Udja
A thoughtful post
It is gratifying to know that you have discerned new nuances in the texts and that you have painstakingly looked the statements very closely for expanded meanings. Indeed, these words were written in inspired times so the neteru had their part and thus they are infused with varied depths for different aspirants and at different popints in the spiritual evolution of the particular aspirant.
About your comment on the following quote:
“The goal of yoga is to promote integration of the mind-body-spirit complex in order to produce optimal health of the human being.” (Ashby, p. 11)
Admittedly I was a bit confused by this quote although, as one who practices the healing arts, I believe in optimal health on all levels. Should not the goal of yoga (Sema Tawi) be that of Enlightenment?
Indeed, this statement is given in the context of the understanding that health is not only needed for experiencing physical existence free of suffering but also for enlightenment.
“The blessings of thy eternal part are health, vigor, and proportion. The greatest of these is health. What health is to the body, even that is honesty to the Soul.”
-AEP
In other words,
If a person is not enlightened and also experiencing severe enough disease that it distracts from the capacity to pursue higher consciousness, then that level of health is harmful to the spiritual evolution. If the level of health is below a threshold that is harmful then it is beneficial. Another way of looking at it is the highest form of health is actually enlightenment because that does away with all human needs or troubles. In such a way, it is to be understood that if a person were to become enlightened and then fall deathly ill, then that illness would still not have a consequence on the enlightenment and that persons life would not diminish even if the disease leads to death. Physical health enables experience of mind consciousness unhindered by physical issues and a healthy mind is necessary for attaining higher consciousness. Enlightenment allows unhindered experience of higher consciousness beyond mind and body. So, Enlightenment is the highest form of health overall and physical health is needed to realize it though, once realized it is higher than physical health and is to be understood as the highest form of mental health also.
One correction,
on the statement: “Witness the Shpinx (Hor em Ahket) that can be radio carbon dated to approximately 10,000 B.C.E. “
The age of the Great Sphinx has not been determined via carbon dating for there is no carbon to be dated. It has been determined by irrefutable geological evidence based on well established scientific parameters about how rocks weather, by which means and the time required.
About the statement: “Patience is definitely part of the process to becoming Enlightened, although one should pursue it with unrelenting persistence as if your life depended upon it, because it actually does.”
sefen -patience
Patience is indeed a necessary virtue though many confuse this with boring time and end up in a state of complacency. Patience (sefen) tempered by diligence (antet begag) is key to forward movement that is positive and growing towards the goal in a manner that is not dogged by life’s vicissitudes. In this context, the word sefen means enduring hardships or struggles. If there is capacity to face issues and persist in the pursuit of a worthy goal then this combination leads to success.
HTP
