Q : Dear Athos, I am studying your work with pleasure and interest. It definitely reminds me of some esoteric books I read a long time ago. L.
A : Dear Friend, it is unlikely that a ‘respectful and orthodox' esotericist doesn't walk on Paths that have already been walked and tested before. When we are not talking about technical or scientific evolution, I am quite skeptical ‘a priori' of any ‘invention' by new masters and gurus.
Especially in the initiatory field, it is wise to remain ‘ at the center of the Path ', rather than go in the undergrowth of profane ideologies, most of all those that appear to have an initiatory ‘tint'. This can be done later on, once reached a certain (initiatory) maturity and only for Service, viz. on a specific request from a direct Superior . Only the latter will have the judgment ability to indicate the right job suitable for the real abilities of the right person.
In the initiatory field ‘DIY' has killed and still kills (metaphorically) a huge number of aspirants.
In this specific instance we should consider other elements. If you don't mind, I will list some of them.
To reach the overall view on the desired topic through analogy and the ability to correlate the many elements that flow back and forth in the vastness of the initiatory system is the essential talent of the researcher. This is even truer for the esotericist that has initiatory aspirations. Whilst those that wander from a topic to another, from a detail to another, driven by curiosity and the impression that: ‘I like this more, I like that less' – and, by the way, it is difficult to understand what criterion and judgment ability they follow – rather than researchers, they end up becoming eso-tourists , tourists of esotericism. And not everybody is happy only with being a tourist with an Instamatic ready to take pictures of all the fragments of a mosaic that they will never see.
To prevent this from happening, it is necessary to apply a method that allows the researcher, beyond personal likes and dislikes ( law of attraction – rejection , which we might compare, in psychoanalysis, to the oral stage ) to recognize a path of advancement and expansion in order to reach the Purpose: which must be clear in the mind of the researcher from the beginning .
The method allows to penetrate the ‘Maze' of Knowledge, where we can reach the center ‘where the vertical ascent awaits us'. Where, though, we can also get lost and keep wandering for all the physical time we have available. And die without reaching the ‘Purpose' of incarnation (a school day for the soul).
The choice is ours but, as I often say, man, without the help of Knowledge that can only come from his own Ego (the active part of the soul) is in actual fact still lacking the true Free Will.
Therefore it is limited to the ‘freedom of choice' which, in actual fact, ends with a kind of lottery which we usually lose because we are ‘blindfolded'. This is the synthesis of the mistake that translates into Karma.
The method for the access, so to speak, to the Maze of Knowledge (only empirical and not didactic) is not important. The important thing is ‘to start'.
On the other hand, the importance of the method appears obvious during the advancement when we want to avoid ‘going round our own barycenter (egocentrism)' or ‘to run remaining in the same place'.
The method, the training and the overall view can be obtained, with some guarantee of success, by walking cum grano salis (note: ‘Cum grano salis'= with a grain of salt, not too literally) paths already marked (and tested) by other Initiates. They will show us all the possible good but also the past mistakes.
To learn from the mistakes of those that preceded us is morally commendable. Indeed, by drawing teachings out of the falls occurred to the other brothers (explorers) that preceded us, and doing this without any criticism, but with a kind of compassion-understanding-love, those mistakes will be covered by the sacredness of the sacrifice made, although unconsciously, for the progress of those that will follow.
So, if you still want to be in contact with me, prepare to have again the feeling of hearing ‘things you already know'. After all, from another point of view this feeling makes me think that you have already ‘entered' by yourself the Path that leads to the Top of the Mountain.
Touching, as I have said before, topics that refer to the potentials of the mind ( siddhi in the orient) and the construction of (conscience) bridges, it will be difficult not to recognize the teachings of the Raja and Agni Yoga, as well as Roberto Assagioli's Psycho-synthesis.
Talking about the interpretation of dreams, free associations, emotions, instincts and drives and so on, it will be difficult not to find elements of Freudian mechanic psychology, of Jungian and Adlerian psychoanalysis, of Heglerian philosophy and the ding an Sich (the thing in itself) of objective reality (as opposed to the subjective and partial view of conceptual egocentrism) by Kant. And then, talking about symbols, rituals and ceremonials, how can we ignore the precepts of the mystic (religions) and mysteriosophic Schools (Masonic Orders, Superior Chambers of Perfection, Areopaguses, Consistories and Supreme Counsels).
Dear Friend, everything has been said but not everybody has heard it yet.
There is nothing to ‘discover' any more but there are huge initiatory treasures to conquer. And it doesn't matter through which language (intellectual path) we start the journey in ‘our own' Maze.
You can choose the devotional, artistic, scientific language; you can opt for the heroic path of sacrifice, the destructive path of thanatos to destroy and disintegrate the illusory forms that are ‘inside and outside' us. It doesn't matter, because, and this is the best news, any path, if it is the right one, leads to a Synthetic Center where everybody, Brothers and Sisters, recognize each other because they communicate in the same language, which is not any more only the heart language, but also that of the enlightened mind. The heart irradiates it with its own ability to be in synchrony with ‘every living creature' (nephesc of the Hebrew culture).
From this marriage between heart and mind the initiatory Wisdom originates.
Q : I admit, though, that this extraordinary means (the internet) somehow, despite being a great tool for popularization…of spiritual topics as well…doesn't really work for the popularization of such demanding textbooks. Of course this is only an impression and the contrary can be true. A fraternal greeting L.
A : Perhaps there's some truth in what you say; perhaps not. Who knows. But, to satisfy our curiosity, it will be better to continue and …'hide and see the effect it has'.
I can only say that my ‘exploring and experimental' activity is not limited to electronic immersion. Indeed, my activity ‘in the world' doesn't know any sofa on which to ‘meditate' on the metaphysical abstract.
My meditation is action , which revolves around a concentration of ‘physical' relations, personal and group ones, very intense, complex and varied. In other words, I try to live what we discuss daily with intensity: emotionally, intellectually, physically and perhaps even on a skin level. Therefore my esotericism can be considered an Alchemic Lab, an Athanor, a Temple , an experimental Center and a Learning Hall.
You can choose the formula you prefer and that is most suitable to your personality. But you can also take them all and it would be just as true.
This experiment might end up in a real and operative context. Whoever wants to get off the sofa will, perhaps, be able to experience the many theoretical concepts so often discussed.
Remember, also, never to thank me again. The rule says: if people need ‘workers' workers also need the others to express their industriousness. Hoping that the latter becomes mastery.
Fraternally.
