| Mudras in the various traditions. The Spiritual Path. | | | | such a divine natural state, tranquil, blissful, sans ego; |
| Salvation does not come from without, it comes from | | | | and yet he incarnated for a reason, for a spiritual |
| within. The savior of humanity lies within our own | | | | purpose. Would we negate this purpose now by |
| hearts. [Note: This paper contains images which may | | | | ignoring it and experiencing bliss for our own sakes |
| be seen as originally published at our website] | | | | alone? The goal is the Ascension and in order to do |
| The Various Traditions | | | | that the quaternary principles--the physical, the etheric, |
| In these series of articles we shope to describe the | | | | the astral, and the lower mental bodies would have to |
| mudra practices to be found in various religious | | | | be transmuted and raised to the causal level, and this |
| practices, such as in Buddhism, and Hinduism; and in | | | | cannot be done with the false ego still running amuck, |
| various countries rich in cultural traditions as for | | | | when the sense of mortality still holds sway, when |
| instance, Japan, India, China, Tibet, and Indonesia. Mudra | | | | self-centeredness is the whole purpose of existence. |
| teachings are also to be found in Christianity and in the | | | | The experience of bliss does not indicate a high |
| Egyptian tradition. Contemporary development of Runic | | | | spiritual development. There are various levels of bliss, |
| lore has also its own version of hand-gestures | | | | not all of which originate in the blissful center of the |
| designed to offer psychic benefits. We will describe | | | | Soul, or Higher Self. Man possesses certain |
| some of these and teach how our readers may put | | | | components in his being that records past feelings |
| these mudras into practice to assist their spiritual | | | | whether of trauma or joy. When stimulated or |
| unfoldment and the improvement of their mundane | | | | cleansed these components release their contents and |
| lives. | | | | is experienced by the consciousness. This experience |
| Regrettably, there are many powerful mudras to be | | | | is often mistaken for the impregnation of the Holy |
| found in mystical schools and traditions that we have | | | | Spirit. |
| not been able to get access to and thus present in | | | | An advanced consciousness no longer judges |
| these articles. For instance, Chen Yen or Shingon | | | | dualistically what it perceives. It does not differentiate |
| Buddhism, which is considered as an esoteric tradition, | | | | between the good and the bad, the evolved and the |
| has a rich heritage on mudra practices. These mudras | | | | unevolved, the beautiful and the ugly. It is only aware of |
| are performed in conjunction with mantras and the | | | | the presence of God in all. |
| visualization of mandalas. According to their doctrines, | | | | When we get down to spiritual basics, psychic powers |
| mudras, mantras, and mandalas represent body, | | | | mean nothing. They do not take a person closer to |
| speech, and mind. Chen Yen Buddhism teaches that | | | | God. Possessing paranormal abilities do not make a |
| the culture of these three aspects of the microcosm | | | | person spiritual. Spirituality has nothing to do with what |
| leads the practitioner to a higher spiritual state of being. | | | | you have or what you know. It has to do with what |
| Another Buddhist school that teaches mudras is the | | | | you are, and how well you are expressing your Divine |
| True Buddha School led by the Living Buddha Lu | | | | Self. Therefore, in conjunction to the study of mudras |
| Sheng-yen. One would have to be a follower of the | | | | we would adjure our readers to develop purity, love, |
| Living Buddha in order to acquire the mudra teachings. | | | | affection, detachment, disinterestedness, gentleness, |
| The Spiritual Path | | | | harmlessness, beauty, selflessness, self-abandonment, |
| At the very outset of these articles we would caution | | | | and other divine virtues. Also, deepen your |
| our readers not to misapply any phenomenal powers | | | | metaphysical knowledge of Cosmic laws and apply |
| that they may acquire through the practice of the | | | | spiritual precepts. Do not miss a rung of the ladder |
| mudras. Always aim for spirituality, not for the | | | | leading toward the goal of human perfection. As said |
| attainment of illusory baubles. Do not strive for the | | | | before, if any rung is missed you would have to return |
| phenomenal, the sensational; or be obsessed with | | | | to start all over again in order to tread it. It is wonderful |
| spiritual powers. The goal is soul-development, not | | | | to unfold unconditional love and to experience bliss but |
| self-aggrandizement. The spiritual tyro should not | | | | do no forget that Divine Consciousness has many |
| succumb to self-deception, self-complacency, | | | | spiritual aspects and attributes, each one of which the |
| self-centeredness, self-importance, and all egoistic | | | | spiritual aspirant would have to personally unfold. The |
| tendencies. Until the false ego is subdued, one has not | | | | person with the full unfoldment of one or two divine |
| reached the proper state where enlightenment may | | | | virtues has still a long way to go to reach perfection |
| be acquired or where spiritual forces and powers may | | | | compared with another who has almost unfolded all of |
| be properly harnessed and applied; even the so-called | | | | them but incompletely as yet. It is therefore, difficult to |
| awakening and rising of the kundalini force will not be | | | | judge another using human values and perception. |
| optimal in its influence. There is too much deception | | | | Mudras are tools to spiritual development. They should |
| here. Psychicism is often mistaken for spirituality. | | | | be used in conjunction with other metaphysical |
| Visions may delight the ego, seeing spirits may make | | | | disciplines and not applied as a sole sadhana or spiritual |
| one think highly of oneself, the vain display of | | | | practice. There is no one method or technique that is |
| "supernatural" powers may leave one too | | | | superior to another. They all have their place in a |
| self-complacent. In the end the evolving soul gets stuck | | | | disciple's daily work-out, and each have their own |
| in the astral mire, no matter how sublime visions or | | | | purpose and effect. Thus, while engaging in mudras, |
| experiences may be. The nature and apprehension of | | | | one should not give up one's daily prayers, meditations, |
| one's visions is related to one's evolutionary status. The | | | | occult disciplines and other yogic practices. |
| higher we are the more true our understanding and | | | | Chelas should not be attached to the sensations that |
| perception. Those who claim the ability to see sublime | | | | mudras give--their purpose is not to offer personal |
| visions while being morally bankrupt are only perceiving | | | | delight; rather chelas should be focused more on the |
| the lower astral planes and the projections of their | | | | goal of human existence. |
| own subconscious minds. | | | | Purpose of These Series of Articles |
| What true spirituality is cannot be stated too openly for | | | | All that we need to progress spiritually may be found |
| the reason that it would be falsely adopted or | | | | within us. We were told by the Master Jesus that |
| assumed by those pretending to be "Masters" in order | | | | heaven is within us, within our beings; it is not a place |
| to fool an unwary and ignorant crowd. The true | | | | that we go to when we pass away, or after the last |
| Master, however, has his own criteria and is able to | | | | angelic trumpet call during the last days of the |
| differentiate the false from the real, the quacks from | | | | Apocalypse. We do not deny that in some scriptures |
| those who are genuine. | | | | heaven is said to be a place. There is some truth in |
| If the reader argues that he or she seeks powers so | | | | this belief, in this context we may equate heaven to |
| that they may be of help to humanity it is time for | | | | the various dimensions, planes of existences, or |
| introspection. With what you have right now, are you | | | | realities. However, the heaven referred to by Master |
| helping humanity? Do you make sacrifices on behalf of | | | | Jesus is quite different. It is more of a state of being, a |
| humanity? Do you serve selflessly? Please do not | | | | level of awareness, a spiritual attitude. |
| deceive yourself. It is always wise to first work upon | | | | The more we depend upon our inner being, our own |
| your own character before undertaking the unfoldment | | | | Self, our own resources for our own evolvement, the |
| of powers. Without a true Guru one could be led | | | | more quickly we will reach the goal of human |
| astray by dark forces posing as representatives of | | | | existence. Excessive dependence upon external |
| Light. | | | | agencies simply prolongs our state of ignorance and |
| The spiritual path is filled with thorns and mirages. The | | | | our human, mortal condition. This is one of the reasons |
| closer one gets to the goal, the more temptations, | | | | why in Holy Scriptures we are warned not to visit |
| obstacles, tests, and trials one encounters. The chelas, | | | | street fortunetellers, paranormals and such, for they |
| students of the spiritual path often succumbs to | | | | frequently instill in us a false sense of self-assurance |
| glamour and illusions, false understanding and beliefs. | | | | and complacency, or conversely--needless fear. They |
| Without the Guru's aid, they could fall. But most often | | | | misdirect our attention to things of no eternal worth. |
| while bathing in the false astral light they forget the | | | | They are part of that materialistic scheme of the Dark |
| Guru and seek instead temporary delights. Students of | | | | Ones that hope to delay and if possible, thwart |
| metaphysics should not attempt to fly before they can | | | | humanity's soul progress. |
| run, run before they can walk, walk before they can | | | | Salvation does not come from without, it comes from |
| stand, or stand before they can crawl. | | | | within. The savior of humanity lies within our own |
| In their ambition to attain spiritual power and personal | | | | hearts. We have to find him there. This is a simple |
| bliss quickly, students of metaphysics make the | | | | message that all mystics and saints have been telling |
| mistake of jumping from Guru to Guru, from teaching | | | | us. We may disregard it at our own peril. |
| to teaching, from tradition to tradition, not realizing the | | | | The purpose of these articles is to assist the raising of |
| traps that they are laying for themselves, and thus | | | | the awareness and the expansion of the |
| delaying the divine grace that the true Guru would | | | | consciousness of our readers who apply the teachings |
| channel to them. They would also not experience the | | | | of the mudras. They are keys to personal |
| Guru's essence in such a manner; nor will they receive | | | | development and spiritual unfoldment. By practicing the |
| all that the Guru would like to give. It is like digging a | | | | mudras consistently, the practitioner would in time |
| well for water. We would dig 5-6 m before reaching | | | | realize the following: |
| water. If we were to dig a meter here, a meter there, | | | | The existence of unseen forces and Intelligence |
| we would end up with nothing substantial. Students | | | | The omnipresence, omnipotence and omniscience of |
| would end up confused: one Guru says this, another | | | | Energy |
| says that, etc. Students that follow many Gurus | | | | The existence of other dimensions and realities |
| simultaneously are not loyal to the instructions of any | | | | The oneness of all life |
| one of them. It is also unfair to the Guru as a problem | | | | The errors of dualistic perception |
| might arise in their spiritual disciplines. Who would then | | | | The blissful nature of the Spirit, or the Self |
| be responsible for that? To which Guru should the | | | | The various powers of the Soul |
| student go to? The spiritual aspirant is unaware that | | | | The illusions of time and space |
| certain traditions are incompatible, that some rays do | | | | The birthrights of the Soul such as health, tranquility, |
| not mix well, and that by practicing them together | | | | prosperity, joy, etc. |
| these might eventuate in psychic and psychological | | | | The powerful nature of Divine Love |
| impediments and problems. | | | | The ephemeral nature of physical life |
| Masters have always cautioned us to "make haste | | | | Morality as a soul necessity |
| slowly." The ancient Rishis and Yogis were well aware | | | | The sacredness of all sentient life |
| of this problem of the neophyte, they therefore | | | | The reality of the Soul |
| established Guru Puja, or the worship of the Guru. | | | | . . . and many other things that cannot be put into print |
| Essentially this was not for the purpose of glorifying | | | | or understood intellectually. Mudras may take us to |
| the Guru in any way, it was for the purpose of | | | | spiritual heights that we have not reached heretofore. It |
| assisting the chelas or students to maintain focus, to | | | | initiates us into the world of pragmatic mysticism. All |
| develop divine love, to instill a sense of identification | | | | that a true spiritual Guru may do is to offer keys, |
| with their Guru so that they may become like the | | | | guidance, advice, and teachings. He or she is unable to |
| object of their adoration. | | | | force any chela to comply or to obey because of the |
| Students would derive the utmost benefit by sticking to | | | | Law of Free Choice. It is up to the disciple to trust, |
| a single Guru. Only in this manner would it be possible | | | | have faith in and to open-up to the Teacher. |
| for the chela to experience "Guru Tattva," "Zat Guru," | | | | One of our intentions in the writing of these articles is |
| or the essence of the Guru where the Supreme Being | | | | to help preserve an important aspect of the cultural |
| expresses and bestows through the Guru untold | | | | heritage of humanity. Here and there in these works |
| spiritual wealth upon the loyal and devoted student. | | | | are to be found spiritual gems and seeds that may not |
| We may claim that we express unconditional love; and | | | | be recognized as such. In any case, we believe that |
| yet, if we do not have trust and faith in our Preceptor, | | | | they will eventually take root in the fertile grounds of |
| if we do not apply his instructions and advice seeking | | | | our reader's mind and sprout in an active enhancement |
| pastures in other fields and hoping for a quick | | | | of the human condition disregarding commercialism and |
| attainment, and thus destroying all that the Guru wishes | | | | all partisanship and fanaticism of race, religion, color, |
| his disciples to accomplish--that is, to unfold in an | | | | gender, tribal affiliation, etc. |
| orderly and proper manner--then it simply proves that | | | | Although these series of articles are incomplete and |
| our claim of unconditional love is false. | | | | have their shortcomings, the author feels that it would |
| There are agents of the dark forces stomping around | | | | still fill the void in most people's awareness concerning |
| looking for victims. They entrap their prey by flattery, | | | | esoteric methods of spiritual development. There are |
| big promises and a show of "psychic powers" and the | | | | many occult techniques, systems, and traditions at our |
| like. Metaphysical students should be on guard and not | | | | disposal, we only need to search for the tools that |
| fall into their clutches for their path lead downward to | | | | work for us. An open mind, fearlessness, and humility |
| the abyss. | | | | are all necessary qualities that would help us in our |
| The spiritual path toward the lofty goal of Buddhahood, | | | | search for the keys to spiritual knowledge and |
| human perfection, or the ascension may be compared | | | | unfoldment. |
| to a ladder consisting of many rungs. Each rung should | | | | We reiterate: everything that we need to evolve and |
| be treaded upon. Missing a rung would only mean | | | | grow spiritually we already possess within us. We just |
| returning again in a later life time to learn or experience | | | | need to be shown and given the keys that opens the |
| it. Attaining nirvana, experiencing bliss, or acquiring an | | | | right portals. These articles, it is hope, would offer a |
| expanded consciousness is all well and good but a | | | | bunch of these keys that would unveil for the reader a |
| person is no closer to the goal than before. Prior to | | | | greater world of understanding and experience. This is |
| starting off his career as a human soul Man was in | | | | what the writer wills. |