2000-10-28 22:20:00
To my quote by Einstein which reads: "When the solution is simple, God is answering," Xavier writes:
"LOL, did he really say that? Was he a theist? He had pretty atheist statements too."
JJ:
He seemed to have an odd assortment of beliefs. He did not believe in an afterlife, but seemed to believe in a Mastermind for the universe. For one as intelligent as Einstein, the idea of a grand intelligence is difficult to deny.
Keith writes:
"I attempted to answer the questions asked. I had written a post on some scrap paper, but was having trouble articulating my thoughts! My train of thought was coming from a different angle than that given by JJ."
JJ:
Never let yourself be limited by what I teach or present to you, but always go with what is revealed within yourself. When two or more people receive true revelation they will often express it in different words, but when reduced to the plane of the mind and shared with soul contact, greater understanding and oneness will be the result.
Keith continues:
"I have found through my limited experience with spiritual light that the phenomenon is 'REAL' to the point of excluding contrasts of darkness completely. When one is experiencing spiritual light, one is aware of nothing but the knowingness or consciousness of the light. I am enveloped in the light; my awareness is heightened to the point of rapture. Contrasts are the furthest thing from my experience."
JJ:
I believe you are responding to the following question: "What provides the contrast so we can become "enlightened" through the higher light?" The experience you had was different than that which I was looking for and produces no conflict. You had a visionary experience, but in standard consciousness, where one is centered on the physical plane and attempting to bring down the light of truth to this plane, one must work with contrasts. When the light of the soul is reflected off the mind and there is interplay, understanding is realized and greater knowledge is available to the seeker.
The ancient wisdom teaches that "in the light I shall see Light." This is what I believe happened to you. You were in the Light and you saw Light, and thus the only contrast was Light with Light rather than Darkness with Light.
Darkness is the illusion (and only illusion) that there are places where nothing exists. In the true reality (as far as our consciousness is concerned) there is no space where nothing exists -- light is universal and there is no darkness at all. This is why The Song reads:
"We thank you Father that you REVEAL to us your protective universal Light..."
The light is always here, but it must be revealed to us who identify with darkness. It is interesting that you were saying the Song when you had this experience, Keith.
Even the space between the breaths which many call the void of nothingness "is not that which is not, but that which is esoteric," as Djwahl Khul explains.
Chris mentions that there are three authors of Isaiah. Some scholars believe that there are three, others two and still others one. Some think there is more than one because the writing style seems to change in the latter part of the book. But as I read it I have a sense of the same intelligence and mind operating throughout. The whole of the book of Isaiah has an overall style peculiar to itself much different than any other book in the Bible.
The other reason that some think there are two or more Isaiahs is that the timeline seems different at the end than the beginning. Isaiah was a prophet writing a book of prophecy and if his vision of the future came partially true, it would make it appear to us (thousands of years later) that the book was written in different time periods. If it turns out to be true that it was written in two time periods, I would still be inclined to think that the whole of the book was written by the same entity, but in two or more lifetimes.
A strong evidence that Isaiah was written by one entity is given in the New Testament by none other than John the Beloved in the book of John, Chapter 12:
37 "But though he had done so many miracles before them, yet they believed not on him:
38 "That the saying of Isaiah the prophet might be fulfilled, which he spake, Lord, who hath believed our report? and to whom hath the arm of the Lord been revealed?
39 "Therefore they could not believe, because that Isaiah said again,
40 "He hath blinded their eyes, and hardened their heart; that they should not see with their eyes, nor understand with their heart, and be converted, and I should heal them.
41 "These things said Isaiah, when he saw his glory, and spake of him."
In this passage of John we first encounter a quote in Verse 38 that begins the famous chapter of Isaiah 53. This would be in the section attributed to a second or third Isaiah. In Verse 40 we have a quote from Isaiah 6:10 in Verse 41 which highlights what occurs when Isaiah beholds the throne of God. This is, of course, in the first section of Isaiah. Then notice in Verse 39 that John tells us "that Isaiah said again" when he links the two passages (and thus the two sections), attributing them both to the same one and only Isaiah! As far back as 2000 years ago it was accepted that the whole of Isaiah was written by one author.
Also Chris tells us there were seven arcs. I would be interesting in hearing why you believe this.
I wrote the following:
"The next principle is called the principle of revelation. This refers to understanding which is transmitted from a higher life to a lower, from a higher sphere to a lower, from the heavenly to the earthly, etc."
To which Chris responded with:
"I have a real problem here with your use of 'higher' and 'lower' here JJ."
JJ:
I don't know why you should have a problem with it any more than an astronaut would with directional concepts. Everyone who has been in space realizes that there is really no such thing as up or down -- such concepts are only relative to location. Even so, when any astronaut returns to earth he still uses the words up and down as they are essential to effective communication.
For normal communicative purposes one has to "strain the gnat" to say that a master is not a higher life than average humanity or that the Buddhic plane is not higher than the physical plane.
The Questions:
It looks like we all agree with the first answer which came in as a resounding "no." Revelation, the soul, and the Spirit of God are available to all who seek. It's too bad the authorities in the churches do not accept this. Even the Mormons who proclaim revelation as an article of faith put extreme limitations on what can be revealed to the average person.
"What are the principles that make it work for us?"
Chris tells us that we need to quiet the mind and let the spirit descend while man ascends.
Adrian said:
"Maximum 'openness' of thought that one can achieve from the point of evolution that the individual is at."
Susan says:
"Openness to the possibility. Quieting the mind and listening. Confidence of 'worthiness.'"
Volker writes:
"Intelligence, consciousness, awareness - sensitivity to the devas - these are factors which used to be innate in us..."
Keith writes:
"The principle that makes revelation work through man is the living God, which resides in all men. (Though undiscovered by most men.)"
JJ:
To these comments I will add that one must use his power of one-pointed attention to create a point of tension. The point of tension can then break through to Patanjali's "rain cloud of knowable things." Both the heart and the mind, together as one, must participate in this divine focus. Those of you who are new might want to search out my writings on the point of tension.
What are the hindrances to revelation?
Chris:
"The ego... it's need for an identity, a name, an authenticity and an image of authority.
"Looking outside self for the answers.
"Relying on others to provide the answers... rather than accepting that all another can provide is clues based on interpretation and understanding of experience.
"Unwillingness to look in the Mirror.
"Ignoring symptoms of dis-ease within self.
"The basic hindrances are often listed as anger, pride, lustfulness, slothfulness, arrogance, greed and unworthiness."
Adrian:
"The ego is often seen as personal, and so in fact limiting, in that it will often exclude other ideas, in the aim of self preservation. Having said that, I do accept the role of ego in our world, I just feel it should not be as dominant as it is."
Susan:
"1. Fear (that we are making it up, that we aren't good enough, that it's the dark side, that others will think we are foolish, fear of offending our 'spiritual' leaders).
"2. Being too busy with daily life and not concerned about contact with God and our spiritual life.
"3. Ignoring past revelations.
"4. Overuse of mind altering drugs: nicotine, caffeine, alcohol, sugar, prescribed and non prescribed drugs.
"5. TV and other forms of media to excess.
"6. Anger, hate, jealousy, general negativity."
Volker:
"Our separation from the source... what separates us from the source... the thousands of little i's that we think is us..."
Keith:
"The hindrances to revelation are man's false beliefs about whom and what he is. Man must come to know he possesses the living God within him in order to reveal revelation."
JJ:
These are all worthy of consideration. Guilt is a big item that Susan hinted at and can only be removed when we release ourselves from outside authorities who take the place of the God within, or the oil in the lamps of the wise virgins. A lack of making a decision to seek is another big item. If such a decision is not made revelation will not come.
I enjoyed your accounts of your own revelations, but just have time to elaborate on one important one. Susan pointed out that when she was released from outward authorities (a big step for one in a fundamental religion) that she no longer worried about her worthiness or salvation. This fear of being worthy is a big hurdle for many.
In considering this concept we must remember the story of the prodigal son (indeed eternal words). The wayward son did everything possible that might have offended his father, yet when he sought in desperation to return to his father's house he was welcomed with open arms.
The ancient wisdom teaches there is only one sin in the real sense and that is the sin of separateness. As soon as the prodigal son decided to no longer be separate from his father then there was only love and acceptance and no sin to be remembered. Even so it is with us. The moment we decide to be one with God then God is one with us and "all He has is ours."
Now let us continue our discussion of Principles and Laws. As we do so there will be occasions when they will be spoken of almost as being synonymous. Why? Because natural laws are built on principles and are two arms of the great duality of creation.
The principle is the great mystery that reveals how things work (female) and the natural law is a description of the principle in action (male).
The next Principle is that of Differentiation.
It could be defined as follows:
"In the beginning is the One who reflects Itself into the many. The number of the many is equal to the number of possible differentiations. Each reflection is a little different than every other reflection. Without the need for God to express differentiation then there would be no creation. Your uniqueness thus fills a need expressed by the One Great Life."
The law expressing this principle is this:
"In creation where there is more than one, no two items will be alike, but each will have properties peculiar to itself."
Is it then illusion to see two as the same rather than different?
An off shoot of the principle of Differentiation is Discernment.
What is discernment and why do we have to see the many in all of their colors before we see the One?
"Science without religion is lame, religion without science is blind."
-- Albert Einstein
Copyright © 2000 by J.J. Dewey, All Rights Reserved