September 4th, 2008

In these times of great change and opportunity one wonders if there are invisible, even ascended beings, watching over us and, perhaps, guiding us into the enlightened age so many traditions promise for our time.

Certainly, this is one of the core concepts in all the world’s mythologies. Many of these traditions reveal that these beings are actually humans, known as adepts or initiates, who have scaled the ladder to heaven. These advanced men and women of various ages achieved the luminous garment of the liberated soul body, they transformed or “morphed” into light beings.

Is there a secret order of humans who have gone beyond human? Do they have superhuman powers? What are they? How did they acquire them? Where do we find their secrets? These questions are fueling my present research.

On my Sacred Scotland and England tour, August 14-24, we met up with UK historical researcher Barry Dunford (www.sacredconnections.co.uk) in Scotland. Barry’s book, The Holy Land of Scotland: Jesus in Scotland & The Gospel of the Grail is packed with the astonishing facts about the Grail connection in Scotland and the British Isles. Soft spoken and scholarly, he eruditely guided us to several incredible sites in the Scottish Highlands that hold keys to the secrets of these beings.

THE HOLY LAND OF SCOTLAND

Schiehallion

Barry’s historical documentation reveals Scotland is the real "holy land", specifically the isolated area around a mystical mountain called Schiehallion, which is located in the center of Scotland. It’s part of a trio of mystical mountains, which includes Mount Sinai, Mount Moriah and a mysterious Mount Heredom (‘Mount of God’). The latter is not to be found on any map. It is claimed to be 60 miles from Edinburgh. That’s exactly where Schiehallion is located. Heredom is also rendered Hierodom, the Holy House or House of the Holy, an allusion to Solomon’s Temple.  When the Templars fled France, their treasure in tow, they may have come to this place. One thing is certain, Templar legend runs thick in this land. So too does Christian legend.

As Barry observes, in the Book of Isaiah from the Old Testament there is a curious reference to a mythical mountain in the north where the gods assembled:

“For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the FAR north: "the mount of assembly in the far north" (Isa.14:13 Revised Standard Version).

Dunford believes this ‘place of ascension’ is the mystical Schiehallion.

Wm. Henry and Barry Dunford

The first time I saw this mountain I didn’t know what it was, but I knew it was something special. Later, I pointed out a photo of it in a restaurant to Barry. “That’s Schiehallion. That’s where we’re going tomorrow,” he said.

A walk up Schiehallion, even a partial one, is an adventure for the soul. As soon as we got out of our bus two rams greeted us. Though friendly, they made it clear they were guardians of this domain. It’s true. As any highlander will proudly tell you, in this part of Scotland there are more sheep than people!

Once past the sheep the trail opens and one sees that the spectacular mountain is completely blanketed in purple heather, making it the perfect setting for the union of the human and divine. I felt like we were entering the poppy fields of the Wizard of Oz (minus the intoxicating effect). The energy and spirit of the place simply transfixed everyone.

The heather fields of Schiehallion. Extraordinary!

Instead of a yellow brook road, when one looks underfoot at Schiehallion they see they are walking on a path of quartz crystal. That’s because Schiehallion is a pure crystal mountain. That’s right. It’s a mountain of glass!

Crystal and heather. An incredible combination

The name Schiehallion is an anglicized form of the Gaelic name Sìdh Chailleann, which means "the fairy hill of the Caldeonians”. Celdonia is the original name of Scotland. (Some believe ‘Scotland’ comes from Scotia, the daughter of an Egyptian pharaoh. Although others believe this is a highly spurious legend.)

Scottish historians say the early (perhaps even the first) Christian church was established here by a group of monks known as Culdees, from the gaelic Culdich, which has been translated as "certain strangers". They were also known by the Latin name Coli Dei (Servants or Friends of God). They were the last remains of the Pythagorean Druid monks, probably Essenes, who had converted to Christianity. The Coli Dei are also included in the spiritual line of descent from the builders of Solomon’s Temple and the community of Jerusalem. This title also applied to Joseph of Arimathea and his companions, when the British Christian church was founded in Glastonbury in AD 36.

The Culdees claimed their teaching derived directly from the disciples of John the Beloved, who would have come either directly, or indirectly, from the Middle East and who drew heavily from the Egyptian Mystery Schools.

Now, the Egyptian Mystery Schools were stargate mystery schools. That is, they were focused on the transformation of the initiate into a star capable of spending eternity riding the wormhole-shaped Barques of the Millions of Years in the Field of the Blessed. I mentioned to Barry that I was highly intrigued by the name Cul Dee since it is so close to Scala Dei, the name of my publishing company, which is Latin for “Ladder to God.” Of course, we agreed, these servants of god (the Cul Dee) would likely have known something about the (S)Cala Dei, the Ladder to God.

The heather fields of Schiehallion

Misty clouds of Schiehallion. As a sidh, it has a reputation as a realm of the fairies

In Gaelic languages the people of the mounds are called sidh (pronounced shee) people, who are thought to be a powerful supernatural race. They are said to be the offspring of the ancestors or gods. Extraordinary powers are attributed to these ethereal beings such as levitation, the power to make themselves invisible, and more. They were known as the People of Peace or the Fair Folk. They lived on in popular imagination as “fairies”`.

Stories are told and believed by the credulous, that Schiehallion is a gateway to the Otherworld. The inside of the mountain is full of chambers or separate apartments. Stories say that as soon as a person advances a few yards, he comes to a door, which, the moment he enters, closes, as it opened, of its own accord, and prevents his returning. This reminds one of Mount Shasta or Mount Adams in America and especially of Shambhalla, the portal of the gods in Asia.

Barry led us to a special rock marking an energy vortex. I had a fantastic psychic impression when I put my hands on the rock. Clear as crystal I saw a winged Egyptian god. Was it one of the ascended ones? I can’t say for sure, but it certainly gave me something to think about.

Schiehallion is a wonderfully contemplative place I will long remember and to which I hope to return

 

THE BOOK OF LOVE IN SCOTLAND?

During my presentation in London I talked about the Cathar Book of Love. This secret gospel of Jesus was said to contain the true mystic Christian teaching. Jesus was said to have transmitted this book silently and directly to John the Beloved.

How can a book be transmitted silently? According to lore, the Book of Love had no words. It was written in symbols from a very ancient tradition. The primary symbols were: the palm and the crown, the vine and the Tree of Life, the Dove, the Living water and the Fish, and the Light Ship of Isis (or the Barque of the Millions of Years).

This book became the basis for the “hidden” or “Esoteric” Christian Church of Amor or Love. (the reverse of Roma). The existence of this lost (or hidden) gospel was revealed when the Catholic Church subjected the Cathars and Templars (in 1308) to torture. The secrets of this esoteric Christianity have been sought and destroyed by the Exoteric Church of Rome for centuries. However, it is thought that, one day, the two streams of Christianity would reunite in what may be termed the Religion of the Light.

In my talk I traced the Book of Love to Cathars of the Languedoc region of Southern France. After their extermination by the Church of Rome during the first European genocide the Book of Love went sub rosa. However, soon the primary symbols of the Book of Love began appearing in Holy Grail stories from Britain.

Is it possible the Book of Love found its way the Britain or to Scotland?

In answer to this question Barry brought two key facts to my attention. First, he notes there was a tradition that during the reign of the Roman Emporer Domitian (81-96 A.D) some of the disciples of the apostle John visited Caledonia/Scotland. This is when the Essenes and the Druids came together in Scotland as the Cul dees.

Secondly, the Culdee colleges or seats of learning were styled "Cathair Culdich" (the Chair of the Culdees). As Barry notes, the close similarity between Cathair and Cathar may be significant since both groups, the Culdees and the Cathars, claimed possession of what may be the same secret knowledge. Further, he notes, both groups were deemed to be a threat by the Church of Rome, which systematically suppressed both Christ orientated orders.

It sure sounds like there’s a solid connection between the Culdees and the Cathars to me. This connection was solidified for me when Barry took us to Grandtully, 12 miles east of Fortingall to show us a heraldic mural (c. 1636) on the interior ceiling of St. Mary's Chapel. This plain “barnchurch” contains one of the most remarkable painted ceilings I’ve found anywhere. One of the most fascinating panels shows a Magi with a Grail cup and a levitating egg or stone with a book inside. Is this the Book of Love?

The painted ceiling at St. Mary’s Chapel, Grandtully, Scotland

A magi holds a Grail cup in his left hand. Note a levitating egg or stone with a book inside. Barry says the magi holds a crystal in his right hand

Jesus transmutes a heart with heavenly energy

Jesus is shown with one hand disappearing into the heavenly realms and another pouring an energizing substance into a flaming heart. Is this the alchemical Elixir of Life being poured into the Grail cup? The overall theme of the mural certainly suggests so.

Scotland is a land of incredible wonder and Barry Dunford brings it alive in an extraordinary way. His work brings incredible lore and facts to our attention. I’m grateful for the opportunity to meet him, and his wife, Theresa, and hope to make a return visit to this magical land in the summer of 2009. If you’re interested drop me a line or stay tuned for details.