Contemplating Stones
A reader's thoughts on the subject of stones
Guest article by P. G.
Introduction by Occult Mysteries
We are delighted to share another thoughtful email received from a contributor with our readers. Do not let its simplicity distract you from its important message. It is a message that we all need reminding of, especially at those times when our ship of life is driven upon the rocks of adversity, illness or grief, leading us to utter harsh words or give way to despondency, fear, regret or anger. In our afterword we explore the messages stones have for us a little further.
Through bitter, though useful, life experience I've learnt that even a stone thrown in innocence with childish exuberance can cause ripples which may still reverberate a generation later.
In the Bible Jesus tells his disciples "He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her" (John 8:7). You will find similar sentiments accredited to Buddha 500 years earlier or to Krishna 3000 years earlier, yet we continue to hurl stones at each other. The Bible also has many other good things to say about stones. "Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone?" (Matthew 7:9) "And whosoever shall offend one of these little ones that believe in me, it is better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he were cast into the sea" (Mark 9:42). "Many good works have I shewed you from my Father; for which of those works do ye stone me?" (John 10:32).
To many of today's western youth to 'get stoned' seems to be a reasonable objective and yet, even today there are people, usually women, who live in fear of getting stoned to death as a result of barbaric judgements made, usually by men, for actual or perceived infringements of 'moral' codes, which have little to do with justice and certainly leave no room for mercy or compassion.
Occult Science recognises ignorance as the only sin, and where full wisdom is not yet attained, ignorance remains. Few living today could claim to have truly attained full wisdom. If a stone thrown without malice can cause lasting repercussions, how much worse for all the stones thrown in anger? Not only the stone thrown, but the very thought of throwing it, can cause a domino effect with many unforeseen consequences.
Contemplating stones also made me think again of bridges and walls. Bridges are built to connect while walls are usually built to divide. Take the beautiful 'Old Stari Most Bridge' in Bosnia, which from the 16th century connected people for 427 years on both sides of the river Neretva until its partial destruction in the Balkans civil war. It was reconstructed in 2004 with just 456 stones, reconnecting Mostar's citizens and thus helping to heal old wounds.
Walls on the other hand are usually built to divide. However well built, in the end they usually fail or fall, whether it be the Great Wall of China, Hadrian's Wall or the Berlin Wall. What joy we all felt, not only in Germany, but throughout the whole world, when that symbol of separation was dismantled after 28 years.
We humans had, have and always will have choices. We could always choose to turn a stone into a cannonball or into a magnificent sculpture.
Inspired architects, builders and craftsmen constructed the now mostly lost magnificent wonders of the ancient world from stone. Awe-inspiring pyramids, grandiose temples and beautiful cathedrals were built, and whenever and wherever artists and artisans felt inspired from Above, their aspiration was to transcend the mere material and by applying all the very best of their skills to give witness to a spiritual dimension and to their faith.
Yet at the same time, others led by more material motives, invented and developed ever more intricate machines of siege and war, capable of hurling balls of stone ever further and with ever greater velocity and deadly accuracy, laying waste to much which loftier minds had created.
It would serve us well just to lift a stone, maybe from a cool river bed, and contemplate that it has been formed as part of our planet long before the present human race appeared and is likely to still exist in that form, full of latent life and potentialities, long after the current race of men has vanished.
A few years ago, attempting to confidently jump a fairly low fence in Queensland in Australia, I came a cropper and landed gasping on my back; what I had failed to notice were the loose stones at the point of take-off and my feet went out from under me. The only thing hurt was my pride but it did make me think. Don't take things for granted and always look for sure and sound foundations.
If we are serious of attempting any 'Path of Attunement' or to express it better, 'At-one-ment', we must be prepared always for the loose stones on the narrow, rocky, steep and often lonely upward path. If we are wholeheartedly sincere, unseen helping hands will help us find the right footholds along the way.
Article © P. G. Commentary © Copyright occult-mysteries.org. All worldwide rights reserved. Published 13 October 2017.
