STAGE 4 MEDITATION – FIRE
The Holy Tabernacle in the Light World
THE KNOWLEDGE & LIVING SYMBOLISM OF STAGE 4
The path of initiation lies between substantial matter and insubstantial spirit. The spiritual transformation of our being and soul began in the dark primal instincts, impulses, and cravings of the animal body in Stage 1. The elemental components of earth, water, air and fire, of which the physical body is comprised, is the same substantial nature-matter as the material world around us. If one were to delve into the arcane mysteries of life, it would be discovered that all of elemental nature is simply an extension of the primordial, archetypal, Adamic nature-body God created in the beginning. The mineral kingdom (bones), the vegetable kingdom (vital system), and the animal kingdom (physical body) all originate from the primordial Adamic body; and not the other way around.
The invisible or insubstantial life force/spiritual light which animates our physical form and the world around us comes from the breath of life and the divine spark of light which was breathed into the nostrils of Adam. We live, move, and have our being in the mind, life, light and breath of our Father in Heaven. From the Father we have received intelligence, life force, breath and spirit. The physical body would be a lifeless carcass if it were not for the breath of life within it; the breath of life is seamlessly interwoven with the spark of light God placed in our soul; that spark of light came from the Divine Being of our Creator.
On the path of spiritual initiation, we begin in the substantial elemental body in Stage 1 and move upward to the less substantial in Stage 2, where the invisible matrixes of our bodies exist in the invisible watery substance of the Form World (diagram below). The fluidity of the form world is where dark desires, impulses, and urges we have created intermingle and linger in the contaminated waters of the lower psychic mind below the diaphragm. The ego-mind is stimulated and captivated by these psychic energies and the psychic soul is contaminated by them. The focus of Stage 2 is purifying and cleansing the soul in order for it to be free from the dark and negative forces of the world. When the “infected” psychic soul is purified and free of these dark energies, only then can it rise above the diaphragm into the less substantial consciousness of the rarified, spiritual energies in the higher psychic of Stage 3 meditation.
In the Stage 3 heart center, the less substantial becomes transformed into the insubstantial. In this play on words, this simply means our soul has been resurrected from the elemental nature-body and the psychic nature of the body-mind, and it is further purified as it enters into the Holy Fire and spiritual light of the Christ Spirit in the Sacred Heart. Like the symbolism of the Phoenix rising from the ashes, the remaining imperfections and willfulness of the ego-personality will be evaporated in this Holy Fire; this is not symbolic, but a reality one will welcome into their life experience. When the meditation in the Sacred Heart reaches its fullness, one is literally born into the Kingdom of Heaven in this world; this is the fulfillment of Christ’s teachings. This is what He meant when He said we must die and be reborn.
“Ignore & disengage from the “chattering” ego-mind and focus on the silent presence of your
unique individuality in the center of your being. This will reveal your true Self-Identity.”
It is in Stage 3, after one’s conscious self has been cleansed, centered, and focused, that the purified soul watches and waits in the Sacred Heart to be drawn into the Holy of Holies in the center of the brain. This is the Holy Tabernacle within the primordial Adamic body, our body, where the sanctified soul and spirit prepares to receive the presence of God, the Father. It is here where the Divine Anointing will take place when the redeemed and holy soul experiences its own perfect beingness in the stillness of the Light world; then it will know the Father’s presence and experience its oneness with God. “Be still and know I AM God.”
All of the time, effort, discipline, and sacrifice one exerts on this path of transformation is, in part, to fulfill the two commandments Jesus gave us. And Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” (Matthew 22: 37-40) At present, who among us could stand before the Father and with a clear conscience say, “I have fulfilled these two commandments.” The purified soul who has arisen from the fire of the Sacred Heart into the Holy Tabernacle might be able to say this.
The Ascending Path
The first 3 stages of meditation are all focused on the transformation of the personal self. Stage 1 is about purifying and subduing the energies of the animal nature, gathering and focusing the vital energies of the body, and purifying these vital energies until they are clear enough to perceive and connect with the lower psychic nature. Stage 2 begins in the lower psychic; it focuses on recognizing and redeeming the personal unconscious, the shadow-self, as well as purifying and transforming the waters of the lower psychic. We purify the lower psychic energies in the meditation state to clear and soothe the chattering-mind and slow it down, thus gaining control of it.
This work continues until the lower psychic is adequately purified and our center of awareness can rise above the diaphragm into the higher psychic, the First Heaven. This is where we experience the unencumbered Life of our “pure thoughts and higher sensibilities” as well as the pure feelings in the higher psychic above the diaphragm. In this sublime and transcendent state we seek and discover the virtues, character attributes, compassion, goodness, inspiration, selfless love, and humility within our being and soul.
We gradually and patiently awaken and clarify our realization of the higher psychic energies until we are drawn to the Sacred Heart center where we complete Stage 3 Meditation. The work in Stage 3 is also about stopping the chattering-mind, transforming any remaining impurities of the conscious self, perceiving union rather than duality, and preparing to embrace the spiritual heart center. It is here that we learn to utilize the Will to complete the transformation of the personal ego-self into selflessness; selflessness in the Sacred Heart is the Second Heaven.
Stage 4 Meditation takes place in the Light World (see diagram above). In this diagram, the first 3 stages of transformation and meditation take place in the Physical World, the Form World, and the Life World. In our body, the Form World and the Life World are separated by the diaphragm which is identical to the separation of the waters from the waters as explained in Genesis 1:6-10 and in Stage 3. The first 3 stages are about personal transformation, meditation and breathing.
Stage 4 is not about personal transformation; it is about totally “letting go” (mentally & emotionally detaching) of the ego-self as a result of experiencing Self-Realization and understanding what it is to JUST BE. Stage 4 is about the relationship between the Sacred Heart and the spiritual centers in the brain (pineal, pituitary) which are synchronistically intertwined. According to an old mystical saying, “There are 7 hearts in the brain and 7 brains in the heart.” For those who seek this higher knowledge, these energies seamlessly integrate the Christ Spirit with the Knowing Self.
Stage 4 Christ Meditation is an initiatory path of transformation and transcendence for those who want to receive and know the presence of the Heavenly Father and the Divine Mother within the spiritual Self. The archetypal Adamic body and the Christian initiations are the same for everyone, but the experiences are different for each individual based on life experiences, past deeds, future destiny, and character. The same holds true for the spiritual insights and guidance each person receives as the Light World is opened to one’s consciousness.
This obviously takes considerable meditation practice in the light, life and love of Christ to purify one’s consciousness in the Sacred Heart and to perceive the Spirit. Sanctification in the heart is the process for realizing selflessness and purity so we can let go of the influence the body and mind has over us. We must let the body/body-mind’s influence over us die, so we can be reborn and free. When the lower psychic energies are properly purified and the higher psychic is stabilized and focused by the Will, one can receive illuminating guidance from the Knowing Self. This guidance will include relevant insights for further progress, spiritual inspiration, intuitive knowing, and gifts of the Spirit. This is the preparation one must have in order to ascend into the Divine Presence in Stage 4 Meditation.
Stage 4 Meditation
In order to experience the Light world, all the accomplishments from the preceding stages of meditation come into play, especially focused-breathing. Speaking from personal experience, one can focus attention into the center of the head and still not be in the correct conscious state; what I refer to as the “Holy of Holies” where I had my first, albeit, brief encounter with the Presence of the Father. This experience has nothing to do with imagination or positive thinking; it is a real encounter with Divine Presence which requires selfless beingness, clarity, and stillness.
When beginning a Stage 4 meditation session, start with focused-breathing as described in Stage 1. This breathing movement should mimic diaphragmatic breathing where the lungs push the diaphragm downward. Keep the stomach muscles tight until the breath is full. As it approaches fullness, feel the breath-energy moving up the central channel of the body touching each chakra as it moves to the top of the head; make sure the chakras are in a vertical alignment. As the breath reaches the crown, let the vital-energy shower down the front of the torso through the vagus nerve to the lower abdomen; and begin a new breath.
When the breathing is smooth and relaxed, focus on the Sacred Heart center and be still in timelessness and selflessness. To perceive the flame in the heart, the conscious self must be still and peaceful. The more still and peaceful the meditation, the steadier is the flame. In Stage 4, Just BE still and silent until your spiritual Self awakens in the Holy of Holies.
The meditative state of consciousness in the Sacred Heart and the Holy of Holies is super refined and subtle; consequently, it is imperative to identify and understand the differences between the energies of the body-mind, the serenity of the heart, and the illuminating knowledge in the Light of Intelligence or Noetic Light – Omniscience. These three aspects of our being are best understood by looking at them through the levels of consciousness which are associated with the nature body. Awareness of these conscious states will open the heart to the experience of the Holy Self (diagram below) which is the Kingdom of Heaven within; and in the Holy of Holies, the Spiritual Self will perceive the perfect stillness, serenity, and knowing of Divine Presence.
In the Light World, Stage 4 has nothing to be transformed or meditation instructions to practice. It does require the continued use of focused-breathing to maintain calmness in the body and stillness of the mind while in meditation. At this point in the journey, we are required to patiently BE in the Sacred Heart until the radiance in the heart is perfect clarity of being, referred to as Self-Realization. This is accomplished by doing nothing and being no-thing – just being and surrendering to the heavenly state of the Light world. It is the holy Self that crosses the Abyss and enters into the Knowing Light of God OR it could be said another way: The Self-realized being awakens to find itself as the Noetic Light referred to as Enlightenment. Either way, Jesus said, “I and my Father are one.”
For any chance of this sublime moment happening, all the accomplishments from Stages 1-3 must be in alignment: proper breathing, the nature-body must be calm, the emotions steady, the lower psychic energies purified, and the work in Stage 3 completed as described. This means the internal Second Heaven in the Sacred Heart is fulfilled: one’s heart and spirit are pure, one’s faith is strong, one’s ego is humble and selfless, and one’s desire for God’s presence is compelling. When one’s sacred presence is still and focused, the human will, without willing, will carry the conscious soul across the abyss into the Holy of Holies; the internal Third Heaven (See: 2 Corinthians 12:2). It is here we receive divine inspiration, intuition, and knowledge in God’s Divine Presence. This is what Jesus was referring to when He said, “Be ye perfect like your Father in Heaven is perfect.”
The Abyss
The diagram below represents the path of the 4 stages. This diagram has the Tree of Life superimposed over the body and the spiritual centers or chakras. What is most significant about this diagram is the Abyss we must cross. The notion of the Abyss comes from the Kabbalah and the Tree of Life. In the modern Kabbalah, there is an Abyss between the three supernal Sephiroth of: Kether, Chokhmah, and Binah (the top circles on the Tree), and the seven lower Sephiroth.
In the beginning of the Creation, when one looks at the progress of the Lightning Flash down the Tree of Life, one finds that it follows the path structure connecting Sephiroth, except when it makes the jump from Binah to Chesed, thus reinforcing this idea of a “gap” or “gulf” which has to be crossed (See: Tree of Life). This notion of an abyss is extremely old and has found its way into the Kabbalah in several different forms which mixed together to form the notion of “the Great Abyss.” From Genesis, “And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep.”
Divine Presence
To reach the Light World of Stage 4, the conscious Light within our spiritual heart ascends and “crosses over the abyss” when we have become our true selfless Self in the stillness within. In this state of pure selfless Beingness, we cross the abyss into the center of the brain. This is the center of awareness referred to as the Holy of Holies. It is here that every living initiate who walks the path of Light begins the task of uniting the subjective facets of the soul with the objective facets of the mind.
The higher aspects of the Divine Mother or Feminine Principle maintain the balance between the involuntary nervous system and the muscular system of the physical body, keeping alive the vital psychic powers functioning within the soul attributes of each human. All psychic energies, forces, and powers generate vibration, energy, and electricity which manifest in higher conscious thought as Light. Spiritually surrendering to the Divine Mother’s inductive suggestion and direction of the higher unconscious produces a supra-sense perception or divine intuition wherein one perceives the heavenly realities through the single or divine eye of the Spirit.
Above the base of the skull at the conjoining points of the involuntary nervous system, one’s thoughts during meditation flow upward into the unified cosmic matrix existing between the Father Principle and the Mother Principle. It is here where one experiences the Divine Marriage, receiving the androgynous powers in a sublime union with God. Miraculous healing, initiatory powers, and spiritual gifts all result from communion with this holy union of the subliminal power of the Divine Mother Principle and the imaging-restoring will life of the Father Principle. When meditating, one must move into the exalted bliss of oneness with God by being initiated into the marriage of the Divine Mother power and the Heavenly Father power within the crucible of the higher mind. At some divinely appointed, timeless moment, when the selfless Self realizes its perfection, it will know the Presence of the Father/Mother Oneness within the Divine Light.
Tips for sustained meditation:
~ There are occasions when we lose that perfect clarity and stillness which brought us to the Holy of Holies; this means the small flame which is in the heart’s center is disturbed and flickering. When this occurs we must return to the Sacred Heart until we find peace and clarity once again. The heart and brain are synchronistically united; the small flame in the heart represents the Light world in the brain. Only when the flame in the heart is steady and peaceful again can one cross the abyss and return to the Light world and the Divine Presence. Teach your heart to think and your mind to feel.
I Thank the Beautiful Presence
To the north, south, east and west, and in all the spaces and corners of my home,
I breathe the exhalation of the universe and I know I am not alone,
And in this wondrous atmosphere, I walk on sacred ground,
Remembering and feeling thankful the world is spinning round.
O, how wondrous to ponder how the light is inhaled even in the dark,
To open up my mind and adjust the crosshairs of my heart;
And to give my soul direction which is beyond time and place,
So, that even with no coordinates, I feel the presence of grace.
Then, as peace, hope and oneness infuse every single, grateful breath,
Love adjusts my altitude, and I know there is no death.
Then, I thank my stars, I have one foot tethered to the sacred ground,
As I float as long as I can, so gently spinning around,
Inhaling the holy universe into my little temple-home,
Thanking the beautiful presence which tells me, I am not alone.
By: My Wife
Next: Conscious Resurrection
These stages must be successfully completed before one can Stage 4 begins because the heart must be pure and still so the Will can guide the psycho-cognitive soul and spiritual Self in the Light world.
