The Spiritual Path, the Four Seasons and the Hours - Autumn
Introduction
The spiritual path is a series of stages,
whose purpose is to give you greater ‘connectivity’ to ‘heavenly’ help
The most common way that it is described is by using a 24 hour clock,
which is then further divided into the Four Seasons - Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter
During Autumn we approach old age, from 50ish to 70 or so. On the diagram, it goes from West to North
Having raised a family and saved for our old age, we enjoy the FRUITS of our labours
We gradually retire and share our wisdom and time with others
In practise, therefore, the real spiritual path of most people does not start until the Autumn of their years.
So, what happens during the Autumnal stage of the Spiritual Path?
The Calling
Whilst some retire to relax, and look after their grandchildren, others may find themselves ‘Called’.
There are even people who know nothing of the spiritual,
but who nevertheless, find themselves on the path
In other words, we do not seek the spiritual world, the spiritual world seeks us.
Occasionally because we have ignored our ‘destiny’, at other times,
because it is time for a change in our ‘destiny’.
In the poem the Hound of Heaven by Francis Thompson,
Francis describes not his quest for a spiritual life, but the unrelenting pursuit by the ‘hound’ of his spiritual self.
Dogged pursuit!
Francis Thompson The Hound of Heaven
I fled Him, down the nights and down the days;
I fled Him, down the arches of the years;
I fled Him, down the labyrinthine ways
Of my own mind, and in the mist of tears
I hid from Him, and under running laughter
... From those strong Feet that followed, followed after
The way they are called
The way people are called is often quite traumatic -
a series of truly severe set backs that force the person to re-evaluate their life.
Divorce, the loss of a business [so bankruptcy for example], destruction of the home by fire,
or vandalism, financial traumas - loss of pension or investments
or a serious illness. The person may even have a near death experience
If the website observations are any indicator the biggest push by far comes from grief. .
uncontrollable heart wrenching grief
Even then, not all who are called respond.
Despite having had the door of perception kicked open for them,
there are some who still do not notice and the door gradually closes again.
BUT, if they do set out, there is no going back
then it is not a question of will they go along the path but how far will they get?
The Tests
Before the spiritual process starts, there are tests to see if you are a ‘fit’ candidate to continue.
Shamans and heroes, in particular, appear to have to undergo a particularly severe 'testing' process.
Being a shaman or hero requires stamina, self sacrifice and enormous self discipline.
It is also dangerous.
So they are tested to ensure they are psychologically able to cope.
Those who proceed are then tested the whole time to make sure they can cope with the next stage,
because it gets harder as you progress.
No one is taken along the path unless they can cope with it or benefit from it.
Learning
There are people who are ‘called’ but never go beyond this stage.
Sometimes they loop round endlessly, never quite grasping the lessons,
or fooling themselves into thinking they are progressing, but achieving nothing
Sometimes it is because they can never quite give up their precious ego.
Their sense of their own ‘rightness’. Their pride over their ‘achievements’.
It would seem that the progress made is ‘monitored’ by the invisible spiritual world
and a trainee unable to grasp the essentials or unable to meet the requirements goes no further.
In many shamanic and mystic societies this is not a stage in later life,
the process is ongoing throughout their lives.
And where the destiny [task to be undertaken in the Great Work] is exceptionally difficult,
the ‘education’ and ‘experiences’ occur almost all the time
even though they may seem accidental to the person.
Because the rebirth process can be so mentally taxing,
there are also some cultures that have techniques that enable the person to imagine,
and thus cope with, what might happen.
There are two basic ways in which learning takes place
one is via spiritual experience itself and the other is straightforward ‘book learning’.
If you Learn via Spiritual experience - dreams, visions, inspiration, hallucinations,
even out of body experiences, Knowledge of mystic symbolism is essential.
Learning via books or videos clearly has its place, but many books, sadly,
are written by those who think they know, but do not. ‘Leaves lie rosie’.
So What about Judgement?
Does the spirit world force you to undergo a terrible trial
with numerous interrogators with trick questions before you can continue?
NO
What happens may be better described as justice.
And we have a whole video devoted to what happens within our Three degrees category.