"Eight Temples Meditation Project" Questions
© 2002

>> 1) The experiences in Malkuth or any other temple actually take place "out of body" do they not? (I say out of body because I am still quite unclear as to when I go out-of-body whether I am in some astral, mental plane or self-delusional-in-my-head- -type-experience). <<

The degree of the density of your experience (i.e., an astra-mental or mental-only density) depends upon your own ability. If it is convenient and easy for you to attain an astra-mental density, then do so, but if it takes you an hour plus to achieve an astra-mental density, then don't bother. A mental journey is what most participants make and that's a good place to start. The more you visit the Temples, the stronger your presence will become in any event.

>> 2) Assuming the answer to the first question is yes: Are we to call Adonai shortly after we are out-of-body or do we call him during our (pre-OBE) meditational phase and he'll pull us out-of-body so that we may enter the "real" temple? - as opposed to a mere visualized one. <<

Each Temple has a mental, astral and physical density [Although, physically, they are very small paper models! ;-)] so they are "real" no matter which level of density you approach them at.

The calling of Adonai occurs while you stand before the Entrance. This means that if you are choosing an OBE, then you would need to be out-of-body already by the time you stand before the Entrance. Adonai will not "pull" you out.

I recommend that you travel without your astral form, at least at first. It is not necessary that you achieve an astral density if it takes you this much effort to achieve it. What you might find, is that after having visited mentally first, it will then become easy to increase your mental presence to an astral density *while in the Temple*.

>> 3) Continuing on the assumption that the answer to the first question is yes, what would say are the pre-requisites to successfully entering the Malkuth temple? <<

Foremost is the *conscious intention* to enter the Temple. Second is that you have memorized the sequence of events, the proper phrases and the Malkuth images. Third is that you have sufficient power of creative visualization to create and sufficiently sustain the mental images throughout the length of the meditation ritual.

It really is very simple and easy. :) Two of the original participants had absolutely no magical training and they did just fine. The original (and subsequent) ritual work that I performed, *permanently* exists astra-mentally, and the energetics of that ritual working, support the new participant in their journey. So long as *you* bring the three pre-requisites that I mentioned above, the energetics of the original working of the ritual will assure you an experience of that original working. Those energetics will automatically draw you along and guide your journey.

But they can only do that if you have placed the images and events into your mind, along with the sincere intention of pursuing the meditation ritual. If these are not present, then the guiding energetics will find nothing within you to grab hold of and lead along the way. In other words, you must contain some mental resonance with them before they can "find" you (like attracts like).

>> I mean, if this needs to take place out of body, I can tell you that it takes me approximately 1.5 hours of meditation before I can exit and I have about a 95% failure rate (although the 5% success rate is plenty motivation to make me keep trying). So this takes me a little more effort than "close your eyes, take a deep breath visualize the entrance, ask for assistance, move the curtain aside and voila!" :P <<

From what I understand of Robert's technique, you are spending about 1.5 hours building/accumulating an energetic body that you project and then transfer your consciousness into. Is that a fair approximation? Assuming that it is, I need to clarify that this is not the same thing as Bardon's Step Nine astral wandering.

Robert's technique *as I've described it* does result in *A* "body" of astral density, but it is not *your* own, original astral body. Instead it is a condensation of the astral materia formed by your will. Such a "body" is SIGNIFICANTLY different than your natural astral body which is formed naturally as your mental body descends through the astral materia and into the physical materia. A natural astral body that is formed by this descent of the mental through the astral materia, is based upon what type of astral materia is *naturally attracted* by the complex mental influx. This crystallizes the astral Elements into a unique form specific to the mental influx. This expresses the mental influx in a way that cannot be achieved by Robert's method of artificial creation. The natural astral body is a perfect reflection of the mental-to-physical connection, expressing both simultaneously.

With Bardon's method, the natural astral body is drawn out of the physical body by the already separated mental body. They join like hand and glove -- this is why I'm constantly referring to 'astra-mental body' instead of 'astral body'. The *entire* operation is directed by the mental body. There is no need to accumulate great amounts of energy or spend 1.5 hours working up to it.

An alternative method is for the conjoined astra-mental body to simply vacate the physical body by standing upright. Again, this is a process directed entirely by the mind and requires no accumulation of energy or hours of preparation. It is done in an instant by force of will.

So, I suppose I should weave what I'm saying back to the subject of the Malkuth meditation! ;-)

Working with this understanding, I created the Tunnel passage in such a way that it actually increases the density of the body you are traveling with. My instructions regarding the number of steps between the torches hanging to right and left, and the sensations that you should create with your imagination; and then the ten steps up to the Temple itself; and later, the various sensations to be felt in the Elemental realms and other Temples, etc.; all of these things increase the density of a mental presence and will strengthen the attraction between the mental body and the natural astral body.

This is a third method of creating an astral density -- by intentionally augmenting the natural attraction that exists between your mental body and your own natural astral body, through the creative imagination of sensory (i.e., astral) input. This is an extension of Bardon's Step Two and Three, and represents a mild and completely safe form of Bardon's astral separation technique. This is a way of gently drawing your natural astral body to your already separated mental body.

Here in the 8T, it is subtle and will not *of its own accord* assure an astral presence -- all it assures *of its own accord* is a stronger mental presence. But with a little conscious intention on your part and a focus upon imagining as many sensorial details as you can, I think you will succeed in achieving the density of presence you desire (without 1.5 hours of work beforehand).

>> 4) Instead of trying to visualize the cave entrance from a meditative state, would it also be possible to initiate this experience from a lucid dream - where my visualization and concentration abilities are about 10 times stronger? <<

I do not recommend this for the 8T *Project* meditation rituals. I suggest that your first experiences of the meditation rituals be performed from a meditative, non-dream state. The energetics of the *Project* rituals were not designed for the lucid-dream state and would most likely result in an experience distorted by your dream psyche.

The 8T *Project* meditation rituals take you to the astra-mental moment of the original working and are meant as introductions to the Temples. But the Temples themselves also exist in real-time (i.e., now) and this is where you go for independent, solitary work after you've been introduced. With the independent real-time visits to these Temples, you won't be subject to the structured energetics of the *Project* meditation ritual, but only to those energies resident within the Temple itself. So, once you have performed the *Project* meditation ritual and have been sufficiently introduced to a Temple, you might find great benefit from visiting them in real-time, independent of the meditation ritual itself, from within a lucid-dream state. Especially if you are familiar enough with this state that you can retain conscious direction for the duration of your visit. But here again, the lucid-dream state is not essential to visiting the Temples independently.

My best to you,
:) Rawn Clark
23 Oct 2002

>>I have had an unusual experience with the Eight Temple Meditation - Yesod. In my first visit to Yesod, I entered somewhat unprepared. Although, I worked hard to understand the Nine aspects of personality both rationally and emotionally, I never felt that I got there. It does not seem to be beyond my capabilities, but it would not click into place. In the meditation, I proceeded along fine, up to and into Yesod. When I entered the center of the Temple and the light issued forth striking the nine mirrors, I intently focused on one and chose the Adult Neutral. I tried to see myself today as I currently exist. Just me. The Face to the world. It was Ok but just neutral, no reaction. As I tried to move to an other reflection, I was struck with a feeling of unease. I could not call forth a personality aspect . The more I tried the uneasier I felt. It reached a point where I fled the temple. I tried to exit in an orderly fashion but eventually just broke out of the meditation. Since then, I have not had success in returning to Yesod. Your example of the Child Negative, does not call forth from memory or current emotional feelings an association I can lock onto. I understand the typical child tantrum, I just can't associate an aspect of my personality with it. I have a certain level of pride / self reliance that persistently tells me this is something I should be able to deal with, but I'm at a loss on how to get over this hurdle. <<

I suggest that you completely do away with my set of mirror correspondences. Don't *try* to see anything in particular. Just *look* and perceive whatever is present within the mirror. Let it just be what it will be without superimposing your *rational* expectations.

Another alternative, is to pick nine primary issues from your soul mirror, positive and negative. Then, when you're standing before one of the nine mirrors in Yesod Temple, think about that personality aspect and *let* (don't *create*) an image appear. Accept it as it is, in and of itself, without rationalizing it or expecting it to be one way or another. Take note of whatever appears, no matter what it is. It doesn't *have to be* anything. It could be just a color or just a feeling that has no shape and color. Just let *it* be.

By the way, don't feel bad, you're not the only one to flee the Yesod Temple! ;-) It's a very self-confrontational place. The "trick" is to face whatever it is that makes you flee. Distance yourself from it emotionally and examine it.

My best to you,
:) Rawn Clark
07 Nov 2002

>>First, I know that there's no way to give I definite answer, I'd just like to get a gauge on what this Tiphareth perspective is, so that I can kinda get a sense of how far I am away from it. The reason is that lately, I've been getting this sense that I've been getting close to something like Tiphareth, and it's starting to become a major issue for me, so let me describe what I'm talking about to see if this resembles Tiphareth. I've been getting a sense that there's a part of me that is above all of the emotional attachments that I have, including my friends and family and the things that I want to accomplish, and it looks at these things with a sense of indifference, as in a lack of a feeling of attachment, and an ability to let go. However, when I start to consider the things that this part of  myself doesn't care about, it's like, what else is there that's left of me? <<

What you are calling "indifference" is really the fact that things do not have the emotional intensity that they have when you're focused in your mundane awareness. This gives you a different perspective on things. It gives you the opportunity to view yourself and your life from a very calm perspective that is not moved by emotional reaction. From that perspective, you can see the essence of things much more clearly. Then, when you return to your mundane awareness and are involved with the world, you will carry with you a clearer, calmer understanding of events and of your role in them. By gaining this dispassionate perspective, you gain greater control over your own emotionally based responses to events.

For example, you're involved in a heated argument. If you step back for a moment and view yourself from the Tiphareth perspective, you will discover what is really essential in the situation. Then you will be able to return and express what is really important, instead of continuing the barrage of angry argumentativeness.

>> However, when I start to consider the things that this part of myself doesn't care about, it's like, what else is there that's left of me? <<

Indeed. That's the whole point -- that you question the idea of who *you* are, separate from the world and all the things you care about here. Your passions are just the surface of *you*, they are not your core. Yet they say something about the nature of your core Self -- your mundane values and passions reflect the nature of your core Individuality, otherwise they would not be important to you in the mundane realm. What the Tiphareth perspective grants you is the possibility of exploring that question of "who am I" in a context separate from direct involvement in the passions of your mundane expression of self. You still see all those passions, but you are not directly influenced by them -- instead, you observe and analyze them. If you sincerely look for the answers to your question of "what else is there that's left of me?", you WILL find them.

This does NOT mean that you become indifferent to the mundane circumstances. In fact, just the opposite happens and your involvements become more sincere because you will have identified the core part of yourself that truly empowers your passion for those involvements.

Ultimately you must learn to live with *and integrate* both perspectives, the passionate-mundane and the dispassionate-Tiphareth. Tiphareth reveals the naked Self that you express within the mundane world. When you know that naked Self, you can then more clearly express it through your thoughts, words and deeds.

My best to you,
:) Rawn Clark
15 Nov 2002