My flesh was at rest contemplating the nature of life when a vision came upon me.

Suddenly was I transported to a forest on the earth. The trees were all barren and dark, for the ancient great and mighty roots of those felled long ago were gone. Not one remained that stood up into the heavens. All that was left was the weak and little trees of those we know now to be ours in this earth time.

Then before me I saw a ladder firmly stood straight into the sky from the land ahead. A voice said to approach and make way for the revelation of self awakening. I walked through the barren trees and saw both life with greenery and dry bones of winter. It was as all seasons were at once, and where my focus was so also was my vision. But it was not of the seasons of earth, though shown as such for understanding.

I approached the ladder, placed my hands upon the sides and looked upward. There far above was a circle of heavenly clouds, lined with silver and gold around an opening to where the ladder went. The clouds were as flowing waves of white cotton and sheets with peaceful glimmering light shining all around. I could see the faces of Angels both small and large peering down upon the earth, watching over the earth where I stood. The Angels were all shapes and sizes, and there were also many other hosts of heaven rising even higher above them watching the angels. They too were of many shapes and sizes, some as though unfathomable greatness.

My flesh was infused with strength, and so I began to climb up the ladder towards the heavens. With each and every new rung, was there greater weakness within my bones and a sense of energy I previously had not experienced. As I began, I could hear the voices and sounds of mankind begin to reach my ears. I looked around and yet saw nothing but the forest, and whispering shadows floating about. So I continued higher.

Fear came upon me, as I realized I was leaving the earth to go to what is unknown. It was not a matter of worth or a prize of achievement that the ladder appeared, but that it had been there all along, and just now could I see it. Even so, why was it there, why was I climbing it, and what would happen to me if I continued? I desired to stop and to return back to the earth.

Then another voice from above said to me “What do you see?” And hearing it was from above I again looked up, and there I saw more angels and hosts of heaven. Now they were not looking upon the earth, but instead looking at me climb the ladder towards them. Their faces radiated with light, and smiles and encouragement was coming from their gestures that I continue to rise up to them. So I continued to climb though my flesh was weakening and my arms were shaking. Though I kept on.

I had risen about 1/4 a way up the ladder, and my arms were beginning to fail me. I looked down and could see many dark and frightening creatures walking throughout the forest below in every direction. It scared me beyond words and I gasped. My strength was gone, and I clung to the ladder knowing I would fall off back to the earth and the darkness below. Then my mind spoke to me and said, “NO. Get yourself up and keep going”. My conscious awakened and I told my body to keep going. Sheer will was my ally. So I continued.

I reached 1/2 way up the ladder and again looked down. I could now see that covering the dark creatures on the earth was skin, and the skin that surrounded them was the skin of man. There was a little light on the crowns of men, but deep within them was a stowaway spirit hiding in their flesh, and speaking all manner of evil to the ears of those they inhabited. Here and there I could see some of mankind had great lights within that had cast out the dark spirits, and blocked them with the light of God from re-entering into them. Some others had strong and bright lights that had trapped the dark spirits in cages only found in portions of their life, but not all of it. Others had very little light and were consumed by the imposters. Still more had no light at all within them, and they were as the walking dead, knowing not anything of how they had been robbed of life.

Now a great wind rose up and swept over my entire body. My heart was forced open and the wind filled my body with emotions of both life and death and every grey area one could feel. I was overwhelmed and understood the worth of all creatures upon the earth, from the smallest insect to the mightiest Creature of the sea that man has not even witnessed yet. I had compassion for those of mankind below who were all darkness that I had previously hated. I had wonder for those who had light. I looked up again, and still the Angel and the Hosts of heaven were calling to me to keep climbing, and now I could hear them also. Their voices were like song, and their message was that of music. I knew I could trust their appeal, for music has always been a friend of mine on the earth. So I continued with a renewed heart into the heavens.

I was 3/4 the way up, and suddenly the entire nature of all my knowledge changed. It was an epiphany of the spirit. Things I once believed became folly, and things I once mocked became wisdom. I could not understand how such simplicity of truth had eluded me all the days of my life. I have been as the dead! What were tears and sorrow in me were now almost laughable and without any meaning. My spirit had awakened and it altered everything I had previously experienced. It was as if I saw my own life, all of it, from an entirely different perspective which could not be achieved without climbing this far up the ladder. No amount of knowledge or wisdom or experience could reveal such an awakening. No law or obedience or discipline could reward one this revelation. It was purely and simply by choice – of climbing, no matter how weak, no matter how scared, no matter how it feels, no matter what I don’t know of where I am going. And there was still many rungs to climb.

So I looked up again, and the angels now were reaching down to me to help me complete the climb. I continued to the end of the ladder and hundreds of Angels and Hosts of heaven were laying their hands upon me in prayer as they helped me climb off the ladder onto their footing. Even more were all around as far as the eye could see in witness to the event, all singing a new song I could hear and take within me as a beautiful score of music, but cannot remember even one note of it now.

Finally I stood upon the clouds, and was shocked that I stood above the angels. Though there were still many hosts of heaven in all directions and of various sizes and shapes. Now I could see a whole palace of existence stretching in all directions, and creatures of unimaginable beauty and wonder walking among the heavens speaking and praising.

Then, many lights starting coming towards me from all directions. The first light I saw was a treasure of riches of gold and jewels and every form of metal and even metals I have never seen and are not of the earth. No one in heaven held it, for it was an earthly and universal matter and floated on its own to me, and I grabbed the treasure chest into my hands, and the whole chest of It entered into my body. Then another light was a book of wisdom, and she who carried it to me had long white flowing hair, and perfectly clean beautiful robes of white and gold and silver, and I reached out and took the book in my hands. It then absorbed into my body which was now not like my flesh, but a form I cannot explain with words. Then another came with a book of Love, and that one was as a dog, holding the book in its mouth and bringing it to my feet. I took the book and it too absorbed into my body. Then one came who was as a worker, strong and covered in work clothing as a fine craftsman, and he had a book of understanding. He offered the book and I took it from him and it also absorbed into my body.

Then another came, and in His hands was a book called Life – and as He approached all others parted to make way, and they sang songs and played music and shook the heavens with praise… and He was coming quickly to me with the Book of Life in His hands… and He held it outward as to offer the book to me. What He spoke I cannot say, and what was written in the book I cannot share, for it is for a later time, though there are also in the book the names of those He had written in it. And I knew that to touch the book would be the end of this life of mine now, and such a new epiphany and awakening that I would remain there forever, not at all as I am now.

Then He said “Of this you may speak; that the lesson of the flesh and mind and heart, you will understand, and love, and gain wisdom and find treasure, though it does not last, for the lesson itself reveals another lesson. All of these will you learn, only by choice, and only by continuing to choose, and by hearing the many voices of God by seeking God alone in all things through Me, departing from the world, and coming to Me, so that the lesson of the spirit may be offered after these. As in that lesson of spirit is the Life of the Spirit and the eternal gift of the New Understanding, the New Love, The New Wisdom, and the New Treasure which is the Eternal Life of the Holy Spirit that is the inheritance of all who come to Me. I AM He who holds the Book of Life found only in the Palaces of God that are always with Me. And Fear not, as many such palaces are also within the hearts of mankind, which you also saw their light, as I am also with mankind, in them and they in me, as the light in them you see is Me. And I shall never depart nor take the light from those who truly follow Me and My law, which is the Life of God, and those who honestly seek Me and My life, which is the gift of God, as I am in God and God is in Me, with Me and is Me, forever and ever.”

Ryan o0o