Four Directions Teachings.com ~ Elder Mary Lee

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CREE (NEHIYAWAK) TEACHING ELDER: MARY LEE INTRODUCTION top As Cree people, we were given the gift of being named for the four parts of human beings. Nehiyawak, we were called. It means being balanced in the four parts that are found in the four directions of the Medicine Wheel. These four parts for human beings are the spiritual, physical, emotional and mental aspects of the self. We need to try and balance these four parts that were given to us, to function as people. The fire is in the centre of the Medicine Wheel. That is where the meaning of the teachings comes from. For me this fire is also the self. When you look at the Medicine Wheel, you start from self. And as you look out, you make your circle. This is how the Medicine Wheel represents the life journey of people. The old people will tell you it is life itself. Look at the four seasons and follow the sun. Spring in the east, summer in the south, fall in the west and winter in the north. It tells the whole story of how all life came into being abundantly bright, rising in the east and then fading away as it moves west and north. All life rises and sets like the sun. What we do in between is our journey. This is where the gifts of the four directions are needed - the gifts of the spirit, physical body, emotions and mind - and where we need to find balance within these four realms. Today, many people are out of balance because they tend to only favour two realms of self, the mental and the physical. They forget to look after their spiritual side, and often don’t know how to express and deal with their emotions. People think that by showing anger they are expressing their emotions. But that is not what it means to be emotional. Anger is a defense mechanism that protects the emotional part of us. The sensitive part of us is our emotional realm, the part that feels the truth about what’s around us. But we’ll show anger before we’ll show that true part of ourselves because we have learned to be embarrassed by it. We’ll get angry because that’s accepted. Sadly, some people even think it is respected. But we won’t show our true emotions, our vulnerability and sensitivity, because that is not accepted. So we have learned to replace those things with anger. As for the spirit, there never seems to be enough time. People think you have to make a commitment of time through long periods of devotion to be spiritual. But being spiritual is remembering. It is remembering that the first thing that was gifted to you when you came into being was the spirit. Sadly, we tend to forget that and then we neglect our spirit and take it for granted. So we need to remember where we came from and the gifts that were given to us as human beings. This way of being in the world was taught to me by my mother through the teachings of making a tipi. The tipi teachings, as I call them today, relate to nurturing the four aspects of the self, the spiritual, physical, emotional and mental, which are rooted in the four directions. The tipi is also a symbol of the women, so in honour of my mother and great grandmother and Cree women everywhere, I will share some of these tipi teachings with you. CENTRE top The tipi teachings are passed on. When I talk about the teachings, it’s not to alter or change them; I can only share how it was told to me. There are many, many teachings that belong here with the tipi. I won’t be able to share all of them with you. But in sharing a little bit of the meaning it is hoped that you will continue on your journey to seek the teachings that you require. You’re never done learning. For us, the word tipi doesn’t mean anything. There is a Cree word we use today; we say migawap. But traditionally, when my mother was teaching me about the tipi, she would say Kitche Migawap. In the beginning, it didn’t come in the shape of a tipi. It came in the shape of a dome, which we still use today. It’s known as a Sweat Lodge. When that lodge came to us, you couldn’t make a fire in there. The people would gather the rocks outside, heat them up, and then bring them into a pit in the middle. This would keep them warm during the night. But they couldn’t make a fire in there to cook. They had to do all their cooking outside. So when the lodge became bigger through the structure of the tipi, they could make a fire inside. My mother said that the women were named after that fire in the centre of the tipi, which brought that warmth and comfort. In the Cree language, the centre, the fire, is iskwuptew. “Woman” in our language is iskwew, more than one woman, iskwewuk. We were named after that fire, iskwuptew, and that is very powerful, because it honours the sacredness of that fire. In our language, for old woman, we say, Notegweu. Years ago we used the term Notaygeu, meaning when an old lady covers herself with a shawl. A tipi cover is like that old woman with a shawl. As it comes around the tipi, it embraces all those teachings, the values of community that the women hold. No matter how many children and great grandchildren come into that circle of hers, she always still has room. And if you put it up right, the poles never show on the bottom, and that tipi stands with dignity, just as, years ago, women always covered their legs with the skirt, which also represents the sacred circle of life. And when you put the flaps up, it teaches you how we embrace life itself. It’s like a woman standing there with her arms out, saying “Thank you” to everything. That is what the tipi is - it is the spirit and body of woman, because she represents the foundation of family and community. It is through her that we learn the values that bring balance into our lives. That is why, when you construct a tipi, it involves ceremony: because the ceremony of making a tipi represents the value of women’s teachings. TIPI CEREMONY top When I make something, it’s not just to make it; it’s got meaning to it. It’s like when I pick sweetgrass, and when I braid it, there’s a prayer that goes in there. Whoever I give that sweetgrass to, when they burn it, those prayers come out, and they help that person. It’s the same with a tipi. When I make a tipi, when it goes up the first time, it has to face the east, because a tipi to me is not just a symbol, it’s a ceremony. The doorway is very important in ceremony. For ceremonial purposes, the Cree face the doorway east because that represents the beginning of creation. Today, people forget that. That is why, when I am asked to make a tipi for someone, I take them through the ceremony so that they can embrace the true meaning and teaching of the tipi. I hope that it is a way to touch their spirit and provide guidance for them on their journey. Before making a tipi, I offer tobacco. I don’t just stand and let that tobacco fall; I sit on the ground with humbleness, because I am offering something for something I will use from Mother Earth. Because it’s not ours; everything we take is borrowed; we’re borrowing time; we’re borrowing all the things we need to make a tipi. I also ask whoever I am building the tipi with to offer tobacco with humbleness. I usually ask the women in that family to offer the tobacco, because the tipi is a woman’s symbol; and the ceremony is a woman’s teaching. The men can be part of the ceremony and can help to put up a tipi but they can’t hold the teachings, because they are not women. The men need the women to be present during the making of the tipi to take in those teachings and to offer that sacred tobacco to Mother Earth because that is all part of the ceremony. I learned this through doing it, and through the instruction of my mother, who taught me that tobacco must be given for each stage of the process. So when I go out to the land and cut down the tipi poles, I make offerings of tobacco each time. This is how we honour the resources and gifts of our Mother Earth. She has gifted us for a very long time. Today, people use tipis more or less for symbolic reasons. But I have made the commitment to share the teachings of the tipi each time I put one up. I do this because the tipi is a ceremony that reminds us of the balance we must bring to our lives and of the powerful teachings that the women have. TIPI STRUCTURE top Today I make tipis that stand twenty-two feet high, but years ago, tipis were maybe twelve or thirteen feet. They didn’t have the material for large structures because they used hide instead of canvas and rocks instead of ground pegs. That is why today you can still find circles of rocks, or tipi rings, on the land. It wouldn’t make sense to have your tipi too high, because the winds and storms would catch it. As time passed, the rocks were replaced with chokecherry ground pegs because they were one of the harder woods once they were dry. Today I cut and peel spruce for the tipi poles and I use sticks to adjust the front flaps of the tipi entryway. My mother used a bone from the moose leg to close the tipi in the front. My mother never used a measuring tape, or mapped things out mathematically – she just cut out her tipi and made it. And each time it was perfect. The Cree people use 15 poles to make the structure of the tipi. For every pole in that tipi, there is a teaching. So there are 15 teachings that hold up the tipi. Other Nations use 16 poles, and maybe more, I don’t know. All I know is what I know I was taught and that is the teachings for 15 poles. The tipi does not have to face east all the time; it can rotate in any direction. It is only the first time that I request that the tipi face east, because of the opening ceremony. To start, we take three poles and bind them together to make a tripod. Each pole also has a very specific meaning. These three together fortify the structure. They are obedience, respect and humility. Notice the poles, the way they stand. If they stood straight up and down, they couldn’t support a tipi. But balanced properly together, they are able to reinforce each other. There’s a teaching in that. In order to make a family, you need three: the two parents and the child, to make that balance. The tops of the poles have many teachings. Each one points in a different direction. We are like those poles. We all need the strength and support of our families and communities, but we accept that we all have different journeys and point in different directions. The poles also teach us that no matter what version of the Great Spirit we believe in, we still go to the same Creator from those many directions and belief systems; we just have different journeys to get there. And where the poles come out together at the top, it’s like they’re creating a nest. And they also resemble a bird with its wings up when it comes to land, and that’s another teaching: the spirit coming to land, holding its wings up. TIPI POLES top We could talk about each of these poles for a long time; each one holds many teachings, and takes a long time and much experience to truly understand. I will give you some words on each pole, to give a beginning idea of what the poles represent. TIPI POLES OBEDIENCE Obedience means accepting guidance and wisdom from outside of ourselves, using our ears before our mouth. We learn by listening to traditional stories, by listening to our parents or guardians, our fellow students and our teachers. We learn by their behaviors and reminders, so that we know what is right and what is wrong. RESPECT Respect means giving honor to our Elders and fellow students, to the strangers that come to visit our community, and to all of life. We must honor the basic rights of all others. HUMILITY We are not above or below others in the circle of life. We feel humbled when we understand our relationship with Creation. We are so small compared to the majestic expanse of Creation, just a “strand in the web of life.” Understanding this helps us to respect and value life. HAPPINESS After the tripod is up, the fourth pole completes your doorway. This fourth pole teaches us happiness. We must show some enthusiasm to encourage others. Our good actions will make our ancestors happy in the next world. This is how we share happiness. LOVE If we are to live in harmony we must accept one another as we are, and accept others who are not in our circle. Love means to be good and kind to one another and to our selves. FAITH We must learn to believe and trust others, to believe in a power greater than ourselves, whom we worship and who gives us strength to be a worthy member of the human race. To sustain our spirituality, we need to walk it every day. Not just sometimes, but every day. It’s not just once a week; it’s your life. KINSHIP Our family is important to us. This includes our parents, brothers and sisters, who love us and give us roots that tie us to the lifeblood of the earth. It also includes extended family: grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins, and their in-laws and children. They are also our brothers and sisters and give us a sense of belonging to a community. CLEANLINESS Today when we talk about cleanliness, most people think hygiene, and that’s very important. But years ago, when old people talked about cleanliness, they meant spiritual cleanliness. When I used to sit with the old Kookums in their tipis, spiritually, they were so powerfully clean. Clean thoughts come from a clean mind and this comes from our spirituality. With a clean mind and sense of peace within we learn not to inflict ills on others. Good health habits also reflect a clean mind. THANKFULNESS We learn to give thanks: to always be thankful for the Creator’s bounty, which we are privileged to share with others, and for all the kind things others do for us. SHARING We learn to be part of a family and community by helping with the provisions of food and other basic needs. Through the sharing of responsibilities we learn the value of working together and enjoying the fruits of our labor. STRENGTH We are not talking about physical strength, but spiritual strength. That was instilled in us when we were young people through fasting. We must learn to be patient in times of trouble and not to complain but to endure and show understanding. We must accept difficulties and tragedies so that we may give others strength to accept their own difficulties and tragedies. GOOD CHILD REARING Children are gifts from the Creator. We are responsible for their wellbeing, spiritually, emotionally, physically, and intellectually, since they are blessed with the gift of representing the continuing circle of life, which we perceive to be the Creator’s will. HOPE We must look forward to moving toward good things. We need to have a sense that the seeds we are planting will bear fruit for our children, families and communities. ULTIMATE PROTECTION This is the ultimate responsibility to achieve the balance and well being of the body, mind, emotions and spirit for the individual, the family, the community and the nation. CONTROL FLAPS The control flaps on a tipi teach that we are all connected by relationship and that we depend on each other. Having respect for and understanding this connection creates and controls harmony and balance in the circle of life. When we don’t know how to use the flaps, it gets all smoky inside the tipi, and you can’t see, which is like life – because if we can’t live in balance, we can’t see clearly where we’re going. CONCLUSION - POLES For every time that a pole is added, a rope goes around to bind that pole into place. You have to be there and see it to appreciate that teaching. That rope is a sacred bond, binding all the teachings together until they are all connected. I have shared these teachings with you with the hope that they will help keep the women strong and will help our communities to nurture healthy, balanced people. EAST top The woman spirit comes from the east, where the sun rises, where our warmth and vision starts. And the spirit of women brings that warmth into the home. One of our four sacred medicines, sage, also resides here in the east, because it is women’s medicine. It comes from the buffalo plant that was gifted to the women. It is called prairie buffalo sage. There are many sacred teachings about the plants and medicines, and of how they decided to be where they are, but that is another teaching for another time. Here in the east is the beginning of all life, when the spirit is conceived and gifted to the womb of the mother-to-be. And because that being is identified as a person at conception, the older women taught us how to balance ourselves during that nine-month journey, how to look after ourselves so that journey would not be disrupted. My mother would sit and talk with the young women, and the men too, about how to make that connection with that spirit, before the child was even born. Because it hears your voice, has your emotions, feels your spiritual state during that nine-month journey. She used to say, “Your child can hear everything you say, feels all your emotions.” My mother also taught how human life is conditioned in the first year. She called it Eshkawasis, meaning “new child.” She stressed the importance of this first year - that the new chid’s journey in this time should be especially safe. For example, you would always carry your child with two hands, with the greatest respect; you don’t carry such a special gift under one arm. A newborn is very powerful, the greatest of all teachers. They can sense things that are not the norm, and let you know, protect you spiritually. We call it having a nightmare, but that’s not what it is. And they continue to teach us as they grow. For example, they will crawl, stand, fall down and get up again, and learn to walk. My mother used to say, “That child teaches you what life’s going to be - you don’t just get up once and walk forever - you will fall, and you will have to get up. Maybe you’ll need to crawl a little bit, but you will get up and walk again.” She said, “look at that child, how they struggle. They teach us that we don’t give up just because we fell. Even as they get older, they fall by playing. Again, that’s a reminder: we must always persist in getting up and doing things again and again.” My mother also taught us to give thanks to Mother Earth for accepting our child to walk upon her. When that time comes, a celebration feast happens, and Elders come and pray for that young person on the next stages of their journey. SOUTH top Here in the south all life is active. It’s the time of summer. Our physical aspect is represented here. In this part of our journey, we become young people. The young are very physical beings, very active, continuously moving, changing themselves, even their moods. We have good energy at this time of our journey. A lot of people today are scared of youth; we don’t quite understand or trust them. But there’s a reason why: we’ve kept them apart from that circle of life. We need to respect youth, and accept them into our world. In our Cree language, there’s no word for “teenagers.” They’re young adults. And we need to encourage youth. We don’t need to say, “You’re bad,” because there are no bad people; we only do bad things. But sometimes youth need to be reminded by the old people. And that’s okay. I notice older people saying, “I can’t tell my grandchildren that, because they don’t believe me, they don’t listen; they think I’m wrong.” Say it anyway. Like my mother used to say, “You don’t hear everything today, but someday you will hear what’s been said. When you need it you will hear it.” So it’s good to take young people to older people, to have them sit there and listen. Because they might be blocking out that day, but their spirit never blocks out; their spirit will take in the information. And we should take the youth to see different people. My mother used to say, “If you only go to one elder all your life, you will only know what that one elder knows.” So expand your wings and learn. Go and listen. You might not agree, but hear how that person is teaching. Hear the teachings from other nations, and remember yours. But don’t ever contradict or correct them. Only when you’re asked do you share. Young people sometimes disrespect the Elders when they’re talking about stories and teachings; they’re correcting them. But that Elder can only share with you what they’ve heard and what they remember. Maybe you heard it different, but that’s okay. If you listen, you’ll be richer, because now you’ve heard different sides of the story. WEST top Here in the West is the time of adulthood, of responsibility. You’re responsible at that time for other people. It’s also the parenting stage of your life journey when you have that bond with the child in the eastern direction. And most often we are so touched by our children that we want them to have a better life than we have as adults. And those children teach us, help us to remember to go back and do things over and over again even when we fall. It’s never a smooth journey when you are an adult because you have a lot of responsibility. You’re responsible for the children that you brought into this world. And once you’re a parent, you’re a parent for life. So at that time, thinking about those responsibilities, people tend to seek advice from older people and sometimes the emotions and stories from your childhood experience come out at that time. That’s why that gift of emotion is also in the West with the adult. We can do our own thinking and speak out more as adults we’re stronger, more capable, if we have grown in a good way. And if we know we need to get healthy, that’s usually when we come out and talk about issues that have held us back in our journeys to be good people, to live a good life. It’s a time to let go of anger and disclose emotion because a lot of times emotion turns to anger and that’s when it’s no good. It can be very harmful. It’s better if the emotion turns into a release through crying, which is a good way. It is a time when you can process your emotions and no longer be afraid or shy, when you are brave enough to tell your story. If there’s anything we need to get rid of most often that’s when we do it on our adult journey because sometimes we keep our mourning, our loses in family and life until that time when we realize we need to let go if we’re going to have a healthy journey. And it often takes that long until we are adults to finally grow that way, when we are faced with great responsibility NORTH top We started from the east, we went to the south, and in the emotion part we went to the west in our journey. That’s like any ceremony we go to. We start our ceremonies in the east, and then we’ll finish in the northern direction, which is our life journey. We finish our journeys as older people in that direction - which is the mental part of our journey. I think the mental part is there because we’re capable then to stop and think, and look at our journeys and foresee the journeys of our people. Because we have the capability to be mentally intact, to know a lot of things that are needed in our communities, in our people. We have time to think; we’re not so rushed, not so physical any more. We went through our emotional stage of life. Now we are sort of the thinking part of the community, of the family. We are the ones that make decisions for families. We’re supposed to be the brain people; if we’ve looked after ourselves, we get to that stage in our journey. And in this place we also have that relationship with the youth – who are looking to us from the south. And we’re in that stage for a certain amount of time. Then we go back into infancy. You often see old people starting to forget, starting to act like children. They need help to walk, to be fed. We go back into that spirit world of being an infant one more time. In Aboriginal society that was accepted. When you see old people go into that stage in their journey, beyond their mental capabilities and back into that infancy, spirit, they talk a lot about their childhood, remember it like it happened today, remember those stories so vividly, but they won’t remember much about their adulthood or their youth. They’ll remember, because they’re going back into that journey. My grandmother used to talk about how they played and how they climbed trees. She was 92 years old and she would tell me stories about when she was little, being a child. Because she was going back into being a child one more time. THE DRUM top There’s a teaching in the four directions of the Medicine Wheel about responsibility and relationship between the four stages of life. This teaching comes from the teaching of the drum, the circle that is the drum. When you criss-cross the directions as you tie the drum, it shows how adults can parent an infant because the tie goes from the child to the adult. And from there it goes to the elder who is tied to the youth. That’s why it was gifted at the time of creation of human beings that the adults should parent that infant and that’s why Elders can often speak to young people better than an adult that’s parenting that young person because that connection in the wheel is coming from north to the south, from Elder to youth. It’s so so important today and a lot of times when the young person comes along in the southern door, that’s why then grandparents were used to give teachings at that time. Sometimes grandparents only took that child for a year or two, sometimes longer. The dominant society never understood when a young person was moved to the grandparents. It wasn’t because the parents couldn’t parent, they just knew that cycle of teaching in the four directions. It’s in the Medicine Wheel. Our lives are like the Medicine Wheel – all our motion, our life, our journeys are in the Medicine Wheel. That’s how the teachings happened years ago. © 2006 All Rights Reserved 4D Interactive Inc.

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The Ark of the Covenant: SECRETS OF THE SANCTUARY

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The Ark of the Covenant, Pt. 3

WHAT WAS SIGNIFICANT ABOUT THE SANCTUARY?

SECRETS OF THE SANCTUARY

Experts have proven that one of the most successful methods of memorization is through picture association. The Lord uses this teaching technique because He knows that humans are extremely visual creatures. This is one of the main reasons Jesus taught with parables. Picture stories help people understand and remember the many abstract principles of salvation by associating them with visual images.

God first illustrated the plan of salvation immediately after Adam and Eve sinned by having them sacrifice a lamb. This process impressed upon the first couple the heinous results of sin and foreshadowed the ultimate death of the "Lamb of God" for their sins.

By the time the children of Israel had spent 400 years in Egypt as slaves to a pagan nation, the Lord saw that His people needed a complete re-educating as to the "big picture" of the plan of redemption - including their role and God's role in cleansing them from their sins and restoring them to His image

This is why, when the children of Israel finally limped out of Egypt with scars on their backs and visions of the Promised Land dancing in their minds, God didn't immediately lead them north toward the Promised Land, but south toward Mt. Sinai. He was about to deliver to this infant nation one of the most powerful and enduring object lessons ever recorded. And He would do it almost entirely with symbols.

The Lord told Moses, "Let them make me a sanctuary; that I may dwell among them" (Exodus 25:8). Keep in mind that this earthly tabernacle was never intended to be an edifice to shelter God from the elements. Jehovah is not a homeless God. When Solomon was building the first temple in Jerusalem, he said: "But will God indeed dwell on the earth? behold, the heaven and heaven of heavens cannot contain thee; how much less this house that I have builded?" (1 Kings 8:27).

What, then, is the key to the puzzle of the sanctuary? The structure and ceremonies were to serve as symbols to illustrate the sequence and process of salvation.

As we consider the sanctuary symbols, let's look at the first earthly sanctuary - the one that Moses had the people construct in the wilderness. This portable tent was often called the "tabernacle." Moses did not simply dream up what he thought this structure should look like. In the same way God spelled out the precise dimensions for Noah's Ark, God gave Moses exact plans for everything in the sanctuary, even to the minutest detail of the accessories.

God's plan wasn't arbitrary either. He already had a real dwelling place in heaven where the plan of salvation was first conceived. The earthly sanctuary was to be a miniature model, or shadow, of the heavenly. God told Moses, "According to all that I show thee, after the pattern of the tabernacle [in heaven], and the pattern of all the instruments thereof, even so shall ye make it" (Exodus 25:9). Unlike any other building ever constructed, the sanctuary would be a three-dimensional, life-sized lesson book. Every component, from the largest curtain to the tiniest piece of furniture, had a symbolic meaning that helped the children of Israel see, experience, and comprehend the plan of salvation and the role of the heavenly sanctuary in a very practical way.

A Journey to God

Let's begin a brief tour through this unusual structure and learn a few basic lessons before examining the deeper meanings of the sanctuary system.

The sanctuary consisted of three principal areas: the courtyard, the holy place, and the most holy place. These three locations represent the three primary steps in the process of salvation known as justification, sanctification, and glorification, and they correspond with three phases of Christ's ministry: the substitutionary sacrifice, the priestly mediation, and the final judgment.

The holy of holies, the tabernacle's most sacred spot, represents the presence of God. The walls around the courtyard and the holy place vividly illustrate man's separation from God. "But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear" (Isaiah 59:2). All of the sanctuary services represent a sinner's journey back to God. In the first three chapters of the Bible, sin enters the world and man is evicted from the garden of Eden. In the last three chapters, sin is eradicated and man is restored to the garden and communion with God.

Please keep in mind as we venture onto this holy ground that we are gathering only a few gems of truth. Volumes could be written on the sanctuary and its symbols without exhausting the subject.

The Door

The first thing we notice as we approach the sanctuary is that there is only one door. Not even a fire exit! Remember Jesus' words: "I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved" (John 10:9).

All that are saved are redeemed by Jesus alone. "Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved" (Acts 4:12). The only way to God is through Christ, the only Door.

The Courtyard

The entire edifice of the sanctuary was surrounded by a courtyard made of linen curtains set up in a very specific orientation. It was twice as long as it was wide (150 feet long and 75 feet wide) and was to be set up with the one opening facing east. That arrangement ensured that the worshipers and priests who stood at the door had their backs to the rising sun, instead of facing it like the pagan sun-worshiping religions of the day. God's people worship the Creator instead of the creation.

The Altar of Burnt Offering

Immediately upon entering the door of the courtyard sat the brazen altar of burnt offerings. The altar was actually made of acacia wood and overlaid with brass. Some have likened the wood portion to human works and the brass to Christ's work. Without the brass, the wooden frame would have been consumed by the fire during the burning of the offerings, just as we will be consumed by the lake of fire if we do not believe that Jesus' grace must eclipse self.

The Laver

Between the altar of burnt offerings and the entrance to the holy place stood the laver. It was also made of brass and was filled with water for the cleansing of the priests.

The picture of the sinner's justification became clear in the courtyard. Before God gave the Israelites His law on tables of stone, He saved them from slavery in Egypt by virtue of their faith in the Passover Lamb (symbolized by the altar) and baptized them in the sea (represented by the laver). God takes us just as we are and forgives our sins. When we accept Christ, confess our sins, and ask for forgiveness, our heavenly record of sin is covered by Jesus' blood. Then we are to be baptized.

The Holy Place

The actual tabernacle stood in the west half of the courtyard. It was divided into two compartments, or rooms. While the width of the two rooms was the same, the length of the first room, the holy place, was twice as long as that of the most holy place. The walls of the central structure were made of acacia boards overlaid with gold and connected with silver hardware (Exodus 26).

All who entered the holy place to minister saw themselves reflected in the golden walls on every side, reminding them that the eyes of the Lord see all. "And he made a covering for the tent of rams' skins dyed red, and a covering of badgers' skins above that" (Exodus 36:19). The priests could look up and see that they served under a red skin. Likewise, Christians are a nation of priests that serve Jesus under His blood.

The Holy place had three articles of furniture. We will review them one by one.

The Golden Lampstand

Just inside the holy place on the left (south) side, stood the golden menorah that had seven candlestick branches (see Exodus 25:31-40). They were not wax candles as we know them, but lamps fueled by pure olive oil. The priests trimmed the wicks daily and refilled the bowls with oil so that the menorah would constantly be a source of light for the holy place. Jesus said, "I am the light of the world" (John 8:12).

He also said, "Ye are the light of the world" (Matthew 5:14). The Olive oil in the lamps symbolized the Holy Spirit that illuminates the church. The lamp is a symbol of the Word, as well (Psalm 119:105).

The Table of Showbread

Opposite the lamp was the table of showbread on the north side. It was constructed of acacia wood and covered with gold (Exodus 25:23-30). On it were kept 12 loaves of unleavened bread (Leviticus 24:5-9). These loaves were symbolic of Jesus, who is the Bread of Life (John 6:35). The number 12 signified the 12 tribes of Israel and 12 apostles of Jesus who were to feed God's people with the bread of life - which is also a symbol of the Bible (Matthew 4:4).

The Altar of Incense

The altar of incense was located directly across from the door standing against the ornate veil that separated the holy place from the most holy place. Like several other items in the sanctuary, it was also made of acacia wood and covered with gold (Exodus 30:1-3). It was much small than the altar in the courtyard and contained a brass pot that held hot coals from the brazen altar of burnt offerings. It was here that the priest burned a very special blend of incense which filled the sanctuary with a sweet-smelling cloud, representing the prayers of intercession and confession of the believers sweetened by the Holy Spirit (Exodus 30:8).

The Holy Place represents the process of sanctification. This corresponds to the wilderness wanderings of Israel. The pillar of fire was their menorah, and the manna was their showbread. The pillar of cloud was their cloud of incense.

Sanctification is the process in the Christian's life of learning to obey. It is made up of a series of justifications. Each time we sin we ask for forgiveness, and we are justified again. However, God offers more than forgiveness when we confess. In 1 John 1:9, He promises us that, "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."

It is that "cleansing from unrighteousness" that constitutes sanctification. The key ingredients in our sanctification are a devotional life in the Word, prayer, and witnessing. The sanctuary's bread, incense, and lamp represent these elements.

The Most Holy Place

The length of the most holy place equaled its width so that it formed a square. It was also as high as it was wide and long, making it a perfect cube - just like the New Jerusalem will be (see Revelation 21:16). the apartment contained only one piece of furniture.

The Veil

This veil, or curtain, separating the holy and the most holy places of the sanctuary has a great significance, because it was this veil that tore at the very moment Jesus died on the cross (Matthew 27:51; Mark 15:38; Luke 23:45). His death symbolized the end of the need for the exclusive Levitical priesthood to mediate between man and God.

The veil represents the body of Jesus (Hebrews 10:19,20). It was only by passing through this veil that access was possible to the most holy place (Hebrews 4:16). The tearing of the veil symbolized the death of the Lamb of God, which now permits the believer in His atonement immediate access to the most holy place through the new High Priest - Jesus Christ - the one and only Mediator between man and God.

The Ark of the Covenant

Inside the most holy place, or "holy of holies," was one piece of furniture - the ark of the covenant. This sacred box, also constructed of acacia wood and covered with gold, contained the tables of stone upon which God had written the Ten Commandments. Later it also contained Aaron's rod that had budded and a small pot of manna.

The lid of the ark was called the "mercy seat" (Exodus 25:17), and above it was the shining glory of the Lord, of Shekinah (which literally means "the dwelling"), radiating between two cherubs, or angels, on either end of the ark. This was a symbol of the throne of God and the presence of the Almighty in heaven. The walls of the most holy place were engraved with many angels, representing the clouds of living angels that surround the person of God in heaven (1 Kings 6:29).

How It All Works

The sanctuary shows how God deals with sin. Sin cannot be ignored. Its wages are death (Roman 6:23). the law can't be changed to make sinners not guilty. Sin's wages must be paid, either by the sinner in receiving eternal death, or by Christ on the cross. Let's follow a sin as it is confessed, and then processed through the sanctuary.

The Courtyard Ministry

When a sinner became convicted of sin by the Holy Spirit and wanted to confess, he came to the door of the courtyard with a spotless animal (usually a lamb) to sacrifice. He laid his hands on the head of the innocent victim and confessed his sin. This symbolically transferred his sin and its penalty to the lamb. Then with his own hand he had to slay the animal and shed its blood. This was to impress upon the repentant sinner that his sins would ultimately require the death of the spotless Lamb of God.

This was the part of the sinner in the sanctuary service. The priests, who represented the mediation of Christ between the guilty sinner and his God, did the rest.

After confessing his sin and slaying the lamb, the sinner went away forgiven, his sin covered by the shed blood of the victim. Of course the lamb's blood didn't cover the sin, but it represented the blood of Christ, "the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world" (John 1:29).

After some of the blood was caught by the priest, the rest was poured out on the ground at the base of the altar and the animal was burnt on the altar. The altar symbolized the cross where Jesus was sacrificed for the sins of the world. His blood was spilt on the ground at the foot of the cross when the centurion pierced His side (John 19:34).

The blood of the lamb, symbolically bearing the guilt of the sinner, was then taken by the priest and transferred to the holy place of the sanctuary. However, the priest never went into the sanctuary without first cleansing himself at the laver. This washing is symbolic of baptism and is listed as on of the symbols for salvation (Acts 2:38). The Israelites had to cross the Red Sea before they were free from the bondage of Egypt. "And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea" (1 Corinthians 10:2).

So in the courtyard we pass through the fire and water. Jesus said, "Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God" (John 3:5).

In the holy place the smoke of the incense rising from the altar represented the intercession of the Holy Spirit in Jesus' name, making our prayers of confession acceptable to the Father (Romans 8:26, 27). Each day the blood, bearing the guilt, was sprinkled before the veil, thus transferring the guilt from the sinner to the tabernacle. There the guilt of the repentant sinners accumulated throughout the year until the Day of Atonement.

The Most Holy Place Ministry

Once a year, on the Day of Atonement, the high priest took two perfect kid goats, and lots were cast over them to determine which one would be the Lord's goat and which would be the scapegoat (called Azazel in Hebrew). After confessing his own sins and those of his family upon a bull, the high priest placed his hands on the Lord's goat and confessed the sins of the entire congregation which had accumulated in the holy place during the year. Then the Lord's goat was slain, and the blood was taken by the high priest into the most holy place and offered before the mercy seat of the ark where the presence of God dwelt (Leviticus 16).

The ark of the covenant contains some of the most beautiful and significant symbolism of God's entire plan of salvation. Inside the ark, between the golden bowl of manna, symbolizing God's providence, and Aaron's rod that budded, symbolizing God's authority and discipline, were the two tables of stone on which God's finger inscribed the law that has been violated by all men (Romans 3:23). The breaking of that law is sin (1 John 3:4) and the penalty for sin is death (Romans 6:23).

Between the law which condemns us to death and the all-consuming presence of God is the mercy seat, or the lid of the ark. This arrangement illustrates that only Jesus' mercy saves us from being consumed by the fiery presence and justice of God. But Jesus' mercy isn't cheap. He bought it with His own blood. He paid the wages of sin so He could offer mercy to all who will accept it.

Next, representing Christ as Mediator, the high priest transferred the sins that had polluted the sanctuary to the live goat, Azazel, which was then led away from the camp of Israelites. This symbolically removed the sins of the people and readied the sanctuary for another year of ministry. Thus, all things were right between God and His people once again.

A Broad View of Salvation

The plan of salvation is the theme of the entire Bible. The salvation of the children of Israel from Egypt follows this plan exactly. Egypt corresponded to the courtyard where justification transpired. God sacrificed all the firstborn of Egypt, representing those who will pay for their own sins. But the Israelites were allowed to substitute the blood of the Passover lamb for their firstborn child, representing those who accept Jesus' payment. After the sacrifice came the cleansing. All of the children of Israel were "baptized" in the Red Sea (1 Corinthians 10:1,2) symbolized by the laver.

This daily progress in character building is the process of sanctification. But what is the end result of sanctification? Eventually we come to the place where we would rather die than dishonor our Savior by sinning. That is when the new covenant is fulfilled in us. "But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the Lord, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, they shall be my people" (Jeremiah 31:33). When God's law is our delight and pleasure and sin has no more power over us, then the process of sanctification is complete.

Atonement

For 10 days leading up to the Day of Atonement, the children of Israel were to clean their camp, houses, bodies, and guilt by confessing every known fault. After the high priest went through the ritual of cleansing the sanctuary, God had a clean sanctuary and a clean people.

Now, as the real atonement is taking place in heaven, God's people must be purified again. In order to finish the cleansing of the heavenly sanctuary and bring His people to heaven, Christ cannot have any more sins confessed. The wicked will go on sinning, but they will bear their own sins and pay sin's wages in the judgment.

The righteous, on the other hand, will have gained the victory over sin through the blood of Jesus Christ. This takes place when they all have the new covenant experience, which takes the law from the stone tables and makes it an integral part of their hearts. At that time, Christ can finish cleansing His heavenly sanctuary and and come for His bride because His earthly sanctuary - His people - have also been cleansed. He will have a clean sanctuary in heaven and a clean sanctuary on earth. Doesn't Jesus say that we are His temple? (Ephesians 2:19-21; 1 Corinthians 3:16).

Jesus Is the Sanctuary

This study could go on for hundreds of pages, but ultimately the central theme of the whole sanctuary system is Jesus. Jesus is the Door, the spotless Lamb, our High Priest. He is the Light of the World and the Bread of Life. He is the Living Water in the laver and the Rock upon which is written the law of God in the ark. His love is the gold shimmering throughout the holy place. It is His blood that makes it possible for us to approach the Father. Indeed, Jesus is the essence of the temple, for He said, "Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up. ...But he spake of the temple of his body" (John 2:19,21).

Have you made Christ your sanctuary? The Scriptures promise: "Behold, A king shall reign in righteousness, and princes shall rule in judgment. And a man shall be an an hiding place from the wind, and a covert from the tempest; as rivers of water in a dry place, as the shadow of a great rock in a weary land" (Isaiah 32:1,2).

"We might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us: Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which entereth into that within the veil" (Hebrews 6:18,19).

"Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need" (Hebrews 4:16). Amazing Facts Inside Report, Feb. 2000

NOAH'S ARK . ARK OF COVENANT . SODOM & GOMORRAH . RED SEA CROSSING . MT. SINAI
MORE . Joseph . FAQ . HOME . Ron Wyatt . Discovery Times . Audio/Video . Study Topics

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Vasala Sutta: Discourse on Outcasts

http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/snp/snp.1.07.piya.html

Sn 1.7
Vasala Sutta: Discourse on Outcasts
Translated from the Pali by
Piyadassi Thera

Thus have I heard:

On one occasion the Blessed One was living near Savatthi at Jetavana at Anathapindika's monastery. Then in the forenoon the Blessed One having dressed himself, took bowl and (double) robe, and entered the city of Savatthi for alms. Now at that time a fire was burning, and an offering was being prepared in the house of the brahman Aggikabharadvaja. Then the Blessed One, while on his alms round, came to the brahman's residence. The brahman seeing the Blessed One some way off, said this: "Stay there, you shaveling, stay there you wretched monk, stay there you outcast." When he spoke thus the Blessed One said to the brahman: "Do you know, brahman, who an outcast is and what the conditions are that make an outcast?" "No, indeed, Venerable Gotama, I do not know who an outcast is nor the conditions that make an outcast. It is good if Venerable Gotama were to explain the Dhamma to me so that I may know who an outcast is and what the conditions are that make an outcast."1

"Listen then, brahman, and pay attention, I will speak."

"Yes, Venerable Sir," replied the brahman.

1. "Whosoever is angry, harbors hatred, and is reluctant to speak well of others (discredits the good of others), perverted in views, deceitful — know him as an outcast.

2. "Whosoever in this world kills living beings, once born or twice born,2 in whom there is no sympathy for living beings — know him as an outcast.

3. "Whosoever destroys and besieges villages and hamlets and becomes notorious as an oppressor — know him as an outcast.

4. "Be it in the village, or in the forest, whosoever steals what belongs to others, what is not given to him — know him as an outcast.

5. "Whosoever having actually incurred a debt runs away when he is pressed to pay, saying, 'I owe no debt to you' — know him as an outcast.

6. "Whosoever coveting anything, kills a person going along the road, and grabs whatever that person has — know him as an outcast.

7. "He who for his own sake or for the sake of others or for the sake of wealth, utters lies when questioned as a witness — know him as an outcast.

8. "Whosoever by force or with consent associates with the wives of relatives or friends — know him as an outcast.

9. "Whosoever being wealthy supports not his mother and father who have grown old — know him as an outcast.

10. "Whosoever strikes and annoys by (harsh) speech, mother, father, brother, sister or mother-in-law or father-in-law — know him as an outcast.

11. "Whosoever when questioned about what is good, says what is detrimental, and talks in an evasive manner- know him as an outcast.

12. "Whosoever having committed an evil deed, wishes that it may not be known to others, and commits evil in secret — know him as an outcast.

13. "Whosoever having gone to another's house, and partaken of choice food, does not honor that host by offering food when he repays the visit — know him as an outcast.

14. "Whosoever deceives by uttering lies, a brahman or an ascetic, or any other mendicant — know him as an outcast.

15. "Whosoever when a brahman or ascetic appears during mealtime angers him by harsh speech, and does not offer him (any alms) — know him as an outcast.

16. "Whosoever in this world, shrouded in ignorance, speaks harsh words (asatam) or falsehood3 expecting to gain something — know him as an outcast.

17. "Whosoever debased by his pride, exalts himself and belittles other — know him as an outcast.

18. "Whosoever is given to anger, is miserly, has base desires, and is selfish, deceitful, shameless and fearless (in doing evil) — know him as an outcast.

19. "Whosoever reviles the Enlightened One (the Buddha), or a disciple of the Buddha, recluse or a householder — know him as an outcast.

20. "Whosoever not being an arahant, a Consummate One, pretends to be so, is a thief in the whole universe — he is the lowest of outcasts.

21. "Not by birth is one an outcast; not by birth is one a brahman. By deed one becomes an outcast, by deed one becomes a brahman.

22. "Know ye by the example I now cite (the fact that by birth one is not an outcast). There was an outcast's son, Sopaka, who became known as Matanga.

23. "This Matanga attained the highest fame so difficult to gain. Many were the warriors (kshatriyas) and brahmans who went to attend on him.

24. "Mounting the celestial chariot (the Noble Eightfold path, and driving) along the passion-free high road, (Sopaka, now a monk), reached the Brahma realm having given up sense desires.

25. "His (lowly) birth did not prevent him from being reborn in the Brahma realm. There are brahmans born in the family of preceptors, kinsmen of (veda) hymns.

26. "They are often seen committing evil deeds. In this life itself they are despised, in the next they are born in an evil state of existence. High birth does not prevent them from falling into a woeful state, or from censure.

27. "Not by birth is one an outcast; not by birth is one a brahman. By deed one becomes an outcast, by deed one becomes an brahman."

When the Buddha had thus spoken, the Brahman Aggikabharadvaja said to the Blessed One: "Excellent, O Venerable Gotama, excellent! Just as, O Venerable Gotama, a man were to set upright what had been overturned, or were to reveal what had been hidden, or were to point the way to one who had gone astray, or were to hold an oil lamp in the dark so that those with eyes may see things, even so in many ways has the Venerable Gotama expounded the Dhamma, the doctrine. I take refuge in the Venerable Gotama, the Dhamma, and the Sangha, the Order. May the Venerable Gotama accept me as a lay follower who has taken refuge from this day onwards while life lasts."

Notes

1. The abusive terms used by the brahman and the respectful address that follows need a word of explanation. The brahman had just prepared his offering to the great Brahma, his God, when his eyes fell on Buddha. To the brahman the sight of a samana, a shaven-headed recluse, was an unlucky sign. Hence he burst into angry words. The Buddha, however, was unruffled and spoke to him quietly in words of soft cadence. The brahman apparently was ashamed, and repenting of his folly, addressed the Buddha courteously. Comy. It is interesting to note the Buddha's stress on anger and hatred in his very first stanza.

2. dvijam, birds. Twice-born is a reference to birds since they first come out as an egg, and when hatched a complete bird is born.

3. asantamtipi patho, SnA.

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When Was Jesus Christ Born: The Unspoken Bible

http://www.usbible.com/Astrology/when_was_jesus_born.htm

When Was Jesus Christ Born

According to the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus was born near the end of Herod's reign which would place his birth at 6-4 BCE. Luke tells us that Jesus was born around the time the Roman governor Quirinus took a census in Judea. That would place his birth at 6-7 CE, ten years from the end of Herod's death. Mark and John say nothing. As explained in the nativity legends, neither gospel has the qualities of real history.

We might wonder what Matthew and Luke imply when it was known at the time of Jesus' birth that he would be a savior. The answer is bound up in astrology, based on his place of birth and the alignment of the stars at his time of birth. Matthew does it by imputing the wise men (magi=astrologer), and Luke suggests shepherds were visited by an angel (angel=angle). (See Bible Astrology)

For reasons explained here, I am not sympathetic to the idea that Jesus was a real person. The date of his annual birth can be found in the stars because he was a mythologized sun hero. (See Gospel Zodiac) This page explains the astrological significance of December 25th and the age which marked the year of his original birth. The date of his original birth can be affixed at December 25, 7 BCE.

The clue to the timing of Jesus' first birth has to do with his association with fish. In what astrologers call a Great Year spanning 25920 years; it is divided into twelve Ages according to the constellations of the Zodiac, lasting 2160 years each. Because earth rotates with a wobble called precession, it does not return to the exact point of departure from the previous year. When the sun is at its highest position during the spring equinox, the constellation in its background determines the Age it is in. (For more detail, see Bible Astrology)

Technically, the Age of Jesus began when the sun entered Pisces on the spring equinox. At the beginning of spring for the last two thousand years, the sun appears to be drifting across the stars of Pisces with each passing year. Because this creeping process is so slow, it is not easy to make an exact determination when an Age begins and ends. But the timing of the beginning of the Age of Pisces fits nicely with the Bible's depiction of Jesus being born about 4-6 years before the beginning of the first century.

The Age of Jesus

On May 27, 7 BCE, shining as a beacon in the Western sky, a conjunction occurred among Jupiter (traditional king of the gods) and Saturn (ruling planet of Judah) in the constellation of Pisces the Fish (the House of the Hebrews). For a few days the two planets appear as if to be nearly touching. There was a second conjunction between Jupiter and Saturn on October 6 and a third Jupiter-Saturn conjunction on December 1.

Jupiter-Saturn conjunctions occur about every twenty years. Triple Jupiter-Saturn conjunctions occur about every 139 years. And triple Jupiter-Saturn conjunctions occur in Pisces roughly once every 900 years. Jupiter is the fourth brightest planet after the Sun, Moon and Venus.

Figure 1. The Age of Jesus began with three Jupiter-Saturn conjunctions in Pisces.

Figure 2. Since then, the sun has been creeping across Pisces every spring for the last 2,000 years.

About 2012 the sun will enter the Age of Aquarius. Then it can be said that the Age of Jesus has past.

"I am with you always to the end of the age." (Matt. 28:20).

Divine conception

The next question is when was the Virgin Mary conceived by the Holy Spirit? By affixing the timing of Jesus' birth at December 25, she would have to have been conceived nine months earlier. That would be when the sun crosses the spring equinox on March 21.

By looking at the midnight sky at that time we see the constellation Virgo descending upside down as if she is in the missionary position. Allegorically, the sun has conquered the forces of evil because it is when daylight hours exceed nighttime hours. In the spring she is free of sin because it is the only season of the year when the sun has overpowered the retreating dark forces. Thus there is peace on earth.

Figure 3. The virgin being descended upon by the Holy Spirit on March 21.

The Nativity

Some sources say that this triple conjunction looks like a single bright star and depicts the wise men and the star of Bethlehem. No so! For a better fit we need three stars to represent the three gifts symbolizing the wise men. We also need an unusually bright star for the star of Bethlehem, and we need a yearly event that coincides with the sun's rising on December 25.

The candidate for the three wise men can be found in the constellation of Orion the hunter. It has three stars at its belt that align with Sirius. What makes Sirius the prime candidate for the star of Bethlehem is that it is the brightest star in the sky next to the sun.

At four o'clock in the evening, on December 25, Sirius rises above the horizon in Jerusalem. This was the first such event in the Age of Pisces. The three stars on the belt of Orion point down towards Sirius, the star of Bethlehem. Orion is not a trivial constellation; it plays the part of the Son of Man in the Gospels.

The significance of Bethlehem is another play on words. In Hebrew, "Bethlehem" means house of bread. As the picture of Virgo shows in the picture above, Virgo is holding stalks of grain. It symbolizes Mary in the house of bread. The name of "Mary" is etymologically related to water, the element of birth.

²The earth was without form and void, and darkness was upon the face of the deep; and the Spirit of God was moving over the face of the waters. (Gen. 1:2)

Figure 4. The three wise following the Star of Bethlehem

In conclusion, the original date of Jesus' birth occurred on December 25, 7 BCE. The entry of the sun into the Age of Pisces was a one time event. Jesus' death and resurrection plays out each year with the sun's course through the four seasons.

An excellent explanation about the origins of the constellations can be found in Ancient Egypt. To the ancient Egyptians, Orion was their god Osiris. In the Gospels, Orion is the Son of man. To the Egyptians, Sirius was their most sacred star. Its brightness combined with its rising at the time of the spring equinox, marked off each new year.

Related links

For when Jesus was born: Star of Bethlehem

The gospel characters can be seen in the Garden Tour

Jesus' yearly sun cycle: Gospel Zodiac

Jesus Nativity Legends explains the lack of historicity of the gospels

Jesus Christ Sun of God by David Fideler

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Can Ginkgo Prevent Alzheimer’s Disease?: greg Prince

http://healthpsych.psy.vanderbilt.edu/2008/GinkgoAlzheimers.htm

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Can Ginkgo Prevent Alzheimer’s Disease?

Greg Prince

10/9/2008

Purpose and History of Ginkgo

With origins dating back almost 200 million years ago, Ginkgo Biloba is one of the world’s oldest trees. Ginkgo also has long-standing roots in herbal remedy, as the first medical uses of ginkgo were traced back to 2800 BC through traditional Chinese medicine. A native to Southeast Asia, the ginkgo tree is now grown all over the world so that the leaves and fruits may be harvested over the summer. Ginkgo trees are widely recognized for their green to yellow fan-shaped leaves and round fruits that are approximately 1 cm in diameter (http://altmed.creighton.edu/ginkgo/History.htm). The tree is also known for its extreme resistance to pollution, insects, and disease (http://archneur.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/full/55/11/1409). Today, ginkgo is one of the best selling herbal supplements in the world and is among the leading prescription drugs in both Germany and France (http://altmed.creighton.edu/ginkgo/History.htm). The ginkgo extract is made by soaking the ginkgo leafs in alcohol, drying the leafs, and then grinding the leafs into a powder. The extract commonly is used in a variety of forms, such as tablets, capsules, teas, and skin products, in an attempt to heal existing conditions like asthma or bronchitis. Recently, ginkgo extract is used to treat memory issues ranging from a general memory boost to preventing/treating dementia, a deterioration of the brain (http://nccam.nih.gov/health/ginkgo/). Although there have not been sufficient scientific studies done on the effects of ginkgo with Alzheimer’s patients, there are a number of studies that suggest that the use of ginkgo can reduce the effect of dementia, such as that caused by Alzheimer’s Disease.

Picture Source: (http://z.about.com/d/forestry/1/0/o/i/ginkgo_leaf.JPG)

What is Alzheimer’s Disease?

Alzheimer’s Disease is a progressive, genetically heterogeneous disease of the brain that affects 15 million people worldwide (http://www.molecularneurodegeneration.com/content/3/1/1). Common symptoms of patients with Alzheimer’s includes confusion, agitation, metabolic disturbances, as well as a loss in cognitive, intellectual, functional, and social abilities (http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?tool=pmcentrez&artid=1697743). Early signs of Alzheimer’s are characterized by memory impairment and subtle behavioral changes, although this takes place before any extreme structural damage to the brain (http://www.molecularneurodegeneration.com/content/3/1/1). The symptoms of the disease were first described by Alois Alzheimer in 1906 during an autopsy of a 56-year-old woman that showed signs of mental deterioration. Alzheimer noticed that the nerve cells in the woman’s brain were disorganized and clustered. This led Alzheimer to develop the early theory, which is still somewhat prevalent today, that the nerve “plaque” at these areas was a probable cause for the memory loss (http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?tool=pmcentrez&artid=1697743). According to the Creighton University School of Medicine, dementia of the brain due to Alzheimer’s is associated with “the loss of cholinergic neurons that innervate the cerebral cortex.” In other words, the pathways that send signals through the brain are lost along with the means to recall memories or perform certain functions. Alzheimer’s is now widely believed to have a genetic link on either chromosome 1 or 14 (http://altmed.creighton.edu/ginkgo/Alzheimers.htm).

Picture Source: (http://www.about-dementia.com/articles/images/Neurons.jpg)

How Does Ginkgo Help Those with Alzheimer’s Disease?

Even though various studies have proven that the use of ginkgo has benefited patients with Alzheimer’s, the exact mechanisms as to how it works are still unknown; however, there are two commonly accepted theories. The first theory comes from ginkgo’s antioxidant qualities. When cells in the body use oxygen, they naturally produce free radicals, which are highly unstable, as a product. The free radicals will try and stabilize by reacting with other cells, which causes a damaging chain reaction. Antioxidants, such as those in ginkgo, act as “free radical scavengers” that prevent damage caused by the free radicals (http://www.healthcastle.com/antioxidant.shtml). This relates to the effects of Alzheimer’s disease, as ginkgo’s antioxidant qualities prevent, or at least slow down, a membrane breakdown in the brain that is common among the elderly and Alzheimer’s patients (http://altmed.creighton.edu/ginkgo/Ginkgo for memory disorders.htm). The exact physiological features of Alzheimer’s are unknown, but the primary hypothesis is based on age-related oxidative injury, similar to the kind ginkgo helps prevent (http://archneur.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/full/55/11/1409). The other theory on ginkgo’s effects on Alzheimer’s patients is centered on ginkgo’s anti-inflammatory properties. Inflammation in the body is the localized reaction of tissue to irritation, injury, or infection, which can result in the loss of function for that tissue (http://nutrition.about.com/od/dietsformedicaldisorders/a/antiinflamfood.htm). The anti-inflammatory products in ginkgo helps reduce the “plaque” buildup of dysfunctional neurons as well as regulating neurotransmitter function. This is important for Alzheimer’s patients because the neuron buildup, or “plaque,” that is commonly found in Alzheimer’s patients is believed to be a primary cause for the loss in brain function (http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?tool=pmcentrez&artid=1697743).

Picture Source: (http://www.alzheimersmemoryloss.info/alzheimers-disease.jpg)

Scientific Results

Even though ginkgo is one of the most popular herbal supplements worldwide, there are few conclusive experiments done testing its effectiveness, specifically with degenerative disorders like Alzheimer’s disease. What’s more, I found a variety of results that both support and disprove the notion that the use of ginkgo has a beneficial effect on Alzheimer’s patients. However, most of the experiments disproving the beneficial effects of ginkgo were generally reported before the results of the experiments supporting the beneficial effects of ginkgo on Alzheimer’s patients. This is likely due to a better modern-day understanding of the properties of ginkgo as well as the effects of Alzheimer’s disease on the brain. Therefore, I have chosen to focus on the more recent reports on the effect of ginkgo and Alzheimer’s, in which all three chosen studies support the notion that there is a positive correlation between the two.

The first experiment, conducted by the New York University Medical Center and Memory Centers of America, tested the effect of a ginkgo extract, EGb 761, on patients with Alzheimer’s. The experiment was a 52-week, randomized, double blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group, multicenter study that treated the variable test subjects with 120mg/day of EGb 761. In order to qualify for the experiment, patients had to score between 23 and 14 on the Mini-Mental State Examination, a test of a person’s mental aptitude; scores between 23 and 14 were common for Alzheimer’s patients. These precautions were taken to insure that participants in this study were efficiently randomized and that one potential result was not influenced over the other. To test the effectiveness of ginkgo, the participants underwent two different tests, the Alzheimer’s Disease Assessment Scale and the Geriatric Evaluation by Relative’s Rating Instrument, that measured that participant’s cognitive functions. The results showed that the ginkgo extract EGb 761 improved the cognitive state of those with mild or moderately severe dementia, while it noticeably slowed down the effects of dementia among those with severe dementia (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11803237). This model was effective in that it eliminated outside influencing factors, while providing a quantitative means of comparing results between the ginkgo group and the placebo group.

The second study, conducted by the Institute for Pharmacology and Toxicology at Philipps University of Marburg, focused on what qualities of the ginkgo extract EGb 761 produces the neuroprotective effects that have aided Alzheimer’s patients. To do this, EGb 761 was split into its main constituents, ginkgolides A, B, C, J and bilobalide. Each of these was added independently to various animal brains (mice, rats, chick embryos). Once added, the extraction-aided brain was tested with the addition of neuronal-damaging compounds such as glutamate and cyanide. The results of this experiment suggested that each of the EGb 761 constituents have some protective properties against neuronal damage (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/13130383). While well presented, this study serves more of a theoretical purpose than a practical one. First, the design of the experiment assumes a few things: that the use of animal brains is an acceptable substitute for the use of human brain, that the benefits of ginkgo must come from any of the four ginkgolides or bilobalide, that the effects of neuronal damagers such as glutamate or cyanide are an acceptable substitute for the effects of Alzheimer’s. While these changes were made to accommodate for ethical restrictions and based on a generally accepted train of thought, the foundation for the experiment is not entirely well grounded, therefore, neither are the results.

The third study, published by the Department of Pathology and Infectious Disease of Royal Veterinary College, follows a similar in vitro, or outside of the living organism, structure to that of the second experiment. However, the second experiment focuses more on the response of the ginkgo extract EGb 761 on synapse damage due to the production of Aβ_1–42, a peptide closely connected to the early stages of Alzheimer’s. As Aβ_1–42 is produced in the early stages of Alzheimer’s, synapse damage occurs, lowering the amount of neurotransmissions that take place. By pre-treating neurons with ginkgolides A or B, components of the ginkgo extract EGb 761, neurons were protected from the damage possible due to the presence of Aβ_1–42 (http://www.molecularneurodegeneration.com/content/3/1/1). As mentioned, this experiment is similar to the second experiment discussed in that both test the effects of ginkgo extracts on neurons subjected to harmful products in an in vitro model; whereas the first experiment mentioned studied the effects of ginkgo extracts in an in vivo, or inside the living organism, model. Likewise, the shortcomings of the third experiment are similar to that of the second in that this study provides theoretical knowledge, but does little as to providing evidence that ginkgo will have the same effect in a living human with Alzheimer’s. The third experiment’s credibility is aided by the fact that it was published in 2008, about six years after the first two, so it has more outside research to support its findings than the two previously mentioned.

Picture Source: (http://rauljurado.com/images/Alzheimers.gif)

Conclusion

The studies provided uphold the general belief that ginkgo has positive results for those suffering from Alzheimer’s disease. Nonetheless, the “myth” is often discredited based on other research experiments that prove otherwise and because there are not a sufficient number of directly relevant or long-term studies done that can prove ginkgo’s remedial properties once and for all. However, there are studies currently underway to satisfy these demands. The GuidAge Study Group is in the midst of a five-year double-blind randomized trial to evaluate the efficacy of 240mg/day of EGb 761, the ginkgo extract, in the prevention of Alzheimer’s disease; the results should be available in 2010 (http://www.neurology.org/cgi/content/abstract/67/9_suppl_3/S6). As health care is becoming more and more expensive, herbal remedies, such as the use of ginkgo, are becoming accepted, cheap alternatives or complimentary supplements. Unfortunately, not all of these herbal alternatives are proven to work, so it is important that more clinical trials are done to debunk common myths. If ginkgo is an accepted substitute for Alzheimer’s treatment as current studies suggest, then it could be an important discovery for the medical community. However, more long-term, clinical in vivo trials, like the one by The GuidAge Study Group, are necessary to prove the relevance and effectiveness of ginkgo in Alzheimer’s patients.

Picture Source: (http://wb3.indo-work.com/pdimage/73/177773_gingko.jpg)

References

Ahlemeyer, B., Krieglstein, J. (2003). Pharmacological studies supporting the terapeutic use of Ginkgo biloba extract for Alzheimer’s disease. PubMed, 36(1), S8-14. Retrieved October 7, 2008 from PubMed database.

Bate, Clive, Tayebi, Mourad, & Williams, Alun (2008). Ginkgolides protect against amyloid-β1–42-mediated synapse damage in vitro. Molecular Neurodegeneration, 3(1). Retrieved October 9, 2008 from Molecular Neurodegeneration database.

Chiappelli, Francesco, Navarro, Audrey M., Moradi, David R., Manfrini, Ercolano, & Prolo, Paulo (2006). Evidence-Based Resarch in Complementary and Alternative Medicine III: Treatment of Patients with Alzheimer’s Disease. PubMed Central, 3(4), 411-424. Retrieved October 7, 2008 from PubMed database.

Creighton University School of Medicine. Ginkgo Biloba: Alzheimer’s Disease. Retrieved October 9, 2008 from http://altmed.creighton.edu/ginkgo/Alzheimers.htm

Creighton University School of Medicine. Ginkgo Biloba: Ginkgo for Memory Disorders. Retrieved October 9, 2008 from http://altmed.creighton.edu/ginkgo/Ginkgo for memory disorders.htm

Creighton University School of Medicine. Ginkgo Biloba: History. Retrieved October 9, 2008 from http://altmed.creighton.edu/ginkgo/History.htm

Jegtvig, Shereen (2008). Anti-Inflammatory Foods: Can the Foods You Eat Make a Difference in Chronic Pain? Retrieved October 9, 2008 from http://nutrition.about.com/od/dietsformedicaldisorders/a/antiinflamfood.htm

Le Bars, P.L., Velasco, F.M., Ferguson, J.M., Dessain, E.C., Kieser, M., Hoerr, R. (2002). Influence of the severity of congnitive impairment on the effect of the Ginkgo biloba extract EGb 761 in Alzheimer’s disease. PubMed, 45(1), 19-26. Retrieved October 7, 2008 from PubMed database.

National Center for Complimentary and Alternative Medicine. Herbs at a Glance: Ginkgo. Retrieved October 9, 2008 from http://nccam.nih.gov/health/ginkgo/

Oken, Barry S., Storzbach, Daniel M., & Kaye, Jeffrey A. (1998). The Efficacy of Ginkgo biloba on Cognitive Function in Alzheimer Disease. Archives of Neurology, 55(11), 1409-1415. Retrieved October 7, 2008 from PubMed database.

Tsang, Gloria (2007). Antioxidants 101. Retrieved October 9, 2008 from http://www.healthcastle.com/antioxidant.shtml

Vellas, B., Andrieu, S., Ousset, P.J., Ouzid, M., Mathiex-Fortunet, H. (2006). The GuidAge study: Methodological issues. A 5-year double-blind randomized trial of the efficacy of EGb 761 for prevention of Alzheimer’s disease in patients over 70 with a memory complaint. Neurology, 67, S6-S11. Retrieved October 9, 2008.

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