The Sphynx on the Egyptian Giza Plateau stands as an ancient reminder of our lost past: the civilization that existed before current records. Older than the Great Pyramid (you can see water erosion at the base of the Sphynx, indicating that rainfall was plentiful during the monument’s past) some authors such as Graham Hancock (see “Fingerprints of the Gods”, pub.1996) have suggested that it was erected to mark the Age of Leo, or built around 10,500 BC. For more evidence of our ancient past see Carmen Boulter’s “The Pyramid Code”.

The Sphynx has lost his beard, his nose, his paint, and his uraeus (the cobra head emanating from his brow). But he has not lost his esoteric power. The Sphynx points the way back towards past civilizations when spiritual evolution – not material consumption – was a primary force in our lives. The Sphynx reminds us that we are more than humans who simply age over time, becoming weaker with each passing decade. We have growth potential.

I have my own personal answer to the riddle of the Sphynx. My answer would be: human spiritual evolution. As babies we crawl on four limbs, symbolic of our animal past (the lion body). As young adults we face the world standing on our own two feet, desiring to look into the future (head of the man).  And, as we age, we grow slowly into our true potential, and develop a “third” eye: the uraeus. As we mature  we come to learn to learn how to travel with three “legs” (animal, human, spiritual) … to evolve from the foundations of our animal nature through personal development, and to see beyond the physical world  into spirit.

I suspect the Sphynx would smile at my answer, but with my luck he’d probably eat me anyway. No one likes a smart alec.

All photos courtesy of Yui Wang, who just returned from her 2010 Ancient Egyptian Sites pilgrimage.

I came upon his work almost too late, as not long after my visit to Cyprus he passed away, but I remain profoundly affected even to this day. Two of his published books, “The Esoteric Teachings” and “The Esoteric Practice” are essential reading in the field of energy healing study. I hope you will choose to hear the wisdom and the dedication to self-realization of Daskalos by working your way through his material. Also, you can contact his organization on Cyprus (see links below) and see if there are any study groups near your home town.

In “The Esoteric Teaching”, Dr Stylianos lays out the frame work of his conceptual and actual relationship with the Divine, and especially with the Astral world. This is a rich book, albeit couched in terms of esoteric Christianity and Magickal practice. For instance, in the ninth chapter he covers the three bodies of humankind: the gross material body, the psychic body (in my work, the “Etheric” body), and the lower/higher noetic body (which corresponds in my work to the Astral body; that which is created through consciousness development, or self awareness work), and explains in detail how the three bodies interact with each other. Dr Stylianos preferred to refer to the Etheric level as a “double” or template, of the three bodies.

Daskalos also writes in depth about the vitally important concept of your Temporary Personality (current incarnational identity) and your Permanent Personalty (soul identity, passed on from incarnation to incarnation). This distinction is vital for the higher levels of energy healing, as we come to distinguish between the tasks and issues of this life time, and those being worked through (or partially solved) in previous life times, as stored in the Permanent Personality.

If you like “The Esoteric Teaching”, you will love “The Esoteric Practice”. Filled with exercises and visualizations once only available to Researcher of Truth teaching circles, you will have in your hands the closest thing to a self-teaching system for energy healing. Are you hundreds of miles away from any healing teacher? Can’t afford distance tutorial sessions over Skype? Then buy these two books and pore over them, absorb them, learn to dream them at night. Teachings will come, experience will come. Or, form your own study circle, with friends of like mind, and practice the exercises. These books are truly a gift to us, from an amazing mystic, and a powerful healer.

Links: Researchers of Truth website .

Link to order these books through The Stoa Series.

In the first chapter of this book, “Understanding the Astral”, the author presents a personalized introduction to exploring the Astral, including examining what it is we mean when we refer to “the self”.

“A Pathway to the Doors” presents the importance of concentration and visualization practice. It might be tempting to skip over this chapter, except that it contains the keys to any kind of progress in working with the Astral: how to develop a functioning mind “screen”. You will find similar encouragement to develop your visualization and focusing skills in the lectures and writings of the late Greek Cypriot Healer, Dr Stylianos Atteshlis (“Daskalos”), as well as the books of Aleister Crowley.

“The Ultimate Protection” presents the Lesser Banishing Ritual of the Pentagram, a variation of an Order of the Golden Dawn occult technique. This chapter is one way to gain insight into the use of symbolic reality, and of the importance of ritualistic order in dealing with all things in the Astral.

“Elemental Doorways” looks at various ways to gain access to the Astral environment, but is thankfully short on specific ritual details. The themes in this book want to inform you, to prepare you, to inspire you to seek more, but not to hand over the keys of esoteric knowledge earned the right way: under the guidance of the magical Ritual Elder.

Mr Brennan touches on many topics, including parallel universes, the Tarot, the I Ching, and (of course) discarnate Astral Entities. The book ends with his notes on the differences between the Etheric and the Astral planes, and suggests that there “may be a degree of intimacy between them’. After reading this book I was left pondering, perhaps for the first time, if the Etheric plane is the energy system of an individuated being, while the Astral is the dimensional playground in which many other such beings play, work, and evolve. Truly an intimate dance between two realities.

Although at first glance this work may seem dated to the modern reader I nevertheless highly recommend it as the essential introduction to practices and information that student Astral healers must absorb, and integrate, during their studies. The power of any book is not whether it is elementary or advanced; it is that it informs the reader at any level of knowledge, and creates a desire for deep change, or further inner reflection. “Astral Doorways” is such a book. Please buy it now, while it is still in print.

One of the key themes in this wonderful book is Richo’s Five A’s: Being attentive, Being Accepting, Being Appreciative, Being Affectionate, and Being Allowing. He writes, “Attention means consciousness of the interconnectedness of all things. Acceptance means saying an unconditional yes to the sobering givens of existence, the facts of life. Appreciation means the attitude of gratitude. Affection means the love we feel for others, and for the universe. Allowing means that we grant to others and protect in ourselves the right to live freely and without outside control.”

When I work with individuals in healing a past relationship, or who are in the process of creating a new intimate connection to someone, Richo’s Five A’s are a wonderful checklist of essential qualities. Both partners should be working towards the creation of the relationship that echoes or builds upon these five themes. Any lack of development in one area is where we can focus and learn the skills necessary to build a healthy and sustainable relationship.

About the author: David Richo, Ph.D., is a psychotherapist who leads popular workshops at the Esalen Institute and around the country. He is the author of several books, including How to be an Adult and Shadow Dance: Liberating the Power and Creativity of Your Dark Side. He lives in Santa Barbara and San Francisco, California.