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..:: Illuminations ::..
By
Alan Schneider
In this essay, I will discuss
another feature of my Ascension experience, predominantly from the
perspective of Jungian psychodynamics, but also from the perspective of
optical brain neurology in the optical cortex. I have come to believe
that this is the final enabling component of my Ascension on that date,
and would like to share this with you all.
My experience of Ascension on
this occasion was somewhat unusual which goes without saying that
any experience of Ascension could be considered unusual the
archetypal symbolism present was not predominantly Hindu or Tantric per
se, as Kundalini theorists say it should be. To recap the experience,
the first perception that I had after waking and entering my living room
was of slightly opening the blinds early in the morning on a sunny
Christmas Day, and stepping back to the center of the room as I gazed on
the brightly sunlit lake outside. Within seconds, my perception of the
large tree outside my window had shifted to the perception of an Astral
image of the Tree of Life, having, however, many more glowing Sephira
than the normal ten. Although I do not necessarily trust my time
perception of subsequent events, I would say that within a few more
seconds, an Astral Doe walked past the Tree, and stopped to look at me.
My perception became focused on the face of the Doe, and her Eyes. I had
the distinct impression that I was being examined by an Astral
intelligence, or some extra-personal intelligence, represented
by, or present within, the Doe. It was as if this Entity was literally
looking into my Soul.
The following experience was
disorienting, to say the least, but seemed to involve transport Astrally,
or perhaps post-Astrally, to another, higher level of
manifestation I had the sense of moving up and away from the Astral
Plane into another manifestation of consciousness through a field or
tunnel of golden light, although this is still not quite an accurate
depiction of the transitional journey involved. Suffice it to say that
my consciousness eventually reconvened on another level in which I was
viewing a radiant structure exactly like Sahasrara, the Seventh Chakra,
in appearance, but composed of light, not concrete form. This
structure occupied my entire consciousness nothing else seemed to be
present.
I am very cognizant of
the events that followed my perception of Sahasrara, frequently referred
to in Hinduism as the Divine Lotus. I have portrayed this perception in
my Doors In Disguise chapter, Samadhi, as a kaleidoscope
of brilliant color and form that seemed to be Supremely Intelligent as
well as visually apparent a collective Awareness in whose Presence I
was somehow located. I moved sequentially through this structure
encountering a progression of color from the red exterior petals of
the Lotus, to more orange tinted Petals, and then yellow ones, toward
the White core of the structure, all the while with the sensation that I
was encountering higher and higher Beings existing in some celestial
sphere of influence. I heard a chorus of unnumbered voices singing in
some tonal progression of chords that was exquisitely beautiful, but not
lingual, apparently emanating from the extensive complex of Petals, and
sensed that this was the chorus of the Voices of the Host singing in
adoration of the Logos. Upon entering the Core, or Heart, of the Lotus,
I found myself enveloped in an omnipresent field of pure Love and White
Light, a delightful sensation. Although I am not quite sure, I believe
that this sensation eventually dissolved into Buddhist non-dual Pure
Awareness, or Satori I say that I am unsure, because there is not
really a frame of reference from which this condition can be described.
I seemed to pass into a state of profound and complete relaxation in
which I was simultaneously aware of nothing and everything at the same
time, and as the same condition. This makes no sense whatsoever from the
perspective of the ego, but still constitutes an accurate description of
the perception experienced. And then, at some point, I simply found
myself standing back in my living room, looking at the lake!
I have since become aware of
the Hindu esoteric practice of Sun Gazing as a method of approaching
Ascension. I believe that this practice was somehow enabled in my
perception through a series of Synchronicities that I experienced that
Christmas morning. The process unfolded as follows. I opened the
horizontal blinds to about half way to full capacity after rising. The
sun was shinning on the lake outside my window brilliantly, but not
directly reflected into my eyes the angle of reflection was somewhat
oblique. The surface of the lake was agitated by a slight wind into
wavelets that acted like an optical grating that served to further
soften the effect of the sunlight. So I was exposed to exactly the
correct intensity of natural light that is sought for in Sun Gazing
practice! I believe that this moderate intensity of natural illumination
floods the optical cortex of the brain with a sustained condition of
neural stimuli that is capable of opening the Astral Gateway to higher
perception, and that this was the final causative factor enabling
the sequence of visions that constituted my Ascension that morning. As I
have observed in previous articles, I was already in a much more
receptive state of consciousness that was initiated the previous evening
in meditation, and apparently never dissipated completely overnight.
Meditation represents a powerful form of self-hypnosis when practiced
extensively, and the long term goal of this practice is constant
communion with higher consciousness states of experience
essentially permanent Samadhi. Tantra teaches this, and all the
real Yogis know of and strive for this condition. I believe that my
inadvertent Sun Gazing practice dramatically enhanced my Astral
Perception that morning, catapulting me into a full Ascension
experience.
Optical stimulation is very
important in the grand scheme of the nervous system. Five of the Major
Cranial Nerves are concerned with optical control and processing
functions more than is seen in any other grouping of the Major nerves
and attendant nerve clusters. The optical cortex itself is located at
the back of the head something that would seem to be counter-indicated
from the perspective of the location of the eyes at the front of the
head, until the relatively protected status of this area at the rear is
considered. The fact of binocular vision is also an indication of the
powerful evolutionary significance of sight for survival. Even if
one eye is lost, there remains another to enable at least partial visual
competence for the individual. It is perhaps not surprising that the
practitioners of ancient Hinduism discovered that they could attain
trance states through Sun Gazing. A correctly trained Sun Gazer can even
forsake food for extended periods of time many months, in fact
without apparent ill effect, so powerful is this technique.
The archetypal images of my
Ascension are not entirely consistent with any conceptual system
of thought on higher conscious. On one hand, there were five more or
less clearly defined stages through which I passed, which suggests a
Cabala Middle Pillar experience there are arguably five Sephira that
lie on a direct vertical line from Malkuth to Kether. And I did
perceive a supernatural Tree that seemed to have glowing spheres
suspended from its branches, although there were far too many of these
to be considered Sephira in any conventional sense. I have frequently
felt that the Astral Doe was a Native American equivalent expression for
the familiar Judeo-Christian Lamb of God the Christ Consciousness
archetype. But why the shift to Native American archetypes? Why not
simply perceive an Astral Lamb? And why so many spheres on the Astral
Tree? The significance of the Golden Light is more clear this implies
a condition of great value and spiritual clarity. The presence of the
Doe and the Tree can be understood as personal/cultural intrusions
coloring the expression of the archetypal symbolism that emerged, but
then why the abrupt shift to such a clearly Eastern, Hindu image of the
Logos appearing as Sahasrara, one that was also tinged with Cabalistic
features the Voices of the Host, and my sensed perception of Angelic
Presences? Was this experience actually solely Kundalini-driven, or were
the many other factors present also critical enablers, without which the
experience could not have taken place?
I believe that the old adage
that the answer to the multiple choice question of life is usually
choice D, All of the above is also correct here. I apparently
managed to be in the right place, at exactly the right time, performing
the exactly the right procedures, and in the presence of all the
necessary auspicious environmental conditions. What if the Sun had not
been out that morning? What if I had been ill, or disabled, or had
chosen a different apartment home without the proximity of the lake
being present? Probably of the greatest importance was and is my mindset
I am a life long spiritual researcher and practitioner who was
involved in exactly the correct set of mental circumstances to allow an
Ascension experience to manifest profoundly curious without the
slightest attachment to any kind of outcome whatsoever. If no Ascension
had occurred, this would have been fine with me! If a partial Ascension
had occurred, this also would have been acceptable. In a word, I went
into the experience expectation-free. I believe that it was this absence
of any preference that enabled in particular the final stage of
the experience the perception of Sahasrara. I believe that this
was what the Astral Doe was examining me for the presence of any
corrupt or prejudicial attitude on any level. When none was found, the
next phase of the experience was initialized in my consciousness
according to some predetermined archetypal sequence. I didnt even
necessarily want the experience to continue I simply went along for
the ride in a mildly interested, but profoundly detached, consciousness,
one typical of meditation. It turned out to be the ride of a lifetime!
As physical beings living on
a physical, sensory plane of existence, we tend to seek material
explanations for phenomena, and pursue material sources of gratification
to maintain personal homeostasis. Ultimately, this materialistic process
is a psychological dead end that leaves us feeling empty and isolated
from each other, and from all other modes of conscious experience many
of which we may very well not be aware of at all, even as possibilities.
If we are to truly experience the fullest extent of this life that we
find ourselves in, then we must freely and boldly conduct spiritual
investigations into the nature of who and what we are as conscious
beings. Inner space is outer space the real final frontier of
exploration lies within each of us. It is no further away than our
imagination, and personal motivation to take the first step!
- With Love, Alan -
(CR2008, Alan Schneider)
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