A question that is often asked today is “what is the highest goal of spirituality”. The answer to this question most often heard would be that it is to achieve freedom, happiness, knowledge, as well as some other qualities. Many spiritual teachers of today would say that it is to know oneself and to be comfortable with oneself, so to go through life with joy. This question has been on the mind of many people, and it is understandable that, even though just the concept of freedom and happiness are enough to keep a lot of people on the spiritual track, for many others these concepts are too ambiguous and do not explain anything specific.

Every genuine spiritual tradition has a deeper aspect, it has an esoteric side that is reserved for the few who are ready to study and understand the more advanced teachings that are hidden therein, and which go into specific things regarding spiritual development. When I say “genuine spiritual traditions” I am referring to those traditions that were founded and/or maintained by teachers who have incarnated the divine principles through the application of such spiritual guidance, and are living testimony of the potential of the teachings that they guard and teach. Unfortunately, many genuine schools have lost that complete system of knowledge for spiritual awakening, and the religions for the masses have never even taught such things to the public, as spiritual knowledge is not given to those who are not ready for it, because they wouldn’t value it.

In the teachings of modern Gnosis, the ultimate goal of the spiritual work is often mentioned and discussed, particularly because the founder of the modern Gnostic Movement, Samael Aun Weor, have himself reached a very high inner spiritual grade through incarnation of his own inner Being (Samael), and so when he was writing about such things or speaking publicly about it, he was doing it from knowledge that came from his direct experience. He knew exactly what it is to have the Being within himself and how it transformed his life from one initiation to another. And even before Samael himself reached that point of incarnation of his Being, he was studying (directly or indirectly) from teachers who came before him and who were also most likely advanced on the path to liberation, teachers such as Krum Heller, Eliphas Levi, Helena Blavatsky etc., each of them contributing with some knowledge of the path to liberation.

In the modern Gnosis, the awakening is described as the process that we go through from the first stage of the path (the First mountain), until the last stage (the Third mountain). Within each of these three stages there are eight smaller stages, known as initiations. The first true awakening begins with the 4^th initiation of the First Mountain at the point when the solar mental body is created and/or activated. At this point the detachment from the mind is achieved and a substantial amount of consciousness (approximately 20%) is liberated from the shackles of the ego, enabling the person for the first time to be grounded in consciousness for prolonged periods of time.

The next large awakening comes with the next initiation, the 5^th, when the Causal body has been created and/or activated, and the Human Soul (the first part of the Being) incarnated. This is a major milestone in someone’s work because at this point they have around 30% of free consciousness and a spiritual part within them that is felt continuously and that serves as a continuous reminder to do the inner work. More than that, it is also a force that helps keeping the consciousness active as well as it helps to die to egos with more strength.

Every subsequent initiations that is conquered means more of the increase of the Being within oneself – it means that more and more parts of the Being are incarnated, parts such as Buddhi (Divine Soul), Atman (Divine Spirit), Christ, Holy Spirit, Father etc. It is with the incarnation of Atman in the 7th and the 8th initiation of the First mountain that a large form of awakening becomes part of our everyday life, because not only such a large part of the Being enters and fuses with our consciousness, but around that point our free consciousness (which we now have around 50%) permanently awakens, which means that the consciousness is continuously awake and aware, and dominant over the force of the subconscious mind. Further ahead, as the larger parts of the Being gradually expand throughout all our spiritual bodies that are being realized with the spiritual work, the more and more awake we become. Parallel to that we also liberate our consciousness until it reaches 100%.

The final stage of the Third Mountain is when all the parts of the Being are fully incarnated, and when the three main parts have merged with our consciousness (which at this point is full). This is the point when we have become one with our Monad (inner Being) and when we can say that we know ourselves, because we have become one with our Higher Self, with our Monad, but not only that – we have also incarnated the Being of our Being, or the Father of our Father, the Ain Soph. This is what is known as the complete awakening, it is the point when we have freedom to leave this Universe and return to the Absolute, or we can stay in the Universe and move within it as fully awakened beings, enjoying permanent bliss and happiness of the Being. It is this point of awakening that Samael and many others believed to be the ultimate one.

It is often said that the highest purpose of life is to return to the Source, to the Absolute, as self-realized beings; as beings who have achieved the purpose for which this Universe was created – to learn, to grow, to graduate in the school of life, to gain experience in diversity of the Cosmos.
This universe offers us enormous potential for growth and self-discovery. Through it, we can reach higher and higher stages of spiritual development; we can fulfil the role that we have as the Being, and discover ever-increasing potential and marvels that lie in wait for us. This is the future that gradually opens up for us with each of the awakenings that we achieve on the path to liberation.

HDP, November 2020.