Guest guest Posted October 17, 2006 Report Share Posted October 17, 2006 Dear Chris, Thank you for that info I have known The serpent grail site for a while and I found the extracts from that book I have read online are just amazing So is the author I can post a link to where people can read more of the book if I am allowed to do so? Namaste A. , " chrism " <> wrote: > > Serpent Code > > > Serpent worship was once common in Ireland until Christianity's > dominance systematic wiped it out. Yet according to Philip Gardiner > the signs of this ancient wisdom lore can still be found today > throughout the world. > > > > Ireland, St Patrick and the Pests > > > Ireland was once infested with snakes. So say the Christian stories > of St. Patrick, who supposedly expelled them with his Baculum Jesu > or Staff of Jesus [1]. Of course Ireland has no indigenous snakes at > all and so he must have been speaking of a symbolically. But to what > was he referring? > > > For years, scholars, Christians and even alternative historians have > been arguing over what exactly St Patrick was eradicating. There is > precious little evidence of St Patrick even coming to Ireland, just > as there is no evidence that St Paul went to Malta and kicked out > the snakes there too! So what's the truth? And is there any > spiritual relevance for us today? > > > Across Ireland there are hundreds of crosses, many of which can be > proven to have pre-Christian origins, and many are entwined with > images of serpents. The same is true of other locations, such as > Malta as I've just mentioned, , Rhodes, India, Greece and many more. > In all these places snakes are found on ancient megalithic monuments > and Christian buildings. These are remnants of a pre-existent > serpent-worshipping cult. The serpent cult, is so often misread as > consisting of solar worshippers. They worshipped the esoteric or > inner sun. For us today this inner light is the realisation of our > own connection to the greater universe, of our own inner balance and > our own growth towards a more `in-tune' attitude to the world around > us. It is also the part of ourselves and our outer world, which > gives life, sustains and gives growth. > > > The sun, found in the sky and as an inner light found within via > methods pertaining to the inner serpent energies, [2] as they were > perceived. These inner serpentine and solar linked visions were > physically represented in megalithic monuments, oral folktales and > art. > > > The existence of this universal cult can also be discovered in other > elements of the Irish and Celtic tradition. There is scarcely a > design or ornament in Ireland from ancient times that do not show > the serpent or dragon image. There is scarcely a myth, a folk tale > or a legend, which does not include the serpent. These are not just > pagan ornaments or myths - they also bled into the Christian world, > or more accurately, the Christians could not keep them out it was so > deep in the Irish culture. > > > The Church had spent many years trying desperately to demonise the > serpent, making it the evil snake in the Garden of Eden or even > picturing Lucifer, the angel of light, as the serpent. The reason is > simple. Knowledge is powerful, but knowledge of yourself is much > more powerful - the Church, as the intermediaries between us and > knowledge of the Divine could not allow this. But the snake > maintained its position steadfastly within the Church, clinging on > like limpet. It was in fact the only animal in the Bible to speak > using it's own voice; it was used by Moses in the wilderness to heal > the Israelites and it was used by the first Christians as the symbol > for the Christ himself. > > > Serpents can be found on Irish Christian crosses such as those of > Killamery in Kilkenny County and the font of Cashel, amongst others. > Indeed, even the Crozier (priests staff) of Cashel has a serpent > emerging from a vagina – which itself is covered in serpents – > therefore symbolising `new life' via the born-again serpent. > > > The crozier itself basically resembles the staff of Moses or Aaron, > or even that of an Etruscan or Babylonian priest – all cultures > linked to serpent worship. Unfortunately fundamentalists and strict > Protestants removed many of these serpents found adorning such > crosses, in an attempt to hide the true history. > > > Also seen on Irish crosses are strange figures, which have extra > large heads in relation to their body. Some have said that this is > due to the predominance of a " Celtic Head Cult " , but the evidence we > uncovered in The Serpent Grail [3] pointed to the fact that both the > serpent cult and the head cult are one and the same. We found that > this was due to the internal psychological and spiritual process > brought on by the serpent energies. > > > In Irish tales these great serpents or " piests " (pests), were said > to be " as big as a horse, and have a great mane upon it, so it has. " > (Legend of the Lakes, Croker, relating to Lough Kittane of > Killarney). This has baffled many and has given rise to the link > between the snake-serpent and the fabled dragon in many cultures. > The tales of the great serpents of huge size and even compared to > mountains reveals much. Many of these serpent tales refer to actual > locations whereby ancient man created great centres of healing, > initiation and ritual – all linked to the universal worship of the > serpent. > > > The Fenian heroes of ancient Ireland are recorded orally in song and > one of them, Fionn, was their `dragon slayer.' One of the legends > tells us that: > > > " It resembles a great mound, its jaws were yawning wide; > > > There might lie concealed, though great its fury, > > > A hundred champions in its eye-pits. > > > Taller in height than eight men, > > > Was its tail, which was erect above its back; > > > Thicker was the most slender part of its tail, > > > Than the forest oak which was sunk by the flood. " > {mospagebreak} > > Fionn asked where this great monster had come from and was > told, " From Greece, to demand battle from the Fenians. " Perhaps > serpent worshippers had come to Ireland from Greece, and had fought > the ancient inhabitants, leaving behind such terror that they became > symbolised by this great `dragon mound.' Fionn, it is said, opened > the side of the dragon and released the men, going on to kill it. It > may be that there is a mixture of wartime fact entwined with the > symbolism of this legend. Emerging from the side of the dragon, > according to all the myths, gives new life, leaving us no doubt that > these serpentine monuments were places of initiation and rebirth. > > > Evidence of ancient serpent worship in the Americas can be verified > from the many serpent mounds that appear across the continent. In > Ohio, there is a large serpentine mound with a large head of the > snake swallowing (or throwing up) a large egg. Similar snake mounds > can be found across the world. Some are man-made, others natural and > adapted - such as Hackpens Hill near Avebury in England, where Hack > means snake and pen means head - thereby giving us " snakes head > hill " . These large serpents, still seen in the land today were > ancient burial mounds, earthworks and places of ritual for the > serpent worshipping cults of our ancestors. The great mane upon the > mound, being grass or trees. > > > In 1871 at the meeting of the British Association in Edinburgh, a > certain Mr. Phene gave an account of his discovery in Argyllshire, > Scotland, of a mound, " several hundred feet long, fifteen feet high > and thirty feet broad. " The tail tapers away from a circular cairn, > which he presumed to be a solar disk above the head of the " Egyptian > uraeus " . [4] This fiery Uraeus serpent, or more properly Wadjet, > anoints the head with flames, as referred to in the Bible in > Apostles, Acts 2, where the Apostles are filled with the holy > spirit, and flames lick above their heads. Here we have a clue to > the serpents connection to spirituality. > > > In the Pyramid Texts the Wadjet is linked strongly with nature. The > papyrus plant is said to emerge from her and she is connected to the > forces of growth, fertility and creative power. The Uraeus is an > indication of the divine wisdom and solar-force, emerging from the > brow of the head, symbolically represented in the serpent mounds > appearing on the brow of a hill. The brow is known as the `temple'. > Within the Temple is the Holy of Holies, the most sacred place in a > human's body. In Native American traditions many underground caverns > within landscaped mounds are where known to be places where > initiation rites occurred. From our research, it appears these > places were ritualistic re-birthing portals as if from the womb of > the creative serpentine mother. In Egyptian history Osiris entered > the serpent and emerged reborn and invigorated, and our European and > American ancestors mimicked this belief. In all cases it was the > wisdom of the serpent, which gave the strength to empower the > individual to move on in life, as if born again. > > > Serpent mounds – a worldwide phenomenon > > > Further references to serpent mounds can be found across the world. > In the Persian holy book Zend Avesta one of the story's heroes takes > a rest on what he thinks is a bank – only to find out that it was a > green snake. In Mauritania, Iphicrates says that " there were dragons > of such extent that grass grew up on their backs. " In Strabo (Lib > xv. P.1022) two dragons are said to have resided in the mountains of > India, one eighty cubits long and the other one hundred and forty. > From Syria Posidonius tells of a dragon which was so large that > horse riders on either side could not see each other. Each `scale' > was as big as a shield, so that a man " might ride into his mouth. " > It is thought that these must be ruins of Ophite (serpent > worshiping) temples. In some parts of Syria serpent worshippers were > known as Hivites (linked with the root word hivvah which from which > came the biblical name of Eve which could then be equated > with " female serpent " ). In India serpent deities are known as the > Naga. > > > From South America text said to have been written by Votan > (Quetzalcoatl), in the language of the Quiches says he left Valum > Chivim [5] and came to the New World to apportion land among seven > families who came with him and were said to be of serpent origin or > culebra. Passing the " land of thirteen snakes " he arrived in Valum > Votan, founding the city of Nachan (City of Snakes), thought to be > Palenque, possibly around 15 BC or even earlier. In reference to > Serpent Mounds there is the description of a subterranean passage, > that terminated at the `root of heaven' – referred to as a `snake's > hole' while snake heaven was Patala. Votan was only allowed entry > because he was `the son of a snake' from which we can infer he was > an initiate in the serpent cult. > > {mospagebreak} > > Serpent Wisdom > > > There are two distinct elements of practical wisdom originating in > the serpent tales, fables and folklore. Firstly that the physical > snake itself not only sloughs off its skin and appears to be re- born > from within a cave or under a rock, but that the very elements of > the physical snake could actually prevent disease and cures ill > health. The knowledge of amazing regenerative properties of the > various parts of the snake have been discovered in hundreds of > ancient medica materia, alchemical texts and hidden within folklore. > The venom of the snake was used as an Elixir to help prevent disease > through boosting the immune system with high levels of protein. And > secondly mixing the neurotoxic venom with the blood of the snake or > mammalian host such as a horse brings on altered states of > consciousness much akin to certain drugs used by shaman across the > world from ancient times. Visions of `otherworlds' seen in such > trances are often depicted as tombs, wombs or caves, within which > sometimes benevolent, sometimes terrible, serpents are encountered. > > > In any discussion of serpent wisdom we cannot fail to also mention > the ancient Hindu Kundalini practice. Kundalini means simply " coiled > serpent " and in the Indian system the ida and pingala energy > (through serpent channels) are raised up and down the spine to raise > the consciousness of the adept. There are six chakra energy vortices > aligning the spine, with a seventh emerging from the top of the > head, which is called the bindu. Each chakra location must be > traversed upwardly, and in balance, before one can achieve the bindu > enlightenment reminiscent of the reference in Apostles, Acts 2 where > enlightenment is reached and described as fire licking at the head > in the bindu position. > > > I recently met up with the dowser Hamish Miller who has followed the > Michael and Mary lines of telluric energy across Europe finding many > examples of Kundalini images and the dual serpentine caduceus known > to all health practitioners the world over. We shared our amazement > at the widespread frequency of the serpent in myth and folklore > > > Mankind has from time immemorial searched for longer life and divine > wisdom. The result is a sacred and often, secret code, hidden in the > landscape, locked away in ancient texts and deep within our own > inner energy system. It is a secret code of the divine and wise > serpent that has survived the attempts of the Christian Church to > eradicate it. If you hear its call, there is a wellspring of > knowledge out there for you to discover. > > > Notes > > > 1 According to Giraldus Cambrensis or Gerald of Wales. > > > 2 Today, the inner traditions of the serpent energy are most > prominent in the Kundalini and Chakra based systems practised by > Eastern adepts and many New Age societies in the West. > > > 3 The Serpent Grail by Philip Gardiner with Gary Osborn, Watkins, > 2005. > > by Philip Gardiner Gary Osborn, Watkins, 2005. > 4 The Ureaus, also known as Wadjyt, Wadjit, Uto, Uatchet and Edjo > was a pre-dynastic `cobra goddess' of Lower Egypt (approximately > 4,000 BC) who took the title `The Eye of Ra.' > > > 5 Chivim is a Hebrew word, meaning " sons of the female serpent " (or > Eve) and may imply a greater knowledge of this journey from a Judaic > perspective. > > > More Information > > > • ,The Serpent Grail: The Truth Behind the Holy Grail by Philip > Gardiner with Gary Osborn, published by Watkins at £16.99 Is > available from Kindred Spirit's mail order Collection. > > > • Philip Gardiner is the best selling author of The Shining Ones: > The world's most powerful secret society revealed, and with Gary > Osborn also The Serpent Grail: The Truth Behind the Holy Grail, > Elixir of Life and Philosopher's Stone and Gnosis: The Secret of > Solomon's Temple Revealed. Gardiner is a radio presenter, speaker > and does tours through www.powerplaces.com The authors websites are > www.philipgardiner.net, www.serpentgrail.com, www.theshiningones.com > and www.gardinerosborn.com > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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