Religion

earth changes is there a exact date or should you not think like that?

2012-01-18T19:32:00.000-08:00

i do not think there is a exact date for these proposed earth changes that might take place, if you think you have some kind of exact date for earth changes like say this year, i think personally that there actually is no exact date and time for these earth changes.

one thing these earth changes might happen over a gradual period of time and not just all at once on one particular date.

and also i do not think it is correct to think things will happen on one particular date at a certain time, this is people thinking this way so that they are in control, and do not have to realise they are not in control, and it is other forces that are actually in control when it comes to things like changes happening on planet earth.

this year though they will be a lot of people getting into or onto the band wagon that there will something major happen at the end of the year, on a exact date, but i do not think it will work this, way and if there is going to be earth changes they will be spread out over various dates.

what is real? for a atheist or a religious person do they agree on the beauty in the world?

2012-01-03T11:49:00.000-08:00

even though atheists and religious people do not seem to agree on what is real or what is the truth in the world?, or if there is a god or if there is any value in spirituality.

do atheists and people who believe in religion believe in the beauty of this world?, i think they do, where atheists and religious people seem to differ is that atheists believe that every thing happened by accident, whereas religious or spiritual people believe that there was a creator or a designer called god who created everything.

i.e. people who believe in religion and the spiritual side of life believe in intelligent design whereas as atheists do not seem to believe in intelligent design just a process of evolution that created the intelligent design.

the reason i say intelligent design is that in nature you can find patterns and sequences that repeating like a code used by a designer, geometric processes are common in nature, repeating forms and patterns that make up the beauty of this world.

this is one area i think atheists can agree with none atheists is just the beauty in the world, the spiritual serenity that is present?.

this is a great song to go with these pictures by enya caribbean blue

i think in these beautiful pictures of nature atheists and people who believe in religion can agree on the beauty and serenity in creation?.

i think some of these pictures remind me of fractals in nature, repeating sequences that go into infinity and i see these as possible signs of a intelligent designer, atheists view these differently as a process of evolution, but what can be agreed is that creation has a beautiful side to it as is shown in these pictures wether you believe in a religion or atheist

i also think pictures like this are a sign of gods work in 2012 in creating and sustaining a world with such beautiful designs and texture full of a very varied and creative landscape as can be seen in these lovely pictures of nature

what is or does ascension mean 2012 about religious or spiritual?

2012-01-03T06:56:00.000-08:00

a popular topic this year in 2012 is going to be ascension and what it means and is it part of religion or religious beliefs, for me ascension should be more to a individual and how they find there way in the world, rather then a defined event at some defined date.

i think ascension is more a personal thing for each individual and something you live through your daily activities and finding what suits you in your life and your religious beliefs.

ascension is not something to be forced or chased, it is something i would put in to the same bracket as just growing and learning as you do in life, whereas a lot of people have a belief of ascension being something they can make happen.

whereas they would be better letting god control there lifes more then anything, and being more open minded then closed minded to the world and there beliefs, while letting other people have there own religious beliefs.

i do not think there is any specific date of ascension for anyone, jesus christ said himself "No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father."

this would mean there is no specific ascension 2012 date or day or time and your spiritual life is your own journey planned by god.

the reason i think there is no ascension date is due to the quote from the bible where jesus says in Matthew 24:36 "No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father". this is what jesus christ said about ascension in the bible, only god knows if 2012 is real.

this christian passage describes ascension and says no one knows date of each persons ascension this means ascension is a personal event and not a group event it only happens to the individual and not groups of individuals, but to the person by themselves, as said by jesus christ in the bible.

what is the book of life about?

2011-12-26T05:59:00.000-08:00

what is the book of life about is one of those mysteries though, in reality there are quite a few things known about the book of life, i think it is jesus who refers to the book of life being a record of all the names of souls and life itself.

wiki says this part,

"In the Old Testament, the Book of Life is the book or muster-roll of God, in which all the people who are considered righteous before God are recorded forever. God has such a book, and to be blotted out of it, signifies death"

"Every one that shall be found written in the book . . . shall awake to everlasting life"

so i the bookof life is not so much a physical book you can find on earth, but more so a book god has, but this is not to say you cannot read the book of life, as it is noted that the books of god can be read, through some kind of inner sight, this is said to be possible.

wiki

"Book of Jubilees

The Book of Jubilees[8] speaks of two heavenly tablets or books: a Book of Life for the righteous, and a Book of Death for those that walk in the paths of impurity and are written down on the heavenly tablets as adversaries (of God).

Also, according to ib. xxxvi. 10, one who contrives evil against his neighbor will be blotted out of the Book of Remembrance of men, and will not be written in the Book of Life, but in the Book of Perdition. In Dan. vii. 10 and Enoch xlvii.

3 "the Ancient of days" is described as seated upon His throne of glory with "the Book" or "the Books of Life" ("of the Living") opened before Him. So are, according to Enoch civ. 1, the righteous "written before the glory of the Great One," and, according to Enoch cviii. 3, the transgressors "blotted out of the Book of Life and out of the books of the holy ones." To this Book of Life reference is made also in Hermas (Vision i. 3; Mandate viii.; Similitude ii.); in Rev. iii. 5, xiii. 8, xvii.

8, xx. 12-15, where "two Books" are spoken of as being "opened before the throne, the Book of Life, and the Book of Death, in which latter the unrighteous are recorded together with their evil deeds, in order to be cast into the lake of fire." It is the Book of Life in which the apostles' names are "written in heaven" (Luke x. 20), or "the fellow-workers" of Paul (Phil. iv. 3), and "the assembly of the first-born" (Heb. xii. 23; compare I Clem. xlv.)."

the matrix 4?

2011-12-17T14:53:00.001-08:00

what about the matrix movie, now that is one movie that has so much in it, and not so much a new age religion, but, the wachowski brothers take on reality.

the matrix as a film is like a very philosophical expose on the concept of "what if we live inside a matrix".

another idea of the film is also, could this be the real concept of reality.

a very interesting film, quite a old film now as well the original matrix film came out over 10 years ago now!.

the matrix

here are some iconic pictures from the matrix that once you see you remember the film straight away!.

the matrix pictures

it would be great if there was a "the matrix 4" film made, but the question that is always asked first is how could there be a "the matrix 4" when the first 3 matrix films, covered and completed the topic so completely it would be difficult to think of what could the matrix 4 even be about?.

there is the option that if there was a matrix 4 it could follow on from were matrix 3 left off and show how the process starts, as we kind of watched the end of the process with the first 3 films, in a kind of star wars way.

if it was practical it would be nice to see a "the matrix 4"

one of my favourite scenes from the matrix when neo meets the architect

obviously the star of the matrix trilogy of films was neo or the one, played by keanu reeves

if you have not seen the matrix trilogy of films i would recommend watching them, all 3, i think they are one of the best movies ever made really.

the matrix movies as religious education?, they are good for pondering over that is for sure, and there is no doubt that the matrix movies are rich in religious symbolism!, neo had some elements of jesus christ to him in the film, but it was not just christian religious symbols used in the film but lots of different religions symbols and meanings can be found encoded in the films.

the matrix neo christ like religious symbols in movies

the matrix series comprised of 3 films in total called enter the matrix, the matrix reloaded, the matrix revolutions

christmas religious symbols pictures and meanings 2011 pagan and christian

2011-11-03T15:50:00.000-07:00

a look at some of the christmas religious symbols in pictures and there meanings.

it is a debatable which is the most important christmas religious symbol, some would say the christmas tree, some would say jesus christ and the nativity, some would say the cross, it is also debatable whether christmas is only a christian celebration as pagans also celebrate christmas as well.

the main part of christmas is the celebrating of the birth of jesus christ and the christmas nativity, which is one of the main aspects of the xmas celebrations.

other important aspects can also be the christmas tree, which might be popular with the pagan christmas celebrations also.

but all in all christmas should be a time of celebration whichever religion, and a time of peace.

of course the christmas presents are popular but what religious symbolic meaning do they have is also probably debatable.

the pagans say that father christmas and xmas presents relate to there pagan ways of old for example, where the priest dressed in red like father christmas would give gifts to the tribe to celebrate the sun reaching its lowest point on the 25th and then the rising of the sun starting from then on for a new year.

so the can be debate between religions on who has what on the holy day and night of christmas 25th december and around the various christmas dates.

jesus christ the lamb of god

christmas religious symbols pictures

THE HOLY GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST ACCORDING TO ST. MATTHEW christian religion bible teachings CHAPTER 14

2011-07-31T10:58:00.000-07:00

THE HOLY GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST ACCORDING TO ST. MATTHEW christian religion bible teachings CHAPTER 14

THE

HOLY GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST,

ACCORDING TO ST. MATTHEW.

ST. MATTHEW, one of the twelve Apostles, who from being a publican, that is, a taxgatherer, was called by our Saviour to the Apostleship: in that profession his name was LEVI. (Luke 5. 27, and Mark 2. 14.) He was the first of the Evangelists that wrote the Gospel, and that in Hebrew or Syro-Chaldaic which the Jews in Palestine spoke at that time. The original is not now extant; but as it was translated in the time of the Apostles into Greek, that version was of equal authority. He wrote about six years after our Lord's Ascension.

hillsong for this cause lyrics

For This Cause
Hope has found its home within me
Now that I've been found in You
Let all that I am be all You want me to be
'Cause all I want is more of You
Let Your presence fall upon us
I want to see You face to face
Let me live forever lost in Your love
'Cause all I want is more of You
All I want is more of You

I'm living for this cause
I lay down my life
Into Your hands
I'm living for the truth
The hope of the world
In You I'll stand
'Cause all I want is You
All I want is
All I want is You

CHAPTER 14.

Herod puts John to death. Christ feeds five thousand in the desert. He walks upon the sea, and heals all the diseased with the touch of his garment.

AT the time Herod the Tetrarch heard the fame of Jesus.
2 And he said to his servants: This is John the Baptist: he is risen from the dead, and therefore mighty works shew forth themselves in him.

3 For Herod had apprehended John and bound him, and put him into prison, because of Herodias, his brother's wife.

4 For John said to him: It is not lawful for thee to have her.

5 And having a mind to put him to death, he feared the people: because they esteemed him as a prophet.

6 But on Herod's birthday, the daughter of Herodias danced before them: and pleased Herod.

7 Whereupon he promised with an oath, to give her whatsoever she would ask of him.

8 But she being instructed before by her mother, said: Give me here in a dish the head of John the Baptist.

9 And the king was struck sad: yet because of his oath, and for them that sat with him at table, he commanded it to be given.

10 And he sent, and beheaded John in the prison.

11 And his head was brought in a dish: and it was given to the damsel, and she brought it to her mother.

12 And his disciples came and took the body, and buried it, and came and told Jesus.

13 Which when Jesus had heard, he retired from thence by boat, into a desert place apart, and the multitudes having heard of it, followed him on foot out of the cities.

14 And he coming forth saw a great multitude, and had compassion on them, and healed their sick.

15 And when it was evening, his disciples came to him, saying: This is a desert place, and the hour is now past: send away the multitudes, that going into the towns, they may buy themselves victuals.

16 But Jesus said to them, They have no need to go: give you them to eat.

17 They answered him: We have not here, but five loaves, and two fishes.

18 He said to them: Bring them hither to me.

19 And when he had commanded the multitudes to sit down upon the grass, he took the five loaves and the two fishes, and looking up to heaven, he blessed, and brake, and gave the loaves to his disciples, and the disciples to the multitudes.

20 And they did all eat, and were filled. And they took up what remained, twelve full baskets of fragments.

21 And the number of them that did eat, was five thousand men, besides women and children.

22 And forthwith Jesus obliged his disciples to go up into the boat, and to go before him over the water, till he dismissed the people.

23 And having dismissed the multitude, he went into a mountain alone to pray. And when it was evening, he was there alone.

24 But the boat in the midst of the sea was tossed with the waves: for the wind was contrary.

25 And in the fourth watch of the night, he came to them walking upon the sea.

26 And they seeing him walk upon the sea, were troubled, saying: It is an apparition. And they cried out for fear.

27 And immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying: Be of good heart: it is I, fear ye not.

28 And Peter making answer, said: Lord, if it be thou, bid me come to thee upon the waters.

29 And he said: Come. And Peter going down out of the boat, walked upon the water to come to Jesus.

30 But seeing the wind strong, he was afraid: and when he began to sink, he cried out, saying: Lord, save me.

31 And immediately Jesus stretching forth his hand took hold of him, and said to him: O thou of little faith, why didst thou doubt?

32 And when they were come up into the boat, the wind ceased.

33 And they that were in the boat came and adored him, saying: Indeed thou art the Son of God.

34 And having passed the water, they came into the country of Genesar.

35 And when the men of that place had knowledge of him, they sent into all that country, and brought to him all that were diseased.

36 And they besought him that they might touch but the hem of his garment. And as many as touched, were made whole.

Christian Hymns - Nearer My God to Thee

This is a famous and beautiful 19th century Christian hymn by Sarah Flower Adams.

It is said that the band of the RMS Titanic and SS Valencia both played this till the very end while their ships sank into the ocean.

It is a very moving and wonderful piece. Its usage in Jame Cameron's "Titanic" is absolutely awe inspiring and unbelievably moving.

lyrics

Nearer, my God, to thee, nearer to thee!
E'en though it be a cross that raiseth me,
still all my song shall be,
nearer, my God, to thee;
nearer, my God, to thee, nearer to thee!

2. Though like the wanderer, the sun gone down,
darkness be over me, my rest a stone;
yet in my dreams I'd be
nearer, my God, to thee;
nearer, my God, to thee, nearer to thee!

3. There let the way appear, steps unto heaven;
all that thou sendest me, in mercy given;
angels to beckon me
nearer, my God, to thee;
nearer, my God, to thee, nearer to thee!

4. Then, with my waking thoughts bright with thy praise,
out of my stony griefs Bethel I'll raise;
so by my woes to be
nearer, my God, to thee;
nearer, my God, to thee, nearer to thee!

5. Or if, on joyful wing cleaving the sky,
sun, moon, and stars forgot, upward I fly,
still all my song shall be,
nearer, my God, to thee;
nearer, my God, to thee, nearer to thee!

THE HOLY GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST ACCORDING TO ST. MATTHEW christian religion bible teachings CHAPTER 13

2011-07-31T10:55:00.000-07:00

THE HOLY GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST ACCORDING TO ST. MATTHEW christian religion bible teachings CHAPTER 13

THE

HOLY GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST,

ACCORDING TO ST. MATTHEW.

ST. MATTHEW, one of the twelve Apostles, who from being a publican, that is, a taxgatherer, was called by our Saviour to the Apostleship: in that profession his name was LEVI. (Luke 5. 27, and Mark 2. 14.) He was the first of the Evangelists that wrote the Gospel, and that in Hebrew or Syro-Chaldaic which the Jews in Palestine spoke at that time. The original is not now extant; but as it was translated in the time of the Apostles into Greek, that version was of equal authority. He wrote about six years after our Lord's Ascension.

i will run to you hillsong lyrics

Your eye is on the sparrow
And Your hand, it comforts me
From the ends of the Earth to the depth of my heart
Let Your mercy and strength be seen

You call me to Your purpose
As angels understand
For Your glory, may You draw all men
As Your love and grace demand

And I will run to You
To Your words of truth
Not by might, not by power
But by the spirit of God
Yes I will run the race
'Till I see Your face
Oh let me live in the glory of Your grace

CHAPTER 13.

The parables of the sower of the cockle: of the mustard seed, etc.

THE same day Jesus going out of the house, sat by the sea side.
2 And great multitudes were gathered unto him, so that he went up into a boat and sat: and all the multitude stood on the shore.

3 And he spoke to them many things in parables, saying: Behold the sower went forth to sow.

4 And whilst he soweth some fell by the way side, and the birds of the air came and ate them up.

5 And other some fell upon stony ground, where they had not much earth: and they sprung up immediately, because they had no deepness of earth.

6 And when the sun was up they were scorched: and because they had not root, they withered away.

7 And others fell among thorns: and the thorns grew up and choked them.

8 And others fell upon good ground: and they brought forth fruit, some an hundredfold, some sixtyfold, and some thirtyfold.

9 He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.

10 And his disciples came and said to him: Why speakest thou to them in parables?

11 Who answered and said to them: Because to you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven: but to them it is not given.

12 For he that hath, to him shall be given, and he shall abound: but he that hath not, from him shall be taken away that also which he hath.

13 Therefore do I speak to them in parables: because seeing they see not, and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand.

14 And the prophecy of Isaias is fulfilled in them, who saith: By hearing you shall hear, and shall not understand: and seeing you shall see, and shall not perceive.

15 For the heart of this people is grown gross, and with their ears they have been dull of hearing, and their eyes they have shut: lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and be converted, and I should heal them.

16 But blessed are your eyes, because they see, and your ears, because they hear.

17 For, amen, I say to you, many prophets and just men have desired to see the things that you see, and have not seen them, and to hear the things that you hear and have not heard them.

18 Hear you therefore the parable of the sower.

19 When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, there cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart: this is he that received the seed by the way side.

20 And he that received the seed upon stony ground, is he that heareth the word, and immediately receiveth it with joy.

21 Yet hath he not root in himself, but is only for a time: and when there ariseth tribulation and persecution because of the word, he is presently scandalized.

22 And he that received the seed among thorns, is he that heareth the word, and the care of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choketh up the word, and he becometh fruitless.

23 But he that received the seed upon good ground, is he that heareth the word, and understandeth, and beareth fruit, and yieldeth the one an hundredfold, and another sixty, and another thirty.

24 Another parable he proposed to them, saying: The kingdom of heaven is likened to a man that sowed good seeds in his field.

25 But while men were asleep, his enemy came and oversowed cockle among the wheat and went his way.

26 And when the blade was sprung up, and had brought forth fruit, then appeared also the cockle.

27 And the servants of the goodman of the house coming said to him: Sir, didst thou not sow good seed in thy field? whence then hath it cockle?

28 And he said to them: An enemy hath done this. And the servants said to him: Wilt thou that we go and gather it up?

29 And he said: No, lest perhaps gathering up the cockle, you root up the wheat also together with it.

30 Suffer both to grow until the harvest, and in the time of the harvest I will say to the reapers: Gather up first the cockle, and bind it into bundles to burn, but the wheat gather ye into my barn.

31 Another parable he proposed unto them, saying: The kingdom of heaven is like to a grain of mustard seed, which a man took and sowed in his field.

32 Which is the least indeed of all seeds; but when it is grown up, it is greater than all herbs, and becometh a tree, so that the birds of the air come, and dwell in the branches thereof.

33 Another parable he spoke to them: The kingdom of heaven is like to leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal, until the whole was leavened.

34 All these things Jesus spoke in parables to the multitudes: and without parables he did not speak to them.

35 That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying: I will open my mouth in parables, I will utter things hidden from the foundation of the world.

36 Then having sent away the multitudes, he came into the house, and his disciples came to him, saying: Expound to us the parable of the cockle of the field.

37 Who made answer and said to them: He that soweth the good seed, is the Son of man.

38 And the field, is the world. And the good seed are the children of the kingdom. And the cockle, are the children of the wicked one.

39 And the enemy that sowed them, is the devil. But the harvest is the end of the world. And the reapers are the angels.

40 Even as cockle therefore is gathered up, and burnt with fire: so shall it be at the end of the world.

41 The Son of man shall send his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all scandals, and them that work iniquity.

42 And shall cast them into the furnace of fire: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

43 Then shall the just shine as the sun, in the kingdom of their Father. He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.

44 The kingdom of heaven is like unto a treasure hidden in a field. Which a man having found, hid it, and for joy thereof goeth, and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field.

45 Again the kingdom of heaven is like to a merchant seeking good pearls.

46 Who when he had found one pearl of great price, went his way, and sold all that he had, and bought it.

47 Again the kingdom of heaven is like to a net cast into the sea, and gathering together of all kind of fishes.

48 Which, when it was filled, they drew out, and sitting by the shore, they chose out the good into vessels, but the bad they cast forth.

49 So shall it be at the end of the world. The angels shall go out, and shall separate the wicked from among the just.

50 And shall cast them into the furnace of fire: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

51 Have ye understood all these things? They say to him: Yes.

52 He said unto them: Therefore every scribe instructed in the kingdom of heaven, is like to a man that is a householder, who bringeth forth out of his treasure new things and old.

53 And it came to pass: when Jesus had finished these parables, he passed from thence.

54 And coming into his own country, he taught them in their synagogues, so that they wondered and said: How came this man by this wisdom and miracles?

55 Is not this the carpenter's son? Is not his mother called Mary, and his brethren James, and Joseph, and Simon, and Jude:

56 And his sisters, are they not all with us? Whence therefore hath he all these things?

57 And they were scandalized in his regard. But Jesus said to them: A prophet is not without honour, save in his own country, and in his own house.

58 And he wrought not many miracles there, because of their unbelief.

glory to the king hillsong lyrics

You're the comforter to the lonely
The lifter of my head
I see You veiled in majesty
We cry glory,glory
We cry glory to the King

Verse 1
Lord,my heart cries out
Glory to the King
My greatest love in life
I hand You everything
Glory,glory
I hear the angels sing.

Verse 2
Open my ears
Let me hear Your voice
To know that sweet sound
Oh my soul rejoice
Glory,glory
I hear the angels sing

Chorus:
You're the Father to the fatherless
The answer to my dreams
I see you crowned in righteousness
We cry glory to the King
Comforter to the lonely
The lifter of my head
I see You veiled in majesty
We cry glory,glory
We cry glory to the King

Repeat 1st and 2nd verse
Repeat chorus 2 times

We cry glory glory
We cry glory to the King

THE HOLY GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST ACCORDING TO ST. MATTHEW christian religion bible teachings CHAPTER 12

2011-07-31T10:49:00.000-07:00

THE HOLY GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST ACCORDING TO ST. MATTHEW christian religion bible teachings CHAPTER 12

THE

HOLY GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST,

ACCORDING TO ST. MATTHEW.

ST. MATTHEW, one of the twelve Apostles, who from being a publican, that is, a taxgatherer, was called by our Saviour to the Apostleship: in that profession his name was LEVI. (Luke 5. 27, and Mark 2. 14.) He was the first of the Evangelists that wrote the Gospel, and that in Hebrew or Syro-Chaldaic which the Jews in Palestine spoke at that time. The original is not now extant; but as it was translated in the time of the Apostles into Greek, that version was of equal authority. He wrote about six years after our Lord's Ascension.

Jesus Lover of My Soul (worship video w/ lyrics)

Worship You, my Lord, until the very end
Worship You, my Lord, until the very end
Worship You, my Lord, until the very end
Worship You, my Lord, until the very end

Jesus, lover of my soul
Jesus, I will never let You go
You've taken me from the miry clay
Set my feet upon the rock and now I know

I love You, I need You
Though my world may fall, I'll never let You go
My Savior, my closest friend
I will worship You until the very end

Jesus, lover of my soul
Jesus, I will never let you go
You've taken me from the miry clay
Set my feet upon the rock and now I know

I love You, I need You
Though my world may fall, I'll never let You go
My Savior, my closest friend
I will worship You until the very end

I love You, I need You
Though my world may fall, I'll never let You go
My Savior, my closest friend
I will worship You until the very end

Worship You, my Lord, until the very end
Worship You, my Lord, until the very end
Worship You, my Lord, until the very end
Worship You, my Lord, until the very end

CHAPTER 12.

Christ reproves the blindness of the Pharisees, and confutes their attributing his miracles to Satan.

AT that time Jesus went through the corn on the sabbath: and his disciples being hungry, began to pluck the ears, and to eat.
2 And the Pharisees seeing them, said to him: Behold thy disciples do that which is not lawful to do on the sabbath days.

3 But he said to them: Have you not read what David did when he was hungry, and they that were with him:

4 How he entered into the house of God, and did eat the loaves of proposition, which it was not lawful for him to eat, nor for them that were with him, but for the priests only?

5 Or have ye not read in the law, that on the sabbath days the priests in the temple break the sabbath, and are without blame?

6 But I tell you that there is here a greater than the temple.

7 And if you knew what this meaneth: I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: you would never have condemned the innocent.

8 For the Son of man is Lord even of the sabbath.

9 And when he has passed from thence, he came into their synagogues.

10 And behold there was a man who had a withered hand, and they asked him, saying: Is it lawful to heal on the sabbath days? that they might accuse him.

11 But he said to them: What man shall there be among you, that hath one sheep: and if the same fall into a pit on the sabbath day, will he not take hold on it and lift it up?

12 How much better is a man than a sheep? Therefore it it lawful to do a good deed on the sabbath days.

13 Then he saith to the man: Stretch forth thy hand; and he stretched it forth, and it was restored to health even as the other.

14 And the Pharisees going out made a consultation against him, how they might destroy him.

15 But Jesus knowing it, retired from thence: and many followed him, and he healed them all.

16 And he charged them that they should not make him known.

17 That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaias the prophet, saying:

18 Behold my servant whom I have chosen, my beloved in whom my soul hath been well pleased. I will put my spirit upon him, and he shall shew judgment to the Gentiles.

19 He shall not contend, nor cry out, neither shall any man hear his voice in the streets.

20 The bruised reed he shall not break: and smoking flax he shall not extinguish: till he send forth judgment unto victory.

21 And in his name the Gentiles shall hope.

22 Then was offered to him one possessed with a devil, blind and dumb: and he healed him, so that he spoke and saw.

23 And all the multitudes were amazed, and said: Is not this the son of David?

24 But the Pharisees hearing it, said: This man casteth not out the devils but by Beelzebub the prince of the devils.

25 And Jesus knowing their thoughts, said to them: Every kingdom divided against itself shall be made desolate: and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand.

26 And if Satan cast out Satan, he is divided against himself: how then shall his kingdom stand?

27 And if I by Beelzebub cast out devils, by whom do your children cast them out? Therefore they shall be your judges.

28 But if I by the Spirit of God cast out devils, then is the kingdom of God come upon you.

29 Or how can any one enter into the house of the strong, and rifle his goods, unless he first bind the strong? and then he will rifle his house.

30 He that is not with me, is against me: and he that gathereth not with me, scattereth.

31 Therefore I say to you: Every sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven men, but the blasphemy of the Spirit shall not be forgiven.

32 And whosoever shall speak a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but he that shall speak against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, nor in the world to come.

33 Either make the tree good and its fruit good: or make the tree evil, and its fruit evil. For by the fruit the tree is known.

34 O generation of vipers, how can you speak good things, whereas you are evil? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.

35 A good man out of a good treasure bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of an evil treasure bringeth forth evil things.

36 But I say unto you, that every idle word that men shall speak, they shall render an account for it in the day of judgment.

37 For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.

38 Then some of the scribes and Pharisees answered him, saying: Master we would see a sign from thee.

39 Who answering said to them: An evil and adulterous generation seeketh a sign: and a sign shall not be given it, but the sign of Jonas the prophet.

40 For as Jonas was in the whale's belly three days and three nights: so shall the Son of man be in the heart of the earth three days and three nights.

41 The men of Ninive shall rise in judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: because they did penance at the preaching of Jonas. And behold a greater than Jonas here.

42 The queen of the south shall rise in judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: because she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and behold a greater than Solomon here.

43 And when an unclean spirit is gone out of a man he walketh through dry places seeking rest, and findeth none.

44 Then he saith: I will return into my house from whence I came out. And coming he findeth it empty, swept, and garnished.

45 Then he goeth, and taketh with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter in and dwell there: and the last state of that man in made worse than the first. So shall it be also to this wicked generation.

46 As he was yet speaking to the multitudes, behold his mother and his brethren stood without, seeking to speak to him.

47 And one said unto him: Behold thy mother and thy brethren stand without, seeking thee.

48 But he answering him that told him, said: Who is my mother, and who are my brethren?

49 And stretching forth his hand towards his disciples, he said: Behold my mother and my brethren.

50 For whosoever shall do the will of my Father, that is in heaven, he is my brother, and sister, and mother.

This is My Desire - Hillsong

This is my desire, to honor You
Lord with all my heart I worship You
All I have within me
I give You praise
All that I adore is in You

Lord I give You my heart
I give You my soul
I live for You alone
Every breath that I take
Every moment I'm awake
Lord have Your way in me

THE HOLY GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST ACCORDING TO ST. MATTHEW christian religion bible teachings CHAPTER 11

2011-07-31T10:44:00.000-07:00

THE HOLY GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST ACCORDING TO ST. MATTHEW christian religion bible teachings CHAPTER 11

THE

HOLY GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST,

ACCORDING TO ST. MATTHEW.

ST. MATTHEW, one of the twelve Apostles, who from being a publican, that is, a taxgatherer, was called by our Saviour to the Apostleship: in that profession his name was LEVI. (Luke 5. 27, and Mark 2. 14.) He was the first of the Evangelists that wrote the Gospel, and that in Hebrew or Syro-Chaldaic which the Jews in Palestine spoke at that time. The original is not now extant; but as it was translated in the time of the Apostles into Greek, that version was of equal authority. He wrote about six years after our Lord's Ascension.

Seek Ye first The kingdom of God. (lyrics)

Seek ye first the kingdom of God
And His righteousness
And all these things shall be added unto you
Allelu, alleluia

Man does not live by bread alone
But by every word
That proceeds from the mouth of God
Allelu, alleluia

Ask and it shall be given unto you
Seek and ye shall find
Knock and the door shall be opened unto you
Allelu, alleluia

Seek ye first the kingdom of God
And His righteousness
And all these things shall be added unto you
Allelu, alleluia

Man does not live by bread alone
But by every word
That proceeds from the mouth of God
Allelu, alleluia

CHAPTER 11.

John sends his disciples to Christ, who upbraids the Jews with their incredulity, and calls to him such as are sensible of their burdens.

AND it came to pass, when Jesus had made an end of commanding his twelve disciples, he passed from thence, to teach and preach in their cities.
2 Now when John had heard in prison the works of Christ: sending two of his disciples he said to him:

3 Art thou he that art to come, or look we for another?

4 And Jesus making answer said to them: Go and relate to John what you have heard and seen.

5 The blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead rise again, the poor have the gospel preached to them.

6 And blessed is he that shall not be scandalized in me.

7 And when they went their way, Jesus began to say to the multitudes concerning John: What went you out into the desert to see? a reed shaken with the wind?

8 But what went you out to see? a man clothed in soft garments? Behold they that are clothed in soft garments, are in the houses of kings.

9 But what went you out to see? a prophet? yea I tell you, and more than a prophet.

10 For this is he of whom it is written: Behold I send my angel before thy face, who shall prepare thy way before thee.

11 Amen I say to you, there hath not risen among them that are born of women a greater than John the Baptist: yet he that is the lesser in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.

12 And from the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent bear it away.

13 For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John:

14 And if you will receive it, he is Elias that is to come.

15 He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.

16 But whereunto shall I esteem this generation to be like? It is like to children sitting in the market place.

17 Who crying to their companions say: We have piped to you, and you have not danced: we have lamented, and you have not mourned.

18 For John came neither eating nor drinking; and they say: He hath a devil.

19 The Son of man came eating and drinking, and they say: Behold a man that is a glutton and a wine drinker, a friend of publicans and sinners. And wisdom is justified by her children.

20 Then began he to upbraid the cities wherein were done the most of his miracles, for that they had not done penance.

21 Woe to thee, Corozain, woe to thee, Bethsaida: for if in Tyre and Sidon had been wrought the miracles that have been wrought in you, they had long ago done penance in sackcloth and ashes.

22 But I say unto you, it shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon in the day of judgment, than for you.

23 And thou Capharnaum, shalt thou be exalted up to heaven? thou shalt go down even unto hell. For if in Sodom had been wrought the miracles that have been wrought in thee, perhaps it had remained unto this day.

24 But I say unto you, that it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment, than for thee.

25 At that time Jesus answered and said: I confess to thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them to the little ones.

26 Yea, Father; for so hath it seemed good in thy sight.

27 All things are delivered to me by my Father. And no one knoweth the Son, but the Father: neither doth any one know the Father, but the Son, and he to whom it shall please the Son to reveal him.

28 Come to me, all you that labour, and are burdened, and I will refresh you.

29 Take up my yoke upon you, and learn of me, because I am meek, and humble of heart: and you shall find rest to your souls.

30 For my yoke is sweet and my burden light.

As the Deer (worship video w/ lyrics)

As The Deer lyrics

As the deer pants for the water,

So my soul longs after You.

You alone are my heart's desire,

And I long to worship You.

You alone are my strength, my shield;

To You alone may my spirit yield.

You alone are my heart's desire,

And I long to worship You.

I want You more than gold or silver,

Only You can satisfy.

You alone are the real joy giver,

And the apple of my eye.

you alone...

You're my friend and You are my brother

Even though You are a King.

I love You more than any other,

So much more than anything.

you alone...

THE HOLY GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST ACCORDING TO ST. MATTHEW christian religion bible teachings CHAPTER 10

2011-07-31T10:40:00.000-07:00

THE HOLY GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST ACCORDING TO ST. MATTHEW christian religion bible teachings CHAPTER 10

THE

HOLY GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST,

ACCORDING TO ST. MATTHEW.

ST. MATTHEW, one of the twelve Apostles, who from being a publican, that is, a taxgatherer, was called by our Saviour to the Apostleship: in that profession his name was LEVI. (Luke 5. 27, and Mark 2. 14.) He was the first of the Evangelists that wrote the Gospel, and that in Hebrew or Syro-Chaldaic which the Jews in Palestine spoke at that time. The original is not now extant; but as it was translated in the time of the Apostles into Greek, that version was of equal authority. He wrote about six years after our Lord's Ascension.

Amazing Grace (My Chains are Gone) - Hillsong (Chris Tomlin)

Amazing grace how sweet the sound
That saved a wretch like me
I once was lost, but now I'm found
Was blind, but now I see

'Twas grace that taught my heart to fear
And grace my fears relieved
How precious did that grace appear
The hour I first believed

My chains are gone, I've been set free
My God, my Savior has ransomed me
And like a flood His mercy reigns
Unending love, amazing grace

The Lord has promised good to me
His word my hope secures
He will my shield and portion be
As long as life endures

My chains are gone, I've been set free
My God, my Savior has ransomed me
And like a flood His mercy reigns
Unending love, amazing grace

My chains are gone, I've been set free
My God, my Savior has ransomed me
And like a flood His mercy reigns
Unending love, amazing grace

The earth shall soon dissolve like snow
The sun forbear to shine
But God who called me here below
Will be forever mine, will be forever mine
You are forever mine

CHAPTER 10.

Christ sends out his twelve apostles, with the power of miracles. The lessons he gives them.

AND having called his twelve disciples together, he gave them power over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of diseases, and all manner of infirmities.
2 And the names of the twelve apostles are these: The first, Simon who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother,

3 James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, Philip and Bartholomew, Thomas and Matthew the publican, and James the son of Alpheus, and Thaddeus,

4 Simon the Cananean, and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed him.

5 These twelve Jesus sent: commanding them, saying: Go ye not into the way of the Gentiles, and into the city of the Samaritans enter ye not.

6 But go ye rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.

7 And going, preach, saying: The kingdom of heaven is at hand.

8 Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out devils: freely have you received, freely give.

9 Do not possess gold, nor silver, nor money in your purses:

10 Nor scrip for your journey, nor two coats, nor shoes, nor a staff; for the workman is worthy of his meat.

11 And into whatsoever city or town you shall enter, inquire who in it is worthy, and there abide till you go thence.

12 And when you come into the house, salute it, saying: Peace be to this house.

13 And if that house be worthy, your peace shall come upon it; but if it be not worthy, your peace shall return to you.

14 And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear your words: going forth out of that house or city shake off the dust from your feet.

15 Amen I say to you, it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrha in the day of judgment, than for that city.

16 Behold I send you as sheep in the midst of wolves. Be ye therefore wise as serpents and simple as doves.

17 But beware of men. For they will deliver you up in councils, and they will scourge you in their synagogues.

18 And you shall be brought before governors, and before kings for my sake, for a testimony to them and to the Gentiles:

19 But when they shall deliver you up, take no thought how or what to speak: for it shall be given you in that hour what to speak.

20 For it is not you that speak, but the Spirit of your Father that speaketh in you.

21 The brother also shall deliver up the brother to death, and the father the son: and the children shall rise up against their parents, and shall put them to death.

22 And you shall be hated by all men for my name's sake: but he that shall persevere unto the end, he shall be saved.

23 And when they shall persecute you in this city, flee into another. Amen I say to you, you shall not finish all the cities of Israel, till the Son of man come.

24 The disciple is not above the master, nor the servant above his lord.

25 It is enough for the disciple that he be as his master, and the servant as his lord. If they have called the goodman of the house Beelzebub, how much more them of his household?

26 Therefore fear them not. For nothing is covered that shall not be revealed: nor hid, that shall not be known.

27 That which I tell you in the dark, speak ye in the light: and that which you hear in the ear, preach ye upon the housetops.

28 And fear ye not them that kill the body, and are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him that can destroy both soul and body in hell.

29 Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and not one of them shall fall on the ground without your Father.

30 But the very hairs of your head are all numbered.

31 Fear not therefore: better are you than many sparrows.

32 Every one therefore that shall confess me before men, I will also confess him before my Father who is in heaven.

33 But he that shall deny me before men, I will also deny him before my Father who is in heaven.

34 Do not think that I came to send peace upon earth: I came not to send peace, but the sword.

35 For I came to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law.

36 And as a man's enemies shall be they of his own household.

37 He that loveth father or mother more than me, is not worthy of me; and he that loveth son or daughter more than me, is not worthy of me.

38 And he that taketh not up his cross, and followeth me, is not worthy of me.

39 He that findeth his life, shall lose it: and he that shall lose his life for me, shall find it.

40 He that receiveth you, receiveth me: and he that receiveth me, receiveth him that sent me.

41 He that receiveth a prophet in the name of a prophet, shall receive the reward of a prophet: and he that receiveth a just man in the name of a just man, shall receive the reward of a just man.

42 And whosoever shall give to drink to one of these little ones a cup of cold water only in the name of a disciple, amen I say to you, he shall not lose his reward.

Because He lives I can face tomorrow

God sent His Son - they called Him Jesus,
He came to love, heal and forgive;
He lived and died to buy my pardon,
An empty grave is there to prove my Savior lives.

Because He lives I can face tomorrow,
Because He lives all fear is gone;
Because I know He holds the future
And life is worth the living just because He lives.

And then one day I'll cross the river,
I'll fight life's final war with pain;
And then, as death gives way to victory,
I'll see the lights of glory - and I'll know He lives.

Because He lives I can face tomorrow,
Because He lives all fear is gone;
Because I know He holds the future
And life is worth the living just because He lives.

And life is worth the living
Just because He lives.

THE HOLY GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST ACCORDING TO ST. MATTHEW christian religion bible teachings CHAPTER 9

2011-07-31T10:37:00.000-07:00

THE HOLY GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST ACCORDING TO ST. MATTHEW christian religion bible teachings CHAPTER 9

THE

HOLY GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST,

ACCORDING TO ST. MATTHEW.

ST. MATTHEW, one of the twelve Apostles, who from being a publican, that is, a taxgatherer, was called by our Saviour to the Apostleship: in that profession his name was LEVI. (Luke 5. 27, and Mark 2. 14.) He was the first of the Evangelists that wrote the Gospel, and that in Hebrew or Syro-Chaldaic which the Jews in Palestine spoke at that time. The original is not now extant; but as it was translated in the time of the Apostles into Greek, that version was of equal authority. He wrote about six years after our Lord's Ascension.

In the Sweet By and By Hymn (with lyrics)

There’s a land that is fairer than day,
And by faith we can see it afar;
For the Father waits over the way
To prepare us a dwelling place there.
Refrain:
In the sweet by and by,
We shall meet on that beautiful shore;
In the sweet by and by,
We shall meet on that beautiful shore.
We shall sing on that beautiful shore
The melodious songs of the blessed;
And our spirits shall sorrow no more,
Not a sigh for the blessing of rest.
To our bountiful Father above,
We will offer our tribute of praise
For the glorious gift of His love
And the blessings that hallow our days.

CHAPTER 9.

Christ heals one sick of the palsy: calls Matthew: cures the issue of blood: raises to life the daughter of Jairus: gives sight to two blind men: and heals a dumb man possessed by the devil.

AND entering into a boat, he passed over the water and came into his own city.
2 And behold they brought to him one sick of the palsy lying in a bed. And Jesus, seeing their faith, said to the man sick of the palsy: Be of good heart, son, thy sins are forgiven thee.

3 And behold some of the scribes said within themselves: He blasphemeth.

4 And Jesus seeing their thoughts, said: Why do you think evil in your hearts?

5 Whether is easier, to say, Thy sins are forgiven thee: or to say, Arise, and walk?

6 But that you may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (then said he to the man sick of palsy,) Arise, take up thy bed, and go into thy house.

7 And he arose, and went into his house.

8 And the multitude seeing it, feared, and glorified God that gave such power to men.

9 And when Jesus passed on from hence, he saw a man sitting in the custom house, named Matthew; and he saith to him: Follow me. And he rose up and followed him.

10 And it came to pass as he was sitting at meat in the house, behold many publicans and sinners came, and sat down with Jesus and his disciples.

11 And the Pharisees seeing it, said to his disciples: Why doth your master eat with publicans and sinners?

12 But Jesus hearing it, said: They that are in health need not a physician, but they that are ill.

13 Go then and learn what this meaneth, I will have mercy and not sacrifice. For I am not come to call the just, but sinners.

14 Then came to him the disciples of John, saying: Why do we and the Pharisees fast often, but thy disciples do not fast?

15 And Jesus said to them: Can the children of the bridegroom mourn, as long as the bridegroom is with them? But the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken away from them, and then they shall fast.

16 And nobody putteth a piece of raw cloth unto an old garment. For it taketh away the fullness thereof from the garment, and there is made a greater rent.

17 Neither do they put new wine into old bottles. Otherwise the bottles break, and the wine runneth out, and the bottles perish. But new wine they put into new bottles: and both are preserved.

18 And he was speaking these things unto them, behold a certain ruler came up, and adored him, saying: Lord, my daughter is even now dead; but come, lay thy hand upon her, and she shall live.

19 And Jesus rising up followed him, with his disciples.

20 And behold a woman who was troubled with an issue of blood twelve years, came behind him, and touched the hem of his garment.

21 For she said within herself: If I shall touch only his garment, I shall be healed.

22 But Jesus turning and seeing her, said: Be of good heart, daughter, thy faith hath made thee whole. And the woman was made whole from that hour.

23 And when Jesus was come into the house of the ruler, and saw the minstrels and the multitude making a rout,

24 He said: Give place, for the girl is not dead, but sleepeth. And they laughed him to scorn.

25 And when the multitude was put forth, he went in, and took her by the hand. And the maid arose.

26 And the fame hereof went abroad into all that country.

27 And as Jesus passed from thence, there followed him two blind men crying out and saying, Have mercy on us, O Son of David.

28 And when he was come to the house, the blind men came to him. And Jesus saith to them, Do you believe, that I can do this unto you? They say to him, Yea, Lord.

29 Then he touched their eyes, saying, According to your faith, be it done unto you.

30 And their eyes were opened, and Jesus strictly charged them, saying, See that no man know this.

31 But they going out, spread his fame abroad in all that country.

32 And when they were gone out, behold they brought him a dumb man, possessed with a devil.

33 And after the devil was cast out, the dumb man spoke, and the multitudes wondered, saying, Never was the like seen in Israel.

34 But the Pharisees said, By the prince of devils he casteth out devils.

35 And Jesus went about all the cities, and towns, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every disease, and every infirmity.

36 And seeing the multitudes, he had compassion on them: because they were distressed, and lying like sheep that have no shepherd.

37 Then he saith to his disciples, The harvest indeed is great, but the labourers are few.

38 Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he send forth labourers into his harvest.

What A Friend We Have In Jesus - Alan Jackson

"What A Friend We Have In Jesus"

What a friend we have in Jesus,
All our sins and griefs to bear!
What a privilege to carry
Everything to God in prayer!
O what peace we often forfeit,
O what needless pain we bear,
All because we do not carry
Everything to God in prayer.

Have we trials and temptations?
Is there trouble anywhere?
We should never be discouraged;
Take it to the Lord in prayer.
Can we find a friend so faithful
Who will all our sorrows share?
Jesus knows our every weakness;
Take it to the Lord in prayer.

THE HOLY GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST ACCORDING TO ST. MATTHEW christian religion bible teachings CHAPTER 8

2011-07-31T10:32:00.000-07:00

THE HOLY GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST ACCORDING TO ST. MATTHEW christian religion bible teachings CHAPTER 8

THE

HOLY GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST,

ACCORDING TO ST. MATTHEW.

ST. MATTHEW, one of the twelve Apostles, who from being a publican, that is, a taxgatherer, was called by our Saviour to the Apostleship: in that profession his name was LEVI. (Luke 5. 27, and Mark 2. 14.) He was the first of the Evangelists that wrote the Gospel, and that in Hebrew or Syro-Chaldaic which the Jews in Palestine spoke at that time. The original is not now extant; but as it was translated in the time of the Apostles into Greek, that version was of equal authority. He wrote about six years after our Lord's Ascension.

Christian Hymns - Nearer My God to Thee

This is a famous and beautiful 19th century Christian hymn by Sarah Flower Adams.

It is said that the band of the RMS Titanic and SS Valencia both played this till the very end while their ships sank into the ocean.

It is a very moving and wonderful piece. Its usage in Jame Cameron's "Titanic" is absolutely awe inspiring and unbelievably moving.

CHAPTER 8.

Christ cleanses the leper, heals the centurion's servant, Peter's mother in law, and many others: he stills the storm at sea, drives the devils out of two men possessed, and suffers them to go into the swine.

AND when he was come down from the mountain, great multitudes followed him:
2 And behold a leper came and adored him, saying: Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean.

3 And Jesus stretching forth his hand, touched him, saying: I will, be thou made clean. And forthwith his leprosy was cleansed.

4 And Jesus saith to him: See thou tell no man: but go, shew thyself to the priest, and offer the gift which Moses commanded for a testimony unto them.

5 And when he had entered into Capharnaum, there came to him a centurion, beseeching him,

6 And saying, Lord, my servant lieth at home sick of the palsy, and is grieviously tormented.

7 And Jesus saith to him: I will come and heal him.

8 And the centurion making answer, said: Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldst enter under my roof: but only say the word, and my servant shall be healed.

9 For I also am a man subject to authority, having under me soldiers; and I say to this, Go, and he goeth, and to another, Come, and he cometh, and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it.

10 And Jesus hearing this, marvelled; and said to them that followed him: Amen I say to you, I have not found so great faith in Israel.

11 And I say to you that many shall come from the east and the west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven:

12 But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into the exterior darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

13 And Jesus said to the centurion: Go, and as thou hast believed, so be it done to thee. And the servant was healed at the same hour.

14 And when Jesus was come into Peter's house, he saw his wife's mother lying, and sick of a fever:

15 And he touched her hand, and the fever left her, and she arose and ministered to them.

16 And when evening was come, they brought to him many that were possessed with devils: and he cast out the spirits with his word: and all that were sick he healed:

17 That it might be fulfilled, which was spoken by the prophet Isaias, saying: He took our infirmities, and bore our diseases.

18 And Jesus seeing great multitudes about him, gave orders to pass over the water.

19 And a certain scribe came and said to him: Master, I will follow thee whithersoever thou shalt go.

20 And Jesus saith to him: The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air nests: but the son of man hath not where to lay his head.

21 And another of his disciples said to him: Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father.

22 But Jesus said to him: Follow me, and let the dead bury their dead.

23 And when he entered into the boat, his disciples followed him:

24 And behold a great tempest arose in the sea, so that the boat was covered with waves, but he was asleep.

25 And they came to him, and awaked him, saying: Lord, save us, we perish.

26 And Jesus saith to them: Why are you fearful, O ye of little faith? Then rising up he commanded the winds, and the sea, and there came a great calm.

27 But the men wondered, saying: What manner of man is this, for the winds and the sea obey him?

28 And when he was come on the other side of the water, into the country of the Gerasens, there met him two that were possessed with devils, coming out of the sepulchres, exceeding fierce, so that none could pass by that way.

29 And behold they cried out, saying: What have we to do with thee, Jesus Son of God? art thou come hither to torment us before the time?

30 And there was, not far from them, an herd of many swine feeding.

31 And the devils besought him, saying: If thou cast us out hence, send us into the herd of swine.

32 And he said to them: Go. But they going out went into the swine, and behold the whole herd ran violently down a steep place into the sea: and they perished in the waters.

33 And they that kept them fled: and coming into the city, told every thing, and concerning them that had been possessed by the devils.

34 And behold the whole city went out to meet Jesus, and when they saw him, they besought him that he would depart from their coasts.

Shall We Gather at the River Hymn (with lyrics)

1. Shall we gather at the river,
where bright angel feet have trod,
with its crystal tide forever
flowing by the throne of God?
Refrain:
Yes, we'll gather at the river,
the beautiful, the beautiful river;
gather with the saints at the river
that flows by the throne of God.

2. On the margin of the river,
washing up its silver spray,
we will walk and worship ever,
all the happy golden day.
(Refrain)

3. Ere we reach the shining river,
lay we every burden down;
grace our spirits will deliver,
and provide a robe and crown.
(Refrain)

4. Soon we'll reach the shining river,
soon our pilgrimage will cease;
soon our happy hearts will quiver
with the melody of peace.
(Refrain)

A nice hymn. :)(5)And as some spake of the temple, how it was adorned with goodly stones and gifts, he said,
6As for these things which ye behold, the days will come, in the which there shall not be left one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down. -Luke 21:5-6 (King James Version)

THE HOLY GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST ACCORDING TO ST. MATTHEW christian religion bible teachings CHAPTER 7

2011-07-31T10:28:00.000-07:00

THE HOLY GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST ACCORDING TO ST. MATTHEW christian religion bible teachings CHAPTER 7

THE

HOLY GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST,

ACCORDING TO ST. MATTHEW.

ST. MATTHEW, one of the twelve Apostles, who from being a publican, that is, a taxgatherer, was called by our Saviour to the Apostleship: in that profession his name was LEVI. (Luke 5. 27, and Mark 2. 14.) He was the first of the Evangelists that wrote the Gospel, and that in Hebrew or Syro-Chaldaic which the Jews in Palestine spoke at that time. The original is not now extant; but as it was translated in the time of the Apostles into Greek, that version was of equal authority. He wrote about six years after our Lord's Ascension.

Christian Hymns: "This is my Father's world"

One of my favorite hymns . I hope that you enjoy it as much as I do. Peace be with you.

CHAPTER 7.

The third part of the sermon on the mount.

JUDGE not, that you may not be judged,
2 For with what judgment you judge, you shall be judged: and with what measure you mete, it shall be measured to you again.

3 Any why seest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye; and seest not the beam that is in thy own eye?

4 Or how sayest thou to thy brother: Let me cast the mote out of thy eye; and behold a beam is in thy own eye?

5 Thou hypocrite, cast out first the beam in thy own eye, and then shalt thou see to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye.

6 Give not that which is holy to dogs; neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest perhaps they trample them under their feet, and turning upon you, they tear you.

7 Ask, and it shall be given you: seek, and you shall find: knock, and it shall be opened to you.

8 For every one that asketh, receiveth: and he that seeketh, findeth: and to him that knocketh, it shall be opened.

9 Or what man is there among you, of whom if his son shall ask bread, will he reach him a stone?

10 Or if he shall ask him a fish, will he reach him a serpent?

11 If you then being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children: how much more will your Father who is in heaven, give good things to them that ask him?

12 All things therefore whatsoever you would that men should do to you, do you also to them. For this is the law and the prophets.

13 Enter ye in at the narrow gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way that leadeth to destruction, and many there are who go in thereat.

14 How narrow is the gate, and strait is the way that leadeth to life: and few there are that find it!

15 Beware of false prophets, who come to you in the clothing of sheep, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.

16 By their fruits you shall know them. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?

17 Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit, and the evil tree bringeth forth evil fruit.

18 A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can an evil tree bring forth good fruit.

19 Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit, shall be cut down, and shall be cast into the fire.

20 Wherefore by their fruits you shall know them.

21 Not every one that saith to me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven: but he that doth the will of my Father who is in heaven, he shall enter into the kingdom of heaven.

22 Many will say to me in that day: Lord, Lord, have not we prophesied in thy name, and cast out devils in thy name, and done many miracles in thy name?

23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, you that work iniquity.

24 Every one therefore that heareth these my words, and doth them, shall be likened to a wise man that built his house upon a rock,

25 And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and they beat upon that house, and it fell not, for it was founded on a rock.

26 And every one that heareth these my words, and doth them not, shall be like a foolish man that built his house upon the sand,

27 And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and they beat upon that house, and it fell, and great was the fall thereof.

28 And it came to pass when Jesus had fully ended these words, the people were in admiration at his doctrine.

29 For he was teaching them as one having power, and not as the scribes and Pharisees.

It is Well with My Soul ( Christian Hymns with Lyrics in Description / Choir )

Hillsong Music recorded a version of the hymn after singing a 'version of the old hymn' in church. The song was recorded in Sydney in three days, mixed in England overnight and finally mastered in LA. All proceeds from the recording go to help the Queensland Flood Relief Effort. This version of the song features Darlene Zschech singing solo and an added Bridge written by Reuben Morgan and Ben Fielding.

This hymn was written after several traumatic events in Spafford's life. The first was the death of his only son in 1871 at the age of four, shortly followed by the great Chicago Fire which ruined him financially (he had been a successful lawyer). Then in 1873, he had planned to travel to Europe with his family on the SS Ville du Havre, but sent the family ahead while he was delayed on business concerning zoning problems following the Great Chicago Fire. While crossing the Atlantic, the ship sank rapidly after a collision with a sailing ship, the Loch Earn, and all four of Spafford's daughters died. His wife Anna survived and sent him the now famous telegram, "Saved alone." Shortly afterwards, as Spafford traveled to meet his grieving wife, he was inspired to write these words as his ship passed near where his daughters had died.

Bliss called his tune Ville du Havre, from the name of the stricken vessel.

The Spaffords later had three more children, one of whom (a son) died in infancy. In 1881 the Spaffords, including baby Bertha and newborn Grace, set sail for Israel. The Spaffords moved to Jerusalem and helped found a group called the American Colony; its mission was to serve the poor. The colony later became the subject of the Nobel prize winning Jerusalem, by Swedish novelist Selma Lagerlöf.

The Georgia Southern University marching band Southern Pride plays the song at the end of each game. Christian metalcore band, Haste the Day, named their band after a verse in the hymn.

Lyrics:

When peace, like a river, attendeth my way,
When sorrows like sea billows roll;
Whatever my lot, Thou has taught me to say,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.

Refrain

It is well, with my soul,
It is well, with my soul,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.

Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come,
Let this blest assurance control,
That Christ has regarded my helpless estate,
And hath shed His own blood for my soul.

My sin, oh, the bliss of this glorious thought!
My sin, not in part but the whole,
Is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more,
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!

And Lord, haste the day when my faith shall be sight,
The clouds be rolled back as a scroll;
The trump shall resound, and the Lord shall descend,
Even so, it is well with my soul.

words inspiration inspirational

THE HOLY GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST ACCORDING TO ST. MATTHEW christian religion bible teachings CHAPTER 6

2011-07-31T10:25:00.000-07:00

THE HOLY GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST ACCORDING TO ST. MATTHEW christian religion bible teachings CHAPTER 6

THE

HOLY GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST,

ACCORDING TO ST. MATTHEW.

ST. MATTHEW, one of the twelve Apostles, who from being a publican, that is, a taxgatherer, was called by our Saviour to the Apostleship: in that profession his name was LEVI. (Luke 5. 27, and Mark 2. 14.) He was the first of the Evangelists that wrote the Gospel, and that in Hebrew or Syro-Chaldaic which the Jews in Palestine spoke at that time. The original is not now extant; but as it was translated in the time of the Apostles into Greek, that version was of equal authority. He wrote about six years after our Lord's Ascension.

Johnny Cash - Greystone Chapel live from Folsom prison

The legeng johnny cash singing greystone chapel live from folsom. This is my first video. I hope you like it.

CHAPTER 6.

A continuation of the sermon on the mount.

TAKE heed that you do not your justice before men, to be seen by them: otherwise you shall not have a reward of your Father who is in heaven.
2 Therefore when thou dost an almsdeed, sound not a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be honoured by men. Amen I say to you, they have received their reward.

3 But when thou dost alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doth.

4 That thy alms may be in secret, and thy Father who seeth in secret will repay thee.

5 And when ye pray, you shall not be as the hypocrites, that love to stand and pray in the synagogues and corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men: Amen I say to you, they have received their reward.

6 But thou when thou shalt pray, enter into thy chamber, and having shut the door, pray to thy Father in secret: and thy Father who seeth in secret will repay thee.

7 And when you are praying, speak not much, as the heathens. For they think that in their much speaking they may be heard.

8 Be not you therefore like to them, for your Father knoweth what is needful for you, before you ask him.

9 Thus therefore shall you pray: Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name.

10 Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

11 Give us this day our supersubstantial bread.

12 And forgive us our debts, as we also forgive our debtors.

13 And lead us not into temptation. But deliver us from evil. Amen.

14 For if you will forgive men their offences, your heavenly Father will forgive you also your offences.

15 But if you will not forgive men, neither will your Father forgive you your offences.

16 And when you fast, be not as the hypocrites, sad. For they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Amen I say to you, they have received their reward.

17 But thou, when thou fastest anoint thy head, and wash thy face;

18 That thou appear not to men to fast, but to thy Father who is in secret: and thy Father who seeth in secret, will repay thee.

19 Lay not up to yourselves treasures on earth: where the rust, and moth consume, and where thieves break through and steal.

20 But lay up to yourselves treasures in heaven: where neither the rust nor moth doth consume, and where thieves do not break through, nor steal.

21 For where thy treasure is, there is thy heart also.

22 The light of thy body is thy eye. If thy eye be single, thy whole body shall be lightsome.

23 But if thy eye be evil thy whole body shall be darksome. If then the light that is in thee, be darkness: the darkness itself how great shall it be!

24 No man can serve two masters. For either he will hate the one, and love the other: or he will sustain the one, and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.

25 Therefore I say to you, be not solicitous for your life, what you shall eat, nor for your body, what you shall put on. Is not the life more than the meat: and the body more than the raiment?

26 Behold the birds of the air, for they neither sow, nor do they reap, nor gather into barns: and your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are not you of much more value than they?

27 And which of you by taking thought, can add to his stature by one cubit?

28 And for raiment why are you solicitous? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they labour not, neither do they spin.

29 But I say to you, that not even Solomon in all his glory was arrayed as one of these.

30 And if the grass of the field, which is to day, and to morrow is cast into the oven, God doth so clothe: how much more you, O ye of little faith?

31 Be not solicitous therefore, saying, What shall we eat: or what shall we drink, or wherewith shall we be clothed?

32 For after all these things do the heathens seek. For your Father knoweth that you have need of all these things.

33 Seek ye therefore first the kingdom of God, and his justice, and all these things shall be added unto you.

34 Be not therefore solicitous for to morrow; for the morrow will be solicitous for itself. Sufficient for the day is the evil thereof.

Johnny Cash sings and speaks about war (1969)

On this regular segment of his show—"Ride This Train"—Cash discussed and sang songs about a different theme each week. On this show from August 16, 1969, during the height of the Vietnam War, Cash talks about the history of war, then sings two songs celebrating it and one decrying it. He could do that because he was Johnny Cash. Johnny sings "The Big Battle," "Remember the Alamo," and most notably, "Last Night I Had The Strangest Dream."

THE HOLY GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST ACCORDING TO ST. MATTHEW christian religion bible teachings CHAPTER 5

2011-07-31T10:23:00.000-07:00

THE HOLY GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST ACCORDING TO ST. MATTHEW christian religion bible teachings CHAPTER 5

THE

HOLY GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST,

ACCORDING TO ST. MATTHEW.

ST. MATTHEW, one of the twelve Apostles, who from being a publican, that is, a taxgatherer, was called by our Saviour to the Apostleship: in that profession his name was LEVI. (Luke 5. 27, and Mark 2. 14.) He was the first of the Evangelists that wrote the Gospel, and that in Hebrew or Syro-Chaldaic which the Jews in Palestine spoke at that time. The original is not now extant; but as it was translated in the time of the Apostles into Greek, that version was of equal authority. He wrote about six years after our Lord's Ascension.

Johnny Cash - Lead Me Gently Home Father

Johnny Cash Show - 1x04 [Ep 04] - Doug McClure, Buffy Sainte-Marie, Minnie Pearl, Cowsills [June 28 '69]

CHAPTER 5.

Christ's sermon upon the mount. The eight beatitudes.

AND seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain, and when he was set down, his disciples came unto him.
2 And opening his mouth, he taught them, saying:

3 Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

4 Blessed are the meek: for they shall possess the land.

5 Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.

6 Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after justice: for they shall have their fill.

7 Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.

8 Blessed are the clean of heart: for they shall see God.

9 Blesses are the peacemakers: for they shall be called children of God.

10 Blessed are they that suffer persecution for justice' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

11 Blessed are ye when they shall revile you, and persecute you, and speak all that is evil against you, untruly, for my sake:

12 Be glad and rejoice, for your reward is very great in heaven. For so they persecuted the prophets that were before you.

13 You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt lose its savour, wherewith shall it be salted? It is good for nothing any more but to be cast out, and to be trodden on by men.

14 You are the light of the world. A city seated on a mountain cannot be hid.

15 Neither do men light a candle and put it under a bushel, but upon a candlestick, that it may shine to all that are in the house.

16 So let your light shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.

17 Do not think that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets. I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill.

18 For amen I say unto you, till heaven and earth pass, one jot, or one tittle shall not pass of the law, till all be fulfilled.

19 He therefore that shall break one of these least commandments, and shall so teach men, shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven. But he that shall do and teach, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

20 For I tell you, that unless your justice abound more than that of the scribes and Pharisees, you shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.

21 You have heard that it was said to them of old: Thou shalt not kill. And whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment.

22 But I say to you, that whosoever is angry with his brother, shall be in danger of the judgment. And whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council. And whosoever shall say, Thou Fool, shall be in danger of hell fire.

23 If therefore thou offer thy gift at the altar, and there thou remember that thy brother hath any thing against thee;

24 Leave there thy offering before the altar, and go first to be reconciled to thy brother: and then coming thou shalt offer thy gift.

25 Be at agreement with thy adversary betimes, whilst thou art in the way with him: lest perhaps the adversary deliver thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and thou be cast into prison.

26 Amen I say to thee, thou shalt not go out from thence till thou repay the last farthing.

27 You have heard that it was said to them of old: Thou shalt not commit adultery.

28 But I say to you, that whosoever shall look on a woman to lust after her, hath already committed adultery with her in his heart.

29 And if thy right eye scandalize thee, pluck it out and cast it from thee. For it is expedient for thee that one of thy members should perish, rather than that thy whole body be cast into hell.

30 And if thy right hand scandalize thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee: for it is expedient for thee that one of thy members should perish, rather than that thy whole body be cast into hell.

31 And it hath been said, Whoseoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a bill of divorce.

32 But I say to you, that whosoever shall put away his wife, excepting for the cause of fornication, maketh her to commit adultery: and he that shall marry her that is put away, committeth adultery.

33 Again you have heard that it was said to them of old, Thou shalt not forswear thyself: but thou shalt perform thy oaths to the Lord.

34 But I say to you not to swear at all, neither by heaven, for it is the throne of God:

35 Nor by the earth, for it is his footstool: nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great king:

36 Neither shalt thou swear by thy head, because thou canst not make one hair white or black.

37 But let your speech be yea, yea: no, no: and that which is over and above these, is of evil.

38 You have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.

39 But I say to you not to resist evil: but if one strike thee on thy right cheek, turn to him also the other:

40 And if a man will contend with thee in judgment, and take away thy coat, let go thy cloak also unto him.

41 And whosoever will force thee one mile, go with him other two,

42 Give to him that asketh of thee and from him that would borrow of thee turn not away.

43 You have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbor, and hate thy enemy.

44 But I say to you, Love your enemies: do good to them that hate you: and pray for them that persecute and calumniate you:

45 That you may be the children of your Father who is in heaven, who maketh his sun to rise upon the good, and bad, and raineth upon the just and the unjust.

46 For if you love them that love you, what reward shall you have? do not even the publicans this?

47 And if you salute your brethren only, what do you more? do not also the heathens this?

48 Be you therefore perfect, as also your heavenly Father is perfect.

Johnny Cash - Banks Of Jorden / For Heaven's Sake

From Gospel of Johnny Cash

THE HOLY GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST ACCORDING TO ST. MATTHEW christian religion bible teachings CHAPTER 4

2011-07-31T10:17:00.000-07:00

THE HOLY GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST ACCORDING TO ST. MATTHEW christian religion bible teachings CHAPTER 4

THE

HOLY GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST,

ACCORDING TO ST. MATTHEW.

ST. MATTHEW, one of the twelve Apostles, who from being a publican, that is, a taxgatherer, was called by our Saviour to the Apostleship: in that profession his name was LEVI. (Luke 5. 27, and Mark 2. 14.) He was the first of the Evangelists that wrote the Gospel, and that in Hebrew or Syro-Chaldaic which the Jews in Palestine spoke at that time. The original is not now extant; but as it was translated in the time of the Apostles into Greek, that version was of equal authority. He wrote about six years after our Lord's Ascension.

Johnny Cash sings "How Great Thou Art"

From the August 30, 1969 episode of "The Johnny Cash Show," Cash delivers a knock-out performance of the classic hymn, "How Great Thou Art" backed up as usual by the Carter Family and the Statler Brothers.

CHAPTER 4.

Christ's fast of forty days: he is tempted. He begins to preach, to call disciples to him, and to work miracles.

THEN Jesus was led by the spirit into the desert, to be tempted by the devil.
2 And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, afterwards he was hungry.

3 And the tempter coming said to him: If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread.

4 Who answered and said: It is written, Not in bread alone doth man live, but in every word that proceedeth from the mouth of God.

5 Then the devil took him up into the holy city, and set him upon the pinnacle of the temple,

6 And said to him: If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down, for it is written: That he hath given his angels charge over thee, and in their hands shall they bear thee up, lest perhaps thou dash thy foot against a stone.

7 Jesus said to him: It is written again: Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.

8 Again the devil took him up into a very high mountain, and shewed him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them,

9 And said to him: All these will I give thee, if falling down thou wilt adore me.

10 Then Jesus saith to him: Begone, Satan: for it is written, The Lord thy God shalt thou adore, and him only shalt thou serve.

11 Then the devil left him; and behold angels came and ministered to him.

12 And when Jesus had heard that John was delivered up, he retired into Galilee:

13 And leaving the city Nazareth, he came and dwelt in Capharnaum on the sea coast, in the borders of Zabulon and Nephthalim;

14 That it might be fulfilled which was said by Isaias the prophet:

15 Land of Zabulon and land of Nephthalim, the way of the sea beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles:

16 The people that sat in darkness, hath seen great light: and to them that sat in the region of the shadow of death, light is sprung up.

17 From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say: Do penance, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.

18 And Jesus walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea (for they were fishers).

19 And he saith to them: Come ye after me, and I will make you to be fishers of men.

20 And they immediately leaving their nets, followed him.

21 And going on from thence, he saw other two brethren, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in a ship with Zebedee their father, mending their nets: and he called them.

22 And they forthwith left their nets and father, and followed him.

23 And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom: and healing all manner of sickness and every infirmity, among the people.

24 And his fame went throughout all Syria, and they presented to him all sick people that were taken with divers diseases and torments, and such as were possessed by devils, and lunatics, and those that had palsy, and he cured them:

25 And much people followed him from Galilee, and from Decapolis, and from Jerusalem, and from Judea, and from beyond the Jordan.

Old rugged cross - Johnny Cash

Johnny using deaf language while singing this song.

THE HOLY GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST ACCORDING TO ST. MATTHEW christian religion bible teachings CHAPTER 3

2011-07-31T10:15:00.000-07:00

THE HOLY GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST ACCORDING TO ST. MATTHEW christian religion bible teachings CHAPTER 3

THE

HOLY GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST,

ACCORDING TO ST. MATTHEW.

ST. MATTHEW, one of the twelve Apostles, who from being a publican, that is, a taxgatherer, was called by our Saviour to the Apostleship: in that profession his name was LEVI. (Luke 5. 27, and Mark 2. 14.) He was the first of the Evangelists that wrote the Gospel, and that in Hebrew or Syro-Chaldaic which the Jews in Palestine spoke at that time. The original is not now extant; but as it was translated in the time of the Apostles into Greek, that version was of equal authority. He wrote about six years after our Lord's Ascension.

How Great Thou Art

text by Stuart K Hine
music: Swedish folk song
performed by the Statler Brothers

CHAPTER 3.

The preaching of John: Christ is baptized.

AND in those days cometh John the Baptist preaching in the desert of Judea.
2 And saying: Do penance: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.

3 For this is he that was spoken of by Isaias the prophet, saying: A voice of one crying in the desert, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make straight his paths.

4 And the same John had his garment of camels' hair, and a leathern girdle about his loins: and his meat was locusts and wild honey.

5 Then went out to him Jerusalem and all Judea, and all the country about Jordan:

6 And were baptized by him in the Jordan, confessing their sins.

7 And seeing many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them: Ye brood of vipers, who hath shewed you to flee from the wrath to come?

8 Bring forth therefore fruit worthy of penance.

9 And think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham for our father. For I tell you that God is able of these stones to raise up children to Abraham.

10 For now the axe is laid to the root of the trees. Every tree therefore that doth not yield good fruit, shall be cut down, and cast into the fire.

11 I indeed baptize you in the water unto penance, but he that shall come after me, is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear; he shall baptize you in the Holy Ghost and fire.

12 Whose fan is in his hand, and he will thoroughly cleanse his floor and gather his wheat into the barn; but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.

13 Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to the Jordan, unto John, to be baptized by him.

14 But John stayed him, saying: I ought to be baptized by thee, and comest thou to me?

15 And Jesus answering, said to him: Suffer it to be so now. For so it becometh us to fulfill all justice. Then he suffered him.

16 And Jesus being baptized, forthwith came out of the water: and lo, the heavens were opened to him: and he saw the Spirit of God descending as a dove, and coming upon him.

17 And behold a voice from heaven, saying: This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.

Johnny Cash sings "How Great Thou Art"

From the August 30, 1969 episode of "The Johnny Cash Show," Cash delivers a knock-out performance of the classic hymn, "How Great Thou Art" backed up as usual by the Carter Family and the Statler Brothers.

THE HOLY GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST ACCORDING TO ST. MATTHEW christian religion bible teachings CHAPTER 2

2011-07-31T10:11:00.000-07:00

THE HOLY GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST ACCORDING TO ST. MATTHEW christian religion bible teachings CHAPTER 2

THE

HOLY GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST,

ACCORDING TO ST. MATTHEW.

ST. MATTHEW, one of the twelve Apostles, who from being a publican, that is, a taxgatherer, was called by our Saviour to the Apostleship: in that profession his name was LEVI. (Luke 5. 27, and Mark 2. 14.) He was the first of the Evangelists that wrote the Gospel, and that in Hebrew or Syro-Chaldaic which the Jews in Palestine spoke at that time. The original is not now extant; but as it was translated in the time of the Apostles into Greek, that version was of equal authority. He wrote about six years after our Lord's Ascension.

His Hands (Jesus Christ)

Verse 1:
His hands, tools of creation
Stronger than Nations
Power without end
And yet through them, we find our truest friend
His hands
Sermons of kindness, healing mens blindness
Haulting years of pain
Children waiting to be held again

Chorus:
His hands would serve his whole life through
Showing men what hands might do
Giving ever giving endlessly
Each day was filled with selflessness
And I'll not rest 'til I make of my hands
What they could be
'Til these hands become like those from Galilee.

Verse 2:
His hands
Lifting a leoper, boring a begger
Calling back the dead
Breaking bread, 5,000 fed
His hands, hushing contention
pointing to heaven ever free of sin
Then bidding man to follow him

(CHORUS)

Verse 3:
His hands
Clasp in agony
As he lay pleading, bleeding in the garden
While just moments away
Other hands betray him, out of greed
Shameful greed
And then his hands, are trembling
straining to carry the beams that they been nailed to
as he stumbles through the streets,
heading for the hill on which he died
He would DIE
They take his hands, his mighty hands
Those gentle hands.. and then they peirced them, they peirced them
he lets them because of love.
From birth to death was selflessness
And clearly now I see him with his hands calling to me
And though I'm not yet as I would be
He has shown me how I could be
I will make my hands like those from Galilee.

CHAPTER 2.

The offerings of the wise men: the flight into Egypt: the massacre of the Innocents.

WHEN Jesus therefore was born in Bethlehem of Juda, in the days of king Herod, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem.
2 Saying, Where is he that is born king of the Jews? For we have seen his star in the east, and are come to adore him.

3 And king Herod hearing this, was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.

4 And assembling together all the chief priests and the scribes of the people, he inquired of them where Christ should be born.

5 But they said to him: In Bethlehem of Juda. For so it is written by the prophet:

6 And thou Bethlehem the land of Juda art not the least among the princes of Juda: for out of thee shall come forth the captain that shall rule my people Israel.

7 Then Herod, privately calling the wise men, learned diligently of them the time of the star which appeared to them;

8 And sending them into Bethlehem, said: Go and diligently inquire after the child, and when you have found him, bring me word again, that I also may come to adore him.

9 Who having heard the king, went their way; and behold the star which they had seen in the east, went before them, until it came and stood over where the child was.

10 And seeing the star they rejoiced with exceeding great joy.

11 And entering into the house, they found the child with Mary his mother, and falling down they adored him; and opening their treasures, they offered him gifts; gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

12 And having received an answer in sleep that they should not return to Herod, they went back another way into their country.

13 And after they were departed, behold an angel of the Lord appeared in sleep to Joseph, saying: Arise, and take the child and his mother, and fly into Egypt: and be there until I shall tell thee. For it will come to pass that Herod will seek the child to destroy him.

14 Who arose, and took the child and his mother by night, and retired into Egypt: and he was there until the death of Herod:

15 That it might be fulfilled which the Lord spoke by the prophet, saying: Out of Egypt have I called my son.

16 Then Herod perceiving that he was deluded by the wise men, was exceeding angry; and sending killed all the men children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the borders thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had diligently inquired of the wise men.

17 Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremias the prophet, saying:

18 A voice in Rama was heard, lamentation and great mourning; Rachel bewailing her children, and would not be comforted, because they are not.

19 But when Herod was dead, behold an angel of the Lord appeared in sleep to Joseph in Egypt,

20 Saying: Arise, and take the child and his mother, and go into the land of Israel. For they are dead that sought the life of the child.

21 Who arose, and took the child and his mother, and came into the land of Israel.

22 But hearing that Archelaus reigned in Judea in the room of Herod his father, he was afraid to go thither: and being warned in sleep retired into the quarters of Galilee.

23 And coming he dwelt in a city called Nazareth: that it might be fulfilled which was said by prophets: That he shall be called a Nazarene.

a childs prayer

THE HOLY GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST ACCORDING TO ST. MATTHEW christian religion bible teachings CHAPTER 1

2011-07-31T10:08:00.000-07:00

THE HOLY GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST ACCORDING TO ST. MATTHEW christian religion bible teachings

Drawing of Jesus Christ

THE HOLY GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST ACCORDING TO ST. MATTHEW christian religion bible teachings CHAPTER 1

ST. MATTHEW, one of the twelve Apostles, who from being a publican, that is, a taxgatherer, was called by our Saviour to the Apostleship: in that profession his name was LEVI. (Luke 5. 27, and Mark 2. 14.) He was the first of the Evangelists that wrote the Gospel, and that in Hebrew or Syro-Chaldaic which the Jews in Palestine spoke at that time. The original is not now extant; but as it was translated in the time of the Apostles into Greek, that version was of equal authority. He wrote about six years after our Lord's Ascension.

CHAPTER 1.

The genealogy of Christ: he is conceived and born of a virgin.

THE book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham:
2 Abraham begot Isaac. And Isaac begot Jacob. And Jacob begot Judas and his brethren.

3 And Judas begot Phares and Zara of Thamar. And Phares begot Esron. And Esron begot Aram.

4 And Aram begot Aminadab. And Aminadab begot Naasson. And Naasson begot Salmon.

5 And Salmon begot Booz of Rahab. And Booz begot Obed of Ruth. And Obed begot Jesse.

6 And Jesse begot David the king. And David the king begot Solomon, of her that had been the wife of Urias.

7 And Solomon begot Roboam. And Roboam begot Abia. And Abia begot Asa.

8 And Asa begot Josaphat. And Josaphat begot Joram. And Joram begot Ozias.

9 And Ozias begot Joatham. And Joatham begot Achaz. And Achaz begot Ezechias.

10 And Ezechias begot Manasses. And Manesses begot Amon. And Amon begot Josias.

11 And Josias begot Jechonias and his brethren in the transmigration of Babylon.

12 And after the transmigration of Babylon, Jechonias begot Salathiel. And Salathiel begot Zorobabel.

13 And Zorobabel begot Abiud. And Abiud begot Eliacim. And Eliacim begot Azor.

14 And Azor begot Sadoc. And Sadoc begot Achim. And Achim begot Eliud.

15 And Eliud begot Eleazar. And Eleazar begot Mathan. And Mathan begot Jacob.

16 And Jacob begot Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ.

17 So all the generations, from Abraham to David, are fourteen generations. And from David to the transmigration of Babylon, are fourteen generations: and from the transmigration of Babylon to Christ are fourteen generations.

18 Now the generation of Christ was in this wise. When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child, of the Holy Ghost.

19 Whereupon Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing publicly to expose her, was minded to put her away privately.

20 But while he thought on these things, behold the angel of the Lord appeared to him in his sleep, saying: Joseph, son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife, for that which is conceived in her, is of the Holy Ghost.

21 And she shall bring forth a son: and thou shalt call his name JESUS. For he shall save his people from their sins.

22 Now all this was done that it might be fulfilled which the Lord spoke by the prophet, saying:

23 Behold a virgin shall be with child, and bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.

24 And Joseph rising up from sleep, did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him, and took unto him his wife.

25 And he knew her not till she brought forth her firstborn son: and he called his name JESUS.

I Know That My Redeemer Lives (Jesus Christ)

Jesus, who is called Christ, is the firstborn of the Father in the spirit and the Only Begotten of the Father in the flesh. He is Jehovah, and was foreordained to his great calling in the Grand Councils before the world was.

He was born of Mary at Bethlehem, lived a sinless life, and wrought out a perfect atonement for all mankind by the shedding of his blood and his death on the cross. He rose from the grave and brought to pass the bodily resurrection of every living thing and the salvation and exaltation of the faithful.

He is the greatest Being to be born on this earth--the perfect example--and all religious things should be done in his name. He is Lord of lords, King of kings, the Creator, the Savior, the God of the whole earth, the Captain of our salvation, the Bright and Morning Star. He is in all things, above all things, through all things, and round about all things; he is Alpha and Omega, the first and the last; his name is above every name, and is the only name under heaven by which we can be saved.

He will come again in power and glory to dwell on the earth, and will stand as Judge of all mankind at the last day.

"I Know That My Redeemer Lives"
Hymn # 264 from Lutheran Worship
Author: attr. John Hatton
Tune: Duke Street 1st Published in: 1775

the douay-rheims bible online cathedral of notre-dame reims picture of the bible and cathedral pics

2011-07-29T16:47:00.000-07:00

cathedral of notre-dame reims

the douay-rheims bible online

FIRST PUBLISHED BY THE ENGLISH COLLEGE AT RHEIMS, A.D. 1582

WITH ANNOTATIONS, REFERENCES, AND AN HISTORICAL AND CHRONOLOGICAL INDEX

THE WHOLE REVISED AND DILIGENTLY COMPARED WITH THE LATIN VULGATE BY BISHOP RICHARD CHALLONER, A.D. 1749-1752

PUBLISHED WITH THE APPROBATION OF

HIS EMINENCE JAMES CARDINAL GIBBONS

ARCHBISHOP OF BALTIMORE

PREFACE

At the earnest solicitation of large numbers of the religious bodies and laity, we herewith beg leave to introduce to the public a most convenient edition of the Sacred Scriptures, approved by his Eminence, the Cardinal Archbishop of Baltimo re, whose recommendation we herewith append.

The Sacred Scriptures form a part of divine revelation; the other part being contained in the depository of the Church, and designated as the unwritten word of God.

This distinction is most happily found couched in the language of St. Paul (2 Thess. 2. 14), " Wherefore, brethren, stand fast, and hold the traditions which you have learned, whether by word or by our Epistle." The Apostle of the Gentiles thu s gives precedence to the unwritten word of God presented to man by the Church, whilst she, under the influence of the Holy Spirit, assumes the office of sole interpreter of the written word, thereby rendering her the sole guardian of the deposit of divin e revelation in its twofold form.

On the written revelation, it is highly appropriate that we should here address a few remarks to our readers.

As the book about to be once more presented to the public in a new form claims for itself an origin exclusively divine, we deem it not out of place to furnish, in outline at least, the grounds of that claim.

The work is divided unequally into two parts, viz., the Old and New Testaments. The Old Testament is a record of God's relations with man antecedently to the advent of the incarnate Son of God, our Lord Jesus Christ. The New Testament contains a compend ium of the lives of our Saviour and his Apostles, as recorded by the Evangelists and other Apostles.

As to the first part, or Old Testament, the version always recognized by the Church contains many more books than that used by other than Catholics. The reason of this discrepancy is that the Church's version, the Septuagint, the Greek translation fro m the original Hebrew, and which contained all the writings now found in the Douay version, as it is called, was the version used by the Saviour and his Apostles and by the Church from her infancy, and translated into Latin, known under the title of Latin Vulgate, and ever recognized as the true version of the written word of God.

Hence the Old Testament, containing as it does all embraced in the Septuagint, is not only genuine and authentic, but having the approbation of our Saviour and Apostles, who quoted it exclusively whilst on earth, has superadded to it the supreme charac ter of divine inspiration, which it possesses to the exclusion of all other versions. It stands, therefore, before the world as the sole claimant for integrity, genuineness, authenticity, and inspiration; in a word, as the possessor of every attribute ne cessary to constitute what no other work can lay claim to, viz., a divinely inspired volume.

Of the genuineness and authenticity of the more recent part of this sacred book, viz., the New Testament, there exists no doubt; but as to its inspiration, the gravest doubts may exist unless an infallible witness thereof can be produced.

Whatever gro unds may exist vouching for the inspiration of the Apostles as writers, no security whatsoever can be forthcoming for the inspiration of the quotas furnished by Sts. Mark and Luke; the former the writer of a Gospel; the latter also the writer of a Gospel and of the Acts of the Apostles; these quotas, forming a prominent part in the composition of the New Testament, remain uninspired, their authors not being Apostles.

The only solution to this difficulty is to be found in the testimony of the Church of Ch rist, which He commands us to " hear," and against which He pledges Himself that " the gates of hell cannot prevail." Her decision, by virtue of the guaranty of her Founder, exalts the New Testament to the dignity of a divinely inspired p roduction, and as she vouches also for the divine character of the Old Testament, we submit to our readers a work that, alone of all publications, comprises, with all the evidences of infallible certitude, the only divine production on earth. The Church of Jesus Christ, by virtue of her divinely endowed infallibility, vouches for the divine origin of the Sacred Scriptures, and as such we respectfully, but confidently, submit them to the public.

A History of the Douay-Rheims Bible

Introduction

This section contains excerpts from well-known Catholic sources on the history of the Douay-Rheims Bible. The Holy Bible text on this web site has been converted from the 1899 edition of the John Murphy Company, Baltimore, Maryland. Although "Challoner Revision" may be the most accurate title for this version of the Holy Bible (see below), it was ca lled, and continues to be called, "The Douay-Rheims Version". This site will be faithful to the 1899 edition and retain the title "Douay-Rhiems Version".

The following is an excerpt from the 1914 Edition of The Catholic Encyclopedia [1]:

The original Douay Version, which is the foundation on which nearly all English Catholic versions are still based, owed its existence to the religious controversies of the sixteenth century. Many Protestant versions of the Scriptures had been issued and were used largely by the Reformers for polemical purposes. The rendering of some of the texts showed evident signs of controversial bias, and it became of the first importance for the English Catholics of the day to be furnished with a translation of their own, on the accuracy of which they could depend and to which they could appeal in the course of argument. The work of preparing such a version was undertaken by the members of the English College at Douai, in Flanders, founded by William Allen (afterwards cardinal) in 1568. The chief share of the translating was borne by Dr. Gregory Martin, formerly of St. John's College, Oxford. His text was revised by Thomas Worthington, Richard Bristowe, John Reynolds, and Allen himself - all of them Oxford men. A series of notes was added, designed to answer the theological arguments of the Reformers; these were prepared by Allen, assisted by Bristowe and Worthington.

The object of the work was, of course, not limited to controversial purposes; in the case of the New Testament, especially, it was meant for pious use among Catholics. The fact, however, that the primary end was controversial explains the course adopted by the translators. In the first place they translated directly, not from the original Hebrew or Greek, but from the Latin Vulgate of St. Jerome. This had been declared authoritative for Catholics by the Council of Trent; but it was also commonly admitted that the text was purer than in any manuscripts at that time extant in the original languages. Then, also, in the translation, many technical words were retained bodily, such as pasch, parasceve, azymes, etc. In some instances, also, where it was found difficult or impossible to find a suitable English equivalent for a Latin word, the latter was retained in an anglicized form. Thus in Phil., ii, 8, we get "He exinanited himself", and in Heb., ix, 28, "Christ was offered once to exhaust the sins of many". It was considered that an ordinary reader, finding the word unintelligible, would pause and inquire its meaning, and that this was preferable to satisfying him with an inadequate rendering. In other cases latinisms seem to have crept in unawares, as in Luke, x, 1, "Our Lord designed also other seventy-two"; or in Phil., ii, 10, "In the name of Jesus, every knee bow of the celestials, terrestrials and infernals". The proper names are usually (though not always) taken from the Vulgate; but the word Dominus is rendered throughout Our Lord. The general result was a version in cumbersome English, so full of latinisms as to be in places hardly readable, but withal scholarly and accurate.

In the year 1578, owing to political troubles, the college was temporarily transferred from Douai (which was then in the dominions of the King of Spain) to Reims, and during its sojourn there, in 1582, the New Testament was published, and became consequently known as the "Rheims Testament". It contained no episcopal imprimatur, but a recommendation was appended signed by four divines of the University of Reims. The Old Testament was delayed by want of means, until the whole Bible was eventually published in two quarto volumes, in 1609 and 1610, by which time the college had returned to Douai, and the recommendation was signed by three doctors of that university. Thus the New Testament appeared nearly thirty years before the Anglican "Authorized Version", and although not officially mentioned as one of the versions to be consulted, it is now commonly recognized to have had a large influence on the King James Version (see Preface to Revised Version, i, 2; also, Carleton, "Rheims and the English Bible"). The Reims Testament was reprinted twice at Antwerp - in 1600 and 1621 - and a fourth edition was issued at Rouen in 1633. Then it was allowed to rest for over a century before a fifth edition appeared, with some slight changes, dated 1728, but without any place of publication stated. It is believed to have been printed in London and was edited by Dr. Challoner (afterwards bishop), and Father Blyth, a Carmelite. The Douay Bible was never after this printed abroad. A sixth edition of the Reims Testament was printed at Liverpool in 1788, and a seventh dated Dublin, 1803, which was the last Catholic edition. Several Protestant editions have appeared, the best known being a curious work by Rev. William Fulke, first published in 1589, with the Reims text and that of the Bishops' Bible in parallel columns. A Protestant edition of the Reims Testament was also brought out by Leavitt of New York, in 1834.

Although the Bibles in use at the present day by the Catholics of England and Ireland are popularly styled the Douay Version, they are most improperly so called; they are founded, with more or less alteration, on a series of revisions undertaken by Bishop Challoner in 1749-52. His object was to meet the practical want felt by the Catholics of his day of a Bible moderate in size and price, in readable English, and with notes more suitable to the time. He brought out three editions of the New Testament, in 1749, 1750, and 1752 respectively, and one of the Old Testament in 1750. The changes introduced by him were so considerable that, according to Cardinal Newman, they "almost amounted to a new translation". So also, Cardinal Wiseman wrote, "To call it any longer the Douay or Rheimish Version is an abuse of terms. It has been altered and modified until scarcely any verse remains as it was originally published." In nearly every case Challoner's changes took the form of approximating to the Authorized Version, though his three editions of the New Testament differ from one another in numerous passages.

The following two excerpts are from The Jerome Biblical Commentary [2]:

DOUAY-RHEIMS (1582-1609). This was done by Gregory Martin, an Oxford-trained scholar, working in the circle of English Catholic exiles on the Continent, under the sponsorship of William (later Cardinal) Allen. The NT appeared at Rheims in 1582; the OT at Douay in 1609. The translation, although competent, exhibited a taste for Latinisms that was not uncommon in English writing of the time but has seemed excessive in the eyes of later generations. The NT influenced the AV.

CHALLONER REVISION (1749-63). The official Catholic version underwent revision a century earlier than its Protestant counterpart, the AV. Bishop Richard Challoner, coadjutor to the Vicar Apostolic of the London district, revised the NT in 1749 and 1752, and the OT in 1750 and 1763. This was a considerable revision, markedly modernizing the style. For two centuries the Challoner revision remained in almost universal use among English-speaking Catholics.

[1] The Catholic Encyclopedia, s.v. "Douay Bible", 5:140.

[2] Raymond Brown et al., eds., The Jerome Biblical Commentary (Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice-Hall, 1968), 69:168-169

The French philosopher Rene Descartes - rene descartes i think therefore i am

2011-07-19T14:55:00.000-07:00

The French philosopher Rene Descartes, b. Mar. 31, 1596, d. Feb. 11, 1650, was one of the most important and influential thinkers in human history and is sometimes called the founder of modern philosophy. Writing at the beginning of the scientific revolution, he made major contributions to both philosophy and mathematics.

His principal philosophical work, Meditations on First Philosophy, was first published in 1641, the year before Galileo died and Isaac Newton was born. One of his two main aims in philosophy was to provide a conceptual foundation for the new mechanical physics based on the Copernican system, which tried to explain everything in the created world external to human beings solely by the shapes, sizes, and motions of bodies. Because he lived at a time when traditional ideas were being questioned, he also sought to devise a method for reaching the truth.

This concern and his method of systematic doubt had an enormous impact on the subsequent development of philosophy. Life and Works Born in Touraine, France, Descartes was educated at the Jesuit academy of La Fleche in traditional Aristotelian philosophy. After receiving a law degree in 1616 at the University of Poitiers, he traveled through Europe as a volunteer in a Dutch and then a Bavarian army.

In his early twenties he began working on problems in mathematics and mechanics under the influence of the Dutch scientist Isaac Beeckman, and he first conceived of developing a unified science of nature. In late 1628, as the result of a speech in Paris in which he argued that the sciences must be founded on certainty, he was encouraged by Cardinal Pierre de Berulle (1575-1629) to develop his own philosophical system. Shortly afterward, he settled in Holland, which offered him seclusion and more intellectual freedom, and began work on his first major treatise, Rules for the Direction of the Mind.

This work was never completed and was published posthumously in 1701. Upon hearing of Galileo’s condemnation by the Inquisition in 1633 for defending the Copernican system, Descartes suppressed publication of his own work The World, in which he had taken the same position.

His three most important philosophical works, the Discourse on Method—which was a preface to his Dioptrics, Meteors and Geometry—the Meditations on First Philosophy, and the Principles of Philosophy, were all published in the period from 1637 to 1644.

Also important are The Passions of the Soul, Notes Against a Program, and his large correspondence. In 1649, Descartes was persuaded by Queen Christina of Sweden to leave Holland for Stockholm, where, after only a few months, he caught pneumonia and died. Cartesian Philosophy Descartes adopted the strategy of withholding his belief from anything that was not entirely certain and indubitable.

To test which of his previous beliefs could meet these conditions, he subjected them to a series of skeptical hypotheses. For example, he asked himself whether he could be certain he was not dreaming. His most powerful skeptical hypothesis, that there is an evil genius trying to deceive him, challenges not only the belief that the physical world exists, but also belief in simple statements of fact, and thus would seem to call into question the validity of reason itself. But not even an evil genius could deceive someone into believing falsely that he existed. "I think, therefore I am" is thus beyond skeptical doubt.

From this Archimedean point, "I think, therefore I am," Descartes attempted to regain the world called into doubt by his skeptical hypotheses. His solution to the problem was rejected by later generations, however, and philosophers have been struggling with skepticism—especially skepticism about the existence of the physical world ever since. Descartes is known as the father of the mind-body problem.

He claimed that human beings are composites of two kinds of substances, mind and body. A mind is a conscious or thinking being, that is, it understands, wills, senses, and imagines. A body is a being extended in length, width, and breadth. Minds are indivisible, whereas bodies are infinitely divisible. The "I" of the "I think, therefore I am" is the mind and can exist without being extended, so that it can in principle survive the death of the body. Despite having different natures, Descartes thought that mind and body causally interact.

The human mind causes motions in the bodies by moving a small part of the brain. Motions in that same part of the brain produce sensations and emotions. This problem of whether mental entities are different in nature from physical entities continues to be a primary concern of philosophers and psychologists.

Descartes argued that bodies differ from how they appear through senses. Colors, sounds, tastes, smells, heat, and cold are merely sensations existing in thought, and there is nothing in bodies that resembles them, just as there is nothing in bodies that resembles our sensation of pain. Instead the properties of bodies are those which are capable of being quantified, namely, extension and its modes, shape, size, and motion. He denied the existence of a vacuum, because what one would be inclined to call empty space meets his definition of body in virtue of being extended in three dimensions.

All the phenomena in the created world external to human beings, such as gravity, magnetism, and the cohesion of bodies, as well as the complex functioning of living organisms including human bodies, he believed could be explained solely by mechanistic physics, that is, by the motions and collisions of bodies.

He even denied that consciousness must be attributed to animals in order to explain their behavior. Although his laws of impact, his vortex theory of gravity, and his denial of a vacuum were rejected as physics developed, he deserves credit for one of the first formulations of the law of inertia, which he justified by appeal to the immutability of God.

In mathematics Descartes is famous for the unification of algebra and geometry, marked by the use of what are now known as Cartesian coordinates. He influenced not only the rationalist thinkers who were his immediate followers, but also the whole course of modern philosophical enquiry, and the Cartesian quest for certainty gave epistemology the central place in philosophical thought it has maintained to this day.

real life ghost stories from greece The Greek Ghost Girl

2011-07-13T15:02:00.000-07:00

here is a real life ghost stories from greece about The Greek Ghost Girl!

Springtime in Greece is when the temperature begins to rise, the first tourist arrive in the holiday resorts, the disos closed for the winter re-open and a young mans thoughts turn to love.
One local spied a local girl looking girl in the disco, he hadn't seen her before, after much talking, dancing, he felt he liked her and wanted to know her better. With romance on his mind he offered her a ride to the beach on his motorbike. She agreed.

The walked and talked on the beach by moonlight, discussing their lives, she lived a little up the coast, not so far from the boy's town. They agreed they should meet again. As it was late, the boy offered to give the girl a lift home on his bike. Being a gentleman he offered her his jacket to wear, as the nights were not yet so warm.

He left her and happily set off home confident that they would meet again.

The next morning he realised that his conquest of the night before still had his jacket. Realising that this would be a good excuse to meet, he set off to her home where he had left her.

Her house was a small apartment block typical of the Greece away from the tourist places, he rang the bell and waited. A woman who he took to be his love's mother opend the door. He asked if her daughter was there since she had his jacket. The woman looked horrified, then upset, then cross. She informed him that her daughter had died two years ago and that she was fed up of the local youth making fun of her. If he wanted to see her daughter he should go to the cemetary.

Confused the young man made his way to the local cemetary. The grave in question was easy to find, indeed it was obvious. It was the only one to have a leather jacket draped on the cross.

real life ghost stories uk Liverpool haunted house An unusual nanny

2011-07-13T14:56:00.000-07:00

here is a real life ghost story from the uk Liverpool, about a haunted house and An unusual nanny!.

Michael (not his real name) was an unremarkable child, and is an unremarkable adult, with normal interests and many friends As a child he gained the attention of a remakable nanny.

Few of his friends or family liked coming to play at his house. Friends would complain about feeling uneasy, as if they were being watched by someone hostile to their presence, no-one liked playing in the bedroom, since to get there you had to climb the stairs.

As a baby Michael's parents installed a baby alarm, a microphone in the nursery linked to a loudspeaker downstairs. From time to time the loudspeaker would emit a sharp click, but being a cheap gadget, no-one thought anything of it. Also the sound of gentle singing could sometimes be heard. Alarmed that someone was in their son's room the parents would rush upstairs, to find nothing, eventually they dismissed this phenomenon as radio interference.

When Michael was three years old his grandmother came to visit, he remembers the visit vividly as he was asked to vacate his room for his grandmother and move into the empty box room next door. This he was far from pleased about. He cried and screamed, as only a young child can, that he couldn't sleep in that room as it was the "white lady's room". Unable to console the child, his parents took the easy way out and let him as he was putting the grandmother in the spare room.

The first night passed peacefully, the second night the house was woken by screaming. Grandmother woke in the middle of the night claiming that a middle aged woman had entered the bedroom, and tried to start a conversation about how Michael was such a well behaved boy. Being unsatisfied with her incoherrent screaming the lady said that she didnt deserve to be a grandmother and disappeared.

Grandmother rarely visited after this, and always slept on the sofa downstairs.

Time passed without incident until Michael was in his early teens, when his sister was born. The young child was given the nursery and Michael moved into a loft conversion.

The old baby alarm was installed. It still clicked.

One night the family was at the cinema leaving a baby-sitter in charge of the child. On their return they found the baby-sitter sobbing and terrified with a neighbour in the front room. The baby-sitter told that the baby alarm had been clicking all evening, then she heard a noise as if a woman was singing, she went upstairs to investigate and saw the figure of a woman bending over the cot singing to the baby. The woman turned to her then vanished. The poor girl grabbed the baby flew downstairs and ran to the neighbours.

Michael has only seen the "white lady" once, shortly after moving into the loft extension, one night, he awoke and felt that he was not alone. Peeking from under his bed sheets he saw the figuring of a woman come up the new stairs and wander around his room. She then turned put her finger to her lips, as if to tell him not to make a sound, Michael was too terrified to breathe let alone shout, she then disappeared. He reckons that she came to investigate the new addition to the house.

Despite having only seen her once he does admit to feeling uneasy on the stairs, as does anyone who visits the house. And no-one ever pauses on the landing for everyone feel uneasy there.

Later the neighbour told how the last people who lived in the house had moved out, after being disturbed by visitations, the previous owner was a middle aged woman who's son had died, and husband deserted her, unable to live with the grief she hanged herself. Apparently this woman had always loved children and would fuss over any young child she would meet. Although the neighbour didn't know where she killed herself, there is only one place suitable, and only one place where there is a distinct feeling of dread.

The Knights Templar and the "Holy Grail" in Nova Scotia?

2011-07-13T13:59:00.000-07:00

this is a interesting read about The Knights Templar and the "Holy Grail" in Nova Scotia?.

i always found the stories about the Knights Templar and the "Holy Grail" to be very interesting reads, this a break down on each chapter and what it contains about a interesting book that delves into just such a mystery, with lots of grail legends and information on the templars.

The Labyrinth of the Grail

by William F. Mann

Chapter 1: "A Fool's Quest"

In the 14th century, the Inquisition was determined to exterminate the Knights Templar.

Some refugee Knights (and their treasure?) were welcomed by the powerful St Clairs of Scotland, and under Prince Henry Sinclair, participated in trans Atlantic voyages that resulted in a settlement in Nova Scotia in 1398.

The Templars were the keepers of the Holy Grail who were searching for Avalon, a paradise free from religious persecution.

Was this sanctuary Nova Scotia?

Chapter 2: "A Balance of Nature"

This chapter gives the "backstory" regarding the Templar beliefs with respect to man's dealings with nature, heaven and earth, good and evil, etc., and their understanding of the forces of nature, based on earlier Celtic, Arab, Muslim, Greek and Egyptian teachings. This brings together a synergy of philosophies and religions that sets the stage for a 666 year old detective story.

We present the mysteries that evolve from the Templars use of Sacred Geometry and it's relationship to the earth's forces and many strategic locations. The main question relates to the age-old belief that the Greeks, Carthagians, Phoenicians and the Mesopotamians circumnavigated the world in search of precious metals and trade, and that maps remained from those times demonstarting remarkable accuracy. These maps became the property of the Knights Templar enabling them to sail back and forth to Nova Scotia at a time when most people considered the world to be flat.

Chapter 3: "The Lord of the Rings"

The Lord of the Rings refers to Henry Sinclair , an agent of the Knights Templar and hereditary Grand Master of the Freemasons. The prince's background in esoteric teachings, military strategy, forestry, geometry, astronomy, etc., provides an understanding of how a 14th century Earl could transport and hide the Holy Grail across the Atlantic and create a labyrinth of clues not uncovered until 1993.

Chapter 3 also relates how chess and Tarot Cards, both attributed to the Knights Templar, figured so prominently into Sinclair's plan, as does alchemy, Greek mythology, and Celtic/pagan beliefs relating to the "otherworld", as subsequently described by many authors and poets.

Chapter 4: "Mary, Mary, Quite Contrary"

In this chapter we show how the royal Merovingian line continued throughout the centuries through princesses of royal descent. Associated with this is the theory that Mary Magdaline married Jesus Christ and bore him children. Thus a direct line of descendants from the house of David continues to this day and is supported by the "Priory of Sion".

The fact that many of these women were named Mary, Marie, Mathilde and the relationship of the town of Maitland, Nova Scotia, as shown within Poussins painting, "The Shepherds of Arcadia", is explored.

In addition, an examination of Celtic, Greek, and Egyptian high priestesses/godesses, from virgin to prostitute, and their relationship to the virgin Mary, explains the relationships between man and woman, the pentagram and hexagram.

Also reviewed is the link between Rennes-le-Chateau, the medieval stronghold of the Knights Templar, located in France and Pleasant Valley, Nova Scotia.

Chapter 5: "Peace 681"

Peace 681 deals with the mystery surrounding Poussin's painting, "Les Bergers d'Arcadie". It's relationship to coded messages from the Rennes-le-Chateau parchments, and the relationships of figures in the painting to names in Nova Scotia (Acadia) is examined.

Clues within art masterpieces by Grand Masters of the Priory of Sion, Botticelli and DaVinci are explored. The Celtic/Templar fascination of the skull (Baphomet), is explained along with how the head figures so prominently into the Poussin painting "Et in Arcadia Ego" and the Nova Scotia landscape.

Chapter 6: "The Tempatation of St. Anthony"

In "The Tempatation of St. Anthony", We refer to the painting by Teniers that has been lost but still remains a vital part of the Rennes-le-Chateau clue. Like St Brendan of Ireland and St Bernard of Clairvaux, St Anthony was a priory monk who travelled into the wilderness to become closer to God.

Sublime references to Anthony in the wilderness are also shown to relate to pysical features in the Nova Scotian landscape.

Six is an appropriate chapter number because of it's male reference and relationship to the Gothic form. An explanation of Tarot Card #10, the Wheel of Fortune, reinforces the positioning of a waterfall as the veiled sanctuary within the inner sanctum (the Holy of Holiest) of the church and proceeds to illustrate the relationship of the physical landscape (mountain/valley) to the female form.

Chapter 7: "The Key"

"The Key", as it is known to Freemasons is "66.6 - 72". This was decipehered from the tomb of Lord Anson of Shugborough and from the application of Sacred Geometry to a template reflecting a sine curve, and corresponds to the major axis of the previously noted geometric diagrams. 666-72 recurs with exciting regularity within geometry, the tetragrammation and the triple tau.

We elaborate on the Tarot cards - Fortitude and the Hanged Man. Fortitude portrays the jaws of a male lion controlled by a female, as exemplified by the royal Merovingian line. The mysterious Hanged Man relates to the possibility of a suspended object within a bowery grave.

Chapter 8: "Val D'Or"

This chapter recounts the legends of a great valley of gold and other associated mythological references, ranging from Jason and the Argonauts and the Golden Fleece, to the Midas Touch, or the Golden Apple. Alchemy has a strong relationship to this chapter, as does magic and spiritualism.

A Section on Champlain recounts his overwhelming desire to discover a lost copper mine at the head of Minas Basin in what was known as New France, and his untimely death at the hands of the Indians whom he always approached and questioned about earlier Europeans such as Henry Sinclair.

Chapter 9: "Tower of Glass"

"Tower of Glass" refers to a see through, hour glass shaped, allegorical tower of the Fisher King, that in fact existed at the Templar refuge in Nova Scotia.

The tower may have existed before 1398 and was reconstructed by Sinclair and his men with the aid of the Micmac Indians and was similar to the Newport and New Ross towers.

The relationship between the Westford Knight and the location of the "White" tower demonstrates that clues were left by Sinclair, albeit it in a sublime manner, indicating the exact location of the tower and the front and back door to an underground cave/abandoned copper mine.

Chapter 10: "Out of the Shadows"

We reflect on balancing relationships between Oak Island and Pleasant Valley, in terms of physiography and climatic conditions and the references to the "dark side", represented by the moon and stars, and the "light side", represented by the sun and sky.

It also states that the Rennes-le-Chateau treasure was moved to New France/Arcadia during Sinclairs time to the new Temple of Solomon in the New Jerusalem.

Chapter 10 describes the historical tension between Scotland and England which caused Sinclair to abandon his refuge so quickly and bury the holy relics prior to returning to Scotland to fight and die in an English invasion of 1404.

It explains how the secret was scattered among six countries and all the background material to the labyrinth was lost during the burning of Rosslyn in 1404, as sublimely indicated in Umberto Eco's "Foucaults's Pendulum".

Chapter 11: "Into the Light"

"Into the Light" reveals that through the Tarot virtues, Justice, Fortitude, Temperance and Judgement, the Sinclair site was to be the closest thing to heaven on earth, and that Sinclair demonstrated these virtues to the native Micmacs as "Glooscap" in return for loyalty.

Nova Scotian place names mean something different when applied to another level, or etymologically, and Sinclair left his stylized road map, to be followed by applying esoteric clues including the sequence of events as they are portrayed through Tarot cards.

Chapter 12: "The Golden Bough"

We explain, with reference to Frazer, explains, how the Nova Scotia landscape depicts four elements of the ancient crest, the eagle, lion, bull and man, thus completing the square.

The planting of oaks to emulate the golden bough proves Sinclair's forestry knowledge and insight that the treasure would not be discovered for a long time and only by someone initiated in the knowledge of natural and applied sciences as well as Masonic rituals.

Chapter 13: "A Fool's Discovery"

"A Fool's Discovery" recounts the moment the author uncovered the door to the inner Sanctuary and realized the meaning of "Et in Arcadia Ego". This final chapter provides a fitting end to the author's journey.

Many have speculated as to the true nature of the Holy Grail/Templar treasure but few are prepared for what was discovered and how it relates to world history and Freemasonry.

if matter is Spirit's opposite are we alive or illusion?

2011-05-16T14:04:00.000-07:00

if matter is Spirit's opposite are we alive or illusion?, this is a good spiritual question to ponder, we are illusion if we see ourselves as such, through the eyes looking back to realise we are spirit.

but try to be like the spirit no matter what, and your spirit does shine in good deeds.

discords of corporeal sense yield to the harmony of spiritual sense

2011-05-16T13:57:00.000-07:00

the discords of corporeal sense must yield to the harmony of spiritual sense, or at least find where you are so you can find where you are not, how do we miss the divine inside and out when it is right next to us, just waiting to be found.

what does it mean to say that we must find our harmony of spiritual sense.

to live in harmony is perfection?, but not simple.

we must live to the divine Principle in each of us what is it?

2011-05-16T13:55:00.000-07:00

we must live to the divine Principle in each of us what is it?, you have to find your divine light, and why you are here, not always straight forward to do, learn a bit about the soul and the divine a bit at a time and slowly you will get a bigger picture.

the divine can be like looking at a jigsaw puzzle!

discover the Truth ask the right questions get answers

2011-05-16T13:52:00.000-07:00

discover the might of Truth in the treatment of your dis-ease, what is causing your troubles in life how do you solve your problems, how to do get to the answers, can you find the answers, are not all answers available?

it is just a matter of finding the answers to the questions!

do you understand the books you read? what is the message to find

2011-05-16T13:48:00.000-07:00

do you understand the books you read? what is the message to find?, forever searching and never finding, stop look and listen where is your mind, can you find these answers?.

The book you read introduces new thoughts, but it cannot make them speedily understood.

you have to do the understanding!.

what is the stepping stone to faith look to the light in life?

2011-05-16T13:46:00.000-07:00

what is the stepping stone to faith look to the light in life?, you should look for the good in everything and expose the darkness, your power lies in your goodness.

be good and smart!

daily spiritual thoughts positive quotes for your journey in life

2011-05-16T13:38:00.000-07:00

here are some daily spiritual thoughts and positive quotes for your journey in life, just random spiritual ideas that might strike a cord in you and to shine some light in day to day activities.

The Wisemen were led to behold and to follow this daystar of divine Science, lighting the way to eternal harmony.

The time for thinkers has come. Truth, independent of doctrines and time-honored systems, knocks at the portal of humanity.

look for your destiny!

The Basis and Truth of the Jainism Religion

2011-02-15T07:10:00.000-08:00

Spirituality

Jainism teaches that you are the master of your own fate. You are the fountainhead of boundless energy. It is you and only you who is responsible for each of your actions and its results. Use the energy of your own soul to get yourself free from bad habits and bondages.

Soul is a reality. Soul is different from body. Every soul exists in the world form beginningless time, passing through the cycles of birth and death.
Existence in the world is full of sufferings. One who transcends birth and death becomes free from all sufferings forever.

Indulging in reactions such as anger, pride, deceit, lust, etc, (often called 'passions') is the cause of bondage of soul with karma (sort of tiny particles), which results in sufferings.

Freedom from such reactions leads one to Liberation and Bliss.

Non-Violence

Feel oneness with all living beings.
All living beings have equal right to live; all enjoy living and dislike dying. Killing any living being amounts to killing oneself. Do not kill, injure, enslave, torture, or exploit any living being. Befriend all living beings.

Ahimsa means

1. Not to kill any creature
2. Not to hire or pay anyone else to kill them
3. Not to praise or support anyone else who kills them

Rationale of vegetarianism

Equality

All human beings are equal. No race is superior to others. No caste is superior to others. No color is superior to others. No sex is superior to others.
All distinctions on the basis of race, caste, color, and sex are arbitrary.
Do not consider anyone inferior to you.

Relativity and Co-Existence

Truth is multifaceted. One statement is true from one point of view, while the opposite statement is also true from another point of view. Therefore reconciliation is always possible betweeen two opposite views.
Discard absolutistic attitudes and remain in peaceful co-existence with all.

The Path

Right Knowledge

is knowledge of the Self
Right Faith
is faith in the philosophy of Soul
Right Conduct is practice of self-discipline by:
Renunciation of all actions which come from 'passions' (e.g. violence, falsehood, dishonesty, incontinence, and attachment to possessions
Constant awareness of the self
Equanimity in all situations, whether pleasant or painful
Right Spiritual Practice
Efforts of self-purification such as meditation, fasting, spiritual studies, etc

Modern Relevance

It was on the basis of the above principles that Bhagwan Mahavira 2600 years ago spoke out against sacrificing animals, slavery, the caste system, descrimination against women in religious activities, and many other inhumane and illogical social and religious practices.

Bhagwan Mahavira's teachings have even a greater relevance and deeper significance in the modern age in the context of establishment of:

Universal friendliness and peace through non-violence and disarmament
Social patterns without exploitation and violence
Economic policies based on forswearing of acquisitiveness
Reconciliation between diverse religious faiths, political parties, community and racial factions, etc, based on the doctrine of relativism or non-absolutism
Mental peace through spiritual development based on freedom from various 'passions'

Founders and Legends of the Jain religion (jainism)

2011-02-15T07:07:00.000-08:00

Founders and Legends of the Jain religion (jainism)

Five Famous Tirthankaras

Bhagwan Adinath (the first Tirthankar)
Tirthankar Shri Chandra Prabhu
Bhagwan Shantinath
Bhagwan Parsvanath
Mahavira

Legends

Bhagwan Bahubali
Ghantakarna Mahavir
Manibhadraji
Manidhari Dadaguru Jinchandra
Parsva Yaksha
Nakoda Bhairav

Devi

Chakreshwari Mata
Padmavati Devi
Ambika Mata
Sarasvati Devi
Lakshmi Devi

Bhagwan Adinath is considered as the Adipurush, the first Tirthankara and first ruling King. According to Jain tradition, Adinath lived hundreds of thousands of years ago. Although historians have been sceptical of this claim, evidence found at the archeological sites at Mohanjodaro and Harrappa of the Indus Valley Civilization proves that he predated this 5000-year-old civilization.

Bhagwan Adinath was born into the royal family of Ayodhya as the son of King Nabhiraja and Queen Maru Devi. He was married to two wives: Sumangla and Sunanda. Sumangla gave birth to Bharat, who later became a Chakravarti king . Sunanda gave birth to a child who came to be known as Bahubali.

It is believed that Adinath had one hundred sons and two daughters, who were named Brahmi and Sundari.

Jain tradition holds that all civilization developed from the teachings of Adinath. He was the first king to establish the institutions of marriage, agriculture, the arts, and weaponry (swordsmanship, archery, etc). After organizing and instructing the society in various disciplines, he ruled for thousands of years. (The system of measuring time during that period is still unknown.)

After this, he divided his kingdom among his sons and departed to take up an ascetic way of life. When Adinath renounced his kingdom, thousands of people followed him into the ascetic life.

Whenever they went for alms, people offered them gold, jewels, ornaments, etc. But no one offered them food. Thus, many of his followers could not tolerate the starvation. They began asking for food, and then they left to form their own groups. This was the beginning of many sects. (According to the Jain faith, Tirthankaras remained silent until they achieved perfection.)

Adinath also went without food for an enitre year. Then he went to his grandson Shreyan's kingdom (Hastinapur). His grandson offered him sugarcane juice, which he accepted. Hastinapur is still considered a holy place, and even today Jains make pilgrimages to this site to break ritual fasts (with sugarcane juice).

After becoming enlightend (Perfect), He broke his silence and preached for many years, tellilng how to escape the cycle of brith and death and achieve eternal bliss.

Bhagwan Adinath achieved Nirvana on the mountain of Kailash in the Himalayas when he was in complete Samadhi.

The symbol of Adinath is A Bull (Rishabh). He became popular by this symbol and is now known as Rishabh Deva.

Tirthankar Shri Chandra Prabhu

The eighth Tirthankar of Jainism is Chandra Prabhu. He was born to King Mahasen and Queen Sulakshana. When the Queen was bearing the child, she desired to swallow the nectar of the moon. Her wish was fulfilled and a son with a moon-like complexion was born to her. This is how he was named Chandra Prabhu.

He got married to more than one princess. After ruling his kingdom for a long time, he got initiation (Diksha). Chandra Prabhu attained Kaivalya after meditating for many months. For many years he served humanity. Then he went to 'Sammed' Mountain in Bihar, accompanied by one thousand monks. After meditating for one month, all of them got Nirvana.

Today, the temple of Chandra Prabhu at Tijara in Rajasthan is a famous center of pilgrimage for Jains.

Symbol of Chandra Prabhu is half moon. He brings smoothness and happiness to every living being. Large numbers of believers visit the tirth of Tijara every week.

Bhagwan Shantinath

The sixteenth Tirthankar of the Jain religion, Shantinath, was born to the King Vishavsen and Queen Achiradevi of Hastinapur. It is said that as soon as he entered the womb of his mother, incurable diseases were cured, and peace and happiness prevailed throughout the land. Because of this, he came to be called Santinath ('peacemanker').

When Shantinath was very young, he became expert in the use of many weapons. These skills enabled him to become a king at a very young age. Eventually, he became known as Chakarvarti ('King of Kings').

He enjoyed his kingdom and its riches for thousands of years. One day, however, he saw his own aging reflection in a mirror and realized that this body was not as young and beautiful as it used to be. Thus he came to realize that all the riches and even man's body itself are not eternal. At that moment he was inspired to become an ascetic.

He became enlightened on the eleventh moonlight night of Paush (Feb-March). For many years he travelled from city to city, spreading the message of peace, non-violence, and harmony. Finally, he achieved Nirvana on the mountian of Sammed Shikhar (Bihar). His symbol is a deer (Mriga). He is considered a god with powers to bestow peace and happiness.

Bhagvan Parsvanath

According to Jain belief, Bhagwan Parshvanath is the twenty-third Thirthankar. He was born 250 years prior to Lord Mahavir. He was the son of King Ashvasen and Queen Vamadevi of Varanasi.

It is said that he was named Parshvanath after an incident his mother experienced when the child was still in her womb. The mother found that a snake was lying next to her. Parshva means 'by the side of' -- hence the name Parshvanath.

Young Prince Parshva grew up as a great scholar and warrior. He married the daughter of Raja Prasenjit, Kumari Prabhavati. When their kingdom was attacked by another king (Yavanraj), Parshva asked his father for permission to fight. He then defeated Yavanraj not by armed fight but by intellectual discussion.

Impressed by the scholarly discussion of Parshvanath, Yavanraj became his follower. Parshva forgave him and inspired him to adopt non-violence.

Once Parshva went to a ceremony, 'Panchagni Tapa,' performed by Kamath. Parshva discovered a cobra couple in the firewood and saved their life. With the help of 'Namokar Mantra,' Parshvanath sent the cobras to heaven.

His action angered Kamath, who thought Parshva had disturbed his holy life. Kamath, who later became Meghmali, created many obstacles to Parshvanath's meditation. He flooded the place where Parshvanath was deeply engrossed in austerity. Then the Cobra Couple (who were now Dharmendra and Padmavati) raised a Lotus Seat below the meditating Parshva and thus saved him from drowning.

For the noble work done by Dharmendra and Padmavati at Sammed Shikhar (Bihar), Jain followers worship them as a God and Goddess.

According to history, Bhagwan Parshvanath got Nirvana in 720 B.C., after attaining Kaivalya. Twenty-three monks accompanied him.

His symbol is snake; and he lived one hundred years. He is worshipped by all the sects of Jainism with equal faith and respect.

Mahavira

The last (twenty-fourth) Tirthankar, Mahavira, was an historical personality. He was born in 599 BC at Kshatriya Kund in the democratic republic of Vaishali (Bihar), the son of King Siddharth and Queen Trishla Devi. His original name was Vardhman.

From his childhood, he was soft, kind-hearted. He was very upset by the ritual sacrifice of animals, and vowed to fight for the rights of animals. He also wished to fight for the advancement of women and untouchables.

He left his kingdom at the age of thirty to begin an ascetic life. He entered the forest to commune with all living beings, including animals, trees, and other plants. He practiced meditation, austerity, and samadhi for twelve and a half years, getting enlightement. By self-purification and severe spiritual pactices, finally, at the age of forty-two, Mahavira attained Kaivalya (perfection).

For the next thirty years, Mahavira spread the message of non-violence (Ahimsa), truth, non-stealing, right conduct, and non-posession. He campaigned against the barriers of caste, creed, and faith. He also advocated protecting all living creatures.

Lord Mahavira gave us several analytical theories of Karma, multiplicity of truth, Syadvad, etc. All these theories helped people to reach higher levels of consciousness and to create happinesss and peace in society. His doctrines of Right Knowing, Right Vision, and Right Conduct are considered the three Jewels of Jain philosopy, by which to achieve the ultimate goal in life.

The symbol of Lord Mahavira is the Lion, indicating what a fearless life he led. He is the most important of all the Tirthankaras, as most of the Jain scriptures were taken from his teachings.

Lord Mahavira advocated Ahimsa, which was carried further by later great men of history including Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King.

Mahavira attained Nirvana at the age of seventy-two at Pavapuri in Bihar.

Legends

Bhagvan Bahubali

Bahubali was the younger son of the first Tirthankar, Rishabhdev. He later became king of Podanpur. His elder brother Bharat was bent upon attacking Bahubali's kingdom. Their ministers negotiated and agreed that instead of war, there would be three contests between the brothers. In all three contests (Drisht Yudha, Jal Yudha, and Wrestling) Bahubali defeated his elder brother.

Still, Bahubali had been very much hurt by the behavior of his elder brother. He decided to surrender his kingdom to Bharat and left for the path of meditation. He did not want to bow before his other brothers who had already accepted ascetic.life.

This ego of Bahubali deterred him from visiting his father's court. Hence he went on meditating but could not attain the Keval Jnana, the supreme knowledge.

Bahubali was so much involved in his Samadhi, that his body got covered by vines, ants, and dust. Finally he was woken up from his ego when his sisters called him to release the false pride he was suffering from. Bahubali got enlightened and decided to see his father. Thanks to his sisters Brhami and Sundari, Bahubali was now a changed person with more knowledge and better understanding. He was welcomed in his father's court. The world got the benefit of his wisdom.

Bahubali is a symbol of learning. One stone statue of him in Karnataka stands fifty-seven feet high. For thousands of years it has shown to the world the way of knowledge and austerity.

Ghantakarna Mahavir

Ghantakarna Mahavir is highly respected by Swetambar Jains. He is placed at the thirtieth position among fifty-two heroes. He is a miracle god of Riddhi Siddhi and a troubleshooter. His idols have bell-like ears, so he is called Ghantakarna. The Temple of Ghantakarna at Mahuri (Gujarat) is very well known for producing miracles. Wishes of worshippers are fulfilled here.

Manibhadraji

Manibhadra was a great king who was devoted to the Jain religion and doctrines. He had enormous wealth and was also very fond of thirty-six muscial instruments. Later, Acharya Hem Vimal Suri named him as Kshetrapal because of his tremendous devotion.

The carrier of Manibhadra Dev is Airavat, the white elephant. His face on statues is sometimes depicted as an elephant, and sometimes as Varah. His idols are shown with four arms, and sometimes we also see him with six arms.

In Magarvada (Gujerat), there is an idol of Manibhadra where large numbers of devotees go to get their desires fulfilled. He is known to create miracles. It is believed that one gets wealth and protection from evil spirits by worshipping him.

Manibhadraji is highly respected among the Tapagachha sect of Sawetambar Jains. He is specially worshipped on Ashtami, Chaudas, and Diwali by those who want name and fame in the society. He likes the sound of temple bells.

Manidhari Dadaguru Jinchandra

About 800 years ago, there was a very influential Jain Acharya in the Shwetambar Sect. His name was Acharya Manidhari Jinchandra Suri. He was born in Lodhrapur (Rajasthan), and his Guru was Dada Jindutt Suri.

Jinchandra is known for having used his mantra to change a moonless night into a full-moon night by sending a dish into the sky. He preached to millions of people about non-violence and vegetariansim. He did many miracles and inspired people to adopt Jain principles.

He had directed that after his death, his dead body should not touch the ground during the funeral journey. But the devotees forgot, and set it down for a moment halfway along. Then no one, not even the elephants, could lift it to continue the procession. Hence there was no option other than to build his Samadhi at that place.

He had declared that a jewel, Maini, would come out of his head after death. He advised his followers to keep the jewel in a cup of milk. This forecast came true. Thus he is called Manidhari Dada Guru, meaning 'the jewel holder.'

His Samadhi is at Mahrauli near Delhi. The place is now a pilgrimage center, visited by thousands of people. Nowadays, it is as famous as Dadawadi.

Parsva Yaksha

Lord Parshva Yaksha is the divine guardian associated with the Twenty-Third Tirhankara, Parshvanath. His complexion is dark, he has an elephant-like face, and his head is sheltered by the hood of a cobra. He has four arms. His carrier is a tortoise. On is right side he holds a snake and a special fruit known as Bujjpurak. In his left hands he holds a snake and a mongoose. He is considered very influential; he can be compared with Ganesh, who is a Hindu God.

Nakoda Bhairav

Lord Nakoda Bhairav is the divine guardian associated with the ancient Jain pilgrimage center of Sammed Shikhhar. He is worshipped before the beginning of journeys to avoid obstacles. Nakoda Bhairav protects us from evil powers, ghosts, spirits, etc. He blesses the issueless with sons and daughters and relieves us from the worldly. ties.

Devi

Chakreshwari Mata

Chakreshwari Mata is the divine guardian associated with the first Tirhtankar, Rishabhdev. Her carrier is Garud. We find a number of different types of her idols and statues. Some of them have four hands, some have eight, and some have twelve.. She holds chakra, garland, Vajra, sword, bow and Varrd Mudra (sign of fearlessness.). She is also Lakshmi, the wife of Vishnu according to Hindu tradition. She is the goddesss of spiritual upliftment.

Padmavati Devi

Goddess Padmavati is the divine guardian associated with Parshvanath. She is the most repsected Yakshini among all the gods and goddesses. It is said that she protected Lord Parshvanath from the curses of Kamath and produced a Lotus for him to sit on above the water. She holds a lotus and tiding rope in her right hands and a fruit and Ankush in her left hands. Her carrier is Snake of the Kurut variety. She is also worshipped by Hindus, especially at the temple of Tirupati.

Ambika Mata

Ambika is the divine guardian associated with the Twenty-Second Tirthtankar, Lord Nemimath. Her other names are Amba, Ambini, Kushmandi, and Kodandi. Her carrier is a lion. She is of golden complexion and has four arms. By worshipping her one gets all desires fulfilled; all obstacles are removed and Riddhi-Siddhi is achieved.

She holds special fruits (Beejj Purak) and mercury in her right hands and Ankush and her son in her left hands. She is considered miraculous and always decorated with gems and jewelry.

Folklore says that she was thrown out of her house by her husband and mother-in-law because she had given alms to a great monk. So she started living in the bushes outside Ambikanagar. After a few days some monks visited her house. Because of the effect of the visit of great monks, Ambika's utensils turned into gold. This incident amazed the villagers, so they became her devotees.

Ambika later on was born as a Riddhi Siddhi Devi. Ambika even today commands tremendous respect.

Sarasvati Devi

She is the goddess of learning. Her carrier is a Swan. She is full of affection. According to Jain pilosophy, Saraswati is worshipped to gain education and knowledge. Always dressed in white,holding in her four hands a lotus, a book, a Veena and a garland, this goddess is believed to bless the worshipper with good thinking, good behavior, and knowledge.

Lakshmi Devi

Lakshmi is the goddess of beauty, power, and prosperity. Acharya Nemichandra has also described her as Padma, Rama, Shri, Kamala, and Indira. She is worshipped to gain happiness and wealth, especially on Diwali. She is depicted with four hands, holding lotus in the upper two hands. One lower hand holds Kalash (pitcher) and the other one is raised for blessings . She has been described as the fourth dream of Mahavira's mother.

Names of all 24 Tirthankaras (Prophets)

1. Sh. Rishabha Deva (Aadinath)

2. Sh. Ajit Naath

3. Sh. Sambhav Naath

4. Sh. Abhinandan Sawaami

5. Sh. Sumati Naath

6. Sh. Padam Prabh

7. Sh. Supaarsava Naath

8. Sh. Chandra Prabh

9. Sh. Suvidhi Naath

10. Sh. Shital Naath

11. Sh. Shreyaans Naath

12. Sh. Vaasupujya

13. Sh. Vimal Naath

14. Sh. Anant Naath

15. Sh. Dharam Naath

16. Sh. Shanti Naath

17. Sh. Kunthu Naath

18. Sh. Arah Naath

19. Sh. Malli Naath

20. Muni Suvrat

21. Sh. Nami Naath

22. Sh. Arisht Nemi

23. Sh. Paarshva Naath

24. Sh. Mahaavira Sawami

Jain Mantras jainism chants

2011-02-15T07:05:00.002-08:00

Jain Mantras jainism

Chants

1. Aum Namo Siddhaanam
I bow to God

2. Aum Arhum, Aum Arhum, Aum Arhum. Aum
I bow to God, the Supreme Power

3. Mahaaviraa, Mahaaviraa, Trishlaa Nandan Mahaaviraa Mahaaviraa

4. Aum Guru, Aum Guru, Aum Guru, Aum.
Jay Guru, Jay Guru, Jay Guru, Aum.

Jain Mantras Chataari Mangalam

2011-02-15T07:05:00.001-08:00

Jain Mantras

Chataari Mangalam

Chataari Mangalam
Arihantaa Mangalam Siddhaa Mangalam
Saahu Mangalam
Kevali pannato Dhamo Mangalam

Chataari Logutamaa
Arihantaa Logutamaa Siddhaa Logutamaa
Saahu Logutamaa
Kevali Pannato Dhamo Logutamaa

Chataari Sarnam Pavvajjaami
Arihante Sarnam Pavvajjaami
Siddhe Sarnam Pavvajjaami
Saahu Sarnam Pavvajjaami
Kevali Pannattam Dhammam Sarnam Pavvajjaami

Meaning:
These four are auspicious: the Arihanta, the Siddhaa, the Saahu, and the Holy Law preached by the Enlightened Person.
These four are supreme: the Arihanta, the Siddhaa, the Saahu, and the Holy Law preached by the Arihantaa.

I take refuge in these four: in the Arihanta, in the Siddhaa, in the Saahu, and in the Holy Law preached by the Arihantaas.

There are four auspiciousness: the Arihanta, the Siddhaa, the Saahu, the Holy Law preached by the Kevali. There are four supreme beings, the Arihanta, the Siddhaa, the Saahu, the Holy Law prached by the omniscient. I take refuge in these four, in Arihantaa, in Siddhaa, in Saahu, in the holy Law preached by the omniscient.

Jain Mantras Jam Jam Manen

2011-02-15T07:04:00.003-08:00

Jam Jam Manen

Jam Jam Manen Badham
Jam Jam Vaayen Bhaasiyam Pavam
Jam Jam Kaayen Kadam
Tassa Michaami Dukkadam

Meaning:
If I have done wrong, or collected bad Karmas by my mind, speech and body, I wish to be forgiven and my sins nullified.

Jain Mantras - Forgiveness Mantra

2011-02-15T07:04:00.001-08:00

Forgiveness Mantra

Khaamemi Savve Jivaa
Savve Jivaa Khamantu Mai
Mitti Mai Savva bhuesu
Veram majjham na Kenai

Meaning:
I forgive all the living beings of the universe, and may all the living-beings forgive me for my faults. I do not have any animosity towards anybody, and I have friendship for all the living beings.

Jain Mantras Aum Hrim Shrim Klim Arhum Hamsah

2011-02-15T07:03:00.001-08:00

Jain Mantras

Mantra

Aum Hrim Shrim Klim Arhum Hamsah

Meaning:
Aum is the name of God.
Hrim is the seed mantra that represents all Divine Goddesses.
Shrim is the seed of the Goddess of prosperity.
Klim removes all poisons and sins.
Arhum is the name of God.
Hamsah is the seed of So Hum; it means "I am divine." It stimulates the Kundalini energy.

Jain Mantras Hymn Sarve Bhavantu Sukhinah

2011-02-15T07:02:00.000-08:00

Hymn

Sarve Bhavantu Sukhinah, Sarve Santu Niraamayah.
Sarve Bhadraani Pashyantu, Maa, Kashchit Dukhbhaag Bhavet.

Meaning:
May everybody be happy. May everybody be free from disease. May everybody have good luck. May none fall on evil days.

Jain Mantras - Guru

2011-02-15T07:01:00.000-08:00

Guru

Gurur Brahmaa, Gurur Vishnuh,
Gurur Devo Maheshawrah.
Guruh saakshssat Para-Brahma,
Tasmai Shri Gurave namah.

Meaning:
I prostrate to that Sri Guru, who is himself Brahmaa, Vishnu and God Maheshwara, and who is verily the Supreme Absolute itself.

Jainism, Jain Mantras Universal Mantra: Maha Mantra Namokar

2011-02-15T06:59:00.000-08:00

Jainism is one of the oldest religions in India. It emphasizes rationalism, self-reliance, ecology, non-violence (Ahimsa), and animal rights, etc.

Universal Mantra: Maha Mantra Namokar

Namo Arihantaanam
Namo Siddhaanam
Namo Aayariyaanam
Namo Uvajjaayaanam
Namo Loe Savva Saahunam

Eso Pancha Namokaaro
Savva Pavappanaasano
Mangalaanancha Savvesim
Padhamam Havai Mangalam

Meaning:

I bow to the Arihantaas ( Perfect Souls, God Men )
I bow to the Siddhaas ( Liberated bodiless Souls, God
I bow to the Acharyaas ( Heads of Congregations )
I bow to the Uvajjaayaas ( Spiritual Teachers )
I bow to the Saadhus ( All ascetic aspirants or spiritual practitioners )

This five-fold obeisance (salutation) mantra
Destroys all demerit, Negativities and Karmas
And of all auspicious recitations
This mantra is the first and foremost.

Aldous Huxley New American Library Bhagavad Gita Hinduism

2011-01-26T10:17:00.000-08:00

Aldous Huxley in the introduction to the New American Library edition of the Bhagavad Gita interprets the Gita as not only the distillation of Hinduism but also the distillation of religion in general. Huxley claims that the theology of the Gita is relevant to all religious people not just to the Hindu because he says it presents the four basic elements of a spiritual world view.
He presents these four fundamental doctrines as what he calls the Perennial Philosophy:

"First: the phenomenal world of matter and of individualized consciousness - the world of things and animals and men and even gods - is the manifestation of a Divine Ground within which all partial realities have their being, and apart from which they would be nonexistent.

Second: human beings are capable not merely of knowing about the Divine Ground by inference; they can also realize its existence by a direct intuition, superior to discursive reasoning. This immediate knowledge unites the knower with that which is known.

Third: man possesses a double nature, a phenomenal ego and an eternal Self, which is the inner man, the spirit, the spark of divinity within the soul. It is possible for a man, if he so desires, to identify himself with the spirit and therefore with the divine Ground, which is of the same or like nature with the spirit.

Fourth: man's life on earth has only one end and purpose: to identify himself with his eternal Self and so to come to unitive knowledge of the Divine Ground."

Of course, Huxley's Divine Ground is called Brahman in the Gita. But after Huxley discusses these four aspects of religion giving examples from a variety of religious traditions, he comes to the modern world-view and conjectures about why modern people have turned away from religion - he blames industrialization and technology.

Because of technological progress, Huxley claims that a utopian vision of life on earth has driven people away from the thurst for spiritual knowledge. He writes about the doctrine of progress through technology: "These false and, historically, aberrant and heretical doctrines are now systematically taught in our schools and repeated, day in, day out, by those anonymous writers of advertising copy who, more than any other teachers, provide European and American adults with their current philosophy of life."

I think we should put Huxley's pessimistic remarks about modern technology into historical perspective. He wrote these words in 1944 at the height of World War II. The technological innovations that he was witnessing were the most destructive forces of terror that man had ever unleashed on the planet. It is no wonder, then, that he sees technology as the antithesis of the religious life.

new age religions materialism and idealism in life

2011-01-18T15:48:00.000-08:00

Materialism and Idealism in life, the ideas of Eastern mysticism, and the concept of idealism. The history of Western systematic philosophy from Plato to the late nineteenth century may be seen as one long argument between the idealists and the materialists, an argument about metaphysics.

Metaphysics asks questions about the relationship between the physical world and the spiritual world, between phenomena and numena, between the body and the mind. The idealists claim that reality is mind. They claim that the phenomenal world is a manifestation of ideas and that these ideas exist on a transcendent level, above and of a higher status than the physical.

Whether this numenal world exists within the mind of God, within Plato's world of ideas, or within the Christian heaven is unimportant for an understanding of metaphysics. Essentially, metaphysics postulates a dual view of the universe. The materialists also postulate dualism because, although they deny the existence of a world of spirit, they take part in metaphysical discourse, claiming that there is a subject to argue about.

To make a superficial but useful analogy from contemporary technology, it's like arguments one hears today about whether software is more important than hardware. Is it the physical components of a computer that is essentially the machine or is it the code that makes it possible to operate a computer that is essentially the machine. It's a silly argument; a computer is both software and hardware (some folks add a third component, wetware - a living operator, us.) The materialists claim that we can easily conceive of a body without a mind - rocks, air, stars - but that it's absurd to assume the existence of minds without bodies - ghosts, spirits, gods.

Whereas the idealists reject material as essential because of the definition of the word "essential." Things have essences or else the word would be meaningless. Things are not just what they appear to be, but have some basic essence that can't be experienced physically.

Idealists often use arguments based on definition to defend their positions. For example, the Christian philosopher Anselm used definition to prove the existence of God in his "Ontological Proof of the Existence of God." Anselm asks his readers to imagine a most perfect being in their minds and then to postulate a most perfect being in the real world. He then asks the readers to compare the two.

How are they different? Of course the only difference is that the being we imagine doesn't exist and the being in the real world does. He then asks us to decide which being is greater. Of course, the real being is greater. Anselm then writes, that because, by definition, God is the greatest being and since the existent being is greater than the non-existent being, then we must accept the theist position, God exists.

Hinduism rejects metaphysics. There is no dualism. Both a world of spirit and a world of material are equally nonexistent. The position of the Bhagavad Gita is that metaphysics is a silly argument, both the mind and the body are illusions. The Hindu would say that when the materialist claims that we can easily imagine bodies without minds he or she is as deluded as imagining a computer without software and that the idealists are as deluded as those who claim that a computer can exist entirely made of software.

All things seem to exist in either physical or mental manifestations but they don't. All things are essentially Brahman, and Brahman is neither spirit nor flesh.

Hinduism - brahman the hindu god

2011-01-18T13:56:00.000-08:00

Although the belief system labeled Hinduism is incredibly diverse, the Shankara school of thought which teaches pure Advaita (non-dualism) best presents the unique character of Indian theology as compared with Western traditions. According to this school, Brahman is the only thing that exists. However, Brahman cannot be empirically verified - cannot be seen, smelled, heard, felt, or seen.

In fact, Brahman is totally beyond comprehension and cannot be thought about at all. Also according to Hinduism, everything that can be empirically verified and everything that can be comprehended do not exist - everything but Brahman is illusion. Yet, Brahman can be experienced, and the experience of Brahman is the only purpose for human existence. Of course the experience of Brahman is irrational, intuitive, and mystical.

This belief in Brahman presents a number problems for Westerners who have accepted a logical positivist world view, who have accepted the leap of faith that the scientific construct of the universe is, in fact, a description of reality.

what is the witchcraft religion

2011-01-17T11:45:00.001-08:00

The Craft, or alternatively, Wicca, Witchcraft, or Paganism, has been traced successfully through a 25,000 year history, by Dr. Margaret Murry. The Craft originated in the ancient past, and has maintained a more or less unbroken line to the present. The Craft was born out of the ancient Animistic cults of prehistory, where a God controlled the wind, rain, hunt, waters, etc... It was in this time that Magic first mixed with the beginnings of religion. This early Magic was likely of the sympathetic variety.

Together with the God, the Goddess evolved, and Fertility was her domain. The Fertility of the animals and the peoples that hunted them was important to the continuance of the race. The God has changed little over the intervening millennia, while the Goddess changed dramatically with the advent of the agricultural society, and the Goddess expanded to cover the Fertility of the crops. The year then fell into two halves, the Summer, when the Goddess and the crops predominated, and the Winter, when the people had to revert to hunting and the God predominated. With the Goddess and the God of hunting growing in power in the society, as the chiefs among the deities, the other Gods fell into secondary roles, and were then, finally, forgotten. As the race spread across Europe, the Goddess and God were carried with them, and as the nations rose, and languages changed, the Names of the deities changed, but the essential force of the deities remained the same. The Celts, Heathens, Nordic, Greek, Latin's, and all the other races have the same Goddess and God at the center of their religions.

With the development of civilization and the the learning of the ability to store food, hunting became less important, and the God took the role of God of Nature and the Wild Places in general. The Goddess grew into both the Goddess of Fertility and the Goddess of Rebirth, as life after death and reincarnation had evolved in the religion. As time progressed, and the Rituals became more involved, a Priest class developed to insure the Rituals were carried out properly and the knowledge was carried on. These people became known as the Wicca, the "Wise Ones." The power of the Wicca was such that it infused the entire religious and political structure of the nations. The Kings of Anglo-Saxon England would never make any important decision without consulting the Witan, the Council of Wise Ones.

With the coming of christianity, there never was the mass conversions that the christians claim. While whole nations were classified as christian due to the fact that the leaders had converted, the populace, in general, kept the old ways. The most important attempt at mass conversion was imposed on the Wicca by pope Gregory the Great. He ordered the construction of new churches on the sites of the old temples and the creation of new holy days on the Wicca Sabbats. In reality, the attempt was only partially successful, for the only available craftsmen to build these temples were the Wiccan, and these craftsmen very cleverly hid their own Goddess and their God in the decorations of these churches. That way, when the Wicca were forced to worship here, their Goddess and God images were also present. It was at this time that Lucifer, became the Horned Satan, the new christianized image of the Horned God, and the Virgin Mary, Mother of God, was Sainted, a new christianized Image of the Goddess. The charge of Devil Worship is therefore a contrivance of the christian church in an attempt to eradicate it's rival for the attentions of the populace. The contrived god of the new religions is the god of a complex civilization, developed to control a rebellious people, rather than the loving embrace of the people, as they are, that the more Human Old Gods offer. As the influence of the new religion grew, through force of arms, the Old Ways only survived in the outlying districts and counties. These people became known as Pagans, from the Latin Pagani meaning people who live in the country and the Heathens, which means one who dwells on the heath. The derogatory connotations are again undeserved and a contrivance of the new religion.

The persecution of the Old Way continued and grew with the advent of the Papal Bull against Witches of pope Innocent the VIII, in 1484. Two years later, two infamous German Monks, Hienric Isnstitoris Krammer and Jacob Sprenger, produced the most baleful contrivance of of anti-Witchery ever produced, the Malleus Maleficarum (the Witch Hammer). In this book they provided definite instruction for the persecution of Witches. Although this book was never accepted by the appointed church censor, the approval was forged by the authors, and then the hysteria spread like wildfire throughout all of Europe. The forgery was not discovered until 1898.

Throughout all of Europe, the new religion used Witchcraft as an excuse to murder any people they felt were an enemy of the church. The old, invalid, mentally ill, women, healers, and of course, the true Witches. Since the Witches held fertility as an object of great importance, the christian Judges gave these sexual rites unnecessary prominence and seemed to delight in the prying, often through torture, the details concerning them from those accused of participating in them. The religion of Wicca is an extremely happy and joyous religion that was totally incomprehensible to the dour and repressed inquisitors and reformers. The total estimated number of people burned, hung, or tortured to death on the charge of Witchcraft is nine million.

It was during these times, the burning times, that the Craft began to go underground, for safety. Also the members of the Craft realized that the Craft was in danger of losing it's knowledge, as the Craft was being so mercilessly hunted and killed. The High Priestesses and High Priests began to keep records of the Rites, Rituals, and esoteric knowledge. These books of the Craft were kept hidden from the enemies of the Craft, they were kept "in the shadows" and it was thus that gave rise to the term for the Witch's Book as the Book of Shadows. It the Burning Times there was but one such book in a Coven, and all were contributors, but with the resurgence of above ground Witchcraft in these modern times, it has become accepted for each individual member of the Craft to have their own personal Book of Shadows, which is, in the view of the Coven of the Fiery Skies, a very good thing, as this will help ensure the dissemination of reclaimed knowledge, and thereby help insure that it is not lost again. Modern Witches still use this as the title for their book to Honor our lost Sisters and Brothers.

By the late seventeenth century, the Craft was well underground, as it was also illegal to be a Witch, as well as against the Cannons of the church. In 1951, the last of these laws was repealed, and the first Witch to speak up in defense of his religion was Gardner, and through him, all of Witchcraft was able to resurface, in its many forms. Now there are many Covens out in the open, and many many more still in hiding, fearing a resurgence of the persecutions. In America the first Witch to come forward was Raymond Buckland. Sybil Leek and Gavin and Yvonne Frost followed in his footsteps, then a rush as more and more Covens came out into the open. Now, even the US Army, with the publication of Army pamphlet 165-13, A Handbook for Chaplin's, recognizes Witchcraft as a Religion

what pagans and new ager's believe in general

2011-01-17T09:33:00.000-08:00

There are many Gods and Goddesses

In the wild space of chaos and the swelling of the multiverses into infinite convolutions there came complexity which turned aware. The Lords of Chaos...those we call Gods and Goddesses...came into being. Some aware of each other, others not. Some overlapping, sharing parts of each other, and others complete unto themselves.

The Goddesses and Gods are not aspects of a single divinity

No single Goddess/God can represent all the spinning creatures and creations of Chaos any more than one human can represent humanity. Neither is the totality of all Goddess/God's a conscious entity any more than the sum of humanity is a conscious entity. We view the modern attempts to perceive 'all as one' as remnants of Catholic doctrine in the upbringing of otherwise well intentioned Pagans or misinterpretations of Pantheism.

Technology is merely magic which has been understood (sometimes) and applied.

Much of our modern technology in medicine, engineering, astronomy, and chemistry is directly taken from the Pagans and Magicians of earlier eras. Scientists are only modern alchemists who would do better to remember that. Pagans who reject technology, reject their own heritage...spell crafters who reject technology are fundamentally self-contradictory.

Good and Evil have no empirical substance.

The poles of morality are fleeting whims in the course of human existence. The consequences of any action are so manifold as to challenge omniscience. Good and evil, or right and wrong, can only exist as relative and arbitrary choices of the moment. Beneath what you are taught by society is the moral truth that must guide you through your existence.

Polarity is the defining tension of our existence.

Polarity serves as the great and true force of creation/destruction. It gives rise to passion as productive love or destructive violence...both of which must be valued. Properly managed it is the source of all magic...the akashic principle. Poorly used or denied it corrupts all effort. The Goddess is not defined without the God...life is defined by death...all things exist by virtue of their opposition. Between these poles are the places of greatest fertility of self and spirit.

Paradox is only a limit of our understanding.

Contradiction is only a state of perception. Within the universe paradox is common...mathematicians have known this for quite some time. All things can be true, including those things that exclude themselves. So....

Reality is our perception.

We are the masters of reality joining our Mother/Sister/Daughter/Father/Brother/Son deities in the wild dance of chaos as the multiverse wheels through it's cycles.

what is pagan religion beliefs about?

2011-01-17T09:29:00.000-08:00

Pagan is not about hugging trees. It is not about feminism

It is not Wicca (though Wicca is a neo-pagan religion)

It is not about casting spells...or runes...or telling fortunes with Tarot cards

There is no Pagan Rede...or watchwords

It is definitely not satanism...and it is not just 'not being christian'

Paganism is about knowing who you are and what you are

It is about accepting that humanity is part of nature not exempt and superior to it

It is about hearing the voice inside you and following it to your bliss

It is ultimately eclectic

So...here are some odds and ends of Pagan practices and philosophies

None of them are truth and all of them are truth

Pagan Theism Polytheism Pantheism Monotheism Religions

2011-01-16T18:30:00.000-08:00

Polytheism: the belief that there are numerous individual and unique deities.

Pantheism: the belief in a single deity exhibiting aspects - a composite or sum of the self-aware universe.

Monotheism: the belief that there is only one deity with a singular aspect and usually places the universe as a product of that deity rather than a part of it.

Monotheism is clearly different from pantheism although the distinction sometimes seems to be a semantic matter.

It should also be clearly understood that polytheism and pantheism are NOT the same thing. In reality that no longer seems clear at all. This leads to some very uncomfortable questions. A polytheist is absolutely a Pagan, but is the pantheist truly Pagan? What of the Neo-Pagan Wicca? As Wicca continues it’s burgeoning popularity there is increasing friction between pantheistic and polytheistic views.

The two camps are more frequently coming into contention as each seeks to establish themselves as the standard. Can there be coexistence or will the human tendency to polarize result in a schism as destructive as the Shi’ite and Sunni divisions of Islam?

To the polytheist the God/desses are each very real and separate beings. Through the progression of cultures many of the deities have been renamed so that often there are several names for a single deity. The polytheist does not require that these deities even be aware of each other. Omniscience is not requisite of polytheistic deity.

Some of these beings share characteristics much as humans may share DNA but the sum of deities is no more a deity than humanity is a human. While there is semantic truth to the idea that all comprise a whole it is an idea that is stunningly trivial to the polytheist. Somewhat akin to stating that the contents of a box make up the box.

The Pantheist views can range somewhat in reality. Rigorous pantheism includes each blade of grass and grain of sand as part of the construction that is god. The popular modern views of all God/desses being aspects of ’the One’ remains pantheism - a liberal form of monotheism that permits some personal discretion in how the ultimate deity shall be worshipped at any given time. The aspects are used as expression rather than as personal deities. To the pantheist any polytheistic insistence of unique and independent deity is the result of a woeful inability to apprehend totality.

Many pantheists are actually incapable of perceiving the difference between their view and that of the polytheist. In a popular undergraduate anthropology text a reference is made to the many God/desses worshipped by the rural population of India stating that an uneducated Indian understands that...these are all aspects of one divine essence.” In fact, this is not so. Polytheism does in fact lurk in the heart of many Indian peasants. Although the campaigns to eradicate this ’Hindu heresy’ were not as dramatic as the Xian crusades and inquisitions the pressures of the caste system served to eliminate public debate on the issue.

Polytheism is generally, although not always, the most tolerant of belief systems. There is strict polytheism, as there is strict pantheism. Recognizing the existence of multiple deities does not mean worship of all of them. The polytheist reserves formal recognition to a select grouping and usually forms a personal relationship with only one or two of those.

At the extreme ends of polytheism, to do otherwise is viewed as an utter lack of real commitment to spirituality. While most polytheists are tolerant of pantheism there are those who view it as the empty philosophical maunderings of the spiritually bankrupt...a refuge for those that lack the ability to commit to belief.

By strict definition Pantheism is not Pagan. Pagan comes from the term paganus meaning peasant or country dweller. Pantheism has always been a sophisticated urban tool for allowing the peaceful coexistence of religious diversity and for conquering and absorbing other cultures. Even Hinduism was established during the consolidation of the region by a conquering culture. Pantheism has never been a belief system of the country.

The question really becomes one of whether Paganism can remain permissive of pantheistic practice under the guise of Paganism. More and more declared Pagan organizations freely range between deities even within the confines of a single ceremony or ritual.

Many of these recognize the unique and individual identities of these deities. Several feminist Pagan organizations use such ceremonies to glorify all of the Goddesses in celebration of the female principle - consistent with polytheistic ideals. Other groups blandly excuse this mixing of deities by the pantheistic statement that ’they are all really just aspects of the One.’

The division becomes clearer in the explosion of Wiccan Covens that have adopted pantheistic philosophies. Many people have been drawn to Wicca as an alternative to a Xian infrastructure that is again exercising it’s formidable capacity for intolerance. In a very real sense they cling to the ’God of their fathers’ and the notion that all is really one makes their Paganism more palatable.

This can be brought full circle as I can personally report of a neophyte Wiccan seeking more knowledge in the Way who, after receiving a great deal of help from other ’Wiccans’ who held the pantheistic view, happily converted to Catholicism. His new understanding of Paganism left him content in the realization that the form did not matter. For him, the extensive infrastructure of Catholicism provided the best venue for helping others to achieve spiritual fulfillment.

Pagan capitulation to the encroachment of Xianity was a practical necessity. Xianity entered the region in urban areas, consolidated its hold on the cities, and entered the countryside with weapons and organization that pagans were completely incapable of resisting. It is possible that there is no more avenue of resistance to the invasion of pantheistic theology into Paganism than there was to Catholicism. It is also possibly unimportant. Polytheism will certainly survive...it always has.

It is possible that the polytheistic viewpoint will prove out to be, when all things are known, a provincial and unsophisticated caricature of a conscious cosmos. It may prove out that the pantheistic philosophy is nothing more than pedantic word play. Monotheism could even prove to be truth and many of us shall find ourselves unwillingly called to account before a wrathful, egocentric absolute deity.

But, there is a rich and complex Pagan theosophy that is being denied expression and exploration in the face of the, often arrogant, pantheistic insistence of unifying everything. It does not seem that our quest for spiritual enrichment is enhanced by this co-option of an entire school of thought. The Pagan seeker should not be forced to wade through a morass of pantheistic philosophy in search of his/her Way.

Nor should the fledgling pantheist be required to chip away at a veneer of polytheism to gain access to the vast body of extant pantheistic thought. If we seek fellowship of our own kind as we journey upon our respective Ways we must be careful to assure that our way is well marked and limit our tolerance for those who would seek to rewrite the signposts out of convenience or conceit.

Paganism may be under threat once again but this time from a force more terrible and destructive than the sword and fire of the inquisition. I have often spoken with Priests and Pastors who believe that the worst blow to Xianity was public acceptance and popularity in the Roman culture.

Paganism has become fashionable. With this dire event comes the inevitable influx of the intellectual effete who wear their religion as an accessory to their stylish life. As Paganism is pulled into the centers of culture it becomes corrupted and changed to suit the fancy of the moment. This cavalier Paganism loses the very character that makes it pagus...of the country.

what is gnostics and gnosticism and links to the new age religion?

2011-01-11T10:28:00.000-08:00

what is gnostics and gnosticism and links to the new age religion?.

Gnostics - Mystery and Myth - Finding the Way - Rosicrucians and the Birth of a New Age Youtube Video

what is gnostics and gnosticism and links to the new age religion, i think gnosticism is one of the biggest components for a new age religion, the links to new age ideas are quite telling.

if you read this basics of gnosticism write up that is on a lot of gnostic websites it shows, the basics of gnosticism and the belief structure of the gnostics.

i also think it highlights the similarities between new age thinking and gnostic thinking.

considering though gnosticism is a really a old world religion, though gnosticism as always seemed to appear throughout history as being a underground or hidden movement, hence now the gnostics coming out into view in the new age of aquarius, at the end of the old piscean age of things from the last 2000 years, and the progression into a new age with new spiritual ideas and concepts and teachings.

Gnosticism is the teaching based on Gnosis, the knowledge of transcendence arrived at by way of interior, intuitive means. Although Gnosticism thus rests on personal religious experience, it is a mistake to assume all such experience results in Gnostic recognitions. It is nearer the truth to say that Gnosticism expresses a specific religious experience, an experience that does not lend itself to the language of theology or philosophy, but which is instead closely affinitized to, and expresses itself through, the medium of myth. Indeed, one finds that most Gnostic scriptures take the forms of myths. The term “myth” should not here be taken to mean “stories that are not true”, but rather, that the truths embodied in these myths are of a different order from the dogmas of theology or the statements of philosophy.

In the following summary, we will attempt to encapsulate in prose what the Gnostic myths express in their distinctively poetic and imaginative language.

The Cosmos

All religious traditions acknowledge that the world is imperfect. Where they differ is in the explanations which they offer to account for this imperfection and in what they suggest might be done about it. Gnostics have their own -- perhaps quite startling -- view of these matters: they hold that the world is flawed because it was created in a flawed manner.

Like Buddhism, Gnosticism begins with the fundamental recognition that earthly life is filled with suffering. In order to nourish themselves, all forms of life consume each other, thereby visiting pain, fear, and death upon one another (even herbivorous animals live by destroying the life of plants). In addition, so-called natural catastrophes -- earthquakes, floods, fires, drought, volcanic eruptions -- bring further suffering and death in their wake. Human beings, with their complex physiology and psychology, are aware not only of these painful features of earthly existence. They also suffer from the frequent recognition that they are strangers living in a world that is flawed and absurd.

Many religions advocate that humans are to be blamed for the imperfections of the world. Supporting this view, they interpret the Genesis myth as declaring that transgressions committed by the first human pair brought about a “fall” of creation resulting in the present corrupt state of the world. Gnostics respond that this interpretation of the myth is false. The blame for the world’s failings lies not with humans, but with the creator. Since -- especially in the monotheistic religions -- the creator is God, this Gnostic position appears blasphemous, and is often viewed with dismay even by non-believers.

Ways of evading the recognition of the flawed creation and its flawed creator have been devised over and over, but none of these arguments have impressed Gnostics. The ancient Greeks, especially the Platonists, advised people to look to the harmony of the universe, so that by venerating its grandeur they might forget their immediate afflictions. But since this harmony still contains the cruel flaws, forlornness and alienation of existence, this advice is considered of little value by Gnostics. Nor is the Eastern idea of Karma regarded by Gnostics as an adequate explanation of creation’s imperfection and suffering. Karma at best can only explain how the chain of suffering and imperfection works. It does not inform us in the first place why such a sorrowful and malign system should exist.

Once the initial shock of the “unusual” or “blasphemous” nature of the Gnostic explanation for suffering and imperfection of the world wears off, one may begin to recognize that it is in fact the most sensible of all explanations. To appreciate it fully, however, a familiarity with the Gnostic conception of the Godhead is required, both in its original essence as the True God and in its debased manifestation as the false or creator God.

Deity

The Gnostic God concept is more subtle than that of most religions. In its way, it unites and reconciles the recognitions of Monotheism and Polytheism, as well as of Theism, Deism and Pantheism.

In the Gnostic view, there is a true, ultimate and transcendent God, who is beyond all created universes and who never created anything in the sense in which the word “create” is ordinarily understood. While this True God did not fashion or create anything, He (or, It) “emanated” or brought forth from within Himself the substance of all there is in all the worlds, visible and invisible. In a certain sense, it may therefore be true to say that all is God, for all consists of the substance of God. By the same token, it must also be recognized that many portions of the original divine essence have been projected so far from their source that they underwent unwholesome changes in the process. To worship the cosmos, or nature, or embodied creatures is thus tantamount to worshipping alienated and corrupt portions of the emanated divine essence.

The basic Gnostic myth has many variations, but all of these refer to Aeons, intermediate deific beings who exist between the ultimate, True God and ourselves. They, together with the True God, comprise the realm of Fullness (Pleroma) wherein the potency of divinity operates fully. The Fullness stands in contrast to our existential state, which in comparison may be called emptiness.

One of the aeonial beings who bears the name Sophia (“Wisdom”) is of great importance to the Gnostic world view. In the course of her journeyings, Sophia came to emanate from her own being a flawed consciousness, a being who became the creator of the material and psychic cosmos, all of which he created in the image of his own flaw. This being, unaware of his origins, imagined himself to be the ultimate and absolute God. Since he took the already existing divine essence and fashioned it into various forms, he is also called the Demiurgos or “half-maker” There is an authentic half, a true deific component within creation, but it is not recognized by the half-maker and by his cosmic minions, the Archons or “rulers”.

The Human Being

Human nature mirrors the duality found in the world: in part it was made by the false creator God and in part it consists of the light of the True God. Humankind contains a perishable physical and psychic component, as well as a spiritual component which is a fragment of the divine essence. This latter part is often symbolically referred to as the “divine spark”. The recognition of this dual nature of the world and of the human being has earned the Gnostic tradition the epithet of “dualist”.

Humans are generally ignorant of the divine spark resident within them. This ignorance is fostered in human nature by the influence of the false creator and his Archons, who together are intent upon keeping men and women ignorant of their true nature and destiny. Anything that causes us to remain attached to earthly things serves to keep us in enslavement to these lower cosmic rulers. Death releases the divine spark from its lowly prison, but if there has not been a substantial work of Gnosis undertaken by the soul prior to death, it becomes likely that the divine spark will be hurled back into, and then re-embodied within, the pangs and slavery of the physical world.

Not all humans are spiritual (pneumatics) and thus ready for Gnosis and liberation. Some are earthbound and materialistic beings (hyletics), who recognize only the physical reality. Others live largely in their psyche (psychics). Such people usually mistake the Demiurge for the True God and have little or no awareness of the spiritual world beyond matter and mind.

In the course of history, humans progress from materialistic sensate slavery, by way of ethical religiosity, to spiritual freedom and liberating Gnosis. As the scholar G. Quispel wrote: “The world-spirit in exile must go through the Inferno of matter and the Purgatory of morals to arrive at the spiritual Paradise.” This kind of evolution of consciousness was envisioned by the Gnostics, long before the concept of evolution was known.

Salvation

Evolutionary forces alone are insufficient, however, to bring about spiritual freedom. Humans are caught in a predicament consisting of physical existence combined with ignorance of their true origins, their essential nature and their ultimate destiny. To be liberated from this predicament, human beings require help, although they must also contribute their own efforts.

From earliest times Messengers of the Light have come forth from the True God in order to assist humans in their quest for Gnosis. Only a few of these salvific figures are mentioned in Gnostic scripture; some of the most important are Seth (the third Son of Adam), Jesus, and the Prophet Mani. The majority of Gnostics always looked to Jesus as the principal savior figure (the Soter).

Gnostics do not look to salvation from sin (original or other), but rather from the ignorance of which sin is a consequence. Ignorance -- whereby is meant ignorance of spiritual realities -- is dispelled only by Gnosis, and the decisive revelation of Gnosis is brought by the Messengers of Light, especially by Christ, the Logos of the True God. It is not by His suffering and death but by His life of teaching and His establishing of mysteries that Christ has performed His work of salvation.

The Gnostic concept of salvation, like other Gnostic concepts, is a subtle one. On the one hand, Gnostic salvation may easily be mistaken for an unmediated individual experience, a sort of spiritual do-it-yourself project. Gnostics hold that the potential for Gnosis, and thus, of salvation is present in every man and woman, and that salvation is not vicarious but individual. At the same time, they also acknowledge that Gnosis and salvation can be, indeed must be, stimulated and facilitated in order to effectively arise within consciousness. This stimulation is supplied by Messengers of Light who, in addition to their teachings, establish salvific mysteries (sacraments) which can be administered by apostles of the Messengers and their successors.

One needs also remember that knowledge of our true nature -- as well as other associated realizations -- are withheld from us by our very condition of earthly existence. The True God of transcendence is unknown in this world, in fact He is often called the Unknown Father. It is thus obvious that revelation from on High is needed to bring about salvation. The indwelling spark must be awakened from its terrestrial slumber by the saving knowledge that comes “from without”.

Conduct

If the words “ethics” or “morality” are taken to mean a system of rules, then Gnosticism is opposed to them both. Such systems usually originate with the Demiurge and are covertly designed to serve his purposes. If, on the other hand, morality is said to consist of an inner integrity arising from the illumination of the indwelling spark, then the Gnostic will embrace this spiritually informed existential ethic as ideal.

To the Gnostic, commandments and rules are not salvific; they are not substantially conducive to salvation. Rules of conduct may serve numerous ends, including the structuring of an ordered and peaceful society, and the maintenance of harmonious relations within social groups. Rules, however, are not relevant to salvation; that is brought about only by Gnosis. Morality therefore needs to be viewed primarily in temporal and secular terms; it is ever subject to changes and modifications in accordance with the spiritual development of the individual.

As noted in the discussion above, “hyletic materialists” usually have little interest in morality, while “psychic disciplinarians” often grant to it a great importance. In contrast, “Pneumatic spiritual” persons are generally more concerned with other, higher matters. Different historical periods also require variant attitudes regarding human conduct. Thus both the Manichaean and Cathar Gnostic movements, which functioned in times where purity of conduct was regarded as an issue of high import, responded in kind. The present period of Western culture perhaps resembles in more ways that of second and third century Alexandria. It seems therefore appropriate that Gnostics in our age adopt the attitudes of classical Alexandrian Gnosticism, wherein matters of conduct were largely left to the insight of the individual.

Gnosticism embraces numerous general attitudes toward life: it encourages non-attachment and non-conformity to the world, a “being in the world, but not of the world”; a lack of egotism; and a respect for the freedom and dignity of other beings. Nonetheless, it appertains to the intuition and wisdom of every individual “Gnostic” to distill from these principles individual guidelines for their personal application.

Destiny

When Confucius was asked about death, he replied: “Why do you ask me about death when you do not know how to live?” This answer might easily have been given by a Gnostic. To a similar question posed in the Gnostic Gospel of Thomas, Jesus answered that human beings must come by Gnosis to know the ineffable, divine reality from whence they have originated, and whither they will return. This transcendental knowledge must come to them while they are still embodied on earth.

Death does not automatically bring about liberation from bondage in the realms of the Demiurge. Those who have not attained to a liberating Gnosis while they were in embodiment may become trapped in existence once more. It is quite likely that this might occur by way of the cycle of rebirths. Gnosticism does not emphasize the doctrine of reincarnation prominently, but it is implicitly understood in most Gnostic teachings that those who have not made effective contact with their transcendental origins while they were in embodiment would have to return into the sorrowful condition of earthly life.

In regard to salvation, or the fate of the spirit and soul after death, one needs to be aware that help is available. Valentinus, the greatest of Gnostic teachers, taught that Christ and Sophia await the spiritual man -- the pneumatic Gnostic -- at the entrance of the Pleroma, and help him to enter the bridechamber of final reunion. Ptolemaeus, disciple of Valentinus, taught that even those not of pneumatic status, the psychics, could be redeemed and live in a heavenworld at the entrance of the Pleroma. In the fullness of time, every spiritual being will receive Gnosis and will be united with its higher Self -- the angelic Twin -- thus becoming qualified to enter the Pleroma. None of this is possible, however, without earnest striving for Gnosis.

Gnosis and Psyche: The Depth Psychological Connection

Throughout the twentieth Century the new scientific discipline of depth psychology has gained much prominence. Among the depth psychologists who have shown a pronounced and informed interest in Gnosticism, a place of signal distinction belongs to C. G. Jung. Jung was instrumental in calling attention to the Nag Hammadi library of Gnostic writings in the 1950's because he perceived the outstanding psychological relevance of Gnostic insights.

The noted scholar of Gnosticism, G. Filoramo, wrote: "Jung's reflections had long been immersed in the thought of the ancient Gnostics to such an extent that he considered them the virtual discoverers of 'depth psychology' . . . ancient Gnosis, albeit in its form of universal religion, in a certain sense prefigured, and at the same time helped to clarify, the nature of Jungian spiritual therapy." In the light of such recognitions one may ask: "Is Gnosticism a religion or a psychology?" The answer is that it may very-well be both. Most mythologems found in Gnostic scriptures possess psychological relevance and applicability. For instance the blind and arrogant creator-demiurge bears a close resemblance to the alienated human ego that has lost contact with the ontological Self. Also, the myth of Sophia resembles closely the story of the human psyche that loses its connection with the collective unconscious and needs to be rescued by the Self. Analogies of this sort exist in great profusion.

Many esoteric teachings have proclaimed, "As it is above, so it is below." Our psychological nature (the microcosm) mirrors metaphysical nature (the macrocosm), thus Gnosticism may possess both a psychological and a religious authenticity. Gnostic psychology and Gnostic religion need not be exclusive of one another but may complement each other within an implicit order of wholeness. Gnostics have always held that divinity is immanent within the human spirit, although it is not limited to it. The convergence of Gnostic religious teaching with psychological insight is thus quite understandable in terms of time-honored Gnostic principles.

Conclusion

Some writers make a distinction between “Gnosis” and “Gnosticism”. Such distinctions are both helpful and misleading. Gnosis is undoubtedly an experience based not in concepts and precepts, but in the sensibility of the heart. Gnosticism, on the other hand, is the world-view based on the experience of Gnosis. For this reason, in languages other than English, the word Gnosis is often used to denote both the experience and the world view (die Gnosis in German, la Gnose in French).

In a sense, there is no Gnosis without Gnosticism, for the experience of Gnosis inevitably calls forth a world view wherein it finds its place. The Gnostic world view is experiential, it is based on a certain kind of spiritual experience of Gnosis. Therefore, it will not do to omit, or to dilute, various parts of the Gnostic world view, for were one to do this, the world view would no longer conform to experience.

Theology has been called an intellectual wrapping around the spiritual kernel of a religion. If this is true, then it is also true that most religions are being strangled and stifled by their wrappings. Gnosticism does not run this danger, because its world view is stated in myth rather than in theology. Myths, including the Gnostic myths, may be interpreted in diverse ways. Transcendence, numinosity, as well as psychological archetypes along with other elements, play a role in such interpretation. Still, such mythic statements tell of profound truths that will not be denied.

Gnosticism can bring us such truths with a high authority, for it speaks with the voice of the highest part of the human -- the spirit. Of this spirit, it has been said, “it bloweth where it listeth”. This then is the reason why the Gnostic world view could not be extirpated in spite of many centuries of persecution.

The Gnostic world view has always been timely, for it always responded best to the “knowledge of the heart” that is true Gnosis. Yet today, its timeliness is increasing, for the end of the second millennium has seen the radical deterioration of many ideologies which evaded the great questions and answers addressed by Gnosticism. The clarity, frankness, and authenticity of the Gnostic answer to the questions of the human predicament cannot fail to impress and (in time) to convince. If your reactions to this summary have been of a similarly positive order, then perhaps you are a Gnostic yourself!

the violet flame meditation of transmutation for protection

2011-01-10T14:56:00.000-08:00

the violet flame meditation of transmutation for protection.

Violet Flame Meditation

How to Use the Violet Flame Daily (good meditation ideas here)

Meditation and movement within our innermost being provides the experience that God lives within us as an energy, a light, a consciousness that can be contacted and appropriated. Energy as God is our greatest concern as we analyze our point in time and space. We are in a moment of the greatest revolution ever known.

It doesn't take a great perception to read the hand writing upon the wall of events in this and every nation. We read our newspapers. We look here. We look there. And there are days we would rather not look.

There is a very deep fear-a fear of something that the soul knows at subconscious levels but is not able to face in the conscious mind. It is a fear of coming events. We fear to bring forth from the dimness of an ancient memory the soul awareness of a shocking past-and an even more shocking future. And because we don't allow it to surface, we have a nation of insomnia, emotional and mental disorders, heart failure, and terminal disease.

We all sense an impending something. People are in a state of panic at subconscious levels. And that panic outpictures in vast "star wars" and wars across the face of the earth as the valve of the pressure cooker of the subconscious is opened just a little bit. Out it comes-like Pandora's box. The failure to resolve the inner compo- nents of being.

Inharmony within results in outer chaos. And yet we say, "What can I do? There's no point looking beyond my personal interests because I can't do anything anyway."

We think of the time before lightning was harnessed into electricity or before Einstein split the atom and gave us the formula E = mc squared. We say those were the dark ages. But today we know no more about the imprisoned light- ning of God within us than was known centuries ago about the most basic physical forces.
It is so near and so close. Yet we are on the brink of self-destruction because we have allowed ourselves to say that God is past or future or in here or over there- but never close enough to be that practicable application for the healing of our souls.

There are spiritual forces within us-within every single atom and cell, within the fire of our heart. If we would discover what these forces are, we would know how the fervent, white-hot heat of meditative love can burst that atom of Self and release the energy that has framed the worlds, that has created and uncreated the Void. It can begin a revolution of light. And it can make the imminent Aquarian age truly an era of peace and enlightenment.

The cycles of God Self-awareness move in two- thousand-year periods. In each two-thousand-year cycle, there's a dawning of a great light. In the age of Aries, the Judaic tradition taught us to understand God the Father, the personal God individualized in what Moses experienced as the I AM THAT I AM.

The next two-thousand-year period, marked by the coming of the avatar Jesus Christ, was the Piscean dispensation intended to give us the understanding of God as Son.

And so through reincarnation, lifetime after lifetime we were intended to put on the consciousness of God the Father and God the Son. Now as we feel the winds of the Aquarian age, we find the energy of the Holy Spirit upon us in many ways. New sounds, new rhythms, new science, new technology-and, above all, a new freedom.

The Aquarian age is the moment of understanding energy and its conquest in time and space through the perfect polarity of the masculine and feminine principles of the universe-Spirit('heaven')/Matter('earth'). The "cloven tongues" of fire that sat upon each of the disciples on the day of Pentecost are these 'twin flames' of the Father/Mother God which give to us the impact, the energy, the control of creative flow.

This descent of the Holy Spirit is a tremendous force. It is intense love. And this love-action is transmutative-that is, when this energy flows through us it is able to re-create us after the image of the Real Self.

Just as Jesus stood as the open door to the attainment of the Christ consciousness in the two-thousand-year Piscean cycle, so the Aquarian master Saint Germain comes today to initiate us on the path of soul liberation through the sacred fire of the Holy Spirit which we call the violet flame.

The violet flame is the energy of freedom. People who are free have the violet light vibrating in their auras-unmistakably. The violet flame is also an energy of mercy and forgiveness. And transmutation.

Transmutation means to change-to alter in form, appearance, or nature. The term was used by medieval alchemists who attempted to transmute base metals into gold, separating the 'subtle' from the 'gross' by means of heat.

That is precisely what the energy of the Holy Spirit does. It is a tangible emanation of spiritual fire that actually "melts" the "elements" of our subconscious "with fervent heat"-as the Bible says.

This is the way to undo psychological problems, emotional hang-ups, records of the past. We don't have to go back through hypnosis or regression. Send the love-fire of the Holy Spirit through-and it all begins to change by the alchemy of the violet transmuting flame.

The scientific use of the violet flame in this age has been made possible by Saint Germain, who offered the violet flame garnered within his own heart (over many thousands of years) as a momentum of light-energy so that we could experiment with the alchemy of self- transformation through the sacred fire.

The violet flame has always been used in the inner retreats of the Brotherhood. Up until now, it has been reserved for the privileged few-those initiates who were found worthy-members of 'secret societies', or communicants of the flame in the 'mystery schools'.

Early alchemists pored over minutely ciphered texts in search of the mystic-magical philosopher's stone. For them it was worth a lifetime to decode the mystery of this 'stone' which symbolized "the transmutation of the lower animal nature into the highest and divine."

Theosophical alchemists gloried in the vision of a "secret flame." The coveted philosopher's stone, "the Stone which is no stone," was not physical but spiritual and created out of fire!

According to Neoplatonist predecessors of medieval alchemy, it was a sacrificial, self-transforming fire that would lead the soul upward-and, in the process, transmute the "hard and refractory materials" in the human body to materials more luminous and rarefied. In this sacred experiment, the alchemist would become "like the gods," pursuing what one seventeenth-century text called "the gold of the wise and not the vulgar metal." Sacrificial fire, the texts explain, leads up to the "fire of the gods" by drawing upward to the Spirit all qualities that drag downward and oppose the celestial essences. Transmutation, then, was a spiritual process which exalted the soul into a state of unity with the Divine.

Now (thanks to Saint Germain!) you can begin to experience the action of this sacrificial fire-the violet fire-passing over the pages of the subconscious record of your incarnations on earth. The violet fire is sacred "secret" fire. It penetrates the most secret little places of our mind and memory. It comes in, sweeps through- and, with a roaring crackle, sweeps out the dust of centuries. Line by line, letter by letter, the flame- intelligent, luminous, directed by the mind of God-sets free the energies, electron by electron, of our past misuse of the sacred fire, thereby restoring the natural resource of the inner light.

Isaac Newton observed that a ray of sunlight, when passed through a prism, will separate into the seven colors of the rainbow: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, violet. This visible light is only a tiny portion of an electromagnetic spectrum of varying frequencies or wavelengths which include radio waves, infrared radiation, ultraviolet rays, X-rays, gamma rays, cosmic rays. Today, scientists know of 60 to 70 octaves of light.

Violet, with the shortest wavelength, has the highest frequency in the visible spectrum and is at the point of transition to the next octave of light. To the ancients, this transitional, transcendental color was a spiritual rather than a physical phenomenon.
Egypt cherished the deep violet amethyst as a soothing, a healing stone, even as divine protection from evil. The Greek historian Lucian describes a fabled city of gems-whose altars are enormous blocks of amethyst.

Homer's Odyssey was sung by bards ceremoniously wrapped in precious purples. Agamemnon's wife rolled out a purple-crimson carpet to greet him home from Troy-"tinted splendors," noted the king, reserved only for the gods. Caesar also craved the costly color as the mantle of the supreme god, Jupiter.

When Pilate's soldiers platted the crown of thorns for Jesus "King of the Jews," they also put on him a purple robe. Thus purple became symbolic of mystic 'suffering', sacrifice, and penance. And violet was designated for liturgical vestments during the seasons of purgation-Advent and Lent.

Behind the scenes of visible color and light, mystics of all ages, East and West, have glirnpsed a "spiritual spectrum." Radiant colors, purer and more rare than those of earth, emanate from a brilliant white "inner" light that is divine in nature.

Scholars are beginning to see ancient "sun worshipers" as devotees of this transphysical spiritual light-the divine sun that illumines the inner world, 'the Sun behind the sun'.

The Zohar, an important work of the Jewish Kabbalah, affirms that "there exists a sort of fire which is stronger than other fire Above the white light and encompassing it is yet another light, this one symbolizing the supreme essence."

Zarathustra witnessed the creation of all things from a single fire. Mithraic prayers adore the Lord of Light as the "Fire-hearted One. . .whose Body is of Fire."
"In a flame of fire" the angel of the Lord appeared unto Moses. And out of that flaming flame was the contact of a soul with his own higher consciousness. Based on that experience, Moses told the children of Israel: "The Lord thy God is a consuming fire!"

And Jesus Christ summed up his mission in nine words: "I am come to send fire on the earth."

While in a state of ecstasy in dialogue with God the Father, Saint Catherine of Siena dictated these words: "I, Fire, Acceptor of sacrifices, ravishing away from them their darkness, give the light; not a natural light, but a supernatural. . .

John of the Cross was inwardly transformed in the "living flame" of love. "Such is the activity of the Holy Spirit in the soul," he writes. "The interior acts He produces shoot up flames for they are acts of inflamed love."

Esoteric researcher H. P. Blavatsky describes the divine light in terms of seven colors, or 'rays'-each of which has specific attributes or qualities. The violet flame comes forth from that aspect of the white light which is called the 'seventh ray'.

Just as sunlight passing through a prism is refracted into the rainbow of the seven rays, so in the consciousness of the Holy Spirit the light of the Christ is refracted for our use in the matter plane.

Each of the seven rays is a concentrated action of the light of God having a specific color and frequency resulting in a specific action in body, mind, and soul. The violet flame is the specific of the Holy Spirit, the antidote, that dissolves the delusions of the pseudoself-and even the laws of old age and death. It is the fulfillment of the prophecy of God's own law of transmutation "Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool."

The violet flame does not destroy, for the law is precise: God's energy is neither created nor destroyed. The violet flame changes the water into wine. It strips atoms and molecules of the dense overlay of human imperfection and restores the natural divine perfection of the soul and its original desire to be whole.

Now let us examine what happens when the specific of the violet fire is applied to the accumulation of karma in the subconscious.

Instantaneously, the fire begins the work of breaking down particles of substance that are part of hundreds and even thousands of incarnations. Believe it or not, this energy can be as hard as concrete as it fills the wide-open spaces between the electrons and the nuclei of the atoms causing mental recalcitrance, hardness of heart, a lack of sensitivity to the needs of others-and creating a dense mass that prevents the soul from receiving the delicate impartations of the Holy Spirit.

Man is a microcosm-a miniature representation of the cosmos. Just as there is a vast space between the planets and the sun, so there is vast space between the electrons and the nucleus inside every cell and atom of your body consciousness.

The space between the electron and the fiery nucleus is known as 'virgin' or 'hallowed' space. It is filled with the pulsating energy of the Holy Spirit. It is essence-an essence of God.

We are constantly using this vital essence that is between the electrons and the nucleus of the atom. We are constantly qualifying that energy-stamping it with the impressions of our minds and hearts. And this is how densification occurs.

You can imagine filling the space between electrons with molasses-a sticky astral glue that blocks the flow of light from the Macrocosm of God to the microcosm of man. What happens to the electrons? They slow down. They can't pass through.

That is, in effect, what we've been doing for hundreds of thousands of years. We have been filling the space between the electrons with discord, with a lack of wholeness-call it what you will. Call it "bad karma." Call it "sin" if you must. Essentially any manifestation of imperfection fills that 'hallowed' space with density.

Dr. Bernard Jensen reports that hatred and other negative thoughts and feeling actually create acids (excess amounts of phosphoric acid, uric acid, and carbonic acid gases) that the body cannot assimilate. Hence the density of disease persists within the physical orbit.

Atoms of consciousness have become so polluted that our environment is now polluted as well. We have polluted the atoms of air, polluted the atoms of earth, polluted the atoms of water-not simply with chemicals but with our thoughts and feelings. Physical pollution is but an effect of mental and emotional pollution. There- fore, to solve the problem of pollution, we must restore the native flow of the Holy Spirit.

That's the science of it. The dilemma is, How do we speed up our electrons? By removing the effiuvia that is caught between those wide-open spaces. How? There is only one way. By using the same energies that we have misused-the energies of the Holy Spirit.

The accelerating, violet-flame energy of the Holy Spirit envelops each atom individually. Can you imagine what a tiny particle of substance an atom is? Yet the flame of God caresses and wraps each atom indi- vidually. Instantaneously, a polarity is set up between the white fire core of the atom (which, being matter, assumes the negative pole) and the white fire core of the flame (which, being Spirit, assumes the positive pole).

The dual action of the sacred fire in the center of the atom and in the violet flame without establishes a forcefield that causes the untransmuted densities to be dislodged from between the electrons. As this substance is loosed, the electrons begin to spin more rapidly in their orbits-and by centrifugal force it is thrown into the violet flame. On contact with this fiery essence of freedom's flame, the misqualified energy is transmuted into its native purity.

The violet flame is the spiritual wine of forgiveness, the quality of mercy that, as Shakespeare wrote, "is not strain'd," that "droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven upon the place beneath: it is twice blest; it blesseth him that gives and him that takes."

That "giving" and "taking" is the constant of flow. Flow is the interaction of energy between God and man. Flow is the return to the Source of energy so that that Source can release more energy.

All of cosmos depends for its very existence upon that flow. When you stop the flow, you have death, disease, disintegration. Disintegration-the 'dis-integration' of the atom that is devoid of the integrating essence of the Holy Spirit.
If we can't let go to this cosmic flow, this mighty movement of the Spirit of God, then we have lost the essential reason for being-for life itself. That is why the violet flame brings such feelings of joy, lightness, hope, and newness of life. It restores the flow. And with the restoration of the Macrocosmic/microcosmic flow, it is as though clouds of depression were being dissolved by the very sun of our own being.

When the spirit of man flows into the Spirit of God and the Spirit of God flows into the spirit of man, there is a divine exchange-a cosmic transmutation-and both God and man enjoy the feeling of sharing and of belonging to one another.

All problems of the economy, the ecology, and the government can be resolved," Saint Germain says, "if you will take only ten minutes each day to go within and to find your own God Self; to meditate and to use the science of the spoken Word whereby you chant the mantra of the free: I AM A BEING OF VIOLET FIRE-
I AM THE PURITY GOD DESIRES!

"This is my mantra which I give to you as your initiation into the Aquarian age."

I AM A BEING OF VIOLET FIRE-
I AM THE PURITY GOD DESIRES!

The sacred name I AM releases the fire locked in the nucleus of the permanent atom of Self.

Remember when Moses was on the mountain and there was a bush that burned but was not consumed- and then God called to him out of the midst of the burning bush? Moses understood God as fire. But at the precise moment that God reveals himself as an energy, as that flaming flame-at that moment the Lord God steps right through that energy and becomes a person talking with Moses face-to-face. The energy speaks. It becomes an identity, an individuality-the very person of the Holy Spirit.

When you look at the nature of energy, you realize that it is always simultaneously principle and person. Principle and person is simply the plus and minus polarity. The positive polarity becomes negative as the negative polarity realizes individuality.

God is the cloven tongues of fire-Spirit/Matter. Spirit represents the principle of universal energy. Matter represents that energy becoming a person. By the law of polarity, that which is principle must become person. It is a lesson in science and mathematics.

Moses had that experience. Energy became person-a person that was a friend. God manifested himself as friend and talked with Moses face-to-face out of that burning bush. Why? To initiate his mission in life.
What does initiation mean? It means that God imparts to us as individuals an increment of light, or energy, which enters into our soul and gives us a push, a thrust, a consciousness, an idea, an awareness. It's like wind in our sails.

So Moses stood there and the voice spoke out of the flame and the Lord God said to him: "Let my people go!" God is sending Moses to rescue the people of Israel from a false sense of freedom, a very entrenched materialism. But Moses was very timid. He feared. He doubted his own ability.

Moses trembles before that person-as we would also tremble before the sacred fire. He said, "I'm not qual- ified. The people will not listen to me. Perhaps if they know who sent me they will listen to me-someone, perhaps, more powerful than I. Whom shall I say sent me? By whose authority shall I deliver this word? Who are you, anyway?"
The resounding Word that comes back is the resounding Word that we hear in our own inner being- the declaration of the presence of God where we are. The voice of the Lord speaks out of that flame to Moses and says:I AM THAT I AM. I AM WHO I AM. I will be what I will be. OM TAT SAT OM.

The name of God I AM THAT I AM is a key to energy. Every time you use "I AM" you are declaring, "God in me is." It is an affirmation of your true Self. It releases the fire of your heart to fulfill the destiny to which you send it forth. This is more than the power of positive thinking. Make no mistake. This is the alchemy of the sacred fire.

"I AM" is a loaded word. It is loaded with the power of the nucleus of your being. If you say, "I am well, I am happy, I am whole," the fire leaps and makes a cycle through your mind and heart and soul (and when you say the reverse, you create the consequences).

I AM A BEING OF VIOLET FIRE-
I AM THE PURITY GOD DESIRES!

When you give this mantra, the flow of the Word goes forth in a clockwise spiral around your being. And you, as a pillar of energy, become a coil of the fire of freedom.

In the flow of the mantra, the stepping-up of the tempo corresponds to the stepping-up of the vibration of the light flowing through you. When you let God speak the Word through you, the natural flow of light intensifies the flow of the mantra.

I AM A BEING OF VIOLET FIRE-
I AM THE PURITY GOD DESIRES!

This is an example of how the white fire core receives all back unto itself. All of the colors-the rainbow rays of the prism of God's consciousness-return to the white fire core. And the violet flame becomes the white light as the mantra converges in the AUM.

I AM A BEING OF VIOLET FIRE-
I AM THE PURITY GOD DESIRES!
AUM

Scientists now recognize the fact that each individual has his own 'cosmic clock'. We each have a unique vibration. That vibration consists of the frequencies of all of our atoms and molecules.

All our atoms and molecules put together make the 'tone' of identity which we recognize when we greet our friends, when we have affinities (and perhaps repulsions) for one another. Those 'vibes'-that frequency- have to do with how the Word is flowing.

When the flame of freedom comes into being and you become that flame-you have a new pitch, a new sound, a new consciousness. And as you increase the tempo of the mantra, you are controlling a whole cosmos of atoms and molecules and energy fields.

We begin slowly, controlling each word as we control each electron. Then we step it up and we find that we can maintain control at an increased vibration-just as man has conquered movement in time and space, securing inventions for greater and greater speed and finally breaking the barrier of sound. This we do by the control of the Word and the science of the Word.

Experiment with the mantra. If you do not exercise the power of the spoken Word, you will be an island in the midst of a sea of flame. For by free will that flame cannot coalesce and form that spiral if you do not give the fiat. This is the law of free will and of the science of the spoken Word. The flame is unknown until you make it your own.

This is a simple mantra that you can accelerate and accelerate and give it as a perpetual prayer on your lips as you go about your daily life.

I AM A BEING OF VIOLET FIRE-
I AM THE PURITY GOD DESIRES!

Start getting rid of the consciousness of self as old, dense, feeble, ugly, stupid, bored, poor. All of a sudden you are "a being of violet fire." You're just a flaming flame-pulsating, moving with the Spirit. You move in a beautiful sea of violet flame.

As you give that mantra and accelerate and accelerate its speed-so you have the dissolving of the substance between the electrons and the nuclei. The electrons whirl faster and faster and faster. And you get lighter and lighter. Higher and higher.

This is a mantra you can use anytime, anywhere. You can make use of the Word within you instead of staying there in that same dense vibration-a victim of your circumstances in time and space. When you start feeling tense or irritated or tired or heavy or burdened during the day, just say a few "violet flames" and you'll be back into that cosmic flow.

Give it making breakfast, driving the car, washing the clothes-even taking a shower.

Visualize your morning shower as a shower of violet flame. See the flame scrubbing the pores, passing through the nervous system, the arteries, the bloodstream-right down to the marrow of your bones.

And whatever you affirm for your- self; you can affirm for your city or for the entire nation. You can say, America is a land of violet fire- America is the purity God desires! Simply change your visualization- like adjusting the lens of a camera.

You can just as easily invoke enough violet flame to transmute the density of a city or a nation-or a planet or a solar system.
There is unbounded creativity in the violet flame! It liberates the en- ergy of Aquarius in you-the full cre- ativity of the Holy Spirit. It liberates love as the discipline of creative fires.

Whatever your field, whatever your calling, you can take the sound, the rhythm, the energy, the Word- and feel yourseff freer and freer.

The violet flame will unlock in you everything else that you have ever sought as consciousness and teaching and self-mastery. It's the key. It locks in everything else-because it transmutes the dross that impedes the flow of this stupendous light of the Holy Spirit.

Here's what people who have experimented with the violet flame are saying:

". . .Well, I think a lot clearer. I feel lighter. I'm a lot more sensitive to vibrations. And I feel the movement of light almost physically rather than just at subtle levels."

". . .My relations with people are lighter and more smooth. I don't have that sense of friction."

". . .At one time I was heavy on drugs and I knew I'd gone too far. The violet flame has cleared up my memory so that now I can think clearly and creatively."

". . .I can feel an actual lightness in my step and a peace about things that could make me anxious."

". . . It gives me emotional control and the ability to be more sensitive to the thoughts of God."

It is God's own infinite consciousness that you have gained by going into your interior being. What are we going to do with it? We can't just bask in the Sun. Let's tackle the earth! Let's start a revolution!

What is Ásatrú, Wyrd, Seaxnet, Blæd, Ðrægan, Barhelm heathen religion?

2011-01-10T14:12:00.000-08:00

What is Ásatrú, Wyrd, Seaxnet, Blæd, Ðrægan, Barhelm heathen religion?.

find this quite interesting some old english or anglo saxon words, take a look, well worth a read, some of these ideas seem to sometimes be incorporated into the new age religions as well.

"Blæd Ðrægan Barhelm
[Old English, or Anglo-Saxon]

Blæd: blowing, blast, inspiration, breath, spirit, [breath of Woden?{Oðin}], (stroked 'æ', Hyper Text Impared)
Ðræ'gan: strong; to go, journey, etc.; [(poetic) to run]
Bar'helm: helmet with sacred Wanic boar image (stroked 'a', Hyper Text Impared)

Wyrd: [Old English] briefly; in the Germanic cosmology having to do with the World Tree Yggdrasil and the Well of Wyrd. A non-linear time concept of 'that-which-is' connected with ancestral memory, deeds, spinning & weaving, the Nine Worlds, the Norns, u.s.w. Check out The Well and the Tree: World and Time in Early Germanic Culture, by Paul Bauschatz for the ultimate explanation.

Seax'net: one of many spellings [East Saxon] for Saxnôt, a deity of the ancient Continental Saxons, their eponymous ancestor, possibly Freyr, or Tiwaz/Tyr. Means something like 'Friend of the Saxons', or 'Sword Companion'. A sax/seax was a short sword or long knife used by the barbarian Germanic tribes and now days is generally a straight single edged knife used for carving runes in wood.

Ása'trú: [Old Norse] a modern reconstruction of the ancient pre-Christian pagan/heathen religion of Northern Europe. Here is Gamlinginn's definition of Ásatrú at the Ring of Troth Official Web Page and Ingeborg's FAQ.

"The mythology of a people is far more than a collection of pretty or terrifying fables to be retold in carefully bowdlerized form to our schoolchildren. It is the comment of the men of one particular age or civilization on the mysteries of human existence and the human mind, their model for social behaviour, and their attempt to define in stories of gods and demons their perception of the inner realities. We can learn much from the mythologies of earlier peoples if we have the humility to respect ways of thought widely differing from our own. In certain respects we may be far cleverer than they, but not necessarily wiser.

We cannot return to the mythological thinking of an earlier age; it is beyond our reach, like the vanished world of childhood. Even if we feel a nostalgic longing for the past, like that of John Keats for Ancient Greece or William Morris for medieval England, there is now no way of entry. The Nazis tried to revive the myths of ancient Germany in their ideology, but such an attempt could only lead to sterility and moral suicide. We cannot deny the demands of our own age, but this need not prevent us turning to the faith of another age with sympathetic understanding, and recapturing imaginatively some of its vanished power. It will even help us to view more clearly the assumptions and beliefs of our own time."

Hilda R. Ellis Davidson
Gods and Myths of the Viking Age
(also as Gods and Myths of Northern Europe)"

guardian angels spirits guides story new age religion

2011-01-10T10:56:00.000-08:00

Members of your Counsel (Soul Group) may elect to play certain roles for you while you are on the earth plane (in the body). Let us start with one role that most people relate to and have at some time referred to, even though they may not believe or undstand its true function. This is the role of the Guardian Angel.
This is usually one of the members of your Counsel (Soul Group) that is NOT bonded with you in any way, except in the way of love of a fellow being. This being is usually from a higher plane of the spirit world. This being can and does intercede for you and against you if it is for your highest good. It does not interfere with your right of free will. This being, is what one might call, an Overseer of the plan and script (pre-programming) as has been agreed upon by you and your Counsel. The Guardian Angel oversees not only ones physical being but also guards the spirit of the person.

An example of the Guardian Angel's role is as follows:

This is a true story from life. A man was a pilot during the war, he was flying over Germany and his plane got hit. He told all the crew, except for the Navigator to jump out of the plane - which the did. His navigator had his parachute on, but he (the plot) did not. Just as the pilot was about to put his on, the plane exploded and he felt himself falling. It was a very dark night and he could see nothing. As he was falling to earth, he felt a bump. His instinct was to grab onto whatever it was he had bumped into. It was his navigator on his way down with parachute in tact. They both landed safely.

It was not time for the pilot to die as he still had some things in his life to complete. The circumstances were available to safeguard him at that precise time. The Guardian Angel overseeing this happening was able to intercede for his highest good. This may sound like an extreme example but there was an opportunity that allowed the Guardian Angel to work in the manner that it did.

Let us suppose that the navigator was not responsible in making sure that he had his parachute on. In this situation the Guardian Angel would then have had to ensure that the pilot was unable to fly that particular mission either by making him late at the air field or finding some different opportunity which there always is in life to ensure the pilot's safety.

Now we come to the other part of the Guardian Angel's job, that of guarding the spirit of the person. The spirit part of a person while on the earth plane can be in a kind of hibernation, if the person is not aware of the higher self or the spirit part themselves. While the spirit is in this kind of hibernation, it has to be nourished and guarded from any influence that may disturb its hibernation. It is nourished by the love of the Guardian. It can be disturbed by great shock or fear which can come from the person while on the earth plane.

How many times have you heard about someone that has had a great shock and become religious or decided to change their life pattern drastically. The change may not always be for the good of the person or inaccordance with their pre-programming or script. This is just a simple example of one role that the Guardian Angel can play.

The Guardian Angel is not just there to guard against outside disturbances to the person and the person's spirit, it has to guard against the person themself. As you may know many people are very unkind the themselves and the Guardian tries to ensure that the person does not hinder the progress of themselves and the spirit part of themselves.

This is not an easy situation to be in for the Guardian as the person has the right of free will and choice. No-one from the spirit side of life that has the privilege of being a Guardian (or any other role of a Councillor) would dream of breaking a Cosmic Law, irrespective of how much they love the person that they have agreed to interact with on the earth plane. So you can see that those beings that accept the role of Guardian (or Counsel etc.) or in a more active role, must be of the highest quality.

An example is given here of a person who has chosen a much harder life on the earth plane than necessary. After some time of trying and failing (not that there is such a thing as failure according to spirit), the person reaches a time when they don't think that they can go on with their physical life. They are contemplating suicide. This is the time when the Guardian Angel has to work overtime to try and convince the person to sleep on the idea.

It is during the sleep time that the Guardian Angel must appeal to the spirit side of the person not to commit the Cosmic crime. Most times this is successful and the person wakes up and decided to keep trying with life. Hence the saying "sleep on it" has more meaning. Of course, there will be some people that will not be swayed but more on that later. The role of Guardian Angel is also a service the Guardian Angel chooses to perform in order that this being can progress in its own development in a way of advancement spiritually, which is that of service to another being and is always done in love.

Saint Gabriel Archangel part of the new age religions? winter 2011

2011-01-10T09:59:00.000-08:00

Saint Gabriel Archangel part of the new age religions?, i was wondering if old angelic orders are still applicable to new age religions, even though they have a history with other belief structures.

i still think it is interesting and necessary to look into old religious thinking and arch angelic orders to learn and get balanced information and ideas, also important this time of year due to it being winter 2011, is that the Archangel Gabriel is the Guardian of Winter.

Gabriel is also the archangel associated with 'vision'. He came to Mary to tell her that she would bear a child, the son of God, yet looking beyond the message, we realize he is sharing with her a vision of a role she will play in the Universe. Winter, therefore, is a time when the vision of our life will be revealed, if the necessary preparations have been made during the Fall Season.

During Winter, nature turns inward, and allows itself time to rest after the year's harvest. This reflects to us a time to be quiet, reflective, and allowing of new definition and revelation to come into our lives. After the releasing and purifying aspects of the Fall Season, Winter is a gentle peace which draws us inward, and reminds us tend to the inner-self for renewal. Perhaps the greatest gift you can bestow upon yourself during this season is the opportunity to look inward and allow a new expression of yourself, through thoughts, emotions, and desires, to take hold.

This is very appropriate after the Fall Season with its releasing and purifying qualities. The releasing and purification has created room for new expansion in our life. The Fall Season brings in a lot of new, usually in the material/physical world. This newness is given the chance of further refinement during the Winter as we spend time inside, both in the physical realm and in the mental/emotional and spiritual realms.

For instance, some people may find that they are not as judging or controlling as they once were. Perhaps, someone has come into their life who is teaching them to be more open and flexible. Or, maybe someone has quit a habit (cigarettes, perhaps), and now is challenged to find new ways to keep themselves occupied. These are just a few examples of what people may be experiencing at this time.

Winter is a time of realizing inner desires, and beginning the slow and steady process to anchor them into the physical. It is a time of 'vision' of where we are going, yet not necessarily how we will get there.

what are african traditional religions beliefs of africa?

2011-01-10T09:40:00.000-08:00

what are african traditional religions beliefs of africa?, not something you really ever here or see a lot of is what are the native religions to the content of africa.

there are religions in africa pre the current popular religions of africa which are islam and christianity, but before these religions there were much older religions in africa.

with older religions in africa i would think they are along the lines of similarity to some of the old shamanic type system, with a belief in nature as well as gods, with the tribes have leaders along the lines of medicine men who would no knowledge that has been passed on generation to generation, similar to other parts of the ancient world.

new age angels? some angelic quotes for a good 2011

2011-01-10T09:09:00.000-08:00

new age angels? some angelic quotes for a good 2011, here are some excellent quotes by angels to bring in a happy 2011 in a new agey kind of way.

though of course angels being from old world religions as well so a bit of continuity from the old into the new with these angelic quotes that are well worth reading.

angelic quotes

All they ask is that you believe in them, and they will believe in you.
Guiding you, guarding you, if you only
*Believe*

Come sit by my fire and warm your soul. I wish to share peace with you, and love and gentleness, the world needs more of these things. I hope that this little spot of mine will bring you joy, it is my heart. I will try to mind that there is no knowledge of an angel that is absolute. Angel's are many things to many people, and I am but an innocent. I have no great knowledge, but I wish to share with you the beauty that abounds.

Eclectic Angels
I heard an Angel singing,
When the day was springing,
"Mercy, Pity, Peace<
Is the world's release"
~~ William Blake

Oh sovereign angel,
Wide winged stranger above a forgetful earth,
Care for me, care for me. Keep me unaware of danger
And not regretful And not forgetful of my innocent birth.
~~ Edna St. Vincent Millay

I am the Angel of the Sun
Whose flaming wheels began to run
When God's almighty breath
Said to the darkness and the Night
Let there be light! And there was light
I bring the gift of Faith.
~ Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

And the angel said,
"I have learned that every man lives, not through care of himself,
but by love."
~~Leo Tolstoy

We are the stars which sing.
we sing with our light.
we are the birds of fire.
We fly over the sky.
Our light is a voice
We make a road
For the spirit to pass over.
~~Passamaquoddy Chant

Courage is the price that life extracts for peace.
The soul that knows it not, knows no release
From little things;
Knows not the livid lonliness of fear,
Nor mountain heights where bitter joy can hear,
The sound of wings.
~~Amelia Earhart

Angels

For You...
Angels, answer me,
are you near if rain should fall?
Am I to believe
you will rise to calm the storm?
For so great a treasure words will never do.
Surely, if this is, promises are mine to give you.
mine to give...
Here, all too soon the day!
Wish the moon to fall and alter tomorrow.
I should know
heaven has her way
- each one given memories to own.
Angeles, all could be
should you move both earth and sea
Angeles, I could feel
all those dark clouds disappearing...
Even, as I breathe
comes an angel to their keep.
Surely, if this is
promises are mine to give you.
mine to give...

classic book list Taoism - T'ai Chi Ch'uan worth reading

2010-12-08T14:36:00.001-08:00

Taoism - T'ai Chi Ch'uan
========================

"365 Tao" A Taoist study and meditation for each day of the year
by Deng Ming-Dao
Dharma Communications

"Awakening Healing Light of the Tao"
by Mantak and Maneewan Chia

"Cold Mountain" Taoist/Zen classic
101 Chinese Poems
by Han Shan
translated by Burton Watson
Shambhala Publications

"Cultivating Chi" Meditation, Breathing, Practice
"The Secrets of Energy and Vitality"
translation of the Yang family training manual
available from Pacific Spirit Whole Life Products

"Scholar Warrior" Excellent book on all aspects of practical Taoist
An Introduction to the Tao in Everyday Life spiritual practice
by Deng Ming-Dao
Dharma Communications

"The Wandering Taoist" Training and life of a Taoist Master
by Deng Ming-Dao and Sai Hung Kwan
also two subsequent books

"Chronicles of Tao" The above three books in one volume
The Secret Life of a Taoist Master
by Deng Ming-Dao
Dharma Communications

"Tao Te Ching"
translation by Gia-Fu feng and Jane English
Dharma Communications

"Taoism - the Road to Immortality"
by John Blofeld

classic spiritual books on tantra

2010-12-08T14:35:00.001-08:00

Tantra
======

"Introduction to Tantra"
A Vision of Totality
by Lama Yeshe
edited by Jonathan Landaw
Dharma Communications

"Passionate Enlightenment:
Women in Tantric Buddhism"
by Miranda Shaw
Princeton University Press
This thoroughly researched treatise is an excellent book
on the correct, practical aspects of tantric practice.

"Mother of the Universe: -- Ramprasad and Application
Visions of the Goddess and Tantric Hymns of Enlightenment"
by Les Hixson
Quest Books

"Tantra"
by Philup Rawson

"Tantric Mysticsm of Tibet"
by John Blofeld

"Tantric Practices in Nying-Ma"
by Khetsun Sangpo Rinpoche

"Yoga, Tantra, and Meditation in Daily Life"
by Swami Janakananda
Pyramid Books

classic tibetan books of old worth reading!

2010-12-08T14:30:00.000-08:00

classic tibetan books of old worth reading!

Tibetan
=======

"A Flash of Lightning in the Dark of Night"
A Guide to the Bodhisattva's Way of Life
by H.H. the Dalai Lama
DharmaCrafts

"Gesture of Balance"
by Lama Tarthang Tulku
Dharma Publishing

"Introduction to Tibetan Buddhism"
by John Powers
Snow Lion Publications

"Shambhala - Sacred Path of the Warrior"
by Lama Chogyam Trungpa
Shambhala Publishing

"The Practice of Tranquility and Insight" Practical guide
A Guide to Tibetan Buddhist Meditation Beginning and advanced
by Khenchen Trangyu
DharmaCrafts

"The Snow Lion's Turquoise Mane"
Wisdom Tales from Tibet
by Surya Das
introduction by the Dalai Lama
foreward by Daniel Goleman

"The Tibetan Book of the Dead" One of the first Tibetan spiritual
The Great Liberation through books ever transalated into English
Hearing in the Bardo
transalated with commentary
by Francesca Freemantle and Lama Chogyam Trungpa
Shambhala Publications

"The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying"
by Sogyal Rinpoche
Snow Lion Publications

"The World of Tibetan Buddhism" Numerous other books
An Overview of Its Philosophy and Practice by the Dalai Lama
by Tenzin Gyatzo, The 14th Dalai Lama
Translated, edited, and annotated by Geshe Thupten Jinpa
Wisdom Publications

classic sufi books list worth reading

2010-12-08T14:29:00.000-08:00

Sufi
====

"Adventures in Afghanistan" Meeting with the Sufi central
by Louis Palmer organization, the mu'assisa.
ISHK Book Service

"Among the Dervishes"
by Omar Michael Burke
ISHK Book Service

"Journeys with a Sufi Master"
by Bashir M. Dervish
ISHK Book Service

"Tales from the Land of the Sufis"
by Mojdeh Bayat and Mohammad Ali Jamnia
Shambhala Publications

"The Sufis"
"Oriental Magic"
"Tales of the Dervishes"
"The Way of the Sufi"
"Wisdom of the Idiots"
"Sufi Thought and Action"
"Caravan of Dreams"
Various books by Idries Shah
ISHK Book Service

"Way of the Sufi" Multiple Volumes
by Hazrat Inayat Khan
Various books by Pir Vilayat Khan

classic meditation books

2010-12-08T14:27:00.000-08:00

Meditation - Practice
=====================

"Art and Science of Meditation"
Himalayan Institute

"How to Raise an Ox"
Zen Practice as Taught in
Zen Master Dogen's Shobogenzo
by Francis Dojun Cook

"Kum Nye" Volumes 1 and 2 Good sections on meditation
by Lama Tarthang Tulku
Dharma Publishing

"The Miracle of Mindfulness" Zen Meditation and Application
by Thich Nhat Hanh
Parallax Press

"Meditation"
Advice to Beginners
by Bokar Rinpoche
DharmaCrafts

"Openness Mind"
by Lama Tarthang Tulku
Dharma Publishing

"Serene Meditation" Complete instruction in meditation
by Roshi Jiyu-Kennet Excellent first book
Shasta Abbey Buddhist Supplies

"An Introduction to the Accompanying volume to
Tradition of Serene Meditation" "Serene Meditation"
Shasta Abbey Buddhist Supplies

"Taking the Path of Zen"
by Roshi Robert Aiken
North Point Press

"The Eight Gates of Zen" Excellent book on Zen Meditation,
by John Daido Loori training, and applied practice
Dharma Communications

"The Practice of Tranquillity and Insight"
A Guide to Tibetan Buddhist Meditation
by Kenchen Thrangu

"Theory and Practice of Meditation"
by Rudolph Ballentine
Himalayan Institute

"Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind" Founder of the Zen Center of
by Suziki Roshi San Francisco, a classic
Wisdom Publications

"Zen Philosophy, Zen Practice" Zen Meditation and Practice
by Thich Thien An

"Zen Training" Excellent book on Zen Meditation,
by Katsugi Sekida training, and applied practice
DharmaCrafts

great all round spiritual books list search these religious spiritual books out online

2010-12-08T14:25:00.000-08:00

great all round spiritual books list search these religious spiritual books out online, often forgotten books in this list that are worth searching out on google books, amazon, or ebay among others to see if you can re find a old gem to help you in the present time.

Jewish
======

"Kabbalah"
The Way of a Jewish Mystic"
by Perle Epstein
Shambhala Publications Inc.

============================================================================

Meditation - Practice
=====================

Note: Many of the best books on meditation and yoga are
advertised in "Yoga International" Magazine.

Note: Many meditation and yoga books by all publishers
listed here are available from Dharma Communications
or Shambhala Publications. Both have catalogs and do
extensive mail order.

Note: Anyone interested in the practice or study of
Buddhism should obtain the book "550 Books on Buddhism"
from Dharma Publishing.

============================================================================

Introduction To Meditation Books
================================

These are particularly good first books, but not only first
books, on meditation.

"How to Meditate"
A Practical Guide
by Kathleen McDonald
edited by Robina Courtin
Dharma Communications

"Meditation" Kagyu Master
Advice to Beginners
by Bokar Rinpoche
Dharma Communications

"Mindfullness in Plain English" Step by step guide to Insight
by Ven. Henepola Gunaratana Meditation -- Vipassana
Dharma Communications Nondenomonational

"The Experience of Insight" Complete instruction in meditation
by Joseph Goldstein
Shambhala Publishing

"The Practice of Tranquility and Insight" Kagyu Master
A Guide to Tibetan Buddhist Meditation
by Khenchen Thrangu
Dharma Communications

books on traditional christian meditation and spiritual books

2010-12-08T14:23:00.000-08:00

books on traditional christian meditation and spiritual books, here is a list of some good spiritual christian books worth looking for online, some of these books might be often forgotten but are mostly very good and worth finding again.

Christian / Applying Traditional Meditation To A Christian Life
================================================================

"Buddhism Made Plain"
An Introduction for Christians and Jews
by Antony Fernando with Leslie Swindler
DharmaCrafts

"Christian Mysticism"
The Art of the Inner Way
by William McNamara, OCD

"Enduring Grace"
Living Portraits of Seven Women Mystics
by Carol Lee Flinders
DharmaCrafts

"Gentling the Heart"
Buddhist Loving-Kindness Practice for Christians
by Mary Jo Meadow
DharmaCrafts

"Lord, Teach Us to Pray"
Christian Zen and the Inner Eye of Love
by William Johnston
DharmaCrafts

"Meditation in Christianity"
Himalayan Institute

"Mystics and Zen Masters" By noted 20th century Trappist monk
by Thomas Merton and Christian Mystic
Dharma Communications

"Open Mind, Open Heart"
"Invitation to Love"
by Father Thomas Keating
DharmaCrafts

"Seven Story Mountain" Autobiography and spiritual journey
by Thomas Merton of Thomas Merton

"The Art of Meditationm" Instruction in meditation
by Joel Goldsmith by an American Christian Mystic
Dharma Communications

"The Ground We Share" by a Zen Master and a Benedictine Monk
Everyday Practice, Buddhist & Christian
by Roshi Robert Aiken and Father David Steindl-Rast
DharmaCrafts

"The Human Adventure" Modern Christian hermit and ascetic
The Art of Contemplative Living
by William McNamara
DharmaCrafts

"The Other Side of Silence" Christian classic
A Guide to Christian Meditation
by Morton T. Kelsey
DharmaCrafts

"The Practice of Zen Meditationm" Instruction in meditation
by Hugo M. Enomiya-Lassalle Excellent first book
Pyramid Books
Note: This is a particularly excellent book for Christians
seeking to learn full formal meditation. Roshi is a Jesuit
who studied for many years with the best Zen Masters in
Japan. He specifically addresses the issues of including
the generic mystic practices of yoga and meditation into a
Christian life.

"Ways of the Christian Mystics" By noted 20th century Trappist
by Thomas Merton monk and Christian Mystic

Various books
by C.S. Lewis

"Zen and the Birds of Appetite" Writings on Zen
by Thomas Merton
Shambhala Publishing

classic yoga books worth searching out online!

2010-12-08T14:21:00.000-08:00

here are some classic yoga books tha are worth searching out online!

"A Search in Secret India"
by Paul Brunton

"Autobiography of a Yogi" Founder of SRF, along with
by Swami Paramahansa Yogananda Vivekananda, brought yoga to
DharmaCrafts the West.

"Great Swan" Life of Ramakrishna
Meetings with Ramakrishna
by Les Hixon
Shambhala Publishing

"Guru Nanak's Life and Thought" Founder of Sikh spiritual tradition
by Sirdar Kapur Singh
Guru Nanek Dev University

"Living at the Source" One of the first yoga teachers in the West
Yoga Teachings of Vivakanada
Shambhala Publishing

"Living with Kundalini"
by Gopi Krishna
Shambhala Publications

"Living With the Himalayan Masters"
by Swami Rama
Himalayan Institute Publishing

"Mantras"
Words of Power
by Swami Sivananda Radha
DharmaCrafts

"Meetings with Remarkable Men" Also an excellent movie
by Gurdjief available as a video

"On Truth"
by J. Krishnamurti
Shambhala Publications

"Play of Consciousness"
by Swami Muktananda
Siddha Yoga Foundation Publishing

"The Bhagvad Gita"
translation by Christopher Isherwood

"The Bhagvad Gita"
translation by Swami Prabuhad - Hari Krishna Tradition

"The Integral Yoga"
by Sri Aurobindo
Sri Aurobindo Association

"The Spiritual Athlete" Biographies of 24 of the world's
A Primer for the Inner Life" mystics
complied and edited by Ray Berry
Dharma Communications

"The Spiritual Teachings of Ramana Maharshi"
Shambhala Publishing

"The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali"
by Sri Swami Satchidananda
DharmaCrafts

Various books by Yogi Bhajan
3HO - Kundalini Yoga Tradition

Hatha Yoga and Practice Books
=============================

"Breathe! You Are Alive"
Discourse on Full Awareness of Breathing
commentary by Thich Nhat Hanh
DharmaCrafts

"Hatha Yoga"
by Theos Bernard

"Hatha Yoga"
The Hidden Language
by Swami Sivananda Radha
DharmaCrafts

"Hatha Yoga for Meditators"
S.Y.D.A. Foundation -- South Fallsburg, NY

"Hatha Yoga", Volumes 1 and 2
Himalayan Institute -- Honesdale, PA

"Integral Yoga"
by Sri Swami Satchidananda

"Kundalini Yoga for the West"
by Swami Radha -- Kamloops, BC

"Kum Nye" Volumes 1 and 2
by Lama Tarthang Tulku
Dharma Publishing

"Light on Yoga" -- Classsic Hatha Yoga Encyclopedia
by B.K.S. Iyenegar

"Science of Breath"
A Practical Guide
by Swami Rama, Rudolph Ballentine, M.D.
and Alan Hymes, M.D.
DharmaCrafts

"The Book of Life"
by Roshi Jiyu-Kennet and Rev. Daizui Phillamy
Shasta Abbey Buddhist Supplies

"The Complete Illustrated Book of Yoga"
by Swami Vishnu Devananda

Various Yoga practice books
by Richard Hittleman

"Yoga International" Magazine -- many excellent books

"550 Books on Buddhism"
Dharma Publishing

"Bodhisattva of Compassion"
by John Blofeld
Shambhala Publications

"Dropping Ashes on the Buddha"
The Teachings of Zen Master Seung Sahn
compiled and edited by Stephan Mitchell
DharmaCrafts

"Entering the Stream" Excellent Introduction to Buddhism
An Introduction to the Buddha and His Teachings
by Samuel Burcholz and Sherab Chodzin Kohn
Shambhala Publications

"How to Raise an Ox"
Zen Practice as Taught in
Zen Master Dogen's "Shobogenzo"
DharmaCrafts

"How the Swans Came to the Lake"
A History of Buddhism in America
Dharma Communications

"Nine Headed Dragon River"
by Peter Matheison

"Practice of Chinese Buddhism 1900 - 1950"
by Holmes Welch
Harvard University Press

"The Shambhala Dictionary of Buddhism and Zen"
Shambhala Publications

"The Wild White Goose" Volumes 1 and 2 Training of a Zen Master
by Roshi Jiyu-Kennet
Shasta Abbey Buddhist Supplies

"Three Pillars of Zen"
by Phillup Kapleau

"Ways of Enlightenment" Techniques of Spritual Practice
Buddhist Studies at Nyingma Institute
Dharma Publishing Excellent Introduction to Buddhist Practice

"Zen Flesh, Zen Bones"
by Paul Reps and Nyogen Senzaki
Doubleday Anchor

"Zen in America"
by Helen Tworkov
Dharma Communications

"Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind"
by Shunryu Suzuki
Weatherhill

"Zen Wisdom"
Knowing and Doing
by Dr. Sheng-yen Chinese Ch'an Master
Ch'an Meditation Center Lin-chi and Ts'ao-tung Traditions

Note: Anyone interested in the practice or study of Tibetan
Buddhism should obtain the book catalogs from:
Dharma Publishing
Shambhala Publications Inc.
Snow Lion Publications
Dharma Communications
and "550 Books on Buddhism"

Note: There are many excellent books by The 14th Dalai Lama,
Tenzin Gyatso.

"Kindness, Clarity, and Insight"
by The 14th Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso

"Magic and Mystery in Tibet"
Penguin Book
"Initiations and Initiates in Tibet"
Shambhala Publications, Inc.
by Alexandra David-Neel

"Memoirs of Political Officer's Wife in Tibet, Sikkim, and Bhutan"
by Margret D. Williamson
in collaboration with John Snelling
Wisdom Publications

"Ocean of Wisdom"
by The 14th Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso

"Opening of the Wisdom Eye"
by The 14th Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso

"Princess in the Land of Snows"
by Jamyang Sakya and Julie Emery
Shambhala Publishing

"Reflections of a Himalayan Pilgrim"
"Way of the White Clouds"
by Lama Anagarika Govinda

"Tibetan Buddhism from the Ground Up"
A Practical Approach for Modern Life
by B. Alan Wallace
Dharmacrafts

is yoga and buddhism the answer to world problems?

2010-12-08T14:15:00.001-08:00

is yoga and buddhism the answer to world problems?

Namaste:

With all the news full of stories about bombings, mass murders,

militias, militant religious extremists of all stripes, spouting hatred

and distrust, and tales of assorted horrors perpetrated by a sweeping

spectrum of kooks, krazies, and bad guys in general, one could be

forgiven for wondering if we should be spending our time standing on our

heads. Maybe we should, I don't know, DO something!

Huh?

Maybe that answer makes more sense if we bear in mind that yoga is really

much broader in its scope than standing on our heads. Although most of

us initially become acquainted with yoga by learning yoga postures

(asanas), the classical approach to the practice of yoga as delineated by

Patanjali in the Yoga Sutra doesn't start with asanas. It begins with

five ethical principles called yama. The first and most important of

these is ahimsa, which is generally translated as nonviolence. Like the

other principles of yama, it is not a commandment: it doesn't say "Dont'

be violent." What the stutra actually says is that when the practitioner

is firmly established in nonviolence, hostility in his presence is

abandoned, which is to say that when we ourselves are nonviolenct,

violence will not take place around us.

As he does throughout the sutras, Patanjali in this sutra has cut

staight to the core of the matter. The problem of violence lies not

soemwhere outside us. It is within us. It is we who are violent. If we

were not, violence would not occur around us if we are to believe the

Yoga Sutra.

Hey! Whoa! Wait a minute. I didn't blow up any buildings. What do I have

to do with that? Looks like it was those weird malitia dudes. But not me.

I sure don't have anything to do with any of those wackos. And besides,

I'm a nonviolent person anyway.

But how many of us are truly nonviolent in the deepest sense, as

Patanjali surely meant it: nonviolent in tought and word as well as

deed? No doubt there are degrees of violence. Blowing up a building is

clearly of another order from shouting at the guy who cuts you off in

traffic, which is obviously different from keepng your mouth shut but

wanting to ram your car into his. Yet if we define violencw in this

broadest sense, although of different degrees, these are all acts of

violence. In that light, I think we'll have to admit that we are not

completely nonviolent people. I suspect such folk are few and far in between.

So, how are we to become nonviolent? How do we "do" nonviolence?

Well, it doesn't seem to me that we CAN do nonviolence; we can

ony BE nonviolent.

Alright then, how do we BE nonviolent?

I don't think it is by trying to not do violent acts or not say

violent words or not think violent thoughts, although each of these is

certainly worthwhile. No doubt we could whittle away alot of the

violence in our lives, in our culture, in the world by so doing. But I

don't think that approach will get to the root of violence. It would be

like pruning the leaves of a creeping vine but leaving the root

untouched. The leaves will eventually grow back.

The root of violence, it seems to me, lies in our inability to

experience our connectedness - to other peole, other creatures, our

environnment, the planet, the cosmos, the Great Spirit. We are much less

likely to do violence to those whom we truly hold in our hearts. I think

if we observe carefully, when we do harm even to those we love, we have,

at least for the moment and for whatever reason, put them out of our hearts.

I was listening to NPR the other day and heard an interview with

the writer, W. D. Snodgrass, about something he wrote called, as I

recollect, the Fuehrer's Bunker. I've treid to find it but have been

unable. I gathered from the discussion however, that it was written from

Hitler's perspective. Snodgrass, in his wonderfully gravelly voice, said

that he had received a tremendous amount of very angry mail.. One person

he recalled has asked how he could "glorify" someone as despicable as

Hitler. He said that he later heard from the same person who expressed

the same sentiment, except that the word "glorify" had been changed to

"humanize" Snodgrass said that that was the point. Hitler WAS human just

as we are humans.

I was reminded of a poem, Please Call Me by My True Names, by

Thich Nhat Hanh, the well-known Vietneamese Zen master. Because of space

considerations I reprint only part of it.

Do not say that I'll depart tomorrow

because even today I still arrive...

I still arrive, in order to laugh and to cry,

in order to fear and to hope,

the rhythm of my heart is the birth and death

of all that are alive . . .

I am a frog swimming happily in the clear water of a pond,

and I am the grass-snake, who, approaching

in silence, feeds itself on the frog.

I am the child in Uganda, all skin and bones,

my legs as thin as bamboo sticks,

and I am the arms merchant selling deadly

weapons to Uganda

I am the twelve year old girl, refuggee on

a small boat,

who throws herself into the ocean

after being raped by a sea pirate,

and I am the pirate, my heart not yet

capable of seeing and loving . . .

Please call me by my true names,

So I can hear all my cries and laughs at once,

So I can see that my joy and pain are one.

Please call me by my true names

So I can wake up and so the door of my heart can be left open

The door of compassion.

When we deomonize others, try to make them something other than

human, other than us, in so doing we deny a part of ourselves, We not

only disconnect from them, we disconnect from parts of ourselves. We do

it with words lke "kooks" and "wackos", "thugs" and "fundamentalists",

"good guys" and "bad guys". We do it by closing our eyes and our hearts

to the pain and suffering of those near to us and not so near. We do it

because to be related is painful. But to be related is also to be

joyful. To feel unrelated, disconnected is a deeper pain: there is no joy

in it anywhere only a living death.

To try to turn another person or group of people into monsters or

demons is to demonize ourselves. To declare that they are not a part of

us is to try to cut off a part of ourselves. To put them out of our

hearts is to deaden another little piece of our own hearts. This is the

root of violence.

We are not unrelated. We are not separated. We are part of a

vast jigsaw puzzle made up of countless pieces of varying sizes, shapes

and colors. Yet in spite of those differences, by all being peices of

the same puzzle, we are connected.

When we say "Namaste" to you at the end of class, that's our way

of acknowledging and honoring that place where we are connected, unified,

where when you're in yours and I'm in mine and we're in the same place,

we are One. That's yoga. That's why to the question of violence, to

whatever the question . . . the answer is . . . more yoga.

Namaste

ancient yoga teachings hatha yoga learn important information

2010-12-08T14:09:00.000-08:00

ancient yoga teachings hatha yoga learn important information, this short instruction is very important to learn and understand if you are partake of the discipline of yoga.

The Hatha Yoga Pradipika
of
SVATMARAMA

Raja Yoga

The Yoga of Light

Translation of the ancient Sanskrit
The Pradipika is divided into four parts. The first explains yamas (restraints on behavior), niyamus (observances), asanas (posture) and food. The second describes pranayama (control or restraint of energy), and the shatrurmas (internal cleansing practices). The third deals with mudras (seals), bandhas (locks), the nadis (channels of energy through which prana flows) and the kundalini power. The fourth expounds pratyahara (withdrawal of the senses), dharana (concentration), dhyana (meditation), and samadhi (absorption). In all, the text contains 390 verses (slokas). Out of these, about forty deal with asanas, approximately one hundred and ten with pranayama, one hundred and fifty with mudras, bandhas and Shatkarmas and the rest with pratyahara, dharana, dhyana and samadhi.

The following translation contains the text of the first of these four parts comprising the first 67 of these slokas which deal with the broad evolution of the whole human organism through asanas.

Asanas

The text begins with asanas as the first step in hatha yoga. For this reason it has been referred to as six-limbed yoga (sadanga yoga) as opposed to the eight-limbed patanjala yoga (astanga yoga) which includes, as its foundation, the first two limbs, yama and niyama. However, hatha yoga does not overlook the yamas and niyamas. Possibly, in Svatmarama's time, the ethical disciplines were taken for granted, so he does not explain them at length.
He does speak of non-violence, truthfulness, non-covetousness, continence, forbearance, fortitude, compassion, straightforwardness, moderation in food and cleanliness as yama, and zeal in yoga, contentment, faith, charity, worship of God, study of spiritual scriptures, modesty, discriminative power of mind, prayers and rituals as niyama. (The ethical disciplines of what to do and what not to do are given in the text. Asanas, pranayamas, bandhas, rnudras and shotkarmas are illustrated by examples to assist aspirants with their practice. Dharana, dhyana and samadhi cannot be explained, but only experienced, when the earlier stages have been mastered.)

1 Reverance to Siva the Lord of Yoga, who taught [his wife] Parvati
hatha wisdom as the first step to the pinnacle of Raja Yoga

2 Having thus solemnly saluted his master, Yogi Svatmarama
now presents hatha vidya [vidya = wisdom] solely and exclusively
for the attainment of raja yoga.

3. For those who wander in the darkness of conflicting creeds
[and philosophies], unable to reach the heights of raja yoga
[self knowledge and cosmic consciousness] the merciful Yogi
Svatmarama has lit the torch of hatha wisdom.

4-9. Goraksha and Matsyendra were masters of hathya vidya,
and by their grace Yogi Svatmaram learned it. Sive, Matsyendra,
Shabara, Anandabhairava, Chaurangi, and many other great Sidhhas
who have conquered time are still roaming thru this world.

10 [Therefore] hatha yoga is a refuge for all those who are scorched
by the three fires*. To those who practice yoga, hatha yoga
is like the tortoise that supports the world.

11 A yogi who is desirous of developing siddhis should keep hatha
yoga strictly secret, for only then will he have success.
All his efforts will be in vain if he reveals everything without
discrimination.

12 The student of hatha yoga should practice in a solitary place,
in a temple or hermitage, an arrow shot away from rocks, water,
and fire. The land should be fertile and well governed.

13 The hermitage should have a small door and no windows.
It should be level with the ground and have no holes in the walls.
[It should be] neither too high nor too long, and clean and free
from insects. It should be laid daily with cow dung. Outside there
should be a raised platform with an elevated seat and a water
tank. The whole should be surrounded by a wall. There are the
characteristics of a yoga hermitage as described by the siddhas,
the masters of hatha yoga.

14 Seated in such a place, the yogi should free his mind from all
distracting thoughts and practice yoga as instructed by his guru.

15 The yoga forces are dissipated by too much eating, heavy physical
labor, too much talk, the observances of [ascetic] vows, [promiscous]
company, and a growling stomach [too much fasting].

16 Success depends on a cheerful disposition, perserverance, courage,
self knowledge, unshakable faith in the word of the guru, and
the avoidance of all superflous company.

17a Not to cause suffering to any living being; to speak the truth;
not to take what belongs to others; to practice continence;
to develop compassion and fortitude; to be merciful to all and
honest; to be moderate in eating and pure in heart. These are
the first prerequisites of yoga [the yamas]. Self limitation,
[tapas, austerities], cheerfullness, religious faith, charity,
contemplation, listening to sacred scriptures, modesty, a clean mind,
recitation of mantras, and observance of rules, these are the second
requirements of yoga.

17b Asanas* are spoken of first, being the first stage of hatha
yoga. So one should practice the asanas, which give [the yogi]
strength, keep him in good health, and make his limbs subtle.

* Seated postures remembered in the genetic material of man.

18 I shall now proceed to impart some of the asanas that where adopted
by such wise men as Vasitha, and practised by yogis like
Matsyendra.

19 Sitting straight on level ground, squeeze both feet between calves
and thighs [of the opposite legs]. This is svastikasana.

20 Place the right foot under the left buttock and the left foot
under the right buttock. This is gomukhasana, and looks like the
mouth of a cow.

21 Place one foot upon the other thigh and the other foot below the
opposite thigh. This is virasana.

22 Press the anus firmly with crossed feet and sit thus. But do it
with care. This is kurmasana.

23 Assuming the lotus posture, insert the hands between the thighs
and calves. Put the hands firmly on the ground and raise the
body up. this is kukkutasana.

24 Assuming the above mentioned kukkutasana posture, put both arms
around your neck and remain raised like a tortoise [with the back
touching the ground]. This is uttana kurmasana.

25 Grasp both toes with the opposite hands, keep one leg straight
and draw the other to the ear as you would a bow. This is dhanurasana.

26 Place your right foot on the outside of the left hip joint and
the left foot outside the right knee [which is flat on the floor].
Grasp the left foot with the right hand [passing the arm to the left
side of the knee] and the right one with the left hand. Turn the
head all the way over to the left. This is matsyendrasana.

27 This matsyendrasana increases the appetite by fanning the gastric
fire and destroys physical ailments. Kundalini is awaked and
the moon made steady.

28 Stretch our both legs and, taking hold of the toes, lay your
head upon the knees. This is paccumasana.

29 This most excellent of all asanas causes the breath to flow
through the sushumna, fans the fire of appetite, makes the loins
supple and removes all ailments.

30 Press your hands firmly upon the ground and balance your body
by pressing the elbows against your loins. Raise your legs
straight in the air till your feet are level with your head.
This is mayurasana.

31 This asana heals various diseases of the spleen and dropsy,
and removes all illnesses caused by excess of vata, pitta, or kapha.
It digests an overabundance of food, and even destroys the poison
halahala.

32 Lying full length on the back like a corpse is called Savasana.
With this asana tiredness caused by other asanas is eliminated;
it also promotes calmness of mind.

33-34 The asanas taught by Siva* are 84 in number. Of these I
will describe four of the most important ones. They are
siddhasana, padmasana, simhasana, and bhadrasana. Of these,
siddhasana is the best and most comfortable posture.

35 Press one heel into the place below the sex organs and
put the other heel over your pubic bone. Press the chin
upon the chest, sit up straight, with controlled organs,
and fasten the eyes between the eyebrows. This is siddhasana,
where by all obstacles on the path to perfection are
removed.

36 Place the right heel above the sex organ and the left heel
over the right. This too is siddhasana.

37 Some call this siddhasana; others say it is vajrasana, or muktasana,
or guptasana.

38 The Siddhas say; Just as among the yamas the most important is to
do no harm to anyone, and that among the niyamas moderation, so is
siddhasana the cheif of all asanas.

40 The yogi who meditates on the atman and eats moderately acheives
the yoga siddhas after he has practiced siddhasana for 12 years.

41 If siddhasana is perfected and the breath is carefully restrained in
kevala khumbhaka*, what need for all the other asanas?

* The practice of folding the tongue back so it closes of the breath
canal.

42 When siddhasana is accomplished, we can enjoy the ecstasy of the
meditative state (unmani avastha*), the moon and the three bandhas
follow without effort naturally.

* Samadhi, the state of being entirely absorbed into the pure state of
no-mind. The three bandhas are three major emotional blockage points.
The moon is the source of illusion. It is lighted by the sun, the real
centre of the being.

43 There is no asana like siddhasana, no kumbhaka like kevala, no mudra
like khecari, and no laya equals nada [anahat nada].

44 Place the right heel upon the base of the left thigh and the left
upon the right thigh. Cross the arms behind the back and grasp the
toes, the right ones with the right hand and the left with the left.
Press the chin on the breast* and look at the tip of your nose. This
is called padmasana and cures all diseases.

* there should be a space of four inches between breast and chin.

45-47 Place your feet firmly on the opposite thighs and place
your hands firmly in the middle, one upon the other [in your
lap], fasten your eyes on the tip of the nose and touch the back
of the upper teeth with your tongue. Press the chin on the chest
and raise the air [apana vayu] slowly up while contracting the
anus muscle. This is padmasana that destroys all diseases. [But]
this can be acheived by only a few very intelligent persons.

48 Having assumed the padmasana posture, with the hands one upon
the other, and the chin firmly pressed upon the chest, meditate
on Brahma, frequently contracting the anus muscle to raise apana.
Similiarly, by contracting the throat, force prana down. Thus
with the aid of kundalini [which is aroused by this practice]
we acheive highest knowledge.

49 When the yogi remains in padmasana and thus retains the breath
drawn in through the nadi gates [nostrils] he reaches liberation.
There is no doubt about it.

50 Place your ankles in the region of the sex organs [between anus
and scrotum]: the right ankle to the right and the left to the
left side.

51 Place the palms upon the knees with fingers spread out and
eyes upon the tip of the nose [and breathe] with open mouth
and concentrated mind.

52 This is simhasana, held in great esteem by the highest yogis.
This asana facilitates the three bandhas.

53-55 Place the ankles under the buttocks, right below right,
left below left. Then wind your hands around the thighs. This is
bhadrasana and cures all diseases. The siddhas and yogis call it
gorakshasana. The yogi should practice this until he feels no more
pain or tiredness.

56 Then he should cleanse the nadis by practicining pranayama,
as well as mudras and kumbhakas of various kinds.

57 Then follows the concentration on the inner sound [nada].
The Brahmacharin* who, observing moderate diet, renouncing
the fruits of his (good) actions, practices [hath] yoga
will become a siddha in the span of one year.

* one who practices complete celibacy.
Economy of forces, not repression of nature.

58 Moderate diet means pleasant, sweet food, leaving free
one fourth of the stomach. The act of eating is dedicated
to Siva.

59-61 The following are considered as not being salutory: sour,
pungent, and hot food;mustard, alcohol, fish, meat, curds, butter-
milk, chick peas, fruit of the jujub, linseed cakes, asafetida,
and garlic. It is also advisable to avoid: reheated food,
an excess of salt or acid, foods that are hard to digest or
are woody. Goraksha teaches that in the beginning the yogi
should avoid bad company, proximity to fire, sexual relations,
long trips, cold baths in the early morning, fasting, and heavy
physical work.

62 The following items can be used without hesitation: wheat
products [bread etc.] rice, milk, fats, rock candy, honey, dried
ginger, cucumbers, vegetables, and fresh water.

63 The yogi should eat nourishing, sweet foods mixed with milk.
They should benefit the senses and stimulate the functions.

64 Anyone who actively practices yoga, be he young, old, or
even very old, sickly and weak, can become a siddha.

65 Anyone who practices can acquire siddhis, but not he who
is lazy. Yoga siddhis are not obtained by merely reading
textbooks.

66 Nor are they reached by wearing yoga garments or by conversation
about yoga, but only through tireless practice. This is the
secret of success. There is no doubt about it.

67 The various asanas, kumbhakas, and mudras of hatha yoga
should be practiced as long as raja yoga has not been
attained.

hindu indian yoga cultural events year 2000 look back america

2010-12-08T13:58:00.000-08:00

hindu indian yoga cultural events year 2000 look back america, not sure if any of these events still run though.

NORTH AMERICAN CALENDAR

Canada

Deadline: Submission for Desh Pardesh Intra National Festival/Conference is an exploration of new and challenging issues faced by South Asian artists and activists both locally and internationally. Desh Pardesh, 401 Richmond St W Ste 450, Toronto. Feb 5. (416) 340-0485.

Transmission Meditation Also on Tuesdays and Fridays. Edmonton Venue to be announced. Feb 7, Sundays, 7 p.m. Free. (403) 433-3342, (403) 426-6103, (403) 433-1064.

Northeast

Jesuits and the Grand Mogul Renaissance Art at the Imperial Court of India, an exhibition of 22 paintings, engravings, manuscripts and sculptures in ivory, crystal and stone. Arthur Sackler Glry Smithsonian Institution, 1050 Independence Ave SW, Washington. Feb 1-Apr 4. (202) 357-4880.

Behind the Himalayas Paintings of Mustang, an axhibition of 19 watercolors documenting the stunning traditional architecture of the Himalayan region. This high, wind-swept desert is politically part of the kingdom of Nepal, but geographically and culturally part of Tibet. Sackler Gllry Smithsonian Institution, 1050 Independence Ave SW, Washington. Feb 1-Sep 26, 7 p.m. (202) 357-3200.

Reading by Chitra Divakaruni best selling author reads from her latest novel "Sister of My Heart.". Olsson's Books, 1200 F Street NW, Washington. Feb 2, 7 p.m.

Thyagaraja Aradhana Day with music recitals by adults and children. Main vocal concert by Rajeswari satish at 4pm. Organized by North Jersey Music Lovers. Community Church, 354 Rock Rd, Glen Rock. Feb 6, 8:30 a.m.-7 p.m. Free. (201) 666-6811.

The Early Masters rare paintings of the Bengal Renaissance.The Bengal School of painting was a visceral reaction to the artistic corollary of British imperialism in India known as Company School painting. In this school of painting, generations of Indian artists and craftsmen were subjected to indentured servitude by being forced to illustrate the occupation and oppession of their motherland by the British East India Company. It is only as a response to the Company School painting that the art of the Bengal renaissance can be correctly interpreted. Bose Pacia Modern, 580 Broadway #202, SoHo. Feb 6-Mar 27, 6 p.m. (212) 966-3224.

Bharata Natyam Dance by Lakshmi daughter and disciple of the legendary T. Balasaraswati, she carries on the family's artistic traditions. She is one of the few artists today who can perform bharata natyam, as it was structured and codified at the Tanjavur Court in the early 19th century. Her dance is celebrated for the beauty of its abstract movements and the rhythmic complexity of its footwork, and its elaborate mime. lakshmi is accompanied by T. Viswanathan (flute), S. Vidya (vocal, dance conductor), Aniruddha Knight (dance) and Douglas Knight (mridangam). Organized by World Music Institute. Symphony Space, 2537 Broadway & 95th St, New York. Feb 6, 8 p.m. (212) 545-7536.

Sister of My Heart a book reading by author Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni from her latest novel. Organized by AAWW. Asian American Writers' Wkshp, 37 Saint Marks Pl #B, New York. Feb 11, 7 p.m. $5. (212) 228-6718.

Reading by Chitra Divakaruni best selling author reads from her latest novel "Sister of My Heart.". Barnes & Noble, 675 Sixth Ave, New York. Feb 12, 7:30 p.m.

Readings by Vikram Chandra, Vikas Menon, Prageeta Sharma Fresh Ink series continues with Vikram Chandra (Love and Longing in Bombay, Red Earth and Pouring Rain) reads with Prageeta Sharma (Bliss to Fill) and Vikas Menon (contributor, TriQuarterly '98 and Brooklyn Review 13). Organized by AAWW. Asian American Writers' Wkshp, 37 Saint Marks Pl #B, New York. Feb 26, 7 p.m. $5. (212) 228-6718.

Reading by Chitra Divakaruni best selling author reads from her latest novel "Sister of My Heart.". Brookline Booksmith, 279 Harvard St, Boston. Mar 10, 7 p.m.

Reading by Chitra Divakaruni best selling author reads from her latest novel "Sister of My Heart.". Borders Books, 1727 Walnut St, Philadelphia. Mar 11, 7:30 p.m.

Midwest

Reading by Chitra Divakaruni best selling author reads from her latest novel "Sister of My Heart.". Borders Books, 612 E Liberty St, Ann Arbor. Feb 3, 7 p.m. (212) 782-9787.

Reading by Chitra Divakaruni best selling author reads from her latest novel "Sister of My Heart.". Prairie Lights Books, 15 S Dubuque St, Iowa City. Feb 4, 7 p.m. (319) 337-2681.

Reading by Chitra Divakaruni best selling author reads from her latest novel "Sister of My Heart.". Canterbury Books, 315 W Gorham, Madison. Feb 5, 7 p.m.

Ajax a gripping production of Sophocles, adapted by Luu Pham and Meena Natarajan. Power, pride, human failings, war, politics - the tragic downfall of a great leader. Pangea's diverse ensemble sculpts a human tragedy of virtue and vice out of a story that could be right of today's headlines. Directed by Dipankar Mukherjee. Organized by Pangea World Theater. Dance Alliance Studio, 528 Hennepin Ave S, Minneapolis. Feb 5-21, 7:30 p.m. (612) 335-3200.

South

Transmission Meditation Friends House, 3012 Washington Square, Austin. Feb 3, Wednesdays, 7:30 p.m.-9:30 p.m. (512) 912-5719.

Mountain

Reading by Chitra Divakaruni best selling author reads from her latest novel "Sister of My Heart.". Tattered Cover, 1628 16th St, Denver. Mar 2, 7:30 p.m.

Pacific

Reading by Chitra Divakaruni best selling author reads from her latest novel "Sister of My Heart.". Elliot Bay Books, 101 South Main St, Seattle. Mar 3, 8 p.m.

Reading by Chitra Divakaruni best selling author reads from her latest novel "Sister of My Heart.". Powell's, 1005 W Burnside, Portland. Mar 4, 7:30 p.m.

Northern California

Hindustani Music Concert Features Naim Khan (Patiala gayaki) accompanied by Asif Mahmood (tabla). Indian music afficianados here may not know that there has always been interest and patronage of Hindustani classical music in Afghanistan. Leading musicians from India used to perform regularly in Afghanistan. Dislocation caused by war and political upheaval has taken a toll on the practice of Hindustani classical music in Afghanistan. Naim Khan is one of the few remaining practitioners of classical music from Afghanistan. He has been a disciple of two of the most prominent names in Patiala gayaki - the late Mohammad Hussain Sarhang who was a leading vocalist from Afghanistan and Fateh Ali Khan from Pakistan. Asif Mahmood belongs to the Punjab gharana of tabla players. He learnt from his brother Hashim Khan who was a student of the famous Kader Baksh. This is chance to experience Hindustani music from a different perspective. Organized by Basant Bahar. Hindu Temple & Cultural Center, 3676 Delaware Dr, Fremont. Feb 6, 6 p.m. $15 general, $10 students, members free. (510) 651-6386, (650) 494-0588.

is gnosis or the gnostic's a new age religion or involved in new age teachings?

2010-11-05T19:46:00.000-07:00

i have read a bit from the gnostic samael aun weor over the years and he was inspired by the gnostic's and believed in spreading the beliefs of gnosis, but was he part of the new age movement as well, and trying to spread new age beliefs?, as there seems to be conflict between new ager's and gnostic's sometimes, where gnostic's say new agers are not fully understanding the occult discipline or something properly, and do not take things as seriously as the gnostic's do.

here in this quote samael aun weor says that fakirs are deviated and not gnostic enough, that the fakirs gain powers but not gnostic powers.

"Oriental fakirs fight in a frightful way within themselves in order to develop the force of willpower. The entire fakir's path consists of multiple, incredible, and difficult physical practices.

Any fakir is very capable of adopting any difficult physical position while keeping his body steady for hours, months, and even years; or he can sit under a tree on top of an anthill or under the scorching rays of the tropical sun.

Any fakir is very capable of sitting on a bare stone under the sun with his arms opened in the form of a cross, or amongst thorns and caltrops for entire months or years.

Indeed, fakirs develop the force of willpower in a severe way by means of all of these physical tortures. Nevertheless, they do not achieve the creation of the Body of Conscious Will (Causal Body) because this is a one hundred percent sexual problem.

Many places exist where people are submitted to tremendous tortures in order to acquire conscious will, but really they only store some energy.

The fakirs acquire many powers but nothing else. Some of them raise an arm and they do not lower it ever again. The arm becomes withered. They pursue willpower with such actions, but their willpower does not pass beyond such action. They do not achieve the building of the body of Conscious Will. All of this miraculous stuff deviates people; therefore, the fakirs are deviated."

witches of the white house? is witchcraft in usa politics? rosie o'donnell

2010-11-02T02:35:00.000-07:00

witches of the white house? is witchcraft in usa politics? rosie o'donnell, there was the whole rosie o'donnell thing but that does not mean there is witchcraft in the white house or usa politics either, but with all areas in life there will be a bit of witchcraft going on in the white house, but they should be working for the good of the american people and not against it.

new age religion in the white house 2011?

2010-11-02T02:28:00.000-07:00

new age religion in the white house 2011?, there are rumours that the white house is hub of new age religion and all mystical goings on, this is probably true to some aspect, but also understandable with the way this world is and all the way governments of old worlds had magical leaders.

both the democrats and republics parties have new agers in them.