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[Tau Malachi]

The Place of the Crossing: Transference of Consciousness Meditation

Now that the hour of death arrives I will remember my Lord, my Savior, Hayyah Yeshua,
And in faith and hope I will abide in the presence of awareness,
Letting go of self-grasping, attachment and aversion,
I will gather my consciousness as a Spiritual Sun in my heart,
And I will envision the image of the Risen Messiah shining above my head,
As the Light of the Spiritual Sun I will ascend and pass into rapturous union,
Departing this body of flesh and blood I will not fall into fear or doubt,
For I know it to be as a passing shadow, a transitory illusion;
Not I, but the Light-presence and Light-power in me will accomplish this – Divine Grace.
Amen.

This is a most essential Transference of Consciousness practice – a prayer and meditation for a conscious transition at that time we call “death”. Essentially, death is the departure of the mind or soul-stream from the body, the shedding of the flesh and blood as the consciousness passes into more subtle and sublime states of existence; it is a time of transition from one abode to another, from one life to another. In truth we are travelers here and death is the gate through which we pass beyond, the culmination and fruition of our journey in this world.

In this, perhaps, we might recall the Gnostic Gospel of St. Thomas, Saying 42: Yeshua said, “Be passersby,” which is to say, “Recognize that you are travelers passing through here – sojourners of the in-betweens.”

Although the process of dying is most often fraught with much sorrow and suffering, grief and pain, in truth there are many possibilities in death and there is *hope in death* – rightly understood, accepted and embraced in faith, it is a time of *great possibility*. Understanding this Gnostic initiates seek to cultivate conscious living and conscious dying – the practices of the transference of consciousness representing methods Gnostic Christian adepts and masters have generated to help facilitate a conscious passage through this gate of transition.

The transference of consciousness can be brought about by an initiate through her or his own continuum of spiritual practice, or it may be brought about by an accomplished adept or master, a holy tzaddik or apostle, or by a good practitioner through the power of their faith, hope and love; ultimately it is the Light-presence (Christ) and Light-power (Holy Spirit) in us that accomplishes such wonders, so abiding in faith, hope and love anyone who knows the way of the transference of consciousness can render this spiritual assistance to someone who is dying or who has entered into death and the afterlife.

The practice of the transference of consciousness is not isolate to Christian Gnosticism, but methods for the transference of consciousness are taught within Hindu Yoga traditions and Buddhist traditions, among others – there is something universal about the practice of the transference of consciousness, and we may say something very natural, for it arises from the observation of the experience of consciousness itself on gross and subtle levels. Basically speaking, such practices take hold of a movement of the mind or soul-stream and consciously direct it rather than leaving it to the play of the unconsciousness and the habitual patterns of the karmic continuum in the unenlightened condition.

There are many different forms of the transference of consciousness, representing different gradations of attainment or realization – some of which can be most subtle and sublime, such as the complete dissolution of Clear Light Union in which an initiate merges her or his consciousness with the very essence of consciousness, the Clear Light or Bornless Nature, in a state of Pure Radiant Awareness. This may be brought about by the transference of consciousness into a Body of Light in the form of a Partzuf – a personification or emanation of Divine or Enlightened Being, and then dissolving the Body of Light into its Clear Light Essence, “like a rainbow vanishing in the sky”; it may also be effected more directly by a transference of consciousness from the physical body into the Clear Light, bypassing, as it were, the need for the generation of the Body of Light in the form of a Partzuf. This latter, of course, requires a greater purification and sublimation of one’s energy and consciousness – greater skill and experience with the transference of consciousness.

Generally speaking, for most individuals, the transference of consciousness into a Body of Light and Union with a Partzuf is the most effective and appropriate method, as this is the method most individuals will relate with and be able to envision, and likewise, using a Holy Partzuf – a Divine Image, something of that Divine Presence and Power of the Partzuf is invoked to help in the process, hence a flow of mercy and grace, *Divine Intervention*.

There is a natural development of a capacity for the transference of consciousness through a continuum of daily spiritual practice and spiritual living – a self-empowerment, as it were, and generation of positive merit, positive energy. Thus, tending to our continuum of spiritual practice, not only do we benefit ourselves, but we are empowered to be of greater assistance and benefit to others – empowered to effective invisible and spiritual assistance. In the process of developing our capacity for the transference of consciousness there are natural steps, beginning with basic meditations of Union with Partzuf.

Essentially, in a meditation of Union with Partzuf we envision the generation of one or another of the Partzufim in a Body of Light (radiant translucent light), either hovering in the space before us or above us, and this Body of Vision may include a radiant environment of Divine Light, a Palace of Light, with other apparent Partzufim in it. We focus our attention, our heart and mind, upon this Divine Image, and we pray and invoke blessings, and meditate upon it, and as we do so we envision rays of Divine Light streaming from the Holy One, pouring out upon us and transforming our very own body-mind into Divine Light – in fruition of the practice we envision the Divine image dissolve into fluid flowing light that pours into us, merging with us so that we become the embodiment of the Light-presence and Light-power we have envisioned. This is a natural step towards the development of the capacity for the transference of consciousness, which basically speaking is the same practice, but reversing the fruition of the practice – in the transference of consciousness, rather than the Partzuf or Divine Image dissolving into fluid flowing light and merging with us, we envision our own body dissolving and merging with the Partzuf. Thus, first we practice Union with Partzuf, gaining some experience and skill with it, and then we practice Transference of Consciousness – this representing a sound process of spiritual development, one that is well founded on an experiential level, that may lead to actual progress in self-realization, the enlightenment and liberation of the soul in Christ.

We do not have to wait until we are perfect in Union with Partzuf to practice the Transference of Consciousness; it is very unlikely that anyone is going to be perfect in Union when they take up Transference – the practice of Transference is, in fact, a process of the further development and refinement of Union. It is just that to some degree, realistically speaking, we must develop our capacity in Union to actually engage the Transference. Thus, initiates of the Order of St Lazarus take up various Union with Partzuf Meditations to develop their capacity and skill with the Transference of Consciousness.

Initiates of other Holy Orders in the Sophian lineage may very well focus on one or two Partzufim for the purpose of their spiritual practice and spiritual work, however initiates of the Order of St. Lazarus usually familiarize themselves in Union with many different Partzufim, for focusing on a spiritual work helping other souls through transition they must know practices with various Partzufim in order to use a Partzuf the person they are helping might resonate with and receive. Anytime we are working with another person we must seek to discern their faith and heart connection, and seek to use a Divine Image that they will accept and feel comforted by; and at times, this may include Divine Images drawn from other wisdom traditions, or may require a bit of creativity on our part, seeking to generate some image of Light-presence and Light-power that might be most beneficial to the soul of the person.

When Union with Partzuf is known and understood in its essence, and Transference is known and understood in its essence, practices may be adapted and may be generated to meet the needs of individuals in all manner of situations and circumstances.

Always in our spiritual work with the dying and the dead we are seeking the best possible option – the most effective and skillful means, and always on the ground of their faith, of their unique being and situation. Quite naturally, if any Divine Image from an authentic wisdom tradition can be used it is ideal, for such images carry a greater force of Light-presence and Light-power, and are directly vehicles of Divine Mercy, Divine Grace; however, the very essence and natural of all is Divine Light, the Supernal Light and Primordial Light, so any image of Divine Light may serve as a vehicle of blessing and grace, even if only a simple mundane image of the sun in the sky or a most generic image of Light-presence. Basically speaking, the entire evolution to Supernal Realization is the reintegration of the mind, consciousness or soul to the Divine Light, as we witness in the ascension of Adonai Yeshua, as well as similar stories with other great adepts and masters in the fruition of their realization. In most cases, while our ultimate aim and intention is to facilitate a complete reintegration of the soul into the Supernal Light, the essence of which is Clear Light, the actual labor is to uplift souls to the furthest extent that we can – to help uplift them to the highest possible gradation of Light Transmission they are able to receive, and thus to facilitate the most positive experience of the afterlife and the most auspicious possible conditions for the next life, relying on Divine Grace and Divine Providence.

Although we co-labor with the Holy Spirit, Divine Grace, and we serve as conscious agents of the Divine in the Great Work, it is not we who accomplish the wonders or the good works that are done, but rather it is the Light-presence and Light-power within us, and the Light-presence and Light-power beyond us, that accomplishes everything good; hence it is the Supernal Shekinah of the Supreme, the Divine Mother and Holy Bride.

This, exactly, is the wisdom of Union with Partzuf and Transference of Consciousness – we are taken up by the Divine, and to the extent that we become transparent to the Divine Light, open and sensitive to the Divine, we enter into conscious union with the Divine, the Divine Light moving with, in and through us, and perchance even becoming manifest as us.

There is something to be said of the teachings on the nature of the Holy Sefirot, the Divine Emanations, as belimah, “without-what.” Essentially, what belimah means is that in reality, in truth, there is nothing but the Divine, God and Godhead; the only reality is the Divine and only the Divine is Real – all else is illusory, all apparent dualism, division or separation is illusory; there is only Yahweh: That which Was, Is and forever Shall Being, the Light Continuum, the One Being-Consciousness-Force, the Holy One. The practice of Union with Partzuf and Transference of Consciousness is founded upon this fundamental and universal truth – the recognition and realization of this truth; unity with the Divine, with God and Godhead, is the essential truth of our being, the inmost part of the soul.

This, exactly, is the truth of the Divine Incarnation, whether in Yeshua Messiah or in the person of any other realized individual, any other great adept or master; the very revelation of the Risen Messiah is that “sin and death have never substantially existed,” but that only the Divine exists, only the Divine is Real – the very essence of the Divine and the very essence of the soul is Infinite Light, Clear Light, Supernal.

Our faith and gnosis in the Divine Incarnation and revelation of the Risen Messiah empower us with forgiveness, and with hope and love, and in our spiritual work with the dying and the dead, as with the living, it is this we have to share, it is this we wish to communicate, invoking souls to remember this Truth and Light within them. Quite naturally, the more we abide in this Holy Remembrance, the more we abide in our faith and gnosis, and live by our faith, the more we are empowered to be of benefit, the more our light will shine to illuminate the world – the Divine Light of Christ and the Holy Spirit will shine from within us.

There are three things that the dying and the dead need most of all – they need forgiveness, they need hope and they need love, which is the empowerment of faith; and indeed, not only those near death, but all living souls, all sentient beings, are in need of this – we all yearn for this, the fruition of which is *Union*.

Of course, in the process of helping others we help ourselves, for rehearsing the truth for the sake of others, we recognize and realize the Truth, the Real, the Divine.

Now, in speaking of the development of our capacity for the transference of consciousness, the very same process that occurs in transition of consciousness through the experience of dying, death and arising in the afterlife happens every night in our going to sleep, passing into dreamless sleep and arising in dreams; the only difference is that in what we call death the energetic connection to the body is severed and the mind, consciousness or soul can no longer renter the physical body – on account of this the experience of death and the afterlife states is far more intense than the experience of dreamless sleep and the arising of dreams. Thus, gaining some experience and skill with the transference of consciousness during meditations in waking consciousness, we can practice it while going to sleep – basically speaking, practicing while going to sleep is the same as practicing in dying, though in significantly easier conditions. Sleep and dream can be radically transformed in this way – various states of lucid dream and realization may occur; and if our sleep and dreams are transformed, then it is very likely that our experience of death and the afterlife will be transformed – it will likely become a conscious experience of the Great Resurrection and Ascension, the enlightenment and liberation of the soul in the Messiah of God.

In closing we can say, from the very moment of birth, in living, we are dying – life flows into death, as surely as death is a transition to another life; thus, in effect, whether conscious or unconscious, we are all dying, all passing to that gate of transition we call death – the entire movement of life is towards the Transference of Consciousness and Union, each and every night we pass through the “Place of the Crossing,” and the fruition of each and every life is in the Holy Cross. We simple recognize this and we practice to be conscious in our living, conscious in our dying, relying upon Divine Grace to uplift us to Eternal Life, the fruition of all in the Risen Messiah; in this way, as initiates of the Order of St. Lazarus, we take up our Cross and follow in the Way, Truth and Life Divine.

A most essential transference of consciousness is this: Recognition of the middle channel as the Way; recognition of consciousness as the traveler, the Truth; and recognition of the environment of the Messiah, the Light Realm, as the destination, the Life Divine.

*In this we may understand the esoteric meaning of the teaching of Yeshua Messiah when he said, “I Am the Way, Truth and Life; no one comes to the Father except through me.”

There are various practices for the transference of consciousness that we can and will share, but this should be enough for a beginning, a general introduction; according to masters of the tradition, Union with Partzuf and the Transference of Consciousness are among the best possible spiritual practices we can do for the dying and the dead, the Transference of Consciousness being the most helpful in actual transition – something important to give if we have knowledge of it, for relatively few have such knowledge, especially in our part of the world, here in the West.

If we know of someone who is dying, or hear of someone dying – as initiates of the Order of St. Lazarus we are called into this service of the Divine.

Recognizing the Spirit and Truth, may we be blessed and empowered to realize it – blessed to be a vehicle of Divine Grace, a true member of the Mystical Body of the Risen Christ; amen.

Blessings & shalom!
_________________
Tau Malachi
Sophia Fellowship
Ecclesia Pistis Sophia

[Tau Malachi]

Essential Transference of Consciousness

If you study and contemplate the various continuums for Union with Partzuf you will find that often there is a method for the transference of consciousness taught in them – an envisioning of the Divine Presence blessing you with light streams and your body transforming into light, then dissolving and pouring into the Divine Presence, merging with the Holy Partzuf. This form of the transference of consciousness is called Union with Glory Body. Likewise, if you look into various continuums for Union with Partzuf you will find that often another form of the transference of consciousness is given – having merged with the Divine Presence, as the image of the Partzuf, you envision your Body of Light or Glory Body dissolving into the Clear Light Nature, like a rainbow vanishing in the sky; this form of the transference of consciousness is called Union with Truth Body or Clear Light Union. The transference of consciousness first into the Glory Body of Partzuf, and then into the Truth Body or Clear Light Essence of Partzuf, invokes the blessing and empowerment of the Holy Partzuf for the attainment of the more subtle and sublime Union with the Truth Body or Clear Light Dissolution. In the case of an accomplished practitioner or a realized individual, of course, Union with the Glory Body may not be necessary, but they may directly transfer their consciousness into the Truth Body or Clear Light, which is called the “Path of Pure Divine Rapture.”

Glory Body Union corresponds with Tiferet; Truth Body Union corresponds with Keter. Alternatively, it is also taught that Glory Body Union corresponds with Yesod and Truth Body Union corresponds with Da’at; there is no contradiction between these two teachings, but each communicates certain metaphysical truths. Thus, the practice of the transference of consciousness corresponds to the Middle Pillar on the Tree of Life, the “Path of the Arrow,” the body being as the bow and the soul as the arrow.

The Clear Light Union is the ultimate aim of the Gnostic initiate, for the Clear Light is the very essence of Supernal or Supramental Consciousness – the fruition of enlightenment and liberation, perfect “repose with Christ in God”; yet, generally speaking, in karmic vision, the vision of ignorance, we tend to cling to name and form, and dissolution into the Ain-Nature or Clear Light Essence is difficult for us, therefore we focus upon Glory Body Union first and foremost, understanding that through the Glory Body Union we create the necessary conditions for Divine Grace to act and bring us into the perfect repose with of the Risen Messiah in God and Godhead.

If this is true for the trained and experienced initiate who has practiced Union and Transference of Consciousness on a regular basis throughout their lives, then, naturally, it is even truer for many non-initiates we may be called to help – identified only with name and form, and the material dimension, they are unlikely to relate with or connection with the idea of Clear Light Union, so typically our spiritual work with the dying and dead focuses upon Glory Body Union, for even an ordinary person can relate with the idea of a Body of Light having a human semblance and with a Light Realm (or heaven) having an earthly semblance, as there is some ground of familiarity. This is true based upon their life experience in an apparent form realm, as well as in the remembrance of their mind or soul-stream from previous transitions between lives, for although most souls have little or no recollection of their experience of the Clear Light, having fallen unconscious in this union during transitions between previous incarnations, they do have recollection of the glory of the Pleroma of Light, which is to say their previous existence in subtle light-bodies and light realms. Thus, when working with others using Glory Body Union serves to invoke this holy remembrance of the Divine Light and usually will prove most helpful to them.

The following are three essential practices of the Transference of Consciousness that may be adapted to spiritual work with the dying and the dead.

First Practice: Glory Body Union with Prayer

Abide in primordial meditation, invoking the presence of awareness and abiding in the moment, completely relaxed, and yet wakeful, alert; be present here and now, where you are and where God’s presence is, and abide in the awareness of Sacred Unity and the Shekinah of God, the Divine Presence and Power of God, within and all around you.

Then, pray to the emanation of the Divine Presence and Power that you feel most intimately connected with – the Holy Partzuf that touches your heart and comforts you the most, and that brings a deep sense of holy sanctuary, mercy and grace; pray to El Elyon and the Shekinah of Elyon for Supernal Mercy and Grace, and pray to the emanation of the Divine Presence and Power you wish to call upon, asking them to be present with you.

Envision that the Holy Partzuf magically appears in the space before you in answer to your prayer, as though by grace, and receive them as an emanation of the mercy and grace of El Elyon; the Holy Partzuf appears in a radiant body of translucent light, like a jeweled rainbow in the sky, but dazzling in brilliance – their feet do not touch the ground, but they hover in the air in their Glory Body.

*If a person felt no connection to any divine, enlightened or holy being, then simply a presence of light could be envision, or something like the sun in the sky.

Open your mind and heart to the holy emanation of the Divine Presence and Power with you, and if you cannot visualize them well do not be concerned, but let yourself feel their presence and have faith that they are with you – complete confidence in the mercy and grace of El Elyon, the Divine Most High.

Then, pray and commune in the presence of the Holy Partzuf, cleaving fully with your heart and mind, and request the blessings and empowerments you seek, aware of them as the embodiment of the mercy of God, the embodiment of love and compassion, truth and light.

(As an example: Adonai Yeshua, holy Messiah, please bless me, let your mercy and grace pour out upon me – shelter me and guide me; through the power of your loving and holy sacrifice, purify and cleanse me of all sin and negative karma, all shades and shadows of negative thoughts and emotions, all that hinders or obstructs my union with you. Adonai Messiah, bless me and uplift me, and empower me to forgive others, and to know that I am forgiven in you – forgiven for all harm I have thought and imagined, and all harm I have done; where I have caused harm I pray for healing. Standing in the gate of death I pray to you, Yeshua Messiah, guide me in the way and empower me in the transference of consciousness – lead me in the Great Resurrection and Ascension that I might die a good and peaceful death, and know repose in you; and so may it come to pass through my victory in death that I may be able to benefit all beings, living or dead, serving as a light-bearer, healer and peacemaker in your Blessed Name. Amen.)

When you have prayed, take up a chant of the Holy Partzuf, and as you do envision that the Holy One is moved by your sincere and heartfelt prayer and that she or he responds by smiling upon you, and that they sends out their blessings of love and compassion in the form of streams of light from their face and heart, and even from their entire body. As these touch and penetrate you, know that they purify and cleanse you of all shades and shadows, all negativity – dispelling all sin or negative karma, all causes of sorrow and suffering, instantly; and envision that you are pervaded with their light, filled and surrounded by their light, and that your very own body is transformed into a body of light, just as their Glory Body.

Now that you are purified and cleansed, and completely healed by the Light-presence, consider that your very body is a manifestation of sin and karma, and as the chant comes to an end envision that your body dissolves into radiant light completely.

Then, envision this light that you are flowing into the Holy Partzuf, merging with this emanation of Divine Presence and Power completely.

Abide in this Holy Union as long as you can – then, arising again as yourself, give praise and thanks, and pray for all beings, then dedicate the merit as a blessing upon all beings.

Second Practice: Glory Body Union in an Instant

To engage the transference of consciousness even more simply, begin as in the first practice, and then invoke the Holy Partzuf by a simple chant, whether intoned outwardly or inwardly in the mind, and envision the Partzuf magically appearing in the space before you, just as in the first practice.

Then, envision your consciousness as a Spiritual Sun in your heart, and envision that it flashes forth like a burst of lightening, shooting into the Sacred Heart of the Partzuf.

In an instant it dissolves and merges completely – abide in this Holy Union.

Be confident and have faith that you have received all blessings, the fullness of the mercy and grace of God, in this way – go forth in your freedom.

Third Practice: Holy Remembrance

The most essential way to do this practice is as follows: In remembrance of the Divine I Am, merge your mind or soul with the Divine Mind or Soul of the Holy One; for example, focus and contemplate: “My mind and the Mind of the Messiah are one in God.”

With full kavvanah and devekut, this is enough and it is good, very good.

When considering what method to use we must simply consider our present capacity with openness and honesty – whatever we actually can do it what is to be done.

Any of these three methods can be shared with a person who is dying who inquires about spiritual practices they might be able to do; likewise, they can be adapted to use as a guided meditation, facilitating prayer and meditation with a person who is dying, or with loved ones of the dying who may need some comfort.

A practice of transference of consciousness such as these may also be performed on behalf of the dying and the dead – rather than praying for yourself and envisioning the interaction with yourself, you would pray for the person who is dying or who has died, and envision the interaction with them instead. If it happens that you are present during the actual death of a person, practicing transference of consciousness in the atmosphere of the dying can be especially powerful and effective – but nevertheless, even at a distance, and even after the fact, it can be powerful and effective. Ff at a distance or after the fact, you simply call the soul of the person to you at the outset of the practice and envision them presence; or alternatively, in the case of a person dying at a distance, you can also envision going to them and performing the practice in the subtle environment in which they are dying.

*Always be certain to use an image of Divine Light that will resonate with the person you are working with – something they will relate with.

If and when you practice the transference of consciousness for someone and you do not feel confident in your ability – remember, everything is accomplished by Divine Grace and have faith in the Spirit of Yahweh; through the power of your faith Divine Grace can use you as a vehicle to accomplish what needs to be done.

If you pray and meditate in the way on a regular basis, then at the time of death it will be much easier for you – if you have immersed yourself in prayer and meditation like this in life it may even arise naturally and spontaneously; ideally, we want to practice in such a way that it becomes second nature to us, for then our experience of the Great Resurrection and Ascension is assured.

“Be ready for the coming of the LORD, for the hour of his coming is at hand – so prepare yourself and abide, waiting upon the Spirit of the LORD.”

May we acquire Gnosis of the Risen Messiah; may we be blessed by the Mother Spirit in the generation of the Body of Light, and empowered in the Great Resurrection and Ascension – amen.

Blessings & shalom!

_________________
Tau Malachi
Sophia Fellowship
Ecclesia Pistis Sophia