Kolbrin - Book of the Sons of Fire Chpt 3 & 4 Brotherhood and amos

We discover the practices of a substantial spiritual community.  One presumes this community remained in tact until the modern era and the plausibly dissipated.   Thus the maintenance of this body of work.  I do strongly suggest reading this description of spiritual practice.

Much is promised here and more importantly we gain a different perspective.

The item on Amos is clearly in the Levant and the peoples of the old testament are now present. 


CHAPTER THREE 

THE BROTHERHOOD

Brothers in belief, there are two roads through life, the Road of Good and the Road of Evil; they are not clearly defined roads and often run side by side, and sometimes cross each other. Those who travel without a guide or in darkness often mistake one road for the other. We are those who have chosen to walk in light, a brotherhood of  men who travel the Road of Good together in companionship.

We are companions on the Great Path of the True Way, and when an instructing brother speaks of the Great Path of the True Way he speaks of a double path. The Companions of the Right Hand are those who bear the burdens  of earthly labour and advancement, for they require strength, dexterity and steadiness. The Companions of the  Left Hand are those who bear the burdens of spiritual Labour and enlightenment, things closer to the heart of man. The brotherhood is separated into two parts. There is an Earthly Brotherhood, and though it may be small in numbers and have few possessions, this will not always be so. There is also a Heavenly Brotherhood comprising certain of the Twice Bom and their followers who have gone before. Their task is to clear the Netherworld of demons and dark spirits and to prepare the way for those who follow. They are like men who enter a new country and must clear it of wild beasts and bring the land under control. It is the task of those above and those below to build a road joining the two territories.

Your brother is not well equipped to instmct in earthly matters, and therefore leaves it to another. The caravan moves quicker when each man rides his own camel. In spiritual matters the most important is that each man should awaken his own soul, a task far more difficult than it may appear, but for which Earth is the dedicated instmment.

The first objective to attain towards this end is self-taming. Just as a horse has to be broken in before it can be of any service, so has the mortal body of man to be tamed and brought under control. To do this requires not only self-discipline, but also the ability to rise above earthly conditions. No easy task, for the Earth is a hard taskmaster and worthy adversary, and the mortal body of man an unmly steed.

The duties, the obligations and the restraints by which those who follow the Great Path of the True Way direct their steps are not imposed capriciously. They are, in fact, no more than the bare essentials covering the first steps. That is why everyone, before admittance to the brotherhood, must accept every obligation and decree covering our way of life. We do not claim to know the only path, undoubtedly there are others, but we can claim to know the best. The top of the mountain may be reached by many paths, but the shortest one is always the hardest.

Supreme personal spiritual experience is undoubtedly the best source for the foundation of tme spiritual faith. It begins with the development of latent spiritual powers through meditation. When you are ready seek out a place of solitude, a place that is away from the abodes of men, a place that is restful and quiet. Take a skin and a little food and water, just sufficient for your needs, now turn your thoughts inwards, harmonizing them with the rhythm of the body. Let your spirit seek harmony with the spirit flowing about it, so that the two become one. 

While at your meditations, neither overeat nor undereat, for there must be harmony in your eating and sleeping, in your relaxation and activity.

To become one who knows the joys of spiritual self-consciousness, to have a Tmth-revealing vision transcending anything knowable by the senses, to rise above the bondage of pain and sorrow and to free the spirit from the shackles of the body at will, is something unattainable by spiritual meditation alone. Leading to this road is the path of moral self-discipline and courage. The creed that teaches spiritual things alone is as barren as one concerned only with earthly things.

Your brother will not set forth in writing all things concerning the awakening of the spirit, they would be of no use until the moral foundation is laid. Such teachings must remain within the higher circle of those who travel the Right Hand Path and not disclosed to the uninitiated.

Let the prayer upon your admission be always fresh in your memories: "Great Supreme Creator, Craftsman of Earth and of the multiple spheres, grant that our brother may always remain loyal. That he will, day by day, become ever more worthy and so dedicate and devote his life to the service of mankind and the completion of its purpose, that he shall forever walk in the light of Truth. Grant him the crown of wisdom, the garments of knowledge, and let him be shod with diligence. Grant him the strength to abide by our instruction and discipline, so that with these and by his own efforts he may awaken within him the true beauties of the spirit. Add your strength to his weakness, that he may overcome all selfish motives and unworthy desires. Help him in his self - taming, so that he may combat the tendency inherent in men towards anger, greed and self-pity. Strengthen him, that he may overthrow the evils of talebearing, malice and jealousy. Grant him the ability to see with the eye of understanding the defects and shortcomings of his brothers and to emulate their goodness". 

CHAPTER FOUR 

AMOS

Amos led the congregation and the people down from the mountains and brought them into the land of Heth, a good land was opened up before them. But Amos warned the people that they were like gems among pebbles, therefore they were not to provoke the people who had accepted them because of their skill. 

Amos said, "We will build a city for ourselves and our children, and within it a temple for those who follow the light of the Right Hand Path. The temple will be like the pearl within an oyster, or the heart within the body." 

The congregation with Amos were the Children of Light and the people were Kenim who worshipped Yawileth, and Galbenim who worshipped Eloah ( hebrew god ). But Amos taught the people to walk in the light of Truth and said, "To each of you his own god, but above any god which can be named is something that carmot be named and you shall know it as The Supreme Spirit". 

[ this sounds like Caanan and that area - arclein ] 

The Galbenim built the city and the temple, while the Kenim set up forges among the sons of Heth, and Amos went among them and saw that all was well. The number of those who followed the Right Hand Path and resided about the temple was one hundred and forty-four, and it was never any more or any less. The number of those who laboured in and about the city and dug the soil or attended to sheep and cattle, was two thousand four hundred and thirty- five. The number of the Kenim who followed Amos was eight hundred and twenty, and the number of the Galbenim was three thousand and fifteen. These were the numbers of those who could labour or bear arms.

As Amos went out among the sons of Heth he taught the way of light, but they would not listen to bis words. 

They were like men walking a circle in darkness, one behind the other, each having his hand on the shoulder of the man in front. Therefore, when the king of the sons of Heth came to buy what Kenim had made, Amos spoke  to him about the way of light, and sometimes the king listened. When they came upon priests of the sons of  Heth, Amos said, "What manner of men are these who prance about as though the ground were covered with hot cinders? Before their altars they are like drunkards who go about shouting and singing.

They leap like horses kicking at the wind".

"What manner of spirit possess them, is it a spirit of light or a spirit of darkness? We have seen this often among your people, it is seen even among the princes and those who sit in judgement. Who can understand the words that pour from their lips? This is not prophecy but a drug-induced delusion. The people who listen to their words are as misguided as those who resort to a tomb at night and sit within a vault. If a spirit comes, it is a restless one whose words have little value, for they are hollow, empty things".

"Surely the gods of such as these are demons in disguise, whose powers are a myth, for they are unhearing and  unseeing things. They are unfeeling idols clothed in garments of delusion woven within the tormented thoughts of men". The king said, "I have seen your own holy men as they sat beneath their trees and they, too, acted in a manner strange to the eyes of ordinary men. Where is the difference?" Amos said, "Our holy men sit in  quietude, at peace within themselves and if their mortal eyes are unseeing it is because their spirits roam freely  as birds. There is a test whereby the difference can be made known, if you will agree to it". The king gave the  sign of consent.

Then a place of absolute darkness was prepared, a place to which light could in no manner be admitted. Into it went two priests of the sons of Heth and two of the Holy Ones from the congregation, the king and two attendants, and Amos. Then, while the king and his attendants watched, they saw the Holy Ones radiate a light that lit up the whole darkness, so that the faces of all became visible. The priests of the sons of Heth remained in darkness, for their spirits were feeble things without power. This is the test of true illumination. 

[  This makes sense.  After sustained meditation is is possible to open up the inner sun which radiates safely in the ultraviolet and surely floods the body.  This provides illumination.  - arclein ]

Because of this the king looked even more favourably upon Amos and his people, but he did not change his ways or seek to walk in the light. For Amos refused to perform acts of magic before his court or to foretell the future, and the king believed that magic could accomplish all things. He believed there was an effortless way to accomplish all things, if the secret were known, and could not understand that the secret was safeguarded behind the doors of austerity and self-discipline.

There was a city called Migdal within the kingdom and some of the Kenim laboured there for the temple. When Amos came to the city it was the festival of its great god and no man laboured, neither did the Kenim, for it was the day when their fires rested. When Amos sought the overseer of the Kenim, he could not find him and none of his people would say where he had gone. But Amos fovmd him at the temple of Belath and awaited him in the courtyard outside, and was filled with anger against the overseer.

When the overseer came out Amos chided him, but the overseer said, "What have I done wrong? This place provides the food I eat, and is its god not brother to mine? There was a decision to be made, should a door of brass be cast one way or another? I sought an answer from the god by means beyond the control of men". 

Amos said, "Might not even the god answer according to his own pleasure? By what means was the decision sought?" The overseer said, "By the ebin which only the god could control". Amos said, "You say this is beyond the control of men, it may be so, but there are men who are more than men, men even as this god whose smallness I will prove. Come, let us put this matter to the test". 

Amos then sent an attendant in haste to bring back a Holy Man of the congregation, who was with his caravan. 

When the Holy Man came, Amos showed the overseer and the priests that such things were not beyond the control of enlightened men, for the Holy Man could foretell the issue, whatever was done with the ebin.

When Amos left the temple he took with him a woman named Kedshot, whom he had won from the priests, and made her fi-ee. The degradation of women to serve the temples was conmion in the land of Heth and Amos raised his voice against it. When next in the presence of the king, he said, "The common feelings of all men  condemn fornication, and it is not allowed by your own laws. Yet if fornication is sanctified to your god the priests permit it for their profit. Is it not true that this wickedness is now so common in the temples of Heth that the woman who seeks to sell the services of her body in the drinking booths can ask no more than a handful of meal? " The king said, "Such is the custom of Heth, which is of long standing and cannot be changed". Amos said, "Does the long standing of a custom make it good?"

Amos said, "If your desire is to walk in the light of Truth you must choose between your form of worship and righteousness. You must choose between your gods of this land, and Truth. If a nation sow the wind it must be prepared to reap the whirlwind, for no other crop can spring from such seed, except through violation of laws which are never inconsistent". The king said, "I have long been patient with you, stranger with the unbridled tongue, but do not overvex me". Amos held his peace, for he had disregarded his own command to his people. Yet the king heard the words of Amos and was kindly towards him. When the king came to Lethsan to buy the wares of the Kenim, Amos was there with them and the king said to him, "The gods of Heth are many, added to those of other places the gods must be beyond counting. Why are there so many and which one is it most profitable to serve? The priests say each has power in its own place, can this be so among gods?" Amos said, "There is only one God, but each man views Him from a different standpoint and in his own light. It is even so with lesser things of Earth, how much more so with the greater things of Heaven! A mountain rises up from a plain and men see it from all sides, and to each it appears different. Some see it in daylight and others in moonlight, some at dusk and some at dawn, it is never alike to all men. Even so do men view God in different aspects. As no man knows the whole mountain but sees it only in part, so men see God in part, and each man names the part he sees according to what he sees and his understanding. Therefore, though it seems that the gods are numerous because of their names and differences, each is no more than a part of the whole. There is, in Truth, only one God, but what mortal man can see Him in wholeness?"

The king said, "If this be so, as well it may be, my eyesight is as good as yours and I see just as far". Amos said, "He who has ridden around the mountain and climbed to its summit knows it best".

The city built by the Children of Light grew in strength and the people prospered under Amos and forgot their trials in Enshamis. When Amos led them into the land of Heth he was still a young man, but as the people became many and strong, so he became heavy in years. The king who knew Amos died and the young king did  not look upon him with favour, for Amos did not forbid the Kenim to go out into other nations.