This booklet was written in the mid 1990s by an Enlightened Teacher of John Yarr. The original document is found in the PDF file at the end of the article.
For thousands of years the many and diverse populations of the globe have considered the nature and purpose of human life. This innate curiosity about the inner nature has been reflected in the wealth of cultures and religions that abound today, each one offering a different outlook on the nature of human spirituality. Questions remain unanswered though: questions such as what does spirituality really involve, and is it possible to discover this for ourselves?
Fundamentally, spirituality is the expansion of the conscious awareness. This expansion begins with the revelation of our inner nature through a process known as Initiation.
Initiation reveals the source of life itself, and yet it is only the beginning. The expansion of consciousness is only complete when our awareness has become unbounded and absolute: when our centre is everywhere, and our self is nowhere.
EXPANDING OUR AWARENESS
The terms “Spirituality” and “expansion of consciousness” are one and the same. Spirituality is the gradual expansion of consciousness until it can be expanded no more, and for that we need guidance, a leg up if you like, as we simply do not have the tools to fulfil this complex journey alone. It is only through the process of revelation that the consciousness can begin to unfold. Initiation expands the conscious awareness beyond the scope of sensory activity, beyond thought and beyond the laws that govern form.
“I will give you a freedom that no form can remove. I will give you a form from which freedom need not escape.” John
The freedom that is spoken of here is that of Enlightenment. John, my own teacher, is an Enlightened person who is able to grant Enlightenment to other people. Those of you who have searched for a Path or for a teacher for many years, or striven for decades to find an effective Path to Enlightenment may greet this statement with incredulity and possibly anger. Please don’t stop reading though. Such Masters do appear in history, making available a Path that culminates in Enlightenment. This is a fact, a fact that can be proved to you. It is pure chance, a lucky chance, that you are here now, living your life at the same time as this possibility is available – don’t overlook it just yet.
WHAT IS ENLIGHTENMENT?
Let’s return for a moment to the goal – Enlightenment. Unfortunately, this is a term that has been bandied about a lot and used in an inappropriate way, especially over the last few years. Enlightenment can never be explained, although the meaning can be clarified a little. Its important to bear in mind that words are poor carriers of meaning, and that the mind, the only tool we have to understand, cannot ever become Enlightened itself.
- Firstly, Enlightenment is not an experience. As such it has no beginning and no ending, so we cannot slip into and out of Enlightenment. Knowledge of this Ultimate Reality of the Self casts no shadow, so no other self is recognized. The self is truly absolute, without birth, without death.
- Secondly, all form (all the created worlds and their subtle reflections on other planes of consciousness) can be seen to be simply illusory: a “veil” that conceals the reality of their existence.
- Thirdly, this Ultimate Reality is self-created, absolute, boundless, and limitless and forever free from the instinctive chaos that is form.
Finally, this Ultimate Reality is Love. Its nature is truly beautiful, too perfect for words to describe; so still the mind can never be still enough to grasp it, so full it is overwhelming, and yet so empty there is nothing there at all.
There is so much more. Practically, the most appropriate and beneficial advice will come from speaking to an Enlightened person, having a chat with them, and seeing what they have to say. Some people assume that an Enlightened person will not tell you they are Enlightened. Why not? This is a golden opportunity – if no one stands up and says they are Enlightened, people will simply dismiss this Path as just another meditation technique. If telling people about Enlightenment could Enlighten them that would be so easy. Words are simply not enough, the Path must be revealed within you. that is how we can recognize a true spiritual teacher. Kabir, an Indian Saint, said, “beware the guru that whispers in your ear”. By this he means that simply speaking of Enlightenment, or giving mantras by which to attain Enlightenment, has no value.
A mantra, is a sound, captured by the physical body as a manipulation of the mouth, tongue and throat, entrapped by the emotional body as the feeling it gives us, and crystallized by the mind as a thought. It is repeated by the mind, which just can’t think fast enough to encompass its Cause, nor can it be still enough to witness its Cause, and so it can never be Enlightened. Mantras do have their place though. They are excellent tools to soothe, heal and enliven the body, the emotions and the mind and to prepare these different aspects of ourselves for the start of the spiritual journey proper. But that is all – they are never spiritual in the most profound sense.
THE INNER TEACHER
The spiritual journey begins with the revelation within an individual of the source of their life. This is not a belief, not a philosophy, not imagination, but a reality, witnessed as a radiant light and eternal sound. This is the song of life itself, drawing together the beginning of the universe and the end of the universe. This revelation brings into the awareness broad horizons of primordial energy. It is the “voice” or “word” that allows form to spring from its formlessness Cause. Traditionally this energy has been called the Path of Light and Sound. It is a totally inadequate term, but one that has been passed down through time. Many religions talk of this path, but they can no longer reveal it. It is an extremely profound energy, containing all the knowledge required to build the many planes of consciousness and to maintain their presence and integrity.
These subtle energies are the Inner Path, the Inner Teacher. Meditating on this Inner Light and Sound is very inspiring, but the power of meditation is not simply the beauty of the Light and Sound itself. We can begin to discover a stillness and tranquillity that is impossible to imagine. Our awareness will grow, and we will began to answer questions about the nature of humanity and the universe that we hadn’t even comprehended before, as well as those that we may have carried within us for many years.
We may begin to consider how it could be that Initiation could be given. Where does the Light and Sound come from, and how could someone reveal an eternal level of creation? Initiates are not persuaded they have witnessed the Light and Sound, nor do they visualize them. The Light and Sound are an actuality, the essence of the phenomenon we call creation, or form, bringing an ever-increasing reality as the Path unfolds.
Gradually people begin to appreciate that they have not found just an ordinary teacher. The revelation of the Light and Sound is just the beginning. Two more Initiations can follow, allowing the conscious awareness to be further expanded. It is possible to witness finer and finer levels of consciousness until we are freed completely from their bounds and the Divine nature of God becomes the only reality. The term God is always controversial, but we are not speaking here of a personal God, but of the unboundedness of the Absolute Reality of Existence. Religions have in a way settled for a lesser God than this – a creative God, a sensual God, a God “involved” in people’s lives. The Absolute Reality cannot be spoken of in this way; it cannot really be spoken of at all. To know it we must become it – merging and dissolving within it. In this way we find our true Identity.
Initiation is, after all, just the beginning.
THE TRADITION OF THE PERFECT MASTER
People often ask about the tradition of this path, where these teachings come from: “Intelligence is that which organizes the beginning, the middle and the ending of all manifestations. A true Spiritual Path is only concerned with Enlightening individuals. Because this Path Enlightens people it is the original spiritual teachings of all ages. There are no first prophets or last prophets. Our history is that we come from the beginning of the universe, and that is why we can reveal the end of it.” John These are strong words. They may seem very bold, but justifiably so.
Initiation is more than the revelation of Light and Sound. A teacher who can draw back the illusion or “veil” of form in order to allow people to witness these eternal levels of creation, must be a Master of those levels himself. There is no place in the process of revelation for dead gurus, religious fantasies or illusive spirit guides. John has two aspects: a physical form and a spiritual form, he is a living, breathing person: flesh and blood, living on the physical plane. It’s necessary to state the obvious here, as having a living teacher is very much part of the process of Initiation. Initiation is given by the touch of an Enlightened person. This allows the Initiate’s awareness to become fast enough for them to witness the source of their life. This energy has always been there, sustaining and energizing all things; it’s just that it cannot be found, as there is no part of us, until Initiation, that is quick enough to catch a glimpse of it. In order for Initiation to take place, the laws that govern the cycles of form are transcended. They are, in effect, temporarily cast aside. This phenomenon, known as grace, is the ability to come and go within creation without disturbing the laws that govern creation itself. Only someone who has a great familiarity with the Light and Sound, a Perfected Master of the Inner Path, is able to control this phenomenon: gradually drawing aside the illusion that we are limited, until we know, without doubt that our nature is boundless.
Our first glimpse of this path is the revelation of the primary thousand petalled lotus. This is the gateway to the vast planes of consciousness on which we meditate after Initiation. This is not the crown chakra (the personal thousand petalled lotus) where most paths end, including Kundalini yoga techniques, but its subtle counter part, set deep within the spiritual realms.
For Initiation to take place, the Light and Sound must demonstrate on all the planes of consciousness, including the physical plane. John can grant Initiation because the Path of Light and Sound is his true nature, his Spiritual form, reflected through the planes of consciousness on which we meditate. His physical being is simply a further reflection of the Path of Light and Sound: a doorway for humanity to know it’s Cause. This is the origin of the phrase “the word made flesh”. The “Word” is the Path of Light and Sound; the “flesh” is its manifestation on the physical plane in human form – the living teacher. Such a teacher is both the inner Path and its physical embodiment: a Perfected Master of the Light and Sound. Perfected, not because they are “perfect” in a physical or personality sense, but simply because they are an interface between the subtle energy of the Light and Sound and the human form.
A Perfect Master is, in effect, the Path – its beginning, its ending, its very nature. Most importantly of all, such a teacher is able to reveal that inner nature to others, and finally, to reveal what lies beyond it – Enlightenment. Physical life is unfortunately very fragile, and one day that doorway to the Light and Sound will close again. This brings a sense of urgency to the Spiritual Path that religions do not have. Their teachers are already dead, departed from the physical plane, and so are unable to give Initiation.
BEYOND CONSCIOUSNESS
The universe is made up of seven keys, or seven ways in which we can understand creation. These keys are metaphysics, analogy, numerology, geometry, colour and astrology. Together these make up consciousness. The only way to transcend the movement of consciousness is to find that which supports it, the Light and Sound: this is the seventh key, spirituality. Then we need to discover that which supports the Light and Sound, which is the Absolute Reality of Existence. There is no monopoly over this process. No religion or prophet owns spirituality, and indeed there are no chosen people who can become spiritual at the exclusion of others. There’s no limit to the number of people who can be Enlightened by a Perfect Master; the key is simply revelation. Enlightenment is an opportunity available to the whole of humanity whilst there is a living teacher who can reveal the Path of Light and Sound, guide them whilst they are on it, and enable them to merge with the Ultimate Reality that lies beyond it.
This concept has always been theoretical in the West. Oriental and Asian religions speak of Enlightenment, but western religions are sadly lacking in an historical tradition of revelation. There are hints of it in the bible. On the one hand it’s stated that “If thine eye be single thy whole body will be filled with light”, referring to Initiation and the opening of the third eye. On the other hand, baptism has become an empty Initiation devoid of any revelation of the Spirit of God – the Light and Sound.
From time to time though, teachers do appear who are able to grant Enlightenment, to as many people as is appropriate, expanding their awareness through the planes of consciousness. This process of revelation is a process of self-preservation. With each Initiation the astral plane is flooded with light, purifying it and breaking down old fear patterns that bring pain, misery and suffering to the physical plane. An Initiate “blazes” with the force of a spiritual sun on the astral plane: with each Enlightenment this channel provides the forum for an explosion of pure spiritual light to cascade throughout the lower planes of consciousness. This surge of energy, untainted by the limits of form, accelerates the spirituality of both those born at the present time and those born once the Path of Light and Sound is no longer available. Consequently, whilst we live in a universe that is fundamentally fatalistic, when such a teacher (some may say divine being) begins to teach, they offer not only Enlightenment but also the opportunity to elevate the lower planes of
consciousness. This destroys ancient thought patterns and pools of fear that are playing out on the lowest plane, the physical plane. These patterns are manifesting as war, hatred, disease and the apparent attempt to manipulate God by rearranging form through processes such as atomic power and genetic engineering on the one hand, and the desire to both foreshorten and lengthen life on the other. The majority of our social structures, our religions, our scientific and our philosophical systems are based on a lack of understanding of the fundamental nature of humanity. They are based on the premise that humanity is forever separated from its Cause. This simply is not the case. That Cause can be known, without doubt and without relying on the limits and prejudice that the lower planes of consciousness impose.
All the planes of consciousness arise from a Unified Cause. They are in effect falling away from the grace of divinity, and with each step away from their divine source, they loose contact with the spiritual fire that supports them – leaving the physical plane virtually devoid of spirituality. This dynamic process means that each plane is sluggish, slower and “colder” in comparison to the plane it precipitates from. Spiritual evolution can be seen as the continuous attempt to embody greater and greater degrees of heat (spiritual fire). Part of this process is the availability on the physical plane of a link to that faster, “hotter” energy – the Light and Sound.
For this to happen the energy of the Light and Sound must penetrate the physical plane. This is achieved by saturating, or overshadowing, a human form with the essence of that form – the Light and Sound. This in effect builds an interface, or a bridge, between humanity and its Cause, known traditionally as the Perfect Master. People cannot make this sacrifice themselves. They cannot elevate themselves to the status of “Perfect Master” as the presence of the Light and Sound is a natural phenomenon, an integral part of creation. It is one of the universal laws of form, unstoppable – and in many ways unexplainable – and yet a fundamental aspect of existence. We may not recognize the Path, or the Master for their true worth at the start of our journey, but at some point on our journey we will. Proof must essentially be effectiveness.
John began to teach in 1974, after attaining Enlightenment. This year, 1999, he will have been teaching for 25 years. Many people have been granted Enlightenment during this time – some of whom have documented their personal search, their journey and the value of Enlightenment within their lives. These people, along with the many Initiates and Second Initiates meditating on the Path of Light and Sound, are the living proof of the effectiveness of this path.
The Path is divided into three distinct stages, or Initiations. Each Initiation is given by touch, transcending the laws of form, and allowing the Initiate to expand their awareness into ever-deeper levels of consciousness. Each Initiation is heralded by a specific revelation, giving access to previously unknown energies, which can be explored and utilized within our lives. These revelations do not rely on the transfer of verbal, written or visual information: they occur as a result of direct revelation within the individual, bringing about a profound change in awareness.
THE LIGHT & SOUND INITIATIONS
- FIRST INITIATION (The Revelation of the Source of Life)
THE REVELATION OF THE SOURCE OF LIFE This first Initiation is a transcendental revelation that facilitates access to higher levels of consciousness. Our awareness is expanded far beyond the senses and the physical universe they perceive. Without using the senses we are able to witness the vibrancy of the eternal levels of creation which had previously been concealed. These are witnessed as vast radiant regions of Light and Sound within which we are able to meditate – gradually incorporating their knowledge into our lives.
- SECOND INITIATION (The Transcendence of the Source of the Mind)
THE TRANSCENDENCE OF THE SOURCE OF THE MIND This second revelation allows us to transcend the source of the mind – proving without doubt that our awareness is now greater than that source. This is a massive expansion in our awareness. We now recognize that our being cannot be contained within an individual life. The concepts of an individual soul and of reincarnation are known to be an impossibility and completely irrelevant to spiritual evolution. We are freed from the continuous cycles of creation as our awareness is now expanded far beyond their sphere of influence.
At this point our awareness can be said to be “beyond the mind”. This is not the personal mind, but beyond the source of the mind as a state which allows consciousness to exist. The sense of identity, that we might call our centre, “I am-ness” or “me-ness” has expanded, and is now greater than the mind itself. The mind can be seen to be an insignificant fragment of the super-conscious state of second Initiation; that it is intrinsically unconscious; and fundamentally limited in its sphere of awareness and understanding. We also recognize that the mind has no capacity whatsoever to overcome these limitations.
- ENLIGHTENMENT (The revelation of the Ultimate Cause)
This is the revelation of the Ultimate Cause of Existence – the source of itself and everything else. Now we have no centre, rather our awareness is an absolute state that is everywhere, devoid of surfaces or edges. It is never touched by, and never touches the instinctive chaos of the movements of creation.
This infinite state of awareness is known as Enlightenment. With no beginning and no ending Enlightenment cannot be glimpsed for just a few moments and then concealed again. Once known it can never be concealed again as this boundless state can never be limited or contained by anything.
Complete in itself, this is the intelligence of pure transcendental love. Self-creating and self-sustaining this is the most profound aspect of all existence. To become this love is to be empowered by it, saturated with the Cause and Source of all Existence.
Now the expansion of consciousness is complete. We can see that Enlightenment is the natural state of awareness of mankind: that to be Enlightened is to be fully human. This Path provides the opportunity to achieve that possibility whilst carrying out a practical lifestyle – as the key is the revelation of increasingly profound states of consciousness, rather than isolation or austerity.
CONCLUSIONS
Many of the problems that humanity faces on a personal and societal level are the result of a deep rooted fear of death, pain and the annihilation of the self. By removing these fears, each individual develops the ability to live their life for what it is now, rather than looking forward and backward through time for reassurance of it’s value and purpose. Meditation within the Light and Sound brings a peace of mind that is invaluable for both individuals and for society as a whole. However, each individual has a personal responsibility to encompass these realizations into their own life, to reflect them to the best of their ability and, consequently, to make them their own.
When John started to teach he granted Enlightenment in as little time as a year or so. However a longer period of meditation within the Light and Sound has proved to be much more appropriate. The people who are following this Path are ordinary people in many ways. They go to work, as employees and employers; they have relationships and families and live in fairly typical homes, having slightly modified their lifestyle to make it appropriate to meditation. They put time aside to meditate, and discover that they don’t need to go to a monastery or to reject the modern lifestyle in order to make progress. The Path of Light and Sound is the key – physical or geographic location is irrelevant when meditating in this way.
Each individual needs time to adjust to the personal changes and responsibilities that spirituality brings. A longer preparation period, typically of ten or more years, allows people the opportunity to fully integrate the realizations that they have about the nature of humanity, of the mind and of existence itself into the complexity of a modern lifestyle. In Enlightenment our centre is everywhere and our nature absolute. This is a massive change, almost a contradiction to the run of the mill lives we have before Enlightenment when everything we know we know through the senses.
During the period of preparatory meditation within the Light and Sound all fear of death is removed, as the realms of consciousness in which death is a reality are transcended. By meditating on a force greater than the mind, the mind can be used in a positive, controlled way. This control results in the dissolution of much negativity and anxiety, a state which is reflected within people’s lives as greater positivity and purposefulness. In addition people who are meditating within the Light and Sound often feel a profound sense of personal empowerment as their consciousness expands to encompass an ever-increasing proportion of creation, their questions are gradually resolved and the real value and purpose of their life begins to unfold.
ORIGINAL DOCUMENT
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