Andrew Cort's Blog, page 35

MUHAMMAD'S NIGHT JOURNEY TO THE SEVEN HEAVENS

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 Here's a tale of the Prophet Muhammad many non-Muslims have never heard:

One evening, as the Prophet lay in bed, in that intuitive state midway between wakefulness and sleep, the angel Gabriel came to him. Gabriel opened Muhammad's chest, cleansed his heart with sacred water, and filled it with Wisdom and Faith that he had brought on a golden tray.
 

He then gave Muhammad a white buraq, a great winged animal larger than a donkey but smaller than a mule. The animal is very fast, and with each stride it leaps as far as its eyes can see. Muhammad mounted the buraq, and the two set off on a journey to Jerusalem.
During this journey, Allah enabled Muhammad to see many wondrous sites:


·  He saw the world itself in the form of an old woman. The woman was wearing a great deal of jewelry.
·  He saw people who were planting and reaping in just two days. Gabriel said, "These are people who struggle for the sake of Allah."
· He saw people, nearly naked, grazing like animals. Gabriel said, "These are people who refused to pay the obligatory tithe for the poor that leads to justice and prosperity."
· He saw people whose heads were being smashed by angels: the shape of their heads would return, only to be smashed again. Gabriel said, "These are people whose heads felt too heavy to pray, and they would only sleep."


When they arrived in Jerusalem, Muhammad tethered the buraq to the ring used by the Prophets. Then he entered the area of the Mosque and prayed two rak'at – the Muslim prayer which consists of one standing, one bowing, and two prostrations. 


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He then entered the Mosque, where Allah had assembled all the Prophets, from Adam to Jesus. Muhammad led them in a prayer.

When he came out, Muhammad and Gabriel ascended to the heavens on invisible stairs of gold and silver. When they reached the first heaven, Gabriel asked that the gate be opened. The angel assigned to the gate asked him, "Who is with you?" Gabriel answered, "It is Muhammad." The angel asked, "Was he called?" Gabriel said, "Yes." The gate was then opened, and Muhammad entered.

There, Muhammad saw Adam. Gabriel said, "This is your father, Adam. Pay him your greetings." So Muhammad greeted him, and Adam said, "Welcome pious son and pious Prophet." Then Adam prayed for Muhammad's well-being.
Adam stood amidst the many bodies of his descendants. The bodies to his right would die as believers, and when Adam looked at them he would laugh. The bodies to his left would die as non-believers, and when Adam looked at them he would cry.


Then they ascended to the second heaven, and Gabriel asked that the gate be opened. The angel assigned to the gate asked him, "Who is with you?" Gabriel answered, "It is Muhammad." The angel asked, "Was he called?" Gabriel said, "Yes." The gate was then opened, and Muhammad entered. There, they found Jesus and his cousin John. They welcomed Muhammad, saying, "Welcome pious brother and pious Prophet."  Muhammad greeted them in return and they prayed for his well-being.


Then they ascended to the third heaven, and found Jacob's son, Joseph, whose face had the beautiful radiance of the Moon at its full. They greeted him, and Joseph said, "Welcome pious brother and pious Prophet." And he prayed for his well-being.



Then they ascended to the fourth heaven, and found Enoch, whom Allah himself had initiated. They greeted him, and Enoch said, "Welcome pious brother and pious Prophet." And he prayed for his well-being.



In the fifth heaven they found Aaron. They greeted him, and Aaron said, "Welcome pious brother and pious Prophet." And he prayed for his well-being.

In the sixth heaven they found Moses. They greeted him, and Moses said, "Welcome pious brother and pious Prophet." And he prayed for his well-being.

[image error] Then they ascended to the seventh heaven, and Gabriel asked that the gate be opened. There they found father Abraham. They greeted him, and Abraham said, "Welcome pious son and pious Prophet." And he prayed for his well-being.

Father Abraham was resting his back upon Al-Bait-ul-Ma'mur, the Sacred House of Allah. Gabriel told Muhammad that every day 70,000 angels came there to pray. They only came once. Each day, a new group of 70,000 angels would appear. There are far more angels than humans.



Then Muhammad ascended to Sidrat-ul-Muntaha, the Lote Tree of the utmost boundary, the Tree that carries the knowledge of all God's creation from the beginning of time, beyond which human consciousness cannot go, the station of Gabriel. From beneath its trunk four rivers flowed, two hidden and two visible. Muhammad asked about them, and Gabriel said, "The two hidden rivers are the two rivers of Paradise, and the two visible rivers are the Euphrates and the Nile."


Then Allah inspired Muhammad, and he was given the Muslim obligation of fifty prayers every day. 



He began his descent, but when he reached the sixth heaven Moses asked him, "What obligation did Allah place on your community?" Muhammad said, "I have been ordered to offer fifty prayers a day." Moses said, "Your followers cannot bear fifty prayers a day. By Allah, I have tested people before you, and I have tried my best with Israel. Go back to the Lord and ask for a reduction to lighten your followers' burden."

Muhammad went back and asked, "Allah, please lighten the burden on my community." Allah reduced it by ten prayers. But when Muhammad returned to Moses, he said, "Your community is still not capable of doing that. Go back to the Lord and ask Him to lighten the burden further."


Muhammad went back and forth between Allah and Moses, until the burden was reduced to five prayers a day. Still Moses said it was too much. But Muhammad replied, "I have requested so much of my Lord that I feel ashamed, but now I am satisfied and surrender to Allah's Order." 




Then a voice said, "I have decreed My obligation and have reduced the burden, and I shall reward a single good deed as if it were ten good deeds."
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LOVE SEX GOD

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Not quite sure what to make of this video trailer from ArcLightCinema. Interested in others' comments.






Please Watch, and Leave a Comment.

CHRIST, THE 'FISH', THE VESICA PISCES, & ASTROLOGY

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When he had finished speaking he said to Simon,"Put out into deep water and let down your nets for a catch."Simon answered, "Master, we have worked all night longbut have caught nothing. Yet if you say so,I will let down the nets."When they had done this they had caught so many fishthat their nets were beginning to break. (Luke.5.4-6)


They signaled the other boat to come and help them, and soon both boats were filled with so many fish that they began to sink. Simon ['he that obeys'], who was also called Peter [a 'rock' or 'stone'], "fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, 'Go away from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man.' For he and all who were with him were amazed at the catch of fish that they had taken; and so also were James and John, sons of Zebedee ['abundance'], who were partners with Simon." They were afraid the boats would sink under the weight of all the fish, but Jesus said: "Do not be afraid; from now on, you will be catching people."


Psychologically, the 'sea' represents the vast unconscious, from which all our ideas and notions arise: these, in turn, can be symbolized as 'fish'. Spiritually, the sea represents the primeval 'waters' from which all created things arise, so human beings can also be symbolized as 'fish'.


Simon has been fishing in the sea all 'night': that is, he has been seeking in darkness and has found nothing. Now Jesus enters his boat: symbolically, the 'light' of consciousness awakens in the deep waters of the unconscious. Simon recognizes the 'master' of his soul, and as his name implies he obeys it. "Master," he says, "we have worked all night long but have caught nothing. Yet if you say so, I will let down the nets."

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He then finds so many 'fish', so much abundance, that he cannot contain it all. His friends arrive with an extra boat, and still they cannot contain it all. The enormity of Creation was far more than his consciousness could assimilate once the sea began to pour forth its secrets, and Simon Peter and his friends were frightened. All these fish would have to be sorted, which is what fishermen do – the good ones are kept, the unusable ones are thrown back. But there were too many, the boats were sinking, and Simon Peter was overcome by the sense of his own limitations and did not feel up to the job. He was unprepared, he was sinking spiritually. 'Leave me,' he said to his Master, 'I cannot do this, I am a sinful man.' But Jesus reassured them. 'Do not be afraid,' he said. 'Come with me, and I will make you fishers of people.'


Many symbolic levels are at work here, and we only scratch the surface.

The fish has always been a symbol of Christ and his followers. Saint Augustine would write that Jesus was "a fish who lives in the midst of the waters," and Tertullian would write, "So many fishes bred in the water, and saved by one great fish." (Similarly, Joshua, whose name is the same as 'Jesus' and means 'savior', was the son of Nun – a Hebrew word that means 'fish').


The letters that spell the Greek word for 'fish' (pronounced ichthys) are also the initials for the phrase "Jesus Christ, God's Son, Savior", and for this reason ichthys was used as a secret password among early Christians.



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[image error] The word can still be found as an emblem in many examples of Christian art, where it is often written within a symbolic drawing of a fish known as the Vesica Piscis.



The Vesica Piscis is a geometrical symbol made from the interpenetration of two perfect circles, one representing the 'Above' and the other representing the 'Below'. When the circles are drawn in a vertical alignment, their intersection, which has the basic form of a fish, is a symbol of Christ – i.e., a combination of Human and Divine. Taken internally, the figure symbolizes the Christ within, the human soul which exists in the Threshold between Worlds – partly of the Material world and partly of the Divine.



On the other hand, when the circles are viewed in a horizontal alignment, their intersection can be seen as a vaginal symbol, representing the passageway into life. This symbol, surrounded by the crescents of the waxing and waning moon, now represents the Sacred Feminine , the Divine Mother through whom the soul enters the material world – e.g., Mary. 





This form of the symbol can also be seen in various examples of religious art, including many depictions of the Madonna and Child surrounded by a vesica-shaped halo, and in constructions of sacred architecture, including the Gothic Cathedrals.















In Astrology, we find that the two thousand year period known as the Age of Pisces (the sign of the fish) began at the time of the birth of Christ. The Piscean Age is characterized esoterically as a time period in which the Spirit penetrates more deeply into Matter: in other words, the Word becomes Flesh.


In fact, the entire story of Christ's journey, like all initiatory legends, has many correspondences with astrological symbolism. Jesus is said to have been born at the time of the Winter Solstice, December 25th, precisely when the new Sun is 'born' each year. Thirty degrees later in its annual journey through the zodiac, the Sun enters Aquarius, the sign of the water-bearer: thirty years after his birth, Jesus came to John who baptized him with water. The Sun then leaves Aquarius a few weeks later, and Aquarius descends below the horizon: shortly after Jesus left him, John descended into prison. After leaving Aquarius, the Sun then enters Pisces, the constellation that is symbolized by two fish. This brings us back to our story, right when Jesus came upon two boats belonging to fishermen, the disciples he is gathering together.


Jesus tells the disciples to 'follow' him – to align themselves hierarchically beneath his noetic authority – and he will prepare them to be 'fishers of people'. Fishermen gather together all the fish they can with their nets, and then they sort: they separate the good from the bad, the wheat from the chaff. The disciples are going to be charged with bringing men and women to Christ, and then sorting them – not everyone is ready for the journey of initiation.



This is a harsh and difficult lesson. Not everyone is able to successfully complete a spiritual initiation, and even those who are capable are rarely willing to make the effort. There has to be a process of selection. Most of us will remain 'sinners' – that is, we will miss the mark and descend. Only a few will be chosen.


He explains all of this a short while later, according to Matthew, when he speaks privately to his disciples about the 'end of the age'. Symbolically, on a physical level, this refers to the end of one's life. On a spiritual level, it refers to the completion of a stage of inner evolution.


Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a netthat was thrown into the seaand caught fish of every kind:when it was full, they drew it ashore, sat down,and put the good into basketsbut threw out the bad.So it will be at the end of the age.The angels will come outand separate the evil from the righteousand throw them into the furnace of fireand there will be weepingand gnashing of teeth. (Matt.13.47-50)

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(This Excerpt from THE PURPOSE OF RELIGION was also published last summer in New Age Spirituality Magazine)


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FROM THE ENLIGHTENMENT TO POP CULTURE

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Life in ancient and medieval times was not enviable. Life was awash with poverty, disease, early death, endless work, crime, cruelty, and war. The ancients talked about virtue and happiness, but they never found a way to achieve it for more than a few aristocrats. The political concern of the Enlightenment was to alter this. Rather than a world of countless suffering serfs, and a few princes living in luxury off of everyone else's labor, a great humanitarian endeavor was undertaken to lift suffering humanity and provide a good life for all.


To bring about this enormous change there would be a cost, with losses as well as gains. To attain security and prosperity for everyone we would have to stop talking about unattainable virtue and focus instead on accepting, understanding, and caring about human beings as they are. In other words, it was necessary to have a philosophical change as well as a change in material conditions. Instead of thinking about the meaning of life and ways to transcend the mundane realities of life, philosophers would have to become the allies of the day-to-day efforts taking place in the world. The human Mind would have to come down off its lofty perspective and stop seeking after virtue, truth, God and beauty, so that the Body of humanity could be lifted up to a more suitable material state.


The value of this endeavor is undeniable, and we rightly continue to this day to make efforts that will hopefully bring about its fulfillment for all human beings. This is the admirable task of modern commercial society, struggling toward freedom, equality, and prosperity.

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But the cost has been enormous. While our human appetites and cravings still persist, the virtues that ruled them have been abandoned, leaving the body and its needs to fend for themselves. About the only remaining truly-respected virtue is self-interest. Everything else has been debunked. Our actions can only be judged according to their utility: do they help preserve and bring comfort to individuals?  "Life, Liberty, and Property" were not the concern of ancient philosophers. Their concern was with the perfection of the soul. But as philosophers and political scientists became exclusively concerned with alleviating worldly human suffering, the soul pretty much disappeared.


Life was better, but somehow empty. People needed more. So a new concept was invented in response to the banality of a purely commercial life. It is called Culture – a vague concept that refers to aspects of life that are somehow 'higher', more intellectual, or at least different, than the merely physical and economic aspects. 


But 'culture' is not a commensurate replacement for what has been lost. In the hierarchy of importance, commerce replaced religion, patriotism, art, etc. People are willing to strive and fight and even die for God, for country, or any of several other virtues. In many ways, we are undoubtedly better off as these fanaticisms die down. But the new hierarchy leaves little in life to be passionate about. No one is willing to die for culture.

But 'enjoying culture' is how we are now expected to alleviate the meaninglessness of our mechanical, commercial lives. Since it never denies the far greater importance of commerce, however, culture carries no real weight.


As Max Weber noted, we have chosen to stake our lives on solid but low ground. A society dedicated to self-preservation does not provide fertile soil for beauty, nobility, or greatness of spirit. Such things have little place in our world – and if anyone suggests otherwise, the Press will quickly come swarming, looking for titillating bits of dirt to help squelch such notions. So the effect of the Enlightenment has been to raise mankind economically while lowering us intellectually and spiritually. 

[image error] As a consequence, we have learned to live with coarseness and vulgarity. This is what many people around the world see when they look at America – a veritable circus of consumerism and obscenity, a godless criminal system of unbridled greed, theft, exploitation and vulgarity, a society that is materially strong but morally and intellectually weak, a society that has confused "The Good" with "the goods". Mass production and advances in technology and communications have only magnified the impact of this horrible impression.
What should we do? Can we, should we, do anything? Please share your ideas!

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THE FREEMASONS AND THE TEMPLE

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To help build his Temple, Solomon called upon the services of two special people, both of whom were named Hiram. The story of this triad of Temple Builders would later provide a basis for the Freemason tradition.





First, there was King Hiram of Tyre, who "had always been a friend of David." Solomon knew that no one among the Israelites knew how to cut timber the way Hiram's people did, so he entered into a contract whereby Hiram would supply cedar trees from Lebanon for the Temple and Solomon would provide food and supplies for the workers. In addition to the wood, Solomon "ordered huge blocks of choice stone to be quarried, so that the foundations of the house might be laid with hewn stones. Solomon's masons, Hiram's masons, and the men of Gebal [a word which which refers to cutting 'boundaries' or 'limits'] shaped them. Thus the timber and the stones for the building were made ready."


To make the furnishings that would be placed within Temple, Solomon sent for the other Hiram. "He was the son of a widow of the tribe of Naphtali, and his father had been a Tyrian, a coppersmith." Solomon himself would make all the furnishings that were to be placed within the inner sanctuary and the Holy of Holies, but Hiram made everything else. "He was endowed with skill, ability, and talent for executing all work in bronze."
This Hiram, the Master Craftsman, plays a role analogous to Bezalel, God's chosen expert in the construction of the Tabernacle, and even somewhat analogous to Plato's 'Demiurge', the Divine Craftsman who created the world out of already-existing materials. Like the Demiurge, this Hiram represents the Active force of this triad.
King Hiram, who supplies the materials -- the cedar wood and stone – represents the Material force, analogous to Plato's 'Necessity'.
The name 'Hiram' means both destroyer and exaltation, so it correlates beautifully that one Hiram would chop down trees and cut materials into pieces, while the other would take raw materials and build them up into magnificent new constructions -- such as columns, lavers, bowls, decorative pomegranates, and statuettes of lions, oxen, and cherubim.

All of this was overseen by the wisdom of Solomon, the Reconciling force of the triad.
Hiram made his objects out of copper and bronze, but everything Solomon made he made out of gold. For example, the scripture says:

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And Solomon made all the furnishings that were in the House of the Lord: the altar, of gold; the table for the bread of display, of gold; the lampstands—five on the right side, and five on the left – of gold….

Where did all this gold come from? The Scriptures do not say, but stories and legends abound about 'Solomon the Magician' and 'Solomon the Alchemist', who knew the secret of turning base metal into gold and who could therefore supply God's Temple with all the gold imaginable. In their inner symbolic meaning, these mythological stories are perfectly true. The alchemical transmutation of base matter into 'gold' is an allegory for the initiate's inner transmutation of base Levels of Being into sacred Levels of Being – that is, spiritual 'gold' -- and this inner work was accomplished by Solomon. (It is really rather humorous to picture modern chemists in their laboratories trying literally to follow the symbolic instructions written down by medieval alchemists, failing to produce any gold in their test tubes, and then solemnly declaring that alchemy doesn't work and they have 'proven' it!)

It is also easy to see how these stories of Temple craftsmen, overseen by the high triad of Wisdom, Cosmic Resources, and Demiurgic Action, could lead to the metaphorical association of Masonry with inner spiritual work, and a close relationship of Craftsmen with the Priesthood. Like Alchemy, the 'building of the Temple' represents an inner spiritual achievement. The literal building of a structure of wood and stone is its symbol.

Hiram the craftsman, (who is sometimes called CHiram Abiff), has a special place of honor in the lore of Freemasonry.
The Bible does not tell us about the death of CHiram, but according to the traditions of Freemasonry he was foully murdered. 
It seems that CHiram divided his workforce into three groups, according to their level of mastery. Each group had special passwords and other signs by which their level of excellence and skill could be immediately recognized and appreciated. 

Some, of course, were dissatisfied, believing themselves worthy of a more exalted position. One night, three such malcontents lay in wait, attacked CHiram, and when he still refused to reveal the 'Master's Word' (which only he, the Master, knew) they killed him with their tools. They buried his body on Mount Moriah (the symbolic gateway between matter and spirit) and fled. But they were soon captured and executed by King Solomon.
To the Freemasons, CHiram is a martyr, and the 'Master's Word' (that is, the Secret of the Temple , his secret Teaching) has been lost to us until his resurrection.
Again, as myth, this undoubtedly-fabricated story is true . Lower forces of the soul are always prone to jealousy and indignation, believing they are worthy of more respect, and like the crew of Plato's fabled ship, or like Korah and his followers in their rebellion against Moses, or like the crowds calling for Jesus' crucifixion, each one of us has an inner 'mob' that is always prepared to depose or even murder the true ruler of the soul. Actually, then, this is a snapshot of the usual state of our inner lives. 

The terrifying risk here is that real Truth and real Hope might then be lost for a very long time or even forever, unless it is preserved and protected by a 'Secret Society' (inner or outer), pending a safer and more favorable moment in time.

Despite the murder, the Temple was completed. Solomon then "convoked all the elders of Israel – all the heads of the tribes and the ancestral chieftains of the Israelites", and the Temple was formally dedicated. The priests carried the Ark of the Covenant, containing the Tablets with the Ten Commandments, into the Holy of Holies: (the wings of the Cherubim – the 'Mercy Seat' – spread over the Ark and protected it from view.) 
When they set the Ark down, the Shechinah appeared, and they had to leave the shrine: "[T]he priests were not able to remain and perform the service because of the cloud, for the Presence of the Lord filled the House of the Lord." (The same thing had happened when the Tabernacle was completed.) Then Solomon said:
The Lord has chosen to abide in a thick cloud: I have now built for You a stately House. A place where You may dwell forever.

SOLOMON AND ASMODEUS: A LEGEND ABOUT BUILDING THE TEMPLE

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[image error] Solomon's Temple, the permanent 'home for God' where the Ark of the Covenant would rest and the Shechinah would dwell, was built on the same pattern as the original 'Tabernacle in the Wilderness' that was built by Moses, though it was far more grand and elaborate. 
The Bible tells us that "no hammer or ax or any iron tool was heard in the House while it was being built." The Talmud comments on this verse by suggesting that because the Temple was constructed to enrich human life, and iron implements are so often used to destroy human life, it would not have been fitting to use iron tools when building the Temple. 
But some tales suggest that there is even more to the story:
The Scriptures say that in addition to his unsurpassed wisdom regarding such things as Good, Evil and Justice, Solomon "discoursed about trees, from the cedar in Lebanon to the hyssop that grows out of the wall; and he discoursed about beasts, birds, creeping things, and fishes."


The legends, however, say that Solomon did not merely discourse about these plants and animals: he spoke to them. God had granted him so much wisdom, that Solomon understood the language of every living thing. And not just plants and animals. Solomon could converse with angels and demons. He could even drive demons out, when they possessed human beings.
One of the greatest challenges to his wisdom was to find a way to build the Lord's Temple without using iron tools to cut, fashion, smooth down, and fit the great stones together. Solomon knew that God never gives us more obstacles to overcome than we are capable of handling, so the injunction in the Torah against the use of iron tools had to mean that another method existed. So he called together all the wise of his kingdom, and asked if any of them knew the secret. 

An old wizard, learned in ancient lore, revealed to Solomon that on the sixth day of Creation, in addition to many other Wonders, God had created the Shamir. This little stone (some say it was a little worm, which relates the Shamir to the Dragon, the Serpent Power, the Will of God acting upon the hard stone of the world), the size of a grain of barley, was supposedly used by Moses to engrave the names of the Tribes onto the twelve precious stones in the ephod worn by the High Priest. The Shamir, the wizard knew, could slice stone, and would be able to cut the stones for the Temple in complete silence.
But neither he, nor any other of the assembled wise, knew where the Shamir might be. So Solomon called together all the demons who were under his control, but they also had no idea where the Shamir was located. They suspected, however, that their leader, Asmodeus, the king of the demons, probably knew the secret. 

They told Solomon the name of a mountain where Asmodeus dwelt. Further, they informed him that there was a spring of pure water within this mountain from which Asmodeus drank. Each day he would drink his fill, and then seal the well with a great rock before going about his business. When he returned, he would always check the rock to be sure the seal had not been tampered with during his absence, and when he was satisfied he would remove the rock and drink again. [The demon's 'water', the level of 'truth' with which he sustains himself and his power, comes from the spring 'Below'. Each day, before drinking, he would make sure that nothing had entered and infected it from 'Above'].
Solomon called for his General and right-hand-man, Benaiah (whose name means 'son of the Lord'), and they devised a plan to capture Asmodeus. Benaiah went forth to the demon's mountain, with a chain, a bundle of wool, a container of wine, and Solomon's signet ring upon which the old wizard had inscribed the Name of God. 
When Benaiah arrived at the mountain he bored a hole at the bottom, letting out all the water without touching the great stone on top. He stopped up the hole with some of his wool. Then he went to the other side of the mountain, to a spot higher up, and bored another hole. Through this hole he refilled the great well with wine, and then stopped up the hole with the rest of his wool.

When Asmodeus returned, he was astonished to find wine instead of water in his well, for the seal had not been touched. At first, he would not drink of it, but soon he succumbed to his thirst and drank deeply until his senses were overpowered and the wine put him into a deep sleep. 
Benaiah now came forth from his hiding place, slipped the ring with the Name of God onto the chain, and put the chain around the neck of the king of demons.
Asmodeus awoke and tried to escape, but the chain with the Name could not be resisted, and Benaiah led him off and returned to Solomon.
Solomon spoke with Asmodeus and demanded that he reveal the hiding place of the Shamir. The demon said that God had given the Shamir to the Angel of the Sea, and the Angel had long ago entrusted it to a great bird, who had taken an oath to guard it carefully. The job of this bird is to seek out mountains that are too rocky to be inhabited, to use the Shamir to break up the rock, and then to fill the openings with seeds so that plants begin to grow and the mountains soon become habitable. But there are many, many, such places amongst the southern mountains where the bird might be, and Asmodeus could help no further.

Once again, Solomon and Benaiah devised a plan. Benaiah took an expeditionary force in search of the great bird. Eventually they found its nest, and as Solomon had expected it was full of fledglings. Following Solomon's plan, Benaiah covered the nest with a flat transparent stone he had brought with him. Then he hid himself and waited. 
When the great bird returned and saw her hungry, helpless, fledglings beneath the stone, she took out the Shamir to break the stone. Benaiah then jumped out from his hiding place, yelling and waving his arms, and the terrified bird dropped the Shamir and flew off.
Benaiah picked up the Shamir, removed the stone from the nest, and returned to King Solomon.
The tiny Shamir, representing just a tiny fraction of the force of God, the Logos, the Serpent Power that traverses and unites all levels, is so strong that it can "cut stone" – that is, it can cut through the denseness and hardness of the material world. This enormous power can only be located (it is somewhere within oneself) with the help of our dark side, the 'evil inclination', which must be tamed. The demonic King Asmodeus is the dark negative analogue of King Solomon. (In a later legend, Asmodeus even replaces Solomon for a time as king, and no one notices.)
On one level, employed by the animal/material level of consciousness at its highest degree (the bird soaring through the high mountains), the Shamir breaks through 'stone' to make habitations for human beings . But when employed by the wisdom of Solomon, it breaks through our 'stone' to make a habitation for God – the "Temple".


Once Solomon knew that the stones could be cut and fitted without violence (iron tools), the task of construction began. For this, the Bible tells us that Solomon called upon the services of two special people, both of whom were named Hiram. The story of this triad of Temple Builders would later provide a basis for the Freemason tradition.

RADIO INTERVIEW on "WE ARE ONE IN SPIRIT" with Yvonne Perry

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Please have a listen here as Yvonne Perry interviews me about my book, The Purpose of Religion: Enlightenment, Meaning and Love in Jewish, Christian and Islamic Symbology on her program  We Are One in Spirit.

THE STRANGE TRUTH ABOUT RELIGION

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Most people believe that, despite certain similarities, each religion is fundamentally different from every other religion, and their religion is the only true one. This is understandable. A quick survey of faiths certainly shows enormous diversity, and it wouldn't make much sense to hold to a belief without believing that it's true.
But I'm going to turn this around on its head. I would suggest, on the contrary, that despite some differences all religions are fundamentally the same! And the differences that do exist -- far from providing a justification for fighting and hatred -- are a beautiful testament to the magnificence of the human imagination. Furthermore, the underlying similarity of all the world's many faiths is even more magnificent.

 But the most controversial thing is probably this: Very little of what religions say is 'true'! True, that is, in the literal sense of "that really happened" or "that's what I must do if I want to be "good". On the contrary, the various religious stories – while sometimes (not always) based at least loosely on historical characters and events – have been consciously and figuratively put together to create allegorical and symbolic instructions for anyone who wants to perfect their soul, as Plato called it, and attain a holy mystical state of Oneness with Divinity.
The only actual difference between them is that they have been put together at different times and different places to appeal to different cultures with different tastes: the Hebrews liked legends about their ancestors, the Greeks enjoyed tales of fabulous gods and goddesses, Christians loved the life story of Jesus, the Muslims enjoyed stories about Muhammad and his battles, revelations and successes. All these stories are wonderful!

And they are all, in essence, the same. A religion might call the story "The Return from Slavery in Egypt to Freedom in the Promised-Land", or "Persephone's Return from Hades to Olympus", or "The Quest of the Holy Grail", or "Muhammad's Journey to the Seven Heavens", or "The Greater Mysteries", or "Christ's Journey from the Jordan River to Calvary", or any of a thousand other names. But the meaning within the stories is always the same: if we ponder the story inwardly and decipher the symbols, it tells us what we have to do to evolve beyond our illusory material existence and awaken to the Truth of spiritual enlightenment.
So it's understandable that people cling to the specialness of their own choice of religions. Each one is special, each is unique and wonderful. But this is hardly a justification for beating people's heads in who follow a different faith. Each different faith should be the cause for admiration and delight.


Is Jesus God? Is Allah God? Is Yahweh God? What is God? Why are we here? What is the meaning of life? It's all one and the same. Whether Jew, Muslim, Christian, Hindu, Buddhist, Pagan, Native American…. We are all brothers and sisters, we are all in the same boat, and we are all on the same path to the same God.

HAPPY COLUMBUS DAY

So he didn't discover America. We can still celebrate the 'discovery' of America, where the intent of the Founders was to create a nation where Wisdom, Beauty, Liberty and Spirit would thrive.

To maintain freedom and equality, Alexis de Tocquevile knew that the spirit must reject dogmatism, and religions must remain within their proper bounds and not launch forays into politics. "In wishing to stretch their powers beyond matters religious, they risk losing their credibility in all other spheres as well. So they must, with care, draw the circle within which they intend to contain the human spirit, while outside the circle the mind should be left entirely free to guide itself."

BULLYING: CIVILITY BEGINS AT HOME

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A Guest Post by Jay Remer

Autumn is upon us and with the beginning of this season comes a return to school for students, a renewed energy in the workplace with summer holidays behind us, and the end of the extensive summer vacation for government. With everyone raring to go, there are bound to be uncontrolled fits and misplaced bursts of energy, many people jockeying for positions of comfort after their rejuvenating summer breaks. Undoubtedly, there will be instances where people are so enthusiastic or full of themselves in general that they will exhibit uncivil behavior. We are, after all, human beings. It is our very nature, especially in western society, to get ahead either at school, in our jobs, or in our efforts to get reelected as government officials. 


None of us are immune to overstepping our bounds from time to time in this desire to achieve our goals. Unfortunately, in striving for our goals, too often these efforts turn into acts of bullying. Sometimes we purposefully act in ways which can be very hurtful and cruel to those around us. Other times we behave this way quite unaware and are clueless as to how our actions affect those people with whom we interact. 

What better time than the present is there to stop and assess our actions, our motives, and our goals? I have observed, as have many others, that civility at school, in the work place, in social and activity clubs and in the legislature has fallen to a very low point. If we want to build any kind of a sustainable and healthy future for our children and grandchildren, now is the time to begin anew to lead by example so that those who hold us in high regard have good reason to do so.


Where we need to begin this sort of renovation is at home. Bullying begins at home. This is learned because one or both parents, caregivers, and siblings teach this behavior initially.  There is no point to laying blame elsewhere. If there are constant tears at home from a child; if there is a constant or even occasional outburst which instills fear in a household; if there is confusion and lethargy surrounding a household, it is time to take a look at what is going on. We need to become more aware of and take responsibility for our actions. We must make a bigger effort to think about how we affect other people's feelings and self-esteem. 

Bullying  comes in many forms – physical, emotional, verbal, and mental. Unfortunately, the effects of this abuse can last a lifetime. We all deserve respect. Whether the newborn freshly home from the hospital, the elder statesman who is the patriarch of the family, or the grandmother whose firm guidance has solved many a family argument, we all deserve to be treated with kindness, compassion and respect. This is best accomplished if practiced every day. I think it is so important that I suggest scheduling some family time if necessary, where all family members can get together to discuss what is going on in their lives. How else will we find out if someone is being bullied and is afraid. None of us are skilled enough psychics to guess how our loved ones are feeling, what their troubles may be, and how we may help them to feel better about themselves.

Bullying is akin to negative reinforcement. The only thing worse is abandonment. Coming home to an empty house, for example, is a very unhealthy way for any of us to end our day of work or schooling. Even something as simple as a short note indicating that there is food in the fridge or what time dinner will be gives some assurance that a much needed connection will be made soon. We cannot thrive or even exist in isolation. We mustn't do this to our loved ones.

Bullying is the behavior of weak individuals. This weakness needs to be addressed. It is the responsibility of parents to see to it that their children are raised to know the difference between behavior which is acceptable and that which is not. This is a simple process really because everything that our parents do, we as children assume is alright. It does not take a lot of experience to recognize actions which are wrong. Abuse of any kind is uncalled for. Physical abuse is in fact against the law, a fact of which many people are unaware. Physical abuse must be reported to authorities at once and can be done anonymously if needs be.


When we return to our schools and offices this autumn, let's try to make it our own personal policy to behave civilly with one another. This kind of natural behavior cannot be successfully legislated, nor should it be. A healthy society should be able to nurture this behavior very comfortably. Discussing this at home brings it to the forefront of our minds and helps make it easier to happen. If the home is a secure place to live physically, mentally and emotionally, our schools and places of work will be too.


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Jay Remer is a consultant in corporate etiquette and international protocol. He is trained and certified by the Protocol School of Washington to present a variety of interactive workshops. You can find out more about Jay, read his articles on protocol and etiquette, and learn about his Seminars, Courses, and Event Planning Services, at www.etiquetteguy.com.
***Notice: You may be interested in watching BULLYING: IT STOPS HERE, an Anderson Cooper Town Hall , tonight, October 9, 2011, at 8:00PM EST on CNN.