Winter 2009 Newsletter

Feb 23, 2009 by Rev. Christine

WINTER 2009

Dear Members and Friends;

2009 HOLDS MUCH PROMISE for humanity in carrying out visions and hope for a better world. This is an inspiring year to feel connected and help others, explore deeper into your spirituality, and bring it forth into expression. You will find many wonderful offerings in this mailing and future opportunities to support your spiritual unfoldment. We are so grateful to be part of this inspiring period of time.

THE DSCC NEWSLETTER HAS GONE GREEN: Those of you who chose to receive by email are now reading this through the DSCC website. There are still those people who have chosen to keep getting the newsletter by postal mail. And, those who chose to do nothing - are getting nothing. You may also go to the website at www.divinesciencecommunitycenter.org.

HELP MAKE A DIFFERENCE: The DSCC Board has scheduled the two outreach programs. January Coat Drive: The DSCC Board has decided to help the homeless and those less fortunate by having a coat & blanket drive. Bring new or your like new coats, warm jackets, sweatshirts - all sizes needed, and blankets. No old or dirty clothing or blankets will be accepted. Donations will go to local charity. April Food Drive: On the weekend of April 3-5, DSCC will be filling barrels from the Second Harvest Food Bank. Bring non perishables; can goods, cereal, rice, boxed goods, peanut butter, jelly, tuna, etc. We are looking for ways to make a difference in our surrounding community, and if you ideas please share them with Rev. Christine or any of the members of the board.

FEBRUARY SPECIAL SCREENING: ASoul Masters Dr. Guo & Dr. Sha@ on Feb. 4, Wed. 7pm and Feb. 27, Fri. at 8pm. $6.00 donation.

We had a great holiday party this year with great friends and lots of good food. This year there were also many wonderful used metaphysical books for sale. We also had fun playing the gift exchange game followed with singing carols. Dec. 13, DSCC participated at the Conference for Community Non Violence & Pre-Parliament of World Religions Sponsored by CSE.

Oct. - Dec. 2008 Income $15,913.50; Expense $16,161.21; Diff. -$247.71 Ending Cash $6,585.68.

Love and Blessings, Rev. Christine and DSCC Board

We are a light unto the world for individual and global peace,

spiritual understanding, and abundant life.@


Our Creed Is Love, Our Path Is Service, Our Goal Is God Awareness!@

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The Five Pointed Christ Star

Dec 31, 2003 by Rev. Christine

I shall begin with a reading from the "Christmas Light" published by DSFI, titled Christmas Prayer by Gertrude Ochs:

"As Jesus on that holy night, was born to lead men by love's light,

So let my heart a manger be ... This day let Christ be born in me.

As wise men followed from afar to give their gifts beneath that star,
So let me give my talents, too, In willing service, God, to you.
The shepherds watched and saw and heard,
And knelt before the Living Word.
Oh, let me see and hear and tell, as clearly as a Christmas bell...
That I too am a holy babe that Love through me will heal and save.
With faith and love this Christmas morn, I pray, let Christ in me be born!"

The Christ star and the return of light plays a very important role at this time of year. This is a guided meditation in using the image of the 5 pointed Christ Star first representing the Advent Season - our personal spiritual journey, and then the Christ birth.

You will be drawing in your heart center the 5 pointed star with gold lines. This phase of the Christ Star meditation will be forming your star with Hope, Faith, Love, Joy and Peace. Each word may be spoken either out loud or silently, in regular speech, chant or intone - which ever is most comfortable for you. Remember to pause after each point by breathing it in to fully experience and embody it.

Let us get comfortable, relax and begin with full deep breathing until your mind becomes still in the Holy Presence.

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Gift of Light

Dec 14, 2003 by Rev. Christine

A Metaphysical Interpretation of the Nativity
& 5 pointed Star Meditation

Today I'm giving an interpretation of the Nativity Scene by looking at it as every character being an aspect of our soul as it unfolds the Christ Light or Consciousness. I have the nativity scene pieces here with me to put together while I'm presenting the Christmas story we all so love for it is our story.

In our nativity story we have the Stable, Animals both sheep (Aries) and cows (Taurus), Joseph, Mary, Baby Jesus or Christ, Shepherds, (lead & care, protect), three wise men, and the star.

The two main characters are Mary and Jospeh. Mary, is our feminine nature - our subconscious states of mind, the five outer and inner senses. Mary is the risen Eve, She rises above fear to the fullness of love brings forth compassion and intuition. And, is therefore ready to bring forth the Christ child.

Joseph, is our mental nature, is the risen Adam, from the analytical and reasoning mind of facts of the outer nature of things, to knowledge and understanding of the inner nature. The marriage of Joseph and Mary brings these two together for the great birth of a new kind of mankind.

The story begins with Caesar Augustus decreeing that a census be taken of all the people in his empire. And every man went to be registered in his own city. It is time for the birth of the Christ, but before that can happen all the environment of consciousness must be just right. So we have to take stalk, and the call is from the Christ consciousness to take a census, or inventory of our inner environment of our consciousness and subconsciousness; all our thoughts, feelings, and deeds before entering in or being born in man.

Therefore, Joseph went up from Nazareth, a city of Galilee, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, and brings his wife with child to Bethlehem. We raise our consciousness from the Sea of Galilee which is our mental states (solar plexus), and brings them to Bethlehem which means House of Bread. In your soul this is the place where the very substance of God feeds and nurtures you - this is the heart center. We go to our heart and take census.

Joseph finds no room at the inn for he and his wife to give birth. So they are given a stable. Our home or shelter is our body that houses our consciousness or soul and all that goes on within it. The inn represents one's pure thought, but there was no room for all the chatter. We must quiet our thoughts for the birth to take place, for Christ to enter.

The stable is a place of shelter for animals. In this story we have the cattle and sheep, the cattle representing our human concerns or lowly thoughts, and the sheep the gentler thoughts of love and truth. Both of these of the mental nature must come to rest, to succumb to the Christ Light. And, so we have our resting animals just looking on.

Then we give birth to the babe Jesus, our of the fullness of consciousness - out of the silence comes the Christ Light that permeates the entire stable. The angles come decreeing the birth, angels are divine thoughts or messages from God. The angels sing out, and appear to the shepherds overlooking the sheep. Shepherds protect, guide, and lead their sheep. Here the shepherds are given a message that the Christ child is born, and so they quietly take watch of the new Christ Baby.

A great star appears in the sky, is the Christ Star the great soul of the Babe Jesus. Those that have ears to here and eyes to see, and follow the signs will find their way for the inner light shall lead you. These wise men represent our spiritual journey that finally brings us to the place where the Christ baby is born. The three wise men bring gifts. These are the gifts of our soul, Gold, Frankencense and Myrrh. Gold the gift of Truth, Frankencense the gift of intuition, Myrrh the gift of healing.

But beware, King Herod, has issued an order to kill all the first born sons. King Herod represents our ruling mind or ego, and once we come out of meditation after giving birth to the Christ within, our ego will attempt to destroy what has been given. We must protect and nurture, as the shepherds do their flock until this new aspect of our consciousness is strong and can stand on its own in full spiritual maturity.

I will now lead us in a guided meditation of the 5 pointed star.

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Revelation: the Mystic's Journey - Part VI

Nov 23, 2003 by Rev. Christine

Today I'm completing the series on the Book of Revelation as the Mystic's Journey. This has been a long journey rising forth in consciousness. The last two visions of Babylon the Great and The New Heaven and the New Earth take us to our new consciousness in Christ. Success has been assured, the rising out of our material beliefs to living as a spiritual being in a spiritual world.

We started out on our spiritual journey by practicing laws of right behavior, living good human values based on the Ten Commandments. This for sure is necessary to do no harm to another. Many live by the letter of the law out of fear of punishment, and give out punishment the same way with no truth or compassion. Others live by the law because they know its right, and makes their life better and feel superior to others. But these are no better for laying riches in heaven, because it still is not in the spirit of the law.

Knowing the law, following the law, falls short from understanding the truth behind the law and willingly live the by the spirit of the law. This was the message to the Churches. We must first become obedient to spiritual law before greater truths and power are revealed.

The next step on our journey is to work through out shadow side, our inner nature which houses all kinds of demons, dragons, and such. We are shown the power this lower nature has over our lives. It is the bottomless pit where the dragon rises up speaking falsely about conditions, the world, and ourselves. Its law is based in the world of matter, desire, and ego (power and control). We venture out to control the world - to do battle and subdue its raging worldly effects of bondage, suffering and death.

But the dragon keeps coming back to do battle. We eventually learn that the battle isn't out there, but is within us. So we work on our personality, being a nicer person, doing good for others. We work on healing our inner child so that we can be free from recreating this pain in our lives. We do our spiritual practices of meditation and prayer to bring peace of mind. We even use prayer or healing energy for others. Still believing if we ask, God will fix or give to us. Yet, underneath, all this we are still desiring to change the outer effect with our mind not by force but by manipulation.

If I think right, say this word or prayer just right God will take care of our problem or give us riches or that new car. We are still being governed by the law of matter.

Trying to use spiritual practices to manipulate matter will appear to work for a while, give satisfaction and wealth, and may even give a temporary sense of peace. But, eventually the dragon comes back to do more battle. This is our adversary to teach us well.

Moving past the law of mind is the hardest hurdle to get over. This is where the dark night of the soul sets in. Please don't think that this is bad, that any of these steps is bad, for they are all necessary - they are the building blocks that lead us back to the Garden of Eden.

We start with no power, a victim so to speak, a slave to circumstance. Then we find if we live by rules of conduct that our lives do get easier - at least we may live longer if we don't offend or steal from our neighbor. Getting past our desires is a hard hurdle for they are filled with addictions and false beliefs. All along believing they have power over us. Until we begin to understand the truth about power and about ourselves.

We begin to awaken to our spiritual nature, and we have a choice in how we will use this new found power. This is the first temptation or tests that we must go through. You see the trick here is do we use it for our own purposes or do we allow it to use us for its higher purposes. The Kundalini energy is set free, and begins its work in our lives. If we have chosen to use for self purposes, greed, control then we shall also reap the effects we have caused upon others at even a greater power or strength it shall come back and do its destruction in our lives. There is no getting away from the ill we do upon others, unless we awaken, repent, which is to raise our vision, forgive and do no more. As Jesus said so often, you are forgiven, you are healed and go sin no more. Do not go out and create this again.

We eventually learn to do no harm intentionally to others, but then we must learn to even take charge of our inner thoughts. As Jesus said, its not what goes in your mouth that defiles you, but what comes out. Even if you think it, you have already done it in spirit. Wow, this is a hard charge, a big battle with our dragon, to learn how to take dominion of our inner thoughts, desires, feelings and emotions.

The mark of the beast is in the forehead or right hand; by our thoughts and actions we are known. We may appear to do the right thing, but where is the heart. Have we really served from the heart of compassion?

We shall know spiritual man by the radiance of love that surrounds him, that goes before him, walks amongst us humbly. And without thought God's work is done - seeming miracles for the rich or poor, regardless of stature, race, even to the least of them.

We thought we were on the right track; doing good work, helping others, faithfully praying and meditating, selflessly God. But, then one day our prayers don't seem to work anymore. There is a sense of abandonment. Our tools of the trade so to speak, no longer have any meaning for us. We may even feel lost and angry. But, the dragon has reappeared for a last bidding for we have been in fornication with Babylon. Unknowingly, we were still living in Babylon - the world of matter. In our spiritual search, dedication to practices we have crossed the bridge to where all mental laws no longer have power or effect, or we discover that all we are doing is playing in the mental playground of effect.

This is the dark night of the soul, some have claimed that there are three; emotional, mental, physical. The darkest is the mental, and this is the one we hear about the most. We must give up our using of mental thoughts to manipulate the world around us. We must give up using spiritual law to manipulate the world around us - a matter of fact it doesn't work - you can't use spiritual law to manipulate - and that is the challenge.

And when we succeed, Babylon falls. We are no longer bound by physical or mental laws, we are no longer bound by our desire nature and our fears. We have truly become free.

We have awakened to the spiritual realm, and spirit lives and moves and has its beingness as us - as our very self. There is just the one self of God doing its bidding in, through, and as us - we are a pure receptacle for spirit. In becoming the master, we have become a willing servant to do thy will.

In this higher vision or state of consciousness, The New Jerusalem can be seen. It is I, my holy temple of consciousness has been made new, my spiritual body is built and is strong and gloriously bright.

The veil of illusion is lifted, and I can truly see the spiritual world that God has created in all its glory. Every soul is radiant, whole and perfect. There is nothing to fix or manipulate, no truth to use - it already is - thy will is done in earth as it is in heaven.

We come to know, as Jesus did, that we are in this world of effect, but not of it - we are no longer bound by the law of matter or physics, or cause and effect, or any law of observation - we live by the law of Spirit and Grace.

We awaken to the Garden of Eden, and like Dorothy of the Wizard of Oz, we never truly left it - it was all but a dream of separation. The dream crumbles into nothingness, not even a faint memory. And, when we awake, we find that we are safe at home.

In Rev. 21:7, we read, "He that over comes shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son." Like in the parable of the Prodigal Son, who left his Father's house, to explore life, when he returned was given a new robe, shoes, ring, and a great feast. All the honors of being his Father's son for he returned wiser and his soul so much richer for the experience.

As I said earlier, each stage is necessary, there is no bad, regardless of the appearance or how long our journey takes. There is only a higher good that comes out of any experience, and that good is what eventually leads us to know the truth that sets us all free.

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Revelation: the Mystic's Journey - Part V: Fourth & Fifth Vision

Nov 16, 2003 by Rev. Christine

This week I'm continuing on the Journey of the Mystic through the Book of Revelation; the very last book of the New Testament. Genesis foreshadows Revelation: Revelation recapitulates Genesis. The intervening Books of the Bible trace the results of the Fall into the world of duality and points the way to man's redemption by outlining the life and works of some who have forged ahead and stepped out as teachers and leaders of the human race. Revelation recounts the experiences of these pioneers and their preparation for the Second Coming - "Christ in You the Hope of Glory!"

The Book of Revelation is an account of a mystical spiritual experience that the disciple John had. Being a mystical experience it is written in the language of symbolism. There were a total of seven visions. Seven is the number for spiritual completion. This book is about the regeneration of the soul, through resurrection and ascension for a new race of spiritual mankind.

Today we unfold the fourth vision of "The Woman Clothed with the Sun." This is the New Birth, in Rev. chapter 12, "And a great sign was seen in heaven, a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet and upon her head a crown of twelve stars; And she being with child cried, travailing in birth, and pained to be delivered.

And there appeared another sign in heaven; and behold, there was a great fiery dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads. And his tail cut off a third of the stars of heaven and cast them to the earth; and the dragon stood before the woman who was ready to be delivered, so as to devour her child as soon as it was born.

And she brought forth a male child, who was to shepherd all the nations with a rod of iron; and her child was caught up to God, and to his throne. And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she had a place prepared by God, that they should feed her there a thousand and two hundred and three score days.

 

And there was war in heaven Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon and his angels fought, but did not prevail, neither was their place found any longer in heaven. Thus the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was cast out on the earth, and his angels were cast out with him."

This is a wonderful picture of symbols, a woman pregnant with new life - the son of new understanding of the Christ. She has the Sun above her and the moon under her feet. The woman as clothed with the sun, is wearing a shield of light of her new understanding of spiritual matters. The moon being under her feet represents her victory over her emotional and mental nature. While in prayer, in silence, in communion with the most high, we are protected - shielded from the outer world of effect.

She is giving new life to a new idea in consciousness - that of the Christ ideal in each and everyone of us. This is Eve risen in her rightful place; the world mother or feminine principle of love, compassion, and new life. The earth representing the physical nature, our body, separation, and beliefs in duality.

Its not easy to give up our old ways to bring in the new, it can be a most painful difficult birth. Giving up our old habits, addictions, beliefs and attitudes - we have had a long hard struggle, but victory is always assured, and yet we must continue to face our demons head on. The great fiery dragon represents our old desires that have had hold on us. It has had great power over us, our soul. This dragon with seven heads and ten horns and seven crowns upon its heads, shows how much power we have given over to this dragon. Allowing it to rule over us, keeping us bound to our fears and shortcomings.

When we give birth to a new spiritual ideal, we must carry it close to us. Protect this child or else our prior beliefs and attitudes will take over, convincing us that the old way is easier, and kill this precious child - our new understanding of the Christ within - the "I" that I Am.

She did flee into the wilderness, this is a place to strengthen and be nourished; wilderness is a foreign place to the material consciousness. It is the silence of communion, and so it is left behind.

12:10 -17, "And I heard a loud voice in heaven saying, Now the deliverance and the power and the kingdom of our God and the power of his Christ have been accomplished; for the accuser of our brethren, who accused them before God day and night, is cast down. And they have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; and they did not spare themselves even to death.

Therefore rejoice, O heavens and you who dwell in them. Woe to the inhabitants of the earth and of the sea! For the Devil has come down to you; and his wrath is great, because he knows that his time is short.

And when the dragon saw that he was cast down to the earth, he pursued the woman who had given birth to a son. And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly from the presence of the serpent to the wilderness, into her place, where she would be nourished for years and months and days.

Then the serpent sent a flood of water out of his mouth after the woman, so that he might cause her to be swept away by the flood. But the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed up the water which the dragon had spouted out of his mouth. And the dragon was enraged at the woman, and he went to make war with the rest of her children, who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus."

The dragon has lost its power to rule over us, its only power is in the realm of duality; or that power that we turn over. But we have the choice now to take our own new power and be lifted by the wings of a great eagle to that safe place, our holy temple within.

The dragon sending forth a flood, represents the emotional nature sweeping over us, and the earth is our mental attitudes based in physical laws of fear and limitation. After we have gone to a high place in consciousness, giving birth to new ideas, we come back vulnerable to losing what we have gained if we go back to our old ways - being tempted by desire, and it will raise its ugly head until we have solidified our new nature. Just as we give up any habit it takes repeated effort to replace it with something better, or we fall back. Each person, disciple on the journey is faced by this dragon and does battle, but again we know the victory is assured for the dragon's rule is short.

The 5th vision of "The Beast that Rose Out of the Sea." Rev. 13:1-10, "And as I stood on the sand of the shore, I saw a wild beast rise up out of the sea, having ten horns and seven heads, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads blasphemous words. And the wild beast which I saw was like a leopard, and his feet were like the feet of a bear, and his mouth like the mouth of a lion; and the dragon gave him his power and his throne and great authority.

And one of his heads was as though mortally wounded; but his deadly wound was healed; and all the world wondered about the wild beast. And they worshiped the dragon because he had given power to the wild beast, saying, Who can prevail against him to fight him?

And there was given to him a mouth, that he might utter boastful things and blasphemies; and power was given to him to make war for forty and two months. And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name and his dwelling place and those who dwell in heaven.

And power was given to him over every tribe and kindred and tongue and nation, and it was given to him to make war with the saints and to overcome them. And all who dwell upon the earth shall worship him, even those whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.

If any man has ears, let him hear. He who leads into captivity shall go into captivity; he who kills with the sword must be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints."

We are again tempted to misuse our new found spiritual powers for personal power and gain in the world. If not truly grounded within us, this truth can become convoluted, our ego can take over. Some will want to use this power to control others, force others to believe as we do, to make rigid ritual and statues to worship, back to the letter of the law or the living word that can only come from our own experience - not through someone else's.

This messages is again conveyed by another beast in Rev. 13: 11, "And I beheld another wild beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and hew spoke as a dragon. And all the power of the first wild best before him was exercised by him, and he caused the earth and those who dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed.

And he performed great wonders, to such an extent that he could even make fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men. Beguiling those who dwell on the earth to make an image to the wild beast who was wounded by the sword and yet lived. And he had power to give life to the image of the wild beast, and to cause all those who would not worship the image of the wild beast to be killed.

And he compelled all, both small and great, rich and poor, freemen and slaves to receive a mark on their right hands or on their brows, So that no man might buy or sell unless he who had the mark of the name of the beast or the code number of his name. Here is wisdom: Let him who has understanding decipher the code number of the beast; for it is the code number of the name of a man; and his number is six hundred and sixty-six."

This second beast is the power of materiality, born through linking mind with desire. It came into being through the fall of man into the emotional plane with its attendant causation through fear. Mind was a gift to be used as a rainbow bridge whereby he might pass from earth to heaven. Instead, he linked it with his desire nature, and so adhere more closely to the animal kingdom than to the realm of the gods, or spiritual man.

Mind, the most powerful of man's possessions, must of necessity become a mighty force for good. In the second beast we see the ideal man as the lamb, but with the speech of a dragon which is mind function on the lower planes of consciousness. We process truth through the mind, or our subconscious which is filled with all kinds of beliefs; as Jesus said to put new wine in old wine skins will ruin the new wine or the new truth. We end up with ½ truths or less.

Throughout the year, and especially in the last 20 years, there has been much concern over this vision. Especially concerning the sign of the beast upon the right hand or forehead. There has been much speculation as to who is this beast and how this code is going to be assigned. Some say by computer chips, bar codes to be used by the government for buying, selling and keeping track of everyone as Big Brother. Some say it was Hitler or Nero, but for many as time moves on it still lies in the very near future.

We are reminded that the true message of this vision is about our unfolding consciousness from beast of human to spiritual god man or Christ. Our human nature is represented by 666, or it adds up to a 9. Six being our human physical nature, and 9 as our spiritual nature. We have the choice in which one we are serving.

Its interesting that it is mentioned that the code is in our name, our name being the inner nature of who we are. In the science of sacred numbers each letter of the alphabet has a corresponding number, and we add these to a single digit to find the nature of a person. That which they came in to this life to unfold and express. We can express the negative or unrealized aspects of the number or its positive in fullness of living it out.

Six is not bad, a matter of fact it represents the 6th position on the Tree of Life, it is Beauty, the Christ, and connects to the upper consciousness to be expressed in the kingdom of earth, but not of it. Six is service to family and loved ones, while the Nine is brotherhood. When we have experienced out the service to one another in our families, friends and work, then we are ready for the 9 of brotherly love for everyone everywhere, even of our enemies.

 

Therefore, we find 666 when reversed or fulfilled is 999, or when added together is still a nine. Our victory is promised and at hand, for our spiritual nature is our true nature and has been all the time.

Next week we shall unfold the 6th and 7th visions of the Book of Revelation; the last of this series.

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Revelation: the Mystic's Journey - Part IV: Opening the Seven Seals

Nov 09, 2003 by Rev. Christine

This week I'm continuing with the series based on the Book of Revelation as the Mystic's Journey to resurrecting the Christ within which shall bring about the new body, new race of mankind, and the New Jerusalem of our holy temple of consciousness coming forth as our new heaven on earth.

But first a little background about the Book of Revelation. This book is about John's mystical experience, and is written in the language of symbolism, as mystical experiences are very difficult to describe in our 3rd dimensional language. You may be familiar with symbolism used by poets to get their feelings across.

Another aspect to be aware of is that the Bible is about the soul's journey through separation of duality, and of the return to the Garden of Eden through the Tree of Life as mentioned in the Book of Genesis. This is our story - it is everyone's story.

A few weeks ago I spoke on the 7 messages to the churches and how they related to the chakra system and the rising Kundalini energy. Then last week we covered chapter 4, which was about John rising in spirit and viewing the Christ consciousness within.

I also, handed out a version of the Tree of Life as depicted through the Jewish mystical tradition of the Kabbalah which helps us to see what John is describing as his vision as the seven candlesticks or churches, the Christ as the throne or crown. And, lastly the four beasts.

The four beasts are four fixed signs of the zodiac; the lion as Leo, calf as Taurus, face of man is Aquarius, and the flying eagle is Scorpio. These beasts are in their higher states of realized spiritual consciousness as they are described as being full of eyes within, and having six wings, and being full of honor and glory and giving thanks to the one on the throne which is the Christ, and they like the stars and angels have messages for us.

The last time I did a series on the Book of Revelation was July/August of 1999. I covered the section on the 4 beasts during a major astrological happening called "The Grand Cosmic Cross" which included the four fixed signs of the zodiac, or the four gates of power. This time its during a Harmonic Concordance of six pointed star configuration. The other correlation that came to me was Aug. 11 being the Grand Cross; 8th month 11th day. And Nov. 8 being the Harmonic Concordance on the 11th month and 8th day. Both adding up to a 19 or a 1. Being a time of new beginnings. Well so much on this stuff.

Chapters 5-8 are the opening of the seven seals - because of the length of time available I will only give a summary of the meaning. Rev. 5:1-7

"And, I saw on the right had of him who sat on the throne a book, written within and on the back and sealed with seven seals. Then I saw a mighty angel proclaiming with a loud voice, Who is worthy to open the book and to loose the seals thereof? And, no man in heaven above nor on earth neither under the earth was able to open the book, neither to look on it. And I wept exceedingly because no man was found worthy to open the book, neither to look on it.

And, one of the elders said to me, Weep not; behold the Lion of the tribe of Judah. The Scion of David, has prevailed and he will open the book and the seven seals thereof. And I beheld, and lo, in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth. And he came and took the book from the right hand of him who sat upon the throne."

We are told here that the human mental mind that looks upon life from a material point of view or understanding will never be able to open the seals. These seals can only be opened from one who sees and hears from the heart, spiritual understanding must be discerned through the heart and not from the intellect. The Lamb of Christ opens the seals.

The seven seals represent our material attitudes and false beliefs. The first four seals to be opened are known as the Four Horsemen. Rev. 6:1-8, "I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seven seals, and I heard one of the four animals saying in a voice as of thunder. Come and See. And I looked and beheld a white horse, and he who sat on him had a bow, and a crown was given to him; and he went forth conquering, and to conquer.

And when he opened the second seal, I heard the second animal say, Come and see. And there went out another horse, and it was red, and to him who sat on it was given power to take away peace from the earth, that people should kill one another; and there was given to him a great sword.

And when he had opened the third seal, I heard the third animal say, Come and see. And behold, I saw a black horse; and he who sat on him had a pair of balances in his hand. And I heard a voice in the midst of the four animals say, A measure of wheat for a penny, and three measures of barley for a penny; and see that you do not damage the oil and the wine.

And when he had opened the fourth seal, I heard the fourth animal saying, Come and see. And I looked and behold a green (pale) horse; and the name of him who sat on him was Death, and Sheol followed after him. And power was given him over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword and with famine and with death and with the wild beasts of the earth."

The symbol of horses has long been used to represent power. Even today it is used in reference to the performance of the engines in our cars. There is a rider, or driver, the one guiding the power. We are at a state in our development that we have opened to the Christ Spirit. The warning here is in the misuse or undeveloped use of our powers. It is time now to let the Christ Spirit or consciousness be in charge of our lower 3 chakras, or emotional mental states.

This first beast is the man of Aquarius, air or spirit. The Christ spirit telling us to come and see. The symbols of the crown and the sword represent the promised victory of the White Horse. The victory is already promised us, through our persistence in keeping our vision high in the crown chakra of spirit and abiding in living truth. Then we are lead to the tests, to those areas that we need to overcome within our selves. We each have our own lessons. We go through these on different levels of our spiritual journey, as a spiral, always rising upward gaining new insight and refining our truth and way of life.

The lion calls us forth to see, and the lion represents the fire of life. The red horse, represents desire, passion in its higher states, but can also be anger and war in the lower mental emotional states of consciousness. The great sword given is love. Love is the victory of the rider of the second horse. Love shall conquer all.

The third seal is opened by the beast of Taurus, the calf, earth. It is the black horse of the intellect or logical mind, material consciousness. Here we have the logical mind measuring and judging by appearances; the weighing of scales. In its higher aspect it is discernment, intuition, wisdom guiding over the intellect.

In its lower nature, it is one totally focused upon worldly power. Belief in lack and all that the effects of the physical world. Here we have the choice to use our intellect for the good of all or self serving. The intellect alone is without love or compassion; humility is its true power. The rider of this horse is reminded to not hurt the oil and wine - the true nature of life; love and spirit.

The fourth seal is opened by the beast of Scorpio, the flying eagle, water. It is the pale horse of death and hell. This rider can be as the flying eagle soaring to new heights, or it can be in fear of losing physical life and all that this world has to offer. It represents the emotional nature which is part of the physical body. Through fear our emotions can cause the appearance of pain, disease, suffering, and death, or through love we can experience the greatest joy. The sword given here is truth over the illusionary world.

We die to our old beliefs allowing the Christ Spirit to soar to it crowning glory of eternal life. This physical life is pale in comparison to the Christ Life. Our physical body is pale compared to our light or spirit body. This physical world is pale compared to the spiritual world we call the New Jerusalem or heaven.

Who is riding our horses, who is in control, what is driving us? This we must ask ourselves on a daily basis. We are told to die daily. We die daily to our old beliefs, to our old habits and old emotional responses. We have awakened the Christ within. It is time to let its power of love to be the guiding force and power in our lives.

Next in Chapter 6:9-17 is the opening of the and fifth and sixth seals, "And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the alter the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony of the Lamb which they had; And they cried with a loud voice saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?

And a white robe was given to everyone of them; and it was said to them that they should rest yet for a little while, until the time should be fulfilled when their fellow servants and their brethren should be killed also as they had been. And I looked when he had opened the sixth seal, and behold, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black and sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood;

And the stars of heaven fell to the earth, even as a fig tree casts its green figs when it is shaken by a mighty wind. And the heavens separated, as a scroll when it is rolled separately; and every mountain and island shifted from its resting place.

And the kings of the earth and the great men and the commanders of thousands and the rich and the mighty men and every bondman and every freeman hid themselves in caves and in clefts of the mountain. And said to the mountains and rocks. Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb; For the great day of his wrath is come, and who shall be able to stand?"

Here we are crying out how long shall it be before we are living life as Jesus Christ did; living in this world but not bound by it. The white robe, represents the higher consciousness, but to wait until this new consciousness is completely solidified. Looking back we see our old beliefs that had to be slain, our old ways we had to turn our back on, our old emotional patterns had to die; and there are yet more to be killed as these had been done - these are our fellow servants and their brethren.

This is a process to clear away our old beliefs and fully be grounded in our new consciousness of spirit. Every time we go to our temple and to the Throne we are making progress. We bring our new consciousness into our daily lives. Until one day we realize that we have broken away totally from our beliefs in a material physical world it is like a great earthquake.

A shaking up of our lives, and the sun and moon, our intellect and emotions; our fearful thoughts and feelings, and our ego who had been our kings of power are now hiding so to speak to be crushed. They no longer have power over us. The mountains and islands are shifted; the stars come down. This represents a total shift of perspective from a material consciousness to spiritual; seeing a material world or a living spirit - God in expression.

The stars fallen to earth; means the awakening to the powers of spirit. Absolutely no separation and the 7th seal is opened. We have mastered our horses, transformed our false beliefs, awakened and ignited all seven candlesticks, raising the Kundalini energy up to the throne.

We are told to rest until all our spiritual faculties are ready. The stars represent the powers that are now revealed to us. In chapter 7 verse 4; "And I heard the number of those who were sealed; and it was a hundred and forty and four thousand, of all the tribes of the children of Israel."

It goes on to describe 12,000 sealed of each tribe or astrological sign. The number 12 is man in regeneration, and it is the regeneration of our mental and emotional nature to the 1000th power. And, when added together it is a nine, which is the highest number for mankind, of brotherhood, compassion, and service to all mankind.

Chapter 8: "And when he opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about the space of half an hour. Then I saw the seven angels who stood before God, and seven trumpets were given to them. "

Seven is spiritual victory, or completion. Prayers are answered, we rest in the grace of God. Every time we go to the inner spiritual silence we have victory, we have regeneration. The spirit of God moves through our mind, body, and soul, and we become as a shining body of stars, as the spirit of God guides our way.

Next week we continue on the Mystics Journey.

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Revelation: the Mystic's Journey - Part III

Nov 02, 2003 by Rev. Christine

Today I’m continuing with the vision by John in the Book of Revelation. The Book of Revelation is the handbook so to speak for the mystic’s journey. It is a roadmap for mankind to resurrecting the Christ within. The bringing forth of the new consciousness, the new body, the new race, which is the New Jerusalem which is our Holy Temple fully realized in all its splendor – the Christ Consciousness, God Within as the I AM. On earth as it is in heaven whole perfect and complete. All the attributes of God shining forth in to full expression.

A few weeks ago I spoke on the seven messages to the seven churches and how they related to the Chakra system and the rising Kundalini energy. The Kundalini energy being the life force, the spirit of God, that rises forth from the base of the spine, and moves upward just above the top of the head igniting all seven centers or churches. When lit they become the seven candlesticks that light the path for higher consciousness.

Chakras in the unrealized or dormant states have us living life through the lower states of human consciousness based on material laws of birth-death, sickness-disease, limitation all based in fear and the belief in a separation from God, which expresses as the ego in false appetites, greed, control, despair, and such kinds of negative aspects of oneself.

I’m continuing today in Chapter 4, but first I will read the ending of Chapter 3 verse 20-22. "Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if any man hear my voice and open the door, I will come in to him and will sup with him, and he with me. To him that overcomes I will grant to sit with me on my throne. He who has ears, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches."

Then in Chapter 4 verses 1-11: "After these things I looked and behold, a door was open in heaven; and the first voice which I heard was like a trumpet talking with me, which said, Come up here and I will show you things which must come to pass. And immediately I was in the spirit; and behold, a throne was set in heaven, and one sat on the throne. And he who sat resembled a stone of jasper and sardonyx, and round about the throne was a rainbow resembling emeralds.

Round about the throne were four and twenty seats; and upon the seats I saw four and twenty elders sitting, clothed in white robes; and they had on their heads crowns of gold. And out of the throne proceeded lightnings and thunderings and noises; and there were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God.

And before the throne was a sea of glass resembling crystal; and in the midst of the throne, and round about it and in front of it were four animals, full of eyes before and behind. And the first animal was like a lion and second animal was like a calf and the third animal had a face of a man and the fourth animal was like a flying eagle.

And the four animals had each of them six wings; and they were full of eyes within; and they had no rest day and night saying, Holy, holy, holy, the Lord God almighty who was and is and is to come. And when those animals give glory and honor and thanks to him who sits on the throne, who lives for ever and ever. The four and twenty elders fall down before him who sits on the throne, and worship him who lives for ever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying, Thou art worthy, O our Holy Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for thou hast created all things, and by thee they are, and by thy will they are and were created."

We remember that visions are in the language of symbols, and these symbols of deep meanings for our soul. John is having a spiritual experience. He has opened his consciousness to his Higher Self, the God Self or Christ Self, which speaks to him. In the beginning this voice may appear foreign or separate from us, like a guide, spirit teacher, or angel. That is why many feel they are channeling a spirit or Jesus Christ, but it may very well be their own God Self.

John is swept up in higher consciousness, in spirit, and sees a great vision of what must come to past; other words which his soul must go through to reach the throne of the Christ Consciousness. Along our spiritual journey we are given glimpses of heaven on earth, of the greater I Am. For me, at age 14, it was a lift into the cosmos where I was all of it, I was without bodily form, but I knew body of consciousness contained the universe. Reminds me of the movie contact when She looked out of the window in outer space without words.

My step father had an experience of walking this earth for 3 days as heaven. He had never known such joy and love for his fellow workers, and all plant life was brilliant in colors. He said, "How we see life is so faded in comparison." When it left him, rather than seeing it as a gift to venture to he felt cheated, and although he strove towards it for a long time, he eventually gave up feeling a failure.

Many of us here today have had these kinds of spiritual experiences, and for each of us just as different. We hold these close to us, but when the time is right to share with someone else on the path, we do so to help them understand that which is to come or help to them understand their own experience as sign posts. That is what this vision is for us, sign posts to the next level on our spiritual journey. Although, our experience of it may be very different in symbols, but the heart of the message will be the same.

In verse 2-3, John sees the throne in heaven, in higher consciousness, and the Christ who resembles a jasper. The jasper stone is quartz crystal and may be in colors of green, red, or clear. Also the stone of sardonyx; which is layers of white and sand – cameos are made from this stone. And, then he saw about the throne a rainbow resembling emeralds. John is seeing the spirit in its full beauty of light. Some people have the gift to see the auric field that surrounds our body as a radiant light in various colors, which is our consciousness. In spirit, John is seeing the true body of Christ. And, when we have lit all candlesticks, we too shine as brilliant rainbow of light.

Next in verse 4, John saw in his vision about the throne were 24 seats, and upon the seats were elders sitting, clothed in white robes and wearing crowns of gold. Now this was already promised to those that have ears to hear and eyes to see, and follow the path in love, compassion, obedience, service and perseverance. These elders are those that have gone before us. In the Bible they represent the 12 sons of Israel (Jacob), and the 12 disciples. And, they surround the Christ in white robes, meaning of a pure consciousness.

The 12 sons of Israel represent man in his unfoldment of full consciousness at the manifest level; a prelude to the Christ consciousness. They also represent the archetypal astrological signs, and the Christ as the Sun. As astrological signs they represent parts of our self that we are to unfold, experience and integrate. While non is greater or lesser in the wholeness.

The disciples are also related to the 12 Powers of Man, by Fillmore. These are power centers of our energetic body; some say of the glandular system. Now this would be bringing forth into full realization our God given powers in this world of expression. Then out of the 12 comes a new mankind which we refer to as the Christ, the sun of God.

Each elder is wearing a crown of Gold; Gold always represents purity of heart and mind; the two married in consciousness is the mystical marriage with Christ as the bridegroom.

Then out of the throne came lightnings and thunderings and noises; these sounds were the voice of God – the spoken word of wisdom, and the light is our expanded awareness of Spirit. We are told that there were seven lamps burning before the throne and these are the seven spirits of God; also known as attributes of power, love, knowledge, wisdom, understanding, life, and Joy.

Before the throne was a sea of glass; a sea of glass, is the stillness of mind and emotions – peace beyond words.

Then there are four animals that are in the midst of the throne, in front and all around it, and they are full of eyes. The first is animal is like a lion, then a calf, a face like a man, the fourth like a flying eagle. Each animal having six wings, and full of eyes. These animals as described here are in their fullness of expression. They represent the fourfold aspects of man; mind, physical, emotion, spirit.

They are representative of the four fixed astrological signs; as Leo - the lion, Taurus - the calf or bull, Aquarius - the man, and Scorpio - the eagle. Again these are archetypal symbols or energies in their states of complete realization. Angels represent messages or divine impulses, and these animals each have a message to the beast or human of us. These wings also represent the seraphim which guard the sacredness of this awareness – also guarding the gate to the Tree of Life.

Next week we will introduce the 7 seals.

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Revelation: the Mystic's Journey - Part II

Oct 12, 2003 by Rev. Christine

Today we begin the adventure into the book of Revelation. Last week we went over the beginnings of our spiritual journey starting in Genesis. First the creation of mankind - the Adam consciousness; 2nd the separation of spirit as both male and female - Adam and Eve; 3rd the disobedience to choose or bite of the tree of good and evil or duality; 4th Adam and Eve become as physical form, and 5th they are exiled from the Garden of Eden or God consciousness, and 6th the soul's journey begins. 7th the journey back to Eden, to the Tree of Life.

The Book of Revelation is the mystics path to the Tree of Life - the coming home: In Revelation 2:7; "He that hath an ear, let him hear what the spirit saith unto the churches; to him that overcometh will I give to eat of the Tree of Life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God." This is also the story that Jesus told of the Prodigal Son.

We have all ventured out to experience the separation, and now it is time to come home in union. We have experienced our inner consciousness of thoughts and feelings in our outer world journey. We are now ready for the inner spiritual journey. The Tree of Life is that which brings us home; not as we left in fear and ignorance but in wisdom and love of God - and as God. We shall be as the great masters that have gone before us.

The Book of Revelation is the vision that John the disciple had, in chapter 1:1-3 "The revelation of Jesus Christ; which God gave unto him, to show unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass; and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John: Who bear record of the word of God and of the testimony of Jesus Christ, and of all things that he saw. Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand."

It is the Christ consciousness that is speaking to John, and revealing to him the path, and for all those that can understand the message therein, and for those than can the time is now. The prophecy is that we shall all come to this point as we awaken and have ears to hear the inner Christ voice.

The number seven is throughout Genesis and the Book of Revelation. In Genesis the seven days of creation; six days of preparation or work and the 7th to abide in the new creation or rest, as on the Sabbath day.

It is also the seven senses of mankind; the 5 physical senses, and 2 spiritual senses of perceptions for inner listening and seeing. In Revelation we have the seven Churches, seven candlesticks, seven stars. Seven represents the perfect stage of one's spiritual unfoldment. There are a total of seven parts to the vision in the Revelation of John. There are also 22 chapters ending with verse 21; for another seven of spiritual fulfillment.

The first part of the vision given to John is to record and send to this message to the seven churches of Asia. The spiritual meaning for Asia is the dawn, the within, the hidden or spiritual realm. The deeper meaning for the word church is consciousness, spiritual ideas, beliefs in individual consciousness. The seven churches represent a new state of spiritual consciousness, or mental attitude. The seven churches are steps or degrees of awareness through which all of us go before reaching the point of internal realization of God Self and brought forth "in earth as in heaven."

The churches are symbolic of the energy centers of our spiritual or energetic body; we call them chakras or power centers. These power centers run up the spine, and are representative of the Tree of Life, also known as the Kundalini energy. The traditional system has seven, although today we also recognize an 8th called the Thymus or upper heart. It is the expanded heart center of compassion that realizes love for all as our self.

These power centers when unenlightened are inactive as spiritual centers; fear, anger, selfishness, false beliefs all keep these closed down or blocked. The seven candlesticks represent activated power centers that are filled with light with spirit, and with love, wisdom and truth. The purified mind and heart. The seven stars are the seven messages of the angels of the churches. There is a spiritual message for each church to realize.

The first church is Ephesus, which concerns our prayer life, beliefs and desires. Our thoughts are still focused on the physical senses. We are trying to accomplish spiritual works through sense consciousness and the human intellect based on appearances. This is the base root chakra; here we release our false or human concepts of our world. We balance love and truth.

The second church is Smyrna which concerns our faith, understanding, and creative power. We are dependent upon the outer practices in place of true prayer of spiritual union. We must release the misuse of our thoughts in our creative power. This is the regenerative life chakra. Here we release our doubts, fears and worldly manipulation. We balance with love and wisdom.

The third church is Pergamos which concerns our ability to feel whole and be at peace. It is the solar plexus chakra of the intellect. Here we are believing in the letter of the law - or literal interpretation of that which is spiritual. The belief that the human intellect is the power, but without spirit it is nothing but a clanging symbol. It is the release of personal ego. Balance with faith and intuitive knowing.

The fourth church is Thyatira which concerns our spiritual inspiration, and freedom. It is the heart chakra. We are asked to release the personal sense of love for the greater love of God, for unconditional love rather than judgement of self and for everyone. We balance with love and forgiveness.

The fifth church is Sardis which concerns our spiritual power and joy. This is the throat chakra. The power of the spiritual word spoken which carries forth into our world of expression. We must give up negative self talk, and be conscious of speaking only that of truth. Balance with praise, prayer, meditation.

The sixth church is Philadelphia which concerns our unity with mankind. This is the 3rd eye chakra of true perception. We must give up belief in the appearance world, in separation, and stand in truth, and see and give thanks for the glory that is all around us. This is active faith. Balance with service in action.

The seventh church is Laodicia which concerns our love of God One with creative intelligence, and divine wisdom. The Amen or AUM. This is crown chakra. Here we are told to stay steadfast in our journey. The Christ stands at the door of consciousness, and those that have the ear to hear will open, and the Christ will come in. We balance with continued self-assessment.

I'd like us to take a the next few moments to connect these churches or chakras to our body.

1. The base root is red in color the sound of (UH).

2. The 2nd chakra is slightly below the belly button, its color is organ; the sound is (OOO).

3. The 3rd chakra is the solar plexis at the pit of the stomach and is yellow, its sound is (OH).

4. The 4th chakra is the heart, at the center of the chest, it is spring green, and its sound is (AH).

5. The 5th chakra is the throat, at the throat, it is blue, and its sound is (EYE)

6. The 6th chakra is the 3rd eye at the center of the forehead between the brow, and its color is indigo, its sound is (AYE)

7. The 7th chakra is the crown at the top of the head, it is violet, and its sound is (EEE).

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Revelation: the Mystic's Journey - Part I

Oct 05, 2003 by Rev. Christine

Today I'm beginning a series of talks on the Bible's last book "The book of Revelation" written by John. The book of Revelation has been of much interest especially in the past 10 years. Many have interpreted it as a prophecy of world events, and that is probably at the most literal interpretation. But first a little about the makeup of the Bible.

The Bible is a collection of sacred writings known as Scriptures filled with stories written by various authors to explain first creation of life and our universe, and then about our creator, and unfolding relationship. It is a collection of 66 books. It is divided in to two sections as before Jesus known as The Old Testament beginning with the book of Genesis, and The New Testament beginning with the birth of Jesus, and ending with the Book of Revelation. The Old Testament they say took some 3,000 years to write, and only 80-100 years for the New Testament.

The first five books are directly from the Jewish Holy Scriptures. There was another section to the Bible which was originally between the Old and New Testaments known as the "Missing Books" or Apocrypha; a collection of 15 books. The Catholic Bible still has these intact, while the King James version first moved them as an appendix, but later removed them altogether as they were viewed not part of the original Hebrew Scriptures because it was translated from the Greek.

The Bible is written so that as you unfold spiritually new understandings begin to emerge. It truly is a book for "those that have eyes to see and ears to hear" - as you meditate upon the passages and ask, then you see with new eyes and hear with a new inner voice of understanding. Some claim four levels of interpreting. The first being literal, a word for word understanding of history, stories or myths for moral code and religious practice. Next is the metaphysical; the studying of it as a science or many sciences, the symbolic or inner meanings of words, study of myths and symbolism for deeper meanings, including the sacred science of numbers and astrology. Then the mystical, which is the mystics path to experience God. Again, this is layered in through symbolism, and can only be revealed through prayer and meditation - not by the might of analytical mind but through the gentle heart of understanding.

This brief synopses is in preparation for the Book of Revelation, as it is revealed to me to be the mystics journey, based on the inner teachings of Christ Jesus as given to John for the Ascension. There are several fine books that I have found so far on the Book of Revelation, Dorothy Elder authored "Revelation for a New Age" and "The Bible and Kundalini Energy"; "Pray Your Way Through It" by Joseph Murphy; "Twelve Powers of Man" by Charles Fillmore; "The Revelation Our Crisis is a Birth" by Barbara Marx Hubbard, and latest by Miriam Comer "Open Book of Revelation.

It all began in the Book of Genesis and culminates in the Book of Revelation for the awakening or ascension of all mankind. We start with the two versions in the creation of mankind. In Gen. 1:27 "So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them." Then in Gen. 2:7 "And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul." And in Genesis 2:21-22 "And the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept: and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof; and the rib, which the Lord God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man."

Both versions give insight to our true nature; made in the image and likeness of God, given life out of the breath of God as a living soul. Whole and complete in God, and God in and as its creation. The man idea is birthed. Adam lived with God in the Garden of Eden, and was given dominion over all living creatures, and told to replenish and subdue the earth. The Garden of Eden is our inner consciousness in which we have dominion of over our thoughts, and that which we create.

So we begin with a soul that is both male and female, and during a deep sleep the soul separates as male and female. I take the view that the Bible is about our soul's journey of unfolding consciousness of God. Every character is an aspect of our soul both male and female. The male aspect represents the intellect, analytical thinking mind, power, understanding, conscious mind, ego and action. While the female is subconscious mind, the five outer senses based upon observation and desire, and the five inner senses or insights, and of love, compassion, intuition, wisdom, feelings and desire, creation, spirit.

I found this interesting, in Gen. 2:23, And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of man." The woman was created from the rib closest to the heart - or the heart center representing love. The feminine aspects were removed from Adam, and thus the masculine aspects remained, and not part of Eve. I must also mention that it is never stated that God awoke Adam from this deep sleep.

Spirit is represented in the Garden of Eden as the Serpent. At this point in consciousness Adam and Eve are pure and innocent, as is an infant or young child. You are just being without concern or want. We also have in this Garden of Eden many trees to eat of freely, "But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it; for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die." Gen 2:17.

The Serpent appears in the third chapter as the tempter, telling Eve that if she ate of the Tree Knowledge of Good and Evil that she would not die, but her eyes would be open knowing good and evil, and be as gods. And, Eve did eat and gave also to Adam who ate. The following came upon them. First they became aware of being naked - a sense of self consciousness or sense of separation; and they hid being afraid of punishment. They also did not take direct responsibility for their action - instead Adam blaming Eve and Eve blaming the Serpent. This lead to their exile in life and death, pain and suffering, good and evil.

In Gen 3:20, "And Adam called his wife's name Eve; because she was the mother of all living." Eve was the mother of the world of form or duality, and Adam names all things as good or bad. Verse 21, "Unto Adam also and to his wife did the Lord God make coats of skins and clothed them." Here they are given physical form of a body of flesh. And, in verse 22, "And the Lord God said, "Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever." And, in verse 24, "So he drove out the man, and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life." This set up the rest of the Bible or the journey back.

The serpent is a major player in the whole story or journey. In Gen. 3:14, "God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life." The serpent energy was sent down to the basement of the consciousness so to speak, where it once was free to roam it now was restricted. Even lower than the animals; animals represent our animalistic nature or thinking based on observation.

This serpent is feminine in nature, also known as, spirit, serpent energy, goddess, life force, fire energy and pure consciousness, so it is sent down to the base of the spine in its lower aspect controlled by fear, lack and desire. And, all the illusions of good and evil and judgement are being lived out. Until it is awakened and rejoins the masculine and feminine aspects as one soul, rising out of the illusion of good and evil, into the Truth of Oneness. Finding our way back to the Garden of Eden to the other tree, The Tree of Eternal Life.

This rising of the serpent energy is known in eastern terms as Kundalini Energy, which rises through the energetic body of the spine through power centers known as Chakras. In this scheme there are seven chakras; three below the heart, and three above the heart. The heart is the bridge of bringing the feminine and masculine energies together into their higher aspects. Associated with each chakra are emotions, beliefs, feelings to be cleared, through prayer and forgiveness, first before the serpent or fire energy can rise freely.

If the Kundalini energy is let loose without the clearing, it can become misdirected energy and be misused for personal power which will only slow the process for enlightenment. That is why this teaching and practice has been hidden from the masses until the time is right. And, the time is now, and has been made available to the western world since around the turn of the last century or 1880s.

Some teach to bring the energy down through the top of the head, the crown, and moving downward through the spine. But, this has been found to be difficult to get past the heart, and so we practice here, the path of going up from the base of the spine, and clearing each chakra center as we rise upward. Then the path is made open, and the energy can flow with ease from above to below. And the path is known as the Tree of Life.

The Book of Revelation teaches this tradition through John's vision. Next week we will venture in to the visual and symbolic language of the mystics for the roadmap to our spiritual journey of enlightenment and back home.

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Birth of Divine Science - Part II

Sep 14, 2003 by Rev. Christine

Today I'm continuing on the subject of the Birth of Divine Science. The first part was about Melinda Cramer the early founder in San Francisco. This week I'm speaking on Nona Brooks and her two sisters, Fannie James and Alethea Small, who have been considered co-founders first in Pueblo and then Denver, Colorado. The book "Power is the Light" by Hazel Deane is the life story of Nona Brooks, in which I'll be sharing from about Nona's life.

When most people speak of Divine Science they think of Nona Brooks, she was a grand lady and highly respected in the New Thought movement as a leader and healer. Nona was also the first woman minister of Colorado, and was invited to join Denver's Ministers Association. This was considered highly unusual, as a woman and secondly in a non traditional Christianity.

Nona Lovell Brooks was born March 22, 1861, in Louisville, Kentucky. The family came from wealth, and lived very comfortably in her early years. But, then her father's business went bad, and a few years later he died leaving them practically pennyless, and eventually her family moved to Pueblo, CO. Her mother at first went to Pueblo for health reasons, and taking her eldest daughter to help her. Fannie married there, and eventually Nona's other elder sister, Alethea, and she came to live with them. Alethea also married, but Nona's destiny was otherwise.

I personally also felt a strong connection to Nona Brooks, I had an experience where I felt her presence with me for three days while I was staying at my parents home recovering from vertigo (although the doctors could find no reason for it). I decided to read Spirits in Rebellion, the history of the New Thought movement. Reading about the early pioneers was inspiring. And, I was especially taken about Nona Brooks. During these three days my parents little dog followed me barking at something above and behind me.

It was spring of 1984, and I was considering if I should go to the Summer School in Denver to take my practitioner training - I could also take it here at our church. During the nights of those three days I had exceptional dreams, that lead me to Denver, and from there to take the ministerial training, and here I am.

The spiritual journey of Nona Brooks is marked by an early experience when she was about 10 or 11 years of age. It was on a Sunday afternoon and the others had gone to church, they were a good orthodox Presbyterian family, leaving Nona at home, because of a slight cold.

She went out to the garden by herself wandering around, when suddenly in the garden it happened. Suddenly the garden was filled with light and the light was other than sunlight; and Nona, standing very still, knew that the light was God.

That was the only word that could describe it, the only word that could encompass the beauty and the ecstacy of the light; and in that revealing light Nona saw herself then, as a petty thing, unworthy, so that she could no longer bear it, and she cried out, saying in the garden over and over again. "Father, make me close to Thee. I want to be good. Oh, I want to be good. I want to be good."

Then as abruptly as it came the light was gone, and she was standing there in the garden and everything was exactly as it had been before. The light was gone but always she would remember keeping it hidden close in her heart the memory of the light and ecstasy of God. It would be many years later before the Light returned.

In her teens and as a young adult Nona had a great love, his name was Ed, but the family didn't approve of him as he was studying to be a minister and had some strange ideas that didn't conform to Presbyterian. He was considering being a Congregationalist. They wrote for many years, but after she moved to Pueblo, he eventually married.

Nona soon became very ill with ulcers on her throat, and was unable to eat most foods. Eventually only eating very soft foods prepared for a baby. She went to doctors, and tried everything they gave her with no help. The life energy was slowly leaving her body as she lost more and more weight.

Then a friend of her sister Alethea, a Mrs. Bingham came to visit. She had just come back from Chicago where she had been healed by Emma Curtis Hopkins. The doctors had claimed her illness life threatening, and sent her to see specialists in Chicago. The doctor wanted her to stay at least a full year there with him, and as a wife and mother of young children, she just couldn't do that.

A woman that she had met in Chicago told her of this healer that may be of help. Mrs. Bingham became a student of Emma Curtis Hopkins and returned to Pueblo perfectly healed, and now offering classes and wanted Alethea and Nona to attend, knowing how ill they had been.

They politely refused, making their excuses of being too busy and of ill health. Surprisingly, Mrs. Bingham even quoted from the Bible in hopes to sway them saying, "Go ye into all the world and heal the sick. Behold I give you power." They were impressed since she was never a church goer, but still they refused. And when approached again, they still refused.

Six months later, Mrs. Bingham once again invited them, and as Alethea began to say I'm sorry, she interrupted her refusal, saying "This time I am not inviting you, I am commanding you. I will not take "no" for an answer."

After Mrs. Bingham left Nona cried out, "But sister, you didn't promise her? We simply can't do it." Alethea told her that she had too. Nona replied "She'll be even more offended if she finds out what we think of that sort of thing. We will have to go. A promise is a promise."

It was now 1887 when they reluctantly entered their very first metaphysical class. They weren't very impressed, hearing about the Omnipresence of God wasn't new to them. Mrs. Bingham used Bible scripture to back up her statements. They were given statements of health and God, such as "God is all. God is everywhere present. God is here." or "God is my health, I cannot be sick." Mrs. Bingham had said, "Whenever you see anything that looks less than perfect repeat at once the statement of the Omnipresent God."

It had been only a week in class, and they were repeating these phrases all through the day while they worked. Their lives didn't seem so gloomy anymore. And, were now looking forward to their afternoon class.

Again, they attended class, and this day something took place. Afterward Nona could not have said just when it happened, but some time during the class Nona was healed. Afterward, when she tried to tell about it, she said that it was like light. "The whole room was filled with light, and filled her too. It was as though God were right there in me." It did not seem unusual at all. It seemed the most natural thing in the world. She thought that everyone there saw the light just as she did.

She did not try to be healed. She simply knew within herself that she was healed. It was as though it had been that way right along, and now, because of the light, she could see that it was so. Nona sat quietly possessed by a feeling of great gladness and reverence contemplating the fact of the light and of her healing, with great joy.

That evening Nona surprised everyone by eating what everyone else was served for dinner; ham, potatoes, and corn.. She could feel them watching her as the plate was passed. Calmly, Nona picked up her fork and began to eat. It seemed to Nona that with her healing not only had she changed form a sick girl into a healthy one, but that her entire disposition, and everything in her daily life had changed as well. Later Nona would come to say, "It's not just being ill that is so difficult. It's the way illness makes you be!"

These two sister's now realized that there was nothing that God couldn't do. They had a new realization about God, Nona said, "He's more powerful, kinder, and I like the new God better. I used to think that God was always checking up on you. He was always going to catch you if you weren't careful. And evening if you weren't wicked he punished you, anyway. Why I used to think that He actually sent sickness! It was a sort of test that He sent to try us, and we were supposed to endure it bravely!."

Now she could scarcely believe that only a few week before she had been so blind. Now she realized, "I see now that God is perfect and since God is perfect, and is everywhere present, that is all that there is. There actually is no illness. There can't be. Therefore man can't be ill, for illness isn't real."

Then one evening Nona's in-law Lavinia was having another hemorrhage. She would get these severe nose bleeds that would last for hours. This time instead of rushing to get the doctor, Alethea and Nona decided to use their new method. "Nona,' said Alethea calmly and with great composure, "you treat Lavinia, and I'll treat you."

Mrs. Bingham had instructed them that two people were not to treat the same patient. As when two people talked at the same time, it led only to confusion. If two were to treat, one was to treat the patient, and the other was to treat the one who treated, thus making the treatment of even greater effect.

This was there first time to be treating anyone, and Nona began to clutch at these statements, "God is everywhere, therefore God is here. God is health. Health is everywhere. Therefore health is here. Lavinia cannot be ill, because God is her health. God is her health. God is her health!"

She felt terrified, and felt this would never do, and could never give a treatment, or heal anyone. Then the thought came to her, "No! You can't heal her. But God can! God can heal her." Then she began with, "God is ind and good, God is life and health. There isn't anything to be afraid of, there is not fear. And then repeated the statement "There is no fear. There is no fear."

A great wave of feeling of love toward God swept over her. This was reality. It as though she had entered a realm which lay real and vibrant all about her.God was more real than the porch and the rocking chairs, more real than Lavinia's trouble, God, all powerful, all - all good, knowing only perfect health and fully able to bring it into experience.

Suddenly it happened, the words that Nona had babbled so furiously had all slipped away, and now she touched that substance. Out of this inner reality the thing was done. There were no words - no voice. It was like a little click of acceptance, and she felt a brief astonishment. Was it really done? Was it as simple as that? The bleeding had stopped, and it wasn't more than five minutes. Lavinia had been completely healed, she never again had another hemorrhage.

Nona was very excited about how wonderful this kind of prayer was, and told it to her minister, who was at first open to her sharing it, but then the board put a stop to it, and eventually fired her as their Sunday School teacher.

Nona, was then given another chance to use her new form of prayer, the neighbor girl was Blanche, and she had sprained her ankle over a week ago. The ankle was all swollen and purple. Blanche, she said "Do you believe that God can heal your ankle?" "Yes" she replied. "Do you believe that there is anything that God can't do?' "Oh, no" she agreed. "Then He could heal your foot, couldn't He?" Persisted Nona. "Yes. I guess so." Then Nona told her "Just keep on saying to yourself that god can do anything. Keep saying it over and over while I give the treatment. There is nothing that God can't do."

She closed her eyes and began to treat, repeating, as she had been taught, the phrases and statements she had learned at Mrs. Bingham's, trying to realize them, trying to make it all have a feel of reality. After a while it came, coming quite easily with the same sense of peace, the same little soundless click within her. There it was, the conviction that the thing had happened. It was over. It was done, and she stood up.

Nona, then told the girl that she had to go to town and would be back in two hours or three o'clock, and at four o'clock I want you to come over to my cabin for another treatment. Blanche's foot still appeared swollen and unable to walk on it. When 4 o'clock came, Blanche was all happy saying "It's healed, and I won't need another treatment."

Now the word got around fast, and that was the beginning of Nona's healing ministry. To support herself, Nona attended the Pueblo Normal school and then Wellingsly, preparing to become a teacher. She was now 29, and venturing in two new careers. Her sister, Fannie, had ladies over during the day for classes, but Fannie's husband refused to allow her evenings taken up too.

Fannie, in Denver now, had long been corresponding with a woman in San Francisco named Melinda Cramer, and found their theory was almost identical, and requested if they could also use the term Divine Science for their teachings. They found through the years that their teaching from Mrs. Bingham slowly evolved with new ideas and as new aspects were revealed.

Eventually, Nona, went to San Francisco to be trained by Melinda Cramer, and eventually Ordained by her as well. It was 1898 when they formed the Divine Science College of Denver, and 1899 was their first Sunday Service. Eventually Denver became the headquarters following the 1906 San Francisco earthquake and death of Melinda Cramer. Both sisters taught, and Fannie James wrote the text Truth and Health. Nona had a long career, outliving both sisters, running the church and at times also the college.

After 20 years she retired as minister, then handpicking the minister to replace her, and for some time traveled around the country helping to start up centers. She even went to Europe and Australia. She came back as minister for another 10 years before retiring again, and once again hand picking the minister.

She also, handpicked each student to take the advanced training. That's the way it was done, a student didn't ask for the training they had to be invited. You see, I felt personally invited back in 1984.

In closing, I'll share some of her thoughts shortly before her passing on.

"How I dislike the long-faced, pious attitude," she says, laughingly. "We're not being good when we practice these truths." Her tone is emphatic now. "We're merely being practical. We're doing the very best thing that we can possibly do for ourselves.

It is a daily, matter-of-fact experience of reality. But as truth is without beginning, so it is without end. Whether truth deals with the science of the physicist, with atoms and protons and electrons, or with the science of the metaphysician, with that equally intangible substance called Spirit, called God, truth will always continue to grow in revelation. It will never be finished. The books will never be closed.

Always we but touch the hem of the garment of future possibilities, always we move from "an incomplete view but to one that is less incomplete. And, even this coming age, in which man will doubtless learn to live, in part at least, ion use of his inner powers, in greater awareness of God's Presence, God's Love, even such a realization can but lead to a yet greater one, a boundless horizon that moves ever from good to a yet greater good. There is no end.

Nona Brooks is talking to Hazel, laughing, as she says "Some day, some day we'll sit on the edge of a cloud and talk this over." Nona was teaching two classes in the college and editing the Divine Science Monthly when she awoke feeling ill on March 6, 1945. Two weeks later she passed on following a stroke. Eight days before her 84 birthday.

The book Powerful is the Light was copyrighted in 1945.

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