Foci The most popular and influential mystic tradition in Europe is as follows: Native Europeans believe that oneness with the spirit is best achieved through meditation, a belief common to many mystic traditions. The most spiritual amongst them will practice this every day, sometimes for many hours at a time or with the help of prayer beads to help them concentrate on the mantras. They also have regular community meetings in elaborate teepees where they chant and perform rituals whilst incense and candles burn. At these meetings, the natives believe the body and blood of the Noble Warrior is reincarnated in the form of ritual foods and they can be imbued with spirit by consuming these foods. According to the mythology in the beginning there was a Great Spirit and this spirit created the world so that the people might live in peace. But the people did not live with the spirit in their hearts, so the Great Spirit sent his child, the Noble Warrior, to be born amongst humans. A star as bright as the moon shone in the sky, and when this child was born he was was both wholly human and wholly spirit. When the noble warrior grew up he learned of his fate and he was afraid. He set off on a vision quest in the desert. Here he was tempted for 40 days and nights by the Great Serpent. Yet he fasted and meditated and the Great Spirit revealed itself to him and so he gave his life up to the spirit and defeated the serpent. Then the Noble Warrior became a teacher so that others might follow his path. He taught that birth and death are passing stages. He taught people to follow the truth in their hearts and not to be bound by the rules of men, and he taught them to give up their own egos and to let the spirit live through them so that they might be at one with the universe. Some of the natives were afraid of the power of the Noble Warrior so they crucified him. But the warrior transcended death and returned to inspire his followers to continue to live with the spirit. Sound familiar yet? Diana MOQ.org - http://www.moq.org
