One True God(s)

Various Tribes, One Humanity, One God(s)

2009-03-20T14:42:00.000-07:00

Hermetic Principles

2009-03-11T16:25:00.000-07:00

Continuation on Suffering

2008-12-14T18:41:00.000-08:00

I came across this verse which begs analysis as well as introspection. I leave it with you as a prelude to the upcoming post wherein we continue our exploration into suffering.

"For the natural man is an enemy to God, and has been from the fall of Adam, and will be, forever and ever, unless he yields to the enticings of the Holy Spirit, and putteth off the natural man and becometh a saint through the atonement of Christ the Lord, and becometh as a child, submissive, meek, humble, patient, full of love, willing to submit to all things which the Lord seeth fit to inflict upon him, even as a child doth submit to his father." -Mosiah 3:19

Note the word "inflict".

Peace & Blessings

Correct Suffering

2008-12-10T16:29:00.000-08:00

An age old question revolves around the subject of suffering.
The now late Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin recently made a conference speech and has reflected upon said subject.
I have included this link of his talk for those interested in gaining illumination to the proper role of suffering, not to mention our proper reaction to it.

I admit, this is a hard teaching to embrace, yet imagine the potential within this new found reality! We need but to practice the axioms of correct suffering in our lives to reap the joys of our own existence. Happiness is truly crafted and designed by our own hands..."The Universe is Mental".

Elementary principles are oftentimes the easiest grasped by the intellectual mind and therefore the most difficult to put into action.

Peace & Blessings.

Chaos in the Former U.S. of A.

2008-11-29T09:13:00.000-08:00

I have been pondering the issues that have recently plagued the former U.S. of A., namely, the political uncertainty, the hate and pretended tolerance of so many that we share our planet with, the attacking of religion, the financial crisis, and countless other stratagems...far too many to mention (needless to say it is all by design). In light of all this I do not wish to dwell on any one particular subject, to do so would be to feed it's fire. The answers are not within solving one problem or another but with the whole of us, the people deemed humanity. Getting stuck on one issue, one passion, one fanaticism, etc., is to be blinded to all that lies before us.
In the land of the blind, the one eyed is King!
Having laid this before you I offer you the following words of insight by His Holiness the Dalai Lama:

"Because we all share this small planet Earth, we have to learn to live in harmony and peace with each other and with nature. That is not just a dream, but a necessity."

"The realization that we are all basically the same human beings, who seek happiness and try to avoid suffering, is very helpful in developing a sense of brotherhood and sisterhood; a warm feeling of love and compassion for others. This, in turn, is essential if we are to survive in this ever-shrinking world we live in."

And finally I would leave you with what I consider to be the most important and perhaps the least applied in our day and age. I believe that through practice, meditation and real intent we can all attain the following:

"Inner peace is the key: if you have inner peace, the external problems do not affect your deep sense of peace and tranquility. In that state of mind you can deal with situations with calmness and reason, while keeping your inner happiness." -Dalai Lama

This, in my humble opinion, is the only real way to deal with the issues at hand today, for without it, we are easily swayed and blinded by heated emotion, blurred reason and the now very popular term intolerance.

And What if governments conspire against our liberty, our religions, our freedoms, etc.?
What if sore persecutions befall us?
What if everything is taken from us?
What then?

At the end of the day all you have is your Soul and your G-d.
At the end of the day, the world will continue to toil as it has for countless generations, whether you are in bondage or not, whether you enjoy justice or not.
The waxing and waning of governments, societies and ideas will continue.
Your freedom is within, and not affected by the outside world with all of it's upheavals, unless you allow it to be, and then it is not true freedom but a counterfeit, a mere shadow of the real.
Again, at the end of the day all you have is your Soul and your G-d.
Remember, there is nothing new under the sun, something only appears to be new because we have yet to experience it, but it is not new to this earth or it's inhabitants, or even other worlds with their inhabitants, a fresh coat of paint perhaps, but nothing really new, the core has remained the same since the beginning of time.

"And if thou shouldst be cast into the pit, or into the hands of murderers, and the sentence of death passed upon thee; if thou be cast into the deep; if the billowing surge conspire against thee; if fierce winds become thine enemy; if the heavens gather blackness, and all the elements combine to hedge up the way; and above all, if the very jaws of hell shall gape open the mouth wide after thee, know thou, my son, that all these things shall give thee experience, and shall be for thy good." -D&C 122

Peace & Blessings.

Kuji Kiri

2008-11-20T18:38:00.001-08:00

Within Pt. II

2008-10-09T20:19:00.000-07:00

We have reasoned that the Divine seed lies within every man. How we tend this seed and whether we raise it up to enlightenment or bring it down unto corruption is up to us. Quite clearly the seed within is precisely that, a seed, Divine in nature in that it brings forth eternal fruits, either under the careful hand of Spirit, or under a wanton and carnal hand. Remember, it is your hand that crafts the present state and the future spheres of existence. Never let it be said that circumstance or even fate has forced itself upon our own individual canvas. We hold the brush and we make the brush strokes that shape and form our own realities. This axiom is known in Hermetic circles as the “Mental Universe” which we will explore in a future post.

And if man yields only to the flesh with no regard to Spirit?

“For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.” -Epistle of Paul to the Galatians

How many amongst us walk in bitterness and self destruction while raising the banner of complete freedom?

“While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption: for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage.” –Peter

Clearly we see that in everyday life there are those that choose a lesser road, a road of carnal pleasure alone, with no regard to Spirit. Since the principles of the universe dictate cause and effect, their reward is laid in front of them; fleeting, temporary, shallow and a poison to nature. No wonder they must always return to the same old song and dance, getting their temporary fill, nothing more than a mere addiction.

“As a dog returneth to his vomit, so a fool returneth to his folly.” –Proverbs

Those that choose a higher road, a road filled with introspection, transmutation, Spirit, charity and service will, naturally, through the same law of cause and effect elevate their status as children of God(s) and begin their upward ascent on the Divine Ladder that will lead them to realms of Light! Yes my dear Brothers and Sisters, our own human hands as well as our own human heart choose and craft such realities. The choice is between two roads, and for those that refuse to take any steps forward, will sink in the mire by default, slowly drowning the seed placed in their Souls by their Divine Parents. (The subject of “Soul” in relation to “Spirit” will also be examined in a future post).

"Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:

Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it." -Jesus the Christ

Ultimately, “If you do not bring forth what is within you, what you do not bring forth will destroy you” is the natural consequence of not cultivating, or worse yet, drowning the seed under flesh appetites and senses alone. The drowning seed will lie dead within your Soul, and in this, breed death, for each seed must multiply in its own sphere to fill the measure of its creation. Death is never the end, but the beginning, in this case, a beginning within the negative. There is never a destruction of matter, whether completely physical, or rather coarse Spirit or Vibrations, or of Spirit, or refined Spirit or Vibrations. Therefore, death opens the door to either darkness or Light. When these doors are opened and a dead seed is found at the threshold, it will be taken in to be reborn in negative spheres. In this case, the potential of the seed to germinate good fruit has been squandered. The Kingdom of G-d has not been brought forth. No one that is not of this Light will be able to endure its presence, therefore, destruction. Destruction of the inner potential you once held.

Let us all lift our eyes and begin to gaze and strive for a higher plane of existence. Let us all stand on higher ground. The knuckles of humanity have grazed the grass of the senses long enough. The Aquarian age is upon us, the Restoration has been initiated, it is time to act and move forward, transmuting ourselves first, and then, when we truly stand on higher ground, we will have the power to help raise those that wish to climb!

The following symbol has intrigued me for quite some time.
Perchance the next post.

Be One.
Peace & Blessings.

Alchemy of Self

2008-10-05T21:55:00.000-07:00

"The now of the present hour must be utilized as a chalice of spiritual opportunity. Life must be indulged by its highest objectives, honored by the adoration of exalting principles, and merited by selfless service. Beloved people, the power to change is within every man. Prefer this power and venerate it above every limiting condition, and watch the alchemy of Self expand!" -Saint Germain

Be Still and Know!
Peace & Blessings.

Within Pt. I

2008-09-24T09:13:00.000-07:00

In relation to my first post:

"If you bring forth what is within you, what you bring forth will save you. If you do not bring forth what is within you, what you do not bring forth will destroy you." -Gospel of Thomas (Nag Hammadi/Gnostic Text)

Firstly, we must analyze what lies within, for truly if the Kingdom can be found there, then it becomes a matter of realization, or better yet, of nurturing this seed within. Perhaps there is to be a weeding out of thorns and thistles which have overgrown it by our own neglect. Either way, it is interesting that our own hands create the end result! Most profound that the same seed residing within, ready to germinate, will either produce salvation or destruction, all dependent on the workings and dealings of our own hands.

True, however, that there is also a balance between the interior and exterior spiritual life which works in relation to one another. Essentially everything gained within, which must always come first, manifests itself in the outward life. If we are claiming to walk on the path, or on higher ground and have not love, charity, compassion, understanding, patience, peace, etc., then we are on the road of self deception and have great need for introspection, and most importantly, change in our life.

We have all heard these attributes, but have they become mere words with no real value or force? It would greatly benefit all of us to take a few moments to ponder each attribute and see if our lives are truly in line with them.

And your enemy, or someone that has wronged you, how do you view and treat him?

“Jesus told us to love our enemy. ‘Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.’ This teaching helps us know how to look at the person we consider to be the cause of our suffering. If we practice looking deeply into his situation and the causes of how he came to be the way he is now, and if we visualize ourselves as being born in his condition, we may see that we could have become exactly like him. When we do that, compassion arises in us naturally, and we see that the other person is to be helped and not punished. In that moment, our anger transforms itself into the energy of compassion. Suddenly, the one we have been calling our enemy becomes our brother or sister. This is the true teaching of Jesus.” –Thich Nhat Hanh (Living Buddha, Living Christ)

Here it becomes necessary to have a correct understanding of the nature of man. There have been volumes written on this alone, yet for our purposes I shall refrain from a wordy and exhaustive dissertation and present only the essential fundamentals.

There is a duality in man; the natural man (or carnal man) and the spirit of man. Naturally the Kingdom resides within the spirit and not the natural man, for if it were reversed then our highest attainment would be that of a beast, nay, a beast of our own burdens, for truly the natural man is base and given to the limitations, appetites and lusts that plague our current existence in mortality.

In addition to the dual nature in man, there is what is known as intelligence, and this intelligence is without beginning or end. This intelligence is, has always been, and will always be eternal, always known to the gods, uncreated, always existent.

Our spirit is the literal offspring of Deity (both Father and Mother, for where has there ever been born a child without both a Father and a Mother) therefore we are not only gods in embryo but inherently carry the Kingdom within our own design by default. The entire cosmos, the unfathomable all is within this Divine spark that we each carry. The key is knowing how to access, harness and cultivate this spark, thus slowly transforming it into an all consuming fire. As to the how of cultivating this spark, I shall discuss on another post. Now the accessing pertains well to the subject at hand. Know that this access is in all of the human family and is not reserved for any specific faith or discipline. Thus the beauty and universal nature of the Divine, for He truly is not a respecter of persons. I kindly place in the reader’s hands the following verse from Alma (taken from the Scriptures of the Restoration) to demonstrate this:

“For behold, the Lord doth grant unto all nations, of their own nation and tongue, to teach his word, yea, in wisdom, all that he seeth fit that they should have; therefore we see that the Lord doth counsel in wisdom, according to that which is just and true.”

How glorious that all moral and ethical spiritual paths, faiths and disciplines have for its guide Divine Light! How just and true that the Divine would never abandon any of his children. And how sad for those that point the crooked finger of judgment upon another for not holding to the same set of beliefs as themselves, they are placing themselves in a position of judging none other than the Divine!

I would like to clarify one point before going further. If the verse mentioned above is properly analyzed, one will find the following most enlightening: “all that he seeth fit that they should have”. I mention this due to the force of my previous statement. This verse clearly suggests that different people are on different spheres of understanding (and beliefs) with the knowledge that has been allotted to them, meaning that all that seek and place themselves on a spiritual path are on the road which leads to the Master. However, let there be no ambiguity or confusion to the following statement, let my voice be crystal clear; there are certain requirements placed by the Divine that will need to be satisfied in order to enter into the fullness of the Kingdom. The light of individual revelation shall be made available to all by the Almighty, either of himself or through His servants in order for this to be accomplished. If the Divine makes certain requirements for the complete and total assimilation into the Kingdom, and the uninitiated never has received the knowledge of said requirements, wherein would be the justice of the Divine?

More shall be written as we, together, search these things out. Please remember, it is the application that we are most interested in as we lay out the fundamentals in spirituality.

Part II will be up shortly.

Be Well. Be Still. Be One.

Peace & Blessings.

2008-09-14T19:51:00.000-07:00

I have not yet posted any experiences, insights, applications or meditations in reference to the original post, namely:

"If you bring forth what is within you, what you bring forth will save you. If you do not bring forth what is within you, what you do not bring forth will destroy you."
-Gospel of Thomas (Nag Hammadi/Gnostic Text)

I do, however, wish to add upon said subject matter before making any comments. There is very little that can be gained when things are done in haste, therefore, I would humbly ask for your patience. Inner truth can only come from deep meditation, meaningful contemplation and individual revelation. No matter how much time has been allotted to it in the past, the present moment can always shine new light to an already 'self mastered' truth.

"The divine strain hums all around us, yet we are of so gross a nature that we hear it not! Only by entering into the divine silence and closing our ears to the world of illusions can we catch the celestial melody, or else we are but yielding to the illusions of our imagination and reaping bitter misery. The discovery of 'self ' is first of all an act of inward retirement; it is what is termed the going in. ..
Then the outward universe withdraws and fades away as does the most beautiful scenery when the play is too dramatic, but soon we experience the joy of the revelation; the universe is now no longer an object outside of ourselves, an enigma to be solved; we no longer contemplate it from without, but from within. Its secret is our secret. This discovery, far from causing us a sense of misery, becomes a source of confidence and of light and we soon begin to suffer when we refuse to draw from this well! So then, after having lived long in the world as a stranger, he who takes refuge in solitude perceives a new world welcoming him, an by an by obtains the direct perception of superior planes."

"God speaks to the ears of every heart, but it is not every heart that hears him; nevertheless, he who seeks, finds-sooner or later-and to everyone is given the meeting he deserves. It is the destiny of every being to germinate in the dark-as the germ of wheat-and to die in the light. But this death, far from being an annihilation, is in reality 'a new birth'!

-The Path of the Masters, Radha Soami Satsang Beas

"Neither shall they say, Lo here! or lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you."

-Jesus the Christ

"The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: O Partha, when a man gives up all varieties of desire for sense gratification, which arise from mental concoction, and when his mind, thus purified, finds satisfaction in the self alone, then he is said to be in pure transcendental consciousness."
-Bhagavad Gita

"Discussing God is not the best use of our energy. If we touch the Holy Spirit, we touch God not as a concept but as a living reality. In Buddhism, we never talk about nirvana, because nirvana means the extinction of all notions, concepts, and speech. We practice by touching mindfulness in ourselves through sitting meditation, walking meditation, mindful eating, and so on. We observe and learn to handle our body, breathing, feelings, mental states, and consciousness. Living mindfully, shining the light of our awareness on everything we do, we touch the Buddha, and our mindfulness grows."

-Thich Nhat Hanh

Quotes can easily be endless. The last thing we want is to only entertain such beautiful truth instead of becoming one with them through application and practice. There have been countless sages, prophets, teachers, gurus and finally Masters throughout the aeon's. Attempting to mention more than a handful becomes redundant. No matter what the discipline, universal truth embodied within the Divine stands at the head. We, as children, literal offspring of the Divine Father and Mother, whose eyes have seen and ears have heard, have the great honor, privilege, duty and responsibility of gathering all that is truth, circumscribing it to the one great whole that it truly is, and in this realizing God(s) while living on this earth.

Be Well, Be One.
Peace & Blessings.

Meditation; Lord गणेश - Gaṇeśa

2008-09-10T21:37:00.000-07:00

2008-09-06T21:26:00.000-07:00

Greetings.
This space if for seekers of living truth. I use the term "living" due to the desired content of this page. Stagnant dogmas, rigid theologies and dead philosophies are exactly what I am trying to avoid. Application of truth(s) is what I wish to present, receive, dissect and ultimately apply. Anything that cannot be applied to our every day life is but kindling for the flames of vanity.
All world views are anticipated as well as encouraged, whether they be esoteric and or exoteric.
"Opposing" views are welcome if they are presented in non-judgment and tolerance of others. However, if you wish to "debate" then this is not the place for you and I would most kindly leave you with the following:

"But if any man seem to be contentious, we have no such custom, neither the churches of God." -Paul's Letter to the Corinthians

"A fool's lips enter into contention, and his mouth calleth for strokes. A fool's mouth is his destruction, and his lips are the snare of his soul" -Proverbs

"Do not think the knowledge you presently posses is changeless, absolute truth. Avoid being narrow-minded and bound to present views. Learn and practice non attachment from views in order to be open to receive others' viewpoints." -Order of Interbeing

Again, the desire is to share, receive and apply all universal truths (no matter their origin) that will help elevate each individual to a new level of progression as a human and spiritual being.

I pray we can learn from each other having an open mind, a humble heart and an understanding spirit for the spiritual feast that can very well be laid before us.

I now leave you with a thought that I hope will get this banquet started. Please feel free to add your thoughts, comments and experiences in respect to the quotes in red. I will do the same shortly.

"If you bring forth what is within you, what you bring forth will save you. If you do not bring forth what is within you, what you do not bring forth will destroy you." -Gospel of Thomas (Nag Hammadi/Gnostic Text)