Showing posts with label spirituality. Show all posts
Showing posts with label spirituality. Show all posts

Thursday, May 10, 2012

The Magdalen Manuscript

“I stopped believing. But I never stopped knowing.” So writes Judi Sion, co-author with her partner Tom Kenyon, in The Magdalen Manuscript. Around the age of ten Sion caught a glimpse of her twin flame as her family’s car passed a bus. His face was pressed against the glass and they locked eyes in a holy instant. They did not reunite for forty more years, but throughout that time, Judi states she “knew that the secrets of the universe lay in the physical experiences possible between a man and a woman—when they truly loved each other.” Sion and Kenyon do not use the terms “soul mates” or “twin flames,” rather refer to their union as a “Sacred Relationship.” This is fitting for their comprehensive tome, which is really three treatises in one. When I first saw the subtitle: The Alchemies of Horus and the Sex Magic of Isis, I put off getting the book for six months, assuming it was new age titillation. However, it bears no resemblance to the pseudo tantra genre. It is a deeply profound revelation of the tantric relationship between Yeshua ben Joseph (Jesus) and Mary Magdalen. Tantra is about spiritual transcendence, not to be confused with mind-blowing sex for sex’s sake. The first section of The Magdalen Manuscript is channeled material Sion received from Mary Magdalen, an initiate of Isis. The Bible labeled her a whore to subjugate goddess energy to the patriarchal authority of the church. She and Yeshua ben Joseph (Jesus) mutually assisted each other in ascension. They had a child together and after Yeshua’s crucifixion Mary Magdalen raised her in Europe. Much of Magdalen’s message is instructions on how to strengthen the Ka body, one’s energy body, through the serpent power of sexual energy, often called kundalini. It is the Ka body that is one’s Spiritual Twin and Yeshua’s ability to appear after physical death was due to mastery of the Ka body. Magdalen stresses the importance of unconditional love as the foundation for alchemical sexual interaction. Kenyon expresses his mistrust of channeled material in the introduction, as he considers himself a scientist. However, he states regardless whether Magdalen’s story is true, the exercises to raise one’s consciousness are powerful. The second section of The Magdalen Manuscript, written by Kenyon, is a scholarly comparison of the four major alchemical systems: Egyptian practices described by Magdalen; Tibetan Buddhist Tantra; Taoism; and Tantric Yoga. Kenyon does an excellent job explaining the differences between the path of sacred relationship, in which partners engage in sexual alchemy (Sex Magic of Isis), and the solitary path of self-generated ecstasy (Alchemies of Horus). The last section of The Magdalen Manuscript, like the two previous sections, could stand alone as a significant work. It is titled “One Woman’s Story” and is the personal tale of Sion’s relationship journey, through severe abuse and neglect, culminating in her reunion with the soul she glimpsed on the bus forty years earlier. Part of Sion’s spiritual quest led her to follow Magdalen’s footsteps through Europe. She traveled to France and Rennes-le-Chateau, where legend has it the Priory of Sion (Judi’s name), a secret society, held information the church wanted suppressed. Sion was reluctant to share her story, knowing she’d be ridiculed. However, Magdalen told her it was an integral part of the book. It adds an element of credibility for mystical spiritual seekers, but is likely to be dismissed by rationalists. If you are skeptical about mystical revelations, you are not likely to pick up The Magdalen Manuscript. But if the mysteries of the divine feminine and sacred relationship path intrigue you, it’s a book not to be missed. Myths and legends speak to our divine nature, regardless of factual historical events. Just as Sion said she always knew the truth in her heart, in spite of outward appearances, you will know if this book speaks to your soul. I give it five stars and highly recommend it to anyone who has met their twin flame/soul mate, or senses that sacred relationship is their personal path to God. Lorri Coburn, MSW, is the author of Breaking Free: How Forgiveness and A Course in Miracles Can Set You Free. She is working on her book Even Soul Mates Get the Blues, which is about the soul mate path to God. www.lorricoburn.com

Saturday, April 21, 2012

Sunday, March 4, 2012

Dreaming of the Perfect Relationship

Oh, my gosh! I just fell into the trap I grouse about all the time! I just tried to fit the image of perfection again! What a crock!

I had told myself, “I have the relationship every woman dreams of.” I was so proud of my accomplishment. The next morning as Rod and I did our daily Course in Miracles lessons over coffee, I asked him how he felt about something. He refused to go there. It hit me. I don’t have the relationship every woman dreams of! Here’s my man, once again, absolutely unwilling to express his feelings no matter how many subtle, or not so subtle, angles I try.

Shame jumped in. “You are such an idiot! You think you’ve got it made but you’re lying to yourself again. This relationship lacks a crucial element but you have to keep convincing yourself it’s perfect.”

Then I noticed the familiar pattern. I began to dream of being with my true soul mate, the one who will not only express his feelings to me but be perfectly supportive and loving all the time. Someday this relationship with Rod will have run its course and I will move on to an even better relationship.

These are the old hooks I’ve always cast to manage my disappointment with Rod. But this time I didn’t bite. I caught myself falling into the trap, the one that tells me that someday I’ll be perfect. Someday I’ll have the perfect relationship. Someday I’ll be a role model to women of what you can attain if you only work hard enough.

That’s the crock. There is no someday. I picked up my coffee cup and left the room. Roiling emotions stirred my heart and gut. I breathed, and checked in with my inner voice. “Forgive.”

“Ok. I forgive Rod for not wanting to be vulnerable and express his feelings. I forgive myself for wanting that from him and for wanting the perfect relationship. I forgive myself for dreaming that some day I can get what I really want.”

And the miracle happened. My heart opened. I saw the sweetness of Rod and how his style of expression has truly been perfect for me, even though it has not fit my image of perfection. I have put Rod through a lot, which is a story for another time. I don’t guess one man in ten million could have tolerated what I’ve dished out . It’s been his very nature of controlling his emotions, his desire to let me be me no matter how he feels about it, that’s allowed me to grow monumentally through this relationship. And he’s grown in turn, for his goal has not been the perfect relationship, but spiritual growth.

I do have the perfect relationship. And it doesn’t have to look a certain way. Perfection is in acceptance of this moment, as we connect to our inner Spirit and follow Its guidance. Perfection will never come someday.