Hi Peter:

Our scriptures, liturgy, and doctrines are based on the accounts of mystics who had their mystical experiences two- or three-thousand years ago. They interpreted their experiences in the concepts of their time, but we still adhere to those concepts. We, modern day 21st. century Christians, are implicated in a 1st. century mindset!

The obvious solution would be to take into account the modern accounts of modern day mystics. Even better would be to become modern day mystics ourselves. Then we can dip from the same wellspring that Jesus and Buddha dipped from, but explain it in the concepts of our day and age -- in concepts that are readily understood by us!

First century concepts clash with 21st century insight. We need mystics who interpret their mystical experiences in terms of 21st century insight.

In Cosmic Unity,

Arminius

Hi Arminius,

It is slow work, but I seem to be getting the hang of negotiating this program. Will take some considerable more time but I am confident that, with assistance, I will succeed.

With regards to your remarks, I am interested to learn how you see us develloping into present day mystics (saints?). i.e. how does one become one? Example, I totally agree with your observations to me. Even so, I don't consider myself to be a mystic. I consider myself to be a passionate student of the Christian religion in the context of all other religions. Having been at it for a lifetime, and having taken courses from several sources I can only say that your and my view of reality seem to be identical. There is One source only --- God! There is one "ground of being" only (Paul Tilich) --- God. So, all we have to do is dip our gourds in the one well of reality, truth!

Back to being a mystic, how does one become one? Care to elucidate? Would appreciate it!

Just had one of my sons from Ottawa over for the weekend. As is usually the case, we were at it (the computer and philosophy) practically every minute we were not visiting with his mother, my wife. It was very rewarding, refreshing and stimulating. Enough so to get me all enthused again! <;-}

Take care and till we meet again!

Shalom, Peter

PS, I have followed your instructions and at least succeeded in starting a new paragraph one line lower after the break. Now the challenge is to get a space between paragraphs. Keep watching.!

Aha, i think I got it licked. It takes (2) two hard returns to get the spaces between the paragraphs. Now, if only G. H. is listenig! <;-}

Hi Peter:

A year ago a wrote a booklet entitled "The Awakening - A letter-guided Quest for Mystical Experience." I wrote it as a Christmas gift for the wondercafe community, and it can be downloaded for free from my website www.hharlos,com

However, to speak in terms of the Spiral Dynamics of spiritual evolution, you are one of the rare indviduals who have arrived at the Yellow stage of Tier 2. The Yellow stage constitutes the intellectual and conceptual apprehension of Tier 2, and it should be easy to slip from there over to the Turquoise (mystical) stage of Tier 2. If not, then the Yellow stage alone is enough.

I think we are a spiritual universe, and all experience is innately mystical. What gets in the way of perceiving our everyday experience as mystical is our thinking. If we refrain from thinking (as in prayer or meditation), or by thinking differently (as in contemplation), we may be able to experience everyday experience as mystical--for this is what it really is!

Two things: I don't seem to be able to access your website www.hharlos.com, and

2) I am playing around trying to get the material for this letter to go where I want it to go. Hang in there!

Man, this sounded to me like a very nice compliment. I eat those for breakfast, if you get my drift.

All kidding aside, is the material about yellow and purple stages explained in your booklet? If so, how to get to your website? If not, is that by any change in the book by Bruce Sanguin?

For your info, I just picked up a book by Ken Wilber (Integral Spirituality) in which he speaks about "States of Consciousness" (page 3). Are you familiar with that book, and are we talking about the same stuff now that is in your booklet? I am rather interested in finding out what you saw in our exchances to slot me at one level or another. Can you help me out please? Thanks.

I think I succeeded in keeping the material in order. That makes me happy.

Next question: we are here messing about in the "Blogs". How will you find out I responded to something you wrote?

Till the next time! Ciao

Armenius, All I can do at this moment is shake my head in disbelieve and appologize for not answering this message of yours earlier. Do I have an excuse? Of course I do, but none that would satisfy either of us. So, all I can say is thank you for your message and here is hoping that our relationship isn't broken permanently.

With regards to your message, I agree with it word for word. AAMMOF, it is that kind of thinking that has caused my efforts to get folks to adopt a contemporary language with current imagery when speaking about the things we believe in.

What enticed me to write you at this time is my immersion in the book "With or without God" by Gretta Vosper in preparation for our discussion at the bookclub here in Thunder Bay.

The deeper we get into her arguments, the more I am convinced that she is right for the most part and that we have to make a real attempt to get the leadership on board in our effort to get the tone and delivery of our belief statements changed by initiating the use of contemporary language and imagery.

fyi, We are about to tackle chapter 2 of her book which deals with "Constructing Christianity".

What I am asking you to do is to simply be aware of what we are involved in. I am still not sure how you and I can put something together, but I wouldn't be surprise if we succeeded one of these days. Some of the difficulties I am dealing with are my concerns and activities to look after my wife as well as the timelag (3 hrs) between you and myself. Even so, first things firts: are we still on speaking/working terms? I hope so and would appreciate receiving confrimation of that from your mouth.

Till then, take care.

Peter

PS, (807) 344-9900 is mine.

Yours? <;-}

Ciao!