THE HOLY GUARDIAN ANGEL

A GOLDEN THREAD IN THE TAPESTRY OF BEING AND

BECOMING
BY COMPANION ABRAXAS
Every human being is led and guided by the Holy Guardian Angel.
Yet only a few are aware of this.
-- Paul Foster ase
The study of the Holy Guardian Angel is multifaceted and has its image in the
hearts and minds of many cultures and through the arcane histories of
humanity One of these images is found in !lato"s #yth of Er$ %herein
&ocrates descri'es ho% souls are sent into this %orld$ each %ith a di(ine
guiding s)irit or Angel$ and ho% these Angels guide each human 'eing
through this incarnation Ho%e(er$ the )rocess$ as %e read$ 'ecomes one of
self*disco(ery as those %ho return in the ne+t incarnation must cross the
Plain of Oblivion %here the River of Forgetfulness ,Ri(er Lethe- .o%s
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Each soul %as re/uired to drin0 some of the %ater$ in (arying /uantities$ and
as the ne% soul dran0 ** they forgot e(erything
&o in regards to the Holy Guardian Angel to %hom %e are granted as our
guide in this incarnation$ it 'ecomes a tas0 of rea%a0ening from our
forgetfulness as to our true nature1 that the Angel is not something se)arate
from %ho and %hat %e are 2 'ut is that innate s)ar0 of intelligence that is
gradually unfolding %ithin each )ersonality from one incarnation to the ne+t$
until full reali3ation is clari4ed and %e are 4nally made %hole in the 'onds of
the One Uni(ersal Life
The Holy Guardian Angel is the essence of our true nature$ our higher sel(es
)erfect and %hole in that totality %hich aligns it to us and us to the One Life1
the 5a'alistic idea 0no%n as the Yechidah or the Uni(ersal 6ather2#other
The Holy Guardian Angel is an archetype to %hich %e can align oursel(es in
the )rocess of 'ecoming %hole as individuated )ersonalities through that
%hich %e call$ 7no%ledge and 8on(ersation of the Holy Guardian Angel
Through the Holy Guardian Angel one disco(ers the hidden %ord of one"s
calling 9(ocation: %hich leads to the de(elo)ment of a )ersonality through a
)rocess 8 G ;ung called$ individuation
Through this rectifying )rocess the Holy Guardian Angel guides us through a
host of trials and tri'ulations along our !ath of Return$ %hich can 'e seen as
an alchemical )rocess %here our seven interior stars or metals 9cha0ras: are
re4ned and aligned to a cleaner and clearer e+)ression of that <still small
voice of our Holy Guardian Angel
A great )art of this )rocess of regeneration is facilitated 'y a burning of the
dross as I call it$ %hich at its heart is a )sychothera)eutic )rocess of
)uri4cation It is im)erati(e to the )rocess of Knowledge and Conversation
that %e slo%ly and %isely remo(e the mental and emotional o'scurations
that 'lind us from the 7no%ledge of our Angel And in so doing allo%
oursel(es to listen to that su'tle$ intuiti(e communication that has 'een
%his)ering to us from ince)tion ** and in that ne% found a%areness see0ing
the inner dialog of true con(ersation %ith our Higher &elf
That said it is on this im)ortant note of dross 'urning that I %ish to share an
insightful /uote from !aul 6oster 8ase regarding the )rime im)ortance of this
alchemical action=
"Incineration burns to ashes the dross and refuse of the old ways of thining!
It consumes all the residue of our erroneous interpretations of e"perience!
#his residue remains in subconsciousness even after putrefaction is
complete!
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#hat is to say$ even when we consciously attribute all action to the One
Reality and deny the personal origination of anything whatever$ latent
tendencies remain which must be purged out!
%e ourselves cannot purge them out because self&consciousness cannot
penetrate into the depths of subconsciousness! 'ence the wor of
putrefaction must precede that of incineration because in the process of
incineration something has to be brought to bear which cannot be done by
the alchemist himself! ( higher power has to be invoed! #his is one reason
that all sages are agreed that they owe their success in the )reat %or to
the )race of )od!"
In the wor of incineration$ a higher power taes the place of the alchemist!
Recognition of this higher power is given in the Rosicrucian vow connected
with Key *+, "I will loo upon every circumstance of my life as a particular
dealing of )od with my soul!" -y "soul" we are to understand the whole
psychic nature of man!
In magical te"ts this stage of incineration is sometimes !alled "the
#nowledge and !onversation of the Holy Guardian Angel.
Incineration$ therefore$ is the purging and re.nement of the desire nature$
which$ when it is thoroughly cleansed and puri.ed$ having passed through
the death of its old forms$ becomes the )reat /edicine! Our own personal
consciousness$ as we have said$ is inade0uate for the performance of this
part of the wor! 1et the wor itself proceeds from the level of self&
consciousness into the subconscious .eld where the actual incineration
occurs!2
Herein then is the )rocess from %hich the seven interiors metals are 4red 'y
the life 'reath of the Holy &)irit 9the Holy Guardian Angel: and made )ure in
that self*reali3ation that )ro>ers ade)thood$ %hich in turn is synonymous
%ith indi(iduation or that state of %holeness and 'eauty that comes %hen
%e are )erfectly aligned %ith our True ?ill and the (ocation or our life
That said the )rocess is not for the faint of heart 'ut solely for those %ho
desire to such a state of %holeness that they are %illing to enter into the
regenerati(e .ames %ith their %hole 'eing and face 2 the good$ bad and the
ugly To do the Great ?or0 of transmuting their interior lights to resonate
%ith that one Light %hose source is the One Life 91echidah:
Ho% to engender this )rocess as an act of em)o%erment and not a lifeless
e+)ression of intellectual e+amination and emotional (enting@
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Here is %his)ered the anecdote to all life"s ills and the )rime agent of
%holeness and healingA Lo(e
In the %ords of !aul 6oster 8ase$ I share the follo%ing %isdom=
"#hus the practice of the )reat %or calls for a third endeavor$ in addition to
the invocation of spiritual power from the level of superconsciousness$ in
addition to the daily and hourly turning of the mind inward toward the
Center! #his third endeavor is summed up in one word&&3O45!
For we can see power from above$ and mae strenuous e6orts to reach the
Inner Center$ and yet miss the one indispensable thing!
%e may now intellectually that power comes from the superconscious$ and
be persuaded that the treasure of treasures is hidden within man himself!
1et if we see power in order to wield it over others$ or hunt for the treasure
in order to give us an advantage over our fellows$ we shall fail miserably in
our 0uest for the 7tone of the %ise!
#he true occultist never forgets that he is in this school of life to gain
nowledge and understanding of man$ and to perfect himself in the art of
3O45! In all alchemical writings$ the red stage is said to be the .nal
completion of the Operation of the 7un! #hat is$ nowledge and
understanding though necessary$ are but preliminary to 3O45$ and without
3O45 there is no ful.llment!
It is all summed up in the wise counsel of the best of alchemists,
"3O45 your enemies$ bless them that curse you$ do good to them that
despitefully use you!"
'ere we spea without any veils of metaphor! 8ot for the wise occultist is the
meaningless$ abstract 3O45 for humanity that fools prate about!
In the practice we spea of now$ the ob9ects are de.nite and speci.c! 8ot
those who are "our sort$" not those for whom we feel a spontaneous
sympathy$ but those who "rub us the wrong way$" and seem to us to be our
natural antagonists$ provide us daily and hourly with an ine"haustible supply
of raw material for this part of the practice of alchemy!2
It is through this )ractice of Lo(e that %e heal that %hich lies 'et%een self
and other$ %hich is the error that has se)arated us from the 8all of our
Angel$ from the %ord %hich %ould unite us %ith our totality In the )rocess of
engendering lo(e for oursel(es$ 4rst and foremost and then to those near
and dear and 4nally to the %hole of humanity %e 'egin to 'ridge the ocean
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to that other shore %hose solar radiance is our o%n re.ection in the mirror of
a%a0ening Ultimately$ that is %hat has created and dri(en us from 'irth to
death$ the <calling" is one of Lo(e and 4nding our alignment to that )rinci)le
can only 'ring us the union %e see0 in this Great ?or0
"(ccording to the :Chaldean; Oracles the <emiurge .lled each soul with a
=deep eros2 >eros bathus? to draw it bac to the gods! #he deep eros of the
Oracles$ lie the innate gnosis or essential desire >ephesis? of the <e
/ysteriis$ was present in the soul but anterior to consciousness!
It was the desire that drew the soul down into a mortal body and led it bac
to its immortal ochema >soul vehicle?!" ** ,Gregory &ha%$ Theurgy of the
&oul$ )g BCD-
"#hat the soul@s embodiment was the ultimate sunthema >receptacle? of its
ascent remains an insoluble parado"$ but appropriately$ for the lover it is a
commonplace e"perience! In the erotic dialectic discussed by Plato in the
7ymposium >ABB&ABA?$ the separation of the lover from the beloved was the
sine 0ua non of their attraction and uni.cation$ !!!" ** ,Gregory &ha%$ Theurgy
of the &oul$ )g BCE-
As is /uoted in the Foo0 of the La%=
For $ am divided for love%s sa#e& for the !han!e of union. ** Li'er AL
(el Legis$ I$ CG
Through the )ractice of Lo(e %e de(elo) s)iritual eyes %hich are granted a
truer (ision of %hat has se)arated us from the di(ine ?hen these eyes are
o)ened the enemies and ad(ersaries of our life are recogni3ed as friends
%earing terri'le mas0s %hile they sho% us ho% to engage in this game of
life
Through this instruction %e learn to transmute the illusory desires of the
outer sense im)ressions$ and are ena'led to remo(e the edi4ce of mista0en
assum)tion that there is a real se)aration 'et%een us and all sentient
'eings
In time$ %e disco(er the truth that e(erything in the 4eld of manifestation is
inter*related ?e 'egin to see our )ersonal e+istence as )art of the %hole
cycle of 'eing and 'ecoming ?e )ercei(e that the e(ents of today are
directly connected %ith the entire )ast$ and Hust as rightly united %ith the
future
This 0no%ledge releases us from the 'ondage of delusion and su>ering 'y
un(eiling the Truth of our relations %ith the One Life$ as %ell as connecting
us to the 'igger )icture of human e(olution as a larger )rocess of the Great
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?or0 6or those %ho ha(e arri(ed at the Gnosis of their Holy Guardian Angel
and are in con(ersation %ith that intelligence there is the de4niti(e
reali3ation that the )rocess is one of ser(ice to those still %ith o'scurations
(eiling them from self*disco(ery As !aul 6oster 8ase informs us=
=It is conscious identi.cation with Cniversal 7pirit! !erfect )eace$ )erfect
'liss$ )erfect 0no%ledge! (ll this it is$ and more than this >Key A*?!
#he (dministrative Intelligence$ which corresponds to the .nal #arot Key
>A*?$ really means =the serving Intelligence!2
Cosmic consciousness$ or the realiDation of identity with the universal 7pirit$
.nds e"pression in wor for the more complete manifestation of the
heavenly order here on earth!
'e who nows the truth must live it! 'e becomes thenceforth a servant of
the (33! 'e does this$ not as a duty hard to carry out$ but as a natural
e"pression of his realiDation of his true place in the cosmic order >Key A*?!
For such a person$ all sel.sh preoccupation with personal aims is
automatically at an end >Key *E?!
'e loos on his personal e"istence as being a manifestation of that
e"0uisite ad9ustment which maintains the cosmic e0uilibrium!
In his vision$ all he does is naught but the manifestation of KarmaF and
because he has made himself$ as a personality$ utterly receptive to the inGu"
of the Cniversal %ill$ whatever action he engages in is e"traordinarily
e6ective >Key **?!2
And %hat aligns us to this Uni(ersal ?ill and that desire to connect it to our
li(es and the Great ?or0@
U)on reca)itulation$ it %ould seem that the %hole )rocess of life is to%ards
the collecti(e reunion of family %hether in Hea(en or the recollection of
future incarnations of sentient life** %hich seems to 'e re.ected in the day&
to&day dynamic of our o%n )ersonal li(es from 'ar'e/ues to 'ar mit3(ahs$
'irths to deaths$ the family is the collecti(e core of our relation on )lanet
Earth ?hich as the Hermetic saying states$ <as a'o(e$ so 'elo%" ** &o this is
not an outlandish association that our Great ?or0 is a'out the reunion %ith
the Uni(ersal #other*6ather$ as their children 2 a return to that Edenic )lace
of our origin
In the %ords of Dorothy in the ?i3ard of O3$ <Theres no place l!e
ho"e#$% And )erha)s on our tre0 to The Emerald 8ity of Ti)hereth from
%hich that alignment to the 7no%ledge and 8on(ersation of our Holy
Guardian Angel is manifested$ %e reali3e that %e can 4nd the intelligence$
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fearlessness and lo(e to rectify that fear of the %ic0edness of %orld into a
return to that )rimal Eden %e call home for all of us$ com)leting our ;ourney
u)on this li(ing tree of life
!a+ !rofundaI
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B&lo'raph()
B- On !age B$ JE(ery human 'eing is led and guided 'y the Holy Guardian
Angel Yet only a fe% are a%are of thisK = !aul 6oster 8ase$ Tarot
6undamentals$ Lesson LC
C- On )age C$ JIncineration 'urns to ashes the dross and refuse of the old
%ays of thin0ingJ = !aul 6oster 8ase$ The Great ?or0$ Lesson DE
L- On )age D$ JThus the )ractice of the Great ?or0 calls for a third
endea(orJ = !aul 6oster 8ase$ The Great ?or0$ Lesson EB
D- On )age E$ J6or I am di(ided for lo(e"s sa0e$ for the chance of unionK **
Li'er AL (el Legis$ 8ha)ter I$ Merse CG
E- On )age D and E$ JJAccording to the 98haldean: Oracles the Demiurge
4lled each soul %ith a Ndee) erosK ,eros 'athus- to dra% it 'ac0 to the gods
The dee) eros of the Oracles$ li0e the innate gnosis or essential desire
,e)hesis- of the De #ysteriis$ %as )resent in the soul 'ut anterior to
consciousness
It %as the desire that dre% the soul do%n into a mortal 'ody and led it 'ac0
to its immortal ochema ,soul (ehicle-J ** ,Gregory &ha%$ Theurgy of the
&oul$ )g BCD-
JThat the soulOs em'odiment %as the ultimate sunthema ,rece)tacle- of its
ascent remains an insolu'le )arado+$ 'ut a))ro)riately$ for the lo(er it is a
common)lace e+)erience In the erotic dialectic discussed 'y !lato in the
&ym)osium ,CPP*CPC-$ the se)aration of the lo(er from the 'elo(ed %as the
sine /ua non of their attraction and uni4cation$ J ** ,Gregory &ha%$ Theurgy
of the &oul$ )g BCE-
E- On )age E$ JThe Administrati(e Intelligence$ %hich corres)onds to the
4nal Tarot 7ey ,CB-$ really means Nthe ser(ing IntelligenceK ** !aul 6oster
8ase$ Tarot Inter)retations$ Lesson LP
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