The Purpose of Love by Richard Gardner

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& chapter index

The Purpose of Love
by Richard Gardner

PART TWO
- D -

- page index -
Three Ages of History

chapter index

The number twelve occurs in much religious teaching, folklore and myth. These stories have continued down the ages in many forms and in most parts of the world. They invariably tell that the world and mankind were created perfect, that we were whole and without death. It looks then as if it was consciousness that fell. We can see that consciousness is composed of a very delicate fabric. We must have done something to shatter it, causing it to fall, separating the two dynamics, fire and water, into forms of non-communicating consciousness which we have since come to know as the conscious and subconscious minds within us (to be reunited through love). Thus there are twelve, now identifiable, fragments which we have to develop and put together. Six male and six female parts; these twelve are everywhere: twelve hours of the day and night, twelve months of the year, twelve regions of the visible world and twelve regions of the invisible world of the ancient Egyptians. The twelve major deities of ancient Greece, the twelve tasks of Hercules, twelve tribes of Israel, twelve apostles, twelve gates of the holy city associated with twelve precious stones. In numerology twelve is the number of completion and perfection. In the Tarot twelve is the number of truth. We use a twelve man jury system. There is indeed much to suggest that the number twelve has great meaning in relation to the nature of consciousness. The twelve signs of the Zodiac are made up of the major influences upon our lives.

In most industrial countries today a great problem with most people in relation to their evolution is caused by their condition of life, which drives their subconscious even further down, so that it becomes totally submerged and inaccessible to them. This un- fortunate tendency seems to have been accelerated by two world wars. We cannot help but suppress much of our finer feelings in time of war. Authors prior to 1914 were making great strides in invesigating the human soul, then the wars came, killing faith and real interest in the human aspect of human beings. The channels of consciousness that can aid us to comprehend the soul were completely suppressed. The soul died giving birth to the rampant machines which now dominate our attention. The great advice 'Man know thyself was entirely neglected. The ancient Greeks knew more about the human soul than we have known ever since. They had developed Water to a high degree, but when they fell that consciousness fell with them. However what was can be again, and now that we know better what our problems are, all can be brought to light. Though with a third world war looming ever nearer it must be said that the soul cannot easily express itself, because should you try to allow the subconscious to the surface, you are likely to feel and see the horrors that the conscious mind has in store for us. This terrifies, and people put their insight back below the surface once more. Each individual must find the courage to bring the rampage of Fire consciousness, which now has the world in its grip, under control.

As should now be clear, the consciousness that is submerged is activated by the blue energy all around us. It is the energy form from which electricity is derived, and lower on the alchemical scale manifests as Water. It is the source of all Water. Readers will find that lying beside streams, rivers or sea in a passive open state of mind will do much to help the subconscious to rise again to the surface by allowing all kinds of daydreams, imaginings and intuitions to meander through their minds WITHOUT JUDGMENT. The more you judge what is passing through the mind, the more you stop the process. If you think it is 'silly' outlandish, naughty, ridiculous or pass any other judgment the process is inhibited. The best approach is to lie back as if at a picture show and allow ALL that comes. Afterwards when you have got up, you can start thinking about the show and try to see what it meant. Any time that this double process succeeds you will achieve some realization about yourself or the world. When one consciousness can interpret the other some truth can be bom. A realization great or small means that some integration has occurred within your two forms of knowing. As we are, we cannot use the two forms at the same time. Fire and Water will not go into the same vessel at the same time, hence to experience one, suspend the other. A recumbent posture aids Water, a vertical position aids Fire. Do not interrupt a flow of feeling and the association of ideas it brings, reflect upon it afterwards to find the inner meaning. Jesus talks of us being bom again of water and the spirit (fire). The foregoing will begin to put this into practice.

It can be truly said that the subject of this book is elementary in both senses of the word, dealing with the elements, and also basic and simple. It will not take great minds to begin to put it into practice, and the whole subject matter could be put into a series of fairy stories that could be told to children from three years onward.

It is perhaps true to say that the colour problem is not so much a problem of colour as a problem of different types of evolution. We tend to have a feeling that certain coloured people are not at our level, and in certain elements this may be true. But in other elements they are often in advance, such as relent- lessness. their ability to relax, be easygoing, to accept and put up with difficulties more easily. Their sense of rhythm and ability to dance to states of abandon, and when true to their own culture, they often have certain magical powers. All of which tends to stimulate our animal fear of the unfamiliar. If you think that the foregoing attributes do not matter you know nothing about the nature of life, nor have understood anything of importance in this book. In some parts of the world the coloureds have kept channels alive that we have outlawed. We can certainly leam from each other, so long as we do not judge one another and claim that one group of functions are superior to another. All are necessary and one group of functions lords it over the other to the peril of all.

Most of us working on the nature of consciousness know that our further evolution is a formidable task which will demand the very best of us all. As with climbing a mountain there will be many rocks and dangers on the way where we shall have to help one another along. But as we may expect, death will not be easy to conquer. Only when we have given of our best will it be van- quished. On the way however the rewards will be positive, more understanding, greater experiences in the ecstasies of love, longer youth, more happiness. The concept of right and wrong can only exist in relation to some aim; our aim is Life. Discovering the true meaning of right and wrong will show us that all mistakes lead to death. 'Sin' is best thought of as mistakes. Then we see the meaning of The wages of sin is death', and why the tree of true knowledge leads to the tree of Life.

The broadest and most practical means of spreading the values of the new age would be to revert to the ancient practice of instruc- tion through plays, in which people could see the problems and their solutions dramatically presented. Properly done it would be exciting and uplifting, a painless form of learning. Truth is invariably amusing, thrilling and exciting, because it concerns our interest in ourselves. There is much work for play writers.

As we have been in the grip of Airy, Fiery channels for so long our immediate problem is to prepare people for experiencing the Watery ones. Under present conditions most people would think they were mad if water was suddenly turned on in them. The problem about experiencing large quantities of an unfamiliar channel is that at first we tend not to be able to control it. This enhances the feeling of being mad. This control is really only a matter of degree, because most of us cannot properly control even the elements with which we are familiar. Reading the lists of attributes of the twelve channels makes this clear.

A schizophrenic is sometimes a person who has had the good fortune to experience a channel unfashionable in our time. And because this channel is not known or recognized there is no one around to help him understand it, control it, and integrate it with the channels he experiences in his other state. So that which could be a source of our further enlightenment is treated as madness. What a dark age we live in!

Drugs of a suitable kind were taken in the temples of the past under the guidance of one who knew what he was doing. They were used in religious ritual as a means of unlocking more doors of our perception. It is interesting that so many youngsters are intuitively seeking this at present. What a loss it is that there is no religion or instructed priestesses or priests to guide them in their quest. Condemnation is their lot in these primitive times. The real function of religion is to aid the self-development of its followers. That is the whole raison d'etre of its existence. If a cult is not doing this for its followers it has no right to the name religion. As we truly develop our vibrations will increase until at last we are fit to look upon God.

It is worth reiterating the qualites to be found in fully developed Water and Earth, Earth and Water, Water and Air. All three are suppressed in our time. All three brought to the surface would yield mental and physical benefits. Greater tactile perception, sense of smell enhanced, hearing range extended, tremendous body magnetism, inner control over body imbalances, self-healing and the healing of others, racial memory, being able to tap the wavelength that stores the record of what happened on earth, enchantment, telepathy and direct perception. Ancient tradition said Eve was the ear to God. Divine guidance is possible through these channels. We use the element water for hearing, soothsaying and prophecy. Levitation is quite probable as the result of inner transformations, some saints among others are recorded to have done it. Perhaps the stories of magic carpets and flying broomsticks are true after all. It will be found that in Watery channels many 'myths' come to life.

Learning about consciousness is aided by observing climatic conditions. You will have noted that each state of mind is associated with a climatic or natural condition. Nationalities differ because of climate and the slightly different channels they use or develop to different degrees. Unfortunately the modem world is being grossly infected by the superficial Airy Fiery channels that the Americans are using. Fire is unfit to wield this degree of influence. It is only the consciousness that pops in and out when we wake or sleep. It is taken much too seriously these days.

The I Ching was built up entirely on observations of terrestrial conditions and it is a great help in expanding consciousness. When G. B. Shaw asked where he was educated he replied The hills and dales around Dublin'. In many of the translations of the Four Gospels you will find a symbol of an element over each of them. Also the tapestry in the new Coventry cathedral has the four elements symbolized around our Lord.

We live in a universe of unlimited possibility. The possibilities are there awaiting our courage and vision to exploit them. But because we live in a time that is spellbound by fractured knowledge, denial rules the roost. There is no premise for denial for anyone who takes the teachings of Jesus seriously. It is quite ridiculous to elect Him as Master on the one hand and deny the teaching on the other. To have the extraordinary impudence to reduce His teaching to our own present blindness and fear gives us no chance of seeing the light. He came offering life more abundantly, promising that 'All shall be made known unto you'. Yet we still have a nonsensical word like 'mystical' in the language, implying that there are areas of knowledge not available to us. This is quite untrue, with the right approach ALL is comprehensible.

If you wish to experience life, pay no heed to anyone who sets limits, in the universe there are none. Only in man's present condition do limits apply, and with work on himself he can constantly expand these limits. All denial is a denial of life, and our Lord promised us everlasting life. Why elect a master and deny His teaching? As he said Himself 'Why call ye me master and do not as I say'. Until we teach our children about the possibility of achieving everlasting life, we are killing them.

Constantly sustained good feeling is the key to life, and if we had made any real attempt to practise this we would know very much more than we do now. The two books I have written have said 'love one another' and what we may expect from doing so.

The more time the student spends cogitating upon the Elements, the more he or she will see. Any other knowledge he or she has can be a great aid to realizing ever more about humanity and the world, when linked with the meaning of the elements of human behaviour. This study is 'Man know thyself put into practice.

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The historian, Kenneth Carter, who is a co-discoverer in this work, has for instance been able to identify the four different channels of consciousness activated by the three main ages of history since the inception of patriarchy. The feudal, the democratic and the nomadic.

Historical patterns have tended to run thus, a group forms itself around a series of dogmatic principles, establishes them by force upon the populace, making themselves defenders of the faith, creating king and court, and patronizing the arts. Through time, unfortunately, they have invariably abused their power and privi- lege, forcing upon the people the necessity to rebel. When the revolt succeeds the people establish what they call democracy. This lasts awhile, but as time goes on the people become increas- ingly bored with the monotonous drabness of their lives. There are no real or exciting aims, no pageantry, no great carnivals, no one either encouraged or allowed to expand his being significantly beyond that of his contemporaries; and there is no proper patronage of the arts.

This is a situation which is not in accord with the basic need of the human soul to grow. Therefore the pattern begins to break, through lack of a supreme aim to keep it together, and the nomadic period begins where an increasing number of people become resigned to the meaninglessness of life and begin aimlessly to drift and wander, thumbing their way to nowhere. The logical conclusion of this behaviour is a return to the Dark Ages.

These three ages represent the activating of four different groups of channels. The feudal largely works with:

Air and Water. The Patriarch, from which it derives its dogma and the high principles it should rightly have.

Fire and Earth. The Warrior, from which it derives the force to establish and defend itself. This force would later turn into that of the Pioneer. (He who has the courage to try what is new: a rare quality in our time!)

Water and Air. The Child, for the appreciation of beauty, the aspect that leads to the patronage of the arts.

Earth and Fire. The Slave, from whom it draws those who are to serve the established class. These are the only channels (types of consciousness) which the feudal systems take in any way seriously.

When the democrats take over they tend to take more seriously, and hence give an extra life to:

Air and Fire. The Logician, which is the leading consciousness of the scientist (we can say Cromwell established him in this country).

Fire and Air. The Joker, the consciousness famed for its wit and inability to appreciate.

Earth and Water. Mother Nature, governing agriculture and deeper levels of racial memory.

Water and Earth. The Enchantress, pictorial thinker and queen of the spiritualists. In the patriarchal democracy of our times, it is clear that the feminine channels are not fully developed. The less Water and Earth are allowed the more cynical becomes her opposite, the Joker.

As democracy disintegrates the nomads begin to give life to the remaining four channels:

Earth and Air. The Old Woman, who when not engaged in economics is the proverbial wanderer. She started her evolution as the wandering traders, the caravans. Where no kind of standards exist it is not difficult to develop:

Air and Earth. The Observer, a state in which one just watches what is going on with complete indifference. The life aspects of the nomads are drawn from:

Fire and Water. The Fool, with whom any kind of spontaneous behaviour goes and one can be as colourful as one likes on any occasion. This last attribute it shares with:

Water and Fire. The Actress, who insists on total emotional freedom and expression, regardless of circumstances.

Such is the historical pattern due to our knowing too little about consciousness, and thereby not catering for its twelve natures in any single age. The twelve must be served, or nothing permanent can be built.

One will notice among one's friends (I use the term loosely) that it is not only historical periods which fit into three categories, but also individuals in our time. You will recognize the feudal types. They may be seen today as 'old fashioned' since we are at present at the fag end of a democratic era. They believe in the master servant relationship. They are usually their own bosses in some way. Proud, inclined to be dogmatic and pompous. Vote conservative, tend to be royalist and nationalist, see marriage as important to the preservation of their name and property, though tend to be tolerant about mistresses. They are true appreciators of the arts, and when in good shape, honour is their backbone. Obviously a dwindling class at present, although such natures are sometimes found among successful crooks. Disestablished patterns, when positive application is denied them, often resort to negative means of survival in order to preserve their pattern.

We recognize the democratic types by their 'squareness' and intellectualism. Their suburbia of housing estates (usually furnished like furniture shops). Caught in the rat race, products of their time which they accept and perpetuate, social climbers, 'golf club types' caring much about what other people think of them (as if people did think!) and the Sunday car washers. Marriage is important to them and if they divorce they tend to suffer many unpleasant after effects. They are not colourful characters with vibrant life. So much is lost to them by their conformity.

Nomadic types are usually recognized by their long hair, untidiness, lack of standards and commitments. They tend to be arty, bohemian and often impertinent, wandering and sleeping where they can. Marriage is of little importance to them and should they marry, divorce is no bother to them. The law means nothing, except how to keep out of its way. Petty larceny, anything goes. The negative aspects arise in all types for three main reasons, one, because they are not established and hence are not allowed to grow properly. Two, because when established they do not allow enough of the other type to grow, and three, a lack of a great aim for living. Linked to a great aim all channels would be allowed and their positive aspects would manifest themselves. The nomads in excellent state are the gipsies with their gay music and dancing, and bright coloured caravans, all of which have produced a way of life as worthy of respect as any other. Feudal types tend to be indifferent toward the nomads, whereas democratic types are infuriated by them.

Each group has its place and they do well to co-operate and this would be possible with the light of a great aim. The nomads are important in their influence of preventing a feudal system from becoming too rigid, narrow and dogmatic. Air and Earth one of the channels which they keep alive is the consciousness of discovery, and both the Fool and the Actress in their heightened states are open to Divine inspiration.

Not all persons of the three types will have all the attributes listed, but most will have enough of them to be recognizable. The way the mechanized world appears at the moment one would say, that if we survive, we are not far from the establishment of a new feudal system. Quite often from radio, television and newspapers come quotes from many saying that we stand in great need at this time of inspired leadership.

At the end of the evolutionary process we are promised 'The Kingdom of Heaven on Earth'. No doubt a properly instructed, honourable feudal system could begin to bring this into being. The charter of twelve in the hands of the people could be an excellent means of preventing excesses and omissions.

Perhaps no medium of expression reveals more truth than fairy stories. In them are many small kingdoms. This may well be the best pattern for us to try. It would give plenty of leeway for many kinds of experimental living in order to perfect the expression of the twelve which would fulfil our Divine destiny.

Most true works on consciousness can be used as oracles. In this case one could cut a circular piece of cardboard and mark the twelve channels on it, put a pencil through the centre and spin it, noting which segment comes to rest on the table. Questions should be along these lines: What elements should I develop? What way should I treat my wife? What approach should I use; to whatever you have in hand. Other questions will occur to you as you become familiar with the process. Most oracles work if you do not abuse them by asking the same question repeatedly at one sitting. It is best to ask, spin, take the advice, and not ask again until some time later, or when the situation has changed. Treated with respect, I have always found oracles helpful in expanding one's view and ability in many situations.

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Chapter Index

	page
Introduction	1
PART ONE. ON CENTRE
Chapter 1. Fallen Consciousness	2
Chapter 2. Three Basic Constituents	3
Chapter 3. Points to Consider	4
Chapter 4. The Two Establishments	5
PART TWO. THE TWELVE CHANNELS	6
Introduction	7
PART TWO (A)	8
PART TWO (B)	9
PART TWO (C)	10
PART TWO (D)	11
Addenda	12
APPENDIX Physics and Consciousness	13
Bibliography	14