Occult America: The Secret History of How Mysticism Shaped Our Nation by Mitch Horowitz

I saved this book for Thanksgiving weekend because I’d met the author years ago, and I knew it would be a treat. I was right.

Mitch Horowitz is the Editor in Chief for Tarcher/Putnam (full disclosure: they published my God’s Dictionary in 2002). Mitch has been writing for publications in the intervening years. Every article I’ve found has been illuminating and deftly written. This book is no exception.

Occult America: The Secret History of How Mysticism Shaped Our Nation is a treasure trove of little-known and, at the same time, obvious facts. What Mr. Horowitz has done is link the mystical history of the United States into a coherent, fascinating narrative. Being of a mystical bent myself, his words confirmed ideas I’d long harbored though not articulated. I’m so glad he wrote it.

Our story starts in 1693 with German mystic Johannes Kelpius leading a group of outside-the-box thinkers to Philadelphia. Eventually, a psychic highway is established in upstate New York. This locus would be the genesis of much of the mysticism that created America.

Mother Ann Lee and her Shakers had a community there. Joseph Smith of Mormon fame started there. Freemasonry bounced through. The Poughkeepsie seer, Andrew Jackson Davis, was born there. Mesmerism had a hey-day there.

Fast forward historically. The Ouija Board reigned as the country’s best-selling novelty. People were both intrigued and horrified by it.

Wallace Wattles, author of the book that inspired The Secret, pioneered the science of right thinking. Phineas P. Quimby, the Maine healer, inspired thousands of spontaneous healings. (Among whom was Myrtle Fillmore, co-founder of Unity Village, who had been told to expect her own death quite soon.)

Early America was a spiritually rocking place. FWIW, it remains so to this day for those with eyes to see and ears to hear.

Mary Baker Eddy studied with Quimby and created her own Christian Science. She trained Emma Curtis Hopkins who became known as the teacher of teachers when Eddy banished her. Ernest Holmes, who founded Religious Science; Charles and Myrtle Fillmore, who founded Unity; and Nona Brooks, who founded Divine Science, all studied with her.

The Sleeping Prophet Edgar Cayce was part of U.S. history as well. He did thousands of trance readings which helped people both to heal and to understand their past patterning.

Mr. Horowitz writes a well-deserved paean of praise about The Secret Teachings of the Ages author Manly P. Hall. His section on Fascism and the Occult is the clearest I’ve ever read. There’s a kind expose of Baird T. Spaulding, the author of Life and Teaching of the Masters of the Far East—a book series I never was able to take seriously. Now I know why.

“Most people, thought schools, or movements identified as New Age from the 1970s through the early twenty-first century shared these traits:

“1. Belief in the therapeutic value of spiritual or religious ideas.

“2. Belief in a mind-body connection in health.

“3. Belief that human consciousness is evolving to higher stages.

“4. Belief that thoughts, in some greater or lesser measure, determine reality.

“5. Belief that spiritual understanding is available without allegiance to a specific religion or doctrine.”

I agree with every statement, and if you’re reading this, you probably do too. This book is a must-read for anyone in America who takes their spiritual path seriously.

Bravo, Mitch Horowitz. The occult lives in the U.S.of A.

P. S. And what a perfect post for Winter Solstice!

Banquet

Seeds XI, 51

Seed: Banquet

Auntie Mame (Dennis) is one of my very favorite theologians. One of her best Mamisms is: “Life’s a banquet, and most poor suckers are starving to death.” We deny ourselves a place at the table.

Ernest Holmes, founder of Science of Mind, wrote, “We are fed from the table of the Universe, whose board is ever spread with blessedness and peace.”

Banquet actually comes from French roots which mean table. The table of the universe is. The issue isn’t that. It’s whether we’re showing up at the table. There’s always a place set for anyone who shows up.

What comprises a banquet for you? Free time? Lovely gifts? Singing songs? Dancing with abandon? Reading a book? A day at a spa? What qualifies as banquet to you?

Whatever that is, pull up a chair. We’ve been waiting for you. Now, dig in.

Be joy,

Susan Corso

Dr. Susan Corso

Seeds are remarkable gifts. Sown in consciousness, they bring you to the most important part of your being—your Divine Spark.

Check out the Seeds Archive for past messages of inspiration.

When you have friends you would like added to the Seeds e-mail list, send their addresses to me at susan@susancorso.com.

For spiritual nourishment, please visit my website www.susancorso.com

and my blogs Seeds for Sanctuary, God’s Dictionary,

Ode Magazine, and The Huffington Post.

Follow me on Twitter @PeaceCorso

Roll Around Heaven—an all-true accidental spiritual adventure by Jessica Maxwell

Jessica Maxwell is a funny woman. She’s a nationally acclaimed travel writer who sees her father’s face in the sky soon after he dies. So does her sister who lives a thousand miles away. Thus is our Miss Maxwell “marched,” as she says, “into the divine principal’s office” and told to quit goofing off and start paying attention.

Spirituality is a delectable path. There are as many variations on it as there are souls. Ms. Maxwell’s is particularly juicy and more than a little hilarious. I could not put this book down.

From the vision of her papa’s benevolent face blessing her from the skies to her original spiritual teacher, the Holy Pig Farmer, we are allowed to share both adventures and misadventures as Jessica Maxwell gets her bearings on the spiritual path.

She had me in her Invitation introduction on page xi: “One can only hope that fear-wracked control-freak us-against-them extremists of all faiths come to their senses and recognize the truly radical promise of peace that is at the heart of every one of the world’s great religions.” She’s right, and it’s a statement that only someone who has been through a spiritual becoming can see.

Peace, dear one, is at the center of all spiritual seeking. I can assure you that Jessica has created a modicum of peace through her authentic seeking and finding. Let’s follow what her best friend refers to as “Lucille Ball Trips Over God.”

The Holy Pig Farmer, Lory Misel, guest spoke in a creative writing class for Jessica and that was it. He became her touchstone on the path. We all need one. His primary lesson? You are here to bless the world. We all are, dear one.

The Holy Pig Farmer meets Jessica at the level of spirituality, and at the level of religion. She needed it. “Grace,” he says, “is perfect peace.” Amen. Her journey starts to feel like a runaway train. One day she knows it’s time to get a divorce. Just like that. The spiritual path can be that way.

I loved it when Jessica had the same reaction I do to that dreadful bumpersticker, God is my Co-Pilot. I always want to pull them over and set things straight. Darling, I fantasize saying, scoot over. Let God be the pilot. Jessica writes, “(one would assume that, if anything, one is God’s copilot).” Amen, sister.

After her divorce, she ends up in a relationship that clears her karmic clock, and then, she ends up in a church with a friend where she eventually meets and marries her delicious soulmate.

“Peace,” she says. ” It always gets back to peace.” Yes, it does. Then, one day, she’s in Portland, Oregon and ends up having lunch with Deepak Chopra. It was a God job.

And so the journey continued, and, I’m sure, continues. Jessica Maxwell and her book are the real deal. Inspiring, encouraging, full of enough good humor and awkward learning to make anyone on the spiritual path laugh and keep going. That’s my kind of adventure.

The Gentle Art of Blessing: A Simple Practice That Will Transform You and Your World by Pierre Pradervand

So many books, so little time. I know, I know, we’re all too busy, but this gem of a book, The Gentle Art of Blessing: A Simple Practice That Will Transform You and Your World by Pierre Pradervand is worth every speck of time it will take you to read it. Blessing genuinely makes the world go ’round.

Mr. Pradervand has a rich past of personal development and social justice. His anecdotes come from nearly every continent. The book started as a small collection of words on blessing that the author passed around to friends, family and acquaintances. Eventually, it was published in French and later in English. I am very grateful that Cynthia Black, Editor in Chief of Beyond Words Publishing paid attention when someone told her about it.

This book could revolutionize our world.

So, what exactly is blessing? “By blessing, I mean wishing from the bottom of the heart, in total sincerity, the very best for … people—their complete fulfillment and complete happiness.” The key is, of course, total sincerity. Eventually, what starts as an act of will (especially if one is blessing those who have hurt one) becomes an act of the heart.

Here are some of the ideas in Mr. Pradervand’s original tract:

On awakening, bless this day …

On passing people in the street, on the bus, in places of work and play,

bless them …

On meeting people and talking to them, bless them …

As you walk, bless the city …

Blessing, dear one, is a form of giving. Giving is a form of service. Service is what each life is ultimately about.

Pradervand makes a scrumptious point: “It is impossible to bless and judge at the same time. So hold constantly as a deep, hallowed, intoned thought, the desire to bless, for truly then shall you become a peacemaker, and one day you shall behold, everywhere, the very face of God.”

Even if you don’t, the occupation of the rip-roaring human mind in blessing is far more effective and fun if we’ll use it in blessing rather than in judging. The great Rabbi of Nazareth promised that we would be judged if we judge. We’ve seen it time and time again.

His original pamphlet ended with “P. S. And of course, above all, do not forget to bless the utterly beautiful person you are.”

The rest of the book details spiritual laws which are supported by blessing, and is valuable because it proves how blessing works. Most of those on a spiritual path will not need the proof, but for those who are not, the proofs are there in black and white.

As a spiritual alignment consultant, the question I am asked nearly daily usually begins, “Yes, but how can I practice … (whatever we have agreed is a good idea)?” Blessing is a universally effective spiritual practice. Bless yourself, your family, your friends, and strangers. It will accrue only to your… well, … blessing.

I am blessed to be able to recommend without reservation Pierre Pradervand’s The Gentle Art of Blessing. Practice blessing for 21 days. You’ll never stop.

Gentle blessings upon you and yours. May you welcome All Peace.

The Law of Up Until Now

Seeds XI, 50

Seed: The Law of Up Until Now

Lloyd Tupper is a new-ish columnist for Science of Mind Magazine. In the June 2009 issue, he wrote an article about the Law of Up Until Now. Well, of course the law states that we can change any time we want to. ANY time.

What I like best about this law is that it gives us permission to change on a dime. Right now. This second. Using the phrase “up until now” means that I used to be that way, but now I’m changing, so I’m this way.

It’s Advent. How do you always spend the weeks leading up to the great celebration of light in your tradition? Can you say, “up until now,” and make a change? If you want to, go right ahead. Just because it’s always been done one way doesn’t mean there aren’t myriad ways to spend the time leading up to the return of the light.

Do you shop till you drop? Up until now. Do you overeat? Up until now. Do you spend too much? Up until now. Over-schedule? Up until now.

Go ahead. Make a change. There’s a new now waiting for you this very moment.

Be joy,

Susan Corso

Dr. Susan Corso

Seeds are remarkable gifts. Sown in consciousness, they bring you to the most important part of your being—your Divine Spark.

Check out the Seeds Archive for past messages of inspiration.

When you have friends you would like added to the Seeds e-mail list, send their addresses to me at susan@susancorso.com.

For spiritual nourishment, please visit my website www.susancorso.com

and my blogs Seeds for Sanctuary, God’s Dictionary,

Ode Magazine, and The Huffington Post.

Follow me on Twitter @PeaceCorso

The Temples of Light—An Initiatory Journey into the Heart Teachings of the Egyptian Mystery Schools by Danielle Rama Hoffman

I’ll be honest, I had a hard time reading this book. I don’t personally resonate to Egypt, and the tone the author takes is peremptory. Visiting this temple or that temple, she says, “will” make this or that happen. I’ve done enough consciousness work to know that this or that might happen, has the potential to happen, could happen, but this or that could also not happen. We’re all different.

That said, the more I read Danielle Rama Hoffman’s The Temples of Light—An Initiatory Journey into the Heart Teachings of the Egyptian Mystery Schools, I was intrigued by her intrigue. The author is fascinated by Egypt and its temples in all their incarnations, and the author has done considerable homework. She knows whereof she writes.

Hoffman commences the seeker’s journey by casting us all as Osiris, and telling her reader that the ancient wisdom of Egypt is written in our DNA. We will simply be going through a re-membering process. (Remember that Isis had to put Osiris back together after his evil twin cut him to pieces.)

Our journey starts at Memphis, and there we own the power to create our own reality; we donate our stories to the library of consciousness. Moving to Sakkara, we reclaim our birthright of divine abundance—a lesson many consciousness cuties are learning. We also receive the ability to interpret Sacred Symbology, to read the divine signs and wonders in our quotidian world.

The temple at Abydos sends us into the Flower of Life glyph written about so eloquently by Drunvalo Melchizidek; we also leave behind our apathy toward life. At the Sphinx, we download Infinity. The Great Pyramid bestows the gift of Cosmic Oneness. At Philae, we bathe in Divine Love, and at Kom Ombo, we feel at peace with being present. This peace promise is where I bought in. (I’m all for peace, as you know.)

In the second part of the progress, we first visit Dendera to embody Instinctual Bliss, and we get a “bliss team.” I loved that. From there, we go to Elephantine Island in order to evolve our souls past their negativity. At Karnak, we accept our signature energy or soul purpose. We go on to Abu Simbel where we reconvene with Divine Mind. At Luxor Temple, Osiris is awakened and we connect to our universal, expanded star nature.

At the last, we find ourselves at St. Catherine’s Star Gate, a Greek Orthodox monastery (!), where we receive Rhythmic Peace, the ability to flow with whatever is happening—a gift we all need.

As I completed this book, I was glad I’d read it, and I recommend it to those who are fascinated by lifetimes lived in Egypt. The author and her spouse take people on tour through these fascinating places so if you are pulled to it, by all means go.

A small word of caution: if you begin these meditations, and are left less than resolved through their use, stop, and let your being assimilate the information more slowly.

From the blog tour wizards …

We are extending the bonus offer for one more day — Temples of Light by Danielle Rama Hoffman, is being offered, along with $3000 in bonus gifts, beginning on December 8th at 12:01 am. We invite you to visit – www.thetemplesoflight.com/promotion and then click on the “order” link, order the book on Amazon and return to the promotional page. Enter your name and email address to reach the bonus page. The bonuses are not available until December 8th.

Let’s Talk @ ToMePeaceIs.com

There are many, many worthy organizations in our world working for peace. I write about them every week for Ode Magazine, and I have been for over two years.

Why start another one?

Well … because I have never been able to find an organization that’s working for peace the way I think peace ought to work. I’m a fan of these prophetic words of A. J. Muste:

There is no way to peace. Peace is the way.

I think the only (and easiest) way to create peace on our planet is to allow our minds, first and foremost, to rest upon the idea of peace every day.

The thing I’ve discovered is that the meaning of peace changes all the time! Think about it.

What was peace to me in March when I was filling out the form for my accountant, was “finishing my tax form.” The moment I emailed it to him, what peace was to me changed. Instantly. Naturally. Simply.

That’s the biggest peace error—to think that peace is a stasis. It can’t be. Because the only constant on Earth is change, peace has to be able to change with the nature of Nature which is change.

If I’m in the middle of an emotional tussle with someone, peace is to make peace right there. When we’ve made peace, peace morphs. It’s fascinating to me to see how peace changes for different people. Peace is different to each one of us.

And that’s the why for ToMePeaceIs.com. So that we can share how peace changes for us all the time, and to open the meaning of peace so that not only are we allowing our minds to rest on peace, but that the same mind- rest begins to take hold in our hearts, our bodies, and on our planet.

So, what’s peace to you?

Go to ToMePeace Is.com, and let me know.

Acquiring Silence

Seeds XI, 49

Seed: Acquiring Silence

Laura Hope-Gill is the Executive Director of The Asheville Wordfest Media Outreach Project. In the fall 2008 Parabola, she had an article called “Digital Silence.” Much of the article was about her slow process of going deaf—without self-pity or regret.

“My sign language teacher, Shiner, said it this way: ‘You’re not going deaf. You’re acquiring silence.’ By the time I heard her say that, I understood. Learning sign language has been the beautiful thing. The cup remains empty but language still fills it. Only language. No words.”

Acquiring silence. I think sometimes if we could put it in Campbell’s Soup cans, silence would fly off the shelves. We are desperate for it much of the time.

I love the distinction Hope-Gill makes about having language, but no words. Think of the times you’ve sat in silence with someone you love—a parent, a child, a friend, a lover. Isn’t there language—even with no words?

I suggest you consider acquiring silence for a portion of your week, an hour or so. If you include someone you love, you’ll wallow in language with no words, and bask in the new and refreshing silence.

Be joy,

Susan Corso

Dr. Susan Corso

Seeds are remarkable gifts. Sown in consciousness, they bring you to the most important part of your being—your Divine Spark.

Check out the Seeds Archive for past messages of inspiration.

When you have friends you would like added to the Seeds e-mail list, send their addresses to me at susan@susancorso.com.

For spiritual nourishment, please visit my website www.susancorso.com

and my blogs Seeds for Sanctuary, God’s Dictionary,

Ode Magazine, and The Huffington Post.

Follow me on Twitter @PeaceCorso

Rewriting the Pattern Prayer

One of the most powerful prayers ever written or spoken is The Lord’s Prayer. I like to call it The Pattern Prayer. Jesus gave it to his disciples to tell them how to pray. Here’s my latest translation of it. See how it feels to you.

The Pattern Prayer

Our Mother, Our Father, Who are Benevolent and Reign in Heaven,

Hallowed be Thy Names.

Thy Reign of Peace come,

Thy Will, not mine, Be Done.

In all the Galaxies, and on Earth as it is in Heaven.

Give us this Day our Daily Sufficiency, Our Manna.

And Forgive us our Mistakes and Missteps

As we Forgive ourselves and all others.

And Lead us into our True Purpose,

And Keep us Awake to our Unbroken Wholeness.

For Thine is the Reign of Peace, the Power, the Grace and the Glory

Forever.

Amen.

We weren’t meant to parrot his words, dear one. We were meant to make them our own. Consider reading Kathleen McGowan’s new book The Source of Miracles. It’s all about how to pray the prayer, not say the prayer.

I’ll say that again: Pray the Pattern Prayer, not Say the Pattern Prayer. Saying prayers is fine, but praying them is powerful. In this season of light, lend power to your praying. You’ll be glad you did.

Inviting You & Yours to ToMePeaceIs.com

The press release says this website is the brainchild of inner peace activist Dr. Susan Corso. For many years, I have looked for an organization to which to devote my peacework. There are some wonderful ones out there. At last it came to me that I needed to begin something much simpler than what I was finding out there.

Because you are a reader of these pages, you know that I believe that peace is the only goal every single living being can agree upon. Where we have trouble agreeing is upon how to get there.

So, today we are launching …

ToMePeaceIs.com

It’s a simple website designed to help you begin to create the habit of inner peace. The single page will take you to a community page on Squidoo. Then, for 21 days, finish the sentence To me, peace is …

(Maxwell Maltz discovered that it takes 21 days to form the new neural pathways in your brain which begin to create a habit.)

The point here is that what inner peace is to you
changes all the time! Sometimes every minute. If you will commit to finding out what inner peace is to you at any given moment, you will naturally be contributing to peace in relationships and peace on the planet.

All peace starts with inner peace.

Won’t you join me and invite those you love to join us on ToMePeaceIs.com?