Chapter 14- Reaching for the Stars: Recommended, Part 2

The flying of kites and banners and flags announces manifestation! 
The kite says: “We reach heavenward, but our string is held tight”, the banner says: “We want the world to know of us”;
whilst the flag says: “I am”.

There are many ways aside from yelling that we may announce our firm presence within the world – and amongst some of these ways, there can be return benefits that help us to re-establish our place and position as we go. One of these ways is through the flag or the banner.

A banner can be something exposed to the elements outside, but it can also, in this context, be a material depiction affirming a reality we want reinforced within this world. 

In other words, a banner can be considered also as perhaps a framed poem, or single word, a symbol or a photograph which is displayed … showed for the purpose of reaffirming, reasserting, the reality it represents. 

It is not an invocation as such, because that would imply that it is something of the future which we wish to call in - something which is not already present. Rather than that, it is moreover something of an existing reality for which we wish to proclaim, recreate or make permanent. 

One can therefore ask themselves what it is that they seek to further and perpetuate. All visual hangings imbibe their surroundings with a certain presence (and ‘broadcast’ this presence permanently). It is suggested that we take a careful note of our residence in this regard and ask ourselves if the pictures and banners are representative of our chosen selves utterly – and keep this in mind for future choosings as well. Also, we can consciously regard the banners of others quite carefully within their homes and workplaces, asking ourselves for some quick discernment along the way.

The flying of kites offers us a happy insight through the physical practice itself, of our relationship to both the solid ground beneath us and to the depths of the sky above us. Rarely do we perceive the sheer height that there is, vaulted above, simply because the atmosphere is too constricting to permit a direct sensation of this wonderful expanse – however, and accordingly we do not gauge either, just how high we can reach when assisted by the winds and a little cloth sail! 

Part of the process of discernment begins in finding out what it is that we are not, what it is that we do not know – that we may begin to ask the relevant questions and pursuits to recover the deficits once recognised. Esoterically we work out from strengths all of the time, and the ability for self-review (even if it is a harsh critique) is a strength to be exercised. Our manifold talents embrace the prospect of yet further development and do not despise ideas or yearnings for improvement. The inherent nature of Life-universal is creative – it aspirates upon improvement, not static.

We can help navigate our kite, but are reliant upon the winds which uphold them. There is only so much skill a kite-flyer may rely upon, before he realises that the factors beyond are too vast and too great to predict more than a moment to moment judgement – and as alarming as this may be, it is something which is joyful to admit to. For we are not responsible for the winds, and we are not controlling the length and breadth of the skies, and we have no more than a little thin string connecting us to what is up there!

Meeting Faith halfway: Knowledge is the ego’s wisdom, whereas wisdom is the soul’s knowing; and what we cannot know within the ego, but rather in the soul, requires Faith for us to maintain consciously. 

The egoic consciousness may suspect that there is more to be known that it already has experienced … that the soul indicates this, and whispers of its view. For we are often curious about something, yet have no real basis to feel or believe ourselves so; we are encouraged by the soul’s perspective continually, yet do not have the language to translate or transcribe. Certain events needs be played out and experiences made quite real, before we can grasp with clarity just what it was that originally hearkened us from the inner vantage. And it has required a measure of faith to facilitate the leaping from this innate wisdom to acquired and experienced knowledge.

Intelligence can only explore territory upon its own level. Science and intellectualism alone cannot find that which it cannot provide the means to identify. Yet the life which preceded all intelligence, and that which encapsulates its knowing cannot be comprehended by it – at least not in its complete and magnificent form. This is why some sciences of the world are destined to bring less than half-truths into their thinking – as conformative to their rationalisations as they may be, they will be incomplete if confined to that level alone.

The wearing of glasses (sunglasses or optical lenses) has a direct affect upon our thinking, and our reviewing processes. Firstly in this, it becomes an act of deliberation to put on a pair of eyewear and adjust our viewing, and secondly, whenever we change over from our own eyes’ focus to a modified view, we are corrupting the exchange which the eyes truly ‘sense’ in the reality passing before them – and for what lies in between. However, and having said this, this intervention is regarded by the thinking processes as something of a ‘wakeup’ – the effects are not of confusion, but of a sharper clarity. Folk who wear reading glasses will know the overall feeling of concentration being enhanced and of readiness, when they first put their spectacles on. The very same applies also for sunshades as well. 

(We do not recommend that you use focus altering lenses if you do not need them. As an alternative coloured spectacles with true-to-life refraction can be useful also.)