174. Jesus Christ seen/heard over centuries. Part six

 

We were discussing the account narrated by Swami Yogananda of Therese Neumann

 

“I halted just inside the threshold, at a strange and most frightful spectacle. Blood flowed thinly and continuously in an inch-wide stream from Therese’s lower eyelids. Her gaze was focused upwards at the spiritual eye within the central forehead. The cloth wrapped around her head was drenched with blood from the stigmata wounds of the Crown of Thorns. The white garment was redly splotched over her heart from the wound in her side at the spot where Christ’s body, long ages ago, had suffered from the final indignity of the soldier’s spear thrust.

Therese’s hands were spread in gesture maternal, pleading: her face wore an expression both tortured and divine. She appeared thinner and was subtly changed in many inner and outer ways. Murmuring words in a foreign tongue, she spoke with slightly quivering lips to persons who were visible to her superconscious sight.

As I was in attunement with her, I began to see the scenes of her vision. She was watching Jesus as he carried the timbers of his cross amid jeering multitudes*. Suddenly she lifted her head in consternation: the Lord had fallen under the cruel weight. The vision disappeared. In the exhaustion of fervid pity, Therese sank heavily against her pillow…..again I fixed my eyes to Therese’s face, deathly pale under the rivulets of blood, but now calm, radiating purity and holiness.”

This scene is most important, because in other scenes/locutions by other persons there is only one witness of the event; the subject experiencing it. But here there were two people watching it, Swami Yogananda and Therese Neumann. These two persons lived thousands of miles away and had met only during Yogananda visit to Germany.

7. Swami Yogananda had a vision of Jesus (1). He narrates: ‘One night while I was engaged in silent prayer, my sitting room became filled with an opal blue light. I beheld the radiant form of the blessed Lord Jesus. A young man he seemed, of about twenty five, with a sparse beard and mustache; his long black hair, parted in the middle, was haloed by a shimmering gold.

His eyes were eternally wondrous; as I gazed, they were infinitely changing. I intuitively understood the wisdom conveyed. In his glorious gaze I felt the power that upholds the myriad worlds. A Holy Grail appeared at his mouth; it came down to my lips and then returned to Jesus. After a few moments he uttered beautiful words, so personal in their nature, that I keep them in my heart.’ 

8. Indra Devi (blogs 87-88) had in a dream a beautiful vision of Christ (2). She had found herself in a city, walking on a cobbled street. There were high building walls on both sides. From a side alley the sound of something heavy being dragged could be heard drawing nearer and nearer; and then the whole atmosphere changed­^___the air became surcharged with something that cannot be described.

               A few men with heavy clumsy clothes and rope sandals came in front and then there was someone bent double, dragging on his back a roughly hewn tree shaped something like a cross. It was too heavy for him and he was bare bodied except for a sort of Indian lungi^# She pushed her way through the crowd, and drawing near the person drawing the Cross, cried out “Oh Lord, why do you allow them to this to you?” She went down on her knees and wept. He who seemed so frail and weary looked up at her and she saw that his eyes were not sad. They were like two pools of deep water, full of compassion. For he understood why men do not understand. He forgave those very unfortunate beings who hated him, and offered them Divine Love…….The eyes smiled though the lips were parched. Indra was overwhelmed by the experience….peace coursed from her head right down through her body

9. Swami Ramdas in his book (3) describes his vision of Jesus Christ. He was living in a cave on water diet. On the fifth day, the cave was suddenly lit up by a strange light. Ramdas saw seated before him, on the floor about three or four feet from him, the figure of a man. His face was dazzling with a heavenly splendor. The features were fine, regular and beautiful. There was a short, black, glossy beard and mustache on the face. The lips were crimson red, revealing milk white, lustrous teeth. Soft white black curls flowed down his shoulders.

 

To be continued

 

*Her entrancement usually started with scenes of the events following the Last Supper and ended with Jesus’ death on the Cross; or occasionally with his entombment.

(1) Autobiography of a yogi by Paramahansa Yogananda

(2) Pilgrim of the stars by Dilip Kumar Roy and Indra Devi

(3) In the vision of God, vol 2, by Swami Ramdas

^#   A wraparound cloth that reaches from the waist to the ankles