Welcome 2 SYNxronisation

by Roger Blomquist, M.D.

free ebook @ http://www.supraconsciousnessnetwork.org/

Introduction :

Most scientific theories describing the fundamental nature of the universe treat the existence of life--of intelligence--as an evolutionary afterthought or "lucky accident" which somehow occurred by mere chance. "Integrated Theory of Intelligence" rejects this view as fundamentally lacking. In this pioneering effort, intelligence-consciousness is proposed as an intrinsic aspect of existence just as fundamental as the known attributes of matter-energy and space-time, forming with them an interdependent process of ongoing creation that has resulted in our present universe.

Working from an original set of axioms defining the basic properties exhibited by intelligence, the reader is taken on a thought-provoking tour which integrates into the book's proposed theoretical framework the latest findings from a host of scientific disciplines. Interwoven with the text are insights from such fields as biochemistry, neurophysiology, physics, cosmology, biology, genetics, and humanistic psychology, among others. Both panoramic and detailed, this look at the accumulating evidence posits the existence of intelligence as an unavoidable force in the operation of all phenomena, ultimately giving rise to the evolution of life and consciousness.

Written at a level that both lay readers and scientists not yet acquainted with these specialized fields can understand and absorb, this new view should fascinate anyone who is at all interested in intelligence and consciousness and how they have developed.

Rigorous yet balanced in its approach, "Integrated Theory of Intelligence" will challenge theorists and mystics alike to rethink how they look at the universe, mind, consciousness, the brain, and ultimately life itself.

In the book entitled the "Integrated Theory of Intelligence" the premise is developed that all facets of our existence are strongly interrelated and interdependent. Many centuries ago it was postulated that all physical existence was comprised of earth, water, fire and air. The current theory reframes these basic "ingredients" in the present-day language of matter-energy, space-time, and intelligence-consciousness. Others may choose to list a different set of ingredients based upon their interpretation of reality; but no matter how our analytical-reductionist mind may divide existence into discrete entities, someday it will nevertheless be established that all objects within our perceived reality are interrelated and interdependent. This in fact is the present-day goal of physicists pursuing what has come to be known as the "Theory of Everything."

The Integrated Theory of Intelligence predicts that not only are the basic ingredients interrelated - no matter how we define them - but that someday it will be proven there is actually only one basic substance within the universe, and that the ingredients as we presently perceive them would be more usefully viewed as evolved properties of that one substance. This is somewhat analogous to the way many physicists now believe that there was only one superforce at the moment of universal creation, which soon thereafter divided into the four (or more) physical forces.

The theory postulates that as matter-energy is continually subdivided within the subatomic realm into smaller and smaller components, it eventually dissolves, or reduces to, the background of space to become part of it. It is suggested here, therefore, that matter is actually a very highly condensed form of space. If so, this would account for the "virtual particles" which seem to be continuously popping into and out of existence everywhere throughout space. If this is true, it would provide us with the link between matter-energy and space-time. Einstein's General Theory of Relativity also makes the prediction that matter-energy is interrelated to space-time.

It will be considerably more difficult to prove that intelligence-consciousness forms a common bond with matter-energy and space-time for the following reasons. Most scientists are searching for an explanation of our physical existence that incorporates only matter-energy and space-time and many of them also believe that intelligence-consciousness is an epiphenomenon that occurred by chance, playing no role in the direction of the evolutionary process. This bias will slow the recognition of the interdependence of these properties.

The evidence to date is insufficient to prove that the universe is comprised of only one basic substance as here suggested. Nevertheless, in the interest of sketching out the ramifications of the theory in full, it should be stated here that the theory does lead to such an eventual prediction.

The nature of consciousness has yet to be defined in modern terms even though a great deal of time and effort has been devoted to this endeavor, particularly over the last several decades. The question as to its origin and significance dates back to antiquity but only recently have we gained enough understanding as to its place within the usual scheme of things, to begin to unravel this mystery. It is my current belief that we must begin with one of two choices. It would appear that consciousness must either be a primary property of the universe being present at the beginning or developed later as an epiphenomenon. If one were to poll most scientists I would guess that the majority would side with those individuals who believe consciousness to be an epiphenomenon. Most research scientists who have devoted themselves to the study of the mind-brain believe consciousness to be an epiphenomenon of the electrochemical events occurring within the brain. There is simply no question that consciousness is heavily influenced by these electrochemical events but it is also most doubtful that they are the cause of consciousness.

For many years I remained an agnostic relative to whether consciousness represents a primary or secondary phenomenon since I could not find compelling reasons to choose either viewpoint over the other. I now believe that there is enough information, much of which is scientifically based, to allow for a clear choice. As a matter of fact I would even suggest that the evidence is overwhelming and those whose persist in choosing the other alternative are selectively ignoring the preponderance of information available.

When the Integrated Theory of Intelligence was first developed in 1984 there was less scientific evidence to support the conclusions offered in the text. Since then there has been considerable progress and there is more scientific evidence accumulating to support the theory. For those that are interested, a reading list of books can be accessed through this web page, each with a short synopsis summarizing how the information within the book gives additional support to the concepts presented in the "Integrated Theory of Intelligence".

The hypothesis being presented is based upon the premise that consciousness is a primary property of the universe. Since most scientists are not willing to embrace this concept, the world view which ultimately follows, is still subject to question. It is my postulate that by accepting the premise that consciousness is a primary property, a more consistent picture emerges that best describes our reality.

There is now very strong evidence which suggests that our universe began in a manner best defined by the "Big Bang" Theory. Even though I have always been somewhat offended by a comic book name for what is arguably the greatest single event in the history of the universe, it would appear that the most essential parts of the theory are approximately correct.

The big bang theory postulates that the universe sprang forth from a singularity where matter-energy-space-time were compressed into an extraordinarily small volume prior to the moment of creation. Just prior to the expansion process there would have been an infinitely high or near infinitely high focus of energy without any formed matter in an infinitely or near infinitely small volume of space without the existence of time. This energy focus would have been homogeneous and undifferentiated without any recognizable form. One of the most important questions ever posed is whether intelligence-consciousness existed at the moment of creation or became manifest at some later date as a chance epiphenomenon. To explain all phenomenon that we observe I would have to conclude that intelligence-consciousness existed at the moment of creation and has been an active participant ever since. Whether the universe began as a singularity or not is currently open to debate. For example superstring theory does not require a singularity with infinite energy being compressed into an infinitely small volume of space. In superstring theory the expansion began with nearly infinite energy within a very small volume of space.

It would seem probable that at the moment of creation there was one uniform homogeneous basic substance without any form which best could be described as an almost infinitely high concentration of energy with the property of intelligence-consciousness and that following the big bang this energy began to rapidly dissipate into an increasingly larger volume of space being influenced by this property of intelligence-consciousness. This extremely high energy could not be manipulated into any significant form until it had dissipated into a sufficiently large volume of space thus allowing for a tremendous decrease in energy density. The higher the energy density the greater the chaos and the less order possible. Increasing order gradually appeared only as the energy density decreased. Spatial expansion was absolutely essential to allow for the evolution of higher order systems. There is a direct mathematical relationship between a decreasing energy density and the evolution of increasingly higher order systems. We will later discuss how increasing heat entropy, as defined by the second law of thermodynamics, is an essential part of the evolution to increasingly higher order systems containing increasingly greater amounts of information. This relationship is interrelated and both are dependent upon each other. We began with a universe that was infinitely hot with maximum chaos devoid of order which has evolved to a state where chaos has drastically decreased and order dramatically increased. This has occurred exponentially over time and will continue to do so as long as the universe is in state of expansion. The rate of evolution to higher order systems is directly dependent upon the rate of universal expansion. The greater the volume of the universe the less the energy density and the more that the chaos, which is a function of energy out of control, can be manipulated into order by the property of intelligence-consciousness.

A single superforce was present at the moment of creation as another property of the uniform, homogeneous, undifferentiated basic substance which differentiated into the four physical forces which we currently recognize.

At the moment of creation, intelligence-consciousness was totally unified with matter-energy without differentiation but with the potential to be divided up and fractionated into many forms, only a few of which we are currently aware. Our current paradigm would lead most to conclude that intelligence-consciousness is limited to humans or perhaps other human-like creatures on other planets in other galaxies. The theory being presented would allow for a great many other material and non-material forms that possess intelligence-consciousness, including systems that are both living and non-living. Intelligence-consciousness permeated the early universe and would have taken on any form that currently existed at any time throughout the evolutionary process. This is how intelligence-consciousness was able to influence this process resulting in a highly organized universe balanced between order and chaos. It began in a state of maximum chaos and minimal order and has evolved to greater and greater levels of order with lesser and lesser degrees of chaos, and has done so exponentially over time.

by Peter Russell

from "FROM SCIENCE TO GOD, The Mystery of Consciousness and the Meaning of Light"

The Great Awakening

The more I have studied the nature of consciousness, the more I have come to appreciate the critical role that inner awakening plays in the modern world–a world which, despite all its technological prowess, seems to be getting deeper and deeper into trouble.

Most of today’s problems–from personal worries to social, economic, and environmental issues–stem from human actions and decisions. These arise from human thinking, human feelings, and human values, which in turn are influenced by our belief that happiness comes from what we have and do, and by our need to bolster an ever-vulnerable sense of self. Psychological issues such as these lie at the root of our problems. The growing crises we observe around us are symptoms of a deeper inner crisis–a crisis of consciousness.

This crisis has been a long time coming. Its seeds were sown thousands of years ago when human evolution made the leap to self-awareness, and consciousness became conscious of itself.

The first appearance of self-awareness probably involved a sense of identity with one’s tribe and kin, but not a strong personal self. Gradually this inner awareness evolved, becoming more focused, until today it has reached the point at which we have a clear sense of being a unique self, distinct from others and the natural environment.

Awareness of this individual self is not, however, the final stage of our inner evolution. Dotted through history have been those who have discovered there is much more to consciousness than most of us usually realize. This self, they tell us, is not our true identity. Moreover, it has serious shortcomings. If our awareness of self is limited to this separate, dependent, ever-vulnerable self, our thinking is distorted, and our actions are misguided, bringing much unnecessary suffering upon ourselves. To free ourselves from this handicap, we must take a further step in our inner journey and discover the true nature of consciousness.

Our Final Exam

In the past, greater awareness of the true self was deemed important for personal well-being. Today the game has changed; it is now imperative for our collective survival.

Our knowledge of the external world has been growing at an accelerating pace, bringing with it an unprecedented ability to modify and manipulate our surroundings. The technologies we now have at our disposal have amplified this potential so much that we can now create almost anything we dream of. Our knowledge of the inner realms, however, has developed much more slowly. We are probably as prone to the failings of a limited sense of self as were people two thousand years ago. This is the source of our problems. Advanced technology may have amplified our capacity to control our environment, but it has also amplified the shortcomings of our partially developed consciousness. Driven by the dictates of a derived identity, and by our belief that inner well-being depends upon external circumstances, we have misused our newfound powers, plundering and poisoning the planet.

We have reached what Buckminster Fuller called our "final evolutionary exam." The questions before us are simple: Can we move beyond this limited mode of consciousness? Can we let go of our illusions, discover who we really are, and find the wisdom we so desperately need?

These questions face us everywhere we look. Degradation of the environment is forcing us to examine our priorities and values. Political and economic crises reveal the shortcomings of our self-centered thinking. Disillusionment with materialism implores us to ask what it is we really want. The ever-accelerating pace of change demands that we become less attached to how we think things should be. Many social problems reflect the meaninglessness inherent in the contemporary worldview. And our personal relationships are continually challenging us to move beyond fear and judgment, to love without conditions. From all directions, the message is "Wake up!"

A Spiritual Renaissance

Never before has the pressure for a spiritual renaissance been so strong; and never before have the possibilities for such a renaissance been so great.

Our choice of spiritual path is no longer limited to the tradition into which we were born. We can draw from the entire spectrum of the world’s wisdom. We can learn from cultures as far apart as Tibet and Peru; from traditions as different as Buddhism, Christianity, and Shamanism; from teachings given thousands of years ago, and from contemporary adepts.

Moreover, the quality of the knowledge can be preserved in ways not possible before. In the past, as spiritual teachings were passed on from person to person, translated into different languages, and absorbed by foreign cultures, some of the teaching was inevitably misunderstood or lost, while embellishments were added. What remained was a poor rendering of the original inspiration.

Today, teachings are disseminated much more accurately and easily. We can watch videos, and listen to audiotapes as we travel. We can tune in to a satellite broadcast of a seminar taking place on the other side of the planet–and record it for later viewing. We can speak directly to almost anyone, anywhere in the world. We can search the Internet and draw on the insights and realizations of countless people whom we may never meet or know. For the first time, the essence of spiritual wisdom is being made globally available.

Whereas people in past centuries learned largely from their own experience and from those in their immediate vicinity, we can benefit from the learning of countless others around the globe. We are cross-catalyzing each other’s awakening.

A Collective Awakening

When I began exploring consciousness in the sixties, there were few books on the subject. Although Cambridge had one of the largest bookstores in Britain, books on "esoteric studies" were only to be found on one small shelf in the corner of the theology section. Three decades later, the situation is very different. There is hardly a city or large town in the West that does not have a bookstore devoted to personal development and human consciousness.

The thousands of books in this field published over the past thirty years reflect the myriad insights and discoveries people are making in their personal journeys. Reading these books guides or inspires some in their own awakening, who in turn pass their discoveries on to others–perhaps in books of their own, in talks and tapes, through websites, or simply in conversations with friends and family. The more each of us matures spiritually, the more we have to offer others; and the more they mature, the more they contribute to the collective awakening.

This mutual feedback not only results in an ever greater accessibility to information and guidance on inner development; it also leads to a honing of our understanding of the essential wisdom. When I discover a teaching that resonates with my inner knowing, clarifies my understanding of the mind, or adds helpful elements to my inner practice, I quite naturally integrate it into my own thinking. This is reflected in the ideas and insights I later share with others, which may resonate with their own thinking and clarify their own understanding. We are fine-tuning each other’s comprehension of the essential spiritual wisdom, drawing each other closer to a common appreciation of our inner worlds.

As we share our realizations, our various expressions of this knowledge come to sound more and more alike. At a talk I gave recently, a person asked if I was saying anything that different from what many other people were saying. My answer was "I hope not." If I am saying something markedly different, I am probably off track.

Today we easily fall into the assumption that what is new is best. We become excited by the latest breakthroughs in physics, biology, and astronomy, and are quick to embrace medical advances and new information technologies. But when it comes to spiritual technologies, what is best is that which has been tested and validated over the eons.

Our external circumstances have changed tremendously during the course of human history, and we may have very different opinions from people in the past, but the way the mind functions has not changed. The way we become caught in our interpretations of reality, the way we identity with limited aspects of ourselves, the way our attachments and fears condition our actions, the way we create suffering for ourselves–these have not changed. Nor have the basic practices that can liberate us from these impediments. In this arena it is not new knowledge that is required, but a re-formulation of the timeless wisdom in a contemporary context.

The Bridge

Buddha phrased his insights in terms appropriate to ancient India, Jesus in those of Judaism two millennia ago, and Mohammed in those of his own time and culture. Today we are rediscovering that same essential wisdom and expressing it in the language of the twenty-first century.

We live in an era dominated by science and reason. For new ideas to be accepted, they need to satisfy our rational mind and be testable. It is not enough that they should resonate with our intuition; they must also make sense within the contemporary worldview.

For several hundred years our dominant worldview has been based on the assumption that the real world is the world of space, time and matter. This materialistic model has successfully accounted for most worldly phenomena and explained many mysteries–so well that it often appears to ruled out the existence of God.

Astronomers have looked out into deep space, to the edges of the universe. Cosmologists have looked back in deep time to the beginning of creation. And physicists have looked down into the deep structure of matter, to the fundamental constituents of the cosmos. In each case they have found no evidence of a God, nor any need for God. The Universe seems to work perfectly well without divine assistance.

Thirty years ago I had sympathy for such arguments. Today, I realize that the notion of God that science–and I–rejected was naïve and old-fashioned. When we consider the writings of great saints and sages, we do not find many claims for God being in the realm of space, time, and matter. When they talk of God–the Holy Spirit, the Divine Light, the Beloved, Yahweh, Elohim, Brahman, Buddha nature, the Being behind all Creation–they are usually referring to a profound personal experience. If we want to find God we have to look within, into deep mind–a realm that Western science has yet to explore.

I believe that when we delve as fully into the nature of mind as we have into the nature of space, time, and matter, we will find consciousness to be the long-awaited bridge between science and spirit.

This may be the greatest value of the new metaparadigm. In expanding our worldview to include consciousness as fundamental to the cosmos, this new model of reality not only accounts for the anomaly of consciousness; it also revalidates the spiritual wisdom of the ages in contemporary terms, inspiring us to dedicate ourselves anew to the journey of self-discovery.

If this new worldview becomes a personal experience–a shift in the way we perceive reality rather than just a new understanding of reality–our world would change in ways that we can hardly imagine. Five hundred years ago, Copernicus could not have foreseen the full impact of his new model of the universe. Today, we can have little appreciation of how the world might be when generations have been brought up knowing that consciousness is primary, and that each and every one of us is holy.

One thing we can say: It will be a much kinder and wiser world; a world in which it will be natural to have the compassion of St. Francis, the insights of Ramana Maharshi, and the wisdom of the Dalai Lama. Freed from many of our delusions, and from much of our fear and judgment, we will no longer cause each other unnecessary pain and suffering. Inner well-being and happiness will become the true measure of social progress.

By today’s standards this might sound like heaven on Earth, but isn’t this what spiritual teachings have always prophesied? When we realize the errors in our thinking, let go of our attachments, transcend our limited sense of self, and discover the true nature of our being, then darkness will give way to light. We will find the salvation we’ve been seeking, and our hearts will be at peace.

Return to the Whole excerpt

by Ann K Elliott  

Land of the Shadow

Just as (in Part I) the mandalic Garden was divided into four by its four rivers, so now in the dynamics of the drama that takes place in Eden there are the four players who represent the four primary archetypes of the psyche (The players are the four primary archetypes. As Adam and Eve and Yahweh and the Serpent, they represent the masculine and the feminine and the divine and the instinctual. They are the four corners upon which consciousness is founded. As they become reconciled in us we become whole.). And corresponding to the central fountain is the Self--the wholeness-ordering wisdom of the psyche. The Self is the hidden treasure, the pearl of great price buried in the field of the human psyche.

Back in Genesis, after Adam's and Eve's expulsion from the Garden, the Tree of Life was placed under guard on all sides by a flaming sword. In similar mythic truth, the Self is guarded all around by a fire-breathing dragon. This means that in the search for wholeness the realm of the dragon--the unconscious--will have to be entered and our own inner dragons encountered.

Encountering dragons involves facing up to having those inner selves we try so hard to conceal, both from ourselves and others: our angry, prideful, deceitful selves, as well as the envy, greed, lust or laziness we disown but project onto others. It means removing the "log" from our own eye rather than the "specks" we think we detect in the eyes of others. Put together, those selves we disown form the archetypal shadow about whom Jung warns:

The shadow is a moral problem that challenges the whole ego-personality, for no one can become conscious of the shadow without considerable moral effort. To become conscious of it involves recognizing the dark aspects of the personality as present and real.

Condemned to the unconscious, the shadow is capable of wrecking havoc in lives, particularly in relationships where we condemn in others what we have yet to accept as part of our own human nature. But in recognizing and accepting the shadow we are put in touch with our own vulnerable human sameness. As a result we become less judgmental and more kindly inclined towards ourselves and others.

The dragon (as shadow) is caught off guard, and therefore disarmed, when accepted. Similarly the ego, when taking a stance in opposition to the Self, is disarmed by our acceptance of human nature as a co-mingling of light and dark. Moreover, this is the way we assume responsibility for the darkness apportioned each of us, and until we do we will continue to project our own capacity for evil onto others, thus increasing rather than decreasing humanity's collective shadow.

Doorways into Archetypal Reality

Owning one's shadow takes considerable moral effort because the only way to become conscious of the shadow, as well as other archetypal aspects of the psyche, is through self-knowledge. And there is only one way to gain self-knowledge, and that is through self-observation. For this a shift of perception is needed so as to discern our own unconscious processes at work. Following Jung, we will here approach archetypal reality indirectly, as through a backdoor into the psyche.

Metaphor, myth and symbolic image are all doorways into archetypal reality. For just as the shaman uses the drum as "canoe" or "horse," so the repetitive rhythms of metaphor, myth and image are primary modes for being transported into the land of the archetypes. Try entering by so-called rational means and you will not get there. Knock, however, on the doors of symbolic perception and the way will be opened.

Non-ordinary reality can be recognized in several ways. There will be about the landscape a subtle sense of other-worldliness, something qualitatively different--a numinosity. And about its lighting there will be a peculiar luminosity. The atmosphere also will feel "charged," "heightened," "enlivened." Finally there may be a feeling or a sense of familiarity--of having been there before.

Self-Knowledge As a Pressing Necessity

In assessing the collective psychic condition of the mid Twentieth Century, Dr Jung wrote that "self-knowledge in particular has become one of the most pressing contemporary problems."He goes on to explain that this is what affords the individual protection from the "isms" of mass-mindedness and its "irresistible urge to catastrophe."

Self-knowledge is what inoculates the individual from the contagion of fear constantly loosed in the collective. Jung cites two areas in particular where self-knowledge is needed. The first is for recognition of the shadow component of human nature which unrecognized is projected onto other people, races, religions, organizations, institutions and governments. The blind-to-self shadow tries to make itself right by making what is wrong "out there," thus avoiding personal responsibility for the resolution of collective problems. Concerning the shadow and self-knowledge, John Sanford advises:

The kingdom requires a morality which is not founded on rules and regulations imposed from outside, but on self-knowledge. This self-knowledge can be achieved through inner confrontation. The inner confrontation occurs when we confront the person within us for whom the Law is necessary. It would not be necessary to have a Law forbidding murder, adultery, stealing, coveting, and slander if there was not a part of our personality which might do exactly these things. The scribes and Pharisees seek to avert the danger of this inner "shadow" by following rules which prohibit these things. But the higher morality requires confronting the shadowy one within us who has made the rules necessary in the first place. In this way we achieve a truly differentiated moral attitude toward ourselves and life and are fit for the creative life of the kingdom.

The second necessity Jung called for was recognition of "the existence and the importance of the archetypes." Shadow and other archetypes inform us concerning our human commonality, knowledge of which perhaps really is, at this point in history, our most pressing need if we are to survive this present evolutionary passage.

by Ann K Elliott  

JOURNEY TOWARDS WHOLENESS as informed by ART & RELIGION, PSYCHOLOGY & SYMBOLOGYand envisioned as the Eternal Spiral Return--master motif of the soul's journey--the path of life--of heart, mind and soul.

From birth to mid-life the spiral moves out, expanding and extending until reaching the mid-point. There the direction reverses and the journey outward turns back inward--the soul back to its Source.Return to the Whole explores the landscape symbolism of the Bible, from the perspective of Christic spirituality and Jungian psychology, informed mainly by four disciplines:

The role of ART in expressing the emotional dimension of the spiritual journey;

The function of RELIGION in preserving the essence of the teachings of those who have known God intimately;

The provision, in the PSYCHOLOGY of C G Jung, of a map of the known and unknown territories of human consciousness;

And from the synchronization of the SYMBOLOGY of East and West, an indication of an archetypal level--a unifying field--where "the many are one."

 Links:

BOOK ONE : FROM GARDEN BEGINNINGS

BOOK TWO : THE WILDERNESS

by Grace F. Knoche

Theosophical University Press Online Edition

The School of Athens by Raphael

Foreword

A Mystery school is a university of the soul, a school for the study of the mysteries of the inner nature of man and of surrounding nature. By understanding these mysteries, the student perceives his intimate relationship with divinity, and strives through self-discipline and devotion to become at one with his inner god.

This book attempts to present certain fundamental lines of teaching which it is hoped will give a more or less clear picture of what a Mystery school really is. Full and specific knowledge of the Mystery schools -- where they have been, where now they function, what are their chief characteristics -- has not been given out. Modern historians of the Greek mystery centers, for example, marvel at how well the rule of secrecy imposed upon the candidates was kept. This does not pertain to the public aspect, such as the fourteen-mile procession along the Sacred Way from Athens to Eleusis in which men, women, and children participated. But ``the rites of the Greater Mysteries . . . the true secrets of the teletai [initiation proper] and the epopteia [the culminating vision] have never been divulged.''

The student can find, however, a generous amount of information scattered here and there in the literatures of the past and can build up for himself a coherent picture of the pageantry of the Mystery schools, a picture which will turn into the reality of experience only as he becomes inwardly prepared through lifetimes of dedication and the study and practice of the ancient wisdom.

That which can be discovered by the sincere student may be likened to our knowledge of the atom. Who, for example, has ever seen the real atom? What microscope has penetrated the secret of its existence? Yet today we know more about the atom with its electrons than has been revealed for centuries. Although invisible to both eye and lens, scientists have detected the flash of its track, its "way of light"; through diligent and painstaking labor they have studied this way of light until, through inference and evidence, the structure of the atom and its components, its almost spiritual origin, has been revealed.

Thus with the Mysteries: as we look at the pages of history, and further into the mist of unrecorded time, we do not see the schools themselves, but through study and devotion we may glimpse the flash of their track, their way of light. From inference and spiritual testimony we can trace the pageantry of the light- bearers as they have passed from age to age, inaugurating the grand religions and philosophies of the human race. Some of these lights shine with immense glory, others with less strength, while still others are but fitful gleams of half-understood truth.

The physicist cannot point to the physical atom, yet he knows it exists as the basis, the foundation, of all matter; the student of theosophy cannot show you a Mystery school, yet he knows it exists as the heart or atomic center of the spiritual and intellectual life of the planet. Who then would dare assert the non- existence of the Mysteries, of this potent atom of esotericism, when luminous traces of spiritual power are seen scattered all over the world? If our physical bodies are rooted in invisible fiery lives, why should not our human spiritual, intellectual, and moral bodies likewise have their origin in the spiritual and intellectual fire-mist of the planet?

An uninterrupted history of the occult network of the human race is not available to us today, for such records are the guerdon of the pledged disciple, but with the powerful lens of the ancient wisdom we can study the way of light flashed forth by each lightbearer over the centuries; can recapture the atmosphere of the ancient temples; can discern the purpose of the schools, their methods of teaching; and, last but not least, can learn of the strong discipline imposed upon the candidates seeking initiation into the knowledge of their secret origin and their still more secret destiny.

The author's debt to theosophy as presented by H. P. Blavatsky cannot be measured. One can only hope that the present study will encourage those new to her writings to drink deep of the springs at their source.-- G.F.K.

Pasadena, California
October 2, 1999

complete e-book @ theosociety.org