[*** Any text that appears in italics in brackets is commentary from Theos***]
Flaming sword (mythology)
from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
A flaming sword is a sword glowing with flame by some supernatural power. Flaming swords have existed in legend and myth for thousands of years.
In Sumerian mythology, the deity known as Asaruludu is “the wielder of the flaming sword” who “ensures the most perfect safety.”
The flaming sword is an attribute of both Jophiel and Uriel.
According to the Bible, a cherub (or, in some traditions, either the archangel Uriel or Camael) with a flaming sword was placed by God at the gates of Paradise after Adam and Eve were banished from it (Genesis 3:24).
Eastern Orthodox tradition says that after Jesus was crucified and resurrected, the flaming sword was removed from the Garden of Eden, making it possible for humanity to re-enter Paradise.
In Welsh mythology the Dyrnwyn (“White-Hilt”) is said to be a powerful sword belonging to Rhydderch Hael, one of the Three Generous Men of Britain mentioned in the Welsh Triads. When drawn by a worthy or well-born man, the entire blade would blaze with fire. Rhydderch was never reluctant to hand the weapon to anyone, hence his nickname Hael “the Generous,” but the recipients, as soon as they had learned of its peculiar properties, always rejected the sword. Its fire would burn the man who drew it for an unworthy purpose.
The sword wielded by Surtr, a jotunn of Muspelheim, is a flaming sword with immense destructive power that appears in Norse mythology.
The sword which Acala holds may or may not be flaming and sometimes described only generically as a treasure sword (hōken) or as vajra-sword (kongō-ken), which is descriptive of the fact that the pommel of the sword is in the shape of the talon-like vajra (kongō-sho) of one type or another.
(Acala (Sanskrit: “immovable”) is a dharmapala prominent in Vajrayana Buddhism and East Asian Buddhism. He is seen as a protective deity particularly in Shingon traditions of Japan where he is known as Fudō Myō-ō, in Tangmi traditions of China and Taiwan as Búdòng Míngwáng. In later tantric scriptures, the epithet Candarosana became more common, and he is known as such in countries and regions such as Nepal and Tibet.
Dumah is an angel mentioned in Rabbinical literature. Dumah is a popular figure in Yiddish folklore. I. B. Singer’s Short Friday (1964), a collection of stories, mentions Dumah as a “thousand-eyed angel of death, armed with a flaming sword.”
[As you can see, knowledge of the Flaming Sword, (or the Sword of God or the Sword of Truth), has existed in human minds from the beginning of recorded history. Likewise, it should be noted that the human or magical qualities attributed to swords was due to a vague apprehension of the esoteric Truth about the Sword. However, much of the mythology around swords in general arose from the difficulty in forging usable ones. There is definite esoteric Truth in this fact also ~ Creator did not intend for Humanity to prey upon itself. Moreover, though Creator did not intend this, still it existed in Their Mind, and thus should be a cautionary to us All. As above, so below. Pay attention to this!]
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The Sword of God, (1) ~ or the Sword of Truth
[The article from which these excerpts were taken assumes for the most part that the reappearance of the Master Jesus Christ will be a physical human form. This is not our position and we’ve provided explanations or additions where necessary. It is important to know that the Sword of Truth, (the Sword of God or the Flaming Sword) is a gift from Creator meant to provide a means of seeing and/or divining Truth in all circumstances and in all people. As a general note, any references to this world and/or planet should be regarded as a synonym for the reality they represent.]
The Master Jesus said: “I come not to bring peace but a sword.”
This is both an arresting and at the same time a rather challenging statement not least because the sense of expectancy associated with the Christ’s reappearance rests mainly on the idea that it is peace He will bring.
[The problem here comes from the readiness of Humanity to embrace peace in their minds and hearts. Unfortunately, until such readiness is exhibited, peace is impossible. But do not lose hope, for it is not required for all of Humanity to exhibit these Qualities. Once enough people are ready, the tide will turn and peace will be forged from the Love they demonstrate.]
Many who follow the Christian faith assume that it is the Master Jesus’ divine task to bring peace and end world problems. Because of this fallacy, many Christians believe they are exempt from all responsibility for the condition of the world.
[These folks fail to understand that shepherding this world/reality is part of their collective dharma ~ it is their duty to maintain the beauty and diversity of this planet. And it’s interesting that those who believe this false notion are often the same folks who extol the virtues of “tough love,” corporal punishment, or dire consequences for failing to take responsibility, and who tout the value of ‘making’ their children perform household duties.]
Equally, there is a tendency to imagine His reappearance will manifest in the form He took before, as Jesus of Nazareth.
[This does not reflect the Will to Evolve … and it must in order to obey the dictates of Divine Law. The Christ cannot return as Jesus of Nazareth for it shows no evolution and would be ill-suited to our times and our societies.]
While the appearance the Christ will take is, as yet unknown, it is reasonable to believe the first signs of this event will be an obvious awakening in human consciousness—that is, the Christ will become present first in consciousness itself.
[Emphasis is ours. It has been said: Not until Humanity shows the clear presence of Love in their hearts and minds, will the Christ return. This is logical ~ without having integrated the principles which the Christ taught previously, why should the Christ appear before Humanity again?
Once people have thoroughly embraced His teachings and demonstrate them outwardly, they will then be ready to embrace the new energies the Christ will bring to this Cycle. It is ironic that some so-called Christians are those folks who lack all clear evidence of either understanding ~ or embracing the principles of Love the Christ taught.]
The belief that the Christ, alone and unaided, will bring peace and solve humanity’s problems is not only a dangerous illusion ~ reinforcing apathy and dependency ~ it also encourages the glamour of seeing the Christ in a strictly astral form … one that is highly charged with emotional or aspirational fervency. There is then an important part that the Sword is playing in first cutting out and uprooting the illusions and glamours surrounding these distorted thoughtforms around the Christ.
[This is an important function of the Sword: to dispel the illusions and their resultant glamours around the Master Jesus Christ. It should be said that the Christ ~ in some ways ~ suffers mightily under the burden of the “work of His creation.” Thousands of years after His appearance, the Master Jesus Christ is still focused on balancing the karma His appearance generated.
This concept: the work of one’s creation, is a vitally important one … it influences every area of every human being’s life. Every thought, every resulting emotion, every word, every deed are your creations. Whatever results from your creations is the “work” of that creation.
This, my Friends, is your karma and this is how it is created: through everything you think, say and do. And it is sobering indeed to realize that the work of the Master Jesus Christ’s creations ~ though steeped in the principles of Love and Duty … and put forward by a great Master of the Wisdom ~ have generated misanthropic and misogynistic dogma in almost all forms of the religions created in His name. And for this, the Christ is responsible … and must make the effort to correct it.
May this engender Compassion for Him … for yourselves … and All Others.]
The Sword of Truth points consciousness directly to reality—to the centers where the mind, the heart, and the Will of God are known and experienced. The united invocation for the Christ to return to earth is about the release of an essential energy, that of Love, rather than the apparition of a Divine form, no matter how remarkable.
[It is the purpose and function of the Sword of Truth to illumine fallacy and falsehood. As such, one should Know the invocation of the energies of the Sword of Truth must be undertaken with the strict understanding that what will be revealed is the Truth, no matter how awful … or merely inconvenient. This is not an energy to be played at ~ use it most wisely.]
In this regard the Hierarchy have used words as a formula which instantly raise the heart and mind above the astral forms of Christ, thereby positioning awareness in an impersonal state, a truly group conscious state of mind and being.
[This is the “cold eyes” quality we were telling you about in our last gathering. Common love among humans is an emotional state. Love (with a capital L), is the expression of the 8 Heart Qualities and not an astral, (emotional) state.
Because Love exists above the astral/emotional body’s center ~ the solar plexus ~ and it is a fusion of Love with Wisdom, it cannot manifest in any glamourized or illusioned form. When the Christ returns ~ and the manner of Their return ~ will depend solely upon the spiritual state of Humanity’s consciousness. Know this: the reappearance of the Christ is a symbol for the birth of Christ consciousness within the hearts and minds of people. There will be no singular “savior” for this planet. You must save yourselves … which can only happen through fully embracing Christ Consciousness and the principles of Love and Duty (Dharma) which underlie it.]
One of the most rudimentary lessons the disciple must learn is that of the control of speech. The misuse of speech can open the door to the most harmful elements of astral force.
[Sound strongly carries the energy of memory within it. Often it is those harmful/hurtful words that children ~ and the adults they become ~ remember most vividly. Next to scent, sound is the most powerful and primal of the 5 physical senses.]
In this context we are considering the power of words, symbols and images and how they can be used to invoke spiritual energies and create certain effects. This is one reason why Theos asks us to say the words of Soul-alignment out loud. As it is being said, it manifests the effects it sets out to Cause … Soul-alignment calls forth the real reality through our intuition and establishes Right Relationship with ourSelves as Soul.]
The Word as the Sword
Interesting that “sword” becomes “word” when the letter “s” is dropped. Our language has many references to words that invoke the imagery of a sword. We make “cutting” remarks, we “cut others off,” we say “words can cut both ways,” and so on. The concept of words as weapons is as old as language itself.
[This alone should inform you of the power of the words you speak. We tell the TAM group repeatedly that “lip service works.” This further enforces the Truth that words have power. Use your words wisely … endeavor always to speak from a place of Love and Truth.]
On the other end of the spectrum, any individual or group calling for Divine Will takes up the sword/word and aids in the creative destruction of the obstacles barring the Path. On the one hand destroying the barriers, and on the other hand cutting into etherized matter through the power of Right Speech to create the shape and form the Path must take—a path sculpted from Truth, Love, and United, Right Intention.
Excalibur
The sword (or Word), like Excalibur, has still to be pulled from the stone ~ a symbol representing the “concrete boulder” of the lower mind.
Although the Arthurian legend is beyond the scope of this piece, there are some interesting parallels between the key symbols of Excalibur and Arthur and the reappearance of the Christ. For example, one theme—the belief that Arthur is not dead and will return—remained rooted in the popular mind throughout the centuries. The earliest references come from Celtic areas—a Welsh poem which remarks cryptically, “A mystery until Doomsday is the grave of Arthur”; a mention of a fight which broke out at Bodwin (Cornwall) in 1113 because a Frenchman laughed at a local man who assured him Arthur was alive; allusions to an obstinate belief among the people that he would return. Additionally, Arthur became the embodiment of the ideal Christian knight receiving his death wound from Mordred his nephew, treacherous knight and betrayer, the Judas of Camelot who opened the door to evil. On the subject of words and symbols and their implications it is interesting to note that “evil” is “live” spelt backwards.
Arthur may be likened to sharing a similar role as the Christ principle in that his presence or appearance is key to unlocking the sword from the stone. In this context it is representative of the transition from the “stuckness” of the lower concrete mind to the higher, rapier-like speed of the intuition ~ the direct Knowing from Soul which occurs almost instantaneously.
Legend has it that only Arthur of the very pure heart could pull the sword from the stone and this corresponds to the requirement of a purified and unfolding heart centre as an essential foundation to the use of the will aspect in relation to esoteric work.
The Sword of Mercury
Another example of the use of the sword and its symbolic correspondence to the preparatory work is to be found in the story of Hercules as the world disciple. Before Hercules began his twelve labours, he was given a number of gifts by the gods. We are told that “With graceful speech and brilliant wit came Mercury, carrying a sword of rare design, which he proffered, in a silver sheath, to Hercules. He strapped it on the thigh of Hercules, bidding him keep it shiny and bright. ‘It must divide and cut,’ said Mercury, “and with precision and acquired skill must move.” (2)
We are also told that “the gift of a sword that came from Mercury, the messenger of the gods, is of profound significance, for the sword is the symbol of the mind which divides asunder, separates and cuts off. Through its use, Mercury added to the other gifts bestowed upon Hercules that of mental analysis and discrimination.”
Mercury, also called the winged messenger, is associated with communication; in essence he is the “messenger of heaven” or in this context the messenger of the Hierarchy, epitomizing the power of the spoken word in conjunction with the technique of invocation. The Greek version of Mercury is Hermes signifying “interpreter or mediator;” certainly there would seem to be an interplay of these skills required if Humanity, as the World Disciple, is to act as ambassador to the Hierarchy in presenting the Truth to others.
[Here, “Humanity, as the World Disciple, refers not to the masses but to those who have demonstrated Christ Consciousness through the practice of the 8 Heart Qualities, as well as having command of their thoughts and thus, what they say and do. This highlights, ever so clearly, the importance of the work we are doing together in practicing Soul-alignment, studying Divine Will, and learning cognitive restructuring through Cycles.]
The alchemists equated Mercury with related concepts of fluency and transmutation and because of its fluidity, (as in the case of all liquids), the practice of the Soul-alignment and the transmissions of Divine Will are alchemical processes taking place as they transmute matter into spirit, raising it from the inferior to the superior and from the transitory to the stable.
Mercury, we are told, is “supremely mental,” being the prime agent of the third aspect of Active Intelligence (the Will to Evolve) and at the same time embodying the second aspect of Love-Wisdom, (the Will to Unify), in particular the wisdom aspect. It is referred to as a dual energy as it expresses both the concrete mind and the abstract mind of God.
[Here is a demonstration of the connectedness of astrological Truths to Divine Will. Each Heavenly Body represents a Divine archetype and a Divine Truth to be uncovered and utilized for the Good of All.]
Another point of interest is that the lower concrete mind was unfolded in the first solar system, the higher abstract or intuitional mind ~ pure reason ~ is unfolding in this current system. (Note from Susan: Theos has often talked about “The time before the time that was.” This earthly existence is not the first time Humanity has attempted to Evolve to a higher state of being. Which can be a source of comfort … Knowing we will receive as many opportunities as is required.) Therefore, by practicing Soul-alignment and transmitting Divine Will through Cycles, and bringing it out to public attention, we are aiding in this process on a cosmic scale.
Mercury energy is of a synthesizing nature, bringing together mind and wisdom, expressing itself through the human Soul. Mercury rules the bridge ~ the Antahkarana.
The implications of Mercury are many, even the nervous system is controlled by this energy, for the nerves are messengers on the biological plane. Also, as a point of interest, the famous herbal physician and astrologer Nicholas Culpeper, (1616-1654), appropriated herbs, roots, flowers and seeds to their governing planet, perceiving that they contained the virtues of the planet for medicinal and healing purposes. In his book, he quotes: “Because out of thy thoughts God shall not pass, His image stamped is on every grass.” Those herbs governed by Mercury were particularly beneficial for “afflictions of the brain” as in calamint or mountain mint; likewise he said that dill “strengthens the brain.” (3)
Other Symbols
The sword is, in essence, composed of a blade and a guard; it is therefore a symbol of “conjunction,” especially as when, in the Middle Ages, it takes on the form of a cross. In astrological terms a conjunction is the closeness or proximity of two heavenly bodies, meeting or passing, or the presence in the same part of the heavens of two celestial bodies. It could be said that a similar correspondence is taking place as Pisces passes away from its long rule and is superseded by the incoming energy of Aquarius, causing a sense of the two energies crossing, even clashing until the transition from a Sixth Ray to a Seventh Ray Cycle is fully established.
In terms of the sword, where the Romans were concerned, they believed that iron, because of its association with Mars, was capable of warding off evil spirits. Its primary symbolic meaning, however, is of a wound and the power to wound, and yet it is the motive behind wounding that makes it good or bad. For example, a doctor might inflict pain to treat a wound or a soldier take one life in order to save hundreds.
Those who Soul-align and transmit Divine Will are not wielding the Sword of Truth to wound but to heal, the Sword then is the disciple’s ally in the fight to liberate the “prisoners of the planet.”
[The “prisoners of the planet” refers to the fact of this illusion being of such potency that those whose consciousness is anchored here are, like a ship at anchor, basically “stuck” here until such time as they are able to “rend the veils of illusion” and come to exist both in the Real Reality and as part of the illusion. This in order to fulfill their dharma, which is the True nature of the Bodhisattva. (4)]
To this effect the Sword, (or the Word), invoking Soul-alignment and Divine Will can penetrate and pierce through the veils of the material world into the Reality of the spiritual world, and discharges the awaiting evocation of the redemptive force. On this theme war weapons can be positive symbols, the sword standing for justice and a higher authority. Whilst the dagger represents the phallus and masculinity in general, in Megalithic culture the sword is the counterpart of the distaff, which is the feminine symbol of the continuity of life.
[The problem inherent in thinking in terms of war and weapons as positive symbols lies in its polarization of “good and evil.” Do not be confused: good and evil, positive and negative, are simply two sides of the same coin. And like a coin, you cannot have one side without the other. The concept of evil has outlived its usefulness and must be eliminated. Anything identified as evil lacks one thing: Love. It is Love that transforms “evil” and “negative forces” into useful knowledge and ultimately, Wisdom.]
The sword and the distaff symbolize, respectively, death and fertility, the two opposites. Both these factors of life constitute the basic symbolism of the mountain … and the mountain is shaped like a triangle ~ the sacred signature of God. [The Holy Trinity, the triple nature of our Creator.]
This relates to the purpose of Soul-alignment, transmissions of Divine Will and Cognitive Restructuring through Cycles ~ to create points of sword-like tension in mountain peaks of triangular energy through which the Voiced demand can swell and move heavenwards.
In Chinese philosophy mountains standing close together give the image of keeping still; the success of invocation and the resultant evocation is tied in with the ability to fuse with the “still point at the centre” prior to releasing the group’s “massed intent.”
This way the mind, like a great mountain bathed in sunlight, is held steady in the Light and Love of the Soul ~ aligned with Hierarchical effort and intention. In this respect we are aligning the group effort with the “constancy, exactitude and power” that the Christ and the Spiritual Hierarchy exhibit. And when we say the words “in One, Divine, Unified Force for the Good of All” we are using our words as “swords,” symbolizing our allegiance to the Word of God and our willingness to “do battle” to reclaim the Souls of All.