The Fellowship Of Isis Centre Of Isis And Sophia Of The Stars Paper IV Elemental Worlds We begin with this

s paper a new phase of our work with isuali!ation" building upon the insights #ou ha e alread# gained through the meditations upon the Tatt as and the $%omposition of pla%e& e'er%ises last month( In this month)s work #ou will be isuali!ing a doorwa# upon whi%h the elemental Tatt i% shapes will be pro*e%ted and then #ou will pass in #our $mind)s e#e& into the lands%ape be#ond the door whi%h will be a s#mboli% representation of this element( +efore embarking upon the work we shall first e'plore some ideas about the elements themsel es and a ps#%hologi%al theor# %onne%ted with these related to the work of Carl ,( -ung( A spe%ial meditation will follow" to pre%ede #our month)s work" that will ser e to introdu%e #ou to an $inner guide& who is to be a %ompanion on these *ourne#ings( Carl -ung is not the onl# ps#%hologist who has addressed himself to the e'ploration of spiritual realms but he %ertainl# is the most well.known( Although the transpersonal ps#%hologies whi%h ha e %ome to the fore in the past de%ade are" in man# wa#s" more rele ant to students of the m#steries there is no doubt that -ung)s work remains as a milestone and has been the inspiration for these other ps#%hologists) and writers) theories( The four ps#%hologi%al t#pes that -ung postulated are di ided into the %ategories of $/un%tions& and $Attitudes&( The /un%tions are Thinking" /eeling" Intuiti e and Sensation and the Attitudes are Intro ersion and E'tro ersion( The idea is that ea%h of the fun%tions %ould be e'perien%ed as either attitude within the personalit# of an indi idual( Thus the four basi% t#pes e'panded into eight( One %an think" of these fun%tions as being wa#s in whi%h we e'perien%e and deal with the things that we en%ounter in our li es( -ung belie ed that ea%h of us had within our ps#%hologi%al make.ups all of these fun%tions in some strength but one or two would tend to be dominant and greatl# %olour the personalit#( The fun%tions are arranged in polari!ed pairs( 0ou %an simpl# illustrate this b# drawing a %ir%le and di iding it into four drawing two lines through the %entre at right angles( Then pla%e in the 1uadrants the four fun%tions Thinking opposite to /eeling and Sensation opposite to Intuiti e( An indi idual might find" for e'ample" the# ha e Thinking as a dominant fun%tion and so the /eeling fun%tion will be the inferior fun%tion( In most people the other two fun%tions will probabl# also be 1uite rudimentar# but not so mu%h as the primar# inferior fun%tion( 0ou %an add the %ompli%ation of the intro ert2e'tro ert attitudes to this formulation( These attitudes %an also be seen as polarities( It has been found that one of the benefits of ps#%ho.spiritual growth" whether through meditation or de otion" is for pre iousl# under.de eloped aspe%ts of the personalit# to be stimulated and enhan%ed( So although using a map su%h as -ung)s t#pes ma# show that #ou ha e a parti%ular fun%tion as latent it does not mean that this %annot be enhan%ed through de elopment( One of the aims of the m#steries has alwa#s been the en%ouragement of what is known these da#s as $wholeness&( This %on%ept of stri ing towards a ps#%hologi%al2spiritual %ompleteness is not new though %ertainl# in re%ent #ears has be%ome more known to the what might be termed the $la# %ommunit#&( /or the priesthood an essential part of training for undertaking the mediation of the energies of the ,oddesses2,ods has alwa#s been the

3e el 4 Paper 5 66 Page 7 rea%hing of a high degree of self.knowledge and wholeness( When one is in %ommunion with 8eit# or a%ting as a li ing %hannel it is essential not to be o erwhelmed b# the %onta%t( The abilit# to $earth& the e'perien%e and %learl# put it into perspe%ti e is er# important not onl# for the health of the initiate but for the stabilit# of the priesthood throughout the #ears( Certainl#" if the %onta%t is not earthed properl#" an inflation of the ego or an obsessional state %an be the result whi%h although a er# sedu%ti e and powerful altered state of %ons%iousness will not in the long run ser e the 8eit#( The priest2ess in ol ed %an be shattered b# the e'perien%e or ma# be%ome fanati%al and distort the energies the# are attempting to %hannel( 9istor# is a good sour%e of %onfirmation of this as more %ruelt# and de astation has been *ustified stri ing to e'alt one ,od :or ,oddess; o er another b# either a glamori!ed indi idual or group %on in%ed of the supremit# of their %hosen deit#( The /ellowship stri es for" through its %elebration of su%h a di ersit# of goddesses and gods" the understanding of the prin%iple that while indi idual %ultures ma# ha e %lothed these goddess and gods in their own s#mbols the eternal essen%e remains the same( We are er# pri ileged in these times to be able to %hoose the pantheon with whi%h we in ol e oursel es outside of the a%tual land where those god2desses had their initial worship( It is one of the benefits of the $global illage&( 9owe er" it is important to keep in mind that although in essen%e two goddess ma# embod# the same prin%iple the# are not the same goddess( /or e'ample the ,reek ,oddess Aphrodite and the Eg#ptian ,oddess 9athor are both $,oddesses of 3o e& #et remain 1uite distin%t entities( It is *ust that if #ou %hose to work with romanti% lo e in the %onte't of the ,reek deities #ou would do ritual work with Aphrodite and likewise working Eg#ptian( Ea%h as 9er own 1ualities and is approa%hed b# a suppli%ant in a different manner( +efore this aside" we were speaking of the four ps#%hologi%al t#pes( It is 1uite eas# to make the attribution of the t#pes to the elements and also to the $humours of the blood& posed b# the earl# ph#si%ians whi%h were linked to the elements( Again we are able to %reate a small table to illustrate this< Element Psychological Type Humour Earth Sensation =elan%holi% /ire Thinking :or Intuiti e; Choleri% Air Intuiti e :or Thinking; Sanguine Water /eeling Phlegmati% As #ou will no doubt noti%e in the attributions shown abo e the thinking and intuiti e fun%tions ma# be attributed to either Air or /ire( Some authors ha e attributed Thought to Air therefore linking this with the Thinking t#pe and #et others make the attribution of Thinking to /ire( I tend to fa our this latter iew( =# own work with the Elements has led to m# feeling that the a%ti it# of heat2fire altering" as it does the stru%ture of matter" suits the Thinking fun%tion more than it does the Intuiti e fun%tion( Intuition" whi%h a%ts in an in isible manner" is then attributed to the element of Air whi%h is likewise a subtle and in isible medium( Also" as /ire2Water are alread# an a%%epted polarit# it feels more s#mboli%all# right" for me" to mat%h this with the polarit# of Thinking2/eeling( In these matters of attribution it is important to go with what feels %orre%t in #our own mind( Therefore" the a%tual linking of an element to an# ps#%hologi%al t#pe is onl# appli%able if it seems right to #ou( The fa%t is that attributions of an# kind are arbitrar#( As #ou %ontinue to work with s#mbol s#stems" either here or in another %onte't" this will be%ome more and more apparent( /or e'ample" with the %omple' s#mbol s#stems of Astrolog# and the Tarot" man# #ears of resear%h and meditation b# indi iduals has #ielded data in the form of attributions and meanings for arious s#mbols( This store of knowledge is alwa#s being refined and e'panded in outer forms :books et%; and on the Inner( 0our own reading ma# lead

3e el 4 Paper 5 66 Page > #ou to feel initiall# %onfused" espe%iall# when different authors gi e different interpretations of s#mbols( 9owe er" as #ou gain in %onfiden%e #ou)ll realise that it is more important that the Information #ou re%ei e through #our own meditations or refle%tions is meaningful to #ou in the %onte't of #our life than ne%essaril# refle%t an# author)s iew( 8o keep this in mind as #ou work through the material of this Course( ?ow let us begin to look a little %loser at the T#pes( If #ou wish more information on this sub*e%t #ou might tr# to take a look at a -ung)s book" $/our Ps#%hologi%al T#pes& or 3i! ,reen)s $@elating< an Astrologi%al ,uide to 3i ing with Others on a Small Planet& whi%h draws hea il# on -ung)s work and %o ers a %hapter on the T#pes and Elements( There are also an# number of books whi%h ser e as introdu%tions to -ung)s ideas that %o er material on the T#pes( T9I?AI?,< This is a slightl# unfortunate term be%ause it is eas# to e1uate what is essentiall# an attitude to thought with thinking itself( Ob iousl# we all think . this label des%ribes rather an approa%h to thought that is %on%erned with %lassif#ing" anal#sing" %omparing and s#nthesi!ing e'perien%eB with taking an argument from premise to %on%lusion and tra%ing the reasons for this or that( The dominant Thinking t#pe ma# seem 1uite deta%hed from the world approa%hing it more through ideas and fa our $rationalit#&( With a dominant Thinking fun%tion it is /eeling that is the inferior fun%tion and thus there is an unwillingness or diffi%ult# in e'pressing emotions( $Star Trek&s =r( Spo%k with his de otion to $logi%& is a good e'ample of the t#pe( Indeed it is 1uite eas# to spot the e'tremes of this t#pe in the ar%het#pal intelle%tual or s%ientist who seems to be ali e onl# from the ne%k up( /EE3I?,< Again" as abo e" this is perhaps a misleading term as the word is a s#non#m for emotion( We all ha e emotions but our relationship to them aries( A /eeling t#pe is not ne%essaril# $emotional& in the negati e sense of the word but will e'perien%e the world primaril# ia their emotions( The /eeling t#pe is not %on%erned with reasons but with alues" not with logi% but with worth( The /eeling t#pe is more %on%erned with wholes and not parts( /or e'ample" in des%ribing the musi% at a %on%ert the Thinking t#pe will be %on%erned with the parts of the musi% and how it fits together but the /eeling t#pe would be %on%erned with the totalit# of the e'perien%e and *udge the musi% as a whole( If the Thinking t#pe is head.%entred we %an %onsider the /eeling t#pe as heart. %entred( SE?SATIO?< This t#pe is %on%erned with fa%ts and per%ei es the wa# things are" whereas both Thinking and /eeling t#pes are %on%erned with making *udgements and relationships between things the Sensation t#pe is %on%erned with what is and isn)t( The# are usuall# %omfortable with their own bodies and the ph#si%al plane in general( A result of this %an often be an identifi%ation with the same and %an be 1uite trapped in the material( Also their inferior Intuiti e fun%tion %an lea e them pre# to superstition and irrational ague fears( I?TCITIVE< This t#pe" like the Sensation T#pe" works b# per%eption but in this %ase it is the per%eption of something be#ond fa%ts . the e ents be#ond the hori!on" the intangible possibilities" the shape of things to %ome( The# will see the inner meanings and signifi%an%e behind $mere& fa%ts and e ents( The# %an also ha e the kna%k of per%ei ing the under%urrents in a situation( Their intuitions are not alwa#s %orre%t or a%%urate *ust as the awareness of the Sensation T#pe %an be fault#(

3e el 4 Paper 5 66 Page 5 Whereas" the Sensation t#pe is rooted in the outer ph#si%al aspe%t of realit# the Intuiti e t#pe is aware of inner realities and Intuition is in the main an un%ons%ious pro%ess( The# %an be endowed with a strong imagination and often relate more easil# to their inner worlds of fantas# than the outer $real world&( This %an mean that the# fun%tion less well in the material world than the Sensation T#pe whi%h is their Inferior fun%tion #et the# will be more %omfortable with the %omple'ities of e'isten%e e en if out.of.step or feel alienated with the materialism of this da# and age( It is an interesting e'er%ise to obser e those around #ou in terms of the abo e t#pes( ?oting their dominant fun%tions as well as #our own( 3inking the abo e with their related Elements of /ire" Water" Earth D Air there is a er# useful e'er%ise to a%hie e a balan%e of the elements within suggested b# the writers =elita 8enning and Osbourne Phlllips in their work $The =agi%al Philosoph#& :Vol(4;( Their suggestion is to keep a dail# re%ord of thoughts and a%tions for a period of time( Then at the end of the time to take four pen%ils %oloured red for /ire" blue for Water" green for Earth and #ellow for Air and go through #our re%ord *udging the elemental affinities of the materialB underlining as #ou go in the separate %olours( The idea is that at the end of the e'er%ise it will be possible to *udge whether one or more elements are dominant or perhaps e en absent in the personalit# and then begin to work at establishing a better balan%e( So on to the pra%ti%al work for this month( As usual" #ou should begin ea%h session with the preliminar# e'er%ises of rela'ation and rh#thmi% breathing( 0ou are probabl# finding that" espe%iall# the rela'ation" %omes on mu%h 1ui%ker ha ing done it faithfull# o er e en this relati el# short time( It is an interesting e'er%ise to obser e whether doing this regular rela'ation has had an# effe%ts upon #our fun%tioning in the mundane world( The Inner Guide Meditation As mentioned at the %on%lusion to Paper III the meditation that follows is inspired b# the te%hni1ue de eloped b# Edwin Steinbre%her of Colorado" C(S(A(( It is not" howe er" a reprodu%tion of that meditation( I would re%ommend that #ou in est in a %op# of this %ontemporar# %lassi% for its uni1ue approa%h to working with the a%ti e imagination and intera%ting with the ar%het#pes of the Tarot and Astrolog#( I ha e %ertainl# found that the relationships with m# own inner guides %onta%ted through m# work with the I(,(=( ha e" through the #ears" been a %ontinuing sour%e of wisdom" lo e and tea%hing( Steinbre%her)s work is another dire%tl# inspired b# the writings of Carl -ung and in ol es a s#nthesis of Western traditions whi%h makes it dire%tl# rele ant to our work( If #ou ha e either alread# %onta%ted an $inner guide& through the I(,(=( te%hni1ue or if obtaining the book de%ide #ou would like to use the original te%hni1ue instead of the one suggested below" please do so( 0our guide)s fun%tion" no matter how the# are %onta%ted" is to a%t as an intermediar# and helpmate while intera%ting with the energies and beings of the astral that #ou will en%ounter through this skr#ing te%hni1ue( Also" there is no reason wh# #ou shouldn)t use the following meditation to gain a guide spe%ifi%all# for #our /(O(I" work and also make %onta%t with a guide through the I(,(=( and use the Steinbre%her book as a $te'tbook& for inner e'ploration( 4( =ake #ourself %omfortable and perform the opening se1uen%e( 7( Visuali!e before #ou a old wooden doorwa#( On its ar%h is %ar ed the figure of the ,oddess Isis In her winged aspe%t kneeling" arms outstret%hed and %rowned with the horns of the moon and solar dis%( On the doorwa# Itself also is %ar ed a s#mbol spe%ial to #ourself( ?ote this s#mbol for #ou will use it to make subse1uent %onta%t with #our guide(

3e el 4 Paper 5 66 Page E >( As #ou wat%h a soft golden light begins to glow from the %ar ed s#mbol and the door opens( +e#ond the door #ou see the banks of a might# ri er and upon it sails an Eg#ptian barge( As it %omes towards #ou sa# in #our mind $I %all upon m# Inner ,uide to the m#steries of the ,oddess(& 5( A figure disembarks from the barge and %omes towards #ou standing *ust outside the open door( +e aware of the figure whether male or female" their age and dress( The# stand awaiting #our permission to enter( When read# wel%ome #our guide into #our meditation spa%e( E( Take time to get a%1uainted . asking 1uestions and re%ei ing answers in #our mind( 8o ask #our guide)s name for when #ou %all them again it will be b# isuali!ing the door onl# with #our spe%ial s#mbol on It and %alling #our guide)s name( The# will then %ome to #ou through the doorwa# and #ou will together en%ounter the Inner lands%ape to be e'plored( F( When #ou are read#" bid #our guide goodb#e for now( The# will return through the doorwa# and the door will again %lose( Then bring #ourself ba%k to normal %ons%iousness and %lose as usual( 0our guide will not onl# be #our %ompanion for this set of meditations but will be In ol ed with #ou throughout the Course( Of %ourse" an# time #ou wish #ou %an %onta%t #our guide in order to ask 1uestions or re%ei e guidan%e( The Tattvic/Elemental orlds After doing the initial guide meditation whi%h #ou need onl# do on%e in full #ou will again be working with the Tatt a s#mbols en%ountered in Paper II( Our suggestion is that either #ou work with one s#mbol for a week :or G sessions; before mo ing on to another or work with sa# one for > or 5 sessions then mo e on to another and repeat the pro%ess( It is not ne%essar# for #ou to do a *ourne# into the s#mboli% world ea%h da# . in fa%t it might be more fruitful to do the full *ourne# one da# and on the ne't to meditate upon the s#mbols #ou ha e re%ei ed . then the ne't session do the *ourne# in full again( We want #ou to feel that there is a degree of fle'ibilit# in the Course so that #ou %an determine #our approa%h to the pra%ti%es without feeling o er.bound b# a too rigid stru%ture( Of %ourse in Paper II #ou worked with fi e s#mbols and we here ha e onl# been dis%ussing the four elements in %on*un%tion with the four ps#%hologi%al t#pes( 0ou %ertainl# ma#" if #ou wish" work with the fifth the bla%k o al :Spirit; in an additional G sessions( 4( Perform the opening se1uen%es of rela'ation and breathing( 7 Visuali!ing before #ou the doorwa# %onta%t #our inner guide( On%e #ou ha e established %onta%t again isuali!e a door in front of #ou( Cpon the door isuali!e the Tatt i% s#mbol #ou are working with this session( 9old the image for awhile upon the door( >( Then in #our mind)s e#e mo e forward with #our guide through the doorwa# into the lands%ape be#ond( What #ou find there shall be representati e of the s#mboli% world of the s#mbol2element( 5( 0our guide will a%t as an intermediar# for #ou when #ou en%ounter an# beings in the elemental world and assist #ou in interpreting the e'perien%e( E( When #ou ha e %ompleted #our e'ploration return through the doorwa#( Close it firml# behind #ou and take lea e of #our guide( @eturn to ordinar# %ons%iousness as usual( Of %ourse write up #our diar#.re%ord as soon as possibleB noting what #ou ha e seen and #our rea%tions to the e'perien%e( H Cop#right< Centre of Isis and Sophia of the Stars" 4IJG

3e el 4 Paper 5 66 Page F Further suggested reading !try your local li"rary#$ Memories, Dreams, Reflections 6 Prof( Carl -ung Interpretation of Dreams 6 Sigmund /reud Psychology of Ritual 6 =urra# 9ope 0ou are now half.wa# through 3e el OneK