March 8th, 2010
There has been more response to the Candle Flame entry than any other, so perhaps a bit more examination would be appropriate.
Another aspect to notice is that after studying the flame for several minutes, intently, and with minimal blinking, it will appear either in the mind’s eye or vividly against a white wall [look away from the candle in this last instant] in reversed colors. A yellow candle flame will appear blue-ish or purple-ish. You can test this with various other objects, as was done both in the Indian Tattwa meditations, and in the Golden Dawn practices. If you focus attention, as an example, on a red triangle, the afterimage on a white wall or in the mind, will be green.
The Golden Dawn and other groups made intense meditation diagrams using these complementary colors together. They referred to them as “flashing colors.” You can experience the intensity, for example, by drawing or printing a bright red triangle upon a bright deep green background. In using this object for visual meditative practice, the red triangle will jump out at you during the eyes open contemplation due to the maximal contrast between foreground and background. You can create any object at this intensity by using the exact complementary color as a background or foreground to the color of the object. This effect can be so jarring than many artists painting in a more subtle style will avoid the exact complementary color as being too bold.
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January 24th, 2010
J. DANIEL GUNTHER is a life-long student of esotericism, mythology, psychology and religion. For over thirty years he has been a member of A.’.A.’., the teaching Order established by Aleister Crowley. He is considered one of the foremost authorities on the doctrines of Thelema and the syncretic method of Magick and Mysticism taught by A.’.A.’. He is the author of the highly acclaimed Initiation in the Aeon of the Child, published by Ibis Press. Along with James Wasserman, he is the co-editor of the forthcoming book, Pythagoras, His Life and Teachings, which will be released in the Spring of 2010, also published by Ibis Press. He is on the editorial board of The Equinox, published by Weiser, and has served as consultant and advisor for numerous other publications in the field of occultism.
In the process of Initiation in the Aeon of the Child, it is the “Point of View” that is critical to the success of the aspirant. What is the “Right Perspective?”
What is the True Message of the Averse Mysteries of Horus, Child of the New Aeon?
J. Daniel Gunther examines this question with some of the most important Archetypes of Aversion that have sprang from the Collective Unconscious and the message they communicate to us concerning the Spiritual Life and our Point of View.
How does the System of Initiation in the Aeon of the Child promise such rewards for its aspirants in this incarnation? Why must you learn to walk upon your hands?
Join us March 27th, 2010 to hear J. Daniel Gunther answer these and other questions central to the Mysteries of the Inward Journey. He will complete his Lecture by a dramatic recitation from Liber VII.
“ This book is both enlightened and enlightening and a welcome addition to the post-Crowleyan literature. It is clearly deserving of a
place in a curricula of A.’.A.’., and O.T.O. and it deserves to be welcomed and studied carefully by Thelemites of all persuasions. ”
- Hymeneaus Beta, Frater Superior, Ordo Templi Orientis
“ In my opinion, this is the most important original work to be published since the death of Aleister Crowley. ”
-James Wasserman
Date: 27 March 2010 – 6 pm
$25 in advance via paypal/$30 at the door (but seating is limited)
Location:
Nevada State Museum, Las Vegas
700 Twin Lakes Drive
Las Vegas, Nevada 89107
Visit www.ahbh-oto.org to register
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December 22nd, 2009
This is a practice designed both as a meditative practice and as a means of further developing the faculty of concentration.
Place a lit candle at approximately eye level and darken the room appropriately. Find a comfortable position and focus complete concentration on the candle flame.
If you keep your eyes open, you mind observe a sensation of merging with the flame. If you close your eyes, focus upon the after-image in your mind and try to maintain that image as a visualization exercise.
After some practice with these basic exercises, you may wish to extend the visualization with eyes closed of the flame of light growing and encompassing your body. This can be imagined as purifying and as protective.
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October 31st, 2009
There are several generally recognized brainwave patterns within the brain which can be measured with EEG technologies. Each of these brainwaves seems to correlate with different experiential realities. Most people sleep through all of the brainwave patterns other than active Beta brainwaves, and thus rarely experience some of the expanded awareness available.
The Beta brainwave state is that involved with thinking, cognitive activity, work, driving and other goal focused activity. It is necessary and useful to technological progress, and general daily functioning.
Alpha brainwaves begin in the eyes-closed state, and become more coherent across the brain hemispheres in meditative practice. The Alpha state typically increases a sense of relaxation, and in the sleep-deprived western world, many will fall into sleep states rapidly.
Theta brainwaves are typically experienced in sleep, but as the meditator extends practice over time, theta level brainwaves can be experienced. When consciously aware during Theta state, the individual may experience ecstatic states, dream like visions, and some even out of body experiences.
Delta brainwaves are expressed in phases 3 and 4 of deep sleep, usually far outside of awareness. When the advanced meditator learns to remain conscious at this brainwave state, the experience is often of a pure empty void.
Part of the descriptions of spiritual progress described across cultures appears to correlate with the act of remaining conscious at slower brainwave frequencies. To a large degree this is what is found when studying long term meditators using concentrative methods, such as mantras.
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September 26th, 2009
To move away from breath based exercises for awhile: here is a meditation loosely based upon a meditation from the yogic traditions that has the potential of leading to rather profound results.
Take a few moments to relax and allow your breathing to become calm and regular, but don’t really focus upon it.
After you’ve allowed some space from the immediate concerns of life, focus upon your foot with as much mental clarity as possible, but certainly don’t allow frustration to develop over lack of absolute clarity. Once the idea of your foot occupies your mind, mentally say to yourself: “This foot is not me. If I was without this foot I would still be me. What then am I?” During the final part of this mental statement, imagine that your foot disappears. Repeat this sequence with each area of the body: the other foot, the calves, the thighs, etc., up to and including the head, face and brain.
What is “I” in absence of the brain. . . . . ?
What insights arise from this exercise after a few weeks of daily practice?
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July 27th, 2009
With this breathing pattern, you choose a particular count for each of the four phases of the breath. The number for your count must obviously be lower than the highest numbers in the threefold breath, as the period of time in complete exhale is usually not comfortable for as long as time spent in full inhale. This breathing pattern is quite relaxing and centering, in my experience.
Start with a reasonable count such as four or six: inhale to that count, hold the full inhale for that count, exhale to that count, hold the full exhale to that count. Slowly increase the number of the count as is comfortable for you. This is not a marathon, it should be relaxing and peaceful.
After daily practice for a few weeks, how does this compare to the other breathing patterns in terms of subjective experience during and after the practice?
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June 27th, 2009
The threefold breath adds a phase in that the peak of inhalation is held for a bit. Typically the pattern is to hold your breath four times longer than the inhalation, and to exhale for a time period double that of the inhalation. As an example, breath in to the count of 4, hold the breath for a count of 16, and exhale to the count of 8. If this is too difficult, then reduce the count of the inhalation, and then keep the ratios the same. Other examples could be 3:12:6, or later in the practice 5:20:10. Take it easy during practice: try to get full inhalation and full exhalation, but don’t strain, and don’t exhaust your muscles. It may take time to build this practice comfortably, and will certainly take weeks of practice to see results. You will likely feel warmer while doing this practice. Observe your experience during each phase, and monitor your impressions. Using a metronome may help the cycle be more regular.
More advanced versions of this practice include inhale through left nostril, exhale right, inhale right, exhale left as a single cycle. Start simply, though, and add these additional pieces slowly.
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May 26th, 2009
Back to breath for a few blog entries. Little is so primary to human life as the intake of breath to provide oxygen. The first breath exercise was to allow focus upon the breath without altering its natural flow. There are multiple breath meditations designed to utilize specific patterns of inhalation and exhalation to aid in the creation of meditative states of awareness.
This simple circular breath is perhaps one of the easiest of these methods, and one which we will build upon over the next few entries.
Sit down and allow thoughts of the day to fade. Observe the breath as it naturally flows for a few moments. Close your eyes.
When ready inhale slowly but comfortably. Make sure that first the abdomen expands, then the chest, then the tips of the shoulder. This full breath fills the entire lung space. Don’t neglect to expand the abdomen first. You will reverse this sequence for the exhalation and try to empty the lungs completely by pulling the abdomen in at the end of the exhale.
For this particular breath exercise, count the number of seconds of the inhalation, do not pause, immediately start the exhalation for exactly the same number of seconds as the inhalation. Again, do not pause at the end of exhalation, but start the next inhalation which should also last for the same number of seconds. The breath is similar to a large circle with the inhalation being half, and the exhalation being the other half, with no breath holds at any point. Always flowing.
How does this practice feel different from the earlier one? Do the results of practice differ?
Find a comfortable number of seconds for the inhalation/exhalation: don’t struggle or strain, and don’t slow the cycle to a point of feeling “air hunger.”
Posted in meditative practice, pranayama | 1 Comment »
April 26th, 2009
Over the course of time, sometimes months to years, meditative practice allows the diligent student the ability to remain consciously aware at different rates of brainwave activity than that of waking state [beta]. It has also been observed that various types of drumming, from tribal to raves, provide a rapid access to trance states based upon the rhythm combined with overpowering volume of sound. In some manner these sounds alter brainwave state through a process usually referred to as entrainment. Once a particular brainwave state is achieved in this manner, it becomes easier to access the state without necessarily having to use the technology again.
For the individual wishing to experience a more solitary experience of binaural beats than tribal drumming, there are several options, ranging from CDs to light-sound machines. Robert Monroe studied the ability of sounds provided at slightly different pitches to cause an entrainment of brainwaves which related to the difference between the sound frequencies in each ear. This technology is designed to entrain brainwaves to more rapidly move into the frequencies often associated with meditative experience: low alpha to mid-theta. Most studies have suggested that people do not become reliant on these methods to reach meditative states. Rather, the technology can help them reach the states initially, but is not required to return to those same brain states in the future.
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April 6th, 2009
The alchemical tradition from the Western perspective developed a philosophy and system of spiritual growth which was shrouded in symbolism. Part of the reason much of the material from that time was communicated in such symbolically dense terminology was the need to hide the true meaning from church authorities. The work of Carl Jung, M.D., in the early twentieth century led to the revitalization of much of the symbolism and artwork of the alchemists. His suggestion was that the alchemists were encoding deep psychological symbolism in the spiritual imagery.
Many of the diagrams and images developed by the alchemists showed mandala-like patterns that were quite similar in form to the Yantras from Eastern paths. These images tend to flood the mind with symbolic expression, such as the image of the Azoth shown below. It can be used as a focus of meditation, much like the Yantra image from an earlier post.
For a full description of the meaning of this image, please the excellent book by Dennis Hauck: “In Search of the Emerald Tablet,” which one of few introductory texts which actually makes the concepts of alchemy understandable to the interested reader.
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