THE CHRISTIAN TIBET

The December issue of NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC has an article on MT. ATHOS which is an ancient, inaccessible monastery in GREECE that can only be reached at this writing by boat. It is here that Gurdjieff is supposed to have visited at some time in his travels(he also is said to have gone to Crete and received a wound). The article mentions that this monastery has been there for at least a thousand years and allows no women to visit it and is resisting attempts to allow women to go there and it is interesting to read what the monks there have to actually say about this. ``These monks are familiar with the PHILOKALIA that Ouspensky mentions and supposedly practice what has been called, 'gazing at one's navel' which, of course, is a sort of code for centering on the navel center or a certain chakra,also known to yogis,etc. I will not delve into this practice but it also requires some things like prayers and breathing as well as concentration and attention/awareness,etc.

THE DYNAMICS OF HIGHER REALMS

There is a vast literature on the 'dynamics of higher realms' or regions or states or 'heavens' etc. that only the most determined will undertake to read or study, let alone follow, when they find directions as to how to 'navigate'. We can, even if we are not clairvoyant,psychic, or 'gifted' catch occasional glimpses of these 'higher realms' through symbols,legends, stories, myths, and sometimes through 'objective' art which can include paintings. None of these things need be actually 'religious' or 'moral' in nature as one might expect. The 'stairways' & 'highways' to Heaven as we might call them also have their counterparts going to that place well-paved with 'good intentions'. There is one point to made about this latter that most people do not consider since it is and was designated(often without proof) to be a place of PUNISHMENT but we can also say that no one is there for that purpose but are there because THEY WANT TO BE. IF HELL IS AN EVIL PLACE THEN IT IS BECAUSE EVIL INHABITANTS RESIDE THERE.

THE HIGHEST KNOWLEDGE OF GOD

The highest knowledge of GOD that can be attained in this life is called GNOSIS, which is in part, if not entirely, the basis of ESOTERIC CHRISTIANITY which only a few persons understand or know about or have attempted to locate. This knowledge is not belief as is ordinarily considered. Most discussions of GNOSIS fall flat on deaf ears and various arguments are put forth to argue against such knowledge, tending to favor unverifiable belief(s). GNOSIS is a form of experience that can be experienced in various environments, as in some extremes like mountains and deserts,for example. Not everyone in this modern day and age desires such knowledge nor wants to undergo the hardships and disciplines needed for such a journey to these 'remote' places, preferring a modest vacation on 'some sunny shore'. GNOSIS is also to be found in ESOTERIC BUDDHISM but undeer slightly different 'wraps' that for Christians are most difficult to 'unwrap' or accept as 'gifts'.

SOME RELIGIOUS TRADTIONS

Some religous traditions teach that 'spiritual accomplishment' can give actual mastery over the physical world. Stories of mastery over nature and the world by ancients and primitives and figures of mythology abound. To search such takes time that most persons will not attempt. Some methods of achieving such 'spiritual accomplishment' can be found in the various ESOTERIC RELIGIONS, such as BUDDHISM, CHRISTIANITY, and Hinduism,Shinto, etc.

"THE SERPENT IN THE GARDEN"

The Serpent in the Garden is a 'symbol' with much esoteric and occult significance as well as other associations for people not involved in occultism or esoteric studies,etc. The Serpent is a reptile, that is, snakes and related creatures,exert a certain fascination or repulsion in people around the world. Snakes are to be found in nearly every human culture and are either venerated, worshipped, feared, and hated,etc. The point is that the Snake or THE SERPENT, as mentioned in the First Book of the Bible or Genesis has an importance that can be understood perhaps as well as misunderstood. The Serpent in the Garden was a witness to the appearance of early men. Possibly, serpents and snakes inhabited some of the caves and areas where men lived, and I have seen such snakes in such caves and areas, as have many others, but that is not the point. We are all familiar with the serpent or snake entwined around a pole, usually, twin snakes, and this has much symbolic meaning for those who are on the particular path, THE WAY OF THE MONK, as sometimes the Serpent is seen as the Tempter or the Devil or Satan,etc.

IF THE PRIEST GOES TO THE RIGHT, THEN

'IF THE PRIEST GOES TO THE RIGHT, THEN THE TEACHER MUST GO TO THE LEFT" is another saying that G has in his book of 'MEETINGS' that refers to the directions one must follow if one is perhaps on this PATH OF THE MONK or tries to venture along it,because only then will the aspirant/novice find out the limits of his 'existence' and 'the power of his faith'.

IF YOU WANT TO LOSE YOUR FAITH

"If you want to lose your FAITH, make friends with the Priest" is one of the ancient sayings or aphorisms that Gurdjieff mentions in his book of 'MEETINGS' and I can attest that,if you make friends with the priest(or rabbi,iman,minister, lama, preacher,etc.,etc.) you will lose your 'faith' whatever it is,especially as time goes by and any real understanding of life arrives at your feet or enters your mind, let alone you heart! BUT, this should not deter anyone from trying to be friends with such 'exalted' personages,who well may be very sincere, educated, charitable, kind, and humorous, and so forth, but it may turn out to be the exact result of your friendship that leads to a complete loss of faith as you enter, 'THE DARK NIGHT OF THE SOUL'.

"I GO WHERE MY BISHOP SENDS ME"

"I go where my Bishop sends me," is the reply to a question or questions I had posed and asked a certain priest while we were dining at a local eatery in town as it centered in part over 'priestly assignments' and 'policies' of the diocese,some of which were affecting the 'architecture' of the town and also 'impacting'(as the moderns say) education and its facility. My mind immediately dredged up another question from my childhood, youth, and involves an expression often used by many, including my Welsh Uncle by marriage, namely,"EVEN IF IT'S UP A PIG'S ASS?" but, of course, I declined to ask it, even if my 'inner being' was urging me to do so. This question is akin to another one from my youth, which is, IF THERE WAS A FREE CIRCUS BEING GIVEN UP A PIG'S ASS, WOULD YOU GO?" Many of a most fastidious nature would decline such a 'free' offer and answer in the negative with a "NO!" thereby falling into the trap which is,'THEN YOU' SUCK AROUND THE EDGES!" The POINT of this little anecdote is not about 'pig's asses' or 'free circuses' or other concerns but to show that when one enters 'the priestly path' or THE WAY OF THE MONK, OBEDIENCE IS DEMANDED AT THE VERY BEGINNING! CHASTITY & POVERTY ALSO OR SOON FOLLOW.