Lesson 12: The Family Tree of Religions

PENSUM

WHAT SHOULD BE TAUGHT

  1. The external principles and their forms.

2 - In mystical experience one can reach something that is outside of time and mind, something that is divine and before which we must bow. 3. That religions have not been invented by someone, but the AVATARS and MESSENGERs from higher dimensions have given us the TRUTH after first experiencing it themselves and AWAKENING. 4. That Self-Knowledge is gained by Self-Realization and that IS is embodied when the GREAT WORK is crystallized.

PRACTICE: ALL THE PRACTICES HAVE BEEN TAUGHT RUNE FA

The Religious Forms

(See “Revolution of Dialectic”, chapter “Religious Principles”) (See “The Perfect Marriage”, chapter “Introduction”) (See “The Perfect Marriage”, chapter “The Christ”)

  • We must make a clear distinction between Religion and religious forms. Religion is only one and it is Cosmic. This Religion takes various forms according to each age and the needs of humanity. Therefore, all religions (as forms) are merely modifications of the Universal Religion.
  • Every religious form, like all forms, is subject to the Law of Ascension-Devolution. Every religious form makes an upward course in which it flourishes. Then at some point the downward course begins, the spiritual message becomes distorted, lost, and dies, remaining only as an external form. Every religion is born, grows, develops, divides into many sects and then dies. When a religious form dies, its immortal spiritual principles are reclothed in a new form.
  • We can confirm this by doing a comparative study of religions. Then we can verify that all religions are based on the same principles. “All religions are pearls strung on the golden thread of Divinity.” - V.M Samael

Comparative Study of Religions

The Trinity of God

The Christ

  • All religions worship Christ. Christ is a universal force that can be embodied and expressed through any person who is properly prepared through the Revolution of Consciousness.
    • In each religion it has a different name: Zeus or Apollo (Greece) Vishnu (India) Quetzalcoatl (Aztecs) Avalokitesvara (Buddhism) Osiris RA (Egypt) Fu Shi (China) Ahura Mazda (Persia) Baldur (Scandinavia)
  • All holy persons who personify Christ are born on December 24th at midnight. Jesus Krishna Mithra Zoroaster Dionysus o This symbolizes that the Christ-Sun force is “born” when the day begins to grow after the winter solstice. o It does not mean that these Masters were literally born on this date.
  • They are sons of the Divine Mother.
  • They are immaculate conceptions. They are conceived through the Grace of the Holy Spirit. The Divine Mother is virgin before birth, during birth and after birth. i.e. Jesus was conceived when Mary was impregnated by the Holy Spirit in the form of a dove. i.e. Fu-Si’s conception took place when the virgin Hoa-Se, while walking on the river bank, put her foot on the Great Man’s foot and immediately became pregnant. i.e. Quetzalcoatl’s capture took place when Tsimalmat was alone with her two sisters and a messenger from heaven appeared before her. As soon as he told her that he would become pregnant, immediately the conception happened. i.e. Krishna’s conception took place when Vishnu descended into Devaki’s womb. i.e. The Buddha’s conception occurred when Maya had a dream in which a white elephant entered her womb.

Divine Mother

  • The Divine Mother is the Eternal Cosmic Feminine Principle. It is within the entire Universe. Within each person she expresses herself as her own, special Divine Mother Kundalini. Each person’s Divine Mother Kundalini also has an energetic expression in the body as the fiery serpent coiled 3 1/2 times at the coccyx.
  • God is male and female simultaneously.
  • All religions worship the Divine Mother before they degenerate. i.e. Isis, Hera, Mary (RAM-IO), Kali (in her positive aspect), Kuan Yin, Tonantzin, Rhea, Hestia, Maya, Adonia, Astarte, etc. A religion that denies the feminine element is 50% atheistic.
  • The Divine Mother has five aspects: Mother Space Mother Kundalini Mother Nature Elemental Witch (lower Mother Nature) Hecate-Persephone
  • Christ is always born of the Divine Mother, who symbolizes the initiate’s personal Kundalini Mother.

The Higher Beings

  • Every religion refers to higher beings. i.e. Angels, Dian Choan, Devas, Buddhas, etc. The Gods, Demigods, Titans, Goddesses, Sylphs, Cyclops, Messengers of the Gods of the ancient religions were baptized with the names of Angels, Archangels, Seraphim, Powers, Dominions, Powers, Thrones, etc.
  • The entire universe is directed, monitored and animated by a series of almost infinite hierarchies of conscious beings. These beings are the Human Beings who have been fully perfected. Each has a specialty and a mission it fulfills. They differ in the degree of Consciousness and intelligence they have.

Heavens, Earths, Hells

  • All religions speak of 3 worlds: Earth

    Heavens o i.e. the Olympus of the Greeks o i.e. the Nirvana or Heavenly Realms of the Buddhists o i.e. the Devahan or Swarga of the Hindus o etc. Hells o i.e. the Hades and Tartarus of the Greeks o i.e. the Naraka of the Buddhists o i.e. the Avicii of the Hindus o i.e. the Mixtlan of the Aztecs o etc.

  • Earth is the physical, three-dimensional world.

  • The Heavens are the higher dimensions, both in nature and within ourselves. These Heavens are nine parallel universes.

  • The Hells are the subdimensions, both in nature and within ourselves. They correspond to the nine underground zones described by Dante in the Divine Comedy.

Prayer

(See “The Magical Power of Prayer”, chapter “Prayer, Magic and Power”) (See “Esoteric Treatise on Hermetic Astrology”, chapter “Leo”)

  • In all religions we find the art of prayer.
  • “Praying is the art of consciously conversing with God.”
  • Mysticism is the willingness to converse, meditate, and have experiences with the spiritual principles of creation: those that many people call “God.” A mystic is one who is predisposed to have these experiences. Every man can learn to develop mysticism within himself by opening his heart and realizing the higher powers of creation.
  • Prayer must be conscious. If we begin to pray without being self-remembered, in a third state of consciousness, we are wasting our time.
  • Conscious prayer has the power to crystallize things. If we pray correctly, with full consciousness, magical results crystallize in an amazing and effective way, in the physical world and in all areas of human life. i.e. prayer, when done in the right way, in a conscious form, has so much POWER, that two or three people, doing it well, can change even the world, or the circumstances of certain parts of the world. Even a single person doing it right can cause tremendous changes to a planet or Humanity.
  • The 7 key aspects for prayer to be effective: To know exactly what to ask for To know from whom we ask Love Faith Consciousness Mysticism Concentration
  • All religions use incense as an aid to prayer. Frankincense Incense smoke in particular is a powerful vehicle for the spiritual waves of reverence and aids in mystical concentration because it serves as an instrument of reverence. Frankincense has the power to call upon the Masters and Angels of the unseen world. The elemental mantra of frankincense is ALUMINO.

The Worship of Fire

(See “The Perfect Marriage,” chapter “The Worship of Fire”)

  • In the various religions we find the worship of fire. i.e. the fire kept burning by the Estiades. i.e. the fire kept burning by the ancient Persian sages. i.e. the fire of Pentecost which is the fire of the Holy Spirit. i.e. the fire of Kundalini which is the fiery serpent.
  • God is Fire. “He who makes his angels spirits, and his ministers a flame of fire.” - Hebrews 1:7 “For our God is a consuming fire.” - Hebrews 12:29 No one really knows the origin of fire, since it comes from the Unmanifested. Fire is the closest thing to God that we can find on the physical plane.
  • Fire is Christ. For this reason on the Cross is written: INRI (Ignis Natura Renovatur Integra).
  • Therefore, when we want to do a prayer or a meditation it is good to light a candle. A reverentially lit flame is like a prayer and attracts an enormous amount of divine energy.

Ceremonial and Formal

(See “Book of Liturgy”, chapter “Foreword”)

  • In all religions we find common rituals and formalities. i.e. Baptism Ceremonies. i.e. Wedding Ceremonies. i.e. Funeral ceremonies. i.e. Exorcisms of negative forces. i.e. Invocations of higher powers. i.e. Use of incense. i.e. Psalms and vocalizations.
  • Rituals, when performed with Consciousness, have the power to bring us into contact with the mysteries of the higher worlds and to attract divine energies.
  • When a religion degenerates, it may continue to practice its rituals and formalities, but it now is without Consciousness, like a tradition whose inner meaning has been forgotten.

The Mystical Experience

(See “The Solar Bodies”, chapter “The Mental Body”)

  • Mystical experience is a state beyond mind and beyond time.
    • This experience is Divination (Greece), Samadhi (Hinduism), Satori (Zen), Wu (Chan), Enlightenment, etc.
    • In this state we come into contact with that which is real and eternal, with God.
    • Then we experience “Re-ligare”, that is, Reunion with God.
  • All mystics, saints, prophets, sages, spiritual masters, etc. who have this experience experience the same characteristics:
    • The feeling that everything is one.
    • The feeling that everything is alive and intelligent.
    • The feeling that there is no time.
    • The feeling of infinity.
  • Experiencing Truth is different from embodying Truth.
    • One may have the experience of Truth (through meditation, deep prayer, contemplation, etc.), but that does not mean one has embodied it.
    • In order to embody Truth (Being) one must work for many years with the 3 Factors of the Revolution of Consciousness.

The Avatars

  • All religions are based on mystical experience.
    • Religions are not invented by someone.
    • As the conditions and needs of humanity change according to time and place, the White Brotherhood sends a messenger (Avatar) from time to time.
    • An Avatar is a Master who has experienced and embodied Truth.
    • His mission is to bring the Eternal Spiritual Message in a renewed form that will serve the needs of humanity at that time.
    • When conditions change and this religious form ceases, the White Brotherhood sends forth a new Avatar.
  • The Avatar of this era is V.M. Samael Aun Weor.
    • V.M. Samael Aun Weor fulfills two missions: (1) He is the Kalki Avatara, i.e. the last of our Race — the one who confirms the previous ones. (2) He is the Avatar of the Age of Aquarius, which began on February 4, 1962.

The 4 Kinds of Esoteric Schools

Kindergarten Schools

  • They are schools that teach us the basic concepts of esotericism.
    • i.e. for God, for the higher worlds, for our inner bodies, for chakras, for reincarnation, for karma, for angels, concentration exercises, visualization, vocalization, breathing, with crystals, incense, energy exercises, healings, etc.
  • They cannot lead one to Self-realization.
    • They are useful as an introductory stage in esotericism.
    • The problem would be for one to remain in such a school all his life, believing that he will attain Self-realization.
    • The danger is that these Schools believe that they possess the complete teaching that can lead to Self-Realization.
  • Such Schools are:

Schools of Psyche

  • They teach us how to crystallize our Soul.
    • Man does not have an embodied Soul.
    • He has only the Essence within him, which is the raw matter with which he can crystallize the Soul.
  • These Schools teach us that man is a legion of many “I’s” which he must dissolve if he wants to crystallize his Soul.
  • In these Schools they teach the techniques for the dissolution of the ‘I’ and the awakening of Consciousness.
  • Such schools or teachings we find:
    • In Zen Buddhism
    • In the teachings of Krishnamurti
    • In Sufism
    • etc.

Schools of Soul and Spirit

  • These are the original Renaissance Schools.
  • They teach
  • They can lead one to the end of the inner Path.
  • Such Schools are:
    • Gnosis
    • The Tantric Buddhism of Tibet
    • Sufism (in its hidden part)
    • Zen Buddhism (in its hidden part)
    • The Eleusinian Mysteries, the Orphic, the Kaviria, etc.
    • The Mysteries of Egypt, the Aztecs, the Maya, the Incas, etc.

Schools of Black Magic

  • It is the dark antithesis of the Renaissance Schools.
  • Usually, people in these schools believe that they are good and that they are on the right path.
  • They are based on Black Tantrism.
    • They use sexual energy in a negative way to empower the ego and its demonic powers.
    • We recognize them by the fact that they defend ejaculation (of course we can’t say that in this lesson).

Suggested Practice: “Universal Prayer”

  • At the end of the lesson we will do the FA Rune and a short guided practice:
  • First we all do the FA Rune together 3 times, repeating the prayer and the mantras: FA, FE, FI, FO, FOU.
  • Then we will sit for a meditation practice.
    • We first take a few deep breaths, relax, clear the mind, etc.
    • We center in the heart, feeling and seeing our Being as a blue flame that gives us peace, love, harmony and inspiration.
    • We feel that this divine flame that burns within us also burns within everything, mountains, waters, plants, animals, people, etc.
    • Then we read the “Universal Prayer” slowly and all the people repeat mentally.
    • We remain for a while in silence and peace.
    • The practice will take about 15-20 minutes (without the Rune).
  • Finally, to encourage individuals to make a small altar in their home on which to do their inner practices and prayers.

Second Chamber Information

Just for our own understanding, not to meet in the First Chamber.

The 7 Kinds of Religion

(See “Lectures of a Great Mystery 4”, lecture “The Christ”)

  • There are 7 types of religion.

    • These correspond to the 7 types of man.
    • Each type of person understands what “religion” is differently.

  • (1) The religion of the motor-instinctual person.

    • For these people religion is a matter of exercising external obligations (eg going to church every Sunday, etc.)

  • (2) The religion of the emotional person.

    • For these people religion is a matter of belief, sentimentality, fantasy, etc.
    • These people are one moment emotional, crying, doing reverent poses, etc., and the next they are ready to condemn anyone who does not hold similar beliefs to the stake.

  • (3) The religion of the intellectual person.

    • For these people religion is a matter of rationalizations, subjective interpretations of scriptures, etc.
    • These people demystify the scriptures and enjoy arguing or trying to convince others with their arguments.

  • (4) The religion of the person who has begun to seek the Inner Path.

    • These individuals feel that there is something real beyond the subjectivity of the first 3 types.

  • (5) The religion of the person who has begun to experience the real RELIGARE, although he has not yet dissolved the ‘I’.

  • (6) The religion of the person who experiences the real RELIGARE, and has proceeded to the work of dissolving the “I”.

  • (7) The religion of the Great Masters who have dissolved the ‘I’.

The Three Minds

(See “Great Mutiny”, lecture “The Three Minds”) (See “Lectures of a Great Mystery 3”, “The Three Minds” lecture)