Today we’ll finish our two-part series on baptism and what it really means by discussing Noah and the flood. In part one, found here, we discussed baptism mainly from the New Testament. We saw how baptism has nothing to do with dunking your head in water. It is the process of ascending levels of consciousness, and we accomplish this in the mind, through meditation. [Read more…] about Baptism and Meditation: Noah’s Ark Unveiled
Ego
Abraham’s Vision of Great Darkness: Kundalini, Meditation and Ego
In Genesis chapter fifteen we read about a strange event that occurs between God and Abraham. The mythological imagery stirs the imagination: God appears in great darkness, followed by a smoking furnace and a burning lamp that passes between Abraham’s sacrifice. The true meaning of the symbolism will never be preached from a traditional church pulpit because it deals with the divine physiology of man, and the implications of deep meditation, the ego, and spiritual initiation. So let’s break down this mystical mystery. [Read more…] about Abraham’s Vision of Great Darkness: Kundalini, Meditation and Ego
The Paradox of the Serpent and the Messiah
Today’s topic, the serpent and the messiah, has been addressed on this blog before by Anny, but today I am going to look at it from a few additional angles. I recently had a great discussion about it with a friend. This friend doesn’t agree with esoteric teaching because she is a mainstream Christian, but we greatly respect each other’s views and enjoy a healthy debate from time to time. [Read more…] about The Paradox of the Serpent and the Messiah
Christine Hoeflich’s New Book
Hey SOS members…
I just wanted to take some time out of my morning to give you a review on Christine’s new book, The Spiritual Awakening Process: Coming Out of the Darkness and Into the Light. She’s been a good friend of mine over the years. In fact, we sort of connected when I first started this site, and as you all know, her comments have been a source of inspiration for many people who visit the site regularly. [Read more…] about Christine Hoeflich’s New Book
The Crucifixion of the Ego
The crucifixion of the ego has often been mentioned in articles and comments on this blog, also in the previous article, The Harvest is large, but the workers are few: Matthew 9:35-38 by Raymond Phelan, where it gave rise to a very interesting discussion in the comments. These showed that there are indeed many ways to look at this concept and in my view none of them is necessarily more (or less) true than another. Much depends on our personal feelings in this matter. If our personal experience has been negative, for instance because of the way we were taught about the crucifixion of Jesus in church, then it is very difficult to feel positive about the concept of crucifixion as such. [Read more…] about The Crucifixion of the Ego
Jesus Calms the Storm: The Inner Christ Arises
What is the esoteric meaning of Jesus calming the storm at sea with the disciples? The answer is a very positive message, but you’ll probably never hear it in mainstream Christian teachings. In a nutshell, it deals with what Paul calls, the “Christ in you, your hope of glory.” But what does this mean? We can come to understand what Paul means through the allegory of Jesus calming the storm. [Read more…] about Jesus Calms the Storm: The Inner Christ Arises
The Serpent and the Cherubim
In his articles Genesis Chapter 3: The Allegory of the Serpent Ego and Transforming the Serpent Ego Joshua writes again about the meaning of the serpent. He had already done so quite a few times before and also I myself addressed the subject more than once, both in articles and in comments. That shows how important this subject is. Putting all the presented interpretations together, they show the serpent as both negative and positive, [Read more…] about The Serpent and the Cherubim
Transforming the Serpent Ego
In the last article, part one of this series, we discussed the opening of Genesis chapter 3. We set the stage for how the Bible explains man’s development on the physical plane. We must remember that it is not a literal account, but a spiritual one.
If you remember from the last post, eyes are a symbol for mental perception. When Eve ate the fruit and then gave it to Adam to eat, it is symbolic of the conscious being born and developed fully functioning on the physical plane. Adam and Eve’s eyes being opened mean that mental perception (consciousness) in man came into being. [Read more…] about Transforming the Serpent Ego
Genesis Chapter 3: The Allegory of the Serpent Ego
Did God, as an outside agent, create man? Or is there scriptural evidence suggesting that man is an integral part of who God is? In other words, are God and man somehow eternally linked? Are they ONE?
A recent discussion with a friend inspired this upcoming series. I am going to concentrate on Genesis chapter three to provide our answer. I will also use other Old and New Testament scriptures, but I believe Genesis chapter three will be one of the best places to start because the symbolism is obvious. Talking snakes, magical fruit, naked men and women who do not realize they are naked (until they eat the magical fruit!), physical paradise, and omnipotent beings walking through gardens are all contrary to our everyday realities. [Read more…] about Genesis Chapter 3: The Allegory of the Serpent Ego
Lazarus the beggar and the rich man: Understanding Soul Growth and Meaning of Hell
As promised, this post will unveil the esoteric meaning of the beggar Lazarus who died an ended up in Abraham’s bosom, while the rich man died and ended up in what appears to be a description of eternal torment, i.e., hell. Of course the Bible never describes a literal hell in the traditional Christian sense (see part one of this series for more information). The same holds true for the parable of Lazarus and the rich man. [Read more…] about Lazarus the beggar and the rich man: Understanding Soul Growth and Meaning of Hell
Why God Allowed the Israelites to Gorge on Quail
Today’s post is dedicated to those who may be going through a trial. I am writing it because I myself am currently going through a trail that has taken quite an emotional toll. I know I will overcome it, especially when I put it into the perspective of why we are all here to experience life. Adversity is our friend when we allow it to be, for at some point it, when we yield, and only when we yield, it can reveal our spiritual nature. [Read more…] about Why God Allowed the Israelites to Gorge on Quail
The Great Controversy: Irenaeus and the Development of the Orthodox Church Part 6
This post will cover Irenaeus and Valentinus, and the seeds of Orthodoxy that were beginning to develop in the second century. If you have been keeping up with the first five parts of this series, then you already know that the earliest Christianity had very different beliefs than today’s Orthodoxy. The earliest Christians relied heavily on Jewish tradition. They followed a strict moral code, subjugating their lives to God through a consecrated lifestyle. They believed that the man Jesus completely fulfilled the Law of God and this earned him a great honor. To the earliest Christians, Jesus was savior because he showed mankind the way to the Kingdom of God through obedience and by the teaching of esoteric wisdom (the science of the soul). [Read more…] about The Great Controversy: Irenaeus and the Development of the Orthodox Church Part 6
Valentinus, the Bridal Chamber, and Meditation: Part 5 of the Development of the Orthodox Church
To finish our study and truly begin to understand how the Orthodox Church developed, we need to take a close look at Valentinus, who will play a large part of in verbal war of doctrine with Irenaeus and Orthodoxy. I will discuss the life and beliefs of Valentinus first, followed by Irenaeus, and then the exchange between the two as documented by later church fathers such as Tertullian. [Read more…] about Valentinus, the Bridal Chamber, and Meditation: Part 5 of the Development of the Orthodox Church