Shamanic Christianity: Jesus and Aramaic Wisdom

The text presents an argument by Shaman Jon Rasmussen for the compatibility of shamanism and Christianity, specifically his personal faith in Jesus Christ, whom he regards as his ultimate protector and wisdom guide. Rasmussen asserts that true shamanism is an open system focused on healing and alignment with Nature and the Universe, which does not conflict with Christian beliefs. A significant portion of the text compares traditional biblical translations, such as the King James Version, with direct translations from Aramaic—often referencing the work of Reverend Dale Allen Hoffman—to provide what he sees as a more pragmatic and universal understanding of Jesus's core teachings, including the Beatitudes and the Lord's Prayer. Ultimately, Rasmussen contends that Jesus's wisdom and unconditional help offer the most effective path to spiritual freedom and protection from evil, regardless of one's religious or non-religious background.

Transcript

SPEAKER_01 0:00

Welcome to the deep dive. Today we're jumping into something. Well, it sounds like a real paradox, doesn't it?

SPEAKER_00 0:07

It really does on the surface.

SPEAKER_01 0:08

How can someone be, you know, deeply involved in indigenous shamanic practices, but also a devout Christian, even Roman Catholic.

SPEAKER_00 0:18

Right. These things seem totally opposed, especially if you stick to the sort of traditional dogmatic definitions we usually hear.

SPEAKER_01 0:24

Aaron Powell Okay, so how do we square that circle then?

SPEAKER_00 0:26

Aaron Ross Powell Well, the sources we're looking at argue that the conflict kind of dissolves if we define true shamanism accurately.

SPEAKER_01 0:34

Which is.

SPEAKER_00 0:34

It's not really a religion. Think of it more as an open system.

SPEAKER_01 0:38

An open system.

SPEAKER_00 0:38

Yeah, like it's about diligently studying and really practicing the fundamental principles, how nature works, the universe, creation itself, both the physical stuff we see and the non-physical.

SPEAKER_01 0:49

Ah, okay. So the focus isn't specific worship rituals, but more practical outcomes, like healing, empowerment.

SPEAKER_00 0:57

Aaron Powell Exactly. It's pragmatic. The goal is aligning the soul for the best possible life. You know, the most heavenly life, but right here, right now.

SPEAKER_01 1:04

Aaron Powell So if a teaching actually works towards that goal, a true shaman would use it, regardless of where it came from.

SPEAKER_00 1:11

Precisely. If it's effective, it's valid within this open system.

SPEAKER_01 1:14

Okay, so that sets up our mission for this deep dive then.

SPEAKER_00 1:17

Right. We need to explore this idea of an open system and see how the specific wisdom teachings of Jesus, especially when you look at the original Aramaic language, might actually fit perfectly.

SPEAKER_01 1:29

Like a kind of universal wisdom map.

SPEAKER_00 1:31

Exactly. A map for practical protection and empowerment, potentially the most effective one out there, separate from organized religion.

SPEAKER_01 1:38

All right, let's set the stage a bit more. The source material is pretty direct about a fundamental duality in well, everything affects us all.

SPEAKER_00 1:47

It really frames the spiritual reality we're in. It says there's this basic contrast. You have those who want to give and help. Think true shamans, good parents, healers.

SPEAKER_01 1:57

Okay, the helpers.

SPEAKER_00 1:57

And then you have those who want to take and hurt, usually for their own game. Sorcerers, maybe malevolent entities, even just those energy vampires we sometimes meet.

SPEAKER_01 2:06

Hmm. Sounds like a constant battle playing out.

SPEAKER_00 2:09

It is a battle for your energy, your well-being, your consciousness, really, on all levels, physical, non-physical.

SPEAKER_01 2:15

So we're kind of in the middle of this spiritual marketplace, and we have a choice to make.

SPEAKER_00 2:19

A crucial choice, yeah. You can align yourself with the energy of the good, call it God, source, whatever name works for you. Doing that, the sources say, creates this clean, free opportunity for growth, for that heavenly life.

SPEAKER_01 2:34

Aaron Powell And Jesus fits in how?

SPEAKER_00 2:36

The sources see Jesus as like the single greatest instrument of that unconditional good available to us.

SPEAKER_01 2:41

Okay, and the alternative. Aligning with the evil, the devil.

SPEAKER_00 2:44

Aaron Powell Well, that path is described as just not sustainable. Any power or control you think you get is temporary.

SPEAKER_01 2:51

Yeah, and there's a catch.

SPEAKER_00 2:52

Always. The price is ultimately spiritual bondage, leading to a more hellish experience, frankly.

SPEAKER_01 2:58

Aaron Powell So for someone practicing this open system like a shaman, it comes down to effectiveness again.

SPEAKER_00 3:03

Aaron Powell Absolutely. What works best. And the sources are quite strong on this, based on deep personal experience described within them. Which is that believing in Jesus and maybe more importantly, living by his actual wisdom teachings, that's the most effective way, maybe the only really solid way to stay clear, stay free, and stay protected from those negative forces. Trevor Burrus, Jr.

SPEAKER_01 3:26

It's not about dogma then. It's pure pragmatism, spiritual defense.

SPEAKER_00 3:31

Aaron Powell Exactly. It's about protection and efficiency. Why spend years trying to build your own fortress when there's this incredibly strong, universally available one right there?

SPEAKER_01 3:41

Okay. I think I get the analogy that clicked for me from the source now. It's like imagine you're in a totally new city.

SPEAKER_00 3:46

Okay.

SPEAKER_01 3:47

You could try to find your way with some old torn paper map, maybe with conflicting directions scribbled on it.

SPEAKER_00 3:52

Right. Confusing.

SPEAKER_01 3:53

Or you could just pull up Waze or Google Maps, you know. Yeah. The latest real-time GPS.

SPEAKER_00 3:58

Oh, okay.

SPEAKER_01 3:59

The source basically says Jesus is that spiritual ways, the quickest, safest, most efficient map through the really tough challenges of life and consciousness.

SPEAKER_00 4:08

That's a great way to put it.

SPEAKER_01 4:09

And if we're talking about a map, accuracy is everything, right?

SPEAKER_00 4:12

Absolutely critical. If you're relying on directions, you need the purest, most accurate version possible.

SPEAKER_01 4:18

Especially if, as the sources suggest, human organizations, maybe driven by fear or ego, have messed with the original instructions over time.

SPEAKER_00 4:26

That's the core problem. The problem of fidelity, you could call it. Jesus taught in Aramaic, but those teachings got translated first to Greek, then Latin, then eventually English versions, like the King James, the KJV.

SPEAKER_01 4:39

The one most people know.

SPEAKER_00 4:40

Right. And over centuries, with each translation, human interpretation, biases, maybe even deliberate changes creep in.

SPEAKER_01 4:47

So you have to go back to the source language, back to Aramaic.

SPEAKER_00 4:50

To get the clearest picture, yes. And look, to understand how drastically interpretation can change meaning, sometimes even invert it. We can look outside Christianity for a moment. Correct. Think about the term jihad in Islam. It's mentioned in the Quran, chapter 2, verse 190.

SPEAKER_01 5:06

Right. I've heard the term, but there's often confusion.

SPEAKER_00 5:08

There is. The Prophet Muhammad himself apparently distinguished two types. There's the greater jihad, the internal struggle, fighting your own ego, your own inner negativity. Very similar to what Jesus did for 40 days in the desert, that kind of inner battle.

SPEAKER_01 5:23

Okay, eternal. What's the other one?

SPEAKER_00 5:25

The lesser jihad. And this was meant to be strictly external and defensive.

SPEAKER_01 5:29

Defensive. That seems key.

SPEAKER_00 5:31

It is. The scripture specifically says something like fight in God's way against those who fight you, but do not aggress. It emphasizes God doesn't love aggressors.

SPEAKER_01 5:42

So clearly defensive. How does it get twisted?

SPEAKER_00 5:45

Well, you have extremist interpretations like Salafi jihadism. They basically take that defensive part completely out of context. Oh. Yeah. They ignore all the surrounding conditions and theology and just reinterpret it as a command to attack, to kill non-Muslims, to establish a global caliphate by force.

SPEAKER_01 6:02

Wow. That's not just a slight misreading. That's a total flip.

SPEAKER_00 6:06

Exactly. A complete inversion driven by an aggressive agenda, which just highlights how incredibly important it is to get the original meaning right, especially with Jesus' Aramaic teachings. The consequences of using a corrupted map can be devastating.

SPEAKER_01 6:19

Makes sense. And it's worth remembering, Jesus isn't just significant in Christianity, is he?

SPEAKER_00 6:24

Not at all. Muslims see him as a major prophet, the Messiah, God's spirit and word.

SPEAKER_01 6:29

And other traditions.

SPEAKER_00 6:30

Buddhists, Hindus. They generally see him as an enlightened divine figure, a miracle worker. The main sticking point for them is usually that traditional Western idea that he was the only son of God.

SPEAKER_01 6:42

Which, funnily enough, ties right back into what the Aramaic translations reveal.

SPEAKER_00 6:46

Precisely.

SPEAKER_01 6:47

Okay, let's really dive into that now. The work of Aramaic scholars like Reverend Dale Allen Hoffman, who the sources mention, this feels like the core aha moment.

SPEAKER_00 6:57

Aaron Ross Powell It really is. It marks this huge shift from, you know, external dogma rules you follow, things you must believe, to focusing on an internal state of being.

SPEAKER_01 7:07

Something you cultivate inside yourself, more about empowerment.

SPEAKER_00 7:10

Exactly. Active participation, not just passive belief. Let's start with probably the most famous verse of all, John 3.16.

SPEAKER_01 7:16

Okay, the KJV version everyone knows. For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son. Belief in him brings eternal life.

SPEAKER_00 7:24

Right. But when you translate directly from the Aramaic, that phrase one and only son or only begotten son changes quite dramatically.

SPEAKER_01 7:34

How so?

SPEAKER_00 7:34

The Aramaic suggests God brought forth a son who is absolutely single and limitless in being.

SPEAKER_01 7:41

Okay, limitless in being, what does that imply?

SPEAKER_00 7:43

It implies the greatest expression of the source, the ultimate example, maybe, but crucially not the only potential expression. The exclusivity seems to vanish.

SPEAKER_01 7:52

Whoa. So not the only one, but the ultimate one.

SPEAKER_00 7:55

Kind of. And look how the condition for eternal life changes, too. It's not just believing in Jesus as a historical figure. It's more like if you believe his teachings, if you live his wisdom, if you embody that state, then you become conscious. You become eternally one with God yourself.

SPEAKER_01 8:09

So it's participatory. It's about awakening your own divine spark through his example.

SPEAKER_00 8:14

Aaron Powell Yes. It becomes an invitation for everyone to reach that state, not a declaration that only one person ever did or could. It completely reframes it as empowerment.

SPEAKER_01 8:24

That is huge. Okay, what about the Beatitudes, Matthew 5? The KJV starts with, blessed are thee, and usually implies a future reward, right? Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

SPEAKER_00 8:36

Exactly. Future tense. But the Aramaic, it flips the whole thing into the present moment. The opening line, consistently through the Beatitudes in Aramaic, translates more like divinely attuned and consciously ripe in this present moment are those who not you will be blessed if, but you are blessed right now if you embody this state. Aaron Ross Powell Precisely. It's immediate. It's about the state you're in now. That's a total shift from delaying gratification or reward. It's instant empowerment based on your inner attitude. Aaron Powell Okay.

SPEAKER_01 9:07

Give me an example. Let's take the meek, 5.5. Yeah. KJV says they inherit the earth.

SPEAKER_00 9:12

Right. The Aramaic is way more uh, well, mystical, almost shamanic, it suggests. Divinely attuned are those who let their inner comfort zones, their structures, just melt away into no thingness.

SPEAKER_01 9:22

Okay, that sounds very eastern or shamanic. What does that mean practically? Like letting go of ego.

SPEAKER_00 9:27

It's deeper than just ego, though that's part of it. Ego is just one structure. It's letting go of all attachment to specific outcomes, specific forms, needing things to be a certain way.

SPEAKER_01 9:38

Aaron Powell So how does that help someone practically?

SPEAKER_00 9:40

Well, the takeaway is you realize you don't have to control everything. You don't carry that burden. You become humble enough to see that there are these huge, benevolent forces, the source, God, or whatever you call it, already working.

SPEAKER_01 9:55

Uh so by letting go of your own small structures, you connect with the bigger picture.

SPEAKER_00 9:59

Exactly. You realize your connection, your oneness within all of creation by dissolving your need to force things.

SPEAKER_01 10:05

Okay, that's profound. What about the pure in heart, 5.8 KJV? They shall see God. Simple enough.

SPEAKER_00 10:12

The Aramaic adds a layer about perception. It's more like those who embody absolute clarity, purified perception, they realize their oneness within God. They see the single nature of life.

SPEAKER_01 10:22

So seeing God isn't literal eyesight, it's about perception.

SPEAKER_00 10:26

Yes. Practically, it means training yourself to look past people's temporary issues, their flaws, their negativity, and see the core of love and light within them and within everything, seeing the divine reflected everywhere because your own perception is clear.

SPEAKER_01 10:39

Okay, one more big one. The Lord's Prayer, Matthew 6. Everyone knows it. How does Aramaic change that?

SPEAKER_00 10:45

It transforms it from mostly a petition asking God to do things for us into more of an internal alignment map, an affirmation of co-creation.

SPEAKER_01 10:54

Co-creation. How? Let's take a line. KJV. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Sounds like a request.

SPEAKER_00 11:03

The Aramaic version sounds more like a powerful declaration. Empower my creative beingness through your expansion from the ever-present realm on the manifest earth as in the unmanifest realm.

SPEAKER_01 11:13

Whoa. That's active. It's like saying, align me with source so I can help manifest heaven on earth connects my actions to source energy, as above, so below, kind of thing.

SPEAKER_00 11:23

Exactly. It's participatory co-creation. And think about the end lines too, KJV. Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Feels a bit fear-based, maybe.

SPEAKER_01 11:33

Yeah, like asking God to steer us away from trouble.

SPEAKER_00 11:35

The Aramaic focuses inward on our own minds. Do not let me lose my true self in forgetfulness, but wholly release me from the errors of my perception.

SPEAKER_01 11:44

Ah, so temptation and evil become more about losing sight of our true nature, getting caught in illusion or wrong thinking.

SPEAKER_00 11:53

Precisely. The practical request becomes help me stay focused, keep a singular vision, don't let me get fragmented by inner division or guilt or negative thoughts.

SPEAKER_01 12:03

Because those internal states make you vulnerable.

SPEAKER_00 12:05

Exactly. They create the openings, the weaknesses that those malevolent forces are always looking to exploit. It's about maintaining inner clarity and integrity as the ultimate protection.

SPEAKER_01 12:15

Okay, putting all this Aramaic perspective together, it really reinforces that idea from Luke 17.21, doesn't it? The kingdom of God is within you.

SPEAKER_00 12:24

Absolutely. It lands perfectly with the shamanic view. Heaven isn't a place you go after you die. It's a state of being you're either tuned into or not, right here, right now.

SPEAKER_01 12:32

Aaron Powell And this focus on internal state, non-dogma, it actually creates a surprising link to skeptics, doesn't it? The source of point out an irony here.

SPEAKER_00 12:43

Yeah, it's fascinating. Atheists often define the God they reject as, you know, an intervening, judgmental old man in the sky, especially given all the suffering in the world. Trevor Burrus, Jr.

SPEAKER_01 12:52

Right. They focus more on the laws of nature, physics. Trevor Burrus, Jr.

SPEAKER_00 12:55

And ironically, that view God as the underlying field, the immutable laws of nature that allow all contrast, good and bad, to exist without judgment, is actually much closer to the Aramaic or indigenous shamanic understanding of the source.

SPEAKER_01 13:09

Aaron Ross Powell So less like a person, more like the operating system of reality.

SPEAKER_00 13:12

Aaron Ross Powell Kind of, yeah, like the one field that contains everything. It's functionally similar to ideas you find in quantum physics, suggesting this wisdom might work across different paradigms, spiritual, scientific, whatever. Trevor Burrus, Jr.

SPEAKER_01 13:23

The sources also briefly mention a much more out there idea, right? About aliens.

SPEAKER_00 13:27

Aaron Ross Powell They do touch on it, yeah. It's speculative, but suggests that maybe some ancient stories, gods, angels, maybe even Jesus, could be historical memories of interactions with advanced beings, both helpful and harmful.

SPEAKER_01 13:38

Aaron Powell And Jesus could have been what? Like an alien hybrid sent to guide us?

SPEAKER_00 13:43

That's the gist of that particular hypothesis. Again, very speculative. But the pragmatic point the source makes is interesting. Which is whether you explain Jesus' wisdom and power as purely spiritual or maybe scientifically advanced via quantum principles or even as some kind of benevolent extraterrestrial intervention, the map itself still works. The teachings, the protection offered, they're still effective, regardless of how you frame the ultimate origin.

SPEAKER_01 14:12

The GPS works no matter who built the satellite system.

SPEAKER_00 14:15

Exactly. So pragmatically, what does this incredibly effective map actually boil down to?

SPEAKER_01 14:20

Right. The bottom line. The sources point to the first two commandments from Mark chapter 12.

SPEAKER_00 14:24

Yeah, and they're really instructions for connection and appreciation when you look at them. First, love the Lord, the source, with everything you've got. Which means basically appreciate that your existence, all existence, depends entirely on this universal source energy. Cultivate that gratitude, that connection.

SPEAKER_01 14:40

Okay.

SPEAKER_00 14:41

And the second, love your neighbor as yourself, which means appreciating that everyone else is also an equal part of that same source. See the source in them just as you see it in yourself.

SPEAKER_01 14:52

And all the other rules or commandments often listed.

SPEAKER_00 14:54

The source suggests they're more like practical tips, ways to live that make it easier to stay clear, to maintain that internal state of heaven on earth. Helpful suggestions, not rigid requirements for salvation.

SPEAKER_01 15:06

Aaron Powell, which leads to maybe the most radical part of this view.

SPEAKER_00 15:09

The unconditionality. Freedom is fundamental. The source insists that Jesus or the source operating through him requires nothing back. No worship, no specific rituals, no sacrifices.

SPEAKER_01 15:21

Nothing. What about asking?

SPEAKER_00 15:23

Ah, that's the key. You do have to ask for the help, for the guidance, for the protection. Because to just intervene without you asking would violate your fundamental freedom, your own power to choose. Asking honors your sovereignty.

SPEAKER_01 15:34

Wow. Okay, this has been yeah, really transformative stuff to think about. So the two big takeaways for you listening seem to be first, how much these core Christian texts can shift.

SPEAKER_00 15:44

Mm-hmm. From seeming like external, maybe exclusive rules, to becoming universal tools for internal empowerment just by looking at the original Aramaic.

SPEAKER_01 15:55

And second, realizing that Jesus' teachings, viewed this way, offer this incredibly practical, protective spiritual map.

SPEAKER_00 16:03

Yeah, one that's totally compatible with an open, searching approach to spirituality, like true shamanism. It's about what works.

SPEAKER_01 16:10

So for you listening, regardless of your background or beliefs, what are the core practices suggested?

SPEAKER_00 16:16

Keep it simple. Maintain attitudes and practices that keep your body, mind, and soul healthy, clear, sharp. Use your gifts for yourself, sure, but also in service to the bigger picture.

SPEAKER_01 16:26

And stay humble.

SPEAKER_00 16:27

Always stay humble, stay open to receiving help. Recognize that the source, that bigger energy, is part of any success you have.

SPEAKER_01 16:33

And that point about asking. About freedom, that really brings us to a final thought to leave you with.

SPEAKER_00 16:39

Yeah. If this powerful spiritual guidance system, this map, this ways, is truly unconditional, always available and offered freely.

SPEAKER_01 16:47

The only requirement being that we ask for it, respecting our own freedom.

SPEAKER_00 16:50

Then how often do we make life harder than it needs to be? How much energy do we waste trying to draw our own complicated maps from scratch?

SPEAKER_01 16:58

When the most direct, proven route was available all along, just waiting for us to give ourselves permission to ask for directions.

SPEAKER_00 17:06

Something definitely worth considering as you navigate your own path this week.