“Old age is like love; it cannot be hidden, even when it disguises itself with youthful attire. The best thing about old age is that one is close to the goal. We arrive at a sublime old age by dissolving the psychological ego. Old age has a great sense of peace and freedom for those who have dissolved the ego (pride, anger, jealousy, laziness, envy, greed, lust, gluttony, etc.) A senior, gray-haired in wisdom, an elder in knowledge, a lord of love, becomes, in fact, a lighthouse who wisely guides the current of innumerable centuries.” - Samael Aun Weor
Today we are going to talk about one of the three factors-ego death or psychological death. We have discussed the Ego in other lectures.
“The Ego is the Legion, Satan, Red demons of Seth, psychological defects, aggregates, vices and errors.” - Samael Aun Weor
To find an elderly individual described up above is rare. To find anyone close to the goal would be marvelous. What is the goal? To reach absolute purification-To become 100% egoless, enlightened, awake, conscious, cognizant, and to know oneself, etc, etc.
“Man Know thyself and you shall know the Universe and the Gods.” - Oracle of Delphi
What do we discover when we study ourselves, and those around us? What do we discover when we look inside of ourselves? Do we find serenity? What are our afflictions? What happens in our dreams? What does the world outside of ourselves consist of? Do we find Elders who are “Lords of Love.” Do we find a humanity consisting of peace, love, compassion, honesty, trustworthiness, helpfulness, kindness, charity, righteousness, fortitude, selfless service, etc? What do we find?
Master Samael taught the following:
What we see outside of us is also within us. All the psychological issues and afflictions that we have within are creating a hell on earth. We find multiple levels of suffering everywhere. The Buddha taught us that “To exist is to suffer.”
How much we suffer depends on our psychological state of being. If we have anger, pride, lust, envy, vanity, gluttony, laziness, greed, etc, then we will continue to suffer and create suffering for others.
Master Samael taught the following:
“In order to end our suffering we need to cease being what we are,” and “When a human being admits that he has his consciousness asleep, you can be sure that he has already begun to awaken.”
How do we discover that we have our consciousness asleep? By studying ourselves from moment to moment, by being alert, cognizant and conscious of our three brains and five centers.
What are the three brains and five centers?
Three Brains
Intellectual brain, and center-located within the brain: processing of thought; reasoning, logic.
Emotional brain and center located in the solar plexus and in the specific nervous centers of the grand sympathetic nervous system: feelings.
Motor, instinctual, sexual brain and centers. Motor is the center of movement, located in the upper part of the dorsal spine: activities of movement, habits, actions of the physical body. Instinctual is located in the lower part of the dorsal spine: root impulses and functions of the organism that are not conscious: digestion, survival instinct, etc. Sexual center is located in the genital organs: creation, reproduction, growth, and much more.
"In general, all sicknesses are the outcome of the wrong use of the three brains." - Samael Aun Weor
The "I" (Ego) exercises control over the five inferior centers of the human machine. Whosoever wants to dissolve the "I" must study its functionalism within the five inferior centers. We must not condemn the defects; we must not justify them either. What is important is to comprehend them. It is urgent to comprehend the actions and reactions of the human machine. Each one of these five inferior centers has a whole set of extremely complicated actions and reactions. The "I" works with each one of these five inferior centers. Therefore, by deeply comprehending the whole mechanism of each one of these centers, we are on our way to dissolving the "I." - Samael Aun Weor
So, we begin to awaken our consciousness by comprehending that we have the consciousness asleep and then we begin to study ourselves by watching our thoughts, feelings and actions.
For example: we became angry; why did we become angry, where did this anger come from and how did it get there? So, we study the causes and effects of our anger and the how’s and why’s of our anger. How do we feel, think and act when we are angry? Do we suffer and do we create suffering for others?
We observe ourselves throughout the day and this is what’s called self-observation.
Samael Aun Weor taught the following:
“Self-observing, self-knowing, without forgetting our Self, is terribly difficult, but frightfully urgent in order to attain the awakening of the consciousness.”
Master Samael mentions that we need to not only self-observe but to also self-remember or inner-remember. What is it to remember oneself? Self-remembering is a process of conscious perception. It is to have internal awareness of our innermost being (monad, Chesed, spirit). It is the active awareness of the presence of our inner divinity. It is a state of being, active and aware. It is to be in the here and now, actively aware of our psychological and physical wellbeing. It is our connection with our Innermost Being. Our Being is with us, present at all times. Remembering ourselves becomes easier with experience. Through experience we obtain knowledge of ourselves and conscious experiential knowledge is what we call Gnosis. This kind of experience is beyond the five senses. To experience our inner Divinity is to have Gnosis of Divinity. If we study the Kabbalistic tree of life we will find that Chesed our Spirit is the 4th Sephiroth. Chesed-Atman is our own individual Spirit (Father who art in Heaven). When we become conscious of our inner divinity we can receive help, and guidance. Our Divine Mother is also part of our inner Divinity and she unfolds into many aspects.
Master Samael taught the following:
“Devi Kundalini, the Consecrated Queen of Shiva, our personal Divine Cosmic Individual Mother, assumes five transcendental mystic aspects in every creature, which we must enumerate: 1. The unmanifested Prakriti 2. The chaste Diana, Isis, Tonantzin, Maria or better said Ram-Io. 3. The terrible Hecate, Persephone, Coatlicue, queen of the infemos and death; terror of love and law 4. The special individual Mother Nature, creator and architect of our physical organism 5. The Elemental Enchantress to whom we owe every vital impulse, every instinct.”
So, our innermost Being consists of Atman, Buddhi, and Manas. Chesed, Geburah, and Tiphereth. Spirit, Divine Soul and the Human Soul. Our Being unfolds itself similarly to Shiva. Shiva-Binah the Holy Spirit unfolds itself into Shiva-Shakti. Shiva-Shakti are masculine and feminine principles.
The following was taught by an Elder Gnostic Instructor:
“Binah creates a masculine-feminine duality which provides the power of creation.”
The spirit, Atman is a masculine principle and Buddhi the Divine Soul is a feminine principle. Below are two images of the Gnostic Kabbalah Tree of Life.
Master Samael continues:
“The forgetfulness of our Self, the lack of remembering of our Self, is indeed the causa causorum of all human ignorance. To observe our own manner of speaking, laughing, walking, etc., without forgetting our Self, without loosing that awareness inside, is very difficult, and nevertheless basic, fundamental, in order to attain the awakening of the consciousness. The inner remembering of our Self is something more than analysis of oneself; it is a new state that is only known through direct experience.”
Why is it difficult to remember or observe ourselves?
Obviously, the essence, or consciousness, bottled up within each “I,” processes itself in accordance to its condition. - Samael Aun Weor
Samael also taught us that “97% of our consciousness is bottled up within the “I,” the “myself,” the “ego.” So, if 97% of our essence-consciousness is trapped in desire, pride, lust, greed, etc, then that means we only have a small amount of free consciousness to work with. Now we can comprehend why it is difficult to self-observe and self-remember.
Samael continues:
Every human being has had some of those moments, those states of inner remembering of the Self, perhaps at a moment of infinite terror, perhaps in childhood or during some journey, when we exclaimed, “And what am I doing here? Why am I here?” The observation of our Self accompanied simultaneously by the inner remembering of our “I” is terribly difficult, and nevertheless indispensable in order to really know ourselves. During meditation, the pluralized “I” is always doing the opposite. When we try to comprehend lust, our ego enjoys fornication. When we try to comprehend anger, in any of the forty-nine subconscious departments of Yaldabaoth it thunders and flashes. When we want to reduce covetousness to dust, the ego covets to not be covetous. Inner remembering of one’s Self is to become exactly aware of all those subconscious processes of “the self-willed,” the ego, the pluralized “I.”
We need to comprehend that we created the ego and that the ego is our shadow self, our false self, that we created from our desire. If we created the ego, can we uncreate the ego? Yes, but we cannot do it alone.
Samael taught us that “we need a superior power.” “We need to invoke our Divine Mother.” “Our Divine Mother Kundalini is the one who reduces our psychological defects to cosmic dust.”
We study ourselves by self-observing, self-remembering and we also need to take our studies further. We need to meditate.
Meditation
Samael taught the following:
“Meditation is how we come to know that which is truth.” The great Kabir Jesus said: “Know the truth and the truth shall set you free.” - John 8:32
Samael taught:
“With the technique of meditation what we are looking for is information. With a microscope we can see the life of microbes, bacteria, cells, microorganisms, etc. Any telescope can give us information about the celestial bodies, planets, meteorites, stars, etc. But meditation goes beyond and would permit us to know the Truth from something so small to something as grand as the Sun, the truth of an atom or a constellation. Before anything we have to know how to meditate, we have to learn the correct technique. For a correct meditation we can take a seat in a comfortable chair, with arms and legs relaxed, without tension in our muscles; or if you wish, you can lie down and take the position of the five pointed star (hands and legs open to each side) with one’s head toward the north. Remember, you can take any form or position you like or the most comfortable for you.”
Through the processes of meditation we study our egos. Mediation is how we comprehend ourselves better and better, deeper and deeper. We are taught that our own individual Divine Mother cannot reduce any psychological defect without first comprehending it in all the levels of the mind. So, through the processes of self-observation, self-remembering we discover our egos, we discover what is pulling our strings or what is motivating us to do any given thing. Then we need to meditate on the aggregate so that we can comprehend the discovered psychological defect. In order to comprehend a defect we need to thoroughly meditate on it, to watch it, and study it without becoming identified with it. Meaning, we observe impartially, without being swept away by emotions and thoughts.
In synthesis, the purpose of meditation is to acquire comprehension, and knowledge of oneself, so that we can become better human beings.
Samael said the following:
“While trying to comprehend any kind of psychological defect in depth, we have to be honest with ourselves. Unfortunately, Pilate, the demon of the mind, always washes his hands, is never guilty, never recognizes his errors... We must recognize our own mistakes without self-justification, without excuses, and without any kind of evasion. Intimate self-exploration is certainly something to be taken very seriously. The ego is, in reality, is a book of many volumes. Instead of paying homage to the execrable demon Algol, it is better to drink the wine of meditation in the cup of perfect concentration... Full attention towards whatever we are interested in—natural and spontaneous, without artificialities—is truly perfect concentration. If we really want to dissolve the pluralized “I,” then it is both essential and imperative to live from instant to instant in a state of alert perception, alert novelty, like the watchman in time of war. In human interrelations, in coexistence with our fellow human beings, there are infinite possibilities of self-discovery. It is well known that in these interrelations the multiple defects we carry hidden in the unknown depths of the subconsciousness always emerge naturally, spontaneously, and if we are vigilant, we see and discover them. However, it is obvious that self-vigilance must always proceed from moment to moment. A discovered psychological defect must be completely comprehended in the various recesses of the mind. In-depth comprehension is impossible without the practice of meditation. Any intimate defect is multi-faceted and has diverse links and roots which have to be studied judiciously. When there is complete comprehension of the defect that we sincerely want to eliminate, self-revelation is possible. When comprehension is total, new self-determination springs from the consciousness. Superlative analysis is useful if it is combined with deep meditation; then the flame of comprehension appears. If we know how to take maximum advantage of the worst adversities, the dissolution of all those psychic aggregates that constitute the ego is hastened. Difficult psychological gymnasiums in the home, on the street, or at work always offer the best opportunities. To covet virtues is absurd. It is better to make radical changes. Control of intimate defects is superficial and condemned to failure. Deep change is fundamental and it is possible only by wholly comprehending every mistake. By eliminating the psychic aggregates that constitute the “me, myself,” the “I,” we establish adequate foundations for correct action in our consciousness. Superficial changes serve no purpose. We urgently need, without postponement, in-depth change. Comprehension is the first step, elimination the second.”
So first we comprehend and then Our Divine Mother eliminates.
Samael taught the following:
“Inside each one of the varied, argumentative, loudmouthed egos which personify our psychological errors, there is substance, spiritual Essence. Just as when the atom is split, it liberates energy, so the total disintegration of any of the various internal egos liberates Essence, light... We must then make light, create light... Comprehension is basic in transcendental psychology, but it is obviously not all; we need to eliminate. The key is in Devi Kundalini, the igneous serpent of our magic powers. It is impossible to eliminate the devil “I’s” (psychological defects) without the aid of Devi Kundalini (Divine Mother). Plead with all the force of your soul, implore your Divine Mother Kundalini to eliminate the devil “I” from your interior. I am referring to the psychological defect that through profound meditation you have understood in all levels of the mind. That is how we die from moment to moment.”
Samael taught that in order for our Divine Mother to eliminate egos we need to comprehend them and we also need to transmute our sexual energy. Our own Individual Divine Mother utilizes our transmuted sexual energy to reduce psychological defects to cosmic dust. Most of us squander our energies by indulging in sexual degeneration (orgasm), pornography, etc. If we waste our sexual energy with what energy will she utilize? The transmuted sexual energy is the only energy our Divine Mother uses in order to reduce egos to dust.
Now let’s talk a little bit about:
Transmutation
Samael taught the following:
“Medieval alchemists saw VITRIOL in the Sperm. The word Vitriol is an acrostic derived from the phrase “Visita Interiora Terrae, Rectificando Invenies Occultum Lapidem” ("Visit the interior of the earth, which by rectifying you will find the Occult Stone"). But to what Stone were medieval alchemists referring? The famous Philosopher’s Stone. That Stone has to be manufactured; undoubtedly, there are formulas to manufacture it. Certainly those formulas lie in us being able to transmute the “Sexual Libido;” that is, to transform the sperm into energy. If with the Ens Seminis we can give life to a child, if with the Ens Seminis we can reproduce the species, if with the Ens Seminis we can fill a world with millions of beings; then - even if it might seem impossible - it is certainly true that with the Ens Seminis (the Entity of the Semen) we can give life to ourselves and become authentic Super-Men or Super-Women, in the full sense of the word. Speaking from a strictly scientific point of view, we should say that when the sacred sperm is not ejaculated it becomes what is called a “node” (nodes are energy - trascendent electricity). That sexual energy rises then through specific ultra-sensible channels of the spinal column (which are related to the Vagus and the Sympathetic nervous systems) up to the brain. That energy makes the brain dynamic and develops and dillutes itself in the cerebral mass, opening up with its force the power that lies in the psyche. Through transmutation of the “sexual libido” we certainly achieve what some have called “to cerebrate the semen and seminate the brain.” It is necessary to “seminate the brain,” because it is well-known by men of science that not all the areas in the brain are presently working.It is now known in medicine that only a minimal part of our brain is working, carrying out its functions. Unquestionably, we have many areas of the brain that are inactive. If with the little part of the brain that is active we have managed to produce atomic rockets that travel to the moon and the atomic bomb (with which cities like Hiroshima and Nagasaki were destroyed), and if we have created supersonic airplanes that travel at an extraordinary speed, what would it be like if we regenerated the brain, if we should put all the parts of the brain into activity, if the whole of the encephalic mass worked? Then we could transform the world, change it, make it a marvellous place... But we need to regenerate it. We need to “seminate” it: “to cerebrate the semen and seminate the brain,” that is the key.”
Now let’s discuss two types of transmutation:
1. Pranayama
Pranayama is an exercise that we can utilize in order to transmute our sexual energy.
"Pranayama is a system of sexual transmutation for single persons." Samael Aun Weor
2. Sahaja Maithuna (sexual magic) is another form of sexual transmutation and is utilized by married couples.
An Elder Gnostic instructor taught that the Sahaja Maithuna is “A reference to superior sexuality in which the orgasm is abandoned and lust is replaced by love.”
With pranayama we are taught that single men and women can reduce 50% of the ego and with sexual magic we can eliminate the ego completely. We can eventually reduce our egos 100% by performing Sexual magic without orgasm (white tantra) throughout our life with our spouse. Samael Aun Weor taught that the elimination of the ego can be accomplished in one lifetime but it may take multiple lifetimes for many of us.
Master Samael taught the following:
“Yoga signifies “union with God.” No one can achieve the union with the Beloved One unless the Kundalini has previously been awakened. No living being can awaken the positive powers of Kundalini unless supreme chastity has been reached. It is indispensable that we wash our feet with the waters of renunciation.”
Master Jesus taught us the following:
Strive to enter in at the straight gate, for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able. - Luke 13:24
Master Samael goes on to say:
“It is urgent to know that the straight, narrow, and difficult door is sex. We departed from Eden through the door of sex, and only through this door may we re-enter into Eden. Eden is sex itself. No one can enter Eden through false doors. We must enter through the doors from which we departed. This is the law.”
So again, we need to self-observe, self-remember, meditate and transmute. Now Let’s discuss a few more important factors.
Chastity
The following quote is from an elder Gnostic Instructor:
“True chastity is a rejection of impure sexuality. True chastity is pure sexuality, or the activity of sex in harmony with our true nature, as explained in the secret doctrine. Properly used, the word chastity refers to sexual fidelity or honor.”
While we are single, we avoid sexual contact, we learn to control our sexual energy and we perform pranayama exercises in order to transmute and eliminate egos. When we get married, we begin to practice sexual magic with our spouse and continue to work on controlling our sexual energy by utilizing mantras, meditation, prayer and in turn eliminate more of our aggregates. While we are performing this great work non of it will amount to much if we are not chaste.
Being chaste is not only physical/external but also internal. Being chaste also has to do with thoughts and our experiences within the internal worlds.
Samael taught us that we can be chaste in the physical world but still be fornicators and adulterers within the internal worlds. Within our sub-consciousness are egos of lust and when we are submitted to ordeals in the internal worlds we fail tests that pertain to lust, fornication, adultery, etc.
The Master Aberamentho (Jesus) taught the following:
You see, we not only abuse the creative force externally but also internally. Jesus is describing to his disciples that we commit adultery not only physically, but also emotionally and mentally.
“Wherefore I say unto you, All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men: but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men.” - Matthew 12:31
Whether physically, emotionally or mentally we sin against the Holy Spirit when we utilize the sexual force to commit acts of adultery, and fornication. When we act out the lustful scene in our minds, our thoughts of lust create thought formations (aggregates, psychological defects, errors) that live within our interior. The self-created errors are what we seek to comprehend and what we beg our Divine Mother to destroy. We cease creating them by adopting a chaste life style, working to control our energies, transforming our moment to moment impressions, adopting upright ethical discipline and renunciation.
Let us now discuss:
Transforming impressions
Samael taught the following:
"Transformation signifies that one thing changes into something else. It is logical that everything is susceptible to change. In Gnosis, we consider the human being to be like a factory with three floors that normally absorbs three types of nourishment.Common nourishment, which is a matter related to the stomach, is the first type, which corresponds to the inferior floor of the factory. Naturally, air is related with the second floor and this second type of nourishment corresponds to the lungs. Indubitably, impressions are associated with the third floor or the third type of nourishment and this corresponds to the brain. The fermentations of nature vary because of the action of the solar light. Unquestionably, the sensitive film of life (which normally extends over the face of the Earth) conducts every universal force towards the very interior of the planetary world. Therefore, each plant, each insect, each creature, and the intellectual animal himself (who is mistakenly called human) unconsciously absorb, assimilate, specific cosmic energies, which are then transformed and transmitted towards the interior layers of the planetary organism. Such transformed energies are intimately related with the whole economy of the planetary organism in which we live. Indubitably, every creature (according to its species) transforms specific energies that are then transmitted into the interior of the Earth for the economy of the world. Therefore, each creature that is in existence fulfills the same function. To transform our impressions would be magnificent. However, the majority of people, as they are seen in the field of practical life, believe that this physical world will give them what they yearn for and seek. Indeed, this is a tremendous error, because life in itself enters within us, into our organism, in the form of mere impressions. Therefore, the first thing that we must comprehend is the significance of the esoteric work that is intimately related with the world of impressions. Do we really need to transform our impressions? Truthfully, we do! This is true because one cannot really transform ones own life unless one transforms the impressions that reach the mind. If we see a person who pleases or displeases us, the first thing that we obtain from that person’s character are his pleasant or unpleasant impressions, isn’t that true? This we cannot deny.Therefore, life reaches us in the form of impressions. How could we achieve a psychological transformation on ourselves? We do it by performing a psychological work upon the impressions that we are receiving at each instant, at each moment. We need to transform ourselves internally each day. When we want to transform our psychological aspect, we need to work upon the impressions that enter into us. The work, for instance, on negative emotions, on angry states, on identification, on self-consideration, on the successive “I’s,” on lying, on self-justification, on excuses, on the unconscious states in which we are in, is all related with the transformation of impressions and what results from it all. Normally, or better said supra-normally, the transformed impressions themselves would lead you to a better life, depending naturally on how concerned you are with this work. Thus, the impressions would no longer act upon you as they did at the beginning of your own transformation. But as long as you continue thinking in the same way, that is, receiving life in the same manner, it is clear that there will be no change in yourself. To transform the impressions of life is to transform oneself. This totally new manner of thinking helps us to carry out such a transformation. This entire dissertation is exclusively based on the radical manner of transforming oneself. Thus, if one does not transform oneself, nothing is achieved.You will comprehend, indeed, that life demands from us a continuous reaction towards it. Thus, all of these reactions form our personal life. Therefore, to change one’s life is to really change one’s own reactions towards it. Exterior life reaches us as mere impressions that incessantly force us to react, we would say, in a stereotypical way. If the reactions that form our personal life are all of a negative type, then our own life will be negative as well. Life consists of a successive series of negative reactions that happen as incessant responses towards the impressions that reach the mind. Therefore, our task consists of transforming the impressions of life in such a manner that they do not provoke this type of negative response. However in order to achieve this, it is necessary to observe oneself from instant to instant, from moment to moment. Therefore, it is urgent to study one’s own impressions. If one manages to transform the impressions that reach one’s mind at the moment of entry, then one obtains marvelous results that benefit one’s existence. Normally people act and react in response to the impacts coming from the outer world. Compare this to the example of a lake in which we throw a stone; we see how the stone produces rings that spread from the center to the edge of the lake. This is the reaction of the water to the impact coming from the stone (external world). Something similar happens to the mind and feelings. If someone hurts us with words, the impact of the word reaches the intellectual center or the thought center and then the person reacts in a violent way; if someone offends our senses, we feel annoyed and possibly react in a brutal way. In every circumstance of life the mind and feelings take an active part reacting consecutively (in response to the external stimulus). A better response would be not to give any opportunity to the mind or feelings; it is urgent to develop a tranquil, quiet mind. This of course bothers the “mentalists” everywhere. The idea of a quiet mind is opposed to all those who say that “in the mind is the power” and that “man must be a king who commands and dominates with his powerful mind.” They are sophisms of the mentalists, like those who say, “He who learns to manage his mind is sure to triumph like the arrow of the old archer.” Finally, at the very end, they are nothing more than sophisms extracted from those intellectual fantasies which have no esoteric form. To negate thinking—this horrifies the mind positivists, but nevertheless the negated form of the mind is the most eloquent; not thinking is the most elevated way of thinking. When the thinking process of the mind is over, the new way arrives; this is what you need to understand. A calm mind that is at the service of one’s real Being results in an efficient instrument, because the mind is made to be receptive, to serve as a receptive instrument, not as an active instrument. The mind itself is feminine and all the centers should work harmoniously in accordance with the universal symphony of passive serenity. In these conditions we should not permit the mind to project; we need a tranquil mind to put to the service of the different circumstances of our existence. Until a short time ago, I myself thought that emotions or sentiments came from the real Being, but with investigation and experience I have come to verify that they pertain to the ego and that they are intimately related to the inferior emotional center. The therapy we need to know profoundly in order to avoid any interior unbalance that can cause outer repercussions is that which will not permit the mind any kind of reaction. If someone hurts us, we must not permit the mind to react. Wish that there will always be someone who can hurt us in our feelings daily, so that we can in that way train our mind better to be passive. The more insults we receive, the better for our training, because we will have more opportunities to stop the reaction of the mind and feelings so that they do not intervene in any circumstance of our lives. Of course, the passive state of mind, emotions and personality demands a tremendous activity in the consciousness; this shows us that the more active the consciousness, the better for reaching its awakening, because that way the consciousness has to inevitably awaken, being in perpetual activity. Just now, Buddha Gautama Shakyamuni came to my mind. On a certain occasion, the great Buddha was sitting under a tree in profound meditation when a man arrived and began to insult the Buddha, trying to hurt him with his words. After a while, the Buddha opened his eyes and asked the man, “If someone brings you a gift and you do not accept the gift, to whom does this gift belong?” The man answered, “To the one who brought it, of course.” Then the Buddha said, “My brother, take your gift; I cannot accept it,” and continued to meditate. There is a beautiful, sublime lesson. Buddha did not permit his mind or sentiments to react under any circumstances because he was living fully awakened in his consciousness; there was no outer reaction. That is the way we should behave, dear disciples. The school is everywhere; we have to take advantage of it and learn wisely. We have it in our houses, our offices, the shops, or factories, in the street... everywhere, even in the temple, with our fellow students, our children, father, wife, nephews, grandsons, cousins, friends, etc. All are psychological gymnasiums. As hard as it will be, as difficult as it looks to us, it is indispensable for all of us. The secret is not to allow our mind and feelings to intervene in the practical daily activities of our lives. We should allow the consciousness to be the one who commands, directs and works, the one who talks and executes all one’s daily activities. That way we prepare harmoniously for meditation.”
Samael mentions the consciousness! What is the consciousness?
Samael taught the following:
“The consciousness is the Essence, the buddhata, that embryo of soul which every creature carries within.”
An elder Gnostic instructor said the following:
“Consciousness is the foundation of perception and understanding. Consciousness is the basis upon which we evolve or devolve. Our improvement or degeneration is marked by the state or level of our consciousness.”
Example of transforming an impression:
We are with friends and one of our friends picks a fight with someone. The friend of ours punches the other person in the face. If we are not cognizant and conscious of ourselves we may feel that what’s happening is ok, that violence is normal. We may have a thought that entires the mind saying, “that was a great punch,” then because our consciousness was asleep and we didn’t transform the impression we end up creating aggregates, egos of violence and justification. We end up creating errors internally that justify violence and ones that applaud it as well. But we could transform those impressions if we are alert, conscious, and cognizant of ourselves during those moments of violence. But in order to do that we need an ethical foundation.
Now this brings us to our next topic:
Ethics
Now we are going to talk a little bit about ethics. Ethics will help us with self-observation, self-remembering, meditation, transforming impressions, renunciation, etc. Ethics are laws of nature! We have been taught that Religions originally emerged from consciousness of ethical laws. If we study any great religion we will find that the foundation of any religion is based upon ethics. For example: the Ten Commandments are ethical laws. So if we want to change our lives, comprehend ourselves, etc, we need ethical discipline. We need ethics-the laws of nature to become a part of our daily lives.
Sivananda taught the following:
"Concentration without purity of mind is of no avail. There are some occultists who have concentration but they do not have good character. That is the reason why they do not make any progress."
How will we be able to meditate if we do not have ethical discipline? How can we achieve a higher level of being if we spend all of our time wasting our sexual, mental, physical and emotional energies on addictions to pornography, violence, drugs, alcohol, gossip, anger, pride, greed, vanity, envy, etc, etc? We cannot reach a higher level of being that way, because our egotistical desires will keep us from being able to meditate and grow. We will not be able to transform our anger into compassion, pride into humility, lust into chastity, envy into happiness for others, hatred into love, etc, etc. We will not be able to comprehend our psychological defects if we continue to feed them. Instead, they will grow stronger and stronger.
The Great Master Jesus said:
“Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses.” 1 Timothy 6:12
and
37 “You shall love THE LORD JEHOVAH your God from all your heart and from all your soul and from all your power and from all your mind.” 38“This is the great and the first commandment.” 39“And the second which is like it is, 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' 40On these two commands depend all The Written Law and The Prophets.” - Mathew 22
So, if we do not have ethics we may be able to develop some concentration skills and meditate to a certain degree but as long as we indulge in behaviors that are harmful to ourselves and others we will end up hitting a road block so to speak. Our mind will continue to be in egotistical chaos. When we try to mediate our minds, our thoughts, will surge like a hurricane and if we want to calm the storm we need to renounce harmful actions, develop ethical discipline and comprehend the storm. We need to work on not creating more ego. We need to find balance. If we are a beginner we start discovering our psychological defects, and little by little we renounce the actions that feed them. We created them through ignorance, harmful actions, the abuse of energies and now we have to renounce the activities that created them.
For example: pornography, when we are tempted to indulge in that behavior we self-observe, self-remember and when we have time, we meditate on the defect that tempted us. In this way we continue to work on ourselves. We begin to comprehend what is impure and what is pure. We renounce impure actions. The Buddha taught us that we need to watch our speech, mind, and body. These three also represent our thoughts, emotions and actions. If we do not have an ethical foundation then through these three we end up wasting a lot of energy and in turn create more problems for ourselves and others. When we study ourselves we discover that we are wasting our energy all day long with harmful activities and we also waste our energies while the physical body sleeps because we indulge in impure thoughts, feelings and actions that have created “I’s,” within our interior. These egos continue to act out their desires while the physical body rests. When we discover the truth of this, we can begin to renounce those behaviors. We need to pay attention to what we consume mentally, physically and emotionally. When we discover that killing, stealing, lying, sexual misconduct, alcohol, drugs, selfishness are all harmful to us and others and we truly take the time to self-observe, self-remember, meditate, transform impressions, renounce harmful activities and continue to develop ethical discipline,. Little by little we change our psychological well-being and not only help ourselves but also help those around us. If we can do this, if we can put one foot in front of the other, working on ourselves from moment to moment, then perhaps one day we may become as Master Samael Aun Weor described:
“A senior, gray-haired in wisdom, an elder in knowledge, a lord of love, becomes, in fact, a lighthouse who wisely guides the current of innumerable centuries.”
You can find books by Samael Aun Weor on the Glorian.org website.
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