Concerning Forms in Art – The Transcendent Unity of Religions

 

It may seem surprising that we should introduce a subject that not only appears to have little or no connection with anything that has gone before, but also in itself seems to be of secondary importance; in fact however, this question of forms in art is by no means a negligible one and is closely connected with the general questions dealt with in this book.

 

First of all however, there is a matter of terminology that calls for a few words of explanation: in speaking of „forms in art” and not just „forms”, our purpose is to make it clear that we are not dealing with abstract forms, but on the contrary, with things that are sensible by definition; if on the other hand, we avoid speaking of "'artistic forms," it is because the epithet „artistic” carries with it in present-day language, a notion of luxury and therefore of superfluity, and this corresponds to something diametrically opposed to what we have in mind.

 

The expression „forms in art” is really a pleonasm, inasmuch as it is not possible, traditionally speaking, to dissociate form from art the latter being simply the principle of manifestation of th former; however, we have been obliged to use this pleonasm for the reasons just given.

 

If the importance of forms is to be understood it is necessary to appreciate the fact that it is the sensible form that, symbolically, corresponds most directly to the Intellect, by reason of the inverse analogy connecting the principial and manifested orders. ["Art", said St. Thomas Aquinas, "is associated with knowledge".]

 

In consequence of this analogy the highest realities are most clearly manifested in their remotest reflections, namely, in the sensible or material order, and herein lies the deepest meaning of the proverb „Extremes meet”; to which one might add that it is for this same reason that Revelation descended not only into the souls of the Prophets, but also into their bodies, which presupposed their physical perfection.

 

Sensible forms therefore correspond with exactness to intellections, and it is for this reason that traditional art has rules that apply the cosmic laws and universal principles to the domain of forms, and that, beneath their more general outward aspect, reveal the style of the civilization under consideration, this style in its turn rendering explicit the form of intellectuality of that civilization.

 

When art ceases to be traditional and becomes human, individual, and therefore arbitrary, that is infallibly the sign - and secondarily the cause - of an intellectual decline, a weakening, which, in the sight of those who are skilled in the „discernment of spirits” and who look upon things with

an unprejudiced eye, is expressed by the more or less incoherent and spiritually insignificant, we would go even as far as to say unintelligible character of the forms.

 

[We are referring here to the decadence of certain branches of religious art during the Gothic period especially in its latter part. and to Western art as a whole from the Renaissance onward: Christian art (architecture, sculpture, painting, liturgical goldsmithery, and so on). which formerly was sacred symbolical. and spiritual. had to give way before the invasion of neoantique and naturalistic, individualistic, and sentimental art; this art, which contained absolutely nothing"miraculous" - no matter what those who believe in the „Greek miracle" may care to think - is quite unfitted for the transmission of intellectual intuitions and no longer answers to anything higher than collective psychic-aspirations: it is thus as far removed as can be from intellectual contemplation and takes into consideration sentimentality only. Moreover, sentimentality debases itself in the measure that it caters to the needs of the masses, until it ends in a saccharine and pathetic vulgarity. It is strange that no one has understood to what a degree this barbarism of forms, which reached a zenith of empty and miserable exhibitionism in the period of Louis XV, contributed - and still contributes - to driving many souls (and by no means the worst) away from the Church: they feel literally choked in surroundings that do not allow their intelligence room to breathe. Let us note in passing that the historical connection between the new St. Peter's Basilica in Rome - of the Renaissance period, therefore antispiritual and showy, "human" one might say - and the origin of the Reformation are unfortunately very far from fortuitous.]

 

In order to forestall any possible objection, we would stress the fact that in intellectually healthy civilizations - the Christian civilization of the Middle Ages, for instance - spirituality often affirms itself by a marked indifference to forms, and sometimes even reveals a tendency to turn away from them, as is shown by the example of St. Bernard when he condemned images in monasteries, which, it must be said in nowise signifies the acceptance of ugliness and barbarism any more than poverty implies the possession of things that are mean in themselves. But in a world where traditional art is dead where consequently form itself is invaded by everything that is contrary to spirituality and where nearly every formal expression is corrupted at its very roots, the traditional regularity of forms takes on a very special spiritual importance that it could not have possessed at the beginning, since the absence of the spirit in forms was then inconceivable.

 

What has been said concerning the intellectual quality of sensible forms must not make us overlook the fact that the further one goes back to the origins of a given religion, the less those forms appear in a state of full development. The pseudoform, that is to say, an arbitrary form, is always excluded as already stated, but form as such can also be virtually absent, at least in certain more or less peripheral domains. On the other hand the nearer one draws to the end of the religious cycle under consideration, the greater the importance attaching to formalism, even from the so-called artistic point of view, since the forms have by then become almost indispensable channels for the actualization of the spiritual deposit of the religion.

 

What should never be forgotten is the fact that the absence of the formal element is not equivalent to the presence of the amorphous, and vice versa; the amorphous and the barbarous will never attain the majestic beauty of the void whatever may be believed by those who have an interest in passing off a deficiency for a superiority.

 

[The claim has sometimes been put forward that Christianity, on the ground that it stands above forms, cannot be identified with any particular civilization; it is indeed understandable that some people would like to find consolation for the loss of Christian civilization, including its art, but the opinion we have just quoted is nonetheless inexcusable.]

 

This law of compensation, by virtue of which certain relationships of proportion undergo a more or less marked inversion during the course of a religious cycle, can be applied in all spheres: for instance, we may quote the following saying (hadith) of the Prophet Mohammed: „In the beginning of Islam, he who omits a tenth of the Law is damned; but in the latter days, he who shall accomplish a tenth thereof will be saved".

 

The analogical relationship between intellections and material forms explains how it became possible for esoterism to be grafted onto the exercise of the crafts and especially architectural art; the cathedrals that the Christian initiates left behind them offer the most explicit as well as the most dazzling proof of the spiritual exaltation of the Middle Ages.

 

[When standing before a cathedral, a person really feels he is placed at the center of the world; standing before a church of the Renaissance, Baroque, or Rococo periods, he merely feels himself to be in Europe.]

 

This brings us to a most important aspect of the question now before us, namely, the action of esoterism on exoterism through the medium of sensible forms, the production of which is precisely the prerogative of craft initiation. Through these forms, which act as vehicles of the integral religious doctrine, and which thanks to their symbolism translate this doctrine into a language that is both immediate and universal, esoterism infuses an intellectual quality into the properly devotional part of the tradition, thereby establishing a balance the absence of which would finally bring about the dissolution of the whole civilization, as has happened in the Christian world.

 

The abandoning of sacred art deprived esoterism of its most direct means of action.The outward religion insisted more and more on its own peculiarities, that is to say, its limitations, until finally, by want of that current of universality that through the language of forms, had quickened and stabilized the religious civilization, reactions in a contrary sense were brought about; that is to say, the formal limitations - instead of being compensated and thereby stabilized by means of the supraformal interferences of esoterism - gave rise (through their opacity or massiveness) to negations that might be qualified as infraformal, resulting as they did from an individual arbitrariness that, far from being a form of the truth, was merely a formless chaos of opinions and fancies.

 

----

 

Frithjof Schuon: The Transcendent Unity of Religions

 

 

"For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect." ~~ Matthew 24 : 24

 

I encourage you sisters and brothers in Christ about believing NOT in every wonders and so called miracles /healings outside the word of God. I have seen many many many many performing wonders .People do believe them . You know them by their fruits .If their fruits don't reflect the word of God ,they are blatantly demonic. There's no middle way or in between.

 

I have seen one performing some form of tooth extraction without the conventional tools of a dentist .Almost impressive .He did it with his bare hands and came out clean and smooth with no blood in every extraction .It looked like magic !

There were long cue of people seeking his service . A reciptacle full of extracted teetth layed on the corner. I saw people with no blood after extraction ,how can that be .There wasn't any aneasthetic ,it was beyond reason .Not one screaming .

What looked so mingy about it ,he washed his hands so lighty ,considering hundreds of mouths his hands get into goooosh lol. Such practice wasn't by the word of God . He said about god but never of Jesus .Satan is a god of this world ,don't mistake it ,who else .

The reason why I measure up things with reference to God's manual guide book ,the Bible !

 

...even the word of Pastors and preachers ,I take them with some discernment if they teach exactly from the word of God .

  

~~~~~~~~~~~~~<<~~~~~~~@

 

Just some interesting youtube entries I have come across lately :

  

This one relates to something I heard of from Ruzz Dizdar

about Remote viewing .

Are you a remote viewer ?

    

I don't think this vid has a christian orientation ,but simply to show you even the secular realm do know about this :

Military remote viewers predictions as to Japan Earthquake ,solar storms...since I'm adhering to Biblical teachings , this will be the Great Tribulation ,the wrath of God if this all happens in our time line ! Be save ,it's coming friends )

The End - Remote Viewing Predictions

   

A short video but very interesting one ! Try to watch this vid :)

Remote Viewing Experiment

   

Religious Sect "666" Tattoo's Paul Begley Video .It's kind of funny ,but speaking the truth

        

I have to be clear here I am against interfaithtism / ecumenism .We need to be discerning of the times we are in and the apostacy happening in the church .Wolves are roaming around cloaked in sheep's wool .Don't believe everything they say , check it out if what they say abides by the word of God in Bible .If it doesn fit in then t belongs to the other side.

An example of it is this one :

Building up of the Lucifer's NWO CHURCH

   

In 1849, the Tallahassee population had grown to almost 1,800 men, women, and children. From this diverse population, four men and five women organized the Baptist Church of Tallahassee. Of these nine original members, one was to become governor and another state comptroller.

 

Throughout our 172 year history, many members have occupied positions of leadership in private business and industry as well as in the public sector, including governors, university presidents, college deans, professors, coaches, judges, legislators, commissioners, and mayors. The first church building was situated on the south side of College Avenue on a lot purchased for $500. With missionary pastors sent from the Home Mission Board, the membership grew until the Civil War began. There was no post-war record of ministry until 1880 when Rev. A.C. McCants was sent to lead the church.

 

In September 1894 the name of the church was changed to The First Baptist Church of Tallahassee, and from meager purses, the building was remodeled, refinished, and reoccupied on January 21, 1900. With a membership of 407, a new church structure was dedicated in November 1915 with the coming of Pastor-builder J. Dean Adcock. First Baptist Church continued to serve the needs of the Tallahassee community in the 1920s and 1930s. But the 1940s brought an influx of World War II personnel. When the Florida State College for Women became the co-educational Florida State University, students were filling every service and it was time to build again. Dr. Harold G. Sanders led us through an eight-year building program that ended with the completion of our second-century church in 1957.

 

In the subsequent years, First Baptist Church recognized the need for additional churches in Tallahassee and responded by establishing six mission churches. Additional structures were also added to our existing location under the guidance of Dr. Robert W. McMillian, including construction of a multi-purpose Christian Life Center in 1974 and administrative offices in 1987. Additional buildings were also purchased in 1998 for future expansion.

 

During the end of the twentieth century, we gave prayerful consideration to relocating our church. During that time of discernment, we waited on God for direction regarding our place of future ministry. We concluded a study in 2009 and came to the decision that our present location is where God wants us to be for as long as Jesus tarries. Today, we proudly state that we are here…for life, and we embrace that calling joyfully and hopefully.

 

No other community organization can substitute for us in testifying to the abundant life Jesus gives. We believe that God called us to pursue a phased renovation of our entire campus so that we might be able to offer first-century ministry in a twenty-first-century context that meets the spiritual needs of every generation and life stage. In August 2009, we adopted a set of recommendations for Phase I of our plan, to include roof repairs, renovations to the Fellowship Hall and Christian Life Center as well as the Children’s and Youth Ministry areas. In addition, our plan included a brand-new Welcome Center and Atrium that serve as a connecting point for all of our buildings. In August 2011, we completed all of the Phase I plans, and we began utilizing all of our new and renovated facilities.

 

As we look toward the future, we are excited about what God is doing in and through First Baptist. Jesus has promised to “build his church,” and as we continue to follow him, we look with anticipation toward his continued blessing upon us.

 

Credit for the data above is given to the following websites:

search.leonpa.gov/Property/Details/2136251831705

fbctlh.org/about/history/

 

© All Rights Reserved - you may not use this image in any form without my prior permission.

  

Sunday morning at the First Congregational Church in Tomper. It is a glorious Resurrection Day so the congregation gathers on the back courtyard. Pastor Calvin is preaching from the Lord's post resurrection appearance to the men traveling to Emmaus.

 

And behold, two of them were going that very day to a village named Emmaus, which was about seven miles from Jerusalem. And they were talking with each other about all these things which had taken place.

 

Ah, friends, what things were these that they were discussing? It reads, those things which had taken place. What had taken place? The three year ministry of the Lord, Christ Jesus, permeated daily with non-stop authoritative preaching and powerful miracles.

 

All of Judea and the surrounding region had been brought into a frenzy. This Rabbi, Jesus of Nazareth, had destroyed the arguments of the religious establishment, exposing them for the power-hungry hypocrites the people had long suspected them to be.

 

It had to come to a tipping point! It had to culminate quickly as this level of national tension could not be sustained.

 

That culmination came in the cross, my friends. And it was an... unexpected culmination for those who had believed Jesus' message.

 

Jesus had proclaimed Himself to be the promised Messiah! The Annointed One! God Himself! And many had believed!

 

Ah, but then the arrest and, as Jesus' followers watched in a state of confused shock, the religious leaders, like howling jackals, whipped a mob into a frenzy, overwhelming the Roman judicial system, and Jesus... Jesus, my friends, was crucified.

 

That most humiliating, most barbaric form of execution. Ah, the Romans loved it for the message it sent. But, how could this have happened? Jesus' believers were dumbfounded. If Jesus was who He claimed to be, how could they have killed Him?

 

Then, perhaps, Jesus was not the promised one after all. But, then, how had He performed so many miracles? The deep despair was intertwined with profound confusion and that is where we find our travelers.

 

Leaving Jerusalem... for what is left for them there now? Headed down the road to Emmaus. I do not doubt, in their shattered state, that Emmaus is less a destination than Jerusalem is a place to exit.

 

While they were talking and discussing, Jesus Himself approached and began traveling with them. But their eyes were prevented from recognizing Him.

 

Ah, friends, how many in this world... and perhaps you are hearing this now... how many in this world have veiled eyes. Purposely veiled! So that Jesus comes alongside you in His call of the Gospel, but you reject. You prefer to cling to the sad frustrations of this short life rather than embracing the truth of His eternity.

 

And He said to them, “What are these words that you are exchanging with one another as you are walking?” And they stood still, looking sad.

 

Jesus prompts them as to what they are discussing. It brings them to a stop. Again, I do not see that there was anything particular in Emmaus calling to them anyway. Theirs is a restless movement of resigned defeat. So, now, they simply stop.

 

The text tells us that their countenance is sad. Undoubtedly so! I imagine there is an extended silence before they answer. Here is an opportunity offered for them to voice what is tormenting their thoughts, but how to answer?

 

Unable to coalesce their contemplations concisely gives rise to further frustration and so they turn the question back on the stranger!

 

One of them, named Cleopas, answered and said to Him, “Are You the only one visiting Jerusalem and unaware of the things which have happened here in these days?”

 

Why do you ask us such? Are you blind? Have you been under a rock? Are you so lacking in discernment that you are unaware?

 

Their answer is, "What else could we possibly be talking about??"

 

Ah, but Jesus is omniscient. He not only knows all of Jerusalem, He knows all of the hearts of these two men, and He loves them. The Lord is not asking for information, my friends, He need not. No, He is bringing them into confession.

 

And He said to them, “What things?” And they said to Him, “The things about Jesus the Nazarene, who was a prophet mighty in deed and word in the sight of God and all the people, and how the chief priests and our rulers delivered Him to the sentence of death, and crucified Him. But we were hoping that it was He who was going to redeem Israel. Indeed, besides all this, it is the third day since these things happened.

 

They had hoped Jesus was the Messiah, but He had been killed. Just like so many false messiahs who had come before Him. So... three days later... we are heartbroken.

 

But, as the Master had devised, this conversation leads the pair into further thoughts.

 

But also some women among us amazed us. When they were at the tomb early in the morning, and did not find His body, they came, saying that they had also seen a vision of angels who said that He was alive. Some of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just exactly as the women also had said; but Him they did not see.”

 

They explain to Him, "You see, stranger, we even had a moment of renewed hope! Perhaps He is alive! But no, no sighting of Jesus. Only an empty tomb."

 

And He said to them, “O foolish men and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken! Was it not necessary for the Christ to suffer these things and to enter into His glory?” Then beginning with Moses and with all the prophets, He explained to them the things concerning Himself in all the Scriptures.

 

Note this, friends. This is Jesus speaking. God Himself in human flesh. If His goal were to immediately show them, their eyes would not be veiled. He could demonstrate another miracle before them to show them. What does He do instead?

 

That's right! He takes them through the Word! The Scripture! Ah, friends, if there are some of you thinking, "I should like to see a sign before I believe the Gospel." then you will die with your need unmet.

 

Jesus Himself says it is wicked to seek such a sign because you, in all your sin, are then demanding of the God of perfect righteousness that He prove Himself. (Matthew 16:4)

 

No, Jesus' purpose here is clearly shown. Trust the Scripture! It is the Word of God given from Him to you!

 

Peter writes of all the miracles they witnessed, including Jesus' transfiguration on the mount, but said the Scripture was a superior evidence. (2 Peter 1:16-19)

 

And they approached the village where they were going, and He acted as though He were going farther. But they urged Him, saying, “Stay with us, for it is getting toward evening, and the day is now nearly over.” So He went in to stay with them.

 

Still unaware of who this is with them, though at first dismayed by His question, now that He has walked them through the Bible with amazing knowledge and authority, they want nothing more than for Him to stay longer!

 

Do you see, Christians? I speak to you Christians now. Though we at times face despair, or confusion, or both, the bedrock of God's truth has been implanted in us (James 1:21) and will always bring us back to firm footing.

 

At this point they still do not know the answer to the question of the crucified Messiah but they are now comforted. Because God knows!

 

When He had reclined at the table with them, He took the bread and blessed it, and breaking it, He began giving it to them. Then their eyes were opened and they recognized Him; and He vanished from their sight. They said to one another, “Were not our hearts burning within us while He was speaking to us on the road, while He was explaining the Scriptures to us?”

 

Oh, wasn't the Lord correct, dear friends? Just as He said to this pair, are we not also so often foolish and slow of heart to believe? Is not our faith all too easily upheaved when some temporal thing of this life goes against our liking, or our understanding?

 

Now, they see! Of course! Now the Scripture that Jesus had explained to them clicked into place! It had to be this way! He had to die for our sin if we are to be saved! And, be that as it may, death is not His master, He is the Master of all life and death! (John 11:25-26)

 

As He said, He has authority lay down His life, and He has authority to take it up again! (John 10:18)

 

Note that the fact that the Master has suddenly simply disappeared from before them is not what has captivated their attention. It is the blessed truth of God made clear to them that enthralls them! All is as they hoped! Jesus is the Messiah!! All He said is true! With belief in Him, their salvation is now assured!

 

And they got up that very hour and returned to Jerusalem, and found gathered together the eleven and those who were with them, saying, “The Lord has really risen and has appeared to Simon.” They began to relate their experiences on the road and how He was recognized by them in the breaking of the bread. Luke 24:13-35

 

And then, what is left to do but go and tell? Go and share this Good News! Tell everyone!

 

They had left Jerusalem in confused despair. But they belong to the Master and He did not leave them in that state. No, He brought His blessed truth to them and they were transformed once again.

 

Now they return to Jerusalem... this time in affirmed victory. He is risen. And the congregation would say...?

 

"HE IS RISEN INDEED!"

 

Amen.

 

•───────────︵‿︵‿୨♡୧‿︵‿︵────────────•

 

Previous Resurrection Day celebrations at Paprihaven:

 

Resurrection Day 2016:

www.flickr.com/photos/paprihaven/25962038802/

Resurrection Day 2017:

www.flickr.com/photos/paprihaven/33897668742/

Resurrection Day 2018:

www.flickr.com/photos/paprihaven/41096879842/

Resurrection Day 2019:

www.flickr.com/photos/paprihaven/32704545437/

Resurrection Day 2020:

www.flickr.com/photos/paprihaven/49797426658/

Resurrection Day 2021:

www.flickr.com/photos/paprihaven/51094888779/

Resurrection Day 2022:

www.flickr.com/photos/paprihaven/52011084873/

Resurrection Day 2023:

www.flickr.com/photos/paprihaven/52805211509/

Resurrection Day 2024:

www.flickr.com/photos/paprihaven/53622427222/

The Major Stars and Constellations - Animistic Symbolism by Daniel Arrhakis (2026)

  

The Major Stars and Constellations: Animistic Symbolism

 

For animistic cultures—such as the indigenous peoples of the Americas, Australian Aborigines, and African tribes—the sky functions as a mirror of the Earth, where animals and nature spirits continue their existence.

 

The Eyes of the Ancestors: Many indigenous tribes believe that the stars are the hearths or eyes of deceased relatives watching over the living.

 

Guides to Spiritual Navigation: Fixed stars (like the North Star) are seen as the "axis of the world" or the throne of the Creator, maintaining the cosmos in balance.

 

Living Constellations: Groups of stars (like the Pleiades or Orion) are often interpreted as sacred animals or mythical heroes whose stories teach moral rules to the tribe.

 

Main Constellations and Their Symbolism

 

1. Orion (The Hunter / The Old Man)

 

Brazilian Indigenous Perspective (Tupi-Guarani): Known as the constellation of the Old Man (Tuíra). The Three Marys form its belt. It represents an elderly ancestor whose appearance in the sky in December announces the arrival of summer in the southern hemisphere and the beginning of the rainy season, regulating the cycle of agriculture and fishing.

 

Aboriginal Perspective: For some tribes in Australia, the stars of Orion represent three hunters who were banished to the sky by the Sun for breaking sacred laws.

 

2. The Pleiades (The Star Cluster)

 

General Symbolism: It is the most important star group for global animism.

 

Guarani Perspective: Known as Eichu (the swarm of bees) or Seixu. They are seen as a group of female spirits or celestial children. Its appearance in spring marks the beginning of the organic new year, bringing fertility to the land.

 

Inca and Mayan Perspective: Considered the Mothers of the Stars or guardians of the seeds, closely monitored to predict the success of corn harvests.

 

3. The Southern Cross (The Footprint of the Rhea)

 

Tupi-Guarani Perspective: It is part of the great animistic constellation of the Rhea (Guyraju). The Southern Cross represents the head of the celestial bird, which tries to swallow two bright stars (alpha and beta Centauri). If the Rhea manages to break free from the sky and descend to Earth, ancient peoples believed that it would drink all the water in the world, causing the end of times.

 

4. Ursa Major (The Great Bear) and the Big Dipper

 

Perspective of Native American Peoples (Iroquois/Micmac): The square of the constellation is seen as a living Bear (a protective animal spirit), and the three stars of the tail are three hunters who continually pursue it across the sky. In autumn, when the constellation is low on the horizon, the blood of the wounded bear drips onto the Earth, coloring the leaves of the trees red and yellow.

 

In animistic symbolism, the constellation of the Big Dipper (the seven brightest stars of Ursa Major) represents the cosmic center of the universe, the immortality of the spirit, and the eternal cycle of life, acting as a living bridge between the earthly world and the spiritual plane.

 

Main Stars and their Animistic Significance

 

1. Sirius (The Dog Star)

 

Perspective of the Dogon People (West Africa): Sirius is the center of their animistic cosmology. They believe the star harbors the Nommo, the ancestral spirits of water and creators of humanity. It is the representation of the umbilical cord that unites the spiritual world to the physical.

 

Ancient Egyptian Perspective: Although a complex civilization, its mysticism maintained animistic roots: Sirius was the personification of the goddess Sopdet (or Sotes). Its rising heralded the flooding of the Nile River, bringing life and fertility.

 

2. Antares (The Heart of the Scorpion)

 

Global Animistic Perspective: Due to its strong reddish glow, it is almost universally associated with fire and vital blood. For the peoples of the rainforest, it represents the burning eye of a predatory spirit (like the great serpent or the celestial jaguar) that observes the actions of humans at night.

 

3. North Star (Polaris)

 

Perspective of Circumpolar Peoples (Inuit and Peoples of Siberia): Seen as the Nail of Heaven or the Pillar of the World. It is the sacred, immobile axis around which all other celestial spirits revolve. It functions as the main portal through which shamans travel in trance to access the world of the gods and the dead.

 

4. Arcturus

 

The Vigilant Guardian: Because it belongs to the constellation of Boötes (the shepherd) and closely follows Ursa Major, it is seen as a protective spirit that watches over the flocks and the community.

 

Announcer of Life: Being a very bright orange giant in spring, its brilliance is interpreted as the rekindling of the Earth's vital fire after winter.

 

Guide of the Winds: In various indigenous and maritime traditions, its position indicates the changing of the seasons and the mood of the weather spirits.

 

5. Vega

 

The Celestial Weaver: In Asian animism (as in the Tanabata festival) (*) , Vega is the spirit of the Weaver, representing creativity, woven destiny, and spiritual fidelity. Purity and

 

Clairvoyance: Its intense blue-white light is linked to a spirit of crystalline purity, capable of dispelling stagnant energies and bringing mental clarity to shamans.

 

The Firebird: For some ancient tribes, its position in the constellation Lyra (once seen as a bird) represented the spirit of an eagle or vulture that carried human prayers to the upper world.

 

6. Rigel and Betelgeuse (Orion)

 

The Cosmic Duality: With Rigel being blue-white (young/cold) and Betelgeuse a red supergiant (old/hot), animism sees this pair as the personification of the balance of opposites: ice and fire, youth and old age, birth and death.

 

The Hunter / Giant Ancestor: Orion is often personified as a great warrior, cultural hero, or the first ancestor of humanity. Rigel (the foot) represents its foundation and journey on Earth, while Betelgeuse (the shoulder) represents the strength of action and the warrior's beating heart.

 

Guiding Beacons: Because they are visible globally, they are considered the "eyes" of the great spirits that observe and guide human and animal migrations during the winter.

  

7. Altair

 

The animistic symbolism of the star Altair is based on attributing a soul, agency, and spiritual life force to this celestial body, traditionally personified as the "Spirit of the Eagle" or the "Winged Messenger" due to its central position in the constellation Aquila.

 

The Flying Celestial Spirit

 

Living Etymology: The name Altair derives from the Arabic al-ṭā'ir, which translates directly as "the one who flies" or "the bird".

 

Spiritual Agency: From an animistic perspective, this name is not merely a descriptive label, but the expression of the very essence and behavior of the star's soul. It is seen as a dynamic spirit in constant cosmic motion.

 

The Heart of the Eagle and the Life Force

 

The Core of the Bird: Because it is located in the center of the constellation, Altair is frequently treated in ancient mythologies as the "Heart of the Eagle".

 

Attributes of Power: In animistic tradition and ancient magical astrology (such as talismanic fixed star magic), connecting with the spirit of Altair means evoking the virtues of the eagle itself: long-range vision, indomitable courage, determination, and spiritual freedom.

 

The Cosmic Guardian and the Shamanic Bridge

 

The Summer Triangle: Altair forms the famous Summer Triangle along with Vega and Deneb.

 

The Fabric of Heaven: In many tribal cosmologies and Asian folklore (such as the Tanabata festival), Altair (the shepherd) and Vega (the weaver) are divine beings separated by the Celestial River, the Milky Way.

 

Bridge Between Worlds: The group of stars surrounding Altair resembles a bird with open wings, serving in animism as a psychopomp—a spiritual guide or power animal that carries human prayers to the higher world and brings discernment or divine messages to Earth.

  

(*) The Tanabata Festival (七夕), also known as the Star Festival, is one of Japan's most poetic and colorful traditional celebrations. The event celebrates the legend of the annual meeting between two enamored deities separated by the Milky Way: Orihime (the star Vega) and Hikoboshi (the star Altair). The celebration traditionally takes place on July 7th (or in August, depending on the region). It is celebrated with colorful decorations and wishes made on bamboo poles.

 

The Festival Trinity: The Legend

 

The legend tells that the weaver princess Orihime and the ox herder Hikoboshi fell so deeply in love that they neglected their duties, which angered the Celestial Emperor. As punishment, they were separated and banished to opposite sides of the celestial river (the Milky Way), but due to their subsequent hard work, the emperor then allowed them to meet only once a year: on the seventh day of the seventh month of the year.

  

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

  

As Principais Estrelas e Constelações Simbolismo animista

 

Para as culturas animistas — como os povos indígenas das Américas, aborígenes australianos e tribos africanas —, o céu funciona como um espelho da Terra, onde os animais e os espíritos da natureza continuam a sua existência.

 

Os Olhos dos Antepassados: Muitas tribos indígenas acreditam que as estrelas são as fogueiras ou os olhos dos parentes mortos que vigiam os vivos.

 

Guias de Navegação Espiritual: Estrelas fixas (como a Estrela Polar) são vistas como o "eixo do mundo" ou o trono do Criador, mantendo o cosmos equilibrado.

 

Constelações Vivas: Grupos de estrelas (como as Plêiades ou a Oríon) são frequentemente interpretados como animais sagrados ou heróis míticos cujas histórias ensinam regras morais à tribo.

 

Principais Constelações e o seu Simbolismo

 

1. Órion (O Caçador / O Homem Velho)

 

Perspetiva Indígena Brasileira (Tupi-Guarani): Conhecida como a constelação do Homem Velho (Tuíra). As Três Marias formam o seu cinturão. Representa um ancestral idoso cujo surgimento no céu, no mês de dezembro, anuncia a chegada do verão no hemisfério sul e o início da época das chuvas, regulando o ciclo da agricultura e da pesca.

 

Perspetiva Aborígene: Para algumas tribos da Austrália, as estrelas de Órion representam três caçadores que foram banidos para o céu pelo Sol por quebrarem leis sagradas.

  

2. As Plêiades (O Aglomerado Estelar)

 

Simbolismo Geral: É o grupo estelar mais importante para o animismo global.

 

Perspetiva Guarani: Conhecida como Eichu (o enxame de abelhas) ou Seixu. São vistas como um grupo de espíritos femininos ou crianças celestes. O seu aparecimento na primavera marca o início do ano novo biológico, trazendo fertilidade à terra.

 

Perspetiva Inca e Maia: Consideradas as Mães das Estrelas ou guardiãs das sementes, monitorizadas de perto para prever o sucesso das colheitas de milho.

  

3. O Cruzeiro do Sul (A Pegada da Ema)

 

Perspetiva Tupi-Guarani: Integra a grande constelação animista da Ema (Guyraju). O Cruzeiro do Sul representa a cabeça da ave celestial, que tenta engolir duas estrelas brilhantes (alfa e beta de Centauro). Se a Ema conseguir soltar-se do céu e descer à Terra, os povos antigos acreditavam que ela beberia toda a água do mundo, causando o fim dos tempos.

  

4. Ursa Maior (O Grande Urso) e o Grande Carro

 

Perspetiva dos Povos Nativos Americanos (Iroqueses/Micmac): O quadrado da constelação é visto como um Urso vivo (um espírito animal protetor), e as três estrelas da cauda são três caçadores que o perseguem continuamente pelo céu. No outono, quando a constelação fica baixa no horizonte, o sangue do urso ferido pinga na Terra, colorindo as folhas das árvores de vermelho e amarelo.

 

No simbolismo animista, a constelação do Grande Carro (as sete estrelas mais brilhantes da Ursa Maior) representa o centro cósmico do universo, a imortalidade do espírito e o ciclo eterno da vida, agindo como uma ponte viva entre o mundo terreno e o plano espiritual.

  

Principais Estrelas e o seu Significado Animista

 

1. Sírius (A Estrela do Cão)

 

Perspetiva do Povo Dogon (África Ocidental): Sírius é o centro da sua cosmologia animista. Acreditam que a estrela abriga os Nommo, os espíritos ancestrais da água e criadores da humanidade. É a representação do cordão umbilical que une o mundo espiritual ao físico.

 

Perspetiva Egípcia Antiga: Embora uma civilização complexa, o seu misticismo mantinha raízes animistas: Sírius era a personificação da deusa Sopdet (ou Sotes). A sua ascensão anunciava a inundação do Rio Nilo, trazendo vida e fertilidade.

 

2. Antares (O Coração do Escorpião)

 

Perspetiva Animista Global: Devido ao seu forte brilho avermelhado, é quase universalmente associada ao fogo e ao sangue vital. Para os povos da floresta tropical, representa o olho aceso de um espírito predador (como a cobra grande ou o jaguar celestial) que observa as ações dos humanos durante a noite.

 

3. Estrela Polar (Polaris)

 

Perspetiva dos Povos Circumpolares (Inuítes e Povos da Sibéria): Vista como o Prego do Céu ou o Pilar do Mundo. É o eixo sagrado imóvel em torno do qual todos os outros espíritos celestes giram. Funciona como o portal principal através do qual os xamãs viajam em transe para aceder ao mundo dos deuses e dos mortos.

 

4. Arturo (Arcturus)

 

O Guardião Vigilante: Por pertencer à constelação do Boieiro (o pastor) e seguir de perto a Ursa Maior, é vista como um espírito protetor que vigia os rebanhos e a comunidade.

Anunciadora da Vida: Sendo uma gigante laranja muito brilhante na primavera, o seu fulgor é interpretado como o reacender do fogo vital da Terra após o inverno.

Guia dos Ventos: Em várias tradições indígenas e marítimas, a sua posição indica a mudança das estações e o humor dos espíritos do clima.

 

5. Vega

 

A Tecelã Celestial: No animismo asiático (como no festival do Tanabata) (*) , Vega é o espírito da Tecelã, representando a criatividade, o destino tecido e a fidelidade espiritual.

 

Pureza e Clarividência: A sua luz azul-branca intensa é associada a um espírito de pureza cristalina, capaz de afastar energias estagnadas e trazer clareza mental aos xamãs.

 

O Pássaro de Fogo: Para algumas tribos antigas, a sua posição na constelação da Lira (outrora vista como uma ave) representava o espírito de uma águia ou abutre que transportava as preces humanas ao mundo superior.

 

6. Rigel e Betelgeuse (Orion)

 

A Dualidade Cósmica: Sendo Rigel azul-branca (jovem/fria) e Betelgeuse uma supergigante vermelha (velha/quente), o animismo vê este par como a personificação do equilíbrio dos opostos: o gelo e o fogo, a juventude e a velhice, o nascimento e a morte.

 

O Caçador / Antepassado Gigante: Orion é frequentemente personificado como um grande guerreiro, herói cultural ou o primeiro antepassado da humanidade. Rigel (o pé) representa a sua fundação e a caminhada na Terra, enquanto Betelgeuse (o ombro) representa a força de ação e o coração pulsante do guerreiro.

 

Faróis de Orientação: Por serem visíveis globalmente, são consideradas os "olhos" dos grandes espíritos que observam e guiam as migrações humanas e animais durante o inverno.

  

7. Altair

 

O simbolismo animista da estrela Altair fundamenta-se na atribuição de uma alma, agência e força vital espiritual a este corpo celeste, sendo tradicionalmente personificada como o "Espírito da Águia" ou o "Mensageiro Alado" devido à sua posição central na constelação de Aquila.

 

O Espírito Celestial que Voa

 

Etimologia Viva: O nome Altair deriva do árabe al-ṭā'ir, que se traduz diretamente como "aquele que voa" ou "a ave".

 

Agência Espiritual: Sob o olhar animista, este nome não é apenas uma etiqueta descritiva, mas a expressão da própria essência e comportamento da alma da estrela. Ela é vista como um espírito dinâmico em constante movimento cósmico

 

O Coração da Águia e a Força Vital

 

O Núcleo da Ave: Por se situar no centro da constelação, Altair é frequentemente tratada em mitologias antigas como o "Coração da Águia".

 

Atributos de Poder: Na tradição animista e na astrologia mágica antiga (como na magia talismânica das estrelas fixas), conectar-se com o espírito de Altair significa evocar as virtudes da própria águia: visão de longo alcance, coragem indomável, determinação e liberdade espiritual.

 

O Guardião Cósmico e a Ponte Xamânica

 

O Triângulo de Verão: Altair forma o famoso Triângulo de Verão junto com Vega e Deneb.

 

O Tecido do Céu: Em muitas cosmologias tribais e no folclore asiático (como no festival do Tanabata), Altair (o pastor) e Vega (a tecelã) são seres divinos separados pelo Rio Celestial, a Via Láctea.

 

Ponte entre Mundos: O grupo de estrelas que rodeia Altair assemelha-se a uma ave de asas abertas, servindo no animismo como um psicopompo — um guia espiritual ou animal de poder que transporta as preces humanas ao mundo superior e traz discernimento ou mensagens divinas para a Terra.

  

(*) Festival do Tanabata (七夕), também conhecido como Festival das Estrelas, é uma das celebrações tradicionais mais poéticas e coloridas do Japão. O evento celebra a lenda do encontro anual entre duas divindades apaixonadas separadas pela Via Láctea: Orihime (a estrela Vega) e Hikoboshi (a estrela Altair). A celebração ocorre tradicionalmente no dia 7 de julho (ou em agosto, dependendo da região). É celebrado com decorações coloridas e pedidos em bambus.

 

A Trindade do Festival: A Lenda

 

A lenda conta que a princesa tecelã Orihime e o pastor de bois Hikoboshi se apaixonaram tanto que negligenciaram os seus deveres, o que enfureceu o Imperador Celestial. Como punição, foram separados e banidos para lados opostos do rio celestial (a Via Láctea), mas em virtude do seu posterior árduo trabalho, o imperador permitiu então que se encontrassem apenas uma vez por ano: no sétimo dia do sétimo mês do ano.

   

A sticker on an empty shop's window. Makes one think.

In 1849, the Tallahassee population had grown to almost 1,800 men, women, and children. From this diverse population, four men and five women organized the Baptist Church of Tallahassee. Of these nine original members, one was to become governor and another state comptroller.

 

Throughout our 172 year history, many members have occupied positions of leadership in private business and industry as well as in the public sector, including governors, university presidents, college deans, professors, coaches, judges, legislators, commissioners, and mayors. The first church building was situated on the south side of College Avenue on a lot purchased for $500. With missionary pastors sent from the Home Mission Board, the membership grew until the Civil War began. There was no post-war record of ministry until 1880 when Rev. A.C. McCants was sent to lead the church.

 

In September 1894 the name of the church was changed to The First Baptist Church of Tallahassee, and from meager purses, the building was remodeled, refinished, and reoccupied on January 21, 1900. With a membership of 407, a new church structure was dedicated in November 1915 with the coming of Pastor-builder J. Dean Adcock. First Baptist Church continued to serve the needs of the Tallahassee community in the 1920s and 1930s. But the 1940s brought an influx of World War II personnel. When the Florida State College for Women became the co-educational Florida State University, students were filling every service and it was time to build again. Dr. Harold G. Sanders led us through an eight-year building program that ended with the completion of our second-century church in 1957.

 

In the subsequent years, First Baptist Church recognized the need for additional churches in Tallahassee and responded by establishing six mission churches. Additional structures were also added to our existing location under the guidance of Dr. Robert W. McMillian, including construction of a multi-purpose Christian Life Center in 1974 and administrative offices in 1987. Additional buildings were also purchased in 1998 for future expansion.

 

During the end of the twentieth century, we gave prayerful consideration to relocating our church. During that time of discernment, we waited on God for direction regarding our place of future ministry. We concluded a study in 2009 and came to the decision that our present location is where God wants us to be for as long as Jesus tarries. Today, we proudly state that we are here…for life, and we embrace that calling joyfully and hopefully.

 

No other community organization can substitute for us in testifying to the abundant life Jesus gives. We believe that God called us to pursue a phased renovation of our entire campus so that we might be able to offer first-century ministry in a twenty-first-century context that meets the spiritual needs of every generation and life stage. In August 2009, we adopted a set of recommendations for Phase I of our plan, to include roof repairs, renovations to the Fellowship Hall and Christian Life Center as well as the Children’s and Youth Ministry areas. In addition, our plan included a brand-new Welcome Center and Atrium that serve as a connecting point for all of our buildings. In August 2011, we completed all of the Phase I plans, and we began utilizing all of our new and renovated facilities.

 

As we look toward the future, we are excited about what God is doing in and through First Baptist. Jesus has promised to “build his church,” and as we continue to follow him, we look with anticipation toward his continued blessing upon us.

 

Credit for the data above is given to the following websites:

search.leonpa.gov/Property/Details/2136251831705

fbctlh.org/about/history/

 

© All Rights Reserved - you may not use this image in any form without my prior permission.

  

Consider a humble artisan assuredly creating great masterpieces. Thinking them mere happenstance, when, in actuality such a supple intelligence portrays an artful sensitivity skilfully executed to spark moments of discernment.

 

Her nature, being modest, wanting nothing but to share her passion for the wondrous yet often hidden and unsung treasures. Permitting only humilities garments to frame her magnanimity, she is content with somewhat anonymity.

 

Humilities virtuosity in keeping with its innocence will never succumb the ego of this practitioner the impertinence of self praise, even the well deserved adulation from another will most often be set aside for modesty’s sake..

 

Henceforth such wonders are born to us in magnificent grandeur, thusly we are enriched by unintended circumstances. Artistic virtuosity humbly rendered to awaken us from seemingly perpetual slumber. Such depth of spirit duly submerged in the love of humanity deserves the crown of praise.

Metaphysical certainty is not God, though it contains something of Him. This is why Sufis accompany even their certainties with this formula: ''And God is more wise".

 

A cult of the intelligence and mental passion take man further from truth. Intelligence withdraws as soon as man puts his trust in it alone. Mental passion pursuing intellectual intuition is like the wind which blows out the light of a candle.

 

Monomania of the spirit, with the unconsious pretension, the prejudice, the insatiability and the haste which are its concomitants, is incompatible with sanctity.

 

Sanctity introduces in the flux of thoughts an element of humility and of charity, and so of calm and of generosity. This element, far from being hurtful to the spiritual impetus or the sometimes violent force of truth, delivers the spirit from the vexations of passions and thus guarantees both the integrity of thought and the purity of inspiration.

 

According to the Sufis mental passion must be ranked as one of the "associations" with Satan, like other forms of"idolatry" of the passions. It could not directly have God for its object, for, were God its direct object, it would lose its specifically negative characteristics.

 

Man must beware of two things: first of replacing God, in practice if not in theory, by the functions and products of the intellect, or of considering Him only in connection with this faculty; and, secondly, of putting the "mechanical" factors of spirituality in the place of the human values - the virtues - or only considering virtues in relation to their "technical" utility and not in relation to their beauty.

 

Intelligence has only one nature, that of being luminous. But it has diverse functions and different modes of working and these appear as so many particular intelligences. Intelligence with a "logical", "mathematical" or- one might say - "abstract" quality is not enough for attaining all aspects of the real.

 

It would be impossible to insist too often on the importance of the "visual" or "aesthetic" function of the intellective faculty.

 

Everything is in reality like a play of alternations between what is determined in advance - starting from principles - and what is incalculable and in some way unforeseeable, of which we have to get to know by concrete identification and not by abstract "discernment".

 

In speculations about formal elements it would be a handicap

to lack this aesthetic function of intellect. A religion is revealed, not only by its doctrine, but also by its general form, and this has its own characteristic beauty, which is reflected in its every aspect from its "mythology" to its art.

 

Sacred art expresses Reality in relation to a particular spiritual vision. And aesthetic intelligence sees the manifestations of the Spirit even as the eye sees flowers or playthings.

 

Thus, for example, in order to understand Buddhism profoundly, if one is not a Buddhist born, it is not enough to study its doctrine; it is also necessary to penetrate into the language of Buddhist beauty as it appears in the sacramental image of the Buddha or in such features as the "sermon on the flower".

 

The aesthetic function of the intelligence - if you may call it

that for lack of a better term - enters not only into the form of every spiritual manifestation but also into the process of its manifestation.

 

Truth must be enunciated, not only in conformity with certain proportions, but also according to a certain rhythm. One cannot speak of sacred things 'just anyhow", nor can one speak of them without limitations.

 

Every manifestation has laws and these intelligence must observe in manifesting itself, or otherwise truth will suffer.

Intellect is not something cerebral, nor is it specifically human

or angelic. All beings "possess" it. If gold is not lead, that is because it "knows" the Divine better. Its "knowledge" is in its very form, and this amounts to saying that it does not belong to it itself, for matter could not know. None the less one can say that the rose differs from the water-lily by its intellectual particularity, by its "way of knowing" and so by its mode of intelligence.

 

Beings possess intelligence in their form to the extent that they are "peripheric" or "passive" and in their essence to the extent that they are "central", "active" and "conscious".

 

A noble animal or a lovely flower is "intellectually" superior to a base man.

 

God reveals himself to the plant in the form of the light of the

sun. The plant irresistibly turns itself towards the light; it could not be atheistical or impious.

 

The infallible "instinct" of animals is a lesser "intellect", and man's intellect may be called a higher "instinct". Between instinct and intellect there stands in some sense the reason, which owes its troubles to the fact that it constitutes a sort of "luciferian" duplication of the Divine Intelligence - the only intelligence there is.

 

Knowledge of facts depends on contingencies which could not enter into principial knowledge. The level of facts is, in certain respects, inverse in relation to that of principles in the sense that it includes modes and imponderables that are the extreme opposite of the wholly mathematical rigour of universal laws. At least this is so in appearance, for it goes without saying that universal principles are not contradicted.

 

Even beneath the veil of the inexhaustible diversity of what is possible their immutability can always be discerned, provided that the intelligence is in the requisite condition for being able to discern it.

 

If the intellect is, so to speak, sovereign and infallible on its own ground, it cannot exercise its discernment on the level of facts otherwise than conditionally. Moreover God may intervene on the level of facts with particular things willed by Himself that are at times unpredictable, and of such things principial knowledge could only take account a posteriori.

 

-----

 

Frithjof Schuon

 

-----

 

Quoted in: The Essential Frithjof Schuon (edited by Seyyed Hossein Nasr)

  

Walker Percy's masterful novel Love In The Ruins: The Adventures Of A Bad Catholic At A Time Near The End Of The World was one of my rabbit holes. It also allowed me to catch some of my first glances of a perfect Church existing among and through weak vessels. It also helped form my growing understanding of grace, of actual graces and of sanctifying grace.

"Saint Peter Julian,

the Lord gave you,

as he once did to Jacob, his servant,

an ever-searching faith.

All your life long, you sought the way

to deepen your union with God

and to satisfy the hungers of humanity.

In the Eucharist, you discovered the answer to your searching:

God’s love was there for you and for all humanity.

 

Answering this gift of love,

you made the gift of yourself to God

and gave yourself to the service of his people.

Your life, modeled on that of the Cenacle,

where Mary and the apostles were united in prayer,

inspired your disciples to live

in an atmosphere of discernment and prayer.

Their apostolic zeal caused them to build Christian communities

where the Eucharist is the center and source of life.

 

Saint Peter Julian,

accompany us on our journey of faith.

May our ardent prayer and our generous service

help us to contribute to the building of a world

where there is justice and peace.

May our celebrations of the Eucharist

proclaim the liberating love of God

for the renewal of his Church

and the coming of his kingdom.

Amen."

 

The Shrine of the Saint, shown here, is in the Corpus Christi chapel in Paris.

 

Today (2 August) is his feast day.

  

Second Coming of Christ Movie | "Knocking at the Door" | How to Be Raptured to the Kingdom of Heaven by Lord Jesus

 

www.holyspiritspeaks.org/videos/knocking-at-the-door-movie/

 

Second Coming of Christ Movie | "Knocking at the Door" | How to Be Raptured to the Kingdom of Heaven by Lord Jesus

 

Two thousand years ago, the Lord Jesusprophesied, "And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom comes; go you out to meet him" (Matthew 25:6). "Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me" (Revelation 3:20). For the last two thousand years, believers in the Lord have been watchful and awaiting the Lord's knock on the door, so how will He knock on mankind's door when He returns? In the last days, some people have testified that the Lord Jesus has returned—Almighty God incarnate—and that He is doing the work of judgment in the last days. This news has rocked the entire religious world.

 

Yang Aiguang, the protagonist of the film, has believed in the Lord for decades and has always been enthusiastically engaged in work and preaching, waiting to welcome the Lord's return. One day, two people come and knock on the door, tell Yang Aiguang and her husband that the Lord Jesus has returned, and share the words of Almighty God with them. They are deeply moved by Almighty God's words, but because Yang Aiguang has been subjected to the fallacies, deception, and strictures of the pastors and elders, she throws the witnesses of The Church of Almighty God out of the house. After that, the witnesses knock on their door on many occasions and read the words of Almighty God to Yang Aiguang, bearing witness to God's work in the last days. During this time, the pastor disrupts and hinders Yang Aiguang time after time, and she continues to waver. However, through hearing the words of Almighty God, Yang Aiguang comes to understand the truth and gains discernment regarding the rumors and fallacies propagated by the pastors and elders. She finally understands how the Lord knocks on people's doors during His return in the last days, and how we should welcome Him. When the fog clears, Yang Aiguang finally hears the voice of God and acknowledges that Almighty God really is the return of the Lord Jesus!

 

Eastern Lightning, The Church of Almighty God was created because of the appearance and work of Almighty God, the second coming of the Lord Jesus, Christ of the last days. It is made up of all those who accept Almighty God's work in the last days and are conquered and saved by His words. It was entirely founded by Almighty God personally and is led by Him as the Shepherd. It was definitely not created by a person. Christ is the truth, the way, and the life. God's sheep hear God's voice. As long as you read the words of Almighty God, you will see God has appeared.

 

Terms of Use en.godfootsteps.org/disclaimer.html

  

 

__________________________________________________

Outlining a Theory of General Creativity . .

. . on a 'Pataphysical projectory

 

Entropy ≥ Memory ● Creativity ²

__________________________________________________

 

Study of the day:

 

"THE ALLEGORY OF CAMERA & OBSCURA".

(to debate with the Plato's allegory of the cavern.)

 

Once upon a time there was two small dark boxes, illuminated with certainties, two small empty heads, full of hope, and whose sensitive soul was waiting until the external light penetrates them to dazzle them with an image of the "True Reality”. At the proper time, they finally opened.

 

Camera in pursuit of the Absolute, wanted all to see without any reflection. All, absolutely All ! Then, at the proper time, it decided to be totally overcome by the "True Entropic Reality", all its sensitivity offered to intensely feel everything, without any prejudice, without thinking one second with all these words which darkens the mind more than they enlighten it. It installed a hypersensitive film which it will push in spite of its coarse grain. It tuned her diaphragm to the maximum aperture, a long time, and gave up itself to ecstatically feel the whole true light of the whole True Entropic Reality.

 

Obscura in quest of the Universal Knowledge, wanted all to know precisely, it wanted all to understand and memorize with a maximum of details and discernment. Then at the proper time, it decided to focuse a depth of field as deep as possible, to choose a pause time as short as possible, to be sure to get the highest neatness of the True Real Universal Memory. It installed a hyperfine grain film which it will develop energetically to compensate its low sensitivity. It tuned the aperture at less than anything, and adjusted the pause time at an infinitesimal fraction of nothing.

 

The moral of the story ? All the photographers will say it to you !

 

Camera obtained the most luminous image which is at ounce the fuzziest one, an immaculate uniform Absolute Entropic white 100%blank.

 

Obscura obtained the finest image which is at ounce the darkest one, an immaculate uniform Universal black 100%blank.

 

From now on, when it chooses an aperture and a time of pause suitable to create less blind images, Camera finally formed in it several suspicions of True Reality. They are images as poor of Absolute Sensitivity as weak of Universal Knowledge, but they are marvellous and magic images, illuminated by unexpected shapes and colors.

 

In the neighbourhood of the Absolute Entropy, each cell of Camera opens like a white sapphire prism dispersing and breaking up the Entropic light in colored iridescences. From her cells juxtaposition are emerging lines and shapes, metamorphosing the dazzling Entropic light in simple but unknowable .. shapes, only lacking some .. words to name them.

 

From now on, when it chooses an aperture and a time of pause suitable to create less blind images, Obscura finally formed in it several suspicions of True Reality. They are images as poor of Universal Knowledge as weak of Absolute Sensitivity, but they are marvellous and magic images, rich of ambiguous signs and senses.

 

In the neighbourhood of the Universal Memory, each cell of Obscura opens like a black sapphire crystal dispersing and breaking up the universal darkness in colored enlightening sparks. From her cells juxtapositions are emerging now vowels, consonants and other signs, metamorphosing the gloomy universal darkness in simple but unknowable .. words, only lacking some .. shapes to imagine them.

 

__________________________________________________

rectO-persO | E ≥ m.C² | co~errAnce | TiLt

Philippians 1:9-10

And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in real knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve the things that are excellent, in order to be sincere and blameless until the day of Christ;

 

Hosea 14:9

Whoever is wise, let him understand these things; Whoever is discerning, let him know them For the ways of the LORD are right, And the righteous will walk in them, But transgressors will stumble in them.

 

Isaiah 11:3

And He will delight in the fear of the LORD, And He will not judge by what His eyes see, Nor make a decision by what His ears hear;

 

Hebrews 5:14

But solid food is for the mature, who because of practice have their senses trained to discern good and evil.

-----------------------------------------------------------------

 

Picture taken at the Saint Anne's Church Bukit Mertajam depicting the Holy Spirit

Isaiah 11 Living Bible (TLB)

 

11 The royal line of David[a] will be cut off, chopped down like a tree; but from the stump will grow a Shoot—yes, a new Branch* from the old root. 2 And the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the Spirit of wisdom, understanding, counsel, and might; the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord. 3 His delight will be obedience to the Lord. He will not judge by appearance, false evidence, or hearsay, 4 but will defend the poor and the exploited. He will rule against the wicked who oppress them. 5 For he will be clothed with fairness and with truth.

The exhibition "Picasso 1932. Erotic Year" at the Musée Picasso Paris examines the link between the artist's personal life and his creation. Pablo Picasso's creative process and daily life are followed day after day through more than one hundred and ten paintings, drawings, engravings and sculptures and a hundred archival documents..? The title of the exhibition, "Picasso 1932. Erotic Year" underlines the significance of sensual works in this year's production process. The exhibition "Picasso 1932. Erotic Year" at the Musée Picasso Paris focuses on a particularly dense year of the artist's creation through paintings, drawings, engravings and sculptures, including some major pieces from his career, and documents that place them in their biographical context. He misses the essential in the comments on his genesis but disregards the true sources of inspiration in an interpretation very much focused on the libido and often very superficial, too bad that the analyses are so simplistic ? Her quest soon took Arieans to France, the centre of the art world at the time. Via Cocteau she automatically arrived at Picasso, a central figure in the Parisian artistic environment. In order to gain more insight into the occult movements that turned out to be literally 'in fashion' in the Parisian artistic world at the beginning of the last century, she consulted a variety of connoisseurs for advice: the French centrepiece of research into the esoteric Antoine Faivre, the religious scientist Jean Pierre Laurant, who mapped out the circles of the Eglise Gnostique, and the occultism connoisseur Robert Amadou. In The Hague she went into the Alchemist’s library and joined a research group of philosophers, philosophers and art historians at the University of Amsterdam.

A 'wildly interesting' research, as she calls it, that because of its interdisciplinary approach does not confine itself to a fragment - the interpretation of one painting - but colours an entire image of a time artistically and philosophically. Arian provides detailed information about the occult currents and orders that were active in Paris around 1900 and about the magazines, such as L'Initiation, that brought esoteric ideas to the attention of a wide audience.

Of great importance was the the philosophically inspired by Order Martinist, founded in 1884 by Gérard Encausse, nicknamed Papus, one of the most influential occultists of the fin-de siècle. Because of the "chaine de silence", the chain of silence that the members of the order never break through, it is not possible to establish with certainty, but it was probably this order that Picasso was a member of during his Cubist period.

The martinists, just like the Alchemists, knew three degrees of initiation: the 'pupil', 'companion' and 'master' of the alchemists were called 'member', 'initiated' and 'initiator' among the martinists, or Superior, Inconnu, who was abbreviated to SI. These letters can be found in some of Picasso's paintings and especially in Picasso's collages,'' Ariens discovered. And there is more: some of the canvases depict black eye masks as they are worn in the martinist lodges; here and there martinist signs roam around, on the canvas La cuisine even a whole kitchen floor full. The square, the symbol of the freemasons, is also a recurring theme. One collage even shows cow letters OR MA -OR(dre) MA(rtiniste) - which prompted one of Picasso's friends to comment that the painter 'advertised order'. In addition to the martyrs, the 'Ordre kabbalistique de la Rose-Croix', which entered into organic cooperation with the martyrdom order, and the Gnostic Church, which is related to martinism, were also influential. The later recruited many of her bishops from the Order Martinist. Inspired by the circle around Picasso, Arian's roles mention the names of famous artists over each other; one appears to be even better introduced into the secrets and symbolism of occultism than the other. According to her, Picasso's main inspirators are the writer Alfred Jarry and the painters Paul Gauguin and Paul Cézanne, and his contemporaries and friends, the writers Max Jacob, Guillaume Apollinaire and André Salmon. In more than the ones picture it’s Skull and Bones that was founded in 1832 at Yale University. The order is also known as "Bones", and members are called "Bonesmen" who are some of the world's most powerful elites.

How many bones did Picasso paint in this work? Probably Picasso could be readed with two modes, one is written in the official catalog, and one other live in gnostic, probably forgotten in the blockchain of silencing? In French the word Songe give Song in English ( Songe is like visionary's dream and Song is a note of dream) The "Songe" of Ezekiel could be the roots of this painting?

In chapter 37 of Ezekiel, we have a classic metaphysical outline upon which very exciting sermons can be built. Very much the same as the David and Goliath thing. When you read that chapter of the valley of the dry bones and you're aware of metaphysical Bible interpretation, you can almost see how the author is winding it all up for you. Here's the valley, here's the dry bones, they're all dry, very disconnected, then comes the Lord and instructions and then this Ezekiel's blewing this to obey them, he obeys them and these things begin happening to the bones. It gets so far and no farther. All the connections are made, all of the shapes and forms are made, but there's one thing lacking, there's no what? There's no life, they are there in form potential, but they haven't become living actualities yet. So Ezekiel says, now what do I do? He says, "Prophesy now, not to the bones, but prophesy now to the four winds, to the all four winds and prophesy now to the winds to tell the bones to live and the bones became a living army." The prophet Ezekiel saw a vision of vast numbers of people resurrected to live again as physical human beings. What is the meaning of this mystifying vision, and what does it teach us about God's plan? The remains of human bones in a dirt grave. 123RF

Much of God’s revelation to Ezekiel revolved around the distant decendants of Israel and crucial, end-time events centuries in the future. From early youth Ezekiel had been educated and trained to be a priest in the kingdom of Judah. But his hopes and dreams had been dashed by King Nebuchadnezzar’s invasion, taking him and other young Jews captive to Babylon. Now far separated from the temple in Jerusalem, how could his education and training be of any real value? There was no need to worry. God was looking after His own. The Creator had called Ezekiel to be a great prophet, ranked alongside Isaiah and Jeremiah. Christian writer Christopher Wright put it this way: “So while we can value all the positive contributions that Ezekiel’s education and training as a priest brought to his prophetic ministry, we must also appreciate the immense personal, professional and theological shock it must have been to him … [Yet] God would use all that He had built into Ezekiel’s life during his years of preparation” ( The Message of Ezekiel, 2001, p. 27). Most in mainstream Christendom erroneously believe that today is the only day of salvation. But this belief simply is not found in the Bible. When he was 30 years old, Ezekiel began to experience astonishing visions from Almighty God. Perhaps in a personal diary, he recorded the exact date on which the first vision occurred: “Now it came to pass in the thirtieth year, in the fourth month, on the fifth day of the month, as I was among the captives by the River Chebar, that the heavens were opened and I saw visions of God” (Ezekiel 1:1, emphasis added throughout). The invisible barriers between heaven and earth were supernaturally parted for Ezekiel. But what did this prophet actually see in vision? Moving beyond the introductory revelation of the awesome angelic realm, we fast-forward to verses 26 and 28. “On the likeness of the throne was a likeness with the appearance of a man high above it… This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord.”There's a beautiful ready-made outline for a metaphysical interpretation. The valley always stands for a low point in your current pathway of life. A downsy, and everybody hits them, in his pathway of life. And when you're in a downsy, and you look around you, what do you usually see all about you? Discouraging, hopeless-looking details - dry bones. Everything is wrong down there. This is a dry bone, meaning a discouraging appearance or a hopeless looking state of affairs. That's what you see in these depressions, these valley periods of your journey of life. But then, you hear the voice of the Lord, "Prophesy unto these bones, say unto them, Oh, ye dry bones, hear the word of the Lord". Now, what does Unity call the word of the Lord - affirmations of Truth, declarations of Truth right in the face of the discouraging, negative, hopeless looking conditions or situations. And, as he does this, as we affirm right into the teeth - bones, get it? - of discouraging looking appearances, things begin to happen.

It says, first the bones begin to shake, and then move, and then they began to connect bone to bone. In other words, new connections are formed right in the midst of discouraging or contradictory outer appearances. In the realm of the invisible, every affirmation of Truth results in new connections for future good. This is an occult law of metaphysics. It is absolutely true, in the invisible realm, every affirmation of truth results in new connections of factors for future good. From one point of view, these factors are dry bones, but from another point of view, these factors will become living good, a living army of good, and so, he prophesies and these bones all become connected. Then everything stops ... So then, there has to be a change of the type of prophecies or affirming ... To prophesy, to declare the Truth in every possible direction, that is, let God activity enter into this as He wills, from any direction His spirit choose. Ezekiel initially reacted just like the prophet Daniel and the apostles Paul and John did later. “So when I saw it, I fell on my face, and I heard a voice of One [God] speaking. And He said to me, ‘Son of man, stand on your feet, and I will speak to you’…And He said to me; ‘Son of man, I am sending you to the children of Israel’ ” (Ezekiel 1:28; Ezekiel 2:1-3). God gave Ezekiel a great mission to accomplish. He had important announcements to make. These were intended to reach people far beyond his own time to people down through the ages. And one important vision would serve to encourage all who have ever lived in facing the same remorseless enemy—the seemingly hopeless ending of life in death. The prophet did have a comparatively small personal audience in Babylon of fellow captives from Judah (Ezekiel 3:11). But the real import of his message was not primarily for these deported, displaced prisoners who could do little about their circumstance.It’s important to understand that the kingdoms of Israel and Judah had separated after King Solomon’s death and that the people of the kingdom of Israel had already gone into captivity at the hands of the Assyrians during the latter part of the eighth century B.C.—well over a century before Ezekiel prophesied. And by the time his prophecies began, some of the inhabitants of the kingdom of Judah were likewise already in captivity, first by the Assyrians and then the Babylonians, with most of the rest soon to follow as a result of later Babylonian invasions. Careful reading of Ezekiel’s prophetic message will reveal that it was aimed mainly at the distant future, primarily directed to the end-time descendants of Israel. Much of God’s revelation to him revolved around crucial, end-time events—both positive and negative—that would take place centuries in the future. In the prophecy Jesus Christ gave on the Mount of Olives the week He died, He plainly stated regarding the end-time, “For these are the days of vengeance, that all things which are written [in the Old Testament prophets, including Ezekiel] may be fulfilled” (Luke 21:22). But cataclysmic occurrences at the close of man’s age are just one aspect of this overall prophetic scenario. Notice the apostle Peter’s words to the crowd gathered in Jerusalem on the Day of Pentecost seven weeks after Jesus’ death and resurrection: “Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that He may send Jesus Christ, who was preached to you before, whom heaven must receive until the times of restoration of all things, which God has spoken by the mouth of all His holy prophets [again including Ezekiel] since the world began” (Acts 3:19-21). This insightful passage depicts a future golden age brought to a suffering humanity by the returning Jesus Christ, lasting 1,000 years (see Revelation 20:1-6). Israel’s prophets aptly describe this long period of peace, prosperity and well-being. One of God’s annual festivals, the Feast of Tabernacles, corresponds directly to Christ’s coming millennial reign.

 

A rebellious analysts lost forever?

God continued to instruct Ezekiel: “Then He said to me, ‘Son of man, go to the house of Israel and speak with My words to them’ ” (Ezekiel 3:4). Our Creator speaks to a rebellious people who have rarely been inclined to take His warning messages seriously. Their descendants down through time have most often chosen to remain in the depths of idolatry and Sabbath-breaking, two sins against God that Ezekiel emphasized (Ezekiel 14:1-6; Ezekiel 20:12-13; Ezekiel 20:16-17; Ezekiel 20:24; Ezekiel 22:3; Ezekiel 22:8). Tragically, these two trends continue unabated today. But who truly represents the “Israel” today to whom these prophecies are intended? The present tiny state of Israel consists mostly of Jews descended from those of the kingdom of Judah, so the name Israel is a misnomer. History and Bible prophecy show that the modern descendants of the other tribes of Israel stand clearly identified as the Americans, British Commonwealth and peoples of northwestern Europe. For the biblical and historical evidence, request or download our free booklet The United States and Britain in Bible Prophecy . You cannot truly grasp God’s prophetic message to humankind apart from the essential knowledge disclosed in this eye-opening publication. The modern descendants of Israel have been likewise rebellious against God. And all share in the same fate—national punishment and, for each individual, the ultimate penalty of sin, which is death (Romans 6:23). The prophecies of future national blessings are encouraging, but what good are they to those who have died? After the Exodus from Egypt, a whole generation of disobedient Israelites perished in the wilderness. Later, many died at the hands of ruthless Assyrian invaders. Much later, about 40 years after Christ’s death and resurrection, many died tragically as a result of the Roman invasion of Judea and the capture of Jerusalem in A.D. 70. Of course, the same fate is shared by those who never had the opportunity to choose a way of life to follow. Consider all those little babies Herod cruelly killed in a failed effort to murder the Christ child. Their parents were devastated with unrelieved grief. “A voice was heard in Ramah, lamentation, weeping, and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children, refusing to be comforted, because they are no more” (Matthew 2:18). Are these children, then, now lost? Now, instead of affirming about things or prophesying to the bones, now he's told prophesy to and about what? The winds, all four winds. What is wind often a symbol for in the Bible? The Holy Spirit, the activity of God, the movement of God as the Holy Spirit. Now, why would he designate all four winds? Well, you're talking about the movement of God to bring changes and good into your life. To prophesy, to declare the Truth in every possible direction, that is, let God activity enter into this as He wills, from any direction His spirit chooses. North, east, south or west. Not from where I insist it's got to come from - south by southeast only! Don't we often do this? We don't realize it, but we say, all directions of the wind, wherever God chooses, in God's way, let this fulfillment come. So many people among the Israelites have died as victims of evil and injustice. Today we remember the Holocaust in which 6 million Jews were callously murdered in Central and Eastern Europe. How should we try to understand all of these tragic occurrences? Is there no hope for even innocent children who died in infancy without ever knowing why? Of course, these questions beset people of every nation—not just Israel. But God has given a special message through Ezekiel to Israel in this regard—one that holds significance for all people. The French martyrs, Rosicrucians and Gnostics of the beginning of the last century treated alchemy, kabbalah and tarot as analogous systems, which they brought together under one heading. According to art historians, this mixture of symbolism from the Kabbalah, Tarot and Alchemy, which inspired Picasso in his cubist work, is the key to the painter's true intentions in his famous painting 'Les Demoiselles d'Avignon'. André Breton, pope and surrealist ideologist, persuaded art dealer Doucet to buy the canvas. He wrote, "If this canvas escapes us, most of our mysteries will go along. But the art historians left that sentence out''.

The final part of Ariean's research, a case study in which she removes the veil of mystery, differs slightly, to put it mildly, from the reception of the canvas so far. Seen through the occult spectacles which she - with an abundance of material - shows that Picasso also had them on at the time, the canvas points Aryan in a very different way from the 'philosophical brothel' for which it was long regarded. Supported by her study of the hundreds of sketches and preliminary studies, she discovers neither 'African art' nor 'syphilis sufferers' in the painting. No 'naked bodies', but 'naked facts': signs and numbers. The order was incorporated in 1856 by General William Huntington Russell, and Alphonso Taft who became Secretary of War under President Grant in 1876. The numerical value of this year is 1+8+7+6 = 22, and the numerical motto for Skull and Bones is 322, or 3 x's 22 which you will see below is not a coincidence. 22 bones are represented in Picasso’s engraving.... In numerology, the number 22 is often called the Master Builder. The Phoenician-Hebrews possess 22 books and their alphabet is made up of 22 letters, which was created to compose the Word of God. The Kabbalah teaches us that the letters of the Hebrew alphabet are the building blocks of universe. The underlying occult scientific significance of the number 22 in science would represent the bones of the skull, of which there are twenty-two. 8 form the cranium, or braincase, and 14 are associated with the face.

Our brains are what we use to think, reason and come to know the divine or God. The 22 letters of the Hebrew alphabet created to compose the Word of God is our 22 boned skull, and the place where we receive the light to become illuminated, or enlightened beings. Hence, to be like Saint John and have our own Revelation.

Portrait by Picasso of the great resurrection

Ezekiel continued to have visions throughout his prophetic ministry. The one in the 37th chapter speaks directly to the desperate plight of Israel down through the ages. Its intriguing description of the valley of dry bones was the subject of a popular song, “Dry Bones,” during the mid-1950s. No matter how many times one rereads it, this account remains both arresting and suspenseful to the converted mind. But even more important is the profound meaning for us—and for our departed loved ones, who may never have been called of God or spiritually converted during this age. This remarkable, comforting vision assures us that we will see them again! The hand of the Lord came upon me and brought me out in the Spirit of the Lord, and set me down in the midst of the valley; and it was full of bones . . . and He said to me, ‘Son of man, can these bones live?’ So I answered, ‘O Lord God, you know’ ” (Ezekiel 37:1-3). Then, what happens to those potential bones, those skeletons become a living army. In other words, the potential good which you have declared and affirmed come to your life from any direction God chooses. The static good becomes living good, which means a part of their life, a part of the goodness of their life. A living army, an army of blessings come into manifestation through prophesying according to the direction or the guidance of the Lord. God must not be underestimated. He asked the patriarch Abraham, “Is anything too hard for the Lord?” (Genesis 18:14). Centuries later He posed the same question to the prophet Jeremiah: “Behold, I am the Lord, the God of all flesh. Is there anything too hard for Me?” (Jeremiah 32:27). Remember that one of the meanings of prophesying simply means affirming. Affirming the Truth regardless of circumstances. Weren't the prophets constantly talking about future events? So often the prophets have been interpreted as sort of fortune-tellers, or clairvoyants in all this. Well, metaphysically, this is not so. What it really means on the metaphysical level is declaring the Truth which will insure a future good outcome. Of course, the prophets also prophesy in what other manner - negative, too. Therein lies part of the problem.

Ezekiel’s vision continues: “Thus says the Lord God to these bones: ‘Surely I will cause breath to enter into you, and you shall live’ . . . Also He said to me, ‘Prophesy to the breath, prophesy, son of man, and say to the breath, “Thus says the Lord God: ‘Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe on these slain, that they may live’ ”’” (Ezekiel 37:5; Ezekiel 37:9). Physical human beings cannot live without drawing breath—the essence of our fleshly life. Even excellent swimmers, experts at holding their breath, cannot survive long without breathing air. So I prophesied as He commanded me, and breath came into them, and they lived , and stood upon their feet, an exceedingly great army” (Ezekiel 37:10).. Then He said to me, ‘Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel’ ” (Ezekiel 37:11). God then summarizes what He had just described in detail. “Thus says the Lord God: ‘Behold, O My people, I will open your graves and cause you to come up from your graves, and bring you into the land of Israel. Then you shall know that I am the Lord” (Ezekiel 37:12-13). Most pictured here never really knew God during their previous human lives. The closing verse of this vision reveals why God, who never does anything without purpose, has just resurrected all these people: “I will put My [Holy] Spirit in you, and you shall live” (Ezekiel 37:14). At that time all of these people will have an opportunity to be converted—that is, to repent of their sins, be forgiven and baptized, and receive God’s Holy Spirit by which they can truly be converted and receive God’s gift of eternal life. The indication of this preceding verse is that the majority of this great multitude of people will obtain everlasting life in God’s Kingdom.The New Testament also speaks to this incredible, miraculous phenomenon. The apostle Paul wrote: “And so all Israel will be saved , as it is written: ‘The Deliverer [Jesus Christ] will come out of Zion, and He will turn away ungodliness from Jacob [whose name was changed to Israel ]; For this is My covenant with them [i.e., the New Covenant], when I take away their sins’ ” (Romans 11:26-27). By no stretch of the imagination is all of Israel being saved now during this present age of man. But God promises that the whole of Israel will have their opportunity for salvation in the future. Relatively few are being called now to join with the firstfruits of God’s salvation. These called-out ones, true Christians, will be resurrected to receive everlasting life when Christ returns (1 Corinthians 15:50-54; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; Philippians 3:20-21). Is this great resurrection exclusively for Israel? Or will other peoples and nations also be included? Remember that our loving Creator remains “the God of all flesh” (Jeremiah 32:27). Several passages in the Gospel accounts show that non-Israelite rulers and peoples are to be resurrected as well. The queen of the South (Sheba), the peoples of Tyre, Sidon and Nineveh (ancient nations and city-states that long predated Jesus’ human lifetime), and even the inhabitants of Sodom and Gomorrah will be resurrected to physical life alongside Christ’s generation of Israelites (see Matthew 11:20-24; Matthew 12:41-42; Luke 10:12-14). Jesus plainly stated: “Most assuredly, I say to you, the hour is coming, and now is, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God; and those who hear will live . . . Do not marvel at this; for the hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will hear His voice” (John 5:25; John 5:28). Later Christ revealed to this same apostle John that “the rest of the dead”—referring to those not raised to life in this resurrection —”did not live again until the thousand years were finished” (Revelation 1:1; 20:5). This tells us that the timing of this resurrection is after the thousand-year period known as the Millennium. This verse also clearly shows that there is more than one resurrection.

 

Is today the only day of salvation for Picasso’s explanations?

Most in mainstream Christendom erroneously believe that today is the only day of salvation. But this belief simply is not found in the Bible. In fact the vast majority of mankind will receive their opportunity for salvation during the great resurrection to judgment that we have been reading about in Ezekiel 37:1-14. The apostle John also refers to this resurrection to temporary physical life in Revelation 20:11-13: “Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat upon it…And I saw the dead, small and great [now resurrected], standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books [plural, the books of the Bible].” The “great white throne” judgment occurs not in an instant as people are raised from the dead, but instead over a considerable period of time. God will judge them over time, just as those called to salvation today are judged over time during this present age by this very same standard, the books of the Bible (1 Peter 4:17; 2 Timothy 3:15-17). Many Bible readers misunderstand the nature and meaning of judgment, nearly always associating the term with sentencing to condemnation—not realizing that God is a merciful judge who patiently evaluates human existence with righteous discernment. He earnestly desires to see the blood of His Son Jesus blot out the sins of as many as possible. Christ Himself firmly stated, “ And I, if I am lifted up from the earth [by crucifixion], will draw all peoples to Myself” (John 12:32). Paul writes of “God our Saviour, whose will it is that all should find salvation and come to know the truth” (1 Timothy 2:3-4, Revised English Bible). And in Ezekiel 18:32 we read, “ ‘For I have no pleasure in the death of one who dies,’ says the Lord God. ‘Therefore turn [to righteousness] and live!’” This coming time of judgment will give those who never really knew God during their previous lifetime a just and fair opportunity for salvation— not a second chance. The special meaning of the biblical eighth-day festival As mentioned earlier, the Feast of Tabernacles, also known as the Feast of Ingathering, pictures Christ’s millennial reign. But immediately following this seven-day Feast is a separate one-day celebration referred to simply as “the eighth day” (Leviticus 23:34-36; Numbers 29:35; 2 Chronicles 7:9; Nehemiah 8:18). The real meaning of this celebration is rarely understood in modern theological circles. Yet it represents an essential missing piece to the puzzle of salvation. This special Holy Day directly corresponds to the Great White Throne Judgment period, during which God will give all those who have ever lived but never really understood the truth their first real opportunity for salvation. Because few people are aware of the God-ordained festivals spelled out in the Bible, few understand God’s step-by-step plan of salvation revealed through these celebrations. The meaning of the eighth day corresponds to Ezekiel’s vision of the Valley of Dry Bones, referring to a time when lost family members will be joyously joined together again to learn God’s ways while living under utopian conditions of mutual love, peace and prosperity. This Holy Day reminds us that God’s plan promises to offer every human being the opportunity to truly repent of sin and receive a permanent place in His everlasting family, the Kingdom of God. Q. Going back to the four winds idea, if we were praying for healing, instead of concentrating on the liver, for instance, we would pray for perfect and whole health. A. Right, the healing idea, the health principle, the perfect life idea and then add the extra mile to it - and however it shall come - I am completely open and willing in all four directions of the Holy Spirit. Let it come anyway that it is proper according to God's will, in this situation. You will find that when you are faithful on the metaphysical realm of thinking and believing it will become chemicalized on the physiological level, and verifiable on that level. However, there will often be a big time lapse, nevertheless, it will occur, and science is catching up. I'm very smart on this subject, aren't I, because I have John Salunek as a progress counselee.

 

www.trouw.nl/home/picasso-putte-uit-occulte-bron~a4692077/

for the philosopher artist.

 

Temporary whirlpool destined to dissipate.

I’ve seen a white man with ocean blue eyes, and golden blond hair. I’ve felt caressing breeze from the blue skies, from way out there. I’ve seen the sun shine like there’d be no tomorrow. And i’ve closed my eyes, and dreamed dreams that could erase all sorrow. I’ve seen such variety of beauty, of honor, of astounding grace. I’ve experienced an all-

 

encompassing unseen embrace. And there… stood a white woman… who stared into the nights sky from afar. She appeared enamored… by all the stars. Gazing at an extraordinary sight above us… the night sky. But a glimpse of the universe. A veil to the hidden, the sacred, the unseen. A secret world of knowledge… True Riches; Pristine! And

 

beneath the skies there was a darkness hidden in the shadows, moving about discreetly, watching; as if to be seeking prey. This darkness appeared to be trying to siphon off light from the woman’s soul. And him? Well, he was almost blinded. For the darkness seeks to blacken an ocean so blue! And once the darkness takes over, the purity of truth drowns…

 

and out comes the voice of darkness, speaking from the blackest ocean to spirits who will hear. With a voice that could throw you into the deepest fear; and make you tremble… at the sound waves. After seeping inside; and distorting the subconscious, this voice speaks many lies… and seeks out any living to enslave! But the woman… she was one of True

 

Discernment. One that Feels… The Language of the Heart. She Knows of the Truths that are just Beyond the Veil. And she knows of the Lies that spew forth from the darkness. She knows that her Skin does not fully Define her Existence, or Anyone Else’s. And that the Flesh… is Just As Fleeting as the Dust in the Wind. She is Aware of Great Spirit, and of

 

her connection to All that Exists. All such spirits as hers are as Anchors, Helping to Save the Living from Drowning. For She… is Not Blinded, and will Never allow herself to be. And she could Never Be Compared to those who are blind, and Can Not See! Oh yes, she

 

Truly sees. She looks with eyes upon All the Living, and does not unfairly Judge. And All Around Her she can Feel a Presence that makes her Soul sing, because her white skin

was spun… from Angels Wings.

  

– Creative Writing By China Alicia Rivera

photoshopflair.com

  

Read More Here:

chinaaliciarivera.wordpress.com/2020/06/22/white-skin-som...

or here:

chinaaliciarivera.wordpress.com/

 

*Twitter: twitter.com/photoshopflair

*Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/photoshopflair

*Instagram: instagram.com/photoshopflair

*Website: photoshopflair.com

 

*Art Blog: photoshopflair.wordpress.com

 

Peace and Love. ❤️💕

Of all the chapels I've seen this must be one of my favourite. Yesterday, a Mass was celebrated in the National Shrine at the start of the Dominican Vocations Discernment Weekend. It seemed fitting as she is Mother of the Americas, and of the New Evangelization.

Some quality of discernment occurs in everything in the cosmos although we are often only aware of such qualities in humans and certain animals. These other consciousnesses or intelligences consolidate archetypes which create those “forms” which are the collective memories of genetic awareness which guide evolutionary development.

 

denniscordell.zenfolio.com

 

also:

 

www.elephantjournal.com/2020/12/some-notes-on-nature-spir...

Followers let others make many important decisions.

Who makes the life altering decisions in your life?

Should you have more personal control over such decisions?

How do you take back your life from THE LEADER?

Is that Leader's philosophy and theology based in

communism, racism, capitalism, emotional or emotional abuse, another problem area? Is this really a good way to lead your life following an IDIOT leader?

Hopefully none of the above apply to you.

Does any of above apply to someone in yours or a close family, friend or acquaintance?

Should you get in their face and try to fix another's life? Is it worth the trouble?

It is hard to see a splinter in another's eye's through your eye where a plank is lodged.

Relaxing over the coming Holidays and heading into a New Year, lets reassess much.

Some call that discernment. Others call it looking and praying for WISDOM.

 

EXPLORE # 136 on Saturday, December 22, 2007

I'm still reeling from what sent me to the dam on Thursday evening. Too many places to be - simultaneously. I now realize that I must become omnipresent to continue the pattern into which I've been thrust.

Every decision I make is wrong - regardless. My discernment is based on who will best understand and most quickly get over their disappointment.

This doing mode of life cannot be sustained - not in anyone's life. We are called to be, not to do. I fear that I am enabling an attitude in my children that will breed a lifestyle of making your plans and expecting everyone to get on board and bless your desires and wishes.

I fear that it may be erroneous to assume that by serving someone you teach them to serve. Rather, it appears as if we are merely teaching them to be served, to expect to be served, and to get really angry when for a brief moment, service has to shift to someone else.

I hope I'm exaggerating. I'm just really tired and emotionally spent.

“In my MINDS EYE, I visualize how a particular... sight and feeling will appear on a print. If it excites me, there is a good chance it will make a good photograph. It is an intuitive sense, an ability that comes from a lot of practice.”

Ansel Adams (American Photographer, 1902-1984)

~I'm practicing Ansel, I'm practicing :) ~

 

Saturday and Sunday in downtown St.Petersburg the Annual "Florida Craftsmen Galleries" Art Show had a brilliant display of over 90 vendors from all over the country. They close off all the streets that surround the gallary and there is fun to be had for all! It is an art lovers ~paradise~ and talent just oozes from each vendor. I never want to leave...but just linger, linger, linger over all the creativity and talent. The photo I have posted is no exception to that creativity and talent! With permission I photographed this marvelous leather journal by "Mind's Eye Journals"~ www.MindsEyeJournals.com by Teresa Haun & Mike Merriman out of Westcliffe, Colorado. This was only one of at least 50 extraordinary leather journals Teresa was showcasing. They all had handmade paper and each one was unique and exquisite! Awesome talent!

Thank you Teresa~Your work is outstanding!

 

And THANK YOU to all of you....YOUR work is OUTSTANDING as well! You are a breath of fresh air! Hey we have our own little "Art Show" going HERE daily! Now how fun is that!

Have a great week and better start savin' room for all that Turkey...if you are Feasting Thursday!

Hemis Monastery is a Tibetan Buddhist monastery (gompa) of the Drukpa Lineage, located in Hemis, Ladakh, India. Situated 45 km from Leh, in the state of Jammu and Kashmir. Hemis Monastery existed before the 11th century and was re-established in 1672 by the Ladakhi king Sengge Namgyal. The annual Hemis festival honoring Padmasambhava is held here in early June.

 

Terma and tertöns : The essence of Tebetan Buddhism.

Padmasambhava (lit. "Lotus-Born"), also known as Guru Rinpoche, is a literary character of terma (Terma or "hidden treasure"- are key Tibetan Buddhist teaching, which the tradition holds were originally esoterically hidden by various adepts such as Padmasambhava and his consorts, in the 8th century for future discovery at auspicious times by other adepts, known as tertöns. As such, they represent a tradition of continuous revelation in Tibetan Buddhism. Termas are a part of Tantric Literature. Tradition holds that terma may be a physical object such as a text or ritual implement that is buried in the ground (or earth), hidden in a rock or crystal, secreted in a herb, or a tree, hidden in a lake (or water), or hidden in the sky (space). Though a literal understanding of terma is "hidden treasure", and sometimes objects are hidden away, the teachings associated should be understood as being “concealed within the mind of the guru”, that is, the true place of concealment is in the tertön's mindstream. If the concealed or encoded teaching or object is a text, it is often written in dakini script: a non-human type of code or writing).

  

Terma is an emanation of Amitabha (Amitābha or Amideva, is a celestial buddha described in the scriptures of the Mahāyāna school of Buddhism. Amitābha is the principal buddha in the Pure Land sect, a branch of Buddhism practiced mainly in East Asia, while in Vajrayana Amitābha is known for his longevity attribute, magnetising red fire element, the aggregate of discernment, pure perception and the deep awareness of emptiness of phenomena. According to these scriptures, Amitābha possesses infinite merits resulting from good deeds over countless past lives as a bodhisattva named Dharmakāra. "Amitābha" is translatable as "Infinite Light," hence Amitābha is also called "The Buddha of Immeasurable Life and Light" ).

Terma that is said to appear to tertons (A tertön is a discoverer of ancient texts or terma in Tibetan Buddhism) in visionary encounters and a focus of Tibetan Buddhist practice (Tibetan Buddhism is the body of Buddhist religious doctrine and institutions characteristic of Tibet, Mongolia, Tuva, Bhutan, Kalmykia and certain regions of the Himalayas, including northern Nepal, and India (particularly in Arunachal Pradesh, Ladakh, Dharamsala, Lahaul and Spiti district in Himachal Pradesh and Sikkim. It is also practiced in Northeast China. Religious texts and commentaries are contained in the Tibetan Buddhist canon such that Tibetan is a spiritual language of these areas. The Tibetan diaspora has spread Tibetan Buddhism to many Western countries, where the tradition has gained popularity. Among its prominent exponents is the 14th Dalai Lama of Tibet. The number of its adherents is estimated to be between ten and twenty million).

 

History

Hemis Monastery existed before the 11th century. Naropa, the pupil of the yogi Tilopa, and teacher of the translator Marpa is connected with this monastery. A translation was made by A. Grünwedel (Nӑro und Tilo,: Festschrift Ernst Kuhn, München 1916) of Naropa's biography that was found in Hemis monastery.

In this manuscript Naropa (or Naro) meets the "dark blue" (Skr.: nila: dark blue or black) Tilopa (or Tillo), a tantric master, who gives Naropa 12 "great" and 12 "small" tasks to do in order to enlighten him to the inherent emptiness/illusoriness of all things. Naropa is depicted as the "abbott of Nalanda" (F. Wilhelm, Prüfung und Initiation im Buche Pausya und in der Biographie des Naropa, Wiesbaden 1965, p. 70), the university-monastery in today's Bihar, India, that flourished until the sacking by Turkish and Afghan Muslim forces. This sacking must have been the driving force behind Naropa's peregrination in the direction of Hemis. After Naropa and Tilopa met in Hemis they travelled back in the direction of a certain monastery in the now no longer existing kingdom of Maghada, called Otantra which has been identified as today's Otantapuri. Naropa is consered the founding father of the Kagyu-lineage of the Himalayan esoteric Buddhism. Hence Hemis is the main seat of the Kagyu lineage of Buddhism.

In 1894 Russian journalist Nicolas Notovitch claimed Hemis as the origin of an otherwise unknown gospel, the Life of Saint Issa, Best of the Sons of Men, in which Jesus is said to have traveled to India during his "lost years." According to Notovitch, the work had been preserved in the Hemis library, and was shown to him by the monks there while he was recuperating from a broken leg. But once his story had been re-examined by historians, Notovitch confessed to having fabricated the evidence. Bart D. Ehrman states that "Today there is not a single recognized scholar on the planet who has any doubts about the matter. The entire story was invented by Notovitch, who earned a good deal of money and a substantial amount of notoriety for his hoax". However, the Indian Pandit Swami Abhedananda also claims to have read the same manuscript, and published his account of viewing it after his visit to Hemis in 1921. Abhedananda claims on the book jacket that it was translated for him with the help of a "local Lama interpreter." In the same vein, Notovich did not initially translate the manuscript, but reported his Sherpa guide did so as Notovitch could not read the original text. Notovich's version of the manuscript was translated from Tibetan to Russian to French to English. According to Swami Abhedananda's account, his Lama's translation was equivalent to the one published by Notovich. The Gutenberg Project has published the entire manuscript as a free ebook.

 

Hemis Festival

The Hemis Festival is dedicated to Lord Padmasambhava (Guru Rimpoche) venerated as the Dance Performance at Hemis Monastery representative reincarnate of Buddha. He is believed to have been born on the 10th day of the fifth month of the Monkey year as predicted by the Buddha Shakyamuni. It is also believed that his life mission was, and remains, to improve the spiritual condition of all living beings. And so on this day, which comes once in a cycle of 12 years, Hemis observes a major extravaganza in his memory. The observance of these sacred rituals is believed to give spiritual strength and good health. The Hemis festival takes place in the rectangular courtyard in front of the main door of the monastery. The space is wide and open save two raised square platforms, three feet high with a sacred pole in the center. A raised dias with a richly cushioned seat with a finely painted small Tibetan table is placed with the ceremonial items - cups full of holy water, uncooked rice, tormas made of dough and butter and incense sticks. A number of musicians play the traditional music with four pairs of cymbals, large-pan drums, small trumpets and large size wind instruments. Next to them, a small space is assigned for the lamas to sit.

The ceremonies begin with an early morning ritual atop the Gompa where, to the beat of drums and the resounding clash of cymbals and the spiritual wail of pipes, the portrait of "Dadmokarpo" or "Rygyalsras Rimpoche" is then ceremoniously put on display for all to admire and worship.

The most esoteric of festivities are the mystic mask dances. The Mask Dances of Ladakh are referred collectively as chams Performance. Chams performance is essentially a part of Tantric tradition, performed only in those gompas which follow the Tantric Vajrayana teachings and the monks perform tantric worship.

Source: Wikipedia and others.

 

"Miracle of the Sun" is a personal revelation and vision that I'm releasing publicly with testimony of a spiritual phenomenon that I, (Loci B. Lenar) witnessed at approximately 6:00 PM eastern standard time on September 8, 1991 in northern New Jersey while traveling through the town of Dover into Wharton - next to my hometown of Mine Hill. (However, God does work in mysterious ways. This experience may have been for my eyes only. I am uncertain if anyone else had witnessed this solar phenomena.) Prior to the divine encounter, my faith as a Christian and practicing Catholic could be best described as lukewarm. Furthermore, this spiritual experience became life changing and transformed me into a faithful believer of Jesus Christ and the Bible. The following is conveyed in John 4:48, Jesus said, “Unless you people see miraculous signs and wonders, you will never believe.”

 

With those words in mind, the sun appeared in a vivid hue of Orange-Red, while visually increasing in size to the extent that it's difficult to explain with logical terms. While the sun was expanding in magnitude, it slowly descended and encompassed the earth with its sheer vastness and colors. The visual phenomenon lasted only for about three minutes. Interestingly, my eyes were not affected by the solar event. Furthermore, through discernment, the Spirit of the Lord was present and overwhelmed me with an almost indescribable blissful peace of heaven; however, the spiritual after effect lasted for nearly three hours. During the spiritual visitation, the Lord also imparted me with a vision of our world gifted and Blessed in Peace. In addition, the Lord conveyed a message for me to present to the World Apostolate of Fatima. I put the communication into writing and shortly after delivered its contents via certified mail to Father Andrew and other members of the clergy, including Sister Mary Celeste of the Holy House Convent, located at the National Blue Army Shrine of the Immaculate Heart of Mary in Washington, New Jersey. Prior to the miracle, I visited the shrine on several occasions and conversed with Sister Mary Celeste, an editor of the Catholic youth magazine, Hearts Aflame. My article Reaching for Eternity with God's Love is published in the Summer 1992 issue of the magazine. Her thoughtful support during my spiritual conversion with an open-minded approach to faith must be commended.

 

Providence is a catalyst for the miraculous events that followed: The contents of the message are unfolding. My message to the Blue Army Shrine included a prophetic vision and request by the Lord for the Catholic Church to return the Icon of Kazan to the Russian Orthodox Church as a result of the break up of the Soviet Union. The Lord's request was made in September of 1991, just before the Soviet Union was officially dissolved at the end of December of the same year. On August 28, 2004 the Icon was finally returned to Russia by the Vatican and handed over to Orthodox Patriarch Alexei II. The Icon is also known as Our Lady of Kazan and considered the “Protectress of Russia.” For additional information about the Icon of Kazan, please visit the following link: www.cwnews.com/news/viewstory.cfm?recnum=31648

 

In 1991, the Lord also imparted a message of a great sign to unfold for humanity in order to validate the existence of God. Jesus communicated an official day of October 13 for the Miracle of the Sun to be witnessed by humanity.

 

In a spiriual locution of 2007 and 2008, the Lord conveyed the following: 'Now is the time to move forward, release the truth and prophesy your story with scripture.' For information regarding my story, please visit the following link: www.lenarpoetry.com .

 

Update: God's miraculous sign came to fulfillment as promised by Jesus on October 13, 2008, at the World Apostolate of Fatima, USA. Visitors were blessed to witness the Miracle of the Sun at the National Blue Army Shrine, located on the grounds of the World Apostolate of Fatima in Washington, New Jersey, during the celebration of the 91st anniversary of the 1917 apparitions of Our Lady of Fatima. Moreover, one may refer to the spiritual events as a Miracle of the Son (Jesus). To read story, please visit the following link: www.christian-miracles.com/njvisitorswitnessmiracle.htm

 

The Bible also conveys the following in Acts, Chapter 2:17-18, "God says, 'It will come to pass in the last days that I will pour out a portion of my spirit upon all flesh. Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, young men shall see visions, your old men shall dream dreams. Indeed, upon my servants and my handmaids, I will pour out a portion of my spirit in those days, and they shall prophesy.' " The Lord is not conveying the end of our world, but rather the end of old ways, and the beginning of change with a new era. Through discernment, the Lord is preparing our Mellennium for a great era of peace and prosperity with an outpouring of the Holy Spirit for salvation and healing. The following is noted in Jeremiah 8, Verse 23: "This rather is what I commanded them: Listen to my voice; then I will be your God and you shall be my people. Walk in all the ways that I command you, so that you may prosper."

 

God the Father indeed works in mysterious ways through His divine son, Jesus for the conversion and salvation of humanity. Whatever the rationale, the event was awe-inspiring and changed me spiritually as I've noted in the poem.

 

Through the blessings and grace of God, the heavenly event also lead me to physical and spiritual healing. I was healed of a heart arrhythmia known as Atrial Fibrillation. The medical condition is treated with Lanoxin, a cardiac medicine. However, I've not used the medication for over ten years. Additionally, I was healed from years of suffering painful headaches after countless visits to physicians with treatments that went to no avail. With the intercession of the Blessed Mother and prayer, I was healed by the power of God through the Anointing of the Sick. The healing sacrament is administered through the church. In James 5, Verse 14-15 the following is noted: "Is anyone among you sick? He should summon the presbyters of the church, and they should pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord, and the prayer of faith will save the sick person, and the Lord will raise him up. If he has committed any sins, he will be forgiven."

 

I believe it's the appropriate time to release my story, and God's Will is to provide hope to humankind, especially during difficult times. I give praise and glory to God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, as well as thanks for all the gifts and spiritual wonders. I give thanks to the Blessed Mother (Our Lady of Fatima) for her help and intercession before the throne of God.

 

My witnessing the Miracle of the Sun was conveyed during the 1990s to my spiritual advisor - Father Richard Tartaglia of Saint Mary's Church, Denville, NJ (USA) - for his prudent and faith related assessment. (Please read the poem for further insight by clicking above the image and choosing All Sizes to view in a larger format).

 

I was also inspired by Our Lord to write a Millennium Prayer for world peace as a result of witnessing several spiritual wonders. In Psalm 37, Verse 4-6, the following is noted: "Find your delight in the Lord who will give you your heart's desire. Commit your way to the Lord; trust that God will act and make your integrity shine like the dawn, your vindication like noonday." We must pray for everything to fall into place and remain patient, in order for Jesus to set the stage and timing for signs and miracles to unfold in our world!

 

For updates on signs, wonders and miracles, please visit my blog at the following link: lenarpoetry.blogspot.com/

 

Please visit the following link and pray daily for an era of peace: www.christian-miracles.com/prayerforworldpeace.htm

 

For other spiritual wonders, including a miraculous photo of a Cross of Light, please visit my websites on the following links:

www.christian-miracles.com/

  

I'm available to speak publicly on matters related to my spiritual journey of faith. Please feel free to send requests by Flickr Mail.

 

Copyright Loci B. Lenar

"Courage lies in the heart, which must possess compassion and discernment, as well as strength and determination."

Gail Nyoka, Mella and the N'anga

digital art

Another shot from our Eastern State Penitentiary meet-up in Philiadelphia, PA.

 

Everyone had heard about and wanted to see "the red chair." I didn't know what it was until I came home and did some research. I thought it was a barber station.

 

Apparently this chair (and chairs like it) were used as places where they would secure unruly inmates with chains, sometimes for days, so they had time to think about what they had done to end up in the chair . . .

 

Have to admit that I've been thinking a lot about ESP since our visit. More than while we were there. The vastness, and interestingness of the architecture and decay were so compelling that it was difficult to process the impact of what we were seeing in the moment. But, wanting to learn more, and doing research into the area really struck me and keeps me thinking. About the past penal system, and its philosophy, and the present. And humanity, and human nature.

 

And, I'm reminded of the quote, "Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it." Not sure if this is the actual quote or a paraphrase, but it is attributed to George Santayana.

 

Peace.

This Photograph is used on-line by the

International Atomic Energy Agency located in Vienna, Austria.

The photograph illustrates their Dress Code for their 2020 Viennese Ball.

www.iaeastaffassociation.org/ball/programme/dress-code

..

  

Bottom Tier Left (Black)

Two-Piece Evening Dress 1989

 

Pierre Cardin French ( born Italy), 1922 -

Silk Faille over synthetic horsehair, rayon stretch net lace, rhinestones; cellulose acetate velvet

 

By magnifying the size of one feature—here a series of bows—design virtuoso Pierre Cardin achieves maximum visual impact. The Strapless bodice of this dress is almost completely hidden by four enormous taffeta bows and loose loops. The rhinestone studded bows are placed to one side of the bodice, and the asymmetrical stiffened loops hand in planes as they encircle the body.

 

Gift of Mrs. Jack M. Friedland (Annette Y. Friedland). 2009-181-23a,b

--

Bottom Tier Center (Red)

 

Evening Dress around 1990

 

Jacqueline de Ribes French, 1929 –

Silk satin

 

International Best Dressed Hall of Fame member Vicomtesse Jacqueline De Ribes used the discernment and expertise she developed as a fashion client in her own designs, creating beautiful clothes with a sense of drama. Evening dresses—like this powerful asymmetrical example in bright red satin—were her forte. At once streamlined, sculptural, timeless, and alluring, they above all embody elegance, which she once defined as “the art of being astonishing without creating astonishment.”

 

Gift of Martin Field, 2014-206-22

--

Bottom Tier Right (Black and Grey)

 

“Fumo (Smoke)” Evening Dress , 1985

 

Roberto Capucci Italian, 1930 –

Slubbed silk plain weave

 

Determined to pursue his artistic vision, in 1980 Italian designer Roberto Capucci liberated himself from the fashion business after three successful decades by breaking away from the official seasonal couture calendar. His one-of-a-kind sculptural dresses became studies in form, created by expertly manipulating vlume, color, and fabric. In this dress, he covered the skirt with skillfully pleated silk in subtle shades of gray arranged to bring to mind a rising plume of smoke. He made a companion to this dress in red, and it Fuocco (Fire).

 

Purchased with the Costume and Textiles Revolving Fund, 2011-31-1

--

Middle Tier Left (Brownish-Purple)

 

Evening Dress, Fall 2006

 

Oscar de la Renta American and Dominican 1932 – 2014

Nylon tulle; silk taffeta and silk/rayon velvet flower

 

Rows of ruffles that graduate in size cover a sheer tulle skirt, supported by fifteen underlayers of tulle over an organza slip. Oscar de la Renta completed this frothy ballerina dress with a swirled strapless bodice and flower, and chose an idiosyncratic prune color to downplay the sweetness. Romantic and relaxed, the gown epitomizes his elegant designs, favored by celebrities on the red carpet.

 

Gift of Martin Field, 2014-206-18a,b

--

Middle Tier Center (Black & Cream)

 

Evening Dress , Around 1994

 

Pierre Cardin French (born Italy), 1922 –

Silk/rayon velvet; silk bsket weave, silk/polyester satin, cotton cord; silk plain weave and polyester chiffon flower

 

Although a pioneer of designer ready-to wear and brand licensing, Pierre Cardin relishes the creativity of couture. He also designs furniture and buildings, saying he imagines clothes like architecture and architecture like clothing. This gown incorporates many striking contrasts: black and cream coloring; dense, open, and shiny fabrics; asymmetry; and structured and draped elements. Dramatic but harmonious, it demonstrates Cardin’s inventiveness and technical flair.

 

Gift of Mrs. Jack M. Friedland (Annette Y. Friedland), 2009-181-22a,b

--

Middle Tier Right (Yellow)

 

Evening Dress, Belt and Capelet, 1983

 

Pierre Cardin French ( born Italy), 1922

Printed silk organza over nylon horse hair, synthetic faille

 

A true sculptor of fashion, Pierre Cardin has a unique ability to manipulate fabric in three-dimensional planes around the body, as seen in this dress made from a number of circular shapes. The small asymmetrical cape is a simple circle with a slit to the center and snap at one shoulder. The skirt is composed of five shaped circular tiers, stiffened with resilient nylon “horsehair” fabric, that undulate down one side of the front before forming horizontal spirals.

 

Gift of Mrs. Jack M. Fiedland (Annette Y. Friedland) 2009-181-29a-c

--

Top Tier Left (Teal)

 

Evening Dress , Fall/Winter 1988 – 89

 

Marc Bohan French 1926 –

Designed for Christian Dior, Paris , Founded 1946

Silk taffeta

 

With an extravagant back bow and long trailing panels, Dior’s longtime designer Marc Bohan created an updated version of a bustle silhouette. The Bodice of the slim dress is cut away at the back, while the front has a draped bust and low sweetheart neckline. Praising this haute couture collection was one of Bohan’s best Woman’s Wear Daily called his taffeta evening dresses “entrancemakers,” though this dress would also ensure a spectacular exit.

 

Gift of Martin Field, 2014 – 206-25

--

Top Tier Second from Left (off-white)

Short Evening Dress , Around 1987

Pierre Cardin French (Born Italy) 1922 –

Nylon lace over synthetic horsehair

 

Pierre Cardin is endlessly creative: since presenting his first collection in 1951, he has continued to explore the geometry of fashion, showing up to 300 designs per season. Although he refused to look to the past, he often revisits favorite concepts, such as geometric shapes. He has a special affinity for circles, and several of his collections featured white or off-white lace dresses like this one, with an oversize round collar and unfurling skirt.

 

--

Top Tier Second from Right (Burgundy)

 

Evening Dress, 1947

 

Adrian American, 1903 – 1959

Silk velvet

 

Hollywood costume designer Adrian brought cinematic drama to his ready-to-wear and custom clothing. In contrast to the rounded shoulders Christian Dior had introduced, Adrian maintained that women looked best in clothing with wide shoulders, with slim hips for day and interesting skirts for night. In this striking gown, elegant velvet flows into a graceful trailing skirt, frmes a wide neckline, and forms what the New York Times called “winged victory sleeves.”

Gift of Mrs. Walter H. Mock, Jr., 1961-109-1

--

Top Tier, Right (Black)

 

Evening Dress , 1981

 

Pierre Cardin French (Born Italy) 1922 –

Silk/rayon velvet, silk/acrylic satin

 

Exaggeration plays a large part in Pierre Cardin’s design thinking, as this gown’s prominent sleeves illustrate. Flanking a slim sheath of lusterless velvet, the shiny satin sleeves flare up and out to extend the V neckline. The bias-cut satin extends from the tight wrist and goes over the top of the stiffened shoulder extensions, with the side seam along outside edge giving the sleeves a flattened look. The inner sides of the extensions were left open

 

Gift of Martin Field, 2014-2006-10

  

www.philamuseum.org/exhibitions/873.html

  

From the Placard: The Philadelphia Museum of Art, PA

www.philamuseum.org/

  

There was something eerie in the air as the tumbrils passed through the streets of Paris that led to Place du Trône Renversé. It was, in fact, too eerie that the normally noisy and violent crowd was "in a respectful silence such as has never been accorded throughout the Revolution." No rotten fruit was pelted and no clamorous insult was raised on the condemned women and men. That evening one only heard the ethereal chanting of sixteen Discalced Carmelite nuns on their way to death.

 

These women could hardly be recognized as nuns. Wrapped in their white mantles, they did not, however, wear their veils. Their wimples had been cut away, exposing their necks to facilitate the truculent job of the guillotine's blade.

 

At around eight in the evening, after a ride of two hours, the tumbrils finally arrived at the place of execution. A horrid stench of rotting flesh from the common graves in nearby Picpus and of putrifying blood beneath the scaffold greeted them. The crowd remained reverently silent. The Carmelites have finally come face to face with the dreaded guillotine. Led by their courageous prioress, Mo. Thérèse of St. Augustine, they sang the Christian hymn of praise: “You are God: we praise you; You are the Lord: we acclaim you; You are the eternal Father: all creation worships you…. The glorious company of apostles praises you. The noble fellowship of prophets praises you. The white-robed army of martyrs praises you...”

   

WINDS OF AN INEVITABLE REVOLUTION

 

Many historians agree that the twentieth century traces its foundations to the events that shook France from 1789 to, strictly speaking, 1795. The French Revolution took place amid an ancien régime in social disarray. Historian Edward Tannenbaum capsulized: “Many people knew that something was wrong. There was an economic crisis aggravated by population pressure; the aristocratic resurgence exasperated sections of the bourgeoisie and the peasantry; enlightened political ideas were raising constitutional issues, and enlightened despotism was not working very well.” [1]

 

With the rising of the masses, an era of radical ideas unconceived beforehand was ushered - equality of all before the law; freedoms of speech, religion and opinion; resistance to oppression; rights to property, security and liberty. A new epoch practically began with this “mother of revolutions.”

 

Two institutions gravely affected by it were the monarchy and the Church. With the Church and State so intimately linked together in the old order, with a privileged clergy being used and misused to defend the status quo, and with a wealthy hierarchy scandalizing the impoverished populace with its wantonness and loose morals, the Church truly was bound to be shattered by the revolution's impact.

 

The clash, however, of the old and new orders produced a violent friction. Reforms were plenty, indeed, but violence also abounded, caused by years of bottled hatred or plain paranoia. Soon, freedoms highly idealized by the revolution like choice, conscience and religion were trampled upon. There were too many victims in the process, many of whom were commoners exercising their democratic rights. Among them were the sixteen Carmelites of Compiègne.

   

AN UNEXCEPTIONAL COMMUNITY

 

The twenty-one nuns of the Carmel of the Annunciation exter nally appeared unperturbed by the melee outside the walls of their monastery. They continued with the routine life that had been followed by their predecessors since the monastery was established in 1641. They were composed of fifteen choir nuns, three converses (lay sisters or sisters of the white veil), and one choir novice.[2] There were also two tourières (extern sisters) who, in the strictest sense, were laywomen and not Carmelite religious although they looked after the material and business needs of the community. Most of the sisters were between forty and fifty, three were less than thirty, and three were more than seventy.

 

The nuns came from every social stratum of French society and each had her unique personality. “Taken as a whole, the community does not present an exceptional milieu. Their fathers were a master purse-maker, shoemaker, turner, laborer, clerk, and an employee of the observatory. Only one is a counselor of the king, one a noble squire. Few were blue-blooded; most were commoners. The grille sheltered, both from the psychological and social points of view, a world in a nutshell.” The lone novice was of peasant stock, but she had for her formator the grandniece of the great aristocrat Jean-Baptiste Colbert. The pretty and young assistant infirmarian laughed at the whims of the beloved old sister “philosopher”. The well-balanced prioress had for her assistant a nun passionately in love with the divine office.

 

Inevitably, the Carmelites were also affected by the revolution. Because of the escalating violence and growing uncertainty, Mo. Thérèse of St. Augustine talked with Sr. Saint Francis Xavier, a converse, who was due to make her profession in 1789, and presented to her the dilemma menacing all religious orders. The young sister responded naively: “Ah, my dear good Mother, you can be quite in peace. So long as I have the happiness of being consecrated to my God, that is all I want. So, Mother, do not worry about me. Whatever happens, the good God will take care of all.”

 

The Constituent Assembly provisionally suspended the profession of vows in all monasteries on 29 October 1789. Mo. Thérèse was distressed that the decree prevented Sr. Constance, the lone novice, from making her profession. She wrote to a former postulant: “Sr. Constance remains always a novice here. Troubles have not been lacking on the side of her family: now they do not want her letters anymore or to hear her spoken of. The Lord permits this to be assured of her fidelity, and she accounts herself happy if they leave her in peace as at present. She hopes that the good God will at last touch their hearts and that they will look on her perseverance without sorrow.”

   

THE CIVIL CONSTITUTION OF THE CLERGY

 

On 12 July 1790, the National Assembly implemented the Civil Constitution of the Clergy. Among its articles was a provision for the suppression of the monastic orders and the “liberation” of monks and nuns who would choose to renounce their vows. On 15 August, the members of the Directory of the Compiègne district came to the monastery to interrogate each nun and offer her “liberty”.

 

The unanimous reply of the religious was to remain and keep their vows. Some of the nuns made their declarations more vivid:

 

“For fifty-six years I have been a Carmelite. I desire to have the same number of years more to be consecrated to the Lord.” (Sr. of Jesus Crucified)

 

“I became a religious by my own will. I have made up my mind to go on wearing this habit, even if I have to purchase this joy with my own blood.” (Sr. Euphrasie)

 

“A good spouse desires to remain with her husband. I do not wish to abandon my spouse.” (Sr. Saint Francis Xavier)

 

“If I will be able to double the bonds of my attachment to God, then, with all my strength and zeal, I will do so.” (Sr. Thérèse of the Heart of Mary)

 

In February of the following year, the nuns were ordered to elect, in the presence of the municipal officers, a prioress and a bursar. Mo. Thérèse was unanimously re-elected; Mo. Henriette was voted bursar. The state then provided the eighteen intern nuns with decent pensions.

   

ENEMIES OF THE REPUBLIC

 

Another provision of the Civil Constitution of the Clergy required priests and religious to take a loyalty oath that required them “to be faithful to the nation, the law and the king; and to maintain the constitution with all their power.” What the ambiguous statement meant was that they were to give the revolutionary government the right to control and democratize the Church in complete disregard of Papal jurisdiction. Pope Pius VI issued on 10 March 1791 a condemnation of the Civil Constitution of the Clergy and forbade the clergy to take it. A schism was inevitable. The clergy was split between the “juring” (those who took the oath) and “non-juring” bishops and priests.

 

Two weeks after Easter of 1792, the guillotine was installed in Paris. Everyone was talking about it, even in the Carmel of Compiègne, and everyone feared it. In September, around 1,400 “enemies of the Republic” were killed during the infamous September Massacre; among them were hundreds of non-juring priests.

 

A belief that they would all be called to martyrdom someday prevailed in the community. Between June and September of that year, Mo. Thérèse proposed that the community offer their lives to God with an act of oblation “in order that the divine peace which Christ has brought to the world may be restored to the Church and to the State.” All promised to unite themselves to it, except for Sr. of Jesus Crucified and Sr. Charlotte of the Resurrection, the two most senior nuns. Trembling and fearful that they would end more than fifty years of peaceful life in Carmel with a bloody death, both withdrew from the community. Before the day ended, however, they prostrated themselves before the prioress and tearfully asked forgiveness for their momentary weakness. All the nuns renewed the act until the very day of their death.

   

UNITED IN SPITE OF DISPERSION

 

On 14 August 1792, the Convention ordered all French citizens receiving state pension to take the Oath of Liberté-Egalité which required them “to be faithful to the nation and to maintain liberty and equality or to die defending them.” Three days later, all religious houses were ordered vacated.

 

At this point in time, the Carmelites of Compiègne had been reduced to nineteen with the death of two sisters. The remaining nuns left the monastery and garbed secular clothes on 14 September 1792. They divided themselves into four groups with the prioress, sub-prioress, bursar and another nun heading each.

 

On 19 September, with the permission of Fr. Rigaud, their ecclesiastical superior, they all took the Oath of Liberté-Egalité. Thus, all, including the tourières, were eligible to receive pension from the state. Only Sr. Constance, the novice, was excluded from this right because the members of the Directory of Compiègne did not consider her a full religious.

 

For two years, each community strove to continue being faithful to their regular observances. “The beautiful accord which reigned among all the sisters ensured that each one never deviated from her duties. One could say that obedience was practiced with all the exactitude of the cloister.” It was difficult to find a priest to celebrate the Eucharist; nonetheless, the sisters faithfully recited the divine office at the appointed hours. Since their houses were not far apart, they managed to be in frequent contact with one another. Secretly, they sustained the members of the Confraternity of the Scapular and continued its enrollment. The extern sisters continued to buy provisions and to share these out among the different houses. The dynamism of the entire community was sustained by the daily renewal of the act of oblation and the solicitude of Mo. Thérèse.

   

REIGN OF TERROR

 

Situations worsened when Maximilien Robespierre and his henchmen, the radical and fanatical Jacobins, came into power during the summer of 1793. The Committee of Public Safety was established to protect the republic from foreign invasions and to control prices and wages all over the country. Along with this was institutionalized the infamous Reign of Terror. It not only apprehended and punished with death those who refused to be conscripted into the army but also anyone suspected of any unpatriotic behavior – or thoughts!

 

Within its brief one-year and one-month existence, over 300,000 were imprisoned of whom 50,000 were executed by musketry or in the dreaded guillotine or died in prison. France was literally transformed into an abattoir for her own people. Obsession replaced reality as the radical leaders sought to establish a utopistic society.

 

Anticlericalism reached its apex and, later, the revolution began to take the guise of a religion. First there was the abolition of the Gregorian calendar. Then churches were turned into “Temples of Reason”. Next, the juring clergy were ordered to marry (about 20,000 heeded). Finally, Robespierre established the Cult of the Supreme Being in an attempt to totally de-christianize France.

 

In March 1794, Sr. Marie of the Incarnation went to Paris to settle a serious family problem. Her stay was prolonged until June. Mo. Thérèse was also obliged to go to the capital on 13 June to bid farewell to her old and widowed mother who was to return to Franche-Comté, the cradle of her family. During that sojourn, the two nuns were by chance in the streets when tumbrils carrying those to be guillotined passed before them. Sr. Marie tried to get Mo. Thérèse to avoid the sight. The prioress, however, refused to move: “My good sister, allow me the sad consolation of seeing how martyrs go to their death.” Sr. Marie later wrote that two of the condemned fixed a deep gaze on them as if to say, “Soon, you will follow us.”

 

On the evening of 21 June, Mo. Thérèse promptly returned by stagecoach to Compiègne. She was met by some of the nuns who informed her that members of the Committee for Revolutionary Surveillance had searched all their four abodes that very morning and seized all their papers. The search continued the following day. A portrait of the guillotined king, a copy of his will, letters from their deported non-juring confessor and scapulars of the Sacred Heart were found and branded “seditious”. They also took the food prepared for the nuns, depriving them of nourishment that day.

   

SIXTEEN VICTIMS

 

As previously mentioned, nineteen of the Carmelites of Compiègne were still alive by the middle of 1792. During the time of the arrest, Sr. Marie of the Incarnation was still in Paris. Since March 1794, Sr. Thérèse of Jesus and Sr. Stanislas of Providence were in Rosières. Thus only sixteen were arrested. Through the biography written by Sr. Marie, we were not only able to know much about the arrest and execution of her community (in this entire chapter, unless noted otherwise, her accounts are enclosed in quotations) but also about their lives.

 

MO. THÉRÈSE OF ST. AUGUSTINE (Marie-Madeleine-Claudine Lidoine; b. 22 September 1752 in Paris), a woman “so loved by God,” was serving her second term as prioress when the Revolution struck. Her correspondences reveal a woman of great human and supernatural qualities.

 

MO. ST. LOUIS (Marie-Anne-Françoise Brideau; b. 07 December 1751 in Belfort), the sub-prioress, was given to silence and gentleness. She celebrated the divine office with admirable remembrance and exactitude.

 

MO. HENRIETTE OF JESUS (Marie-Françoise de Croissy; b. 18 June 1745 in Paris), the novice mistress, was the predecessor of Mo. Thérèse. She “made herself esteemed for the qualitites of her heart, her tender piety, zeal, the happy combination of every religious virtue.”

 

SR. CHARLOTTE OF THE RESURRECTION (Anne-Marie-Madeleine Thouret; b. 16 September 1715 in Mouy, Oise), the most senior member of the community, possessed a lively temperament. Fond of frequenting balls in her youth, she entered Carmel “after a tragic event.” She served as infirmarian to the point of developing a spinal column deformation that she endured until death.

 

SR. OF JESUS CRUCIFIED (Marie-Anne Piedcourt; b. 09 December 1715 in Paris) was younger than Sr. Charlotte by a few months but was senior to her by profession. She occupied the office of sacristan for many years. Speaking about their persecutors, she said: “How can we be angry with them when they open the gates of heaven for us?”

 

SR. THÉRÈSE OF THE HEART OF MARY (Marie Hanisset; b. 18 January 1742 in Reims), first sister of the turn and third bursar, was endowed with wisdom, prudence and discernment.

 

SR. THÉRÈSE OF ST. IGNATIUS (Marie-Gabrielle Trezel; b. 04 April 1743 in Compiègne), the “hidden treasure” of the community, was undoubtedly a mystic. Asked why she never brought a book for meditation, she replied: “The good God has found me so ignorant that none but He would be able to instruct me.”

 

SR. JULIE-LOUISE OF JESUS (Rose Cretien de Neuville; b. 30 December 1741 in Evreux) entered Carmel as a widow. She dreaded the guillotine but she chose to stay with her sisters.

 

SR. MARIE-HENRIETTE OF PROVIDENCE (Marie-Annette Pelras; b. 16 June 1760 in Cajarc, Lot), the assitant infirmarian, first entered the Sisters of Charity and Christian Instruction of Nevers but left it for the more secluded Carmelite life. Youngest among the choir nuns, she possessed a most exquisite beauty.

 

SR. EUPHRASIE OF THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION (Marie-Claude-Cyprienne Brard; b. 12 May 1736 in Bourth, Eure), the “philosopher” and “joie de vivre of the recreation,” admitted that she was filled for some time with resentment against her prioress. She worked very hard on herself that in the end she was able to overcome her negative disposition.

 

Along with these ten choir nuns were three lay sisters. SR. MARIE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT (Angélique Roussel; b. 03 August 1742 at Fresne-Mazancourt, Somme) was afflicted by atrocious pains throughout her body, which she heroically bore up until her death. SR. ST. MARTHA (Marie Dufour; b. 02 October 1741 at Bannes, Sarthe) edified her companions with her virtues. SR. ST. FRANCIS XAVIER (Elisabeth-Juliette Vérolot; b. 13 January 1764 at Lignières, Aube) was frank, lively, and full of goodness.

 

The youngest member of the community was SR. CONSTANCE (Marie-Geneviève Meunier; b. 28 May 1765 at Saint Denis, Seine). Circumstances forced her to remain as a novice for seven years. Her parents wanted her to return home and even sent the police for this purpose. Sr. Constance told them: “Gentlemen, I thank my parents if, out of love, they fear the danger that may befall me. Yet nothing except death can separate me from my mothers and sisters.”

 

The two tourières were blood sisters. ANNE-CATHERINE SOIRON (b. 02 February 1742 in Compiègne) tearfully begged the prioress not to let her and her sister be separated from the community during those crucial hours. THÉRÈSE SOIRON (b. 23 January 1748 in Compiègne) possessed such a rare beauty and charming personality that the ill-fated Princess de Lamballe wanted her to be attached to her court. She responded: “Madame, even if your Highness would offer me the crown of France, I would prefer to remain in this house, where the good God placed me and where I found the means of salvation which I would not find in the house of your Highness.”

   

IMPRISONMENT

 

On 23 June, the sixteen nuns were forcibly reunited in the Maison de Reclusion, a former monastery of the Visitation Nuns. In the room next to theirs were imprisoned a group of English Benedictine Nuns from Cambrai. The following day, the Carmelites retracted before the town mayor the Oath of Liberté-Égalité they had made – thus signing their own death warrant. Meanwhile, their captors waited for instructions from the Committee for Public Safety in Paris.

 

The three-week imprisonment was very harsh. The food was hardly palatable and the sick were not given any special diet. A few straws on the bare floor served as their beds. The two communities of nuns were forbidden to communicate with each other, yet the abbess of the Benedictines, Mo. Mary Blyde, somehow was able to converse with the Carmelites on two occasions. Fresh clothing was denied the nuns, yet they were forbidden to wash their soiled clothes. After many solicitations, they were finally granted a particular day to do their washing - but they never even had the chance to finish their laundry.

 

At 10:00 a.m. of 12 July, members of the Revolutionary Committee of Compiègne came with orders from Paris to transfer the Carmelites to the dreaded Conciergerie at the capital. Mo. Thérèse protested the untimely order. Their civilian clothes had just been put to soak. She requested permission to seek fresh clothing for her sisters to bring along. This was straightforwardly refused. Therefore, the nuns had to go to Paris wearing part of what was once their religious habits, the only dry clothing that was available.

 

After finishing their meager repast, the sixteen bade adieu to their Benedictine companions. With hands bound behind their back, they were herded into two carts for the long journey to Paris. Along with them was arrested a citizen named Mulot de la Ménardière, accused as an accomplice of the nuns. A great number of women, many of whom the nuns helped in many ways, sneered at them: “They do well to destroy them. They are useless mouths. Bravo! Bravo!” Mo. Thérèse meanwhile calmed Catherine Soiron who was outraged by the way they were being maltreated.

 

The caravan arrived at the Conciergerie between three to four in the afternoon of the following day. With their hands still tied behind them, the sisters went down one by one and stood waiting in the prison courtyard. However, the octogenarian Sr. Charlotte, deprived of her crutch and with no one to assist her, could not descend from the cart. An impatient soldier jumped aboard and callously threw her upon the paving stones where she laid motionless. Fearing he had killed her, the soldier lifted up the old nun whose face was covered with blood. “Believe me,” she told him, “I am not angry with you. On the contrary, I thank you for not having killed me for if I have died in your hands, I would have been deprived of the joy and glory of martyrdom.”

 

While waiting for their trial, the nuns occupied themselves with prayers and works of charity. They sought the sick among the imprisoned and attended to them even until late in the night. During daylight, they continued to celebrate the divine office faithfully. The other prisoners woke in the middle of the night hearing the nuns chanting Matins. Sr. Julie-Louise celebrated the feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel (16 July) by composing a canticle to the tune of the Marsellaise. Mo. Thérèse continually supported the sisters with her exemplary courage, calmness, and maternal attention to the needs of their distressed bodies.

   

FANATICAL PUERILITY

 

At around 9:00 a.m. of 17 July, the sixteen were brought to the Courtroom of Liberty where the Revolutionary Tribunal performed its functions. They were led before the three judges and the notorious Antoine Fouquier-Tinville, the Terror's implacable public prosecutor. He read the Act of Accusation:

   

With regard the ex-Carmelite religious Lidoine, Thouret, Brard, Dufour and the others, they kept up, although separated by their abodes, anti-revolutionary meetings and cabal among themselves and wish others whom they brought together and, by taking up again their spirit of sisterhood, conspired against the Republic. A voluminous correspondence found in their possession proves that they did not cease to plot against the Revolution. A portrait of Capet [Louis XVI], his will, the hearts, which are the rallying signs of the Vendean rebels,[3] fanatical puerility, accompanied by the letter of an émigré priest dated 1793, proved that they were in correspondence with the external enemies of France. Such are the marks of the Confederacy formed among themselves. They lived under obedience to a superior and, as for their principles and vows, their letters and writings bear witness to them…. They are more than a band, an assembly of rebels, with criminal hope of seeing the French people returned to the chains of tyrants and to the slavery of bloodthirsty priests who are impostors as well.

   

Sr. Marie-Henriette did not fail to ignore the phrase “fanatical puerility”. She asked Fouquier-Tinville to explain:

 

“What I mean is your attachment to your childish beliefs, your stupid religious practices.”

 

She then turned to the other nuns and said to them: “My dear Mother and sisters, let us rejoice in the Lord for this. We are going to die for the cause of our holy religion, our faith, our reliance in the holy Roman Catholic Church.”

 

Mo. Thérèse addressed the judges: “The letters that we have received are from the chaplain of our house condemned by your law to be deported. These letters contain nothing more than spiritual advises. At most, if these correspondences be a crime, this should be considered as mine, not of the community as our Rule forbids the sisters from making any correspondence, even with their nearest relations, without the permission of their superior. If therefore you must have a victim, here she is: it is I alone whom you must strike. My sisters are innocent.”

 

“They are your accomplices!” was the blunt reply of the presiding judge. In the end, the sixteen were convicted as enemies of the people. A sentence was given: death by guillotine.

 

The nuns received their penalty with serenity and joy. However, Thérèse Soiron fainted. Tension, fatigue, and lack of sleep and nourishment finally broke her down. The prioress quickly asked a constable for a glass of water for the tourière. When she regained consciousness, Thérèse asked pardon for her weakness and assured them she was ready to be faithful to the end.

 

After that incident, it became quite clear that the nuns needed something to eat. After all, they had not eaten anything since the break of dawn. With the permission of the prioress, Mo. St. Louis bartered a pelisse in exchange for sixteen cups of chocolate. Thus, while the executioner carried out on the other condemned prisoners the last “toilet” – the trimming away of hair and ripping of any clothing that may impede the decapitation of their heads – the nuns had the opportunity to dine in common before their execution.

 

The sentence was to be completed that same evening. The community was praying the Office for the Dead when they were summoned. The nuns bade farewell to the other prisoners, among them was a devout Catholic named Blot: “How come our dear Blot is crying? Rather, you should rejoice to see us at the end of our trials. Recommend us well to the good God and the most holy Virgin that they may assist us in these final hours. We will pray for you when we are in heaven.”

   

FINAL CHOIR

 

Cloaked in their white mantles and with hands bound at their backs, the sixteen recollectedly boarded the tumbrils that would bring them to Place du Trône Renversé where the guillotine awaited them.[4] Along the way, priests disguised as sans-culottes gave them absolution. The journey was long… but the air was permeated by their solemn chants of the sixteen, singing as they did in choir: “Have mercy on me, God, in your kindness. In your compassion, blot out my offense…. Hail, holy Queen, mother of mercy….”

 

The guillotine had been standing for more than a month already at the Barrière du Trône. Upon arriving there, Sr. Constance suddenly accused herself before Mo. Thérèse of not having finished her divine office. Tenderly the prioress, told her: “Be strong, daughter. You will finish it in Paradise!” Twenty-four others were executed that day but we do not know any detail concerning them.

 

At the foot of the scaffold, the prioress asked the executioner if she might die last so that she could encourage and support her sister. She also asked for a few minutes to prepare them. This time her requests were granted. They sang once more, invoking the Holy Spirit: “Creator Spirit, come….” Afterward, they all renewed their religious vows. The ceremony completed, one unknown sister was overheard saying: “O my God! I am just too happy if this little sacrifice calms your wrath and lessens the number of victims.”

 

One by one, from the youngest to the oldest, the nuns were called.

 

“Citizeness Marie Geneviève Meunier!”

 

Summoned by her real name, Sr. Constance knelt before Mo. Thérèse and asked for her blessing and the permission to die. This being given, the novice kissed a small red-clay statuette of the Virgin and Child that Mo. Thérèse had been concealing in her hand.

 

Sr. Constance mounted the scaffold singing the psalm the nuns chanted daily to announce their coming into the house of God: “O praise the Lord, all you nations…”

 

Her sisters followed: “…acclaim him, all you peoples! Strong is his love for us; he is faithful for ever.”

 

All the sisters followed the example of the novice. They each went to their death joining the song of those waiting for their turn. While the blade of the guillotine snuffed their lives one by one, the chorus progressed into a decrescendo. As she ascended the scaffold, Sr. of Jesus Crucified was assisted by the assistants of the executioner. “My friends,” she told them, “I forgive you with all my heart, as I desire forgiveness from God.”

 

Finally, only one voice was left.

 

“Citizeness Marie Madeleine Claudine Lidoine!”

 

Having seen fifteen of her daughters precede her to the scaffold, Mo. Thérèse followed them to the guillotine. At the sixteenth thud, there was nothing left… but silence. On that day, it was said, more than one religious vocation was born and just as many conversions took place.

 

Ten days later, amidst cacophonous shouts and screams, an infuriated and disillusioned crowd led a man to his death on the guillotine. “Down with the tyrant!” they cried. This time, it was the turn of Maximilien Robespierre. More than a week later, an enervated Antoine Fouquier-Tinville followed his fate on the very instrument where he had sent hundreds to their death. And with the inglorious end of these two died, also, the Reign of Terror.

What is the Mother flame? The Mother flame (Kundalini) has been described as coiled energy, white fire or light located at the base-of-the-spine chakra. This white light has to be awakened and raised through each of the chakras. Chakras are spiritual centers of light and energy located along the spinal column that are "gateways" to the "spiritual self."

 

Raising the Mother flame brings healing and as we heal, we magnetize the light of the Father and experience the divine interchange of energy that occurs between the Father (masculine polarity) and the Mother (feminine polarity). We start to integrate the two polarities.”Energy always follows consciousness…" Because of the purifying action of the Mother flame, care has to be taken in how it is raised. The safest way is through prayer and devotion. The goal is to reunite the light of the Mother with the light of the Father in the heart chakra. When this happens, we give birth to the Christ consciousness. The Divine Mother is our great teacher and guru. As the Mother flame rises, we begin to see the things we need to do and work on. Memories will surface and some will be painful. Healing our psychology is a fundamental step on the spiritual path and it is important to take hold of the hand of the Mother during this time as she gives us the inner guidance and strength to press onward. The blessings we receive from the Mother are endless. One of her primary attributes is to awaken us. As the Mother light rises, our consciousness begins to undergo a profound change. We become illumined. The wisdom of the Mother teaches us better ways of doing things. She helps us to fine-tune our communication skills and to improve our interactions with people. She teaches us to build healthy relationships and to open our eyes to see the needs of others. From her we learn to be more responsible and efficient. She brings harmony and order. All of this is the result of the Mother's energy flowing through us.

 

What is the ascension? Simply put, the ascension is a spiritual ritual whereby we "victoriously" return to God after passing our spiritual tests and meeting certain requirements. Author Annice Booth says:

Through the flame of the ascension, we become one with our own Higher Self and then with God the Father, our own I AM Presence… The ascended masters say we "ascend daily" and every good work, deed and thought aligns us closer to our Higher Self. Raising the Mother flame must be accompanied by spiritual devotion. If this is not done, the rising flame will activate all kinds of inordinate desires instead of the God qualities and virtues we are seeking.

The Mother flame and the ascension flame are one and the same. The ascension flame is the consciousness of the Mother and the Mother is the white light of the ascension flame. As we raise the Mother flame we begin to weave our spiritual garment of light called the seamless garment. Our seamless garment is woven by our thoughts and feelings and the threads represent our,consciousness. We have to replace our old garment with a new one. If we are prone towards being selfish, then we have to start giving to others. If we are filled with self-hate, then we must replace this with self-love. As we pass our initiations and start to heal we begin to add virtues to our garment of light. Sages and saints are often described as having one or more special virtues. Perhaps it is grace, honor or integrity. Some are called truth bearers and others are praised for being noble and just. Virtues are one of the gifts that come from the Mother. As we weave them into our seamless garment we can truthfully say we are walking the path of Beauty, the path of the Divine Mother and the ascension.

 

Whether male or female, we each have a masculine and feminine side. Everything in the spiritual and material world dances in a rhythmic flow of male and female energy. The Chinese call this yin (feminine) and yang (masculine). Wholeness requires the balancing of our masculine and feminine sides. The Mother shows us the way to do this. Our feminine side is nurturing, creative, intuitive, sensitive, comforting, caring and patient. She is the healer as well as the teacher. Our masculine side is associated more so with the "law" and as being analytical. He is power, strength, protection and discipline. When we are out of balance we feel chaotic and lack harmony. We are out of sync with the universe and our energy is scattered. We become uncaring and insensitive, abusive, aggressive or passive, indecisive and weak-willed. We become spiritually bankrupt. The Mother (Teacher-Guru) provides the nurturing, guidance and wisdom we need to successfully balance our polarities. One of the ways she does this is by explaining the laws of Father. Sometimes she is required to become the disciplinarian dispensing the discipline that is necessary for balancing to occur. Her overall desire is to liberate and restore us to wholeness. The soul of both man and woman is feminine and Spirit is the masculine side. We have to raise the feminine ray to magnetize the masculine. Until we do this, we will not manifest the fullness of our wholeness.

 

When we are in deep prayer and communion with God we enter into our inner altar and our "heart of hearts." This sacred place is called the secret chamber of the heart. Mystics speak of seeing a blazing flame, a divine spark within the secret chamber. This spark is also called the threefold flame or the Holy Christ flame and represents the sacred Trinity of Father, Son and Holy Spirit. It has three rays or plumes coming forth from it. The blue ray represents the Father (Power), the yellow ray represents the Son (Wisdom), and the pink ray represents the Holy Spirit (Love). There is a white sphere of the Trinity located at the base of the threefold flame that is a "veritable fount of the Mother Flame." The Ascended Masters have taught us to be sensitive to these plumes and to take notice when one or more are out of balance. Are you throwing your power around? Then the blue plume is out of alignment. If you are not exercising your God given wisdom to the fullest, then the yellow plume needs improvement and if you feel hardness of heart or are unable to give love then it is the pink plume that needs healing. Ideally, all three plumes should be equal in height. A balanced threefold flame is one of the requirements for the ascension.

 

The Aquarian Age is also the age of the Holy Spirit, the Third Person of the Trinity. The Holy Spirit "conveys the essence of God" throughout our being. This is done through the seven rays. Many of the world religions talk about the seven levels of being or the seven heavens that connect us to the spiritual world. The seven rays come forth from the white light of the Holy Spirit. Each ray contains an aspect of the Christ consciousness and certain healing qualities. Most of us have heard about the gifts of the Holy Spirit. Basically these are: the word of wisdom, the word of knowledge, faith, healing, working of miracles, prophecy, discernment of spirits, diverse kinds of tongues and interpretation of tongues. The Holy Spirit is very mystical and the action of the Holy Spirit manifests in a variety of ways. Mystics say our prayers and thoughts flow in the Holy Spirit. The dove is one of the more well known symbols used to represent the Holy Spirit. The flame of the Holy Spirit is a joyous flame, the soundless sound. It is the music of the spheres, the gentle rain, the foam that moves with the crest of the wave and mingles with the sand. The flame of the Holy Spirit is the fresh, cool air that comes from the mountains at eventide. The flame of the Holy Spirit is the love that burns within your heart when you meet a kindred soul along life's way and when you see the beauty of a child or a devotee kneeling in prayer. It is flame of Christ-illumination that fires the mind – that sparks creative thought and gives will to the imagination. The Holy Spirit is the presence of the Father adorned by the love of the Mother nourishing Life in the newborn child. Known also as the Holy Ghost, Holy Comforter or Heavenly Comforter, the Holy Spirit can be gentle or mighty depending on the occasion and to encounter the Holy Spirit is not only purifying but also a spiritually transforming experience. According to the Ascended Masters, when we unlock the energy of the Mother it opens the door for the Holy Spirit to release the flow of light through us. The Mother helps us to pass our initiations and teaches us not only how to cultivate the gifts of the Holy Spirit but also how to be a just steward of these gifts.

 

Mystics and seers have always known about the violet flame. The violet flame is the seventh-ray aspect of the Holy Spirit and contains the God qualities of mercy, forgiveness and compassion. It is called the flame of transmutation and freedom as it can transmute the cause, effect, record and memory of negative karma. Karma is energy-consciousness. It is every action, thought, feeling, word, and deed. It is the "law of cause and effect" or the "law of the circle." Whatever we say or do comes full circle. We've all heard the expression, "You reap what you sow." This is karma. Everything we send out into the universe returns back to us. Karma can be good or bad. The Mother teaches us to transmute and balance our karma so that we can return back to Spirit. We are entering into a new Age, the Aquarian Age. Ages,last,approximately 2,150 years and each new cycle begins under one of the seven rays of the Holy Spirit. Each age has a sponsor. Saint Germain is the Chohan (Lord) of the Seventh Ray. He, along with his twin flame Portia (Goddess of Justice), are the hierarchs for the age of Aquarius. Portia is also known as the Mother of Aquarius. On May 1, 1954, Saint Germain and Portia were crowned as directors for the coming cycle of the seventh ray. Freedom and justice are the yin and the yang of the seventh ray of Aquarius, and together with mercy, they provide the foundation for all other attributes of God to be outpictured in this seventh dispensation. Saint Germain, whose name means "holy brother" is the seventh angel prophesied in the Book of Revelation. His gift to the earth and to all mankind is the spiritual fire of the violet flame. The violet flame is called the flame of freedom because of its alchemical ability to transmute karma. As the Chohan of the Seventh Ray, Saint Germain focuses the flame of freedom to the earth. The violet flame is the flame of the Aquarian Age.

 

www.sacredwind.com/divinemother.php

 

We can invoke the violet flame through prayer and mantra. One very simple mantra taught by the Summit Lighthouse † is:

 

I AM a being a violet fire!

I AM the purity God desires!

 

The healing benefits that come from giving the violet flame are as vast as the stars in the cosmos. The violet flame can melt hardness of heart, balance old karma and free us from the baggage we've carried around not only in this lifetime but also from past lifetimes. It can transmute negative thoughts and painful memories as well as heal old hurts and wounds.

 

The transforming power of the Mother will be more effective if we use it in conjunction with the violet flame. It is recommended that we give at least fifteen minutes of the violet flame each day.

Traditional art derives from a creativity which combines heavenly inspiration with ethnic genius, and which does so in the manner of a science endowed with rules and not by way of individual improvisation; ars sine scientia nihil.

 

Within the framework of a traditional civilization, there is as already mentioned a distinction to be made between sacred art and profane art. The purpose of the first is to communicate, on the one hand, spiritual truths and, on the other hand, a celestial presence; sacerdotal art has in principle a truly sacramental function. The function of profane art is obviously more modest: it consists in providing what theologians call “sensible consolations,” with a view to an equilibrium conducive to the spiritual life, rather in the manner of the flowers and birds in a garden. The purpose of art of every kind—and this includes craftsmanship—is to create a climate and forge a mentality; it thus rejoins, directly or indirectly, the function of interiorizing contemplation, the Hindu darshan: contemplation of a holy man, of a sacred place, of a venerable object, of a Divine image.

 

Sacred art is vertical and ascending, whereas profane art is horizontal and equilibrating.

 

In the beginning, nothing was profane; each tool was a symbol, and even decoration was symbolistic and sacral.

 

With the passage of time, however, the imagination increasingly spread itself on the earthly plane, and man felt the need for an art that was for him and not for Heaven alone; the earth too, which in the beginning was experienced as a prolongation or an image of Heaven, progressively became earth pure and simple, that is to say that the human being increasingly felt himself to possess the right to be merely human.

 

If religion tolerates this art, it is because it nevertheless has its legitimate function in the economy of spiritual means, within the horizontal or earthly dimension, and with the vertical or heavenly dimension in view.

 

However, it must be reiterated here that the distinction between a sacred and a profane art is inadequate and too precipitate when one wishes to take account of all artistic possibilities; and it is therefore necessary to have recourse to a supplementary distinction, namely that between a liturgical and an extra-liturgical art: in the first, although in principle it coincides with sacred art, there may be modalities that are more or less profane, just as inversely, extra-liturgical art may comprise some sacred manifestations.

 

Sacred art is far from always being perfect, although it is necessarily so in its principles and in the best of its productions; nevertheless in the great majority of imperfect works, the principles compensate for the accidental weaknesses, rather as gold, from a certain point of view, can compensate for the but slight artistic value of a given object.

 

Two pitfalls lie in wait for sacred art and for traditional art in general: a virtuosity tending towards the outward and the superficial, and a conventionalism without intelligence and without soul; but this, it must be stressed, rarely deprives sacred art of its overall efficacy, and in particular of its capacity to create a stabilizing and interiorizing atmosphere.

 

As for imperfection, one of its causes can be the inexperience, if not the incompetence of the artist; the most primitive works are rarely the most perfect, for in the history of art there are periods of apprenticeship just as later there are periods of decadence, the latter often being due to virtuosity.

 

Another cause of imperfection is unintelligence, either individual or collective: the image may be lacking in quality because the artist (the word here having an approximate meaning) is lacking in intelligence or spirituality, but it may likewise bear the imprint of a certain collective unintelligence that comes from the sentimental conventionalization of the common religion; in

this case, the collective psychism clothes the spiritual element with a kind of “pious stupidity”, for if there is a naiveté that is charming, there is also a naiveté that is moralistic and irritating.

 

This must be said lest anyone should think that artistic expressions of the sacred dispense us from discernment and oblige us to be prejudiced, and so that no one should forget that in the traditional domain in general, there is on all planes a constant struggle between a solidifying tendency and a tendency towards transparency which draws the psychic back to the spiritual. All of this may be summed up by saying that sacred art is sacred in itself, but that it is not necessarily so in all its expressions.

 

----

 

Frithjof Schuon

 

----

 

Quoted in: Art from the Sacred to the Profane, East and West

 

----

 

Image: Ceremonial ax, type Yue, China, Shang dynasty (16th-11th century B.C.), 13th century B.C., bronze, 35 x 37, 8 cm, Museum of East Asian Art Cologne

 

Height 32% of length, typical for P. depressa. (In sample of twelve typical shells from S.W.England and N.W. Wales range 25-37%).

Posterior and anterior profiles slightly convex.

Grey cephalic tentacles

Small black eye is primitive (or degenerate) cavity, open to seawater and lined with black retina cells.

White sides of foot lack features such as epipodial tentacles.

 

SPECIES DESCRIPTION part B BELOW

SPECIES DESCRIPTION part A 1Pd flic.kr/p/BaSA3C

Key id. features 3Pd flic.kr/p/Ay7bhf

PDF version at www.researchgate.net/profile/Ian_Smith19/research

 

OTHER SPECIES ALBUMS www.flickr.com/photos/56388191@N08/collections/

 

Identification of British patellid limpets.

Shell-exterior cannot be relied on, and shell-interiors can be confusing. Examination, in good light under magnification, of extended pallial tentacles on living animals is essential for consistent accurate discrimination of the three rock-dwelling Patella species. Best achieved with specimen adhering to underside of supported glass-sheet in black-based container of seawater.

Some morphologically intermediate forms can only be reliably identified by sequencing DNA or allozyme study 36Pd flic.kr/p/BdwtN8 and 37Pd flic.kr/p/AzydCD . Intermediates result from similar environmental factors affecting different species in similar ways and are not hybrids (Sanna et al., 2011 and Sá-Pinto et al., 2007). For the purpose of recording for distribution schemes it is advisable to disregard intermediates unless DNA or allozymes can be employed, especially beyond or on the limits of known distributions. Intermediates most frequent near limit of distributions of P. depressa and P. ulyssiponensis in Isle of Wight , perhaps because conditions not optimal (Fretter and Graham, 1994).

 

Key identification features of typical British specimens.

 

Patella depressa

[1&2 in combination, not singly, diagnostic of typical specimens but excludes intermediates.]

1. Pigmented pallial tentacles are opaque chalky-white for more than half of extended-length; may have translucent tip; distinctly whiter than buff mantle-skirt from which they arise 19Pd flic.kr/p/Af37zY . Even when mantle-skirt retracted, pallial tentacles often clearly visible contrasting with the darker mantle17Pd flic.kr/p/BaRWfU .

2. Sole of foot pitch-brown 16Pd flic.kr/p/Afb9yv to black 17Pd flic.kr/p/BaRWfU .

3. On shell-interior, whitish projecting points of ribs have short, unglazed, chalky, pure-white central line, but reduced or lacking where projecting points of ribs eroded 8Pd flic.kr/p/Ay6YL9 . [This feature recently recognised by S. Payne, and applies to all in large sample examined by IFS. ]

 

Before making records of this species further north than NW Anglesey it is advisable to familiarize oneself with specimens in areas where it is known to be frequent such as S. Devon, Channel Islands or Brittany.

Confirmation/correction can be sought by posting clear photo of pallial tentacles and foot on British Marine Molluscs Group at www.facebook.com/groups/british.marine.mollusca/

 

Similar species

 

Patella ulyssiponensis

1. Pallial tentacles have opaque pigment; white, off-white, cream or, on large specimens, yellowish or orange for about half of length; distal-half fades to translucent. Opaque basal parts often distinct from translucent mantle-skirt that they arise from so possible to confuse with P. depressa; important to use pallial tentacles in combination with foot-colour/shell-length for identification 41Pd flic.kr/p/ABFYRn .

2. Foot not pitch-brown/black; whitish when young 42Pd flic.kr/p/ALnSTW becoming yellowish 43Pd flic.kr/p/Ber2rm and often orange with age 44Pd flic.kr/p/ALnJ39 . Beware of juveniles under 12mm length that lack gonads above sole as dark viscera may show as blackish-shadow through thin pale translucent foot 42Pd flic.kr/p/ALnSTW . Green ovaries resting on interior surface of foot of mature female may show as faint greenish tinted zone along median line of foot where it is thinnest 43Pd flic.kr/p/Ber2rm .

 

Patella vulgata

Extremely variable species; foot colours and nearly all shell-features have overlaps with P. depressa and P. ulyssiponensis.

1. Pigment-less pallial tentacles are slender, translucent and same colour as mantle-skirt they arise from 45Pd flic.kr/p/AiLHRg .

Cautions:

Pallial tentacles may look white when arise from colourless mantle-skirt in some lighting, but no pigment and not chalky-white 46Pd flic.kr/p/AE15Wx .

Pigment-less translucency and fineness often make discernment difficult, especially when mantle skirt retracted from shell-rim and pallial tentacles viewed against shell 47Pd flic.kr/p/BeqQNY ; often virtually invisible when out of water as may be retracted into mantle 48Pd flic.kr/p/ABFF5R .

Foot colour varies, sometimes as dark as on P. depressa 47Pd flic.kr/p/BeqQNY .

 

Habits and ecology

On rocky shores with mild winters (January mean air temperature 42°F/5.6°C and above 40Pd flic.kr/p/BewPND ) with Ballantine (1961) wave exposure scale 1-5 (extremely exposed to fairly sheltered) where turbidity does not prevent plant growth. On bedrock in shallow pools, seawater trickles or other damp positions, not on shingle or boulders. Not sublittoral; lower limit varies, usually somewhere between MLWN and MLWS; upper limit MHWN, or EHWS if frequent swell-splash or in pools. Average size of adults decreases up shore (Branch, 1981a); unable to produce very large, thick, high-domed shells, like those of some P. vulgata 49Pd flic.kr/p/ABGb4o , to resist dessication on drained rock on upper shore, though some intermediate forms show a tendency towards a high profile 36Pd flic.kr/p/BdwtN8 . P.depressa is reported to be a rigidly homing species (Branch, 1981a), adults always after feeding-excursions seeking to return to same position. Foot longitudinally divided on interior by deep median groove of large blood sinus 25Pd flic.kr/p/ABS7Sp . Locomotion by retrograde waves alternating on each side (ditaxic) of sole; muscles alternately compress/relax against blood trapped between them to create waves 25Pd flic.kr/p/ABS7Sp . Feeds, mainly at night (Branch, 1981a) , on algal sporelings, detritus containing diatoms and organic remains, and on short algal growths, including encrusting calcareous spp. Grazing rock surfaces is facilitated by powerful muscles on large buccal mass 32Pd flic.kr/p/Bcivym , and by hard, iron-mineralized teeth on long ribbon with plentiful replacements for worn teeth 33Pd flic.kr/p/ABRUWR . Length varies seasonally; shorter when wear of active feeding exceeds growth rate. Patella spp. wear out up to two rows of teeth per day (Sigel, 2008 ). About four rows of teeth are in contact with substrate during feeding 15Pd flic.kr/p/Ay6H2J ; loose particles are retained by rim of surrounding jaw# 24Pd flic.kr/p/BdwNkP and the licker 32Pd flic.kr/p/Bcivym which sweeps them up at the end of the radula stroke. Long coiled intestine 30Pd flic.kr/p/Bex7R6 compacts faeces into firm faecal strings that will not contaminate gills in pallial groove; compensates for adults lacking hypobranchial gland to produce mucus to bind particles exiting from nuchal cavity. Cilia on roof of nuchal cavity and side of foot conduct faecal matter from anus in nuchal cavity to middle of right side 38Pd flic.kr/p/AguFeC . Faeces and debris accumulate there until periodic sharp contraction of pedal-retractor muscle clamps shell down and forcefully flushes water and waste out of shell (Fretter & Graham 1962 & 1994). When limpets removed from rock, accumulated pile of faecal strings often found in position. Cilia also create inhalent water-current from left of head through nuchal cavity, where urogenital openings located, and thence carry excreta and ova/sperm to exterior. Predators reported to be able to dislodge P. vulgata shells probably take P. depressa too; they include gulls (Larus spp.), oystercatchers (Haematopus ostralegus), crabs, starfish and rats. Nucella lapillus bores through the shell, usually to the pedal-retractor muscle where the adjacent viscera are accessible obliquely to its radula without having to bore through the thick amphora# shell-layers covering the viscera. Boring takes several days, but is rewarded with a large food supply, providing the Nucella isn't dislodged before completion 39Pd flic.kr/p/AguCY5 . Absence or scarcity of P.depressa from very sheltered sites, where crabs are abundant, and from the sublittoral fringe, where starfish occur, might be because of greater susceptibilty of this small species to them than of the larger P. vulgata and P. ulyssiponensis. Respiration: gill-cilia create gentle local inhalent respiratory water currents all around perimeter of animal from adjacent shell-rim onto gills, and exhalent currents below gills back to shell-rim 38Pd flic.kr/p/AguFeC (Yonge & Thompson, 1976). Densely ciliated groove on stalk and rim of each gill-lamella catches and removes large particles of detritus that would clog gill (Fretter & Graham, 1994) 18Pd flic.kr/p/Bc59v8 . Blood passes from viscera and foot via vessels through gaps in encircling shell-muscle 20Pd flic.kr/p/Ay6PEH into gills for oxygenation, and thence into encircling efferent pallial vessel 26Pd flic.kr/p/BciErS which takes it through nuchal cavity 29Pd flic.kr/p/AguVDE to heart for recirculation to head, foot and viscera (Fretter & Graham, 1994) .

 

Breeds spring to autumn, perhaps with summer pause (Fretter & Graham, 1994). May vary geographically; Yonge & Thompson (1976) said breeds sporadically all year with summer maximum. External fertilization so close proximity of sexes required for success; new populations unlikely to be established by isolated strays. Sperm and ova shed into water column, ova individually. Eggs hatch as free trochophore larvae (stage passed within egg by most “less-primitive” spp.) in plankton before transforming to veligers and, after a short planktonic-life, settling on lower shore and assuming limpet form. Spat, when 1mm long, have ten radiating ridges; P. vulgata has five ridges on right, four on left. P. ulyssiponensis has eight (Fretter & Graham, 1994). Move higher up shore when shell-length 5mm.

 

Distribution and status

P. depressa is a North-east Atlantic species extending northwards from Senegal (Trigo et al., 2018) through western Iberia and France to its northern limits in North Wales, eastern part of south coast England and Normandy. It extends only a short way into the Mediterranean. Trigo et al. (2018) states to Malaga, but an image with diagnostic foot and pallial tentacles shows it extends to Almeira 51Pd flic.kr/p/2k6xwit . Its absence further into the Mediterranean might be because the slight tidal rise and fall there does not produce a sufficient intertidal zone for this purely eulittoral species. The precise northern limits fluctuate, generally polewards in warm periods and receding in cooler periods, though other factors may have an influence 40Pd flic.kr/p/BewPND . In Britain, it is restricted to areas with mild winters with February mean Sea Surface Temperatures above 8°C. Consistently present populations occur between the Isle of Wight and mid Wales with zones of fluctuation beyond those points (Kendall et al. 2004). The most recent published information (Oróstica et al., October 2020 ) shows that, as would be expected in this period of exceptional temperature increase, the range has extended with scattered rare specimens reaching Beachy Head in south-east England, near Dunster in Somerset and Barry in Glamorgan but, unexpectedly, it has not reoccupied the north-western side of Lleyn or north-west Anglesey where it was recorded in the 1950s and lost in the 1980s.

The absence of P. depressa records on the mild-winter coasts of Ireland obviously requires explanation. Its distribution is used in Lewis (1964) as an exemplar of “southern species” with an explanation for its absence from Ireland. This eulittoral species cannot crawl across wide sublittoral areas. It is possible that it reached Britain in the warming after the Ice Age before sea-level rise cut Britain off from the continent but after Ireland had been cut off from Britain. Planktonic larvae can traverse sublittoral areas, but the phase is short in P. depressa so time is limited and it is difficult if currents are adverse. External fertilization requires a minimum population density with the sexes in close proximity for successful establishment of a sustained population; there may have been occasional small settlements in Ireland that have subsequently failed (Lewis, 1964). Records in Ireland, Scotland and the North Sea on distribution maps should be regarded as misidentifications unless there is photographic evidence of both brown-black foot and chalk-white opaque pallial tentacles.

 

Acknowledgements

I gratefully acknowledge the help of Jan Light and Sebastian Payne with information and discussion, and in providing many specimens for examination. Any errors or omissions are the responsibility of the author. I thank Samuel Santos García for use of his photograph of a specimen from Almeira.

 

Links and references

 

Akşit, D. & Falakil Mutaf, B. 2011. The external morphology of the gill of Patella caerulea L. (Mollusca: Gastropoda). Turk. J. Zool. 35(4) 603-606. Tübitak. Turkey. PDF contains SEM images of gill lamellae.

www.google.co.uk/search?q=patella+gill+ciliated+groove&am...

 

Ballantine, W.J. 1961. A biologically-defined exposure scale for comparative description of rocky shores. Field studies 1(3): 1-19. Free pdf at: fsj.field-studies-council.org/media/344345/vol1.3_17.pdf

 

Barber, A.H., Lu, D. & Pugno, N.M. 2015 Extreme strength observed in limpet teeth The Royal Society.

rsif.royalsocietypublishing.org/content/12/105/20141326

 

Branch, G.M. 1981a. The biology of limpets. Oceangr. Mar. Biol. Ann. Rev. learning.watfordboys.org/mod/resource/view.php?id=4730

 

Branch, G.M. 1981b. The biology of limpets. Oceangr. Mar. Biol. Ann. Rev. www.google.co.uk/search?q=Patella+vulgata+blood+circulati...

 

Cohen, A.L. & Branch, G.M. 1992. Environmentally controlled variation in the structure and mineralogy of Patella granularis shells from the coast of southern Africa: implications for palaeotemperature assessments. Palaeogeography, palaeoclimatology, palaeoecology, 91: 49-57. www.whoi.edu/fileserver.do?id=163844&pt=2&p=36767

 

Forbes, E. & Hanley S. 1849-53. A history of the British mollusca and their shells. vol. 2 (1849), London, van Voorst. (As dark-bodied variety of their P. athletica) ; Free PDF at archive.org/stream/historyofbritish02forb#page/428/mode/2up Use slide at base of page to select pp.428 for footnote.

 

Fretter, V. and Graham, A. 1962. British prosobranch molluscs. London, Ray Society.

 

Fretter, V. and Graham, A. 1994. British prosobranch molluscs. Revised and updated edition. London, Ray Society.

 

Goshima, S., Ilano A.S. & Ito, A. 2002. Seasonal and tidal-height variations in body weight and radular length in Nodilittorina radiata (Eydoux & Souleyet, 1852) J. Mollus. Stud. 68(3): 197-203.

mollus.oxfordjournals.org/content/68/3/197.full.pdf+html

 

Graham, A. 1988. Prosobranch and pyramidellid gastropods. London.

 

Heppel, D. 1964. Recorder's report: marine Molluscs. J. Conch. Lond., 25: 308-313.

 

Hughes, S.L., Holliday, N.P., Kennedy, J., Berry, D.I., Kent, E.C., Sherwin, T., Dye, S., Inall, M., Shammon, T. and Smyth, T. 2010. Temperature (Air and Sea) in MCCIP Annual Report Card 2010-11, MCCIP Science Review, 16pp. www.mccip.org.uk/arc

 

Jeffreys, J.G. 1862-69. British conchology. vol. 3 (1865). London, van Voorst. (As var.3 intermedia of Patella vulgata. Note that var.4 depressa describes P. ulyssiponensis features); Free PDF at archive.org/stream/britishconcholog03jeff#page/230/mode/2up . Use slide at base of page to select pp.230- 241.

 

Lewis, J.R. 1964. The ecology of rocky shores. London, Hodder & Stoughton.

 

Light, J. A guide to limpet identification for the general naturalist www.glaucus.org.uk/Limpet.htm

 

MacClintock, C. 1967. Shell structure of patelloid and bellerophontid gastropods (Mollusca). Peabody Museum of Natural History, Yale University. Bulletin 22.pdf at

www.google.co.uk/?gws_rd=ssl#q=MacClintock%2C+C.+1967.+Sh....

215 pages, may take a few minutes to download. Contents on page v.(= p.6 of pdf). To find pages on pdf add 1 to Roman numerals, and add 11 to Arabic numerals.

 

McKay, D.W. and Smith, S.M. 1979. Marine mollusca of East Scotland. Edinburgh, Royal Scottish Museum.

 

Moore, H.B. 1937. Marine fauna of the Isle of Man. University Press of Liverpool. (“P. depressa Pennant” listed for I.O.M., but “[= P. athletica Bean] Forbes & Hanley 1853” shows record is actually of P. ulyssiponensis following the taxonomic misunderstanding of Jeffreys, and Forbes & Hanley).

 

Oróstica, M. H 2018. Living at the edge: Ecology of Patella species in Britain. PhD thesis. Bangor University.

research.bangor.ac.uk/portal/files/22310847/2018OrosticaP...

  

Oróstica, M. H., Hawkins, S. J., Broitman, B. R. and Jenkins S. R. 2020. Performance of a warm-water limpet species towards its poleward range edge compared to a colder-water congener. Mar Ecol Prog Ser doi.org/10.3354/meps13461

 

Pennant, T. 1777 British zoology London.

Page 142 biodiversitylibrary.org/item/127011#page/168/mode/1up

Pl. 89 fig.146. biodiversitylibrary.org/item/127011#page/361/mode/1up

 

Sanna, D., Dedola, G. L., Lai, T., Curini-Galletti, M. & Casu, M. 2011. PCR-RFLP: A practical method for the identification of specimens of Patella ulyssiponensis s.l. (Gastropoda: Patellidae), Italian Journal of Zoology,

pdf at www.researchgate.net/publication/233126771_PCR-RFLP_A_pra...

 

Sá-Pinto, A., Branco,M., Harris, D.J. & Alexandrino, P. 2005. Phylogeny and phylogeography of the genus Patella based on mitochondrial DNA sequence data. J. Exp. Mar. Biol. Ecol. 325: 95-110.

 

Sá-Pinto, A., Alexandrino, P. & Branco,M. 2007. High genetic differentiation with no evidence of hybridization between four limpet species (Patella spp.) revealed by allozyme loci. Scientia Marina 71(4): 801-810. Barcelona. pdf at www.vliz.be/imisdocs/publications/131981.pdf

 

Sigel, A., Sigel, H. and Sigel, R.K.O., (Editors) 2008. Biomineralization: from nature to application. Chichester, Wiley. Page 299 (to access this page on-line Google-search “limpet wear teeth” and scroll down results to find title) books.google.co.uk/books?id=TiwK2VQhPMkC&pg=PA299&amp...

 

Tomlin, J.R.Le B. 1923. Patella depressa Pennant. J. Conch. Lond., 17: 34.

 

Trigo, J.E.; Diaz Agras, G.J.; Garcia Alvarez, O.L.; Guerra, A.; Moreira, J.; Pérez, J.; Rolán, E.; Troncoso, J.S,; Urgorri, V.. 2018. Guia de los Moluscos Marinos de Galicia. Servicio de Publicacións da Universidade de Vigo.

 

Yonge, C.M. and Thompson, T.E. 1976. Living marine molluscs. London.

 

Current taxonomy: World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS)

www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=151374

  

GLOSSARY

 

amphora – (on interior of limpet shell) Roman amphora-shaped area enclosed by scars of pedal-retractor muscle and anterior mantle-attachment.

 

aperture – mouth of gastropod shell; outlet for head and foot.

apex - earliest formed part of a gastropod shell, the summit of the cone. (In this limpet-account restricted to the exterior of the shell, and “vertex” used for the interior.)

 

cephalic – (adj.) of or on the head.

cilia – (pl.) microscopic linear extensions of membrane that move in rhythmic waves to create locomotion, or move particles and liquids e.g. inhalent water currents. (“cilium” singular). (Electron scanning microscope image at flic.kr/p/qQB5zj )

 

ciliary – (adj.) relating to or involving cilia.

coll. – in the collection of (named person or institution) (compare with legit).

conoid – shaped like a cone.

ctenidium – comb-like molluscan gill; usually an axis with a row of filaments either side (missing from Patella spp.).

distal - away from centre of body or point of attachment.

ditaxic - (of locomotion waves on foot) double series of waves, out of phase with each other, one series on each side of median line on sole.

 

ELWS – extreme low water spring tide level (usually near March and September equinoxes).

EHWS - extreme high water spring tide level (usually near March and September equinoxes).

epipodial - (adj.) of the epipodium (collar or circlet running round sides of foot of some gastropods).

 

epithelium – membranous covering of internal and external surfaces of animal's body, e.g. skin and lining of tubes and cavities.

 

head scar – term used by many British authors for patch of different shell-material, and often different colour, near vertex of interior of limpet shell; misnomer as the mobile head, free of any attachment to the shell or mantle-roof of the nuchal cavity cannot make a scar. A preferable term is “vertex patch”.

 

height – (of limpet) perpendicular distance from apex to plane of aperture-rim (best measured with callipers).

 

hyaline shield – transparent sheet of chitin at anterior of radula that rests on bolsters of odontophore; attachment point for retractor muscles of radula; helps guide food particles into mouth.

 

interspecific – existing or arising between different species.

intraspecific – occuring within a single species or involving members of one species.

jaw - unarticulated chitinous structure that encloses inner lips of Patella spp. at sides and anterior.

 

legit – (abbreviation; leg.) collected/ found by (compare with coll.)

licker - cuticularized structure with plate-like ridges and deep transverse grooves at tip of radula of Patella spp.; retains and sweeps up food particles.

 

mantle – sheet of tissue covering visceral mass of molluscs. Secretes shell of shelled species, and forms part or all of dorsal body surface (notum) of those without shells. (See mantle skirt.)

 

mantle skirt – extension on gastropods of mantle proper as a flap roofing a cavity containing gills, genital and renal openings, anus etc. On limpets, skirt and cavity extend around periphery of animal.

 

MHWN - mean high water neap tide level (mean level reached by weakest high tides for a few days every fortnight. i.e. those that rise the least).

 

MLWN – mean low water neap tide level (mean level reached by weakest low tides for a few days every fortnight. i.e. those that fall the least).

 

MLWS - mean low water spring tide level (mean level reached by lowest low tides for a few days every fortnight; Laminaria or Coralline zone on rocky coasts).

 

nuchal – (adj.) of nape of the neck.

nuchal cavity – cavity roofed by mantle skirt that contains head of limpet; part of mantle cavity (remainder consists of pallial groove on each side of body).

 

ovoid – egg-shaped, as a solid or in outline.

pallial groove band – shell material deposited on interior of shell by strip of black mantle roofing the pallial groove that contains the gills. On British Patella spp. p.g. band is often clouded-white.

 

pedal retractor muscle – strong muscle that retracts foot into shell of most gastropods, but on limpets is used to clamp shell to substrate, a.k.a. “foot muscle”.

 

retrograde - (of locomotion waves on foot) waves travel from anterior to posterior.

scar – mark on shell made by attachment point of muscle or other body part.

 

skirt shell layer - shell material deposited on interior of shell by mantle skirt. On British Patella spp. colourless when deposited, and clouded white, or transparent showing the colours of the outer layer. Crystalline structure causes short lines of blue iridescence parallel to the aperture rim on all four British species of Patella when the light is right.

 

trochophore – spherical or pear-shaped larva that swims with aid of girdle of cilia. Stage preceding veliger, passed within gastropod egg in most spp. but free in plankton for patellid limpets, most Trochidae and Tricolia pullus.

 

tricuspid - (of tooth) having three points.

unicuspid - (of tooth) having a single point.

veliger – shelled larva of marine gastropod or bivalve mollusc which moves by beating cilia of a velum (bilobed flap).

 

vertex – angle at highest point on interior of limpet-shell. [Synonym of “apex”, chosen (by IFS) to help avoid confusion with the highest point, apex, on the exterior. Gmelin used “vertex” when describing the interior of Patella ulyssiponensis, and in classical Latin “vertex” was used for the “pole of the heavens”; obviously only seen from below.]

 

vertex patch –layer of different shell-material, and often different colour, at vertex of interior of limpet shell. (See “head scar”.)

 

 

__________________________________

Outlining a Theory of General Creativity . .

. . on a 'Pataphysical projectory

 

Entropy ≥ Memory ● Creativity ²

__________________________________

 

Study of the day: (debating the Plato's allegory of the cavern)

  

thε allεgory oƒ Camεra▲Obscura . .

 

Once upon a time there was two small dark boxes, illuminated with certainties, two small empty heads, full of hope, and whose sensitive soul was waiting until the external light penetrates them to dazzle them with an image of the "True Reality”. At the proper time, they finally opened.

 

Camera in pursuit of the Absolute, wanted all to see without any reflection. All, absolutely All ! Then, at the proper time, it decided to be totally overcome by the "True Entropic Reality", all its sensitivity offered to intensely feel everything, without any prejudice, without thinking one second with all these words which darkens the mind more than they enlighten it. It installed a hypersensitive film which it will push in spite of its coarse grain. It tuned her diaphragm to the maximum aperture, a long time, and gave up itself to ecstatically feel the whole true light of the whole True Entropic Reality.

 

Obscura in quest of the Universal Knowledge, wanted all to know precisely, it wanted all to understand and memorize with a maximum of details and discernment. Then at the proper time, it decided to focuse a depth of field as deep as possible, to choose a pause time as short as possible, to be sure to get the highest neatness of the True Real Universal Memory. It installed a hyperfine grain film which it will develop energetically to compensate its low sensitivity. It tuned the aperture at less than anything, and adjusted the pause time at an infinitesimal fraction of nothing.

 

The moral of the story ? All the photographers will say it to you !

 

Camera obtained the most luminous image which is at ounce the fuzziest one, an immaculate uniform Absolute Entropic white 100%blank.

 

Obscura obtained the finest image which is at ounce the darkest one, an immaculate uniform Universal black 100%blank.

 

From now on, when it chooses an aperture and a time of pause suitable to create less blind images, Camera finally formed in it several suspicions of True Reality. They are images as poor of Absolute Sensitivity as weak of Universal Knowledge, but they are marvellous and magic images, illuminated by unexpected shapes and colors.

 

In the neighbourhood of the Absolute Entropy, each cell of Camera opens like a white sapphire prism dispersing and breaking up the Entropic light in colored iridescences. From her cells juxtaposition are emerging lines and shapes, metamorphosing the dazzling Entropic light in simple but unknowable .. shapes, only lacking some .. words to name them.

 

From now on, when it chooses an aperture and a time of pause suitable to create less blind images, Obscura finally formed in it several suspicions of True Reality. They are images as poor of Universal Knowledge as weak of Absolute Sensitivity, but they are marvellous and magic images, rich of ambiguous signs and senses.

 

In the neighbourhood of the Universal Memory, each cell of Obscura opens like a black sapphire crystal dispersing and breaking up the universal darkness in colored enlightening sparks. From her cells juxtapositions are emerging now vowels, consonants and others signs, metamorphosing the gloomy universal darkness in simple but unknowable .. words, only lacking some .. shapes to imagine them.

  

 

__________________________________

rectO-persO | E ≥ m.C² | co~errAnce | TiLt

   

Hemis Monastery is a Tibetan Buddhist monastery (gompa) of the Drukpa Lineage, located in Hemis, Ladakh, India. Situated 45 km from Leh, in the state of Jammu and Kashmir. Hemis Monastery existed before the 11th century and was re-established in 1672 by the Ladakhi king Sengge Namgyal. The annual Hemis festival honoring Padmasambhava is held here in early June.

  

Terma and tertöns : The essence of Tebetan Buddhism.

Padmasambhava (lit. "Lotus-Born"), also known as Guru Rinpoche, is a literary character of terma (Terma or "hidden treasure"- are key Tibetan Buddhist teaching, which the tradition holds were originally esoterically hidden by various adepts such as Padmasambhava and his consorts, in the 8th century for future discovery at auspicious times by other adepts, known as tertöns. As such, they represent a tradition of continuous revelation in Tibetan Buddhism. Termas are a part of Tantric Literature. Tradition holds that terma may be a physical object such as a text or ritual implement that is buried in the ground (or earth), hidden in a rock or crystal, secreted in a herb, or a tree, hidden in a lake (or water), or hidden in the sky (space). Though a literal understanding of terma is "hidden treasure", and sometimes objects are hidden away, the teachings associated should be understood as being “concealed within the mind of the guru”, that is, the true place of concealment is in the tertön's mindstream. If the concealed or encoded teaching or object is a text, it is often written in dakini script: a non-human type of code or writing).

  

Terma is an emanation of Amitabha (Amitābha or Amideva, is a celestial buddha described in the scriptures of the Mahāyāna school of Buddhism. Amitābha is the principal buddha in the Pure Land sect, a branch of Buddhism practiced mainly in East Asia, while in Vajrayana Amitābha is known for his longevity attribute, magnetising red fire element, the aggregate of discernment, pure perception and the deep awareness of emptiness of phenomena. According to these scriptures, Amitābha possesses infinite merits resulting from good deeds over countless past lives as a bodhisattva named Dharmakāra. "Amitābha" is translatable as "Infinite Light," hence Amitābha is also called "The Buddha of Immeasurable Life and Light" ).

Terma that is said to appear to tertons (A tertön is a discoverer of ancient texts or terma in Tibetan Buddhism) in visionary encounters and a focus of Tibetan Buddhist practice (Tibetan Buddhism is the body of Buddhist religious doctrine and institutions characteristic of Tibet, Mongolia, Tuva, Bhutan, Kalmykia and certain regions of the Himalayas, including northern Nepal, and India (particularly in Arunachal Pradesh, Ladakh, Dharamsala, Lahaul and Spiti district in Himachal Pradesh and Sikkim. It is also practiced in Northeast China. Religious texts and commentaries are contained in the Tibetan Buddhist canon such that Tibetan is a spiritual language of these areas. The Tibetan diaspora has spread Tibetan Buddhism to many Western countries, where the tradition has gained popularity. Among its prominent exponents is the 14th Dalai Lama of Tibet. The number of its adherents is estimated to be between ten and twenty million).

Interested Viewers can see the following documentary on Padmasambhava:

Padmasambhava

www.youtube.com/watch?v=gQBbfLtxj8A&spfreload=10

  

History

Hemis Monastery existed before the 11th century. Naropa, the pupil of the yogi Tilopa, and teacher of the translator Marpa is connected with this monastery. A translation was made by A. Grünwedel (Nӑro und Tilo,: Festschrift Ernst Kuhn, München 1916) of Naropa's biography that was found in Hemis monastery.

In this manuscript Naropa (or Naro) meets the "dark blue" (Skr.: nila: dark blue or black) Tilopa (or Tillo), a tantric master, who gives Naropa 12 "great" and 12 "small" tasks to do in order to enlighten him to the inherent emptiness/illusoriness of all things. Naropa is depicted as the "abbott of Nalanda" (F. Wilhelm, Prüfung und Initiation im Buche Pausya und in der Biographie des Naropa, Wiesbaden 1965, p. 70), the university-monastery in today's Bihar, India, that flourished until the sacking by Turkish and Afghan Muslim forces. This sacking must have been the driving force behind Naropa's peregrination in the direction of Hemis. After Naropa and Tilopa met in Hemis they travelled back in the direction of a certain monastery in the now no longer existing kingdom of Maghada, called Otantra which has been identified as today's Otantapuri. Naropa is consered the founding father of the Kagyu-lineage of the Himalayan esoteric Buddhism. Hence Hemis is the main seat of the Kagyu lineage of Buddhism.

In 1894 Russian journalist Nicolas Notovitch claimed Hemis as the origin of an otherwise unknown gospel, the Life of Saint Issa, Best of the Sons of Men, in which Jesus is said to have traveled to India during his "lost years." According to Notovitch, the work had been preserved in the Hemis library, and was shown to him by the monks there while he was recuperating from a broken leg. But once his story had been re-examined by historians, Notovitch confessed to having fabricated the evidence. Bart D. Ehrman states that "Today there is not a single recognized scholar on the planet who has any doubts about the matter. The entire story was invented by Notovitch, who earned a good deal of money and a substantial amount of notoriety for his hoax". However, the Indian Pandit Swami Abhedananda also claims to have read the same manuscript, and published his account of viewing it after his visit to Hemis in 1921. Abhedananda claims on the book jacket that it was translated for him with the help of a "local Lama interpreter." In the same vein, Notovich did not initially translate the manuscript, but reported his Sherpa guide did so as Notovitch could not read the original text. Notovich's version of the manuscript was translated from Tibetan to Russian to French to English. According to Swami Abhedananda's account, his Lama's translation was equivalent to the one published by Notovich. The Gutenberg Project has published the entire manuscript as a free ebook.

  

Hemis Festival

The Hemis Festival is dedicated to Lord Padmasambhava (Guru Rimpoche) venerated as the Dance Performance at Hemis Monastery representative reincarnate of Buddha. He is believed to have been born on the 10th day of the fifth month of the Monkey year as predicted by the Buddha Shakyamuni. It is also believed that his life mission was, and remains, to improve the spiritual condition of all living beings. And so on this day, which comes once in a cycle of 12 years, Hemis observes a major extravaganza in his memory. The observance of these sacred rituals is believed to give spiritual strength and good health. The Hemis festival takes place in the rectangular courtyard in front of the main door of the monastery. The space is wide and open save two raised square platforms, three feet high with a sacred pole in the center. A raised dias with a richly cushioned seat with a finely painted small Tibetan table is placed with the ceremonial items - cups full of holy water, uncooked rice, tormas made of dough and butter and incense sticks. A number of musicians play the traditional music with four pairs of cymbals, large-pan drums, small trumpets and large size wind instruments. Next to them, a small space is assigned for the lamas to sit.

The ceremonies begin with an early morning ritual atop the Gompa where, to the beat of drums and the resounding clash of cymbals and the spiritual wail of pipes, the portrait of "Dadmokarpo" or "Rygyalsras Rimpoche" is then ceremoniously put on display for all to admire and worship.

The most esoteric of festivities are the mystic mask dances. The Mask Dances of Ladakh are referred collectively as chams Performance. Chams performance is essentially a part of Tantric tradition, performed only in those gompas which follow the Tantric Vajrayana teachings and the monks perform tantric worship.

Source: Wikipedia and others.

 

This is the story of how I came to know and accept Jesus Christ as my Lord and Saviour. It is a story of God’s faithfulness to an unworthy and unfaithful young man. It is a story of the Holy Spirit patiently and lovingly changing my mind and heart and arranging circumstances to lead me to Christ so I can be saved.

 

Introduction

 

My name is Fadi and I was born in late 1982 in Baghdad, Iraq, but I grew up in Kirkuk, a city about 240km north of Baghdad. My grandfather was Syriac Orthodox but my father was raised as a Roman Catholic because my grandmother, the one who cared about religion, was a Roman Catholic so she raised him and us--my sister and I--as Roman Catholics. My mother’s family is also Roman Catholic.

 

In Iraq a person’s religion is part of their identification documents. Because of this a lot of people would be known by a certain faith even though they do not believe in it or practice it. A lot of Christians in Iraq are what I call devoted to their denominations, but as far as born-again is concerned I do not recall knowing anyone who was born-again. I also do not recall anyone ever teaching salvation is by faith in Jesus’ death on the Cross through God’s grace. Simply put, there was no Gospel: there was no good news because there was no message of salvation. And because there was no message of salvation people did not get saved and there were no born-again Christians. I also do not recall any teachings about the Holy Spirit; the only time I heard of the Holy Spirit is when we said “in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit”. I actually thought the Holy Spirit was an invisible force; I did not understand that the Holy Spirit is a person of the triune God!

 

Feeling Detached

 

My ethnical background is Chaldean. Chaldeans are an ethnical group of a minority Christian community in Iraq. However, I never felt like I was a Chaldean. The main reason has to do with the fact I do not speak Aramaic—the mother tongue of Chaldeans. I never learnt Aramaic because my family does not speak it either; we speak Arabic (the official language of Iraq). That is why I always felt an outcast in Sunday school, and my Muslim friends often asked me, “How can you be Christian if you do not speak Aramaic?” So since my childhood I never felt like I belonged to any group: I did not feel like I was a Chaldeans, a Roman Catholic, or an Iraqi. I simply could not associate myself with any group whether ethnic, religious, or political. I simply saw myself as a human and that was good enough for me.

 

This detachment from certain groups was negative socially as I could not relate to any group of people and I always saw myself as an outsider; therefore, I did not feel compelled to join any cause or group activity.

 

Feelings of Inferiority

 

I was a very shy and sensitive child and I never felt comfortable in social settings. Here is something that happened that set the course for my life. I have never told this story to anyone but I believe it is important to understand who I was before coming to Christ:

 

On my fifth or sixth birthday party my cousin bought me a set of army vehicles and GI Joes as a gift and I loved it. I was playing with the toys and the house was full of people and everybody was having fun socializing and eating. When my mom saw me playing with the toys she told my aunt (her older sister), “Why did you burden yourself? You shouldn’t have gone through the trouble and spent the money and buy a gift.” I was confused: I did not know if I had done something wrong by accepting and enjoying the gift and if I should return it or what—after all I was only five years old! And I was not a street-smart child—I was very naive and innocent. Of course my mom was saying a typical thing in the Middle East: she was not trying to minimize my importance to her or the importance of my birthday. (And I am sure countless mothers have said something similar in front of their children.) But I was a very sensitive child and to my 5 years old brain I interpreted her words as saying: I am not important; I had done something bad; I am not worthy; I am causing people trouble and costing them money--I am a burden.

 

You would think such a small insignificant incident would not have a long lasting effect, but ever since that day I always felt like I was a burden, always felt guilty, unworthy and stupid. So I shied away from people even more, and became nervous in social settings. And of course, the less social I became the less self-confident I became and started having really low self-esteem and self-image. However, out of all the negative feelings I have about myself the worst is the feeling of being stupid. I am not sure why I feel stupid sometimes but the feeling comes suddenly and so powerfully it is literally paralysing.

 

To make things worse as I became a teenager I started gaining weight and I developed trichotillomania which caused my already low self-confidence to plummet even more, and I became even more withdrawn from people and detached from my surroundings. It is such a vicious cycle: the more anti-social I became the lower my self-confidence became, and the lower my self-confidence became the more anti-social I became; the less social I became the worse my trichotillomania habit got, and the worse my trichotillomania habit got the less social I became! I felt like I was standing in a hole and digging myself deeper in.

 

Obedient but Stubborn

 

I was a good and obedient kid so I rarely gave my parents hard time and I was never the rebellious type. I remember overhearing my mom telling our neighbour that she would have more children if she could guarantee they will be like me. I always listened and respected authority so that made me a good student on top of the fact I always studied really hard. I was very peaceful and a peacemaker. I avoided conflict and I was fair: for me or against me. I always tried to look at things objectively which made my friends trust me. I enjoyed telling jokes but I also was a deep thinker. I was quite liked and respected by my peers. Somehow everybody seemed to know me.

 

I was very stubborn: I would not listen to anyone if I believed they were wrong. I had to be convinced and it was not always easy. My family used to joke that if doctors looked inside my head they would not find a brain but a rock--I was that stubborn! But I was never stubborn for the trivial things in life--I was only stubborn if I disagreed on things that mattered. I was never the follower type even though I never liked being a leader. I was not impressed by popular opinions and never tried to chase after the latest trends. For some reason what the world had to offer did not impress me—I wanted more from life than materialistic things and passing pleasures. I was not tempted to try things that I believed were wrong: to me wrong was wrong whether I am permitted to do it or not.

 

I was a good storyteller and communicated my thoughts well but I almost never shared my inner feelings with anyone—I kept everything on the inside and dealt with it by myself. I loved to help and could empathize with others. I was always attracted to the meek and outcast than the proud and popular. I love to comfort others and encourage them. I was cautious and had a heightened sense of danger. There are a couple of instances when God by His grace warned me beforehand to avoid—if I had went along with others to these two places I would have been hurt really bad. The young liked my company and the adults trusted me. I was the kind of a boy where the neighbourhood girls could give me a friendly smile without having to worry about me interpreting it the wrong way.

 

Even though I was smart, worked hard, punctual, and a perfectionist I still lacked confidence: I did not believe I was worthy or capable of succeeding.

 

God Is Real

 

In the 1980s Diego Maradona, the captain of the Argentina soccer team, was the biggest soccer star, especially after the 1986 FIFA World Cup where he single-handedly lead Argentina to win the title defeating West Germany in the final. So he was my hero because soccer is the most popular sport in Iraq. In the 1990 FIFA World Cup final it was Argentina versus Germany again and Argentina lost 1-0 because of a last minute penalty kick. Maradona, my hero, cried and so I was going to cry too (don’t forget I was only 7 years old at the time!) but I did not want my family to see me crying so I ran upstairs. (Because Iraq’s summer is hot and often times there was no electricity, a lot of people sleep on the rooftops. It is easy to set up beds on the roof since the houses have flat roofs with brick walls.) It was night time and I threw myself on my bed crying—it was very quiet because people were still watching the FIFA World Cup event. I bitterly asked God why He let Maradona lose--as a child I didn’t know any better! Then I got tired of crying so I just laid on my back on the bed and looked up: the sky was dark and full of stars. I could hear distance noises from the TVs but it was quiet where I was. I kept looking at the sky and kind of forgot about Maradona’s loss because it was such a peaceful sight. Then it suddenly became a fearful sight: I was lying on a bed that is sitting on a roof with nothing tangible attaching me to earth which itself was floating in a vast and dark universe! That is when I understood that there is a God: a God had designed and created the heavens and the earth. Until then I was told that God existed but on that night I understood that He existed.

 

Who was He? I did not know but I knew He existed and He was great.

 

Doubts, Disappointments, and Rebellion

 

My dad was a devoted Catholic and he was an altar boy as a child but after two wars and the economic sanctions under a ruthless dictator he started to doubt his faith. So after the Gulf War, when I finally got to spend some time with him and know him, he imparted his doubts onto me. I was still young, in my early teens, so I was easily impressible and so I embraced his doubts as mine. On top of my new doubts I was becoming very disappointed with the Roman Catholic denomination for many reasons.

 

When I was 12 years old I enrolled in Sunday school in the summer break to be prepared for my first communion. They seated me in the front and paired me with this beautiful girl who was my age. There was a boy named Emmanuel who was trouble (he was always up to no good) and they had seated him in the back. As usual I kept my distance from troublesome kids and minded my own business. I did not talk much anyway especially to the girls because I was very shy. We rehearsed everything and everything was going according to plan. On the day of the first communion a nun came and kind of escorted me by the shoulders all the way to the back of the column and gave Emmanuel my spot at the front. I did not know why and, as usual, I did not protest. Not long after I found out the reason: Emmanuel’s uncle was a deacon, so when his parents saw their son standing in the back of the line they asked his uncle to move Emmanuel to the front to stand next to the beautiful girl.

 

I was not disappointed with Emmanuel, after all he was just a boy like me, or his parents, after all they are just ordinary people, but I was very disappointed with the nun and his uncle the deacon for showing favouritism. There were other incidents that disappointed me. One time in Christmas mass I was sick with the flu and I had asthma so I got up to go outside to catch my breath and go to the washroom. As I opened the side door a priest was walking in so he asked me where I was going, so I explained to him that I was sick and needed some fresh air and he said, “You liar! You probably want to skip mass to hang out with the bad kids!” I was taken back by his comment, first because he accused me of lying which is something I did not do and hated, second he had no reason to assume I was a liar, and third I did my best to avoid bad crowds. I was very disappointed by how unclean the priest’s heart was.

 

Even though I became more and more disappointed with the Catholic denomination, I actually stayed a very devoted Catholic: I would still pray to the saints and follow the Catholic decrees. Instead, I started crumpling against God, doubted the Bible and especially disliked the Lord Jesus Christ to the point of disliking my name because Fadi means “Saviour” in Arabic! I had two dear friends, Ayad and Furat, who used to always try to restore my faith: they reasoned with me and quoted scripture but nothing helped. I was too stubborn to listen, too blind to see, and too self-righteous to believe—I had made up my mind that God was wrong and I was right, He was the bad guy and I was the good guy. I believed in Him, I just did not like Him!

 

Not by Works

 

Around the time of my first communion, my grandmother read the story of Joseph son of Jacob to my sister and me. I was very impressed by Joseph and set him as my role-model (until today) and I became more interested in spirituality, the Bible, and the Christian faith. In summer time I started going to church every morning and confessing my sins until the priest told me to stop confessing my sins every day! I started reading Catholic prayer books and did the Sacred Heart of Jesus month and the Immaculate Heart of Mary month readings and prayers. I reciting those shorts Catholic prayers such as “Holy Mary, pray for us” all the time. I felt peace when I did those religious tasks and felt closer to God.

 

One Sunday school they were giving New Testaments away so I took one (even though we had half a dozen Bibles at home) just because it had an orange cover and I love the colour orange! Having nothing to do in Iraq’s hot summer afternoons and excited about my orange-cover Bible I started reading the New Testament. A couple of weeks later I asked my grandmother, “What do I have to do to go to heaven?” And she gave me the classic Middle Eastern answer, “When you die God will weigh your good words versus your bad works. If your good works are more than your bad works then you go to heaven. And if your bad works are more than your good works then you go to hell.” That sounded fair to me so I made up my mind that next morning I would be the best righteous Fadi I could be!

 

The next morning I woke up early because lazy was “bad works”. I helped my sister with cleaning and resisted to rush to the streets to play with my friends, because helping and self-control were “good works”! I prayed my morning prayer and read some Catholic prayer book. I was obedient to my sister and did not give her hard time (probably the hardest thing to resist doing!) I also pushed all evil thoughts away from my mind and asked for forgiveness right away from any evil thought. Everything was going according to plan but by noon I was getting exhausted; a sinful human living a righteous life is as exhausting as if I had tried to live as a pig—it was contrary to my nature so it was a spiritual fight every second of it! But I still “prevailed” until the afternoon when the doorbell rang.

 

I looked from the kitchen window and saw it was a beggar boy; it was common for beggars in Iraq to go house to house asking for money or food especially in the years of the economic sanctions. Of course on that day I had to outgive myself so I took double the amount of money I usually gave and went outside. It was very sunny and bright and it was hot. I tiptoed so I would not burn my feet because the ground was very hot. I gave the boy the money and quickly looked through the door to see if my friends were outside or not. They were not so I headed back inside.

 

As I entered the hallway I realized I could not see anything because my eyes had not adjusted yet to the darkness so I thought to myself “Be careful, you don’t want to hit your little toe against the stairwell!” So I slowed my steps down and still could see very little and that is when a verse from the Bible I had read few days ago flashed through my mind. It was Luke 17:7-10:

 

“Suppose one of you has a servant plowing or looking after the sheep. Will he say to the servant when he comes in from the field, ‘Come along now and sit down to eat’? Won’t he rather say, ‘Prepare my supper, get yourself ready and wait on me while I eat and drink; after that you may eat and drink’? Will he thank the servant because he did what he was told to do? So you also, when you have done everything you were told to do, should say, ‘We are unworthy servants; we have only done our duty.’”

 

And just like that it occurred me: all my “good” works are not credited to me as righteousness! So I knew then that salvation is not attained by works because good works is my duty! However, I still did not know how to go to heaven!

 

After that day I stopped trying to live a righteous life by obeying man-made strict religious laws. I was angry that I was given wrong information about how to go to heaven—there is no scale of good versus bad works! And how could my grandmother a devoted Catholic for over 70 years not know that? So I started paying more attention at mass and realized there is no message of how to go to heaven. Most of the time the priest made little sense and talked about things that were irrelevant to my daily life. To make it worse most of the mass rituals were carried out either in Latin or Aramaic and I did not understand either! Also, it seemed that the priest answer to all life problems was: “God wants to test your patience!” Why did this happen to me? “God wants to test your patience!” Why did God say this in the Bible? “You shouldn’t question God. God wants to test your patience!” What does this mean? “God wants to test your patience!”

 

So I vowed after that day to never trust anyone with any spiritual teaching: I was going to test the faiths to see which one, if any, has any validity. If I found a faith that had any authority to its teachings then I would accept it as the truth and follow it. I did not mind people lying to me or misleading me in trivial matters, but going to hell was serious business—I wanted to know where I went after I died!

 

The Reality of Death

 

(Warning: This section is graphic so reader discretion is advised!)

 

If you live in Iraq you cannot ignore death. Growing up in the 1980s during the Iran-Iraq war I occasionally saw taxis driving by with Iraq flag-covered coffins on top. That did not scare me as it was a common sight. However, three incidents occurred that made me understand that death is real, it is a serious problem, and it is inevitable.

 

The first incident happened while watching TV at dinner time: the news showed two Iraqi soldiers captured by the Iranians. The first soldier was shot on the spot which kind of fazed me because I was about 7 or 8 years old and had never seen a person killed before, but the second soldier had his hands tied to two Jeeps. One of his arms was severed when the two vehicles moved apart, and he was shot afterwards. I was in shock because I had not known before that humans can be so evil and can inflict such violence and pain on another human. I thought people died peacefully in their sleep!

 

The second incident happened in 1991 during the Kurdish uprising right after the Gulf War; I was 8 years old. After Iraq’s loss in the Gulf War the Kurds in the north and the Shias in the south were convinced that the Iraqi army was weakened to the point where they can overthrow Saddam Hussein. So the Kurds advanced south toward Baghdad and in the process took control of the city I lived in, Kirkuk. However, a couple of weeks after retreating the army advanced into the city to regain control. One day in the battle between the Iraqi army and the Kurd rebels (known as Peshmerga) I went up to the roof of our house without my mom’s knowledge to see an army helicopter firing its weapons. I did not know at the time that weapons were horrible—I thought weapons were “cool”. There were no deaths in our neighbourhood so I did not give thought to the consequences of war. Not long after the firefight started the army took Kirkuk back and for few days everybody was scared and the streets were quite empty. It was an unusually quiet time for a city that just went through the turmoil of mass looting and a civil war.

 

Few days after the army recaptured Kirkuk, our neighbour--who lived across the street from our house--wanted to go see his daughter’s family who lived in Arafa (a mostly Christian neighbourhood on the outskirt of Kirkuk) to check on them because there were no phone lines and he was worried about them. His name was Matta (which means Matthew in Arabic) and he was an older man in his 60s or 70s, but because the government car he drove was stolen during the looting he asked if he can fill our car with gas to go see his daughter. My mom agreed (my dad was not home because he had to join the army) and her and I went with him. The streets were quiet but as soon as we reached the main road I saw two bodies covered in blankets. I was taken back by the view of two dead bodies lying on the side walk of the city’s main road. I had been through that street many times, and I never thought I would one day see dead bodies lying on the side walk!

 

After Matta checked on his family we drove back and a checkpoint was set up at a roundabout so we stopped. As Matta talked to the soldier I looked to my left outside the car window to see a dead young Kurd in the centre of the roundabout. He was may be in his late 20s or early 30s. He had a dark curly hair and dark skin and had facial hair. I do not know how long he was dead for but he was not dead for long even though the blood running from his body was kind of thick and dry. I mostly remember the flies flying in and around his face—and I think this image imprinted this incident in my memory. Because I thought, “How helpless is a dead person? He can’t even shoo away a fly from his face? Is this how I will end up?” The answer was “yes”—that is the fate of all human beings. Death is our biggest problem.

 

I was 8 years old then so I was not ready to see that but I understood then what death was, and I had never understood what death means before then. I knew when people died they were buried but I did not understand that death is ugly and tragic. For some reason, I kept trying to figure out who the dead young Kurd looked like then I realized he did not look like anyone I had known—he was a unique human being and his death was a loss not only to his loved ones but to humanity as a whole. I also understood that death is an ugly problem every human has to face. I realized when people die they do not just disappear as in action movies—in one scene they are killed and in the next scene they are gone. Death is real, ugly, tragic, and inevitable. I believe that incident trigger me to think about life’s meaning, searching for God, and know my place in the universe. But most importantly I really wanted to know what happens to me after death! I wanted to know if there was something more after life, or a corpse is all I was going to end up as!

 

The third incident I definitely was not ready for. I was may be 9 or 10 years old when they showed on the news images of the Amiriyah shelter bombing which happened during the Gulf War. The shelter was located in the Amiriyah neighbourhood and it was bombed by two “smart bombs”: the first bomb cut through the 3m of reinforce concrete while the second one went through the hole made by the first bomb. Over 400 civilians, mostly women and children, died. The images shown on TV were graphic: amputated and charred bodies of mothers and children fused together; human skin stuck on walls; burned corpses of screaming victims.

 

Again I was in shocked of the graphic violence of the incident and I was scared. At night I could not sleep because images of the dead kept flashing in my mind—images of their faces and corpses haunted me. And it was winter time so my mom would turn the electric heater from the evening until morning to warm up the bed room during the night, but I was too scared to uncover myself because of the images of the dead. I could not have a good night sleep because it was too hot to sleep and I was too scared to come out from underneath the blanket! As usual, I never shared my struggles and feelings with anyone. This went on for a couple of months until summer.

 

After that summer I was never again scared of the dark or death, but death became a reality of life that I could not ignore. Death has its way of maturing a person: you never live life the same after taking death into consideration. So many things and dreams become unimportant and so many things and dreams become important if you only keep in mind that you will die. So knowing who God is, who I am to Him, why He created me, and where I am heading after death became very important topics to me.

 

A Precious Gift

 

Around the age of 14 I started to become lonely because as teenagers all my close friends (aged 13 to 17) were interested in doing teenager things but I was never interested in joining them. Suddenly they stopped playing sports and decided to go downtown to chase after girls, which I wanted no part in. They spent time, energy, and money to look their best and buy the latest fashion to impress girls, which did not appeal to me. The summer break and fall of when I was 14 was very depressing; I was alone and the fall weather was gloomy and cloudy with no sun. I spent a lot of time thinking about life and asking: it can’t be that a great God exists but He is not interested in me! It makes no sense for Him to create me and create all those amazing and beneficial things for me then forgets me! There must be more to life than chasing girls and getting the latest in fashion! I know I am going to die but what am I supposed to do with my life in the meantime? And how do I go to heaven?

 

We only had one complete Bible in our house which belonged to my grandmother and it was a really old book; the other Bibles we had were only the New Testament. My sister wanted to read the Old Testament so she asked our neighbour and my friend, Furat, to get her one. (For some reason the Old Testament was not easily acquired at that time, may be because Iraq is a predominantly Muslim country and the Old Testament is all about God’s chosen people—the nation of Israel.) Furat was active in the church and had many friends so he was able to get a hold of a new copy of the complete Bible. He refused to get paid back for the price of the book (even though 400 dinars at the time was a lot of money)—he said it was a gift. For some reason my sister did not read the Old Testament so I took ownership of it. I started reading it starting with Genesis and I was amazed by it: here was an account of earth and human history from Adam, the first man, to 2,000 years ago! I remember sharing with two of my younger Muslim friends about how amazing the Bible was and they listened, but few weeks later we left Iraq to Jordan.

 

I cried a lot on the way to Jordan: I missed my home, my friends, my neighbours, and my country. Until that moment in my life Iraq is all I had known. We did not have the Internet so all things I did and knew were Iraqi things done the Iraqi way! We settled in Amman the capitol of Jordan and started our immigration papers to come to Canada where the rest of my mother’s family is. Few months later my aunt’s family joined us in Amman (they were the last family we had in Iraq) to do their immigration papers to go to Sweden where my cousin lives; it was my aunt (my mom’s oldest sister), her husband (who is also my dad’s uncle), and my two cousins. Being the insecure and shy kid I was meant I made no friends in Jordan, and being bitter toward the church meant I did not even go to church with my family. I would watch them take the stairs down to the main road (Amman is built on mountains so there are long stairs wherever you go) but I could never bring myself to go with them. Also, my insecurities and low confidence prevented me from meeting new people and made me feel very uncomfortable in social settings.

 

I simply stayed home and read the Old Testament for hours every day; I would read over a dozen of chapters every day. I was amazed by the God of the Old Testament and I wanted to become a Jewish Rabbi because I had found the true God! My uncle told me, “Israel has borders with Jordan. It’s not that far if you are serious about becoming a Rabbi!” I liked the God of the Old Testament but I still did not like Jesus Christ; I guess it was Satan’s last efforts to prevent me from getting saved.

 

Also, because I spent a lot of time by myself I started to realize that my mind and thoughts were always changing (which is a common thing for any human especially a teenager), but I was not reaching a point of knowing. I tried to explain life and live by following rules I had learnt from experiences but my experiences always changed and I always changed so my rules changed and I was again at the start point: Why did this happen? How should I respond to this situation? Is this action right or wrong? I did not know the answers to these questions and more. I was frustrated because my life events had no clear purpose or pattern I could understand and follow. Every time I looked back at myself from a month ago I realized I had yet again changed in no certain direction—I just randomly changed. This pattern of continuous random change scared me: how will I know to make the right decisions in the future if my thoughts keep changing? How will I choose the correct career and wife if I do not know who I am and what I am looking for! It is like trying to measure a length using a ruler that is always changing! Experiences, feelings, opinions and beliefs were not good enough for me: I wanted to know, I wanted truth!

 

Wrong Attitude

 

While I was getting all this information about God and how He works from reading the Old Testament, I still had the wrong attitude toward God. One day my sister came back from church and told me how it was wrong to pray to the saint and that was a shocking thing to say to a “devoted” Roman Catholic! I was upset with her words and told her, “How can you say we should not pray to the Virgin Mary?!” As far as I was concerned, what she was saying was sacrilegious! It is sad how I liked Mary, the mother of Jesus, and the other “saints”, but I did not like the Lord Jesus Christ Himself!

 

One evening in Amman, our neighbour--an Iraqi Catholic named Emad--came to visit us. He was in his 30s and was sitting at the table looking outside the window while I was sitting on a mattress on the floor (we did not have much in Jordan). I was making my case against God, the Lord Jesus Christ, and the Bible—mostly doubts I had heard my dad say (I was not that original!) I kept going on and on but he rarely looked at me and he did not seem fazed by my arguments against God. When I finally finished talking he looked at me and said in a scoffing manner, “So you are telling me that you know better than the Son of God?” WOW! That was all I needed to hear!

 

First, I shut my mouth because I realized I was “arguing” with a man twice my age which is a shameful thing to do in the Middle East. Second, and most importantly my spirit was quieted because I realized there is a huge problem with my belief system: how could I say that I believe God is great and all-knowing and all-powerful yet claim to know more than Him? How could I trust His knowledge if I knew more than Him? What’s the point of following God if I am smarter than Him? Why would He gives us truth in some things while mislead us in other things? Jesus Chris is the Son of God—I am not fighting against a man but God Himself!

 

So two things happened that evening: first, I started liking Jesus Christ because I finally understood He deserved the respect I gave the God of the Old Testament because He is the Son of God; second, I stopped questioning God’s Word to prove I am right and God is wrong, and started asking God to explain to me His Word. There is a big difference between the two: questioning comes with the wrong attitude of fighting against God, while asking comes with the right attitude of desiring to know God. On that day I humbled myself and gave God the respect He deserves—I laid down my arrogance and self-centeredness.

 

So far God had arranged my circumstances and changed me to know He is real, give me enough discernment to know we are not saved by works, gave me time to think about life and death and what happens after death, have knowledge of His Word (especially the Old Testament which I was not familiar with before), quieted my spirit and humbled me, but I still did not know what is the next step. The big questions were always: How do I go to heaven? What does all this mean to me?

 

Three Books, One Message

 

My aunt’s family had a Syrian neighbour who was Christian (born-again or not, I do not know) and his immigration papers came to Sweden so he took his family and stuff and immigrated to Sweden but left some things behind. One of the things he left behind were six books (two copies of three books) written by Josh McDowell titled: Evidence That Demands A Verdict, More Than A Carpenter, and Jesus: A Biblical Defense of His Deity. My uncle took one of each copy and gave me the other, so I started reading those books. It all made sense because I had just finished reading the Old Testament and knew the prophecies about Jesus—I finally understood who the Gospel writers were quoting! But I still needed something more to be convinced, more than good arguments and a testimony—I wanted tangible evidence. So what really made an impact on me are these three points:

 

1) Prophecies. Prophecies are very important because a lot of people can write “holy” books but what prove their authority are prophecies because no one knows the future but God. And this was not one prophecy or two, but hundreds that all came true in one person--the person of Jesus Christ! And they were not some random prophecies that did not have anything to do with each other. No, they were all parts of one plane: God’s plan to save mankind from sin and hell through the death of His Son Jesus Christ. The strange part is that they were written by different men in different places from different times, so how could all these prophecies agree on the message and make so much sense unless they were inspired by God!

 

Prophecies also give witness to Jesus Christ. So many religions were started by one person with no witnesses to His authority; Jewish law required at least two witness for a trial otherwise it would be one person’s word versus another person’s word. By what authority does a person start a religion? Self-righteousness? One’s own words? Who is to back him up? That is why some religions started by the sword: if people were not convinced by evidence they were persuaded by fear. But that is not how it is with Jesus Christ (apart from His miracles and the Father witnessing to Him) those prophecies witness to Him as the promised coming Saviour. And He did not need to harm anyone for people to follow Him.

 

2) The character, life, and death of Jesus Christ and His followers. Nothing made sense: why would His disciples die for Him? He did not give them money, fame, or earthly power, or allowed them to have carnal desires, or anything of that nature. On the contrary, they lived difficult lives full of hunger, chased, persecuted, put on trials and executed but still refused to deny Him as their Lord! And Why would He or they die for a lie? Were they crazy or delusional? They did not sound like it! Unless, they saw something supernatural in the person of Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit is real. Nothing else could explain to me their lives. Jesus Christ definitely was not crazy for how can a crazy man teach such noble things? And He definitely was not lying for how can a liar—a sinner--perform miracles?

 

3) How bizarre is Christianity comparing to all other world religions! Seriously, have you thought about how difficult it is for a dozen of men who lived in different times and places to conspire to write about the same God with the same salvation plan? And what an unlikely story for one person to come up with, yet they all had to agree on the following:

 

a. God is three Persons in One. Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

b. The Son of God became a human. That is God in His entire glory and greatness manifest Himself as a human child.

c. The Son of God is born of a virgin! (Do you see now how bizarre it is for a man to come up with this story?)

d. He is born in a manger. He leads a simple and poor life, often times persecuted. (Remember, we are not talking about some monk here, we are talking about God Himself taking a form of a meek human being!)

e. He was a miracle worker to the likes of nobody! He opened the eyes of the blind, raised the dead, and walked on water.

f. Salvation is not by human works but by faith in the Son of God, that is: believing God’s Son died for your sins. (When was the last time you heard of a religion that teaches salvation is not by human good works?) All world religions teach: we must reach up to God—humanly it makes sense! While Christianity teaches that God reached down to us!

g. Not only the Son of God dies but He rose from the dead!

h. His followers will be indwelt by the Holy Spirit who will live the life of Christ through them!

 

And the list goes on and on—such an unlikely story to be written and die for! I do not know about you but if I made my own religion it would not sound something like this! It would be a simple “do good, go to heaven; do bad, go to hell”. Love those who love you (who teaches to love their enemies and expects large followers?) There is one god made up of one person (so much easier to be accepted than three persons make one God!) And enjoy life on earth as much as you can (power, fame, comfort, all kind of pleasures) because I know the there is no god and no heaven or hell—I made them up!

 

Christianity’s unusual doctrine and events are not made for the sake of making it a “strange” religion. Each one of these doctrines and events had a purpose and was designed this way. There is a reason for the virgin birth. There is a reason for the death on the cross. There is a reason why the Lord Jesus Christ rose from the dead. There is a reason the Son of God had to die and not somebody else. There is a reason why we cannot gain righteousness by works. And the list goes on and on: everything has a purpose to fulfill God’s divine plan to save mankind.

 

A lot of religions have very noble and admirable teachings but they still lack authority. You see the problem is that truth is truth: it is not about how much I like it, whether I accept it or not, or I agree with it or not. Jesus Chris is the truth and I could not avoid this fact.

 

Saved at Last

 

One day I was laying on a straw carpet close to a window in the afternoon and the sun rays were shinning on me and I was reading the last chapter of the last of the three books. At the end of the book, the author Josh McDowell wrote his own testimony of coming to Christ and his struggle to forgive his old drunkard father prior to coming to Christ. He asked if the reader wanted to give their lives to Jesus Christ and there was a short prayer (also known as the sinner’s prayer) and I desperately needed this 3- 4 years spiritual crisis to be over with because I had made up my mind that Jesus Christ is Lord and Saviour and I need to surrender my life to Him. So I prayed asking God to forgive my sins because I was a sinner and I accepted the death of His Son, Jesus Christ, on the Cross as payment for my sins, and I invited the Holy Spirit into my heart to change me into the likeness of Jesus Christ. For the first two days I was the happiest I had ever been--I felt like I was floating on air; as if the weight of the world was taken off my shoulders!

 

I did not know what happened to me but I knew few things right away: I was happy and worry free; I had peace and joy; and I started to see things differently. Suddenly I started to know good from evil and it stayed that way--the next day, next week, or next month--the good did not become evil and evil become good. I grew in my knowledge of the truth but the truth never changed.

 

A couple of months later we immigrated to Canada. In Canada, I still did not know what had just happened to me, and if there were other people out there who had gone through the same experience of salvation. Because I still did not go to church and did not socialize with others, I had no idea what was going on and so I kept praying the sinner’s prayer every day to remind myself that I was saved by faith through God’s grace and not by works. Not long after coming to Canada (may be a year or so) I was watching TV on a Sunday evening when I came across the InTouch program by Dr. Charles Stanley. That is when I understood what happened and I gradually grew in my Christian faith and still growing. One Sunday while I was listening to Charles Stanley on TV my uncle asked me, “Do you really believe in this nonsense?” I simply answered, “Yes, I do.” My uncle’s words and attitude reminded me of myself, not long ago, before coming to Christ: I also was an enemy of Christ, but God in His grace not only sent His Son to die for my sins but also sent the Holy Spirit to draw me to Him so I believe and be saved.

 

Giving up my Roman Catholic identity was a much harder battle. I still prayed to the Virgin Mary for three years, mainly out of habit, after coming to Christ. Until one day when I realized it was idolatry and had no spiritual value.

 

The work God had done in my life in the last 15 years and His love and faithfulness are more than I can include here. The testimony you read here is just the beginning because I could write about His love forever.

 

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

 

Final Words

 

Here I would to discuss issues that are related to my testimony but I did not include them in the testimony because I did not want to disturb the flow of the story.

 

The Birthday Incident

 

I had forgotten about the birthday incident, but about two years ago I prayed, “Lord, why do I hate my birthday? Why don’t I celebrate it like everybody else? Why don’t I like receiving gifts? Why do I always feel guilty and as if I am a burden on others?” A couple of weeks after I prayed that prayer I remembered the birthday incident—it all makes sense now. God has been faithful in every single way. He has been faithful in trying to heal my heart and emotional scars.

 

Salvation Is God’s Work

 

Salvation is the work of the Holy Spirit. The Bible says, "No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them, and I will raise them up at the last day.” (John 6:44) I did not come to Christ through my own intelligence or effort—my testimony is a testimony of God’s faithfulness. When I did not understand He exists and He is great, He showed me His amazing creation. When I did not know where my life was headed, He showed me the reality of death. When I was busy, He provided me with a quiet time and the opportunity to read. When I did not understand who the Lord Jesus Christ is, He gave me the Old Testament to read and understand that Jesus Christ is the promised Messiah. When I had doubts, He gave me books that answered my questions. When I had the wrong heart attitude, He humbled me. When I was too shy to go to church, He reached me through books. When I fought against Him, He was patient because He saw my ignorance and confusion and lovingly led me to become His child. (Romans 2:4)

 

I would love to tell you that I was this genius kid who had this great spiritual discernment and understood God’s mind! But it was not like this at all! God saw my confusion, took me to a place and a time and patiently waited for me to open my eyes and see, then He did the same thing over and over again until I reached a point where I was ready to accept His Son, Jesus Christ, as my Lord and Saviour! How much more shall I say about God’s goodness and faithfulness?

 

Everything happened to me was God’s divine work to bring me to Himself through His Son, Jesus Christ. It was not my self-effort—I simply responded to His moves and when I did not He waited and used other methods to reach me. None of the things I mentioned in my testimony can be considered “miraculous”, actually a doubting person can simply look at these events as mere coincidences. However, so many things happen around us are God’s divine work and design but we cease to see them as such—we brushed them off as coincidence. Even painful events God can use for our good. There were many instances before I came to Christ where God worked in my life—not because I was His child but because He wanted to lead me to Himself to become His child.

 

The sinner’s prayer does not save anyone—the “sinner’s prayer” can simply express the desires of those who are ready to be born-again. Simply asking someone to read the “sinner’s prayer” will do no good if the Holy Spirit has not led that person to the point in their lives where they are ready to repent of their sins and turn to Christ as their only hope of salvation. Also, saying the “sinner’s prayer” is not a proof that someone is saved; the Bible says that the fruit of the Spirit--that is, us abiding in Christ so the Holy Spirit can live Christ’ life through us--is the proof that we are saved.

 

“And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit.” (Ephesians 1:13)

 

None of that “I prayed the sinner’s prayer” or “I felt Goosebumps” is evidence of our salvation. If you have to keep rededicating your life to Christ then maybe you do not want to be part of Christ—may be you are not saved, may be you are not a child of God. I am not saying the sinner’s prayer does not work: what I am saying is that it only works for those who the Holy Spirit has prepared to be born-again.

 

The Bible says, “Very truly I [Jesus Christ] tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.” (John 3:3) And in verse 6 it says, “Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit.”

 

Why did our Lord use the birth experience to explain the born-again experience? Because being born-again is the work of the Spirit—it is not your work and it is not someone else’s work. Others can help the Spirit (just like a doctor and nurses help a pregnant woman), but it is the Spirit who has to do the work (just like it is the mother who has to give birth). And just like there is a nine month period of time for a child to be ready to be born, so there is also a preparation period for our sinful hearts to turn to and accept Christ. A person does not come out of a strip club for a smoke, then you ask him if he wants to go to heaven (who doesn’t?) then ask him to read the sinner’s prayer if he wants to go to heaven, then he goes back to the strip club and does so for the rest of his life and then you declare him to be born-again! It does not work this way!

 

Remember, it is not your work to save someone else. Often times you are only one link in the process of leading someone to Christ. Do not be discouraged or dishearten if you do not see the fruit of your labour right away; after all, sinners are not rejecting you—they are rejecting Jesus Christ.

 

"If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first.” (John 15:18)

 

I thank the Lord that by His grace and mercy He kept giving me chances to come to Him after rebelling against Him for years. Just like He never gave up on me, we should never give up on another person who is so blinded by Satan that he or she cannot see the truth of God’s Word.

 

The hymn “At Calvary” perfectly explains my salvation experience.

 

Peace Through Works

 

Believe it or not, I actually had peace before I came to Christ! It was not permanent and it was not fulfilling. It was peace acquired through doing good works and following decrees; it was peace tied to my performance, feelings, and circumstances. I had peace if I read the Catholic prayer books or read the Immaculate Heart of Mary devotional book. It was a momentary peace tied to my works. The Lord Jesus Christ does not say we will not have peace in this world but that the peace He gives us is different than the world’s peace.

 

“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” (John 14:27)

 

Of course this worldly and work-based peace is very damaging because it deceives us into thinking that we can acquire more peace if we do more good works. So we end up becoming more religious and busier trying to please God all the while we are heading straight to hell. The peace I have now is not based on me or my circumstances—the peace I have now is based on God’s Word. I live by faith knowing that I am saved only because Jesus Christ, the sinless Son of God, paid for my sins on the cross. Nothing can take this away from me. Worldly peace is a counterfeit trying to mimic true peace which is the fruit of the Holy Spirit through abiding in Christ, but it will never be able to withstand trials and the test of time.

 

Satan will give you his version of peace--actually he will give you anything--to keep you away from Christ. The worldly peace I had was misleading: it misled me into believing I could have peace apart from Christ, and it misled me into thinking I could approach God my way.

 

Approaching God

 

The problem we have is not that we do not know God, but that God does not know us! If I went to the White House asking to see the president of the United States telling the guards that I knew him, will the guards let me in? Of course not! For me to get in the guards have to first verify if the president knows me! We have not separated ourselves from God; no, He separated Himself from us! He is the one who banished Adam and Even from the Garden of Eden—they did not leave voluntary! He is the one who has problem with sin because He is the Holy and Righteous one; we are sinners—sin is what we do, we love it!

 

If I am a man who wants to ask a lady’s hand in marriage then I have to meet her requirements and the requirements of her parents. Why is that? Because I am the one who wants to marry her and so I have to measure up to her expectations of being a godly husband and father and a leader and protector of the family. Therefore, I cannot approach her my way—I cannot offer what I want to offer. No, I have to approach her the way she expects and offers her what she wants! It is the same thing when we approach God: we have to approach Him the way He says is acceptable to Him and that is through His Son Jesus Christ.

 

In all religions God forgives by forgetting; that is, God’s mercy is not balanced by His justice. His justice book is not balanced—it does not add up to zero! Our sins are somehow forgiven but are not paid for! In Christianity God forgives by placing the punishment for sin on His Son Jesus Christ. His justice and requirement punishment for sin, namely death, is balanced by the death of His Son. God’s holiness, justice, mercy, and love are all satisfied. His justice book is balanced because Jesus paid it all!

 

In all religions God is holy and hates sin but He is not so holy and hates sin to the degree where He can’t just forget about it! If you do a bit of this and that and ask for forgiveness then He is merciful and will just forgive you! But in Christianity God is so holy and hates sin so much that there is no way He is just forgetting about it—justice must be served and the punishment for sin is death! He is infinitely holy and we are infinitely sinful, therefore, we are infinitely separated from Him. But He is also infinitely merciful and loving and to save us He sent His only begotten Son, the sinless Jesus Christ, to die for our sins. This way His justice is satisfied because sin’s death punishment is satisfied through the Cross, and the infinite gap between sinful man and holy God is spanned. It is not only spanned but God came to live inside man through the person of the Holy Spirit!

 

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16)

 

“For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” (Romans 6:23)

 

“…the Spirit of truth...lives with you and will be in you.” (John 14:17)

 

Not Blind Faith

 

I do not like the phrase “blind faith”. I actually had not heard of this phrase until I came to Canada! I do not like the phrase because I do not agree with it. To agree with it is to say that God is unwise, unreasonable, and scared!

 

God knows that there are many beliefs and religions out there, so if He did not give us enough evidence of who He is and His plan then we would not be able to discern which prophet is sent from Him and which is not! Which faith is true and which is not! They all cannot be true because they have conflicting teachings! All gods cannot be the One true God! It would be unwise of Him not to give us evidence of His truth when He knows we could easily follow the wrong faiths. And it would be unreasonable of Him to not to give us reasonable proofs of His identity and will and still expect us to know Him and obey Him! Unless He is scared that we find out He is not real! May be He is keeping us at bay because He does not want us to discover the reality that He does not exist! Growing up in the Roman Catholic denomination I had a feeling that God was very insecure, so you can imagine my shock when I read Malachi 3:10 in the Old Testament, “Test me in this," says the LORD Almighty!

 

The reason I am bringing this up is that our faith should not be a blind faith—it must be built on a foundation. Sometimes in life when we go through trials and pain we have to preserve through faith—you may call it “blind” faith—but how do you know the Bible is God’s Word? I will go back to the three points that convinced me of the authority of the Bible and that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.

 

Suppose I told you, “Our friend Chris will come in a rental car” and he shows up in a rental car, what would the first thing you would ask? It would be, “How did you know?” Why? Because you know that the chances of me guessing accurately on that day Chris will show up in a rental car are very slim. Now suppose I also said, “Christ will show up in a yellow shirt” and he does, now you know that I did not simply guess but I knew these things! It is the same with prophecies: they are God’s way of wanting us to know who is sent by Him and who is not because we know that no one knows the future but Him—it is not blind faith if you know!

 

For the sake of the argument, let us assume that Jesus Christ had planned to fulfill some prophecies to impersonate the coming Messiah, namely: to die on the cross. How did he manage to plan the prophecies concerning His birth? Let us assume His disciples lied in the gospels about Him fulfilling His birth prophecies. Why would they die for a lie? Not only they would have died for a lie, but they gained nothing a human would want in return: long comfortable life, wealth, power and fame. They received none of that! Jesus Christ promised them two things: eternal life and persecution! Eternal life they could not see but persecution was very much real! To make their story even more bizarre they were not only following but also worshipping who in public opinion was a convicted and executed criminal! When was the last time the idea of worshiping an executed criminal appealed to you? Exactly! They saw and experienced someone very real--the Son of God and the Holy Spirit—to give up everything including their lives for this God!

 

Personal testimony is good but I wanted to base my faith on more than stories. I am sorry to word it this way, I am not trying to dismiss testimonies—they are the work of God—otherwise I would not have written my testimony. But I understood that people are emotional creatures and anything could change us, I knew that first hand because my thoughts were always changing. If someone told you his testimony of how boxing changed his life, how he was a street kid but now he has a purpose and stays away from bad influence, does this make boxing a religion or his trainer a prophet? Of course not! Testimonies are good to strengthen our faith, but not to base our faith on them because for every Christian testimony I can bring you a testimony of someone of a different religion. God wants us to know!

 

Why Christ?

 

I often asked myself: Why did I doubt the Bible? And why did I hate the Lord Jesus Christ? If I was disappointed with the Roman Catholic denomination, then why did I not hate being a Roman Catholic? If I was disappointed with the priest who called me a liar, then why did I not hate him? If I was disappointed with the nun who moved me to the last row at my first communion, then why did I not hate her? If the teachings and decrees of the Roman Catholic denomination did not make sense to me, then why did I not hate those teachings? Why did I not hate Moses, or King David, or Elijah, or the apostle Paul? If I had doubts, why did I not doubt God’s existence? Why did I not doubt the teachings of the Roman Catholic denomination? Why did I instead hate the person of Jesus Christ and doubt God’s Word?

 

The answer is simple: Satan blinded me and focused my doubts on God’s Word and turned my disappointments as hatred toward the Lord Jesus Christ because Satan knew that God’s Word can lead me to Jesus Christ who can save me. Satan did not care if I was a devoted Roman Catholic or not. Satan did not care if I believed in God, a god, or gods. The Bible says, “You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that--and shudder.” (James 2:19)

 

These things do not save me! What saves us from our sins is faith in Jesus Christ as the Son of God and His death on the Cross as payment for our sins. How do we come to this knowledge? Through God’s Word! And that is why Satan is willing to give us everything else but knowledge of God’s Word and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour.

 

Death

 

When I came to Canada at the age of 15 I was surprised that Canadians live as if they are not going to die: they live only for this world and for now.

 

The objective is not to focus on death--death is only a gateway--but to focus on our lives after death. Not long ago my 11 years old nephew told me about all those things he wants to accomplish when he grows up—things the world is concerned with—and how he would retire as a rich old man. So I asked him, “And then?” He thought about it for a second then answered, “I guess I die.” I asked him again, “And then?” And he looked baffled because he had thought of everything except death and he definitely did not think about eternity. He made the classical error of seeing death as an end when in reality it is the beginning. Satan distracts us with so many present worldly things just so we do not plan for eternal heavenly glory!

 

If we remember every morning that one day we will die then we will be more focused spiritually and make decisions with eternity in mind. Praying, giving, serving, forgiving, and loving will become our priority.

 

The Difference

 

So how am I different now than before coming to Christ? Well, I am saved now and have the Holy Spirit and God is working in me, through me, and in my life. But also God addressed my problems.

 

Do I still have trichotillomania? Yes, I do. It is not as bad as before and I have learned not to focus on it. Satan wants us to focus on our problems—whether big or small—but the Lord has taught me to focus on Him so I do not miss His plan for my life. Do I still have low self-confidence? Yes, I do. However, I have learned to be confident in the Lord. Before I could not make decisions because I had no self-confidence and no other source of confidence, but now I have the Lord as my source of confidence. The good part is that I am always drawing closer to Him because I know I will not be able to function and make important decisions without Him; this way I also know those decisions will be blessed because their source was Him. Do I still feel anxious in a crowd? Yes, but now I can have courage in Him. Just like He replaced my low self-confidence with His sufficient confidence, He also replaced my anxiety with His sufficient courage.

 

Am I still shy and feel awkward in social settings? Yes. But I learned that God can use us different ways: maybe I do not have what it takes to stand in front of a crowd and talk, but I can write! Not everyone comes to faith by hearing—some, like me, come to faith by reading! God does not see my shyness as a problem, after all He created me and He knows I am an introvert. Personality traits are not a sin: being funny versus serious is not a sin, being an introvert versus extrovert is not a sin, being talkative versus quiet is not a sin, excelling in math versus the arts is not a sin! He created every one of us to be unique, to fulfill a certain purpose in His plan to preach the gospel to the lost. Sin is a problem, shyness is not—not once did the Holy Spirit convict me of my shyness as being a sin! He did not solve my shyness problem because to Him it is not a problem.

 

Do I still feel guilty over past sins and do I still feel stupid? Yes, sometimes I do. Satan would bring something silly that happened in my childhood to mind to make me feel guilty or stupid, and the Holy Spirit would always remind me that I am forgiven by the blood of Jesus Christ and I have a new identity in Him. Those feelings and thoughts do not hinder me: I can confront them now with God’s truth and quickly move on. As many times as Satan attacks me I keep reminding myself that the war has been won 2,000 years ago at Calvary and Satan is just trying to win a pity battle here and there. There is nothing Satan can do to send me to Hell, but he sure will try to make me ineffective for God’s Kingdom.

 

Am I still searching for the truth? No, I found Him who is the truth. Does a runner keep running after reaching the finish line? Of course not! Before coming to Christ my thoughts were always changing: my thoughts were going in random circles toward no clear end. But now my thoughts are growing and being build up to know more of His truth. While I am still learning and growing, the knowledge the Holy Spirit taught me is not obsolete, on the contrary He is building my current knowledge on the previous lesson He taught me. My thoughts and knowledge are growing toward more of His truth; these are not some baseless thoughts with my ever-changing experiences as their reference. No, these are God’s truths written in His Word and carried out in my life.

 

The hymn “It Is Well with My Soul” best describes my Christian walk.

 

Lastly but Not Least

 

I am still friends with Ayad and Furat. In fact, they both now live in Toronto as I do! It is strange how 20 years ago they preached to me but now I preach to them the Good News of salvation by faith alone!

 

One day in Amman a tailor lady told my mom, “Why isn’t your son enrolled in school here? You don’t know how long you will stay in Jordan. Don’t waste his youth—let him continue his education here!” I often reflect back on those words: how many of us, with good intentions, give similar advice? Imagine if I had gone to school for that one year we spent in Jordan: imagine how busy I would have been, imagine how little time I would have had to read God’s Word, reflect on it, and read those evangelical books. Often times we try to help others but in reality we are interfering with God’s work. Give God the space and time to do His work—trust Him. He has never ever let me down. I was delayed a year in high school, so what? I gained eternal life instead! Do not rush God’s work; not everyone has to graduate from high school at the age of 18, go to university and graduate at the age of 22, find an office job and get married at the age of 26!

 

I will leave you with Proverbs 3:5-6:

 

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.”

 

(Toronto, ON; winter 2015.)

 

Although we can not perceive any consciousness in stones or plants does not mean that consciousness does not exist there. There is no unconscious matter. Some quality of discernment occurs in everything in the cosmos although we are often only aware of such qualities in humans and certain animals.

Taken in one of the oldest temples near Negombo in Sri lanka.

 

Buddhism is a religion and philosophy encompassing a variety of traditions, beliefs and practices, largely based on teachings attributed to Siddhartha Gautama, commonly known as the Buddha (Pāli/Sanskrit "the awakened one"), and is classified as an Indian religion. The Buddha lived and taught in the northeastern Indian subcontinent sometime between the 6th and 4th centuries BCE.[2] He is recognized by adherents as an awakened teacher who shared his insights to help sentient beings end suffering (or dukkha), achieve nirvana, and escape what is seen as a cycle of suffering and rebirth.

 

Two major branches of Buddhism are recognized: Theravada ("The School of the Elders") and Mahayana ("The Great Vehicle"). Theravada—the oldest surviving branch—has a widespread following in Sri Lanka and Southeast Asia, and Mahayana is found throughout East Asia and includes the traditions of Pure Land, Zen, Nichiren Buddhism, Tibetan Buddhism, Shingon, Tendai and Shinnyo-en. In some classifications Vajrayana, a subcategory of Mahayana, is recognized as a third branch. While Buddhism remains most popular within Asia, both branches are now found throughout the world. Various sources put the number of Buddhists in the world at between 230 million and 500 million,[3] making it the world's fourth-largest religion.

 

Buddhist schools vary significantly on the exact nature of the path to liberation, the importance and canonicity of various teachings and scriptures, and especially their respective practices.[4] The foundations of Buddhist tradition and practice are the Three Jewels: the Buddha, the Dharma (the teachings), and the Sangha (the community).[5][6] Taking "refuge in the triple gem" has traditionally been a declaration and commitment to being on the Buddhist path and in general distinguishes a Buddhist from a non-Buddhist.[7] Other practices may include following ethical precepts, support of the monastic community, renouncing conventional living and becoming a monastic, meditation (this category includes mindfulness), cultivation of higher wisdom and discernment, study of scriptures, devotional practices, ceremonies, and in the Mahayana tradition, invocation of buddhas and bodhisattvas.