wk 1, 2/14... from Jehanne de Quillan's THE GOSPEL OF THE BELOVED COMPANION:

42:2 MY MASTER SPOKE THUS TO ME. HE SAID, "MIRYAM, BLESSED ARE YOU WHO CAME INTO BEING BEFORE COMING INTO BEING, AND WHOSE EYES ARE SET UPON THE KINGDOM, WHO FROM THE BEGINNING HAS UNDERSTOOD AND FOLLOWED MY TEACHINGS.  ONLY FROM THE TRUTH I TELL YOU, THERE IS A GREAT TREE WITHIN YOU THAT DOES NOT CHANGE, SUMMER OR WINTER, AND ITS LEAVES DO NOT FALL.  WHOSOEVER LISTENS TO MY WORDS AND ASCENDS TO ITS CROWN WILL NOT TASTE DEATH, BUT KNOW THE TRUTH OF ETERNAL LIFE."  

      Why did Jesus begin the teaching by saying, "You came into being before coming into being?"
      What is the 'great tree within?'  

42:3 THEN HE SHOWED ME A VISION IN WHICH I SAW A GREAT TREE THAT SEEMED TO REACH UNTO THE HEAVENS; AND AS I SAW THESE THINGS HE SAID, "THE ROOTS OF THIS TREE ARE IN THE EARTH WHICH IS YOUR BODY.  THE TRUNK EXTENDS UPWARD THROUGH THE FIVE REGIONS OF HUMANITY TO THE CROWN, WHICH IS THE KINGDOM OF THE SPIRIT.

     If the earth represents the body, what are the roots of the tree?
     Why is it important to know that there are five regions of humanity?         

42:4 THERE ARE EIGHT GREAT BOUGHS UPON THIS TREE AND EACH BOUGH BEARS ITS OWN FRUIT, WHICH YOU MUST EAT IN ALL ITS FULLNESS.  AS THE FRUIT OF THE TREE IN THE GARDEN CAUSED ADAM AND CHAV'VAH TO FALL INTO DARKNESS, SO THIS FRUIT WILL GRANT TO YOU THE LIGHT OF THE SPIRIT THAT IS ETERNAL LIFE.  BETWEEN EACH BOUGH IS A GATE AND A GUARDIAN WHO CHALLENGES THE UNWORTHY WHO TRY TO PASS. 

     What is the significance of  'eat the fruit in all its fullness?'
     What is the purpose of a 'guardian?'  

42:5 THE LEAVES AT THE BOTTOM OF THE TREE ARE THICK AND PLENTIFUL, SO NO LIGHT PENETRATES TO ILLUMINATE THE WAY.  BUT FEAR NOT, FOR I AM THE WAY AND THE LIGHT, AND I TELL YOU THAT AS ONE ASCENDS THE TREE, THE LEAVES THAT BLOCK ONE FROM THE LIGHT ARE FEWER, SO IT IS POSSIBLE TO SEE ALL MORE CLEARLY.  THOSE WHO SEEK TO ASCEND MUST FREE THEMSELVES OF THE WORLD.  IF YOU DO NOT FREE YOURSELF FROM THE WORLD, YOU WILL DIE IN THE DARKNESS THAT IS THE ROOT OF THE TREE.  BUT IF YOU FREE YOURSELF, YOU WILL RISE AND REACH THE LIGHT THAT IS THE ETERNAL LIFE OF THE SPIRIT."

     What do the leaves on the great inner tree represent?
     Explain the meaning of 'free yourself from the world.'

42:6 AND AS HE SAID THESE THINGS, I FELT MY SOUL ASCEND AND SAW THE FIRST GREAT BOUGH THAT BEARS THE FRUIT OF LOVE AND COMPASSION, THE FOUNDATION OF ALL THINGS.  AND I KNEW THAT BEFORE YOU CAN EAT OF THIS FRUIT AND GAIN ITS NOURISHMENT, YOU MUST BE FREE OF ALL JUDGMENT AND WRATH.  WHEN YOU HAVE FREED YOURSELF OF THESE BURDENS, YOU MAY EAT OF THE FRUIT AND SO GAIN THE LOVE AND COMPASSION THAT WILL ALLOW YOU TO PASS THE FIRST OF SEVEN GUARDIANS. AND I HEARD THE VOICE OF THE LORD OF WRATH CALLING TO ME, BUT I DENIED HIM AND HE HAD NO PART IN ME.

     What is the signifcance of knowing what the 'foundation of all things' is?
     Define judgment?
     When did judgement become a problem for me/you? 
     Anger is a symptom of what?   [Matt 5:22] 

     It will be tempting to answer all the questions as if they were a quiz to be completed.  Another option is to let them stir things up inside, for Lent is about expansion and transformation.