The Tao of Christ

Dive into the profound insights from the Gospel of Thomas as the discussion centers on humanity's 'drunkenness' with worldly distractions. Explore how materialism obscures our spiritual thirst and the importance of awakening to deeper connections. Unpack Jesus's teachings on self-denial and the call to shed superficial pursuits for true spiritual liberation. The conversation also draws parallels with historical Shaker communities, emphasizing the transformative power of cleansing one's life to perceive the kingdom of God.

This edition of the Tao of Christ is a little different. For one thing it is shorter than usual. Also I am taking a break from the Gospel of Thomas. I will get back to it in a week or so. Today I am reading my blog post for today. I have a blog that I publish once or twice a week called Spiritual Reflections by Marshall Davis. Normally it is just in a written format, but today I thought I would record it in an audio format as well. If you are interested in subscribing to my blog you can find my blog here:https://spiritualreflections.substack.com/View Marshall's books here: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Marshall-Davis/author/B001K8Y0RU

Dive into profound insights as the discussion explores the 27th saying of Jesus from the Gospel of Thomas, emphasizing spiritual awakening. The conversation reveals the necessity of fasting from worldly distractions to find the Kingdom of God. It also delves into the true essence of Sabbath-keeping, linking it to perceiving the Father. Together, these themes frame a compelling perspective on time and space, suggesting the world is not as it seems. A thought-provoking exploration of detachment and divine realization awaits!

This episode is on saying 26 in the Gospel of Thomas. Jesus said, "You see the sliver in your friend's eye, but you don't see the timber in your own eye. When you take the timber out of your own eye, then you will see well enough to remove the sliver from your friend's eye."This saying in the Gospel of Thomas has a famous parallel in the Gospel of Matthew in the Sermon on the Mount where Jesus says, “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.”The differences between the canonical and noncanonical versions are few but important. They are the difference between duality and nonduality.View Marshall's books here: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Marshall-Davis/author/B001K8Y0RU

Dive into the profound wisdom of the Gospel of Thomas as it emphasizes loving others as oneself. Discover how this teaching advocates for social morality and unity beyond personal divides. Explore the concept of spiritual sight versus blindness, revealing the path to awakening through love and deeper understanding. The conversation inspires listeners to embrace a non-dual perspective, nurturing compassion and interconnectedness among humanity.

Uncover the profound teachings of the Gospel of Thomas as it invites listeners to recognize the Inner Light within themselves. Dive into the contrast between non-dual awareness and dualistic perceptions, revealing the essence of spiritual divinity. The discussion highlights the importance of inner illumination and uniting the self with the divine. Discover the notion that true insight arises from acknowledging this light, providing a transformative perspective on spiritual awakening.

This episode covers the twenty-third saying of Jesus in the Gospel of Thomas. Jesus says: "I shall choose you, one from a thousand and two from ten thousand, and they will stand as a single one." Here is a slightly different translation: "I shall choose you, one out of a thousand, and two out of ten thousand, and you shall stand as a single one." This verse deals with the rarity of spiritual awakening and the nature of spiritual awakening. In discussing the nature of awakening I will explore the three spiritual stages of life leading to awakening.  View Marshall's books here: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Marshall-Davis/author/B001K8Y0RU

The twenty-second saying of Jesus in the Gospel of Thomas is the clearest example of Christian nonduality that we have in any gospel. Some of these metaphors in this passage are familiar to us from other sayings in the Gospel of Thomas, as well as similar sayings in the canonical gospels. Others we have not come across before. Jesus saw some babies nursing. He said to his disciples, "These nursing babies are like those who enter the kingdom." They said to him, "Then shall we enter the kingdom as babies?" Jesus said to them, "When you make the two into one, and when you make the inner like the outer and the outer like the inner, and the upper like the lower, and when you make male and female into a single one, so that the male will not be male nor the female be female, when you make eyes in place of an eye, a hand in place of a hand, a foot in place of a foot, an image in place of an image, then you will enter the kingdom."View Marshall's books here: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Marshall-Davis/author/B001K8Y0RU

This episode is on the 21st saying in the Gospel of Thomas. I will read it for you: Mary said to Jesus, "Whom are your disciples like?" He said, "They are like children who have settled in a field which is not theirs. When the owners of the field come, they will say, 'Let us have back our field.' They (will) undress in their presence in order to let them have back their field and to give it back to them. Therefore I say, if the owner of a house knows that the thief is coming, he will begin his vigil before he comes and will not let him dig through into his house of his domain to carry away his goods. You, then, be on your guard against the world. Arm yourselves with great strength lest the robbers find a way to come to you, for the difficulty which you expect will (surely) materialize. Let there be among you a man of understanding. When the grain ripened, he came quickly with his sickle in his hand and reaped it. Whoever has ears to hear, let him hear."  View Marshall's books here: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Marshall-Davis/author/B001K8Y0RU

The twentieth saying of Jesus in the Gospel of Thomas is one that is familiar to Christians who have read the canonical gospels. It is known as the parable of the Mustard Seed. Thomas’ version goes like this:The disciples said to Jesus, "Tell us what the kingdom of Heaven is like." He said to them, "It's like a mustard seed, the smallest of all seeds, but when it falls on prepared soil, it produces a large plant and becomes a shelter for birds of heaven."At first hearing it may sound identical to the New Testament parable. But listen again. Here is the version found in the Gospel of Luke. Pay attention to the differences.Then Jesus asked, “What is the kingdom of God like? What shall I compare it to? It is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his garden. It grew and became a tree, and the birds perched in its branches.”They sound similar, but the small differences make a big difference. Let’s look at the differences and what they teach us about the Kingdom of Heaven, which is Jesus’ term for Divine Awareness.View Marshall's books here: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Marshall-Davis/author/B001K8Y0RU