The Order of Bards, Ovates and Druids.
This post is the content of one of 2 leaflets, part of a stack I found in a charity shop, of all places! See post 9 here.
While entering the days of Advent, I felt it significant, moreover for its value and wisdom, connecting the Divine and
Earth planes. To me that's nurturing and reason to say "Cheers" 
Keep in mind that it's written in the early
20th century. For balance with these somewhat dinosaur swampy vibes, I can understand it's not everybody's cup
of tea. I'm sure I will bake apple pies in between, while writing the text here, with the help of this clever little machine: And now "with all mad banter on a little stick" as we say in Holland, this is what's in the first leaflet:
The first words on the inside of the leaflet are "Truth is not acquired but discovered"
On the next page are these "You cannot be too wise, but you can be too clever"
Than, the writer starts with "Biblical Section Chapter 10"
(Quote) The Telestic or Perfective work calling forth the action of the "serpent force"(speirema) has to be preceded by the most rigid
purificatory discipline, which includes strict abstemiousness and usually celibacy, and it is possible only for the man or woman who has
attained a very high state of mental and physical purity. To the man who is gross or sensual, or whose mind is sullied by evil thoughts,
or constricted by bigotry, the holy paraclete does not come. The un-purified person who rashly attempts to invade the adytum of his
inner God can arouse only the lower psychic forces of his animal nature. Forces which are cruelly destructive and never regenerative.
The neophyte who has acquired the "purifying virtues" before entering upon the systematic course of introspective meditation by which
the spiritual forces are awakened, must also as necessary preliminary gain complete mastery of his thoughts with the ability to focus his
mind undeviatingly upon a single detached idea or abstract concept, excluding from the mental field all associated ideas and irrelevant
notions. If successful in this mystic meditation, he eventually obtains the power of arousing the speirema, or paracleter, and can thereby
at will enter into the state of the sacred trance of seer-ship.
The four mantic states are not psychic trances; they pertain to the noetic, spiritual nature; and in every stage complete consciousness
and self-command are retained. The psychic trances rarely transcend the animalistic phrenic nature. Proficiency in the noetic contemplation,
with the arousing of the speirema and the conquest of the life centres, leads to knowledge of spiritual realities (the science of which
constitutes the Gnosis), and the acquirement of certain mystic powers, and it culminates in emancipation from physical existence through
the "birth from above" when the deathless solar body has been fully formed.
This telestic work requires the unremitting effort of many years, not in one life only but carried on through a series of incarnations until
the final result is achieved. But almost in its initial stages the consciousness of the aspirant becomes disengaged from the mortal phrenic
mind and becomes centred in the immortal, noetic mind, so that from incarnation to incarnation, his memory carries over, more of less
clearly according to the degree he has attined, the knowledge acquired, and with this unbroken memory and certainty of knowledge he is
in truth immortal even before his final liberation from the cycle of reincarnation.
NOTES
Here in the first paragraph is found the beginning and ending of most efforts in this field. The aspirants sort themselves out each
according to his kind with unfailing accuracy. Some, unable to face self-discipline at all, deceive themselves by pouring scorn on the teaching
and all connected with it; others, making a pretence of it, pay thereby the first of many "easy instalments" for the journey downward and
to theleft. Then we have those earnest souls who try, after their fashion, but have not yet learned that bigotry and bias sully the mind
even more devastatingly than the questionable story, or link the word abstemious only with alcohol.
When considering mental and physical purity, remember the "corn on your toe" and that "what is here is elsewhere", also that this rule is
equally valid whether you are sowing or reaping - causing or curing. And be careful not to bet bogged down in the multiplicity of "isms"
losing sight of the end in the variety of means. That the indiscreet rousing of the lower psychic nature by the unclean for unworthy ends
can be cruelly destructive we know; what is not so well known is that those who have done so become a contaminating influence to be
shunned by all who aspire in our work. The inane bleating "he is ill" "he doesn't realize" etc. does but give point to the warning. Control
of the thoughts and the ability to focus the mind are not difficult of achievement for those who have consistently practiced the exercises
in booklets one and two. (these booklets are not published online due to their year of making, but I've got them in print. I suggest to
ask about their content, if you feel inclined to do so)
As mentioned before, the effort is not so much to know as to become and in this it is not time but effort and resistance that measure
the progress. The four castes, baptized in the river Jordan, personify the forces of the four somatic divisions, so it is said they come from
thefour regions bordering the sacred river - the life-current in the spinal cord. John announces the coming of the greater Heirophant, the Fan-bearer, who initiates with Air and Fire. The initiates are said to descend into the Earth (we thrust them into the tomb) to be reborn
there from, so the fourth initiation is that of Daiar - the Earth, the Home - also called the Kingdom, and the Ship of the world. Note the
usual fourth stage feature, the end of the journey down (or out) the start of the journey up (or back). One stage, dual aspect.
Jesus (who came after the others) represents the fifth of super-caste of men, who have attained to the noetic consciousness; therefore
he personifies the Nous as the Sun-God. The sacred fan was carried in the festival procession of the Sun-God. The candidate is accepted,
has received the first of the four initiations, is now a Chrestos, but will not be a Christos until after the initiation of Earth. He is now sub-
jected to temptation by the forces of the lower nature which he has aroused and which he must now conquer.
The kingdom of heaven (Matthew's Realm of the Skies) signifies the regions as mapped out by the forty-nine constellations and these
represent the principles, faculties or forces of the complete man with all his psychic and spiritual qualities and powers, the totality of
man's subjective nature, from his psychic personality to his divine Self. He who obtains that kingdom reigns over - himself.
He obtains the kingdom through his own effort by purifying himself, moulding his own character, developing his own individuality, and
seeking union with his own inner God. That supernal Self who is, for him, the true Messiah who alone can crown him with immortality.
Jesus is "The Son of the Man" that is, of the ideal Heavenly Man, the Starry King. With the awakening of the inner senses, and the
energizing of the psychic potencies symbolized by the living water of the sacred stream, the realm of starry spaces has drawn near,
but it is only through the mystic crucifixion that he become the Anointed King of that realm" (end of quote)
In the next post I will present the content of the 2nd leaflet, now I'm going to buy my apple-machine and face the stormy weather,
presenting sunny spells and short fierce showers and gales. While I was writing this text, a little bird flew against the window and
blew his last breath while I kneeled down to see if something could be done. It's light brown with a little spot of yellow and black
on its head. I've laid it in a piece of cloth on my terrace-table. I could feel its body still warm in my hand, its sweet gift of life.
About The Order
"The Order of Bards, Ovates & Druids is a worldwide group dedicated to practizing, teaching, and developing Druidry as
a valuable and inspiring spirituality. The Order was founded in Britain over 50 years ago by the historian and poet Ross
Nichols, aided by the writer and founder of the Tolkien Society Vera Chapman, and fellow members of the Ancient Druid
Order, which developed during the early years of the last century out of the Druid Revival which began about three
hundred years ago".
[/center]
Even more amazing is, that this afternoon, I've met the man who's 
How many synchro-niceties are in hiding for me here, I wonder.
These booklets are created "For the guidance of Grove leaders and others who 
