Mystical Christian Thread

[whitesilk]

Is that 1 Peter or 2 Peter?

[Fa Xin]

7 minutes ago, whitesilk said:

Is that 1 Peter or 2 Peter?

 

Sorry, that’s 1 Peter. 

[whitesilk]

reading the NIV version One could make a case that alcohol is the devil.

[Fa Xin]

7 minutes ago, whitesilk said:

reading the NIV version One could make a case that alcohol is the devil.

 

"Be sober"

 

[Fa Xin]

18 And the disciples of John and of the Pharisees used to fast: and they come and say unto him, Why do the disciples of John and of the Pharisees fast, but thy disciples fast not?

19 And Jesus said unto them, Can the children of the bridechamber fast, while the bridegroom is with them? as long as they have the bridegroom with them, they cannot fast.

20 But the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken away from them, and then shall they fast in those days. 

Mark 2:18-20

[Fa Xin]

On 2/18/2019 at 11:49 PM, Fa Xin said:

18 And the disciples of John and of the Pharisees used to fast: and they come and say unto him, Why do the disciples of John and of the Pharisees fast, but thy disciples fast not?

19 And Jesus said unto them, Can the children of the bridechamber fast, while the bridegroom is with them? as long as they have the bridegroom with them, they cannot fast.

20 But the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken away from them, and then shall they fast in those days. 

Mark 2:18-20

 

 

"One day he was with his disciples in Judea. He found them sitting together practicing their piety. When he [came up to] his disciples sitting together praying over the bread, [he] laughed.

The disciples said to him, "Master, why are you laughing at [our] prayer? What have we done? [This] is what's right."

He answered and said to them, "I'm not laughing at you. You're not doing this because you want to, but because through this your God [will be] praised." -Gospel of Judas 33-34

[Fa Xin]

Some thoughts...

 

I’ve heard it said that when Jesus was crucified, all of the Holy beings and Saints of all the ages were gathered around him to witness it, on the subtle plane. In that moment, he was surrounded by a massive gathering of Light, saints of all traditions and times. 

 

How is such a thing possible?

 

If time is an illusion, then there is only the Eternal Now, and that’s where God resides...That every moment is happening now. 

 

Which lead me to think about the stories we read and hear from the Bible, New Testament, the Gita - or from any wisdom tradition. In Mysticism, stories are a living embodiment of truth and power. They did not happen 2000 years ago... they are happening now, as you read it and place yourself there, in the subtle and spiritual dimension. The more you open yourself to this power, the more you channel the energy of the story into your experience, and you are literally there, on a subtle level - you may even be able to smell and hear and taste it. 

 

Thought this thread would be a good place to share. It makes a fun experiment, to go back and reread the stories of your tradition in this manner. You may be surprised to get new insights too 😊 cheers!

 

[Jeff]

9 hours ago, Fa Xin said:

Some thoughts...

 

I’ve heard it said that when Jesus was crucified, all of the Holy beings and Saints of all the ages were gathered around him to witness it, on the subtle plane. In that moment, he was surrounded by a massive gathering of Light, saints of all traditions and times. 

 

How is such a thing possible?

 

If time is an illusion, then there is only the Eternal Now, and that’s where God resides...That every moment is happening now. 

 

Which lead me to think about the stories we read and hear from the Bible, New Testament, the Gita - or from any wisdom tradition. In Mysticism, stories are a living embodiment of truth and power. They did not happen 2000 years ago... they are happening now, as you read it and place yourself there, in the subtle and spiritual dimension. The more you open yourself to this power, the more you channel the energy of the story into your experience, and you are literally there, on a subtle level - you may even be able to smell and hear and taste it. 

 

Thought this thread would be a good place to share. It makes a fun experiment, to go back and reread the stories of your tradition in this manner. You may be surprised to get new insights too 😊 cheers!

 

 

Very beautiful thought.  Thank you. 

[RiverSnake]

Magus of Strovolos. 

 

A good book of Mystical Christianity. 

[Fa Xin]

21 minutes ago, Shadow said:

Magus of Strovolos. 

 

A good book of Mystical Christianity. 

 

Heard of it... Ordering it now. Thanks for the recommendation. 😊

[Megantara]

On 2/18/2019 at 1:59 PM, Fa Xin said:

Gospel of Thomas 7. Jesus said, "Lucky is the lion that the human will eat, so that the lion becomes human. And foul is the human that the lion will eat, and the lion still will become human."

In my current understanding, the lion here points to desire, want, or something like devil's temptation, while also pointing that whatever one eats, it will become one with he who eat. So it refers to awareness; be aware when certain temptation occurs, or happening, so one can eat the lion: accept and let go the temptation, so man eats the lion, and the lion becomes human, or choose to fall prey to temptation, and let it devour the conscious mind, either way the lion will become human.

Most visible example to this is something like rage, lust, grief, and most emotional dimension we have. They are like lion always stalking us, and take us by surprise, if we are aware, we can choose to act compulsively or consciously.

[Fa Xin]

12 hours ago, Megantara said:

In my current understanding, the lion here points to desire, want, or something like devil's temptation, while also pointing that whatever one eats, it will become one with he who eat. So it refers to awareness; be aware when certain temptation occurs, or happening, so one can eat the lion: accept and let go the temptation, so man eats the lion, and the lion becomes human, or choose to fall prey to temptation, and let it devour the conscious mind, either way the lion will become human.

Most visible example to this is something like rage, lust, grief, and most emotional dimension we have. They are like lion always stalking us, and take us by surprise, if we are aware, we can choose to act compulsively or consciously.

I like the way you put this.  Thank you for sharing 😊

[thursday]

On 6-3-2019 at 5:01 AM, Fa Xin said:

Some thoughts...

 

I’ve heard it said that when Jesus was crucified, all of the Holy beings and Saints of all the ages were gathered around him to witness it, on the subtle plane. In that moment, he was surrounded by a massive gathering of Light, saints of all traditions and times. 

 

How is such a thing possible?

 

If time is an illusion, then there is only the Eternal Now, and that’s where God resides...That every moment is happening now. 

 

Which lead me to think about the stories we read and hear from the Bible, New Testament, the Gita - or from any wisdom tradition. In Mysticism, stories are a living embodiment of truth and power. They did not happen 2000 years ago... they are happening now, as you read it and place yourself there, in the subtle and spiritual dimension. The more you open yourself to this power, the more you channel the energy of the story into your experience, and you are literally there, on a subtle level - you may even be able to smell and hear and taste it. 

 

Thought this thread would be a good place to share. It makes a fun experiment, to go back and reread the stories of your tradition in this manner. You may be surprised to get new insights too 😊 cheers!

 

 

Is that maybe what it means to become immortal for Daoists?

 

Thinking, when a practitioner keeps aligning with unconditional peace and acceptance, because of this action/direction/inertia comes a "time" when transcending time and space happens, automatically ascending to the "highest heaven".

[Fa Xin]

59 minutes ago, thursday said:

 

Is that maybe what it means to become immortal for Daoists?

 

Thinking, when a practitioner keeps aligning with unconditional peace and acceptance, because of this action/direction/inertia comes a "time" when transcending time and space happens, automatically ascending to the "highest heaven".

 

I've heard different interpretations for what an immortal is.  My own view is similar to that of realizing a light or rainbow body in other traditions.

 

I agree with you about aligning with peace and acceptance.  The inertia of the practice will eventually lead to this place. Technically speaking, we are all in the "Eternal Now", we just view it as linear.  So there's nowhere to really ascend to, rather just an obstructing view that is dropped, to reveal that - albeit it *seems* - sometimes very slowly  

 

[Megantara]

i'll chip in on what an immortal is to be thought of... we are life (some may call it chi) in a whole ocean of life itself. When our earthly body dies, our life force returns to the source. What we call our body is given by earth from our earthly mother and father (by blood), our life is given by our divine father, its from the first breath we take as  we are born. When we die, we return our body to earth, and our breath to our father. What we have is what we got in the beginning, which is the same as in the end. But again the life that is inside this body is given to us before we are born, we gather earthly body (physical dimension of our life), to nourish and grow our life  (or light body). Try read parable about talant, and you might get what i mean (try to see talant as what our life is, we can grow/invest it in what now called spirituality, or we can dwell on earthly desires) : Matthew 25:14-30

 

I'm not really satisfied on how i write this, as i myself feel something is not right, but i hope you get what i really meant

Edit: Essene gospel of peace gives me more data about what is missing in our current bible. I think man shouldn't decide what is right and wrong, and let everyone read everything, and decide for themself, which is right for each. In the end, we live our own lives, and we die alone, let there be joy in our birth and death. I'm halfway into reading the 14 scriptures removed from bible, apocrypha, and many other things... and for now i believe there's one single truth that is called: the word, the law, dao, life, shiva, and whatever human may call it, that however one may try to cover it, it remains to be the truth. And i also believe its what we are seeking here, just be careful with words, because truth is more often more clear said in parables than in naked truth. I mean, its like describing the taste of some fruit you have never tasted before, one may visualize better how it tastes by comparing it to things one have eaten, than to say its sweet, sour, with slight bitter aftertaste. Once you've eaten the fruit, its realized and still no word will be able to describe how it tastes

Edited March 9, 2019 by Megantara
Add some source

[thursday]

2 hours ago, Fa Xin said:

 

I've heard different interpretations for what an immortal is.  My own view is similar to that of realizing a light or rainbow body in other traditions.

 

I agree with you about aligning with peace and acceptance.  The inertia of the practice will eventually lead to this place. Technically speaking, we are all in the "Eternal Now", we just view it as linear.  So there's nowhere to really ascend to, rather just an obstructing view that is dropped, to reveal that - albeit it *seems* - sometimes very slowly  

 

 

Seemingly slowly yes  .. From what I hear, some realize(d) it very fast because their intent was/is full on with the destination in sight. Wanting to see and putting things into action. The ego comes up with lots of tricks to stall, doubt and obscure things, but logically speaking, it seems quite fool proof, even the ego can't argue with logic (but it will anyway).

 

I don't really know much about Daoism, I do wonder what different traditions mean. I've heard of rainbow body and light body.

[Fa Xin]

John 6:35

"Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty. 36 But as I told you, you have seen me and still you do not believe. 37 All those the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away. 38 For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me. 39 And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all those he has given me, but raise them up at the last day. 40 For my Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day.”"

[Fa Xin]

Gospel of Thomas, Verse 33

 

Jesus said, "Preach from your housetops that which you will hear in your ear. For no one lights a lamp and puts it under a bushel, nor does he put it in a hidden place, but rather he sets it on a lampstand so that everyone who enters and leaves can see it's light."

[Fa Xin]

“Those who say that the Lord died first and (then) rose up are in error, for he rose up first and (then) died. If one does not first attain the resurrection, he will not die. As God lives, he would [...].” Gospel of Philip 

 

too bad this got cut off. 

[Jeff]

5 minutes ago, Fa Xin said:

“Those who say that the Lord died first and (then) rose up are in error, for he rose up first and (then) died. If one does not first attain the resurrection, he will not die. As God lives, he would [...].” Gospel of Philip 

 

too bad this got cut off. 

 

What words do you think would come next?

[Fa Xin]

Those who say that the Lord died first and (then) rose up are in error, for he rose up first and (then) died. If one does not first attain the resurrection, he will not die. As God lives, he would live, for the son is within the Father, and the Father within the son. 

[Fa Xin]

"The children a woman bears resemble the man who loves her. If her husband loves her, then they resemble her husband. If it is an adulterer, then they resemble the adulterer. Frequently, if a woman sleeps with her husband out of necessity, while her heart is with the adulterer with whim she usually has intercourse, the child she will bear is born resembling the adulterer. Now you who live together with the Son of God, love not the world, but love the Lord, in order that those you will bring forth may not resemble the world, but may resemble the Lord." -Gospel of Philip

 

I feel this verse is talking about energetic connections, and how powerful they can be. But is it talking about actual procreation, or is it a symbolism for something else ?

[Fa Xin]

John 15:3 “Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you. 4. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. 5. I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.”

 

A few points of thought on this one:

”word which I have spoken unto you”  It’s important to note that Jesus as the “word” is not referring to spoken word but to the light/energy that he brings.

 

The second thought I had is that Jesus is very much bringing us into the equation in this verse. We are an extension of the light that he brought into the world...

 

This reminds me of, Matthew 18:20 “For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.”

 

Galatians 6:2 “Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.”

 

This is a big concept/practice in some mystical Christian traditions, is sharing the light with one another... relying on each other and being the “branches” from the vine. 

[Fa Xin]

From the Apocryphon of John:

 

 

The Inexpressible One

The One rules all. Nothing has authority over it. 
            It is the God. 
            It is Father of everything, 
                        Holy One
                        The invisible one over everything.
It is uncontaminated
            Pure light no eye can bear to look within.

The One is the Invisible Spirit.
            It is not right to think of it as a God or as like God.
            It is more than just God.

Nothing is above it.
Nothing rules it. 
            Since everything exists within it
                        It does not exist within anything.
            Since it is not dependent on anything
                        It is eternal.

It is absolutely complete and so needs nothing.
It is utterly perfect
Light.

The One is without boundaries
            Nothing exists outside of it to border it
The One cannot be investigated
            Nothing exists apart from it to investigate it
The One cannot be measured
            Nothing exists external to it to measure it

The One cannot be seen
            For no one can envision it
The One is eternal
            For it exists forever
The One is inconceivable 
            For no one can comprehend it
The One is indescribable
            For no one can put any words to it.

The One is infinite light
            Purity
            Holiness
            Stainless,

The One is incomprehensible
            Perfectly free from corruption.
Not “perfect”
Not “blessed”
Not “divine”
But superior to such concepts.
            Neither physical nor unphysical
            Neither immense nor infinitesimal
            It is impossible to specify in quantity or quality
                        For it is beyond knowledge. 

The One is not a being among other beings  
            It is vastly superior
                        But it is not “superior.” 

It is outside of realms of being and time
            For whatever is within realms of being was created
            And whatever is within time had time allotted to it
The One receives nothing from anything.
            It simply apprehends itself in its own perfect light

The One is majestic. 
            The One is measureless majesty

Chief of all Realms 
            Producing all realms

Light
            Producing light

Life
            Producing life

Blessedness
            Producing blessedness

Knowledge
            Producing knowledge

Good
            Producing goodness

Mercy
            Producing mercy

Generous
            Producing generosity

            [It does not “possess” these things.]

It gives forth light beyond measure, beyond comprehension.

[What can I say?]

His realm is eternal, peaceful, silent, resting, before everything.
He is the head of every realm sustaining each of them through goodness.

[Jeff]

1 hour ago, Fa Xin said:

From the Apocryphon of John:

 

 

The Inexpressible One

The One rules all. Nothing has authority over it. 
            It is the God. 
            It is Father of everything, 
                        Holy One
                        The invisible one over everything.
It is uncontaminated
            Pure light no eye can bear to look within.

The One is the Invisible Spirit.
            It is not right to think of it as a God or as like God.
            It is more than just God.

Nothing is above it.
Nothing rules it. 
            Since everything exists within it
                        It does not exist within anything.
            Since it is not dependent on anything
                        It is eternal.

It is absolutely complete and so needs nothing.
It is utterly perfect
Light.

The One is without boundaries
            Nothing exists outside of it to border it
The One cannot be investigated
            Nothing exists apart from it to investigate it
The One cannot be measured
            Nothing exists external to it to measure it

The One cannot be seen
            For no one can envision it
The One is eternal
            For it exists forever
The One is inconceivable 
            For no one can comprehend it
The One is indescribable
            For no one can put any words to it.

The One is infinite light
            Purity
            Holiness
            Stainless,

The One is incomprehensible
            Perfectly free from corruption.
Not “perfect”
Not “blessed”
Not “divine”
But superior to such concepts.
            Neither physical nor unphysical
            Neither immense nor infinitesimal
            It is impossible to specify in quantity or quality
                        For it is beyond knowledge. 

The One is not a being among other beings  
            It is vastly superior
                        But it is not “superior.” 

It is outside of realms of being and time
            For whatever is within realms of being was created
            And whatever is within time had time allotted to it
The One receives nothing from anything.
            It simply apprehends itself in its own perfect light

The One is majestic. 
            The One is measureless majesty

Chief of all Realms 
            Producing all realms

Light
            Producing light

Life
            Producing life

Blessedness
            Producing blessedness

Knowledge
            Producing knowledge

Good
            Producing goodness

Mercy
            Producing mercy

Generous
            Producing generosity

            [It does not “possess” these things.]

It gives forth light beyond measure, beyond comprehension.

[What can I say?]

His realm is eternal, peaceful, silent, resting, before everything.
He is the head of every realm sustaining each of them through goodness.

 

Interesting contrast point on the One from the Gospel of Thomas...

 

50. Jesus said, "If they say to you, 'Where have you come from?' say to them, 'We have come from the light, from the place where the light came into being by itself, established [itself], and appeared in their image.' If they say to you, 'Is it you?' say, 'We are its children, and we are the chosen of the living Father.' If they ask you, 'What is the evidence of your Father in you?' say to them, 'It is motion and rest.'"