In a stunningly profound and beautiful book (at least to my sensibilities) explicating Christian Hermeticism*, I came across a new version of the Ten Commandments (yes, THE ten commandments) that I suspect I could study, muse upon and find ever-deeper meaning in for the rest of my life. (And who knows, I might just do that– this!) Reading this rendering of the ten commandments immediately quickened my somewhat casual Buddhist Methodist practice. To that end, thought I would share it with readers of this page. To wit:
- Surrender to the living [Mother] God. (thou shalt have no other Gods before me);
- Non-substitution of products of the human mind, or those of Nature, for the reality of the living [Mother] God. (“thou shalt not make for thyself a graven image or any likeness”);
- Activity in the name of [Mother] God without making use of his [her] name in order to adorn oneself with it (thou shalt not take the name of the Lord Thy God in vain);
- Practice of meditation (remember the sabbath day to keep it holy);
- Continuity of effort and experience (honor thy father and thy mother);
- Constructive attitude (thou shalt not kill);
- Faithfulness in the alliance (thou shalt not commit adultery);
- Renunciation of the desire to accept merit which is neither the fruit of one’s own work nor the gift of grace (thou shalt not steal);
- Renunciation of an accusatory role towards others (thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor);
- Respectful consideration for the private and personal life of others (thou shalt not covet they neighbor’s house).
Based on Exodus xx 1-17. [Mother] brackets added.
As might be expected, the (anonymous) author goes on to explicate, of only briefly, each of these “updatings.” For me, they immediately made the ten commandments ten times more relevant to my everyday practice. And, alas, I could see where/how I was breaking most of them on a regular basis.
I think Jesus, who came to “update” and reveal—make plain—the basic principles of the Jewish (human) faith and spirituality, would agree that this latest updating is both timely and practical, and true to the original intent.
I would be interested in your response.
Keep the peace—Bear Gebhardt, Senior Librarian, New Buddhist Methodist Church.
*Meditations on the Tarot, A Journey into Christian Hermeticism, by Anonymous, Translated by Robert Powell, Jefrey P. Tarcher, 2002
