Aramaic and the Essenes

                                                   

                                                  Radiating Grace

                                                               Aramaic and the Essenes


   In thinking about when I first heard of the Essenes, I realized that I don't actually remember!   Most likely it was many years ago when I attended Marie Refior's group and we discussed comments from Edgar Cayce, Ruth Montgomery, Eric Butterworth, "The Gospel of the Essenes" or ?   I do know, however,  that I was familiar enough with the Essenes to think of Unity Village, when I went there to study, as having been created in that image or at least influenced by it and their ideas.

   I also remember that my first hearing of Aramaic (in this lifetime) was during a lengthy family stay in Duluth, Minnesota.  Before we left,  Marie, my teacher/mentor, had given me an Aramaic tape by Rocco Erico.  While there and in listening to that Aramaic tape, I was literally thrown to the floor as this language somehow "spoke" to me.  I had that tape for many years and then lost it in a recent move. 

   Attending Unity Village for additional classes allowed me to be there for Rocco Errico's return for the first time in eight years and for me to attend his workshop and talk.  My Canadian friend Christina and I had both attended his talk and she gave me a copy.  I later purchased and added another Aramaic one, this time from Neil Douglas Klotz, after attending his Wisconsin "Dances of Universal Peace"--"Dancing with the Aramaic Jesus."

   Studying at Unity Village intoduced me to still other Aramaic words and their translation by my metaphysics teacher, Rev. Greg W. Neteler, in his classes and his Sunday talks at his church, Unity Church Universal, (UCU).  It was during those spoken Aramaic words from him that I had my mystical experiences--feeling "anointed," aware I was only "light" etc.

  Fascinated with the Aramaic language which had been the language Jeshua/Yeshua (Jesus) spoke,  I also realized how few of us even knew there was such a thing as an Aramaic language!  We only knew words from their Greek translation, not the meaning of words from the very expansive Aramaic language. 

   Our Bible was translated from Greek, not Aramaic!  As anyone familiar with different languages knows,  some words or ideas don't translate well, if at all.   I knew translated Greek from philosophy and drama classes; however Aramaic seemed to use more expansive words and meaning and, as usual whenever I discovered something new, I wanted to share it. 

  Some time later I did a Sunday talk "Aramaic, Not Greek" where I used my two Aramaic tapes to offer some spoken Aramaic.  One of the workshops I created when I worked at Earthsong, I called "A Fresh Look at Jeshua/Jesus and Aramaic" and used those same tapes.

   By the time I attended classes at Unity Village, I was aware of the Essenes through having read The Gospel of the Essenes by Edmond Bordeaux Szekey.  That book also included, among many more ideas etc., the "Be Still And Know..." and The "14 Communions with the Angels"--7 with the Earthly Mother in the morning and 7 with the Heavenly Father at night.  At one point I had cards etc. for the 14 Communions which included the elements of air, earth, fire, and water, trees, etc. as well as  "The Tree of Life."  Szekely had been able to get access to the Vatican Library and then wrote books about what he discovered there.

   Much more recently I discovered The Essenes: Children of the Light by Stuart Wilson and Joanna Prentis which discusses and shares Essene ideas, history, energy and the "Light" and even the Essene connections with the Celts as well as how large and diverse a group the Essenes really were.  The Essenes:  Children of the Light offers insight into the past and how it relates to Now.  It also offers a "Foundation Prayer" which I love.

The Foundation Prayer

"Divine Presence within,
living in wholeness,
moving in joy and love,
I surrender to your Will.
Bring the radiance of your Light
into my heart and mind,
And merge with me to manifest
your Will upon the Earth."

"We were used to a concept of Presence.  Shekinah is the Presence of God in the world.
And wholeness, joy, and love we saw as the nature of God, and the gifts of God when
they manifest in our lives.  The reference to Light is important: many Essene prayers
focused upon Light.  The Light inspires us because it is a symbol for the Spirit.  Jesus
taught us to go forward continually into the Light, letting go of everything that was not
Light.  And mark the line which says "I surrender to your Will."  Continual surrendering of
the will to the Divine Presence is the key.  But we also need to merge and become fully one
with the Divine Presence before we can manifest God's Will upon the Earth." ...

    I am grateful that the authors of that very special book have given me permission to quote their wonderful books.  The Foundation Prayer and explanation appear on p. 196 of The Essenes: Children of the Light.

   My hope in sharing about the Essenes and Aramaic as well as my fascination with both is that each of you will explore and discover this amazing treasure, too.