I'll be including here some of my personal favourites from the Dead Sea Scrolls or rather what the Vatican hasn't suppressed of them. Their beautiful, pure and untainted simplicity is wonderful and as they are from the brotherhood that John the Baptist and his cousin Jesus himself belonged to, learned from and quoted all the more poignant and some of what I will be quoting here from the exquisite book 'The Gospel of the Essenes' translated by the 'Prof' Edmond Bordeaux Szekesly.

Here is a beautiful extract from the Dead Sea Scrolls for all Children of Light...
The Master Christ on...

The Communions

And it was by the bed of a stream, that the weary and afflicted came again to seek out Jesus. And like children, they had forgotten the Law, and like children, they sought out their father to show them where they had erred, and to set their feet again upon the path. And when the sun rose over the earths rim they saw Jesus coming towards them from the mountain, with the brightness of the rising sun about his head.

And he raised his hand and smiled upon them, saying, “Peace be with you.”

But they were ashamed to return his greeting, for each in his own way had turned his back on the holy teachings, and the Angels of the Earthly Mother and the Heavenly Father were not with them. And one man looked up in anguish and spoke:  “Master, we are in sore need of your wisdom. For we know that which is good, and yet we follow evil. We know that to enter the Kingdom of Heaven we must walk with the Angels of the day and of the night, yet our feet walk in the ways of the wicked. The light of the day shines only on our pursuit of pleasure, and the night falls on our heedless stupor. Tell us master, how may we walk with the Angels, and stay within their holy circle, that the Law may burn in our hearts with a constant flame?”

And Jesus spoke to them:

“To lift your eyes to heaven when all men’s eyes are on the ground, is not easy.

To worship at the feet of the Angels when all men worship only fame and riches, is not easy.

But the most difficult of all is to think the thoughts of the Angels. To speak the words of the Angels and to do as Angels do.”

And one man spoke: “But Master, we are but men, we are not Angels. How then can we hope to walk in their ways? Tell us what we must do?”

And Jesus spoke:

“As the son inherits the land of his father, so we have inherited a holy land from our Father.

This land is not a field to be ploughed, but a place within us where we may build our Holy Temple. And even as a temple must be raised, stone by stone, so will I give to you those stones for the building of the Holy Temple; That which we inherited from our fathers and their fathers father’s.”

And all the men gathered around Jesus, and their faces shone with desire to hear the words, which would come from his lips. And he lifted his face to the rising sun, and the radiance of its rays filled his eyes as he spoke:

“ The Holy Temple can be built only with the ancient Communions. Those, which are spoken, those, which are thought, and those, which are lived. For if they are spoken only with the mouth they are as a dead hive which the bees have forsaken, that gives no more honey. The Communions are a bridge between man and the Angels, and like a bridge can be built only with patience. Yea even as a bridge over the river is fashioned stone by stone, as they are found by the waters edge.

And the Communions are fourteen in number, as the Angels of the Heavenly Father number seven, and the Angels of the Earthly Mother number seven. And just as the roots of the tree sink into the earth and are nourished, and the branches of the tree raise their arms to heaven, so is man like the trunk of the tree, with his roots deep in the breast of his Earthly Mother and his souls ascending to the bright stars of his Heavenly Father. And the roots of the tree are the Angels of the Earthly Mother, and the branches of the tree the Angels of the Heavenly Father. And this is the sacred Tree of life, which stands in the Sea of Eternity.

The first Communion is with the Angel of Sun, She who cometh each morning as a bride from her chamber, to shed her golden light on the world. O thou immortal, shining, swift steeded Angel of the Sun! There is no warmth without thee, no fire without thee, no life without thee, the green leaves of the trees do worship thee, and through thee is the tiny wheat kernel is become a golden river of grass, moving with the wind. Through thee is opened the flower in the centre of my body. Therefore will I never hide myself from thee. Angel of Sun Holy messenger of the Earthly Mother, enter the Holy Temple within me and give me the fire of life!

The second Communion is with the Angel of water, She who makes the rain to fall on the arid plain, who fills the dry well to overflowing. Yea we do worship thee, Water of Life. From the Heavenly Sea the waters run and flow forward from the never failing springs, and vapours, and clouds, and all waters that spread over all the seven kingdoms. All the waters the Creator hath made are Holy. The voice of the Lord is upon the waters: The glory of God thundereth; The Lord is upon many waters. Angel of Water, Holy messenger of the Earthly Mother, enter the blood that floweth through me, wash my body in the rain that falls from heaven and give me the Water of Life!

The third Communion is with the Angel of Air, who spreads the perfume of sweet smelling fields, of grass after rain, of the opening buds of the Rose of Sharon. We worship the Holy Breath, which is placed higher than all the other things created. For, lo, the eternal sovereign luminous space, where rule the unnumbered stars, in the air we breathe in and the air we breathe out. And in the moment betwixt the breathing in and the breathing out is hidden all the mysteries of the Infinite Garden. Angel of Air, Holy messenger of the Earthly Mother, enter deep within me, as the swallow plummets from the sky, that I may know the secrets of the wind and the music of the stars.

The fourth Communion is with the Angel of Earth, she who brings forth corn and grapes from the fullness of the earth, she who brings children from the loins of husband and wife. He who would till the earth with the left arm and the right, unto him will she bring forth an abundance of fruit and grain, golden hued plants growing up from the earth during the spring, as far as the earth extends, as far as the rivers stretch, as far as the sun rises, to impart their gifts of food unto men. This wide earth do we praise, expanded far with paths, the productive, the full bearing, thy Mother, holy plant! Yea I praise the lands where thou dost grow, sweet scented, swiftly spreading, the good growth of the Lord. He who sows corn, grass and fruit, soweth the Law. And his harvest shall be bountiful, and his crop shall be ripe upon the hills. As a reward to the followers of the Law the Lord sent the Angel of Earth, Holy messenger of the Earthly mother, to make the plants to grow, and to make fertile the womb of woman, that the earth never be without the laughter of children. Let us worship the Lord in her!

The fifth Communion is with the Angel of life, she who gives strength and vigour to man. For, lo, if the wax is not pure, how can the candle give a steady flame? Go, then, towards the high growing trees, and before one of them that is beautiful, high growing and mighty, say these words; ‘Hail to thee! O good living tree, made by the Creator!’ Then shall the river of life flow between you and your Brother, the Tree, and health of the body, swiftness of foot, quick hearing of the ears, strength of the arms and the eyesight of the eagle be yours. Such is the Communion with the Angel of Life, Holy messenger of the Earthly Mother.

The sixth Communion is with the Angel of Joy; she who descends upon earth to give beauty to all men, for the Lord is not worshipped with sadness, nor with cries of despair. Leave off your moans and lamentations, and sing unto the Lord a new song: Sing unto the Lord, all the earth. Let the heavens rejoice and let the earth be glad. Let the field be joyful, let the floods clap their hands; let the hills be joyful together before the Lord.  For you shall go out with joy and be led forth with peace: The mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing. Angel of Joy, Holy messenger of the Earthly Mother, I will sing unto the Lord as long as I live: I will sing praise to my God while I have my being.

The seventh Communion is with Our Earthly Mother, She who sends forth her Angels to guide the roots of man and send them deep into the blessed soil. We invoke the Earthly Mother! The Holy Preserver! The Maintainer! It is She who will restore the world! The earth is hers and the fullness thereof the world, and they that dwell therein. We worship the good, the strong, the beneficent Earthly Mother and all her Angels, bounteous, valiant and full of strength; Welfare bestowing, kind and health giving. Through her brightness and glory do the plants grow up from the earth, by the never failing springs. Through her brightness and glory do the winds blow, driving down the clouds towards the never failing springs. The Earthly Mother and I are one. I have my roots in her, and she takes her delight in me, according to the Holy Law.”

Then there was a great silence, as the listeners pondered the words of Jesus. And there was new strength in them, and desire and hope shone in their faces. And then one man spoke;
“Master, we are filled with eagerness to begin our Communions with the Angels of the Earthly Mother, who planted the great garden of the earth. But what of the Angels of the Heavenly Father, who rule the night? How are we to talk to them, who are so far above us, who are invisible to our eyes? For we can see the rays of the sun, we can feel the cool water of the stream where we bathe, and the grapes are warm to our touch as they grow purple on the vines. But the Angels of the Heavenly Father cannot be seen, or heard or touched. How can we talk to them, and enter their infinite garden? Master, tell us what we must do.”

And the morning sun encircled his head with glory as Jesus looked upon them and spoke:

“My children, know you not that the Earth and all that dwells therein is but a reflection of the kingdom of the Heavenly Father? And as you are suckled and comforted by you mother when a child, but go to join your father in the fields when you grow up, so do the Angels of the Earthly Mother guide your steps towards him who is your Father and all his Holy Angels, that you may know your true home and become true Sons of God. While we are children, we will see the rays of the sun but not the power which created it; While we are children we will hear the sounds of the flowing brook, but not the love that created it; while we are children we will see the stars, but not the hand that scatters them through the sky, as the farmer scatters his seeds. Only through the Communions with the Angels of the Heavenly father, will we learn to see the unseen, to hear that which cannot be heard and to speak the unspoken word.

The first Communion is with the Angel of Power, who fills the sun with heat, and guides the hand of man in all his works. Thine o Heavenly father was the Power when thou didst order a path or each of us and all. Through thy power will my feet tread the path of the Law; through thy power will my hands perform thy works. May the golden river of power always flow from thee to me, and may my body always turn unto thee, as the flower turns unto the sun. For there is no power save that from the Heavenly Father; All else is but a dream of dust, a cloud passing over the face of the sun. There is no man that hath power over the spirit; neither hath he power in the day of death. Only that power which cometh from God can carry us out from the city of death. Guide our works and deeds, O Angel of Power, Holy messenger of the Heavenly Father.

The second Communion is with the Angel of Love, who’s healing waters flow in a never-ending stream from the Sea of Eternity. Beloved let us love one another; for love is of the Heavenly Father and everyone that loveth is born of the Heavenly Order and knoweth the Angels. For without love, a man’s heart is parched and cracked as the bottom of a dry well and his words are empty as a hollow gourd. But loving words are as a honeycomb sweet to the soul; loving words in a man’s mouth are as deep waters, and the wellspring of love as a flowing brook. Yea, it is said in the ancient days, Thou shalt love the Heavenly Father with all thy heart, and with all thy mind, and with all thy deeds, and thou shalt love thy brother as thyself. The Heavenly Father is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in the Heavenly Father and the Heavenly Father in him. He that loveth not is as a wandering bird cast out of the nest; for him the grass faileth and the stream as a bitter taste. And if a man say, I love the Heavenly Father but hate my brother, he is a liar: For he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love the Heavenly Father whom he hath not seen? By this we know the Children of Light: Those who walk with the Angel of Love, for they love the Heavenly Father and they love their brethren and they keep the Holy Law. Love is stronger than the currents of deep waters; Love is stronger than death.

The third Communion is with the Angel of Wisdom, who maketh man free from fear, wide of heart, and easy of conscience: Holy Wisdom, the Understanding that unfolds continuously as a holy scroll, yet does not come through learning. All wisdom cometh from the Heavenly father, and is with Him forever. Who can number the sands of the sea and the drops of rain, and the days of eternity? Who can find the heights of heaven, and the breadth of the earth? Who can tell the beginning of wisdom? Wisdom hath been created before all things. He who is without wisdom is like unto him who saith to the wood, ‘awake’, and to the dumb stone, ‘arise and teach!’ So are his words empty, and his deeds harmful, as a child who brandishes his fathers sword and knoweth not its cutting edge. But the crown of wisdom makes peace and perfect health to flourish, both of which are the gifts of God. O thou Heavenly Order! And thou Angel of Wisdom! I will worship thee and the Heavenly Father, because of whom the river of thought within us is flowing towards the Holy Sea of Eternity.

The fourth Communion is with the Angel of Eternal Life, who brings the message of eternity to man. For he who learns to walk with the Angels shall learn to soar above the clouds, and his home shall be in the Eternal Sea where stands the sacred Tree of Life. Do not wait for death to reveal the great mystery; If you know not your Heavenly Father while your feet tread the dusty soil, there shall be naught but shadows for thee in the life that is to come. Here and now is the curtain lifted. Be not afraid O man! Lay hold of the wings of the Angel of Eternal Life, and soar into the paths of the stars, the moon, the sun, and the endless light, moving around in their revolving cycle forever, and fly towards the Heavenly Sea of Eternal Life.

The fifth Communion is with the Angel of Work, who sings in the humming of the bee, pausing not in its making of honey; in the flute of the shepherd, who sleeps not lest his flock go astray; In the song of the maiden as she lays her hand to the spindle. And if you think these are not so fair in the eyes of the Lord as the loftiest prayers echoed from the highest mountain then you indeed err. For the Honest work of humble hands is a daily prayer of thanksgiving, and the music of the plough is a joyful song unto the Lord. He who eats the bread of idleness must die of hunger, for a field of stones can yield only stones. For him is the day without meaning, and the night a bitter journey of evil dreams. The mind of the idle is full of the weeds of discontent; but he who walks with the Angel of Work has within him a field always fertile. Where corn and grapes and all manner of sweet-scented herbs and flowers grow in abundance. As ye sow, so shall ye reap. The man of God who has found his task shall not ask any other blessing.

The sixth Communion is with the Angel of Peace, whose kiss bestoweth calm, and whose face is as the surface of untroubled waters, wherein the moon is reflected. I will invoke Peace, whose breath is friendly, whose hand smooths the troubled brow. In the reign of peace, there is neither hunger nor thirst, neither cold wind nor hot wind, neither old age or death. But to him that hath not peace in his soul, there is no place to build within the Holy Temple; For how can the carpenter build in the midst of a whirlwind? The seed of violence can reap only a harvest of destruction, and from the parched clay can grow no living thing. Seek ye then the Angel of Peace, who is as the morning star in the midst of a cloud, as the moon at the full, as a fair olive tree budding forth fruit, and as the sun shining on the temple of the most High. Peace dwells in the heart of silence; be still, and know that I am God.

The seventh Communion is with the Heavenly Father, who is, who was, and who ever shall be. O Great Creator! Thou didst create the Heavenly Angels, and thou didst reveal the Heavenly Laws! Thou art my refuge and my fortress, thou art from everlasting. Lord, thou hast been our dwelling place in all generations. Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou had formed the earth, even from everlasting, thou art God. Who hath made the waters, and who maketh the plants? Who to the wind hath yoked the storm clouds, the swift and even the fleetest? Who O Creator! Is the fountain of eternal life within our souls? Who hath made the light and the darkness? Who hath made sleep and the zest of the waking hours? Who spread the noontides and the midnight? Thou, O Great Creator! Thou hast made the earth by thy power, hath established the world by thy wisdom, and hath stretched out the heavens by thy love. Do thou reveal unto me, O Heavenly Father, thy nature, which is the power of the Angels of thy Holy Kingdom. Immortality and the Heavenly Order hast thou given, O Creator, and the best of all things the Holy Law! I will praise thy works with songs of thanksgiving, continually, in all generations of time. With the coming of the day I embrace my Mother, with the coming of night I join my Father, and with the outgoing of evening and morning I will breathe their Law. And I will not interrupt these Communions until the end of time.”

And over Heaven and Earth was a great silence, and the peace of the Heavenly Father and the Earthly Mother shone over the heads of Jesus and the multitude.

The reason I included this was primarily for 2 reasons. The first quite simply being an ancient, original and untampered with version to illustrate that point and secondly for the consideration of the communions with the Angels. Man's not only right but imperitive to have 'direct experience' of Divinity.

(Notice He never added ‘oh by the way if you don’t do this in my name you’re going to Hell...’ curious that...)

Another beautiful sermon by the Master Christ..

The Sevenfold Peace

And seeing the multitudes, Jesus went up into the mountain and his disciples came unto him, and all those who hungered for his words. And seeing them gathered, he opened his mouth and taught them, saying:

“Peace I bring to thee, my children, the Sevenfold Peace of the Earthly Mother and the Heavenly Father. Peace I bring to thy body, guided by the Angel of Power; Peace I bring to thy heart, guided by the Angel of Love; Peace I bring to thy mind, guided by the Angel of Wisdom. Through the Angels of Power, Love and Wisdom thou shalt travel the seven paths of the Infinite Garden, and thy body, thy heart and thy mind shall join in oneness in the Sacred Flight to the Heavenly Sea of Peace.

Yea, I tell thee truly, the paths are seven through the Infinite Garden, and each must be traversed by the body, the heart and the mind as one, lest thou stumble and fall into the abyss of emptiness. For as a bird cannot fly with one wing, so doth thy bird of Wisdom need two wings of Power and Love to soar above the abyss to the Holy Tree of Life.

For the body alone is an abandoned house seen from afar; what was thought beautiful is but ruin and desolation when drawing near. The body alone is as a chariot fashioned from gold, whose maker sets it on a pedestal, loathe to soil it with use. But as a golden idol, it is ugly and without grace, for only in movement doth it reveal its purpose. Like the hollow blackness of a window when the wind puts out its candle, is the body alone, with no heart and no mind to fill it with light.

And the heart alone is a sun with no earth to shine upon, a light in the void, a ball of warmth drowned in a sea of blackness. For when a man doth love, that love turneth only to its own destruction when there is no hand to stretch forth in good works, and no mind to weave the flames of desire into a tapestry of psalms. Like a whirlwind in the desert is the heart alone, with no body and no mind to lead it singing through the cypress and the pine.

And the mind alone is a holly scroll which has worn thin with the years, and must be buried. The truth and beauty of its words have not changed, but the eyes can no longer read the faded letters, and it falleth to pieces in the hands. So is the mind without the heart to give it words, and without the body to do its deeds. For what availeth wisdom without the heart to feel and a tongue to give it voice? Barren as the womb of an aged woman is the mind alone, with no heart and no body to fill it with life.

For, lo, I tell thee truly, the body and the heart and the mind are as a chariot, and a horse and a driver. The chariot is the body, forged in strength to do the will of the Heavenly Father and the Earthly Mother. The heart is the fiery steed, glorious and courageous, who carries the chariot bravely, whether the road be smooth or whether stones and fallen trees lie in its path. And the driver is the mind, holding the reins of wisdom, seeing from above what lieth on the far horizon, charting the course of hoofs and wheels.

Give ear, O ye heavens, and I will speak; and hear, O earth, the words of my mouth. My doctrine shall drop as the rain, my speech shall distil as the dew, as the as the small rain upon the tender herb, and as the showers upon the grass.

Blessed is the Child of Light who is strong of body, for he shall have oneness with the earth. Thou shalt celebrate a daily feast with all the gifts of the Angels of Earth: The golden wheat and corn, the purple grapes of autumn, the ripe fruits of the trees, the amber honey of the bees. Thou shalt seek the fresh air of the forest and of the fields, and there in the midst of them shalt thou find the Angel of Air. Put off thy shoes and clothing and suffer the Angel of Air to embrace all thy body. Then shalt thou breathe long and deeply, that the Angel of Air be brought within thee. Enter into the cool and flowing river and suffer the Angel of Water to embrace all thy body. Cast thyself wholly into his enfolding arms and as often as thou movest the air with thy breath, move with thy body the water also. Thou shalt seek the Angel of Sun and enter into that embrace which doth purify with holy flames. And all these things are of the Holy Law of the Earthly Mother, she who did give thee birth. He who hath found peace with the body hath built a holy temple wherein may dwell forever the spirit of God. Know this peace with thy mind, desire this peace with thy heart, fulfil this peace with thy body.

Blessed is the Child of Light, who is wise in mind, for he shall create heaven. The mind of the wise is as a well-ploughed field, which giveth forth abundance and plenty. For if you showest a handful of seed to a wise man, he will see in his minds eye a field of golden wheat. And if thou showest a handful of seeds to a fool, he will see only that which is before him, and call them worthless pebbles. And as the field of the wise man giveth forth grain and abundance, and the field of the fool is a harvest of only stones, so it is with our thoughts. As the sheaf of golden wheat lieth hidden within the tiny kernel, so is the kingdom of heaven hidden within our thoughts. If they are filled with the Power, Love and Wisdom of the Angels of the Heavenly Father, so shall they carry us to the Eternal Sea. But if they are stained with corruption, hatred and ignorance, they shall chain our feet to pillars of pain and suffering. No man can serve two masters; neither can evil thoughts abide in a mind filled with the Light of the Law. He who hath found peace with the mind hath learned to soar beyond the realm of the Angels. Know this peace with thy mind, desire this peace with thy heart, fulfil this peace with thy body.

Blessed is the Child of Light who is pure in heart, for he shall see God. For as the Heavenly Father hath given thee His holy Spirit, and thy Earthly Mother hath given thee Her Holy Body, so shall ye give love to all thy brothers. And thy true brothers are all those who do the will of thy Heavenly Father and thy Earthly Mother. Let thy love be as the sun which shines on all the creatures of the earth, and does not favour one blade of grass for another. And this love shall flow as a fountain from brother to brother, and as it is spent, so shall it be replenished, for love is eternal. Love is stronger than the currents of deep waters. Love is stronger than death. And if a man hath not love he doth build a wall between him and all the creatures of earth, and therein doth he dwell in loneliness and pain. Or he may become as an angry whirlpool which sucks into its depths all that floats too near. For the heart is a sea with mighty waves, and love and wisdom must temper it, as the warm sun breaks through the clouds and quiets the restless sea. He who hath found peace with his brothers hath entered the kingdom of love, and shall see God face to face. Know this peace with thy mind, desire this peace with thy heart, fulfil this peace with thy body.

Blessed is the Child of Light who doth build on earth the kingdom of heaven, for he doth dwell in both worlds. Thou shalt follow the Law of the Brotherhood, which saith that none shall have wealth, and none be poor, and all shall work together in the garden of the Brotherhood. Yea, each shall follow his own path, each shall commune with his own heart. For in the Infinite Garden there are many diverse flowers, who shall say that one is best because its colour is purple, or that one is favoured because its stalk is long and slender? Though the brothers be of different complexion, yet do they all toil in the vineyard of the Earthly Mother, and they all lift their voices together in praise of the Heavenly Father. And together they break the holy bread and in silence share the holy meal of thanksgiving. There shall be no peace among peoples until there is one garden of the Brotherhood over the Earth. For how can there be peace when each man pursueth his own gain and doth sell his soul into slavery? Thou, Child of Light, do ye gather with thy brothers and then go forth to teach the ways of the Law to those who would hear. He who hath found Peace with the Brotherhood of Man hath made himself the co-worker of God. Know this peace with thy mind, desire this peace with thy heart, fulfil this peace with thy body.

Blessed is the Child of Light who doth study the book of the Law, for he shall be as a candle in the dark of night, and an island of truth in a sea of falsehood. For know ye, that the written word which cometh from God is a reflection of the Heavenly Sea, even as the bright stars reflect the face of heaven. As the words of the Ancients Ones are etched with the hand of God on the Holy Scrolls, so is the Law engraved on the hearts of the faithful who do study them. For it was said of old, that in the beginning there were giants in the earth, and mighty men which were of old, men of renown. And the Children of Light shall guard and preserve their written word, lest we become again as beasts, and know not the Kingdom of the Angels. Know ye too, that only through the written word shalt thou find the Law which is unwritten, as the spring which floweth from the ground hath a hidden source in the secret depths beneath the earth. The written Law is an instrument by which the unwritten Law is understood, as the mute branch of a tree becomes a singing flute in the hands of the shepherd. Many there are who would stay in the tranquil valley of ignorance, where the children play and butterflies dance in the sun for their short hour of life. But none can tarry there long, and ahead rise the sombre mountains of learning. Many there are who have fallen bruised and bleeding from their steep and rugged slopes. But faith is the guide over the gaping chasm, and perseverance the foothold in the jagged rocks. Beyond the icy peaks of struggle lies the peace and beauty of the Infinite Garden of Knowledge, where the meaning of the Law is made known to the Children of Light. Here in the centre of its forest stands the Tree of Life, mystery of mysteries. He who hath found peace with the teachings of the Ancients, through the light of the mind, through the light of nature, and through the study of the Holy Word hath entered the cloud filled Hall of the Ancients, where dwelleth the Holy Brotherhood, of whom no man may speak. Know this peace with thy mind, desire this peace with thy heart, fulfil this peace with thy body.

Blessed is the Child of Light who knoweth his Earthly Mother, for she is the giver of life. Know that that Mother is in thee, and thou art in her. She bore thee and she giveth thee life. She it was who giveth thee thy body, and to her shalt thou one day give it back again. Know that the blood which runs in thee is born of the blood of thy Earthly Mother. Her blood falls from the clouds, leaps up from the womb of the earth, babbles in the brooks of the mountains, flows wide in the rivers of the plains, sleeps in the lakes, Rages mightily in the tempestuous seas. Know that the air which thou dost breathe is born of the breath of thy Earthly Mother. Her breathe is azure in the heights of the heavens, soughs in the tops of the mountains, whispers in the leaves of the forest, billows over the cornfields, slumbers in the valleys, burns hot in the desert. Know that the hardness of thy bones is born of the bones of thy Earthly Mother, of the rocks and of the stones. Know that the tenderness of thy flesh is born of the flesh of thy Earthly Mother, she whose flesh waxeth yellow and red in the fruits of the trees. The light of thy eyes, the hearing of thy ears, these are born of the colours and sounds of thy Earthly Mother, which doth enclose thee about, as the waves of the sea enclose a fish, as the eddying air a bird. I tell thee in truth, Man is the Son of the Earthly Mother, and from her did the Son of Man receive his whole body, even as the body of the newborn babe is born of the womb of his mother. I tell thee truly, thou art one with the earthly Mother; she is in thee and thou art in her. Of her were thou born, in her dost thou live, and to her shalt thou return again. Keep therefore her laws, for none can live long, neither be happy, but he who honours his Earthly Mother and keepeth her laws. For thy breath is her breath, thy blood her blood, thy bone her bone, thy flesh her flesh, thy eyes and thy ears are her eyes and ears. He who hath found peace with his Earthly Mother shall never know death. Know this peace with your mind, desire this peace with you heart, fulfil this peace with thy body.

From the Essene Book of The Teacher of Righteousness

And the Master took himself to the banks of a stream where the people were gathered, those who did hunger after his words. And he blessed them, and asked them whereof they were troubled. And one did speak: “Master, tell us what are those things we should hold of high value and are those things we should despise?”

And the Master answered, saying, “All the ills which men suffer are caused by those things without us; for what is within us can never make us suffer. A child dies, a fortune is lost, house and fields burn, and all men are helpless, and they cry out ’what shall I do now? What shall now befall me? Will this thing come to pass?’ All these are the words of those who grieve and rejoice over events which do befall them, events which are not of their doing. But if we mourn over that which is not in our power, we are as the little child who weeps when the sun leaves the sky. It is said of old, thou shalt not covet any thing that is thy neighbours; And now I say unto thee, thou shalt not desire any thing which is not in thy power, for only that which is within thee doth belong to thee; and that which is without thee doth belong to another. In this doth happiness lie: to know what is thine, and what is not thine. If thou wouldst have eternal life, hold fast to the eternity within thee, and grasp not at the shadows of the world of men, which hold the seeds of death.”

“Is not all that happens without thee, outside of thy power? It is. And thy knowledge of good and evil, is it not within thee? It is. Is it not then, in thy power, to treat of all which doth come to pass in the light of wisdom and love, instead of sadness and despair? It is. Can any man hinder thee from doing this? No man can. Then thou shall not cry out, ‘What shall I do? What shall now befall me? Will this thing come to pass?’ For whatsoever may come to pass, thou shalt judge it in the light of wisdom and love, and see all things with the eyes of the Angels.”

“For to weigh thy happiness according to that which may befall thee, is to live as a slave. And to live according to the Angels which speak within thee, is to be free. Thou shalt live in freedom as a true Son of God, and bow thy head only to the commandments of the Holy Law. In this way shalt thou live, that when the Angel of Death cometh for thee, thou canst stretch out thy hands to God, and say, ‘The communions I have received from thee for knowing thy Law and walking in the paths of the Angels, I have not neglected: I have not dishonoured thee by my acts; See how I have used the eye which seeth within: Have I ever blamed thee? Have I cried out against that which hath befallen me, or desired it to be otherwise? Have I desired to transgress thy Law? That thou hast given me life, I thank thee for what thou hast given me: so long as I have used the things which are thine, I am content: take them back and place them wherever thou mayest choose, for thine are all things, even unto eternity.’”

“Know ye, that no man can serve two masters. Thou canst not wish to have the world’s riches, and also the Kingdom of Heaven. Thou canst not wish to own lands and wield power over men, and have also the Kingdom of Heaven. Wealth, lands and power, these things belong to no man, for they are of the world. But the Kingdom of Heaven is thine forever, for it is within thee. And if thou dost desire and seek after that which doth not belong to thee, then shalt thou surely lose that which is thine. Know ye, for I tell thee truly, that nothing is given nor is it had for nothing. For every thing in the world of men and Angels, there is a price. He who would gather wealth and riches must run about, kiss the hands of those he admires not, waste himself with fatigue at other men’s doors, say and do many false things, give gifts of gold and silver and sweet oils; all this and more must a man do to gather wealth and favour. And when thou hast achieved it, what then dost thou have? Will this wealth and power secure for thee freedom from fear, a mind at peace, a day spent in the company of the Angels of the Earthly Mother, a night spent in Communion with the Angels of the Heavenly Father? Dost thou expect to have for nothing, things so great? When a man hath two masters, either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and also serve the world. Perchance thy well goeth dry, precious oil is spilled, thy house burneth, and thy crops wither: but thou dost treat what may befall thee with wisdom and love. Rains again shall fill the well, houses can again be built, new seeds can be sewn; all these things shall pass away, and come again, and yet again pass away. But the Kingdom of Heaven is Eternal, and shall not pass away. Do ye not, then, barter that which is eternal, for that which dieth in an hour.”

***

When men shall ask of thee, to what country dost thou belong, say ye not that thou art of this country or that, for of truth, it is only the poor body which is born in one small corner of this earth. But thou, O Child of Light, belongeth to the Brotherhood which doth encompass all the heavens and beyond, and from thy Heavenly Father hath descended the seeds not only of thy father and grandfather, but of all beings which are generated on the earth. In truth thou art a Son of God, and all men thy brothers: and to have God for thy maker and thy Father and Guardian, shall not this release us from all sorrow and fear?

Therefore, I say unto thee, take no thought to store up worldly goods, possessions, gold and silver, for these bring only corruption and death. For the greater thy hoard of wealth, the thicker shall be the walls of thy tomb. Open wide the windows of thy soul, and breathe the fresh air of a free man! Why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: They toil not, neither do they spin, and yet I say unto thee, that even Solomon in his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Why take ye thought for nourishment? Consider the gifts of thy Earthly Mother: the ripe fruits of her trees, and the golden grain of her soil. Why take ye thought for house and lands? A man cannot sell to thee which he doth not own, and he cannot own that which already doth belong to all. This wide earth is thine, and all men are thy brothers. The Angels of the Earthly Mother walk with thee by day, and the Angels of the Heavenly Father guide thee by night, and within thee is the Holy Law. It is not meet for the son of a king to covet a bauble in the gutter. Take thy place, then, at the table of the celebration, and fulfil thy inheritance with honour. For in God we live, and move, and have our being. In truth, we are his sons, and he is our Father.

***

He only is free who liveth as he doth desire to live: who is not hindered in his acts, and whose desires attaineth their ends. He who is not restrained is free, but he who can be restrained or hindered, that man is surely a slave. But who is not a slave? That man only who desireth nothing which doth belong to others. And what are those things that belong to thee? My children, only the kingdom of heaven within thee, where the Law of thy Heavenly Father doth dwell, doth belong to thee. The Kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man, seeking goodly pearls: who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it. And if this one precious pearl is thine forever, why dost thou barter it for pebbles and stones? Know ye, that thy house, thy land, thy sons and daughters, all the joys of fortune and sorrows of tribulation, yea, even that opinion which others do hold of thee, all these things belong to thee not. And if ye then do lust after these things, and hold fast to them, and grieve and exult over them, then in truth thou art a slave, and in slavery wilt thou remain.