8 “And to the angel of the church in Smyrna write: ‘The words of the first and the last, who died and came to life.
9 “I know your tribulation and your poverty (but you are rich) and the slander of those who say that they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan. 10 Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and for ten days you will have tribulation. Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life. 11 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. The one who conquers will not be hurt by the second death.”
Rev 2:8-11
As we begin our spiral, radiating out from the heart centre, we first move into the throat centre. This is the centre of speech and of the will. For most of us, it is not so much the centre of will, as the centre of wilfulness. Wilfulness happens when we abdicate our own will. When our will centre is energised by the I AM, we are able to make decisions from our own individuality. This centre has become poor. It doesn’t have the inner resources to decide independently. Instead it has become reliant on other voices. These other voices, pretend to be part of us, they “say that they are Jews but are not,” instead they persuade us to make choices that actually go against our own spiritual identity and evolution.
When the I AM enters the will centre, it cleanses the speech. We are confronted by events, sometimes very difficult, traumatic life events, that show us clearly the results of our life choices. For a time we may be “thrown into prison,” that is, deprived of choice or decision-making power, but this is actually a great opportunity to reach deep within, find out who we are at the very deepest level, and make a life choice that will change everything. This life choice may be very unpopular with other people. Friends and family may not understand, they may reject us, they may mock us. But when we stand firm in our own Christ self, we change inwardly. The crown of thorns, given to us by the negative thoughts of others is transformed into the “crown of life”.
The crown of life marks us as individual, thinking human beings. Or rather, individual, thinking spiritual beings.
The image
The angel of the Church of Smyrna holds a gold crown in its right hand. This is the reward of the one who is “faithful unto death.” It is the crown of life.
What does it mean to be Christed? It means that we have come to the centre, the core of our being and encountered there the reality of who we truly are.
At this point in time, more and more individuals are becoming Christed. More and more of us are making choices true to our own life path, instead of making choices expected of us by society, friends and family.
On this day, let us examine every choice, every decision we make. Let us be aware of where we make these choices from. Let us make them from the I AM, the Christ within.
For the Christ force at the present moment is picking out men and women everywhere and making them Christed beings, setting them on their feet so to speak to make them his channels. They will be men and women of wisdom, deep within themselves. Christ will pick the most unlikely candidates. More than likely passing by those who think they are so great.
What are the qualifications by which you think He may choose you? What qualifications are you presenting to Him? ... I am quite sure that He would be interested in whether you live by your feelings or whether you live by a deep inner knowingness that is unshakeable. Whether you have within yourself a “calling” that tells you that you are indeed a Christed being. Consequently the light that shines from you is recognisable by another Christed being.
Rev Mario Schoenmaker, The Book of Revelation, 1982 Lecture Series