Easter has come and gone, and I have been thinking about this" holi-"day and its significance. In a Christian belief system Easter celebrates the resurrection of Jesus Christ. We know that the celebration is much older than 2010 years and that much older Pagan traditions became fused into the modern churches holiday. The very name Easter comes from the Goddess of Spring, Eostre, Ostara, or Astarte. The christian Easter holiday follows the timing of a Lunar calendar, it takes place on the first Sunday, after the full moon, after the spring Equinox.
All that is celebrated in contemporary Easter traditions actually harken back to traditons older than Christianity. The Moon-hare that was sacred to the Goddess becomes the Easter Bunny. The Persians presented each other with colored eggs, the symbol of rebirth.
The return of the sun brings the promise of new life, new birth and Jesus is said to have come back from the dead, resurrected. This perhaps is one of the cornerstones of Christianity. There is much controvery about this man called Jesus. He is certainly one of the most recognizable and debated figures in history.
In most American Christian churches, who he was and who he is, isn't debated. However there is much history and scholorship that has posed an honest debate of so many of the tenets of Christianity that one might take for granted.
Was Jesus an actual historical figure or an amalgamation of earlier mythologies? What historical evidence exists to support his life. A Jewish historian writing in the late first century AD named Josephus is credited with naming Jesus at least twice in his writing, urging many followers of Christianity to claim this as proof enough of an actual historical account. There is much debate on this of course as there is much debate surrounding every aspect of the Jesus story. Was he really crucified? Did he escape crucifixion, arranging a substitute to cover-up his escape? ? Did he escape to western Europe or India? Was he married, did he have children? Was this all an elaborate hoax to fulfill old testament prophesies regarding the Messiah?
There are as many doubts and questions as there are books trying to prove or disprove some small point of doctine. Will history ever be able to definatively solve any of these questions? Can history ever really validate events often taken only on faith? Many of the faith-filled do not require proof as it were. That is what faith is.
Relevant to my Spiritual journey, I don't think of myself as faithfilled. I am certainly interested and curious, even desiring of proof of certain ideas. However, the vastness of our universe and the limitations of history, science and our current knowledge keeps me never truly satisfied. I wonder if scholorship can bring definative answers to those seeking.
Are spiritualality and religion just human created concepts used to try and find reason in a chaotic universe? Can science and history explain away the Sacred and the mystical? I prefer to think not. I have a need to believe that there is a power greater than me at work in this universe however undefined these concepts are in my mind, I truly believe that something bigger that me, this planet, this universe does exist. It also exists benevolently. It exists even when I am confronted with the truth that I am just one person in the very long history of this Earth. It exists even when I know we are living on a planet that is one of billions of celestial bodies in our galaxy. It exists even when I know that we are but one of a billion galaxies that exist in this universe. How many universes have there been and how many more will come? When I feel most small and insignificant, that is when the Creator, the "primeval uncreated cause of all" (HP Blavatsky) the One , Absolute Wisdom, God touches my soul and tells me, "I am here, and you are loved. " Blessed Be
Thursday, April 8, 2010
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
March 31,2010
It often seems as if there is always a new spiritual, self help book or leader bringing to us a "NEW" way of seeing ourselves on our spiritual journey, a new way to look at how we are connecting with Spirit, a new way of bringing ourselves closer to our higher expression. . Often this new wisdom is based on an older wisdom that is repackaged and reformatted for contemporary application. I have always been curious about old wisdom. I mean really old, before Christianity, before the Buddha, before Islam, before the Goddess traditions, the Celts or the druids. Where did it start? What was the focus of the earliest belief systems. Were they cohesive, were these ideals primitive or did they evoke a more sophisticated expression of relating with our Creator.
In the book "The Secret Doctrine" by H.P. Blavatsky, she explains that there exists one primeval, universal Wisdom. Now this gets my attention. Here is a part of what she says. "The Secret Doctrine was the universally diffused religion of the ancient and prehistoric world. Proof of its diffusion, authentic records of its history, a complete chain of documents, showing its character and presence in every land, together with the teaching of all its great adepts, exist to this day in the secret crypts of libraries belonging to the occult fraternity. (page xxxiv)
The word Occult here is defined as; matters regarded as involving the action or influence of supernatural or super normal powers or some secret knowledge of them. As an adjective it is defined as; not revealed, hidden from view.
Imagine that documents still exists to this day about a universal religion. If indeed it was universally accepted, what happened to it? Blavatsky explains that the documents were secreted away to keep them from the profane but promises that it will re-appear when the time is right and people are again ready to receive it.
This is the stuff movies are made of. Does some knowledge exist that is so powerful that it needed to be protected from novices who may misuse or mishandle it . When will the time come when we are ready?
There are so many ideas about our current spiritual state of being that it is hard to understand or consider them all. I think that one theme common to many schools of thought is that we are being prepared as a planet for some shift to occur. There is talk of polar shifts, certain planetary alignments, Mayan calendars, Hopi prophesy, Nostradamus predictions and many more ideas that promise change. There isn't a promise of exactly what will come. Just that it is coming soon and we must prepare. The question that nags me is just what does any of this have to do with me?
Frankly, I am frustrated that I cannot get a clear understanding of what is mine to do or know. Do I become a vegetarian? How much should I be meditating? Should I try drumming or chanting? What is the most effective kind of incense to burn. Can I pray to a Mother/ Father God? What about the Jesus conversation? What is the way to connect most closely to the Creator?
I have tried being still ( which is certainly one of the most difficult things for me to do) and waiting for my guidance. I have asked pointedly for direction. I don't know where to settle myself.
Perhaps the journey for me is in the discovery. I love the discussion of spiritual themes. I want this to be the focus of my conversations. I don't really know if I would like to be "sure" of all the answers I need. I want the banter and searching and the excitement that I feel when I come across something new.
I am working my way very slowly through both volumes of The Secret Doctrine. At around 800 pages each it will be a while but I will share what I find. I will continue in my quest for knowledge and enlightenment . I would love to hear from anyone who has read these volumes and wants to share. Namaste Donna
In the book "The Secret Doctrine" by H.P. Blavatsky, she explains that there exists one primeval, universal Wisdom. Now this gets my attention. Here is a part of what she says. "The Secret Doctrine was the universally diffused religion of the ancient and prehistoric world. Proof of its diffusion, authentic records of its history, a complete chain of documents, showing its character and presence in every land, together with the teaching of all its great adepts, exist to this day in the secret crypts of libraries belonging to the occult fraternity. (page xxxiv)
The word Occult here is defined as; matters regarded as involving the action or influence of supernatural or super normal powers or some secret knowledge of them. As an adjective it is defined as; not revealed, hidden from view.
Imagine that documents still exists to this day about a universal religion. If indeed it was universally accepted, what happened to it? Blavatsky explains that the documents were secreted away to keep them from the profane but promises that it will re-appear when the time is right and people are again ready to receive it.
This is the stuff movies are made of. Does some knowledge exist that is so powerful that it needed to be protected from novices who may misuse or mishandle it . When will the time come when we are ready?
There are so many ideas about our current spiritual state of being that it is hard to understand or consider them all. I think that one theme common to many schools of thought is that we are being prepared as a planet for some shift to occur. There is talk of polar shifts, certain planetary alignments, Mayan calendars, Hopi prophesy, Nostradamus predictions and many more ideas that promise change. There isn't a promise of exactly what will come. Just that it is coming soon and we must prepare. The question that nags me is just what does any of this have to do with me?
Frankly, I am frustrated that I cannot get a clear understanding of what is mine to do or know. Do I become a vegetarian? How much should I be meditating? Should I try drumming or chanting? What is the most effective kind of incense to burn. Can I pray to a Mother/ Father God? What about the Jesus conversation? What is the way to connect most closely to the Creator?
I have tried being still ( which is certainly one of the most difficult things for me to do) and waiting for my guidance. I have asked pointedly for direction. I don't know where to settle myself.
Perhaps the journey for me is in the discovery. I love the discussion of spiritual themes. I want this to be the focus of my conversations. I don't really know if I would like to be "sure" of all the answers I need. I want the banter and searching and the excitement that I feel when I come across something new.
I am working my way very slowly through both volumes of The Secret Doctrine. At around 800 pages each it will be a while but I will share what I find. I will continue in my quest for knowledge and enlightenment . I would love to hear from anyone who has read these volumes and wants to share. Namaste Donna
Monday, March 29, 2010
Alchemy12 March 29,2010
Hello and welcome to Alchemy 12.
This is a blog devoted to a spiritual conversation. It is conversation of my spiritual journey. A search if you will. A search for the truth as it reveals itself to me. I am a student of Spirit. I don't claim to have any answers or special enlightenment. I do however have questions, lots and lots of questions. I am guided by something that I don't understand, but trust . I trust the threads of information that slip into my life independent from any effort on my part. I sense a calling, a pulling. I am thrilled by this part of my life. It has been so exciting to feel the pull of my soul, the racing of my heartbeat whenever I heed this calling. The excitement that fuels my quest is I knowing I am on point and going in the right direction, when information comes my way and resonates as truth for me. It could be a book, a speaker, more often than not it is just a knowing, a guidepost showing me over and over that I am indeed on my perfect path. The synergy of thought and inspiration compelling me to forage the vast network of spiritual insights shows me that I truly am being guided.
Honoring one's true calling is sometimes complicated. There is a lot of noise identifying itself as " my calling." The god of my youth still fights for attention. While I know that this is not the truth for me, but an old way of being in the world, it is still a loud voice in my ear. There is the nagging question: what if I am wrong? The old list of; right and wrong, good and evil, truth and lies, does and don'ts, didn't guide ,but bullied me into a world of parameters that were unreasonable and confusing.
The process of discovery hasn't always been easy. I have often had to quiet the fear inside that I might make a big mistake in my beliefs and end up suffering for all of eternity. As I uncover more and more of what is truth for me I know that fear is just a distraction. If I spend time in inertia because I don't know if I am "doing it right" then I am not heeding the truth that is always trying to break through my doubts.
I want this blog to be about the exploration of the places I have been guided to as a spiritual seeker, hence the name Alchemy. An alchemist is a spiritual seeker, one who also is about transformation. Turning base metal into gold has been the aim of the Alchemist. The gold being my own metaphor for the shining truth for my life. I hope that you will participate in this conversation with me. Nothing is out of line except for discord. I am not an apologist or an evangelist. Again I am a seeker. Namaste. Donna
This is a blog devoted to a spiritual conversation. It is conversation of my spiritual journey. A search if you will. A search for the truth as it reveals itself to me. I am a student of Spirit. I don't claim to have any answers or special enlightenment. I do however have questions, lots and lots of questions. I am guided by something that I don't understand, but trust . I trust the threads of information that slip into my life independent from any effort on my part. I sense a calling, a pulling. I am thrilled by this part of my life. It has been so exciting to feel the pull of my soul, the racing of my heartbeat whenever I heed this calling. The excitement that fuels my quest is I knowing I am on point and going in the right direction, when information comes my way and resonates as truth for me. It could be a book, a speaker, more often than not it is just a knowing, a guidepost showing me over and over that I am indeed on my perfect path. The synergy of thought and inspiration compelling me to forage the vast network of spiritual insights shows me that I truly am being guided.
Honoring one's true calling is sometimes complicated. There is a lot of noise identifying itself as " my calling." The god of my youth still fights for attention. While I know that this is not the truth for me, but an old way of being in the world, it is still a loud voice in my ear. There is the nagging question: what if I am wrong? The old list of; right and wrong, good and evil, truth and lies, does and don'ts, didn't guide ,but bullied me into a world of parameters that were unreasonable and confusing.
The process of discovery hasn't always been easy. I have often had to quiet the fear inside that I might make a big mistake in my beliefs and end up suffering for all of eternity. As I uncover more and more of what is truth for me I know that fear is just a distraction. If I spend time in inertia because I don't know if I am "doing it right" then I am not heeding the truth that is always trying to break through my doubts.
I want this blog to be about the exploration of the places I have been guided to as a spiritual seeker, hence the name Alchemy. An alchemist is a spiritual seeker, one who also is about transformation. Turning base metal into gold has been the aim of the Alchemist. The gold being my own metaphor for the shining truth for my life. I hope that you will participate in this conversation with me. Nothing is out of line except for discord. I am not an apologist or an evangelist. Again I am a seeker. Namaste. Donna
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