DEVIL AND EVIL

DEVIL AND EVIL

If you were raised in the Christian Faith, chances are some of your earliest fears were brought on by the fearsome personage of all evil ... evil incarnate ... the Devil, and/or Satan. Other names you may have heard used: Beelzebub, Lucifer, the serpent/snake, Mephistopheles, etc. 

Chances are you were also taught at the same time about the all-powerful God who could turn off the sun if he chose to do so. So then, how is it that "another" mighty, eternal, God of Evil can co-exist with this Almighty, Omniscient, Omnipotent, and Omnipresent total power of the One good God/Source of Absolute Truth? 

The church system would teach that this Devil/Satan was literally once a mighty Angel, the most beautiful of all, they say. But his rebellion led to an uprising and he took a third of the Angels with him ... cast out of the heavenly realm. So, having no where else to go apparently, he came to Earth as a serpent, tempted Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, and therefore brought with him, chaos and disorder into Paradise that once was - before he moved into the neighborhood. Talk about home values plummeting.

So, now he and his fallen cohorts (so-called demons) travel about the world, tempting humans into wars, poverty, hunger, lies, rapes, murders, theft, vandalism, and every other evil that we can come up with. "The Devil made me do it" is what people claim, yet it is the person who has done the evil that will go to jail ... not the Devil or his demons. This is all fine and dandy if it was the basis for the plot of a low-budget horror film, but other than that ... it is all just a convenient way to blame someone else the for effects that WE cause. 

The original Christians (Krestianoi) knew the Truth. But then again, they were murdered and tortured to death by the Roman Church, and most all of their scriptures and physical evidence were either destroyed or confiscated. Quite a bit of bounty was collected for a newly formed Empirical Religion that had behind it the armies and legions of the Roman Empire. But, to maintain power over mankind, the power must be held in secret within the highest ranking leaders of the Church. If the people knew the Truth, if they had been empowered with the Truth of The Ages, the Hidden Wisdom, the Apocalyptic Revelation that was Life changing, then they would no longer be able to be controlled. And the money, donations, and food offerings would cease to come rolling into the temples and churches.

So then, who is this guy/power?

"For as much as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, he himself took part in the same, that through DEATH, he might destroy him who has the power of death, that is THE DEVIL."

~Hebrews 2:14

Much like a dictionary, biblical scripture will give you definitions if you look hard enough. Many times, we have to go back to the original Greek, Hebrew, and Aramaic. So right here, we are told in plain English, that whoever or whatever has the "power of death" is the "Devil." 

"For since BY MAN came DEATH, by man came also the resurrection of the dead."

~1 Corinthians 15:21

So, according to this verse ... direct from the Bible ... MAN has the power of DEATH. And every man is subjected to duality (Though it is an illusion). There are two polarities of men within every man. The Inward Man and the Outward Man. The "outward" is the man of flesh ... Adam, so to speak. We inherited this outward man from the Genesis story of Adam. Adam is a man (according to scripture) and therefore we inherited the sin nature of Adam, right up the line, as an inclusive part of our human nature. 

"For the wages of SIN is DEATH."

~Romans 6:23

Now follow me ... I'm going somewhere with this. So it is SIN that has the power of DEATH. Sin is the Adam-man ... the human nature man ... the first of two. Adam, and Jesus. Adam (and sin) represent your human animal nature ... the flesh that your Soul is wrapped in. 

"If you live after the flesh, you shall die. but if you "by the Spirit" (the Mind of Christ) do mortify the deeds of the body, you shall live."

~Romans 8:13

The human body has the power of death, through it's sin (error in thinking) and the battle is in the Mind ... where Spirit lives. This is ego-centric consciousness vs. Christ consciousness. While in the mythical Garden of Eden (Mind), Adam and Eve were tempted by the lust of sin ... wrong thinking, missing the mark of Divine Truth, which is in all men. The conversation with the serpent, was actually Eve having an internal conversation amongst her-selves. Just as we do today. We talk to ourselves, ask ourselves questions, and actually answer them. She had wandered into Ego-land. 

This story is about inner temptation. Eve was tempted. Adam was tempted. Jesus was tempted in the wilderness. The lust of sin in the flesh (the ramblings and desires of our ego) bring about these temptations. And therefore, this Devil/Satan who is "the opposer," or "adversary," leads us astray from the natural default of goodness and righteousness. When we "sin" (make an error in judgement through ignorance leading to consequences) we bring forth the Devil. Satan ("ha-satan"). The opposite end of polarity between good, and not good. We are given this duality (range of polarity) so that we can discern what is right, or unright. Human nature ego, or Divine nature Mind. Once we see the Truth, that which was illusion dissipates. 

Your mirror reflection is not actually you, but it looks just like you ... in the opposite reverse polarity. Once you see that the image is not real, that it is merely an illusion, it is no longer needed. You have learned the lesson that was intended. The Devil/Satan are not anthropomorphized evil as personages, they are our ego Mind, forever wanting to follow the desires of our senses, rather than what is best for our Self and everyone else. We are one race, one blood, one point of origin. God/Source/Spirit lives with us, through us, and AS US. When all is "whole" ... "holy," then we can attain the ultimate goal ... Heaven on Earth. There is ONLY ONE power in this world. God alone is all there is. We are each an emanation from this Source of all there is. 

"so that all may know, from where the sun rises to where it sets, that there is none but Me; I am the LORD, and there is no other. I form the light and create the darkness; I bring prosperity and create calamity. I, the LORD, do all these things."

~Isaiah 45:6-7 

There is no room for a creature called the Devil to exist in a realm in which GOD is omnipotent, omniscient, and omnipresent, or ... ALL there IS. 

"for the Kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit."

~Romans 14:17

"Neither shall they say, Look here! or, look there! for, behold, the Kingdom of God is within you."

~Luke 17:21

The Kingdom is described in the scriptures as being "Love, Peace, and Joy." So, let's make it happen ... and KNOW that it is found WITHIN us. Collectively, we are commissioned to bring order from chaos (day from night, light from darkness). We have the ability to reason. 

"For IN HIM we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring."

~Acts 17:28

The universe/God/Source is one giant organism, and we live within it, move within it, have our being in it, as it, and there is nowhere else to go but right where we are right now. All is NOW. All is here. The present is a gift ... enjoy the moment. 

Just a thought ... 

~Justin Taylor, ORDM., OCP., DM.

HOLDING ON TO POISON

HOLDING ON TO POISON 

We all have experiences in Life that are "good" and "bad" but in reality they are actually varying degrees of experience. All are for our own personal benefit. They aid us in learning what is beneficial and what is consequential ... for ourselves and for others. Life is being, and part of that being is growing mentally, emotionally, and spiritually through our experiences. 

That being said, it is important to note that we are NOT our experiences. We are the Observer, the Witness to these experiences. We are spiritual beings with the knowledge granted us through physical experiences In this world of matter/form. We take the knowledge with us when we return from where we came ... Source ... but we do not bring the experiences with us. Much in the same way as we do not bring any personal possessions with us. They are not ours. They were here before we got here and they will be here when we move on. As the Old Testament Bible so profoundly says "There is nothing new under the sun." We are the great re-arrangers. We take what was already here and rearrange it into something else.

"What has been will be again, and what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun."

~Ecclesiastes 1:9 

We should not take possession of any of our experiences. They are not us ... they are merely what we have witnessed or observed. Sometimes, we are involved, other times not. But it matters not ... they are as a TV show that we are watching. The scenes are not real, and we can only take from them the knowledge of what was contained in the presentation. We use our discernment and Higher-Self to be sure we have learned what is necessary, and then we move on. Some people have to repeat the experience if they didn't learn it. Nothing goes away under you fully understand what was contained within the lesson. Think of it this way: School, is about learning the lesson ... and then a taking a test. Life, is like taking a test ... and then learning the lesson. 

So many times we hold on to toxic experiences and memories. For some reason we do not want to let them go. They become familiar. This is the equivalent of dropping poison in your food. And sooner or later, it will kill you. Stress, heart disease, cancer, etc. All are manifestations of holding onto lies and deceptions. Only love and goodness is real. All else are illusory tools used to teach us these Truths. Once the image is seen in the mirror, the real thing is discerned and there is no need for the mirror anymore. It was just a tool. The shadow fades in the light. 

As we hold on to and fester over dark energy thoughts and actions, we find ourselves in dis-ease. All illness comes from within. Even if you "catch a cold," it must first manifest from inside you, and then to the outside of you in physical symptoms. This dis-ease can be a mild illness, or a major life-threatening illness. Just know that ALL illness and disease must begin within. If you are not at-ease, then you are at dis-ease. Lose your peace, lose your health. That's just the way it goes ... we are designed that way. What you resist, will persist. Just know that you can change your perception of your experiences in the blink of an eye. It's all about perception. If your problem has a solution, then why worry? If your problem has no solution, then why worry? Let it go ... just put it down and leave it there. 

Holding onto negative beliefs, thoughts, and experiences, is the same as drinking poison. It will kill you slowly, or quickly ... but in the end ... it will bring about the demise of your physical life existence. And all for something that was unnecessary and repairable. Do your Soul and your Body a huge favour and drop the tour of the past. Drop the festering. Just let it go ... don't give up, but voluntarily let it go and walk away. Do this, then take a deep breath, because you have defeated the real devil. You have taken away the powers of satan (the Opposer). You have taken control of the EGO. Congratulations. 

Just a thought ... 

~Justin Taylor, ORDM.

KEYS TO THE CAR

KEYS TO THE CAR

Remember that day way back when? The day that you got your Driver's License and you couldn't wait to take your folks car out for a ride ... all by yourself? There was excitement, anxiety, independence, power, fear, wonder, and countless other emotions all rolled up into that big event. You got the lecture. You took Driver's Ed. You watched Signal 40 or some other horrid video or film about the dangers of driving and the devastation of accidents. You went through it all and now here you were. Sitting in the drivers seat. Inserting the key into the ignition. You felt like an Astronaut and your mission was the moon. You, became the Driver. You were in-charge. You ... had grown up. 

The fun was mixed with burden. The action was mixed with worry. What if I screw up? What if I wreck my parents car? What if I hurt someone? It was all going through your head while the windows were rolled down, the radio was on, and the seats belts were rarely used, if at all. There were metal dashboards and pointed steering wheels. There were protruding metal objects on the tip of the hood. No airbags, and in some cases, no power steering or power brakes. Yet, you knew the power of smashing that accelerator, kicking in that 4 barrel carb, hitting "passing gear" and getting the thrill of your Life. You had power, control, and ... you had awesome responsibility to consider. What your decision process was, could end up in tranquility, or tragedy. It was your decision ... and you would rely on what you knew was right. 

Now, imagine being the Creative Principle behind the universe. And imagine having given mankind the key to the universe. There were instructions, given through experiences and interactive sages. Wise men of old who handed down the principles and ancient secrets as to how you could drive or Pilot this universe for the benefit of everyone, and without causing any accidents or harm to anyone. Yet, much of the world climbs into their conscious universe without any training, no studies, no Social Ed, and runs the pedal to the metal without so much as a thought about the consequences that may arise from being irresponsible. 

I remember my friend Steve. When he would find himself in trouble, we would hear his Mother say "awe, Stephen Paul, wait 'til your Father comes home." In other words, there would be a price to pay for what she deemed as irresponsible behaviour. It was more than likely stemming from something that was avoidable, had it been thought out ... response rather than reaction ... but rarely do we take the time to think things through. Just like that yellow light we just blew through ... we run yellow lights and even red lights right here in our own universe. Spiritually, emotionally, physically, and mentally. 

The Creative Process, or God, or Absolute, or Source Energy, has given us the key to the vehicle that was designed to provide safety and security to all the passengers of planet earth. And we're speeding through space at over 250,000 mph. I would suggest that all of us take a bit more responsible for this ride we're on, and this ride we're in. All of us have rubbernecked past that horrible highway accident a time or two, wondering if anyone survived. Well, let's rubberneck our way around this planet and be sure that all can survive. To stop the accidents, and the intentional neglect, wars, famine, disease, hunger, abuse, and all the negative emotions that come as karma to us all. I say we trade in Christine, for the Batmobile. Use the keys of love and peace, rather than mayhem and destruction. We've been given the keys to this planet, and we need to drive it responsibly. 

Just a thought ... 

~Justin Taylor, ORDM.

IS GOD SLEEPING

IS GOD SLEEPING

Genesis tells us on the 7th day, God rested. So, ... "I'm done" says God? It's over. everybody out of the pool, put up the yellow tape ... store's closed. Well judging by human history, church history, government affairs, and the general condition of world events, apparently God never never showed back up at the factory on Monday. Was it "rested," or "retired?" Sure seems a lot like the latter doesn't it my friends? Now be honest. Don't tell me you've never asked something like "if there is a God, then where is He?"

Before you can determine what God has or has not been doing for the last 4.5 billion years of the existence of planet Earth, we we have to determine just exactly who or what "God" is to so many people. What is God to you? Do you imagine him to be as Zeus was, long white hair and beard sitting on a throne ruling from the monarchy of a heavenly realm, a He, She, or It; or is God simply each breath that you take in and out, and the sheer existence and sustainer of Life itself. Is God the label we have given to the Source of energy that launched the eternal universe into motion with such a precisely engineered formula that it is regenerative and cyclical guided by universal Laws and ever-expansive design?

Maybe this God looked at the whole thing as a parent assisting kids with their homework. "ok, I'll get it started for you, but you have to finish it." Maybe the entire universe IS what we call God, and we have personified into deity so many of these wonders that we have seen we simply make them or it, Deity ... simply because we didn't have a better answer or explanation at such an early point of human civilization.

Maybe WE are God? Maybe this giant rock that we live in (that's right in, not on) is one giant living Mind/organism that we have labelled the universe, and the entirety of all things are God. After all, children are dying of cancer, wars are prevalent everywhere, there is illness and disease, hunger, starvation, depression, abuse, hatred, natural disasters, and a host of other negative conditions that are far from what was supposed to be "live and live abundant."

Sure, we can blame "Satan/Devil" on these negative ills, but then we have to define who or what Satan actually is. The word simply means "the opposer." So, perhaps, if, as it states in the Bible "no one has seen the face of God," and there is noway possible than I could ever see MY face (unless through a reflection) that perhaps it is I, that am God. Not singularly, but collectively. Perhaps we are ALL God and we are ALL Satan, and we use our free will and creative powers to build a world of goodness, or not-so-goodness. It was Paul who said "we are the body of Christ." And if the Christ (consciousness of God) is the earthly representation of all the goodness (God-ness) that is God, when we go against the default of goodness, it is US who are "the opposer." Perhaps, it is DIVINE-vs-EGO in an ongoing spiritual evolution and involution of universal development?

Whatever it is you think God is, one thing in very clear. Mankind is the reasoning, thinking, planning, and execution creature that brings about causation in this world, along with the natural order of events already set in motion. In many ways, WE are the God of this world. Go(o)d and un-go(o)d. We have the ability to bring about change and keep things evolving to a better future. WE can stop the wars. WE can feed the children. WE can cure disease. We can shelter the homeless. We can do ALL of these things with the assistance and Life-force that we call God providing each and every breath we take, and the interconnection of our consciousness through the Matrix of this single organism we call the universe. WE are the chosen ones to bring about the Kingdom (love, peace, and joy) upon the lower worlds ... Earth. So, Let's do this.

Just a thought ... 

~Justin Taylor, ORDM.

HYPOCRITE AND PERSON WORD STUDY

HYPOCRITE AND PERSON WORD STUDY 

hyp·o·crite noun

1: a person who claims or pretends to have certain beliefs about what is right but who behaves in a way that disagrees with those beliefs.

2:  a person who puts on a false appearance of virtue or religion.

3:  a person who acts in contradiction to his or her stated beliefs or feelings.

Origin of the word HYPOCRITE

Middle English hypocrite, from Anglo-French, from Late Latin hypocrita, from GREEK hypokritēs ACTOR, hypocrite, from from the Greek hypokrinesthai.

Origin of the word PERSON

Middle English, from Anglo-French persone, from Latin persona ACTOR'S MASK, character in a play, person, probably from Etruscan phersu mask, from Greek prosōpa, plural of prosōpon face, mask.

So, we find the etymology of PERSON from the Latin "Persona" and the Greek "Prosopa" meaning the MASK of an ACTOR. 

So, ALL of us ... are Actors, and Hypocrites. We play different roles and we frequently talk out of both sides of our mouths. Our ego presents within our Mind whatever mask and character that it needs to accomplish its own selfish and self-centered desires. We all need to be MORE AWARE of our CONSCIOUS thoughts, and behavioural actions. 

The ego is out for itself (it's self). The word ego means ME in Greek. Beware of your me (self), and look deep within for your true I AM (Self). Your higher consciousness. It's a battle we have with ourselves. Like a horse and buggy. Your body is the buggy, your Mind is the coachman, and you direct and instruct the horse where to go. Yet, remember that the horse still has the ability to choose whether or not to listen to YOU, or go where it chooses ... and may choose at will - at any moment - what he wishes to do or go regardless of your directives. Here is your ego. Train it well. Lead do not follow. Put your inner guidance to work ... and find within you the eternal Spirit that is the Divine coachman of  your buggy. 

Just a thought ... 

~Justin Taylor, ORDM.

GUIDANCE OF INNER SPIRIT

GUIDANCE OF INNER SPIRIT

 

Spirit/God/Source functions in our lives to provide us with information of a higher nature. The answers to our deepest questions and yearnings are conveyed to us from God/Source in a amazing process from within. The "Inner Spirit" is a gift that functions in our Mind as the conduit or circuit by which higher information is conveyed to our Higher Self. 

Located in the highest layers of our consciousness, this wonderful gift actively takes OUR beliefs and feelings and reflects Spirit’s perspective ONTO them. We are given the capacity to think as God thinks when we, with intention and attention, desire to become more Spirit-like, more God-conscious ... our Christ Consciousness.

 

We grow in our relationship with our Inner Spirit through our decisions. The more we choose to respond to the circumstances and situations in our lives in a higher way, the Inner Spirit lovingly and devotedly creates the ideas in our Mind that feed us with information and inspiration - those flashes of insight, or perhaps the answer to a question coming in an innovative or fresh idea or concept. The information builds in our being over time and helps us to look at life in a different way ... in a better and more positive light.

 

Activating and building a relationship with our Inner Spirit happens when we take time during the day to quiet our Mind, and take the time to ask for the higher information to weave into our everyday thoughts. We should ask our Inner Spirit questions about our Life experience. The answers will come in time, through the process of being able to quiet our mental chatter (I call it monkey chatter). You know, the cacophony of noise that bounces around in our head. 

Stilling the Mind is the fundamental step to take in allowing the spiritual energy in our Mind to relax the body so what God/Source Energy wants to direct to you, can resonate within. The universe within and without is always broadcasting and we have to take the time to receive the message. Spending time away from the busyness of the day distances us from the usual thoughts we think … so that the thoughts that Spirit would like our Higher Self to think ... can grow within our Mind and body.

 

Spending this quiet time in spiritual contemplation gives our Inner Spirit the opportunity to convey feelings of peace, love, joy, strength, courage, faith, patience, and tolerance to help us continue to live our lives better through our Higher Self. Our Inner Spirit gives us the picture of who we really are and helps us to recognize our Divine Life plan ... so we can follow and achieve it more consciously.

 

By allowing the higher thoughts of God/Source Energy to activate through our Inner Spirit to reflect love and Truth into Mind and body, we are laying the foundation for the plans of Spirit within. It is there to move us further away from our base animal nature, and closer into union with our Higher Divine Nature; thus enabling us to become more of who we really are - a intricate and integral expression of creativity and love as an essence of the entire universe. 

Just a thought ... 

~Justin Taylor, ORDM.

YOU ARE AS AN ACTOR

YOU ARE AS AN ACTOR

Everything we experience in our lives, has culminated into what we are at this present moment. All that we have seen, heard, smelled, tasted, and touched; has formed our opinion of what and who we are. But all of these things, are someone else's opinions, Truth's, Lies, etc. that we have experienced. But remember, the most important part of all of this - we are NOT our experiences. We are the WITNESS to the experiences. We are the one experiencing, NOT the actual experience. 

For example, when you go to a movie theatre, everything that is taking place on the screen is an illusion. It's an image ... a projection of what appears to be form. But if you turn around and look behind you, everything that you are watching from the screen is projecting from the bright white light coming from within the projection booth. In this way, we as Light beings - Spirit - are projecting into matter/form from within ... to without. Our thoughts, calculate and ultimately conclude this process into a decision. Then, the decision leads to a belief. This belief can be Truth, or deception. True, or a lie. But we have made a decision to believe it. To “decide,” literally means to “cut-off.”

Most of us believe our lives are what we see on the movie screen (the projection), rather than the projector ... the point of origin. The Actors, the events on the screen, the screenwriters, producers, editors ... they are all YOU projecting outwards into form ... as you experience YOUR Life. You are as the Actor in a play. Life is the stage. You write the script. Remember that the word “personality” comes to us from the Latin word “persona” which literally means “the mask of an Actor.” So, your personality, is an Actor. It isn't really you. 

When we take ownership of our experiences, we actually become the experience. This is an error in thinking. If you make an error, you are NOT the error. You are the one experiencing the error - the WITNESS, or Observer. If you accept the error as actually being you ... then you accept yourself as being flawed. This is when we begin to feel guilt and fear. These “experiences” are our teachers in Life. These experiences we witness, teach us lessons that are intended fo us to know in order to evolve and involve as better humans and to elevate to a higher level of consciousness. 

When you drive your car, you are not the car but you are having an experience as the driver. You are witnessing and observing events from within the car. In life, your body is your vehicle for the driver (your Soul / Higher Self /Spirit) to sojourn in a foreign land/form. We are in Earth School, and we are all students. Except that in Earth School, we are given a test first, then we learn (and re-member) our lessons.

Just a thought ... 

Justin Taylor, ORDM. 

PERSONIFICATION OF SATAN

PERSONIFICATION OF SATAN

The characterization and personification of “Satan” (Greek: σατανάς) (Hebrew: ha-satan) is portrayed to humanity in ever changing and varied images. The diversity of the images should be noted, particularly the diversification of forms “Satan” has taken on throughout history depicted by the images which have been catalogued, is not coincidental. 

Either these extremely varied pictures are all true to some extent and represent the “Satan” creature’s ability to morph like some kind of “shape shifter,” or there is no Truth to his being a real entity. 

In his poem, Dante portrayed the Devil as a grotesque, winged creature with three faces - each chewing on a devious sinner - whose wings blew freezing cold winds throughout Hell’s domain. In The Bible, there is no description of the Devil in any physical detail, and Historically by the end of the Middle Ages, the Devil had taken on the appearance of the horned, trident-wielding figure with a tail that has endured to modern times.

All the images of Satan are just many different depictions of many different imaginations that are based on imagery borrowed from ancient mythological creatures ... such as Pan. Pan being the nature demon that frightened everyone at that time. Pan’s fearful presence has carried on into our English language through words such as PANic and PANdemonium.

The primary meaning of the Hebrew word שָׂטָן (satan) is “an adversary, an opponent.” So in the Old Testament, satan (ha-satan) is commonly used to mean “an enemy”, either within or without. Biblically, in many of the places where this word is traditionally translated “Satan,” it should really be translated as “enemy or adversary." The Greek word σατανάς (satanas), comes from the Hebrew word satan, and has the same meaning: an adversary or enemy. 

We also find the use of the other word known as “Devil” in ancient texts. In the Greek of the New Testament, the word  “devil” (διάβολος/diabolos) most of the time meant a ruling evil figure. The underlying meaning of this Greek word is “false accuser, slanderer.” So once again, when we read “the Devil” in the New Testament, it refers to a very human reality: those who slander others and make false accusations.

These different graphic depictions can only be mental fabrications and constructs with no real model to base them on. So too is “Satan” himself ... a mental fabrication. Albeit, one in which many people believe to be real, in a physical sense.

The medieval period has been the most profound period of artistic depictions of what it is believed Satan looked like. The graphic images played a huge part in the conciousness of unsuspecting and unquestioning citizenry throughout that period, and assisted in setting up a belief that “Satan” was a physical being with a physical form ... and this horned being may well be the oldest deity reconized by humankind. 

Just like the fabrications of creative pagans and superstitious Christians of the past, the demons of the present day and of the New Testament period, were little more than mental constructs used to strike fear in the heart of mankind. That being said, know that the very word “demon” in the original Greek simply meant “spirit” (δαίμονας/daímonas), or Divine power. Nothing more. 

Although every culture assigned images to their concepts of their evil deity, the Truth of the matter is that the pagan nations each had their own multiplicity of Gods to worship, but that doesn’t make them real. These are non-existent, fabrications of men’s minds and were often made into statues and idols by the very hands of men. It is these “Gods” who were known as diamons/demons by the Ancient Greeks.

Although not specifically good or bad, they were believed to be “spirit energies” but eventually the Christians of old rejected the concept of “good spirit energies” and concluded ... these must be evil demons.

Today, many Christians believe the Devil was once a beautiful angel named Lucifer who defied God and fell from grace. This assumption that he is a fallen angel is often based the book of Isaiah in the Bible which says: “How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! How art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations.” It is important to note that “Lucifer” isn’t a proper name but a descriptive phrase meaning “morning star or day star,” and can also be properly translated as “light Bearer or light bringer.” Lucifer is Latin, and in the Greek we find “Phosphorus” (Greek Φωσφόρος Phōsphoros) ... the Morning Star, the planet Venus in its morning appearance. 

The Latin word lucifer, corresponding to Greek φωσφόρος, was used in Jerome’s Latin Vulgate translation of the Hebrew word הֵילֵל (helel), meaning Venus as the brilliant, bright or shining one, in Isaiah 14 (Isaiah 14:12), where the Septuagint Greek version uses, not φωσφόρος, but ἑωσφόρος. As a translation of the same Hebrew word the King James Version gave “Lucifer,” a name often misunderstood as a reference to Satan. Still, the name stuck and the Devil is often referred to as Lucifer.

By the time the Christian movement had swept across the Western world, our language would reflect that reversed perception, the Greek term daimones, “spirit energies,” would become in the English language, “demons” ... and are considered to be evil. These spirit-energy creatures, had become Satan's little helpers. 

Throughout history, the Devil’s reputation as an evildoer hasn’t changed much. Most followers of the Christian Religion still believe he has literally wreaked havoc on the earthly plane, and is responsible for much of the world’s corruption and chaos. To find the real satan though, we must look within ... and find our own sensory based ego-driven choices that bring consequence rather than benefit to humanity. This, is the “Opposer,” the enemy, false-accuser, and adversary - and, in many ways - the Antichrist. 

Just a thought ... 

Justin Taylor, ORDM.

HIGHER SELF

HIGHER SELF

The Higher Self is who we truly are, and can be thought of as an aspect of the immortal “I” who is the consummate sum of all of our experiences, past, present; and future. Being connected with everything in the Universe that “is.” Full access to this inner aspect of ourself is sought after by those consciously on the path of Spiritual disciplines. It is the Higher Self that progresses on to “greater” things, once all physical lives have been completed.

Remember, the term “Higher Self” should more correctly be “Inner Self”. It is very important to keep in Mind however, that the physical world and therefore our physical bodies, are the outermost aspect of the Universe existing at the lowest rate of Energy vibration, and the highest density, and The Source, The First Cause, God is at the very centre of all creation. Source exists at the very highest Energy vibration, encompassing the highest vibration of Unconditional Love. Therefore, after our cycle of physical incarnation has been completed, we continue the journey inwards towards The Source ... on the Divine path to perfection.

While in physical form, the Higher Self can for provide intuition to help in circumstances where understanding, answers, clarification or guidance are in need and can't be had by any “lower” means, and provides the highest level of connection and influence within the Universe, and is therefore most important in any matter requiring any sort of unrestricted Universal connection, such as what we wish to be manifested in form.

Suffice it to say He/She/It is who we really are (within), and that in physical incarnation, achieving and maintaining contact with this higher aspect of Self is considered to be one of the very highest priorities as a source of inspiration, knowledge and guidance. Our ego has a tendency to take over most times, and this is why we need to listen closely for that still small voice within for in-tuition, in-spiration, and guidance.

Just a thought ... 

Justin Taylor, ORDM.

SATURN / CRONUS THE BAD GUY

SATURN/CRONUS - THE BAD GUY

In traditional astrology, Saturn was the “bad guy” of the planets. And everything that Saturn touched was sure to be soured. In mythology, Cronus (known to the Romans as Saturn) was the nasty, ruthless father of the 12 Olympian gods. Ultimately, one of his sons that would become Zeus.

Fast forward, and Satan ... I mean Saturn ... underwent a “face-lift” but strikes fear in the hearts of many people. You see, Saturn still symbolizes esoterically, the growth process and lessons learned through painful or difficult experiences. Saturn is much more concerned with the growth of our soul, than it/he is with our personal comfort or ease. 

Archetypal Saturn points to all the open sores and cherished old wounds where we feel the most vulnerable to attack in our unconscious Mind. And when other people step (accidentally or purposely) on our “sore spots” - we instinctively react like the proverbial “wounded animal caught in a trap.”

Even if someone nice were to come along, wanting to release us from our trap - then, purely out of blind instinct, pain (panic) and fear, we'd end up biting and attacking our compassionate and well-meaning Samaritan. (Remember, these are "cherished" old wounds.) And all the while, we thought we were simply defending ourselves. 

  

You may have heard the term the “Shadow of the Psyche.” In Jungian psychology, the shadow (also known as id, shadow aspect, or shadow archetype) is either an unconscious aspect of the personality that the conscious ego does not identify in itself; or the entirety of the unconscious Mind. Everything of which a person is not fully conscious. In short, the “shadow” is the unknown side.

And just so we're clear on things - all of the planets and zodiac signs have their own “shadow” sides. Over the years, Saturn (and Pluto) has been used to being treated as '”scapegoats” and as “uninvited gods.”

When we attempt to sweep Saturn under the rug, then (as is true with all the planets), Saturn shows us his harsher face. Saturn, then, reflects a Shadow aspect of the Psyche that loves to point out our many, manifold weaknesses, fears, and sins. Saturn becomes our angry internal (infernal) father intent on eating up all of our potential and our creativity. We experience Saturn as an angry, judgmental parent thats likely to point out and remind us of all our many flaws and shortcomings.

Saturn also easily qualifies as the nastier side of Santa Claus that only rewards those good children that can display flawless and perfect behavior - and so he leaves the rest of us a “lump of coal” in our Christmas stocking, because we've been very, very bad this year.

You'd better watch out 

You'd better not cry 

You'd better not pout 

and I'm telling you why! 

'Saturn' Claus is coming to town! 

I realize this image of Santa is a bit tough to digest, since our society's image of Jolly Saint Nick has been seriously “Jupiterized” over the years ... but nonetheless ... study it a bit and you will see the correlation.

We've all heard our internal Saturn's angry, condemning voice - reminding us of just how “whatever” we are (or they are). It's never nice, always demeaning. This is our personal Satan/Saturn - the ego. This is in direct opposition to the Higher-Self (Divine) that still small voice of love and compassionate support and insight. Our Divine Self, is our intuition. We should pay more attention to it as we recognize the Saturn of our ego base-nature self.

Just a thought ... 

Justin Taylor, ORDM. 

DEVIL AND EVIL

DEVIL AND EVIL

If you were raised in the Christian Faith, chances are some of your earliest fears were brought on by the fearsome personage of all evil ... evil incarnate ... the Devil, and/or Satan. Chances are you were also taught at the same time about the all-powerful God who could turn off the sun if he chose to do so. So then, how can "another" mighty, eternal, God of Evil co-exist with this Almighty, Omniscient, Omnipotent, and Omnipresent total power of the One good God/Source of Absolute Truth? Hmmm. 

The church would teach that this Devil/Satan was once a mighty Angel, the most beautiful of all, they say. But his rebellion led to an uprising and he took a third of the Angels with him ... cast out of the heavenly realm. So, having no where else to go apparently, he came to Earth as a serpent, tempted Adam and Eve, and therefore brought with him, chaos and disorder into the Garden/Paradise that once was - before he moved into the neighborhood. Talk about home values plummeting ... 

So, now he and his fallen cohorts (so-called demons) travel about the world  tempting humans into wars, poverty, hunger, lies, rapes, murders, theft, vandalism, and every other evil that we can come up with. "The Devil made me do it" is what people claim, yet it is the person who has done the evil that will go to jail ... not the Devil or his demons. This is all fine and dandy if it was the basis for the plot of a low-budget horror film, but other than that ... it is all bunk. Yes, bunk. It is just a convenient way to blame someone else the for effects that WE cause. 

The original Christians knew the Truth. But then again, they were murdered and tortured to death by the Roman Church and most all of their scriptures and physical evidence were either destroyed or confiscated. Quite a bit of bounty was collected for a newly formed Empirical Religion that had behind it the armies and legions of the Roman Empire. But, to maintain power over mankind, the power must be held in secret within the highest ranking leaders of the Church. If the people knew the Truth, if they had been empowered with the Truth of The Ages, the Hidden Wisdom, the Apocalyptic Revelation that was life changing, then they would no longer be able to be controlled. And the money, donations, and food offerings would cease to come rolling into the temples and churches.

So then, who is this guy/power?

"For as much as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, he himself took part in the same, that through DEATH, he might destroy him who has the power of death, that is THE DEVIL."

Hebrews 2:14

Much like a dictionary, biblical scripture will give you definitions if you look hard enough. Many times, we have to go back to the original Greek, Hebrew, and Aramaic. So right here, we are told in plain English, that whoever or whatever has the "power of death" is the Devil. 

"For since BY MAN came DEATH, by man came also the resurrection of the dead."

1 Corinthians 15:21

So, according to this verse ... direct from the Bible ... MAN has the power of DEATH. And every man is subjected to duality (Though it is an illusion). There are two polarities of men within every man. The Inward Man and the Outward Man. The "outward" is the man of flesh ... Adam so to speak. We inherited this outward man from the story of Adam. Adam is a man (according to scripture) and therefore we inherited the sin nature of Adam, right up the line, as an inclusive part of our human nature. 

"For the wages of SIN is DEATH."

Romans 6:23

Now follow me ... I'm going somewhere. So it is SIN that has the power of DEATH. Sin is the Adam man ... the human nature man ... the first of two. Adam, and Jesus. Adam (and sin) represent your human animal nature ... the flesh that your Soul is wrapped in. 

"If you live after the flesh, you shall die. (sounds a bit like Genesis huh?) but if you "by the Spirit" (the Mind of Christ) do mortify the deeds of the body, you shall live."

Romans 8:13

The human body has the power of death, through it's sin (error in thinking) and the battle is in the mind ... where Spirit lives. This is ego-centric consciousness vs. Christ consciousness. While in the mythical Garden of Eden (mind), Adam and Eve were tempted by the lust of sin ... wrong thinking, missing the mark of Divine Truth, which is in all men. The conversation with the serpent, was actually Eve having an internal conversation amongst herselves. Just as we do today. We talk to ourselves, ask ourselves questions, and actually answer them. She wandered into Ego-land.

This story is about inner temptation. Eve was tempted. Adam was tempted. Jesus was tempted in the wilderness. The lust of sin in the flesh (the ramblings and desires of our ego) bring about these temptations. And therefore, this Devil/Satan who is "the opposer" leads us astray from the default of goodness and righteousness. When we "sin" (make an error in judgement through ignorance leading to consequences) - we bring forth the Devil. Satan (ha-satan! the Opposer). The opposite end of polarity between good, and not good. We are given this duality (range of polarity) so that we can discern what is right, or unright. Human nature ego, or Divine nature Mind. Once we see the Truth, that which was illusion dissipates. 

Your mirror reflection is not actually you, but it looks just like you ... in the opposite reverse polarity. Once you see that the image is not real, that it is merely an illusion, it is no longer needed. You have learned the lesson that was intended. The Devil/Satan are not anthropomorphized evil as personages, they are our ego mind, forever wanting to follow the desires of our senses, rather than what is best for our Self and everyone else. We are one race, one blood, one point of origin. God/Source/Spirit lives with us, through us, and as us. When all is "whole" ... "holy," then we can attain Heaven on Earth. The Kingdom is described in the scriptures as being "Love, Peace, and Joy." So, let's make it happen. Collectively, we are commissioned to bring order from chaos (day from night, light from darkness). We have the ability to reason. The universe is one giant organism, and we live within it, as it, and there is nowhere else to go but right where we are. All is NOW. All is here. 

Just a thought ... 

~Justin Taylor, ORDM., OCP., DM.

Getting Free From Your Ego

Steps to Getting Free From Your Ego

So if you practice yoga, or participate in any kind of self-reflective practice, then you're probably familiar with the concept of the ego. Now, we're not talking the Freudian definition of ego — a mediator of sorts between the id (base desires) and the superego (idealistic desires). What we’re talking about here is that little voice inside you that is the source of so much worry, anxiety and suffering … much of it undesirable. The ego is what keeps you locked away in your own little world, separated from the present moment, the NOW.

You see, the ego used to have an important job … getting us all hyped up and aware of our surroundings in case a saber-toothed tiger was lurking around the corner. These days we don’t run into dangers like that all that often. But the ego still needs to feel employed and important. It does this by inspiring fear, self-judgment and judgment of others.

Let’s think about this for a moment. Think about the source of any of your anxieties. I’m going to bet a lot of them have to do with future projections or imagined events and outcomes. But here’s the secret, the future does not exist anywhere but in your mind.

All these future events you’re worrying about? They don’t exist. I mean, maybe you won’t get that promotion. What happens then? Well, you’ll deal with it in the moment just like you’ve always dealt with any hardship. Projecting about it and worrying about it is a useless waste of your time and energy.

When you find yourself projecting ask yourself the following question: can I do anything about this right now? If the answer is no, then stop worrying. Listen to your breath and allow it to bring you into the moment. Do something that brings you joy. If the answer is yes, then stop worrying and get busy.

The same thing applies to the past. The ego loves to keep us trapped there … rehashing old hurts, perceived mistakes, ancient regrets … replaying the video tape in our head. What good do these obsessions do? Presumably, you’ve learned the lesson and you have (or will) apply it to future decisions. Hey, you did the best you could. Now move on.

So, how do we free ourselves? Man, it ain’t easy, that’s for sure. The concepts themselves are easy, sure. But enacting them? That’s another story. The moment you think you have it figured out, you’re suddenly anxious again, projecting forward or backward, building fear upon fear until the present moment is so far gone that you have no idea what you did that day, aside from getting worked up about your bank balance or the state of your relationships. The ego thrives on separating you from the moment and from others who share in this moment with you.

As for me, I’m definitely not free from concern or anxiety, but at least now I have to tools to identify it and move on. Let me tell you, THAT in itself is the greatest gift. It’s the freedom that comes from realizing that we are not our thoughts. So here we go:

1. Choose Love

Yeah, I know how that sounds, but give it a chance. Love is the only real emotion. Fear is an illusion. I know, difficult to understand, but what will help is this: as soon as you have a fearful or anxious thought, tell yourself; “love did not create this thought, and so it is not real.”

Even if you can’t quite get on board the love thing, don’t worry about it. Just start telling yourself “if love did not create it, it is not real.” Trust me on this. You’ll have a whole new perspective on your situation. It’s amazing how solutions suddenly occur to you once you’re no longer trapped in the fear/anxiety cycle.

2. Never Complain

Complaining keeps us locked in negativity, Think about it. Who wants to hang out with someone who complains all the time? No one. So why complain even to yourself? This is the source from which self-disgust, self-hatred, and self-sabotage springs … and the ego loves it, this self-imposed separation.

When we complain, what we are doing is telling a story to ourselves in our minds, and then verbally telling others about our personal response to what is taking place in our lives. The story centers on how an event affects 'me.' In an instant, we are able to see that we have bought into the validity of our thoughts and opinions and we want to broadcast them.

Again, a little difficult. But if you don’t get it, don’t worry. This is all you have to know - just stop complaining. Try it for a week, see what happens. See how your life opens up for you. If you need more motivation, start a complaining fund. Every time you catch yourself complaining, drop a quarter (or a dollar or a twenty, whatever keeps you in line) into a jar. The ego always wants to improve on the current moment. Don’t let it draw you down that path. Breathe. Find something beautiful. Focus. Take your thoughts back to a safe place.

3. If All Else Fails, Be Grateful

It’s hard to be down and out while also feeling grateful. You may try the above suggestions and find that you begin to get angry. You start to feel like all this self work and self-reflection is pointless, and you should be able to feel and say, and eat and think, and watch what you like. This is totally normal. This is the ego defending itself. It’s throwing up any obstacle it can into your path. It’s main goal, remember, is to maintain the separation. It wants the control over you, but it was never meant to lead.

This whole practice of taking charge over your ego is like one big detox. The anger and self-righteousness you begin to feel after starting this process is the same thing. And just like a hangover, all you can do is wait it out and make the best choices you can stomach.

So when the anger strikes, just let go of all the self-improvement stuff for a while. Do this instead:

- make a list. Just grab a piece of paper and begin writing down all the things for which you are grateful for. I don’t care if you can only think of one thing and that one thing is that you had food on your table today. Be grateful for it, and be REALLY grateful. And then keep going. Keep writing. Is the sun coming through the window? Or maybe it’s raining and you love the rain. Maybe your favorite show is on later. Just be grateful. Write it down. This is your one small step back toward your path.

Working on yourself in this way can be exhausting, I know. But don’t think you have to do it all at once; don’t feel like you’ve failed if you have a fearful or anxious thought. That whole striving for perfection thing? What do you think that is? It’s Ego. The ego wants a destination and it wants to get there. Right now. The work you’re doing here is a journey and it’s a journey taken in very small, baby steps. Let each step be a destination of its own, if that’s what drives you. Each breath, each moment, each movement you make is your destination. Even as you begin, know you have already arrived.

Just a thought …

Justin Taylor, ORDM., OCP., DM.

My thanks to Amy Jirsa for her information.