The Transfiguration by Raphael
Luke 9 is about bringing the disciples to the mountain top, literally and figuratively, and then sending them into the world while letting them know what the cost of discipleship is all about. In the process, a growth of intuitive insight occurs among the disciples to the point where they can see the full revealing of Jesus as He is, beyond the carpenter from Nazareth. They can see his essential energy field in all its glory and wonder, as well as those of Moses and Elijah who set in motion the forces of spiritual tradition that led to Jesus.
A Call to Let Go
After having chosen his disciples, Jesus sends them out with little in the way of backup support to proclaim the Good News and to heal. In a sense, it is the pulling away of the usual supports we are accustomed to for a greater good. The call to grow one’s intuition often involves a call to let go of the things we previously relied on for support.
A Discovery of Miraculous Abundance
Early on in the call to open the third eye of understanding, the seeker becomes aware that highly developed spiritual persons can summon and bring abundance of resources and good health, defying our common perspective that the pie is only so large. The disciples witness this so many times they begin to believe it themselves. They begin to see that life can be lived on different terms. There will always be enough with the grace of God.
The Recognition of God’s Presence among Us
Jesus constantly asks His disciples who they think He is, testing their depth of spiritual awareness. When Peter answers that Jesus is the Messiah, Jesus knows Peter’s eyes have been opened. In a sense, all of us are constantly being asked the same thing. Can we see the presence of God in our lives? If Jesus is the God for us, can we recognize Him here among us now? As with Peter, when we can see God even in the lowliest person, we have reached a significant point of spiritual development.
Before the disciples recognized Jesus’ true nature, the demons inside possessed people were the only ones who recognized Him. It is much the same within ourselves, our demons torment us, and make us aware until we can recognize the divine and be healed. Their coming to the fore is almost necessary to precede the healing call of the divine.
The Mountain Top Experience
Like Peter and the apostles, we are usually relaxed, half asleep or in a state of meditation when suddenly there is a shift of consciousness and we can see auras and energy fields. In this state the disciples witness Jesus in splendor, along with the great spiritual leaders who preceded him. Like us, the disciples want to capture this precious moment and make order out of it by constructing something to make it permanent. They want to build booths to contain the wonder they have just seen just as we want to write about, paint, sing, memorialize or “churchify” our spiritual experiences.
The Need to Go Out Into the World
Jesus knows it is not only about the mountain top experience. It is also about acting as His disciples at a time when he won’t be around, spreading the news of what they have just witnessed and doing the miraculous things He has done. He explains what this entails: the profound insight demands an equally profound and unconditional call to action. It is the basis for the call to action.
Below, you can listen to Professor Peter Atkins of Lincoln College, Oxford, talk about On Being: A Scientist's Exploration of the Great Questions of Existence. This podcast is recorded by the Oxfordshire Branch of the British Science Association, whose regular SciBars podcasts can be found here.
Peter Atkins is the author of almost 60 books, including Galileo’s Finger: The Ten Great Ideas of Science, Four Laws that Drive the Universe, and the world-renowned textbook Physical Chemistry. His latest book is On Being, which is a scientist’s exploration of the great questions of existence. In the below video, Atkins is in conversation about the book with Meet the Author’s David Freeman.
Click here to view the embedded video.
Watch more videos on the OUPAcademic YouTube channel.
Oh my goodness...... where's the duck?
Cartoon for the Dutch Nu.nl news website, about the death of a man who had fallen into a vat of chocolate, combined with a wink to the death of popstar Michael Jackson.
More at www.sevensheaven.nl
There are three major awards that focus on independent publishers: the Benjamin Frankin awards, the ForeWord Magazine Book of the Year awards, and the Independent Publisher Book Awards, better known as the IPPY awards. In February, the finalists for the 2007 ForeWord Magazine Book of the Year awards were announced. Now, the 2007 Benjamin Franklin awards finalists have been announced. The finalists in the children's literature related categories are:
Audiobook - Children's
Fablehaven, Shadow Mountain
The Looking Glass Wars, Scholastic Audio
There Was a Cold Lady Who Swallowed Some Snow, Scholastic Audio
Children's Picture Book
A Frog Thing, Kidwick Books LLC
Love, Ruby Valentine, Lerner Publishing Group
PEEF and the Baby Sister, Tristan Publishing / Waldman House Press
Children's Book & Audiobook
A Frog Thing, Kidwick Books LLC
Riley the Rhinoceros, Animalations Books and Publishing
Take Me Out to the Ballgame, Soundprints, Division of Trudy Corporation
Graphic Novels
Hercules, Lerner Publishing Group
The Life of Pope John Paul II... In Comics, Papercutz
Treasure Island, Stone Arch Books
Juvenile-Young Adult Fiction
Leapholes, American Bar Association
Over a Thousand Hills I Walk With You, Lerner Publishing Group
The Strand Prophecy, Missile Rider Publishing
Juvenile-Young Adult Nonfiction
The Soldier's Friend: A Life of Ernie Pyle, Indiana Historical Society Press
Tales of the Cryptids: Mysterious Creatures That May or May Not Exist, Darby Creek Publishing
Young Person's Career Skills Handbook, JIST Publishing, Inc.
Cover Design-3 or More Color (Children's/Young Adult)
Erec Rex: The Dragon's Eye, Firelight Press
Gitchi Gumee, Mackinac Island Press, Inc.
Teddy's Travels — America's National Parks, TdB Press LLC
Interior Design-3 or More Color - Children's/Young Adult
The Art and Making of Monster House, Insight Editions
The Good in Me From A To Z By Dottie, Discover Writing Press
How the Moon Regained Her Shape, Sylvan Dell Publishing
The Bill Fisher Award for Best First Book (Children's/Young Adult)
Dr. Susan's Girls-Only Weight Loss Guide, Parent Positive Press
Erec Rex: The Dragon's Eye,
Firelight Press
The Strand Prophecy, Missile Rider Publishing
Best New Voice (Children's/Young Adult)
Adventures of the Battling Kids, WaterWood Publishing Group
Erec Rex: The Dragon's Eye, Firelight Press
Fablehaven, Shadow Mountain
View all the winners here
memories... I listened to this endless as a kid, great illo
I love this story and your illustration is perfect!
Thanks Erin and Julia. I used to listen to this so often as a child and then heard it performed in a concert when I was in 4th grade on a school trip.
The story, the music and the memories are ever fresh.
Wonderful illustration. He looks like he is really trod-ding through the snow.
Poor duck. Very wonderful work. I love Little Charley Thornpaws too. Too sweet.
FABULOUS! I love this story! Wonderful illustration!!
nicely done :)
This is so charming :) i have missed seeing you ;D
Fabulous!Great colours and funny idea:)
ohh... where???? :))