Slay thy Lunar Form at will
Posted: Sun Feb 28, 2021 10:42 am
Yesterday we had a Lucifer lodge meeting to discuss The Voice of the Silence, a theosophico-buddhist mystical text. In my presentation, I likened the "lunar body" discussed in the text to the White astral (linga sharîra), while Blavatsky's own footnote likens it to the Red astral (kâma rupa). (Our members who have access to the video of this meeting can find this discussion at 54:00-57:10.)
I consider this topic interesting and important enough to be handled with some more length, since it comes close to the nucleus of one's occult striving, and touching many practical things. It can also be used to point to some tantric principles & the grand symbol of the Moon.
Some of my thoughts on this disintegration of the lunar form can also be found from my commentary to this text ("Hiljaisuuden ääni: Kommentaari ensimmäiseen katkelmaan"), articles 59 & 62. I do not add them here not to make the long post even longer.
MOON is, like I mentioned in my presentation, the common symbol for all the substantial bodies, i.e. any a principle when it is seen as a vehicle. Every receiving aspect is the "moon" in its process of receiving and reflecting. While the Moon correspondence in the Esoteric Instructions (tabulation here) is linga sharîra, this is only one dimension of many. The Moon is similar symbol and name than astral; it has a myriad of uses, forms, and meanings. Some of these are lofty, some low.
Why it is especially interesting to make note of this difference in the context of commenting the Voice of Silence is because it also reveals a slight difference in the schools of Theosophical and Azazelian occultism. It might also be likened to the difference between the tantric schools of Buddhism and Hinduism.
Both of these Moons, the White Moon and the Red Moon, are energy made substantial on a super-physical plane. Linga sharîra, the White lunar body, is immortal in a way that it cannot be actually killed: it is one's permanent physical root, and even if an adept chooses to dismiss that body, it is passed to the world as a half-entitetic being(s) rather than annihilated. Kâma rupa, the Red lunar body, is an illusionary body formed by and consisting of our emotions. Yet its "slaying" cannot be but a metaphor either, since any meditative act of purifying violence targeted into it would only enfuel it: the phantasmal kâma rupa of ours is an Obi-Wan who is only made stronger by striking him down.
By seeking to banish this pesky phantasm the Voice of the Silence uses language that is often apt to summon more anguish than it helps to extinguish. The demand of "slaying" that is so prevalent in the first fragment will not kill out the kâma rupa, quite the contrary. The whole process should be focused elsewhere, and the Moon dealt with in a different manner.
In what manner? Like I mentioned in my presentation, there's another approach in the Occidental occultism involving transsubstantion through the Grail and alchemical process. This path underlines the use of a different Moon body. While it brooks no greater tolerance towards one's egotism, it uses integration rather than extinguishing as its primary instrument.
I consider this topic interesting and important enough to be handled with some more length, since it comes close to the nucleus of one's occult striving, and touching many practical things. It can also be used to point to some tantric principles & the grand symbol of the Moon.
The Voice of the Silence wrote:Before that path is entered, thou must destroy thy lunar body*, cleanse thy mind-body** and make clean thy heart.
Eternal life's pure waters, clear and crystal, with the monsoon tempest's muddy torrents cannot mingle.
Heaven's dew-drop glittering in the morn's first sun-beam within the bosom of the lotus, when dropped on earth becomes a piece of clay; behold, the pearl is now a speck of mire.
Strive with thy thoughts unclean before they overpower thee. Use them as they will thee, for if thou sparest them and they take root and grow, know well, these thoughts will overpower and kill thee. Beware, Disciple, suffer not, e'en though it be their shadow, to approach. For it will grow, increase in size and power, and then this thing of darkness will absorb thy being before thou hast well realized the black foul monster's presence.
Before the "mystic Power"*** can make of thee a god, Lanoo, thou must have gained the faculty to slay thy lunar form at will.
The Self of matter and the SELF of Spirit can never meet. One of the twain must disappear; there is no place for both.
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*The astral form produced by the Kâmic principle, the Kâma rûpa or body of desire.
** Mânasa rûpa. The first refers to the astral or personal Self; the second to the individuality or the reincarnating Ego whose consciousness on our plane or the lower Manas — has to be paralyzed.
*** Kundalinî, the "Serpent Power" or mystic fire.
Some of my thoughts on this disintegration of the lunar form can also be found from my commentary to this text ("Hiljaisuuden ääni: Kommentaari ensimmäiseen katkelmaan"), articles 59 & 62. I do not add them here not to make the long post even longer.
MOON is, like I mentioned in my presentation, the common symbol for all the substantial bodies, i.e. any a principle when it is seen as a vehicle. Every receiving aspect is the "moon" in its process of receiving and reflecting. While the Moon correspondence in the Esoteric Instructions (tabulation here) is linga sharîra, this is only one dimension of many. The Moon is similar symbol and name than astral; it has a myriad of uses, forms, and meanings. Some of these are lofty, some low.
Why it is especially interesting to make note of this difference in the context of commenting the Voice of Silence is because it also reveals a slight difference in the schools of Theosophical and Azazelian occultism. It might also be likened to the difference between the tantric schools of Buddhism and Hinduism.
Both of these Moons, the White Moon and the Red Moon, are energy made substantial on a super-physical plane. Linga sharîra, the White lunar body, is immortal in a way that it cannot be actually killed: it is one's permanent physical root, and even if an adept chooses to dismiss that body, it is passed to the world as a half-entitetic being(s) rather than annihilated. Kâma rupa, the Red lunar body, is an illusionary body formed by and consisting of our emotions. Yet its "slaying" cannot be but a metaphor either, since any meditative act of purifying violence targeted into it would only enfuel it: the phantasmal kâma rupa of ours is an Obi-Wan who is only made stronger by striking him down.
By seeking to banish this pesky phantasm the Voice of the Silence uses language that is often apt to summon more anguish than it helps to extinguish. The demand of "slaying" that is so prevalent in the first fragment will not kill out the kâma rupa, quite the contrary. The whole process should be focused elsewhere, and the Moon dealt with in a different manner.
In what manner? Like I mentioned in my presentation, there's another approach in the Occidental occultism involving transsubstantion through the Grail and alchemical process. This path underlines the use of a different Moon body. While it brooks no greater tolerance towards one's egotism, it uses integration rather than extinguishing as its primary instrument.