Blessed are you who have prior knowledge of the stumbling blocks and who flee alien things.
Blessed are you who are reviled and not esteemed on account of the love their lord has for them.
Blessed are you who weep and are oppressed by those without hope, for you will be released from every bondage.
Watch and pray that you not come to be in the flesh, but rather that you come forth from the bondage of the bitterness of this life. And as you pray, you will find rest, for you have left behind the suffering and the disgrace. For when you come forth from the sufferings and passions of the body, you will receive rest from the good one, and you will reign with the king, you joined with him and he with you, from now on, for ever and ever, Amen.
~ Jesus, from The Book of Thomas the Contender
All posts tagged psychology
Blessed are you who weep and are oppressed by those without hope
Posted by Joël on February 2, 2013
http://blog.joeol.com/2013/02/02/blessed-are-you-who-weep-and-are-oppressed-by-those-without-hope/
It’s the Small Things
We’re always looking for the big things to set us free, to save us from our miserable inner states. But what about the small things? This is where the work occurs, and if we don’t see this then we can stay stuck for an indefinite length of time. So we have to take one day and see it for what it is. No one is coming to save us. There is no magical alignment of the heavens that will instantly change the very nature of who and what we are. That choice is ours every day, and when we make that choice then the help comes, but only when we utilize that which we have in hand day by day. It’s when we learn to see the daily opportunities and use them to get closer to Divinity within ourselves and through our actions toward others that we are given more opportunities. But we can’t expect to move forward until we treat life itself as the battlefield for the work–every event, every interaction.
There is no space for a “normal” life for a Gnostic. It is not okay to just sit around complaining like everyone else. It’s not okay to ignore the people around us and our responsibilities toward them. It’s just not okay to be “normal” like that. These things are not for someone who wishes to progress in the spiritual work, yet they are traps we all fall into when we convince ourselves that we’re just waiting for the right opportunity to really do the work, right? You know we do this. We think, oh this ordinary day, what an ordinary day in an ordinary life, and right then in that thought we stop seeing reality. We fail to see that life itself is precisely where the work takes place.
It is a lonely struggle, but we can find friendship in it with others who are doing the same, and this friendship gives strength.
We have to suffer silently and see the traps of the various egos which exploit our weaknesses daily. It is intense, but it is the only way to true peace.
Posted by Joël on January 13, 2013
http://blog.joeol.com/2013/01/13/its-the-small-things/
On Gurus and Saints
Often times we hear of this or that person abusing a status as a so-called spiritual figure–yogis sleeping with numerous women, priests molesting little boys, old men checking up girls’ skirts for “demons,” and so on. Then we hear about rape and molestation outside of the religious scene, and we connect them. We think, “There is no difference between this ‘spiritual’ person and anyone else.” And we connect the dots of ignorance to take away all sense of recognition, but that sense does not come from an intellectual assessment, nor is it easy to develop. It takes keen inner observation, and a true inward desire for God. If that is not there, then we are just subject to the games of this world, where we determine that we cannot distinguish the real saints from the fake ones, and we conclude that they all most likely just want to get in our panties.
This is a shame, for we are closing ourselves off from true teachings which can lead us to real happiness and inner peace. But at the same time, this can also have its value in that it prevents us from being too open to any one person until they have rightfully proven in our minds that they are worthy of our respect. And this can be helpful, as long as we don’t make false accusations against those who we know nothing about. Do not go into things with the irrational fear that everyone just wants in your panties! Jesus said that you will know them by their fruits, and by fruits he means works. By an evil tree, good works cannot grow. This is his warning against false prophets. Yet, does Jesus warn that no one can prophesy? Nay! We know that there have been truly spiritual men throughout history who gave their entire lives wholeheartedly to helping humanity; unfortunately it is only a small group which usually realizes this while the person is still alive. The rest follow the hypnotic opposition which arises from the evil in this world. Jesus Himself is a prime example of such a person–strongly opposed in His life, even to the death, with only a relatively small number of supporters. But the great thing is, once we have found a good tree, it will often lead us to other good trees and away from bad ones, if we are putting their teachings to practice rather than trying to formulate them into a religion. For instance, through Samael Aun Weor’s teachings, I am able to destroy many negative aspects of myself and lift myself up to spiritual states utterly unimagined by common man, and through Samael’s continued legacy through Belsebuub, I became aware of such wonderful spiritual goldmines as the Nag Hammadi Library and The Flight of the Feathered Serpent. And through my associations with those who practice these teachings, I became aware of the master Yogananda (someone I know received teachings from him in the astral plane) and his wonderful book Autobiography of a Yogi. (Follow preceding links for free books.) And so, being on the inside, in a practical sense, one can come to recognize other saints.
But recognition is not possible for ordinary people. They are either on one side of the coin or the other. They either accept anyone as a guru who feeds them exactly what their countless egos wish to hear, or they reject any spiritual figure until he or she is long dead. This happens because they do not have the eyes to see nor the ears to hear. These are spiritual eyes and ears to which Jesus refers. In all truth, most people do not have these. These parts are painstakingly formed through an intense inner spiritual work and a singular focus on the path to Divinity. Some people have them from past lives, but they may not be very active due to the murkiness of the personality and ordinary state of mind. I must admit, I have long had a keen spiritual eye for saint recognition. Shortly have I been distracted here or there by some false figure of hope or spirituality. The real Men I have known have shown through good works to be truly Men of God. And though friends and family have rarely understood what I saw at first, these Men (and Women) have truly stood the test of time, and most of those I know who railed at first now understand the truth and good works behind these Men, as they have become more aware of their works through me. And hopefully, my life stands as a testimony to all those whom I hold in the highest regard.
Now for every real Man, there are a hundred and fifty men pretending to be a real Man, so be smart! (That’s just a figurative ratio. Statitistics would not know how to approach such a study!) Many men know how to fool the masses. These are the kind of people who you would see on Oprah or at a book signing, spouting just the right things to fill the masses with a false sense of hope. Their words are like poison wrapped in flowers. They are fragrant and sweet, yet more damaging to the soul than if one had never listened to anyone at all. It is better to be dead than to be a disciple to this kind of person, for they will wrap you in layer upon layer of illusion and drive you into spiritual complacency. They will drag you down to the abyss along with themselves, and you will not realize this until the day you die for you will be blinded, thinking the blind man is leading you to salvation, because you are addicted to the false hopes his words bring you, which you think you need in order to combat your despair. But you see, hope and despair are but a game of the mind. They have no substance. A real teacher will lead you to salvation and his words will aid in the development of spirit molecules within yourself which do not belong to time or duality, and this is not always a pleasant process. In fact, it is generally an unpleasant process but it is the one with true spiritual rewards. Revolutions are not pleasant, even inner ones, but that is what a real spiritual teacher will lead you toward. And this will increasingly strengthen your powers of election. As Judas states: we always recognize our own. (The Flight of the Feathered Serpent) Until then, focus intently on what you do know to be true, those great and sublime teachers who have stood the test of time, but do NOT become one of those who tries the living examples of spirituality to only realize the mistake at the end of your life; neither be one who tests a disciple who can see with his own eyes and hear with his own ears. Those who did not know St. Joan lumped her with any other deluded religious zealot. But those who actually knew her were different. But the truth did not out until her life had already been ended by the judgment of the masses. The same can be said of Jesus, and for many many Christian martyrs who came later. Many saints were strongly opposed in this life, and lies were spread about them. (Half-truths formulated to mislead are also lies.) This will be your loss, for it will cut you off from seeing and hearing the living words on Earth today, and few they are and difficult they are to find if one is not living for God wholly and with all his or her being. But blessed is the person who can recognize a true saint from the imposters, for he will receive that saint’s blessing, and he will, through his efforts and familiarity with his teachings, become one with that saint, and all saints are in communion with God, and communion with God is the highest goal anyone can have.
May the Lord bless you with the power of election so that you can find those words which will spur you truly and unapologetically Godward.
Posted by Joël on June 9, 2012
http://blog.joeol.com/2012/06/09/on-gurus-and-saints/
On the Prostitution of the Soul
As long as the soul keeps running about everywhere copulating with whomever she meets and defiling herself, she exists suffering her just deserts. But when she perceives the straits she is in and weeps before the father and repents, then the father will have mercy on her and he will make her womb turn from the external domain and will turn it again inward, so that the soul will regain her proper character. For it is not so with a woman. For the womb of the body is inside the body like the other internal organs, but the womb of the soul is around the outside like the male genitalia which is external.
So when the womb of the soul, by the will of the father, turns itself inward, it is baptized and is immediately cleansed of the external pollution which was pressed upon it, just as garments, when dirty, are put into the water and turned about until their dirt is removed and they become clean. And so the cleansing of the soul is to regain the newness of her former nature and to turn herself back again. That is her baptism.
Posted by Joël on June 1, 2012
http://blog.joeol.com/2012/06/01/on-the-prostitution-of-the-soul/
All Is Number
I like to think of myself as a mathemagician and true scientist. To that, I think there is much more than what meets the eye.
There are many so-called “scientists” out there who come up with all kinds of nonsense, and they seem proud of their intellect and false reasoning. The one major fail that they make is the ignorance to the inner psychic life. The science of knowing oneself, truly.
Where does one come from? Where does one go? Sure, we can say these questions don’t matter because regardless of where we came from, we are here and that’s all we can know. But if you don’t know where you came from, then how do you know where you are going? Time and existence – this is a strange and elusive subject in itself for any scientist. One can say how something exists in a certain state because of this or that process or set of processes, but why does something exist at all? From what motivational spark and creative source does something come into existence at all? How does time turn, life begins and dies, etc. Certainly, we pride ourselves on our little history in our blink-of-an-eye-in-the-face-of-eternity lifespan, but who are we really?
These are questions that a fake scientist will never be able to account for — why? Because they will not find the answer in an outer science. How can one have a memory of a past life? It’s not in the brain, but yet one can, and I say this because I, being a scientist, have investigated things and been open to things inside of myself, inside my psyche. And this has led me to experience things that the ordinary person cannot dream of, inner states which are so magical and perfect that one couldn’t ask for anything more than to just simply exist in this state all the time. Granted, I do not live in these states all the time, and perhaps it is not for us to; I would not assume so at least. But I have been places and am open to new experience unexplainable by the pseudo-rational mind, and this is what life is about to me, knowing myself. Experience itself is the science. All the formulas in the world will not be able to explain why you exist, or tell you where you were before you were born, because trust me, you were somewhere. You have been in many forms before this one, and it is possible one day you will remember so.
I got to thinking about all of this and how to say what I want to say by means of some conversations on Facebook. One person, who I only know through his comments on a friend’s page and is always trying to be scientific, had made the assumption that surely extraterrestrials have not visited us because they would not be interested in us. Another person, who I also only know in the same way but was also trying to be scientific, had said that “some guy who claims to understand Einstein’s work” says that if a lifeform were to be so advanced for interstellar travel, they would most likely be hostile because they would see us like we see ants. How absolutely unscientific are both these assumptions?! I have met extraterrestrials out-of-body and I know other people who have met them OBE as well. I also know someone who has met them in person. And of all these people, there are a couple groups (from very different parts of the world) who see UFOs very regularly now.
Why them and not you? Well, they are part of a group whose sole purpose is to walk the path to inner knowledge. And in my experience (and theirs) that is why the extraterrestrials are here, to help us. When I spoke with them telepathically out of body, they were so clear and direct, their knowledge and direction didn’t seem to be governed by extraneous thoughts like ours are. In fact, they seemed slightly perturbed at something I had done which was not exactly from an intelligent inner state. So yeah, I think that’s why them and not most other people. They are trying, they are open, and they want to be True individuals, and so extraterrestrials want to help them/us, those of us who realize we need help from our idiocy.
The other thing that got me thinking about these things was commentary regarding Whitney Houston’s death. Sure, many people might overreact and glorify people. But the other side (the self-glorifying pseudo-scientists) has reacted in the way of glorifying all who die as a soldier of some country they respect. For instance, many of the top images on imgur.com for a couple days were badmouthing Houston and her drug addiction while glorifying what the majority seemed to agree were the “true heroes”: dead soldiers. Now, tell me, these users who would pride themselves so much on their infallible “science” would glorify people they don’t know just for dying in some useless war? So the scientist in me asks, what about the other side? Are they heroes too? If so, then what are all these so-called “heroes” doing killing each other? Or is someone only a hero if they’re dying for your side? And how exactly is it more noble to go kill people than to use your talent for making beautiful music? Which is more beneficial to an individual? Right, anyway, it just seems quite absurd that those who pride themselves in science are so far from what it actually means to be a scientist, and they will never know the truest heights of human knowledge and experience.
So, pseudoscientists, I hate to break it to you, but you’re missing out on the only source of true happiness, which comes from existing inwardly in absolute Truth and knowledge (or at least working toward that). Fools in love with themselves and full of tiresome “scientific” data, they will die knowing less than a child. They will bray like donkeys at the sound of Truth, calling it fallacy, and never knowing that they themselves are the wicked ones, further from Truth than they can ever imagine.
I’m not lying, nor am I stretching the Truth. I have seen and known so many things that the pseudoscientist likes to mock and spit on, but they are the ones at a loss. They are the ones who do not know anything at all. They are the ones who, when personality disappears at the end of the life, are left helpless and at the mercy of their ignorance until next time when maybe they will remember what it was like between lives and how mistakenly they had lived their lives.
Science and mathematics, ALL IS SCIENCE AND MATHEMATICS. Or, as Pythagoras might have said, “All is number.”
Sometimes I think, perhaps they will come around some day. Perhaps they will understand. Maybe I used to be like that. But no, actually, I was never like that.
Posted by Joël on February 16, 2012
http://blog.joeol.com/2012/02/16/all-is-number/
Something Good
When I woke up this morning I wanted to do something good, something genuine. I wanted to be pure and true. It was this really strong feeling. But in opposition to that feeling was this pull to do something for myself, something involving a certain addiction/pleasure. But I really didn’t want to be that person, someone who does not listen to his heart and do the right thing, and so I accepted the challenge and battled that addiction which does no good out of its place, and I listened to my heart. And now, I feel so alive. I feel truly in charge of my vehicle. It’s a good feeling. Had I succumbed to the temptation of addiction, I would not have known this this morning, and I would not have accomplished what I had set out to accomplish. Essentially I would have done nothing and lost an opportunity. I feel like there is an open book waiting before me, like anything could happen, and I love it; I am truly free in this moment.
True evil is not after your body; it is after your heart and your mind. It will drag you down into a world of psychological slavery if you let it. But recognizing the challenge is the first step, and winning, the second.
Posted by Joël on January 3, 2012
http://blog.joeol.com/2012/01/03/something-good/
