WIZARD OF OZ AND THE TRUTH WITHIN YOU

WIZARD OF OZ AND THE TRUTH WITHIN YOU 

The entire story of the Wizard of Oz is an allegorical tale of the soul’s path to illumination – the Yellow Brick Road. In Buddhism (and an important part of Theosophical teachings) the same concept is referred to as the “Golden Path”. Hence, the Yellow Brick Road. 

The story starts with Dorothy Gale living in Kansas, which symbolizes the material world, the physical plane where each one of us starts our spiritual journey. Dorothy feels an urge to “go over the rainbow," to reach the ethereal realm and follow the path to illumination. She has basically passed the low point by demonstrating the urge to seek a higher Truth.

Dorothy is then brought to Oz by a giant twister spiraling upward, representing the cycles of karma, the cycle of errors and lessons learned. It also represents the ancient belief in reincarnation, the round of physical births and deaths of a soul until it is fit to become Divine. It is also interesting to note that the Yellow Brick Road of Oz begins as an outwardly expanding spiral. In occult symbolism, this spiral represents the evolving self, the soul ascending from matter into the spirit world.

Before undertaking her journey, Dorothy is given the “silver shoes”, which represent the “silver cord” of Mystery Schools (Dorothy was wearing ruby slippers in the movie due to a last minute change by the director, who thought that the color ruby looked better against the Yellow Brick Road). In mystical schools, the silver cord is considered to be the link between our material and spiritual selves. The silver cord connects the spirit of man to the body. Once the Silver Cord is broken, we have left the physical world. 

The sole purpose of the silver cord, or life thread, is to provide the subtle and physical bodies with vital energy. Think of it as a sort of umbilical cord. Just like a baby has an umbilical cord that receives and transfers physical nutrients from the mother, the silver cord serves as a sort of energetic umbilical cord to receive and transfer Prana/Qi/Pneuma/Spirit. Prana is a Sanskrit term meaning “Life," or Life-force. Without Prana, or spirit, the physical body could not operate as it does. This is why once the silver cord is severed, the physical body has no choice but to die.

"

Remember your Creator before the silver cord is snapped ..."

~Ecclesiastes 12:6

During Dorothy's journey along the Yellow Brick Road, she encounters Scarecrow, Tin Woodsman and the Cowardly Lion who are respectively searching for a brain, a heart, and courage. Those odd characters embody the qualities needed by the the Inner Mysteries initiates in order to complete their quest for illumination.

After surmounting many obstacles, the party finally reaches the Emerald City in order to meet The Great Wizard. Surrounded by artifices and special effects, Remember, before meeting the Wizard, they receive makeovers, perfecting them all as close as possible to the Divine consciousness necessary to stand before the Wizard of Oz — symbolically representing God at this point. The Wizard comes across as cruel, rude and unwise. The Wizard is in fact a stand-in for the Old Testament personal God of the Christians and the Jews, the power figure used by religion to keep the masses in spiritual darkness: Jehovah or Yahweh. It is later discovered that the Wizard is a humbug, a charlatan, who scares people into worshipping his Wizard. He surely could not help the characters complete their quest. If you read literature of Mystery schools, this point of view towards Christianity is constantly expressed.

After all is said and done, the brains, the heart and the courage needed to complete Dorothy, Scarecrow, Tinman and Lion’s quests were found within each one of them. As above, so below. All that is needed lies within. Mystery Schools have always taught their students that one must rely on oneself to obtain salvation (Knowledge of the Divine Spark within). Throughout the story Dorothy’s dog Toto represents her “inner voice”; her intuition … The inner Christ. Remember, the Kingdom of God/Heaven is "within you."

The fake Wizard invites Dorothy into his balloon to go back to Kansas, her final destination. She however follows Toto (her intuition) and gets out of the balloon, which represents the empty promises of many organized religions. This leads to her ultimate revelation and, with the help of the Good Witch of the North (her Divine guide), she finally understands: everything she ever wanted could be found “in her own backyard”.

In order to obtain illumination, Dorothy had to vanquish the wicked witches of the East and the West – who were forming an evil horizontal axis: the material world. She was wise in listening to the advice of the good witches of the North and South – the vertical axis: the spiritual dimension. God meets man - as above, so below. 

Once she is back home, Dorothy awakens from her sleep in her bed, surrounded by her family. She tries to tell the unenlightened people what she experienced, and they all laugh. Anyone who’s ever tried to tell someone something they weren’t ready for will understand this feeling.

At the end of the story, Dorothy upon waking up in Kansas, has successfully combined her physical and spiritual Life. She is now comfortable being herself again and, despite her family not really believing the details of her quest, she can finally say “There is no place like home”.

Just a thought ... 

~Justin Taylor. ORDM.

BIBLICAL SYMBOLISM ON THE SCRIPTURES

BIBLICAL SYMBOLISM IN THE SCRIPTURES

We begin this writing with a scripture from the Bible:

“Which things are an allegory: for these are the two covenants ...”

-Galatians 4:24 

Right here were are told in plain simple terms, that the story of Abraham, Sarah, and Hagar, is an allegory. It is metaphorical. Myth ... with a hidden deeper meaning rather than a physical literal and historical event. And yet, whether this was a literal and historical event is irrelevant. This is a story of symbolic value. It isn't commentary, it is saying to us that it is allegorical. There is symbolism in this myth that is intended for discovery by those who have eyes to see, and ears to hear. 

This goes hand-in-hand with us being told in scripture NOT to take the letter (scripture/hand written letter) literally by reminding us to NOT be a Minister of the letter. The Bible communicates to us in Parables, Proverbs, Allegories, and Dark Sayings. Modern day Archaeologists from the University of Tel Aviv have even told us the Bible stories are symbolic and allegorical. There was no captivity in Egypt. Egypt is a metaphor for our own dark ego animal based mind. “Aigyptos” (Egypt) in Greek meant “dark place.” It was a symbol of base nature man. 

The Exodus, was allegory. Leaving the darkness (Egypt) and entering the Promised Land (Is-Ra-El) and Jerusalem (yeru-shalom) the place of peace. Again, this is what takes place within us as we transmute from base nature to Divine. Generations have searched for the literal places in the Bible but to no avail. Either they were built and named in honour of the symbolism afterwards, or they simply did not exist. The Ten Commandments (the negative commandments) were derived directly from King Hammurabi's Code. A list of negative commandments of things NOT to do that preceded the Hebrews by hundreds of years. These codes are currently on display in the British Museum. 

Joshua of the Old Testament, the one who conquered Israel, is the same story as Jesus of the New Testament. The very name itself is the same. Joshua from the Hebrew, and Jesus from the Greek, are “Yehoshua, Yeshu, Yeshua” literally a word composed of Hebrew aleph-bet (alphabet) symbols that mean “God is Saviour - or God saves.” There was wandering in the desert for 40 years in the OT, there was a flood of 40 days and 40 nights in the OT, Jesus wandered in the wilderness for 40 days in the NT ... this is ALL symbolism. 40 weeks is the gestation period of a human being (9 months). From conception, to birth ... the time necessary to create a new person with new beginnings. A “born again” time frame. Everything is symbolic. 

Even top officials from Universities in Israel today will tell us the Bible stories and the history of the Hebrews are not specifically real literal historical events. Joshua could not have knocked down the walls of Jericho because Jericho didn't exist at that time. Jesus could not have been “of Nazareth” because there was no Nazareth at that time (it meant Nazarene/Nozrim). Camels were not domesticated at that time. 

So if so many of these stories never literally and historically happened, then what do they mean? There must be something of importance deeper than the surface story. These secret Truths were taught to initiates who entered the Mystery School of old. And by taking these stories to be literal, it has wreaked havoc all over the world, and divided people for centuries. War and violence, degradation of women, child abuse, lies and deceptions, and a total misunderstanding and mistranslation of the true nature of Life, and the Truth of ourselves as being the “Light of the world.” 

The Bible characters, locations, stories, miracles, crucifixion, resurrection, raising of the dead, ascension, transfiguration, crossing of the Red Sea, Mt. Sinai ... all have much deeper meaning on a metaphysical level. They are used as metaphor. Myth ... “Mythos” in the Greek. Joseph Campbell put it wisely when he described "myth" as “something that never was, yet always is.” We must go beyond the name, places, and events ... deep between the black and white letter, and find the pearl of great price. The Truth, that lies in waiting ... for Revelation - to be revealed, uncovered, unhidden. “The letter killeth, but the Spirit giveth Life.”

Just a thought ... 

Justin Taylor, ORDM. 

ABRAHAM SARAI AND BIBLICAL SYMBOLISM

ABRAHAM SARAI AND BIBLICAL SYMBOLISM

Before we go deeper into the metaphysics of this Biblical couple, we need to reflect on their origins. 

There are certain striking similarities between the Hindu god Brahma and his consort Saraisvati, and the Jewish Abraham and Sarai, that are more than mere coincidences. See will cover these similarities in another chapter.

Let's start here with some etymology. 

Abraham, a'-brå-ham (Heb.)--father (source, founder) of a multitude.

ABRAM consists of;

Ab = “father or Mind,” Rham = “Spirit breath.”

The breath has always been associated with ‘“Spirit” and is powerful metaphysical knowledge (gnosis).

So Abram (Abraham/Ibrahim) is a part of us that we need to develop within to find our Divine essence. Biblically stated in a literal sense, God renamed Abram to Abraham (meaning exalted father) because he was to be the father of many nations. Sarai means “princess,” but since she will be the mother of nations, with kings of peoples coming from her, God changes her name to “Sarah” which means “noblewoman.”

Further, Sarai represents our “emotions.” When the emotions become detached from thought and become virgin she becomes Sarah. In that virgin consciousness she will give birth to the child. This is the creative feminine principle. In ancient metaphysics:

Husband = Mind - Wife = emotions

Wife subjected to husband ... emotions subjected to Mind. St. Paul says in 2 Corinthians 11:6 “He has made us competent as ministers of a new covenant - not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.” There have been many vile acts committed by a literal interpretation of these ancient scriptures.

Now lets move to the deeper symbolism of all these names and people. We move to a scripture quote from Galatians 4:24 from the Bible:

"Which things are an allegory: for these are the two covenants ..."

Right here were are told in plain simple terms, that the story of Abraham, Sarah, and Hagar, is an allegory. It is metaphorical. Myth ... with a hidden deeper meaning rather than just a physical, literal, and historical event. Science and biology tell us 90 years old women cannot have babies. This is a story of highly symbolic value. It isn't commentary, it is saying to us that it is allegorical. There is symbolism in this myth that is intended for discovery by those who have eyes to see, and ears to hear. 

This goes hand-in-hand with us being told in scripture NOT to take the letter (scripture/hand written letter) literally, by reminding us to NOT be a “Minister of the letter.” The Bible communicates to us in Parables, Proverbs, Allegories, metaphors, and Dark Sayings. Modern day Archaeologists from the University of Tel Aviv have even told us the Bible stories are intended to be symbolic and allegorical. Consider the captivity in Egypt. Egypt is a metaphor for our own dark ego animal based mind. "Aigyptos" in Greek meant "dark place." Egypt, was a symbol of base nature man. 

The Exodus, was an allegory for leaving the darkness (Egypt) and entering the Promised Land (Is-Ra-El) and Jerusalem (yeru-shalom) the place of peace. Again, what takes place within us as we transmute from base nature to Divine. Generations have searched for the literal places in the Bible but to no avail. Either they were built and named in honour of the symbolism, or they simply did not exist. The Ten Commandments (the negative commandments) were derived directly from King Hammurabi's Code. A list of negative commandments of things NOT to do that preceded the Hebrews by hundreds of years. These codes are currently on permanent display in the British Museum. 

Joshua of the Old Testament, the one who conquered Israel, is the same story as Jesus of the New Testament. The very name itself is the same. Joshua from the Hebrew, and Jesus from the Greek, are “Yehoshua, Yeshu, Yeshua” literally a word composed of Hebrew aleph-bet (alphabet) symbols that mean “God is Saviour.” There was wandering in the desert for 40 years in the OT, there was a flood of 40 days and 40 nights in the OT, Jesus wandered in the wilderness for 40 days in the NT ... this is ALL symbolism. “Forty” weeks is the gestation period of a human being (9 months). From conception, to birth ... marking a new person with new beginnings. A “born again” time frame. Everything is symbolic. 

Even top officials from Universities in Israel today will tell us the Bible stories and the history of the Hebrews are not considered as merely literal historical events, if at all. Joshua could not have knocked down the walls of Jericho because Jericho didn't exist at that time. Jesus could not have been “of Nazareth” because there was no Nazareth at that time (it meant Nazarene/Nozrim). Camels were not domesticated at that time. 

So if so many of these stories never literally or historically happened, then what do they mean? There must be something deeper than the surface story. These secret Truths were taught to initiates into the Mystery School of old. And by taking these stories to be only literal, it has wreaked havoc all over the world for centuries. War and violence, degradation of women, child abuse, lies and deceptions, and a total misunderstanding and mistranslation of the true nature of Life, and of ourselves as being the “Light of the world.”

The Bible characters, locations, stories, miracles, crucifixion, resurrection, raising of the dead, ascension, transfiguration, crossing of the Red Sea, Mt. Sinai, are all intended to be taken as allegory and metaphor. All Myth ... “Mythos” in the Greek. In the Greek, mythos means there is MORE to the surface story ... a deeper Truth to be discovered. Joseph Campbell put it wisely when he described “myth” as “something that never was, yet always is.” We must go beyond the name, places, and events ... deep between the black and white letter, and find the pearl of great price. The Truth, that lies in waiting ... for Revelation - to be revealed, uncovered, unhidden. The letter killeth, but the Spirit giveth Life. 

Just a thought ... 

Justin Taylor, ORDM.

SYMBOLISM OF THE TEMPLE

SYMBOLISM OF THE TEMPLE

In the Old and New Testaments of the Bible we read reference after reference about temples. AND among the ancients in earlier times, more temples. So what then, is the deeper meaning of this temple? We've seen physical structures in matter form, but in the esoteric Inner Mysteries, taught among the initiates in the “Hidden Mysteries,” there is more than just a well-designed construct of concrete and marble. There are deep metaphysical messages, with apocalyptic (revealed/unveiled) symbolism.

“The most high dwells not in temples made by hands.”

-Acts 7:48

Now how do we approach this verse? Does this mean that no matter how hard mankind tries to build it's magnificent churches, mosques, cathedrals, and temples; that the most high (God) will not dwell in them? Well, if this were true ... then why build them at all? But this isn't the mystery of the verse. 

What this verse is telling us is that church buildings and temples have absolutely nothing to do with being the dwelling place of God. And for thousands of years men have laboured, died, suffered, fought, been injured, all for something which is not a physical building.

The scriptural reference to the "temple" ... is your head. Where your Mind operates the senses from. Both sides of your head are called “temples” for a reason. It is all symbolism. The great temple made without hands sits atop your shoulders ... attached by the Atlas in Mythology, as he held the world on his shoulders. Even the site of the crucifixion of Jesus was called “Golgotha,” which means “skull, skull hill, place of the skull.”

“The Kingdom of God is within you.”

-Luke 17:21

Does it get any more elementary, or any easier than this? The “Kingdom” is not a religious system or geographic place, or a building designed for worship. It is WITHIN you ... not without you. Inside, not outside. The Bible is filled with allegory and myth via symbolism of the human mind and body. The process of Life ... through which we as Spirit operate, travel, and experience. 

“Don't you know that you yourselves are God's temple and that God's Spirit dwells in your midst?”

-1 Corinthians 3:16

Again, plain as black and white. The temple, church, tabernacle, is actually the human Mind, and all of scripture delves deep into the mystical studies and hidden secrets of the journey of Spirit, operating through the Mind (and heart). The way we think, decide, believe - not just individually, but universally and collectively.

Its is our Christ Consciousness that reminds us of our Divinity, and the Bible esoterically takes us through our life's journey. “Follow me” Jesus says. When you get lost, you find a guide who knows the path back home. But first, a wise sage, shaman, or hierophant will ask “where are you?” Before you can receive directions or instructions to further your journey in the right (righteous) (right-thinking) direction, it must first be discovered where you are on your path. Born voyage!

Just a thought ... 

Justin Taylor, ORDM.