In the Beginning was the Word

Our scripture comes from the gospel of John, Chapter 1, Verse 1-3

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him.”

These words from the New Testament take us back to a time of creation, a time of beginnings. Much like the creation story in the Old Testament, in the Book of Genesis, where God created the heavens and the earth, John starts his gospel, his account of our Master Teacher and Wayshower, Jesus the Christ, at the very beginning. And at that beginning was the Word, that mysterious, unnamed Word by which all things were made.

And so we must start with the question:
What is this Word and how does it impact us today?

First let us look at the definition of the Word. When we look at the Greek version of this scripture, we find that the Word in Greek is “Logos”. The word in Greek happens to be male, hence “All things were made by him” – the Word. Translated, Logos can not only mean “word” but can also be associated with account, communication, cause, intent, and reason.

The traditional Christian interpretation that this Word stands for Christ or the Holy Spirit, especially in reference to John 1:14 “the word was made flesh” is not immediately evident by simply looking at the definition of Logos. What is clear is that something pre-existed in the beginning with God and that something, called Word, made all things.

Now, fellow metaphysicians, let us look at the scripture again, only this time, let us fast forward into a more scientific age, with more sophisticated terminology, terminology not available two thousand years ago. Let us substitute the Word, with something that defines the very nature of a spoken sound: Vibration and Frequency.

“In the beginning was Divine Vibration and the Divine Vibration was with God, and the Divine Vibration was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by it. “

Let us hold on to this idea and allow it to vibrate for a while in the back of our minds. And while it vibrates let us look at the scripture again.

Did you notice the part that said “the Word was with God and the Word was God”? Can you be with somebody or something and then also be that person or thing? Not likely, unless you were talking to yourself. What if the creator and the creation were an internal dialogue?

In Autobiography of a Yogi, Paramahansa Yogananda describes God as the unmanifest, existing beyond vibratory creation. Christ, or what we metaphysicians might call the Christ Consciousness, he describes as existing within vibratory creation as a reflection of that uncreated infinite.

We are once more reminded of the simplicity underlying the apparent complexity of our being and our world. All is divine consciousness. All is Infinite Intelligence. All is God. And yet, as God reflects in creation, divine consciousness manifests itself in worlds of form, physical forms, thought forms, spirit forms.

Starting with the physical form with which we are most familiar, let us investigate what we already know.

Science tells us that our physical universe is composed of atoms and molecules, all of which vibrate at different frequencies. There is really little difference between the atoms that compose our bodies and the air we are breathing right now. It is only a difference in degree, depending on how fast or how slow these atoms vibrate. The underlying structures of protons, neutrons, electrons and ever smaller subatomic particles are the same throughout the system.

In the eastern traditions, we find that this “hum”, this sound of countless vibrating atoms which compose our physical universe, is reflected in the audible mantra sound: OM. We chant OM, the supreme, universal syllable during our meditation service to help us connect to Infinite Intelligence.

In the Hindu mystical texts of the Mandukya Upanishads, OM is referred to as being all. OM is God. He who meditates on the syllable OM attains realization of that divine consciousness, that Christ Consciousness which is union with God. “Whatsoever has existed, whatsoever exists, whatsoever shall exist hereafter, is OM. And whatever transcends past, present and future, that also is OM.”

Now, we take this idea of OM as the universal sound of countless vibrating atoms one step further and look at another eastern text, the Tantra. The Tantra spends several chapters explaining how the entire world emanated or arose from sound. Again, today, if we substituted the word “vibration” for sound, we would arrive at a far more scientific perspective or even explanation of how reality comes into existence. In the Tantra we learn of a sound called Sakti which is not vibratory in nature but is the basis of the creation of form, an underlying blueprint or principle. This sound creates the spiritual realms. Then there is another sound, Hamsa, a root sound from which come all the forms of the physical universe. Eventually, we arrive at subtle sounds which are articulate in nature. The Sanskrit language has fifty-one such sounds that can be expressed audibly. OM is the most familiar one. These audible sounds, as explained in the Tantra, create all diversity of visible and invisible forms, first on a more subtle spiritual level and finally in the atoms and molecules of our physical universe.

Fascinating, to say the least. But let us return to our scripture. How do these insights of eastern philosophy relate to our scriptural text, “In the beginning was the Word”?

Are these philosophies simply an ancient science making more sense in view of modern terminology and words such as vibrations, frequencies, wavelength, atoms and molecules, maybe even quantum physics? Or does their importance lie in something far simpler? Does their importance lie in making us understand how infinitely important our own spoken words are?

Can we not uplift, enlighten, help and comfort our fellow human beings and ourselves through the use of words? Can we not likewise hurt, damage, control and manipulate others through our choice of words?

Is not the whole of human history written by our choice of words?

Think about it for a moment. Science tells us that every sound we ever uttered vibrates out into the universe for all eternity. If this is true then what is it that we as co-creator of God, of Infinite Intelligence, are creating in our own personal lives and in the world that we share with others?

Jesus, the Christ, said according to Matthew 12:36-37

“But I say to you, that every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. For by your words you shall be justified, and by your words you shall be condemned.”

Of course, as metaphysicians, we do not believe in condemnation nor in a day of judgment. We do, however, believe that we will judge ourselves on our understanding and compliance with or our deviation from natural and spiritual laws to which we are subject. We do believe in cause and effect. When we follow these natural laws, by speaking truth, by speaking words that create love, harmony and peace, we will attract those qualities back into our lives. As we become efficient in the use of “positive” language, in the creation of life affirming or “positive” vibrations, we also come closer and closer to realizing our own Christ Consciousness, our reflection of God in a manifest, vibrating universe.

Ultimately, by becoming aware of how powerful our everyday words are, we will be able to send out into the universe only those vibrations, those frequencies, which are of the most benefit to ourselves and our world. Through the Word alone each one of us has the power to create lasting peace and happiness in our own lives and in the unfolding of human history. Blessings to you.