Daily Meditation: Friday, March 29, 2002

The Bible and all the sacred writings of the other …

03/29/2002

The Bible and all the sacred writings of the other religions make reference to animal sacrifices made to God or the gods. These sacrifices were performed because the Ancients knew that the blood contained energies, which could be used as magical powers. It is said in the Old Testament that the smoke from the sacrifices rose up to the nostrils of the Lord like a pleasant smell. By this is meant that the energies released by the animals' blood and used by the priests, made their invocations more powerful and more effective. And for thousands of years, incense has fulfilled this same symbolic role as it slowly burns away. But when Jesus came to earth he sought to lead human beings to a higher understanding of sacrifice. Instead of immolating poor animals, who had done no-one any harm, he taught them to immolate their inner animals, i.e. their lust, their desires, their passions and so on, because by sacrificing these animals, human beings release within them even more precious energies, which they can use in their spiritual work.