Very endearing friends:
I am approaching you to send you the explanation of this beautiful engraving attributed to Jacob Böhme, which was made as the cover of a treatise entitled…
…ON THE CHOICE OF GRACE
This work was written in the year 1623 by this German mystic, and in the engraving that illustrates it we can observe innumerable Gnostic doctrinary aspects that interest all of us who try to tread the path of self-realization.
First of all we must refer to the title of our engraving, which, written in Old German, reads as follows: GNADENWAHL, which should be translated as ‘THE CHOICE OF GRACE’.
But what do we refer to when we speak of the STATE OF GRACE? Without a doubt, we are referring to the search for the salvation of our soul or the values that pertain to it, that is to be in a state of GRACE.
Having said that, let us now try to unveil the ins and outs of this wonderful engraving.
First, we observe in large letters a repeated word that appears on the left and right sides of our artistic expression. Such a word is none other than WILLE. This word translated means ‘WILL’. Let us understand here as the DIVINE WILL, the SUPREME WILL, that is, the WILL OF THE GREAT ARCHITECT OF THE UNIVERSE, as our FREEMASON BROTHERS would call it.
Below this aforementioned word we can see a circle containing within itself two triangles, one with the vertex facing downward and the other with the vertex facing upward. The eye that appears within the triangle that has its vertex downward is of a feminine character, and the eye that is introduced into the triangle whose vertex is upward is masculine. This is the double constitution of the THEOMEGALOGOS, which makes it MASCULINE-FEMININE. As feminine it is GOD-MOTHER, the Hindustani MULAPRAKRITI, and as masculine it comes to represent the manifested ELOHIM, who have the task of stimulating souls during their journey toward manifestation. That is why the feminine eye emits divine radiations, but the masculine eye is within a triangle bordered by fire, for such fire is the INRI of the Christian Gnostics, however the fire of the feminine eye belongs to another octave of functioning, since it works in the superior dimensions of space.
Let us now point out two words also written in Old German. They are WOHL and WEHE. The first means ‘HAPPINESS’ and the second –Wehe– is to be translated as ‘AFFLICTION’.
These two words quoted above are found in semi-spheres. One of the spheres is white ─luminous─ and the other sphere is dark. This means that, from the beginning of creation, the blessed THEOMEGALOGOS has already foreseen the existence of two spheres of action, one of them white, representative of the souls who want to self-realize, and the other dark to indicate that the binomial WHITE-BLACK –light and darkness– will endure during the existence of the COSMIC DAY or MAHA-MANVANTARA.
Note that from the circle containing the two triangles to which we have already referred in previous lines two strong arms surge. These arms allude to the presence of the ALMIGHTY who maintains control of the two streams of creation, such as the YIN and YANG of Taoism.
Below the circle containing the two triangles appears, between the two spheres –the white and the dark– the word FIAT. This Latin word is to be translated as ‘LET IT BE DONE’. In this case, the beginning of creation is ordered, that is, that it takes place when THE GREAT WORD so dictates.
It is also interesting to note that the white sphere is filled with light and contains a small triangle from which equally luminous radiations emanate. This triangle in that white sphere represents the three primary forces of creation: HOLY AFFIRMING, HOLY DENYING, and HOLY CONCILIATING. However, in the sphere of the right –which is dark– we only see things that are murky, dark, confused, etc., to point out that in the world of ignorance only CHAOS reigns.
Further down we can see two wings. From the sphere on the left we see ANGELIC WHITE WINGS appearing. On the contrary, from the sphere on the right we see BLACK WINGS emerging, indicative of infra-human flights, non-celestial journeys, etc., etc., etc. These are the antitheses that incessantly fight each other as the COSMIC DAY unfolds.
It is curious to note that these WINGS to which we have referred are connected to two letters of the Greek alphabet, namely, the letter O, which in turn encloses the letter A. The letter A represents the beginning of every material or spiritual goal. It is known as ALPHA. The other letter, which forms a circle, is the letter called OMEGA in the Greek alphabet. Both letters are here to indicate to us that GOD is the beginning and the end of everything created in three-dimensional manifestation. For this reason, above both letters appears the word FIAT, ‘LETIT BE DONE’, indicating with this expression “LET CREATION BE DONE”…..
We cannot help but seeing the circle made up of a series of numbers ranging from number 1 to number 12. These numbers represent the twelve hours of Apollonius of Tyana. Each of these hours represents a labor of the Hercules of Greek mythology. There are twelve metaphysical labors that have to be carried out when a soul wants to abandon creation to merge with the WHOLE of divinity. In these labors or journeys, that soul must descend into the hells of the twelve planets of our solar system and, subsequently, ascend to conquer the twelve heavens of the same planets.
We cannot lose sight of the space encompassed by these figures that we have just commented. In it we see a sun shining and sending its rays toward the Earth, and in the lower part of this space we can see a waning moon. These symbols—sun and moon— are, alchemically, the two alchemical polarities of man-woman, which will have to work with the mystery of the cross.
However, appreciated readers, here in this space we are shown two crosses. The cross on the right side is representative of FALSE CHRISTIANITY, which only sees in it a dead symbol that recalls the crucifixion of the Great Kabir of Galilee. For this reason, the words Bosheit and Verstockung appear on this cross, signifying ‘MALICE’ and ‘OBSTINACY’ respectively. Why? ANSWER: Because as long as the human Consciousness remains tied or entangled within the “I”—namely: the animal ego— we will always be dragged down by the malice and obstinacy of the “I”. That is the reason why our Patriarch ─V.M. Samael Aun Weor─ always spoke to us about the OBSTINATE EGO, especially in his posthumous work THE PISTIS SOPHIA UNVEILED…..
However, on the cross on the left we see other words that tell us BUSZE and VERGEBUNG. This is to be translated as ‘PENANCE’, ‘SANCTION’, ‘REPENTANCE’ and ‘FORGIVENESS’. This corresponds to the conscious sacrifices and voluntary sufferings practiced by those who know the POWER OF THE CROSS ─alchemical cross─. Undoubtedly, those who work in the MAGNUM ARCANUM A.Z.F., symbolized by the cross, attain repentance, penance and forgiveness of all their psychic iniquities, for psycho-alchemical forces are the only energies capable of achieving the miracle of our transformation.
It is good to point out that the sun that we see within this circle that we are commenting on is accompanied by a phrase that reads VON EINER KRAFFT, which has to be translated as ‘FROM A POWER’….. What does this mean? ANSWER: From the cross properly understood emanates the POWER of OUR SALVATION. That is why this phrase is found near the pierced wood of that cross, and also near the emanations of the Sun to which we have referred in previous paragraphs. When a man and a woman come together to create a soul, such creation is possible because they work with the solar energy that springs from the union of the TANTRIC LINGAM-YONI.
This phrase that we have just explained would be connected with another that appears on the ground, between the two crosses, and which tells us: AUS EINEM SAFFT, which must be understood as ‘FROM A LIQUID’… We have arrived at a very interesting point here, for if we were to join the phrases VON EINER KRAFFT and AUS EINEM SAFFT, we would then obtain the following: ” FROM A POWER FROM A LIQUID.” What liquid? Answer: The seminal fluid that we must never lose, because we would be falling into FORNICATION. Thus it is understood that in order to leave the wheel of time and enter into ETERNITY we need, without a doubt, to commune with the mysteries of the cross. That was the reason why our Venerable Patriarch entitled one of his first booklets THE POWER IS IN THE CROSS back in the fifties…..
We conclude our description by analyzing two phrases that appear at the base of our engraving. The first, to the right of the engraving, at its base, reads as follows: GEHET HIN ZUM SERVERGRUBE, all of which is to be translated in this way: ‘Go there to the servant’s pit‘. This means that if you do not love the light, your final destination will be the pit that is prepared for lost souls.
And, on the other hand, at the base of our engraving, on its left side, we find: KOMMET HER ZUM GNODEN STUH, and it means ‘Come here to the mercy seat’. I must make it clear to you, friends, that the propitiatory act, theologically speaking, was marked by the ark of the covenant. That ark showed two Cherubim touching each other with their wings while holding their arms outstretched. Gnosticism always forcefully asserted that within such an ark were the Tablets of the Mosaic Law, the rod of Aaron, and the chalice of redemption. The rod allegorizes the virile force, the chalice represents the feminine yoni, and the Tablets of the Law warn us that this whole propitiatory act was indeed the only act that attracted the divinity to the human race, and therefore had to be performed only in accordance with the Great Law, that is, without adultery or fornication…..
Some authors have considered the mercy seat to be the lid or covering of the ark of the covenant. It was, according to them, carved from a single piece of gold, with two Cherubim at its ends extending their wings above it and covering it. Some historians consider it to mean the throne of Christ —his glory was manifested between the two Cherubim— and it was the place and act by which reconciliation with God was obtained. This phrase has something profound and true, for it is only through the propitiatory act that the Christic forces manifest themselves among men.
Propitiation is a concept in Christian theology translated from the Greek term hilasterion, which literally means ‘that which atones or propitiates’, ‘the gift that procures propitiation’ or ‘place or means of reconciliation’. Another Greek word, hilasmos, is used to designate Christ as man’s propitiation. The dictionary states that propitiation is an Action pleasing to God by which he is moved to pity and mercy,” or a “Sacrifice offered in the Old Law to appease divine justice and make God propitious.”
I now give you, patient readers, a few sentences for reflection:
“What heaven has ordained to happen, no diligence or human wisdom can prevent it.”
Cervantes
“Yield to providence.”
Virgilio
“Providence likes to be tempted. This is the secret of the man who triumphs.”
Bernard Shaw
“When God’s favor is lacking, diligences are excused.”
Saint Teresa
“There is always a providence that inspires us to alleviate the most pressing needs of our fellow men.”
Goethe
MORS CERTA, HORA INCERTA.
─‘Death is certain, but the hour is uncertain’─.
Kwen Khan Khu
