EXPERIENCE OF LIFE

My altar

This post is new in English, but it is collected and translated from one of my Finnish blogs. Now over a year has passed that I have been a practicing Nichiren Buddhist. Still doing Gongyo twice a day, I have read The Lotus Sutra in its entirety, and my respect for Gohonzon has just increased: while I don't have Butsudan, I no longer keep it always on display; with the help of my husband, I have made a special cover to hide it when I'm not chanting.
At some point, hopefully in near future, I will blog about my heart surgery on April 30th, but I'm still recovering, and that is harder topic to write about.

Tina Turner said:

Maybe I stopped saying the Lord’s Prayer and went into Buddhism because I needed new words—I needed refreshment— to get to the next step. I noticed that saying the Lord’s Prayer and chanting a mantra had a similar effect on me. But I was chanting a mantra for longer periods of time and more often than I had ever said the Lord’s Prayer. I didn’t have this system for the Lord’s Prayer and it’s a system that works for me.

I totally agree. Real change of viewpoint brings forth freshness in life.
For many years, I didn't consider myself a Christian anymore, but I was living in a religious void. I had stopped praying, and didn't care about theological questions I used to ponder a lot.
Perhaps I was previously estranged from Buddhism by the idea that it was purely intellectual philosophy, and that as a Buddhist you have to adopt specific rules for life, namely, abstinence from alcohol and meat (been there, done that, and that was enough for me).
Nichiren Buddhism is unique, and radically reinterprets traditional Buddhist doctrines. In its traditional form I couldn't accept Buddhism: even Zen was mostly a method of meditation for me. Its views are quite vague and hard to comprehend. More religious approach of Nichiren Buddhism suits better for me. I think Christianity with its otherworldlyness maintained unpractical dreaming, as I was mostly drifting in life without a goal, whereas Buddhism keeps me down to earth, and I am now very much an active agent in my life.

I have always been proud of my knowledge of religions, but obviously it has been superficial in terms of Buddhism. How could it be otherwise, as long as you observe it from outside. But it is also obvious, that I needed this level of maturity to adopt Buddhism: it is through my experience of life that I have come to understand, for instance, the Buddhist idea, that there is no permanent self; everything changes all the time. I have always believed in Reincarnation, but not in immortality of personal soul: this is also confirmed by Buddhism. In fact, I no longer use a word "Reincarnation", because it is misleading in Buddhist context.
Doctrines of Buddhism are very logical, and you can take them as working hypothesis to analyze your world with. Many doctrines of Christianity demand more blind faith in authority.
Along with Christianity I was also freed from quilt. Of course it doesn't mean I'm free to do what I know is wrong. It is worth to check out Buddha's ethics; it is very reasonable, not just commands to observe. You actually have to think for yourself!

As Buddhist teacher, Sangharakshita, has pointed out, there is a big difference how Buddhism and Christianity approach their own archetypes: Buddhism always clearly states, that in the end all these archetypal forms are expressions of our own ultimate consciousness, or projections of our subconsciousness, and they all need to be integrated with our own being. But in Christianity, similar archetypes are considered objectively existing Beings.
My view is not a mixture of both: I identify myself 100% of Buddhist. It is absolutely beneficial to observe one tradition in your religious practice. It will give you clear boundaries and guidelines for your spiritual life, and you don't just jump aimlessly here and there.

Along with these +40 years I have lived, my worldview has changed (completely, without minor variations) FOUR TIMES! Someone might think I'm a spiritual weathercock, but each and every time was generated by inner necessity. Every time I have been very serious and fully part of it. Man must only listen to one's heart and make his own paths. You can not question sincerity of another person's faith, unless you have walked in his or her shoes.
I dare to think my experiences give me quite unique perspective on these matters. I don't think I used to be wrong, and now I know the truth. I only understand better and see more. Everything we have experienced cultivates us, becomes part of us: even if you consciously leave something behind, it has left its mark on you. Our experiences shape us and our beliefs. We only have our experiences we can rely on. What you have read and may think it is true, is not your own, it's borrowed. When I compare my experience to other people's spiritual way, and I see they have stuck to one conviction all along, I don't get impression of "strong faith", but of stagnation.

My way proves to me that "truth" is very subjective matter. For me, truth today is not the same as truth yesterday, and yet I can't deny I have experienced it so strongly, that I have been a fanatical "defender of truth", as I have seen it. I have been through everything, but nowadays it's very difficult to understand the kind of mentality whereby there was an objective, universal, and absolute Truth. I only see "truths" that are theories, opinions, and beliefs. Buddha remained silent when asked about "God"; he didn't necessarily deny "God", it just doesn't matter here and now. Zen Buddhist aphorism says, that if you meet Buddha on the road, kill him. Just as well, if you meet Jesus. Mental concepts are obstacles you have to remove.

Basically, my mind has not changed from time when I avowed myself a Luciferian, only cynicism and pessimism have vanished, and I don't need to veil my thoughts with sinister symbolism. My Luciferianism was short-lived, but I went deep, and now that I have abandoned that outlook, I think I might be more Luciferian by nature than ever before. It was a necessary phase to help me to rip myself off even from the last remains of Christianity. I had to break through the cultural conditioning and preconceptions I was indoctrinated with. I think my Luciferianism was fundamentally about integration of my suppressed and forbidden shadow-side: angel and demon within me became one, I became whole.
Outer destiny helped me to spiritual revolution and breakthrough: my disappointment in religious people in 2013, and a sudden death of my partner in 2015, were part of the process that took me through the darkness into the Light, purified and enlightened. What used to be an ideal for me, now became reality.

The specific dogmas of religions are human invention; unlike Christianity, Buddhism does not plead for Divine origin. It is true, there is spiritual dimension of life a person can get in touch with; religions offer different methods for this. I must admit, that out of all religions, I think Buddhism has best  reached the essential, but you don't have to believe that. 

It's like religions paint the picture of the world, that essentially can not be described by human concepts. Interpretation of each artist, and even their technique, is different, even if the subject was same. Instead of things being objectively "as it is written", they can be true to you; Beliefs have their psychological affect in any case, and it can be either positive or negative. This is almost self-evident, and yet it is not for all, especially for religious believers. It is a big difference after all, whether you think Hell is a real place, where some people will suffer for eternity, or it is a state of mind that you can alter by yourself.

Even as a Buddhist, I will stay as a member of The Christian Community and go to Church from time to time, even though my practice satisfies all my spiritual needs. There was a time when I experienced the Service of The Christian Community as strongly as my Buddhist practice now... how it was like a heartbeat of my life.
It proves that whatever the religion, it doesn't matter what you believe in; it's crucial what you feel, and the spirit is same, no matter the form... The frame of religion - sacred scriptures, rituals, doctrines - are basically indifferent, but when you internalize certain tradition and make it yours, they can help you to direct your attention to that very core, that can only be experienced. For someone representing a different tradition, all that can be disturbing, but you can also learn to "see through" everything external.

Community and tradition may be important, and myths, symbols, and rituals have their meaning even if you didn't believe literally what they are supposed to represent.
I didn't believe for long time anymore, and since as a Christian I was esotericist, it's not hard for me to say that the Gospels would be true even if Jesus had never lived - which I don't doubt, though - a thought most certainly unthinkable for  any exoteric Christian.
In the main Holy Scripture of Nichiren Buddhism, The Lotus Sutra, teachings are framed with supernatural events and beings; you're not supposed to take it literally, it appeals to your imagination. Interestingly enough, there is a lot of similar atmosphere in the Gnostic Gospels, but as we all know, tales of the Bible are often taken as historical accounts... I would go as far as saying, that at its best, the Bible is a collection of aphorisms; at its worst, it's toilet paper. But there are much better collections of aphorisms in the world, and toilet paper of better quality.

People who cling to one book, are dangerous, and it is mere stupidity to build your life on scriptures thousands of years old! I know The Bible very well, better than many fundamentalists, unconcerned of historical facts. I'm also quite learnt man, without degrees. I have read up on historical-critical Bible study, Church history, philosophy of religion, mythology, esoterism, atheistic criticism of religion... Nonfiction provides you with intellectual stimulation, spiritual literature - as well as biographies of people who walked the spiritual path - provides you with inspiration, but also fiction nourishes your soul, and during my life I have read many Classics, that have made an impression on me and become my favorites, to which I have returned several times.
To get forward, you sometimes have to "unlearn" knowledge you have recorded on your mind, but first you have to have as comprehensive knowledge as possible, otherwise you are just ignorant.

I don't believe in one and only truth, yet there is one and only truth for me, and that is to be true to yourself: there is no outward authority, not a single teacher or sacred scripture above others - there is only one master, inner master! I don't have answers for anyone else, I don't need that kind of certainty.

THE LORD'S PRAYER AND CHAKRAS

Internet is full of interpretations how the phrases of the Lord's Prayer relate to seven chakras of man. And they all link phrases to different chakras! However, I have found them all inconsistent – they may jump from chakra to chakra without any apparent logic, or the connection to certain chakra seems not so evident to me. So, here I present result of my own reflection. It is extremely simple: it goes phrase by phrase from the top to the bottom and back, until reaching the heart centre. (Doxology – “For Thine is…” - is not part of the original Prayer, but you may certainly connect it with three upper chakras.)

With collected information on each chakra, you can judge by yourself how well they match. For comparison, I have added few links of other interpretations mentioned above. Practical test is to visualize white light coming through your body from above, from crown chakra to root chakra and back again, as you say the prayer, and FEEL IT. 

 CROWN CHAKRA

1. Our Father

Our spiritual connection to the energy field of the universe and the source of all knowledge. Through that we experience total emptiness, liberation from the limitations of mind and matter, receive cosmic energy, and believe in life in its purest form.

“The universe is in me and I am in the universe. I am unity and peace.”

THIRD EYE CHAKRA

2. Which art in heaven

This chakra is our spiritual eye. Open up that eye, and look into your mind. Open it up to the world and see it with spiritual eye. This chakra represents conscious sense of existence, power of mind, seeking for truth, and intuition or energy before thought. Intuition is receiving and knowing, inner sight before concrete evidence. Emotional intelligence includes the power of imagination; what you can receive and imagine, that you can achieve. To seek for truth; to experience the balance of mind; to see the truth and divine perfection in all things; to purify the subconscious, so that you can listen to your intuition more clearly.

“I am the clarity and wideness. My visions are clear and bright. I trust my intuition.”

THROAT CHAKRA

3. Hallowed be Thy name

Sing the wordless sound. Express all your feelings by your voice. Feel the beauty and harmony in you. Let it flow through you to the world. Communication; self-expression; creativity through voice; will power. It includes listening and speaking out your own truth, taking responsibility of your own feelings and ability to unite the heart and mind.

“I am tranquillity and lucidity. I am freedom and power. I manifest the truth. I am the truth. I experience and see beauty in everything.”

 

HEART CHAKRA

4. Thy Kingdom come

10. But deliver us from evil

Open up your heart to love. Radiate love from your heart. Connection with the very core of all existence and gentle embrace of all creation. Genuine compassion and unconditional love are the challenging subjects linked to heart chakra, that evolve and grow through loving and understanding self-approval. Love is the holy power. First cherish yourself and then others. Express caring through action. Release emotional, hidden trauma. Be non-judgmental towards other people. Heart chakra radiates strongly outwards and its radiation heals and transforms other people. It unites upper and lower chakras; its task is to unite with love. 

"Love in everything I experience, feel, sense, and create. I am love, and acceptance, and forgiveness."

SOLAR PLEXUS CHAKRA

5. Thy Will be done

9. And do not lead us into temptation

Personal power, your own will, self-confidence. This chakra also represents lessons of your ego and positive attitude, acquiring knowledge and intelligent understanding and sense of humour. Forming of existence, independent self-esteem and self-knowledge are harmonic action of this energy centre, beside concentration and focussing. Self-respect, responsibility of your own decisions and choices; to learn to maintain healthy limits in regards to other people. This is connected with feelings and thus astral body and personality of man. Here experiences and feelings are worked out. With the help of this chakra we may also directly sense vibrations of other people.

“I appreciate my own skills. I trust in my abilities. I appreciate and respect. I am power and trust.”

SACRAL CHAKRA

6. In earth, as it is in heaven

8. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors

This chakra controls sexuality, desire and pleasure. Enjoy and rejoice of the world. It represents joy and sensuality, vitality, creativity, and ecstatic feelings. Our ability for accomplishment on emotional level and our relationships reflect the flow of energy of this chakra. Respecting others; benefiting from creative faculties; self-dedicated, shows genuine interest in all relationships.

“I rejoice of my own sexuality, to be a woman/man. I release my fears by confronting them, I am free from fears.”

ROOT CHAKRA

7. Give us this day our daily bread

This chakra is pulsating with bright red colour of vitality. Vitality glowing red flows from the earth and unites with us. Basic security, as firm ground under our feet, and survival in life are linked to this chakra. It is our connection with the physical world, our body, this planet, and primordial force and energy it brings along. Initiating things, action and ability to accomplish or finish things reflect the flow of energy in root chakra. All is one – ground the spirit with your body; accept yourself and work lovingly on physical level.

“I love earth, I love and accept the present moment as it is, and I know I have power and ability to change it if necessary; I am safe; I am taken care of.”

 Chakra Alignment through the Lord's Prayer

Edgar Cayce's chakra meditation using the Lord's Prayer

The Art of Meditation: The Lord's Prayer

The Lord's Prayer as a universal formula

TRINITY

 Church Father Origen , in his work De Principiis, writes that in Christianity there are statements of Faith that must be believed in order to attain Salvation, and then there are such that can be debated upon. He starts his study of the necessary statements with trinitarian persons. Several Creeds of the Early Church tell us about development of the doctrine of the Trinity.

 Is there Trinity in the Old Testament? St. Augustine interpreted Genesis 1 so that Christ and the Holy Spirit participated in Creation through the Word of God and the Spirit of God. Also before the Fall man was Imago Trinitatis, who loved the Lord with all his heart, and with all his soul, and with all his mind.

 In Genesis 18, Abraham and Sarah had three visitors near the great trees of Mamre. First it is said, "The Lord appeared", and then Abraham... "saw three men standing nearby". Sometimes he seems to talk to one person, and then three persons. This schene is depicted in a famous icon of the Trinity by Andrei Rublev, around 1410. Three men have been portrayed as the most important Archangels, Gabriel, Raphael, and Michael. 

Robert A. Powell explains how the three Patriarchs, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, each represent one quality of the Trinity: Abraham, perspective of the Father, impulse of founding; Isaac, perspective of the Son, impulse of sacrifice; Jacob, perspective of the Holy Spirit, impulse of fulfilling the purpose through the sacrifice. The Old Testament is the Testament of the Father, the New Testament is the Testament of the Son, and the Book of Revelation is the Testament of the Holy Spirit.

When Jesus was baptised in river Jordan, a voice came from heaven calling him His Son, and a Spirit descended on him like a dove. The Great Commission in Matthew 28, "go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit" has not been proven to be later addition in original text. In 2 Cor.13:14 St. Paul says, "May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all." And in Gal.4:6 he says, "Because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, 'Abba, Father.'" In the Gospel according to John, a doctrine of the Trinity is present more perfected than in any other book of the New Testament.

Surprisingly perhaps, Trinity is present even in the Lord's Prayer. "Our Father" is evident without explanation, but the next phrase, "hallowed be your name", refers to Jesus Christ, for "God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name." (Phil.2:9) The third phrase, "your kingdom come", refers to the Holy Spirit, for "the kingdom of God is within you" (Luke 17:21) and "your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you..." (1 Cor.6:19) In fact, in  some old manuscripts this part reads, "your Holy Spirit come"! So we are not calling just our heavenly Father, but also Christ Jesus to be with us and the blessings of the Holy Spirit. Again in the doxology ("For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours now and for ever"), which is later addition but perfectly in place, we see three as one: the Kingdom, material aspect of the manifestation; the Power, one life force using material appearances and working through them; and the Glory, perfect result of this union. 
In the teachings of the late Holy Order of MANS, the law of prayer is shown in a graphical form like this:

                      

                                                                                                  

                                             FATHER                    SON

                                                         HOLY SPIRIT

 

"When you contacted the Father, you were at the uppermost point of this triangle, marked "Father." When you asked for what you wanted, you moved your consciousness from the "Father" point of the triangle to the "Son" point of the triangle. When you received that for which you asked, this is shown in the motion from the "Son" through the "Holy Spirit"--the third point of the triangle."

Theophilus of Antioch, the 6th Bishop of the Church of Antioch after the apostles, according to Eusebius, seems to be the first thinker, who formed the classical concept of the Threefold God - Fatherhood, Intelligence (Logos), and Wisdom. God as the Father in eternity gives birth to His Logos or His Son, and the Holy Spirit as Wisdom is the integrative link between the two. Tertullian in turn was the first one to use a term "Trinity" - tres personae in una substantia - Three persons in one divine being. In culture of Antiquity, idea of unity of the Three was commonly known model of thought.

A concept of the Trinity is not restricted to Christianity. An average Westerner thinks about whole pantheon of gods and goddesses in relation with Hindu religion, but beyond these there exists Brahman, the One and the Only One, the Soul of the World, from which every manifestation emanates. It is the Absolute Oneness of the opposites, that no man can comprehend, and it can be described only by saying, "it is not this and it is not that". Meister Eckhart, a Christian Mystic, also believed in the One and Undiveded Essence of Godhead behind the Trinity, which he often characterized by German word, Grunt, meaning earth, soil, ground. It also corresponds to the ideas of Philo of Alexandria, Jewish philosopher and contemporary of Jesus, who had a great influence on early Church Fathers.

In Hindu philosophy, the Highest Being can be seen in different aspects, as Trimurti. Brahma (without n) is a creative aspect, like the Father, a cosmic mind. Vishnu is preserving aspect, like the Son, a cosmic Lord. Shiva is a destroyer of the bad things for renewal of the universe, like the Holy Spirit, a trancendent Godhead.

Hindu tradition also knows philosophical concept called "saccidananda"; Late Upanishads suggest that Brahman can be defined by three concepts - "sat", existence; "cit", concsiousness or intelligence; "ananda", bliss. Keshub Chandra Sen (1838-1884) was probably the first one to unite this idea with the Christian Trinity: the Father is Sat, the very existence, the infinite God. The Son is emanated from the Father, and He is the Logos penetrating the whole Creation, Cit. In His Son God descends to the bottom of humanity. The Holy Spirit raises humanity to heaven. The Holy Spirit is Ananda, the Comforter of the New Testament. (Here I owe thanks to Jyri Komulainen and his book Guru Jeesus; Tutkielma hindulaisuudesta ja kristinuskosta - "Guru Jesus; Study of Hinduism and Christianity", published in Finland 2006 )

Vengal Chakkarai (1880-1958), an Indian theologian, saw the Holy Spirit as the Spirit of Christ or even "Jesus himself". Jesus Christ is incarnation of God, and the Holy Spirit is incarnation of Jesus Christ in human experience. For Chakkarai, Pentecost is the third phase of incarnation after the birth and resurrection of Jesus.  Instead of Jesus of history, Chakkarai places in the centre a "Spiritual Christ", present as a spirit. The Holy Spirit works silently as "inner dweller", and makes Christ present in the heart of the faithful.

Jung Young Lee, Korean theologian living in the United States, sees the oriental concept of Yin and Yang to help to represent the Trinity better than western theology. The Holy Spirit is the spirit of change, it is Yin, receptive. The Change (Creater, Father) is Yin or Spirit in relation to the Word (Son) or the centre of the creative force and process, which is Yang. Spirit is Yin, receptive to God's manifesting and saving activity, and the Creater-God is Yang in relation to Spirit, Yin. On the other hand, Spirit-Yin is the Word-Yang, and vice versa, because they both are participants in Change or Creater. All the time there is movement from unity to plurality, from one to three, and vice versa. Splitting of the unity and unifying of the splitted.
The word Tao (Way) is used in Chinese translation of the Gospel according to John, "in the beginning there was Tao", and thus it also echoes the words "I am the way, and the truth, and the life". Tao existed before the universe, as immutable first principle, forefather of all that exists, through which everything came forth, or as Laozi said, "Tao gave birth to one, one has given birth to two, two to three, and three to all the creatures."
The word Qi, referring to life force in Chinese philosophy, meaning the Breath of Life, has been used as translation for the Holy Spirit by Chinese theologian, Chang Ch’un-shen. 


Sadhu Sundar Singh, Indian convert to Christianity, had many visions, and once he was caught up to the third heaven, like Paul, and he was looking around and asked "Where is God?" He was answered that God was as much visible as on earth, since God is infinite, but Christ was there and Christ is God, image of the invisible God in heaven and on earth. And sadhu tells us how he saw like waves of light and peace streaming from Christ through the saints and angels, as if a warm water refreshing trees, and he understood that it was the Holy Spirit. 


St. Patrick used a shamrock to explain the Trinity, three equal sized leaves sticked together. We can think about water, which maintains its chemical identity whether it is in a form of liquid, or ice, or steam. When Christ unites the divine and human natures in unity of his person, he shows the distance between the Father and the Son, and how it is defeated through individual person, the Holy Spirit. Jesus is constantly living in relation to the Father, through the Spirit. Father is the principle, Jesus is an instrument of the Father, and the Spirit is the motive force of the Father. In the Act of Consecration of Man - the Mass of The Christian Community, my denomination - we repeatedly hear: "The Father God be in us, the Son God create in us, the Spirit God enlighten us." And also: "Let it be through You, who carry and organize life of the world, as You receive it from the Father and heal by the Holy Spirit in all following aeons." (These are my translations, not the official ones!)

WORD AND LIGHT

We walk on the road with Jesus Christ (Lk.24) and He talks to us (gospel), making our hearts burning within us like a coal in a censer, as our prayers rise with a smoke (offering); He comes in and abides with us (transsubstantiation), and finally we are at the table with Him and we go to the world as His messengers (Communion).

Through the four phases of the Act of Consecration, we are led from receiving to giving, but constantly staying active within. Participants appear to sit still just observing, but it's not mere stillnes of meditation, when people sink deeply into their own inner being, finding their true essence and strengthening the Self; It is more like common prayer, since prayer is about devotion, not words repeated aloud - and in prayer man is expanding outwards until he loses himself meeting the One greater than himself and completely the Other. In Him we are all One.
From the depth of our souls we gather little pieces of eternal value - that which is gold among the led of lower nature - lifting our hearts up to heaven with this treasure. Together we form a cup of human community. Thus a new force poured into this cup may help us to transform more of our nature to gold. Ultimately, each of us is a chalice: New wine into new wineskins.

Through the meeting with Christ as that timeless stream from Golgotha reaches us in time - provided that we are ready and willing to receive it (for instance in sacraments) - our innermost being is awakened. It will be in us "as well of water springing up into everlasting life" (Jh.4). Whoever drinks this water will never thirst. But this world offers us only the wine vinegar to drink. On the Mount of Olives Jesus prayed: "Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done" (Lk.22:42). This is the true spirit of prayer! Jesus drank the cup til the last bitter drop. Yet we are promised in the Psalm 23 that "my cup overflows" when I'm at a table in the presence of my "enemies" - my fears and worries etc. - and my head will be anointed with oil, with the sign of the Risen Lord! Once you grow in spirit, this growth in one aspect of your nature will flow to other cups too!

Fr. Anthony de Mello points out that with the Communion bread everybody receives the whole Christ - I receive the whole Christ, you receive the whole Christ, so does the one next to you and so on. So great is His love!
When Jesus during His ministry repeatedly had supper with people, only requiement for joining the company was to accept HIM at the table! He as a host surely welcomes all!
Communion is the true Mystery of the Bridal Chamber, foretaste of the Wedding of the Lamb, when soul as the Bride meets her heavenly Bridegroom.
As my body is the temple of the Holy Spirit - the Christ in me - so we are members of the Body of Christ; we are the Church. Kingdom of God is both within us and amidst of us. In Jesus Christ God incarnated, through the Holy Spirit Christ dwells in us. As He came in human form 2000 years ago in Palestine, so He comes again and again today in Consecrated elements of bread and wine, nourishing our inner man.

Several times in the gospels we are told "Behold!", and "He that hath an ear, let him hear" and Psalmist also says "Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good." We have tasted the good word of God (Heb.6:5). We meet a piece of heaven here on earth provided that we're open for it.
Someone said the Lord's Prayer is a gospel in a nutshell. With these words we are offering the fullness of our heart and soul - our devotion and worship - to Godhead. By prayer we can't change God; Instead, God will change us, even if it is so subtle we don't see it. What we receive through this prayer is really a "Communion of the Mystical Bread"..."Daily bread", artos epiousios or panem supersubstantialem as the Vulgate translates, is supersubstancial bread: That's how many early Church Fathers interpreted the sentence, that's how the Cathars understood it, that's how Pekka Ervast explains in his book "The Sermon on the Mount or the Key to Christianity". It's obvious once you take a closer look at the gospel according to Matthew, chapter 6: Soon after giving His prayer, Jesus says: "Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what you shall drink"..."For your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you."
It is the presence of Christ Himself - "I am the Bread". It is Grace (or love), charis - charismata as the gifts of the Holy Spirit. The Catholics acknowledge the act of spiritual communion beside the Mass - but never without.

Now we may understand that the Lord's Prayer is said in the Act of Consecration - as well as in any liturgy - right after transsubstantiation, in the beginning of Communion, and why I like to think of it as Sacrament! Mind is a priest and heart is an altar, as Kahlil Gibran wrote, as we pray "in spirit and in truth" - that is, by the power of spirit and understanding the truth (of what we are praying for). One of the names Jesus gave to the Holy Spirit, is the Spirit of Truth. Big heart and open mind is what we need.
The heart of man is supposed to be the spiritual Sun (the "Sun" of God) - the centre of his being - and his mind, his intellect, was meant to reflect its light just like the moon. Otherwise, if it rebels against the heart as often seems to be the case, mind will become Lucifer with its false light misguiding us. "You are the light of the world"..."If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!" (Mt.5:14, 6:23)

In Scripture, word and light go together; The first thing God said, was "Let there be light" - "and there was light." Along with this creative fiat light comes forth from the very essence of Godhead, which is light itself. St. Luke tells us that when the angel of the Lord appeared before the shepherds in the field to bring them the good news of the newborn Messiah, "the glory of the Lord shone round about them." This glory is doxa in Greek - a word used of the presence of God in the Scripture (as in the doxology of the Lord's Prayer!): "The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth" (John 1:14). Remember the golden radiant sphere depicted in icons round the heads of the holy men and women of God: They glorify God! In Eastern Orthodox tradition, so called theosis or deification of man, has mostly as outward characteristic a phenomenon of light - enlightment, transfiguration. This light was seen by the holy people in prayer, it was not merely symbolical nor sensory perception. It was the light that shone forth from Christ as He was transfigured and it will light the whole world on the day of judgement. St. Paul also witnessed the light on his way to Damascus. According to Origen, once a mystic takes his final step to unio mystica, when he's united with God, he participates with the light of Logos.

Like a breastplate of the High Priest with engraved gem stones, once memorized, we shall keep the words of the Lord's Prayer upon our heart, each word as a precious stone shining in the Christ-light. Like jewels in all the colors of the rainbow in the golden plate, the Lord's Prayer consists of the full splendor of Christianity.
Prayer by prayer, we are building heavenly city, the New Jerusalem, which will descend from above; "And its brilliance was like that of very precious jewelry"..."And the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp" (Rev.21:11, 23). "Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see" (Heb.11:1): By prayer, we do invisible work, for words are works; "As above, so below" - "as in heavens, so also on earth". Spirit to matter.
Christ Jesus gave us the words of the Lord's Prayer, He is praying for us, with us, and in us; in fact, He is in every word of the Prayer. - After all, He is the Word of God!
"And God said, let there be light" (Gen.1:3).
"In the beginning was the Word" (John 1:1).
"Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life" (John 6:68).
"If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you" (John 15:7).
"Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away" (Mt.24:35).
"The Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express" (Romans 8:26).
"God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, "Abba, Father" (Gal.4:6).
"For all the promises of God in Him are yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God through us" (2 Cor.1:20).
"[God] Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, when he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds; who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high..." (Hebr.1:2-3).
He is "Alpha and Omega" (Rev.1:11) and "the Amen, the faithful and true witness" (Rev.3:14).

No doubt the prayer is the highest form of human speech: In prayer we address God and at best we're completely selfless. Our will is the will of God in action. God's voice is made audible through human voice. "For thine is"... I can't do anything of myself, without God; "The kingdom": The substance of all the realms; "The power": One Life Force that penetrates the worlds; "The glory": Final result, fully perfected, divine being; "For ever and ever": If we only worry for material things, we don't store up for ourselves treasures in heaven - that which is eternal; "Amen": Signature and seal. The church pleads "So shall it be" and God confirms "It shall be so." The word came through Egypt originally from Sanskrit: AUM or OM - and represents the creative fiat, Logos.

Christian writing from the first century says that "Christians are for the world same as soul is for the body". Christ the Sun-Spirit is the Higher Self of the earth. Bread and wine being the true body and blood of Christ, we bear the spiritual homeopathy along with us unto the world, as Emil Bock writes in his book, "The Three years".
"I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world" (John 6:51).
Christ-impulse will grow through us, expanding all over the world!

Pekka Ervast: The Prayer of Jesus (translated into English by Marko)

Our Father, who live in heavens of our hearts and conscience, You who are the immortal goodness which is hidden in the innermost deepness of our spirit,

May Your name be hallowed, so that we would love nothing more than You, that we wouldn't humbly bow before anything else but Your voice in our conscience,
May Your kingdom come close, so that all the nations would recognize the power of Your love to be their only ruler, and that day by day would grow the number of those people who see in You their only Father and who know they are Your Sons in eternity,
And may Your will be done on earth as in heaven, so that we - the children of Your spirit who hear Your voice in heavens of our hearts - would fulfill the commandments of Your will in our life on earth,
Give us this day our daily Bread, let such things occure also today, that will remind us of You when we in our bodily weakness forget You,
So that in our heart we would never forget to forgive all weaknesses of our brothers and all those sorrows they bring to us, so that we would also feel in our spirit the forgiving force of Your mercy poured out upon us,
And lead us not into temptation, to choose between the two that both seem good to us,
But deliver us from evil, so that we might always see Your will and our way clear ahead and would not go astray by getting caught on those traps that life in a body throws before our feet by the names of hatred, unjustity, thoughtlessness, violence and bitterness in thoughts, words and works,
For Yours is the kingdom, and the power also on earth, so that we can't escape from payback of our deeds, but we may reap what we sow, so that through the phases of our own life we would be awakened to realize that Your will be done not ours,
But also glory is Yours in eternity, oh Father, For when You let Yourself be known to us, then all is peace and joy and forgiveness, then we live in Your bliss, then our smallness will go away possessed by Your infinity. Amen.

From the booklet "Salainen Oppi" ja muita kirjoituksia - "The Secret Doctrine" and other writings.

Supernatural Life

REIKI
I am a Reiki practisener; I completed the second degree in Usui System of Natural Healing (Usui Shiki Ryoho) already in 1994. Before that I read a book about healing and tested its teachings with a friend of mine - with powerful results. On Reiki courses I also had impressive experiences of healing energy. However, I gave up Reiki for several years while being a member of Lectorium Rosicrucianum: Healing, among other things, was seen harmful.
When I started again, I immadiately felt like being in a "flow of life". In fact, when channelling Reiki, I get the same blessed feeling as I have while praying! That is the most important proof that I'm in touch with God! When I pray I love God with all my heart and with all my soul and with all my mind and with all my strenght - just reflecting His love towards me back to Him.
I think Reiki is pure, divine love flowing through me. My hands are the hands of Christ. Reiki is unique laying on of hands method, because you can do it to yourself, too. I think that's the most significant aspect of Reiki: To treat yourself is to love yourself; love begins at home before it can expand to neighbors, and the source of all Love is God who first has loved us.
I always start my Reiki sessions with prayer, "Your Will, Lord, not mine" - in the name of The Father, The Son, and The Holy Spirit, making the sign of the cross (head, heart, hands - through which Reiki flows). I also use Reiki to bless food. As a christian it has been good to find christian Reiki sites on the Web and see that I'm not alone.
As a Reiki practisoner I'm puritanist: Usui Shiki Ryoho is enough for me. Since 1994 it seems to me that Reiki field has "gone wild": new sub-categories of Reiki have appeared abundantly. Would you like to receive distant Reiki? I just need your name and location.

PRAYER
For years I've had a regular time of the day for prayer, a home altar, and certain rituals: I light a candle and incense sticks, and read "Meditative Prayers for today" by Adam Bittleston, English priest of The Christian Community. I think about my friends, family etc. Finally I say the Lord's Prayer aloud. This is my way. Prayer is such a personal matter that each individual must create his own methods. Of course all those forms are basically unnecessary, but if they help to create the right atmosphere, why not? Steady time and place increase the power of prayer - it's like building an invisible Temple day by day. Prayer is answered immadiately by the Presence of Christ. This is the only answer I'm expecting. We must pray "in spirit and truth" - by the power of Spirit and understanding the truth.
Intercessory prayer is the way to apply the Golden Rule in practise: Prayer for another person (even an enemy) is the deed of love. Neighbourly love is not a feeling - you don't need to like everybody - it is impersonal good will expressed in action. For me that has been a good lesson to learn. Do you need a prayer?

MEDITATION
I used to meditate every morning and every evening - even for an hour! Nowadays I miss meditation but haven't found enough will power to do it on daily basis. 15 minutes a day would be enough. When you pray you talk to God, when you meditate you listen to God. You talk to God above and listen to God within.

WORSHIP
Weekly Mass is the central point of my life. From Sunday morning this stream of the Vital Light-Blood of Christ's Radiant Love carries me along to my everyday life. It is the beating heart of the sacramental life of the community, from the heart of the Altar, from the heart of Christ. The Aim of the Service is to change the world. It happens through people who receive the transformed elements of bread and wine. I live along the Service and it is living in me: I am in Christ and Christ is in me.
We were born of God but God gave us the free will and in freedom we have walked a long way alienating from our Origin. Freely we must also turn to Him again and give ourselves to Him. This is our sacrifice.
The Influence of the Mass continues during the week as the Supersubstantial Bread in the Sacrament of the Lord's Prayer, which is also said in The Mass. Blessing received in both cases is based on the same fact of the Real Presence of Christ. In Communion He's just more present because He becomes flesh and blood in Bread and Wine and once consumed, the food becomes one essence with an eater.
Thus Christ Jesus has truly joined human race by blood bond and entered down to the very core of earth itself. He is our older Brother, Higher Self of the earth, working mystically in each human soul and cosmically in the universe.
No matter what one may think about Opus Dei and its founder, Josemaría Escrivá, but he has said some wise words: "'Not by bread alone does man live, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God', said our Lord. Bread and word! Host and prayer. Otherwise, you will not live a supernatural life."