The Essenes

About 2000 years ago

 

 

A long time ago, more than 2100 years, in a region we call today the Middle East, a handful of people came together and decided to form a community. They became known as the Essenes.

 

It was around 200 years before the birth of Jesus and it was their task to prepare the ground and plant a seed in the history of humankind to raise the level of consciousness.

 

They were Jews by birth, but didn't follow the established Jewish religion of their time, nor were they early Christians. The ways they regarded their relationship with themselves, with others and with God were not based on religion, but on what they called the laws of the universe.

 

Over a period of about 200 years three Essene communities were created. Two of them were in the north of Palestine ( Israel ), another one just south of Jerusalem . All together they counted about 3000 people, families living in more or less self-contained villages. Their aim was to show through their way of life that the only power that will ever exist is the power of love.

 

After a while they decided to form a brotherhood. They chose a place close to the Dead Sea, the Qumran Caves . This is where the Dead Sea scrolls were written and where the small group of men that formed the brotherhood devoted themselves to bring their truth to the world.

 

Here are some of the ideas that form the cornerstones of their philosophy:

 

•  They were pacifists

•  They understood that we are spirit in a physical body for the duration of our life time on Earth.

•  They believed that the purpose of life is both to learn and to contribute, and that our life experiences are especially designed to help us to do this.

•  They discovered that there are 7 energies that flow within and around us and realized how all there is to learn about life and ourselves is somehow related to the flow of these energies. They called them the Seven Bridges.

 

Maybe the most important of their beliefs was that you can only inspire others by your own example. They took great care to practise rather than preach.

 

They lived a simple life. They ate pure foods, which they grew themselves. They followed daily rituals involving different kinds of meditation, movements and other ways of opening and connecting to the stream of divine consciousness which always surrounds us.

 

Their philosophy was reflected in all aspects of their life.

They were healers; they healed the body and the mind.

They were in touch with the essence of life and able to see the bigger picture.