Faith

Faith

By US Nessie - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=16819206

Faith, a small but incredibly powerful word, just five letters, yet the concept that it attempts to contain in those five letters represents an infinite power, a power that can fuel our spirit and give strength to our minds and bodies far beyond any physical substance could.  We are probably all familiar with this word both hearing it and using it; I have faith in you, keep the faith baby, I took it on faith, a leap of faith, having the faith of a mustard seed.  Yet, how well does anyone grasp it or experience it. As General Semantics philosophy would phrase it; the name is not the thing in itself. Faith goes far beyond its name.  Like another small word; atom, describing such a small particle that it can only be seen with some of the world’s most powerful microscopes, yet, split this minute particle and immense power flows out.  The power in the atom pales compares what is contained in faith.

There are dictionary definitions of faith; a firm belief in something for which there is no proof. Perhaps the Bible gives one of the better definitions of faith; Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. (Hebrews 11.1)  The Biblical definition and General Semantics coming closer to the mark realizing that the being, the concept of faith transcends physical proof and embrace the greater reality of mind and spirit. The Cayce readings state this quite well.

26. What, then, is this faith that is indicated? This one KNOWS, when one becomes aware of same; yet may never put it into words nor tell another by words - or acts even - as to what that consciousness of faith is. Yet we may see the shadow of same in what faith has prompted in the experiences of others -  Text of Reading 2174-2

If one wants to understand how well they understand their own grasp of faith, I would suggest bringing some friends together and discuss each understanding of one’s individual concept of faith.  You will probably find a variety of perspectives on faith’s meaning.  Such a discussion, though just words, helps us seen into ourselves how well our knowing of faith is.  In the ability in expression to others of our concept we see how well we grasp it ourselves.  Here is one of the first steps to measure how much faith is applied, practiced in our personal lives.  For faith is an experience, it is living and growing, it is active, not passive, it is participating with each other and the universe acting on its power and concept.

For hope and faith are living - LIVING - things! Text of Reading 1504-1

In the beginning I noted several phrases that we have probably heard and used, one I had not included was the phase; “An ACT of Faith.”  That is an integral part in knowing and growing of faith within us.  The application, the participation with faith, through our daily experiences helps bring it beyond a word to a knowing.  A variety of the world’s sacred texts share examples of such active faith. The Bible has a wonderful example of acting and living individual faith.

Jesus Heals a Centurion’s Servant [Luke 7 International Standard Version (ISV)]

7 After Jesus[a] had finished saying all these things[b] to the people who were there listening, he went to Capernaum. 2 There a centurion’s servant, whom he valued highly, was sick and about to die. 3 When the centurion[c] heard about Jesus, he sent some Jewish elders to him to ask him to come and save his servant’s life. 4 So they went to Jesus and begged him repeatedly, “He deserves to have this done for him, 5 because he loves our people and built our synagogue for us.”

6 So Jesus went with them. He was not far from the house when the centurion sent friends to tell Jesus,[d] “Sir,[e] stop troubling yourself, because I’m not worthy to have you come under my roof. 7 That’s why I didn’t presume to come to you. But just say the word, and let my servant be healed, 8 because I, too, am a man under authority and have soldiers under me. I say to one ‘Go’ and he goes, to another ‘Come’ and he comes, and to my servant ‘Do this’ and he does it.”

9 When Jesus heard this, he was amazed at him. Turning to the crowd that was following him, he said, “I tell you, not even in Israel have I found this kind of faith!” 10 Then the men who had been sent returned to the house and found the servant in perfect health.

This Roman centurion did not just sit back and wait for the Master or the universe to stroll by and aid him; He Acted!  Even though he felt he was not worthy he participated and took action and in his actions he lived his great faith.

This example is an important one. The centurion On occasion I have seen people, well intended, stop and say I have faith and I am just going to sit here and wait for God to show me or give me a sign for what to do next.  I have been guilty of this misunderstanding of faith, in the past, myself. To stop working and acting on faith, sitting back and waiting to be guided. This is not going into the experience, the application of a living, active, act of faith.  This is not participating with spirit, as the Cayce would term it; to become Co-creators with God.  To put it another way, if guidance is needed; get up and go ask someone for directions or go seeking a map.

For, as has oft been said, faith without works is dead   254-73

by faith and works, are ye made every whit whole.  3395-2

Again as it hath been given, "Show me thy faith by thy works," in thy relationships, in thy conversation, in thy activity with thy fellow man.  264-50

Faith is not something that is passive; it is active living participation in our daily experiences and beliefs, which is how faith grows to move mountains.  It is even at the core of the act of communion.  The etymology of the word communion is mutual participation.

Such lack of participation could be considered by another phrase we are probably familiar with; Blind Faith.   The readings making it very clear the error in blind faith:

If they are met in Him that is the Maker, the Creator of all that exists in manifestation, as He has promised, then not in BLIND faith is it met - but by the deeds and the thoughts and the acts of the body, that through Him the conditions may be met day by day. Thus has He bought every soul that would trust in Him.  442-3.

Ideally with these words and with remembering of the knowing of faith we already have in our being we can incorporate them in to our daily living and being, acting in faith and growing in faith.  In the participation our faith will develop, will expand exponentially , like the splitting of an atom we can split open the word of faith into an ever expanding transcendental experience of light for ourselves and others leading us to our ultimate destination of the Empyrean light.

As we apply what we know, there is given a great understanding of how our faith may increase and become a living thing in our experience.  (SFG I, faith chapter)

"Dinosaur to Excelsior”

Dinosaur to Excelsior”

 Our past is extinct.

It provides us fuel for now and the future.

We can use it to burn ourselves to the ground

Or become unbound.

                                                                                                                                Don carroll

Sacred Geometry at the time of Jesus: Recent discoveries in Israel

Sacred Geometry at the time of Jesus:

Recent discoveries in Israel

I have written and presented often on the spiritual symbolism found in sacred geometry, a symbolism that is shared by spiritual philosophies through the ages and around the world.  (Sacred Geometry and Spiritual Symbolism: The Blueprint for Creation) Recent exciting discoveries of 1^st century C.E. synagogue in the ancient city of Magdala, Israel have truly brought this concept full circle. The “find” at this site is remarkable and significant in further uniting this perennial philosophy.  Before I share it let me reaffirm some basic tenets in reference to sacred geometry to format the context.

Sacred geometry involves universal patterns used in the design of everything in our reality, most often seen in sacred architecture and sacred art. The basic belief is that geometry and mathematical ratios, harmonics and proportion are also found in music, light, and cosmology.  This value system is seen as widespread even in prehistory, a cultural universal of the human condition.  They may be considered Universal Archetypes.  In the Hermetic tradition of; “As above so below”, reflecting each other in the Macrocosm and the microcosm. It reflects the fabric of the universe and the very fabric of ourselves.

Though the Edgar Cayce readings did not use the term “sacred geometry”; they describe the similar purpose of such symbolic patterns.

…for to begin from the first we have in that as has been given in the material plane, we have the counterpart, pattern or model through which all may be understood in the etheric or in the celestial, terrestrial plane –    TEXT OF READING 900-348 M 32

For the purpose of this article the related sacred geometry involved are the flower of life, the seed of life, the Vesica Pisces with the triangles created within it, and the six pointed star. (See below) Each of these symbols, in their fashion, represent an Axis Mundi; a representation joining together Heaven and Earth.  In the case of the Vesica Pisces (two overlapping circles) it is also seen as a womb of creation where spirit and matter come together.  Some may recognize this as the ICTHYS; the symbol for Jesus the Christ.  This is very apt as Jesus represented both the son of man and son of God, thus bringing Heaven and Earth together.  As these overlapping circles continue on and on they create more and more Vesica Pisces which are interlinked in the form of the 6-petaled lotus (seed of life). Then these “seeds “continue repeatedly into the flower of life, which then goes on ad infinitum uniting the finite within the infinite, weaving the united harmony of Heaven and Earth. Also illustrated are the two triangles, back to back or diamond shape that is created within each Vesica Pisces petal.  Then it can be seen by creating the triangles-diamond shape in the six-petal lotus, the six-pointed star or hexagram, also known as the Hebrew Star of David or Seal of Solomon is created.  In the Western tradition this is recognized as an important symbol of Judaism.  In the Eastern tradition of Hinduism this six-pointed star is known as the Shatkona and represents the Supreme Being joining with Mother Earth. The Cayce readings describe the meaning of the six-pointed star in a similar manner.

8. And just above this central figure indicate the nude form of the figure unfolding, but the symbol that is called the pyramid (and the inverted pyramid) over same. This would indicate spirit entering matter. TEXT OF READING 2390-6

Flower of Life

Seed of Life

Vesica Pisces (ICTHYS)

with triangles within it

six petal lotus/seed of life/vesica pisces

Six-pointed Star created within the seed of life

Now allow me to present the amazing find in Israel; the Magdala Stone and share its amazing significance. 

[i]

[ii]

Depicted above is what is being called the Magdala table discovered during archeological excavations of a first century synagogue I referenced before in Israel. This table was found in the part of the temple that they considered would have been the “holy of holies”. Further excavations of the site unearthed a coin dated to 29 A.D. evidence of the time period of the synagogue.  A time period when Mary of Magdala or Jesus the Christ could have prayed in this very place of worship! 

The symbols carved on this table and their interpretation I found breath taking. 

[iii] [iv]

The following are some excerpts of the archeologist’s interpretation of this limestone table itself and what it was designed to represent.

Ms. Talgam concluded that she was looking at a three-dimensional depiction of the Temple of Herod, including its most sacred inner sanctum, known as the Holy of Holies.[v]

This table represents Herod’s temple, which is the Hebrew Second Temple, the rebuilding of Solomon’s Temple, still standing in Jerusalem at the time of Jesus and Mary of Magdala.  The archeologist’s interpretation of this table makes the symbols on it that much more important.  The seed of life that dominates the top of the table is described this way:

Another fascinating symbol dominates the center of the top of the Magdala Stone: a six-petaled rosette. It is flanked by columns with palmette capitals, echoing ancient Jewish historian Josephus’s description of the area directly before the Holy of Holies. The rosette itself symbolizes the actual veil before the Holy of Holies. Josephus describes this veil as being decorated with flowers—perhaps with this very rosette.

Curiously, the rosette is a common Jewish motif found on ossuaries, sarcophagi and monumental tomb façades from the late Second Temple period to (70 BCE) the second century C.E. Considering this connection, one wonders if it signifies a passing through the “veil” of this life into the presence of God, just as passing through the veil into the Holy of Holies is an entry into God’s glory localized in the Temple. [vi]

What is being described here is a curtain of “Flowers of Life” in the temple that one would be passing through to enter into the “Holy of Holies” of bringing Heaven and Earth together in the present; exactly what these symbols represent around the world!

Then there are the symbols on the side of the Magdala table described as wheels (author note; yet looking like “seeds of life”) and triangles.

This brings us to the final symbol representing the deepest part of the Temple on the Magdala Stone: the Holy of Holies. Two wheels appear suspended in the air with triangular shapes underneath, representing fire (see image below). Early Jewish writings use this imagery to represent the heavenly realm. The wheels are interpreted as the bottom of the chariot, symbolizing God’s throne. The fiery chariot described in Ezekiel 1 and 10 gives credence to the symbol representing God’s presence dwelling both in the Temple and in the heavens.[vii]

This interpretation is reiterated by others:

On the side of the stone that Ms. Talgam believes represents the inner sanctum, the carvings suggest the lower portion of a chariot, with flashes of fire beneath its wheels — possibly illustrating the seat of God residing in the earthly Temple. The upper half, or God himself, she said, would have been in heaven.[viii]

Yes, the fiery chariot described by Ezekiel, in Hebrew this is called a Merkaba, translating as throne-chariot and as, noted here “a symbol representing God’s presence both in the temple and in the Heavens.”  This clearly echoes the concept and purpose of spiritual philosophies throughout the ages to bring Heaven and Earth together in ourselves, to raise our consciousness, to spiritualize ourselves while in materiality.  The Judaic Mystics understood this:

The Chariot (Merkabah) was thus a kind of 'mystic way' leading up to the final goal of the soul. Or, more precisely, it was the mystic 'instrument,' the vehicle by which one was carried direct into the 'halls' of the unseen. It was the aim of the mystic to be a 'Merkabah-rider,' so that he might be enabled, while still in the trammels of the flesh, to mount up to his spiritual Eldorado.[ix]

As Jesus pointed out, we ourselves are the earthly Temple and in knowing such, we can raise ourselves up to Heaven/God consciousness while still on Earth.

I hope you can see this Magdala table discovery and be both in awe and rejoicing at the same time as I am.  In awe that this incredible significant symbolic table was present at the time of Jesus, that Jesus may have actually been present and read the Torah on it. That Jesus, his disciples, and others would have understood the deep symbolism of this table as has been described here of uniting Heaven and Earth within oneself as the purpose and goal of humanity.  Then the rejoicing that this message is clearly perennial and can be found through the ages and the spiritual philosophies of all humanity, that we all share this spiritual goal and unity.    

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[i] By Ori~ - Own work, Attribution, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=45755957

[ii] By Hanay - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=23042839

[iii] By Hanay - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=23042829

[iv] By Hanay - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=23042828

[v] https://www.nytimes.com/2015/12/09/world/middleeast/magdala-stone-israel-judaism.html?_r=0

[vi] http://www.biblicalarchaeology.org/daily/ancient-cultures/ancient-israel/the-magdala-stone/

[vii] http://www.biblicalarchaeology.org/daily/ancient-cultures/ancient-israel/the-magdala-stone/

[viii] https://www.nytimes.com/2015/12/09/world/middleeast/magdala-stone-israel-judaism.html?_r=0

[ix] Jewish Mysticism by J. Abelson, London: G. Bell and Sons 1913 p.34,35

The Pendulum swings for the Spirit of Light aka “Cayce Cubit”

The Pendulum swings for the Spirit of Light aka “Cayce Cubit”

In an earlier article (VI Oct – Dec ’11) I wrote about an ancient Egyptian cubit spoken of By Edgar Cayce in reading 281-25.  An Egyptian cubit known of, but generally considered inconsequential by today’s mainstream Egyptologist, though written about more significantly by Dr. Livio Stecchinni , a professor of ancient measurements.  I demonstrated the extraordinary and compelling evidence of the use of this cubit at three different sacred sites, on three different continents.  This substantiation, at the very least, alludes that such a shared unit of measurement would have to come from an advanced culture that could travel worldwide.  Obviously this is verified in numerous Cayce readings.  Unfortunately such a source is considered unacceptable by mainstream archeology.

If the scientific community can reach beyond the hubris that we must be the most advanced society the earth has seen and therefore the further one goes back in history the more primitive the culture must be.  Perhaps that last observation is too strong, but there does appear to be a bias towards the idea of an advanced ancient civilization that could travel between continents and share its wisdom and technology, thousands, if not tens of thousand years ago.   Add on top of that that the initial evidence came from psychic information as provided by Edgar Cayce and many simply stop listening at all.  That is truly a shame. I understand merely stating it as fact is not enough, evidence needs to be provided but that should not preclude researchers from using psychic information as a springboard for further investigation to the possibilities. Remember the “mythical” city of Troy from Homer’s Iliad was actually found. Further until recently it was thought the construction of megalithic structures was impossible before “civilizations from 3000 B.C.  That now has been overturned by the ongoing finds and excavations at Gobekli Tepe in Turkey, where multiple megalithic stone circles, similar to Stonehenge have been discovered and confidently dated to at least 9600 B.C. with evidence of more buried stone circles possibly 3000 years older!

My recent research is now showing evidence that the “Cayce Cubit” could well be an even greater verification of a worldwide advanced culture, with an ancient international system of measurements, in what would be considered prehistoric times.  Obviously the evidence is already there as earlier presented with this same cubit being used at these three sites, but is there any other precedent for such an international unit of measure?   The answer is yes, in what could be considered a subsequent system proof; it is in our modern day metric system (I.S.). 

To really appreciate history repeating itself here, a brief record of the creation of the meter is needed.  It started in the late 1600’s with several scientist of the time who began calling for the need of international units of measure.  Their initial suggestion for this unit of measurement was to use the length of a pendulum that half of it’s to and fro swing equaled one second.  The actual full period swing is 2 seconds and these pendulums are known as “2 second pendulums”.  From the 1600’s to 1930 pendulum time pieces were considered the most accurate time pieces in the world. This became known as a “second’s pendulum.”  The length suggested was 39 ¼ inches (997mm), this was the length of the pendulum that when swung at less than a 20 degree arc became a seconds pendulum. It would take over another one hundred years before the suggestion for an international standard would really begin to move forward.

Pendulum

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Simple_gravity_pendulum.svg

While the French revolution was going on struggling for its age of enlightenment the push for an international unit of measure began again.  This time the discussion was to use the pendulum length as a unit of measure or a fraction of the length of the distance along a meridian from the Equator through Paris to the North Pole.  Though the pendulum was considered a good choice in its portability and ease to re-create all over the world, think of the metronome used in keeping time for music or a grandfather clock, it uses the same principle.  It was argued that due to gravitational discrepancies in different places in the Earth that the pendulum would not be accurate enough.  It was finally decided to use one ten millionth of the distance from Equator to Pole, this would be the meter.  A 7 year plus expedition than was commissioned to get this equator to pole measurement.   The meter’s fascinating history continues down a long convoluted journey and is now evolved to be the distance light travels in a vacuum in 1/299792459 of a second.

I posit that the “Cayce Cubit” of 27 ½ inches was used in a similar manner as today’s meter for an international unit of measurement in what is considered prehistoric time.  Besides the structures themselves that provided standing evidence of its use in Egypt, Great Britain and Mexico, there is further evidence provided in the history of these ancient cultures and the history of the modern meter.

As noted above the way to determine the length of the meter boiled down to two final choices. The choices being a tiny fraction measurement of the earth’s surface, which took another 7 years of expeditions to get a very close measurement of, or the length of a “Seconds Pendulum”.   Each recommendation had its own drawbacks, but I think about which one would be the easiest to share and re-create among other varying cultures and could be passed on even if a civilization fails.  I believe the answer is clear, it would be the pendulum.  The next question is what about their suggested length of 39 and ¼ inches for the “seconds’ pendulum”, that still doesn’t fit!  That is correct, for a pendulum that is swung at less than 20 degrees. 

So I researched what length should a pendulum be if swung at a different degree angle and still create a seconds pendulum.  Incredibly what I discovered was that starting the swing of a pendulum at 90 degrees (at the horizontal) you will get this all-important 2 second pendulum if the length is 27.5 inches! Incredible!

Using mathematic software programs to test this theory gave a correct pendulum length of 27 ½ inches, if the pendulum swing was started at a 90 degree angle.  This provides a simple an elegant solution of placing the apparatus in the ground, then bringing the pendulum up to the horizontal (90 degrees) and letting it swing.  Just as in the suggestion of creating the international unit of the meter this also creates such a measuring unit. (The Cayce Cubit)

Fascinatingly there is more evidence for this unit provided by the Great Pyramid of Egypt.  Several researchers have noted that the Great Pyramid appears to be a geodesic model of the Earth (see Wm R Fix: Pyramid Odyssey).    Different Dimensions of the Great pyramid, such as its height and perimeter are a very accurate 1/43200 model of the dimensions of the Earth.  The interesting point here is that the “seconds pendulum “, a pendulum with a 2 second period, is a 1/43200 portion of a mean solar day.  A mean solar day equals 86,400 seconds. Please remember the ancient Egyptians are credited with giving us a 24 hour day.  Using the Cayce cubit then, not only gives significant results in its units of measurement for the Great Pyramid, but as a model of the Earth and keeper of time.

This is even more appropriate when examines the survey equipment that may have been used not only to build such structures, but also to measure and transit the stars above.  In the case of the Egyptians this was called a “merkhet” which is translated, appropriately as an instrument of knowing or an “instrument of time keeping”.  It was known to be used for time keeping by measuring stars, find North, and for building construction.  This was very similar to a surveyor’s tripod and plumb bob and as such it could have also functioned as a pendulum.

Surveyor tripod and plumb bob

By North American boundary commission, 1872-1876. [from old catalog];United States. Dept. of State -No restrictions, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=43828900 public domain

The Egyptians and the Maya both had “stretching of the cord” ceremonies, used for measurement in the construction of their structures and in some case in measuring of the heavens.  Both civilizations also are known for their advanced understanding and measuring of time.  The builders of Stonehenge are more of an enigma, but traveling to the British Isles would by an advanced culture and sharing such knowledge would have been even simpler. 

So there it is, by being willing to use the information provided from the psychic readings of Edgar Cayce which included an Egyptian cubit length ignored by Egyptologists, an advanced ancient civilization that could travel the world, and that world representatives even met as a council in Egypt, one can find valid confirming evidence for international sharing of information.   In using the information provided by Edgar Cayce’s psychic ability, along with archeological and scientific evidence, the theory for a  type of international unit of measurement that would be simple to travel with and recreate all over the world with a pendulum or just the instructions to build a pendulum can be submitted .  By using the knowledge provided, exactly what our own scientist suggested doing for an international unit of measurement, using a pendulum, works the same way for the Cayce cubit.  The evidence of those sites I wrote about all appearing to use the Cayce cubit help validate the theory.   It is so elegant, plausible and simple!  As Troy, once considered a fictional city, became an archeological reality, so moves the psychic archeology of Edgar Cayce.