Publication in Class C

by Frater Apollonius
4°=7⁼ ATAT

Both yogic meditation and the work of the ATAT Initiate is an organic, systematic process that moves through stages and grades.  Samapatti is the Buddhist word for Samadhi and it is defined as the ‘correct acquisition of truth.’  And so one who takes to the Tao in this Sagittarian Manifestation of Truth is one who has developed an extraordinary perception and become a ‘man of knowledge.’  This then is a cognitive Yoga and shows why ATAT.  Aspirants go to great lengths to understand and master the nature of the mind.

The Buddhists aptly describe four different realms or ‘Jhanas’ and eight stages of Samapatti, with each realm holding two of the Samapattis. This is followed by a ninth stage called Nirodha-Samapatti (Shivadharshana in Hinduism), which is the equivalent of the successful traversal of the Abyss and into the Supernal Triad. Here, the objective Universe of name and form is totally dissolved. It is the crowning achievement of the Great Work.

Jhana-Samapatti is therefore a Dhyana; a deep mental absorption in an object of meditation. The tendency towards mental absorption is a natural process that arises in even the daily lives of the most mundane amongst us. That is why we hear so often of people addicted to such things as love, games and sports, drugs, their jobs, et al. We have only but to direct this psychic attribute through the mystical discipline of Yoga and a properly developed Magickal program. And in this state, which produces a constant and elevated level of consciousness in daily living, it is easy to see how Crowley could’ve written his Class AB works in the Thelemic canon or Liber CDXVIII, the former of which as he said, was written during a two week duration of a state of Samadhi that he wasn’t necessarily aware of at the time; though the books were being produced. The latter comes from the richest magickal and mystical work, explaining the true nature of anyone producing prophetic work, and as also found in Runar Karlsen’s DOzmt Index.

The first Jhana deals with the physical realm of the five elements; the work of the Probationer. Here, through the work of vibration in the study of the Star Ruby and the Middle Pillar Exercise, we begin to feel the cells of our body and only have to begin our study and knowledge of physics. Learning to vibrate in the tradition of the Buddhist Monks provides a key to the Supramental Yoga that is also touted by Mother & Sri Aurobindo. The cells begin the journey to an active awareness of themselves.

We also begin the intellectual study; a pratyahara that is the reward of virtue; especially thevirtuosityofdisciplineandthedisciplinesoftheliberalarts. TheNeophytepaper‘On Duty’ augments this with a perfect correlation. The study of philosophy is the cornerstone from which art and literature gain their expression. And the interdisciplinary relationship with science becomes integral to the development of virtue. The study of Alchemy and Spagyrics is essential to this experientially in accord with the theoretical study of physics and biology. Proficiency must also be obtained in the arts for the experiential knowledge they hold for us; whether one succeeds at a musical instrument, painting or the literary arts.

In the Breviary of the G.C.L., a demonstration of the attainment of this knowledge and the insight it fosters is found in such works as Liber Laiad, Liber Vox Viva Voce vel Video and Liber LH. Other such publicly produced journalism, presented by us as A.’.A.’. documents, including Testing the Night of Pan, The Starry Gnosis and Golden Dawn Skies all show the fruit of this work in greater detail as we deal with physics, history and biology overall; and of course, the mathematics and other machinations of Qabalah are also included here.

But what is really important is that through the work of Magick and Mysticism, ritual work and yogic practice, the Aspirant is consistently brought to new inspirations that lead to a personal work ethic that is in itself, absorbing; if not all consuming in the fire of spirit. And so Samadhi is an experience that affects the every-day, minute-to-minute apprehension of our lives; it is in a word, Gnosis. The first Jhana then starts with the first of the eight Samapattis, Savitarka-samapatti; a meditation requiring further analysis as it concludes with the second Samapatti, Nirvitarka-samapatti; the firm acquisition of the truths about the physical Universe without doubt (Samsaya).

In the meditative state, Savitarka meditation focuses on an object, while still accompanied with the other activities of the mind. There are three perspectives the Aspirant should consider in meditation; the observer, the process of observing and the object being observed. It is the essence of Vedantic work. Three additional elements are then, co-involved; the object itself, the word of name of that object and the knowledge of and/or about that object. As the mind becomes more absorbed on the object, an expansion of the attention is given to that object; the other distracting thoughts gradually fade away as the engrossment increases. This culminates in the complete subsiding of those distracting thoughts, which is the Nirvitarka-Samapatti.

Savitarka meditation includes for its objects: physical sensation, such as the mechanical breath and all sensory stimuli in everyday life; mantra and its syllables; purity of mind— the correct thoughts of Pratyahara; energy, the chakkras, friendliness (cf. Morals & Magickal Integrity), Benevolence, luminosity (the practice of holiness), visualizations, compassion, acceptance, thought streams and anything pleasing (leading to the trap of pleasure). From this list, it is easy to correlate the work with the cited documents used as examples by this Aspirant. For the Zelator, this is the work of gaining control of the foundations of his or her being.

The second Jhana is also cognized in two steps; dealing with the Aethyric menstruum out of which everything evolves. This shows in the production of the Siddhis as its knowledge can be corroborated also in physics (Cf. the AA article: Scientific Proof of Levi’s Aethyr). But also, an insight is gained that opens one up to the Universal truths found in such works as Blavatsky’s Isis Unveiled and the Secret Doctrine. A study of Liber Trigrammaton and the Rig-Veda is also essential as one becomes open to the oracle that is the path of Peh and the prophetic impulse.

It is important to understand the history and nature of the evolution of the mind throughout the existence of humanity. This unveils the Dharma that has been so virulently suppressed by the mundane historians in their blind subservience to the Black Lodge. And it creates ‘correct’ Karma (the control of the vacillations of one’s being for the Practicus) in the Aspirant, building a potent absorption in the work into everyday life. One can become beset with intellectual study that also enables Choronzon to manifest as the Aspirant attains to a Samadhi of the body. Thus the Zelator’s Task is the mastery of Asana, which simultaneously evokes this as yet, introductory Samapatti.

Choronzon is obsession; a deep apprehension of the Qabalah becomes an essential study with a certain trap. Those who fall victim to it become the worst kind of ‘armchair magi’ with their Aspiration perishing with the dogs of reason.1 Indeed all the work in the study of the sciences and the arts can in themselves become absorbing and ultimately leading the Aspirant to mistake these for the endpoints of the work. Several noteworthy figures in modern occult history, such as Austin Osman Spare and Yeats (and perhaps also, C.F. Russell) have been victimized in this manner.

In meditation, the two Samapattis of this second Jhana are Savicara-Samapatti, which relates to meditation on ‘subtle’ objects or abstractions, after one has completed one’s work in the physical realm. It’s movement towards Nirvicara-Samapatti comes with the intuitive understanding that is beyond the thoughts of the mind; giving one the first glimpses to the eternal self, Tiphareth shining into the Veil of Qesheth, which is itself the

1 AL II.27: "There is great danger in me; for who doth not understand these runes shall make a great miss. He shall fall down into the pit called Because, and there he shall perish with the dogs of Reason."

Aethyric consortium. It is also the abstraction that gives one the understanding of the theory that underlies all the arts. Mastery of this stage of meditation results in a meditative insight that brings with it, a sense of truth or essential knowing; Gnosis.

Savicara meditation focuses on subtle objects, such as the elements of Fire, Water, Air and Earth; the subtle energy flows of the Vayus and Pranas; the subtle senses, the four functions of the mind (consciousness, perception, feeling of body sensations and reaction) and the subtle essence of mantra; beyond the syllables. Compared to the first Jhana, this is a deepening of the meditative state that is reflected also in the outward expression of living one’s life minute-to-minute. A heightening of spiritual integrity becomes a conscious part of every moment. It is here that the Philosophus must gain control of his or her attractions and repulsions.

The third Jhana involves the realm of bliss; that bliss that comes with clarity of mind and the perfection of one’s being. From the Nirvicara-Samapatti, one attains Sananda- samapatti; the sphere of activation of the perfected knowledge of the self, leading to the Atmandharshana of the succeeding Jhana. It is the stage of Asar-Un-Nefer. It is the work of the Dominus Liminis to turn off or transcend the mind and the posture as the openvesseltoreceivetheHolyGuardianAngel. ThesucceedingNirananda-Samapatti recognizes the bliss of Sananda-samapatti to be a distraction to the final attainment at this stage.

From the truth of essential knowing or Gnosis, beyond the gross and subtle levels of meditation of the first two Jhanas, one ultimately becomes aware of a bliss, far subtler than could be expressed on the emotional plane. In this third Jhana, all the complexity of the mind and life itself is reduced to a sublime simplicity. This bliss is a meta-process of the mind in an active state of evolving, shown by the mind working beyond the norms of intellectualism and emotionalism; as if functioning from another dimension beyond the four-dimensional space/time continuum.

The final Jhana is the perfection of one’s journey through the samsara, the perfection of one’s relation with the present incarnation. The ‘I am’ of the preceding Jhana gives way or yields to the higher self, initially beset with this new corrected relation with the world. It is the stage of the Adeptus Minor (Without) that comes with Sasmita-samapatti. The eighth and final stage of meditation, Nirasmita-samapatti corrects all the erroneous self- identifications and is that stage of Atmandharshana that corresponds with the Adeptus Minor (Within).’

The culmination here is a deep sense of the essential simplicity of ‘I-ness’, beyond the duality of Nuit & Hadit; but of Ra-Hoor-Khuit, and without the lesser egos and the tags that the many combinations of Nuit & Hadit can haphazardly produce. These lower egoistic tags are of course, the personality traits, desires, judgments, emotionalisms and taboos. Rather it is the deepest level yet attained and that still has a remarkable correspondence in every-day life as the lower egos are then approached dispassionately and under the yoke of the higher self; the Asar-Un-Nefer or perfected self; Ra-Hoor- Khuit.

The work of the Major Adept is beyond the Buddhist conception but leads to that final Samapatti that is beyond even meditation; the Shivadharshana of Nirodha-samapatti mentioned above. This abandonment of or by the higher self is a mystery beyond which words can convey. All who have been there have failed; their words distorted into lies. Its apprehension is left for those very few who are the Masters of the College of the Silver Star.

Placing Da’ath, the invisible Sefira, in an active role on the Tree distinguishes Thelemic Qabalah from the Hebrew. With this placement, the Ruach does not have the extension into the Supernals as indicated by the placing of Binah on the Abyss to form the Hexagram. Hadit or the Atman can then be said to be entirely cut off from Kether due to the force of involution. But he is able to reach back and re-establish contact and needs to do so in order to bring the lower vehicle to an evolutionary and transformative state. This is the accomplishment of the Master of the Temple.

These Jhanas and their relation to the mind/Soul operate at the level of the Ruach; belonging to Yesod, which gives the Vision of the ‘Higher Self’ through the prism of the Veil of Qesheth. Atmandharshana is yet at the preliminary stage, and is crystallized at this stage, in a visionary experience that seems to engulf one in light (a transfiguration or transmutation involving the material substance of being congealing with the aethyric substance), called Vishvarupadarshana; itself also called the Knowledge & Conversation of the Holy Guardian Angel. A deeper stage is reached in the Supernals with the Mystery of Kether, which is the Mystery that Selflessness is Self; again, no way to describe this or apprehend this from the Ruach.

The Angel is formulated in the Aethyr with aethyric substance that ultimately will take on a unique appearance at the apex of the Vishvarupadarshana experience. This is the work of Magick and its quintessential goal in the Outer College of the A.’.A.’.. The force of this must ultimately hurl one across the Abyss and ultimately to Kether for the climax of the Atmadarshana, which even then is ultimately finalized with Shivadarshana; itself, beyond Kether.