Mary Magdalene and the Synagogue Where Jesus May Have Preached: New Excavation Most Important in Half a Century

A Catholic priest and archaeologists in Israel are excavating an ancient synagogue and a site that may have been the home of Mary Magdalene, who has been called Jesus' most beloved disciple. Archaeologists say Jesus could have preached in the temple as he is said in the Gospels to have preached at synagogues in the Galilee and no other synagogue from his lifetime has been found.

Six years ago Juan Solana, a Catholic priest, bought some property in the ancient town of Magdala and was required to do exploratory excavations under Israeli law. By chance he found the ruins of a 1st century AD synagogue.

“Historians believe Jesus may have once walked the cobbled streets,” says a CNN story that was published on WDAM.com “This may have been home to one of the most important figures of the Bible, Mary Magdalene. The first recorded witness of the resurrection. 'This is a holy site. I am sure of that,' said Father Juan Solana.”

Smithsonian.com says that for centuries Mary Magdalene was “the most obsessively revered of saints, this woman became the embodiment of Christian devotion, which was defined as repentance.” The article says it is almost certainly untrue that she was a repentant prostitute. St. Gregory the Great in the 6th century AD was the first to call Mary Magdalene a sinner, according to the book All Saints by Robert Ellsberg. She is identified in the gospels of Mark and Luke as “a woman from whom seven demons had gone out.” Ellsberg writes that the statement about the demons can be interpreted variously.

In the dramatic 20th chapter of the Gospel of John, Mary encounters Jesus after his resurrection on Easter Sunday morning but does not recognize him at first:

He asked her, “Woman, why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?”

Thinking he was the gardener, she said, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him.”

Jesus said to her, “Mary.”

She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means “Teacher”).

Jesus said, “Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father. Go instead to my brothers and tell them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’”

Mary Magdalene went to the disciples with the news: “I have seen the Lord!” And she told them that he had said these things to her.

Because Mary Magdalene was the first to tell the Apostles about Jesus' resurrection, she has been called the Apostle to the Apostles.

Solana bought the land in Magdala to build a Christian retreat. The synagogue dates to the first century AD. The New Testament says Jesus preached in synagogues in the Galilee, and this is the only one that dates to Jesus' lifetime that has been excavated in the area.

The synagogue is ornate with frescoes and mosaic floors. It has an altar, called a bimah in Hebrew, in the center. People call this the Magdala stone. It has on it a rare menorah carved into the stone.

"It is not for me. This is for millions of people that will come see this will enjoy this as I did and hopefully will be able to discover our common roots,” Solana said.

Archaeologists say that the synagogue in Magdala is one of the more important discoveries in Israel in 50 years:

http://www.ancient-origins.net/history-archaeology/archaeologists-excavate-possible-home-mary-magdalene-and-synagogue-020472

How to Achieve Permanent Healing Through Reiki?: Modern Day Reiki Appeals to Larger Western Populous Demographic this Century

How to achieve permanent healing through Reiki?

By AnninditaRoy  |  Posted December 20, 2014  |  Atlanta, Georgia

I have been a Reiki Master in several different Reiki styles which includes the traditional Usui Reiki and some non-traditional styles such as Celtic Reiki, Celtic wisdom Reiki, Self Love Reiki, Abundance Reiki, Bear Reiki, Excalibur Reiki and a few more. I have worked on many people during this time including my mother who was suffering from chronic arthritis pain, my sister suffering from piles, another sister severe neck and shoulder pain, my aunt suffering from spondylitis and myself suffering from asthma and allergies. I have been successful to a great extent in providing permanent relief in most of these cases. However, it would be incorrect to say that all of the healings that I have performed have been permanent. Many times I have had people ask me what I think is the secret to achieving permanent cure through Reiki or any other alternate healing modality for that matter. The answer to this may not be a straight forward one as there are several factors responsible for causing disease as well as for achieving permanent healing. 

The human body comprises not just of the physical body but it also includes the mind and spirit. A lot of new age writers talk about this. They call it the mind-body-spirit connection or even refer to it as the holy trinity i.e Father-Son-Holy Spirit. What we need to understand is this that health is our natural state of being and it is not normal to be unhealthy no matter how old we are, or what diseases run in our family. Disease occurs when the mind, body and spirit stop working together in a unified way. In our modern societies, it is a common norm to feel a certain way and say something else, while intending something else and doing a totally different thing altogether. In fact, from a very early age, our parents or caregivers start teaching us how we should and shouldn't be feeling and how to suppress any emotions that may be considered inappropriate or negative and instead say something else that would be pleasing or acceptable to the listener. As a result, as adults, such children have a difficult time expressing their true selves. This kind of suppression of the natural human emotions and labeling them to be good or bad can sometimes cause major damages to a person's psyche, leading to mental, emotional and psychological issues. 

While this is just one of the ways in which our society teaches us to ignore our true emotions and to deal with them in a healthy way, there are many other ways in which mental, emotional and spiritual growth is suppressed amongst individuals. This causes the mind, body and spirit connection to weaken or even become non-existent. When this happens and continues for a prolonged period of time, the body goes out of whack and problems now start manifesting in the physical realm. All diseases start in the non-physical realm i.e they may start at the emotional, mental or spiritual level. And then they begin to show up in the physical body in various ways, shapes and forms. 

Reiki utilizes non-physical energy for bringing about health and healing. It is this non-physical energy which our universe is made up of. As energy is non physical in nature, there is no physical intervention required with Reiki. It is a non-invasive, non-touch alternative healing modality wherein the Reiki practitioner channels vital life force energy into the recipients body. Reiki energy starts working on all levels, especially, on the energetic levels i.e mental, physical and emotional levels. Now, this energy is very powerful and can definitely bring about complete healing. However, the extent to which the healee/receiver will be healed would depend a lot on the extent to which the person is ready to be healed. Also, we must keep in mind that sometimes healing is not just about keeping the person alive but also providing the space for the person to transition in peace. If the receiver feels that he/she deserves to be sick or unhealthy or feels that nothing can help his/her condition or that it is hereditary and therefore they are destined to have the ailment anyways, then the healing sessions may not provide a permanent cure but just temporary relief. Because while on one hand the Reiki energy is working on all levels trying to bring the mind, body and spirit back into a state of balance and harmony, the receiver is actively, through his/her belief system short circuiting this connection. 

Hence, no one can predict or guarantee in advance the extent to which a Reiki session would help you in eliminating/treating your ailment successfully. However, it must be added that the sole responsibility of your healing doesn't lie in the hands of your Reiki practitioner. In fact it is a 3 way process wherein you-the receiver, the universe and the practitioner are involved. The practitioner is just the medium/channel through which the healing Reiki energies are brought forward and transferred to the recipient. The Universe is the source from which this energy is coming forward. The rest is in the receivers hands. It is the receivers responsibility to ensure that they are doing their best to transmute any negative thoughts or feelings associated with their ailment and be as positive as possible and come to the session with an open mind. It could also be beneficial to learn about the Reiki principles and to attend a Reiki session with an attitude of gratitude.

Source Page:

http://ireport.cnn.com/docs/DOC-1199219?ref=feeds%2Flatest