Sunday, January 29, 2012

Sin and Judgment Day
(Symbolism, Mythology and Mysticism)


"The success or failure of your deeds
does not add up to the sum of your life.
Your spirit cannot be weighed.
Judge yourself by the intentions of your actions,
and by the strength with which you faced
the challenges that have stood in your way.
The universe is vast and we are so small.
There is really only one thing we can ever
truly control...whether we are good or evil."

- Oma Desala, Stargate SG-1, Episode, "Meridian"

What is Sin?

We come into our Current Incarnation Spiritually pure. At the
moment of our birth, it is just us and our Atman (Our God Within).

However, as we progress through our Incarnation we start
accumulating habits, thoughts and beliefs which are inconsistent
with our spiritual essence; Our Divine Nature.These dis-Harmonious
habits, thoughts, and beliefs are what is Esoterically referred to as
Sin.

A great many of us have been Indoctrinated into believing that
Sin is "an act against God". Furthermore, we have also been
trained to Believe that this God is an all-powerful and judgemental
force which exists apart from us for the sole purpose of measuring
each one of our deeds.

We are further told that should this God solely determine that
our life on earth was an honorable existence, then this God will
grant us eternal happiness (Heaven). On the other hand, should
this God solely determine that our life on earth was unrighteous,
then this God will condemn us to eternal misery (Hell).

Of course this God also has a whole set of policies and procedures,
just like any other bureaucratic organization, to deal with those
individuals who fall somewhere in-between.

This is a whole lot of Guilt to lay upon someone who, according
to this set of teachings, has only one life to spend here on earth!

However, when we realize that God exists within each and every
one of us as our Atman (our God-Within), we are able to look at
our Current Incarnation, and Sin, in an entirely different light.

For, if God exists within us, and we perform an "act against God"
(a Sin), then the only entity we are truly offending and punishing is
ourselves!

With these thoughts in mind, we begin to have an entirely different
view of not only what Sin is, but who our Sins are against. So,
with this new viewpoint before us, let us again address the question
of "What is Sin?".

Sin is a Thought, Belief, Action, or Event which we either create,
indulge ourselves in, or submit ourselves to, either voluntarily or
involuntarily, which is in violation of Divine Law.

Sin is any activity we involve ourselves in which creates a dis-
Harmony, imbalance, confusion or Karmic Debt which negatively
affects our Spiritual growth and mental expansion.

An act of Sin can simply be some minor mis-deed which confuses
and unbalances us (venial sin) or it can be an extreme action which
actually destroys our Current Incarnation (mortal sin).

However, whether a violation is major or minor, a Sin is any Action
on our part which causes a disturbance in our Spiritual tranquility.

As very few of us engage in extreme and obvious mortal Sin, let us
concentrate on the minor, or venial, Sins which are so much a part
of our Current Incarnation.

When we begin to analyze Sin we can pretty much put it into one
of two categories:

1. Sin is any misguided or erroneous thought process or impression
which has become ingrained within us by way of Indoctrination and
training which disrupts the tranquility of our Incarnation;

2. Sin is any tendency, belief, or thought process built up over Time
which is detrimental to our Current Incarnation in that these things
are dis-Harmonious with Divine Law, limit our Spiritual and mental
expansion, and distract us from the noble Quest which we originally
came into our Current Incarnation to pursue.

Minor, simple, or venial Sins are thought processes and impressions
such as: "I'm too young", "I'm too old", "My parents would not
approve", "My church will not permit it", "People will talk", "That's
not the way I learned things in school",  "I don't want to be ridiculed
or gossiped about", "I have been trained not to think that way", etc,
etc, etc.

These impressions, which initially appear to be nothing more than
minor beliefs or Guilt Trips, are in fact the mental traps and
Self-Imposed Limitations (Sins) which destroy our individual
Sovereignty and throw us from the Path of our own personal Destiny.

Judgment Day:

Nearly all religions speak of a Judgment Day for the recently
deceased. The ancient Egyptians commemorated this Event by
way of a Ceremony which they called The Weighing of the Heart.

Judgment Day is the evaluation of a persons Incarnation. It is
the "day" when either Deity or a specific god or goddess determines
whether or not we have learned to sidestep and shed ourselves of
Sin. For those who have learned to rid themselves of Sin their
re-Incarnation into this plane of existence is over. These Spirits
then either re-Incarnate into a higher spiritual plane or have
completed their Cycle of Incarnations.

For those who have not learned to sidestep and shed themselves
of Sin, their re-Incarnations into this realm will continue until this
vital Lesson has been learned. Astrologically, these souls are
still subject to the to the disciplinary actions of Saturn in his role
of "Teacher of Hard Lessons".

Conclusion:

Sin is the negative Karma, negative energy and negative
Consequences which we bring into our lives. Sin is the fears,
impurities, Inner Demons, Guilts, Self-Imposed Limitations,
false Beliefs and unbalanced energies which we allow to taint
the purity of our Spirit.

Therefore Sin is the weights which hold us down and hold us
back; weights which must be released in order for us to Become
pure and impeccable; weights which must be released so that
we can increase our Awareness, ascend, and experience
higher planes of existence and mingle with the higher and purer
Spirits, Beings, and Divine Essences which occupy these
sublime realms.

When we "sin" we do not Sin against an external Deity, we Sin
against ourselves.

When we "sin" we engage in Thoughts, Words and Deeds which
are in dis-Harmony with the Divine Laws of the Universe and we
create spiritual imbalances within ourselves.

When we "sin" we create negative Consequences which establish
Karmic Debts; Debts which must be paid for, and answered to, by
us either in this Incarnation or in following Incarnations.

The greater the Sin, the Greater the Karmic Burden. The lesser the
Sin, the lesser the Karmic Burden. However any Sin against
ourselves, whether large or small, carries a Karmic Burden and its
own set of Consequences.

This is the Lesson, nature and purpose of re-Incarnation: to rid
ourselves of Sin; to release our Spiritual Souls from all of the
confines, bondages and destructive Pacts of the material realm.

For the heaven or hell we, in fact, create for ourselves depends
entirely upon our desire and ability to rid ourselves of the debts,
burdens and Consequences which even the most minuscule act of
Sin inflicts upon us.

See also: "Egyptian Weighing of the Heart"

Comments and Emails: I welcome comments and emails from
people with similar thoughts and feelings. My Email address is
located in the upper-left area of this page. Comments can be
posted by using the "Comment" link located below each article.
Also: If you found value in this article please feel free to forward
it to other like-minded individuals, organizations and sites.

Disclaimer: None of my articles should be considered to be
either advice or expertise. They are simply personal opinions
and no more. Everyone is encouraged to seek competent
advice from a licensed, registered, or certified professional
should such advice or service be required.

© copyright Joseph Panek 2012
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Sunday, January 22, 2012

Dust
(Mythology, Mysticism and Symbolism)


"From dust we come, to dust we return."
- Biblical Verse

When we hear "From dust we come, to dust we must return"
recited at a religious Ceremony we probably think of the dirt
of Mother Earth; for this is where our physical body is finally
interred once our Spirit has left it.

However, since our bodies did not originate from the earth below
us, the Dust which is mentioned in this Biblical Verse cannot be
referring to the earth into which our material remains are placed
for final safe keeping. This "Dust" must be referring to something
else.

When we think about earth and Dust in this manner, we can
only come to the conclusion that the Dust mentioned in this
Biblical Verse must be referring to, and reminding us of, a Dust
of a completely different substance which exists in an entirely
different realm or plane.

As the Word "dust" does appear in numerous ancient texts, we
are left to wonder what exactly do these texts and verses mean
when they tell us "from dust we come, to dust we return".

Dust is not the Symbolic dirt into which a person's material
remains are placed when their Spirit has left. Nor is Dust the
ashes which remain after a funeral pyre or a cremation
Ceremony. For both dirt and ashes are nothing more than gross,
mundane and solid forms of matter which were themselves
originally created from a more subtle form of matter...Dust!

So then, what is Dust?

Ancient texts inform us that as Spirit descends into its
Current Incarnation in the world of matter it passes through
seven spheres of creation prior to assuming its full physical form;
with each of the seven spheres applying a heavier and denser
form of matter to the descending Spirit.

Therefore our physical beings contain all forms of matter which
exist in the universe; from the most subtle to the most dense.

All of the matter that exists in our physical being is an equally
proportioned, scaled-down, representation of all the matter which
exists in the universe (including the rare elements and minerals
found throughout the universe) along with the Spirit which brings
all these forms of matter into physical manifestation.

Therefore this Dust, which is referred to in ancient and religious
texts, is the most subtle, pure, mystical and magical "Dust"
which exists in the highest and most pure realm of matter; that
mystical and spiritual dimension that Borders the realm between
Spirit and matter. (See: "Borders Between Realms")

This Dust is the "first matter" or prima materia which is referred
to in Hermetic and Alchemical lore; it is the initial "building block"
from which all matter is formed.

Dust is the first and most subtle form of matter our Spirit clothes
itself with when entering the material realm and the last form of
matter our Spirit divests itself of when leaving material realm.

This Dust is the final physical Border which our Spirit must cross
in its re-ascent into the Spiritual dimension. Once our Spirit
crosses this borderland of Dust it enters the realm of Spirit where
it once again becomes Spiritually Free!

(See also: "Spirit and Matter" and "Smoke - As A Symbol")

Comments and Emails: I welcome comments and emails from
people with similar thoughts and feelings. My Email address is
located in the upper-left area of this page. Comments can be
posted by using the "Comment" link located below each article.
Also: If you found value in this article please feel free to forward
it to other like-minded individuals, organizations and sites.

Disclaimer: None of my articles should be considered to be
either advice or expertise. They are simply personal opinions
and no more. Everyone is encouraged to seek competent
advice from a licensed, registered, or certified professional
should such advice or service be required.

© copyright Joseph Panek 2012
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Sunday, January 15, 2012

Smoke - As A Symbol
(Mythology and Mysticism)


"When the mind is enlightened,
the spirit is free
and the body matters not."

- Oma Desala, Stargate SG-1, Episode, "Meridian"

We gaze into a fire and watch the wood as it burns. We then
notice that from the burning wood Smoke is created. We watch
this Smoke as it leaves the fire and ascends toward the sky
above. As we watch, we notice that the Smoke begins to
dissipate as it ascends until it is finally becomes invisible; as
if swallowed up by the heavens above.

This is the essence of Smoke. It begins as a thick mass which
dissipates as it ascends until it finally becomes undetectable
somewhere above us. From this characteristic is where we obtain
the Symbolism, along with the Rituals, which is associated with
Smoke.

Smoke symbolizes the transition of matter into spirit. Therefore,
Smoke represents the ascension of the immortal soul as it leaves
the mortal body.

Smoke represents the release of the soul, or spirit, from its visible
and physical form and its sublime ascent back into the invisible
and spiritual realm from whence it originally came: the realm in
which it existed prior to its imprisonment in matter.

This metaphor is a Lesson which reminds us that Spirit, in its
natural state, is free. It also reminds us that Spirit can exist
without matter, but matter cannot exist without Spirit.

Smoke is also used as a method of communication.

In addition to sending secret and sacred messages between other
persons, tribes or communities here on earth by way of smoke
signals, the sacred fires of indigenous cultures use Smoke to
communicate their Prayers and requests to the Deities and the
Spirits of their ancestors who reside in the heavens above.

As a Symbol of ascension and communication, Smoke is also
used in sacred religious Ceremonies in conjunction with Prayers
and Blessings. It is also used in Rituals that both invoke and
honor Divinity and acknowledge the Spirit which resides within
each one of us.

The Smoke rising from funeral pyres symbolizes the final release
and ascent of Spirit from the material remains of the deceased.

The Smoke rising from the peace pipe Symbolizes the Prayers
and Promises of the participants as it Travels upward, in a united
vision and bond of friendship, toward the spiritual realm of the
gods and forefathers of those participating in the Ceremony.
In this manner Smoke carries the vows, oaths, and Promises of
the participants of the Ceremony into the Spiritual Realm where
they are recognized, accepted, recorded and Blessed.

Incense, resins and herbs are placed within Censers and burned
in order to create the scented and aromatic Smoke used in
religious Ceremonies which is pleasing and Harmonious to both
people and Spirits.

The Censer is then swung in the direction of the participants
in order to Bless them, cleanse them, and unite in Prayer.

The pleasant aromas from the Censer help set the mood for the
Ceremony and make the participants Aware that Divinity is
among them and is also participating in the Ceremony along
with them.

See also: "Spirit and Matter" and
"Dust (Mythology, Mysticism and Symbolism)"

Comments and Emails: I welcome comments and emails from
people with similar thoughts and feelings. My Email address is
located in the upper-left area of this page. Comments can be
posted by using the "Comment" link located below each article.
Also: If you found value in this article please feel free to forward
it to other like-minded individuals, organizations and sites.

Disclaimer: None of my articles should be considered to be
either advice or expertise. They are simply personal opinions
and no more. Everyone is encouraged to seek competent
advice from a licensed, registered, or certified professional
should such advice or service be required.

© copyright Joseph Panek 2012
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Sunday, January 8, 2012

In Pursuit of Wizards, Guides and Mentors


"Small is the number of people
who see with their own eyes;
think with their own minds;
and feel with their own hearts."

- Albert Einstein

"All cosmic secrets must be pursued and earned."
- Joseph Panek

Wouldn't it be wonderful if each one of us could have our very own
Merlin, Gandalf or Dumbledore to guide, instruct and protect us?
A Wizard who would reveal to us all of the magic and secrets of
the universe?

How many of us have fantasized over the possibility of being
granted timeless secrets, hidden Wisdom, and ancient magical
powers? And, wouldn't it be grand to have all of these things
bestowed upon us without having to pay a price?

But, alas, we realize that this cannot be so. For in order for us to
obtain Wisdom and Magic of this magnitude a price must be paid.
The greater the prize, the greater the price!

In our Quest for Truth and Wisdom we find ourselves Traveling
down many different Paths in the Hope of finding someone who
will enlighten us, and Instruct us, in the Divine Principles of the
universe.

But, after fantasizing and wishing, perhaps for many years, for
such a personal mentor to enter our lives we ultimately realize
that there is no such one person available to us at this particular
Time in the current evolution of our planet.

So, in the end, those of us who Choose to steadfastly pursue
ancient and Esoteric Wisdom eventually accept the fact that the
age of Master Teachers and Mystery Schools is a thing of the
Past.

It is at this point that the True Seeker understands that although
there no longer are any Master Teachers available to us today,
the works and Lessons of the Master Teachers of the Past still
remain. And it is through the Lessons of the Master Teachers
of the Past that the current Seeker sets out upon the Path of
Self-Initiation.

For the True Seeker of today realizes that when we rely solely
upon external mentors to do for us the tasks for which we have
been placed into Our Current Incarnation to experience for
ourselves we invite many obstacles in our Paths. These obstacles
occur for a variety of reasons. For example:

1. The world is full of charlatans who claim to have the secrets of
the universe and are willing to make these secrets available "for a
price". These are the snake-oil salesmen who make a living by
preying upon the lazy and the gullible.
2. We may find a mentor who is very knowledgeable, but not in
the specific area in which we have a special interest.
3. We may find a mentor who presents us with knowledge which
we are not yet ready to receive. In other words, we may not have
reached the proper moment of unfoldment that enables us to
appreciate and understand the principles being presented to us.
4. There may be time constraints placed upon either us or our
mentor which prevent us from properly receiving the knowledge
which our mentor has the ability to impart upon us.
5. Our mentor may leave us prior to fulfilling the task we had
expected of them.
6. As no person can teach beyond the limit of their knowledge,
our education is limited to only what our mentor currently knows.

No one person has all of the answers. However, many other
Seekers, both past and present, have partial answers. It is up
to us, as True Seekers, to piece together these partial answers
in the same way that we piece together a jigsaw puzzle until the
final piece is in place and the puzzle is complete.

The Merlins, Dumbledores, Gandalfs, and other great Wizards
of the past are extremely rare. However their Wisdom and
knowledge still lives on and is available to all of us.

Their Wisdom and knowledge comes to us in bits and pieces
from a variety of ancient sources. These bits and pieces must be
pursued, interpreted, understood and earned by all modern Seekers.

And remember, all Merlins, Gandalfs and Dumbledores willingly
paid extremely high prices for their Wisdom. They also spent
many long and arduous years accumulating the secrets which
enabled them to learn and perfect their craft.

Comments and Emails: I welcome comments and emails from
people with similar thoughts and feelings. My Email address is
located in the upper-left area of this page. Comments can be
posted by using the "Comment" link located below each article.
Also: If you found value in this article please feel free to forward
it to other like-minded individuals, organizations and sites.

Disclaimer: None of my articles should be considered to be
either advice or expertise. They are simply personal opinions
and no more. Everyone is encouraged to seek competent
advice from a licensed, registered, or certified professional
should such advice or service be required.

© copyright Joseph Panek 2012
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