Maintaining Your Spirituality in a Violent World and During Times of War

Zhee-Shapash in the light of Phe-Aum-Nzu! If this is your first time here, please review some of our previous articles and do not hesitate in sharing some of your insights by posting a comment. We wish you all the best in your spiritual endeavors. Stay blessed!

When people hear the word “war” many images fill their minds. For some, war is an essential part of man’s composition and is necessary for human survival. Others, who are often identified with certain religious and spiritual disciplines, feel that war is completely unnecessary and does more damage than good, as there are other solutions to life’s problems. In Search of the Miraculous by P.D. Ouspensky, mystic, G.I. Gurdjieff is quoted to have stated the following:

“What is war? It is the result of planetary influences. Somewhere up there two or three planets have approached too near to each other; tension results. Have you noticed how, if a man passes quite close to you on a narrow pavement, you become all tense? The same tension takes place between planets. For them it lasts, perhaps, a second or two. But here, on the earth, people begin to slaughter one another, and they go on slaughtering maybe for several years. It seems to them at the time that they hate one another; or perhaps that they have to slaughter each other for some exalted purpose; or that they must defend somebody or something and that it is a very noble thing to do; or something else of the same kind. They fail to realize to what an extent they are mere pawns in the game…. War is the result of the slavery in which men live. Strictly speaking men are not to blame for war. War is due to cosmic forces, to planetary influences. But in men there is no resistance whatever against these influences, and there cannot be any, because men are slaves. If they were men and were capable of ‘doing,’ they would be able to resist these influences and refrain from killing one another.”

The influences that Gurdjieff is speaking of are the same forces that cause babies to grow into adults, all of the changes that take place in our lives that we did not invoke, but are witnesses of. Yet, the true self, the divine essence within ourselves that is not subject to change, but is part of the source of all things can produce marvelous things if we were to nurture this divine seed.

There exists a set of laws that were created to provide security for each and every individual in every nation. While it may appear that each nation has a different form of government, we know that the world is living under one government because in each country people are suffering from the same problems. If people experienced problems differently from one country to the next, then we could say that they are living under a different influence, a different government. Yet, we find that such is not the case. Changes in government, wars, and etc, are all part of a great cycle. The Ivory Tablets of the Crow states the following:

“Know that every civilization comes into this world in the manner of the Unborn. Each city exists in a place not known to time and then descends upon the realm of man as a kingdom, through some act of war, or a great migration. Do not worship these things like men do, for it is a forbidden art which keeps the soul bound to useless things.”

The Ivory Tablets of the Crow mentions that “war” is how certain civilizations, cities, and different aspects of society are born into the realm of the five senses from its invisible source. We are also admonished not to worship these varying aspects of culture as they are described in the above passage as “useless things.”

We should remember that just because something is said to descend in this world from the invisible realm does not make it any more closer to the divine source than a physical object existing in our experience. The instructions “do not worship these things like men do,” is given to us so that we do not become infatuated with the mechanical process of civilization and culture, the “useless things.” Instead we are to transform our perception of such “useless things “ and use the time normally spent on worrying about these affairs, as an opportunity to engage in the work on ourselves. The Ivory Tablets of the Crow states:

“Just take what is not useful and plant it in a good place. This is the only choice you have.”

Some have observed that while war has been a part of human history from ancient times, we have seen a rapid increase in violence between fellow-man and neighbor. Those who honor virtue and high moral principles seem to be decreasing in number. What are we to expect of all of this? Is it possible that humanity may be involved in a war that it is unaware of?

In a pamphlet written by Manly P. Hall, entitled Magic: A Treatise on Esoteric Ethics, we read:

“We seldom realize that our passions and hates create these demoniacal beings in the superphysical world, but this is one of the secrets of black magic. Every evil or debased thought and emotion of man helps to build these tearing, rending creatures, the innate qualities of which become, in the hands of those who know, agencies for the destruction of the powers of light. It also seems part of the plan that those who chain these demons shall themselves, fall victims to their own slaves, for one after another, the black magicians are sucked into the maelstrom of the astral hell.

In this day and age, the light must shine forth and the rulership of demons must be terminated. A large percentage of man’s spiritual, intellectual, and physical affairs are today in he hands of elementals-brainless creatures-and their masters, the black magicians, whose minds are dens of iniquity. Out of this world must come a few, who with hearts and souls undefiled, will keep the light burning, that the powers of darkness shall not triumph.”

Hall’s words are more timely now than ever, for they give us a glimpse of how the future of the world will turn out if things continue as they are. Our emotions and thoughts  can create elementals that can cause havoc in our lives and in our communities. Unfortunately, negative thinking is spreading due to the images being put forth by the mass media, creating more negative energy. Entertainment of this sort is a form of meditation, like prayer. Notice what is mentioned in the Ivory Tablets of the Crow:

“There is no sense of reasoning with these feelings. I have seen them possess the body of the unwary, causing fits of anger and all sorts of hypocrisies. And the power these feelings have over the body of man cannot be put into words. But when the spirit is torn from the body these feelings act on their own accord and will haunt another house of flesh.

“Know then that these feelings keep the spirit a prisoner in the house of flesh. They will make a blasphemy of the mind, so that the spirit becomes a worshipper of the same feelings that bind him. They often change into the shapes of gods and make the mind its disciple.

There are also the feelings that inspire men. These too act as his gods. They seek to free the spirit from its slavery, but it is confused because the mind worships a false god.”

These processes that result in “warfare” among humanity are not eternal, but a result of man’s youthful understanding. Something that will eventually wear off, as said by some, as the age of humanity matures. Yet, how does one keep their sense of spiritual awareness during such times of war? Here is a list of a few points that one may find useful in maintaining their spiritual integrity:

1. Use stressful opportunities as times for spiritual practice. Earlier, as mentioned in the Ivory Tablets of the Crow, we were admonished to take what in “not useful and plant it in a good place.” This means that the time we spend worrying can be used as a time for our spiritual practice.

People often make the mistake of trying to “make time” for meditations, affirmations and what have you. Basically, we have more than enough time spiritual practices if we were to exercise these at times we slip into negative thinking.

2. Develop and maintain a relationship with nature. In Shinto tradition, it is said that trees absorb negative energy. When a person learns to pray for plants and trees as much as they do for human beings, the draw closer to the creator. Plants and trees provide oxygen and food for all animal life. It is for this reason that practitioners of the Art of Ninzuwu will use a plant as an altar, while taking time to develop a relationship with it. According to this article, plants and trees also engage in the sacred act of prayer.

3. Exercise. Grandmaster Ashida Kim once said: “Development of the mind can be accomplished only when the body has been disciplined.” Exercise helps rid the body and mind of negative influences. It is a discreet way of banishing negative energies.

4. Do not give into fear. Fear is the cause of aging and disease according to this article. Fear is praying for evil. Nothing beneficial grows out of fear.

5. Choose to enjoy art. How can art be out-of-style? Maybe entertainment can, but art is a different thing. Enjoy healthy art. Remember, your emotional state creates your reality. Based on such, it is important that we observe where the art that we choose to enjoy is taking us mentally and emotionally. In the Yi Jing Apocrypha of Genghis Khan, we read:

“Our prayers are our thoughts and feelings. This is the true meaning of any prayer or incantation. The prayers said in temples are exercises for the mind. It is nothing more than the practice of getting the mind to focus on a beneficent thought or feeling for a certain amount of time. This is a practice of mental endurance, not prayer. Once we leave the temple, our prayer begins and is found in our thoughts and feelings. Prayer is a magical act.”

6. Cultivate Love. Love is the essence of the divine world. Love is divine. There are many people who confuse divine love with “feeling good,” or being like by others. This is far from what divine love encompasses. With love there will remain a joy in living, and an inner peace in a violent world. The Ivory Tablets of the Crow states:

“Let the bond of Love…Be shared between these things..And do not worship that..Which you do not know..Without Love..There is no faith..Without Love..There is no profit in faith.”