by Fr. E.S.Q.S.
Introduction
A common mistake that beginners when studying Esoterics is that they begin to speculate on Esoterics. Unbeknownst to themselves, studying Esoterics and speculating on Esoterics are not synonymous; in fact, speculating on Esoterics often results in the production of quasi-knowledge: a hopeless admixture of esoteric facts and exoteric theories – whether scientific, theological, or philosophical. As such, they are no longer students of Esoterics, students of Pythagorean Hylozoics a la HTL and LA; they are no longer potential Esotericians, they are no longer potential Hylozoicians. They are students of their own self-made, quasi-system. They have definitely left the knowledge of reality behind. What follows, then, is a short article addressing this common mistake.
Speculation
Before getting into the body of this short article, it is probably a wise idea to address the most likely counter-argument one would hear from a beginner studying Esoterics, and it is thus:
“Not all speculation is bad” – or something to that effect, anyways.
Upon hearing this, I – personally – would probably pause, have a little chuckle, and then proceed to explain the error of his ways. I would chuckle at the audacity – the presumption, more precisely – of the beginner to assume that I was unaware that “not all speculation is bad”. The errors of his ways, however, lies in precisely this: speculation on Esoterics is not “all speculation”. It is a very specific case which warrants a very specific analysis. First and foremost, speculation on Esoterics should not be for beginners studying Esoterics, for beginners far too easily mix up speculations and facts; beginners far too easily mix up esoteric facts and exoteric theories. Beginners are not careful enough in their thinking. More on this later.
Speculation on Esoterics often produces Quasi-knowledge
The first and foremost thing that must be said is this: speculation on Esoterics often produces Quasi-knowledge. Where beginners are concerned, should they begin to speculate on Esoterics, this is almost unavoidable. This is why beginners studying Esoterics are expected to be prepared to re-think in almost all regards. Old, exoteric theories must be discarded. If even one remains, the beginner will become confused as he tries to combine the exoteric theory and esoteric facts. They cannot be combined. Truth and falsity are at odds with each other. Speculation on Esoterics is just mixing up exoteric theories and esoterics facts. That this cannot produce a knowledge of reality should be obvious enough to most people. Quasi-knowledge is not knowledge; rather, it is a semblance of knowledge.
Speculation on Esoterics leads astray
What follows, then, is that speculation on Esoterics – producing Quasi-knowledge – leads astray. If you value truth, then you will refrain from speculating on Esoterics. Beginners should learn the fundamental principles of the Hylozoic system, should learn the fundamental facts. Beginners should not be speculating on Esoterics, should not be essentially guessing at things far beyond their ken. Learn the basics. Study the basics. Master the fundamental principles of the Hylzoic system, master the fundamental facts.
Beginners should not teach
It should go without saying, but beginners should not teach. There is nothing more ridiculous than seeing a beginner teaching Esoterics to another beginner. As it is said:
“…if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch” (Matthew 15:14, KJV).
For the beginner studying Esoterics is, in a sense, “blind”. He is just beginning to see. A thought for such would-be beginner teachers: how can a man teach what he, himself, does not know? Such a one can only mislead his brethren.
Esoterics is not a product of man
Esoterics, which mostly concerns super-physical realities, is not a product of man; rather, Esoterics is given to man. Esoterics – consisting of esoteric facts, super-physical facts, and the Hylozoic system – is a gift from the fifth kingdom in nature: the first super-human kingdom. As such, Esoterics is authoritative. The facts cannot be ascertain by man as of yet, just tentatively accepted or denied. Following from this, then, it should be obvious that man cannot possibly add anything to Esoterics by speculating on Esoterics. Esoterics is facts, Hylozoics is a logically consistent mental system based on Esoterics, whereas Exoterics is – largely - illusions and fictions.
Man is ignorant
Time and again, it seems that it simply must be said: man is ignorant. The worlds of man (47-49; more precisely, 47:4-7, 48:2-7, and 49:2-7) are also the worlds of ignorance. At best, man can acquire facts in the gross physical world (49:5-7) only. The rest of the physical world, the physical-etheric world (49:2-4), man knows almost nothing about, hardly even suspects that it exists as of yet - probably that is for the best. The emotional world (48:2-7) has been called the “world of illusions” since time immemorial, whereas the mental world (47:4-7) has been called “the world of fictions”. What this means is that roughly 99% of the content in these worlds is the product of ignorance: what man has desired, what man has thought. Finding the 1% of truth – the “needle in the haystack”, as it were – there is in these worlds of ignorance requires the capability to tell the difference between the true and the false: at the very least, active objective causal consciousness. Better still would be essential or super-essential consciousness. In other words, only a second-self has any prospect of doing so.
Man cannot add anything to Esoterics
Esoterics is rooted in causal ideas (47:1-3) at the very least. As such, man cannot acquire Esoterics on his own for he is not a causal self, not a second-self, nor can he add anything to Esoterics by way of speculation (i.e.: activity in 47:4-7; especially in 47:6,7). Effectively “spinning your gears”, so to speak, is not a way to discover new knowledge. It is exercising the mental apparatus, strengthening powers of concentration and meditation, perhaps, but that is all. All of this activity is activity within the worlds of man (47-49), the worlds of ignorance. Knowledge, “light”, is acquired by aspiring to causal reality; by striving to become a causal self, a second-self, with causal consciousness and all that it contains.
Proper study of Esoterics
The following section, which will probably be the last section of this short article, will cover the proper study of Esoterics – especially where beginners are concerned.
Beginners should not speculate
The first and foremost point is probably the most obvious one by now: beginners should not speculate. Studying Esoterics and speculating on Esoterics are not synonymous; in fact, speculating on Esoterics often results in the production of quasi-knowledge: a hopeless admixture of esoteric facts and exoteric theories – whether scientific, theological, or philosophical. In the case of beginners, this is almost guaranteed to happen. Study Esoterics precisely as it is presented. Stop speculating. Stop adding your own exoteric flourishes. Begin with the basics: start by learning the fundamental principles, the fundamental facts.
Stick to your sources
Another point: stick to your sources. If someone asks you a question concerning Esoterics and you do not know the answer off the top of your head, do not go about speculating on your own – do not go about giving out quasi-knowledge as an answer; rather, stick to your sources. What does the hierarchy say? What does HTL say? What does LA say? What does the Esoteric literature say? Stop guessing. There is no point in guessing. If you don’t know, then simply admit that you don’t know and look for the answer. If you still cannot find an answer, then let it be. You cannot just make up Esoterics.
At this point, more advance students might venture a speculative answer; however, they will be fully aware of the fact that they are speculating, fully aware of the fact that speculations are often proven wrong in the long-run. On top of that, if they happen to share this speculation with another, they will take pains to be sure to let the other know that it is a speculative answer and by no means authoritative. Beginners, more often than not, never do such things.
If you don’t know the answer
Once more, I must reiterate the point: don’t make up an answer. You cannot just make up Esoterics. If you don’t know something, look it up. Don’t pretend that you have the power to uncover the truth of the matter. Don’t delude yourself into thinking you are far more capable than you really are. To do so is a disservice to yourself and the others around you.
Conclusion
Hopefully, I have driven the point home: beginners should not speculate on Esoterics. Hopefully, after reading this short article, some beginners will finally start to realize the importance of sticking to the facts as they are presented and not making up answers, filling in the gaps with quasi-knowledge: a hopeless admixture of exoteric theories and esoteric facts. Beginners need to learn the basics. Beginners need to study the basics. They need to stop pretending to be teachers when they do not know what they teach. Speculating is for more advanced students, students that realize that speculation is often proven wrong in the long-run – not for beginners that need straight facts, need to learn the fundamental principles of the Hylozoic system. The beginners need to re-think everything. The beginners need to start from the start. Stick to Esoterics, stick to the sources. Do not deviate.
Thanks for your time,
Sincerely,
Fr. E.S.Q.S.