

# THE GOSPEL OF JESUS DECODED

The Mystery of Shem

Michael Bowes

# .

Smashwords Edition

Copyright 2013 Michael Bowes

www.gospeldecoded.org

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# Table of Contents

Introduction

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Appendix to Chapter 3

Appendix to Chapter 4

Appendix to Chapter 5

# Introduction

People are fascinated by stories of beings from other planets, and tales of ghosts, demons, and angels have been told in many cultures throughout the ages. But there is nothing in life that surpasses an actual encounter with an otherworldly being, particularly if that being happens to be the Supreme Being, the Lord of the Universe.

Most people would scoff at the possibility of actually meeting God. But that is the message that Jesus tried to convey. He wanted humankind to know that it is possible to transcend "normal" consciousness and enter into actual communion with God itSelf.

Within the mighty hall of your heart, the Lord of the Universe is seated, waiting for you to arrive, waiting to welcome you and accept you for what you have always been—a child of God, a child of the Universe.

Imagine that you are sitting in a chair, resting for a moment, and suddenly, without any forewarning, you feel a strange, powerful, mystical, and supremely blissful power rise up your spine; you lose awareness of the outside world. You lose touch with your everyday self and are immersed, submerged in a vast, seemingly infinite and awesome ocean of bliss. You immediately recognize your new environment to be the source of _All Life_ , the _Living God—_ your very own awakened divine self—the essence and font of the universe.

And imagine that this experience also conveys the everlasting nature of your very own soul, as it exists forever in oneness with God.

Imagine that during this experience, you learn that you have always existed and that you always will, and that there is nothing to fear because you exist eternally united with, and immersed in, the inner and outer universe—the Supreme Being.

This is the new birth, the baptism in the Holy Spirit, the kingdom of heaven, the power of the Universe. And this is the gospel, the message of Jesus.

The true meaning of Jesus' message is more wonderful and more fantastic than anyone can possibly imagine. Only the experience of this unimaginable truth could cause one to attempt to articulate it.

I can only point the way to this knowledge. One must be born again, or one will never understand. One can experience a birth of a new and hitherto unknown facet of one's own self—Christ, the Son of God. I am not referring to a theoretical new birth achieved by taking Jesus as one's savior in a theological sense; I am referring to a spiritual birth that is more real than our physical birth. We don't even remember our physical birth, but we can never forget the new birth. Do you remember your own birth? I don't. But I do remember, and will always remember, my "spiritual birth."

One can be born again. One must be born again to enter into the knowledge, power, and peace that is the reward of the initiation into the essence of the universe—Cosmic Being.

Even in this modern, capitalistic and hedonistic age, people yearn for spiritual truth. Books on spiritual topics have become wildly popular because they seem to offer a glimpse into the hidden truths of Christ. Even though it was fiction, one such book suggested that descendants of Jesus may be alive in the world today. I don't know if there are descendants of Jesus alive today or not, but the fact is that Christ, the son of God, is actually alive in the world today and has awakened in the hearts and minds of many fortunate people.

These fortunate few know God and know their relationship to God. They are completely aware of their own immortal nature, and they find peace in the new life that has awakened within.

This book was inspired by the illuminating grace and powerful presence of the Supreme Being. It will decode and reveal truths that inspire, transform, and unite people. Unfortunately, religion creates division, misunderstanding, and conflict. But the grace of God is a power that unites rather than divides.

The message of Jesus is that "...the kingdom of heaven, the power of the universe, the kingdom of God is within." That was his message two thousand years ago, and it is still the most important message of our time.

The goal of this book is to decode and elucidate this message in a manner that will lead us to an encounter with our own immortal soul.

# Chapter One

I am convinced that the man we call Jesus was a human being who actually existed. His being, presence, and power immortalized him. But the message that Jesus tried to convey was lost long ago and has never been widely understood. This book elucidates the message that he actually tried to convey to humanity, a truth that is powerful, glorious, and sublime; a reality that lies beyond the realm of human imagination. Although the reality of the Universal Being is beyond our imagination, the experience of this spiritual truth is possible for all to achieve.

In order to prepare our minds to accept the unimaginable, we must examine how and why the true message of Jesus is radically different than traditional Christian theology. The fact that many sects and denominations of Christianity exist indicates that the meaning of Jesus' message is not perfectly clear. Christians agree that Jesus taught a path to " _salvation_ ," but it is my contention that salvation is achieved through "spiritual experience," and not through blind faith. Our efforts to experience spiritual truths can be aided by an understanding of Jesus' teachings.

No one will ever be able to understand every detail of what Jesus said and taught. But there is enough evidence in the Bible to know what the principle content of his message was. It is not my intention to try to interpret all of Jesus' sayings in the Bible but to address the ones that are related to his primary message, a message that is vastly different than what is commonly believed.

Before delving into that portion of this work, it is necessary to point out several errors in traditional Christian doctrine and how these errors might have occurred. I would like to make one point clear from the beginning. This is _not_ an attack upon the Christian Church. Although I do believe that errors in theology abound, it is also my heartfelt belief that the Church is in possession of enough truth to make its existence and its work more than worthwhile. I have benefited immeasurably from the general teachings of contemporary Christianity. During my early life, I practiced and studied Christianity, first in the Catholic Church and subsequently in various other denominations. These lessons that I learned were all valuable and irreplaceable steps on my personal spiritual journey. At each step along the way, I enjoyed the delights of a new spiritual oasis, but I was never totally satisfied, and eventually, I would resume my search, never knowing where my journey would take me or where it might end. In fact, I have come to believe that there is no end. I think that we simply move from "glory to glory," perhaps for eternity.

Any criticisms of doctrine that I offer are only intended to be a wake-up call to those who are ready to continue their own spiritual journey. And just as primitive scientific truths have yielded to more refined theories and processes, so our attitudes and beliefs may also yield to more accurate insights. My intention is to highlight the essential truth of the message of Jesus, a truth that I believe the Church as a whole has never been in possession of.

Due to the relatively open and tolerant nature of modern society, it is now possible to try to communicate the true message of Jesus. Primitive societies would not have been so permissive. One only needs to consider the intolerant nature of today's fundamentalist Islamic governments to catch a glimpse of socio-religious attitudes that would be similar to those of many primitive societies.

The Christian Church, for the most part, declares that the Bible is the inspired word of God. In the case of the Catholic Church, the edicts of the pope are considered to be infallible. Let's investigate this for a moment. First of all, the major religions of the world all believe that their particular scriptures are the inspired word of God. Until fairly recently, peoples, tribes, civilizations, and countries were relatively isolated. Early religions and spiritual traditions evolved differently in different places. Oftentimes, spiritual law was synonymous with civil law. Even today, when we are born into a society, we learn the ways, rules, customs, and laws of that particular society. There are certain rules of conduct that must be adhered to or we will have to pay the price. For the most part, modern societies are much more liberal than in the past, and it is rare for religious law to serve as civil law as well. But in more ancient times, people were often governed by laws and customs that were inseparable from their religion. And if people in ancient societies had doubts about the philosophical and religious structure of their society, they would have to conceal or ignore those doubts in order to remain functioning members of that society. In other words, they were conditioned by their social/religious environment, just as we are conditioned by our society and upbringing. They would likely accept the teachings of their religious leaders as absolute truth. If there were scriptures associated with their society, they would be considered to be divine revelations that were beyond question. And to a certain degree, it is the same today. If we sincerely subscribe to a religion, we will most likely have to believe that our particular scriptures are the inspired word of God and that they contain a complete and utterly truthful account of spiritual issues. As I hope to demonstrate later in this work, most traditional religious doctrines actually deal with moral and social issues rather than spiritual truths.

I once met a young Israeli in a restaurant. We were both traveling and introduced ourselves. We began a conversation that covered many topics. Eventually, the discussion turned to the ongoing Israeli-Arab conflict. He felt that the Israelis had a valid claim to Jerusalem and the entire land of Israel because of his interpretation of the Jewish scriptures. I pointed out to him that it had been more than nineteen hundred years since the Jews had actually controlled that land, but this didn't make any difference to him. He considered his scriptures to be the final verdict on that subject. Understanding, compromise, and sharing are the real solutions to the Arab-Israeli issue, as well as so many other similar situations. I believe that the practice of loving, sharing, and understanding are God's way—the "spiritual way"—and it is counterproductive to let any scripture stand in the way of love.

Another point to be considered is that this life and this world are in themselves mysteries. Who can explain life? Yet, that is exactly the purpose of religion—to _explain_ the part of life that is beyond our ordinary perception, the "higher" truths of life. People who take the time to think just a little about the "mysteries of life" will certainly be confounded by the philosophical issues of our existence. Life defies understanding. The rational mind is not a person's highest faculty, but at this time it is the highest faculty commonly used by people. The mind cries out for a reason, an answer to its questions. Because it is in control, it demands to be satisfied. Religious traditions and scriptures provide somewhat of a stable mental framework to keep the rational man from being overwhelmed by the mysteries of existence. If we feel that our mental framework is not secure, it becomes difficult for many of us to function. Consequently, we tend to believe that our traditions are the absolute truth.

Now let us say for a moment that the Judeo-Christian scriptures are inspired by the Spirit—and indeed they are, for all things everywhere are a working of the Spirit. Does that necessarily mean that they are 100 percent true or accurate? I don't believe so. Many people believe that the world and all existence were created by God. But is our world perfect? Most would say that it is not. But if God made the world and God is perfect, then why isn't this world a perfect world? The traditional Christian answer to this question is that Adam and Eve made a bad choice in the Garden of Eden and this has adversely affected the course of humanity. This would seem to indicate that Adam and Eve were more powerful than the Creator. Otherwise, how could the creation run afoul of the Creator? Sometimes, ministers and priests will say that Satan rules the world. Then Satan must be more powerful than God. Or God allows evil and error to have their place. In my opinion, the answer to the question of how evil and error exist is that they are an integral part of the Creation and they permeate existence alongside goodness and truth. The coexistence of good and evil, error and truth, extends into the sacred scriptures of all traditions, including the Bible.

Some of the errors contained in the Bible are deliberate perversions of the truth. Consider the following passage:

How can you say, "We are wise, And the law of the Lord is with us"? But behold, the lying pen of the scribes has made it into a lie. The wise men are put to shame, They are dismayed and caught; Behold, they have rejected the word of the Lord, And what kind of wisdom do they have?

(Jeremiah 8:8-9)

So we can see from the Bible itself that certain perversions of the scriptures were committed by the scribes and priests. Which portions were perverted we cannot tell from this passage of Jeremiah.

In addition to deliberate perversions, there are errors in scripture due to faulty opinion and human error. One of the clearest examples of this are the discrepancies found in the genealogies of Jesus presented in the Gospels of Matthew and Luke. The Gospel of Matthew provides a genealogy of Jesus from Abraham to Joseph and the Gospel of Luke from Joseph to Adam. When one studies these genealogies, it becomes obvious that they do not agree in the portion that they both include—that is, from Abraham to Jesus. I include them here in the same order (from Joseph to Abraham) for the convenience of the reader. Since they do not match, I have tried to match like names when possible.

These genealogies are vastly different. One or both of them are erroneous. How can a person reconcile the differences in these genealogies with the belief that every word of the scriptures is literally true? I will let the reader decide. Also, most Christian theologies claim that Jesus was not the son of Joseph. They assert that he was conceived directly by God.

If that's the case, then why would the writers of the gospels trace his lineage through Joseph when his father was God? Undoubtedly, this was an attempt to show that Jesus was descended from the House of David because according to Jewish prophecy, the "Messiah" was supposed to be descended from David. But if Jesus was conceived by God and not by man, then Joseph was not Jesus' father. Why trace Jesus' genealogy through Joseph?

Virtually everything about present Christian theology has been the product of the dictums of the apostles and early fathers of the Church. Previously, I illustrated that the priests and scribes of ancient Israel could not always be trusted. I have also shown that the writers of the gospels have been in error as well. Can we be sure that all the opinions of the fathers of the Christian Church could be trusted? I think not. Yet our theology depends almost entirely upon their opinions, together with certain modifications made throughout the ages. This is not to say that the fathers of the Church were of bad character and intentionally malicious or misleading; I only mean that their opinions are not necessarily correct or complete. Later, I will demonstrate that even the opinions of the apostles, which are recorded in the New Testament, are sometimes incorrect.

By far, the major problem associated with biblical interpretation has to do with language itself. This is because words are only suitable for communicating facts and ideas about commonly understood objects and situations. Unfortunately, true spiritual experience is not common. We all know what a tree is, so when the word _tree_ is used, we have a good idea of what is meant. Things start to become less clear, however, if we start talking about a certain species of tree, such as an oak. If the listener is not familiar with the species referred to, the effectiveness of the attempted communication is severely limited. The speaker or writer may be able to go into enough detail to render an effective description to the individual or audience, and then again, depending on the knowledge and experience of the audience, this may not be possible. So the verbal description of objects has its limitations.

The problem of communication becomes even more apparent as we try to describe emotions and feelings. We have all experienced happiness, sadness, pain, etcetera. But it can be extremely difficult, if not impossible, to describe these feelings exactly. I might tell my doctor that I have some kind of pain. He will want to know the location, which shouldn't be too hard to relate, but he may also want to know if it is a sharp pain or a dull pain, whether it is constant or comes and goes, how intense it is, etcetera. Finally, after considerable discussion, the doctor will formulate some idea of what this pain is like, but he still will not know the exact feeling of my pain. Words only express accurately what is common among people. The more common the object or experience is, the easier it will be to effectively communicate about it.

The social and moral issues of religion are relatively easy to express. Most religions urge their followers to be good, to do good, and to worship God in some way, but the "spiritual truths" of life are nearly impossible to describe. For instance, what is _Spirit_? Is it a ghost or a nonmaterial being? What is the nature of Spirit? These are questions and issues that defy exact explanation. First of all, many people have never had what they might call a spiritual experience. Those who claim to have had what they would describe as a spiritual experience might offer all kinds of explanations and descriptions of what "spirit" is. I have my own ideas about the nature of spirit, but I know that the expression of those ideas can never totally describe what my own spiritual experiences have been.

A spiritual teacher attempts to convey spiritual truths—truths that are a reality to the teacher and that are born of experience. These experiences are relatively rare, and for that reason, there is no common ground of experience to aid in communication. If the types of experience that Jesus and Paul were trying to teach about were common, there would be no need to teach them. Consequently, it is not possible to fully express spiritual truths in words. The only way to really "know" is through direct revelation or experience. No one can really tell you the truth about spiritual matters. Words can only point the way.

For to us God revealed them through the Spirit; for the Spirit searches all things, even the depths of God. For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the spirit of the man, which is in him? Even so the thoughts of God no one knows except the Spirit of God.

Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things freely given to us by God, which things we also speak, not in words taught by human wisdom, but in those taught by the Spirit, combining spiritual thoughts with spiritual words.

But a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God; for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised. But he who is spiritual appraises all things, yet he himself is appraised by no man.

(1st Corinthians 2:10-15)

The difficulties associated with verbal descriptions are further compounded by the problem of translation. Accurate translation is extremely difficult at best. A good translation should be easy to read. But it can be extremely difficult, if not impossible, to produce an accurate translation in an easily readable form. Certain words of foreign or ancient languages do not lend themselves to concise translation. So in order to produce a rendering that is acceptable to the reader, many subtleties must be left out. Also, some Hebrew and Greek words are used idiomatically rather than in their classical sense.[1] It is not always easy to determine which words are being used idiomatically, but some are relatively apparent.

Newer translations generally follow prior translations. As a language, such as English, evolves into more modern forms, new translations are produced that reflect changes in the language. For instance, when the English of the King James Version became antiquated, new translations were produced to keep pace with the changes in modern English. Ordinarily, the sense of older translations is preserved; therefore, errors continue to perpetuate themselves. The translators do their job in accordance with their conditioning. When a translator has to choose one meaning for a Greek or Hebrew word when several are available, he or she will choose the one that best suits his or her particular theology. So any translation will only reflect the theology or tradition that the translator subscribes to.

Although the ancient texts of the New Testament come to us in Greek, it is useful to remember that with the possible exception of the texts attributable to Luke,[2] the New Testament is the product of the Hebrew mind. For this reason, when trying to establish the meaning of certain Greek words in the New Testament, I have found it to be helpful to study the Hebrew words that were translated by that particular Greek word in the Septuagint. The Septuagint is a translation of the Hebrew Bible dating from about 200 BC. This translation gives us a more accurate idea of the meaning of a Greek word as it was understood by the Jews shortly before the time of Jesus. The sense of Greek words used in the Bible may not always be the same as the meaning of the same word in classical Greek writings.

In addition to the problems presented by effective communication and translation, another major issue arises in regard to the interpretation of Jesus' sayings. Jesus often taught in parables. His parables were purposefully ambiguous. There is no doubt, however, that Jesus and the apostles, particularly Paul, at times wanted to be able to communicate their message directly and effectively. But this is not always an easy task. In fact, in respect to the highest spiritual truths, it is practically impossible.

Parables are useful for trying to demonstrate what spiritual truths are like. There is an orderliness to the universe because it is the manifestation of the Spirit. For this reason, there are archetypes that prevail throughout existence. For example, the form of an atom, with its particles orbiting about the nucleus, is very much like the form of the solar system, with the planets orbiting about the sun. The physical laws involved in these two manifestations are vastly different, but the appearance in form is similar. An atom and a solar system are different, yet they are similar in some ways. This is but one example of similarities that exist in the microcosm and the macrocosm.

In the same way, certain spiritual truths can be compared to circumstances that we find on this earth and in our daily lives. This is why Jesus would sometimes say things such as the following:

And He was saying, "The kingdom of God _is like_ a man who casts seed upon the soil..."

(Mark 4:26, emphasis added)

" _It is like_ a mustard seed, which, when sown upon the soil, though it is smaller than all the seeds that are upon the soil..."

(Mark 4:31, emphasis added)

So, the parable is useful as a comparison or illustration. But no illustration is actually the thing in itself. It is only a representation.

Another reason that Jesus taught in parables is so that each individual could extract something from the teaching according to his or her own level of understanding. There are many sincere spiritual and religious people, yet each of them may see life in slightly or even drastically different ways because of their perspectives. Yet every sincere spiritual seeker needs to feel as if he or she is treading a valid spiritual path. And indeed they all are. The parable is an excellent medium for this approach because the multitudes could interpret the teaching according to their own understanding and gain something from it.

And with many such parables He was speaking the word to them _as they were able to hear it_...

(Mark 4:33, emphasis added)

The parable as a method of teaching has advantages, but its disadvantage is that it provides the opportunity for all types of interpretation. One person's idea of the meaning of the parable could be vastly different from another person's. Therefore, it can be impossible to establish with certainty what the intended meaning really was. The parable method allows everyone to form his or her own opinion. This is one of the reasons that so many different Christian denominations exist. If the teachings of Jesus and the apostles were absolutely clear, it would not be possible to form the various sects and denominations of Christianity that we find today. As we shall see, these divisions began almost immediately after the death of Jesus.

Yet, there is another reason that Jesus taught in parables, and that was to purposefully conceal certain details of his message from the multitudes. At times, he taught in parables so that most people _would not_ understand what he was talking about. The Bible states this very clearly:

Therefore I speak to them in parables; because while seeing they do not see, and while hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand.

And in their case the prophecy of Isaiah is being fulfilled, which says, "You will keep on hearing, but will not understand; And you will keep on seeing, but will not perceive..."

(Matthew 13:13-14)

It's easy to become confused or to misunderstand people if they don't want you to understand them to begin with. So why would Jesus teach in such a way? There are several reasons. First of all, in ancient Jewish society, the religious leaders wielded tremendous power. Violating certain religious laws could result in death or other harsh punishments. In Jewish society at the time, blasphemy, adultery, and other infractions could result in execution. In order to avoid this possibility and still communicate his ideas, Jesus needed to express himself in terms that could be understood by certain people who had a predisposition to elevated spiritual concepts.

As He said these things, He would call out, " _He who has ears to hear, let him hear_."

(Luke 8:8, emphasis added)

Another reason that it might be necessary to conceal the higher truths from the multitudes is that the most sublime message of Jesus is open to distortion and subject to abuse, as well as outright rejection.

Do not give what is holy to dogs, and do not throw your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces.

(Matthew 7:6).

After Jesus' death, the apostle Paul also realized that most people were not able to receive the higher spiritual truths.

And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual men, but as to men of flesh, as to babes in Christ. I gave you milk to drink, not solid food; for you were not yet able to receive it. Indeed, even now you are not yet able...

(1st Corinthians 3:1-2)

So when Jesus spoke in parables, he was trying to avoid the wrath of the authorities, while directing his message to certain people who were ready to receive it.

From the preceding discussion, it is easy to see how many factors contribute to the confusion and errors that have crept into the Church and Christian theology in general.

# Chapter Two

In the first chapter, we investigated some of the challenges associated with understanding the teachings of Jesus. In this chapter, it is our purpose to examine specific details about how and why these issues contributed to the creation of an erroneous tradition. As far as we know, Jesus himself did not convey his teachings in writing. This was done by his direct disciples, as well as Paul and those who came after them. It is necessary, therefore, to try to determine to what extent the disciples understood the message of Jesus, because their communication of his message would only reflect their own degree of comprehension. It is a commonly held Christian belief that the apostles and early disciples were infallible. But the Christian scriptures reveal that their understanding was actually incomplete or even corrupted by their own religious traditions and biases. Jesus indicated that different people would grasp his teachings in varying degrees,[3] but most Christians, because of the bias of "blind faith," have never considered that Jesus' own disciples might have misunderstood him. Blind faith is truly blind.

As we know, Jesus selected some disciples and they usually accompanied him on his travels through the land of Israel and neighboring areas. These people had been selected to receive the higher truths—the "mysteries of the kingdom of heaven."

And the disciples came and said to Him, "Why do You speak to them in parables?" And He answered and said to them, "To you it has been granted to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been granted."

(Matthew 13:10-11)

The preceding passage indicates that Jesus wanted to reveal his secret to his disciples. He must have felt that they could be trusted because at that time, the essence of his message would be considered blasphemy, which was punishable by death. He also must have felt that the disciples would be capable of understanding and assimilating his doctrine. In order to explain the nature of the mysteries, a prolonged relationship with his disciples would be necessary. But no matter how much time he spent or how many words he spoke, the mysteries cannot be totally explained. Intellectual understanding is not the thing in itself; it only points the way. Because verbal teachings cannot result in a true understanding of spiritual truths, I believe Jesus also taught his disciples certain spiritual practices that ultimately would culminate in spiritual realization and thus a true understanding of his message.

But did the disciples ever grasp the true meaning of Jesus' most intimate teachings? The only data that we have at our disposal by which to make this determination is the information contained in the New Testament. The overwhelming amount of evidence has convinced me that with the possible exception of John, the twelve disciples who accompanied Jesus never really completely understood his message.

Jesus knew full well that his disciples did not understand his public dissertations, because often, after the public discourse and in private, he would offer them an explanation of the parables. Of course, this would not have been necessary if they could have discerned the meaning on their own.

...and He did not speak to them without a parable; but He was explaining everything privately to His own disciples.

(Mark 4:34)

Sometimes the disciples would ask Jesus the meaning of a parable.

And His disciples began questioning Him as to what this parable might be.

(Luke 8:9)

Then He left the multitudes, and went into the house. And His disciples came to Him, saying, "Explain to us the parable of the tares of the field."

(Matthew 13:36)

Jesus would sometimes address the multitudes with the saying, "He who has ears, let him hear." But it seems that his chosen disciples' "ears" were not attuned to the hidden message in Jesus' parables. At times, Jesus appeared to be exasperated with their lack of understanding.

And Peter answered and said to Him, "Explain the parable to us." And He said, "Are you still lacking in understanding also?"

(Matthew 15:15-16)

And when leaving the multitude, He had entered the house, His disciples questioned Him about the parable. And He said to them, Are you so lacking in understanding also? Do you not understand that whatever goes into the man from outside cannot defile him...

(Mark 7:17-18)

And He said to them, "Do you not understand this parable? And how will you understand all the parables?"

(Mark 4:13)

The preceding verses reveal the apostles' lack of understanding. But there are other passages that indicate that the apostles _had_ grasped the hidden meanings of Jesus' message.

For the heart of this people has become dull, And with their ears they scarcely hear. And they have closed their eyes lest they should see with their eyes, And hear with their ears, And understand with their heart and return, And I should heal them. But blessed are your eyes, because they see; and your ears, because they hear.

(Matthew 13:15-16)

The preceding passages offer two different views of the apostles' comprehension of Jesus' message. Some of the passages indicate that the apostles did understand Jesus, and others indicate that they did not understand. But it is important to try to establish their degree of understanding because they were the earliest fathers of the Church and must have influenced the writing of the Gospels. The Gospels, along with the Acts of the Apostles and the Epistles, are the foundation texts of the Christian religion. If the understanding of the authors was faulty or incomplete, then of course this would be reflected in their texts and the errors would become part of tradition.

The only evidence we can access to try to decide this issue is the scriptures themselves. We have already used some passages that seem to offer conflicting views on the subject. But there is a great deal more evidence on this topic to be examined.

If the disciples had become spiritual supermen as a result of their association with Jesus, they probably would not have fled when he was taken into custody by the authorities.[4] According to the Gospels, the only disciple who was present at the crucifixion was John, the beloved.[5] I will mention at this time that I feel that it is possible that John may have had a much greater functional understanding of spiritual issues than the other disciples. It is impossible to actually establish this for certain. But the Bible states that he was present at the crucifixion, and the nature of the Gospel that is attributed to him, which is considerably different from the other three Gospels, indicates that he had a view of life and spiritual matters that was vastly different from those of the other apostles.

After the authorities seized Jesus, Peter did follow to the place where the authorities took him, but he didn't have the strength to continue and had to flee after denying Jesus. Subsequently, Peter and the other disciples were afraid and did not find the courage and inspiration to preach and proclaim the gospel until after they had received the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost.[6] This shows that all of that time the disciples spent with Jesus did not produce the effects that the experience of the Spirit bestows.

The following passage relates an incident that occurred near the end of Jesus' ministry.

"I have many more things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come."

(John 16:12-13)

As indicated by the preceding passage, Jesus realized that his disciples did not—indeed they _could_ not—understand his message. He knew that only the Holy Spirit can reveal spiritual truths. But even after the disciples received the baptism in the Holy Spirit, their behavior and teaching were not in complete harmony with the teachings of the Master. In order to see how the disciples' conduct digressed from the example set by Jesus, we will examine his religious and social attitudes as exemplified by his behavior.

At times Jesus would disregard various aspects of the Mosaic Law and prevailing Jewish customs.

At that time Jesus went on the Sabbath through the grainfields, and His disciples became hungry and began to pick the heads of grain and eat. But when the Pharisees saw it, they said to Him, "Behold, Your disciples do what is not lawful to do on a Sabbath."

But He said to them, "Have you not read what David did, when he became hungry, he and his companions; how he entered the house of God, and they ate the consecrated bread, which was not lawful for him to eat, nor for those with him, but for the priests alone? Or have you not read in the Law, that on the Sabbath the priests in the temple break the Sabbath, and are innocent? But I say to you, that something greater than the temple is here. But if you had known what this means, 'I desire compassion, and not a sacrifice,' you would not have condemned the innocent. For the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath."

And departing from there, He went into their synagogue. And behold, there was a man with a withered hand. And they questioned Him, saying, "Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?", in order that they might accuse Him.

And He said to them, "What man shall there be among you, who shall have one sheep, and if it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will he not take hold of it, and lift it out? Of how much more value then is a man than a sheep! So then, it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath."

Then He said to the man, "Stretch out your hand!" And he stretched it out, and it was restored to normal, like the other.

But the Pharisees went out, and counseled together against Him, as to how they might destroy Him. But Jesus, aware of this, withdrew from there. And many followed Him, and He healed them all, and warned them not to make Him known...

(Matthew 12:1-16)

Jesus also violated other details of Jewish custom, such as eating with unwashed hands.

And the Pharisees and some of the scribes gathered together around Him when they had come from Jerusalem, and had seen that some of His disciples were eating their bread with impure hands, that is, unwashed. (For the Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they carefully wash their hands, thus observing the traditions of the elders; and when they come from the market place, they do not eat unless they cleanse themselves; and there are many other things which they have received in order to observe, such as the washing of cups and pitchers and copper pots.) And the Pharisees and the scribes asked Him, "Why do Your disciples not walk according to the tradition of the elders, but eat their bread with impure hands?"

And after He called the multitude to Him again, He began saying to them, "Listen to Me, all of you, and understand: there is nothing outside the man which going into him can defile him; but the things which proceed out of the man are what defile the man. If any man has ears to hear, let him hear."

(Mark 7:1-5, 14-15)

Jesus did not hesitate to transgress Jewish religious laws and customs when those laws violated the law of love or the principle of freedom, as in the case of the man with the withered hand,[7] or when Jewish law violated the law of life, i.e., the disciples picking grain on the Sabbath.[8] Because Jesus was cognizant of the usually unseen truth of life, he could recognize situations in which religious law only served to obscure the truth.

One universal and indisputable tenet of Jesus' teaching is that of love. Love is the most sublime of all actions. By engaging in acts of love, we acknowledge the equality of humankind. Jesus said, "Love thy neighbor as thyself." When he was asked "...who is our neighbor?" Jesus related the well-known story of the Good Samaritan.[9] In this story, a man (presumably a Jew) was on a journey and was beaten, robbed, and left half dead. Some people passed by, all of them Jews, but left him to his fate. A Samaritan[10] was passing by and was moved by compassion. He treated the man's wounds and then took him to an inn to be cared for, paying the innkeeper for the charges. The lesson of this story is that everyone is our neighbor, irrespective of whatever superficial differences may exist.

Jesus associated with the lowly and the downtrodden, including tax gatherers and prostitutes.[11] He could judge the hearts of all people, and he did not hesitate to associate with certain people who were shunned by society for social or religious reasons. Neither did he hesitate to help and teach Gentiles.[12] In fact, Jesus commanded that his gospel should be preached to the whole world,[13] which certainly included the Gentiles. Not only did Jesus command his disciples to preach to the Gentiles; he also personally set the example.

There came a woman of Samaria to draw water. Jesus said to her, "Give Me a drink." For His disciples had gone away into the city to buy food. The Samaritan woman therefore said to Him, "How is it that You, being a Jew, ask me for a drink since I am a Samaritan woman?" (For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans.)

Jesus answered and said to her, "If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, 'Give Me a drink,' you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water."

(John 4:7-10)

The preceding passage provides a wealth of information about Jesus' outlook on many subjects. For now, I would like to point out that Jesus was dealing and speaking directly with a woman. Speaking with a woman, particularly a Samaritan woman, definitely violated the prevailing Jewish socioreligious ethic of that era. And later, he went to a Samaritan village to teach his gospel. Going to the Samaritan village was a grave violation of ancient Jewish tradition.

The Jews commonly believed that they were the chosen people and that God was not interested in any other group or religion. But Jesus wanted his message to be preached to the entire world.[14] The teachings of Jesus were vastly different than the prevailing Jewish theology. When the Samaritan woman asked him where to worship, Jesus replied:

"Woman, believe Me, an hour is coming when neither in this mountain, nor in Jerusalem, shall you worship the Father...But an hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers shall worship the Father in spirit and truth; for such people the Father seeks to be his worshipers. God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth."[15]

By this statement, Jesus indicated that the Jews did not possess a monopoly on spirituality or truth. In fact, no religion encompasses the reality of the Spirit. The Spirit is greater than rules and laws. The Spirit is beyond the mind. No one can achieve conscious communion with the Spirit through "religious legalisms,"[16] just as morality cannot be achieved through civil legislation. This is why Jesus replied the way he did to the woman's question in regard to the true place of worship.

I do not believe that Jesus taught "a religion" as the term is commonly understood. He could attract people to himself through his words and deeds and then teach them techniques that would allow them to plunge into that "spring of living water," which is the true baptism.[17] Jesus' purpose was to give us that living water. Once immersed in that "river of living water," we need no rules to live by, for we are carried along in the current of the Spirit as It wills.

And as for you, the anointing which you received from Him abides in you, and you have no need for anyone to teach you; but as His anointing teaches you about all things, and is true and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you abide in Him.

(John 2:27)

If you are a Christian or if you are at all familiar with the sayings of Jesus found in the Gospels, you will realize with only a little study and reflection, that Jesus said relatively little in regard to rules for a religion. His recorded words are few. They are mostly cryptic utterances in regard to the kingdom of heaven/God and condemnation of the Judaism of his day. Yet so many rules and rituals and sects have arisen from his teachings. This is because the mysteries of his teachings have never been commonly understood. Jesus wanted to reveal a mystery, not a set of rules.

The scriptures themselves demonstrate that the apostles did not understand the teachings of their own spiritual master. The traditions and theology of the Christian Church have originated through a strange set of circumstances. The form of Christianity that was taught and practiced by the direct disciples of Jesus was Orthodox Judaism with some kind of faith in Jesus incorporated into it. Judaism did not allow the worship of human beings or images. I can only assume that the apostles considered Jesus to be the long-awaited Messiah, who was expected to return to deliver the Jews from the Romans and set up a kingdom with Jerusalem as its capital. After Jesus' death, we know that his direct disciples still practiced the Jewish faith, even to the point of either excluding Gentiles or insisting that converted Gentiles practice the Law of Moses. But Jesus had declared that "No one sews a patch of unshrunk cloth on an old garment; otherwise the patch pulls away from it, the new from the old...And no one puts new wine into old wineskins; otherwise the wine will burst the skins, and the wine is lost..."[18] In other words, Jesus' teachings were not compatible with the Jewish religion.

But the apostles' attitudes toward Gentiles were in accord with the Jewish religion and in direct opposition to the inclusiveness of Jesus' teaching. Jesus did not hesitate to associate with and preach to Gentiles, but the apostles were reluctant to do the same.

Very early in their ministry, however, they did not hesitate to bring Gentiles into the fold as the following passage indicates.

Now when the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent them Peter and John, who came down and prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Spirit. For He had not yet fallen upon any of them; they had simply been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.

Then they began laying their hands on them, and they were receiving the Holy Spirit.

(Acts of the Apostles 8:14-17)

So in the early days of their ministry, the apostles carried the "word" to Gentiles,[19] but after a while, they changed their attitude. The following story from Acts of the Apostles illustrates this.

Peter was staying in Joppa. He had gone up to the roof to pray. He then fell into a trance and had a vision.

...and he beheld the sky opened up, and a certain object like a great sheet coming down, lowered by four corners to the ground, and there were in it all kinds of four-footed animals and crawling creatures of the earth and birds of the air. And a voice came to him, "Arise, Peter, kill and eat!" But Peter said, "By no means, Lord, for I have never eaten anything unholy and unclean."

And again a voice came to him a second time, "What God has cleansed, no longer consider unholy." And this happened three times; and immediately the object was taken up into the sky.

(Acts of the Apostles 10:11-16)

On the day before Peter had this vision, there was a Roman centurion in Caesarea named Cornelius, who also had a vision. An angel appeared to him and told him to "...dispatch some men to Joppa to send for a man named Peter..." Just as Peter's vision ended, the men Cornelius dispatched arrived at the door asking for him.

Now while Peter was greatly perplexed in mind as to what the vision which he had seen might be, behold, the men who had been sent by Cornelius, having asked directions for Simon's house, appeared at the gate; and calling out, they were asking whether Simon, who was also called Peter, was staying there. And while Peter was reflecting on the vision, the Spirit said to him, "Behold, three men are looking for you. But arise, go downstairs, and accompany them without misgivings; for I have sent them Myself."

(Acts of the Apostles 10:17-20)

Peter immediately accompanied these men to Cornelius the centurion. Once there, Peter told Cornelius that:

"You yourselves know how unlawful it is for a man who is a Jew to associate with a foreigner or to visit him; and yet God has shown me that I should not call any man unholy or unclean. That is why I came without even raising any objection when I was sent for. And so I ask for what reason you have sent for me."

And opening his mouth, Peter said: "I most certainly understand now that God is not one to show partiality, but in every nation the man who fears Him and does what is right, is welcome to Him."

(Acts of the Apostles 10:28-29; 10:34-35)

So at this time, Peter confessed that he had previously considered it to be unlawful for him, as a Jew, to associate with Gentiles, but that he now understood that "...God is not one to show partiality..." Where was Peter when Jesus told the disciples to preach the gospel to the entire world? Where was he when Jesus stayed with the Samaritans and taught them? How could Peter have forgotten these things? Had Peter also forgotten how the Gentiles were ministered to in the days just after Pentecost?

Peter began to preach to Cornelius and his household, and as he did, the Holy Spirit fell upon them. The "circumcised believers" who were with Peter were amazed that the Holy Spirit had been poured out upon the Gentiles.[20] Obviously, none of the believers who were with Peter believed that salvation or the Holy Spirit was meant for Gentiles. Peter then declared, in light of his vision at Joppa and the pouring out of the Holy Spirit upon these Gentiles, that they should be baptized in water.[21] So Cornelius and his household were baptized, and Peter stayed with them for a few days.

When Peter returned to Jerusalem, however, he was confronted by other disciples who took issue with him.

Now the apostles and the brethren who were throughout Judea heard that the Gentiles also had received the word of God. And when Peter came up to Jerusalem, those who were circumcised took issue with him, saying, "You went to uncircumcised men and ate with them." But Peter began speaking and proceeded to explain to them in orderly sequence...

(Acts of the Apostles 11:1-4)

It is obvious that the early disciples believed that Jesus only wanted his teaching to be revealed to the Jews. Is this the Christianity that we recognize today? Did Jesus himself exclude people from his teachings because they were not Jews? Of course not, and it is impossible to reconcile the beliefs and behavior of the disciples with the teachings and example of Jesus.

For a time after the vision at Joppa and the experience with Cornelius, Peter was willing to minister to and associate with Gentiles, but later on, he changed his mind and would not associate with them. Subsequent passages in Acts of the Apostles show that Gentiles who were baptized were expected to practice the Law of Moses. The religion and theology of the early disciples in Jerusalem was nothing like the Christianity that is generally practiced today. And as I will illustrate, their theology bore little resemblance to the teachings of Jesus.

Christianity, as we know it, owes its very existence to the apostle Paul. Paul, known as Saul before his conversion, was a zealous Jew, who felt that he had to eradicate the followers of Jesus. Paul's life changed because of an experience that he had as he was traveling to Damascus.[22] This experience not only compelled Paul to become a follower of Christ but also provided him with a true knowledge of the Spirit and revealed the essential teachings of Jesus. Without such an experience, the truth can never truly be our own possession. As far as we know, Paul had never met Jesus, yet his experience on the road to Damascus provided him with the foundation and essential knowledge necessary to be called a true apostle or witness of Christ.

What Paul experienced on the road to Damascus was the all-inclusive, all-pervasive Spirit of God. It was then that Paul realized the freedom of the Spirit, which is beyond all laws and religions. Subsequently, Paul abandoned the Law of Moses. His doctrine was that of freedom in Christ, and he did not hesitate to minister to anyone who wanted to hear the gospel.

Eventually, this led to a conflict with the other disciples in Jerusalem. It seems that there was a militant faction among the apostolic Jewish Christians in Jerusalem. This group was fanatical about the observance of the Law of Moses. They sent representatives to the Gentile churches telling the brethren that they must be circumcised and submit to the Law of Moses.[23] Needless to say, this was a cause of great consternation among the Gentile believers. Ultimately, Paul found it necessary to go to Jerusalem personally to settle this issue.[24] This meeting spawned great debate between Paul and the apostles and elders of the Church.[25] The outcome of the discussion was a decision by the apostles and elders that the Gentiles should remain free to practice the form of Christianity that Paul had preached to them with the addition of only a few relatively minor restrictions.[26] The apostles and elders drafted a letter and even sent men with Paul and Barnabas to the Gentile churches to inform those disciples of their decision. So in the end, Paul and the teaching of Jesus prevailed.

This was not the end of the problem, however, because Peter continued to vacillate on this issue.

But when Cephas (Peter) came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he stood condemned. For prior to the coming of certain men from James, he used to eat with the Gentiles; but when they came, he began to withdraw and hold himself aloof, fearing the party of the circumcision. And the rest of the Jews joined him in hypocrisy, with the result that even Barnabas was carried away by their hypocrisy. _But when I saw that they were not straightforward about the truth of the gospel_ , I said to Cephas in the presence of all, "If you, being a Jew, live like the Gentiles and not like the Jews, how is it that you compel the Gentiles to live like Jews?"

(Galatians 2:11-14, emphasis added)

In this passage, Paul states that "...they were not straightforward about the truth of the gospel..." This is my contention—that generally speaking, the apostles were not at all true to the teachings of Jesus. I think that this is partially due to their misunderstanding and partly to the religious and social pressures of the time. If the apostles were not straightforward about the truth of the gospel in their dealings with the brethren, then can we believe with certainty that everything that has been written in the gospels and epistles is completely true and accurate?

# Chapter Three

In the first two chapters, we examined the challenges associated with communicating and understanding mystical truths—the inadequacy of words, the reality of mistranslation, the corruption of texts, misunderstanding, etcetera. By studying the scriptures, we have learned about the confusion that existed in the early church. Today, there are many different Christian sects with vastly different interpretations of Jesus' sayings. I know that the essential truth of Jesus' message was totally misunderstood by most of his disciples. And his message continues to be unfathomable to the Christian Church to this very day.

How then is it possible to decipher the mystery at this time, so long after the fact? To determine the original and authentic message of Jesus, we will use Greek and Hebrew to examine his words. We will also examine the writings, philosophy, and sayings from other people, religions, and cultures that were and are proclaiming the same message. To win a case in a court of law, we have to present evidence and testimony to prove our case. The witnesses in this case will include John the Baptist, Moses, Paul, John the Beloved, and many others from different cultures and religions around the world. These people are witnesses to the highest known spiritual truth.

In regard to theology, the Christian Church usually rejects the opinions of non-Christians. But ignorance only breeds superstition and fear. The opinions of non-Christian spiritual seekers from around the world are as valid as the testimony of any other honest person. Paul and others recognized the validity of the opinions of the members of other religions.

For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because _that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made,_ so that they are without excuse.

(Romans 1:18-20, emphasis added)

For when Gentiles who do not have the Law do instinctively the things of the Law, these, not having the Law, are a law to themselves, _in that they show the work of the Law written in their hearts,_ their conscience bearing witness, and their thoughts alternately accusing or else defending them, on the day when, according to my gospel, God will judge the secrets of men through Christ Jesus.

(Romans 2:14-16, emphasis added)

The preceding quotation leaves little doubt that Paul and other early disciples believed that the Spirit had revealed itself to people in all the nations, not just to Jews. So I will reference spiritual teachers from other religious traditions to help reveal the original secret that Jesus taught. Many spiritual seekers from around the world have discovered the same ancient truth. To help maintain the readability of the text, some of these quotations will be placed in the appendices found at the end of this book.

To support a scientific theory, the results of an experiment must be duplicated. So the testimony of other persons from other religions will help to corroborate the truth.

Spiritual experience opened my eyes to the message of Jesus.[27] And what is his fundamental message? "The kingdom of heaven/God is within you." In the Bible, when Jesus used the word _gospel_ , he usually used the word _kingdom_ in the same sentence or passage. And when used in that context, the word _gospel_ , which is translated from the Greek word EUAGGELION, should be translated as _reward_. According to the _Thayer Greek-English Lexicon_ , the primary definition of EUAGGELION is "...a reward for glad tidings." When _gospel_ is used with the phrase _kingdom of heaven_ , _gospel_ should not be translated as _message_ ; it should be translated as _reward_ , the reward of the kingdom of heaven.

The following verses show that the "gospel of the kingdom" was the crux of Jesus' message.

And Jesus was going about in all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and proclaiming the _gospel of the kingdom_ , and healing every kind of disease and every kind of sickness among the people.

(Matthew 4:23, emphasis added)

And this _gospel of the kingdom_ shall be preached in the whole world for a witness to all the nations, and then the end shall come.

(Matthew 24:14)

The Law and the Prophets were proclaimed until John; since then the _gospel of the kingdom of God is preached_ , and everyone is forcing his way into it.

(Luke 16:16, emphasis added)

Not only did Jesus preach the "gospel of the kingdom," but he commanded his disciples to do the same. And as far as I know, he did not command them to preach anything else.

And He sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God, and to perform healing.

(Luke 9:2)

...and heal those in it who are sick, and say to them, "The kingdom of God has come near to you."'

(Luke 10:9)

But He said to him, "Allow the dead to bury their own dead; but as for you, go and proclaim everywhere the kingdom of God."

(Luke 9:60)

The reward or experience of the "kingdom of heaven/God" is the message of Jesus. If we fail to learn and understand the true meaning of the terms _kingdom of heaven_ and _kingdom of God_ , then we fail to understand the message of Jesus because the gospel of the "kingdom" is the core message of Jesus.

The contemporary and traditional Christian concept of the "kingdom"[28] is rather unenlightened. Generally speaking, Christian theology considers the "kingdom" to refer to an earthly rule that God will establish at Jesus' "second coming." This concept developed because the Jews of Jesus' time were awaiting a Messiah who would deliver them from foreign domination. The Jewish people had a long history of oppression. The oppressors at the time of Jesus were the Romans. The prophets in the Jewish Bible had prophesied the coming of a worldly king to deliver the Jewish nation.[29] The Jews at the time of Jesus were chaffing under the yoke of the Romans, and the conditions of the time made them ripe for accepting someone as the spiritual/political Messiah. They would have expected this person to deliver them from the Romans and establish a worldly kingdom.[30]

This same concept of the establishment of a worldly kingdom has been deeply embedded in Christian theology even though Jesus unequivocally denied this notion.

Now having been questioned by the Pharisees as to when the kingdom of God was coming, He answered them and said, "The kingdom of God is _not_ coming with signs to be observed; nor will they say, 'Look, here it is!' or, 'There it is!' For behold, the kingdom of God is in your midst (within).[31]."

(Luke 17:20-21, emphasis added)

Jesus answered, "My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, then My servants would be fighting, that I might not be delivered up to the Jews; but as it is, My kingdom is not of this realm."

(John 18:36)

In the following verse, Jesus states that there were persons who were present who would experience the kingdom before they died.

And He was saying to them, "Truly I say to you, there are some of those who are standing here who shall not taste death until they see the kingdom of God after it has come with power."

(Mark 9:1)

But if an earthly dominion was what Jesus meant by the "coming" of the kingdom, then it would have to have been established within fifty to sixty years after his death. Otherwise, none of the people who were present at the time that Jesus made this statement would still have been alive. We know that this earthly kingdom did not materialize. So either Jesus was wrong or he meant something other than the commonly held concept of the earthly "kingdom." If Jesus had intended to establish an earthly kingdom, why wouldn't he just say exactly when it would happen?

The statement "...(seeing) the kingdom after it has come with power" relates to a personal, tangible, spiritual experience. The kingdom of God does not refer to a future earthly system of spiritual/social government. Until the very end, even Jesus' own disciples did not understand his message of the "kingdom." The Bible states that as Jesus was about to leave the earth, his disciples questioned him again as to when the kingdom would be established:

And so when they had come together, they were asking Him, saying, "Lord, is it at this time You are restoring the kingdom to Israel?"

He said to them, "It is not for you to know times or epochs which the Father has fixed by His own authority; but _you shall receive power_ when the Holy Spirit has come upon you..."

(Acts of the Apostles 1:6-8, emphasis added)

So, as the preceding passage illustrates, the direct disciples of Jesus, even at the time he was preparing to leave the earth, at the complete end of his worldly ministry, did not understand his most important teaching. It is no surprise then that the widely held contemporary Christian understanding in regard to the "kingdom" is also erroneous.

This error was established by the Jewish Messianic philosophy, which prevailed at the time of Jesus. And it was perpetuated by an unenlightened translation of an ambiguous Greek word. The word _kingdom_ is translated from the Greek word BASILEIA. According to Thayer's Lexicon, the primary meaning of BASILEIA is "royal power." It is power that creates and sustains a "kingdom." Without "power," a kingdom cannot exist. Without power, a king is nothing. That is why the word _kingdom_ is a secondary definition of BASILEIA. BASILEIA is actually feminine gender, and its primary meaning is "royal power" or "governing power." "Kingdom" is masculine gender, not feminine, and a kingdom is created by "power." Hence, "kingdom" is a secondary meaning.

When Jesus replied to the disciples about the coming of the kingdom (Acts 1:8), he stated that they would "...receive _power_ when the Holy Spirit has come upon [them]..." By this statement, Jesus related the "kingdom" to a "spiritual power."

Jesus expressed the same fact in Mark 9:1.

And He was saying to them, "Truly I say to you, there are some of those who are standing here who shall not taste death _until they see the kingdom of God after it has come with power_." (emphasis added)

The apostle Paul asserted the same truth:

For the kingdom of God _does not consist in words, but in power_.

(1 Corinthians 4:20, italics added)

It is obvious from the primary definition of the word BASILEIA and its use in the scriptures that it can be translated as "royal or governing power.

The word _heaven_ in the phrase "kingdom of heaven" is translated from the Greek word OURANOS. The definition of OURANOS is "universe." In Old English, the concept of the universe was expressed as "the heavens." Somewhere along the way, the plural expression "heavens" was replaced by the singular expression "heaven." The attempt to translate or interpret OURANOS or "universe" as "heaven" (singular) is totally erroneous and misleading. This mistranslation and wrongful interpretation has been partially responsible for the concept of a place called "heaven" where God resides and where devout Christians will enjoy eternal communion with God and the saints. But the following verse refutes the idea of this alleged eternal paradise.

_Heaven and earth_ will pass away, but My words shall not pass away.

(Matthew 24:35, emphasis added)

The preceding verse emphatically states that heaven and earth are to pass away. If heaven is to pass away, then it cannot be a place where we enjoy eternal life with God.

The Greek phrase BASILEIA OURANOS should be translated as—"the power of the universe." The true meaning of the phrase "the gospel of the kingdom" doesn't really relate to any of the commonly held Christian beliefs. Jesus' message was about the "power of the universe," not about an "earthly kingdom" or a "paradise" to be enjoyed after death. Jesus taught that the "power of the universe" is within you. This is the most sublime spiritual truth known to man. The significance of this saying is boundless. Any attempt to explain it will fall desperately short of the goal. However, the attempt to describe it is not totally futile, because a proper explanation can provide a hint about the awesome wonder of this experience. In today's world, we have more freedom of expression, more access to information than people did in Jesus' era, and we can actually make a better and more complete attempt at an explanation of this mystery than Jesus could during his time.

The power of the universe is a spiritual experience and not an intellectual or philosophical concept. If, however, we can gain some intellectual insights into the matter, we may become persuaded to begin spiritual practices that may lead to our own personal experience of this phenomenon. The creative, governing, and immortal power of the universe is ultimately experienced by the baptism in the Holy Spirit. The experience of the "power of the universe" or Cosmic Consciousness is one of the gifts of the Spirit—the gift of knowledge. The knowledge imparted by this particular encounter with the Spirit is manifold. It demonstrates to us:

1. That the universe is a single living being—the Supreme Being.

2. That the Supreme Being is within us (as well as without).

3. That our own "individual" soul or essential nature is that of the Universal Being—the I AM.

4. That our physical body, mind, and personality are a part of the Universal Being.

5. That our true essence or soul is immortal and is of the nature of indescribable Bliss.

A book entitled _Cosmic_ _Consciousness_ , by Richard Maurice Bucke, provides a comprehensive study of the experience known as Cosmic Consciousness. It is an enlightened and interesting explanation of this beautiful and amazing yet little-known phenomenon.

We will examine these points one by one.

The universe is a single living being, the Supreme Being. The New Testament uses the terms _kingdom of heaven_ and _kingdom of God_ interchangeably. This indicates that the term _universe_ (heaven(s)) is the same as God (Supreme Being). This is further elucidated by various scriptures.

"The God who made the world and all things in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands; neither is He served by human hands, as though He needed anything, since He Himself gives to all life and breath and all things; and He made from one, every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined their appointed times, and the boundaries of their habitation, that they should seek God, if perhaps they might grope for Him and find Him, _though He is not far from each one of us_ ; _for in Him we live and move and exist_ , as even some of your own poets have said, 'For we also are His offspring.'"

(Acts of the Apostles 17:24-28, emphasis added)

Acts says that we "...live and move and exist" in God. The author of Acts states that "...He (God) is not far from each one of us..." The Supreme Being is not far because it is everywhere, including our hearts. Indeed, God is every _thing_ and every _one_. Nothing exists except the Supreme Being. Matter is a form of Spirit. The Universe is the body of God, and we are its parts. Perhaps the Roman Catholic Church conceals this mystery in its very name. The English word _Catholic_ is from the Greek word KATHOLIKOS, which means _universal_ or wholly—extending throughout the whole (universe).

This concept was understood by some of the authors and prophets of the Jewish Bible, as evidenced by the following verses.

The Lord has established His throne in the heavens (universe); And His sovereignty rules over all.

(Psalms 103:19)

Why should the nations say, "Where, now, is their God?" _But our God is in the heavens_ (universe); He does whatever He pleases.

(Psalms 115:2-3, emphasis added)

"But I say to you, love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you in order that you may be sons of your _Father who is in heaven_ (universe); for He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.

(Matthew 5:44-45, emphasis added)

Each of the preceding verses clearly and simply states that the Father is in the Universe. But the Judeo-Christian scriptures are not the only source of this knowledge. Consider the following excerpts from other sources:

Know thyself, and thou shalt know the Universe and God.

(Pythagoras)

"The first peace, which is the most important, is that which comes within the souls of people when they realize their relationship, their oneness with the universe and all its powers, and when they realize that at the center of the universe dwells the Great Spirit, and that this center is really everywhere, it is within each of us."

(Hehaka Sapa, known as Black Elk, Holy Man of the Oglala Sioux, 1863-1950)

Albert Einstein, Mathematician, world-famous originator of the Theory of Relativity: "I believe in God...who reveals Himself in the orderly harmony of the universe. I believe that Intelligence is manifested throughout all Nature. The basis of scientific work is the conviction that the world is an ordered and comprehensible entity and not a thing of Chance."[32]

Finally the basic fact in cosmic consciousness is implied in its name—that fact is consciousness of the cosmos—this is what is called in the East the "Brahmic Splendor"...This consciousness shows the cosmos to consist not of dead matter governed by unconscious, rigid, and unintending law; it shows it on the contrary as entirely immaterial, entirely spiritual and entirely alive; it shows that death is an absurdity, that everyone and everything has eternal life; _it shows that the universe is God and that God is the universe_..."[33]

"...The magic touch of the Master that day immediately brought a wonderful change over my mind. I was astounded to find that really there was nothing in the universe but God! I saw it quite clearly, but kept silent to see whether the impression would last; but it did not abate in the course of the day. I returned home, but there too, everything I saw appeared to be Brahman God].[[34] I sat down to take my meal, but found that everything—the food, the plate, the person who served, and even myself—was nothing but That God][[35]....[36]

Since God is omni-present, all-pervading,

Since He is in the east as well as west,

Whichever way ye turn, God's Face is there;

His Presence doth pervade the Universe. (QURAN).[37]

Others, again, offer the oblation of knowledge and worship Me either as one with them or as distinct from them; _and still others in various ways worship Me, whose form is the whole universe_.[38]

The preceding quotations from various sources, as well as those provided in the Appendix to Chapter 3, all state that the Universe is God. As previously indicated, the terms _kingdom of heaven_ (power of the universe) and _kingdom of God_ are interchangeable, essentially identifying God with the Universe. Taking a purely rational approach, if we think deeply about the supposition—that God is omnipresent—we will immediately understand that if God's omnipresence is a fact, it extends down to the atomic level, even the subatomic. God penetrates, saturates, permeates, and pervades the various subatomic particles of all existence, so that there is not a place in which God is not present. His presence would extend even into the space or void between subatomic particles as well as the void between the various bodies of matter throughout the entire space of the universe. Likewise, if God is omnipotent, then all power is His. There is no existence or power which is not God.

A person might ask, "If the Universe is the Supreme Being, then why does evil exist?" Evil only exists in our own minds. It is our thinking that must be rearranged. We have declared various things and actions to be evil. [39] Jesus said:

Do not judge lest you be judged. For in the way you judge, you will be judged; and by your standard of measure, it will be measured to you.

(Matthew 7:1-2)

Why would Jesus make the preceding statement? Because "...all things work together for good for those who love God and are called according to His purpose..."[40] It is true that there are many things in life that we generally consider to be painful, but we can develop faculties that allow us to transcend pain and suffering to a certain extent. The fact is that the Universe and the World, which are the manifestation of God, include many things that are mysterious to us—we have beautiful weather and terrible storms and other natural disasters, such as volcanic eruptions and earthquakes; the animals prey upon each other as do human beings; there is birth, and there is death. These things are a part of God's nature. We can accept what is beautiful, but we reject what is ugly and painful. In reality, these positive and negative elements work together like the positive and negative poles of a battery. They produce an energy that is used for God's purpose. If we experience the truth of the Spirit, we will no longer fear what we do not understand.

Of course, some contemporary philosophies and theologies will not agree. Some would say that the world is under the spell of Satan and all our problems are due to the fall of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. If this reasoning is followed to its logical conclusion, one would have to admit that the Supreme Being is a fumbling fool who cannot rule over its own creation. In effect, this line of reasoning judges the Supreme adversely. Many think that God and His creation should conform to their idea of what is good and acceptable, and not wanting to judge God, they blame Satan and humankind in general. But as we shall see, we are children of God and we are learning lessons in the school of life.

Pain, evil, and suffering are tools of the Supreme. These conditions actually exist in order to create change and to promote personal growth and evolution. An acceptable change in an uncomfortable situation is produced through the proper response. If we inadvertently place our hand on something hot, the pain that is produced causes us to withdraw our hand immediately. We learn a lesson from this experience, and if we are wise, we do not commit the same error in the future. Similarly, all adverse experiences and conditions are opportunities for spiritual and psychological growth. The problem is that the proper responses are not always as clear as the example just given. But proper responses do exist, and when we apply positive principles to negative experiences, we produce an energy that helps to create a new condition within us. But when we judge and complain about the behavior of others and for that matter ourselves, we are reinforcing our limiting, finite tendencies and we only make our lives more difficult. We become weaker by not accepting reality as it is instead of learning to deal with it effectively.

In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials, that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the _revelation_ of Jesus Christ...;

(1 Peter 1:6-7, emphasis added)

Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

(James 1:2-4)

In the days of His Jesus'][[41] flesh, He offered up both prayers and supplications with loud crying and tears to the One able to save Him from death, and He was heard because of His piety. _Although He was a Son, He learned obedience from the things which He suffered._ And having been made perfect, He became to all those who obey Him the source of eternal salvation...,

(Hebrews 5:7-9, emphasis added)

Christ tells us that the reward for those who are persecuted for God's sake is heaven. And so the reward of the illumined soul, who does not react to any injury done to him, is immediate, because he knows that heaven is always present within him as well as without, even in this life. He sees God, as Brahman, pervading the whole universe. He worships God in every creature. People may think that the persecuted saint is suffering. They do not realize that his mind, absorbed in God, has transcended the physical consciousness, and that the saint therefore has overcome the tribulations of this world even while living on earth.[42]

...Through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God.

(Acts of the Apostles 14:22)

Judgmental behavior only serves to distance us further from the experiential knowledge of the power of the Universal God within us. But where will we find the power to accept the blows of this life? That power, the infinite power of the Supreme, lies within us. It is within each and every one of us at all times. Jesus tried to explain this truth to his disciples:

Now having been questioned by the Pharisees as to when the kingdom of God was coming, He answered them and said, "The kingdom of God is not coming with signs to be observed; nor will they say, 'Look, here it is!' or, 'There it is!' For behold, the kingdom of God is in your midst (within)."[43]

(Luke 17:20-21)

The Greek word translated as "in your midst" is ENTOS. ENTOS means _within_ , _inside_ , and with a genitive— _within you_. The creative, governing, sustaining power of the Supreme is within you. Its visible manifestation is the external world and universe, but the Essential Being, which is of the nature of light, consciousness, power, and bliss, is within. The Supreme is within and without. Nothing exists except the Supreme.

"Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father is in Me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on My own initiative, but the Father abiding in Me does His works. Believe Me that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me; otherwise believe on account of the works themselves."

(John 14:10-11)

Jesus said, "I am in the Father, and the Father is in Me." He is in the Father because all existence is the Supreme. Nothing exists apart from the Supreme, not even a bird.

"Are not two sparrows sold for a cent? And yet _not_ _one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father."_

(Matthew 10:29, italics added)

Jesus also knew that the Father was in him and the Father abiding in him was the entity who performed works. Jesus identified himself completely with the Supreme.

But the one who joins himself to the Lord is one spirit with Him.

(1 Corinthians 6:17)

From my own experience, I know that the essence of the Supreme is literally within us. Many years ago, during a period of sincere spiritual practice, I came home from work at lunchtime to feed a young pup that I had bought. After feeding it, I sat down on the couch to rest for a short time. No sooner had I sat down than an intense, extremely wonderful and blissful power rushed up my spine to the area of my heart. At this time, I lost consciousness of the outer world. I was lost in the "power of the universe" within. I felt that the essence of the entire outer universe was within me; indeed, I felt that it was me. And the being I thought I was became as a fish swimming in the infinite ocean of universal existence. I cannot find words to explain how this awesome experience conveyed the knowledge and impression that the "essential being," "creative power," and "total existence" of the universe is within me. All I can say is that I experienced it. This generative power that is manifested in all existence is within me; it is the essential me and it is you as well. This is the "kingdom of heaven," the "power of the universe"—Cosmic Consciousness. This experience teaches that the Supreme exists everywhere and that there is nothing but the Supreme Being. It is impossible to relate the grandeur of this experience. What a beautiful and wonderful dimension it has added to my life. I wish that this experience would be yours as well. All that is needed is to awaken to it.

...that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man; so that Christ[44] may dwell in your hearts through faith[45]; and that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God.

(Ephesians 3:16-19)

...one God and Father of all who is over all and through all and in all.

(Ephesians 4:6)

"... _for in Him we live and move and exist_..."

(Acts of the Apostles 17:28)

My own personal experience of the "kingdom" or power and nature of God is in agreement with the Judeo-Christian scriptures. Often, the scriptures refer to our bodies as temples.

Do you not know that you are a temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?

(1Corinthians 3:16)

Or what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; just as God said, "I will dwell in them and walk among them; And I will be their God, and they shall be My people.

(2 Corinthians 6:16)

This truth is also known to and expressed by numerous persons of other religious persuasions.

We find it difficult to envisage a model of consciousness endowed with supersensory faculties, with power to penetrate into regions of life and mind entirely inaccessible to a normal man at the present time. That such channels of perception are possible we can readily infer from the fact that various specially gifted men and women throughout history have displayed some aspects of these faculties.

...But what is of paramount importance in this evolutionary transformation of man is that every individual consciousness will be a pool of undiminishing happiness and bliss, aware of its own infinite and immortal nature, as one drop of an all-pervading infinite ocean of life.

Inside the gross tabernacle of human flesh there is slowly developing a radiant body of ethereal living light for the man and woman of the future. Many individuals of our day have occasional glimpses of this slowly developing luminous garment of the soul within...[46]

I am not collecting my knowledge from letters and books, but I have it within my own Self; because heaven and earth with all their inhabitants, and moreover God himself, is in man.[47]

This inner darkness must be dispelled to apprehend the truth. We must gain insight into our own nature in order to understand the nature of existence. Therefore the path that the Buddha showed is a path of introspection, of self-observation. He said, "Within this very fathom-long body containing the mind with its perceptions, I make known the universe, its origin, its cessation, and the way leading to its cessation." The entire universe and the laws of nature by which it works are to be experienced within oneself. They can _only_ be experienced within oneself.[48]

This unexplainable, inexpressible Universal Being reveals itself in the consciousness of everyone in the feeling and declaration—I AM.

# Chapter Four

In the Jewish scriptures, the earliest revelation of the concept, I AM, begins with Moses. After Moses fled Egypt and was living in the land of Midian near Horeb, the Mountain of God, he had an elevated and profound spiritual experience. He saw a bush that was burning but was not consumed. After Moses approached the bush, God spoke to him through an angel.[49] God told Moses to return to Egypt and deliver the Jewish people from slavery. Moses then asked God for his name:

And God said to Moses, "I AM WHO THE][[50] I AM"; and He said, "Thus you shall say to the sons of Israel, 'I AM has sent me to you.'" And God, furthermore, said to Moses, "Thus you shall say to the sons of Israel, 'The Lord, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you.' This is My name forever, _and this is My memorial-name to all generations._

(Exodus 3:14-15, emphasis added)

God told Moses "I AM the I AM...say to the sons of Israel, 'I AM has sent me to you.'" "I AM" is a name of God. A name is what distinguishes us from everyone else for the purposes of identification. What name can be given to a _being_ who is the " _all in all_ "? The Supreme is not distinct or separate from anything. It exists in its fullness in every molecule, atom, and subatomic particle in the entire Universe, just as you and I exist in every part of our body. Can the Supreme in its entirety be comprehended by the intellect of humankind? Can the Universe in its vastness and complexity be understood?[51] All existence comprises the Supreme Being. All that can truly be said about its fullness is that " _it exists._ " The Hebrew root translated as "I AM" is HAYAH. It means "to exist, to be." "Being" is the "I AM." The "I AM" is the Supreme aspect of _consciousness_ —the faculty that allows us to perceive and record our impressions of existence. This is the highest concise mental construct about the identity of the Supreme that can be understood by the human intellect. And I AM is the name by which Moses knew God.[52]

But in Exodus 3:15, a peculiar and confusing element is interjected into the rendition of Moses' encounter with God. In Exodus 3:14, God tells Moses to say to the sons of Israel, "I AM has sent me to you," but Exodus 3:15 states that Moses should say to the Israelites, "The Lord (YHVH)...has sent me to you..." In this verse, YHVH is used as God's name. I believe that YHVH or the "Tetragrammaton," as it is sometimes called, is a cryptic representation of the name "I AM." In the _Gesenius Hebrew-Chaldee Lexicon of the Old Testament_ , we find the following explanation of the origin of the Tetragrammaton (YHVH):

To this origin, allusion is made Exodus, 3:14... the name YHVH being derived from the verb HAYAH (1961) _to be_... [We have thus the authority of God in His word, that this name is derived from the idea of _being, existence_...]

In the Jewish tradition, the word YHVH is not to be pronounced.[53] This name or word is usually rendered as "Lord" in English translations, and it is pronounced "Jehovah" or "Yaweh" in the Christian tradition. Its correct pronunciation is not generally known; and scholars are unable to agree upon the correct pronunciation of the Tetragrammaton.[54]

What then is the name of the Supreme, "I AM" or "YHVH"? I believe that it is "I AM." Exodus 3:15 says, "This is My name forever, and this is My memorial-name to all generations." The term _memorial_ _name_ could be translated as "remembrance name." "Memorial" is translated from the Hebrew root ZEKER, which means: (1) _remembrance_...(2) _a name_ by which any one _is remembered_...(3) _praise, celebration_.[55] God wanted us to remember and praise him with his name. How can we remember and praise the Supreme with an unintelligible and unpronounceable name, such as YHVH? I believe that the Tetragrammaton is an intentionally misleading term that was employed to camouflage the true name or identity of the Supreme Being. There are at least two reasons for this.

First, the concept of "I AM the I AM" means I AM the I AM of all beings. I am the reader of this book. I am the author. I am Mary. I am Joe I am a woman. I am a man. I am whatever. Jesus said, "...before Abraham was born, I AM."[56] The Supreme Being—I AM—has always existed. The I AM is the "I am" of everyone. But there is a real danger here! We must experience the Universal I AM for what it is. We must not confuse the Universal essence of the Supreme with our own finite ego sense. We must not feed our egos on the thought, _I am the Supreme_. A spiritual aspirant should avoid the serious mistake of inflating the ego.

Whoever seeks to keep his life shall lose it, and whoever loses his life shall preserve it.

(Luke 17:33)

Preserving and strengthening our own ego sense is death, but when for the sake of experiencing our oneness with God, we purify and eventually eliminate our finite "ego sense," we inherit life eternal. The "ego sense" only serves to limit the peace, power, and consciousness of our true being. The stronger our ego sense becomes, the further we move away from the goal. Because the ego, no matter how glorious and grand, cannot compare to our real identity.

And He was saying to them all, "If anyone wishes to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me. For whoever wishes to save his life shall lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake, he is the one who will save it.

For what is a man profited if he gains the whole world, and loses or forfeits himself?

(Luke 9:23-25)

Since it would be easy, because of an imperfect understanding, for people to confuse their own finite being with that of the Supreme Essence, I have no doubt that the true name of the Supreme (I AM) was hidden from the people through the use of the Tetragrammaton (YHVH).

Another possible reason that the true name has been concealed by the use of the Tetragrammaton is that if the priests (clergy) maintain secrets, they consolidate their positions as ministers. Unfortunately, secrets can be maintained to the point that everyone forgets what they really meant. If the truth of the name was taught, it would eliminate the authority of the priests, clergy, etcetera. It is only natural for people (i.e., clergy, priest, gurus, etcetera) to try to preserve their positions.

How can you say, "We are wise, And the law of the Lord is with us"? But behold, the lying pen of the scribes has made it into a lie. The wise men are put to shame, they are dismayed and caught; behold, they have rejected the word of the Lord, and what kind of wisdom do they have? Therefore I will give their wives to others, their fields to new owners; because from the least even to the greatest _everyone is greedy for gain; from the prophet even to the priest everyone practices deceit._

(Jeremiah 8:8-10)

"But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because you shut off the kingdom of heaven from men; for you do not enter in yourselves, nor do you allow those who are entering to go in. Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because you travel about on sea and land to make one proselyte; and when he becomes one, you make him twice as much a son of hell as yourselves.

(Matthew 23:13-15)

So, I believe that early in the history of the Jewish people, this name, "I AM," was concealed and the use of the Tetragrammaton became established as a tradition, which continues to this very day.

The importance of the "true name" cannot be overemphasized. The "true name" provides the last mental rung of a spiritual ladder, which allows us to step beyond the mental into the spiritual. The "true name" provides us with _some_ concept of the spiritual goal, and as we shall see later, it also serves as a means to achieve that goal. Jesus' message was about the "kingdom of heaven, the power of the universe." It is not possible to teach this truth without revealing the "true name." Jesus said:

"I have come in My Father's name, and you do not receive Me; if another shall come in his own name, you will receive him."

(John 5:43)

Jesus came in the "Father's name." Jesus placed emphasis on the power of the Father and the Father's name.

Jesus answered them, "I told you, and you do not believe; the works that I do in My Father's name, these bear witness of Me."

(John 10:25)

The name that Jesus taught is I AM, the name of the Father. He revealed the true name to his disciples. (There is another significance to the "name" that we will examine in a later chapter.)

"...and I have made Thy name known to them, and will make it known; that the love wherewith Thou didst love Me may be in them, and I in them."

(John 17:26)

The name that Jesus refers to is "I AM."

For many will come in My name, saying I AM! And they will lead many astray. (Interlinear Bible)

"Many will come in My name, saying, 'I am {He!'} and will mislead many."

(Mark 13:6)

And He said, Watch that you not be led astray. For many will come in My name, saying, I AM! Also, the time has come! Do not go after them. (Interlinear Bible)

And He said, "See to it that you be not misled; for _many will come in My name, saying, "I am_ {He,}" and, "The time is at hand"; do not go after them.

(Luke 21:8)

The preceding verses make it perfectly clear that the "name of Jesus" is "I AM." The New American Standard Version translation of these two verses inserts the word "He" into the translation. The word "He" is not a part of the Greek texts, which are more accurately reflected in the Interlinear Bible's translation. The Interlinear Bible's version even capitalizes the words "I AM."

Jesus stated that he did not come in his own name.[57] It is obvious that Jesus felt that it was the name of the Father—"I AM"—that was to be glorified. Jesus taught his disciples to glorify the name of the Father through prayer.

Pray, then, in this way: "Our _Father who art in heaven, Hallowed be Thy name_."

(Matthew 6:9)

Many of Jesus' statements in the Bible are misinterpreted because Jesus was totally identified with the Father. He had little or no sense of personal ego. Jesus came "in his Father's name." The name of the Father is "I AM." Just as the prophets before him; Jesus would speak from the condition of unity with the Father—the "prophetic platform"—and therefore would speak the words of the Father from the first person singular (i.e., "I am the bread of life," "I am the true vine," "I am the way the truth and the life..." etcetera. Jesus said:

I have come in My Father's name, and you do not receive Me; if another shall come in his own name, you will receive him.

(John 5:43)

This should be quite clear—Jesus _did not come in his own name_. It is not the name of Jesus that should be glorified but the name of the Father. Jesus was saying that he was totally aware of his oneness with the "I AM"—the Supreme Being. The knowledge of "I AM" provides us with a direction and, as we shall see, a practical tool to achieve the goal. A name for the Supreme is useful if it serves as a remembrance of the Supreme and an implement for spiritual growth.

A name is only a word that signifies or identifies someone or something. "I AM" is a term that expresses the truth of the unity of God with our own essential nature. We are all children of the Supreme. This is the truth that Jesus wanted us to know. It is the truth for which he died. The Gospel of John (10:22-42) describes an incident that took place in the temple during the Feast of the Dedication.

...Jesus was walking in the temple in the portico of Solomon. The Jews therefore gathered around Him, and were saying to Him, "How long will You keep us in suspense? If You are the Christ, tell us plainly."..."I and the Father are one." The Jews took up stones again to stone Him. Jesus answered them, "I showed you many good works from the Father, for which of them are you stoning Me?" The Jews answered Him, "For a good work we do not stone You, but for blasphemy; and because You, being a man, make Yourself out to be God."[58]...Jesus answered them, "Has it not been written in your Law; I said, you are gods..."

Jesus proclaimed his oneness with the Father. And when he was challenged by the Jews, he defended his statement by quoting a scripture that proclaims the divinity of all men. Jesus quoted the following scripture:

I said, "You are gods, And all of you are sons of the Most High."

(Psalms 82:6)

Consider this scripture in its context:

They do not know nor do they understand; they walk about in darkness; all the foundations of the earth are shaken. I said, _'You are gods, and all of you are sons of the Most High_ '. Nevertheless you will die like men and fall like any one of the princes.

(Psalms 82:5-6)

The psalmist was saying that the people did not understand their true nature and failed to grasp the highest truth of spirituality.

And again, in the book of Psalms, we find the following:

Do you indeed speak righteousness, O _gods_? Do you judge uprightly, O sons of men?

(Psalms 58:1, emphasis added)

Jesus declared that we are gods because God is our Father (and Mother), and we are his children. It is important to balance the thought of the divinity of our essential being with the constant remembrance that we are "children of the Supreme." As children, we are subject to the authority of our parent because we are not yet mature; we are not yet able to manifest our total potential. As humans, we will always be "children of God," and we must not let our finite ego-sense become inflated by the knowledge of our divinity. The divinity within us is not bound and limited by personality like we are. That which is definable is limited and finite. The infinite is not limited by a single physical manifestation or human ego. Jesus taught this truth in the parable of the vine and the branches.

I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser.

(John 15:1)

Jesus said, "I am the true vine..." This statement would be better understood if interpreted as: "I am" _is_ the true vine. Jesus was totally identified with the divine essence. He had transcended the ego-sense; therefore, he spoke from the platform of "union with the Supreme." It was not Jesus speaking or acting or doing works, but he knew that it was the Supreme who spoke and acted through him.[59] In the parable of the vine Jesus is using "I AM" in the same sense that he used it in the following statement: "...before Abraham was born, I AM." The peculiar grammatical construction of the preceding quotation can only be rationalized by understanding that Jesus considered "I AM" to be the true name and identity of the Supreme. The word _true_ , found in the phrase _true_ _vine_ is translated from the Greek word, ALETHINOS. Thayer defines ALETHINOS as "that which has not only the name and semblance, but the real nature corresponding to the name." The vine in this parable refers to the Supreme Universal Existence. And the phrase "I AM the true vine..." means that I AM is the name of the Supreme because it is all that exists—hence I AM. Our place in existence is defined by the following verse.

"I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me, and I in him, he bears much fruit; for apart from Me you can do nothing."

(John 15:5)

The preceding verse states that I AM is the vine (i.e., all existence) and "...you are the branches..." (i.e., the parts). Our individual nature and our physical manifestation comprise one part of an integral, universal whole. There is only _one_ life force or spirit (sap—living water), which flows through _all_.[60] This life is "I AM." Even though we are only a part of the vine, the same life force flows through all of us. John 15:5 goes on to say: "...for apart from Me you can do nothing." It is not possible to do anything apart from the Supreme because nothing exists except the Supreme. If we _realize_ this and consciously "abide" (remain) in the knowledge of it, we bear much fruit. We must delight in the knowledge of the all-pervasive Spirit and not in our own finite ego, which is only a part of the whole. This truth is expounded in the following passage:

And for their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they themselves also may be sanctified in truth. I do not ask in behalf of these alone, but for those also who believe in Me through their word; _that they may all be one; even as Thou, Father, art in Me, and I in Thee, that they also may be in Us_ ; that the world may believe that Thou didst send Me. _And the glory which Thou hast given Me I have given to them; that they may be one, just as We are one_...;

(John 17:19-22, emphasis added)

Jesus states that the goal of the true disciples is unity with God, even as Jesus realized this unity.

_I in them, and Thou in Me, that they may be perfected in unity (one)_ ,[61] that the world may know that Thou didst send Me, and didst love them, even as Thou didst love Me.

(John 17:23)

O righteous Father, although the world has not known Thee, yet I have known Thee; and these have known that Thou didst send Me; and I have made Thy name known to them, and will make it known; that the love wherewith Thou didst love Me may be in them, and I in them.

(John 17:25-26)

Through the knowledge of the name of God, we receive his love.

The true message of Jesus could not be more obvious "... _that they may all be ONE; even as Thou, Father, art in Me, and I in Thee, that they also may be in Us_..." and again " _And the glory which Thou hast given Me I have given to them; that they may be one, just as We are one_..."[62] We are _one_ with God. _The only problem is that we do not know it._ Jesus said, "...and I have made Thy name known to them..." It was necessary for Jesus to reveal the true name to the disciples even though they were Jews, because the name "I AM" was unknown to the common Jewish people. The revelation of the "name" to the disciples was mentioned by Jesus in the context of the preceding verses because the knowledge of the name, "I AM," is part of the truth of _oneness_ , which is the subject of the preceding passage (John 17:19-26).

The following quotation illustrates the viewpoint of some Eastern Orthodox Christians.

While hesychasm lays considerable stress on the immanence of God, immediate "vision" of Him and the possibility of the creature's deification in Him, one must be careful not to misunderstand it as some sort of Christian pantheism—for this it very definitely is not. _It is possible, however, to say that hesychasm is, in a certain sense, "pantheistic." God indwells man, reveals Himself to man, and is imminent in all creation, which He in a certain sense includes within Himself; all existing things "participate" in Him._ In the words of St. Gregory Palamas, "God is named the nature of all existing things because they participate in Him and are formed by participation in Him." (Krivosheine, op. cit., p. 18) Thus God is called the "Being of all that exist and the All of all things." This "participation" of creature in Creator, however, is not in the least pantheistic, for a clear distinction is maintained between Uncreated (God) and created. _The creature partakes of God, exists in God and through God_ but always remains a creature even when union with and deification in God the Uncreated is realized...[63]

John 15:2 says that "Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit, He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit, He prunes it, that it may bear more fruit." If a branch, or a member of the divine body, makes some spiritual progress; the Supreme Spirit prunes that member. The word _prunes_ is translated from the Greek word KATHAIRO, which means to clean. Pruning a vine removes excess cane. Excess cane produces leaves and more cane but little fruit. When the actual mass of the vine is reduced, more of the "life force" or "life energy" of the plant is available to make fruit. Likewise, when we are gradually cleansed of our "limited sense of self," we take on a greater life in the Spirit.

The purification and eventual elimination of the "ego," the limited self, is the crucifixion of the ego. This is what Jesus meant when he implored us "...to take up our cross daily..." Did he mean that we should commit suicide or that we should somehow find a way to be a martyr for the faith? No. It is our ego that must die, so that our greater self may live through us. I know that this sounds all too foreign to most people. It is probably difficult for most people to imagine what an "egoless" existence would be like, but an egoless condition is possible to achieve, even if only intermittently at first. It is in this way that we share in the "mind of Christ."[64] Most people will wonder how a person would be able to function in everyday life without the mental and emotional vehicle of the ego sense. But I know that it is possible to accomplish far more in life and to enjoy more peace without the huge baggage of ego. Thought goes on, feeling continues, decisions are made, but the individual is no longer in possession of a sense of attachment. The aspirant no longer identifies himself with his thoughts and feelings. He realizes that there is another dimension to his being, one that encompasses these thoughts and feelings yet transcends them.

I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me...

(Galatians 2:20)

The knowledge of the great name, I AM, and its eventual realization, is the greatest understanding that people can acquire. The concept of I AM is the concise truth of existence. I AM is a key that unlocks the mystery of life. But above all else, the knowledge of I AM is the power of _love_. It is both the "power of love" and "the power to love." Jesus taught the law of _love_. No one will disagree that Jesus taught us to love one another. Jesus taught love by word and deed. Jesus had respect for all people. Jesus associated with the lowly and downtrodden. He asked us to do the same. But to "love" is hard and "loving" is actually irrational. Why should we love? Why should we give of ourselves? Why should we do for others what often they will not do for us? The answer is simple—there are no others. All that exists is the I AM, the SELF of all.

And one of the scribes came and heard them arguing, and recognizing that He had answered them well, asked Him, "What commandment is the foremost of all?"

Jesus answered, "The foremost is, 'Hear, O Israel! The Lord our God is one Lord; and you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.' The second is this, 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no other commandment greater than these."

And the scribe said to Him, "Right, Teacher, _You have truly stated that He is One; and there is no one else besides Him;_ [65] and to love Him with all the heart and with all the understanding and with all the strength,[66] and to love one's neighbor as himself, is much more than all burnt offerings and sacrifices."

And when Jesus saw that he had answered intelligently, He said to him, "You are not far from the kingdom of God." And after that, no one would venture to ask Him any more questions.

(Mark 12:28-34, emphasis added)

The preceding passage is crystal clear. "He (the Supreme) is One; and there is no one else besides Him. And to love Him with all the heart and with all the understanding and with all the strength, and to love one's neighbor as himself, is much more than all burnt offerings and sacrifices." Love of God and humankind is the greatest action. We are instructed to love our neighbor as ourselves because our neighbor is our- _self_. God is _one_. Existence is _one_. We are _one_. Loving your neighbor is included with loving God because your neighbor is God. God is _one_. One what? One, just one—God is ONE, and there is nothing else. Jesus told the scribe in the aforementioned passage that he (the scribe) was not far from the "kingdom of God." The knowledge of _oneness_ is the essential mental understanding that we glean from the experience of the "power of the Universe," the "kingdom of God."

The first commandment is this: "...you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength." What does it mean to love God? Do you really know God? How do you "love" something or someone that you do not know? "Love" is translated from the Greek word AGAPE. It carries the connotation of strong desire, even illicit desire. If we do not know God, we can still love him by desiring him, by longing for the revelation of his presence.

Love is the highest expression of the knowledge of the _self_ —I AM.

"He who has My commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves Me; and he who loves Me shall be loved by My Father, and I will love him, and will disclose Myself to him."

(John 14:21)

If the disciple keeps the commandments (to love God and neighbor), God shall be revealed to him or her.

Judas (not Iscariot) said to Him, "Lord, what then has happened that You are going to disclose Yourself to us, and not to the world?"

Jesus answered and said to him, "If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him, and make Our abode with him."

(John 14:22-23)

Not only will God be revealed to the disciple, but God shall come and make his home in him.

John Yepes of the Cross said:

I have said that God is pleased with nothing but love. He has need of nothing, and so if He is pleased with anything it is with the growth of the soul; _and as there is no way in which the soul can grow but in becoming in a manner equal to Him, for this reason only is He pleased with our love_. It is the property of love to place him who loves on an equality with the object of his love. Hence the soul, because of its perfect love, is called the bride of the Son of God, which signifies equality with Him.[67]

"Then the King will say to those on His right, 'Come, you who are blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry, and you gave Me something to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger, and you invited Me in; naked, and you clothed Me; I was sick, and you visited Me; I was in prison, and you came to Me.'

"Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, 'Lord, when did we see You hungry, and feed You, or thirsty, and give You drink? And when did we see You a stranger, and invite You in, or naked, and clothe You? And when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?

"And the King will answer and say to them, _'Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me_."

(Matthew 25:34-40, emphasis added)

It is through the practical expression of love for our fellow man that we are credited with the "love of God." All existence is a manifestation of the Supreme Self. Each individual is a part of the Supreme and a manifestation of the Universal Self.

Yes, it is a strong hedge indeed. If you but realize God, you won't see the world as unsubstantial. _He who has realized God knows that God Himself has become the world and all living beings._ When you feed your child, you should feel that you are feeding God. You should look on your father and mother as veritable manifestations of God and the Divine Mother, and serve them as such. If a man enters the world after realizing God, he does not generally keep up physical relations with his wife. Both of them are devotees; they love to talk only of God, and pass their time in spiritual conversation. _They serve other devotees of God, for they know that God alone has become all living beings; and, knowing this, they devote their lives to the service of others._ [68]

But love isn't easy. I know that in my own life, there are so many occasions when I should have loved more and done more for others. There have been many times that I shouldn't have lost my patience and so many times I should have considered another person's feelings and wishes. I have failed so many times, and many of those failings involved those who are the closest to me—those who have loved me so much. So I'm sure that most people can relate to the difficulty of loving—even loving those who love us. And the issue becomes even more difficult when we recall that Jesus asked us to love our enemies and those who would do us harm.

"But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return; and your reward will be great, _and you will be sons of the Most High_ ; for He Himself is kind to ungrateful and evil men.

"Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.

(Luke 6:35-36, emphasis added)

It is difficult to love and to accept evil. And if the Supreme Being is the sum of all existence, then what place does evil have in that existence? To answer that question, we must pose another. Does evil exist for God or only for us? Is it possible that we create evil with our own minds? Human beings place great faith in their mental faculties. We tend to believe that whatever the mind tells us is correct. We make our judgments based upon our extremely limited mental understanding, augmented by our personal likes and dislikes, and we consider those judgments to be infallible. But the Supreme is not limited or regulated by our decisions and preferences. In fact, the Supreme does not operate from what we would consider to be a mental mode. Leave the question of good and evil to the _one_ who manifests both. Let us not suppose that we are wiser than the Supreme. And always remember that God shares every negative or painful experience with us.

An interesting story is told in the book of Genesis. God had created Adam and placed him in the Garden of Eden.

And the Lord God commanded the man saying, "From any tree of the garden you may eat freely; but from the tree of _the knowledge of good and evil_ you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat from it you shall surely die..."

(Genesis 2:16-17, emphasis added)

After this, God made a companion for the man, and she was tempted by the serpent.

When the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was desirable to make _one_ wise, she took from its fruit and ate; and she gave also to her husband with her, and he ate. Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loin coverings.

(Genesis 3:6-7)

According to the Bible, the _knowledge of good and evil_ caused the fall of humankind. After eating of the symbolic fruit of the knowledge of good and evil, the man and the woman knew that they were naked. Until that day, they didn't know that they were naked. Suddenly, their nakedness had become evil. If we were to walk naked down nearly any street in the world today, we would be considered to be deranged. Being naked in public is generally considered to be unacceptable behavior. After acquiring the "knowledge of good and evil," Adam and Eve could no longer accept the innocent condition in which they were created. They became too intelligent for that. According to this scriptural passage, it seems as though God never wanted humankind to be able to discern between good and evil.

The Supreme Spirit dwells in its manifestation. It is its manifestation—the Universe. The Supreme transcends good and evil. All things animate and inanimate, good and evil, are parts of the whole. Jesus said:

And do not judge and you will not be judged; and do not condemn, and you will not be condemned; pardon, and you will be pardoned. Give, and it will be given to you; good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, they will pour into your lap. For by your standard of measure it will be measured to you in return.

(Luke 6:37-38)

This quotation instructs us to withhold our judgment. When we judge and condemn others, it is really _ourselves_ that we are judging. The way we judge the world and its beings is the way that we will be judged. What do we know of the mysterious Being and Manifestation of the Supreme? Has it ever occurred to us that the evil that exists is a part of a _being_ that we do not and cannot comprehend? Look around. It isn't just human beings who display what we may refer to as evil tendencies and harmful actions. What we refer to as "Mother Nature" also exhibits these same qualities of good and evil. Sometimes, we enjoy beautiful weather; at other times, we have violent storms. The animals are preying upon the plants for their subsistence, as well as each other. We experience earthquakes, floods, and volcanic eruptions, as well as the peace and scenic beauty that we find in nature. Who is responsible for the existence of these dualities? Is it Adam and Eve? No, this is the working of the Supreme. A battery will not work without a positive and a negative pole. When a switch is turned on, these two opposite poles interact in such a way as to provide energy for a device. Nature is the battery with its positive and negative poles, and the knowledge of "I AM" is the switch that is used to activate the use of the inherent power of Nature.

And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.

(Romans 8:28)

Are we ourselves without sin and failing? But if we are merciful, we will reap mercy.

"And why do you look at the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,' and behold, the log is in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye."

(Matthew 7:3-5)

I know and am convinced in the Lord Jesus that nothing is unclean in itself; but to him who thinks anything to be unclean, to him it is unclean. Therefore do not let what is for you a good thing be spoken of as evil; _for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit_.

(Romans 14:14-17, emphasis added)

The faith which you have, have as your own conviction before God. Happy is he who does not condemn himself in what he approves.

(Romans 14:22)

Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.

(2 Corinthians 3:17)

In order to actualize the concept of oneness, which leads to an enlightened acceptance of ourselves and our fellow man, we need to activate an available power—a faculty that is a step beyond the rational mind, a power that brings us the "peace that passes understanding."[69] We must experience for ourselves that the kingdom of the heavens—the power of the universe is within us. We must know that it IS us.

# Chapter Five

Until now, we have occupied ourselves with a discussion of the identity of the Supreme Being. But philosophy will not satisfy the innate urge within us that longs for satisfying spiritual experiences—experiences that result in peace, security, and power. Only the personal experience of the Spirit will appease that hunger.

Many people long for spiritual treasures. And most of the time, acquiring treasure requires sacrifice.

"The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in the field, which a man found and hid; and from joy over it he goes and sells all that he has, and buys that field."

(Matthew 13:44)

"Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking fine pearls, and upon finding one pearl of great value, he went and sold all that he had, and bought it."

(Matthew 13:45-46)

The "pearl of great price" can only be acquired through the "sacrifice" of our own ego. But what could possibly inspire a person to undertake this bewildering and arduous task? Where are these spiritual treasures to be found? And what are they like? Obviously, the reward has to justify the price or sacrifice. One must examine the treasure to determine its value. And this requires knowledge of "spiritual gems." Otherwise, how is one able to make a valid appraisal? We need to know some details about the nature of spiritual experience before we can make a commitment to the laborious task of our spiritual search. At the time of Jesus, many of these details were cloaked in cryptic expressions and little-understood sayings, which are found in the Bible and other scriptures. Some of these details were communicated cryptically because they were sensitive or taboo subjects. In other instances, they deal with subjects that are actually impossible to describe but can be compared to certain familiar objects or experiences.

At this time in history, I believe that it is possible to provide a more comprehensive explanation of these spiritual experiences. We are able to include the testimonies of people from all over the world regardless of their particular theology or philosophy. This type of openness was not possible during the time of Jesus. In fact, until fairly recently, even if social and religious atmospheres would permit candor, other sources of knowledge from throughout the world would probably not have been available to most people. Today, we enjoy access to the information that is necessary to prepare and deliver a more detailed account of the spiritual experiences that are revealed in the Bible. An understanding of these experiences is essential to our spiritual progress.

Many mystical experiences or conditions mentioned in the Bible are either synonymous or interrelated. I will attempt to explain as far as possible the meaning of baptism, the baptism in the Holy Spirit, the word, salvation, the anointing, Christ, and the new birth. But the single most important spiritual term to gain an understanding of is _living water_.

Just as water is indispensable to our very life, "living water" is essential to experiencing spiritual life. "Living water" is the universal spiritual solvent in which all spiritual experience is in suspension or solution. This is a difficult and detailed subject that must be approached with a mature attitude. This topic is rarely discussed publicly because of social and religious taboos and because of the likelihood of ridicule or misunderstanding. I believe that at some point in the future, the secret of "living water" will allow medical science to deliver enlightenment clinically.

The best way I know to begin a discussion of this delicate, difficult, and complex subject is to relate my own experiences with "living water." If it were not for these personal experiences, I would never have been able to realize the truth of some of the spiritual expressions that we are investigating. As I explained earlier in this book, I had an overwhelming experience of the power of the "internal universe." During this event, I became lost to the outer world and to myself and became one with the divine essence of the universe within—the kingdom (power) of the heavens. As I sat on the couch in my home, I was completely overtaken by a power rushing up my spine. I became totally immersed in the current of this river of energy rushing up my spinal canal into my brain. This energy was being carried or exuded by my own reproductive fluids. I know from my experience and the experiences of others that somehow and in some way my own semen was the medium that was carrying this vast, awesome power that revealed the divine inner universe. The pleasure, the delight, the rapture of this experience was infinitely greater and more overwhelming than an orgasm experienced in sexual intercourse. It was, however, an indescribably intense orgasm that I experienced inside my spinal canal, and yet it produced the experience of the power of the universe—Cosmic Consciousness. It was the experience of the "Universal Soul" of which everything is a part. It was the experience that contains all experiences, the joy that in itself contains all joy. It was and is the indescribable power and source of the entire universe. It is a direct encounter with the Supreme Spirit. A new aspect of my being was born in me, the seed of which had been there and had been germinating all along. It is there within you as well.

I felt in this experience, that my seminal fluids were flowing into my brain and were being experienced there in the manner just described. I cannot account for or explain the physiology involved in this process. All I know is that somehow, my seminal fluids came into contact with my nervous system in such a way that it felt that they were rising up a channel in my spine into my brain. Even my sense of smell was included in this experience. As I was immersed in this "living inner universe," the sense of smell made it seem as if I were in contact with the vast salty ocean of life.

"He who believes in Me, as the Scripture said, _'From his innermost being shall flow rivers of living water._ '" But this He spoke of the Spirit, whom those who believed in Him were to receive; for the Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.

(John 7:38-39, emphasis added)

The experience that I just described is the experience of "living water." Water is sometimes used as a euphemism for the reproductive fluids. In the following verse, the word "loins" is translated from the Hebrew word MAYIM (water).

Hear this, O house of Jacob, who are named Israel And who came forth from the _loins_ of Judah, Who swear by the name of the Lord And invoke the God of Israel, But not in truth nor in righteousness.

(Isaiah 48:1, emphasis added)

In Hebrew, MAY or MAYIM means water. And this portion of the verse, "...came forth from the loins of Judah..." is sometimes translated as "'who have sprung of the water of Judah," (i.e., "are descended from him.")[70] This indicates that the Hebrews (and other ancients) sometimes referred to the "reproductive fluids" as "waters."

So in the scripture "water" is sometimes used as a symbol of the Spirit because the Holy Spirit is experienced by and through the medium of the "seminal fluids," hence, "baptism." When these fluids or this energy is experienced in the manner that I have just described, it becomes apparent why Jesus referred to it as "living water." "Living water" is literally a fluid that is alive. There is at least one reference in the New Testament to the role the "reproductive energies" play in the experience of the "kingdom" and spiritual life.

"For there are eunuchs who were born that way from their mother's womb; and there are eunuchs who were made eunuchs by men; and there are also eunuchs who made themselves eunuchs for the sake of the kingdom of heaven. He who is able to accept this, let him accept it."

(Matthew 19:12)

I interpret this verse to mean that a knowledgeable person, who is either seeking or actually living in the "kingdom," will preserve his or her sexual energies for the sake of the "kingdom of heaven." I do not believe that it means that we should literally castrate ourselves because that action would remove the very organs that would allow us to have the experience.

In the scriptures, a seeker is sometimes compared to a "virgin" and Christ to the bridegroom:

"Then the kingdom of heaven will be comparable to ten virgins, who took their lamps, and went out to meet the bridegroom."

(Matthew 25:1)

A virgin is one who has preserved her sexual purity for her future husband, much like a mystic who preserves his sexual potency for the sake of spirituality. Also there are passages in the Song of Solomon that refer to the sexual aspect of spirituality.

"May he kiss me with the kisses of his mouth! For your love is better than wine."

(Song of Solomon 1:2)

"You have made my heart beat faster, my sister,[71] my bride; You have made my heart beat faster with a single glance of your eyes, With a single strand of your necklace. How beautiful is your love, my sister, my bride! How much better is your love than wine, And the fragrance of your oils Than all kinds of spices!

"A garden locked is my sister, my bride, A rock garden locked, _a spring sealed up_.

(Song of Solomon 4:9-10, 12, emphasis added)

It is necessary however to create a purposeful change in the vocabulary that we use to explain this topic. "Sexual energy" is not an accurate representation of this phenomenon. Of course, no quality or quantity of vocabulary would suffice to accurately describe such a topic, but a better term would be _life_ _force_. The universal life force flows throughout all existence, just like the sap that flows through a vine carries the life throughout all its parts. But only a portion of the function of the sap or "life force" of the vine is to create seed. Likewise, the "life energy" that flows through us, that is ordinarily experienced as sexual energy or orgasm, has other functions as well. Just as a radio can be tuned to a multitude of channels, we can tune our bodies, minds, and hearts to experience the "life force" in a myriad of ways.

The terms _life_ _force_ and _spirit_ are synonymous. The Greek and Hebrew words that are translated as "spirit" are PNEUMA and PSUCHE (Greek) and RUACH, NEPHESH, and NESHAMAH (Hebrew). All of these words carry the connotation of "life force" as evidenced by the vital principle of the breath. PRANA is a Sanskrit word that corresponds to the Greek and Hebrew words just mentioned. PRANA, in certain contexts, also may be translated as "spirit," but its essential meaning is "life force" or "vital principle." The terms _living_ _water_ and _life_ _force_ are related, and since life force and Spirit are one and the same, the living water referred to in the Bible is the Holy Spirit, the vital principle or power of the Supreme.

"For My people have committed two evils: _They have forsaken Me, The fountain of living waters_ , To hew for themselves cisterns, Broken cisterns, That can hold no water."

(Jeremiah 2:13, emphasis added)

Lord, the hope of Israel, All who forsake Thee will be put to shame. Those who turn away on earth will be written down, _Because they have forsaken the fountain of living water, even the Lord._

(Jeremiah 17:13, emphasis added)

"He who believes in Me, as the Scripture said, _'From his innermost being shall flow rivers of living water.'"_

(John 7:38, emphasis added)

And he showed me a river of the water of life, clear as crystal, coming from the throne of God and of the Lamb...,

(Revelation 22:1)

The scriptures tell us that "living water" and God are one and the same. This energy that we encounter in the experience of "living water" is a superior or transcendental form of the energy that is familiar to us as "sexual energy." This has been well known to mystics of all religious traditions for thousands of years.

According to the Maharal, the number seven refers to the seven days of creation, and hence, this number always denotes the perfection of the physical world. The number eight is the next step, and therefore eight denotes one step above the physical. Whenever we find the number eight used, it is in reference to something that brings one into the spiritual realm.

_The Maharal speaks of the number eight with regard to circumcision, which is always performed when the child is eight days old...In giving Abraham a covenant related to the sex organ, prescribing it for the eighth day, God indicated that these emotions and desires would henceforth be used for the mystical quest of the Divine on a transcendental level._ [72]

...and in Him you were also circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, in the removal of the body of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ...

(Colossians 2:11)

As I have pointed out in my earlier writings, the all-inclusive nature of sex energy has not yet been correctly understood even by the leading authorities on the subject. In fact, the very term reproductive or sex energy is a misnomer; reproduction is but one of the aspects of the life-energy, of which the other theater of activity is the brain...[73]

The awakening and upward streaming of this usually dormant energy has been described in detail in the sacred writings of the Hindu yogis and mystics. The Hindu/Vedic and Yogic body of knowledge that pertains to this phenomenon is invaluable for understanding this aspect of spirituality. An accurate comprehension of this concept is vital for recognizing and initiating the practice of effective techniques that will allow us to realize this truth for ourselves.

So in order to understand the more sublime teachings of Jesus and the prophets of the Jewish tradition, it will be necessary to study the Hindu doctrine of the Kundalini Shakti. After describing this detailed concept, I will compare the vocabulary of this psycho-spiritual system to that of the Judeo-Christian scriptures, and we will be able to gain valuable insights into the message of Jesus. The Hindus, for whatever reason, have consciously experimented with and described this phenomenon in greater detail than any other cultural or religious group. In fact, a symbol of this concept, lingam and yoni, is found in nearly every Hindu temple. Lingam and yoni are stylized representations of the male and female sex organs in union with one another. The knowledge of kundalini or the Kundalini Shakti is of the utmost value for understanding many kinds of spiritual experience described in the scriptures of the Christian tradition.

The Kundalini Shakti is a power or force that ordinarily lies dormant in the human being. When aroused, the Kundalini Shakti gradually or sometimes quite quickly produces spiritual experiences and changes in the human to whom it has awakened. These experiences and changes often result in the manifestation of certain supernormal powers. The primary meaning of the Sanskrit word Kundalini is _coiled_ ; and Shakti is often translated as _divine power_. Some say that the word KUNDALINI is derived from "KUNDALA" an Assyrian word that means "coiled."[74] But Kundalini is also a Sanskrit word that is related to other Sanskrit words, such as—KUNDA, "a well, spring or basin of water,"[75] and KUNDALA "...the coil of a rope..."[76] So KUNDALINI carries the implications of a "spring" or "well" of water, in addition to the idea of being coiled.

The word SHAKTI, usually translated as "divine power (feminine)," also relates to "regal power,"[77] "feminine or procreative energy," "the power or signification of a word"[78] (LOGOS), "the creative power of imagination...help, aid, assistance, gift,...a sword."[79] SHAKTI is roughly equivalent to the English word "spirit." SHAKTI most definitely relates to the biblical meaning of the Greek word BASILIEA, which means "royal power" but is translated as "kingdom." SHAKTI refers to a type of PRANA. As pointed out earlier, PRANA refers to "life force," which is equivalent to the concept of the word "spirit." In the Hindu model, however, there are PRANAS, or life energies, that serve many functions in the human organism. SHAKTI refers to a "divine power" that can be experienced in the human organism. The term SHAKTI or _Kundalini_ _Shakti_ is equivalent to the Christian term _Holy_ _Spirit_.

According to the Yogic model,[80] when the dormant KUNDALINI SHAKTI awakens in an individual, it rises from its resting place and flows upward through a channel located at the base of the spine called the KUNDALINI NADI. NADI is a Sanskrit word that denotes a "channel" or a "river." In the Yogic sense, NADI is often interpreted to mean a nerve. The KUNDALINI NADI is coiled three and a half times at the base of the spine. After the SHAKTI passes through the KUNDALINI NADI, it enters the SUSHUMNA. The SUSHUMNA is another NADI that includes the spinal cord. SUSHUMNA runs from the base of the spine to the brain. The SHAKTI flows upward through SUSHUMNA, coming to rest along the way in any one of seven centers that lie along its path. These centers are referred to as CHAKRAS. The activation of the various CHAKRAS is said to produce different effects. The higher up the spine that the SHAKTI travels, the more sublime are said to be the experiences that result. This process is unpredictable and often spasmodic. Many of the Yogic treatises that describe this process make it sound as if it is quite predictable, but in fact, its awakening and subsequent progress is actually quite mysterious and is beyond the control of most practitioners once the process has begun. There are two other major channels involved in this model—IDA and PINGALA. These are two NADIS that lie on either side of the central channel SUSHUMNA. They also ascend up from the base of the spine to the head. However, Instead of proceeding straight up along the spinal axis like SUSHUMNA, they crisscross and intertwine in helix fashion as they move up the spine. The role that IDA and PINGALA play in this process has never been quite clear to me, although I have personally experienced them.

The imagery created by SUSHUMNA, IDA, and PINGALA is very similar to the double helix shape of DNA. Just as DNA is essential to our very lives, the functioning of the Kundalini Shakti is essential to the awakening of the Holy Spirit and the experience of the _new_ _birth_.

Even though the KUNDALINI NADI itself lies at the base of the spine, I personally experienced the awakening of the SHAKTI at my navel; it then proceeded downward, through my abdomen, to the base of the spine before the SHAKTI began its ascension through the spinal canal. Once, when I was involved in the practice of a certain type of yoga, I was doing a set of exercises that called for me to lie on my back and concentrate on a certain sound, a word, which I was to focus at my navel. While practicing this exercise, I felt as if my navel had opened and swallowed this word. The word or sound went down through my body to the base of my spine and made the three and a half turns at the base of the spine, and then it stopped. This was my first conscious experience of the Kundalini Shakti. I learned from this experience that the Shakti or Spirit can proceed from the belly or KOILIA. A discussion of the word KOILIA is presented later in this chapter. After a period of weeks and months, this energy again became active and I would experience it moving up my spine sometimes with a very blissful feeling akin to orgasm.

Some Kundalini adepts claim that the belly is the resting place of the dormant KUNDALINI SHAKTI; others say that it is the bottom of the spine. This discrepancy is probably due to the fact that some of the activity of the SHAKTI may proceed unconsciously in some individuals. Nearly all people who are personally acquainted with the awakening of the Kundalini Shakti say that the process is not complete until the energies involved reach the highest center, which lies at the crown of the head.

At some unpredictable point in the KUNDALINI process, people may become conscious of an intense and overwhelming sensation that feels as if their seminal fluids are streaming upward through their spine into their brain. In Sanskrit, this phenomenon is known as URDHAVA RETAS or the upward streaming of the life energies. I certainly cannot account for the physiological processes that may be involved in this phenomenon. I only know that it is true. From my experience and also from what I know of the experiences of others, it is the upward streaming of this _power_ that brings about the highest known spiritual revelation, such as the experience of the "power of the universe" the "kingdom of heaven."

This intense spiritual discipline stimulated the kundalini energy in the region of the first and second chakras. As a result he experienced powerful surges of energy that sent his uro-genital system into orgiastic spasms. He felt his semen flow upward through the body's central channel (traditionally known as _sushumna-nadi_ ).

He later understood that this experience was associated with the "piercing of the first knot." He spontaneously entered a period of complete celibacy.[81]

Before beginning a comparison of the philosophy of Kundalini with the Christian scriptures, I will present the following information in regard to the existence of this phenomenon in religions and cultures other than Hindu. One would expect that this experience would be encountered by peoples all over the world, and indeed, this is the case.

The model of the various channels involved in the KUNDALINI SHAKTI brings to mind the Caduceus of Mercury. Those of us who live in America should be quite familiar with this symbol of healing, which we find somewhere on the wall of nearly every doctor's office. The Caduceus is a winged rod intertwined with two serpents that was carried in the hand of Mercury, who was considered to be the messenger of the gods. This object carried in his hand consisted of a central rod (SUSHUMNA), which was intertwined by two serpents (IDA and PINGALA). In the classical depiction of the Caduceus, these serpents are coiled about the rod three and a half times, which represents the KUNDALINI NADI. The Caduceus is depicted with two wings that relate to the "rising" of the SHAKTI up the central channel (SUSHUMNA). To me, it is quite interesting to consider that Jesus was reported to possess amazing powers of healing and the Caduceus, which is a representation of the Kundalini Shakti, is also a symbol of the healing power.

Many Christians are superstitious about serpents because of the biblical story of Adam and Eve. But it should be understood that the ancient Jews, Egyptians, Hindus, and others considered the serpent to be a symbol of wisdom and healing power. One order of angels described in the Bible are the Seraphim (Hebrew, SARAPH). The word SARAPH not only refers to these particular types of angels but also means "serpent." The Seraphim are depicted as winged angels, but the connotation of "serpent" cannot be ignored and brings to mind the image of the Caduceus of Mercury, particularly since the serpent was associated with healing and so is the Caduceus.[82]

This Yoga is effected by a process technically known as Sat-cakra-bheda, or piercing of the Six Centres or Regions (Cakra) or Lotuses (padma) of the body (which the work describes) by the agency of Kundalini-Shakti, which, in order to give it an English name, I have here called the Serpent Power. Kundala means coiled...Kundalini is the Divine Cosmic Energy in bodies. The Saptabhumi, or seven regions (Lokas), are, as popularly understood, and exoteric presentment of the inner Tantrik teaching regarding the seven centres.

The Yoga is called Tantrik for a twofold reason. It will be found mentioned in the Yoga-Upanishads which refer to the Centres, or Chakras, and in some of the Puranas. The treatises on Hathayoga also deal with the subject. We find even similar notions in systems other than the Indian, from which possibly in some cases they have been borrowed. Thus, in the Risala-ihaq-numa, by Prince Mahomed Dara Shikoh, a description is given of the three centres "Mother of Brain," or "Spherical heart" (Dili-muddawar); the "Cedar heart" (Dil-i-sanowbari); and the Dil-i-nilofari, or "Lily heart". Other references may be found in the works of the Mahomedan Sufis. So some of the Sufi fraternities (as the Naqshbandi) are said to have devised, or rather borrowed, from the Indian Yogis the Kundalini method as a means to realization. I am told that correspondences are discoverable between the Indian (Asiatic) Shastra and the American-Indian Maya Scripture of the Zunis called the Popul Vuh. My informant tells me that their "air-tube" is the Sushumna; their "twofold air-tube" the Nadis Ida and Pingala. "Hurakan," or lightning, is Kundalini, and the centres are depicted by animal glyphs. Similar notions have been reported to me as being held in the secret teaching of other communities. That the doctrine and practice should be widespread, we might expect, if it has a foundation on fact...[83]

In addition to the preceding passage, I should also mention that the legend of the amazingly powerful genie that is suddenly released from a bottle and grants wishes is also a reference to the awakening of the Kundalini Shakti. A Hindu mystic named Ramakrishna used to tell listeners that the Kundalini is "...the wish fulfilling tree", which is similar to the concept of a genie that grants wishes.

The teachings of Jesus in regard to the Holy Spirit, spiritual rebirth, and the Kingdom of Heaven/God coincide exactly with the model of the Kundalini Shakti. We will begin our comparison by examining the term SHAKTI. As stated previously SHAKTI is feminine gender and refers to "divine power," "regal power," "procreative energy," "the power or signification of a word," "the creative power of imagination...help, aid, assistance, gift......a sword."[84] The main signification of SHAKTI is "power," specifically "divine power." One of the Hebrew names of God is EL SHADDAY, which is translated as "God Almighty." SHADDAY is sometimes used without the prefix EL and is then translated as "Almighty." SHADDAY is derived from the Hebrew word SHAD, which means "breast." SHADDAY is related to other Hebrew words that mean "field" or "land," "mistress," "lord," "power," "strength," and "rule." The underlying idea is that of nourishment, power, and succor. Not only do the words SHAKTI and SHADDAY sound similar, but their definitions compare closely to one another. The primary meaning of both words is "POWER." Hence, SHAKTI and SHADDAY both relate to the Greek word BASILEIA, which is usually translated as "kingdom" but should be translated as "power," "divine power," or "royal power" in many biblical passages. "Royal power" is also a definition of SHAKTI. So this power, this Spirit or SHAKTI, which is transmitted through the various channels already described, is a supernormal manifestation of PRANA—spirit or "life-force." SHAKTI is comparable to the Holy Spirit.

In certain contexts, SHAKTI can be translated as "Spirit," and it relates directly to the concept of the "Holy Spirit." The Bible refers to the spirit of humans (i.e., the soul), and it also refers to the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of God. In the New Testament, the word _holy_ is translated from the Greek word HAGIOS. HAGIOS means "religious awe" or "reverence." The word seems to indicate a reverence that is due to the awesome nature of the subject or object of veneration. Direct and personal encounters with the Holy Spirit are indeed awesome experiences that create respect and veneration. This is the practical aspect of the Holy Spirit that distinguishes it from the "life force" that we experience in our normal condition. The various experiences in the Holy Spirit are supernormal, awesome experiences of the Universal Life force sometimes resulting in a clear, supersensory cognition of the Supreme Universal Power—God Almighty.

In the Bible, Jesus states that the Holy Spirit will flow from our "innermost being".

"He who believes in Me, as the Scripture said, 'From his innermost being shall flow rivers of living water.'"

But this He spoke of the Spirit...

(John 7:38-39)

The phrase "innermost being" is translated from the Greek word KOILIA, which means belly, womb, or innermost part. KOILIA relates directly to the concept of KUNDALINI, or more specifically the KUNDALINI NADI, the coiled channel which lies inside the body at the base of the spine but has its origin at the belly or navel. The word KOILIA is strikingly similar to the "coiled" biospiritual mechanism of the KUNDALINI NADI.

Jesus relates the experience of "living water" to "well water" that will "spring up" within us.

"...but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life."

(John 4:14)

As previously stated, the etymology of the word KUNDALINI calls to mind the connotations of a "well, spring, or basin of water." So the imagery that Jesus uses to portray this experience or condition is the very same imagery used to describe the biospiritual mechanism of the KUNDALINI SHAKTI. The word NADI, as used in the phrase KUNDALINI NADI, the channel coiled three and a half times at the base of the spine, refers to "flowing water," "a channel," or "a river" (commonly personified as a female),[85] which also coincides with the biblical imagery under discussion.

The Hindu/Yogic model of the KUNDALINI SHAKTI goes on to indicate that the SHAKTI or Spirit, after awakening, will move up along the spinal axis, through the central channel called SUSHUMNA. SUSHUMNA, and related words, bear connotations of "a channel," "a cord," "graciousness," "procreation," "a hollow tube," and a "good flow of sap (through a channel)." This flowing of the "life force," "Holy Spirit," or SHAKTI may be "ecstatic"—that is to say that it may be blissful, in a manner that is similar to, yet infinitely more intense than, orgasm. This imagery is also present in some Biblical accounts of the Spirit that use the English word "delight" in their imagery of this feeling or experience. The Hebrew Bible uses the words EDEN and SHAASHUIM to express the feeling of this "delight." SHAASHUIM means "delight" or "pleasure," and it is closely related to words that relate to "leaping" and "springing." The similarity of SHAASHUIM to the Sanskrit SUSHUMNA is unmistakable, both in the sound of the words as well as their meaning.

The Hebrew word EDEN is translated as "delights" in the following verse.

They drink their fill of the abundance of Thy house; And Thou dost give them to drink of the river of Thy delights.

(Psalms 36:8)

EDEN means "delight" or "pleasure." It is closely related to another Hebrew word ADAN, which means "a cane, or reed, a tall rod."[86] So once again we find imagery associated with a "tube," i.e., "a cane or reed," which relates to the SUSHUMNA or central channel. Psalm 36:8 also contains imagery connected to "sexual delights" or "life force." The phrase "drink their fill" is translated from the Hebrew word RAVAH, meaning to "drink largely," "to be satisfied with drink," but poetically, it is applied to people satisfied with sexual pleasures.[87] The word _house_ is translated from BAYITH. The primary meaning of BAYITH is "a house"; it can also mean "the inner part, what is inside, within," but it also relates to the procreative powers because in Hebrew, the term _house_ is sometimes used figuratively to denote "offspring and progeny." The spiritual "delight" referred to in the preceding verse is the result of the Spirit or life force moving up the central channel.

To continue the comparison of the imagery of the Kundalini Shakti with the imagery used in the Bible, we will examine the Sanskrit word CHAKRA and how it relates to the Judeo-Christian scriptures. The Hindu/Yogic model states that there are seven chakras or vortices located along the spine from bottom to top. The Shakti or Spirit is said to energize these chakras or centers as it moves from the base of the spine to the top of the head. The Hindu scriptures pertaining to the subject of the chakras contain fantastic, complex, and fanciful symbolism about the functions and mystical appearances of these centers, but we would serve ourselves well to disregard much of this information. There is, however, some truth to the existence of these centers. Consider the following quotation from the writings of Gopi Krishna, which I believe are much more accurate and informative than the fantastic accounts contained in the traditional literature.

This brings us to the basic issue of the reality of the Cakras (chakras) themselves. Divested of the imaginary embellishments, what remains are concentrations of nerves, having a circular formation. Here we tread on solid ground, verifiable in terms of our present knowledge of the human body. For at the places, where the Cakras are said to be located, there are thick clusters of intersecting nerves which become at once recognizable when the powerful stream of nerve energy, generated by _kundalini_ , begins to circulate in the system. With a little more improvement in the delicate instruments that are now used to measure the electrical activity of the brain and the speed of nerve impulses, it might become possible at no distant date to detect variations in the quality and potency of nerve currents. When this comes to pass, the changes wrought in the nervous system by an active _kundalini_ as well as the passage of the more potent current through the criss-crossing nerve junctions can be easily detected. Even at present more than sufficient evidence is furnished by the ancient writings, provided they are sanely interpreted, to show that, although the whole phenomenon is attributed to the activity of a superhuman power, the biological reactions that occur as a result of it are, to a large extent, understood and dealt with in proper ways in keeping with the level of knowledge of the times.[88]

The book of Revelation states that:

And I saw in the right hand of Him who sat on the throne a book written inside and on the back, sealed up with seven seals.

(Revelation 5:1)

The Interlinear Bible offers the following translation of the same passage.

And I saw on the right of the _One_ sitting on the throne a scroll having been written within and on the back, having been sealed with seven seals.

The Greek word BIBLION is translated as "book" in the New American Standard Version but is correctly translated as "scroll" in the Interlinear Version. A book would not be sealed up on the back. It would be sealed on the side. It would be possible however to say that a scroll is sealed up on the back. A scroll calls to mind the image of the spine or the central channel because of its cylindrical appearance. The word _sealed_ is translated from the Greek word KATASPHRAGIZO, which means to "set a seal." It is from SPHRAGIZO, which means "to seal." We have to remember that even though the New Testament texts were passed on to us from the Greek, they are the product of the Hebrew mind. SPHRAGIZO directly relates to the Hebrew word CHATHAM, which means "to seal." CHATHAM also bears the signification of "completion" because once a seal is "set" upon something then it is finished.[89] CHATHAM bears some phonetic resemblance to the Sanskrit word CHAKRA.

Chapters 5 through 8 of Revelation deal with the "breaking" of the seven seals. The book of Revelation describes certain events the author saw in his vision. Personally, I cannot even begin to grasp what the meaning of this vision is. But certain spiritual experiences will occur as the Shakti pierces the chakras, and I suppose that the passages in Revelation relate to something of this nature. But I would venture a guess on the meaning of breaking the seventh seal. Revelation 8:1 says:

And when He broke the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour.

(Revelation 8:1)

The highest spiritual experiences are said to take place when the Spirit pierces the seventh CHAKRA or "seal." The Yogis name the seventh chakra SAHASRIRA, and it is located at the top of the head. It is said that when the "life force" energizes this center, the individual merges with the Cosmic Supreme. This experience is sometimes called Nirvikalpa Samadhi. In this experience, one merges in the Nirguna Brahman or God without form or attributes. In this condition, one experiences profound silence. There are some other interesting passages in the Bible that relate to the Spirit activating the seventh chakra, which exists near the top of the head.

And there appeared to them tongues as of fire distributing themselves, and they rested on each one of them.

(Acts of the Apostles 2:3)

Many people interpret the preceding verse to mean that the tongues of fire were resting at the top of the Apostles' heads. Also the next verse from Song of Songs is a cryptic expression about the "life force" streaming into the brain.

I was asleep, but my heart was awake. A voice! My beloved was knocking: "Open to me, my sister, my darling, My dove, my perfect one! For my head is drenched with dew, My locks with the damp of the night."'

(Song of Solomon 5:2)

The writer is saying that "I was asleep, but my heart was awake." This indicates a trance-like state where the ego has merged into the pure consciousness. The mystic goes on to say that "For my _head_ is drenched with _dew_ , My locks with the damp of the night." "Drenched" is translated from the Hebrew word MALE or MALA. It actually means "to fill," "to make full."[90] And the word _damp_ is translated from the Hebrew word RASIS. RASIS means "drops of dew." RASIS is from RASAS, which means "to moisten."[91] Both these words relate to the Sanskrit words RÁSA and RASÁ, definitions of which are given here.

RÁSA from the _Monier-Williams Sanskrit Dictionary_ :

...the sap or juice of plants, juice of fruit, any liquid or fluid, the best or finest or prime part of anything, essence, _marrow...water_ , _liquor_ , _drink_...any mixture, draught, elixir, potion, ...nectar... _a constituent fluid or essential juice of the body_ , serum, (esp.) the primary juice called chyle (formed from the food and changed by the bile into blood)... _Mercury, quicksilver (sometimes regarded as a kind of quintessence of the human body, elsewhere as the seminal fluid of Shiva), ...semen virile_... _amrita_...taste, flavour...taste or inclination or fondness for...love, affection, desire, ...charm, pleasure, delight...disposition of the heart or mind, religious sentiment... _Name of the sacred syllable "OM"_...

RASÁ from the _Monier-Williams Sanskrit Dictionary_ :

"...f. moisture, humidity... _Name of a river, ...a mythical stream supposed to flow round the earth and the atmosphere_...of various plants (... _a vine or grape_ ; = _kakoli_ ...)...

These words not only relate to the "seminal fluids" of the body; they also relate to "pleasure," "affection," "delight," and "religious sentiment." RASÁ is also associated with "a vine or grape," which is another scriptural metaphor for "religious ecstasy." The mystic who wrote this passage (Song of Solomon 5:2) was trying to convey through his imagery the phenomenon of the rising of the Universal "life force" and its attendant seminal fluids, into the brain, i.e., the seventh chakra. Consider the following passage from a modern-day mystic in regard to RASA and the experience of enlightenment and oneness.

Another canonical passage says _raso vai sah_ "verily, He (the universal absolute) is _rasa_ ," lit. "sauce," but the term is highly diversified lexicographically, and connotes essential pleasure, highly sophisticated aesthetic sentiments, etc....the hedonistic element is quite crucial to the canonical texts, and that it is a co-defining factor for mysticism, in India as elsewhere. That the mystic's mind zeroes in on the orgasmic situation, anywhere in the world, is as distasteful to the committed Hindu ecclesiastic as it is to the fundamentalist Christian. Nevertheless, my thesis stands for an objective definition of a mystic as one who seeks numerical unity with the cosmic ground, the absolute, says he does, and does so by espousing the psycho-experimental which contains the pleasure-principle, rather than other, non-hedonistic means to achieve union, within the tradition which he knows.[92]

The menorah is another Biblical symbol of the seven chakras.

Then you shall make a lampstand of pure gold. The lampstand and its base and its shaft are to be made of hammered work; its cups, its bulbs and its flowers shall be of one piece with it. And six branches shall go out from its sides; three branches of the lampstand from its one side, and three branches of the lampstand from its other side. Three cups shall be shaped like almond blossoms in the one branch, a bulb and a flower, and three cups shaped like almond blossoms in the other branch, a bulb and a flower—so for six branches going out from the lampstand; and in the lampstand four cups shaped like almond _blossoms_ , its bulbs and its flowers.

And a bulb shall be under the _first_ pair of branches _coming_ out of it, and a bulb under the _second_ pair of branches _coming_ out of it, and a bulb under the _third_ pair of branches _coming_ out of it, for the six branches coming out of the lampstand. Their bulbs and their branches _shall be of one piece_ with it; all of it shall be one piece of hammered work of pure gold.

Then you shall make its lamps seven _in number_ ; and they shall mount its lamps so as to shed light on the space in front of it.[93]

(Exodus 25:31-37)

As we see in the preceding passage, God commanded Moses to make a lampstand for the temple with seven lamps. This lampstand is commonly referred to as a menorah. Each lamp was to burn from a cup that was to be shaped like a "blossom." These lamps shaped like blossoms correspond to the seven chakras. In the classical literature, the chakras are often referred to as lotuses, "flowers." Each different chakra is said to be a lotus with a different number of petals. These lotuses are described as buds that do not open until the "universal life force" activates them, at which time they bloom.

Master: "Ida, Pingala, and Sushumna are the three principal nerves. All the lotuses are located in the Sushumna. They are formed of Consciousness, like a tree made of wax—the branches, twigs, fruits, and so forth all of wax. The Kundalini lies in the lotus of the Muladhara.[94] That lotus has four petals. The Primordial Energy resides in all bodies as the Kundalini.[95]

The menorah depicts the seven chakras that lie along the spinal axis of the body; one might expect that these lamps of the menorah would be aligned vertically like the upright spine rather than horizontally as depicted in the illustration. But the Jews and other Semitic peoples of the Middle East were in the habit of bowing their bodies in prayer. The Muslims still use this position for prayer. When a person is in this position, the spinal axis is horizontal to the ground.

For the most part, there is relatively little mention of body positions with relation to prophetic meditation and the attainment of the mystical state.

There is however, one position that is mentioned by several writers. This is the "prophetic position," and it involves placing the head between the knees. This position is mentioned explicitly with regard to Elijah on Mount Carmel: "Elijah went up to the top of the Carmel, and he entranced himself on the earth, and placed his face between his knees" (1 Kings 18:42). One of the major commentators, Rabbi Isaac Abarbanel, states that he was engaged in meditation (hitbodedut) while in this position.

"This position was used for the intense concentration of spiritual energy. Elijah used it in order to bring rain..."

The fact that he used this position in repenting for a sexual offense is of particular significance since the Midrash states that one reason for this position is that it places the head in conjunction with the mark of circumcision. One of the reasons for the commandment of circumcision is to channel sexual energies along spiritual lines...When one places the head in proximity to the mark of circumcision, one is better able to channel this spiritual energy to the mind, this being the point of prophecy.

This position was favored by at least two post-Talmudic schools. Hai Gaon (939-1038), head of the Babylonian academy at Pumbedita, describes the practices of one such school: "One must fast for a certain number of days. He must then place his head between his knees and chant many songs and hymns known from tradition. _From his innermost being and its chambers_ , this individual will then perceive the Seven Chambers, and it will be as if he is actually seeing them with his own eyes. In his vision, it is as if he is entering one chamber after another, gazing at what is in each one.[96]

The seven blossom-shaped lamps of the menorah are a symbol of the Holy Spirit, which is the conscious manifestation of the Supreme in the human organism.

And from the throne proceed flashes of lightning and sounds and peals of thunder. And there were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God...;

(Revelation 4:5)

In Revelation, these spiritual centers or chakras are symbolized as the "seven Spirits of God." Different types of spiritual knowledge or experiences are produced by the activation of each center—thus they are the mechanism in the temple of the body by which we experience the "seven Spirits of God."

Do you not know that you are a temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?

Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own?

(1Corinthians 3:16, 6:19)

In my opinion, which is based upon my own experiences and the experiences and writings of others, I believe that the nervous system of the human body when highly energized by a more potent form of Spirit, Prana or "life force," serves as a conduit to the entire organism and that is what makes spiritual experiences possible. In short, we have this "well" or "sealed-up spring" within us, a "genie" so to speak. When we activate or arouse this more potent "life force," it begins movements within certain channels of our nervous system. When we examine illustrations of the nervous system proceeding from the spinal cord, we can see that it is quite similar to the trunk and branches of a tree—the spinal canal being the trunk and limbs, the branches and twigs being the nervous system that reaches out into all parts of the body, the Tree of Life. The trunk or "central channel" of a tree carries sap to all parts of the tree. From the central channel, that sap is distributed to all parts of the tree through the limbs, branches, and twigs. The sap flowing through the various conduits of a tree is similar to water flowing in a river or the "biospiritual" energy flowing through the nervous system.

And he showed me a river of the water of life, clear as crystal, coming from the throne of God and of the Lamb, in the middle of its street. And on either side of the river was the tree of life, bearing twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit every month; and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.

(Revelation 22:1-2)

This verse relates the fact that the "river of the water of life," which signifies the Holy Spirit, the Supreme Power of the Universe, flows from the throne down the middle of the street. This mystical street is the SUSHUMNA channel of the spine. The "tree of life" is on either side of the street signifying the Ida and Pingala channels as well as the rest of the nervous system. And when the temple of our body is cleaned and illumined by the light of the spiritual centers, which are powered by the Holy Spirit, we behold the presence of God.

# Chapter Six

After the introduction to the "biospiritual" physiology and processes in chapter 5, this chapter will present more aspects of the "biospiritual" energy or power. But before delving into this discussion, I will mention that we are entering into an area where the exact details are not clear-cut. The movements of the Spirit and the play of the biospiritual energies are extremely diverse. It is not possible to predict exactly how the Spirit will move in any particular individual.

"The wind blows where it wishes and you hear the sound of it, but do not know where it comes from and where it is going; so is everyone who is born of the Spirit."

(John 3:8)

It is important to understand that many of the movements of the "biospiritual power" in the various channels, such as the Kundalini Nadi, Sushumna, Ida and Pingala, may occur outside of an individual's threshold of awareness. These movements may even occur during sleep. So it is not always possible to judge a person's level of spiritual development simply by the experiences that he or she may or may not have had.

But in this discussion, I will describe the experience that certainly does indicate that one has received what the Bible refers to as the baptism in the Holy Spirit, which results in the experience of the "power of the universe" or the "Universal Conscious Power of the Supreme." The core message that Jesus preached is "the kingdom of heaven / the power of the universe" is within you." This experience is essential to the advancement of our spiritual life. It reveals our true identity to us and therefore makes it possible for us to take up our true and greater identity even as we lay aside our limited ego sense.

Throughout the history of the Judeo-Christian tradition, various voices have revealed the relation between the Holy Spirit and the "biospiritual" energies in diverse ways. Writers have used different terminology at different times because of their particular vocabulary, their religious and social customs, and the nature of their individual mystical experiences. These experiences differ by degree but not in essence. Consequently, we find allusions to the Universal biospiritual power throughout the writings of both the Jewish and Christian scriptures. An intimate acquaintance with these various expressions is necessary in order to embrace and comprehend the facts concerning the most profound knowledge of spirituality. The phenomenon of "living water" is basic to the mystical experience, and we will discover that this phenomenon is couched or concealed in many different biblical terms.

The Supreme, which is our very own nature, is revealed by the experience of the Holy Spirit, the "Universal life force." A "name" is a verbal or graphic expression of the identity of a particular person or object. Great emphasis is placed upon the name of God in the scriptures. And we find many different "names" or epithets by which the Supreme is identified. The Hebrew word that is usually translated as "name" contains a very interesting element. In fact, the secret of the Spirit is encoded in the Hebrew word for name—SHEM. An understanding of the Hebrew word SHEM will reveal another clue that can help us to decode the mystery of the Spirit.

SHEM is usually translated as "name," which is the correct translation in most contexts. But SHEM is a primitive word that carries the connotation of a "mark," "omen," or "sign." A name is a "sign" of your identity. It signifies who you are. Usually, your name, or at least part of your full name, reflects your family lineage as well as your unique individual identity. Your name is a "sign" of the family that you are a member of, and thus, in a subtle manner, it refers to the seed from which you were born. The "generative" aspect of the word SHEM is indicated by the fact that one of Noah's sons was named Shem. If the only meaning of SHEM was "name," it would seem ridiculous to use SHEM as a proper name. Shem was the _progenitor_ of the Semitic race (i.e., the Arab and Jewish peoples). These peoples are descendants of Shem because they are from his "seed." I believe that the words _seed_ and _source_ are primitive connotations of the word SHEM, because your name is often indicative of your "source," "lineage," or "seed." So in certain contexts, SHEM is indicative of the "procreative" power.

In the previous chapter, we illustrated how the "biospiritual" or "procreative" power flows through the Kundalini Nadi to effect spiritual experience and awakening. This Nadi is a channel that is coiled three and a half times at the base of the spine. The Hebrew word SHEM is comprised of two Hebrew letters SHIN and MEM. These letters, when viewed in the Samaritan style—but also to a certain degree in Ancient Hebrew, Phoenician, Arabic (in the case of MEM), and Ancient Greek—depict a "coil" that appears to be three or three and a half revolutions. I believe that the marvelous process of the Kundalini was known to one or more of the ancient peoples of this region and ultimately were reflected in these letters of their alphabets. This probability is verified by the following sources.

The Secret Code of the Hebrew Letters

For millennia, Jewish mystics have indeed declared that each Hebrew letter communicates three separate branches of meaning. The first is the letter's numerical value. The second is its sound—and this is very important in Kabbalistic practice. And the third is its shape. All three are vital to deciphering the code in which the Bible is written.

The shape of the letter is likewise vital, because it contains visually coded information—like a mandala. A mandala is the Eastern term for an image that serves as the focal point for meditation. By gazing at the image, we can achieve higher states of consciousness. These three areas of meaning come up again and again in the Kabbalistic approach to the Bible. They are in fact essential to its mystical interpretation.[97]

Had the system of _kundalini_ been elaborated by any other people independently, it is possible that they might have associated their own script with it in some way though not precisely in the same manner, as has been done in India. In order to clarify this rather cryptic statement it is enough to mention here that as Revelation and Genius proceed from an awakened _kundalini_ , and language is the main channel for the expression of both, the association of the Sanskrit alphabet or, for that matter, of any other alphabet, with the other symbolic representations of the mysterious Force is, therefore, a perfectly natural process.[98]

One might argue that if the letters SHIN and MEM actually represented the Kundalini Nadi, the coils would be presented in a symbol that would be vertical rather than horizontal. But I believe that the horizontal alignment of the coils simply reflects the ancient Semitic custom of praying in a bowed posture, and thus the Kundalini Nadi is depicted by these letters in a horizontal form. The Sanskrit word for _name_ is NAMA. The primary meaning of NAMA is to "bow." The letters SHIN and MEM are depicted in the horizontal alignment of a person who is "bowing." As discussed in chapter 5, there are two different locations in the body assigned to the resting or latent Spirit or Shakti—the navel and the base of the spine. The Hebrew letters SHIN and MEM each represent one of these resting places or origins of the flow of the Spirit. MEM has a line under it that proceeds to the coil. This designates the origin of the Spirit or Shakti at the navel from where it proceeds down to the base of the spine and then makes the three and a half coils before beginning its upward flow. The letter SHIN is also a coil depicting the Kundalini Nadi and represents the alternate origin of the Spirit at the base of the spine.[99] So SHIN and MEM represent the channels of the "biospiritual procreative power" or Holy Spirit. And the letters SHIN and MEM constitute the word SHEM, which, according to Gesenius, also means a "sign" or "omen."

The Hebrew words SHEMINI, SHEMONEH, SHEMONAH, and SHEMONIM all contain the word SHEM. And all of these words in some way refer to the number eight. As we already know, the number eight is associated with the transmutation of the sexual power.[100]

Jesus' message is that the "biospiritual, procreative power of the universe" is within you. We have illustrated how this "power" or "kingdom" of the universe is experienced in the body by the agency of the Holy Spirit through its various channels and its medium, the sexual fluids. The letters that comprise the word SHEM represent the channel of the Kundalini Nadi and therefore the medium (seminal fluids) of the "procreative power," which flow through the channel. We might therefore expect that this word SHEM would be related to the Universe, which is the physical manifestation and body of the Supreme. The Hebrew word for the Universe is SHAMAYIM (SHAMAYIN in Aramaic). In the word SHAMAYIM, we find a connection between SHEM and the Universe. SHAMAYIM uses the vowel sound of "A" between the letters SHIN (SH) and MEM (M); SHEM uses the vowel sound of "E" in the same place. The Hebrew alphabet is consonantal, meaning that the vowel sounds are not represented by letters but are understood from the context. Or the vowel sounds can be determined by a method of notations called the Masoretic vowel points or _nikkud_. So root words are often mutated by changing the vowel sounds. Sometimes Hebrew words have two forms with the same meaning, each using different vowel sounds such as—SHAKAN or SHAKEN "to settle down, to abide" and SAKAR or SEKER "hire, wages," etcetera.

I believe that SHAMAYIM, universe, is a compound word formed from SHEM and MAYIM (waters). In regard to SHEM, Gesenius states, "I regard this word as primitive...denoting (the Greek word) SEMA." SEMA means: "a sign, mark, token...a sign from heaven, an omen, portent...a seal...a constellation: in plural the heavenly bodies (the universe). In SEMA, we find a Greek word, which equates to SHAMAYIM, in so much as its plural form denotes the "universe." Here we see in a cognate the vowel sound "E" in SEMA, in the place of the vowel sound "A" as found in SHAMAYIM. Neil Douglas-Klotz in _Prayers of the Cosmos_ , also relates SHEM to SHAMAYIM: "In the first line Our Father which art in heaven— _Abwoon d'bwashmaya_ ,], _Shem_ was spread throughout the universe; it was part of the underlying Unity in which everything lives." There are other examples of how SHEM relates to the heavenly bodies or Universe. SHEMESH is the Hebrew word for the "sun." It is a compound of SHEM and ESH. ESH means "fire." Heliopolis, an ancient Egyptian city associated with the worship of the Sun, was called BAYITH SHEMESH (temple or city of the Sun) in Hebrew and "AIN SHEMS" (fountain of the Sun) in Arabic.[[101] Many ancient peoples and religions associated the Sun with the divine. The Arabic expression, AIN SHEMS, is very similar to the Aramaic word SHAMAYIN.

It should be apparent that the most ancient meaning of SHEM refers to the "procreative power" and that "name" is actually a secondary meaning derived from the notion of the "parental lineage" or "seed" of an individual. I believe that SHAMAYIM and SHAMAYIN (Aramaic)—universe—are compound words formed from SHEM and either MAYIM "water" or AYIN "a fountain." In this case, the word SHAMAYIM would reflect the profound spiritual truth of the relationship between the Universe and the Holy Spirit, the "divine procreative power" or "spring of living waters."

The meaning of the word SHEM is multifaceted. "Name" is usually the correct translation or interpretation, but in certain contexts, SHEM denotes the "procreative power." A good example of this fact is contained in the following passage.

Your oils have a pleasing fragrance, Your name is like purified oil; Therefore the maidens love you.

(Song of Solomon 1:3)

The word _oils_ in this verse is translated from the Hebrew word SHEMEN. SHEMEN is usually translated as "oil" or "oils," but its primary signification is that of "fatness," "fruitfulness," or "fertility." I believe that the primary signification of SHEMEN should be "fertile" or "fruitful" because that which is "fertile" produces abundantly, hence "fatness." SHEMEN actually combines the meanings of two Hebrew words SHEM and ON. ON means "strength" and "power," especially virile and genital power.[102] In the Hebrew mind, ON was also related to the power of God, as evidenced by the word ON being used as the Hebrew name of the Egyptian city of Heliopolis,[103] which, as mentioned, is also referred to in Hebrew as BAYITH SHEMESH (Place of the Sun). In this verse, the symbolism of "oils" relate to the "transcendental procreative power" as experienced through the medium of the "procreative fluids." SHEMEN relates to spiritual power as evidenced by the word _shaman_ , which refers to one who has spiritual power and is a "medicine man" or "spiritual leader." The similarities between the word SHEMEN and the English word _semen_ also cannot be denied. This interpretation is further strengthened by an investigation of the Hebrew word RUQ, from which the word "purified" is translated in the phrase "Your name is like purified oil." There is absolutely no way that "purified" may be translated from RUQ. RUQ means "to pour oneself out, to be poured out."[104] The Interlinear Bible offers the following translation: "For your ointments _have_ a lovely fragrance; Your name is _as_ ointment _poured out_..." The correct translation, certainly the correct interpretation of the last portion of this verse should be: "Your name is poured out oil (shemen, semen); therefore, the maidens love you." Allow me to emphasize that in this context the verse should be interpreted to mean that the _name_ is the pouring out of the "biospiritual procreative energies" or "divine life energy." The New American Standard Version translation and the Interlinear Bible both insert words into the text that are not found in the original Hebrew text. The NASB inserts "like" (i.e. "Your name is _like_ purified oils...") into the text. And the Interlinear Bible inserts "as" (i.e., "Your name is _as_ ointment poured out"). These additions to the Hebrew text have been made in order to suit the preconceived notions of the translators. They are unnecessary, incorrect, and misleading. The NAME (SHEM) is not LIKE SHEMEN (divine life energy) poured out; rather SHEM IS "divine life-energy" poured out. It is "semen" poured out into the biospiritual channels (i.e., NADIS or the "river of life"). And because of the allusion to the "sexual energies" or "mystical transcendence of the biospiritual life-energy," the text says: "...the maidens [worshippers or devotees] love you..."

These investigations and examples should provide the reader with enough evidence to realize that the term _name_ as applied to the divine is often a metaphor for the _spirit_ or _spiritual power_ , as exemplified by the association of the _spirit_ with the "divine biospiritual life energies." In other words, SHEM or "name" is sometimes used cryptically to refer to the experience of the mystical identity of the Supreme.

It should be easy enough for the reader to understand that the sexual aspect of the "divine life energy" is a topic that was not easily discussed or revealed to the public thousands of years ago. In order for ancient mystics around the world to express this truth, it had to be veiled in cryptic terms. I'm sure that even today, many people will find this concept difficult to accept or understand.[105] But religious or spiritually minded people will be the first to admit that God created the heavens and the earth and all living beings.[106] Following this line of thought, it shouldn't be too difficult to understand that if God created you, then the creative power of the Supreme Spirit must have been present somehow in the "bioenergies" that were involved in the process of your conception. I will remind the reader that one of the names of God is EL SHADDAY, God Almighty. If God is "almighty," then all power is God's and is God; including the universal creative power through which all things are made. As the scripture says, "...ye are gods..."; therefore, our creative power is the creative power of the Supreme.

In many instances in the Bible, the word _name_ actually refers to a spiritual experience that reveals something of the identity of God. As mentioned, one of the connotations of SHEM is an "omen." And SHEM also refers to "glory," the glory of God.

Indeed, while following the way of Thy judgments, O Lord, We have waited for Thee eagerly; Thy name, even Thy memory, is the desire of our souls.

(Isaiah 26:8)

The preceding verse indicates that "...Thy name, even Thy memory, is the desire of our souls." In what sense would one "desire" a name? "Name" when used in this context refers to an experience. This idea is confirmed by the phrase "...Thy memory, is the desire of our souls." "Name" and "memory" are used together, indicating that the memory comes from an experience (SHEM), which in this case is the experience of the "spiritual power" of God. This experience will never and can never be forgotten; hence, "Thy memory, is the desire of our souls."

The following passages illustrate the connection between SHEM and "power".

...Save me, O God, by Thy name, And vindicate me by Thy power.

(Psalms 54:1)

Behold, I am going to send an angel before you to guard you along the way, and to bring you into the place which I have prepared. Be on your guard before him and obey his voice; do not be rebellious toward him, for he will not pardon your transgression, since _My name is in him_.

(Exodus 23:20-21, emphasis added)

In the next verse, God speaking through the prophet states that "...I will set him securely on high, because he has known my name."

Because he has loved Me, therefore I will deliver him; I will set him securely on high, because he has known My name.

(Psalms 91:14)

"Knowing the name" _will_ set a person on high because in this context "name" or SHEM refers to the experience of the divine power.

There are many expressions in the Bible that refer to the name: "believing in the name,"[107] "seeking the name,"[108] "waiting on the name,"[109] "sing praises to the name,"[110] "fearing the name,"[111] "our help is in the name."[112] Why would a scripture refer to "believing in the name" rather than believing in God? Or why would we "seek the name" rather than seeking God or "fearing the name" rather than fearing God, etcetera? Because when SHEM is used in these contexts, it refers to an experience of the Divine Power, the Holy Spirit. The mystical name is the glory of God, the experience of God, and in this sense, _SHEM is God_.

The mystical experience of SHEM is synonymous with the scriptural term "the anointing." The kings and priests of Israel were consecrated by anointing them with oil to signify that the power of God was upon them. SHEMEN is the Hebrew word for "oil" that is most commonly used in the Hebrew scriptures. You may recall that I have compared SHEMEN to _semen_. Semen, as well as the female sexual fluids, possesses an "oily" quality. The transcendental spiritual experience of the upward streaming of these fluids into the brain is the powerful spiritual experience of the true anointing.[113] The ceremony of anointing with oil is symbolic of the sensational experience of the upward streaming of the biospiritual power into the brain, which was symbolized by pouring the anointing oil onto the head of the king or priest.

The following verse illustrates that in some instances, the spiritual anointing reveals the "name" or identity of the Lord by means of the Holy Spirit, which is the awesome power of the Supreme. The following verse states that "...I will write upon him the name of My God...and my new name."

"He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God, and he will not go out from it anymore; and I will write upon him the name of My God, and the name of the city of My God, the new Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from My God, and My new name."

(Revelation 3:12)

"Writing" is sometimes a euphemism for the anointing. In the preceding verse, the phrase "I will write" is symbolic of the anointing. The word _write_ is translated from the Greek word GRAPHO, which means "to grave, scrape, scratch, engrave...hence to draw letters, to write...to delineate (or form) letters on a tablet, parchment, paper, or other material..."[114] When writing on paper or parchment, one "smears" ink on the paper to create letters. The Latin word for letter is LITERA, and it is derived from the Sanskrit word LINO, meaning "to smear."[115] Additionally, writing is performed by "drawing the hand over something." The Hebrew word MASHACH is usually translated as "to anoint," but its primary signification is "to stroke," "to draw the hand over anything"—hence "to anoint," because the one anointed is "touched by the hand of God." The word "hand" is sometimes used as a euphemism for "power." MASHACH is translated in the Septuagint by the Greek word CHRIO, which means "to touch with the hand, to besmear, to anoint."[116] This is why the disciples would try to impart the baptism of the Holy Spirit by the "laying on of hands." CHRIO is used when referring to imparting the gifts of the Holy Spirit to Christians,[117]as in the following verse.

Now He who establishes us with you in Christ and anointed us is God...

(2 Corinthians 1:21)

The Greek word CHRISTOS is always translated in the New Testament as "Christ" or "Christ's." But it simply means "one who has been anointed," and CHRISTOS is used in the Greek translation of the Hebrew Bible to translate the Hebrew word MASHIACH, which means "one who is anointed" whether ceremonially or spiritually. CHRISTOS is a noun derived from the verb CHRIO, and as such, it would refer to anyone who has been touched by the "hand of God" or "one who has been anointed." The "hand" and consequently the "hand of God" are associated with "power." And this is the true meaning of the "anointing" in that the person has experienced the power of God through the agency of the Holy Spirit.

But there were some of them, men of Cyprus and Cyrene, who came to Antioch and _began_ speaking to the Greeks also, preaching the Lord Jesus. _And_ _the hand of the Lord was with them_ , and a large number who believed turned to the Lord.

(Acts of the Apostles 11:20-21)

In the New Testament, Jesus is the only person who is referred to as CHRISTOS; however, this experience of the "anointing by the Holy Spirit" is applied to others in symbolic terms (i.e., "baptism in the Holy Spirit," "mind of Christ," "born again," "the morning star," etcetera). The word MASHIACH is sometimes translated in the Hebrew Bible as "the Messiah,"[118] but this usage simply refers to a prince who was to come as a temporal ruler. The word CHRISTOS or MASHIACH should actually refer to anyone who has experienced the "true spiritual anointing." We can become partakers in Christ through the awakening of the "biospiritual power," namely "the anointing," and this is the highest known summit of spirituality.

...that is, the mystery which has been hidden from the past ages and generations; but has now been manifested to His saints, to whom God willed to make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, _which is Christ in you, the hope of glory._

(Colossians 1:26-27, emphasis added)

For who has known the mind of the Lord, that he should instruct Him? _But we have the mind of Christ._

(1 Corinthians 2:16)

For God, who said, "Light shall shine out of darkness," is _the One who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face_ [119] _of Christ_. But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the surpassing greatness of the power may be of God and not from ourselves...;

(2 Corinthians 4:6-7, emphasis added)

_Now the Lord is the Spirit_ ; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. _But we all, with unveiled face beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory_ , just as from the Lord, the Spirit.

(2 Corinthians 3:17-18, emphasis added)

For even as the body is one and yet has many members, and all the members of the body, though they are many, are one body, so also is Christ. _For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body,_ whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free, and _we were all made to drink of one Spirit_.

(1 Corinthians 12:12)

It is clear from the preceding verses that we can "share in Christ." Jesus said in the Bible: "A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a slave above his master. It is enough for the disciple that _he become as his teacher_ , and the slave as his master..."[120] and "Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do...."[121] We become "as our teacher," and we "do the works of our teacher (Jesus) through the power of the Holy Spirit or "Christ."

Christ is not a person. "Christ" is the real and conscious experience of the Power of the Supreme, which reveals our true nature and identity and provides a new source of power through which we may live our lives. The "anointing" is one of the terms that is used for this experience, and "Christ" is a condition that we enter into through the baptism in the Holy Spirit.

The baptism in the Holy Spirit is indispensable for "sharing in Christ," which is peace, power, salvation, freedom, and liberation. It is not possible to gain a personal understanding of the most sublime spiritual truths without being baptized in the Spirit. Even the apostles' association with Jesus himself was not sufficient to gain an understanding of spiritual matters.

"I have many more things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come."

(John 16:12-13)

Just prior to the statement Jesus made in the preceding passage, he told the apostles that for their own benefit, it was necessary for him to go away.

"But I tell you the truth; it is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper shall not come to you..."

(John 16:7)

It was not possible for Jesus to teach the disciples the truths that they needed to know. It is not possible for anyone to do so. The Holy Spirit, which we receive in Christ, the anointing, is the only true spiritual teacher. I have seen people, including myself, search far and wide for some person who could reveal the truths of spirituality to them. We search for a minister, priest, rabbi, or guru, but only the Spirit of the Supreme can satisfy our longing. It is the custom in India and in the Catholic Church to refer to a spiritual preceptor as "Father" or "Baba."[122] But Jesus said:

"But do not be called Rabbi; for One is your Teacher, and you are all brothers. And do not call anyone on earth your father; for One is your Father, He who is in heaven (universe). And do not be called leaders; for One is your Leader, that is, Christ.

(Matthew 23:8-10)

Jesus did not say, "I am your Leader." Matthew 23:10 states that: "One is your leader, Christ." If we compare this statement to Jesus's words in the Gospel of John 16:13, "But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth..." we can easily see that Jesus referred to the Holy Spirit or Christ as the true spiritual guide.

For who has known the mind of the Lord, that he should instruct Him? _But we have the mind of Christ._

(1 Corinthians 2:16)

The "mind of Christ" is established in us through the anointing—the baptism in the Holy Spirit.

But what is this baptism in the Holy Spirit? Certainly, it was something that was considered to be indispensable by the apostles.

Now when the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent them Peter and John, who came down and prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Spirit. For He had not yet fallen upon any of them; they had simply been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. Then they began laying their hands on them, and they were receiving the Holy Spirit.

(Acts of the Apostles 8:14-17)

It is obvious from the preceding verse that the disciples considered "baptism in water" to be an initiatory ceremony that was incomplete without the "baptism in the Holy Spirit." John the Baptist also made this quite clear as illustrated by the following verse.

"As for me, I baptize you with water for repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, and I am not fit to remove His sandals; He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire."

(Matthew 3:11)

To understand the baptism in the Holy Spirit, let us examine its symbolism and significance. Baptism in water is an initiatory ceremony that symbolizes the baptism in the Holy Spirit. Those persons who have been baptized in the Holy Spirit long to share the experience with others. Unfortunately, it is seldom that someone can deliver this experience to another through the laying on of hands or any other method. So an initiatory ceremony was devised that symbolized the goal of the spiritual quest—the awakening or arousal of the divine biospiritual energy.

One clue to this symbolism is found in the Gospel of John.

And John also was baptizing in Aenon near Salim, because there was much water there; and they were coming and were being baptized.

(John 3:23)

This verse states that: "John also was baptizing in Aenon near Salim." "Aenon" is an English transliteration of the Greek word AINON, and AINON is a Greek transliteration of a compound Hebrew word, which is formed from the Hebrew words—AYIN and ON. AYIN means "to flow, flow out"—hence "a fountain" or "stream."[123] ON refers to the "divine biospiritual power" of the Supreme as discussed earlier in this chapter.[124] So the word "Aenon" or AINON means the fountain or stream (river) of the "spiritual power"—the Holy Spirit. And the verse goes on to say that: "there was much water there." This verse is key to understanding the meaning of baptism in water. Baptism in water is a ritual that the spiritual aspirant submits to as a public statement of the hope of a better life. It represents the baptism in the Holy Spirit, which John the Baptist must have had a clear understanding about but was unable to transmit to the aspirants himself.

There are many preliminary movements and manifestations of the Spirit, but in my opinion, the baptism in the Holy Spirit is not truly experienced without this total immersion of the ego-self in the divine creative energies, which ultimately yields the experience of the "power of the Divine Universal Being," the "royal power of the universe." At this time, we must recall that the good news of the "kingdom of heaven," the "power of the universe," was the core message of Jesus. Most of Jesus' known teachings were about the power/kingdom of the universe. An understanding of the spiritual nature of the "divine biospiritual life force" is essential to an understanding of the highest truths of life. This life force contained in the procreative fluids is why Jesus often compared the kingdom of heaven to "seed."[125]

In order to further this discussion associating the transcendental biospiritual energies with the Holy Spirit, let us examine the scriptures that describe the events associated with the baptism of Jesus.

Now it came about when all the people were baptized, that Jesus also was baptized, and while He was praying, heaven was opened, and _the Holy Spirit descended upon Him in bodily form like a dove_ , and a voice came out of heaven, "Thou art My beloved Son, in Thee I am well-pleased."

(Luke 3:21-22)

The "dove" is one scriptural symbol of the Holy Spirit. Although the New Testament comes to us in Greek, it must be conceded that most of the texts are a product of the Hebrew mind.[126] Hebrew spiritual concepts and symbols expressed in Greek words must be considered from the perspective of the Hebrew mind and language. In Hebrew, one of the words for "dove" is YONAH. YONAH is usually translated as "dove," which is a term of "gentle endearment."[127] Gesenius offers no opinion on the etymology or origin of this word. But I believe that YONAH relates to the Sanskrit word YÓNI. The following is an excerpt from the Sir M. Monier-Williams's Sanskrit-English Dictionary:

YÓNI—...the womb, uterus, vulva, vagina, female organs of generation...(together with the _linga_ , a typical symbol of the divine procreative energy...); place of birth, source, origin, spring, fountain...place of rest, repository, receptacle, seat, abode, home lair, nest, stable...family, race, stock, caste, the form of existence of station fixed by birth...seed, grain...part of a fire-pit...a mine...water...[128]

Many of the definitions of YÓNI are directly applicable to our point of discussion—"the womb," "source," "spring," "fountain," "lineage" ("family, race, stock, caste"), "seed," and "grain" all relate to the various aspects of the "biospiritual creative power." There isn't a doubt in my mind that the Hebrew word YONAH and the Sanskrit word YÓNI are closely related. YONAH is used in the Bible as a "term of endearment." A person would use YONAH in relation to his wife or lover because of the sexual attraction that he feels for that person. So when a "dove" was seen, whether literally or figuratively, descending upon Jesus after his baptism, it meant that He had been filled with the Holy Spirit and the "biospiritual power" had been awakened in Him.

The Song of Solomon is saturated with mystical metaphor, and a great deal of this symbolism is sexual in nature. The author's attraction to the Divine Spirit is like that of a lover to his beloved, because this level of mystical experience incorporates an aspect of the sexual energies. The word _dove_ , YONAH, refers to the "transcendental bio/spiritual power"—the Holy Spirit. Some contextual examples of the mystical usage of YONAH are found in the Song of Solomon in the following verses.

O my dove, in the clefts of the rock, In the secret place of the steep pathway,[129] Let me see your form, Let me hear your voice; For your voice is sweet, And your form is lovely.

(Song of Solomon 2:14)

I was asleep, but my heart was awake. A voice! My beloved was knocking: "Open to me, my sister, my darling, My dove, my perfect one! For my head is drenched with dew, My locks with the damp of the night."

(Song of Solomon 5:2)

There are sixty queens and eighty concubines, and maidens without number; _but_ my dove, my perfect one, is unique: She is her mother's only daughter; she is the pure _child_ of the one who bore her. The maidens saw her and called her blessed, the queens and the concubines _also_ , and they praised her...

(Song of Solomon 6:8-9)

Of all the possible supernormal manifestations of the Supreme Spirit in and about the human being, I stipulate that none qualify as the baptism in the Holy Spirit without the total immersion in the "transcendental biospiritual energy." This is the meaning of the Baptism in the Holy Spirit, as symbolized by baptism in Water. I am skeptical of the claims made by people participating in the Pentecostal and Charismatic movements who believe that they have received the baptism in the Holy Spirit. I was involved in this particular sect of Christianity myself, and in retrospect, I see that for the most part, these people are suffering from an illusion. Time after time, I have personally witnessed people who submitted to the laying on of hands in these congregations for the purpose of receiving the baptism in the Holy Spirit. Usually, they were coached or counseled before the ritual and knew that it would be expected of them to "speak in tongues" after the ceremony as a proof that they had received the Spirit.[130] Many, if not most, of these aspirants would be further persuaded, after the ritual, to start mumbling incoherently as proof of having received the Spirit. This is not the baptism in the Holy Spirit. This is not to say, however, that legitimate awakenings or movements do not occur in the Pentecostal movement, nor do I mean to insinuate that other worthwhile acts are not done by the Church and its members. But because of my own experiences in the Pentecostal movement and the experiences of others, some of whom I knew quite well, I must conclude that a true baptism in the Spirit in that movement or any other is quite rare at best.

The baptism in the Holy Spirit and the awakening of the Kundalini Shakti are rare, particularly within the framework of the Christian Church, because for the most part techniques must be employed by the seeker, sometimes for a period of years, before such an experience might occur. Evidently, the early Church faced the same problem because advice such as the following was given:

_But the wisdom from above is_ firstly truly pure, then peaceable, forbearing, yielding, full of mercy and of good fruits, _not partial and not pretended_.

(James 3:17, Interlinear Translation)

The Supreme Being uses one aspect of the "biospiritual creative energies" for the conception of the human organism and yet another aspect of this power to produce the baptism in the Holy Spirit, which results in the "new birth" or awakening of the Spiritual Being in humans.

But prior to a full awakening, characterized by the experience of the Cosmic Consciousness or "kingdom of heaven," partial awakenings can and do occur. They serve to act as purifying experiences. John the Baptist said:

"As for me, I baptize you with water for repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, and I am not fit to remove His sandals; He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire."

(Matthew 3:11)

In the preceding verse, "fire" is translated from the Greek word PUR. PUR means "fire," but it is related to the Sanskrit word PU, meaning to "purify." Because the perceivable action of the Spirit or Shakti is physiological in nature, the experiences of the more sublime movements of the Spirit require that the nervous system be purified in order to conduct and make use of the greater current of biospiritual power that will flow through it. So a spiritual aspirant who has succeeded to some degree in awakening the latent spiritual faculty, may at some point, experience symptoms of heat and burning. This sensation is generally considered to be the result of the purifying action of the Spirit. I remember that at one point during the course of my spiritual practices, I started experiencing a burning sensation up and down my spine and also in my hands. Gradually, this burning in my spine and hands became more and more severe. I could not find any relief. I tried creams, oils, and soaking in hot baths with no success. Eventually, my hands started cracking open and bleeding. Nothing brought any relief. Finally, by chance, I went on a short vacation to a Mexican island where scuba diving is very popular. I went diving one day and realized that evening that the burning and bleeding had subsided. When I got back to the States, the burning began again, but I found that I could relieve this condition by soaking in a warm bath with bath salts in the water. Finally, after a few months, this symptom subsided altogether. Dr. Lee Sannella has provided some anecdotes in regard to persons with similar conditions.

The arousal of the kundalini power is a dramatic occurrence. It is traditionally looked upon as a mighty process of purification that leads to the transcendence of the body and the mind in the culminating state of ecstatic unification of subject and object.

_In the course of its upward motion, the kundalini is held to encounter all kinds of impurities that are burned off by its dynamic activity._ [131]

"The life-force is hot, and it not only spreads its heat to different parts of the body, but it may even become bright and perceptible to the meditator. In exceptional meditators it can occasionally cast an objectively visible light...

"Lu K'uan Yu alias Charles Luk, reported of the Taoist master Yin Shih Tsu as writing in 1914 that he felt heat going from the base of his spine to the top of his head, then down over his face and throat to his stomach."[132]

"Once he had a vision of white light and lost consciousness. Just preceding this vision, he experienced a flow of energy that started in his abdomen and proceeded to his back, up to his neck, and then to the back of his head, where it burst into brilliant light. _He also felt heat in his abdomen and head._ "[133]

Whereas I believe that psychosomatic heat is one piece of evidence of the "fire of the Spirit," I also believe that there are strictly psychological and moral purifications that also accompany the various movements of the Spirit. Latent desires become manifest providing us with opportunity to deal with them in one way or another. Eventually, this process leads to the elimination of our attachment to these desires and tendencies as our ego is burned away in the purifying fire of the Spirit. No one is immune to this process.

Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.

(Matthew 4:1)

Temptation and even our failings are a part of the cosmic scheme. If it were not so, Jesus would not have included the following phrase in the Lord's Prayer: "And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil."[134]

This process of purification may go on for years. Actually, there may never be an end to the refinement of the individual, but our suffering may cease with the elimination of the ego sense.

Certain individuals display supernormal gifts that are associated with the baptism of the Holy Spirit. These gifts are described in the Bible as follows:

Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit. And there are varieties of ministries, and the same Lord. And there are varieties of effects, but the same God who works all things in all persons.

But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. For to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, and to another the word of knowledge according to the same Spirit; to another faith by the same Spirit, and to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, and to another the effecting of miracles, and to another prophecy, and to another the distinguishing of spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, and to another the interpretation of tongues.

But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually just as He wills.

(1 Corinthians 12:4-11)

I believe that it is possible, however, for some people to display certain supernormal powers without having experienced the indwelling of the Spirit. On the other hand, some people who have received the baptism in the Holy Spirit may not display any supernormal powers at all. But it is important to remember that these kinds of powers are really unimportant. Just because a person seems to have some kind of uncanny power doesn't mean that he or she is a loving or spiritual person. And the apparent possession of some kind of supernormal power doesn't necessarily mean that this person has gained the experience of the "power of the universe."

It has been my experience, and the experience of others, that supernormal powers or gifts are not usually under the control of the person through whom they are manifested. Rather, they seem to happen on their own at the will of the Supreme Spirit, just as this scriptural passage states: "...the same Spirit works all these things...just as He wills."

The true aim of Yoga is transformation of Consciousness, the creation of a heaven on earth. What lasting joy can supernormal talents or command over supernatural forces bring to a man whose inner being has not risen above the narrow, vacillating periphery of the human mind? What greater happiness can occult gifts, temporal power or earthly riches confer on a man who, in perennial communion with the Universal Ocean of Life, has realized his own immortal nature, knows himself as one with the Eternal Fount of Cosmic Consciousness, in want of nothing and beyond the farthest reach of the contaminations of the earth: sorrow, decay and death.[135]

Jesus's message did not center on supernormal powers. It was about the "kingdom of heaven"—the power of the Universe. But the spiritual aspirant may have various kinds of experiences as she or he makes her or his way toward entrance into the "kingdom."

Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. But we all, with unveiled face beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit.

(2 Corinthians 3:17-18)

Paul says that we "...are being transformed into the same image (Christ) from glory to glory..." This means that we proceed gradually from one experience to another until we are totally transformed by the Spirit. And just as every step on the path is necessary in order to reach our destination, so every movement and manifestation of the Spirit in our personal spiritual life is necessary in order to reach our goal. During my life, I have had many experiences that a person could characterize as spiritual. Many of these occurrences left me wondering what they meant or what value they had for me in my quest. Often, I couldn't really reach any conclusion about them, but they always inspired me to press on and not give up my search.

Jesus wanted us to know that "the kingdom of heaven" or Cosmic Consciousness is approachable and available to us. This should be the goal of spiritual life—the personal experience of the awesome power of the Supreme that is within us. This is really the catalyst that facilitates our personal transformation from "limited ego" to "son of the Supreme." If we never realize our own infinite, immortal nature, it is not possible to relinquish our attachment to the limited being that we believe that we are. How can we truly surrender and trust a God whom we do not really know? The experience of Cosmic Consciousness is indispensable to a complete personal transformation. And really, the experience of Cosmic Consciousness isn't the end of anything; it is just the beginning of spiritual life, which leads to a personal transformation. The dawn of Cosmic Consciousness is the _new birth_ that Jesus taught.

It is important to remember that this experience is not limited to those of the Christian faith. Some apparently irreligious people have also experienced it. But let us examine the following quotations which are personal descriptions of the experience of the "kingdom of God" framed in a Christian context.

Early in my career a reputation as a popular preacher was won, and the power to interest and hold an audience achieved. As a minister I wrestled with the intellectual problems of the age, not only in the theological but in the physical, sociological and psychical realms. My desire for information was eager, and the search for truth honest and persistent.

In the month of February, 1890, just following my thirty-seventh birthday, Rev. J.E.L., of Canada came to assist me in a series of special meetings in my church...My friend was _forgotten in the vision of Christ, who had come to me, not from without, but through the gates which open inwardly._ I knew him, was conscious of him in my own spirit, soul and body. Then with that unfolding consciousness there came a suffusion, as of a delicate cloud or haze, which searched the entire body, was more invasive than light, more penetrating than heat, more inreaching than electricity. _It was as if I had been plunged into a bath of fluid more subtle and permeating than ether...The rapture, the exaltation, the divinity of that moment passes knowledge. Then swiftly came the awe of the mysterious presence that filled me, and the consciousness of the whole creation, universe, went thrilling through me, not as a thought, a sensation, an emotion, but as the vital breath of God. This grew until I found myself rising and expanding into the Infinite, being diffused and lost therein, and the mind and body reeled._ Feeling myself falling, I exclaimed: "The vision is too much! I cannot look upon the face of God and live! Father in heaven, it is enough!"

And the voice answered. I sank on my bed and slept like a child. A few hours later I woke in joy which was unspeakable and full of glory. I knew what Paul meant by the "unspeakable gift."

...The exhaustion was such that I felt the need of rest and went to my mother, in the old homestead among the hills of Connecticut. To her I told the story. She said: "My boy, I have been expecting this. Now you know the truth of a Living Christ."

I know the eternal Christ of Paul and John, the Christ manifested in the Nazarene, and who in the manifestation was the interpretation of the Cosmic Consciousness of the past and the typal form of the new race in whom that consciousness is evolved. It is the race of the Sons of God, who, like Moses, have stood in the presence and been bathed in the glory of His beauty and the blessedness of His joy. Cosmic Consciousness is the light of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.[136]

The experience just recounted expresses all of the qualities that I would consider essential to an entrance into the "kingdom" through the baptism in the Holy Spirit—the _new_ _birth_. The experience was internal "...forgotten in the vision of Christ, who had come to me, not from without, but through the gates which open inwardly..." The subject was immersed in the living waters resulting in the bliss that characterizes the true baptism in the Holy Spirit: "...It was as if I had been plunged into a bath of fluid more subtle and permeating than ether...The rapture, the exaltation, the divinity of that moment passes knowledge." And the experience culminated in the knowledge of man's unity with the Universe, which is the most excellent of all known spiritual experiences: "Then swiftly came the awe of the mysterious presence that filled me, and the consciousness of the whole creation, universe, went thrilling through me, not as a thought, a sensation, an emotion, but as the vital breath of God. This grew until I found myself rising and expanding into the Infinite, being diffused and lost therein, and the mind and body reeled." This extremely fortunate individual experienced the true baptism in the Holy Spirit, the new birth, which results in the knowledge of our universal nature—that of oneness with God through Christ.

The following is the experience of another individual as told by Richard Maurice Bucke in _Cosmic_ _Consciousness_.

C.M.C.

"But now into this life, past its meridian and apparently fixed for good or ill, was to come a new element, which should transform me, my life and the world to me. The soul, the deeper self, was to awake, and _demand its own!_ An irresistible force was to be aroused which should, with mighty throes, rend the veil behind which nature hides her secrets. An illness, combining extreme bodily prostration with equally extreme mental and emotional disturbance, revealed to me the depths in my own nature.

"I had come to see that my need was greater even than I had thought. The pain and tension deep in the core and centre of my being was so great that I felt as might some creature which had outgrown its shell, and yet could not escape. What it was I knew not, except that it was a great yearning—for freedom, for larger life—for deeper love. There seemed to be no response in nature to that infinite need. The great tide swept on uncaring, pitiless, and strength gone, every resource exhausted, nothing remained but _submission_. So I said: There must be a reason for it, a purpose in it, even if I cannot grasp it. The Power in whose hands I am may do with me _as it will!_ It was several days after this resolve before the point of complete surrender was reached. Meantime, with every internal sense, I searched for that principle, whatever it was, which would hold me when I let go.

"At last, subdued, with a curious, growing strength in my weakness, _I let go of myself!_

"...I was seeing and comprehending the sublime meaning of things, the reasons for all that had before been hidden and dark. The great truth that life is a spiritual evolution, that this life is but a passing phase in the soul's progression, burst upon my astonished vision with overwhelming grandeur. Oh, I thought, if this is what it means, if this is the outcome, then pain is sublime! Welcome centuries, eons, of suffering if it brings us to this! And still the splendor increased. Presently what seemed to be a swift, oncoming tidal wave of splendor and glory ineffable came down upon me, and I felt myself being enveloped, swallowed up.

"I felt myself going, losing myself. Then I was terrified, but with a sweet terror. I was losing my consciousness, my identity, but was powerless to hold myself. Now came a period of rapture, so intense that the universe stood still, as if amazed at the unutterable majesty of the spectacle! Only one in all the infinite universe! The All-loving, the Perfect One! The Perfect Wisdom, truth, love and purity! And with the rapture came the insight. In that same wonderful moment of what might be called supernal bliss, came illumination. I saw with intense inward vision the atoms or molecules, of which seemingly the universe is composed—I know not whether material or spiritual—rearranging themselves, as the cosmos (in its continuous, everlasting life) passes from _order to order._ What joy when I saw there was no break in the chain—not a link left out—everything in its place and time. Worlds, systems, all blended in one harmonious whole. Universal life, synonymous with universal love!

"Jesus said unto her, If thou knowest the gift of God, and who it is that saith unto thee, Give me to drink: thou wouldest have asked of him and he would have given thee living water. The woman saith unto him, Sir, thou hast nothing to draw with, and the well is deep: from whence hast thou that living water? Jesus answered and said unto her, Every one that drinketh of this water (that is, whoever seeks to quench, by satisfying them, the appetites, passions and desires of the self conscious life) shall thirst again (for these cannot be satisfied and quieted by gratification): but whosoever drinketh of the water (the kingdom of heaven—the Cosmic Sense) that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall become in him a well of water springing up unto eternal life.

"This describes an actual sensation. The infinite love and tenderness seemed to really stream down over me like holy oil healing all my hurts and bruises. How foolish, how childish, now seemed petulance and discontent in the presence of that serene majesty! I had learned the grand lesson, that suffering is the price which must be paid for all that is worth having; that in some mysterious way we are refined and sensitized, doubtless largely by it, so that we are made susceptible to nature's higher and finer influences—this, if true of one, is true of all. And feeling and knowing this, I do not now rave as once I did, but am 'silent' 'as I sit and look out upon all the sorrow of the world'—'upon all the meanness and agony without end.'...All is well, always has been and will always be.

"Out of this experience was born an unfaltering trust. Deep in the soul, below pain, below all the distraction of life, is a silence vast and grand—an infinite ocean of calm, which nothing can disturb; Nature's own exceeding peace, which 'passes understanding.'

"That which we seek with passionate longing, here and there, upward and outward, we find at last _within ourselves._ The kingdom within! The indwelling God! are words whose sublime meaning we never shall fathom."[137]

This very experience is what Jesus proclaimed: "...the kingdom of heaven (the Being and Power of the universe) is within you." But this truth can only be known from experience. This is salvation, and it is the "new birth." This experience provides the knowledge of our own true nature, which is immortal and one with God.

Eventually, we will have to understand that the Supreme Being loves all and has manifested its Spirit to people of all races and religions. How could it be otherwise, since all existence is a manifestation of the Supreme? The one valid religious statute is love. As long as we love and try to understand others, we have nothing to fear from God or man. We find an inspiration to love from the experience of Cosmic Consciousness—"the kingdom of heaven"—CHRIST. Jesus taught love by word and by example. Love is more than tolerance; love is a mutual understanding and acceptance of the viewpoints of different persons and religions. Love is not a condescending understanding, but a genuine attitude of respect. By trying to understand others, we may learn something valuable about ourselves. By adopting this attitude, we are free to examine the accounts of non-Christians in order to learn from their experiences.

Some testimonies from non-Christian sources are as follows:

Horace Traubel

"That overwhelming night, as I leaned over the railing of the ferryboat, lost this world for another, and in the anguish and joy of a few minutes saw things heretofore withheld from me revealed. Those who have had such an encounter will understand what this means, others will not, or will perhaps only realize it by intimation. I could not separate the physical and spiritual of that moment. My physical body went through the experience of a disappearance in spiritual light. All severe lines in the front of phenomena relaxed. I was one with God, Love, the Universe, arrived at last face to face with myself. I was sensible of peculiar moral and mental disturbances and readjustments. There was an immediateness to it all—an indissoluble unity of the several energies of my being in one force.

"I can say now (writing 1901) that from that day to this I have never known one moment of despair concerning my spiritual relations to man and the universe."[138]

Richard Jeffries

"Having drunk deeply of the heaven above and felt the most glorious beauty of the day, and remembering the old, old sea, which (as it seemed to me) was but just yonder at the edge, I now became lost, and absorbed into the being or existence of the universe.

"I feel on the margin of a life unknown, very near, almost touching it—on the verge of powers which, if I could grasp, would give me an immense breadth of existence. Sometimes a very ecstasy of exquisite enjoyment of the entire universe filled me. I want more ideas of soul-life. I am certain that there are more yet to be found. A great life—an entire civilization—lies just outside the pale of common thought.

"There is an Entity, a Soul-Entity, as yet unrecognized."[139]

The following entry is an excerpt from the Bhagavad Gita, translated by Swami Nikhilananda.

8:22: That Supreme Purusha,[140] in whom all beings abide and by whom the entire universe is pervaded, can be attained, O Partha, by whole-souled devotion directed to Him alone.

9:4: By Me, in My unmanifested form, are all things in this universe pervaded. All beings exist in Me, but I do not exist in them.

11:19: I behold Thee as one without beginning, middle, or end; with infinite arms and immeasurable strength; with the sun and moon as Thine eyes; with Thy face shining like a blazing fire; and burning with Thy radiance the whole universe.

11:38: Thou art the first of gods, the ancient Soul; Thou art the supreme Resting-place of the universe; Thou art the Knower and That which is to be known and the Ultimate Goal. And by Thee is the world pervaded, O Thou of infinite form.

The existence of "the Supreme power, the Supreme Being of the Universe," the "kingdom of heaven," or Cosmic Consciousness is attested to by many persons from different cultures and religions.

# Chapter Seven

Love is the goal of Christian life and indeed of all human life. We all want to be loved and accepted, and I think that most of us also want to love. The achievement of love is the most difficult of all aspirations. At times, it may even be difficult for one to love one's own self. Jesus taught that love is the greatest of all the commandments, but where do we find the strength and the will to love our neighbor as we love ourselves? The power lies in understanding that our neighbor _is_ our very own self. The "new birth" provides the concrete proof of the oneness of life. It provides us with a new faculty by which we may begin to learn to love more universally. It is relatively easy to love our parents and the other members of our family. It becomes more difficult to love others who are not members of our family. And it can be extremely difficult to love others of different religions and nationalities, those with different outlooks and objectives. But the experience of the Supreme Universal Spirit within us is key to overcoming the difficulty. Let's examine a verse that relates to the baptism of Jesus.

...and the Holy Spirit descended upon Him in bodily form like a dove, and a voice came out of heaven, "Thou art My beloved Son, in Thee I am well-pleased."

(Luke 3:22)

The scripture states a "voice came out of heaven" and said, "Thou art My beloved Son..." It was at this time that Jesus was "born again." The "new birth" is a very real and undeniable experience of the awakening or birth of a new aspect of our nature. It is the awakening or birth of the power of the universe within us. Actually, _it_ is not really born, because it has always existed. It is the Self-Existent Nature of all that is and that ever will be. It is the Supreme cause of all existence, the LOGOS. Before experiencing the "new birth," we were already daughters and sons of the Supreme, but we did not know it with certainty. The "new birth," the "awakening," or "the baptism" in the Holy Spirit is the personal experience of the reality of our _oneness_ with the Supreme. It is not really a birth because this transcendental being has existed all along. But since we personally experience this aspect of our nature for the first time, it seems as if a new entity has been born within us.

The "kingdom of heaven" or the "divine transcendental power of the Universal Being" can only be experienced through the "new birth." And the "new birth" can only be achieved through the agency of the Holy Spirit.

Now there was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews; this man came to Him by night, and said to Him, "Rabbi, we know that You have come from God as a teacher; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him."

Jesus answered and said to him, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God."

Nicodemus said to Him, "How can a man be born when he is old? He cannot enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born, can he?"

Jesus answered, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, You must be born again."

(John 3:1-6)

In this passage, Jesus states that a man must be "born again" to "see the kingdom of God." A new faculty must be awakened in the human being in order to receive the "power of the universe"—the "kingdom of God." This is not perceived with the eyes or the ears or any other ordinary faculty of the "normal" human being. A person must develop a "spiritual faculty," a "new sense," in order to enter into the "kingdom." Sri Ramakrishna has said that spiritual consciousness is not possible without the awakening of the Kundalini."

The Greek words in this passage from the Gospel of John that are translated as "born again" are GENNAO ANOTHEN. These words actually mean begotten or conceived (GENNAO) from above (ANOTHEN). This statement implies an infusion of a "generative force" into the human being. This "generative force" or "energy" is the spiritual "seed of the kingdom." It is the experience of the "biospiritual power." It is a seed that given the proper conditions will grow into the experience of the kingdom.

No one who is born of God practices sin, because _His seed abides in him_ ; and he cannot sin, because he is born of God."

(1 John 3:9)

...for you have been born again not of seed which is perishable but imperishable, that is, through the living and abiding word of God.

(1 Peter 1:23)

It is this sowing of the spiritual seed within a person that constitutes the "new birth" or "regeneration." This seed may grow to be fruitful, or it may be lost. Its growth may be stunted by the circumstances of our lives. This seed will develop to different degrees in different individuals. The actual experience of the sowing of the seed or the experience of the "biospiritual power," the URDHAVA-RETAS, or upward streaming of the sexual fluids may be somewhat different in various individuals. But the effects, namely the experience of the Supreme Universal Being or the "kingdom of heaven," will eventually take place as long as this seed is nurtured.

The term "born-again Christian" is used loosely by many people of different Christian denominations. It is popular to refer to oneself as being "born-again." Contemporary Christians ordinarily consider themselves to be "born again" because they have subscribed to a certain theological formula. The factors of this formula usually require that a person "accept Jesus as her or his personal savior." They believe that accepting this philosophy constitutes the "new birth." But Jesus stated that one must be "born of the Spirit." Being "born of the Spirit" is a very rare event. In the "new birth" or "regeneration," a totally new dimension of our being is brought forth. A hitherto unknown and awesome faculty is awakened within us. It is not an event that happens casually, but it is as dramatic and traumatic as a woman giving birth to a child.

Tissue is torn, blood vessels are severed, blood is spilled, and much fluid is lost; the heart races and the blood pressure soars. There is moaning, crying, and screaming. A severe injury? No, only a relatively normal human birth. The description sounds pathological because the symptoms were not discussed in relation to the outcome: a new human being.

In a darkened room a man sits alone. His body is swept by muscle spasms. Indescribable sensations and sharp pains run from his feet up his legs and over his back and neck. His skull feels as if it is about to burst. Inside his head he hears roaring sounds and high-pitched whistling. His hands burn. He feels his body tearing within. Then suddenly he laughs and is overcome with bliss.

A psychotic episode.? No, this is a psychological transformation, a "rebirth" process as natural as physical birth. It seems pathological only because the symptoms are not understood in relation to the outcome: a psychically transformed human being.

When allowed to progress to completion, this process may culminate in deep psychological balance, inner strength, and emotional maturity. Its initial stages, however, often share the violence helplessness, and imbalance that attend the start of extra-uterine human life.

For thousands of years this transformative process has been hinted at, often only in veiled terms. Earliest references to it can be found in the most ancient scriptures of India, the Vedas. This archaic knowledge formed the basis for the later esoteric teachings, as expounded in the Upanishads, Agamas, Tantras, and Samhitas, and especially the many texts belonging to the Hatha Yoga tradition.

But knowledge of this "rebirth" process was by no means confined to India. It was an integral part of the esoteric teachings of Tibetan Buddhism, Chinese Taoism, the spirituality of certain American Indian tribes, and...even of the Bushmen of Africa.[141]

I sincerely engaged in the practice of Christianity in several different denominational styles. I have listened to preaching about being "born again." In the Pentecostal and Charismatic churches, I listened to and witnessed many words and actions relating to the "new birth" and the "baptism in the Holy Spirit." I was not engaging in these pursuits in a casual manner or as a dispassionate observer; I was trying to save my very soul. I was searching for the peace and joy that is spoken of in the Scriptures, but in the end, I went away dissatisfied. I was not born again even though I thought that I was because of the theology that I embraced. As a participant in the Charismatic movement, I believed that I had been "baptized in the Holy Spirit; but it was only my imagination. What I finally discovered is that the reality of the baptism in the Holy Spirit and the new birth is vastly different from the traditional theological concept of them.

The "new birth," which is a result of the movement of the "biospiritual power" or Holy Spirit in the human organism awakens a new aspect of our being, an aspect which is not human; but which is more real and valuable to the mystic than his or her very own human existence. This being is awesome, vast, conscious, immortal, and unimaginably blissful. It is not human, but indwells all humanity. It would never be possible for a human being even to begin to imagine what the experience of this being is like. Even if someone wrote volumes on the experience; all that information would never even begin to accurately describe the magnitude of the experience. And because we obtain a new sense of our being, we have a foundation by which we may let our old sense of ourselves perish so that the new being in us may grow and mature. I believe that in most cases the "new birth" may occur years after the first movements of the Spirit begin. And for those persons who are successful, the "new birth" and the experience of the "kingdom of God" are not the end of a process but actually a new beginning. Because life, especially the conscious life of the Spirit, is constantly unfolding, resulting in greater peace, glory, and power.

Earth, water, fire, air, ether, mind, understanding, and ego: such is the eightfold division of My nature.

This is My lower nature. But, different from it, know, O mighty Arjuna, _My higher nature—the Indwelling Spirit by which the universe is sustained._

Know that these two form the womb of all beings. _I am the origin of the entire universe and also its dissolution._

_There exists nothing whatever higher than I am_ , O Dhananjaya. All is strung on Me as a row of gems on a thread.[142]

I'd like to note that the concept of being born again is also native to Hinduism. Traditionally, the members of the first three caste groups of India, Brahmins, Kshatriyas, and Vaishyas, were known as "twice born"—DWIJA in Sanskrit. The boys of these three groups were initiated into the "twice-born" stage of life in the UPANAYANAM ceremony. But nowadays only Brahmins perform the ceremony. One of the features of this ceremony is that the boy is given a sacred thread that is composed of three separate threads wound together and tied by a knot. The sacred thread is then worn around the chest. The three threads symbolize SUSHUMNA, IDA, and PINGALA, because it is through these three channels that the divine energy may arise and cause the fortunate individual to be "born again."

There are several different expressions used in the New Testament in reference to the "new birth." One term which is used alternately for the "new birth" is _regeneration_. This term is found in the following verses.

And Jesus said to them, "Truly I say to you, that you who have followed Me, in the regeneration when the Son of Man will sit on His glorious throne, you also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.

(Matthew 19:28)

He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit...,

(Titus 3:5)

The Greek word that is translated as "regeneration" in these two verses is PALIGGENESIA, which means "new birth, reproduction, renewal, recreation."[143] PALIGGENESIA is from two Greek words PALIN, meaning "new, again,"[144] and GENESIS, meaning "source, origin," used of "birth, nativity" and of "that which follows origin, viz. existence, life." So the term _regeneration_ , as used in these two verses, refers to the "new birth" or "new life."

The book of 1 Peter used the word ANAGENNAO in the following verses, which is translated as "born again" in the New American Standard Version.

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead...

...for you have been born again not of seed which is perishable but imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God.

(1 Peter 1:3, 23)

ANAGENNAO means to beget again, to regenerate. The Interlinear Bible translates ANAGENNAO as "regenerate" in these two verses.

The following are some other verses using different terms to express the concept of the "new birth":

For neither is circumcision anything, nor uncircumcision, but _a new creation_.

(Galatians 6:15, emphasis added)

...that, in reference to your former manner of life, you lay aside the old self, which is being corrupted in accordance with the lusts of deceit, and that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and put on the new self, which in God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth.

(Ephesians 4:22-24)

And so we have the prophetic word made more sure, to which you do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star[145] arises in your hearts.

(2 Peter 1:19)

All of the verses just quoted express the concept of the experience of the "new birth" in slightly different ways. It is only natural for people to use different terminology at different times to express the same concept. But regardless of the terminology the fact is that we experience a different, vast, powerful, blissful, and divine dimension of ourselves that provides us with new power, a new outlook, and a new sense of _self_. This experience is not the end of anything; it is the beginning of a new life, as there is truly a new entity born to us. The recipient of this experience becomes a "son of the kingdom."[146] As a "son of the kingdom," it is our destiny and our birthright to be "conformed to the image" of Christ.

For whom He foreknew, _He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son_ , that He might be the first-born among many brethren...;

(Romans 8:29)

Romans 8:29 indicates that Paul considered Jesus to be the "first born among many brethren." This of course implies that there would be others who would be the recipients of the same enlightenment and spiritual realization as Jesus. Jesus himself also indicated that his disciples were capable of attaining the same lofty spiritual condition as himself.[147]

The following verse illustrates the fact that the "new birth" or "enlightenment" is a "taste of the heavenly gift" or Cosmic Consciousness.

For in the case of those who have once been enlightened and have _tasted of the heavenly gift_ and have been made partakers of the Holy Spirit, _and have tasted the good word of God_ and the powers of the age to come..."

(Hebrews 6:4-5, emphasis added)

The "heavenly gift" is the experience of Cosmic Consciousness, which is granted to us through the agency of the Holy Spirit. It is equivalent to a personal experience of the "good word of God." Most Christians equate the "word of God" with the Bible or the teachings of Jesus and the Jewish prophets, and in some contexts, this interpretation is correct. But in other contexts, such as in Hebrews 6:5, the "word of God" refers to the experience of the "biospiritual energies," the creative and sustaining power of the Supreme. The following verse demonstrates that the term "the word" does not always refer to the Judeo-Christian scriptures and the testimony and teachings of Jesus. Sometimes "the word" means the creative and sustaining conscious "biospiritual energies" of God.

...who bore witness to the word of God and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, to all that he saw.

(Revelation 1:2)

In the preceding verse, if the "word" or LOGOS only referred to the Bible or the teachings of Jesus, then there would be no need to refer to the "testimony of Jesus Christ," which constitutes a separate element of the verse. Also if the "word" referred only to the Bible, then the following verses from the Gospel of John would be nonsense because that would imply that the Bible existed before the creation.

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being by Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men.

(John 1:1-4)

So we see that the "word" or LOGOS in some contexts refers to the "biospiritual energies" or Holy Spirit. John 1:1 states that the "word" or LOGOS is God, the Supreme Being; and John 1:3 makes it quite clear that the LOGOS is also the creative aspect of God. Any rational human being will concede that in the context of the first few verses of the Gospel of John, the "word" or LOGOS refers to the nature of the Supreme and not to the Bible or message of God, because God does not bring forth the creation by the agency of the Bible. John 1:4 continues this description of the LOGOS by stating that it is "the life and light of men." In other words, the LOGOS is the creative and sustaining power of the Supreme. Therefore, it should not be surprising that the "new birth" should take place by the action of the LOGOS, which is the "biospiritual energy" of the Supreme.

So there are many terms that refer to the "new birth" or Cosmic Consciousness, and "salvation" is another of them. Salvation is not some abstract supposition that mostly defines a condition to be enjoyed after one's death in some supposed "heaven." That concept of salvation is a fantasy. Salvation is the _experience_ of the "new birth" or Cosmic Consciousness, which is achieved by the baptism in the Holy Spirit.

He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit......"

(Titus 3:5)

But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly [universe] _places_ , in Christ Jesus in order that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, _it is_ the gift of God...

(Ephesians 2:4-8)

Here is one of the greatest scriptural summations of salvation or the enlightened state. Paul relates the condition to being "alive together with Christ," which is to say at the time of salvation, we become conscious partakers in Christ. The apostle goes on to say that we have been "raised up with Him (Christ)" and God has "seated us with Him in the heavenly places..." Paul is obviously referring to himself and others who have had the saving experience of the "new birth." He is not referring to those who have passed away. Being "seated in the heavenly places" is the experience of Cosmic Consciousness, which is something that happens during our lifetime on earth. What may come after our death is something that I don't think anyone really knows about. But one thing is certain—we can experience salvation or Cosmic Consciousness here and now. Paul equates salvation with the experience of the "new birth," being "raised up," and being "seated...with Him (Christ) in the heavenly places." He goes on to say that "For by grace you have been saved through faith," meaning that by God's grace or favor you gained the experience of salvation, which is faith. According to Paul, "faith" is not a system of belief; "faith" is an _experience_.

Now faith is the _substance_ of things hoped for, the _evidence_ of things not being seen."

(Hebrews 11:1, Interlinear Bible translation, emphasis added)

Faith is _substance_ —something tangible—and faith is _evidence_. Ordinarily, the word _faith_ is taken to mean "belief" but the "belief" or "blind faith" preliminary to salvation. Certainly, we must "believe" in something before we will commit the energy needed to pursue that particular goal. But the goal itself is not the same as the belief in that goal. I was never satisfied with anything that I enjoyed as result of "belief." It was not until I received the blessed heavenly gift of Cosmic Consciousness that I felt assured of salvation.

This principle will become clearer by examining the following verses.

For whatever is born of God overcomes the world; and this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith."

(1 John 5:4)

It is the experience of the "new birth" that allows us to overcome the world. And in this verse, John equates the "new birth" or "being born of God" with _faith_. We may experience the "new birth" because of spiritual practices and activities that are a result of what we "believe." But we are not "born again" because of faith—we develop or receive _faith_ by being "born again."

In fact, God is the Savior of all people whether they believe in the standard Christian doctrine or not. Traditional Christian doctrine states that we must believe that Jesus is our savior and then we are born again and are saved, but consider the following verse.

For it is for this we labor and strive, because we have fixed our hope on the living God, who is the Savior of all men, especially of believers.

(1 Titus 4:10)

The preceding verse clearly states that God is the savior of all men "...especially of believers." All men are saved by God whether they believe in Christian doctrine or not. And this statement further clarifies my point about the universality of true spiritual experience.

And this do, knowing the time, that it is already the hour for you to awaken from sleep; for now salvation is nearer to us than when we believed."

(Romans 13:11)

Romans 13:11 states that "salvation is nearer to us than when we believed." So "salvation" is not something that comes to us because of what we "believe." Salvation is the experience of the _Living Cosmic Lord_ being born in our very heart, in our innermost being. Most "born-again Christians" simply claim to have been born again because they _believe_ that Jesus Christ is their savior. But this verse makes it quite clear that "belief" is not the criteria for attaining salvation.

"Salvation" is translated from the Greek word SOTERIA, which means "deliverance, preservation, safety." SOTERIA is equivalent to the Pali[148] word SATORI. SATORI is a word that is mostly used in the Buddhist tradition. It refers to various experiences, which relate to an experience of _oneness_ with all creation. SATORI is roughly equivalent to the Sanskrit word SAMADHI. It is only through an awesome, unmistakable spiritual experience of the "new birth" that we enter into the condition or state of "salvation."

"The life is not in believing there is a divinity somewhere, but in knowing it. To know the Word of the Truth, and to have its spirit generated in the mind and heart, is to have its pure offspring—its Son—begotten within, consciously crying 'Father' with certitude."[149]

In order to further clarify the meaning of "salvation," it is essential to delve into a brief history of the concept as outlined in the Judeo-Christian scriptures. Most Christian theologies maintain that salvation is a condition that is achieved through confessing that Jesus is one's savior and that through his death on the cross, he achieved forgiveness of our sins, which allows us to enter heaven after death. Some Christian denominations also attribute various benefits to this condition while the believer is still alive. These attributes consist of, but are not limited to—happiness, peace, health, prosperity, spiritual powers, the fulfillment of wishes, and communion with God. They claim that this "salvation" is only available to a person by confessing allegiance to Jesus as his or her savior and that prior to the coming of Jesus as Messiah and his death on the cross, salvation was unavailable to anyone. The Jewish scriptures however contain many references to "salvation."

The following verses from Isaiah make it quite plain that he considered that salvation was something that had been, and still was, available to the Jewish people.

"I, even I, am the Lord; And there is no savior besides Me. It is I who have declared and saved and proclaimed..."

(Isaiah 43:11-12)

I will rejoice greatly in the Lord, My soul will exult in my God; For He has clothed me with garments of salvation, He has wrapped me with a robe of righteousness, As a bridegroom decks himself with a garland, And as a bride adorns herself with her jewels."

(Isaiah 61:10)

The preceding verses demonstrate that the salvation of the Supreme had been experienced by the prophet. The ancient Hebrews mostly considered that "salvation" meant deliverance from their enemies, rather than a spiritual deliverance. But this was a characteristic of many primitive peoples who lived at a time when tribes and peoples maintained a great mistrust of one another. Hostilities were often the only way to preserve their lives. But the following verse clearly contains the elements of the saving power of the "biospiritual energies."

Behold, God is my salvation, I will trust and not be afraid; for the Lord God is my strength and song, and He has become my salvation. Therefore you will joyously draw water from the springs of salvation.

(Isaiah 12:2-3)

This verse indicates that Isaiah was familiar with the saving power of the Holy Spirit, or biospiritual energies, as evidenced by the statement "...and He has become my salvation. Therefore you will joyously draw water from the springs of salvation." The phrase "springs of salvation" refers to the arousal of the Kundalini Shakti, the baptism in the Holy Spirit. Some branches of Christian theology go so far as to say that the baptism or influence of the Holy Spirit was unavailable to the Jews before the time of Jesus and that it was only through the redemption purchased by the death of Jesus on the cross that humans became eligible for the saving influence of the Holy Spirit. But the following passage demonstrates that this is not the case.

Do not cast me away from Thy presence, And do not take Thy Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of Thy salvation, And sustain me with a willing spirit.

(Psalms 51:11-12)

These verses clearly reveal that the presence of God, the Holy Spirit, and a "spiritual" salvation were enjoyed by the person who wrote this passage. But it is true that for the most part, the Jewish people considered salvation to be a temporal or political deliverance. This attitude continued until the time of Jesus; his disciples and others clearly believed that if he was the "Messiah," he was going to deliver them from the Romans. This topic has already been discussed in detail in chapter 3, but I shall once again resort to a verse from Acts of the Apostles that narrates a discussion between Jesus and his disciples that occurred after the resurrection.

And so when they had come together, they were asking Him, saying, "Lord, is it at this time You are restoring the kingdom to Israel?" He said to them, "It is not for you to know times or epochs which the Father has fixed by His own authority; but _you shall receive power_ when the Holy Spirit has come upon you..."

(Acts of the Apostles 1:6-8, emphasis added).

Jesus taught that his kingdom was not of this world,[150] but after all that Jesus had said to his disciples about the "kingdom of heaven," they were still in the dark about the true meaning of his statements. They continually tried to cast Jesus in their own mold. And when he departed, they continued to believe that he would be returning shortly with the heavenly hosts to deliver Israel from the Romans. But the true "spiritual" savior is the Supreme Being. And the saving influence of the Supreme is achieved by baptism in the Holy Spirit, the stream of grace, the "biospiritual energy."

Salvation is a personal _enlightenment_.

I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints...,

(Ephesians 1:18)

For in the case of those who have once been enlightened and have tasted of the heavenly gift and have been made partakers of the Holy Spirit...

(Hebrews 6:4)

It is through this enlightenment that we "know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints." _Salvation_ , _enlightenment_ , and _liberation_ are all just words. We need to personally experience this transcendental state. Even the marvelous action of the Spirit, acting within us in a real and personal way, only leaves us spellbound and guessing at the meaning of things. And ultimately, bliss is generated by the exquisite unknowing. I can tell you that in my own life the further the action of the Spirit proceeds, the less I actually know but the more I am pleasantly mystified. The action of the Spirit, the "biospiritual energy," has not cleansed me from all imperfections; on the contrary, it seems that I have more than ever. The movement of the stream of grace has not solved all the problems in my life. But I consider these things in a different way than I did before the awakening. Even though my life is probably just as difficult in every way as that of any average person, I feel no need to escape. I neither hate the world, nor do I want to escape from it; if, however, there are other spheres of existence, then all the better. The only thing that I do know for sure, and the one thing that I certainly believe, is that _I am a child of the supreme_. This I know for myself and in myself. Nothing exists except for the kingdom of my Mother and Father, so where else can I go? What can possibly be truly wrong, evil, or painful in the kingdom of the Supreme? If there is a problem, it is my limited ego. If there is anything to be "saved" from, it is my finite sense of self.

I really don't believe in an ultimate salvation, enlightenment, or liberation. I believe that "salvation" is an ongoing spiritual process to which there is no end in sight.

For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, "But the righteous man shall live by faith."

(Romans 1:16-17)

Paul says that "...the gospel [reward of the kingdom]...is...the power of God for salvation...For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith..." The kingdom, the power of the Supreme, is made known through experience, and it changes from experience to experience. And in another passage Paul echoes the same thought:

But we all, with unveiled face beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit.

(2 Corinthians 3:18)

The baptism in the Holy Spirit, the arousal of the Kundalini Shakti, the awakening of the spiritual sense begins a process of transformation and expansion of consciousness; which becomes an involuntary, ongoing process of transmutation, which causes a radical and revolutionary change in our very nature. This process advances through phases. It has been my experience that once the process has begun, one cannot even begin to imagine the experiences or the changes that may occur.

During my own spiritual evolution (which is still very much incomplete), I have passed through many different phases dominated by different theologies, philosophies, attitudes, states of consciousness, and experiences. I have seen them all change by yielding to ever more peaceful and blissful conditions. Many times during the course of the process, I thought that the process had ended, usually because of my unworthiness and mistakes. Many times, try as I might, I was unable to turn my mind to spiritual thoughts and matters. There have been times that I was sure that I had wandered from the path altogether, but somehow, I would find the way once again and the process would begin anew from where it had left off.

Some of the experiences, particularly those that have involved the conscious experience of the stream of grace, were so exciting and captivating that I would dedicate myself for long periods to trying to reexperience them. This was invariably a mistake because the process is a spiritual current, which sweeps one along to ever new dimensions of consciousness. Trying to manipulate or control the process has been ineffectual and counterproductive for me. Usually, the true awakening of the spiritual energy results in the manifestation of some seemingly supernatural powers. Most usually, these involve psychic phenomenon, and it is quite tempting to attempt to cultivate them. But pursuing supernatural powers seems to retard the process of spiritual development and only serves to magnify the individual's ego sense, which is the exact opposite of the desired effect. I still experience psychic phenomenon, but I do not try to cause them to occur. When these events do happen, they tend to provide me with invaluable guidance about how I need to proceed. I have never tried to demonstrate this ability or use these powers for anyone other than myself.

At this point in my life, I feel very much at peace knowing the immortal and blissful nature of my own inner being, the Universal Soul. Now that I know the bliss, the goodness, and the benevolent power of the _one_ , I have nothing to fear. I no longer seek. I feel at rest and at ease. I know I am not perfect, but I am also at peace with my imperfections and shortcomings because I know that my life, all life, is in the care of the Supreme. Imperfections and failings are inescapable features of our lives.

My consciousness has changed into a condition that is nearly free of thought. Although thought seems to be absolutely necessary to effective human functioning, it actually limits our peace and our abilities. When we are learning something, a sport for example, we are concentrating and thinking about so many details of what we are trying to achieve. But as we progress, we think less and less about what we are doing. The technique or activity becomes natural. People who are adept in certain activities often perform them without thinking about it. Life itself can be the same way. Life is actually just happening on its own. We only think that we are the doers. Things proceed much better if we step aside and let the process flow. It is difficult for the uninitiated to understand how this can be done, but it becomes easy and natural after a while. After all, there is only _one_ , and we can trust in the _one_ to take care of _itself_.

I do not know the ultimate goal of the unfolding of the new consciousness, either for myself in particular or the human race in general. I believe that we are engaged in an evolutionary process whose end is completely beyond our conception.

I believe that each and every individual progresses along his or her individual evolutionary path from lifetime to lifetime. In the first chapter, we discussed the fact that certain individuals are born with a predisposition to elevated spiritual concepts, those who "have ears to hear." There are also individuals who have been the recipients of the divine vision without any apparent effort on their part. Why are some people seemingly blessed with more grace than others? Did God decide to create some people with more abilities and some with far fewer? I don't believe so. I think that "as a man sows so shall he reap." This is the doctrine of karma as it relates to reincarnation. The progress that we have made or the mistakes that we have made in past lives influence our present life.

I feel that dying is like sleeping. After sleeping for the night, we awake to find all of our abilities and all of our problems still present. When we are born, we simply start where we left off after the end of our last life.

Thou dost turn man back into dust, And dost say, "Return O children of men." For a thousand years in Thy sight are like yesterday when it passes by, Or as a watch in the night.

Thou hast swept them away like a flood, they fall asleep; In the morning they are like grass which sprouts anew. In the morning it flourishes, and sprouts anew; Toward evening it fades, and withers away.

(Psalm 90:3-6)

There are several scriptures in the New Testament that address this phenomenon.

"And if you care to accept it, he himself[151] is Elijah, who was to come. He who has ears to hear, let him hear."

(Matthew 11:14-15)

And His disciples asked Him, saying, "Why then do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?"

And He answered and said, "Elijah is coming and will restore all things; but I say to you, that Elijah already came, and they did not recognize him, but did to him whatever they wished. So also the Son of Man is going to suffer at their hands."

Then the disciples understood that He had spoken to them about John the Baptist.

(Matthew 17:10-13)

The preceding statements obviously refer to reincarnation. Not only do they refer to reincarnation, but they also show that Jesus accepted reincarnation as a fact. Jesus believed that John the Baptist was the reincarnation of Elijah. Reincarnation should be an important concept for all religious people because it provides the solution to a great stumbling block—i.e., "If there is a God, why are people created in this world on such an uneven footing?" Reincarnation answers this question by illustrating that we are receiving our just recompense for our activities in previous lives.

The next passages demonstrate that at least some of the Jewish people also believed in reincarnation.

And it came about that while He was praying alone, the disciples were with Him, and He questioned them, saying, "Who do the multitudes say that I am?"

And they answered and said, "John the Baptist, and others say Elijah; but others, that one of the prophets of old has risen again."

(Luke 9:18-19)

And as He passed by, He saw a man blind from birth.

And His disciples asked Him, saying, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he should be born blind?"

Jesus answered, "Neither this man sinned, nor his parents; but it was in order that the works of God might be displayed in him."

(John 9:1-3)

These verses indicate that some of the people of the time believed in reincarnation. Otherwise, why would they have considered that Jesus was Elijah or another one of the deceased prophets? Or how could a man's blindness (since birth) have been caused by his sins? Those sins would have to have been committed in a previous lifetime. Jesus did not dispute the possibility of the man being born blind because of his sins in a previous lifetime. He simply stated that in this case his blindness was caused so that "the works of God might be displayed in him."

I first heard of the idea of reincarnation at a very early age. When I was in my twenties, reincarnation was a topic of discussion among my circle of friends and acquaintances. I began to study Eastern religions and received additional exposure to the idea. I kept an open mind but didn't form a definite opinion for many years. Finally though, I have come to believe that reincarnation happens. I cannot explain it. But I am certain that it is true.

It isn't necessary that a person should believe in reincarnation. It really doesn't matter what we believe in because what is true is true and what is false is false, but the doctrine of karma and reincarnation explains many circumstances of life that would otherwise be impossible to understand. Many people ask why they don't remember past lives if reincarnation is true. Do we remember all the things that have happened to us in this lifetime? Most people, including myself, have a difficult time even remembering their dreams when they wake up in the morning. It is well known that people may not remember traumatic experiences, such as a severe automobile accident. What could be more traumatic for most people than the termination of their body?

In the future, if the human race survives, I believe that the ordinary human will possess so-called supernatural powers and enjoy increased longevity. Whatever else may be in store is anyone's guess. But I need to stress the fact that seemingly supernatural powers and abilities are not a goal in themselves. In fact a true possession of the ability to heal, predict future events, and other such phenomena requires the attenuation of the ego sense. Jesus was able to work the miracles that he did because he knew that it was the Father who did all things through him and not himself. I believe that the purposeful annihilation of the individual ego is not possible without the experience of the Universal Supreme, the Supersoul. For otherwise, why would a person attempt to remove the ego-sense, which is the only guide and vehicle that they can rely on in their present state of spiritual evolution?

The Supersoul transcends religion. When the Samaritan woman asked Jesus "where men ought to worship," Jesus replied that "...an hour is coming when neither in this mountain, nor in Jerusalem, shall you worship the Father...but an hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and truth..."[152] The place of worship, the mode of worship, and the particular theology are all personal matters of the heart. Religions tend to divide the human race, but the experience of the Universal Supersoul unites mankind. The Supreme Being is the life and light of all, and any philosophy or religion that results from its knowledge is all inclusive and tends to unite humanity. The Supersoul is infinitely benevolent, and there is no such thing as eternal punishment in its realm. All things come from God, all things exist in God, and all things go to God.

For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever. Amen.

(Romans 11:36)

# Chapter Eight

Ask, and it shall be given to you; seek, and you shall find; knock, and it shall be opened to you.

(Matthew 7:7)

Everything that exists is part and parcel of the I AM, the Universal Self, but most people will readily admit that they do not know God. Many even doubt that God exists. How can we come to know God for ourselves?

Desire is the key to realization. If a person craves the knowledge of God more than anything else in life, that person will succeed in his or her quest. The Buddha is reported to have said that "Desire is the cause of suffering." But desire is also the cause of liberation. Without a burning desire to know God, one doesn't stand a chance. If you are not willing to devote yourself entirely to the quest, you may as well stop reading right now.

Many people believe that Jesus was a perfect person at birth. But according to the Bible, Jesus had to strive to achieve his relationship with God.

In the days of His flesh, He offered up both prayers and supplications with loud crying and tears to the One able to save Him from death, and He was heard because of His piety.

(Hebrews 5:7)

There are those fortunate few who have enjoyed the divine rapture without any apparent effort on their part. But we cannot count on luck to allow us to succeed in this pursuit. Just like with anything else in life, we will have to exert ourselves to be successful. According to the Bible, Jesus offered up both "prayers and supplication with loud crying and tears." And he was heard because of his sincerity.

The following is from the Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna. Ramakrishna was a great mystic who lived in nineteenth-century India. In the following passage, a person identified as a "Brahmo Devotee" asks the Master (Ramakrishna) how to "see" (find) God.

Brahmo Devotee: "Sir, is it possible for one to see God? If so, why can't we see Him?"

Master: "Yes, He can surely be seen. One can see His forms, and His formless aspect as well. How can I explain that to you?"

Brahmo Devotee: "What are the means by which one can see God?"

Master: "Can you weep for Him with intense longing of heart? Men shed a jugful of tears for the sake of their children, for their wives, or for money. But who weeps for God? So long as the child remains engrossed with its toys, the mother looks after her cooking and other household duties. But when the child no longer relishes the toys, it throws them aside and yells for its mother. Then the mother takes the rice-pot down from the hearth, runs in haste, and takes the child in her arms."[153]

According to Ramakrishna and many other adepts, sincere, even insane, longing is the precondition to God realization.

In the Bible, Jesus said:

Take My yoke upon you, and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart; and you shall find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy, and My load is light.

(Matthew 11:29-30)

The word _yoke_ is translated from the Greek word ZUGOS, which means a "yoke or a balance, a set of scales." A yoke is a device, like a harness, that binds two work animals together into a team or binds a single animal to an implement like a cart, wagon, or plow. A yoke _unites_ one thing with another. ZUGOS is directly related to the Sanskrit YUG, which also means a yoke. YUG is well known to many people through its Sanskrit derivative—YOGA. Jesus' yoke was a method to bind our consciousness to the Supreme. Unfortunately, I do not have any details about the methods that Jesus may have taught. That information appears to be lost forever.

But the most comprehensive system that I know of has been developed in India. From time immemorial, the Vedic/Yogic doctrines in India have helped countless seekers realize God. This body of knowledge is vast and encompasses countless systems and subsystems. Many methods are necessary in order to accommodate people with various tendencies, abilities, and dispositions. One could fill a library with all of the books that have been written by and about the Hindu methods to achieve realization. A wealth of information on this subject is available on the Internet, in libraries, and from various organizations. I will offer some information that the reader may use as a guide for further study.

The four Yogas seem to offer the most practical approach to God realization. The four Yogas or methods are:

Raja Yoga

Jnana Yoga

Karma Yoga

Bhakti Yoga

Certain aspects of the four Yogas intersect and overlap. And some practitioners combine aspects of the different Yogas in their practice.

Raja Yoga is the Yoga that most Westerners might have some familiarity with. One of the aspects of Raja Yoga is Hatha Yoga. Hatha Yoga is the bodily exercises that most people know about. But Raja Yoga includes more than bodily exercises.

Raja means "king" or "royal." And Raja Yoga is sometimes called the "Royal Way." It may be the most practical approach to spiritual realization because this method makes use of all aspects of our being. It is said that Raja Yoga was developed or espoused by a Hindu sage named Patanjali. It is thought that Patanjali roamed India sometime between 250 BC and AD 200. Patanjali is credited with writing the classic treatise on Raja Yoga, which is known as the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali. This treatise is an outline to spiritual realization that contains 195 terse statements. Countless commentaries have been written on the Yoga Sutras.

Raja Yoga is sometimes called the "eight-limbed" Yoga because it is characterized by eight distinct steps. Those steps are:

1. Yama

2. Niyama

3. Asana

4. Pranayama

5. Pratyahara

6. Dharana

7. Dhyana

8. Samadhi

The first steps on the path of Raja Yoga, Yama and Niyama, are sometimes referred to as the "do's and don'ts" of spiritual life. In the classical sense, the aspirant should master Yama and Niyama before moving on to the other steps.

Yama

Yama is generally considered to include the "don'ts" of life:

* Do no harm ( _ahimsa_ or nonviolence)

* Tell no lies

* Do not steal

* Practice of sexual continence (not necessarily celibacy)

* Detachment from desire

Niyama

Niyama includes the behaviors that one should cultivate in order to prepare for spiritual awakening.

* Cultivate purity by practicing Yama

* Cultivate contentment by learning to live within your means and by being happy with who you are and what you already have

* Cultivate self-discipline

* Study the sacred texts

* Be devoted to your idea of God

Asana

Asana are the various yoga postures or bodily exercises that are useful for developing and purifying the body, nervous system, and mind. Asana is that portion of Raja Yoga that most Westerners are familiar with. Unfortunately, in the West, most people who go to yoga class do so to develop a nice-looking or a healthy body. If that is your goal, that is probably all that you will achieve through the practice of yoga postures. But the exercises were actually developed as part of a system to achieve the realization of God.

Pranayama

Pranayama are breathing exercises. I wish that I could tell you what makes Pranayama such a powerful tool, but I do not know exactly why that is. Breathing is the only vital function that most people can learn to control. Most breathe automatically, as in sleep. As long as we are alive, our breathing will continue whether we are conscious or not. But we can also learn to control the breath and in so doing gradually develop a link between the conscious, subconscious, and superconscious portions of our being. Pranayama must be practiced with respect and should only be employed after one has gained practical control over one's senses and body. The undisciplined individual should never practice Pranayama. If one decides to practice Pranayama, one should develop the practice slowly and watch for indications of ill effects, such as negative mental or physical changes or disturbances.

Pratyahara

Pratyahara is generally considered to mean withdrawal of the senses. It is the first stage of meditation. It can be practiced during Asana, Pranayama, or at any other time. Pratyahara is sometimes considered to be the first stage of meditation. It can be practiced by repeating a simple mantra or a name of God. Or it can be practiced by withdrawing one's attention from the external world by focusing on the breath. Because most beginners have little or no control over their thoughts, it is much easier for them to concentrate on a word or a sound in conjunction with the breath.

Dharana

Dharana is sometimes considered to be the second stage of meditation and is often described as "concentration." Dharana can be practiced by concentrating on a mantra, a name of God, or the breath or on a mandala, a yantra, or an inner visualization. As the mind wanders during the practice of Dharana, one gently and consistently draws it back to the object of concentration.

Dhyana

Dhyana is described as meditation. Meditation is achieved when the concentration on the object of meditation becomes effortless.

Samadhi

Samadhi is the achievement of realization. There are many forms of Samadhi, but generally speaking, one who has attained Samadhi has also attained the realization of God or has realized oneness with the universe. In my life, I have also found that Samadhi can be a practice wherein one constantly calls one's attention back to the experience of realization.

The practice of Raja Yoga can also be included with the practice of the other three Yogas, which are briefly described here.

_Jnana_ _Yoga_

Jnana Yoga is an obscure and little-known Yoga practice. It is sometimes referred to as the Yoga of "knowledge." Jnana Yoga has been developed in India by ascetics. It is characterized by the practice of "renunciation" and "discrimination." Many practitioners of Jnana Yoga have renounced all physical possessions and live the life of an ascetic.

In the philosophy of Jnana Yoga, God alone is "real" or "permanent"; all else is "unreal" or "impermanent." So the aspirant seeks to achieve realization by discriminating between the "permanent" and the "impermanent." There are several ways to practice discrimination, but the classical method is sometimes called the practice of "Neti, Neti." The aspirant constantly discriminates between the "permanent" and the "impermanent" by vocalizing or thinking "Neti, Neti" (not this, not that). And if the aspirant finds that his or her attention has been drawn to an object of the senses or to a stray thought, he or she would focus on that object or thought and remind him- or herself of its impermanence by saying: "Not this, not that." In other words, he or she reminds him- or herself that this object is not permanent and therefore cannot be God.

Another method of Jnana Yoga is the practice of "Atma Vichara," or self-inquiry. In this practice, when the aspirant's mind is drawn to a thought or object of the senses, he or she will ask him- or herself, "Who is it that is focusing on this object or thought?" The answer of course is: "Me" or "I am." The practitioner will then ask him- or herself: "Who am I" and then silently wait for an answer without imagining what that answer may be. Ramana Maharshi, the great sage of south India taught this method and told many people that this is the most direct method to self-realization.

Karma Yoga

Karma Yoga is the Yoga of "action." The Bhagavad Gita defines Karma Yoga as the Yoga of selfless action. Karma Yoga can be and should be practiced along with any of the other methods. The practitioner performs actions in life based upon his or her duties without any desire for the rewards of those actions. Selfless service to oneself, one's family, and society characterize Karma Yoga.

Bhakti Yoga

Bhakti Yoga is the Yoga or method of devotion. Much of modern-day Christianity could be referred to as the practice Bhakti Yoga. In this system, the aspirant generally believes that God is a separate being who is apart from him- or herself. The Bhakta (practitioner of Bhakti) worships God through study, prayer, and ceremony. Calling on a name of God is also a method employed by certain Bhaktas. The use of prayer beads is another, method used by the practitioner of Bhakti Yoga and we see the use of prayer beads in Catholicism and certain forms of Hinduism as well as Islam. Success in Bhakti Yoga, like all methods, depends upon the sincerity and determination of the aspirant. Bhakti is well suited for those with an emotional temperament.

But it doesn't matter so much _what_ we practice. What is essential is that we practice some method to realize God. I know for certain that God will reward all sincere seekers no matter which method that they employ.

As for you, my son Solomon, know the God of your father, and serve Him with a whole heart and a willing mind; for the Lord searches all hearts, and understands every intent of the thoughts. _If you seek Him, He will let you find Him_ ; but if you forsake Him, He will reject you forever.

(1 Chronicles 28:9, emphasis added)

And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him.

(Hebrews 11:6)

# APPENDIX TO CHAPTER THREE

God and the Universe

Quotes from Various Sources

J. B. S. Haldane, physicist, Oxford and Birmingham Universities: "The Material world, which has been taken for a world of blind Mechanism, is in reality a Spiritual world seen very partially and imperfectly. The only real world is the Spiritual world...The truth is that, not matter, not Force, not any physical thing, but Mind, personality, is the central fact of the Universe."[154]

Simultaneously or instantly following the above sense and emotional experiences there comes to the person an intellectual illumination quite impossible to describe. Like a flash there is presented to his consciousness a clear conception (a vision) in outline of the meaning and drift of the universe. He does not come to believe merely; but he sees and knows that the cosmos, which to the self conscious mind seems made up of dead matter, is in fact far otherwise—is in very truth a living presence. He sees that instead of men being, as it were, patches of life scattered through an infinite sea of non-living substance, they are in reality specks of relative death in an infinite ocean of life. He sees that the life which is in man is eternal, as all life is eternal; that the soul of man is as immortal as God is; that the universe is so built and ordered that without any peradventure all things work together for the good of each and all...[155]

So when a person who was self conscious only, enters into cosmic consciousness—

a. He knows without learning (from the mere fact of illumination) certain things, as, for instance: (1) that the universe is not a dead machine but a living presence; (2) that in its essence and tendency it is infinitely good; (3) that individual existence is continuous beyond what is called death. At the same time: b. He takes on enormously greater capacity both for learning and initiating.[156]

Richard Jeffries:

"Having drunk deeply of the heaven above and felt the most glorious beauty of the day, and remembering the old, old sea, which (as it seemed to me) was but just yonder at the edge, I now became lost, and absorbed into the being or existence of the universe."[157]

...the Swami sat under the tree, absorbed in deep meditation for a long time. Later, returning to normal consciousness, he said to Akhandananda: "...I have just passed through one of the greatest moments of my life. _Here under this peepul tree one of the greatest problems of my life has been solved. I have found the oneness of the macrocosm with the microcosm. In this microcosm of the body everything that is there in the macrocosm', exists. I have seen the whole universe within an atom_." For that whole day the Swami was in a high state of mind and discussed his realization with his companion. The fragments he wrote in Bengali in his notebook then, read:

"In the beginning was the Word etc.

The microcosm and the macrocosm are built on the same plan. Just as the individual soul is encased in the living body, so is the universal Soul in the Living Prakriti Nature][[158]—the objective universe. Shiva (God) [i.e., Kali] is embracing Shiva: this is not a fancy. This covering of the one [Soul] by the other [Nature] is analogous to the relation between an idea and the word expressing it: they are one and the same; and it is only by a mental abstraction that one can distinguish them. Thought is impossible without words. Therefore, in the beginning was the Word etc.

This dual aspect of the Universal Soul is eternal. So what we perceive or feel is this combination of the Eternally Formed and the Eternally Formless."[159]

MASTER: "...When Rama said to Dasaratha that He was going to renounce the world, it worried His father, and the king sought counsel of Vasishtha. Vasishtha said to Rama: 'Rama, why should You give up the world? _Reason with me. Is this world outside God? What is there to renounce and what is there to accept? Nothing whatever exists but God._ It is Brahman alone that appears as Isvara,[160] maya,[161] living beings, and the universe.'"[162]

The following quotations are from _The Vivekacudamani of Sri Shankaracharya_ , translated by Swami Madhavananda (emphasis added):

Verse 227: All this universe which through ignorance appears as of diverse forms, is nothing else but Brahman which is absolutely free from all the limitations of human thought.

Verse 230: Similarly, _the whole universe, being the effect of the real Brahman_ ,[163] is in reality nothing but Brahman. Its essence is That, and it does not exist apart from It. He who says it does is still under delusion—he babbles like one asleep.

Verse 231: _This universe is verily Brahman—such is the august pronouncement of the Atharva Veda._ [164] Therefore this universe is nothing but Brahman, for that which is superimposed (on something) has no separate existence from its substratum.

Verse 236: Whatever a deluded man perceives through mistake is Brahman and Brahman alone. The silver is nothing but the mother-of-pearl. It is Brahman which is always considered as this universe, whereas that which is superimposed on Brahman, viz. the universe, is merely a name.

Verses 237-238: Hence whatever is manifested, viz. this universe, is the Supreme Brahman Itself, the Real, the One without a second, pure, the Essence of Knowledge, taintless, serene devoid of beginning and end, beyond activity, the Essence of Bliss Absolute—transcending all the diversities created by Maya or nescience, eternal, ever beyond the reach of pain, indivisible, immeasurable, formless, undifferentiated, nameless, immutable, self-luminous.

# APPENDIX TO CHAPTER FOUR

The Ego and Spiritual Life

Quotes from Various Sources

...that, in reference to your former manner of life, you lay aside the old self, which is being corrupted in accordance with the lusts of deceit...,

(Ephesians 4:22)

If anyone comes to Me, and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, _yes, and even his own life,_ he cannot be My disciple. Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple.

(Luke 14:26-27)

An egotistic person cannot realize God. Do you know what egotism is like? It is like a high mound, where rain-water cannot collect: the water runs off. Water collects in low land. There seeds sprout and grow into trees. Then the trees bear fruit."[165]

_The ego-bound rational consciousness is ultimately unfit for life._ Not that there is anything intrinsically wrong with the ego or with reason. But where they are made the principles by which life is lived, they become destructive. The ego is a necessary stage in the development of the human personality, yet it is by no means its crowning accomplishment. Similarly, reason or rationality is an intrinsic quality or power of the human being. But it is only one among many capacities, and it is by no means the most important one. _In fact, both ego and reason are recent appearances in the history of consciousness. And both are destined to be surpassed by superior forms of existence._ [166]

The condition that ensues after the annihilation of the ego is described beautifully in the following quotations.

Like a grain of salt dropped into an ocean, his narrow personality melts and spreads the moment it comes in contact with the shoreless stream of life, surrendering joyously all its mental possessions, shedding cheerfully every individual trait that stands between it and the rapturous, incorporeal oceanic state of Being, happy beyond measure to be one with the glorious, everlasting All instead of an isolated mortal tormented by desire, death, and decay.[167]

When your world concretizes out of space and in space, you term all that with various names and titles for your convenience, to carry out your day-to-day activities. In reality, no such names and titles exist. None of such creations has any authoritative, valid form or individuality of its own.

To realize this you must accomplish _jnana-yoga_ , which means: the self subsiding in the Self. Again, _jnana-yoga_ means to inquire how this "I-am-ness" and the world came about. To realize that "I-am-ness"- 1]and the world are one is _jnana-yoga_. Here, the knowledge "I am" should subside in itself.[[168]

The following verses are from _The Vivekacudamani of Sri Shankaracharya_ , translated by Swami Madhavananda.

296. Therefore give up the identification with this lump of flesh, the gross body, as well as with the ego or the subtle body, which are both imagined by the _buddhi_.[169] Realizing thy own Self, which is Knowledge Absolute and not to be denied in the past, present or future, attain to Peace.

297. Cease to identify thyself with family, lineage, name, form, and order of life,[170] which pertain to the body that is like a rotten corpse (to a man of realization). Similarly, giving up ideas of agency and so forth, which are attributes of the subtle body, be the Essence of Bliss Absolute.

298. Other obstacles are also observed to exist for men, which lead to transmigration.[171] The root of them, for the above reasons, is the first modification of nescience called egoism.

299. So long as one has any relation to this wicked ego, there should not be the least talk about liberation, which is unique.

300. Freed from the clutches of egoism, as the moon from those of Rahu,[172] man attains to his real nature, and becomes pure, infinite, ever blissful, and self-luminous.

301. That which has been created by the _buddhi_ extremely deluded by nescience, and which is perceived in this body as "I am such and such"—when that egoism is totally destroyed, one attains an unobstructed identity with Brahman.[173]

302. The treasure of the Bliss of Brahman is coiled round by the mighty and dreadful serpent of egoism, and guarded for its own use by means of its three fierce hoods consisting of the three _gunas_.[174] Only the wise man, destroying it by severing its three hoods with the great sword of realization in accordance with the teachings of the Srutis,[175] can enjoy this treasure which confers bliss.

303. As long as there is a trace of poisoning left in the body, how can one hope for recovery? Similar is the effect of egoism on the Yogi's liberation.

304. Through the complete cessation of egoism, through the stoppage of the diverse mental waves due to it, and through the discrimination of the inner Reality, one realizes that Reality as "I am This."

305. Give up immediately thy identification with egoism, the agent, which is by its nature a modification, is endued with a reflection of the Self, and diverts one from being established in the Self—identifying thyself with which thou hast come by this relative existence, full of the miseries of birth, decay, and death, though thou art the Witness, the Essence of Knowledge and Bliss Absolute.

306. But for thy identification with that egoism there can never be any transmigration for thee who art immutable and eternally the same, the Knowledge Absolute, omnipresent, the Bliss Absolute, and of untarnished glory.

307. Therefore destroying this egoism, thy enemy—which appears like a thorn sticking in the throat of a man taking his meal—with the great sword of realization, enjoy directly and freely the bliss of thy own empire, the majesty of the Atman.[176]

308. Checking the activities of egoism etc., and giving up all attachment through the realization of the Supreme Reality, be free from all duality through the enjoyment of the Bliss of Self, and remain quiet in Brahman, for thou hast attained thy infinite nature.

309. Even though completely rooted out, this terrible egoism, if revolved in the mind even for a moment, returns to life and creates hundreds of troubles, like a cloud ushered in by the wind during the rainy season.

310 & 311. Overpowering this enemy, egoism, not a moment's respite should be given to it by thinking on the sense-objects. That is verily the cause of its coming back to life, like water to a citron tree that has almost dried up.

# APPENDIX TO CHAPTER FIVE

Living Water - The Kundalini Shakti

Quotes from Various Sources

For thousands of years this transformative process has been hinted at, often only in veiled terms. Earliest references to it can be found in the most ancient scriptures of India, the Vedas. This archaic knowledge formed the basis for the later esoteric teachings, as expounded in the Upanishads, Agamas, Tantras, and Samhitas, and especially the many texts belonging to the Hatha Yoga tradition.

But knowledge of this "rebirth" process was by no means confined to India. It was an integral part of the esoteric teachings of Tibetan Buddhism, Chinese Taoism, the spirituality of certain American Indian tribes, and, as we shall see, even of the Bushmen of Africa.

...Those who are adept at the kundalini process characteristically emphasize that the kundalini can only be truly understood through firsthand experience.

The process of psychophysiological transformation was, until recently, apparently confined to distant cultures, esoteric traditions, and a handful of isolated individuals. _Accounts of it have, as a rule, been in highly personal terms, often permeated with vague mysticism and strange mythology. As a result, the descriptions were not taken seriously by Western students of the human psyche. This, in turn, delayed the systematic comparison of available materials from different traditions, which would have shown that the kundalini process is an important phenomenon that deserves most careful attention from scientists._ Thus, for a long time, those few professionals who encountered this phenomenon could feel justified in taking a skeptical and suspicious stance toward it.

There is indeed a remarkable uniformity in the descriptions of the transformative process from widely disparate traditions. This is also the point of view of Gopi Krishna (1971), whose writings have been instrumental in popularizing the kundalini process in the West. He argued that the recorded experiences of Christian mystics, Sufi masters, and Yoga adepts make it obvious that the fundamental features of the psychophysiological transformation are the same. A study of the various traditional accounts for which enough detail is recorded reveals symptom patterns and experiential phenomena that are strikingly similar to those found in the clinical cases cited in this book.

I will argue that these common aspects have physiological components, and that activation of a single physiological mechanism is at the root of the wide diversity of kundalini phenomena we encounter. If these two assumptions are correct, the idea of psychophysiological transmutation can no longer be considered a confusing jumble of primitive superstition, religious dogma, and wild rumor. Rather, we must begin to look again, and more seriously, at much of what scientism has tried to debunk as meaningless and worthless fantasy. In fact, we must embark on a new type of "demythologizing," namely the demythologizing of the myths of scientific materialism.[177]

The region contiguous to the base of the spine is lined with thick clusters of nerves and also forms a junction of a large number of arteries and veins. The nerves lining it come from both the central and the sympathetic nervous systems. This central area of the body forms the seat of the reproductive system in both men and women. There can be no denying the fact that human life, in its initial stages, is generated by this region and that from it arises the sexual impulse which has a most powerful effect on the brain. It is the seat of mystery and romance, of the yet unfathomed potentialities of life, of creativity as also of mental twists and obsessions of which psychology has only now begun to explore the depths. This part of the human anatomy has been an object of ceaseless speculation from the remotest epochs. It is often the first portion of the body to excite the curiosity of a child. It has been designed by Heaven, for reasons best known to it, to discharge, besides its normal function of procreation, the still nobler purpose of evolution, in conjunction with a specific center in the brain and a host of nerves, employed to extract the Elixir of Life from all parts of the body for transmission to it through a narrow duct in the spinal cord. This upward flow of the nerve energy, partly used for reproduction ( _urdhava-retas_ in Sanskrit), forms the basis of Kundalini-Yoga.[178]

There are certainly other (other than diminished or altered metabolic processes) physiological symptoms present in the enlightened by which the validity of spiritual experience can be empirically established and determined. _The most prominent of these is Urdhava-retas, or the upward streaming of the reproductive energy in the awakened individual._ This fact has been known in India for at least four thousand years and is symbolically represented in every temple and shrine in which _lingam_ or _lingam_ and _yoni_ [179] as creative symbols are housed for adoration. They are to remind the worshippers that the same life-energy that, as the fruit of parental conjugation, becomes the cause of our birth is also designed by nature to effect our release from the bonds of the flesh when it rises to the _brahmarandra_ [180] in the brain, uniting with the conscious principle and setting it free from the otherwise inescapable prison house of the phenomenal world. It is this life-energy, the source behind propagation and evolution both, which is called _kundalini_ and from ancient times has been regarded as a goddess.[181]

# End Notes

[1] Aryeh Kaplan, Meditation and the Bible. "...Where the experience itself is not known, the meaning of words used to describe it also becomes forgotten, and the entire vocabulary is lost."

[2] The Gospel of Luke and Acts of the Apostles.

[3] Mark 4:20: "And those are the ones on whom seed was sown on the good soil; and they hear the word and accept it, and bear fruit, thirty, sixty, and a hundredfold."

[4] Matthew 26:47-56; 26:69-75; and Mark 14:48-52.

[5] John 21:20.

[6] Acts of the Apostles, Chapter 2.

[7] Matthew 12:1-16.

[8] Matthew 12:1-16.

[9] Luke 10:29-37.

[10] The Jews and Samaritans hated one another.

[11] Matthew 11:18: "For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, 'He has a demon!'"; Matthew 11:19: "The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, 'Behold, a gluttonous man and a drunkard, a friend of tax-gatherers and sinners!' Yet wisdom is vindicated by her deeds."

[12] Gentiles are persons other than Jews. The Jews of that time were not permitted to associate with Gentiles.

[13] Matthew 24:14.

[14] Matthew 24:14: "And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world for a witness to all the nations, and then the end shall come."

[15] John 4.

[16] Titus 3:5: "He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit..."

[17] Matthew 3:11: "As for me, I baptize you with water for repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, and I am not fit to remove His sandals; He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire."

[18] The Gospel of Mark 2:21-22.

[19] Samaritans were Gentiles.

[20] Acts of the Apostles 10:45-48: "And all the circumcised believers who had come with Peter were amazed, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out upon the Gentiles also. For they were hearing them speaking with tongues and exalting God. Then Peter answered, '"Surely no one can refuse the water for these to be baptized who have received the Holy Spirit just as we did, can he?'" And he ordered them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked him to stay on for a few days."

[21] We will see later in this book that the early disciples had a rather convoluted concept of baptism. The ritual of baptism is only a symbolic initiatory rite, which symbolizes the hope of the future baptism in the Holy Spirit. Therefore, I believe that the act of baptism in water would be inconsequential after a person has received the baptism in the Holy Spirit.

[22] Acts of the Apostles 9.

[23] Acts of the Apostles 15:1: "And some men came down from Judea and began teaching the brethren, '"Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved.'"

[24] Acts of the Apostles 15:2: "And when Paul and Barnabas had great dissension and debate with them, the brethren determined that Paul and Barnabas and certain others of them should go up to Jerusalem to the apostles and elders concerning this issue."

[25] Acts of the Apostles 15:6-7.

[26] Acts of the Apostles 15:20: "...but that we write to them that they abstain from things contaminated by idols and from fornication and from what is strangled and from blood."

[27] Galatians 1:11-12: "For I would have you know, brethren, that the gospel which was preached by me is not according to man. For I neither received it from man, nor was I taught it, but I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ."

[28] Hereafter, I will generally use the term "kingdom" to refer to the "kingdom of heaven," which is synonymous with the phrase "kingdom of God".

[29] Daniel 2:44: "And in the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which will never be destroyed, and that kingdom will not be left for another people; it will crush and put an end to all these kingdoms, but it will itself endure forever."

[30] Luke 24:21: "But we were hoping that it was He who was going to redeem Israel. Indeed, besides all this, it is the third day since these things happened."

This verse seems to indicate that even the close disciples of Jesus thought that He was going to establish an earthly kingdom. It seems to indicate that in spite of Jesus' teaching about the "kingdom of God within," the disciples thought that the "kingdom" referred to the actual redemption of Israel from Rome.

[31] "Within" is the author's addition to the NASB text quoted.

[32] Bhagavan Das, The Essential Unity of All Religions.

[33] Richard Maurice Bucke, MD, Cosmic Consciousness.

[34] Text in brackets inserted by the author.

[35] Text in brackets inserted by the author.

[36] From The Life of Swami Vivekananda by His Eastern and Western Disciples.

[37] Bhagavan Das, The Essential Unity of All Religions.

[38] The Bhagavad Gita 9:15, translated by Swami Nikhilananda (emphasis added).

[39] John 3:17: "For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world should be saved through Him."

John 8:15: "You people judge according to the flesh; I am not judging anyone."

[40] Paul's Letter to the Romans 8:28.

[41] Text in brackets inserted by the author.

[42] "Sermon on the Mount" by Swami Prabhavananda.

[43] "Within" is the author's addition to the NASB text quoted.

[44] In another chapter, I demonstrate that Christ (the anointing) is the same as the experience of the "kingdom."

Colossians 1:26-28 "That is, the mystery which has been hidden from the past ages and generations; but has now been manifested to His saints, to whom God willed to make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. And we proclaim Him, admonishing every man and teaching every man with all wisdom, that we may present every man complete in Christ."

[45] Faith is "experience" because true belief is rooted in our own experience. Hebrews 11:1: "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not being seen. Interlinear Bible. Faith is substance and evidence. This substance and evidence is provided by experience.

[1] John 5:4: "For whatever is born of God overcomes the world; and this is the victory that has overcome the world-our faith."

[46] Gopi Krishna, Higher Consciousness and Kundalini.

[47] Richard Maurice Bucke, MD, Cosmic Consciousness.

[48] William Hart, The Art of Living, Vipassana Meditation as taught by S. N. Goenka.

[49] The Greek word for "angel" is ANGIRA. ANGIRA is related to the Sanskrit AGNI. AGNI was the messenger of the Gods and himself the God of fire.

[50] "The" is the proper translation as found in the English translation of the Septuagint. I feel that the proper translation of this phrase is "I am the I AM."

[51] The following quotation is from the Vivekacudamani of Shankara Verse 227: "All this universe which through ignorance appears as of diverse forms, is nothing else but Brahman which is absolutely free from all the limitations of human thought."

[52] The name of the Supreme is not a name like our own names. The name of the Supreme, "I AM," is only an intellectual construct that refers to, or points at, God's identity. It is not a proper name as such, because God is actually nameless.

[53] "The most important and potent of God's names is the Tetragrammaton, YHVH. This name is never pronounced out loud, even in prayer. It is taught that one who pronounces the Tetragrammaton disrespectfully is guilty of a most serious offense, and is worthy of death" (Aryeh Kaplan, Meditation and the Bible).

[54] Gesenius Lexicon.

[55] Gesenius Lexicon.

[56] John 8:58.

[57] John 5:43.

[58] John 5:18: "For this cause therefore the Jews were seeking all the more to kill Him, because He not only was breaking the Sabbath, but also was calling God His own Father, making Himself equal with God."

[59] "Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father is in Me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on My own initiative, but the Father abiding in Me does His works. Believe Me that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me; otherwise believe on account of the works themselves (John 14:10-11).

[60] "It is clear that by the action of an energy of which we have no parallel in the material universe, this mighty, self-existing, eternal stuff expresses itself through all the innumerable varieties of life on earth, through their brains and other equipment rather like the waves emanating from a radio or a television station that find expression through innumerable receivers and television sets" (Gopi Krishna, Higher Consciousness and Kundalini, 184).

[61] The Greek word, which is translated as "unity," is HEIS. This is the same word that has been translated in the previous verses of this passage as "one." HEIS is a primary number-"one."

[62] John 17:19-22.

[63] Jon Gregerson, The Transfigured Cosmos.

[64] 1 Corinthians 2:16: "For who has known the mind of the Lord, that he should instruct Him? But we have the mind of Christ."

[65] "To you it was shown that you might know that the Lord, He is God; there is no other besides Him" (Deuteronomy 4:35).

[66] "Hear, O Israel! The Lord is our God, the Lord is one! And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might" (Deuteronomy 6:4-5).

[67] Richard Maurice Bucke, MD, Cosmic Consciousness.

[68] The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna, written by M., and translated by Swami Nikhilananda (emphasis added).

[69] Philippians 4:7: "And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, shall guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."

[70] Gesenius Lexicon.

[71] In this verse, the term "sister" is obviously used metaphorically. Consider the following excerpts from the Gesenius Lexicon: "...used also of... uterine, [Relates to the reproductive aspect of being]...(5) metaph. sister is used of anything very closely connected with us..."

[72] Aryeh Kaplan, Meditation and the Bible (emphasis added).

[73] Gopi Krishna, Higher Consciousness and Kundalini.

[74] Gopi Krishna, Higher Consciousness and Kundalini, 146-147.

[75] Monier-Williams Sanskrit Dictionary.

[76] Monier-Williams Sanskrit Dictionary.

[77] Monier-Williams Sanskrit Dictionary.

[78] Monier-Williams Sanskrit Dictionary.

[79] Monier-Williams Sanskrit Dictionary.

[80] The following is a classic description of the awakening of the Kundalini Shakti and its subsequent progression. The sensations and general experiences associated with this movement of the Spirit are not speculator but are a matter of fact.

[81] Lee Sannella, MD, The Kundalini Experience.

[82] Jesus was also known for his healing powers.

[83] Arthur Avalon, The Serpent Power.

[84] Monier-Williams Sanskrit Dictionary

[85] Monier-Williams Sanskrit Dictionary.

[86] Gesenius Lexicon.

[87] Gesenius Lexicon.

[88] Gopi Krishna, Kundalini: The Secret of Yoga.

[89] Gesenius Lexicon.

[90] Gesenius Lexicon.

[91] Gesenius Lexicon.

[92] Agehananda Bharati, The Light at the Center.

[93] Menorahs with nine lamps instead of seven are commonly seen. The "nine lamp" rendition of the menorah is not in accord with the instructions of Moses and is a modification that probably arose for the celebration of Hanukkah.

[94] The Muladhara is sometimes referred to as the First Chakra, and it lies at the base of the spine.

[95] The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna, written by M. and translated by Swami Nikhilananda.

[96] Aryeh Kaplan, Meditation and the Bible (emphasis added).

[97] David Sheinkin, MD, Path of the Kabbalah, ed. Edward Hoffman, PhD.

[98] Gopi Krishna, Kundalini: The Secret of Yoga.

[99] This discrepancy is easy to explain because of the fact that some of the Kundalini process may proceed outside of our consciousness. But in either case, the actual coiled channel is located at the base of the spine.

[100] Aryeh Kaplan, Meditation and the Bible.

[101] Gesenius Lexicon.

[102] Gesenius Lexicon.

[103] Genesis 41:45, 50 and 46:20.

[104] Gesenius Lexicon.

[105] Matthew 19:12: "For there are eunuchs who were born that way from their mother's womb; and there are eunuchs who were made eunuchs by men; and there are also eunuchs who made themselves eunuchs for the sake of the kingdom of heaven. He who is able to accept this, let him accept it."

[106] John 1:3: "All things came into being by Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being."

[107] John 3:18.

[108] Psalm 83:16.

[109] Psalm 52:9.

[110] Psalm 18:49.

[111] Psalm 86:11.

[112] Psalm 124:8.

[113] "For my head is drenched with dew, My locks with the damp of the night" (Song of Solomon 5:2).

[114] Thayer Greek Lexicon.

[115] Monier-Williams Sanskrit Dictionary.

[116] Thayer's Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament.

[117] Thayer's Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament. CHRIO is translated as "anointed" in the following verse: "Now He who establishes us with you in Christ and anointed us is God" (2 Corinthians 1:21).

[118] Daniel 9:25-26.

[119] Face is often used to mean "the presence" of someone.

[120] Matthew 10:24-25.

[121] John 14:12.

[122] Baba is a Sanskrit word that means "father."

[123] Gesenius Lexicon.

[124] List a page number for this reference.

[125] He presented another parable to them, saying, "The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field" (Gospel of Matthew 13:24).

"And He was saying, '"The kingdom of God is like a man who casts seed upon the soil...'" (Gospel of Mark 4:26).

"He presented another parable to them, saying, '"The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and sowed in his field..." (Gospel of Matthew 13:31).

[126] With the possible exception of Luke's contributions.

[127] Gesenius Lexicon.

[128] Monier-Williams Sanskrit Dictionary.

[129] The steep pathway is the spinal canal.

[130] See Acts of the Apostles 10:46-47: "For they were hearing them speaking with tongues and exalting God. Then Peter answered, '"Surely no one can refuse the water for these to be baptized who have received the Holy Spirit just as we did, can he?'"

[131] Lee Sannella, MD, The Kundalini Experience (emphasis added).

[132] Ibid.

[133] Ibid.

[134] The Gospel of Matthew 6:13.

[135] Gopi Krishna, Kundalini: The Secret of Yoga.

[136] Richard Maurice Bucke, MD, Cosmic Consciousness (emphasis added).

[137] Richard Maurice Bucke, MD, Cosmic Consciousness.

[138] Richard Maurice Bucke, MD, Cosmic Consciousness.

[139] Richard Maurice Bucke, MD, Cosmic Consciousness.

[140] Unmanifest Being.

[141] Lee Sannella, MD, The Kundalini Experience.

[142] The Bhagavad Gita, translated by Swami Nikhilananda.

[143] Thayer Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament.

[144] Thayer Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament.

[145] It may be interesting to note that Lucifer or Satan is referred to as the "morning star."

[146] Matthew 13:38: "And the field is the world; and as for the good seed, these are the sons of the kingdom; and the tares are the sons of the evil one..."

[147] Matthew 10:24-25.

John 14:12: "Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do..."

[148] Pali is an ancient East Indian language which is akin to Sanskrit.

[149] Richard Maurice Bucke, MD, Cosmic Consciousness.

[150] John 18:36: "Jesus answered, '"My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, then My servants would be fighting, that I might not be delivered up to the Jews; but as it is, My kingdom is not of this realm.'"

[151] Jesus was referring to John the Baptist, whom he considered to be the reincarnation of Elijah.

[152] John 4:20-24.

[153] The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna, written by M. and translated by Swami Nikhilananda.

[154] The Essential Unity of All Religions, by Bhagavan Das

[155] Richard Maurice Bucke, MD, Cosmic Consciousness.

[156] The Essential Unity of All Religions, by Bhagavan Das

[157] Richard Maurice Bucke, MD, Cosmic Consciousness.

[158] Text in brackets inserted by the author.

[159] From The Life of Swami Vivekananda by His Eastern and Western Disciples (emphasis added).

[160] The Lord.

[161] Phenomenal existence.

[162] The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna, written by M., and translated by Swami Nikhilananda (emphasis added).

[163] Brahman is a Sanskrit term that can be roughly translated as "God."

[164] The Atharva Veda is one of the holiest books of the Hindu religion.

[165] The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna, written by M., and translated by Swami Nikhilananda.

[166] Lee Sannella, MD, The Kundalini Experience (emphasis added).

[167] Gopi Krishna, Kundalini: The Secret of Yoga.

[168] Robert Powell, ed., The Nectar of the Lord's Feet: Final Teachings of Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj.

[169] Buddhi may be loosely translated as-the mind or intellect.

[170] In this passage, "order of life" equates to the Hindu system of "caste." A person's caste is the class of life and family that he or she was born into, i.e., Brahmin, Kshattriya, Vaishya, Sudra.

[171] Transmigration is a synonym for "reincarnation".

[172] Rahu is an invisible planet in the Hindu cosmology.

[173] Brahman may be loosely translated as God.

[174] The "Gunas" may be informally referred to as tendencies or moods. They are named Sattva, Rajas, and Tamas.

[175] Srutis-Hindu Scriptures.

[176] Soul or Self.

[177] Lee Sannella, MD, The Kundalini Experience.

[178] Gopi Krishna Kundalini, The Secret of Yoga.

[179] "Lingam" is a Hindu religious symbol of the male sexual organ, and "Yoni" is the female organ. These symbols, used in the Hindu religion, are representative of the sublimation of the "sexual energies" or "life force."

[180] A biospiritual center in the brain.

[181] Gopi Krishna, Higher Consciousness and Kundalini (emphasis added).

