Visions of Allah, Part Two

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Visions of Allah, Part Two

 

VISIONS OF ALLAH, Part Two

 

By James Bean

 

Copyright May 1997

 

The process of gaining a vision of paradise and mystic transport has

been described as "stripping off old garments" and replacing them

with a new heavenly robe made of Light. In his Persian Sufi

classic, "Divine Flashes," Fakhruddin 'Iraqi describes the process.

 

When the Beloved would exalt the lover, He strips from him the

garments collected from all the worlds, and clothes him in the

robe of His own attributes. Then the Beloved calls him by all his

own attributes. Then the Beloved calls him by all his own names,

and seats him in his own place. When the lover studies his new

clothes he finds himself arrayed in different colors, and will

wonder 'what is this beautiful tint, this garment so unique?'

 

This quote from "Divine Flashes" reminds me of Saying 37 in the

Gospel of Thomas, one of the earliest collections of the sayings of

Jesus.

 

His disciples said, "When will you appear to us, and when will we

see you?" Jesus said, "When you strip without being ashamed, and

you will take your cloths and put them under your feet like little

children and trample them, then you will see the Son of the Living

One and you will not be afraid." ("The Complete Gospels," Robert

J. Miller, Polebridge Press)

 

Sufism is a form of Islamic Gnosticism which really does have many

affinities with earlier Gnostic mystical traditions of the middle

east. Like other movements of the past that embrace spiritual

experience and mystic transport through the Seven Heavens, Sufis have

found it useful to compare out-of-body or ascension journeys to the

stripping or shedding of garments. The above quote illustrates their

view that each soul on the earth-plane is wearing several garments.

We are souls wearing subtle bodies or coverings; our physical body is

made out of the material substance of the physical universe. We are,

as the late Dr. Carl Sagan put it, "star stuff pondering star stuff."

Our bodies are made out of atoms that once came from stars and other

objects in the cosmos. When we enter into contemplation and mystical

states, our awareness is elsewhere; we become "dead to the world,"

have risen above body-consciousness.

 

In that sense, we have, for the duration of our meditation

period, "stripped" ourselves of the garment of the body for the

purpose of exploring other levels of our existence. The mystic

traveler enters into what has been called "the fourth state of

consciousness." In addition to the waking state, the dream state, the

unconsciousness state of deep sleep, the truly holistic explorer can

also integrate into his or her experience the spiritual worlds.

 

Mysticism teaches that there are many layers of reality, that there

are other garments that will eventually be shed during journeys of

ascension. These garments or subtle bodies have been given names in

Hebrew, Greek, Coptic, Syriac, Arabic, Persian, Hindi, and other

languages. In addition to the "garment" of the physical body, each

soul is wearing several other garments or bodies, other sheaths that

surround the soul, allowing the soul to connect to the various

regions of creation. Counting the physical plane as Level One, Level

Two is called by many "the astral plane," made of astral stuff --

astral substance, existing at a slightly higher vibration in the

astral region. Level Three is the causal body, made of causal or

akashic substance, inhabiting the causal plane. Level Four is the

mental body made of mind substance, and is part of the mental plane.

The etheric body (Level Five) allows the soul to access that region.

Above these worlds of mind and matter, the soul resides in the

Timeless Spiritual Realm of Truth (Haq). Metaphysically speaking,

we're already in heaven, we just don't know it! 'Iraqi says:

 

By day I praised you but never knew it; by night slept with you

without realizing; fancying myself to be myself; but no, I was you

and never knew it!

 

Luckily for us slumbering souls, there are always a few Moses-types

in the world freeing those yearning for a real promised land, an

occasional Rumi or Shams, here or there, sharing their Secrets about

the soul.

 

What does it matter if I am called a man? In Truth I am the

very soul of love; the entire earth is my home and the universe

my country. (Sant Darshan Singh, "Love At Every Step")

 

With every breath the Sound of Love surrounds us,

and we are bound for the depths of space, without distraction.

Out beyond duality, we have a Home, and it is Majesty.

That pure substance is different from this dusty world.

We once came down; soon we'll return. (Rumi)

 

I AWOKE WITHIN A DREAM

I awoke within a dream

While other people sleep

And found that there despite it all

My sanctity had kept.

 

So with the beacons I have known

I gladly add my light

I burn the candle of myself

But do not curse the night.

 

Softly still I walk between

The shadowed cracks of time

So only those who chose to wake

Will hear the flowered rhyme.

 

The dream goes on but where I look

Illusions part for me

I know the meaning of my life

My purpose is to be. (Patrick Corrigan)

 

 

Visions of Allah, Part Two///

 

Part Three continues on the theme of sleep and awakening, quoting the

Gnostic Hymn of the Pearl and Sufi poets on the journey of the soul

into Truth (Haq).

 

James

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