From Beyond: cessation trance: nirodha-samāpatti

 

“…niroda-samapatti or ‘attainment of extinction’, also called saññā-vedayita-nirodha, ‘extinction of feeling and perception’, is the temporary suspension of all consciousness and mental activity, following immediately upon the semi-conscious state called ‘sphere of neither-perception-nor-non-perception’ (s. jhāna, 8).

The absolutely necessary pre-conditions to its attainment are said to be perfect mastery of all the 8 absorptions (jhāna), as well as the previous attainment of Anāgāmī or Arahantship…”
(Nyanatiloka 2021, amazon >>)

After 'entering' the Nondual more or less at will for one year or so, profound anatta insight has manifested, as I have shared in the previous post (blog on anatta >>). A month and a half later, a thought about experiencing nirodha-samāpatti arose.

And it happened soon after that:

While lying in my bed, with closed eyes (no visual input), “entering” into Nondual and on to anatta using the entry of thoughts and feelings (just thoughts/feelings cognized, no observer, self, or witness), it happened.

Slowly, body awareness 'turned off', feelings of so-called tiredness just dissipated, and thoughts vanished one by one. Consciousness manifested as thoughts/feelings (anatta level insight) just gently and slowly faded to a complete cessation. Total silence or stillness and swoon-like absence of everything and anything. Beyond perception and non-perception. No saying; I can’t adequately describe it, I admit.

I don’t know how long this state lasted, but afterward, everything instigated itself; everything became active again: thoughts, feelings, and bodily sensations. Eyes were closed still, so the visual cortex was inactive throughout the event.

It was like a natural thing, an element of arising and ceasing of events. Only this time, there was no event, no perception, and no not-perception. It was the total absence of anything and everything. I cannot remember what was going on in this state, as there was no I to remember anything.

Now, silent joy arises here as I share this; there is nothing overly special, extraordinarily mystical, or magical about the experience, just naturally unfolding events or non-events. 

Now, however, there is nothing I could possibly base my existence or awareness on, not even the consciousness itself. 

Everything is impermanent, arising and fading away, independently liberated and interdependent simultaneously, and free of inherent qualities with no center, self, god forms, angels, spirits, elements, energy, symbols, numbers, souls, etc.

The experience completely rewired existing cognitive maps in the brain and altered cell memory: there was no issue (after the experience) with letting go of anything from the past. Everything I still identified with (through attachment or aversion) just lost meaning and substantiality. Freedom beyond form.

So why am I sharing this?

In his detailed book on Buddhist sadhana, Mastering the Core Teachings of the Buddha, Daniel Ingram shares the following on the topic:

“I mention this attainment because it is one more of those things that are found today but has often been relegated to the realm of myth and legend or has been forgotten entirely. It is not that Nirodha is necessary, but it definitely is a good and useful thing to be able to attain. In fact, I have not yet spoken with anyone who had attained it and who didn’t consider it among the absolute King Daddy of meditation attainments other than arahatship, as the depth of its afterglow never fails to impress and amaze. Hopefully, mentioning it will raise the standard to which people feel they can reasonably aspire, which is basically the whole goal of this book.”
(Ingram, 2020, amazon >>)

Daniel’s words resonate with my current reality very much.

Interestingly enough, while this “non-state” manifested once or twice after the event described above, I completely forgot about it after entering the Vajrayana path. And it never manifested again.

My current understanding is that there is no need for that level of withdrawal as the Mahamudra, the apex of the Vajrayana path, the Land of no more Learning and the State of non-effort, is not some trance but a natural living and breathing ground reality, Nuit, the naked brilliance and beautiful void.

Nuit - Nondual Presence

Beyond the physical universe, above the subtle universe, far removed from the god forms, angels, and enlightened beings, beyond the 'I am presence', above Kether, and superior to the 'visible object of worship':

Nondual Reality, Naked Awareness manifesting:

Liber NV

When discussing the nondual Reality, meaning Reality 

beyond the Fool or the One, 

beyond the Word and Magus,

above the 'I am presence', 

above any spiritual and eternal identity, 

beyond all god forms,

above Understanding and Wisdom,

when we examine 'that', we venture deeply into the realm of the Queen of Space, Nuit.

It is that ground Reality that is at the very end, as it were, of initiatory development (or is it?).

There is no need to insist on a religious approach and perceiving Nuit as a Goddess or a Godform. 

It is just the presence, completely transpersonal and ineffable. Whatever I try to say about Her or It, it turns into a lie.

Nevertheless, there is a beautiful holy text dedicated to devotion to Nuit (see also the video below).

In practical terms, what follows are instructions primarely for the winners of Ordeal X (crossing the Abyss) on how to attain nondual samadhi (sambodhi, to be more precise) through magickal steps.

There is an error in the text I should point out. In verse no. 4, the original text says 50/6=0.12,

which is incorrect, of course. 

And since this lovely Liber is not Class A, I took the liberty of altering the numbers in this blog post from 50/6 to 6/50, which does equal 0.12.

Here we go:

Liber NV
sub figura XI

publication in class D

ooo. This is the Book of the Cult of the Infinite Without.

oo. The Aspirant is Hadit. Nuit is the infinite espansion of the Rose; Hadit is the infinite concentration of the Rood (Instruction of V.V.V.V.V.).

o. First let the Aspirant learn in his heart the First Chapter of THE BOOK OF THE LAW (Instruction of V.V.V.V.V).

1. Worship, i.e. identify thyself with, the Khabs, the secret Light within the Heart. Within this again, unextended, is Hadit.
This is the first practice of the Meditation (ccxx,I:6 and 21).

2. Adore and understand the Rim of the Stele of Revealing.

Above, the gemmed azure is
The naked splendor of Nuit;
She bends in ecstasy to kiss
The secret ardours of Hadit

This is the first practice of Intelligence (ccxx, I:14).

3. Avoid any act of choice or discrimination.
This is the first practice of Ethics (ccxx, I:22).

4. Consider the six and fifty that 6/50=0.12.
o the circumference Nuit.
. the center, Hadit.
1 the unity proceeding, Ra-Hoor-Khuit.
2 the world of illusion.

Nuit thus comprehends All in None.
Also 50+6=56=5+6=11, the key to all Rituals.
And 50X6=300, the Spirit of the Child within.
(Note NFic=72, the Shemhamphorash and the Quinaries of the Zodiac, etc.)
This is the second practice of Intelligence (ccxx,I:24,25).

5. The Result of this Practice is the Consciousness of the Continuity of Existence, the Omnipresence of the Body of Nuit.
In other words, the Aspirant is conscious only of the Infinte Universe as a single Being.
This is the first Indication of the Nature of the Result (ccxx,I:26).

6. Meditate upon Nuit as the Continuous One Resolved into None and Two as the phases of her being.
This is the second practice of Meditation (ccxx,I:27).

7. Meditate upon the facts of Samadhi on all planes the liberation of heat in chemistry, joy in natural history, Ananda in religion, when two things join to lose themselves in a third.
This is the third practice of Meditation (ccxx, I:28,29,30).

8. Let the Aspirant pay utmost reverence to the Authority of the A.·.A.·. and follow Its instructions, and let him swear a great Oath of Devotion unto Nuit.
This is the second practice of Ethics (ccxx, I:32).

9. Let the Aspirant beware the slightest exercvise of his will against another being. Thus, lying is a better posture than sitting or standing, as it opposes less resistance to gravitation. Yet his first duty is to the force nearest and most potent; e.g. he may rise to greet a friend.
This is the third practice of Ethics (ccxx, I:41).

10. Let the Aspirant exercise his will without the least consideration for any other being. This direction cannot be understood, much less accomplished, until the previous practice has been perfected.
This is the fourth practice of Ethics (ccxx, I:42,43,44).

11. Let the Aspirant comprehend that these two practices are identical.
This is the third practice of Intelligence (ccxx, I:45).

12. Let the Aspirant live the Life Beautiful and Pleasant. For this freedom hath he won. But let each act, especially of love, be devoted wholly to his true mistress, Nuit.
This is the fifth practice of Ethics (ccxx, I:51,52,61,63).

13. Let the Aspirant yearn toward Nuit under the stars of Night, with a love directed by his Magical Will, not merely proceeding from the heart.
This is the first practice of Magick Art (ccxx, I:57).

14. The Result of this Practice in the subsequent life of the Aspirant is to fill him with unimaginable joys: to give him certainty concerning the nature of the phenomenon called death, to give him peace unalterable, rest, and ecstasy.
This is the second Indication of the Nature of the Result
(ccxx, I:58).

15. Let the Aspirant prepare a perfume of resinous woods and gums, according to his inspiration.
This is the second practice of Magick Art (ccxx, I:59).

16. Let the Aspirant prepare a Pantacle, as follows. Inscribe a circle within a Pentagram, upon a ground square or of such other convenient shape as he may choose. Let the circle be of scarlet, the Pentagram black, the ground royal blue studded with golden stars. Within the circle, at its centre, shall be painted a sigil that shall be revealed to the Aspirant by Nuit herself. And this Pentacle shall serve for a Telesmantic Image, or as an Eidolon, or as a Focus for the mind.
This is the third practice of Magick Art (ccxx, I:60).

17. Let the Aspirant find a lonely place, if possible a place in the Desert of Sand, or if not, a place unfrequented, and without objects to disturb the view. Such are moorlands, fens, the oÿen sea, broad rivers, and open fields. Also, and especially, the summits of mountains. There let him invoke the Goddess as he hath Wisdom and Understanding so to do. But let this Invocation be that of a pure heart, i.e., a heart wholly devoted to Her, and let him remember that it is Hadit Himself in the most secret place thereof that invoketh. Then let this serpent Hadit burst into flame.
This is the fourth practice of Magick Art (ccxx, I:61).

18. Then shall the Aspirant come a little to lie in Her bosom.
This is the third Indication of the Nature of the Result
(ccxx, I:61).

19. Let the Aspirant stand upon the edge of a precipice in act or in imagination. And let him imagine and suffer the fear of falling.
Next let him imagine with this aid that the Earth is falling, and he with it, or he from it; and considering the infinity of space, let him excite the fear within him to the point of ecstasy, so that the most dreadful dream of falling that he hath ever suffered be as nothing in comparison. This is the forth practice of Meditation (Instruction of V.V.V.V.V.).

20. Thus having understood the nature of this Third Indication, let him in his Magick Rite fall from himself into Nuit, or expand into Her, as his imagination may compel him.
And at that moment, desiring earnestly the Kiss of Nuit, let him give one particle of dust, i.e., let Hadit give himself up utterly to Her.
This is the fifth practice of Magick Art (ccxx, I:61).

21. Then shall he lose all in that hour.
This is the fourth Indication of the Nature of the Result.
(ccxx, I:61).

22. Let the Aspirant prepare a lovesong of rapture unto the Goddess, or let him be inspired by Her unto this.
This is the sixth practice of Magick Art (ccxx, I:63).

23. Let the Aspirant be clad in a single robe. An "abbai" of scarlet wrought with gold is most suitable.
This is the seventh practice of Magick Art (ccxx, I:61).

24. Let the Aspirant wear a rich head-dress. A crown of gold adorned with sapphires or diamonds with a royal blue cap of maintenance, or nemmes, is most suitable.
This is the eighth practice of Magick Art (ccxx, I:61).

25. Let the Aspirant wear many jewels such as he may possess.
This is the ninth practice of Magick Art (ccxx, I:61).

26. Let the Aspirant prepare an Elixir or libation as he may have wit to do.
This is the tenth practice of Magick Art (ccxx, I:63).

27. Let the Aspirant invoke, lying supine, his robe spread out as it were a carpet.
This is the eleventh practice of Magick Art (Instruction of V.V.V.V.V.).

28. Summary. Preliminaries.
These are the necessary possessions.

• The Crown or head-dress.

• The Jewels.

• The Pantacle.

• The Robe.

• The Song or Incantation.

• The Place of Invocation.

• The Perfume.

• The Elixir.

29. Summary continued. Preliminaries.
These are the necessary comprehensions.

• The Natures of Nuit and Hadit, and their relation.

• The Mystery of the Individual Will.

30. Summary continued. Preliminaries.
These are the meditations necessary to be accomplished.

• The discovery of Hadit in the Aspirant, and identification with Him.

• The Continuous One.

• The Value of the Equation n + (-n).

• Cremnophobia.

31. Summary continued. Preliminaries.
These are the Ethical Practices to be accomplished.

• Assertion of the Kether-point-of-view.

• Reverence to the Order.

• Abolition of human will.

• Exercise of true will.

• Devotion to Nuit throughout a beautified life.

32. Summary continued. The Actual Rite.

• Retire to desert with crown and other insignia and implements.

• Burn perfume.

• Chant incantation.

• Drink unto Nuit the Elixir.

• Lying supine, with eyes fixed on the stars, practice the sensation of falling into nothingness.

• Being actually within the bosom of Nuit, let Hadit surrender Himself.

33. Summary concluded. The Results.

• Expansion of consciousness to that of the Infinte.

• "Loss of all" the highest mystical attainment.

• True Wisdom and perfect Happiness.

Samadhi?

To support the work on the After Abyss articles on this Blog (and in a forthcoming book), I will share descriptions of the nondual insights.

The nondual here translates to awareness far beyond or above the Abyss after the so-called identity collapse:  the anatta (or anatma, non-self) insight and the cessation experience (nirodha samapatti).

But to get there, let us first examine the authentic Thelema teachings on samadhi in the video below.

I say authentic because when we stray too far to the left-hand side (ego-tripping, as it were), we start to make up things on our own.

There is nothing wrong with that, for sure. In Truth, however, there is no need to invent new things, for Reallity above the Abyss is already perfect.

On a more personal note, great work summing up the original ideas on Samadhi, brother IAO131!

From beyond the Abyss (VII:): Mahamudra

May all adepts attain the City of Pyramids

Maitripa’s Essential Mahamudra Verses

To innermost bliss, I pay homage!

Were I to explain Mahamudra, I would say—
All phenomena? Your own mind!
If you look outside for meaning, you’ll get confused.
Phenomena are like a dream, empty of true nature,

And mind is merely the flux of awareness,
No self-nature: just energy flow.
No true nature: just like the sky.
All phenomena are alike, sky-like.

That’s Mahamudra, as we call it.
It doesn’t have an identity to show;
For that reason, the nature of mind
Is itself the very state of Mahamudra
(Which is not made up, and does not change).
If you realize this basic reality
You recognize all that comes up, all that goes on,
as Mahamudra,
The all-pervading dharma-body.

Rest in the true nature, free of fabrication.
Meditate without searching for dharma-body—
It is devoid of thought.
If your mind searches, your meditation will be confused.

Because it’s like space, or like a magical show,
There is neither meditation or non-meditation,
How could you be separate or inseparable?
That’s how a yogi sees it!

Then, aware of all good and bad stuff as the basic reality,
You become liberated.
Neurotic emotions are great awareness,
They’re to a yogi as trees are to a fire—FUEL!

What are notions of going or staying?
Or, for that matter, “meditating” in solitude?
If you don’t get this,
You free yourself only on the surface.

But if you do get it, what can ever fetter you?
Abide in an undistracted state.
Trying to adjust body and mind won’t produce meditation.
Trying to apply techniques won’t produce meditation either.

See, nothing is ultimately established.
Know what appears to have no intrinsic nature.
Appearances perceived: reality’s realm, self-liberated.
Thought that perceives: spacious awareness, self-liberated.
Non-duality, sameness [of perceiver and perceived]: the dharma-body.

Like a wide stream flowing non-stop,
Whatever the phase, it has meaning
And is forever the awakened state—
Great bliss without samsaric reference.

All phenomena are empty of intrinsic nature
And the mind that clings to emptiness dissolves in its own ground.
Freedom from conceptual activity
Is the path of all the Adepts.

I’ve put together these lines
That they may last for aeons to come.
By this virtue, may all beings without exception
Abide in the great state of Mahamudra.

- Maitripa

The After Abyss blogs

Checking the stats of visits on this Blog, I see that the post on the subject of Crossing the Abyss - Liber Cheth commentary and posts that deal with the whole After Abyss affairs are quite well received.

To make the searching and reading easier, here are all the blogs on the topic of Abyss and then some:

• Crossing the Abyss (Liber Cheth commentary) >>

• After Abyss >>

• After Abyss II.: Changeless reality >>

• After Abyss III.: Total identity collapse >>

• The Oath of the Abyss >>

• There is none else besides Him >>

• City of pyramids >>

• Magister Templi >>

• Simplicity >>

• Liber B vel Magi reading >>

• Fresh aliveness every day >> 

• From beyond the Abyss >>,  II. >>,   III. >>,   IV.>>

• Liber B vel Magi commentary - soon!

• Gone, gone, gone beyond: anatta >>

• From Beyond: cessation trance: nirodha-samāpatti >>

I am alone

"I am alone. There is no God where I am."

Liber AL II-23

After Abyss (III.): total identity collapse

Although inseparable (from a certain point of view), personal and transpersonal or spiritual development is indeed manifested as two distinctive processes:
- growing up (personal growth) and
- waking up (spiritual or transpersonal awakening).

In this blog post, I'd like to elaborate on the latter since the underlying subject in these blogs is states of awareness after crossing the Abyss. I'll present my thoughts on psychological-transpersonal identity development through two attainments: Binah and Chokmah, or Understanding and Wisdom.

Of course, Understanding and Wisdom do not and can not stand alone; they both rely on the Crown, Kether. So, I will submit the concept of "identity collapse" as a very important, if not the most important, experience up here above the Abyss.

Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the law

After crossing the Abyss, the identity of an adept is infused by the light so powerful that it looks like darkness. Our holy texts have labeled that light as NOX.

It is, of course, pure Light; it has nothing to do with the darkness of ignorance or anything else below the Abyss.

It is just so far beyond even the reach of the current state of consciousness of an adept that it appears as dark.

Interestingly enough, in the Vedanta teachings, there is a "cover" that dwells above the highest subtle material worlds, and it is dark or black. Yogis who wish to attain liberation must penetrate that dark cover (again, the Brhad Bhagavatamritam by Sanatan Gosvami comes to mind here; an eager adept ought to look into it.).

To attain this not-light or NOX, one has to choose to surrender all that she thinks or feels she is, along with every single spiritual attainment to the Babalon, our Lady, who resides in Binah.

You can find information on some aspects of that surrender in the blog post on Crossing the Abyss, here >>

After the successful crossing of the Abyss, an adept, now Master (of Samadhi, as per One star in sight, see below) promptly identifies with the Mother. Hmm. Maybe the word "identifies" is not precise enough; I think 'notices' or 'becomes aware of' or 'embraces the evident' is more accurate. It is not a question of attainment but a matter of noting what or Who has always been here.

The point I am making here is that the state of awareness attained in Binah is not new; it is not created anew, and therefore, it only has to be noticed. The Mother is always here; our Lady Babalon is forever present, even if some are not yet aware of Her fully.

And the one process, the only one to really become thoroughly identified with Her  (as far as I can see), is to surrender completely to Her. Surrendering here means to surrender everything not by cutting off or renouncing but by embracing everything. In practice, of course, this means opening up and embracing sorrow, too. And this might take a long time.

Consider this: how much suffering has already been experienced by you that has not yet been fully processed (faced with, felt through and through, and thus transformed)? And how much sorrow is present out there?

Well, all of that has to be embraced. And that is a very good thing! The more one opens up, the more inner support one receives!

When the process of surrender is complete, there is nothing left to embrace. There is not even one iota of sorrow (among other things) left to face, to really experience and to feel, and thus integrate into this state of awareness.

Tantric Master Khyentse Rinpoche has put this beautifully:

"The everyday practice is simply to develop a complete acceptance and openness to all situations and emotions, and to all people, experiencing everything totally without mental reservations and blockages, so that one never withdraws or centralizes into oneself.

This produces a tremendous energy which is usually locked up in the process of mental evasion and a general running away from life experiences.

Clarity of awareness, may, in its initial stages, be unpleasant or fear inspiring; if so, then one should open oneself completely to the pain or the fear and welcome it.

In this way the barriers created by one's own habitual emotional reactions and prejudices are broken down. When performing the meditation practice one should develop the feeling of opening oneself completely to the whole universe with absolute simplicity and nakedness of mind, ridding oneself of all protecting barriers.

One should realize that one does not meditate to go deeply into oneself and withdraw from the world. In buddhist yoga, even when meditating on chakras there is no introspection concentration; complete openness of mind is the essential  point."
(Source >>, emphasis mine. Download PDF here >>)


In fact, complete openness to everything, extreme sorrow included, is the natural state of a Master at the level of existence called Binah. And the Lady Herself is just as open, receiving, and lovingly giving Herself to everyone without exception and reservation.

And the Master is one with Her.

In our 'One star in sight', the Magister Templi is described as "...the Master of the Law of Sorrow (Dukkha)." (VI.) and "Master of samadhi." (II.).

An adept, now a Master, has won the dynamic and all-inclusive dance with sorrow or suffering and has integrated everything (including sorrow or suffering) into her consciousness by seeing through it. And one way to do that (in my experience) is through repeatedly entering and re-entering the Absolute Truth via samadhi, thus seeing it clearly.

Heh, it is all just one elaborate joke, watching the world go by from up here, you see. People are raising stormy waves in perfectly calm seas. My Tantric Master used to say: "You are all just playing out your dramas!".

Or, as our Prophet has so eloquently put it: "...The Masters of Truth are the only happy men, though they constantly observe what men stupidly call Sorrow.". (Liber 73).

It is really liberating to see through suffering, very much so. Kind of lonely, though.
But it sure is fun! :)

And yet, one can not stay forever at this level. When the new Master has acquired enough fluidity and integrated the Understanding of other Masters into his (daily) awareness, it is time to move on.


Identity collapse

Above the Abyss, there is no separation, meaning that the newcomer at the City of Pyramids is already aware of both Wisdom and Illumination. Only the focus differs.

And not before long, the focus from being Her, as it were, will shift on to......Him. And only the Mother can show you your Father, for only She really knows who and what He is.

The words lose their meaning right about here, I think. It is difficult to convey these experiences, to be sure. Initiation is a must; mere speculation will not do.

Let us just say that the more focus Master has on herself, the more Love she intends. And the more Love translates to more openness and surrender.

Liber B vel Magi comes to mind here: "And the Magus is Love..." (Liber B, 0).

What starts to happen (at least that's my experience and adepts from the Theravada Path share similar notions) is that the awareness and the Presence of Him/Love manifests more and more into everyday life awareness. According to the Theravada Path of four stages to Enlightenment, this starts to happen at the Anagami stage (third stage).

And the might of this Presence, the Presence of the One/Crown, sooner or later instigates what has in modern transpersonal psychology been dubbed as 'identity collapse'.

Leaving the usual drama and warnings and threats from our Holy books behind, this "collapse" is, at this level, a most joyous event. It is like finally being able to let go of, well, the Identity. And it 'feels' so good!

Our friends in Buddhist tradition call these experiences anatta and sunyata insights.

And the identity that collapses at this level is not the personal one or the ego. No. That was seen through at the K&C of the HGA attainment. And it is not even the HGA-infused identity. No. That was left behind in the process of crossing the Abyss.

The identity collapse here "collapses" the identity of being Her and/or Him.

Beyond personal identity, beyond the identity of a soul, and even beyond the identity of the One (emanated as Father and Mother, Wisdom and Understanding, Bliss and Emptiness, Light and Dark and manifested as the One Child, Heruraha, Baphomet or any other "entity") - beyond all of that, there is that which is formless. 

Formless here translates to essence-less-ness, emptiness or sunyata, and anatta or anatman (not-self).



One way of putting this:

"The very meaning of the 'Mahamudra - Great Perfection', refers to the true primordial state of every individual and not to any transcendent reality."
— Chogyal Namkhai Norbu

These experiences are so abstract that words convey not nearly enough!

From the practical side of things, the collapse discussed herein contributes to a really deep sense of peace (as no one is here to disturb the peace), clarity of perception, and freedom of expression or activity in a variety of ways.

Of course, even these experiences at this level do not last long, for there is an even deeper and more liberating neutral and natural Reality to be attained.....

......and here we must embark on the path that leads to Illumination through the state of consciousness called nirodha samapatti.

In Liber AL (III-67) this event is described as "the fourth ordeal" (emphasis mine, source >>):

"Through the fourth, ultimate sparks of the intimate fire."

"Beyond the one, how shall he pass on? What is this One, which is in every place the Centre of All? Indeed the logic-girders of our souls need lightening, if we would win to freedom of such Truth as this!

Now in the 'stones of precious water' the Light leapt clear indeed, but they were not themselves that Light. This sphere of the One is indeed Ra-Hoor-Khuit; is not our Crowned and Conquering Child the source of Light? Nay, he is finite form of Unity, child of two married infinities; and in this last ordeal the aspirant must go beyond even his Star, finding therein the core thereof Hadit, and losing it also in the Body of Nuit.

Here is no Path that he may tread, for all is equally everywhere; nor is there any sphere to attain, for measure is now no more.

There are no words to make known the Way; this only is said, that to him that hath passed through this fourth ordeal this Book is as 'ultimate sparks'. No more do they reflect or transmit the Light; they themselves are the original, the not-to-be-analysed Light, of the 'intimate fire' of Hadit! He shall see the Book as it is, as a shower of the Seed of the Stars!"

Love is the law, love under will.

More on this subject in the forthcoming commentary to Liber B vel Magi.

Check out also The Oath of the Abyss here >>

All blogs on the subject of Reality above Abyss, The after Abyss blogs >>

After Abyss (I.)

Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law

There are important realizations to be integrated into life after the so called crossing of the Abyss (as per Qabalah). And in the present blog I'd like to elaborate upon this rather important subject.

Formless Divinity is what I would call the truly transpersonal stage of awareness. I say stage, not a state. If we look at modern transpersonal psychology, the transpersonal stages are three: the Subtle (Briah), the Causal (Aziluth) and the Nondual (above Aziluth). Anyone can have an insight into any state at any level of her/his current development. States (fleeting insights) are free, stages (permanent attainments) are earned, Ken Wilber says. I agree fully.

And after crossing the Abyss (see this blog >>), the identifications with various God-forms (including Ishta Deva or HGA) are "left behind", so to speak, only to realize permanent identification and spontaneous nature of Being Her (Binah) and, in due time, Him (Chokmah).

There are various levels (not types) of mystical experiences, called samadhi. Samadhi is a Sanskrit word meaning One (sama) with the Absolute (adi).

I experienced first samadhi back in 1993 and I have been entering laya and sabikalpa samadhi states (see below) at will since around 2007. It is like bliss on demand, nothing ever touches you, for you are one with the One, a mere witness, completely free...and alone.

Anyway, some of the levels of samadhi I would like to describe are:

• Laya samadhi
  It can be had during walking, dancing, making love, running. It is an entry point, as it were, for the truly spiritual or transpersonal stages of consciousness.
  Effort is needed for attainment of this level of samadhi.

• Sabikalpa samadhi
  It is a direct experience of the Absolute at the Subtle or Causal levels (Briah or Aziluth). It is an experience limited by time. I like to refer to this level of samadhi as Saguna samadhi (samadhi with form. Form in this context translates to transpersonal forms of God/Goddesses, of course). At this level, the so called Bhava (rapture) samadhi may be experienced as well.
  
  Effort is still needed for attainment of this level of samadhi, even if only a little shift in attention is employed.
  
  As I shared above, I used to enter Sabikalpa samadhi for years, at will, anytime, anywhere.
  
  "In sabikalpa samadhi the devotee has spiritually progressed to a state of inward divine union, but cannot maintain his cosmic consciousness except in the immobile trance-state. By continuous meditation, he reaches the superior state of nirbikalpa samadhi, where he moves freely in the world and performs his outward duties without any loss of God-realization.”
  - Paramhansa Yogananda

• Kevala Nirbikalpa Samadhi 

This is a direct experience of the Causal level (Aziluth), and is on the other side of the Abyss. It is the so called Nirguna samadhi, a formless Oneness with the Absolute. 

In this experience, all movement in awareness ceases, and all that is left is only the Absolute Self. And it is or was one of the most important experiences of my life. 

Such an experience eradicates the apparent and illusory separateness of the Soul and Godhead, Creator and Creation, Nirvana and Samsara, Unmanifested and Manifested, Yogamaya and Mahamaya, Khabs and Khu - Absolute and "relative" merge into One, forever.

Grace is needed for attainment of this level of samadhi, and after the attainment has occurred, no effort in needed anymore, ever. This is attainment of Binah, or complete and permanent identification with and surrender to, the One Goddess or God (moving on to Chokmah) and beyond them both.

It is efortless and silent awareness, present even now.

Sahaja Nirbikalpa Samadhi
This is the final stage, the ultimate experience that equals to Great Liberation, moksha, the end of the Great Work, and is in fact the attainment of Kether as per Qabalah.

Sri Ramana Maharshi;

“In yoga the term samādhi refers to some kind of trance and there are various kinds of samādhi. But the samādhi I speak of is different. It is sahaja samādhi. From here you have samadhana [steadiness] and you remain calm and composed even while you are active. You realize that you are moved by the deeper real Self within. You have no worries, no anxieties, no cares, for you come to realize that there is nothing belonging to you. You know that everything is done by something with which you are in conscious union.”

Anatta and Sunyata insights
After attainment of the "I am" presence, the Causal self, the Absolute Self, or the Kether as per Qabalah, there are still possible realizations to be had.

We must leave the Vedanta teachings behind, however, and embark upon the Buddhist teachings on anatta and sunyata. These experiences are way beyond even the Causal self or the Kether as per Qabalah. And they are liberating as hell.

I will write more about anatta and sunyata, total identity collapse and about nirodha-samapatti as well, in the next blog in the After Abyss series.

Love is the law, love under will.

See the next blog post: After Abyss II.: Changless Reality >>

See the next blog post in the After Abyss series: After Abyss (III.): total identity collapse >>