Ceremonies of the Church

From Church Hymns and Rituals from The Hidden Side of Things by C.W. Leadbeater

The extension spoken of under the first head has often been called the fourth dimension. Many writers have scoffed at this and denied its existence, yet for all that it remains a fact that our physical world is in truth a world of many dimensions, and that every object in it has an extension, however minute, in a direction which is unthinkable to us at our present stage of mental evolution. When we develop astral senses we are brought so much more directly into contact with this extension that our minds are more or less forced into recognition of it, and the more intelligent gradually grow to understand it; though there are those of less intellectual growth who, even after death and in the astral world, cling desperately to their accustomed limitations and adopt most extraordinary and irrational hypotheses to avoid admitting the existence of the higher life which they so greatly fear. 


Sign Up for In-Vesica Art Design Energy Info!

Please note that all fields followed by an asterisk must be filled in.

Please enter the word that you see below.

  

Spirit is Here by Allison L. Williams Hill

Much exception has been taken by the ignorant to the statement always made by the Church that the celebration of the Eucharist is a daily repetition of the sacrifice of the Christ. But when we understand from the occult point of view that that sacrifice of the Christ means the descent into matter of the outpouring of the Second Aspect of Deity, we see that the symbolism is an accurate one, since the outflow of force evoked by the consecration has a special and intimate connection with that department of nature which is the expression of that divine Aspect.

Merge with Jesus by Allison L. Williams Hill

The priest who comprehends this will not fail to assign to that service its due position, and will take care to surround its culminating point with whatever in the way of ritual and music will add to its effect and prepare the people to take part in it more receptively. Realising also of how tremendous a mystery he is here the custodian, he will approach its celebration with the utmost reverence and awe, for though his attitude towards it makes no difference to the central fact and to its effects, there is no doubt that his deep devotion, his comprehension and co-operation can bring down an additional influence which will be of the greatest help to his congregation and his parish. A priest who has the advantage of being also an occultist has a magnificent opportunity of widespread usefulness.

As a student of magic, he appreciates to the full, the effect produced by music, and knows how to utilise it so as to produce harmonious and powerful forms. A great deal may be done by inducing the congregation as far as possible to join in the music of the church. It is impossible that they should do so in the production of the more elaborate and magnificent forms, which produce far-reaching effects at higher levels, but they themselves may be helped to an almost incalculable extent if they can be induced to join heartily in stirring and well-chosen hymns and chants.

“…and the hearts became roses filled with diamond seeds.” by Allison L. Williams Hill

This has been more fully recognised by the English branch of the Catholic Church than by the Roman, and a corresponding advantage has been reaped. The powerful influence of the corresponding advantage has been reaped. The powerful influence of the processional hymn must not be neglected, for this operates usefully in all directions; first, by bringing the choir down among the congregation and moving them slowly through the different sections of it, the people are greatly encouraged and helped to throw themselves with vigour into the singing. Secondly, the splendid appearance of a well-organised procession, the colour and light, the rich banners and splendid vestments, all combine to fire the imagination, to raise the people' s thoughts above the prosaic level of ordinary life, and to help their devotion and enthusiasm.

Prayer by Allison L. Williams Hill

Congregations

Many of these considerations apply also to ministers of other denominations. Though they have not the power of the priest which brings them into touch with the reservoir of force arranged by the Christ for his Church, they may do a great deal for their congregations, first by their own devotion and secondly by evoking that of their people. The resources of congregational music are at their disposal, and if they can work their followers up to the required level, they also may produce the wonderful results which flow from the combined devotion of a large number of people.

A grand outpouring of force, and a magnificent and effective collective thought-form can thus be made by a gathering of men who join heartily in a service; but there is generally great difficulty in obtaining this result, because the members of the average congregation are entirely untrained in concentration, and consequently the collective thought-form is usually a broken and chaotic mass, instead of a splendid and organised whole. When it happens that a number of occult students belong to such an assembly, they can be of great use to their fellow-worshippers by consciously gathering together the scattered streams of devotion and welding them into one harmonious and mighty current. It is evident at once that every member of congregation has here a definite duty. 

  The Hermes Temple by Allison L. Williams Hill

Monasteries

Better results than those produced by an ordinary congregation are frequently obtained from the united devotions of a body of monks, because they have gradually trained themselves into something approaching to concentration, and are also well used to working together. The influence flowing from a monastery or nunnery of the contemplative order is often beautiful and most helpful to the whole country-side-- a fact which shows clearly how foolish and short-sighted is the objection sometimes made by the Protestant that, while the active orders of monks are at least doing good work among the poor and the sick, those who adopt a contemplative line are merely dreaming away their lives in selfish isolation from the rest of the world.

Thought detail by Allison L. Williams  Hill

In most of such monasteries the hours of prayer are strictly observed, and the effect of this is a regular out-flow of force over the neighbourhood many times each day. There are some such institutions in which the scheme of perpetual adoration is carried out before the consecrated Host in the chapel of the monastery, and in such a case there is a steady and powerful stream always pouring out, both night and day, bringing to the surrounding country a benefit which can hardly be overestimated. 

Sentinels by Allison L. Williams Hill

Effect Upon The Dead 

The effect produced in all these cases is far wider than the ordinary thinker realises. The young student of occultism, if he does not happen to be clairvoyant, sometimes finds it difficult to remember that the host of the unseen is so much greater than the number of the seen, and that therefore the people who benefit by church services or by outpourings of collective thought and feeling are not only the living but also the dead-- not only human beings even, but great hosts of nature-spirits and of the lower orders of the angels. Naturally, whatever feeling may be aroused in them reacts upon us in turn, so that many different factors combine to strengthen us when we make any effort for good. 

The Christian Church directs some of her efforts intentionally towards her departed members, and prayers and masses for the dead are a great feature of the life in Catholic countries. A most useful feature certainly; for not only do the good wishes and the outpourings of force reach and help those at whom they are aimed, but also the formation of such prayers and wishes is a good and charitable undertaking for the living, besides providing them with a satisfactory and consolatory outlet for their feelings in the shape of doing something to help the departed instead of merely mourning for them. 

JR Soul Portrait by Allison L. Williams Hill

Saving Souls

Hundreds of good and earnest people are putting a great deal of strength and devotion into efforts (as they put it) to "save souls"-- which to them generally means imprisoning people within the limits of some particularly narrow and uncharitable sect. Fortunately, their endeavours in this particular direction are not often successful. But we must not suppose that all their energy and thought for others is therefore necessarily wasted. It does not do half the good that it would if it were intelligently directed; but such as it is, it is unselfish and kindly meant, and so it brings down a certain amount of response from higher levels, which is poured upon both the petitioner and the object of his prayers. If the suppliant be earnest and free from conceit, Nature answers the spirit rather than the letter of such a request, and brings general good and advancement to its object without also inflicting upon him the curse of a narrow theology. 

People Who Dislike Ceremonies

There are in the world many people so constituted that ceremonies of any sort do not appeal to them. It may be asked what kind of provision Nature makes for them, and how they are compensated for their inability to appreciate or to share in the benefits of these various lines of ecclesiastical influence of which I have written. First to a considerable extent they do share in the benefit of them, though they would probably be the last people to admit it. Perhaps they never enter churches; but I have already described how these influences radiate far beyond the mere buildings, and how the vibrations are sent out on all levels, and consequently have something which affects all varieties of people.

Still, it is clear that such men miss a good deal which the others may gain if they will; what sources then are open to them from which they may obtain corresponding advance? They cannot well gain the same uplifting-- nor, I suppose, would they desire it; but they may gain a mental stimulus. Just as the thought of the great saint, radiating out all round him, arouses devotion in those who are capable of feeling it, so does the thought of the great man of science, or of anyone who is highly developed intellectually, radiate out upon the mental level and affect the minds of others, so far as they are capable of responding to it. Its action stimulates mental development, though it does not necessarily act so directly upon the character and disposition of the man as does the other influence.

Perfect knowledge must make for goodness of life as much as perfect devotion; but we are as yet so far from perfection that in practical life we have to deal rather with the intermediate or even elementary stages, and it seems clear that elementary knowledge is less likely on the whole to affect the character than elementary devotion. Both are necessary, and before Adeptship is reached both must be acquired in their entirety; but at present we are so partially developed that the vast majority of men are aiming at one and to some extent neglecting the other-- I mean, of course, the majority of those men who are trying at all, for the greater part of the world has not arrived as yet at recognising the necessity for either knowledge or devotion. The only organisation, in western countries at least, which fully meets and satisfies man' s requirements along both these lines appears to me to be the Theosophical Society, and its meetings, small and unimportant though they may seem to an outsider, are capable when properly managed of radiating a powerful influence which will be exceedingly useful to the community. 

Church References

"The Criminal History of the Papacy" Part 1 of 3 by Tony Bushby, pp.30-40, Nexus Magazine,DECEMBER 2006 – JANUARY 2007, www.nexusmagazine.com


"The Criminal History of the Papacy" Part 2 of 3 by Tony Bushby, pp.41-48, 77-79 Nexus Magazine, FEBRUARY – MARCH 2007, www.nexusmagazine.com


"The Criminal History of the Papacy" Part 3 of 3 by Tony Bushby, pp.49-55,79 Nexus Magazine, APRIL – MAY 2007, www.nexusmagazine.com


Related Articles

Power Struggles and Murders in the Vatican by Tony Bushby, pp. 54-59,80, JUNE – JULY 2007, www.nexusmagazine.com


"The Forged Origins of The New Testament" by Philip Coppens, pp.53-60, AUGUST – SEPTEMBER 2011, www.nexusmagazine.com


Links

Home

Color Healing

Soul Portraits

Soul Life Reading

Energy Life Reading

Soul Life Reading

Soul Portraits

Sound

Sound and Color Healing

Health

In-Vesica Health Program Approach

In-Vesica 6 Month Integrated Health Program

Services

Visit Allison L. Williams Hill's In-Vesica Gallery Hosted by Art Wanted.com








Caribbean-Property-ad
Love300600Vertical
Now That Your Eyes Are Open

Looking West on Drake's Highway, Tortola towards the Caribbean Sea by Allison L. Williams Hill

Florist One ad by Allison L. Williams Hill
Send Flowers Today
Enjoy this page? Click here to pay it forward.

Would you prefer to share this page with others by linking to it?

  1. Click on the HTML link code below.
  2. Copy and paste it, adding a note of your own, into your blog, a Web page, forums, a blog comment, your Facebook account, or anywhere that someone would find this page valuable.

In-Vesica Market Blog

In-Vesica Art Gallery 

Fur Baby Lounge

Coming soon.

InVesica Market

Partnership T-shirt

InVesica Market has t-shirts; mugs, clocks and more!

Gifts from Spirit Discernment

Gifts from Spirit Prophesy

Gifts from Spirit blank note cards coming soon!

Doesn't the dormouse in the heather appear to be smiling? I found out from the Comedy Wild Life Photography Awards web site that Mr. Andrea Zampatti is the photographer.  Please visit his website for more fascinating images that he was in the right place at the right time to capture.

Drawings!

When time permits, I intend to hold drawings to create 

  • an intuitive visionary healing tape, or
  • a soul life reading, or
  • an energy reading 

for the winners whose names are drawn for each. To enter, your name and email address will be required. It will be added to a mailing list to receive updates about In-Vesica. In-Vesica will post the art work on this web site and in other publications.  

Services explains what is involved in creating these helpful tools. The images will be displayed at In-Vesica and the In-Vesica Art Gallery.

Of course, I collect your email and, thereafter, you will receive periodic updates on In-Vesica - spiritual development; health coaching; energetic healing; art and design, when projects will be launched, and what I eat (I'm kidding!). 



Design

Article: What is Psycho-ecological Design?

Article: Peace Be Your Sanctuary

Energy
Energetic Healing


Chakras

Writings


Imagination

66 Hobby and Craft Niche Ideas

Experienced Article Writer's Guide 

Website Reports

for the Progressive Website Owner

Message from Advarti

Advarti is an extraterrestrial, a member of a group called The Ring. They are beings who are interested in Earth's and its people's progress. 

Celebrate