Esoteric approaches to Foundations of Christianity

[taijasi]

Originally Posted by Dondi

I'm going to share something a bit later on the testamony of a lady who describes The Stream which she found. Give me time to dig it up.

Absolutely! There's a guy that comes to mind, who writes from the perspective of a post-liberal or progressive Christian, whom I've seen quoted a time or two by either you, Ruby, InLove, Path_of_One, or maybe others. I think it's Harold something? Anyway, much of what changed things in his life, and helped open doors for him, was a near-death-experience ... I think. Maybe someone knows who I'm talking about?

Originally Posted by Dondi

Hmmm, I was hoping to to see something of the spiritual path this lady had choosen. It would be interesting to see the progression. But I'll check out Alice Bailey at least.

Sorry, wish I had more info myself. I do know that she deeply reveres the Teachings of Master Morya, provided via Helena Roerich in the 1920s and 30s. This is Agni Yoga, also referred to as The Teaching of Living Ethics. You can browse the teachings online, or download them.

Helena Roerich, a Messenger just as H.P. Blavatsky and Alice Bailey, was Joan of Arc, Maid or Orleans in a previous life. HPB was formerly Cagliostro, well-known student of the Comte de St. Germaine (Master R). Alice also appeared in the public eye, but I can't remember as whom.

Just this evening I picked up a book from Interlibrary Loan, written by an Australian disciple and teacher, who has assembled much information about the Masters - both Eastern and Western - including some information about previous incarnations. He has drawn from many sources, but all of them are reputable and generally accepted by students of Esotericism. Some of the examples include:

Master Morya (writing via Helena Roerich) - formerly Emperor Akbar, Melchior the Magus (Wise Man #1)
Master KH (writing in the Mahatma Letters) - formerly Nagarjuna, Balthazar the Magus (Wise Man #2), Pythagoras, Egyptian Pharaoh Akenaton
Master DK, the Tibetan (writing via Alice Bailey) - formerly Aryasanga, Gaspar the Magus (Wise Man #3), Kleinias (closest pupil of Pythagoras), Dharmajyoti (a disciple of the Buddha)
Master Hilarion (writing via Mabel Collins and HPB) - formerly the Greek philosopher Iamblichus, St. Paul (Saul of Tarus, pre-conversion)
Master Polidorus Isurenus (writing via Geoffrey Hodson)- formerly Philo Judaeus
Master Jesus (writing via Cyril Scott)- formerly Appollonius of Tyana, the Initiate Jesus of Nazareth, Joshua, Son of Nun ... also Jeshua from the time of Ezra
Master R (writing via Lucille Cedercrans) - formerly both Francis and Roger Bacon, Christian Rosencruetz (founder of Rosicrucianism), the Greek philosopher Proclus

As for Q's commentary, I think it is helpful in that it correlates with the idea of stages through which we pass - regardless as to our choice of religious systems or faith traditions. Esotericists believe that this corresponds to the progress we make in each earthly incarnation, as we respond to the magnetic influence of the Soul, or Christ within. Ultimately, this will draw us all near to the `I am,' or to the `I am That I am,' yet that would equate with Christ's Mystical utterance, "I and the Father are One." Not something we can say at every moment of every day, except as an affirmation of a spiritual Truth - that we are all in the process of working toward.

I'm trying to think of a good book that would introduce one to the various esoteric teachings especially relevant to Christianity - both modern, and historical (or foundational). I would probably recommend `Reappearance of the Christ,' by Alice Bailey (or the Tibetan Master), for starters. It can be found online, here.

As for the astrological cycles, which Christ inaugurated 2100 years ago (Pisces) ... and is inaugurating now (Aquarius), I might mention that prior to Pisces was Aries. The "promised lamb," or RAM of Aries ... was the motif and symbolism, just as for Pisces it has been the fish, or fishes (wiki Oannes, or ask Flowperson about it).

Aquarius is the water-bearer, which Christ references directly - though in symbolic fashion - in His instructions to the Apostles. He was indicating the future, ~2000 years ahead, which is now. And He said,

"Behold, when ye are entered into the city, there shall a man meet you, bearing a pitcher of water, follow him into the house where he entereth in." (Luke 22:10)

Here's a great page I came across just now with numerous examples of the astrology that permeates the Bible, both Old and New Testament - being part of the Sacred Science of the Jews, as of every culture and religion. So yes, as we progress in our faith, we eventually come full circle, and realize that some of these taboos which the fearful, fretful fundamentalist has completely misunderstood ... are in fact, part of Jesus' deepest teachings to his closest of Apostles - even as he taught formerly, when he was Joshua (see ch.4, v.6).

Before Aries, the age was Taurus, wherein we saw the worship of the golden calf ... Taurus the Bull. This was something that should have stopped, but we see in the Bible that it persisted - as the Jews were resistant to change, and could not recognize the new Messiah, of Aries. Again at the dawn of the Piscean Era, Christ came and was (largely) forsaken. The Tibetan Master indicated that Christ Himself would not come to the Jewish people a third time. The Master Jesus might come, but it might also be a lesser Initiate. This might not sit well with some people - but it is something to consider.

At any rate, the cycle of Taurus would have been inaugurated ~4200 years BC. Notice that 6300 years prior - 3 astrological cycles - takes us to 10,500BC, which was the start of the Age of Leo. Science has begun to confirm (gradually) that the weathering and evidence of water erosion on the Sphinx dates it to at least this period, which corresponds with the last stage of the Ice Age - including glacial melting. I would suggest that this was also the time of the final flood catastrophe, during which the last, remnant island of Poseidonis sank ... in precisely 9654BC, according to Plato.

It's not surprising then, that the Sphinx was built at least as early as the start of the last Age of Leo. It is, in short, a monument to the Christ (and to God)... though we must understand this Christ in terms of the Egyptian pantheon, most often as Horus, the falcon-headed. In terms of our spiritual constitution, the Christ within may be equated with the Akh, or Khu ... rather than the ka, ba, or other aspects of the soul.

There are indications that in fact, the Sphinx and the pyramids date back ~210,000 years ... to the days when Atlantis was in steep decline. Serving as Temples of Initiation - with the Sphnix as guardian of the Mysteries - this was the true Glory of ancient Egypt, whose shadow is known to historians & geologists, mistaking temples for tombs, and repair work on these Temple structures to original construction. The Sphinx was a mighty LION ... no human pharaoh. And the correspondence in terms of the Twelve Tribes of Isreal? The lion of Judah ...

The construction of the Sphinx certainly corresponds to the Age of Leo, even if this was a full eight cycles ago ... rather than a mere, half-turn of the zodiacal wheel. We can look backwards, or we can look - as did Christ and the Apostles - to the present, and to the future. Students of esotericism meditate on the Aquarian keynote (uttered symbolically by the Soul), "Water of Life I am, poured forth for thirsty men."

This is the message for us - for all of Humanity - from the same Christ Who appeared via the Initiate Jesus in Palestine at the start of the Piscean cycle. The keynote then, from the perspective of the Soul, was "I leave the Father's home, and turning back, I save." Does this not sound like the Christ of Christianity, as He has received the focus and emphasis from the Christian Church and masses of followers for two millennia?

Somewhere around the year 4100AD, the next cycle, of Capricorn, will be upon us. The keynote then will be, "Lost am I in light supernal, yet on that light I turn my back." There is an obvious and close parallel here with Christ's utterance in Pisces, yet it is the same Christ Presence which speaks forth these keynotes - in every sign of the zodiac. A wo/man may rise to discipleship, then Initiation, Mastery, even Christhood, in ANY of the Twelve Signs. In ages past, the numbers of those who have gone ahead have been small. Come the Era of Capricorn, we are told that Humanity will take even the higher Initiations by the many millions.

Esoterically speaking, these houses are but the divisions in the Heavens, as our entire Solar System passes through them in its orbit of the Star Alcyone, of the Pleiades. Ours is one of seven solar systems which make this journey linked together. This Greater Zodiac has its reflection and parallel in our lesser zodiac. So to some, the "One in Whom we live and move and have our being" ... is one of the 7 Elohim of our own system - each Elohim supporting a spiritual (and at some point, a material) evolution, as does the Earth Logos (God, YHWH).

Most of these Elohim are greater than our own, yet all bow before the Throne of Revelations - the One God Whom the Egyptians honored as Aten, sometimes as Ra, worshipping God as the sun disc ... while the priesthood knew the Inner significance. It isn't the orb, the fiery furnace, but rather the inner, spiritual reality - which is veiled, save to the inner eye, and heart. Christ, of course, bowed to this, the Most High God ... even as do the Elohim. And He tried to help the masses focus their worship to this Being, or in the very least to the Earth Logos - "Our Father Who art in Heaven." Many, as we see, in the centuries that followed, preferred to exalt and worship the MAN, Jesus ... rather than the Spiritual Presence of Christ within. There is a big difference between honoring the Initiate who showed us the Christ and the Father ... and worshipping that MAN.

One might just as soon worship Siddharta Gautama, Shankaracharya, Sri Krishna, or Mohammad. Much confusion exists, then, as to the difference between Prophets (or Messengers), Saviors (or Avatars, like the Christ and Buddha, who embodied spiritual Principles), and Highest Divinity (or Godhood, even in its triple-aspected, or septenary-aspected forms). So although Alice Bailey, H.P. Blavatsky and other disciples or Initiates were Messengers much as the Biblical prophets from the Old Testament ... to worship them would be absurd! The Adepts and Masters Themselves ... find the notion of worship almost offensive! They are not interested in blind obediance, devotions and honorifics.

ALL that they desire of their followers ... is recognition of the God within. But this has nothing to do with SELF, except for the need to START with the path of self-purification and strictest discipline. What the Masters mean by "the God within," is the very real spiritual Presence, of Christ within, Buddha nature, whatever we like to call it ... so long as we DO acknowledge and honor it, in our Brother on the Path. In everyone we meet! What was Neosnoia's quote from Mahatma Gandhi? “If you do not see God in the next person you see, you need look no further.”

I feel like I'm very much at this stage, just staring out. I aspire to one day understand even the lesser, or least of the Mysteries, before going on to master the Greater. But I have enough purification, discipline, and self-preparation to work on, to take a lifetime!

What we can do, no matter what stage of the path we find ourselves, is serve our fellow man. The higher we rise in terms of spiritual standing, and the closer we draw to the Christ and to the heart of God, the more humble we must become, and the more committed we must be to Loving Service. It is both our Highest Purpose for being here, as well as the swiftest, most effective path toward Liberation (or Redemption).

I know, I can never just hit POST soon enough ... lol

Love and Light,

andrew

[Dondi]

taij,
Soon as I rub the redness from my eyes from reading your post, I'll respond. I think my eyes are bleeding.

Originally Posted by taij

Absolutely! There's a guy that comes to mind, who writes from the perspective of a post-liberal or progressive Christian, whom I've seen quoted a time or two by either you, Ruby, InLove, Path_of_One, or maybe others. I think it's Harold something? Anyway, much of what changed things in his life, and helped open doors for him, was a near-death-experience ... I think. Maybe someone knows who I'm talking about?

Was it Howard Storm? I quoted what he said in his book of his near-death experience, "My Descent Into Death" that, "The best religion is the one that brings you closest to God." He said that was the response to one of his questions he asked during his NDE: "What is the best religion?"

Still looking for that Stream testimony. As soon as i find it I'll post.

Originally Posted by taij

What we can do, no matter what stage of the path we find ourselves, is serve our fellow man.

As long as the book isn't a cookbook.

But that was indeed the mission of Jesus:

"...just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." - Matthew 20:28

And as a follower of Christ, that ought to be the duty of a Christian.

[InLove]

Hi, and Peace to All--

Talk about bleeding eyes, Dondi! I have been working on this one thread for weeks now, and I still haven't read all the posts--had to skip over a few in the interest of preserving my own sanity. (Or what's left of it, anyway).

Let me address this really quickly and get it out of the way:

Originally Posted by Dondi

As long as the book isn't a cookbook.

No limits, Dondi, no limits. It's service, and spiritual--how else are we going to make the soup? If I remember correctly, Gandhiji even spoke of things like cleaning the toilet?

There is so much to take in here just on this thread. Imagine what it would take for one to know everything about all the religions in the world, historically and spiritually. I know that it isn't necessary to know all of it, because The Spirit does not desire for us to be ignorant, so we are all provided with a way for each to understand and grow in Love and Service.

Thanks, taijasi, for the information on the relationship between the astrological maps and Christian history. My youngest daughter, who views life from within a kind of Christian/Wiccan spirituality (I know, I know--seems like the impossible to many), is also an astrological consultant. I am going to send her the link. I think she will really enjoy the fact that good ole' Mom sent it. I think it might surprise her.

Here is a link to one of my favorite websites. I have been in touch with the people there once or twice, and I am confident that it is a trustworthy site. It helps to explain a little about Native American life as it goes hand-in-hand with a Christian viewpoint. It is mostly about language and traditions, but there are links you can follow if you like.

http://www.native-languages.org/religion.htm

And here is a thread in CR that might explain a little about my own personal knowledge of Cherokee traditions, history, and such (very little, as you will see), but this is a good thread for understanding some of the symbolism, both of mainland Americans as well as the Polynesian history. My own journey in this respect is an ongoing one, and I am not qualified yet to really be a trustworthy commentator. Working on it. There's just so much baloney out there for sale!!

Re: Native American Spirituality

I have a few questions--I need to find the best way to ask them, though. I'll be posting again, hopefully soon. But, ya know--I get it. Always thought it could be. Still coming from within my communities, and so it should be, I gather. How else can we know?

InPeace,
InLove

[Dondi]

Originally Posted by InLove

No limits, Dondi, no limits. It's service, and spiritual--how else are we going to make the soup? If I remember correctly, Gandhiji even spoke of things like cleaning the toilet?

You didn't get the joke. I was referring to an episode of "The Twilight Zone" where these alien visitors come to Earth to interact with man and invite them back to their planet. The aliens bring this cryptic book which apparently supposed to be a manual on how the aliens can benefit man titled "To Serve Man". At the end of the episode, however, one of the human scientists discover that the book is really a cookbook on how to serve man....yum..yum.

My response was to taij's quote about how we should serve our fellow man.

[Dondi]

As promised to taij, here is the excerpt from Martha Beck's "Leaving the Saints" in which she applies the notion of a "Leaf in the Stream", which she mentions is of Japanese origin:

"The Stream...was the umbiquitous Power of God that flowed through every being, sentient and non-sentient. To become a leaf was to ride the current without struggling, to sense the inclination of a benevolent reality and surrender to it, moment by moment"

She goes on how she has gone through stages of "The Stream", "The Lion", and "The Child". I regret not having what she wrote down for the lion except that involved her struggle from the Mormon society from which she was so much apart of, much having to do with her repressive father who was the notable Mormon apologist, Hugh Nimbly.

But the last part, concerning "The Child", she quoted Picasso:

"I have worked all my life to learn how to paint like a child."

She went on:

"In the last stage, the Lion gives way to the Child, to an original innocence. This is the Child of the Spirit, for whom all things are new. For this Divine Child there is wonder, ease, and a playful heart. The Child is at home in the reality of the present, able to enjoy, to respond, to forgive, and to share the blessings of being alive."

Martha Beck's book is a great read for anyone going through the same kind of transitions. I'm beginning to open my childlike eyes now.

[taijasi]

Dondi,

This reminds me of a Moody Blues song, Eyes of a Child.

I got the twilight zone joke, btw. Brings to mind other great classic episodes, like `Eye of the Beholder.'

peace,

andrew

[InLove]

Originally Posted by Dondi

You didn't get the joke. I was referring to an episode of "The Twilight Zone" where these alien visitors come to Earth to interact with man and invite them back to their planet. The aliens bring this cryptic book which apparently supposed to be a manual on how the aliens can benefit man titled "To Serve Man". At the end of the episode, however, one of the human scientists discover that the book is really a cookbook on how to serve man....yum..yum.

My response was to taij's quote about how we should serve our fellow man.

What, me not get a joke? (Actually, I was trying to be a bit cutesy as well. I need an icon for "I hope you know I'm trying to make a joke, but I'm no Robin Williams, so there may be some gray areas" <---throwing in an extra for good measure.)

InPeace,
InLove

[Dondi]

Originally Posted by taijasi

Dondi,

This reminds me of a Moody Blues song, Eyes of a Child.

I got the twilight zone joke, btw. Brings to mind other great classic episodes, like `Eye of the Beholder.'

peace,

andrew

From the album "To Our Children's, Children's, Children". Excellent album.