| March 26, 2010 As I prepared this dissertation to go online, I only made a few corrections; mainly spelling that I missed. I didn't fulfill all that I promised in the abstract because after writing this paper, I checked again to see what the specifications were; they were way fewer pages than what I had written, so I cut it short. However, for myself, I needed a longer project that would satisfy my using D.D. after my name. Thus began my online Sabbath Devotionals each week. You can find the icon on my index page at the bottom. I only used quotations in my dissertation that I found online as per my title E-Metaphysics: Finding Spirit Online. I am, truly, a child of the WEB and I pray that I can contribute a particle of hope, laughter, and fun with those who partake of the Sabbath with me. After all, that's what a 5th House Sun does. I am in the process of bringing up to date the URLs that don't work anymore as well as red lettering what I would change. So? It's my dissertation. ;o) Blessings, Sue |
| astrologizing.net |
| E-Metaphysics: Finding Spirit Online By J. Sue Gagliardi, PMAFA, M.A., D.D. Bachelor of Arts, June 10, 1977; George Williams College Master of Arts, October 25, 1992; Atlantic University Ordination, November 21, 1993; Church of Divine Metaphysics A Dissertation Submitted to The College of Divine Metaphysics in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of DOCTOR OF DIVINITY College of Divine Metaphysics Fort Walton Beach, Florida January 2010 Approved by: Dr. Ann Gordon, PhM |
| Introduction and Purposes of Study The whole encapsulation of Metaphysics is consciousness. What is consciousness? “...consciousness is an active force that we can exert upon the universe, not merely a passive perception or awareness of that universe... Amy L. Lansky PhD http://twm.co.nz/consciousness.html Consciousness, then, is not only simple awareness, but a tool of creation. We are not an orphaned humanity appearing on this planet randomly, then left without anything but evolution to a destiny of complete obliteration with weapons of mass destruction! We are the products of our own collective consciousness in perpetual war with ourselves and the whole world. (quote?) The purpose of this paper and study is to suggest how we can use our consciousness and metaphysical laws to check and reverse the terrible future that seems to be before us concerning war, rumors of war, and preventing war, both within ourselves and our earthmates. Another purpose is to trace human religious consciousness through the Zodiacal Ages beginning with the Age of Leo around 10,000 years ago. Our weapon is consciousness. With an open mind, we begin with ourselves. We overcome the Aries Age philosophy of ‘Might makes Right’ which even carried throughout the Age of Pisces to the present day with the majority of peoples. We keep the Piscean Age virtues of love, compassion, self-sacrifice, forgiveness, and meditation; adopting the ‘new thought’ principles of Divine Mind, positive thinking, we are all children of God, Christ will return within a multitude of souls rather than in just one. The three Great Religions of today are creating most of the havoc in the world. (as well as disputed land) Again and again people fight wars in the name of Yahway, God, or Allah. Besides the three Great Religions, we have splits in each with all thinking they have the right and only way to God. In Judaism, there are three divisions; orthodox, conservative, and reform. In Christianity, it’s Roman Catholicism vs Protestants. Within the Protestant grouping we have hundreds of sects with Evangelicals vs New Thought, and Quakers vs Pentecostals, etc. It is most humorous when one of the other sects calls another church a “cult”! It wasn’t too long ago when Protestants were considered ‘cultists’ and nearly run out of Europe. It was an Age ago, however, when the first Christians were run out of Jerusalem. Islam is divided into numerous sects; Shi’a, Sunni, Sufism, and Amadiyya. Members of one Islamic group do not usually recognize members of other groups as fellow Muslims, and open conflict between sects is not uncommon. http://www.religionfacts.com/islam/sects.htm |
| We all are the total consciousness developed through evolution, myths, stories, analogies, metaphors, and teachings. It is called “collective consciousness.” If we learn from our past development, it may help us to consciously create our future evolution. Metaphysical Laws The Metaphysical Law of Oneness Benjamin Franklin said, “Here is my Creed. I believe in one God, Creator of the Universe.” As we move into the Age of Aquarius we may, perhaps, do away with burdensome creeds, myths, ceremonies, and religions that exclude others who do not believe the same way; simplifying our belief systems and rituals in order to include all others. It’s interesting that Jesus did just that when he stated the two most important modes of consciousness when his disciples asked him, “which is the greatest commandment?” Matthew 22:37-40, "Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets." http://www.greatbiblestudy.com/two_commandments.php Jesus simplified all the “thou shalt nots” into positive “thou shalts!” That was back when the Age of Pisces consciousness was replacing the tribal, warrior consciousness of the Age of Aries. If we follow the news, we find that we have not yet left the warring Age of Aries and become the loving, compassionate, and self- sacrifice consciousness of the Piscean Age. Evolution of Man Matthew 14:22. “Many are called, but few are chosen.” So stupendous is the ascent up which some men have climbed, and some are climbing, that when we scan it by an effort of the imagination we are apt to recoil, wearied in thought by the mere idea of that long journey. From the embryonic soul of the lowest savage to the liberated and triumphant perfected spiritual soul of the divine man – it seems scarcely credible that the one can contain in it all that is expressed in the other, and that the difference is but a difference in evolution, that one is only at the beginning and the other at the end of man’s ascent. http://www.thenazareneway.com/ancient_wisdom.html#THE_LAW_OF_SACRIFICE |
| If that were so during the Age of Pisces, it will be, too, in the Age of Aquarius. Some souls will be entering the Piscean consciousness even now at its very end, which is, still, more evolved than the warrior consciousness of the Arian Age. In all the world there are only two kinds of people - those who know, and those who do not know; and this knowledge is the thing which matters. What religion a man holds, to what race he belongs - these things are not important; the really important thing is this knowledge - the knowledge of God's plan for men. For God has a plan, and that plan is evolution. When once a man has seen that and really knows it, he cannot help working for it and making himself one with it, because it is so glorious, so beautiful. So, because he knows, he is on God's side, standing for good and resisting evil, working for evolution and not for selfishness. www.katinkahesselink.net/other/alcyone.htm#discrimination The All The Kybalion states that “All is in THE ALL and THE ALL is in All!” Those who understand this, understand the principle of Oneness. God is One; All is One. http://www.kybalion.org/TheKybalion.pdf What is important right now is that we all devote time to the Piscean evolutionary plan of love, compassion, self-sacrifice, forgiveness, and meditation as the avatars of the Age of Pisces suggested. We can count Confuscius, Lao Tsu, Buddha, Pythagoras, Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle; Haggai, Zecharia, Malichi (prophets of the Old Testament after the Babylonian exile) and, of course, Jesus of Nazereth. Although the Bible closes after the Acts of the Apostles, Peter, James, and John, as well as Paul’s letters, God has not stopped inspiring; He is blessing and inspiring all of us into a new birth after 2000 years. We are birthing the Age of Aquarius; an evolution of consciousness. We carry all of the past Ages within us; we do not forget from whence we came. The Principle of Oneness has already been implanted in our souls; we simply have to unfold it. First of all, we have to know that Oneness is truly a metaphysical principle. (a universal law) http://www.en.articlesgratuits.com/ islam-judaism-and-christianity-the-relationship-id5488.php All of the three major religions profess that God is One in their Holy Books. If God is One, then it follows that we are One with Him because we emanate from Him. Like the theoretical BIG BANG of matter into space, there could have been a great emanation of soul-stuff that spewed forth and was waiting for evolution to produce Man. Or soul-stuff could have produced Man who, then, evolves. However it occurred, “And God said, "Let there be lights in the firmament of the heavens to separate the day from the night; and let them be for signs and for seasons and for days and for years, and let them be lights in the firmament of the heavens to give light upon the earth." He did not leave us orphans, abandoned on this planet, but made a plan for us to grow and evolve like children into adults; in consciousness. He gave us the stars, Sun, Moon, Zodiac, and the Ages to guide us in development of that consciousness. As Jesus said many times, "If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear" (Matthew 11:15; 13:9, 43; Mark 4:9,23; 7:16; Luke 8:8; 14:35). All of the above, God created for us, but some of us are so deaf and blind that we simply can’t hear or see what we have decided cannot be true. We, in the West, have become so wrapped up in the religion carried by Paul to Rome; its rules, regulations, sins, punishments, complex creeds and ancient myths, we can’t hear the “good news” anymore. God did not abandon us with the closing of the Bible. Athanasius was the first person to name in 367 the 27 books of the New Testament accepted by most Christian groups today. Metaphysical Law Two: Karma Any thought, word, or deed is considered a cause and, as such, will result in a similar effect. It is not a punishment nor a reward; it is a result. One image of karma is a boomerang! Others are “sowing and reaping” and “what goes around, comes around”. Jesus said that the most important commandments were two; love God above all things and one’s neighbor as oneself. On those two depend all the other commandments. The same could be said of the two mentioned metaphysical laws; they are the most important and all the others depend on these. Metaphysical Laws Metaphysical laws go beyond the laws of physics. Some sites include some laws of physics in their list of Universal laws, perhaps so they can call them “Universal.” Universal laws are usually concerned with the laws of physics and some physicists or scientists might take umbrage by metaphysician’s use of that term Some sites call them “cosmic laws.” http://www.themetaphysicalsociety.com/The_Universal_Laws.html The Astrological Ages The Age of Leo: 10,000-12,000 Years Ago; post sinking of Atlantis. Leo was called “the Golden Age” and included the building of the Sphinx Lion head by the pyramid of Giza, the last global warming period, and the preciousness of gold. The Sun god, “Ra,” was worshipped by the Egyptians and, some believe, that the pyramid at Giza was being built at this time rather than the later dates projected by some geologists/archeologists. Hieroglyphs were the modes of communication in ancient Egypt. |
| ABSTRACT E-Metaphysics: Finding Spirit Online J. Sue Gagliardi, PMAFA, M.A. College of Divine Metaphysics Advisor: Ann Gordon, PhM Metaphysics is the study of what lies beyond the physical. Metaphysicians are people who study and practice Metaphysics. This dissertation delves into the ideas of modern Metaphysics since the founding of Spiritualism, New Thought, Theosophy, Jungian and Transpersonal Psychology, Association of Research and Enlightenment, Aquarian Age Philosophy, Universal Princlples, Complementary and Alternative Healing Methods, Prayer, Meditation, Yoga, Tai Chi, Reiki, Mysticism and other topics. The modern Metaphysicians and Mystics (contributors) mentioned in this work may include Alice Bailey, Charles Filmore, Edgar Cayce, Gregg Braden, Carl Jung, Thadeus Golas, Albert Einstein, Marilyn Ferguson, Robert Wilkinson, and others. The goal of this dissertation is to show the slow, but sure revolution brewing away from some of the belief systems of the past Age. “...we Westerners have arrived at a point in our history in which our prevailing mythologies are not working so well any more. The 50 million among us know, without being told, that it is time to create a 'new story', a new cultural myth, in which we synthesize a whole new set of ways of seeing ourselves and our society, as well as our place in the greater scheme of things.” Paul Ray, PhD; http://www.sharedwisdom.com/modern.htm That new ‘cultural myth’ is the Aquarian Age which is slowly taking the place of the Piscean Age myths of the past 2000 years. The Great Ages of the past, from Leo, Cancer, Gemini, Taurus, Aries, and Pisces to the present time consists of 12,000 years of our collective mythical history on this planet. The knowledge of the Zodiac and Constellations, which are indicators of these Great Ages, have been passed down to us through eons. Although suspect by some as non-scientific and irrational, I believe that it takes not a scientist or religious zealot, but a physicist, metaphysician, or mystic to understand the principles of relationship between the quarks, atoms, humans, earth, Sun, Moon, Zodiac, constellations, stars and Universal Oneness. All citations and quotations in this work are found online. One of the most cited URLs is www.Wikipedia.com because it is a compilation of many contributor’s research and study. The most beautiful thing we can experience is the mysterious. It is the source of all true art and all science. Albert Einstein. http://www.quotationspage.com/quotes/Albert_Einstein/ |
| Religious Myths Earlier Egyptian myths imply that the sun is within the lioness, Sekhmet, at night and can be seen reflected in her eyes or that it is within the cow, Hathor during the night, being reborn each morning as her son (bull). http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_deity The Age of Cancer: 8000-10,000 Years Ago "The Age of the Great Mother." Cancer is ruled by the Moon, and is associated with the process of bearing, birthing, nurturing, and protecting...(the `mother' archetype in all shapes and forms is always related to the sign Cancer). People were expanding their horizons by water travel and the “great flood” may have occurred during this time in many parts of the world. The Age of Gemini: 6000-8000 Years Ago It was during this Age that writing developed as well as foreign trade and the wheel was invented. Gemini was called The Age of Communication and is still associated with all types of communication and travel. The Greek pantheon of Gods appeared in literature during this Age and polytheism was the religious milieu. The animal of Gemini is a bird, particularly the Ibis associated with the God Thoth of the ancient Egyptians. The Age of Taurus: 4000-6000 Years Ago Taurus is associated with the growth of Agriculture, the finishing of the Great Pyramid of Giza, “...metal copper, and bronze (an alloy of copper and tin) was for the first time smelted and worked into bronze swords during the early phase of this era. Papyrus was invented during this time, enabling improved writing techniques. It could be manufactured into very long strips that could be rolled (but not yet folded) into scrolls or rolls for efficient storage and handling. (The Taurus glyph invokes the image of the partially-unrolled scroll).” The sacredness of the golden calf (bull) is mentioned in the story of Moses coming down from the mountain with the 10 commandments and finding Aaron and his people had reverted to Apis worship while he was gone; Exodus 32:4. http://en.wikipedia.org /wiki/Astrological_age#The_Age_of_Taurus_.28The_Taurean_Age.29 http://en.wikipedia.org /wiki/Bull_%28mythology%29#Paleolithic_findings The Age of Aries: 2000-4000 Years Ago This is the age when some of the peoples went from polytheism and animal worship to monotheism and God’s commandments. The earliest known attempt was by the Egyptian Pharaoh Akhenaten, who, in about 1350 BC, decreed the Sun God Aten to be the supreme deity, apparently in reaction to his earlier lack of inclusion in religious rites by his family. After his death, however, power reverted to the original polytheistic priests, who re- established the old religion. Speculation (including that of Freud) has it that later, during the reign of Ramesses II, Moses was influenced by rumour of Akhenaten's revolutionary idea, and grasped the idea of a single supreme God, Who especially favoured His people, as an inspirational mechanism that best suited his people held in bondage. The symbol of Aries can be seen as representing the power of multiple gods streaming down into a single god-head. It was the time of warriors, discovery of Iron making, and conquering foreign nations. Romans held on to its Gods and Goddesses and they called themselves “Sons of Mars” until the fall of the Roman empire in 476. However, the Church of Rome, which formed from the teachings of Saul of Tarsus, still exists with its pomp, circumstance, and indulgences, similar to the Pharisees that Jesus extolled against. The Protestant Reformation did away with the pomp and circumstance as well as the indulgences, but kept the myths of which many hold us in bondage. Too, not only were Christian Churches built upon pagan temples, but pagan holidays were used to promote Christian Holidays. The Age of Pisces: 0 to 2000 AD This is the Age that we are leaving now; the Age of Christianity, Islam, and conservative or reform Judaism. Pisces represents love, compassion, and sacrifice. Jesus was and still is the perfect ideal of this Picean Age. Note that the secret code of the early Christians was the fish. http://www.eureka4you.com /fish/fishsymbol.htm Nobody agrees on when the Astrological Ages begin or end and, there may be as much as 500 years on the cusp of the coming age such as, 500 years before Jesus was born there was the Buddha, Confucius, Lao Tzu, Pythagorus, and Aristotle, who came a bit before. Aristotle was the first to write about “metaphysics”. http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/aristotle-metaphysics/#SubMatAriMet The Age of Aquarius: 2000-4000 AD. What will unfold during our evolution through the Age of Aquarius? Where are we heading? Some of us think that it is only important to go to church on Sunday or temple on Saturday. Perhaps, the Muslims have a better idea to stop and pray five times a day. But, can we ever live our Oneness and pray or meditate without the showmanship? Can we not walk and talk with God on a daily basis as some of the prophets and Jesus did? Matthew 6:6 But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. As we unfold in consciousness during the Aquarian Age, perhaps we will come out of the closet and walk and talk with the Lord as our closest companion; never having to be called to kneel in prayer five times a day, or church and temple on certain days or tithing or any of the religious trappings that, perhaps, hold us bondage. Maybe the greeting, “Namasté”, will replace “Hello”. Namasté means "I honor the Spirit in you which is also in me." I have heard it said, too, that it means “The divinity in me bows to the divinity in you”. The Ages of the animals, fish, ram, bull, and lion are still within us, but the Age of Man is upon us. We are the Sons and Daughters of Man and God who are evolving out of our animalistic behaviour and consciousness. We are acquiring so much knowledge because of the WEB (developed on the cusp of the Aquarian Age) that the next 2000 years can hardly be imagined. It is an amazing time to be alive. When we see our planet from outer space, it is so easy to see that we, truly, are ONE. Speculating on what is possible or probable during the Age of Aquarius we note that the key phrase is, “I know”. Aquarius is an Air Sign and all of the Air Signs are connected with communication and relationships in some way. Our last Air Age was Gemini and that is when writing was invented as well as intercontinental trade. The key phrase of Gemini is, “I think”. Each previous Age follows along with the New Age for a certain amount of time. Note that we still have vestiges of the warrior Age of Aries with its revengeful God and peoples. How long may it take for the Piscean Age to take hold with love, compassion, sacrifice, and do unto others as you would have them do to you overtake jihad, revenge, war, terrorism, hate, and separation? What must we do to encourage the Aquarian qualities among all peoples? We must begin where we are; with ourselves. We need new myths, new thought, forward thinking new leaders, new knowledge, etc. As was quoted at the beginning of this paper bears repeating: “...we Westerners have arrived at a point in our history in which our prevailing mythologies are not working so well any more. The 50 million among us know, without being told, that it is time to create a 'new story', a new cultural myth, in which we synthesize a whole new set of ways of seeing ourselves and our society, as well as our place in the greater scheme of things.” Paul Ray, PhD; http://www.sharedwisdom.com/modern.htm In 1980 Marilyn Ferguson wrote the book, “The Aquarian Conspiracy”. Some people were agast at the title until they found out that the “conspiracy” meant “breathing together”; not a secret plot to disrupt the status quo. Let us hope, pray, intend, and conspire together as much as we can to create a world of Aquarian knowledge, prosperity, fulfillment, peace, and joy. Respectfully submitted, J. Sue Gagliardi |