A Quarterly Journal dedicated to Ageless Wisdom and the Alchemical Arts

Volume 1 Issue 1 Winter 2014 CE LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

Throughout human history, the hidden Truth persists through times of decline, obscurity, and revival. There is always a small group of people who preserve it and pass it on through dark periods, and in other enlightened eras, whole societies are inspired by the systematic and comprehensive account of the evolution of Spirit in man and Nature, how the universe exists and operates, and Mankinds place within it. Sometimes this knowledge is forbidden and sometimes, such as today, misunderstood fragments either invite ridicule and scorn or produce confusion and corruption. There is a need for definite guidance. As I begin my mature public work, my mission is to promote the liberal arts and science as the foundation for philosophical mysticism, the harmony of religions, and the unity of soul and Spirit. My plans include lecture tours, oracle consultations, introductions to yogic disciplines and showcases of techniques, courses of study, retreats for advanced practices, private therapy sessions, and multimedia that preserves, clarifies, and renews the alchemical craft and ageless wisdom of the elders and sages. The Torch is intended to briefly introduce topics related to the mystical path and religious life, answer common questions, offer commentary on social concerns, highlight especially auspicious omens, and give a prognosis of astronomical correlations that may affect relationships and activities. AUM. Peace! Peace! Peace! - Prabhuji Maitreya

Talk of the Town: Healthcare Hoax

President Obama is tending to his legacy in the second term in office by brokering medical insurance contracts on behalf of almost fifty-million people. There were widespread complaints against the program, and embarrassing website malfunctions provoked sneering, especially since the government seems much more effective in secret data collection of peoples Internet and telephone activities. During this time, many astronomers were tracking Comet ISON; throughout history, comets accompany failures of Empire, and this dramatic flyby was no exception: after hundreds of millions of dollars of investment, only 1-million people subscribed to the service. Meanwhile, the state of Colorado expects annual tax revenue of over half-a-billion dollars from the decriminalization of cannabis for recreational and therapeutic purposes. This contrast shows not only distrust of government but also a transformation of attitudes in defining and seeking healthcare. As was obvious from the recent protests in hundreds of cities across the country, Americans are suspicious of the alliance between big business and politicians; gone are the days of mutual-aid fraternities, reciprocal gift-giving, folk remedies, and the family doctor. In its place is a sinister alliance between impersonal for-profit insurance conglomerates, professional cliques, and pharmocrats seeking to expand their target markets. Regarding people as little more than dumb animals, they advertise junk food and invent bogus disorders; they promote ignorance and idiocy, and theyve hooked a majority of the population on unnecessary drugs. Worst of all, they deny the existence of the soul, and without Spirit, human life has no dignity or purpose. Effective cures for cancer and other ailments are suppressed, and scientific inquiry is censored if it challenges entrenched economic interests and institutional prejudices. It is telling that the Obamacare logo does not feature the Rod of Asclepius, the international sign of medicine, but the Caduceus, wand of the patron of thieves. Healthcare is more than an expensive cast when you break a bone; it is integrity of body, mind, and character. In other words, care for the soul through good food, study, and right activities. Now more than ever, people need a garden, massage, science, and art.

Guru Yoga: Principles for the Student-Teacher Relationship

The art of integration and soulmanifestation is not a mere mental exercise, but a lifestyle; the quest for freedom is the duty of every individual, and this task cannot be accomplished only by book-learning and intellectual assent. A teacher from an established lineage is necessary. If you would hire an accountant to prepare your taxes, or employ a trainer to lose weight at the gym, then it follows that to reform the mind and illuminate Spiritual reality, you need definite guidance, especially since this perspective is alien to the false opinions of common sense and vain gain-seeking of society; also, some of the techniques are dangerous if not correctly applied and must be done under strict supervision. Throughout history, however, the alchemical craft and ageless wisdom has been partly-revealed and partlyconcealed, both to protect its practitioners from persecution and also to test the seeker for sincerity and aptitude. It was also deliberately obscured for selfish economic benefit until it seemed like no more than a fanciful fetish and inflated satirical hoax. Some warn that this forbidden art is deceptive and futile, causing failure to prosper in the world and the ruin of the mind. There are some so-called teachers who are no more than political schemers, commercial charlatans, and madmen preaching idiosyncratic occultism; impostors are of two types: those who tell deliberate falsehoods and those who ignorantly preach fictions. There is also the problem of Masters who do not teach but only reveal esoteric knowledge to dominate and exploit others. A good teacher tends toward asceticism, courtesy, and mercy; by skillful means, they work in service of Truth and strive for a secure future without present misfortunes. They are altruistic and moderate; they never infringe free will. Their gift of spiritual enlightenment and knowledge should be esteemed higher than care of the body and material goods, and you should not hesitate to do whatever is asked of you and practically reciprocate the teacher's generosity of wisdom. At their best, you will suspect the teacher can read your mind; he will know you better than you know yourself and may challenge you with a course of action you could not imagine in your confusion of your true nature. You should not think your teacher is a mere man, but adore him as God. He may adopt various attitudes in your personal relationship: servant, friend, child, parent, or lover. He can teach by look, touch, talk, and dream visitation. A teacher will often have multiple students. It is best not to disclose private teaching or compare experiences; oftentimes, instructions given to one student are not appropriate for another student and may seem contradictory. In fact, this is the benefit of individualized attention and spiritual counseling adapted to your needs. Share questions and observations only with your teacher. You can expect that a teacher will keep your personal details in strict confidence. There are four tiers of students: 1) the perfect, who require only the slightest suggestion for enlightenment, 2) the superior, who practice discernment between the Real and the unreal, 3) the intermediate, who rely on ritual disciplines, and 4) the seekers in darkness, who require great encouragement from a Teacher. During your initiation, you can expect to be tested in the following ways: 1) consultation of astrological birth chart, 2) physical examination, 3) psychological analysis, especially to determine attachments and tendencies, but also to reveal attitudes of class status, desire for marriage and children, and career aspirations, and 4) observation of regard toward the Teacher and instructions.

Questions and Answers

Q: Id like to try meditation. Which method should I use? A: Meditation is not merely sitting quietly and staring at the impressions on your closed eyelids or contemplating emptiness, but a combination of word, icon, posture, gesture, and breath-control to gain in body powers and perfections, and extrasensory perceptions and mind-powers. There are some schools that keep the information, but they are hesitant to give accurate instructions for fear of incorrect application. Some students are willing to pay small fortunes to learn the correct method, and many have been cheated by unscrupulous charlatans. Authentic meditation is not really an appropriate practice for most people, and the right conditions rarely exist to practice it. So, explicit directions for those advanced practices were hidden, and other methods are promoted that aren't authentic meditation. Q: What are the right conditions for meditation? A: Where four streets meet, where there is too much noise, where there are many corrupt characters, do not practice Raja Yoga. Do not practice when the body feels very lazy or ill, or when the mind is miserable and sorrowful. Go to a place that is well hidden, where people do not come to disturb you. Do not choose dirty places. Rather choose beautiful scenery, or a room in your own house which is beautiful. In solitary places such as mountain caves where the floor is even, free of pebbles, fire, or sand, where there are no disturbing noises from men or waterfalls, in auspicious places helpful to the mind and pleasing to the eyes, meditate. The end result is perfect enlightenment, freedom from fear, and reconciliation with the Absolute Source of all Being; the demands for secrecy at this point are severe: the teachings were never written down and lessons were conducted in private far, far, far away from the city, where the initiate could experience the symptoms and ecstasies in deepest solitude. Without an appropriate environment and right guidance, madness is possible, and even death. The dangers of the technique and the select few initiated at this level suggest that this practice is not appropriate for most people.

Signs of the Times

Relics now on display at the Vatican may be the bones of Peter the disciple of Jesus. The Catholic Church claims the remains were found during a dig beneath the famous hill in Rome, but independent archeologists have not been able to confirm the assertions. The public exhibit follows the sudden resignation of Pope Benedict XVI after a mystical quest for peace and then the celebrated election of Pope Francis I, who enjoys widespread respect for his message of mercy and attention to the poor and suffering. These actions are in accord with two long-standing prophecies within the Catholic Church. PROPHECY OF THE POPES: The Peaceful Father (Gloria Olivae) is accompanied by a mock challenge to the College of Cardinals, the council that elects the supreme office; before the return of the true heir to the throne of Judgment, Peter the Roman (whom some identify as Pope Francis I) will feed the world's people during a time of many trials. THE SECRETS OF FATIMA: The Catholic Church adopts a radical ideology as a new Pentecost (mighty wind fills all with Spirit) and Restoration (fulfillment of role in history); an obstinate reformer leads a group of mystical visionaries to the full and visible unity of the Church. The Vatican is a name derived from the Latin word vates or vatis which means poet, teacher, and oracle. The related Latin word vaticinor means to talk wildly or to make long speeches.

The Common Ideal of Asclepius, Pythagoras, and Paracelsus

The Greek hero-god of healing was named Asclepius, an orphan taught therapeutic arts by the wise centaur Chiron. His hilltop sanctuary was surrounded by a wide grove; birth and death were forbidden in the area. The sick and wounded could bathe in hot and cold springs, swim in the ocean, exercise in the gymnasium, walk with philosophers in the gardens, relax with a massage, or enjoy music, poetry recitals, and dance performances in the theatre. Guests stayed in a dormitory that included fine dining. Priests in the Temple could fix broken bones, heal infected cuts and sores, alleviate pain with plants and roots, and remedy other ailments. They were best known for dream interpretation. The entrant was required to fast, burn incense, and ritually offer a cock. After ingesting an entheogen, the patient would enter a labyrinth leading to an abaton or adyton (restricted area) to sleep with tame non-poisonous snakes. This incubation would often produce an instant cure. Dreams and hallucinatory visions were reported to the priests, whose analysis formed a prescription for treatment. No fee was necessary, though those who had the means were expected to support the Temple. A similar method was employed by Pythagoras at Crotona. The novitiate was first observed in athletics and social interactions. Humor was considered especially virtuous. Before initiation, there was first a testing in a haunted cave; the beginner was expected to solve a symbolic puzzle, then faced mocking and ridicule in assembly. If these trials were passed successfully, the neophyte was then allowed to listen to lessons for two to five years in absolute silence: no questions, no objections, no discussion. Pythagoras taught mathematics, geometry, music, and astronomy from behind a curtain. The second step was a monastic life with vegetarian diet and direct teachings on cosmic evolution, the unity of existence, the patterns of eternity, astrological symbolism and correspondences, the interrelation of macrocosm and microcosm, and ethics. The third step of perfection included lessons on esoteric psychology and the immortality of the soul; these teachings were given at night by the seaside or in a sanctuary with rituals. In the fourth step, adepts were expected to act in the world with purity in body, virtue in heart, and truth in intellect. The school at Crotona had both monastics (Pythagoreans) and householders (Pythagorists). The common goal was individual perfection and knowledge of the changeless Truth in the world of appearances. They were devoted to the solar Apollo, whose marriage with Mneomsyne (Memory) brought forth nine daughters, whom we call Muses: Euterpe (Music), Calliope (Epic Poetry), Terpsichore (Dance), Polyhymnia (Hymns), Erato (Love Songs), Melopmene (Tragedy) Thalia (Comedy), and Urania (Astronomy). The cure for ignorance and confusion required methodical study that revealed a plan and purpose of Creation and self-discipline that produced the peace and harmony of integrity. Their day began with a solitary walk among groves and a Temple; they avoided crowds so soon after waking from sleep. Their morning conference would include songs, dance, dream interpretation, and a breakfast of honey. This was followed by massage and physical activity including wrestling, weightlifting, and running. After lunch with guests, small groups would walk and converse on philosophical topics. After a bath and burning frankincense, they ate supper, sang songs, and listened to readings and recitations of precepts for perfection. The day ended with retirement to private study. Pythagoras considered food, exercise, music, and poetry as medicine. These ideals were promoted in the Renaissance by Theophrastrus Phillipus Aureolus Bombastus von Hohenheim, also known as Paracelsus. He was contemptuous of professional cliques that rewarded incompetence, which provoked hostility wherever he traveled. Most of his writings were not published until after his death. In his view, a doctor must be a priest and an astronomer, and the greatest act of service is to help others maintain a strong mind in a strong body. Paracelsian medicine is founded on knowledge of physics and psyche with special attention to food and sex, alchemical study of minerals and plants, astrology, virtue, and skillful means. He also preached the common origin of all religious traditions, though each translates the secrets of nature according to its context. These ideas were absorbed by the Rosicrucians, whose vows are simply: 1) cure the sick, 2) request no payment, 3) follow local customs in dress, 4) meet once a year, 5) find a successor, and 6) protect the secrets of the Order for 100-years.

Star Forecast: Steady Progress and a Wealth of Hidden Genius

The Winter Solstice is the moment when solar light is reborn in the deepest darkness. While the accent is on the renewal of the Light, the Day will not achieve a victory over Night until the Vernal Equinox. For some ancient people, the harsh winter months were a time of famine and anxiety relieved only by storytelling and music. To survive the long cold season, the harvest had to be skillfully measured and shared. In contemporary society, we apply a similar attitude to an annual review and newyear resolutions. The liminal nature of the period is personified in the two-faced Janus, the namesake of the first month. This Roman god of transitions and gates looked both to the past and to the future, and he was invoked at the beginning of all rituals. This is similar to the Hindu worship of Ganesh, who is also invoked before all activities as the god who both removes obstacles and creates barriers. This year, Venus retrogrades (appears to move backward in the sky) for an unusually extended transit in Capricorn. This will elicit maturity and focus in material goals and especially inspire a desire for stability and security. Mercury offers possibilities for perfection and visions of long-term plans. However, Mars produces conflict in the first week of the year. Expect tense reunions with old friends and lovers. It will be difficult to express affection. By the Full Moon, however, resentments from the past and bitter feuds should be resolved. There will be an abundance of eccentric intelligence and intuitive imagination in the weeks leading into Februarys Mercury retrograde. During the week of January nineteenth, be cautious when traveling and communicating, especially if it involves your boss or bureaucratic officers. There may be some mischief on the world-stage at the last quarter moon. There are several opportunities for festive occasions in January. Some Catholics follow a day of fasting on the fifth with a party on the sixth that includes fruitcakes and a king-for-theday. Similarly, the Feast of Fruits is a Jewish holiday on the sixteenth that includes contemplation of the Tree of Life, drinking white and red wine, and eating dates, figs, pomegranates, citrons, apples, pears, walnuts, almonds, and other fruits and nuts. The Chinese New Year at the February New Moon inaugurates the Year of the Horse. In comparison to last years Snake slowly and quietly slithering through the grass, this year will be like a fast gallop across an open field. There will opportunities for progress and prosperity, so be prepared to act quickly at the right occasion. The second month is named for rites associated with Februus, a Roman god of purification later identified as the Lord of the Underworld, Pluto. Also known as Hades, he is linked to mineral riches and the waxing and waning cycles of the Earth. This month is especially dedicated to cleaning and clearing the clutter, both in the external physical world and the personal spiritual realm. While the animals and trees hibernated, ancient people contemplated their errors and set intentions to correct apathy, doubt, sloth, greed, envy, anger, and pride. This refining introspection is also symbolized in two popular holidays in February. On Groundhog Day, the sight of a shadow spells six more weeks of winter; in other words, there is more work to be done in the dark cave of the soul. Also, while Valentines Day has become a holiday for sweethearts, the original story of Cupid is really the story of Psyches ordeal and descent to the Underworld. The tale first appears as an episode in the earliest known novel, the Golden Ass by Apuleius, a Latin sophist who claims to be working from a Greek translation of an Egyptian tragedy about an overeager disciple of magic who witnesses corruption and gloom. The work is an allegory representing the integration and transformation of identity, a theme similar to the renovation of personality connected to the second month of the solar cycle. Especially because of Mercury retrograde throughout February, it is auspicious to review and release what is no longer appropriate to your life. There is danger of confusion and chaos, so be simple and exceedingly calm in the whirlwind of changes. There will be delays, sudden reversals, and frustrations of expectations. Tools may fail, and travel could be disrupted. The chance of miscommunication is especially likely between the full moon and the last quarter. Remember in conversations that you are as likely to misunderstand as much as the other person is likely to misspeak. Have mercy! The March New Moon brings severity and anger especially in love relationships. You will need some solitude and new agreements about freedom in your intimacy. With Venus squaring Mars and the Sun in harmony with Pluto, you will feel bold and confident. Jupiter goes direct in the first quarter, and this is likely to improve support for your efforts and cure the long inertia that has stressed you. Merriment is slated for the first week of March, when decadent Mardi Gras and Fat Tuesday precede confession and forty days of austerities among Catholics. In the midst of Christian contemplative discipline, many Jews will celebrate Purim on the sixteenth of March; this feast includes giving gifts of food and drink to one person, giving two gifts each to two poor persons, drunkenness at a masquerade that often includes cross-dressing as a symbol of the disguises and veil of the Spirit, and a spiel of comic scorning. The seventeenth of March is St. Patricks Day, in honor of the Englishman who founded Christian monasteries in Ireland. Many classical texts were preserved by monks dedicated equally to farming, study, and devotional rites. Restrictions on food and drink are lifted on this day. Unity between Venus and Uranus and harmony between Mercury and Neptune will inspire spontaneous creativity around the first day of Spring.