The Science of Being

[In the wake of the recent Presidential “elections”, a great deal of light has been shed on the ‘Religious Agenda’ underscoring the current administration and its policies. A recent Bill Moyers article I referenced outlined the issue well, and some even more provocative and intriguing research has appeared recently at Rigorous Intuition under articles entitled "Heavenly Deception" and "The Life and Mooney Times of George H.W. Bush". So to continue in the spirit of rebellion I mentioned yesterday—and since this ‘religious agenda’ has such an obvious influence in perpetuating the deleterious events in the world sphere—it’s perhaps advisable (and perhaps not) to try to place the generalized concept of Religion in a more proper perspective. In this way, we might hopefully come to a clearer picture of the basis on which this influence lies….]
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Traditional knowledge informs us that there are fundamental Laws according to which the entire Universe is made manifest.

This Universe, in turn, is composed of many ‘Worlds’ which could be said to be ‘nested’ at vastly varying levels within and among each other. In this respect an order of greater materiality develops along with the ‘descent’ toward Worlds of a ‘lower’ or ‘denser’ scale; reciprocally a ‘lightening’ occurs with the ‘ascent’ toward ‘higher’ or ‘finer’ Worlds. With this condensing of materiality that occurs as we approach Worlds of a lower order, there is a corresponding ‘condensation’ of the Laws regulating their existence. Thus it can be said that Worlds of differing levels will be subject to a correspondingly greater or lesser number of Laws—those of the Primary order as well as all laws corresponding to Secondary and Tertiary, etc. orders of existence inclusively.

The comprehension of these Laws is the principle aim of all esoteric spiritual teachings. The effort to understand and live in accordance with them determines the development of Being of the individual or group. Also, as such laws maintain a meta-physical basis and action, the development of one’s Being means that one effectively becomes subject to fewer Laws, and therefore becomes more ‘free’, more sensitive, and more discerning of Truth. This essential understanding has been related in varying ways in varying traditions, most commonly in symbolic form: so the initiate strives to “escape from prison”, to make one’s way “out of the maze”, to “pierce the veil of illusion”, and even to “awaken from sleep” or experience “enlightenment”, etc.

When viewed in this respect it helps us to understand that esoteric knowledge and traditions constitute a true Science, sometimes referred to as the Science of Being. This science is of a more singular and comprehensive order than the modern, profane science we speak of today, which is nothing more than the science of materiality. This profane science offers little true benefit to the human situation, divorced as it is from real Universal principles.* Indeed, if we consider this “modern science” impartially we see that it serves only to increase the materiality of our existence, to dis-integrate our knowledge, and thus to further ‘enslave’ us.

Because these Laws are singular and universal, it can be definitively said that the innermost knowledge and practices of all real traditions are essentially similar—it is only their outward form and expression which creates the appearance of difference. Truly, “there are many spokes in the wheel, all of which meet at the center”. But this applies only to traditions which continue to maintain a living connection to essential, primordial knowledge. And thus, through the knowledge of essential Laws—or at least a sensitivity to their existence—one becomes able to discern between real ‘traditional’ teachings, which are maintained and guided by knowledge of a Sacred character, and more degenerate or even definitely profane “religious institutions”, which offer little more than an outward form and appearance, and which in reality serve only to subvert the possibility of individual transformation and ascendance. (Also in this respect, one should maintain outright rejection for all religious or spiritual forms ‘invented’ or ‘rediscovered’ by anyone…). Please note that this discernment is not meant to be a judgment of the intention of such groups, but serves only to indicate that many so-called “religions” (especially in Western societies) are really little more than “social organizations with a religious tone”.** It’s tragic that many people in the West experience a real spiritual ‘call’, but eschew ‘organized religion’ because of the perceived defects they’ve recognized or encountered in these degenerate religious institutions.

Finally, it should be emphasized that true knowledge and understanding can only be imparted by one who already knows. It’s transmission therefore embodies and depends upon an unbroken line of human experiences leading all the way back to the Source. In this regard, books and writings of any kind, while vastly helpful in providing guidance and definition for one’s experiences, can nevertheless no more impart true knowledge than they could impart the ability to swim. For each student, there must be a teacher, who is in her turn the student of another…. And it must therefore be remembered that even the greatest religious works were themselves written for those who already know, and they are unavoidably couched in the religious formalism of their particular time and place. So while objective knowledge itself is forever ‘fresh’ to the seeker of truth, the specific interpretation of religious writings originating in vastly different cultures from one’s own is always going to be an imprecise study, at best.

The purpose in studying and comprehending Sacred Laws can only be realized when they are allowed to directly inform one’s life and actions toward discovering a more harmonious way of being. Indeed, this effort to live in accordance with traditional knowledge is, in and of itself, the path toward further discovery; and the continuous verification of knowledge through personal experience opens one up to more and more subtle insights. Apart from this discipline, the desire to comprehend knowledge of higher orders will be solely a manifestation of the ego—at best serving only as a kind of ‘titillation’ of one’s intellect or emotions, but in the worst case it becomes a literal travesty of itself, and manifests as a source of authority for misleading others. Thus when religious concepts become justification for actions or events in the world, it is critical that we should discriminate between genuine traditional practices which are based on sincerity and humility, and the more truly ‘occult’ forms which constitute nothing more than a fetishism of ideology or knowledge.

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*I’ll withhold implicating by association the more substantially theoretical fields in contemporary science, such as certain specialized branches in physics and astronomy, which seek to discover Universal principles in what has been called a counter-initiatory fashion (i.e. ‘from the bottom up’ via the study of materiality). While there appears to be interesting potential in these studies, there are also many significant criticisms to be weighed in this regard…all of which is beyond the intention of this article.

**It might be advisable to point out here that this distinction is determined by the degree to which they are influenced by essential Sacred knowledge; as such, different ‘congregations’ within even the same tradition are often organized and influenced along vastly differing fundamental bases. And to be frank, many of the so-called “religions” in our modern era maintain absolutely no connection to fundamental knowledge whatsoever. But one common characteristic of substantially degenerate religions is that they typically appeal strongly to the emotional element in people—so for example, strictures of ‘belief’, ‘appearance’, and ‘morality’ are pervasive in them, and there may be an inordinate concentration on ‘ecstatic’ experiences of one form or another).

Comments

[Paul]

There is a chapter on the Science of Being in the Christian Science textbook Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures. Here is a link to the chapter in the book:

http://www.spirituality.com/dt/book_lookup.jhtml?reference=SH%2B268&marks=false&baseURL=/dt/book_lookup.jhtml