Sunday, February 21st, 1982

CLASS at Wisdom's Goldenrod, Hector, NY

February 21, 1982

BUDDHISM: TANTRA

with Appendix: Classnotes AB 1982 0221.

TOPIC: Buddhism

SUBJECT: Tantra

SUBSUBJECTS: Kalachakra, Chakras, States of Consciousness, Buddhist Cosmology, Alchemy

CONTENTS:

Attempt to correlate waking state with elements and dream state with quintessential body

Review of process of spiritual development: 1) experience in the elements; 2) precipitation of quintessential vehicle/impure maya body; 3) evolution of seven supersensory organs; purified maya body; 4) augoeides body; archetypal realm; 5) soul; clear light

Realization of emptiness followed by development of cosmic vehicle

Various interpretations of chakra system: 1) correspond to seven levels/seven prakritis in twelfth house; 2) all within ether; 3) all within elements

Relationship between consciousness states and chakras/drops

Relationship between consciousness states and gross, subtle, causal of sublunar, planetary, and inerratic

Buddhist realms of existence: desire, form, formless

Detailed breakdown of desire realm

Kalachakra visualization with Mount Meru and four continents within desire realm; all human beings located on four continents and eight subcontinents; Shambhala on one of the continents

Hungry ghosts and hell beings are mental states of human origin, don't have place in objective cosmos

Relationship between demigods, gods, and humans; characteristics of demigods (desire, pride, warfare)

Six realms of gods; two lower realms live on Mount Meru; demigods live on Mount Meru below sea level

Correlation of levels of gods and elements

Connection between continents and cardinal directions

Mount Meru and continents a reflection of subtle earth into gross cosmos as axis and horizon; subtle idea of earth manifest in cosmos as six directions

Appendix: AB class notes

Blavatsky: Kalachakra predates the continent of Europe

4 x 7 diagram of three (seven) levels of twelfth house, states of consciousness, lights

Parallel systems of seven: lokas, lights, chakras

Four chakras and drops

Dissolution of drops correlated with development of maya body; culminates in experience of clear light

Three possible arrangements of chakra system

Buddhist scheme of levels or worlds

Six yogas of Kalachakra; includes both generation and completion stages; Naropa's system all within completion stage

BOOKS READ FROM OR REFERENCED:

• Julius Evola [book unspecified]

DIAGRAMS appended to this transcript:

• FIGURE 1982 0221-1-AB. Channels, Winds, Drops, Lights, and Elements in Tantra correlated with Twelfth House Levels, States of Consciousness, and Skandhas.

• FIGURE 1982 0221-2-AB. Buddhist Scheme of Levels or Worlds.

• FIGURE 1982 0221-3-AB. Six Yogas of Kalachakra.

• FIGURE 1982 0221-4. Chakras and their Cosmic Correspondences.

Other diagrams also referred to are not with this transcript version. [Transcriber note: [diagram] means the speaker is referencing a diagram as he or she is speaking. If someone is drawing or writing, with audible sounds of chalk on a blackboard, I indicate this by [drawing] or [writing].]

NOTES:

• No AD.

• "Chip" is Gabriel Aiello.

• AB class notes have been appended because they contain diagrams that are referred to and also because we are missing one or more audio files for the class. They thus help round out the class. All spelling, capitalization, and punctuation corrected, abbreviations spelled out in AB class notes.

TRANSCRIBED Verbatim by IT 2022. In 2025, IT completes TOC, updates prefatory matter and audio file markers to match new REP audio. Archival verbatim transcript – V11a.

AUDIO FILES: 1982 0221a (formerly 1982 0319b). [Note 1: "Tape" and "Side" refer to original audio cassette tapes that were later digitized into .MP3 Audio Files. Note 2: We only have an audio file for the middle part of the class, we are missing the rest. Note 3: In 2024, REP Studio separates off Audio File 1982 0221a from Audio File 1982 0319b.]

1982 02/21 at Wisdom's Goldenrod

Buddhism: Tantra

[Audio File 1982 0221a (formerly 1982 0319b) Begins]

[Note: See FIGURE 1982 0221-1-AB for the following. There is not an exact word-for-word correspondence with what is being discussed but close enough to help follow along.]

AS: --him or something, it might be information coming in at that level. Apparently, I mean, maybe that's-- I think we use that analogy, if-- if you were at the-- consciously operate with the quintessential body, the realms you're experiencing might be equivalent to like that experience of an arch-- a numinous dream. There'd be a certain level of numinosity, you wouldn't be-- have to get all your experience in this waking state. But, I was trying to correlate the waking state here, the-- with these four, earth, fire and air [diagram]. No waking isn't good but then I'm gonna-- then I'm gonna get messed up with the-- the states of consciousness.

S (faint): Yeah.

AS: See.

S (very faint): Uh-hm.

AS: Let's say our norm-- [drawing] I think that's it.

S (simultaneously): Yeah, right.

S (very faint): Yeah.

GA: Huh.

AS: Now I'm mixing up the four this way with the four [diagram].

S (faint): Yeah.

AS: Let's say this is [drawing] the realm of the experience in the elements, those first four. All our willing, our percept-- our feelings, perceptions, impulses and form, sensible forms. All the experience of that realm is here. At a certain point when that quintessential body gets-- precipitates or whatever we want to say, we've accumulated enough wisdom, which is really on a subtle level, they talk about an experience of this white drop dissolving. Now, by saying the white drop dissolves, maybe they mean that that quintessence which had been accumulated now is precipitated as this subtle vehicle, this quintessential vehicle. [S, very faint: Ok.] And then that-- so you have to go through a whole-- or they call it the impure maya body. And then-- [drawing] the heart level [diagram]. This is the navel [diagram].

GA: Because, you know, maybe it would help if we actually read through [AS: Yeah.] the process.

LR: No.

GA: No?

AS (simultaneously): Probably not but--

GA (simultaneously): You don't want to do it.

S (faint): No.

AS: Let me just say--

LR (simultaneously): No just--

AS: Let me-- yeah we'll do it. Let me just-- let me just finish the-- finish this and then we'll go back. Ok, and I'm-- I think we just tried to correlate, the next stage this process is symbolized by these four [diagram]. These four may not be the act-- what-- There's a confusion with these four that they call chakras and then they have seven chakras and there's four states of consciousness and there's seven planes of existence. And I think we get them all confused. I can do it on one diagram but then when I switch on the other diagram-- (AS laughs a bit) The stages seem to correlate pretty well with the-- like with the alchemist one but-- Ok well, just to finish the review or-- Say that this-- so this system of meanings is being brought into conformity with the seven planetary spheres, ok, with those planetary functions. It seems like that's equivalent to those-- to the seven soul functions we spoke about in the Soul ring [diagram], you know, if you talk about actualizing those soul powers that would seem to be at this level of the maya-- purifying the maya body.

S: Yeah.

AS: And you're bringing those powers into conformity with the planetary spheres. Not that you become the planetary spheres. But your soul has seven powers just the way the World-Soul does. And its powers are already actualized as the planetary spheres and you'd like to actualize your soul functions as your own subtle-- as your own psychic organs. (We'd) like to develop a set of your own say. So that you could operate and get in-- get knowledge of these seven levels of intelligence which the cosmos has already. See macrocosmically the cosmos has those seven levels of intelligence, ok, the seven planetary spheres, journey through the [NR simultaneously: So, I mean, that--] spheres, but you don't, and you're trying to [drawing] develop organs through which to perceive those realms or through which to get knowledge about those realms, seven levels of knowledge or seven levels of existence. [student assents, very faint] So you start off here on the Earth, on this body, and then once you've got enough experience accumulated, you precipitate out [drawing] a body of knowledge through which to begin investigating these seven planetary realms, seven-- seven spheres, the intelligences of these spheres, ok. And then-- and through that you're actualizing your own soul powers and you're-- you'll get eventually hopefully, you know, if you're following this le-- this process of development, you yourself will have these seven psychical organs. And we spoke about them as these seven lights but, whatever, the seven psychical powers. And then there's one stage they speak of beyond that which they call the black light where we're not talking about these seven functions anymore but macrocosmically this would correspond to the inerratic sphere, the third one, the whole 360 degrees, the archetypal realm. And then finally you would have to actualize from within yourself this whole theo-- theophany of Gods, reason-principles.

NR: So when, say you get to the archetypal world, then you-- you break out of the-- do you break through that process?

AS: Well, you're beyond the planetary spheres but you're still in the cosmos. This is like the highest-- your highest vehicle in the cosmos now. You're at the level of the hi-- you're still associated with the cosmos, let's say this would be your star. [NR assents, faint] It's-- And then the next one, the one-- the stage beyond this, you would-- after that, say, symbolically, you would now be the soul. But you'd now have completely developed this spark of bodhicitta into a perfect replica or double for the higher soul. Now you'd be an individual (in form). Now we don't know what will happen but, you'd be out of the cosmos say. So--

NR (simultaneously, faint): So (eventually) you (cut/get) through the archetypal world, that you are out of the, you know, the bonds of the universe and--

AS: Yeah I think they-- [GA simultaneously: Yeah well--] I think they would say that although--

GA (simultaneously): That's the thing, like--

(Side 1 of original cassette tape digitized as 1982 0221a (formerly 1982 0319b) Ends; Side 2 Begins)

GA: --cosmos. You're investigating the nature of the cosmos, the nature of-- and the nature of your own soul. And you get to the nature of this which they call emptiness or sunyata, ok, which is another Nirvana. But that's not far enough either. Because now you've got to go back and develop your own cosmic vehicle. Realizing the nature of the cosmos is not enough, but it has brought you into contact with the intelligence of the cosmos. You got to go back on the causal level now, and now you would have the prerequisites for Kalachakra of having [NR, faint: Oh.] [S, faint: Oh.] [NR simultaneously, faint: So that's (few words inaudible)] gone through the Sutrayana and Mahayana systems, and now you're actually going to work with the powers, the causal powers, from the gro-- you know, through the seven levels to develop a vehicle. And that-- that vehicle would give you a permanent place that is [one/two words inaudible] who knows why, we don't really know what (it) gives it yet. The fairytale is that this would give you these three kaya. And that when you went into Nirvana this time, it wouldn't be in di-- in contradistinction to the cosmos, there would be a-- a relationship.

NR/S(?) (faint): But, you just said the first (thing--)

LR (simultaneously): Too tiring, (Chip). You'll be gone [couple/three words inaudible]

GA: Right. (bit of laughter)

AS: Well all this [few words inaudible]

NR/S(?) (simultaneously): [three words inaudible]

GA (simultaneously with AS and S): I'm just trying to give you an idea of the range of the--

AS (simultaneously): It's a--

LR: Wearisome journey of the soul.

AS (simultaneously): It's a wearisome-- yeah. (AS laughs a bit) I mean this is-- Alright let me-- ok. Let's just-- [GA/S(?): Yeah.] let's finish up so we can [MW simultaneously, faint: This is manifest destiny, Avery.] then not go on. This four [diagram], I think we made the point then that this four isn't a real four.

GA: Right, right.

AS: I mean I don't know, it just seems to me that this four really is a seven.

MW: Go West young man.

AS: That this is-- these-- this isn't a fourfold of four co-- of four states of consciousness. But that would be going across the other way. So then what we did at the end was trying to find the seven, from the sevenfold chakra system that they speak of, you know, [S simultaneously: And (you/we) can't find it.] the muladhara, the svadhisthana and so on. And there were several suggestions and I-- [drawing] but, I don't think we-- What were some of the suggestions? Well one suggestion [writing] is 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 ethers, basically the planets or-- ok, or 5, 6, 7, ok, well, the seventh one-- And then this is-- this is one suggestion for [MW and GA assent] the seven chakras, maybe this is one that we're speaking of. So the earth-- this whole level of earth is the muladhara, the-- the level [GA assents] of form. And then the svadhisthana is the level of feeling and then this next one that the-- the navel-- well the next one would be this one, fire, and then air would be the heart. Ether then would be the throat, this one would be ajna, and this one would be the sahasrara [diagram]. [S, faint: Ok.] Ok, that was one possibility. If you say that, well, planetary, really the quintessential body is you're developing these planetary powers and this whole thing [drawing] might be the level of ether, this would be the sixth one [diagram] and the seventh would be off of the chart.

PD: But the thousand-petaled lotus seems to corres-- you know, it makes sense to be the zodiac-- the complete 360 degrees [AS simultaneously: Sure.] or all [GA assents] the deities in the-- [AS assents] the archetypus mundus.

AS: Yeah, [drawing/writing] that makes the most sense, I agree Paul.

PD: It seems like [few inaudible AS words simultaneous with PD] that more cosmic framework of some sort, like cosmic man.

AS: Yeah.

GA: Mm.

AS: And that-- that one really does seem like a cosmic man or the seven-- almost saying that the seven chakras correspond to the seven prakritis, [PD: Yeah.] the seven-- within the se-- within these-- [drawing] that this is imaging within you the seven levels of the twelfth house. Again those would be realms of existence and they wouldn't be states of consciousness but that's the whole--

S: What are the seven prakritis in the twelfth house (there/then)?

AS: Well I was just following around. The-- here they're here, earth, water, fire, air, ether. Each of these--

S (simultaneously): Oh the twelfth house is seven prakritis?

AS (simultaneously): Yeah and I'm calling each of these a prakriti, I mean a kind of matter.

S (simultaneously): Like applying it, yeah, yeah, yeah, ok.

AS: Within which there's form, formed matter. In the twelfth house you have a form and a-- the form and matter are combined, there's a formed [student assents, very faint] matter. And each of the-- each of the prakritis as it were would support a whole level of existence.

LR: Well, yeah, and it was thrown out the last time too, that the different states of consciousness (are meant) next to the seven prakritis, not the consciousness per se.

AS: Right, yeah, when they speak of seven consciousnesses they're referring to the seven levels of existence or seven lokas or seven prakritis.

LR (very faint): Ok.

AS: But the-- there were other ways we did the seven though. Right? Another [LR simultaneously: Well there were seven--] way we've been doing them was all seven-- [drawing] just seven of them within here [diagram].

GA: Yeah.

AS: Saying that there are seven at the-- seven at the level of ether, which would develop and correlate or in conformity with the seven planetary spheres.

GA: But there [LR simultaneously: And the seven chakras (at/as) the inerratic.] you're really saying is that-- or, what you're really saying is that when you do get to that level, you can start and actuate that body, that really what you're doing is taking control from that level over [AS drawing] the other levels through-- through those centers in the ether [AS: Yeah.] that correspond to [AS simultaneously: To the planetary spheres.] the plan-- to the prakritis.

AS: Yeah. And there was one more. Along with that, I think Paul you had this one, that [drawing/writing] within the earth-- within the level of the elements you have seven, 1, 2, 3, 4, right, and then 5, 6, 7, which you also would have a sevenfold then on the level of the ether or planetary functions, you get the seven planetary spheres.

LR (simultaneously): Well the seven-- the-- the seven of the ether were the chakras. And then the--

AS (simultaneously): Yeah and the seven here [diagram]?

LR: No, no. Seven there and then seven at the ether with the chakras and seven at the [AS assents] planetary or the planetary spheres.

AS: Right. [drawing]

LR: And then we're going to say (that/with) the seven (is/of) the inerratic or some--

AS: In fact there was some speculation or actually some hint of maybe there are-- [drawing] there's not going to be a seven. Why should there be a seven at the level of the archetypal degrees? [students assent, faint] Well there's enough to get (moving).

PD: But, you know, just, [AS simultaneously, faint: Yes Paul, (go ahead).] you got so many sevens you start wondering if-- if they're not-- [LR simultaneously: That they don't (one/two words inaudible)] at each level you're going to have a sevenfold distinction.

S (very faint): Uh-hm.

AS: Well I'd say there's 49 (of each) seven.

S (very faint): Uh-hm.

S (faint): Yeah.

PD: Well that would satisfy everybody. (bit of laughter)

AS: No I mean-- I don't-- I mean I don't think we're ready to-- to answer the question there it seems. Because-- I mean then we get this confusion, ok well this-- this seems to work fairly well, we could do this. But now is this four here [diagram] part of the other seven? I mean, do we then [MW simultaneously: Uh-hm.] get our seven chakras by putting in a couple of other ones in here?

LR (faint): Doesn't seem like that.

AS: I mean if you do then what--

LR: Well--

AS: But also none of these so far, either this four or that seven or any of those seem to speak to the waking dream and sleep per se of the subject. Although except the explanation we made seems good, that the state-- the state of consciousness would work through one of these particular-- or would be governed by-- Like this chakra, whatever this is, this bindu [drawing] or this white drop would govern the waking state in the sense that it wasn't the waking state but the waking vaishvanara consciousness would have to be regulated by this. Isn't there some center in the brain that regulates when you're going to fall asleep?

GA: Uh-hm.

S (simultaneously, faint): (Oh yeah.)

AS: You know, I mean--

S (simultaneously): Some lower part, (uh-hm).

AS (simultaneously): Yeah that's not saying that that is creating the sleep state but it's kind of creating the conditions in the vehicle for vaishvanara consciousness to operate. It's like if that brain center is closed, the vaishvanara consciousness of the subject can't function. I mean it can't-- it can't manifest vaishvanara objects. 'Cause it takes also the vehicle-- the vai-- the vehicles in vaishvanara. If these first four are like the cut off, you know, like the sleeps-- if that drop or that bindu closes, then it's cut off access to the realm of fire, earth, air, and water. That means that the vaishvanara consciousness can't operate 'cause there aren't any vaishvanara vehicle open to it and so it-- sleep-- sleep happens. Now sleep happens doesn't mean taijasa consciousness gets created. It just means that that's-- the taijasa consciousness functions on that level of vehicle. It'd have to. I mean, you know, then he dreams, [drawing] and then sleep.

LR (simultaneously): But it does make some sense to me that the waking dream and sleep correspond over there, going horizontally [FIGURE 1982 0221-1-AB].

AS: Yeah. Well that-- that makes sense.

LR (simultaneously): Are you saying that like--

AS: Saying if you want to invest--

LR (simultaneously): If you--

AS: Yeah.

LR: If you're working on the gross level or the-- with the level you would be able to apprehend the feelings and then on the subtle level you would be able to see the change.

AS: Right. And to apprehend [drawing] the channels or winds or drops you'd have to be using taijasa consciousness.

LR: Yeah. That's what--

AS (simultaneously): And if you wanted to apprehend the Gods who were-- [LR simultaneously: You'd have to use prajna.] or principles that were running that level, you would be in prajna consciousness.

LR: That's-- that to me seems to make the most sense.

AS: Yeah.

LR: So-- Because it would seem like you could be in any one of those-- See, it seems like you could be in any one of those so-called states and apprehend any one of those [S simultaneously, faint: I don't think so.] vertical things. I mean you'd-- you'd have to be able to go all the way down [AS simultaneously: Sure.] or any one of the-- any states of consciousness.

AS: Sure, if you were at-- if you were at this level [diagram], but with vaishvanara consciousness, you'd be aware-- be aware of the dream.

LR: Yeah.

AS: You'd be-- you'd have a-- have a waking-- [LR: Right.] bring a waking consciousness, vaishvanara consciousness, into the subtle-- into the taijasa level and so on.

LR: Right.

AS: Yeah. Or if you could bring it down to this level [diagram], then you could have a waking awareness while you're in trance.

LR (simultaneously): Yeah, it's like the 4 by 7 all over again [diagram].

AS: Yeah. Ok but that was-- that was the original point I think we made, that saying seven, really the seven-- if there were seven levels of experience, [LR simultaneously: It's not differentiated.] that vario-- there weren't seven states of consciousness but various combinations of consciousness who could investigate into seven different planes of existence. Now the question is though, what are the-- what seven planes? You've got a lot of different seven planes. I mean, you could say well this is-- Let's see. This is one whole plane, the water is another whole plane, fire, earth, air [diagram]. That one makes a lot of s-- They use that one all the time.

LR: Well yeah they even have different beings at each of those-- [AS: Ok.] water beings, air beings.

AS: Ok I think that's-- that's the next thing that Gabriel is going to go into, they talk about s-- these various realms of being, right?

GA: Yeah. Just to-- [couple inaudible AS words] you know, we keep, you know, plugging everything into-- in our own framework. Just to show you what their framework is, just for point of information I discovered this from a new-- new manuscript I got.

AS: There's also-- there's also a lot in the Evola I think.

GA: Yeah this is-- yeah this is [AS simultaneously: He goes over--] real similar to-- to that. In fact one of the reasons it's similar is 'cause it's from the [AS simultaneously: 'Cause it's the same-- (AS laughs a bit) 'cause it is similar.] (composite) [one word inaudible] treasury and (grid). It's from the same place but--

[Note: See FIGURE 1982 0221-2-AB for the following.]

AS: They have the realm of desire, form and [GA: Yeah.] [couple words inaudible]

GA: Basic-- basically. And this-- this is-- ok, the tan-- the tantric scheme is going to superimpose on top of this very nicely but the way in the sutra systems that they would outline this thing, they said there were basically three realms. There was the desire realm. [drawing/writing] And a desire realm is made up-- remember they said Shambhala is in the desire realm. Ok I (would) think I'm making (that point), Shambhala [AS simultaneously: And it's the lowest (realm/one).] is in that realm but it's a pure land, ok. In the desire realm you have-- on the very bottom [writing] you have hell beings. And there's all these hells, hot ones and cold ones and-- and if you read, [MW: It's a crash.] they'll really scare you. (bit of laughter) In the next level you have hungry ghosts.

AS: These are the normal six realms of existence [three/few words inaudible]

GA (simultaneously): But we-- you know, we've talked about these guys all the time.

AS: I see, but they're putting it-- [GA simultaneously: I mean--] they put them all at the realm of desire.

GA: [writing] And these are all-- yeah.

LR (simultaneously): They manifest through garlic, right?

S (very faint): Yeah.

S: Mm.

S (very faint): What'd she say?

GA: (Oop), animals, ok, the next level. And then you have humans. [writing] Now humans-- remember-- remember when we were doing that-- what's-- [AS simultaneously: Well, you know, depends what he means.] maybe over here on the side. Over on--

AS (simultaneously): What's a human, Gabe? (AS laughs)

S (faint whisper): [one/two words inaudible]

S: [one word inaudible]

MW: And there's two kinds.

GA (simultaneously): Remember we have-- in fact let's do it the other way around. Let's put the planet-- let's see, the inerratic, [drawing] planetary, and then we have the ether, and then the air, fire, water, earth. Remember we-- we went down this way in that Kalachakra visualization and then there was Mount Meru, and then there was the four continents around Mount Meru, and then there was the Sun and Moon, and then North-- the nodes [FIGURE 1982 0221-4].

AS (faint): And various other [few words inaudible]

GA (simultaneously): Ok. Well this all fits in to this diagram.

AS: Yeah.

GA: I mean this whole [one inaudible AS word simultaneous with GA] cosmology happens to fit into that visualization.

AS: Right.

GA: So this whole [couple inaudible AS words simultaneous with GA] desire realm [AS simultaneously, faint: Yeah (couple/three words inaudible)] fits into the-- remember I drew the dotted line and said it seems like this is the gross [FIGURE 1982 0221-4, upper half] and this is the subtle [FIGURE 1982 0221-4, lower half]? It turns out that the hu-- all the human realms are on [drawing/writing] these-- there's four continents [AS simultaneously: Oh the continents.] and eight subcontinents. There's all different kinds of human beings on these different continents, ok. And there are various types of places. And the Shambhala would be like-- just like the earth would be like-- our cosmic system would be like considered to be on one of these continents, Shambhala would be like on another one. Ok. It's a likely story, right?

MW: The earth is one of the continents?

GA (simultaneously): Now, the hungry ghosts (bit of laughter) and hell beings and their respective places of manifestation don't really have a place per se 'cause they're mental states that are the result of some kind of a human origin. You know, this is some kind of a human-- of course we haven't gotten to the next level which is demigods. [drawing/writing] Could be a demigod that ends up going to hell but-- So that the hell realm or the hungry ghost realm actually manifests as a result of your own mental operations. So we're not going to give it a kind of place in the objective cosmos, ok, 'cause it's sort of like coming out of your own mentality. So the human realm would be quite pivotal there. Demigods are in the same relationship to gods as animals are to humans. So on the one hand demigods are below humans. But they're not animals, they're ac-- they're actually a type of god. And--

MB (simultaneously, faint): But wait, demigods are to gods-- what?

GA: As animals are to humans.

MW: So why are they below humans?

MB (simultaneously): So why are they-- there are demigods below the humans?

GA: They're not. Well they're above-- (bit of laughter)

MB (faint): [couple/three words inaudible]

GA (simultaneously): They're-- demigods--

AS (faint): Give an example of a demigod.

GA: Give an example. (bit of laughter) Like Saturday morning cartoons, you have all these guys running around. (laughter)

S (faint): I get it.

AS: No but in the--

MB/S(?) (simultaneously, faint): Won't you say that?

GA: All the-- think of the mythology, you know.

AS/S(?): They have two of those, the Greek--

GA (simultaneously): The demigods would have certain powers but they're totally fraught with desire.

MW: The Fantastic Four.

GA: Ok. They totally operate according to desire, that's their main-- They're full of pride, they fight a lot, ok, they raid-- they're at war with the gods.

LR (simultaneously): They fit the heroes.

GA: There's six [NR simultaneously, faint: Right.] realms of the gods.

S (faint): Right.

PD: The NFL.

GA: There's six realms of the gods. And the three lower-- these gods here [diagram], the-- the two lower realms of the gods live on Mount Meru. They're actually in the cosmos. There's a Sun, a Moon, day and night, stuff-- they have bodies, ok. The demigods also live on Mount Meru but below sea level. (laughter) But to give-- now if you bring-- you (add) the elements in, that means that these two levels of gods here [diagram] are probably like in the-- more on the level of fire [LR/S(?) simultaneously: Fire and air.] and air but the demigods are more on the level of water, desire, emotionality and so forth.

S: Ok.

S: Uh-hm.

PD (simultaneously): Are the continents the same thing as the elements you put up above or is-- what's the relationship?

S: Uh--

AS/S(?): Yeah, ok.

GA: Of these continents to these elements?

PD: Yeah.

GA: Well I think that eventually these continents probably have some relationship to the dir-- you know, the cardinal directions, you know, east, west, north, and south. And, when we finally make a horoscope, that these might relate to the-- to the--

PD (simultaneously): So you don't think those four continents aren't-- are not referring to the four elements up above.

GA: Oh yeah, I think they are, I think, um--

MW (laughing): Can't pin him down.

S (very faint): [few words inaudible]

GA: That-- the way I was looking at it, anyway, was that the-- the continents were-- Mount Meru and the continents were a reflection of the subtle earth into the gross cosmos as axis and horizon. In other words, the whole principle of earth is the centrifugal [GA pronounces: centrifical] force, the centering within the cosmos. So the subtle idea of earth is manifest in the cosmos, manifest as the six directions.

S (faint): Uh-hm.

[Audio File 1982 0221a (formerly 1982 0319b) ends abruptly. We are missing the rest of the audio files for this class.]