Copyright (C) 1998 by William Mistele. All rights reserved. Finding Akasha in Yourself--A Brief Outline in Four Steps Preliminary Considerations: I would like to emphasize that the notion of akasha is nothing new. It has been described in many texts such as the Heart Sutra from the Prajnaparamita, the Bagavad Gita, and even the 90th Psalm. I know Zen masters who slip into akasha as easily as they tie their shoes. Some Tibetan Buddhists I know configure their magical circles to express an akashic state of trance. An Indian medicine man I spent some time with often wandered in akasha when he dreamed and he relied upon it when he wanted something done in a hurry. One Taoist master uses akasha to open gates to the inner planes to speak with any master from the past of that lineage. And I know some Sufis who enter akasha through their dance or by the way they focus their eyes. Life presents us with both outer and inner experience just as a circle has both a circumference and a center. Finding the akasha within ourselves is perceiving life from the center. No matter how dramatic our actions or rapid our life transitions, there remains a calm stillness around which everything turns. To enter this still center of the heart is one of life's greatest gifts. There are traditions probably as old as mankind in which individuals have learned to switch into another mode of perception. They attempt to see, feel, and think as divine beings. They not only reenact this in their rituals. They relive the act of creation as if it is their own to unfold. This is not a heretical, profane, or an outlandish interpretation. This is a son or a daughter inquiring into their origins and preparing to assume their own rightful place as creators in the image and likeness of the Creator. The modern mind relies primarily on scientific inquiry to master the art of creation. Our model of the universe is experimental and subject to empirical verification. Yet the impulse underlying scientific endeavor has always been present. It is not surprising that every esoteric oral tradition on earth has its own version of a cosmology. It is inherent in human nature to express and celebrate the powers and the beauty which brought life into being. Consequently, it is not an idle thought to think that the power that created and shaped the universe flows us. Finding and uniting with the creator/Creator in ourselves is the very essence of love. And it is the final destiny which we shall attain as a race who live and dwell among two hundred billion galaxies. Step 1: To enter akasha, cultivate a state of meditation or trance in which your awareness is highly refined. Move beyond dependency on form, gender, age, historical or social identity. Here there are no limitations, no boundaries, and there is no need for names. Space and time are completely open to your scrutiny. In this state of mind, nothing is hidden and everything is available to be to studied directly through intuition or mental projection. This is a magical practice and activity. The emphasis and procedure are somewhat different from those taught in traditional religions. We are not starting with a devotional act. We are not sacrificing, praying, or invoking. We are not being hesitant, cautious, or self-deprecating. There is no temple atmosphere, incense, rituals, mantras, icons or yidams supporting our consciousness. There is no need for a magical circle, wand, or pentagram. We are also not proceeding in conformity with the rules of psychology. We are not processing our experience. We are not strengthening our social identity. We are not relying upon behavioral, emotive, cognitive,

empirical, or social-linguistic methodologies. We are not exploring the personal, collective, or global unconscious. We are not using positive thoughts, guided meditations, or relaxation techniques. Having said all of this--having renounced dependence on form and tradition--it still remains that each of us will use those tools which best express our own aspirations. Union with akasha is personal and transpersonal. Like the answer to a Zen koan, each individual's response is always the same and yet always new. That is to say, we can turn any activity into a means for attaining transcendence. This is because in every moment we exist at the edge of akasha and we are free to draw upon its power and creativity. Through meditation and concentration, we enter the mind and assume the full prerogatives of a spiritual being. If some proclaim man is made in the image of God, then in this moment we activate this divine image in its power, rapture, and sovereignty. One procedure is to use your creativity and intuition to imagine what this is like. A simple way to begin is to visualize dark, ultraviolet light penetrating through space and time and that you are this light. All of history, past, present, and future, stands open to your gaze. The wisdom of all ages illuminates your understanding. Think about this and consider the ramifications--there is no emotion or feeling, no thought or perception, no sensory experience, pleasure, pain, sorrow or ecstasy which you can not comprehend and contain in its full depth, breadth, and meaning. All instincts, drives, desires, motives, and inspirations are clear to you. Every nuance and facet which makes an animal, human or divine being what it is is part of your awareness. As an image of God, like unto God, you are sovereign and lord over your own being. In this state of awareness, nothing can influence you or oppose you without your permission. As a creator, you have the ability and the right to withdraw into yourself whenever you wish to examine the universe that surrounds you. From this position, you can consider the forces active within yourself and those which shape the world in which you live. You can consider what has been, what is, and what shall come to be. And, as a creator, from out of the depths of your heart you can originate new purposes and actions. You can set into motion forces which fulfill your visions and remake the world as a better place to live. This akashic state of awareness, then, is your own space. Within it, you are autonomous, independent, and self-originating. The mysteries of your self and the universe surrounding you are open to your understanding. As befitting a state of perfect wisdom, you are detached and transcendent. But also, according to your need and intentions, you are also imminent and omnipresent. You can be present within and fully conscious of every aspect of anything that exists anywhere in the universe. This is the nature of akasha. This is capacity of those who unite with Divine Providence. In summary, in this first step we develop a physical sensation, a feeling, and a mode of intuition. The sensation is of penetrating through space, time, and the entire universe should we wish. The feeling is of being in our own space, totally independent, autonomous, and sovereign--nothing can influence us or oppose us without our permission. And our intuition is of having full knowledge of any thing or being we wish to focus upon. Almost anyone can imagine these things if they spend some time working at it. Our task is to become familiar with this state of awareness so we can claim it as our own. The point is to be able to enter akasha with ease whenever we wish. Step 2. In the second step, we strengthen our akasha trance. Meditation

becomes samadhi--body, soul, mind, and spirit are totally engaged and united as we concentrate. In this way, we attain total faith and conviction. Our psychic senses are enhanced. And the atomic vibration of matter and our physical being becomes open to our investigation. We now can sense how akasha is the origin of the four elements. Fire's expansive and commanding power of will are joined with water's encompassing, nurturing sensitivity and acceptance. Air's independence and freedom are combined with earth's solidity and endurance. These four unite in a pure, clear awareness which knows itself to be divine. Though we talk about the four elements, it would be just as easy to say that the seven chakras in the body, the four planes of awareness, the seven planets in the solar system, and the twelve signs of the zodiac also combine and unite within this trance. This might sound confusing at first but the basics remain: akasha is an awareness which encompasses, penetrates and unites all at the same time. In summary, for the second step the sense of touch which penetrates through space and time is stronger. You radiate power. Your aura, which is without limit, can now influence anything you concentrate upon. The feeling of being in your own space is also expanded. You feel at home wherever you are. And whereas your intuition in step one gave you knowledge, you now feel omnipresence is something real. As you contemplate, you can remove every trace of separation between you and any other being or spirit. The oneness you can create and sustain is like that of Divine Providence. In the first step, the task is to enter akasha with ease so that this unusual state is comfortable and familiar. In this step, akasha becomes a trance in which our whole being is present as we concentrate. This carries with it an absolute sense of conviction that we are united with whatever we focus upon so that all separation is overcome. The highest light of divinity is illuminating our five senses. Step 3. In the first two steps, we entered and became familiar with akasha. We then deepen our concentration so it becomes total. These are internal states of awareness. In this step, our internal awareness of akasha becomes strong enough that we change the world. As we mature as individuals within a family, we exercise more control over our body, emotions, and mind. Our personalities become more rounded. We gain in experience. We become productive members of society. We belong to secular and religious/spiritual communities. But if we work with akasha over many years, it is possible to become active as a dynamic and influential spiritual being. This means we engage in a set of actions which are completely invisible to the society in which we live. These are not religious or devotional activities. They are the actions of individuals whose power and authority are sufficient to guide and to alter history. But this intervention is not arbitrary. It carries with it the highest responsibility. To put it another way, we become agents of akasha. A part of ourselves is totally dedicated to Divine Providence. In the first two steps, we are more concerned with the perfection of the self. In this step, we turn our attention to accomplishing some specific work on earth. This is not an odd idea. I have already referred to this motivation earlier on--there is a natural desire to contribute to the unfolding of the world or, as the Sufis might say, every heart desires to transform the world through love. To assume a spiritual identity is to become active in this endeavor. The conscious integration of the self at this point includes an awareness of the deeper purposes which are guiding history. Just as a successful personality is effective in working with the rules of society, those who have assumed spiritual consciousness are successful in working with the laws of the universe.

They understand what is possible. They exercise foresight. They monitor the karma of individuals and societies as they search for ways to accelerate growth and to enhance harmony. Though on occasion they exercise godlike powers, it is not their intention to dominate. They seek instead to liberate, to heal, to fulfill, and to set free. In summary, the conviction in this step is strong enough and the intuition pure enough to alter the course of history through the exercise of spiritual and magical powers. To do so requires that an individual develop a consciousness appropriate for this level of activity. This is not a social or religious identity, for the accumulated wisdom within a society can never substitute for a direct connection to Divine Providence. And the light of morality is never sufficient to take the place of harmonizing oneself with the laws of the universe. In brief, you know beyond all doubt and with complete accuracy the range of your powers and the purity of your spirit. You know what you can accomplish. You see with the eyes of akasha and the four elements of nature obey your will. And so, like unto a creator, you reshape the world according to the visions within your heart. The act by which the universe was created has not ended. It is on-going and we are a part of the process. Step 4. In the fourth step, an individual becomes even more like akasha. What does akasha do? It grants shelter, protection, and support. It is nurturing and encouraging. It is also supremely challenging because the possibilities it offers are infinite. Akasha is both masculine and feminine. It holds the past in reverence and it is the unknown manifesting. Akasha lays the foundations for a new world offering both continuity and divine creativity. In the fourth step, as an individual grows in akasha awareness, he or she exercises a permanent influence on human evolution. As long as humanity exists, his or her contribution to the human spirit will remain. Its light never goes out. The perfection of the individual leads to this place where there is a unending outpouring of new treasures of wisdom, love, and illumination. Like a planet, a star, or a constellation, the individual becomes a gate through which the beauty of the universe is continually revealed.