When should I abstain, and when should I attain? .
I think the rising of the Eucharist and Monstraint in Christian ceremony, answers this question perfectly.
Imagine that the Eucharist which is offered up at mass is made by the sun and its ascent, and this is what the Monstraint represents in Christian ceremony.
The rising Monstraint and Eucharist in Christian ceremony is the sun ascending.
The rising bread at mass represents abstaining or giving up bread or food for periods of time, fasting and offering them up to a higher cause.
White light represents all the colours as all the wavelengths of light are present in white light.
When the Monstraint or Eucharist is rising above the head of the priest in mass, it represents the sun rising and the colours it takes as it ascends and their effect on all life.
As the Monstraint or sun begins to rise it should appear red, influencing our roots.
As it rises it represents our need to give up our attachments to our roots, earthly, material things etc.
As the sun or Monstraint rises higher, it should turn orange, representing our sacral and our creative and sexual nature.
As the Monstraint or sun moves up into this colour it symbolises our need to give up or abstain from sex and to be celibate.
As the Monstraint or sun rises higher, it should appear yellow, Which represents our solar plexus.
We at this stage of ascent should fast, give up or abstain from food and the bread of life.
The final stage of abstention is when the Monstraint, Eucharist and the sun are at full height or full ascencion.
When the sun, Monstraint and Eucharist are white.
This is the sun and son at full strength, this is the light of the heart, and it represents our abstention from loving ourselves and our possessions, rather we should love God, our lady and life around us.
After the sun, Eucharist and Monstraint has risen it descends to the ground to attain again.
Attainment should only be sought after abstention of these different levels and when you find love for these things, rather than lustfully or greedily chasing after them.
Only when you have risen, through material, sexual, eucharistic and adoration abstention and you have found love in your heart, should you attain.
Build a home with love, rather than a house.
Make love, rather than having sex.
Share food, rather than being greedy.
Rise above it, to see the bigger picture.
Do not abstain completely, but rather include it in a cycle of loving attainment.