SEASONS OF LIFE

SEASONS OF LIFE 

Everything in the universe has the same plan. It is inescapable. Everything has a sunrise (birth/genesis), high noon (zenith/peak), sunset (beyond peak/downturn), and nightfall (death/darkness). Every cell, every organism, every creature, every rock ... there's no escaping it. 

In the same way, we have our seasons. Spring - new outlook, Summer - brighter days, Fall - start of the decline, and Winter - the end of the cycle, the cold and lifeless crops. In another view, in the spring the flowers begin to bloom, then comes the harvest and the warm days of summer, then things begin to fall into darkness ... cold temperatures, until the trees and plants die and await their resurrection. 

Our emotional, physical, spiritual, and mental Life experiences are exactly the same. Our Life cycle is as the sunrise, noon, sunset, and night. Our trials and tribulations are also as the seasons. Sometimes a bright and warm outlook or event, and sometimes a dark outlook or event. All is in flux. All is in a state of change. And all is in a cycle. This is important to remember as you deal with daily issues in Life.

We know that after the storm(s), comes a clearing, and then the Sun of God reappears to give Life to all that made it through the tempest(s). When we have a "bad" day, just simply KNOW there is a good day coming. It is immutable Law. It must be this way. The universe maintains balance in all that occurs. Sound waves, light waves, ocean waves, even roller coasters go up, and they go down. Ebb and flow, waves and particles. There is no straight line. However, you can master living your Life experience by being good when things are good, and by being good when things are not so good.

You can straighten the lines, curves, and waves; through your perception and your attitude. Instead of blind faith, live in the knowingness of the immutable Laws of the universe that are eternal. Cause and effect, vibration, frequency, polarity ... these Laws balance the scales of justice across the celestial kingdoms. 

We have the power of all the universe within us to perceive things as we wish, to create things as we wish, to adhere to the Laws, or to transgress them. We are literally here for a season in human terms. And we choose to make the best or the worst of things simply by how we think, and how we perceive reality. 

You know that feeling you have after a rough winter of snow, ice, lost productivity, and freezing temperatures ... and then spring begins to arrive? Then soon ... you're at the beach playing with family and friends enjoying the splendour of of it all, and the farthest thing from your Mind is the soon to be approaching cycle of Fall and Winter. STAY in THAT state of Mind. When winter days bring rain  in our spiritual, emotional, mental, and physical lives ... keep that summer spirit alive.

Don't spend the chill time going UP the roller coaster, worrying about the thrill time coming DOWN the roller coaster. Enjoy them both ... knowing that in ALL things there are UP's and DOWN's. You job is to balance the flux. Just like balancing a pencil on your finger. Both sides must be equal to obtain proper balance. Right in the middle is where you must learn to stay. Balance your scales ... it can never be greater than the other in both directions. For as much "bad" as there may seem to be ... there is equally as much "good." Maintain a good attitude, and you will achieve harmony in your life and in others.

Just a thought ... 

~Justin Taylor, ORDM.

HEBREW CONNECTION TO SATAN

HEBREW CONNECTION TO SATAN

Among the ancient beliefs of Zoroastrianism, the Persian Magi (Astrologers and Zoroastrian Priests) turned some Hindu concepts around, and with them the Asuras were good and the Devas bad. "Ahura Mazda," the god was good, his counterpart "Ahriman" was bad ... the devil of sorts. So there was now evil and good. Therefore, there was between the god and the devil the waging of a perpetual war. And why not?  Man has always been at war with himself, so why not the Gods as well?

 

Read this quote from Author Gerald Messandé: “The early framework of the three monotheisms (Judaism, Christianity, Islam) had been erected. The Devil's birth certificate was filled out by an Iranian prophet (Zoroaster).” Although, this is really only partly true, his full birth certificate was filled out by those who had changed the religion to what many contemporary followers of that faith believe today. And also, mixed in a bit from here and there, along with other religions and philosophical systems to create a conglomerate system. 

 

Now we move forward to the Hebrew Connection to all of this good/evil, god/satan stuff. Many years after all the changes to Zoroastrianism were made by the Magi, the Hebrew people came into contact with Zoroastrianism during the Babylonian rule, from 597 to 538 BCE. This was now a period after they had been exposed to numerous other beliefs and doctrines from other civilizations while under earlier Assyrian rule. Remember also, that the ancient Hebrews, were not always monotheistic. In their earlier times, they were polytheistic as many others before them were as well. 

 

It is from this Babylonian exposure to Zoroastrianism, that Judaism acquired the belief in a dualistic cosmos being torn between the forces of good and evil. It was here that Judaism acquired the concept of angels and, more specifically, their seven Archangels (the Seven Attributes of Ahura Mazda). It was here also, that the Hebrews were exposed to the idea of the evil entity Ahriman (Satan/ha-satan) working directly against God and a Saoshyant (Messiah/Christ) who would come at the end of time (Frasho-kereti) to assure and guarantee the restoration of Divine Law to the entire world.

 

It is worth noting that the Hebrew word for "angel" is malach, meaning “messenger.” Also note, the same is true for the English word Angel, derived from the Greek word "Angelos," which also means “messenger.” Throughout the Bible, an Angel, is a messenger of God/Source who carries out the Divine will of the Almighty.  There is not one example in the Hebrew scriptures where any Angel, Satan included, "opposes" God’s will. “Satan (or ha-satan)” in Hebrew means “adversary.” (or opposer/accuser) 

 

Now, shortly after Satan's “birth,” the idea of Hell gained wide acceptance. Prior to this, the official doctrine was that all Hebrew people who died went to Sheol. Sheol was a place of shadows where the world still existed but remained forever out of grasp. Everyone went to Sheol whether or not they were wicked or holy. Our modern idea of ghosts emerged from this belief. But, technically, Sheol was ultimately "the grave."

 

The Persians are also responsible for the doctrines of a "final battle," a "final judgment," and the "resurrection of the dead." From them, the Hebrews developed a scheme of world history, new beliefs about the end of time, and a more extensive set of beliefs concerning Angels. Frankly, the Hebrews had few original ideas, and thats ok. They were defining they own belief system based upon what they had encountered from other peoples. 

In fact, all of what you will find in Old Testament scripture (allegory and metaphor) was nothing new or original. It had all been said before, and long before the Hebrews came along. They merely customized earlier stories with their own symbolism, rituals, geography, and names. The same goes for the Roman New Testament as well. The Roman Church did the very same thing. 

So, returning to where we were, "Satan" gained a established place in late Hebrew and early Roman Christian thought to explain the sinister reality of sin and suffering in a world whose faith, was believed to be under the wise and beneficent guidance and command of the Almighty God/Source. Biblically speaking, this concept of Satan, was one of being a Prosecuting Attorney, under employ of the Court of God. 

The conception of "the evil one" in his dual aspect of being the enemy of God, enemy of man ... even a "fallen Angel" can be traced way back to its origins in much earlier religions, and is based entirely upon mythology. Just remember, under all of the stories, fables, metaphors, allegories, parables, and myth ... is hidden much deeper lessons for the spiritual advancement of man. The ancient Greek root word "mythos" is not as we see the word "myth" today. Today, we see "myth" and it means it never happened, or it's just a meaningless fable, or urban legend. But that was not the original concept by the Greeks. There was always something hidden under the guise of a myth that was much more important than the story itself. I will wrap this up with one of my favourite quotes from Joseph Campbell:

"A myth is something that never was, yet always is."

Just a thought ... 

~Justin Taylor, ORDM.

GOOD DAY OR BAD DAY?

GOOD DAY OR BAD DAY?

So what's it gonna be today? What is your desire? Would you like to manifest a good day, or a bad day? Well, you can have either one ... if you think, decide, and believe it. Your subconscious mind is your magic tool. Whatever you implant into the incubator, then that is what will become. 

This is the Law of Cause And Effect and it is a universal immutable Law. Some call it Karma, which literally means "doing" ... so then it is YOUR doing. For every effect, there must be a cause. Now, also keep in mind there are going to be outside influences and the effects of what "other" has created that you will have to deal with as well. This is the Law of Balance - it is duality that we use to discern and to balance the scales. 

First, begin with your very OWN responsibility. What you actually have control over. Your OWN thoughts, conclusions, decisions, and concepts of what YOU desire. These will form what you will believe to happen, and create. Remember also, that the subconscious Mind works in positive images. This is VERY important. If you tell yourself "I won't have a bad day" the Mind hears "bad day" and thats what you'll get. Instead, think "I will have a good day" and the Mind hears "good day" and thats what you'll get. It's like trying to draw a picture of someone NOT walking. It can't be done. They are either walking ... or they are doing something else. There is no picture or image of someone doing a "not walk." Got it? 

Second, understand you will be subject to the Karma (cause and effect) of others … collectively. How you handle this is the key to your inner joy and tranquility. We find ourselves saying things like "well, he made me lose my temper." Or, “she made me mad.” The TRUTH is ... no one can MAKE you mad. Once you grasp this concept, you will remain in control of your situations. 

You see, no matter what someone else says or does, YOU have to make a conscious choice to GET mad. This is a choice and a decision that is entirely yours. No one can make you mad, you have to choose to get mad. This is the difference between reaction, and response. Most of us would react ... scream, holler, throw some things around. But if we take a few extra moments for evaluation and intuitive guidance, we will respond rather than react. It's a calculated, informed decision versus a knee-jerk reaction. 

In all the universe there is undulation and change. Ups and downs. Ins and outs. Ebb and flow. Like the waves of the ocean, what goes up, must come down. When we ride that wave ... when stay centered and keep our balance, we will find that we can remain good when things are good, and good when things are not so good. We can balance the scale ... and stand in the center of perfect balance in our Life. 

So set your mind to work on both a subconscious, and conscious level. Make sure both machines are in harmony. When they are joined together, it is as if we have wings to fly. This is the child or offspring of our Mind. The masculine and feminine become one, and it is the power of the third entity (Spirit/Soul) that unites them. 

Just a thought ... 

Justin Taylor, ORDM.

HEBREW CONNECTION TO SATAN

HEBREW CONNECTION TO SATAN

Among the ancient beliefs of Zoroastrianism, the Persian Magi (Astrologers and Zoroastrian Priests) turned some Hindu concepts around, and with them the Asuras were good, and the Devas bad. “Ahura Mazda,” the god was good, his counterpart “Ahriman” was bad … the “devil” of sorts. So there was now evil and good. Therefore, there was between the god and the devil the waging of a perpetual war. And why not? Man has always been at war with himself, so why not the Gods as well?

Author Gerald Messandé wrote: “The early framework of the three monotheisms [Judaism, Christianity, Islam] had been erected. The Devil’s birth certificate was filled out by an Iranian prophet (Zoroaster).” Although, this is really only partly true, his full birth certificate was filled out by those who had changed the religion to what many contemporary followers of that faith believe today. And also, mixed in a bit from here and there, from among ancient myths and legends - and many other religions and philosophical systems - to create a conglomerate.

Now we move forward to the Hebrew Connection to all of this good/evil, god/satan stuff. Many years after all the changes to Zoroastrianism were made by the Magi, the Hebrew people came into contact with Zoroastrianism during the Babylonian rule, from 597 to 538 BCE. This was now a period after they had been exposed to numerous other beliefs and doctrines from other civilizations while under earlier Assyrian rule. Remember also, that the ancient Hebrews, were not always monotheistic. In their earlier times, they were polytheistic as many others before them were as well. There were Sky Gods, Nature Gods, etc. 

It is from this Babylonian exposure to Zoroastrianism, that Judaism acquired the belief in a dualistic cosmos being torn between the forces of good and evil. It was here that Judaism acquired the concept of angels and, more specifically, their seven Archangels (the Seven Attributes of Ahura Mazda). It was here also, that the Hebrews were exposed to the idea of the evil entity Ahriman (Satan/ha-satan) working directly against God and a Saoshyant (Messiah) who would come at the end of time (Frasho-kereti) to assure and guarantee the restoration of Divine Law to the world.

It is worth noting that the Hebrew word for “angel” is malach, meaning “messenger.” Also note, the same is true for the English word Angel, derived from the Greek word “Angelos,” which also means “messenger.” Throughout Biblical scripture, an Angel, is a messenger of God/Source who carries out the Divine will of the Almighty. There is not one example in the Hebrew scriptures where any Angel, Satan included, “opposes” God’s will. “Satan (or ha-satan)” in Hebrew means “adversary.” (or opposer/accuser)

Now, shortly after Satan’s “birth,” the idea of Hell gained wide acceptance. Prior to this, the official doctrine was that all Hebrew people who died went to Sheol. Sheol was a place of shadows where the world still existed but remained forever out of your grasp. Everyone went to Sheol whether or not they were wicked or holy. Our modern idea of ghosts emerged from this belief. But, technically, it was ultimately “the grave.”

The Persians are also responsible for the doctrines of a “final battle,” a “final judgment,” and the “resurrection of the dead.” From them, the Hebrews developed a scheme of world history, new beliefs about the end of time, and a more extensive set of beliefs concerning Angels. Frankly, the Hebrews had few original ideas.

In fact, all of what you will find in Old Testament scripture (allegory and metaphor) was nothing new or original. It had all been said before, and long before the Hebrews came along. They merely customized earlier stories with their own symbolism, rituals, geography, and names. The same goes for the Roman New Testament as well.

So, returning to where we were ... “Satan” gained a established place in late Hebrew and early Roman Christian thought to explain the sinister reality of sin and suffering in a world whose faith, was believed to be under the wise and beneficent guidance of the Almighty God/Source. Biblically speaking, this concept of Satan, was one of being a Prosecuting Attorney, under employ of the Court of God.

The conception of “the evil one” in his dual aspect of being the enemy of God, enemy of man … even a “fallen Angel” can be traced way back to its origins in much earlier religions, and is based entirely upon mythology. Just remember, under all of the stories, fables, metaphors, allegories, parables, and myth … is hidden much deeper lessons for the spiritual advancement of man. This evil one, is none other than the human ego. The one who chooses to either be in alignment with the default of goodness, or stand in opposition to it. 

The ancient Greek root word “mythos” is not as we see the word “myth” today. Today, we see see and use the word “myth” and the meaning we have attached to it is that “it never happened,” or “it’s just a meaningless fable, or urban legend.” But that was not the original concept by the Greeks. There was always something hidden under the guise of a myth that was much more important than the story itself. I will wrap this up with one of my favourite quotes from Joseph Campbell:

“A myth is something that never was, yet always is.”

Research everything you’ve been taught. Question everything you believe, and why you believe it. There is always something more to the story than meets the eye ... and the word. 

Just a thought ... 

Justin Taylor, ORDM. 

ALLEGORY OF PARDISE

ALLEGORY OF PARADISE

Most of us are familiar with the Genesis story of Adam and Eve. So the story goes, Adam and Eve are living in Paradise ... The Garden of Eden. Everything is provided for them. They have all they need and are living in fantasyland. No worries, no concerns, just good times. Until ... they defied the warning of God/Absolute. 

They were told they could eat from among all of the trees in the garden, including the “Tree of Life,” EXCEPT for one ... the “Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil.” In fact, so forbidden was it that the day they were to eat of THIS tree, they were told they would DIE. Now, if we were to take this story literally, we would have to wonder why God would place such a tree in Paradise in the first place, and why Adam and Eve didn't die when they ate the forbidden fruit. We would also have to ask “how did they know about death in the first place?” But this story, as is the entire Bible, is allegory and metaphor. The tree is needed to fulfill the deeper message of the myth. 

One day, a talking serpent (obviously metaphorical, since snakes don't talk) appears to Eve at the Tree of Knowledge, and says don't worry about the warning from God. On the day you eat of the fruit of the tree, you will NOT die. This ... is a metaphor for Eve having a inner battle with her ego/serpent. Now before we go any further, we must understand that Eve represents the feminine principle of creation both in body and Mind. Eve is our subconscious Mind. Birthing whatever our conscious Mind wishes - and asks no questions or has any determination of right from wrong. It just does. Thought, to form. 

Adam, is the masculine principle and the conscious Mind. Whatever our conscious Mind impregnates into our subconscious Mind, will be birthed ... brought forth into reality and manifest form. Conscious Mind, should be implanting good thoughts (thinks/things) into the garden of our subconscious Mind so as to bring forth goodness ... but, as is evident by the present world condition, this is not always the case. 

So, Eve now presents Adam with this fruit, and they both eat of it. In doing so, the God(s) are quoted as saying “now that they have eaten the fruit of that tree, they have become as us (yes it says plural Gods).” So they get thrown out of the Garden ... out of Paradise. But wait ... what about the death part? From the pulpits your will hear “well they died spiritually” or you will hear “they committed the original sin and became dead to God”, etc. But let's go a bit deeper on this. 

This entire allegorical meaning of this story is designed to speak of the development of consciousness among mankind. And there are multiple labels of consciousness, each having purpose and meaning. In the early formation of man, our subconscious Mind ran everything. Everything was like the Garden. It was provided for mankind with no conscious thought needed. But as mankind developed conscious thought, and reasoning, things began to change ... and things drastically changed. Man became as God, and could now think, create, discern, be led by Ego self, or Divine Self. We had a choice ... we now had free will. We no longer ran solely on our perfect and Divine pre-programmed subconscious and superconscious Mind that runs our entire body without us even knowing about it. We developed the conscious Mind ... and could now cross the line into egotistical sensual fulfillment. In other words, we could now choose from the path that had already been paved, or we could wander off into the desert or wilderness. 

Allow me to stray for a second. I learn much from my dogs. They are with me all day every day. One thing that always fascinated me is the freedom they have to live each and every moment without ever knowing they are going to die. One day, I will be left with one, and the other will carry on never knowing what happened to the other. You see, on the day we ate the fruit (developed conscious thought and reasoning) ... we LEARNED about death. We became AWARE of our own mortality. This was a devastating revelation. We knew not death, and now ... we fear it more than anything else. 

This is what was meant by “if you eat of the fruit from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil you will surely die.” We DID become as god(s). And, the knowledge of death became not only an inescapable reality, but has ruined our lives ... not so much by witnessing it, but by fearing it. It follows many people as a dark shadow waiting to take away their very last breath. So many people are consumed by worrying and fearing death. When they will die, how they will die, will I suffer, how long will it take. etc. Even though we are eternal Spiritual beings having a physical experience, we still have much we would like to do in this journey. So many things to see and do. No one WANTS to die ... to leave this Life for another. So the knowingness of death came with the expansion and evolution of mankind's conscious awareness.

So when we were earlier ancient base nature man, we had no knowledge of death. We experienced Life every day without ever having a clue that one of those days - would be our last. Not knowing you would die, would have been paradise would it not? But the process of involution and evolution must move forward ... must progress and grow. We now have the option to choose what Adam feeds Eve and so forth. What our conscious Mind feeds our subconscious mind ... will manifest into form. Good, or evil. We now have the knowledge (gnosis), and we have to power to know good ... from evil. Choose rightly. 

Just a thought ... 

Justin Taylor, ORDM.