Ritualistic immersion in running water (stream/river) or the ocean is the oldest form of symbolic death and re-birth. It is an essential step in becoming a Feathered Serpent. It is frightening but necessary. We need to physically symbolically ‘die’ to the old to be ‘born again’—our second birth. It is not membership into an earthly or religious institution. It is the beginning of an awakening to the truth—of the world and one’s authentic self.

Few in the world still practice, teach and conduct this form of purification. Outside of the Mandeans of the Middle East, the greatest concentration of ‘dawn bathers’ are to be found within the indigenous communities that still practice and adhere to the old ways. But even here, there are few still alive that can ‘initiate’ and put people into the ‘living waters’ of the earth.

I am blessed to be one of those who still practices and ‘initiates’ people into bathing.[1] This ‘initiation’ is not one of membership, but one of ‘death and re-birth.’ After I put a person into the stream, they are free to revisit any stream and repeat the ritualistic immersion. Going bathing will help a person release the stress and hurt that comes from living in today’s chaotic and fear-filled world.

After the initial ‘initiation,’ there are multiple reasons for a person to revisit a stream and bathe. Bathings will increase a person’s spiritual power/mana and their inner heat; the stream will also help release anger, guilt, resentment, fear and uncertainty as well as the other emotional baggage that we seem to carry and seemingly refuse to release. In addition, I use it as a method of healing others.

Each bathing tradition is slightly different. The way that I was taught was four immersions while other traditions such as Hawaiians would do five and in the Middle East three immersions:

The term mikveh in Hebrew literally means any gathering of waters, but is specifically used in Jewish law for the waters or bath for the ritual immersion. Ancient sages teach that the word mikveh has the same letters as Ko(v)Meh, the Hebrew word for "rising" or "standing tall," therefore we see the idea of being baptized "straightway."

The Essenes were anciently known as regular practicioners (sc) of daily immersion. In the Talmud these daily Mikveh practicioners (sc) are called tovelei shaharit or "dawn bathers." Not only Nasaraens, but several other Jewish groups observed ritual immersion every day to assure readiness for the coming of the Messiah. Epiphanius mentioned one of these groups called Hemerobaptists which means "daily bathers" in Greek. The Clementine Homilees, or Recognitions of Clement, tell us that Peter always washed, often in the sea, before dawn which was no doubt a custom of all Nazarenes of his time….

            Ancient dawn bathing Nasaraens used at least three forms of Baptism, or mikveh purifications. We know this because the surviving remnants of these Nasaraens, the Nasorai sect (Mandeans), still preserve these forms of this ancient Nasarene purification rite once practiced and promoted by Yeshu (Jesus) and His messianic Spouse Maria. They are the daily Rishama Mikveh immersion, performed before dawn. The Tamasha immersion, and the Masbuta immersion. The surviving Mandean versions of these are:

·        RISHAMA BAPTISM: The first of the miqvah purifications performed is the rishama (signing), the priests presence is not required, such that each man or woman is his or her own priest or priestess. This should be performed daily, and with covered head, just before sunrise after the evacuation of the bowels and before all religious ceremonies.

·        TAMASHA BAPTISM: The second, the tamasha, is a simple triple immersion in the river … this is performed without the aid of the priest or priestess….

·        MASBUTA BAPTISM: The third ablution, or ‘full baptism’, encompasses all aspects of baptism and must be performed by a priest or priestess….

The Jewish baptism candidates were often immersed three times. The idea of total immersion comes from the Scripture in Leviticus 15:16 when it says, "he shall wash all his flesh in the water." One reason it was customary to immerse three times was because the word mikveh occurs three times in the Torah. We know this to have been an early Nazarene practice under Yeshu-Maria.[2]

One of the things that Vince taught me was to watch how people came up out of the water from their squatting immersion. They were to come straight up. For thousands of years true bathing has apparently been done similarly:

In ancient times immersion was to be performed in the presence of witnesses (Yebam. 47b)…. The individual stood straight up with the feet spread and the hands held out in front. The candidate would totally immerse themselves by squatting in the water with a witness or baptizer doing the officiating. Note the New Testament points out the fact that Jesus came up straightway out of the water (Matthew 3:16).[3]

You have to wonder about the baptismal rites of some Christian sects, not only the sprinkling of some water on the head of a baby but also the ‘born-again rites.’ In the ‘born-again,’ they lie a person during the light of day[4] down into the water (not squatting) and then pull them back up to an upright position.

This type of corruption of the original teachings and practices of Jesus is reprehensible. I’ve yet to hear of any Pope immersing himself in a stream or ocean; much less any other Bishop, priest or clergy man. If the Church changed and corrupted this most basic teaching and practice of Jesus, we must ask ourselves: what else have they changed and corrupted?

Bathing is an awesome experience, but I can not realistically physically initiate all who read this website. However, if you are interested in studying with us, please Contact Us