In early 1981, I saw an ad in the newspaper for a seminar by a woman named Elizabeth Burrows. What first captured my attention was that, in the picture accompanying the ad, Elizabeth was dressed in a white tunic. The ad described the Rev. Dr. Elizabeth Burrows as a Christian Mystic, who taught something called The Secret Teachings Of Jesus. I had never been a Christian, but I had no particular feelings one way or the other about Jesus as a spiritual teacher; it was his Bible-thumping followers who annoyed me. But the idea of learning about his "secret teachings" definitely piqued my interest. As a critic and skeptic of all mainstream religions, I was intrigued by Elizabeth's willingness to not only embrace, but teach publicly, a subject that flew squarely in the face of traditional Church dogma.
I attended that seminar and found the Rev. Dr. Elizabeth Burrows to be a compelling speaker, with a commanding presence that exuded a distinct blend of power, love and wisdom. During her introduction, Elizabeth claimed her expertise in the esoteric (hidden) teachings of Christianity, and described her spiritual journey in terms of having previously attained the state of Cosmic Consciousness (or Oneness with God) in 1971. I had read and heard about the concept of spiritual enlightenment and Cosmic Consciousness, and thought I understood the basic idea - but in Elizabeth Burrows, I saw a real person whose very being clearly emanated a higher vibration. Elizabeth went on to explain that she wore the all-white clothing to honor and respect the traditions of the Essenes; the white symbolizing the purity of soul consciousness manifest in the ancient Brotherhood of which Jesus was believed to be a member.
Elizabeth Burrows taught that the highly-advanced spiritual state of the Essene communities, and which she herself had achieved, was not the exclusive domain of Jesus, some famous saints, or a chosen few: Cosmic Consciousness/Union with God was available to all, and was in fact the inevitable destiny of all spiritual aspirants who had passed the necessary trials of countless lifetimes. According to Elizabeth, each and every person would eventually conquer the lofty peaks of spiritual mastership - because God's eternal Laws of evolution and soul progression promised as much. If there ever was such a thing as a key to unlocking the highest potential of one's soul, I was convinced that Elizabeth Burrows had found it, and I knew upon meeting her that I wanted and needed more of what she had to offer.
The impression Elizabeth Burrows left on me with that initial seminar proved to be indelible. I purchased two of her books (Pathway Of The Immortal and The Gospel Of Peace Of Jesus The Christ) that first day and immersed myself in a wisdom that was both simple and profound. Some of Elizabeth's teachings relating to Jesus and the Essenes were based on the works of Professor Edmond Bordeaux Szekely, who had discovered the original texts of The Essene Gospel Of Peace buried in the Archives of the Vatican in the 1920's. Elizabeth studied directly with Professor Szekely prior to his passing in 1979, and spoke fondly of this spiritual giant of a man whom she reasoned had left the world a legacy it could likely never repay. From that point forward, I studied Elizabeth's books side-by-side with Professor Szekely's material, and before long I discovered a strong inner connection to Professor that would only deepen in the years ahead. Elizabeth Burrows was in some ways the spiritual descendant of Professor Szekely, and in my heart I felt blessed just to be part of their incredible lineage.
When I read in The Gospel Of Peace that Jesus had actually taught his inner circle of disciples a health and nutrition program based upon strict vegetarianism, I immediately cut all meat products from my diet. As it turned out, becoming a vegetarian was one of the easier aspects of walking what Elizabeth called "The Path Of Mastership." Although I occasionally attended classes or seminars, and continued reading the books, it quickly became apparent that I lacked both the discipline and the maturity to progress much further on my spiritual path. Elizabeth often reminded her students that man cannot serve two masters, and my 1980's music-business lifestyle wasn't about to go quietly into that Dark Night.
To be continued...
Elizabeth Burrows taught that the highly-advanced spiritual state of the Essene communities, and which she herself had achieved, was not the exclusive domain of Jesus, some famous saints, or a chosen few: Cosmic Consciousness/Union with God was available to all, and was in fact the inevitable destiny of all spiritual aspirants who had passed the necessary trials of countless lifetimes. According to Elizabeth, each and every person would eventually conquer the lofty peaks of spiritual mastership - because God's eternal Laws of evolution and soul progression promised as much. If there ever was such a thing as a key to unlocking the highest potential of one's soul, I was convinced that Elizabeth Burrows had found it, and I knew upon meeting her that I wanted and needed more of what she had to offer.
The impression Elizabeth Burrows left on me with that initial seminar proved to be indelible. I purchased two of her books (Pathway Of The Immortal and The Gospel Of Peace Of Jesus The Christ) that first day and immersed myself in a wisdom that was both simple and profound. Some of Elizabeth's teachings relating to Jesus and the Essenes were based on the works of Professor Edmond Bordeaux Szekely, who had discovered the original texts of The Essene Gospel Of Peace buried in the Archives of the Vatican in the 1920's. Elizabeth studied directly with Professor Szekely prior to his passing in 1979, and spoke fondly of this spiritual giant of a man whom she reasoned had left the world a legacy it could likely never repay. From that point forward, I studied Elizabeth's books side-by-side with Professor Szekely's material, and before long I discovered a strong inner connection to Professor that would only deepen in the years ahead. Elizabeth Burrows was in some ways the spiritual descendant of Professor Szekely, and in my heart I felt blessed just to be part of their incredible lineage.
When I read in The Gospel Of Peace that Jesus had actually taught his inner circle of disciples a health and nutrition program based upon strict vegetarianism, I immediately cut all meat products from my diet. As it turned out, becoming a vegetarian was one of the easier aspects of walking what Elizabeth called "The Path Of Mastership." Although I occasionally attended classes or seminars, and continued reading the books, it quickly became apparent that I lacked both the discipline and the maturity to progress much further on my spiritual path. Elizabeth often reminded her students that man cannot serve two masters, and my 1980's music-business lifestyle wasn't about to go quietly into that Dark Night.
To be continued...
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