Insight on the Writing of the Gospels

[taijasi]

The author Geoffrey Hodson, who was a Messenger for the Angelic (Deva) Kingdom as well as for the (Human) Spiritual Brotherhood during the 20th Century, wrote dozens of books about the relationship between Humanity and the Divine. His life's work was one great act of Service, showing and teaching us how to bridge the gap between ourselves and G-d, as individuals, in groups, and as part of the Human Kingdom itself. The quote I'd like to share is from Light of the Sanctuary, his personal Diary, which was published posthumously for instructive and Service purposes. My recommendation, if anyone has further interest, would be to try and get ahold of The Hidden Wisdom in the Holy Bible series, of which at least four volumes exist (I have a couple of them).

The following is an entry from the 1960s, received from Geoffrey's Teacher (Master P, formerly Philo Judaeus) and transcribed by his wife, in which Geoffrey clairvoyantly observes (with expert training, guidance & direct inspiration) the Gospels being written:

A number of men, some of whom are bearded, are writing in a classroom, several at one table and others at their own desks, as it were. Each is responsible not only for putting the different parts of the original source together but also for bringing out, however symbolically, the occult and mystical meanings. This is done by so relating the various incidents in the life of Jesus that an interior, time-free and universal Truth is enunciated under the veil of allegory and symbol. Over them there is a Senior whom they acknowledge as a Sage and whose directions they unhesitatingly accept and follow.

These men are free, safe, and whilst working hard are not actually driven by any haste. As they write, they compare their work with each other and there are general discussions as to how the guidance of their leader may best be followed. He appears occasionally, looks over their shoulders, picks up a sheet or two of manuscript, reads it, comments, and suggests changes or additions.

The climate is hot; the ocean - presumably the Mediterranean - is visible, as also is a long curved quay, which reminds me of attempted restorations of the city of Alexandria. Ships are arriving at the port, some of them with graceful high poops, very high masts, and very high sails; some of them loaded with merchandise. Business must be very brisk at this time, for a dozen or more ships are tied up, whilst others, great and small, can be seen arriving and departing across the deep blue sea.

These men, Hebrews I think, live and work in an eastern part of the city and not very far from its outskirts where, apart from some palm trees and some irrigated fields, the desert begings. Here, quiet reigns in marked contrast to the very great activity - maritime and commerical - characteristic of the city itself, especially at and near the waterfront, where there are storage sheds and sailing-gear factories and repair shops. All this constitutes a veritable hive of industry, whilst further back there are very fine white buildings, civic and governmental, and an educational centre. I see many young and middle-aged men and women studiously engaged, some reading scrolls, some studying what looks like Euclid, and some making models of geometric forms and even mechanical machines. The impression is that this is one of the great centres at this time of world civilization and culture and, in a very private way, of occult study and some forms of the Mysteries.

Anyone interested in a bit of background, touching on the famed Library at Alexandria which is apparently described here, might consult this link. I watched Carl Sagan just the other night relating essentially this (taken from the page I just linked):

Ptolemy composed a letter "to all the sovereigns and governors on earth", imploring them "not to hesitate to send him" works by authors of every kind, including "poets and prose-writers, rhetoricians and sophists, doctors and soothsayers, historians, and all the others too". He gave orders that any books on board ships calling at Alexandria were to be copied, and only the copies returned to the owners. Eventually, the library is thought to have contained some six hundred to seven hundred thousand volumes [I have seen it said a million]. This massive collection of books and scrolls was not limited to Greek and Roman works. Oriental writings were translated into Greek and placed in the Library, as were ancient Egyptian texts, the Hebrew Scriptures and writing ascribed to the Persian prophet, Zoroaster. There were 123 plays by Sophocles and others by Aeschylus and Eurepides. It contained a history of the world from the time of the Biblical Flood written by Prossos, a Babylonian monk. Prossos dated the Flood to 433,000 years before his time.

[The number 432,000 will come up again & again in esoteric teachings, being quite familiar to Hindus as the length of Kali Yuga, and 1/10th the length of a Maha-Yuga (1x432 + 2x432 + 3x432 + 4x432 = 10x432 ... the Iron, Bronze, Silver & Golden Ages of the World combined).]

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A meeting with Jesus himself is recounted later in Geoffrey's entries, and is corroborated by Mary, the mother of Jesus, who speaks as the `Mother of the World,' which is a Devic (Angelic) position ... in the esoteric Brotherhood.

Nothing here, in Geoffrey's account, seems the least bit surprising or shocking to me, but then, I'm sure there are those who would like to believe that somehow - even though we know it was not actually so - it is as if there was an actual chronicler of the life of Jesus of Nazareth ... walking around, following him every moment, and even revealing to us his innermost thoughts and musings. That we can know the latter, in some measure, I am certain. That such a chronicler, in human form does not exist, I am also certain.

In the words of Jesus of Nazareth himself,

"Enemies of various sects encompassed me on every side, and because my soul was as a veritable target for the spears of baneful thoughts that were hurled at me by mine adversaries, too intent was I on confounding them to take measures that my deeds be rightly chronicled and my sayings be written down.

Nevertheless, when my days among men drew towards their close, a few of my acts and sayings were truthfully recorded. But the records themselves, because of the persecution of my followers, had perforce later on to be hidden away in a secret place; and only at the appointed time shall they again be brought to light.

But that time is not yet; and even when those scripts shall be found for the puzzling-over by savants, no great satisfaction will they yield save to those who have the key to their hidden meanings." (emphasis mine)

Note that it was in 1933 that the above statements were published as part of a book, presented by yet another Messenger ("prophet") of this Era. As I've mentioned in other posts, and as the bolded sections indicate, these statements did come to pass and were shown to be true, since the Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered "at the appointed time" (between 1947 & 1956).

Ahhh, and is it not so that as yet, the "savants" have mostly remained puzzled? And yet, the key exists, and is easily accessible - more so now, than perhaps at any time for millions of years of human history! Messengers come not to conceal, but to reveal! Not to hide, but to provide! That's if - we can keep quiet long enough to actually hear something ... and not rush hastily ... to crucify them!

"Those who do not learn from history ..." sighhhh ...

Namaskar,

andrew

[China Cat Sunflower]

I'm sorry if this is a bummer, but I just don't know what to do with this kind of information. My wife likes to read historical novels, but I find that I wind up with a bunch of information in my head that's ultimately unverifiable. Have you read the Urantia book?

Chris

[taijasi]

Originally Posted by China Cat Sunflower

I'm sorry if this is a bummer, but I just don't know what to do with this kind of information. My wife likes to read historical novels, but I find that I wind up with a bunch of information in my head that's ultimately unverifiable. Have you read the Urantia book?

Chris

No ... I haven't. I've glanced at it in parts, even spent hours thumbing through it in a bookstore one day. I found it precisely as you describe above - just didn't know what to do with it.

Mind you, as someone with a background studying The Secret Doctrine (by H.P. Blavatsky), and various other esoteric writings, I have seen my fair share of abstruse. While it may not be as easy to pick up this kind of writing and read it like narrative, there are rewards. The anecdotes that are sometimes provided are alone, worth the effort, imo.

But in the case of the diary above, I have long ago verified, to my own personal satisfaction, that the author writes truthfully, accurately, from direct inspiration/dictation, and with the motive of upliftment & enlightenment of his fellow human beings. An entire series of his writings, after all, is provided at the direct request of the Deva Kingdom ... who are spiritually more numerous than a Humanity which often seems content/hell-bent on claiming this planet (and others) for its own - forgetting what stewardship actually entails (Responsibility, for example).

Another author I have quoted, has provided me with more (borrowed) insight into the Gospel Story, than many, many other authors combined - and has helped to completely revolutionize my understanding of historical events - and the reason for them - 2100 years ago. This, too, I have verified to my own satisfaction.

And finally, knowing that the Great Library at Alexandria once held documents and instruments which could perhaps verify 98% of anything and everything I have come to believe, hold dear, and regard as sacred knowledge/Wisdom ... well ... it has forced me - whether I would otherwise have wanted to do so or not - to completely reconsider the motives, the methods, and the outcomes of the clergy, as well as of men of science, as these have worked together to weave the very fabric of our reality today (irrespectiveof , and dead set against - in many cases - the simple facts of the matter, or Truth, as some have come to know it).

Don't worry if this makes not the slightest bit of sense. I have come increasingly to realize of late, that most of what I post does not. Up until now this has not bothered me.

Now, it does. But thanks for stopping by.

Namaskar,

andrew

[China Cat Sunflower]

Don't worry if this makes not the slightest bit of sense. I have come increasingly to realize of late, that most of what I post does not.

Well, if it's any comfort I know what you mean. I keep a lot of stuff to myself because I'm incapable of finding the language to explain it to anyone. Especially with no eye contact and no body language. Do you play golf?

Chris

[pohaikawahine]

aloha e andrew and chris .... what both of you post makes so much sense .... keep writing and expressing your thoughts and don't worry about whether or not others understand them at the moment, they will become cohesive and whole as time progresses , and many are not ready to understand what you are beginning to understand so they can't always relate to your thoughts but they will also get there.... in my humble opinion, both the oral traditions as well as the written traditions are encoded in symbols that remind us who we really are and our own potentials to live a life of balance and righteousness as well to reach that place within us that leads to "enlightnment" or visions or revelations .... the keys are in the symbols and the inner meanings .... the "library" or "place of all knowledge" exists within each of us when we learn how to move the spiralling energy up the spinal column into the brain .... this is the real "hall of learning" .... the energy must pass through seven energy centers in the body for all of this to happen (to open the hall of records) .... there are many stories and legends that tell us about this process, but one of my favorite that I just learned is ......

the "seven-headed serpent) from the Talmud on Kiddushin 29b .... it "records a fantastic story of a 'mazik' (destructive force) which plagued the study hall of Abaych .... " .... in a nutshell, a seven-headed serpent (also known as a 'tanina' in araamic) appears in the study hall and a series of things happen that are connected with prayer to rid the hall of this serpent .... but it is in the symbols that the true meaning of the story tell us something .... the seven headed serpent is symbolic of the seven energy centers in the body, the study hall is the symbol of the center of the brain, the location of the holy of holies or the hall of records, and it is through deep prayer (a form of meditation) that the access is made .....

what you described about the "sages" in the room writing in symbols and codes sounds like the type of "seeing" that one would encounter when they begin to open the third eye to cross over into the world of spirit .... the space that is opened can be called many names, including the study hall or the great hall of records .... recordings of these events are usually done by people who have learned how to move this internal energy into the center of the brain, the location of the third eye (the place of seeing) ....

didn't mean to get into so much .... but just wanted to encourage both of you to keep writing and don't be afraid to express your thoughts .... we are all evolving to a better and higher frequency and our minds are opening to new worlds .... enjoy the adventure and relax .... aloha nui, pohaikawahine

[China Cat Sunflower]

Thank you very much pohaikawahine for your kind words. I'm really very impressed by what you write and the breadth of your knowledge. I have a similar admiration for Andrew and his ability to express complicated concepts so clearly. Right now I'm undergoing a phase in my quest where I'm trying to simplify things to get to what you might call the ordinary magic of life. In examining my own thoughts and motivations I find that I have a lot of junk. You know: half baked theories, stuff I've just accepted without really checking it out, defense mechanisms, erroneous connections, inherited cultural and religious programming, predjudices...stuff like that.

I'm convinced that every bit of life is sacred and potentially magical. In the past I kinda had an outside-in approach where I was trying to absorb a lot of esoteric and metaphysical stuff and then apply it through a kind of rote ceremonialism. Practice and repeat this stuff long enough, I figured, and it would transform me into something I felt I wasn't but wanted to be. Somewhere along the line I realized that approach was counter-productive for me. What I really needed to do was clean out my closet, so to speak. Allow and let go. So that's what I'm doing.

The reason I asked about golf is because golf is a lot like that. You can adopt an outside-in approach to improving your game by constantly trying to fix your swing, obsessing over swing thoughts, looking for that magical training device or set of "game improvement" clubs, and chasing the latest tip or trick from the "pros". Been there, done that. But it doesn't work for me. Somewhere, instinctively I know how to swing stick. It's already inside of me, but to find it I need to let go and just swing. I figure spirituality is like that.

Well, that's just me.

Chris

[China Cat Sunflower]

Andrew,

I'm interested in your new avatar. Is it tarot imagery? Can you post a larger version? I have a great interest in primal archetypes and archetypal symbolism. I'm quite jungian that way. I used to do tarot readings but I'm no longer interested in the mundanity of divination or prediction.

Chris

[taijasi]

Originally Posted by China Cat Sunflower

Andrew,

I'm interested in your new avatar. Is it tarot imagery? Can you post a larger version? I have a great interest in primal archetypes and archetypal symbolism. I'm quite jungian that way. I used to do tarot readings but I'm no longer interested in the mundanity of divination or prediction.

Chris

Chris (and Poh),

Thanks for sharing what you have both shared. The curious thing, is that between what's been said about golf, and the Holy of Holies (I was just now reading something online about the Anaktoron in the Eleusinian Mysteries) ... I find and feel a strange synthesis. And it's very helpful and uplifiting about now.

I'm feeling about as befuddled, and uninspired, and just generally in a funk, as I have in ages. Perhaps it has to do with a big interview coming up, yet it's also the vastly complicated thing we call "life." yeah, yeah, I know. I should stop taking myself (and lots of stuff) so seriously.

I think it's the "instinctive knowing" that I'm searching for - again - these days. It doesn't stick with you, I've realized, unless you keep it in practice. Doesn't necessarily take a pro, or a guru, to polish the skills. That's up to us. But if left on its own, even the exercise of certain instincts ... seem to atrophy. I guess we're not talking about scientific instinct here - but more in line with the innate abilities we all have. Even something as simple as what we call savoir faire.

My current avatar image is from Manly Hall's writings, depicting Thoth-Hermes Trismegistus ... Thrice Greatest Hermes. Augustus Knapp is the artiste, having illustrated Manly's magnum opus (The Secret Teachings of All Ages). I also have a tarot deck created by Hall and Knapp - quite beautiful, and definitely a variation on the usual Rider-Waite decks. Anyway, Knapp's artwork (from Secret Teachings) can be purchased online in 11"x17" versions, here. For some reason I don't see the image I was looking for there, although every other one seems listed. Let's see if I have it on the hard drive ...


The largest version I have. Plus the more Egyptian Thoth, by day and by night.

The Egyptian headdress corresponds to the Egyptian Thoth, and also the serpent, Typhon, whom Thoth-Hermes has clearly conquered/subdued. Yet the serpent also appears positively, in the form of the caduceus, in Hermes' left hand. Poh will know the symbolism of the snakes (ida & pingala), and central column - sushumna ... while the wings at the top (quite common as an Egyptian motif) suggest the freedom of the liberated Soul.

Hermes wears the Masonic apron in this image, and the position of the three spheres are symbolic. The dog is our lower nature, made subservient to the higher - to which the highly occult caduceus corresponds. The Emerald Tablet is in Hermes' right hand, and this commonly appears in the more Egyptian depictions of Thoth, law-giver (and scribe of the deeds of the dead, in the afterlife). Let's see, I'll try and upload a 2nd, more Egyptian image. Also, the Ibis in the upper left is usually associated with Thoth (and the higher nature), as indeed, Thoth is ibis-headed.

Some esotericists believe that among the former incarnations of Shakyamuni Buddha ... were Thoth-Hermes, Orpheus, Zoroaster, and the poet, Vyasa (originator of the Vedas). This would date back about 60,000 years - although these earlier incarnations were of an already advanced soul ...

cheers,

andrew

[pohaikawahine]

Re ypour avatar andrew, I love that the mo'o (dragon) is called Typhon because the mo'o energy (dragon energy) is symbolic of the spiralling energy in the human body and just as a typhoon (same as a hurricane but the wind goes in the opposite direction) symbolized the same spiralling energy ....

I have a copy of Manly Hall's "The Secret Teachings of All Ages" and here is what it says under your avatar:

Hermes Standing Upon the Back of Typhon.

"Hermes, as the personification of Universal Wisdom, is here depicted with his foot upon the back of Typhon, the vanquished dragon of ignorance and perversion. To the Egyptian initiates Typhon, the devourer of souls, signified the Lower world which swallows up the spiritual nature of the individual who, being imperfect, is forced to descend from the higher spheres and be reborn into the physical universe. To be swallowed by Typhon therefore signifies the process of rebirth, from which man can only release himself by vanquishing his mortal Adversary.

In one hand Hermes carries the Caduceus, a winged rod with two fighting serpents entwined about it; in the other, the immortal Emerald, upon whose surface was inscribed in raised letters the sum of philosophy. The figure wears the ancient Egyptian Masonic apron according to the pattern discovered by Belzoni, the eminent Egyptologist. The two small circles contain the forms and symbols most closely associated with Hermes. In the upper circle is the ibis, whose curious characteristics have caused it to be particularly associated with the medical art. In the initiation ceremonies the Egyptian priests wore masks in the form of the ibis head to signify that they represented the attributes of Thoth, or Hermes. The Lower circle fontains the dogn, an animal always associated with Hermes because of its intelligence and devotion. Upon the forehead of Hermes appears the uraeus, the secret symbol of the constellation of Scorpio, which represents the regeneration of the same power that in the form of a drgon lies helpless under his foot. The scarab over the heart of Hermes represents the presence of the spiritual and regenerative light within his own soul; the collar typifies by its circles the orbits of the heavenly bodies. The three points of the tail of Typhon which end in arrows indicte the three destructive expressions of universal energy - mental, moral, and physical pervesion. The entire diagram signifies mastery through the regeneration of the body, the illumination of the mind, and the transmutation of the emotions."

I like Manly Hall's works, but sometimes I don't feel he gets to the root meaning of some of the symbols (just my opinion) for example in the same book he has a section on the round table of king arthur in which he says that the "the Order of the Round Table had its distinctivbe rituals and symbols, the knowledge of them has not survived the ages. " and "King Arthur chose twenty-four who excelled all the others in daring and integrity and formed of them his Circle of the Round Table."

First there is great debate even today as to whether or not King Arthur ever existed and whether or not his legend is an allegory .... I believe it to be symbolic as are many biblical works .... the round table symbolized the human head and the 24 pairs of cranial nerves that make the whole energy system work .... the holy grail (in which only three knights are able to locate it .... just as three always go to the top of the mountain) is located in the same place in the brain as the "holy of holies" or the "hall of records" .... in part of the description of the round table the holy grail makes it appearance floating or suspended about the center of the round table covered by a veil or shroud and one legend says "fairer than ever they saw afore" - for thus the Grail reveals us as we truly are, filled with the light of the spirit that is normally hidden within the veils of the flesh." And it is said that "only one who is pure in heart and single-minded in the desire to achieve the mystery of the Grail could sit in this seat" (the Perilous Seat, which in the allegory of the Grail search represents the place occupied by Christ at the table of the Last Supper) ....

The diary that started this thread which is apparently channeled comes closer to linking us to the inner path of knowledge .... the place of visions and revelations, the hall of records, the location of the holy grail, the holy of holies, the cave of the bear (native american tradition), or the ahu (hawaiian tradition) all take us to the same place .... I would even venture to guess that there are 12 sages writing the scriptures because they would be circle of elders or the 12 pairs of cranial nerves, or the 24 knights of the round table ..... just tossing out some thoughts .... he hawai'i au, pohaikawahine

[Quahom1]

Originally Posted by taijasi

...

In the words of Jesus of Nazareth himself,

"Enemies of various sects encompassed me on every side, and because my soul was as a veritable target for the spears of baneful thoughts that were hurled at me by mine adversaries, too intent was I on confounding them to take measures that my deeds be rightly chronicled and my sayings be written down.

Nevertheless, when my days among men drew towards their close, a few of my acts and sayings were truthfully recorded. But the records themselves, because of the persecution of my followers, had perforce later on to be hidden away in a secret place; and only at the appointed time shall they again be brought to light.

But that time is not yet; and even when those scripts shall be found for the puzzling-over by savants, no great satisfaction will they yield save to those who have the key to their hidden meanings." (emphasis mine)

Note that it was in 1933 that the above statements were published as part of a book, presented by yet another Messenger ("prophet") of this Era. As I've mentioned in other posts, and as the bolded sections indicate, these statements did come to pass and were shown to be true, since the Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered "at the appointed time" (between 1947 & 1956).


"Those who do not learn from history ..." sighhhh ...

Namaskar,

andrew

I'd really like to know where the author found such "statements" of Christ.

That would be a phenominal revelation...

v/r

Q

[pohaikawahine]

"hidden away in a secret place" .... imho, that secret place is not outside of us in a physical location .... it is internal .... the "keys" to unlock it, again in my opinion, are different frequencies of sound .... and a deep form of meditation or trance .... this can be accessed by deep prayer, spinning, rocking, chanting etc..... many different ways .... we must go within and walk (what would be known in the hawaiian language as 'po mokoke') the path of the night rainbow and we are all 'ka po'e ao hiwa' (light carriers or those that tend the sacred light) .... when we remember who we are and are able to move the spiralling energy up the mountain (toward the center of the brain) we can access the "hidden away secret place" ....

the "keys" to this ancient path or process are everywhere .... but we must open our eyes and see with our souls in order to obtain them .... one document referred to as the "emerald tablets" (andrew, you will know about this one from your avatar) was reportedly written by Hermes and it is therefore called the Emerald Tablet of Hermes ....it is from this document that we find the refernce to "as above, so below" .... the exact wording is

"I speak not fiction, but what is certain and most true.

What is below is like that which is above, and that which is above is like that which is below for performing the miracle of one thing.

And as all things are produced from One, by mediation of One, so all things are produced from this One thing by adaptation."

The document goes on to speak of things like "the key of seven", the
"key of mystery" etc., yet even this document is written in codes .... the reference to "what is above is like what is below" has many levels of meaning, but its essence, as I understand it, is that what exists outside of us is repeated within, and what is within is replicated without .... the symbols keep telling us to return within to walk the ancient path of wisdom or knowledge and only then will we return to our true sovereignty or to the promised land .... then the regathering will begin in ernest .... and our world will change because we have changed .... he hawai'i au, pohaikawahine

[taijasi]

Goodness, I feel motivated to respond to so much of what you've shared, Poh, and I look forward to doing so when I can devote proper time and attention (I have a deadline right now). I may have to look a couple of things up, but 98% of what you've said resonates and rings true. The other 2% is just stuff I haven't seen for some time, including some of what you mentioned about King Arthur. I had always believed that he might be purely symbolic/mythical myself, but somewhere in recent years I do recall coming across a statement that there was an actual figure, Merlin included. It may even have been Manly Hall's writings, but I don't think so. Perhaps I can find it ...

Since I began this thread on insight into the Christian Gospels, I just want to respond to what you asked about 24 hrs ago, Q. In order to fully answer the inquiry, " I'd really like to know where the author found such "statements" of Christ. ... That would be a phenominal revelation..." - I could only refer you to the source of the quotation. There is both an Introduction in this book, and an Afterword, which you might find satisfactory, or at least, helpful. They're too long to provide here in full, but here are a few brief excerpts:

"In any case, a part of Master Jesus' work has been and still is by means of the written word to counteract those baneful, doctrinal fallacies of the past, thereby seeking to inspire a greater spirit of tolerance, not only among the differing sects but also towards other religions. Indeed, to-day in these times of crisis when the need is ever more pressing to save man from the disastrous effect of wrong thinking and wrong action, He is using every available means, however modest and varied, to bring about that desideratum, the most important factor of which is Unity among all the peoples of the world.
...
Inspirational writing is older than Christendom itself, and practically all religious communities of whatever faith are familiar with it in one form or another. It is not to be confounded with automatic writing, the latter being a negative type in which the hand rather than the mind is used by some disembodied presence. As those who practise automatic writing are usually unaware of what they are setting down, their critical faculty is in abeyance, and they are therefore at the mercy of the entity who writes through them. With inspirational writing this is not the case; the transmitter is fully aware of all he sets down, and so is able to judge when the transmission is faulty.

To some people it may seem strange that in given circumstances both inspirational and scientific methods can be co-related; yet this is possible in so far that the veracity of inspirational writing can be authenticated by those who possess the necessary faculties. That the utterances in the script which herein follows were inpressed on the writer by the Master Jesus, has been authenticated by two trained and independent investigators along the line of occult science.
...
... what the writer relates in the preliminary proem about his visit to the Master's garden in Syria, may not seem as irrational as it would have done in the days when agnosticism was regarded as an aspect of progressiveness.
...
To be explicit, it is difficult even for a Master to impress the mind of His medium relative to matters with which that medium is unfamiliar. Indeed, the medium's mind may be likened to a piano: if some of its notes are missing, the musician however gifted will be considerably hampered by the limitations imposed.

With regard to the stylized language of the script, apart from the fact that the Master has certain characteristics of speech - was He not an adept at poetical expression when He trod the earth of Palestine? - the somewhat Biblical language is particularly suited to rhetorical utterance.

Finally, the spiritual pride with its self-assertiveness being one of the dangers which beset the neophyte on the occult or mystical Path, the writer desires as far as may be still possible to remain anonymous [- and this was the case, until after his death]."

I have only quoted a few portions of the Introduction, in order to remain within copyright restrictions, and Amazon.com reproduces almost the entire first chapter in its entirety, if you wish to take a look: link. The first words of that chapter are referenced in the Intro, and above, thus: "Prolonged and deep had been my meditation, so deep that my soul had left my body. And I was transported to a garden in a country far away from my dwelling-place. Yet was that garden familiar to me, and the faces of some of those who walked therein as they conversed lovingly together, for oftentimes had I been in that garden before. And I stood beneath the branches of a great cedar-tree, and watched, and waited, knowing that I had come to this sanctified place for a purpose. And presently towards me along one of the paths came that Great One Whom I had always desired to serve. And as He approached, I was dazzled by the resplendence of His aureole, which was of surpassingly beautiful colors suffused with gold."

A final quotation, from the Afterword (found only in recent editions, as explained by the author at the start of the Afterword), is helpful and relevant to this thread, and I do not hesitate to post it here, since this seems the appropriate place:

"Before concluding this Afterword, it may be of interest to add some data, recently given out by the Tibetan Master in regard to certain things which formed no part of the intentions of The Christ and the Initiate Jesus when They inaugurated the Christian religion.

First, it was never intended that the Old Testament should be incorporated with The Gospels. Whereas, like the Ramayana and The Indian Song Celestial [The Bhagavad Gita], The Gospels come under the heading of first-class Scriptures, the Old Testament for the most part is merely second-class Scriptures, and its incorporation into the Christian Religion, with which fundamentally it has nothing to do, can only be regarded as a major misfortune, seeing that the two are not reconcilable. Indeed, the attempt to reconcile them has been responsible for much of that theological juggling and brain-tormenting which has merely made confusion worse confounded.
Secondly, the intolerant attitude towards matters of sex which has prevailed throughout Christendom was at variance with The Christ's intentions. Primarily responsible for this was the propagandist Saul of Tarsus, alias St. Paul, whose Christendom was coloured by his own personality and the lack of tolerance, understanding and far-sightedness in his character."

I might add that the character and tone of the author of this book, as is made plain in the Introduction and Afterword, are 100% in sympathy and accord with his Master and with the Master Jesus, in that several times it is stated that the hope is to stimulate and re-vitalize certain of the truths of the Christian religion which have otherwise fallen by the wayside - at least, as of 1933, and shortly thereafter. The author makes clear that while there are many who simply regard Christianity as a failed religion (relative to its Founder's intentions), it is his understanding that this is not the case, nor would it be so regarded by The Christ, by the Master Jesus, or by other Masters. My own, personal opinion, is the same. And while the average Christian might see this, laugh and say, "so what?" - or perhaps even feel indignified - there is really no reason to feel offended, or defensive in the least. Before so reacting, I think s/he should at least give the author the benefit of the doubt (his intentions - and the true source of the writing - having been made plain) ... and pick up a copy of this book and read it for him or herself!

The last thing I'd like to say, is that - though my own means of verification are much more limited than the occult investigators which the author mentions in the Introduction - I have sufficiently for myself looked into the possible authenticity of this, and other of his writings, and know them (as well as even the most pious & studious of Christians knows his Bible to be likewise) - to be accurate and authentic. Now anyone may differ, and feel free to argue ... that is your right! But I will go to my grave believing what I believe, and knowing what I know.

Certainly I would not perjure myself on something which I regard as serious as this ... thus, with my hand on a whole stack of books which are a thousand times more Sacred to me than the Christian Bible - I would testify to the legitimacy of Visions of the Nazarene. The book, like its author, serves the highest Purpose, which any can serve, on this planet. And I know, for certain, than anyone who reads it with an open heart and an unbiased mind, can and will arrive at a similar understanding, if it be his or her time to do so. I can say that with regard to dozens of other books, including the Diary from which I quoted in the original post. That that author is similarly inspired (and was & is an advanced student of the Masters), I know beyond a shadow of a doubt. A part of me is even mystified that it would not be obvious to others, yet perhaps with the reading of a few of his entries in their entirety, others would be sure - I don't know.

And yet, of all the things I feel certain, the one thing I cannot say, since that is well beyond me - is whether any writings such as these are "meant" to appeal to and inspire anyone, other than myself, at this particular time, or ever. No, I do not concede that they are "true for one person and not for another," for that would be pure relativism ... but let's face it, there are some who might pick up A Brief History of Time, be utterly unmoved by it, and being able to verifiy very little of Hawking's theory in & of themselves, would simply toss the baby out with the bathwater. And so would many judge the Holy Koran, the New Testament, the Bhagavad Gita, and so forth. Others, such as myself, might feel that the genius of Shakespeare evidenced the wit & inspiration of an arhat (who either collaborated with or inspired ol' Bill, or else was William Shakespeare, or perhaps overshadowed him). Yet some would just say, "yeah, yeah, he wrote them plays," and be done with it. But do you like Shakespeare, and do you get something out of his plays? That seems to be the question. Was he a literary genius? Hmmm, that's subjective. But did he write all those plays or sonnets? Well, however he did so, and whatever his inspiration - that he wrote them, we cannot argue.

I simply wish sometimes, that I could say a few words of recommendation, and that those who claim they are actually interested in the writings of Jesus, or of the other Masters, might be interested. And yet, until I am sure I know another person's karma, what their Soul truly needs, and when, then I must remain content to say a few words (or write a novella ), and hope that others might - see. Isn't that all that any of us can do?

Mmmmm. Perhaps there is one thing more. And it's a lifetime in the doing.

Cheers ... time to get busy!

andrew

[Quahom1]

Originally Posted by taijasi

Goodness, I feel motivated to respond to so much of what you've shared, Poh, and I look forward to doing so when I can devote proper time and attention (I have a deadline right now). I may have to look a couple of things up, but 98% of what you've said resonates and rings true. The other 2% is just stuff I haven't seen for some time, including some of what you mentioned about King Arthur. I had always believed that he might be purely symbolic/mythical myself, but somewhere in recent years I do recall coming across a statement that there was an actual figure, Merlin included. It may even have been Manly Hall's writings, but I don't think so. Perhaps I can find it ...


Since I began this thread on insight into the Christian Gospels, I just want to respond to what you asked about 24 hrs ago, Q. In order to fully answer the inquiry, " I'd really like to know where the author found such "statements" of Christ. ... That would be a phenominal revelation..." - I could only refer you to the source of the quotation. There is both an Introduction in this book, and an Afterword, which you might find satisfactory, or at least, helpful. They're too long to provide here in full, but here are a few brief excerpts:

"In any case, a part of Master Jesus' work has been and still is by means of the written word to counteract those baneful, doctrinal fallacies of the past, thereby seeking to inspire a greater spirit of tolerance, not only among the differing sects but also towards other religions. Indeed, to-day in these times of crisis when the need is ever more pressing to save man from the disastrous effect of wrong thinking and wrong action, He is using every available means, however modest and varied, to bring about that desideratum, the most important factor of which is Unity among all the peoples of the world.
...
Inspirational writing is older than Christendom itself, and practically all religious communities of whatever faith are familiar with it in one form or another. It is not to be confounded with automatic writing, the latter being a negative type in which the hand rather than the mind is used by some disembodied presence. As those who practise automatic writing are usually unaware of what they are setting down, their critical faculty is in abeyance, and they are therefore at the mercy of the entity who writes through them. With inspirational writing this is not the case; the transmitter is fully aware of all he sets down, and so is able to judge when the transmission is faulty.

To some people it may seem strange that in given circumstances both inspirational and scientific methods can be co-related; yet this is possible in so far that the veracity of inspirational writing can be authenticated by those who possess the necessary faculties. That the utterances in the script which herein follows were inpressed on the writer by the Master Jesus, has been authenticated by two trained and independent investigators along the line of occult science.
...
... what the writer relates in the preliminary proem about his visit to the Master's garden in Syria, may not seem as irrational as it would have done in the days when agnosticism was regarded as an aspect of progressiveness.
...
To be explicit, it is difficult even for a Master to impress the mind of His medium relative to matters with which that medium is unfamiliar. Indeed, the medium's mind may be likened to a piano: if some of its notes are missing, the musician however gifted will be considerably hampered by the limitations imposed.

With regard to the stylized language of the script, apart from the fact that the Master has certain characteristics of speech - was He not an adept at poetical expression when He trod the earth of Palestine? - the somewhat Biblical language is particularly suited to rhetorical utterance.

Finally, the spiritual pride with its self-assertiveness being one of the dangers which beset the neophyte on the occult or mystical Path, the writer desires as far as may be still possible to remain anonymous [- and this was the case, until after his death]."

I have only quoted a few portions of the Introduction, in order to remain within copyright restrictions, and Amazon.com reproduces almost the entire first chapter in its entirety, if you wish to take a look: link. The first words of that chapter are referenced in the Intro, and above, thus: "Prolonged and deep had been my meditation, so deep that my soul had left my body. And I was transported to a garden in a country far away from my dwelling-place. Yet was that garden familiar to me, and the faces of some of those who walked therein as they conversed lovingly together, for oftentimes had I been in that garden before. And I stood beneath the branches of a great cedar-tree, and watched, and waited, knowing that I had come to this sanctified place for a purpose. And presently towards me along one of the paths came that Great One Whom I had always desired to serve. And as He approached, I was dazzled by the resplendence of His aureole, which was of surpassingly beautiful colors suffused with gold."


A final quotation, from the Afterword (found only in recent editions, as explained by the author at the start of the Afterword), is helpful and relevant to this thread, and I do not hesitate to post it here, since this seems the appropriate place:

"Before concluding this Afterword, it may be of interest to add some data, recently given out by the Tibetan Master in regard to certain things which formed no part of the intentions of The Christ and the Initiate Jesus when They inaugurated the Christian religion.

First, it was never intended that the Old Testament should be incorporated with The Gospels. Whereas, like the Ramayana and The Indian Song Celestial [The Bhagavad Gita], The Gospels come under the heading of first-class Scriptures, the Old Testament for the most part is merely second-class Scriptures, and its incorporation into the Christian Religion, with which fundamentally it has nothing to do, can only be regarded as a major misfortune, seeing that the two are not reconcilable. Indeed, the attempt to reconcile them has been responsible for much of that theological juggling and brain-tormenting which has merely made confusion worse confounded.
Secondly, the intolerant attitude towards matters of sex which has prevailed throughout Christendom was at variance with The Christ's intentions. Primarily responsible for this was the propagandist Saul of Tarsus, alias St. Paul, whose Christendom was coloured by his own personality and the lack of tolerance, understanding and far-sightedness in his character."

I might add that the character and tone of the author of this book, as is made plain in the Introduction and Afterword, are 100% in sympathy and accord with his Master and with the Master Jesus, in that several times it is stated that the hope is to stimulate and re-vitalize certain of the truths of the Christian religion which have otherwise fallen by the wayside - at least, as of 1933, and shortly thereafter. The author makes clear that while there are many who simply regard Christianity as a failed religion (relative to its Founder's intentions), it is his understanding that this is not the case, nor would it be so regarded by The Christ, by the Master Jesus, or by other Masters. My own, personal opinion, is the same. And while the average Christian might see this, laugh and say, "so what?" - or perhaps even feel indignified - there is really no reason to feel offended, or defensive in the least. Before so reacting, I think s/he should at least give the author the benefit of the doubt (his intentions - and the true source of the writing - having been made plain) ... and pick up a copy of this book and read it for him or herself!

The last thing I'd like to say, is that - though my own means of verification are much more limited than the occult investigators which the author mentions in the Introduction - I have sufficiently for myself looked into the possible authenticity of this, and other of his writings, and know them (as well as even the most pious & studious of Christians knows his Bible to be likewise) - to be accurate and authentic. Now anyone may differ, and feel free to argue ... that is your right! But I will go to my grave believing what I believe, and knowing what I know.

Certainly I would not perjure myself on something which I regard as serious as this ... thus, with my hand on a whole stack of books which are a thousand times more Sacred to me than the Christian Bible - I would testify to the legitimacy of Visions of the Nazarene. The book, like its author, serves the highest Purpose, which any can serve, on this planet. And I know, for certain, than anyone who reads it with an open heart and an unbiased mind, can and will arrive at a similar understanding, if it be his or her time to do so. I can say that with regard to dozens of other books, including the Diary from which I quoted in the original post. That that author is similarly inspired (and was & is an advanced student of the Masters), I know beyond a shadow of a doubt. A part of me is even mystified that it would not be obvious to others, yet perhaps with the reading of a few of his entries in their entirety, others would be sure - I don't know.

And yet, of all the things I feel certain, the one thing I cannot say, since that is well beyond me - is whether any writings such as these are "meant" to appeal to and inspire anyone, other than myself, at this particular time, or ever. No, I do not concede that they are "true for one person and not for another," for that would be pure relativism ... but let's face it, there are some who might pick up A Brief History of Time, be utterly unmoved by it, and being able to verifiy very little of Hawking's theory in & of themselves, would simply toss the baby out with the bathwater. And so would many judge the Holy Koran, the New Testament, the Bhagavad Gita, and so forth. Others, such as myself, might feel that the genius of Shakespeare evidenced the wit & inspiration of an arhat (who either collaborated with or inspired ol' Bill, or else was William Shakespeare, or perhaps overshadowed him). Yet some would just say, "yeah, yeah, he wrote them plays," and be done with it. But do you like Shakespeare, and do you get something out of his plays? That seems to be the question. Was he a literary genius? Hmmm, that's subjective. But did he write all those plays or sonnets? Well, however he did so, and whatever his inspiration - that he wrote them, we cannot argue.

I simply wish sometimes, that I could say a few words of recommendation, and that those who claim they are actually interested in the writings of Jesus, or of the other Masters, might be interested. And yet, until I am sure I know another person's karma, what their Soul truly needs, and when, then I must remain content to say a few words (or write a novella ), and hope that others might - see. Isn't that all that any of us can do?

Mmmmm. Perhaps there is one thing more. And it's a lifetime in the doing.

Cheers ... time to get busy!

andrew

First of all. I will be the first to agree there is more to Christ than "He offers salvation, do His will, die, go to heaven".

Second, I think there is much more to the Old and New testament than most give credit for. Anyone who chooses to dismiss the "foundation" (old testament), has missed three quarters of the point (IMO).

Third, my friend, any pianist worth his/her salt will know which keys are bad on a piano, and will compensate by going up or down one octave, hence not missing a note (though the song will sound different sligthly and be rather unique in presentation) but isn't that the spice of life?

There are those of us who have a true desire to understand Jesus, and we spend a life time learning. Any advice is good advice, as long as it doesn't imply that Jesus is not God. Once one attempts that, the doors close and the ears shut down. Why? Why throw away a promise? Why ignore a way of life that for all practical purposes is better than anything that has come down the pike in over 7000 years? Why call Jesus "Master", when that implies a human term, one that the student can one day hold? Why call Him master, when it is much more appropriate to call Him "Lord"? Why indeed...

my thoughts

v/r

Q

[taijasi]

Originally Posted by Quahom1

Why call Jesus "Master", when that implies a human term, one that the student can one day hold? Why call Him master, when it is much more appropriate to call Him "Lord"? Why indeed...

Don't forget that the use of this term was in fashion in years gone by, and though some still retain it today, there are many who simply prefer the word "Teacher," or Elder Brother. The title "Master," just as "Mahatma," was never self-designated, but simply referred, in the first case, to one who has overcome all limitation and mastered the art & science of living in this world, while in the second case, one who has worked to allow the perfection of the Inner Man ("God") to shine forth - and thus demonstrated the `Great Soul' within us all.

Within esoteric teachings (including Theosophy as a subset), that Path that leads to self-Mastery is said to lead us away from this planet, as concerns the vast majority of human souls. However, there is still a great need - perhaps never so great as at the present time - for the voluntary sacrifice (of one's earned Nirvana) of those who have attained Mastery, so that Humanity can cross the present Abyss which looms before us all. Of the Seven Paths open to the jivanmukti ("free-soul"), Earth Service is in many ways the noblest, and one of the most difficult. Only a small handful may choose it.

What I have always understood is that Jesus of Nazareth chose this path, and is one of the eldest "Masters" Who remain with us. Following Asekha Adeptship (Initiation of the 5th Degree), a Master who remains on Earth will eventually become a Chohan, meaning "Lord." The title is an honorary one, yet it signifies most of what any Christian I have ever met understands by that word - with several definite exceptions. The Spiritual Hierarchy consists of no fewer than Seven Chohans, each corresponding to one of the Seven Rays ... in the case of Master Jesus, the Sixth Ray of Devotion and Idealism. If desired, one can trace this teaching back thousands of years, and it can be found in every major world religion - Christianity included. In practical terms, Master J. serves as the earthly correspondence (or Representative) for one of the Seven Angels before the Throne, one of the Seven Archangels (Gabriel, I should think). Esoterically, this makes perfect sense, although in terms of RC teachings, I doubt it, except for Liberal Catholicism.

Following Chohanship, a Master - if he remains with the Hierarchy for its higher offices - can go on to become a Maha Chohan, or "Great Lord." Only one individual truly bears that title, and in early Theosophical writings the Masters KH and M would usually refer to this individual - Their superior - as "The Chief." The Maha Chohan is said to guide all of civilization as we know it, over vast aeons of time, and is aided by his two brothers of equal rank and standing, "The Christ" (or Bodhisattva, in charge of Religion - singular), and "The Manu" (whose office - guiding Government, singular - is fairly familiar in exoteric terms to every Hindu). These are the correspondence upon our planet to the Holy Ghost, Son, and Father Aspects, respectively. And no one in modern movements "made these terms and offices up." They have existed since before our world began, though functionally and practically there was no Hierarchy until 18 million years ago. But the objection that these are new age ideas, or some kind of attempt to reconcile various religious teachings or create a synthesis ... is absurd. Take a single religion or set of spiritual teachings, and all of this can be traced, documented, detailed, and explained.

Jesus would not be lost in this, if there were willingness to consider that God does not make mistakes. Because we have insisted on conceptualizing Him in earthly terms, we have misunderstood, or failed to understand, the nature of The Plan. Our Human Free Will has most certainly served somewhat to derail The Plan, yet no Master Jesus, no Son of God, not even God the Father in Highest Aspect ... can reroute the train if we insist on jumping track. And while the Christian recognizes this and admits of one Saviour - calling Him Jesus the Christ, the esotericist admits of the spiritual principle as Savior, calling it Christ in (you), the Hope of Glory, with St. Paul. And Soteriology may differ from there, but the point agreed is that "no man comes to the Father except through Christ." And practically speaking, from that point on, the goal of the Christian and that of the esotericist is one and the same. For until and unless this world can unite and agree upon these religious basics, there can be no peace, and no amelioration to the conflict within, showing itself so sorely in our world today.

Love and Light,

andrew

[Thomas]

I think the point here is that Jesus Christ is not an element within a system or spiritual hierarchy - esoteric otherwise - he is that which causes all things to be:

"Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether [they be] thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: And he is before all things, and by him all things consist."

This contradicts your essential message that Christ is a cog in an esoterists' spiritual wheel.

Thomas