Posted by Dr. E. Otha Wingo on January 28, 1999 at 19:44:13:
such a mistranslation could be deliberate—but I checked
incidentally through eight English translations and they all misconstrue it. I found the same in a more
recent check of some thirty translations All the ancient manuscripts of the passage have the word
psychikon—and that is very different from physikon, even if they may seem at first glance to be rather
similar in appearance. It seems clear that this is a statement concerning two of the Selves (psyche/soul
and pneuma/spirit) without mentioning the physical body (which everyone knows exists and may be
taken for granted in the discussion).
When I wrote Max Freedom Long about this, he added the following comments (letter of 12-5-68):
“Apparently the translators were at some pains to hide the secret meaning of the High Self, but in
selecting pneuma to name it, they used a kahuna code word which points to the High Self without
naming it directly. This is aho for the natural breath; patience; A LINE OR CORD. Here we have
enough to tell the initiated that breathing to accumulate mana, and to send it over the aka cord, indicates
the fact that the High Self is the one being mentioned. In the lore of India they spoke of it as ‘The
Thread Soul,’ with the same idea of the cord or aka shadowy thread. The Greek meanings for spirit
were closely bound up with breath or air as well, or so I seem to recall. Psyche is simple and direct for
the middle self, and Body is a perfect code symbol for the low self who owns and uses the body.”
The problems of translating are intricate and difficult, particularly in texts with religious or
theological significance. The two passages mentioned above point up the precaution that must always
be taken when using a translated text to support a specific interpretation. No matter how objective and
scholarly the translators try to be, their own basic premises necessarily impinge upon their manner of
expressing thoughts. The words psychikon and physikon cannot be mistaken for each other, in spite of
general resemblance to the untrained eye. Such an error could not be repeatedly made by the many
different experts who have analyzed the the text with the greatest of care. The mistranslation must
therefore have been tacitly agreed upon by general consensus, because of their basic premise that man
consists of only soul and body.
Complexed traditional beliefs make it difficult for present-day church members, engrained with ideas
about man and God based on incomplete information, to understnad, much less to accept the concept of
the Three Selves. To discover the High Self among the strange, vague, distorted anthropomorphic
notions about “God” presents a hurdle that most Christians seem unable to overcome. What is worse,
they also seem unwilling to investigate the possibility.
The Bible has enough references to convince the most complexed traditionalist, if he would but
examine them with openness and a desire for the Truth. The High Self must be known directly through
experience or “Realization.” Max Freedom Long spoke of this in his first report of his discoveries,
Recovering the Ancient Magic (1936), in one of the clearest, most inspiring, and enlightening
discussions in the book.
“We have no word in English to describe what is called samadhi [Realization] by the Hindus, or
what is still more accurately indicated by ko [Attainment] in Hawaiian.... Sri Ramakrishna calls the
state of Realization, ‘God- consciousness.’ He explains that from the conscious state one passes to a
superconscious state in which the pattern verities of creation are contacted by the ego.... The process
of becoming consciously aware of these superphysical pattern-idea realities is one of blending with the
pattern-ideas—the blending with Love being the blending with God in His highest phase, creative or
externalized—although all is God that is touched in Realization.... In trying to explain God, Sri
Ramakrishna once said: ‘The conviction that God is in all objects—that there is Unity in variety—is
called Knowledge of Oneness. Knowing Him intimately is Realization.... There has been as yet in this
world no created being who has been able to express by word of mouth the nature of the Absolute....
There is unspeakable joy in the company of the Lord. Words of the mouth cannot describe it. He alone
knows, who has felt it.... God the Absolute is the one Substance to be realized—not described or
known. The sign of True Knowledge or Realization is cessation of doubt and therefore of all
philosophical discussion.... The result of the foregoing position is that the Higher Self alone knows the
Higher Self.... All facts of the universe—every object, every phenomenon—comes under creation,
preservation and destruction—under Body, Mind and Soul.’ (This is much compressed from the fuller
eighteen-page discussion in the book.)
In Biblical terms, God is Spirit. And in the description of ”The Whole Self’ as SPIRIT, SOUL, AND
BODY, the Spirit represents the High Self or God. The Hawaiian name of this part of man is
‘Aumakua, “the utterly trustworthy parental Spirit.” The Greek work pneuma means breath. The
Hebrew word, Ruach, also means wind or air. It is only “in spirit” (breath) that we can truly “worship”
God. It is significant that the Greek word which we translate “worship,” proskynein, means “to kiss” or
“throw a kiss to, from afar.” Communication with God (contacting the High Self) has been the age-old
desire of man. When the High Self is known or realized, contact is possible. The spiritual part of man
can receive spiritual things. Mana can be sent along the aka cord, like a kiss from afar, and the God on
High, or “Father in Heaven,” can be contacted. The passage in John 20:22 thus takes on new meaning:
“Jesus breathed in (on them) and said, Receive ye the holy spirit (breath).” A key to approaching God
is given in Hebrews 11:6, where two prerequisites are stated: first, we must believe that He exists (the
High Self cannot be contacted if we do not know of its existence or do not believe that there is a High
Self part of us); second, that we must believe that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him. It is the
High Self that rewards; rewarder is literally the “paymaster.”
I have made a long list of all the designations of God in the Bible (far too long to list here) and many
are very instructive for our study of the High Self. For example: Elohim, “He Who Puts Forth Power”
is used 2,550 times; Jehovah (Yahweh), “He Who Is Ever Present,” is used 6,000 times; Adonai, “The
Lord High and Lifted Up” (Isaiah 6:1), is used 340 times. There are many others. It is only through the
concept of the High Self in each person that these many Hebrew names of God become
comprehensible.
Max Freedom Long’s book, The Huna Code in Religions, presents and illustrates the method of
tracing the code language in religious writings. This magnificent book gives detailed examples from
Christian, Yoga, and Buddhist writings. If this book were read and studied carefully, it would provide
the procedure and the inspiration for the future of the Huna Fellowship.