© 2006 by Star System, Tomé, NM
In Revelation
Concepts Relative to Initiation and Empowerment
Page 5
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Phoenix – A bird-like pattern can manifest in the sun's corona during total solar eclipses. Cloud and sun patterns, especially just before, and at, sunset, often produce similar images.

This pattern possibly inspired several cultures with sun-bird symbolism and formed the basis of the Aegyptian winged-sun-disk symbol and the Phoenix myth.

The Phoenix is an universal symbol found in both eastern and western symbolic mythology. The Phoenix is (in the western version) said to arise in Arabia once every 500 years. It then flies to Heliopolis, the City of the Sun, in Aegypt, where it enters the Solar Temple, builds a nest of twigs, sits on the nest, ignites the fire, and burns up. From the remaining ashes, the Phoenix gathers up its residual elements and "rises from the ashes."

This symbolism represents the cyclic course of events for all living things, including human beings, governments, and civilizations. Let us consider, in seven detailed stages, how this represents the progress of the individual initiate:

The Phoenix arises in Arabia once every 500 years – Arises means "is born." This symbolizes the 1° initiation. The first degree in all initiatory systems represents birth.

The 1° rebirth symbolism, favored by all systems, provides a "base-level" foundation for correlating various, diverse systems of attainment. Christians cannot enter heaven unless they are "born again." "Except a man be born again, he may in no wise enter the kingdom of heaven." The Transhimalayan 1° is translated as "The Birth of the Christ in the Cave of the Heart."

Arabia is the country of origin because this is a Saracen-Sufi version of mythology that was passed on to initiated Knights Templar during the crusades. 500 years* is the (rounded off) cyclic timespan between manifestations of the Phoenix, who, if brought to maturity, becomes a high-ranking Adept with the ability to influence the course of evolutionary progress for the mass consciousness.

* The number of years varies according to the source of the tale.

The Phoenix flies to Heliopolis, the City of the Sun – The Flight of the Phoenix represents the work that an initiate of the outer order must perform. Flying symbolizes the rising of consciousness to a higher level; flying also symbolizes astral projection and rising on the planes.

Heliopolis, the City of the Sun, is an Ancient Aegyptian temple complex that formerly was called On. Today, it corresponds to a suburb of Cairo. The City of the Sun is also one of the names for Tiphereth on The Tree of Life.

The Phoenix enters the Solar Temple - Enters the Solar Temple implies that the initiate has arrived at Tiphereth, the Sphere of the Sun on The Tree of Life. It indicates that he or she has been admitted to the Inner Order. The Solar Temple is a meditative sanctuary in the heart chakra on the causal plane.

The Phoenix builds a nest of twigs – The Nest is the causal body (Soul) of the initiate. Each Twig represents a piece of karma. The causal body should be a clear, golden hue, and if it is, it indicates the presence of a Magister >

Magister, in this case, means a realized Adept, Master, Chohan, or some other title for an enlightened being.

The presence of effects (as in the law of cause-and-effect, or karma) manifests as thoughtforms (symbols or images) in the causal aura, much like sunspots appear on the sun. These images cause a distortion in the initiate's perception of reality and dilute or block portions of the outflow of radiant energy.

These images are problems. They can cause psychological disorders and medical conditions. Although practitioners can often heal lesser problems, at this (causal) level, no one else can disperse, resolve, or heal these imbedded thoughtforms – The initiate must resolve each problem for himself or herself.

As counselors or practitioners, we may describe these problems, thus bringing a client to the understanding of what he or she must accomplished, but we cannot "heal" them; it is strictly a matter between the client and his or her soul.

This is the task of the Inner Order: To resolve each and every causal (karmic) stain that is embedded in the causal aura. Of course, this is impossible for the individual initiate. That is why, at the level now being discussed, the initiate must make contact with his or her Solar Angel (also called the Holy Guardian Angel). The Solar Angel will then guide the initiate through the experiences (in life – not in the abstract realms) required to resolve the problems, to balance their karma.

The Phoenix sits on the nest and ignites the fire – The initiate has no choice but to Sit on the Nest, because that is where he or she already is situated. The karma is already embedded in the initiate's causal body (nest).

The Ignition of the Fire is a most interesting event. Here is how it comes about: The initiate of the Outer Order must align his or her personality. This means that the physical, emotional, and intellectual (the "lower," concrete mind) seed atoms (essences) must be harmonized and "going in the same direction." This is the same as doing something "with your whole body and mind." When perfectly aligned, the balanced personality automatically penetrates the Veil of Illusion (Paroketh) - The initiate can then "fly" to Tiphereth (Heliopolis), the City of the Sun, the lowest sphere (of three spheres) of the inner order, where he or she finally enters the Temple of the Sun.

From this sanctuary (the Temple of the Sun), which is actually the heart chakra that is anchored deep in the center of the causal body, the initiate must "obtain the knowledge and conversation" of the Solar Angel. The Solar Angel guides the "burning tip of awareness" of the personality and the "burning tip of awareness" of the Higher Self into a precise point of contact. This contact is symbolized by two triangles, one ascending (the aligned, triune personality) and the other descending (the solar trinity), with their apices touching.

The pinpoint energy generated by this contact opens up a small hole, a Venturi, similar to the tiny passageway in an hourglass or carburetor, through which sand may pass. In this case, the fire of consciousness flows through the Venturi. This is the Ignition of the Fire of the Phoenix. This is the culminating act in the 3° Transhimalayan initiation ceremony (5° A\ A\ ). It is said that the Lord of the World applies the Rod of Initiation to the candidate's crown, thus initiating (starting) the fire that will eventually burn off all personal karma.

This particular initiation must be taken in full, waking consciousness, and it is purely an energetic modification of consciousness. Any ceremonial or symbolic visions that the initiate might perceive are solely the result of his or her thoughtform-making capacity. This will vary according to the individual's paradigm (viewpoint of reality).

Christians will perceive Christ, Buddhists will experience the Buddha, Practitioners of High Magick will encounter the Grand Hierophant of the White Brotherhood.

However, some thoughtform must be perceived in order to meaningfully register the event in the mind of the initiate.

The Phoenix burns up – Once the inner point is ignited, a "holy fire" begins to burn outward through the causal body. The problems, the complex, resident "sunspots" of karma, are enflamed. For each complex that is ignited and "burned away," a corresponding interaction, experience, or event occurs in the daily life of the initiate.

There is no flash-bang, instant, mystical obliteration of karma on the inner planes* - It all has to be worked out in the external, as well as the internal, realms. The Solar Angel acts as a "guide" through these experiences.

* There are a few exceptional cases, wherein certain people have experienced traumatic, spontaneous enlightenment.

The energetic outflow of this ever-expanding, causal fire (soul-fire) is perceived by (adequately sensitive) other people as a radiation of Light, or as a "golden glow," that is the hallmark of the Adept of the Inner Order. During this process, the Adept often displays magickal powers and philosophical insights.

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This expanding fire eventually reaches the periphery, the outer edge, of the causal body. All of the initiate's personal, cause-and-effect disharmonies have been erased. The final flare of flame bursts forth and the initiate is thrown (jumps, expands, or leaps) into The Abyss.

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There is no further assistance from the Solar Angel, it's function having been exhausted. The Solar Angel is said to lead the initiate to the brink of The Abyss, and there to abandon him.

"My God, My God! Why hast Thou forsaken me?"

The Phoenix gathers up its residual elements and "rises from the ashes" – All of the elements that previously composed the being of the initiate, even the soul-body of the Adept, are disbursed by that mighty demon, Choronzon, in The Abyss. This is the same as "burning down into ashes."

The gathering up of the residual elements is consistent with "re-assembling consciousness on the far side of The Abyss."

Everything that was a hindrance to accessing the consciousness was burned up in Fire of the Phoenix with any remnants being purified in the crossing of The Abyss. As quoted elsewhere (above), it has been "the annihilation of that personality which limits the true self." Anyway, it was all merely programmed illusion.

Rising from the Ashes depicts the subsequent progress of the Adept. The task now becomes "to obtain a perfect understanding of the Universe." This is accomplished through silence, as found at Binah, the City of the Pyramids, the third emanation (from the top) of The Tree of Life, also known as the Buddhic plane of understanding and intuition.

In this case, silence means Samadhi or Sartori - "Universal Consciousness."

The forces of karma are still operative at this level, but the Adept (being in expanded awareness) is no longer involved with personal karma*, but rather is concerned with universal karma: This is what is known as "Taking on the sins of the world."

* There is no "personal" karma on the Buddhic plane, there being no "person." However, this only holds true while operating at this level of consciousness. A descent in consciousness, accompanying a return to the external world, again engages the initiate in the realm of personal karma.

Eventually, in the fullness of time, and having attained to complete understanding, the purified Phoenix will journey from Binah to Chokmah. This a transfer of modus operandi from the Buddhic plane to the Atmic (spiritual-atomic) plane.

Atmic derives from Atma, the plane of the Atman (over-soul). Note that Atmic is the Sanskrit basis of the word Atomic. A-tom - (A = "not", tome = "cut") means "incapable of being cut or divided into smaller particles." This is an ancient term. Modern science has, however, opened the door to the world of subatomic physics.

In order to accomplish this transfer, The Phoenix must bear his ashes (his residual elements, endowed with understanding) to the Central Temple* in the City of the Pyramids, where he places the ashes in an Urn (some legends say an Egg) where they are activated by Atmic (atomic) energy. The Urn, or Egg, becomes "radioactive" and is capable of "rebirthing" another Phoenix, as well as changing the nature of reality of the mass consciousness.

* This is not the Temple of the Sun at Heliopolis. This Central Temple in the City of the Pyramids is a higher, atomic-level sanctuary, of which the Temple of the Sun is a lower-level reflection.

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