This article will explain how faith is a level of potential awaiting development from tiny beginnings into the blossoming of full spiritual consciousness, and that faith is not something reserved strictly for certain times or particular events.
Matthew 17: 19-20 reads: “The apostles came to Jesus in private and asked him: why couldn’t we drive the demon out?” The question refers back to an earlier incident in Matthew 17:14 when the apostles could not heal a boy. “Because you did not have enough faith” Jesus replied, then he said: “I assure you that if you had faith as big as a mustard seed, you can say to this hill go from here to there! And it will go! You could do anything!”
Earlier in Matthew 17:17 Jesus said, “How unbelieving and wrong you people [mind-sets] are! How long must I stay with you?” In other words, how long we will choose to remain under the domain of the finite mind instead of the infinite Son of God?
We’re unbelieving while in spiritual ignorance. Thus the boy is a symbol of our non-spiritually quickened soul in need of awakening into conscious contact with the Higher Self.
Other scriptures use mountain instead of hill: “You could say to this mountain be gone into the sea and it would be gone.” Mountain in scriptures means higher consciousness. When human consciousness becomes transformed into higher consciousness, it is gone into the sea – the equivalent of faith-filled consciousness – when intentions through this state of mind come about. A spiritually rooted person will live faith naturally, and enjoy an unbreakable link with God regardless of how big the so called problem or goal. The mountain will give, heal, or sprout new understanding in tandem with the intentions of the heart.
The mustard seed story is about coming upon hidden faith ability and its development into an unshakable, unmovable level of mountain consciousness and its expression. This scripture is not about having faith already. It’s about how, from tiny beginnings, the mustard seed births and expands into ever present levels of Godliness, into never waning or fading soul values.
The reason the apostles in Matthew 17:19-20 could not perform healing was because the left-side of the brain was dominating, which is why Jesus said: “Of my own self (ego) I can do nothing.” The apostles were spiritually asleep, unable to experience the true nature of faith.
The apostles going to Jesus in private symbolizes personal meditation, that entering of the boundless silence of the soul. Jesus is a symbol of our own awakening wisdom, the inner teaching guiding us to our own Christ within.
Concentrated Seed Faith
Let us consider a seed. Any seed. A seed (symbolically) is the most faith-filled unit of creation. It produces only what it is designed for and nothing else is possible. Being the smallest of all seeds, Jesus selects the mustard seed for his story of explaining how boundless faith is intended to grow and expand from tiny beginnings within consciousness. But while existing in concentrated form within each soul, faith requires awakening, tapping into germination. In this context, the deep silence of meditation amounts to the unmanifest seed faith transmuted into manifest faith consciousness.
The actual seed in your body though, is somewhat bigger than a mustard seed. It’s about the size of a pea and is located in the exact center of your brain. It’s called the pineal gland. In many religions, this gland is portrayed as a pine cone because of its visual similarities. There is even a statue of it on the grounds of the Vatican, even though it’s never openly mentioned in their teachings. In ancient Egyptian religion it was known as the Eye of Horus.
Biblical faith clearly is not about strong faith in this and lesser in that, for, being all pervading, faith is not a conditional allocation of measurement. While remaining constant, faith is ever active in its all encompassing dynamic silence as in water taking the shape of any container. This is also symbolized when Jesus stooped and wrote in the sand, which means whatever faith capacity we have achieved.
Faith in action is constantly transforming consciousness into ever higher spiritual dimensions, even nudging the soul into ever-perfecting levels of human love, into total experiential immersement of Christ consciousness and its expression at one’s own level.
Faith is alchemized silence brought about by repeated meditational transcendence, of entering into the pineal gland. It’s a process which transmutes the human ego. The transcendental experience is beyond ego, the act of will or mental effort. Rather it is by a natural infusion of bliss into the very nature of the mind, which is the state of knowing no opposite.
Although the physical seed is situated in the brain as the pineal gland, germination or activation is initiated through the root chakra at the base of the spine and subsequent rising of kundalini life force into the brain. It’s this root chakra opening which triggers the five other spinal chakras into opening, culminating in awareness entering the pineal gland and divine seed sprouting. Once this process is commenced faith journeying into higher realms has began. This is why Jacob’s name was changed to Israel by God at the place of Peniel, which is another metaphor for pineal gland.
Biblically, awakening kundalini is equivalent of John the Baptist and the One who follows – the one who follows is baptism into directly knowing Christ consciousness faith nature.
Healing and Everyday Faith
Healing is not a single life event, where, once achieved, further spiritual development can be ignored. This can happen when healing is attained by visitation to particular shrines, pools or by intermediary – where someone or holy venue bypasses our own unbelieving level. In such instances, people’s expectations become raised in advance of the encounter, which the brain translates as faith; and while there might be healing, this is NOT the mustard seed of faith in the Bible. To faith-mimic we can of course accentuate joyous feelings by becoming animated in visioning specific desired outcomes. Thus natural happiness is indeed a potent healing force, but it’s not real faith. We can only cast demons out permanently by the transformation of consciousness. By coming upon mountain consciousness, upon Higher Self consciousness, when purification of the mind, body, and soul occurs leaving no opening for negative emotions to form new or repeating dis-ease.
In other words, using an onion to generate tears is not emotional crying!
In the early stages of mustard seed faith, much casting out is taking place without awareness. It’s when the subtle realignment of thought processes are taking new shape, when mature understanding and clarity soul perceptions are forming and abiding state for further thoughts and intuition of a higher realm to realm to dwell.
As we advance further in practicing meditation, realization of higher consciousness becomes acutely tangible. Through awakening mechanisms in the brain and spinal column, newer levels of health of well-being manifest in the body. Struggling and resistance conditioning began to release its grip.
In the early stages of spiritual development, we may feel that strong faith in certain Biblical characters or historical events is required or insinuated into the mustard seed story. But no, this is not what scripture is about. Jesus is not asking that we have faith in him, a philosophy or religion, a place or any other person. The asking message is about self-realization. That we come about our own innate capacity of faith. To this end we are reminded: “The apostles got into the boat and went to the other side.” Boat here signifying meditation, and, the “other side” signifying transcendence into the right brain, the abiding home of the faith nature.
The 12 Cranial Nerves and Healing
Once realized as not twelve historical men, and that the apostles are symbols for the twelve cranial nerves of the brain, then new understanding can begin to unfold rapidly. The twelve apostles symbolize twelve qualities of the soul. They are aspects of human consciousness for integration and healing. These twelve spiritually serving nerve centers – responsible for almost every bodily function, along with the five chakras in the spine and two in the brain – are the soul’s receptor or diffusion points for bodily interaction of cosmic energy. This is how well-being for optimal spiritual growth is maintained.
The reason the apostles could not drive out the demons represents that the twelve cranial nerves were not spiritually functioning. It’s only when these consecrated centers are performing as intended, in conjunction with the chakras and glandular system that we can spiritually mature in a practical way.
Demons have their origins in deeply rooted generational conditioning from previous lives where the cranial nerves were not used spiritually. It is myriad and complex, beyond the realm of modern psychology to understand. The spiritually asleep state of these vital nerve centers is what keeps demon consciousness in place, and the birth, life, and death cycle of suffering. And this is why Jesus said he would rebuild this temple in three days. It symbolizes spiritually reconstructing the brain. Three is not a symbol of earth days, but of divinity and unity.
This is also why the apostles (12 cranial nerves) went to Jesus in private, meaning engaged in silent meditation, awakening the temple of the brain in unity consciousness.
Does a Tree Have Faith
Yes, on its own place of existence. Similar to humans, trees undergo healing on a daily basis, but in different ways. A trees ecosystem consists of leaves, branches, roots and a trunk. It is the sap which heals. But where does sap come from? Sap comes from a source beyond the tree. It’s drawn in from earth nature through the roots. The tree does not manufacture sap. Coming in through the root system, sap is distributed throughout the entire tree, whether healing is required or not. So long as the roots remain watered, then the roots maintain the capacity to distribute sap. The root is the conduit through which sap flows into the entire tree instantaneously.
If you could ask a tree what time it is, the tree would answer it is now!
Healing for a tree is an act of single-mindedness, a present moment. On the other hand, humans live in time, space and causation, plus an ego, where spiritual growth is indirectly hindered. Whereas the tree does not stand on the hose while being watered as do humans do through stress and worry about the past and future.
But what happens when there is no rain to water the roots? This is where the good gardner comes in. He / she waters the roots personally, thus maintaining sap flow. So long as the roots (chakras in us) receive water nourishment, then sap flows unabated.
Conversely, within human nature, there are two forms of healing. One, the innate healing intelligence within the body similar to the tree which does not require faith. But the faith mentioned in scripture is about a state of faith consciousness and its transformational power for taking the carnal mind beyond suffering and into the divine mind. Faith consciousness is about first awakening the mechanisms which initiates lives transforming from spiritual ignorance into conscious connection with TRUTH. Truth meaning that which never changes, eternal consciousness.
Transitioning of awareness into truth commences in the head (meditation) progresses to opening the first chakra at the base of the spine then returning up along spine and back to the head / heart for a permanent establishment in consciousness. This process, known as kundalini awakening, is how faith-nurture becomes resolute consciousness.
In human terms, the very same principle as watering the tree’s roots apply. Only it’s the mind which is watered. Watering the mind is entering into communion with pure silence which naturally awakens the tentacles or channels of the soul – the kundalini – allowing for healing of emotional scars and false conditioning. Thus converged silence is which expands from tiny mustard seed beginnings (birth of the Christ within) into boundless transformational faith consciousness, the abiding state for further thoughts and intuition into a higher realm.
The Mantra and Mustard Seed Faith
Luke 9:48 states: “For he who is least among you (converged intellect) is the greatest.”
Mantra is a word sound, a vibration used for creating calm and silence in the mind. Like water and air, the mantra is neutral and works with all people regardless or race, religion, or creed. At the practical level, mantra achieves Luke 9:48 in that, gradually the intellect reduces from gross levels of thought to the smallest of the smallest – least of the least, the mustard seed – resulting in the expansion of human consciousness into transcendental pure consciousness or unconditional faith nature. In other words, during meditation, the intellect is reduced to its least, and a new dynamic is born, a new connective wavelength infuses or vibrates into awareness: spontaneous calibration of mantra sound into thought expansion resulting in faith consciousness. Thus the mantra seed mushrooms into Mountain Light, Transcendent experiencing, when soul flow essence is freed from the bondage of cyclical darkness.
Often referred to as the law of thought increase, this expansion or thought – mantra is a thought – is commencement of ascension out of the lower carnal mind, when human ego-centric consciousness becomes awakened spiritual mountain. Mountain is now alive, thus thought-feeling nature becomes hugely sensitive, hence the need for thoughts to be positive with regard to self and others. “Lead us not into temptation (ignoring cosmic laws).
Conclusion – Thoughts, Watching and Faith Seeds
As faith consciousness develops, the expression of thoughts become equivalent to faith seeds, potent tool molds, in that, whatever vision or heart quality the thought is filled with, is what comes about. “Whatever ye ask for in my name (love nature) believing ye have it (resolute faith) I give you in my word (law) it will come about” (Mark 11:24). Through the law of thought increase – to go forth and multiply – every intentional faith filled thought expands from tiny infancy into manifestation of the intentional feelings or emotions generated.
In Biblical terms, planting a seed in the field is the same as planting a thought in the mind. The field is symbolic of the mind. The imperative being, keeping our thoughts divinely oriented for use through ever maturing faith, for good only. Watching thoughts allows conscious control over random and meaningless thoughts entering the mind. It further prevents us from being unduly influenced by other’s thoughts and desires which do not fit with our newly forming mustard seed consciousness. Watching allows witnessing experentially the sacredness and Immanence of each present moment and its faith-filled aspect.
Below you can find links to my books to learn more:
Raymond…
Another thought-provoking article you have submitted here which not only gives us a great deal of knowledge about the true intentions of the scriptures, but also, and which is always important, a practical guide to how it all works. That is your gift my friend. Taking esoteric knowledge and converting it into practical means, something we can all practice to enhance our spiritual growth. I wanted to quote a paragraph below which really stood out to me, and then expand upon it a little:
“Faith is alchemized silence brought about by repeated meditational transcendence, of entering into the pineal gland. It’s a process which transmutes the human ego. The transcendental experience is beyond ego, the act of will or mental effort. Rather it is by a natural infusion of bliss into the very nature of the mind, which is the state of knowing no opposite.”
You hit the nail on the head here, which is a very hard concept for people to incorporate into their daily thinking, simply because of the intellect. Knowing no opposite is indeed the foundation of contentment, true contentment, which is a rare experience for the mind. It is beyond time and space, which is why meditation is so crucial.
I was also very impressed with your subtle mention of Jesus drawing in the sand, and letting us know that faith is what we make of it. I had never considered this part of scripture in that way, which was poignant. Whenever I find someone else’s interpretation of scripture in a way that resonates it is a very enlightening moment.
Thank you for all the additional information on the glandular system and the chakras and as well as it relates to the twelve apostles, especially the pineal gland and twelve cranial nerves. I am also reminded of the 12 tribes of Israel which is the equivalent in the Old Testament. As I am sure you aware, if you study the names of the twelve tribes you can see how it relates to soul qualities just as the apostles do.
And then in the book of Revelation the chakra and glandular system comes into its full with all of the symbols, even expanding into the 24 elders which is also an explanation of what modern medical knowledge has come to term the 24 cranial nerves.
Great article. Thanks for the contribution.
Hi Josh,
Thank you kindly for this uplifting comment.
You write: “Whenever I find someone else’s interpretation of scripture in a way that resonates it is a very enlightening moment”.
Strange you should mention that, Josh, because, that’s exactly how it was when I first encountered your blog: The Spirit of the Scripture. I said yo myself at the time, wow, there’s actually someone else out there seeing and understanding scriptural matters similar to myself.
But, it’s true what you say. Whenever something of scriptural value resonates at soul level, it’s always more than the sum of the words which conveyed the message. Rather, it’s more like a pulsating Remembrance-GONG in our heart which ripples on to reveal something greater which, at intuitive level, we always knew, but which just required a candle flicker to rekindle the eternal flame into conscious awareness — direct experiencing of our soul.
Raymond, do you have a written compilation of all the articles on your blog? I would like so much to possess this entire treasury. If not do you have any suggestions besides pasting and printing each one at a time…. Do you know how many there are? And where to begin?? you are gifted with eloquent expression and what you have recorded I know in my inner man although I am not able to express the magnitude and beauty of the nature manifest in me as you have done. Thanks so much for sharing your gifts and expanding the Love:-)
Hey Paula…
Raymond will probably add more later, but I did want to mention that if you go to my archive page you can find all his articles based on the author as they are all listed there. I hope that helps.
I would also recommend checking out Raymond’s books. He is a rare individual even when it comes to spirituality as his knowledge is quite extensive, and he is one of the few people I have connected with since starting this blog that has a very overall excellent understanding of scripture and (what is rare) its application in everyday use.
Hi Paula,
Thank you so much for this really lovely comment. The inner nature, which clearly you are experiencing, comes across in your comment just as spiritually uplifting as what you accredit me in my written words.
As josh has alluded to in his comment, the suggested starting point is from the archives of SOS. And of course, this is Josh’s blog and I along with others merely contribute the articles. I never actually counted, but I think there’s about 15, or maybe more, of my articles on SOS.
anyway, Paula, thanks again.
And, keep on keeping on the spiritual path and re-discovery of the priceless Gems we may previously have hurried passed, or trod over as valueless.
Blessings,
Raymond
Raymond…Beautiful words …To add to your seeing the tree in the symbolism of meditation and healing. The twelve cranial nerves are 12 pairs which reveal the 24 leaves of the tree of life. The tree of life is said to have 12 leaves with a tree on “either side” of the river of life. The leaves are for the healing of the nations. In mediation and deep opening of the pineal gland, the healing is released from within the brain which is the holy of holies. the 24 elders dressed in white with golden crowns becoming the crown we have upon our heads in mediation. I love you words….steven
Hi Steven,
Good to hear from you and thanks for this knowledge-expanding comment.
Your added clarifications on the ‘tree of life’ are really good and provide further insightful (albeit symbolic) understanding into the process of inner spiritual awakening.
I recognize ‘the crown’ as ‘the halo’, or the aura of divine light around the head, as you say, in meditation. And of course, this halo, aura of light, crown — or nourished root system — extends divine healing to the entire body-tree.
Thanks again Steven for a really helpful comment as always.
Ok Raymond….you have me contemplating again…I like your use of the Halo as the crown. I had not seen that before…It caused me to ask some questions to myself…like where is the halo spoken of the scripture…THe actual word “halo” is only mentioned in Ezekiel 1:28 …. All around him was a glowing halo, like a rainbow shining in the clouds on a rainy day. This is what the glory of the LORD looked like to me. When I saw it, I fell face down on the ground, and I heard someone’s voice speaking to me.
I am also wondering if the artists who used the halo’s had contact with the mystics in relation to mediation.
The halo seen in Ezekiel’s vision of the glory is related to the wheel within the wheel. The Pineal Chakra and the Pituitary Chakra…the Holy of Holies/Pituitary and the Throne/Mercy Seat/Pineal…both wheels moving in oneness and union to open the single eye of meditation.
further revelations of the Halo…in Ezekiel 1
22 The likeness of the firmament above the heads of the living creatures[e] was like the color of an awesome crystal, stretched out over their heads. as the likeness of a throne, in appearance like a sapphire stone; on the likeness of the throne was a likeness with the appearance of a man high above it. 27 Also from the appearance of His waist and upward I saw, as it were, the color of amber with the appearance of fire all around within it; and from the appearance of His waist and downward I saw, as it were, the appearance of fire with brightness all around. 28 Like the appearance of a rainbow in a cloud on a rainy day, so was the appearance of the brightness all around it. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord.
keep it flowing…
Thank all of you for your compelling in-sight; though it truly is so much more simple.
Faith is Life. Life is Faith. We are birthed into life as faith, as the seed. Our Creator lives within us. We are that extension of Faith. We evolve, we grow and all things are eventual. It is inevitable. Whether we think we are with faith or one is without it, is merely an exercise of the power of the life force that we all can draw upon as we, the collective consciousness, rise from individual ego and personality to the greater One-Soul.
Josh, I do like the phrasing of; “alchemized silence brought about repeated meditational transcendence” as faith. Yes, I see it as “Ein-sof”. It is given to us thru the Creator’s doing, it is the exercise of The Source, that is passed into us individually for the repetition-exercise that leads into Divine-Being. Transcendence, be-longs to the mundane world as thought. As we train, exercise, pray or meditate transcendence vanishes. Emptying ourselves, The Divine manifests; as it serves it’s grand purpose. Which begins as Faith and ends with Faith.
Hello Michael,
Thank you for this most enlightened comment. Although I’m not sure to whom in particular your comment is addressed. But just for the record, it was myself, Raymond, who composed the article.
You make some really compelling insights yourself on faith, and thank you for sharing these. Particularly i like and agree with, as you put it “Faith is Life. Life is Faith. We are birthed into life as faith, as the seed”. Very well expressed.
But, just if I may, develop one point in your comment further, and which I know you truly meant in a really positive way .
While I agree, that for some, after many years of practice, like myself and others, the message is indeed simple. But, while simple, for a vast number of people starting out on their spiritual journey, for it to be comprehended eventually as simple, requires a more detailed or even lengthy explanation, beyond just being termed ‘simple’. The concept of simple (anything) has to be first accepted in consciousness by some instructional means, beyond the words which say ‘it is simple’.
Great to hear from you, Michael, and thanks so much for the great comment. Looking forward to hearing from you again.
Blessings.
Yes… I made a faux-pas when I clicked on comment under a variable thread. I recognized you as the author of this great article and always appreciate your writing.
Given an opportunity to clarify, I thank you Raymond for your direction on the developing point regarding simplicity.
Instruction, generally requires a thought process, then an-“other” and an-“other”… Creating a sense of conflict and confusion.
With every thought, as we peer out from ourselves; as if we were looking through a window, relying on the most superficial 5 senses, we create the perception of out-there and therefore a separate-ness and the illusion of “other”… This is the cycle that leads to the power given to transcendence. When we forgo ‘instruct’ and it’s association that generally requires an authority from outside of ourselves as the instructor, giving instruction, we give away our power and continue to look outwards.
By the realization that we are always aligned with the cosmos, thought of transcendence vanishes. The need for the seeking of faith, faith-based religion or disdain for faith becomes immaterial.
The true person, the Divine-being manifests.
The best teacher is Faith as Life… it “be-comes us”..
Warm regards.
Thank you for the comment, Michael. You raise a number of profound issues. And, while
principally, we are on the same hymn sheet, a number of points require clarification, if I may.
You write: “Instruction, generally requires a thought process, then an-“other” and an-“other”… Creating a sense of conflict and confusion”.
How is this to be interpreted by students attending schools and Colleges — what conflict and confusion are you referring to? Are you referring overall to the need of inner silence?
You write: “With every thought, as we peer out from ourselves; as if we were looking through a window, relying on the most superficial 5 senses, we create the perception of out-there and therefore a separate-ness and the illusion of “other”…”
But, surly we don’t create the perception of out-there, the perception is already within, this is what many term spiritual ignorance, lack of inner Now or Higher Self awareness. Such low sensory perception is what is transcended, for purification, in silence meditation. Transcend out of basic animistic status — the 3 lower nature states known as Waking, Dreaming and Deep Sleep consciousness, which states we’re each born into for transformation, into the 4 higher states — Meditational consciousness, Cosmic consciousness, God-consciousness and Unity consciousness.
You write: “When we forgo ‘instruct’ and it’s association that generally requires an authority from outside of ourselves as the instructor, giving instruction, we give away our power and continue to look outwards”
Who informed you of this — was it by intuition or an outside source? If it were by intuition, what mode of awareness were in and for how long practicing. Surly, practically speaking. if we go for our driving test as a total beginner, we can’t forgo ‘instruct’ and expect to pass our driving test. I mean, once the awareness is turned inwards, enter into meditational silence, we very much are not looking outwards.
You write: “By the realization that we are always aligned with the cosmos, thought of transcendence vanishes”.
How is this realization brought about. Again, do you mean intuitively or someone informs us. And, “vanishes” where? Do you mean from seeking-awareness to becoming transcendental, or as the Transcendent? Remembering,Transcendence is not a thought but the Source of thought.
You write: “The best teacher is Faith as Life… it “be-comes us”..
As in the Be-attitudes esoterically, is this not instructional, a lesson in mindfulness meditation?
If I may share this beautiful quote from a modern-day Saint: “The thought of God finds fulfillment in its extinction”.
This level of blessedness understanding, Michael, I feel is where you are coming from — endevouring to point out in your comments. Thank you so much.
Stay Blessed my friend
Friend indeed, Raymond;
You make counter-points for clarification to several of my points. Each of your counters are of great significance to any discussion that serves the message of One-ness and silence. Yes… In any given moment, which is the time required in this physical world; when breath is given and something happens, that something is anything that grabs our attention. Anything… of all the possibilities of all that could and can be. Though once that something happens, all things beside, become null and void. It happened and the breath expires, If breath is given, a moment ensues. This is how we know we exist. Moving from this point, here is where instruction begins it’s potential tyranny against the person-self. The NOW authority; the instructor, shifts the pupil’s (anatomical eye or the mind of the student) to “focus” attention away from a personal happen to a collective happen. That which is being required of them, demanded of them, to be learned; and so the doubt begins.
A very complex interaction with the world “initiates” a seeming need.. Built upon question after question after question. The initiate; the student is being taught in a way that finds them seeking answers, the correct answer.. though what is being done is a manipulation of powers. An occult program that is being built on foundation of doubts. This is the conflict and confusion that arises. Maybe, this is instrumental in the process of Jesus’ perfect teaching, In the Way of parables.
To the point, the etymology of The Word; “obey”, is to listen deeply, rather than to give power away or be “disciplined”, ironically the student is called a disciple, a follower. My musings, on Jesus’ teaching method of parables allow for deep introspection, only through silence. Any question, is a foolish question, when the answer comes from outside of our personal-place. This is the exercise for true learning, spiritually or academically.
Again, yes… we perceive via complex interaction of the human-nervous system. There are hundreds, possibly thousands of “senses” that are en-meshed within our body. Though we are taught there are 5 senses and for the 6th that “might” exist, academics would give word to the wise; it is foolish to follow!!
So, we begin again to follow; based on a flawed foundation. We do sense the world from in-here to out-there, we are taught this way. And, yes it creates.. separate-ness. It is the only way it could happen. It becomes our illusion. Our maya. The fog. Our dis-ease. It creates; “other”, and it is given power. We live our life in constant motion of it’s power moving through our thoughts and our flesh as the vehicle of emotion.
Emotion, the perfect marriage of thought and feeling.
Emotions show us where we are stuck. It is the emotion that proves our conflict and confusion when we sense our-self alone, angry, sorrowful, envious or jealous along with myriads of the like.
It is the gift of our grand-design, to learn through mediation and prayer, to exercise (exorcise) the demon… “doubt”, “other” from our lower realm of consciousness and evolve to higher realms of conscious-ness, “ness” always being a state-of.
Maybe this is the variation, the exercise, the practice to come to the hidden-meaning of becoming One-with Christ. With this foundation of perfect One-ness; transcendence, can be seen for what it is… Thought. And thought belongs to the mundane, the profane world as Jesus taught.
When we approach prayer and mediation; approach study and observation in these ways, yes; transcendence is vanquished from our existence as we move or rise to higher realms of consciousness, onward; possibly infinitely; with God.
Your recital of the quote, ” the thought of God finds fulfillment in it’s extinction”…
Hmmmmmmm… that vibration resonates as….. abundance. The cornucopia, the trumpet; the horn of plenty.
Peace…
Does the baptism of Jesus by John the Baptist in the river Jordan symbolize the epiphany leading to spiritual enlightenment? And what exactly does Jesus’s crucifixion symbolize?
Hi Laurens,
In reply to your question :”Does the baptism of Jesus by John the Baptist in the river Jordan symbolize the epiphany leading to spiritual enlightenment? And what exactly does Jesus’s crucifixion symbolize?”
Yes, the Baptism of Jesus in the river Jordan is symbolism of the Baptism of individual spiritual-nature AWAKENING leading to enlightenment, to realization of our Higher-Self or Christ within nature. Which awakening, when lived as the normative conscious awareness in daily life, becomes established nature within consciousness.
the crucifixion symbolizes integration of the lower ego, and the carnal mind’s compulsion with time, space and individualism — the sense me-ness, mine: “I” before almost everything, I like this, I hate that, I am great, and so on.
In meditation — process of crucifixion — individualism ceases and the ego-centric mind becomes as though timeless, transcendental, expanded to perceive cosmically. Thereby is meditational silence realized within as bliss — the nature of Divine Love.
This subject, Lauren, has been covered extensively on SOS. You might wish to go to the archives and check recent articles by Anny, Josh or myself.
Blessings
Thank you, Raymond. I have another question. Does the hidden sephira Da’at in the Kabbalistic Tree of Life–like Jesus’s baptism–also symbolize the epiphany leading to spiritual enlightenment?
Laurens, In reading the beautiful response Raymon shares above, a recent meditation took into this same question. I love to meditate on the metaphor’s given in biblical stories and always seem to find the type/pattern within the stories. John the Baptist and the Jordan River point the seeker back to the story of Elijah/John the Baptist and the Jordon river in I Kings. Here are a few of the golden nuggets which are revealed. Elijah the prophet had angered Jezabell (Spirit stirs anger in natural mind). Elijah is told to go in isolation to the source of the Jordon River (To escape the carnal natural within us, we go into mediation alone and in seclusion). The source of the Jordon is where the river of life which offers the rising new life out of the death of self. Elijah is fed there by ravens. (In mediation we hear the words of spirit). Elijah went to the East to go to the Jordon River source> (We return to the garden of eden (east gate) to return to the spirit life we once knew in the eternal. Elijah was asleep under a tree and awakened by an angel and told to go to the Mount Horeb. (Mount Horeb, the same mountain Moses received the tabernacle pattern with its seven pieces of furniture (seven chakras), The angel awoke him out of a sleep under a tree (Much like the Buddha under the tree, Elijah receives an awakening and in meditation awakens to the voice of the angel. The angel tells elijah to go UP to the mountain. (Upward shift of consciousness) . Elijah goes to the holy mountain and is told to hide in a cave. We go within in mediation to this very same mountain within us. Within the mind, the wheel within the wheel chakras (Pineal,Mercy Seat, Pituitary (Ark of covenant). This cave is the hidden place within the spiritual mountain, within us, where we commune with our source, God. In the cave we hear the voice of God revealing meditation to be where we will hear him…Elijah did not hear God in the earthquake, the lighting thunder or the fire, He heard in the “still small voice”. Elijah’s entire message to prepare the way reveals multiple mysteries of mediation within the tabernacle pattern given on this same mountain.
John the baptist baptizes on the east side of the very same river. East representing return to Eden within our mind. The river is the second death in the tabernacle..the first being the red sea and the destruction of the ego Pharaoh and serpent at the cross. “It is finished” Elijah in John the Baptist takes people into the Jordon, representing spiritual death, which is the altar of incense coals of fire. The dark night of the soul known in mysticism. Rising out of the dark night comes the morning star, the light of the new day and entering the Cannan promise of nirvana Eden within the meditator. Coming out of the water, an identity is received, as the dove descended (the divine descending in mediation as we ascend. The voice came “this is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased”….in rising in the spirit of Elijah, in meditation, spirit gives us our identity which we had in the eternal as sons of God dancing at the foundation of the earth. Jesus rising out of the water is the picture of us rising into the new life and experiencing this new life within. The kingdom come within. We can only experience this in meditation on the still small voice. I love your seeking heart…and thanks Raymond for you beautiful part of this oneness we are realizing…
Wow, thank you Steven for these fantastically insightful words to Laurens, and for the great interaction with nightshadetwine. This exchange added further life, meaning and understanding to some wonderful mythology and symbolism. Blessings.
I’ve heard of the baptism symbolizing the incarnation of the soul/spirit into matter/physical body and then the rebirth of the higher soul within the body or soul/spirit leaving the physical. The dunking under water (earth and water being associated with matter) representing the soul/spirit incarnating in the body/matter and being engulfed or ‘drowned’ by matter. The raising of the body out of the water representing the soul/spirit triumphing over the physical/matter, the birth of the ‘higher self’. John baptizes with water(matter) and says Jesus will baptize with fire(spirit). In Egyptian religion when the sun god(soul/spirit) goes down into the underworld(matter/’death’) he goes through a watery realm before going further down into the underworld. Then on his way back out of the under world he emerges out of the waters/underworld and is reborn or resurrected.
“It is always about the source of life, the fresh water in which the divinity (Re, Osiris) immerses himself, in prelude to his (re) birth.”
-from “Les fêtes d’Osiris à Abydos au Moyen Empire et au Nouvel Empire” by M-Christine Lavier
In my opinion, the myth of the sun god going into the underworld and then returning or resurrecting is the same story as Jesus incarnating in the physical realm and then resurrecting after death.
Thank you, nightshadetwine for these two fascinating contributions. From the meditative perspective, your insights are most comprehensible.
Thanks Raymond, I enjoy your posts as well.
nightshadetwine and Raymond:
The replies you have given to my answer made me come to realize something. I would like to hear your thoughts on it:
The Kabbalistic Tree of Life has four worlds: Assiah, Yetzirah, Briah, and Atziluth. Each are representive of Earth, Air, Water, and Fire. The Tiphareth sephira (Beauty) in the Briah (Water) world is said to represent the Jesus archetype. Could it be that the baptism symbolizes the soul entering the world of Briah?
John then says that Jesus will baptize with fire. In order to enter the world of Atziluth (Fire) the soul has to go through the Da’at sephira.
Atzilut consists of three sephiroth: Binah (Understanding), Chokmah (Wisdom), and Kether (Crown). I think that the actions we take (Chokmah) based on the knowledge (Binah) we have, i.e. under the world of Atziluth, are reflective of the Christ archetype (Kether?).
For my source, please take a look at this YouTube video: https://youtu.be/SFVqvYbl6BU
Yes, I agree with this. Jesus is a mediator between Fire(the divine) and Earth(matter) or the higher and lower realms. That’s why he is associated with Tiphareth. All the savior/heroes in myths that incarnate in the physical world(Earth,Malkuth) that help humanity connect to the divine(Fire, Kether) are usually associated with Tiphareth.
From ’The Mystical Qabalah’ by Dion Fortune:
“Tiphareth means Beauty, and to it is assigned the Sphere of the Sun. When the gods of the various pagan pantheons are being correlated with the Spheres on the Tree, it will be found that the sacrificed gods invariably come on to Tiphareth, and for this reason it has been called the Christ-centre in the Christian Qabalah.”
” All the human mind can know of Kether is its reflection in Tiphareth, the Christ-centre, the Sphere of the Son.”
So the soul starting at Fire or Kether, incarnating through Water and Air and entering Earth, and then ascending back up through Air and Water to reach Fire or Kether can be seen as a form of baptism. On your way back up from Malkuth to Kether you are first ‘baptised by Water'(Briah realm) and then ‘baptised by Fire'(Atziluth realm).
As for the crucifixion, I understand it as the crucifixion of the soul/spirit(Jesus) to matter/body(the cross). When the soul incarnates into a physical body it is ‘crucified’ to the body. Some of the ancient Greeks taught that the soul symbolically died when it entered the body or physical realm. They would call the body a ‘tomb’ or ‘prison’ for the soul but by connecting with the divine you can release your soul from the tomb/prison of matter/the body.
Good stuff…nightshade…Another way to see this is the tree of knowing good and evil is hewn and the roots destroyed, pulled out. On the tree we go into the very same death to this thing which put us to sleep at our arrival in our mothers womb. We go into the darkness of the womb of spirit and are born (again) into our original identity and sons of god and eat again from the tree of life within our mind. In this rising we are shown the purpose of the darkness and it becomes our teacher…i.e. we see that there is no good and evil any longer, only oneness rises..
Right, the ‘darkness’ or ‘evil’ or ‘death’ that is brought about by knowing good and evil is necessary. In the myth of Adam and Eve they are in the garden and closely connected to god like children to their parents. Once they eat from the tree of knowledge they now have to leave their parents(god) and take part in life in order to grow, learn responsibility and become adults. There always comes a time when the child has to leave the safety and comfort of it’s parents and go out into the world and experience suffering and learn lessons. The soul leaves it’s home in the divine to experience and learn things in the physical realm in order to bring forth all it’s potential. The physical realm is kind of like school for the soul.
I completely agree with what you write here. It is a complete change of perspective from the way we used to see this but very necessary.
There are so many metaphors for the physical realm and each one teaches us something different, but in addition to the other meanings not in opposition to it.
I like what you have have been contributing to the blog lately. Thanks.
Thanks anny, I like your posts too. I’m glad to have found this blog.
I am also glad you did because it is good to see many different expressions and interpretations of the Bible. None of us is in the possession of the Absolute Truth and therefore it is good to learn from each other and be inspired by each other. I hope to see many more contributions from you.
Lauren you ask about baptismal symbolization in the first sentence and follow with a second question that asks “what exactly does Jesus’ crucifixion symbolize”…
First and foremost symbols are truly interpreted by the observer. Each and every-one of us is allowed through our evolution to perceive and change our perceptions at any given moment. This is the intimate relation-ship of us being.. Our spiritual growth as human-beings and Divine-beings as individuals and as the collective humanity.
Each of our interpretations to a symbol grows as we move towards peace. The practice of peace is a way of accepting our relation with all beings and accepting any-one interpretation as variable to what is presented.
Symbols come from the spark of imagination; Imagination is just one of the aspects that allow our spirit to soar. They also allow us to check our-selves.. to catch ourselves in enlightenment traps; recognizing our-selves with a dulled sense of humor, a sharpened sense of self-serious-ness. To render an opposing interpretation as off-base substantiating fear. A fear learned long ago and carried with us crippling us with incessant negative mind chatter that presents itself along the way.
Baptism is one ritual to help us see this as is the crucifixion. Baptism and crucifixion are both a means to pass through. If we get caught up on any-one meaning, we are blessed..
Yes blessed, as we are given the opportunity to see that we are holding and perpetuating judgement.
The greatest spiritual practice is the exercise of life to release any and all beliefs. To stop cherishing opinion.
Foremost, our own. Thereby releasing fear, doubt, self-seriousness, stimulating our imagination and quieting any “voice” that we deem comes from us or God.
Politely shared.
Thank you, I really love this article.
Thank you for this, Janine. Great to hear from you. Am really delighted that the article found a resonance with you.
Stay Blessed,
Raymond
This is a great article, Raymond, on so many levels. It makes the importance of meditation very clear, which I never doubted but of course you know I follow a different way of meditative focussing on certain subjects.
You write: “This is why Jacob’s name was changed to Israel by God at the place of Peniel, which is another metaphor for pineal gland.” It is of course, in this interpretation, but the Hebrew name as such means: Face of God, because he had seen the face of God in his experience. This fits beautifully into your explanation but only in the English language. At least, only in the English language there is this similarity in the name.
Good to hear from you, Anny, and thanks for this comment and for your earlier comment to nightshadetwine.
Appreciation also for the clarification of the English translation of ‘Jacob’s name’ used in the article and the Hebrew translation ‘name’ meaning Face of God. Well spotted and well said.
Blessings.
Hi Anny and Raymond. That quote that you mentioned is actually something I added to Raymond’s article, which I should have placed in brackets and noted it.
It does mean the face of God, Anny, which is also a reference to the pineal gland. This can be proven through a verse with another name in 1 Kings I believe. I don’t have the time to go into it right now, but perhaps I can find the time to come back and include that in here too.
Hi Josh,
Thank you for this comment. The line: “This is why Jacob’s name was changed to Israel by God at the place of Peniel, which is another metaphor for pineal gland” was indeed, as you say, added by your good-self and acknowledged by myself previously: That, it fits brilliantly with the ETHOS being expressed in that paragraph on the pineal gland’s transformative ‘nature’ — hence Jacob’s unredeemed soul — the lower name or nature –was changed or transformed into Higher Nature, into Israel, into Divine God-nature. Thus, my understanding of biblical “Name” or Face of God is: Nature of, or, Experience of, Love, Divinity, Bliss consciousness, or Rapture ..as direct experiencing consequent of pineal gland encountering.
Thanks for the reference to 1Kings.
Blessings
Raymond, this is a beautiful explanation of this experience. I believe it is the result of coming ‘face to face’ with God or our highest Self. This is also very overpowering as it is energy of a much higher vibration than we are used to. I did have such an experience once but it lasted only a very short time as my body could not have tolerated this high energy any longer. I never related that experience to this Bible text though.
Hi Raymond and Josh,
Thanks for your replies to my comment. You are right of course, Josh, that the Hebrew name Face of God does refer to the pineal gland. That is why this translation fitted so beautifully into the interpretation and why it was good to mention the actual meaning of the name. In combination the impact is even stronger.
I do not need any proof from another Bible text, Josh. You know, I do not because my intuition tells me whether something is true or not. For me, that is, even when I do not understand something fully with my mind or when I cannot find words to express it. But I am certainly interested in hearing more about this so I hope you will soon have more time for this kind of thing again.
Great analysis. Thank you.
Thank you Reader for this nice comment, and great to hear from you too.
Blessings
Raymond
Meditation won’t cause oil to go up to your pineal gland, only the sacred oil in the old testament will do it.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holy_anointing_oil
Kaneh-bosm is actually cannabis, I beleve.
Hi, I wanted to mention that while reading the part about mantras, it gave me the image of a big bang… one that happens withing ourselves. I sometimes use a mantra while meditating (I make up my own), but had not realized it could have such a huge impact. I suppose meditation in itself would bring about this big bang, but mantras do seem a good tool for quieting or distracting the monkey mind.
Hi Justin
Thank you for this interesting and much appreciated comment.
Yes, the mantra is a powerful tool. A time comes, through its regular daily use, when the ‘quietening’ is indeed perceived as the big bang…of vibrating Silence! To this end, the ‘monkey mind’, as you describe it, Justin, is of course needed in the beginning. For, through disciplined and proper use of our mantra, its how you eventually become a mind-master.
Blessings
Hi Raymond,
Is there a mantra that you suggest? Perhaps one that has a certain vibratory pattern? As I said, I usually make mine up, for example I like to meditate on the word “Love”, or “Confidence”, or basically any affirmation I feel I need at the time. I have heard of certain mantras having specific vibratory components, but I also wonder if it’s more about the intent. For me, “Love” would create a vibration in my consciousness because I know the intent of the word, whereas someone who only speaks spanish would benefit from using the word “Amor”. So I get confused when people teach that a certain non-influential phrase or sound is better than one we create ourselves. For example, I could meditate on “Aum, or Om”, but those words have no meaning to me. Perhaps I should ignore meaning and just use the mantra as a tool for quieting the mind? Thoughts?
Hi Justin,
Just to clarify. Meditation is about stirring the deep silence within our consciousness, which this comes about with or without thought activity. Our mantra gradually initiates a vibration that raises our consciousness into direct experiencing of our Higher Self — its not about seeking to become thoughtless. Try not focus on ‘quietening the mind’ as an end result, for the mind will always have some transient thought activity, even in meditation. With practice we become as witness to this activity which is really a stress release, subconscious tension leaving the system, which is to be welcomed. Rather than aiming for selective benefits, meditate with a view to gaining cosmic consciousness over time, that is, universal consciousness. In this way intention to spiritual wholeness is inherent in our practice. A mantra which is in my book ‘Transforming Your Life — how to be all that you can be’ – available on Amazon, includes a section on how to meditate properly using a mantra. The mantra suggested in my book is: MaRaNaTha –meaning, come Holy Spirit, but the focus is on the practice, the subtle mental recitation of the mantra, and not on its meaning. Four sylables repeated quietly and easily for twenty minutes twice daily. The ‘a’ in this mantra has the same vibratory effect as Aum or Om.
You might like to read or re-read a recent article of mine here SOS titled: ‘Creation, Scripture and Vibrational Aum’. If the enclosed links do not open, then just type in the article’s title into the search section on the right side of the SOS page.
http://www.spiritofthescripture.com/id3933-creation-scripture-and-vibrational-aum.html#more-3933
Thank you for your clarification on meditation. I agree completely, and have understood this explanation many times before…yet I have one of those silly human minds that knows one thing but clings to that which I’ve made up for myself, if you get what I mean.
I’ve read the article you mentioned, and it helps to clear up some of my questions on mantras, so thank you. I will definitely focus on the practice and not the meaning, and in fact I have read before that using a mantra that has no personal meaning can be better so you do not focus on the meaning of the word and forget to meditate. Once again, something I was already aware of but posted the complete opposite :s Oh well, I choose not to be embarrassed about it. I’m only human…
I don’t know where or how you come up with this stuff. You never provide any proof for your statements.
Mountain always resembled religion in the bible. The mountain is where moses received the law. The sea is where things went to die.
Jesus wanted them to get rid of their concept of the law
The bible is about law vs grace and you don’t have a hebraic understanding.
Endar…
I have gotten “this stuff” through well-thought out tradition, and careful analysis. Your understanding of “mountain” shows a lack of esoteric tradition established through multiple religions of world history. The proof is provided through multiple ancient sources throughout this site. If you can reconcile all the problems with mainstream literal interpretation, go for it! You provide comments which also are not backed up. If you comment on someone’s writings to show they are wrong, then provide the proof. The truth is that you will find none. You state the mountain resembles religion because that is where Moses received the law. Can you justify Noah’s story through such a claim? Do you truly believe that was able to keep thousands of species alive above the highest mountain, where little oxygen is available? In spite of the many other literal problems produced in the text? I doubt it, but would love to hear them. It is much better to accept the impossibility than to dance around it.