Good morning, everyone and JMG! Happy Monday! How everyone had a nice weekend. 😁

Last Monday I had asked you about why during the FHR opening the elements go around the altar from least dense (air) around to most dense (earth) and you has suggested I meditate on this and come to my own conclusions? I have been thinking about this all week and I have some observations.

In the Cabalistic Cross the Latin Cross shape is used - this is described in CoP as (among other things) a symbol of spirit taking matter up into itself.

In the LBRP, when doing the elements and visualizing the angels, it goes Air, Water, Fire, Earth. If you map this on a piece of paper it forms a Greek cross. CoP says (among other things), that it is equal and equally participating in union. Then after that the hexagram is visualized, to establish the system of elemental powers and then rise above it. It’s an outward movement followed by upward movement.

So, in the FHR opening, we go around and do the elemental purification. Then the Divine Presence is invoked, then the Temple is declared open and the Sun has arisen - wouldn’t that constitute the outward movement (elements) followed by upward (rising sun)?

But there’s something else here (probably several somethings I haven’t thought of yet). Cabalistic Cross makes the Latin cross, LBRP makes a Greek cross. When you look at the FHR purification of going around the elements in a circle, but doing it from least dense to most dense, to me that would suggest a downward spiral shape from the heavens to earth.

A number of weeks ago at Magic Monday I asked if the opening and closing prepared the subtle bodies for initiation and you said yes so I had a gander at the initiation ritual (Grade of Seeker). I can’t help but notice that after the Sign, Grip, etc are given the magician then goes around the elements (Officers) again BUT this time begins from Earth and works around to Air. What I’m thinking is - is going from least dense to most dense like call spiral stair case down, and then starting at most dense to least dense like going up that same spiral stair case? I remember that the Opening and Closing in CoP had the spiral stair case and that visual seems to be sticking with me.

Sorry if that is too big of a wall of text! My official Magic Monday question is:

1) Am I on the right track? Do you see any glaring issues with this understanding that need to be corrected? Or am I way off base?

Thank you very much and thank you for posting the photo of John Gilbert as I’ve been getting curious about him with all this FHR work. Is there any place where I can read more about him? I did a web search but he didn’t seem to have an official web page I could see on the search engine I was using?

If someone dies in an aircraft explosion so their body is completely destroyed, does their ghost fall back to earth? If so does it fall at normal speed and what happens when it hits the ground?

Another possibility is some form of epigenetic factor (epigenetic = heritable phenotype changes that do not involve alterations in the DNA sequence).

I remember seeing a study somewhere that female offspring who are born when their fathers were older were more likely to remain fertile for longer. It couldn't be "pure" genetics, because the older siblings of these offspring (who were born when the same fathers were younger) did not exhibit the extended fertility. Apparently, the fact that the fathers were older when they produced these later offspring somehow "told" the females' genetics to "stay fertile longer". I can't remember the details of the study, or if it applied only to animals and not necessarily humans, but the point is, there are epigentic factors at work in reproduction. Something can "tell" the genes that older parents are apparently still reproducing, so conditions must be good and you can plan to keep reproducing longer.

It's possible that one of the reasons females might reach menarche younger could have to do with parental factors. Perhaps pregnancies taking place in higher-stress situations (meaning stress of any kind, emotional or physical, poor nutrition, etc.), or even fathers experiencing high stress levels (maybe cortisol affects sperm) could have an epigentic effect that "tells" the offpring's genes that times are tough, plan to reproduce early because it's rough out there and you may not live that long.

John--

I am a member of a fraternal organization with which I very much wish to continue my association. There is a brother, a nice enough guy all-in-all, whose energy does not mix well with mine and from whom I seem to get energetic attachments (leeches?). Due to his circumstances, this brother cannot drive and I am often giving him a ride to and/or from our meetings as I live nearby. I wish to 1) remain a member, 2) provide this brother periodic assistance, and 3) protect myself from whatever (astral?) stuff is going on. Is there a basic protective amulet or similar protective magic that would be appropriate here?

--Dijon Radioactive Yak