Astral Projection Guide #2

Gareth Knight states that Daath is where ‘pure force takes on form”[viii] and
that it is “the highest unity in the world of forms”[ix], and “Daath is the
highest point of awareness of the human soul regarded as a soul…”[x].
“The Daath powers in balanced function, of course, give the type of person
with a mission or sense of destiny who will have sufficient detachment to cut
his way through any obstruction to his aims, at no matter what cost, and
who has absolutely no concern for what danger the future may have in store
such is his faith in his powers and acceptance of his destiny.” [xi]
Unfortunately, most of what is said regarding Daath, like the other spheres,
is of a cosmological nature, and difficult to apply to our individual
consciousness. The abstract ideas associated with it, coupled with vague
warnings and trepidation are not directives on how to approach this sphere
within our psyche (and very real psycho-spiritual, semi-physical center!) in a
positive and growth oriented manner.
Possibly what Knight is saying, on a personal level, is that the
psycho-physical sphere associated with Daath allows for the highest
awareness in human consciousness when it is progressively opened. When
this occurs, many of the fears, obstructions, and psychological malfunctions
that have previously plagued us, fall away under the intense awareness of
our true power and presence as Beings becoming consciously Divine.
In summary, maybe the fears are real, in that once we cross the Bridge of
Knowledge, there is no turning back. Once we go from the theoretical to the
experiential, we cannot return to ignorance. When innocence is lost, it is
gone for good. Thus, we can cross the ‘bridge’ several times: from the
material world to the psychic; from the psychic to the more abstract mental
realms; and from the mental to the highly spiritual, from which none is said
to have returned. Most of what is reported about Daath may be in relation to
this last and highest reality.
The function of this technique, is to assist those who desire it, to cross their
personal psychic bridge from the visible into the invisible with consciousness
and memory.
Mercury, Hermes and the Psychopomp
Knight suggests using the caduceus, a symbol of the god Mercury, and the
psychopomp Hermes, as a symbol for approaching Daath. This relationship
of the Throat Center to Mercury must not be overlooked, for it is this very
relationship that we are seeking to establish within ourselves. To be able to
enter into the psychic realms with the aid and assistance of our Higher
Genius, as well as our human intellect, and to make use of the information
upon return to waking consciousness. We want, in effect, to do as Hermes
does, “Walk Between Two Worlds” and unite them within our psyche.
The symbols for Mercury is the stylized caduceus in the form of the
combined symbols of Luna (Moon), Sol (Sun), and Terra (Earth). Combined
they state the function of this part of our psychic anatomy. The upturned
lunar symbol represents our brain, nervous system, and psychic functioning,
resting upon the Solar symbol beneath. The Sun, is our spiritual powers, life
force, and intuition. It sits astride the symbol for matter, or the equal armed
cross. The Cross of the Four Elements is the symbol of material existence,
and is at once our physical bodies as well as the material world we live in.
In the symbol for Mercury, we see that the terrestrial energies, or matter,
are dominated, by the Solar forces of the Sun, and Soul. However, these
spiritual forces are in turn dominated by the intellect and physical brain of
man. That is, the brain directs them, or represses them, depending on the
spiritual health of the aspirant.

sun, brain, and spiritual awakening.
As messenger of the gods, Mercury assists in the transfer of knowledge, and
not in the creation or interpretation of that knowledge, these functions being
left to the brain and psychic heart. The heart is the seat of intuition, the
Voice of the Soul, and the Interior Master, only through its awakening can
we become conscious and free beings. However, the energy of the
awakened heart, with all of its love, must be transferred to the physical
brain for insight and understanding. In doing so, it requires the assistance of
the Throat center. Once in the brain, the energy must also be able to return
to the heart, or send information there for spiritual consideration, via the
Mercurial Center.
Herein lies some confusion for some folks. It is said that the heart is the
center of intuition, yet it is in the pituitary body of the physical brain that
intuition is realized in mundane consciousness. Is it not possible to simply
awaken the pituitary body without the needed functions of the psychic
heart?
The answer is yes. To understand this somewhat confusing relationship
between the heart, pituitary gland, and our spiritual awakening, we need to
realize that according to esoteric tradition both of these organs are Solar in
nature, and as such effected by the material and spiritual Sun. Just as the
pituitary gland reacts to light physical light, it also reacts to the awakening
of the spiritual light caused by an awakened Heart - a Heart filled with love.
The brain in general is Lunar, but certain aspects of it respond to other
planetary influences in their specific functions.
This need to awaken both the heart and brain, is what is required for travels
through the psychic realms. An awakened heart with no brain is subject to
an extreme lack of practicality; and a brain with no heart can function
psychically, but only in a cold and detached manner. The ‘thinking heart’
and ‘feeling brain’ are what Mercury help us to establish. In doing so, the
polarity is overcome through union and the material and remaining psychic
forces of our body are brought into play in a harmonious manner.
The use of blues, and purples is said to show the relationship between
Daath, and the ideas of a Higher Mind (Blue/Chesed) and Yesod (Purple).
Thus, the Daath , or sphere of Knowledge that we are contacting through
our meditations is our personal one, and not that of the transpersonal or
Cosmic Daath on the Tree of Life, of which so many dangers have been
written and attributed.
It is also the synthesis of the Supernal Upper Trinity in a form we can
approach and understand more easily[xii]
Also, if Yesod, or the gateway and principle sphere of the astral realm is a
reflection of Daath “on a lower arch” as our British fraters and sorors are so
fond of saying, then meditations on the “Daath” sphere in ourselves should
not only sublimate the sexual creative powers of Yesod, but also allow us to
enter into astral consciousness more fully and completely.
Some Additional Thoughts From the East
In Chinese and Mongolian Chi Kung, meditation on the throat center is used
precisely for these purposes: (1) sublimation of the sexual force[xiii], and (2)
assisting in the conscious projection of consciousness and the induction of
lucid dreaming. It is the connecting center between the heart and the brain.
“Taoists who practice Dream Yoga focus on the throat point when going to
sleep so as to consciously cross the bridge between the waking state and the
dream state. Being able to dream lucidly helps one gain greater control of
one’s Chi (internal energy) and also enables one to consciously bridge the
gap between life and death.”[xiv]
Conscious dreaming is used to awaken the “Seventy -Two Magical Abilities”,
in order to prepare them for eventual transfer to the waking, material world.
This is an interesting number, as it matches the number of permutations of
the “Great Name” of God, or Schemhamphoresch. Theoretically, each of
these Names, Signs, Seals, and correspondences[xv] could be awakened
using the technique outlined in this article.
As in India and Western techniques, the throat is associated with air, spirit
energy, and consciousness in Taoist practices.
The Technique
The Philosophers of Nature[xvi] suggest three methods of projecting
consciousness: mental, astral, and ethereal projection.
The first technique suggests using the Throat center for projection, and
states that the dis-alignment of the physical and psychic bodies will occur at
the level of the neck. It is this basic idea that the following experiment is
based upon.
In order to present the subconscious with an orderly supply of symbols in a
coherent and meaningful manner, the use of either the Hindu Tattwas,
Alchemical Element, of Kerubic Signs can be initially used. Afterwards, the
planetary sings of the seven principle planets are used in their place. This
progressive use of the same symbols allows the subconscious to understand
that these symbols are meaningful and are the official means of transferring
consciousness form one level to another.
If done repeatedly, the symbols will not be needed after a period of time,
and if done with good heart and mind, one may potentially realize their
‘interior level’ during one of the dream states provoked.
While full-scale astral projection may not immediately occur, the degree of
lucid dreaming, dream memory, and even a limited increase in one’s
‘magical voice’ will be experienced. It is up to each aspirant to make the
most of these ‘out-of-body’ dream states, and increase their level of intensity
so as to realize full and controlled projection of consciousness.
Unlike other methods of projection, through regular practice, the method
outlined here will in most cases work gently and progressively, i.e. increased
dreaming, then lucid dreaming, and finally astral projection, thus allowing
for an aclimation of consciousness to these new states of being.
Step One - Obtain a set of symbols for the Four Elements and Spirit, and
the Seven Planetary Signs. Start with Earth, then progress to Water, Air,
Fire, and Spirit as the days proceed. The basic procedure will not change,
only the symbols used to attain projection. Therefor, it is best to use symbols
that you can easily visualize, either in gold, phosphorescent white, or their
complimentary colors.
Step Two - When going to sleep, or even just relaxing a few minutes, turn
you attention to the area of your ‘Adam’s Apple’ and imagine a brilliant
blue-black (or indigo/ultra-violet) sphere there, about the size of a tennis
ball. Make it brilliant an translucent, as though it were illuminated from the
inside, with its center point around the thyroid gland. It should be large
enough to also touch the back of the nape of the neck, and if done very
large (as Regardie suggests)[xvii], it may even have its farthest edges at the
bridge of the nose and brushing the thymus gland, or heart. What is
important here, is that the image is three-dimensional, and not just as a flat
and parts of your head. Your imagination is internally directed. It is all right
to imagine the organs mentioned if it aids in visualization, otherwise, stay
with the bright, translucent color and imagine that this is all there is, lose
yourself in it. Place yourself in its center, look around at an infinity of
singular color of slightly different shades and hues.
Step Three - After achieving familiarity with the first step, and can enter
into the indigo sphere at will, and be comfortable there, imagine your
chosen symbol for Earth present with you. See it brilliant and before you,
with the qualities of Earth present, that is heaviness, and density, and simply
stay with the symbol for a while, or until you fall asleep. Do this for one five
to seven days, then move on to the remaining symbols. After you have
completed all of the Elements, including Spirit, then proceed on to the
Planetary symbols.
Step Four - With the planetary symbols you have several choices on how to
approach. First, you can simply move through them, starting with Luna, and
progressing up the Tree of Life. Second, you can start with Saturn and
progress down. Third, you can simply alternate through them according to
the ruling planet of the day. Since it is desirable to spend several cycles with
each symbol, the Third method offers the easiest and least tedious way of
working through them with out worrying about breaking off in the middle
somewhere and having to start that symbol over again.
Note your experiences in your daily notebook and see what if any
connections exist from week to week between the symbols of each planet.
It is desirable to spend at least five to seven cycles with each planetary
symbol, or between six and seven weeks working with them as you fall
asleep. This, added to the previous four or five weeks working with the
Elements, makes a total of ten to twelve weeks of nightly work. Upon rising
in the morning, a minute or two can also be spent visualizing the symbol of
that day as well, as long as you don’t fall back to sleep!
Those wishing to supply information regarding their experiences to the ORA
Project may do so by sending a copy of their notes after the completion of
the exercise to: Mark Stavish, M.A., ORA Project, Philosophers of Nature,
P.O. Box 2920, Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania 18703-2920. Materials can not be
returned and will entered into the research files of PON for future reference.
Please include a brief biographical sketch regarding your esoteric
background, with particular emphasis on kabbalah, alchemy, and ritual
magic, if applicable.
ORA is the Occult Research and Application Project, and is designed to find
new applications for existing Hermetic knowledge, as well as re-create and
examine traditional knowledge and techniques for use in the contemporary
world.

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