Esoteric - What Is It?

by Andrew Schneider -

The word 'esoteric' simply means that which is inner, contrasted with that which is outer or 'exoteric'. Esotericism is therefore the body of knowledge or wisdom about all aspects of life which are within, behind or beyond the outer appearance, form or expression of life's many aspects.

True knowledge or wisdom is not something we can acquire solely by using our minds and brains, learning it in an academic way. 

It can only be gained by experience. Experience does not imply doing something physically, but rather necessitates a direct contact between one's consciousness and a state of energy. 

For example, if you meet someone who has just suffered a severe loss and you attune to that person, feeling what they feel, you have an experience that can make you a wiser person, knowing more about the nature of loss and its consequent pain. 

If, however, you are able to experience that person at a deeper level of being, you will gain the wisdom of knowing the real purpose of the loss and its meaning in that person's life.

To have this deeper experience requires the ability to have conscious awareness of Soul, or Higher Self. 

To take this example even further, if you have conscious awareness of the Planetary Soul you would be able to experience the person's loss in the light of all losses that everyone experiences and see what place loss has in the unfolding intelligent and loving life of the planet. 

The wisdom derived from such experience would be very profound.

What is esoteric cannot, as you see, be neatly and simply defined or confined to narrow parameters. There are many levels of what is inner and many dimensions of energy states that can be experienced.

Behind every phenomenon exists a 'world' of energies. It is energy which produces phenomena or forms when it descends or manifests in the lower three worlds of thought, feeling and physical matter. Beyond these worlds are other formless but real worlds or dimensions of life energy.

All of that which exists is some type of energy that has its source in ultimate simplicity or purity of formless energy. 

For reasons beyond our comprehension, we perceive this simple energy manifesting itself by degrees in greater complexity. As it does so, it descends through many levels of expression, first formless and then formed. 

When it is formed, we experience it with our form nature -- our bodies, emotions, and brain-minds. When it is still formless we can, however, also experience it with the formless aspects of our individual consciousness -- namely our higher minds, intuition, Soul and Spirit.

Every stepping down of energy from a higher (simpler and more inclusive) state to a lower (more complex and particular/exclusive) state is cause-producing-effect. 

It is the higher state of energy, being cause, that is the purpose and meaning of every lower state or effect. If we do not relate to or search for the cause, if we do not attempt to experience beyond phenomena, we cannot know the higher purpose or meaning of anything, least of all ourselves.

It is also this level of cause which is the quality of a thing or person. Quantity is a measure of the outer characteristics, such as size, physical features, weight, etc. 

Quality is an indication of the energy which produces the form. It is through the experience of quality that we are able to direct energy, including our own, and actually become it to the point where we are able to function as conscious causes rather than unconscious effects of life. 

This ability enhances our power, enables us to love unconditionally and opens the door to true understanding.

What makes us who we are is our individuality. We usually equate our individuality with our personality (physical body, emotions, brain-mind). 

The personality is but the outer or exoteric expression of individuality. 

The Soul is the inner or esoteric expression of individuality. 

Being esoteric, it is of a higher energy state more inclusive, more creative and causative and therefore more real and central to our being.

As consciously aware Soul beings, we can and do serve in our capacities as Redeemers, Saviors and Interpreters. 

We function as the mediating principle between higher and lower, bringing the energies from higher sources down to earth, anchoring and grounding them. 

We relate the formless causes to the formed effects; we embrace the form worlds as meaningful creations of our unconditional love, and we bring clarity and purpose to all that happens.

The principal means whereby the higher energies are grounded is by incorporating them consciously in ourselves and expressing them through our thoughts, feelings, and actions as virtues and qualities of being, such as kindness, sharing, sacrifice, discipline, unconditional love, forgiveness, acceptance, patience, etc. -- in short, all quality reflective of truth, goodness and beauty, producing ever-increasing oneness or unity!

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