Zarathustrian Religion, Philosophy and History

How Ahura Mazda responded...

Ushta!  In the Spirit of All Good...

Its already 2pm!  It has been a very beautiful and auspicious day.  Without the language of Islam, my last day of Ramadan, my goodbye to Islam is filled to the brim with God.

And I am not sad...I feel blessed...I am not a sinner...there is a verse in Quran that I keep thinking of.  I believe it is read in the ear of my heart to reassure me that Mazda's Love is with me right now. She doesn't judge me an apostate.  She sees me willing to go where I can best serve Her:

Those with iman, those who are Jews, and the Christians and Sabaeans, all who have iman in Allah and the Last Day and act rightly, will have their reward with their Lord. They will feel no fear and will know no sorrow.  (Quran 2:62)

I am loved by God whether I practice Islam or practice Zoroastrianism.  Whether I identify as a Muslim or Mazdayasni, it is my faith in action that counts.  For me, the fact, I can feel Mazda as the Feminine Side is important to me. When I pray to the anthropomorphized Lord (the He) - I have often felt fear, too focused on the punishing God who resembled my earthly experiences with the masculine.  To have so many beautiful expressions of the Feminine honored in Mazdayasni religion is healing and it shows me what I am often to afraid to see.  And because of this, I can move forward in faith in trust now.

I can stop searching for religion in a way that shuts God out, but my faith is now my shelter made of God, my path to God, my joy in God, my gift to God, my gratitude for all I am given.  In the midst of all this I found a gorgeous online fire temple.

And it led to their online Restored Zoroastrian website which is so in synch with my beliefs right now in this very moment.  The author of the website refers to the Divine with both Gender Pronouns.  Thank You!  I felt this as a blessed yes from the Beloved and all Her beloveds who work for the good. There has been an acceptance of the intention I have made.  But I believe also  Mazda shares my joy and She wants me to know my heart is now with Mazda wrapped in Goodness.

The most beautiful week...

 “ God wills more good for you than you do yourself.”

(from Doreen Virtue's angel calendar for today's date)

P. sent me the reading from her angel card deck.  Coincidence?

zoroaster by haydar hatemi jpg. 

Ushta...

Its what I have been seeking for seven years in Sufism and found in one week as I gave in to that feeling about Zoroastrianism. No wonder!  Why did I wait six months! This nudge (now I see was so obviously from Mazda Herself or from one of Her many helpers.  Once I did follow that call to soul-search Zoroastrianism again, there was an insatiable thirst and I just kept imbibing all I could find.  All these years, I told myself the religion was too complex and that Zoroastrians were too against converts....

and here I am not even an entire week later on the last day of Ramadan knowing with all my heart and with an entire sense of serenity that I have found the path that I am meant to be on.  Spiritually, it is the best, emotionally it is the best. I know enough about the religion that I have absolutely no doubts about this.  It will seem impulsive to many, but I have known about Zoroastrianism for so many years and loved it.  Perhaps this knowledge was already there, but I didn't trust myself or I felt I didn't want to belong to a faith which didn't welcome converts.

I never felt this peace.  Here I am on the last day of Ramadan, peacefully saying to God, I realize now leaving Islam is not leaving God.  Ushta!

All has arranged itself into place.  I have seen that the people of this faith have become much more welcoming.  And I have seen that if it would offend others to call myself Zoroastrian or Mazdayasni or Zarathustri, I would just find a different name in order to be respectful. I've already stated this to someone and felt it was also a message to my heart and soul and to God.  But if I can be welcomed into the community I want to do it.

Why?  Because Ahura Mazda touched me with Her Radiant Light in the midst of Ramadan and I knew it was my last Ramadan.  And for once I felt leaving Islam didn't mean leaving God, but getting closer.  It mean finding the God I could trust, the God who offered me the opportunity to feel worthy of goodness, this beautiful God with such a Beautiful Name referring to Divine Light and Wisdom, who honors the Sacred Feminine.  

This religion reminds me to be grateful for everything around me that I can see, but I take for granted.  It reminds me that we are being watched over.  It tells me I'm not crazy that my heart breaks every year when Muslims slaughter millions of animals to mimic a Prophet's willingness to sacrifice his son for God.  All these Avestan 'terms' I wanted to learn have helped me see how many beings in the world both seen and unseen are the helpers of Ahura and I feel my 'job description' is clearly written on my heart and soul in the language of Zoroastrianism...

I hereby declare my intention to practice the religion of Mazdayasni and I hereby declare my intention to seek initiation into the religion of Ahura Mazda, Radiant Wisdom, Reigning Wisdom for the Divine Spark of Sophia lives in my heart calling me.

This morning's Hawan Gah Prayer ...

Hawan Gah

Eventually, I will make a playlist of the prayers and post them in the sidebar for easy access.  This morning as I listened and held my hands in the prayerful position and kept my eye on the Flame, it was as if I touched something very ancient in the prayer.  At first, I felt guilty about it thinking it to be something indigenous to the people, but then I recognized it is also now within me.  For whatever reason, it has filled my heart.  I believe the spirit can carry our history just like dna and this is part of what I feel connected to when I pray.  It may not be a Zoroastrian teaching, but I feel there is a connection there.  It just occurred to me that there has been discussion (including this past day or two!) on Norse peoples and Zoroastrians.  I am going to google it today...

Ahunwar (most sacred manthra of Zoroastrianism)

The will of the Reigning One is the law of righteousness.
The gifts of Vohu-mano to the deeds done in this world for Mazda.
He who relieves the poor makes Ahura king.

Rapithwin Gah - (midday to mid-afternoon)

Zoroastrian Creed

"On three noble ideals be ever intent:

The good thought well thought,

The good word well spoken,

The good deed well done."