The Awakening of Women...

I have read the articles written by various women and I applaud their efforts in contributing to the awakening of women to their true potential and power. I have contemplated the status of women and on the surface it appears that we women have not progressed very much in the past hundred years – and yet, we really have when history is assessed. History is his-story and the greatness of women has long been suppressed.

I was recently told that during the Civil Rights movement it was said that there was no failure because with each step taken, we are and were a winner. I was born in Texas during the time of segregation and grew up in an atmosphere of bigotry, prejudice and discrimination. When I left Texas at the age of 23 and entered the Foreign Service of the U.S. State Department, I was immediately cast into a new world and my first assignment was the embassy in Paris. I felt like Alice who had fallen through the looking glass and I immediately shed my ideas about races of color and prejudice.

I left the Foreign Service a much wiser young woman and married a career military man. We moved often and when my husband retired, I had returned to the work force after brining up three sons virtually alone. In the 70’s I began working for the passing of the Equal Rights Amendment. It failed to pass by three votes. Only three more states were needed to ratify it. It has since been reintroduced and I urge you to go to these sites: www.4ERA.org.(the most active site) and http://www.equalrightsamendment.org/.

I was astounded in the seventies to read of Phyllis Schlafly who was an outspoken opponent of the ERA. From what I read she adhered to the outmoded belief that a woman’s place was in the home. Her hypocrisy was shocking because she was wealthy, a Republican, a writer and a paid speaker. She traveled all over the country receiving money for her talks and her articles. I sadly realized that it was the women who defeated the ERA. It wasn’t the men. There were some very powerful women working hard for women’s rights such as Betty Freidan and Gloria Steinem to mention two of the many.

Over the years I have observed and thought about why women aren’t taking back their power in greater numbers and my realization is that the primary obstruction is religion. Religion – and it doesn’t matter whether it be Christian, Islam, Buddhist, or Hindu – has not been kind to women. There was a surge forward in the sixties when women burned their bras and became flower children. This led to the surge for passing the ERA and then what happened? A new religion took over the lead from the established religions.

The name of the new religion is Corporate America or Corporate World. Now we not only have religious programming from childhood and engrained in so many that they continue on as an adult, but we also have the corporate world enticing women to be sexy, beautiful, thin and miserable. One has only to see the offerings of television and movies where almost anything is acceptable. The impact on brains is devastating in that the violence that is promoted creates a false excitement. I remember a few years ago when moviegoers were interviewed coming out of a theater in Seattle and most of the words I heard were “great action.” Action has become the new word for violence. Am I anti-religion? I am anti-hypocrisy and any religion that deprives women of their status as equals is hypocritical.

For a woman to become liberated, there must come a moment when she asks, “Is this all there is?” For many they have reached that point and are confused, angry and often resort to drugs, prescription drugs and alcohol, which only compound the problem.

Fortunately there are women who have awakened and are carrying the torch of freedom, each in her own way. We are the teachers of our children and for some of us the teacher of our grandchildren. We have a role to play and we can provide women with information from our own experiences. We can be role models and create forums and websites such as Gather the Women and Women of the Blue Rose. We can write and perhaps something we write or say will strike a cord in a woman and she will want to know more. We set an example by doing.

I was extremely moved by the Care2 ad having women walking across the desert sands chanting “I am powerful.” We are and we will each find our own niche where we can be a beneficial presence. We can raise our voices in unison for women all over the world to move away from the strangling cords of religion. Religion is not spiritual. Spirituality does not need a religion. Spirituality knows no prejudice, discrimination, or hatred. Women and all people must have their brainpower restored.

Adding to the mantra of “I am powerful,” I have added for myself: “I am genius. I am powerful. I am wonderful. I am liberated.”

A HYMN TO WOMEN

The following is from the book “Jesus in India” by Nicholas Notovitch. His book was published in 1854 after his trip to India. While there, Notovitch gained access to manuscripts in a Lamasery at Himis. He had journeyed there because he had heard of Saint Issa, which was their name for Jesus. Jesus was revered in India and many of his teachings were written down.
The manuscripts at Himis were only a few that had been held in other lamaseries in India and possibly in Tibet. I find it sad that these have been hidden away in lamaseries for hundreds of years and only a few of the privileged knew of them. They have now been hiddened away again. The Christian world has been kept in ignorance that Jesus actually traveled to India and lived there for 18 years before he returned to Jerusalem. These are teachings that the world needs to be aware of. Here are his teachings about women:
“It is not good for a son to push away his mother, that he may occupy the place which belongs to her. Whoso doth not respect his mother—the most sacred being after his God—is unworthy of the name of son.
“Hearken to what I say to you: Respect woman; for in her we see the mother of the universe, and all the truth of divine creation is to come through her.
“She is the fount of everything good and beautiful, as she is also the germ of life and death. Upon her man depends in all his existence, for she is his moral and natural support in his labors.
“In pain and suffering she brings you forth; in the sweat of her brow she watches over your growth, and until her death you cause her greatest anxieties. Bless her and adore her, for she is your only friend and support on earth.
“Respect her; defend her. In so doing you will gain for yourself her love; you will find favor before God, and for her sake many sins will be remitted to you.
“Love your wives and respect them, for they will be mothers of tomorrow and later the grandmothers of a whole nation.
“Be submissive to the wife; her love ennobles man, softens his hardened heart, tames the wild beast in him and changes it to a lamb.
“Wife and mother are the priceless treasures which God has given to you. They are the most beautiful ornaments of the universe, and from them will be born all who will inhabit the world.
“Even as the Lord of Hosts separated the light from darkness, and the dry land from the waters, so does woman possess the divine gift of calling forth out of man’s evi8l nature all the good that is in him.
“Therefore I say unto you, after God, to woman must belong your best thoughts, for she is the divine temple where you will most easily obtain perfect happiness.
“Draw from this temple your moral force. There you will forget your sorrows and your failures, and recover the love necessary to aid your fellow men.
“Suffer her not to be humiliated, for by humiliating her you humiliate yourselves, and lose the sentiment of love, without which nothing can exist here on earth.
“Protect your wife, that she may protect you—you and all your household. All that you do for your mothers, your wives, for a widow, or for any other woman in distress, you will do for your God.”

WHO WERE THE MEROVINGIANS?

Bettye Johnson ©

I been asked a number of times the following question: “Wasn’t the bloodline of Mary Magdalene and Jesus carried down through the Merovingians?’

There are many variations to the story of the Merovingians and after researching this dynasty of their kings, I find it a challenge to accept most of the posted and published information about them. I came across an excellent book, The Birth of France: Warriors, Bishops and Long-Haired Kings by Katharine Scherman. For me, Scherman ‘s research is comprehensive and it brought to me a greater understanding of the Merovingians and that period of history.

First, who were the Merovingians? Second, from whence did they come? The origins of the Merovingian dynasty came from the Franks (a tribe of Celts) – or the Germans. In the first century A.D., Gaius Cornelius Tacitus wrote, The Germans I regard as aboriginal, and not mixed at all with other races. Who would leave Asia, or Africa, or Italy for Germany, with its wild country inclement skies, its sullen manners and aspect, unless indeed it were his home?

In 241 A.D. historian Flavius Volpiscius gave these tribes the name of “Franks”. There are some unsubstantiated reports that one of the tribes was the Sicambrians also known as the Salians from which the Merovingians emerged. There are so many mixed reports that it is difficult to separate myth from facts. To understand the rise of the Merovingians, I suggest keeping the perspective that the Catholic Church became their mentors or allies during their rise to power.

During this period of time called the Dark Ages, there were many small Frankish tribes in addition to the many Celtic tribes further south. The Romans had extended their rule of Gaul, which included Germany on the west bank of the Rhine River, western Switzerland, Belgium, parts of Holland, and present day northern France and Italy. Each tribe had a council of elders from which was elected a chieftain. Sometime in the early fifth century, a Frankish chieftain named Faramund married a woman whose name is supposedly Argotta. There are reports she was a princess, however that is stretching it a bit because these small tribes had no royalty per se. When I began researching the origins of the Merovingians, I began to see many variations and genealogies. I am not at all sure that the genealogy I am citing is correct. There were no written records and most of it comes from legend possibly perpetuated by Gregory of Tours, a Catholic bishop of the sixth century. It was Gregory of Tours who wrote most of the known history of the Merovingians.

Clodion was the son of Faramund (also spelled Pharamund) and Argotta. Clodion’s rule began around 428 A.D. and he is credited with creating the longhair dynasty. It was the hairstyle of the Frank men. When the Romans began to inhabit parts of Gaul, their hairstyle was short and more and more of the Frankish men began cutting their longhair and emulating the Romans. It wasn’t until the sixth century that Gregory of Tours noted in his writing that it had become symbolic of the Merovingian rulers and had now become exclusive only to the men of this dynasty. If one of the male heirs stepped out of line, his hair was cut and he was no longer eligible for succession. Of course, in some instances it was noted that the hair could be re-grown long. This practice became identified with the Merovingians and has come down in history to be known as the “Long-Haired Kings.”

After Clodion, the next king to be recorded was Merovech. As the legend goes, Clodion’s wife went to the sea to bathe and was attacked by a sea monster and gave birth to Merovech. Other myths say she was a mermaid. Some reports state there were two fathers who sired the son named Merovech. Scherman writes, It is impossible to pinpoint pre-fifth-century individuals of this family that was to become supreme. The Frankish settlements were still transitory and their political arrangements changeable.

Purportedly, Merovech had an older brother whose name has been lost in history. Roman history records that Merovech went to Rome after the death of Clodion and asked for support for his succession to the kingship. The brother had gone to Attila the Hun asking for his support. Merovech won out. After the death of Merovech, his son, Childeric I became the next ruler in the Merovingian dynasty.

Childeric I was known to have a sexual appetite that was considered unwholesome even by the standards of his time. This characteristic was handed down to his descendents. At this time he was considered a chieftain and not a king. A group of his subjects demanded his abdication due to his over excessive debauchery and he was given sanctuary by another branch of Frankish tribes. Gregory of Tours wrote of Childeric I, “His private life was one long debauch.” A Roman aristocrat from a Gallo-Roman family became the chieftain and when he died, Childeric returned and was restored to power in 464 A.D. It was a century later that Gregory of Tours gave him the title of King.

Clovis I was a son of Childeric and is credited with the beginning of the Merovingian aristocracy. He was a warrior who won his battles and is said to have created a unified Frankish confederation. Clovis came to power around 481 A.D. He married a Christian woman who after some years converted him to Christianity. This queen was named Clotild and having been educated as Catholic was devout as one. Before the marriage, Clovis had mistresses and one was the mother of his eldest son. The rule of succession could pass to a son whose mother was not the legal wife. All sons were considered equal and when Clovis died, his kingdom was divided among his four sons.

It is alleged that the bloodline of Mary Magdalene and Jesus has been handed down through the Merovingians. A mystique has grown up around the term “Long-Haired Kings” and the Merovingians were said to have magic powers. There are several instances cited of magic power and one was Guntram of Burgundy, a grandson of Clovis I.

In 588, the plague had spread to Europe and reached Marseilles. When Guntram heard of this when he went south for a three-day supplication ceremony of Rogations, (a ceremony of prayer). He urged those participating to eat and drink only wheaten bread and pure water. Those who took his advice found it worked and there is a report of one woman who took a thread from his cloak and put it in water. She fed this to her ill and dying child and the child became well.

If one were to describe the offspring of Clovis I and the subsequent Merovingian dynasty, the adjectives of violence, deceit, treachery, greed, vice, debauchery, despotic, jealousy, ruthless, fratricidal and prone to murder each other are only a few along with military prowess, courage and cunning. They managed to rule because they were willing to create laws that were considered wise for the people they ruled and they were fierce warriors. Other than Clovis I, most of the Merovingian kings only gave the Catholic religion lip service. As the descendents were killing off each other, the remaining male survivors were small boys and their mothers were their regents who ruled as wise as they could in the climate of others wanting to take over their realms. Many of the queens were lowborn having been servants or slaves. The Catholic Church frowned upon having their kings to be literate. The Church could exert more control over an illiterate king.

It had become a practice to punish disobedient young princes and princesses by forcing them to be committed to holy orders. The Church benefited from this along with the monies given to them into outrageous proportions of wealth, immorality from the licentious parish priest to the intrigues of the bishops. Thus, the dynasty of the Merovingians began to weaken until in the end. All of the mature Merovingian kings had been murdered or died from other causes. The last sustainable king was Dagobert who died in 639 A.D. The Mayors of the Palace who were the majordomos or the second in command became the powers behind the thrones. With the Merovingian kingdom having been divided up among the offspring, the two most powerful areas were Austrasia, which at that time was northern France with its center being Cologne and Mainz. The second most powerful area was Neustria, which is present-day northwest France, each with its own Mayor of the Palace. Mayors of the Palace quarreled among themselves and often perpetuated the tainted Merovingian legacy. The young Merovingian kings became puppets. The end of the great Merovingian dynasty was a tangled web that added nothing to their reputations. The regent queens relied upon the Mayors of the Palace.

After years of fighting, one Mayor of the Palace, Pepin the Younger emerged as the most powerful. He began as the Mayor of the Palace of Austrasia and gained control Burgundy and Neustria where he placed two of his sons as the Mayors of the Palace. Thus began the dynasty of Pepin emerging into Charlemagne and the Carolingians.

It does not appear from their history that there has been any connection to Mary Magdalene and Jesus or their lineages to the Merovingians. It has also been alluded to that the line of Mary Magdalene could have come through the Visigoths. The Visigoths appeared in Spain and France in the fifth century and there is no documentation that I have found that can be considered valid.

Therefore, can one accept that a claim to the lineage of Mary Magdalene and Jesus through the line of the Merovingians is valid? I am reminded of a family story when I was growing up. I was told that one of my Texas ancestors was the first governor of Texas after it joined the Union. Years later my brother was into genealogy of our family and he told me ruefully that no, our ancestor had not been the first governor of Texas because he had no children. So much for that claim! As with so many events in the fluidity of history, this could be another lie perpetuated upon the world. May the truth always be revealed and ignorance becomes knowledge.

THE KEY TO FREEDOM

Bettye Johnson ©

Once upon a time in the past I would look here and I would look there for freedom. I thought something or someone was always placing blocks in my way and freedom appeared to be pushed away from me. Over the years I have learned much about myself and especially since I became a student of Ramtha, teacher of RSE, an academy of mind and Gnostic teachings.

For a number of years I worked to get the Equal Rights Amendment ratified and it failed by only the failure of getting several more states to ratify it. I realized that it wasn’t only the men who did not want it passed – women did too. The women were afraid of change. They chose to remain in their status quo of the uncomfort zone.

There has been a plethora of bumper stickers on vehicles that say, “Freedom is not free.” The bumper stickers state a truth. Freedom has a cost to it and the freedom I am writing about is not about a war although on a deeper level it is part of the cost.

So many of us live in a mental house imprisoned by our emotions of the past as well as the programming we have received from our parents, peers, religion, government, entertainment media and corporate world. We have developed a program that plays over and over in our mind. The cost is giving up the old program.

Change is a fearsome word to most people. I/we have blamed our government for most of our woes. The changes that came were not what I/we wanted. However, it was fodder to complain and denounce. There have been some brave souls who did speak out. One group that comes to mind is those warriors of the sixties. Another is Martin Luther King. I honor them.

What I have learned is that I cannot participate in politics as I use to. It doesn’t mean I can’t work for issues. However, if all is a creation of god, then there must be a middle place where there is no good or bad. As I look at the issues of the world, I am now choosing to support those that I want to include in my reality. I am choosing to say to myself, I don’t accept that if it doesn’t fit into the reality of my choice.

I/we each have the power to influence the world. I/we each have the power to change our weather. I/we each have the power to change our health from illness to wellness. I/we each have the power to move from lack to abundance and wealth. One has only to look at a small child learning to ride a bicycle. The child would never learn if it gave up. I have learned that perseverance pays off instead of giving up and saying ‘it doesn’t work.

How do we create all of these changes? We change the programs in our brains. We become aware of our thoughts and our words. We seek knowledge. We seek truth. We no longer play over and over the mental tape of bigotry, prejudice and hatred.

There are some major issues at this time on our planet. We have 9/11, the war in Iraq, the polar shift, Planet X, oil, the environment and earth changes. For many this is very fearful. I am choosing not to give power to fear. Job is purportedly to have said, The thing I fear the most has come upon me. Therefore I am choosing not to give power to fear. By being aware of my thoughts and emotions, I change my mind all the time.

Letting go of the power of fear gives me the inner freedom that I have sought all my life. Freedom is an inside job and that is the key.

THE ORIGIN OF RELIGION

by Bettye Johnson

From what I have researched and also from what I have been taught, the origins of religion began when God was placed outside the human, meaning the human was to worship a god or gods that was not within. I have been approached to write about the origin of the Bible and before I could address this, Seven Star Hand has posed some interesting and intriguing ideas regarding symbols on my Blog. I have also done research into symbols. Symbols and religion are interrelated. Before addressing the origins of religion I will give some background. Having been a student for over 18 years of the Ramtha School of Enlightenment, an academy of the mind and also an ancient school of wisdom, I am familiar with symbols and Gnosticism. Having been taught the theories of quantum physics, I know now that each of us is an observer and as an observer we create by what we think and say. From Seven Star Hand, he is correct from his point of view.

The phrase point of view has a loaded meaning. From my interpretation it means that each of us have our own individual point of viewing or understanding and from our vantage point, we think we are correct. We are correct even if we are coming from a limited base of knowledge because it our point of view. Religion is a very limited foundation to base anything on as absolutely correct. Religion is based on falsehood – or a lie. The Catholic Church has taken this to its zenith in altering the New Testament. The New Testament has been changed, altered and manipulated to get people to remain enslaved to their point of view. As an example, the New York Times has reported that the Catholic Church wants to make changes in the Order of Mass supposedly to bring the language more in keeping it in adherence to the Latin text. An example given is the statement, Lord, I am not worthy to receive you to Lord I am not worthy to receive you and that you should enter under my roof. Both statements are an abomination and are blatantly against the teachings of Jesus.

The premise for Gnosticism is to know. The word gnosis is a Greek word meaning to know. It is to seek knowledge. As with most ideas and teachings, it becomes polluted and misunderstood. When religion took god out of the human, symbols were created to remind the human of who she or he is. Jesus is said to have asked, don’t you know you are gods? In Psalm 82:6, it is written I have said, ye are gods; and all of you are children of the most High. These two statements have been glossed over by theologians for centuries. Jesus also said that we could do greater things than he. Jesus was attempting to bring god back to awareness within the human. However, to do this, the power brokers of temples, mosques and churches would not be in control and the human would remain enslaved to a false doctrine.

Jesus taught by allegories and shared his knowledge only with his trusted disciples because his disciples were at various stages of understanding. Jesus’ brother Thomas Judas, the twin was in all probability taught and trained the same as Jesus. However it is apparent that he did not fully realize the deeper meanings. This also goes for another brother of Jesus, James the Just. James the Just was murdered during the Jewish revolt against the Romans.

The beauty of the book and movie The DaVinci Code is that it touched the inner core of millions of people with a feeling that there was a truth that had been suppressed by the Catholic Church and religion. Yes, there are those who only think it is fiction. Most fiction is based on facts. Myths are allegories of actual teachings and events. Myths are beautiful works of symbols. Fairy tales have been a way for those who knew the esoteric teachings to share the knowledge. What child hasn’t loved Cinderella? I have been taught that Cinderella is an allegory of the brain and how our thoughts work and how our dreams come true.

Getting back to religion and to understand its beginnings, one must explore the Sumerian tablets. Zechariah Sitchen has done an admirable job of translating them in his books The Earth Chronicles. Sitchen sums it up neatly in his Lost Book of Enki. Another writer who has a most informative book is Michael Tellinger’s Slave Species of god. The Sumerian tablets tell the story of the Annunaki who came to this planet from the planet Nibiru searching for gold. Their orbit is lengthy and goes away from the sun so far that it loses much of the energy of the sun. Their scientists discovered that by refining gold in a certain way that they could seed their atmosphere and have light. I am putting this in a very simplistic manner and suggest reading the authors’ books to become more knowledgeable.

One year of the Annunaki is equal to 3,600 Earth years. Over thousands of years, the Annunaki finally rebelled against working the gold mines in Africa and demanded help. The chief scientist and geneticist was Ninhursag who along with her half-brother Enki developed the human form as it is today and this includes the brain. These beings became the slave species and through evolution became the humans of today. In Genesis it is written of the Annunaki and it states, let us make man in our image. Thus the slave species created in a Garden of Eden, i.e. laboratory in Africa were brought up to think that the Annunaki were gods. An important question that I will address further on is who or what occupies these human bodies?

The Old Testament would lead the reader to think that this all happened around 5,000 years ago and yet the tablets say that the astronauts from Nibiru came approximately 450,000 years ago and the human form was created 200,000 years ago. Ninhursag and Enki had a half brother named Enlil and apparently he was in charge of the Earth due to royal seniority. In Tellinger’s book, he names Enlil as evolving into the god Jehovah - a very mean god. All one has to do is read about this god’s wrath and vengeance. A God of all would never do this to her/his people. Why? Because gods occupy the human form. The word gods is a word to describe that aspect of the originator of spirit, its essence that is sent out to explore the many aspects of the Originator. Ramtha states he has come here to wake up the forgotten gods and that our mission is to make known the unknown. If we really think about it, we could ask what is occupying the physical body? We know we have a brain and we know we can think. Therefore we must have a mind. What intelligence is making the body breathe and have automatic reflexes? There has to be an intelligence operating this body or this human vehicle. We are all here on a journey and this is the plane of opposites. For every good there is a bad.

The Old Testament is a quest map of ancient history and some of it is distorted, however there is always a kernel of truth and the perhaps truth is written on the Sumerian tablets. For the seeker, there are two books that shed light on this. Ramtha, A Master’s Reflection on the History of Humanity, Part I: Human Civilization, Origins and Evolution and the Part II: Rediscovering the Pearl of Ancient Wisdom.

Jesus chose to incarnate and his mission was to bring humanity a new way of living. His Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5:1; 7:28) is the greatest sermon ever given and if those who profess to be Christians would apply this teaching to their lives, we would not have war, prejudice, hatred, or anger. Unfortunately most Christians and Moslems are still applying the message of Jehovah (Enlil) in their lives. They pay obeisance to Jesus and Mohammed but do not apply in their lives the original teachings. They perpetuate the erroneous teaching of Jehovah (Enlil).

The Catholic Church has perpetuated the Great Lie that God is outside of the human and one has to have an intermediary or intercession. What a travesty! The cross has been the club they use to keep the populance in ignorance. Jesus dying for your sins is a lie. He came to bring the human a sword of truth to free you and yet for nearly two thousand years – ever since the Council of Nicea created Christianity, humanity has born the yoke of sin and guilt and reinforced the slave mentality that the human was programmed with from the beginning.

There have been enlightened beings that have incarnated and have created symbols to remind the gods in the human form of their origins. The swastika is one of the most ancient symbols and yet Hitler adopted it, turned it to face the reverse and now it is a hated symbol. The ancient meaning of the swastika pertained to the four directions of space and solar creation. It was also a sign of sky gods and the sun and became a universal symbol for divine energy including prosperity. It was commonly used by many cultures, i.e. China, Greece, India and England as well as Scandinavia and the American Indian tribes. It is sad that it only took one man to turn it into a hated and feared symbol.

The advertising world has latched on to sacred symbols and this is another travesty. The Shell Oil Company uses the symbol of the shell, which is a sacred symbol that pilgrims carry with them while walking the Camino to Santiago de Compostela in northern Spain. Texaco uses the sacred five-pointed star as their symbol. Now more and more advertising is using sacred symbols. One is the pyramid as the food pyramid. Those who watch television a lot are constantly being subliminally bombarded with the purloining of sacred symbols to where their subconscious minds no longer feel the pull towards the spirit, but are dumbed down and addicted to corporate America.

One has only to go to Chartres Cathedral in Chartres, France to view the great symbols left by the architect(s) of that beautiful cathedral. In all probability the Knights Templar brought the knowledge of the symbols back from Jerusalem along with divine geometry. In this cathedral there is not one statue or picture of Jesus on the cross. There are two Black Madonnas and it is obvious this cathedral is dedicated to the divine greatness of Mary Magdalene. The Catholic Church did their best to eradicate her greatness. However, her greatness is reflected in the great cathedrals in Europe and the Rose Window is one example. The labyrinth on the floor in Chartre is a reminder to the god within that our journey is to realize who we are and our purpose for being in human form.

Now is the time to allow those who choose to stay in the clutches of religion to do so, and to take back one’s power and evolve into the recognition of who we really are. One of the most difficult challenges is to move away from hypocrisy, prejudice and believing that our way is the only way. There are as many different ways to god-realization as there are humans on this planet. We can change our genetics by changing our mind. Our brain is encoded with knowledge that we are a god and it is up to us to activate this code. We no longer have to believe that due to our genes that we have to be a certain way. This is a limitation.

Religion is a format for control and to keep the human in slave mentality. Perhaps it has always been that way since the human form was created. Because of the way slave mentality has reacted to those who want to go against religious ideology, we have had horrendous massacres and have burned people at the stake. It is documented that Christian Crusaders roasted live babies in front of their mothers and ate them. It is time we evolved beyond. There are many great beings that have moved beyond and these are the unsung heroes, the great minds, the great scientists and the greater writers. This is why the sacred knowledge had to go underground and become the Rosicrucians and the Freemasons who now are suspect due to pollution. Those who have left religion are to be blessed for they have the minds that can evolve them to freedom. Seeking knowledge is a great way to move into freedom. True freedom is the freedom of mind to think for oneself and not follow the herd mentality. When one can read the Bible with detachment, it seems that unnoticed items leap out and give us a new perspective.

If what I have written disagrees with your point of view, I urge you to research and find out if your point of view can be expanded. Welcome to the Journey.

MARY MAGDALENE - MALIGNED AND MISUNDERSTOOD

Bettye Johnson ©

Mary Magdalene. Her name conjures up different images for people. The DaVinci Code has been instrumental in shedding new information regarding her life. However, it really isn’t new information. The information has been known for centuries in some sectors, and now the truth is finally coming out. My book Secrets of the Magdalene gives a portrait of the Magdalene that is in all probability the closest to what her life was like. In my research I have connected the dots that others have missed.

Unfortunately there are still those scholars and writers who want to keep hidden the greatness of Mary Magdalene. For the most part these writers are men and apparently are unwilling to accede that she was the wife of Jesus and bore children from their marriage.

I have an issue with these so-called authorities who want to pick at the dry bones of the first four gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke and John in the New Testament. One scholar named Bart D. Ehrman wrote a book titled Truth and Fiction in The DaVinci Code and I have not read it. However I have read two of his other books. In his book Peter, Paul, Mary Magdalene he writes of what he tells people regarding the information in The DaVinci Code during his lectures and speaking engagements and I quote from his book, “There are in fact mistakes all over the place, some of them howlers and some of them simply rooted in a misunderstanding of, or more likely an ignorance of, what our ancient sources actually say about Jesus (and Mary Magdalene).” Ehrman goes on to say, “But when it comes to Mary Magdalene, there are always two or three people who want to insist that he must have gotten it right. These are never people who are historians, who know the ancient sources and read them in their ancient languages (Greek and Latin, for example). They are just regular folk who think it must have be right: Jesus and Mary must have been married with kids, just because it makes sense.”

The above statements from my perspective indicate that Ehrman is spouting recycled ignorance and picking at the dry bones. The winners, or those in power write history. History is slanted to the writers who want the people to know what often is not the truth. An example is the maligned Judas Iscariot. For hundreds of years he has been portrayed as the traitor or the betrayer and using “He is a Judas” when someone wants to name-call a traitor. Now that the Gospel of Judas has finally been revealed with information that Judas did what Jesus asked him to be and is a hero. Jesus was going through his final initiation and he had shared the deeper mysteries with Judas. By doing as Jesus requested, Judas was also going through an initiation. It is hard for theologians to accept something out of the norm and Robert Schuller of the Crystal Cathedral in Garden Grove, CA is a prime example. During the National Geographic special on the finding of the Gospel of Judas, Schuller was interviewed and his inane statement when asked for his opinion was, “Why do we need another gospel when we have the Four Gospels?”

These ancient sources and historians are rarely reliable. The works of those ancient manuscripts written in Greek and Latin have been translated not by only one man, but by many and each has a different perspective. If the so-called authorities writing books based on what the New Testament says, then they do not have the vision to realize that the New Testament has been altered according to who was doing the translating. There are also records that popes and bishops changed them to put forth what they wanted the people to know. The New Testament in its current forms is one of the most unreliable documents there is.

If one really thinks about it, why do theologians and historians want to keep Mary Magdalene bound to the confines of the four gospels? Why do they deny her the right to be the wife of Jesus? It was Paul who never knew Jesus and was not an apostle who is attributed to having made Jesus as a Christ and the only Son of God. If one wants to use so-called historical records, Paul was a Roman spy who converted to Christianity and at that time it was not called Christianity. Perhaps this is the basis for denying the Magdalene her rightful place. If so, then it is indeed pure ignorance or planned misinformation.

Again, if one were to ask what other reasons were there to deny Mary Magdalene her heritage and place in history, then we are open to some intriguing possibilities. For the most part, written history is unreliable because men have written it and men have been programmed for centuries to think they are superior to women. This attitude is still prevalent today. One only has to go back to the Old Testament to find its roots. The Book of Lamentations is an example of the vile things that were done to women.

My intent as a woman is to re-write history and begin with: What if Mary Magdalene was an initiate from a mystery school the same as Jesus? What if she was his equal and they married and each had their own ministries? What if out of this marriage, they had children? This is all very plausible because there was no written information of that particular era until fifty to sixty years after the fact. To rely on the Roman historian Josephus is ludicrous even though Josephus was Jewish and claimed to be a descendent of the Hasmonean dynasty. He was born in 37 CE and was a leader in the Jewish Revolt in 67 CE. The Romans won the bloody battle and Josephus was captured. He willingly served the Romans and later lived in Rome where he wrote the history of that war. Now, how reliable do you think his history is?

When the Emperor Constantine chose to create a new religion, he chose presbyters to submit documents in 325 CE and this evolved into the Council of Nicea. From this came the beginnings of the New Testament. It took another 800 years give or take to hone the New Testament into what is accepted today. I ask, how reliable are

these books in the New Testament? Therefore, I am putting forth a hypothesis that Mary Magdalene has a spectacular history that has been covered up. In fact, it is one of the greatest cover-ups in history. Actually the role of women, their works and they power has been almost eradicated from history. It is time to bring it forth and restore women to their rightful place.

Because of the lack of written history about Mary Magdalene, there is another question that comes to mind and that is, what is it about Mary Magdalene that the Church and theologians do not want the public to know? In all myths there is always truth. There are many myths about the healing power of Mary Magdalene and her daughter Sarah. Author Margaret Starbird is one of the few writers who almost have the answers and another is Marilyn Hopkins who co-authored Rex Deus.

In my research for information, I have read almost every book on the Knights Templar. Again, the writers have missed the mark and I say this because they didn’t know what they were looking for. The Knights Templar were formed in 1118 CE while in Jerusalem on a Crusade. There were nine knights who formed the Templar and supposedly they were excavating the stables of what is purported to be part of the Temple of Solomon. It is assumed they found fabulous treasure and became exceedingly rich. It wasn’t until nine years later that the Templar admitted other knights into their order. What were they doing during these nine years?

According to some, they found perhaps the Ark of Covenant and brought it back to France and in addition found ancient scrolls and treatises of hidden wisdom of ancient initiates of the traditions of the Judaic and Egyptian mysteries. This included sacred geometry. This is very intriguing and

plausible. The Knights Templar were responsible for the architecture of the Gothic churches in France and other European countries. The Templar were behind the building of the great Chartres Cathedral and the flying buttresses are a sight to behold. The architects and sculptors are unknown.

Another church had been built upon the present site of the Chartres Cathedral and burned in 1194. Considering the time the church was re-built, it was a miraculous feat because the present cathedral was completed in 1223.

I am writing about the Knights Templar because they were the ones responsible for the proliferation of the Black Madonnas in Europe and especially in the French and Spanish Pyrenees Mountains areas. Having traveled in the Languedoc region, I was amazed that almost every small church had a Black Madonna and many were dedicated to Mary Magdalene. Apparently the Templar learned the truth about the Magdalene when they excavated the stables in Jerusalem. It is also interesting that there are two Black Madonnas in the Cathedral at Chartres and outside if one looks at the Royal portal, one will see a sculpted figure of the Queen of Sheba. I am putting forth the hypothesis that the Chartres Cathedral was created by knowledge of sacred geometry and the symbols throughout tell the story of what the original Knights Templar learned and passed on.

Since I am re-writing the history of Mary Magdalene, I am saying that she was a great initiate in the ancient wisdom and after the crucifixion of Jesus, left Palestine and by way of Egypt went to France.

What becomes even more interesting is that she established ekklesias (the forerunner of the word church) in France and they spread to Italy. Mary Magdalene was the first Pope of Rome and that is why it has been necessary to malign her and give out misinformation. Peter was not the first Pope.

This is the reason why most of the descendents have been hunted and some killed. This is why Pope Gregory in 591 CE proclaimed her to be a prostitute and further maligned her. False history has a way of repeating itself until the people accept it as fact.

In my research, I have examined the Old Testament and based on my findings, the people had very dark skin because most of them were Egyptian or Ethiopian. One has only to research and this is what the biblical scholars and theologians have missed. In all probability Mary Magdalene and Jesus had dark skin. In other words, they were black people. In the Old Testament there are 619 mentions of the word Egypt or Egyptian, 39 of Ethiopia and in addition when there is mention of leprosy and that the skin and/or hair turns white as snow. This means the skin is that of the black race when the pigment of the skin turns white and in white Caucasian people, the pigment turns dark.

The Queen of Sheba is mentioned in the Song of Solomon as being black. She and King Solomon had a son named Menelik and he became Menelik I. The late Emperor Halle Selassie of Ethiopia claimed to be a direct descendent of Menelik I and also of the lineage of Jesus. He carried a title of Lion of Judah and Judah means Israel.

In my research, it has been an interesting journey of connecting the dots that other researchers have missed. I stand by my storyline of Mary Magdalene in my book Secrets of the Magdalene Scrolls, a fictionalized version of her true herstory.

A GIFT FROM ME

There is a new item in the Bookstore! A music CD of Gifts From Me by Bill Dallavo is
now available for purchase. Bill is singing his own song and it is beautiful. Bettye used his
words at the end of her book, Secrets of the Magdalene Scrolls. Go to the Bookstore page
and listen to a sample. You won't be disappointed.

A Mother To Honor - The Original

Bettye Johnson ©

With the approaching Mothers Day celebration, many people have mixed emotions about their mother. Some have a loving relationship while others have a somewhat different one. By the very fact that we are living and were given birth is enough cause to honor our mother. Because of her we are here.

In researching ancient history, there is a Mother that I want to write about. This Mothers’ Day should be a tribute to her. This information comes from ancient Sumerian tablets, which pre-date the Old Testament. There are parallels in the Bible to the Sumerian literature and whether one wants to call it myth or whatever, there is some basis for truth here. There is always truth in all myths.

Most of us are familiar with the Garden of Eden story, however there is a much more interesting history regarding this Eden that tells of the creation of Adam and Eve. Down through the ages the Bible became, as so many ancient stories, distorted.

One of the authorities is Zechariah Sitchen, author of The Twelfth Planet, the first book in his Earth Chronicle series. (For more background on Sitchen, you can visit his website: http://www.sitchin.com/). I was privileged to hear Sitchen speak in the early nineties and from this came a passion to know more and to research – which I have.

Approximately 450,000 years ago this planet was inhabited with ape-like beings. In condensing this information, I will say that other beings from another planet came here looking for gold to seed their atmosphere. Earth was evolving at a slower rate of frequency than the new beings were. They were very evolved in technology and began mining for gold and primarily in Africa. One Earth year was equal to 3600 of theirs. After thousands of their years, these beings called the Annunaki grew tired of laboring and demanded that some other workers be found. Some call these the ‘fallen ones’ or the Nephilim and this is taken out of context, because they did land here in their space ships. This is alluded to in the Book of Ezekiel.

The home planet of the Annunaki was called Nibiru and the ruler of it was named Anu. Anu had sent his 2 sons, half-brothers to Earth. One was called Enlil, lord of the air and the second Enki, lord of the water and earth. There was a third offspring of Anu, a half-sister to Enki and Enlil named Ninhursag. Ninhursag was a scientist – a geneticist. She established a laboratory in Africa, which we call the Garden of Eden.

From her laboratory that became laboratories as others were established all over the Earth, she developed the human brain and the human body as it is today developing the DNA and genes. Some people have been horrified to think of ‘aliens’ making the human body, however the intelligence that inhabited the body was from the Divine source. Ninhursag, together with Enki used the egg from the ‘daughters of man’ with the sperm of the Annunaki and vice versa to create this hybrid.

Ninhursag has become a myth and her many names are Mother of Gods, Fashioner of All, Mother of Children, Creatrix, Lady Birth, Mama, Mammu and Mammy. There is a Temple that was built for her near Tell Hairiri in Syria near the Iraquian border, the land of ancient Sumer.

The myth of Ninhursag evolved into that of Isis. Isis is the Greek name for this Egyptian goddess. The Egyptian name is Jst and pronounced ee-set. Isis has become a feminine archetype for creation and is also known as the goddess of fertility and motherhood, female creator, Mother of the Gods and her Latin name is Stella Maris. Her origin is unknown, however it is quite evident she evolved from Ninhursag.

My understanding is that every so many eons, a new Isis comes forth and around 2000 years ago, one did and her name is Mary Magdalene. When the Knights Templar went to Palestine on their Crusades, it is evident they found something more precious than gold and that was the true history of Mary Magdalene and that is why she was venerated by them. The magnificent gothic cathedrals in France were dedicated to her and the Black Madonna established in these cathedrals and spread to smaller churches. The symbology in Chartres Cathedral and others is their code of what they knew.

Therefore, I honor the original ‘Mammy’, the Mother God of all and her greatnesshas been handed down through the ages by way of Isis and Mary Magdalene andothers. I honor the resurrection of the feminine power. Please join me.

~~~

CHAOS

Bettye Johnson©

History indicates that the world has always been in turmoil and this plane is known as the Plane of Opposites. We have up/down, tall/short, good/bad, war/peace, and female/male to name a few. Presently we have Mother Earth in rebellion from the misuse of the Earth such as over-using oil and depleting her resoures, which are her lifeblood. The world consciousness has long promoted war, violence, pestilence and plagues. Yes, there have been golden threads that have lived to remind we humans that we are much more, however those in power always attempt to eradicate them in the name of power and greed. We still have that mentality in control of this planet and Mother Earth is suffering. Fortunately many of the organizations established by these golden threads became invisible and thus the word occult, meaning hidden was born and knowledge has been carried forward.

A statement attributed to Sai Baba: If it were not for the mind change of the devotees of God, the world would be in chaos. This statement is one I take issue with because chaos is necessary for evolution and it indicates his lack of knowledge of quantum physics. I also wonder which or whose god he is talking about. Is it the Hindu god, the Christian god, the Muslim god, or Buddha? We each have a direct connection to the Creator in whatever form we want to place it in. Each human has her or his beginnings in the One Creator.

If one were to study quantum physics, one would know that chaos is necessary to bring forth creation. As an example, a woman giving birth has labor pains because she is bringing forth creation. As a rule, all artists and gifted people create from the chaos in their life. I am reminded of a friend of mine who has said that when things get chaotic it is as if God were stirring up everything with an eggbeater. An example is when the car breaks down, the appliances go out and things seem to be falling apart all at the same time. By having a simple understanding of the quantum world, it is nothing more than the atoms and particles re-arranging to bring forth a greater potential.

If each of us looks back on our own life and our own awakening, we can see that we came through many experiences of adversity. Those adversities were similar to labor pains. We had to experience them in order to awaken to the wisdom waiting for our acceptance. We also have choices. We can either look for the wisdom, or we can choose to stay in misery.

A great book I am reading is Seven Life Lessons of CHAOS: Spiritual Wisdom From the Science of Change, by John Briggs and F. David Peat. I found the following from the book most profound. In each moment we have the opportunity to die psychologically by letting go of prejudices, mechanical habits, isolation, precious ego, images of self and world, and conceptions of the past and the future. In this way we set in motion the possibility of a creative, self-organizing perception that puts us in touch with the magic that gave us birth.

We, as awakening women and men, have the opportunity to assist Mother Earth and others in their awakening. It is only the women and men who have gone through adversities and are ready to step over the threshold of awakening that we can truly help, each in our own way because the door to awakening has to be opened from within each individual.

All over the world there is chaos in the forms of war, pestilence, plagues, the continued suppression of women, and Earth changes bringing upheaval in the lives of many. At times it may seem that we are riding a wild horse. We can either fall prey to this or we can become the eye in the center of the storm.

The world is going through birthing pains of bringing forth an evolved consciousness and so is Mother Earth. . We can choose to revert to fear and experience a ‘miscarriage,’ or we can choose to continue onward regardless of what is happening in the world. Those of us living on this Earth are living on the Plane of Opposites. When the relationship of female/male became unbalanced, the world became one of turmoil. By claiming our personal power, we contribute to the balancing of female/male. The use of the word negative as applied to the female is total ignorance and the fruit of this is suppression and prejudice. On this plane it takes both the negative and the male to bring forth creation. One is not superior to the other.

We have a magnificent opportunity to assist this planet by each of us becoming good stewards and becoming champions of Mother Earth. It is up to each of us who are awakening to teach our children and those with an open mind. It is time to put away those things that no longer serve us such as anger, guilt, greed, jealousy, prejudice, hatred and many other non-serving attitudes.

As long as we live on the Plane of Opposites, there will be chaos. It is to our benefit to embrace it and see the wisdom that is in it. A great example is the hurricane. Within its center is the eye of the storm – a calm or stillness. We are here to create – not make war - not to perpetuate discrimination and prejudice. From the Seven Lessons of Chaos there is another beautiful quote: Every single morning we also have the choice to be open to the creativity of chaos, open to the world around us, open to the possibility that we can make our lives afresh, like the baker’s bread.

BLESS THE SKEPTICS

Bettye Johnson ©

Recently I was sent an article written by a skeptic (the individual’s term) whose writing was vitriolic and filled with innuendos and misinformation about a noted personality. It was what one could term character assassination. The author of this article stated that email would be deleted sent in response to this article that was in disagreement. In discussing this with a friend, we noted the hypocrisy of the author. This led me to think about the meaning of skeptic.

First I researched the work skeptic. Several on-line dictionaries define it as coming from the Latin septicus and its etymology comes from Greek, a disciple of Phyllho of Elis, (Greek Philosopher.) Breaking this down to a simple definition of to examine.

Another definition is one who instinctively or habitually doubts, questions, or disagrees with assertions or generally accepted conclusions and also a doubter who demands physical proof. Whew! The original meaning to examine seems to have gotten left by the wayside as we evolved.

In addressing a skeptic such as I described in the first paragraph, this smacks of people who habitually doubt and this becomes their modus operandi. In other words they become addicted and delight in tearing down. There is nothing productive in their skepticism. I am reminded of the book titled Flatland by Edwin Abbott who wrote this mathematical satire during the Victorian age. Using math, Abbott draws a picture of a two-dimensional universe and how limiting it is. Perhaps one could say an aspect of a habitual skeptic is a Flatlander.

In using the term habitual skeptic, I am addressing those who under the guise of skepticism ridicule and perform character assassination to prove their limited point of view. It is as if they get pleasure from writing vicious untruths and perhaps it is because there is something in the author that is in denial and hidden. Therefore the writer hides behind the word skeptic. This is sad and nothing one can say or do will alter their viewpoint. If we dig into their skepticism, we will find a deep-rooted fear. Unfortunately fear promotes the seeds of bigotry, discrimination and prejudice. Thus an extreme skeptic is in all likelihood a bigot and a fear-monger. It would not matter how many proofs or facts one presented, it would not change their closed minds.

Most of us are skeptic from time to time when something new is presented which is not in keeping with our current knowledge. In addressing another aspect of skeptic, which is doubt. I would say that almost everyone has had doubt about something at some point in his or her life. I have learned that doubt is even more limiting than the habitual skeptic. Doubt is part of fear and it is the killer of dreams. Doubt limits one from accepting new knowledge and new experiences.

The right use of skepticism is another facet. There are times when it is wise to be skeptical and this is in keeping the original meaning of to examine. There are times when we need to pause and examine new information. I learned that when new information or opportunities came and I was skeptical that if I would pause and tell myself it’s possible or use the word perhaps then I left the door open for new information to come in. I would assess the new information and sometimes use my past experience or use my intuition. At the time I began using this method I didn’t realize that I was often using my instinct or my knowingness.

In researching this article on Internet, I came across The Skeptics Society and The Skeptics Magazine. Here at last was the right use of the word skeptic! Here is their introduction:

The Skeptics Society is a scientific and educational organization of scholars, scientists, historians, magicians, professors and teachers, and anyone curious about controversial ideas, extraordinary claims, revolutionary ideas, and the promotion of science. Our mission is to serve as an educational tool for those seeking clarification and viewpoints on those controversial ideas and claims.

In other words, to examine in order to make choices and gain knowledge. Returning to my reference in the first paragraph regarding the extreme habitual skeptic, I say there is no use in attempting to change the viewpoint of one who has a closed mind. In fact, I feel pity for such an individual because this type of skeptic is shutting the door to great knowledge and the ability to live and explore life to its fullest. I am paraphrasing Jesus, who said to bless those who curse you. Therefore, let’s bless these people because they need all the blessings they can get.

I have made a ceaseless effort not to ridicule, not to bewail, not to scorn human actions, but to understand them. - Baruch Spinoza

EASTER - A TIME OF RENEWAL

Bettye Johnson ©

Renewal conjures up images of spring with daffodils and tulips in bloom along with the budding of the trees. After a winter of dreaming, the trees and perennial plants begin to awaken stretching their roots deeper into the soil and pushing upward to the sun. This past week has been delightful to walk around my property and observe the overnight changes. The trilliums in the woods have magically blossomed and I call these the fairy flowers. The hummingbirds returned a few weeks ago just as I putting out their feeder. Good timing! It is a time of celebration. It is as if they are a chorus of voices singing celebrate life.

Easter derives its name from an Anglo-Saxon pagan goddess name of Eostre also known as Eastre. She represents the goddesses of ancient Greece and Egypt and is known as the goddess of the dawn. The pagan celebration of Easter at the vernal equinox, which means day and night appear as equal length was to celebrate the birth of new life and colored eggs were used to signify this. In ancient Roman times the Romans believed all life came from an egg and used the egg in their rites. The colored eggs have always been used to celebrate this rite of celebration. The rabbit became a symbol because the rabbit or the hare represents fertility. Easter was and should be a celebration of life.

The early Christian fathers purloined this celebration and it became a celebration for the death of Jesus on a cross. There is no historical date as to the actual crucifixion (cruci-fiction?) of Jesus. He supposedly rose or as some say ascended on the third day. However, Christian tradition uses the pagan holiday and continues to set the date as the first Sunday after the first full moon following the vernal spring equinox. Isn’t it hypocrisy to condemn pagans and still use their holidays?

It is a travesty that most Christians focus on Jesus dying on the cross for their sins because it absolves them on a subconscious level of taking responsibility. The Catholic practice of confession freed people of their misconduct and yet it didn’t change their behavior or their thinking. Today one only has to observe the continuation of the travesty. Rarely are the true teachings of Jesus taught or followed and we continue to have wars, hatred, prejudice, and bigotry as it has been for thousands of years. Most of the Christian depictions of Jesus have him hanging on the cross. Isn’t it time to take him down from the cross and pursue living what he taught?

The cross was a sacred symbol before the death of Jesus and it meant the something entirely different. As an example, the Celtic cross placed on a circle had an ancient meaning of being a measuring device and also that time is an illusion.

To honor Jesus and to love God doesn’t mean one has to be a Christian. Why not celebrate Easter as a celebration of life? Celebrate the life of all creation. Why focus on death and especially a death that happened over 2000 years ago? Isn’t it time to open the closed doors of the mind and allow laughter, love and joy to enter? The thoughts we have today manifest as our future. Each morning could begin with the renewal of our mind. Sickness and pain can be renewed into wellness and health. Lack can be renewed into I have. Sow seeds of abundance and allow them to bloom. There is a line from a song that says it very well, “If it’s to be, it’s up to me.”

WHAT DOES THE BUTTERFLY KNOW THAT WE DON'T?

Bettye Johnson ©

Most of us know of or have heard the story of the butterfly and its symbolism to life. During a recent contemplation, it became clearer to me the analogy of the butterfly to the journey of the human evolving into a divine being.

The journey of the butterfly begins as an egg or a larva and we find in this the parallelism to the womb of a woman. In the human, a baby emerges from the womb. Unlike the human, the caterpillar hatches itself by eating through its own eggshell called the chrysalis.

The human when it emerges from the womb as a tiny helpless baby has lost its memory for the most part of what it really is and from whence it came. Most babies have chosen parents who also do not remember their heritage. The spirit that will inhabit the baby human form choose the parents because of their gene pool. Babies are more aware than parents think and in the parents’ forgetfulness of who they are begin the child’s programming. This usually ensures that the baby will grow up and live in forgetfulness.

The child through its education and programming eats the leaves of forgetfulness and becomes an adult. I am using the analogy of human leaves to the leaves that the caterpillar thrives on while it is growing. The human leaves are of a different kind. In human terms these are called emotions and beliefs. When the baby is indoctrinated into life it quickly learns by watching others and by also triggering emotional genes to eat the leaves of fear, anger, greed, jealousy, expectation, prejudice, loss of self-worth, lack, impatience and guilt in addition to others and develops a voracious appetite for seeking out circumstances and experiences that will feed them these leaves. These leaves are fertilized by disinformation provided by parents, peers, religion, government, school and the corporate world.

One of the favorite leaves of belief is the belief that Adam was superior to Eve because he came first. The human never stops to reason that Eve came second because she was an improved evolutionary model for the male. Thus the female in most societies is looked upon as being less than and is treated as such. It is ironic because the female was given the womb of creation and the perpetuation of the human race. This is a major leaf of ignorance.

The caterpillar knows when it is time to stop eating. There comes than moment of innate knowingness when this tiny worm stops eating and attaches itself to a small branch and begins to weave its cocoon or chrysalis. It is changing into its divine self – the butterfly.

Unlike the caterpillar, the human continues to eat these leaves of emotions and beliefs. One of these beliefs is that the human has a life span and will die. The side effects of these leaves are illnesses. One only has to look at the number of vehicles in the parking lots of medical buildings and hospitals or read the obituaries. These humans will die in a state of forgetfulness.

For the human who responds to an urge to seek something beyond the mundane, the urge triggers some innate memory that perhaps there is something more to life. There is an awakening and this is the human chrysalis. The human now weaves its cocoon strands from seeking the wisdom from experiences. The more wisdom recognized from past experiences, the more detached the human becomes from the human emotions that bring pain and suffering. The human now begins to drink from the cup of wisdom.

While the human is weaving its chrysalis, there begins an expansion of the mind. The greater Self within is attempting to awaken the human to be aware of its divine self and opportunities are given in the form of experiences and knowledge.

Do you think pain comes when one is changing? Wouldn’t it be logical that a caterpillar as it dissolves and transforms into a butterfly would feel pain? When one begins changing, chaos enters the life. People do not want one to change. Change is fearful to some and others welcome it. The pain is only an illusion for the human and for some it is painful to give up old attitudes, beliefs and prejudices.

There is a story of a man watches a butterfly struggling to get out of its cocoon and thought he was doing it a favor by assisting in breaking the cocoon. The butterfly emerged and attempted to fly but the strength it would have gained by breaking its cocoon by itself had been taken away and the butterfly died.

There is a form of seduction used by well-meaning family and friends and too often humans allow themselves to be seduced. The seduction is the use of the word should. The well-meaning individuals often tell one who is wanting to change that he or she should do this or that or shouldn’t do this or that. Shoulds are the killer of dreams and are disempowering.

Why is the butterfly smarter? It follows its innate knowing from its birth as a worm and knows only to eat certain leaves that are conducive to its life and divine purpose. We can use the butterfly as an example to pursue our own distinctive knowingness and develop our own talents and follow our dreams. No one can live for us and they certainly cannot die for us. It is up to each of us to become our own butterfly, fly and experience the sweet nectar of life. ###

IN SEARCH OF SELF

Do you know the meaning of the words you speak or think? If you do then you are among the exceptional. Most people have no idea what the words they say mean. The original meaning of a common word often becomes changed through translation or by design. Today the words boss and cool have different meanings from the originals and come under the heading of slang. This is a method of changing the meaning of words. History is filled with many changed words.

When Christianity began spreading throughout Europe many pagan words and celebrations were altered to bring the pagans into the fold of the Church. One such celebration is Easter. Originally Easter or Eastre was the name of a pagan goddess of spring and the church officials turned the celebration into a celebration of the resurrection of Jesus. However this is another topic to be explored.

Some years ago I attended a talk given by Ramtha, the hierophant of the Ramtha School of Enlightenment. His teaching was titled Ignorance is the Mother of Devotion. I remember that when I left, the connection between ignorance and devotion had not been clear to me. As with many of Ramtha’s teachings not all the i’s or t’s are dotted or crossed. I came to the realization that he wants us to find the dots and discovered the connections for ourselves.

This pulled at my mind for a few years and I finally began to research the meaning of devotion. It didn’t take much research. All I had to do was go to my trusty New World Dictionary, Second College Edition and look up the word. The archaic or original meanings for devote was entirely different from the common usage today. The meaning I found said: to curse or doom.

That was ominous. This led me to seek further. I knew de is the prefix meaning separation or away from but what was vote? Vote came from the Latin word vatum meaning a wish, a vow or a prayer. I began to see that the original meaning was changed and used to bring the conquered pagans into the fold – so to speak.

I began to note how the change affected our evolution. We (I am using this collectively) now became devoted to our church, our children, our family, or our whatever. The frequency of the original meaning was still contained within the word. We had been programmed to give our attention to something or somebody outside of ourselves. We became ignorant of our true purpose and the knowingness that god is within each person regardless of religion, culture, race or creed. In essence, we were hi-jacked into giving our power away to something outside of us. We became ignorant and therefore ignorance is the mother of devotion.

In realizing this, I began examining my own perceptions of what I was devoted to. I realized that there were some and I quickly began changing my attitudes and reactions when I became aware of the word’s true meaning. My realization is that when I was devoted to something outside myself whether it be children, husband, politics or a cause then I was giving away my power of self. Self is always seeking to be known. I did not give up my children or my husband. I changed my mind.

I also learned that love is not attachment. I gradually began weaning myself away from my attachments to become detached. By being detached, I could love and allow those in my life to develop their own self. My deceased sister was a devoted woman to her family, her church and her clubs she belonged to. She developed carpal tunnel syndrome in both wrists and was told to rest and restrict her activities. I spoke with her and told her it was a marvelous opportunity to get to know herself. She responded that she didn’t like to be alone with herself because she didn't like herself. I didn’t argue with her however I was saddened that she felt she needed outside activities to strengthen her worth. It indicated to me that she really had no self worth and this beautiful woman died of cancer of the liver. Cancer denotes self-hatred.

Too many people give away their attention and their power to what they are devoted to whether it be television, movies, family, religion, hatreds, prejudices, anger, sports or anything where one's attention is always projected outside of self. I have learned that self-contemplation is the seed for creativity and I can love others without being devoted to them.

Our journey in life is one of self or Self seeking self recognition. A journey is filled with many twists and turns with a gift in each one. It is up to the individual to discover the gift. The gift is never recognized when we are devoted to something outside of ourselves.

Welcome to My World

PLAGIARISM - A NAUGHTY WORD?

From my research plagiarism is the stealing of another's idea(s) and perpetuating it as one's own. Take the case of Dan Brown, author of the DaVinci Code and his current lawsuit brought by Michael Baigent and Richard Leigh (co-author Henry Lincoln declined to participate) authors of Holy Blood, Holy Grail. These two authors allege Brown stole the idea they have as a hypothesis in their non-fiction book. In their book and on page 313 of my paprback copy, a hypothesis is put forth that Jesus and Mary Magdalene and Jesus were married and had children. I surmise that this is what the lawsuit is all about. I noticed in re-perusing their book that they use the word supposed a number of times.

A recent UK Guardian Unlimited news article re-printed an article The Observer printed in March 1971 titled Was Jesus Married? Anyone doing research would know that this hypothesis has been around hundreds of years. When I first became interested in Mary Magdalene, I learned much about the Church's attempted suppression of her. Truth has a way of rising above the muck and the mire eventually.

When I first read Holy Blood, Holy Grail, I thought it was based on historical research and fact. Historical fact cannot be labeled plagariasm. Perhaps something wonderful will come from this lawsuit and that is the truth that Mary Magdalene and Jesus were indeed married and not just a hypothesis. When I wrote Secrets of the Magdalene Scrolls, I listed Baigent and Leigh's book in my bibliography and I included in my novel their hypothesis. However, my information and ideas did not from from Baigent, Leigh or Dan Brown. I will come to that later.

To make this entire scenario even more interesting, another author, Lewis Perdue is also bringing a lawsuit against Brown stating Brown plagiarized his book Daughter of God. I recently read Perdue's book and it is a long, long stretch to label Brown's book as plagairizing his. Perdue's book on the surface sounds exciting and thrilling but his writing dilutes the thrill of it all. It is not on my recommended reading list.

Over the past 18 years I have been a student of RSE (Ramtha School of Enlightenment) an academy of the mind. Ramtha teaches us to expand and use the ninety percent of our brain that scientists say we do not use and wonder what it is for. As an aside, the three directors of the film What the Bleep were students and Ramtha commissioned them to make the movie. I was at the event when he did this and heard it.

Over the years I heard Ramtha speak fleetingly of Mary Magdalene and Jesus in respectful ways. I always take notes and when I really became interested in Mary Magdalene, I took seven points I had that Ramtha touched upon and began my research. He has said not to just take his word but to read and research for ourselves. That is why I did. Two of the points were that Mary Magdalene and Jesus were married and they had two children, one a boy and the other a girl.

Sir Laurence Gardener, author of Bloodline of the Holy Grail, has spoken a number of times at RSE with the first soon after he published his first book. It would seem plausible that he would also glean information when he spoke to the school that aided him in writing his subsequent books.

Plagairism is an interesting word and with the eyes of the world on Brown and his lawsuit, it could be a boon for Brown and a bust for the ones bringing the lawsuits. If the judge rules against Brown, it will be a can of worms for authors of fiction. There is a saying, "there is nothing new under the sun Horatio." Nothing is hidden in the Mind of God and each of us have the capacity to tap into it. Perhaps there really no such thing as plagairism except if one deliberately copies word for word another's piece of work.

To make this even more interesting, Random House published both Brown's book and the book of Baigent and Leigh. Oh what a topsy-turvy world we live in!

The Heart of the Matter

The Heart of the Matter
©Bettye Johnson

February is remembered for Valentine’s Day with the heart as its primary symbol. Most people have no idea what the heart really is of what it means. Yes, it is the pump where our life’s blood flows through and many think erroneously that it houses the soul. Actually it is only a pump and the soul resides next to it.

What does it mean when we say I feel it in my heart or from the depths of my heart? An online dictionary gives a number of definitions such as spirit, nerve, spunk, center, gist, affection, bosom, and pump. Along with the definitions are some of the phrases: He had a change of heart. Heart-to-heart. He had a change of heart. You haven’t got the heart to carry on or to do it. The heart and soul of… The child won everyone’s heart. Eat your heart out. She died of a broken heart. It is interesting to ponder the many uses of the word heart.

The first word I noticed on this online dictionary was the word spirit. Going back to the online dictionary I learned that spirit is interpreted as liveliness, life, a fundamental emotional and activating principle; determining one’s character, intent, disembodied spirit and last the vital principle or animating force within living things such as life principle and soul.

There are a number of clues in these interpretations of the words heart and soul and the usage however I am reminded of a story of sages who created man. This possibly originated from the creation of the humanoids by Ninhursag and Enki as given in the Sumerian tablets. The story goes that the sages were discussing among themselves where to hide God so that it would take man (humans) forever to discover God. The first one said, “Let’s hide God in the earth and the others disagreed saying, “No, man will go into the earth and in all likelihood discover God.” The second sage said, “Well, we can hide God in the oceans.” The others disagreed saying, “No, man will conquer the oceans so we can’t hide God there.” A third sage came up with the idea to hide God in the skies and again the sages said no because man would conquer the skies. They sat and pondered this when a fourth sage who had remained quiet during the conversation said, “Let’s hide God within man. Man will never think to look for God within.” The sages agreed and this is why God is within and usually undiscovered by the multitude of humans on this planet.

The golden thread coming from the definitions of heart and spirit is that the two words both mean God. God is everything and God is the vital principle, the life-giving force and the soul.
Therefore the word heart is another word for God.

Whenever I see a heart, I know it means God and that is why Valentine’s Day is so special. It truly is the one day of the year when love is promoted. Children exchange valentine cards at school and I did it when I was a child. Lovers and friends exchange cards and messages. Why is it we set aside one day of the year to promote love? Why can’t every day be a day of love? After all, God is love. Instead of prejudice and judgment, why not substitute a thought of love? Why not fall in love with yourself? It is something to think about.
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P.S. The Origins of Valentine’s Day…

An ancient origin of the celebration of February 14 came from the Romans who honored the God Lupercus, the watcher over shepherds and their flocks. Every February the Romans celebrated a feast called Lupercalia and during Lupercalia honor was paid to the Goddess Juno Februata. During the celebration girls and boys were matched and would be considered partners for the year.

This celebration was changed by the advent of Christianity and the priests attempted to replace pagan practices, which they thought to be heathen. Instead of the Feast of Lupercalia the church changed it to St. Valentine’s Day. The matching of girls and boys was changed to drawing names and the boy or girl was to emulate a saint for the following year. This evolved over the years into valentines, as we know them today.

There were supposedly seven men named Valentine and honored on February 14. Pope Gelasius in 496 declared the day in honor of St. Valentine who became the patron saint of lovers. If one delves deep enough, February 14th was believed by Europeans to be the date the birds began to mate. Chaucer wrote in his “Parlement of Foules,” “For this was Seynt Valentine’s Day when every foul cometh ther to choose his mate.”