Sacred Rites for Rejuvenation: Editor’s Introduction

Editor’s Introduction

The following text is transcribed from oral instructions given by Samael Aun Weor to a student. The transcribed text was initially published by that student decades ago in Spanish in the form of a narrative, and included many personal anecdotes and writings unrelated to the teachings. In later years, other Gnostic students decided to publish an edition that removed the extraneous material, resulting in a series of completely unrelated chapters. In 2008, Glorian Publishing translated and published the first English edition of that book. However, new readers were very confused by the jumbled collection of chapters, causing many to believe that Samael Aun Weor wrote the book in that form, which reflected badly on the teachings. Therefore, in this new edition, we have removed the extraneous chapters and focused entirely on the exercises. For those who are interested in reading the other chapters, they are available as online articles.

Furthermore, this book should not be read as an introduction to the teachings, nor even as a thorough explanation of the exercises themselves. These exercises come from an ancient, protected tradition, whose full depth can be accessed only by those who put these exercises into practice and awaken their consciousness.

Yantra Yoga

The Sanskrit word yantra implies “restraint” or “firm support,” and can literally be translated as “machine, instrument.” The word yantra has different implications depending upon which tradition is using it.

In Hinduism, this term is usually used in Hindu Tantra (esoteric teachings) in reference to mystical diagrams or forms utilized in meditation.

In Buddhism, yantra refers to a series of bodily movements taught in Buddhist Tantra to specially prepared students. The Indian Tantric Master Padmasambhava and his student, a Tibetan scholar and monk named Vairochana, are credited with establishing Buddhism in Tibet (especially Dzogchen) in the eighth century A.D., as well as setting the foundations for Tibetan medicine and a highly sophisticated series of physical and energetic exercises called “Yantra Yoga” (Tibetan: ‘khrul ‘khor) whose purpose was to establish a strong foundation for spiritual development. Today, these exercises are practiced in some of the schools of Tibetan Buddhism, but kept only amongst the initiated. As Samael Aun Weor said in the following book, some of these exercises have been described publicly, but in an incomplete form.

The true Yantric exercises have some relationship with Hatha Yoga (now very popular in the West), Chi Gung, and various martial arts, all of which originated with the intention of keeping the physical body fit enough to withstand the intense demands of spiritual development. Clearly, Hatha Yoga and the martial arts have largely forgotten their spirituallyfocused roots, the evidence of which is their complete inability to awaken the consciousness of their practitioners. The exercises described in this book, however, are very different, and when practiced faithfully, can awaken the consciousness and provide many other essential benefits.

Among the Tibetan Buddhist schools, there are several variations and lineages of Yantra Yoga. The exercises taught in this book are drawn from but not identical to those traditions. As stated herein:

“These rites are not the exclusive patrimony of anyone. There are some monasteries in the Himalayas and in other places where these rites are practiced, mainly in a monastery that is called “The Fountain of Youth”...

“I obtained some data from the mentioned monastery, which I know very well, and other data from other schools in India that I also know very well.”

The Authenticity of the Author

Between 1950 and 1977, a mere twenty-seven years, Samael Aun Weor (which is a Hebrew name) wrote over sixty books (seventy if you include collections of lectures), gave thousands of lectures, and formed the worldwide Gnostic Movement, whose members number in the millions. Though these accomplishments are certainly impressive by any standard, they are merely the pale, terrestrial reflection of the work he accomplished internally, spiritually. And yet, in spite of his wisdom and generosity towards mankind, he said:

“Do not follow me. I am just a signpost. Reach your own Self-realization.”

His lifelong mission was to deliver to humanity the complete path toward the realization of the inner Being, or in other words, the total and exact science required by anyone of any religion, race, culture or creed who wishes to fully and completely develop the human potential.

“When the mind is quiet, when the mind is silent—that is, when the mind is empty of thoughts, desires, opinions, etc.—then, the truth comes into us.

“To arrive at the experience of reality is only possible when all thoughts have ceased.

“The eruption of the Void allows us to experience the bright light of pure reality.

“That ever-present knowledge, which in reality is empty, without characteristics or color, devoid of condition, is the true reality, the universal compassion.

“Your intelligence, whose true nature is the Void—which must not be seen as a void of nothingness, but as that very intelligence without shackles: brilliant, universal, and happy—is Cognizance, the Buddha, universally wise.

“Your own empty cognizance and that brilliant and joyful intelligence are inseparable; their union forms the Dharmakaya, the state of perfect illumination.

“Your own brilliant cognizance, empty and inseparable from the great body of splendor, has neither birth nor death: it is the immutable light, the Amitaba Buddha.

“This knowledge is enough. To recognize the emptiness of your own intelligence as the Buddhic state and to consider it as your own cognizance is to continue within the divine spirit of Buddha.” —Samael Aun Weor, Fundamentals of Gnostic Education (1970)

The path he taught to achieve this knowledge is that of the Bodhisattva, that mysterious and ancient wisdom long hidden in the bosom of every great religion.

“For as long as space endures and for as long as the world lasts, may I live dispelling the miseries of the world.” — The Guide to the Bodhisattva’s Way of Life by Shantideva

The Bodhisattva path, also known as the straight path, is taken by very few. While many aspire to the Light, the vast majority take the easier spiral path, which is accomplished over a much longer period. The walker of the straight path is rare because that road is bitter, painful, and filled with terrors, yet is the only one capable of reaching the Ultimate. Embodied in the life story of many masters, including Jesus of Nazareth, the path of the Bodhisattva is a path of self-sacrifice on behalf of others.

“The straight path, the upright course of action, the eightfold path, conducts us from the darkness to the light. Thus, this is what Christ meant when he said to us: “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” (John 14:6)

“Those who renounce the happiness of Nirvana because of their love for mankind, those who have the body or vehicle of solar transformation, the Nirmanakaya, are the authentic Bodhisattvas, who indeed walk along the straight path; they know the word of the Lord.

“Regarding myself, concerning me, I am a walker of the straight path; thus, I teach the doctrine related with the straight path for those who want to go on the straight path.” —Samael Aun Weor

Clearly, the path taught by Samael Aun Weor is a radical departure from the teachings of the spiral path, and is even more sharply opposed to the far more common teachings of “the Baalim,” the lunar path, which Jesus called wide and broad, or easy to follow.

“Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets.

“Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide [is] the gate, and broad [is] the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be whch go in thereat:

“Because strait [is] the gate, and narrow [is] the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.” —Matthew 7

Millions of religious followers think they have found the true way, but the great Master Jesus said that only a few find the way to “life.”

Thus, the student, when encountering the teachings of the straight path for the first time, is often shocked, outraged, or offended, because these teachings contradict much of what we believe or hold dear. Upon closer study, it will be discovered that Gnosis is indeed the doctrine of synthesis, the expression of the universal wisdom in the heart of every religion. What is in conflict with Gnosis are the ideas and interpretations of mankind. Truth is one; it is our mind that degenerates that truth into opinions, dogmas, politics, and wars.

As a vibrant embodiment of the Bodhisattva ideal, which renounces all self-interest and seeks instead to benefit others, Samael Aun Weor rejected any notion of personality worship or the attachments of followers. Throughout his life, many thousands of students projected onto him their ideals and their needs, and this continues to this day. While many worship him and make Gnosis into just another system of belief, his own message is very clear: the only Master we should follow is our own inner Divinity. To reach that inner Divinity, we must remove from our mind mere belief: we must instead study the path as taught by all the great teachers of humanity, and put those teachings into daily practice.

Perhaps most remarkably, what he wrote and taught was not mere theory: unlike most authors (especially those who write about religion and spirituality), he taught from personal experience.

“There are authors who write marvels, but when one looks at them, one realizes that they have not lived what they have written; they did not experience it in themselves, and that is why they are mistaken. I understand that one must write what one has directly experienced by oneself. For my part, I have proceeded in this way.” Tarot and Kabbalah (1978)

The techniques in this book reflect the profound, core teachings hidden in many religions. Samael Aun Weor explains that these techniques are derived from Tibetan, India, Middle Eastern, and Latin American sources. Nevertheless, their primary source is Tibetan Tantra. Remarkably, these techniques were taught in Latin America in the mid-twentieth century, at a time when the various lineages of Tibetan Buddhism were scrambling to survive being purged from the planet. During those decades, only a handful of genuine Tibetan scriptures were available outside of closed circles, and those few scriptures were poorly translated, incomplete, and not very revealing, especially regarding actual techniques. Furthermore, they were not available in Latin America, where Samael Aun Weor resided. Nevertheless, during those decades Samael Aun Weor wrote detailed explanations of the very core philosophies and techniques of the highest forms of Tibetan Buddhism, yet he did so in the language of his readers so they would understand (that is, he did not pepper his writings with terms that would be unknown or obscure to them). However, those who know the Tibetan teachings can now read those writings and see very clearly that Samael Aun Weor not only knew the Dharma in depth, but knew intimate details of Tibetan Buddhism that were never published anywhere, even amongst many levels of study in the Tibetan schools.

It has often been asked how he acquired his knowledge. Samael Aun Weor stated that he was a reincarnated Tibetan lama, but he never gave details about his Tibetan background, because he was not interested in impressing anyone or convincing anyone to follow him. Instead, he only wanted humanity to practice the Dharma. Therefore, to understand who he is and how he knew what he wrote, he always advised his students to awaken consciousness for themselves.

Terminology

These exercises have been known by various names, notably called by Gnostic students “the Tibetan rites” or “the lamasery exercises.” It is important to note that the term “lamasery” did not originate in Asia, but was invented by Westerners. Samael Aun Weor used the term as was conventional at the time he was teaching. However, in the spirit of continual improvement that he followed, and with respect to the tradition from which these exercises are derived, we prefer not to perpetuate the use of the term. Therefore, in this book we have exchanged the misnomer “lamasery” for the more accurate and appropriate term “monastery.”