
6 3 5

The Divine Light and Third Eye

third eye stuff
In for fair wisdom -
"THE FACE of the True (Brahman) is covered with a golden disk. Open that, Pushan, that we may see the nature of the True." [Brihadaranayaka Upanishad 5.15.1]

Looking Heavenward
The Contemplative

Supporting "well medleys" are presupposed throughout:

Looking heavenward

As you may have seen in part 1, a considerable part of Paramahansa Yogananda's teachings revolve around the exciting "third eye". There are many other names. Buddhist tradition has a similar idea and representations of it too, for example on statues.
If walking over a bridge one dark night you see nothing with shut eyes, it surely reflects a problem of not seeing well. To see well, get fair first. There are sound existential reasons for thinking so. Maybe such a point is much overlooked.
Now, some yoga fellowships, like Self-Realization Fellowship, have canonical literature parts, and some of them revolve around the third eye. Some could like to call it the eye of Odin. Is "the third eye" a fairy tale item, or is there something and someone inside it? Feel free to add capital S to 'omeone' yourself, if needs be.

Folk tale wisdom

In folk tales there are some with added eyes too, and that's much good for them in general.

Early that morning, when the stars were growing pale in the sky, two little boys with golden hair and stars on their foreheads were born to Lara. And the stepmother, who was watching, took them away. [More here: Click]

Proverbs about eyes

The master's eye makes the horse fat. [Ap 191]
Two eyes can se better than one. [Ap 190]
Don't trust a Hungarian unless he has a third eye on his forehead. (British) [Dp 185]
Four eyes see more than two. [Ap 190]
The night has a thousand eyes. [Ap 191]

Somewhere in between one and a thousand eyes we come across the verdict that four eyes see more than two, two more than one, and that the night has many eyes.

The wisdom eye of God - Lahiri Baba

Kriya practice opens the eye of wisdom. [Lahiri Baba's 5th saying.

Lahiri Baba is the guru of Sri Yukteswar who is quoted right above. And Lahiri Baba seems to suggest something else too: "Wisdom gives you a blue eye."
In this teaching the 'eye of wisdom' is the same as 'Shiva's eye' and the 'third eye'. Opening it up forms part of what we may call insider training. In other words, there are ways to do it. Now, as you are taught to exercise, you may not see the eye full well at first. It may take long years, even. And then you may notice diffused light, maybe. It whirls and condenses into shapes that come closer and closer to this one (one of the figures). And then the rigorous trainee seeks to keep his blue eye together. It may not open for long in the start.
This series of guru-endorsed information opens up for a tentative look through the nose and forehead rather than through literature.

Cast a fresh eye on things more often for your own good.
Unsound doctrine should not interfere with the study of the "inner" third eye and also gliding along inside that sphere of existence.

Io and Zeus

In Greek mythology Io is the daughter of the river god of Argos, and she is regarded as the first priestess of the wife of Zeus, which is Hera.
Zeus changed Io into a white heifer. Hera persuaded Zeus to give her the heifer and sent Argus Panoptes ("the All-Seeing") to watch her. Hermes (Mercury) then lulled Argus to sleep and killed him. Hera then sent a gadfly to bother Io, who therefore wandered all over the earth, crossed the Ionian Sea, swam the strait that was known as the Bosporus (Ox-Ford) after it, and at last reached Egypt.
In Egypt the heifer was restored to her original form and became the mother of Epaphus, and Epaphus was identified with Apis, the sacred bull. And Io was identified with the Egyptian goddess Isis.
The bull was carried off by order of Hera, but he was found again by Io - she wandered to Byblos in Syria to get him.
This legend strip happens to bring together Io and the Syrian goddess Astarte. In ancient Greece, with its ties to Minotic civilisation, there was much interchange with the East and Egypt, and foreign gods were deftly identified with Greek ones.

In the end Io-Isis found Egypt and got restored: she mothered the sacred ox there.

Argus, a look aside

Peacock, spreading fan

Peacock feathers have "giant's eyes" on them. Argus of the Greeks was said to have plenty of eyes, he too. Here's the story. As usual, much symbolism can be hidden inside the artistic sketch:
Argus Panoptes is an "all seeing" figure in Greek legend. Whose offspring he is, is described in differing ways, yet he is also an aboriginal hero (autochthon). His surname derives from the hundred eyes in his head or all over his body. After Argus was slain, his eyes were transferred by Hera to the tail of the peacock.

To have a hundred eyes wasn't enough for Argus - he didn't cope well enough anyhow.

Some stop seeing auras, others stop seeing what's good for them

Even if you see a lot, like the guarding Argus, it's possible to fall asleep from it. Psychological repression is much like it. Many defence maneuvres detected inside the psychoanalytic tradition describe such facets of living. It's a brave man that doesn't fall asleep in stupid ways. ¤Pocr.

Defence mechanisms take deeper sanity for the sake of appearances on the surface levels - they don't give it. And that's the big problem.

Divine Light Mission, now Elan Vital

http://www.ex-premie.org/papers/medtech.htm#LIGHT

The finest hero is seldom found

The tallest hero sees a lot more than others.
Dr. Rollo May points out that unless the client is strong enough to see and tackle an insight, he tends to mobilise neurotic defence mechanisms against it, just to preserve or bolster up some faked self-image to bask inside. Yes, it's part of the "canon" of existential psychology to mean that we have to be strong for an insight that displeases us mightily inside. In such cases alcoholics want to silence, arrest or harass the doctor who firmly says they have to stop drinking.

To bask in your own garden, you have to get rid of the nasty intruders if you don't keep them well away all along.

Poetically said: Gods among men can have body vision from deep inside

The tallest man sees through his body also. Seeing is believing. To have a hundred eyes is an embodied way of suggesting that one sees more than usual. The technique of poetic suggestions by round numbers is common in Tibet as well, such as in "the hundred thousand songs" of Milarepa. it means many, just that. The technique called poetic exaggeration is much used in Asia. (¤Tm) It's a way of expression.
When suggestive outlets are transferred into the other arts, embodiments are likely to set in: Argus has eyes on his body. Later a peacock gets them. The question is how well the bird sees, and your own buttocks, for that matter.
We see things are as we are. ¤Ap 530.
That outlook is tall. It's found inside up-to-date quantum physics: We find that our perception of the outer world stem from how we're designed deep inside our nervous system and mind as well - our perception is to no small degree a function of how we function. ¤"Thd, last chapters.

In a candid light, things are also good perceptions to man.

The Contemplative

These verses are taken from the spiritual classic The Cloud of Unknowing. It is a Medieval text, and the terms and expressions are not exactly as in Evelyn Underhill's old-fashioned translation, but not (yet) good modern English either. Nonetheless, it is presented here. [Check] From the book:

No specific calling is needed for fair contemplation

BE WARY in this work, and strain not your heart in your breast over-rudely nor out of measure. [From Ch. 46]
   Get you your health as much as you may. [From Ch. 41]
   Before man sinned was the sensuality so obedient to the will, to the which it is as it were servant, that it ministered never to it any unordained liking or grumbling in any bodily creature. [From Ch. 66]
   Some men are so cumbered in nice curious customs in bodily bearing, that when they shall anything hear, they writhe their heads on one side quaintly, and up with the chin: they gape with their mouths as they should hear with their mouth and not with their ears. ... Some row with their arms in time of their speaking, as them needed for to swim over a great water. ... If these unseemly and unordained practices be governors of that man that does them, insomuch that he may not leave them when he will, then I say that they be tokens of pride and curiosity of wit, and of unordained shewing and covetyse of knowing. And specially they be very tokens of unstableness of heart and unrestfulness of mind, and specially of the lacking of the work (of contempation). [From Ch. 53]
   And it should by some reason rather be called a sudden changing, than any stirring of place. For time, place, and body: these three should be forgotten in all spiritual working. And therefore be wary. [From Ch. 59]
   For some there be that without much and long spiritual exercise may not come thereto, and yet it shall be but full seldom, and in special calling of our Lord that they shall feel the perfection of this work: the which calling is called ravishing. And some there be that be so subtle in grace and in spirit, and so homely with God in this grace of contemplation, that they may have it when they will in the common state of man's soul: as it is in sitting, going, standing, or kneeling. And yet in this time they have full deliberation of all their wits bodily or spiritual, and may use them if they desire: not without some letting (but without great letting). [From Ch. 71]
   In our bodily observance we should lift up our eyes and our hands if we be stirred in spirit. But I say that the work of our spirit shall not be direct neither upwards nor downwards, nor on one side nor on other, nor forward nor backward, as it is of a bodily thing. For why, our work should be spiritual. [From Ch. 57]
   Inobedience [unruliness] of the imagination may clearly be conceived in newlings. [From Ch. 65] ¤
   A [certain] good will is the substance of all perfection. [From Ch. 49]
   I had rather be nowhere bodily, wrestling with that blind nothing, than to be so great a Lord that I might when I would be everywhere bodily, merrily playing with all this anything as a Lord with his own. [From Ch. 68]

Many don't notice their inner spirit-sides

MEMORY is called a principal power, for it contains in it spiritual not only all the other powers, but thereto all those things in the which they work. See by the proof. [From Ch. 63]
   To pray in the height and the deepness, the length and the breadth of our spirit. And that not in many words, but in a little word of one syllable. And what shall this word be? [We suggest hangsaw to you. The method is free.] [From Ch. 39)
   Should you ask me how you shall govern yourself discreetly in [food] meat and in sleep, and in all these other, I think to answer you right shortly: "Get that you get may." Do this work evermore without ceasing and without discretion, and you shall well ken begin and cease in all other works with a great discretion. ... Lift up your heart. [From Ch. 42] ¤
   Let be this everywhere and this anything, in comparison or this nowhere and this nothing. Reck you never if your wits cannot reason of this nothing; for surely, I love it much the better. It is so worthy a thing in itself, that they cannot reason thereupon. This nothing may better be felt than seen: for it is full blind and full dark to them that have but little while looked thereupon. Nevertheless, if I shall soothlier say, a soul is more blinded in feeling of it for abundance of spiritual light, than for any darkness or wanting of bodily light. ... for of it he is well learned to know the reason of all things bodily or spiritual, without any special beholding to any one thing by itself. [From Ch. 68]
   Both the will and the thing that is willed, the memory contains and comprehends in it. [From Ch. 64]

To understand and counteract evil at work requires grace and depends on more than good and chic words

FLESHLY janglers, flatterers and blamers, ronkers and ronners, and all manner of pinchers, cared I never that they saw this book: for mine intent was never to write such thing to them. [From Ch. 74]
   A man should have discretion spiritual; and can dissever the good from the evil, and the evil from the worse, and the good from the better, before he gave any full doom [judgement] of anything that he heard or saw done or spoken about him. And by a man's brain is spiritual understood imagination; for by nature it dwells and works in the head. [From Ch. 55]
   I bid you so childishly cover and hide the stirring of your desire from God. And yet I bid you not plainly hide it ... On one manner shall a thing be shown to man, and on another manner to God. [From Ch. 47]
   On the same manner shall you do with this little word "God". [From Ch. 40]
   Above yourself you are: for why, you attain to come there by grace, whither you may not come by nature. That is to say, to be oned to God, in spirit, and in love, and in accordance of will. Beneath your God you are: for why, although it may be said in manner, that in this time God and you be not two but one in spirit--insomuch that you or another, for such onehead that feels the perfection of this work, may soothfastly by witness of scripture be called a god--nevertheless yet you are beneath him. [From Ch. 67]
   For why, he is God by nature without beginning; and you, that sometime were nothing in substance, and thereto after when you were by his might and his love made anything, wilfully with sin made yourself worse than nothing, only by his mercy without your desert are made a god in grace, oned with him in spirit without departing, both here and in bliss of heaven without any end. So that, although you be all one with him in grace, yet you are full far beneath him in nature. [From Ch. 67]
   You may not come to heaven bodily, but spiritually. And yet it shall be so spiritual, that it shall not be in bodily manner; neither upwards nor downwards, nor on one side nor on other, behind nor before. ... They read "lift up" or "go in," although all that the work of this book be called a stirring, ... this stirring stretch neither up bodily, nor in bodily, nor yet that it be any such stirring as is from one place to another. [From Ch. 59]
   And although that it be sometime called a rest, nevertheless yet they shall not think that it is any such rest as is any abiding in a place without removing therefrom. For the perfection of this work is so pure and so spiritual in itself, that an it be well and truly conceived, it shall be seen far removed from any stirring and from any place. [From Ch. 59]
   Some creatures be so weak and so tender in spirit, that unless they were somewhat comforted by feeling of such sweetness, they might on nowise abide nor bear the diversity of temptations and tribulations ... And some there be that they be so weak in body that they may do no great penance to cleanse them with. ... There be some creatures so strong in spirit, that they can pick them comfort enough within in their souls, in offering up of this reverent and this meek stirring of love and accordance of will, that them need not much to be fed with such sweet comforts in bodily feelings. Which of these be holier or more dear with God, one than another, God knows and I not. [From Ch. 50]
   Lo, spiritual friend! Hereby may you see somewhat in part, that whoso knows not the powers of their own soul, and the manner of their working, may full lightly be deceived in understanding of words that be written to spiritual intent. And therefore may you see somewhat the cause why that I durst not plainly bid you shew your desire to God, but I bade you childishly do that in you is to hide it and cover it. And this I do for fear lest you should conceive bodily that that is meant spiritual. [From Ch. 67] (7)

Homily

No specific calling is needed to benefit from fair, accurate and well done contemplation.
Let those who notice things from the spirit-side, tell from it. The sound, mature conscience is a key.
Counteract evil at work in any way you can. This conquest and constant warfare depends on grace and far more than costy rituals, grand outfit, and chiding words. It often takes rest.

Much depends on tact in encountering teachers willing to let you learn good contemplation methods in the first place. Then you should remain perceptive inside yourself. Paying attention to nightly dreams is a favoured method here. Thoughts may be needed in some cases and places, good outfit in others, and decency - in addition to good rest. To rest well is very important and overlooked by many.

Adjoined

Ak: Yogananda, Pa.: Man's Eternal Quest. SRF. Los Angeles, 1975.
Ha: Yogananda, Pa.: Autobiography of a Yogi. 12th ed. Self-Realization Fellowship (SRF). Los Angeles, 1981.
Pa: Yogananda, Pa.: Autobiography of a Yogi. 11th ed. Self-Realization Fellowship. Los Angeles, 1971. – ONLINE 1st edition

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