From tariqas-digest-approval@europe.std.com Sun Jul 21 14:53:24 1996 Date: Wed, 17 Jul 1996 09:31:22 -0400 (EDT) From: tariqas-digest-approval@europe.std.com Reply-To: tariqas-digest@world.std.com To: tariqas-digest@world.std.com Subject: tariqas-digest V1 #70 tariqas-digest Wednesday, 17 July 1996 Volume 01 : Number 070 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- From: "Erik S. Ohlander" Date: Tue, 16 Jul 1996 20:16:50 Subject: RE: Poetry To my sister Lalla- You are consistantly one of the most thoughtful, mannered, and giving people on this list, may your concern and love for others enliven our hearts! Peace and Blessings- Erik. >I will preface my poetry as a Poem in the subject line, regardless of what >it's subject, ideas, or comments are so those who do not wish to read it >may >delete it. Kaffea Lalla. > > ------------------------------ From: Gale Date: Tue, 16 Jul 1996 18:09:58 -0700 Subject: Re: Jafar al-Saddiq Brother Erik, Well for the benefit of others I thought I would refrain from using = Arabisms,=20 except where I list sources. You have a far greater knowledge of the = historical=20 developments of the Shi'a than I, and although I am familiar with some = of the=20 Ismaeli gnosis, I'm really ignorant about the earlier sources that led = to the=20 development of their doctrine. Most of my background in Shi'ism comes = from=20 living in Shi'ite communities in Kashmir, and most of them would = probably be=20 regarded as heretics if they lived in Iran! Almost all the Kashmiri = Shi'ites I=20 know belong to some kind of tariqa or follow a pir of the Uwaysi type = (what a=20 pir described to me as Ali'iyyia, direct transmission from Imam Ali). = But that a=20 profound esotericism did exist in the transmission of the early imams = may be=20 found in the 4th Imam's words: "O Lord, if I were to reveal the pearl of = my gnosis, they would say to me: are you a worshipper of idols? And = there would=20 be Muslims who would see justice in the shedding of my blood." Erik, briefly, the following are some of my sources: Moh. Amir-Moezzi's = Le=20 Guide Divin Dans Le Shi'isme Originel (highly recommended, but very = dense);=20 U. Rubin's "Pre-Existence & Light: Concept of Nur Muhammad" Israel = Oriental=20 Society, v. 5, 1975; J. Taylor's "Jafar al-Sadiq, Spiritual Forebear of = the Sufis"=20 Islamic Culture, 1966; P. Lory's Alchemie et mystique en terre d'Islam; = T.=20 Modarressi's "Early Debates on the Integrity of the Quran" Studia = Islamica, vo.=20 77, 1993; and Corbin's History of Islamic Philosophy and En Islam = Iranien. As for the esoteric lineage sources, these come from Ibn Babuye, Ibn = Ayyash=20 al-Jawhari's Muqtadab al-athar fi l-nass 'ala 'adad al-a'immat al-ithnay = 'ashar,=20 and al-Mas'udi's Ithbat al-wasiyya -- all being Imamites and I assume=20 composed in the mid-10th c. or thereabouts (what would be Corbin's 2nd=20 period of Shi'ism from the Occultation to al-Tusi). These traditions, = as I=20 understand it, contain the doctrine of the wasiyya, the journey and=20 transmission of light, predestined through Muhammad, sawa, Ali and the=20 Imams, and then the return of light. Amir-Moezzi associates this with=20 metemphotosis (which he translates as "displacement of light") rather = than as=20 metempsychosis (westerner's misreading of reincarnation in Shi'ite = teachings).=20 Moezzi also notes that this concept is found as early as the mid-8th c. = in a=20 Shi'ite poem about the predestined light by Zayd al-Asadi. The chain = itself is=20 obviously incomplete as you will notice (although beginning with Adam as = the=20 Adamic light), but from Isa it follows Simeon, Yahya (the apostle? = possibly=20 another John since it was such a common name or just a very poor sense = of=20 chronology), Mundhir b. Sham'un, Salama or Salima, Barda or Barza or = Balit=20 (could this be a name-corruption of Bashira, the Christian ascetic who = met=20 Muhammad during the latter's travels to Syria with his uncle?), = Muhammad. =20 The earlier part of the list goes from Ishmael to Isaac, and then = follows a line=20 with many of the Jewish prophets. So it is very different than the = Ishmael=20 chain that leads into a line of Arab prophets which comprises the = hereditary=20 line. Return to Jafar: much of his oral transmission is preserved in the large = collection of writings of his buddy and disciple Hisham ibn al-Hakam, so = this=20 goes back quite far. Also, with respect to Jabir ibn Hayyan, the great=20 alchemist that someone referred to earlier, yes, he is said to have been = a=20 student of Jafar's, but is also suppose to have become an initiate of = the 8th=20 Imam (so this, if true, places him in the 12ver camp rather than the = Ismaeli). =20 Also, one of Jabir's most important works is the alchemical "Balance of=20 Letters", and it is according to Shi'ite tradition that the estoeric = "science of=20 letters" originates with Jafar al-Sadiq. According to Corbin (cf. Le = livre du=20 glorieux de Jabir bin Hayyan, Eranos Lectures), there are strong = similarities=20 between the two. Also, Corbin writes: "Let us begin with the pertinent = fact that=20 the name Sufis was first applied to the members of a group of Shi'ite = spirituals=20 of Kufah between the 2nd and 3rd centuries of the Hijjrah." And, of = course,=20 Jabir Hayyan was from Kufah. But as Corbin also notes, it is with the = 8th=20 Imam Ali al-Rida that Shi'ism and Sufism begin to separate from each = other. =20 The Sufi aspect becoming more highlighted among the Ismaelis.=20 I do apologize for using the term qutub however in my last post, because = you=20 are correct that this term is not to be found in Shi'ite literature (to = my=20 knowledge in any case), however, the concept is certainly present = especially=20 in light of the Imam's regent in the world at all times. Also as Jafar = states, one=20 must connect with the Imam. IMHO, Sufism's qutub is a chorus response = to=20 the Shi'ite concept of the Imam as a pillar of light (yet the prototype = for this is=20 also found in Nestorian mysticism (eg. John of Dalyatha and Joseph = Hazzaya)=20 and Manichaeism (cf. G. Widengren's work). I don't read this as a rigid = dogmatism, but rather one's connection with any of the great prophets is = by=20 inference a communing with the Imamite pillar of light. I've always = been=20 impressed with the remarkable degree of ecumenical and interfaith = tolerance in=20 early Shi'ite literature, which of course blossomed to its fullest with = the quasi- Ishmaeli Ikhwan as-Safa in Basra. well enough of this Stuffism! Am interested in hearing your or anybody = elses=20 feedback and comments. Blessings, Nur ------------------------------ From: "Erik S. Ohlander" Date: Tue, 16 Jul 1996 21:32:02 Subject: Re: Jafar al-Saddiq Nur- Thank you so much for your elucidating comments, you seem to have a deep insight in the dynamics of Shi'ism ala Henri Corbin (and I admire your ability to read his works in the orginal French; quite a difficult task I assure you!). I am very interested to check these references, and if I'm able to escape from the office for awhile tomorrow I'll go to the departmental library and check them, insha'allah. I am intrigued by your comparative context; I have a professor who always includes allusions to Zoroastrianism, Manichism, and Nestorian Christianity in any discussion of Shi'ism both ancient and modern; so I appreciate your approach - jazkiullah khayr! khodafez- Erik. Thanks again ------------------------------ From: Well333@turbonet.com (Jacquie Weller) Date: Tue, 16 Jul 1996 19:45:51 +0100 Subject: RE: Poetry >To my sister Lalla- > >You are consistantly one of the most thoughtful, mannered, and giving >people on this list, may your concern and love for others enliven our >hearts! > >Peace and Blessings- > >Erik. - --------------------- Thankyou Erik. That was very kind of you. Love Kaffea Lalla ------------------------------ From: Jinavamsa@aol.com Date: Tue, 16 Jul 1996 23:19:04 -0400 Subject: rahman [was Re: Bismillah tariqas@europe.std.com yes, Tanzen. you reply to an earlier posting; I add something below. In a message dated 96-07-16 15:16:26 EDT, you write: >> >> This comes from the translation of Quran by Andre Chouraki who is a jew. >> His translation is the first one to give such a meaning to these two words: >> Rahman and >> Houria I don't think so. just earlier today I was reading through a book of rather old texts, which had, as far as I can tell, no Jewish translator involved. (I assume you are suggesting that the translation being done by a Jew is therefore suspect.) The text is entitled _A Manual of .Hadith_ and includes quotations from some rather early works. The one that's relevant here is from the .Hadith Bukhari (precise location: B. 78: 13, with added quotations from B. 11: 7). this hadith says: Abu Hurairah reported, The Prophet, pbAuh, said: Ra.him is an offshooot of Ra.hmaan; so Allah said, Whoever makes his ties close with thee I will make My ties close with him, and whoever severs his ties with thee I will sever My ties with him" The explanation of this is: The word ra.him means the womb, hence, relationship by the female side; but it also carries the wider significance of relationship in general; and Ra.hmaan means the God of mercy or the Beneficent God. The hadith signifies that relationship is deeply connected with mercy in its very nature. So whoever makes close ties of relationship by kindness to relatives, God is kind to him, and whoever severs the ties of relationship by ill-treatment towards relatives, God is displeased with him, One must be kind to relatives though they be non-Muslims (B. 11: 7). As we are all relatives, being of one human family, this might suggest that kindness is a good attitude to carry always. what say you? in peace, Jinavamsa > >Yes, but we are still left with the triliteral root word meanings of Rahman >and >Rahim, i.e., RHM, which equates to "womb"... can we ignore Abjad? Is not womb >in >Arabic the word "rahmat"? > >Peace and love, > >tanzen > > > ------------------------------ From: Jawad Qureshi Date: Tue, 16 Jul 1996 23:07:51 -0500 (CDT) Subject: Re: Bismillah: name "in" truth On Tue, 16 Jul 1996, Michael J. Moore wrote: > Firstly, Thanks; to those who corrected my flawed > understanding of Bismillah > > Jawad Qureshi wrote: > He was telling us that the phrase bismillah is only complete when > > the word Itiba (I begin) is placed in front: I begin with the name of > > Allah, the Beneficient, the Merciful. > > "In the name of the King, I command you to stop." What does this mean? > It means that the command carries the authority of the King. > If I just say: > "In the name of the King" then isn't it implied that everything > that follows carries his authority? The key phrase that you mention is: implied. This is exactly what Shaykh Abdu-Rahman was stating: it's an implied meaning that isn't stated. > Now if we say: > "I say/begin, In the name of the King - Halt!" > it seems to me we are pointing ( or drawing attention) to "I" or to > the messenger and as a result detracting from the real intent which > is to invoke the authority of the King. IMHO > -- This is true. Now, when one is reading the Qur'an, what you said (which is true) has no worth, becuase what one is saying IS the word of Allah to begin with! Now, when saying it in the beginning of an activity: it serves as a reminder to the one saying it that we are in most need of Rahmah from Allah, which is implied directly in the names of Allah most high: al-Rahman and al-Raheem. I don't see a contradiction between the two, but I think that it changes with the situation. A good point that you raised: very interesting indeed. Wa 'Allahu 'alim, Wa salam, Jawad. > Michael Moore home page --> http://home.aol.com/michaeljm8 > ____________________ "The Enduring One! You are the Enduring One!" The most helpless slave of al-Rahman al-Ghufoor al-Wudood: Jawad Anwar ibn Muhammad Anwar al-Qureshi ------------------------------ From: CWoodsong@aol.com Date: Wed, 17 Jul 1996 00:33:33 -0400 Subject: Re: The Noble Savage ( was Verb: to be) In a message dated 96-07-16 19:39:22 EDT, you write: >>-------Wow WowWowWow.....WoodSong, You got it...You are ALIVE in ALLAH HU >The wind and the willow, I absolutely love you. Kaffea Lalla >(I have been gone and missed the light show.) Sister Kaffea! Wow yourself, Beautiful woman! ;) You are never gone... it is /your/ magic which illuminates this place! There were so many messages here tonight (they all seemed to discuss there being too many messages (oh, carol be full of the devil tonight! :)), that i almost missed this... now, i cry... <> ... so it's alright... (we sit here under the boardwalk and watch the waves crash! -- and the sharks will not find us either! ... or if they do.... So what?! :) ("Seagulls sing your hearts away, 'cause while sinners sin, the children play... Oh LORD how they play and play, for that happy day... HAP -PY DAY!" ) *Thank* you, dear heart. I absolutely love you too! You are absolutely.... LOVE! :) ------------------------------ From: CWoodsong@aol.com Date: Wed, 17 Jul 1996 02:10:21 -0400 Subject: Re: The Noble Savage ( was Verb: to be) >Absolutely! we can make idols of almost anything. and Truth is where we find it, right? :) >matriarchal >> >societies" is another variation.) There's absolutely no evidence to >support >> >> Yes, and one of these days the RESURRECTION will 'take'! ;) > >Women raise the children that make the world. Isn't that >enough power? I guess i can safely assume you are a man? >> Why should i fear that of which i am part? > >Because it will knock you down, bite your head, rip your >belly open and chew on your steamy guts and that will >really really hurt? ;) As Allah Wills! :) >Blessed Bees! ah, yes... they Be sweet blessing! :) love ya, Michael! carol ------------------------------ From: Thomas McElwain Date: Wed, 17 Jul 1996 09:08:01 +0300 (EET DST) Subject: Re: le bon sauvage Assalaamu Alaykum! There is an ongoing discussion in which I have not participated so far regarding the guru-like contribution or lack of it on the part of Native Americans or their anscestors as far back as the Mammoth. Insofar as I know, I am the only participant in this forum who is actually on the tribal rolls of a Native American community. It is also likely that, considering that I have written in a number of academic publications post-doctoral research in the area of Native American spirituality, I am among the more qualified in this forum to state an opinion on this matter. The subject is being discussed in more sophisticated terms in other forums, to which I would direct those interested either in the contemporary expression of spiritualities attempting to draw from Native American spiritual culture, or in the objective examination of such movements, or in the objective examination of Native American culture. The fact that the subject is being debated here with what appears in my point of view to be little or highly generalized factual information, makes me feel uncomfortable. I am not accusing anyone of racism, I am only saying that, given my ethnic background, I feel uncomfortable with the debate. It does not relate to the practice of Sufism, nor to the evaluation of Sufism, nor the the giving of information historical and factual about Sufism. Am I out of place in asking that the subject be dropped? Or should I drop out of the forum? I apologize for the acid flavor that has crept into one or two of my earlier responses. The said debate is the reason for it. Ali Haydar ------------------------------ From: Well333@turbonet.com (Jacquie Weller) Date: Tue, 16 Jul 1996 23:53:58 +0100 Subject: Re: le bon sauvage >Please Ali Haydar, not everyone feels this way, at least I don't. We need you here for the beautiful flavor you add here. I would send this private but for some reason when I do it gets returned. I have enjoyed your posts very much, and think that more accuracy can be brought here because you are so informed. My self I am very close to my Indian brother and sisters, and the Sufi tradition in my particular order vaules very highly the Indian Traditions. In the Universal Dances of Peace we have learned some Indian words. I would miss you my dear brother if you would leave. I understand your feelings and respect your decision to either stay or go. But I would like you to remain. Kaffea Lalla ------------------------------ From: maarof@pc.jaring.my Date: Wed, 17 Jul 1996 17:09:57 +0800 Subject: Pls stay Blue Eyes On Wed, 17 Jul 1996, Thomas McElwain wrote: > >Assalaamu Alaykum! [...] >[...]The fact that the subject is being >debated here with what appears in my point of view to be little or highly >generalized factual information, makes me feel uncomfortable. I am not >accusing anyone of racism, I am only saying that, given my ethnic >background, I feel uncomfortable with the debate. It does not relate to the >practice of Sufism, nor to the evaluation of Sufism, nor the the giving of >information historical and factual about Sufism. Am I out of place in asking >that the subject be dropped? Or should I drop out of the forum? > I apologize for the acid flavor that has crept into one or two of my >earlier responses. The said debate is the reason for it. > >Ali Haydar I find your poetry, theateriacal and fun and I'm sure the poem (?) actually not directed at me, but to an unknown spirit you find in your journey. In the indigneous culture in this part of the world, there is always respect for the unseen world, and sometimes we unknowingly transgress the custom or adab, and usually "the spirit" runs away, and we lost one by one "the guardians". Dot under the ba: I read a book (bother AbdKabir said it's a badly translated book). I can relate what you wrote about Imam Ali and "the dot under the ba" stuff, but my knowledge as it is, I do not comprehend fully "that stuff" salam maarof ------------------------------ From: Thomas McElwain Date: Wed, 17 Jul 1996 15:06:19 +0300 (EET DST) Subject: Al-Haqq and poetry - --=====================_837644160==_ Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" - --=====================_837644160==_ Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-Disposition: attachment; filename="SECRET" Assalaamu 'Alaykum! The question of whether I am on the proper level to say Ana al-Haqq relates to Sufi practice and is indeed vital. The core of Sufi practice as I understand it deals with the changing awareness of I. I am initiated into the Bektashi order and have been working for a number of years with a Mursheed living in Turkey. Much discussion of this problem has taken place in that circle. I am of course referring to the so-called Bektashi secret. As I understand matters, at the first gate, that of shari'a, one must not say Ana al-Haqq. One may confess Allah al-Haqq. At this point the appropriate human response is: Ya Allah, what do You want me to do? The answer is encased in fiqh, Islamic law. At the gate of tariqa, there is some disagreement. The majority position is, I believe, that one may confess Allah al- Haqq, but at this point the appropriate human response is: O my Beloved... There is a question of whether to say Ana al-Haqq upon reaching the second gate is appropriate. The opinion has been brought forward, by a few people, that to say Ana al-Haqq at this point can be used as a dhikr device to induce the more advanced state. I do not know if that is true, as I have not experienced this. I have grave doubts. At the gates of Ma'rifa and Haqiqa it is appropriate in Bektashi tradition to say Ana al-Haqq, although there is a difference of interpretation at each of these gates. The points of divergence here surround the question of whether or not it is appropriate to reveal the level of attainment, especially that of another Sufi. These are the points at which I have heard discussion in my tariqa about the Bektashi secret. Going to another matter, there is disagreement among Bektashis on whether or not the advance from one gate to the other releases one from the obligations of the earlier gates. Some say that fiqh need not be observed upon entering the tariqa. The position of my mursheed is that fiqh may be observed. In the circle to which I am attached it is the practice to observe the rules of fiqh. I hope this satisfies the questions that have been addressed to me. I should like to approach another matter that has arisen. I have myself submitted several poems to this forum. There has been an expressed aversion to poetry as such. I understand well if there is an aversion to one, some or all of my poems, but I do not understand the aversion to poetry as such. To suppress the work of Jalaladdin Rumi, for example, from one's approach to Sufism appears to me to be in most cases an impoverishment. I suggest consulting one's mursheed before avoiding poetry. Many shaykhs find the use of a vehicle to which one has an aversion to be the fastest way to results. Fi amaanillaahi, Ali Haydar - --=====================_837644160==_-- ------------------------------ From: frank gaude Date: Wed, 17 Jul 1996 05:32:26 -0700 Subject: Re: Rude or not Rude Hello, folks! Jacquie Weller wrote: > > I have noticed that... [...] > Sometimes we just have a little fun, and get > carried away with joy also. Please lets not be so uptight. Wonderul observation and advice! It is said, "Once you begin to lose your sense of humor the flame starts to go out." And a wise person once wrote, THE HEART OF EVERY PERSON, BOTH GOOD AND BAD, IS THE ABODE OF GOD, AND CARE SHOULD BE TAKEN NEVER TO WOUND ANYONE BY WORD OR ACT. Peace, Lalla, and thanks for being you, tanzen ------------------------------ From: frank gaude Date: Wed, 17 Jul 1996 05:27:08 -0700 Subject: Ancient Ray of Creation (3 of 7) The Laws of Three and Seven (3) - --------------------------- Let's get into synchronization. These two laws, Three and Seven, are fundamental; they cannot be reduced further, in terms of anything else. It is like saying there are positive and negative charges in the atom. It is not a question of why. It is so, and no more can be said. You should understand that something must be so, else nothing would exist. The same logic that applies for only needing six dimensions (else with more we have nothing going nowhere) to contain the universe applies here. From ALL TIME (fifth, eternal recurrence) and ETERNITY (sixth, quality of infinity, reincarnation) we will get to where we will, wish to go. We cannot go further for we are dealing with the two forces belonging to the Law of Three forces; the next step is the one law dealing with the Absolute and humans have little to do with such. To reduce the universe to ONE LAW is the dream of SCIENCE, which would be to understand the mind of the Absolute. Gnosis (marifah) reduces the universe to two laws, while at the time indicating the existence of the one law. Do we need more? For one to get on a path much more is needed. The big octave sets the stage for other octaves, the ones that you can observe within yourself. Octaves apply both as inner and outer. From the stars we come! Principally our sun, our star, our life-giving source. (Actually we are all there is.) Let's imagine a small, little octave between sun and moon starting with note Do and ending with Re. At level of planets we have note Si. Between planets and earth we have notes La, Sol, and Fa, placed horizontally. The octave then passes into earth as note Mi. The three notes La, Sol, Fa sounded between planets and earth form organic life. All living things are defined by such life, including humans, down to living (capable of digestion) cells. Non-life is simply called "earth". Can you construct this small octave without our help? Show where the two shocks must be for progression to occur. Progression? What progress? Explain please... You could look at organic life as a film covering earth, collecting influences from both lower and upper portions of Ray of Creation, the big octave. Now, remember where a shock is required in any octave: between Do and Si, and Fa and Mi, for changes to occur, in time or otherwise (here "otherwise" implies all-time and eternity). Such arises from the nature of the Law of Seven, which is an aspect of, contained within, the Law of Three: positive, negative, neutralizing forces. Because outer and inner have the same source, octaves are alike for the cosmos (order), i.e., the universe, as well as for organic life, humans, aspects of the universe, of infinity. Think, it is recorded "like begets like." Could it be otherwise? We can speak of the sun having higher intelligence than the earth or moon simply because of the ratio of energies, masses we observe. And think not of our moon as dead; it is simply the youngest along the ray. It grows from organic life on earth. Thus one day, it could be a planet or even a sun. Please, don't take such as literal. The possibilities exist through. Something are possible, others are not. Takes three forces, correctly placed for real, eternal change. All is governed by laws, up to 96. Anymore puts the object below the moon, has no Holy Ghost, no third force, and represents death, real death. The sun, in our little or side octave, represents the external meaning of the Ray of Creation, whereas beings, organic life, represent the internal, the psychological. Everything inner has a representation in the outer. Octaves are found both in humans and in nature. Everywhere we look we can see them. But we have to have the ability to see when looking. Each of us has that ability in potential. Much more to come in part (4) tanzen ------------------------------ From: Maqam1@aol.com Date: Wed, 17 Jul 1996 09:10:29 -0400 Subject: Re: Rude or not Rude In a message dated 96-07-16 20:46:25 EDT, you write: >But why must we belittle >one another by saying this is poppycock, psychobabble, nonsense, and all >such labels that do not demonstrate tolerance, maturity, and compassion. I >realize I am immature, and have these shortcommings as well. I do agree and support you 100% on this. PLEASE TO ALL WHO REPLY DON'T BE Rude? ------------------------------ From: frank gaude Date: Wed, 17 Jul 1996 06:27:06 -0700 Subject: Ancient Ray of Creation (4 of 7) The Laws of Three and Seven (4) - --------------------------- As we said, the sun, in our small or side octave, represents the external meaning of the Ray of Creation, whereas beings, organic life, represent the internal, the psychological. Everything inner has a representation in the outer. Octaves are found both in humans and in nature. Everywhere we look we can see them. But we have to have the ability to see upon looking. We potentially all have that ability. Let us discuss the Law of Seven and the psychological you. You notice that in our language we symbolize the inner with the outer. We speak of a cunning person as sly as a fox, or a brave man as a lion. Because inner and outer have a single source we naturally represent each with the other, with the same fundamental law, 3, as tempered by 7. Nature is in humanity and humanity is in nature. They are not separate but part of the whole. For this reason complex psychological ideas can be represented in visual imagery, pictures, drawn from outer objects. The universe is macrocosmos and humanity is microcosmos. To say that the universe is dying and humanity is evolving, or that humanity is dying and the universe is evolving, is an absurdity. Everything you set out to do can be likened to the beginning of an octave. When you decide to do something, you sound Do. If this Do is weakly sounded nothing will happen. If it is sounded more strongly you may reach the note Re and even Mi. But here we reach the place where a shock is needed if we are to achieve Fa. If the shock doesn't come we are deflected in our aim, in our desire to do this something. People start something and give up. Life is full of broken octaves. The shock is rarely there when it is needed. Now if you remember that humanity is created by the sun as a self-developing organism and that means we only develop by efforts, for all evolution of humanity is conscious effort only. There is no mechanical evolution: conscious effort gets pushed into the sixth dimension. Life effort, earthly effort, nature, always belong to the fifth dimension. We need not be surprised to find many difficulties. By the very nature of the Law of Seven things are made with difficulty. The Ray of Creation represents a descending octave, the main outer octave, the big octave of the cosmos, the universe. As we descend we get into greater and greater obscurity and complexity and restrictions, the further we get from Absolute. Let us speak of the small side octave between our sun and our moon. This octave created by the intelligence of the sun sounds three notes on the earth, La, Sol, Fa. These represent the living machine called organic life on earth, of which we are a part. The earth itself sounds only the note Me. Much more could be said here but let the above be mulled. The sun in creating wants something apart from the needs of the Ray of Creation. It wants something for itself, wants humans to ascend from the level of earth to its level. Herein is why we are incomplete as we are, unfinished beings, ill at ease. In regards to serving nature, serving earth, we are complete, but not in regards to serving the sun, our real origin of the stars. We have within ourselves far more than is necessary to simply serve nature. By NATURE is meant life on earth: all that we see around us, the life of plants, trees, fishes, animals, and also the life of mankind, with all its struggles, all the killing, pain, birth and death, which, all together, make up this perpetual-motion machine called organic life created by the sun to transmit influences from the upper to the lower part of Ray of Creation. The possibility for humans is to develop towards the level of the sun. It is clear to most that the sun is the source of energy that supports all life on earth. When we speak of the intelligence of the sun we are speaking of another energy, not the radiant light, heat, but another light seen only internally by the mind. We speak of the light of intelligence, the Ray of Creation which is internal, as a vertical scale of intelligence and being of increasing excellence as we ascend it. In this sense the sun is divine in relationship to the earth. Just as the idea of galaxies are divine in relationship to one star. Words, words! Now let us return to the "cross" of time; think of the vertical as the Ray of Creation. Try to use time as you use space! Can there be real evolution in only four dimensions? Add the fifth and feel, taste the outcome. Now, try the sixth. More to come in part (5) tanzen ------------------------------ End of tariqas-digest V1 #70 ****************************