Spiritual? Doubts...

[Guest guest]

I was recently confronted with a philosophical problem and I posted a

message about it. It had to do with comparing alchemy, as I learned

it from the modern Gnostics, to the traditional yogic beliefs,

whiches roots can be found in the basic concepts and occult theory of

tantra. I guess that I was taken aback with great surprise to see a

group (Gnostics) deriving almost all its knowledge from the

hinduistic systems, yet at the same time doubting and excluding its

basic principles. Because of the fact that I received much esoteric

knowledge from them I was very confused which led me to studying the

history, the origin and the concepts of Alchemy and that of Indian

Tantra in great detail. Here I am posting a part of the reply I

received on my doubts by my Gnostic teacher:

 

“The Kundalini and the Holy Spirit are absent in those who have not

practiced alchemy and who have not gone through the required tests.

The feminine and masculine parts of the Being have to be incarnated

and that is done with the work as I have described it.

The ordinary person has only a tiny aspect of the divine within - the

essence or consciiousness.

There is much information out there that is old and has lost the

essential keys with time.

Sexual alchemy helps in the elimination of lust, celibacy represses

the sexual energies.

Attempts to transform the sexual energies through forms of meditation

and pranic control are limited and ultimately are faliures because

two poles are needed to create and transform.

Keep exploring and work to gain you own esoteric knowledge from what

you have experienced, with alchemy though you have to practice it and

get onto the Path to really know about it.’

 

I suppose that there are also other people like me out there studying

different spiritual paths and are faced with many doubts in the

effort to understand and discriminate true spirituality. When the

basic principles are the same it is easy to go beyond the apparent

contradictions and see the truth in all dogmas and beliefs. But when

the very foundations of spirituality are doubted, then the intellect

has no chance to make correct interpretations. Yes, the intellect

cannot take us to the ultimate goal of course but it is an essential

tool in the spiritual quest in order not to be misleaded and take the

wrong decisions. Ultimately the only way to really understand and

solve the intellectual problems is not spiritual experiences, but

spiritual mastery and perfection. I can imagine that even spiritual

practitioners are faced with intellectual doubts.

 

In the course of history, we have seen many great souls, spiritual

leaders and yogis, forming their own expression of the spiritual

science. Most of the times however, the science is being carefully

hidden behind a moral teaching, a philosophy and a lifestyle. I think

this is done due to two reasons: Firstly, the moral teachings ( yamas

and niyamas-hindus, 10 commandments-christians or the elimination of

the egos-gnostics etc) even when they are being treated as

unimportant and illogical in our modern society, are actually

essential for the purification of the subtle energies as a

preparation for a spiritual discipline or sadhana. They burn karma,

make the humans lighter and more open to spiritual experiences. And

secondly, in order to maintain the secrecy and safety of the actual

teachings, which were meant just for few people. The spiritual

tradition is enormous and began with the dawn of man’s first

civilizations (if not earlier). There have been many great souls that

recorded and preached the same basic principles and it would be

almost silly to doubt them. Nevertheless, only few teachers, groups,

gurus or philosophies really give and objective and scientific

description of what takes place during the spiritual inner journey,

or practice.

 

A chemist would never enter a laboratory to try a new reaction

without knowing the theory and the laws that govern it because this

might lead to a major explosion and disaster. In the same way, isn’t

it justified to expect to learn the true esoteric theory of spiritual

exercise before entering the laboratory of the astral body?

 

To expect blind faith and obedience as a lower form of bhakti

doesn’t lead anywhere and being attached to dogmas that fanatically

reject any discussion only limits our mind and thus our soul.

 

Dario Fo said once: ‘Any authority becomes finally reactionary

because it needs to defend its power.’ But is it a sign of pure

spirituality to defend it in an offensive way? We are constantly

being taught to love, to respect and not to criticize but often the

very people who preach have no respect for other teachings. And as a

so-called ‘spiritual seeker’ I keep wondering where do the actual

boundaries of Viveka (discrimination) and criticism lie? …