Blood Ritual- The Ark and The Shroud

This drinking water of wisdom has in simple fact provided daily life to the crops that have developed on the area and in some cases even good trees have emerged and have refused to be chopped down by intolerance or bigotry. These trees are the great mysteries we know right now these as the Holy Grail, Wonderful Pyramid and Ark of the Covenant. If we grasp these growths firmly and pull challenging enough we uproot the concealed techniques that initially gave daily life to them. One particular of these roots I observed was to branch off into Islam and it would expose a mystical globe that was linked so firmly and so obviously to the primary trunk that almost everyone experienced skipped the link. This root had a name – baraka.

The expression baraka is a Sufi a person and from which our French barque and Italian barca is derived. Without a doubt in up to date France the term baraka, of Algerian origin, however has connotations of luck or blessing and this would eventually make total sense.

Egyptian Mystics

The historic Egyptians believed that everybody was a unique person. The people were claimed to have two distinctive components, the ba and the ka. These are not simple principles and have in truth baffled and amused Egyptologists for in excess of two hundred a long time. But we have to have to crack them down, for within just the names of these two human domains attributed by our Egyptian ancestors lies the reality of the expression baraka.

The ba is close to what we would connect with the personality, the traits and acts of the male or lady designed above the system of lifestyle. The ka was the lifestyle-force or soul. It is the very first, or in variety, a person. This is discovered to be real in the Indian thought of the word as perfectly wherever ka suggests supreme and collectively with ar means the ‘supreme light’ or ‘one light’ (arka) and ‘essence’. The ka itself came into getting when a particular person was born and was frequently depicted as the person’s twin or double. This is of course historical Egyptian alchemy at engage in, whereby both of those the ka and ba must be united to develop into one particular and the twin component has appear down to us as a result of the centuries in our Tarot playing cards, fables and of course the twin riders of the Templar image.

Mainly because the ba was the individuality of the distinctive individual, it much too was special, whereas the ka, as the lifestyle-drive was the exact same for every person – it was the artistic drive working by us. The ka itself was produced by the god Khnum on a potters wheel – for this reason it was an electrical power vortice specifically like the vortices identified inside the quite atom. This power is demanded for existence and is also lifted by the efforts of the processes in the brain – akin to the kundalini chakra – in boosting enlightenment. The kings or pharaohs experienced numerous ka’s thanks to their possess immortality like the gods. In actuality the intention of each and every individual was to stay united, or fused with the strength of the daily life-drive, ka, and the individuality, ba, just after demise and to be a part of Ra (sunshine) on his journey of perpetually re-creating development alone. In this way the personal required to return to the inventive stage, the alpha and omega, at the exact time and similar spot. In essence they wanted to reside in that ideal state. This great union arrives down to us in the uniting of the a few concepts have to have, ba, Ra and ka – baraka.

In simple fact, this is most most likely the reason for mummification right after loss of life – to keep the human body and the symbolic representations of the character in position for the ka to unite with Ra and reinvigorate lifetime. Need to the body rot absent the coffin and in actuality the very loss of life shrouds or bands of fabric would act as the spare overall body. Now we are starting to see the value of the Shroud, as the overall body of Jesus joined his father (Ra) leaving driving his character infused with the vitality of his ka. It is alone a baraka or Ark.

Ra himself as the personification of the sunshine of the a person-Egyptian god is in essence wishing a reunification. This is explained as the ‘greatest of mysteries’ by the ancient Egyptians and it takes place at exactly midnight – the middle hour, the in-in between point out. Ra in simple fact will have to reunite with his system by midnight in-get to be resurrected as the early morning mild of the sunshine. This is personified as the entire body of Osiris, who is the Underworld personification of the Egyptian one-god. You see, I are likely to concur with the writer, Egyptologist and researcher, Alan Alford, that Egypt was a monotheistic culture, but that diverse personalities and factors of the one god were being provided different, but meaningful, names. In the Underworld condition, the ka and ba of Ra was Osiris and Osiris the moment reborn is Horus, who grew to become Jesus in the Christian mysteries. These terrific acts of the deities are not just re-enactments of the sunshine, moon and stellar cycles, they are also deeply held esoteric truths and I am not alone in this statement:

“The mystical character of these ‘books’, in the feeling of a codification of an esoteric and secret awareness…” [1]

It is certainly a magic formula know-how and one particular that has remained so for generations, so a lot so, that we nonetheless look for for literal treasures, when we actually encompass them all ourselves.

In point Osiris personified the outdated self or the aged development and Ra was the new start, the new male. Just like medieval Alchemy, generation was built from a combination and through transformation.

“The Egyptians did not imagine in development ex nihilo. On the opposite, the spiritual texts state plainly that the cosmos was developed from pre-existent products, specifically primeval h2o, make any difference, and air. Generation included the transformation of the elements from the point out of chaos into a state of purchase. It concerned the development of a new cosmos from the remains of an previous cosmos.” [2]

This mixture essential the reduction of the self (ba and ka) and the reformation in the midnight hour of the elements to create the true trinity of the ba Ra ka.

The Egyptians considered that when the ka remaining and the system died, it returned to the divine but remained close to the body. In point even bogus doors had been made in tombs for ka’s named ‘ka doors’, so that the ka could access the earth at will. Now the ba could roam the earth, but only when Ra, the solar-god, was in ascendance in the sky. When Ra returned to the underworld, so also did the ba. This is in fact the Egyptian rationalization for ghosts.

In symbolism the ka was represented by two upturned arms and the ba by a human headed fowl. Offerings of food items were supplied to the ka and it was believed that the ka did not try to eat the food items, but as an alternative drew off the lifetime-power from the supplying.

The union of the ba Ra ka is indeed a genuine blessing and this is the place the Arabic Barakah and the Hebrew Barach takes the term – the two distinct versions of the Sufi baraka. Blessing of class is now an English word derived from Previous English bleodsian or bletsian this means to ‘sprinkle with blood’, staying derived from the blood rites identified as Blots and from where we get the expression ‘to blot out ones sins.’

The Blot ceremony is Outdated English or Old Norse and is even followed today by present day pagans or ‘heathens’. The origins of the rites are supposedly shed, but the time period indicates ‘sacrifice’ or ‘feast.’ The expression Blota usually means ‘to worship’ or ‘to sacrifice’. In truth in the Hakanor Saga gooa from Heimskringla, Snorri describes how at these Blots, blood was sprinkled on the altar and temple partitions, just as they were in Egypt and in truth in the Jewish Temple. In truth there also appears to be an extrovert use of the expression for fusion:

“The which means of the sacrificial feast, as Snorri saw it, is fairy simple. When blood was sprinkled in excess of altars and males and the toasts have been drunk, guys ended up symbolically joined with the gods of war and fertility, and with their dead ancestors, sharing their mystical powers. This is a variety of communion.” [3]

Once again below we see that this union is identified with each other in modern society and not just with the gods:

“When an report of price is handed across the boundary of frith and grasped by alien palms, a fusion of lifetime will take position, which binds guys just one to an additional with an obligation of the identical character as that of frith himself.” [4]

This is the legitimate supplying of the life-supply spoken of higher than and I experienced a single of individuals excellent moments of enjoyment when I realised that the Ark of the Covenant, in-order to ‘work’ adequately also experienced to be sprinkled with blood. It experienced to in outcome have a ka supplying. This was the same as the Shroud, which was to be ‘sprinkled’ with the blood of the Christ, himself witnessed as the offering by the pagan’s who transformed to Christianity and who had beforehand practised the Blot rituals.

The blessing then, seen here to be completely associated to the expression barach or baraka, is to infuse something with holiness or the divine will (which is also an additional word for ka.) The blessing has normally been formally specified by the priest of the orthodox church and so is the same as the baraka of the Sufi’s – a blessing or term of will passed from the master to pupil.

Of course I could not miss out on the fact that to the Sufi, the expression baraka was symbolised by a boat and itself grew to become fused with the image of the dove. The dove itself was the Christian and Gnostic image of the word or spirit of the Lord and hence it was the baraka. The later Gnostic Christian Heretics, the Cathars took this symbol and with their own links within Islam fused the two devices jointly:

“… A person significant Cathar symbol was the dove. It represented for them then, as it does for us now, the notion of ‘peace’ or, much more accurately the far more subtle thought of ‘grace’, that state of getting in God’s enjoy. Following the very first crusades, when the European Cathars in the entourage of Godfroi de Bouillon set up some get in touch with with the Sufi mystics of Islam, the symbolism of the dove often turned joined iconographically with the Islamic mystical strategy of baraka, which also implies ‘grace’ and with the strategy that a individual can be a ‘vessel of grace’… In some instance, the Cathar dove flying with its wings outstretched was rendered in an creative motif very similar to the stylised ship which means baraka in Sufi calligraphy, with the feathers of the dove and the oars of the vessel alike representing the flight and flexibility of the soul.” [5]

Orthodox Christianity could not let these ancient esoteric truths to be unfold overseas as it experienced crafted its electrical power base upon the literalism’s of the Bible and so they persecuted the Cathars and burnt them out of sight. However it does appear to be that these Cathars did maintain the key of the Temple of Solomon. They had been the ‘perfecti’ who guarded the esoteric wisdom of the Ark, for they were the Western model of the Jap Sufi who on their own protected the ba-ra-ka. The only ‘vessel’ that they spirited absent from their ill-fated Montsegur was the vessel of grace – understanding.

In essence the term baraka is an authentic expression for Ark and is imagined by a lot of to be derived from the historical Egyptian b’arque or boat. The Sufi’s have usually been explained to have originated or at the extremely minimum to have origins in Egypt, and so possessing some expertise of Sufism I embarked on a journey into the term, being aware of total-effectively that what lay in advance of me was an generally contradictory and argumentative issue subject. I experienced used lots of hours listening to a Sufi learn and I normally remember his techniques – which to quite a few would look offensive, but to me ended up esoteric teachings. I after asked him where by my path may well lay and he replied that the only path I experienced no for a longer period existed. This route of program was the just one driving me, for the route in entrance experienced not still been produced. He informed me that if I concentrated on my only path I would stumble and fall more than and I rapidly worked out that this was due to the fact I would constantly be on the lookout guiding me, whilst making an attempt to stroll ahead. There is only now, among yesterday and tomorrow – again, it was the area concerning.

Sufism

Sufism, for individuals who might by no means have listened to the phrase, is known as ‘the way to the heart’, which of course suggests the centre. It is the way of the pure, as Sufi may well derive also from the word Sata or saaf this means cleanliness or pure. A further viewpoint has the phrase becoming derived from the Arabic phrase for wool – suf – hence implying the cloak worn by the Sufi or the reality that just about every Sufi was observed to be a shepherd. It may well also come from the Ashab al-Suffa or Ahl al-Suffa, indicating ‘companions of the veranda’ or ‘people of the veranda’. The veranda spoken of is the a single on the Prophet Muhammad’s mosque, and these ‘people of the veranda’ have been said to spend their times in prayer and meditation during the Prophets life span. These special adherents have been from lots of lands, which includes Persia, Ethiopia, Egypt and even Rome, bringing a excellent several various beliefs and pursuits with them. There is, however, a much more telling term from which the phrase Sufi might be derived – Sophia. This is the thought of wisdom spoken of all over again and yet again in esoteric literature and which has arrive down to us these days by means of all-way of faiths and creeds, even into magic formula societies this kind of as the Freemasons. This edition of the title was espoused by Abu Raihan Niruni, a Persian mathematician, astronomer, scholar, thinker, historian and a lot far more, of the late tenth and early eleventh century – a veritable Renaissance person prior to his time. The actuality that a Persian mentioned this belief relates to anything Springett stated in his e-book Secret Sects of Syria:

“the Sufees are a key culture of Persian mystic philosophers and ascetics, whose original religion may possibly have been that of the Chaldeans or Sabeans, who believed in the unity of God, but adored the hosts of heaven (Tsaba), particularly the 7 planets, as symbolizing Him.” [6]

Whichever the legitimate origin of the word Sufi, it cannot conveniently be summed up in just a handful of text because of to its mystical blend. For certain, this is an Islamic cult, much akin to the likes of the Albigensians or Cathars of the Christians, who had been acknowledged as the pure ones. On the other hand, totally nobody is positive of the legitimate origins of the motion and in truth it could and almost certainly does even pre-date Islam in many respects and could even have affected Muhammad himself.

Sufism then, is this mystical aspect of Islam continued, and this is why it is so crucial to the Sufi’s to maintain this baraka, this continuance, so strong, since the base instincts of gentleman will steal the truth and switch it to gain and achieve. This is why the baraka appears so peculiar to all those outside the house of the loop, for the reason that it is the mystical planet that is unknowable. To be a real mystic, a single must know oneself and types possess unconscious environment. Not most people has the will and the time to do this and other folks can do it as if by accident. The Sufi’s see by themselves as going via this planet of ours as if they are component of it and all the time understanding there is so a lot more. They experience at all occasions the divine presence and still look on mankind with an eye of mercy. At least, that is the story. To them each one of us has a spirit or Ruh, which originates from the Alam – a creation of the divine mild by itself. The food of the spirit is as a result far more mild and not that of the exterior sun, but the inner sun of Allah. To mirror and replicate this wisdom of the mild is all that can be requested – to be like the moon, and we all know, the crescent moon is a symbol of Islam. The 1 who certainly displays this mild of Allah, does not acquire the mild away from Allah, but as a substitute glorifies His title. The 1 who does this can give divine blessings by using the baraka – the baraka is hence not himself, but the gentle and knowledge and power of God. A single results in being the crescent moon, the Ark.

One of the literal factors that baraka has become our barge, b’arque, barca, Ark and of program bark, is for the reason that it is included in the art of ship building. This sort of ship making nevertheless will involve no floating on true water, it is far more to do with the drinking water of the thoughts. By getting baraka, a single is capable to accessibility divine facts and to be capable to move this on. But, before remaining in a position to do this, a person have to study how to develop a first rate ship.

In some Muslim traditions if the baraka (or b’ark-at) is strong then when the sensible Sufi dies it will stay with his non-decaying entire body and may possibly even transmit knowledge to his successors. This is the cause that shrines are so critical to the Muslim traditions – since the shrines are noticed to be infused with this divine essence from the Almighty Allah – by way of the Sufi learn who is to all intents and uses the Ark. In this way, we can now see why the Kaaba at Mecca should really be so essential – as this is a spot of this common baraka vitality.

These sacred relics were only consequently sacred because of to the actuality that they have been noticed to comprise the baraka, just as Christian relics held a comparable energy or latent strength subsequent the crusader invasions of the Muslim lands. It turned hence spiritually crucial and esoterically aligned for the father to pass down these baraka filled objects – therefore continuing the procedure of baraka, by means of the ages physically as perfectly as esoterically.

My problem now was uncomplicated and yet intricate: Was the Shroud of Turin a variety of Blot providing? Infusing ability in a divine relic? And who’s blood was it?

Notes
1 Loss of life and Salvation in Ancient Egypt, Jan Assmann, Cornell University Press, 2005.

2 The Midnight Sun, Alan Alford, Eridu Books, 2004, web site 95.

3 Fantasy and Faith of the North, Gabriel Turville-Petre, Weidenfeld & Nicolson, 1964, webpage 251.

4 The Tradition of the Teutons, Vilhelm Gronbech, Vol 2, web page 55. Out of print, publisher mysterious.

5 Holy Grail Across the Atlantic: The Secret History of Canadian Discovery and Exploration, Michael Bradley, Hounslow Push, Canada, 1998.

6 Mystery Sects of Syria and the Lebanon, Bernard H. Springett, Kegan Paul Intercontinental Ltd, 2005.