Your Ebenezer Stone Of Help

How To Stay Connected To Your True Source Of Power


Your Ebenezer Stone Of Help. How To Stay Connected To Your True Source Of Power. Picture of a stone Celtic cross at Sisters Fountain on the Glenthorne Estate on Exmoor in the UK.

Ebenezer - A Present Day Mythic Truth From An Ancient Story

The ancient Ebenezer story is linked to the modern Israeli town of Kafr Qasim. It is a hill-top town with an Arab population of about 25,000 residents and is located approximately 12 miles east of Tel Aviv on the Israeli side of the border with the West Bank.

In modern times the town is tragically remembered as the site of the Kafr Qasim massacre, when Israel Border Police killed 49 civilians on 29th October 1956.

The Ancient Story

Approximately 2,500 years ago the settlement was close to the site of two battles between the ancient Israelis and their neighbours and enemies the Philistines, a war-like people said to have originally migrated from Crete.

According to the book of Samuel in the Nevi'im (the book of Prophets in Judiasm and the Old Testament in the Christian bible) the Israelis lost heavily in both battles. It is recorded as 4,000 deaths in the first battle and 30,000 deaths in the second battle. Not only did they lose soldiers they also lost territory and the Philistines occupied many of the Israeli border towns.

After about 20 years, pressure built to the point where the Israelis wanted to initiate military action to retake those territories and break free from the oppression of Philistine occupation. They approached their spiritual leader the prophet Samuel and asked for his advice and support.

The cultural and religious background to this was that the Israelis had a deeply ingrained ethnocentrism believing themselves to be their god JWHW's (Yaweh or Jehovah in modern translation) "chosen people" tasked with spreading the message of monotheism.

But in preceding years they had moved away from JWHW and were worshipping other foreign gods and idols. However, Judaism forbids idolatry, in all its forms, both then and now. Thus their two major defeats by the Philistines came to be recognised as a withdrawal of JHWH's support because of this.

Samuel called a meeting of the Israeli leaders and told them:

“If you are returning to the LORD with all your hearts, then rid yourselves of the foreign gods and the Ashtoreths (goddesses) and commit yourselves to the LORD and serve him only, and he will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines.”

The mythic truth

The Israeli leaders debated this amongst themselves and decided that they would drop their worship of foreign gods and worship only the Israeli god YHWH.

In the ensuing battle the Israelis prevailed and the Philistines were decisively defeated. Following this the Israelis reclaimed their occupied towns and secured their border and lived in peace for many years thereafter.

Raising the Ebenezer stone of help

After the battle, Samuel the prophet went to the settlement where the Israelis spent the night before the battle and erected a stone monument and called it "Ebenezer" which means in Hebrew "Stone Of Help".

He did this as a permanent reminder to the Israelis to stay faithful to YHWH the one true source of their strength and victory. In modern framing:



    An Ebenezer stone of help is a constant reminder to stay connected to your true source of power.










So what's the point of this old story about Ebenezer and how does this apply to me today?


Depiction of the Battle of Eben-Ezer from the Dura-Europos synagogue (pre-244 AD)

Depiction of the Battle of Eben-Ezer from the Dura-Europos synagogue (pre-244 AD)


To understand the personal significance and application of this story here are four pointers to help understand the context:

# We live in an energetic universe. This perspective is science based and proven.

# We also live in a participatory universe. This perspective is supported by science but not yet fully proven by science.

# We are energetic beings. Our energetic state has a significant impact on the life experiences we create and attract.

# There are 3 levels to the mind:

  • the subconscious mind which we can think of as the BIOS;
  • the conscious mind (including the ego) which can be thought of the operating system (our own inner "Windows 10"); and 
  • the super-conscious mind also referred to as the higher self which we can think of as our own personal portal to the energy of life i.e. everything going on "out there".


Where it all goes horribly wrong

To quote from an earlier article on Living With Your Thoughts:

"Given that we are fundamentally energetic beings existing in an energetic universe we need to understand, relate to and work with our higher self. It is the portal to, in the conventional sense, everything 'out there'.

However, 'Windows 10' (the ego) is not an energetic being but it thinks it is! Its sphere of operation is defined by our sensory perceptions. For 'Windows 10' seeing is believing. Because its role is to control it thinks it does - or should - control everything.

This is, of course, a major delusion and is where the whole teaching in mainstream belief systems of dying to the self comes into play."



    Your ego's desire to be in control, your ego usurping the role of your higher self, disconnects you from your true source of power.









This is the present day mythic truth drawn from this ancient story

In the historical period of these ancient Israelis, and in common with the later monotheistic belief traditions, the realm of the spiritual dimension was seen as distant, other and outside of the self (using the word self in the modern understanding of the whole self).

In keeping with their belief system, the ancient Israeli's viewed themselves as JHWH's chosen people, and JHWH was their source of guidance and power. So when they disconnected from this source and engaged with the false gods and goddesses (what to the modern view we would see as the preoccupations and projections of the egoic mind) they failed.

When we do likewise, and deny or ignore our spiritual or energetic nature, step out of alignment, and follow our egos, we too will ultimately fail.







How To Create Your Own Ebenezer Stones Of Help

Unlike the ancient Israelis our battles are more likely to be internal battles with our negative thoughts and the associated negative energetic states.

These thoughts stem from the older part of our brains that generate the flight/fight response, and that host our more basic or animal nature, and from conditioning - courtesy of the dominant adult figures in our lives when we were younger.

In adulthood we are all influenced by the zeitgeist, the media in general and for younger people by social media in particular.

To counter the effects of these negative influences takes time and more importantly effort.

We are talking quite literally about a renewal of our minds. Think of this as re-wiring of our brain. This is why meditation is spoken of as a practice.

The purpose of your creating Ebenezer stones of help is to enable multiple points of contact with these reminders throughout the day and, over time, reinforcing these truths in your mind.

To aid your practice I offer the following Ebenezer stones of help that I have created and that I use:

# Collection of phrases, sutras and verses that have deep personal energetic resonance

- These can be drawn from many different sources. The key thing is that speak to you.

- I hold a file of these phrases on my laptop as screensavers which change at preset intervals.

- I hold a file of these phrases on my phone which I can read when I am out walking and taking a break.

- I have a paper copy of these beside my bed which I read before I go to sleep at night and in the night if I wake up.

# A powerful visual image that has deep personal energetic resonance

- I have a picture of a man in a chariot which has a powerful and personal symbolic meaning for me.

- I have that picture on my laptop as a screen saver.

- I have a picture of this image mounted and framed and hanging on my kitchen wall.

- I even have a mug with this image on it!

# A gratitude box

- This was something that a friend made and gave me containing 60 little hand-made notes of personal things for which I am grateful.


A gratitude box.








    Your Ebenezer stone of help is a constant reminder to stay connected to your true source of power.










Next Article: Going With The Flow - The Balance Of Being And Doing

Return from "Your Ebenezer Stone Of Help" to: Walking The Talk

Or to: What Is Spirituality?




English Chinese (Traditional) Russian French German Italian Spanish Vietnamese



LATEST ARTICLES

  1. Like A Prayer - Life Is A Mystery

    It Isn't The Process Of Prayer That’s The Problem, It’s The Way It’s Framed. Regardless of what we feel about Madonna or her song the topic of prayer often arouses strong reactions. Usually, it is som…

    Read More

  2. How Things Really Are - The Inbuilt Design Flaws

    Chaos, Disorder And Decay Is The Natural Order Of Things. Nobody has the perfect life. We all struggle and strive to attain health, wealth and personal happiness. Yet these three big areas: our health…

    Read More

  3. Intuition Or Anxiety - Are There Angels Or Devils Crawling Here?

    How To Tell The Difference Between Intuition and Anxiety. How do you know whether the voice of your intuition is real or just the product of your inner anxiety? Several months ago I was having a drink…

    Read More

  4. What Is Truth - How To Tell A Partial Truth From The Whole Truth?

    How the truth and nothing but the truth is often not the whole truth. My great aunty Flo broke her arm and died. It is true that she broke her arm in 1923. It is also true that she died in 1949. But t…

    Read More

  5. Duality And Life Beyond Your Thinking Mind

    Duality and life beyond your thinking mind focuses on the limitations of time, foreground and background, duality and "stuckness". The first aspect of duality and life beyond your thinking mind focuse…

    Read More

  6. The Conscious Mind Is Limited - Be Aware And Be Prepared

    Being aware is the first stage of being prepared. The conscious mind is limited in so many ways. There are some who would argue that there is no such thing as conscious thought and that it is represen…

    Read More

  7. Your Inner Map Of Reality - Here's Why You Think The Way You Do

    The big picture of how your inner map of reality creates your feelings, thoughts, and behaviours. Your inner map of reality is based on the filters of your own ethnic, national, social, family and rel…

    Read More

  8. The Failure Of Cancel Culture - Suppression Not Engagement

    Why we need to wear our beliefs lightly and develop negative capability. Throughout history people have campaigned to fight beliefs, ideologies, and injustices that they perceived to be oppressive, di…

    Read More

  9. 4 Big Reasons Why We Get Stuck In Our Attempts At Personal Change

    Most People Spend Their Entire Life Imprisoned Within The Confines Of Their Own Thoughts. This first of the 4 big reasons why we get stuck is, in my view, the most important. The "self-help industry…

    Read More

  10. How Do I Change And Why Is It So Hard?

    We Would Rather Die Than Change, And We Usually Do In my experience, the vast majority of people who say they want to change don’t change. Most people reading this won’t change because they don’t real…

    Read More

  11. The Illusion Of A Separate Self - Windows 11 With Self Awareness!

    Beyond the content of your mind you are so much more than you think you are. When we talk of "myself" this is the conventional way of referring to our self image which is in fact the ego's constructio…

    Read More

  12. Finite And Infinite Games - Dazed, Confused & Ultimately Transcendent

    This is not an instruction manual, it is a wake up call! Over this past week I have read Professor James Carse's highly regarded "Finite And Infinite Games - A Vision Of Life As Play And Possibility"

    Read More

  13. The Gap And The Gain - How Your Brain Sabotages Your Happiness

    How Your Lizard Brain Sabotages Your Happiness We are hardwired to measure our progress in any and all areas of life where we have goals and aspirations. We can't not do it. But what we measure and ho…

    Read More

  14. How To Wake Up - 4 Simple Practices To Help You Wake Up Now

    So What Exactly Does It Mean to Wake Up - What Is "Enlightenment"? There is nothing magical, mystical or mysterious about waking up we’re actually having glimpses of enlightenment all the time. Enligh…

    Read More

  15. Situational Communication - Different Strokes For Different Folks

    Situational communication is about taking account of 3 often ignored factors about the other person. You are a situational communicator when you recognise that effective communication is not an event…

    Read More

  16. How To Influence Without Authority - 6 Key Tips

    The secret to how to influence without authority is that you get what you really want by giving other people what they really want. We live in an interconnected world and knowing how to influence with…

    Read More

  17. Change Questions To Change Your Outcomes

    Asking The Right Questions Is Critical For A Successful Change. Every time we initiate a significant change - whether in our personal life or in an organisation - we will most likely over-estimate our…

    Read More

  18. Group Culture - The Invisible Software That Rules Your Life

    Group culture is: "How we do things round here". We like to see ourselves as free agents making our own choices and living authentically but the reality is that The Matrix has many layers and we are u…

    Read More

  19. Why Getting From A to B Is Not Aways A Straight Line

    In circumstances of significant change, the progress from A to B will not be in a straight line. We run our lives largely on auto-pilot. In most circumstances your experience of getting from A to B is…

    Read More

  20. The Art Of Persuasion Planning For Success - Here's How To Do It!

    To be successful in the art of persuasion you must ensure that certain things happen. To be successful in the art of persuasion you must establish a framework of what has to happen to get you to that…

    Read More

  21. The Art Of Persuasion Advanced Communication Skills - Gaining Buyin

    Create The Environment Where They Want To Buyin to Your Proposal In order to build the win-win you have to uncover what it is that the other person really wants or needs, and to do that you have to as…

    Read More

  22. The Art Of Persuasion The One Fundamental Principle - Create A Win-Win

    The art of persuasion is based on the simple idea that you get what you want by enabling the other party to get what they want. Being a nice friendly person with good inter-personal skills may be a go…

    Read More

  23. Communication Persuasion And Change - Key Skills To Survive & Succeed

    It's not the strongest that survive, nor the most intelligent, but those who are most responsive to change, the most persuasive, and the best communicators. We are living in an age of unprecedented ch…

    Read More

  24. The Eisenhower Box - What Is Important Is Seldom Urgent

    What Is Important Is Seldom Urgent And What Is Urgent Is Seldom Important. The Eisenhower Box is a time management and decision-making model devised by President Dwight Eisenhower to help him prioriti…

    Read More

  25. Zen Enlightenment [Satori] - The Stink Of Zen

    Lost In Our Delusions About Enlightenment. There is something in human nature - a desire to glamorise, sanctify, objectify and idolise – that elevates people who have offered deep insights to the huma…

    Read More

  26. 5 Zen Mindsets For Mastery - In Any Area Of Your Life

    The Wisdom Of A Person Who Masters In Any Art Is Reflected In Their Every Attitude. The state and quality of your mind has a very large bearing on the quality of your performance in any area of life t…

    Read More

  27. Dealing With The Toxicity Of Online Dating - 6 Key Tips From A Clinical Psychologist

    Toxicity Is The Price Tag Of Accessibility. In the early days of online dating, users were vetted and had to go through a registration process and agree to comply with a code of conduct designed to en…

    Read More

  28. Why Understanding Ergodicity Is Critical To Your Long Term Survival

    How Not To Be Fooled By Randomness. Ergodicity is an ugly word from the world of mathematics. It is an umbrella term for two sets of conditions of probability and outcome. These two conditions form th…

    Read More

  29. Dealing With Imposter Syndrome - Ego Is The Enemy

    How You Frame A Situation Has A Profound Impact On How You Respond To It Emotionally. Imposter syndrome is a psycho-emotional experience of a fear of being found out as incompetent despite ongoing evi…

    Read More

  30. The Challenges Of The Road Less Traveled

    Issues You'll Face When Playing The Long Game. The challenges of the road less traveled is loosely based around the phrase popularised by M.Scott Peck with his book "The Road Less Traveled". This arti…

    Read More



Get new posts by email:









Zen-Tools.Net





Support This Site