The Body of Light
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@Jim Eshelman said
"Any picture you have in your mind is a form existing in Yetzirah. To mold astral substance into a particular shape, imagine it - get it nice and solid. Yes, this is the main part of how the body of light is formed.
There are a few different layers of use for the term BoL. Sometimes it is treated as the intrinsic, already existing astral aspect of a person. Other times (and the way it seems best to apply to the practices being addressed here), it is something that doesn't pre-exist, but must be intentionally built. It's your chariot - much like a car - that you hop in and use to scoot around "the astral plane." "
This is ironic , i recently came to the conclusion that "a car " would actually be almost an ideal form for "astral travel" not least because it can closely approximate 360 degree vision considering a certain arrangement of rear-view mirrors and an open roof, is there a limit to how much "astral substance" is available for the Magician to use??
"Yes, it's Yetziratic. It may or may not survive death - a constructed shell would ideally be withdrawn (reabsorbed) after its use."
I suppose this would apply in my above example, if so how would the magician go about the reintegration process??
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@_aLL_seEIng_eYe_ said
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"Yes, it's Yetziratic. It may or may not survive death - a constructed shell would ideally be withdrawn (reabsorbed) after its use."I suppose this would apply in my above example, if so how would the magician go about the reintegration process??"
Basically, referse the process by which it was exuded in forming the Body in the first place.
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@he atlas itch said
"All of you who have read Gurdjieff’s writings will recognize that this is a central theme. He refers to it as the Reciprocal Maintenance Of Everything That Exists. According to this principle everything that exists is required to contribute toward the existence of everything else. There is a close and intimate interlocking of all lives and all forms of live, by which each one is required to do something for every other. What has to be done in this way depends upon the transformation of energy."
Yes,Atlas. I own a copy of that book/pamphlett.
When I read it, it reminded me of the "Law of Conservation of Mass", that I learned in Physics class.
Yet I look back at his method and it appears to be just as big a failure as all the others. Not only does Humanity remain completely ignorant but none of his students really amounted to much more than a hill o' beans... did they?
?
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@Labyrinthus said
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@he atlas itch said
"All of you who have read Gurdjieff’s writings will recognize that this is a central theme. He refers to it as the Reciprocal Maintenance Of Everything That Exists. According to this principle everything that exists is required to contribute toward the existence of everything else. There is a close and intimate interlocking of all lives and all forms of live, by which each one is required to do something for every other. What has to be done in this way depends upon the transformation of energy."Yes,Atlas. I own a copy of that book/pamphlett.
When I read it, it reminded me of the "Law of Conservation of Mass", that I learned in Physics class.
Yet I look back at his method and it appears to be just as big a failure as all the others. Not only does Humanity remain completely ignorant but none of his students really amounted to much more than a hill o' beans... did they?
?"
The above example is one of the many forms of expression used by the character called Labyrinthus that shows a tendency to incite rather than a tendency toward insight. He demeans whatever is being talked about through an effort to diminish it with belittling words and tones. Here he has called "the writings of Gurdjieff" a mere book/pamphlet - yet we who have first hand knowledge of such things have first hand knowledge that these things are more than one mere book/pamphlet.
[thus, the jury should now conclude that this character who calls himself Labyrinthus has not in fact made himself familiar with the work of Gurdjieff while wanting us to believe he or she has]
Furthermore, Labyrinthus continues his dismissive methods by stating his opinion about the character known as Gurdjieff (including all of Gurdjieff's followers) in such a way that we must insist he is expert if we are to believe his tone. He knows when a human is a failure and not a failure. Also, he knows who exactly Gurdjieff's followers are and who are not (yet never considers to contrast them with others such as the followers of Christ or the followers of Freud or the followers of L. Ron Hubbard or perhaps even the followers of Newton).
Finally, Labyrinthus escalates his form of assault on the thread (and on this website) with a derogatory conclusion concerning a hill o' beans.
Labyrtinthus is entitled to his opinions. That's my opinion. Labyrinthus is not entitled to the privilege of being a bully and I suspect I am seeing the signs of a bully becoming. I have witnessed Labyrinthus question the group here about why it is perceived that his method is one of poor communication, so i thought I would pause the conversation for a second to demonstrate first hand and in the moment why Labyrinthus is not making many friends in this playground.
I hope that this small interruption in your fun has shown both the general population and Labyrinthus something useful in answer to this question about why "Lab" grows more unpopular by the day. I am offering no solutions or recommendations other than whatever comes from this brief observation on its own. I am not speaking to anyone directly on this matter at this or any other time - especially Labyrinthus with whom I find reasonable discourse not possible.
I now return you to your regularly scheduled discussions
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@Jim Eshelman said
"Basically, reverse the process by which it was exuded in forming the Body in the first place."
As I understand it, the "substance" of the astral allows Tibetan lamas to create tulpas and then reabsorb them back into themselves:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TulpaBtw the following sounds remarkably similar to Jim's description of impaction:
The mindstream communion affected by the wife of Marpa in the abovementioned quotation, is an ancient mode of 'mind transmission' (Tibetan: dgongs brgyud) or 'empowerment' (Tibetan: dbang bskur) in the Himalayan traditions, documented in the folklore and anthropological studies of Himalayan and Siberian Shamanism. The Russian Psychiatrist Olga Kharitidi published her direct experience of this phenomenon in the Altay Mountains, where a shaman merged a stream of his consciousness continuum or 'spirit' with hers.
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@Takamba said
"Here he has called "the writings of Gurdjieff" a mere book/pamphlet "
That is not what I said. That is very dishonest, Takamba. Why the long attack on me personally? Because you do not like my viewpoint? What is your problem?
I referred to an 87 page booklet as small. You gotta problem with that?
@Takamba said
"his dismissive methods by stating his opinion about the character known as Gurdjieff (including all of Gurdjieff's followers) in such a way that we must insist he is expert if we are to believe his tone."
No Takamba... your angry complaint merely continues... I asked a question because I am sincerely interested if anyone has an opinion on the matter. Exactly what in my tone implied expertise? Be specific or be revealed as a low down, abusive, surly little forum punk with an axe to grind. Your little diatribe says a whole lot more about you than it does me.
I think Gurdjieff accomplished very little in the way of an 'enlightenment' School. The Fourth Way is basically dead. I am not aware an any Teachers in that lineage who are successful in building a method useful in lifting up the consciousness among their followers. If you know of any please feel free to suggest them. Otherwise your little tantrum is not much more than a purely destructive personal attack on me simply because you do not like my opinion of Gurdjieff?! (or my politics, or my failure to bow low enough before the local nobility....)
@Takamba said
"Finally, Labyrinthus escalates his form of assault on the thread (and on this website) with a derogatory conclusion concerning a hill o' beans."
This ambiguous complaint means nothing. I think Gurdjieff's long term results do not amount to much. I have clarified that. For you to go on such a long rant over a simple opinion about a dead writer/philosopher who is wholly disconnected from this Forum seems senseless.
Look at your post, Takamba.
And you dare to call me a bully!
What a joke.
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"I am not aware an any Teachers in that lineage who are successful in building a method useful in lifting up the consciousness among their followers. If you know of any please feel free to suggest them."
I recently found a successful group here in Upstate NY......(many thanks for the sugestions to look into him from this board).
Upstate NY is rich in history (and presently) in actions that work towards lifting consciousness.....
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@Veronica said
"I recently found a successful group here in Upstate NY......(many thanks for the sugestions to look into him from this board)."
Yes, I know that there are Fourth Way groups still out there. But by 'success' I did not mean just ongoing groups that meet and read a few paragraphs from a book and talk about it.
I said, "I am not aware (of) any Teachers in that lineage who are** successful in building a method useful in lifting up the consciousness among their followers**."
There is an important distinction made there.
I think the Gurdjieff work makes for very interesting reading. I have many books by him and his followers. There is some useful perspective and info there but I am looking for results in the way of aspirants actually reaching a point where they can move consciously beyond the realms of duality.
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@Labyrinthus said
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@Veronica said
"I recently found a successful group here in Upstate NY......(many thanks for the sugestions to look into him from this board)."Yes, I know that there are Fourth Way groups still out there. But by 'success' I did not mean just ongoing groups that meet and read a few paragraphs from a book and talk about it.
I said, "I am not aware (of) any Teachers in that lineage who are** successful in building a method useful in lifting up the consciousness among their followers**."
There is an important distinction made there.
I think the Gurdjieff work makes for very interesting reading. I have many books by him and his followers. There is some useful perspective and info there but I am looking for results in the way of aspirants actually reaching a point where they can move consciously beyond the realms of duality."
I found a group in NY that has done that. I understand your distictintion, if I hadnt thought this qualified for what you were specifically saying I would not have said so.
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@Veronica said
"I found a group in NY that has done that. I understand your distictintion, if I hadnt thought this qualified for what you were specifically saying I would not have said so."
If so, I would like to know more. Can you provide more detail?
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www.rochestergurdjieffcenter.org/Pages/RGCWelcome.ph
It appears as if the page hasnt been updated in a while, I looked into it myself a few months ago and was pleasently suprised. My friends who are philospohy teachers at RIT vetted for the center as well.
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@he atlas itch said
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@Jim Eshelman said
"Basically, reverse the process by which it was exuded in forming the Body in the first place."As I understand it, the "substance" of the astral allows Tibetan lamas to create tulpas and then reabsorb them back into themselves:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tulpa"
very interesting information, Atlas. Thanks.