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For me, the spiritual path was a confusion of what should be the end game. Like most, we tend to glorify individuals who have accomplished certain esoteric abilities, whether it be the ability to heal, to perceive beyond the norm, or conduct actions beyond our modern scientific understanding. Those who have acquired certain abilities typically end up with followers, not a bad thing at first, but which may lead to guru worship. We all need gurus, be it our fellow humans, life itself, or that level of perception within beyond identification, we need to remove the obstacles of our ignorance in order to perceive on a wider scale. However, I don't think we need any more golden calves, especially in the age of information. As Nisargadatta Maharaj stated, "Do not look for a guru; do not even think of one. Make your goal your guru. After all, the guru is but a means to an end, not the end itself". In addition, Abhinavagupta in his Sri Tantraloka sets a rather high standard for a guru, where the guru in essence, should be none other than Shiva himself. Shiva does not create or manage creation/matter, he destroys and transcends it. Should one fail to find such a guru, turn to Adi Shakti herself, the feminine aspect of Shiva. Abhinavagupta further discusses two modes that can be requested for an adept, though does not go into detail, nor is one considered superior to the other. The first category would be that of attaining boons, or Siddhas, many of which mimic the goals of other mystical practices relating to magick. The second is enlightenment, and given the correlation between Advaita and Saiva, enlightenment would be Self-Realization, where the individual ego (jiva), identifies with the cosmic ego (jagat), which then can collapse in itself into the formless bliss of Brahman or the Tao.
This is what separates Enlightenment from Siddhis/Magick, where such boons or abilities, are further illusions within the grand illusion, lila. Moreover, such abilities can not only attach one further into the illusion where it may just be too much fun in conducting such magick, but it would further attach other individuals who become attached to the adept. We've all seen it, we have a programmed tendency, often labelled as "natural", to worship and glorify something, be it our spiritual elders, our leaders, or our celebrities. Unlike Enlightenment, Siddhis/Magick can similarly push you and others in the path to Self, but the potential for further delusion seems to be substantial. I'm assuming this is why Abhinavagutpa stated to use Adi Shakti who is Ma Kali, the destroyer of ego, the dissolution of all form, as a guide, where such abilities do not become a distraction. Further, occult initiates, including Aleister Crowley all stressed communion with Self labelled the Holy Guardian Angel. Though the two paths can be different in a sense where the attainable goals are different, where the one Self Realized may not care so much for the realm of illusion other than helping other release their delusions, both paths are an expansion of consciousness. Expanse of consciousness is essentially seeing the illusion in new perspectives that offer a wider glimpse. Though siddhas/magick seem to be graduated steps into widening such perspectives of what is possible within the illusion, Self is as wide as the perspective can get where the illusion is finally dissolved. The problem for the adept is that, you would have to want Self more than the glittery Siddhi/Magick of illusion. These perspectives often labelled as "blessings" or "gifts" can be extremely inhibiting from reaching to dissolve the "blessings" and "gifts" for Self. Though many gurus are worshiped, or will give you something to worship, all of such are simply aspects of the Greek Psyche, or the Jungian archetypes of the mind. It seems that the true Enlightened guru will always have you looking within, to discover your own true Self. When you are learning about the nature of the psyche, an even greater aura of the unknown exists. The unknown portions of the psyche and its greater horizons, therefore, have often been perceived as gods or as the greater psyches out of which the (little) self emerged."
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The concept of transcendence is a popular one, particularly if you've dabbled in Eastern philosophies. Though one aspect of most religions is to propagate a creator, flourish creation, the idea of transcendence is to move beyond all of that above the realm of matter. Hence, transcendence is typically associated with Shiva, the lord of destruction, or his yoginis/dakinis, the fierce destructive feminine often frowned upon by those who worship the creator. 1. Religion and Much of Spirituality is NOT Transcendence Much of what we tout as "spirituality" or "religious", does not fall under the realm of transcendence. Again, most religions worship a creator, or manager of creation who leads us from the dualistic concept of unrighteousness to righteousness. Let's take religion for an example, where much of our scriptures both Biblical and Puranic or more political/historical based as opposed to understanding the realm of spirit. The Biblical Old Testament, from my research, is merely expounding the Jewish politics of the "Holy Land", where much of the testament of these ancient Hebrews seem to be an attempt to show the political landscape of the Canaanites. In addition, much more is disclosed by the Akkadian, Sumerian, etc., script, that leave one questioning who this jealous Old Testament deity may have actually been. The same applies for the majority of Indo-Aryan Vedic-Puranic script, where these Aryan deities look a lot like Greco-Egyptian beings, much like the infusion that was brought under the Hellenic period. To tie into the "Holy Land", the controversial work of Zecharia Setchin holds that it was Sumerian Goddess Inanna held domain over the Indus Valley. The Goddess Inanna holds numerous symbolism that may have some connection to other stories. Just as Inanna went into the underworld and had to raise herself up into the heavens again, so did Sati/Parvati in Hinduism have to use yoga to remember herself while she was lost in samsara (Spirit wandering in Matter). Moreover, just as Mary Magdalene was healed of her "seven demons" by Jesus, Inanna had to go through "seven" gates of hell. Lastly, the whole going into the underworld, and being raised from such "death" is akin to our seasons of winter and springtime where another name for Inanna is Ishtar, which some have claimed is the root of "Easter". Constantine was a well known devout pagan, and my research is showing more and more, that just as how the ancient Hebrews synthesized all other Canaanite deities into the Canaanite deity Yahweh, Constantine may have well synthesized the numerous Roman-Greco-Egyptian (Dionysus, Mithraic, etc.) cults into one deity, Jesus. Modern Christians say that such pagan influence was done mainly to convert the pagans, where it is well known that Jesus was not born anytime near Christmas (Mithraic Concept). An odd understanding, especially since the Roman Church is controlling what would otherwise be a natural cycle under the seasons and astrological patterns via the unnatural Gregorian Calendar. The Roman Church was capable of more than just blending with pagan myths, where one has to consider the Church's intent, especially since much of the Roman Church teachings drastically contradict the much earlier Gnostic Christian teachings. Further, much of what is deemed "spirituality" also still falls under the material arena. Like religion which sought to control history, control government via tradition and culture, which is really supporting the realm of material creation, much of spirituality is quite similar. Mindfulness teachings, unlike Advaita, teach one to be present to the moment, to what is being observed. Such mindfulness makes one mindful of the material realm. Sure, such teachings have purpose, but it may only be slight transcendence where one is still focused on matter. Moreover, we have these "mind, body, soul" teachings. However, the body is part of the material realm, and mind-thoughts are typically associated with the body being the receiver, interpreted by the receiver, and are therefore based on form or the material world. Hence, the mind and body are part of the material realm. Further, unlike religion, mystics separate Spirit from Soul, where soul is simply the aspect of one that moves from one body identity to the next via reincarnation, where Spirit is beyond creation. Soul would be the glue between Spirit and Matter, where most souls only look towards matter. While the soul maybe the watcher of the body and maybe external events, Spirit may be the watcher of the watcher of the body, or beyond where there is no form/tangible to watch. So these spiritual "mind, body, soul" teachings do not fit the venue of transcendence. 2. Transcendence is Dissolving the Jars We've Placed Ourselves In In Hinduism, unlike the Vedas or Puranas that propagate a being to be appeased or worshiped, the mystics crafted the more subtle Upanisads, which was historically met with disdain as with every mystical tradition. There is the understanding of an Atma, or little spirit, and Brahman, which implies the ultimate truth. Such concepts are described with the metaphor of Atma being like the air inside of a jar, and Brahman being the air outside of a jar. These simple truth is again described in the Saiva mystical tradition as a meditative practice in the Vijnananbhairava. Here, to truly know thy self becomes key, to know the air within sans the jar, where all of our yogic-meditative practices is to dissolve the jar. Again, our religions and spiritual concepts are full of ideas that simply add to the jar. We worship the one that created the jar as opposed to the essence behind it, we worship and place on pedestals those that have the nicest jar based on religious-moral-cultural standards, we fight over jars that are associated with different identities, we create and honor a lineage for the jar, some even worship and honor the elements that compose the jar, all the while the air remains unlimited and free from all such labels, humanity has tried its hardest to make the air form itself into a jar. Many masters have come and pointed the way, but as Osho would say, many would rather cling to the pointing finger and even suck on it. Here, the jar becomes the finger, where many would rather worship the finger as opposed to truly understand the concept of, "the Kingdom of Heaven (God) is Within You". (Luke 17:21). In addition, the master himself states, "Do not let heaven's kingdom become a desert within you...I tell you the truth, whoever will receive life and believe in the kingdom will never leave it, not even if the Father wants to banish him". The Secret Book of James. Going back to transcendence and the use of tantrik deities that are typically fierce and opponents to creation (matter), and the use of meditation to disassociate from all material and tangible so that one is no longer lost in the illusory world of form, all of these transcendental practices as taught by the Tantriks, Gnostics, Hermetics, Alchemists, Sufi's, etc., in violent contradiction with orthodox beliefs (Brahmanic- Hindu, Orthodox Christian, non-Akhenaten Egyptian, Modern Science, Islam; all designed to either worship or study the jar), are done in order to dissolve the jar. We are not the religious stories and cultural heritage; we are not the mind, body, soul; we are not the world of form and the elements that compose it. We are so much more, and yet, so much less. To dissolve the decorated jar that we are so deeply attached for the air, is the meaning of transcendence. To transcend is to move beyond matter and form to Know Thy Self, the True Self. To know the True Self, the air, is to Realize who you have always been. Self-Realization. The air inside the jar is the same as the air outside of the jar. God-Realization. Don't take my word for it. After all, who am I to say that I know anything. When in fact, I know nothing. No-thing. Not this, nor this. Neti Neti. Transcend! In an intentional approach to the mystical life, therefore, it is first necessary to rid our minds of all prepossessions and predispositions, of the opinions we have formed, the conclusions we have formed, the conclusions we have arrived at arbitrarily, and especially by way of hearsay. We must mentally disrobe, remove the cloak of custom which we unconsciously had wrapped about ourselves more firmly each year. We must free our minds of all such encumbrances and be prepared to accept only those things which, as the famous philosopher Descartes said, arouse within us an intuitive acceptance of them, feeling that they are true and constitute real knowledge. A major field of study for me has been the Shakti/Yogini cults of India, where connection with the divine through the use of powerful mantras is stressed over strict doctrines. Hence, a major drift away from Aryan-Brahmanic Hinduism, which stresses the importance of Vedic literature and external rituals (sans the controversial Atharva-Veda). Therefore, you have a strict doctrinal practice where those not observing such precincts are considered lower/outcastes and are often persecuted, versus a shamanic practice stressing power in the "here and the now" as opposed to an afterlife betterment. It seems these esoteric practices bridge the spiritual realm within the material where immediate results are sought, where exoteric stresses a better afterlife either through a heaven or higher form of birth (including caste). It is interesting to note that these esoteric traditions stress an "oral" tradition, where a student sits with a master. Prior to my own experiences, I would assume that was due to the fact that the teacher was educated and would provide discourses. In modern times under the age of information, we have numerous sources to seek such information, where almost everything can be considered a "guru". Even in Judaism, the "oral" tradition is stressed where such may be the roots of Jewish mysticism. From my own experiences with Shakti mantras, as well as significant inner movements and expansions felt from listening to psychic channelers, and energy healers, I'm inclined to believe that the "oral" tradition is something much more than simply providing words, but something called in Hinduism as Darshan. My own interpretation of this Darshan is like an energetic gift provided from a master to a student. Be it shaktipat, reiki, or some other form of chakra work. It's that something extra transmitted telepathically from an individual who has done significant inner work, and has the ability to trigger us in unknown ways that flower within us. Another group that I'm attempting to study include the mystical Christian traditions, where such traditions seem much closer-related to the Shakti cults of India as opposed to exoteric Christianity. From the Moravian Church, to Swedenborg who influenced Sir William Blake, to the mysterious group who many claimed Jesus was more than privy, the Essenes, it appears that many have attempted to come closer to the divine through techniques beyond simple belief and rote reading and interpretation of doctrine. This whole concept of Darshan, or an oral aspect, where writing would be a corruption of the telepathic transmissions, seems to pervade numerous cultures, where such gifts are only provided to a chosen few deemed worthy. The oral tradition of Judaism is traced to Moses on Mt. Sinai, where such was given to a select few while the masses were provided with the doctrinal 10 commandments. Nonetheless, as historically seen and continuing through our world, this doctrine sans Darshan is taken as law, which then leads to bloodshed on a global scale accusing the opponents as law-breakers. This is seen from not only Muslims who choose a violent route based on corrupted interpretations of scripture, but Christians who refuse to turn the other cheek or treat "the least" of individuals as they would treat Jesus. In addition, Hinduism holds the same respect, where Brahmins cans be seen as the judgmental Pharisees in the time of Christ, who only look towards doctrine as opposed to following their heart. As an example, the news has been flooded with information of Hindus using violence against Muslims for their use of cattle, given that beef is highly sacrilegious for Hindus. (Do note, I'm still attempting to find the roots of Beef-Prohibition and Cow-Worship in Hinduism, outside of agricultural purposes; If seeking Ma has taught me anything, it's to not be attached to blind devotion). From such conduct, a Cow is considered more sacred than a thought-provoking conscious Human being, typical for a culture raised under a caste-system belief system. However, such is counter to Upanisad philosophy, especially that of Advaita Vedanta, where the same atma that flows through the Muslim, flows through the Hindu, and "all that is", which is the "ocean of consciousness", Brahman-Chit. Nonetheless, the Brahmanic Pharisees would rather have us seeing doctrine or tradition, as opposed to heart-based truth. Hence, the reason why tantriks have been historically persecuted and rewritten much out of Hindu history where Professor B.N. Shastri, in his translation of The Kalikapurana, has indicated in his introduction that much of the tantrik elements have been edited out of the Puranas due to Brahmanic prejudices. Going back to Christian mysticism, it is important to note that such groups sought a telepathic transmission from the divine itself. Just as tantriks have shaktipat seeking the blessing of Sri Vidya ("Vid" meaning "to know" or "wisdom"), these mystic Christians sought "gnosis" (defined as "to Know") to obtain Sophia ("wisdom"). Such Darshan is well beyond man-filtered, man-made, man-interpreted doctrine, tradition, and culture, which similarly countered and threatened the Pharisees. In my further seeking of the Essenes, I'm lead to Jodi Magness' The Holy Land Revealed (Greater Courses Plus), where Professor Magness discloses religious political influence over spiritual thought as well as the drastic evolution of the polytheistic Hebrew people. As an example, the ancient Hebrews were highly influenced by neighboring cultures, where it seems that Hebrew monotheism was a result of attempting to unite differing tribes under the deity of King David's village, Jerusalem (City of Shalem, a Canaanite diety; the conquered Canaanite city in the center of the Israel tribes). Moreover, and as a side-note, modern Hebrew script looks nothing like the proto-type Hebrew, but is an adoption of Canaanite script. Professor Magness further hints to my understanding that the olden deities simply become the evil entities of the conquering cultures, where godly deities such as Baal of the Canaanites become a demon to the opponents. Therefore, the lectures show significant political interest influencing religious thought, where one must wonder what of such history and religious practices were an actual attempt to build a spiritual connection.
Moreover, Jesus further continues within the same context discussing the heart-based truth over doctrinal observations, with a similarity to Dr. Wayne Dyers, "How people treat you is their karma, how you react is yours", where Jesus states, ""Are you so lacking in understanding also? Do you not understand that whatever goes into the man from outside cannot defile him, because it does not go into his heart, but into his stomach, and is eliminated?". (Mark 7:18-19; NASB). Though Christian orthodoxy will interpret this as Jesus supporting an anything goes dietary concern, I feel that such orthodox interpretation misses the point. Jesus constantly references the "heart", which is where I feel the truth is found, where one needs to ask is an individual conducting themselves in a heart-based consciousness, or a doctrinal-traditional biased ridden consciousness. We have the ability to stomach the external world, but we need to respond from our heart. Further, given that our concept of Judgment comes from the Egyptians (adopted by Christians), where one is not judged by their actions or their beliefs, but by the weight of one's heart, I feel that Jesus was pointing towards the stark differences between religious doctrinal guidance and spiritual truths. In a world where the priestly class attempts to hold a monopoly and superiority over spirituality, these simple spiritual truths as expressed from our real masters seem more necessary than ever, where religion has and is continually being used as a political ploy as it was during our antiquity. It is a continuing cycle which humanity has yet to break free from dogmatic shackles. As I continue seeking differing traditions, I'm left astounded in the numerous similarities between the mystical traditions, while the orthodox continue to manipulate the masses to their detriment. When it comes to our religious guidance, I'm left pondering The Who's statement of the "old boss is the same as the new boss", in a world where it seems very few are actually seeking the truth of these religions.
I've spent much of my life studying esoterics. However, my intuitive process is infantile compared to my studies, where I have glimpses of my past where my intuition would be unknowingly providing me with long-ignored hunches. That may be the same for many of us who have been raised in a society ignorant of intuition, a society who has yet to begin to grasp the internal world of "know thy self". Nonetheless, we are all on our paths and all such occurrences and growth fall under divine timing, when we are ready to step up our mystic game, as plotted and planned by our expanded Selves. As I expand my own intuitive abilities, I'm left weary about the many intuitive that I once use to blindly believe. To sum it up, trust your own Self. In following and communicating with others with intuitive abilities, ranging from astrologers, tarot readers, psychics, energy readers, among others, I noticed my constant inner shift has left me now ignoring many that I would have once followed and learned from. In fact, as I further my own growth, I'm constantly leaving teachers behind who I once thought were incredible. I feel that this is what many of us should strive for, or we will get lost in creating celebrities of these "gurus" which then leads to guru-worship, when really all these tools/permission slips should be forcing us to look at our own selves. Particularly when a teacher gets too cocky, stressing that they and their followers are the highest, that's usually my trigger to start seeking elsewhere. My Sagittarius roots has me constantly looking for deeper depths, my own true-essence, where I see many others attempting to emulate their guru or their gurus teachings as opposed to following their own inner resonance. Take what feels right, leave the rest in the dust, and explore as much as you can, particularly what feels to be the most blissful. This is why Ma Kali has worked wonderfully for me, as my beloved she has me first and foremost looking towards myself as opposed to other gurus. She is the voice in my head that rings true by further asking me questions, and using my emotional body that truly navigates this ship. She is none other than the divine flame residing within our depths, dissolving the density of ignorance. Should I get too attached to a figure I find in separation/duality, something I find very often should a guru/yogi/magi display any special abilities (siddhis), Ma Kali will quickly cut those attachments for the brilliance of my own inner resonance. She is known as Adi Shakti for a reason, the first life force that permeates "All That Is". She is a wisdom Goddess first and foremost, that's in my head like Socrates asking questions as opposed to forcing me to accept something as truth. However, my interpretation of her may also be different since I sought her out beyond the typical Hindu belief structures, finding her in many differing traditions, and falling in line with my own expanded awareness through occult studies. I see now why I was not born trusting my intuition for a reason, which was to develop my logic first. Though I was always scared of the dark despite being protected from horror movies, etc. (back then in the 80's, access to such was not as easy as today), my intuition would be chaotic knowing some-things are lingering behind the shadows as a child. Something I didn't realize and clear up until I conducted my first banishing ritual at the turn of the millennium in late high school. However, I do also realize that such fears may have been due to Christian fear programming from being raised in protestant elementary schools, who stressed the concepts of hell (most Christians adopt Dante's interpretation, since the Bible lacks description; even hel comes from the Vikings), or fear, guilt, shame of sin, enough limiting-beliefs to engage the law of attraction to manifest bullshit in one's life leading for one to beg for a messiah (a complete circle). Such has also permeated Hindu beliefs, and probably, historically strengthened by exoteric Islamic invading groups. Our Spirit has been ignorantly programmed by these exoteric groups, where in order to unleash more of our intuitive potential, a de-programming, a detachment to our limiting-shaming beliefs is required to truly grasp communication with Higher Self and proper guidance. Hence, through my own seeking where I chose to move beyond what my educational systems, or major exoteric religious institutions were teaching, particularly dualist philosophies of separation, I managed to increase my logical abilities to sort through information that no longer resonates with where I am at in my spiritual development. Though, I understand such information may resonate with many others and are necessary for their growth, as they were once for me. Reading and studying as much esoterica as I possibly could in my short 32 years, yes, even as a child obsessed with the paranormal, I'm now noticing that I watch the plethora of youtube intuitives, teachers, gurus, all with their programming becoming more and more clear. For those who believe in separation, the concept of good vs. evil become clearly evident, where there is significant ego bashing as if it is the "new devil" to put one's blame. Similarly, they're plenty of light-workers in this category, who will tell you to be careful what you watch or listen with regards to the media, or will push the vegetarian/vegan agenda, without realizing that Spirit did not manifest into density to have limited experiences. We're not here to all fit within one box, but to hold numerous expressions for the expansion of Universal Consciousness. As Carl Sagan stated, "[w]e are a way for the cosmos to know itself". Hence, though such messages may come from attempting to better humanity, all should first and foremost ring true for the viewer before blindly accepting such information. What may be the correct way for one person's life may not be the correct way for mine, or others. Diversity is to be celebrated, even if it does not fit a particular agenda. Hence, intuitives still grappling with these dualist notions tend to have their intuition limited by such programming, at least from what I feel. Particularly those that fall under exoteric limited religious organizations, where God simply cannot be a female for some limiting reason, or that which requires an opponent devil figure, such programming becomes easily exposed limiting the presenters ability to grasp a wider perspective ... and that's all "intuition" really is, the ability to see the bigger picture. Hence, with the intuition, the right hemisphere of the brain also known as the divine feminine (Christ the Sophia), is often limited by the divine masculine (Christ the Logos), the logical left hemisphere of the brain, because of beliefs including religious programming. Therefore, we have to be careful we don't fall into the "expert phenomena" where we render someone with a certificate to hold superior intelligence that turns off our own critical thinking and inner resonance. I am definitely guilty of such and it took me to become an attorney to see that, that a certificate doesn't render higher intelligence (especially in a world where "experts" can be bought), but I realize that it was a stepping stone for my own growth. As an example, I use youtube "angel card" intuitive readers, particularly from those with a Christian dualist perspective. Even though such readers may be able to communicate with angels, I find the perspectives to be harshly limited by some individuals (not all) where the reader may not understand that the concept of angels and demons come from the greek "daemon", simply being a contracted entity. It is human notions that place these daemons, these gargoyles, into human dualist ethical standards. As a human is considered to be created in God's image and hold a position higher than these angels, it is because humans grasp the plethora of duality, both the light and dark, just as the unlimited One. Humans are a microcosm of the great macrocosm, as above so below. Even the devils of these religions are not necessarily all-evil beings, but are more likely the gods of the conquered cultures. Lucifer is the morning star, the lighted one, who later became the Christian opponent. Satan, or Sheitan, simply means "opposer", where again, this devil imagery is derived from Dante rather then biblical interpretations. In fact, from reading the Old Testament with beings (plural!) labelling themselves as YHVH who are constantly smiting groups and individuals to get their way, the "opposer" doesn't seem to be the figure to blame as expressed in the Lord's Prayer where you ask the "Father" to "lead us not into temptation", not the devil. Though one can explore the lower astral realms and find figures of "evil", my perspective for such travels is to understand why and what I was to learn from these experiences, as opposed to playing the blame game. Hence, from what I've found, logic must meet the intuition to see a wider perspective. It's a balance of the hemisphere's of the brain, wholeness, where your intuition will only take you as far as your logic can grasp. That's just me, everyone's on their own path, and these readers are here for a particular group of individuals. Again, I take what resonates and leave the rest behind, where I guard myself from falling victim to the "expert phenomena" concept. Those intuitives that I trust the most are usually those whose majority words are aligned to my own inner resonance (logically built up from years of studying), leaving me at the edge of my seat with further anticipation. Piercing the veil is another game, another discernment, that we're forging, where it behooves us to not be quick to simply accept what is perceived, but remain in critical assessment to ever increase our understanding about these provided messages, as they are expressed through our filters, our programming. Nonetheless, the intuitive to trust the most is your own Self, where the real Guru resides in the hidden energy center within the cranium, the Guru Chakra, the destroyer of ignorance. However, the energy flowing through from these external intuitives may be the real deal that you can also energetically tap into their frequency, but again, the wording expressed may be significantly filtered. Hence, always ask yourself, does it ring true for you. Follow your own inner guidance. 
The Eastern world has numerous ideologies and concepts, where religions like Hinduism hold something for everyone, including the atheists (Samkhya). However, as the ages moved on beyond the time of the Rishis who channeled such deep philosophies, the light became dimmer as these ideologies moved down the line further away from those who perceived this information. Many Hindu/Vedic terms lost their meaning, where many words lost their true essence to meet the demands of the mundane world. As an example, the word Dharma has yet to be properly defined in Hinduism, though there will be many who counter-argue (all coming up with different interpretations). As Buddha Shakyamuni taught his way of life, calling it the "Dhamma", in fear of conversions, the Hindu priestly caste began to express that Shakyamuni was teaching a different Dharma, where Dharma ended up being synonymous with term "religion". Especially, since these countering religions do not stress the importance of the Vedas, to the priestly caste who profit from the ritualistic Vedic practice, such countering teachings were corrupted forms meant for outcastes (untouchables) who are too "filthy" to read the Vedas. Therefore, such beliefs lead to the idea that Buddha Shakyamuni was an incarnation of Visnu, who came to help lower castes from falling further (Srimad Bhagavatam), though my sentiments believe that such was solely done to stop conversion to a religion that lacked a caste system. Interestingly enough, Buddhists do not believe Buddha Shakyamuni to be Visnu, nor does the concept of Ahimsa (non-violence) seem to be a Hindu one where the Vedas stressed conquering of neighboring tribes (Ashvamedha which was also done in the Ramayana) and animal sacrifice (Yajur Veda), though Hindus have sought to own the concept. It seems that it was only after Asoka the Great where Buddhism reached the ruler-ship of the extensive Indian (Mauryan) empire that Ahimsa was politically practiced (I could be very wrong here), and the size of the empire only reached that extent while Asoka was still a conquering Hindu. Hence, spiritual terms and concepts have evolved over time, where such evolution has caused differing interpretations. It is important to note that one's interpretation is expressed through the numerous religious and societal programmings that filter one's outlook and experiences and can potentially inhibit grasping the true essence. As an example, many will be triggered by my prior paragraph, particularly Hindus (as I was in restructuring my own programming), but really, that attachment to an "identity" as opposed to truth, or even the ability to ask these "dangerous" questions, is where the ego becomes faulty. It was only through my experience of ego-death, that I began to understand what "ego" truly implies. A concept that is thrown around in spirituality to mean, "arrogance" by individuals who have this corrupted ideology of "humility" provided by religion, where "humility" implies a subservient attitude as opposed to using one's gifts to better humanity. Hence, "humility" should be the ability to properly express one's own strength, one own God-Self, without deterring others, another spiritual term gone awry. My experience of ego-death left me feeling expanded, completely lost to my individual self. I couldn't remember my name, my gender, prior memories, and when they did began to sprout through fearful efforts where I thought I was losing my memory, it was like a Van Gogh painting-mirage showing me the illusory nature of what we deem to be "reality". From this experience and seeking thereafter, I began to realize that the world of form-tangible, is simply a result of the intangible realm of Spirit flowing through all. Nonetheless, thereafter experiencing the limitless, I began to understand how I perceive this "reality" through limitation, where I perceive as a male (not female), as an Indian (not any other ethnic), as an American (not any other nationality), etc. All of these expressions are limitations to the unlimited, this is our ego-identity. Using the law of attraction, instead of seeking the new job or fancy car as depressingly propagated by many "teachers", I sought Higher Self, which led me to understanding my own intuition and the ability to filter through these "teachers" to find one's that fit my own resonance. Not one of the teachers that I would recommend to others would bash the "ego", but teach transmutation to liberate the ego attachments that no longer serve us. Nonetheless, these teachings of bashing the ego run rapidly through spiritual ideologies, and really sounds like an excuse to point the finger elsewhere (dualist concepts of separation) as opposed to owning one's own bullshit. In definition, the channeled entity Lazaris describes the ego as the part of us that lost connection with Spirit, and has tirelessly attempted to support us. Hence, fear is simply a faulty protection mechanism where our ego was really trying to protect us from further harm based on its experiences (including past lives embedded in our subconscious). It is the child trying to figure out the world on its own, without proper guidance. Its done the best it could given the delusory circumstances we've all been plagued under creating suffering (the veil of maya in the age of Kali Yuga, the age of rapid wisdom). Panache Desai expresses similar sentiments, where without our ego, we would lack a personality, given that our programmings would all be cleared and there were be no need for expression. Hence, there is a reason for our individuated existence, for the infinite would not be infinite without each of our expressions and experiences. Therefore, the concept of being a drop attempting to return to the vast ocean is flipped, where the ocean requires the drops to be the ocean, and more esoterically, the ocean is within the drop. Our individuated ego expressions is simply a way for the infinite to get to know itself, hence, there is relevancy to all of our experiences, expressions, and limitations. They are relevant, something those that bash the "ego" are trying to negate. In Saiva, the trinity would be Shiva (Father), Shakti(Holy Spirit/Shekinah), and Jiva (Son). Jiva is the individuated soul-expression, or jiva-atma, where the soul in the body and great spirit is compared to the Upanisad concept where the air inside of the jar is the same as the air outside of the jar. This is a way to connect to the infinite, but the jiva housed in the jar (ego-identity) is still Shiva, for the universe was created for Shiva's (ours; Shivoham's) delight. We created these limited expressions because these are the movies that we would like to watch. Just as every television show or movie may show you the vastness of human expression, not all of it is relevant to what we would like to experience (We don't attempt to watch every movie/show possible, but only those that are relevant). The same applies to our Jiva-Atma, our individuated-expression, though we can tap into the infinite to recoup, bring forth higher wisdom (Akashic Record), etc., our experiences are not meant to be completely absorbed into the infinite, but to have relevant expressions in our Jiva-Atma experiences. To think otherwise appears to deny the purpose of our individuated existence.
When I finally decided to watch his youtube videos, I noticed a sense of calm come over me, something I had noted that I would only attain in meditation. Under that calm, I began stretching my back, particularly my lower back, in trying to stretch-out and massage muscular kinks that have developed from a consistent "sitting" lifestyle as demanded in the western educational/work culture. I felt good, calm, and the muscles around my spine (including psoas) was beginning to feel more comfortable. The youtube video was simple yogic-philosophy, but Yogiraj would reference other cultures and Madame Blavatsky indicating occult studies as well, which kept my intrigue. Nonetheless, at the end of this particular video, Yogiraj stated that his audience all had screwed up spines and he was attempting to work on all of us. Needless to say, my jaw dropped and my thoughts ceased all with the shock of "what the fuck just happened". Again, in listening to his video, I was moved into a state of sensation that I managed to only experience in meditation, including the stretch and relaxation of the spine. I was immediately sold on the Kriya Yoga tradition, its psychic/siddha capabilities, where I have adopted some of their techniques into my base meditative practice. In his book Babaji; The Lightening Standing Still, Yogiraj indicates that Babaji is none other than Goraksha Nath, one of the main teachers of esoteric Hinduism (Nath meaning "School"). Further, Goraksha Nath is none other than Lord Shiva himself. Growing up in a typical Hindu household that loved and worshiped Shiva along with Vishnu, I was opposed to Shiva Shankar, the Shiva in form and his puranic-based stories. However, it wasn't until I read the Siva Sutras that I began to truly understand who or what Shiva actually is, and what he actually taught, yoga. More importantly, reading the Siva Sutras felt more like "remembering" as opposed to learning a new concept. It was like my neural pathways were already there, just being further solidified, particularly in my understanding of the "I Am That" concept as articulated in the Siva Sutras. However, prior to reading the Siva Sutras, I was doing a monthly meditation regarding each Sephirot of the Qabalist Tree of Life, beginning from the top with Kether. I only did this practice for four (4) of the Sephirot where the first three (3), the supernal triad, seems the most relevant for my own growth, where I may restart the practice when I feel it is relevant. Though the Qabalah is associated with Judaism, I studied this through Hermetic occult practitioners, as I feel a deeper connection to Egypt. Nonetheless, the meaning is the same, regardless of the symbols that are used. It was the meditative practice on the supernal triad that paved the way for me to grasp the Siva Sutras, as I associated this triad with the "I (Kether; Infinite Potential), Am (Chokmah; Divine Will/Conduct), That (Binah; Divine Wisdom/Creation)" concept. Hence, the correlation between Qabalah and Shaiva-Tantra. Moses is considered to be the Father of Judaism, not Adam. However, many tend to forget the fact that Moses was raised as an Egyptian prince, which entails attending the Egyptian mystery schools. Using my imagination, it's hard to see Moses sitting and learning with Rabbi's, the way Jesus did as a child. As an Egyptian prince, it's hard to grasp that Moses would sit and learn from the Hebrews who were allegedly enslaved (those who win the war write the history books, in this case, the old testament). This would be like Christian missionaries learning and practicing the spiritualism of their victims (Even the current Pope concedes the brutality of early Christian missionaries, something my own lineage can evidence, for those offended by the term "victim"). Nonetheless, it doesn't matter whether it was Egyptian or Hebrew, it's beautiful nonetheless and we have the occultists and Hebrews to thank for preserving these concepts and practices (If you have a problem calling it Egyptian or vice-versa, that is where the "ego" becomes limiting where one is more absorbed in titles and identities as opposed to the enlightenment).
Going back to the Kriya Yoga tradition, practitioners tend to develop psychic/siddhi abilities, including tapping into the universal library, the akashic record. Not quite sure if this is how Yogiraj, who is a Sat-Guru (Brahman: Sat-Chit-Ananda), was able to gather certain information, his articulation of Moses in Babaji seems to resonate with my prior experience and logical understanding. As described, Moses was initiated by Shiva Goraksha Babaji on Mt. Sinai, where Yahveh is Mahankal (MahaKala-Shiva-Time), The Great Time. Moreover, Moses was to end idolatry where man worshiped external-form, to find divine consciousness within. Taking this one step more into the esoteric, from sources long lost to me, it was my understanding that Moses first attained the Qabalah on Mt. Sinai, where Moses found the majority of his followers worshiping the symbol of the prior astrological age and not ready for such advanced teachings. Hence, Moses provided the masses with the Commandments (It is argued that it was more than 10), while a chosen few received the Qabalah. That makes sense in the dual representation of Judaism, holding a written and oral tradition, where the oral tradition most likely needs to be an experience from a prior practitioner, like in Tantra (Shaktipath/Shekinapath). The esoteric similarities are beautiful and unifying, showing the power that humanity holds through consciousness. However, the masses would rather argue titles, racial/religious identities, that only inflate one's ego-identity. Religion has become a programming, where Spirituality is a deprogramming, a removal of the limitations that inhibit unlimited consciousness. Behind the masters of our traditions lies a deeper truth yet to be grasped, where sadly those attempting to discover these truths have been historically persecuted, be it Qabalists, Tantriks, and even Alchemists (Scientists). Nonetheless, the age of information is uncovering and revealing what the elite have attempted to keep covered. That is the apokalypsis, the great revelation.
Higher Self is a concept talked about in almost all esoteric traditions, and some exoteric traditions such as Krishna in the Bhagavad Gita. Communion with Higher Self is the initiation that is required to grasp divine will, which is the divine logos or masculine. Even the Gnostic Christian text, the Pistis Sophia, describes two (2) Christs: 1) Christ the Logos; and 2) Christ the Sophia, or the divine feminine. In all esoteric work, such communion is a stepping stone to fully engage in spiritual practices and it is what Aleister Crowley hinted towards with his motto, "Do What Thou Wilt". Do what thou "will" doesn't correlate to "doing whatever you want" as espoused by exoteric in their attempts to demonize Crowley, who was more than accepting of such backlash, but is an attempt to find one's divine will where Crowley concludes with "Love is the Law, Love under Will".
However, the appearance and location of such beings doesn't really attest to what "Higher Self" actually entails. We are to assume that such out-of-this-world type beings are extremely more advanced than humanity, or at least not tied to the wheel of samsara that perpetuates humanities suffering. Even going back in Hinduism under Puranic literature, we have the world filled with phenomenal beings with strange technology and weaponry that can only be described by our current human frame of thought as genetic manipulations, atomic-nuclear weaponry, and ufo-vimana based space crafts. However, these are all just external interpretations, that leave one wondering what Higher Self actually may be and its potential. It took me probably two years of seeking, and using the law of attraction to manifest the highest information possible, to even get a glimpse of a logical understanding of what Higher Self may be. New Agers, Light-Workers, etc., all seem to discuss this expansive state of awareness, but can only describe it through how it makes them feel. Nonetheless, it is through Tantric Literature and wonderful commentaries posed by devotees, that I can begin to understand my Higher Self experiences from a logical perspective. After all, it is through these traditions that we have learned about Kundalini and the Chakras, stemming from secret Goddess traditions in India. Shaivism (Christ the Logos; Divine Masculine): Shaiva's and the likes are the shamanic traditions of India, where internal practices are stressed over ritualistic practices more closely aligned with the Vedic traditions. In addition, Bhakti (worship) is associated with Shiva, who is worshiped as Higher Self to be found and invoked within, as opposed to worshiped externally. But why Shiva, and not any other deity in the numerous pantheon found in Hinduism? Because Shiva is the ultimate yogi, the "yoke" between spirit and matter, who teaches the world to deify itself, or realize its own divinity. To take this one step further is what makes Shiva different, is his state of consciousness, Turiya aka Higher Self. In these yogic teachings, there are three main states of consciousness: 1) Waking; 2) Dreaming; and 3) Deep Sleep. Deep sleep can be associated with the unconscious and subconscious, where also the collective consciousness plays a role. The realization that you are simply the "knower" or "experiencer" of all three (3) states of consciousness is the fourth state of consciousness, Turiya. Within the unconscious subconscious, we tend to house quite a bit of ourselves, including issues we attempt to ignore only causing such issues to manifest in our external circumstances. To become aware of what lurks in this state of consciousness requires self-reflection, our own personal "judgment day". From hypnotherapy, we discover that we are controlled by hidden programming lurking deep within our psyche. With certain professionals, such as Dolores Cannon, we find that such issues can stem from prior life-times. Nonetheless, just as a candle flame dispels the darkness, our simple observatory awareness is enough to loosen the hold such issues pose on our psyche. Hence being awake/aware to what lurks within under deep sleep, our subconscious, is a key to unlocking who we are and why we have certain circumstances in our lives. Dreaming is another state of consciousness, one that we can manipulate as taught by Tibetan Tantriks in teachings that create lucid dreams. From personal experience, lucidity begins within a dream where you realize you're dreaming. From there, one can proceed to move things around at will, though my experiences quickly diminish after such realization where I typically wake up thereafter. Nonetheless, here certain practitioners continue to do their spiritual work and exploration. Nonetheless, to be an observer within this state of mind seems to pose endless possibilities, where one quickly realizes that they control the dream matrix. Lastly, the waking state is a bit odd and filled with numerous facets. We can choose to be the observer of our surrounding presence or our thoughts. Nonetheless, as opposed to looking at these state of consciousness as simply an observer, as observer of our surrounding and thoughts, we tend to get lost in our surrounding or thoughts letting the external circumstances control our awareness, as opposed to vice-versa (which is fine, we like to enjoy and get lost in our movies). Further, via law of attraction teachings, which I believe falls under "spanda" for Shaivas (though I still have quite a bit more to learn), our waking state can become like the lucid dream state, where we should be able to manifest the reality of our choosing, within the parameters of the collective belief systems. After all, the ancient mystics have consistently told us that what we deem to be reality is an illusion, or a holographic projection of consciousness, where law of attraction teaches to make this illusion lucid. Therefore, to be Higher Self entails being awake/conscious/lucid of our awake state, dream state, and deep sleep state. Shaktism (Christ the Sophia; Divine Feminine): Kashmiri Shaivism seems to be solidified through the works of Abhinavagupta, who in his magnus opus, the Sri Tantraloka, indicates that if you can't find a human guru to help you with initiation, then turn to Adi-Shakti herself, Ma Kali, as she will initiate you. As someone who has astrological aspects that makes me despise guru worship, etc., as well as choosing to remove all societal-religious imposed limitations to seek to be unlimited, this was the best suited path for me. Given my love for this aspect of the divine, this path was probably the most easiest and most fun for me, my "permission slip" as Bashar would say. Kali is associated with numerous Tantrik Goddesses (particularly Mahavidyas), where in Tantra, the wisdom and capabilities found in other deities should simply be instilled within the deity of your choice in order to evade being distracted. In other words, learn from other deities, but try to avoid constantly switching between them where the one chosen should hold the essence of all Tantrik deities. (Geshe Kelsang Gyatso, Guide To Dakini Land). As has been my experience, Kali works at the roots of the issues, while other more common deities in the Hindu pantheon will take a calm approach. Hence, Tantrik deities are the fast pass, a "no pain no gain" type of initial experience. In other words, they don't hesitate to put you in your place. Tantrik Goddesses are almost always associated with the Kundalini energy slumbering at the bottom of one's spine, where Higher Self may reside in the higher chakras, particularly the 8th chakra above the Crown. An even fiercer form of Kali is when she is three (3) times as vicious as Tripura Bhairavi. Bhairavi as the feminine counterpart to Bhairava (Shiva in his "terrible" form) consists of Tripura meaning the three state of consciousness described above, and three (3) words: Bhavana (to manage); Ravana (to draw within); and Vamana (to expand). Hence, the generator (G), operator (O) and destroyer (D) paradigm that is exoterically associated with Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva, is esoterically found within Bhairavi(a). Hence, Bhairavi instills the G-O-D paradigm within the three (3) states of consciousness, which is the ability to create, manage, and destroy within the three (3) worlds.
Oddly, Tripura Sundari is not common for a Hindu household, though she permeates numerous other deities, including Krishna who is said to have invoked her essence, and Lakshmi similarly holds the title "Sri" and shares in the Sri Yantra. No doubt the Vaishnavas hold Krishna as their Tantrik deity, and Krishna is said to be the only essence to completely embody Brahman, or to fully accomplish the alchemical marriage within a human body. Moreover, Tripura Sundari is known to have a cult of her own as the Sri Vidya cult, with Vidya being sanskrit "vid" meaning to know (gnosis). Hence, just as the esoteric Christians had their Sophia, Tantriks have their Vidya. Often portrayed as a 16 year old as Sodashi, she represents the beauty of entering adulthood while still holding onto a childish heart, a Kumari, where as Jesus said, "...[t]ruly I say to you, unless you are converted and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven" (Matthew 18:3 NASB). Sodashi represents the pinnacle of spirituality, as she is symbolized as the peak of Mt. Meru, the abode of the Gods as expressed in her geometric form, the Sri Yantra.
Conclude: In summation, the essence of Higher Self is to not only be awake/aware of the three (3) states of consciousness, but to be the most beautiful in all three (3). Law of attraction wise, to feel what it's like to be the most beautiful and consciously present in your waking state, in your dream state, and within your subconscious, seems to be the key to unlock our divine potential and manifest our very own heavenly abode, our own Mt. Meru.  Angkor Wat (replica of Mt. Meru allegedly created with "channeled" blueprints) |
AuthorOverly educated and continuously exploring and revealing more behind the veil. "It cannot be too highly emphasized that the mystic swims in the same waters in which the psychotic drowns."
-James Wasserman, The Mystery Traditions Archives
August 2019
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