the reath B Body-Based Meditations on the

Neil Douglas-Klotz 2 Sounds True, Inc., Boulder, CO 80306 © 2004 Neil Douglas-Klotz All rights reserved. No part of this study guide may be used or reproduced in any manner without written permission from the author and publisher. Published 2004. Printed in the United States of America.

Transliterations and translations are from Prayers of the Cosmos: Meditations on the Aramaic Words of (HarperSanFrancisco, 1990). ©1990 Neil Douglas-Klotz. Available in the U.K., Germany, Australia, and New Zealand from HarperCollins. All rights reserved, including the right to reprint in whole or in part. For more information on resources and retreats using this work, please address: Abwoon Study Circle, PO Box 361655, Milpitas, CA 95036-1655 USA email: [email protected], abwoon.com. In Germany, please contact: (030) 8639 9436. [email protected]. In the U.K., please contact: Abwoon Study Circle, 7 East Champanyie, Edinburgh EH9 3EL. [email protected] or [email protected].

ISBN 978-1-59179-075-4 Also by Neil Douglas-Klotz: Books The Genesis Meditations: A Shared Practice of Peace for Christians, , and Muslims.Wheaton, IL: Quest Books, 2003. The Hidden : Decoding the Spiritual Message of the Aramaic Jesus. Wheaton, IL: Quest Books, 1999. Desert Wisdom: Sacred Middle Eastern Writings from the Goddess through the Sufis. San Francisco: HarperSanFrancisco, 1995 (out of print). Prayers of the Cosmos: Meditations on the Aramaic Words of Jesus. San Francisco: HarperSanFrancisco, 1990.

Audios The Hidden Gospel. Boulder, CO: Sounds True, 1999. Desert Wisdom Meditations: Music and Body Prayers and Chants. Milpitas, CA: Abwoon Study Circle, 1995. Native Middle Eastern Cycle: Seasonal Invocations to the Goddess. Milpitas, CA: Abwoon Study Circle, 1993. Prayers of the Cosmos Aramaic Teaching Tape. Milpitas, CA: Abwoon Study Circle, 1990.

For a free Sounds True catalog of audios, videos, and music, contact: Sounds True, PO Box 8010, Boulder, CO 80306-8010 Phone (800) 333-9185 or visit soundstrue.com the reath BStudy Guide CONTENTS

The Beatitudes ...... 1 The Words of Jesus ...... 5 Connecting with the Consciousness of Jesus ...... 6 What Are Body Prayers? ...... 6 How to Do Body Prayers ...... 7 How to Use This Study Guide ...... 9 Aramaic: The Original Language of Jesus ...... 9 A Note on Pronunciation ...... 10 The Beatitude Way ...... 11 Additional Resources ...... 15 The Beatitudes

1 The King James Bible was published in 1611, and until the mid-20th century it was the only version familiar to most English-speaking people. It is based on a Greek version that dates from the fourth century CE. The of the Beatitudes is as follows: Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted. Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth. Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled. Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God. Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God. Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceedingly glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you. —:3–12, King James Version

2 In Aramaic, the Beatitudes read as follows: Tubwayhun l’meskenaee b’rukh d’dilhounhie malkutha dashmaya. Tubwayhun lawile d’hinnon netbayun. Tubwayhun l’makikhe d’hinnon nertun arha. Tubwayhun layleyn d’kaphneen watzheyn l’khenuta d’hinnon nisbhun. Tubwayhun lamrahmane dalayhun nehwun rahme. Tubwayhun layleyn dadkeyn b’lebhon d’hinnon nehzun l’alaha. Tubwayhun lahwvday shlama dawnaw(hie) d’alaha nitqarun. Tubwayhun layleyn detrdep metol khenuta dihon(hie) malkutha dashmaya. Tubwayhun immath damhasdeen l’khon waradpin l’khon wamrin elaykon kul milla bisha metolath b’dagalutha. Haydeyn khadaw wa rwazw dagarkhun sgee bashmaya hakana geyr r’dapw l’nabiya d’men q’damaykun.

This is how these sayings might read: Tuned to the Source are those who live by breathing Unity; their “I can!” is included in God’s. Blessed are those in emotional turmoil; they shall be united inside by love.

3 Healthy are those who have softened what is rigid within; they shall receive physical vigor and strength from the universe. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for physical justice; they shall be surrounded by what is needed to sustain their bodies. Blessed are those who, from their inner wombs, birth mercy; they shall feel its warm arms embrace them. Aligned with the One are those whose lives radiate from a core of love; they shall see God everywhere. Blessed are those who plant peace each season; they shall be named the children of God. Blessings to those who are dislocated for the cause of justice; their new home is the province of the universe. Renewal when you are reproached and driven away by the clamor of evil on all sides, for my sake … Then do everything extreme, including letting your ego disappear, for this is the secret of claiming your expanded home in the universe. For so they shamed those before you: All who are enraptured, saying inspired things—who produce on the outside what the spirit has given them within.

4 The Words of Jesus The Healing Breath takes us into the wisdom of Jesus as a native mystic of the , using his Aramaic language as a key to unlock the spirituality and embodied spiritual practice that he taught. In Jesus’ native Middle Eastern tradition, the sound of a word is considered to have innate power beyond the word’s literal meaning. Because we live in a world of vibration, sound directly affects both our physical cells and our inner being. (This point of view underlies the Hindu and Buddhist practice of mantra, as well as many contemporary sound-healing modalities.) Sound changes the way we breathe, thereby changing the way we feel our connection through breath to Spirit and to all that is. Chanting the words of a mystic or prophet in his or her original language allows us to access the inner sound and power of the word and to connect to the living feeling of the teacher who spoke them. Speaking, chanting, and intoning the words of Jesus—especially the prayer that he gave—gives us the opportunity to connect directly with his consciousness. This is beyond any translation or explanation of the words themselves. Awareness of our breathing maintains a crucial thread of connection, deepening the wisdom contained in and beyond the words.

5 Connecting with the Consciousness of Jesus Praying in the way Jesus did helps us to enter his shem, or the rhythm of his awareness of Cosmic Unity. When we are able to do so, we discover the condition he described as inana, the “I-I.” This is the experience of the individual “I” as part of the only “I Am”: Sacred Unity. This spiritual realization of Simple Presence or the “I Am” shows us the path, helps set our direction, and gives us the energy to travel. This is one of the Aramaic meanings of the statement attributed to Jesus: “I am the way, the truth, and the life.” What Are Body Prayers? Body prayers are exercises developed in the tradition of Middle Eastern spiritual practice, meant to enrich your experience of the Aramaic words of Jesus. A body prayer may include guided visualization, chanting, intoning, and/or awareness of your breath. Through this practice, you can feel your own breathing—and sometimes your own sound or movement. For many people, chanting, breathing with, and remembering the words of Jesus in his original language has led them to reconnect with a deeper sense of their own spiritual life. The words of Jesus can inspire us to become more

6 fully human—which, according to his tradition, was the purpose of life. Most importantly, body prayers can help you become aware of your physical self, here and now. These spiritual practices are not methods for getting out of your body, but rather a way to feel your body as a part of Sacred Unity. From a Middle Eastern point of view, we are not separate from Sacred Unity. Body prayers offer a means of reaffirming that reality in our lives. How to Do Body Prayers Body prayers can be taken on as a daily, stand-alone spiritual practice or incorporated into your existing practice. To get the most out of the meditative journey of the Beatitudes—Jesus’ healing sayings—you’ll find it helpful to do all of the body prayers in sequence. Most people choose to break them up over a number of days or weeks. Feel free to remain longer with any saying or meditation that particularly speaks to you. Body prayers can be done alone or in a group. Do not attempt to do these exercises while driving a car. To do so would both compromise your safety and greatly diminish the power of the body prayers. Approach the chanting in a relaxed state of mind and without outer distraction. Find a quiet place where you won’t be disturbed. Wear loose,

7 comfortable clothing and sit or stand in a comfortable position. To prepare yourself for the body prayers, take several slow, deep breaths, bringing your awareness to the sensation of the breath entering and leaving your body. When intoning or chanting a word, it is essential to feel the sound in your body as a bridge between your own experience and the meaning of the words. In Aramaic (as in Hebrew), each letter—each sound of a word—is like a living being. It is not an object outside of you that you are bringing into your being, but a living reality that is inseparable from the words themselves. At the close of each body prayer, give thanks for whatever you have received—if only a few moments of peace and quiet. End by invoking a final blessing with the wordameyn: “May this be the earth from which our new growth comes.” After you complete each exercise, feel the words on which it is based as deeply as possible in your being. Take a few moments to notice what feelings and sensations arise. Sometimes you might see colors or images. These are your own unique clues to discovering your inner self through the Aramaic language and the sayings of Jesus. It is also helpful to pray, chant, and meditate in nature. The report Jesus primarily meditating and praying in nature, rather than in buildings. This is also where he shares food and does his healing.

8 How to Use This Study Guide This printed guide complements the teachings and body prayers on The Healing Breath audio learning set. Use it to refresh your memory on the purpose and practice of body prayer and as a foundation for further study of the Aramaic words of Jesus. See the Additional Resources section on page 15 for a list of books and audios you can use to deepen your understanding of the teachings presented on The Healing Breath. Aramaic: The Original Language of Jesus When Jesus said anything attributed to him in the Gospels or elsewhere, he said it in Aramaic: a Middle Eastern, Semitic language that was common to the entire population of Palestine at the time. By at least two hundred years before his birth, biblical Hebrew had already died out as a spoken language. Even if Jesus and his listeners knew other languages, Aramaic was their mother tongue, and they thought of and conceived of life in the terms it offers. This makes a world of difference. For instance, if Jesus said anything about spirit, he used an Aramaic term (ruha)—which also means “breath,”

9 “air,” “wind,” or “atmosphere.” In other words, when Jesus said anything about Holy Spirit, he was also talking about Holy Breath. The Western conception of spirit as separate from mind, body, and emotions simply was not present for Jesus and his listeners. All the —including Hebrew, Aramaic, and Arabic— allow one word to hold multiple meanings. Hence, a tradition of translation arose in the Middle East that led to each word of a prophet or mystic being considered on many different levels of meaning. This is called in the Jewish tradition and ta’wil in the Sufi tradition. Using this method to consider the words of Jesus in their Aramaic form allows us better access to his Middle Eastern mindset and wisdom than any Greek version can. A Note on Pronunciation The following transcription of the Aramaic words into English characters is not meant to be a formal, scholarly transliteration. It is intended to help you with the pronunciation and chanting on the audio portion of the program. For further practice, please refer to the resources listed in the Additional Resources on pages 15–17.

10 The Beatitude Way On The Healing Breath we will look at key words in each line of the Beatitudes and consider not only their possible multiple meanings in Aramaic, but also the logical progression from one line to the next. Therein we find Jesus’ invitation to walk “the Beatitude way”: a continual internal process that will help us affirm a state of readiness to come to wholeness, to realize our highest purpose, and to find our right place in society and the cosmos. In order to embody the experience, we will use traditional Middle Eastern prayer methods to chant and breathe these words. As we embark on this journey, we’ll use chant, body prayer, guided visualization, and meditation to help make our explorations a living reality, applicable to our everyday life experience. (Original transliteration and translation from the [Syriac-Aramaic version] by Neil Douglas-Klotz)

1. Tubwayhun l’meskenaee b’rukh d’dilhounhie malkutha d’ashmaya. Tuned to the Source are those who live by breathing Unity; their “I can!” is included in God’s. Refer to audio Session 3. Counter-melody: Alaha Ruhau

11 2. Tubwayhun lawile d’hinnon netbayun. Blessed are those in emotional turmoil; they shall be united inside by love. Refer to audio Session 4 3. Tubwayhun l’makikhe d’hinnon nertun arha. Healthy are those who have softened what is rigid within; they shall receive physical vigor and strength from the universe. Refer to audio Session 5 Counter-melody: Tubwayhun—Nertun Arha 4. Tubwayhun layleyn d’kaphneen wa tzheyn l’khenuta d’hinnon nisbhun. Integrated, resisting delusion are those who long clearly for a foundation of peace between the warring parts of themselves; they shall find all around them the materials to build it. Refer to audio Session 6 5. Tubwayhun lamrahmane dalayhun nehwun rahme. Blessed are those who, from their inner wombs, birth mercy; they shall feel its warm arms embrace them. Refer to audio Session 7 Counter-melody: Alaha Rahme

12 6. Tubwayhun layleyn dadkeyn b’lebhon d’hinnon nehzun l’alaha. Healthy are those whose passion is electrified by deep, abiding purpose; they shall see God everywhere. Refer to audio Session 8 Counter-melody: Alaha Alaha Alaha Alaha Alaha 7. Tubwayhun lahwvday shlama dawnaw(hie) d’alaha nitqarun. Blessed are those who plant peace each season; they shall be named the children of God. Refer to audio Session 9 8. Tubwayhun layleyn detrdep metol khenuta dilhon(hie) malkutha dashmaya. Blessings to those who are dislocated for the cause of justice; their new home is the province of the universe. Refer to audio Session 10 9. Tubwayhun immath damhasdeen l’khon waradpin l’khon wamrin elaykon kul milla bisha metolath b’dagalutha. Health when your strength is sucked out, when you are disunited and falsely classified as a waste of time, for my sake... Refer to audio Session 10

13 10. Haydeyn khadaw wa rwazw dagarkhun sgee bashmaya hakana geyr r’dapw l’nabiya d’men q’damaykun. Drink a drop—or drench yourself—you will find no matter where you turn, the Name inscribed in light: it is all the One Creation ... It is the sign of prophets and prophetesses to feel the disunity around them intensely. Refer to audio Session 10

14 Additional Resources Douglas-Klotz, Neil. The Genesis Meditations: A Shared Practice of Peace for Christians, Jews and Muslims. Wheaton, IL: Quest Books, 2003. Reveals the hidden tradition of creation spiritual practice that unites the three traditions. Contains meditations and translations from the great mystics and scriptures that reveal this tradition, including the original Hebrew stories in new translation, the Gospels of Thomas and John, the Kabbalah (Zohar and Sepher Yitzerah), and Sufi mystics including Ibn Arabi and Jelaluddin Rumi. genesismeditations.com —. The Hidden Gospel: Decoding the Spiritual; Message of the Aramaic Jesus. Wheaton, IL: Quest Books, 1999. Contains the key insights found in an Aramaic translation of Jesus’ words, as well as many new translations of parables and sayings. —. The Hidden Gospel. Audiotape. Boulder, CO: Sounds True, 1999. —. ABWUN. Compact disc. Düsseldorf, Germany: Lichthaus Musik, 1997. A mantric oratorio based on the music of Neil Douglas-Klotz as arranged by the Overtone Choir of Düsseldorf. Available from Abwoon Study Circle. —. Desert Wisdom: Sacred Middle Eastern Writings from the Goddess through the Sufis. San Francisco: HarperSanFrancisco, 1995 (out of print). New translations from the Hebrew scripture; sayings of Jesus in Aramaic; and poetry,

15 ritual chant, and prayer from the Egyptian, Babylonian, and Gnostic Gospels and Sufi traditions. —. Desert Wisdom: Body Prayers and Chants. Audiotape. Milpitas, CA: Abwoon Study Circle, 1995. An opportunity to participate in Egyptian, Hebrew, Aramaic, Arabic, and other chants and body prayers. —. Prayers of the Cosmos: Meditations on the Aramaic Words of Jesus. San Francisco: HarperSanFrancisco, 1990. Multiple translations of each line of Jesus’ prayer, the Beatitudes, and other sayings. —. Prayers of the Cosmos Aramaic Teaching Tape. Audiotape. Milpitas, CA: Abwoon Study Circle, 1990. A guide to learning to say and sing the words of Jesus’ prayer and Beatitudes in Aramaic. Fox, Matthew. Original Blessing: A Primer in Creation Spirituality Presented in Four Paths. Sante Fe: Bear & Co., 1996. Kiraz, George Anton. Lexical Tools to the Syriac . Sheffield, U.K.: Sheffield Academic Press, 1994. Peshitta Syriac Bible. Syrian Patriarchate of Antioch and All the East. London: United Bible Societies, 1979. Robinson, James, ed. The Nag Hammadi Library in English. San Francisco: HarperSanFrancisco. 1990. Smith, J. Payne, ed. A Compendious Syriac Dictionary. Winona Lake, IN: Eisenbrauns, 1998.

16 Syriac New Testament and . Based on the 1901 Oxford: Clarendon Press edition prepared by G.H. Gwilliam. Istanbul: Bible Society in Turkey. For a more complete set of bibliographic resources for the context of the Aramaic Jesus interpretive approach, please see the book The Hidden Gospel by Neil Douglas-Klotz (see page 15).

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