(Subject: The Navigatio and Zeno Narrative as mystery writings.)
Ian, Neil,
I've read one version of the Navigatio and am quite convinced that it is
similar to the Zeno Narrative in that they are both "mystery writings."
That is, like the Bible and most sacred works... including myths, divination
systems, et al.... they contain two templates: the physical action being
described and also the spiritual dynamics that are causal to the physical.
Its the old "as above, so below" situation or as Kaffa (Peter) was charged
(Mt 16:17-19): "Blessed are you Simeon Bar-Yona! For flesh and blood has not
revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven...(etc.)... and
whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose
on earth shall be loosed in heaven." (The whole passage is a creation
formula, a coded "mystery writing" within another one... typical.)
In addition to having a primary consciousness system the spiritual template
also contains creation formulas described in specialized applications
relevant to the Work. Fortunately these formulas have a common frame of
reference and serious interpretation could identify them and also sort out
the odd terms needed to duplicate the specific application. However these
terms are only found in the mystic's field of study; it was intended to be
that way.
The result of this kind of template-overlay is to jack around historical and
physical perceptions so that we find islands in the narrative where there
are no physical islands. For example: in the Zeno Chart the islands on the
east coast of Iceland from St. Tomas Monastery on a bearing SSW through
"Griflada"... a matrix of 9 sites... are the basic human chakras
(nonphysical energy systems) from top to bottom that must be mastered by the
"Navigator" to be able to make the voyage. (A "voyage" in consciousness as
well as physically.) We also find in these islands a geometric key to
opening the rest of the "Consciousness" chart which, of possible interest,
also uses the same formats we find in Rosslyn's geometry, the engrailed
cross, and a dozen major grid systems in Europe and the Americas. The
nonphysical "Island" of Icaria complements the special rhombic form having
28 x's in it, located directly opposite to Icaria. This is a supplement to
the "Navigator Line" from St. Tomas and a unique application to a better
known geometric form using the golden ratio.
The island groups and sequencing of visits in The Navigatio are also
standard chakra groups but are specially organized. Again, this is a common
technique; we find the same device in the 7(8) Churches in Revelation and
also the gates in Nehemiah... just two of many examples. The Navigatio is
perhaps 10 times more complex than the Zeno Narrative; about like trying to
understand the operation of your Suburu Outback by only having the
maintenance manual (half in Japanese) compared to having the operator's
manual... without having the physical car to refer to! You'd have to KNOW
the physical car without physical reference.
This is the same with both the Navigatio and Zeno Narrative. They both are
using the same basic relatively hidden anatomy and function of the human
beyond the range of the physical senses and logic. These sciences have
always been with us and are now available. These two documents could be
decoded... possible but not likely. In the mystic community they would be
considered to be advanced systems beyond the capability of the average
mystic. In modern parlance we'd file them in the more esoteric Grail
dynamics of regeneration, unification, transfiguration, ascension. Not at
all small cocktail-topics. We find the same difficulty comparison in the
Bhagavadgita and Jewish/Christian scriptures. A right brain/left brain
comparison might also be made.
The physical story line could be separated out but only having first
determined the multi-layered spiritual templates' terms of reference. Based
on my own study of the Clan Sinclair Templars of the 1300-1500 era, ie the
geometry in the temples and earth areas, I believe that they understood
Brendan's Navigatio(s) and designed the more streamlined Zeno Chart which
was later more or less "officially" recorded with the Narrative. (At that
time these things were secret.) Certainly Henry and crew knew the formats
since we find them in Nova Scotia, New England, Orkney, etc. with Templar
towers and temples augmenting stone circles and other energy situations
dating to his time. These formats are the key to Rosslyn and many other
sites from Edinburgh to Orkney, in his stomping ground, but also in the
broad reaches of the Atlantic, Europe and Americas.
If a special pro tem task group took on the chore of translation and
interpretation of these documents I'd suggest staring with the Zeno
Narrative as being most relevant to this time. Its also easier to decode but
both are formidable and would need to begin with a special translation of
proper nouns: persons and places. And that would just be the first two day's
effort of a 3-month full time major Work by a crew of specialists.
(A little Templar humor: the main Atlantic spanning grid appears to be
"ejaculated" by a phallic peninsula pointing along the main grid line
through Icaria to Flogafcer in Islanda. There's a similar "peninsula" in
Icaria on the same bearing.)
For what its worth...
William of Crestone (Colorado)
------------
Extract from Neil's letter:
"I have the book 'The European discovery of America' by Samuel Eliot
Merinos and I will quote: 'Early Irish literature, both pagan & Christian,
abounds in imrama, as these Irish voyages are called. The imram tells the
tale of an ocean voyage , embellished by marvels & miracles; and of all
imrama, that of St. Brendan is the best. It enjoyed a popularity in the
middle ages equal to that of the Song of Roland and the legends of King
Arthur. No fewer than one hundred and twenty manuscripts of the Navigatio
Sancti Brendani Abbatis, the principal text, exist and three are from the
early eleventh century. In addition, there is a contemporary Vita S.
Brendani which has few details on the voyage but more on the saint's life
and career...."