The Ishayas’ Ascension USA 2003-11.pdf · laziness, not Ascension—It will not take anyone to...

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object; in other words, it tends to identify with it. Maharishi Patanjali calls this a vritti, or “movement of the mind.” Our minds have been well trained to identify with the data of the five external senses. We find ourselves irresistibly drawn to life’s dramas, melodramas and soap operas; they “grab” the attention even when our desire is to be in silence and tranquillity. The Ishayas’ remedy for this is that, when the surface of the mind is disturbed, we should “ride opposing thoughts back onto the Self.” This is one main purpose of the Ascension Attitudes. The more we focus on negativity, separation, victimization, fear, judgment, etc., the more of it we perceive, and the more we create. This is a longstanding habit, and not easy to break: Most people live in an endless cycle of reactivity, which they sadly call “reality.” The Ascension Attitudes give us a ready-made “opposing thought” with which we can disrupt the cycle of negativity and nurture new habits based on truth, clarity and right relationship. Using the Ascension Attitudes with the eyes open is therefore an extremely important habit to nurture early on. Ultimately, everything hinges on the battle of choice; and the sooner we begin to master the field, the better the battle will go. The Attitudes can lead us to an experience of the Ascendant, but they cannot make us choose for it. Far too many Ascenders enjoy the Absolute with eyes closed, but jump right back into their seductive dramas during the rest of the day. This is laziness, not Ascension—It will not take anyone to the Goal. This is why Ascendant Consciousness is considered a state of consciousness, but not a state of enlightenment. Merely knowing the Ascendant is not the same as choosing for it; and, as the Ishayas are fond of saying, “Choice becomes more important, not less, as we evolve further and further.” It is making a consistent choice to witness all of life from the experience of the Ascendant that leads to Perpetual Consciousness, which is the first stage of enlightenment. The journey from Ascendant Consciousness to Perpetual Consciousness is also considered the longest and most difficult; once the latter has been stabilized, all other states can evolve quite naturally. Cultivating the habit of choice is therefore of the highest importance, even before one has an experience of the Ascendant. It may seem like a lot of effort, but it really isn’t: It is only a matter of replacing a well-worn negative habit with a

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So far we’ve only been looking at the superstructure of the Ishaya Tradition; now we turn to the personal context—the “living quarters,” if you will. Ascension is growth and experience, not theory: If we can’t apply it within our own lives, we have nothing at all. So, without rehashing First Sphere material, let’s take a deeper look at the Ascension Attitudes and their role in the Ascent of personal consciousness. We’ve already explored the idea that the universe is a direct reflection of self. The Vedas hold that “every being holds in himself all that his outward vision perceives as if external,” and that these “are far from being the sole experience permitted to man [in] the home of his spirit.” Most humans experience only a fraction of what is available to them because their minds and nervous systems are so closed down: Pure thought and pure psychic state are not the highest height of the human ascension. The home of the Gods is an absolute Truth which lives in solar glories beyond mind…. Substance of being, light of consciousness, active force and possessive delight are the constituent principles of existence; but their combination in us may be either limited, divided, hurt, broken and obscure or infinite, enlightened, vast, whole and unhurt. Limited and divided being is ignorance; it is darkness and weakness, it is grief and pain.

As You Sow, So Shall You Reap One of the axioms of meditation is that the mind cannot focus on numerous things at once, and must therefore select what, of all the information being brought to it by the senses, is worthy of attention. As the mind focuses on information coming through a certain sense, data coming from other sources fades into the background and that coming from the selected sense increases. This means also that, as we choose to focus on a particular object, thought or feeling, we tend to “go there,” and to create more of the same ahead of ourselves. As the mind “wraps itself around” a sense object, it “takes the form” of that

SPECIAL EDITION: The Ishaya Tradition The Ishaya Tradition The Ishaya Tradition The Ishaya Tradition a series by Savitra series by Savitra series by Savitra series by Savitr

The series concludes with Parts IV, V and VI of The Ishaya Tradition.

The Ishaya Tradition, Part IVThe Ishaya Tradition, Part IVThe Ishaya Tradition, Part IVThe Ishaya Tradition, Part IV:::: The Ascension AttitudesThe Ascension AttitudesThe Ascension AttitudesThe Ascension Attitudes

The Ishayas’ Ascension®

Note: Copies of the following articles may be found on our website at www.ishaya.com. November, 2003November, 2003November, 2003November, 2003

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In This Issue:

News from North Carolina & New Mexico ..Page2

Schedule Of Classes ….. Page 3

The Ishaya Tradition Parts IV, V, & VI .. Page 4

Through The Light ….. Page 7

A Commentary on Second Thunder …. Page 10

SFA Teacher Locations …. Page 13

There has been a hiatus of several months in publish-ing an Ascension newsletter. You will find this a very full issue and there is more to come as we move into the new year. We are all very excited at the opportunities opening up to us and the growth we have all experienced this last year.We hope to do a bit of catching up with this edition by pre-senting the last two of six articles written by Vishvananda and Savitr about the Ishaya Tradition. We feel that they will very likely deepen your appreciation of the magnificent Tra-dition of which we are all a part. There is an article on Sec-ond Thunder that will give you a great perspective about the book from one of our teachers. Also included is an article from a non-ascender who has a profound story that you should all enjoy. On the Teacher front, a great many shifts have been happening in Ishayadom over the last few months. The sale of the North Carolina property moves steadily onward near-ing conclusion, hopefully within the next month or two. In the meantime, we have created a Center for Ascension pro-grams and retreats in Glorieta, New Mexico, east of Santa Fe. This facility will be a residence for some of our teachers as well as a place where we can host a variety of residential programs. The experience of our European Center in Oakham, England, has been an inspiration for us in that regard. We are

following their example by now offering an ongoing Self-Discovery Course that will be designed largely by YOU, the Ascender who wants to create a custom retreat experience. Ranging from one week in duration to five months or more, you can specify when you wish to create a retreat and how long you want it to last. Suggested times, based on previous experience, might be 7 days, 17 days, or 27 days. One to five months are also options that have grown out of the former Consciousness Courses. The training of teachers is a distinct possibility within this framework, side by side with individuals who simply desire to experience more deeply who they truly are. We al-ready know a number of individuals who are making plans to begin a five-month program in the Spring of 2004. There is no guarantee that an individual who enters a long-term pro-gram will become a teacher, but a long retreat is the best way to find out if teaching Ascension is indeed the next step in a person’s personal journey. If it is, we will assist in creating that experience. We are pleased to have Aramati in residence at our new Center. She has been based in England for about four years, teaching throughout Europe. We are delighted she now wants to help us here in the States. We will have other teachers living with us as well as visiting with us from time to time, sharing our teaching activities, and we will make an effort to see that you get to meet them and experience their particular style of teaching. As always, let us know how we may serve you. We are now creating classes here at our new Center in New Mex-ico. We will continue to work with you to create classes in your communities as well. You can stay abreast of what’s happening by visiting our website, http://www.ishaya.com, and by writing or calling us at either of our locations. We live in remarkable times of individual and planetary transfor-mation. Let’s work together to support that process of creat-ing heaven on Earth! Love to all of you from all of us, Vrisha, Sraddha, Aramati, Mitra, Visvakarman

T h e I s h a y a s ’ A s c e n s i oT h e I s h a y a s ’ A s c e n s i oT h e I s h a y a s ’ A s c e n s i oT h e I s h a y a s ’ A s c e n s i o n n n n ®

News From New Mexico News From New Mexico News From New Mexico News From New Mexico and North Carolinaand North Carolinaand North Carolinaand North Carolina

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JANUARY 2004

1 Glorieta, NEW MEXICO— ONGOING SELF-DISCOVERY COURSE: One week to five months: Course is tailored to individual experience, need and time constraints. Contact: SFA Center, Glorieta, New Mexico, (505) 757-3716, [email protected] 2 North Palm Beach , FLORIDA—Free Introductory Talk Tranquil Awakenings Contact: Parama Ishaya, 561-691-4989 3-4 North Palm Beach , FLORIDA—First Sphere Course Tranquil Awakenings (8:30am- 6pm) Contact: Parama Ishaya, (561) 691-4989 9-11 Phoenix, ARIZONA—First Sphere Course Contact: Sandra Allison, (480) 699-1603, [email protected] Contact: Sara Hosier, (602) 788-8082, [email protected] 10-11 Denver, COLORADO—First Sphere Course Contact: Marcoma & Anita Tharnish, (303) 693-0915, [email protected] Contact: Barb Saull, (303) 233-0866, [email protected] 17-24 Glorieta, NEW MEXICO—7-day Ascension Retreat Contact: Andy Ervin, (505) 291-9800, [email protected] Contact: Sraddha, (505) 757-3716, (505) 490-2027 (cell), [email protected]

FEBRUARY 2004 1 Glorieta, NEW MEXICO— ONGOING SELF-DISCOVERY COURSE: One week to five months: Course is tailored to individual experience, need and time constraints. Attend 1 month (end February 28), 2 months (end March 31), or 5 months (end July 31) Contact: SFA Center, Glorieta, New Mexico, (505) 757-3716, [email protected]


NOVEMBER 2003

1-30 Glorieta, NEW MEXICO— ONGOING SELF-DISCOVERY COURSE: One week to five months: Course is tailored to individual experience, need and time constraints. Contact: SFA Center, Glorieta, New Mexico, (505) 757-3716, [email protected] 1-2 Denver, COLORADO—First Sphere Course Contact: Barb Saull, (303) 233-0866, Contact: Glo Martinez, (303) 763-7593 8-9 Glorieta, NEW MEXICO—Advanced Weekend (in-residence) Contact: Andy Ervin, (505) 291-9800, [email protected] Contact: Sraddha, (505) 757-3716, (505) 490-2027 (cell), [email protected] 15-22 Glorieta, NEW MEXICO—7-day Ascension Retreat Contact: Andy Ervin, (505) 291-9800, [email protected] Contact: Sraddha, (505) 757-3716, (505) 490-2027 (cell), [email protected] 21-23 Jaffrey , NEW HAMPSHIRE—First Sphere Course Contact: Kusala & Vivasvat Ishaya, (603) 532-5789, [email protected] 21-23 Lancaster, MASSACHUSETTS—First Sphere Course Contact: Karen Keefe, (978) 368-3338 24-25 Tucson, ARIZONA—First Sphere Course Contact: Tom & Caron Goode, (520) 886-0540 28-30 Clearwater, FLORIDA—First Sphere Course Contact: Chris Fiala 1-727-523-7552, [email protected]

DECEMBER 2003 1-31 Glorieta, NEW MEXICO— ONGOING SELF-DISCOVERY COURSE: One week to five months: Course is tailored to individual experience, need and time constraints. Contact: SFA Center, Glorieta, New Mexico, (505) 757-3716, [email protected] 5-7 Chicago, ILLINOIS—First Sphere Course Contact: Robyn Van Parys, (847) 691-3848, [email protected] 6-7 Denver, COLORADO—Advanced Weekend Contact: Barb Saull, (303) 233-0866, Contact: Glo Martinez, (303) 763-7593 Contact: Sraddha, (505) 757-3716, (505) 490-2027 (cell), [email protected] 14 Albuquerque, NEW MEXICO—All-day Ascension Contact: Andy Ervin, (505) 291-9800, [email protected]

Schedule of Classes

new mexico—(505) 757-3716 North carolina—(888) 474-2927

Note: To stay updated on classes as they are created around the country, visit

http://www.ishaya.com Or contact us at

[email protected] — or —

[email protected]

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(Continued from page 1) new positive one. And the rewards are beyond imagining: The Kingdom of Heaven, Samadhi, Ananda, the peace that passes all understanding—these are all names describing the stabilized experience of the Ascendant.

“In the Beginning was the Word” And the Word, whether on a personal or a cosmic scale, is the conscious movement between the inner and the outer life. The Word is sound, sound is light, and light is the presence and the full creative power of the Divine. This is why the symbols “Sri - Aum” are so important in the Ishaya Tradition. The Attitudes are cognised from the deepest levels of connection to the Absolute. Like the Vedas, they are: The work of Rishis, seers and sages, who received in their illuminated minds…a great universal, eternal and impersonal Truth which they embodied in Mantras, revealed verses of power, not of an ordinary but of a divine inspiration and source. The Yoga Sutras confirm this eternal method of transmission:

Not conditioned by time, the Ascendant is the Teacher even of the Ancients.

The Ascension Attitudes are expressions of very deep Truth. As such, they have the power to help us align with the Ascending currents of Creation. From their alignment with Truth, they as if form a template around which our inner power can begin to manifest a new Reality; and the more attention we give it, the more of this Reality we can experience.

The Attitudes Know the Way Home As we use the Attitudes with the eyes closed, shutting off the external senses to a degree, the mind has a vehicle toward its own experience of that deep Reality. The more we exercise the internal senses, the stronger they become as well. The nervous system heals itself of inhibiting stresses, and can “tune in” to more and more of the internal input. Thus Krishna tells Arjuna in the Bhagavad Gita:

When such a person, like a tortoise withdrawing its limbs, can fully retire his senses from the objects of perception, his wisdom manifests steadiness.

Or, in Patanjali’s typical few words:

Union is consciousness with its movements still. As we have ever-deeper experiences with the eyes closed, this tends to “colour” the eyes-open moments too. The purpose of Ascension is not those deep, clear meditations that we all love so dearly when they happen. The real purpose of Ascension is a total transformation of the individual life, resulting in ever more rewarding experiences of Self and the Divine Here-and-Now. This transformation is by no means a “slam dunk.” It isn’t difficult, but it does require a lot of time, commitment and perseverance. The knee-jerk habits of negativity, fear and

reactivity are so ingrained in our lives that it takes a great deal of patience and focus to defuse and replace them. It is those subtle, seemingly insignificant choices we make on a moment-to-moment basis that make all the difference. The Ascension Attitudes are statements of Divine Truth, and as such they are solid stepping-stones to experiencing the Divine, to experiencing Self-As-Divine. Wouldn’t it be wonderful to have such an awesome love affair with the Divine that it began to pervade every aspect of your life? The Attitudes are well-tested vehicles to just that experience, when used consciously and consistently.

I am the Source of everything; from Me all creation emerges. Understanding this, the wise adore me in rapt emotion. Their thoughts fully on Me, their beings surrendered to Me, enlightening one another, proclaiming Me always, My devotees are ever contented and joyful. To these who are thus in a constant union with Me, and adore me with an intense light of love, I give that wisdom of Union by which they attain me utterly. Out of sheer compassion for them I, lodged in their self, light the radiant lamp of knowledge that destroys the darkness born of ignorance.

In Vedic understanding, “Good” and “Evil” are extremely simple terms: Good is that which leads toward the Divine, and evil is that which leads away from the Divine. Given that the Self is also the Divine, doesn’t it make a lot of sense to cultivate habits that are good? Jai Isham Ishvaram.

T h e I s h a y a s ’ A s c e n s i o nT h e I s h a y a s ’ A s c e n s i o nT h e I s h a y a s ’ A s c e n s i o nT h e I s h a y a s ’ A s c e n s i o n ®

[Note: All of the vows in the Ishaya Tradition are discussed in Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras. They are not promises made to an external institution or group; they are practices that, when observed, speed one’s journey on the path of enlightenment. An understanding of the true, deeper meanings of these observances can give great insight into the Tradition of Ascension, and Vishvananda has already written a wonderful explanation. With his permission, we reprint it as Part 5 of the series. Jai Isham Ishvaram] One of the most ancient and powerful paths of growth is that of the Renunciate. Whether called a monk, nun, yogi, sannyasi, brahmachari, apostle, or initiate, one who has the ability and desire to slough off the worries of the world can benefit greatly from the commitment to one-pointed focus. It often propels the spirit forward more quickly than any other means of expansion. In the Ishaya Tradition, the first step to becoming a Renunciate is known as the Novitiate path. While “leaving the world” is not for everyone, (Continued on page 4)

The Ishaya Tradition, Part VThe Ishaya Tradition, Part VThe Ishaya Tradition, Part VThe Ishaya Tradition, Part V:::: The Five Novitiate VowsThe Five Novitiate VowsThe Five Novitiate VowsThe Five Novitiate Vows

By Vishvananda Ishaya

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(Continued from page 4) (in fact, it’s not for many at all) it can be extremely beneficial to examine the commitment of the Novitiate life and see how its principals can be applied to modern existence. Novitiates in the Ishaya Tradition take five vows. In the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, each of these five is known as a yama, a death (an extreme word, but useful because it esoterically implies the complete release of mental investment). These five yamas are like different facets of a perfect gem; each facet is glorious, but is most beautiful when viewed in its connection with the supernal glory of the entire jewel. Collectively they represent the supreme Death of the ego, of pain, of suffering. It is important to note, though, that they are not and were never intended to cause an aversion to worldly life. It is sad that the modern world has so twisted spirituality that many of the internal values of renunciation have been sacrificed on the altar of materiality. The vows are primarily about a state of mind, not a course of action. The first and most important of the five Novitiate Vows is Ahimsa, often translated non-violence. It is most important because it is the beginning of the path, the first step on the journey, which, if missed, will lead the traveller astray. So what is this non-violence? Many have assumed that this means, as it sounds in English, to cease causing harm to any being. Aside from being virtually impossible (the body kills thousands of living organisms called bacteria every day), this way of thinking is also a misinterpretation of the essence of the vow. If we look at the vow in its original language—Sanskrit—we notice that it comes from a, which means not, and himsa which is the desiderative form of the verb han (to strike, obstruct, repress). For us non-language-majors, that means that himsa actually means desiring to strike, giving us the following translations for Ahimsa: not desiring to strike, not wishing to obstruct, and not desiring to repress. Immediately we see that non-violence means removing the anger and limitations in our own minds. If this is done without judgement or repression, the natural result will be that all violence disappears in our environment as well. The second vow, Satya, or truthfulness, arises from a combination of sat—being, existing, and ya—relating to. Therefore, a more accurate translation of Satya is beingness, or existence. What disturbs the innocent nature of pure beingness? Quite simply, it is dishonesty. This dishonesty doesn’t really have anything to do with the outer world, except for the fact that someone who is lying to himself or herself will often lie to others. Dishonesty is lying to ourselves, creating illusory worlds in our own minds. These worlds are divorced from the Reality of existence; they are based on a dream. By aligning ourselves with Satya, we destroy these false realities, and enliven the natural laws that cause life to function in harmony; all of our True desires are supported and fulfilled by Mother Nature. Asteya, or non-stealing, is the third vow of the Ishayas. Again we see the syllable a—not. This time, though, it is combined with steya—adornment, envelopment, (from snai—to adorn, to envelop and ya—relating to) giving us without adornment and non-envelopment as translations for Asteya. This vow is about not taking from others, but more importantly, it is not adopting any false beliefs that separate us from the Truth. The most common of these beliefs are those of ownership. In essence, we wrap ourselves in the armor of objects and ideas, hoping to insulate ourselves from pain and

suffering. Unfortunately we find that, as we do so, we also desensitise ourselves to the beauty and joy that is inherent in all things. We stop stealing, not because it is bad, but because it directly inhibits our enjoyment in life. It is further true that by mastering Asteya, by not stealing ownership of any thought word or deed from the forces of the universe, that all the precious treasure of the world presents itself to us. The fourth death is known as Brahmacharya, usually translated self-restraint and interpreted to mean celibacy. Its root is Brahman—expansion, evolution, the Ascendant, which is combined with charya—action, practice, in union with (from char—go, act, practice, unite with and ya—relating to) for translations like: the action of the One, practice that leads to evolution, pervasion of all of life with the Ascendant. This is the most active of the first five vows. At the deepest level, it is simply being in union with the Ascendant, but it also implies taking the action necessary to bring forth The One in all areas of life. It means doing whatever we can to direct our attention back to the Source at all times. Sexuality, especially as it is sometimes used in the world today, can take our attention away from this Source and lock it in the experience of limitation, but to say that this vow means that you are not allowed to be sexual in order to gain enlightenment is a gross misunderstanding of its essential nature. Mastering Brahmacharya is never losing sight of the Absolute, no matter what you happen to be doing. It also confers upon us the ability to save others from their suffering by showing them the power of the Ascendant. The final Novitiate Vow is Aparigraha, non-grasping. A—not, pari—around, fully, away from, and graha—take, seize, obtain together translate: not holding on, not fully obtaining. The nature of life is constant movement; things constantly change from one moment to the next. At some point we began to believe that safety lies in stability. This resulted in the tendency to adopt a stable belief system and defend it to the death. In extreme cases, people will spend all of their energy attempting to force their environment into a rigid form, not allowing the slightest change in their world. This is unfortunate, because letting go of this control allows us to begin to see the perfectly orderly movement of nature. Every state of existence flows into the next, and the next, to eventually be replaced by the first again. Mastering Aparigraha clears our perception of this flow and ultimately brings knowledge of the past and future. Now that we have seen the individual meanings of the Novitiate Vows, let’s take a moment to see how they work together. It is no accident that the yamas are written in the above order. Non-violence is the first because it is our healing of the past. It takes all self-judgment and pain and transmutes it into energy that can be used in the present. The natural result of this healing is that we can finally be honest with ourselves. There is no more need to create illusions that keep the pain of self-judgment away. As truth infuses our lives, we naturally no longer need to envelop ourselves in objects and ideas; we can stand naked before the glory of God. The energy that was before used in protection can now be directed to the Totality. It naturally wants to return to its source, it has only been our constant redirection that has kept it bound. Just as non-violence heals our relationship to the past, non-grasping takes the power of the five vows and, moment-by-moment, directs it into the future. It allows us to let each Now melt away so the next can come without hindrance. Each vow follows in the wake of the

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last, each builds on the foundation of the previous and builds higher the castle of Freedom. These vows are not just for the Renunciate, they can be directly applied to anyone’s life to whatever extent that he or she desires. They are infinitely useful, because they make life simpler and simpler. There is no need to intellectualise or rationalize; we simply align all actions with the Truths of the five deaths. Most importantly, these deaths arise naturally from the simple process of Ascending. The more we Ascend, the more our previous impressions of pain and suffering are healed and the more non-violent we become, beginning the infusion of all of life with the power of the yamas.

The Ishaya Tradition, Part VIThe Ishaya Tradition, Part VIThe Ishaya Tradition, Part VIThe Ishaya Tradition, Part VI::::

The Question of AlignmentThe Question of AlignmentThe Question of AlignmentThe Question of Alignment By Savitr Ishaya

Many Ascenders and teachers have raised the ques-tion of what it means to “align” with the Ishaya Tradition. The acting out of various opinions over the years had led to some very entertaining experiences, such as “processing,” “mirroring,” “expressing,” and other “tools” that somehow crept in while the simple purity of Ascension was diluted, added to, or left out of the equation altogether. This series has been my contribution to the question, and also my attempt to “set the record straight.” I have been fortunate to know MSI and some of the other Ishayas; nonethe-less, this is my perspective only, and may differ from that of others. I doubt there are many “old guard” teachers who would disagree with me, but different perspectives can only add to the whole: The circle of Unity, when drawn from personal experi-ence, will encompass and harmonize all seeming difference. Let’s review the primary themes that have emerged so far:

1. Ascension is an ancient tradition, and of a scope that encompasses all religions and spiritual lineages. 2. The process of Ascension is one in which the individ-ual returns to his/her personal birthright as an aspect of the One indivisible Source. 3. The Divine has already ‘completed the contract’ or ‘honoured the covenant,’ as it were: It has manifested itself holographically as every nuance of Creation; it has created the Pathway of Return and introduced guides along that Pathway in every generation; and it has assured the completion of the Journey by upholding its own inseparable Oneness, and ours. It only remains for the individual to take the path, building strength and stamina by meeting the challenges along the way. 4. The Ishayas themselves, and many other truths of Ascension, cannot be understood exclusively as histori-cal, physical, spiritual, cosmic or individual realities; each of these interpenetrates the other in a harmony that transcends conventional ways of knowing. This new way of knowing uses the heart and mind together, and involves the process of allowance rather than of struggle.

5. The Ascension Attitudes and the observances of the Ishaya Tradition are the science by which the goal can be accomplished easily and gracefully. They are extremely ancient, and have stood the test of time. Ascension requires nothing more from the individual than commitment and the ability to make choices that serve his/her growth. It is up to the Ascender to cultivate the habit of choice, based on Ascending experiences and the desire for self-realization.

The previous article, written by Vishvananda Ishaya, explained the five observances that comprise the Ishaya noviti-ate vows and which, as a group, are also the first of the eight limbs of Union. It is tempting to discuss the other limbs as well, but we will save that for another time. To complete this series, however, let’s turn to the question of alignment. It’s odd that everything has led to this concept, because the word “Alignment” is nowhere mentioned in the Yoga Sutras, or in any other Ishaya lore of which I am aware. But there is one observance, one absolutely critical observance, which is discussed at length, and which forms the entire basis of alignment:

The bottom line, the dividing factor, between the Path of the Gods and the Path of the Sages, is that choice and nothing other than that…. Once you make that choice and act on it, the whole rest of the universe aligns with you. Everything changes in your life, everything…. Now it is perfect, gliding smoothly ahead with ease and grace…. For one destined to be a Sage, for one destined to join that supermundane company of enlightened beings, it is the easiest choice in the world.

What is this all-important choice? In Sanskrit, it is called Ishvara Pranidhana: Surrender to God. This one obser-vance is the essence of alignment: It is the beginning of align-ment, it is the end of alignment, it is everything in between. It is so central to Hindu culture that it forms the basis of the greeting “Namaste.” Its importance in the Muslim tradition is reflected in the Arabic article “the”—Al, meaning “God”—which is applied to everything of the objective world. In Judaism and Christianity it is the supreme commandment: You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength. In the Ishaya Tradition, it is “Everything. It’s also the one thing the ego can never, ever do. The ego will never ask for help; it will maintain its position until the death. But when one is willing to start surrendering, one is capable of graduating to Perpetual Consciousness, to begin to move ahead. I don’t know if it is possible without surrender…. Does it [the ego] ever take the ever-lively, ever-new experience of the Infinite One and make it brilliant on the surface of life everywhere? No, it keeps it static, keeps it bounded…. There is no expansion.” The English language is sometimes limiting, but it is obvious here that we are not referring to God as some paternal-istic being that judges our every action on the scale of redemp-tion and damnation. “God,” in the sense we are using the word, is the Infinite and Absolute Unity that excludes nothing and no-one. (Continued on page 7)

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Mellen-Thomas Benedict is an artist who survived a near-death experience in 1982. He was dead for over an hour and a half and during that time, he "rose up out of his body and went into the Light." Curious about the universe, he was taken far into the remote depths of existence, and even beyond, into the energetic Void of Nothingness behind the Big Bang. Dr. Kenneth Ring has said, "His story is one of the most remarkable I have encountered in my extensive research on near-death experiences." THE ROAD TO DEATH In 1982 I died from terminal cancer. My condition was non-operable. I chose not to have chemotherapy. I was given six to eight months to live. Before this time, I had become increasingly despondent over the nuclear crisis, the ecology crisis, and so forth. I came to believe that nature had made a mistake - that we were probably a cancerous organism on the planet. And that is what eventually killed me. Before my death, I tried all sorts of alternative healing methods. None helped. So I determined that this was between me and God. I had never really considered God. Neither was I into any kind of spirituality, but my approaching death sent me on a quest for more information about spirituality and alternative healing. I read various religions and philosophies. They gave hope that there was something on the other side. I had no medical insurance, so my life savings went overnight on tests. Unwilling to drag my family into this, I determined to handle this myself. I ended up in hospice care and was blessed with an angel for my hospice caretaker, whom I will call "Anne." She stayed with me through all that was to follow. It lasted about eighteen months. THE LIGHT OF GOD I woke up about 4:30 am and I knew that this was it. I was

(Continued on page 8)

Through The Light

By Mellen-Thomas Benedict

(Continued from page 6) Surrender is the emotional approach to the Divine, and is driven by the heart. This is an extremely important point. There are many who have mistakenly assumed that “surrender to God on the outside” means surrender to a group mentality or to another individual, or even the adoration of a guru-type personality. This is absolutely, positively, not the case. Acquiescence to another ego, whether it belongs to a person or a group, is capitulation, not Ishvara Pranidhana! The one leads to more fear and limitation, the other to absolute liberation. So what is the difference? Ishvara Pranidhana means cultivating the ability to find the love and will of the Absolute in any external situation or action, and surrendering to That. This is not necessarily the same as surrendering to the situation itself. Suppose you are practicing surrender and someone becomes very angry and abusive toward you. Capitulation means you would sit meekly while abuse is heaped upon you, perhaps expressing unfelt gratitude at the end, maybe even beating yourself up further by assuming “If I created that, I must have deserved it. If I were a better person, things might have been different.” The truly surrendered person, on the other hand, looks for the gift that is being offered by the Divine in perfect, uncon-ditional love: Perhaps it is an opportunity to recognize that this is the other person’s problem, and that you don’t have to take it on board. Maybe you will be able to recognize the other person’s cry for help, and respond in love. Or maybe it is simply time for you to affirm your own self-worth by walking away from the situation. Only one thing is certain: Regardless of what seems to be happening, the situation has been created for you in absolute love, according to your need. If you are able to find the key by surrendering to the divine purpose rather than to the reactive ego, your response will be perfectly appropriate to the need of the other person as well. Capitulating to another person or group as a means of finding God-in-you may be a humbling blow to the ego, but it is definitely the long route to steadfastness in the Ascendant! Enlightenment is liberation from all of the “should-do’s” and “must-do’s” of waking state life. Ishvara pranidhana is surren-der of the heart, embracing the Divine in joy and expansion, accepting the loving will of the Divine and letting that love flow through one’s own mind and actions as well. Only then is it possible to see that same divine will flowing through the actions of everyone else; this is also, it should be noted, the essence of compassion. Surrender to God is also the core message of the Bhagavad-Gita, in which Krishna shows Arjuna the straightest road to Union, the path of the true yogi. The yogi is in total balance, welcoming the negative as well as the positive, evil as well as good, as forces through which the Divine will moves humankind irrevocably toward reunion with itself. It matters not which side Arjuna is on, nor which physical forms he must fight; when one is in alignment with the Divine will, all action is appropriate and the temporal results are of no consequence whatsoever. All that matters is the surrender, the alignment, for it is in this that Union occurs. The physical form is the most limited aspect of who we are, and yet the ego would focus on that as if it were the only reality. By expanding our awareness to the greater aspects of Selfhood we begin to touch the Divine—and vice-versa. Ascension means returning to the full immanence of who I Am, or self-realization.

The Ishaya Tradition exists for this, for reunion with the Divine. Alignment with the Ishaya Tradition is Ishvara pranidhana, or alignment with the Divine. With eagerness and joy, with passion and perfect one-pointed faith. What could be more simple, more desirable, more fulfilling, than surrender to the Truth of what you are?

Tivra samveganam asannah To the intensely vehement, soon.

or The joyfully impassioned have drawn near.

Jai Isham Ishvaram.

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Tithing (Continued from page 7) going to die. I called a few friends and said good-bye. I woke up Anne and made her promise that my dead body would remain undisturbed for six hours, since I had read that all kinds of interesting things happen when you die. I went back to sleep. The next thing I remember, I was fully aware and standing up. Yet my body was lying in the bed. I seemed to be surrounded by darkness, yet I could see every room in the house, and the roof, and even under the house. A Light shone; I turned toward it, and was aware of its similarity to what others have described in near-death experiences. It was magnificent and tangible, alluring. I wanted to go towards that Light like I might want to go into my ideal mother's or father's arms. As I moved towards the Light, I knew that if I went into the Light, I would be dead. So I said/felt, "Please wait. I would like to talk to you before I go." The entire experience halted. I discovered that I was in control of the entire experience. My request was honoured. I had conversations with the Light. That's the best way I can describe it. The Light changed into different figures, like Jesus, Buddha, Krishna, mandalas, archetypal images and signs. I asked in a kind of telepathy, "What is going on here?" The information transmitted was that our beliefs shape the kind of feedback we receive: If you are a Buddhist or Catholic or Fundamentalist, you get a feedback loop of your own images. I became aware of a Higher Self matrix, a conduit to the source. We all have a Higher Self, or an oversoul part of our being, a conduit. All Higher Selves are connected as one being, all humans are connected as one being. We are literally the same being. It was the most beautiful thing I have ever seen. It was like all the love you've every wanted, and it was the kind of love that cures, heals, regenerates. I was ready to go at that time. I said "I am ready, take me." Then the Light turned into the most beautiful thing that I have ever seen: a mandala of human souls on this planet. I saw that we are the most beautiful creations - elegant, exotic... everything. I just cannot say enough about how it changed my opinion of human beings in an instant. I said/thought/felt, "Oh, God, I didn't realize." I was astonished to find that there was no evil in any soul. People may do terrible things out of ignorance and lack, but no soul is evil. What all people seek, what sustains them, is Love, the Light told me. What distorts people is a LACK of LOVE. The revelations went on and on. I asked, "Does this mean that humankind will be saved?" Like a trumpet blast with a shower of spiraling lights, the Light "spoke," saying, "You save, redeem and heal yourself. You always have and always will. You were created with the power to do so from before the beginning of the world." In that instant I realized that WE HAVE ALREADY BEEN SAVED; this is what the "Second Coming" is about. I thanked the Light of God with all my heart. The best thing I could come up with was: "Oh dear God, dear Universe, dear Great Self, I

love my Life." The Light seemed to breathe me in even more deeply, absorbing me. I entered into another realm more profound than the last, and was aware of an enormous stream of Light, vast and full, deep. I asked what it was. The Light answered, "This is the RIVER OF LIFE. Drink of this manna water to your heart's content." I drank deeply, in ecstasy. THE VOID OF NOTHINGNESS Suddenly I seemed to be rocketing away from the planet on this stream of Life. I saw the earth fly away. The solar system, whizzed by and disappeared. I flew through the center of the galaxy, absorbing more knowledge as I went. I learned that this galaxy, and all of the Universe, is bursting with many different varieties of life. I saw many worlds We are not alone in this Universe. It seemed as if all the creations in the Universe soared past me and vanished in a speck of Light. Almost immediately, a second Light appeared. As I passed into the second Light, I could perceive forever, beyond Infinity. I was in the Void, pre-Creation, the beginning of time, the first Word or vibration. I rested in the Eye of Creation and it seemed that I touched the Face of God. It was not a religious feeling. I was simply at One with Absolute Life and Consciousness. It would take me years to assimilate the Void experience. It was less than nothing yet greater than anything. Creation is God exploring God's Self through every way imaginable. Through every piece of hair on your head, through every leaf on every tree, through every atom, God is exploring God's Self. I saw everything as the Self of all. God is here. That's what it is all about. Everything is made of light; everything is alive. THE LIGHT OF LOVE I rode the stream directly into the center of the Light. I felt embraced by the Light as it took me in with its breath again. And the truth was obvious that there is no death; that nothing is born and nothing dies; that we are immortal beings, part of a natural living system that recycles itself endlessly. I was never told that I had to come back. I just knew that I would. It was only natural, from what I had seen. As I began my return to the life cycle, it never crossed my mind, nor was I told, that I would return to the same body. It did not matter. I had complete trust in the Light and the Life process. As the stream merged with the great Light, I asked never to forget the revelations and the feelings of what I had learned on the other side.I thought of myself as a human again and I was happy to be that. From what I have seen, I would be happy to be an atom in this universe. An atom. So to be the human part of God ... this is the most fantastic blessing. It is a blessing beyond our wildest estimation of what blessing can be. For each and every one of us to be the human part of this experience is awesome, and magnificent. Each and every one of us, no matter where we are, screwed up or not, is a blessing

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facet of the whole. I wish that all religions would realize it and let each other be. It is not the end of separate religions, but live and let live. Each has a different view. And it all adds up to the big picture. I went over to the other side with a lot of fears about toxic waste, nuclear missiles, the population explosion, the rain forest. I came back loving every single problem. I love nuclear waste. I love the mushroom cloud; this is the holiest mandala that we have manifested to date, as an archetype. More than any religion or philosophy on earth, that terrible, wonderful cloud brought us together all of a sudden, to a new level of consciousness. Knowing that maybe we can blow up the planet fifty times, or 500 times, we finally realize that maybe we are all here together now. For a period they had to keep setting off more bombs to get it IN to us. Then we started saying, "we do not need this any more." Now we are actually in a safer world than we have ever been in, and it is going to get safer. So I came back loving toxic waste, because it brought us together. These things are so big. Clearing of the rain forest will slow down, and in fifty years there will be more trees on the planet than in a long time. If you are into ecology, go for it; you are that part of the system that is becoming aware. Go for it with all your might, but do not be depressed or disheartened. Earth is in the process of domesticating itself and we are cells on that Body. Population increase is getting very close to the optimal range of energy to cause a shift in consciousness. That shift in consciousness will change politics, money, energy. What happens when we dream? We are multi-dimensional beings. We can access that through lucid dreaming. In fact, this universe is God's dream. One of the things that I saw is that we humans are a speck on a planet that is a speck in a galaxy that is a speck. Those are giant systems out there, and we are in sort of an average system. But human beings are already legendary throughout the cosmos of consciousness. The little bitty human being of Earth is legendary. One of the things that we are legendary for is dreaming. We are legendary dreamers. In fact, the whole cosmos has been looking for the meaning of life, the meaning of it all. And it was the little dreamer who came up with the best answer ever. We dreamed it up. So dreams are important. After dying and coming back, I really respect life and death. In our DNA experiments we may have opened the door to a great secret. Soon we will be able to live as long as we want to live in this body. After living 150 years or so, there will be an intuitive soul sense that you will want to change channels. Living forever in one body is not as creative as reincarnation, as transferring energy in this fantastic vortex of energy that we are in. We are actually going to see the wisdom of life and death, and enjoy it. As it is now, we have already been alive forever. Here's to life! Here's to death! Here's to it all! Don't go to your grave with your music still inside you.

(Continued from page 8) to the planet, right where we are. So I went through the reincarnation process expecting to be a baby somewhere. But I reincarnated back into this body. I was so surprised when I opened my eyes, to be back in this body, back in my room with someone looking over me, crying her eyes out. It was "Anne," my hospice caretaker. She had found me dead thirty minutes before. We do not know how long I was dead, only that she found me thirty minutes before. She had honoured my wish to have my newly-dead body left alone. She can verify that I really was dead. It was not a near-death experience. I believe I probably experienced death itself for at least an hour and a half. When I awakened I saw the light outside. Confused, I tried to get up to go to it, but I fell out of the bed. She heard a loud "clunk", ran in and found me on the floor. When I recovered, I was surprised and awed about what had happened, I had no memory at first of the experience. I kept slipping out of this world and kept asking, "Am I alive?" This world seemed more like a dream than that one. Within three days, I was feeling normal again, clearer, yet different than ever before. My memories of the journey came back later. But from my return I could find nothing wrong with any human being I had ever seen. Previous to my death I was judgmental, believing that people were really screwed up. Everyone but me. About three months later a friend said I should get tested for the cancer, so I got the scans and so forth. I felt healthy. I still remember the doctor at the clinic looking at the "before" and "after" scans. He said, "I can find no sign of cancer now." "A miracle?" I asked. "No," he answered. These things happen . . . spontaneous remission." He seemed unimpressed. But I was impressed and KNEW it was a miracle. LESSONS LEARNED The Great Mystery of life has little to do with intelligence. The universe is not an intellectual process. The intellect is helpful; but our HEARTS are the wiser part of ourselves. Since my return I have experienced the Light spontaneously, and I have learned how to get to that space almost any time in my meditation. You can also do this. You do not have to die first. You are wired for it already. The body is the most magnificent Light being there is. The body is a universe of incredible Light. Spirit is not pushing us to dissolve this body. We don't need to commune with God; God is communing with us in every moment. I asked God: "What is the best religion on the planet? Which one is right?" God said with great love: "I don't care." What an incredible grace. It does not matter what religion we are. Religions come and they go, they change. Buddhism has not been here forever, Catholicism has not been here forever, and they are all about to become more enlightened. More light is coming into all systems now. Many will resist and fight about it, one religion against the next, believing that only they are right. When Godhead said, "I don't care," I understood that it is for us to care about, because we are the caring beings. The Source does not care if you are Protestant, Buddhist, Moslem or Jew. Each is a reflection, a

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express Truth and eventually his/her words become dogma as attempts are made to interpret them literally. As one sage wrote: “As I walked my spiritual path, I passed many signposts left by seekers who had passed this way before me. All pointed onward toward the Truth. Camped at the base of each was a mass of people who had stopped and were now worshipping the sign.” Although there are many different paradigms that have developed in trying to make some sense of why we’re here and how the Universe works, I feel there are three basic camps: One (which is the most common) states that we are indi-viduals with free will and our future is determined by our choices. In the East this camp says that we have individ-ual souls that continue from lifetime to lifetime and evolve or de-evolve according to our choices until we finally “get it” which is characterized by the ultimate act of surrender – when our will is completely surrendered to the Ascendant’s will, and therefore our will no longer exists. (This surrender is not something that we do, but is something that happens.) In the West, this camp states that our choices determine whether we will spend eternity in Heaven or Hell, either by how our choices affect our actions (“good” or “bad”) or whether or not we choose to accept Christ as our personal Savior. Another, less popular camp, states that our lives are pre-destined and that we have no choice. In the East this camp says that we have individual souls whose lives are dictated by a Divine Plan that culminates with the ulti-mate act of acceptance – when a total and complete ac-ceptance occurs that the Divine Plan is all there is, and it is perfect exactly as it is. (Again, this acceptance is not something that we do.) In the West, this camp states that where we spend eternity has nothing to do with our choices, but is solely dependent on whether we are part of the “elect” of God. And there’s a third camp (which is the least popular) which states that there is no “we” – “we” don’t exist. “We” are mere figments of the Ascendant’s imagination; characters in the Ascendant’s dream. Therefore, issues such as free will versus predestination, surrender versus acceptance, creator versus victim, etc. don’t exist, be-cause all of these issues assume that there’s an individual that they apply to. MSI basically used the first paradigm. One time when I asked him if all there is, is the Ascendant, then that means that the only will there is, is the Ascendant’s will and we don’t have one because we don’t exist. He re-sponded that ultimately that’s true, but that he was not teaching at that level. When asked to talk about his Unity experience, he stated that his will completely

Of all the books written by MSI, Second Thunder is my favorite. Yet, I’ve heard more complaints about this book than any of the others with the most common being that the story line is difficult to follow. Well, the story line is probably the least important part of Second Thun-der. When I first bought Second Thunder, I also became frustrated trying to follow the story line and remem-ber who was who. I have a difficult time remember-ing names, and since some characters have different names in different parts of the book, I found this very frustrating. So, I finally told my left-brain to take a break and read through the book not worrying about who was who or trying to keep chronological track of what was taking place. And, lo and behold, the book became extremely enjoyable as I discov-ered that it was full of beautiful treasures. MSI’s method was to teach at the level of the person (or group of people) he was addressing. In Second Thunder he teaches at many different levels and this is one of the reasons that every time you read the book, it’ll probably seem like the first time (except that eventually you do remember the names and are able to follow the characters throughout the book and also follow the time line). Truth cannot be put into words; words can only point to Truth (at best). MSI reminds us of this in the Introduc-tion when he writes: “Words are finite, limited tools, most loved by longing minds. They will forever fall short of the experience of Truth. Truth is lived and can be shared; the best words can do is point the finger of understanding at it. Words can say, ‘The Moon is there.’ They do not and cannot give the experience of the Moon. At their best, they will inspire one to seek the experience they describe.” This phenomenon has led to a tremen-dous amount of confusion over the millennia and has sometimes resulted in dissension and splits in “religious” organizations and sometimes even in wars and attempts at genocide. A teacher, sage, prophet, etc. will attempt to

Second Thunder A Commentary

By Airavata Ishaya

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“mundane” things on the surface as they were being pre-pared for their eventual role. Steven, on the other hand represents a devout seeker who has finally found his teacher and is willing to die for him/her. And, Steven is very content with this. However, Steven suddenly finds himself in the role of the teacher when Jacob declares him as his successor as he is dying. Steven doesn’t feel ready or worthy to be the teacher, yet finds himself, or chooses (depending which paradigm you like) going forward and leading the people. As he steps into the role, the Universe continues to support him with the appropriate power and knowledge, love and compassion that are needed at the time. Steven begins by interacting quite frequently with his disciples, but as he evolves more and more, he spends less and less time with them; only interacting when one is “stuck” and needs a special “push” to move through his or her block. The rest of his time, Steven spends diving deeper and deeper into the wonders of the Ascendant and also ensuring that cer-tain key events occur in accordance with the Divine role for him and his disciples. Arthur is full of passion, wonder and excitement as Jacob’s student. He’s an obvious leader and no one would question his desire and earnestness to “do what-ever it takes”. Yet, to the shock of many of the “faithful”, Arthur is not able to go through the Cave and enter into Paradise. He is held back by his fear and is devastated only to discover that he has an extremely im-portant role outside of Paradise (this is another example of the second paradigm). This is a beautiful lesson that just because someone has “fallen away from the flock”, doesn’t necessarily mean that they have fallen away from their spiritual path. Another teacher, Joab, demonstrates how some teachers can guide from “behind the scenes” and how sometimes what a teacher says is specifically meant for one person and is not to be taken as an instruction for the masses. After he helps bring Mars to a place where Mars is will-ing to surrender and do what he’s told, Joab tells him to cross “the Burned Lands” and keep walking West until he gets to the Ebony City Zared. Mars, who was the mighti-est king and strongest warrior, willingly obeys. He keeps walking and walking until he begins to doubt the authen-ticity of Joab. But, he fights these doubts until he’s on the brink of insanity and becomes convinced that Joab’s instructions were a plot to destroy him. He then turns back towards the East. And it is at this moment of defeat (which is a representation of going through what the mys-tical Christians call the “Dark Night of the Soul” and the Buddhists call “The Horrors”; Steven and the 500 walk-ing through the dark cave is another, more obvious exam-ple) that Maitreya appears to continue with the training. Could you imagine if some well-intentioned seeker was

(Continued from page 10) merged into the Ascendant’s will and the Ascendant’s will was the only will that existed to him. Even though Second Thunder is mostly written in accordance with the first paradigm, elements of all three paradigms are to be found in it. The first paradigm is the easiest to see throughout the book as the characters struggle with decisions that they must make as well as the apparent concerns of their teachers/mentors hoping that the right decisions will be made. The second paradigm is not as obvious, but never-theless exists, as for example when Mars is “kidnapped” by Joab to begin his training for his destined role in the “Cosmic Play,” and as other characters are groomed for their specific roles throughout the book without their knowing it. The third paradigm is the least obvious, but is there. MSI writes that Second Thunder, along with the other “Thunder” books, is “a description of an individual’s journey to enlightenment through numerous births.” And what is the culmination of enlightenment? The dissolu-tion of the individual; when the “individual” comes to the ultimate understanding that “All there is, is the Ascen-dant”. When I first heard MSI say that in a meeting dur-ing my teachers’ training, it penetrated my heart and has become the most profound statement I ever heard him say. Yet, even this is a concept and over the years has meant different things to me, proving, once again that Truth cannot be put into words. So, when enlightenment, Self-realization, awakening, or whatever you like to call it occurs, there is a deep understanding in the depths of the mind, heart and soul that is confirmed by the spirit that there truly only is the Ascendant. The Ascendant is the great “I Am” while “we” are illusory “I am nots”. (Actually, God is the great “I Am” and the Ascendant is That which Knows “I Am”, or The “I Am Not”.) Second Thunder is full of wonderful lessons, examples and teachings. I love its beautiful examples of the “making of a teacher”. Jacob spends most of his life as a simple man drawing water from a well for those passersby who are thirsty. He has no interests or desires in the world or city life and performs his daily, mundane task without grumbling or yearning to break free. He’s completely unaware that drawing water from the well is (at that time) the most important task of the Universe as it is helping to restore a vital link between the Cosmic Chakras. Later, when people no longer come by the well, he sets off to see what is happening and finds himself becoming a great teacher (another example of the second paradigm). Unfortunately, for those who have come to love and respect Jacob, Jacob’s role as a teacher is short lived. This represents many great sages and teachers in the past who spent the majority of their life doing

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place simultaneously at different levels. There are battles between armies and at the same time battles between rak-shasas and oathmasters. There are events taking place on the surface of the planet and at the same time events oc-curring in the heart of the Universe. All of these occurrences are interwoven and are a great and beautiful reminder that the same is true for today’s worldly events. To view a major world event at only the surface level is to be extremely shortsighted and it closes our minds to what may be occurring at different levels of the Universe. In the book of Romans, Paul says: “Everyone must submit himself to the governing authori-ties, for there is no authority except that which God has established.” When Pilate asked Jesus “Don’t you realize I have power either to free you or to crucify you?” Jesus responded “You would have no power over me if it were not given to you from above.” In Second Thunder this lesson is beautifully portrayed with the character of Al-vera. She is the most brutal, cold-hearted, sadistic, power hungry, evil ruler in the world. Many might compare her to some of the terrorist leaders or world leaders today (depending on how you view things). Yet after she dies, the spirit that eventually comes out of her was one of the real surprises for me (I won’t give this one away) and, to me, is a demonstration of the third paradigm that I men-tioned above, as well as how there’s a lot more going on than meets the eye when the eye is only looking at the surface events. MSI also shows us throughout the book that not everyone is meant to be a teacher. In fact, there are very few teach-ers in any of the “Thunder” books. Nevertheless, there are other roles that are equally important. The Vidyad-hara Airavata never plays the role of a teacher. His role is that of an assistant – assisting Gana, Almira and the Oathmasters when called upon and needed. But, most of the time he spends his “days alone, singing the wonder of Almira, contemplating the glory of the One.” There is also Almira who “is the second half of Gana’s soul, ever conscious; she is the Goddess, always in divine commun-ion with the One; she is the Earth Mother, the Source of all Good for humanity, the personified Holy Spirit.” She appears throughout the book in the guise of different characters always there to help guide and encourage Gana in his different roles. There are the Oathmasters to help guide Gana as well as to help bring about destiny. And, of course, there are millions of other characters that may appear to be minor, but are necessary for any of the “Cosmic Plays” to occur. In fact, Almira points out to Gana: “You see now that all lives! In the most personal sense of the word. Each and every grain of sand has a unique existence, an individual reality in the One’s light.” Another lesson that I always appreciate when I read through Second Thunder is that as one “evolves” his

(Continued from page 11) hiding in the bushes and overheard Joab tell Mars to walk across the Burned Lands to the Ebony City Zared and then went running in his/her excitement to tell the other seekers that this is the key to their enlightenment? Could very well end up with a bunch of seekers dying from de-hydration in the desert! Yet, how many times has a teacher said something to an individual and this statement was turned into dogma by well-meaning, overzealous seekers? MSI also taught us about three different paths according to the Ishaya tradition and these paths are also repre-sented in Second Thunder. The Red Path was for those who were to go out into the world and teach the people. The White Path was for those who would live together and spend the days Ascending and going deeper and deeper into the Ascendant to help raise the collective con-sciousness of the planet. The Black Path was for those teachers who would only appear when necessary to en-sure the purity of the teaching and to give a helpful “nudge” when necessary. When Jacob walks into the city of Falon, he finds himself going to the city square and preaching to the masses. This results in the formation of a following of seekers which also turns out to be the ful-fillment of a prophecy. In this role, Jacob represents the Red Ishaya Path. Later, when Steven leads them into Vashti, the seekers spend their days diving deeper and deeper into the Ascendant along with Steven. This repre-sents the White Ishaya Path. And, eventually as men-tioned above, Steven spends very little time with the fol-lowing and only appears when necessary to help keep everyone in line. This represents the Black Ishaya Path. Second Thunder also talks about other “Cosmic Plays” taking place simultaneously throughout the Universe as well as describing “plays within plays”. In the beginning, MSI writes “Other worlds lie just beneath the surface of our rational minds. In one, infinite yet unconscious forces interact mindlessly in chaotic patterns, creating and destroying as if randomly, by accident. In another, gods and heroes struggle against manifest evil in the all but hopeless quest to save their worlds from destruction. In yet another, every moment without exception unfolds in perfect harmony with the will of the Creator-Of-All-That-Is. The experience of alternate universes is more often than not repressed in our modern age. This is tragic, for repression leads to confusion, to distorted per-ception, to fear.” He also tells us that we are connected to the Sun which is “a gateway or vortex to elsewhere” and that there are “Seven Regions of Light that surround and permeate our three-dimensional Universe of name and form”. And, throughout the book, almost every scene is a “play within a play” in that there are the obvi-ous events taking place on the surface and then, at times, we are told of some of the more subtle events taking

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treasures, lessons and wisdom. When it comes to the de-tails of the actual story, who cares? The Ishayas’ Ascension®, Society For Ascension®, First Sphere®, and SFA Publications® are registered Tademarks and owned by the Society For Ascension®. Copywrite 1999-2001

(Continued from page 12) emotions become greater, not less. Gana’s love for Almira is so great that he will go to any length to be with her. As Naisan evolves, his compassion and love for hu-manity increases. When he witnesses the death of a dear friend during a major battle, his heart fills with rage for following the Oathmaster Joab’s will. When loved ones die, tears flow freely from the eyes of the evolved. Sometime, I feel that people expect a person to become a lump of unemotional tofu as they grow deeper and deeper into the Ascendant, but MSI clearly demonstrates that not only is this not the case, but the opposite is true as our emotions have total freedom to be expressed without self-judgment. There are many, many more lessons and treasures throughout the book. I would like to end with one more. After Maitreya dies, Airavata reveals to Mars that Mai-treya was the Oathmaster Mordom. Mars becomes com-pletely overwhelmed with this revelation and feels that his future is dead. Moved by compassion, Airavata gen-tly says: “What weight a name, Sun Prince? Was he any more or less because of his role as the Last Oathmaster of Emura? You needed a deity much less than a compan-ion; you humans revere him no less than Gana himself. AWE CAN CHECK LEARNING (emphasis mine).” Not only does this lesson demonstrate that we don’t al-ways need another “deity” to look up to and try to mimic (or, as MSI repeatedly said “It is not about the teacher, it’s about the Teaching.”), but a truly great teacher will have no problem in playing the role of a trustworthy companion; gently guiding, encouraging and loving those who are brought into their lives. The teacher will do whatever is necessary. And finally, I’d like to end by quoting MSI’s purpose for writing Second Thunder: “The Oathmasters were united in their assertion that this Universe we believe real is a particularly involved illusion. But this does not change the fact dreams can seem quite frightening to the dreamer. Therefore, the only significant question in human life is, ‘How can I wake up?’ Life is a race between the knowledge of Truth and death. Dying while remaining asleep and dreaming loses. Only awakening while still alive makes human life worthwhile. To assist in this process is a noble task; it is the purpose of the Ishayas’ Ascension; it is the purpose of this book.” So, if you’re one of those who became frustrated trying to read Second Thunder, I strongly suggest that you tell your left brain to take a break and dive into the book not caring who’s who and what’s happening when. Instead of trying to figure the book out, let the book help you fig-ure YOU out as you let MSI share with you a wealth of

Where Teachers Are

The Ishayas UK The Steps, Church Road, Burley,

Oakham LE15 7SU, UK Phone: [44] (0)1572 722 465

Fax [44] (0)1572 724 634 Email: [email protected] Savitr Ishaya, Usas Ishaya,

Ahimsa Ishaya, Rama Ishaya, Hirani

Denmark Ishayas Swayam & Satarupa Ishaya

Dambakken 1d.1tv 3460 Birkerød

Denmark Phone: 45 81 11 08

Email: [email protected]

Society For Ascension® Corporate Center

Waynesville, North Carolina 272 Biodome Drive

Waynesville, NC 28785 Phone: (828) 926-7853 or Toll free: (888) ISHAYAS Email: [email protected]

[email protected] Teachers: Mitra Ishaya, Visvakarman Ishaya

New Mexico Retreat Center

HC 70 Box 462 37 Sweet Clover Lane Glorieta, NM 87535 Phone: 505-757-3716

Fax: 505-757-3726 Email: [email protected] [email protected]

[email protected] Sraddha Ishaya, Vrisha Ishaya, Aramati Ishaya,

Florida Ishayas

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Society for Ascension® 272 Biodome Drive Waynesville, NC 28785 Tel: (828) 926-7853 Toll Free: 888-ISHAYAS [email protected]

Society for Ascension® HC 70 Box 462

Glorieta, NM 87535 USA

Tel: (505) 757-3716 [email protected]

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17426 2nd Street East Reddington Shores, FL 33708

Phone: 727- 393- 0249

Email: [email protected] SFA Ishaya Teachers:

Gomati Ishaya, Vasistha Ishaya

Florida Ishayas

17426 2nd Street East Reddington Shores, FL 33708

Phone: 727- 393- 0249 Email: [email protected]

SFA Ishaya Teachers: Gomati Ishaya, Vasistha Ishaya

New Hampshire Ishayas

10 Oak Street Jaffrey, NH 03452

Phone: 1-603-532-5789 Email: [email protected]

or [email protected] SFA Ishaya Teachers:

Kusala Ishaya, Vivasvat Ishaya

The Ishayas’ Ascension®, Society For Ascension®, First Sphere®, and SFA Publications® are registered Tademarks and owned by the Society For Ascension®. Copywrite 1999-2001

The Ishayas’ Ascension USA 2003-11.pdf · laziness, not Ascension—It will not take anyone to...

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Transcript of The Ishayas’ Ascension USA 2003-11.pdf · laziness, not Ascension—It will not take anyone to...