Clergy Book Report Assignment of March 2023
For Post # 22553 Pgs. 130-134
By Bastu Baket
Udja,
This section of pages from the book dealt with “Duties of the Servants of God.” We know that being a servant to God is being Hem/Hemu and Sebai Maa shared deeper philosophical insights on what was to be served for oneself and for society. While assisting the community/society we cannot neglect our own spiritual evolution. From pg. 131 “The job of a priest or priestess to research these high wisdom teachings, these high spiritual realizations and elevate oneself so as to be able to provide leadership and moral support for each other, and the masses.” So, my understanding here is that in order to serve others we must first serve ourselves, to have a level of proficiency and depth in understanding of the teachings. Then the capacity to tend to the community properly will come naturally. If we are not spending face time with the Divine on a daily basis, through the integral Shedy practices, how can we ask others to share in that experience?
Also highlighted were the 2 Types of Religion – 1 for Initiates (higher mysteries) and 1 for the masses (lower mysteries). Examples of exoteric – level of ceremony, festival, and holidays and esoteric – rituals of higher mystical implication were shared. There was a balance for priest/esses between required service to the community in various capacities and allowing for their own inner peace and attainment with daily meditation and practice of the disciplines. This was termed “Art of Balance” as the importance of their work with the community must first be grounded in the practice of one’s own spiritual disciplines and the depth of understanding the teachings.
In this lesson there was discussion on Maat Aryu, Sebai Maa shared that people can get caught up in doing service, thinking it is the way to enlightenment but he explained it can be a way for purification and honing one’s skill of teaching. I’ll share a quote that I felt was important in regard to Maat Aryu, “with the clergy it is about service and ascribing the respect and honor where it is due and that is with God.” This reiterates the importance of an integral practice of Shedy for all, so the harmony is brought forth as a reflection of one’s own spiritual movement in the sharing of the teachings with others and the source of that spiritual movement is with the Supreme Being.
Dua Sebai Maa, Seba Dja, and Hemu
HTP
