118, 1       AFFIRMATIVE    PRAYERS   and psalms          118, 1    page   1  o f  2      

In Bibles you may find affirmative psalms.     The indefinite tense of the Hebrew grammar  permits

such interpretations.    Psalm 23:   “The  Lord  is my Shepherd:        therefore  can  I  lack   nothing.

He makes me lie down in green pastures,   he leads  me beside  quiet  waters.    He restores my  soul.

He guides me in paths of righteousness for His Name’s sake.  Even though I walk through the valley

of the shadow of death,    I will fear no evil,  for  you are with me,   your  rod and  your staff,      they

comfort me.  You prepare a table before me in the presence of my  enemies.    You  anoint  my  head

with oil:  my  cup overflows.  Surely goodness and  love will follow me all the days of  my life,  and I

will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.    (But the tense permits even not affirmative  translations.)

 

Christ tries  to  teach   affirmation,  “You are Gods” (John  10.34).    Affirmative contemplation   is

then as a  Jacob’s ladder.  But majorities  can  not  climb that ladder.    As  CHILDREN  they pray

in dualistic ways:  believing God and soul  to be  TWO separate beings.   Prayers  become petitions,

asking that God  shall  CHANGE  and not  be justice  or as a sun shine  equal  on all but   give more

help and love  to some.   Our   sins   hinder  beneficial  sunshine and  rain to  reach us.  Good deeds,

healthy  prayer , sacraments  reopens us for  blessings from our divine nature and  our   Angels.      

 

AREOPAGITA,  “the father of Christian mysticism” writes:  contemplation  has  three  main  ways:

1/ an  affirmative  way  through  knowledge about   divine  characteristics   and attributes  intimated

 through   names  and  symbols,  mentioned  in  holy  Scriptures:   as Christ, God,  Jahve,….   (  etc. )

2/ an affirmative way by seeking God in all what is existing,   in all matter     which God    emanates.

3/ a  negative way which is higher, more worthy and safer and far reaching.   It  speaks  about  God

 in    negations.       (The script about  mystic theology)       The mystics  are  in  God  beyond  human

 thinking.    Areopagita´ s  Christian mysticism   speaks of       Via  Puritativa,  that  is  Purification,

 Via  Illuminativa,  Illumination,     and    Via Unitativa,  to be  consciously      one with God    Other

 religions  have other words .    Compare “Sunyata”,   spiritual   “emptiness”  in  Buddhism and   in

high  yoga.     Page  103:  Meditation with  the Eucharist,       Page  104:   Passive  meditation

 

FREE CATHOLIC  pioneers  have learned by all as by later teachers of meditation,   as   Blavatsky

who did  1887  write to the archbishop of Canterbury   that the world needs a Church  preaching  a

divine principle within all  ( compare our  monism)  and  who did write an interreligious book  “The

Secret Doctrine”    She  did  even  l888  write an  AFFIRMATIVE   “Diagram  of  Meditation”  with  

Monism.   She   coloured    some    Free  Catholic  pioneers but was too advanced for majorities

 

PATER NOSTER  (Matthew 6.9,   Luke  11.1) is controversial, at least in parts. The indefinite tense

 of  the  Hebraic  grammar   gives  several   interpretations.    We  are  free  to    choose  or  exclude.   

One example is:  “Our Father, who art in heaven,  hallowed  be Thy Names.    Thy Kingdoms come.

Thy will   shall  be  done on   earth  as  it  is  in  heavens.    You  give  us  this  day  our  daily  bread.

You forgive us our trespasses as we forgive   them   that  trespass against us.     You lead us through

temptations.    You  deliver us  from evil.   For  Thine is  the   Kingdom,  the   power  and  the glory, 

for  ever and  ever.    Amen

 

PRAY IN THE MORNING.   Shortened  Eucharist  or   page 4;   invocation,   asperges,   blessings.

 

SAY GRACE    (before each meal)              In the Name of  God,  in the power of   the + Father,   the

 +  Son  and   the  Holy + Ghost   +++    Amen     WE  EXORCISE   AND  BLESS   THIS  FOOD +   

BEFORE AND AFTER EACH  MEAL   it  is  well  to  contemplate      “thank  God  and  angels  in

 our nature for food and drink   +   We  contemplate    that we often  destroy  and   poison and  kill

in   nature and    reap   need  and   sickness.     We   are  sorry     for  errors.    We  will  seek   health

for  man,    animals,   vegetables,   earth,  air  and   water     We  will  as  the  repentant   robber   be

converted  to the God within       ( who is crucified  everywhere).    Amen

 

EVENING  CONTEMPLATION

Sacramental  Benediction  or parts of  it  can be   alternative. Completorium and Vesper or parts of

these are alternatives.   Compare “Nunc dimittes”,  “Lord  now  lettest Thou  Thy  servant   sleep in

peace”  We thank and bless  God and Angels for bright and dark lessons in this  pilgrimage.  Amen

 

SOME  AFFIRMATIVE  SAYINGS    IN  GNOSTIC  FRAGMENTS  AND  BIBLES

I am the Alpha and the Omega.    I and the Father are one.  I am the  Way, the Truth and the Life.

Ye are all     Angels,   Archangels,  Gods and  Lords,   Rulers,   all  the Great  Light-emanations….

I am the Gnosis  of  the whole  Pleroma.   One who receives the Mystery of the Ineffable  is Myself

Though he be a man in the world,  yet shall he be  King with Me in  My  Kingdom…..in  the Light

The Ineffable  lies stretched out with  all its limb and  is the emanation of the whole Pleroma    The

mystery is all  involution and is  all evolution     I am thou and thou art  I  and  wherever  thou art, 

I am there  and I am sown in all     Many  souls shall come back into the world   Elia came back as

John the Baptist.   Even the greatest sinner  if he repent shall inherit the Kingdom.  The Kingdom

of God is  within  you     This is  my body    Take and eat.   This    is   my   blood   of  the Covenant  

which  is  poured  out   for many   for  the  forgiveness   of    sins.      Drink   from   it,   all   of  you.

God is love, Agape.  We speak of God’s  secret wisdom  destined for our glory  before time began.

 

 

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118  INFANTILE  PRAYERS  are popular                                     118 page 2 of 2

even with most grown-ups.  They are not bridge to   heavens   but glittering bubbles  fitted for  spiritual

babies   Illusions  may still  be a beginning  followed by stages which test  if we can stand  a cup or cross

which belongs to ripe religion.    Primitive  faith  in  a desired “heavenly Jerusalem” can shield the  soul

from  some temptations  but does even  blunt the intellect.    Ideas about “God” can be too high for  one    soul and too  simplified  for an other.   Jesus says  “I   have more to say to you,  more  than you can now bear.” (John  16.11)   “The knowledge of the secrets  of   the kingdom of heaven has been given  to   you 

but not to them   (Matt   13 11)  A doubting Thomas may pray:  “O God if there is a God,  save my soul  

if  I  have a soul which can be saved”.  Some become members of sects  believing in a salvation of souls.  Some become    e.g.  existentialists  not believing in a creating and saving God.   Some believe that souls   are innermost an eternal  uncreated nature,  a Buddha-nature.  Some believe that  Jesus  is  a  personal  incarnation of God,  or  prophet,  teacher,  father,  saviour,  judge,  physician,  angel,  older soul   or  as bridegroom of  our soul.   It is then named the bride of God.          Compare a book by Juan de la Cruz, “Libro de la noche oscura”  intended first  for devote nuns.   “Bride-mysticism”  is  loved  in  religions.  More intellectual people can  appreciate  a  Gnostic book,    e.g.   “Seven sermons to the dead”  written by  the  psychoanalyst  Doctor  Jung.  “Pleroma”  is  its  name  for  our  eternal  nature.    It  emanates,  incarnates and  reabsorbs   all.       People who are coloured by  Bibles  do sometimes specially  observe that Christ is   named  heavenly  Priest  and  heavenly  King  as  all   the  Messiahs  of the Jews    ( and all the  Pharaohs of  ancient  Egypt)   Ps  110. 4,  Hebr   5, 6  “high priest  in the order of Melchizedek”   Rev 17,14   “The Lamb  is  Lord  of  Lords  and King  of  Kings”.        Icons  of  Bysantic  art  do  often  picture  Christ  clothed as universal  most rich emperor and  high  priest  - and  as   saving   shepherd .

Prayers and contemplations  do of course take different  shape  to fit   different ideas   -- and business.

 

The “father of Christian Mysticism”, Areopagita 

preferred negating  contemplation as he knew

that  all mental  forms are limited.   But  he

knew also that  negating is     difficult for

most people.  He  did then  recommend 

AFFIRMATIVE  contemplation.  But 

churches and  priests  find  even  that

too difficult and pray with  petition,

asking  their  perfect  loving “God”

to   give still  more   perfect  help.

Higher contemplation  is beyond

mind in the Spirit which is poor

or empty in spiritual  language.

Jesus says  in John 4 23 “God is

spirit and  true worshippers will

worship in the  spirit and  truth”

There are religious  orders which

permit and   try to  inspire higher

contemplation.  Some do still have

a mental picture of Christ , e g as a

DIVINE  PRIEST-KING  COMING

as  a  sun  or a  star   from “ EAST”

For children   and  childhood faith

it may be a beginning - Important

is  to  teach all about  still  higher

contemplation which is beyond

mental ideas  and of the Spirit

 

A problem is that mighty

rich  organization  teach 

infantile prayers    and

then detain majorities

in  stupidity.  Schiller

exaggerated   saying

that  even  gods  do

fight   in         vain

against stupidity

 

God  within all

is wisdom and

VICTORY

 

 

ICONMEDITATION

 

AN  ANTIC  RUSSIAN  ICON   was hanging above my  writing-desk.   One day  I did stand before that old  icon  where  there  was  the  picture    of  the  Mother  of  God  with   a  child  on  her   knee

I  did  talk  to it,  complaining that  I did not have much time for  religion,   that  I now felt far away from  spiritual realities.    My  growing  family did ask for more and more work as  the expenses were growing.     I  looked on the divine Mother and did sigh  for more time in spiritual activity  Family life was wonderful  but  work for money  did steal    too much of days and nights.

 

THEN    IT DID HAPPEN:   I did  suddenly  be  conscious of  not any longer  being a  man  who was standing before the icon.   Now  I  was   the little child sitting on the knee of the divine Mother. And the Mother had heard my words of  complaints…that  I was sorry being so far from the spiritual realities.

And the Mother did answer  saying :    “You  are sitting on my knee”

I experienced that it was the truth.    I was not far away from the spiritual reality.     I was  just sitting on the knee of  the Mother of God.   She was not far away. 

I did experience that  when our spiritual eyes are open  do we   experience that we are all the time on the knee of the Divine Mother.   When we  are  sleeping   spiritually  are we  not  conscious  about  spiritual realities  which  are  always and ever around us and in us.   When we  are  still  sleeping  with  regard  to ONE    spiritual  reality   do we experience a dualistic existence,  the   heirship  by  common  senses and mental dogmas.  And then it is natural that we  pray “O God,  Mother  (or “Father”)  come  and  help me,

do  come near,     Please,    change,  do not remain  afar from me”

 

A common child who is  sleeping   on its mothers  knee  may  in  dreams  feel  far away   from the mother  and then cry for help.     The mother may  look on the face of the child and  understand that it is dreaming something  not  happy  and therefore is feeling  unsafe.   The mother may then  gently stroke the cheek of the child and  wake the child by saying    “you are  sitting  on  my knee”.   And    then  the child wakes up from its dreams  and becomes aware that it is with the mother in safety.    The mother may have been with the child the whole time but the child was not aware about it  and did not know that it was sleeping on her knee.    The only   change   which was   needed  was that the child became awake and  then saw and heard the   mother.    Then the child finished to  pray  “come”

 

So it is in the world of religion.     What  is  needed  is  only  that   we wake   up spiritually  and   then  are conscious about the   presence of  the divine nature.    Those  who  are spiritually  awake  do see and hear and feel that  “God”   is  present.   Their prayers do then not any longer be petitions that God shall change and come nearer. The contemplations become more intended to be more and more  awake about   spiritual  realities   and   negate illusions.   Prayers may contemplate  in affirmative ways, as          “The Lord IS my shepherd”… and bless in the Name of Spirit.    In higher stages of contemplation do we become

” passive “ letting the spirit contemplate within …  and bring forth the Word, the divine Thought

Prayer is then not the work of the human nature but of our higher more divine nature

 

Scientists,  psychoanalysts, philosophers, mystics  do  try to  understand and  explain  what  it  really is  to experience  “the Mother of God”----- Some  say  that  it  is  to  experience something  of  our   own   inner nature.     Jesus is reported to have said:    “Know that you are  all  gods,  all  angels            (Pistis Sophia)

Jesus  is  even  reported  to have said  that  there  are  no  human  words  for these     “secrets  of  heaven”

Still religious lecturing ought to try to find similes, parables to inspire our  thinking until  the time  comes when we  through  the Spirit are   enlightened   with the whole truth

 

Those who are dualists, that is  not  believing in a monistic way about  the  ALL-ONE-NATURE   in  our

Depth,   will stick to the explanation that  the Mother of God is a being  outside  our own  spiritual  nature

and that she  by compassion comes  to our help.   Some believe that saints and  more  evolved  souls  can

come   veiled,  masked, disguised    in   a shape  which our human  limited  understanding can  accept  as

representing  the spiritual   truth.  Some may say there is illusion  in such  experiences   but that there may be a kernel of truth.   In the Bible we find that even the Lord Christ did  appear in a different shape  when

teaching pupils.

 

Some may experience  “The Mother of God”  as the endless space  which brings forth  the universe as its

Child.   A Hindu mystic as   Ramakrishna experienced her as Kali, creating  everything and killing all the illusions.   A  girl  as    Bernadette Soubirou  in  Lourdes experienced  Her as a female shape  who said to Bernadette     “I can not  promise  happiness to  you  in  this  life but  in  the  next”   and  that being   said    about  Herself             I am the immaculate conception”.              Mystics have made  the  comment  that         “Immaculate conception” is a   principle in the innermost nature of all.   All great saints  are  in  constant  conception  of  the  Word of   our  innermost  divine nature.         One    result is   wisdom which few can   understand.    Conception in  a sexual    sense    by  the divine Word    is in some religions a parable for  that the Divine Mother is    enlightening  the soul.  The Mother  of God is   the  Spirit,  Truth,

And in myths  She is  Eve  who guides us to the fruit of the knowledge of  good and evil     (Genesis  3.5)-

It was  temporary forbidden. Without that  we should still be as innocent apes

 

The icon is  now in a Free Catholic  chapel.   But each  physical and mental picture  can   “become alive”

through the loving  yearning  for more consciousness about that which  is  named Eternal

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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