Miscellaneous spiritual paths

Other Spiritual Paths

This page contains a collection of spiritual endeavours that do not fit into any of the other categories in this section. Each in their own way represent spiritual paths.

Maslow's heirarchy of needs

This was one of the first paths I ever came across. Abraham Maslow (well known in the field of psychology) came up with this in the 1950's:

Survival Needs (food, sex, etc.)
Security Needs (safety, shelter)
Social Needs (love, belonging)
Self-Esteem Needs (achievement)
Self-Actualisation

Later, just before his death, he added two more between Self-Esteem and Self-Actualisation - Cognitive Needs (self-growth) and Creative Needs (self-expression). Perhaps there is a correspondence between the 7 steps and the 7 chakras. See "Psychology" by Lester Lefton, Bacon & Allyn publishers, 1997 (a common undergraduate text). Maslow's theory was that we all progress up the ladder from survival to self-actualisation. No steps can be skipped. Once self-actualisation is reached you may go through the cycle again with a higher set of standards.

Seven Sacraments of the Catholic Church

Baptism
Confirmation
Ordination
Eucharist
Confession
Extreme Unction
Matrimony

Shakespeare quote

Here is the path of life according to Shakespeare, from the play As You Like It. This is Jaques speaking in Act II Scene VII:

All the world's a stage,
And all the men and women merely players:
They have their exits and their entrances;
And one man in his time plays many parts,
His acts being seven ages. At first the infant,
Mewling and puking in the nurses's arms.
And then the whining school-boy, with his satchel
And shining morning face, creeping like snail
Unwillingly to school. And then the lover,
Sighing like furnace, with a woeful ballad
Made to his mistress' eyebrow. Then a soldier,
Full of strange oaths and bearded like the pard,
Jealous in honour, sudden and quick in quarrel,
Seeking the bubble reputation
Even in the cannon's mouth. And then the justice,
In fair round belly with good capon lined,
With eyes severe and beard of formal cut,
Full of wise saws and modern instances;
And so he plays his part. The sixth age shifts
Into the lean and slipper'd pantaloon,
With spectacles on nose and pouch on side,
His youthful hole, well saved, a world too wide
For his shrunk shank; and his big manly voice,
Turning again toward childist treble, pipes
And whistles in his sound. Last scene of all,
That ends this strange eventful history,
Is second childnress and mere oblivion,
Sans teeth, sans eyes, sans taste, sans everything.

-- As You Like It, II, vii, 139.

7 types of Man

Western philosphical schools (eg Ouspensky, Gurdjieff, etc.) often make reference to the cosmic octave of progression of Man, consciousness, etc. The Law of Seven. Each step of the octave can be broken down into a smaller octave. Between steps 3 and 4, and steps 6 and 7, the interval is larger. This octave corresponds to the musical scale - C D E F G A B C, do ray me fah sol la si do (this comes from a 7th century latin hymn, with slight variation from the modern version: Ut queant laxis resonare fibris Mira gestorum famuli tuorum, Solve polluti labli reatum, Sancte Johannes).

Stage	Consciousness	Type of Man
7	Full realisation	Great Master
6	Abundance	Law giver
5	Knowledge	Man of understanding
4	Pull of the Way	Government, Professor, Minister
3	Effort	Merchant, banker
2	Decision	Artisan, leadership
1	Good impulse/response	Labourer

There is a big difference between level 4 and 5. Men of understanding stand out in society, examples being Mozart, Shakespeare, Leornado da Vince. Lawgivers are even rarer - Moses, Mohammed, Zoroaster, for example. Great Masters includes Jesus, Buddha, Krishna, etc.

It is said that at the end of Shakespeare's Tempest, the epilogue spoken by Prospero "Now my charms are all o'erthrown, And what strength I have's mine own; .... As you from crimes would pardon'd be, Let your indulgence set me free", were the words of a man at level 6 (where there is the second major interval) waiting for his transition to the final 7th stage (of enlightenment/realisation). Some say that this was the last play Shakespeare wrote, and it is autobiographical.

Dante's Divine Comedy

Dante Alighieri lived from 1265 to 1321, born in Florence, Italy. He became involved in politics early in life, later turning to philosophy and poetry. The Divine Comedy consists of 33 chapters, describing the journey of a soul through different levels of hell, purgatory, and then into paradise. At each level Dante meets the dwellers and discourses with them. It is full of allegory, and some politics of the time (there may be a connection between his work and the Knights Templar, who were strongly influencing mystical thought at that time).

Hell	Purgatory	Paradise
Neutrals	Four classes of Tardy Penitents in ante-purgatory (Sphere of Air)	I. Heaven of the Moon
I. Limbo - unbaptized	I. The Proud	II. Heaven of Mercury
II. Carnal sinners	II. The Envious (Love distorted) - (Sphere of fire)	III. Heaven of Venus
III. Gluttons	III. The Angry	IV. Heaven of the Sun
IV. Avaricious & Prodigal	IV. The Slothful (Love defective)	V. Heaven of Mars
V. Wrathful & Melancholy	V. The Avaricious	VI. Heaven of Jupiter
VI. Heretics	VI. The Gluttonous (Love excessive)	VII. Heaven of Saturn
VII. Violence & Bestiality 1. Tyrants & Marauders 2. Suicides & Spendthrifts 3. Blasphemers	VII. The Lasivious	VIII. Heaven of Fixed Stars
VIII. Simple Fraud 1. Seducers 2. Flatterers 3. Simoniacs 4. Diviners 5. Barterers 6. Hypocrites 7. Thieves 8. Evil counselors 9. Schismatics 10. Falsifiers		IX. Crystalline Heaven: Primum Mobile
IX. Treachery to: 1. Kindred 2. Country 3. Hospitality 4. Lords & Benefactors		Motionless Heaven: Empyrean Rose of the Blessed
Lucifer		The Nine Angelic Circles

I'm not going to try and describe the journey further here. It is another description of the spiritual path of the soul, through hell, purgatory, and finally through paradise to ultimate salvation. Dante had Virgil to take him through hell and purgatory, and Beauty to take him through Paradise to the Godhead.

Dark Night of the Soul

The Dark Night of the Soul is one of the dangers which can strike the unwary spiritual aspirant. The term comes from a work by St John of the Cross, a 16th century catholic mystic. This is what he wrote:

On a dark night, Kindled in love with yearnings - oh, happy chance!
I went forth without being observed, My house being now at rest.

In darkness and secure, By the secret ladder, disguised - oh, happy chance!
In darkness and in concealment, My house being now at rest.

In the happy night, In secret, when none saw me,
Nor I beheld aught, Without light or guide, save that which burned in my heart.

This light guided me More surely than the light of noonday
To the place where he (well I knew who!) was awaiting me - A place where none appeared.

Oh, night that guided me, Oh, night more lovely than the dawn,
Oh, night that joined Beloved with lover, Lover transformed in the Beloved!

Upon my flowery breast, Kept wholly for himself alone,
There he stayed sleeping, and I caressed him, And the fanning of the cedars made a breeze.

The breeze blew from the turret As I parted his locks;
With his gentle hand he wounded my neck And caused all my senses to be suspended.

I remained, lost in oblivion; My face I reclined on the Beloved.
All ceased and I abandoned myself, Leaving my cares forgotten among the lilies.

This short verse is veiled with cryptic allegories, but describes the painful path which aspirants may follow. In recent years, Dr Caroline Myss has talked about the Dark Night of the Soul, and Spiritual Madness (an excellent audio tape set is available from Sounds True). A better understanding of the Dark Night, or rather Nights (as there are two) comes from an understanding of Alice Bailey's work on the Initiations. The teaching is that as a true aspirant travels along the path, they enter a period of "darkness" (which is inner sould growth) which can last from months to years. This can be a painful time - emotionally, mentally, and/or spiritually. Another quote from a modern source:

Nights in white satin never reaching the end
Letters I've written never meaning to send
Beauty I'd always missed with these eyes before
Just what the truth is I can't say any more

Cause I love you
Yes I love you
Oh how I love you

Gazing at people some hand in hand
Just what I'm going through they can't understand
Some try to tell me thoughts they cannot defend
Just what you want to be you'll be in the end

And I love you
Yes I love you
Oh how I love you, oh

-- Nights in White Satin, Moody Blues

After emerging from the first period of darkness, the soul may again enter a second and deeper period of darkness. I believe many people can recognise these periods, but the concept of this being a "normal" phase of progress is not widely understood.

Chakra evolution

The chakras, or energy centres, are basic to the ancient teachings (China, India, Egypt) going back thousands of years. Purification of the chakras is said to be necessary to allow the Kundalini energy from the base chakra (near the base of the spine) to rise up to the brain. Normally, nerve currents are said to circulate around the spine through the Ida and Pingala nerves - when the chakras are purified, the Kundalini is able to rise directly up through the sushumna to the brain, resulting in enlightenment. There are dangers if the Kundalini rises too quickly.

There are many chakras - thousands (some sources say 72,000). In fact, each nerve ending is a chakra. There are 7 main centres - some sources talk of 12, or 20, but almost all agree on the 7 major ones.

#	Location	Hindu name	Gland	Colour	Manifestation
7	Crown	Sahasrara	Pineal	Violet / White	Divine connection
6	Brow	Ajna	Pituitary	Indigo	Intuition and wisdom
5	Throat	Vishuddi	Thyroid	Blue	Power centre, communication, expression
4	Heart	Anahata	Thymus	Green / Pink	Love towards others
3	Solar Plexus	Manipura	Pancreas	Yellow	Honesty, higher desire, purpose in life
2	Sacral	Svadisthana	Genitals, kidneys	Orange	Reproduction and sex drive
1	Base	Muladhara	Adrenals	Red	Survival, instinct, money matters

New Agers often view purification of the chakras as the road to enlightenment. As the chakras are cleansed and activated, the consciousness shifts from 3rd dimensional to 4th dimensional consciousness (also called Christ Consciousness).

References:
The Chakras, Naomi Ozaniec, Element Books, 1990 (ISBN 1-85230-174-0)

Alice Bailey - initiations

Near the beginning of the 20th century, Alice Bailey channelled works from a quiet Tibetan master Djwhal Khul concerning initiations (see "The Rays and The Initiations" and "Initiation Human and Solar", you can get these books from http://www.theosophiabooks.com/bailey.htm ). Here is another method describing the advancement of human consciousness. The intiations take many lifetimes to complete. In his books, Dr Joshua David Stone suggests that roughtly 1/3rd of humanity have yet to enter the probationary path; 1/3rd are on the probationary path, and 1/3rd are on the 1st initiation or higher. The first three initiations take place on astral levels during sleep, and the student is not consciously aware of them taking place. From the Fourth initiation onwards the student is fully aware of what is taking place, and is at a very advanced stage of being (most of us are pretty low on this scale).

Probationary path - mild interest in spiritual matters.
First initiation - starts to acquire to level of control over the body, right living and thinking. This is when the soul "enters the stream" - Christians call it Salvation. Most people who have been drawn to read this material will be at least a First Degree initiate.
Second initiation - on completing the second initiation, the student has overcome delusion of self, doubt, uncertainly, and superstition. Many people on entering a spiritual path are still plagued with doubt - "Does God really exist?", "How do I really know for sure?" etc. This is normal, and will continue until "Baptism by the Holy Ghost" completes the second initiation period. The second initiation is usually marked by an actual physical experience or illumination. Mastery is gained over the astral and emotional bodies. This is probably the most painful of all initiations, and during this step corresponds to the first, deep, Dark Night of the Soul. A second degree initiate is known as Sakadagamin in Buddhist tradition, and a Kutichaka in the Hindu tradition.
Third initiation - this is known as the transfiguration, and involves mastery over the mental body, overcoming attachment to sensation and earthly life, and overcoming anger and hatred. On completing the third initiation, the person is known as an Anagamin (does not return) in the Buddhist tradition, and a Hamsa (swan) in the Hindu tradition. Few on this planet are currently at this level. At this initiation the soul merge takes place - the student is aware of his soul energy.
Fourth initiation - we now have quite a high order of being. Jesus was said to have completed the fourth initiation during his lifetime - the crucifixion being the completion. This is the step of renunciation or crucifixion, and the student gives up everything, including the personality and ego. The soul merges into the monad, and achieves liberation from the lower worlds of manifestation. This is the step which Shakespeare refers to at the end of The Tempest. The student overcomes desire for beauty or form, desire for a formless life, pride, agitation or ability to be disturbed at all, and ignorance. In the Buddhist tradition they are called an Arhat, and a Paramahansa in the Hindu tradition. A person of this order is normally highly respected for their achievements in life, and has the ability to do "miracles" (walking on water, healing the sick, etc.).
Fifth initiation - this is the level of resurrection or revelation, mergence of the monad with the spiritual essence. Fifth degree students may or may not have a physical body. Alice Bailey's teacher, Djwhal Khul, was on the fifth initiation when he worked with Alice Bailey. At this level they are able to manifest bodies at will, and have control over mind and matter. They are known as an Adept, Asekha or Jivanmukta.
Sixth initiation - this and higher levels of initiation are somewhat beyond the comprehension of the average mortal such as myself! The sixth degree initiates are masters who work raising the consciousness of the mass of humanity. They are known as Chohan - masters of the 7 rays - in the spiritual heirarchy described by Alice Bailey. During the 5th initiation the student will determine which path of service they wish to tread, only a few remain to help this planet. The paths are: path of Earth service, path of magnetic work, path of training for planetary logoi, path to Sirius (most of humanity goes this way, and on to the Pleiades), the ray path, path of the logos, path of absolute sonship. A seventh degree initiate is known as a Mahachohan, and the Sanat Kumara (Lord of the world) is a 9th degree initiate. According to Dr Joshua David Stone, there are 352 initiations in all!

Completion of each initiation is a period of crisis. At one time it is said that it would be the end of life for the student, and they would be reborn to continue on to the next stage. Often many lifetimes are required to complete each stage. In recent times the uplifting of consciousness as a whole has made the journey a lot easier, and some may complete several initiations in one lifetime. As one progresses, each step seems to take less time than the step that preceded it.

The Theosophical society had nine levels of initiation:

Initiation zero - the probationary path (vast majority of humanity)
First initiation - birth to spiritual path; gains control over the physical body
Second initiation - baptism; gains control over the astral body
Third initiation - transfiguration; develops clairvoyance and clairaudience
Fourth initiation - crucifixion; a perfected being, Arhat or Paramahansa
Fifth initiation - resurrection; the Ascended Masters
Sixth initiation - ascension or masterhood; Chohans, Lords of the Seven Rays
Seventh initiation - bodhisattva, avatar, Christhood; world teachers at the level of Mohachohan
Eighth initiation - buddahood; level of the Buddha
Ninth initiation - godhood; level of Sanat Kumar
Tenth initiation - planetary logos

Building the Antahkarana

Refer the the section on Models of Man for a description of the Antahkarana. See also Dr Joshua David Stone "The Complete Ascension Manual" chapter 5 "Building the Antakharana". This is a "New Age" idea, and the teaching is that there are three subtle (ie non-physical) cords within each person:

Sushumna - extending from the root chakra to the crown chakra. This is the pathway of the Kundalini.
Sutratma - the "silver cord" of life which descends from the Monad (Oversoul) to the base of the spine. It is the basis of life, the emotions and consciousness.
Antahkarana - spiritual thread spun by the spiritual endeavours of each individual. It extends from the heart chakra upwards to the Monad. Stages of attainment, initiations, etc., are marked by the antahkarana growing to reach a certain spot, eg to the pituitary gland, pineal gland, crown chakra, etc. There is considerable scientific teaching behind this, and meditation methods such as Om meditation which works on the chakra's in the head region.

Quest of the Holy Grail

Laurence Gardner is an excellent reference source for expounding the meanings behind the ancient Grail quest. He defines the Grail quest as the desire for fulfillment through giving and receiving service (ie a form of Karma Yoga). The Holy Grail is the Sangreal, the sacred bloodline of the royal blood of Judah, through the House of David. Because the grail teachings have come down to use through mysterious tales, allegories and cryptic Tarot cards, it is difficult for most to understand how to tread this path.

Other interesting Grail books are Holy Boold and the Holy Grail by Michael Baigent, Richard Leigh & Henry Lincoln, and The Dragon Legacy by Nicholas de Vere.