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Baroda, Michigan and its mystical name origins from India

October 27, 2024 sakshizion Leave a comment

The town of Baroda in Michigan was founded by European settlers in the 19th century, and its name was inspired by the Indian city of Baroda (now Vadodara) in Gujarat. The town was named by Michael Houser, a settler and entrepreneur originally from Bavaria, Germany, who established a sawmill and post office there in the 1860s. Houser was reportedly fascinated by exotic names and places, and when it came time to name the town, he chose “Baroda” after the Indian city, possibly for its uniqueness and appeal.

This was a common trend in the United States during that period; many settlers gave American towns names of far-off or famous places, reflecting either a romantic fascination or an intent to give their new communities an air of importance and distinction.

While Baroda, Michigan, may not have a widely known mystical or spiritual reputation, the town is situated in an area rich in natural beauty, surrounded by Michigan’s rolling countryside and Lake Michigan’s coastline. This scenic landscape has an inherently calming and grounding quality, which can lend itself to a sense of natural spirituality and connection to the land. The town’s close ties to agriculture and its vineyards in particular give it a unique connection to the earth, fostering a sense of rhythm with the seasons.

The town’s name, originating from the mystical-sounding Baroda in India, may also subtly influence the perception of the place. Names carry energy, and for some, “Baroda” might evoke a sense of intrigue or even spiritual resonance, considering the Indian Baroda’s long history of royal patronage, art, and philosophical development. The natural serenity and slower pace of life in Baroda, Michigan, can offer an opportunity for personal reflection, perhaps attracting those who seek spiritual growth or a deeper connection to nature.

The origins of the name Baroda from India

Baroda, officially known as Vadodara, is a city in the Indian state of Gujarat with a rich historical and cultural background. The name “Vadodara” is derived from the Sanskrit word Vatodara, which means “in the heart of the Banyan tree” (vat meaning “banyan” and udara meaning “stomach” or “heart”). This refers to the abundance of banyan trees in the region, symbolizing protection and sustenance in Indian culture.

Historically, Vadodara was ruled by various dynasties, including the Chalukyas, the Delhi Sultanate, the Mughals, and later the Marathas. The Gaekwads, a prominent Maratha family, established their rule in the 18th century, making Vadodara their capital. Maharaja Sayajirao Gaekwad III, one of the most renowned rulers of Vadodara, modernized the city and promoted education, art, and infrastructure, earning Vadodara its reputation as a cultural hub. He founded the Maharaja Sayajirao University, one of India’s premier universities, and invited artists and intellectuals to the city.

Vadodara is known for its diverse cultural heritage, including classical Indian music, dance, and visual arts. The city hosts Navratri, a nine-night festival dedicated to the goddess Durga, which is celebrated with traditional garba and dandiya dances. Vadodara’s architecture is another highlight, with structures like the Laxmi Vilas Palace, one of the largest private residences in the world, combining Indo-Saracenic and European architectural styles. The city’s history of patronage and cultural richness makes it a vibrant center of Gujarati culture and heritage.

In Michigan, a few other towns and cities also bear names inspired by places in India, though they are relatively few. Here are some notable ones:

Delhi Township – Located near Lansing, Michigan, this township was likely named after Delhi, the capital city of India. The name reflects the pattern of settlers choosing exotic or far-off place names, adding a sense of distinction to their communities.
Bombay – Though technically not a town, a small unincorporated community named Bombay exists in Michigan’s Oceana County. It shares its name with the former name of Mumbai, India’s bustling metropolis.

These names reflect the broader trend in the United States, especially during the 19th and early 20th centuries, of naming towns after famous or exotic locations worldwide. Many of these names were chosen to evoke the allure of distant lands, although the actual cultural or historical connections to India might be minimal in these areas.

Michigan also has towns with the named Ganges and Nirvana, both with names inspired by Indian cultural and spiritual concepts.

Ganges, Michigan – Located in Allegan County, Ganges was likely named after the sacred Ganges River in India, which is considered deeply spiritual in Hinduism and symbolizes purity, life, and liberation. The settlers may have chosen this name for its spiritual resonance or to evoke the exotic and sacred aspects associated with the river in India.
Nirvana, Michigan – Nirvana is an unincorporated community in Newaygo County. The name “Nirvana” has roots in Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism, representing a transcendent state free from suffering and the cycle of rebirth. Naming a town “Nirvana” may have been an attempt to invoke a sense of peace, spiritual freedom, or an idyllic place.

These towns reflect the influence of Eastern spirituality and philosophical concepts in Western culture, even if indirectly. The choice of names like “Ganges” and “Nirvana” in Michigan suggests a fascination with the mysticism associated with India and may attract curiosity or even a subtle spiritual significance to those who visit or live there.

There is legends of an Indian guru or swami or prince that visited Michigan and helped name some of these towns.. is there any truth to this?

There isn’t concrete historical evidence of an Indian guru, swami, or prince visiting Michigan and directly influencing the naming of towns like Ganges, Baroda, or Nirvana. However, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Indian spiritual teachers and figures did start visiting the United States, and their presence sparked interest in Indian spirituality and culture. Figures like Swami Vivekananda, who famously spoke at the Parliament of the World’s Religions in Chicago in 1893, helped introduce American audiences to Indian philosophies and spiritual practices, inspiring fascination with Indian names and concepts.

The naming of towns after Indian places or spiritual terms was more likely a result of American settlers’ general fascination with exotic or mystical-sounding names from around the world. For example, around this time, towns across the United States were frequently named after places like Rome, Cairo, and Athens, reflecting a trend of borrowing names from classical or “exotic” cultures. Indian names likely appealed in the same way, representing the allure and mystery of far-off places.

While no specific guru or swami directly named these Michigan towns, the interest in Indian culture and spirituality may have subtly influenced settlers’ naming choices. The allure of names like “Nirvana” or “Ganges” reflects a curiosity that might have been spurred by the growing awareness of Indian culture in the U.S.

Michigan’s towns with Indian-inspired names—like Ganges, Nirvana, Baroda, and Delhi Township—have some interesting legends and historical context, even if direct connections to India’s spiritual culture are sparse. Here’s a look at some of the stories, as well as the broader context of Indian influence in the area:

1. Ganges, Michigan

Legend of Spiritual Inspiration: Although Ganges in Allegan County is not known to have a direct historical link to India, the town’s name has inspired tales of settlers who were interested in spirituality and may have been influenced by the transcendental movement in the U.S. during the 19th century. This movement encouraged looking to Eastern philosophy for spiritual wisdom.
Spiritual Context: The Ganges River in India holds profound spiritual significance, symbolizing purity, rebirth, and connection to the divine. This symbolism may have appealed to early settlers seeking peace and a sense of renewal in the Michigan wilderness. Locals sometimes invoke these symbolic meanings, lending the area a kind of mystical atmosphere.

2. Nirvana, Michigan

Legends of Peace and Transformation: Nirvana, Michigan, named after the concept of enlightenment and freedom from suffering, has inspired local stories about the town as a place of tranquility. Although there’s no evidence of an Indian sage visiting Nirvana, the concept of “nirvana” aligns with the peaceful, rural atmosphere of the town. Some legends claim that travelers or residents found a unique sense of inner peace or healing here, giving it a symbolic connection to the idea of “nirvana.”
Possible Cultural Influence: The town was likely named by someone familiar with the idea of nirvana through the growing interest in Indian philosophy, Buddhism, and Theosophy during the early 20th century. The idea of reaching a peaceful state might have resonated with settlers seeking an idealistic and idyllic community.

3. Baroda, Michigan

Legend of Exotic Allure: As with Ganges, there are tales that Baroda was named to evoke the mystique and allure of India. Michael Houser, the Bavarian immigrant who established the town, reportedly liked the exotic sound of “Baroda.” Locals tell stories of Houser being drawn to the name because it sounded mystical, even if he didn’t fully understand its cultural significance.
No Confirmed Spiritual Event: While there’s no evidence of spiritual leaders visiting Baroda, the town’s name does hint at the influence of India’s reputation for mysticism. Over time, stories grew around the name, giving the town a romanticized link to India’s cultural heritage.

4. Delhi Township

Symbolic Connections: Named after Delhi, the capital of India, this township likely received its name as part of a broader trend of naming places in the U.S. after significant world cities. Although no legends connect Delhi Township directly to Indian spiritual practices, its name occasionally stirs curiosity about Indian culture.
Interest in Indian Culture: Given that this township was named during a period of growing interest in Eastern culture, residents may have been subtly influenced by the era’s fascination with Indian philosophy.

Broader Influence of Indian Spirituality in Michigan

In the 19th and early 20th centuries, the influence of Indian spiritual leaders began to grow in the United States, leading to a fascination with Indian culture across the country. While Michigan’s Indian-named towns may not have had direct spiritual events linked to them, here are some broader influences of Indian spirituality in Michigan:

Swami Vivekananda’s Influence: Swami Vivekananda’s address in Chicago in 1893 at the Parliament of the World’s Religions brought Indian philosophy into the American mainstream. While he didn’t travel to Michigan, his influence on Indian spiritual thought began spreading nationwide, creating a foundation for interest in places named after Indian concepts.
Paramahansa Yogananda’s Visit: Yogananda, the author of Autobiography of a Yogi, made visits around the Midwest in the 1920s and 1930s, promoting Kriya Yoga and Indian spirituality. His teachings sparked interest in Indian spirituality across the U.S., including in Michigan, though he is not recorded as having directly influenced the naming of towns.
Theosophical Society’s Reach: The Theosophical Society, which promoted Eastern spiritual ideas, had branches in the Midwest, including Michigan. The society helped popularize Indian spiritual ideas, including concepts like karma and nirvana, which could have influenced settlers or town leaders in choosing evocative Indian names.
Modern Spiritual and Yoga Communities: In more recent decades, Michigan has seen a rise in yoga centers, meditation retreats, and Indian cultural festivals, adding layers of Indian spiritual heritage to the state. Events like the Michigan Yoga Festival, Diwali celebrations, and other Indian cultural festivals are now regular occurrences, linking Michigan’s interest in Indian spirituality to a contemporary context.

While Michigan’s Indian-named towns might not have been directly named by Indian gurus or swamis, the Indian influence in the Midwest remains significant, with spiritual and cultural ideas quietly shaping local consciousness and adding a layer of intrigue and meaning to these towns’ names.

Arati Ceremony at Vivekananda Monastery in Ganges, Michigan

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Christ, Egypt, Gnostic, History, Inspiration, Mystical, Spiritual, Travel, Yoga

Hamid Bey – Coptic Mystic

January 15, 2023 sakshizion Leave a comment

When Hamid Bey was a small boy, he had a remarkable experience. He and his parents met with a scholar who felt he was a candidate for Coptic Temple training. His parents agreed.

In Coptic temple training, Hamid was taught spiritual disciplines in emotional and mental control and meditation. One lesson involved going out in the countryside to beg for food for the temple. His Master had told him to thank the people, whether they gave him anything or not. This task made a great impression on him.

As Hamid grew in years, so did the advanced pace of his training. He was taught to enter a state of suspended animation. This was achieved by placing his body at the complete command of his will.

There were six preparatory Temples of learning that Hamid passed through before he could enter the final temple, the Temple of Divine Wisdom. In order to get to this temple, it is necessary to swim the Nile and enter through a tunnel. The big test here is that the Nile is infested in this area with vast numbers of crocodiles. The only way to know whether crocodiles are in the murky water is to locate them by mind power. This is something Hamid and his classmates were taught in their previous years of intensive training.

In this last temple, Hamid passed through the greatest and final test. Here, a flower is cultivated which does not grow anywhere in the world except in deepest central Africa. It is a beautiful white flower that gradually opens and closes. When open, the perfume of the flower is very pleasant; but, is a deadly poison to humans. It is used to prove an initiate’s physical and mental control. The flower is placed in the center of a series of eleven concentric circles. The eleventh one is closest to the flower. The initiate begins with the outermost circle. He must sit for one hour in each circle and keep his body independent of the poison, beginning with the outermost circle. The initiate earns a ring for each circle mastered; moving him closer to the flower. Hamid Bey made it to the seventh circle, which made him a seven-ring Master. The rings were symbolically worn on his headdress. When he attained the seventh degree, Hamid felt that he should leave the temple and go out into the world.

Upon his graduation from training, Hamid was given the privilege of a personal meeting with the great Master of the temple. The hour he spent with him gave Hamid guiding inspiration throughout his life.

At the age of eighteen, Hamid returned home to his family in Cairo. He soon joined the armed forces that were being sent out from Egypt to do service in World War I. He spent the next few years in the air force. There was one occasion during the war when his ability to place himself into trance saved his life. He found himself behind the lines with the enemy fast upon him. He put himself into trance and the enemy soldiers completely ignored him, being certain that he was already dead.

After W.W.I., Hamid decided to go to Italy to publicly demonstrate the powers he had learned in the temple training. He wanted to convince a skeptical world that there is much more to a man than the outer form. His intention was to place himself in a state of suspended animation and be buried alive six feet underground for three days.

In 1927, the magician Houdini, was attracting worldwide attention and announced that he could duplicate, by mechanical means, any so-called spiritual phenomenon ever produced. Hamid Bey was sent to the United States at this time to challenge Houdini. Three weeks after Hamid arrived, Houdini died. Hamid, then not knowing any English or any of the customs, signed up as a vaudeville act under a binding two-year contract. He spent the next two years, much to his disdain, doing his “act” on stage three times a day for sometimes heckling audiences. After that experience, he became great friends with Paramhansa Yogananda and traveled with him doing shows and lectures together.

To maintain his temple rank of seven-ring Master, Hamid had to return to Egypt every seven years. He was required to go through additional tests and examinations by his Master. In 1936 when Hamid returned to Egypt, he had a great spiritual experience. He was taken astrally by his Master to the secret Archive Chamber of the Great Pyramid. It was at this time his true mission was revealed. He was to go to the United States, which was to become the new Holy Land, to establish the Coptic Order. In 1937, Master Hamid Bey founded the Coptic Fellowship in Los Angeles, California.

In the following years Hamid dedicated his life to teaching the Universal Principles of right living throughout the United States. Helping him was a pure, humble man from Switzerland, Master Stanley. Only a few details are known of Master Stanley’s background because he would seldom speak of himself or his past

As a young boy in Switzerland, Master Stanley had a spiritual experience that led him to become a teacher of Truth. One hot day he rode his bicycle up a very steep hill. When he reached the top, he was totally exhausted. He went into a state of suspended consciousness. In his words, “the Christ” came to him and spoke. This experience served as a guiding inspiration all his life. Master Stanley often spoke of the Christ’s message of Love, which he wanted to get to as many people as possible.

Master Stanley first was introduced to the Coptic Philosophy when he attended a lecture by Hamid Bey in Detroit, Michigan. A deep spiritual bond was immediately recognized between them. He was ordained by Master Hamid Bey. Master Stanley set about helping to spread the Coptic Teachings throughout the Midwest. He founded the Detroit Coptic Temple, established and taught at centers in Milwaukee, Toledo and Chicago, and went on to open ten more centers throughout the Midwest.

In the next twenty-three years, Hamid Bey, aided by Master Stanley, continued to teach and establish Coptic Centers in the United States. Master Stanley reached the point of transition from his life in 1972.

John Davis, an honorable and humble man from Michigan, was ordained as a Coptic Minister by Master Stanley in 1969. After Master Stanley’s passing, John Davis became the Midwest Coptic director. In 1974, the Coptic Fellowship held their first National Convention in Kalamazoo, Michigan.

On July 16, 1976, Hamid Bey left his physical body. This happened for two reasons: first, he realized that people were not concentrating on learning the truth for themselves; and secondly, they were concentrating on his dynamic personality. He passed over in a hospital in Los Angeles from what doctors called cardiac arrest. Hamid simply stopped his heart from beating.

Before his transition, Hamid Bey chose John Davis to take over as National Director. According to his wishes, Hamid’s body was cremated, and his ashes were scattered over the Pacific Ocean.

Today, Coptics are continually growing. We no longer stand on the threshold of the New Age; we have proven ourselves and have stepped through it. The present Coptic Fellowship still follow the teachings of Hamid Bey and are universal in purpose.

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Christ, Gnostic, History, Mystical, Spiritual

Jesus the Star of the Pleroma ✪

September 11, 2022 sakshizion Leave a comment

Pleroma : the fullness of real existence in contrast to the empty void and unreality of mere phenomena (kenoma, Iren. I. iv. 1). Thus in Cerinthus it expressed the fulness of the Divine Life out of which the Divine Christ descended upon the man Jesus at his baptism, and into which He returned (Iren. I. xxvi. 1, III. xi. 1, xvi. 1). In the Valentinian system it stands in antithesis to the essential incomprehensible Godhead, as ‘the circle of the Divine attributes,’ the various means by which God reveals Himself: it is the totality of the thirty aeons or emanations which proceed from God, but are separated alike from Him and from the material universe. It is at times almost localized, so that a thing is spoken of as ‘within,’ ‘without,’ ‘above,’ ‘below’ the Pleroma: more often it is the spirit-world, the archetypal ideal existing in the invisible heavens in contrast to the imperfect phenomenal manifestations of that ideal in the universe. Thus ‘the whole Pleroma of the aeons’ contributes each its own excellence to the historic Jesus, and He appears on earth ‘as the perfect beauty and star of the Pleroma’ 𓇳 (teleiotaton kallos kai astron tou pleromatos, Iren. I. xi. 6). (from Wikipedia)

Notice this description of the Pleroma and “Jesus as the perfect beauty and star of the Pleroma” in relation to how Paramahansa Yogananda utilized this symbolism in his Self Realization Fellowship logo and his descriptions of how one enters into the spiritual realms via this star within a circle through meditation & Kriya Yoga. Jesus was also called the Morning Star and the Star of Bethlehem.

In Mahayana Buddhist texts, we read of the prophecy of Buddha’s return as the Buddha of Infinite Compassion who was born of the Goddess Tara. Tara means Star

And how this is the same ✪ pentagram star that mystics, magicians and gnostics used/use for magical rites and protective rituals. The pentagram being a symbol of the Christ Logos ⍟ and was seen as a Pagan or Satanic symbol by the Church and ignorant masses but is only evil or negative when it is inverted as a downward star in a circle.

Books, Egypt, Gnostic, Mystical, Spiritual

Master Teacher Hamid Bey

July 5, 2022 sakshizion Leave a comment

Master Hamid Bey was trained by Coptic masters in Egypt during the early 1900’s. His early education was focused on fundamental principles of self mastery leading him to the ultimate goal of complete mastery on the physical, mental and emotional levels. His early testing put him in life situations where he taught humility, the foundation of spirituality. Eventually he was taught how to put pins through his body without pain and how to be buried alive for hours at a time.

In the mid-1920’s, he was sent to the United States to teach the laws of balanced living. He was told one of his early missions in America was to challenge Houdini, who had indicated he was the only one on earth who could accomplish his memorable feats. By the time Master Bey arrived in the U.S., Houdini had passed away.

In the late 1920’s, he met Paramahansa Yogananda and they traveled together throughout America. They were two of the earliest and greatest pioneers of the metaphysical movement. Paramahansa would give the lecture and Master Bey would be buried alive in public, demonstrating the many skills of self mastery he learned during his early years of training by the Egyptian Coptic Masters.

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Therese Neumann, The Catholic Stigmatist ~ from the book Autobiography of a Yogi by Yogananda (Chapter 39)

May 23, 2022 sakshizion Leave a comment

“Return to india. I have waited for you patiently for fifteen years. Soon I shall swim out of the body and on to the Shining Abode. Yogananda, come!”

Sri Yukteswar’s voice sounded startlingly in my inner ear as I sat in meditation at my Mt. Washington headquarters. Traversing ten thousand miles in the twinkling of an eye, his message penetrated my being like a flash of lightning.

Fifteen years! Yes, I realized, now it is 1935; I have spent fifteen years in spreading my guru’s teachings in America. Now he recalls me.

That afternoon I recounted my experience to a visiting disciple. His spiritual development under Kriya Yoga was so remarkable that I often called him “saint,” remembering Babaji’s prophecy that America too would produce men and women of divine realization through the ancient yogic path.

This disciple and a number of others generously insisted on making a donation for my travels. The financial problem thus solved, I made arrangements to sail, via Europe, for India. Busy weeks of preparations at Mount Washington! In March, 1935 I had the Self- Realization Fellowship chartered under the laws of the State of California as a non-profit corporation. To this educational institution go all public donations as well as the revenue from the sale of my books, magazine, written courses, class tuition, and every other source of income.

“I shall be back,” I told my students. “Never shall I forget America.”

At a farewell banquet given to me in Los Angeles by loving friends, I looked long at their faces and thought gratefully, “Lord, he who remembers Thee as the Sole Giver will never lack the sweetness of friendship among mortals.”

I sailed from New York on June 9, 1935 in the Europa. Two students accompanied me: my secretary, Mr. C. Richard Wright, and an elderly lady from Cincinnati, Miss Ettie Bletch. We enjoyed the days of ocean peace, a welcome contrast to the past hurried weeks. Our period of leisure was short-lived; the speed of modern boats has some regrettable features!

THERESE NEUMANNTHERESE NEUMANN

Famous Catholic Stigmatist who inspired my 1935 pilgrimage to Konnersreuth, Bavaria
Like any other group of inquisitive tourists, we walked around the huge and ancient city of London.

The following day I was invited to address a large meeting in Caxton Hall, at which I was introduced to the London audience by Sir Francis Younghusband. Our party spent a pleasant day as guests of Sir Harry Lauder at his estate in Scotland. We soon crossed the English Channel to the continent, for I wanted to make a special pilgrimage to Bavaria.

This would be my only chance, I felt, to visit the great Catholic mystic, Therese Neumann of Konnersreuth.

Years earlier I had read an amazing account of Therese. Information given in the article was as follows:

(1) Therese, born in 1898, had been injured in an accident at the age of twenty; she became blind and paralyzed.

(2) She miraculously regained her sight in 1923 through prayers to St. Teresa, “The Little Flower.” Later Therese Neumann’s limbs were instantaneously healed.

(3) From 1923 onward, Therese has abstained completely from food and drink, except for the daily swallowing of one small consecrated wafer.

(4) The stigmata, or sacred wounds of Christ, appeared in 1926 on Therese’s head, breast, hands, and feet. On Friday of every week thereafter, she has passed through the Passion of Christ, suffering in her own body all his historic agonies.

(5) Knowing ordinarily only the simple German of her village, during her Friday trances Therese utters phrases which scholars have identified as ancient Aramaic. At appropriate times in her vision, she speaks Hebrew or Greek.

(6) By ecclesiastical permission, Therese has several times been under close scientific observation. Dr. Fritz Gerlick, editor of a Protestant German newspaper, went to Konnersreuth to “expose the Catholic fraud,” but ended up by reverently writing her biography.

As always, whether in East or West, I was eager to meet a saint. I rejoiced as our little party entered, on July 16th, the quaint village of Konnersreuth. The Bavarian peasants exhibited lively interest in our Ford automobile (brought with us from America) and its assorted group-an American young man, an elderly lady, and an olive-hued Oriental with long hair tucked under his coat collar.

Therese’s little cottage, clean and neat, with geraniums blooming by a primitive well, was alas! silently closed. The neighbors, and even the village postman who passed by, could give us no information. Rain began to fall; my companions suggested that we leave.

“No,” I said stubbornly, “I will stay here until I find some clue leading to Therese.”

Two hours later we were still sitting in our car amidst the dismal rain. “Lord,” I sighed complainingly, “why didst Thou lead me here if she has disappeared?”

An English-speaking man halted beside us, politely offering his aid.

“I don’t know for certain where Therese is,” he said, “but she often visits at the home of Professor Wurz, a seminary master of Eichstatt, eighty miles from here.”

The following morning our party motored to the quiet village of Eichstatt, narrowly lined with cobblestoned streets. Dr. Wurz greeted us cordially at his home; “Yes, Therese is here.” He sent her word of the visitors. A messenger soon appeared with her reply.

“Though the bishop has asked me to see no one without his permission, I will receive the man of God from India.”

Deeply touched at these words, I followed Dr. Wurz upstairs to the sitting room. Therese entered immediately, radiating an aura of peace and joy.

She wore a black gown and spotless white head dress. Although her age was thirty-seven at this time, she seemed much younger, possessing indeed a childlike freshness and charm. Healthy, well- formed, rosy-cheeked, and cheerful, this is the saint that does not eat!

Therese greeted me with a very gentle handshaking. We both beamed in silent communion, each knowing the other to be a lover of God.

Dr. Wurz kindly offered to serve as interpreter. As we seated ourselves, I noticed that Therese was glancing at me with naive curiosity; evidently Hindus had been rare in Bavaria.

“Don’t you eat anything?” I wanted to hear the answer from her own lips.

“No, except a consecrated rice-flour wafer, once every morning at six o’clock.”

“How large is the wafer?”

“It is paper-thin, the size of a small coin.” She added, “I take it for sacramental reasons; if it is unconsecrated, I am unable to swallow it.”

“Certainly you could not have lived on that, for twelve whole years?”

“I live by God’s light.” How simple her reply, how Einsteinian!

“I see you realize that energy flows to your body from the ether, sun, and air.”

A swift smile broke over her face. “I am so happy to know you understand how I live.”

“Your sacred life is a daily demonstration of the truth uttered by Christ: ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.'”

Again she showed joy at my explanation. “It is indeed so. One of the reasons I am here on earth today is to prove that man can live by God’s invisible light, and not by food only.”

“Can you teach others how to live without food?”
She appeared a trifle shocked. “I cannot do that; God does not wish it.”

As my gaze fell on her strong, graceful hands, Therese showed me a little, square, freshly healed wound on each of her palms. On the back of each hand, she pointed out a smaller, crescent-shaped wound, freshly healed. Each wound went straight through the hand. The sight brought to my mind distinct recollection of the large square iron nails with crescent-tipped ends, still used in the Orient, but which I do not recall having seen in the West.

The saint told me something of her weekly trances. “As a helpless onlooker, I observe the whole Passion of Christ.” Each week, from Thursday midnight until Friday afternoon at one o’clock, her wounds open and bleed; she loses ten pounds of her ordinary 121-pound weight. Suffering intensely in her sympathetic love, Therese yet looks forward joyously to these weekly visions of her Lord.

I realized at once that her strange life is intended by God to reassure all Christians of the historical authenticity of Jesus’ life and crucifixion as recorded in the New Testament, and to dramatically display the ever-living bond between the Galilean Master and his devotees.

Professor Wurz related some of his experiences with the saint.

“Several of us, including Therese, often travel for days on sight- seeing trips throughout Germany,” he told me. “It is a striking contrast-while we have three meals a day, Therese eats nothing. She remains as fresh as a rose, untouched by the fatigue which the trips cause us. As we grow hungry and hunt for wayside inns, she laughs merrily.”

The professor added some interesting physiological details: “Because Therese takes no food, her stomach has shrunk. She has no excretions, but her perspiration glands function; her skin is always soft and firm.”

At the time of parting, I expressed to Therese my desire to be present at her trance.

“Yes, please come to Konnersreuth next Friday,” she said graciously. “The bishop will give you a permit. I am very happy you sought me out in Eichstatt.”

Therese shook hands gently, many times, and walked with our party to the gate. Mr. Wright turned on the automobile radio; the saint examined it with little enthusiastic chuckles. Such a large crowd of youngsters gathered that Therese retreated into the house. We saw her at a window, where she peered at us, childlike, waving her hand.

From a conversation the next day with two of Therese’s brothers, very kind and amiable, we learned that the saint sleeps only one or two hours at night. In spite of the many wounds in her body, she is active and full of energy. She loves birds, looks after an aquarium of fish, and works often in her garden. Her correspondence is large; Catholic devotees write her for prayers and healing blessings. Many seekers have been cured through her of serious diseases.

Her brother Ferdinand, about twenty-three, explained that Therese has the power, through prayer, of working out on her own body the ailments of others. The saint’s abstinence from food dates from a time when she prayed that the throat disease of a young man of her parish, then preparing to enter holy orders, be transferred to her own throat.

On Thursday afternoon our party drove to the home of the bishop, who looked at my flowing locks with some surprise. He readily wrote out the necessary permit. There was no fee; the rule made by the Church is simply to protect Therese from the onrush of casual tourists, who in previous years had flocked on Fridays by the thousands.

We arrived Friday morning about nine-thirty in Konnersreuth. I noticed that Therese’s little cottage possesses a special glass-roofed section to afford her plenty of light. We were glad to see the doors no longer closed, but wide-open in hospitable cheer. There was a line of about twenty visitors, armed with their permits. Many had come from great distances to view the mystic trance.

Therese had passed my first test at the professor’s house by her intuitive knowledge that I wanted to see her for spiritual reasons, and not just to satisfy a passing curiosity.

My second test was connected with the fact that, just before I went upstairs to her room, I put myself into a yogic trance state in order to be one with her in telepathic and televisic rapport. I entered her chamber, filled with visitors; she was lying in a white robe on the bed. With Mr. Wright following closely behind me, I halted just inside the threshold, awestruck at a strange and most frightful spectacle.

Blood flowed thinly and continuously in an inch-wide stream from Therese’s lower eyelids. Her gaze was focused upward on the spiritual eye within the central forehead. The cloth wrapped around her head was drenched in blood from the stigmata wounds of the crown of thorns. The white garment was redly splotched over her heart from the wound in her side at the spot where Christ’s body, long ages ago, had suffered the final indignity of the soldier’s spear-thrust.

Therese’s hands were extended in a gesture maternal, pleading; her face wore an expression both tortured and divine. She appeared thinner, changed in many subtle as well as outward ways. Murmuring words in a foreign tongue, she spoke with slightly quivering lips to persons visible before her inner sight.

As I was in attunement with her, I began to see the scenes of her vision. She was watching Jesus as he carried the cross amidst the jeering multitude.

Suddenly she lifted her head in consternation: the Lord had fallen under the cruel weight. The vision disappeared. In the exhaustion of fervid pity, Therese sank heavily against her pillow.

At this moment I heard a loud thud behind me. Turning my head for a second, I saw two men carrying out a prostrate body. But because I was coming out of the deep superconscious state, I did not immediately recognize the fallen person. Again I fixed my eyes on Therese’s face, deathly pale under the rivulets of blood, but now calm, radiating purity and holiness. I glanced behind me later and saw Mr. Wright standing with his hand against his cheek, from which blood was trickling.

“Dick,” I inquired anxiously, “were you the one who fell?”

“Yes, I fainted at the terrifying spectacle.”
“Well,” I said consolingly, “you are brave to return and look upon the sight again.”

Remembering the patiently waiting line of pilgrims, Mr. Wright and I silently bade farewell to Therese and left her sacred presence.

The following day our little group motored south, thankful that we were not dependent on trains, but could stop the Ford wherever we chose throughout the countryside. We enjoyed every minute of a tour through Germany, Holland, France, and the Swiss Alps. In Italy we made a special trip to Assisi to honor the apostle of humility, St. Francis. The European tour ended in Greece, where we viewed the Athenian temples, and saw the prison in which the gentle Socrates had drunk his death potion.

One is filled with admiration for the artistry with which the Greeks have everywhere wrought their very fancies in alabaster.

We took ship over the sunny Mediterranean, disembarking at Palestine. Wandering day after day over the Holy Land, I was more than ever convinced of the value of pilgrimage. The spirit of Christ is all- pervasive in Palestine; I walked reverently by his side at Bethlehem, Gethsemane, Calvary, the holy Mount of Olives, and by the River Jordan and the Sea of Galilee.

Our little party visited the Birth Manger, Joseph’s carpenter shop, the tomb of Lazarus, the house of Martha and Mary, the hall of the Last Supper. Antiquity unfolded; scene by scene, I saw the divine drama that Christ once played for the ages.

On to Egypt, with its modern Cairo and ancient pyramids. Then a boat down the narrow Red Sea, over the vasty Arabian Sea; lo, India.

Christ, History, India, Mantra, Mystical, Shiva, Spiritual, Yoga

Mahavatar Babaji – Shiva Siddha – Immortal Yogi Christ

September 24, 2020 sakshizion 1 Comment

THE SHIVA SIDDHAS : Babaji Nagaraj 🔱

One of the 18 Maheshvara Siddhas responsible for founding a school of yoga based upon the ancient teachings of Sanat Kumara – the founder of the Gnostic-Alchemical Path – was the Siddha Babaji. Also known as Nagaraj, “King of the Nagas,” Babaji was a student of both Agastyar and Boganathar. Babaji’s school of yoga, called Kriya Yoga, was based upon the Kaya Kalpa science of pranayama or breath control.

According to the authorized biography in Babaji and The 18 Siddha Kriya Yoga Tradition by Babaji devotee M. Govindam, Babaji was born in 203 B.C. to a priest of the Shiva temple in Parangipetttai, southern India. Within his father’s temple was a life-sized image of Sanat Kumara or Lord Murugan that had originally been a huge Shiva lingam before magically transforming into the forever young form of the Kumara, Babaji spent much of his earliest years assisting his father in the temple and immersing himself in the worship of this image of Murugan.

At five years of age Babaji was kidnapped, but then set free again soon afterwards. Rather than return to his home and family, however, Babaji decided to renounce worldy life and travel throughout India as a mendicant and renunciate. During his subsequent wanderings Babaji encountered many enlightened Siddhas, each of whom taught him some facet of Yoga. At one point his travels led him to the shrine of Murugan in Sri Lanka where he met the Siddha Bogarnath and gained instruction in both alchemy and meditation Then, following six months of intensive spiritual practice under Bogarnath’s expert guidance, Babaji achieved a deep state of transcendental absorption or Samadhi during which he achieved spiritual communion with the forever young boy.

After leaving Sri Lanka, Babaji journeyed to the Pothigai Hills with the goal of receiving the spiritual blessings of the Siddha Agastya With great determination Babaji camped at the Courtallam Falls which were nearby the sage’s secluded ashram and vowed to undergo severe austerities until he was blessed with the divine presence of the diminutive sage. Following forty-eight days of rigorous tapas (austerities) Babaji’s resolve bore fruit and the diminutive Siddha spontaneously appeared from behind a tree. Agastyar blessed Babaji and initiated him into that branch of Kaya Kalpa known as Vasi Yoga, the science of breath control. Following this initiation, Agastyar gave Babaji instructions to travel to the Himalayas and master pranayama.

Babaji immersed himself in intensive yoga within the Himalayan caves before founding an ashram near the Shiva Temple of Badrinath. In due time he achieved immortality and became patriarch of his own school of Vasi Yoga called Kriya Yoga. Through the dynamic yogis who subsequently achieved enlightenment under Babaji’s guidance, including the Siddhas Lahari Mahasaya, Shri Yukteswar, and Paramahansa Yogananda, Kriya Yoga eventually spread throughout the world. Babaji Nagaraj is said to currently be approximately 2000 years in age while continuing to anchor the high frequencies of Spirit in an immortal physical form in his Himalayan retreat.

From: The Return of the Serpents of Wisdom 🐍
by Mark Amaru Pinkham