beside him. Direct your hearts, therefore, that you may walk on the right paths, where his presence is.

"When you open your eyes in the morning, even then before your body has been called by the Angel of Sun, say to yourselves these words, letting them echo in your spirit; for words are like dead leaves when there is no life in them of the spirit. Say, then, these words: 'I enter the eternal and infinite garden of mystery, my spirit in oneness with the Heavenly Father, my body in oneness with the Earthly Mother, my heart in harmony with my Brothers, the Sons of Men, dedicating my spirit, my body, and my heart to the holy, pure and saving Teaching, even that Teaching which of old was known to Enoch.'

"And after these words have entered into your spirit, on the first morning after Sabbath, say these words: 'The Earthly Mother and I are one. Her breath is my breath; her blood is my blood; her bone, her flesh, her bowels, her eyes and ears, are my bone, my flesh, my bowels, my eyes and ears. Never will I desert her, and always will she nourish and sustain my body.' And you will feel the power of the Earthly Mother flowing through your body like the river when it is swollen with rains and courses mightily with a great noise.

"And on the second morning after Sabbath, say these words: 'Angel of Earth, make fruitful my seed, and with your power give life to my body.' Even as your seed creates new life, so courses through the earth the seed of the angel of Earth: in the grass, in the soil, in all living things that grow from the soil. Know, oh Sons of Light, that the same angel of Earth that makes your seed into sons also makes the tiny acorn into this mighty oak, and makes the seed-bearing wheat to grow for bread for the Son of Man. And the seed of your body need not enter the body of woman to create life; for the power of the angel of Earth can create the life of the spirit within, as well as the life of the body without.

"And on the third morning after Sabbath, say these words: 'Angel of Life, enter with strength the limbs of my body.' And with these words embrace the Tree of Life, even as I embrace this brother oak, and you will feel the power of the angel of Life flow to your arms, and to your legs, and to all the parts of your body, as the sap flows in the tree in the spring, even as it runs out of the trunk, so will the angel of Life flood your body with the power of the Earthly Mother.

"And on the fourth morning after Sabbath, say these words: 'Angel of joy, descend upon earth, pouring forth beauty and delight to all the children of the Earthly Mother and the, Heavenly Father.' And you will go forth into the fields of flowers after rain and give thanks to your Earthly Mother for the sweet odor of blossoms; for I tell you truly, a flower has no other purpose than to bring joy to the heart of the Son of Man. And you will listen with new ears to the song of the birds, and see with new eyes the colors of the sun in its rising and its setting; and all these gifts of the Earthly Mother will cause joy to well forth within you, as a spring wells forth of a sudden in a barren place. And you shall know that no one comes before the Heavenly Father that the angel of joy lets not pass; for in joy was the earth created, and in joy did the Earthly Mother and the Heavenly Father give birth to the Son of Man.

"And on the fifth morning after Sabbath, say these words: 'Angel of Sun, enter my body and let me bathe in the fire of life.' And you will feel the rays of the rising sun enter into the center point of your body, there in the center where the angels of day and of night mingle, and the power of the sun shall be yours to direct to any part of your body, for the angels dwell therein.

"And on the sixth morning after Sabbath, say these words: 'Angel of Water, enter my blood and give the Water of Life to my body.' And you will feel, like the rushing current of the river, the power of the angel of Water enter your blood, and like the rivulets of a stream, send the power of the Earthly Mother through your blood to all the parts of your body. And it shall be for healing, for the power of the angel of Water is very great, and when you speak to her, she will send her power wherever you command, for when the angels of God dwell within the Son of Man, are all things possible.

"And on the seventh morning after Sabbath, say these words: 'Angel of Air, enter with my breath and give the Air of Life to my body.' Know, oh Sons of Light, that the Angel of Air is the messenger of the Heavenly Father, and no one comes before the face of God that the angel of Air lets not pass. For we do not think of the angel of Air when we breathe, for we breathe without thought, as the sons of darkness live their lives without thought. But when the power of life enters into your words and into your breathing, then for every time you invoke the Angel of Air, so do you also invoke the unknown angels of the Heavenly Father; and you will go closer and closer to the heavenly kingdoms.

"And on the Sabbath evening, say these words: 'The Heavenly Father and I are One.' And close your eyes, Sons of Light, and in sleep enter into the unknown realms of the Heavenly Father. And you will bathe in the light of the stars, and the Heavenly Father will hold you in his hand and cause a spring of knowledge to well up within you; a fountain of power, pouring forth living waters, a flood of love and of all-embracing wisdom, like the splendor of Eternal Light. And one day the eyes of your spirit shall open, and you shall know all things.

"And on the first evening after Sabbath, say these words: 'Angel of Eternal Life, descend upon me and give eternal life to my spirit.' And close your eyes, Sons of Light, and in sleep contemplate the oneness of all life everywhere. For I tell you truly, in the daylight hours are our feet on the ground and we have no wings with which to fly. But our spirits are not tied to the earth., and with the coming of night we overcome our attachment to the earth and join with that which is eternal. For the Son of Man is not all that he seems, and only with the eyes of the spirit can we see those golden threads which link us with all life everywhere.

"And on the second evening after Sabbath, say these words: 'Angel of Creative Work, descend upon earth and give abundance to all the Sons of Men.' For this most powerful of the angels of the Heavenly Father is the cause of movement, and only in movement is life. Work, Sons of Light, in the garden of the Brotherhood to create the kingdom of the heavens upon earth. And as you work, so will the angel of Creative Work nurture and ripen the seed of your spirit, that you may see God.

"And on the third evening after Sabbath, say these words: 'Peace, peace, peace, Angel of Peace, be always everywhere.' Seek the angel of Peace in all that lives, in all you do, in every word you speak. For peace is the key to all knowledge, to all mystery, to all life. Where there is no peace, there does Satan reign. And the sons of darkness covet most of all to steal from the Sons of Light their peace. Go, therefore, on this night to the golden stream of light that is the garment of the angel of Peace. And bring back to the morning the peace of God that surpasses understanding, that with this perfect peace you may comfort the hearts of the Sons of Men.

"And on the fourth evening after Sabbath, say these words: 'Angel of Power, descend on me and fill with power all my deeds.' I tell you truly, just as there is no life on earth without the sun, so there is no life of the spirit without the Angel of Power. What you think and what you feel, these are like the dead scriptures, which are only words on a page, or the dead speech of dead men. But the Sons of Light will not only think, will not only feel, but will also do, and their acts will fulfill their thoughts and feelings, as the golden fruit of summer gives meaning to the green leaves of spring.

'And on the fifth evening after Sabbath, say these words: 'Angel of Love, descend on me and fill with love all my feelings.' For it is by love that the Heavenly Father and the Earthly Mother and the Son of Man become one. Love is eternal. Love is stronger than death. And every night should the Sons of Light bathe in the holy water of the angel of Love, that with the morning he may baptize the Sons of Men with kind deeds and gentle words. For when the heart of the Son of Light is bathed in love, only kind and gentle words speak forth.

"And on the sixth evening after Sabbath, say these words: 'Angel of Wisdom, descend on me and fill with wisdom all my thoughts.' Know, Sons of Light, that your thoughts are as powerful as the bolt of lightning that stabs through th6 storm and splits asunder the mighty tree. It was for this that you have waited seven years to learn how to speak with the angels, for you know not the power of your thoughts. Use, then, wisdom in all you think and say and do. For I tell you truly, that which is done without wisdom is as a rider less horse, mouth foaming and eyes wild, running crazed into a yawning chasm. But when the angel of Wisdom governs your deeds, then is the path to the unknown realms established, and order and harmony govern your lives.

"And these are the communions with the angels which are given to the Sons of Light, that with bodies purified by the Earthly Mother and spirits purified by the Heavenly Father, they may command and serve the angels, continually, from period to period, in the circuits of the day, and in its fixed order; with the coming of light from its source and at the turn of evening and the outgoing of light, at the outgoing of darkness and the coming in of day, continually, in all the generations of time.

"The truth is born out of the spring of Light, falsehood from the well of darkness. The dominion of all the children of truth is in the hands of the Angels of Light so that they may walk in the ways of Light.

"Blessings on all the Sons of Light who have cast their lot with the Law, that walk truthfully in all their ways. May the Law bless you with all good and keep you from all evil, and illumine your hearts with insight into the things of life and grace you with knowledge of things Eternal."

And the crescent moon of peace rose over the mountain and slivers of light shone in the waters of the river. And the Sons of Light as one man knelt in reverence and thanksgiving for the words of Jesus, as he taught them in the ancient ways of their fathers, even as Enoch was taught of old.

And Jesus said: "The Law was planted to reward the Children of Light with healing and abundant peace, with long life, with fruitful seed of everlasting blessings, with eternal joy in immortality of Eternal Light.

"With the coming of day I embrace my Mother, with the coming of night I join my Father, and with the outgoing of evening and morning I will breathe their Law, and I will not interrupt these Communions until the end of time."

THE GIFT OF LIFE IN THE HUMBLE GRASS

It was in the month of Thebt, when the earth was covered with shoots of young grass after the rains, and the covering of emerald green was tender as the fine down of a baby chick. And it was on a bright sun-filled morning that Jesus gathered the new Brothers of the Elect round about him, that they might hear with their ears and understand with their hearts the teachings of their fathers, even as it was taught to Enoch of old.

And Jesus sat beneath a gnarled and ancient tree, holding in his hands a small earthen pot; and in the pot was growing tender grass of wheat, the most perfect among all seed bearing herbs. And the tender grass within the pot was radiant with life, even as the grass and plants which covered the hills far into the distant fields and beyond. And Jesus stroked the grass in the pot with the hands, even as gently as he would touch the head of a little child.

And Jesus said: "Happy are you, Sons of Light, for you have entered into the deathless way and you walk in the path of truth, even as did your fathers of old, who were taught by the Great Ones. With the eyes and ears of the spirit do you see and hear the sights and sounds of the kingdom of the Earthly Mother: the blue sky where dwells the angel of Air, the foaming river where flows the angel of Water, the golden light which streams from the angel of Sun. And I tell you truly, all these are within you as well as without; for your breath, your blood, the fire of life within you, all are one with the Earthly Mother.

But of all these, and more, that most precious gift of your Earthly Mother is the grass beneath your feet, even that grass which you tread upon without thought. Humble and meek is the angel of Earth, for she has no wings to fly, nor golden rays of light to pierce the mist. But great is her strength and vast is her domain, for she covers the earth with her power, and without her the Sons of Men would be no more, for no man can live without the grass, the trees and the plants of the Earthly Mother. And these are the gifts of the angel of Earth to the Sons of Men.

"But now I will speak to you of mysterious things, for I tell you truly, the humble grass is more than food for man and beast. it hides its glory beneath a lowly aspect, as it was told of a ruler of old that he visited the villages of his subjects disguised as a beggar, knowing they would tell many things to such a one, but would fall down in fear before their King. So does the humble grass hide its glory under its coat of humble green, and the Sons of Men walk on it, plough it, feed it to their beasts, but know not what secrets are hidden within it, even those secrets of everlasting life in the heavenly kingdoms.

"But the Sons of Light will know what lies hidden in the grass, for it is given to them to bring comfort to the Sons of Men. Even so are we taught by the Earthly Mother with this -little handful of wheat in a simple pot, even the same earthen pot you use to drink milk and gather the honey of bees. Now the pot is filled with black soil rich with old leaves and moist with the dew of morning, even that most precious gift of the angel of Earth.

"And I did moisten a handful of wheat, that the angel of Water entered into it. The angel of Air did also embrace it, and the angel of Sun, and the power of the three angels awakened also the angel of Life within the wheat, and sprout and root were born in each grain.

"Then I put the awakened wheat into the soil of the angel of Earth, and the power of the Earthly Mother and all her angels entered into the wheat, and when the sun had risen four times the grains had become grass. I tell you truly, there is no greater miracle than this."

And the Brothers looked with reverence at the tender blades of grass in the hands of Jesus, and one asked him: "Master, what is the secret of the grass you hold in your hands? Why is it different from that grass that covers the hills and the mountains?"

And Jesus answered "It is not different, Son of Light. All grass, all trees, all plants, in every part of the world, all are part of the kingdom of the Earthly Mother. But I have separated in this pot a small portion of your Mother's kingdom, that you may touch her with the hands of the spirit, and that her power may enter into your body.

"For I tell you truly, there is a Holy Stream of Life which gave birth to the Earthly Mother and all her angels. Invisible is this Stream of Life to the eyes of the Sons of Men, for they walk in darkness and see not the angels of the day and of the night that surround them and hover over them. But the Sons of Light have walked for seven years with the angels of the day and of the night, and now they are given the secrets of communion with the angels. And the eyes of your spirit shall be opened, and you will see and hear and touch the Stream of Life that gave birth to the Earthly Mother. And you will enter the Holy Stream of Life, and it will carry you with infinite tenderness to everlasting life in the kingdom of your Heavenly Father."

"How shall we do this, Master?" some asked in amazement. "What secrets must we know to see and hear and touch this Holy Stream of Life?".

And Jesus did not answer. But he placed his two hands around the growing blades of grass in the pot, gently, as if it were the forehead of a little child. And he closed his eyes, and around him were waves of light, shimmering in the sun, as the summer heat makes the light to tremble under a cloudless sky. And the Brothers knelt and bowed their heads in reverence before the power of the angels which poured forth from the sitting figure of Jesus; and still he sat in silence, with his hands closed as if in prayer around the blades of grass.

And no one knew if an hour had passed, or a year, for time stood still and it was as if all creation held its breath. And Jesus opened his eyes, and the scent of blossoms filled the air as Jesus spoke: "Here is the secret, Sons of Light; here in the humble grass. Here is the meeting place of the Earthly Mother and the Heavenly Father; here is the Stream of Life which gave birth to all creation; I tell you truly, only to the Son of Man is it given to see and hear and touch the Stream of Life which flows between the Earthly and Heavenly Kingdoms. Place your hands around the tender grass of the angel of Earth, and you will see and hear and touch the power of all the angels."

And one by one, each of the Brothers sat in reverence before the power of the angels, holding in his hands the tender grass. And each one felt the Stream of Life enter his body with the force of a rushing stream after a spring storm. And the power of the angels flowed into their hands, up into their arms, and shook them mightily, even as the wind of the north shakes the branches of trees. And all of them wondered at the power in the humble grass, that it could contain all the angels, and the kingdoms of the Earthly Mother and the Heavenly Father. And they sat before Jesus, and were taught by him.

Andjesus said: "Behold, Sons of Light, the lowly grass. See wherein are contained all the angels of the Earthly Mother and the Heavenly Father. For now have you stepped into the Stream of Life, and its currents will carry you in time to everlasting life in the kingdom of your Heavenly Father.

"For in the grass are all the angels. Here is the angel of Sun, here in the brightness of the green color of the blades of wheat. For no one can look upon the sun when it is high in the heavens, for the eyes of the Son of Man are blinded by its radiant light. And it is for this that the angel of Sun turns to green all that to which she gives life, that the Son of Man may look upon the many and various shades of green and find strength and comfort therein. I tell you truly, all that is green and with life has the power of the angel of Sun within it, even these tender blades of young wheat.

"And so does the angel of Water bless the grass, for I tell you truly, there is more of the angel of Water within the grass than any of the other angels of the Earthly Mother. For if you crush within your hands the grass, you will feel the water of life, which is the blood of the Earthly Mother. And all through the days when you touch the grass and enter into the Stream of Life, do you give to the soil a few drops of water, that the grass may be renewed by the power of the Angel of Water.

"Know, also, that the angel of Air is within the grass, for all that is living and green is the home of the angel of Air. Put your face close to the grass, breathe deeply, and let the angel of Air enter deep within your body. For she abides in the grass, as the oak abides in the acorn, and as the fish abides in the sea.

"The angel of Earth is she who gives birth to the grass, even as the babe in the womb lives from the nourishment of his mother, so does the earth give of itself to the grain of wheat, causing it to shoot forth to embrace the angel of Air. I tell you truly, each grain of wheat that bursts forth upward to the sky is a victory over death, where Satan reigns. For Life always begins again.

"It is the angel of Life that flows through the blades of grass into the body of the Son of Light, shaking him with her power. For the grass is Life and the Son of Light is Life, and Life flows between the Son of Light and the blades of grass, making a bridge to the Holy Stream of Light which gave birth to all creation.

"And when the Son of Light holds between his hands the blades of grass, it is the angel of joy which fills his body with music. To enter into the Stream of Life is to be one with the song of the bird, the colors of the wild flowers, the scent of the sheaves of grain, newly turned over in the fields. I tell you truly, when the Son of Man feels not joy in his heart, he labors for Satan and brings hope to the sons of darkness. There is no sadness in the kingdom of Light, only the angel of Joy. Learn, then, from the tender blades of grass the song of the angel of joy, that the Sons of Light may walk with her always and so comfort the hearts of the Sons of Men.

"The Earthly Mother is she who provides for our bodies, for we are born of her, and have our life in her. So does she provide for us food in the very blades of grass we touch with our hands. For I tell you truly, it is not only as bread that wheat may nourish us. We may eat also of the tender blades of grass, that the strength of the Earthly Mother may enter into us. But chew well the blades, for the Son of Man has teeth unlike those of the beasts, and only when we chew well the blades of grass can the angel of Water enter our blood and give us strength. Eat, then, Sons of Light, of this most perfect herb from the table of our Earthly Mother, that your days may be long upon the earth, for such finds favor in the eyes of God.

"I tell you truly, the angel of Power enters into you when you touch the Stream of Life through the blades of grass. For the angel of Power is as a shining light that surrounds every living thing, just as the full moon is encircled by rings of radiance, and as the mist rises up from the fields when the sun climbs in the sky. And the angel of Power enters into the Son of Light when his heart is pure and his desire is only to comfort and teach the Sons of Men. Touch, then, the blades of grass, and feel the angel of Power enter the tips of your fingers, flow upwards through your body, and shake you till you tremble with wonder and awe.

"Know, also, that the angel of Love is present in the blades of grass, for love is in the giving, and great is the love given to the Sons of Light by the tender blades of grass. For I tell you truly, the Stream of Life runs through every living thing, and all that lives, bathes in the Holy Stream of Life. And when the Son of Light touches with love the blades of grass, so do the blades of grass return his love, and lead him to the Stream of Life where he may find life everlasting. And this love never exhausts itself, for its source is in the Stream of Life which flows into the Eternal Sea, and no matter how far does the Son of Man stray from his Earthly Mother and his Heavenly Father, the touch of the blades of grass will always bring a message from the angel of Love; and his feet shall bathe again in the Holy Stream of Life.

"Lo, it is the angel of Wisdom that governs the movement of the planets, the circle of the seasons, and the orderly growth of all living things. So does the angel of Wisdom ordain the communion of the Sons of Light with the Stream of Life, through the tender blades of grass. For I tell you truly, your body is holy, because it bathes in the Stream of Life, which is Eternal Order.

"Touch the blades of grass, Sons of Light, and touch the angel of Eternal Life. For if you look with the eyes of the spirit, you will truly see that the grass is eternal. Now it is young and tender, with the brightness of the newborn babe. Soon it will be tall and gracious, as the sapling tree with its first fruits. Then it will yellow with age, and bow its head in patience, as lies the field after the harvest. Finally, it will wither, for the small earthen pot cannot contain the full lifespan of the wheat. But it does not die, for the brown leaves return to the angel of Earth, and she holds the plant in her arms and bids it sleep, and all the angels work within the faded leaves and lo, they are changed and do not die but rise again in another guise. And so do the Sons of Light never see death, but find themselves changed and risen to everlasting Life.

"And so does the angel of Work never sleep, but sends the roots of the wheat deep into the angel of Earth, that the shoots of tender green may overcome death and the reign of Satan. For life is movement, and the angel of Work is never still, even does he labor without ceasing in the vineyard of the Lord. Close your eyes when you touch the grass, Sons of Light, but fall not asleep, for to touch the Stream of Life is to touch the eternal rhythm of the everlasting kingdoms, and to bathe in the Stream of Life is to feel more and more the power of the angel of Work within you, creating on earth the kingdom of Heaven.

"Peace is -the gift of the Stream of Life to the Sons of Light. Wherefore do we always greet each other, 'Peace be with you. Even so does the grass greet your body with the kiss of Peace. I tell you truly, Peace is not just the absence of war, for very quickly can the peaceful river turn into a raging torrent, and the same waves that lull the boat can quickly break it to pieces against the rocks. So does violence lie in wait for the Sons of Man, when they keep not the vigil of Peace. Touch the blades of grass, and thereby touch the Stream of Life. Therein you will find Peace, the Peace built with the power of all the angels. Even so with that Peace will the rays of Holy Light cast out all darkness.

"When the Sons of Light are one with the Stream of Life, then will the power of the blades of grass guide them to the everlasting kingdom of the Heavenly Father. And you shall know more of those mysteries which is not yet time for you to hear. For there are other Holy Streams in the everlasting kingdoms; I tell you truly, the heavenly kingdoms are crossed and crossed again by streams of golden light, arching far beyond the dome of the sky and having no end. And the Sons of Light shall travel by these streams for ever, knowing not death, guided by the eternal love of the Heavenly Father. And I tell you truly, all these mysteries are contained in the humble grass, when you touch it with tenderness and open your heart to the angel of Life within.

"Gather, then, the grains of wheat and plant them in small earthen pots; and every day with glad heart commune with the angels, that they may guide you to the Holy Stream of Life, and you may bring back from its eternal source comfort and strength for the Sons of Men. For I tell you truly, all that you learn, all that your eyes of the spirit see, all that your cars of the spirit hear, all this is as a hollow reed in the wind if you do not send forth a message of truth and light to the Sons of Men. For by the fruit do we know the worth of the tree. And to love is to teach without end, without ceasing. For so were your fathers taught of old, even our Father Enoch. Go now, and peace be with you."

And Jesus held forth the little pot with the blades of young grass, as if in blessing, and walked toward the sun-filled hills, along the shore of the river, as was the custom of all the Brothers. And the others followed, each holding to him the words of Jesus, as it were a precious jewel within his breast.

THE SEVENFOLD PEACE

"Peace be with you," spoke the Elder in greeting to the Brothers who had gathered for the teachings

"Peace be with you," they answered; and they walked together along the bank of the river, for so was their custom when an Elder taught the Brothers, that they might share the teachings with the angels of the Earthly Mother: of air, of sun, of water, of earth, of life, and of joy.

And the Elder said to the Brothers: "I would speak to you of peace, for of all the angels of the Heavenly Father, peace is that for which the world most yearns, as a tired babe longs to put his head on his mother's breast. It is the lack of peace that troubles the kingdoms, even when they are not at war. For violence and warfare may reign in a kingdom even when the sounds of clashing swords are not heard. Though no armies march one against the other, still there is no peace when the Sons of Men walk not with the angels of God. I tell you truly, many are those who do not know peace; for they are at war with their own body; they are at war with their thoughts; they have no peace with their fathers, their mothers, their children; they have no peace with their friends and neighbors; they know not the beauty of the Holy Scrolls; they labor not through the day in the kingdom of their Earthly Mother; nor do they sleep at night in the arms of their Heavenly Father. Peace reigns not within them, for ever do they thirst for that which in the end brings only misery and pain, even those trappings of riches and fame which Satan uses to tempt the Sons of Men; and they live in ignorance of the Law, even that Holy Law by which we live: the path of the angels of the Earthly Mother and the Heavenly Father."

"How, then, may we bring peace to our brothers, Master?" asked some of the Elder, "for we would that all the Sons of Men share in the blessings of the angel of Peace."

And he answered: "Truly, only he who is at peace with all the angels can shed the light of peace on others. Therefore, first be at peace with all the angels of the Earthly Mother and the Heavenly Father. For the winds of a storm stir and trouble the waters of the river, and only the stillness that follows can calm them once again. Take care when your brother asks you for bread, that you give him not stones. Live first in peace with all the angels, for then your peace will be as a fountain that does replenish itself with the giving, and the more you give, so the more you will be given, for such is the Law.

"Three arc the dwellings of the Son of Man, and no one may come before the face of God who knows not the angel of Peace in each of the three. These are his body, his thoughts, and his feelings. When the angel of Wisdom guides his thoughts, when the angel of Love purifies his feelings, and when the deeds of his body reflect both love and wisdom, then does the angel of Peace guide him unfailingly to the throne of his Heavenly Father. And he should pray without ceasing that the power of Satan with all his diseases and uncleannesses may be cast out of all of his three dwellings; that Power and Wisdom and Love may reign in his body, his thoughts, and his feelings.

"First shall the Son of Man seek peace with his own body; for his body is as a mountain pond that reflects the sun when it is still and clear; but when it is full of mud and stones, it reflects nothing. First must Satan be cast out of the body, that the angels of God may enter again and dwell therein. Truly, no peace can reign in the body unless it is as a temple of the Holy Law. Therefore, when he who suffers with pains and grievous plagues asks for your help, tell him to renew himself with fasting and with prayer. Tell him to invoke the angel of sun, the angel of water, and the angel of air, that they may enter his body and cast out of it the power of Satan. Show him the baptism within, and the baptism without. Tell him always to eat of the table of our Earthly Mother, spread with her gifts: the fruits of the trees, the grasses of the fields, the milk of beasts good for eating, and the honey of bees. He shall not invoke the power of Satan by eating the flesh of beasts, for he who kills, kills his brother, and whoso eats the flesh of slain beasts, eats the body of death. Tell him to prepare his food with the fire of life, not the fire of death, for the living angels of the living God serve only living men.

"And though he sees them not, and hears them not, and touches them not, still is he every moment surrounded by the power of God's angels. While his eyes and ears are closed by ignorance of the Law and thirst for the pleasures of Satan, he will not see them, nor hear them, nor touch them. But when he fasts and prays to the living God to cast out all the diseases and uncleannesses of Satan, then will his eyes and ears be opened, and he will find peace.

"For not only he suffers who harbors the diseases of Satan within him, but his mother, his father, his wife, his children, his companions, these suffer also, for no man is an island unto himself, and the powers that flow through him, whether they be of the angels or of Satan, truly these powers do unto others for good or for evil.

"After this manner, therefore, pray to your Heavenly Father, when the sun is high at midday: 'Our Father who art in heaven, send to all the Sons of Men your angel of Peace; and send to our body the angel of Life to dwell therein for ever.'

"Then shall the Son of Man seek peace with his own thoughts; that the angel of Wisdom may guide him. For I tell you truly, there is no greater power in heaven and earth than the thoughts of the Son of Man. Though unseen by the eyes of the body, yet each thought has mighty strength, even such strength as can shake the heavens.

"For to no other creature in the kingdom of the Earthly Mother is it given the power of thought, for all beasts that crawl and birds that fly, live not of their own thinking but of the one Law that governs all. Only to the Sons of Men is it given the power of thought, even that thought that can break the bonds of death. Do not think because it cannot be seen, that thought has no power. I tell you truly, the lightning that cleaves the mighty oak, or the quaking that opens up cracks in the earth, these are as the play of children compared with the power of thought. Truly each thought of darkness, whether it be of malice, or anger, or vengeance, these wreak destruction like that of fire sweeping through dry kindling under a windless sky. But man does not see the carnage, nor does he hear the piteous cries of his victims, for he is blind to the world of the spirit.

"But when this power is guided by holy Wisdom, then the thoughts of the Son of Man lead him to the heavenly kingdoms and thus is paradise built on earth; then it is that your thoughts uplift the souls of men, as the cold waters of a rushing stream revive your body in the summer heat.

"When first a fledgling bird tries to fly, his wings cannot support him, and he falls again and again to earth. But he tries again and one day he soars aloft, leaving earth and his nest far behind. So is it with the thoughts of the Sons of Men. The longer he walks with the angels and keeps their Law, so do the stronger his thoughts become in holy Wisdom. And I tell you truly, that day will come when his thoughts will overcome even the kingdom of death and soar to everlasting life in the heavenly kingdoms; for with their thoughts guided by holy Wisdom do the Sons of Men build a bridge of light thereby to reach God.

"Then shall the Son of Man seek peace with his own feelings; that his family may delight in his loving kindness, even his father, his mother, his wife, his children, and his children's children. For the Heavenly Father is a hundred times greater than all fathers by seed and by blood, and the Earthly Mother is a hundred times greater than all mothers by the body, and your true brothers are all those who do the will of your Heavenly Father and of your Earthly Mother, and not your brothers by blood. Even so, shall you see the Heavenly Father in your father by seed, and your Earthly Mother in your mother by the body, for are not these also children of the Heavenly Father and the Earthly Mother? Even so shall you love your brothers by blood as you love all your true brothers who walk with the angels, for are not these also children of the Heavenly Father and the Earthly Mother? I tell you truly, it is easier to love those newly met, than those of our own house, who have k nown our weaknesses, and heard our words of anger, and seen us in our nakedness, for they know us as we know ourselves, and we are ashamed. Then shall we call on the angel of Love to enter into our feelings, that they be purifiers And all that was before impatience and discord, will turn to harmony and peace, as the parched ground drinks in the gentle rain and becomes green and soft, tender with new life.

"For many and grievous are the sufferings of the Sons of Men when they cleave not to the angel of Love. Truly, a man without love casts a dark shadow on everyone he meets, most of all those with whom he lives; his harsh and angry words fall on his brothers like fetid air rising from a stagnant pool. And he suffers most who speaks them, for the darkness that encloses him invites Satan and his devas.

"But when he calls on the angel of Love, then is the darkness dispersed, and the light of sunshine streams from him, and the colors of the rainbow swirl about his head, and gentle rain falls from his fingers, and he brings peace and strength to all those who draw near to him.

"After this manner, therefore, pray to your Heavenly Father, when the sun is high at midday: 'Our Father who art in heaven, send to all the Sons of Men your angel of Peace; and send to those of our seed and of our blood the angel of Love, that peace and harmony may dwell in our house for ever.'

"Then shall the Son of Man seek peace with other Sons of Men, even with the Pharisees and priests, even with beggars and the homeless, even with kings and governors. For all are Sons of Men, whatever be their station, whatever be their calling, whether their eyes have been opened to see the heavenly kingdoms, or whether they yet walk in darkness and ignorance.

"For the justice of men may reward the undeserving and punish the innocent, but Holy Law is the same for all, whether beggar or king, whether shepherd or priest.

"Seek peace with all the Sons of Men, and let it be known of the Brothers of Light, that we have lived according to the Holy Law since the time of Enoch of old, and before. For we are not rich, neither are we poor. And we do share all things, even our garments and the tools we use to till the soil. And together we work in the fields with all the angels, bringing forth the gifts of the Earthly Mother for all to eat.

"For the strongest of the angels of the Heavenly Father, the angel of Work, blesses each man who works in the way best for him, for then shall he know neither want nor excess. Truly is there abundance for all men in the kingdoms of the Earthly Mother and the Heavenly Father when each man works at his task; for when a man shirks his task, then another must take it up, for we are given all things in the kingdoms of heaven and earth at the price of labor.

"Always have the Brothers of Light lived where rejoice the angels of the Earthly Mother: near rivers, near trees, near flowers, near the music of birds; where sun and rain may embrace the body, which is the temple of the spirit. Nor do we have ought to do with the edicts of rulers; neither do we uphold them, as our law is the Law of the Heavenly Father and the Earthly Mother; neither do we oppose them, for no one rules save by the will of God. Rather do we strive to live according to the Holy Law and strengthen always that which is good in all things; then will the kingdom of darkness be changed to the kingdom of light; for where there is light, how then can darkness remain?

"After this manner, therefore, pray to your Heavenly Father, when the sun is high at midday: 'Our Father who art in heaven, send to all the Sons of Men your angel of Peace; and send to all humankind the angel of Work, that having a holy task we should not ask for any other blessing.'

"Then shall the Son of Man seek peace with the knowledge of the ages past; for I tell you truly, in the Holy Scrolls is a treasure a hundred times greater than any of jewels and gold in the richest of kingdoms, and more precious, for surely they contain all the wisdom revealed by God to the Sons of Light, even those traditions which came to us through Enoch of old, and before him on an endless path into the past, the teachings of the Great Ones. And these are our inheritance, even as the son inherits all the possessions of his father when he shows himself to be worthy of his father's blessing. Truly, by studying the teachings of ageless wisdom do we come to know God, for I tell you truly, the Great Ones saw God face to face; even so, when we read the Holy Scrolls do we touch the feet of God.

"And when once we see with the eyes of wisdom and hear with the cars of understanding the ageless truths of the Holy Scrolls, then must we go among the Sons of Men and teach them, for if we jealously hide the holy knowledge, pretending that it belongs only to us, then we are as one who finds a spring high in the mountains, and rather than let it flow into the valley to quench the thirst of man and beast, buries it under rocks and dirt, thereby robbing himself of water, as well. Go among the Sons of Men and tell them of the Holy Law, that they may thereby save themselves and enter the heavenly kingdoms. But tell them in words they may understand, in parables from nature that speak to the heart, for the deed must first live as desire in the awakened heart.

"Then shall the Son of Man seek peace with the kingdom of his Earthly Mother, for none can live long, neither be happy, but he who honors his Earthly Mother and does her laws. For your breath is her breath; your blood her blood; your bone her bone; your flesh her flesh; your bowels her bowels; your eyes and your ears are her eyes and her ears.

"I tell you truly, you are one with the Earthly Mother; she is in you, and you in her. Of her were you born, in her do you live, and to her shall you return again. it is the blood of our Earthly Mother which falls from the clouds and flows in the rivers; it is the breath of our Earthly Mother which, whispers in the leaves of the forest and blows with a mighty wind from the mountains; sweet and firm is the flesh of our Earthly Mother in the fruits of the trees; strong and unflinching are the bones of our Earthly Mother in the giant rocks and stones which stand as sentinels of the lost times; truly, we are one with our Earthly Mother, and he who clings to the laws of his Mother, to him shall his Mother cling also.

"But there will come a day when the Son of Man will turn his face from his Earthly Mother and betray her, even denying his Mother and his birthright. Then shall he sell her into slavery, and her flesh shall be ravaged, her blood polluted, and her breath smothered; he will bring the fire of death into all the parts of her kingdom, and his hunger will devour all her gifts and leave in their place only a desert.

"All these things will he do out of ignorance of the Law, and as a man dying slowly cannot smell his own stench, so will the Son of Man be blind to the truth: that as he plunders and ravages and destroys his Earthly Mother, so does he plunder and ravage and destroy himself. For he was born of his Earthly Mother, and he is one with her, and all that he does to his Mother9 even so does he do to himself.

"Long ago, before the Great Flood, the Great Ones walked the earth, and the giant trees, even those which now are no more than legend, were their home and their kingdom. They lived many score of generations, for they ate from the table of the Earthly Mother, and slept in the arms of the Heavenly Father, and they knew not disease, old age, nor death. To the Sons of Men did they bequeath all the glory of their kingdoms, even the hidden knowledge of the Tree of Life which stands in the middle of the Eternal Sea. But the eyes of the Sons of Men were blinded by the visions of Satan, and by promises of power, even that power which conquers by might and by blood. And then did the Son of Man sever the golden threads that bound him to his Earthly Mother and his Heavenly Father; he stepped from the Holy Stream of Life where his body, his thoughts, and his feelings were one with the Law, and began to use only his own thoughts, his own feelings, and his own deeds, making hundreds of laws, where before there was only One.

"And so did the Sons of Men exile themselves from their home, and ever since have they huddled behind their stone walls, hearing not the sighing of the wind in the tall trees of the forests beyond their towns.

"I tell you truly, the Book of Nature is a Holy Scroll, and if you would have the Sons of Men save themselves and find everlasting life, teach them how once again to read from the living pages of the Earthly Mother. For in everything that is life is the law written. It is written in the grass, in the trees, in rivers, mountains, birds of the sky and fishes of the sea; and most of all within the Son of Man. Only when he returns to the bosom of his Earthly Mother will he find everlasting life and the Stream of Life which leads to his Heavenly Father; only then may the dark vision of the future come not to pass.

"After this manner, therefore, pray to your Heavenly Father, when the sun is high at midday: 'Our Father who art in heaven, send to all the Sons of Men your angel of Peace; and send to the kingdom of our Earthly Mother the angel of joy, that our hearts may be full of singing and gladness as we nestle in the arms of our Mother.

4 'At last, shall the Son of Man seek peace with the kingdom of his Heavenly Father; for truly, the Son of Man is only born of his father by seed and of his mother by the body, that he may find his true inheritance and know at last that he is the Son of the King.

"The Heavenly Father is the One Law, who fashioned the stars, the sun, the light and the darkness, and the Holy Law within our souls. Everywhere is he, and there is nowhere he is not. All in our understanding, and all we know not, all is governed by the Law. The falling of leaves, the flow of rivers, the music of insects at night, all these are ruled by the Law.

"In our Heavenly Father's realm there are many mansions, and many are the hidden things you cannot know of yet. I tell you truly, the kingdom of our Heavenly Father is vast, so vast that no man can know its limits, for there are none. Yet the whole of his kingdom may be found in the smallest drop of dew on a wild flower, or in the scent of newly-cut grass in the fields under the summer sun. Truly, there are no words to describe the kingdom of the Heavenly Father.

"Glorious, indeed, is the inheritance of the Son of Man, for to hirn only is it given to enter the Stream of Life which leads him to the kingdom of his Heavenly Father. But first he must seek and find peace with his body, with his thoughts, with his feelings, with the Sons of Men, with holy knowledge, and with the kingdom of the Earthly Mother. For I tell you truly, this is the vessel which will carry the Son of Man on the Stream of Life to his Heavenly Father. He must have peace that is sevenfold before he can know the one peace which surpasses understanding, even that of his Heavenly Father.

"After this manner, therefore, pray to your Heavenly Father, when the sun is high at midday: 'Our Father who art in heaven, send to all the Sons of Men your angel of Peace; and send to your kingdom, our Heavenly Father, your angel of Eternal Life, that we may soar beyond the stars and live for ever."

And then the Elder was quiet, and a great stillness stole over the Brothers, and no one wished to speak. The shadows of late afternoon played on the river, still and silvery as glass, and in the darkening sky could faintly be seen the filigree crescent moon of peace. And the great peace of the Heavenly Father wrapt them all in deathless love.

THE HOLY STREAMS

Into the innermost circle have you come, into the mystery of mysteries, that which was old when our father Enoch was young and walked the earth. Around and around have you come on your journey of many years, always following the path of righteousness, living according to the Holy Law and the sacred vows of our Brotherhood, and you have made of your body a holy temple wherein dwell the angels of God. Many years have you shared the daylight hours with the angels of the Earthly Mother; many years have you slept in the arms of the Heavenly Father, taught by his unknown angels. You have learned that the laws of the Son of Man are seven, of the angels three, and of God, one. Now you shall know of the three laws of the angels, the mystery of the three Holy Streams and the ancient way to traverse them; so shall you bathe in the light of heaven and at last behold the revelation of the mystery of mysteries: the law of God, which is One.

Now in the hour before the rising of the sun, just before the angels of the Earthly Mother breathe life into the still sleeping earth, then do you enter into the Holy Stream of Life. It is your Brother Tree who holds the mystery of this Holy Stream, and it is your Brother Tree that you will embrace in your thought, even as by clay you embrace him in greeting when you walk along the lake shore. And you shall be one with the tree, for in the beginning of the times so did we all share in the Holy Stream of Life that gave birth to all creation. And as you embrace your Brother Tree, the power of the Holy Stream of Life will fill your whole body, and you will tremble before its might. Then breathe deeply of the angel of air, and say the word "Life" with the outgiving of breath. Then you will become in truth the Tree of Life which sinks its roots deep into the Holy Stream of Life from an eternal source. And as the angel of sun warms the earth, and all the creatures of land and water and air rejoice in the new day, so will your body and spirit rejoice in the Holy Stream of life that flows to you through your Brother Tree.

And when the sun is high in the heavens, then shall you seek the Holy Stream of Sound. in the heat of noontide, all creatures are still and seek the shade; the angels of the Earthly Mother are silent for a space. Then it is that you shall let into your ears the Holy Stream of Sound; for it can only be heard in the silence. Think on the streams that are born in the desert after a sudden storm, and the roaring sound of the waters as they rush past. Truly, this is the voice of God, if you did but know it. For as it is written, in the beginning was the Sound, and the Sound was with God, and the Sound was God. I tell you truly, when we are born, we enter the world with the sound of God in our ears, even the singing of the vast chorus of the sky, and the holy chant of the stars in their fixed rounds; it is the Holy Stream of Sound that traverses the vault of stars and crosses the endless kingdom of the Heavenly Father. It is ever in our ears, so do we hear it not. Listen for it, then, in the silence of noontide; bathe in it, and let the rhythm of the music of God beat in your ears until you are one with the Holy Stream of Sound. It was this Sound which formed the earth and the world, and brought forth the mountains, and set the stars in their thrones of glory in the highest heavens.

And you shall bathe in the Stream of Sound, and the music of its waters shall flow over you; for in the beginning of the times so did we all share in the Holy Stream of Sound that gave birth to all creation. And the mighty roaring of the Stream of Sound will fill your whole body, and you will tremble before its might. Then breathe deeply of the angel of air, and become the sound itself, that the Holy Stream of Sound may carry you to the endless kingdom of the Heavenly Father, there where the rhythm of the world rises and falls.

And when darkness gently closes the eyes of the angels of the Earthly Mother, then shall you also sleep, that your spirit may join the unknown angels of the Heavenly Father. And in the moments before you sleep, then shall you think of the bright and glorious stars, the white, shining, far-seen and far-piercing stars. For your thoughts before sleep are as the bow of the skilful archer, that sends the arrow where he wills. Let your thoughts before sleep be with the stars; for the stars are Light, and the Heavenly Father is Light, even that Light which is a thousand times brighter than the brightness of a thousand suns. Enter the Holy Stream of Light, that the shackles of death may loose their hold for ever, and breaking free from the bonds of earth, ascend the Holy Stream of Light through the blazing radiance of the stars, into the endless kingdom of the Heavenly Father.

Unfold your wings of light, and in the eye of your thought, soar with the stars into the farthest reaches of heaven, where untold suns blaze with light. For at the beginning of the times, the Holy Law said, let there be Light, and there was Light. And you shall be one with it, and the power of the Holy Light Stream will fill your whole body, and you will tremble before its might. Say the word "Light," as you breathe deeply of the angel of air, and you will become the Light itself; and the Holy Stream will carry you to the endless kingdom of the Heavenly Father, there losing itself in the eternal Sea of Light which gives birth to all creation. And you shall be one with the Holy Stream of Light, always before you sleep in the arms of the Heavenly Father.

I tell you truly, your body was made not only to breathe, and eat, and think, but it was also made to enter the Holy Stream of Life. And your ears were made not only to hear the words of men, the song of birds, and the music of falling rain, but they were also made to hear the Holy Stream of Sound. And your eyes were made not only to see the rising and setting of the sun, the ripple of sheaves of grain, and the words of the Holy Scrolls, but they were also made to see the Holy Stream of Light. One day your body will return to the Earthly Mother; even also your ears and your eyes. But the Holy Stream of Life, the Holy Stream of Sound, and the Holy Stream of Light, these were never born, and can never die. Enter the Holy Streams, even that Life, that Sound, and that Light which gave you birth; that you may reach the kingdom of the Heavenly Father and become one with him, even as the river empties into the far distant sea.

More than this cannot be told, for the Holy Streams will take you to that place where words are no more, and even the Holy Scrolls cannot record the mysteries therein.

<< (The Essene Gospels of Peace Index)

Lost Scrolls of the Essene Brotherhood

2007-04-08T13:37:00.001-04:00

The ESSENE GOSPEL OF PEACE

BOOK THREE

Lost Scrolls of the Essene Brotherhood

The Original Hebrew and Aramaic Texts
Translated and edited by
EDMOND BORDEAUX SZEKELY
MCMLXXXI
INTERNATIONAL BIOGENIC SOCIETY
Book Design by Golondrina Graphics
Copyright @ 1981, by the International Biogenic Society
Printed In the United States of America-All Rights Reserved

Now we have proudly separated ourselves from Nature, and the spirit of Pan is dead. Men's souls are scattered beyond the hope of unity, and the sword of formal creeds sharply separates them everywhere. To live in harmony with the Universe made life the performance of a majestic ceremony; to live against it was to creep aside into a cul de sac. Yet, even now, whispers of change are stealing over the face of the world once more. Like another vast dream beginning, man's consciousness is slowly spreading outwards once again. Some voice from the long ago is divinely trumpeting across our little globe. To that voice, I dedicate this book.
E.B.S.

PREFACE

This third book of the Essene Gospel of Peace is a collection of texts of great spiritual, literary, philosophical and poetical value, created by two powerful, interwoven streams of tradition.

Chronologically, the first is the stream of traditions to which the Hebrew people were exposed in the Babylonian prison, dating from the Gilgamesh Epics to the Zend Avesta of Zarathustra. The second is the stream of traditions flowing with poetical majesty through the Old and New Testaments, dating from the ageless Enoch and the other Patriarchs, through the Prophets and on to the mysterious Essene Brotherhood.

In the buried library of the Essene Brotherhood at the Dead Sea, where the greatest number of scrolls were found, the texts of these two streams of traditions were very much interwoven. They follow each other in a strange succession: the powerful cubistic simplicity of the first juxtaposed with the majestic, expressionist poetry of the second.

The original texts of this collection may be classified into three approximate groups: about seventy percent of them are completely different from the ancient Sacred Books of the Avestas and the Old and New Testaments; twenty percent are similar, and ten percent are identical.

My desire in presenting this collection was to abstain from dry philological and exegetical interpretations, and instead to concentrate on their spiritual and poetical values, more attractive to twentieth century man. I tried to follow the style of my French translation of the first book of the Essene Gospel of Peace, which has now been published in seventeen languages, and has been distributed in over 200,000 copies.*

I hope this Book Three will be as successful as Book One, and thus continue to bring these ageless inspirations to our disoriented century, guiding us, per secula seculorum, toward greater and greater light.

EDMOND BORDEAUX SZEKELY

*As of this printing in 1986, Book One of The Essene Gospel of Peace has been published in twenty-five languages, and distributed in over one million copies.

INTRODUCTION

From the remote ages of antiquity a remarkable teaching has existed which is universal in its application and ageless in its wisdom. Fragments of it are found in Sumerian hieroglyphs and on tiles and stones dating back some eight or ten thousand years. Some of the symbols, such as for the sun, moon, air, water and other natural forces, are from an even earlier age preceding the cataclysm that ended the Pleistocene period. How many thousands of years previous to that the teaching existed is unknown.

To study and practice this teaching is to reawaken within the heart of every man an intuitive knowledge that can solve his individual problems and the problems of the world.

Traces of the teaching have appeared in almost every country and religion. Its fundamental principles were taught in ancient Persia, Egypt, India, Tibet, China, Palestine, Greece and many other countries. But it has been transmitted in its most pure form by the Essenes, that mysterious brotherhood which lived during the last two or three centuries B.C. and the first century of the Christian era at the Dead Sea in Palestine and at Lake Mareotis in Egypt. In Palestine and Syria the members of the brotherhood were known as Essenes and in Egypt as Therapeutae, or healers.

The esoteric part of their teaching is given in the Tree of Life, the Essene Communions with the Angels, and the Sevenfold Peace, among others. The exoteric or outer teaching appears in Book One of "The Essene Gospel of Peace" and the recently discovered Dead Sea Scrolls.

The origin of the brotherhood is said to be unknown, and the derivation of the name is uncertain. Some believe it comes from Esnoch, or Enoch, and claim him to be their founder, their Communions with the angelic world having first been given to him.

Others consider the name comes from Esrael, the elects of the people to whom Moses brought forth the Communions at Mount Sinai where they were revealed to him by the angelic world.

But whatever their origin, it is certain that the Essenes existed for a very long time as a brotherhood, perhaps under other names in other lands.The teaching appears in the Zend Avesta of Zarathustra, who translated it into a way of life that was followed for thousands of years. it contains the fundamental concepts of Brahmanism, the Vedas and the Upanishads; and the Yoga systems of India sprang from the same source. Buddha later gave forth essentially the same basic ideas and his sacred Bodhi tree is correlated with the Essene Tree of Life. In Tibet the teaching once more found expression in the Tibetan Wheel of Life.

The Pythagoreans and Stoics in ancient Greece also followed the Essene principles and much of their way of life. The same teaching was an element of the Adonic culture of the Phoenicians, of the Alexandrian School of Philosophy in Egypt, and contributed greatly to many branches of Western culture, Freemasonry, Gnosticism, the Kabala and Christianity. Jesus interpreted it in its most sublime and beautiful form in the seven Beatitudes of the Sermon on the Mount.

The Essenes lived on the shores of lakes and rivers, away from cities and towns, and practiced a communal way of life, sharing equally in everything. They were mainly agriculturists and arboriculturists, having a vast knowledge of crops, soil and climatic conditions which enabled them to grow a remarkable variety of fruits and vegetables in comparatively desert areas and with a minimum of labor.

They had no servants or slaves and were said to have been the first people to condemn slavery both in theory and practice. There were no rich and no poor amongst them, both conditions being considered by them as deviations from the Law. They established their own economic system, based wholly on the Law, and showed that all man's food and material needs can be attained without struggle, through knowledge of the Law.

They spent much time in study both of ancient writings and special branches of learning, such as education, healing and astronomy. They were said to be the heirs of Chaldean and Persian astronomy and the Egyptian arts of healing. They were adept in prophecy for which they prepared by prolonged fasting. in the use of plants and herbs for healing man and beast they were likewise proficient.

They lived a simple regular life, rising each day before sunrise to study and commune with the forces of nature, bathing in cold water as a ritual and donning white garments. After their daily labor in the fields and vineyards they partook of their meals in silence, preceding and ending them with prayer. In their profound respect for all living things they never touched flesh foods, nor did they drink fermented liquids. Their evenings were devoted to study and communion with the heavenly forces.

Evening was the beginning of their day, and their Sabbath, or holy day, began on Friday evening, the first day of their week. This day was given to study, discussion, the entertaining of visitors and the playing of certain musical instruments, relics of which have been discovered.

Their way of life enabled them to live to advanced ages of 120 years or more and they were said to have marvelous strength and endurance. In all their activities they expressed creative love.

They sent out healers and teachers from the brotherhoods, amongst whom were Elijah, John the Baptist, John the Beloved and the great Essene Master, Jesus.

Membership in the brotherhood was attainable only after a probationary period of a year and three years of initiatory work, followed by seven more years before being admitted to the full inner teaching.

Records of the Essene way of life have come down to us from the writings of their contemporaries. Pliny the Roman naturalist, Philo the Alexandrian philosopher, Josephus the Roman historian, Solanius and others, spoke of them variously as "a race by themselves, more remarkable than any other in the world," "the oldest of the initiates, receiving their teaching from Central Asia," "teaching perpetuated through an immense space of ages," "constant and unalterable holiness."

Some of the outer teaching is preserved in Aramaic text in the Vatican in Rome. Some in Slavic text was found in the possession of the Habsburgs in Austria and said to have been brought out of Asia in the thirteenth century by Nestorian priests fleeing the hordes of Genghis Khan.

Echoes of the teaching exist today in many forms, in certain rituals of the Masonic order, in the symbol of the seven-branched candlestick, in the greeting "Peace be with you," used from the time of Moses, and even in the seven days of the week, which have long since lost their original spiritual meaning.

From its antiquity, its persistence through the ages, it is evident the teaching could not have been the concept of any individual or any people, but is the interpretation, by a succession of great Teachers, of the Law of the universe, the basic Law, eternal and unchanging as the stars in their courses, the same now as two or ten thousand years ago, and as applicable today as then.

The teaching explains the Law, shows how man's deviations from it are the cause of all his troubles, and gives the method by which he can find his way out of his dilemma.

THE SEVENFOLD VOW

I want to and will do my best

To live like the Tree of Life,

Planted by the Great Masters Of our Brotherhood.

With my Heavenly Father,

Who planted the Eternal Garden of the Universe

And gave me my spirit;

With my Earthly Mother

Who planted the Great Garden of the Earth

And gave me my body;

With my brothers

Who are working in the Garden of our Brotherhood.

I want to and will do my best

To hold every morning my Communions

With the Angels of the Earthly Mother,

And every evening

With the Angels of the Heavenly Father,

As established by

The Great Masters Of our Brotherhood.

I want to and will do my best

To follow the Path of the Sevenfold Peace.

I want to and will do my best

To perfect my body which acts,

My body which feels,

And my body which thinks,

According to the Teachings

Of the Great Masters of our Brotherhood.

I will always and everywhere obey with reverence

My Master,

Who gives me the Light

Of the Great Masters of all times.

I will submit to my Master

And accept his decision or complaints I may have on whatever differences

Against any of my brothers working in the Garden of the Brotherhood;

And I shall never take any complaint against a brother

To the outside world.

I will always and everywhere keep secret

All the traditions of our Brotherhood

Which my Master will tell me;

I never reveal to anyone these secrets

Without the permission of my Master.

I will never claim as my own my own

The knowledge received from my Master

And I will always give credit to him

For all this knowledge.

I will never use the knowledge and power I have gained

Through initiation from my Master

For material or selfsh purposes.

I enter the Eternal and Infinite Garden

with reverence to the Heavenly Father,

To the Earthly mother,

And to the Great masters,

Reverence to the Holy,

Pure and Saving Teaching,

Reverence to the Brotherhood of the Elect.

THE ESSENE WORSHIP

PROLOGUE

When God saw that his people would perish

Because they did not see the Light of Life,

He chose the best of Israel,

So that they might make the Light of Life

To shine before the sons of men,

And those chosen were called Essenes,

Because they taught the ignorant

And healed the sick,

And they gathered on the eve of every seventh day

To rejoice with the Angels.

WORSHIP

ELDER: Earthly Mother, give us the Food of Life!

BROTHERS: We will eat the Food of Life!

ELDER: Angel of Sun, give us the Fire of Life!

BROTHERS: We will perpetuate the Fire of Life!

ELDER: Angel of Water, give us the Water of Life!

BROTHERS: We will bathe in the Water of Life!

ELDER: Angel of Air give us the Breath of Life!

BROTHERS: We will breathe the Air of Life!

ELDER: Heavenly Father, Give us thy Power!

BROTHERS: We will build the Kingdom of God with the Power of the Heavenly Father!

ELDER: Heavenly Father, Give us Thy Love!

BROTHERS: We will fill our hearts with the Love of the Heavenly Father!

ELDER: Heavenly Father, give us thy Wisdom!

BROTHERS: We will follow the Wisdom of the Heavenly Father!

ELDER: Heavenly Father, give us Eternal Life!

BROTHERS: We will live like the Tree of Eternal Life!

ELDER: Peace be with thee!

BROTHERS: Peace be with thee!

THE ANGEL OF SUN

Up! Rise up and roll along! Thou immortal, shining,

Swift-steeded Angel of Sun!

Above the Mountains!

Produce Light for the World!

Angel of Sun, thou art the Fountain of Light:

Thou dost Pierce the darkness.

Open thou the gate of the horizon!

The Angel of Sun doth dwell far above the earth,

Yet do her rays fill our days with life and warmth.

The chariot of the morning doth bring the light

Of the rising sun

And maketh glad the hearts Of men.

The Angel of Sun doth illumine our path

With rays of splendor.

Angel of Sun!

Dart forth thy rays upon me!

Let them touch me; let them penetrate me!

I give myself to thee and thy embrace,

Blessed with the fire of life!

A molten flood of holy joy

Flows toward me from thee!

Onward to thee, Angel of Sun!

As no man can look upon the sun with naked eyes,

So no man can see God face to face,

Lest he be consumed by the flames

Which guard the Tree of Life.

Study, then, the Holy Law:

For the face of the Sun and the face of God

Can be seen only by the one who hath within him

The Revelation of the Law.

Thinkest thou that death is an end?

Thy thoughts are foolish as those of a child

Who sees dark sky and falling rain

And cries that there is no sun.

Wouldst thou grow strong in the Law?

Be, then, as the sun at noonday,

Which shineth with light and warmth on all men,

And giveth freely and abundantly of her golden glory.

Then shall the Fountain of Light flow back to thee,

As the Sun is never without light,

For it floweth freely, without restraint.

And when the Sun riseth,Then the Earth, made by the Creator,

Becometh clean,The running waters become pure,

The waters of the wells become pure,

The waters of the sea become pure,

The standing waters become pure,

All the Holy Creatures become pure.

It is through brightness and glory

That man is born who listens well

To the Holy Words of the Law,

Whom Wisdom holds dear.Through their brightness and gloryDoth the Sun go his way,Through their brightness and gloryDoth the Moon go her way,Through their brightness and glory

Do the Stars go their way unto the immortal, shining, swift-steeded SunLet there be invocation with sacrifice and prayer.

When the Light of the Sun waxeth brighter,

When the brightness of the Sun waxeth warmer,

Then do the heavenly forces arise.

They pour their Glory upon the Earth,

Made by the Heavenly Father,For the increase of the Children of Light,

For the increase of the immortal, Shining, swift-steeded Sun. He who offers up a sacrifice Unto the immortal, shining, swift-steeded Sun,

To withstand darkness, To withstand death that creeps in unseen,

offereth it up unto the Heavenly Father,

offereth it up unto the Angels,

offereth it up unto his own soul. He rejoiceth all the heavenly and earthly forces Who offereth up a sacrifice

Unto the immortal, shining, swift-steeded Sun.

I will sacrifice unto that friendship,

The best of all friendships,

That reign between the Angel of Sun

And the sons of the Earthly Mother.

I bless the Glory and Light,

The Strength and the Vigor,

Of the immortal, shining, swift-steeded Angel of Sun.

THE ANGEL OF WATER

From the Heavenly Sea

the Waters run and flow forward

from the never-failing Springs.

To the dry and barren desertHave the Brothers brought the Angel of Water:That she might bring forth a garden and a green place,

Tree-filled and fragrant with flowers.Cast thyself into the enfolding arms Of the Angel of Water:For she shall cast out from theeAll that is unclean and evil.Let my love flow toward thee, Heavenly Father,

As the river flows to the sea.And let thy love flow to me, Heavenly Father,

A s the gentle rain doth kiss the earth.As a river through the forest Is the Holy Law.All creatures depend on it,And it denieth nothing to any being.The Law is to the world of men

What a great river is to streams and brooks.

As rivers Of water in a dry place

Are the Brothers who bringeth the Holy Law

To the world of men.In water mayest thou drown,And in water mayest thou quench thy thirst.Thus is the Holy Law a two-edged sword:

By the Law mayest thou destroy thyself,

And by the Law mayest thou see God.

Heavenly Father!

From thy Heavenly Sea flow all the Waters

That spread over all the seven Kingdoms.

This Heavenly Sea of thine aloneGoeth on bringing Waters

Both in summer and winter and in all seasons.

This Sea of thine purifteth the seed in males,

The womb in females,The milk in female's breasts.Thy Heavenly Sea floweth down unrestrained

Unto the big-seeded corn fields,Unto the small-seeded pasture fields,

And unto the whole of the Earthly World.

A thousand pure Springs run toward the pastures

That give food to the Children of Light.

If any one shall sacrifice unto thee,

O thou holy Angel of Water!To that one dost thou give both splendor and glory,

With health and with vigor of the body.

To him dost thou give a long enduring life,

And the Heavenly Sea, thereafter.

We worship all the holy waters

Which do quench the thirst of the earth,

All the holy waters that the Creator hath made,

And all the plants which the Creator hath made,

All of which are holy.

We do worship the Water of Life,

And all waters upon the earth,

Whether standing, or running, or waters of the well,

Or spring-waters which perennially flow,

Or the blessed drippings of the rains,

We do sacrifice unto the good and holy waters

Which the Law hath created.

Let the sea roar, and all the waters,

The world, and they that dwell therein.

Let the floods clap their hands,

Let the hills be joyful together.

The voice of the Lord is upon the waters:

The God of Glory thundereth.

Heavenly Father! and thou, Angel of Water!

We are thankful to thee, and we bless thy name.

A flood of love welleth up

From the hidden places beneath the earth:

The Brotherhood is blessed forever

In the Holy Water of Life.

THE ANGEL OF AIR

We worship the Holy Breath

Which is placed higher than

All the other things created;

And we worship

The most true Wisdom.

In the midst of the fresh air of the forest and fields,

There shalt thou find the Angel of Air.

Patiently she waits for thee

To quit the dank and crowded holes of the city.

Seek her, then, and quaff deeply

Of the healing draught which she doth offer thee.

Breathe long and deeply,

That the Angel of Air may be brought within you.

For the rhythm of thy breath is the key of knowledge

Which doth reveal the Holy Law.

The Angel of Air

Doth soar on invisible wings:

Yet thou must walk her unseen path

I f thou wouldst see the face of God.

Sweeter than the finest nectar

Of honeyed pomegranate

Is the fragrance of the wind

In the grove of cypress.

Sweeter still the scent of the godly,

Who do revere and teach the Holy Law.

Holy is the Angel of Air,

Who doth cleanse all that is unclean

And giveth to all evil-smelling things a sweet odor.

Come on, come on, O clouds!

From above down on to the earth,

By thousands of drops,

Through their brightness and glory the winds blow,

Driving down the clouds

Toward the never-failing springs.

Vapors rise up from the vales of the mountains,

Nursed by the wind along the trail of the Law

Which increaseth the kingdom of Light.

The Heavenly Father hath made the earth by his power,

He hath established the world by his wisdom,

And hath stretched out the heavens by his will.

When he uttereth his voice,

There is a multitude of waters in the heavens,

And he causeth the vapors to ascend

From the ends of the earth;

He maketh lightnings with rain,

And bringeth forth the wind out of his breath.

As the sea is the gathering place of the waters,

Rising up and going down,

Up the aerial way and down on to the earth,

And up again the aerial way:

Thus rise, up and roll along! –

And for whose rising and growing

Tle Heavenly Father

Hath made the eternal and sovereign luminous Space.

No man may come before the Face of God

Whom the Angel of Air letteth not pass.

Thy body must breathe the air of the Earthly Mother,

As thy spirit must breathe the Holy Law

Of the Heavenly Father.

The Angel Of Earth

We invoke the Abundant Earth!

That possesseth Health and Happiness

And is more powerful

Than all its Creatures.

This wide earth do we praise,

Expanded far with paths,

The productive, the full-bearing,

Thy mother, holy plant!

We praise the lands where thou dost grow,

Sweet scented, swiftly spreading,

The good growth of the Earthly Mother.

We praise the good, the strong, the beneficent

Angel of Earth,

Who doth rejoice in the dew of heaven,

The fatness of the earth,

And the abundant harvest Of corn and grapes.

We praise the high mountains,

Rich in pastures and in waters,

Upon which run the many streams and rivers.

We praise the holy plants of the Angel of Earth,

Which grow up from the ground,

To nourish animals and men,

To nourish the Children of Light.

The earth is the strong Preserver,

The holy Preserver, the Maintainer!

We praise the strength and vigor

Of the powerful Preserver, the earth,

Created by the Heavenly Father!

We praise the healers of the earth,

They who know the secrets of the herbs and plants;

To the healers hath the Angel of Earth

Revealed her ancient knowledge.

The Lord hath created medicines out of the earth,

And he that is wise shall use them.

Was not the water made sweet with wood,

That the virtue thereof might be known?

And to certain of the brothers he hath given skill,

That the Law Thigh t be honored and fulfilled.

With such do they heal men,

And taketh away their pains,

And of their works there is no end;

And from them is peace over all the earth.

Then give place to the healers, and honor them,

For the Heavenly Father hath created them:

Let them not go from thee, for thou hast need of them.

We praise the tillers of the soil,

Who work together in the Garden of the Brotherhood,

In the fields which the Lord hath blessed:

He who would till the earth,

With the left arm and with the right,

Unto him will she bring forth plenty of fruit,

And wholesome green plants and golden grain.

Sweetness and fatness will flow out from that land

And from those fields,

Along with health and healing,

With fulness and increase and plenty.

He who sows corn, grass and fruit

Soweth the Holy Law:

He maketh the Law of the Creator to progress.

When all the earth shall be a garden,

Then shall all the bodily world become free

From old age and death, from corruption and rot,

Forever and forever.

Mercy and truth shall be met together,

Righteousness and peace shall kiss each other,

Truth shall spring out of the earth,

And glory shall dwell in our land.

THE ANGEL OF LIFE

Be not ungrateful to thy Creator,

for he hath given thee Life.

Seek not the law in thy scriptures, for the law is Life,

Whereas the scriptures are only words.

I tell thee truly,

Moses received not his laws from God in writing,

But through the living word.

The law is living word of living God

To living prophets for living men.

In everything that is life is the law written.

It is found in the grass, in the trees,

In the river, in the mountains, in the birds of heaven,

In the forest creatures and the fishes of the sea;

But it is found chiefly in thyselves.

All living things are nearer to God

Than the scriptures which are without life.

God so made life and all living things

That they might by the everliving word

Teach the laws of the Heavenly Father

And the Earthly Mother

To the sons of men.

God wrote not the laws in the pages of books,

But in thy heart and in thy spirit.

They are in thy breath, thy blood, thy bone;

In thy flesh, thine eyes, thine ears,

And in every little part of thy body.

They are present in the air, in the water,

In the earth, in the plants, in the sunbeams,

In the depths and in the heights.

They all speak to thee

That thou mayest understand the tongue and the will

of the living God.,

And scriptures are the works of man

But life and all its hosts are the work of God.

First, O Great Creator!

Thou didst create the Heavenly Powers

And thou didst reveal the Heavenly Laws!

Thou gavest unto us understanding

From thine own mind

And thou madst our bodily life.

We are grateful, Heavenly Father,

For all thy manifold gifts of life:

For the precious things of heaven,

For the precious fruits brought forth by the sun,

For the precious things put forth by the moon,

For the great things of the ancient mountains

For the precious things of the lasting hills,

And for the precious things of the earth.

We are grateful, Heavenly Father,

For the vigor of health, health of the body,

Wise, bright and clear-eyed, with swiftness of foot,

Quick hearing of the ears, strength of the arms

And eye-sight of the eagle.

For all the manifold gifts of Life,

We do worship the Fire of Life,

And the Holy Light of the Heavenly Order.

We do worship the Fire,

The good and the friendly,

The Fire of Life!

The most beneficial and the most helpful,

The Fire of Life!

The most supporting, the most bountiful,

That Fire which is the House of the Lord!

Behold now the Child of Light

Who doth commune with the Angel of Life:

Lo now, his strength is in his loins,

And his force is in the muscles of his chest.

He moveth his legs like a cedar:

7he sinews of his thighs are knit together.

His bones are as tubes of brass,

His limbs are like bars of iron.

He doth eat of the table of the Earthly Mother,

The grass of the field and the waters of the stream

Do nourish him;

Surely the mountains bring him forth food.

Blessed is his strength and beauty,

For he do th serve the Law.

A Sanctuary of the Holy Spirit

Is the body in which the Fire of Life

Doth bum with eternal Light.

We thank thee, Heavenly Father,

For thou hast put us at a source of running streams

At a living spring in a land of drought,

Watering an etemal garden of wonders,

7he Tree of Life, mystery of mysteries,

Growing everlasting branches for eternal planting

To sink their roots into the stream of Life

From an eternal source.

THE ANGEL OF JOY

The heavens smile, the earth celebrates,

the morning stars sing together,

and all the Children of Light shout for Joy.

O sing unto the Heavenly Father a new song:

Sing unto the Earthly Mother, all the earth.

Let the heavens rejoice, and let the earth be glad,

Let the sea roar, and the fulness of Eternal Life.

Let the field be joyful, and all that is therein:

Then shall all the trees of the wood

Rejoice before the Holy Law.

Sing unto the Heavenly Father,

All ye heavens of heavens,

And ye waters that be above the heavens,

All mountains and all hills,

Stormy wind fulfilling his word,

Fruitful trees and all cedars,

Beasts and all cattle,

Creeping things and flying fowl,

Kings of the earth and all people,

Princes and all judges of the earth:

Young men and maidens, old men and children,

Let them sing unto the Heavenly Father with Joy.

Sing unto the Lord with the harp, and voice of a psalm.

With trumpets and sound of pipes

Make a joyful noise before the Angels.

Let the floods clap their hands:

Let the hills be joyful together before the Lord.

Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all ye lands.

Serve the Heavenly Father and the Earthly Mother

With gladness and joy:

Come before their presence with singing.

The spirit of the Holy Law is upon me,

Because the Elders have anointed me

To preach good tidings unto the meek.

They have sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,

To proclaim liberty to the captives,

And the opening of the prison to them that are bound;

To comfort all that mourn,

To send unto them the holy Angel of Joy,

To give unto them beauty for ashes,

The oil of joy for mourning,

The garment of Light for the spirit of heaviness,

For weeping may endure for a night,

But joy cometh in the morning.

The people that walked in darkness

Shall see a great light,

And they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death,

Upon them shall shine the light of the Holy Law.

Drop down, ye heavens, from above,

And let the skies pour down happiness.

Let the people of sadness go out with joy,

And be led forth with peace:

Let the mountains and the hills

Break forth before them into singing,

That they might partake of the holy celebration,

And eat of the fruit of the Tree of Life,

Which standeth in the Eternal Sea

The sun shall be no more their light by day,

Neither for brightness

Shall the moon give light unto them:

But the Law shall be unto them an everlasting light,

And the Heavenly Father and the Earthly Mother

Shall be their eternal glory.

Their sun shall no more go down,

Neither shall their moon withdraw itself..

For the Law shall be their everlasting light,

And the days of their mourning shall be ended.

I will greatly rejoice in the Holy Law,

My soul shall be joyful in the Angels;

For they have clothed me in garments of light,

They have covered me with robes of joy.

As the earth bringeth forth her bud,

And as the garden causeth its seeds to spring forth,

So the Heavenly Father will cause the Holy Law

To spring forth with gladness and joy

Before all the Children of Light.

In the Garden of the Brotherhood,

All the earth shines with holiness and abundant joy,

For there are the seeds of the Holy Law sown.

The Law is the best of all good

For the Children of Light:

It giveth unto them brightness and glory,

Health and strength of the body,

Long life in communion with the Angels,

And eternal and unending joy.

We will sing unto the Heavenly Father,

And unto the Earthly Mother,

And unto all the Angels,

As long as we live in the Garden of the Brotherhood:

We will sing praise unto the Holy Law

Forever and forever.

THE EARTHLY MOTHER

Honor thy Earthly Mother,

that thy days may be long upon the land.

The Earthly Mother is in thee, and thou in her.

She bore thee; she giveth thee life.

It was she who gaveth thee thy body,

And to her shalt thou one day give it back again.

Happy art thou when thou comest to know her

And her kingdom.

If thou receivest thy Mother's angels

And if thou doest her laws,

Who doeth these things shall never see disease.

For the power of our Mother is above all.

She hath rule over all the bodies of men

And all living things.

The blood which runs in us

Is born of the blood of our Earthly Mother.

Her blood falls from the clouds,

Leaps up from the womb of the earth,

Babbles in the brooks of the mountains,

Flows wide in the rivers of the plains,

Sleeps in the lakes,

Rages mightily in the tempestuous seas.

The air which we breathe

Is born of the breath of our Earthly Mother.

Her breath is azure in the heights of the heavens,

Soughs in the tops of the mountains,

Whispers in the leaves of the forest,

Billows over the cornfields,

Slumbers in the deep valleys,

Burns hot in the desert.

The hardness of our bones

Is born of the bones of our Earthly Mother,

of the rocks and of the stones.

They stand naked to the heavens

in the tops of the mountains,

They are as giants that lie sleeping on the sides of the mountains,

As idols set in the desert,

And are hidden in the deepness of the earth.

The tenderness of our flesh

Is born of the flesh of our Earthly Mother,

Whose flesh waxeth yellow and red in the fruits of the trees,

And nurtures us in the furrows of the fields.

The light of our eyes,

The hearing of our ears,

Both are born of the colors and sounds

Of our Earthly Mother;

Which enclose us about

As the waves of the sea a fish,

As the eddying air a bird.

Man is the Son of the Earthly Mother,

And from her did the Son of Man

Receive his whole body,

Even as the body of the newborn babe

Is born of the womb of his mother.

Thou art one with the Earthly Mother;

She is in thee, and thou in her.

Of her wert thou born, in her dost thou live,

And to her shalt thou return again.

Keep, therefore, her laws,

For none can live long, neither be happy,

But he who honors his Earthly Mother

And doeth her laws.

For thy breath is her breath, Thy blood her blood,

Thy bone her bone,

Thy flesh her flesh,

Thy eyes and thy ears,

Are her eyes and her ears.

our Earthly Mother!

Always are we embraced by her,

Always are w surrounded by her beauty.

Never can we part from her;

Never can we know her depths.

Ever doth she create new forms:

That which now existeth never was before.

That which did exist returneth not again.

In her kingdom all is ever new, and always old.

In her midst do we live, yet we know her not.

Continually doth she speak to us,

Yet never doth betray to us her secrets.

Ever do we till her soil and harvest her crops,

Yet we have no power over her.

Ever doth she build, ever doth she destroy,

and her work lace is hidden from the eyes of men.

For none can live long, neither be happy,

But he who honors his Earthly Mother

And doeth her laws,

For thy breath is her breath,

Thy blood her blood,

Thy bone her bone,

Thy flesh her flesh,

Thy eyes and thy ears,

Are her eyes and her ears.

our Earthly Mother!

Always are we embraced by her,

Always are we surrounded by her beauty.

Never can we part from her;

Never can we know her depths.

Ever doth she create new forms:

That which now existeth never was before.

That which did exist returneth not again.

In her kingdom all is ever new, and always old.

In her -midst do we live, yet we know her not.

Continually doth she speak to us,

Yet never doth betray to us her secrets.

Ever do we till her soil and harvest her crops,

Yet we have no power over her.

Ever doth she build, ever doth she destroy,

And her workplace is hidden from the eyes of men.

THE ANGEL OF POWER

Thine, O Heavenly Father!

was the Power, when thou didst order

a Path for each of us and all.

What is the Deed well done?

It is that done by the Children of Light

Who regard the Law as before all other things.

The best of all gifts, therefore,

Do I beseech of thee, O thou best of beings,

Heavenly Father!

That the Holy Law shall rule within us

Through thy Angel of Power!

I do approach thee with my invocations,

That thy great gifts of power

Will protect thy Heavenly Order,

And thy creative mind within us, forever.

We will extol thee, Heavenly Father,

O almighty king!

And we will bless thy power forever and ever.

So long as we be able and may have the power,

So long will we teach the people

Concerning these Deeds to be done by them

With faith toward the Heavenly Father,

The Earthly Mother, the holy Angels,

And all the Children of Light

Who till the soil of the Garden of the Brotherhood,

And in the desire for the coming of the Heavenly Orc

Into their souls and their bodies.

Thine, O Heavenly Father! was the Power,

Yea, thine, O Creator of Love!

Was the understanding and the spirit,

When thou didst order a path for each of us and all.

Through thy Power shall we go unto the people,

And teach them, saying, Trust in the Law,

And walk in the ways of the holy Angels,

So shalt thou dwell in the land,

And verily thou shalt be fed from the feast table of the Earthly Mother.

Delight thyself also in the Power of the Heavenly Father,

And he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.

Let not arrogancy come out of thy mouth:

For the Heavenly Father doth rule by the holy Law,

And by him actions are weighed.

He bringeth down to the grave, and bringeth up.

The Power of the Law maketh poor, and maketh rich:

His Power bringeth low, and lifteth up.

He raiseth up the poor out of the dust,

And lifteth up the beggar from the dunghill,

And maketh them inherit the throne of glory.

out of heaven shall he thunder

Upon the children of darkness:

The Lord shall judge with Power the ends of the earth.

Hear the voices of the Brothers

Who cry out in the wilderness and barren desert:

Prepare ye the way of the Law,

Make straight the paths of the Heavenly Father,

And the Earthly Mother,

And all the holy Angels of the day and of the night.

Every valley shall be filled,

And every mountain and hill shall be brought low;

And the crooked shall be made straight,

And the rough ways shall be made smooth,

And all flesh shall see the Power of the Law.

We extol thee, Heavenly Father,

For thou hast lifted us up.

O Lord, our Almighty Powerful Father,

We cried unto thee, and thou hast healed us.

From the grave thou hast brought up

The souls of the people;

Thou hast kept them alive,

That they should not go down to the pit.

O Heavenly Father, thou art the Law;

Early and late will we seek thy Angels:

Our souls thirsteth for the Law,

Our flesh longeth for the Law.

A river of holy Power is the Law

In a dry and thirsty land, where no water is.

Our lips shall praise thy Power while we live,

We will lift up our hands in thy name.

We will preserve, we will nurture thy Heavenly Order

Through the fulfillment of Deeds.

We will invoke and pronounce by day and by night

Thy holy Power,

And that Power shall come to help us;

It will be as if there were a thousand angels

Watching over one man.

Unto thee, Heavenly Father, belongeth all Power,

And also unto thee belongeth mercy:

For the holy Law doth render to every man

According to his work.

THE ANGEL OF LOVE

Love is stronger

than the currents of deep waters.

Love is stronger than death.

Beloved, let us love one another:

For love is of the Heavenly Father:

And every one that loveth is born

Of the Heavenly Father and the Earthly Mother,

And knoweth the Angels.

Ye shall love one another,

As the Heavenly Father hath loved you.

For the Heavenly Father is love:And he that dwelleth in loveDwelleth in the Heavenly Father,And the Heavenly Father in him.Let him that love him be as the sun

When he goeth forth in his might.

Brothers, be ye all of one mind,

Having endless love and compassion one for another.

Thou shalt not avenge, nor bear any grudge

Against the children of thy people,But thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself if a man say,

I love the Heavenly Father, but hate my brother,

He is a liar:For he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen,How can he love the Heavenly FatherWhom he hath not seen?He who loveth the Heavenly Father

Loveth also his brother.Love ye also the stranger:

For ye were strangers in the land of Egypt.

It is said by the people,Better a dinner of herbs where love is,

Than a stalled ox and hatred therewith.

Loving words are as an honeycomb,Sweet to the soul, and health to the bones.

The words of a man's mouth are as deep waters,

And the wellspring of love as a flowing brook.

What doth the Law require of thee,

But to do justly, and to love mercy,

And to walk humbly with the Angels.

By this do we know that the Angel of Love

Doth dwell in us,

When we love the Heavenly Father,

And keep his Law. Gracious Love, Creator of Love! Reveal the best words Through thy divine mind living within us. Say to the Children of Light Who till the soil in the Garden of the Brotherhood: Honor all men.

Love the Brotherhood.

obey the Law.

THE ANGEL OF WISDOM

To follow the Lord

Is the beginning of Wisdom:

And the knowledge

Of the Holy One

Is understanding.

For by him

Thy days shall be multiplied,

And the years of thy life

Shall be increased.

All Wisdom cometh from the Heavenly Father,

And is with him forever. Through the holy Law doth the Angel of Wisdom

Guide the Children of Light. Who can number the sand of the sea, And the drops Of rain, and the days of eternity? Who can find out the height of heaven,

And the breadth of the earth,

And the deep, and wisdom?

Wisdom hath been created before all things.

One may heal with goodness,

One may heal with justice,

One may heal with herbs,

One may heal with the Wise Word.

Amongst all the remedies,

This one is the healing one

That heals with the Wise Word. And one it is that will best drive away sickness

From the bodies of the faithful, For Wisdom is the best healing of all remedies. To follow the holy Law is the crown of Wisdom,

Making peace and perfect health to flourish,

Both which are the gifts of the Angels. We would draw near unto thee,

O Heavenly Father!

With the help of thy Angel of Wisdom, Who guides us by means of thy Heavenly Order,

And with the actions and the words inspired by thy holy Wisdom!

Come to us, Heavenly Father, with thy creative mind,

And do thou, who bestoweth gifts Through thy Heavenly Order, Bestow alike the long lasting gift of Wisdom

Upon the Children of Light, That this life might be spent in holy service in the

Garden of the Brotherhood.

In the realm of thy good mind, Incarnate in our minds, he path of Wisdom doth flow From the Heavenly Order, Wherein doth dwell the sacred Tree of Life. In what fashion is manifest thy Law, O Heavenly Father!

The Heavenly Father makes answer:

By good thought

In perfect unity with Wisdom, O Child of Light!

What is the word well spoken?

It is the blessing-bestowing word of Wisdom.

What is the thought well thought?

It is that which the Child of Light thinketh,

The one who holdeth the Holy Thought

To be the most of value of all things else.

So shall the Child of Light grow

In concentration and communion, And he may develop Wisdom, And thus shall he continue Until all the mysteries of the Infinite Garden

Where standeth the Tree of Life

Shall be revealed to him.

Then shall he say these victorious words:

O Heavenly Father!

Give unto me my task

For the building of thy Kingdom on earth,

Through good thoughts, good words, good deeds,

Which shall be for the child of Light

His most precious gift.

O thou Heavenly Order!

And thou Universal Mind!

I will worship thee and the Heavenly Father,

Because of whom the creative mind within us

Is causing the Imperishable Kingdom to progress!

Holy Wisdom maketh all men free from fear,

Wide of heart, and easy of conscience.

Holy Wisdom, the understanding that unfolds forever,

Continually, without end,

And is not acquired through the holy scrolls.

It is ignorance that ruineth most people,

Both amongst those who have died,

And those who shall die.

When ignorance will be replaced by Holy Wisdom,

T'hen will sweetness and fatness come back again

To our land and to our fields,

With health and healing,

With fulnessy and increase, and growth,

And abundance of corn and of grass,

And rivers of Peace shall flow through the desert.

THE ANGEL OF ETERNAL LIFE

And Enoch walked with God;

and he was not; for God took him.

Upon the earth was no man created like Enoch,

For he was taken from the earth.

He was as the morning star in the midst of a cloud,

And as the moon at the full: As the sun shining upon the temple of the most High, And as the rainbow giving light in the bright clouds, And as the flower of roses in the spring of the year,

As lilies by the rivers Of waters,

And as the branches of the frankincense tree

In the time of summer,And as a fair olive tree budding forth fruit,And as a cypress tree which groweth up to the clouds.

The first follower of the Law was Enoch,

The first of the healers, of the wise,

T'he happy, the glorious, the strong,

Who drove back sickness and drove back death.

He did obtain a source of remedies To withstand sickness and to withstand death; To withstand pain and to withstand fever; To withstand the evil and infection

Which ignorance of the Law

Had created against the bodies of mortals.

We invoke Enoch,

The master of life,

The Founder of our Brotherhood,

The man of the Law, T'he wisest of all beings, The best ruling of all beings,

The brightest of all beings,

The most glorious of all beings,

The most worthy of invocations amongst all beings,

The most worthy of glorification amongst all beings,

Who first thought what is good, Who first spoke what is good, Who first did what is good.

Who was the first Priest,

The first Plougher of the Ground,

Who first knew and first taught the Word,

And the obedience to the Holy Law.

To all the Children of Light He gave all the good things of life:

He was the first bearer of the Law.

It is written, the words of Father Enoch,

We sacrifice unto the Creator, The Heavenly Father, The bright and glorious Angels. We sacrifice unto the shining heavens, We sacrifice unto the bright, all-happy,

Blissful wisdom of the Holy Angels of Eternity.

Grant to us, Heavenly Father!

The desire and the knowledge of the straightest path,

The straightest because of the Heavenly Order of Life,

The Best Life of the Angels,Shining, all glorious.As health is excellent, so also is Eternal Life,

Both flowing from the Heavenly order,

The creator of goodness of the mind,And of actions of life performed for devotion

To the Creator of Eternal Life.We sacrifice unto the sovereign sky,We sacrifice unto the boundless time,We sacrifice unto the endless sea of Eternal Life.

We do invoke the most glorious Law.We invoke the Kingdom of Heaven,The boundless time, and the Angels.We invoke the eternal, holy Law.We follow the paths of the Stars,The Moon, the Sun and the endless Light,Moving around in their revolving circle forever.

And truthfulness in Thought, Word and Deed

Will place the soul of the faithful man

In the endless light of Eternal Life.

The Heavenly Father possessed me

In the beginning of his way, before his works of old.

I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning,

Or ever the earth was.

When there were no depths, I was brought forth:

While as yet he had not made the earth, nor the fields,

Nor the beginning of the dust of the world.

When he established the heavens, I was there:

When he set a circle upon the face of the deep:

When he made firm the skies above:

When the fountain of the deep became strong:

When he gave to the sea its bound,That the waters should not transgress his Law:

When he marked out the foundations of the earth:

Then I was by him, as a master workman:And I was daily his delight,Rejoicing always before him,Rejoicing in his habitable earth,

And my delight was with the sons Of men.For eternity the Heavenly Father reigneth,He is clothed with majesty and strength.

He is from everlasting!

The floods have lifted up, O Lord,

The floods have lifted up their voice,

The floods lift up their waves.

The Heavenly Father on high

Is mightier than the noise of many waters,

Yea , than the mighty waves of the sea.

His name shall endure forever,

His name shall be continued as long as eternity,

And all the Children of Light shall be blessed in him,

And all men shall call him blessed.

Let the whole earth be filled

With the glory of the Heavenly Father,

The Earthly Mother,

And all the holy Angels.

I have reached the inner vision

And through thy spirit in me

I have heard thy wondrous secret.

Through thy mystic insight

Thou hast caused a spring of knowledge

To well up within me,

A fountain of power, pouring forth living waters,

A flood of love and of all-embracing wisdom

Like the splendor of Eternal Light.

THE ANGEL OF WORK

Who hath measured the waters

In the hollow of his hand,

And meted out heaven with a span,

And comprehended the dust of the earth In a measure,

And weighed the mountains in scales, And the hills in a balance?

T'he sun ariseth, and the Brothers gather together,

They go forth unto their work in the fields;

With strong backs and cheerful hearts they go forth

To labor together in the Garden of the Brotherhood.

They are the Workers of Good,

Because they work the good of the Heavenly Father.

They are the spirit, conscience and soul of those

Who teach the Law and who struggle for the Law.

With the right arm and the left, they till the soil,

And the desert bursts forth in colors of green and gold.

With the right arm and the left, they lay the stones

Which shall build on earth the Kingdom of Heaven.

They are the messengers of the Angel of Work:

In them is revealed the holy Law.

O Heavenly Father! How manifold are thy works!

In wisdom hast thou made them all;

The earth is full of thy riches.

Thou sendest the springs into the valleys,

Which run among the hills.Thou givest drink to every beast of the field,

And causeth the grass to grow for the cattle.

Thou settest the mighty trees in their places,That the birds of heaven may have their habitation,

And sing sweetly among the branches.Thou givest herbs for the service of man,That he may bring forth food out of the earth.

In the hands of the Brothers all thy gifts bear fruit,

For they are building on earth the Kingdom of Heaven.

Thou openest thine hand, they are filled with good.

Thou sendest forth thy spirit, they are created,

And together with thy holy Angels,

They shall renew the face of the earth.

O thou Heavenly Father, Thou who art one alone! Reveal unto the Children of Light: Which is the foremost place Wherein the earth feeleth the greatest joy?

The Heavenly Father answering, said:

It is the place whereupon one of the Brothers

Who follow the holy Law, steppeth forth:

With his good thoughts, good words and good deeds

Whose back is strong in service,

Whose hands are not idle,

Who lifteth up his voice in full accord with the Law.

That place is holy whereon one of the Brothers

Soweth the most Of corn, of grass, of fruit:

Where he watereth that ground which is dry,

Or draineth the too wet soil

For the earth hath been given unto the keeping

Of the Children of Light,

That they treasure and care for it,

And bring from its depths only that

Which is for the nourishment of the body.

Blessed are the Children of Light

Whose joy is in the work of the Law,

Who labor in the Garden of the Brotherhood by day,

And join the Angels of the Heavenly Father by night.

From their lips is the story told, Which doth serve as a teaching for the sons of men: It is said that the trees went forth on a time To anoint a king over them; And they said unto the olive tree, "Reign thou over us."

But the olive tree said unto them,

"Should I leave my fatness,

Wherewith by me they honor God and man,

And go to be promoted over the trees?"

And the trees said to the fig tree,

"Come thou, and reign over us.

But the fig tree said unto them,

"Should I forsake my sweetness, and my good fruit,

And go to be promoted over the trees?"

Then said the trees unto the vine,

"Come thou, and reign over us.

And the vine said unto them,

"Should I leave my wine,

Which cheereth God and man,

And go to be promoted over the trees?"

Ae man of the Law who fulfills his tasks

Does not need further blessings.

THE ANGEL OF PEACE

For the earth shall be filled

with the Peace of the Heavenly Father,

as the waters cover the sea.

I will invoke the Angel of Peace,

Whose breath is friendly,

Whose hand is clothed in power.

In the reign of Peace, there is neither hunger nor thirst,

Neither cold wind nor hot wind,

Neither old age nor death.

In the reign of Peace,

Both animals and men shall be undying,

Waters and plants shall be undrying,

And the food of life shall be never-failing.

It is said that the mountains

Shall bring peace to the people,

And the little hills, righteousness.

There shall be peace

As long as the sun and moon endure,

Throughout all generations.

Peace shall come down like rain upon mown grass,

As showers that water the earth.

In the reign of Peace shall the Law grow strong,

And the Children of Light shall have dominion

From sea to sea, unto the ends of the earth.

The reign of Peace hath its source

In the Heavenly Father;

By his strength he setteth fast the mountains,

He maketh the outgoings of morning and evening

To rejoice in the Light,

He bringeth to earth the river of the Law,

To water and enrich it,

He maketh soft the earth with showers;

They drop upon the pastures of the wilderness,

And the little hills rejoice on every sidle.

The pastures are clothed with flocks;

The valleys also are covered over with corn;

They shout for joy, they also sing. O Heavenly Father!

Bring unto thy earth the reign of Peace!

Then shall we remember the words of him who taught of old the Children of Light:

I give the peace of thy Earthly Mother

To thy body,

And the peace of thy Heavenly Father To thy spirit.

And let the peace of both

Reign among the sons of men.

Come to me all that are weary,

And that suffer in strife and affliction!

For my peace will strengthen thee and comfort thee.

For my peace is exceeding full of joy.

Wherefore do I always greet thee after this manner:

Peace be with thee!

Do thou always, therefore, so greet one another,

That upon thy body may descend

The Peace of thy Earthly Mother,

And upon thy spirit

The Peace of thy Heavenly Father.

And then wilt thou find peace also among thyselves,

For the Kingdom of the Law is within thee.

And return to thy Brothers

give thy peace to them also,

For happy are they that strive for peace,

For they will find the peace of the Heavenly Father.

And give to every one thy peace,

Even as I have given my peace unto thee.

For my peace is of God.

Peace be with thee

THE HEAVENLY FATHER

In the Heavenly Kingdom

There are strange and wondrous works,

For by his word all things consist.

There are yet hid greater things than these be,

For we have seen but a few of his works:

The Heavenly Father hath made all things.

Ae beauty of heaven, the glory of the stars,

Give light in the highest places of the Heavenly Sea.

Sentinels of the most High, they stand in their order,

And never faint in their watches.

Look upon the rainbow, and praise him that made it;

Very beautiful it is in the brightness thereof

It compasseth the heaven about with a glorious circle,

And the hands of the most High have bended it.

By his Law he maketh the snow to fall apace,

And sendeth swiftly the lightnings of his judgment.

Through this the treasures are opened,

And clouds fly forth as fowls.

By his great power he maketh the clouds firm,

And the hailstones are broken small.

At his sight the mountains are shaken,

And at his will the south wind bloweth.

The noise of the thunder maketh the earth to tremble:

So doth the northern storm and the whirlwind:

As birds flying he scattereth the snow,

And the eye marvelleth

At the beauty of the whiteness thereof,

And the heart is astonished at the raining of it.

So do the heavens declare the glory of God,

And the firmament showeth his handiwork.

Who hath made the waters,

And who maketh the plants?

Who to the wind hath yoked the storm-clouds,

The swift and even the fleetest?

Who, O Heavenly Father,

Is the creator of the holy Law within our souls?

Who hath made the light and the darkness?

Who hath made sleep and the zest of the waking hours?

Who gave the recurring sun and stars

Their undeviating way?

Who established that whereby the moon doth wax

And whereby she waneth?

Who, save thee, Heavenly Father,

Hath done these glorious things!

Lord, thou hast been our dwelling place

In all generations.

Before the mountains were brought forth,

Or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world,

Even from everlasting to everlasting, thou art the Law.

Thy name is Understanding,

Thy name is Wisdom,

Thy name is the Most Beneficent,

Thy name is the Unconquerable One,

Thy name is He Who maketh the true account,

Thy name is the All-seeing One,

Thy name is the Healing One,

Thy name is the Creator.

Thou art the Keeper,

Thou art the Creator and the Maintainer;

Thou art the Discerner and the Spirit.

Thou art the Holy Law.

These names were pronounced

Before the Creation of this Heaven,

Be-fore the making of the waters and of the plants,

Before the birth of our holy Father Enoch.

Before the beginning of time,

The Heavenly Father planted the holy Tree of Life,

Which standeth forever in the midst of the Eternal Sea

High in its branches sings a bird,

And only those who have journeyed there,

And have heard the mysterious song of the bird,

Only those shall see the Heavenly Father.

They shall ask of him his name,

And he shall answer, I am that I am,

Being ever the same as the Etemal I am.

O thou Heavenly Father!

How excellent is thy name in all the earth!

Aou hast set thy glory above the heavens.

When we consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers,

The moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained,

What is man, that thou art mindful of him?

Yet thou hast made a covenant

With the Children of Light,

And they walk with thy holy Angels;

Thou hast crowned them with glory and honor,

Thou madest them to have dominion

Over the works of thy hands,

And gavest unto them

The task of nourishing and protecting

All that lives and grows on thy green earth.

O Heavenly Father!

How excellent is thy name in all the earth!

Hear the voice Of one who cries out to thee:

Whither shall I go from thy spirit?

Or whither shall I flee from thy presence?

If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there;

If I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there.

If I take the wings of the morning,

And dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,

Even there shall thy hand lead me,

And thy right hand shall hold me.

If I say, "Surely the darkness shall cover me,

Even the night shall be light about me;

Yea, the darkness hideth not from thee

But the night shineth as the day:

The darkness and the light are both alike to thee,

For thou hast possessed my reins.

As the hart panteth after the water brooks,

So panteth my soul after thee, O God.

My soul thirsteth for the living Heavenly Father.

The Law is my light and salvation;

Whom shall I fear?

7he Law is the rock and the strength of my life;

Of whom shall I be afraid?

One thing have I desired of the Law,

That I will seek after:

That I may dwell in the house of the Law

All the days of my life,

To behold the beauty of the Heavenly Father.

Those who dwell in the secret place of the most High

Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.

We will say of the Law,

"Thou art our refuge and our fortress;

We will trust in the Holy Law.

And the Heavenly Father

Shall cover us with his feathers,

And under his wings shall we trust;

His truth shall be our shield and buckler.

We shall not be afraid for the terror by night,

Nor for the arrow that flieth by day,

Nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness,

No rfor the destruction that wasteth at noonday.

For by day we shall walk

With the Angels of the Earthly Mother,

By night we shall commune

With the Angels of the Heavenly Father,

And when the sun reacheth its zenith at noontide,

We shall stand silent before the Sevenfold Peace:

And no evil shall befall us,

Neither shall any plague come nigh our dwelling,

For he hath given his Angels charge over us,

To keep us in all their ways.

The Heavenly Father is our refuge and strength.

Therefore will not we fear,

Though the earth be removed,

And though the mountains be carried

Into the midst of the sea,

Though the waters thereof roar and be troubled,

Though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof

There is a river, which floweth to the Eternal Sea.

Beside the river stands the holy Tree of Life.

There doth my Father dwell, and my home is in him.

The Heavenly Father and I are One.

THE HOLY LAW

Thou, O Holy Law,

The Tree of Life

That standeth in the middle of the Eternal Sea,

That is called,

The Tree of Healing.

The Tree of powerful Healing,

The Tree of all Healing,

And upon which rests the seeds

Of all we invoke.

Have ye-not known?

Have ye not heard?

Hath it not been told thee from the beginning?

Lift up thine eyes on high, and behold the Holy Law,

Which was established before the etemal,

Sovereign and luminous space,

Which hath created the foundations of the earth,

Which is the first and the last,

Which liveth in the hearts of the Children of Light.

For the Law is great,

As the Heavenly Father is great above his Angels:

He it is who giveth us the Law, and he is the Law:

In his hand are the deep places of the earth;

The strength of the hills is his also.

The sea is his, and he made it,

And his hands formed the dry land

Come, let us worship and bow down,

Let us kneel before the Heavenly Father,

For he is the Law,

And we are the people of his pasture,

And the sheep of his hand

with songs of gladness the children of Light

Invoke the Holy Law:

Sickness flies away before it,

Death flies away,

Ignorance flies away.

Pride, scorn and hot fever,

Slander, discord and evil,

All anger and violence,

And lying words of falsehood,

All fly away before the power of the Holy Law.

Here is the Law

which will smite all sickness, which will smite all death,

Which will smite the oppressors of men,

Which will smite pride,

Which will smite scorn,

Which will smite hot fevers, which will smite all slanders,

Which will smite all discords, which will smite the worst of evil,

Which will banish ignorance from the earth.

We bless the invocation and prayer,

The strength and vigor of the Holy Law.

We invoke the spirit, conscience and soul of the

Children of Light who teach the Law,

Who struggle in the kingdom of darkness

To bring the light of the Law to the sons of men.

We bless that victory

Of good thoughts, good words, and good deeds,

Which make strong the foundations of the Kingdom of Light.

Let the sons of men who think, speak and do

All good thoughts, words and deeds

Inhabit heaven as their home.

And let those who think, speak and do

Evil thoughts, words and deeds

Abide in chaos.

Purity is for man, next to life,

The greatest of good:

That purity is in the Holy Law,

Which maketh grass to grow upon the mountains,

And maketh clean the hearts Of men.

With good thoughts, good words, and good deeds

Clean shall be the fire,

Clean the water,

Clean the earth,

Clean the stars, the moon and the sun,

Clean the faithful man and the faithful woman,

Clean the boundless, eternal Light,

Clean the Kingdom of the Earthly Mother

And the Kingdom of the Heavenly Father,

Clean the good things made by the Law,

Whose offspring is the Holy Creation.

To obtain the treasures of the material world, O sons Of men,

Forego not the world of the Law.

For he who, to obtain the treasures

Of the material world,

Destroyeth in him the world of the Law,

Such an one shall possess neither force of life

Nor the Law,

Neither the Celestial Light.

But he who walks with the Angels,

And who followeth the Holy Law,

He shall obtain everything good:

He shall enter the Eternal Sea

Where standeth the Tree of Life.

T'he Communions of the Law are perfect,

Converting the soul from darkness to light;

T'he testimony of the Law is sure,

Making wise the simple.

T'he statutes of the Law are right, rejoicing the heart;

The commandment of the Law is pure,

Enlightening the eyes.

The truth of the Law is clean, enduring forever.

Let the Children of Light triumph everywhere

Between the Heavens and the Earth!

Let us breathe the Holy Law in our prayer:

How beautiful are thy tabernacles,

O Heavenly Father!

My soul longeth, yea, even fainteth

For the Tree of Life

That standeth in the middle of the Eternal Sea.

My heart and my flesh crieth out for the living God.

Yea, the sparrow hath found a house,

And the swallow a nest for herself,

Where she may lay her young.

The Children of Light

Who labor in the Garden of the Brotherhood

Abide in the Holy Law:

Blessed are they who dwell therein

THE ANGELS

The Heavenly Father

Gave his Angels charge

Concerning thee:

And in their hands

They shall bear thee up,

Even unto the Tree of Life

That standeth in the midst

Of the Eternal Sea...

For the wisdom of the Law,

For the unconquerable power of the Law,

And for the vigor of health,

For the Glory of the Heavenly Father

And the Earthly Mother,

And for all the boons and remedies

Of the Sevenfold Peace,

Do we worship the Holy Angels,

Our efforts for whom

And Communions to whom

Make us good in the eyes of Heavenly Father.

The Law is fulfilled according to the Angels,

The Bright and Holy Ones,

Whose looks perform their wish,

Strong, lordly,

Who are undecaying and holy,

Who are seven and seven all of one Thought,

Who are seven and seven all of one Speech,

Who are seven and seven all of one Deed.

Whose Thought is the same,

Whose Speech is the same,

Whose Deed is the same,

Whose Father is the same,

Namely, the Heavenly Father!

The Angels who see one another's souls,

Who bring the Kingdom of the Earthly Mother

And the Kingdom of the Heavenly Father

To the Children of Light

Who labor in the Garden of the Brotherhood.

The Angels who are the makers and Governors,

The Shapers and overseers,

The Keepers and Preservers of the abundant Earth!

And of all Creations of the Heavenly Father.

We invoke the good, the strong, the beneficent

Angels of the Heavenly Father and the Earthly Mother!

That of the Light!

That of the Sky!

That of the Waters!

That of the Earth!

That of the Plants!

That of the Children of Light!

That of the Eternal Holy Creation!

We worship the Angels

Who first listened unto the thought and teaching

Of the Heavenly Father,

Of whom the Angels formed the seed of the nations.

We worship the Angels

Who first touched the brow of our Father Enoch,

And guided the Children of Light

Through the seven and seven Paths

Which lead to the Tree of Life

That standeth forever in the midst of the Eternal Sea.

We worship all the Angels,

The good, heroic and bounteous Angels,

Of the bodily world of the Earthly Mother,

And those of the Invisible Realms,

Those in the Celestial Worlds of the Heavenly Father.

We worship the ever blessing immortal Angels,

The brilliant ones of splendorous countenance,

The lofty and devoted creatures of the Heavenly Father,

They who are imperishable and Holy.

We worship the resplendent, the glorious,

Ylze bountiful Holy Angels,

Who rule aright, and who adjust all things rightly.

Hear the glad voices of the Children of Light,

Who sing the praise of the Holy Angels

As they labor in the Garden of the Brotherhood:

We sing with gladness to the waters, land and plants,

To this earth and to the heavens,

To the holy wind, and the holy sun and moon,

To the eternal stars without beginning,

And to all the holy creatures of the Heavenly Father.

We sing with gladness unto the Holy Law,

Which is the Heavenly Order,

To the days and to the nights,

To the years and to the seasons

Which are the pillars of the Heavenly Order.

We worship the Angels of the Day,

And the Angels of the Month,

Aose of the Years, and those of the Seasons,

All the good, the heroic,

The ever blessing immortal Angels

Who maintain and preserve the Heavenly order.

We desire to approach the mighty Angels,

All the Angels of the Heavenly Order,

Because of the Holy Law,

Which is the best of all good.

We do present these thoughts well thought,

These words well spoken,

These deeds well done,

To the bountiful, immortal Angels,

Those who exercise their right rule.

We do present these offerings

To the Angels of the Day,

And the Angels of the Night,

Ile ever-living, the ever-helpful,

Who dwell eternally with the Divine Mind.

May the good and heroic and bountiful

Angels of the Heavenly Father

And the Earthly Mother

Walk with their holy feet

In the Garden of the Brotherhood,

And may they go hand in hand with us

With the healing virtues of their blessed gifts,

As wide-spread as the earth,

As far-spread as the rivers,

As high-reaching as the sun,

For the furtherance of the betterment of man,

And for abundant growth.

It is they, the Holy Angels,

Who shall restore the World!

Which will thenceforth never grow old and never die!

Never decaying, ever living and ever increasing.

T'hen Life and Immortality will come

And the World will be restored!

Creation will grow deathless,

The Kingdom of the Heavenly Father will prosper,

And evil shall have perished!

THE BROTHERHOOD

Behold, how good and how pleasant it is For the Children of Light

To dwell together in unity!

For the Brotherhood

The Heavenly Father

Hath commanded the Law.

Even life for evermore.

The Law was planted in the Garden of the Brotherhood

To illumine the hearts of the Children of Light,

To make straight before them

The seven and seven paths leading to the Tree of Life

Which standeth in the midst of the Eternal Sea;

T'he Law was planted in the Garden of the Brotherhood,

That they might recognize

The spirits of truth and falsehood,

Truth born out of the spring of Light,

Falsehood from the well of darkness.

The dominion of all the Children of Truth

Is in the hands of the mighty angels of Light,

So that they walk in the ways of Light.

T'he Children of Light are the servants of the Law,

And the Heavenly Father shall not forget them.

He hath blotted out their sins as a thick cloud;

He hath lit the candle of Truth within their hearts.

Sing, O ye heavens,

Shout, ye lower parts of the earth,

Break forth into singing, ye mountains,

O forest, and every tree therein:

For the Heavenly Father hath kindled his flame

In the hearts of the Children of Light,

And glorified himself in them.

The Holy Law of the Creator

Purifieth the followers of the Light

From every evil thought, word and deed,

As a swift-rushing mighty wind

Doth cleanse the plain.

Let the child of Light who so desireth

Be taught the Holy Word,

During the first watch of the day and the last,

During the first watch of the night and the last,

That his mind may be increased in intelligence

And his soul wax strong in the Holy Law.

At the hour of dawn

He shall gaze upon the rising sun

And greet with joy his Earthly Mother.

At the hour of dawn

He shall wash his body in the cool water

And greet with joy his Earthly Mother.

At the hour of dawn

He shall breathe the fragrant air

And greet with joy his Earthly Mother.

And through the day

He shall labor with his brethren

In the Garden of the Brotherhood.

In the hour of twilight

He shall gather with his brothers,

And together they shall study the holy words

Of our fathers, and their fathers' fathers,

Even unto the words of our Father Enoch.

And when the stars are high in the heavens

He shall commune

With the holy Angels of the Heavenly Father.

And his voice shall be raised with gladness

Unto the most High, saying,

We worship the Creator,

T'he maker of all good things:

And Good Mind,

And of the Law,

Immortality,

And the Holy Fire of Life.

We do offer to the Law

The Wisdom of the Tongue,

Holy Speech, Deeds, and rightly-spoken Words.

Grant us, Heavenly Father,

That we may bring down abundance

To the world thou hast created,

That we may take away both hunger and thirst

From the world thou hast created,

That we may take away both old age and death

From the world thou hast created.

O good, most beneficent Heavenly Father!

Grant us that we may think

According to the Law,

That we may speak

According to the Law,

Ilat we may do

According to the Law.

O Heavenly Father,

What is the invocation most worthy

In greatness and goodness?

It is that one, O Children of Light,

That one delivers

When waking up and rising from sleep,

At the same time professing

Good thoughts, good words and good deeds,

And rejecting evil thoughts, evil words and evil deeds.

The first step

That the soul of the Child of Light did make,

Placed him in the Good Thought Paradise,

The Holy Realm of Wisdom. The second step

That the soul of the Child of Light did make,

Placed him in the Good Word Paradise,

The Holy Realm of Love.

The third step

That the soul of the Child of Light did make,

Placed him in the Good Deed Paradise,

The Holy Realm of Power.

The fourth step

Ilat the soul of the Child of Light did make,

Placed him in the Endless Light.

The Heavenly Father knoweth the hearts

Of the Children of Light,

And their inheritance shall be for ever.

They shall not be afraid in the evil time:

And in the days -of famine they shall be satisfied.

For with them is the Fountain of Life,

And the Heavenly Father forsaketh not his children.

Their souls shall breathe forever and ever,

And their forms shall be endowed with Eternal Life.

Blessings on the Children of Light

Who have cast their lot with the Law,

That walk truthfully in all their ways.

May the Law bless them with all good

And keep them from all evil,

And illumine their hearts

With insight into the things of life

And grace them with knowledge of things eternal.

TREES

Go towards the high growing Trees,

And before one of them

Which is beautiful, high growing and mighty,

Say thou these words:

Hail be unto Thee!

O good living Tree,

Made by the Creator.

In the days of old, when the Creation was young,

The earth was filled with giant trees,

Whose branches soared above the clouds,

And in them dwelled our Ancient Fathers,

They who walked with the Angels,

And who lived by the Holy Law.

In the shadow of their branches all men lived in peace,

And wisdom and knowledge was theirs,

And the revelation of the Endless Light.

Through their forests flowed the Eternal River,

And in the center stood the Tree of Life,

And it was not hidden from them.

They ate from the table of the Earthly Mother,

And slept in the arms of the Heavenly Father,

And their covenant was for eternity with the Holy Law.

In that time the trees were the brothers of men,

And their span on the earth was very long,

As long as the Eternal River,

Which-flowed without ceasing

From the Unknown Spring.

Now the desert sweeps the earth with burning sand,

The giant trees are dust and ashes,

And the wide river is a pool of mud.

For the sacred covenant with the Creator

Was broken by the sons of men,

And they were banished from their home of trees.

Now the path leading to the Tree of Life

Is hidden from the eyes of men,

And sorrow fills the empty sky

Where once the lofty branches soared.

Now into the buming desert

Come the Children of Light,

To, labor in the Garden of the Brotherhood.

The seed they plant in the barren soil

Will become a mighty forest,

And trees shall multiply

And spread their wings of green

Until the whole earth be covered once again.

The whole earth shall be a garden,

And the tall trees shall cover the land

In that day shall sing the Children of Light a new song:

My brother, Tree!

Let me not hide myselffrom thee,

But let us share the breath of life

Which our Earthly Mother hath given to us.

More beautiful than the finest jewel

Of the rugmaker's art,

Is the carpet of green leaves under my bare feet;

More majestic than the silken canopy of the rich merchant,

Is the tent of branches above my head,

Through which the bright stars give light.

The wind among the leaves of the cypress

Maketh a sound like unto a chorus of angels.

Through the rugged oak and royal cedar

The Earthly Mother hath sent a message of Eternal Life

To the Heavenly Father.

My prayer goeth forth unto the tall trees:

And their branches reaching skyward

Shall carry my voice to the Heavenly Father.

For each child thou shalt plant a tree,

Tthat the womb of thy Earthly Mother

Shall bring forth life,

As the womb of woman doth bring forth life.

He who doth destroy a tree

Hath cut off his own limbs.

Thus shall sing the Children of Light,

When the earth again shall be a garden:

Holy Tree, divine gift of the Law!

Thy majesty reunites all those

Who have strayed from their true home,

Which is the Garden of the Brotherhood.

All men will become brothers once again

Under thy spreading branches.

As the Heavenly Father hath loved all his children,

So shall we love and care for the trees

Yhat grow in our land,

So shall we keep and protect them,

That they may grow tall and strong,

And ftll the earth again with their beau ty.

For the trees are our brothers,

And as brothers,

We shall guard and love one another.

STARS

The white, shining,

Far seen Stars!

The piercing, health-bringing, Far piercing Stars!

Aeir shining rays,

Their brightness and glory

Are all, through thy Holy Law,

The Speakers of thy praise,

O Heavenly Father!

Over the face of heaven

Did the Heavenly Father hurl his might:

And lo! He did leave a River of Stars in his wake!

We invoke the bright and glorious Stars

That wash away all things of fear

And bring health and life unto all Creations.

We invoke the bright and glorious Stars

To which the Heavenly Father

Hath given a thousand senses,

The glorious Stars that have within themselves

The Seed of Life and of Water.

Unto the bright and glorious Stars

Do we offer up an Invocation:

With wisdom, power and love,

With speech, deeds and rightly-spoken words,

Do we sacrifice unto the bright and glorious Stars

That fly towards the Heavenly Sea

As swiftly as the arrow

Darteth through heavenly Space.

We invoke the bright and glorious Stars,

T'hat stand out beautiful,

Spreading comfort and joy

As they commune within themselves.

The Holy Works,

The Stars, the Suns, and the many-colored Dawn

Which bringeth on the Light of Days,

Are all, through their Heavenly Order,

The Speakers of thy praise,

O thou great giver, the Holy Law!

We invoke the Lord of the Stars,

The Angel of Light,

T'he ever-awake!

Who taketh possession

of the beautiful, wide-expanding Law,

Greatly and powerfully,

And whose face looketh over

All the seven and seven Kingdoms of the Earth;

Who is swift amongst the swift,

Bountiful amongst the bounteous,

Strong amongst the strong,

The Giver of Increase,

The Giver of Sovereignty,

The Giver of Cheerfulness and Bliss.

We invoke the Lord of the Stars, The Angel of Light,

Who is truth-speaking,

With a thousand ears and ten thousand eyes,

With full knowledge, strong and ever-awake.

The Heavenly Order pervades all things pure,

Whose are the Stars,

In whose Light the glorious Angels are clothed.

Great is our Heavenly Father, and of great power:

His understanding is infinite.

He telleth the number of the stars;

He calleth them all by their names.

Behold the height of the stars!

How high they are!

Yet the Heavenly Father doth hold them in his palms,

As we do sift the sand in ours.

He who knoweth not the Holy Law

Is as a wandering star

In the darkness of an unknown sky.

Thinkest thou there is but one way

To see the ftrmamen t?

Suppose ye the stars were but broken places in the sky

Through which the glory of heaven is revealed

In fragments of blazing light!

In the purple night

Traversed by the continual Stars

Shall the souls of the Children of Light

Take wing and join the Angels of the Heavenly Father.

7len shall the Etemal Sea

Reflect the shining glory of the heavens,

And the branches of the Tree of Life reach to the Stars.

Then shall the Kingdom of Heaven

Fill all the earth with Glory,

And the shining Stars of the most High

Shall blaze within the hearts of the Children of Light

And warm and comfort the seeking sons of men.

THE MOON

Unto the luminous Moon

Which keepeth within itself

The seed of many species,

Let there be invocation

With sacrifice and prayer...

When the Light of the Moon waxeth warmer,

Golden hued plants grow up from the earth

During the season of Spring.

We sacrifice unto the New Moons

And unto the Full Moons;

The crescent of the New Moon is full of holy Peace

We sacrifice unto the Angel of Peace.

The radiant and luminous Moon

Keepeth within itself the seed:

The bright, the glorious,

The water-giving,

The warmth-giving,

The wisdom-giving,

The thoughtfulness-giving,

The freshness-giving,

The healing one, the Moon of Peace!

With silent and peace-giving light

The Moon doth shine

Upon the pastures, the abodes,

The waters, the lands and the plants

Of our earthly garden.

The Moon and the Sun,

The holy Wind and the Stars without beginning,

Self-determined and self-moved,

All are regulators of the Holy order,

of the days and nights, of the months and years.

The face of the Moon doth change its aspect,

Yet is ever the same:

As the Holy Law doth reveal a different face

To each of the Children of Light,

Yet is unchanged in its Essence.

We invoke the New Moon and the Moon that is waning,

And the Full Moon that scattereth the Night,

And the yearly festivals and the seasons of the Heavenly Father.

For it was he who gavest the moon

Her increase and her decrease,

T'hat through her we might know the movements

Of the day and of the night.

Thou silver and luminous moon!

We are grateful that we may look on thee,

And see in thy reflection

The blessed face of our Earthly Mother.

Among the world of the sons of men,

The Brothers of Light are flames of radiance,

As the stars pale in the presence of the bright and shining moon.

The moon walketh in brightness across the sky,

And delight in the Holy Law doth fill our hearts.

Peace, Peace, Peace,

Holy Angel of Peace,

Illumine the silver moon with thy holiness,

That all may look upon its beauty

And feel thy eternal Peace.

The desert sky is blue with night,

And we see the first ray of the New Moon

Chaste and beautiful.

Then do the Brothers greet one another,

Saying, "Peace be with thee!

Peace be with thee!"

PSALMS OF PRAISE AND THANKSGIVING

I am grateful, Heavenly Father,

For thou hast raised me to an eternal height,

And I walk in the wonders of the plain.

Thou gavest me guidance

To reach thine eternal company

From the depths of the earth.

T'hou hast purified my body

To join the army of the angels of the earth

And my spirit to reach

The congregation of the heavenly angels.

Thou gavest man eternity

To praise at dawn and dusk

Thy works and wonders in joyful song.

O all ye works of the Heavenly Order,

Bless ye the Law:

Praise and exalt the Law above all for ever.

O ye heavens, bless ye the Law:

Praise and exalt the Law above all for ever.

O ye Angels of the Heavenly Father,

And ye Angels of the Earthly Mother,

Bless ye the Law:

Praise and exalt the Law above all for ever.

O all ye waters that be above the heavens,

Bless ye the Law.

All ye powers of the Holy Angels,

bless ye the Law.

ye sun and moon, bless ye the Law.

ye stars of heaven, bless ye the Law.

every shower and dew, bless ye the Law.

all ye winds, bless ye the Law.

ye fire and heat, bless ye the Law.

ye winter and summer, bless ye the Law.

ye light and darkness, bless ye the Law.

ye dews and storms of snow, bless ye the Law.

ye nights and days, bless ye the Law.

ye lightnings and clouds, bless ye the Law.

ye mountains and little hills, bless ye the Law.

all ye things that grow on the earth, bless ye the Law.

ye fountains, bless ye the Law.

ye seas and rivers, bless ye the Law.

O ye whales, and all that move in the waters,

Bless ye the Law.

O all ye fowls of the air, bless ye the Law.

O all ye beasts and cattle, bless ye the Law.

O ye children of men, bless ye the Law.

O ye spirits and souls of the Children of Light,

Bless ye the Law.

ye holy and humble workers

In the Garden of the Brotherhood, bless ye the Law.

O let the whole earth bless the Law!

O give thanks unto the Heavenly Father,

And bless ye his Law.

O all ye that worship the Law,

Give praise unto the Heavenly Father

And the Earthly Mother,

And all the Holy Angels,

And give unto them thanks,

For the Law endureth for ever.

We worship the Law by day and by night.

Hail to the Heavenly Father!

Hail to the Earthly Mother!

Hail to the Holy Angels!

Hail to the Children of Light!

Hail to our holy Father Enoch!

Hail to the whole of Holy Creation that was, that is, or ever shall be!

We sacrifice unto the bright and glorious stars,

We sacrifice unto the sovereign sky,

We sacrifice unto boundless time,

We sacrifice unto the good Law

Of the worshipers of the Creator,

Of the Children of Light

Who labor in the Garden of the Brotherhood;

We sacrifice unto the way of the Holy Law.

We sacrifice unto all the Holy Angels

Of the world unseen;

We sacrifice unto all the Holy Angels Of the material world.

·give thanks unto the Heavenly Father, for he is good,

·give thanks unto the God of the Angels,

·give thanks unto the Lord of Light,

For his mercy endureth for ever.

To him who alone doeth great wonders,

To him that by wisdom made the heavens,

To him that stretched out the earth above the waters,

To him that made great lights in the heavens,

To him that made the sun to rule by day,

And the moon and stars to rule by night,

Give unending praise and thanksgiving,

For his mercy endureth for ever.

And we do worship the ancient and holy religion,

Which was instituted at the Creation,

Which was on the earth in the time of the Great Trees;

The holy religion of the Creator,

The resplendent and the glorious,

Revealed unto our Father Enoch.

We do worship the Creator,

And the Fire of Life,

And the good Waters which are Holy,

And the resplendent Sun and the Moon,

And the lustrous, glorious Stars;

And most of all we do worship the Holy Law,

Which the Creator, our Heavenly Father,

Hath given to us.

It is the Law which maketh holy our dwelling place,

Which is the wide green earth.

Praise ye the Law!

The Law healeth the broken in heart,

And bindeth up their wounds.

Great is the Law, and ofgreat power;

The understanding of the Law is infinite.

The Law lifteth up the meek,

And casteth the wicked down to the ground.

Sing unto the Law with thanksgiving,

Sing praise upon the harp unto the Law,

Which covereth the heaven with clouds,

Which prepareth rain for the earth,

Which maketh grass to grow upon the mountains.

We praise aloud the well-thought Thought,

The Word well-spoken,

And the Deed well-done.

We will come to thee, O ye bountiful immortals!

We will come to thee, extolling and invoking thee,

Angels of the Heavenly Father and the Earthly Mother!

We do worship the Holy Lord of the Heavenly Order,

The Creator of all good creatures of the earth.

And we do worship the utterances of our Father Enoch,

And his ancient, pure religion,

His faith and his lore, older than the beginning of time.

We will sing unto the Law as long as we live,

We will sing praise unto our Heavenly Father

While we have our being,

While the Garden of the Brotherhood doth endure.

Our Comrnunions with the Angels shall be sweet;

We will be glad in the Law.

Bless thou the Law, O my soul.

Praise ye the Holy Law.

The Children of Light love the Law,

Because the Law heareth our voices

And our supplications.

An all-hearing ear hath the Law inclined unto us,

Therefore will we call upon the Law as long as we live.

The Law hath delivered our souls from death,

Our eyes from tears, and our feet from falling.

We will walk before the Law in the land of the living:

In the paths of the Infinite

Garden of the Brotherhood.

The days of the sons of men are as grass;

As flowers of the field, so they flourish.

For the wind passeth over them, and they are gone:

But the mercy of the Law is from everlasting

To everlasting upon them that follow it.

Bless the Heavenly Father, all ye his Angels;

Ye ministers of his, that do his pleasure.

Bless the Lord, all his works,

In all places of his dominion:

Bless the Lord, O my soul.

O Heavenly Father, thou art very great!

Thou art clothed with honor and majesty.

Who coverest thyself with light as with a garment,

Who stretchest out the heavens like a curtain,

Who layeth the beams of his chambers in the waters,

Who maketh the clouds his chariot,

Who walketh upon the wings of the wind,

Who maketh his Angels spirits,

His Children of Light a flaming fire

To kindle the Truth in the hearts of the sons of men,

Who laid the foundations of the earth.

Bless the Heavenly Father, O my soul!

LAMENTS

Out of the depths have I cried unto thee, O Lord.

Lord, hear my voice!

Hear my prayer, O Lord,

And let my cry come unto thee.

Hide not thy face from me

In the day when I am in trouble;

Incline thine ear unto me;

In the day when I call answer me speedily.

For my days are consumed like smoke,

And my bones are burned as a hearth.

My heart is smitten, and withered like grass;

So that I forget to eat my bread.

By reason of the voice of my groaning

My bones cleave to my skin.

I am like a pelican of the wilderness;

I am like an owl of the desert.

I watch, and am as a sparrow,

Alone upon the house top.

My days are like a shadow that declineth;

And I am withered like grass.

O my God, take me not away in the midst of my days:

The heavens are the work of thy hands.

They shall perish, but thou shalt endure.

The first step taken

By the soul of the wicked man,

Laid him in the evil thought hell.

The second step take

By the soul of the wicked man,

Laid him in the evil word hell.

The third step taken

By the soul of the wicked man,

Laid him in the evil deed hell.

The fourth step taken

By the soul of the wicked man,

Laid him in endless darkness.

I know that thou canst do all things,

And that no purpose of thine-can be restrained.

Now mine eye seeth thee,

Wherefore I abhor myself,

And repent in dust and ashes.

.For the wicked sons of men

Have sinned against themselves,

And their hell of evil thoughts, evil words and evil deeds

Is a hell of their own making.

But my anguish and my bitter tears

Are for our ancient fathers,

Who sinned against the Creator,

And were banished

From the Holy Kingdom of the Great Trees.

Wherefore I weep, and hide my face in sorrow,

For the beauty of the Lost Garden,

And the vanished sweetness of the song of the Bird,

Who sang in the branches of the Tree of Life.

Have mercy upon me, O God,

And cleanse me from my sin.

The joy of our hearts is ceased,

Our dance is turned into mourning.

The crown is fallen from our head:

Woe unto us, that we have sinned!

For this our heart is faint,

For these things our eyes are dim.

Thou, O Heavenly Father, remainest forever,

'Ay throne from generation to generation.

Wherefore dost thou forget us for ever,

And forsake us so long time?

Turn thou us unto thee, O Lord,

Renew our days as of old.

Where there is no righteousness or compassion,

There wild beasts of the desert shall lie;

And their houses shall be full of doleful creatures.

And owls shall dwell there,

And satyrs shall dance there.

And the wild beasts shall cry in their desolate houses.

Wash me, O Lord, and I shall be whiter than snow.

Make me to hear joy and gladness;

Hide thy face from my sins,

And blot out all mine iniquities.

Create in me a clean heart, O God,'

And renew a right spirit within me.

Cast me not away from thy presence;

And take not thy holy spirit from me.

Restore unto me the joy of thy Infinite Garden,

And uphold me with thy Holy Angels.

Let me drive away all evil things

And all uncleanness,

From the fire, the water,

The earth, the trees,

From the faithful man and the faithful woman,

From the stars, the moon, the sun,

From the boundless Light,

And from all good things,

Made by thee, O Heavenly Father,

Whose offspring is the Holy Law.

By the rivers of Babylon,

7here we sat down, yea, we wept,

When we remembered Zion.

We hanged our harps upon the willows.

How shall we sing the Lord's song in a wicked land?

If I forget thee, O Jerusalem,

Let my right hand forget her cunning.

If I do not remember thee,

Let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth;

For Babylon is the slavery in the world,

And Zion is the freedom in the Brotherhood.

O Lord, to thee will I cry!

For the fire hath devoured the pastures of the wilderness,

And the flame hath burned All the trees of the field.

The beasts of the field cry also unto thee:

For the rivers Of waters are dried up,

And the fire hath devoured

Yle pastures of the wilderness.

Let all the inhabitants of the land tremble:

For the d'ay of the Lord cometh,

For it is nigh at hand;

A day of darkness and gloominess,

A day of clouds and of thick darkness,

A day when the earth shall quake,

And the heavens shall tremble.

The sun and the moon shall be dark,

And the stars shall withdraw their shining.

Out of the depths will we cry unto thee, O Lord!

Lord, hear thou our voices!

PROPHECIES

Hearken unto me, my people,

And give ear unto me!

Lift up thine eyes to the heavens,

And look upon the earth beneath:

For the heavens shall vanish away like smoke,

And the earth shall wax old like a garment,

And they that dwell therein

Shall die in like manner:

But my Kingdom shall be for ever,

And my Law shall not be abolished.

And in that day hell shall enlarge herself,

And open her mouth without measure:

And the glory, the pride and the pomp of the wicked

Shall descend into it.

And the mean man shall be brought down,

And the mighty man shall be humbled

As the fire devoureth the stubble,

And the flame consumeth the chaff;

So their root shall be as rottenness,

And their blossom shall go up as dust.

Because they have cast away

The Holy Law of the Heavenly Order,

And despised the word of the Children of Light.

And in that day, one will look unto the land

And behold only darkness and sorrow,

And the light in the heavens shall be darkened.

The leaders of the people shall cause them to err,

And they that are led of them shall be destroyed.

For every one is an hypocrite and an evil doer,

And every mouth speaketh folly.

Wickedness burneth as the fire:

It shall devour the briars and thorns.

It shall kindle in the thickets of the forest,

And shall mount up like the lifting up of smoke.

Through the wrath of the Law

Shall the land be darkened,

For this hath man wrought upon himself.

And the people shall be as the fuel of the fire:

No man shall spare his brother.

Woe unto them that have kept not the Holy Law!

Woe unto the crown of pride!

Woe unto those who lust after the things of the world,

And corrupt themselves with wrongdoing,

Who err in vision, and stumble in judgment:

For they are a rebellious people, a lying people,

People who will not hear the Law of the Lord:

Which say to the seers, see not,

And to the Prophets, prophesy not unto us right things,

But speak unto us smooth things, prophesy deceits.

Woe unto them that decree unrighteous decrees,

And that write grievousness which they have prescribed.

Woe unto them that join house to house,

that lay field to field,

Till there be no place that a man may be alone

In the midst of the earth!

Woe unto them that rise up early in the morning,

Not to commune with the Angels,

But to follow strong drink, and continue until night,

Till the fumes of the wine inflame them!

Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil,

That put darkness for light, and light for darkness.

Woe unto them

That turn aside the needy from judgment,

And take away the right from the poor,

That make of widows their prey, and rob the fatherless!

Wherefore it shall come to pass

That the hand of the Lord shall lop the bough

With the judgment of the Law,

And the high ones of stature shall be hewn down

And the haughty shall be humbled.

Howl ye, for the day of the Law is at hand;

It shall come as a destruction from the Almighty.

Therefore shall all hands be faint,

And every man's heart shall melt.

And they shall be afraid:

Pangs and sorrows shall take hold of them;

They shall be in pain as a woman that travaileth:

They shall be amazed one at another:

T'heir faces shall be as flames.

Behold, the day of the Lord cometh

Cruel both with wrath and fierce anger,

To lay the land desolate:

And he shall destroy the sinners thereof out of it.

It shall come to pass in that day,

That the Lord shall punish the host of the high ones,

And the kings of the earth upon the earth.

And they shall be gathered together,

As prisoners are gathered in the pit,

And shall be shut up in the prison.

And the Lord shall come forth out of his place,

And will come down,

And tread upon the high places of the earth.

And the mountains shall be molten under him,

And the valleys shall be cleft, as wax before the fire,

As the waters pour down a steep place.

Then the moon shall vanish, and the sun be obscured.

And the stars of heaven and the constellations thereof

Shall not give their light:

The sun shall be darkened in its going forth,

And the moon shall not cause her light to shine.

And the Lord will shake the heavens,

And the earth shall remove out of her place,

In the day of the wrath of the Law,

In the day of the fierce anger of the Lord.

And the shining cities shall be laid waste,

And wild beasts of the desert shall lie there;

The hay shall wither away, the grass shall fail,

And in all the earth there shall be no green thing.

In that day shall the strong cities

Be as a forsaken bough,

And a tempest of hail

Shall sweep away the refuge of lies,

And the angry waters

Shall overflow the hiding place of the -wicked.

And there shall be upon every high mountain,

And upon every high hill,

Rivers and streams Of waters

In the day of the great slaughter,

When the towers fall.

in that day shall the light of the moon

Be as the light of the sun,

And the light of the sun shall be sevenfold.

Behold, the name of the Law cometh from far,

Burning with hot anger,

And the burden thereof is heavy:

The lips of the Lord are full of indignation,

And his tongue is as a devouring fire.

He shall show the strength of his arm,

With the flame of consuming fire,

With scattering, and tempest, and hailstones.

The land shall be utterly emptied, and utterly spoiled,

For the sons of men have turned away from the Law.

The city of confusion is broken down:

Every house is shut up, that no man may come in.

There is a crying and wailing in the streets:

All joy is darkened, the mirth of the land is gone.

And it shall come to pass,

That he who fleeth from the noise of the fear

Shall fall into the pit;

And he that cometh up out of the midst of the pit

Shall be taken in the snare:

For the windows from on high are open,

And the foundations of the earth do shake.

The earth is utterly broken down,

The earth is clean dissolved, The earth is moved exceedingly.

Then the moon shall be confounded,

The sun shall be ashamed,

And the earth shall reel to and fro like a drunkard,

And shall fall, and shall not rise again.

And all the host of heaven shall be dissolved,

And the heavens shall be rolled together as a scroll:

And all their host shall fall down,

As the leaf falleth offfrom the vine,

And as a falling fig from the fig tree.

The waters shall fail from the sea,

And the rivers shall be wasted and dried up.

Streams Of water shall be turned into pitch,

And the dust thereof into brimstone,

And the land thereof shall become burning pitch.

And the smoke shall not be quenched by night or day,

And no man shall pass through it.

But the cormorant and the bittern

Shall possess the land;

The owl also and the raven shall dwell in it.

And there shall stretch out upon it

The line of confusion, and the stones of emptiness.

They shall call the nobles thereof to the kingdom,

But none shall be there,

And all her princes shall be nothing.

And thorns shall come up in her palaces,

Nettles and brambles in the fortresses thereof.,

And it shall be an habitation of dragons,

And a court for owls.

The ambassadors of peace shall weep bitterly,

And the highways shall lie waste.

The glory of the forests shall be consumed,

And the fruitful field;

Yea, the trees shall be so few,

That a child may count them.

Behold, the day shall come,

That all that is in the earth,

And all that which thy fathers have laid up in store,

Shall be carried up in smoke,

For ye have forgotten thy Heavenly Father

And thy Earthly Mother,

And ye have broken the Holy Law.

oh that thou wouldst rend the heavens,

That thou wouldst come down,

T'hat the mountains might flow down at thy prese

When thy hand showed forth the power of thy Law

Thou camest down in fury:

The mountains flowed down at thy presence,

And the melting fires bumed.

Behold thou art wroth, for we have sinned.

We are like the troubled sea, when it cannot rest,

Whose waters cast up mire and dirt.

We trust in vanity, and speak lies;

Our feet run to evil,

Wasting and destruction are in our paths.

We grope for the wall like the blind,

We stumble at noon day as in the night,

We are in desolate places as dead men.

But now, O Heavenly Father, thou art our father:

We are the clay, and thou our potter,

And we are all thy people.

Thy holy cities are a wilderness,

Thy forests are consumed,

All thy earth is a desolation.

Our holy and beautiful house

Where our fathers praised thee,

Is burned up with fire.

Even the ancient lore of our Father Enoch

Is trampled in the dust and ashes.

And I beheld the earth, and, lo,

It was without form, and void;

And the heavens, and they had no light.

I beheld the mountains, and, lo, they trembled,

And all the hills moved lightly.

I beheld, and, lo, there was no man,

And all the birds of the heavens

I beheld, and, lo, the fruitful place was a wilderness,

And all the cities thereof were broken down

At the presence of the Lord, and by his fierce anger.

For thus hath the Lord said,

The whole land shall be desolate;

Yet will I not make a full end.

Behold, the hand of the Law is not shortened,

That it cannot save;

Neither is the ear of the Law heavy,

That it cannot hear:

From out of the desert shall I bring forth a seed,

And the seed shall be planted

In the Garden of the Brotherhood,

And it shall flourish,

And the Children of Light shall cover the barren land

With tall grass and trees bearing fruit.

And they shall build the old waste places:

They shall repair the waste cities

The desolations of many generations.

They shall be called the repairers of the breach,

And the restorers of paths to dwell in.

They shall be a crown of glory on the head of the Lord

And a royal diadem in the hand of the Law.

The wilderness and the solitary place

Shall be glad for them,

And the desert shall rejoice, and blossom as the rose.

It shall blossom abundantly,

And rejoice even with joy and singing.

The eyes of the blind shall be opened,

And the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped

Then shall the lame man leap as an hart

And the tongue of the dumb shall sing

For in the wilderness shall waters break out,

And flowing streams in the desert.

And the parched ground shall become a pool,

And the thirsty land springs of water.

And an highway shall be there, and a way,

And it shall be called the Way of the Law:

The unclean shall not pass over it,

But it shall be for the Children of Light

To cross over the Eternal River unto the hidden place

Where standeth the Tree of Life.

And the children of men shall return to the earth,

And come unto the Infinite Garden

With songs and everlasting joy upon their heads:

They shall obtain joy and gladness,

And sorrow and sighing shall flee away,

And it shall come to pass in the last days,

That the mountain of the Lord's house

Shall be established in the top of the mountains,

And shall be exalted above the hills;

And all the sons of men of the earth shall flow unto it.

And many people shall go and say,

'Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord,

To the tabernacle of the Holy Law,

And the Holy Angels will teach us

of the ways of the Heavenly Father

And the Earthly Mother,

And we will walk in the paths of the righteous:

For out of the Garden of the Brotherhood

Shall go forth the Law,

And the word of the Lord from the Children of Light.

And the Lord shall judge among the nations,

And shall rebuke many people:

And they shall beat their swords into plowshares,

And their spears into pruninghooks:

Nation shall not lift up sword against nation,

Neither shall they learn war any more.

Hear the voices of the Brothers,

Which cry aloud in the wilderness:

Prepare ye the way of the Law!

Make straight in the desert a highway for our God!

Every valley shall be exalted,

And every mountain and hill shall be made low:

And the croz)ked shall be made straight,

And the rough places plain:

And the voice of the Heavenly Father shall be heard:

1, even I, am the Law; and beside me there is no other.

Yea, before the day was I am he:

And there is none that can deliver out of my hand.

Hearken unto me, O Children of Light!

I am he; I am the first, I also am the last.

Mine hand also hath laid the foundation of the earth,

And my right hand hath spanned the heavens.

Hearken unto me, O Children of Light!

Ye that know righteousness,

My children in whose hearts is my Law:

Ye shall go out with joy, and be led forth with peace:

The mountains and the hills

Shall break forth before you into singing,

And all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.

Arise, shine, O Children of Light!

For my Light is come upon thee,

And thou shalt make the Glory of the Law

To rise upon the new earth!

<< (The Essene Gospels of Peace Index)