Daily Excerpt: The Seven Wisdoms of Life (Tubali) - Introduction
excerpt from The Seven Wisdoms of Life (Tubali) -
Introduction
Man is not
just flesh and bone. By saying that, I do not mean to support abstract and
romantic ideas such as the soul. On
the contrary, I mean to stress a whole realm of physiological dynamics, which may be invisible to our outer eyes but
nonetheless are active all the time. Invisible is not irrelevant, just like
atoms are a necessity in the total understanding of matter.
There is another
anatomy for man, a subtler one, which envelops the visible plain of the
physical body like invisible sheaths. This anatomy is extraordinarily important
both for the complete understanding of our psyche and for the realization of the
further evolution of our consciousness. In-depth inquiries into the nature of
this anatomy have taken place in many cultures throughout human history—from
the ancient Egyptians to the Mayans, from the yogic culture in Hinduism
and Buddhism to the Jewish Kabbalists, and from Chinese medicine
to the Theosophical and Anthroposophical movements of the West. All
these doctrines differ mainly in terminology; they agree that there is an
amazing and subtle mechanism that supports the existence of the body and psyche,
and in actuality, maintains it. These cultures also agree that only through the
power of those hidden systems can one's consciousness evolve.
But why do
we need a subtle anatomy? The answer is extremely simple: just as we need the brain
and senses for the full perception of the outer world, so do we need these
subtle layers of consciousness to perceive the inner worlds of ourselves and of
the universe, the invisible layers of existence. The subtle anatomy is a system
of complex interactions between the visible and the invisible; it connects the
two in the same way that the physical body and the brain connect the subjective
perceiver and the perceived object.
The hidden
anatomy of man shares many parallels with man’s visible anatomy. It too
contains senses and a nervous system, a brain and a spine, only instead of circulating
blood and oxygen, it conducts the vital life force, subtle energies, and mental
insights, and instead of breathing, it takes in the universal vital breath,
without which all of us would instantaneously die. Through it, man is able to
maintain his connection with the greater life in himself and in the universe, and
he can also develop new connections with the universe. It is the vehicle
through which man can expand his mind toward the greater universe and acquire
an intimate touch with it.
Parts of
this subtle anatomy are ever active in us. Yet, for the most part, the subtle
layers of our anatomy lie dormant, like a seed of consciousness waiting for its
time to take root and blossom. This fact is due to our special capacity as
humans: the capacity to expand. Unlike animals, which also have a subtle
anatomy albeit much less complex, humans can expand their conscious connections
with their own selves and with the universe as a whole more and more.
In many
respects, one may refer to this subtle anatomy as the anatomy of our psyche
or, in an even broader sense, as the anatomy of our consciousness. The
direct implication of this insight is that by understanding the depths of this
anatomy, one may acquire a comprehensive map of one’s psyche, through which one
can navigate in a much more conscious way.
For this reason, I dedicate
this book more to the psychological and transformative aspects of this subtle
anatomy and much less to the mystical and esoteric aspects. In dealing with the
hidden anatomy, many traditions and respected experts describe in detail the
colors, symbols, mythology, and spiritual concepts associated with differing
layers of our invisible physiology. Here we use the same information to
enlighten the relevance of it to our immediate psychological structure.
Traditionally,
the mapping of the hidden territories of our consciousness has been used for
the sake of spiritual elevation and transformation, but in this book, this
application is only a part of a greater whole. Usually, critically missing from
these maps are the psychological, therapeutic and psychosomatic dimensions.
Simply put, in our times we need a map of the hidden territories of our
consciousness not only for navigation of the physiology of enlightenment but
also for the decoding of the unbelievable complexity of our minds.
Our inner
world tends to become obscure and mystical, but the moment we can see our
inside in an ordered and tangible way, we have easy access to ourselves and a better
means for self-liberation.
In order to
make the subtle anatomy even more accessible, I also let go of almost all known
terminology for the sake of a more direct language. Although the knowledge in
this book is tremendously influenced by yogic learning, I have made an effort
to lay bare these inner worlds so that you, the reader, can get in touch with
it directly, here and now, through the immediate reflection of these insights
in your very own psyche.
I even
intentionally let go of some aspects of our hidden physiology so things won't
become too complex to comprehend. One should remember that just as the visible
anatomy is shockingly complex, so also the subtle anatomy holds within it much
complexity. However, for the sake of clear understanding, I have made the
choice to focus only on the essentials, i.e. those elements which I believe can
benefit us the most.
Everything
in this book stems from my daily direct experience. I never refer to things
that I don't fully embrace in my own consciousness. For the last fifteen years,
I have solely and passionately dedicated myself to the direct research of my
own and others' dormant potential of consciousness. Through meditative
experimentation and intense contemplation, I have managed to awaken the subtle layers
of spirit and to realize them fully under the close guidance of the American
yogi Gabriel Cousens. Out of this direct realization, I have developed The
White Light method, which enables all people to activate and utilize their own
inner structures, the chakra system among them. It has become a natural skill
for me to reflect the other's present subtle levels of activity in my own
subtle anatomy, and this skill has been beneficial not only for guiding others
toward their own further development but also for my research in the realm of
chakras and other subtle bodies. So, this book is an accumulated understanding
slowly extracted from both my inner journey of fifteen years and from learning
the inner workings of many other individuals in their journeys towards heightened
awareness.
Joyfully,
my own experience corresponds strongly with the direct experience of millions
of people who, throughout the history of mankind, have dedicated much time and
energy to penetrate into the subtle anatomy, to document it, and to use it. What
you may not realize is to what a degree this is also your direct, daily experience—there are parts of the subtle anatomy
experienced by everyone but not acknowledged as such. In our present
conditioning, supported by a science that believes only in the existence of one
superficial layer of reality, we are well trained to ignore what we “know,” but
the more we recognize it, the more it grows inside of us and expands to new levels
of our own consciousness.
Accordingly,
we will begin our journey with the most accessible and the most directly experienced
layer of the invisible anatomy: the chakra system. Later on (in the Appendix),
we will progress toward even subtler realms of the subtle workings.
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