Lecture 10 — To Be and to Exist
Physical
World
Spiritual
World
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"THE TWO LINES OF LIFE": The vertical
and the horizontal
Gnostic Anthropology is THE STUDY OF
MAN from a GNOSTIC point of view.
Gnostic Anthropology studies the so called
"Four columns of Knowledge": (1)
Science; (2) Philosophy; (3) Arts and, (4)
Mysticism, or comparative religions study.
So, "THE TWO LINES OF LIFE" represent
Gnostic Anthropology applied into every
human life from two different angles:
(1) The VERTICAL LINE;
(2) The HORIZONTAL LINE.
The "horizontal line" is connected with our
existance. Or learning to EXIST. A path
that we all walk without exceptions. We all
prefer to have a "good life", where we can
have a great profession, with a good
income. If we can develop a business and
make it grow, to produce amazing profits,
it would be also a great avenue to explore.
Enjoy life, buying real estate, nice modern
cars, getting married, forming a family,
having children and after grandchildren.
Giving them also a "good life". Helping
them to obtain a university degree, and
then? Die, surrounded by relatives and
friends in a loving and friendly
atmosphere.
But, this plan, most of the time fails.
Success in one aspect of life, is most of
time, not compensated with other aspects of
life. EXISTANCE has its problems. Many
millionaires or even billionaires, don't have a
happy and loving relation with their relatives.
Power, brings too many temptations.
Infidelities, children growing up with only one
parent or nannies, drug addictions,
alcoholism, are easier to experience when
there is more power in life, compared to
average people. So, what happened to our
perception of the meaning of "happiness"?.
What was wrong with the HORIZONTAL
LINE, or just learning to exist?
The "vertical line" is different. It means
LEARNING TO BE (To Be or not to Be,
according to Shakespeare). Most people
don't even know of its reality. Very few
individuals learn to walk the VERTICAL
PATH OR LINE. This the line of TRUE
LEADERS, who care about constant self-
improvement. Those who have learned to
discover their amazing human potential, that
we all have. They learn from their
experiences and share this knowledge with
everyone. All founders of all religions have
walked this path. They have taught us to
eliminate our vices, our errors, our ego, our
seven deadly sins and how to develop the
seven qualities of the spirit. How to develop
our SOUL-CONSCIOUSNESS, which is also
WISDOM AND REAL LOVE.
These two lines CROSS in our psychological
universe. The vertical and the horizontal
when they meet, that specific point of
encounter represents our LEVEL OF BEING.
If we are alcoholic or addicted to drugs, we
will move in a circle of people similar to us.
Without realizing that alcohol cooks our liver
and drugs destroy our genes.
So, if we procreate children, the risk of
bringing them to the world, defective
physically or psychological, is very high.
So, the TWO LINES OF LIFE must always
walk together. Having a great life means
not only to walk away from poverty and
having a decent life, but also, paying great
attention to our psychological universe. Our
great human potential is a GIFT FROM
HEAVEN, that must be appreciated.
I have learned the STANISLAVSKY
METHOD, also called method-acting. The
best actors in the world and filmmakers,
and other great artists, have learned this
artistic technique, which is also a "way of
life", or a more realistic-philosophy. This
technique was inspired by Shakespeare
and the ancient Greek theater. Where
acting was a confession of our individual
dramas, tragedies and comedies. Like a
religious-act, confessing to the multitudes,
to our inner God and to Mother Nature, so
through repentance we could all improve
ourselves. To correct our errors, our
weaknesses, our sins, to learn to anihilate
our ego (unconscious), and develop our
soul-consciousness. LEARNING TO LOVE
implies, the constant ascension on the
VERTICAL LINE (learning to be), while we
apply it into our HORIZONTAL LINE (just
learning to exist)
E. Jim G. Ross
March, 2011