Return Path to Eden
The
Still, Small Voice
Finding God Within:
a synopsis of the
Aquarian Gospel
Interpreted by Michael F. O’Keeffe
God resides deep within each
of us, but one cannot experience one’s unity with the divine until he has cast
out evil. What is evil? Deviation from serenity is “evil.” Man was meant to live peacefully and happily
– in perfect serenity, but there is much evil in the world. There is much deviation from serenity. Thus, there is much pain, frustration,
sickness, sadness and sorrow.
Prophets know exactly what causes deviation from serenity, and they know how to cast this evil from one’s own life. Some prophets are more powerful than others. The most powerful prophet of all, Jesus, was able to cast all evil from His life. His life became perfectly serene. Not even an humiliating public execution could disturb His serenity. (He knew death is merely an illusion!)
Jesus taught those who
followed Him how to achieve serenity.
He explained that casting evil from one’s life is difficult, and
requires much will-power and extraordinary perseverance. Like climbing a gigantic, dangerous
mountain, one must be well prepared.
Thus, Jesus said, “take stock of yourself before you start to follow
me….and don’t look back!”
What kind of will-power is
required to accomplish the ascent? In
order to answer this, we need to take a look at Man: All men and women are eternal spirit beings, descendants of
God. We are not physical beings. However, in order that we may learn all that
we need to know (to become mature Children of our Father-God) He gave us each a
physical body. Thus, He gave us
choices.
The physical body is totally selfish, and always seeks gratification of its appetites, passions and desires (like an untamed beast) and the beastly body has an ego to match. We, on the other hand, as God’s children, have no selfishness within us. We are pure, unselfish love. However, placed into the body of a beast, we must continually choose between all the loud and boisterous impulses and demands of the selfish, beastly body, and the quiet, unselfish, loving impulses of God within.
The person who is quiet and still can hear the still, small voice of God within. He or she has begun the process of getting in touch with one’s true self, the God-like self (the ego-divine). It takes will-power to be quiet and still (to meditate) and learn to listen to the divine sounds of silence within. This still, small voice calls upon each of us to restrain the appetites, passions and desires of the beastly self – requiring enormous will-power and substantial perseverance.
The internal voice promises,
however, that he who succeeds in conquering his beastly
self has cast out evil, and has cleared the way for the divine
self to manifest. Therefore, the person
who wins The Victory gradually experiences the onset of everlasting joy
and peace – pure serenity – a state of mind, which ancient scripture
refers to as “Heaven,” “Eden,” “Paradise” and “Nirvana.”
It may take years, or even a
lifetime, to develop the will-power and perseverance required to achieve
this. Indeed, we must live many
lifetimes (many incarnations) before we are even prepared to try. Then, after success, we must live many
additional lifetimes, teaching others to do the same. Then, finally, a person may (like Jesus) manifest physically, and
live an entire earth-life without ever responding to a single beastly impulse;
and thus live a life of perfect serenity.
This is the life of Christ –
each person’s goal and destiny, each person’s final incarnation. This is how each one of God’s children
eventually attains maturity, to become just like our Father. Yes, to attain maturity and Immortality, and
become just like our Father (as Jesus did) is everyone’s destiny, for God
and Man are one! And this is
all. May your journey be blessed.
One may ask, didn’t Jesus
eat? Yes, but He never ate a single
morsel more than is right and just, and He often fasted. Jesus ate (of course) but very little, and
He seldom ate meat. To respond to the
body’s need for food is not a violation of natural law, but to eat more than
is required is a violation, and all violations have natural penalties built
in, such as accidents and disease.
Physical impulses impel us to
consume much more than our physical bodies require. We are accustomed to responding to these impulses, and thus we
over-consume. We think nothing of
consuming three or more large meals a day, as well as between-meal snacks. Thus, we habitually devour many times the
amount to which we are entitled (by natural law) and thus we get sick. Anyone who completely conquers this impulse
to over-consume, and simultaneously dedicates his life to serving humanity (by
acts of kindness and love) experiences perfect health, and a life of
tranquility.
The amount of food, which is
just and right, compared to the amount we are accustomed to consuming, is small
indeed. We are addicted to over-consuming,
and when we do so, we are stealing. By
natural law, there is always enough food (and resources) for everyone on Earth,
with plenty to spare; but by natural law, one who over-consumes experiences
grief – through accidents, afflictions, scarcity and mistakes, and various
other sorrows and miseries. (The intensity
of one’s grief is always proportional to the intensity of one’s self-indulgent
practices.)
In other words, anyone who
violates certain natural laws (trough undue food consumption and other
excesses) resides “where there is weeping and the gnashing of teeth.” Conversely, anyone who understands this, and
conquers “the beast” (the human tendency to overindulge) experiences health,
and discovers that place of serenity, which our Lord often described. (It is actually a state of mind.) Thus, Jesus said, “the Kingdom is at
hand.”
The Aquarian
Gospel of Jesus, the Christ – The
book that clearly explains how to follow Christ; the book that reunites Judaism
and Christianity. The book that unifies
all who cherish truth, kindness, decency and liberty. The book that Jesus wrote!
(The Foreword contains a brief
explanation of how Jesus authored this book.)