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COMMENTARY ON the EXERCISE below (The exercise follow the commentary)
In the beginning of this exercise section, AMORC reminds the member that they have just discussed the symbolism of fire, which of course relates to the meaning of the lighting of a candle. God, in many traditions, is symbolized by the sun, which is a source of heat, like fire. The central symbolism of Mithraism is the sun. In Zoroastrianism, a religion closely related to the story of Mithros, the central symbol is a fire altar. In alchemy, the sun is a frequent symbol- but also the fire of the furnace that lights up the athanor, the alchemical furnace, in which various metals are refined and purified.
According to many commentators on alchemy, including C.G. Jung, the psychiatrist, who founded his own school of psychology, the athanor represented the energy body and the fire represented the psychic energy which transformed its various constituent energies, represented by the metals. This representation of psychic energy in an alchemical setting can also be found in Taoist alchemy texts, which use the astrological and metallic symbols, like their Western counterparts, to flow through the energy body, whose routes were described as meridians.
Yogis speak of the kundalini energy which circuits through the body, transforming consciousness, a goal which Jung also claimed to be the true objective of alchemy.
But, regardless of all this benign symbolism, a candle is often linked with hypnotism.
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In the course of my research, I encountered an interesting example of the use of a candle with hypnosis, described by no less a personage than Madame Blavatsky, no stranger to occult practices. She wrote this in 1881.
A lighted candle was closely approached to her eyes, and it was found that the pupil did not contract; the eyes remaining opened and glassy, as if the person had been dead. He then passed a long needle through her lip and moved it in every direction; but the two doctors remarked neither the slightest sign of pain, nor, what was most strange, was there a single drop of blood. He called her by her name; there came no answer. But when, taking her by the hand, he began to converse with her, the young girl answered all his questions, though feebly at first and as if compelled by an irresistible power.1
Madame Blavatsky, Vol. II. No. 5,
February, 1881
Interestingly, in another short passage in this text, she specifically links hypnosis and meditation.
Hypnotism, we may add, is nought but the Trâtaka of the Yogî, the act of concentrating his mind on the tip of the nose, or on the spot between the eyebrows. It was known and practised by the ascetics in order to produce the final Samâdhi, or temporary deliverance of the soul from the body; a complete disenthralment of the spiritual man from the slavery of the physical with its gross senses. It is being practised unto the present day.2
Madame Blavatsky, Vol. II. No. 5,
February, 1881
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To those have studied their occult history, Madame Blavatsky was a wildly controversial figure- and many would decry the claim that hypnosis and meditation are exactly the same practice, including myself.
I believe that AMORC also would decry this claim. They would not want to affirm that use of candlelight was used in this way and that this was just another implement of hypnotic induction used- not to reach the true Celestial Sanctum- but to associate the “mental imaging” of achieving this goal with the goal itself.
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EXERCISE
Since we have now discussed these general considerations regarding the symbolism of fire, let us go on to the experiment you will perform as regularly as possible in coming days. First of all, extinguish one of the two candles in your Sanctum and place the other one in the center of the altar. After doing this, sit down approximately 2 meters (7 feet) away from the lit candle and observe the following instructions:
Put your hands on your knees and place your feet flat on the ground, slightly apart from each other. Keep your back as straight as possible and relax for a few moments while taking three neutral breaths. The latter, we remind you, are done by inhaling and exhaling deeply through the nose without interruption between inhalationS and exhalations.
As soon as you feel fully relaxed, concentrate your gaze on the candle flame. Blink your eyes normally. Maintain this concentration until you experience the feeling of being one with the candle flame. At that time, you must no longer be conscious of who you are or of the place where you are, but you must have the sensation of being the flame itself— light and heat.
When your concentration is at its peak and when you have succeeded in creating a perfect unity between yourself and the candle flame, stop this experiment. If you wish, observe a brief pause and repeat the experiment entirely. Whatever the results obtained, definitely stop at the end of your second attempt, at least for this sanctum period.
This experiment is effective in developing your power of mental concentration and it will aid in the special work you will be performing at the time of our next meeting. When you have finished, put the lit candle back in its place and light the other one again. After having read the Practical Application and the Summary, have a brief period of meditation, then close your sanctum period with the simple ritual which was presented to you in the first monograph of this Atrium.
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