Chicago Gnosis Podcast

Beginning Self-Transformation 06 The Three Brains

Human beings do not merely possess a single brain within the cranium, but within the heart and spinal column as well, since in esoteric psychology, a brain is a psycho-physiological machine that processes energies of different modifications. Just as the mind has its nervous systems and basis within the material, cranial matter, likewise the heart (the seat of emotions) and the spinal column / sexual organs (the seat of instinct, movement, and sexuality) possess their own forms of intelligence we must become familiar with. By comprehending our human organism: mind (thought), heart (emotions), and sexuality (desire and attraction), we can learn to use the machinery of these three brains for our individual self-transformation and growth.

Beginning Self-Transformation 05 The Human Machine

The microcosmic human being is, in his turn, a solar system in miniature, a marvelous machine with various distributed nets of energy that are in distinct degrees of tension...

The human machine (as any other machine) moves under the impulses of the subtle forces of Nature. The secret agents that move the human machines are first the cosmic radiations and second the pluralized “I.”  ―Samael Aun Weor, The Narrow Way

The body, heart, and mind possess tremendous forms of intelligence and power that remain in a potential and inactive state. Learn how to activate this latent intelligence within the human body, consciousness, and nervous systems through study and practical works. When we comprehend how the machine of our mind, heart, and body function, we can use it for the free development of the consciousness in obedience to intelligence and will. This lecture elaborates on the previous discussion of self-observation, explaining the structure and dynamics of our psycho-biological machine: intellect, emotions, movement, instinct, and sexuality, as well as how our sense of self relates to these five centers.

Beginning Self-Transformation 04 Self-Observation

"To change is the best; however, we must begin by being sincere with ourselves.  We need to make a psychological inventory of ourselves in order to know what we have in excess or what we lack.” ―Samael Aun Weor, Treatise of Revolutionary Psychology

Our internal states shape our exterior life. By becoming acquainted with the numerous conditions of our internal, psychological world, we can modify them in order to awaken the free and natural state of consciousness: compassion, empathy, wisdom, serenity, cognizant love, and happiness for others. Through liberating the consciousness of its egotism, faults and obscurations, we can then penetrate, with the eye of awakened, spiritual perception, into the true knowledge of life's mysteries. However, all of this is based on directing conscious attention, not reacting mechanically to life in a passive, unconscious manner.

The first, kindergarten step to awakening to our essential nature begins with observing ourselves. By directing our attention with full consciousness and will, we can discover what psychological elements within our interior universe produce suffering and conflict. Therefore, by observing the conditionality of our psyche, we can modify it. Only by learning to observe and eliminate our faults can we produce radical, fundamental, and permanent change, and thereby experience the awakening of our true spiritual and divine potential.

Beginning Self-Transformation 03 Discover Your True Self

"We all know that we have within ourselves that which is called ego, I, me, myself. Unfortunately, the Essence is completely imprisoned, absorbed inside the ego, and this is lamentable. To dissolve the psychological “I,” to disintegrate its undesirable elements, is something unavoidable and non-excludable. This is the meaning of working upon oneself...

"...Unquestionably, the Essence shines within ourselves when our psychological “I” has died. The liberated Essence confers upon us inner beauty. Perfect happiness and true love emanate from such a beauty. The Essence possesses multiple senses of perfection and extraordinary natural powers. When we die within ourselves, when we dissolve the psychological “I,” we can then enjoy the precious senses and powers of the Essence." ―Samael Aun Weor, Treatise of Revolutionary Psychology

Discover the fundamental makeup or machinery of our internal, psychological constitution: the essence (soul or consciousness), ego (defects, vices, errors) and personality (language, habits, name, race, customs, culture, etc.). By learning about what makes us mechanical beings, or intellectual animals (from the Latin anima, meaning soul), we can therefore strive to make profound changes through developing the capacities and potentiality of the consciousness. By overcoming the mechanicity of our life, we can experience, in a state of alert novelty, the purpose of our existence: the manifestation and realization of our true identity.

Beginning Self-Transformation 02 Psychological Rebellion

"It is not irrelevant to remind our readers that a mathematical point exists within us. Unquestionably, such a point is never found either in the past or in the future. Whosoever wants to discover that mysterious point must look for it here and now within oneself at this exact moment, not a second earlier, not a second later. The two horizontal and vertical lines of the Holy Cross intersect at this point. Thus, we find ourselves from moment to moment before two paths: the Horizontal and the Vertical.

"It is apparent that the Horizontal path is too base; it is traveled by my buddy and everybody, by those who are juvenile and those who are senile. It is evident that the Vertical is different; it is the path of intelligent rebels, of revolutionaries.

"When one remembers oneself and works upon oneself, when one does not become identified with all the problems and sorrows of life, it is a fact that one is traveling along the Vertical path." ―Samael Aun Weor, Treatise of Revolutionary Psychology

Learn about the basis for true spiritual change: psychological rebellion. Real change is produced through cognizance of our inner faults and rectifying them through meditation. By identifying and removing the causes of suffering within oneself, it becomes evident how one might modify one's daily circumstances, the repetition of sufferings, comedies, and tragedies, so as to acquire genuine serenity and the happiness of living.

Beginning Self-Transformation 01 The Level of Being

Humanity, in an unprecedented and terrifying manner, has precipitated itself upon the path of war, conflict, and destruction. People are continually oppressed by problems that are difficult to address or resolve, resulting in a world-wide bankruptcy of morals and a lack of solutions for our greatest sorrows.

Despite such widespread and overwhelming affliction, there are proven remedies for the alleviation of suffering and our daily despair. Such methods were given to humanity by all the teachers, prophets, and illuminated beings from our most ancient and venerated traditions, which, due to ignorance, have been misinterpreted and misconstrued.

Learn about the foundations for true spiritual and internal change, why we experience pain, and what we can do to help humanity.  By comprehending who we are, why we suffer, and where we stand psychologically, we can learn to enact the change we wish to see in the world. This is facilitated through proven, effective, and scientific methods, free of beliefs, skepticism, or unbreakable dogmas. Since the world is a reflection of the individual, by changing our ways of being, our level of being, we in turn can attract more positive influences within our life.

Cultivating Virtue, Conquering Vice 01 Sincerity on the Path to Truth

"The student is not ready until he seeks truth and honesty in all things." ―M, Lord God of Truth Within

A lecture on the importance of cultivating sincerity in our approach toward understanding Truth. Learn how to apply practical methods to generate the personal honesty necessary to overcome obstacles of confusion and self-deception in your spiritual work.

The Secret Teachings of Opera | Turandot (Act III)

"Search for knowledge (the Lost Word) even in China and maybe you will find it in the great Tartar.” —​Sufi Proverb

The people of Peking seek the Lost Word: Calaf, the name of the unknown Tartarian prince in exile, whose secret encloses the wisdom of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, the Tree of Life, and the appellation of the sacred name of God: Hashem. If Turandot's people do not discover his name, they will be executed at dawn by her decree.

To have the right to marry the divine princess and achieve the intimate Self-realization of the Being, the Prince must undergo the temptations of the soul within the darkness of the infernos. Yet he can only be successful if he remains faithful in his love for Devi Kundalini (Turandot) and the secret of his name.

“Be thou faithful unto [Divine Mother] death, and I will give thee a crown of life.” —​Revelation 2:10

The Secret Teachings of Opera | Turandot (Act II)

Learn the mysteries of the three mother letters of Kabbalah: Aleph, Shin, and Mem, the three riddles that Calaf must solve in order to have the right to marry the divine Shekinah (Turandot). She is the heavenly Kundalini power that can take him from exile and destitution to the spiritual heights of inner realization. Yet to do so, the Prince must risk his life upon the path of initiation and willingly endure the funereal trials of the thirteenth arcanum of the tarot. If he conquers Turandot's ordeals, the Prince will qualify and enter the kabbalistic mysteries of the Name, Hashem, which is the incarnation of Christ within the initiate.

 

The Secret Teachings of Opera | Turandot (Act I)

Princess Turandot​ of China will only marry a man of noble blood who successfully answers three riddles.  If he fails in any, he must submit his head to the axe.

Puccini's masterpiece has captivated many admirers, since its most famous aria Nessun Dorma, "No man shall sleep," is one of the most recited around the world. However, humanity does not understand that this opera is a profound teaching of alchemy, kabbalah, and Sufism, since Puccini was a Freemason well versed in Middle Eastern mysticism.

Learn how he encoded the mysteries of kabbalah (the Tree of Life) and alchemy (the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil) in the first act of his opera. By studying these two esoteric sciences, students can interpret the drama of this sacred work and learn how to enter the path of initiation.