Friday, October 19, 2007
Thursday, October 18, 2007
Thursday, March 1, 2007
Bartleby. Song of Songs 2:1-17
11 For, lo, the winter is past,
the rain is over and gone;
12 the flowers appear on the earth;
the time of the singing of birds is come, and the voice of the turtle is heard in our land;
13 the fig tree putteth forth her green figs,
and the vines with the tender grape give a good smell.
Arise, my love, my fair one, and come away.
Well said, I couldn't have said it better. The mysterious speaker urges his 'love', an adressee that has just as well remained a mystery to all sorts of interpreters, to get out of prison, it seems. It's time to run as the deer runs, and be thou like a roe or a young hart, and get out of prison. There seem to be two or three main roles, and they urge one another to get out of prison. Or there may a collective stronger in numbers, threescore, fourscore or more. Some seem to have tried to break in and seek the prisoners, the watchmen have gave them a lesson, though. (It may sound comical but it isn't. Or they were to break out, it isn't clear at all. If it wasn't Solomon I would think some idiot was joking. Not very practical, is it. Very probably intentionally veiled too.) However, they are unsuccesful. As a result, they get sick. It says sick of love, but that would be the obvious meaning everybody initiated into the 'mysteries' of St. Valentine's day and, to begin with, content to remain in prison, could understand.
That's some things logical thinking can produce. Psychological method sees more. One thing is: we've got superb form here that flawlessly conveys an emotion that is seldom found elsewhere. (That would be an example of a simple statement that nonetheless cannot be made by the logical method.)
The esoteric level would then see infinitely more. Let's imagein somebody who is Awake reads this. He sees everything connected with everything, a fullness that nobody can describe. And yet this is created/described in the Song of Songs.
Remarks. Well, how about some experimenting with it, in order to suck out some practical instruction? Hm, daughters of Jerusalem...: don't urge people out of prison as long they like it? Hey Bible there! How about instructing - apart from daughters from Jerusalem, those who want to, how to get out of prison, eh? It's impossible that the enlightened authors of the Bible hadn't left hints behind. It's also not likely they had left them in a manner that enables the watchmen to read and understand it. Must read more carefully next time, I guess. Also, don't ask prison watchmen about love, that much is clear. (Want to get sick, eh? What about some extra bruise? No, you don't.) The hint says: just do it. How?! Just do it. Be free. Wow. So it's not an escape from Alcatraz? No? Just like that? "Be like a hart"... "But how???!!! I am in pri..." "Shut up. It is not written for fools anyway. Just do it." "Yeah well, do WHAT? And WITHOUT 19 companions?" "It's all there. Can't you even read? It's your problem if you make it all look like a commercial." Also, it is the first time fig tree is seen doing something, it says it putteth forth her figs. Wow. Just as vines give a good smell and fig tree puts forth its fruit and birds sing, some people are called to their task of arising and coming away. Hmm... I know: bye bye. See? I'm gone.
the rain is over and gone;
12 the flowers appear on the earth;
the time of the singing of birds is come, and the voice of the turtle is heard in our land;
13 the fig tree putteth forth her green figs,
and the vines with the tender grape give a good smell.
Arise, my love, my fair one, and come away.
Well said, I couldn't have said it better. The mysterious speaker urges his 'love', an adressee that has just as well remained a mystery to all sorts of interpreters, to get out of prison, it seems. It's time to run as the deer runs, and be thou like a roe or a young hart, and get out of prison. There seem to be two or three main roles, and they urge one another to get out of prison. Or there may a collective stronger in numbers, threescore, fourscore or more. Some seem to have tried to break in and seek the prisoners, the watchmen have gave them a lesson, though. (It may sound comical but it isn't. Or they were to break out, it isn't clear at all. If it wasn't Solomon I would think some idiot was joking. Not very practical, is it. Very probably intentionally veiled too.) However, they are unsuccesful. As a result, they get sick. It says sick of love, but that would be the obvious meaning everybody initiated into the 'mysteries' of St. Valentine's day and, to begin with, content to remain in prison, could understand.
That's some things logical thinking can produce. Psychological method sees more. One thing is: we've got superb form here that flawlessly conveys an emotion that is seldom found elsewhere. (That would be an example of a simple statement that nonetheless cannot be made by the logical method.)
The esoteric level would then see infinitely more. Let's imagein somebody who is Awake reads this. He sees everything connected with everything, a fullness that nobody can describe. And yet this is created/described in the Song of Songs.
Remarks. Well, how about some experimenting with it, in order to suck out some practical instruction? Hm, daughters of Jerusalem...: don't urge people out of prison as long they like it? Hey Bible there! How about instructing - apart from daughters from Jerusalem, those who want to, how to get out of prison, eh? It's impossible that the enlightened authors of the Bible hadn't left hints behind. It's also not likely they had left them in a manner that enables the watchmen to read and understand it. Must read more carefully next time, I guess. Also, don't ask prison watchmen about love, that much is clear. (Want to get sick, eh? What about some extra bruise? No, you don't.) The hint says: just do it. How?! Just do it. Be free. Wow. So it's not an escape from Alcatraz? No? Just like that? "Be like a hart"... "But how???!!! I am in pri..." "Shut up. It is not written for fools anyway. Just do it." "Yeah well, do WHAT? And WITHOUT 19 companions?" "It's all there. Can't you even read? It's your problem if you make it all look like a commercial." Also, it is the first time fig tree is seen doing something, it says it putteth forth her figs. Wow. Just as vines give a good smell and fig tree puts forth its fruit and birds sing, some people are called to their task of arising and coming away. Hmm... I know: bye bye. See? I'm gone.
Sunday, February 25, 2007
Sunday, February 11, 2007
Kings 18, 19
Here's what the prophet said:
19:20 Then Isaiah the son of Amoz sent to Hezekiah, saying, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, That which thou hast prayed to me against Sennacherib king of Assyria I have heard.
19:21 This is the word that the LORD hath spoken concerning him; The virgin the daughter of Zion hath despised thee, and laughed thee to scorn; the daughter of Jerusalem hath shaken her head at thee.
19:22 Whom hast thou reproached and blasphemed? and against whom hast thou exalted thy voice, and lifted up thine eyes on high? even against the Holy One of Israel.
19:23 By thy messengers thou hast reproached the LORD, and hast said, With the multitude of my chariots I am come up to the height of the mountains, to the sides of Lebanon, and will cut down the tall cedar trees thereof, and the choice fir trees thereof: and I will enter into the lodgings of his borders, and into the forest of his Carmel.
19:24 I have digged and drunk strange waters, and with the sole of my feet have I dried up all the rivers of besieged places.
19:25 Hast thou not heard long ago how I have done it, and of ancient times that I have formed it? now have I brought it to pass, that thou shouldest be to lay waste fenced cities into ruinous heaps.
19:26 Therefore their inhabitants were of small power, they were dismayed and confounded; they were as the grass of the field, and as the green herb, as the grass on the house tops, and as corn blasted before it be grown up.
19:27 But I know thy abode, and thy going out, and thy coming in, and thy rage against me.
19:28 Because thy rage against me and thy tumult is come up into mine ears, therefore I will put my hook in thy nose, and my bridle in thy lips, and I will turn thee back by the way by which thou camest.
19:29 And this shall be a sign unto thee, Ye shall eat this year such things as grow of themselves, and in the second year that which springeth of the same; and in the third year sow ye, and reap, and plant vineyards, and eat the fruits thereof.
19:30 And the remnant that is escaped of the house of Judah shall yet again take root downward, and bear fruit upward.
19:31 For out of Jerusalem shall go forth a remnant, and they that escape out of mount Zion: the zeal of the LORD of hosts shall do this.
19:32 Therefore thus saith the LORD concerning the king of Assyria, He shall not come into this city, nor shoot an arrow there, nor come before it with shield, nor cast a bank against it.
19:33 By the way that he came, by the same shall he return, and shall not come into this city, saith the LORD.
19:34 For I will defend this city, to save it, for mine own sake, and for my servant David's sake.
Here's what happened:
19:35 And it came to pass that night, that the angel of the LORD went out, and smote in the camp of the Assyrians an hundred fourscore and five thousand: and when they arose early in the morning, behold, they were all dead corpses.
19:36 So Sennacherib king of Assyria departed, and went and returned, and dwelt at Nineveh.
19:37 And it came to pass, as he was worshipping in the house of Nisroch his god, that Adrammelech and Sharezer his sons smote him with the sword: and they escaped into the land of Armenia. And Esarhaddon his son reigned in his stead.
Well, that's economy of the early biblical style, I guess... not much screwing around, only what they said and what they did. The rest is for the reader to elaborate. The living God, the angel of the LORD, the prophet, Hezekiah, the enemy, those who are crushed by the enemy. The angel hasn't created heaven and earth but still has somewhat omnipotent reach reagarding doing. Prophet's role is transparent; when he speaks on LORD's behalf the LORD speaks. Regarding knowing, the prophet is incomprehensibly adept. Hezekiah has a connection to the LORD - what he did was right in LORD's eyes. Hezekiah demonstrates a great deal of courage. He's probably got other qualities (that make him a king to begin with). His weakness is having no ears to hear, therefore, at this point the prophet must help. The enemy is doubt, and perishes, because of having wrong connection. The 'god' of the enemy is an idol, which can do nothing and knows nothing, but still has the power to disable real connection. Apparently the enemy does not know who he is dealing with. Although the end of the story shows it is less than nothing, ultimately its power is an illusion, it has a strange tendency to try to overpower the living in faith and rule over them. It's the old "follow me and all that, water, figs etc. - the highest well-being you are able to imagine - shall be yours". (Using concepts-pool of NT helps us dispel confusion a lot.)
Judah, at the note FA, is safe from personal difficulty that MI the note of multiplicity, among other things, is a symbol of.
19:20 Then Isaiah the son of Amoz sent to Hezekiah, saying, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, That which thou hast prayed to me against Sennacherib king of Assyria I have heard.
19:21 This is the word that the LORD hath spoken concerning him; The virgin the daughter of Zion hath despised thee, and laughed thee to scorn; the daughter of Jerusalem hath shaken her head at thee.
19:22 Whom hast thou reproached and blasphemed? and against whom hast thou exalted thy voice, and lifted up thine eyes on high? even against the Holy One of Israel.
19:23 By thy messengers thou hast reproached the LORD, and hast said, With the multitude of my chariots I am come up to the height of the mountains, to the sides of Lebanon, and will cut down the tall cedar trees thereof, and the choice fir trees thereof: and I will enter into the lodgings of his borders, and into the forest of his Carmel.
19:24 I have digged and drunk strange waters, and with the sole of my feet have I dried up all the rivers of besieged places.
19:25 Hast thou not heard long ago how I have done it, and of ancient times that I have formed it? now have I brought it to pass, that thou shouldest be to lay waste fenced cities into ruinous heaps.
19:26 Therefore their inhabitants were of small power, they were dismayed and confounded; they were as the grass of the field, and as the green herb, as the grass on the house tops, and as corn blasted before it be grown up.
19:27 But I know thy abode, and thy going out, and thy coming in, and thy rage against me.
19:28 Because thy rage against me and thy tumult is come up into mine ears, therefore I will put my hook in thy nose, and my bridle in thy lips, and I will turn thee back by the way by which thou camest.
19:29 And this shall be a sign unto thee, Ye shall eat this year such things as grow of themselves, and in the second year that which springeth of the same; and in the third year sow ye, and reap, and plant vineyards, and eat the fruits thereof.
19:30 And the remnant that is escaped of the house of Judah shall yet again take root downward, and bear fruit upward.
19:31 For out of Jerusalem shall go forth a remnant, and they that escape out of mount Zion: the zeal of the LORD of hosts shall do this.
19:32 Therefore thus saith the LORD concerning the king of Assyria, He shall not come into this city, nor shoot an arrow there, nor come before it with shield, nor cast a bank against it.
19:33 By the way that he came, by the same shall he return, and shall not come into this city, saith the LORD.
19:34 For I will defend this city, to save it, for mine own sake, and for my servant David's sake.
Here's what happened:
19:35 And it came to pass that night, that the angel of the LORD went out, and smote in the camp of the Assyrians an hundred fourscore and five thousand: and when they arose early in the morning, behold, they were all dead corpses.
19:36 So Sennacherib king of Assyria departed, and went and returned, and dwelt at Nineveh.
19:37 And it came to pass, as he was worshipping in the house of Nisroch his god, that Adrammelech and Sharezer his sons smote him with the sword: and they escaped into the land of Armenia. And Esarhaddon his son reigned in his stead.
Well, that's economy of the early biblical style, I guess... not much screwing around, only what they said and what they did. The rest is for the reader to elaborate. The living God, the angel of the LORD, the prophet, Hezekiah, the enemy, those who are crushed by the enemy. The angel hasn't created heaven and earth but still has somewhat omnipotent reach reagarding doing. Prophet's role is transparent; when he speaks on LORD's behalf the LORD speaks. Regarding knowing, the prophet is incomprehensibly adept. Hezekiah has a connection to the LORD - what he did was right in LORD's eyes. Hezekiah demonstrates a great deal of courage. He's probably got other qualities (that make him a king to begin with). His weakness is having no ears to hear, therefore, at this point the prophet must help. The enemy is doubt, and perishes, because of having wrong connection. The 'god' of the enemy is an idol, which can do nothing and knows nothing, but still has the power to disable real connection. Apparently the enemy does not know who he is dealing with. Although the end of the story shows it is less than nothing, ultimately its power is an illusion, it has a strange tendency to try to overpower the living in faith and rule over them. It's the old "follow me and all that, water, figs etc. - the highest well-being you are able to imagine - shall be yours". (Using concepts-pool of NT helps us dispel confusion a lot.)
Judah, at the note FA, is safe from personal difficulty that MI the note of multiplicity, among other things, is a symbol of.
Hezekiah the king is the pivotal element of the plot; the title says, after all, The Book of Kings. Let's study this for a moment.
At first, he gets himself into 3rd state of consciousness, symbollized by going into the Temple, and asks from another person for what his own ears cannot yet supply. The king knows which of his 'I's can do it.
19:1 And it came to pass, when king Hezekiah heard it, that he rent his clothes, and covered himself with sackcloth, and went into the house of the LORD.
19:2 And he sent Eliakim, which was over the household, and Shebna the scribe, and the elders of the priests, covered with sackcloth, to Isaiah the prophet the son of Amoz.
19:3 And they said unto him, Thus saith Hezekiah, This day is a day of trouble, and of rebuke, and blasphemy; for the children are come to the birth, and there is not strength to bring forth.
19:4 It may be the LORD thy God will hear all the words of Rabshakeh, whom the king of Assyria his master hath sent to reproach the living God; and will reprove the words which the LORD thy God hath heard: wherefore lift up thy prayer for the remnant that are left.
19:5 So the servants of king Hezekiah came to Isaiah.
19:6 And Isaiah said unto them, Thus shall ye say to your master, Thus saith the LORD, Be not afraid of the words which thou hast heard, with which the servants of the king of Assyria have blasphemed me.
19:7 Behold, I will send a blast upon him, and he shall hear a rumor, and shall return to his own land; and I will cause him to fall by the sword in his own land.
Next, hovering over the dubious MI-FA interval - I can almost hear certain voices who belong to those whose chief feature seems to be lack of humility, sayin, Yeah, the guy was surely gettin some friction - he needs reassurance, and turns directly 'upwards' and 'inwards', to the real I, to the LORD: It says that he prayed before the LORD. What really happens, more likely, is that something above the king is taking over...
19:14 And Hezekiah received the letter of the hand of the messengers, and read it: and Hezekiah went up into the house of the LORD, and spread it before the LORD.
19:15 And Hezekiah prayed before the LORD, and said, O LORD God of Israel, which dwellest between the cherubim, thou art the God, even thou alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth; thou hast made heaven and earth.
19:16 LORD, bow down thine ear, and hear: open, LORD, thine eyes, and see: and hear the words of Sennacherib, which hath sent him to reproach the living God.
19:17 Of a truth, LORD, the kings of Assyria have destroyed the nations and their lands,
19:18 And have cast their gods into the fire: for they were no gods, but the work of men's hands, wood and stone: therefore they have destroyed them.
19:19 Now therefore, O LORD our God, I beseech thee, save thou us out of his hand, that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that thou art the LORD God, even thou only.
This is sure a critical moment, and one of those, I suspect, that must not be thrown to the swine, to the dry intellectual analysis. I'll mention it in passing but won't claim I really get it with my ordinary power of reasoning, of course. Hezekiah has courage, faith, obedience. Wine, figs, olives, notes below FA, perhaps. But at the interval, all that seems to be insufficient? Is the lord blind, perhaps, or does not see? Or cannot do? (Hehe. Maybe, just maybe, thou sunday-school-boy, Hezekiah, your 'lord' was an idol, all the time. Hehe.) The need for reassurance, re-confirmation of what he already heard shows he is everything but self-confident, that much is clear. Nowadays we'd say that at first he positively sucks in (it was somewhat hard to believe that that's the way of putting it) what doubt suggests. That All the kingdoms of earth may know... outerly is not comprehensible easily, but psychologically the wish of man #4 to have dissembled, contradictory multiplicity influencenced and ruled centrally is evident. He has not got it, but he is becoming aware of what he needs. Rather unmerciful welcome to reality, yet... it is precisely what is needed to trigger doing. No doubt if one is not a 'king' one doesn't even get close to it. No sunday-school-boys do, for example.
An interesting building stone of the supplication is that the king is aware why the enemy has success with other kings and kingdoms. For they were no gods, but the work of man's hands.
Who was Hezekiah?
18:1 Now it came to pass in the third year of Hoshea son of Elah king of Israel, that Hezekiah the son of Ahaz king of Judah began to reign.
18:2 Twenty and five years old was he when he began to reign; and he reigned twenty and nine years in Jerusalem. His mother's name also was Abi, the daughter of Zachariah.
18:3 And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, according to all that David his father did.
18:4 He removed the high places, and brake the images, and cut down the groves, and brake in pieces the brazen serpent that Moses had made: for unto those days the children of Israel did burn incense to it: and he called it Nehushtan.
18:5 He trusted [faith] in the LORD God of Israel; so that after him was none like him among all the kings of Judah, nor any that were before him.
18:6 For he clave to the LORD, and departed not from following him, but kept his commandments, which the LORD commanded Moses.
18:7 And the LORD was with him; and he prospered whithersoever he went forth: and he rebelled against the king of Assyria, and served him not.
18:8 He smote the Philistines, even unto Gaza, and the borders thereof, from the tower of the watchmen to the fenced city.
Hezekiah the king can issue command to his 'I's: 18:36 But the people held their peace, and answered him [the enemy] not a word: for the king's commandment was, saying, Answer him not. That's a noteworthy difference between the king and his enemy, who thinks along diametrically opposite lines than the king, believing in power of words, being aware (the enemy is right here) that the opponent must be undermined 'psychologically' or not at all. It seems like innocent little tale, but nothing less than murder of the soul is attempted.
First of all, I don't want to forget (disrespectful or heretical to others, maybe, not to me) that, to me, Bible is also leather, that I have to make use of by making shoes. Shoes to run out of the prison of multiplicity of 'I's and lack of unity, lack of consciousness and will included. Maybe if one would see that if one has got the indicated depth(contents) and frequency and duration of prayer, it is going to produce doing (almost wrote "in Gudiffian sense" but its no time for too much kidding) in a very precise meaning of the word, albeit indirectly, it would be a lot already.
Another 'king' was successful at climbing a higher note. Temporarily or for ever? Judging by the page number, not yet definitely, not yet irrevocably...
Saturday, January 13, 2007
Online King James Version Bible. 1 Kings Ch 4:1-34
20
Judah and Israel were many, as the sand which is by the sea in multitude, eating and drinking, and making merry.
21
And Solomon reigned over all kingdoms from the river unto the land of the Philistines, and unto the border of Egypt: they brought presents, and served Solomon all the days of his life.
22
And Solomon's provision for one day was thirty measures of fine flour, and threescore measures of meal,
23
ten fat oxen, and twenty oxen out of the pastures, and a hundred sheep, besides harts, and roebucks, and fallow deer, and fatted fowl.
24
For he had dominion over all the region on this side the river, from Tiphsah even to Azzah, over all the kings on this side the river: and he had peace on all sides round about him.
25
And Judah and Israel dwelt safely, every man under his vine and under his fig tree, from Dan even to Beer–sheba, all the days of Solomon.
26
And Solomon had forty thousand stalls of horses for his chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen.
27
And those officers provided victuals for king Solomon, and for all that came unto king Solomon's table, every man in his month: they lacked nothing.
28
Barley also and straw for the horses and dromedaries brought they unto the place where the officers were, every man according to his charge.
29
And God gave Solomon wisdom and understanding exceeding much, and largeness of heart, even as the sand that is on the seashore.
30
And Solomon's wisdom excelled the wisdom of all the children of the east country, and all the wisdom of Egypt.
31
For he was wiser than all men; than Ethan the Ez'rahite, and Heman, and Chalcol, and Darda, the sons of Mahol: and his fame was in all nations round about.
32
And he spake three thousand proverbs: and his songs were a thousand and five.
33
And he spake of trees, from the cedar tree that is in Lebanon even unto the hyssop that springeth out of the wall: he spake also of beasts, and of fowl, and of creeping things, and of fishes.
34
And there came of all people to hear the wisdom of Solomon, from all kings of the earth, which had heard of his wisdom.
Judah and Israel were many, as the sand which is by the sea in multitude, eating and drinking, and making merry.
21
And Solomon reigned over all kingdoms from the river unto the land of the Philistines, and unto the border of Egypt: they brought presents, and served Solomon all the days of his life.
22
And Solomon's provision for one day was thirty measures of fine flour, and threescore measures of meal,
23
ten fat oxen, and twenty oxen out of the pastures, and a hundred sheep, besides harts, and roebucks, and fallow deer, and fatted fowl.
24
For he had dominion over all the region on this side the river, from Tiphsah even to Azzah, over all the kings on this side the river: and he had peace on all sides round about him.
25
And Judah and Israel dwelt safely, every man under his vine and under his fig tree, from Dan even to Beer–sheba, all the days of Solomon.
26
And Solomon had forty thousand stalls of horses for his chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen.
27
And those officers provided victuals for king Solomon, and for all that came unto king Solomon's table, every man in his month: they lacked nothing.
28
Barley also and straw for the horses and dromedaries brought they unto the place where the officers were, every man according to his charge.
29
And God gave Solomon wisdom and understanding exceeding much, and largeness of heart, even as the sand that is on the seashore.
30
And Solomon's wisdom excelled the wisdom of all the children of the east country, and all the wisdom of Egypt.
31
For he was wiser than all men; than Ethan the Ez'rahite, and Heman, and Chalcol, and Darda, the sons of Mahol: and his fame was in all nations round about.
32
And he spake three thousand proverbs: and his songs were a thousand and five.
33
And he spake of trees, from the cedar tree that is in Lebanon even unto the hyssop that springeth out of the wall: he spake also of beasts, and of fowl, and of creeping things, and of fishes.
34
And there came of all people to hear the wisdom of Solomon, from all kings of the earth, which had heard of his wisdom.
How did Solomon obtain such wisdom? For here something quite extraordinary is hinted at, there's even peace with neighbouring kingdoms. It is not wisdom in a sense that people want to hear what Solomon will say; no, it makes entire kingdom prosper, even. Sure, Solomon's father, king David, is a man of war, he is allowed to dwell in a tent, not excluding his worship - what he understands under 'religion' - from the predicament. Solomon is a man of peace, that is one thing. ...
It would be easy to expatiate on the matter on another dozen of pages or so, following safe lines of retelling of what is already in the Bible. It could also be a useful exercise - it usually is - but hell, I am to get out of the prison of personality, reaching at least to the essence level to work on it. For if essence develops, the course of developing personality is ensured in advance. (For this, I will need, symbolically, 19 other people, tottaly committed individuals who understand what is at stake. But this is a stage that probably comes later.) That's why I want to know how Bible can help me with it. I'm not writing to engage in theological choirs. Something like that would be a serious errand. So, as to these lines here, it's not only "I'm doing it", it's also about knowing, if possible, why I am doing it. That's why I want to grab the material ruthlessly and really try to squeeze out of it the very practical essence, the very secret of this Work, so to speak, or at least something that is useful in terms of the Work. Or maybe it just won't work out this way; I might have to pay, in terms of patiently, insistently directing attention at the problem and rereading and rereading again.
Is there a problem? Of course, because this milk&honey image is typical deceit of the devil. Before succumbing to these spring&summer images, let's take a look at the winter-like reality. Due to the laws of reciprocal maintenance, an unprecedented wave of cold from next higher cosmos is approaching, nay, is already enveloping this Earth with its frosty breath, indubitaly to crush the planet's tender life which has only some millenia of age. Scientists are afraid this globe will freeze to the core. (Which would be pity for they won't be able to study e.g. volcanic activity anymore.) The earth caught cold first, then it caught fever. Can it get worse? Geez, I get so absorbed into these cosmic processes, for they affect us all. And then I miss the point. I always miss the point when I get too absorbed.
Therefore I don't get absorbed. I think how, ideally, every man is under his vine and under his fig tree, and why that meant such an ideal state to the ancients, no doubt ideal for the expansion of kingdom, i.e. for harmonious progression of things that Man inwardly desires, in Gurdiffian sense of the word. We are told that Man desires to KNOW and to BE, and that in this way, and in this way only, a soul, potentially immortal, eternal soul, can be built.
Ancients obviosly knew that only balanced, harmonious men can constitute a strong, prosperous kingodm. At least Solomon knew that. Those quarrels over constitutionals and other legislative and regulatory issues are ultimately empty. Something our 'civilization' we have to use for our development somehow appears to have forgotten.
But enough, really, of verbiage. The question is: DAMN, HOW the FUCK did Solomon GET 'his', how shall we call it, 'wisdom'? So sorry to interrupt your fat, sweet, drunken sleep, reader buddy. Anyway, what did you think? That THIS is the place where you will get another fucking sermon or what? You remind me of the jork that I knew. Knew WELL. He began his man #4 awakening career by awakening OTHERS.
Now, really, how on earth does man acquire such blessed possessions? But maybe, in Solomon's times, such things didn't happen "on earth". They required intervention in one's dreams, as if coming from God Himself. Faced with such unearthly influence, Solomon, the wisest, if not the greatest of all kings of all times, could speak with confidence: I am small, young and thoroughly stupid. What should I desire? Long stupid life? Famous stupid life? Rich stupid life? Wisdom, of course, otherwise my stupidity might bring a quick end to me and to the kingdom.
God 'liked' it - it's always good when a beginner in the Work can get rid of the (quite common) delusion that he/she has it already, and therefore can begin to genuinely desire what they don't have. For what they desire, they are trying to acquire. It is their treasure, where their heart is also. Ideally, they reach the stage where it becomes the most important. Then, by definition, they become man #4. Usually version 4.7011. It's just a convention that determines where stable versions are first put, at least with the Work on our side of the Atlantic Ocean, and certainly also in all standard-conforming Work Dormitories in our city. We are proud of it.
Honestly, I think we are doing great. Last year, we sifted millions of individuals who demonstrated mostly total lack of interest. Suddenly we are rewarded with a handful of individuals who are willing to take up this Work and are seriously playing with the idea of total commitment. It's strange I don't burst for joy!!! But shhh. This is strictly confidential. I didn't say anything, I didn't write anything, you didn't read it at all. Good. Now, on this 'basis' we can hope to continue with our 'analyses'.
Online King James Version Bible. Judges Ch 9:1-57
Online King James Version Bible. Judges Ch 9:1-57
9:8 The trees went forth on a time to anoint a king over them; and they said unto the olive tree, Reign thou over us.
9:9 But the olive tree said unto them, Should I leave my fatness, wherewith by me they honor God and man, and go to be promoted over the trees?
9:10 And the trees said to the fig tree, Come thou, and reign over us.
9:11 But the fig tree said unto them, Should I forsake my sweetness, and my good fruit, and go to be promoted over the trees?
9:12 Then said the trees unto the vine, Come thou, and reign over us.
9:13 And the vine said unto them, Should I leave my wine, which cheereth God and man, and go to be promoted over the trees?
9:14 Then said all the trees unto the bramble, Come thou, and reign over us.
9:15 And the bramble said unto the trees, If in truth ye anoint me king over you, then come and put your trust in my shadow: and if not, let fire come out of the bramble, and devour the cedars of Lebanon.
Cast: olive: olive, fig tree: fig tree, vine: vine, bramble: bramble. Just joking, it's not a movie. It takes a lot of thinking, rethinking and quiet meditation to get deeper to the meaning of the inspired Authors of the Word of God. Got you! You was calculating how many verse there are from (including) 8 to (including) 15! How come it be take so long? I digress... just joking. Seriously, why do you think these numbers are important? Anyway, next time take the formula n2 - n1 + 1, if you are really interested. You can see it as (n2+1) - n1, in this case 16 - 8, which will speed up the calculating process. There is more even to the simplest problem of basic algebra, only I - [confidential]. People are always asking: why should we learn these unpleasant things like mathematics? They are lazy with respect to thinking - see it in yourself. (They don't mind sitting at parties with faces amply showing their efforts to appear smart - it makes me feel like shouting loudly: hey, it's not an higher algebra seminary! Easy, man! Relax!) Not surprisingly, Work types never ask such questions, they know the answer: because you learn to concentrate in natural way. Because it puts you in higher divisions. Because you can study attention this way, eliminating the need to walk around artificially trying to 'self-remember' (yeah, whatever that means). Because you learn something really useful - and often later put to use - thus harmonizing centers in a way that crossword solvers and game-addicts and other chasers-away of boredom cannot achieve. Because it cultivates thinking rather than mere memorizing. Because there are aesthetic and philosophical layers to it. Because because because ... My favorite is 'cultivates thinking' direction. After all, you need to think to do math, not learn math to think, it's just a good starting crutch to bring it about. Which is why once man gets nearer to the (happy) nature of thinking and gets a knack of it, he will seek to apply it also - to a great deal of situations and problems and questions - to contact and visit and reside in these higher divisions, even if it demands effort and will - it doesn't have anything to do (away) with algebra classes. Conversely, "all life is mathematics" is a Gurdiffian (awkward) sentence where "mathematics" really means thinking and all that, in this context. Do maths because it GRIEVES THE DEVIL if nothing else... Have I told about the devil yet? It has tail... it has two horns... sulphur smell... ah well, we are all one and the same unity... even when we are not... all the same, all average... or the variant: all of us individually different, yet all of us with equal rights... unity in diversity... [it's a long list]. Is this understood? Good! Before the break/meal is over, let us, diversity of assmebled multitude, agree on one point: there be no individuals on this earth capable of real, harmonious development. Because they stand out. And we do not want anybody standing out, do we? Okay? Okay. Obey and you will be made smart - so smart as God in heaven is smart. Eat of this fruit, and great divine knowledge shall be yours. Mock freely everything you don't understand, for we are merry, now these treasures are unlocked for us. But beware, there are enemies to our unity. Look outside yourself! (Never look at yourself.) Who is your neighbour, even? Enemy! And we HATE enemies - this truly unites us. We are looking for the weak points in the enemy's defense and - thank Satan, the great Beelzebul - we also find them. We know ourselves: a set of preset patterns. Nothing capable of development. A sick and aging body. Right? Right, indubitaly true, proven, unshakable like a rock. Armed with this knowledge, and a huge set of ever changing yet same patterns we always win. For as we are so are others, there is no essential difference, because at the bottom we are all the same. And we win when we have pushed the enemy in the mud, right? Right. (We also undermine ourselves in this way, by the way, but this is just life. It sucks. We are part of this, and it has to be accepted. Jesus Christ also suffered, ain't that true, and 100% biblical? Well, we take up the cross and follow him. Plus, all the tough guys, our leaders and examples and honorable members have gone through this disintegration, have accepted it, professed it, made it their religion, their guiding star, and won. Some are wrinkled like dried figs, some are fresh and vigorous like fish straight from refrigerator.)
These devilish doctrines are in truth much more elaborate and much lenghtier. They can contain up to 100% of 'pure' religion, or they can offer 'training' to arm oneself - against life which we love of course. Doesn't the Work speak of inner control? And that it can only be attained through practice? Well, come to us and practice, practice, practice!
Bramble - 'fake' tree: bush, fake fruit - may well symbolize everything that is false. Lack of unity, multiplicity of I's. But it can also symbolize man #4. No matter how high compared to the ordinary level - #4 level's not all that high. Oh, yes, absoultely, ou re welcome to take plac under ma mighte shadoue. We know that kind of behaviour. (Or maybe we don't. YET in that case.) (Really, man #4 is just a phase, for everything esoteric begins with man #5 or even further.) Everything is 'simple' and 'clear' for the first three types. Man #4 is faced with alternative. He has to choose for himself. He is not certain. Technically the outcome depends on the quality of magnetic center and some other things, like (misleading) influences which can proceed from (false) esoteric messengers the man in question is in 'contact' with. It's no longer that simple. There is Law of Cause and Effect to teach him. So you are going to be king by killing? PEOPLE (ever changing 'democracy' of I's) will support you? The question pops up - what happens after a 'wrong' choice? There is also responsibility issue. Ha, shall I give away my fat, sweet, (drunken) life? To take up these 'honors' of yours?! Man #4 is usually different in this respect. He usually tries to accept responsibility in the Work, even if he-she does not know yet how he/she is going to cope. There's also some power connected with man #4. If those who say he is king are not sincere - whatever this is driving at - they will face loss of precious cedars of Lebanon. Maybe they will not literally burn but certainly lose considerable part of their previous 'stateliness'. But most interesting to me is that prophetic element. After all that has taken place, something survives. Somebody who by merely shouting the tale from the top of the mount of Gerazim shapes future events exactly as the tale is told. Or, since we are clearly in the domain in the miraculous, and we better be cautious, let's just say that he puts himself in a state where he can create a tale according to future events that to normal perception are not yet - a prophecy. Well one thing is devilish pattern derived from the past but this is something else. It HAS to be connected to God - knowledge of perhaps unknown Law - to Commandments. It seems to me that after some bloody struggle, man acquires a new Work-'I' that is added to the newly forming group around observing I or magnetic center or second conscious shock or whatever the thing is called. (Yes I'm tired - do you see the symptoms? Hell you would be too after such an adventure. What? I said I have things you don't? Continue to mock me by adopting the way I walk, by the way, and you'll get the whole portion of things i DO have and you don't have YET. At least the ones that make me walk this way. A whole series of things I don't have could be added to the basic package. You are very 'corageous' to insist on talking back to me even? I would stop if I were you. I will tell you what is that 'titillation' in your bones that you try to overcome right now. Your intuition runs before you again: it tells you what I say is all too true, for this time I am not the agent/actor. Hiring manager.)
Deuteronomy 8
5 Thou shalt also consider in thine heart, that, as a man chasteneth his son, so the LORD thy God chasteneth thee.
6 Therefore thou shalt keep the commandments of the LORD thy God, to walk in his ways, and to fear him.
7 For the LORD thy God bringeth thee into a good land, a land of brooks of water, of fountains and depths that spring out of valleys and hills;
8 a land of wheat, and barley, and vines, and fig trees, and pomegranates; a land of oil olive, and honey;
9 a land wherein thou shalt eat bread without scarceness, thou shalt not lack any thing in it; a land whose stones are iron, and out of whose hills thou mayest dig brass.
10 When thou hast eaten and art full, then thou shalt bless the LORD thy God for the good land which he hath given thee.
That's straightforward. It's from the speech of Moses to Israelites when he was already old and was probably expecting that he would depart soon.
God tries to secure good life for His people. And secure and good life shall be theirs if they obey the commandments, it as if God does everything that is in His power, excluding beating an ace with some other card, i.e. going against His own rules. In Eden, people had one commandment, merely to stay away from ... [something]. Don't touch! and thou shall be happy. Here, they have ten, plus loads of corollaries. The number of laws has severly increased. Man has grown muscles of discernment and now man has to exercise them. Moses knows they will fail to heed the necessary. He knows that later they are going self-justify themselves... ("we didn't know..."). Yet he doesn't give a damn, having used his life to edify and teach them the right way, the way that God wants to teach them. The hidden meaning is that by additional writings God/Moses wants to increase their knowledge, i.e. their consciousness of their actions and of their nature, taking temporary byway of learning about nature of one's actions through their consequences, at least for those who are more unwilling to heed commandments - which needn't necessarily be a bad thing, judging from God's huge perspective, does it. It can be expected that the reader of the unique edifying book, in any case naive reader, will think to himself: "What is the essence of the commandment(s)? Can I grasp it and practice it, to avoid more painful - and often less effective - ways of learning...?" Not to mention that those ways are often more slow? How can I go the fast & easy way? Not "easy" as in "superficial" but easy as in supereffective. - Effective in the sense of bringing results, fruits, "figs". Seeing that commandments have the power to save man from quite wicked experiences and grant fullnes from which one cannot but praise God they must be something truly extraordinary. Indeed, if one lets this thought sink deeply, one can see that they cannot be something like verbal, literal commandments to be obeyed, in ordinary sense of the word. The catch is again in the being. Moses knows their being is not sufficient. If man does not change the future won't change either. 'Commands' are given but one must have being to heed and 'obey' them.
Soon, Moses dies. The figs remain, though... and we shall take a look at them as they are filtered from the text for us, by absolutely gorgeous engines and their ridiculously powerful performance ancients didn't have, that we may just have taken for granted a little too soon, maybe. For 'em techies among you, boys and girls like that genuine hacker-in-the-making, always hiding as far as possible behind you, trying to act boredom, what was she, P. ... name begining with P, Priscilla? no; well, never mind; (I have it in the Address Book, I'm sure I do) think SELECT statement, globbing, regular expressions, fuzzy logic, complete the list yourself. Priscilla could tell us more than I can, of course, (who's laughing? well she JUST MIGHT you know), but she has to pay the bill, I guess. I fancy that won't exactly help, concerning distinct beginning symptoms of postmodern despair... I digress. Yes, I'm driving at the flip side of our marvellous technology, you see, because ancients had to rely on something else, not having the 'goodies' we have... perhaps some power they developed in themselves.
Few words concerning good land:
6 Therefore thou shalt keep the commandments of the LORD thy God, to walk in his ways, and to fear him.
7 For the LORD thy God bringeth thee into a good land, a land of brooks of water, of fountains and depths that spring out of valleys and hills;
8 a land of wheat, and barley, and vines, and fig trees, and pomegranates; a land of oil olive, and honey;
9 a land wherein thou shalt eat bread without scarceness, thou shalt not lack any thing in it; a land whose stones are iron, and out of whose hills thou mayest dig brass.
10 When thou hast eaten and art full, then thou shalt bless the LORD thy God for the good land which he hath given thee.
That's straightforward. It's from the speech of Moses to Israelites when he was already old and was probably expecting that he would depart soon.
God tries to secure good life for His people. And secure and good life shall be theirs if they obey the commandments, it as if God does everything that is in His power, excluding beating an ace with some other card, i.e. going against His own rules. In Eden, people had one commandment, merely to stay away from ... [something]. Don't touch! and thou shall be happy. Here, they have ten, plus loads of corollaries. The number of laws has severly increased. Man has grown muscles of discernment and now man has to exercise them. Moses knows they will fail to heed the necessary. He knows that later they are going self-justify themselves... ("we didn't know..."). Yet he doesn't give a damn, having used his life to edify and teach them the right way, the way that God wants to teach them. The hidden meaning is that by additional writings God/Moses wants to increase their knowledge, i.e. their consciousness of their actions and of their nature, taking temporary byway of learning about nature of one's actions through their consequences, at least for those who are more unwilling to heed commandments - which needn't necessarily be a bad thing, judging from God's huge perspective, does it. It can be expected that the reader of the unique edifying book, in any case naive reader, will think to himself: "What is the essence of the commandment(s)? Can I grasp it and practice it, to avoid more painful - and often less effective - ways of learning...?" Not to mention that those ways are often more slow? How can I go the fast & easy way? Not "easy" as in "superficial" but easy as in supereffective. - Effective in the sense of bringing results, fruits, "figs". Seeing that commandments have the power to save man from quite wicked experiences and grant fullnes from which one cannot but praise God they must be something truly extraordinary. Indeed, if one lets this thought sink deeply, one can see that they cannot be something like verbal, literal commandments to be obeyed, in ordinary sense of the word. The catch is again in the being. Moses knows their being is not sufficient. If man does not change the future won't change either. 'Commands' are given but one must have being to heed and 'obey' them.
Soon, Moses dies. The figs remain, though... and we shall take a look at them as they are filtered from the text for us, by absolutely gorgeous engines and their ridiculously powerful performance ancients didn't have, that we may just have taken for granted a little too soon, maybe. For 'em techies among you, boys and girls like that genuine hacker-in-the-making, always hiding as far as possible behind you, trying to act boredom, what was she, P. ... name begining with P, Priscilla? no; well, never mind; (I have it in the Address Book, I'm sure I do) think SELECT statement, globbing, regular expressions, fuzzy logic, complete the list yourself. Priscilla could tell us more than I can, of course, (who's laughing? well she JUST MIGHT you know), but she has to pay the bill, I guess. I fancy that won't exactly help, concerning distinct beginning symptoms of postmodern despair... I digress. Yes, I'm driving at the flip side of our marvellous technology, you see, because ancients had to rely on something else, not having the 'goodies' we have... perhaps some power they developed in themselves.
Few words concerning good land:
- There is water, running water, still water, brooks and fountains (we would probably add lakes; the salty sea doesn't count here). Animal and man must drink; lack of water would be real curse.
- There are good things to eat:
- wheat, barley
- vines
- fig trees, pomegranates
- olives, honey
On second thought, vine is not food proper, but the ancients thought it was just as essential. Anyway, for many people, still today, wine replaces food, and father and mother and brother and sister also. Kids.
Online King James Version Bible. Genesis Ch 3:1-24
3:6 And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.
3:7 And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons.
The text containing this fig leaf comprises Gen 2, Gen 3, if not more. Don't read if you have a pace maker, a weak heart or something similar, it's the very moment that drags in its wake the rest of the train... 60 heavy books of description of pure tragedy, at least compared to possible existence in the garden of Eden. - The very first thing arch-humans did was sewing themselves a kind of clothes, it seems, a mask, a protection. Quite possibly their butt behind was still naked when they tried to cover more forwards parts... The first thing new knowledge brings them is shame, to be sure. The tree of good and evil seems to be a fig tree, f sounds malicious enough and therefore must represent evil, while g may be the good. It's the desire for wisdom that is evil and it's the same desire for wisdom that is good. I said, it's the desire for wisdom inherent in every human being - a desire so obvious and fundamental that one almost HAS to ask where did psychology so called forget to look - that is the cause of this terrible depravity that we feel and live through and it is this same desire for wisdom that can bring redemption from the selfsame terror, that alone.
It all happens because snake does it, and Eve does it, and Adam does it. They are all pointed at with a finger and counted: 1, 2, 3. If you know about forces, the intent of the inspired writer is clear, otherwise, I think, I could entirely miss the point. Further, you must be born deaf&blind to not bump into an obvious fact. Men are far more apt to adopt everything that smells like arrogance and sarcasm then women. Gosh, it seems such a good thing to have, for those who use it look so cool. Some of them acquire stingy (and stinky) tongues such as snakes have. They look less manly but they don't care. The devil gave them to eat. One could understand if woman had a sharp tongue, for she cannot defend herself otherwise, but these men don't care. The devil had seduced them. Soon everyone, everyone, is just tired of them and just shuns them if at all possible, but these men don't care. The devil has duped them. Women are just as inclined to fall into the same trap, but most of them can't be seduced by a 'snake'. (Ok, some of them, if this will make me less of a sexist.) But seen through their 'pretty and in every sense attractive' counterparts, these things seem absolutely superhuman and... in short, desirable to have. Thus the Bible reverts the persons in the story to protect higher contents from those who are not objectively high enough to decipher it without doubt.
One point should be clear, though, and that is, that the most primitive of courts won't accuse somebody for eating, let alone punish them. Let alone that cruelly as it happens in the Bible. Not to mention punishing the whole of mankind for something their stupid mother or father have done, and after being seduced by third party. There is no stupidity in the world that can match stupidity of so called parents, we know that, but most people like to pretend. Who would now want to punish children because of that? The Lord? Therefore the whole of this theological talk about sin is worse than rubbish. People want to play with Bible, okay; it's a fine and respectful pastime, okay. Theologians want to play the game and take it to super intellectual heights, okay. Theologian, anyway, is mostly somebody who knows what other theologians have said, not somebody who really reads and think about the Bible as a psychological book, okay. Next you can watch them pat one another on the back like We are all in the same boat, aren't we and there they stand, Christians with their irreconcillable views and irresistible benevolence towards one another. We know that, okay. The first thing, therefore, is: what can we find out outside of all that. Corrupt 'christian' beings, who want to interpret the Bible in terms of their sexual life, we'll listen to them, too. For they may unknowingly point to us the truth. (Even if it was better for me to study Freud if I was inclined to that sort of 'interpretation'.)
Real question, for example, is why Bible itself (Lord himself) speaks as if there was sin, and punishment, and what not. Actually, I believe there is a master key that unlocks the whole of piled contradiction. Paul, for example, believed that he was in possesion of such a key that unifies the whole of the Law, and it seems that when he explained his views people became miraculously converted. But oops, we are not so far yet. First and foremost, we must not deny that there are terrible contradictions for the ordinary consciousness that the Bible is full of. Next, we must see real questions, most of them, rather than artificial fabric that the theological madness (collective madness, it seems) proposes. I'd also primarily consciously count on some influence that the Bible exercises on me which may, as far as 'I' am concerned, mostly escape ordinary logic (and my ordinary consciousness) - use a sound dose of practical faith that is. ("Sound dose of practical faith" - occasionally I have to write garbage, in this case, because I don't really have too firm grasp of this faith concept. I mean, it sounds like garbage, therefore it must probably be garbage; but to correct would mean to know the right thing and put it in its place.)
Why are they being thrown, literally driven out of the garden? It is described as God's garden, paradise, and rightly so. We'll have to wait quite a while until enlightened Paul comes along with his famous Corinthians to receive an answer (not just a 'hint', but plainly stated answer). If I had all of them satanic fruits save love... In other words, until our Lord redeems us even from absurd concept of 'sin' that they seek to implant in our minds from all sides, we'll have to stumble through the jungle of the well-known plethora. We won't be sorry for that, though. That much we know, and even Paul knows. (Enlightened or not, how the heck does he know THAT?)
Later on, we shall see that man, to be really complete, has to be 'fat', 'sweet', and 'cheerful' or 'exuberant'; that figs, for that matter, are 'sweet', while wine (cheers!) makes you 'cheerful', while olives make for 'fatness'. We'll then try to figure out the meaning of all that.
Next, it occurs to me, we see men and women all over. We see them everywhere. You must be born deaf&blind to not see them. What I don't see that often between them, though, is a snake. It must be third force, that we ordinarily don't see. Maybe it is because it was left back in the garden... just speculating.
Now what, more specifically, is this wisdom that is so desirable to have? It gives knowledge of good and evil. Those who have this knowledge become gods, it is said... and justly so. Again, one must think of Epistles... Epistles which, as it seems, are a sub-Bible in its own right in the Bible, or some kind of fractal sub-mirroring. Even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.
Friday, January 12, 2007
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