by Krishna Rose
“‘You are most fortunate, Gop-Ak-Uma. For even in this Kingdom, you find yourself unhappy, as you want no pleasure for yourself. You have a deep yearning to be God’s friend. You are not contented here, because the Lord is worshipped and adored in grand ceremonials like that of a King! Understand that the fortunate people living here have worked for a very long time to achieve this Kingdom. They offer their prayers, folding hands in obeisance unto the Lord, who tells them, “May all auspiciousness and happiness be upon you.” And when the Lord lifts His beauteous right hand to bless them, they all cheer.’
“‘Yes, Muni,’ said Gop-Ak-Uma. ‘What you say is true. I do not identify with this method of worship.’
“‘You do not care for the Lord’s blessings, for in your heart you long to run to Him like an old friend, finally reunited. You have a need to talk with Him in an intimate way, and the reverence of this Kingdom has made you sick,’ the Muni said, laughing.
“‘You are a rare soul, Gop-Ak-Uma,’” the Muni declared. “‘For this love that you have, separates you from the celebrated souls of this Kingdom who do not understand you. Nor do you relate to them. Therefore you feel constantly ashamed, for you are not like the others. And when you stand before the Lord, you think, ‘Why does the Lord not ask me to sit beside Him?’ But the Lord remains as an untouchable God and thus you are withdrawn from experiencing the true nature of your love.’
“The Muni considered what to do to remedy the situation, as he knew Gop-Ak-Uma would never be satisfied with this arrangement. It was a special case, for his very soul was not right for this Kingdom. Seeing the internal sentiment of the Lord’s devotee, the Muni now understood the situation.
“‘After checking your pulse, I am considering the disease that you have, to not be an ordinary one. The cure for it cannot be found in this Kingdom. There is no medicine here that can help you. In fact by remaining, your disease will have cause to increase. But I will tell you how you can be cured,’ the Muni explained.
“‘What you require, is a love, free of all reservations. And that kind of love is called Prem, but it is not found in this Kingdom. There is however, another, more secret Kingdom. One which is not reserved by awareness of God’s majesty. The Lord too, is left unsatisfied by the reverence and awe that is offered Him here. In truth, He also longs for friendships which are free from idolization and veneration.’
“Gop-Ak-Uma then asked the Muni, ‘But if the Lord Himself desires such love, then why does He torture me with this distance and formality?’
“‘Gop-Ak, you are an enigma! You entered the wrong Kingdom! This has never come to pass before your arrival here. The Lord created this Kingdom for those faithful devotees who hunger for this type of reverential relationship with Him. Therefore He fulfills their wishes, as He is merciful and kind to all. He cares more for their happiness, than for His own’ the Muni explained.
“‘However, the Almighty has a profound confidential Kingdom—where He lives. But it is a fiercely protected world. Only the purest of heart take up residence there. Try to grasp this allegory: The Lord is like a King who shows a public face to His ministers and people, yet behind closed doors, within His private chambers, all the chains of public life are removed from Him. He mingles freely and easily with His confidants. There is no pomp or ceremony, no rules, or rituals, no prayers, or supplications. In fact, He Himself is forgetful that He is God, just as the King forgets he is King whilst among his relatives,’” the Muni explained.
“Gop-Ak-Uma perked up. ‘You mean there is a solution to my woe? A place without the shackles of ceremony, etiquette and custom? Take me there, Muni. I beg you!’ he pleaded excitedly.
“‘Indeed my son, for this is without doubt the only cure for your problem,’ the Muni told him.
“‘But if such a place as this exists, then why do so many pilgrims come here at all? And if it is not the Lord’s true wish to be adored in this way, in pomp and in ceremony—then why does He allow it?’ Gop-Ak asked innocently.
“‘These Kingdoms exist because there are those who yearn to love God in this way. It is their chosen form of expressing worship. Being a generous, kindhearted Lord, He fulfills their desires by giving them the relationship they yearned for in life. All inhabitants of this Kingdom, as you have seen, live like gods themselves—dwelling in magnificent palaces. Husbands and wives, feast and are entertained by the Lord’s courtiers. All manner of pleasures are offered here in entirety. Not one soul is set above another, except for the Lord. They live in eternity, without any fear of death. This is the Lord’s mercy to those souls who worked so hard to attain Him,’ the Muni explained.
“‘So are these souls cheated in some way?’ Gop-Ak-Uma asked.
“‘As you can see—they are fully satisfied! They want for nothing! It is only you who feels any lack. But soon this will be remedied,’ the Muni promised, laying his right hand on his head, affectionately blessing him. ‘The root of your devotion will now grow into a fine tree without thorns. Once it is fully grown, fill it with ripe spiritual fruits, so that once you arrive there, the Lord may enjoy the fruits of your devotion.’
“‘What kind of people attain this everlasting paradise you speak of Muni?’ he asked excitedly.
“‘Those who have gone beyond all desire to taste pleasure of the self. Their love wants only to bring happiness to the Lord and His beloved. Imbued with the balm pure love, these most fortunate souls exist in that paradise going about their days energetically serving Their Lordships in all manner of sweet ways,’ the Muni explained.
“‘You say, “His beloved.” Who is this person you speak of, Muni?’ Gop-Ak-Uma inquired.
“‘Again, knowledge of Her, is a most secret thing. She is His counterpart. They are separate, yet one. She is the female expression of Him, and He is the male expression of Her. One cannot live without the other. On earth, it is said that man is made in God’s image. Therefore, we can easily ascertain, that since there are women upon earth, not men alone, that the Lord has a woman by His side,’ said the Muni.
“‘Is She the Goddess?” he asked, awestruck.
“‘Yes, She is. She is the one from whom all manifested creations originate. It was by Her inspiration and energy that creation exists at all. She is Ra-Da. She is Shek-Ina, known as the Endless One without flaw. She is the original feminine divine from whom all are created.’
“‘Is She Isis?’
“‘Isis, Aphrodite, Ba’alat, Gebal, Astarte, Anat, Gaia, Hera, Shakti—She is the beginning and end cause and source of them all. She is the greatest of all worshippers . . . for upon seeing the Lord’s inherent desire for more exchanges of love, She takes it upon Herself to realize the task at hand. Thus, it is by Her potency that Genesis comes to pass,’ the Muni explained.
“‘My dear Muni, how long will it take for me to get there?’ he asked eagerly.
“‘Your moods are like a mango which is ripening by the warmth of the sun upon a tree. A little fragrance has come from it and in a few days the mango of your desire will fully ripen. Then, its taster will see that the fruit has ripened and He will come to taste of it. Its fragrance will come out and the juice will be very tasty. At that time, the Lord will relish your love for Him and that day is coming very soon. Then, all your deepest spiritual yearnings will be fulfilled. You are a fortunate soul Gop-Ak-Uma! For even the gods cannot enter where you go,’ the Muni explained.”
Cherubim continued. “After some time, Gop-Ak-Uma found himself a resident of the blessed Kingdom. Upon his arrival, the Lord came personally to greet him, taking him in His arms, where He held His long lost friend tight, weeping tears of joy.
“‘What took you so long? I have been waiting for you,’ the Lord cried.’”
I wept upon hearing the details of the Lord’s love an
d pastimes. “Cherubim, I am so moved by what you have told me. But I am somewhat confused. How can we be assured of which destination we will attain?”
“Well . . . that depends entirely upon the mood and intention by which you relate to divinity. If you worship in awe, then you enter a Kingdom where reverence is the way. If you imagine God to be an energy without form, then you go to that place, where the energy of the Lord is manifest as a white light. There, souls become one with the infinite radiance of the Lord’s form, merging into the emptiness they sought after—negating all personality within the void.
“However, the destination of that most fortunate pilgrim who cries tears of lamentation out of separation from God, is very quickly brought to Him. But only once the bond of love has become so thick, that it is imbued with the balm of great closeness. At that time, the soul will be offered a life of everlasting happiness.”
“I already weep for the Lord—but I have not entered in. Is there some defect in me that He does not allow me entrance?” I asked Cherubim dolefully.
“Soon He will be closer to you than your own soul. He resides in you and you dwell in Him. You cannot separate—for that love between you is so immense. Unbearable tears will soon gush from your heart like torrents of rain, and by the force of His love for you, you will have bound He who is otherwise seemingly unattainable.
“At that time, your soul will realize its original divine body—made of pure love. Your courage and perseverance will then be realized in a life filled with unceasing ecstasy. It is a rare soul who yearns to love God in this way, yet eventually some do come to surrender their will unto the will of He who created them.”
“And the Goddess, what is our relationship with Her?”
“She is the greatest of all devoted ones, thus you will learn under Her tutelage how to please the Lord. She will be your greatest ally and you will find yourself utterly dedicated to Her service. It is a most natural thing to love the one who loves and pleases God the most, and there is no one who surpasses Her—for She is expert in all the ways of love. Anyone who serves Her is rewarded with the greatest treasure,” he said thoughtfully, a tear escaping the side of his glassy eye.
“Tell me this. Why would anyone wish loneliness on the Lord?” Cherubim asked.
“In our faith, when we pray—Shek-Ina and God are worshipped in union, in most secret ways. Yet if religion removes Her from the equation, it seems only natural that people over time will come to believe in a male deity of God alone, imagining Him to be a lonely old man,” I suggested.
“Meanwhile all of humanity seeks after the opposite sex for their security and pleasure—yet they dare declare God has no woman at His side! It is sacrilege!” Cherubim proclaimed. I nodded, agreeing with his sense of reason and we broke into fits of laughter at such a nonsensical notion.
“This leads me to a rather grave matter, Mary. We have seen that the next two-thousand years will be dominated by male rule. Men shall wage wars and create religions bearing little resemblance to Jeshua and your brethren. Know this—when the time comes, your name, Mary Magdalene, will be the passage by which women on earth remember the feminine divine. And upon their remembrance of you, the flood banks of the Goddess, as a divinity, will open unto all,” Cherubim said, wiping another tear from his cheek.
I could feel his allegiance and it grew on me.
“God is always calling us. It is we who are forgetful of our legacy. Many people make vows, misjudging the power of illusion. And being weak, they can’t even fully trust in their own vows. Such is the power of the virtual reality over the unguarded soul. The world will be a better place for having you in it, Mary. As such, you shall awaken it to a rightful understanding of things. For you shall restore order in the hearts and minds of the people, and it is for this reason that it was arranged for you to witness and learn of these tragedies firsthand,” he said favorably.
“And to think—I never wanted to be anything other than a mother and wife!” I admitted, light-heartedly. “This ownership is humbling. I am beyond honored with such an important task. It is one that I take very seriously,” I added.
“History dictates it be so Mary, for a religion discounting all things of the Divine Feminine, tips the scales, and the world will suffer for it. In time, She will be nowhere among the people, forgotten—buried beneath conspiracies and lies. People will come to worship false icons and have gods who cannot help them. Therefore, we providently bequeathed to you this most considerable, yet essential assignment. In a timely manner, you shall hail a forcible reversal of those things that are brought to pass by man’s cruel deception,” he said genially.
The Eleven hummed a soothing sound, like crystals singing in the wind, and a self-luminous child more beautiful than any I had ever seen, appeared before us. The Eleven crooned reverently. The circle opened and split into concentric circles, moving in symmetry, like moons dancing around the earth. The child was neither masculine nor feminine. There was a radiating understanding of peace from the center of its being, that spread out, surrounding us.
“Hmm,” they chanted. “Hmm…” Their harmonic tones and rhythms increasing the mood of homage.
“We have no religion here, for our paths are personal to each of us. In Heaven, the imbalance of law is removed upon the shedding of physical bodies,” Cherubim whispered.
“Who is this child that is so beautiful that my eyes cannot for a moment blink?” I asked in a hushed voice, observing the adulation, staring in wonder.
“This is our Sovereign Emperor. It is the most ascended soul within the second realm of Heaven. Here, status and position are not given because of one’s power over others, nor is it by one’s birth into a rich or aristocratic family, nor by any other illusions as it is on earth. In Heaven, when purity increases by dint of veneration towards God, rather than aging in time, we grow younger by our exaltation. Eventually some reach a state of pure self, like the child you see here, hence this divine being is the youngest and wisest of us all,” he explained.
“So has this Emperor always been the ruler here?”
“No. People remain in Heaven only by merit of their previous efforts, and upon their merit’s conclusion, all souls, even that of our Emperor, descend, and continue on, towards the ultimate destination from which one never returns,” he asserted.
“Is eternity attained only from earth? Is that what you are saying?” I asked.
“Yes, exactly! Though there are countless earth planets existing in limitless universes, earth is a middle planet between Heaven and Hell. It is where all souls are given a chance to attain the freedom they seek. Therefore, earthly existence is considered to be most valuable—for it affords you salvation. The truth is, your journey to the everlasting, is the only reason for existence at all. It is like a game of hide-and-seek—one of the Lord’s favorite forms of entertainment. It is the sum and substance of life,” Cherubim beamed.
“Purity, not force—rules in Heaven. When a soul reaches a purer state than our Emperor, then that soul will be awarded the position to rule,” he proposed.
“Do you believe that one can attain the Kingdom and again fall due to envy or any other such sin?” I asked, tingling all over as I watched the Emperor pray.
“This is not possible,” Cherubim answered hastily. “For once attaining eternal paradise, one never leaves. Not even a leaf falls from paradise! There is no such thing as envy or any other sin.”
“Why then are we taught that Heaven is our goal, when in fact it is not?” I asked, marveling at the way in which the Emperor prayed.
“These subject matters have been misrepresented and mistaken—or rather, misunderstood. Hence God sends His representatives to earth to clear up these non-truths. The Kingdom of God and the Kingdoms of Heaven are not one and the same. It is ess
ential for people of all faith to be led back to the true understanding of these most crucial elements, for our very destination depends on it! One would not pay for a ticket to the moon if we wished to visit the sun, right? Come, for we must leave now,” he said smoothly.
Relishing in the serene landscape, Cherubim and I were carried on the wings of sound through time’s overlapping, revolving circles. Each interior ray vibrating as we progressed through ceremonial passages, flying past libraries, which, soaring and twisting in the sky, contained within them the life history of every living being in creation. Though it was immense, its order was astounding. ‘These must be the upper mantles of the book shelves I saw in Hell.’
There was a detectable understanding . . . that there is a perfect design to all things, as well as a purpose behind every suffering and joy.
“Good, we have arrived,” Cherubim announced. “It is a privilege for us to bear witness to this place, even for just a few moments. The islands you see here, rest in the tranquil sea of molten gold. All the residents in this location are fully satisfied and served by the Seraphim, who are angels offering rewards of goodness,” he said.
The grass was a soft shade of gold, which swayed like waves beneath our feet. There was an enchanting freshness to its touch, while the sky was a pinkish indigo. There were many demi-gods who, like watchers, witnessed the goings-on in these strange yet marvelous islands.
“Here, the greatest minds in history are resurrected,” Cherubim explained. “You may sit and hear Moses teach, spend time with your ancestors, Solomon, Benjamin, or David—seek out blessings of the goddess Isis and her son, Horus, or sit before Zeus, the ruler of the Olympian gods. One can hear the eternal Gita, or sit meditating with the Buddha. You will find here, all the Saints and Prophets of faith, who contributed to the benefit of souls in creation by their holy wars against illusion,” he assured me.