As you read the following, please note that nothing but the last “law” mentioned should be truly satisfactory to any of us. Do you think you know what it is? You’re wrong (almost certainly)!
Let this also serve as the “big reveal” for what I truly believe.
Disclaimer:
In fact, I don’t entirely expect anyone to like this post. I’m about to challenge the beliefs of pretty much everyone on the planet. I do, however, expect this to be quite fun (yes, my sense of humor is such!), and that, hopefully, by reading this, people will gain a better appreciation for the beliefs of others, and cease to delude themselves quite as much about what it means, or doesn’t mean to be “spiritual.” I’ll be addressing agnostics, non-denominational spiritualists, Christians, Buddhists, Hindus, Muslims, and anyone else who has an inkling about there being “something else out there.” Please try not to be offended, since that precludes learning and teaching, alike.
Also, please note that while I have received rather lengthy and intense personal revelations about much of this, I can’t yet say that my understanding hereof is complete. Also, in any semi-reasonably-lengthed essay, no matter how complete my understanding may be, I simply can’t fit it all here. (Indeed, I’ve experienced lifetimes of memories from people who have known these things; I simply can’t write it in a short enough period of linear time to be acceptable to me–or even possible in under about 950 years..)
End Disclaimer.
The Four Laws
I’ll be using a mostly-Christian (specifically LDS) nominclature, but the concepts should work with any set of names. (Note to my LDS readers: these terms don’t coincide exactly with the Kingdoms of heaven–except for the last two.) There’s also, in the strictest sense, more than four laws, but I’ll be categorizing them more broadly than the 1,000+ religions of the world would otherwise allow.
Outer Darkness
Outer Darkness is the absence of law. Strangely, this looks a lot like the Celestial Law (see below), but the motivations behind it are entirely different.
In Outer Darkness, we give no concern for the well-being of others; we have no care for the laws of the land (when they’re just); and would happily say or do anything that’s convenient toward obtaining our ends.
A person without spiritual law will be completely separatist, with regard to fellow beings, except when those beings provide pleasure, entertainment, wealth, or other desirables. When a person is living this “law,” all cares become ephemeral, with the exception of a given person’s immediate pleasure.
In practical terms, this could be characterized by hedonism (see also: “drunken frat house”), malice (white supremacists, black supremacists, religious bigots, atheist bigots, etc.), warmongers, amoral capitalists, and so on. If you don’t care what your actions do to anyone else, then you’re here.
This law cannot help a person progress, except by providing inner dissatisfaction and contrast, and thereby prompting a person to seek a higher law. In that context, this law isn’t necessarily “evil,” so much as woefully lacking: if it helps a person progress to any place above it, then it’s doing its job. I’d only categorize it as “evil” insomuch as a person has descended here from a higher law, and doesn’t eventually choose to ascend again.
Telestial
This is the law of basic ethics. If you’re living peaceably on Planet Earth, and don’t fit into either of the following categories, then you’re probably here.
Such things as are included in this law are (by whatever wording, and in no particular order):
-Honor your parents/elders
-Don’t commit murder
-Don’t steal
-Don’t commit adultery (extramarital affairs)
-Don’t lie (including making false accusations)
-Don’t be a nasty to other people (whatever that means in your culture)
Obviously, more such guidelines can be included here; the important thing, is that this is the law of “ethics,” as compared to “morality.” (Morality is discussed in the following law: “Terrestrial.”)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethics
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morality
This law is fine in a secular sense–in that it does a fair job of “keeping society intact.” If everybody lived this law, we’d be doing alright. Of course, many people live only the aforementioned one, and we should hope that something better than simply “getting along” is possible. See below!
Terrestrial
This is the law of morality. Herein, we expand on the basic guidelines set forth in the “Telestial Law” to include things like:
-You shall have no other gods/religions before this one (relative to whatever religion one subscribes to)
-Keep the Sabbath Day holy (several Abrahamic sects)
-Don’t seethe a yew in its mother’s milk (Judaism/”Law of Moses”)
-Do not kill animals (certain Hindu sects)
-Meditate daily (Buddhism and other religions)
-Do not consume alcohol (“Mormonism,” some Buddhism, Islam, Hinduism, etc.)
-Treat others as you want to be treated/”Golden Rule” (Please note: I include this under “morality” because this notion wasn’t popular in most of the world for most of humanity’s existence. Organized/popular religions brought this notion to popularity. This is not to be confused with “charity”/true altruism/compassion/pure love! This is just reciprocal altruism that’s been upgraded slightly.)
-Learn martial traditions to help secure your sovereignty (Morrigan Wicca)
-Hold nature to be sacred, and treat it accordingly (druidism; many Wiccan sects; some pagan sects)
-Alcohol (especially mead) is a sacred blend of fire and water. What you speak over it in ritual is binding. (Norse paganism)
Basically, ANY tenet that is subscribed to in religion that isn’t commonly subscribed-to in “ethics” belongs in this list.
…But why isn’t this satisfactory?
We can clearly see that the unintended result of people having morality is that of all moral people hating each other (except those whose morality is nearly exactly the same as that of a given individual). Even though we’ve mostly gotten over the insane desire to crusade across the planet and kill “non-believers” (a misnomer in almost any case, since nearly everybody believes something), many Muslims still hate Christians; many Christians still hate non-“mainstream” Christians (often including Mormons and Catholics) and anyone who isn’t, in fact, mainstream Christians; many Mormons still hate Pagans and Wiccans; nearly every Pagan seems to hate basically any Abrahamic faith (usually with some good reasons, if only historical ones); Hindus often look down upon other faiths (for a variety of reasons)–in spite of being a generally-inclusive religion; Buddhists (in all their great tranquility) tent to hate people for not being free of hate; and for that matter, pretty much everyone in the world still hates anyone else whose beliefs differ much from their own. In fact, how many religionists/spiritualists have real, deep respect for those who do not appear to have any faith (or who genuinely don’t)? Have you ever met an atheist who, at some level, doesn’t disrespect religionists? I know I haven’t.
But let’s not discount religious morality, yet. Even putting aside Pascal’s Wager, religious law does at last three wonderful things for us:
1) Help us to put aside our vices, so as to better learn self control and ultimately obtain our greater goals.
2) Teach us beneficial things that we could not have otherwise known. This includes health laws, such as avoiding foods that could not be properly prepared in a reliably safe fashion at the time (pork and shell fish for Ancient Israel, for example); and teaching us to avoid things that can ensnare us (alcohol, caffeine, nicotine, sexual addiction, etc.). This also includes greater spiritual truths, such as are easier to obtain while living a certain way (meditation, avoiding intoxicants, prayer, etc.). I’ll also point out again that one of the first people to popularize the idea of the “Golden Rule” (if not the first) was Jesus Christ and his followers–and this idea was considered utterly radical, at the time. The world is quite obviously better as a result of that notion (insomuch as we practice it).
3) Set the stage for us to see the folly of this and each law below it, in order to progress to the (in my understanding) highest law: “the Celestial Law.”
Celestial
Put simply, this law can be summed up as “compassion,” “charity” (as the term is used in the Bible, not as it’s used popularly), or “pure love of all beings.” In this law, there are no other strictures: you do as you wish, so long as you are loving of others in your thoughts, intentions, and actions. You put the love of others on par with your love for yourself (see also: the “second greatest commandment,” according to Christ, when questioned about it). This law is the one whereby we can truly become gods–just as the Buddhas ascended; just as did Morrigan; just as did Christ, Enoch, and others. So, what is the “greatest commandment,” according to Jesus? To love God above all else. Who is God, when we get right down to it? The human race.
I know that many will scoff at this notion; but are scriptures (of all denominations) not replete with the notion that we are “children of God;” that we participated in the creation of all-that-is; that “as man is, God once was; as God now is, man may become?” Some versions of Genesis don’t say “God did this…” they say, “the gods did this.” Hindu texts speak of a man who changed the constellations of heaven to compel the gods to act–but who can do so, but one who is already their equal? I realize that those who do not want to be convinced of this simply won’t be, so I’ll leave this point where it stands; but before I end my present argument, please consider that no spiritual truth can be proven or disproven. What you now know is something you know inside, but you cannot deductively convince anyone else of it; you can only testify that it’s the case. I know that we are already gods, living under the illusion of disempowerment.
(If you’re of the LDS faith, and you want to know where Kolob is, look upward at noon! Think of concentric spheres around the earth: these are the kingdoms that mortals don’t typically see. Also reference: “Celestial Earth as an Urim and Thummim. How can the higher kingdoms see everything? They look down.)
All of this being said, it’s not nearly so easy to live this law and ascend as it might sound. (My “awakened” friends, I’m looking at you!) How can we have pure love of all beings if we are still selfish? How can we be unselfish if we are not in control of our appetites (which is to say, not ruled by addictions of any kind, including to hedonism in its various forms)? How can we learn to control our appetites without first placing some reasonable, (and usually temporary) prohibitions upon ourselves, until such a time as we no long need them? If we’re busy craving alcohol, sex, nicotine, marijuana (yes, it’s addictive, if only psychologically), gossip, video games (yes, I’m still working on this one), or anything else that places the spirit in subjugation to the flesh and carnal mind, then we’re not fully living this law. Now, don’t get me wrong; if we’re not having lots of fun, we’re doing it wrong!
To illustrate this last point, I’m going to briefly discuss the main chakra nodes (please bear with me; I’ll explain why this is important, shortly):
Note: various traditions define chakras differently. Also, there are a lot more than are listed here–all over our bodies. Of certain note are those in the palms of the hands, which are extremely adept at giving and receiving energy. The classic “stigmatas”–hands, wrists, and feet–all pierce very noteworthy/powerful chakra points.
0) Between the feet. This is the last place energy goes before it grounds. It can come down from the root chakra (1) or out the balls of the feet. This chakra node seems to deal entirely with waste elimination, and should not “spin” like the others; it should be an “open valve.”
1) Root chakra, at the tip of the tailbone. Deals with waste elimination and basic physical needs (food, water, air, heat, etc.). Energy impasses often cause problems for this chakra, and can result in numerous helath problems. If you aren’t getting your basic needs met, or are blocked elsewhere, you will be perpetually unhealthy.
2) Sacral chakra, in the lower belly, between the stomach and tailbone. Men: this is centered between the testes and anus. Women: this is centered in the uterus. This deals mostly with reproduction and sexuality, and certain aspects of creativity. Blockages in this chakra can cause, among many other things, urinary problems, blockages in the heart chakra, and reproductive issues. Those who perpetually deny their sexual needs (even if for good reason, as noted above, under the Terrestrial law) tend to have blockages here, and will feel sort-of “dead,” inside. This can also lead to over-rationalism and fear of emotional intimacy.
3) Digestive chakra, centered in the stomach. Eating foods that disagree with you, gluttony, starvation, and long-term emotional problems (among other things) will cause blockages in this area. This can cause lower back pain, digestive problems, adrenal problems (and other endocrine problems, as with the other chakras), and more. If you find yourself not taking pleasure in food, you might end up with a problem here. Also, those with chronic depression, anxiety, repressed (or over-expressed) anger will have no end to problems here, until those problems are resolved. Also includes the gallbladder and issues surrounding it (see: Chinese medicine). This node is also the seat of personal power, so denying/repressing your personal power will cause problems here. (In a society wherein “rocking the boat” too much causes problems, this is something of an epidemic. See also: Ritalin.)
4) Heart chakra. This is where theists tend to have a lot of problems. We commonly get so tied up in what’s doctrinally “proper” that we forget to care about ourselves and others; we care perfunctorily, but we never really care. In other words, for all the teachings to love our fellow beings (every religion seems to have this thesis, when you “boil them down”), we get so caught up in the details of how to to love that we entirely forget how to love! I’m currently attending a church congregation wherein this problem is present in fairly epic proportions. Blockages in the heart chakra occur when a person feels hurt, unloved, denied the “good things in life,” and so on. Blockages in the heart chakra will destroy your social, family, and romantic life; they’ll cause people to be suspicious of you (especially certain kinds of empaths, particularly “Crystal Children”); they can even make you wish you were never born (literally). What’s more, every part of our bodies need energy from the heart (in the form of love) to live and thrive. If your heart is blocked, no amount of medicine will help you become fully whole. The paradox, here, is that if we open our hearts and let that energy flow outward, our hearts will produce much more energy than we’re letting out! If you want more of the good things of life; if you want to be loved; if you want to not be hurt (even if somebody does bad things to you), then the way to do that is to give love! Conversely, if you find yourself shying away from someone whose heart chakra is blocked, because it’s blocked, you’re only making it worse! If you want to help someone heal, you need to love them, not exclude them. You’ll find that after a while of this, you’ll have this love returned, in kind (usually), or at least, you won’t be devastated if it’s not.
Special note: To church congregations and the spiritualist groups: if you can’t show love to those whom you find unnattractive in some way (especially those with hurt feelings and closed heart chakras), don’t call yourselves Christians, Buddhists, Hindus, (insert religion name here), or awakened beings; it insults the rest of us and drives people away from the light and knowledge over which you have stewardship.
5) Throat chakra: communication. Speak your mind! If you fail to do so when you feel the need, you’re damaging your throat chakra. This can result in breathing problems, voice problems, glandular problems, etc. You have light! You have truth! Your opinions and needs are valid! The world needs you and your ideas.
6) “Third Eye.” Located just above your nose, on your forehead, this is the spiritual organ that allows you to see into the spirit world. Prophets, mystics, psychics, empaths, Buddhas, Messiahs, and others all have this chakra developed and “opened” to a certain degree. The more open it is, the more you see and know, beyond your “natural senses” (technically a misnomer). Also, it makes you more vulnerable to outside energies–to the extent that until you “grow into” your “second sight,” you may experience long periods of illness due to “energy overload:” you might be overwhelmed by thoughts, ideas, sights, sounds, smells, etc. that are somehow outside your physical senses. You may find yourself getting a lot of colds and flus. Being in crowds can be unbearable without learning certain “tricks” and eventually getting tougher to the energies of others. On the other side, though, a fully open third eye sees everything. The spirit realm, the past, the future, distant sight (and other senses), telepathy, etc. are all yours if you manage to open this fully. For most people, this takes a lifetime, but it’s an amazing and extremely worthwhile journey. This also opens the door to real “magick.” (Also a misnomer, since you’re really just tapping into “real” reality, rather than the illusion that’s before us.) While affecting things in the material realm (not just the spiritual realm) is usually extremely difficult, I can tell you from personal experience that it’s possible. Even so, most people who open their third eyes learn how to “manifest” things–like getting what they want/need, seemingly out of nowhere, often with little or no effort. If you’re looking to learn how to manifest, go here. If you’re one of my personal friends (or a friend of a friend) and want help opening your third eye, I’ll be happy help you do so. (Keep in mind, if you’re not ready for this part of your journey, don’t try to force it! It’s best to start when you feel ready.) Those who open their third eyes also begin to see the truth in all religions, independent of the mores of their current ones. This is important, as we’ll shortly discuss.
7) “Crown,” “Divinity,” or “Lotus” chakra, positioned atop the head. This is how we contact and receive communication from the divine. (To my LDS readers: have you ever wondered why priesthood blessings are given through the top of the head?) If your 7th chakra is open, you can speak with deities, hear the “still small voice,” and find your place in heaven. You can contact your own divinity through this chakra, and affect the world as the gods do. The degree to which you open this is the degree to which you can begin accessing the chakras above the 7th. Many traditions consider there to be 12. I hold there to be a functionally infinite number that “loops around,” such that our current 12 are really in the middle of a kind of “eternal cycle” of divinity. See Joseph Smith’s teachings on this. It’s currently held that one who fully opens his 12th chakras, and all below it ascends. (“Transfiguration,” “translation,” etc. hint at this meaning.)
For more on chakras, go here.
The thing about living the celestial law is that we cannot fully do so without activating all our major chakras.
What does this mean for the law, itself? It means that at some point, all prohibitions must be done away, because whatsoever we deny ourselves is something that our spirits want to experience, but are being prohibited from experiencing. Does this mean we should all go out and do methamphetamines? Of course not–unless you feel like this is truly important for your spiritual growth. The problem, of course, is that if you take such an incredibly addictive, destructive drug, you’ll also do damage to your ability to master your own cravings. Also, you might do permanent damage the temple that is your body. (A “temple” is the house of a god/goddess, right? We live in our bodies; therefore they are our own, personal temples!) Similarly, if you feel the need to have sex, you must also accept that there is a price to pay–emotionally, physically, socially, whatever–and that you must not let it become a vice for you, or otherwise prevent you from becoming the highest “self” that you ultimately can become (or, more precisely, become again).
So, in other words, to deny ourselves something we feel the need to experience, when we’re able to handle that experience forces us to keep certain chakras closed, to some degree.
We are here in mortality to experience things that are not possible to experience outside of mortality. This includes both unpleasant and pleasant things. It includes things that are generally “safe” and things that can imprison us. What kind or mortality would this be if our spirits left it with anything short of the knowledge and experiences that we initially set out to gain? (Obviously, this includes a lot of unpleasant experiences, as should by evident by recalling any of our own lives.) Nevertheless, what kind of spirits would we become if we acted in this capacity, but not out of charity, wisdom, and the desire to ultimately become better?
Therefore, the greatest, and highest possible law–to my current knowledge (having not yet ascended [again])–once we understand all that we need to in order to live it well, is one word:
LOVE.
The First Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Corinthians
Chapter 13
Paul discusses the high status of charity—Charity, a pure love, excels and exceeds almost all else.
1 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not acharity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.
2 And though I have the gift of aprophecy, and understand all bmysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.
3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the apoor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.
4 aCharitybsuffereth long, and is ckind; charity denvieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,
5 Doth not behave itself aunseemly, bseeketh not her own, is not easily cprovoked, thinketh no evil;
6 Rejoiceth not in ainiquity, but rejoiceth in the btruth;
7 Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.
8 Charity never afaileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away.
9 For we know in part, and we prophesy in part.
10 But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away.
11 When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.
12 For now we see through a aglass, bdarkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.
13 And now abideth afaith, bhope, ccharity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.
–Dane Mutters, 2013
Dane Mutters 