As Above so Below, Part II – CREDO XL

   
I sometimes wonder about the insubstantiality of the material world, as put forth both by Shakespeare and the Buddhists. As I have quoted before, Shakespeare wrote in The Tempest:

Our revels now are ended. These our actors,
As I foretold you, were all spirits, and
Are melted into air, into thin air;
And, like the baseless fabric of this vision,
The cloud-capped towers, the gorgeous palaces,
The solemn temples, the great globe itself,
Yea, all which it inherit, shall dissolve;
And, like this insubstantial pageant faded,
Leave not a rack behind. We are such stuff
As dreams are made on, and our little life
Is rounded with a sleep. (IV.i.148–158)

What if ego consciousness is locked into a certain level of perceiving “reality” like a radio tuned into AM and some of us are able to switch to FM or even UHF? The raising of wavelengths would alter our perceptions. Television offers us different channels ... Thus the reality that what incarnate humanity perceives might be only a fraction of reality itself. There could be a universe within the bubble of a single atom or another surrounding a distant star. This might explain the “reality” of elementals and wee folk at one level or angels at another. It also might explain the gifts of true psychics and the “reality” of discarnate spirits. Jesus’ saying “In my Father’s house are many mansions” to me equals many “bubbles,” one symbolically surrounding another. There is a hint of this in The Beejum Book, I realize, but I am only beginning to grasp the concept.

I remember both my Teacher, M, and Edinger saying that if you are giving a lecture and only one person understands you, you have not spoken in vain, and how do you know there might not be a “crowd of witnesses” surrounding you unseen. I am not suggesting that you accept any of this, but just consider the possibilities.

The authors of popular books on atheism at the moment seem to make the error of being convinced that the brain is responsible for creating everything, which is only half right, as if the broadcast is responsible for the content! That seems to me fairly obvious.

Communication is ruled by Mercury, whose Greek name is Hermes. This personification is the passe-partout god who is gifted with three symbolic things: a helmet that renders him invisible and wings on his feet. These represent the invisibility and speed of our thoughts. The third item is the caduceus, the staff that holds two serpents crisscrossing up it and topped with the wings of a dove. At present, Mercury seems to be delivering flowers for florists, but he is also associated with the medical profession and pharmacies.

Esoterically, the caduceus is also found in the chakras and explains the dilemma of levels. If you have a discussion A to B on the same level it is understandable, but when one person is considering it from a higher level, problems inevitably arise.

  B   !  A+
    X
  A   !   B

For me, this demonstrates the wisdom of the Teachers in all faiths of teaching through natural examples, parables, or the collective unconscious, handing down universal truths embedded in myths or fairy tales. For example, the Hindu saying:

Two birds sit in a tree. One eats the fruit and the other one watches.

From a Jungian perspective, the ego eats the fruit of experience but the Self, (dwelling in the unconscious) observes, until summoned, to yield insight. It is the inspiration perhaps for Hermann Hesse’s novel Narcissus and Goldmund. Two student friends decide on different lives; one goes out into the world, the other enters a monastery, but they vow to meet again in old age and compare notes, and they do. Symbolically, they represent the extrovert/introvert paradox.

For Christians, the same idea is more elaborately illustrated by the story of the Prodigal Son (ego) and his loving return through the humility of kenosis to the loving arms of the Father (Self or even Divine Guest, the Christ Within).

In the Old Testament of Judaism, we learn of the incredible experiences of David, who is perhaps the first human being depicted with all his faults, all his virtues and creative gifts and historic accomplishments! He represents the emergence of a conscious ego during the Age of Aries (circa 2000–0 B.C.). His name means Beloved. He had many failings, which were balanced by courage (Goliath), creativity (the beautiful Psalms), and historic accomplishment (becoming king and founding Jerusalem). He was also the father of Solomon. No wonder Christians traced the ancestry of Jesus (through Joseph!) to his line. I urge you to reread his life and read it symbolically, as well.

M-L von Franz explained that the monks of old would take a quotation from the Bible and meditate upon it on four levels: earth/sensation; water/emotion; air/intellect; fire/action. Many of us do not realize that the four creatures in the Old Testament vision of Ezekiel are mirrored in the four symbols of the four Gospels of the New Testament, which are also the four elements and the four fixed signs of the zodiac!

The Lion of “St Mark” (Leo) relates the actions of Jesus. Fire.

The Man of “St, Matthew” (Aquarius) relates the teachings of Jesus. Air.

The Ox of “St. Luke” (Taurus) relates the human story of Jesus. Earth.

The Eagle of “St. John” (Scorpio) relates the mysteries of Jesus. Water.

The great modern Greek writer Kazantzakis wrote this in one of his novels.

He looked at the almond tree and said, “Speak to me of God,” and the tree blossomed.

I leave this lovely one for you to think of four ways,

lovingly,
ao