Albino Lizard

There is a deeper meaning behind the mundane

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I like to write poetry, music, memoir, and allegorical fiction. I believe this life is for learning. I want to learn and teach all I can. * Email: jeraigo@yahoo.com *Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/jera.igo *BLOG: https://albinolizard.blog/ *Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/jerajones *Channel https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFC4zVFFU4yCoEsR83nq2ZQ
  • Cut and Paste Fun

    Cut and Paste Fun

        Exasperated by the frequent and difficult-to-dismiss interruptions to my  play-store solitaire game, I made my own on a Google sheet. It is just as addictive and fun, without ads, and has the added advantage of appearing, to anyone who happens to look over my shoulder, that I am engrossed in something useful, rather than frittering my time away playing games with myself.

    A Partially Played Game

        On the top left are available tokens to be used at will (the game began with 24 of them). At the top right is the (in progress) final ordering of 4 categories of 13 tokens each, each category (H, S, D, and C), numbered from 1 through 13. When this is completed (or it is obvious that it can be) the game is “won.” (At the beginning of the game this area was empty.) At the bottom left is the main working pattern of the game. At the beginning this area contained 28 tokens laid out in a triangle, with one token in the left-most column, 2 in the second column from left, 3 in the third, and so on, and 7 in the right-most column. The player can move the token at the bottom of each column, or any portion of a column that has been ordered, if doing so preserves and continues the ordering. The ordering of the lower left section of the game board consists of placing tokens in descending order top to bottom by number, where an alternating pattern of grey and red is maintained. There is no enforcement of rules in this version. Any token can be physically moved anywhere at any time (or tokens can be deleted and created). It is up to the player to follow rules as he or she chooses. Movement of tokens is most easily done by “cut” and “paste.”

    Building the Game

        To build the game, open a new Google sheet and mark off the playing area. To do this create a line between columns N and O from row 1 through row 23. Do this by highlighting cells 1 through 23 on column N, then select the icon at the bottom of the screen that looks like a window with 4 panes. Open border style and select a medium heavy line and back out once to choose the pane with the heavy line on the right. Back out once more and view the line on your spreadsheet.

        Then highlight row 23 from A through N. Tap the four paned window icon and select the pane with the heavy line on the bottom, after selecting the slightly heavier line.

    Bottom right corner of the playing area.

    Make the Game Tokens

        Navigate to cell W53. Type the 52 token names in the consecutive cells of column W. Do not specify colors or backgrounds at this point. (That will be done in a later step.) Type 1C in cell W53, 2C in cell W54, and so on until 13C is in cell W65. Copy cells  W53 through W65 , and paste in cell W66, then paste again into cell W79, then a third time into cell W92.

        Now go back to cell W66, and change 1C to 1D. Continue changing C to D until you reach cell W78, making it D13.

        Change C to H starting with cell W79 until you have created 13 Hs.

        Starting with cell W92, change the Cs to Ss. Type S1 in W92, and so on to cell W104, making it read S13.

    Create the Game Staging Area

        Navigate to cell P1, and begin creating the staging area for the game token  pattern by typing, =W53 in that cell. Press enter and, 1C, should show in that cell, unless the tokens have been shuffled.  Cell P2 should be highlighted, type, =W54 in that cell, then enter.

    Creating the game token pattern

        Complete the game token pattern by continuing to type =W53 through =W76 in  cells P1 through U4. This makes the top rectangle of 24 game pieces which will be utilized in the two ordered patterns to be worked in the game, once they are shuffled and copied to the playing area.

        Next make the space configuration for the triangular shaped main playing area of the game.  Start with the row P6-V6. Type =W77 into cell P6, =W78 into cell Q6, and so on, typing =W83 into cell V6. Row 7 will span between columns Q and V. Type =W84 into cell Q7, =W85 into R7, and so until =W89 into cell V7. Start the 8th row with R8 and =W90 (It may be easier to save the = signs for last) Start the 9th row at S9 and =W95. Start the 10th row at T10 with =W99. Start the 11th row at U11 with =W102. Then put =W104 on cell V12, completing the triangle.

    Configuration of staging area

        Then put a dotted line border around the staging area by highlighting between P1 and V12 the. Select window panes icon, then dotted line, then the pane with a heavy line around its perimeter. Then reduce the width of columns A through  X. To do this highlight the entire columns A through X, then up at the top, drag column X to a third of its width. The other columns should be narrowed as well

    Game staging area

    Shuffle the Deck

        Now we will shuffle the deck. Make a set of random numbers  Type,  =RANDARRAY(52,1) in cell Y1. This will produce a column of 52 random numbers, one in each row of the Y column between 1 and 52. They will be different numbers every time, and will change fairly often.

        Put zeros in each cell from X1 through X52, so that when we sort column X  it won’t mess up the game board and the staging area.

    Zeros and random numbers

        Then copy the random numbers, Y1 through Y52. Tap cell X53 twice and select paste special, and select values only from the menu.

    Random numbers next to game token names (values will vary)

        Now we are ready to sort column X, which is done from the top of the column, slightly above cell X1. Tap the blue area at the top of the column twice. You may have to pull the menu out to select sort A-Z. If you accidently select sort Z-A tap undo. Look At the staging area. It should no longer be in the same order, but the token names should occupy the same cells as before.

    Example of a shuffled staging area

        Now select the staging area along the dotted lines we drew and copy. Then tap cell A1 twice. This is another paste where we must use paste special and choose values only.

        Even without the formats, the game is playable, using cut and paste to move the pieces one at a time. C and S count as black, and D and H count as red.

    Format Game Tokens

        We will apply conditional formatting to the playing area. We will apply three formatting rules:
    Text ends with D
    Text ends with H
    Text is not empty
    To do this:

    • Highlight from A1 through N23
    • Tap icon at the top that looks like a capital A with five short horizontal lines on the right side of it
    • Tap conditional formatting
    • Format cells if: text ends with
    • Value or formula:  D
    • Tap +
    • Choose text color dark red
    • Choose fill color dark red
    • Choose 2rd hue from the lightest
    • Accept with ✓
    • Click Add
    • Format cells if: text ends with
    • Value or formula:  H
    • Tap +
    • Choose text color dark red
    • Choose fill color dark red
    • Choose 2rd hue from the lightest
    • Accept with ✓
    • Click Add
    • Format cells if: is not empty
    • Tap +
    • Choose text color black
    • Choose fill color black
    • Choose third hue from the lightest
    • Accept with ✓
    • Accept with ✓

    Game Rules

        Order the tokens in ascending numerical order in one column, per each of D, H, C, and S suits in columns I through L, starting with 1. The player may not place a piece in this area, other than a 1, unless the previous number of that suit has already been placed in the I-L columns.


        The player has free access to the tokens in columns A-F, rows 1-4, however, using these is not always the best strategy.
    Player is to access only the bottom pieces in rows 6-12 columns A-G, or, those already ordered in the red-grey, numerically descending order pattern, by either the player or by the deal (as long as there are no out of order pieces in the same column below them). (Alternate rules can be played, but the game is more entertaining if a consistent set of rules is agreed to and followed.) Order the pieces in descending numerical order, alternating red and grey.


        When a column from row 6 down, column A-G, is empty, Player may place one of the 4 13s in row 6 of that column, providing it comes from rows 1-4, A-F, or is the bottom piece in columns A-G, row 6 or below, or has already been ordered in descending numerical. order red and grey, or grey red with other pieces. In the latter case, Player may move all of those particular pieces together. Below the 13 may be placed a 12 of the other color. Below a 7 may be placed a 6 of the other color, and so on.

    New Game

    select A1:N23
    clear
    select Y1:Y52
    copy
    select X53
    paste special – paste values only
    select column X
    sort A-Z
    select P1:V12
    copy
    select A1
    paste special – values only

    Play the Same Game Again

    select A1:N23
    clear
    select P1:V12
    copy
    select A1
    paste special – values only

    Let’s play!
  • The 12th Planet, by Zechariah Sitchin, Book Review

    The 12th Planet, by Zechariah Sitchin, Book Review

        The 12th Planet, by Zechariah Sitchin is about alien landings on Earth, starting about 500,000 years ago. It makes references to the book of Genesis of the Bible, and the clay tablets of ancient Sumer. First published in 1976, the book makes some remarkable statements about the composition of the solar system, and the origin of mankind on Earth. 

        The 12 planets are: the Sun, Mercury, Venus, Earth, Earth’s Moon, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, Pluto, and Marduk. Having 12 bodies in the solar system is important religiously, according to Sitchin. There seemed to always be a Pantheon of 12 gods and goddesses in every culture including Sumaria, prior to the more recent ideal of monotheism. The 12th planet has an orbit like a comet. It orbits around near the sun once every 3,600 Earth years. It travels in the outer reaches of the solar system during most of its orbit. In spite of this, the planet is warm and habitable, probably from radioactivity in its surface. Marduk is about the size of Neptune. It may be a brown dwarf.

        Marduk is the name usually used for the 12th Planet in the book, the 12th Planet, although this planet is often called Nibiru. Nibiru, comes up from the south, once an age, and crosses the planetary plane between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter. The plane of Nibiru’s orbit is retrograde and at right angles to the orbits of the other planets. Far in antiquity the 12th planet collided with Tiamat, (the planet that once existed between Mars and Jupiter) dragging a big piece of it and its Moon to Earth orbit. There was originally an empty space where  Earth and its Moon are now.

        The rest of Tiamat’s mass (about 4 times the earth total) created the asteroid belt. The planets, other than Earth, were fully formed and most of them already had life on them during the time the earth was forming. The evolution of mankind and agriculture on Earth were advanced by tutoring from, and breeding with, an advanced alien culture from the 12th Planet. Homo sapiens on Earth would have taken much longer to develop had it not been seeded by the Anunnaki from Nibiru. Agriculture, and its many domesticated plants and animals would have taken much longer to develop if Earth wasn’t visited by an advanced culture and gifted with its domesticated plants, trees and animals. 

        When Nibiru is close to Earth, the Nephilum (or Anunnaki) make their way to Earth using rockets. They mine our precious metals for themselves (or force us to do it.) Many or most of them leave and return to Nibiru by the time their planet is gaining momentum Southward, after its passing around the sun. When it is not in the lower solar system, Nibiru is difficult or impossible to see, because it hides in front of the bright stars of the milky way. The  lifespans of the Anunnaki are longer than ours, but any children or grandchildren they leave behind eventually become indistinguishable from the rest of us. 

        According to Zechariah Sitchin, in the 12th Planet, every reference to God, Elohim, or Yahweh in the book of Genesis is actually a reference to a space alien from Marduk. These aliens are the gods. The obvious source material for the book of Genesis in the Sumarian clay tablets is unabashedly polytheistic, with gods discussing and arguing among themselves, while Genesis has apparently been edited to make it appear as if there is only one god.

        I do not agree that space aliens are gods. They are humans like us, but coming from an advanced culture when earthlings were still relatively primitive may have made them appear godlike. That being said, there is a real God and He is Spirit. I needed to remind myself this while reading Sitchin, because every biblical reference to God, and the Sumarian references also, are interpreted as referring to aliens. 

        The “gods” wanted laborers to work the precious metals mines in Africa, so they manipulated the humanoids on Earth at the time to be more like themselves. Although there was a genetic modification described, the easiest way to modify the humanoids of Earth at the time, the Homo Erectus, into beings with enough intelligence, communication ability and manual dexterity for mining and other tasks, was for the male aliens to impregnate the female humanoids. Soon there were modern humans in Africa, Sumaria and elsewhere, used as laborers by the aliens. A couple, Adam and Eve, were placed in the garden of Eden near Sumaria (Iraq). They were there to care for the plants and trees in the garden. They were asked not to eat the fruit of the tree of knowledge but they did anyway, realized they were naked, and were banished from the garden. 

        One of the appearances of Nibiru was associated with severe flooding. That appearance was approximately 11000 BC. and caused, first droughts and food shortages, then massive flooding and solar disturbances, during the approximately 1000 Earth years while the planet was close. Atlantis was destroyed in 9577 BC, during that same time of upheavals. Subsequent appearances of Nibiru (and the Anunnaki) were associated with rapid improvements in human culture: rapid advances in pottery approximately 7400 BC, a sudden Sumarian civilization developed around 3800 BC. The last appearance was around 200 BC, and the next is expected approximately 3400 AD.

        The book was interesting to read. The points made, although controversial, were very convincing. A PDF is available online as a free download: https://www.booksfree.org/zecharia-sitchin-the-12th-planet-pdf-free-download/

  • Missing David Wilcock

    Missing David Wilcock

        What a shock it is that David Wilcock killed himself on April 20 of this year, near Boulder, Colorado. Less than 24 hours earlier he had urged his followers not to commit suicide, as he had urged us many times previously. Many times he had affirmed that he himself was not suicidal. How many of us realized that all this was a bluster designed to help himself overcome his own very present suicidal ideations? I’ll admit, I did not understand until now.
        What was the weapon he held, as the police he had summoned with a 911 call approached? What part of his body did he apply that weapon to? Was that self inflicted wound medically verified to be the cause of death? Was it proven by the angle of entry to have been self inflicted? David had referred to scientists being killed, disappeared and suicided, and admitted that he was scared. Are there ways to mentaly overcome a person and force him to harm himself? Are there implantable devices for that purpose?
        I’m shocked, grieved and have more questions than answers. David may have transitioned to a sad place, as he himself warned would happen to the soul that commits suicide. David do you know about the Avatar Who appears once an age for our help and salvation? He knows about the enormous stress you were under. He wants to heal you and lift you up. Amen, so let it be.
        It appears David had a persona, that he projected onto his online videos, of the enlightened teacher, that he did not fully realize in everyday life. He taught that love casts out fear, yet the reality was that he didn’t actually know how to do it. His fearless loving holiness was a hollow facade. Now in the next world, he will have more opportunity to really learn for himself what he had been preaching. David, you must know the Manifestation of God for the age you are in, and through knowing Him, meet the Unmanifested. Thus has it been written in all the Holy books of all the worlds.

        Blind Thine eyes that thou mayest behold My beauty;
        Stop time ears that thou mayest harken unto the sweet melody of My voice.
        Empty thyself of all learning … save the knowledge of Me,
        That with a clear vision, a pure heart, and an attentive ear
        Thou mayest enter the court of My holiness. –Bahá’u’lláh

  • Iran in History

    Iran in History

        In November of 1817 AD, Mírzá Ḥusayn-ʻAlí Núrí was born in Tehran, Iran. His title, Bahá’u’lláh, is the Name invoked by Bahá’ís in times of peril, sorrow, gratitude and love. The Bahá’í Faith began in April of 1863, in a garden across the Tigris river from Baghdad, Iraq, when Bahá’u’lláh, facing another exile, announced to an expectant group of followers to that He is the Promised One for the current age, a Station He Himself had become aware of 10 years earlier while incarcerated in a Tehran dungeon.
        Up until recent times, Iran was called Persia in English. Persia was Zoroastrian prior to 633 AD. The ancient historian Plutarch gave the time of Zoroaster as 5000 years before the Trojan war, which was in 1184 BC, making Zoroaster’s time around 6000 BC. Aristotle concurred, stating that Zoroaster lived 6000 years before Plato.
        Leaping forward 5-1/2 millennia, the Persian King, Cyrus the Great, founded the Achaemenid dynasty in Persia around 550 BC, and made Zoroastrianism its official religion, although there may have been Zoroastrians among the Persians for millennia prior to that. The Israelites were freed by the Persians about 10 years after the beginning of Cyrus’ reign, ending their 40 years of captivity in Babylon. Cyrus is mentioned numerous times in the Old Testament, mostly in the books of Ezra, Isaiah, and Daniel, in praise for freeing the Jews and enabling them to rebuild their temple in Jerusalem. Zoroastrian teachings became part of Judaism, and  also Christianity and Islám. Concepts that can be traced to Zoroastrianism, such as good and evil; heaven and hell; and even monotheism, are taught in Zoroastrianism, and also in the Abrahamic religions.
        Fast forwarding another thousand years, the Islamic conquest that began in 633 AD continued until about 1500 A.D. Gradually during that time, Zoroastrianism was suppressed and Islam enforced. Some Moslem converts were forced, but many were attracted to the then new teachings of Islam.
        By the time of Bahá’u’lláh’s announcement in 1863, it had been well over a millennium since Muhammad had dictated the writing of the Qur’an, and many were hungering for a fresh revelation from God.
        In 1819 AD, Sayyid `Ali Muhammad Shirazi was born in Shiraz, Iran. In 1844, shortly after receiving the call from God, He announced that He was the Báb, the Gate to the Hidden One.
        Until the early 16th century, Iran had been predominantly Sunni.  The Safavid shah, Ismail I, who reined from 1501 to 1524, was of the other predominant sect of Islam, Shia. He and the shaws after him began to enforce Shia Islam on Iran, until by the time of the Báb and Bahá’u’lláh, and continuing today, Iran is mostly Shia, in contrast to most other Moslem countries, which are mostly Sunni.
        In 632 AD, when Muḥammad passed on, the Sunni Moslems elected Abu Bakr as Caliph (leader of Islám). The Shia Moslems (Shi’ites) insist that Muḥammad’s desire was to have his son-in-law and cousin, Alí, become Caliph after Muḥammad’s passing. This caused the split between the two major sects of Islám. This schism that arose over Muḥammad’s heir, resulted in horrible battles of infighting, the murder of one of Muḥammad’s two grandsons, and the disappearance of the other.
        In the 1830s and ’40s, an Iranian sect of Shia Islám, known as the Shakhi School, were predicting the return of the 12th Imam (Muhammad’s grandson Hasan), who had gone into hiding over a millennium earlier, because the other Imams had been killed in infighting between the two major sects of Islam, was expected to return. The Shakhis were expecting a man to be born the regular way and grow up, while many other Shiites were expecting a supernatural appearance.
        One of the Shakhis met the Báb near his home in Shiraz and was invited up for tea and conversation on the evening before May 23, 1844. During the interview, this Shakhi, Mulla Husayn, became a believer in the Báb.
        The Báb taught that a new dispensation was at hand and that He was the Herald of it. The mutilated corpses of His followers lined the streets and He Himself, after several years imprisonment, in the north of Irán — far from His origin in the south, was executed by a firing squad on July 9, 1850, at the age of 30, in Tabriz, Persia. In His talks and writings He repeatedly referred to Him Whom God would make Manifest, meaning the One known as Bahá’u’lláh, Who would declare 13 years after the Báb’s death.
        Throughout history, founders of religion have been spaced around 500 to 1000 years apart from one another. Zoroaster appeared 8000 years ago, Krishna 5000 years ago, Abraham 4000 years ago, (some scholars place Zoroaster about 3500 years ago), Moses 3000 years ago, and Buddha 2500 years ago. Jesus Christ ascended in 33 AD, Muhammad ascended in 632 AD, the Báb ascended in 1850, and Bahá’u’lláh ascended in 1892.
        Bahá’u’lláh and His son, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, teach that all of these and others more ancient than these, such as Adam, were Manifestations of God. In the Bhagavad Gita, Krishna emphasizes that devotion to the Manifested, such as Himself, is much easier than devotion to the Unmanifested, for the attainment of salvation. Bahá’u’lláh teaches that God is the Unknowable Essence. Jesus said, the Father and I are one. He who has known Me has known the Father.
        Desired spiritual states such as joy, forgiveness, Divine love, and faith are difficult to impossible to sustain without a relationship to a Manifestation of God. Just as today’s sun is warmer than the memory of a former day’s sun, the more recent, among the Manifestations of God, are more able to meet our spiritual needs.

  • The Road to Cincinnati

    The Road to Cincinnati

    Around mid-morning the van is parked by a sign indicating Tennessee to the right and Kansas to the left. The passengers get out of the van and everyone hugs Rose in turn, then, all but Rose get back in the van. The van takes off toward Tennessee.
        Rose walks past the fork on the Kansas side and puts out her thumb. Cars go by then a brown pinto wagon comes to a stop, with a middle aged couple on board, Ron and Ruth, Ron at the wheel.

        Ron puts his head out the window. “We’re going to Chicago.”

        “I’m going to Akron.” Rose settles into the backseat.

        “How’s your trip been so far?” Ruth has a kind face.

        “Thanks to nice people like you it’s been just great!”

        “We can go through Cincinnati,” Ron said.
        “Please don’t put yourselves out of your way!”

        Ruth says, “It’s really no problem. We were just discussing stopping to see Aunt Sally…”

        “Who is in Cincinnati.” Ron finishes for her.

        “Okay, thank you, that would be great!”

         Rose nods off to sleep.
            * * * * * * ** * * * * * * * * *
    She awakens later during a heated discussion going on in the front seat.

        “Are you saying that we can go around committing crimes until the day we die and then just say, ‘Whoops sorry, Jesus, I messed up, please forgive me,’ and everything will be just hunky-dory in the afterlife?” Ron’s voice is starting to develop an edge.

        “Are you denying the power of God to forgive sins?” Ruth asks calmly.

        “Of course not! But your heart has to be right. You can make some honest mistakes and be forgiven, but a willful life of crime will take a lot more work than just a simple, ‘Whoops I blew it.’”

        “I think Christians know that, Ron. The vicarious atonement of Christ isn’t available to hardened criminals unless they truly repent. They must stop denying their guilt, confess it before God, understand the gravity of the judgment against them, through prayer and humility forge a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, and work out their salvation with fear and trembling.”

        Rose contributes to the conversation. “There are people who go around feeling guilty all of the time, and then there are others who don’t feel a shred of guilt when they should!”

        “Which one are you?” Ruth turns in her seat to make eye contact.

        “I’m plagued by guilt. I’m wrong if I do what other people want, and I’m wrong if I stick up for myself.”

        “Are you really wrong when you stick up for yourself, or are you just made to feel wrong?” Ron makes eye contact through the rear view mirror.

        “I get pushed around way too easy! I’ve got huge guilt buttons that anybody can use.” Then after a short pause, “Maybe I shouldn’t be telling you this.”

        They all laugh.

        “I try to do what I do for Jesus, not for the other people. If I can keep that focus, it is harder for others to make me feel bad when I don’t meet their expectations.” (Ruth)

        “Or whatever name you give your Higher Power.”

        “With Ron it’s Buddha.”

        “Not exactly. Buddhists don’t believe in a personal God the way Christians believe in Christ as their personal savior.”

        “I heard something about all religions teaching basically the same thing, just using different metaphors sometimes. I wonder if that’s true.” (Rose)

        “Yes, Seventh Day Adventists believe there are other ways to the truth besides ours.”

        “The SDA teaches that Jesus will appear supernaturally in the sky and pull the believers into the clouds to meet him.” Ron was illustrating the absurdity of this belief, not promoting it.

        “Yes, Adventists are looking to the second Advent of Christ.” Ruth says sidestepping Ron’s sarcasm.

        “Yet the scripture used to prove the unrealistic scenario I just mentioned appears to actually be describing what happens to the soul at death.”

        “Are you two married?” Rose was responding to the apparent disharmony.

        “Going on 7 years.” (Ruth)

        “We have diet in common. We are both vegetarian.” (Ron)

        “That’s a nice thing to have in common with the person you eat with. I gave up vegetarianism for my husband.” (Rose)

        “Yes, both Ron and I had conflict in the kitchen in the past with our exes.”

        “I think with Buddhism, salvation, or enlightenment if you prefer, results from a careful balance of the various tendencies within yourself. Once enlightened, YOU become Buddha. He is not outside you but within.” (Ron)

        “Christians believe that too. We believe that Christ is within, but primarily it is the relationship between the individual and Christ that is emphasized.”

        “Precisely, but in Buddhism it is the attainment of enlightenment, which we all have the potential of attaining, that is emphasized. When we are craving things, comparing ourselves to other people and wanting what they have, we are about as unenlightened as we can get. This is the primary cause of suffering according to Siddhartha Buddha. When you value the opinion of others about yourself more than you value your own opinion about yourself, you are in deep trouble. This is another kind of craving, wanting other people to like us. This is ignorance and works against our enlightenment. Siddhartha Buddha taught about eight areas within ourselves that we need to get right in order to receive enlightenment.”

        “Known as the eight-fold path of Buddhism.”

        “Can you name them, Ruth?”

        “Let’s see. Right understanding, right concentration, right effort… That’s three. Oh, right contemplation… Half way there. There was right livelihood, and is right speech one of them? Oh and right conduct, right behavior? No behavior is the same as conduct. I guess there is one more. It must be right mindfulness. Or is that the same as right contemplation?”

        “Very good, Ruth. Mindfulness means awareness. It is usually the seventh on the list. The eighth, right contemplation, is a culmination of the other seven. It can only be developed with a consistent meditation practice.

        “The only other thing I didn’t hear on your list was right emotion or right attitude, a very important milestone on the path to enlightenment. How often do you find yourself with a bad attitude, indulging yourself in self-pity or anger? The minute your find something to be grateful for, you feel better.”

        “I am very grateful for this discussion, Ron and Ruth.”

        “Well, umm… What’s your name?”

        “I’m Rose.”

        “Rose, the founder of Ron’s organization. Helena Blavatsky, and the Founder of mine, Ellen White, were contemporaries a century ago.” (This story took place during the late 1960’s.)

        “There were a whole lot of things founded or developed during that time period.” Ron adds.

        “Yes, SDA arose out of the preaching of William Miller who believed Christ would return in 1844 based on prophecies in Revelation and Daniel.” (Ruth)

        “About that same time period Russian born, Madam Blavatsky was studying esoteric Buddhism in India and later Tibet. She also became adept in the English language while living in London. In New York, two young women kicked off the spiritualist movement. Madam Blavatsky’s teachers sent her to New York to teach what was right — and wrong — with Spiritualism.” (Ron)

        “At the same time church attendance across the spectrum was soaring in what is referred to as the Second Great Awakening. The health teachings of Natural Hygiene, Homeopathy and Naturopathy were developed and refined. Mary Baker Eddy founded Christian Science, Ellen White directed the Millerites into the Seventh Day Adventists, Emerson and Thoreau were writing their essays, the Holiness movement was becoming Pentecostal. The Mormons, Jehovah’s witnesses, and even the American Indian Ghost Dance all developed during the 19th Century. Slaves were emancipated and women’s rights gained momentum. Theorists of various fields, such as Freud and Darwin expounded their ideas.” (Ruth)

        “Theosophy, based on the teachings of Helena Blavatsky, her teachers and associates, began in New York in 1875.” (Ron)

        “Almost one hundred years ago.” (Rose)

        “While SDA was wondering what had gone wrong with the Second Coming that was supposed to have taken place in 1844…” (Ron)

        “It happened in Heaven.” (Ruth)

        “As above, so below, Ruth. How so?”

        “In 1844, Christ went from the Holy Place to the Holy of Holies.”

        “Do you understand that, Rose?”

        “Not really.”

        “It is a complicated and convoluted doctrine. It would require a time-consuming study to get it. It is the SDA excuse for not having recognized the appearance of the Divine Being in 1844, after having predicted that He would appear.” (Ron)

        “Theosophy also predicted the appearance of a Divine Being, claimed it was Krishnamurti — until Krishnamurti denied that it was him.” (Ruth)

        “Really? I saw him in person about 5 years ago. He is probably not quite 100, though he may be close.” (Rose)

        “Did you hear him speak, Rose?” (Ron)

        “Yes, in Ojai, California, outdoors, to a crowd gathered around. Made me think of what it must have been like to have heard Christ deliver the Sermon on the Mount. A very spiritual man, a humble man. I’m glad he doesn’t claim to be the return of Christ!” (Rose)

        “I think the Theosophists wanted him to be the Maitreya, the Messianic figure expected by Buddhists,” explains Ruth.

        “If Christ were to return in today’s world, he would have to fulfill the expectations of all religions and thus bring about world unity.”

        “Very good insight, Rose! If we are ready to move away from the ill-founded notion that Christ will appear by supernatural means, and accept that he will appear as all beings on this planet, great and small, have always appeared, that is, by being born and growing up, then we might theorize that he has made his expected appearance, but thus far we have not discovered him.” (Ron)

        “Buddhists send little children to monasteries where they grow up away from their families, being raised by celibate priests and nuns. Many grow up with severe emotional problems due to being isolated from their families. The monastic life is attractive to pedophiles because of the access to children and unattractive to the truly spiritual because of its prohibition against marriage.”

        “Ruth, monasticism is an ancient tradition. In the Bible, Samuel was brought to the monastery by his parents and grew up there. Parents want to dedicate their children.” (Ron)

        “I am thankful for the family values of SDA and other Protestant churches. Monogamous marriage is encouraged and the spiritual training of children is done in their homes and aided by other family oriented believers in children’s classes.” (Ruth)

        “I have had Catholic friends tell me they were abused by the nuns in parochial schools. I think sexual frustration makes a woman angry,” (Rose)

        “It is certainly more natural and fulfilling for most people to be part of a monogamous, committed marriage, or a child in the care of one. All other qualifications aside, people with happy home lives make better teachers.” (Ruth)

        “There was knowledge built up and checked and rechecked in Buddhist and Hindu monasteries. The adept who underwent the rigorous training in clairvoyance and clairaudience were mostly celibate. They gave up that part of themselves in order to devote themselves to the gathering and checking of esoteric knowledge.” (Ron)

        “Well Ellen White received visions, spoke and wrote prolifically WHILE being married and raising a family.” (Ruth)

        “Unfortunately, Ellen White didn’t have the opportunity to check her visions with other visionaries Much of it, though inspiring, is inaccurate. The dead don’t just become inert for a period of time, they go to a place called Kamaloka, the place of desires. There they review their lives. The more we review our lives in our daily meditation practice, the easier and quicker Kamaloka, or purgatory, will be. We will spent roughly one quarter the time we spent on earth in Kamaloka, then the soul-personality disintegrates. The spiritual essence, along with whatever virtues you were able to acquire while on earth, ascend to Devachan, or heaven. There is perfect peace and bliss for a period roughly ten times as long as was your earthly life-span, then reincarnation.

        “Now, isn’t that nice to know? That knowledge represents years of meditation on the part of many individuals trained in clairvoyance. We cannot assume that the visionary experiences of one person, for instance Ellen White, are correct unless her visions collaborate, and are collaborated by, the visions of others. I can personally confirm many of her health teachings with my own knowledge and intuition.”

        “Thanks, Ron, for the simplified version. I have looked in your Spiritual Science books, and there is a mind boggling number of realms and layers to the being, all with Sanskrit names. Thanks for the layman’s terminology!

        “I just want to express the concern that in the monasteries is a culture of alcohol and drug use. That is why married people are not allowed. They can’t derange their minds with alcohol and drugs then go home to their children. But the monks enhance their vision quests with drugs. That is why they have such short life spans!” (Ruth)

        “I don’t believe that is true in Buddhism. Drunkenness is forbidden.” (Ron)

        “Ostensibly yes. However, I have heard proponents of eastern philosophy admit to the use of vision enhancing drugs, and even to encourage their use by others! Personally I don’t trust the revelations of visionaries who rely on drugs! Ellen white never used drugs or alcohol. Also the misery of children growing up away from their families, then being denied love and marriage when they are grown, is a potent contributing factor to alcoholism and drug addiction!” (Ruth)

        “Well, I wouldn’t like the monastic life either, and I certainly wouldn’t force it on another person!” Ron was ready to set aside his strong opinions and agree with his wife.

        “Can we stop for refreshment?” Ruth asks.

        Rose, Ron and Ruth are seated at a restaurant. Empty plates are being moved aside.

        “We are close to our destination in Cincinnati now, Rose. It was wonderful traveling with you.”

        “I am grateful for the help and insight of the two of you!”

  • 3. A Visitor From Heaven

    3. A Visitor From Heaven

        The next morning Carol felt tired and a little sick.
        “Carol, are you okay?” asked June.
        “I feel lethargic this morning. Maybe I could use a bath.”
        Carol looked at her hands. They were darker than she remembered, and appeared opaque and chalky. She wished she had some of the morphine that had been at her bedside table prior to her death.
         “Carol, I think I know what is happening to you. I’ve seen it before,” said June. “Once I was with several other people. One of them got all dark and chalky like you are. Someone said he was losing his etheric body, and moving into his astral body. We could use some water.”
        “Yes, a drink and a bath sounds like a great idea.”

        “I was walking the opposite way as you when I stopped at the boulder. I had just passed a spring,” said June.

        “Okay good,” said Carol. “Let’s go!” and they started off.

        “Apparently, our beings have multiple layers. There’s more to it than just body and spirit. Losing your etheric body is a little like losing your physical body, but not nearly as traumatic. The function of the etheric body was that it would animate our physical bodies, before we lost them. Sometimes, it is called the pranic body. It is the life force of the physical body. Yet earthly science has not detected it.”

        “It must be the mystery that made our physical bodies alive. I always wondered about that,” said Carol.

        “Yes, I have learned a lot since my arrival here that I never knew while on Earth. We’re in the astral world, also known as the intermediate state. I have also heard it called Purgatory, the soul world, the bardo, and Kamaloka. Kamaloka is Sanskrit for ‘place of desires’. Eventually we will shed the astral body, and one other body, I think, and the higher three bodies, of our originally seven-layer being, will translate to the spirit world, heaven, or paradise, called Devachan in Sanskrit. The last three of our bodies, collectively, constitute our spirit. I wish I knew more. All I know is from snatches of conversation that either I overheard, or were said to me in passing.”

        “That’s more than the big zero that I know. I’m grateful for your knowledge! I did notice the cravings.”

        “Carol, you might not be able to drink the water. I can’t either. Someone told me a long time ago I needed to shed my etheric body, but I still have not done it.”

        They reached the spring in about 20 minutes. By this time Carol found it difficult to breathe. They took off their robes and blankets. Carol removed her scarf. June walked into the stream, squatted and scrubbed herself with her hands. Carol placed the toes of one foot into the spring. The water rushed by her foot and seemed to penetrate it. Carol took a step forward and brought the other foot into the water. It was beyond exhilarating on her feet, but was almost too much for her. She took another step and squatted next to June. She touched her face into the water, then leaned back all the way, then returned to a squat. Carol tried to take a drink, but was unable to swallow the water. “I think this is enough for me!” Carol loved it, but it was just a little too harsh, like an overly aggressive massage. She retreated to shore.

        “You’ll acclimate to it soon, Carol. Why don’t you hand me your robe, blanket and scarf, and I’ll wash them for you?” June washed both their robes, blankets, and Carol’s scarf, then spread them out in the sand to dry.

        Carol lay down in the sand. As she lay she felt pressure building at the top of her head as if she were pressing against a wall. At last, something gave way, and she exploded out of herself like a cannonball. She stood and looked down at a limp likeness of herself lying in the sand. A moment later, she realized what had happened. Her astral and higher bodies, including her consciousness, had exited her etheric body, much as the etheric, astral, and higher bodies had exited her physical body two days previous. She looked down at the etheric corpse, another likeness of herself. It slowly faded away.

        Carol sat in meditation, because she was curious to know what was happening to the etheric corpse. She received a clairvoyant vision of the etheric corpse traveling to the mortuary where her physical corpse was. It slid through the outer wall, and hovered over the rows of refrigerated drawers where the bodies were stored. She saw other etheric corpses there as well. They hung in mid air, misty and ethereal, like ghosts. Then Carol’s physical corpse was removed from its drawer and laid out on a work table.

        Women she knew from the synagogue removed her pajamas, washed her corpse, and wrapped it in long pieces of cloth. It was then laid in a simple wooden coffin. Joe, his two brothers, and another man, loaded the coffin into a hearse. When they arrived at the synagogue, the coffin was brought to the front of the meeting hall. All the while Carol’s etheric corpse hovered over the physical corpse like a cloud of mist. Carol’s astral body sat in meditation in Kamaloka, and Carol’s spiritual essence bilocated to a mortuary in California to observe.

    . . .

        When Carol’s consciousness returned to the soul world, June sat in meditation. Her skin appeared opaque, chalky, and darker than usual, like Carol’s had earlier. Patches of astral light emanated from fissures in June’s etheric body. It had clearly begun to disintegrate. “June, it is happening to you now!” said Carol. “You are shedding your etheric!” June’s etheric body disintegrated and wafted away a bit at a time. The etheric corpse slowly dissipated as June sat in meditation. An even more perfect body remained. Colored lights emanated from June. They made a transparent ovoid shape around the more dense part of herself. “June, you are absolutely radiant!” said Carol.

        “So are you, Carol! Pretty colored lights are radiating from you.”

        June’s astral body looked the same as the etheric that had dissipated, other than the glowing translucent colored aura that surrounded it. Carol ran her hand over her scalp. Her hair felt the same length as the hair on her etheric body had felt, which had felt the same as the hair on the head of her physical body immediately prior to her death, which was about a centimeter of new growth since her last round of chemotherapy two months earlier. June’s tight black curls looked the same, except that now, blue, violet, and turquoise lights emanated from her head.
        They took another bath. They both drank deeply. The water was refreshing. The water against Carol’s skin exhilarated her, and was no longer too intense. The bath was very nice. Then Carol and June put their robes back on. Carol put on her scarf. June finger-combed and squeezed her hair. Their ovoid shaped auras extended beyond the robes they wore and the scarf Carol wore. The denser part of each woman’s astral body, the part that wore the robe, was approximately the same size and shape as the now discarded physical and etheric bodies had been.

        “My husband is Jewish. He’s giving me a Jewish burial,” said Carol.
        “It’s nice the way the Jews bury their dead right away,” said June.
        “That is nice,” said Carol. “I’ll probably be tuned into that and bilocating over there from time to time. Just so you know, if I seem spaced out.”
        “That’s okay, everyone here is a little spacey,” said June.
    . . .
        Carol went back into meditation to observe her funeral. Her next of kin were in the front of the sanctuary. This included her mother, sister, husband, daughter, son, daughter-in-law, and 22-month-old granddaughter. Other relatives were there, including Carol’s sister and family, Joe’s two brothers and their families, Joe’s father, as well as a number of friends. In front of the mourners was a simple wooden box. On the coffin two candles burned. Carol was grateful to be buried within two days of her death. She was thankful that she was neither embalmed nor cremated, and that her body was treated with respect.
        Joe gave a long eulogy, He droned on and on about Carol’s accomplishments and how much he missed her. Carol stood right in front of him, and tried, unsuccessfully, to get his attention.
    “Just another boring funeral,” Carol said to June, as she brought her consciousness back to Kamaloka.
    . . .

        “There she is! My little honey-bunch!” Carol looked straight ahead and watched a being materialize right before her eyes. She first saw a cloud of smoke or mist materialize that was shaped like a human. Then it solidified into the man she recognized as her father. He wore a snow-white robe. His features appeared angelic. He had a large halo of golden light around his head and body.
        “Papa!” Carol exclaimed. She ran towards him.
        “Careful honey, you’re going to run… right through me!” said Carol’s father. Indeed, rather than hug her father, as she had intended, she had walked through him. They both turned around to face each other. “You’re in the astral state, and I’m in the spiritual state. Give me a few minutes to solidify into this realm, then you can hug me.”
        “Okay Papa, I’ve missed you so much!”
        He reached down and picked up a pebble, but it fell through his fingers. “Another minute more, I’ll get here.”
        “So you live in heaven now?” asked Carol.
        “Yes, heaven, the spiritual realm, or Devachan, as it is variously called. You’ll be there too, sweetheart, just keep praying the way you’re praying. When it’s time, I’ll come for you.”
        He picked up a pebble again. He tossed it into the air, caught it, then deliberately threw it a couple yards away.
        “You can hug me now, gently.”
        Very carefully, Carol circled her arms around her father’s shoulders while he circled his around her midsection. “Thanks for coming to see me, Papa. Do you remember June? We were friends during school.”
        “Nice to see you, Mr. Mendez,” said June. She came forward to shake his hand. Mr. Mendez took June’s hand.
        “Nice to see you too, June. You can call me, George.”
        “Okay, George. It’s really nice having visitors from your world.”
            “Nice to be here, for a while anyway.” Then he said to Carol, “Carol, your spirit guides will come talk to you tomorrow. They will explain what you need to do to make rapid spiritual progress and get to Devachan quickly.” He looked at June. “They will help you as well, June.”
        “Thank you,” said June. “So is your daughter.”
        Carol smiled at June and shrugged, then turned to George. “Do you live in a mansion, Papa?”
        “Yes, my life is amazing, just amazing! There is an ocean nearby that heals every pain you ever experienced. I swim in it every day. All my neighbors are really loving, godly people. Many of them suffered persecutions during their earthly lives. Now we all treat each other as we like to be treated. That is Paradise.”
        “Do you see the Lord?”
        “Yes! He lives among us. He is one of us.”

        “Do you see God?”
        “We see his light, feel his warmth, and experience his love. He is still a mystery to me. The best way to find God is in each other, and especially in the founders of religion, many of whom reside with me in Devachan. There are gardens there for the various religions. I have been to the Christian garden, the Buddhist garden, and the Jewish garden. I also was privileged to visit some indigenous gardens. There are many others I haven’t been to yet.
        “Here in Kamaloka there are no gadgets, or instruments of any kind, but in Devachan are amazing musical instruments, and the music there is beyond your wildest imagination!”
        “Sounds fantastic, Papa, I can hardly wait…. But I wasn’t persecuted, I persecuted.”
        “No you didn’t, Carol. You weren’t perfect, and you lived in a realm that has not yet been made perfect. You could have done better, so could all of us. As for being persecuted, what do you think your disease was?
        “Accept yourself, accept your life. Be grateful, count your blessings. Face everything you did, everything you went through, and transform it, one event at a time. You can do it! If I can do it, you can certainly do it!”
        “Thanks for the pep talk, Papa. I’m very grateful to you!”
        “My pleasure, call me if you need me. Love and blessings to you both!” With that he faded away.
        “What a day! That was amazing! The way he faded out reminded me of a coyote I saw on the trail when I first got here.”
        “Yes, animals have astral bodies, but they don’t have spiritual bodies. They come here with their astral and etheric bodies, lose their etheric right away like most of us seem to do, and then, after a couple of years — it varies — the astral body just fades away. They are not translating to another realm anywhere, they just disintegrate. That is what you saw, the final end of that coyote.
        “Of course the entire dog species, I think, has a collective spirit. It could be, each breed of dog has its own collective spirit, but I believe it is each animal species that has its own collective spirit. These animal spirits live here in Kamaloka and direct their species as a whole. An individual animal does not have an individual consciousness, only a species consciousness.”
        “That’s very interesting, June. That is the explanation I felt I would find. Thank you!”
        Then Carol added, “The burial should be happening soon. Do you want to tell me anything or ask me anything before I go?”
        “I’m still basking in the afterglow of your father’s visit,” said June. “Go ahead, do what you want to do!”
    . . .
        Carol’s consciousness found her name, Carol Landau, with her birth and death years, 1963-2019, on a neatly printed sign near a grave dug out at the cemetery. A few people were milling around, but she guessed that the caravan from the synagogue had not arrived yet. Then more cars arrived. The chairs at the graveside started to fill up with people. Most everyone ignored Carol, or looked right through her like she wasn’t there. But her daughter Sophie, stood next to her and communicated telepathically: Mama, I feel your presence. I know you are here. I miss you. Sorry that I won’t be staying with Dad for the entire week. I’ve already been here for a week. I drive back to Seattle tomorrow. I can’t cancel too many classes or my students will go elsewhere. I trust, hope, and believe that you are in a good place and are only visiting here temporarily for the services.
        Yes darling, you are right. I am in a good place, Carol communicated telepathically. I love you too. I miss you too. Thanks for chatting with me. It means a lot.
        Oh Mama, I love you so much!
        Then Sophie’s little niece, Tricia, toddled up to Sophie and wanted to be held. Sophie picked her up. Tricia reached out and gently felt Carol’s face maybe, or maybe she just put her little palm where Carol’s face happened to be, Carol couldn’t be sure. But it was adorable in any case.
        Carol tried again to get Joe’s attention. He stood near the grave while the Rabbi prayed. She touched his face. He reacted a little, but did not recognize or acknowledge her in any way.
    . . .
        Carol returned to the place of desires. She had seen burials before. She wanted to work on transforming her life events. “I had a sweet visit with my daughter and my granddaughter,” she said to June.
        “Sophie has a child?”
        “No, Daniel’s child. She put her little hand right on my face while Sophie held her. You know how some people can sense your presence when you visit their realm, very few really. Every attempt on my part to get Joe’s attention failed, even while he shared stories about me!”
        “I realize I’ve been here two years, but I haven’t traveled much or even bilocated much. So I can’t agree that I know how people receive you, or don’t, when you visit. I will do better now though, now that I’ve overcome the fear of facing my past.”
        “That’s alright, June, we all move at our own speed, depending on what resources we have, and how much we’ve been damaged. I know you will make forward progress now.”
        “Yes I will. While you bilocated to your funeral I studied the energy theft that was done to me and contemplated how to get that energy back. I feel it returning to me now.”
        “That’s wonderful, June. Shall we work on it some more?”
        “Yes, let’s!”
        They went back into meditation. Carol thought about Joe’s refusal, or perhaps inability, to recognize her spirit. It was very sad for Carol to realize that her marriage was over. Some marriages survive the grave, but apparently not hers. That’s all he promised, “‘til death do us part.” Why did I want more than that? She thought about his care during her illness, his attention to detail during her death and funeral. She couldn’t fault him in any way. He had been wonderful. And yet the inability to sense her presence and to communicate with her in some small way was just a deal breaker. More than her earthly life was over, so was her marriage. She recalled touching his face at the burial. He appeared startled for a moment, but failed to recognize that his departed wife had touched him.
        Well let me be fair, she thought. Let me give him one more chance. Joe was home sitting on the living room couch with Daniel and Sophie sitting on either side of him. Carol bilocated to the empty chair near the couch. Sophie’s eyes met hers. Then Sophie looked at her dad, who looked faded and lonely.
        “Mother is here with us,” whispered Sophie.
        “How can you say such a thing, Sophie?” exclaimed Joe. “You were there when we buried her in the ground!”
        “Dad, Sophie means, Mother is here in spirit,” explained Daniel. “She could be sitting in that chair over there….” Daniel gestured toward the chair Carol was sitting in.
    “I don’t see her,” mono-toned Joe.
    . . .
        June and Carol were reclining on a sand barge near a spring in Kamaloka, each wrapped in a blanket. Carol’s spiritual layers eventually returned to her kamarupa (astral body). Carol replayed her father’s visit in her mind, enjoyed his antics, and looked forward to Devachan. A small, warm shape snuggled against Carol. She recognized the black cat who had befriended her the previous day. “Hello, Blackie,” Carol said. She petted him. Blackie purred.

    Contents
    1. The Hike, the Troll and the Lord
    2. A Cat and a Friend
    3. A Visitor From Heaven
    4. Spirit Guides and a Child
    5. The Date Grove
    6. Rainy Day in a Cave
    7. Jack and June Reunited
    8. Three Men
    9. Zen Bell
    10. What is Truth?
    11. Intention
    12. Several Translations
    13. Seance
    14. Joe Calls Candy Carol
    15. Landing by a Waterfall
    16. Tara’s Funeral
    17. Vada’s Crossing
    18. Akashic Records
    19. A Premonition
    20. A Murder
    21. Betsy’s Crossing
    22. The Spiritual Robe
    23. Totem Tiger
    24. An Expected Birth
    25. The Chakras
    26. A West Coast Beach
    27. Sin and Redemption
    28. No Gender in Devachan
    29. Cattle Pasture
    30. Seeking the Great Teacher
    31. The Sacred Shrine
    Afterword
    Print Book 15.99 USD + shipping.
    Ebook (EPUB) 9.99 USD

  • 2. A Cat and a Friend

        Carol sat up in the early morning light and removed the head scarf she had on. It was lavender and matched her robe. She ran her hand over her scalp and felt a new growth of hair less than a centimeter long. She replaced the scarf over her head again. Incredible, she thought, this body is so much like the other one, even to the length of hair! She looked at her hands. They were the same light to medium shade of brown as before her passing, but they looked younger, healthier. The sick, frail body had dropped off, like the booster to a rocket, and this new body would take her to new heights, she believed.

        She stood up and walked slowly along the trail in the same direction she had traveled the day before, east, toward the rising sun. She had a headache. Her steps felt jerky and uncertain. She sat down on a small boulder. I wish I had a cup of coffee! she thought. As she sat, she felt something brush past her calf. It felt familiar. She heard the purring of a cat, and looked down to see a black cat turning around to rub against her again. She reached for the kitty, held him on her lap, and petted him.
        “Nice Kitty,” she said. The cat relaxed in her lap while she scratched and stroked him. She was able to relax, and the headache dissipated….
        Eventually she resumed her hike, still holding the cat, until the cat wriggled to get down. The cat scampered up a wide tree trunk that leaned at about a 45 degree angle to the ground. It was a huge oak tree. She watched as he scratched the trunk with his claws.

        Then she wanted to smoke a cigarette. She patted herself down looking for the familiar pack and lighter that would invariably be in her purse or one of her pockets. She did not have a purse, and there was nothing in either pocket of the robe. “Bye, Kitty, I hope I’ll see you again,” she said as she walked on, still feeling unmet desires.
        She didn’t know where she was exactly, other than somewhere in a realm beyond. Maybe she was in a vivid dream and would wake up inside her physical body again. This body that walked on and on effortlessly, but was plagued by cravings, was a part of her being that was always her. But still she had lost a big chunk of herself.
        Suddenly, she remembered the vision she had experienced in her trance state the previous afternoon, meditating on the Sermon on the Mount. She had watched her husband carry her limp corpse out of the house, in front of her damp-eyed adult children. He had laid her down on a stretcher that had been loaded into a hearse, which was then driven to a mortuary where her body had been placed in cold storage. No, she thought, I won’t wake up inside that body again! Where was she headed? The hike was the object. The movement of this ethereal part of herself along the trail seemed to ground her in whatever reality there was, a reality she didn’t know much about. I should have studied. I should have learned about death and the world beyond. I know absolutely nothing!
        She walked through the day and thought as she went. Her death and transition were hitting her like a ton of sand. She remembered the instant her entire life had flashed before her. In that instant she had seen the forces that shaped her, and she saw her own acts, but she couldn’t quite remember the context in which those insights had come. She walked on and on through the mountain highlands. She thought about her husband, her children, her granddaughter, the job she had been too sick to do for about the last six months, the opulent lifestyle that her illness had begun to put a strain on. Joe was in good health, she believed, and probably would not join her for some time. Probably, he will marry again. I can’t blame him.
    . . .
        She continued down the trail, leaving behind the highlands and entering a desert. The mountain conifers gave way to a high desert with cactus and rocky crags. It was spring and the desert was in bloom. Beautiful wildflowers were everywhere. She now knew she was not in the San Diego area. She knew she was in a strange country, similar in some ways to California, yet completely different, and in a completely different world.

        She saw the figure of a woman sitting on a rock down a ways from where she was. As she approached, she recognized her childhood friend, June. June had passed away a couple of years earlier, after a three-year battle with leukemia. June had received several courses of treatment but had continued to relapse and had passed away.

        “June, is that you?” Carol looked into June’s dark brown eyes. June stood up and they embraced.

        June’s arms were a little darker than Carol’s. June’s long black hair fell in tight ringlets. She wore a yellow robe with a gold blanket over her shoulder. She was also barefoot.

        “Yes, it’s good to see you, Carol. How are you?”

        “Well, apparently, I’m dead. I’ve wandered here for days. I don’t understand what happened to me. So good to see you!”

        “Well, I’ve wandered here for a couple of years. Not sure how much help I can be.”

        “I wished for a friend. Thank God for you, June!”

        The two sat down on nearby boulders.

        “Tell me about your death, Carol,” June said.

        “Well, it was a lot like yours, only I guess mine went faster. I went for a check-up about a year ago, and was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. Of course they wanted me to stop smoking. I tried and couldn’t do it. I just went downhill from there. Had some treatments that did not help much, if any. After the treatment I would feel worse for a week, then I would have a few days of feeling better. Finally, I was in constant pain, couldn’t eat, couldn’t sleep. The cancer treatments stopped, and I was on opiates. I fell asleep and woke up in this world, and did not realize it at first. I thought I had gotten better and was hiking on a familiar trail.”

        “That was similar to mine, only mine stretched out longer. By the time I arrived here, I knew I had died and gone to the spirit world, or so I thought. But actually this is the soul world, the spirit world is higher and brighter.”

        “Oh, so there’s another realm beyond this one? I know absolutely nothing! I got here yesterday. I thought I was on a hike near home, then in the evening a troll tried to scare me into going to hell with him. I prayed bullets, and fortunately, the Lord answered my prayer, and the spook went away.

        “June, are you saved?” Carol looked at her friend. She saw an expression of fear wash over June’s face for a moment, followed by a look of determination.

        “I – I’m not sure. I have to pray all the time, especially at night. It’s getting late, we’ve got another night to face.”
        “Tonight we’re together, I hope that helps. Of course, we can’t stop praying.”
        “We’re in outer darkness, you know. We’ve been cast into outer darkness where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth. I have seen the mansions. From one of these mountains, I saw them off in the distance. You and I didn’t make it to the mansions.”
        “No June, I don’t think this is outer darkness. This is some sort of an intermediate state, purgatory, or something. It’s not hell, it’s actually quite nice.”
        “Yes, you have a point. There is a darker realm, called hell, that is completely black and devoid of air. But we are still in outer darkness when compared to the brighter realms.”
        Carol and June watched as a levitating figure, clad in a pastel blue robe, sitting in a meditation position, slowly floated along the trail a few feet above it. He or she came from the direction Carol had come from earlier, and he or she approached the two women where they were sitting. Now the levitating meditator appeared to be a woman. She did not open her eyes as she passed Carol and June, and continued to move down the trail in deep meditation.
        “Wow, June, have you ever seen that before?” breathed Carol, when the levitating figure had passed them and continued on across the blooming desert.
        “Yes, I’ve seen it a few times before. Once I saw a group of about nine traveling together.”
        “Have you ever tried it?”
        “No, I’m sure you have to have a well-developed spiritual practice long before you arrive here in order to levitate like that.”
        “The troll, who told me his name was Adolf, told me I couldn’t pray to Jesus to be saved, that it was too late by the time I arrived here. But I did pray, and Jesus helped me.”
        “That’s right, you can’t believe anything a troll says.”
        “This is a completely different world than the one we left behind. It is not even in the physical universe, nor is it detectable with any of the scientific instruments in use there. Of course the physical laws here are different, even if there are some similarities.”
        “Yes, that is true,” replied June thoughtfully.
        “Let’s try meditation levitation!”
        The two women found a sandy area free of cactus and each attempted to sit down in a meditation position.

        “I took a yoga class once,” June said. “Unfortunately, I didn’t stick with it.”
        “Same here. Enough of making pretzels out of myself after two class sessions.”
        “Oh, my aching knees,” said June. “How can you hold this position long enough to levitate anywhere, I would like to know!”
        “Yes it is hard, but worth a try. I think I would be more comfortable with something under my butt.” She mounded sand where her butt would go, pulling it from where her legs were to go.
        “Yes, I can see that, I’ll try it too,” said June, and she did the same thing. On mounds of sand with their knees out to the side, ankles crossed, heels pulled towards themselves, and hands relaxed on their thighs, they sat….
        After a while, Carol spoke. “My daughter, Sophie, teaches yoga. She said that in meditation, you focus on the breath.”
        So the two sat and focused on their breath. After a few minutes they felt like they had had enough, and had not levitated a millimeter. “I do feel a bit of peace,” volunteered June. “I’m glad we tried. I will continue to meditate a couple times a day.”
        “Me too. Right now I’m going to lie down for a little bit.”
        “Yeah, me too.”
        “June, what do you know about the realms after death?”
        Before June could answer, a distant howling startled the two women. They lay breathing quickly. “I’m scared,” whispered June.
        “Me too.
        “Do you know any hymns?”
        “Just, Amazing Grace.”
        So they sang, “Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound…,” but the wolf howls and hyena laughter continued and got closer.
        At last one of the creatures spoke in a growly voice. “You might as well surrender now. What does it get you holding out night after night? We’ll get you in the end anyway.”
        A second one added in a spooky voice, “Come to Daddy, baby. We’ll take care of you!” Then he howled.
        “I am tired of this nightly drama,” said June. Her tone sounded hopeless, and Carol thought she was close to giving up.
        “No June! You can’t give into them! They are the devil, like ravenous wolves, seeking whom to devour!”
        “Thank you, Carol, I don’t really want to be torn limb from limb.”
        “No you don’t.”
        The trolls continued to howl and taunt the women and circled a few feet away like wolves. “Listen, June, we have to deal with stuff from our past. I’m going to sit up, bow my head, let a memory come, and just deal with it.”
        “I’ll do the same.”

        Carol remembered a determination to succeed she had felt while in her twenties. It was just an empty ambition, she realized now. She had not understood that the earth is merely a spiritual proving ground for the worlds beyond. She had not realized that accumulating wealth would ultimately mean nothing, and that only kind words and loving deeds would last. She had accepted a job for the money and the prestige. Yet even at the time, she had known she was betraying deeper principles. She listened while her mind made the excuses it always made. I have to succeed, I have to prove myself…. She listened and began to hear the other side of herself, the side that would have put principle before success, the part of herself that had been suppressed all these years. The world is temporary. Wealth is temporary. I must live my life according to eternal principles! “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” She wept.
        The circle gradually became wider as the women continued to pray. The trolls, ghouls, spooks, demons, werewolves, or whatever they were, still howled from time to time, but they sounded farther away. Carol discovered that she had been sitting in the meditation position. She felt that about an hour had passed as she sat. She looked at June, who was also in the meditation position. Their eyes met. “That was very fruitful for me,” Carol said.
        “Yes,” said June. “It was for me as well…. How did you know that this is what we needed to do?”
        “I don’t know. I just looked at you and figured it out. Turns out it was exactly the thing for me too.”
        “A traumatic memory came up. I have a long-standing habit of pushing it back down every time that awful memory surfaces. This time I processed some of the pain.”

        Carol sighed deeply. She remembered the anguish she too had felt for June when they had been just children. “Good for you, June.”
        They both lay down, wrapped their blankets around themselves and prayed from reclining positions for the rest of the night.


    Contents
    1. The Hike, the Troll and the Lord
    2. A Cat and a Friend
    3. A Visitor From Heaven
    4. Spirit Guides and a Child
    5. The Date Grove
    6. Rainy Day in a Cave
    7. Jack and June Reunited
    8. Three Men
    9. Zen Bell
    10. What is Truth?
    11. Intention
    12. Several Translations
    13. Seance
    14. Joe Calls Candy Carol
    15. Landing by a Waterfall
    16. Tara’s Funeral
    17. Vada’s Crossing
    18. Akashic Records
    19. A Premonition
    20. A Murder
    21. Betsy’s Crossing
    22. The Spiritual Robe
    23. Totem Tiger
    24. An Expected Birth
    25. The Chakras
    26. A West Coast Beach
    27. Sin and Redemption
    28. No Gender in Devachan
    29. Cattle Pasture
    30. Seeking the Great Teacher
    31. The Sacred Shrine
    Afterword
    Print Book
    Ebook (EPUB)

    !– /wp:paragraph –>

  • 1. The Hike, the Troll, and the Lord

        Carol walked on the mountain trail. She could smell the ocean in the breeze. What a beautiful day! She followed around a bend by a rocky hill on her right. She looked down at a majestic valley far below on her left. The atmosphere sparkled with energy and light. She stopped and took a deep breath. The air was clean and energizing. She felt fantastic! The trees and brush were green and lush with more vibrancy than she ever remembered seeing.
        A few feet ahead, a squirrel dashed across the trail and darted up an oak tree. Up in the sky a red hawk circled. It was a sunny day in early spring. Yellow, orange, white and purple wildflowers dotted the green landscape. Stands of purple ceanothus contrasted with green and golden scrub oaks.
        She continued walking through a broad expanse of brush. She heard birds chirping. She noticed a coyote on her left, also walking at a similar pace, picking her way through the brush. Carol stopped and looked at the dog who continued to walk through the brush toward Carol. Then Carol noticed something strange. She could see some of the brush that was on the other side of the little yellow dog right through the animal’s body! She looked again. She had never seen a translucent, or a transparent, animal before, unless it was a glass sculpture. The animal walked a little farther, then stopped and looked up at Carol. The animal’s body became more and more transparent. She became a smokey, ghostly form. Then the puff of smoke that had been the coyote began changing shape. It morphed into a monster with a large open mouth like a crocodile. It reminded Carol of the shapes her Uncle Fred used to make with the smoke he exhaled from his cigarette to entertain the children at holidays. Then the apparition slowly faded away, until there was no trace of it left.
        Carol looked around. She thought she saw misty shapes everywhere. Am I losing my mind? she asked herself. She noticed she was breathing hard and her heart was pounding. She felt a little shaky. She told herself that there must be a plausible explanation for the way the coyote had turned to smoke, and then disappeared completely, right before her, but she couldn’t imagine what it was.
        She resumed walking. Her breathing and heart rate eventually normalized as she put the strange metamorphosis of the coyote out of her mind. She passed a blackened trunk that was wrapped around another trunk. It looked like a black snake. This reminded her of a protest that had taken place outside her office in New York while she had been at work. On the street below, people were picketing the bank building. “No black snake!” they shouted. She could hear the shouting 14 floors up, through two panes of glass. She wanted to stop funding the Dakota Access Pipeline. She made a plan to fund ethanol farms instead, but her proposal was voted down by the other executives at the bank. What else can I do? she mused. Maybe, I should just quit. But it is good money…. She stopped in the trail and thought about her career. She had worked for Rothschild Trust since college, rising up the ranks. We provide important services, she mused, but sometimes we back corrupt players. Then another thought interrupted, I’d better hurry up and get the hike done before dark! She resumed her walk. Contemplation continued, but at a less urgent pace.
        Wow, she thought, my knee doesn’t hurt anymore! Her sore knee had completely healed. She stepped up on a rock in the trail, another step in the uphill climb she was on. That used to hurt. Now her leg was as good as new! Must have been all that bed rest while I was sick. So glad I’m finally better! It felt wonderful to be on the trail again.
    I don’t even need a walking stick, she thought, but I could probably find one in case I need one. She looked around. There were trees, bushes, and shrubs, lots of them in bloom. She didn’t see any dead wood though. She continued to walk and look. She saw nothing but beautiful green branches. She took hold of the branch of a tree, about an inch in diameter, and thought about breaking it. It will be difficult, she thought. Just then a gust of wind blew through the tree and it creaked a little. She thought she heard the words, What do you need? coming from the tree. Startled, she let go of the branch and took a step backwards. “No, I don’t really need anything. But thank you anyway!” she said out loud.
        She continued on and approached a little highland valley. There was a large, flat, grassy area ahead. She paused to get her bearings. How far am I from the parking lot and how much time do I need to get back to the car? She assumed she was on a familiar trail near her home in southern California.
         She looked down at herself. She was wearing a robe and was barefoot. Her robe was lavender. It was like a long nightgown with short sleeves. Over one shoulder was a thin, rose-colored blanket. Carol was in a little bit of shock at her apparent choices which she didn’t remember making. What was I thinking? I am amazed, but my feet are holding up okay! She continued to a meadow and seated herself in the grass. I’ll rest for a few minutes and then turn back. She thought about the words of Jesus she used to read in the Bible a long time ago when she was in her early teens. She remembered a passage from the Gospel of Matthew:

    . . .
        Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

        Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.

        Blessed are they that hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied

    . . .
        Carol wrapped herself in her blanket and fell into a light trance. When she came to herself, the sun had gone down, and it was starting to get dark. Oh no! she thought. How will I find my way back to the car in the dark? She couldn’t remember parking the car and starting the hike. She sat up and searched her garments. She didn’t seem to have a set of keys on her person! Oh no! What a pickle I’m in! she thought in a panic.
        “She is one of ours,” a spooky voice said.
        She wrapped her blanket tightly around her shoulders. “No, I’m not!” she countered. “I belong to the Lord!” she affirmed with more bravado than she felt. While breathing in frightened gasps, she turned her attention to the Lord of the worlds, believing him to be within reach.
        “That’s a laugh!” said the spooky voice. “You haven’t served the Lord in your life and it’s too late now! You’re dead!” He laughed like a hyena. “Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!”
        A cold chill came over Carol as she remembered her children and grandchild gathered around her bed. Then her husband had kissed her on the forehead. She had fallen asleep. Then she was all better, hiking one of her favorite trails…. Or was she?Oh my God, I died and went to the next world! What do I know about this world? I do know that Jesus saves. Even though my sins have been many, Jesus died for me. I can have salvation.

        “Let me explain something to you,” said the creature. A hairy man, with ears like a cat, a mouth and nose like a dog with long sharp teeth, squatted right next to her. She could see the greenish tint of his face in the darkening twilight. His face and his dark brown robe were wrinkled. He smelled like a pile of rotting horse manure. “Yes, Jesus saves, and it only requires a little prayer, ‘Jesus save me.’ The problem is, you must have a relationship with Jesus in order for that prayer to be heard. I’m sorry, my dear, but you just don’t. You haven’t talked to him since you were a kid. You have to already have a relationship with the Lord before you come here. You can’t start one here. Allow me to escort you to the lower level where you belong! Don’t worry, I’m your troll. You can trust me.” Then he howled like a wolf.
        Carol was frightened. She was repulsed by the troll. I thought about the Lord today. I remembered His words. I will worship Him, she thought. She got on her knees and prayed. She felt the passion of Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane. She went into contemplation about her career. She was beginning to see that the company she worked for was part of the problem, part of the reason people suffer and are oppressed. She remembered the verse, It is as difficult for a rich man to go to heaven as it is for a camel to go through the eye of a needle. Here she was, a few hours ago, a rich woman on Earth, now in the world of the dead, a troll tempting her, even commanding her, to go with him to hell. She wanted to go to heaven, or at least remain in purgatory, if that was what this was, a prospect as difficult, apparently, as that of a camel going through the eye of a needle. She prayed with all her heart. “Jesus, you work miracles. You can put a camel through the eye of a needle for me!” She prayed through her tears.

        “I’m your troll while you are in this realm. My name is Adolf. Call me if you need anything.” She ignored him and continued praying to Jesus. When she finally looked up, the troll was gone, She smelled a glorious perfume and thought she sensed the presence of Christ. She lay and felt the energy of her prayer and remembered the words from the Sermon on the Mount. She thought about her family. She felt many regrets and longings. The night passed.

    Contents
    1. The Hike, the Troll and the Lord
    2. A Cat and a Friend
    3. A Visitor From Heaven
    4. Spirit Guides and a Child
    5. The Date Grove
    6. Rainy Day in a Cave
    7. Jack and June Reunited
    8. Three Men
    9. Zen Bell
    10. What is Truth?
    11. Intention
    12. Several Translations
    13. Seance
    14. Joe Calls Candy Carol
    15. Landing by a Waterfall
    16. Tara’s Funeral
    17. Vada’s Crossing
    18. Akashic Records
    19. A Premonition
    20. A Murder
    21. Betsy’s Crossing
    22. The Spiritual Robe
    23. Totem Tiger
    24. An Expected Birth
    25. The Chakras
    26. A West Coast Beach
    27. Sin and Redemption
    28. No Gender in Devachan
    29. Cattle Pasture
    30. Seeking the Great Teacher
    31. The Sacred Shrine
    Afterword
    Print Book
    Ebook (EPUB)

  • Suleiman the Magnificent

        We saw a movie in the theater which we rarely do. This time we watched, Song Sung Blue. The time before, at least a year ago, was Father Flannigan; the time before that was the Barbie Movie, before that was Spotlight. They were all very memorable, something about the theater experience, as opposed to watching something on my phone with earbuds while he is next to me watching something else.

        When we watched Song Sung Blue, I thought of Sulaymaniyah, Irak, when the Neil Diamond song, Soolaimon, came on. I had been reading about a community of Sufis in Sulaymaniyah for whom Bahá’u’lláh had written, Ode of the Dove around 1853-4. So the beautiful rendition of Soolaimon in the movie perked my interest.

        The town was named for an Ottoman Sultan of the 16th century, known as Suleiman the Magnificent. He married a woman from Ukraine. Suleiman is an Arabic male name, a variant of the Hebrew name Solomon, which means peace.

    Suleiman and Hurrem

        
        This story is sweet and romantic, but very short.

        This story is much longer and I didn’t finish it because she started murdering her rivals and I got tired of it.

        Who knows really? I used to love reading the stories of the Arabian Nights as a kid. The stories about Suleiman and Hurrem have kind of an Arabian Nights flavor, and they are all likely more legend than truth.

        Hurram’s village in Ukraine, at the time part of Poland, was attacked by raiders and she was kidnapped, then sold as a slave to the Sultan, joining a huge group of concubines. 17-year-old Hurram (not her original given name) had a tremendous amount of grief to work through having lost her parents, siblings, fiancé, freedom and friends, (except for one best friend who had also been kidnapped and had ended up in the Sultan’s haram as well). But she bounced back to her pleasant and charming demeanor and became Suleiman’s new favorite, plunging his previous favorite into jealousy and despair.


        Polygamy is tragic for women. You’re forced to give your all, but you only get a fraction in return. A woman’s love is kindled, then her jealousy is inflamed. There were murders and attempted murders within the harem that Hurram was trafficked to.

        The Ottoman Empire was at its height under Suleiman the Magnificent (1494-1566 birth to death), and lasted until the Young Turk Revolution in 1908. Around 1908 political prisoners throughout the Ottoman empire, such as ‘Abdu’l-Bahá (one of the three primary founders of the Bahá’í Faith), were released. After being in prison or other restriction all his life, the last being under house arrest in Palestine. ‘Abdu’l-Bahá was released at the age of 64, and was at last able to travel the world.

  • Ode of the Dove

        The poem that follows was originally written in Arabic by Bahá’í Faith Founder, Bahá’u’lláh, or, as he was known in the mid 1850s when the poem was written, Mírzá Ḥusayn-ʻAlí Núrí.

        I discovered the “Ode of the Dove” by Bahá’u’lláh, less than a month ago, when, after being given verses of poetry to read at a Bahá’í devotional, being charmed by the verses, and surprised that I could not remember encountering them before, during my nearly 34 years’ association with the Bahá’í Faith, I searched out the source of the poetry when the meeting was over.

        The poem that got my attention was written by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, son of Bahá’u’lláh and Ásíyih Khánum, born, Abbás Núrí, in 1844, in Tíhrán, Persia.

    O lifeless one, bereft of heart and soul,
    Come to life, come thou to life!

    O slumbering one, wrapt in mire and clay,
    Awake, do thou awake!

    O drunken one, so dazed and gone astray,
    Clear thy mind, clear thou thy mind!

    The world is filled with sweetest musk; the eyes are brightened with His light;
    the heavens now are set ablaze.
    From life and self be freed, be wholly freed!

    Now is the time for sacrifice; here waft the breaths of Paradise;
    secrets Divine are all made known.
    Lead thou the lovers nigh, lead them nigh!

    The sweetly singing mystic bird, upon a verdant cypress bough,
    imparteth knowledge to the soul;
    Commit His secrets to thy heart!
    Commit His secrets to thy heart!

        The preceding poem is in the book, Light of the World, which is one of the more recent in the Bahá’í Library, translated within the past decade, and is available online at Bahá’í Reference Library.

    Intrigued, I looked through the book for other verses of poetry, and encountered the following:

    Either speak no more of love, or content thyself
    with what hath been ordained;
    Thus hath it been decreed by My command, and such is My law and My way.

        This verse reminded me of Sufi poetry, which I love! How had this gem escaped my notice until now? I searched out a translation of Qaṣídiy-i-Izz-i-Varqá’íyyih, (footnoted after the quoted verse in Light of the World), and found the entire 127 verses of Ode of the Dove, revealed by Bahá’u’lláh, on a Bahá’í Library website, translated by John S. Hatcher, Amrollah Hemmat,and Ehsanollah Hemmat. This translation prioritized conveying the meaning of the original Arabic. I enjoyed reading it silently and aloud, but longed for the meter and rhyme of the original, which had not been preserved.

        I then found the Juan Cole translation. Here, every verse was translated with consistent rhyme and meter, but some of the meanings were not as clear as I would have liked.

        The poem has the theme of love for God, being compared metaphorically to human love, a common theme of Sufi poetry. Indeed the poem had been written during the two years of the 1850s, that Bahá’u’lláh had spent in Kurdestan, and during which he made the acquaintance of a number of Sufis. A way of deepening ones intimacy to God is hinted at in the poem, which involves seeing the Face of the beloved. While studying and practicing the technique, as I studied the two different translations, I experienced the call to make a 3rd interpretation, which I have now completed.

    Verses 61 – 62, Hatcher et al translation of Ode of the Dove:
    “Therefore, abandon this claim of love, or else be content with whatever transpires!
    Such is the rule established for those who would tread My path!”
    Then ardently I called to Her, “O My Beloved!
    “My fondest wish and my heart’s desire,

    Verses 61-62, Cole translation of same:
    [“]Cease claiming to love, or accept all this,
    For thus was it ordained in My Law’s scroll.”
    In private I called out to Her, “My love,
    My ultimate hope and My heart’s sole goal!

    Verses 61-62, My interpretation:
    “Accept all this or stop thy claim of love!
    If thou wouldst tread My path, walk in the fire!”
    I then called to Her, O my Beloved!
    My fondest wish and all my heart’s desire!

        These two verses are near the midpoint of the 127-verse of poem. Prior to this the hero made complaints. After this the complaints of the hero had become qualifications.

        Figures of speech turn up in the work, not the least among them being hyperbole. Receiving arrows in equanimity could be literal in certain instances, such as Rene Good receiving bullets in the face as she endeavors to carefully make her way home in Minneapolis a few days ago (January 2026). However, the majority of times that the principle turns up, it is a metaphor for a lesser grade of conflict, or an exaggeration of the intensity of the trial one is presented with. Often it is a verbal challenge, body language, or even a facial expression that we interpret as arrows, darts or bullets.

        Although it has been done before in poetry, it is fascinating to me that, in this work Bahá’u’lláh casts the One God as possessing the feminine gender! In other places in his opus, Bahá’u’lláh mentions the maid of heaven, and refers to his mystical encounter with her while incarcerated, because of his involvement in the Bábí movement (the awakening movement of Iran that was concurrent with the Millerite movement in the United States, however the former was brutally suppressed), but only in, Ode of the Dove, so far as I have been able to find — and there is much yet to be translated — only here does he exalt this feminine apparition to the status of God Herself!

        In most other references to, or descriptions of, God, in the Bahá’í literature (that I have encountered), God is referred to with masculine pronouns. However I believe that God is beyond gender and that referring to Him with either set of pronouns is metaphorical.

        In His Tablet of Aḥmad (available on line at the Bahá’í Reference Library), Bahá’u’lláh compares God to a nightingale, and refers to Him with male pronouns.

    He is the King, the All-Knowing, the Wise!
    Lo, the Nightingale of Paradise singeth upon the twigs of the Tree of Eternity, with holy and sweet melodies, proclaiming to the sincere ones the glad tidings of the nearness of God, calling the believers in the Divine Unity to the court of the Presence of the Generous One, informing the severed ones of the message which hath been revealed by God, the King, the Glorious, the Peerless, guiding the lovers to the seat of sanctity and to this resplendent Beauty.

        In His The Seven Valleys, Bahá’u’lláh tells about a lover who had lost his beloved. He compared the love of a man for a woman to the love of a believer for the Divine Friend. The lover searched everywhere for his beloved and at last found her and rejoiced. This parable comes up during the third valley discussed in the Seven Valleys, the Valley of Knowledge (available online at the Bahá’í Reference Library). For most of the rest of the Seven Valleys, the Divine Friend is discussed with male pronouns. Here is a rendition of this passage, The Watchman, in song by Julie Rosser Iraninejad.

    Ode of the Dove

    By Baha’u’llah, poetic interpretation by Jera Jones Igo.
    (Based on translations from the Arabic by John S. Hatcher, Amrollah Hemmat, and Ehsanollah Hemmat, and a separate version by Juan Cole.)

    1 & 2

    Beholding light, I raise mine eyes, and see
    A lovely Maiden, bright in form and face,
    Her breast and arms, in iridescent glow,
    Have brought the sun and stars into this place.

    3 & 4

    She hovers midair, wafting musk of joy,
    A trumpet in Her hand, cheeks peaked and round.
    I swoon in Her charisma as She puts
    The instrument to lips and makes it sound.

    5 & 6
    “This is the best Beloved of the worlds,”
    She says, lighting the dungeon bright as noon,
    For from Her west effulgence of the sun
    Appears, and on Her east the bright full moon.

    7 & 8
    She diffused the scent of Divinity.
    Her eyes and face are Beauty enlightened.
    She is the flaming Bush that Moses saw,
    The gleam of Her face helped Moses ascend.

    9 & 10
    The arrow of Her eyes will pierce the breast;
    And in Her tresses’ noose the neck is caught.
    I long to be wherever She has passed,
    The throne of Amá is the earth She walked.

    11 & 12
    My tears were shed for reunion with Her;
    Our separation burned me in Her fire!
    I spread myself out far and wide because,
    That She might tread my heart is my desire.

    13 & 14
    I search for Her in each and ev’ry face.
    I glimpse Her light, and I rejoice! Then poof!
    She disappears. I fail to keep Her near.
    I crave Her presence, but She is aloof.

    15 & 16
    And when I stretched beseeching hands to Her,
    Holding a sword, She replied, “Not so fast!”
    And my yearning hath been to hold Her close,
    While Her intent is but to break my grasp.

    17 & 18
    Forever, I will serve Thee faithfully!
    Have mercy on me, do not spurn my love!
    The two of Us united will be One,
    And We shall be the two wings of a Dove.

    19 & 20
    Was tortured in the dungeon, strength was gone;
    Was exiled, then, on foot across the snow.
    Then after months of walking made a home,
    But for a brother’s envy had to go.

    21 & 22
    Thou art my breast’s desire, my Beloved,
    My Soul, my Source, my Light, my Life, my Heart!
    Bestow upon me the delight of Love!
    End now the pain of Us being apart!

    23 & 24
    My burning heart ignited ev’ry flame;
    The seen world was illumined by my sighs.
    The heat of craving has dried up the sea,
    This raging thirst has not been satisfied.

    25 & 26
    I saw a lot of blood in ev’ry land,
    But that which trickled from my eyes was more.
    The ocean was a drop next to my tears.
    Next to my burning Khalil’s was a bore.

    27 & 28
    Now in my grief all happiness has fled;
    Afflictions stream upon my anguished heart.
    My former splendor gone, my light’s gone out,
    Extinguished by the scoffer, every spark.

    29 & 30
    My yearning for Thy care torments my soul;
    My bones are brittle, dried up is my heart;
    My love for Thee has sifted me to dust;
    I long for union with all that Thou art!

    31 & 32
    Despair destroyed the path to heaven’s joy;
    My constant tears give witness to my grief.
    This torment has shattered my inner self;
    My jaundiced face can never find relief.

    33 & 34
    Each night I grieve from insults scoffers hurl;
    Each day I pray in tears for Thy support;
    For I have reached a state of deep despair,
    So that tongues falter making their report.

    35 & 36
    The maids in their mansions of paradise,
    Because of my tribulation, wear black.
    I sorrow for the grief of every heart.
    I grieve for gladess, and I grieve for lack.

    37 & 38
    Then suddenly behind me, She said, “Stop
    Recounting and lamenting all thy woes!
    For countless are the Husayns just like Thee,
    Among My lovers, and Alís untold.

    39 & 40
    “Numerous are the lovers who are Mine,
    And many are superior to Thee.
    But lovers who are wailing all the time
    Will not enjoy a single glance from Me.

    41 & 42
    “Compared to Me the sun is but a star;
    Compared to Me the world is but a plant;
    Compared to the mystery of Myself
    The mystery of earth is but an ant.

    43 & 44
    “I am the Beloved made manifest;
    Moses’ luminous palm was inside Mine.
    My Cause is the essence of Cause itself,
    And Justice is the wise Command Divine.

    45 & 46
    “From My inner Being came the ocean;
    The holy Spirit came forth from My joy.
    From but a glimpse of Me did Moses swoon,
    And at My glance was Mt. Sinai destroyed.

    47 & 48
    “By the power of My Cause do souls meet;
    Before my Trumpet did the dried bones rise;
    The soul of Cause circled ’round the temple;
    The light of the temple flowed from Mine eyes.

    49 & 50 & 51
    “Exalted knowledge is contained in ’B;’
    Before My Point, did ‘B’ itself prostate.
    All guidance issued from My dawning Cause;
    Exaltation from My decent rose straight,
    And through My gift birds sing delightful songs,
    And with my tune the humming bees sound great.

    52 & 53 & 54
    “Through vain glory thou took forbidden fruit.
    Thou didst another’s love quaff, wrongfully.
    And thou didst attribute to Me in err’.
    Thou didst connect attributes carelessly,
    Thou didst picture Me diff’rent than I am,
    Thine err’ is assigning limits to Me.

    55 & 56
    “Thou will not attain reunion with Me
    Unless thou understand Me and obey,
    Imbibing from ev’ry cup of hardship,
    Feeding your blood to anger is the Way.

    57 & 58
    “Abandon the slightest hope for respite;
    Repress desire for any worldly thing.
    Thou must be willing to give up thy blood.
    ‘I burn my heart for love,’ write on Thy ring.

    59 & 60
    “There are sleepless nights from slanderers’ stings,
    And rebukes come for every good deed,
    And deadly poison is the usual drink,
    And anger is affection by My Creed.

    61 & 62
    “Accept all this or stop thy claim of love!
    If thou wouldst tread My path, walk in the fire!”
    I then called to Her, O my Beloved!
    My fondest wish and all my heart’s desire!

    63 & 64
    I am prepared to take what Thou dost wish;
    I cherish whatever Thou hast ordained.
    I desire only what Thou dost desire;
    I long for only that which Thou hast named.

    65 & 66
    Here is my chest to welcome Thine arrow;
    Here is my body to receive Thy sword.
    Thy fire is light, Thy wrath is my desire;
    Thine attack is my solace, and reward!

    67 & 68
    Behold how the tears in mine eyes do flow,
    Then witness the absence of ev’ry joy,
    At dawn each one attacks me with arrows,
    And each night I’m with rejection destroyed!

    69 & 70
    Each verse I read was a curse aimed at me.
    Each moment I heard jeers from everyone.
    Then they accused me of idolatry.
    I received the arrow of exclusion.

    71 & 72
    All warfare had descended on my soul,
    With blades of anger sharpened for my neck.
    Jacob’s grief and Joseph betrayed by kin.
    Job’s afflictions and Abraham’s long trek,

    73 & 74
    And Adam’s regret, and Jonah fleeing,
    And David wailing, and Noah’s lament,
    And Eve’s banishment, and Mary’s sorrow,
    Isaiah’s trials, Zach’riah’s discontent.

    75 & 76
    All that occurred to each is but a drop
    Of mine own adversity, and anguish.
    Alone, I wander this remote region!
    My companions in this desert are beasts.

    77 & 78
    From tears of mine eyes and tapping my heart
    Springs gushed forth from the heavens side by side.
    The force of my sorrow tore the old way.
    The flame of my distress demolished pride.

    79 & 80
    All red came from the red of my heart’s blood.
    Tears flowing from mine eyes sprouted each shoot.
    Suffering in the path of love is sweet,
    Pleasure in any other path is moot!

    81 & 82
    Scars from shackles of iron mar my neck.
    And on my feet remain the marks of chain.
    Not a day passed that I would not be seared
    By insinuations, insults, and blame.

    83 & 84
    My soul was uprooted, my heart dissolved,
    My inner being boiled from my distress.
    I remained without spirit, soul, or heart!
    That I survived, I am incredulous!

    85 & 86
    I wish that whatever exalted me,
    And caused the torment I’ve had to endure.
    That brought the adversity that hit me,
    Had never come, nor such ghastly torture!

    87 & 88
    In solitude I found the reunion.
    I rose to the apex of Unity!
    I can describe how Thou appeared to me,
    Thine own vision will supply proof for Thee.

    89 & 90
    If my understanding was limited,
    That limit was imposed by Thine own light.
    And from my own dejection gloom emerged,
    But from the joy in my heart day dawned bright!

    91 & 92
    Since I was jubilant when awakened,
    Being rejected now won’t make me sad.
    I enjoyed Thy holiness and friendship,
    Then I traveled from Tihran to Baghdad.

    93 & 94
    Through illumination I attained Light,
    I ascended through the joy of my heart.
    I call on thee to abandon this self,
    O Spirit of life, ditch the empty part.

    95 & 96
    Amá, descend Thy Spirit from on high,
    There is no greatness in my abject state.
    O my heart, to thee I call out, Depart!
    There is no joy behind this wretched gate.

    97 & 98
    Be reconciled with all thou hast endured
    For the contentment of thy Beloved,
    With affection and love She called to me,
    “Do calm thyself! I know all thou hast said.

    99 & 100
    “Give up what thou hast believed and worshipped.
    Idolatry acknowledges one God.
    In My sight the glorious is abject,
    The most luminous beam is but a fraud.

    101 &:102
    “Thy verses of adoration are apt,
    But with the competence of a servant!
    And I have eternally existed,
    And I am stainless one hundred percent.

    103 & 104 & 105
    “I’ve seen, that many of the just are cruel,
    And many of the wise don’t really know.
    I’ve seen, that many of the strong are weak,
    And many mystic knowers are all show.
    And many worshippers do not obey,
    And many mimic prayer without a flow.

    106 &107 & 108
    “The heavenly verses are of My self,
    And all the scriptures descended from Me.
    By a grain of Mine, the sun was darkened,
    And from a drop of Mine was formed the sea.
    All the joyous melodies created
    Are nothing but the buzzing of a bee.

    109 & 110
    “From the song of My spirit all souls live,
    From My ecstacy, all minds receive joy!
    By the falling waters of My command
    Do all the adored ones become viceroys!

    111 & 112
    “The land of the spirit was trod by Me.
    Mount Sinai became the place where I walked.
    Because of My light, the daystar shone forth,
    The splendid sun in its happiness rocked!

    113 & 114
    “Those illumined signs of revelation,
    That descend when My revealed verses come,
    Are the dawning places of holiness,
    And manifestations of all wisdom.

    115 & 116
    “The command that instigated all these,
    Where they derived from, is the command ‘Be!’
    Thou turned away from My Face, when thou didst
    Indulge in thy vain made up fantasy.

    117 & 118
    “Secure thyself in Divine light which I,
    For thee, implanted and concealed within.
    Hold fast to the Cause as it doth appear.
    Know the Face of light in its place therein.

    119 & 120
    “Free of illusion, tear apart the veil!
    Behold the tear-eyed Face within thyself!
    Be thankful because this hidden power
    Has been awakened and loosed for thy help!

    121 & 122
    “Within thyself is a transcendent truth
    That’s hidden where it will be found by few.
    This holy mystery brings joy and peace.
    Enjoy My gift, it makes life fresh and new.

    123 & 124
    “If the full glory were made manifest
    All of creation would be dumbfounded.
    From the kingdom of the grand mystery
    Of power, this command emanated.

    125 & 126 & 127
    “Blessed are those who have joined this new Cause!
    Blessed are those who remain in the light!
    Blessed are those who have shed their life’s blood!
    Blessed are lovers who with Me unite!
    Blessed are the chaste ones who have hastened
    To enter the shade of My holy might!”

  • My Book Publishing Experience

    • Use docs and a micro sd card on phone to write book
    • Use Google docs to collaborate with a co-creator
    • Use Unsplash (Internet site) for cover images, and (if used) illustrations
    • Use computer running Paint Shop Pro to produce ePub cover
    • Utilize Facebook Beta Reader Group for suggestions and light editing
    • Input book into Reedsy (Internet site), chapter by chapter, in order to format ePub
    • Go to Bowker (Internet site) to purchase isbn for ePub, and to register the electronic book
    • Post the completed ePub on Gumroad (Internet site) to collect payments and dispense ePub copies
    • Utilize Reedsy for print ready PDF
    • Use the computer Paint Shop Pro program to make the print ready cover
    • Use Blurb (Internet site) to print-on-demand the book, Blurb will supply isbn for the print book, accept payments, and ship the books
    • Utilize WordPress (Internet site) for blog and writer website


        I just completed these steps to the point of publishing an ePub on a site that specializes in dispensing electronic goods.

        To write the book, I used the docs app on my phone and a micro sd card. Docs prefers to keep its files on the Google drive, but I prefer the micro sd card in the phone because it works even when the Internet is patchy. I do back it up to the cloud drive from time to time.

        I live in close contact with another person. For that reason I don’t find myself using speech-to-text very often while writing. He would think I’m talking to him, and would be disturbed if he happened to be sleeping next to me at the time, or if awake would probably have plenty to interject on whatever subject I happened to be writing about. Most often I use Google keyboard, dragging a finger from letter to letter to spell a word. Typing on a computer might be faster, although not by much, I don’t believe, and you can’t very well type on a computer while in bed, or even sitting in a car waiting while your love partner shops a computer would be awkward. However the biggest reason that I don’t use the computer as often is because the computer battery doesn’t last long, and it needs the generator to charge, while the phone charges on the solar array, or in the car while the car is running. I hadn’t found a good way to make the cover on the phone though, beyond browsing for images.

        I have 3 books in development right now. One of them is my husband’s bio. He is editing that one on Google drive.

        I used Unsplash (Internet site) for the cover images for my novel, “Beyond the Dream”, and used them for some of the illustrations in my history of religion titled, “The Word Through the Ages”. I used Paint Shoo Pro on my computer to produce the cover for the ePub, “Beyond the Dream”. When I make the print book cover, if I get to that, it will just be a matter of resizing the ePub cover and adding spine, back, and flaps.

        I did utilize Facebook Beta Reader Group for suggestions and light editing for the autobiography I am ghost writing for hubby.

        I wrote “Beyond the Dream” in 2019, briefly publishing it as “Love and the Human Spirit” in 2022. Then I set it aside for several years while I worked on other projects. Then last week I looked at it with a fresh pair of eyes, edited a few things, input the chapters into Reedsy with the new name I had decided to change it to several years ago, and finished the new cover I had started several years ago. I found the isbns I had purchased from Bowker 3-1/2 years ago on an old email. Wow! After a few minutes of panic wondering if I had lost them, I found them and registered one of them for the ePub, “Beyond the Dream”: 979-8-9867560-2-8

        Reedsy formatted the ePub for me for free, and I posted it on Gumroad.

    Link

        Three years ago was when I had Blurb print a copy of each of the two books I had then: “Love and the Human Spirit”, and “First Nations Native”. I had bought 10 isbns from Bowker (for almost $300) but Blurb supplied them so I didn’t need them after all. There was a procedure for making the print-ready cover in electronic form, and I did it on the computer running Paint Shop Pro. Blurb gave the directions on their site. IngramSpark also does print-on-demand, and also has instructions on their site. I haven’t done it in awhile, but it involves some specific measurements, depending on the book size you choose, and how many pages of that size are in your print ready PDF which is free from Reedsy. A print on demand book costs about from $15 to $25, less if you buy quantity.

        I set up my writer’s website in my About-Me page on WordPress, although it is by no means finished and I might decide to move the book information to its own page.

    Link

        I don’t like hearing that some publishing companies are abusing their workers. If I learn that any of my companies are doing that I’ll find someone else.

  • Save the Children!

        For the future of this country it is necessary to save our children from the sicknesses caused, or contributed to, by forcing way too many injections into people, particularly between birth and coming of age. Reversing the  mandates, imposed by governments, regulators, and the pharmaceutical companies, is  just and will save lives and health.

        Some of the more liberal and progressive, among our government office holders, have been assisted, in their political campaigns, by the food and pharmaceutical industries, since these particular politicians don’t resonate as well with the other class of wealthy donors in our system, the oil and weapons industries. A loss of funding for the more liberal politicians, those who have benefited indirectly from an aggressive immunization program, is likely to come about when that program is scaled back, due to concerns about the declining health of the younger generations. Maybe this is what has to happen in order for a popular, nonpartisan, centrist movement to gain footing. Government in the hands of the nation’s wealthiest corporations has been a feedback loop to bring us more and more deadly weapons, war, toxic food, and poisonous drugs. Fundamental reform is needed. Our children are suffering an escalation of autoimmune and neurological diseases. Without healthy young people, how can we forge ahead into the future? We must stop damaging our kids! And we must allocate the funds to find a way to safely and effectively remove aluminum, mercury, and other poisons, from the brain and body. It may be too late for many damaged ones to regain their health, but perhaps a few can be saved. In any case we have to try! We can’t just continue to let each generation get sicker and sicker, just so a few tycoons in big pharma can enjoy an opulent lifestyle and fund a few political campaigns.

        In addition to pharmaceuticals, overly processed foods, drinks, and those from crowded feedlots and dairies, provide fodder for disease. Electrical and chemical pollution also contributes to disease.

        Fresh organic fruits and vegetables, processed as little as possible, is best. The whole-foods, plant-based diet, free of pharmaceuticals and other synthetics, provides natural immunity.