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[Tau Malachi]

Giving and Receiving for the Dying and the Dead

Giving and Receiving Meditation is a practice of self-purification and the generation of the Sacred Heart, the generation of spiritual love and compassion; in our spiritual work with the dying and the dead, this, of course, is very important – we require a certain openness and sensitivity, and the power of active love and compassion. Essentially, we cannot help others unless we first help ourselves; we cannot help others reintegrate themselves with the Divine Light apart from our own labor of reintegration. However, Giving and Receiving is not for ourselves alone – it begin with ourselves and then extends to others, friend, stranger and enemy alike, all our relations, all beings.

This basic practice, which is typically among those taught to every novice in the Sophian lineage, is, in truth, one of the most powerful healing practices in the lineage, and one of the most powerful practices that can be used on behalf of the dying and dead; there is amazing healing and liberative power in it, great *Light-power*.

In the midst of the process of dying, Giving and Receiving can be used to help relieve something of the suffering of the person, whether physical, mental-emotional or spiritual; likewise, as the time of death draws near it can be used to remove any obstructions to Union with Partzuf and the Transference of Consciousness.

As said in the post on the Transference of Consciousness in this forum, what those who are dying often desire the most is forgiveness, hope and love; all three of these are embodied in Giving and Receiving – it is all about forgiving, all about the hope and love embodied in the Yeshua Messiah.

In the process of dying and death, essentially a person is in a process of integrating their life experience, and very often a person may get caught up in self-judgment, caught up in guilt and regrets, and focus too much on their failures and inadequacies, on their mistakes and things left undone; through Giving and Receiving we can help a person let go of these shades and shadows, and integrate them, and help them to restore their focus upon the good and the light that is within them, and the good they have accomplished in their lives – it is exactly this we wish to help the dying person draw out and remember as they are passing through this great transition, the good that is in them, the Divine Light that is in them.

Complete instructions for Giving and Receiving are provided on our website – you merely take up Giving and Receiving as outlined with the soul of the dying or dead in need, perhaps joining your work with them to a spiritual labor for all beings, which will generate greater merit or energy for the individual you are working with. (See Giving and Receiving Meditation under “spiritual practices” on our main website.)

It is often good to perform Giving and Receiving before visiting a person who is dying, or before visiting those who are in grief, preparing and strengthening your own energy before entering into their environment; likewise, it is often good following a visit, for when visiting a person who is dying and their family we become aware of specific needs and can pray and meditate for those needs when we depart – of course quietly, inwardly, Giving and Receiving can be good during a visit itself, when and if an opportunity presents itself, as it often does.

If in any situation in which we are unclear what practice might prove best or most beneficial for a person we can always rely on Giving and Receiving, as it is good for everyone, and through using it we will often find another practice we can perform on their behalf, one very well suited to them.

*On the occasion that a person who is dying inquires into a spiritual practice – a prayer or meditation they might do, it is not uncommon for Sophians to share the practice of Giving and Receiving with them; in my work in hospice it was a practice I had the opportunity to share with many people, and one that was typically well received.

In closing we can share this: Some initiates have experienced Supernal Realization through the practice of Giving and Receiving Meditation exclusively; likewise, frequently a Transference of Consciousness has occurred purely through the practice of Giving and Receiving Meditation for dying individuals, the Transference naturally and spontaneously transpiring when all obstructions are removed.

Where there is faith and the fruits of faith – hope and love, spiritual practices are very powerful, and Divine Grace performs many great wonders through them.

May we abide in the repose of the Risen Christ, allowing Divine Grace to take up the spiritual labor; amen.

Blessings & shalom!
_________________
Tau Malachi
Sophia Fellowship
Ecclesia Pistis Sophia

[Tau Malachi]

The Dedication of our Death

Although as Sophian Gnostics we are inclined to speak out against the idea of a collective and vicarious salvation as put forth by the atonement theology of the outer and unspiritual church, that does not mean that we do not believe in the mystery of the passion and crucifixion of Christ, as much as the resurrection and ascension, or that we do not believe in a sanctuary of grace manifest through the cross, dispelling sin or negative karma through a talismanic action of atonement; it simply means that we believe there was more to the mystery of the Divine Incarnation than an atonement for sin, and that we believe that something more than blind faith is needed for salvation, or for the enlightenment and liberation of the soul – hence our aspiration for gnosis.

In truth, the sanctuary of grace manifest by way of the cross is integral to our capacity to receive the Gnostic and Light Transmission, and the passion and crucifixion hold deep spiritual significance and wisdom for us – Giving & Receiving Meditation representing the essential teaching of the passion and crucifixion in the form of a spiritual practice that we can take up.

Although it does not typically appear in our written teachings on Giving & Receiving, there is an oral transmission that goes along with the empowerment that can be imparted for this practice – the heart essence of this oral transmission is to fully identify yourself with the Christ-bearer on the cross when engaging Giving & Receiving; in other words, the initiate is instructed to take up the spiritual labor of Christ on the cross, seeking to actively liberate beings from their sin or negative karma, the cause of their sorrow and suffering.

In the fruition stage of Giving & Receiving this is the genuine desire and activity of giving away our good and our joy to others, and in place of it taking upon ourselves the burden of their sorrow and suffering – being willing to exchange places with them, and having a greater interest in their welfare and well-being than in our own self-interests. The full generation of the Sacred Heart in this way, of course, takes time and practice, and it cannot be conjured or contrived – it must be sincere, genuine, arising from within our soul-being and the indwelling Messiah in us; as a mere vital sentiment or mental concept it is meaningless and ineffective. Thus, in the generation stage we do not arbitrarily attempt to contrive or conjure such unconditional love or boundless compassion, but rather we enact Giving & Receiving according to our present capacity – we may not be willing and able to bring ourselves to exchange our good and joy for the sorrow and suffering of others, though we certainly aspire to do so, but in the meanwhile, any time we encounter sorrow and suffering in life, or experience pain and grief, we can make our sorrow and suffering an offering to the Divine, and dedicate it to the benefit and ultimate happiness of others.

This life and this world are pervaded by immeasurable sorrow and suffering – at times to an unimaginable extent; thus, quite naturally we will experience sorrow and suffering, just as surely as we will eventually experience physical death – it is unavoidable. It does not have to be without purpose and meaning, however, because when we make an offering of our sorrow and suffering to the Divine, and dedicate it for the sake the liberation of others from their sorrow and suffering, when we open our mind and heart to God and to others in this way, we will find a source of great strength and encouragement in the midst of tumultuous times, the power of love and compassion – with this will come a certainty, beyond any possible shadow of doubt, that our suffering is not in vain and will not be wasted, but that it has amazing meaning, and that through Divine Grace, wonders may even transpire through it.

As yet, perhaps, we may not be able to exchange our good and our joy for the sorrow and suffering of others – that might be beyond our present capacity; but we can offer up our experiences of sorrow and suffering to God and dedicate it to the benefit and ultimate liberation of others – in the midst of sorrow and suffering we can identify ourselves with Christ on the cross.

We can do this with any form of sorrow or suffering in our experience – and identifying ourselves with Christ on the cross, most importantly, we can do this with the pain in our process of dying and our death.

This can be done through simple prayer and conscious intention. Essentially, we may call upon El Elyon and the Shekinah of Elyon, and call upon Yeshua Messiah and Kallah Messiah, and offer up our suffering in remembrance of the passion and crucifixion of Adonai Yeshua, and we may ask the Holy One to take up and use our sorrow and suffering for the benefit of others, that others might be blessed through it and that others might be liberated from their sorrow and suffering through it.

Offering our sorrow and suffering up in this way, we can then bring to mind all of the beings in the world who are suffering with us, experiencing pain like our own, and consider those who are suffering even greater pain – and opening our heart to them, we can fill our heart with compassion for them, and pray that in some way our own sorrow and suffering might help to alleviate their pain and grief. In the midst of our sorrow and suffering, again and again we will offer it up and dedicate it in this way, and we will pray for help and empowerment from the Holy One to carry through with this good work – if we are willing to this we will discover an incredible force of love and compassion in us, and experience a very deep sense of healing, if not in the body, then in our soul.

In working with the dying, and with their family and friends, very often individuals express feelings of hopelessness and powerlessness in the midst of the pain and grief involved in death, and they often express that it all seems to be without any purpose or meaning; in many ways that is the greatest sorrow and suffering of all – the utter sense of futility that frequently arises. If and when a person is open to it, and can hear it – sharing this practice of the dedication of one’s pain and death can be of amazing help; there is hope and empowerment in it, and a sense of purpose and meaning can be restored through it – but more than anything, there is the potential for the spiritual healing that comes with the generation of the Sacred Heart (love and compassion). If and when there cannot be healing in the body, then healing beyond the body is always possible.

Through our own sorrow and suffering may beings be uplifted and liberated from theirs – all in the Risen Messiah; amen.

Blessings & shalom!
_________________
Tau Malachi
Sophia Fellowship
Ecclesia Pistis Sophia