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| 2 | Detailed in this chapter, are many of the symbols developed in accord with the New Church. With the symbol at left, essentially the first one I developed, perhaps the most important. It signifies The Advent of the New Church. (See below.) Like science, the use of numbers—and geometry—are used for verification. Much in the way these symbols, with their inherent symmetry, do the same thing. And, most exemplify the base fourteen system! Likewise, the symbology of this chapter serves to verify this book. |
| 3 | While I also use this chapter for collecting the various "odds and ends" that don't seem to fit in elsewhere. These will be mentioned throughout. I'll start by illustrating each symbol and follow with its description. |
| 4 | This symbol (above) coincides most with The Advent of the New Church, and was developed in 1987. Like I said, I was living with my mother at the time and my whole life had fallen apart: I needed to bring it back into perspective. As I tried to reconcile myself to God, I felt I needed something to reflect on, to corral some spiritual dimensioning into my life. |
| 5 | After it was developed I let it loose in my mind: I closed my eyes and pictured it there, and with only a slight effort it became fully animated, to structure my psyche and assume form within me. And for the next day I felt perfectly aligned. I wasn't expecting this! (I knew it wouldn't last though, for it felt too mechanical.) It was also the same day I told my mother exactly what our problem was, for the first time! (With everything being an emotional issue, she got upset at the slightest hint of this, which usually backfired and got me upset, causing something bad to happen, especially at this point.) |
| 6 | This was also about the time I envisioned the Star of David in my mind (as portrayed in the symbol). It was a "yellow-orange" color, and with nearly a mind of its own it ascended from a place above my chest, to within a foot above my forehead, where it remained a second or two. And I said, "Wait! That's not me!" And I kind of ducked out sheepishly from underneath. It seemed to suggest I was David, and I couldn't understand why? |
| 7 | Soon afterwards, within a month, I had the rebirth
experience. And it was sometime later, a year? when working with
the book of Revelation, that I realized this might be the Seal of God,
as portrayed in  Revelation
7 (vs 2-3). It seemed to meet all the criteria. And, as God's
reconciliation with man is typically portrayed through marriage, it seemed
only fitting that I ascribe to it Holy Matrimony.
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| 8 | As for the shaded area of the cross, I surmised it had something to do with the "womb of the mind." (I only shaded it later.) Sure enough this was affirmed during the rebirth experience. After closing my eyes in fear (doubt), a black cloud—of evil—arose from my left breast into the sky, in the form of the "left womb." While it occurred a second time from my right breast, in the form of the "right womb." This was just before I fell asleep and re-awoke with the baby screeching in my ears! |
| 9 | I also considered the above symbol without the bevels on the cross and its point at the bottom. (I equated this with man's sin.) I surmised this was Christ in His Perfection. This is shown below. And, while meditating over the prior month, there appeared to be "a door" in my mind, which opened into the sky. And I watched as all these spheres or orbs glided through—upwards and to the right. And though they were of different colors, most were the same color as the star (yellow-orange); while they all had an "oily" appearance. At the time I equated them with souls, ascending to heaven. |
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| 10 | Which is significant for when I had the vision of the cross in the last chapter, it was configured like this second cross, and was comprised of all these orbs! They all lay prone (like a rectangle) and each was permeated with black (i.e., from the black clouds). And I immediately understood what it meant. These were souls who had laid down their lives, and in so doing, drew these evils to themselves. This is illustrated below. |
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| 11 | Just prior to the development of the Seal of God, I had an experience where I was taken up into heaven, into a household (February 1987). I was asleep and awoke to find myself in the spirit, suspended in the sky looking at these black "stick figures" of men— they were supposed to be "dead souls." I was doubting my own fate when I was met by a man angel, as we sailed into the night sky with him at the lead. We were ordinarily clad as we sailed passed countless stars, and covered a great distance in a short period. And on we continued. And I began to think, "Man where are we going? Will we ever stop?" I was getting very anxious but, the next moment I was standing on the street in the middle of a neighborhood (by myself). |
| 12 | It was still quite dark as I looked around at the houses. They were charming little houses, of different colors, mostly white and yellow, and seemed to glow in the dark: from the streetlights? (They were day-glow colors and it seemed more like a fantasy.) I surmised I was in heaven, but wondered if I was where I really belonged. It all happened so abruptly. I then turned to face what looked like my mother's apartment building and suspected I was at the right place. But I was determined I should have a key to the door and, pulling the keys from out of my pocket, I approached. I fumbled around for a moment or two, but to no avail. I just didn't have the coordination. I was too disoriented. |
| 13 | I found myself laying on the ground next to the walkway as a man approached. As I reached out my hand and in a muffled cry asked, "Could you please help me?" (I don't know if it was the same man I departed with?) Before I knew it I was on a hospital bed and he was wheeling me into the house. He wheeled me through the living room and into the kitchen, and we began to talk, and I soon began to recover my vigor. I was fully conscious now, and I could see, I could hear, I could talk, and I possessed my sense of touch, while everything appeared in three dimensions. Moments later his wife stepped in from the other room (bedroom); both had intended for me to stay for they believed I had died. And as I looked over at her to get a closer look, the whole living room became enlivened. Just then I caught a glimpse of the sun through the front window coming up over the mountains. In only an instant I was wide awake, laying on the sofa-bed in the middle of my mother's living room! |
| 14 | To me this was an encouraging sign, for although my life had been in a shambles, I knew there was a better place, and I knew it was still accessible. It seemed to be the fulfillment of something Swedenborg said about a man's life coming to ruin in the world. That if he were good, God would take him first, before allowing his soul to be destroyed. |
| 15 | This prompts the experience I had in the fall of 1986 (November?), which speaks of the New Church in heaven before it sets down on earth (as mentioned in Judith). And I had dream, where I was approached by a young woman who reminded me of my sister Cindy—her innocence. I was standing on a dirt road, near a field about ready to be plowed, and it was a gray evening. And she approached asking about God, I don't recall what, but I suggested she talk to the Father in Heaven and pointed straight up. Looking up at the same time, there it was, a huge shiny full moon, and it was magnificent! When I looked down the young woman was gone. But I looked up again and there they were, two beautiful full moons talking to each other! Across her moon ran a thin dark cloud, or something to that effect. |
| 17 | In only an instant I was in a large auditorium with a large group of people. I sat in the middle of the front row, and up on stage were two or three people, preparing to give a demonstration. (I'm reminded of the demonstrations Swedenborg speaks of in his writings.) But sensing this had something to do with me, specifically, I couldn't sit still. I squirmed in my chair for a moment or two, as I tried to let things proceed, but I couldn't settle down. I don't recall excusing myself, but a moment later I was wide awake in bed. |
| 18 | After gaining insight into this several years later,
I realized it was preliminary to The
Advent of the New Church on earth, that indeed it was the New Church becoming manifest in heaven. And so applies to Revelation
12:1: "And there appeared a great wonder in heaven, a woman
clothed with the sun, and the moon under feet, and upon her head a crown
of twelve stars." And as Swedenborg says in The Apocalypse Revealed,
the new church in heaven is expressly implied here—by the moon under
her feet! There's also the crown of twelve stars, which suggests
something similar to the stars in my dream. Indeed all the elements are
here.
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| 19 | I also said the young woman reminded me of my sister, which is significant for Cindy comes from Artemis, the moon goddess! And virgin! (so correlating with this woman's innocence). And this was a couple of years before I made the connection! |
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| 20 | Having equated Dionysus with The Church, it's only fitting that I mention Ariadne, his beloved and dear wife. And in the myth, Ariadne's bridal chaplet, which was first given to Theseus (giving more credence to what I say about him in chapter 12), was placed amongst the stars in heaven, as the Corona Borealis: which literally means, Northern Crown. And while the constellation only contains seven stars, the Greeks still refer to the heavens in terms of the signs of the Zodiac, suggesting a similarity to The Woman and her crown of twelve stars, which is The Church. |
| 21 | While it's also a northern constellation, a direction corresponding to the number 12, as detailed in this chapter. (See The Marriage / 567 and Nyssa, Oregon.) Which brings up Pisces, the northern constellation and 12th sign. Thus making it significant that my rebirth experience occurred at this time (March 4th), showing the correspondence between the number 12 and The Church. And, being midway through Pisces, as it approaches Aries, it's significant that Ariadne means, "of Aries." And here, I give a primary example of the relationship between Aries and Ariadne at the end of the chapter: Princess Thianna. |
| 22 | Thus it's significant that her chaplet was comprised of roses, for in Swedenborg's work Conjugal Love, he says they signify the highest form of expression between a man and a woman, conjugal love itself. And so alludes to the marriage of God and The Church. Hence it's no wonder Dionysus has been called the divine androgeny, the closest assimilation between the masculine traits and the feminine traits (why he's called a fertility god). And although he's often portrayed as effeminate, it's conceivably the highest form of masculinity, the masculine realization of conjugal love. Therefore to be macho, which is a form of extremism and the opposite to seduction, by no means implies what it means to be masculine. What is so truthful—or masculine—about degrading women? Similarly, Dionysus and Jesus Himself is portrayed as effeminate, yet He's equated with the Father Himself. Indeed, He's even called The Father (even as Dionysus was called a second Zeus). |
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| 23 | This symbol underscores the significance
of the number 543, in conjunction with the year 543 BC, as mentioned in
chapter
2. Hence I'm referring to The Two Witnesses in Revelation
11, as I draw a parallel between Christ and Dionysus. And, as eleven
is the key, or number of verification (see chapter
8), the table at the right suggests something very unique. Each
number, which is integral to the configuration—thus depicting the
inherent symmetry involved—corresponds to eleven! All of which is
hinged upon the shift that occurs when the 4 is placed in the center
(as on the front
cover), i.e., between 5 and 3 or 53 which, is 543. This is what
the indicator arrows show, although they apply more to the numbers 123,
333, 543, 347, 53 and 67 (what I was working on before I realized the others
applied). If this wasn't enough, everything is exemplified by the twelve-hour
clock—when at eleven o'clock! Which is surely more than a coincidence!
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| 24 | Thus I know for a fact that my rebirth experience occurred in 1987, as corresponds to the sixth church, which was 230 years after the fifth church was instituted in 1757, as detailed in Emanuel Swedenborg's work. And, as the Jews were freed from the Babylonians in 538 BC, as concurs with the fourth church, it was approximately 2,300 years before 1757 (only a five year difference). And conceivably something could have occurred in 543 BC, specifically, to signify this. And here, it's interesting how one of the more famous pictures of Dionysus' epiphany, Dionysus aboard his ship, was painted by Exekias (similar to Ezekiel?) in 540 BC. |
| 25 | The impact of this symbol was brought home after I moved to Portland, Oregon from Santa Rosa in 1994. (I just finished working on it before I moved.) I was only there a week-and-a-half before I started to work, and the most unusual thing happened on the second day. I wore a green shirt that day, and hence the number 5 (what occurred to me), which happened to be the color of my supervisor's shirt; as he and I worked together. And while it seemed a little odd, I didn't make much of it, until one of the ladies came up to me and said she was intrigued by this. And said it was especially interesting how numbers cropped up "in pairs," particularly when she was driving and saw two cars with similar license plates. Which I said I didn't think was that unusual, and that I had a similar interest, and I was writing a book about it. And that was pretty much it. |
| 26 | This was first thing in the morning, and later that day it all came to light. Well a person who I knew and worked with in Grants Pass (the company I refer to in chapter 12), who I hadn't seen in five years (hence the color green), came walking through the door! He had worked there all this time! Thus being the only person in Portland who knew me, he stood as a witness to the fact that I was there: hence the two witnesses. But there's more. Before he moved he bought a sports car with, the number 543 on the license plate! Having already developed my theory about the number 543 I was intrigued, for I easily correlated his name with Dionysus and Jesus and, Hestia (or Vesta, its Roman form). Indeed I had equated him with the two witnesses. What a pronouncement this lady made! |
| 27 | While it was partly because of him that I moved to Portland, for my boss said he had moved there because of all the electronics manufacturers there. And indeed, one of the first things I did was look him up to see if he could help me get a job, but he wasn't in the phone book. I also thought I saw him walking down the street, twice, but it was someone else. Yet here he was at work! The company has since moved back east, to New York, the 11th state. How strange? |
| 28 | On the day I addressed my mother about our problems, I parked my truck in the lot across from the Masonic Lodge, a rather modest looking building, on 7th and Beaver Streets. And here, the parking lot was close by and was usually empty, and there was relatively little traffic. Meaning I didn't want to be disturbed, as I reflected on the new symbol, The Seal of God. |
| 29 | While it was some time later when I remember walking up to the building and wondering about the Masons. Who were they and how did I wind up here? (where I had returned on several occasions). Could there be a kindred spirit here? I had a vague idea about it but kind of dismissed it, though I continued to wonder about it in the back of my mind. I even considered the possibility of presenting my materials to them, in order to establish an affiliation. (I don't belong to any organization and it seemed like a possible option for promoting my book.) But I thought it was too forward, nor did I expect them to understand. |
| 30 | Indeed, there hasn't been much press given to the Masons in this country, perhaps purposely, yet I came to find out that most of our founding fathers were Masons. The founders of our country! I also found out George Washington was a Mason, which gives more meaning to the vision I had in chapter 5. And, though it may have been prompted by the close proximity to his birthday, and the piece written about him being addressed by an angel from heaven, as "Son of the Republic" and foretold the future of this country, which I was reflecting on, it was also about the time I began working on this symbol! (While it's interesting that the only National Masonic Monument, the George Washington Masonic National Memorial, in Alexandria, Virginia, is dedicated to him.) |
| 31 | Whereas the Masonic emblem itself shows a compass laid over a square, with the letter G in the middle. And, except for the fact that the angles are incomplete, it resembles the Star of David. (It's supposedly derived from this.) While the G, which is also the 7th letter, stands for geometry, an essential part of Masonry. And indeed, this is expressly what I had in mind when developing this symbol: the ultimate geometric expression, depicting the perfect balance. |
| 32 | Finally there was Hiram
Abiff, considered the greatest builder of the ancient world and
central figure in Masonic lore—their greatest martyr. Master builder,
master Mason,
and adept in the art of geometry, he was commissioned to build
King Solomon's temple 1
Kings 7:13-51 and, was grand master of the Dionysian Architects!
Another exclusive tie! While the lodge in Santa Rosa
was on 7th street—an important Masonic as well as religious number—and
Beaver Street, with the beaver itself a master builder. And, when
George Washington
is portrayed laying the cornerstone to our nation's
capitol in Masonic garb, it suggests he too was a master builder. Hiram
was also murdered on the site of the temple, much of which reflects the
afflictions I was to suffer in the parking lot: with one of the only
times I didn't suffer, being when I was reflecting on this symbol.
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| 33 | The Masonic Connection was further illustrated after I moved to Portland, Oregon, and centers around Oregon, the 33rd state—and, the beaver state. I had been living in the area for about nine months when my new roommate moved in. (It was a shared rental with five other people.) A younger person in his mid-twenties, he had immigrated to America a few years earlier from Bulgaria. |
| 34 | One thing unusual about him is he was Mason, a rarity, for there aren't many Masons from Bulgaria. He had been introduced to the craft while living in Switzerland by his uncle. Thus it was about the time that I introduced parts of my book that he began to espouse the virtues of Masonry, and began pestering me about it. Indeed, I had already forgotten about what happened in Santa Rosa, and clearly wasn't interested, nor did he seem that credible (subject to fantasy and over-embellishment). But over the course of the next seven months it began to add up. It was he who first mentioned Hiram Abiff. So it seems someone had to come all the way from Bulgaria to tell me about it! He also mentioned he was familiar with the Greek gods and had a special fondness for Hermes—the messenger—and like me with Dionysus, he was a representative of Hermes. Wow! |
| 35 | We later established something very unusual, when we found out Harry Truman held the highest degree of Scottish Rite Masonry—the 33rd degree. This is when I said he was the 33rd president, and that here we were talking about it in Oregon, the 33rd state. While he spoke of how Christ died at the age of 33. (Please see the symbol of Oregon and the cross in this chapter.) So we both concluded 33 was a very mystical number, and that, for both of us, Oregon had become the land of destiny (something he continued to stress). He was also a member of the Beaverton lodge of all places! |
| 36 | This was all brought home when we drove to California for Christmas (1995). While it was a week or two before that he gave me a book to read, which spoke of secret sects and related phenomena, and made specific references to Masonry. I didn't get a chance to read it all (I was a bit reluctant) and asked if it would be okay to take it to California to read. He said yes. We drove down the Saturday before Christmas, and on Sunday I took him to the Santa Rosa bus terminal to catch a bus to San Francisco. We still had a couple of hours so I decided to show him the temple on 7th and Beaver streets. There wasn't much more to it than that and not a whole lot of fanfare. |
| 37 | Well later that evening I began to read the book. And one of the first things I read was about Hiram Abiff, and it stated outright that he was grandmaster of the Dionysian Architects! Now I had already entertained a similar idea, that he was secretly a member of the sect, but now there was no denying the connection! |
| 38 | This and the number 33 was all expanded on about a month later when we got back from dinner one night, and I suggested we see what was on 33rd Street, just out of curiosity. We lived off 45th Street (he had just relocated from Utah, the 45th state), and we figured it wouldn't be too far away. But it was hard to find, and when we did, it snaked around and we weren't sure if it was the same road. We finally reached the end and there was a small building there, called OMNI Research. And next door to it, on 32nd street, was another curious looking building. We drove by a couple of times and I remarked on how unusual it looked, like some kind of Masonic building, which didn't register with him. (He would know better than I.) |
| 39 | We were getting ready to leave and were driving back on 32nd Street, when I noticed a small plaque on the side, and I said, "That sure looks like a Masonic emblem," and sure enough when we turned around to look it was! How strange? Of course the temple was on 32nd Street, but both these numbers have a similar Masonic significance. And here, my roommate and I ordered some Masonic ornaments before Christmas, and mine corresponded to the 32nd degree, the double headed eagle, with its similarity to the name Dennis and the numbers 32 (left head), 23 (right head) and 33 (center), as portrayed in Karen. |
| 40 | As for OMNI Research, we weren't sure what it meant, but later discovered the word omni is a prefix, meaning all (or universal), and of the ten or so listings in the diction- ary, half of them were titles of God: omnificent, omnipotent, omnipresent, omniscient, etc.. Hence the word omniscient means all knowing, and probably best describes what's implied here. Which is essentially what the number 33 implies—as corresponds to the number 5 and the understanding—suggesting what is universal or, of the enlightenment, which is what I had already determined! |
| 41 | While about a month later we headed across town to see what was on the other 33rd Street, across the river. Sure enough when we finally found it, it too was hard to find, between the corners of 32nd and 33rd Street (actually 30th and 33rd), there was an Odd Fellows apartment building (retirement center?), an organization founded by the Masons! While I understand Albert Pike, the head of American Masonry in the 1800's, and Sovereign Grand Commander of the Scottish Rite (he's responsible for the order as we know it today), was first an Odd Fellow. |
| 42 | We also found out Oregon City, which is part of the greater Portland area—and hence the correlation to Oregon the state—was the first incorporated city in Oregon, and became the first state capitol. It was at the end of the Oregon Trail and was the first incorporated city in the west. While according to my roommate, though I haven't ascertained it myself, it was founded by the Masons! Which may or may not be true (it was founded by Dr. John McLoughlin, who wasn't a Mason?) but, the first Masonic lodge west of the Mississippi (Multnomah No. 1) was established here, which is equally impressive! |
| 42a | There's one thing I'd like to mention here, regarding
the New Church, and the overall theme of the movie,
My Name is Nobody (as referred to in chapter 11). Basically there are
"three levels" of justice which are portrayed, regarding the Old West at the turn
of the century in the late 1800's. The first being the overall sense of lawlessness
and disorder, accompanied by the constant threat of violence. Indeed, why else
call it the Wild West? The second being the introduction of law and order, via the
likes of Jack Beauregard, the aging and soon to be retired gunslinger, played by Henry
Fonda. And the third being the advent of society and civil order, hence the ushering in
of a new era, via the youthful antics of the happy-go-lucky "Nobody," played by Terence Hill.
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| 42b | While it must be understood that Nobody's demeaner—i.e., carefree, light-hearted and innocent—would not have been possible, were it not for the likes of Jack Beauregard, whose dead seriousness stood in direct contrast to Nobody's frivolity. Indeed, Nobody would not have been able to maintain these "childlike qualities," were it not for folks like Jack Beauregard, whom Nobody greatly admired and idolized when growing up, to pave the way beforehand. |
| 42c | And so brings to mind what Swedenborg refers to as the three levels of spirituality that are maintained in the spiritual world (although they are established in ourselves, on a personal level, when we are alive) after we die. The first being the natural, as corresponds to the natural world, and to the "world of spirits," that exists halfway between heaven and hell, the second being the spiritual, as corresponds to the spiritual kingdom, which is the first or lower heaven that rules above the natural, the third being the celestial, as corresponds to the celestial kingdom, which is the second or highest heaven that rules above the natural and the spiritual ... |
| 42d | And right at the beginning of the movie it shows the three outlaws (Uranus) riding into town with the church bell ringing in the background, as a sign of forboding or impending judgment. They then stop as the clock begins to tick (Cronus) as they peer across town and and bring their attention to the barber shop which, is where they had stopped. They then bind and gag the barber and his son as they await the arrival of Beauregard, who had just left the telegraph office, all the while the clock is ticking, and continues to tick ... |
| 42e | And towards the end of the movie when the big shootout occurs, where Jack Beauregard faces off against the Wild Bunch, with him on one side of the railroad tracks, as he digs in, he begins blasting everyone off their horses as they draw near. For he had seen them placing dynamite in their saddlebags when they were in town, and was aiming at the shiny buckles or snaps glinting in the sun. It then showed several fallen horses on the ground, well short of the tracks, with the riders squatting down and shooting over them. And, as the camera drew in close, it showed several closeups of one rider in particular which, I could have sworn was a spitting image of my friend from Bulgaria! Wow! This is why I brought it up here, in relation to the Masonic Connection. Whereas just before that, to the tune, The Ride of the Valkyries, Nobody kept repeating to Jack, with riders and horses flying everywhere, "You will end in history! You will end in history!" |
| 42f | So, one might think that this was the guy who went around telling everybody else about it. Why not, since he was a spitting image of my roommate who, proclaimed himself to be Hermes—the messenger of the gods! In other words, this was Hermes' role, to spread the news. Thus in the last shot, before it switches over to Jack hopping the train, he has an amazed look on face, one of childlike wonder and awe, as if he could hardly believe what he sees; yet almost sad, because he was sorry to see this "great hero" go, without getting a chance to meet him. And how often have I seen the same look on my roommate's face, the amiable rogue that he was (not unlike the character in this scene or, Hermes). Who, can think of nothing better than to hear of such tales, and tell everyone else about it. So, let it be known! |
| 42g | And just as the train was pulling out, the camera came in
close and took a shot of the engine and the two or three cars as it passed by which,
if you were quick enough, you could identify which train it was, and it said, "NEEM -
RESERVE BANK OF TEXAS - 230," although the only part that was clearly visible was the
number "230." This is what caught my eye in other words. And when I first saw it I was
completely dumbfounded, for here was the exact corroboration of what I had been talking
about! For as I said in chapter 2—aptly titled, "230 Years"—the
Last Judgment was performed in the year 1757, and
signified the beginning of the Swedenborg Church or era which, continued until the year
1987 (230 years later), when the sixth church—of Today—was established. Also, as I said
in chapter 12, that although Roy Masters'
and the FHU didn't signify the New Church,
he was very instrumental in bringing it about and, in fact, represents the transition from the old church to the
new. Which is exactly what I've ascribed to the relationship between Jack Beauregard and
Nobody in the movie here. Also note, it was something I had determined several years
before I actually went out and bought the DVD and happened to notice it on the TV one
day. Which is all the more uncanny!
TO BE CONTINUED ... |