Post #1065

It is clear that both the breath and substances can lead to altered states of consciousness. Both are associated with Soma (the nectar of the gods), Otherir (the mead of poetry) and Amrita (the resultant immortality). Vayu, the prana, or life of the world, was the first to drink soma, and Othinn is both the giver of Ond, the divine breath, and the claimer of the mead of poetry. But reliance on drugs, while useful for breaking down barriers, does not lead to sustained spiritual development. Breathing techniques, however, take some time and effort to master but are with one for the rest of one's life. The inner nectars of the breath, must eventually replace the outer nectars in order to return to the primordial state. Having said that, even those who have strong experiences with the breath do not often become any sort of spiritual master. Clearly then, altered states in themselves are not sufficient to attain either the common or supreme siddhis or powers. Just as outer rituals of offering must be replaced by inner rituals of transformation in order to achieve personal insight, gnosis or prajna. One must link experience with correct views and lucid awareness. One must steadily dissolve subject and object dualism, and learn to rest in the natural state of awareness. As with Bardo Yoga, the means of enlightenment in the journey between death and rebirth, one must recognise phenomena as the projections of one's own mind. This is not to say that phenomena are not real, rather that the nature of our minds transcends the common appearance of reality. For a spiritual master, then, all sacred rites take place within the self, and while outer rites are still conducted, one uses one's inner realisations to make the rite beneficial to others, rather than seeking to benefit oneself. This kind of mastery is not the result of intellectual knowledge, nor of simple devotion, but the disciplined practice of mindful awareness and inner alchemy, combined with devotion and compassion. It is all well and good to gain a comprehensive understanding of the inner mythology of a religion, or even an understanding of such traditions as Platonic theurgy, but without a clear tradition of practice and attainment passed from master to disciple, self realisation is nigh impossible. If one looks at myth and tradition and thinks that inner attainment is not spoken of and is therefore undesirable, then one has fallen into the trap of spiritual materialism, reducing the truth to mere impermanent forms, contingent manifestations with no inherent truth. In all Indo-European traditions the gods themselves, be they of the highest degree, are subject to the cycles of existence. One's gods, people and ancestors are indeed precious, but without transcendent understanding they are no more than a ripple on the the great ocean of beginningless being. Even an unimaginably vast eon of bliss is nothing in the face of infinite time. One must find that which is beyond all sense of relativity or be forever adrift. What then is beyond cyclic existence? Is it the blown-out state of Nirvana? No, that is but an expedient means of the Hinayana teachings, and is impossible in the first place. The only possible truth is the non-duality of relative phenomena and ultimate awareness, and through awakening to this one can experience all relative phenomena as the blissful ornaments of unobstructed ultimate space-like mind. This is the nature of what Vajrayana Buddhists call Mahamudra, the great royal seal that is the proof of true perception. This is the goal beyond life and death for which even the highest gods would give their very lives to attain.