Meditative Gnosis: A Guide To Inner Knowing

Gnosis is a term used in chaos magic to refer to an altered state of consciousness where the mind is focused on a single point, thought, or goal, and all other thoughts are excluded. This state is said to be necessary for performing magic, as it allows one to bypass the filter of the conscious mind. Achieving gnosis through meditation can take years of training, but there are other methods such as sexual practices, sensory deprivation, or the use of drugs.

Gnostic meditation is a practice with roots in various religions and mystical traditions, including Buddhism, Hinduism, and Sufism. It involves a combination of relaxation, concentration, and visualisation techniques to achieve serenity and gain insight into the root causes of suffering.

Some specific techniques used in gnostic meditation include:

- Relaxing the body and becoming aware of the physical self, including the heartbeat and breath.

- Vocalising specific mantras or vowels, such as O or I.

- Visualising specific images, such as a candle flame or an apple, to focus the attention.

- Observing and controlling one's thoughts and feelings, without judgement.

- Practicing mindfulness and awareness of the present moment.

- Using pranayama, or breath control, techniques.

- Following a specific diet and meditation schedule.

The purpose of meditation: receiving information about oneself, the universe, and the divine

The purpose of meditation is to receive information about oneself, the universe, and the divine. It is a method for developing serenity and insight into the root causes of suffering, and thereby transforming one's life. This teaching is universal to all religions and mystical traditions.

Gnosis, or the gnostic state, refers to an altered state of consciousness in which a person's mind is focused on a single point, thought, or goal, and all other thoughts are excluded. This state is used to bypass the "filter" of the conscious mind, which is thought to be necessary for working magic.

Genuine meditation begins with discipline and ethical principles: kindness, patience, mercy, compassion, and restraint of the mind's tendencies towards negative behaviours. Through cultivating spiritual values, one develops peace, harmony, and equanimity. By reflecting on the causes of suffering, one can change it and produce the ability to investigate and gather internal information through silence and contemplation.

Meditation practices may include relaxation, control of respiration, exercises to relax and develop mental force, and practices to observe and increase self-awareness. It is recommended to meditate at 10:00 pm nightly and at dawn, and to create a clean, quiet, well-ventilated space to do so. One should sit in a relaxed posture and focus on their breathing, becoming aware of their physical body.

Meditation can also involve vocalising mantras, such as the vowel "O" to imagine a warm light in one's heart, or visualising objects such as a candle flame, a plant, or an apple, to develop concentration.

The foundation of genuine meditation: discipline and ethical principles

Genuine meditation is rooted in discipline and ethical principles. It begins with cultivating spiritual values such as kindness, patience, mercy, and compassion, while restraining the mind's tendencies towards negative behaviours. This spiritual cultivation leads to the development of peace, harmony, and equanimity within oneself.

The key to successful meditation lies in meditative reflection, or "fikrat" in Sufi terminology. Through this practice, one can behold the invisible realm of the spirit. It involves keeping watch over one's thoughts and contemplating God within one's heart. This contemplation is a form of worship that leads to exaltation and divine guidance in one's outward deeds.

Ethical behaviour and discipline are essential for spiritual growth and the attainment of genuine meditation. By reflecting on the causes of our suffering, we can bring about change and transform our lives. This process of introspection and contemplation is a universal teaching found in various religious and mystical traditions, including Buddhism, Sufism, Hinduism, and the Gnostic tradition.

The Gnostic tradition, founded by Samael Aun Weor, emphasises the importance of knowledge and being in harmony to produce comprehension. It involves studying the essential principles of various religions and drinking the "wine of gnosis" from different spiritual traditions without adulterating the core teachings.

Meditation is not merely a technique but a state of consciousness. It requires a balance of study and practice, or method and wisdom, as referred to in Buddhism. By studying and applying the principles of meditation, such as serenity, concentration, faith, and ethical behaviour, one can achieve re-unification with their inner God.

The Sufi text, "Al-Risalah: Principles of Sufism" by Al-Qushayri, provides a rich understanding of the fundamentals of Sufism and gnosis. It highlights the importance of comparing derivative principles, such as ethical behaviour and codes of conduct, with their original sources to ensure purity and integrity in one's practice.

The path of meditation is a journey towards self-realisation and the annihilation of the ego. It requires dedication, patience, and a willingness to confront and eliminate one's defects and negative internal states. Through ethical conduct and the development of virtues, one can obtain liberation and genuine contentment.

In conclusion, the foundation of genuine meditation lies in discipline and ethical principles. It involves studying and applying universal teachings, cultivating spiritual values, and reflecting on one's thoughts and actions. By doing so, one can attain a state of serenity, concentration, and insight, leading to spiritual understanding and transformation.

The eightfold path of Yoga as taught by Patanjali

The Eightfold Path of Yoga, also known as the Ashtanga Yoga System or the Eight Limbs of Yoga, is a set of prescriptions for a morally disciplined and purposeful life. It is a path to liberation, or moksha, meaning freedom from the cycle of birth and death.

The Eight Limbs of Yoga are:

• Yama: moral rules or disciplines outlining behaviours to abstain from, such as injury to others, untruthfulness, stealing, incontinence, and covetousness.
• Niyama: spiritual qualities, positive duties, or observances to be cultivated, including purity of body and mind, contentment, self-discipline, self-study, and devotion to God and guru.
• Asana: right posture, specifically the seat one would take for the practice of meditation, which should be steady and comfortable.
• Pranayama: control of prana, the subtle life currents or breath in the body.
• Pratyahara: interiorization of consciousness through the withdrawal of the senses from external objects.
• Dharana: focused concentration; holding the mind to one thought or object.
• Dhyana: meditation, absorption in the vast perception of God in one of His infinite aspects, such as Bliss, Peace, Cosmic Light, Cosmic Sound, Love, or Wisdom.
• Samadhi: superconscious experience of union of the individualized soul with the Cosmic Spirit, or enlightenment.

The three fundamental stages of initiation: imagination, inspiration, and intuition

The three fundamental stages of initiation are Imagination, Inspiration, and Intuition. Each stage is a path that one must walk to attain Supra-Consciousness and become a true clairvoyant.

Imagination

The first step to attaining Imaginative Knowledge is to learn how to concentrate and meditate. One must focus on a single object, such as a plant, and meditate on its form, structure, perfume, and colour. One must meditate on the internal constitution of the plant, its protoplasm, membrane, and nucleus. The disciple must imagine the four fundamental elements of the protoplasm of the vegetable cell: carbon, oxygen, hydrogen, and nitrogen. They must also imagine the membrane, a substance known as cellulose, and the nucleus, which contains the nuclear filament, nuclear juice, and nucleolus.

The disciple must meditate on the perfection of the plant and its scientific processes, feeling mystical beatitude and enchantment. They must recall the phenomena of nutrition, relation, and reproduction of each plant cell. They must also meditate on the sexual organs of the plant, the pollen, and the pistil, or gynecium.

Through this meditation, the disciple will attain Imaginative Knowledge. They will move in the world of symbolic images, seeing symbols that they do not yet understand.

Inspiration

The second step is Inspired Knowledge, which confers the power to interpret the symbols of Great Nature. Inspired Knowledge allows one to understand that all phenomena and objects in Nature are intimately and organically linked to each other. It is a higher stage of knowledge than Imagination, as one learns more about the beings of the world of soul-and-spirit.

To attain Inspired Knowledge, one must concentrate profoundly on music. Through music, one can elevate themselves to the Superior Worlds.

Intuition

The third step is Intuitive Knowledge. The World of Intuition is the World of Mathematics, and to elevate oneself to this world, one must be mathematical or have a notion of arithmetic. One must concentrate on a mathematical formula and meditate on it, emptying their mind and waiting for their Internal Being to teach them the concept enclosed in the formula.

Through Intuitive Knowledge, one can enter the Amphitheatre of Cosmic Science, where one can see the Great Cosmic Theatre and witness the Drama of Life. In this world, all drama is reduced to tremendous arithmetical operations.

One who has ascended these three steps of Direct Knowledge has attained Supra-Consciousness and converted themselves into a true illuminated clairvoyant.

The nine fundamental stages for arriving at a calm, balanced, and serene mind

Tibetan Buddhism outlines nine fundamental stages for achieving a calm, balanced, and serene mind, known as Shamatha or Calm Abiding. This state of concentration is marked by perfect equanimity and the ability to maintain it effortlessly. The following is a description of each of the nine stages in the path to concentration, from a wild and chaotic mind to one that is perfectly under control.

Relaxation

The first step is to relax the physical body completely, from the toes to the crown of the head. This can be done seated or lying down. One technique is to visualise the body parts relaxing one by one, starting from the feet and moving upwards.

Control of Respiration

The student should focus on their breathing, becoming aware of their physical body. They should exhale, retain their breath, and inhale at a consistent rate. This exercise should be repeated as many times as needed until the body is totally relaxed.

Exercise to Relax

This stage involves imagining that the feet are subtle and that a group of dwarves is escaping from them. The same exercise is then performed for the calves, knees, thighs, sexual organs, abdomen, heart, throat, face, and head, visualising the muscles becoming flexible and elastic as the dwarves leave.

Mental Force Exercise

Hang a silk thread with a needle at the end from the ceiling and concentrate on moving the needle with the power of thought. Mental waves, when developed, can move objects. Work on this exercise for ten minutes daily.

Practice to Observe

The student should relax deeply and become aware of themselves. They should try to see themselves as separate from their body and thoughts, as if they are merely an actor on a stage.

Weekly Practice

The student should make a clean, quiet, well-ventilated place to sit in complete relaxation with a straight back. They should take a few moments to ensure they are relaxed and take note of their psychological mood. They should then vocalise the vowel "O" and imagine a warm light glowing in their heart, relaxing deeper and deeper and allowing the sound to penetrate their entire being.

Preliminary Concentration Experiment 1: The Candle Practice

The student should place a candle in front of them and, keeping their eyes open, become aware of the muscles in their body, relaxing them one by one. They should then place their attention on the candle flame and maintain complete concentration on it for ten to fifteen minutes.

Weekly Practice

The student should relax their three brains (physical, emotional, and intellectual) and vocalise the vowels "O" and "I" while visualising a warm flame in their heart and a gathering of energy in their forehead. They should then pray and observe a plant or tree with complete attention, studying it so they can recall all the details in their imagination.

Retrospection Meditation

This final stage involves perceiving, understanding, and eliminating the causes of suffering. The student should review, study, and transform internal psychological conditions through meditation, experiencing genuine liberation and the blessings of divinity.

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