Source Text
This binding force is the MAGNUM OPUS, The Great Work, which is fundamentally the creation and refinement of the Philosopher’s Stone or Pearl!
What this means, in accordance with these rigorous studies, is that the human ape, seems to find it very difficult to adjust to the break neck speed of our technological and cultural advancements. In other words, you can take the ape out of the savannah, but if you are expecting that ape to stop making a monkey out of itself, you have another thing coming.
And so, in order to save the world, certain solutions have been offered. Solutions that, if implemented properly, promise to end all of humanity’s and the planet’s woes. These solutions boil down to: We must civilize the monkey! Note that these solutions don’t interest themselves in human illumination, in evolution as we may define the term; meaning getting better, going higher, becoming enlightened perhaps.
Why can’t we all become Buddha, why can’t we all, at least those who are really, really trying, become enlightened? Why can’t we all become powerful masters? Is there a secret doctrine? Why is it secret? Do those people in the cool underground clubs really become powerful occult masters in the end?
Yes, we did, we did forget something. We forgot our will, and the power to nourish and nurture that will.
Figure 2 The will, as it extends from the body to affect the world outside itself. And it is this ingredient, not will itself so much really, but the power that nourishes the will, and the power that sustains it, which is really the most important ingredient of them all, at least at this stage in human development, and that is the part that is always left out. Without it, nothing is possible because without this power, without the ability and the energy to intend a thing, and make that thing, first as a subjective mental reality and then eventually over time, a true objective or physically real thing, humanity will never evolve beyond a mere reactionary, instinct driven ape, no matter what new notions or supposed solutions are used, and no matter how hard these notions are pounded into our skulls.
As an Alchemist, this is the most useful, the only truly useful thing there is, the acquisition of that fuel, and it is the acquisition, storage, and refinement of that fuel, that is the true focus of this course: The Magnum Opus.
Alchemist you see, contrary to what many may believe about Alchemy, do not care about words, notions, formulas, riddles, incantations, or atomic weights. All they truly care about is that fundamental and underlying fuel. Alchemists are not rational, they do not care for reasons. They do though concern themselves with the most intricate facets of logic, and it is this deep study of the logical that forces them to completely reject the binding force of rationality.
Another way to say this would be to say that Alchemy does not concern itself with a priori knowledge. That is, it does not concern itself with knowledge that comes from theoretical dogma. Alchemy, because it is an energy and power-based system of existence, cannot afford to invest its energy in external notions, in external solutions, or external knowledge that has not come through direct personal perception. It can only assent to knowledge that is acquired through direct and personal, now-based, awareness.
For example, one may ask, is the Earth round or flat? A rational person will probably say, shout out loud most likely, that the Earth is round, always was, and always will be. And to prove this, he or she will cite experiment after experiment, with NASA video footage in the background, all aimed at proving beyond a shadow of a doubt that their beliefs are true. And they will feel complete faith in this belief stance, in this undeniable fact, that the Earth is a sphere; because to them it is most plainly true. And all of this undeniable proof, is cumulative knowledge based on the sum of all the evidence that the many scientists and astronauts, the world over, have been able to provide.
AI Summary
The Magnum Opus, a Step by Step Course by John Kreiter presents key insights from the Theosophy tradition. The 10 passages above capture the essential teachings.
Core Themes:
- [To be expanded]
Key Passages: Highlights 1, 3, and 10 are particularly representative.
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