While revered throughout the world for its impassioned arias and romantic motifs, La Bohème conveys troubling messages regarding the nature and trajectory of modern living, particularly concerning sexual relations. Discover how Puccini, a Masonic initiate, encoded within his supercilious and compulsive characters a profound warning to those who would seek to enter the spiritual path. By flirting with presumption, indulgence, and desire, the opera's characters enter the wide and broad gate that leads to disaster; see how to avoid the pitfalls of contemporary existence so as to enter the straight and narrow way that leads to spiritual life, and which few actually find (Matthew 7:13-14).

After demonstrating maturity, ethics, and integrity in the probationary path, candidates of initiation are granted the opportunity to advance in greater degrees of spiritual development. Through a perfect matrimony, a couple can strive, overcome, and develop themselves in the beginning stages of mastery. See how through its moral, psychological, and esoteric requirements, accompanied by mystical revelations, experiences, and celebrations within the higher worlds.

While alchemy, kabbalah, tarot, and psychology have developed as distinct traditions throughout history, they share profound roots within the esoteric mystery schools of antiquity. Rather than forming a new age hodgepodge or vague constellation of disparate belief systems, these principles convey the multifaceted nature of spiritual practice and divine realization from different angles, constituting a unique body of experiential knowledge known in Greek as γνῶσις gnosis. Therefore, properly prepared individuals can utilize these insights for interpreting the highly symbolic, mystical, and alchemical art of opera, whose composers were often Freemasons initiated into the secret allegories and disciplines of the ancients. This lecture explains some of the spiritual traditions behind Puccini's La Bohème, which will serve for future viewings and discussions on its gnostic symbolism, especially in relation to creative energy (alchemy), character representations and archetypes (kabbalah), predictive, prophetic, and pragmatic implications (tarot), and the path of internal transformation (psychology).

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All of the principles outlined in this course point towards a specific goal: divine realization upon the inner path of spiritual initiation. By mastering our psychology, sexuality, and sufferings in daily life, we become radically distinct individuals characterized by the highest ideals, embodied by humanity's greatest luminaries and prophets. This final lecture reviews three principles for entering, walking upon, and mastering the spiritual path, whereby a common person becomes an enlightened individual: the birth of virtue, the death of desire, and selfless service for humanity.

Guest lecturer!

Amidst the complexities and difficulties of life is a simple truth: every action produces related consequences. While true in physics, this dynamic is even more profound in relation to our behaviors, mindset, social interactions, and psychology. See how to affect genuine spiritual change through an introduction to five mystical principles, described in the East as karma and in the West as the divine law. Learn also of common pitfalls, antidotes, and anecdotes for lasting personal transformation, as well as how inspired action can produce the longed for changes we seek in our daily lives.

After working with energy, the consciousness becomes inflamed and awakened. However, this type of birth is only one side of a spiritual equation. The rest of the work necessitates the comprehension and death of psychological contaminants like anger, lust, and pride. By directing energy towards the purification of the mind, it becomes possible to be fully rid of repetitious and harmful internal states, thereby enacting lasting, profound, and radical change. See how through a practice known as retrospection meditation.

We perceive with more senses that mere sight, hearing, taste, smell, and touch. Rather than exclusively depend upon empirical data, it is possible to explore, with psychological senses, the roots and origins of numerous internal states. While openly denigrated by modern society, the faculty of imagination is actually the means by which to investigate non-physical or metaphysical phenomena such as thoughts, feelings, and desires. Through understanding five forms of imagination, it becomes possible to distinguish reality from illusion, the truth of cosmic being from the clever machinations our own mind. Learn also practical techniques to develop positive forms of imagination for the awakening and liberation of self.