Essay on Mystical Easter Half 2

That is half 2 of my essay on Mystical Easter. You will discover half 1 through this hyperlink.

I choose up from the top of half 1, discussing my method to this subject, earlier than discussing the very best that means of Easter.

Half 2 can be accessible as a chat on the Deep Psychology podcast.

It’s Submit-postmodern

I consider that my method is post-postmodern. What do I imply by post-postmodern?

To know this, we first have to recollect the levels of religion improvement, of which post-postmodern religion is one. The three that instantly precede the extent that I’m speaking about are Mythic, Rational, and Postmodern. We’ll discuss post-postmodern as one stage, however it’s more likely to be a number of levels, and in reality there’s fashions that describe post-postmodern as a number of levels.

To know post-postmodern, we should perceive postmodern religion. That is the interval in our non secular lives once we come out of atheism and rationlism, and start to grasp that a number of religion traditions could be vital and conceal deep fact. Thus, we start opening as much as them.

We are likely to grow to be inquisitive about a number of traditions or methods, reminiscent of Buddhism, yoga, meditation and Hinduism. We’re now beginning to grasp the teachings on a deeper stage and realise that spirituality is basically about transformation. As a substitute of dismissing symbols, as we are likely to at Rational, or deciphering them actually, as we are likely to at Mythic, we grow to be open to symbols as concealing realities that can not be adequately described in phrases.

Nonetheless, at postmodern we nonetheless don’t fairly perceive the depth of what spirituality is. Postmodern spirituality is commonly about feeling good, coming collectively in teams, exploring well being, exploring an entire buffet of non secular practices, however with out a clear path and construction.

With post-postmodern, I really feel we lastly come to the guts of the matter, which is direct expertise of the divine, of altered states resulting in altered traits. Our focus goes to what I’ll name Gnostic spirituality.

Now we have a spotlight, a really clear focus, and it’s on direct expertise, on awakening. This awakening goes past Mythic, Rational and Postmodern concepts of awakening. This goes proper to the guts of the difficulty.

As a substitute of simply completely different traditions and being open to them, we now begin to realise that all of them level to the identical territory in numerous methods. The deeper truths are enclosed within the non secular traditions. With out naively equating all of them, they’re all in the end pointing to the territory of Waking Up.

So at post-postmodern, we take a look at the deep truths in all non secular traditions, and we interpret non secular and non secular symbols as indicators or tips that could these deep truths, and certainly as instruments that induce direct expertise of them.

Utility is Our Precedence

We now choose non secular teachings and methods by their utility.

As a substitute of judging utility based mostly on whether or not they’re Christian, Hindu, Buddhist, or from a sure instructor, we choose them based mostly on utility alone. It’s very non-dogmatic in that sense. Worth just isn’t based mostly on the supply of the instructing or the instructor, however on how helpful it’s to us as non secular practitioners and to our personal direct expertise of fact.

As such, the worth of Christian teachings to a post-postmodern non secular practitioner just isn’t that they’re Christian, however that they’re helpful teachings. That is my method to Christianity.

Direct Expertise

One other key level right here is that this view is predicated on direct expertise.

When you’ve by no means had direct expertise of those issues, it’s close to unimaginable to know why Easter, Christ, the Bible and Christianity is absolutely all about direct expertise.

All of that is about direct non secular awakening. It’s about deeply perceiving for your self, in your personal direct expertise, the truth of what Christianity, and most different non secular traditions, are pointing to.

It’s tough for me to concisely describe this topic, so in case you’ve by no means had such experiences, take solace in the truth that direct expertise will ultimately reveal all. When you may have it, you’ll perceive lots higher what the non secular traditions are speaking about, together with Christianity.

Our method centres on direct expertise. It’s not about believing something. It’s not about memorising the Bible, and it’s not about even taking the pointers, symbols and descriptions too significantly.

It’s possible you’ll memorise 100 quotes from Jesus Christ, however in case you’ve by no means had a direct expertise, it’s actually a waste of time. Jesus was a Gnostic instructor, and his teachings are designed for us to straight awaken to the deepest truths of life.

If we’re by no means reaching direct expertise of those issues, then we’re both misplaced in perception or in ignorance. In fact, we’d want to review these items on a extra mental stage at first, but when it by no means will get translated into direct expertise, and in case you’re not making an attempt to take action, then your mental information is basically irrelevant.

In some methods, this can be a ceremony of passage or a bar to satisfy. It signifies that these with direct expertise of those issues really know, and those that don’t, don’t.

This may increasingly appear to be a burden, however it’s additionally a terrific alternative: I’m not asking you to consider what I say and simply take me on my phrase. When you may have direct expertise, you’ll lastly perceive what Easter and Christianity are actually about.

In reality, all that basically counts is your direct expertise. If I don’t assist you may have a direct expertise, or if this text doesn’t spur you on to do the work to have a direct expertise of those issues, then it’s not fulfilled its objective.

Alternatively, the truth that direct expertise is the usual may be very releasing. I’m not saying it’s good to be a Christian, nor that it’s good to memorise something, nor that it’s good to consider tales and myths.

I’m saying it’s good to domesticate your direct expertise. That you must have direct notion of those issues, and then you definately’ll perceive them.

Primarily based on Psychological Improvement Past Mythic and Rational

I need to make it clear that this isn’t merely based mostly on a unique non secular reference or a unique opinion, however on the next stage of pondering that’s qualitatively completely different to Mythic and Rational ranges.

Most individuals both take part in or are aware of Mythic spirituality, they usually consider that each one spirituality boils all the way down to it. They might not realise they soar to this conclusion. It’s comprehensible, as a result of this type of spirituality is what has dominated human religion for hundreds of years. It’s performed an important function in human evolution, however now we’ve reached the purpose the place we’re sick of it, and on a broad scale we’re prepared for one thing else.

It’s additionally not rational, as I’ve defined. The significance of this method being past mythic and rational is that we’re issues from the next standpoint, from the next stage of pondering, perceiving and embodying.

We’re not happening into mythic and rational and making an attempt to repair their worldviews. Although I’m going to critique them lots and have already got, that’s not my final aim.

On one hand, our method is extra appropriate as a result of post-rationality consists of rationality in its finest model, but additionally sees issues from the next stage that can not be decreased to rationality. As such, it doesn’t get caught in the identical traps that rationality does. It’s inherently extra inclusive.

And it’s not so as a result of I’ve deliberately derived a post-rational view that includes and eclipses rationality. It’s not a theoretical derivation, however the next mode of being. Our view is predicated on the self-evident truths which are embedded on this post-rational mode of being.

The identical applies to Mythic. Our view is embedded in the next mode of being, and is due to this fact extra full, extra entire, and extra appropriate. It’s conscious of greater than the Mythic and Rational ranges and doesn’t get trapped of their drastic shortcomings.

It’s extra inclusive than Mythic as a result of we’re not clinging to Christianity to the exclusion of all different traditions, and we’re not getting misplaced in literal interpretations.

It’s extra inclusive than Rational as a result of we’re not narrowing our imaginative and prescient by demanding that every thing be couched in demonstrable info and confirmed with scientific proof. If we demand this, we get misplaced within the mind, and we’re unlikely to ever have a direct expertise of those issues.

Inherently, it’s conscious of greater than each these views and the Postmodern view. It’s conscious that the deepest non secular truths can’t be put into language and can’t be confirmed aside from via direct expertise. Mythic and Rational don’t enable for both of those essential factors.

Our view is past it’s past mythic and rational. You can not take a look at them from a Mythic or Anti-mythic or Rational or purely Anti-rational. It’s really past each, but inherently consists of them to the extent that’s vital.

This Turns into Self-Evident

A reminder that these truths grow to be self-evident whenever you attain into post-conceptual symbolic and metaphoric spirituality. Because of this except for proof or proof, you intrinsically perceive Christianity from this angle.

As we develop as folks, our worldview, psychology, perspective-taking, values, morals, and so forth, all alter. As they do, new truths and views divulge heart’s contents to us when beforehand they had been hidden or appeared incomprehensible. Very like how an grownup could make sense of written language when younger kids see it as random scribbles, these with extra developed antennae can decipher fact that’s past those that lack such antennae.

Simply as rationality and logic grow to be self-evidently true, vital and helpful for these with rational capacities, those that attain into post-postmodern religion start to naturally recognize non secular symbols and metaphors in the best way now we have mentioned.

For that reason, in case you’re making an attempt to know these concepts from a standpoint that’s purely conceptual or literal, you’re not going to know them. That is post-conceptual, symbolic and metaphorical. We’re aiming excessive, and it gained’t work in case you’re making an attempt to satisfy this at a decrease stage.

We’re actually making an attempt to ask what Easter is about, on the highest potential stage of interpretation. Reaching a passable reply to this requires a stage of psychological improvement that’s past what most individuals can entry.

For that motive, it’s difficult, doubtlessly off-putting, and could seem far on the market. Neither Mythic spirituality nor Rational spirituality nor Postmodern spirituality can absolutely deal with post-conceptual, post-symbolic and metaphorical spirituality.

Metaphorical-Symbolic Spirituality & Mystical Easter

Earlier than we discuss what Easter is from the very best stage, it’s essential that we cowl what metaphorical, symbolic spirituality is. That is roughly stage 5 and stage six of James Fowler’s religion system.

It’s post-mythic, post-rational, post-conceptual. It’s symbolic and metaphorical. However what does that basically imply? In day-to-day life, what does it really feel like to carry this view of spirituality?

A vital level is that on this view we’re ignoring historic truth and we’re additionally ignoring dogma. I’m not right here to debate the biblical info or whether or not Jesus’ miracles really happened, whether or not he actually got here out of a cave on the day of the Resurrection, or whether or not the Final Supper was actually the day earlier than he was crucified, whether or not he was actually crucified, or whether or not Jesus even existed.

I’ve bought my opinion on these, however it doesn’t even matter. We’re not even going into that. We’re simply not being attentive to that as a result of it’s not vital on the subject of metaphorical-symbolic spirituality.

We’re additionally ignoring dogma. We’re not inquisitive about all of the fantastic trivia of the Bible, reminiscent of who did what and when, what had been the exact particulars, what was the order of the evenets, who stated what, what chapter of the Bible was it in, and so forth.

It doesn’t matter, and it’s really easy to get misplaced in all these particulars. In reality, that’s what Christianity has accomplished for hundreds of years now. It’s been getting misplaced in all these particulars and taking every thing so actually.

Once I draw on the Bible or on the info of Jesus’s life, whether or not they’re info or not, the purpose is to not take them as info or to take them as dogma, and even to place lots of inventory in whether or not they existed or not. Their solely significance is as symbols. Their perform is symbolic and metaphorical.

If I consider one thing has a metaphorical, symbolic perform, I’ll use it and I’ll confer with it. If it doesn’t, I’ll simply ignore it as a result of it doesn’t play a task in our work.

So, we’re principally ignoring historic truth and dogma and we’re judging issues on their utility.

Second of all, we’re paying very shut consideration to symbols right here, together with all of the frequent symbols of the Bible. And the way are we doing this? I would like this to be very clear how we’re really doing this. The way in which we’re symbols is that they’re pointing to transpersonal realities.

For instance, the Christian Cross is pointing to a transpersonal actuality. The Crucifixion is pointing to a transpersonal actuality. The Resurrection is pointing to a transpersonal actuality. Lent is pointing to a transpersonal actuality. Easter eggs are pointing to a transpersonal actuality.

Let’s take Easter eggs for instance, as a result of I’ve an article about the symbolism of Easter eggs. Clearly, the egg itself is a recognisable bodily type: everyone knows what an egg is, everyone knows that if an egg grows and is nurtured for sufficient time, you finally get a chick.

We all know it’s a container of types, we all know what it looks like, we all know that it’s an entire and full form. Subsequently, it’s possess a recognisable bodily type. All symbols have a recognisable bodily type, which might in lots of instances be reasonably mundane. Symbols can come within the type of parables and tales.

Even the cross is kind of an earthly image: it’s merely two strains or rectangles crossing one another. The precise bodily type of an egg is mundane and has nothing particular to it. It’s not significantly beneficial in and of itself: it’s simply an egg!

Nonetheless, the recognisable bodily type of all symbols factors to a transpersonal actuality.

It would sound foolish to say that. How may an egg be transpersonal? However whenever you put it within the context of the story of Jesus, Easter and the Resurrection, it really turns into fairly apparent that the egg is pointing to a transpersonal actuality.

One other key level is that symbols are catalysts or inductors. What do I imply by this? From the metaphorical symbolic view, you realise is that the perform of symbols is to principally attain down and seize you. It’s like they’re making an attempt to seize you and present you one thing. While you accomplish that, your consciousness expands, and also you discover you hook up with the truth that they disclose.

As Ken Wilber says: “all of these symbols and the rites and ceremonies related to these symbols are esoterically meant to perform as helps of contemplation or symbolic transformers.” So once we’re speaking about any Easter image, we’re making an attempt to see them on this means: as an invite, as a catalyst, as an inductor.

Once I see non secular symbols, it looks like I get up and achieve consciousness of the truth that the image is making an attempt to level to.

Whereas, this requires some abstraction and rational pondering to know what the image is referring to, basically this mode of interpretation is post-rational. The perform of the rationality is to get a fundamental grasp on the mundane bodily illustration of the image, its historical past and different associated symbols.

Nonetheless, once we’re really it, we should transfer past these fundamental conclusions right into a post-rational means of deciphering it. Its message is post-verbal and post-conceptual. Its that means is tough to verablise, however in connecting with the image, it grabs you and strikes you into that transpersonal actuality. Rationality can’t contact this mode.

Although we do require some abstraction and somewhat little bit of understanding to essentially join with symbols on this deep means, this mode is post-rational.

Additionally, it’s important to neither consider in myths, but additionally to not demonise them. If we spend our time both believing the Easter story in literal phrases, and that each single fragment of knowledge within the Bible is true, you’re not going to know the metaphorical-symbolic view.

Keep in mind: we don’t pay a lot consideration to all of the fantastic particulars, reasonably we concentrate on probably the most highly effective Christian symbols. Nonetheless, in case you additionally spend your time demonising Christianity, which is what scientific, rational folks are likely to do, you’re closing your self to the metaphorical-symbolic view. The symbols and tales and the entire narrative of Easter are simply pointers, nothing else.

I’m certain you’ve heard the metaphor of the finger and the moon. If I level to the moon, it’s not so that you just take a look at my finger, however that you just take a look at the moon. The Easter story and the entire of Christianity is only a finger, a pointer. Take a look at what it’s making an attempt to level out, reasonably than the pointer itself. Believing within the myths is to consider within the finger and to magnify its significance.

But additionally, we’re not demonising the finger. If we demonise the finger an excessive amount of, we gained’t see the moon itself. So, the symbols act as a pointer to the guts of the matter, which might solely be understood via direct expertise.

Let’s cowl two extra factors earlier than we discuss what Easter really is. First, it’s essential to notice that Easter, very merely, is about you, and is about proper now. Regardless that this dialogue might sound very summary, in final occasion, we’re speaking about you, we’re speaking about your direct expertise, and we’re speaking about proper now.

We’re not speaking about some expertise you may need sooner or later, however about this very expertise, the expertise of being alive. We’re speaking concerning the completely different ranges of our consciousness and what occurs once we realise them.

Often, our consciousness is locked into what I name the floor ranges, and we’re unaware of the degrees which are past that. Most individuals spend their whole lives unaware of them, despite the fact that they’re right here proper now.

They’re already current and accessible; it’s a matter of seeing them. Happily, every time we’re engaged in metaphorical, symbolic work, we’re primarily coaching ourselves to see what is true right here, proper now.

Keep in mind: it’s proper right here, proper now, and it’s inside us, not some other place. We’re not speaking about some other place; we’re speaking about our very expertise proper now. If we’re trying elsewhere, we’re trying outdoors of ourselves, or up to now or future, we’re not getting it.

It’s proper right here, it’s direct, it’s perceptible, it’s ready for us proper now. That is such a basic factor to recollect about all non secular work, and is essential to recollect once we’re speaking about Christianity and Easter too.

And at last, you must realise that non secular transformation is feasible. And it’s not potential for Jesus Christ, it’s not potential to your favorite saint, and it’s not potential as an concept: it’s potential for you. That is what Easter is absolutely about, and that is what Christianity is absolutely about. They’re actually about non secular transformation. When you don’t take this on, you’re not going to have the ability to abdomen what the very best that means of Easter is.

When you can’t abdomen the concept it’s potential and is about you and your personal non secular transformation, you’re not going to know what we’re speaking about right here, and also you’ll proceed to assume it’s about some other place or another person. It’s about your personal non secular transformation.

What’s Easter?

So, let’s now focus on what Easter is. To briefly summarise earlier than we go into the varied features of Easter and what they actually imply, I’ll say that Easter is a metaphor for the trail of non secular awakening and non secular potential.

Easter is symbolic, whether or not or not the occasions of Easter are actual, historic occasions. Easter is a symbolic story or a set of pointers for numerous features of the trail of non secular awakening.

Easter just isn’t restricted to calendar time, reminiscent of Good Friday, Holy Saturday and Easter Sunday and so forth. It’s not restricted to calendar time, as a result of it may occur at any time. Because it’s speaking about us awakening to our non secular nature, which is already current in case you have the eyes to see it, Easter can occur at any time. Certainly, our non secular nature is past time.

Easter is past the Bible, Christianity, dogma, the Church, and any non secular custom. It’s past something, as a result of it’s pointing to a deep facet of being human. It has nothing to do with the church actually, and basically it has nothing even to do with Jesus Christ. It’s speaking concerning the actuality of non secular awakening, which we can’t restrict to a sure non secular custom, image, pointer, story or set of tales.

Easter is an outline of non secular dying and rebirth. It’s a metaphor for non secular awakening, the trail to it, and who we could grow to be once we realise it. To be extra exact, it’s an outline of non secular dying and rebirth, which is why Lent, Crucifixion and the Resurrection are basic pillars of the story.

It’s not an outline of your bodily dying and even Jesus’s bodily dying. Religious dying and rebirth is past age, it’s past place and time, it’s past calendar time. It’s a basic human actuality.

We will additionally consider Easter as a watershed second within the non secular practitioner’s life, as a result of it’s a interval of non secular dying and rebirth. Your personal Easter could be a selected time in your life whenever you had a deep non secular dying and rebirth, and in that sense the Easter story is a metaphor for that course of, its results and what precludes it.

Moreover, Easter could be each a single time frame in your non secular path and a repeating theme of the trail. When you’re a critical non secular practitioner, you’re going via non secular dying and rebirth on a regular basis. A few of these processes could be vital or much less so, extra intense or much less so, and a few could be large moments when your life adjustments fairly dramatically.

In a nutshell, that’s what Easter actually is: it’s a metaphor for non secular dying and rebirth.

Lent, Good Friday & Easter Sunday in Mystical Easter

Let’s look extra carefully on the occasions of Easter and the favored symbology that it comprises. To sum this up, I’m going to cite Ken Wilber, who summarises Easter as such: “Christ is sacrificed (the lamb), he dies to his separate self (the Crucifixion), and is reborn to ascend into heaven (precise transcendence).” That may be a quick abstract of what the Crucifixion and the Resurrection imply.

Let’s discuss Lent. The story of Lent is that Jesus spent 40 days and 40 nights within the desert, throughout which period he was tempted by the satan. So what does that symbolise by way of non secular dying and rebirth? Nicely, previous to any type of non secular awakening, there’s often a interval of lots of exhausting work, striving and confusion. You’re wrestling together with your previous means of seeing the world, you’re wrestling with the satan.

However what actually si the satan? The satan just isn’t some summary entity outdoors of you. As a substitute, the satan is your personal ignorance of your non secular nature. The satan is part of you. So everytime you’re pre-spiritual awakening, you’re principally you’re wrestling together with your habit to your character and your ignorance of who you actually are. That’s your interval of Lent.

If we take a look at a literal interpretation of Lent, it’s a interval of renunciation. The theme of renunciation seems in all non secular faculties and is taken into account as a vital facet of awakening. Strolling the trail inevitably consists of renunciation. In that sense, let’s imagine that Lent is one thing you could select to do intentionally as a option to awaken.

Whether or not your non secular path explicitly consists of renunciation or not, you’ll need to undergo it earlier than non secular awakening as a result of basically you’re tempted by your ignorance, by your habit to your self, by your lack of awareness of your personal non secular nature. So, that’s what Lent is: it’s pre-awakening.

How about Good Friday, the Crucifixion? This isn’t a day of bodily dying. This isn’t the day that Jesus Christ died 2,000 years in the past. That is non secular dying, it’s the dying of your ignorance, it’s the dying of egoic consciousness. It’s not your bodily dying, you’re not dying to your sins, and Jesus didn’t actually die for our sins on the cross.

As Wilber level out, the Crucifxion symbolises what we have to do to spiritually awaken, which is to die to our unique identification with the human situation and our sense of identification, with our sense of who we’re.

The cross itself is a really highly effective image not likely for dying, however for our non secular nature. The cross is a pointer to our non secular nature, to what it’s prefer to reside with our consciousness of our non secular nature. The Crucifixion is a metaphor for non secular dying, for the slicing of our ignorance, the slicing of our attachment to who we’re.

As for the Resurrection, it’s only a metaphor for non secular rebirth. There’s a phrase in Matthew that tells us what occurs with non secular rebirth: “his look was like lightning and his garments had been white as snow”. And in Thessalonians, “I’m the Resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me although he die but shall he reside, and everybody who lives and believes in me shall by no means die.”

The Resurrection just isn’t about Jesus being reborn as a human from a cave. It’s not even about you being reborn after bodily dying. It’s about our non secular rebirth as Christ-like beings: our garments are “white as snow”, our look is “like lightning”. There’s really a noticeable transformation that’s happening.

This doesn’t imply now we have to put on white garments. That is all metaphorical! We’re not actually like lightning; reasonably, there’s an lively change in us. There’s like a change to our character, to how we’re on the planet, to how we reside. There’s a purification once we are reborn spiritually. We die to our ignorance of who we’re and to the human situation, and we realise that basically we’re not actually human. In that sense, we are able to by no means die as a result of our non secular nature is basically immortal.

Our Christ nature, our personal internal Jesus Christ is immortal. When it says “believes in me”, it doesn’t imply consider in me and all my dogma: it means observe the best way of Jesus, observe the best way of non secular dying and rebirth, which is about direct expertise. While you die spiritually, whenever you undergo non secular dying and also you undergo non secular rebirth, the result’s that you just grow to be a brand new individual, for whom the Jesus determine is an archetype. He’s an archetype for who you possibly can grow to be when you find yourself spiritually reborn, and consists of qualities like purity, generosity, availability, knowledge, and so forth.

These are guiding ideas for who we are able to grow to be. It doesn’t imply all individuals who have gone via non secular dying and rebirth will continuously show these qualities, however this can be a normal results of non secular awakening.

Mystical Easter: Conclusion

That’s the Easter story. It’s all metaphors and tips that could this technique of non secular dying and rebirth. That is how one can be Christian with out being Christian. I don’t think about myself a Christian and I’ve not learn a lot of the Bible, however I recognize these highly effective symbols and realise they’re pointing to one thing very deep, at the very least when interpreted from a metaphorical-symbolic view.

Everytime you’re participating with Easter and studying about Christianity and the lifetime of Jesus, I encourage you to have a look at it from this metaphorical-symbolic view. Clearly you possibly can discard stuff that isn’t helpful or appears superfluous, like I do, however in the end that is all about your non secular awakening. It’s not about Christ’s personal transformation! Christ is only a metaphor for you, and Jesus Christ is simply an archetype or a metaphor for who we grow to be once we undergo this course of.