Glorian Podcast

Mechanical humanity in contrast to cognizant humanity - and the means to change from one to another. Includes an explanation of the sheep and the goats from the gospels. Read the lecture transcription. The word 'human' is a compound word made of two words: Hum and Manas. The word Manas is a Sanskrit word that means mind. This is why when we say "man," we are indicating the mind. The mind is characterized by reasoning. Reasoning distinguishes the rational animals (you and me) from the irrational animals. The mind exists in animals, plants, and minerals. It is not just the patrimony of the human being. But, the difference between the mind of the inferior kingdoms of nature and our mind is that we reason. Reasoning is precisely the difference. That is why we are called "man." The other word in "human" is Hum. Hum is the spirit. This is related to the Latin humus, meaning "earth or ground," that spirit from which the Man is taken. The "spirituous earth," the life within the "humus," is that matter, that dirt, which is written in the book of Genesis, where in the beginning God made the mind (the man) from the humus, or from the dust of the earth. It is a symbol. That dust implies the humus, implies the elements, chemical elements, and other unknown elements (archetypes) in which the spirit of God, the "spirituous earth" is hovering, according to the book of Genesis. When we study the phrase "in the beginning the spirit of God was hovering upon the face of the waters," that is a statement related with all the kingdoms of nature. The difference between the inferior kingdoms and the human kingdom is that we as rational animals can take advantage of that spiritual force that is hovering within any matter. In order to take advantage of this "spirituous earth," this spirit of God, we have to have the knowledge about it, because it does not occur mechanically.

A basic introduction to a fundamental basis of Gnostic Psychology: the Sensual Mind, the Intermediate Mind, and the Inner Mind.

The Three Keys of Suffering (the Moon, the fornicating Eve, and the turbid waters) and the Three Fundamentals of the Path (Renunciation, Bodhichitta, and Emptiness). Read the lecture transcription. In the book The Major Mysteries, Samael Aun Weor wrote, The three keys of suffering are the Moon, the fornicating Eve, and the turbid waters. That is all he said about it. He did not explain what it means. Unfortunately, most readers fly through passages like this and do not contemplate them. So in today's lecture we will explore these three keys, and how understanding these three keys shows us how we ourselves have the key to our own suffering. Hopefully, this will encourage you to read more carefully. We have the tool that we need to unlock the cage of our suffering. In fact, we are the ones who crafted our cage in the first place.

Discover the important difference between the consciousness and the intellect, how to simultaneously travel on the vertical and the horizontal path with equilibrium.

The next step after Self-observation: the transformation of impressions. "Life has an objective. A superior world is the objective of life. Thus, the Gnostic teachings teach us how to live in a superior world, how to live in a solar and immortal humanity; if one would not accept a superior world, transformation would then not have a purpose, this is obvious." - Samael Aun Weor, The Revolution of the Dialectic Read the lecture transcription: Transformation of Life

How our daily life is influenced by karma, how different types of people make mistakes in life, and how awakening consciousness overcomes suffering.

The meanings and symbols hidden in the Kabbalah about the four-letter name of God: Jehovah or YHVH. Read the lecture transcription. Let us study the mysterious Tetragrammaton. τετραγράμματον is a Greek word that addresses the four Hebrew letters יהוה which according to Kabbalah spell the name of the Divinity. The Holy Bible, the Torah, and the Tanakh are books written based on the Zohar of the Kabbalah. In Gnosiswe always state that the doctrine that Moses gave to humanity was given in three ways: The Zohar , which is the spirit of the doctrine The Talmud, which is the soul of the doctrine The Bible, which is the body of the doctrine So the Bible itself and all the stories and the descriptions that we find in it are based on the spirit and the soul of the doctrine. In the Bible we find many stories related with the life of many prophets. In esotericism we name those prophets Aeons or Masters of the Day who reach the realization of their Being. They achieve complete Self-Realization. So, we call them Aeons or יום Yoms, which means "days," vehicles of the light. Light is the first expression or manifestation of the Unknowable. In Kabbalah, the Unknowable has three aspects, namely: Ain, Ain Soph and Ain Soph Aur. These are the three aspects of the Unknowable that is represented by the last letter Hei of יהוה Iod-Hei-Vav-Hei. Within the Unknowable we find that which we call A-Elohim [אין אלהים] which is the Unknowable Seity. A-Elohim is that Seity which cannot, in any way, be represented because it is an Unknowable Light, Aur in Kabbalah; thus, light-אור-Aur abides in it and emanates from it.

Gnostic Psychology recognizes that humanoids have three centers of intelligence within: an intellectual brain, an emotional brain, and a motor/instinctive/sexual brain. These are not physical brains; they are divisions of organized activity.

How to awaken the consciousness and the importance of psychological equilibrium. "It is written, "Narrow is the way that lead- eth unto light." Whosoever wants to follow this path, "let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me" (the three factors in the revolution of the consciousness: to Die, to be Born, and to Sacrifice [Mark 8:34])." - Samael Aun Weor, Tarot and Kabbalah

How to discover into real knowledge (Gnosis) through the development of conscious initution or intuitive understanding. As this lecture is primarily concerned with the Kabbalah, be sure to have a copy of the Tree of Life on hand in order to follow along with the lecture. (See: Tree of Life)

Another approach to viewing the situation we find ourselves in and how to change it: Gnostic psychology, Shakespeare's Macbeth, and the consciousness.

The Key of SOL (Subject, Object, Location) is an introduction to Self-observation and inner self-remembering, practical techniques used in order to awaken the consciousness from moment to moment. "We wander in the streets with the consciousness asleep; we are in our house, in our job, in the body shop, in the office, etc., with the consciousness profoundly asleep. We drive our car and we go to the factory with the consciousness tremendously asleep. People are born, they grow, they breed, they get old and die with the consciousness asleep; thus, they never know where they come from nor the objective of their own existence. What is most grave in this matter is that all of them believe that they are awake. For instance, many people are preoccupied in knowing many esoteric things, yet they never occupy themselves with the awakening of their consciousness. If people had the purpose of awakening here and now, then immediately they could know all of that which for them are enigmas; this is why skepticism exists, because the skeptical is ignorant, and ignorance is the outcome of a sleeping consciousness. Indeed, I want to tell you in the name of the truth that skepticism exists because of ignorance. Therefore, the day when the people awaken their consciousness they will stop being ignorant, and, as a fact, skepticism will disappear, because ignorance is equal to skepticism and vice versa." - Samael Aun Weor

Continues the explanation of the Five Centers and Psychological Equilibrium given in other lectures. Includes the two superior centers, the creation of the soul and how to interpret visions and dreams.

There is a profound difference between ideas or beliefs about spirituality and the experience of spirituality. True spirituality or religion is not to be believed, but realized, actualized, in the heart. This lecture covers the difference between the Doctrine of the Eye (theories, beliefs, and ideas) and the Doctrine of the Heart (intuition, conscious faith and direct experience). This relates to both exoteric and esoteric schools, the exoteric being the "public and exterior," and the esoteric the "hidden or secret" doctrine.

Everyone talks about awakening the consciousness, but how many can define it? This lecture explains the human consciousness and the practical method to develop it. Includes the nature of perception, states of consciousness, meditation, and clairvoyance. Read the lecture transcription. Lecture quote: "In any spiritual or mystical tradition, or even in philosophy, there is a lot of discussion about consciousness, mind, or self. The purpose of religion or spirituality is to realize that self, to know that self, or to have Gnosis (direct knowledge) of that self. From that foundation it becomes obvious that we need to know what that self is, what the consciousness is, what the mind is. Our common interpretation or definition of consciousness has to be revised. Because we do not have a proper understanding of what consciousness really is, we suffer. Truthfully, you could say that the cause of all suffering is ignorance of consciousness or ignorance of self. By coming to know the self, or knowing what the consciousness is, we begin to free ourselves from suffering."

The Sanskrit word Kundalini is derived from "kundala," which means 'coiled," and is descriptive of the form of a specific energy when it is latent or "sleeping" in the common person. When through specific science this energy is activated or awakened, it illuminates the nervous system and energetic centers, activating superior senses and abilities. In Christianity, this energy is called the fire of Pentacost. In Judaism, it is the Shekinah. In Aztec mysticism, it is called Quetzalcoatl. In Buddhism, it is known as candali or tummo: "she who terrifies the ego." This lecture describes how to awaken the kundalini, the spiritual energy that is the basis of all existence. Read the lecture transcription. Lecture quote: "It is important for all sincere, serious spiritual seekers to have a very strong understanding of what Kundalini is because it is the energy that facilitates all spiritual development. The Kundalini is at the base of all existence. It is the raw foundational energy that the spiritual seeker wants to cultivate, develop, or awaken, depending on which tradition or terms they use. The word Kundalini is most known from the Sanskrit language, yet it is even more ancient than that language; it has roots that go back to Atlantis and beyond. Kundalini refers to a cosmic force, an energy unlike any energy that we know physically. Kundalini is not mere electricity or magnetism or heat, but is the source of them all. Kundalini is a kind of force or energy that is pure, divine, raw potentiality, that is then modified according to its condition. This is the key fact that is often missing in many texts or schools of Hinduism or Buddhism who discuss Kundalini. In the West, Kundalini is also a basic foundational aspect of religion, but it is more veiled. In the Judeo-Christian tradition it is symbolized as the fire of the Holy Spirit or that column of fire that led the Israelites in their great exodus. In reality, any spiritual practice that we perform, any kind, whether recitation of mantras, meditation, prayer, devotional singing, Karma Yoga or selfless service (Seva), all of these spiritual practices, no matter what tradition it comes from, has as its intention the awakening of this cosmic force within us. There is no exception to this. The very purpose of religion or Yoga is to awaken this energy inside of the person. We seek to activate that force, because that energy connects us to the divine. It produces in us what can be called enlightenment or liberation. That energy is not active in most people today. That is because the conditions that activate it have not been satisfied. Like any energy or force in nature, the energy of Kundalini (the Holy Spirit) functions according to the laws of nature. It functions according to cause and effect. Everything in nature, even God, respects the law of cause and effect. Karma, this law of action and consequence, modifies everything. Every manifested thing is subject to cause and effect. Kundalini is no exception."

Explaining the Path of the Lunatic (from Lunar), the Intermediate Path, the Spiral Path and the famed Straight Path, or the Way of the Bodhisattva.

Self-observation, Lucifer our psychological trainer, and the three aspects of the psychological gymnasium: 1) our spouse, 2) our friends, family and acquaintances, 3) and strangers. Also an explication into the nature of Genotype (inheritance), Phenotype (education) and Paratype (circumstances). This lecture was recorded at the 2007 Gnostic Retreat.

The foundations of any real spiritual path is self-knowledge (gnosis), which also provides an opportunity to change the world. Through self-improvement, the individual can directly impact the emergence of a better society. Read the lecture transcription. Lecture quote: "Those individuals who have stood out in the course of time, such as Beethoven or Mozart or Jesus, are individuals who learned how to awaken the consciousness, to utilize the consciousness itself as the commanding intelligence to dominate and best use this organism that we inhabit. This is actually the whole reason, the whole purpose of the existence of all the ancient mystery schools. If we look at and study any ancient mystery school such as the Essenes, the Greeks, the ancient Aztecs, the Tibetans, any of the ancient mysteries, we discover that their primary message was intensely psychological."

The required qualifications for any spiritual student or teacher, and advice for any student seeking spiritual guidance in relation to schools, teachers and teachings. Also, how to find your true Master. Read the lecture transcription. "The eastern traditions emphasize the importance of finding a teacher. However, this tradition has been imported to the west and has now been mingled with idiosyncrasy of our western mentality and there have been some unexpected results. In the west, we have a very different perspective of a teacher. In the western traditions we have a different point of view, which is rooted in both Greek and Hebraic psychologies, whether we are aware of it or not. All of us who have been raised in the west, have been formed in an environment in which the teacher is seen as a spiritual authority, as someone who can tell us what is right or wrong. In the east this is not so. There is a striking difference between eastern and western psychologies on this point, and you can see it if you look at the role of a priest in a western tradition. A priest in a western tradition is often a confessor, someone disciples go to in order to confess their sins, to confess their mistakes, and to ask what they should do. This is generally not the case in eastern traditions. The lama, the teacher, the guru, is seen as a spiritual guide, but not a confessor. There are cases in which an eastern student may approach a teacher for guidance or assistance with physical things or with life issues, but this is generally rare; most eastern disciples would not dare to approach a guru with such mundane concerns. So there is a strong distinction between the two. "The psychology of the western disciple is one of fear; the disciple is usually afraid of any spiritual authority figure and fears punishment, going to hell, being excommunicated, or exiled. And this is because of the western development of spiritual authority through churches and religions in the west. So we have to recognize, in our own psyche, these unconscious tendencies of how we perceive our teachers. Do we approach our teacher with this subtle fear, with this subtle influence, that pushes us to show ourselves as good student because we are afraid of hell, our we are afraid of being kicked out, or exiled or rejected? This is a harmful attitude; this is a very harmful point of view, which is generally unconscious in students. It is harmful for both the student and the instructor. The student who feels afraid, who wants to prove themselves or be seen as a good student in order to feel secure, damages their own potential, and also puts the instructor in an unfortunate position. This is an attitude that is very important for western students to analyze."

Real faith, the value of belief, and the means of true salvation. Faith is not a matter of believing or disbelieving, but practical experience. With the acquisition of true faith in the consciousness, as opposed to belief, one understands the true meaning of salvation. Read the lecture transcription. Lecture quote: There are always discussions or arguments related with this topic of 'salvation.' in which the fundamentalists or believers state that they are saved just by believing. Thus, indeed this word 'believe' is something that should be studied. If you look in the dictionary, 'believe' is made from two words: 'be' and 'lieve' (livid, lividus). "Be" is related to that famous phrase, 'To be or not to be,' while 'lieve' is related with love: 'livid' from Latin 'lividus' which is related with a strong emotion, love, desire. Thus we have be-liever (be-liver, be-lividus). So, thus 'believe' is 'to hold dear or love emotionally that which is desirable,' or that in which you put the 'lividus,' your liver in, as 'I vehemently long for something' or 'I am longing for something,' 'I yearn for something.' Or, I put my 'libido' (which is the source of the livid, of my liver). You know the word 'libido' is always related with sexual matter, but in Latin it is also related with 'love,' within the chemical actions of the body. So 'believe' means to put in action all that which is your chemistry or livid - your liver, your emotion, that which is the energy of your body - in something else. But with time, people transformed the general use of 'believe' to something related only with the mind, a thought of some information that you have in your mind and that you know about. In order to really 'believe,' or to put in action that word, you have to put all of what you are into it: this is done in order to create faith. Faith is something that you experience with your consciousness. People say, "I have faith because I believe." But it should be, "I have faith because I put all of myself, all that I am (body, soul and spirit) to work with this." Rather than, "I have that as information in my head."

This lecture discusses seven very different types of people and how they see and experience spirituality and religion.

How Kabbalah explains 1) the first four commandments (especially in relation to making images of God) 2) the three Sabbaths, and 3) the four types of women. Read the lecture transcription. Lecture quote: "Parsufim is a plural Hebrew word that means "faces." Parsuf is the singular word for face, image, or countenance. Parsufim is plural and refers to the different symbols of the Tree of Life - the way in which we can understand the different triangles and the different aspects of the ten Sephiroth that are the basis of the science of Kabbalah. In Kabbalah, we study five Parsufim, five faces, or five symbols, images, countenances. We are going to talk about these five Parsufim and to see how they are related not only with Judaism and Christianity, but also with other religions."

A lecture dedicated solely to the practice of retrospection and comprehension of the ego. It explains the process and method by which we must approach the psychological work, otherwise known as Blue Time or Rest Therapeutics. Read the transcription. "What is retrospection? It is the first step that we perform when we sit down to meditate; in it, we submerge into our mind in order to contemplate our past. What specifically do we retrospect? We have to retrospect all the events that we had earlier in the day, since the moment that we sat down to meditate, going back in time, until the moment that we woke up in our beds, even remembering the dreams that we had, during the hours that we were sleeping."

The meanings and symbols hidden in the Kabbalah about the four-letter name of God: Jehovah or YHVH.

The descent and ascent of the Ray of Creation through the seven cosmos. Read the transcription: Omnipenetrating Ray of Okidanokh Okidanokh: A term utilized by Gurdjieff to describe the Ray of Creation, the primary emanation of the Ain Soph Aur, the Solar Absolute. The energy field origin of all the cosmoses and whose vibration manifests through the Law of Three within all dimensional material manifestations. Okidanokh is the fundamental cause of all cosmic phenomena; it is the Christic substance capable of penetrating all cosmic formations. Kabbalistically, it is the life source of the sacred Triamazikamno or Logoic Trimurti: Kether, Chokmah, Binah. "You must also know further, that only one cosmic crystallization, existing under the name 'Omnipresent-Okidanokh,' obtains its prime arising—although it also is crystallized from Etherokrilno—from the three Holy sources of the sacred Theomertmalogos, that is, from the emanation of the Most Holy Sun Absolute. Everywhere in the Universe, this 'Omnipresent-Okidanokh' or 'Omnipresent-Active-Element' takes part in the formation of all both great and small arisings, and is, in general, the fundamental cause of most of the cosmic phenomena and, in particular, of the phenomena proceeding in the atmospheres." - Gurdjieff "During manifestation, the Ain unfolds into the Ain Soph, and from it emerges the Ain Soph Aur, which appears as the sacred Absolute Sun, and from the sacred Absolute Sun arises the most blessed, omnipresent, all-pervading, omniscient Okidanokh. The most blessed Okidanokh is also mentioned by Blavatsky by the name the Great Breath. From the Great Breath, in turn, emerges the trinity, the Holy Triamatzikamno – namely, the Holy Affirmation, the Holy Negation, and the Holy Conciliation. The Holy Okidanokh, although it enters the worlds, does not remain involved in them, and in order to create the Holy Okidanokh has split asunder into its three basic elements, which are the Holy Affirmation, the Holy Negation, and Holy Conciliation. This is how the Trimurti arises: Kether, Chokmah and Binah; Father, Son and Holy Spirit; Positive, Negative, Neutral. Thus, the trinity emanates from the most blessed Okidanokh, which in turn, emanates from the holy Absolute Sun." - Samael Aun Weor, Alchemical Symbolism of the Nativity of Christ

A basic explanation of where humanity fits into the universe and the seven primary dimensions.

The word personality comes from the Latin personae, which means "mask." In each existence, we form a personality from the influences around us, which we use to navigate through life. Yet, this personality is not the only kind: there is also a solar personality, which - if we create it - belongs to our Innermost. Learn how the personality relates to our ego and our consciousness, and how it affects our work to awaken the consciousness.

The foundation of all existing matter and energy is the law of cause and effect, or action and consequence, which determines our quality of life - and our future. "...whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap." - Galatians 6:7

The place and purpose of the human organism in the vast wheel of nature. Explains the involution or emergence of Spirit into matter, the process of the soul's evolution through the mineral, plant and animal kingdoms, the process of devolution into the inferior dimensions of nature, and the means to escape the mechanicity of samsara through the path of revolution.

An exegesis into an essential text from Tibetan Buddhist Tantra. The original Tibetan title is Rig-pa ngo-sprod gcer-mthong rang-grol, which is generally translated into English as The Introduction to Awareness: Natural Liberation through Naked Perception, and is part of the complete original editions of The Great Liberation by Hearing in the Intermediate States, popularly known in English as The Tibetan Book of the Dead. Attributed to the great Buddha known as Padmasambhava, this critically important scripture explains in beautiful phrases the basic foundation of all spiritual practice: consicous awareness, also called mindfulness, watchfulness, or self-observation. This lecture was recorded at the 2007 International Gnostic Retreat. Read the lecture transcription. Lecture quote: "Our root awareness, our profound, pristine nature of mind it just that: simple, uncontrived love. Pure. You can access that nature state of being in any moment. You do not have to come to a place like this to access your true nature of mind. Neither do you have to have a big library or live in a particular place, or have a particular body shape or hair color or be male or be female. Every existing thing can access and utilize this root awareness, because it is the natural state of our inner self. Most existing creatures-such as these birds, the trees, the grass, even the water-exist in and of themselves, as they are. They are not contrived; they do not presume anything: they are not pretentious. They simply are what they are. The goal and purpose of our studies is to become that, to stop lying to ourselves: to be what we truly are. But, to be what we truly are, we first have to not be what we have become. It is vital to let go all of the false notions that we have, but to do it now. The work on the ego does not begin in the future. It does not begin when we meditate. It does not begin when we read a certain book. It begins the instant we remember we are not that. The work on the ego begins the moment we are not the ego."

A basic explanation of the Tree of Life, the Kabbalah, which is a map of the universe and the consciousness. Lecture quote: "The word קבלה Kabbalah comes from the word קבל Kabel in Hebrew, which means "to receive." This is because real Kabbalah is received through experience in the consciousness. In this very moment you are receiving the knowledge with your intellect. But you have to understand that in order to make that information into real Kabbalah, you have to make effort to awaken your consciousness. By experiencing the Kabbalah in yourself, you will understand many secrets, many questions. Kabbalah, the mysterious Tree of Life, is related with the universe. It is in the superior worlds, and you can learn it through initiation, the development of your consciousness."

The Gnostic view of intelligence, intellect, creativity, and the different forms of cathexis. Read the lecture transcription.

How to use the understanding of the skandhas in self-observation and meditation, the aggregates (skandhas) in Kabbalah as related to other dimensions, and the practical method to consciously realize the nature of the real self. Read the lecture transcription.

The practical, analytical science of developing conscious discrimination and direct insight into the nature of the I or self through observation and comprehension of the skandhas or aggregates: form (rupa), sensations (vedana), perception (samjnana), mental formations (samskaras), and consciousness (vijnana). Read the lecture transcription.

How to experience heaven (nirvana) and hell (samsara) for oneself, in order to understand the meaning of liberation. Read the lecture transcription. Lecture quote: Heaven, hell and liberation are three fundamental terms that are used often in most every religion. In Gnosis, we use these words differently then you might have encountered in the past. When we begin to study Gnosis, we carry with us the assumptions and definitions that we acquired previously. When we begin to study Gnosis and try to comprehend what Gnosis is, we have to go through a process of conceptual revision. This is related with the third state of consciousness, and is a process through which we review, revise, or renew the concepts in our psyche. Without this essential review, our understanding of the path can remain mistaken about fundamental aspects. So, to understand what heaven, hell, and liberation really are, we have to review our concepts of them, and test them, to make sure that the way we understand them refers to facts, based in experiential reality, something that we ourselves have tasted or know, not just a belief, not just something that we have as a theory, or an idea, but something we have experienced. This is the starting point of Gnosis. The word Gnosis refers to knowledge that we have derived from our own experience. And so, we need to analyze the concepts we have in our psyche about heaven, hell, and liberation, and test those concepts.

A comparison of the various spiritual approaches: that of the Fakir (physical/willpower), the Monk (emotional), the Yogi (mental), and the Fourth Path: the Gnostic: the balance of the three.

Fundamental aspects of the work to liberate the soul from suffering. Explains core structures of our psychology, including the five centers (also called the three brains), and psychological equilibrium.

In his famous letter to the Corinthians, the Gnostic Christian Paul explained why divisions emerge in religions and spiritual groups. Modern groups are no exception.

Explaining the states of consciousness available to the human being, and how they are accessed. In Greek, they are called Ekasia, Pistis, Dianoia, and Nous.

An essential primer on the most fundamental aspects of Gnostic Psychology, or Self-knowledge. The nature of the soul (Essence), how it becomes filtered and conditioned (by ego), and is expressed through the personality (personi: mask).

This lecture explains the important difference between Belief and Faith and their relationship to the three types of mind explained in spiritual psychology: the Sensual Mind, the Intermediate (Mystical) Mind, and the Inner (Interior) Mind. Read the lecture transcription. Lecture quote: "To have experience, to perceive God with the consciousness, is related with the Inner Mind, with the superlative consciousness. It has nothing to do with the Sensual or Mystical Minds. That is why when a person with an Inner Mind is asked, "Do you believe in that?" The person with the Inner Mind says, "I do not believe that." That does not mean the person is denying it. If somebody asks me, for instance, "Do you believe in God?" I would say, "No, I do not believe in God." I am not denying God, because thanks to this knowledge, to this doctrine that I practice, I experience what God is."

Learn the essential elements by which to awaken the human being's complete spiritual and psychological potential. Read the lecture transcription. Lecture quote: "All of us as human beings feel this urge to express, to emerge, to become; and this urgency is particularly strong when we are in our adolescence and our youth, when we feeling the longing, the need, the urge to find out who we are, who we are to be – what is our purpose, what is our role, what is that within that seeks to express itself? Who am I? This deep spiritual inquietude is particularly strong in our adolescence and youth, but unfortunately for us, we do not find the answers in our society, in our religions, in our schools and universities, or in our families. We are often told what we should be, but very rarely does someone discover who they truly are. This kind of genuine self-knowledge - or real Gnosis - cannot be acquired by seeking outside in the world, or in books or schools; it is found by seeking within the depths of oneself. And, unfortunately, the vast majority of the human beings who are born and enter into this phase of longing to know themselves pass through that phase with that longing unanswered. Most people find themselves in lives, jobs, careers, marriages, and situations that are unfulfilling, and they lack that self-knowledge or that self-expression that they so urgently needed during youth, and sadly, they die without ever having discovered their purpose in life. This situation is analogous to what we observe in the life of any plant or tree, which in the course of its existence will release from itself millions of seeds. Those seeds will be scattered in its environment in order to propagate the species. But the vast majority of those seeds, all of which feel that longing to become a great tree, will be lost. Every human being is a seed. Humanity is a collection of seeds; every one of us is a seed that longs to become a tree. The tree that we wish to become is called call the Tree of Life, Kabbalah: Otz Chaim, which we symbolize in this symbol of ten spheres, and which is represented in the Bible in Bereshit or Genesis. This tree represents the fully developed human being made into the image of his creator, the Elohim. Every seed, every human being, has the potential to become a great Tree of Life."

How the soul develops realization of the Monad: the inner Being.