Monthly Archives: April 2023

A Motivation Scale

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A Motivation Scale: from Materialism to Spirituality

By George A. Boyd ©2023

Q: What markers are there for those who enter the spiritual path. How is their motivation different from one who is not spiritual?

A: We can describe on eight-point motivational scale. Four of these are primarily involved with human life; four of them are spiritual postures:

  1. All material desires – one is completely focused upon possessions, home, car, and family. If there is any religious affiliation, it is only to ask God to fulfill desires.
  2. Religious ritual – One’s focus is primarily in material desires, but the family regularly attends religious meetings on a regular basis, and religion conditions their values and beliefs. At this level, one identifies as a member of a religion.
  3. Spiritual study – There is interest at this level to read about spirituality to gain greater understanding of one’s faith. Initially, this will just be scriptures and books about one’s religious faith. Later, at this stage, one may read the books and teachings of other spiritual traditions to better understand other faith traditions.
  4. Removal of suffering – If one has undergone traumatic experiences or loss in one’s life, on looks to the Divine, as a source of healing, comfort, and strength to be able to cope. One may learn meditation at this level to be able to process and transcend—at least temporarily—the ongoing suffering one feels.
  5. Initial mystic experience – One undergoes an experience that radically changes one’s perception, beliefs, values, identity, and behavior. This can come from:
  • Use of psychedelics
  • Awakening of the Kundalini
  • Reception of Light Immersion from a spiritual Adept (Shaktipat)
  • Astral projection, where one views the body from outside of it
  • Encounter with a numinous being, such as an angel or a materialization of a spiritual Master in a vision
  • A peak experience, where one gains union with a higher spiritual essence
  • A near death experience, where one experiences a vision of the spiritual realms while one is clinically dead, before one is resuscitated

This experience leads one to orient towards spirituality, to make sense of what one has encountered. This leads some individuals to engage in a serious spiritual quest. For some individuals who have had this experience, material desires and suffering taking a back seat to the desire to know more about this portal to a transcendent reality that they have opened and passed through. In Mudrashram®, we call this the Neophyte stage of spirituality.

  1. Aspiration – One begins to seek to know one’s true nature, and how one might develop one’s spiritual potentials. This takes the form of studying many spiritual systems and getting initiated into several spiritual traditions. We call this in Mudrashram®, the Aspirant stage of spirituality. Several characteristics mark this stage:
  • Studies, reads books, listens to lectures and audios, watches videos on the Internet to learn about spirituality
  • Asks many questions: gets many confusing and conflicting answers
  • May begin to express the Soul’s abilities in science and art, and as psychic gifts
  • May begin to commune with one’s Soul to gain understanding or may get answers from spiritual guides
  • Re-evaluates one’s beliefs and values; reviews the information one was taught to align with the Soul’s inner truth (dharma)
  • Gets clear on one’s intrinsic and extrinsic Soul Purpose; one seeks a Master to help one actualize this Purpose—one identifies a resonant spiritual Path—instead of selecting random Paths, based on the promises of spiritual teachers, with no clear understanding whether this Path is appropriate or not
  1. Discipleship – one realizes a spiritual essence as one’s true nature, and begins to operate from this level. The disciple develops:
  • Devotion
  • Dedication and discipline
  • Perseverance on the face of adversity
  • The practice of regular meditation and transformation techniques regularly (sadhana)
  • Humility and a willingness to learn
  • The capacity to love unconditionally and feel compassion
  • The capacity to engage in selfless service
  1. Mastery – One completes spiritual development on one’s chosen track and enters the Presence of the Divine. The Divine anoints the Initiate:
  • To send the Light to awaken the spirit, a nucleus of identity, an ensouling entity, or the attentional principle (Awakener)
  • To act as guide to the attentional principle or spirit on the inner Planes (Guide)
  • To convey the teachings of one’s Path (Teacher)
  • To counsel aspirants and disciples to give them practical and moral guidance (Counselor)
  • To assist aspirants and disciples work with personal issues, and hindrances and obstacles to spiritual development (Therapist or Healer)
  • To inspire aspirants and disciples to make the next step in their spiritual studies and to progress on their Path (Coach)
  • To send the Light of Grace, Love, Wisdom, and healing through attunement to support students in times of adversity (Minister)

People have to pass through the portal of an initial mystic experience to awaken to their deeper spiritual nature. If they do not close that door out of fear, they may progress to the Aspirant, Disciple, and Initiate stages of spirituality.

Reflections on the World as Illusion

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By George A. Boyd ©2023

Q: My spiritual teacher says the world is illusion and is evil. Is this really true?

A: There are eight major viewpoints people adopt about the world. In some viewpoints it is evil; in others, it is not:

  1. Hedonism (the pursuit of pleasure) – in this perspective, the world exists so you can experience pleasure; to fulfill all of your desires; and to do, be, and have whatever you want.
  2. Fear and paranoia – in this view, the world is a place where there are good things and bad things; you must be vigilant lest evil people rob you, cheat you, rape you, blackmail you, kidnap you, or murder you. The world is not safe, but there are good and beautiful aspects of the world, too.
  3. Adventure and fun – From this standpoint, the world is a place of mystery and wonder. You want to travel to explore the world and see as much of the world as you can; to learn about the people who live in different nations and their culture and customs; and understand the history of the world. You want to experience fun and adventure.
  4. Compassion and altruism – Through this perceptual frame, the world is a place where many people are suffering due to poverty, societal discrimination, and lack of education, housing, or employment; they may be suffering because of addiction, illness, or disability. You want to do something to help those who are in misery and pain.
  5. Creativity – From this outlook, the world is a place where there is much to discover and learn on the Mental Plane—and out of this learning, there are many ways that you can share your insights and discoveries with others: you can invent new things to improve the lives of others; you can create art and literature to entertain, educate, and inspire others; you can use imagination to visualize new possibilities that lift you out of the limited world of the senses into the more expansive word of the mind.
  6. Self-transcendence – In this point of view, the world is an illusion that the senses and the mind create. You believe that it is your task to transcend the senses and the mind through meditation and gain union with a spiritual essence—your attentional principle, the spirit, a nucleus of identity, or the ensouling entity. Your spiritual teacher tells you that this spiritual essence is your true nature.
  7. Renunciation – From this viewpoint, the world is the devil’s trap to imprison your attention in the matrix of the senses and the mind, and veil the truth from you. You believe that you must remain in perpetual union with the spiritual essence with which you identify, and only follow its guidance and direction—and the commandments of the spiritual teacher who revealed this essence. The world is evil: it is world of temptation or sin that you believe you must assiduously avoid.
  8. Integration – From this vantage point, the world is a place of personal and spiritual growth and actualization. It appears that people pass through each of these stages and eventually arrive at the state of integration that unites appropriate self-discipline, the ability to transcend the Self through meditation, creativity, compassion, and adventure and fun.

Your spiritual teacher beholds the world from perspective seven, renunciation. In this viewpoint, it appears that the world is an evil place, which the webs of illusion pervade.

But you may find that your spiritual teacher, whose worldview is anchored in renunciation, might still practice some form of meditation for self-transcendence and express some type of creativity.

Others who dwell on the platform of renunciation will also engage in self-transcendence and will act out of compassion in service to others.

So, recognize that even though your spiritual teacher is established in renunciation, he or she may still exhibit partial integration through incorporation of other viewpoints.

Q: At what perspective do those who have evil characters operate?

A: It is a perversion of hedonism, the pursuit of pleasure. Some find pleasure in ways that do not harm others and themselves; others seize what they desire through intimidation, coercion, threats, deception, and violence.

Q: Why does full integration not include hedonism and fear and paranoia?

A: The individual who reaches the stage of integration finds pleasure in the world, but his or her motivation is not embedded in the desire matrix of the ego. The individual at the integration stage may still enjoy a good meal, a massage, a hot shower, or the pleasure of lovemaking, but he or she is not identified as the ego—which is perpetually engaged in pursuing desires and chasing ephemeral moments of happiness.

In the same way, the individual who abides in integration recognizes there is evil in the world. He or she uses wisdom to stay away from places where there is danger. He or she does not frequent places where there is contact with criminals, drug dealers, and those who demonstrate evil character traits.

Through deep reflection, the individual who reaches the shores of integration uproots evil within his or her mind. He or she recognizes these evil tendencies in others. He or she avoids engaging with those who perpetuate evil in the world.

How Christians Get Caught Up in Conspiracy Theories

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By George A. Boyd ©2023

Q: How do conspiracy theories influence Christians, which warp the core tenets of their faith?

A: To understand this, it’s important to review the 49 steps of the Christian believer from the birth of faith to the attainment of sainthood:

Level One – Faith [Activation of the cord of faith, which connects the ego with the Divine]

  1. Belief in God and Jesus [the awakening of faith]
  2. Praying to God and Jesus [invocation]
  3. Engaging in dialog with God and Jesus [praying and receiving a response to prayer as personal guidance and direction]
  4. Asking for God’s help in times of crisis or great personal suffering or adversity [supplication]
  5. Receiving God’s comfort and peace via the Holy Spirit in response to the prayer of supplication
  6. Receiving a gift of the Holy Spirit in response to prayer or as a spontaneous act of Grace
  7. Demonstrating or using the gift of the Holy Spirit with believers in your congregation; Pentecostal and Charismatic sects appear to operate at this level

Level Two – Spiritual Warrior [Construction of the citadel of belief and identification as a Christian believer]

  1. Listening to sermons and learning about the Christian faith
  2. Studying the Bible, committing scriptures to memory
  3. Witnessing and proselytizing to other to convert them to the Christian faith
  4. Aligning with clergy-sanctioned political and social causes and advocating for them
  5. Becoming obsessed with religious and political agendas; at this level you are especially susceptible to believe in conspiracy theories
  6. Giving tithes and donations to support your Church’s mission; you might also be led to financially support the agendas of political and religious groups that align with the political and social causes for which you have advocated
  7. Teaching or preaching to others what you have learned from scriptural study and the theological training you have had; this is the standard preparation for ministry based on theological study [Theology is one of the disciplines found in the Temple of Science; some schools of Theology also expose the minister-in-training to the principles of Philosophy.]

Level Three – Quest for power, money, and love [Activation of the Universal Mind]

  1. Claiming the promises of scriptures via faith and affirmation
  2. Giving donations and tithes with the aim to activate the Divine Law of Prosperity
  3. Demonstrating Divine Prosperity through purchasing expensive cars, homes, clothing, or jewelry
  4. Giving charity; donating to causes you deem worthy out of your financial surplus
  5. Treating the Universal Mind directly using affirmations to manifest your desires; Science of Mind practitioners and ministers operate at this level
  6. Working with the matrix of subconscious beliefs that hinder manifestation of your desires—many life, relationship, and business coaches operate at this level to move you to the next step in your life, your romantic satisfaction, or to enhance your career and finances
  7. Experience of union with the Universal Mind; activation of the inner genius of the Master Mind

Level Four – Revelation and Visionary Experience [Psychic Realm Awakening]

  1. Visions of utopian or doomsday scenarios; apocalyptic visions of the end of the world and the second coming of Christ
  2. Immersion in interpreting the meaning of scriptures, symbols, archetypes, and myths; this is the level of hermeneutics; those who engage in translating scriptures and religious texts from their original languages also operate at this level
  3. Channeling angels and spirits verbally to give prophecy and revelation
  4. Communion with angels and guides in trance states and receiving teaching and revelations from them
  5. Channeling communications from angels and spirits through spontaneous writing [automatic writing]
  6. Beholding visions of spirits; perceiving angels and demons in the aura of others
  7. Exorcising or casting out demons that you perceive in the aura of others through prayer or ritual; those who conduct exorcisms operate at this level

Level Five – The Dawning of Wisdom [opening to the Wisdom Plane]

  1. Reception of practical guidance to live righteously
  2. Working on changing bad habits and reforming character
  3. Working with addictions and recovering from compulsive patterns of behavior—many 12-step groups operate at this level
  4. Mentoring and guiding others to improve their character, recover from addictions, and cope with the challenges of life; pastoral counselors and addiction counselors operate from this level
  5. Doing forgiveness work and reuniting with the unconditional love of the Soul—A Course in Miracles operates at this level
  6. Gaining understanding of what motivates you and others; connecting with your Soul’s inner wisdom
  7. Communion with the Light of Wisdom and listening to the still, small voice in the silence; the spiritual communion of the Quakers taps this level

Level Six – Born Again – Living the Gospel and having direct communion with the Holy Spirit

  1. Experience of direct attentional union with the Moon Soul or Christ Child nucleus of identity; feeling born again as a child of God
  2. Direct communion with the Holy Spirit as it dwells in the inner altar at the heart of the Moon Soul or Christ Child
  3. Experience of the Divine Will as direction and guidance conveyed directly to the attentional principle
  4. Reception of the genuine calling of spiritual vocation to serve the Church as a minister, teacher, prophet, healer, or evangelist; this is the level at which you experience authentic spiritual vocation
  5. Experience of ministering the Holy Spirit as your attentional principle; this is the attunement of spiritual ministry
  6. Experience of the robes of righteousness—guiding your human life through wisdom and the moral will; this level also opens the Revelatory Mind or Mind of Christ, which brings new insights into the scriptures
  7. Experience of the heart of gold, the golden nugget of love and virtue at the core of the Moon Soul or Christ Child

Level Seven – Holiness [embodying love and virtue through ascension of the Moon Soul or Christ Child]

  1. Experience of the Jet of Divine Spirit upon the Mountain of God; entering the Presence of the Form of God that expresses in human life and history
  2. Entering the gates of death while alive; doing life review in the Presence of the Great Judge and the Lords of Karma
  3. Beholding the strata of Hell; witnessing the behavior of others that led them to perdition
  4. Beholding the strata of Purgatory; working off core life issues and developing heart wisdom
  5. Beholding the strata of Heaven
  6. Beholding the worlds of the angels
  7. Assumption into the form of the Saint; embodying the ability to directly send the Holy Spirit to the Moon Soul or Christ Child in others

Below level five, believers are subject to the manipulation of those who seek to shape Christian’s beliefs through arousing their emotions. Some manipulate believers to enrich themselves; some do it to gain political power; some do it to use believers to fulfill their desires.

We see the ready adoption of conspiracy theories—and the mobilizing of believers to support repressive laws and policies that aim to subjugate those who believe differently—as a direct result of these influence attempts.

Until the Christian has advanced in his or her spiritual growth to level five, where wisdom can guide him or her, there is the ongoing risk that conspiracy theories can waylay the believer. Those who disseminate untruths, distortions of the facts, and warped interpretations of the scriptures are only too willing to influence those who follow them and listen to their perverted messages.

We note that at steps 11 and 12 on the ladder of Christian growth, the believer is especially vulnerable to the influence of those who promote conspiracy theories. Without discernment and wisdom, and the ability to use critical thinking, moreover, believers are highly susceptible to these attempts at covert influence and outright manipulation.

Those who have political agendas, who seek to enrich themselves, and who suffer from narcissistic and megalomaniac delusions are only too happy to shape the beliefs, values, and behavior of the Christian believer. One must tread the perilous journey of faith with vigilance and caution, as the Path is strewn with dangers and pitfalls that can ambush the believer on the inner passage to holiness and assumption into sainthood.

What Happens to Vehicles of Consciousness When the Soul is Liberated?

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By George A. Boyd ©2023

Vehicles of consciousness typically align with the Soul and are tuned up as it evolves. But they are not necessarily liberated when it drops into the Nirvanic Flame. Several scenarios exist for what happens when the Soul becomes liberated in the Planetary Realm:

  1. All vehicles of consciousness are liberated at death – one must undergo the Pratyeka Buddha process to do this.

  2. Selected vehicles of consciousness are liberated – Adept Masters and empowered Adepts drop certain vehicles of consciousness that are not relevant to their ministry.
  3. Alignment of vehicles of consciousness with a form of service – individuals who liberate their Soul may align their vehicles with a nodal point where they can carry out a selected ministry via activating the vehicles of consciousness through Attunement. For example, an individual who has liberated the Soul might align his or her vehicles of consciousness with the 14th nodal point of the New World Servers Subplane on the Manasic Plane to carry out work as a group leader.
  4. Alignment of vehicles of consciousness with a stage of development within Planetary Creation that mirrors their station at Cosmic, Supracosmic, or Transcendental levels of development. For example, a Bhakti Yoga Preceptor who dwells on the First Cosmic Initiation might align his vehicles of consciousness with the form of the Saint to express Divine Love in the Planetary Realm
  5. A Master who elects to take the Sixth Initiation may tune up the vehicles of his or her personality to animate an immortal form in full consciousness – this stage of development is called the Ascension. [We write about the Ascension in depth in our Initiates Library volume, Discoveries on the Path. This book is available to those students who have completed the Mudrashram® Advanced Course in Meditation.]

Two other vehicle alignments are observed when the Soul is not liberated:

  1. Vehicles of consciousness line up with the Soul up to its establishment in its Crown of Purpose – this is normal vehicular development for those who have a Crown of Purpose.
  2. Selected vehicles of consciousness are tuned up out of alignment with the Soul – this appears in groups that identify with a vehicular seed atom or a nucleus of identity and transform it outside the axis of being, and move it beyond the Soul, so it is no longer controlled by the Soul’s transpersonal will.

We discourage aspirants from doing transformational work that misaligns vehicles of consciousness and moves vehicular seed atoms or nuclei of identity off of the axis of being—in the Subtle, Planetary, Transplanetary, Cosmic, Supracosmic, or Transcendental Bands of the Continuum.

We refer you to our articles available on our Open Stacks page to learn more about what spiritual imbalance is and how to avoid it: “The Cutting Edge of Spirituality,” “On Avoiding Imbalance from Spiritual Practice,” and “What is the Axis of Being?”

Those of you who do not know whether you have a Crown of Purpose or not may benefit from a Soul Purpose Reading, which can identify whether this is present and where this Crown of Purpose dwells in the Continuum of Consciousness.

What Is Illumination?

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By George A. Boyd ©2023

Q: Spiritual groups talk about Illumination. What is Illumination?

A: When we examine the activation of the intuitive thread, the Antakarana, we note several different levels of heightened intelligence and intuition along this cord that connects the brain with the Soul:

  1. Intellectual brilliance – This is quick application of intellectual problem solving strategies. This operates in the Metaconscious mind.
  2. Creative association – This finds novel associations between ideas, and alternate perspectives for viewing phenomena. This is used in art, creative writing, and invention. This level operates in the Abstract Mind Plane.
  3. Intuitive sciences – This uses an symbolic array like Tarot cards or astrology to tease out meaning and insight in a structured Psychic Reading. This level draws from the Psychic Realm.
  4. Revelation – This seeks to interpret the symbolic and archetypal material in scriptures and Mystery School teachings. This level can be found in the First Exoteric, Mesoteric, and Esoteric Planetary Initiations.
  5. Synthesis – This ties together mental functions to create a big picture, which allows comprehensive understanding. This level is activated in the Third Planetary Initiation.
  6. Illumined insight – This is the downpour of knowledge of the Illumined Mind or Buddhi. When this dawns on the mind in the state of Samadhi, the inner teacher within awakens. Those taking the Fourth Planetary Initiation directly awaken their Illumined Mind.
  7. Jnana Shakti – This Ray of Light Fire awakens the intuitive stream (Antakarana) and reveals the insights embedded along this thread. Those who have activated their Monad and have been empowered at this level can send this Ray to awaken the Antakarana.

Illumination occurs when there is activation of the Buddhi at level six. Masters and their advanced disciples have the ability to activate Jnana Shakti to stimulate the innate Illumination that dwells within the Soul.

We train people to access their intuitive thread in the Jnana Yoga section of our intermediate classes, the in-person Mudrashram® Master Course in Meditation and the by-mail and online Accelerated Meditation Program.