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SCRIPTURES
Chapter 6
Learning the Prayer of the Self – The son asks concerning about goodness – Living
a life of service – Life and love, grace and beauty, hope and joy – The sum of all
good things are found in the woman – Salvation found in the grace and beauty of the
woman – Changing the ways of men – The woman: a temple where man ought to worship
– Loving a woman – Enlighten, clothe and uplift the woman – Unlocking the seed of
goodness within the woman – A son’s promise
1 Thus did the son learn from his mother the issues of his life; having placed before him a far more noble way filled with hope and brightness.
2 And taking from his mother the Prayer of the Self, the son did master all the words which his mother taught unto him;
3 Speaking the words aloud unto himself three times a day; praying to himself at the rising and setting of the sun, as well as in the darkness of the night when he would lay himself down upon his mother’s breasts to sleep.
4 For it was the mother’s full intent that the son be safely guided throughout the days of his life, speaking to himself words of faith and assurance; casting forth through the words he spoke, an image of some greater self filled with goodness and faith exceeding.
5 For it was certain that unless the son should define for himself the image of a nobler likeness, then would others apportion unto him a likeness both small and mean; causing that the son should prove no greater than the most common of men.
6 Now on a certain day, the son spoke unto Areta, saying: “Mother, what is this goodness of which you speak? For I would know it for myself also.
7 For I perceive already that in the days of my manhood shall you prove unable to guide me; seeing that in a few years only, I shall be taken away from you, and made by force to learn the ways of war and death.
8 How then shall I know the things which are good unless you teach me in my youth, to see beyond the shadows of most common things; to embrace with my heart the things which you see most clearly?”
9 And Areta answered him, saying: “Hear, my son, the words of my heart, and forget not your mother’s counsel; for I will place within the heart of you, the means by which all good things are revealed.
10 For unless you should know for yourself the things which are good, then how shall you prove of service to the children of men?
11 Know then, my son, that it is most unseemly for a man to live for himself alone; for in the service of others does he but add to his life the things of greatest worth.
12 For except you give through the living of your life the ways of goodness, then shall all of mankind perish from the earth forever.
13 Look, therefore, round about you; for the world is drunk with blood and horror, and war and death have seized firmly upon the ways of every man; to drown beneath the darkness of despair and gloom, the hope of all who live.
14 Hear then, and I will make known to you the things which would reveal themselves in goodness, being incorruptible of men; being in themselves both pure and untainted by the ways of men.
15 For all those things which contain in themselves, or which promote in the affairs of men both life and love, grace and beauty, hope and joy, are good and worthy of emulation and devotion.
16 For life is preferable to death, and love is greater than hate; in like manner also is grace and beauty more to be desired than the brutishness of common men; while hope and joy together more to be sought than darkness and despair.
17 But where, my son, are all these things together found; being contained in single likeness and form, whereby you might embrace the whole as one, to be in yourself most benefited within and without by the touching and the living of all these things?”
18 Such were the words which Areta spoke most gently to her son; and the child answered the mother, saying: “I know not where all these things are found in one.”
19 And the mother smiled upon her son, and taking him to a window nearby, she pointed to those women which were made to labor in the gardens of the house; and she spoke again, saying:
20 “There, my child, is found the sum of all good things in one; being revealed in the softness of the woman; for women in themselves bring forth life in place of death; having in her form and movements a fullness of grace and beauty.
21 And if it should be that a man will love her, to treat her with most kind regard, then does there leap from out of the very heart of her, a fullness of love and fire together mixed; to clothe in most gentle kisses and tender touches, the warmth of all her hope and joy together.
22 For this truth would I speak most firmly unto you, my son, that in the woman is there seen the only hope for all mankind; for the salvation of every man is found in the grace and beauty of the woman, and in no other.
23 Yet is the woman held everywhere in bondage; being made to serve man by base and lowly means; being tormented and ravaged continually by the passions of hateful men; being pillaged and desecrated by the wanton lusts and cruel ways of those which rule over them.
24 For this cause would I place in you that subtle wisdom, filled with cunning, by which you might set all women at liberty, to free her from all her many fears; that there might flow out from the heart of every woman, such goodness as men, themselves, might come to cherish.
25 Hear then such words of counsel as your mother would give, and forget not my soul’s desiring; for it is given you to make most possible the love of a man for a woman, and the love of a woman for a man.
26 For the man, in his present state, knows not the ways of love or of peace; being taught from his youth to scorn the women which serve him; to hold in contempt and ridicule, the woman which gave him life;
27 Causing that every woman should tremble in fear before the gaze of any man; while men, being taught only the ways of hate and cruelty, do attack with bitter scorn the thing which is made to fear them.
28 Thus, my son, in the days of your manhood must you find that subtle means whereby the harshness of man is diminished against the woman; causing that the woman should no longer fear; but like the flowers of both mountain and plain, blossom forth before the eyes of men, causing that men should seek to love them.
29 Now consider, my son, such goodness as I would have you draw from my heart, even as milk from the breasts; that there might arise in you a goodness of your own; being strong and firmly planted through the mingling of our lives together.
30 Causing that in the subtlety of your thoughts and the goodness of your heart, you might find those certain means whereby you might bend the ways of men through the smallest of measures; to change in every man his treatment of the woman, whereby both are equally benefited.
31 Know then that by small and clever moves shall you lift women above the sum of all her fears, to reveal in her the seed of goodness which lies within; giving birth in the affairs of men both life and love, grace and beauty, hope and joy.
32 Listen therefore and ponder deeply in the days of your youth; for I would make known to you the heart of every woman, to reveal in you what she is like unto.
33 For the woman is the temple where a man ought to worship; embracing to his weary heart the hope and joy of life and love together; drinking through the senses of the heart and flesh, a fullness of grace and beauty.
34 Seeking through the gentle touch and softest kiss the fulfillment of the self; for the man without the woman is but half complete; being empty of that goodness which would enrich his life throughout.
35 For in the man and the woman together is there found that sure completeness which each would seek; pouring into each the other, a fullness of tender dreams filled with passion; to make as one the hearts and minds of each forever.
36 Know then, my son, that in the elevation of the woman shall all men be edified, being led through tender passions out from the ways of darkness and into that light which would fill the world with life.
37 To lift above the base passions of brutish men, the whole of all mankind; imbuing the world of men with such goodness as does flow out most gently through the heart and mind of the woman.
38 Come then, my son, and I will make known to you the ways by which you should love a woman; that by your kind regard might other men seek to imitate;
39 Receiving within their minds such subtle reasonings as you would bring forth as a justification for all your actions; becoming in yourself most enlightened regarding the status of such women as will one day live within the walls of your own house.
40 Accepting as both sensible and logical such words and deeds as you would place before them; whereby they might consider for themselves such things as would prove of greater worth and benefit.
41 For this cause did I elect to dwell in the House of Seti-Kahn, knowing full well that unto my son would there arise an occasion for advancement and promotion, to become as someone great and mighty in the affairs of men and of nations.
42 Causing that those which serve beneath you, desiring for themselves both privilege and favor, might do and speak and reason after your own likeness.
43 Thus, my son, in that day when you are made to be with a woman, to cast within her the seeds of your life, give unto her such gentle regards as you would have other men give unto me.
44 Be not in yourself both common and base as other men, neither be you scornful of the woman’s softness, but see in her the softness and likeness of your mother, to enter her with all manner of reverence and joy; for I tell you truly that the woman is the temple where a man ought to worship.
45 Kissing her upon the lips and upon the breasts midst loving passions; stroking with a gentle hand the flesh of her body; drawing from the midst of soft desires, the yearnings and longings of all her heart.
46 Therefore, my son, would I have you to suckle from the woman’s breasts, whereby she might nurture you unto goodness; that there might flow from her breasts both hope and joy together fashioned, to make as warm and bright the very heart and mind of you.
47 Enter, therefore, the temple of her flesh with praise and love upon your lips; and you shall find within her womb that very sanctuary where you and the woman might most gently move and dance.
48 Binding through your tender rhythms, the passions of your heart; to fuse together midst fire and love, the goodness of her heart within you; causing that there should be equally fused in the mind and heart of the woman, the seed of all your strength and power.
49 And not this only, for you must in most subtle ways, lift the woman from the darkness of all her bondage; that the goodness of her heart might shine forth upon the world.
50 Seeking through most careful means to make her equal unto the man regarding the issues of this life; permitting that she might save him from all his wrathful folly.
51 Speak you therefore most kindly unto every woman, and refrain from hard and bitter speech; that through the reasoned softness of your words might other men seek to emulate, being most anxious in themselves to gain your favor.
52 Yet must you go beyond the sum of all these things; for it is needful that the grace and beauty of the woman be clearly manifest unto all which see.
53 Therefore must you seek to clothe the women of your house in gowns and dresses of exquisite cut and form; revealing through design and color the natural beauty and grace of all her movements.
54 Causing that men shall see them in a far more different light, whereby they might seek to find in them a dear and loving companion, and not the slave which fears him.
55 Give then unto the woman, an abundance of goodly things; and seek not to withhold from them the joys of knowledge and of learning.
56 For in the attainment of knowledge shall every woman prove herself equal unto men; to become, in time, that cherished companion in all his doings.
57 Adding to the life of every man, the hope of a far more noble way; unleashing upon the affairs of men a richness greater than he has ever known before.
58 Seek therefore, every opportunity to enlighten, to clothe, and to uplift the state of every woman; that you may unlock from the very heart of her, the seed of all her goodness.”
59 Such were the words which Areta spoke unto her son. And the son did place his hands upon his mother’s breasts and pledged most devoutly, saying: “All these things shall I strive to do in remembrance of you.”
60 And hearing the words of her son, Areta smiled midst tears of joy; and she did press her son most gently to her bosom, and there did they together rest most peacefully upon each the other.