I Am Light: The Prodigal Path and Beyond

By Gary Layman

The biblical story of the Prodigal Son is one of redemption, forgiveness, and compassion. In it, a young man leaves home and squanders his inheritance on sinful desires. He later returnsembarrassed and pennilessexpecting to be thrown out by a hostile patriarch. Instead, his father is happy to find his son safe and longing to return. He welcomes him back with open arms and prepares a feast in celebration.

Although the biblical tale is poignant in view of a sons relationship to his father, the journey is much more than a picture window into humanity. At its deepest, the story of the Prodigal Son is a metaphor for the story of mans relationship with a welcoming Godor higher powerthat longs to reach out and embrace humankind. But first, humankind must realize its own limitations.

Author Gary Layman, upon hitting his own emotional wall, cried out to the skies for inspiration. He found it, and he shares it in I Am Light: The Journey on the Prodigal Path. Seemingly ordinary events of our daily lives can lead to transcendent awareness. Through channeled writings, poetry, and bits of autobiography, Layman illuminates the way back to a higher power. Our return home will not lead to punishment but instead, personal liberation.

• Language: English
• Publisher: iUniverse
• Release date: May 4, 2011
• ISBN: 9781462001507

Gary Layman

Gary Layman has worked as a professional art educator, minister, visionary artist, and businessman. He currently lives in Southern Oregon, where he devotes his time to his spiritual practices, his community, his writing, and his wife, Jwana.

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

I would like to thank our unseen Master Teachers

for their Inspiring Light and motivating Presence

that has enabled me to write this for my fellow seekers.

Without them, it would not have been possible.

It is also with gratitude, that I acknowledge my good

friend, Dorothy Leon, for her editing and typing skills. Finally,

I thank my lovely wife and life partner, Jwana, for her

encouragement and patience during the writing process.

Contents

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

PREFACE

INTRODUCTION

PRELUDE WITH THE MASTER

PART I

CHAPTER 1

THE LITTLE PAGAN

FADING INNOCENCE

INTIMATIONS OF A LOST REALITY

THE WHEELS COME OFF THE WAGON

CHAPTER 2

A NEW BEGINNING

A TANTRIC RELATIONSHIP

A DOOR OPENS

FULL TIME ON THE PATH

CHAPTER 3

ENTER THE ASCENDED MASTERS

A VISIONARY GATEWAY OPENS

MOTHER KUNDALINI AND YOGA

ECSTACY ON THE RED ROAD

SATHYA SAI BABA’S GIFT

SHIFT HAPPENS

FEMININE GRACE

CHAPTER 4

THE UNITY EXPERIENCE

THE MERKABA PORTAL

A TIME OF TRANSFORMATION

A BURNING BUSH AND THE BELOVED ONE

EXPRESSIONS OF ONENESS

THE MESSIAH COMPLEX

A DANCE OF LIGHT AND SHADOW

A CALL FROM BEYOND THE VEIL

CHAPTER 5

LIVING METAPHORS

A PRODIGAL IN THE WORLD

SHAMANIC HEALING

PARADISE FOUND AND LOST

THE PRODIGAL RETURNS

WORKING WITH ANGELS

PART II

CHAPTER 6

A NEW ASSIGNMENT

A COVENANT OF LIGHT

THE SEVEN STARS AND BEYOND

ANATOMY OF THE COVENANT

THE MELCHIZEKDEK QUICKENING

FATHER MELCHIZEDEK

A NEW COMMUNION

CHAPTER 7

AN INTERLUDE OF REFLECTION

THE LIVING MYSTERY SCHOOL

REQUISITE INNOCENCE

METAPHYSICS 101 REVISITED

ATTENTION AND THE LAW OF ATTRACTION

DEVOTIONAL INTENTION

VISION OF THE PRESENCE

I AM PRESENCE MEDITATION

CHAPTER 8

THE ROAD DIVIDES

EMERGENCE OF A NEW PARADIGM

FEW ARE CHOSEN

THE LAW OF I AM

KNOW YE NOT, YE ARE GODS?

CLEARING

THE ILLUSION OF HELL

CHAPTER 9

A PASSION FOR THE PATH

DISSOLVING MEMORY AND TIME

THE INNER PATHWAY

WORDS OF LIGHT

VISUALIZING THE FIRE LIGHT

THE LOST WORD OF POWER

ACTIVATING THE LIGHT OF FORGIVENESS

THE SUBTLE BODIES

CHAPTER 10

SELF-HELP VERSUS self-help

REVELATION AND THE SEVEN SEALS

THE GRAIL MYSTERY REVEALED

OVERCOMING DEATH

DREAMS

PARABLE PATHWAYS AND SIGNS

THE HIDDEN LIGHT OF SCRIPTURE

THE DARK NIGHT

THE TWELVE POWERS OF CHRIST

THE MASTER KEY OF CAUSE

THE DAILY I AM WAY OF LOVE

PART III

CHAPTER 11

The Ultimate Awakening

The I AM Bridge

IN BROTHERHOOD WE GROW

ASCENDED MASTER, HILARION – THE HIGHER GROUND

ASCENDED MASTER HILARION – COMMMUNION

ASCENDED MASTER HILARION – GRACE

ASCENDED MASTER, DAG HAMMARSKJOLD - ASCENSION THINKING

ASCENDED MASTER JESUS – CRUCIFIXION

AS ABOVE SO BELOW

MELCHIZEDEK REVEALED

MUSES OF TRANSCENDENCE

ASCENDED MASTER JESUS – IT IS I

CHAPTER 12

ASCENDED MASTER HILARION - A SONG OF REMEMBRANCE

A LANGUAGE OF THE HEART

THE NEW VISION

ALL IS WELL

RECOMMENDED READING

PREFACE

I once chased the American Dream with vigor. A profession, marriage and illusions of the good life filled my dreamscapes. However, after mandatory military service during the Vietnam era and a subsequent divorce, a great non-negotiable shift occurred.

Success and fulfillment as an art educator was my goal prior to my military service. However, after my discharge, returning to the classroom had lost its luster. Along with a sense of disillusionment with the American Dream and my divorce, I longed for a change and a renewed sense of meaning. That profound yearning, which today would be called The Law of Attraction, was the catalyst for a transformative shift in awareness and a totally different lifestyle.

I entered the ministry in 1985, in order to pursue the deeper meanings of this life and re-claim the sense of joy and purpose I had once known. After a year with my first congregation, I attended a summer retreat, during which a series of life-changing, transcendental experiences occurred. A bit disoriented at the time, I gradually integrated these experiences into my daily life. Although I was ministering to a non-traditional church, I was guided to keep my revelatory experiences private, due to the potential controversy they might have caused.

Because of the Self-Realization process I had undergone and its incompatibility with traditional religion, I eventually left formal ministry and became a businessman. Re-entering the mainstream world grounded me for a time, as I continued my Spiritual Journey of being in the world and yet not quite of it. However, there did come a time of further transformative awareness in which I had a compelling need to share my story with others.

I now present this openly to my readers, due to the urgency of the times we live in and my increasing ability to finally articulate, in understandable and useful terms, a Pathway that others may find useful.

I am convinced that the following narrative and accompanying information may be essential for many to gain a more complete understanding of the paradigm shift that humanity is about to experience. Some use religious doctrine or terminology to describe this time of transition, while others, coming from the perspective of science, approach it in terms of frequency change. In whatever terms apply, the consciousness of humanity is being Quickened.

Along with a growing number of fellow travelers on the Path, what follows is a personal manifestation of what I AM now compelled to share.

INTRODUCTION

Unimaginable power and joy interpenetrates all life. This power is always available, even though we may misperceive or separate ourselves from its vital Presence. It has the potential to transform all life on the planet, along with the human drama. Only a small number of our kind have stepped over the invisible threshold into its true reality, but that is about to change. For those who choose to consciously access this experiential reality, there is a Pathway.

Albert Einstein attempted to describe this energetic presence in his Unified Field Theory. Mystics simply refer to it as the Source. Manifestations of it power our cities create social revolutions and great art. Like electricity and magnetism, although indefinable in human terms, we can still tap into its inexhaustible resources as individuals. In this sense, it is also a very personal power and with it can come unspeakable joy.

Our access to this power is also elective. We can consciously choose to use it as a gift of free will or not. The good news is that it is a unifying power with no side effects. Although it has tremendous potential to transform our world, it first must be recognized within ourselves.

These unequivocal statements can be made because of the great souls that have preceded us. The Buddha, Jesus, and Lao-Tzu are among the most notable, but the great scientists, artists and statesmen have also known it. Many of them currently walk among us today and their numbers are rapidly increasing.

However, to more fully comprehend what is now unfolding, we must follow the complete storyline of the great human drama or we may not see the forest for the trees. It is best understood through an ancient parable as a search for meaning in a world seemingly gone mad.

It is the parable of the Prodigal Son seen from its universal archetypal view and not just a religious one. Carl Jung could have used it also, or a scientist might describe it in terms of increasing frequency modulation. But the story of this well-known parable speaks to us in a more personal way that conveys the feeling of our sense of collective alienation and search for meaning. The Prodigal Journey describes a young man’s wayward adventure of squandering his inheritance, rather than staying at home with his loving and generous father. The son’s eventual disillusionment and poverty compels him to return, with a subsequent welcome home party of forgiveness and celebration.

The Prodigal Journey is applicable to us both individually and collectively as a story of overcoming, in what Joseph Campbell would have called the "Hero’s Journey." At our core, we are all searching for deeper meaning and purpose. This is my motive, along with an accompanying map of the far country to be visited.

We also know that maps are not the territory. Although I will attempt to act as a guide, the seeker will have to traverse the Path alone and open a number of doorways by choice. In order to reclaim our sense of trust and innocence, our sense of adulteration must also be left behind. This is why our adventure begins as seen through the eyes of a child. Welcome to the Journey.

PRELUDE WITH THE MASTER

Imagine for a moment that a trusted friend has just called to say he would like to meet with you in private, to share something remarkable. Since you have known him for years, as a clear-minded confidante, you immediately invite him over.

Upon his arrival, you share a brief greeting and small talk as friends do. Although awkward at first, he begins to describe how, over the past several weeks, he has been inwardly prompted to rise early in the morning to write. He further explains how a calm Inner Voice has gently prodded him to create a narrative journey to share with others.

His only concern is that because of its Source, it may result in alienating his friends and community. He has seen this happen before with other inspired writers and this is why he has come to you for reflection. You offer your friend support and state that you will try to maintain an open mind as you listen to his story. He pauses momentarily before continuing, Have you ever experienced an Inner Voice?

Pretend for a moment, if you will, that I AM that friend.

In January of 2010, I was guided to do some contemplative writing in the early morning hours regarding some rather dramatic events in my personal life, when a commanding voice declared, "‘JESUS HERE . . . TAKE NOTES." Although momentarily in shock, I continued to write, acting as His scribe.

"Yes, it is I, the Christ. Some may say this ‘channel’ is extraordinary, but I would say it is not. The reason is simple. The I AM Nature within me is an expression of all constructive human activity. At this moment, I AM just expressing in a more personal manner through you. Most often, I express in more impersonal ways. In either case, it is I in creative expression. The man who was known as Jesus was I, expressing more personally as one of you.

I AM in all things, seen and unseen. Being holographic in nature, I AM,, created this local universe. As I once said, ‘Before Abraham was, I AM,’ My I AM Nature also spoke to Moses on Sinai.

At this time in your history on Planet Earth, the veil between dimensions is so thin that my ability to express to you personally is more easily accomplished. Soon all may share in this Internal Quickening of my Spirit. As I once said: ‘I and the Father are ONE.’ Therefore, you and the Father are ONE also. It is only a matter of remembrance and a shift in perception.

My creative activity can manifest in a multitude of ways. For those of you in spiritual ministry, I express through the Melchizedek Order. This portion of me, on the Ray of ministering service, has been of critical importance to the Quickening of humanity. At this time, however, my Creative Christ nature also expresses itself in a vast array of other activities. My service is not limited only to the field of religion.

The scope of my influence also includes the arts and sciences, in addition to the many writers who I have inspired in the last few decades of your time. My creativity expresses itself in all of humanity’s progressive activities. Although it may not appear as ‘spiritual’ to you, my nature expresses itself in business, government, finance and, yes, even your military. There is no activity that I AM not a part of.

I know you have been reluctant to speak up in the past. That time is over, and you are not having a schizophrenic break. So, no rubber room worries in an institution for you. It is merely your true nature rising and expressing as your Inner Voice. You have long awaited ‘SEEING ME’ in your life. Hearing will have to do for now. Extraordinary phenomena are not needed. This is the NEW NORMAL for you and many others. After all, is your name not ‘layman?’

Earlier in this life you cried out on your mountaintop for healing and a greater sense of meaning and direction. Your Prodigal Journey home to my I AM Spirit has been filled with great adventures, relationships and numerous locations. However, ‘connecting more dots’ on your Journey home is now unnecessary because you have located the other paradise you most recently sought in Hawaii. You have found the Eden WITHIN yourself, have you not? You now understand from experience what I once said: ‘THE KINGDOM IS WITHIN YOU.’

The task at hand for you now is to simply share your story and experience with others. The Presence that is now expressing WITHIN YOU as I AM is soon to express in all who seek the truth of their own nature. You have seen this recently in the group of people you meet with in your community. You and your group are the critical mass--as your scientists describe it--that will ignite and reawaken large numbers of sincere seekers to their own Divine Nature. At this very moment, in many locations on your planet, my same activity is currently being duplicated.

You and your spiritual community are creating a new archetype. You are discovering that true spiritual community need not be called a church or have a hierarchal leadership. Yes, some structural organization is always necessary, but if my true Spirit of Service is the guiding principle, you cannot err. The people of the East have a good word to describe this service principle: ‘BODHISATTVA.’ As you become the collective Bodhisattva, you will bless all life.

Be about the Father’s business. I AM with you always,

I Am the Christ."

When the words of The Master first came through, I had been pre-occupied with other writing and activities. However, it was just these seeming ordinary circumstances that validated this unexpected, spontaneous message. I knew, as a follower of The Way, I had to shift gears immediately and respond to His direction. Although, I had received previous inspiration in this fashion, His unique message was such a surprise that I was compelled to embark upon this writing project.

My readers will certainly question how and why this message and assignment came through me. The how and why of it all is the purpose behind this Prodigal narrative and is really His gift. However, in order to fully absorb its importance, there is also a story to be told and knowledge to be shared.

It is a story for all seekers of The Way, whether they be Christian or a spiritually eclectic gypsy, like myself. After all, the Master never said conventional religion was the answer but, rather, that "The Truth will set you free." He also said that in order to receive this ultimate truth, one had to approach it with childlike trust and innocence. For this reason, the following three-part Journey is best seen through the eyes of innocent wonder.

PART I

OUR JOURNEY OF AWAKENING

CHAPTER 1

INNOCENCE RECALLED

It is the CHILD that sees the primordial secret in nature . . . Lao-Tze

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The youth, who daily farther from the East must travel, still is nature’s priest, and by the vision splendid is on his way attended. . . .. William Wordsworth

THE LITTLE PAGAN

Before the wounding occurs, we are immersed in two enchanted worlds. Each has its seasonal ebb and flow. Initially, our mother meets our infant needs and soothes us when we fall. If we are fortunate, beyond the din of urban distraction, we also begin to sense the immense presence of our other mother in our outer world experience. Nature, the mother of mothers, is our abiding place of respite and retreat.

In a world of confusing human conflict, I became Nature’s Priest. I recall the sweet aroma of orange blossoms from the groves that embraced our small community. Long before freeways and urban sprawl wove their webs across the southern California landscape, I remember the rolling green hills studded with oak and dancing creeks.

My early recollections seem blessed. Directly after World War II, California was still a natural paradise for a little boy. Warm sandy beaches, the touch of bare feet on moist grass and the taste of a freshly plucked orange from our trees are easily recalled. Nature was the perfect baby sitter for my busy working parents and, when my father built me a tree house, it became a place of daily pilgrimage and secret adventures.

In retrospect, only the poetry of William Wordsworth seems to capture those early feelings of innocent bliss . . .

"THE SOUL THAT RISES WITH US, OUR LIFE’S STAR,

HATH HAD ELSEWHERE ITS SETTING, AND COMETH

FROM AFAR; NOT IN ENTIRE FORGETFULNESS,

AND NOT IN UTTER NAKEDNESS, BUT IN TRAILING

CLOUDS OF GLORY DO WE COME FROM GOD, WHO IS

OUR HOME . . . AND HEAVEN LIES ABOUT US IN OUR INFANCY."

Intimations of Immortality from Recollection of Early Childhood

Raised in a Christian home in the late ‘40’s and ‘50’s, exposed me to the standard doctrine of the time. I was comforted by the idea that Jesus was a special friend and great role model. But like all children, I felt drawn to the incredible beauty of the natural world and the sensory experiences associated with Mother Nature. Her floral aromas seduced my senses and the flavors of her fruits delighted me. Her vistas amazed my eyes. I felt far more meaning and a closer spiritual intimacy with the beauty and presence of nature than in the four walls of a church. The outdoor kingdom always beckoned.

From my elevated treehouse world, I was captivated by all I beheld. Our house was a stifling box by comparison. As an only child for five years, before the arrival of my brother, the plants and trees were my companions. The large yard and surrounding neighborhood became my private universe. As a little pagan, beyond all understanding of the word, the character of Sabu, in the classic movie tale of the Jungle Book, supported my magical sense of connection with nature.

A pagan is, of course, defined as one who worships and reveres nature. My parents allowed this innocent and natural fascination to bloom in me as part of my early growth. There did come a time when the idea of something