30 days of Rawn Clark's Archaeous

[thelerner]

I'm doing 30 days of Rawn Clarks Self Healing Archaeous system. There are 7 levels. Its loosely based on Franz Bardonian work, a Western Hermetic take on Element theory as it applies to human body and psyche. Its mostly short 15 minute lessons. But to integrate it you need to spend time on each one. Here is the link http://bardon.dnsalias.net/Archaeous-Links.html

 

I add I'm just a beginner/dabbler at this. I look at this as a chance for a shared practice to explore with others.

 

He has you do them lying down, I think they're perfect for standing meditation. The way he 'stacks' the elements onto the body makes 15 minutes of zhan zhang go by quickly, and by stacking earth (feet to waist), water (hips to solar plex) etc., onto the body it gives a feeling of strength and connection.

 

Like many of his series what starts out easy goes esoteric quickly. I'm starting this to see if any else wants to 'do' the series with me. Its free, simple but not easy, doesn't take up too much time. best of all its experiential, no debating philosophy or books, but discussing what we experience. See where we get in one month.

 

I did it today. It goes by quickly. I do it standing though he recommends laying down. When I do it without listening to the tape I start with my feet and build up. He starts with relaxation messages, then orients first from the head down to the feet, then back up.

 

The first lesson is relatively simple and very physical. He want you to repeat it until you can comfortably repeat the experience without listening to the audio, ie throwing the 'crutch' away.

 

Don't be fooled by the simple nature of the first lesson. Here is a taste of where the program goes: (from his site)

 

"Practice:

Begin with the complete relaxation of your physical body. Become aware of all four Elemental regions of your physical body: the Earth, Water, Air and Fire regions. This is the Earth region of your temporal mental body -- your direct perception of physical sensation.

Now shift your awareness to your astral body and release your awareness of physical sensation. Focus exclusively upon the perception of emotional significance contained within the four Elemental regions of your astral body. This is the Water region of your temporal mental body -- your direct perception of emotional significance.

Now shift your awareness to your thinking mind and release your awareness of emotional significance. Focus exclusively upon the perception of thought and the four Elemental types of thoughts that fill your awareness. This is the Air region of your temporal mental body -- your direct perception of thought and idea.

Now shift your awareness to your perceiving mind and release all awareness of thought. Focus exclusively upon pure perception and an emptiness of mind. This is the Fire region of your temporal mental body -- your direct perception of essential meaning.

Take a moment now to perceive the three regions that you have shed. Below you lies your thinking awareness, your awareness of emotional significance and your awareness of physical sensation. You perceive them as separate and distant from your focalized awareness -- they lie at your feet like clothes that you no longer wear. Yet at the same time, you know that they are your clothes and you have only shed them temporarily.

Now turn your awareness away from what lies below you and perceive what surrounds you. You find yourself still within the realm of time and sequence but you are no longer stuck in physical space and matter. Here, your surroundings stretch infinitely in every direction and you stand at the exact center of the infinite universe.

Now, as a focalized awareness composed only of Fire, you must release your focus and expand to encompass the whole infinite universe that surrounds you. You must let go of being a flame and become the infinitely radiant Fire itself which merges with the Akasha. This infinite expanse of Self is your eternal or Akashic mental body, your Greater Self.

You now are the Akasha and below you, you now perceive your entire temporal mental body, surrounded by the entire temporal realm. You are free from space and time, and from thinking, feeling and sensing. Yet at the same time, you know that they are your clothes and that you have only shed them temporarily.

You are pure perception, awareness and will in their non-sequential state, yet still you are focalized and do not encompass The All. You do not yet experience the infinite number of other similarly focalized awareness in the same way as you experience yourSelf. You can experience many of them individually as yourSelf, but not all of them simultaneously. To do this you must expand and become them all.

Let go of your focalization and expand. You must become pure Light. You don't stand within The Light; instead, you are The Light. Nothingness surrounds you and you are focused inward upon Self."

Edited April 2, 2013 by thelerner

[thelerner]

Went through another session of level 1 this morning. Did it standing and the 15 minutes went by even faster. When he says to concentrate on the skin muscle and bones in the hand, it was easier for me to visualize and feel.

 

I'll do another few days of this hopefully twice a day. Then move onto Level 2 which as I recall is feeling the space around each 'section' and getting the 'feeling' of the element.

 

What do I hope to get out of this practice? Nothing as grandiose as the Rawn's description above. Maybe nothing beyond putting in a couple hours of zhan zheng. Of course Zhan Zheng- standing meditation is pretty powerful by itself. At this point the practice feels good. My stomach gargles when get to it, I feel circling within my waist. The chest level air element feels good and spacious. Head as fire- not so much, though I see fire here as more light of awareness then heat, maybe that will change. The practice allows me to stand stronger. Starting with level 2 it allows me to delve into the elements, ie focusing on the Earth element pinned to my feet to waist as strong, stable, stoic, unmoving, steady, dependable etc..

 

Unless there are other answering posts I'll just add to this one through <edit> and let it slip down so as not to clutter the Hermetic area. If it interests others now or in the future, great.

[tumoessence]

I am thinking of joining you in this. Rawn connects the steps six and seven to higher stages of IIH so I am not sure I am ready to go there yet. I intended to practice last night but I fell asleep.

[thelerner]

I am thinking of joining you in this. Rawn connects the steps six and seven to higher stages of IIH so I am not sure I am ready to go there yet. I intended to practice last night but I fell asleep.

Cool, I made it through steps 3 in the IIH years ago. Let me quote Rawn Clark on what he recommends:

"The archaeous is designed to be pursued in conjunction with the work of Initiation Into Hermetics. Lessons one, two and three, which are focused upon integration, are suitable at any of Bardon's Steps.

 

Lessons four and five however, which are focused upon separation, should only be pursued after the completion of Step Two and the attainment of the rudimentary Elemental balance. Lesson six, which pertains to manipulation of the Four Elements, should only be pursued after good progress has been achieved with Step Four and the work of accumulating the Elements.

And finally, Lessons seven, eight and nine should not be undertaken until the work of Step Five is begun."

 

I'll be happy to have a secure foundation of the first 3 in the first month and maybe just get into 4 near the end. Rawn has a series of lectures on his site to help people along on the IIH beyond his Bardon Companion writings. They're here: http://bardon.dnsalias.net/Lecture/index.html . He thinks people spend too much time on the early levels, the lectures, even more then his Companion writings give encouragement and hints to complete the IIH.

 

Right now I'm not up to tackling the full IIH. I'll settle for the Archaeous. So far doing it twice a day, my legs are sore(I do it standing), I get a deep relaxation response (runny nose, teary eyes) and time goes by faster. Which is the opposite of what happens when I practice Standing meditation without it.

 

I'd like to get a third practice each day. One in late afternoon standing with the lowering sun hitting me. I'll do 2 more guided level 1's today, then spend a day or two working on it without listening. Start Level 2 Astral on Saturday.

 

I compiled most of Rawn Clarks Archaeous writings into a single document.

Edited April 4, 2013 by thelerner

[tumoessence]

I will go for it with you. We can do it through a series of PM to share experiences then edit and post it here for interested parties. that would be one way to proceed.

I am interested in how your having made it through step 3 has enabled or not practices in other traditions. I have always thought that through step 3 would give a great foundation for many other paths.

[Friend]

Edited April 14, 2013 by Friend

[thelerner]

I'm just starting level 2, on astral awareness. Rawn makes it clear in the theory section its not to be considered the aura, but it is a field a few inches from the body.

 

I'm doing the levels standing up. It feels natural and strengthening. Its also not what he recommends. Tumoessence is doing some of his practice in the twilight state between waking and sleep. Pretty good idea, in that deeply relaxed time you probably have deeper access to your subconscious.

 

My imagery for level I was at skeletal during the relaxation phase where he'd repeat relaxing skin, muscle bones. At times I'd use flashes of beach memory, ie how the water rests on the sand, the air rests on the water, the sun shines on all. I'm happy to see the top layer being referred to as electric vs fire in the 2nd level. While it departs from Eastern element theory, I prefer it. I don't like my head region to be considered hot.

 

I can better feel electric fields in my brain and it sending electric fields through my body to feel and control it. Similarly the whole head as electric organ is useful for feeling where my attention is as I walk. Eyes sending out fields to see, focusing it on sky, car or squirrel. Ears also, all the sense organs using electricity and fields to be aware.

 

Kinda digressing. In the level 2 astral practice my main imagery at the moment is furry brown gloves on my hands and earth element region. Water circling my waist/water region. Small white bits of round Styrofoam circling my air/chest region, and electric arcs in the electric/fire/head region.

Edited April 8, 2013 by thelerner

[tumoessence]

Friend,

 

I think the lack of the term etheric shouldn't be of concern. I experience it in the first lesson of the Archaeous in the relaxing phase, and in working with the elemental regions as a watery energy that I seem to float in. Very subjective yes.

In the Bardon approach the akasha is the etheric principle on all levels, and depending on how consciousness is focused it will experience it in different ways. In later steps of IIH the akasha is experienced as the universal ether all penetrating through all forms and space.. In step two the vital energy is breathed in, and in step three it is condensed and accumulated. But for the most part the etheric of the physical is imprinted from the work on the astral and mental bodies.

 

It is also have said from Aura Seers that they see illness before they appear in the energybody. So why not having health in the energybody and bring it into the physical body? I think its pretty good stuff until now and its free stuff that work (but hell what do have for a apparatus for 3k$)

 

I am not sure if I understand your concern here. Bardon, and Rawn place great emphasis on character development and elemental equilibrium. All energies in this system have qualitative and quantitative enhancements and,refinements. This new balance imprinted into the etheric brings healing. In the Theosophic schools it is said that the physcial and that includes the energy of the physcial, isn't a principle. In other words the physical and its energies have to be worked on from "higher" levels. That means working on character and balance in mind and making the ego more transparent and selfless. This enhances the power of energies to be worked with ie its quantity, as well it's refining to the pure elements, ie qualities. Then the energies of the physical are automatically enhanced, and can be focused into the nadis that can handle the enhancement.

To put it simply, refinement of character, practicing stillness, and sensitivity to the elements in their regions, bring us forward. The elements are not just abstract energies but also capacities of consciousness, mind and emotion.

[Friend]

Edited April 14, 2013 by Friend

[thelerner]

Friend, thank you for talking about your experience. You studied the Archaeous system for a while, any thoughts or hints on how to get the most out of it? Or like most things its a matter of practicing diligently.

[Friend]

Edited April 14, 2013 by Friend

[Lightchild]

Can you start this meditation with no experience ?

[Friend]

Edited August 17, 2013 by Friend