Sierra Paths Temple is a mystery school, in and for the Sierra Nevada. As a school, its function is to educate and disseminate knowledge. Its subject is consciousness and energetics( c & e ), also known as metaphysics, also known as the occult; especially oriented to the energies, needs, and residents past and present of the Sierra Nevada mountains. It is for the Sierra Nevada in the sense that the mountains themselves are the primary object of its service. Beyond education, there is also the objective of research in the sense of recognizing that the mountains themselves, and especially the people living in them, are changing in various ways, and the changes and the consequences thereof are objectives of the research. In this we are like a university, but because we do not confer degrees as do accredited universities, we restrict calling ourselves only a school.
Its sources to c & e include: The Bible, insofar as is keeping with what the Bible itself says on what it is; A Course in Miracles, Jungian psychology and the Kabbalah, Sufi wisdom, and the wisdom in c & e of native and indigenous cultures of the world, especially those of the Sierra Nevada past and present.
Its initiates are those initiated in its own ceremonies to grades, see below. We recognize the initiations of Pathways Institute, and in the future may extend this recognition to certain other mystery schools. Its methods of learning and teaching are: participatory learning, which means that the teacher inspires the learner to look within himself for what is to be learned, and in a group, the learner learns from others in the group looking within themselves; and experiential learning, which means that the learner learns from experiences which the teacher helps him create. These experiences arise in part from material and spiritual practices to which the learner commits. These methods as opposed to lecturing and indoctrination. Primarily teaching is one-on-one, coach-client and mentor- mentee. Teaching also takes place in programs in groups.
It is called mystery to align itself with the great tradition of mystery schools of the past, also a mystery is something known to the 'heart' or deeper self, but not necessarily understood by the 'head' or intellect. Also because spiritual practices, unlike material ones, do not necessarily involve setting or achieving goals, or solving problems or answering questions, but rather standing in the face of questions so that they may teach the learner. And finally, because at least through those times of human history of Spenglerian states, generally called 'civilized', we like other mystery schools strive to keep alive the values of tribal society.
Initiation is the process of the learner becoming acquainted with the hidden forces, which are the source of our yearnings and longings; and becoming adept or skillful with using them. But, among those yearnings are those of rite of passage , which arise from the puberty initiation rites of tribal society which are as an institution missing in today's society. The process begins with learning about the hidden forces, and about the ancient rites, to where the learner can 'talk the talk'. But the learner must also 'walk the walk', he must show a certain degree of personal mastery of the hidden forces. Also he must be or become compatible with the special spirit-of-place forces of the Sierra Nevada. In this process he is witnessed by those of a central structure, which may be named the Inner Temple or the Initiation Board or committee. When these are satisfied that he is ready, there is a ceremony of initiation and the learner attains a certain grade, as detailed below.
There are three levels of basic initiation:
In all initiation ceremonies the candidate is placed upon a table with the celebrant or steward holding a ritualized knife over him, symbolizing Issac and Abraham, and so ritually the process of death and rebirth. Then the candidate stands and other initiates of equal or higher grade lay hands upon him. He is given an appropriate necklace for his new grade. All participants wear white clothes consecrated for temple work (see White Temple below). For the Grace Initiate ceremony, there is a special commemoration of the twelve faculties of the Priest archetype, symbolized in the Bible by Jacob's twelve sons and also Jesus' twelve disciples. Others of lower grade and well-wishers may attend, but in a part of the temple room reserved for visitors separated from the altar area by a brass rail, or something ritually so. There is in the Forgiveness Initiate ceremony a preliminary ritual similar to the Asaro (New Guinea) mud dance, conducted outdoors or in a suitable basement, where participants wear masks and ritual black clothes. Ceremonies are not secret, but confidentiality is required (see below) and the celebrant or steward reserve the right to refuse admission to anyone whom he has reason to believe might disrupt the atmosphere of the ceremony, and normally will lock out anyone that comes late.
Among many indigenous peoples of the world, especially Native Americans and Papua New Guineans, there are intense feelings that there are those who would 'steal' their spirituality by copying their rituals, use their ritual objects and mimic their ceremonies. Considering the actions of some, their complaints have valid enough grounds. This brings up the question of what we can ethically take away from any culture's experience, or any other mystery school's teachings. In this latter consideration it must be understood that in a mystery school, 'teachings' are but an organized form of experiences. On the one hand we would take for ourselves their contribution to the whole of the human experience, on the grounds that the latter is what we would bring to our learners. But on the other hand, we must refrain from 'stealing' their spirituality in a way that would compromise their containers, even as we would not want our own containers compromised. Sometimes it is difficult to discern the one situation from the other, but we must draw the line as best we can.
In some ways the ethics that lie behind copyright law draw a similar line. It is okay to make 'fair use' of another's copyrighted creation, but not so to copy it or use it in a way that compromises the owner's right to receive due credit for his creation, or to violate his wishes as its creator. And so it is with us, in coming to agreement with others what is fair use and what is not. We establish ground rules under which our work is conducted; these ground rules are to set boundaries beyond which we could believe or be concerned that our containers would be violated or compromised. We recognize the right, indeed the obligation, that other cultures and other mystery schools have to create their own ground rules for similar reasons. What appears to be the concern, if not the anger, of Native Americans is the contention that their ground rules, whether verbally specified or not, have been violated. Therefore our basic policy in taking from other cultures and other mystery schools is: don't violate their ground rules.
Each culture, and each mystery school, have examples to offer. Examples can be either positive or negative, perhaps the best way to accept what is offered is to avoid the labels of 'positive' and 'negative'. In some cases the ground rules themselves are examples offered.
Having said all that, let us now consider specific sources:
The Golden Dawn was first established in 1887 as a secret Order in England. Its teachings and rituals were kept strictly secret, such was one of their ground rules. Most of this was compromised and brought out publicly, beginning with Aleister Crowley's Equinox magazine about 1900 and continuing with various other books and publications, culminating in Israel Regardie's voluminous publications. This is a particularly thorny issue, for there are today organizations that follow the Dawn's rituals, including the secrecy, maintaining that they are not merely copying the Dawn but are in fact a continuation of the Dawn itself. There are other organizations today likewise following the Dawns' rituals but without the secrecy. The Dawn's rituals and teachings are based on Kabbalah and Tarot, sources much older than the Dawn itself. They integrated these with elements from medieval, Greek, Roman and Egyptian mythology. They had a hierarchy of grades which initiates attained in order; there were at least seven. Required for advancement to each succeeding grade was primarily academic knowledge: they had to 'talk the talk'. A central committee, which they called the Greatly Honoured Chiefs of the Second Order, approved a candidate for advancement with what they called a dispensation.
The thorny issue is their secrecy. We dispense with it but maintain a rule of confidentiality (see Ground Rules below). Strictly speaking this is not ethical but it can be said that more than one organization that follows other elements of their rituals and teachings literally has dispensed with the secrecy rules. The Dawn was concerned primarily with protection and security. So it is not surprising that with them we find a) their secrecy rules, and b) their criteria for advancement in grade is based almost entirely on knowledge - on 'talking the talk'. We believe that, however important protection is to the discovery of the self, it is but one of many things to relate to. A mystery school is concerned not so much with solving problems and answering questions, but rather with standing before the question to learn what the question can teach us. Mystery schools of necessity teach confronting negative and belligerent entities and forces of the spirit world, but also what psychospiritual circumstances MAKE them negative. Mystery schools must also exist in a greater society which tends to misunderstand and even have hostility to its work. Our ground rules issue from our needs and priorities, as did theirs. We take from them also their study of Kabbalah and Tarot, which has its roots in sources far older than the Dawn. We do not take from them their particular synthesis of Kabbalism and mythology in their rituals, which is ingenious but would be a gross theft of spirituality. We do take from them their procedure of having a central source approve candidates for advancement of grade, as a desirable administrative procedure.
Mystery schools that are derivatives of the Golden Dawn include Builders of the Adytum, founded by Paul Foster Case who was with the original Dawn, Thelemic Order of the Golden Dawn which is descended from a series of mystery schools founded by Aleister Crowley, Rocky Mountain Mystery School, and others. All are based on Kabbalah and generally use a different synthesis of mythology elements than did the Dawn in their rituals. Most have grades of some kind. Some practice secrecy, some do not, BOTA allegedly practices secrecy but doesn't really enforce it. All have created Tarot decks, some encourage their students to create their own. This latter practice we take from them.
Pathways Institute is a mystery school created in 1986 in the San Francisco Bay Area. It is presently being dismantled but there is reason to believe that it will soon reappear in a different form with a different name. Its teachings are based on Jungian psychology, Tarot and the chakra systems of Native American and other world cultures. They teach through group programs lasting in length from one day to four years. Teaching is participatory and experiential. They create three grades through required prerequisites to their twelve-day initiatory retreats and to their four-year Mystery School curriculum. Advancement in grade is automatic with completion of each of three twelve-day retreats. Their teachings are not secret but confidentiality is required. We recognize initiates from Pathways as our initiates, with certain reservations. We are also based in part on Jungian psychology, which derives from many sources outside of Pathways. We take from them their grade structure but organize it in a manner similar to Toastmasters.
Native American tribes have a system of annual ceremonies to assert and concretize their myths and legends; and put forth their prayers, arranged in an annual cycle. They use various objects of the natural world to symbolize elements of their myths and legends. Some recognize the chakras but they are not unique in these practices. Mostly their ceremonies and the symbolism used in them are kept secret. However the Hopi tribe in 1960, believing that they would soon be extinct as so many native tribes have become before them, went public with their myths, legends and ceremonies in Book of the Hopi. Since that time the tribe has more than doubled in numbers, and many today regret that the book was published. We take from Natives only that some ceremonies are appropriate to a season, or certain time of year; and that old trails and villages are a source and a reservior of spiritual energy. And also their ground rules of not allowing cameras or recording devices at ceremonies.
Emerson Institute or Positive Living Center of Oakhurst, California is not a mystery school. They qualify students as ministers, and teach A Course in Miracles, metaphysical interpretation of the Bible, various ministerial classes, and dream work. In many of their classes and programs, the atmosphere is somewhat that of a de facto mystery school. We take from them their continuity of certain of their programs, and their use of A Course in Miracles, which is practiced by many people outside of Emerson.
Initiatory:
Stones connected with the twelve spiritual faculties of priest mode:
The set of GI stones is for practical reasons a string of beads, in a necklace. Soapstone is fragile and would corrode or break up in a bracelet or anklet. Oak acorns would likely behave similarly. Over considerable time rose quartz might fade. The necklace should be built or strung so that these 'stones' or beads could be easily replaced.
Other stones: jade, amethyst, turquoise, tourmaline, serpentine.
Stones commonly found in the Sierra Nevada: Quartz, garnet, obsidian, soapstone,
serpentine. And of course oak acorns.
Note: Rose quartz has a tendency to 'fade' to a cloudy milky color. Quartz is
found in granite, in many forms, including rose quartz, amethyst, 'cloudy' quartz.
Soapstone is found in sedimentary rock, (e.g., along Highway 49 south of
Coulterville) and is chemically related to gypsum, the primary ingredient of
wallboard. Most soapstone is white, but colored and black soapstone are known.
Soapstone has refractory qualities, i.e., when exposed to heat it tends to hold
together and not crack.
Serpentine, also found along Highway 49, blue-gray with
white inclusions, is associated with improved meditative state, and protection (guards
against poisonous creatures).
Garnet is found at the interface of granite
batholiths and sedimentary rock systems. It is associated with mental clarity.
Obsidian is found near recent volcanic activity (e.g. June Lake). It is glassy
and usually black, but slightly transparent and a strong light will pass through it
greatly attenuated. It is brittle, very hard, and was used in arrowheads.
Its properties tend to be the opposite of soapstone.
Turquoise is associated with protection at a spiritual level; serpentine with protection at a material level (against poisonous creatures). Tourmaline has double refraction properties, light going through is split into a 'ordinary' ray and an 'extraordinary' ray; both are polarized but in different directions. Onyx may be black, tan or grey; it may have stripes (metamorphosed sedimentary rock)
Kabbalah by itself is pretty bare bones. But the Golden Dawn fleshed it out into something magnificent and majestic. Likewise Jungian psychology by itself is pretty dry-as-dust textbooking. Yet in the hands of Pathways Institute it becomes deeply moving and memorable. A Course in Miracles is likewise something that, if it doesn't confuse students to where they drop out (or run out!), it bores them. What can be done to 'juice it up'?
The Dawn's teachings were based on the Kabbalah, but what impressed Pamela Colman Smith was their acceptance of the spiritual part of herself, and their pageantry and ceremonial. She had little interest "in the meaning of it", but clearly those meanings had been absorbed into her psyche for it enabled her from that level to draw the famous Rider Tarot pack. Pathways is based on Jungian psychology, but many stalwart members of the Pathways community that has grown about the mystery school could tell you next to nothing about Jungian psychology, yet their bond to the mystery school is through their experiences where in their programs they have experienced the changes in their spiritual selves as they have witnessed and felt a part of the changes in their fellow participants. Yet those changes are the application of Jungian psychology to their lives.
From this we conclude that a mystery school does not merely teach its core teachings. Rather it starts with things its beginner participants can relate to, beginning with a 'walk' they can walk with, and introduce the talk gradually as they begin walking. Participation learning means that much of the learning comes from things the participants come up with. A conductor or steward can always reinforce the participant that comes up with shares that are compatible with the teachings, and discourage those whose shares are not. For instance, the first lesson in A Course in Miracles teaches that nothing of the real world around him "means anything". Now though this may be true, this is far too advanced a concept for the average beginner. Better to begin with experiencing and experimenting with non-verbal communication. Then, shares may reveal those in a group who are uncomfortable with that. If, as it usually is, a part of them is uncomfortable and another part is okay with it, a steward can get at least one of them to hold both sides of himself and in so doing practice the core of heart-centering. Once other participants see one doing it, they will be willing to work in an exercise where all are doing it. In this way, the learner works his way up to the core teachings of A Course in Miracles. Better he learn first about what of the unseen is real, before he learn how the seen is not real.
The Temple's work can happen only if all present hold a safe container which makes
it possible for each participant to get vulnerable and open himself/herself to
energies. Observing the ground rules maintains this container.
Participants will be asked to agree to ground rules before starting a ceremony.
No agreement = no ceremony.
Sierra Paths Temple considers its work in consciousness and energetics a science, not a religion. Its purpose is to explore, experience and educate. It is not a church or religious institution. It is not providing any kind of medical or mental health or therapeautic care. Participants, clients and volunteers needing such care should seek it elsewhere. The Temple will not be responsible for any harm suffered by participants, clients or volunteers for any failure on their part to seek needed outside care, nor from harm suffered by their failure to follow instructions or prescriptions of doctors, medical practictioners or therapists. The Temple's work is closely allied with coaching and mentoring. Coaching and mentoring are NOT: consulting, advising, managing or directing. Coaching is not teaching or tutoring. Mentoring is teaching or tutoring only as an adjunct to coaching and within agreed-upon fields of knowledge. Participants, clients and volunteers may be required to sign a release of liability to attend Temple activities. That release would reiterate the terms of this Disclaimer, and the participant would indemnify and hold the Temple harmless of any issue arising from his participation relating to those terms, and would also hold the Temple harmless of any claim or suit of any third party from issues arising from his participation.