Treatise on the Essenes and The Essene Prayer of Gratitude

Because there is so much speculation about the Essenes, who they were, what they represented, what their philosophy was..I decided to send along the ONLY first hand accounts of them as an introduction. I have been fascinated with the Essenes for over 30 years.
Philo's (first account)
"They do not offer animal sacrifice, judging it more fitting to render their minds truly holy. They flee the cities and live in villages where clean air and clean social life abound. They either work in the fields or in crafts that countribute to peace. They do not hoard silver and gold and do not acquire great landholdings; procuring for themselves only what is necessary for life. Thus they live without goods and without property, not by missfortune, but out of preference. They do not make armaments of any kind. They do not keep slaves and detest slavery. They avoid wholesale and retail commerce, believing that such activity excites one to cupidity. With respect to philosophy, they dismiss logic but have an extremely high regard for virtue. They honor the Sabbath with great respect over the other days of the week. They have an internal rule which all learn, together with rules on piety, holiness, justice and the knowledge of good and bad. These they make use of in the form of triple definitions, rules regarding the love of God, the love of virtue, and the love of men. They believe God causes all good but cannot be the cause of any evil. They honor virtue by foregoing all riches, glory and pleasure. Further, they are convinced they must be modest, quiet, obedient to the rule, simple, frugal and without mirth. Their life style is communal. They have a common purse. Their salaries they deposit before them all, in the midst of them, to be put to the common employment of those who wish to make use of it. They do not neglect the sick on the pretext that they can produce nothing. With the common purse there is plenty from which to treat all illnesses. They lavish great respect on the elderly. With them they are very generous and surround them with a thousand attentions. They practice virtue like a gymnastic exercise, seeing the accomplishment of praiseworthy deeds as the means by which a man ensures absolute freedom for himself."
Philo (second account)
"The Essenes live in a number of towns in Judea, and also in many villages and in large groups. They do not enlist by race, but by volunteers who have a zeal for righteousness and an ardent love of men. For this reason there are no young children among the Essenes. Not even adolescents or young men. Instead they are men of old or ripe years who have learned how to control their bodily passions. They possess nothing of their own, not house, field, slave nor flocks, nor anything which feeds and procures wealth. They live together in brotherhoods, and eat in common together. Everything they do is for the common good of the group. They work at many different jobs and attack their work with amazing zeal and dedication, working from before sunrise to almost sunset without complaint, but in obvious exhilaration. Their exercise is their work. Indeed, they believe their own training to be more agreeable to body and soul, and more lasting, than athletic games, since their exercises remain fitted to their age, even when the body no longer possesses its full strength. They are farmers and shepherds and beekeepers and craftsmen in diverse trades. They share the same way of life, the same table, even the same tastes; all of them loving frugality and hating luxury as a plague for both body and soul. Not only do they share a common table, but common clothes as well. What belongs to one belongs to all. Available to all of them are thick coats for winter and inexpensive light tunics for summer. Seeing it as an obstacle to communal life, they have banned marriage.
Flavius Josephus
The first reference to the Essenes comes from Josephus, writing about the death of Antigonus in 103 B.C. Josephus relates that the Essenes had an uncanny ability to successfully predict future events, and that the death of Antigonus at the hands of his brother, Aristobulus, ruler of Judea, had been accurately forecast by an Essene named Judas.
Josephus states that 'Judas was an Essene born and bred, indicating that he had been born into the movement at least a few decades earlier.
On this occasion, according to Josephus, Judas was sitting in or near the Jerusalem temple with a number or his pupils, showing that he was an Essene teacher of the Law and that he was able to speak his views apparently quite freely in Jerusalem at the end of the second century B.C.
"The sect of the Essenes maintain that Fate governs all things, and that nothing can befall man contrary to its determination and will.These men live the same kind of life which among the Greeks has been ordered by Pythagoras."
"The Essenes are Jews by race, but are more closely united among themselves by mutual affection, and by their efforts to cultivate a particularly saintly life. They renounce pleasure as an evil, and regard continence and resistance to passions as a virtue. They disdain marriage for themselves, being content to adopt the children of others at a tender age in order to instruct them. They do not abolish marriage, but are convinced women are all licentious and incapable of fidelity to one man. They despise riches. When they enter the sect, they must surrender all of their money and possessions into the common fund, to be put at the disposal of everyone; one single property for the whole group. Therefore neither the humiliation of poverty nor the pride of possession is to be seen anywhere among them. They regard oil as a defilement, and should any of them be involuntarily anointed, he wipes his body clean. They make a point of having their skin dry and of always being clothed in white garments. In their various communal offices, the administrators are elected and appointed without distinction offices. They are not just in one town only, but in every town several of them form a colony. They welcome members from out of town as coequal brothers, and even though perfect strangers, as though they were intimate friends. For this reason they carry nothing with them ashen they travel: they are, however, armed against brigands. They do not change their garments or shoes until they have completely worn out. They neither buy nor sell anything among themselves. They give to each other freely and feel no need to repay anything in exchange. Before sunrise they recite certain ancestral prayers to the sun as though entreating it to rise. They work until about 11 A.M. when they put on ritual loincloths and bathe for purification. Then they enter a communal hall,where no one else is allowed,and eat only one bowlful of food for each man, ! together with their loaves of bread. They eat in silence. Afterwards they lay aside their sacred garment and go back to work until the evening. At evening they partake dinner in the same manner. During meals they are sober and quiet and their silence seems a great mystery to people outside. Their food and drink are so measured out that they are satisfied but no more. They see bodily pleasure as sinful. On the whole they do nothing unless ordered by their superiors, but two things they are allowed to do on their own discretion: to help those 'worthy of help', and to offer food to the needy. They are not allowed, however, to help members of their own families without permission from superiors. They are very careful not to exhibit their anger, carefully controlling such outbursts. They are very loyal and are peacemakers. They refuse to swear oaths, believing every word they speak to be stronger than an oath. They are scrupulous students of the ancient literature. They are ardent students in the healing of diseases, of the roots offering protection, and of the properties of stones. Those desiring to enter the sect are not allowed immediate entrance. They are made to wait outside for a period of one year. During this time each postulant is given a hatchet, a loincloth and a white garment. The hatchet is used for cleanliness in stooling for digging and covering up the hole. Having proved his constinence during the first year he draws closer to the way of life and participates in the purificatory baths at a higher degree, but he is not yet admitted into intimacy. His character is tested another two years and if 'ne proves worthy he is received into the company permanently.
They are sworn to love truth and to pursue liars. They must never steal. They are not allowed to keep any secrets from other members of the sect; but they are warned to reveal nothing to outsiders, even under the pain of death. They are not allowed to alter the 'books of the sect, and must keep all the information secret, especially the names of the angels. The name of the Lawgiver, after God, is a matter of great veneration to them; if anyone blasphemed the name of the Lawgiver he was sentenced to death. Those members convicted of grave faults are expelled from the order. In matters of judgement Essene leaders are very exact and impartial. Their decisions are irrevocable. They are so scrupulous in matters pertaining to the Sabbath day that they refuse even to go to stool on that day, They always give way to the opinion of the majority, and they make it their duty to obey their elders. They are divided into four lots according to the duration of their discipline, and the juniors are so inferior to their elders that if the latter touch them, they wash themselves as though they had been in contact with a stranger. They despise danger: they triumph over pain by the heroism of their convictions, and consider death, if it comes with glory, to be better than the preservation of life. They died in great glory amidst terrible torture in the war against the Romans. They believe that their souls are immortal, but that their bodies are corruptible. They believe the soul is trapped in the body and is freed with death. They believe that there is a place 'across the ocean' where just souls gather, a place reserved for the immortal souls of the just. The souls of the wicked, however, are relegated to a dark pit, shaken by storms and full of unending chastisement. Some of the Essenes became expert in forecasting the future."
Josephus (second account)
"The Essenes declare that souls are immortal and consider it necessary to struggle to obtain the reward of righteousness. They send offerings to the Temple, but offer no sacrifices since the purifications to which they are accustomed are different. For this reason, they refrain from entering into the common enclosure, but offer sacrifice among themselves. They are holy men and completely given up to agricultural labor."
Pliny the Elder
"To the west (of the Dead Sea) the Essenes have put the necessary distance between themselves and the insalubrious shore. They are a people unique of its kind and admirable beyond all others in the whole world; without women and renouncing love entirely, without money and having for company only palm trees. Owing to the throng of newcomers, this people is daily reborn in equal number; indeed, those whom, wearied by the fluctuations of fortune, life leads to adopt their customs, stream in in great numbers. Thus, unbeleivable though this may seem, for thousands of centuries a people has existed which is eternal yet into which no one is born: so fruitful for them is the repentance which others feel for their past lives!"
Eusebius (Bishop of Caesarea, writing around A.D.300)
"Even in our day, there are still those whose only guide is Deity; ones who live by the true reason of nature, not only themselves free but filling their neighbors witht he spirit of freedom. They are not very numerous indeed, but that is not strange, for the highest nobilty is ever rare; and then these ones have turned aside from the vulgar herd to devote themselves to a contemplation of nature's verities. They pray, if it were possible, that they may reform our fallen lives; but if they cannot, owing to the tide of evils and wrongs which surge up in cities, they flee away, lest they too be swept off their feet by the force of the current. And we, if we had a true zeal for self-improvement, would have to track them to their places of retreat, and, halting as supplicants before them, would beseech them to come to us and tame our life grown too fierce and wild; preaching instead of war and slavery and untold ills, their Gospel of Peace and freedom, and all the fullness of other blessings."

Essene Technique of the Great Gratitude
One of the keys of respect, and therefore of inner happiness and enlightenment, is to learn to be grateful and to say thank you with gratitude and right understanding. You will certainly tell me that sometimes there is really nothing to say thank you for, and that it cultivates a naive, passive, and weak attitude. In truth, gratitude is everything except weakness. It opens the door to a higher knowledge and science. An act which comes from gratitude is always beneficial and beautiful. Not knowing how to say thank you is absolutely not a strength; it is a weakness. One who is a prisoner of discontent is plunged into negative states of mind which steal his force and energy from him. The phrase "thank you" is not merely a polite convention; it is above all a truly magical phrase, a sacred incantation, a powerful mantra which was transmitted to all peoples by the greatest spiritual teachers and their enlightened students. Yes, many customs of life that we practice unconsciously were originally instituted by beings of light who wanted to help humanity. The phrase "thank you" has the power to open the consciousness and to awaken into true wealth. Those who know to say thank you when they are plunged into trials prove their inner value and connection with the higher consciousness. Such a thank you should come from a clear consciousness and a perfect knowledge of the laws of life. Then, it possesses the alchemical power to transform situations and states of mind.
Correctly pronounced, it has also the virtue of purifying the terrestrial soul and the relationships among beings. To say thank you to someone is to purify the atmosphere between you and this person. It sometimes clears up karmic links and difficult situations. "Thank you" has a liberating power; it makes detachment, letting go, and pardon possible. It can become a true blessing for oneself and others; it can be a bulwark against dark forces which often want to interfere in our lives in order to slyly perturb, complicate, and destroy everything. A solid foundation--on which it becomes possible to build a useful, harmonious, rich, and conscious life--can also be established in the psychological life through gratitude.The virtues of gratitude are too numerous to describe them all; it is simplest to know them from experience by putting gratitude into practice. Indeed, we need a new perception of the world, much more spiritual and subtle. It is in the invisible world that "thank you" takes on all its dimensions. Of course, if we live without spirituality, without consciousness, if we turn our backs on the invisible world, then I admit that "thank you" can become a weakness: for a brute, to say thank you is to die. But I think we haven't come to that yet.
For those who are aware of their spirituality, and therefore of the subtle part of their beings and of life, to say thank you is to increase the intensity of life. Discontent narrows life, whereas gratitude dilates, enlarges, increases happiness, and opens the doors of infinity, of love. Those who receive love with gratitude receive it twice, whereas one who is discontent loses it. Gratitude is an art of tasting life with relish; it is also an intelligence of acceptance and work on oneself. The pampered child cannot be joyful, as it believes that everything is due to it. To live a lie is to sentence oneself to misfortunes and disillusion.

I am convinced that happiness depends on our attitude with life. If your "thank you" contains all of heaven, then it can become a fabulous prayer and gift of love. One who pronounces such a "thank you" understands that nothing belongs to him on the earth, and that everything is a gift from higher beings who take care of him. Even his body, his thoughts, his desires do not belong to him. To say thank you for all of these blessings is to enter the path of acquiring them truly, and of making something positive from them. When "thank you" is transformed into prayer, it acquires the power to triumph over all of the dark forces and negative states of mind which poison life. More and more, the world resembles a jungle infested with insects and strange animals. To find oneself in situations where dark states of mind invade the consciousness and the sensitivity like a cloud of mosquitoes happens more and more frequently. We do not know any more how to escape these destructive states. The great "thank you"--the one which knows the path to the higher invisible world--can deliver us. I repeat myself, for it is important for me: the "thank you" which soars toward the heavens with respect and gratitude is the most beautiful prayer. Now it is the efficient prayer that delivers human beings from the ascendancy of dark forces and negative states of mind. The word "gratitude" also means rebirth to oneself. We must finally understand that we have allowed an artificial way of life which increases the negative to develop. This is why, in the future and even in the present, the techniques of inner alchemy will be more and more indispensable. Without them, it will be impossible to struggle and to keep one's dignity, one's treasure of soul, one's beauty. We must reinvent a new way of living on the earth in order to regain the forces of soul which open the doors of heaven and illumination. This is a necessity for the future.
When human beings carry heaven and earth within themselves, no negative forces can enter them. Understand me well: for me, discontent is a negative force. Of course, there is a beneficial discontent which allows us to get down to work again and to reach perfection, but this discontent is temperate and controlled; it is a tool of creativity. I am not speaking about this one, but about the one which gets into the soul and leads it to servitude, by closing the doors of higher intelligence."Thank you" is a word which unites heaven and earth. When the "thank you" is sincere and filled with the force of life, it has the power to touch and awaken the intimate center which is in the stomach and that the Japanese call the "hara". Real force comes from the deep "thank you" which touches the center of the being and unites heaven and earth. One who knows how to say thank you to the earth finds the foundation of psychological life. The earth cleans, purifies, and heals him of many psychological troubles, and even of physical diseases, for both are basically linked.

One who knows how to say thank you to the intelligence of heaven finds the direction and the goal of his life. It is a light which enlightens with true knowledge. All we need is to get down to work. Many things in our lives depend on the way we direct our energies. Intelligence absolutely does not rest in swallowing in parrot fashion, but in the ability to understand the positive meaning of one's life and to walk in this direction for the good of oneself, others, and the world. Everyone on earth should offer their sincere and warm thanks to all beings--not to the little artificial self in them, but to the Nameless One, who is present everywhere. The acknowledgement of the divine, of the sublime, of the infinite, of the immortal, through human beings and through the Whole, is the perfection of the "thank you".I am now going to teach you an old Essene technique.
Old Essene Exercise of Purification and Health: Stand in living nature, between the earth and the sky. Feel the earth under your feet; feel how the earth carries you and holds you up. Feel the infinite sky above you; it inspires, straightens, and elevates you. In the sky, think of the origin of your spirit and of your intelligence. In the sky, think of the origin of your eternal soul, of the higher universal consciousness. In the earth, think of the origin of your terrestrial soul, of your individual consciousness. Feel yourself as a living union of the forces of the sky and the earth, of the infinite and the development. Kneel on the ground, and with your right hand, dig a little hole in the earth. Put your hands together in front of the center of your chest (mystical heart), in the sign of prayer and inner union with heaven and earth within you. In this sacred posture, let a beautiful light, a force, a presence of the heaven flow through you: the omnipresence of the Father of all living beings. You can imagine a diamond light, transparent like pure water. Bend down with love before Mother Earth, and place your hands around the little hole. Bend down completely so that your mouth is laid on your hands. Offer then by your word the "thank you" of heaven to Mother Earth; offer also the "thank you" of your heart, and, through it, the "thank you" of the heart of humanity.
Pronounce the words:"Mother Earth, I offer you the "thank you" of my heart and, through it, the "thank you" of the heart of all men and women. May all beings that you carry within your bosom, nurture, protect, and let grow be blessed."Stretch yourself out on the ground and abandon yourself totally to the earth. That your body and your soul born from it be one with the Mother-Earth and her hidden splendor.
Think and say:"Mother Earth, take all of my illnesses and my faults according your will, so that I may receive the blessing of the heavenly Spirit to transmit it to all living beings according his will."Remain in silent communion while letting the earth purify you completely. Rise to your knees again, and put your hands together in front of the rose of the sun of the heart. Think in your spirit, feel in your soul, and say with your force of life:"With love and gratitude, I offer my loving "thank you" filled with light. To the Mother Earth, thank you; To the water of life, thank you; To the precious air, thank you; To the sacred fire, thank you; To the stable minerals, thank you; To the plants, thank you; To the animals, thank you; To humanity walking on the path of evolution, thank you; To all of the angels, thank you; To the cosmic intelligence which created my thought, thank you; To the ocean of love which created my sensibility, thank you; To the universal life which impregnated my future with the seed of individuality, thank you; To all of the beings of the world, I give my "thank you" within Him, the unique Source who unites all beings within the origin and the goal."Fold your arms on your chest, bow slightly your head, and pronounce the word of conclusion: "Amen".Then, refill the hole that you had dug to speak to the Mother of the world.

By practicing such exercises, which are totally suitable for our contemporary life, you will notice that you receive a force of balance and harmony which lets you remain more centered and be more yourself in life. The technique of gratitude allows one to develop a finer sensitivity to the higher world. Not an unhealthy sentimentality, but an awakening which makes one become more lucid, more strong, more fair. Our life is our life; it is we who have to live it, and no-one else. But it is obvious that, in order to live it in a beautiful way, we need force and lucidity. The technique of gratitude allows one to gain these and more. One is generally afraid of sensibility, because one thinks that the more sensible a person is, the more he/she is unhappy and ill. Of course, if the "thank you" is not right, it can make one ill, because the energies are not directed toward the sky of the spirit, but remain unconscious and too personal. The one who thinks he/she is the center of the world while saying thank you only expresses a dead conventional polite phrase in order to hide the true being he/she is, for the sake of appearances. The true "thank you" opens the perception of beauty, wisdom, greatness, and love. If the human being no longer perceives the reality of this omnipresent higher world, then he is lost. It is only a matter of time; downfall is inevitable. Only a right cultivation of a higher sensibility can lead humanity toward a real evolution of light and harmony, and enable it to overcome all trials and temptations. A source of well-being and intense beneficial life is to offer oneself moments of solitude when harmony with all of the forces of original good can be cultivated in silence and calm, and when the magical phrase of the great "thank you" can be spoken. One can then share all this with others through simple acts, friendly words, smiles filled with a light and a warmth which come from a world where the human reigns.

History of Incense and Methods of Use

Mankind has used incense, in its earliest forms, since the dawn of human history. With the discovery of fire, our ancestors would have realized that most materials give off a unique and sometimes powerful aroma when burnt. The difference between the smell of a handful of Parsley and that of a Pine tree branch is greatly emphasized when each is burnt. Then as now, the air is quickly filled with intoxicating aromas simply by throwing some dried leaves, spices or twigs into a fire. There is historic evidence in most cultures that our ancestors used incense burning for sacred and healing purposes. From ancient times people recognized that aromas produced by burning materials could heighten the senses, both sight and smell. When early man gathered around his fire, the smell of aromatic woods, herbs and leaves carried by heaven-wards spirals of smoke was a rare sensory pleasure. From this discovery it was no doubt a short step to dedicating fragrant products to the Gods, by adding them to a fire, which would also carry the good wishes and prayers of men upwards on the heat of the flames. Other benefits ascribed to the burning of incense included the purification of an area, to change a mood (to facilitate meditation or religious practices) and to cleanse and disinfect living spaces, especially after pollution caused by, for instance, death or illness. Several thousands of years before the advent of Christianity, the plants, herbs and spices that produced the best incense were traded as highly desirable commodities. For many years Frankincense from the Arabian peninsula was actually a more valuable currency than gold or silver. In almost every religion, aromatic oils, leaves and powders were considered a gift from the Gods, symbolic of divine grace. Frankincense was used in vast quantities by the ancient Egyptians, Persians and Assyrians, and via them, by the Romans, who would have learned of its use when coming into contact with eastern nations. The significance of the belief that the three wise men brought Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh to the infant Jesus was both the princely nature of the gifts and their symbolic significance. Frankincense was a costly gift literally "fit for a king," while Bitter Myrrh (which is said to seal the auric field) referred to the bittersweet fate awaiting the messiah. The trade in Frankincense flourished for centuries, particularly in the Arabian peninsula area of Oman, and its use can be traced back to the reign of the Queen of Sheba, who reigned over the Hadramut Kingdom which included Oman. The Frankincense trade flourished for fifteen hundred years, peaking at the height of the Roman Empire. The trade only declined due to reduced demand after the fall of the Roman Empire and also because of the exorbitant taxes levied along the strictly controlled trade routes. The idea of purification through smoke is certainly not the sole preserve of the world to the east of the Atlantic. The Native North Americans have also burned herbal smoke mixtures in ceremonial cleansing and healing rituals for thousands of years. Smudging (the common name given to the sacred smoke bowl blessing) has been a part of Native American tradition since ancient times. As with its Eastern counterparts, the "smudging" or burning of herbs and resins was and continues to be a practice held literally sacred by many traditional cultures. Smudging takes many forms; herbs are either tied into bundles called "smudge sticks," or the longer, tendril like herbs may be braided into "ropes." Smudging calls on the spirits of sacred plants to drive away negative energies and restore balance. The most popular herbs and plants for smudging include Cedar, Sage, Sweetgrass and Tobacco. Each of these plants is imbued with a unique quality and specific energy and as such are known as "Sacred Plant Helpers." Their smoke is ceremonially fanned through the energy field (aura) to cleanse negative energies, heal, bless and attract positive forces. Smudging continues to this day as an integral part of Native American purification rituals. All spaces and the tools used for healings must be smudged, and smudging is an integral part of other important ceremonies such as medicine wheel gatherings, the vision quest and sweat lodge. The use of incense in organized religion continues as a relevant and important aspect of several confirmed religions, being used to prepare the congregation for prayer and ritual. In the Roman Catholic and Eastern churches, incense is a sacramental, that is, "an action or object of ecclesiastical origin that serves to express or increase devotion". The Roman Catholic Church has always recognized the value of rites and ceremonial observances, not only for increasing the solemnity of her services, but for arousing a spirit of devotion in those who minister at them and those who attend them. For a period the use of incense was discontinued in the Western Church because of its close association with pagan worship, but it has always been used in the Eastern Church. The incense used today is powder or grains of resin or vegetable gums or other such substances which, when burned, give off a sweet smelling smoke. It is interesting to note that the Roman Catholic church now shares a devotion to rituals involving incense with the increasing number of practicing pagans and wiccans, the very groups it sought to dissociate itself from. The mystical meanings ascribed to incense by the church hardly differs from those of our ancestors. By its burning, incense symbolizes the zeal of the faithful, its sweet fragrance echoes the "odor of sanctity" believed to be exuded by saints and martyrs, and its rising smoke symbolizes the ascent of prayers to heaven. Also, incense creates a cloud, which is another symbol for godliness. Incense has quite rightly been called the forefather of modern Aromatherapy, and its use as the earliest form of healing based on scent is undisputed. Today, there has been resurgence in the use of essential oils and the burning of incense as tools to employ the power of Aromatherapy, which is now recognized as being able, via the stimulation of the olfactory nerves, to produce physical, emotional and psychological effects independent of the thinking process. As we smell scents, whether it be incense, fresh paint or sausage and mash, our mind is busy working on a subconscious level, deciding whether we like it and determining whether we recognize it. These responses are created in the limbic system, or more accurately, the information is sent via the nerves to the olfactory epithelium, which is part of the limbic system in the brain. Data is then transmitted to the conscious parts of the brain. The limbic system is the oldest and most primitive section of the brain. It stores information about every scent ever smelled, and provides responses and reactions to various stimuli. It is considered the seat of memory, and as such is a powerful mood affecter. All smell is molecular. In other words, when we smell a scent, we are registering a physical molecule that disconnects itself from its carrier and drifts in the air, arriving through the nose to the mucous membrane which has millions of odor-receptor cells and cilia to catch and identify scent molecules in the air. Unlike our other four senses, the nerve system for smell is directly exposed to its source of stimulation. This explains the immediate, unthinking effect of scents on the nervous system. Scent can cause an instant and overwhelming reaction, either pleasant or unpleasant, in a way that no other sensation can. In addition, our ability to learn and our capacity for sympathy are also located in the limbic system, hence the often close link that feelings of sympathy and antipathy often have with smells. The limbic system is also responsible for creativity, inspiration, and all non-thinking, automatic life processes such as heartbeat, hormone regulation and respiration. Scent can affect all of of these powerful bodily processes. The use of incense, and of essential oils in modern Aromatherapy, has validated the belief held by our ancient forefathers. Many of the reactions and decisions we make are intrinsically linked to our sense of smell, and many areas of our health and relaxation can be positively affected by smell, and by definition, through Aromatherapy. Incense can help to: - cleanse the atmosphere - aid calm and reduce anxiety, stress, and fear - revitalize, stimulate, and renew energy - alleviate insomnia - prepare the mind and body for prayer, meditation and contemplation - accelerate healing. Follow the example of the ancients, and allow the fragrant smoke from incense to cleanse your living space, relax your body, calm your mind, create a spiritual atmosphere and heighten your awareness.
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HOW TO BURN INCENSE
Incense Burners: An incense burner can be as simple as an old can or as elaborate as an ornate temple burner. Some incense users are content to own one or two simple burners. Others have giant collections of burners from around the world. It's important to buy the right burner for the type of incense that you are using, especially for safety. Cones and CylindersChoosing a good cone burner is important. While nearly anything can catch the ash from a stick, a cone or a spaghetti stick will burn completely. That means anything you use as a burner for cones, cylinders, or spaghetti sticks has to be able to withstand the heat. Never burn cones on wood. The most common form of cone burner is the small brass burner. It is a raised brass "bowl" with a lid. Brass burners of this style are wonderfully functional and will last forever if you buy a good one and take care of it. Don't buy a burner that's too small. If you only see one size at a store, then you probably need to find a different store. A good brass burner should have a mouth at least an inch and a half across (two to three inches is best). If you can't put three fingers in the mouth at once, it's too small. It is best to light cones and then put them in the burner. If the mouth is too small you'll burn your fingers. Ideally, the walls of the "dish" should be at least one inch tall. This is to make sure the cones can't fall out.A note about lids. I've heard many complaints about cone burners that "put the cone out" when the lid is put on. If you buy a larger burner that is properly ventilated, cones will burn with the lid on. You'll have to clean the lid frequently to keep oils and resins from ruining the finish if that's important to you. Over time, the lid will take on a fragrance all its own. That scent will be released when the lid is heated, so it will become a part of any incense you burn. Some burners can become nicely "seasoned" in this way over time. If your incense burner extinguishes your cones, you need to buy a larger one. It's a very good idea to put a small amount of sand or ash at the bottom of cone burners. This will improve the air flow under the cone (to help make the entire cone burn) and help to protect your burner. You should replace sand after every four or five uses. If you use ash it can be sifted and re-used indefinitely. Never use a brass burner on a wooden surface. Brass conducts heat pretty well, and even raised burners can burn the wood they sit on. A ceramic tile or ashtray works fine. For the serious burner of cones, I recommend soapstone burners. Most forms of burner and ash catcher are available in soapstone and they are the best for cone burning. You'll usually pay a little more for the soapstone, but it is well worth a few cents. Most soap-stone cone burners can be used on a wooden surface (don't chance it with a new burner, use it on tile or in an ash tray the first time and see how hot it gets before using it on wood). Ash or sand in the bottom is still an excellent idea. Loose Incense: You basically need a tiny charcoal grill. Often they are made of brass. They can be mere overgrown cone burners. They are large brass bowls (some with lids). The mouth of your burner should be at least three and a half inches across (four to five is better). You can either put sand or ash in the bottom or use a piece of metal screen that is bent around the edges to let it stand an inch or so off the bed of sand. That way you can scrape ashes from the top of your charcoal into the bottom before adding new items to burn. Put one or two charcoal bricks (only side by side, never stacked) in your burner on top of the wire mesh or sand. Light the edges of the bricks with a match or barbecue lighter (bamboo charcoal, which is preferred, may require an extra effort to light) and you're ready to go. Be sure not to touch the sides of the censer when in use. It is very hot! Never use a censer on wood. Sticks (with Bamboo Rods): The most common stick holder is known as a "boat." These are long, flat wooden pieces that curve at one end. There is a small hole in the raised end and the uncoated end of the bamboo stick is inserted through the hole. This is the most basic form of ash catcher. You'll find these virtually anywhere that sells incense. They are also made of bone, ceramic, glass, and stone. Some have an enclosed box beneath the curved piece. That is supposed to be a storage area for unburned sticks, but I wouldn't keep incense in a wooden box unless the sticks were bagged in plastic or similarly sealed. Many of these catchers are inlaid with brass or hand painted. There is another category of stick holders that I call "trees." These holders are usually wooden or stone centerpieces with a series of holes drilled into the top. They will hold several sticks at once and hold the sticks nearly straight up and down. They require less space and hold more incense than boats, so they are a good investment. Sticks (not spaghetti sticks, however) can also be inserted into the ground. Push the uncoated end of the bamboo into dry ground, clear away any combustible materials from underneath the stick, and light it up. Take care not to burn incense outdoors if the wind is strong as it might blow sparks off the end that could start a fire. Also keep burning incense away from paths where anyone might walk next to them. Spaghetti Sticks: Spaghetti sticks, cylinders, and cones burn completely so they can't be used in wooden incense boats. They are usually safe to use in soapstone or metal boats. The best way to burn spaghetti sticks is in a censer. Light one end and insert the other end into the ash far enough to allow the stick to stand straight. This type of incense and burner together is usually the least messy of any combination. Combination Burners: Some manufacturers make burners that can handle several types of incense. Usually they are made from soapstone or are ceramic. Most are large cone-burning dishes with special lids or holes drilled in the bottom for sticks. Cylinders and even loose incense can be burned in ones with a large enough mouth. Spaghetti sticks can also be used in them. Sand or ash is also a great idea in the bottom of your combination burner, as long as it doesn't block any of the holes or other special features. Censers: The censer is the best type of burner for anyone serious about incense and is the typical incense burner used in rituals. It's also the ultimate type of combination burner. A censer is a dish, bowl, ashtray, or similar object filled with a nonflammable substance, most often sand or ash but gravel, decorative rock, etc., can also be used. Sticks, cylinders, and spaghetti sticks can be inserted into the sand or ash. Cones, coils, and charcoal for loose incense can be burned on the surface of the ash (coils will usually put themselves out when burned on the surface of sand). They can also be used for kodo-style or makko burning. A good censer will handle all of your incense burner needs. Lighting Incense: To light stick, cone, or cylinder incense, hold a lit match or, better yet, a butane lighter, to the tapered or coated end of the incense (or either end of a spaghetti stick or cylinder). Hold the flame there for ten seconds (more for some) then take the flame away. If everything is perfect, the incense will continue to flame for a second or two and then the flame will go out and the end will continue to glow and slowly burn. Some incense will not go out on its own. If it flames for more than twenty seconds, blow the flame out. The smell you get just after the flame goes out is not necessarily the way the incense really smells. Incense is made up of materials that will burn at different rates while flaming, so all you smell in that first few seconds are the materials that didn't vanish in the flame. Give it twenty or thirty seconds, then the true scent will start to come through. When it comes to dipped incense (as most commercial incense is), you might even notice that long after the incense is lit there are long wisps of black smoke in the air. If you reach up and touch one you'll discover that it's not smoke at all. It is actually a long chain of oil molecules. They use such high quantities of synthetic oil that it doesn't all burn, so these chains of oil are also spewed into the air. One of the most popular brands of incense in the United States is notorious for doing this. That's one of the reasons I recommend sticking with natural incense instead of that synthetic stuff. Remember, your incense should give off a pale white smoke, that's the sign of good combustion. If your incense gives off black smoke, that means that it's not burning completely. As the incense is made, they may roll cones (or other shapes) that won't burn. This is also a problem with commercial cones, both rolled and dipped. I wanted to mention a clever little trick when you encounter this problem. Try burning the cone upside down. Try it—it really works. Hazards: There are a number of factors you need to keep in mind when it comes to safety. First is fire safety. Since incense must be burned you should always be conscious of where it is and what it might come into contact with. Here are some important fire safety guidelines. 1. Make certain that no part of burning incense comes into contact with wood or other flammable materials. 2. Never burn incense inside cupboards or with anything hanging above the burning incense. The rising heat from the incense (along with the smoke) can cause discolorations and is potentially a fire hazard. If you want to use incense smoke to scent clothing, hang it at least eighteen inches above the burning incense. 3. Incense burners can heat up. Even soapstone burners get hot. Always be careful where you place the burner. A hot burner can damage or discolor wooden surfaces. They can also burn you if you try to move them while they are in use unless they have a chain or a handle. Never leave burning incense unattended. If you have to leave while your incense is still burning, put it out. If you have to, you can put it out under water. A better method, if you use a censer, is to turn the incense upside down and bury the burning end in the sand or ash. That will put it out but still allow you to relight it at some future time. To put out a coil of incense you can break off the glowing tip and discard it in water. 5. Although this seems obvious to say, burning incense is hot. Just grazing the glowing tip of burning incense can cause a significant burn on skin and clothing. It really smarts! 6. Watch burning incense and make certain the ash is dropping where it should. If the ash is falling outside its container you might need to reposition it or use a different burner. It's a very good idea to contain the ash. It can discolor furniture and might even be hot enough to be a fire hazard itself. 7. Remember that the Element of Fire is powerful and deserves your reverence. Do not be careless with burning incense or charcoal out of respect for the power of Fire. Another important consideration with incense and safety is the material that you burn. Burning loose incense over charcoal may pose a hazard according to some experts. I personally have never noticed a problem, but some have suggested that burning charcoal in a well-insulated, poorly ventilated, or enclosed environment may cause dangerous levels of carbon monoxide to collect. This is especially true when you are using the "self-lighting" type of charcoal or incense that contains saltpeter, but even the finest charcoal might have this effect. As I said, I've never encountered a problem myself but it's best to be careful. You can buy one very good incense burner and it will last your entire life. Or, if you prefer, you can collect them and own hundreds. Just keep in mind which type of incense can be used in which type of burners and where to place them for safety. If used with care, incense is quite safe and amazingly pleasant. My favorite Incenses are any of the Nag Champa ones (I get them at Soul-Flower.com) and the finest incense I have ever found is from the The Holy Transfiguration Monestary (at www.thehtm.org). Its located at 278 Warren Street Brookline, MA. 02445-5927. Enjoy!

"Spectro Chrome" or "Colored Light Therapy"

In April of 1920, Darius P. Ghadiali (or Dinshaw as he preferred to be called) introduced his system of "Healing with Colored Light" to the world, in NYC. Over the next 4 years, Dinshaw trained over 800 professionals and lay persons. He founded the Spectro Chrome Institute, designed and sold Colored Light projectors and accessories. He appeared to be well on his way to making an important contribution to the "Healing Arts". The 1st indication of opposition to Spectro Chrome emerged in the 1924 Journal of the American Medical Association. The article was instrumental in causing a continuing decline in the use of Spectro Chrome by his professional graduates. Dinshaw persevered but, to an increasingly lay clientele. Rather than slow him, the next step was intended to crush Dinshaw. They caused his indictment in Buffalo, NY in 1931. They charged, "that he had misrepresented Spectro Chrome as a Healing System". He defended Spectro Chrome with the testimony of 3 Physicians, and 3 lay graduates. The Doctors swore to the successful use of Spectro Chrome in Glaucoma, Otitis Media, advanced Tuberculosis, Cardiac Problems, Ulcers, Hemorrhoids, Abcesses, Arthritis, Tumors, Sciatica, Meningitis, Goiter and much more. After 90 minutes deliberation, the jury found Dinshaw was NOT misrepresenting SpectroChrome when he called it a Healing System. Despite the vindication of his work, Dinshaw knew there would be continuing and strong resistance to Spectro Chrome from Medical Authorities. He knew if Spectro Chrome was to survive it would be without help from the professional sector. The Spectro Chrome metry Encyclopedia was his answer. His sons (Darius, Rashon and Jal J. Dinshaw) continue to run the Dinshaw Health Society. It is located at 100 Dinshaw Drive, Malaga, NJ. 08328. Presented here are the basics of Spectro Chrome..called Spectro Chrome Definitions: Tonations: shining a Spectro Chrome color on the body, or a part of the body, is called a Tonation. You Tonate with a color. A Tonation is generally ONE color on a given area (or areas) for one hour (at a forecast time if possible). When instructed to Tonate two or more colors, one color is Tonated for one hour and then, at a later forecast time, the next color is Tonated. Colors: The original Spectro Chrome system used 5 matched glass slides (filters which were not monochromes) to produce 12 colors. Dishaw used the term Attuned Colors to differentiate them from filters which appeared to be the same but were not correct shades for Spectro Chrome use. Here is the Color Codes for Spectro Chrome Metry: Color Red - Red, Orange -Red and Yellow, Yellow - Yellow, Lemon - Yellow and Green, Green - Green, Turquoise - Green and Blue, Blue - Blue, Indigo - Blue and Violet, Violet - Violet, Purple - Violet and Yellow, Magenta - Red and Violet, Scarlet - Red and Blue. Area: The part of the body that you are going to Tonate is called an Area. The Areas are numbered #1 thru #22 and approximately contain the Major Organs. Areas are as following: #1 Pituitary, Pineal, Brain (front). #2 Neck. #3 Thyroid, Parathyroids. #4, #5 Lungs, Heart, Thymus, (female mammaries). #6 Spleen. #7 Liver (also area #8), Gallbladder. #8 Stomach (also area #6), Pancreas (front). #9 Intestines (also area # 10). #10 Bladder, Appendix, Internal Reproductive. #11 External Reproductive. #12 Thighs. #13 Shins. #14 Arms. #15 Brain (back). #16 Nape of Neck. #17 Lungs (back). #18 Kidneys, Adrenals, Pancreas (back). #19 Rectum, Buttocks. #20 Back of Thighs. #21 Calves. #22 Feet. Systemic: (front or back). The Term Systemic Front or Back means to Tonate ALL areas from #1 thru #11. Systemic Back means to Tonate all areas from #15 thru #19. Projector: The filters can be used with almost any incandescent lamp or sunlight as a light source or projector; flourescent tubes are NOT suitable for generating Spectro Chrome colors. Infra - Green, Ultra Green: Red, Orange, Yellow and Lemon are colors which occur in the spectrum before Green, the center color, so they are termed Infra - Green Colors. Turquoise, Blue, Indigo and Violet are colors which are found in the spectrum after Green, so they are termed Ultra - Green Colors. Green, in the middle, is the physical equilibrating color. Purple, Magenta and Scarlet are not found in the spectrum so they are not included in either series. Opposite: Each Spectro Chrome color has specific effects attributed to it. The color which has reverse attributes of another color is called its opposite. Red is the opposite of Blue...Blue is the opposite of Red. Orange is the opposite of Indigo...Indigo is the opposite of Orange. Yellow is the opposite of Violet...Violet is the opposite of Yellow. Lemon is the opposite of Turquoise...Turquoise is the opposite of Lemon. Purple is the opposite of Scarlet...Scarlet is the opposite of Purple. The remaining colors Green and Magenta do not have opposite colors. Green is the median color of the Spectrum and is therefore the governing color. Magenta is the simultaneous use of both ends of the Spectrum which endows it with the power of equilibration. Aura: The energy field surrounding and extending from the Hue-Man Hologram , generated by the electro - chemical cellular activity of the body is called the Aura in the Spectro Chrome system. The Aura dimishes rapidly as the distance from the body increases, so, Tonation must be on bare skin. Normalate: Dinshaw did not use the word Cure in relation to Spectro Chrome. While his coined term "normalate" has some of the meaning of "cure", in a larger sense is means something quite different. People are built in approximately the same mold with a heart, lungs, skin, teeth, etc., but how your organs function as a whole can vary considerably compaired to the medically accepted norm and still be satisfactory for you. Spectro Chrome is not expected to change the genetic factors which play such an important part in good or poor health, but it can minimize the "side effects" some of those factors cause, thereby helping you to become what is normal for you. These are the basics of Spectro Chrome. If anyone is interested in more information regarding Spectro Chrome (in general or for practitioners), please feel free to contact me about same. "Be the Color...Be the Sound"!!!

Kadoish Kadoish Kadoish Adanoi Tsabayoth

Over the years, I have chanted and prayed in many different languages,...Coptic, Essene, Hebrew, Egyptian, Chinese, Latin and Aramaic. Each one of them totally unique in their vibrations...each with their own truths to share. I have decided to share some of the most beautiful of them with you. One of the most powerful prayers I have ever utilized is the Kadoish. I will spell it correctly (in Hebrew) and then I will put it into phonics so you can pronounce it properly. This Prayer is intoned...(kind of like humming and praying it at the same time). The Prayer is "Kadoish Kadoish Kadoish Adanoi Tsabayoth". This Prayer is said 3 times in a row, then followed by another prayer. The Kadoish is used when you awaken, as it aligns you with your "Holy Spirit"...and before you sleep I suggest you do the same. It is also used whenever "ANYTHING" from any other dimension, or space, contacts you. This Prayer places a "Shell of Discernment" around you and prevents anything not of the LIGHT from contacting you. Do NOT mistake this concept for protection. Protection is a myth...a fallacy. If you enshrine your Holy Spirit in your form, there is NOTHING that you need fear. Ask yourself..."what does GOD fear"?? NOTHING. There is nothing God created that is to be feared. There is nothing that God created that God cannot UNCREATE. This Prayer is a discernment tool and keeps things out of your electrical field that do not belong there. This is the phonetic pronunciation of the prayer Ka doysh Ka doysh Ka doysh A da noy Tsa ba yot (X 3). This prayer should be intoned before any meditation, or practice that opens the electrical field up to outside energies (other than your OWN God Presence). Let's just say if you were going to a huge party, wouldn't it be nice to know which ones are the "nice people" and which ones are those you might wish to avoid? That's what the Kadoish does...it immediately brings the light of your Holy Spirit down around you in a cocoon..repelling anything that is not in your best interest. It acts like the immune system for your Spirit..keeping it healthy and unencumbered by Klingons. The translation of the Kadoish is "Holy Holy Holy is the Lord God of Hosts". 1) The Kadoish is the measure of the cycle and the beat of all matter/radiation. Even the Hue-man Heart beat is set to the Kadoish. 2) The Kadoish ties together the biorhythms of the body with the Spiritual rhythms of the Overself Body. 3) The Kadoish creates a light energy that enables the vehicle to experience the direct energies of the Masters of light serving YHWH. 4) The Kadoish is the central vibration coordinating all other vibrations with the Spiritual vehicle of Man. 5) The Kadoish will become the key to the Transformation of Mankind. No other song in the Multiverse can directly manifest Divine Love so powerfully to the elemental forms of creation, than the Divine Mantra of the Fathers Throne. 6) The Kadoish creates the Mental, Spiritual Time Warp within your Hue-man Hologram that allows you to grow from a small microcosm to the next level of Godhead. (Just think about that for a second...we started in the beginning of creation as single cells...and end up a level of the Godhead...wow. Now THAT is an experiment). 7) The Salutation (The Kadoish) is used to discern Spiritual from Negatively Polarized beings. This Salutation sets a resonancy pattern in motion which negative forces cannot utilize. It is so powerful that negatively polarized forces cannot remain in its presence for long. 8) Combine the Kadoish with the Light and Sound harmonies of 6-6-6, 9-9-9, 12-12-12. You place your hands over your third eye in the form of a pyramid. This amplifies the Spiritual greeting for the sending and receiving of Spiritual instruction. 6-6-6 identifies you with Earths Vibrations. 9-9-9 indicates you have picked up a Merkabah vibration. 12-12-12 is the vibration of Consciousness Transport. 9) The Kadoish is a Mantra where the breathe giving capacity of the subject is wholly Divine, absorbed in the person of the "Life Giving Lord". I intonate this Prayer before any attunement work I do with clients to align myself directly with my Holy Spirit. I also intonate this over any client I work with to show them how to align themselves as well. This Mantra produces a sense of well being and a feeling of vibrating. Why not try the Kadoish out and see what a difference it makes. A journal is useful when doing an experiment...why not try chanting the Kadoish every day for 30 days and see what it brings. Don't forget to "Be the Color and Be the Sound". Love, Aeva

Treatise on Gem Elixers

I have been asked many times about Gem Elixers. What they are?? How to make them?? What are their efficacy?? So, I finally sat down to try and put 30 years of research into a coherent form. Well, at least a primer anyway. Lets start here!! What IS a Gem Elixer? Gem Elixers are electrostatically charged distilled water. Ingesting a Gem Elixer is akin to drinking a Gemstones vibration. They are prepared in a manner similar to Flower Essences. To start...you will need a clear bowl (quartz is preferable but not necessary). The receptacle should hold about 12 oz.. Sometimes you will need a larger bowl depending on the size of the crystal being used. You should try to get a bowl with no designs on it, as the pattern vibrationally influences the Gem Elixer. Storage bottles should be clean and sterilized by placing them in HOT WATER (in an enamel or glass pot) for around 10 minutes. DO NOT USE ALUMINUM POTS as they are highly toxic. It is best to use DISTILLED WATER. The mineral specimen that you're using to make the Elixer, should be completely natural. No chemicals or glue, and it should be uncut and unpolished if possible. And, in THIS case...size is not important (ok stop snickering lol), although small pieces are probably more practical. The point is that...it is the PURITY of the stone that counts. If you can get the crystal in matrix (that's the stone it is attached to), it is more stablizing and attuned to the Earth. It should not have inclusions of any other crystal in it. When preparing a Gem Elixer, sit for a few minutes to attain a state of inner clarity and calm. During your meditation, place the mineral in direct sunlight to activate it. When you feel properly attuned, place the mineral in the CENTER of the bowl, covered in distilled water. It helps a lot to put rubies and clear quartz around the bowl. Spring is the best time to prepare Gem Elixers. The Gemstone or Crystal should remain in the water for approximately 2 to 3 hours (in the morning sunlight of a cloudless day is the best). The bowl should be placed on a wooden or glass table..PLEASE DO NOT place on cement or metal surfaces. The bowl can be left uncovered, or covered with a sheet of clear glass. Pour the liquid into the storage bottles (mark as Mother Tinctures and label accurately). Remove the Gemstone or Mineral AFTER pouring into the storage bottles. (I use the cobalt blue storage bottles with the droppers). *NB: any new supplies (storage bottles, funnels, bowls etc should be placed under a copper pyramid for a couple of hours to cleanse them energetically). Some Gem Elixers need to be exposed to MOONLIGHT as well. The Sun activates more properties of the Conscious Mind, while the Moon activates the properties of the Sub Conscious qualities. Male or Yang qualities are activated by the Sun, Female or Yin qualities by the Moon. As is the case with Flower Essences, Gem Elixers are very sensitive to environmental pollutants. Before storing them anywhere, wash the storage area with distilled water (use clean cotton or linen rags to wash with please) and leave the area empty for a few days. Keep clear quartz and copper pyramids in the storage area. You may also put clear quartz in the 4 corners of the storage area. Every few months clean the quartz and recharge them under a copper pyramid. Never leave Gem Elixers in sunlight AFTER they are prepared as they can be damaged by extreme heat. Extreme cold does NOT harm them. You can cleanse the Gemstones and Minerals in Sea Salt...or you can use the preferred method of placing them in the Sunlight for cleansing and recharging. Gemstones and Minerals that are worn ON the BODY, should be cleansed every two months. If the individual wearing them is involved in deep meditation practices, they should be cleaned more often. Gem Elixers should be taken at the stock bottle level of strength. Mixing them into Homeopathic strengths is a bit more involved. Best time to ingest these remedies is upon waking, around noon, dinner time and bedtime. Do NOT ingest with food. Take the remedy for about 4 weeks and then give the body time to adjust to the new vibrational frequency. Treating Chronic conditions is more involved and should be done with the supervision of someone familiar with the effects of Gem Elixers. Healing Crises CAN occur with Gem Elixers, but they are very rare. A sensitive individual would require extreme degrees of exposure to experience uncomfortable side effects. Simple cleansing with distilled water, and sea salt bathing would neutralize most of these effects quickly. If you wish, you may add a few drops to your bath water. Add a few drops of fresh lemon juice into the bathwater beforehand. The skin is the largest organ in the body and readily absorbs the energy of a Gem Elixer..especially if you are ingesting it as well. Toning and Chanting can be used in conjunction with Gem Elixers as they boost the effects of same...and,..I am a big proponent of Toning and Chanting...as you all know. Gem Elixers penetrate all 5 Epi-Kinetic Bodies...The Mental Body, The E-Motional Body, The Spiritual Body, The Physical Body and the Etheric Body. Why not give them a try and keep a journal of your results. Much love to you all..Aeva O:)