Many of us, I’m sure, were taught the Lord’s Prayer or, “the Our Father” as a means of penitence after the confessional — aimlessly repeating set-piece words without basic instructional insight or understanding as to their non-literal dynamical value.
The Lord’s Prayer, when esoterically understood — as intended by its author — is more powerful than the sum of its words. But merely repeating the words isn’t sufficient in bringing about the level of consciousness intended in the prayer.
The word “Lord” refers to Law, and more specifically, cosmic law, while “Prayer” refers to a standard of [expressed] consciousness. Taken together, the Lord’s Prayer is referring to correct use of mind — living a specific level of consciousness, i.e. cosmic or Christ consciousness; thus the Lord’s Prayer –when applied — represents instructional detail in consciousness development.
We read in scripture that the Apostles (symbolizing the 12 qualities of the soul) went (conscious direction) to Jesus (Way or process of attaining Christ-consciousness) and said: “Master, (Transcendent all-knowing Awareness) teach us how to pray” (how to live divine standard).
“Life is a Prayer”
Every thought, word and deed assimilated through the mind is a life-prayer — a statement or barometer level of our present state of consciousness — a request to the Law, Lord or Master for such to be re-experienced either consciously or subconsciously. In this regard, it’s vital we’re awake to the possibility that we may automatically be reaffirming life-patterns through lower consciousness, through non life-serving mindsets and belief systems rather than through a developed standard of Master consciousness.
To counteract this potential, the Apostles, as mentioned, (inner spiritual mechanisms to higher soul awakening) sought a standard of eternal principles whereby such divine cosmic nature would be realized within [consciousness].
Scripture puts it: “Jesus (process) taketh Peter (ego) James (mental aspect of soul) and John (love or nature of higher Self) up a high mountain (meditation) apart (within)” — Matthew 17:1
In practical terms, this represents a method of mind, body, spirit awakening; a process of crucifying the blockage — ego — Matthew 16:23 — through an inner Calvary meditative state whereby inner Christ or Heart Ascension becomes experiential. “Mount” in scripture means highest point of inner awareness, or, transcendence – not a physical mountain.
Many misunderstand the Apostles’ request to mean: Master, teach us a better way of squeezing more “goodies” out of God – thus reducing prayer to material begging — thus confusing the prayer’s words with the process of gaining higher understanding through cosmic-consciousness in meditation. Merely repeating the words isn’t the intended “praying”.
Seven, in biblical terms, refers to completion. Thus the Lord’s Prayer — crafted in PRESENT tense — contains seven metaphysical clauses or psychological / spiritual seed dynamics, which, when germinated within lead to experiential completion or maturity in cosmic or Christ-consciousness.
The seven clauses as written:
Our Father.
Which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come.
Thy will be done, in earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil:
For thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen.
This last section, “for thine is the kingdom… ” did not form part of the original text but was added later.
Let us decode each clause for its deeper spiritual value.
[Our Father]: Establishes Omnipotent status of God: father/son relationship: total dependency for all our needs: our unending Source of receiving. God is God to every soul regardless of formal religious affiliation, or none.
[Which art in heaven]: God is always in heaven, always perfect and perfecting. Heaven is the term scripture uses for Presence [of God / Love]. Without conscious Presence there can be no acknowledged divine expression. Divine nature is latent within each of us as yin / yang or male / female dynamic.
[Hallowed be thy Name]: “Name” in scripture relates to the “nature” of that being referred to. “Name” of God is referring to the “Nature” of God which, in manifestation and expressional terms, is unconditional love, happiness, health, healing, prosperity, creativity and abundance. “Name” or Nature is both relative and absolute simultaneously. In other words, similarly as a spoonful of (relative) ocean contains the ingredients of the entire ocean (absolute), so too is eternal God-Nature innately present in each soul’s DNA.
[Thy kingdom come]: Whenever and wherever we express Love or Presence we’re affirming “thy kingdom come” unto [our] consciousness. Through its expression, we’re declaring divine nature IS our now experience, IS our guiding wisdom in all our presenting inner / outer circumstances.
[Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven]: Biblical “earth” is not referring to the planet earth, but, to our body, personal affairs, work, family, health, creativity, relationships etc. We’re declaring God-Nature is manifest in every area / situation of our life-expression – even if such is not visibly present, as yet.
[Give us this day our daily bread]: All our spiritual needs are included in “bread”. To receive daily bread (Manna or soul nourishment), meditational silence is pivotal, it’s the foundational work of our “bread” becoming manifest in consciousness. Whenever lack is reflecting in our life, check if we’re Heart-declaring through outer dependency. Divine receiving requires us to be inner viberationally attuned, for, God works through us, not to us.
[And forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us]: Surely the Master’s greatest teaching. It’s the number one “trial” we each face on a momentary inner / outer basis. Simply put: If we’re expecting forgiveness, we must unequivocally forgive others and ourselves. In reality, we can only receive what we’re capable of giving [in consciousness]. It’s not possible to know forgiveness unless there’s an inner “setup” of such. To be non-forgiving — for whatever reason — keeps the soul in bondage to lower ego, thus stifling spiritual growth. Instead, we use past hurts as ego-crucifying opportunities.
[And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil]: In “awakening” spiritually we become hugely sensitive to the hurts inflicted by others, ourselves and life’s situations. Little things which previously wouldn’t have bothered us, now — post awakening — pose potential for hurt, thus, tempting the ego back into conditioned ways – (similarly as Peter (ego) when he drew his sword in Gethsemane). As anger and provocation are never more than a “temptation” away, Jesus is warning against dealing with life-matters in reactionary ways — through a non crucified “fatted calf” ego mentality — thus, Awareness “delivers” [from evil].
[For thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory, forever and ever. Amen]. God is the underlying Power / Cause / Glory within all creation. One Power, One Spirit.
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