Earth Man, Heavenly Man

[QUOTING]

Our existence as earth-born beings is surrounded by a microcosmic Spirit-field. Just as the earth as a cosmos is embedded in the Spirit, so too is the microcosm surrounding us. Though the fourfold personality is entirely of the earth, there still exists the possibility for the earth-bound entity to become a New Man through the touch of the Spirit-field. There still exists the opportunity of another, new process of genesis, outside the human being, alongside him, even though connected with him. For the universal Gnosis is the central issue:

This alone is liberating, redeeming and healing for man: the Gnosis, the knowledge of and with God. It is the Path on which to climb Olympus. It is solely through Gnosis that the soul becomes truly good. Not at times good and then again evil, but good out of an inner need -- The Corpus Hermeticum, Twelfth Book of Hermes

Outside us, yet intimately connected with us, lies the possibility of a quite different creation, the genesis of an entirely New Man. It is not us, earth-born entities, who become new creatures, but a totally 'other' one. Alongside the earthly man is the Spirit-man. The one is of the earth, earthly; the other is of heaven, heavenly. Think in this context of the First Letter to the Corinthians (Chapter 15, verses 35 onwards). Then you will know, you will experience and see before you that Paul was drawing here on hermetic philosophy.

So it is not one that changes, but two. At any rate, there can be two: an earthly human being and a Heavenly Man in one and the same microcosm.

Now you will see to what extent the holy language handed down to us has often been mutilated and defiled. Because people did not understand all this, or did not want to do so. Because people lived under the great, self-made delusion of thinking that an earthly human-being could be made into a heavenly one. Earthly human-beings, serving and making an idol of the earth, clinging fast to the earth, sparing no effort for the earthly body, being willing to endure anything merely to keep the earthly body in existence, even, for instance, to undergo a therapy that involves the use of living cells -- and at the same time thinking one is of Divine lineage!

Do you understand now what Jesus Christ, who came to us as the Heavenly Man, as the wholly Other One, meant when he said: 'My Kingdom is not of this world'?

It would be out of the question for even one single earth-born entity to become a Heavenly Man; they are two distinct creations, two quite different creatures, sharply to be distinguished from one another.

So where do we stand with respect to the doctrine of transfiguration taught by the School of the Rosycross? Have you ever understood this doctrine properly? In essence, transfiguration means devoting oneself as an earthly, nature-born human being to the creation, the genesis of the Other One; to the vivification of 'the image with the dead eyes'.

Can we do that? Yes, we can. It is even our calling, our task. It is for that we have come into being. If we do nothing more than follow our natural urges as earthly beings, then, as we follow the road of dialectical experience, of rising, shining and fading, the time will come when death will take us. If, however, we take up our calling, we will see a Heavenly Man growing within our microcosm, who will stand before us as the wholly Other One. And through his devotion, his self-surrender to that Other One, the earthly man will one day die, merge and rise again in Him who is the Other One. This 'second death' then signifies the victory over death.

From "The Essential Mystery Of Man" The Egyptian Arch-Gnosis, Vol. III - Jan van Rijckenborgh

[END QUOTING]

We were born for only one purpose: to awaken the True Man that sleeps within our microcosm. The task is not a simple one, largely because of the following reasons:

1. We are born in forgetfulness, with the answer to the question "Why are we here?" buried so deep within our auric being as to be virtually undetectable.

2. We are under the control of a natural body, created from natural materials, living in and maintained by a natural world. This natural body hinders our ability to reconnect with the Divine Reality that is all around us.

3. We live in a world where the holy language that was left to guide us to the One Goal has been mutilated, falsified and defiled until the Secret Jewel that it contains is unrecognizable, even though it is staring us in the face.

4. Those whose responsibility it is to guide us to the Truth are, in reality, wolves in sheep's clothing. The priestly and kingly castes long ago abdicated their divine responsibilities, leaving us with only charlatans and chicanery.

Is it any wonder that man is lost, struggling under a delusion and afraid to take the necessary steps to escape from this cesspool he calls 'reality'?

Think of yourself as an egg, or a seed. Outwardly, you don't look like much, can't do much. But within every egg or seed is a mighty potential. It is no different with you. As above, so below. Your physical shell is but the outward casing of the egg. The Divine Seed sleeps within. If an egg is not properly incubated, it will remain an egg. If a seed is not properly cared for, it will remain a seed, to be eaten by the birds. If the human personality does not find the True Path and take steps to awaken his or her Divine Spark, that personality will meet death without having fulfilled its True Purpose, the One Goal of its incarnation.

Please note, however, that the Earthly Man cannot become the Heavenly Man, which is the doctrine of error that your churches and earthly philosophies teach. The process of transfiguration requires that the Earthly Man be left behind.

Like the egg, where the fluid within is transmuted and consumed to form the chick; or the seed, which is broken apart and discarded in order to allow the growth of the 'other one' within, so the human being must be willing to sacrifice his physical shell in order to free the Divine 'Other One' within. This is the 'death unto Life' that the Gnosis refers to.

If one cannot do this, if one cannot effect this tremendous act of self-surrender, then there is no way that one will be able to re-establish a link with the Divine Kingdom. When passing, the personality will head off to the reflection-sphere, the sham 'heaven' of the churches, where eventual and complete dissolution awaits.

The Gnosis is calling to you, it is calling to all of mankind. The Call is especially strident here at the end of this major world-cycle, as the sheep are being separated from the goats. Man faintly hears the Call and goes on a search, but due to the nature of his imprisonment (described previously), he invariably seeks in the wrong direction. Because the aeons of this nature have total control over man's physical environment (both material and reflection-spheres), the Seeker is in constant danger of choosing the wrong paths, following corrupted teachings and encountering countless spiritual dead-ends.

Something within you has managed to locate the Golden Thread of Truth. Although this is cause for great joy, do not stop here. Continue to gain insight about the nature of man's imprisonment and the blueprint for escape from same. Make the choice to follow The Path of the True Way in faith and humility. If you can do that, then all else will be added unto you.

~ g
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