Serpents of Wisdom
Part 3

13

Meditation on God’s works elevates the Spirit; and meditation on the divine principles of Light, Life and Love, says the Master,

“will carry you through life; no matter how hard it may seem at times. You will find that your problems will be solved, difficulties will melt away and help will come to you from the most unexpected quarters.”

He goes on to say that:

“In this way we prepare ourselves to do the work of the Masters. For if we are to work for and with them and eventually become Masters ourselves, we must be ready in every way in health, clean and sane thinking, charity and love to all. If we are not so prepared we are useless and need help instead of offering it freely to others.”

It is always wise to meditate on familiar and beautiful things; to lose oneself in Nature; in noble and lofty thoughts; in gratefulness to God, and to encourage Peace within ourselves.

To meditate on a foreign term, of which the Aspirant has no deep and real understanding, is of little value and it may even cause inaction, which in turn halts spiritual growth. A good example of this, is the word OM. We have all heard of it, over and over and over again. But how many know the real meaning of this term? Try asking the majority of its venerators and you will invariably get some nebulous answer about the Jewel in the Lotus.

All this sounds very beautiful, but what does the Jewel in the Lotus serve as a symbol for? Here is where most of those who have been intoning or meditating on this word, will give you a blank stare. They can usually tell you that the word is from Sanskrit and give you a kinder-garten style explanation they learnt from some modern guru, but that, coupled with the fact that they can even write the word in Sanskrit characters, does not constitute a true understanding.

Let us listen to the Master’s words on this matter:

“A-UM MANI PADME HUM, is everlastingly intoned both in Tibet and elsewhere. The real purpose of it is to attain a pure state of meditation by successively closing all the gates to the various worlds of illusion. A-um (or OM, as it is wrongly spelled and pronounced), is used to shut out the illusion of the Heavenly world; Ma - the world of Spirits; Ni - the earthly human world; Pad - the animal world; Me - the world of tantalized specters or elementaries or elementals; Hum - the nether world or Hell.

 

The only trouble is, that the mere mumbling of this phrase is entirely useless, and the devotee should meditate on the purpose of each syllable for a considerable time, so that he actually succeeds in the closing of all those gates - and the way to Truth opens. Moreover, these words should be meditated upon - not spoken.”

 

A-um is the sacred syllable, the triple-lettered unit; the Trinity in one. In the Katha Upanishad it says that A-um is the word that the Vedas glorify. This word is the everlasting Brahman; the highest End. When this sacred word is known, all longings are fulfilled; supreme salvation is yours and you will be considered great in heaven of Brahman. This obviously does not mean that it is enough to know the word A-um or Om superficially. To know a few letters or characters strung together, Sanskrit or not, holds no magic or enlightenment in itself, but it does as a sacred symbol.”

Simplicity is to be desired in our Quest for Truth, but to hang the Sanskrit characters A-U-M on a chain around your neck, without knowing why, is the wrong kind of simplicity: the kind which will not open the gates to the Heaven of Brahman, but may instead leave you wandering helplessly about in the Astral Realms of Illusion; or perhaps in the Tibetan Realm of the Densely-Packed, until the time comes for another re-incarnation on Earth.

14

Another, far more dangerous practice, popularized by the fashionable New Age gurus, is the raising of the Kundalini, the serpent-power situated at the base of the spine. It is not something the uninitiated should meddle with, because, if not properly controlled, it can lead to insanity and obsessions of the basest kind. Any Aspirant would be well advised to steer absolutely clear of all popular theories on the awakening of the Chakras until he can be instructed by an Adept in their uses.

There is not a single book to be bought that can instruct one correctly and safely on this matter; for the truth about the Chakras has never been freely given out to the masses, any more than has other esoteric teachings.

The Master says:

“It is only by intelligent and expert manipulation of Natural and Universal Principles that any spiritual or material results can be achieved. Such knowledge can only be attained under the wise guidance of masterly men who know the Laws underlying such Principles. Such Teachers are found mostly in the Great Mystic and Occult Schools or Orders of which there are still a few in the present world.

 

“But let all beware of the little cliques, circles and furtive ‘meetings’ of self-proclaimed ‘masters’, who have neither authority, training or knowledge, except the cunning to fleece the aspirant who is misled by their bombastic claims.”

The Occult Orders of which the Master speaks in the first paragraph, are not generally known to the public, but are the secret orders which exist today, as they always existed in the past. These Orders are as well hidden as the First Matter of the Alchemists; the profane and vulgar come into contact with their members regularly, but because the sight of the masses has been sealed, they do not recognize them and pass by blindly.

“For God has blinded their minds and made gross their senses, and left them to carry on their experiments with all manner of false substances. Nor do they seem able to perceive their error, or to be roused from their idle imaginations by persistent failure.”

Fulcanelli states that:

“No one may aspire to possess the Great Secret, if he does not direct his life in accordance with the researches he has undertaken.

“It is not enough to be studious, active and persevering, if one has no firm principles, no solid basis, if immoderate enthusiasm blinds one to reason, if pride overrules judgment, if greed expands before the prospect of a golden future.”

Further on, in his concluding remarks of the book ‘Le Mystere des Cathedrales’ he says:

“The mysterious science requires great precision, accuracy and perspicacity in observing the facts, a healthy, logical and reflective mind, a lively but not over-excitable imagination, a warm and pure heart.

 

It also demands the greatest simplicity and complete indifference with regard to theories, systems and hypotheses, which are generally accepted without question on the testimony of books or the reputation of their authors.

 

It requires its candidates to learn to think more with their own brains and less with those of others.

Finally, it insists that they should check the truth of its principles, the knowledge of its doctrine and the practice of its operations from nature, the mother of us all.”

I am aware that Fulcanelli was referring to Alchemy in this instance, but the same philosophy holds good for all areas of study.

It says in the Divine Pymander that ‘there can be no religion more true and just, than to know things as they are’. This should be the aim of the Disciple on the Path; for that way lies Power, Freedom and Peace.


15

This above all, to thine own self be true;
And it must follow, as night the day,
Thou canst not then be false to any man.
Shakespeare

This does not mean, as some may think, the same as Alistair Crowley’s ‘Do what thou wilt’, which implies free license without regard of principles and the rights of other people.

That kind of behaviour belongs to the egoist, ruled by the lower mind, who feels no duty to his fellow man nor his own Higher Mind. These are the strong in evil, who, because of their strength, often rule and tyrannize their victims - the masses who obey them out of spinelessness and fear.

The main bulk of humanity are made out of cowardly clay and the tyrant finds little resistance when he wants to leave his heel print, for most people will let him in order to save their own skins.

Hitler made the comment that : “It is good for rulers that people do not think”, and the majority of rulers do what they will because the ignorant dolts that go to make up the masses supports and assists them. We have all seen humanity, with their arms in the air, cheering and approving of tyrants and debauched elected leaders. These images that should drive home to us the profound stupidity of the average man, but it does not, for the masses of the world have learnt nothing and are still just as easily swayed by these reprobates. After their heroes fall, they make dog-eared excuses and slink away to glorify some other malefactor.

And eventually some mealy-mouthed spinner of yarns, also known as an historian, will turn the hate-filled little tyrants into heroes; and with the same pen-stroke with which they elevated the mass murderer Alexander into “The Great”, they will no doubt prompt our depraved modern leaders into a variety of mighty and omnipotent heroes.

The wise man, filled with a high sense of duty and justice, may do anything he wants to do. He is free to be true to himself and need not be controlled by earthly law, for he behaves with common sense (which is not as common as one may think), and is a man of principle and honour.

This rare person, in his wisdom, is not influenced by the customs, opinions and dogmas of an area or era, for he knows that these things vary from country to country, religion to religion, person to person, time to time, and therefore cannot be true. A wise man acts on, and honours, only the Truth from his own Soul, which he receives via his own awakened Higher Mind.

In ‘The Book of Truth’ it says:

“Tear yourself away from the dogmas of your so-called religious sects, for I (Osiris) say unto you that those who order their laws have never yet approached into the presence of things spiritual. Nay, all is pomp and ceremony, but the true light of the spirit is lacking. I say unto you that all this vanity must pass, or else will you yourselves pass at the day when the marriage feast of God the Son is ordained to take place.”

Being true to oneself is only possible for a person who is filled with true morals, as opposed to the morals of churchianity. Guilt, repentance and gnashing of teeth, as a result of ones’ actions, will be a thing of the past, for actions will be based on Wisdom and words will be words of Truth; duties will be performed willingly and cheerfully, in the knowledge that one is in the Service of the Masters. Truth will shine in the Disciple’s heart like a brilliant beacon, and it will guide and comfort him and benefit all those who come into contact with him, whether they know it or not.

This is the only way to the Masters. The Way of Service. Remember I said Service - not lip-service or self-service.
If this is not mysterious or glamorous enough for you, then go chant some Tibetan mantras, or channel some red Indian spirit- guide, until the dreaded Karma slaps you round the ears.

16

Good Karma - bad Karma; we have all heard of it unfortunately - but what is it? You will find the origins of it in an old Hindu manuscript called ‘The Laws of Manu’, chapter xii, titled Transmigration. It teaches that he who steals, shall pass a thousand times through the bodies of spiders, snakes and lizards. A drunkard shall be reborn as a small or a large insect. A man who steals grain, shall spend his next life on earth as a rat; one who steals honey incarnates as a stinging insect; one who steals meat - a vulture; one who steals gems will come back as a goldsmith, and so on and so forth.

It would be interesting to see what would be the fate of one who steals grain, meat and gems, and who also had the misfortune of being a drunkard. Would he come back as a bit of this and a bit of that? Similar to a patch work quilt? Who knows the mysterious laws of Karma?

I hesitate to think what would happen to me if I killed a spider inhabited by a wretched thief. Would I reincarnate as a thief perhaps? Then, because I was a thief, would I have to be reborn as a spider? The plot thickens and so does my confusion. Forgive me all you Karmic emanations who actually live by this - I jest but not too irreverently.

Catholics have lived under the same yoke also, although they call it by a different name - a more familiar name, perhaps? and that name is GUILT. Guilt leads to fear, fear leads to cruelty, cruelty leads to cowardice, and cowardice leads to inaction, which is the enemy of spiritual growth.

Karma is also reminiscent of revenge, and you would be excused for thinking that the revengeful god of Moses had a hand in the creation of karmic laws.

To persons, armed with precious common sense, it would be unthinkable that an all-wise, all-powerful and loving God would resort to a noxious and hard-hearted failing like revenge. To even think it is blasphemy.

Karma is the vicious circle of ‘an eye for an eye’, and was no doubt thought up by some paltry Hindu ascetic who wanted everybody to be as miserable as he was himself.

Blavatsky says, talking on the great antiquity of ‘The Laws of Manu’ :

“The Laws of Manu is the abridgement of the laws, compiled and arranged by later Brahmans to serve as an Authority for their ambitious projects, and with the idea of creating for themselves a rule of domination.”

She goes on:

“The Brahmans have undeniably remodeled these traditions at some distant period, and made many of the actual laws, as they now stand in the Code of Manu, to answer their ambitious views.”

And what better way to enslave people than through guilt and fear? In this way are the Holy Teachings manipulated, then as now, and there are few, if any, that have not been tampered with in some way. Crafty and power-hungry priests have always seen fit to interject fire and brimstone into the original teachings of the Great Messengers, in order to keep the flock in line.
Just because a document or a teaching is ancient, does not mean that it is necessarily sacred. There were just as many scoundrels back in the days of yore, for it is true that human nature does not change much. Let us therefore always use common sense when we examine any works, ancient or modern.

The Master says that:

“Karma - like everything else - is the realization of a state of consciousness which has no connection whatever with actuality. I hope I shall not shock you all thoroughly when I say that there is no such thing as Karma. I do not believe in it, any more than I believe in the bogy of sin, as such.”

A life spent in the getting of knowledge, will eventually (and hopefully) lead to an increase in wisdom. Good intentions followed by action will not be annulled, karmic-style, just because we happen to make a mistake. It is from those very mistakes that we should learn to do better next time. The Lords of Life have infinite patience with erring humanity. They know that the school of life is hard, but they also know that a person is given infinity in which to perfect themselves.

To think the Lords of Life will take revenge if you put a foot wrong, is a hellish idea, and one you would be wise to throw in the trash-can along with all other garbage some people would have you believe. Most of it is created by the authors of such drivel, out of their need to gain power over people, or just simply to earn a fast buck. Protect yourself from these irritating spiritual pygmies by developing a healthy dose of skepticism.

Those who think that skepticism goes hand in hand with doubt, would be wrong, for, as Sainte-Beuve said:

“A skeptic is not one who doubts but one who examines.”

I urge all honest Seekers to examine carefully all spiritual meals put in front of them. Only when you are convinced that the food is not spoiled or poisoned should you eat and digest it.

Take the advice of St. Paul who told us to prove all things; and only hold fast to that which is good.

17

How will we know what is good? For a start, we should learn to tell the difference between evil teachings designed to rob us of our freedom (as for example Karma), and the good philosophy that will free us from the bonds of slavery.

Secondly, we should look for simplicity. There are some Students of the Mysteries who seem to imagine that the more obscure the phraseology, the wiser the writer or philosopher. And, as the Adept who wrote ‘The New Chemical Light’ says:

“Their interpreters and commentators are more hopelessly unintelligible even than their writers whom they take it upon themselves to explain; their exposition is more difficult than the text.”

After we have waded through hundreds, or perhaps thousands, of these volumes, we will have given our intellect some added muscle, but intellect alone will not lead us to the Hidden Treasure. But let not the diligent and God-fearing enquirer despair. If he seek the inspiration of God he will most surely find it. This knowledge is more easily obtained of God than of men.

Rest assured then, gentle Reader, that He will grant this boon to you, if you wait upon Him day by day with earnest prayer, and in the power of a holy and loving life. He will throw open to you the portals of Nature; and you will be amazed at the simplicity of her operations. Know for certain that Nature is wonderfully simple; and that the characteristic mark of a childlike simplicity is stamped upon all that is true and noble in Nature. If you would imitate Nature, you should take her simplicity for your model.

Once we have learnt to attune with all that is good and true, we will draw the real Teachers and Masters to us, and according to Helvetius in ‘The Golden Calf’:

“Blessed is he to whom some Adept graciously flings wide the
gates of knowledge, and to whom the golden road of the King
is thus manifested!“

We will possess true Wisdom when we learn to esteem things according to their value, and not according to the esteem of men. This is not easy to do for a beginner whose path is beset with difficulties and pestilent delusions, fed to them by charlatans who put on airs of profundity and learning; putting the Occult Teachings into utter disrepute with their quackery.

The next time you listen to some self-proclaimed teacher of the mystical arts (and I don’t care if this person is famous, infamous, or just a ‘local’ with mouth-diarrhea and a Messiah-complex), listen carefully to what is being said, and then test it just as carefully. Train yourself to guard against catching every diseased opinion of every current epidemic brought into our midst by the latest New Age comet. Ask awkward questions if you must; ask on whose authority he or she is speaking, and then measure the answer against common sense.

Do not be awestruck or intimidated by high-flown speech, exotic-sounding phrases, or a lot of gibberish about ‘unknown qualities’, for many there are who will pepper their speech in order to impress you with their ‘knowledge’. Similar tactics are often put into practice by the used-car salesman when he wants to sell you a worthless rust heap covered in a new and shiny coat of paint.

However, these occult miscreants and their mongrel teachings exist for the simple reason that there is a demand for them. These morons make their living out of idiots, and in a way, they deserve each other.

In my time, and in different countries, I have ‘sat in’ on many talks, and I have met many ‘Initiates’ (of their own imaginations mostly) through the years, but I must admit I have been left totally disillusioned by the majority. Some were unblushing and unrepentant liars; some wise in their own conceit, and others were rabid as a result of having been bitten by hallucination.

I have met ‘reincarnations’ of Ramses, Merlin, Pythagoras, and Plato, all stripped of their former grandeur, and sadly devolved both intellectually and spiritually into something reminiscent of what the dog dragged in.

I have also met a peculiar person who claimed he channeled Horus. Strange, because even though he had such a wise and Holy Being on ‘the other end of the line’, he failed to ask Him wise questions, and I might add, the answers were as dim as the medium, causing me to suspect that the poor man mistook his own shadow for Horus. This was probably just as well, since the Light of Horus would certainly have overpowered and blinded the poor wretch in his present state.

And, of course, since nobody wants to be outdone by all this psychic power, or to be thought of as unblessed or unchosen, we witness women of a certain age tell stories of Masters materializing at night in the ladies’ bedrooms. Ya Allah!! Let us all hope, for the Masters’ sakes, that these women were decently attired in long flannelette nightgowns for the duration of the visits.

These impostors are unaware of the fact that there are, at times, true Initiates in their midst, capable of seeing right through their dark deceptions and into their very souls.

As Levi says:

“How pitiable are men in their ignorance, but how they would despise themselves if they only came to know.”

There really is no substitute for the True Master. He will not try to impress you with the rather childish and crass fish-tales of the pretenders. He does not need to, for the true Universal Laws in his possession far excels the fantasies of the wind-bags in both wonder and beauty.

If we want fairy tales, I suggest we turn to Grimm or H.C. Anderson, for they were at least honest and never claimed that their stories were anything but fiction.

18

Which will you choose? The Master or the charlatan? Let us listen to the advice of the Master:

“Man is free to choose both good and evil, and is rewarded according to his choice. He is himself to blame for all the grief and sorrow which is his self-engendered lot; for he has, perhaps, in willful ignorance and faulty trust, cohered with evil men, being fascinated by their glamour, his lower self in full attunement with their sin, thinking it good in his blindness and lack of true perception.

 

Or, being wholly good himself, he may in his innocence have credited the evil man with good intentions, whilst the opposite was true.”

A large number of Students of the Mysteries, abandon the Divine Principles for the accomplishment of private ends. very often their aim is to be admired or liked by the crowd, preferring to please them rather than the Higher Powers.

These are the ‘good sports’ whose ambition it seems, is to be sickeningly agreeable to one and all, and they are too busy ‘bagging’ approving slaps on the back, to really care what is being handed out as a teaching within their circle.

These are the leeches - uninterested in, and incapable of - independent thought, and who look to any self-proclaimed prophet, sect or religion for teachings they can repeat parrot-fashion.

These good folks can be ‘led by the nose’ by any beguiler with enough cunning to take charge.

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