I had a wonderful experience today.
I've been emerging myself in the consciousness of Malkuth and Yesod recently. For those of you who may not be familiar with these terms, and prefer a deity approach to these things, you can translate them into; "The Horned God" and "The Moon Goddess".
However, I must also confess that my philosophical views on these consciousnesses also embrace the Toradh or the Faery Realm, as well as the Tao of the Eastern Mystic traditions. These are all just different labels for the same concepts as far as I'm concerned. But I'm only sharing this for the purpose of communication and not for the purpose of attempting to define anything.
In any case, what I'd like to share in this post is an experience that I had today. I was out cutting firewood today and loading it onto a wagon, then finally stacking it near my outdoor woodstove. During this entire process I was working with the Toradh, or the Tao, (or the elemental forces of nature, Earth, Air, Fire, Water, and Spirit), I have come to know these elemental spirits as Assiah, Yetzirah, Atziluth, Briah, and of course Yin and Yang (or Yesod, and Kether).
After accomplishing the work of the day (which wasn't like work at all), I came inside physically exhausted. Not spiritually exhausted. I then took a nice hot ritual bath complete with bath crystals, bubbles, incense and meditation music. The bath itself was a divine experience.
Then I laid down in bed where I often meditate and engage in shamanic journeys. I don't mind doing shamanic journeys laying down because I've found that if I fall asleep during a lucid dream sometimes those turn out to be the very best shamanic journeys of all. However, tonight I chose not to do a shamanic journey but instead I chose to do a "Guided Meditation" using a CD from Christopher Penzak's book entitled, "The Outer Temple of Witchcraft". The meditation I chose is called "Spirit Meditation, exercise 10".
This particular meditation was quite fitting with respect to the types of consciousnesses I've been immersing myself in, as well as being associated with the flow of the Toradh, Tao, or elemental spirits. The meditation begins with a count down from 12 to 1. Which I visualize as going from Capricorn to Sagittarius (this works out well since there are exactly 12 Zodiac archetypes). When I reach Sagittarius I enter the sacred circle which I have visually constructed in my psyche to the point where I feel like I'm actually there in the flesh. My sacred circle outdoors in the center of a labyrinth garden. At each compass point it has a cast-iron door way. These doorways stand erect as just doors, that can be opened. They are like doors in an old medieval castle containing many engravings associated with the elemental spirits to which they are gateways. During this part of the meditation I go around and open each doorway. When I open the gateways I see the land of the elemental spirit associated with that gateway.
In the North I see the great crystal spirits and the caverns of Assiah that lead to the great city of Falias. I see the bear, the wolf and the great stag. I have often stepped thought this gateway in many shamanic journeys. But in this mediation I am to remain with in the sacred circle. I am merely inviting the elemental spirits to join me in a merging of consciousness.
Leaving the doorway open to the North, I move to the East and open the great gate of Yetzirah, the wind. I see the stones of sovereignty of the many sages that have traveled in this land leading up to the great city of Gorias, the morning dove, the eagle and the owl fly freely in the wind above the lush grassy plains. I feel the gust of wisdom flowing from the land of Hod whistling past the blades of the swords of truth. In my land of Hod I also find feathery quills floating in the breeze easily plucked from the air to be used as pens to craft the wisdom into words.
In the South, I open the doorway to fiery gates of Finias, the city of shimmering creation. I see the burning trees that are not consumed by the fire of inspiration. The flames of Atziluth wash over me, filling me with the energy of creation. The cat, the caldron, and the crystal wand, reveal the presence of the consciousness of Yesod as the awareness of Tiphereth peers from the sparkling sun that shimmers above the mountain peak.
As I open the gate to the West I feel the spray of ocean mist as the holy water of Briah christens my face with her sensuous kiss. Emotion floods through the fissures of my soul engorging me with passion. The Great White Whale spews a fountain of frothy mist as if shouting a great "Hello". A school of dolphins swim past the doorway as the door is filled with water. Stepping into this doorway is like stepping through the glass of a great aquarium. The city of Murias is an underwater paradise.
After having opened the four gateways of all these wondrous elemental spirits I return to the central altar as instructed by Penzak in this guided mediation. He then informs me to call upon the great spirits of Yin and Yang. As I summon the Mother and Father spirits I feel the silver thread of the Toradh enter my crown from the heavens above, as the blue flame of Gaia enters my root chakra. The threads of the Toradh serpentine through my chakras I feel the embrace of the Great Spirit thought the arms of Yin and Yang.
Pencak then instructs me to commune with the spirits and for several minutes the CD plays peaceful mediation music. All the while the spirit of Assiah, Yetzirah, Atziluth, Briah, Yin and Yang flow through my body massaging the very essence of my soul. The experience is ecstatic and indescribably delicious. I soak in the consciousness of all of these spirits of the Tao. Filling the very essence of my being.
The suddenly Penzak interrupts, and states, "When you have finished the commune, release the spirits, starting with the Great spirit and working deosil from the north. He then begins to narrate instructions on how to release each elemental spirit.
My body begins to laugh with undulation hysteria. Why on God's Green Earth would I ever want to "realese" these spirits? They are the essence of my being. They are the I AM that I AM.
My hand gently reaches over as the tip of my finger plunges down on the OFF button of the CD. I then returned to basking in the commune of the spirits. Joyfully melding together with their essence, never to release them again.

Me baad.
