taijasi
Gnōthi seauton
Perhaps it would be well, in specific response to Thomas, to also eschew the erroneous statement - at whose mention my soul sickens as much as yours - that any liturgy (be that Christian, Eastern, or otherwise) is the true essence, or profoundest aspect, of Christ's Love.
I certainly agree that to enter into the higher Mysteries (of Christianity or any spiritual practice) is to plumb the depths of a relationship - between Humanity and her Divine Parent - to which there is no end ... nor a beginning. No true mystic would claim to fully understand this relationship, or make pretense to explain it, save to say that it is characterized by perfect, unconditional Love.
I would even go so far as to say, imho, that the keys to the Kingdom are held at all times in front of the earnest seeker - in plain sight. But not anyone is fit or spiritually ready to grasp the entire keyring, nor would this be prudent. To press the analogy further, at any given moment that we ask, there are perhaps several possible keys that will open the door in front of us. But let us correct a mistaken notion ...
Surely the Kingdom of God is not a darkened realm, each of whose portions or "layers" is simply a little less dark. Yes, it's been awhile since I read of Teresa's Castle, so forgive me if I take liberties ... but the Kingdom of Heaven has always seemed to me to be a place of splendid Light Supernal!
As we enter more & more deeply into this realm - going both within ourselves and transcending our earthly limitations (two actions that are complementary and not at all exclusive of each other) - we come into a greater measure of Light with each door we open. Or as St. Paul put it, we draw closer to "the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ" (Ephesians 4:13).
And the best part of all ... is that the KEYS to G-d's Kingdom are indeed presented to all persons, and all that is required is that we earnestly seek, in order to find them (Matthew 7:7-9). But too many seekers stop there, content with the realization that the Kingdom of Heaven does exist, and (understandably) overjoyed with the deeper participation G-d's Love and Bliss. To continue building the relationship mentioned by St. Paul above, in Ephesians, we must apply discipline (as did the disciples) ...
... and speaking from experience rather than speculation - I would like to state unequivocally that there is certainly an esoteric aspect ( or dimension) to Christianity, just as is the case with every religion. It is simply our understanding of such that is imperfect, especially if we begin with any kind of notion that Deity is willfully concealing things from us - which is but an expression of our mistrust or paranoid thinking ... the conspiracy bug, if you will.
Nothing could be further from the truth - and yet, in the greater scheme of things, we are meek - and is it any wonder that we are not fully prepared to behold the Divine face to face? Christ did say, Blessed are the pure of heart ... for they shall see G-d. If, as sometimes happens, there are those who rush forward to proclaim their purity - then perhaps it could only be said to devotees of such fervor: Become more pure.
The idea that there is a spiritual elite is perhaps an offensive (and intuitively erroneous) notion to us ... precisely because of semantics. Better stated, there is an avante-garde - but They are egoless. And I suggest that while not every Tom, Dick & Harry may "belong" to this avante-garde, nevertheless, it is composed of much more than simply Christ and a couple of archangels. As many mystics have witnessed, there are many, many members of this Heavenly Host (sic) ... and the Christ is but the Head (and the Heart, as it were) of a spiritual body that bridges between Humanity and the Divine.
Let us not be hasty to dismiss the Finger of G-d, nor his Eye, nor the Word of Power ... as these seek to inspire & guide us. For as it seems, in this Heavenly Mansion, though we cannot truly isolate ourselves from Deity, nevertheless in the closing of but one door we can make it exceeding difficult to be ministered to ... or for others to thus receive, through us. And yet, so many are content to huddle in a corner, with vain repetitions, eyes closed - and blind to the Glory that is all around.
And these will sometimes speak loudest that there is nothing hidden, despite the Master Poet's words: There are more things in Heaven and earth, than are dreamt of in your philosophy, Horatio.
Perhaps it is well to state, that in one lifetime ... certainly there is not time to discover and master all that we encounter, on earth. And that is why we have --.
I certainly agree that to enter into the higher Mysteries (of Christianity or any spiritual practice) is to plumb the depths of a relationship - between Humanity and her Divine Parent - to which there is no end ... nor a beginning. No true mystic would claim to fully understand this relationship, or make pretense to explain it, save to say that it is characterized by perfect, unconditional Love.
I would even go so far as to say, imho, that the keys to the Kingdom are held at all times in front of the earnest seeker - in plain sight. But not anyone is fit or spiritually ready to grasp the entire keyring, nor would this be prudent. To press the analogy further, at any given moment that we ask, there are perhaps several possible keys that will open the door in front of us. But let us correct a mistaken notion ...
Surely the Kingdom of God is not a darkened realm, each of whose portions or "layers" is simply a little less dark. Yes, it's been awhile since I read of Teresa's Castle, so forgive me if I take liberties ... but the Kingdom of Heaven has always seemed to me to be a place of splendid Light Supernal!
As we enter more & more deeply into this realm - going both within ourselves and transcending our earthly limitations (two actions that are complementary and not at all exclusive of each other) - we come into a greater measure of Light with each door we open. Or as St. Paul put it, we draw closer to "the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ" (Ephesians 4:13).
And the best part of all ... is that the KEYS to G-d's Kingdom are indeed presented to all persons, and all that is required is that we earnestly seek, in order to find them (Matthew 7:7-9). But too many seekers stop there, content with the realization that the Kingdom of Heaven does exist, and (understandably) overjoyed with the deeper participation G-d's Love and Bliss. To continue building the relationship mentioned by St. Paul above, in Ephesians, we must apply discipline (as did the disciples) ...
... and speaking from experience rather than speculation - I would like to state unequivocally that there is certainly an esoteric aspect ( or dimension) to Christianity, just as is the case with every religion. It is simply our understanding of such that is imperfect, especially if we begin with any kind of notion that Deity is willfully concealing things from us - which is but an expression of our mistrust or paranoid thinking ... the conspiracy bug, if you will.
Nothing could be further from the truth - and yet, in the greater scheme of things, we are meek - and is it any wonder that we are not fully prepared to behold the Divine face to face? Christ did say, Blessed are the pure of heart ... for they shall see G-d. If, as sometimes happens, there are those who rush forward to proclaim their purity - then perhaps it could only be said to devotees of such fervor: Become more pure.
The idea that there is a spiritual elite is perhaps an offensive (and intuitively erroneous) notion to us ... precisely because of semantics. Better stated, there is an avante-garde - but They are egoless. And I suggest that while not every Tom, Dick & Harry may "belong" to this avante-garde, nevertheless, it is composed of much more than simply Christ and a couple of archangels. As many mystics have witnessed, there are many, many members of this Heavenly Host (sic) ... and the Christ is but the Head (and the Heart, as it were) of a spiritual body that bridges between Humanity and the Divine.
Let us not be hasty to dismiss the Finger of G-d, nor his Eye, nor the Word of Power ... as these seek to inspire & guide us. For as it seems, in this Heavenly Mansion, though we cannot truly isolate ourselves from Deity, nevertheless in the closing of but one door we can make it exceeding difficult to be ministered to ... or for others to thus receive, through us. And yet, so many are content to huddle in a corner, with vain repetitions, eyes closed - and blind to the Glory that is all around.
And these will sometimes speak loudest that there is nothing hidden, despite the Master Poet's words: There are more things in Heaven and earth, than are dreamt of in your philosophy, Horatio.
Perhaps it is well to state, that in one lifetime ... certainly there is not time to discover and master all that we encounter, on earth. And that is why we have --.protokletos
