The power of ritual

 

            The power of ritual

               By Jimmy Henderson FRC

The pathway to divine revelation by way of the mind was hidden in ritual by the old masters until candidates were ready to understand and appreciate their true meaning. In other words, it could be said that ritual is a symbolic representation of the great truths regarding man, soul, God and reality.

Normally, divine revelation only takes place during meditation, an altered state of consciousness in which our brainwave patterns are slowed down by means of physical and mental relaxation. In this state the subconscious mind opens, and we experience a 'mindfulness' in which the God-mind can be more easily accessed.

The effect of the solemnity, focus, actions and gestures of a ritual, which is full of symbolism, is such that it can also produce a similar introspective state of mind, one which also allows for access to the subconscious mind and the transfer of inspired thoughts and hidden truths.

The aim of ritual is therefore to prime our minds for the inflow of sacred knowledge and divine revelation. However, this normally requires a certain preparedness and state of readiness in which the mind is gradually unfolded through guided study and discipline, as would be provided within the framework and teachings of fraternal organisations based on the ancient mystery schools.   

This readiness can be explained firstly as being fully open to new knowledge and experiences. A closed mind and a critical, judgmental attitude will certainly not be conducive to spiritual revelation. Second, the mind should be clear and not cluttered with emotional or psychological baggage from the past. Strong negative emotions such hatred, intense anger and festering resentments will block any subtle impressions from the deeper levels of the mind.

In other words, in order to experience the true power of ritual, an initiate should have a reasonable level of emotional wellness and be able to maintain a relaxed, peaceful state of mind which will allow him/her to hear the whispers of divine revelation as they pass through his/her subconscious mind.

Ideally, the images, symbols and gestures of the ritual will impress themselves upon the fully receptive mind, pass through and resonate with their hidden meanings existing in the subconscious, and lead to powerful emotional or spiritual experiences and revelations of truth. 

Jimmy Henderson is a cognitive scientist, metaphysician and well-known author. His books are available on Amazon.com and through his website www.jimmyhendersonbooks.com 

Spiritual Truth -a metaphor of the sea

Spiritual Truth 
-a metaphor of the sea
By Jimmy Henderson 
Hons BA (Phil), MA Psychology, FRC

I would describe spiritual truth in terms of a metaphor of the sea, in which the extent of spiritual experience, knowledge and understanding we gain would depend on the depth to which we are prepared to go. 

Accessing spiritual truth through emotions would be limited to that which is on the surface, with the turbulence of the waves being likened to the raised hands of the joyous and exuberant spiritual charismatic experience. However, during a calm the waves quickly subside and we find that we may need to dive below the waves (move beyond pure emotion) into the depths of spiritual contemplation in order to gain insight into the underlying truths and laws of spirit.  

Moving down even further into the depths during meditation, the experience of revelation becomes greater as we penetrate the darkness of the mysteries of life and reality, until in reaching the bottom, we discover the treasures of gold, silver and pearls of wisdom that lie hidden in ancient cities covered  by the seas after many thousands of years, the knowledge that was once known to man, but is now lost except to those who are prepared to seek deeper. 

Jimmy Henderson is a cognitive researcher and metaphysician who has published a number of books and e-books on Amazon.com. Also see his website www.jimmyhendersonbooks.com