Another Installment of Frater Bonehead

When I first began this blog I went by the name of Frater Bonehead. I did so because I wanted folks to know that I was more than aware of my many mistakes along the path along with my plans to make even more. It was also a way to keep from taking myself too seriously.

During my initiatory path, I'd send my mentor emails with the subject line of "I am a bonehead" when I put pieces of things together that I felt were obvious. What had taken me so long? He'd assure me that I wasn't a bonehead long after those subject lines became my attempt at humor. This morning, I had two bonehead moments wrapped in one. Part of me enjoys this sort of thing. The other part still asks, "What took you so long?"

Today, I was reading Self-Initiation into the Golden Dawn. There is a section regarding the serpent of brass. I have read about this construct before but the meaning never sunk in past the bones in my head. The Serpent of Brass is a snake that touches each of the paths of the Tree of Life but not the sephiro. It is called external beauty because it has gained the wisdom of the paths but it is not internal beauty because the serpent does not comprehend the sephiro. The sephiro are internal states of consciousness not interactive activity involving other microcosmic beings. Actually, that is not quite right but it is closer than I've been before now.

This had me thinking of a lucid dream/astral projection sequence reported here. Where I moved up the 31st Path of Shin (Fire) up to the eighth sephiro of Hod (Intellect). I was disappointed that I was barred at Hod for foolishly not remembering the passwords and signs. Here comes the bonehead part. I failed to recognize that I had an astral experience on the path! That I missed what happened next is simply astounding.

I began to have conversations with someone from a religion that had done a great deal of damage to my psyche. Even after making a great many strides in that area, there is a lot of Work for me to do on the issue. However, instead of the normal confrontational, "We didn't make a single mistake," discussions I've had with my former group, these conversations were cordial and neither one of us went much into the past. Considering this person wasn't involved in the past events, it made things a bit easier. It was also very helpful to see that someone could actually not only accept my point of view but could be sympathetic or empathetic to the situation. Two traits I have not seen much from a ranking member of that religion before. So, all this seems to be working the destructive aspects of the path of fire but in a positive way.

This makes me realize that moving along the paths and sephiro astrally is not for fun. There are very real consequences to such trips that will manifest in my life. I doubt that will give me too many second thoughts I wouldn't have had before. Though, I am not 100% sure the path of Peh will not give me pause. Peh is represented by the Tower card.

Fr POS (aka Bonehead)

(Tree of Life with Serpent of Brass (sort of) is from http://www.crystalinks.com/kabala.html)