Notes from a Hermetic Conversation on June 21, 2016
Tarot Study, 6/21
June, Joel, Phillip, Jim, Gail, and Richard were present.
Our process was the same as the previous week. Gail suggested that we begin performing the first three parts of the Grail Knight’s Practice [Edit December 2020: see the second set of notes for The Magician from June 14, 2016 for a brief description] the first week of the month, the second 3 parts the second week, etc., building up to the entire practice the last week. We will also have some kind of celebration during this last week.
Afterimages from “thinking in unison” the Magician:
Contrasting three different versions. Different attitudes presented. Strong threefoldness in one. One more “straight laced,” others more mobile.
The dome of the hat – golden, surrounded by darkness of the inside of the brim, with red tracing the outline of the brim. Looks like a sunrise/sunset. Reminiscent of the changing of directing center from the head to the heart: a descent that is actually an ascent.
Satchel looks animal-like. Tongue, tentacle, limb reaching out to objects.
The conversation with Nicodemus. Quote from John 3. Why does it sum up the night time conversation? What does it mean?
Phillip read from John 3.
Second birth related to the unknown wind — Second Coming like a thief in the night. (Caduceus of Moses is related Mercury, merchants and thieves).
“Spontaneous Recognition.” Cannot be argued into it, cannot be convinced – it must happen suddenly, intuitively. No delineated answer, no path given. Initiation through grace.
Born again – childlike. Holding onto something vigilantly, but like the Magician – playing rather than grasping.
The Second Birth is neither completely arbitrary nor completely Divine – what determines its occurrence?
What about “born again” in Pentecostal Church – luciferic influence. Strong effect on the feeling, potentially detrimental effect on the will.
What is Second Birth?
Point and Circle meditation given to curative educators so that the right ideas will come to them at the right moment. (The meditation is as follows: in the evening imagine to yourself a yellow point surrounded by a blue circle. Allow the yellow point to get smaller and smaller until it vanishes, while the blue circle gets larger and larger until it vanishes into the outer limits. Along with this, meditate on the phrase “God is in me.” In the morning, perform the same meditation, but with an ever expanding yellow circle and an ever diminishing blue point; the phrase is now “I am in God.” The secret is that the yellow circle is the yellow point. The blue circle is the blue point. They meet each other and cross over in the realm of infinity, from which new ideas spring.) https://wn.rsarchive.org/Lectures/Dates/19240705p01.html
Second Birth is Sacred Magic – aligning human and divine will. Intuiting free deeds, deeds of pure Love. We can only do this occasionally; Christ accomplished it every moment for 3 ½ years.
The 1st three years are the foundation for the personality; they are forgotten but still “me.” We have the possibility of making our personality a similar foundation for a different, new “Self.” “Become like little children.”
“Children, little Brothers, cast your nets on the other side…” Listen and do. Walk in Cosmic Time.
Second Birth: Resurrection Body — transformed Physical Body
Saul-Paul. Early experience of the Second Coming. Occurrences in our lives that are a new foundational experience, a seed.
Saul went blind – darkness, like St. John of the Cross’s quote. This quote could be seen as preparation for Metanoia. MOT a guide for preparing oneself through Arcana, by one who had experienced the Second Birth. Finding the balance between effort and grace.
Paul in later incarnations (Arjuna-Paul-Charlemagne-RG)? What happened to the Second Birth? How does it live on in further incarnations?
Dance of development – biography as allegorical to stream of incarnations.
Judas’s deed – terrible human karma, but also a necessary deed for the divine plan. Seeing the context around “karmic errors.” Greatest initiates have the hardest karma. (Anti-Christ).
Sufism – stories that seems inappropriate in one context but are totally transformed in another.
Arjuna rises above the conflict to see a different picture (Metanoia).
Image and likeness – reshaping the likeness to be a reflection of the image (Hermetic Astrology II). Personal karma that we have to take ownership of (Geocentric Chart – past orientated); the mission of our individuality that lays as potential, seed (Hermetic Chart – future orientated).
12 zodiacal perspectives – possibly 12 “2nd Births?”
Is the 2nd birth tied to “healing the karmic consequences of the past?” When we are 0-3, we do all kinds of things without knowing it, which we regret later in life when we are told stories about ourselves. We then become adults and to one degree or another take responsibility for ourselves, atone, and have our own children – experiencing the other side of our actions. But we are forgiven for what we are as infants and toddlers – we acted without knowledge.
Similarly, what about when the new Self is born? We realize what we have done out of ignorance; it is forgiven, but we must now grow-up again, take a new level of responsibility for ourselves and the world, and have “children” – help others come to 2nd birth, view others with forbearance. Saul vs. Paul. His karma from being Saul does not go away; at the same time it builds the proper foundation for Paul to be born. It does not determine the nature of “Paul” – Paul takes the karma of Saul with him and transforms it into deeds of Love.
Karma of Saul as Charlemagne? Warrior without penitence vs Kyot – warrior with penitence. St. Guilhem – lodge of penitence.
Paul did not know Christ in the flesh vs disciples (eg John – St Francis); what difference does this make?
What about Lazarus – also a soldier? William the Silent?
According to Robert – Paul (Protestantism)=Head, John (Eastern Orthodox)=Heart, Peter (Roman Catholic)=Limbs.
Our individual effort meets grace via our biographies, our destinies. Grace is brought to us by other people. Studying Tomberg alone vs meeting the NH Grail Circle – what if Joel had given up on it? What we carry, remember, polarities we bear, determines how much grace we can receive. How open we are to other people.
Let things live within you – neither forget nor hold on tightly. Memory-Etheric-Second Birth.
Archetype/Prototype = Christ.
Personality as Mask. Karl Koenig – we understand the Mask through learning the alphabet of Archetypes. We are to silently Shepherd each other with internalized living Archetypes (from the Village Lectures—https://www.karlkoeniginstitute.org/en/BookArchive/Seeds-for-Social-Renewal-The-Camphill-Village-Conference). School of Archangel Jesus (unconsciously). Supporting from spiritual realms. (Zinzendorf one of the guiding stars of Camphill; Pietism/Church of Paul, Choreomania).
The Unknown Friends 