Pater Noster

I dont believe I have written enough about the Masculine Divine.  So, today I did come across one of the articles in my files that I thought might be interesting to some of you.

 

The Lord’s Prayer, sometimes known by its first two Latin words as the Pater Noster, or the English equivalent Our Father, is probably the most well-known prayer in the Christian religion. The Lord’s Prayer is excerpted from Matt. 6:9-13 during the Sermon on the Mount. A similar prayer is found on Luke 11:2-4.

It is called the “Lord’s Prayer” because it was the prayer given by Jesus in response to a request from the Apostles for guidance on how to pray. Most Christian theologians point out that Jesus would have never used this prayer himself, for it specifically asks for forgiveness of sins or, more literally, for cancellation of debts, and in most schools of Christian thought, Christ never sinned. However since it says “forgive us our sins”, not “forgive me my sins”, Christ might have prayed it by way of identifying himself with the common plight of man and of asking for the forgiveness of the sins of his disciples.

The doxology (For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen) was not present in the original version of the prayer, but rather was added to the Gospels as a result of its use in the liturgy of the early church. For this reason, it is not included in many modern translations.

Origins of the Lord’s Prayer

In the latter part of the second century, Matthew translates the Lord’s Prayer in rather crude Greek, behind which one can still sense the original Aramaic. The commonly accepted version of the Lord’s Prayer is the version of Matthew. This version however is admitted to be grossly inaccurate. It contains sixty-six words. The Revised Version of Matthew contains but fifty-five. Twenty-four words either do not belong to the prayer, or have been misplaced; while words which do belong to it have been omitted. In this regard, John E. Remsberg, author of  The Christ writes: “If the custodians of the Christian Scriptures have permitted the prayer of their Lord to be corrupted to this extent, what reliance can be placed upon the genuineness of the remainder of these writings?”

The Lord’s Prayer, like so many more of the precepts and discourses ascribed to Jesus, is borrowed. Dr. Hardwicke, of England, says: “The so-called ‘Lord’s Prayer’ was learned by the Messiah as the ‘Kadish’ from the Talmud.”

The Kadish, as translated by Christian scholar, Rev. John Gregorie, is as follows:

“Our Parent which art in heaven, be gracious to us, O Lord, our God; hallowed be thy name, and let the remembrance of thee be glorified in heaven above and in the earth here below. Let thy kingdom reign over us now and forever. The holy men of old said, Remit and forgive unto all men whatsoever they have done against me. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil thing. For thine is the kingdom, and thou shalt reign in glory for ever and for evermore.”

The eminent Swiss theologian, Dr. Wetstein, says: “It is a curious fact that the Lord’s Prayer may be constructed almost verbatim out of the Talmud. The Sermon on the Mount is derived largely from the teachings of the Essenes, a Jewish sect to which Jesus is believed by many to have belonged.”

In the early Church, the Christians living in the eastern half of the Roman Empire added the doxology (“For thine is the kingdom ect.”) to the Gospel text of the Our Father when reciting the prayer at Mass. Evidence of this practice is also found in the Didache (Teaching of the Twelve Apostles), a first-century manual of morals, worship and doctrine of the Church. (The Didache also prescribed that the faithful recite the Our Father three times a day.) Also when copying the scriptures, Greek scribes sometimes appended the doxology onto the original Gospel text of the Our Father; however, most texts today would omit this inclusion, relegate it to a footnote, or note that it was a later addition to the Gospel. Official “Catholic” Bibles including the Vulgate, the Douay-Rheims, the Confraternity Edition, and the New American have never included this doxology.

In the western half of the Roman Empire and in the Latin rite, the Our Father was always an important part of the Mass. St. Jerome (d. 420) attested to the usage of the Our Father in the Mass, and St. Gregory the Great (d. 604) placed the recitation of the Our Father after the Canon and before the Fraction. The Commentary on the Sacrament of St. Ambrose (d. 397) meditated on the meaning of “daily bread” in the context of the Holy Eucharist. In this same vein, St. Augustine (d. 430) saw the Our Father as a beautiful connection of the Holy Eucharist with the forgiveness of sins. In all instances, the Church saw this “perfect prayer which the Lord gave” as a proper means of preparing for Holy Communion. However, none of this evidence includes the appended doxology.

The English wording of the Our Father that is used today reflects the version mandated for use by Henry VIII, which was based on the English version of the Bible produced by Tyndale (1525). Later in 1541 after his official separation from the Holy Father, Henry VIII issued an edict saying:

“His Grace perceiving now the great diversity of the translations of the Pater Noster hath willed them all to be taken up, and instead of them hath caused an uniform translation of the said Pater Noster, Ave, Creed, etc., to be set forth, willing all his loving subjects to learn and use the same and straitly [sic] commanding all parsons, vicars, and curates to read and teach the same to their parishioners.”

This English version without the doxology of the Our Father became accepted throughout the English-speaking world, even though the later English translations of the Bible including the Catholic Douay-Rheims (1610) and Protestant King James versions (1611) had different renderings of prayers as found in the Gospel of St. Matthew. Later, the Catholic Church made slight modifications in the English: “who art” replaced “which art,” and “on earth” replaced “in earth.” During the reign of Edward VI, the Book of Common Prayer (1549 and 1552 editions) of the Church of England did not change the wording of the Our Father nor add the doxology. However, during the reign of Elizabeth I and a resurgence to rid the Church of England from any Catholic vestiges, the Lord’s Prayer was changed to include the doxology.

Evolution of The Lord’s Prayer

The Prayer to Our Father in the Original Aramaic

Abwûn O cosmic Birther, from whom the breath of life comes, d’bwaschmâja who fills all realms of sound, light and vibration. Nethkâdasch schmach May Your light be experienced in my utmost holiest. Têtê malkuthach. Your Heavenly Domain approaches. Nehwê tzevjânach aikâna d’bwaschmâja af b’arha. Let Your will come true in the universe (all that vibrates) just as on earth (that is material and dense). Hawvlân lachma d’sûnkanân jaomâna. Give us wisdom (understanding, assistance) for our daily need, Waschboklân chaubên wachtahên aikâna daf chnân schwoken l’chaijabên. detach the fetters of faults that bind us, (karma) like we let go the guilt of others. Wela tachlân l’nesjuna Let us not be lost in superficial things (materialism, common temptations), ela patzân min bischa. but let us be freed from that what keeps us off from our true purpose. Metol dilachie malkutha wahaila wateschbuchta l’ahlâm almîn. From You comes the all-working will, the lively strength to act, the song that beautifies all and renews itself from age to age. Amên. Sealed in trust, faith and truth. (I confirm with my entire being)

The Lord’s Prayer in Greek

Matthew’s second century mistranslation of the Lord’s Prayer in crude Greek, the commonly accepted version of the Lord’s Prayer from which all others are translated.

ΠΑΤΕΡ ΗΜΩΝ Ο ΕΝ ΤΟΙΣ ΟΥΡΑΝΟΙΣ
ΑΓΙΑΣΘΗΤΩ ΤΟ ΟΝΟΜΑ ΣΟΥ (what looks like π, is γι: αγιασθητω)
ΕΛΘΕΤΩ Η ΒΑΣΙΛΕΙΑ ΣΟΥ
ΓΕΝΗΘΗΤΩ ΤΟ ΘΕΛΗΜΑ ΣΟΥ,
ΩΣ ΕΝ ΟΥΡΑΝΩ ΚΑΙ ΕΠΙ ΤΗΣ ΓΗΣ
ΤΟΝ ΑΡΤΟΝ ΗΜΩΝ ΤΟΝ ΕΠΙΟΥΣΙΟΝ
ΔΟΣ ΗΜΙΝ ΣΗΜΕΡΟΝ
ΚΑΙ ΑΦΕΣ ΗΜΙΝ ΤΑ ΟΦΕΙΛΗΜΑΤΑ ΗΜΩΝ,
ΩΣ ΚΑΙ ΗΜΕΙΣ ΑΦΙΕΜΕΝ ΤΟΙΣ ΟΦΕΙΛΕΤΑΙΣ ΗΜΩΝ
ΚΑΙ ΜΗ ΕΙΣΕΝΕΓΚΗΣ ΗΜΑΣ ΕΙΣ ΠΕΙΡΑΣΜΟΝ,
ΑΛΛΑ ΡΥΣΑΙ ΗΜΑΣ ΑΠΟ ΤΟΥ ΠΟΝΗΡΟΥ.
ΑΜΗΝ.

Transliteration:

Pater hêmôn ho en toes ouranoes;

hagiasthêtô to onoma sou;

elthetô hê basileia sou;

genêthêtô to thelêma sou,

hôs en ouranô, kae epi tês gês.

ton arton hêmôn ton epiousion dos hêmin sêmeron;

kae aphes hêmin ta opheilêmata hêmôn,

hôs kae hêmeis aphiemen toes opheiletaes hêmôn;

kae mê eisenenkês hêmas eis peirasmon,

alla rhysae hêmas apo tou ponerou.

hoti sou estin hê basileia kae hê dynamis kae hê doxa eis tous aeônas;

amên.

 

The ‘Pater Noster’ in Latin:

Prior to the Protestant Reformation, the Our Father was universally recited in Latin by clergy and laity alike. Hence it was then most commonly known as the Pater Noster. The rather curious English translation we have today is due to Henry VIII’s efforts to impose a standard English version.

Pater Noster, qui es in caelis, 

Sanctificetur nomen tuum.

Adveniat regnum tuum,

Fiat voluntas tua,

sicut in caelo, et in terra.

Panem nostrum quotidianum da nobis hodie,

Et dimitte nobis debita nostra,

sicut et nos dimittimus debitoribus nostris.

Et ne nos inducas in tentationem,

Sed libera nos a malo.

Amen.

The Lord’s Prayer Old English (c. 450-1100)

This version of the Lord’s Prayer probably isn’t recognizable by the majority of modern English speakers. 1000 AD is before the Norman invasion of England and therefore many of the words in Modern English that were taken from French are not yet present in the Language.

Fæder ure þu þe eart on heofonum si þin nama gehalgod tobecume þin rice gewurþe þin willa on eorðan swa swa on heofonum urne gedæghwamlican hlaf syle us to dæg and forgyf us ure gyltas swa swa we forgyfað urum gyltendum and ne gelæd þu us on costnunge ac alys us of yfele soþlice.

The Lord’s Prayer Dated 1384 AD

Most modern English speakers should be able to understand some of this version of the Lord’s Prayer when written. Spoken it would sound a great deal different; for instance, ou is pronounced like oo and in general the vowels have their continental value (oorra fahderr thut arrt in ai(r)venas ulwid bai(r) thee nahma, with trilled rr). Note the use of the letter þ, this has essentially the same value as “th” in modern English.

Oure fadir þat art in heuenes halwid be þi name;

þi reume or kyngdom come to be.

Be þi wille don in herþe as it is doun in heuene.

yeue to us today oure eche dayes bred.

And foryeue to us oure dettis þat is oure synnys as we foryeuen to oure dettouris þat is to men þat han synned in us.

And lede us not into temptacion but delyuere us from euyl.

The Lord’s Prayer Dated 1611 AD (King James Bible)

Most modern English speakers should be able to understand this version of the Lord’s Prayer. Note the use of u in place of v. It is not until fairly recently that u an v have been considered separate letters.

Our father which art in heauen,

hallowed be thy name.

Thy kingdom come.

Thy will be done in earth as it is in heauen.

Giue us this day our daily bread.

And forgiue us our debts as we forgiue our debters.

And lead us not into temptation,

but deliuer us from euill.

Amen.

The Lord’s Prayer Dated (1700-)

Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.

The New Testament in Modern English (1963, tr. Phillips)

According to the New Testament, the Lord’s Prayer is the name given to the only form of prayer Christ taught his disciples (Matt. 6:9-13). The closing doxology of the prayer is omitted by Luke (11:2-4), also in the R.V. of Matt. 6:13. This prayer contains no allusion to the atonement of Christ, nor to the offices of the Holy Spirit. All Christian prayer is based on the Lord’s Prayer, but is also guided by that of His prayer in Gethsemane and of the prayer recorded by John 17. The Lord’s Prayer is now comprehensive, the simplest and most universal form of prayer.

Our Heavenly Father, may your name be honored;

May your kingdom come, and your will be done on earth as it is in Heaven.

Give us this day the bread we need,

Forgive us what we owe to you, as we have also forgiven those who owe anything to us.

Keep us clear of temptation, and save us from evil.

In Luke’s far simpler version, 11. 2-4 NIV, it has become:

 ”‘Father, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come. Give us each day our daily bread. Forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who sins against us. And lead us not into temptation.’

Nazarene Transliteration of the Lord’s Prayer Sound Bite in the Ancient Aramaic language

Avvon d-bish-maiya, nith-qaddash shim-mukh. Tih-teh mal-chootukh. Nih-weh çiw-yanukh: ei-chana d’bish-maiya: ap b’ar-ah. Haw lan lakh-ma d’soonqa-nan yoo-mana. O’shwooq lan kho-bein: ei-chana d’ap kh’nan shwiq-qan l’khaya-ween. Oo’la te-ellan l’niss-yoona: il-la paç-çan min beesha. Mid-til de-di-lukh hai mal-choota oo khai-la oo tush-bookh-ta l’alam al-mein.  Aa-meen.

Oh Thou, from whom the breath of life comes, who fills all realms of sound, light and vibration. May Your light be experienced in my utmost holiest. Your Heavenly Domain approaches. Let Your will come true – in the universe (all that vibrates) just as on earth (that is material and dense). Give us wisdom (understanding, assistance) for our daily need, detach the fetters of faults that bind us, (karma) like we let go the guilt of others. Let us not be lost in superficial things (materialism, common temptations), but let us be freed from that what keeps us from our true purpose. From You comes the all-working will, the lively strength to act, the song that beautifies all and renews itself from age to age. Sealed in trust, faith and truth. (I confirm with my entire being)

Raphael ; Spring

 

 

Many times through out the day, the Sisters of the Rose would stop their work or their thoughts and dedicate a moment to the angels.  Many times they would go into a trance with an angel.

 

Raphael is the Angel of Life.  Thus the angelic presence for this time of the year.

Being an angel of Healing and compassion, He is the father or govenor as the Hebrew word is translated into, of the Order of the Blue Rose.

 

Raphael means ”God has healed”, “God Heals”, “God, Please Heal”, and many other combinations of the two words. An Archangel of Judaism and Christianity, who performs all manner of healing. The Hebrew word for a doctor of medicine is Rophe connected to the same root word as Raphael. Raphael is sometimes shown (usually on medallions) as standing atop a large fish or holding a caught fish at the end of a line on a fishing rod.
He does usually appears as a young man dressed in a flowing yellow cloak and bodice. Also, as with the Greek God Hermes, wears winged hat and sandals. He carry’s a caduceus.
With his elemental color being yellow, and considered the Father of Air, you can conclude that he is the archangel for the direction of the West.  Some of you may be interested in some of his other correspondences. Fruit: Lemon. Tree: Almond, Ash, Aspen, Bottle Brush, Hazel, Larch, Mulberry, Rowan, Silver Birch and Juniper. Flowers/Herbs: Carrot, Celery, Caraway, Cinquefoil, Dill, Fennel, Fenugreek, Fern, Lavender, Marjoram,Mandrake, Maidenhair Fern, Lilly of the Valley, Palm and Vervain.
According to the occultist Johannes Trithemius (1462–1516), Raphael is one of the 7 angels of the Apocalypse (this opinion is derived from Enoch 20) and numbered among the 10 holy Sephiroth.
Raphael is also denoted as one of the 7 Archangels who stand in the presence of God, as well as a ruler of the Cherubim and Archangel classes in the heavenly hierarchy. The Archangel, alongside Zarachiel, also holds dominion over Raquia, the Second Heaven.
The Ruler of the Third Heaven. whem Oses visitedParadise it was the third heaven. It is also believed that the “Fallen Angels” are imprisoned in Raquia.
From the Hebrew , his name is spelled Beit, but the word is rapha which means “doctor” or “healer”. Raphael is a powerful healer and assists with all forms of healing – humans and animals. He helps to rapidly heal body, mind and spirit if called upon.
One of the Angels of Creation together with; Orifel, Anael, Zachariel, Samael, Gabriel, Michael.
If you wish to write with Raphael as your intention, use green paper and black ink
Angelic Signature:

Prayer: Helps to Loose weight

Usually I have been trying to write about the Ancient Brothers and Sisters, and some history of their empowerment.  This might give you some empowerment, and it is a little long to use on the facebook page.

This was written many years ago, but has been printed and re-printed many times.  What is interesting is that the Journal of American Medical Association has recently brought this up again.

People with a strong spiritual commitment harbor half the levels of inflammatory substances known as C-reactive protein (CRP) and interleukin 6 (OL-6).  That is the good news for far more than weight loss since higher body concentrations of these chemicals raise the risk of serious health problems.  In fact, research published in the journal Circulation determined that heart disease risk increased by 70 percent among subjects with the highest CRP levels.  JAMA published an article that calculated the elevations in IL-6 more than doubled women’s risk of diabetes and for those whose CRP was high, odds of the disease quadrupled.

As a growing body of evidence shows, faith lowers levels of stress and inflammation, which shifts the body into an internal state that’s conducive to weight loss.  And as many successful slimmers can attest, faithful energy can be channeled in a manner that strengthens, resolves and motivation, making it easier to stick to a diet.

“Spending even a few minutes a day in prayer or meditation helps women deepen their faith, and this spiritual growth anchors them against temptation and doubt so they’re less likely to cheat or give up on their healthy habits out of frustration,”  explains therapist Gregory L Jantz, PhD., author of The Body God Designed.”  That’s why so many women who reach their goal weight end up referring to their weight loss journey as a faith journey, as well.”  Listed below are some strategies that might speak to your heart.

A Prayer Journal

 

Prayer is often thought of as something we do verbally or in the quiet of our minds, but journaling thoughts and desires can be a powerful way to seek guidance, says Jantz.  He suggests starting with a prayer like “ Please show me what I need to know.  What emotions am I feeding?  Is it my hungry heart?  You want to spend some time with your thoughts and jot down whatever comes to mind,” notes Jants.  “More often than not Our Divine will show you the answers and five you strength in the words you’re writing.”

That is what Lysa TerKeurst, author of Made to Crave, found when she began faithfully journaling about her weight-loss struggles.  “ As I wrote, Our Earthly Mother and Father, showed me that They made us people that crave, so we would always desire more of Them, but I was misplacing those desires.”  “When I felt down, I’d eat French fries or a brownie.  That would temporarily make me feel good, but food could never feed my soul.”

Once she recognized this pattern, TerKeurst started to pause when she would get cracings for junk food and pray:  Mother and Father, please give me perspective.  Am I physically hungry or am I spiritually hungry?  If I’m spiritually hungry, I just need You to be with me right now.  And if I’m physically hungry, I need Your strength to get something healthy instead of French fries.  “Each time I craved something that was not part of my plan, I used that cravings as a prompt to pray,” recalls TerKeurst.  “ O craved a lot, so I found myself praying a lot, but I stopped filling emotional voids with food and started growing closer to our Heavenly Divine.

Expressions of Gratitude

 

Taking time to express thanks for the blessings in your life can  help you tap into your internal motivation.  “Looking at the positive things you have going for you – say, a loving husband, or a flourishing scrapbooking business – shifts your mind-set towards what gives your life purpose,” explains Charles D’Angelo, author of Think and Grow.  “When you’re focused on these gifts rather than the numbers on the scale, you’re going to have more incentive to be healthy and to stick with an eating plan that makes you more vibrant.”

I received and email from Michele who lost 67 pounds, who experienced this first hand.  “ Each night before bed, I thank Our Heavenly Mother and Father for everything that brought me joy,” says Michele.  “It helps me sleep more soundly and I wake in the morning knowing there is so much to celebrate in life, and that motivates me.”

Spiritual Movement

 

“If you find that you struggle to quiet your mind or can not find the words or focus to talk with your Heaven Parents, try taking a 20-minute walk or even just dance free-form around your house,” suggests Jantz.  The physical activity helps eliminate distractions and allows you to tune into a faithful mind-set.

Many women also find that combining prayer with movement help then enjoy exercise.  “ I look forward to putting on my sneakers and going for a walk-pray every day,” says Tricis G, who lost 50 pounds.  “ I lay our my concerns, problems, fears.  I ask Our Heavenly Mother and Father for help and strength.  And I tell Them about all the things I love about my life. By the end of my walk, I feel energized, unburdened and peaceful. It is a very self-caring way to exercise.

Prayers of Petition

 

It’s not uncommon to feel like you are alone on your journey when the scale will not budge, but that is when you need to cry out for help.  In Luke 11:9, it says, “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.”

All you have to do is admit, This is bigger than I am and I can not do this on my own.  Our Heavenly Mother and Father will relieve you or your anger, doubts and frustrations and show you the way.

“ If you want me to try something to loose weight, please lead me to it.”

Daily Devotions

Spending 10 minutes a day studying the Bible, or meditation on a mantra can provide insight and encouragement that helps you grow.  You might want to start your morning with a chapter from Heather Harpham Kopps’s The Dieters Prayer Book.

There are many great authors and mantras that you can use on a daily basis.  Find one that you like, even an author of prose for a start.  I do personally get on the treadmill and I use that time to pray for other people, now I have to pray to open the door to loose this weight.

Those Invisible Forces

 

Those Invisible Forces

Man has appeared to realize, as far back as records exist, that he was surrounded by invisible forces. In culture after culture of the past he has used a certain symbolism to express his relationship to these forces in the midst of which he moves. This mystical symbol which has been imbedded in almost all religions and occult teachings is called the Tree of Life. In outer legend and inner wisdom man’s deepest intuitions have focused about it.

 

 

 

It was considered by Zoroaster as the law itself and was the center of his philosophy and way of thinking. In the hidden teachings of Moses, and the Essene Book of Genesis, it was the Tree of Knowledge in the Garden of Eden guarded by angels. The Shoshonyians called it the Tree of Life.

 

 

 

To the earlier concepts of the Tree, they added what the ancient writers called Angelology. This Science of the Angels was brought forth by the Shoshonyians Brotherhood of White in Palestine . Their angels were the forces in the universe.

 

 

 

It was known by many of the ancient peoples that these invisible forces were a source of energy and power, and that man’s life was sustained by contact with them. They knew that to the degree man was able to utilize these forces, he would move forward in his individual evolution in body and spirit, and as he put himself in harmony with them, his life would prosper. The Ancient Sisters and Brothers, the Shoshonyians not only knew of these forces but had specific methods of contacting and utilizing them. They spoke with them on a regular basis.  The stories of angels appearing with messages to Mary, Joseph, Elizabeth and Ann, from the Bible, was not an uncommon experience.

 

 

 

In many lands these forces were considered to be of two kinds, good and evil, and eternally opposed to each other. Zoroaster in his Zend Avesta described the Ahuras and Fravashis as the good forces forever battling with the evil Khrafstras and Devas. The Toltecs in Mexico and Central America held a world picture in which the good forces were called the Army of Quetzalcoatl, the Plumed Serpent, and the evil forces were the  Army of Tezcatlipoca, the Jaguar. These two armies were shown in the Toltec pictographs as being in continual conflict with each other. In the Zoroastrian and Toltec concepts destructive forces were always fighting the constructive ones.

 

 

The concept of the Shoshonyians differed from these and other world pictures in that it recognized only the positive and constructive forces in the universe. The angels correspond to the good forces of Zoroaster, the Ahuras and Fravashis, and to the good forces of the Toltecs, the Army of Quetzalcoatl. It was held to be man’s role in the universe to so strengthen the good, positive forces that the evil negative ones would be overcome and disappear from the earth.

 

 

As we have spoken before, Saturday was the day of the week that the Shoshonyian women would come together as a sisterhood, and fast, mediate, pray together.  They also sewed, worked on healings, cooked, and took time to relish in the female energy to empower themselves. 

Below is one such set of works, that was inspired by these Saturday meetings. Found in some writings as ( día da muller ), or Womans Day.

The Deepening would be described as the Intention of the day.  Deepening is the word used in the Dead Sea Scrolls, and also in the Euphesus scrolls. 

Communion was another word which comes to us in the Dead Sea Scrolls and many other ancient texts.  A very sacred time between ourselves and another.  In this case a time spent between ourselves and Our Lady.

The Ancient Sisters would spend many hours in trance like states, having a “communion” with all spirits, including the angels, who are sent by Our Lady.

 I do hope you can take just a small part of this on your next Saturday to fulfill your own empowerment with the help of Our Lady and all the sisters.

 

THE DEEPENING: Fasting is the first principle. Fast from negative thoughts, words and deeds. Fast from ego, pride and desire. Fast from all physical ills and Ye shall behold the strength and the wisdom of the spirit.

MORNING COMMUNION: The EARTHLY MOTHER and I are one. Blessed is the child who knoweth the Earthy Mother, for she is the provider and the sustainer of life. Her harvest becomes thy body, her waters become thy blood, her winds will carry thy spirit, and as each morning comes, I shall embrace her.

MEDITATION: The richness of the Mother’s garden surrounds us. The forces of nature toil unendingly for the benefit of all. For this we are blessed. The kingdom which guides and nurtures the plants and the forests is yet another manifestation of the Mother’s love for us, and we within this kingdom must return her blessings with respect, with caring, and with love.

NOON CONTEMPLATION: Peace with the HEAVENLY FATHER:
Ye that love thy Heavenly Father do Ye then his bidding; Walk Ye with his Holy Angels and you shall find peace within his Holy Law.

EVENING COMMUNION: Angel of ETERNAL LIFE I invoke thee; descend upon my soul and bless my spirit with the splendor and the knowledge of eternal life. And as each evening comes, I shall embrace thee.

THE BLESSING: The food upon my table shares its life with me. And as this life nourishes my body, one day my body shall nourish this earth. And until that time shall pass, I shall return her blessings with kindness, with respect, and with my love.

Symbolism of the Rose

 

Would “a rose by any other name smell as sweet”?　 Very likely it would.　 The connection between the way a word sounds and the qualities of the idea behind the word is tenuous.　 But when a noun like “rose” comes to have symbolic resonance, there is, in the beginning of the symbol making process, a close connection between the qualities of the object and the characteristics of the symbol it represents.　 Later, as the symbol takes on an intellectual life of its own over time, the connection between the symbolic meanings and the essence of the thing itself may fade from consciousness.　 But the most powerful symbols are the ones where that connection is still bright. Roses have been around for a long time.　 The oldest fossil record of a plant clearly identifiable as a member of what the botanists call the genus Rosa comes from a Colorado rock formation dated to between 35 and 32 million years ago.　 The rose first appeared as an artistic motif in Asian documents around 3000 B.C.　 The first record of a European-looking rose is a stylized rendition in a fresco from the 16th century B.C. on the Greek island of Knossos.　 Homer pointed out in the “Iliad” (ninth century B.C.) that Achilles’ shield was decorated with roses.　 And Confucius claimed that during his lifetime (he died in 479 B.C.), the Emperor of China already had in his library 600 books about the cultivation of roses.

Early roses had only five petals, and legend says the original color was always white.　 The ancient Greeks believed that roses turned red when Venus chased after her lover, Adonis, and pricked her finger on a thorny bush in her haste to reach him.　 According to Christian documents, the blood of the crucified Christ spilled down onto a white rosebush growing at the foot of the cross and ever afterwards, rose blossoms were red instead of white.

The simple structure of the early roses featured a fairly large golden center with the five petals blown wide open.　 The descendants of these roses are still grown today and sold in nurseries as “shrub roses.”　 They have lots of short-stemmed flowers and lots of thorns and not much perfume.

It appears that roses changed little in structure until fairly recently.　 When the British houses of Lancaster and York were fussing over who really deserved to control the monarchy, each family used a rose (red for the Lancastrians and white for the Yorkists) as its symbol.　 Their artistic renditions of the rose in heraldry, battle flags, and shields show, for both families, virtually identical versions of the five-petaled wild rose, wide open.　 When Henry VII came to power at the end of the War of the Roses in 1485, he “married” the warring factions by combining their red and white roses to create the two-tone Tudor Rose, the symbol of his reign and also the symbol of England today.

Though the rose started out fairly simple, as man’s understanding of the possibilities of plant hybridization increased, people began to press this life form to become more complex. The roses we buy from the florist today fall into the class called “modern roses” and the type called “hybrid teas.”　 They have very long, stiff stems; strong, fairly big thorns; and between 70 and 120 petals.　 Their hearts, which remain gold, are completely enclosed by those petals until quite late in the life of each individual bloom.　 Eventually, however, they do open far enough to expose the heart to view.

The roses grown for perfume-making come from the class called “essence roses” and have a much stronger scent than the any of the modern class.　 Essence roses don’t make such pretty blossoms, but the scent they produce is important to the entire cosmetics industry.　 Japan’s Shiseido cosmetic company set perfume scientists on the trail of the makeup of this complex scent and found that the smell we identify as “rosy” contains no fewer than 540 different aromatic elements!　 There appears to be a great deal more going on with roses than meets the eye.

Not surprisingly, as rosarians worked to breed the complex rose flowers prized today, they gave up certain genetic pluses as a tradeoff.　 For instance, the old shrub roses are practically disease free and grow in all sorts of semiarid climates without irrigation.　 Hybrid teas, on the other hand, require watering, fertilization, and all sorts of chemical interventions to stay free of blackspot (a fungal pathogen) and produce blemish-free flower heads.　 Shrub roses bloom all summer; hybrid teas make a single big show, usually in May or June, and then typically go on vacation until the following spring.　 Old roses really smelled sweet; some moderns don’t smell at all.

How big a deal is all this?　 How much are Americans obsessed with roses?　 It happens that my employer, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, is responsible for inspecting all the imported cut flowers that come into this country from abroad.　 This gives me access to some amazing numbers.　 In 1998, the latest year for which we have figures, from Mexico alone, we imported a whopping 28,397,249 individual roses.

Our national love affair with the rose, despite its finicky nature in the garden and its absurdly high price at the flower shop, strongly argues for the fact that we get an emotional kick from this kind of flower that no other provides.　 In short, roses are working for us on more than just the visual and olfactory levels.　 There is something deeply embedded in our psyche that calls out to this flower.　 Roses are putting us in touch with our collective past and with the Divine.　 They can do this because the rose has become, across the centuries, a powerful symbol.

The rose was beloved of the mother of our order, Isis.　 Cleopatra understood its power:　 when she set up her first meeting with Marc Antony, she arranged for the floor of the room to be strewn with rose petals.　 The records show this carpet of roses was 15 inches thick.　 The most beautiful woman of India, the goddess Lakshmi, is reputed to have been born from a rose comprised of 108 large and 1,008 small petals.　 There is a repeated thread associating the rose with the process of birth beyond India, as well.　 Rose petals fly through the air in Botticelli’s famous painting “Birth of Venus,” for instance.

In Christian iconography, the rose is associated with Rebirth.　 Our fellow seekers, the Rosicrucians, employ the mature but not fully opened rose at the center of the Cross as the emblem of their order.　 In a famous speech delivered May 10, 1785, the Comte de Cagliostro, the founder of Egyptian masonry, declared that the Rose-Cross is the ancient and true symbol of the Mysteries.　 So the emblematic significance of the rose comes very close to us as masons.

Linguists long ago noted that the word “rose” is an anagram for Eros, physical lovemaking and the attraction for opposites that literally makes the world go ’round.　 But just as sexual attraction leads to reproduction of the species, so Eros devolves into that other, nonsexual kind of love expressed originally by the Greeks and coopted by the Christian religion as “agape.”　 The passion of the honeymoon is displaced over time by the more enduring love of the parent for the child.　 Interestingly enough, the flower sacred to Venus became the flower of that very nonsexual demigoddess we call the Virgin Mary: she is called the Rosa mystica in medieval texts.

Is there a sense in which the rose is still mystica today?　 After all, we give each initiate into our order a single, slightly opened long-stemmed red rose.　 We tell the new Apprentice that this blossom represents our love for him or her as a brother or sister, welcomed into the larger family of the Craft.

Then what happens?　 The rose opens up over the following few days and dries out and dies.　 The peak of its beauty is short lived.　 Late in its life cycle, the rose reveals its heart.　 Eventually it breaks down into dust.

This cycle is emblematic of the process of self-actualization that begins with our ceremony of initiation.　 As the candidate undergoes the changes stimulated by the “antique beverages” of memory and forgetting, she dies to her old life and is born again through the renunciation of vice and the embrace of virtue.　 In the beginning, the true core of the self is hidden from examination behind many layers of protective gear, just as the heart of a young rose is concealed by its petals.

Over time, however, the initiate peels back those layers of protection because there is a categorical imperative operating within masonry:　 it is simply mandatory to look into your own heart of darkness in order to expunge the evil there and replace it with the Light.　 Nothing else will do.

In the fullness of enlightenment, we may hope that, like the mature rose, it is possible to exist in the real world with our hearts exposed to view.　 We should be able to give up whatever thorns we use to protect ourselves from genuine contact, heart to heart, with other people.　 But before we reach that stage, where we can love others, we must learn to let ourselves be loved.　 Our older sisters and brothers give us that rose as a sign that they already love us even though we are greatly defective.　 They love us, in short, without our being at that moment much worthy of it.　 Freemasonry has made it possible for them to see the heart of gold inside us when we still cannot see it for ourselves.

Symbolism of the Rose according to the Masonry Book, dated 1864

12 Days of Christmas/ Your Path to Holiness

THE TWELVE HOLY DAYS

Written in 1139

 

A belief commonly prevails that December 25th, celebrated as Christmas, brings to a close the spiritual festival of the mid- winter solstitial season. This is not true. It only marks the beginning or the entrance upon a period of deep significance. That period is the twelve-day interval between Christmas and Twelfth Night, days which embrace the spiritual heart of the year to follow. These twelve days have been very aptly termed the year’s Holy of Holies.

This work is designed for serious students of the Christian Mysteries, to assist them in placing themselves in more complete attunement with the twelve zodiacal forces released upon the earth during this time.

Everyone of the twelve Holy Days is under the direct supervision of one of the twelve zodiacal Hierarchies, each one of which projects over the planet a cosmic pattern of the world as it will be when the combined work of the Hierarchies has been completed. Also, the twelve Disciples are correlated with these twelve Holy Days, as are the twelve spiritual centers through which the twelve forces operate in man’s body-temple.

Every earnest student will, therefore, make use of this sacred period for visualizing the perfected work of the Hierarchies, in meditation upon the life and work of the Disciples, and in directing the spiritual radiations from the Hierarchies through the inner centers in his body to which they are attuned. If he is faithful and persists year after year in-this high endeavor, he can- not fail to receive compensation in the form of great spiritual unfoldment.

From the time of the Winter Solstice when the Christ light enters the heart of earth, the planet is swept by powerful solstitial radiations which continue, though somewhat abated, through- out the twelve Holy Days. Many and wondrous are the inner plane activities during this time. The early Christian Church concluded its esoteric ministry on the mystical Twelfth Night with the Rite of Baptism, one of its highest Initiations. Modern neophytes who have earned illumination know that it is then possible to enter into communion with divine Beings and the Lord of Light. It was such an experience that inspired St. john’s Gospel, frequently designated the “Gospel of Love.”

In the outer darkness of the present historical era man has largely lost contact with the Christ light and these days of spirit- renewing. By the travail of soul through which he is now passing, he is destined to find them again and to make them a vital part of his daily life and his yearly consecration. May this work serve him to that end.

ARIES

On December 26th dedication is made to the Hierarchy of Aries, the Hierarchy which sets the cosmic pattern for life during the month that the Sun is transiting the sign Aries. From March 20th to April 21st Aries holds the archetypal pattern of a perfected earth above the world. This is the new heaven and the new earth envisioned by St. John and recorded in his sublime Revelation.

According to all sacred calendars Aries introduces the solar New Year. Therefore it is termed the sign of resurrected consciousness. One who has attained this consciousness sees and knows only the divine in all persons, things, circumstances, conditions and events. Seeing the Godward side is the motif of dedication throughou the the Aries period.

The Disciple correlated with Aries is James, brother of John. He was the first to answer the call of discipleship and the first to walk the path of martyrdom, a true spiritual pioneer. During the month of Aries an aspirant should study the life of James and endeavor to emulate his virtues.

The body center related to Aries is the head, and the Hierarchy projects the pattern of the human head in all its divine and wondrous perfection. A student is urged to visualize the head with its spiritual organs awakened and illumined, and all its functions in full maturity.

The biblical seed thought for meditation on both December 26 and during the solar month of April (March 20th to April 21st) is the quotation:

Behold, I make all things new.-Rev. 21:5

Aspirants are admonished to meditate upon the inner meanings of the above passage while the vibratory rhythms of Aries are permeating the earth.

TAURUS

Dedication for December 27th and through the solar month of May, April 21st to May 22nd, is to the Hierarchy of Taurus. This is the Hierarchy presiding over the realm of cosmic archetypes and the pattern it holds above the earth is that of perfected forms. Love and harmony are the forces that it continually pours out upon our planet.

The Disciple correlating with Taurus is Andrew, whose dis- tinguishing characteristic is humility. This is one of the most important attributes to be cultivated by every aspirant. When developed to a certain high degree it becomes a tremendous soul power.

The throat is the body center ruled by Taurus. In New Age bodies the throat will be a luminous center from which the divine Creative Word is sent forth.

Dedication for December 27th and the solar month of May consists in making oneself a more perfect channel for the reception and dissemination of love and harmony in all the varied experiences of life, be they joyful or sorrowful, exalting or de- pressing. The biblical seed thought for meditation on the second of the Twelve Holy Days and its correlated month is:

He that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God. -I John 4: 16

Aspirants are urged to meditate upon the deep significance of the above passage during the entire period that the vibratory rhythms of Taurus are permeating the earth sphere.

GEMINI

The dedication for December 28th and through the solar month of June is to the Hierarchy of Gemini. The cosmic pattern held by this Hierarchy for the earth is that of great peace, the peace which passeth all understanding and which will be the heritage of the coming Christed race.

Characteristics to be cultivated during the Gemini period are such peace and poise as St. Paul had attained that enabled him to say, “None of these things [of the outer world] move me.” And thus sings the psalmist of the highest Gemini attributes: “He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.”

Gemini rules the hands. These are to be visualized as flower centers, fragrant, luminous and endowed with the precious gifts of healing and of bestowing benediction.

The Disciple correlated with Gemini is Thomas. So intimately did he become identified with the Christ that his doubts, natural to the mortal mind, were transcended by a dynamic realization of the Christed powers previously latent within him- self. Many and wondrous were the miracles he performed following this transformation.

The biblical seed thought for meditation on December 28th and during the solar month of June, May 22nd to June 22nd, is :

Be still, and know that I am God. -Psalm 46: 10

Aspirants are instructed to meditate upon the deepest meanings of this passage during the whole period that the vibratory rhythms of Gemini permeate the earth planet.

CANCER

December 29th and the solar month of July, June 22nd-July 23rd, are dedicated to the Hierarchy of Cancer, which holds for earth the cosmic pattern of exaltation of the divine feminine principle in all creation. This sign is the home of the glorious World Mother, a high Initiate of the Cancer Hierarchy. This Being, and the principle for which she stands, are recognized and deified in all great world religions.

Aries deals with life; Taurus with form; Gemini with mind; Cancer with soul–soul as the revealer of truth. Consequently, dedication for the Cancer month is devotion to a quest for the light never yet seen on land or sea.

Nathaniel is the Disciple correlated with Cancer. He is a mystic in whom there is no guile.

The body center governed by Cancer is the solar plexus, some- times referred to as “the sun of the stomach.” In pre-Christian days this center was considered a most important one in relation to initiatory development. And in the new Christed race the solar plexus will again be linked with spirit, for the sympathetic nervous system will be transformed into the feminine column of the human body-temple.

For December 29th and during the solar month of July this is the biblical seed thought assigned for meditation:

But it we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another. -I John 1:7

I Aspirants who faithfully meditate upon the real significance of this passage while the vibratory rhythms of Cancer pervade our sphere will be rewarded by knowing such fellowship.

LEO

December 30th and the solar month of August, July 23rd- August 24th, are dedicated to the Hierarchy of Leo. The cosmic pattern held by this host of celestial Beings is that the earth be permeated by the power of love, even as divine wisdom is interwoven into the entire fabric of nature, while this Hierarchy holds sway above our planet. All activities should be motivated by this power. Every thought should be radiant with love; every word vibrant with love; every deed embellished by love.

Judas is the Disciple correlated with Leo. Herein is indicated the great transforming power of love.

An intimate relationship exists between Judas and John. Judas typifies personality; john, the spirit. A deep significance is attached to the fact that Judas, after betraying the Christ, took his own life. Personality must always wane that spirit may wax strong. St. Paul admonishes aspirants to the Christed Way to put off the old man and put on the new.

As personality becomes subordinated to the spirit, man’s lower love nature-concerned entirely with the personal life that is transient and must, therefore, die as did Judas-is superseded by that higher love nature evidenced by John the Beloved, the Disciple who never knew death and who was closest of the Immortal Twelve to the heart of the Master.

The body center correlated with Leo is the heart. As this center unfolds its divine latencies it will become more and more powerful and luminous, until its radiance is that of “the day star which shines unto the perfect day.”

And love is the subject of the biblical seed thought for meditation on December 30th and all through the solar month of August:

Love is the fulfilling of the law. -Romans 13: 10

Every aspirant should concentrate on the innermost import of this passage while the vibratory rhythms of Leo are permeating the earth.

VIRGO

Dedication for December 31st and the solar month of September, August 24th-September 23rd, is to the Hierarchy of Virgo. Leo’s love leads to Virgo’s service.

That divine Being whom we know as the World Mother is the prototype for the Madonnas of all great religions; she is the teacher of these high feminine Initiates at certain stages of their development.

During the time that Virgo’s ray permeates our sphere this Hierarchy holds high above the planet the cosmic pattern of a cleansed and rejuvenated earth. At a certain point in human attainment purity becomes a tremendous soul power – a verity stressed by the Lord Christ when He said, “The pure in heart shall see God.” The Disciple who correlates with the sign Virgo is James the just, brother of Jude and Simon. For many years he was revered as the head of the early Church in Jerusalem, and was well known for his purity of character and consecration to selfless service.

The intestinal tract is the physical center of man’s body- temple correlating with Virgo. Let the aspirant visualize that tract as manifesting perfection in its every function.

From the Gospel of Matthew-Chapter 23, Verse 11-comes the biblical seed thought for December 31st and the solar month of Virgo:

But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant.

Those aspiring to spiritual unfoldment are urged to meditate upon the deep significance of this magnificent passage so long as the vibratory rhythms of the Virgo Hierarchy are permeating this planet.

LIBRA

Dedication for January 1st and the solar month of October, September 23rd-October 24th, is to the Hierarchy of Libra. The cosmic pattern held by this Hierarchy is the world beautiful. Its imprint is to be seen in every landscape; every tree, shrub and plant; every form in the various kingdoms of nature. Beauty and harmony are Libra’s signatures. Hence, whatsoever comes under the influence of this celestial sign will express these divine attributes. When humanity receives more fully its influence, poverty, disease, discord and pain will be abolished.

The Disciple correlating with Libra is Jude. This Disciple was a minister of the beautiful. Many and far-reaching in results were the works he performed as its devotee.

The human body center correlating with Libra is to be found in the adrenal glands. These glands, when functioning properly, create absolute physical and psychological balance through each organ and its processes.

Meditation for the first of January and the solar month of October is on the biblical seed thought of John 8: 32:

Ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

Great are the inner meanings of this passage. An aspirant should meditate upon them on January 1st and every day that the vibratory rhythms of Libra are focused upon the earth.

SCORPIO

For January 2nd and the solar month of November, October 24th-November 23rd, dedication is to the Hierarchy of Scorpio. The cosmic pattern which this Hierarchy is working to establish on earth is attainment through transmutation of matter into spirit. By this process the sublimated essences of mind and body become merged with the forces of spirit.

John the Beloved is the Disciple who correlates with Scorpio. Transmutation was the keynote of his life. He progressed so far in the divine science of transmuting matter into spirit that he never knew death.

The physical center correlating with Scorpio is the generative system. In an earnest aspirant this becomes the center of transmutation. As previously mentioned, there is a close relationship between Judas (personality) and John (spirit). Judas must die that John may reign supreme.

There is also a strong connection between the heart (Leo) and the generative system (Scorpio). So long as personality dominates, the former is under the control of the latter. When personality has been exalted into spiritualized individuality it is the heart that rules. In the body of Christed man human passion has been transmuted into divine love.

Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.-Matt. 5:8

This is the biblical seed thought for meditation on January 2nd and during the solar month of November. It is urged that the aspirant concentrate upon its deep significance on the second day of each New Year and while the vibratory rhythms of Scorpio flood the earth.

SAGITTARIUS

Dedication on January 3rd and during the solar year of December, November 23rd-December 22nd, is to the Hierarchy of Sagittarius, the Lords of Mind. The cosmic pattern held by these glorious Beings is of earth as a vast altar-piece made radiant by the golden aura of the supreme Light of the World.

The Disciple Philip correlates to Sagittarius. Before he found the Lord he had no concept of what a spiritualized, or Christed mind would mean in his life. He was essentially a mentalist. But after the Christ light was shed upon him he became worthy to be numbered among the Immortal Twelve.

Sagittarius,operates through the sacral plexus, the body center located at the base of the spine. The spinal cord, which connects the sacral plexus with the brain, has been termed ” the Path of Discipleship.” When an aspirant lives a life motivated solely by pure and holy aspiration, the spinal spirit-fire coiled within the sacral plexus awakens and then ascends through the spinal cord to the two spiritual organs located in the head, the pineal gland and the pituitary body. It is by this process that a man’s mind becomes Christed. Hence, Sagittarius is always symbolized by light, the light of spiritualized mind.

When rightly appropriated and transmuted into soul values, the experiences of daily life become stepping-stones by which an aspirant attains to atonement with the universal Divine Light, the Light that lighteth every man who cometh into the world. It was to such that the Master was speaking when He said:

Ye, are the light -of the world. -Matt. 5: 14

This is the biblical seed thought for January 3rd and through- out the time that the Hierarchy of Sagittarius pours its vibratory rhythms upon the earth. Untold blessings await those who meditate upon its promise.

CAPRICORN

Dedication for January 4th and the solar month of January, December 22nd-january 20th, is to the Hierarchy of Capricorn. These are the archangelic Beings of whom Christ is the head, and THE TWELVE HOLY DAYS 37 from them comes the wondrous power whereby mortal man can be lifted into His likeness. It is also the sign of world Avatars.

The cosmic pattern held by the Hierarchy of Capricorn en- visions the magnificent scope of life when the Christ spirit manifests in all mankind. Then it is that our planet will respond to its own musical keynote, first sounded by Angels and Archangels on that long ago Holy Night when they sang “On earth peace, good will toward men.”

The Disciple correlating with Capricorn is Simon, brother of James and Jude. Although Simon was close to his Lord by family ties, he was most reluctant about accepting the divinity of the Master. But when he was finally awakened by the Christ his dedication was complete. His one desire was to serve the Lord, and neither life nor death had any meaning for him apart from this ideal.

The dual body center correlating with the sign Capricorn is located in the knees. In Christed man these points will become glorious whirling vortices of light.

Galatians 4:19 gives the biblical seed thought for meditation on January 4th and during the solar month of January:

Let the Christ be formed in you.

Aspirants should meditate upon the above passage until its inner purport falls into harmony with the vibratory rhythms to which the Hierarchy of Capricorn is attuning the earth.

AQUARIUS

Dedication on January 5th and throughout the solar month of February, January 20th-February 19th, is upon the Hierarchy of Aquarius. During these two periods this Hierarchy holds above the earth a cosmic pattern embodying the ideals of the Fatherhood of God and the brotherhood of man, the foundation for a type of friendship that is destined to expand until it becomes all inclusive and world embracing. This ideal should be held in the soul’s Holy of Holies and never marred or desecrated by an unworthy thought, word or deed. Working to bring it into manifestation is the mission of Aquarius, the divine water-bearer of the skies.

Through the benign influence of the Aquarian Hierarchy love will become the motivating force in all that lives. In that glad day an emancipated humanity will show forth, as St. Paul prophesied, love as the fulfilling of the law.

In other words, every law will be founded upon love and love, in turn, will bring the fulfillment of every law.

Aquarius is the home of Angels, and the above aptly describes the joyous life of these celestial Beings.

The Disciple correlating with Aquarius is Matthew, the rich publican and sinner who, when he heard the voice of the Lord, left all and followed Him gladly. He renounced all worldly possessions for which he later received rare compensation in the form of a spiritual realization which found expression in the immortal Gospel bearing his name-a priceless heritage to all mankind.

The two lower limbs form the dual body organs correlating with Aquarius. They are the two columns of man’s body temple and should be visualized as coordinated in motion and symmetrical in form.

The biblical seed thought for meditation on January 5th and during the solar month of February is John 15:4.

Ye are my friends.

If an aspirant will concentrate upon the subtle meanings hidden in these four short words, and keep them alive in consciousness while the Aquarian rhythms vibrate above and through earth, great will be his illumination.

PISCES

The dedication for January 6th and the solar month of March, February 19th to March 20th, is to the Hierarchy of Pisces. This Hierarchy works to bring into manifestation the principle of unification throughout all creation. Ralph Waldo Emerson gave a perfect Piscean inscription: “The Imperfect adores my own Perfect. Life is no longer a thing of shreds and patches, but a glorious divine unity.”

Pisces is the last sign before the birth of the spiritual new year, a period of recapitulation and self-examination. It marks the sunset of a past life and the sunrise of a new life.

The cosmic pattern held above the earth by this Hierarchy, is one of perfected man, created in the image and likeness of God and manifesting the divine within himself. Godlike Man is the keynote of Pisces, as it is also the cosmic pattern of Aries. In fact, the perfecting of man is and has been the divine labor of all twelve creative Hierarchies since the beginning of human evolution. When it comes to its ultimate completion it will be under the ministry of the Piscean Hierarchy.

The dual body center correlating with Pisces is the feet, and in the human race at large this center is yet to be awakened. In the vision of Fatima the children described particularly the beautiful roses blooming upon the hands and feet of the Blessed Lady.

This body made in the image and likeness of God will be luminous with scintillating stars, or flowers, awakened within its vital centers. This glorified body is the golden wedding garment described by St. Paul as the glorified celestial body. It was his vision of this luminous vehicle in the Memory of Nature which inspired him to declare in exaltation: that man is “little lower than the angels”; and it doth not yet appear what he shall be.

For meditation on January 6th while the vibratory rhythms of Pisces pervade the earth, and during the solar month of March, the following biblical seed thought is assigned:

So God created man in his own image. Gen. 1: 27.

During the twelve Holy Days between Christmas and Twelfth Night the earth is enveloped by the light of the archangelic Christ. The fragrance of His transcendent aura permeates the planet with a rare perfume, like an intermingling of the breath of fairest roses and purest lilies. But the radiant light and healing fragrance are gradually absorbed by the earth during this sacred interval, making it an ideal time for soul dedication to the Path of Holiness.