12. "Living midnight “ is explained in the notes to paragraph 14 of Section
VIII. The term "true midnight" is relatively rare in alchemical literature, as
compared to "living midnight. “ It is sometimes taken literally to mean the
middle of the night, as a time of external quiet suitable for fostering internal
stillness. Metaphorically, it stands for extreme tranquility; it is distinguished
from "living midnight" in that the latter expression emphasizes the subtle
presence of potential and the imminent awakening of positive energy.
13. Understanding Reality says, "Real enlightenment has no likeness; a
single round light engulfs myriad forms. The bodiless body is the real body;
the formless form is the real form."
14. Here it would seem that "midnight" is used as an equivalent to the
Buddhist term "emptiness," which is experienced right in the midst of
forms.
1.
15. Following the Buddhist pattern, to "head for the true" means to cultivate
perception of emptiness in the conditional; "the living" then corresponds
to the conditional in emptiness.
XIII. Song to Inspire the World
