Teachings of Christ, Volume 1

By Torkom Saraydarian
Reviewed by Robert Constas

This is the first of four volumes on the life and teachings of Christ. This first volume is a collection of thirty-two lectures by Saraydarian from 1966 to 1996. What is amazing is how he is able to discuss the same topic year after year from a variety of perspectives. He describes a living and loving Christ who never has left humanity. This Christ may be considered the Chief Executive Officer of the Kingdom of Heaven on earth, functioning as a supreme guardian angel for the earth. Having known Saraydarian for the entire period of the lectures in this book, I do believe that he met the Christ and was inspired in his efforts to expand and clarify the teaching of Christ.

Saraydarian’s major technique is to artfully and simply describe the nature of Christ in non-abstract terms. He builds a picture of the qualities of Christ to induce us to strive on the path of perfection, which he calls the path of striving. He explains the basic mystery of Christ is to have this beingness of the Christ life to be born in us also. He shows us how it can be done, even though it will take lifetimes to accomplish.

Of special interest to Christians and to all those who love the Christ is his deeper explanations of holy communion, candles, developing the Christ in the heart, how the stars above tell the story of Christmas. Students of the mysteries of Christ will especially enjoy the final chapters of this volume.

Please do not speed read this book. Read this book at the same pace as you would hear Saraydarian speak. Sound the words in your mind, as if you are reading poetry. At times stop and ponder the meaning of what he says and how it applies to you. Ask yourself questions, such as, Do I really want to make the effort to strive to become a Christ, or at least a helper of Christ in working out the divine plan? Am I content with what I am now? Do I feel a need to improve my nature? The virtue that the author is talking about, do I need to have more of this quality? If I work on developing this quality of beingness, what would my spouse, friends and coworkers think of my change in personality? Do I dare to change? Am I too lazy and full of inertia to make the effort?

At times you may want to breathe in the words as a fragrant floral perfume. Sometimes it is good to savor the taste of the words, to eat them as a Holy Communion that will bring nourishment to your own body and blood. If we do this, we can have Christmas every day.

Robert Constas, M.D. is a board certified child and adolescent psychiatrist with the Phoenix Indian Medical Center in Arizona, USA. He has extensive experience with parapsychological phenomena, and the application of the Ageless Wisdom in the field of child and adolescent treatment and child rearing. He was raised in the Ageless Wisdom tradition and worked with Torkom Saraydarian beginning in the 1960’s.