Cleansing The Inner Stables
Before human souls are allowed to enter into any kind of studies on the higher levels of life, they have to go through a deep inner cleansing of consciousness. The way Hercules went about his eleventh labour of cleaning the stables that belonged to Augeas, son of Neptune, God of the waters and the Sun, provides us with a vivid description of the processes involved. Augeas is a king who keeps vast herds of animals in his stables. When Hercules arrives on the scene, these stables have not been cleaned for thirty years and it is not hard to imagine the amount of filth they contain. Before our hero appeared on the scene, many had attempted to carry out this task. Yet, each new aspirant failed miserably because the assignment was so enormous that it was beyond their capabilities.
Enter Hercules, an initiate and a wise one, who listens to and follows the instructions of his inner guidance. He also possesses self-mastery and practises self-discipline, and has a great deal of common sense. The combination of these things enable him to approach the problem in a most ingenious and surprising manner. If we wish to succeed with the job of cleansing our inner stables, for us as aspirants on our way back home into the oneness with God, our first requirement is to develop the virtues displayed by Hercules.
When presented with the cleaning of the stables, Hercules withdraws to the top of one of the nearby mountains. This is a metaphor for retiring from the outer world, going within and consulting our prayers, meditations and quiet reflections with our Highest or God Self, to seek its advice. That undoubtedly is the origin of the brilliant idea that comes to our hero for solving the smelly problem of the Augean stables, once and for all. And so he descends from the mountain top and willingly follows the instructions his inner teacher continues to give him. Lo and behold, the result is a glorious victory over what previously seemed an insoluble assignment. A metaphor that tells us that with the help and the will of God and the Angels all things are possible and even the greatest obstacle can be overcome.
Hercules went about the job in hand as follows. Before climbing the mountain he had noticed that in the valley two rivers were flowing past the Augean stables. On first impulse he had tried to break down the wall surrounding the stables, but this was unsuccessful. Then his inner guidance asks him: ‘How about making two large holes in the opposite sides of the stables?’ Hercules follows this instruction and very quickly notes to his delight that as soon as the holes he makes have reached a reasonable size, the water comes rushing through and makes the holes bigger and bigger. At the same time it is doing the cleaning for him. No need for further toiling and sweeping, as his predecessors had done. All that was required was a breaking down of the barriers in the way of the two rivers and redirecting the flow of their water masses.
This is how Hercules ingeniously cleanses the stables, without having to make any undue physical efforts. Greatly pleased with himself, he rushes off to tell Augeas that the stables are now as clean as a whistle and in perfect condition. As a reward Augeas had promised that the successful applicant for this job would receive ten percent of his cattle. Being more spiritually than worldly inclined, Hercules does not want any recompense, but Augeas is a worldly king and insists that he should take it. But then he discovers how Hercules went about his task, that it had been more of a mental than a physical effort, Augeas turns his back on our hero, as in his view it was all done by trickery and there should be no reward.
The cleansing of our inner stables consists of shedding the debris of false beliefs, prejudices and superstitions, as well as the memories of the pain and fears we have experienced in the course of all our lifetimes, including this one. Some of these things are by now stored in the deepest innermost recesses of our soul memories and therefore hard to access and release. This kind of burden cannot simply be cleared away by any kind of clever trickery. Working our way through layer upon layer of ever more ancient soul memories is something that may take many years of our undivided attention and a great deal of mental/spiritual effort. And that is a truly Herculean task.
It is an emptying process that can be likened to the peeling of an onion. The deeper we dig down into the layers of our unconscious, the closer we come to the core of our being but at the same time the tighter packed and more intense the stored up feelings are. Should this happen to you, whenever the going gets too rough, on no account give up. Turn to God and the Angels and ask them to help you. As time goes by this flushing out has a wonderfully restoring, refreshing and healing effect on all aspects of our being, mind, body, spirit and soul.
And whenever this process threatens to overwhelm you, take comfort from knowing that – one fine day – you are sure to reach the rock bottom of our soul memories and you will have returned into the oneness with God. On the road to this goal remind yourself frequently: ‘I am safe and secure in God’s loving hands.’ You will find that affirmations of this kind work all the better when they are expressing the truth, rather than trying to convince yourself of something that is not really there. With practice, you will gradually feel the response that from the very core of your being comes to you through the world of your feelings: ‘You are My beloved child. You are in Me and I am in you. Truly, truly I say to you: you are safe.’
Recommended Reading:
• ‘Ascending The Spiritual Mountain’
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The above is a chapter from ‘Myths & Legends For The Aquarian Age’.
If it has whetted your appetite to read more, please follow the link below:
‘Myths & Legends For The Aquarian Age’
