Category: FAQ page

In mysticism, there is talk of the Source – the spiritual place from which all Light, Life and Love – all aspects of the universe – emanate. All things that exist, including humans with their notion of a soul, emerged from this primary facet of the world. Eventually all things will return to the Source. The human spirit, in the fullness of time, will also re-unite with Divine Spirit and become one with the Source. The reunion is an inevitable part of the process of Being and there is nothing that individuals really need to do to make it happen. Billions of ages might need to elapse before this reunion with Source is accomplished by all, but it will happen. And in that time humans as we are aware of them today will have long since moved on as a natural consequence of evolution. The Spirit, the Soul, the Divine aspect of Self, however, will continue to be recognizable. This is the piece of the Source that stays pure, despite being covered up with the mantel of materiality.

When someone stumbles upon the spiritual or mystic path, the tiny pure spot within develops a strong yearning and desire to connect again with Source. If this yearning is acknowledged it grows more intense. Then the new mystic will seek ways and means to cultivate this purer Self. It may require experimentation, trial and practice to find the tools and methods of cultivating the pure Self that is most appropriate for the individual. Sometimes the flowering of the soul is instantaneous. Meditation and contemplation seem to be common tools used by everyone on the Path. Other methods are also possible. Eventually, perhaps after many lifetimes, the pure Self within becomes strong enough to dominate the personality. As this continues, the mystic becomes less and less dependent on material things and more and more concerned with becoming one with God, the universe, the Source. At some point, the true Inner Self is able to emerge completely and exist as an individual personality without the need of a material body. This is considered a high level of spiritual perfection.

When we speak of the perfection of the soul, we mean that the soul – our true Inner Self – is strong enough to free itself from the bonds of the flesh and is then able to pursue a more direct path towards union with the Source. Eventually and without any effort, the souls of all beings will attain this perfected state through the long and natural process of evolution. The mystic, however, is eager to quicken this process and passionately strives to bring about the liberation and perfection of the soul as soon as possible. Is it necessary to perfect the soul? No. But to the mystic it is one of the few goals worth pursuing.

The Path, the Road, the Way – is a metaphor for the spiritual journey to Enlightenment.  All of us at one time or another can be said to be on the Path whether we know it or not. However, we most often only start to discuss the nature of the Path once we have come to an awareness of it.

We first learn about the Path when we get the first inklings of the mystical nature of world. When we first realize that there is something more than just the mundane world, we quickly learn that there is a “Way” that can lead us to perfect union with the “Truth” of “Life.”

Once we become aware of the Path, most of us find it necessary to seek it out. When we discover a version of the Path that gives us confidence, we can begin to take our first steps on the journey to Enlightenment. Often people will find a nice little way station or oasis on the Path and be content to stay there for some time – maybe the remainder of their lives. But these rest stops, however pleasant, are not meant to be the end of the journey. The Path goes on. Eventually, after some degree of experience, we can be said to know the nature of the Path – we learn when we are on it or not, and we learn the difference between a simple rest stop and the ultimate stop. By continuing on the Path and learning to understand its nature, we can begin to assist others in following the Path, as well.

At some point, we, the travelers, reach a clear end point. Perhaps it is the real end, perhaps not – yet the experienced traveler accepts it as the end. Now, fresh choices open up. We, as travelers, can go off the Path and find some new adventure beyond the experience of the mundane world. Or we can return to the Path and be a guide and agent to help others find the end. Or, very rarely, we can generate a new Path – become a Path of our own and accept new travelers moving towards Enlightenment.

But the first step is to realize that somewhere there is a Path appropriate to each of us and to go out to find it. And once the Path is found we should seek to follow it, joyously.

The word Karma means ACTION but it has come to represent the universal cosmic law of cause and effect. Like Newton’s 3^rd law of motion – for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction – the Law of Karma suggests that whatever action we take will have an appropriate consequence.

Forces occur in pairs: every action has a reaction or consequence. In physics the action and reaction are simultaneous and it almost makes no difference which occurs first – cause and effect is fixed. But people tend to ascribe values on Karmic actions – we judge the actions and consequences to be good or bad based on our own morality. There is also the idea that there is a fundamental, universal morality that makes fair and impartial judgments of actions and based on that judgment, imposes appropriate consequences. The EFFECT is “chosen” based on the CAUSE. Thus, ACTION is judged based on intention and motive. This interpretation gives people comfort of a sort but it goes against the nature of the law.

Some also interpret Karma as a record of merit or demerit points – our lives and future lives are seen as determined or influenced by how many good or bad points we accumulate. The circumstances we find ourselves in are thought of as a result of the good or bad actions we have previously taken. This can lead people to speculate that the universe – our lives in particular – is based on some system of rewards and punishments. And if we accept the punishment and pay off are debt in some way, we can be free of further prosecution.

Karma should not be seen in this way. Karma is a natural law of the universe like gravity. There is no system of rewards and punishments built into it. Rather, there are simply natural consequences to certain actions and behavior.

The Bible explains it with the statement that “as you sow, so shall you reap.” If you plant an apple seed, an apple tree grows. If you plant corn, corn will grow. If you plant pain, suffering, fear, anger, hostility, violence – then these things will grow within you. And you will bear the accompanying fruit. What seeds you plant now might bear fruit in this life or in a future life – but the thing you plant will surely grow. Our thoughts, emotions, beliefs, actions and behavior eventually return to us. This is the way we grow in understanding and evolve spiritually. There should be no thought of judgment or the accumulation of Karmic Debt.

When we recognize the consequences of our actions, when we notice the effects in our lives, we can begin to modify our thoughts and behavior and move ourselves out of the negative circumstances we find ourselves in and develop more freedom and attain peace of mind.

There is an old saying – sow a thought, reap an action; sow an action, reap a habit; sow a habit, reap a character; sow a character, reap a destiny. This is more in line with how the cosmic law of Karma works.

Mysticism plays an important — and often essential — role in all the world’s religions; however mysticism itself is not a religion.

Mysticism comes from the word “Mystic” which means an initiate of the sacred mysteries. The mystic, by undergoing certain challenges and training, gained knowledge of and especially personal experience of different states of consciousness and levels of being. The mystic came to know reality in a whole new way, one that went beyond normal human perception and involved the development of a direct connection with a supreme being.

Mysticism is both the practices that lead a person to become a mystic and also the practices developed by mystics to strengthen their connection to altered states of consciousness and to help others experience those states.

The main practice of mysticism is meditation – and this can be accomplished in a variety of ways including intellectual study, physical activity, and interaction with people particularly in a charitable way, and various ritualistic programs – besides the common idea of sitting quietly and attempting to gain clarity of mind.

Almost all the founders of the world’s great religions were mystics (Jesus, Buddha, Lao Tzu, Krishna, etc.), and elements of mysticism are apparent in religious activities. However, most religions rely on a structured, formalistic approach to their practices to maintain their organizations and thus, mysticism is often deprecated or persecuted. Mystics, in a religious context, need to be controlled or they might set up a competing organization.

The goal of mysticism is to prepare people to experience an awakening to cosmic reality – that is, an experience of absolute union with the universe or God.

The Illuminati is a name given to several groups throughout the centuries, both real and fictitious. The name refers to the supposed enlightened or spiritually evolved character of the members of the group – the word itself means “enlightened ones.” The most influential Illuminati group was called the Ancient Illuminated Seers of Bavaria or more simply the Bavarian Illuminati. This was a secretive organization founded on May 1, 1776 by Adam Weishaupt to oppose superstition, prejudice, religious influence over public life, abuses of state power, and to support women’s education and gender equality.  The professed goal of the Bavarian Illuminati was to teach people to be happy by encouraging them to be good – by illuminating the mind and freeing it from prejudice and superstition. More modern goals in line with these sentiments would include total gender equality (including LGBT), racial equality, spiritual tolerance, and the promotion of literacy, prosperity and peace.  A key difference between the Illuminati and many spiritual organizations with similar aims is that the Illuminati were/are more militant and prepared to take strong action to achieve their goals. They are activists and their activism was geared towards educating the masses and influencing the powerful to support the elevation of the masses. With such an agenda, it is no wonder the group was outlawed along with other secret societies by the Bavarian government leadership with the encouragement of the Roman Catholic Church, and continues to be vilified today.

ADAM WEISHAUPT

In subsequent use, “Illuminati” refers to various organizations claiming or purported to have unsubstantiated links to the original Bavarian Illuminati or similar secret societies, and often alleged to conspire to control world affairs by masterminding events and planting agents in government and corporations to establish a New World Order and gain further political power and influence. Central to some of the most widely known and elaborate conspiracy theories, the Illuminati have been depicted as lurking in the shadows and pulling the strings and levers of power in dozens of novels, movies, television shows, comics.

The Bavarian Illuminati did in fact try to infiltrate educational organizations, religious and metaphysical groups, and government institutions with the plan to convert key members to their way of thinking. They were advocating the establishment of a new kind of society – one based on the concepts known at the time as “Liberty, Equality and Fraternity.” These were ideas dangerous to the status quo. How successful they were is a matter of dispute. It is clear, however, that their activism scared the ruling classes in their own time and continues to scare people today.

So how does a group whose stated goals include: ending superstition; limiting the oppressive powers of government, the established religion of all denominations and state backed institutions; elevating the status of women; raising up the poor and disenfranchised; promoting worldwide education; and eliminating economic disparity and war come to be seen as some sort of demonic society bent on enslaving the world? Well, maybe an evil organization has taken to calling themselves the Illuminati but they actually have a completely different agenda. Or, maybe the people who vilify the Illuminati are the ones who want to spread superstition, maintain the oppressive elements in the government and religions, and want to deny people an opportunity to learn, grow and advance. After all, if you happen to be a despotic ruler and you know that there is a group plotting to kick you off your throne, you probably would consider that group to be the biggest threat to social stability on the planet.

Or perhaps it is the Illuminati themselves defaming their own reputation in order to divert attention from their true agenda. The real Illuminati, if they exist, must always function in opposition to the current power elite since it is impossible to be both Enlightened (illuminated) and at the same time seek to dominate the world. Therefore they must operate in secret, behind a variety of masks. The people currently accused of being Illuminati – the financiers, industrialists and politicians – are clearly NOT enlightened. Look instead for groups that oppose government attacks on personal freedom; oppose religious domination of society; promote gender and racial equality; and promote literacy, prosperity and peace.

Adam Weishaupt described preferred members of the Illuminati this way:

“Whoever does not close his ear to the lamentations of the miserable, nor his heart to gentle pity; whoever is the friend and brother of the unfortunate; whoever has a heart capable of love and friendship; whoever is steadfast in adversity, unwearied in the carrying out of whatever has been once engaged in, undaunted in the overcoming of difficulties; whoever does not mock and despise the weak; whose soul is susceptible of conceiving great designs, desirous of rising superior to all base motives, and of distinguishing himself by deeds of benevolence; whoever shuns idleness; whoever considers no knowledge as unessential which he may have the opportunity of acquiring, regarding the knowledge of mankind as his chief study; whoever, when truth and virtue are in question, despising the approbation of the multitude, is sufficiently courageous to follow the dictates of his own heart, – such a one is a proper candidate.”

“The tenor of my life has been the opposite of everything that is vile; and no man can lay any such thing to my charge.”