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| Post photo, I was chased clear to the car by a very scary goose! |
This weekend I attended the UFO & ET Congress which is held semi-annually at a modest venue in Bordentown, New Jersey. The featured speaker was Travis Walton, the Arizona logger taken aboard an alien space craft November 5, 1975 and held for five harrowing days while a massive search was organized below.Walton's ordeal was dramatized in the 1993 movie "Fire in the Sky" which was based on Walton's own book, "The Walton Experience" (1978). The book was republished in 1997 in an expanded format under the title of "Fire in the Sky: The Walton Experience" and is available on Amazon, as well as through Walton's website.
The Walton case is notable among abduction reports insofar as the saucer shaped alien craft reported to have taken Walton was clearly seen by six of Walton's coworkers. According to all reports, a beam of blue-green energy emanated from the craft and struck Walton as the ship was apparently powering up for take off. Believing Walton to be dead, the loggers left the scene in the hope of getting help or weapons. When they returned, Walton and the craft were gone.
In his presentation, Walton expressed the belief that he was essentially struck by accident during the powering up process. In the years since the incident, he stated that he had come to believe that he was taken aboard the craft because he was in need of medical attention. In response to questioning about the intent of ship's crew, Walton referred to the incident as an "ambulance call."
Walton corrected discrepancies between the film and the actual events of the case. Red herrings shown in the film, such as a UFO magazine on the seat of the logging truck and Walton's coworkers agreeing to "stick to the story" prior to meeting with law enforcement were dramatic devices intended to increase suspense. During the presentation, Walton was careful to set the record state on the actions of his fellow loggers who quite understandably felt themselves in no position to engage the alien spaceship unarmed.
While Walton may have been unconscious or sedated during much of the time he spent aboard the craft, the events he did recall and share were detailed and convincing and he was able to provide artist's renderings of the alien crew. More info may be available as well in Walton's book which is high on my reading list.
Overall, I found Walton's presentation to be a credible and articulate account of a truly amazing experience. I am pleased to have had the opportunity to hear him!
You can learn more about Walton, his experience and subsequent investigations in his book Fire in the Sky: The Walton Experience or through his website at Travis-Walton.com.
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| "Miranda: The Tempest" John William Waterhouse 1916 (enlarged for detail) |
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| A Reluctant Attendee Examines a Great Selection of Spiritual Books! |
 A Variety of Spiritual Items.  |
| An Example of One of the Beautiful Vendor Tables at the Expo. |
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Free Samples of Delicious Organic Teas. Check back tomorrow and Friday for pics of artists, readers & spiritual modalities! |
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| Lovely picture taken by a friend. Posted to remind myself not to waste what we are given. |
Looking for a diversion, I switched on the TV, and surfed the channels until I stopped at a public access TV program featuring Eckhart Tolle. I had never heard him.
I was, I think, quite possibly the only person in the entire US who had not. Surprising perhaps because spirituality was always such an important part of my life. I was never particularly attracted to 'New Age' however and that made Tolle new news to me that night.
I had an religious affiliation but it wasn't really working. I had decided that maybe I should just give up on spirituality altogether - that it just might not be for me. But I was wrong and in that moment, hearing Tolle talk, I knew I was wrong.
My curiosity, the great saving grace of my life to date, was sparked. I wanted to know more. I felt a new cycle starting and the promise of new things on the horizon. I wanted to explore again and it seemed that it might be helpful to me, on a personal level, to keep track of what I found.
My curiosity, the great saving grace of my life to date, was sparked. I wanted to know more. I felt a new cycle starting and the promise of new things on the horizon. I wanted to explore again and it seemed that it might be helpful to me, on a personal level, to keep track of what I found.
My track history with journals is rarely good and I have always had problems with consistency across the board of my life experience. So it occurred to me that a commitment to share what I was learning with others through blogging might keep me on track. And so it has. I have covered a lot ground over the last year and taken some interesting turns. Best of all, I find my passion for what I am learning is growing rather than waning.
Have I progressed in spiritually since that sleepless night which seems so long ago? I'm not sure. My belief system has expanded but I have a long way to go, however, in terms of establishing a consistent spiritual practice. I have learned a thing or two, yes. But I am also acutely conscious of how much more there is to discover. And that's a good thing.
I am so looking forward to year two. And from the bottom of my heart, thank you, dear reader, for being there to share it!
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| The Susquehanna River August 13th, 2011 6:23 AM |
I got to the river just before the sun crested, compass in hand to observe the southeast sky but saw no sign of the Dog Star. According to various internet sources Sirius was due to return to Northern skies today. Ancient people were very precise in their observations of the heavens. The internet, it seems, is not. But that was alright. Seeing the sun rise over the mountains was worth getting up for.
There is a resonant energy to the world just before dawn and there was a time when I used to get up at five o'clock in the morning just to feel the hum. On the way home from the river today, I remembered that time. I remembered how I used to sit in the kitchen and drink black coffee and write straight through until sunrise. I lived in the city then but I could see the better part of eastern sky above the vacant lot outside my back door. I got early up to write and see the sun come up almost every morning. In many ways, that place was my first real home and I made the most of it.
There is a resonant energy to the world just before dawn and there was a time when I used to get up at five o'clock in the morning just to feel the hum. On the way home from the river today, I remembered that time. I remembered how I used to sit in the kitchen and drink black coffee and write straight through until sunrise. I lived in the city then but I could see the better part of eastern sky above the vacant lot outside my back door. I got early up to write and see the sun come up almost every morning. In many ways, that place was my first real home and I made the most of it.
On the way back from the river this morning, I thought that I could do that here, too, if I wanted. The old turn of the century houses are close together in my neighborhood but ours is on a small hill and I have full view of the sky over the roof tops and mountains from my east facing bedroom slash office. Rearranging the furniture was relatively easy and my desk now faces that window. I am going to get up early tomorrow and write. Maybe I will catch sunrise by the river another day. Sirius is back after all. And if I get the timing right, I should be able to catch it any morning I choose.
Update: Here in the new house, I have an office. And it came equipped with a big east facing window <3
Update: Here in the new house, I have an office. And it came equipped with a big east facing window <3
Mysticism Meets Quantum Science: A Review of "The Quantum Activist" A Very Important Documentary Film Featuring Dr. Amit Goswami!
August 1, 2011
Goswami is at this point in his career quite well known, a sought after
speaker world-wide, as well as the author of numerous books including the
quantum mechanics textbook of choice for many universities:
Quantum Mechanics, The Self-Aware Universe, God is not Not Dead, How Quantum Activism Can Save Civilisation,
The Visionary Window: A Quantum Physicist's Guide to Enlightenment
and
Physics of the Soul
(which is winging its way to me as I write:). His message may be
as important as any other scientific advancement realized to date.
How can I make such an outrageous claim?
Dr. Goswami expresses ideas about non-local consciousness that have
widespread, perhaps even worldwide, transformative potential and what he says
makes sense. Or as much sense as anything said about quantum physics can
make at this point in our development.
He speaks against scientific materialism. The idea, as he defines it,
that cause rises, that matter is the force behind all subtle experience.
He maintains that it is impossible to explain all internal phenomena in terms
of the movement of molecules. He calls the attempt to do so upward
causation, the method of building upon our understanding from the bottom up,
from particle, to atom, to molecule, to the ultimate creation and existence of
all that is.
Religions, Goswami maintains,while apparently diverse share a common view of
what can be conceived of as God. That is, a force outside of the
material, a downward causation, a subtle body or world aside from the
observable. Goswami considers this principal the essence of
spirituality.
So what does any of this have to do with quantum physics?
Quantum physics describes the nature of tiny particles. Its application is responsible for many of the great advances of our modern age: satellites, computers, nuclear power, advanced medicine. Additionally and most notably however, it appears to follow a very different set of rules than those observable in the macro world - as defined by scientists such as Newton. Quantum physics poses certain problems such as quantum non-locality, in which two particles share information across vast distances, and suggests (as in the well-known double slit experience) that observation at the quantum realm effects matter, literally changing the manifestation of light from a wave to a particle.
It should be noted that like most groundbreaking scientific data, these
results have been interpreted in a number of ways and that it is likely that
the most comprehensive explanation is still evolving. Regardless of the
interpretation however, no one can say that this phenomena is not remarkable
and most will agree that it has the potential to revolutionize our
understanding of the very nature of reality.
Amit Goswami interprets this phenomena, as do many, in terms of
consciousness. He explains that when consciousness looks - waves
collapse and become objects of conscious experience. In that respect, he
considers physics a science of possibilities meaning, as I understand it, that
all waves have the possibility of being transformed into objects of conscious
experience. He goes on to address the Quantum Measurement Paradox in
terms of philosophical logic and this is where he begins to depart from the
majority of physicists.
He asks: If consciousness, as quantum physics suggests, chooses actuality from
material possibilities how can we conceptualize this without paradox? If
we have a possible elementary particle, creating a possible atom, creating a
possible neuron, creating a possible brain, creating a possible consciousness,
how can we couple possibility to actuality - or consciousness to matter?
Pointing out the circularity and paradox of that line of reasoning, Goswami
then introduces what he terms a radical thought. This is quite simply
put, an idea consistent with the experience of the mystic, the idea that
consciousness is the ground of all being.
As breathtaking as this is, however, there is more. Goswami goes on to
speak quite clearly on the topic of manifestation, maintaining that the level
of consciousness which possesses the ability to choose actuality is an altered
(as opposed to egoic) state which can only operate in the realm of the
subtle. This state and this realm may be thought of as cosmic or
interconnected consciousness. Separateness in this context is ultimately
illusionary and this is what is truly radical about Goswami's science.
Goswami goes on to speak of non-local communication, the Tibetan Book of the
Dead, the discontinuous leap of creativity and the morphogenetic field with
such beauty and precision that it would be a mistake I think for me to attempt
to paraphrase here. Suffice it to say that he believes that non-local or
cosmic consciousness is at once God, and ourselves, the object, and
subject. For Goswami, as for me, consciousness does indeed precede all.
On a global scale, the ramifications of such a realization are
staggering. Operating from the subtle body, and the heart chakra
specifically, Goswami suggests that we have the ability to recognize this
interconnectness and proposes an approach to the resolution of conflict which
acknowledges that we are all part of the whole. He speaks of taking a
step beyond even the Bodhisattva. In the old days Goswami explains, we
were concerned only for ourselves. 'If I achieve heaven,' we may have
said, 'I don't care about you.' As we evolve however in we recognize
that this is incorrect. And ideally we realize it to the degree that we
now say, 'If you don't go, I don't go either.'
Toward the end of the film, we realize that Dr. Goswami is not
naive. He is an experienced and educated man, well aware of the dangers
posed by our treatment of the environment (a product of separatism and
material thinking) and each other. He sees progress however in an
evolutionary sense that is both individual and collective. He considers
this progress demonstrated by the success of leaders such
Mahatma Gandhi,
Nelson Mandela and
Martin Luther King. He
points out that these movements toppled the great institutions of British
colonization, apartheid and racism by completely nonviolent means and that
this could not have happened 100 or 200 years ago. And in spite of my
continued concern and anxiety about the state of the world, I have to
agree. It is possible. We may indeed be progressing and while
nothing is guaranteed, I see great hope.
The absolute perfection of this documentary, of course, is that it is soundly
based in in scientific theory, lending validity to the subjective and
credibility to the unseen. In this regard it is therefore accessible to
very wide audience.
A friend sent me this video this evening which was interesting as I was reading Plato's account of Atlantis earlier in the day. This is not Atlantis of course but it follows a very similar time-line which I find compelling. I am absolutely fascinated by the mystery of the past. Somehow it all comes together in ways mainstream archaeology is just beginning to consider. I must do a review on Fingerprints of the Gods (the author of the book, Graham Hancock, is interviewed midway through this clip).
The History Channel does seem to get a bit off track in this presentation but some good points are made as well. I've included some background from the Smithsonian Magazine below, including additional photos:
"Six miles from Urfa, an ancient city in southeastern Turkey, Klaus Schmidt has made one of the most startling archaeological discoveries of our time: massive carved stones about 11,000 years old, crafted and arranged by prehistoric people who had not yet developed metal tools or even pottery. The megaliths predate Stonehenge by some 6,000 years. The place is called Gobekli Tepe, and Schmidt, a German archaeologist who has been working here more than a decade, is convinced it's the site of the world's oldest temple."
The History Channel does seem to get a bit off track in this presentation but some good points are made as well. I've included some background from the Smithsonian Magazine below, including additional photos:
"Six miles from Urfa, an ancient city in southeastern Turkey, Klaus Schmidt has made one of the most startling archaeological discoveries of our time: massive carved stones about 11,000 years old, crafted and arranged by prehistoric people who had not yet developed metal tools or even pottery. The megaliths predate Stonehenge by some 6,000 years. The place is called Gobekli Tepe, and Schmidt, a German archaeologist who has been working here more than a decade, is convinced it's the site of the world's oldest temple."
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| Sammy napping. |
While I don't necessarily believe that there are no coincidences, I do believe that there are a lot less of them than most of us suppose. I think that many of the events we write off as coincidences are in actuality synchronicities between the spiritual and the physical, connecting points if you will between conventional reality and what's beyond. Because of this belief, I feel that the messages synchronicities give are always significant.
To put the spiritual 'evidence' synchronicities represent into perspective, however, I want to first mention other sorts of evidence. These are occurrences that many of us, even most of us, accept without ever really analyzing. Relatively common events such as paranormal experience for example occur at least occasionally to a great many people but somehow become part of the world view of only a relative few. Faced with solidity of our visible world it is all too easy to dismiss an event that 'couldn't' be real. People may even say, 'I couldn't believe my eyes' and mean it!
Case in point: I heard my first ghost when I was sixteen years old. It was not my first experience with spirit but my earlier experiences were either heart centered (felt) or 'heard' in the form of interior dialogue. This experience was different.
I was sitting in the kitchen of an old farmhouse when I clearly (really) heard people talking outside, though the words were muffled. It was objectively obvious to me that they walking around on the old wooden porch preparing to come in. I wasn't alarmed because people were expected. "Here they are," I thought. The old screen door squeaked. Then nothing. Perplexed, I got up to see what the problem was, opened the door and - you guessed it - found nobody there.
This experience should have convinced me of something I already half knew. The reality of spirit should have become a cornerstone of my belief system. Instead I set this experience, as well as a series of disturbing dreams and a second event that occurred in the same location, aside and did not revisit the memory for several years.
I was sitting in the kitchen of an old farmhouse when I clearly (really) heard people talking outside, though the words were muffled. It was objectively obvious to me that they walking around on the old wooden porch preparing to come in. I wasn't alarmed because people were expected. "Here they are," I thought. The old screen door squeaked. Then nothing. Perplexed, I got up to see what the problem was, opened the door and - you guessed it - found nobody there.
This experience should have convinced me of something I already half knew. The reality of spirit should have become a cornerstone of my belief system. Instead I set this experience, as well as a series of disturbing dreams and a second event that occurred in the same location, aside and did not revisit the memory for several years.
Experiences such as these should lead each of us to question the apparent nature of reality (one very positive reason for the phenomena of ghost energy in my opinion) but the truth is they frequently don't or, as in my case, a couple of replays and few really blockbuster events (which occurred elsewhere) are required to really get the ball rolling. Examined or not, however, displays of paranormal activity are not only evidence of spirit, they are evidence of an invisible reality and as such should pose important questions about spirit, space and the universality of physical laws. Questions that far too few people ask.
So where do synchronicities fit in? If visions and auditory phenomena are true 'eye witness' accounts, synchronicities are admittedly merely circumstantial evidence. This does not mean that we should discount them. Quite the contrary, in my opinion; we should actively look for them. They may be easy to miss but they are very important. In a court of law, circumstantial evidence lends credibility to evidence which may seem extraordinary, making the layering of circumstance an important part of building a case. The more circumstance there is, the more believable a given scenario becomes. Small things take on significance.
And this is true of synchronicity as well. Once a person learns to pay attention, it is my experience that they will notice that synchronicities happen a lot. Far too often, in my opinion, and too exactly to be written off as random.
And this is true of synchronicity as well. Once a person learns to pay attention, it is my experience that they will notice that synchronicities happen a lot. Far too often, in my opinion, and too exactly to be written off as random.
My most recent synchronicity concerned my dog, Samson who has been sick these last four years with what has become a very severe case of kidney disease. Three years ago I was told he had a had few weeks to live. We have been on borrowed time so to speak for a while now and that time is running out. What he means to me is beyond the scope of this article and perhaps beyond words altogether. I will say that he is best friend in the world and leave it at that.
My goal at this point in his treatment, which is both extensive and costly, is that he will have a good summer and I have prayed about this a lot. Last week he took a sudden turn for the worse. It seemed hopeless but after a visit to our wonderful vet and a lot interaction with spirit, I decided to admit him to the animal hospital for a transfusion. The proposed treatment may see us til the end of the summer in the emergency vet's opinion, then again it might not.
The cost of the transfusion was $1086 which was far more than I expected. I had 570 dollars in hand and a three hundred dollar check from my oldest son. My middle boy who had accompanied me had exactly 216 dollars in his wallet. Between the three of us we paid for Sammy's care without a dollar left over. As my son took his worldly wealth out of his wallet, he said "I guess it's meant to be." An offhand comment from a very committed spiritual skeptic but perhaps it is a start.
Events like this are easy to dismiss and we do dismiss them more frequently than we are even aware of. It is far better in my opinion to look for their occurrence, far better to be open and to reflect on the messages they share: Life is not easy. Suffering is everywhere. But compassion is just as available and it is accessible to all of us. And of course, most importantly, beyond the visible a mysterious and wonderful reality awaits.
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| Ani, led by the god Horus. |
I needed my copy of The Egyptian Book of the Dead
for research purposes recently and couldn’t find it - which is what happens sometimes when you have too many books for your bookshelves! I went through a few books in the attic and a few more in other spots, got frustrated and decided it would be easier to order another copy.
I picked a Faulkner translation out on Amazon and then, on impulse, decided to pay a few more dollars for an illustrated edition.
When the book arrived a few days later I was disappointed to see that it was very over-sized. “Great,” I thought. “It won’t even fit on the shelf.” My disappointment evaporated however the minute I opened the book. This edition, created by James Wasserman, is breathtaking. My review of this amazing edition with some general background on The Book of the Dead follows.
for research purposes recently and couldn’t find it - which is what happens sometimes when you have too many books for your bookshelves! I went through a few books in the attic and a few more in other spots, got frustrated and decided it would be easier to order another copy.I picked a Faulkner translation out on Amazon and then, on impulse, decided to pay a few more dollars for an illustrated edition.
When the book arrived a few days later I was disappointed to see that it was very over-sized. “Great,” I thought. “It won’t even fit on the shelf.” My disappointment evaporated however the minute I opened the book. This edition, created by James Wasserman, is breathtaking. My review of this amazing edition with some general background on The Book of the Dead follows.
The title The Book of the Dead refers to several distinct but similar ancient texts which were traditionally included in the tombs of wealthy Egyptians. These texts are not so much about death however as they are the afterlife and were originally, and more poetically, called "The Book of Going Forth by Day."
One of the best examples of these amazing texts, the Papyrus of Ani, chronicles the journey of the deceased Ani, a royal scribe ofThebes New York City
One of the best examples of these amazing texts, the Papyrus of Ani, chronicles the journey of the deceased Ani, a royal scribe of
At that time The Papyrus of Ani could be read in translation in one book while viewing the reproduction of the actual scroll in a second book (the British Museum
, “I found myself literally “watching” a vision of the book you are now holding in your hands taking shape – that is the exquisite papyrus in full color running along the top of the page, with a readable uncluttered English translation below.” Wasserman’s book is indeed a work of art, reproducing the 3300 year old, 78 foot long scroll in full with complete translation directly beneath the images it describes. This beautiful edition allows us to not only read the incredible story but to view and understand the artwork in the context in which it was created. A display volume worth displaying, this edition is perfect for anyone with an interest in ancient Egypt, ancient religion, mythology or any sort of art.
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| My Grandparent's farmhouse in NE PA. Very pleasantly haunted! |
Today I listened to a fascinating lecture by Dr. Richard Gerber, MD called Exploring Vibrational Medicine 
and intend to order at least one of his books when funds allow. It was truly amazing to hear a physician talk about things like chakras and the etheric body and Dr. Gerber is very much a physician in this lecture. He moves quickly and covers a lot of ground. In the first half hour alone I took several pages of notes finding, surprisingly, that I actually remembered my old college shorthand.
Dr. Gerber defines vibrational medicine is a form of medicine based on the concept of diagnosis and treatment of illness based on energy. He discusses various models of medicine and reality, and what he refers to as multidimensional human anatomy such as the chakras. He also discusses vibrational medicine healing techniques, including psychic healing, flower essences and crystals.
and intend to order at least one of his books when funds allow. It was truly amazing to hear a physician talk about things like chakras and the etheric body and Dr. Gerber is very much a physician in this lecture. He moves quickly and covers a lot of ground. In the first half hour alone I took several pages of notes finding, surprisingly, that I actually remembered my old college shorthand.Dr. Gerber defines vibrational medicine is a form of medicine based on the concept of diagnosis and treatment of illness based on energy. He discusses various models of medicine and reality, and what he refers to as multidimensional human anatomy such as the chakras. He also discusses vibrational medicine healing techniques, including psychic healing, flower essences and crystals.
As it is impossible to do a presentation like this justice in a single relatively short blog entry I want to devote this entry to the scientific theory behind vibrational medicine as presented by Dr. Gerber. A key point in understanding this theory is the contrast Dr. Gerber made between two very different scientific models as reflected in the practice of modern medicine. The first is referred to as the the Newtonian model, the second Einsteinian.
The Newtonian model, based on the work of Sir Isaac Newton, describes a largely mechanical reality. According to this model, which is reflected in Dr. Gerber's view in the training of most physicians, the heart may be conceptualized primarily as a pump, the lungs as a bellows, the kidneys as filters, the muscles as pulleys, etc. This view lends itself to problem solving that is largely mechanical in nature - the replacing parts with surgery, for example, or the utilization of targeted medication that creates specific chemical outcomes.
Do these measures save lives? Absolutely and Dr. Gerber is quick to point out the benefits of such Newtonian type advances in medicine such vaccines, chemotherapy, declotting agents, antihypertensive medication, organ transplant and cardiac surgery. He is also quite aware of the downside in terms of antibiotic resistance, side effects and surgical complications. In his estimation an energetic approach can provide effective modalities often overlooked or underestimated by mainstream medicine.
The energetic approach to medicine is, according to Dr. Gerber, also the Einsteinian or vibrational model which describes the universe as a series of interpenetrating energy fields. This is the realm of modern or quantum physics where matter as we perceive it does not strictly exist. Dr. Gerber explains this quite understandably, saying that Einstein's famous equation e=mc² (where e is energy, m is matter and c is the speed of light) shows that energy and matter are interconvertible and thereby two expressions of the same thing. High energy particle physics experiments bear this out, showing that at a micro microscopic or quantum level all matter exists as a form of frozen energy.
This is where, Dr. Gerber says, the Einsteinian model begins to predict a faster than light view of etheric energy. By plugging in a velocity greater than the speed of light to the e=mc² equation, physicists such as William Tiller of Stanford University, have postulated the concept of negative entropy, a state counter to traditional or positive entropy. Positive entropy may be loosely defined as a system's gradual decline into disorder which make negative entropy especially interesting.
Tiller's work showed that energy which travels faster than the speed of light demonstrates the unusual property of negative entropy or the tendency to become progressively more ordered or organized. According to Dr. Gerber this runs counter to the known laws of thermodynamics. It also has fascinating ramifications for those of us seeking a common ground between science and spirituality. May we consider negative entropy a force in an ordered universe?
Dr. Gerber goes on to discuss multiple scientific sources including Nobel prize winning physician Björn E W Nordenström, Albert Szant-Györgyi (discoverer of vitamin C), and Russian medical researcher Alexander Gurvich whose 1920s experiments with onion roots proposed the existence of the biophoton or endogenous light - a form of light emitted by an organism and able to pass through quartz (though not glass) to communicate with another like organism.
Dr Gerber discussed subsequent experiments by German biophysicist Fritz Popp which systematically proves the existence of biophotons. This experiment involved cultures placed in adjacent Petri dishes and was conducted with both glass and quartz (crystal dishes). Popp was able to prove a communication between cultures placed in the quartz dishes which did not occur between those placed in glass.
As it is known that ultraviolet light passes through quartz this indicates that cells were emitting photons of light in the ultraviolet spectrum. According to Dr. Gerber this research and others demonstrates that the body does not consist only of mechanical chemical and electrical systems but of light energy systems as well. And this is fundamental for an understanding not only of Dr. Gerber's work but for many alternative treatment modalities such as light and color therapy, as well more traditional applications such as acupuncture.
This song is commonly sung as a round in school music classes and choirs. It is a very old folk song however and to me it has always seemed both hopeful and sad. I sang it last night and today to a dear friend as he was failing. I share it here so that others might have something to sing as well.
The Thirteen Petalled Rose by Adin Steinsaltz: Concerning the Nature of Angels and the Four Worlds of Kabbalah
March 11, 2011
. Steinsaltz is a Talmudic scholar with a real knack for rendering complex Kabbalistic concepts understandable. Although I have really just begun this study, I recommend his work, among with that of others such as Daniel Matt, to anyone with an interest in Kabbalah.The Thirteen Petalled Rose
is a relatively short book of just under 200 pages. It's content is divided into ten sections: Worlds, Divine Manifestation, The Soul Man, Holiness, Torah, The Way of Choice, The Human Image, Repentance, The Search for Oneself, and Mitzvot (commandments). It is the author's presentation of the so-called four worlds of Kabbalah or spiritual and non-spiritual worlds and the nature of the beings which inhabit them that I want to address in this post.
Traditional Kabbalistic sources describe four known spiritual realms called, from higher to lower, Atzilut (emanation), Beriah (creation), Yetzirah (formation) and Assiyah (action). Steinsaltz expands on these traditional divisions quite clearly noting that there are many levels within each of the known spiritual realms as well as other lower realms not thought of as part of the four worlds as listed above.
Steinsaltz begins with our world, the world of action, explaining that this observed world is a part of a vast array of worlds, most of which are spiritual. He points out that these worlds do not exist somewhere else but in another dimension and describes a dynamic relationship between worlds with a very real exchange of influence occurring. A point he makes quite clearly is that occurrences in our world impact on other worlds and can affect significant change in the spiritual realms. This is an important point for anyone concerned with the state of our current reality in my opinion.
The terms higher and lower worlds are explained in terms of nearer and farther or degrees of transparency to the divine light. According to Steinsaltz, as one descends through the worlds materiality becomes greater and with it a sense of independence is felt with an increasing intensity. This blocks the divine light and obscures, per the author, the unchanging essence that lurks beneath the personality.
In the world of emanation (Atzilut or the uppermost world) Steinsaltz describes a condition of absolute clarity and transparency where no concealment is possible. There are no separate selves in this world. Unity with divinity is complete. This is what Steinsaltz and others call the Godhead and is ultimately indescribable. Time, space and the soul do not exist in this world in the same way that they exist in our world or subsequent worlds if they can exist at all in the face of the eternal.
The second world, Beriah or the world of creation, is called by the author, the world of pure mind, though I think in this case the use of the word mind can be misleading. The mind is here defined here as creator as well as that which registers and absorbs the knowledge. It is also a world of feeling and emotion though not human emotion. This is the abode of the higher angels or seraphs and the realm of Ezekiel's vision. There is a separation of souls in this world but not in the sense of the lower worlds. Time is an abstraction. Space is not place (as it is in our world) and I wonder if this makes it possible for spiritual beings to appear in multiple places simultaneously.
The third world is called Yetzirah or the world of formation. Time remains abstract in this world and there is a greater distinction between beings. This is the domain of angels and the author does a wonderful job of describing these divine beings saying that the fundamental quality of an angel is not spatial separation but an impulse or drive such as an inclination toward love or pity, what I would term a quality. There are many divisions of these qualities as expressed by a multitude of angelic beings but each angel individually possesses only one quality implying a sort of single-mindedness, if you will, not found in humans.
While existing as whole integral spiritual beings, says Saltzman, an angel is a total manifestation of a single emotion. He explains the difference between men and angels, not as a physical difference but as a spiritual one - on the level of the soul. An angel as defined by author and per my own experience is a pure, undivided being of light (though angels of darkness exist as well) while man is complex and diverse, possessing both a divine spark, the ability to distinguish between good and evil and the ability to both backslide and rise to great heights.
According to Steinsaltz, an angel may be revealed both to a person on the highest level (a seer, prophet or holy man) or to an ordinary person privileged to receive an isolated act of apprehension. He also relates that an angel may appear in an ordinary form manifesting as normal phenomena subject to the laws of this world or operating in a sort of vacuum between the worlds.
It is Steinsaltz's explanation of the fourth world, our world, Assiyah, the world of action that is perhaps most interesting. The author contends that this world contains not only a physical world but a large number of spiritual worlds. He describes domains of spirit that issue from wisdom and creativity (such as philosophy, mathematics or art) as well as domains with "a certain gnostic significance" and different value system having the potential for a positive or negative spirituality. Space is defined here in terms of place and time is essentially movement which is not the case in the higher realms.
When discussing the worlds the author also discusses mitzvot (commandments of God) at length. There are many mitzvot listed in the Hebrew bible bible in addition to the ten well known commandments, including not only acts of charity but sacred study and prayer. The act of performing a mitzvah, per Steinsaltz, extends beyond this world and influences the world above creating primary and significant transformation. He here explains the peculiarly Kabbalaist concept of angels as a by-product of human actions which is something which is not quite understandable to me personally.
The author goes on to say that just as there is the potential for physical and spirit functioning which raises man and the world to higher levels there is also the potential for descent and he describes these lower realms not only as evil but as fundamentally inward and spiritual, saying that they can be revealed by way of vision. These worlds are the realm of subversive angels.
I find Steinsaltz's understanding of divinity, angels, humans and the reality we inhabit fascinating. I imagine a reality of not four but almost innumerable levels with good deeds and sacred actions radiating upward and outward, expanding and elevating, and ultimately touching the divinity to which we are all connected. I also feel that I have come away from this reading with a clearer understanding of the nature of spiritual beings and the very fundamental differences between angels and man. Additionally I found the text validating on a personal level as it is my deep-seated belief that there are many largely imperceptible dimensions beyond our own limited understanding of what is. To a degree I believe that some of this may someday be confirmed in a scientific sense but we are not there yet in my opinion.
I hope I have done a fair summary here of this small part of Steinsaltz's book and would encourage anyone interested in this topic to read The Thirteen Petalled Rose (afiliate link) as well. I hope to address other sections of the book at some point in the future.
I hope I have done a fair summary here of this small part of Steinsaltz's book and would encourage anyone interested in this topic to read The Thirteen Petalled Rose
(afiliate link) as well. I hope to address other sections of the book at some point in the future. UPDATE: I no longer study Kabbalah but I still like Rabbi Steinsaltz's book.
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| New Mystic Emporium shop banner using my cards, reading cloth, candle and teapot. |
In this wonderful full-length presentation on the extended mind and the nature of consciousness, Cambridge educated biochemist Dr. Rubert Sheldrake discusses the field-like state of the human or animal mind. Comparing the mind to cell phone or magnetic fields, Sheldrake shows how the mind exists in proximity to its physical source (the brain) but is not confined by it. Discussing his own extensive research concerning the phenomena of telepathy in people in animals, Sheldrake provides excellent objective evidence for the existence subtle energy. He also does a fantastic job of presenting scientific concepts in an interesting and engaging way!
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| Egyptian Democracy Protesters Victorious |
Early this morning I caught a glimpse of CNN. There is jubilation in the streets of Cairo. Mubarak has resigned. The face of the Middle East is changed forever and for better or worse, there is no going back. And while I support democracy and open government wholeheartedly, I worry about a majority rule position on Israel and the West.
On a humanitarian level I wonder what will become of the ideal of freedom if a fundamentalist Islamic party is voted in. Two recent polls (Pew Research and Pollock & Pechter) report that a majority of Egyptians support traditional biblical law which includes stoning and the death penalty for crimes such as adultery. Life under Mubarak was brutal with severe curtailment of personal freedom. Certainly the future can be better but there are no hard and fast guarantees .
On a personal level, I am glad that the people of Egypt have seized an opportunity to right social wrongs. I wish them the best and hope it is a step in the direction of free and open society. This is my position politically. Now for the synchronicity. Today I was reading about Babylonia at the same time as I was watching CNN. The contrast between Middle Eastern culture then and now seemed particularly significant.
On a humanitarian level I wonder what will become of the ideal of freedom if a fundamentalist Islamic party is voted in. Two recent polls (Pew Research and Pollock & Pechter) report that a majority of Egyptians support traditional biblical law which includes stoning and the death penalty for crimes such as adultery. Life under Mubarak was brutal with severe curtailment of personal freedom. Certainly the future can be better but there are no hard and fast guarantees .
On a personal level, I am glad that the people of Egypt have seized an opportunity to right social wrongs. I wish them the best and hope it is a step in the direction of free and open society. This is my position politically. Now for the synchronicity. Today I was reading about Babylonia at the same time as I was watching CNN. The contrast between Middle Eastern culture then and now seemed particularly significant.
The book I was reading, The Mystic Quest by David S. Ariel, talks about the relationship between Islam and Judaism during the golden age of Jewish mysticism. What is most surprising about this golden age is that it existed under Muslim rule in Babylonia, the land of the Israelites captivity. From the birth of Islam in the 7th century until the rise of the Mamluk Empire some 600 years later, a cultured and advanced Persian state made significant advancements in multiple disciplines. And in that progressive and open society there was an exchange of ideas between Muslims and Jews.
According to the Zohar there are seven heavens. And this is case in Persian legend (Cup of Jamshyd) as well and I can't help wondering if this is one of the point where two very different cultures crossed. It seems that there were areas of agreement then, a possible shared understanding of energies, dimensions, God and the universe.
There is less agreement now. But the truth is that it is still the same heaven. And that even more surprisingly all of us do still exist together beneath it. As long as this is the case, anything remains possible.
Quote follows:
Question: "There are situations in life when someone insults me, making me feel very wounded and degraded. What is the exact order of analyzing this kind of situation?"
Answer: "In our current state, we are unable to tell what the right attitude to reality is. We are confused, being halfway between the sky and the earth. I haven’t revealed the Creator yet, but I am no longer in full concealment either. I perceive all sorts of wise sayings like quotes, expressions, and pieces of knowledge, as revelation, but that is not so. Everything has gotten mixed up inside of me."
"That is why Baal HaSulam writes in “Introduction to Talmud Eser Sefirot” that during these years, a person has to maximally focus his development. This is a period of great confusion when I cannot understand the truth, but I no longer agree with the lie. I am simply thrown about from side to side."
You can read the entire article on R. Laitman's blog @ laitman.com. This author offers free downloads of his books on his website.
So I passed the long sleepless night on the computer, drifting from one website to the next, until I stumbled upon a bible passage I knew by heart.
The 23rd Psalm.
I remembered how I had committed this psalm to memory as a child and how I used to recite it before bed whenever things seemed dark. So I said the old familiar passage right there over the keyboard and then I set aside my laptop and fell asleep.
I woke up the next morning with a sense of excitement I hadn’t felt in what seemed like forever.
I didn’t usually remember my dreams, but I remembered this one. It was detailed and magical and absolutely breathtakingly beautiful.
Heart pounding, I turned on my laptop and captured my journey through the night as quickly as I could.
Aside from the headings and a few minor edits, what follows is the account of the dream, as I typed it out that morning.
Part I: The Hospital
As the dream opens, I’m approaching a big hospital. I’m working as a nurse again and this is the first day of a new job and I’m not sure where to go (a common problem in many similar dreams). I go to several outside doors and find them locked. Finally, at the last door I find an elderly woman on the ground in severe pain. She tells me that she has had two difficult surgeries and that she will die before she goes back to the hospital again.
I don’t know what to do or say, so I go in through the door. I’m looking for the emergency room and at first I am lost. After asking for (and not understanding) directions (another common work dream problem) I wander onto an elevator. There is a young doctor in a brilliant white coat inside the elevator. I tell him what has happened, and he gets off and goes with me to see the woman and her relatives, who are there with her. He tells them that she doesn’t have to come into the hospital if she doesn’t want to and they take her away.
I am at a brightly lit a nurse’s station. I have the feeling that I’ve been working here for some time. And that there are no bad feelings associated with that (which has never happened to me in dreams about nursing or in my nursing career in general). The young doctor is at the station too, looking at charts. After a moment, he stops and says that he has to move away soon and that he needs to learn the route by traveling it. He suggests that we all need time away from our work and that we should go on an adventure together.
Part II: The Journey
We take two cars. There is an odd assortment of women (presumably nurses). One is very beautiful. Her eyes are a vivid sea-water blue and her face is high-boned and delicate. She wears a layered gown of shimmering blue silk and I find her very exotic. Around her neck hangs a deep blue sapphire necklace and some of the bluest lapis I have ever seen.
There is an older woman, as well. She looks like a woman I know in real life [heavy with short blond-gray hair]. She is sweet and lost and seemingly lonely, just like her real-life counterpart. There are several other women. One is young and withdrawn [pale with long dark hair]; the others have already faded. As it turns out, this is a journey of discovery. There are moments of awkwardness because I don’t know anyone well, but there are other moments that seem almost euphoric.
We are on a train and I spend time alone. I am sitting in a day car with many windows. The car is rushing through a sunny countryside though I am more aware of the streaming sun than I am the scenery. As I sit, an idea for a book overtakes me. The images and characters and dialogue are vivid. And they stream through my mind so quickly it is all I can do to write them down. The story is about a man involved with two women. One is young and beautiful, but she is also married and in the end, he chooses the one who is unencumbered. The manuscript flashes by from beginning to end. Somehow I capture it.
A lot of different things happen. Sometimes we’re on the train and sometimes it seems that we have disembarked along our way. We are in a jewelry store. I see many lovely things. I look at a small locket depicting a traditionally Catholic guardian angel with children, but it’s small and drab - nothing like the beautiful pieces worn by the woman in blue. I sense that it is all that is available to me but I don't buy it. In another scene, the women and I decide to swap clothing. I have a single article of clothing I’m proud of—some sort of gold and red top. I offer it to the woman in blue and she accepts it.
Part III: Our Destination
It seems that we have arrived at university or school. The woman in blue shows me a sort of screen that is not a television but a bright flowing blue flowing into many different shades which appear as if pressed between two panes of clear glass. The screen swivels like an old-fashioned chalkboard and the many shades of blue swirl together in changing breathtaking patterns. It is vividly blue and has a shine to it that is almost metallic. It reminds me of a sand art item I saw once in a variety store but much, much better. Its beauty and the spectrum of blue is unlike [wider] anything I’ve ever seen before.
The women and I are together in a classroom. A book review or lecture is being delivered. A man is showing us pictures from a book he has written. At first the content seems Buddhist and then it’s something else, but I don’t remember clearly just how it is different. We’re all moved by his presentation and find it very inspiring. For some reason, we know all about him and are surprised he’s become so spiritual. It seems that he was famous in some way earlier in life and that he had a bad reputation at that time.
Then I am outside with the young [pale, dark-haired] doctor. He asks me about my parents and I tell him something. briefly, without going into detail. He letters a sort of monument to my father (in cobalt blue). He invites me to letter the one for my mother myself, but his lettering is perfect and I have terrible handwriting (in dreams and in life). So I ask him to do it for me and he does. The monument only has my parents' names. Or I think it does because I don’t recognize the characters or letters. The monument includes no information about who they were or what they did. But it seems complete as is.
My mother’s monument transforms into an ornament made out of clear glass with deep blue lettering. I know that I’m supposed to hang it in a tree at our family homestead and, all at once, I am there. It’s not the big main farmhouse where my mother grew up but something similar to the smaller house that she lived in before my grandfather inherited the farm. There is something about the tree having been cut back in preparation. I hang the ornament on a branch and leave.
Part IV: The Return Trip
I find myself back on the train and discover an old book. The cover is a work of art—old fashioned, intricate, tooled leather. It is dusty and a bit worse for wear, but still handsome. I’m very impressed with it. I open it and see I have written it. I’m surprised but, at the same time, I remember.
Finally, we’re at the end of our journey. We sit at a big table and talk about how we have changed. I’m wearing a sparkling red [ruby or] garnet bracelet. We decide that we should exchange jewelry as souvenirs of our trip.
I don’t want to give up my bracelet, but I offer it anyway, secretly hoping that the woman in blue will give me some of her lapis. Instead, she gives her jewelry to the older woman (who has nothing to offer her in return). I feel disappointed but understand that this is the right thing to do. Although my desire for the beautiful blue gemstones is strong, there is no associated envy or bitterness. I feel strongly that all is as it should be.
The young doctor thanks us and tells us that he now knows the route he should take to his new home. He does not return to the hospital and I am not sure if the women return either. I have a sense of parting. It is bittersweet, but I know it feels right and I have no regrets.
Part V: Back to the Beginning
Finally, I am back at the hospital. Someone is holding a funeral for the woman who was lying in pain just outside of the door when I first arrived. The funeral is being held on the other side of the large parking lot. It is far away, at the edge of the lot, but I can see a seated effigy draped in red and understand that this effigy represents the woman who has died.
I am now inside the hospital. A patient on the floor where I work has passed and I remember that he was the man who taught us when we were away. I know his history, so I’m not surprised that he died alone. I’m not sad about it either because I remember his lecture and know that he was at peace.
As I am leaving his room, or perhaps the floor, a young girl comes in and asks for the man. She says that she is his granddaughter and I tell her he is gone. Surprisingly, I find the right words. I tell her that it’s alright, that he has changed, and for some reason her tears are cathartic for both of us. We leave the hospital together and I have the feeling that everything has come full circle.
Afterward
I finished typing out the dream and turned off my laptop.
I was sitting on the same couch I’d slept on, wearing the same sweat pants and t-shirt I’d worn the day before. The room was still small and cluttered, and the stereo from the house next door was already blasting.
But everything had changed.
____________
O you afflicted one,Tossed with tempest, and not comforted,Behold, I will lay your stones with colorful gems,And lay your foundations with sapphires.I will make your pinnacles of rubies,Your gates of crystal,And all your walls of precious stones. (Isaiah 54:11-13)
_________
This post is excerpted from my upcoming book The Spirit Dream.
© 2024 Barbara Graver. All rights reserved.
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