Universal Initiation Experiences on the Tree of Life
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I'm starting to get the feeling that no matter which system/techniques an aspirant employs (whether it be ceremonial magick, insight meditation, perhaps even shamanism), everyone who sets out on the mystical path is going to experience a universal series of markers. That is, the underlying nature of experiences like the KCHGA, crossing the Abyss, etc. is going to be the same for everyone, (something tied to the spiritual "biology" of our species) while the actual content of those experiences will vary based on models, cultural background, interests, teachers, True Wills, etc.
I'm wondering if people who have spent time with different systems or orders feel the same way?
As much love as I have for the A.A. and the work that its members have contributed to humanity, it feels as though personal practice is pulling in a slightly different direction. Yet the mapping of initiation experiences onto the Tree of Life seems as though it has a certain universality, that one could hypothetically identify progress within any set of practices according to this map.
The problem is that, working outside of a formal lodge, it's a bit difficult to figure out what goes where. I'm immensely appreciative of posts that have given hints at the A.A. views on this, but was wondering if there is a book or something that goes really in depth into the mystical experiences correlated to each path/sephira. Obviously Jim's writings are enormously helpful, but the MMSAA's purpose is to explore the paths from the view of practices, rather what is actually going on in the psyche while traveling each path.
I wonder if it's helpful for people to talk about different experiences they've had and which sephira they might represent, from the viewpoint of a linear initiation process?
I'll take a stab. These are all results from Zen/yoga meditation practices:
"Student" - learning meditation practices to replace getting high, haha. for me this was about 2 years.
"Probationer" - intensified study, first "supernatural" results/manifesting. Possibly a mini trek up the entire tree. Naive enlightenment - "hey this shit really works," lasted about 10 months.
Malkuth - grounding in physical reality. psychological gunk emerges forcefully. it feels as though the alchemical process has begun.
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- the etheric plane "materializes" as a permanent shimmering visual gloss over material reality = Yesod/Malkuth?
- Vision of the Holy Guardian Angel - I had an initial one of these that possibly corresponded to Malkuth/Malkuth (Tiphareth/Malkuth/Malkuth?). later, there was a weeklong fasting retreat where it was perceptible to the senses most of the time and started to communicate - Tiphareth/Malkuth?
- period of ferocious, active self improvement/physical fitness = Geburah/Malkuth?
- feeling of crossing the abyss - waves of despair/dark night experience, losing the entire personality = Binah/Malkuth
- emergence; experience of utter bliss, feeling of dissolving into unity, awareness feeling as if it's migrating permanently to the "rate of change" between moments rather than the content of the moments themselves. seeing the holy nothingness of the Veil. an insatiable thirst/bhakti. = Kether/Malkuth
For me this took about 17 months.
At this point I got a definite feeling that my consciousness had been placed into a new plane (levelling up, haha). Astral vision took on a reality, persistence, and near-tangibility that it hadn't had before. visualization of interior knots of karma. "seeing" thoughts and emotions arise and pass, sometimes with abstract geometric shapes. entrance into Yesod/Yetzirah?
Malkuth/Yesod - "grounding" in this new world. Seeing moment to moment the utter flimsiness/bullshittitude of conscious thoughts, both positive and negative, with a feeling of rootedness.
transition period to Yesod/Yesod (mini path of Tav) - despair reasserts itself, in a somehow more abstract way. The conditioned knots of the Nephesh are suddenly all that are there; the only weapon is awareness and observation.I'd assume the next step will be to explore the "upper" portion of the astral plane, above the Nephesh, probably with more archetypal/informative/"spiritual" imagery. I increasingly get the feeling that the path is happening by itself, like the HGA is moving awareness through these different planes of consciousness almost in a formulaic way.
Wondering how this lines up with the experiences of others?
And my brain is swimming with questions -
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- are these experiences happening in this fashion because of a personal mini-egregore developed out of reading lots of books?
- is there a huge variance in the amount of time it takes to traverse the fractal mini-sephiroth of each grade?
- if one were to take out the tree of life/a.a. viewpoint entirely and just look at the path from the standpoint of the Four Worlds (or something like the Buddhist four path model), is it possible to be going through multiple sephiroth at the same time (i.e. just going straight up the middle pillar?)
- are the skills that the A.A. aspirant is supposed to cultivate for each path going to naturally come to people using just Zen/Insight meditation (i.e. control of the astral plane, etc.)
- what's the deepest number of Tree layers people have used to label experiences?
- from a selfish perspective, do i get to look forward to the utter hell of a mini abyss-crossing within each grade like what happened in Malkuth? this actually felt like it was happening while traversing malkuth's interior sephiroth - the depressing feeling kept coming up that literally every thought was wrong and terrible.
And finally, I hope it's not tedious to read a kind of syncretic, non-A.A. viewpoint here. You all just seem so experienced and accommodating.
As stated earlier, I have an indecent amount of respect for you all who are in the order "for real." -
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@frater aSP said
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the MMSAA's purpose is to explore the paths from the view of practices, rather what is actually going on in the psyche while traveling each path."but that's the whole point: you have to experience it yourself, in order to see/feel/know/intuit what is actually going on in your psyche while walking the Path.
even if it were given in books, as a summary & generalization upon some quantity of particular experiences of particular persons, it essentially does not matter to you as individual - it all boils down to your own, personal, experience of it. there lays the real gold. -
In essence I agree with you. But from time to time I get the urge to look over and see what others have done and how we compare. It's a bit intellectualized and masturbatory, but.....
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@frater aSP said
"I'm starting to get the feeling that no matter which system/techniques an aspirant employs (whether it be ceremonial magick, insight meditation, perhaps even shamanism), everyone who sets out on the mystical path is going to experience a universal series of markers. That is, the underlying nature of experiences like the KCHGA, crossing the Abyss, etc. is going to be the same for everyone, (something tied to the spiritual "biology" of our species) while the actual content of those experiences will vary based on models, cultural background, interests, teachers, True Wills, etc.
"I could not agree more. Each persons experience will alter according to culter, race, experiences, chosen spiritual system etc.
I have often thought that it is the four worlds of the QBL that are most universal- in certain ways.
Most certainly, i feel, IMHO, that there are several unmistakably most important experiences
1/ Enlightenment, KCHGA, or whatever term you give it
2/ The crossing- or whatever term you would give it.Q
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@frater aSP said
"I'm starting to get the feeling that no matter which system/techniques an aspirant employs (whether it be ceremonial magick, insight meditation, perhaps even shamanism), everyone who sets out on the mystical path is going to experience a universal series of markers. That is, the underlying nature of experiences like the KCHGA, crossing the Abyss, etc. is going to be the same for everyone, (something tied to the spiritual "biology" of our species) while the actual content of those experiences will vary based on models, cultural background, interests, teachers, True Wills, etc.
I'm wondering if people who have spent time with different systems or orders feel the same way?
"I've thought a little about this myself recently, because I have previous experience with the Zen method, but am very much new to what I am starting to employ now which is a Thelemic way grounded in the methodology of the A.'.A.'. (as best I understand it). So naturally, because I do believe in fundamental similarities to spiritual systems, I've wondered how my previous experiences would map out.
And you know, I decided not to really think about it. The system of the A.'.A.'. seems to be about a personal journey that has to be experienced. So, even if my previous experiences map onto it, so what? Does that mean I'm re-treading on old ground? Perhaps, but sometimes it pays to be humble and adopt the beginner's mind. The need to map things out comes from a place where we need validation. That's not a current I need or want to make stronger.
For a number of years, I've been in a very good place spiritually where happiness happens by itself, without really the need for much outside achievement and I think this has allowed me to share this perspective for the benefit of others as well. However, in some ways, it has sapped my ambition. Whether that is a good or bad thing, others can judge, but I do feel I need to move on. It is likely that adopting the beginner's mentality will bring me to darker waters. It may bring with it dissatisfaction and take me into the place which you mention where "every thought was terrible and wrong." In some ways, I welcome it. Thus, in light of this, what is to be gained by approximating my possible earlier achievements onto the map?
All that said, I'm not writing all that to say that this discussion isn't worthwhile or that I'm not academically curious about the topic (I think there is benefit for humanity at large in unraveling this). I'm just relating my own experiences thinking about it recently and why I've accepted not having an answer right now.
I think the curious thing with the A.'.A.': system is that it makes some things that might be considered achievements in other systems into methods that are employed along the way. Samadhi, for one. Or maybe they are intended in that way everywhere, but I only got it when looking through this lens. Also, while the themes of Tiphareth can be seen (or rather felt) in other systems, the terminology of the K&C is vastly different from what I've seen elsewhere, so that raises some questions for me.
As for being in different parts of the Tree of Life at the same, I think that would have to be true. I mean, who is making this journey? Humanity is all over the map and with notions of egolessness comes the recognition that we are all one consciousness, at least one some level (a higher, rather than a lower). Certainly humans aren't all working on the same Sephiroth? But with the New Aeon comes the possibility (inevitability?) that humanity could raise itself to Tiphereth en masse and I think that has some bearing too. What is true for macroscopic humanity is probably true for microscopic humanity, so perhaps there are constituent parts of a single person working on different levels as well?
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Humility is important. The A.'.A.'. is a good system because it can help you approximate where you are on the TOL. Also, your superior (if he's alive and well..)
should be able to help guide you in this respect. Otherwise, it can be very vague and confusing. I just ask that you try and keep yourself grounded, there's always a part of ourselves that may endure an intense spiritual experience and think it's the abyss, then you find out that you just ate some bad mexican food! "If by abyss you mean shitting yourself to death in a Pasadena Mexican restaurant right?"
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I feel what really separates the systems is what they are looking to do...
A Shaman 'climbs the tree' (more spirals around the axis, but lets not get side tracked with semantics) only so far as is required to help heal and guide their tribe spiritually.
A Buddhist 'climbs the tree' only so far to escape the 'sorrow of existence', the spinning Wheel.
To me, the study of Magick is the the most "pure" of the "spiritual sciences."
That has to do with my approach: the study of consciousness.
Where the other paths might be considered the manipulation of consciousness towards a particular goal.Assuredly, I as an incarnated being have various goals I seek to accomplish.