The Goal of the Ascension
The Teachings of the Ascended Masters share with the Vedas
that they are not intended to be taken and accepted on faith
alone. Nor are they remotely intended to be a merely intellectual
philosophy. Rather, these Teachings are exceptionally focussed
upon spiritual practice and all that is practical: they
explain what in this tradition is considered to be the true
goal of life (the Ascension) in great detail along with
the practical techniques for its attainment, and the stages
and steps toward it. Ascended Masters, moreover, speak to
their students (either directly or through an authorised
and initiated Messenger) with an authority, power and clarity
that simply cannot be conveyed in words. The Ascension state
transcends samadhi alone, for while it incorporates a form
of samadhi as a permanent raised state of consciousness,
in the Ascension the individual himself or herself has been
raised into a higher world or plane of existence, beyond
the gross physical. Having transcended mortality, Ascended
Masters are accepted within this tradition to be so at-one
with God as to be Themselves Godlike, or aspects of the
Godhead, and the directors of the forces of Nature.
In the Bible of Christianity we have the most famous account
of an Ascension, that of Jesus. According to Luke, Jesus
Ascended from Bethany, near Jerusalem, in full view of a
number of disciples:
"And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld,
he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight.
And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as he went
up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; which
also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into
heaven? This same Jesus, which is taken up from you into
heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him
go into heaven." (5)
In this most famous of examples, Jesus Ascended completely
and bodily. This has led to a certain misunderstanding at
times, which the Masters have shed light upon. When an individual
has reached such a heightened state of spiritual development
that, upon their final incarnation being fulfilled, they
may take their Ascension, in many instances the outer, physical
body may not be taken up, but there may be the outer appearance
of so-called death.
In all Ascensions, the jiva or outer self does indeed Ascend
and affirm its full unity with the Self or Atman "above":
the auric parts of man and woman that feel emotion, that
think thoughts, that have memory, and even the more subtle
part of the physical form (known as the etheric double and
many other terms) go through the transforming, rising process
of the Ascension into full Union with the Higher Self. Only
in the more truly exceptional of cases does the visible,
gross physical body also Ascend; while in other instances
the individual Ascends at the moment of laying down the
body or some time later, the tangible form remaining.
Understanding this, it becomes clear that in Indian literature
there are a number of accounts of individuals who have Ascended,
though the term "Ascension" may not have been
used. Paramahansa Yogananda, in his Autobiography of
a Yogi, tells of the events as they were told to him
following the apparent demise of his guru's guru, Lahiri
Mahasaya. This great figure's own final, departing words
to his followers, just before leaving his body, were, "Be
comforted; I shall rise again." As one follower, Swami
Keshabananda, recounted to Yogananda:
"Lahiri Mahasaya's beautiful body, so dear to the
devotees, was cremated with solemn householder rites at
Manikarnika Ghat by the holy Ganges…. The following
day, at ten o'clock in the morning, while I was still in
Benares, my room was suffused with a great light. Lo! Before
me stood the flesh and blood form of Lahiri Mahasaya. It
looked exactly like his old body, except that it appeared
younger and more radiant. My divine guru spoke to me.
" 'Keshabananda,' he said, 'it is I. From the disintegrated
atoms of my cremated body, I have resurrected a remodelled
form. My householder work in the world is done; but I do
not leave the earth entirely. Henceforth I shall spend some
time with Babaji in the Himalayas, and with Babaji in the
cosmos.'
"With a few words of blessing to me, the transcendent
master vanished. Wondrous inspiration filed my heart; I
was uplifted in Spirit even as were the disciples of Christ
and Kabir who beheld their living guru after his physical
death."
Another disciple, Panchanon Bhattacharya, gave to Yogananda
a similar testament:
"Here in Calcutta," Panchanon said, "at
ten o'clock in the morning that followed his cremation,
Lahiri Mahasaya appeared before me in living glory."
And a third disciple, Swami Pranabananda, confided in Yogananda
the following:
"A few days before Lahiri Mahasaya left his body,
I received from him a letter that requested me to come at
once to Benaras. I was unavoidably delayed, however, and
could not leave at once. Just as I was preparing to leave
for Benaras, about ten o'clock in the morning, I was suddenly
overwhelmed with joy to see in my room the shining figure
of my guru.
" 'Why hurry to Benaras?' Lahiri Mahasaya said, smiling.
'You shall find me there no longer.'
"As the import of his words dawned on me, I cried
out brokenheartedly, believing that I was seeing him only
in a vision.
"The master approached me comfortingly. 'Here, touch
my flesh,' he said. 'I am living, as always. Do not lament;
am I not with you forever?'"
As Yogananda concludes: "From the lips of these great
disciples, a story of wondrous truth has emerged: At the
morning hour of ten, one day after the body of Lahiri Mahasaya
had been consigned to the flames, the resurrected master,
in a real but transfigured body, appeared before three disciples,
each in a different city." (6)
The Concept of God Individualised
The fact of the Ascension as the final and ultimate goal
of all our incarnations is one of the most important teachings
the Masters wish to convey to us today. Further, they wish
to demystify the subject: in accounts such as the Ascensions
of Jesus and of Lahiri Mahasaya above, no magical or unique
process was involved. Rather, these great figures trod a
Path and used certain practices open to us all. This demystifying
and assertion of the goal of the Ascension is certainly
one prominent feature of the teachings of the Ascended Masters,
but there are other new aspects to this new spiritual stream.
For example, while this tradition does incorporate an extensive
printed body of recorded Teaching, its Teachers are forever
and eternally alive, in the Ascended state, in the present,
and interact with Their disciples and students in various
definite ways in the here and now. Following this Path is
never one of having only past scripture and writings to
hand: the Masters are forever present, adding and speaking
anew, year-in, year-out.
A third development new to this tradition is the unparalleled
detail and clarity of information released about the nature
and activities of the Higher Self (Atman, God Self, I AM
Presence) of every man and woman. No longer is this higher
Reality of our true Selves a somewhat vague and for-some
unknowable Being. The Individualised Mighty I AM Presence
is now understood in quite some detail. Our God-Reality
is called the "I AM" Presence in these Teachings
because it, of its own election and volition, chose to emerge
from the Allness of Brahman by the primal, initial act of
self-consciousness, the knowledge and affirmation that "I
AM". Here, the "I" is the individualisation,
the individual God Self, and the "AM" is that
Being's simultaneous remaining and continuance within the
Allness.
However it cannot be stressed enough that the God Self
of each man and woman is individual. The Atman, or
the Jivatman, of Vedanta come close to being synonyms for
the I AM Presence, but within the Vedas we find no extensive
development upon the theme of how one Atman differs from
another. The Mandyuka Upanishad tells us, "Atma Brahma",
or "This Atma is That Brahma". And so it is. But
each Atman or I AM Presence is also an individual, totally
unique Self-Conscious Being, possessing form (at its own
vibratory level of existence). It possesses a unique "life-history"
of millions of years of experience (even before projecting
a tiny portion of itself into incarnation, while still within
the Anupadaka sphere). And it has its own multitudinous
Thoughts and Plans.
This individuality is forever: following the Ascension,
or true moksha (liberation), there is no loss of individuality
as in some utter merging back into Brahman. Disciples within
this tradition place their attention as deeply and as frequently
as possible upon their own I AM Presence in order to draw
down more of its spiritual Light and to manifest more of
that Presence within these lower realms. This is a Path
of nondualism. We are not separated from the Presence but
are a portion of it projected into time and space. In loving
and worshipping the Presence, we are but placing our attention
upon the Greater and more Real part of ourselves.
The Power of the Phrase "I AM"
There is another vital reason why our Higher Self is in
this tradition also called the "I AM" Presence.
"I AM" is not only a declaration or a self-descriptive
statement, but is one of the most powerful of spiritual
tools.
The understanding, taught by the Masters, is that only
individualised, self-aware aspects of God can create. Brahman,
as such, does not and cannot create or act directly within
the more dense worlds. This, of course, is paralleled in
the Vedas. Only when a portion of the One becomes individualised
as in the I AM Presence can that individual Presence of
God then think, make decisions, act, and thereby create
in whatever spheres it projects itself down into. Hence
the Universe itself in manifested form was not created by
Brahman but by the "I"s willing Themselves to
individualise from out of the "AM" or Allness.
Think about that. It means that you, the reader, and I,
are ourselves in our higher forms the Creators of the Universe.
This is why, once we manifest the fullness of what we really
are once more, "miracles" are performed - because
we ourselves are still, in our true God Selves, the Creator,
Preserver and Transformer of all.
The importance, then, of the phrase "I AM" is
that whatever follows that statement must eventually manifest,
according to Divine Law. The phrase "I AM" opens
the door for Energy and Substance to manifest according
to what follows in thought, feeling and speech. If we say,
"I am feeling ill", then we preserve or worsen
that condition. Conversely, students of this tradition use
the voice in very carefully constructed (or divinely revealed)
mantras, invocations and dynamic rhythmic decrees, often
following "I AM" with very positive spiritual
affirmations. Just as Sanskrit mantras are considered so
sacred, similarly the mantras of the Ascended Master tradition
are highly-charged with potency.
Also, these mantras and dynamic decrees are given at times
with considerable rapidity and firmness of intent (while
retaining intense visualisation of that being said, and
enunciated with deep love), and can be highly rhythmic.
The sacred sound of many people giving them in unison cannot
be adequately described, but must be heard. And the powerful
spiritual effects of this new technique of how to use the
voice on the Path can only truly be understood through one's
own practice. Decrees of this nature are used for one's
own Path, and for the healing of others or even of very
large, difficult or distant world conditions.
The Imminence of Potential Attainment
There is sometimes a tendency even for very devoted and
highly attained individuals to consider that the Path to
union with God, or the Atman, must take place over very
many, or at least several, further lifetimes. The Ascended
Masters do not teach a Path whereby earnest disciples must
gradually evolve and grow into a self-realised person, year
after year after year, and perhaps over many lives. The
emphasis and techniques focus upon becoming our true divine
nature in the here and now. Total liberation (the Ascension)
may not, in practice, occur instantaneously upon entering
this Path, of course; nevertheless it is a supremely powerful
spiritual tool to accept a qualitative focus ("I AM
and can know and manifest God now"), rather than a
quantitative focus ("little by little, over time, I
believe I will eventually get there lifetimes from now,
but not yet"). Quite frankly, the latter mode is prone
to be over-emphasised by some who follow Vedanta, as well
as by most within the Western New Age movement. And clearly,
which of these two self-concepts we accept regarding our
true potential will exert an enormous influence upon the
rate of our progress Godward.
The Violet Transmuting Flame
Although some aspects of the Teachings of the Ascended
Masters have been present in varying degrees in the world's
religions, the deeper knowledge was not present. The understanding
of this tradition is that prior to the twentieth century
humanity had always been under the "occult dispensation"
whereby certain deep and key teachings could not be released
publicly to the world. They could only be conveyed in privacy
to a few worthy, selected disciples. But since the 1930s,
Saint Germain and many other Ascended Masters have been
enabled to release new revelations publicly for the first
time. Absolutely key among these unveiled mysteries is the
use of the Violet Transmuting Flame. By the invocation of
this spiritual Flame it is possible to transmute and dissolve
karma, by a spiritually scientific method, very much more
quickly than karma is balanced by either its natural, eventual
return or by the active doing of good deeds (though good
deeds are certainly still engaged in by the students).
Karma, fundamentally, is misqualified energy-substance,
and can be tackled as energy or substance by means of "spiritual
physics". Indeed, the inner science of what karma is
and how it is balanced or transmuted is described in much
detail at the level of an extremely subtle level of "particles"
or energy. Since the release of this Teaching in the 1930s,
students of the Masters believe they have experienced that
the Path to total liberation can now be greatly accelerated.
Put succinctly, the Violet Flame dissolves karma - potentially
very swiftly. This alone, the use of the Violet Transmuting
Flame, is considered to be a tremendous revolution within
the realm of the world's spiritual techniques.
It is absolutely accurate to say that in addition to the
yogas known and espoused by Patanjali, the invocation of
the Violet Flame consists of an entirely new yoga for the
present age: Agni Yoga ("Fire Union", or Divine
Union by use of the Sacred Fire).
Samadhi and the Ascension
To revisit the subject of samadhi for a moment. Within
Vedanta several different states or heights of samadhi are
sometimes described, but in general it means the attaining,
either spontaneously or at will, of a state of consciousness
of extreme, ecstatic spiritual bliss. In its "lower"
forms the person may still be walking around and functioning
to some degree in the physical world, but typically experiencing
everything around him/herself as being flooded with divine
Light, and perceiving divine reality behind all outer appearances.
In higher states, the body may be immobile and the consciousness
later reported to have lost much or all sense of having
or being an individual, personal self.
Such classic samadhi experiences reflect the Vedas in that
the person believes there has been an episode of complete
unity with ultimate Reality. This ultimate Reality is frequently
experienced and reported in terms of omniscience, loss of
"self", a merging into the Oneness of the Godhead,
transcendent bliss and love. Within the various particular
spiritual paths of Hinduism and the schools of yoga, the
attainment of samadhi is commonly believed to be the goal
and purpose of life. Moksha (liberation), and freedom from
the rounds of rebirth, is also quoted as the ultimate goal
of life, but this is often confused with samadhi: the implication
is often there that one who has attained to the higher form
of samadhi is by definition 100 per cent free and liberated.
In the light of the Ascended Masters' Teachings, certain
age-old concepts here frankly are not far from the truth,
but require subtle amendment. Samadhi per se, even
in its higher forms, may be wonderful to achieve, and may
illumine a person's consciousness and life ever thereafter,
but it is not in fact the absolute and final goal of life.
Just as one may become "stuck" or trapped on the
spiritual path by becoming over-enamoured with siddhis (psychic
powers), so too even samadhi can become a sticking point
along the Way - if one attains it and then stops there,
believing that all the purposes of life are now completed
and fulfilled when in fact they are not.
Within Buddhism we have the example of Gautama who, having
attained such a high level of consciousness, chose not to
remain within it but to "return" to the physical
world in order to act, teach and serve for the sake of the
rest of humanity.
There are innumerable examples of people who have attained
samadhi, yet afterwards have frankly not become glowing
examples of perfection or of the spiritual path. Nor does
samadhi necessarily free a person from the possibility of
retaining error in their thoughts and beliefs, which they
may even convey on to others. Even in the West, with the
increasing interest in spiritual matters and techniques,
many people have achieved genuine samadhi at some level,
yet have afterwards returned to relatively normal lives.
Following samadhi, one is still incarnate within a physical
body, one can still make mistakes and one can still create
karma. Samadhi is a state of consciousness, resulting in
large part from the raising of kundalini. However, the attaining
of any particular state of consciousness is not, alone,
the ultimate goal of life, albeit it may obviously be a
good signpost that one is on the right track.
It is entirely possible, and in fact occurs more frequently
than not, that an individual attains samadhi but is still
reborn in a next life. In that next lifetime samadhi may
once more be attained, but still another incarnation may
follow, and so forth. Why is this? Because one prime essential
requirement for the real goal of life, the Ascension, is
to have balanced a majority of one's karma. And sometimes
samadhi is attained, kundalini is raised, bliss is felt,
and spirituality is displayed while a majority of one's
karma yet remains untransmuted: therefore one is compelled
to incarnate again by Cosmic Law, until the karma is balanced.
Given that higher states such as samadhi are blissful, it
is easy to become content with such achievement, and even
to become convinced by such insightful and blissful states
that one has indeed overcome the world and balanced one's
karma when this regrettably may not be so. More than just
the "feeling" of liberation, true liberation is
a real and active process.
The Threefold Flame of the Heart
There are several further requirements for the Ascension,
of which we shall mention one more. The fire-spark of the
Atman within the heart chakra (anahata chakram), as described
in Vedic texts, consists in fact of a triple plume, each
plume of spiritual energy having a different quality. The
three plumes of this Threefold Flame are the energies of
the Atman or God Presence anchored within us as Will, Wisdom
and Love. The three plumes also correspond to the sacred
energies of Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva, respectively. In the
great majority of people there is an imbalance between these
three as the person, over many lifetimes, has cultivated
and manifested them.
Thus an individual may excel exceedingly in Divine Love,
but comparatively lack illumination or Wisdom, and determination,
power and Will. Or there may be much attainment in Will
and also in Love, but a lack of Wisdom as to how to correctly
utilise these divine gifts. While such an imbalance exists,
the greater and more expanded plumes are held back by the
less developed, and only when the three are in balance can
certain activities next begin to unfold within one's being
which set the three plumes spinning within the heart chakra
and take one nearer to the Ascension.
Many who rely upon meditation alone for their spiritual
path may attain samadhi but will not necessarily have a
balanced Threefold Flame. Perhaps they excel in Will and
in Wisdom, but lack compassion and divine Love - the degree
of compassion that would compel them to get up from their
meditation and stride out to serve other parts of life.
I was once present when a disciple asked the beloved Master
Morya (through a Messenger), "Beloved El Morya, is
it not possible to attain the Ascension simply through meditation?"
Morya responded with a speed that was quite humourous: "It
depends how long you want to take!" Then He proceeded
to explain how meditation does relatively little to balance
karma. In order to achieve the essential balancing of karma,
the use of the Spoken Word in dynamic decrees, especially
to invoke the Violet Transmuting Flame, is essential, as
are good works or karma yoga.
Meditation certainly has its essential place, but there
are other necessary facets to the Path to the Ascension.
Relying upon meditation alone, one might achieve little
of what is truly required for the Ascension, and thus one
would return into embodiment many, many more times. (Probably
until one's heart gave forth the prompting to take up the
Science of the Spoken Word with the use of the Violet Flame,
and karma yoga in world service, in addition to meditation.)
In fact, some who are destined to Ascend may not necessarily
even experience all the classic samadhi-like states at all
in their embodiment. Samadhi is one possible sign and experience
along the path of advanced spiritual progress, but its higher
forms may for some be no more essential than are siddhis.
Of course, anyone so far advanced that they are candidates
to Ascend in this life will nevertheless have spiritual
experiences and inner initiations of one form or another.
But one does not so often discover such candidates dwelling
for long periods in trancelike higher states: the genuine
Path to the Ascension usually involves much service to the
world, and such candidates are found to be highly active
individuals. (One healthy and balancing aspect restored
to the Hindu path by the Ramakrishna Order is a comparative
emphasis upon charitable work and service to others, as
opposed to a purely ascetic lifestyle.)
Footnotes
5. Acts 1: 9-11.
6. Paramahansa Yogananda, Autobiography
of a Yogi (Los Angeles: Self-Realization Fellowship,
1994 [1946]), pp. 395-398.
Copyright ©
2003 - David Tame
|
