Working with the angel/archangel Gabriel
The following twenty pages or so are some of my personal notes
relating to my work with the archangel Gabriel. I present them as a
way of sharing my experiences. It is my intention to do a very great
deal more with Gabriel in the future.
Requisites. There are in the hermetic tradition some basic requisites
for getting into contact with a spirit such as Gabriel. Consider the
following example.
In the eighth chapter of the book of Daniel, the prophet Daniel
meets Gabriel who explains to Daniel the meaning of one of his
visions. Gabriel explains to Daniel, "The ram which thou sawest,
having two horns, are the kings of Media and Persia. And the
rough goat is the king of Greece and the great horn that is between
his eyes is the first king. Now that being broken, whereas four
stood up from it, four kingdoms shall stand up out of the nation, but
not in his power."
Recall that Daniel is one of the foremost prophets of the Old
Testament. He is one of those taken into exile to Babylon from
Israel in the sixth century B.C. by king Nebuchadnezzar. And
besides being a prophet, he has won so much favor from
Nebuchadnezzar that the king "made him ruler over the whole
province of Babylon, and chief of the governors over all the wise
men of Babylon." Obviously in Daniel we have a very skilled
individual adept at understanding the inner worlds and also a man
responsible for the economy and governing of a huge city-state.
But the Bible goes on in the prophet's words, "And I, Daniel,
fainted, and was sick certain days; afterward I rose up, and did the
king's business; and I was astonished at the vision, but none
understood it." The point I wish to make is that Daniel was
exhausted from his encounter with Gabriel. The presence of angels
such as Gabriel exert a great psychic force. In interacting with
them, you are taken up out of history so that you look down upon
the affairs of men from the perspective of eternity.
This is a gigantic leap and a full blown encounter with one of
these beings can injure your nervous system in addition to leaving
you exhausted for many days. The vision Gabriel interpreted for
Daniel spoke of the fate not only of the present but of future
nations. Imagine having a contact like this at the beginning of our
century when the car and airplane were just being invented.
You would see the horrors of World War I and the millions upon
millions killed in World War II. You would see the weapons they
used, entire cities obliterated, and the advent of weapons of mass
destruction. To say the least, the visions themselves could be
enough to cause emotional shock not to mention the tension
produced from entering into this heightened state of perception.
As I have outlined elsewhere, it is advisable, then, to work through
some basic training before jumping into the global and world
historical perspective of Gabriel's vision. In the hermetic tradition,
this is summarized first in terms of becoming acquainted with the
four elements. The air element allows you to relax completely and
open your mind so it is enlightened free of all attachment and as
clear as the sky.
The water element allows you to let go and flow and experience a
love which embraces all of life. The fire element grants you
strength, courage, and conviction. Though it, you align yourself
with the will of God as you discover it within your own heart. And
to the earth element belongs stability and endurance. It gives you
the perseverance to accomplish your chosen work.
In addition to these four elements, there is the fifth element,
akasha, which in this case represents the spiritual aura of our planet
earth. This is called the earthzone. It is a state of mind penetrating
through space and time. But this is not where Gabriel dwells. He
dwells within another sphere closely aligned with the earth--the
sphere of the moon which in the Quabbalah of the Jews is called
Yesod. After you become familiar with a pure state of awareness
which is free of form and timeless in nature, then you can proceed
to the lunar sphere.
For myself, I like to divide the akasha of the lunar zone into four
levels of akasha. These represent for me the different themes and
kinds of activities which occur within the lunar and other zones.
8/15/98: Side Effects: There are some interesting difficulties I have
had working with Gabriel over the years. Gabriel heightens astral
consciousness and bestows an extremely beautiful light upon those
who work with him. It is his nature to do so. The astral
consciousness brings about a deep and profound inner connection to
others. The light appears like a great treasure for the sphere of the
moon is loaded with spiritual treasures of inner well-being, peace,
and serenity which we do not often see on earth.
The first problem with this we can see historically in the birth of
Christ. When new light appears on earth, it heightens the powers of
darkness as well as the power of our choices to embrace the light or
the darkness. King Herod, in a way which has occurred over and
over in history, had all the children killed in the town where Christ
was born. He did not want any competition for his kingdom. As a
matter of fact, Kings often feel that way, that they must use
whatever means are necessary to preserve their power base.
So if you get light, you also get malice too. One aspect of malice
is that it seeks to destroy those things it can not control. Malice is
an advanced form of arrogance, hatred, and jealousy combined. In
other words, when there is more inner light coming through
yourself, the darkness--the unprocessed emotions--and the demons--
the autonomous entities which operate without conscience--awaken
and are empowered to act.
If you belong to a Christian church, e.g., there is a real sense in
which you are safe from genuine spiritual malice. You are part of a
collective organization which has its own spiritual authorization,
sphere of action, and protection. If you journey beyond what is
familiar on to the inner planes to seek greater personal wisdom and
illumination than is offered by the accepted institutions and wisdom
of your society, then you relinquish such protection.
On the inner planes, it is your spiritual will which is the medium
of exchange. That is, you must be clear about your purpose for
being there. You must be able to assert your spiritual identity, that
is, the part of yourself which is united to God and to eternity. This
is because nothing of your personal and social identity means
anything to the beings of the inner planes.
When you are challenged similar to that ancient formula from the
Roman empire, "Step forward and be identified," you must be able
to say, "I am a servant of the highest light. According to my faith
and conviction, nothing is permitted to oppose my mission or my
work." There is not only a will component in such a reply. There is
an openness to embrace all of life and everything that exists. Even
the worst malice you can penetrate with your consciousness and
understand it from inside. In so doing, you understand the purpose
it serves, the extent of its power, and how it can be deposed or set
aside.
So if you are presented with your basic situation of absolute
terror, you have to put aside all fear. You relax. And then you
draw upon the spirit within you for assistance in understanding
precisely what you are up against. The highest love and light speak
from the core of every being. It commands not just by its force but
by its power of oneness and its power to understand.
Put simply, if you work with the inner planes and especially the
lunar sphere, you have to be prepared for lower astral entities or
negative individuals dropping in unexpectedly. They see you
shining and they feel jealousy, hatred, and possessive. They want
your light to go out because it bothers them. Like abusive and
violent lovers, if they can't have you for themselves they would
prefer to injure or destroy you.
I run into this kind of astral visitation enough to feel it is
important to discuss. Since I work with Saturn spirits and the justice
aspect of Divine Providence, I feel open to everything. Everything has
its place and its purpose and I feel free to remind negative beings of
this.
Sometimes when I go to a bank, I have to explain to the teller
what they are able to do, how to do it, and why that is so. They
may then go to the bank manager to see if that is correct but they
find out I am right. Then they perform their task. My explanation
and the manager's authority are coming from the same place.
If I acted confused or affronted by the inexperience or
unwillingness of the bank teller to cooperate, this lack of conviction
and clarity on my part would slow the process down. The focus
would be on me rather than on the work which is meant to be
accomplished. If you retain your identification and faith in the
highest light, then the focus is not on you--your vulnerabilities and
weaknesses--but on the clarity and power of the light which shines
within you. If you can maintain this sense of clarity, inner freedom,
and absence of fear, others often will respect and enjoy assisting you
even when they are completely negative.
The second problem I ran into in working with Gabriel resulted
from a mistake I do not often make. If you increase the energy
around yourself while you are meditating or engaged in deep trance,
it helps to dissolve it afterwards so that you return to normal,
everyday consciousness. This may take some time but it is
important to do it.
If you retain some of this energy, it is like leaving part of yourself
on the inner planes. The gates to the inner worlds are left open.
There is an excess amount of energy sitting around which is free for
whoever or whatever wishes to draw upon it. Some sages and saints
can get away with this kind of thing because their spiritual identities
are strong enough to exist in two worlds at once all the time.
One time when I worked with Gabriel, I did not dissolve any of
the particular energy I had accumulated over the space of three
hours. It felt so satisfying I did not touch it and later on went to bed
with this high charge of lunar energy shining all through me. I also
had some wonderful dreams from this.
But when it was time to wake up, I found I ran into a typical
problem which occurs to different individuals. I had difficulty
getting my astral consciousness back into my body. As sometimes
occurs, I was fully awake but I could not get my body to respond to
my commands to move or to get out of bed.
Now this has happened to me enough over the years that I am
fairly familiar with how it works. There are psychological and
physiological explanations, but this is in a magical context. A
magician is supposed to be able at some point in his training to
consciousness detach his astral body from his physical body and
return at will. There are all sorts of procedures for practicing this
and safe guarding yourself during the process. I am just saying this
time I was not playing it safe.
To complicate the matter one of those fascinating negative
entities with all its charm and might was trying its best to keep me
on the astral plane. My response was to work through a basic series
of meditations and actions until I found what would wake me up.
This situation is really not much different than being "psychically
attacked" when you are fully conscious. You have to find
something which works according to the karma of the situation and
the level of power you have and the other entity has.
To make a long story short, concentrating on wiggling my toes
made me wake up. I had tried running through some aikido
movements with great vigor as if I were actually awake, but these
movements on the astral plane, though feeling completely real, had
no effect on my body. I also ran through a series of meditations
employing bright light like the sun, the dark violet of akasha, and
speaking to various spirits for assistance. But again, if what is after
you has attached itself to a deep aspect of your own magical will,
then you have to find something which is beyond its sensitivity and
understanding.
Do not ever imagine that by uniting yourself to God that your will
is free from being overthrown. Remember, Merlin had Niniane.
She had gotten inside of the deepest aspect of his magical will and
used it to overthrow him. President Clinton not only has Monica
Lewinski but Ken Star with his incredible tenacity seeking to destroy
his presidency. But if you seriously attend to the difficulties
inherent in uniting to another in love, you probably have already
gone beyond the reach of any archdemon. Love has already
revealed your deepest weaknesses and vulnerabilities to you and also
revealed a path of healing and transformation.
Once I woke up, I was very inviting and open to this particular entity.
I try to be open to everything and invite every being to meditate with me
in the sphere of Saturn. The sphere of Saturn has judges appointed by
Divine Providence to rule over and govern both postive and negative
spirits. Saturn requires of us an absolute purity of spirit and an
enlightenment--a freedom from all attachment-- because only this enables
us to reflect through ourselves the beauty and wonder of the universe in
which we exist. My commitment to this aspect of Divine Providence is
absolute.
Akasha of Lunar sphere. This is a level of awareness slightly deeper
than lucid dreaming. It is a clairvoyant perception of the past and
future and how the two are connected. Within it, you are removed
from time and sense the forces shaping the world. Though similar,
the lunar akasha is different from the akasha of the earthzone. It is
not so concerned with being productive and getting results. Its
primary interest is being still and mirrorlike so you can better
perceive the inner workings of the universe.
Akasha + 1: This is Nostrodamus' perspective. It is extremely
clairvoyant because you align your inner self with the universe. This
is the source of Daniel's interpretation of Nebuchadnezzar's vision.
You see the inner order and organization of the world in terms of
the events unfolding in time. There is a perfect clarity and
understanding which goes with this level of akashic perception.
Akasha + 2: There are spiritual currents, like great rivers, which
flow through the inner planes. These energies also flow through
and influence all of us. On this level, we become conscious of these
great psychic streams. Here, you are free to join yourself with the
life of any human being or spirit so that the other's inspiration and
energy can freely circulate and be exchanged with your own.
It is easy to forget how the light of the sun and the water of the
sea, the air with breathe, and the food we eat are energies we
constantly absorb into and circulate through ourselves. The love
passed on to us from others and from countless generations which
have gone before us also live within us now. It is no great surprise
then that on the inner planes, in the kingdom of the soul, life, light,
and love are freely exchanged as well. We all dwell in one ocean of
love and being.
Akasha + 3 of Lunar sphere. This is like a temple you enter to
become one with another person or spirit to comprehend all that the
other is, has been, and will be. Here you become one with the other
through the power of divine love, tenderness, and acceptance. You
embrace the soul inspiration belonging to the other individual. This
place is very sacred, very wonderful, and a true inner union soul to
soul and heart to heart.
When you pray for others, you can transmit to them a very pure
love, joy, and healing energy. On this level, we do the same. You
transmit to another a profound wish and will that they be healed,
restored to new life, granted fulfillment and fullness of life. It is a
gift which offers another an experience with being whole and
complete. It is a way of establishing in another the feeling that there
is love overflowing from the source of their being.
Akasha + 4. This is a cosmic level of consciousness. You can
understand cosmic purposes and identify with them through a
oneness so that they flow through you as clearly as a mirror reflects
light or as receptive as a vessel which holds water. It is within this
level, that Gabriel dwells. His work and art extend beyond that in
which humanity currently dwells. As a race, there is much that we
have not yet encountered, felt, or desired to search out. But Gabriel
is already a channel for these cosmic energies.
Gabriel's Domain with Akasha + 4. When we arrive at Gabriel's
domain within the akasha of the lunar sphere on the A + 4 level, we
see that he is aligned with the universe. He reflects and is
coordinated with its cosmic powers and divine purposes. And he
channels these energies through himself by being one with them.
All of this he does while sustaining a state of great beauty, peace,
and serenity.
To summarize briefly, in Gabriel's domain of spirit, all ages of
time are open to your gaze. You see what has been and what shall
be and understand why--what part of history has been necessity and
what part is a function of human creativity. You see as far as you
wish to see, every detail, every event, and every desire whether
stifled or satisfied. And yet during all of this, you never for a
moment lose a sense of serenity.
Perhaps if Bill Gates knew of this place, he would sell his shares
in Microsoft and sail around the world. He would do this because
he would realize that the experience of his five senses is worth
more, is a greater treasure to be found and mastered, than designing
future technology. If Saddam Hussein knew of this place, he would
resign his dictatorship and retire into seclusion. But first he would
build a temple to God, a temple more majestic than all the palaces
which have ever existed in any modern or ancient civilizations.
Being finally free of all fear, he would know that all men are his
brothers and, like himself, filled with the Divine Presence. Over the
doors of the temple it would read, "This beauty you see is but a
shadow of the glory which shines within each of you."
And if Gloria Steinem could close her eyes letting this kindness
sink into her heart, she would renounce femininism and also her
desire for men preferring to write poetry and claiming Rumi as the
best. She would do this because she would finally see that the
separate genders arise from one underlying bliss. Like an addict
addicted to cocaine but without the drug and without the addiction
or the need, her veins would be filled with a potent conviction
overriding all other sensations. She would know that she herself,
and not political action or others' wills, is the source of all freedom.
I write these words not to be funny but to speak the truth. The
energy of vision, of prophecy, and divine ecstasy can transform any
human.
The prophets often say that the vision they are given has a bitter
taste. And this is as it should be. Who can ever comprehend the
suffering of humanity? But there is compensation for the pain
which has been necessary for our growth. There is a place within
the heart where all suffering comes to an end and sorrow and loss
melt away as winter gives way to spring. Let us open the gate to
this inner kingdom so that everyone, without exception, can find a
peace which has no end and where each man and woman taste for
themselves the ecstasy of divine vision.
Gabriel's Aura. The outer energy of Gabriel's aura is very pure and
clear. It has a profound stillness which enables you to see through
time. This ability to see through time is clairvoyant vision but its
function is to enable you to see how the great purposes of life are
being fulfilled. Life is subject to immense powers and forces
designed to forge and shape its course yet everything that exists is
held within the hands of love. There is nothing that exists which
can not be remade, reshape, recreated, and transformed into bliss.
If you are thrown into the greatest jail, Gabriel has the keys to get
you out. If your task is to overthrow the greatest tyrant, Gabriel has
the means to accomplish this without a doubt. If your dream is for
justice, equality, and a nation founded on freedom, Gabriel, more
faint than a soft breeze, can whisper into the ears of the men who
will be the leaders who bring this about.
If your thirst is for divine wisdom, to master the very powers of
creation, with Gabriel's assistance you shall establish on earth a
university with wisdom enough to enlighten the nations and bring
peace to the earth. Here the curriculum combines astrophysics and
prophecy, chemistry and the words of power which transform
history. It is the nature of divine being that all knowledge, power,
wisdom, and creativity reach their highest level when illuminated by
love. Those who taste the ecstasy of divine vision are able to speak
with complete certainty of those things that "shall be."
Gabriel's Inner Aura: The spirits of the earthzone, that is, the aura
surrounding our planet with its inner planes, all share in one theme.
They manifest things. They are energetic, dynamic, and they
produce results. They get the job done. They are fruitful. They
have a drive to make realities which endure through time.
The lunar zone, though having a close affinity to the earth, is
slightly different. This is clearly seen in Gabriel's inner energy. His
energy is akasha but this akasha, though completely comprehending
the process of manifesting things that shall be, is more like a womb.
It is a subtle loving space which encompasses all of space, time, and
history. Its nature is to nourish.
It gives the seeds--that is, spiritual purposes--a place where they
can ripen so they may be ready when it is their time to appear within
the realms of form. Make no mistake. Gabriel knows all things
which are going to happen. But his nature is a giving through which
the deepest purposes, dreams, and ideals of your heart may be
cloaked in substance, take on form, and be made real.
What is the divine plan for your life? There are many who think
they can tell you what that is. But the Gabriel, who rules of the
sphere of Yesod and the zone of the moon, even he will not tell you
what God wills for your life. This is found within your own heart
and you must discover it on your own. No one else can do this for
you. Otherwise, there would be no need for freedom and growth
would not entail discovery but would be a matter of cloning one
person in the image of another.
But with great receptivity, Gabriel can illuminate the desires and
dreams which already exist within you. If he says, "This is what is
within your heart," you will be able to say, "Yes, I recognize that. I
have felt it before but I never imagined it could become reality."
For Gabriel, time and space exist to fulfill the visions of the heart.
The dreams you have forgot and the longings which have been
driven deep into the unconscious--Gabriel resurrects these so you
see them now and understand them with perfect clarity. Then he
can enunciate when and where according to times and seasons of
life these wishes will become reality.
If you wanted to know Gabriel's inner aura for yourself, you
could imagine a sea of infinite silvery light. And this sea penetrates,
like akasha, through all of space and time and holds the world in its
heart with love, kindness, and tenderness. In a metaphor, you
encompass all that has been and shall be as if your awareness is the
womb of a mother. It is your desire to hold all of life as the infant
protected and sheltered by your own being.
If you can imagine this, then you can comprehend the depth,
breadth, and scope of this angel's vision and the degree to which he
is intimately involved with every one of us.
All the same, this is not a sweet energy. It has the intensity of high
inspiration which cries out for you to seek and to attain your greatest
vision.
There is a similarity between the energy of Saturn and the moon.
Saturn demands that we master space, time, and the planes of form
completely so that we can attain to absolute freedom. The
limitations, obstacles, difficulties, and endings in life exist to remind
us to take complete charge of ourselves.
The lunar energy of Gabriel does not subvert the demands and
rigors of life or the discipline we must master. Rather Gabriel's
perspective is that to live life with the inner strength we require we
need to be inspired by our greatest dreams. We need to see life
through the eyes of divine vision. Then our commitment comes
naturally and our contentment is as deep as the universe in which we
dwell.
If I can put it this way, this nurturing tenderness of Gabriel's has a
Saturnian quality. His vision arises from a concentration which is
tougher than titanium and more crystal clear and sharp than
diamond. You may perceive the obstacles of your life as
insurmountable but, for Gabriel, matter is more fluid than water and
more thin than air. It responds to his will.
You may say, "I am trapped. I can not move forward on my
path." But the archangel stands before you. He sees that your mind
and his mind have the same power. He just has more practice. The
key is to speak to Gabriel with the voice of God which is within
your heart, whose voice vibrates and whose light shines within your
dreams and visions. This Gabriel can not resist. Every aspect of his
being exists to render assistance to and fulfill these things. So when
he says, "What you ask for shall come to be, for I have been granted
the means to join time and eternity."
Gabriel's Inner Source of Inspiration: The spirit is infinite without
beginning or end. It continuously pours out love, power, wisdom,
and boundless energy. The universe is constantly being made into a
new creation. Though the Mystery is beyond all comprehension,
within each individual's heart burns this same flame. For this reason
we called the sons and daughters of God because God's very
substance and creativity are within each of us.
Gabriel Entering the Earthzone
At the request of God, Gabriel manifests to reveal divine visions and
their meanings from time to time in history. This activity is initiated
without human will. It is also completely appropriate and natural to
work in an active way with Gabriel. In this case, it is our faith,
energy, and will which serve as the vehicle or medium through
which Gabriel enters our world. This process of manifesting
Gabriel has a different meaning and set of effects according to the
degree you bring him down through the planes.
The Akashic Plane. As you bring Gabriel down to the akashic
plane of the earthzone, you gain an understanding of your life
experience from within a profound peace and compassion. You see
the whole of your incarnation as a flower blossoming, as a stream
flowing to the sea, as a sojourner who journeys through a
wilderness--yet you are granted love and treasures of friendship;
you are given opportunities to share kindness with others to brighten
the passage though each individual's journey has its own
requirements.
The lunar light within the akasha of the earthzone introduces a
different perspective than the earth's. Our akasha sees through
space and time. The lunar akasha sees space and time as already
one, as a oneness in which all separation is overcome and all
opposites are already joined. It is incredibly delightful and
satisfying.
Life for us comes with great uncertainty. Confusion is built into
it. We are never sure that our love is enough to change others or
ourselves or to lead us to fulfillment.
With Gabriel, we learn to feel that we are part of a sea. We sense
the waves, the tides,and the currents. And we discover that the love
that flows through us arises from a sea of love that is infinite. There
is no end to it. There is no ceasing of the flow of love. There is no
need that can not be satisfied. There is no purpose that can not be
fulfilled. There is no dream which will not arrive and manifest in its
time.
There is a very great strength which derives from possessing this
inner reassurance. As we journey through time and as we attempt
to fulfill our work and our quests, we never lose our sense of being
joined to the heart of life, of being united with love from within.
This is why in the history of the prophecy given to Israel a
prophet such as Isaiah could appear before king Ahaz. The kings of
Israel had continuously failed to play their part in representing
Divine Providence on earth. By worshiping idols, their awareness
had lost its connection to akasha and to the highest light which uses
no form to express itself. They had cheated the poor and with
arrogance and greed spread injustice though their land.
And so Isaiah could say to king Ahaz, "Ask a sign of the Lord,
they God; ask it either in the depth, or in the height above." And,
though Ahaz refused, Isaiah then offered a sign for all time:
"Behold, the virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his
name Immanuel."
That is, Isaiah with the voice of prophecy was saying, "Don't you
see all you kings of the nations of the world that love will not fail. It
shall prevail. You shall be beat your swords into plow shears and
your spears into pruning hooks. If you know the truth of the
universe, you know that we are all brothers and sisters. We are all
already joined as one. No one is greater than another. No one
suffers alone. No one's joy is their own. The love that flows
through each of us is a part of all of us." There is a force behind
this perspective and nothing else that exists is as strong as it is. The
great prophets feel this in their hearts, every single one of them.
The net effect of Gabriel's presence on the akashic plane of the
earthzone is seen in the increase of spontaneous connections we
make with others. As if in a dream, we meet those to whom we can
give and also those who can assist and give to us also. The
opportunities for love and sharing are vastly expanded. The most
wonderful things happen by themselves without any conscious
effort. It is as if when we sleep and dream at night we interact with
others in their dreams and what we dream together then appears as
things we can do and share. In other words, it becomes easier and
completely natural to express through concrete experiences a love
that flows from soul to soul on the inner planes.
This makes perfect sense. If we are all immersed in one sea of
love, then we each have a part to play in fulfilling others' dreams
and they ours as well. Others' needs are our own and their
happiness is ours to celebrate as well. For this reason, it was an
incredible breach of responsible with God in the Old Testament for
the kings and princes of Israel to take advantage of the poor and to
ignore those who were sojourners or refugees from other lands. For
this reason, Christ has said, "Even as you have done it unto the least
of these, you have done it unto me." Love, the one energy which
nourishes and sustains everyone of us, is sacred. We all bear a great
responsibility to honor and to celebrate its activities.
The difference between this perspective and a liberal social agenda
to help the poor and disadvantaged is this: with the divine, the
outward giving to another is always a demonstration and
manifestation of an inner soul to soul connection. We make an
angelic kingdom such as Gabriel's our own little by little through the
way we interact with others.
Giving is always a gesture. But when you have a sea of love
within your heart, the gift vibrates with a love without beginning or
end. The giving and receiving are then the same act--a celebration
of divine love. Like Gabriel, we learn to join with the powers of
creation so they can move through us without being hindered or
diminished in their power to make the world new and beautiful.
From this perspective, being a parent is then not so exhausting. It
is not second in value to doing something else. When you love your
child, you can see through time and realize how in the act of love
you are loving your great, great, grandchild as well. You can see
how your energy travels through time. You can feel its life in
another's soul.
On the akashic plane, Gabriel's message to us is that every
purpose shall be fulfilled and every soul shall discover that it is one
with all others. Being in Gabriel's presence is like being in a temple.
You enter this space of inspiration to realize the oneness of life
8/`5/98: Gabriel: "Except you can embrace your life and all of life
from within a state of infinite peace, unless you can know this and
taste it, unless you can immerse yourself within it totally so that you
understand yourself to be bliss, you will lack the inner strength you
need to accomplish your destiny.
"I testify to the oneness of love, light, and life. Everything good,
pure, holy, wise, beautiful, and of the truth is already within and a
part of each of us. The divine emanation of God flows through me
and illuminates my mind. I understand the history of the world
because there is nothing on earth which is not sustained and upheld
by my love. As the moon is for the night, my light is for those who
love. I am absolute peace and serenity, time joined with eternity."
Mental Plane. We can also bring Gabriel down into the realm of
mind. Here we gain more explanations for why things are as they
are. Dreams and prophecies are also much easier to understand as
Gabriel did for Daniel in explaining how a little group of Greek city
states would one day defeat a huge Persian empire.
But this is not a conceptual explanation or a theory which attempts to
organize all the facts or argue in a persuasive and effective manner so as
to dominate over all other doctrines and rationalizations. This is a mode
of seeing. It is clairvoyant vision. It is why all philosophers and
theologians fail to grasp the truth of the world. They do not see the
nature of reality as it is unfolding in accordance with the powers and
purposes operating from the inner planes.
In other words, Gabriel inspires a mind which is extremely
receptive to divine vision and energy. The CIA with all its spies,
analysts and its psychic remote vision and the NSA with all its
satellites and electronic surveillance will never arrive at this place
where the future can be understood. In part, this is just because
they have the wrong attitude. The mind operating on this level is
cooperating with and seeking to unfold the divine purposes behind
the universe.
8/15/98: Gabriel on the mental plane grants the kind of perspective
that individuals report after near death experiences. You see your
entire life laid out before you not as a movement or journey through
time or as one event following another. You see all that you have
experienced in life as one whole. Time is suspended. Everything is
all at once. Everything from your earliest memory to your first taste
of cider, your first kiss, your great and small choices in life--they are
all present now, held in an embrace of acceptance and peace.
From such a perspective, it is far easier to reach understanding
and comprehension of the purposes and mysteries of life. Scrooge,
in A Christmas Tale, was ushered through the past, present, and
future to see who he was, is, and will be. In the process, he finally
reached a moment when his ego and delusions dissolved. He could
then set his goals and priorities according to what was important.
His eyes could now see life with an inner light.
In other words, Gabriel offers a profound transcendence and
insight on the mental plane. You see your life experiences through
the eyes of divine love. It is an astonishingly different way of
seeing. It evokes profound feelings of wholeness and completion.
We are all within and playing parts in a great mystery drama.
Within each of us is a unique divine gift of bliss and we are meant to
share this with each other.
At this point, I spend about fifteen minutes with Gabriel
reviewing the loneliest and most solitary period of my life. It was a
time when I was drawn to live by myself within deserts and to avoid
human company. Gabriel reminds me of the passion and the pain
of that time and he focused on what was going on within me.
From Gabriel's perspective, I was caught within a psychic riptide
of the human spirit. I was restless and demanded an answer from
within myself. I wanted to know through experience what was the
peace and serenity, the source of the dreams and visions underlying
all ideals, destinies, and the spiritual paths on earth.
Nothing else would satisfy me. I was tired of corruption, narrow-
mindedness, selfishness, and self-righteousness. I wanted more than
what I had seen so far. I wanted that basic experience which is a
part of any genuine system of initiation--I wanted to feel united to
the universe.
There is a way for a man to unite with a woman physically. There
is also a way for the masculine spirit to unite with the feminine
spirit. This was my great conflict. I did not want one without the
other. I wanted to love a woman with all of my heart. I wanted to
be joined with my lover on all levels of our being--body, soul, mind,
and spirit. Little did I understand the difficulties and obstacles
confronting such as desire.
And so you see, it is neither odd or strange that I come to this
place utilizing evocation and magical wisdom to speak with Gabriel
face to face. After all, he is the spirit who announced to Mary that
she would be the mother of Christ--the founder of a great world
religion which would pass the fire of the Jews and modify it so it
could be received by the gentile nations.
Gabriel is not without understanding when it comes to the
highest love being expressed in physical form. He is an embodiment
of the vision and of the voice which announces the appearance on
earth of such things. To put it another way, it is much easier to join
male and female if you understand and sense how both genders
arise from one underlying bliss.
The union of masculine and feminine produces the greatest
creativity. It is the source of the highest magical wisdom. It is built
into the name of God as Elohim--a masculine noun with a feminine
ending. But such a powerful joining requires an inner peace and
serenity equal to the dynamic powers this joining unleashes. Gabriel
is a cosmic master of this aspect of wisdom. I have included later
on a poem I wrote which expressed the combination of divine light
and physical sensuality which, for Gabriel, are not separate but
meant to be joined.
Astral Plane. On the astral plane, our contact with Gabriel takes on
more emotion. It is not an explanation of history or a reassurance
that love governs the universe. It is divine feeling flowing through
us.
Even a casual contact with Gabriel can result in overpowering
emotions. It is said that the shepherds heard the angels sing to them
at the birth of Christ. I have seen the sky filled with angelic choirs
and heard them singing because this is one effect of being in
Gabriel's presence. The beauty of Gabriel is astonishing and nearly
paralyzing. It is one thing to see Gabriel with clairvoyant vision on
the akashic and mental planes. That is like seeing with your inner
eyes. But on the astral plane, his presence is as real as if you are
interacting with someone right in front of you.
The world has a certain momentum and weight which holds
things in place and which also brings about change. But there are
dreams which have more weight, momentum, and power than all
the forces and necessities which compose the external world and our
social and historical identities. Those who embody these dreams
within themselves draw the future into the present. They are the
catalysts which change the world. What they feel within themselves
shall become what others feel as well. What they see as the ideal will
become the reality.
There are self-fulfilling prophecies which are like pyramid
schemes. People buy into them because of their greed. But nothing
new is produced in these schemes. There is only a lot of excitement
and blurring of personal identities.
Yet there are also dreams where the charisma of the dreamer is
not arbitrary or designed to manipulate by playing upon others' fears
and desires. This kind of prophecy is effective because it proclaims
what love requires of us. It arises from a fire which is eternal and it
is the channel for a love which nothing can exhaust. You know
when it touches you because its first taste is satisfying and under its
influence your life finds greater power and is lived with a divine
order.
8/15/98: As I suggest, on the astral plane, you gain the experience
which is mentioned over and over by various prophets. You feel
lifted up and taken out of your body. You encounter divine
realities, powers, and spirits. You dialogue with them and obtain
visions as if you are completely there living and breathing among
them. It is easy to be over powered on this level but if your
intentions are clear and you have some basic training to back you
up, it is perfectly natural to work in this way.
Some people have one intense, overwhelming spiritual experience
and it then shapes their beliefs and their life path. A magician seeks
to experience the entire spectrum of divine light and love. He does
not attach himself to one vision or ideal and then turn around and
try to sell it to others as a way of validating himself.
The astral plane is loaded with superhuman energies, visions,
experiences, and ecstasies. A magician becomes acquainted with
them through experience. He does not allow his eyes to become
blinded by the intensity of the light he encounters. He does not
allow his mind to freeze up and close down and turn narrow-
minded. This sometimes happens to those whose personal emotions
require that they be spoon fed simple truths in a safe environment
where the freedom of choice is greatly reduced.
If you work as a Quabbalist, part of the practice of magick is to
internalize the qualities and powers of the spiritual beings you work
with. With Gabriel, you acquire the ability to extend to others a
feeling of well-being, peace, and serenity. You give them an
experience of being whole and complete, of feeling that all that they
are and all of their life experience are held and embraced by love.
Gabriel's ability in this area is absolute. He understands well that
everything that has been created has been created by love. Getting
to know Gabriel is a little like studying with a teacher, a professor at
a university. Except this is the university of cosmic wisdom and
divine creativity where the degree program leads to a oneness with
the universe.
One of the things I often encounter in working with the spirits of
the various spheres is that for many of them the physical and the
spiritual universe are not separate. Love has created them both.
Love has absolute power over both of them. The forces and powers
shaping our lives and also history are very great. They sometimes
are benevolent and they are sometimes hostile. But Gabriel has a
wisdom which leads to mastery over them.
Prophecy is not a passive activity through which the prophet,
using clairvoyance or divine illumination, somehow proclaims what
shall be. It has an active component. The prophet is entitled
through the power of faith and conviction and through his inner
union with divinity to assist in the fulfillment of all is that important
in life. The prophet is himself a testimony of and his body a temple
through which the Divine Presence appears on earth. Part of the
task of ancient Israel was to point out that we are all prophets, that
we are all the temples of God.
It is therefore the nature of Gabriel to not only enable us to see a
dream and to feel its reality. You embody the dream in yourself to
such an extent that you become an active cause in manifesting it.
But, then again, this is the nature of Yesod or the lunar sphere over
which Gabriel presides. The aura of the moon is so open and clear,
so serene and relaxed, that the greatest powers and causes can
appear within it and move through it without becoming distorted or
reduced in effect.
Gabriel does not intervene in your life or overwhelm you with a
spiritual experience. He simple shows you the truth of who you are
and the things you care about most. He gives you a taste of the bliss
which underlies all that exists. And so you understand that love is
guiding and shaping all things. Some of that radiant light and bliss
naturally flows through you and extends itself to those around you.
Earlier I "quoted" Gabriel as saying that the divine emanation
flows through and illuminates him. This divine emanation he
naturally extends to others. As you work with Gabriel, you sense
that by becoming open, clear, relaxed, and serene a spiritual force
also flows through you and extends itself to others with whom you
are connected. This current flows by itself. It is not that you are
not conscious of its activities and effects. It just does not take any
effort on your part to sustain. Your aura becomes like a mirror
reflecting a higher light to others' lives.
Physical Plane. To bring Gabriel down to the physical plane, you
need to concentrate and condense the light so it feels solid and
substantial. The result is that you are then able to express power
with tenderness. Sensuality and satisfaction flow with divine bliss.
And affection bring healing to others. As in the incarnation of
Christ, the body becomes a temple of God. A prophet would say,
"The young men shall dream dreams and the old men see visions."
Our five senses are illuminated.
In this mode of experience, pleasure, satisfaction, and gratification
do not lead to a relentless pursuit of more sensations. Instead,
pleasure is a bridge to complete freedom. Satisfaction is initiation
into wisdom and gratification is the experience of transformation.
Human need and the fulfillment of dreams are part of a sacred
pageantry and divine celebration.
The body with its nervous system, the senses, physiology,
biochemistry, neurology, the chakras, the meridians, the entire
scientific and occult anatomy of our physical being become an
instrument upon which we play songs of beauty and love. We learn
the strings, the notes, the harmonies. Every aspect of human
sensation and physical experience is perceived as a song of bliss and
we seek to master this that we might know and express the divinity
which shines within us.
If the Puritans who came to the shores of American had known
Gabriel and called him to the physical plane, they would not be
known for their fierce dedication and strict discipline. Instead, their
songs and dances would now be celebrated among every people and
nation of the earth. And the American Indians who all dance and
sing would appreciate more the gift of Gabriel's visions from the
Puritans than the horse which the white man gave to them.
The presence of Gabriel can melt the worst guilt and shame of the
Puritan and replace it with happiness and satisfaction. It is strong
enough to take away the greed of the most avaricious merchant and
replace it with a desire to give. This is because in Gabriel the
sensuality of the body and the purest flame of the spirit dwell
together in a place of peace. The treasures of the lunar zone over
which Gabriel preside are contentment, happiness, serenity, and
peace. Here the veils of time and the barriers separating the inner
and outer worlds are dissolved. We then understand how to
cooperate with and to express the spirit which dwells within us.
To meditate with Gabriel on the physical plane is to experience a
cool, clear ecstasy which obviously is meant to be a part of our
physical existence. There is no end to the depths of this bliss and its
every nuance is filled with visions of how to accept and also to
transform the world in which we live.
Invocation, The Cosmic Letter E, and Poems
I usually practice evocation. That is, I create a place where the spirit
can manifest freely in my presence. I do this primarily through
concentration and meditation. When I am working with other
people, I like to verbalize aloud a poetic form of what I am doing
through my concentration. The following is more of an invocation.
It is a way of calling out as in a prayer and it works when your
feeling is deep enough or there are enough individuals present who
pour the energy of their souls into the effort.
An Invocation of Gabriel
Come Archangel Gabriel, come hold conversation with me. Come
out of your infinite sea, your sea of Divine ecstasy, that
sea whose waves are bliss--that sea where time does dissolve.
Come you whose wings shine with the light of eternity.
I call you not by myself alone. See this circle of hearts
around me arrayed--each a diamond shining furiously.
Each revealing an aspect of your light
See the hunger burning in each of these hearts, a hunger you
can not truly know--for we have come not to worship you but
to pass through your heart and soul in our journey toward
the One Light.
You can not refuse nor resist this request--this call from
this circle of hearts joined as one. We call by the power
of the One Law, the Law of Love which binds the universe
together, love calling freely to love to come and embrace
the mystery.
Glide with your wings through your sea of bliss.
Come down through space and time to our residence.
Come and appear and tell us, reveal to us,
Enfold for us the mystery.
Come, you who carry in your person the cup of Divine
Vision--That cup within which are visions around which all
history does turn, caught in a whirlpool, but which your
words and the light in your eyes can clear and calm and make
still and peaceful and reveal the mysteries of time, space,
and wisdom.
I bid you, archangel Gabriel, reveal to me your soul, heart,
your visions, that we might complete unhindered our
journey toward the One Light.
Come in peace and with stillness. Alight in this very
room-Join in our circle as your toes touch down--that time
might be joined with eternity here and now. Hold steady and
and do not depart so quickly. Remain with us!
Take our hands in your hands, share with us as we do spiral
and dance toward the center of this circle of love, this
circle of peace.
Come Archangel Gabriel,
We bid you with hearts aglow with love.
Come, Come now!
Franz Bardon's Cosmic Language and Evocation
There are various ways to create energy fields which assist
in the evocation of a spirit such as Gabriel. Recently, I visualized
and condensed a silvery light like that of the moon. In the past,
I used the cosmic letter E which also relates to the moon's energy.
The letter E is in Gabriel's name and can be used to work
with him. See my other essays on the cosmic language for how
different
letters have a symbolic and magical use when it comes to working
with
spirits. What follows is an essay I wrote a few years back about
using
the cosmic letter E for the evocation of Gabriel.
Briefly, for Franz Bardon, one essential
of evocation is creating a field of energy which makes it
easy for the celestial being to appear. Using energy in evocation
demonstrates one's knowledge of universal laws and shows respect
for the spirit called. This is like saying, "I offer to you
this place where you may appear, a place where the worlds
come together."
So, briefly too, each "letter" in the true name of a
being is a reflection of basic building blocks of the
the universe, in this case, the letter "E" in Gabriel's
name. This "letter" "E" has three parts joined as one: a
sound, a color, and an elemental sensation--these are raw
building blocks of energy and it is our mind and spirit
which shapes them like a potter with clay or an artist with
paint to express them in a specific way.
Letter "E" has a note of "D" on the central C scale
which in this application is like a vast
luminous sea. It lights everything up from within itself,
not because it is a note you might play on your guitar,
flute, or organ, but because the mind has the power to
create ecstasy, and by this sound the mind, your mind, can
reach out and touch infinity. No doubt about this. But
you may have to learn it before you believe it, but no
matter, it is something just to try out--to learn from
experience--don't take my word on it.
So imagine a sea of light, a sea without shores, and
within it all space, time, and history are lit up by it. And as
this sound passes between your lips, imagine that sea is
ecstasy and bliss, as if it is an infinite sea of love and
you are there within it. Feel and see those waves of that sea
surround you, caress and move around, flow through you,
feel the tides and currents in that ocean stirring and awakening
deep within you.
Recall that Gabriel has been mentioned to have a horn;
hear him play this note on his horn, sound it again from
between your lips: that sound which dissolves all seals,
all locks, and opens all doors.
Though it shakes every cell in your body, it is not
disturbing. Though it passes through every dark place,
through every door and gate within your being, still, you
feel at peace within it.
There now, with that sound we have begun to create a
place where the angel can set his feet down and feel free to
appear--the welcoming mat is out.
There is also the color of dark violet.
With this color, we create a place of profound
serenity for it has to do with the moon--that sphere
and place where dreams may be born and visions forged and
rehearsed. It is not so unlike a womb, a place of great
mystery and transformation.
A place also of great peace where you can sit and watch
the universe and all within it as from afar and see
everything as it is by this light without having to label or
impose upon it. Oh, you can be pragmatic here, no doubt,
but the spell is such that you care more for the truth than
anything else--and the truth does here finally appear, for
there is an excellent place to wait for it.
But within the archangel's being, you see all that is
all at once of whatever you observe--the whole history of it,
for time is not a factor here.
And truly, this is a great mystery, but in the light of
this archangel's being, you can step within the other's life
and being, not only feel it from within, but live it also.
Not that it becomes your own, but rather that each and every
moment is there for you to see and to know.
This light is such that all that appears in time and
space is illuminated by it--it is all seen clearly
as if reflected in a mirror.
Oh, I know this sounds invasive, it is so pervasive,
almost as bad as soldiers breaking down doors, thieves
climbing through back windows, or even the whispers of
ghosts haunting secret places in a house, but not so,
really. I say this, it is but the way of Truth, for in truth
there is nothing that can hide, no dark secrets waiting to
be revealed. This light is but the sound of eternity
echoing through time and touching everything within it.
Well, got a feel for the light, the sound? There is
more of course, the sensation, that is, the element--in this
case, akasha.
And akasha is but the sensation of penetrating
everywhere through space and time--as if from every pour of
your body boundless light radiates out filling the
universe, and you accompany that light, you are there too
within it--your body as vast or as far as it need be in any
moment. There are no boundaries here, no fences, no
limits--follow this sensation, become everywhere. There is
no place where you can not be called and there appear.
It is not the mind here which does this, don't try to
use thought; it is the heart: please, let go for a moment
and feel the sheer thrill of opening your heart to embrace
equally the light and the dark, unbounded, unfettered,
unchained, and unafraid. Feel for a moment that you like the
archangel have been created to feel within your heart this
mystery: love free to embrace love wherever it appears in
all the universe--surely, stars created billions of years
ago shine with their light down to the earth through the
depths of space to celebrate this mystery.
So in summary: the sound with its sea of light
illuminating, the color which is ever ready to discover the
truth however it may be, and the sensation: the sense of
your body being carried on such wings you are free to
penetrate anywhere you may want to go. These three together
are the mystery of letter E focused through the letter E in
Archangel Gabriel's name.
As we perfect our concentration
on them, be it a lifetime to perfect, we easily can greet
our own friends and those in need with this bright,
brilliant and yet enfolding light which so many speak of
when they have returned after dying back to life, back from
the other side--but you see, we do not need to wait so long,
to die just to see it, nor do we have to wait so passively,
that it must come seeking us out. It is there already,
waiting in every single moment for us to greet it, to call
out to it, to become it--who can resist such light, such
bliss? Let us embody it now as we call to Archangel
Gabriel.
I use these three sense concentrations to create
energy as we invite the archangel to appear
before us. Like I say, this is a courtesy offered to a spirit
the way a silk scarf is offered to a guru, etc.
If you are not sure of what to say to an archangel, you
can say, "Share with us your heart and your being."
His heart can become a cup of vision which unfolds
specific mysteries, ecstasies, healings, or paths to unfold
for the individual who meets him.
One night I evoked Gabriel with several friends. The next morning
at dawn, I wrote this poem. It seems to capture what I have been
saying, that Gabriel joins sensuality, love, and spirituality. And of
course, a poem such as this requires a reply and so I wrote another
poem to accompany the first.
The Beloved
She said: Say to me something sweet, kind, and irresistibly
seductive.
And I replied: If I were holding your hand right now between
my hands I feel I am reborn and I feel my body slipping, sliding,
sliding downward into your body--a fire beginning to burn within
me like the light of dawn penetrating down among a forest's
shadows, burning them away, turning them into pure light.
More? she asked.
And I replied, And as I caress your belly, your soft belly
my palm drifting over your skin, I sail as a bird
upon the wind, searching across the oceans of your soul for
new islands to call my home.
And when I put my tongue in your navel--I taste with my mouth
one of the twelve fruits of the Tree of Life
(which is for the healing of the nations), and this fruit,
as I turn my tongue to and fro, is a red pomegranate. But
its taste is of a peach and the taste is of springtime--with
fresh waters flowing from mountain snow--Icy winter
dissolving as I lick your navel, my mind turning and turning
and turning here at the center of your being:
I flow into you and dream of new beginnings.
And as I place my hand on each side of your waist
and I gently fold my hands downward over your hips--
I find myself in a dark forest at night, following
the sound of one bird singing, singing to me of a dream I
let fly away from me, escaping from my life to be free, but
which now has returned, charmed by your beauty and by my
touch upon your hips in this night of quiet ecstasy.
And as I kiss your hand, my tongue reaching down into your palm,
I glide with the wings of a dove down into a valley--
and I take within my hands a bunch of grapes
from a vine, a vineyard which grows not far from the sea,
and not far from a place of ecstasy, a place where the human
heart has learned to be free.
I linger here lost in your charms, enfolded by your
touch. I am caught, unable to leave. Even if you offered
me the keys, I could not unlock these gates which bind my
soul nor forego the tears which hold me here.
And as I kiss your upper arms, pausing, moving slowly
downward, my touch a feather from a bird lit with golden
light and a rainbow crown,
I feel your body rising beneath me, and I see your
smile--the sight of sunlight on the horizon at dawn, your
two hands drawing me to you to kiss your lips and we do kiss
and at that touch, like a cloudburst in a thunderstorm, a
wilderness of passions about me whirl in a dark grey world
where all that now exists is the touch of your lips, and
lingering here with another kiss, the storm is gone, and I
walk among fields of golden and amber hues, and I whisper
your name calling out to you: I love you
And the mountains in the distance
And the waters in the ocean depths
And the trees in the forest hear this whisper
And the mountains sigh
Wanting to stretch their bodies,
To shift their bulk and release their tension,
And the ocean shiver and dream of turning into clouds
Walking upon the air,
And the trees, those who heard my whispered words--I love
you--their leaves turn upward and they reach out and try to
embrace the sky.
I love you.
The Beloved: Her Reply
My hand between yours
And at dawn or sunset
I am the high cirrus clouds
Saffron, russet, vermilion,
Cadmium red, carmine, rose, coral pink,
Sailing upon a turquoise sea.
Your hand on my belly
And I am suspended, floating,
Adrift on an ancient river of the soul
While the touch of your tongue
And the secret chamber at the center
Of the subterranean labyrinth
You set afire
Your touch that discovers
Memories I had hidden so well
I thought they were gone forever.
Your hands sliding down upon my hips:
A birch, a yew, an oak, a pine, a cedar,
Blindfolded I walk beside
Led by a guardian of the forest
To where I join with friends
Who celebrate the night
And both the sacred
And the dark passage ways
Leading us here.
Your kiss on my palm:
A lamb and its mother
Calling out to each other
Across a ravine,
My body moves involuntarily
A swirling
A python's thigh uncoiling
A sail unfurling in the rising wind
My mind sinking down
Muscles tightening, contracting,
My breath is where
The eagle hovers, gliding,
Ascending and descending.
Your kiss on my arm:
The roots, the stem, the petals,
The fragrance within
Each separate part of the flower
Feels the spark pass through it--
The ray the enchanter plays
The dream in the eye of the sun
Echoes and probes the depths
Of my body and soul.
And at our kiss
A flash flood wild and dangerous
Devouring one by one
Calm moonlit pools
Where serenity said I belong
Yet I yield
To the raging torrent,
The surge, the uncharted power
Which inflame the stars
And seeks to bind your heart
And mine as one forever.
The Greater Love
Which informs the universe
In exquisite pain,
In blissful torment,
In terrible beauty,
Cords rending the soul
Sounds whose harmonics
Create both light and darkness
No mystical dervish this--
I whirl amid a creator's abyss
Impaled by the lightning bolt
In the night's sky,
The womb in which
The Image of the world
Is born again and again,
Your touch
Is the sculptor's acid
Annihilating the last barriers
To my heart,
My body absorbs these fires through every pour
I seek you from the core of my being,
I wrap you about, to scream,
To rise higher.
Wind blown foam from the crests of these waves
Are tears in my eyes
As the storm wind's fury
Clasps me close to his breast
But at the center
Of the whirlwind
Silent and still
You and I remain the joining
Round which the stars dance.
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