Order of St. Gabriel Study Guide - Magdalene Circle

Here we may say, unless the proper vehicle is formed in consciousness, and the consciousness itself ispurified and refined, the higher grades of Ruach Ha-Kodesh and prophecy are impossible to attain – ifthere is to be a full Supernal Influx, a fit and holy vessel must be fashioned to receive it.Now there is a distinction to be made between three principle grades of prophecy, within which arecountless gradations. Thus far, in truth, we have spoken only about the hazy mirror, for all translationsinto forms or images with which the ordinary mind relates is a sever restriction, and to some degree adistortion, of the spiritual and supernal influxes, even in the case the most lofty and luminous ofimages. The clear mirror of prophecy, in fact, bypasses this translation or reflection, and instead, ratherthan seeing images there is hearing and knowing, and rather than images, there are words, and ratherthan something reflected in consciousness, as though indirectly in a mirror, the illuminations of RuachHa-Kodesh and prophecy pass through a clear or transparent state of consciousness, as though sunlightthat shines directly through well polished glass.In this, perhaps, you will know and understand something about the two He in the Great Name– He literally meaning “window,” and the two He allude to the reflective and non-reflectiveexperiences of the Holy Shekinah, the Divine Presence and Power.There is an even more lofty grade of prophecy than this, however, for there may be knowing andspeaking without the subtle dualism of hearing; when this transpires the Supernal Shekinah of the HolyOne speaks in the navi as the navi, and it is the utterance is of the Divine I Am, the Divine I Shall Be –God is speaking. Among the great navim there are hints of this, as for example in Deuteronomy, whenon occasion Moshenu speaks briefly, here and there, in the first person, as though he is Ha-Shem; thefull realization and embodiment of this Supernal Grade of Prophecy, however, is manifest in full by theMessiah, Adonai Yeshua, for it is the grade of prophecy in Supernal or Messianic Consciousness.As we have spoken of three primary grades of prophecy, we may also speak of three steps that anaspirant must ascend in order to come to the higher grades of Ruach Ha-Kodesh and prophecy, and inorder to unfold full self-realization in the Messiah. The first step is the cultivation of kavvanah anddevekut – without this nothing true or real can be accomplished in spirituality; and most important is“devekut”, the ability to turn your thoughts to God and to passionately cleave to God with your heartand soul; hence, the fear and love of Yahweh. This prepares you for the next step, which is *hishtavut*,from the root shava (Shin-Vau-He), meaning “equal.” If you will notice from your study andcontemplation of the prophets, very often they speak of themselves in the third person, as though theyare a different presence entirely – complete detached or removed from themselves, and as thoughthey are nothing before the Holy One; this is hishtavut, which is the ability to nullify one’s egoistic selfand to feel the same whether you are praised or insulted – there is no difference, either way it equal toyou. This, in turn, prepares for the next step – hitbodedut, complete self-isolation, deep meditation,the state in which true prophecy becomes possible.10