Awakening The Divine In Man II

II. ENDURA - THE PATH OF SELF-SURRENDER

The preceding gnostic brotherhood of 800 years past – the medieval Cathars of southern France – used a special term to describe this phase of the Path: they called it the Endura.

We’d like to offer a definition of the gnostic concept of “endura”, as explained by Jan van Rijckenborgh:

[QUOTE] Endura – def.

The Path of “I-demolition”, the path of the “final death”, through the surrender of the “I” to the “Other One”, the Immortal Man, the Christ within. It is the Path of John, who “makes straight the paths for his Lord”. It means putting into practice the words: ‘He – the Heavenly Other One – must increase, and I must decrease. I must perish so that the heavenly Other One may live in me’.

The Path of the Endura is the age-old path, along which the fallen human-being rises towards his True Immortal Self. The fire of Purification brings about a complete reversal in his life and then he returns to the Father.

Life in dialectics is “life” leading to death; the Path of the Endura means a voluntary “death” leading to True Life. It is the part of the true, God-seeking human-being. ‘He who will lose his life for My sake, will find the Life’.

He who wishes to possess the Spirit must lose the self. As soon as the self, the “I”, comes to the forefront, the Spirit withdraws” 

[END QUOTE]

III. NEUTRALIZING THE “I”

The Endura has been referred to as “a daily dying” and “a Death unto Life”. These are symbolic terms, not to be interpreted in a literal sense. They refer to the death of the “I-being” – the nullification of the human ego along with the so-called “higher self”.

How Do We Live the Endura?

The aim of the endura is to neutralize the influence of the nature-born self while helping to raise the overall vibration of the microcosm. Everything about us that is focused upon the things of the earth must be released. We must cease to respond to earthly stimuli beyond that which is absolutely necessary. To do this, we need to adopt new ways of Thinking, Willing and Desiring; new habits that are in line with the requirements of the Path. 

The Candidate should look to adopt the following core attributes

(1) an honest and unceasing desire to render Selfless Service to Humanity  

Live to Serve your fellow man. That Service need not be large. Many times, the Small Thing that we do for others is the thing that yields the Highest Value. Opportunities to serve present themselves to us practically by-the-minute. We routinely miss them, usually because we are too busy focusing on ourselves. We must learn to recognize those opportunities for service and render such service accordingly. 

(2) Neutrality                                                  

Learn to be neither for, nor against anything. Do not take sides. 

(3) Detachment, or Non-Attachment      

Learn to Dissociate from earthly affairs. By this we mean do not attach yourself to events or their outcomes. Observe, but do not partake. 

(4) Objectivity 

Avoid being Judgmental towards others. Also avoid the twin vices of Gossip and Criticism.

Judgment, Gossip and Criticism are detrimental to the progress of any Candidate on the Path. These vices serve to harm not only ourselves but others, as well.      

(5) Self-Denial

Cease to indulge the thoughts and desires of the “I-being”.

What the Physical, Astral and Mental bodies want for the human personality is not what the Divine part of us wants. However, do not try to forcibly suppress selfish thoughts and emotions. This will only create new tensions that will build up elsewhere. Rather, learn to recognize those Thoughts and Emotions that are not in line with the requirements of the Path and do not give them your attention. “Energy follows Thought. What is Focused upon, Grows”. So, learn to ignore the persuasive pleadings of your selfish “I”.

.(6)  Eliminate Anxiety, Worry and Fear from your Thinking.

Anxiety, Worry and Fear are low-vibrating Thoughts and Emotions that only serve to lower the overall vibration-quality of the microcosm , when we are, in fact, working to raise that vibration.

(7) Always live from the idea that others are more excellent than yourself. Also, no matter how objectionable a person may seem, learn to speak to that which is Divine within that person. “Like Attracts Like”. The Divinity that is growing within us can and will silently connect with the sleeping Divine part of our fellow human-beings.

This path of Self-Surrender serves to help purify the vehicles of the personality and raise the vibration of the Head, Heart and Pelvic sanctuaries. This process of Purification will enable the Rosebud to bloom energetically, radiating its Divine fragrance throughout the entire microcosm. In this manner, the Divine part of the Human System can awaken from its ages-long Sleep of Death and begin to flourish.

By way of an example, let's take a pitcher filled with water. If we pour the water out of the pitcher it will appear that the pitcher is slowly being emptied, but it is not. For as the water is leaving the pitcher, air is rushing in to occupy the vacated “space”. Eventually, the entire original contents of the pitcher (the water) will be replaced by a substance of a higher vibration (air). 

This is what we are working to accomplish with the endura.

Next: Warnings and Conclusion

~ g

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