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Subject:
[Fwd: Ken Shaw's Sufi class notes]
Date:
Thu, 07 Jan 1999 23:48:45 -0500
From:
Michael Love
To:
proclus
--
Visit proclus' realm! http://www.proclus-realm.com/home.html
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Subject:
Ken Shaw's Sufi class notes
Date:
Thu, 07 Jan 1999 23:00:00 -0500 (EST)
From:
KenShaw007@aol.com
To:
mutants@iname.com
Sufi class notes-Jan. 7, 1999-Dallas, Texas
I asked Mr. Madaani why certain family lines have special duties and powers.
I asked because I?m trying to understand the Shia doctrine of the Imam, as
well
as the esoteric "Christian" idea that the decendants of Jesus have a special
destiny. Shia Islams holds that only the most direct senior decendant of
Muhammad has the right to lead the community of Believers. My "understanding"
of it is that the bloodline has special qualities that give it a special
"attunement"
to the "World of Light" spoken of in Shia Islamic doctrine.
Mr. Madaani said that my mind was full of imaginings about such things and
that whatever I think about such things, it is the thinking that separates me
from the Reality.
He said that the bloodlines of the Prophets have no special qualities. He said
that bodies are like clothes that we wear. Wearing your grandfather?s suit
doesn?t make you your grandfather. He said that the Reality of the Prophets
is greater than anything in this level of time and space and that nothing
material can effect
that Reality, even chromosomes. He said that a true "Shia" can appear in an
any family of any tribe in any place on earth....even America.
Mr. Madaani said that it is necessary for me to ask these questions to undo
the knots of my over-driven imagination.
Another person asked how she could hold onto the state of clarity and
wholeness she felt during the teaching session out in the ordinary world.
Mr. Madaani said reading the published materials every day will reconnect her
to the teaching and t
he teacher. He said that it doesn?t matter at all if the words are actually
understood,
understanding is a long way off and can only be grown over time, but the words
written by the teacher transmit a force that nourishes the inner being of the
reader and puts the reader in rapport with the teacher...a kind of telepathic
link-up.
She said that she had shown some of the materials to her mother over
Christmas.
Her mother told her that the writings said the same things as the Bible, so
why
not just read the Bible. Mr. Madaani said that the writings of the past
prophets
were written to a specific people at a specific time and in a specific place.
They carried a specific "energy" from the prophet to his people. Now we read
those writing like the reading love-letters of our ancestors. We may
understand
the words but they don?t carry the same "juice" for us as they did for those
to
whom they were written. The writings of the past are like a check written out
by
an ancestor an then misplaced only to be found in our day. If we try to use
it to
try to pay a debt in our dayit will not be accepted. We have no choice but
the
find the Moses of our own time, the Jesus of our own time, the Muhammad of
our own time and he will teach us how to become Moses, Jesus and Muhammad
ourselves.
Mr. Madaani told us to apply ourselves to what he said and to start by going
home and committing these things to writing. The time will come when these
notes will open the Way for us.
Kenneth Shaw
Jan. 7, 1999
Dallas, Texas
Subject:
Re: [Fwd: mutantRMs]
Date:
Fri, 08 Jan 1999 20:40:08 -0800 (PST)
From:
Beth Quick
To:
MCGUIREA@a1.bellhow.com, kathleen@enol.com, trent@goodnet.com,
jswick@cris.com, ArtdeHoyos@aol.com, rds@acsu.buffalo.edu,
ariel144@hotmail.com, proclus@mac.com, rpcman@hotmail.com,
onandagus@webtv.net, Neoptolmus@aol.com, dcombe@rain.org,
74277.3365@compuserve.com, Theurgus@aol.com
I want to thank the Mutants for continuing to keep this
discussion alive.
I have a regular email account now, besides my hotmail account,
where I would like to recieve further Mutant discussion.
Please add it to the list.
It is "household" timquick@cwnet.com
Beth
>From proclus@mac.com Fri Aug 14 11:48:28 1998
>Received: from iname.com (mozart.rose.brandeis.edu [129.64.32.17]) by
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1998 14:48:01 -0400 (EDT)
>Sender: love@globecomm.net
>Message-ID: ?D48648.AA18EA5C@iname.com>
>Date: Fri, 14 Aug 1998 14:47:36 -0400
>From: Michael Love
>X-Mailer: Mozilla 4.04 [en] (X11; I; IRIX 5.3 IP22)
>MIME-Version: 1.0
>To: Andy Mcguire ,
> Kathleen McGuire ,
> "R. Trent Reynolds" ,
> Joe Steve Swick III , ArtdeHoyos
,
> Randall Shortridge ,
> Beth any , proclus ,
> rpc man ,
> "onandagus@webtv.net" ,
> "Neoptolmus@aol.com" , Dave
,
> "Robert R. Black" ?.3365@compuserve.com>,
> Theurgus
>Subject: [Fwd: mutantRMs]
>Content-Type: multipart/mixed;
boundary="------------7D70B092F4141063918FE7B2"
>
>
______________________________________________________
Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com
Subject:
Re: [Fwd: mutantRMs]
Date:
Sat, 09 Jan 1999 00:09:20 -0500
From:
proclus
To:
Andy Mcguire ,
Kathleen McGuire ,
"R. Trent Reynolds" ,
"Theurgus@aol.com" ,
"jswick@cris.com" ,
"rds@acsu.buffalo.edu" ,
Beth Quick ,
"proclus@mac.com" ,
"rpcman@hotmail.com" ,
"onandagus@webtv.net" ,
"Neoptolmus@aol.com" ,
"dcombe@rain.org" , Beth
References:
1
Nice to hear from you again, Beth. Your on the list.
BTW, Some of you may know Kerry Shirts, who figures largely in the
mutant prehistory archive. (hi Kerry! Long time no see.). He is quite a
book of abraham scholar. I just rediscovered his website, which is very
cool. Here is the address.
http://www.cyberhighway.net/~shirtail/mormonis.htm
Regards,
proclus
--
Visit proclus' realm! http://www.proclus-realm.com/home.html
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Subject:
Re: [Fwd: Ken Shaw's Sufi class notes]
Date:
Sat, 09 Jan 1999 00:19:12 -0500
From:
proclus
To:
Andy Mcguire ,
Kathleen McGuire ,
"R. Trent Reynolds" ,
"Theurgus@aol.com" ,
"jswick@cris.com" ,
"rds@acsu.buffalo.edu" ,
Beth Quick ,
"proclus@mac.com" ,
"rpcman@hotmail.com" ,
"onandagus@webtv.net" ,
"Neoptolmus@aol.com" ,
"dcombe@rain.org" , Beth
References:
1
Thanx Ken for your interesting posts. This is a remarkable teaching,
but a bit hard to swallow for those of us that feel that we are drawing
power through our lineage. Of course, it could all be in our
imagination ;-}.
On the other hand, I am reminded that the Christ figures typically
remind us over and over again that there is nothing special about them.
We can do everything that they do, if we could only wake up. Ah well, I
guess I'm still feeling like a little nap!
Regards,
proclus
> Subject: Ken Shaw's Sufi class notes
> Date: Thu, 07 Jan 1999 23:00:00 -0500 (EST)
> From: KenShaw007@aol.com
> To: mutants@iname.com
>
> Sufi class notes-Jan. 7, 1999-Dallas, Texas
>
> I asked Mr. Madaani why certain family lines have special duties and powers.
> I asked because I?m trying to understand the Shia doctrine of the Imam, as
> well
> as the esoteric "Christian" idea that the decendants of Jesus have a special
> destiny. Shia Islams holds that only the most direct senior decendant of
> Muhammad has the right to lead the community of Believers. My "understanding"
> of it is that the bloodline has special qualities that give it a special
> "attunement"
> to the "World of Light" spoken of in Shia Islamic doctrine.
>
> Mr. Madaani said that my mind was full of imaginings about such things and
> that whatever I think about such things, it is the thinking that separates me
> from the Reality.
>
> He said that the bloodlines of the Prophets have no special qualities. He said
> that bodies are like clothes that we wear. Wearing your grandfather?s suit
> doesn?t make you your grandfather. He said that the Reality of the Prophets
> is greater than anything in this level of time and space and that nothing
> material can effect
> that Reality, even chromosomes. He said that a true "Shia" can appear in an
> any family of any tribe in any place on earth....even America.
>
> Mr. Madaani said that it is necessary for me to ask these questions to undo
> the knots of my over-driven imagination.
>
> Another person asked how she could hold onto the state of clarity and
> wholeness she felt during the teaching session out in the ordinary world.
> Mr. Madaani said reading the published materials every day will reconnect her
> to the teaching and t
> he teacher. He said that it doesn?t matter at all if the words are actually
> understood,
> understanding is a long way off and can only be grown over time, but the words
> written by the teacher transmit a force that nourishes the inner being of the
> reader and puts the reader in rapport with the teacher...a kind of telepathic
> link-up.
>
> She said that she had shown some of the materials to her mother over
> Christmas.
> Her mother told her that the writings said the same things as the Bible, so
> why
> not just read the Bible. Mr. Madaani said that the writings of the past
> prophets
> were written to a specific people at a specific time and in a specific place.
> They carried a specific "energy" from the prophet to his people. Now we read
> those writing like the reading love-letters of our ancestors. We may
> understand
> the words but they don?t carry the same "juice" for us as they did for those
> to
> whom they were written. The writings of the past are like a check written out
> by
> an ancestor an then misplaced only to be found in our day. If we try to use
> it to
> try to pay a debt in our dayit will not be accepted. We have no choice but
> the
> find the Moses of our own time, the Jesus of our own time, the Muhammad of
> our own time and he will teach us how to become Moses, Jesus and Muhammad
> ourselves.
>
> Mr. Madaani told us to apply ourselves to what he said and to start by going
> home and committing these things to writing. The time will come when these
> notes will open the Way for us.
>
> Kenneth Shaw
> Jan. 7, 1999
> Dallas, Texas
--
Visit proclus' realm! http://www.proclus-realm.com/home.html
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Subject:
Re: Ken Shaw's Sufi class notes
Date:
Sun, 10 Jan 1999 10:20:44 -0800
From:
Joe Steve Swick III
To:
proclus , Andy Mcguire ,
Kathleen McGuire ,
"R. Trent Reynolds" , Theurgus@aol.com,
rds@acsu.buffalo.edu, Beth Quick , rpcman@hotmail.com,
onandagus@webtv.net, Neoptolmus@aol.com, dcombe@rain.org,
Beth , Kerry Shirts ,
Ken Shaw
___Ken Shaw___
Mr. Madaani said that the writings of the past prophets were written to a
specific people at a specific time and in a specific place. They carried a
specific "energy" from the prophet to his people. Now we read those writing
like the reading love-letters of our ancestors. We may understand the words
but they don?t carry the same "juice" for us as they did for those to whom
they were written. The writings of the past are like a check written out by
an ancestor an then misplaced only to be found in our day. If we try to use
it to try to pay a debt in our day it will not be accepted.
-----
The writings of an ancestor are indeed like a "check," and they can be
helpful because they tell us where our ancestor banked. However, Mr. Madaani
is certainly correct: we must open our own account! This is similar to the
Kabbalistic teaching. You will recall the story of Isaac's wells:
"And Isaac digged again the wells of water, which they had digged in the
days of Abraham his father; for the Philistines had stopped them after the
death of Abraham: and he called their names after the names by which his
father had called them. And Isaac's servants digged in the valley, and found
there a well of springing water" (Genesis 26:18-19).
The usual "drosh" or homiletic reading for this, is that Isaac cannot be
satisfied with water until he has dug the wells FOR HIMSELF, until he has
found the "springing water" FOR HIMSELF. So must we all.
One small twist on this. Some Kabbalists talk about how people that "search
for the light" may be like a man starving in the midst of plenty, or dying
of thirst amidst an ocean of pure water. The truth is that the LIGHT is
always flooding over us and into us, and at any moment we hold as much Light
as our vessel is able to bear. Our task then is seldom to FIND the Light.
Rather, it is TIKKUN -- to RESTORE the vessel, that we may increase our
capacity to better retain the Light-sparks of the Divine.
___Ken Shaw___
We have no choice but the find the Moses of our own time, the Jesus of our
own time, the Muhammad of our own time and he will teach us how to become
Moses, Jesus and Muhammad ourselves.
-----
Again, Rabbi David Cooper notes that while Buddhism, Judaism, Christianity,
Islam can be very dogmatic and divisive, if you put a a Buddhist MYSTIC,
Jewish MYSTIC, a Christian MYSTIC and a Muslim MYSTIC together in a room,
you find that they speak a similar language...describe the same experience.
Most religionists are little more than bean-counters. They will argue
endlessly over the PHILOSOPHY OF RELI GION, debating the meaning of a text,
without ever encountering the power behind the text in anything but a
rudimentary way. As you know, this is the very thing the Endowment warns
against. It is what the scripture implies when it talks of us "having a form
of godliness" but "denying the power thereof."
___Ken Shaw___
Mr. Madaani told us to apply ourselves to what he said and to start by going
home and committing these things to writing. The time will come when these
notes will open the Way for us.
-----
Mormons are counseled to keep a journal. Every occultist is counseled to
keep an occult diary. When we later review the hints and impressions we
received and seriously concentrate on them, we find that they often contain
the seeds of our own salvation... the keys that unlock the door for us.
This is because The Voice is ALWAYS speaking to us, but we must learn to
hear it.
In a meditation on the Tarot Key "The Heirophant, Paul Foster Case wrote the
following regarding The Voice:
I have brought thee before me for instruction
And whether thou receivest it willingly or unwillingly
Know that because thou has this day heard or read
these words
Thou art henceforth ... united to me.
To-day thou mayest reject me.
To-day thou mayest receive these words with scorn.
Yet it shall be that my Voice
Shall go with thee henceforth [and] forever.
Cheers,
JSW
Subject:
Re: [Fwd: mutantRMs]
Date:
Mon, 11 Jan 1999 10:35:33 -0500
From:
proclus
To:
love@LOGOS.CC.BRANDEIS.EDU
References:
1
Kerry Shirts wrote:
>
> Hello again old friends of Prodigy!!!!! I see the Mcguire's addresses in
> here. I hope this gets to them, so I can apologize for being so neglegent
> in writing. Lets all try to keep in touch more.
They will certainly get your note. You may have already heard from them.
> Thanks for the note
> Proclus, good to see you as well.......Uh, what list is Beth on, and can I
> also get on it?
Beth was absent for a while, but now she has given us a new email
address. She wants to have some renewed discussion.
> Kerry A. "TONS to tell you all about" Shirts
I can't wait to hear about it. Did you read the FAQ?
> Kerry A. "Ribaldy, radical Mormon in ways not thought of before" Shirts
Hee hee! You should have seen all of the permutations when we
radicalized the mahonri list. A couple of our members got the boot from
mahonri-l at that time. Since then the list died, or reformed without
the radicals.
> You guys talk about EVERYTHING dontchta!? Course, we did on the Old Prodigy
> days also.
Ahh, you've been reading the archives. Maybe we are renaissance
mormons! Did you check out the "pre-history" section? Many of your old
*P* posts are in there.
> Hopefully I'll be able to make some contributions and
> re-acquaint myself with old friends, and be forgiven by some enemies (?)
> who are also here.
It is an open list. We don't use a listserver. I post everything to
the web.
We operate on consensus. If yer 'enemies' hold it agaist you, you could
be blackballed. It has happened once or twice. Mostly, we are all
self-selected, or self referred. Many people ask to join, but when they
read the FAQ, I never hear from them again. Sometimes they are
sidetracked by personal interactions with individual mutants. This is
fine with me. I want the circle to be a platform for action. I'll let
you know in a day or two.
> I'm not exactly the most cordial on Alt.
> Religion.Mormon,
I've been wondering what you've been up to. Sounds like a blast.
> but here we might have a lot more fun. I can delve into
> the so-called Voo Doo stuff - GRIN!
Ahh, the Voo Doo stuff. Being in this list has been a soul-shaking
experience for me. It sometimes felt as if we were opening the temple
in the next grade. We've had some wonderful people drift in and out;
Art deHoyos, George Head, and others. I'll never forget the time that
we got JSW to let his gaurd down ;-} and tell us what he "really" thinks
about AdamGod. Things have never been the same for me since. The tarot
discussions were similarly life-transforming.
It has been a little slow of late. With the return of Beth and
yourself, maybe that is changing.
Regards,
proclus
> ----------
> From: proclus[SMTP:proclus@mac.com]
> Sent: Friday, January 08, 1999 10:09 PM
> To: Andy Mcguire; Kathleen McGuire; R. Trent Reynolds; Theurgus@aol.com;
> jswick@cris.com; rds@acsu.buffalo.edu; Beth Quick; proclus@mac.com;
> rpcman@hotmail.com; onandagus@webtv.net; Neoptolmus@aol.com;
> dcombe@rain.org; Beth
> Subject: Re: [Fwd: mutantRMs]
>
> Nice to hear from you again, Beth. Your on the list.
>
> BTW, Some of you may know Kerry Shirts, who figures largely in the
> mutant prehistory archive. (hi Kerry! Long time no see.). He is quite a
> book of abraham scholar. I just rediscovered his website, which is very
> cool. Here is the address.
>
> http://www.cyberhighway.net/~shirtail/mormonis.htm
>
> Regards,
> proclus
>
> --
> Visit proclus' realm! http://www.proclus-realm.com/home.html
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> r+++ y++++
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--
Visit proclus' realm! http://www.proclus-realm.com/home.html
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Subject:
RE: [Fwd: mutantRMs]
Date:
Tue, 12 Jan 1999 00:26:33 -0700
From:
Kerry Shirts
To:
'proclus'
----------
From: proclus[SMTP:proclus@mac.com]
Sent: Monday, January 11, 1999 8:35 AM
Subject: Re: [Fwd: mutantRMs]
I can't wait to hear about it. Did you read the FAQ?
Yep. I see you are right on par as usual........you crack me up man......
> You guys talk about EVERYTHING dontchta!? Course, we did on the Old
Prodigy
> days also.
Ahh, you've been reading the archives. Maybe we are renaissance
mormons! Did you check out the "pre-history" section? Many of your old
*P* posts are in there.
AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Man I forgot I had all those spectacular discussions
with you on the papyri, Enoch, Oannes, etc. I had tears in my eyes as I
read through many of those old P days!!! Ahhhhh, the memories........ So
how many old P folks are around these parts now?
> Hopefully I'll be able to make some contributions and
> re-acquaint myself with old friends, and be forgiven by some enemies (?)
> who are also here.
It is an open list. We don't use a listserver. I post everything to
the web.
We operate on consensus. If yer 'enemies' hold it agaist you, you could
be blackballed. It has happened once or twice.
Aw screw em......GRIN! I'll stick around anyway, like a "True Love." (Get
it?)
Mostly, we are all
self-selected, or self referred.
KEWL, I fit right in.
Many people ask to join, but when they
read the FAQ, I never hear from them again.
Small minds perhaps?
Sometimes they are
sidetracked by personal interactions with individual mutants. This is
fine with me. I want the circle to be a platform for action. I'll let
you know in a day or two.
I'm a waitin.......tell RPCMan he may be quite surprised at me outside the
ARM realm. There I have rather sassed him unstoppingly, but at ARM perhaps
we'll see more eye to eye, who knows. I hope he ain't too bitter at me. Aw
hell man, I beat up Stephanie Orris worse than I did RPCMan.......
> I'm not exactly the most cordial on Alt.
> Religion.Mormon,
I've been wondering what you've been up to. Sounds like a blast.
> but here we might have a lot more fun. I can delve into
> the so-called Voo Doo stuff - GRIN!
Ahh, the Voo Doo stuff. Being in this list has been a soul-shaking
experience for me. It sometimes felt as if we were opening the temple
in the next grade. We've had some wonderful people drift in and out;
Art deHoyos, George Head, and others. I'll never forget the time that
we got JSW to let his gaurd down ;-} and tell us what he "really" thinks
about AdamGod. Things have never been the same for me since. The tarot
discussions were similarly life-transforming.
HEY! I've gathered a lot o new stuff on the Tarot and junk, er, stuff like
that. Could get interesting again I tells ya.......
It has been a little slow of late. With the return of Beth and
yourself, maybe that is changing.
Maybe my eye. Man lets get with it.....GRIN! Well, actually every new year
has to start slow and then wind up right? I mean think about it Proclus.
....here we are at the VERY last of the millenium and all the sudden we are
all re-united? Coincidence my butt, it's destiny my friend(s).
Regards,
proclus
Kerry A. Shirts
Subject:
Welcome Kerry!
Date:
Thu, 14 Jan 1999 11:28:29 -0500
From:
proclus
To:
Andy Mcguire ,
Kathleen McGuire ,
"R. Trent Reynolds" ,
"Theurgus@aol.com" ,
"jswick@cris.com" ,
"rds@acsu.buffalo.edu" ,
Beth Quick ,
"proclus@mac.com" ,
"rpcman@hotmail.com" ,
"onandagus@webtv.net" ,
"Neoptolmus@aol.com" ,
"dcombe@rain.org" , Beth ,
Kerry Shirts
References:
1
Everyone welcome Kerry to the circle!
Kerry, this is your first message as an "official" mutantRM. As you
know, this is an informal group. For various reasons, we have chosen
not to use a listserver. This means that the list is not automated, and
you should do two things to participate. First, when you reply to
messages, you should select the "Reply All" or "Reply to sender and all
recipients" option. Second, if your email software has address book
capabilities, you should make a group of all the recipients in this
message. That way you can quickly broadcast to the whole group when you
want to.
> From: Joe Steve Swick III
> To: proclus
>
> ___Proclus___
> The tarot discussions were similarly life-transforming.
> -----
>
> Well, there is certainly a lot more to be said about this. We'll have to
> take up this topic again some time if you would like. I think George would
> enjoy it immensely.
That would be fabulous. Maybe Bob Black would like to come back for
that as well. I'm afraid that the tarot discussions got bogged down
last time because we had a few minor disagreements about some details.
Did I miss something? Let's agree to keep the discussion open. We need
to have some patience not to let small disagreements block the process.
Hopefully, we are all still learning something here. I know that I am.
> I just picked up a copy of Rudolf Steiner's book, The Temple Legend. I'll
> give it a pass through and let you know if it's any good.
Please, let us know. It sounds interesting, and we're always on the
lookout for a good read, eh?
> Also, I just finished Cooper's book on Mithrasism, and reread Ulansey's book
> on the same topic. Very interesting going. Cooper is no scholar, but an
> occultist; I was pleasantly surprised at some of his insights into
> Mithrasism that most scholars outside of the mystery tradition would not
> have known. However, Ulansey's book is head and shoulders above anything
> else I have seen on this subject. Also had a fun romp through Marvin W.
> Meyer's The Ancient Mysteries: A Sourcebook. VERY enlightening.
I think that you and Kerry have something in common here. You read
EVERYTHING! ;-} Holy Cow! I'm still reading The Sufis! You know,
sometimes grad school is the pits.
> Gotta jet-- I'm off to conspire with the Masons tonight.
Hehe, sounds like fun. I have always considered myself a mason in
spirit, as you probably already know. I'm thinking that I would like to
make it official soon after I'm finished at Brandeis U.
Many Regards,
proclus
> Cheers,
> JSW
--
Visit proclus' realm! http://www.proclus-realm.com/home.html
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Subject:
rpcman on Quinn
Date:
Thu, 14 Jan 1999 11:47:24 -0500
From:
proclus
To:
Andy Mcguire ,
Kathleen McGuire ,
"R. Trent Reynolds" ,
"Theurgus@aol.com" , "jswick@cris.com" ,
"rds@acsu.buffalo.edu" ,
Beth Quick , "proclus@mac.com" ,
"rpcman@hotmail.com" ,
"onandagus@webtv.net" ,
"Neoptolmus@aol.com" ,
"dcombe@rain.org" , Beth ,
Kerry Shirts
Rpcman, how is the Mormon Ring doing these days. Your work in the ring
and on your voluminous website is definitely appreciated. I am trying
to think of a way to increase traffic in the ring and to mutantRMs. I
would like to give a link from one of my higher traffic pages, but I
have a problem in that the material is not obviously germain. Here are
the links. Let me know if you have any ideas.
http://www.proclus-realm.com/gawainlinks.html
http://www.geocities.com/Athens/4518/psr.html
BTW, I read your glowing review of the Quinn/Roberts book _The New
Mormon History : Revisionist Essays on the Past_. Nice work. I am
thinking of picking up the book as a primer. Here is the link for
those that are interested.
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1560850116/ref%3Dsim%5Fbooks/002-7603547-4881848
Regards,
proclus
--
Visit proclus' realm! http://www.proclus-realm.com/home.html
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Subject:
Re: Welcome Kerry!
Date:
Thu, 14 Jan 1999 20:09:51 -0800
From:
Joe Steve Swick III
To:
proclus , Andy Mcguire ,
Kathleen McGuire ,
"R. Trent Reynolds" , Theurgus@aol.com,
rds@acsu.buffalo.edu, Beth Quick , rpcman@hotmail.com,
onandagus@webtv.net, Neoptolmus@aol.com, dcombe@rain.org,
Beth , Kerry Shirts
___Proclus___
Everyone welcome Kerry to the circle!
-----
ANOTHER mutation.... and its KERRY SHIRTS?! Damn, what's the world coming
to?
___Proclus___
That would be fabulous. Maybe Bob Black would like to come back for that as
well. I'm afraid that the tarot discussions got bogged down last time
because we had a few minor disagreements about some details.
-----
For Kerry's edification... no, I don't use Tarot for divination. I'm much
more interested in a Jungian approach to the subject; I believe that the
Keys are powerful sym b ols, encouraging deep a spiritual reflection that can
be very healthy. IMHO, "divination" is a cheap activity using a powerful
psychological tool.
___Proclus___
Let's agree to keep the discussion open. We need to have some patience not
to let small disagreements block the process. Hopefully, we are all still
learning something here. I know that I am.
----
While Robert and I have very different views on this subject, I believe that
this is important to know but not a hindrance to investigation. Realize that
what we SEE BEST in the Keys is what we ARE.
___JSW___
Gotta jet-- I'm off to conspire with the Masons tonight.
___Proclus___
Hehe, sounds like fun. I have always considered myself a mason in spirit,
as you probably already know. I'm thinking that I would like to make it
official soon after I'm finished at Brandeis U.
-----
Please keep me informed of any progress in this regard.
Cheers,
JSW
Subject:
Sufi class notes 1/14/99
Date:
Thu, 14 Jan 1999 23:13:29 -0500 (EST)
From:
Theurgus@aol.com
To:
proclus@mac.com, MCGUIREA@a1.bellhow.com, kathleen@enol.com,
trent@goodnet.com, jswick@cris.com, rds@acsu.buffalo.edu, ariel144@hotmail.com,
rpcman@hotmail.com, onandagus@webtv.net, dcombe@rain.org,
timquick@cwnet.com
CC:
kshaw@dalsemi.com
Sufi class notes-Jan. 14, 1999-Dallas, Texas
A woman asked how to deal with chronic anger. Mr. Madaani said that negative
states come upon us like
infections, they are invasions by outside forces. The whole of our field of
awareness is our home, and
negative states are intruders into our home. Intruders are simply to be
expelled from our homes, but that
requires that we have the strength and balance to defend ourselves. Strength
and balance come from being
centered in our true Self, located at a point in the chest where the physical
heart is. As long as our attention
is centered in the heart, our spirit has the power to fend-off invading
negative forces. The spirit is called
"Ruh" in Arabic and is intimately connected to the breath, in fact "Ruh"
means both breath and spirit.
When we let our attention wander aimlessly about the field of our awareness,
we are captured by all
kinds of sensory phenomena and lose contact with our point of origin, and
become vulnerable to
whatever negativity is in our environment. The key is constantly seek our
point of origin in our chest
by scanning the sensations until we feel the pumping of the heart, and then
directing breath and attention
to that area. There is a point inside the area of the heat muscle that is
the passage into the other dimension
from which we came. It isn’t a "physical" location in the heart muscle, but
the heart grows there because
that point is already there. That is the door we must go through to reconnect
with the World of Light,
our true home. The more we connect with that point in the chest, the more our
true Self is manifested.
As the true Self manifests, our inner lives become rich and powerful and full
of joy. We find and fulfill
our true destinies. Anything that separates us from the immediate awareness
of our breath, is separating
us from our point of origin; which is God.
Mr. Madaani said that he shows up every week because he knows how much is at
stake. If he doesn’t
do his part to help us find our way to salvation then he will lose his. We
must determine for ourselves
if this way is the Way of God, and then give ourselves to it without
reservation. Man is asleep and
only awakens at the point of death when it is too late. The Sufis are here to
try to help us awaken before
death and fulfill our true destiny.
Jan. 14, 1999
Dallas, Texas
Subject:
ONLINE SYMPOSIUM ON JEWISH MYSTICISM & SLAMIC SUFI
Date:
Thu, 14 Jan 1999 23:37:58 -0500 (EST)
From:
Theurgus@aol.com
To:
jswick@cris.com, proclus@mac.com, MCGUIREA@a1.bellhow.com,
kathleen@enol.com, trent@goodnet.com, rds@acsu.buffalo.edu,
ariel144@hotmail.com, rpcman@hotmail.com, onandagus@webtv.net,
dcombe@rain.org, timquick@cwnet.com, shirtail@cyberhighway.net
Reply-To: amirah@earthlink.net
Sender: Jewish Meditation Discussion List
From: "Yakov Leib HaKohain [Jacob Leib Cohen, Ph.D.]"
Organization: The Donmeh of the Internet
Subject: ONLINE SYMPOSIUM ON JEWISH MYSTICISM & ISLAMIC SUFI
To: DEVEKUT@MAELSTROM.STJOHNS.EDU
Mime-Version: 1.0
Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII
Content-transfer-encoding: 7bit
A discussion about the historical and theological relationships between
Esoteric Judaism and Islamic Sufi is taking place at The Donmeh of the
Internet among several noted Oriental scholars, including Profs. Avraham
Elqayam (Bar Ilan University, Israel), Evgueni Tortchinov (University of
St. Petersburg), Harris Lenowitz (University of Utah) and others.
Anyone interested in joining this online "symposium" -- either as an
active participant or a passive "reader" -- is welcome to do so by
sendding the message "subscribe donmeh" (exactly as shown but without
quote marks) to majordomo@list-server.net, or they can contact me at my
personal email address.
Of course, there is no obligation to remain on the list once the current
symposium is concluded.
Kol tuv,
Jacob Leib Cohen, Ph.D.
[DONMEH Moderator]
Subject:
Sufi class notes 1/21/99
Date:
Fri, 22 Jan 1999 08:04:36 -0600 (CST)
From:
kshaw@dalsemi.com (Ken Shaw)
To:
mutants@iname.com
CC:
owner-donmeh@List-Server.net, kshaw@dalsemi.com
Three laws of Sufism:
1) Words do not carry meaning. Words are only pointers to access
images and memories stored inside us. The meaning of "water" can
only be transmitted by actually drinking water.
2) Descriptions of unexperienced realities only covers those realities
with self-generated mental images. A reality can be so obscured by
images as to be unrecognizable when actually encountered.
3) Inherited religion has no reality or power to save. Everyone has
to be converted to God from scratch. One has to become an "unbeliever"
before true belief can be found.
Ken Shaw
1/21/99
Dallas, Texas
Subject:
[DONMEH] Readings from World Scriptures
Date:
Fri, 22 Jan 1999 07:37:21 -0600 (CST)
From:
kshaw@dalsemi.com (Ken Shaw)
To:
mutants@iname.com
----- Begin Included Message -----
>From owner-donmeh@List-Server.net Fri Jan 22 07:33:11 1999
Date: Fri, 22 Jan 1999 06:36:49 -0700 (MST)
To: donmeh@List-Server.net
From: Prof.Andrew.Wilson@salmon.esosoft.net
Subject: [DONMEH] Readings from World Scriptures
Sender: owner-donmeh@List-Server.net
Content-Length: 20826
THE MESSIAH
The scriptures of many religions speak of a coming leader who
will
consummate the fulfillment of the divine will on earth. He will
manifest in his person the righteousness and compassion of God, and he
will bring about the final defeat of evil, and establish the Kingdom of
Heaven on earth. The Hebrew title Messiah--'Christ' in Greek means
"anointed one," that person who will be specially chosen by God for this
mission and empowered to accomplish it. But while the term Messiah is
specific to only a few religions, prophecies that a leader will come and
accomplish such a mission are nearly universal. Religions call him by
various names: Jews long for the promised Messiah; for Christians the
Messiah is Jesus of Nazareth, who has already come and ascended to
heaven
but will reappear (perhaps in a new guise) at his Second Coming.
Muslims
also expect the second advent of Jesus, who will come as a Muslim Imam,
and among Shiite Muslims there are various expectations of a future Imam
Mahdi. Buddhist sutras prophesy the coming of the Maitreya Buddha;
Vaishnavite Hindu scriptures prophesy the future descent of an avatar
named Kalki; Zoroastrian scriptures prophesy the coming of the
Saoshyant;
and some Confucian texts speak of a future True Man who will finally
bring
peace to the world by perfectly instituting the Way of Confucius.
Various
prophecies of these future redeemers are gathered, by religion, in this
section.
"Surely I am coming soon." Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!
Christianity. Revelation 22.20
For to us a child is born,
to us a son is given,
and the government shall be upon his shoulder,
and his name shall be called
"Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace."
Of the increase of his government and of peace
there will be no end,
upon the throne of David, and over his kingdom,
to establish it, and to uphold it
with justice and with righteousness,
from this time forth and for ever more.
The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.
Judaism and Christianity. Isaiah 9.6-7
I saw in the night visions,
and behold, with the clouds of heaven
there came one like a son of man.
He came to the Ancient of Days
and was presented before him.
And to him was given dominon
and glory and kingdom,
that all peoples, nations, and languages
should serve him.
His dominion is an everlasting dominion,
which shall not pass away.
And his kingdom one
that shall not be destroyed.
Judaism and Christianity. Daniel 7.13-14
Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be
darkened,
and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from
heaven,
and the powers of heaven will be shaken; then will appear the sign of
the
Son of man in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn,
and
they will see the Son of man coming on the clouds of heaven with power
and
great glory; and he will send out his angels with a loud trumpet call,
and
they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven
to
the other.
Christianity. Matthew 24.29-31
- - - - - - - - - - - -
Isaiah 9.6-7: See Isaiah 42.1-4, pp. 367-68.
Daniel 7.13-14: The 'son of man' is given dominion after the last beast
is
slain; see Revelation 13.1-18, pp. 777-78n. Christians identify the son
of man with Jesus, and thus is the term used in the Gospels; see the
following passage. Matthew 24.29-31: This passage occurs in the context
of
Jesus' discourse on the Mount of Olives; see Matthew 24.3-14, 32-33, p.
776. For a reinterpretation, see Book of Certitude, 33-41, p. 779.
- - - - - - - - - - - -
Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse! He who sat upon it
is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he judges and makes
war.
His eyes are like a flame of fire, and on his head are many diadems, and
he has a name inscribed which no one knows but himself. He is clad in a
robe dipped in blood, and the name by which he is called is The Word of
God. And the armies of heaven, arrayed in fine linen, white and pure,
followed him on white horses. From his mouth issues a sharp sword with
which to smite the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron; he
will tread the wine press of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty.
On his robe and on his thigh he has a name inscribed, King of kings and
Lord of lords.
Christianity. Revelation 19.11-16
Rabbi Joshua ben Levi met Elijah at the mouth of the cave of Rabbi
Simeon
ben Yohai. He asked Elijah, "When will the Messiah come?" Elijah
replied, "Go and ask him." "But where is he?" "At the gates of Rome."
"And how shall I recognize him?" "He sits among the wretched who are
suffering from sores; all the others uncover all their wounds, and then
bind them all up again, but he uncovers and binds up each one
separately,
for he thinks, 'Lest I should be summoned and be detained.'"
Then Rabbi Joshua found him and said to him, "Peace be with you,
my
Master and Rabbi." The Messiah replied, "Peace be with you, son of
Levi."
He said, "When is the Master coming?" He replied, "Today."
Then Rabbi Joshua returned to Elijah, who said, "What did he say
to
you?" He replied, "Peace be with you, son of Levi." Elijah said, "Then
he
assured to you and your father a place in the world to come." The rabbi
said, "He spoke falsely to me, for he said he would come today, and he
has
not come." Then Elijah said, "He meant 'today, if you hearken to His
voice!" [Psalm 95.7]
Judaism. Talmud, Sanhedrin 98a
In the time to come... the Patriarchs will say, "Ephraim, our righteous
Messiah, though we are your ancestors, you are greater than we. For you
have borne the sins of our children, and you have borne heavy
punishments,
such as neither the former nor the latter generations have endured, and
you became the laughter and the mocking of all the nations for Israel's
sake, and you sat in darkness, and your eyes saw no light. And your
skin
shrank upon your bones, and your body withered like a tree, and your
eyes
grew dark from fasting, and your strength dried up like a potsherd, and
all this befell you because ofthe sins of our children. Is it uour will
that your children should enjoy the felicity which God has destined to
give them in abundance? Perhaps because of the pains which you have
endured in overflowing measure for their sakes, and because thou hast
lain
fettered in prison, your mind is not at rest because of them?" Messiah
will reply, "Patriarchs, all that I have done, I have done only for your
sakes and for your children, and for your honor and theirs, so that they
may enjoy the felicity which God has destined for them in abundance."
Then
they reply, "May your mind be appeased, for you have appeased the mind
of
your Creator and our mind."
Judaism. Midrash, Pesikta Rabbati 162b-63a
- - - - - - - - - - - -
Revelation 19.11-16: This is the image of the conquering Messiah, the
King
of kings, who brings judgment upon the beast--see Revelation 13.1-18, p.
931, and all wickedness. The sharp sword which issues from his mouth
symbolizes the power of the king's decree: that is the Word of God. He
has a name known only to himself. Sanhedrin 98a: Rabbinic Judaism
learned
to live with the seemingly neverending delay of the Bible's messianic
promises. It turned inward, having been purged of all political
ambition
after the disastrous defeats in the Jewish War (68-70 >a.d.) and the Bar
Kochba Rebellion (132 >a.d.). Here the historical promise of the coming
of the Messiah is transformed to a personal encounter of faith. Elijah
functions as a heavenly interpreter of God's secrets; cf. Baba Metzia
59ab, p. 682. On the Messiah's suffering, see Isaiah 52.13-53.12, p.
556,
and the following passage; also Divine Principle I.3.5.2, p. 933.
- - - - - - - - - - - -
And [Jesus] shall be a Sign of the Hour [of Judgment]; therefore have no
doubt about it, but follow Me: this is a straight way.
Islam. Qur'an 43.61
The Messenger of Allah observed, "What will be your state when the Son
of
Mary descends amongst you, and there will be an Imam amongst you? What
would you do when the son of Mary would descend and lead you?"
Islam. Hadith of Muslim
The Apostle of Allah said, "Were there remaining but one day of the
duration of all time, God would send forth a man from the people of my
house, who will fill the earth with equity as it has been filled with
oppression."
Islam. Hadith of Abu Dawud
The Imam who will create a world state will make the ruling
nations
pay for their crimes against society. He will bring succor to humanity.
He will take out the hidden wealth from the breast of the earth and will
distribute it equitably amongst the needy deserving. He will teach you
simple living and high thinking. He will make you understand that
virtu e
is a state of character which is always a mean between the two extremes,
and which is based upon equity and justice. He will revive the teaching
of the Holy Qur'-an and the traditions of the Holy Prophet after the
world
has ignored them as dead letters....
He will protect and defend himself with resources of science and
supreme knowledge. His control over these resources will be complete.
He
will know how supreme they are and how carefully they will have to be
used. His mind will be free from desires of bringing harm and injury to
humanity. Such a knowledge to him will be like the property which was
wrongly possessed by others and for which he was waiting for the
permission to repossess and use.
He, in the beginning, will be like a poor stranger unknown and
uncared for, and Islam then will be in the hopeless and helpless plight
of
an exhausted camel who has laid down its head and is wagging its tail.
With such a start he will establish an empire of God in this world. He
will be the final demonstration and proof of God's merciful wish to
acquaint man with the right ways of life.
Islam (Shiite). Nahjul Balagha, Khutba 141, 187
- - - - - - - - - - - -
Pesikta Rabbati 162b-63a: This rabbinic conception of a suffering
Messiah
who takes upon himself the sins of Israel stands alongside the older
belief that the Messiah would come as a conquering king. This is
undoubtedly a midrash on Isaiah 52.13-53.12, p. 556. Compare the
standard
Christian interpretation of that prophecy as a description of the
vicarious suffering of Jesus Christ for the sins of humankind. Qur'an
43.61: Many Muslims await the Second Coming of Christ, who will come to
herald the Last Judgment. Hadith of Muslim: In this tradition, Christ
will appear in the flesh as a Muslim Imam. Yet most people will not
heed,
their faith being corrupt; compare Divine Principle I.3.5.2, pp. 933f.
- - - - - - - - - - - -
He shall be the victorious Benefactor (Saoshyant) by name and
World-renovator [Astavat-ereta] by name. He is Benefactor because he
will
benefit the entire physical world; he is World-renovator because he will
establish the physical living existence indestructible. He will oppose
the evil of the progeny of the biped and withstand the enmity produced
by
the faithful.
Zoroastrianism. Avesta, Farvardin Yast 13.129
Whenever the Law declines and the purpose of life is forgotten, I
manifest
myself on earth. I am born in every age to protect the good, to destroy
evil, and to reestablish the Law.
Hinduism. Bhagavad Gita 4.7-8
When the practices taught by the Vedas and the institutes of law shall
nearly have ceased, and the close of the Kali age shall be nigh, a
portion
of that divine being who exists of his own spiritual nature in the
character of Brahma, and who is the beginning and the end, and who
comprehends all things, shall descend upon the earth. He will be born
as
Kalki in the family of an eminent brahmin of Sambhala village, endowed
with the eight superhuman faculties. By his irresistible might he will
destroy all the barbarians and thieves, and all whose minds are devoted
to
iniquity. He will then reestablish righteousness upon earth; and the
minds of those who live at the end of the Kali age shall be awakened,
and
shall be as pellucid as crystal. The men who are thus changed by virtue
of that peculiar time shall be as the seeds of human beings, and shall
give birth to a race who shall follow the laws of the Krita age, the Age
of Purity. As it is said, "When the sun and moon, and the luner
asterism
Tishya, and the planet Jupiter, are in one mansion, the Krita age shall
return."
Hinduism. Vishnu Purana 4.24
- - - - - - - - - - - -
Nahjul Balagha, Khutba 141, 187: These are prophecies of the Imam Mahdi,
who will come to establish God's kingdom throughout the whole world and
restore true faith. Bhagavad Gita 4.7-8: This is the classic verse on
the
doctrine of Vishnu's incarnations or avatars. Of the ten classical
avatars of Vishnu, nine have come in the past: the fish, the tortoise,
the
boar, the man-lion, the dwarf, Rama, Rama-with-the-Axe, Krishna, and the
Buddha. The tenth avatar is the future savior, Kalki (see below). In
addition, many leaders of sectarian Hindu movements such as Chaitanya
(1486-1533), Ramakrishna (1836-1886), Sri Aurobindo (1872-1950), his
wife
Mira Richard "the Mother" (1878-1973), Meher Baba (1894-1969), and Satya
Sai Baba (1926-) are revered as avatars whose missions will culminate in
the coming of a new age for humanity. Cf. Srimad Bhagavatam 1.1, p.
564.
- - - - - - - - - - - -
Thus have I heard: At one time the Buddha was staying near Kapilavatthu
in the Banyan monastery on the bank of the river Rohani. Then the
venerable Sariputta questioned the Lord about the future Conquerer,
The Hero that shall follow you,
The Buddha--of what sort will he be?
I want to hear of him in full.
Let the Visioned One describe him.
When he heard the elder's speech the Lord spoke thus,
I will tell you, Sariputta;
listen to my speech.
In this auspicious aeon
Three leaders there have been:
Kakusandha, Konagamana,
and the leader Kassapa too.
I am now the perfect Buddha;
and there will be Maitreya too
before this same auspicious aeon
runs to the end of its years.
Buddhism. Anagata-vamsa
In those days, brethren, there will arise in the world an Exalted One
named Metteya. He will be an Arahant, Fully Awakened, abounding in
wisdom
and goodness, happy, with knowledge of the worlds, unsurpassed as a
guide
to mortals willing to be led, a teacher for gods and men, an Exalted
One,
a Buddha, even as I am now. He, by himself, will thoroughly know and
see,
as it were face to face, this universe, with its worlds of the spirits,
its Brahm-as and its M-aras, and its world of recluses and brahmins, of
princes and peoples, even as I now, by myself, thoroughly know and see
them. The Law, lovely in its origin, lovely in its progress, lovely in
its consummation, will he proclaim, both in the spirit and in the
letter;
the higher life will he make known, in all its fulness and in all its
purity, even as I do now. He will be accompanied by a congregation of
some thousands of brethren, even as I am now accompanied by a
congregation
of some hundreds of brethren.
Buddhism. Digha Nikaya iii.76, Chakkavatti Sihanada Suttanta
- - - - - - - - - - - -
Anagata-vamsa: The Maitreya (Pali: Metteya) is predicted to be the
future
Buddha in the scriptures of both Theravada and Mahayana Buddhism. In
both
traditions some consider him as the future Messiah who will usher in the
new age of bliss and consummation. On the Anagata-vamsa, see p. 932
note.
- - - - - - - - - - - -
Listen attentively with one heart. A man whose spirit shines brightly,
a
man whose mind is completely unified, a man whose virtue excels
everyone--such a man will truly appear in this world. When he preaches
precious laws, all the people will totally be satisfied as if the
thirsty
drink sweet drops of rain from heaven. And each and every one will
attain
the path of liberation from struggles.
Buddhism. Sutra of the Great Accomplishment of the Maitreya
Miroku, the Great God, comes forth, endowed with the
great strength of the three in one--Fire, Water, Earth.
Miroku, the Great God, from of old has planted
heaven upon earth.
Miroku, the Great God, even as comes a thief,
has secretly been born below.
Leaving behind the highly exalted throne to bring
salvation, Miroku has been born below.
Sekai Kyusei Kyo. Inori-no-Shu
Confucius said, "If a Kingly Man were to arise, within a single
generation
Goodness would prevail."
Confucianism. Analects 13.12
It is only the man with the most perfect divine moral nature who
is
able to combine in himself quickness of apprehension, intelligence and
understanding--qualities necessary for the exercise of command,
magnanimity, generosity, benignity, and gentleness--qualities necessary
for the exercise of patience, originality, energy, strength of
character,
and determination--qualities necessary for the exercise of endurance,
piety, noble seriousness, order, and regularity--qualities necessary for
the exercise of dignity, grace, method, subtlety, and
penetration--qualities necessary for the exercise of critical judgment.
Thus all-embracing and vast is the nature of such a man.
Profound
it is and inexhaustible, like a living spring of water, ever running out
with life and vitality. All-embracing and vast, it is like Heaven.
Profound and inexhaustible, it is like the abyss.
As soon as such a man shall make his appearance in the world, all
people will reverence him. Whatever he says, all people will believe
it.
Whatever he does, all people will be pleased with it. Thus his fame and
name will spread and fill all the civilized world, extending even to
savage countries, wherever ships and carriages reach, wherever the labor
and enterprise of man penetrate, wherever the heavens overshadow and the
earth sustain, wherever the sun and moon shine, wherever frost and dew
fall. All who have life and breath will honor and love him. Therefore
we
may say, "He is the equal of God."
It is only he in this world, who has realized his absolute self,
that can order and adjust the great relations of human society, fix the
fundamental principles of morality, and understand the laws of growth
and
reproduction of the universe.
Now, where does such a man derive his power and knowledge, except
from himself? How simple and self-contained his true manhood! How
unfathomable the depth of his mind! How infinitely grand and vast the
moral height of his nature! Who can understand such a nature except he
who is pngted with the most perfect intelligence and endowed with the
highest divine qualities of character, and who has reached in his moral
development the level of the gods?
Confucianism. Doctrine of the Mean 31-32
O peoples of the earth! By the righteousness of God! Whatever you have
been promised in the Books of your Lord, the Ruler of the Day of Return
has appeared and been made manifest. Beware lest the changes and
chances
of the world hold you back from Him Who is the Sovereign Truth.
Baha'i Faith. Tablets of Baha'u'llah Revealed after the
Kitab-i-Aqdas, 231-32
- - - - - - - - - - - -
Sutra of the Great Accomplishment of the Maitreya: This is from one of
the
"six Maitreya Sutras" in the Chinese Buddhist canon. Inori-no-Shu:
Miroku
is the Japanese form of Maitreya, the future Buddha. In the Japanese
new
religions of the Omoto group, Maitreya is featured as the inaugurator of
the new age, the eschatological Kingdom of Heaven. Doctrine of the Mean
31-32: These two chapters express the ideal of the Kingly Man who is to
come. On the one hand, they apply to Confucius, and many hold that
these
chapters were written in praise of him. On the other hand, they
anticipate one who has yet to make his appearance in the world. Tablets
of Baha'u'llah Revealed after the Kitab-i-Aqdas, 231-32: Many of the
messianic religions which have arisen in modern societies have utopian
and
universalist visions which embrace the entire globe. Thus, in the
Baha'i
Faith the new Messiah, Baha'u'llah, realizes in his person the missions
of
all the redemeers prophesied by the various world religions. See also
Divine Principle I.3.4.3, p. 953.
- - - - - - - - - - - -
----- End Included Message -----
Subject:
[Fwd: Interesting Kabbalah stuff]
Date:
Wed, 20 Jan 1999 19:35:41 -0500
From:
Michael Love
To:
proclus
Subject:
Interesting Kabbalah stuff
Date:
Wed, 20 Jan 1999 13:35:10 -0600 (CST)
From:
kshaw@dalsemi.com (Ken Shaw)
To:
mutants@iname.com
----- Begin Included Message -----
>From owner-nazarene@nazarene.net Tue Jan 19 10:58:13 1999
Date: Tue, 19 Jan 99 10:41:21 CST
From: kshaw@dalsemi.com (Ken Shaw)
To: nazarene@nazarene.net
Subject: [nazarene] Interesting Kabbalah stuff
Sender: owner-nazarene@nazarene.net
Reply-To: nazarene@nazarene.net
Content-Length: 3402
AGE OF PLANET ACCORDING TO KABBALAH
>The total is 15,340,500,000. Those familiar with contemporary
>astronomical findings will recall that current estimates
place the
>age of the universe at...you guessed it...15 billion.
AL-KARIM COMMENTS:
Excellent!! That's just like the SOORY(A)SIDDHANT estimate
being 4,320,000,000 years for the Earth and current estimates being
4.5B.
----
PARTICLES OF SOUL ACCORDING TO KABBALAH:
>Raising up the Holy Sparks together
AL-KARIM COMMENTS:
"Islamic doctrine goes further than the other great religions,
for it proclaims the presence of the soul, perhaps minute but
nevertheless existing in an embryonic state, in all existence
in matter, in animals, trees, and space itself. Everyindividual,
every molecule, every atom has its own spiritual relationship
with the All-Powerful Soul of God. But men and women, being
more highly developed, are immensely more advanced than
the infinite number of other beings known to us. Islam
acknowledges the existence of angels, of great souls who
have developed themselves to the highest possible planes of
the human soul and higher, and who are centres of the forces
which are scattered throughout the Universe. Without going as
far as Christianity, Islam recognizes the existence ofevil
spirits which seek by means of their secret suggestions to us
to turn us from good, from that straight way traced by God's
finger for the eternal happiness of the humblest as of the
greatest - Abraham, Jesus, Mohammed."
Extract from -
The Memoirs of the Aga Khan by H.H. The Aga Khan III
YAKOV LEIB REPLIES:
>From "Instructions in InAsaalamu alaikum brother Al-Karim! Thank you so much for calling these
wonderful correspondences between Islam and Kabbalah to our attention.
With regard to the correspondence between the "particles of soul"
(Islam) and the Nitzozot (Holy Sparks of Kabbalah), you might want to
read my post on "The Theory and Practice of Tikkun" in the Archives. In
the meantime, I leave you with this quote from the 18th century Jewish
mystic and founder of mystical Hassidism, the Baal Shem Tov, who was
expressing the 16th century Jewish concept of Lurianic Tikkun:
"The Holy Sparks that fell when God built and destroyed worlds, man
shall raise and purify upward from stone to plant, from plant to animal,
from animal to speaking being -- purify the Holy Sparks that are
imprisoned in the world of Evil Shells.
"All that man has -- his servants, his animals, his tools -- all conceal
Holy Sparks that belong to the roots of his soul and wish to be raised
by him to their origin.
"Therefore, all things of this world that belong to man desire with all
their might to draw near to him in order that the Sparks of Holiness
that are in them should be raised by him back to the Origin.
"Man eats them, man drinks them, man uses them; these are the Holy
Sparks that dwell in the things. Therefore, one should have mercy on his
tools and all his possessions for the sake of the Holy Sparks that are
in them; one should have mercy on the Holy Sparks."
tercourse With God"
Martin Buber, Translator
This list provided by SANJ sponsers: http://www.nazarene.net
SANJ is a non-profit organization
----- End Included Message -----
Subject:
[DONMEH] Sufi and Sab bateanism Articles: Part 2
Date:
Wed, 20 Jan 1999 13:36:46 -0600 (CST)
From:
kshaw@dalsemi.com (Ken Shaw)
To:
mutants@iname.com
----- Begin Included Message -----
>From owner-donmeh@List-Server.net Fri Jan 15 07:40:26 1999
Date: Fri, 15 Jan 1999 06:41:56 -0700 (MST)
To: donmeh@List-Server.net
From: Prof.Avraham.Elqayam@salmon.esosoft.net
Subject: [DONMEH] Sufi and Sabbateanism Articles: Part 2
Sender: owner-donmeh@List-Server.net
Content-Length: 4517
[NOTE: For those Sufi chaverim who recently joined us, I am reposting
Prof. Elqayam's ground-breaking series of online articles about Jewish
(Sabbatian) Mysticism and Islamic Sufi. Below is the second in the
series, which brings us up to date. The on-list discussions that
followed these articles are in the Donmeh archives. -- Yakov Leib]
Dear Chaverim,
Bismi 'llahi 'l-Rahmani l'Rahimi!
II. Dhikr and Sama`-- Recollection of Allah's Name
===================================
Dhikr (Lit. -- mentioning, remembering, thinking of-, in Arabic), is a
meditative remembrance, in which certain key Qur`anic phrases or divine
epithets are continually invoked, aloud or silently. Also called Sama`
-- lit. hearing -- a term I would elaborate upon some other time.
The Dhikr is usually celebrated on Fridays, hollidays, and on birthdays
and memorial days of prophets and saints. The participants repeat
Allah's name in various forms, repeat Holy Qur'an verses and religious
poetry, and try to achieve, with the help of music and dances,
uninterrupted communion with God and religious ecstasy
Dhikr has many sources in the Holy Qur'an, and in most verses, what was
meant by the word dhikr is tasba , glorifying; takbar, exalting; ta mad,
praising; and praising and praying upon the Prophet (s). Allah said in
Surat al-Baqara, 152: "Remember Me and I will remember you." [2:152] He
said in Surat ali `Imran, 41, "...and remember your Lord much and
glorify Him in the evening and in the early morning." And again, 191,
"Those who remember Allah while standing, sitting, and lying on their
sides..." [3:41, 191] He said in Surat al-Ra`d, 28, "Those who believe,
and whose hearts find their rest in the remembrance of Allah--for,
verily, in the remembrance of Allah hearts do find their rest." [13:28]
And He said in Surat al-A zab, 35, "...and men who rememberAllah much
and women who remember Him..." And again, 41,42, "O you who believe!
Remember Allah with much remembrance; and glorify Him morning and
evening." [33: 35, 41-42]
Here are some examples of typical Dhikr phrases. For instance, the
following verse from Surat al-Ikhlas or Tawhid: "Say: 'God is One, the
Eternal God. He begot onoe, nor was He begotten. None is equal to Him."
[112]. Another typical such "mantra" is:
la---ilaha--illa--llah
no--God--but--God
Sama` (lit. "hearing, audition", in Arabic), is the inducing of the
ecstatic state during the Dhikr by means of music, singing, and dancing.
The connection of music and ecstasy is as old as the seas, and can be
found in many cultural traditions. The maenads, for instance, induced
their state of holy madness not only by intoxicating substances, but
also by music: Euripides refers to the oboe as a major instriment in
their revels. However, I feel that in this respect Sufism derives mainly
from the Jewish tradition. Sources for the relation between music and
prophetic ecstasy can be found in the Holy Bible, e.g., Samuel I,
10:5-6: "Thou shalt meet a band of prophets coming down from the high
place with a lute, and a timbrel, and a pipe, and a lyre, before them;
and they shall prophesy. And the spirit of the Lord will come upon thee,
and thou shalt prphesy with them, and thou shalt be turned into another
man." Kings II 3:15: "And it came to pass, when the minstrel played,
that the hand of the Lord came upon him." [A detailed description of
Sama` rites in Islamic Sufism can be found at: E.W. Lane, "Manners and
Customs of the Modern Egyptians" (1833-1835).]
This is the background on which we should interpret Sabbatai Sevi's
musical personality, as well as his habit of uttering the Ineffable
Name, and his habits of singing and dancing. We have no explicite
evidence to the effect that Sabbatai Sevi participated in any Dhikr
rites *prior* to his conversion to Islam. However, we have new evidence
that, after his conversion, Sabbatai Sevi used to participate in the
Dhikr ritual celebrated in the Beqtashi Tekke, located on the Hizirlik,
a hill overlooking Adrianopolis. This Tekke was closed by the
authorities between 1641-1642, on the allegation it harboured "doubtful
elements". The Sultan Mehmet the IVth reopened it later as a zawiya.
To sum up, Sabbatai Sevi was submerged in Dhikr ceremonies, and this is
the key to understanding some of his habits, such as singing, dancing,
and pronouncing the Ineffable name. After his conversion he even took
active part in the Bektashi Dhikr rites in the Tekke near Adrianopolis.
To be continued...
Ibrahim al-Qa'im
(Avi Elqayam)
----- End Included Message -----
Subject:
[DONMEH] Theory & Practice of Tikkun According to the Donmeh
Date:
Wed, 20 Jan 1999 13:38:18 -0600 (CST)
From:
kshaw@dalsemi.com (Ken Shaw)
To:
mutants@iname.com
----- Begin Included Message -----
>From owner-donmeh@List-Server.net Fri Jan 15 23:00:21 1999
Date: Fri, 15 Jan 1999 22:01:51 -0700 (MST)
To: New@dalsemi.com, Subscribers@salmon.esosoft.net
From: Yakov.Leib.HaKohain@salmon.esosoft.net
Subject: [DONMEH] Theory & Practice of Tikkun According to the Donmeh
Sender: owner-donmeh@List-Server.net
Content-Length: 15318
Dear New Chaver,
Recently I sent out a series of three posts concerning "Tikkun and the
Sacramental Life." Taken together, they comprise an introduction to the
major themes that define the focus and purpose of the Donmeh. I've
attached all three of them below, in the order they were originally
sent. I hope they provide you a background to our work.
Raising up the Holy Sparks together,
Jacob Leib Cohen, Ph.D.
[DONMEH Moderator]
"And those who, with the good strength of their spirit, are able to
raise the Holy Spark from stone to plant, from plant to animal, from
animal to speaking being -- they lead it into freedom; and no setting
free of captives is greater than this. It is as when a King's son is
rescued from captivity and brought to his father."--The Baal Shem Tov
========================================================================
PART 1 OF 3: THE COSMOGONY OF RABBI ISAAC LURIA
"The Sparks ["Nitzotzot"] which fell down from the primal creation into
the covering shells ["Klipot"] -- and were transformed into stones,
plants and animals -- they all ascend to their source through the
consecreation of men and women who work on them in holiness, use them in
holiness, consume them in holiness." -- The Tzaddik
In a series of previous posts I've been discussing the theory and
practice of Tikkun as it relates to the great task of redemption
initiated by Sabbatai Zevi in 1665-66 and expounded upon by Rabbi Nathan
of Gaza in such works of Kabbalistic theology as "A Treatise on Dragons"
now being discussed by Profs. Tortchinov, Elqayam, Lenowitz and others.
Here I would like to consider how the actual practice of Tikkun, now and
in our time, relates to our current discussion of Nathan Gazatti's
"Treatise on Dragons" and what Martin Buber has called the "Sacramental
Life."
BACKGROUND
The cosmogony of Tikkun ("Spiritual Repair") is based on the 16th
century Kabbalah of Rabbi Isaac Luria who developed it from an analysis
of the Zohar and various passages of Hebrew Scripture. (See, for
example, Genesis 36:31-39, "Here are the [ten] kings who ruled in the
land of Edom before an Israelite King ruled.") The remarkable thing
about this religious depiction of the origins of the universe is that it
prefigures almost word for word (or, at the very least, concept for
concept) the scientific theory of the so-called "Big Bang."
Consequently, there is empirical evidence from 20th century astrophysics
that Luria's 16th century cosmogony, on which he based the notion of
Tikkun, may have been valid. (This is remarkable not only because it
seems to validate Luria's cosmogony, but also, by extension, the
Kabbalistic texts on which it was based.)
THE "THOUGHTLESS LIGHTS" OF LURIA'S COSMOGONY
Briefly, Luria proposed that before the creation of the universe, God
alone existed in a state of self-absorbed, undifferentiated, absolute
unity, or "Ein Sof." In other words, at that time "God was One and his
Name [YHVH] was one." At a certain point, the Ein Sof withdrew away from
and into itself (the act of "Tzim-Tzum") in order to create a space, or
"womb," within which to create the world. (This is sometimes
characterized in Kabbalah as the "YH" splitting away from the "VH" of
the Holy Name.) Part of the Ein Sof, however, called the "Reshimu" --
which Luria likens to "the fragance lingering in an empty bottle of
perfume -- remained in, and settled to the bottom of, the primordial
space; this "Reshimu" can be likened to that part of God which
"resisted" or "refrained" from the act of creation, or what modern
astrophysics calls "anti-matter." (This "antimatter" or "Reshimu" is the
"Thoughtless Lights" referred to by Profs. Elqayam and Tortchinov in
their current discussion of Nathan Gazatti's "Treatise on
Dragons.")
THE SHATTERING OF THE VESSELS
In the act of premundane creation, Ein Sof directed "shafts" of its
pure-light Essence into and out of the Primordial Space. (This process
of the Divine Light going "into" and "out of" is called "Histaluth" and
"Hispastuth," respectively.) Ten "vessels" or "Sefiroth" were created in
this way, beginning with those at the "top" (Keter, Hochmah and Binah)
to those at the bottom (Malkuth) of the Primordial Space. However, while
the top-most Vessels were composed of "pure" Ein Sof, those at the
bottom were mixed with the "thoughtless" Reshimu, or "antimatter," that
refrained from creation. As a result, the latter were "weaker" than the
former and broke apart under the weight of the others, causing the
entire structure of Ten Vessels to "shatter" in what Luria called
"Sheviret HaKelim," which is directly comparable to the modern theory of
"Big Bang."
Shards or "Sparks" of Divine Light from the Shattered Vessels flew off
in all directions into space. Some returned to their Source (Ein Sof),
while others fell into the Reshimu which encrusted each of them with an
"evil shell," or "Klipoth." These Holy Sparks ("Nitzotzot") covered by
their Evil Shells (Klipoth) were the primordial "debris" (as the Big
Bang theory calls them) out of which the worlds, and all that is in
them, were created. Thus, according to Luria, what was once the Unity of
God has fallen into the disunity of the world -- and, as in modern
systems theory, the parts, or "Sparks," seek to return to the whole, or
"Ein Sof," from which they broke apart.
"Tikkun" is the process by which mankind enters into partnership with
God to "repair" His "face" or "Name" by intentionally liberating the
Holy Sparks from their "Shells" and consciously returning them to their
Source. In the words of the Baal Shem Tov, "All things of this world
that belong to a person desire with all their might to draw near to him
in order that the Sparks of Holiness that are in them should be raised
by him back to their Source." In the next installment of this series
I'll discuss how Tikkun relates to Nathan's "Treatise on Dragons" and
what Buber has called the "Sacramental Life."
In the meantime, it is important to keep in mind Luria's assertion that
the "Kingdom of God" or "Olam Habah" will not come into the world until
all the Holy Sparks have been returned by mankind to their Divine Origin
and the Unity of God is restored. It was for this great task that
Sabbatai Zevi came into the world and we have created this Donmeh.
Raising up the Holy Sparks together,
Yakov Leib
[DONMEH Moderator]
"Go . . . to the lost sheep of the House of Israel; and as you go,
proclaim that the kingdom of heaven is close at hand." (Matthew 10:5-6)
========================================================================
PART 2 OF 3: LIVING THE LIFE OF MYSTICAL TIKKUN
This is the second in a three-part series of posts on the topic of
"Tikkun and the Sacramental Life." My last post dealt with the nature
and meaning of Tikkun Olam ("Spiritual Repair of the World") as it
derives from the cosmogony of Rabbi Isaac Luria, leader of the 16th
century Safed School of Jewish Kabbalah, on which virtually all
present-day Zoharic Kabbalah is based. In what follows, I'll summarize
what has gone before and then apply it to what the great Jewish
philosopher, Martin Buber, has called "the sacramental life."
REPRISE
Luria was among the early Jewish mystics who believed that Kabbalah
could be used to "force" the Messianic era -- that is to say, to
discover a spiritual process by which the coming of the Messiah could be
catalyzed. However, whereas other Kabbalists had attempted to achieve
this goal by starting at the "bottom of the ladder" and working up,
Luria was the first to develop a cosmogony by which we could begin at
the "top of the ladder" and work down. Others reasoned that if we could
perfect mankind, the Messiah would come; Luria, however, reasoned that
the Messianic advent could occur only when the cosmos itself was
perfected and redeemed. For this it was necessary to develop a cosmogony
-- a theory of the creation of the universe -- based entirely on the
Zohar and passages from the Hebrew Scriptures. Luria called this
"Sheviret HaKelim" (Hebrew = "Shattering of the Vessels") -- a cosmogony
that prefigured and was validated by the "Big Bang" theory of
astrophysics 400 years later.
In summary, Shevirit HaKelim proposes that prior to the creation of the
world, God (or Ein Sof) and space existed in a state of absolute unity:
"God was One and his name was One." However, through the process I
described in my earlier post, that unity was shattered by a rupture in
the very fabric of God himself at the moment of creation -- He and the
universe were no longer coextensive -- the YH was separated from the VH
-- and the "debris" from this cataclysmic explosion, or Holy Sparks
(Hebrew = Nitzotzot), flew off in all directions, some returning to
their source and others falling into the Mundane World of creation, or
"Asiyah."
>From this cosmogony Luria offered the radical and bold proposition that
not mankind, but the Godhead itself must be "redeemed" -- that is,
returned to its state of premundane unity -- before the Messiah could
establish his Father's Kingdom on Earth, or "Olam HaBah." (There are
some fascinating parallels to the Christian concept of the Trinity here,
and its "reunification" in Yeshua HaNotzri, which I've touched on in
previous posts.)
TIKKUN OLAM
This "redemption of the Godhead" Lurianic Kabbalah calls "Tikkun OLam,"
or "Repair of the World." It is described by the Jewish Mystic, the Baal
Shem Tov, in his statement: "The Holy Sparks that fell when God built
and destroyed the worlds, man shall riase and purify upward from stone
to plant, from plant to animal, from animal to speaking being; purify
the Holy Sparks that are imprisoned in the world of shells [i.e.,
things]." Thus, the BeShT also states, "All that one has -- his
servants, his animals, his tools -- all conceal sparks that belong to
the roots of his soul and wish to be raised by him to their Origin
[i.e., premundane state of unity] . . . All things that belong to him
desire with all their might to draw near him in order that the sparks of
holiness that are in them should be raised by him back to their Source."
Now what sets this unique notion apart from others in Kabbalah at least,
is the daring proposal that mankind is literally raised to partnership
with God not only in the redemption of His universe, but also in the
very repair of his "Face" -- which is to say, His pr emundane condition
of absolute Unity, disrupted at the moment of creation. What further
sets this notion apart is the equally daring proposal that such
partnership with the Divine is enacted by mankind not only in the "big"
things -- such as prayer, devotion, learning, charity, holiness,
meditation, altered states of consciousness, etc. -- but also, and even
for the most part, in the minutae of everyday life -- sharpening a
pencil, eating food, hugging a child, petting an animal, moving one's
bowels, cleaning a cat box, seeing a dead animal on the road, brushing
one's teeth -- from which the Holy Sparks can and must be liberated and
returned to their Source by our Kavanah, or "Holy Intention."
LIVING THE SACRAMENTAL LIFE
Put another way, in the words of the Baal Shem Tov, "Man eats them, man
drinks them, man uses them; these are the Sparks that dwell in the
things -- in the actions of men also, indeed even in the sins they do --
dwell Holy Sparks of the Glory of God. Therefore, one should have mercy
on his tools and all his possessions for the sake of the Sparks that are
in them; one should have mercy on the Holy Sparks." This, then, is the
"sacramental life," described by Buber: the daily and conscious act of
intentionally acknowledging and releasing the Divine Sparks entrapped in
everything we touch and see and returning them to unity with God, their
Source.
Such a point-of-view saturates even the most trivial minutae of life
with holiness and meaning. Everything we look at, touch and do becomes a
sacrament. Nothing in life -- from the time we awaken in the morning to
the time we go to sleep at night (and even in our dreams) -- is devoid
of the potential for joining in partnership with God in the repair of
His unity and the advent of His Messiah. It was for the completion of
this great task that Sabbatai Zevi came into the world, and this "Donmeh
of the Internet" was created. I invite you all to join us.
Raising up the Holy Sparks together,
Yankif Leib
[DONMEH Moderator]
========================================================================
PART 3 OF 3: TIKKUN AS TRANSRELIGIOUS MYSTICISM
Dear Chaverim,
This is the third and final post in a series called "Tikkun and the
Sacramental Life." Briefly, the first two posts covered the theology,
practice and meaning of Tikkun Olam ("Spiritual Repair of the World") in
modern, everyday life. Here, I would like to conclude with a few
thoughts on the ecumenical meaning of this form of applied,
transreligious mysticism.
THE NEED FOR AN ECUMENICAL SPIRITUALITY
We live in a world divided, unfortunately, by denominational religion.
Where is the ground of spiritual meeting, for example, between Jew and
Christian? or Muslim and and Jew? or any of these with
spiritually-oriented, secular humanists? Apart from their admittedly
important, shared belief in God (or even a "Higher Power"), there are no
specific practices which unite rather than separate them -- none, that
is, except Tikkun Olam and the Sacramental Life.
TIKKUN: THE TRANS-RELIGIOUS MYSTICISM
Tikkun Olam (particularly as described in an earlier post, "How to Make
Tikkun the Easy Way") can be practiced by anyone, of any religion, and
even by those who espouse no religion at all. It combines all four
"Yogas" of Vedanta: Bhakti (devotion), Raja (meditation), Karma
(action/service) and Jana (reasoning); it addresses the Lord's Prayer of
Yeshua HaNotzri, that the Father's Will "be done on earth as it is in
heaven;" it engages in the "reconcilliation of opposites" central to
Hinduism and Buddhism; it can even be viewed within the non-religious
framework of modern, scientific systems theory -- that is, as a
psychospiritual techology for restoring the universe to its Pre-Big Bang
state of what physicists call "quasi-stationary equilibrium."
It makes no difference if one calls God "Allah," "Jehovah," "Christ,"
"Krishna," the "Higher Self," "Buddha-Consciousness" or even nothing at
all. It makes no difference if one prays in Hebrew, Latin, Arabic,
Sanscrit, English, or even not at all. It makes no difference if one
attends a Mosque, Synagogue, Church, Temple or even noplace at all. it
makes no difference if one is a theist, atheist or agnostic. The same,
fundamental notion of Tikkun Olam applies equally to all: it is given to
us to restore the universe to its premundane condition of unity. Whether
we call the cataclysmic event of creation the "Big Bang" or "Sheviret
HaKelim" -- whether we call the cast-off products of that event either
"space debris" or "Holy Sparks" -- the same task gives meaning to our
lives: by our intentionality, to raise that "debris," those "Holy
Sparks," back to their "source" (whatever you choose to call it) and
thereby return the universe to its precreational unity -- or, if you
prefer, its "State of Grace."
Raising up the Holy Sparks together,
Yankif Leib
[DONMEH Moderator]
----- End Included Message -----
Subject:
[DONMEH] On Lurianic Kabbalah and Its Meaning
Date:
Wed, 20 Jan 1999 13:41:16 -0600 (CST)
From:
kshaw@dalsemi.com (Ken Shaw)
To:
mutants@iname.com
----- Begin Included Message -----
>From owner-donmeh@List-Server.net Sun Jan 17 10:37:59 1999
Date: Sun, 17 Jan 1999 09:39:51 -0700 (MST)
To: donmeh@List-Server.net
From: Yakov.Leib.HaKohain@salmon.esosoft.net
Subject: [DONMEH] On Lurianic Kabbalah and Its Meaning
Sender: owner-donmeh@List-Server.net
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Isaac Luria (1534-1572) -- also known as the "Ari Zaal," or "Divine
Rabbi Isaac,"-- was, and remains to this day, unarguably the greatest
Kabbalist in world history. His doctrines, based entirely on the Old
Testament and Zohar, anticipated virtually world-for-word -- or at the
very least, concept for concept -- the theory of the "Big Bang" origins
of the universe in astrophysics. Thus, the cosmogony of a 16th century
Jewish Kabbalist was literally validated by modern science four hundred
years later.
The details of Luria's Kabbalah are far too complicated to be discussed
here. Suffice it to say that his doctrine of Sheviret HaKelim, or
"Shattering of the Vessels," was at their core and profoundly influenced
all subsequent Kabbalistic theosophy -- including that of Sabbatai
Zevi, his 18th century spiritual heir Yakov Leib Frank, and even the
Baal Shem Tov, founder of the mystical Hassidic movement in Judaism
(which, incidently, has features very similar to that of Sufi).
Put simply, the doctrine of Sheviret HaKelim states (as does also the
20th century Big-Bang theory) that the Universe (i.e.,the Unity of God)
was shattered at the moment of mundane creation. From this cataclysm,
"Holy Sparks" flew off in all directions, some returning to their
Source, others falling into the world of "things" and "beings." Thus,
as the Baal Shem Tov states, "In all that is in the world dwell Holy
Sparks, no things is empty of them; in the actions of men also, indeed
even in the sins he does, dwell Holy Sparks of God."
Thus, the Kabbalistic notion of Tikkun Olam, or "Repair of the World,"
to which we return again and again in our posts, is based on the
principle that all things and actions in the world, no matter how
seemingly trivial, are saturated with Holy Sparks, yearning to return
to the state of premundane unity from which they fell at the creation of
the world. Again, modern Chaos Theory in physics states much the same
principle when it proposes that all disturbed systems seek to return to
their pre-existent state of "quasi-stationary equilibrium."
One hundred years after Luria, in 1665-66, the Jewish Messiah and
avatar, Sabbatai Zevi, began completing the Tikkun Olam through various
"strange gestures," including his conversion to Islam. Thousands of his
millions of followers followed him into this "Holy Apostasy," as did the
followers of Yakov Leib Frank into Christianity another hundred years
after that. Today, the DONMEH forum is attempting to complete the great
task initiated by Sabbatai Zevi through the powerful medium of the
internet.
----- End Included Message -----
Subject:
[DONMEH] Kabbalah and Mormonism
Date:
Wed, 20 Jan 1999 13:42:03 -0600 (CST)
From:
kshaw@dalsemi.com (Ken Shaw)
To:
mutants@iname.com
----- Begin Included Message -----
>From owner-donmeh@List-Server.net Mon Jan 18 13:26:45 1999
Date: Mon, 18 Jan 1999 12:28:47 -0700 (MST)
To: donmeh@List-Server.net
From: Kenneth.Shaw@salmon.esosoft.net
Subject: [DONMEH] Kabbalah and Mormonism
Sender: owner-donmeh@List-Server.net
Content-Length: 1712
Saalam Y'all!
I was born and raised southern Idaho in an old Mormon Pioneer family.
My life has been nothing but an effort to try to untangle the
social/cultural/emotional impressions of "Mormonism" from the actual
numinous events of a "higher nature" that may have been transmitted
though the tradion from its beginings, and from the numinous
events that may have had no connection at all to Mormon tradition.
Catholics and Jews may have similar puzzles to work out.
For some reason I felt compelled to try to retrace the steps of my
pioneer ancestors back to the source of the Mormon teaching, so as to
find the lost key to making it "operative" in my life again.
I've worked on the problem for twenty years, and have lived a life on
the edge traveling from place to place seeking out rare books and
strange people.
What I can say is that Joseph Smith was a practioner of Renaissance High
Magic of the John Dee/Robert Fludd/Francis Barrett line. Renaissance
Magic was an amalgam of the Theurgy of Proclus and Iamblichus with some
elements of Zoharic Kabbalah.
The problem with trying to sort out the various lines of "esotericism"
is that the lines seperate at one point only to recombine later. In
theory everything goes back to Noah, whereafter it seperates into Vedic
(Japeth), Egyptian (Ham) and Abrahamic (Shem). The exlosive expansion
of Islam suddenly reconnected all these lines of tradition in what the
Sufis call "Rejoining the Beads of Mercury.
History suggests that Kabbalah was refreshed in Muslim Spain by a new
contact with the source of the teaching. My own quest has lead to a
place where my own life is refreshed by a contact with the source of the
teaching.
Kenneth Shaw
----- End Included Message -----
Subject:
[DONMEH] Introduction to the Theory & Practice of Tikkun
Date:
Wed, 20 Jan 1999 13:44:42 -0600 (CST)
From:
kshaw@dalsemi.com (Ken Shaw)
To:
mutants@iname.com
----- Begin Included Message -----
>From owner-donmeh@List-Server.net Wed Jan 20 08:51:34 1999
Date: Wed, 20 Jan 1999 07:54:26 -0700 (MST)
To: donmeh@List-Server.net
From: Donmeh.Moderator@salmon.esosoft.net
Subject: [DONMEH] Introduction to the Theory & Practice of Tikkun
Sender: owner-donmeh@List-Server.net
Content-Length: 15493
[NOTE: I'm reposting this "mission statement" of the Donmeh for our
newer members to familiarize them with the philosophy and goals of our
virtual community. -- Yakov Leib]
Dear New Chaver,
Recently I sent out a series of three posts concerning "Tikkun and the
Sacramental Life." Taken together, they comprise an introduction to the
major themes that define the focus and purpose of the Donmeh. I've
attached all three of them below, in the order they were originally
sent. I hope they provide you a background to our work.
Raising up the Holy Sparks together,
Jacob Leib Cohen, Ph.D.
[DONMEH Moderator]
"And those who, with the good strength of their spirit, are able to
raise the Holy Spark from stone to plant, from plant to animal, from
animal to speaking being -- they lead it into freedom; and no setting
free of captives is greater than this. It is as when a King's son is
rescued from captivity and brought to his father."--The Baal Shem Tov
========================================================================
PART 1 OF 3: THE COSMOGONY OF RABBI ISAAC LURIA
"The Sparks ["Nitzotzot"] which fell down from the primal creation into
the covering shells ["Klipot"] -- and were transformed into stones,
plants and animals -- they all ascend to their source through the
consecreation of men and women who work on them in holiness, use them in
holiness, consume them in holiness." -- The Tzaddik
In a series of previous posts I've been discussing the theory and
practice of Tikkun as it relates to the great task of redemption
initiated by Sabbatai Zevi in 1665-66 and expounded upon by Rabbi Nathan
of Gaza in such works of Kabbalistic theology as "A Treatise on Dragons"
now being discussed by Profs. Tortchinov, Elqayam, Lenowitz and others.
Here I would like to consider how the actual practice of Tikkun, now and
in our time, relates to our current discussion of Nathan Gazatti's
"Treatise on Dragons" and what Martin Buber has called the "Sacramental
Life."
BACKGROUND
The cosmogony of Tikkun ("Spiritual Repair") is based on the 16th
century Kabbalah of Rabbi Isaac Luria who developed it from an analysis
of the Zohar and various passages of Hebrew Scripture. (See, for
example, Genesis 36:31-39, "Here are the [ten] kings who ruled in the
land of Edom before an Israelite King ruled.") The remarkable thing
about this religious depiction of the origins of the universe is that it
prefigures almost word for word (or, at the very least, concept for
concept) the scientific theory of the so-called "Big Bang."
Consequently, there is empirical evidence from 20th century astrophysics
that Luria's 16th century cosmogony, on which he based the notion of
Tikkun, may have been valid. (This is remarkable not only because it
seems to validate Luria's cosmogony, but also, by extension, the
Kabbalistic texts on which it was based.)
THE "THOUGHTLESS LIGHTS" OF LURIA'S COSMOGONY
Briefly, Luria proposed that before the creation of the universe, God
alone existed in a state of self-absorbed, undifferentiated, absolute
unity, or "Ein Sof." In other words, at that time "God was One and his
Name [YHVH] was one." At a certain point, the Ein Sof withdrew away from
and into itself (the act of "Tzim-Tzum") in order to create a space, or
"womb," within which to create the world. (This is sometimes
characterized in Kabbalah as the "YH" splitting away from the "VH" of
the Holy Name.) Part of the Ein Sof, however, called the "Reshimu" --
which Luria likens to "the fragance lingering in an empty bottle of
perfume -- remained in, and settled to the bottom of, the primordial
space; this "Reshimu" can be likened to that part of God which
"resisted" or "refrained" from the act of creation, or what modern
astrophysics calls "anti-matter." (This "antimatter" or "Reshimu" is the
"Thoughtless Lights" referred to by Profs. Elqayam and Tortchinov in
their current discussion of Nathan Gazatti's "Treatise on
Dragons.")
THE SHATTERING OF THE VESSELS
In the act of premundane creation, Ein Sof directed "shafts" of its
pure-light Essence into and out of the Primordial Space. (This process
of the Divine Light going "into" and "out of" is called "Histaluth" and
"Hispastuth," respectively.) Ten "vessels" or "Sefiroth" were created in
this way, beginning with those at the "top" (Keter, Hochmah and Binah)
to those at the bottom (Malkuth) of the Primordial Space. However, while
the top-most Vessels were composed of "pure" Ein Sof, those at the
bottom were mixed with the "thoughtless" Reshimu, or "antimatter," that
refrained from creation. As a result, the latter were "weaker" than the
former and broke apart under the weight of the others, causing the
entire structure of Ten Vessels to "shatter" in what Luria called
"Sheviret HaKelim," which is directly comparable to the modern theory of
"Big Bang."
Shards or "Sparks" of Divine Light from the Shattered Vessels flew off
in all directions into space. Some returned to their Source (Ein Sof),
while others fell into the Reshimu which encrusted each of them wit h an
"evil shell," or "Klipoth." These Holy Sparks ("Nitzotzot") covered by
their Evil Shells (Klipoth) were the primordial "debris" (as the Big
Bang theory calls them) out of which the worlds, and all that is in
them, were created. Thus, according to Luria, what was once the Unity of
God has fallen into the disunity of the world -- and, as in modern
systems theory, the parts, or "Sparks," seek to return to the whole, or
"Ein Sof," from which they broke apart.
"Tikkun" is the process by which mankind enters into partnership with
God to "repair" His "face" or "Name" by intentionally liberating the
Holy Sparks from their "Shells" and consciously returning them to their
Source. In the words of the Baal Shem Tov, "All things of this world
that belong to a person desire with all their might to draw near to him
in order that the Sparks of Holiness that are in them should be raised
by him back to their Source." In the next installment of this series
I'll discuss how Tikkun relates to Nathan's "Treatise on Dragons" and
what Buber has called the "Sacramental Life."
In the meantime, it is important to keep in mind Luria's assertion that
the "Kingdom of God" or "Olam Habah" will not come into the world until
all the Holy Sparks have been returned by mankind to their Divine Origin
and the Unity of God is restored. It was for this great task that
Sabbatai Zevi came into the world and we have created this Donmeh.
Raising up the Holy Sparks together,
Yakov Leib
[DONMEH Moderator]
"Go . . . to the lost sheep of the House of Israel; and as you go,
proclaim that the kingdom of heaven is close at hand." (Matthew 10:5-6)
========================================================================
PART 2 OF 3: LIVING THE LIFE OF MYSTICAL TIKKUN
This is the second in a three-part series of posts on the topic of
"Tikkun and the Sacramental Life." My last post dealt with the nature
and meaning of Tikkun Olam ("Spiritual Repair of the World") as it
derives from the cosmogony of Rabbi Isaac Luria, leader of the 16th
century Safed School of Jewish Kabbalah, on which virtually all
present-day Zoharic Kabbalah is based. In what follows, I'll summarize
what has gone before and then apply it to what the great Jewish
philosopher, Martin Buber, has called "the sacramental life."
REPRISE
Luria was among the early Jewish mystics who believed that Kabbalah
could be used to "force" the Messianic era -- that is to say, to
discover a spiritual process by which the coming of the Messiah could be
catalyzed. However, whereas other Kabbalists had attempted to achieve
this goal by starting at the "bottom of the ladder" and working up,
Luria was the first to develop a cosmogony by which we could begin at
the "top of the ladder" and work down. Others reasoned that if we could
perfect mankind, the Messiah would come; Luria, however, reasoned that
the Messianic advent could occur only when the cosmos itself was
perfected and redeemed. For this it was necessary to develop a cosmogony
-- a theory of the creation of the universe -- based entirely on the
Zohar and passages from the Hebrew Scriptures. Luria called this
"Sheviret HaKelim" (Hebrew = "Shattering of the Vessels") -- a cosmogony
that prefigured and was validated by the "Big Bang" theory of
astrophysics 400 years later.
In summary, Shevirit HaKelim proposes that prior to the creation of the
world, God (or Ein Sof) and space existed in a state of absolute unity:
"God was One and his name was One." However, through the process I
described in my earlier post, that unity was shattered by a rupture in
the very fabric of God himself at the moment of creation -- He and the
universe were no longer coextensive -- the YH was separated from the VH
-- and the "debris" from this cataclysmic explosion, or Holy Sparks
(Hebrew = Nitzotzot), flew off in all directions, some returning to
their source and others falling into the Mundane World of creation, or
"Asiyah."
>From this cosmogony Luria offered the radical and bold proposition that
not mankind, but the Godhead itself must be "redeemed" -- that is,
returned to its state of premundane unity -- before the Messiah could
establish his Father's Kingdom on Earth, or "Olam HaBah." (There are
some fascinating parallels to the Christian concept of the Trinity here,
and its "reunification" in Yeshua HaNotzri, which I've touched on in
previous posts.)
TIKKUN OLAM
This "redemption of the Godhead" Lurianic Kabbalah calls "Tikkun OLam,"
or "Repair of the World." It is described by the Jewish Mystic, the Baal
Shem Tov, in his statement: "The Holy Sparks that fell when God built
and destroyed the worlds, man shall riase and purify upward from stone
to plant, from plant to animal, from animal to speaking being; purify
the Holy Sparks that are imprisoned in the world of shells [i.e.,
things]." Thus, the BeShT also states, "All that one has -- his
servants, his animals, his tools -- all conceal sparks that belong to
the roots of his soul and wish to be raised by him to their Origin
[i.e., premundane state of unity] . . . All things that belong to him
desire with all their might to draw near him in order that the sparks of
holiness that are in them should be raised by him back to their Source."
Now what sets this unique notion apart from others in Kabbalah at least,
is the daring proposal that mankind is literally raised to partnership
with God not only in the redemption of His universe, but also in the
very repair of his "Face" -- which is to say, His premundane condition
of absolute Unity, disrupted at the moment of creation. What further
sets this notion apart is the equally daring proposal that such
partnership with the Divine is enacted by mankind not only in the "big"
things -- such as prayer, devotion, learning, charity, holiness,
meditation, altered states of consciousness, etc. -- but also, and even
for the most part, in the minutae of everyday life -- sharpening a
pencil, eating food, hugging a child, petting an animal, moving one's
bowels, cleaning a cat box, seeing a dead animal on the road, brushing
one's teeth -- from which the Holy Sparks can and must be liberated and
returned to their Source by our Kavanah, or "Holy Intention."
LIVING THE SACRAMENTAL LIFE
Put another way, in the words of the Baal Shem Tov, "Man eats them, man
drinks them, man uses them; these are the Sparks that dwell in the
things -- in the actions of men also, indeed even in the sins they do --
dwell Holy Sparks of the Glory of God. Therefore, one should have mercy
on his tools and all his possessions for the sake of the Sparks that are
in them; one should have mercy on the Holy Sparks." This, then, is the
"sacramental life," described by Buber: the daily and conscious act of
intentionally acknowledging and releasing the Divine Sparks entrapped in
everything we touch and see and returning them to unity with God, their
Source.
Such a point-of-view saturates even the most trivial minutae of life
with holiness and meaning. Everything we look at, touch and do becomes a
sacrament. Nothing in life -- from the time we awaken in the morning to
the time we go to sleep at night (and even in our dreams) -- is devoid
of the potential for joining in partnership with God in the repair of
His unity and the advent of His Messiah. It was for the completion of
this great task that Sabbatai Zevi came into the world, and this "Donmeh
of the Internet" was created. I invite you all to join us.
Raising up the Holy Sparks together,
Yankif Leib
[DONMEH Moderator]
========================================================================
PART 3 OF 3: TIKKUN AS TRANSRELIGIOUS MYSTICISM
Dear Chaverim,
This is the third and final post in a series called "Tikkun and the
Sacramental Life." Briefly, the first two posts covered the theology,
practice and meaning of Tikkun Olam ("Spiritual Repair of the World") in
modern, everyday life. Here, I would like to conclude with a few
thoughts on the ecumenical meaning of this form of applied,
transreligious mysticism.
THE NEED FOR AN ECUMENICAL SPIRITUALITY
We live in a world divided, unfortunately, by denominational religion.
Where is the ground of spiritual meeting, for example, between Jew and
Christian? or Muslim and and Jew? or any of these with
spiritually-oriented, secular humanists? Apart from their admittedly
important, shared belief in God (or even a "Higher Power"), there are no
specific practices which unite rather than separate them -- none, that
is, except Tikkun Olam and the Sacramental Life.
TIKKUN: THE TRANS-RELIGIOUS MYSTICISM
Tikkun Olam (particularly as described in an earlier post, "How to Make
Tikkun the Easy Way") can be practiced by anyone, of any religion, and
even by those who espouse no religion at all. It combines all four
"Yogas" of Vedanta: Bhakti (devotion), Raja (meditation), Karma
(action/service) and Jana (reasoning); it addresses the Lord's Prayer of
Yeshua HaNotzri, that the Father's Will "be done on earth as it is in
heaven;" it engages in the "reconcilliation of opposites" central to
Hinduism and Buddhism; it can even be viewed within the non-religious
framework of modern, scientific systems theory -- that is, as a
psychospiritual techology for restoring the universe to its Pre-Big Bang
state of what physicists call "quasi-stationary equilibrium."
It makes no difference if one calls God "Allah," "Jehovah," "Christ,"
"Krishna," the "Higher Self," "Buddha-Consciousness" or even nothing at
all. It makes no difference if one prays in Hebrew, Latin, Arabic,
Sanscrit, English, or even not at all. It makes no difference if one
attends a Mosque, Synagogue, Church, Temple or even noplace at all. it
makes no difference if one is a theist, atheist or agnostic. The same,
fundamental notion of Tikkun Olam applies equally to all: it is given to
us to restore the universe to its premundane condition of unity. Whether
we call the cataclysmic event of creation the "Big Bang" or "Sheviret
HaKelim" -- whether we call the cast-off products of that event either
"space debris" or "Holy Sparks" -- the same task gives meaning to our
lives: by our intentionality, to raise that "debris," those "Holy
Sparks," back to their "source" (whatever you choose to call it) and
thereby return the universe to its precreational unity -- or, if you
prefer, its "State of Grace."
Raising up the Holy Sparks together,
Yankif Leib
[DONMEH Moderator]
----- End Included Message -----
Subject:
[nazarene] Paradise=Pardes=Orchard
Date:
Wed, 20 Jan 1999 13:45:03 -0600 (CST)
From:
kshaw@dalsemi.com (Ken Shaw)
To:
mutants@iname.com
----- Begin Included Message -----
>From owner-nazarene@nazarene.net Wed Jan 20 09:02:42 1999
Date: Wed, 20 Jan 99 08:51:33 CST
From: kshaw@dalsemi.com (Ken Shaw)
To: nazarene@nazarene.net
Subject: [nazarene] Paradise=Pardes=Orchard
Sender: owner-nazarene@nazarene.net
Reply-To: nazarene@nazarene.net
Content-Length: 4761
Luana,
I would suggest that we start with a study of the word "Paradise"
to try to determine what it meant in the context of Second Temple
Period Judaism. "Paradise" is the greek rendering of the hebrew
"Pardes" which means "orchard". It is refering to another state
of existance that corresponds to "Garden of Eden". Hekhalot was
the study and practice of yoga-like meditation and ritual techniques
for entering into an altered "state of consciousness" where one had actual
contact with higher beings such as the Patriarchs, Prophets and Saints
(Chasidim) of the past. This was understood to be an actual "place"
that we might call a "dimension". Paul refers to these methods when
he speaks of being caught away into the "third heaven". "Paradise"
was refering to a place where the "saved" rest until the final judgement,
and the living could visit that place by the methods of Hekhalot to
recieve intructions and blessings from the Holy Ones who were there,
as well as recieve perfect assurance of thier place in the Heavenly Kingdom.
These methods continue to be used after the fall of Jerusalem by the Rabbis:
PARDES:THE QUEST FOR SPIRITUAL
PARADISE IN JUDAISM
Moshe Idel
The Core of the "Pardes" Tradition: Tosefta
Hagigah 2:3-4
Four entered the Orchard (Pardes): Ben Azzai,
Ben Zoma, Akher and Rabbi Aqiva. One peeked and
died; one peeked and was smitten; one peeked and
cut down the shoots; one ascended safely and
descended safely.
Ben Azzai peeked and died. Concerning him
Scripture says: "Precious in the eyes of he
Lord is the death of His loyal ones" (Ps. 16.
15).
Ben Zoma peeked and was smitten. Concerning him
Scripture says: "If you have found honey, eat
only your fill lest you become filled with it
and vomit" (Prov. 25:16).
Akher peeked and cut down the shoots.
Concerning him Scripture says: "Do not let your
mouth bring your flesh to sin, and do not say
before the angel that it is an error; why
should God become angry at your voice, and ruin
your handiwork" (Eccl. 5:5).
Rabbi Aqiva ascended safely and descended
safely. Concerning him Scripture says: "Draw
me, let us run after you, the King has brought
me into His chambers" (Song I:4).
It can also refer to the four levels of Torah exigesis: P'shat (literal),
Drash (life application), Remez (deeper meanings from word studies) and
Sod (gematria). These words form the acronym "PaRDeS" refering to the
Torah itself as the "Tree of Life" bearing life-giving fruit for those
who seek it out.
"Pardes is an acronym for the four levels of interpreting a Torah text:
peshat, the simple meaning of the text; remez, the hints and allusions
within the text; derush, the derivative implications of the text arrived
at by way of hermeneutic rules; and sod, the symbolic and esoteric meaning
of the text" Glossary of Chasidut
Ken Shaw
>
> Hi Ken
>
> I have Helkhalot literature, but I'm not convinced (not even remotely) about
> 'transmigration of souls'. Anyway, how do you connect that to Yeshua's statement
> to the thief on the cross?
>
> Luana
>
> Ken Shaw wrote:
>
> > Luana said-
> >
> > >>Does anyone have a comment on what Yeshua said to the thief on the
> > >>cross: "Today you will be with me in paradise"? I'm sure this has
> > >>already been commented on, but I missed it.
> >
> > Luana,
> >
> > The Pharisees and the sectarians of Qumran shared beliefs that came
> > down from Judah's contact with the Vedic Aryan religion of Zoroastrianism.
> >
> > These beliefs included the existance of angels, the pre-existance of the soul
> > and some kind of reincarnation. The Saducees rejected all these supernatural
> > doctrines because they couldn't be demonstrated from Torah alone.
> >
> > The reincarnation angle shows up in the Gosples when the deciples ask Jesus
> > who's fault it was that a man was born blind, his own or his parents, as well
> > as in the questioning of Jesus about his identity when it was suggested he
> > might be Elijah.
> >
> > The original Jesus movement was closely tied to both the Qumran community
> > and the Pharisees, and the theology of Paul shows that it was profoundly
> > Kabbalistic.
> >
> > If you want to understand the worldview of Jesus you have to study the
> > early form of Kabbalah called Hekhalot.
> >
> > Ken Shaw
> >
> > This list provided by SANJ sponsers: http://www.nazarene.net
> > SANJ is a non-profit organization
>
> This list provided by SANJ sponsers: http://www.nazarene.net
> SANJ is a non-profit organization
>
This list provided by SANJ sponsers: http://www.nazarene.net
SANJ is a non-profit organization
----- End Included Message -----
Subject:
mutants: donmeh-digest V1 #40
Date:
Sat, 23 Jan 1999 13:14:41 -0500
From:
proclus
To:
Andy Mcguire ,
Kathleen McGuire ,
"R. Trent Reynolds" ,
"Theurgus@aol.com" ,
"jswick@cris.com" ,
"rds@acsu.buffalo.edu" ,
Beth Quick ,
"proclus@mac.com" ,
"rpcman@hotmail.com" ,
"onandagus@webtv.net" ,
"Neoptolmus@aol.com" ,
"dcombe@rain.org" , Beth ,
Kerry Shirts
References:
1
Beloved mutants! I just want to thank Ken for introducing me to the
wonderful donmeh list. (What does donmeh mean anyway, Ken?). It is a
huge volume, so I switched to digest mode. Everytime I think of
unsubscribing, I find some stunningly brilliant post, as you will find
below. There are some great minds over there.
So, I thread-surf and lurk. I'm afraid that my questions would be a
little, um, irreverent, and I don't want to make waves in such a lovely
pond! One of my favorite threads is the Tikkun thread. This is a
wonderful analogy, relating how we have become separate from God, the
One, and will someday be reunited. I love the analogy to the big bang.
I always thought that the kabbalists were pretty good at astrophysics,
and it appears that the Lurianic kabbalists were dead on.
There is a big problem with this analogy though. In a recent
development, astrophysicist have now concluded that the universe will
_not_ be reabsorbed to its center. This is a case where hypothesis is
being displaced by theory. Our space is expanding at an accellerating
rate and it will continue to do so forever. We will not return to the
center through a big bang in reverse... So much for a literal tikkun.
I was a little stunned by this news when I first heard it. It meant
that the cycle of death and rebirth was ultimately off, and the universe
would wind down one day, like a clock with a slack spring. The poet
within me sighed in anomie and oblivion.
That's when I realized that the Tikkun is not literal. We become one
with god by _emulation_. We are god uploading himself. Like a good
emulation, we think we are god, or we are like commander Data; ever
striving to be human, never becoming human. To me, this is even more
poetic, and more human. After all, and I hate to beat you all over the
head with this, but as Joseph said, "God is a man". Any thoughts?
donmeh-digest wrote:
> Euevgeni - What role will play the Qelippoth in this final stage
> of Tikkun? I am also curious (and not smart enough to figure it
> out by myself) why do you call your, Yakov's and Nathan Gazati's
> belief "Mahayanistic"?
>
> Yakov - What there is for the Messiah to protect humanity from,
> after life was sucked out of Evil already?
>
> YAKOV REPLIES:
>
> For "God to be One and his Name One" in the Messianic Age (as scripture
> states) the Divine must reabsorb the "evil" of which it purged itself in
> the disunifying moment of Tzimtzum. That is to say, the "YH" will be
> reunited with the "VH" in the Messianic Age and En-Sof will "reown" its
> "Gevurah" or "Stern Judgement" (also viewed as the "Yetzer HaRa" or
> "Evil Inclination" in Kabbalah). Thus, the "Son" (Tiferet/Small
> Face/Messiah) will protect the "Community of Israel" (Malkuth/Eclesia)
> from the reowned "wrath" of the "Father" (Keter/Large Face/Ancient Holy
> One). The Book of Job is a parable of this process and you might want to
> read my paper (if you can find it in your library) titled "The Paradigm
> of Job" published in _Dor L'Dor: Journal of the World Jewish Bible
> Society of Jerusalem_.)
> Thanks,
> Raising up Holy Sparks together,
proclus
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