Sacred Ground
From: dottie zold
To: anthroposophy_tomorrow@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Sunday, December 14, 2003 3:01 PM
Subject: [anthroposophy_tomorrow] Sacred Ground
Hi Kim, Rick and All,
In looking at these mysteries we have been
discussing a few thoughts come to mind. One being the concept
of 'take your shoes off you are on sacred ground' comments in
the Bible. From reading The Temple Legend it occurs to me that
it is when one is in revelation that one becomes aware of the
Mother Earth and that we are walking on Sacred Ground. I have
always wondered about this saying and couldn't figure it out.
Does anyone have a thought regarding what this saying means?
Another thought pertains to the Washing of
the Feet mystery. It seems that Magdalene washed, and a few other
women in Mark and Luke who I believe to be one and the same,
the feet of Jesus. He in turns washes the feet of the disciples.
And in this he claims 'if I do not do this you will have no part
in me'. Which leads me once again to the Magdalene; that Jesus
will have no part of what she offers if she does not do this
for him as well. It can not be one without the other I believe.
The idea that she annoints the Christ is a real big deal. The
word annointed one is the Christ. Who is she who is the annointer?
Just another woman? I think not. Nor do I think this ritual of
washing the feet is anything to cast aside. Especially not when
Jesus claims those about him will have nothing to do with him
if he does not perform this ritual.
How is it that she is aware of his passing
and the others are not? She just knows. There are no questions,
there are not even any remarks that he knows of this woman in
the Luke and Mark chapters. She just does her thing.
And the reason I am contemplating the seriousness
of this ritual is that I have been all over the net looking at
the Last Supper paintings from around the world. And most of
them have one thing in common: either they show the one disciple
in very feminine forms or they show the water pitcher standing
near by. It is quite obvious in the Da Vinci Last Supper as well
as the Blake painting. If she is not there in human form there
is a symbol for her.
The website which has many other paintings
can be found at http://biblia.com/jesusm/passion.htm#Magdalene
Sincerely,
Dottie
...................................................................................................................................
From: Richard Distasi
Date: Tue Dec 16, 2003 6:04 am
Subject: Re: [anthroposophy_tomorrow] Sacred Ground
dottie,
I'm sure there is a lot more to the issue of the Washing of the
Feet that I'm going to say here. However, simply put, I would
first have to look at it as an act of sacrifice from one to another.
He who would be the greatest among you must be the servant of
all. Christ was the greatest among those that He was with but
He came as their servant as well. He came to make a sacrifice
for all of us. If He didn't do this we would not be able to have
a part of Him. I would have to go back into all that Steiner
had said in regard to the meaning of this stage of initiation
which is recognized as the washing of the feet. If I recall correctly
he mentioned that it is an awakening that there are kingdoms
below us who serve us so that we as human Beings can advance
ourselves spiritually. This recognition must become a part of
our awareness.
As far as removing one's sandals/shoes because one is on sacred
ground may be an expression that in an initiation one has moved
into a higher realm and that these realms are deserving of our
deepest reverence. It may also be a reference to the earth as
well as something that is to be considered as sacred. I think
Emil Bock goes into all of this in his book, "Moses".
rick distasi
...................................................................................................................................
From: dottie_z
Date: Tue Dec 16, 2003 6:19 am
Subject: Re: Sacred Ground
Dear Rick,
What I find in this sacred ground thought
is a very deep meditation. I find my self in my heart and absolute
love which is connected deeply to Mother Earth. I can 'feel'
what the saying 'take your shoes off you are on holy ground'
really means. And it is so stunning. I can feel it even as I
write this letter. I believe once we are connected to the Mother
and maybe the Father we feel to bow our heads and our whole body
caves within in a sense. It's like a bliss filled moment of awareness
which is deeply connected to the Mother. This is how it feels
to me. We actually have no need of shoes in a funny way when
the body caves in.
I think I am going to have to reread Genesis
to find Abel.
Love,
Dottie
Rick wrote:
As far as removing one's sandals/shoes because one is on sacred
ground may be an expression that in an initiation one has moved
into a higher realm and that these realms are deserving of our
deepest reverence. It may also be a reference to the earth as
well as something that is to be considered as sacred. I think
Emil Bock goes into all of this in his book, "Moses".
...................................................................................................................................
From: Richard Distasi
Date: Tue Dec 16, 2003 6:29 am
Subject: Re: [anthroposophy_tomorrow] Re: Sacred Ground
dottie,
Your thoughts here bring to mind that the earth is as a Eucharist.
Since the moment that the blood of Christ flowed from Golgotha
it is in a condition of transubstantiation.
rick distasi
...................................................................................................................................
From: dottie_z
Date: Tue Dec 16, 2003 8:25 pm
Subject: Re: Sacred Ground
Rick wrote:
Your thoughts here bring to mind that the earth is as a Eucharist.
Since the moment that the blood of Christ flowed from Golgotha
it is in a condition of transubstantiation.
Hi Rick,
I find this sacred ground with Moses and then
with Miriam his sister. I don't recall it in the NT or anywhere
else at this moment.
Dottie
...................................................................................................................................
From: Joel Wendt
Date: Tue Dec 16, 2003 8:43 am
Subject: Re: [anthroposophy_tomorrow] Sacred Ground
On Tue, 2003-12-16 at 07:04, Richard Distasi
wrote:
dottie,
I'm sure there is a lot more to the issue of the Washing of the
Feet that I'm going to say here. However, simply put, I would
first have to look at it as an act of sacrifice from one to another.
He who would be the greatest among you must be the servant of
all. Christ was the greatest among those that He was with but
He came as their servant as well. He came to make a sacrifice
for all of us. If He didn't do this we would not be able to have
a part of Him. I would have to go back into all that Steiner
had said in regard to the meaning of this stage of initiation
which is recognized as the washing of the feet. If I recall correctly
he mentioned that it is an awakening that there are kingdoms
below us who serve us so that we as human Beings can advance
ourselves spiritually. This recognition must become a part of
our awareness.
Dear Rick,
You can get a lot of details about the Washing
of the Feet, as a Path of Initiation, in Tomberg's Inner Development,
which takes up a careful examination of the Christian-Rosicrucian
Path of Initiation, aka, the Seven Stages of the Passion of Christ
(washing the feet, the scourging, the crowning with thorns, the
carrying of the cross, the crucifixion, the entombment, and the
resurrection). These are outlined in John, and represent, to
my thinking at any rate, the Way of John (a Way of gnosis), as
against the Way of Paul (a Way of Faith).
The Seven Stages appear in our biographies
as life experiences, with Washing the Feet involving taking up
humbling selfless work, like Dottie's work with street people
and so forth.
warm regards,
joel
...................................................................................................................................
From: dottie_z
Date: Tue Dec 16, 2003 10:01 am
Subject: Re: Sacred Ground
Joel wrote:
The Seven Stages appear in our biographies as life experiences,
with Washing the Feet involving taking up humbling selfless work,
Dear Joel and Rick,
Who else in the Bible went through these seven
stages? And what about the Old Testament? It seems there are
quite a few personalities being lame, blind and a few other recognizable
malaties. I am thinking this is what Solome danced to in the
Temple and that Johns sacrifice was intended to show us, he too
went through this seven stages and it is through the Mother as
she is the one who was the catalyst through the 'beheading'.
Joel, your words call to mind something Catherine
said a while back about us all being the Beloveds. I have just
come across a thought which actually allows us to call the spirit
within, the Beloved, once we attain initiation or understanding
of our true heritage. What strikes me about this is that there
is not only one Beloved, as Catherine hinted at before rather,
and this is actually my opinion and may not run straight with
hers, that when we invite Sophia and or Christ, (I am not sure
it if is one or both) are at one with her, (ourselves) we then
become the Beloved as well.
Sincererly,
Dottie
...................................................................................................................................
From: pkleonard
Date: Tue Dec 16, 2003 12:05 pm
Subject: Re: Sacred Ground
--- In anthroposophy_tomorrow@yahoogroups.com,
Joel Wendt wrote:
On Tue, 2003-12-16 at 07:04, Richard Distasi
wrote:
dottie,
I'm sure there is a lot more to the issue of the Washing of the
Feet that I'm going to say here. However, simply put, I would
first have to look at it as an act of sacrifice from one to another.
He who would be the greatest among you must be the servant of
all. Christ was the greatest among those that He was with but
He came as their servant as well. He came to make a sacrifice
for all of us. If He didn't do this we would not be able to have
a part of Him. I would have to go back into all that Steiner
had said in regard to the meaning of this stage of initiation
which is recognized as the washing of the feet. If I recall correctly
he mentioned that it is an awakening that there are kingdoms
below us who serve us so that we as human Beings can advance
ourselves spiritually. This recognition must become a part of
our awareness.
Dear Rick,
You can get a lot of details about the
Washing of the Feet, as a Path of Initiation, in Tomberg's Inner
Development, which takes up a careful examination of the Christian-Rosicrucian
Path of Initiation, aka, the Seven Stages of the Passion of Christ
(washing the feet, the scourging, the crowning with thorns, the
carrying of the cross, the crucifixion, the entombment, and the
resurrection). These are outlined in John, and represent, to
my thinking at any rate, the Way of John (a Way of gnosis), as
against the Way of Paul (a Way of Faith).
This is also discussed by Emil Bock in THREE
YEARS: "The Washing of the Feet is, as it were, the last
of the parables, enacted, not merely spoken."
More on pg 222
Paulina
...................................................................................................................................
From: golden3000997
Date: Tue Dec 16, 2003 3:33 pm
Subject: Re: [anthroposophy_tomorrow] Sacred Ground
Hello Rick, Dottie et al,
Rick wrote:
If I recall correctly he mentioned that
it is an awakening that there are kingdoms below us who serve
us so that we as human Beings can advance ourselves spiritually.
This recognition must become a part of our awareness.
In light of what Paulina & I were discussing
about animals, I've got to remember this when I'm cleaning the
litter boxes!!! (I'm NOT being facetious!!! I need to remember
to think of it as a service, rather than a *!%# chore!!)
: ) Christine
...................................................................................................................................
From: golden3000997
Date: Tue Dec 16, 2003 3:37 pm
Subject: Re: [anthroposophy_tomorrow] Re: Sacred Ground
Has anyone seen the move "The Education
of Little Tree"? When the little boy goes to live with his
grandparents (the grandmother is Native American) 1930s, Tennessee
mountains, one of the very first thing she does is make him a
pair of soft moccasins to replace the "clobbers" or
hard shoes of the white man.
Very good movie, by the way!
: ) Christine
...................................................................................................................................
From: pkleonard
Date: Tue Dec 16, 2003 5:13 pm
Subject: Re: Sacred Ground
--- In anthroposophy_tomorrow@yahoogroups.com,
golden3000997 wrote:
Has anyone seen the move "The Education
of Little Tree"? When the little boy goes to live with his
grandparents (the grandmother is Native American) 1930s, Tennessee
mountains, one of the very first thing she does is make him a
pair of soft moccasins to replace the "clobbers" or
hard shoes of the white man.
I saw it, Christine; liked it very much.
However, I am not one who thinks that Native
Americans hold the key to what we are called to take up as the
task in the Consciusness Soul Age anymore than it is possible
to take up the Eleusinian Mysteries now. Different times, different
paths. I think what my race did to the Native American indians
was in excusable, espcially removing the children and sending
them away to the white man's schools. Horrible, horrible. This
is something that really gets to me. The same thing happened
in AU and NZ to the indigenous people there. Recently saw a movie
about three little aborigine girls back in the 1920s, who, after
having been removed from their families and placed in the 'white
man's school' ran away and traveled by foot along what was called
the Rabbit Fence, an unbelieveable distance. Two of the three
made it home, but, all were eventually retaken, captured really,
and sent back to the 'white man's school'. The little girls were
very old women when this film was made (sorry I don't recall
the title) and two of them were shown at the end of the movie.
I just felt ashamed listening to them (and I carry Cherokee blood
from my paternal gradmother)
Paulina
...................................................................................................................................
From: Joel Wendt
Date: Wed Dec 17, 2003 12:12 pm
Subject: Re: [anthroposophy_tomorrow] Re: Sacred Ground
On Tue, 2003-12-16 at 18:13, pkleonard wrote:
However, I am not one who thinks that Native
Americans hold the key to what we are called to take up as the
task in the Consciusness Soul Age anymore than it is possible
to take up the Eleusinian Mysteries now. Different times, different
paths.
Dear Paulina,
It is not about taking up the path of the
Saturn Mysteries, but about acknowledging and honoring their
actual spiritual presence in this land.
My own research and meetings with Native shamans
has led me to see that their Way is at rest in the Hanged Man
of the Tarot, and really cannot go forward from there (the Will
is sacrificed to the Celestial). At the same time they are the
spiritual protectors of this Place, and I do not believe any
new Sun Mysteries can truly be inaugurated here without both
an inner connection which acknowledges these realities, and one
which also takes place in the social.
This is a different situation from Europe,
where the old mysteries were no longer living. Here in Columbia
(the true name of America), Native Mysteries are still active
and present, so much so that one frequently encounters their
acknowledgment (through their own supersensible connections)
of Christ as healer and Earth Spirit.
This also has to include the understanding
of the social wisdom which they have acquired in a most practical
fashion over many many generations. I do not believe we can go
into the social future, without penetrating their Ways of Life
with our thinking, as a necessary first step. It is not so much
that these Ways need to be imitated, but rather it is my experience
that their contemplation leads quite directly to some very wise
questions.
I am soon going into a new "business",
which will involve giving seminars (with a partner) on the Four
Forms of Love (Agape - selfless love, Storge - nurturing love,
Phileo - brotherly love or comradeship, and Eros - erotic and
sensual love) and the need for understanding these as we proceed
to found a New Civilization at the Dawn of the Third Millennium.
I would know nothing on an experiential level
of unfallen Eros, were it not for a relationship with a Native
American woman. American social culture is filled with the influence
of fallen Eros, and as a young man I was shown no wisdom concerning
this most human art. It was only with the grace given gift of
this woman, that I was awakened to the reality of unfallen Eros
as a natural human impulse. In addition she revealed to me how
it is that this fundamental power, in which women play an essential
and indispensable role, is contained and shaped into its proper
relationship to the whole through the social life of the community
as that surrounds and supports the couplings and the marriages.
All of this social understanding, of the Saturn
Mysteries, is a wise knowledge that is crucial to our thinking
as we consciously take up the questions posed by the need for
the founding of a New Civilization.
warm regards,
joel
...................................................................................................................................
From: Richard Distasi
Date: Wed Dec 17, 2003 5:27 am
Subject: Re: [anthroposophy_tomorrow] Sacred Ground
Joel,
Thanks for the reference and adding more to this discussion.
Humbling selflessness seems to be a very timely pursuit at this
time of the year.
rick distasi
...................................................................................................................................
From: Richard Distasi
Date: Wed Dec 17, 2003 6:08 am
Subject: Re: [anthroposophy_tomorrow] Re: Sacred Ground
Paulina et al,
Bock also adds about the Washing of the Feet:
"It teaches Love as the ultimate purpose of Christ's Gospel."
[The Three Years; page 222]
rd
...................................................................................................................................
From: golden3000997
Date: Wed Dec 17, 2003 9:42 pm
Subject: Re: [anthroposophy_tomorrow] Re: Sacred Ground
Also, Rene spoke a few times about how our
feet carry us to our destiny (Soul= Sole). Maybe in washing the
feet of the disciples, Christ was making visible the washing
away of the accumulated dirt of our past karma.
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