This section offers a rather unusual explanation of the Christmas story--a symbolic representation of the Christmas story. This is not to deny the authenticity of the Christmas story as we know it. It's merely to provide an explanation of the story as a metaphor for living spiritually. If Christianity is your devotion, you may be surprised by this explanation. Christian, or not, you may well find interest in the story of Christmas from another viewpoint. The symbolic explanation provides a means of looking not only at your own religious or spiritual tradition, but also at life itself.
You will recall that the virgin, Mary, the mother-to-be of Jesus, heard from an angel that she was to give birth to Jesus, who would become a savior for her people. Along the way, Joseph was considering putting Mary out, for the circumstances surrounding a "virgin birth" where both puzzling and unfamiliar to him, to say the least. Soon, however, Joseph saw in a dream that he was to honor this relationship and the birth of God's son, and so he did. Indeed, as the story goes, Jesus was born to Mary and her husband, Joseph, on what we have come to call Christmas--in a manger--which three wise men visited in order to pay homage through their gifts of gold and frankincense.
There are other versions of this story, but as we have come to know it, this is essentially the story of Jesus' birth. Although this could be a true reflection of historical fact, there are also other ways of viewing this depiction. I choose here to speak to the portrayal from its symbolic meaning, beginning by treating the story as an allegory that contains some truths for us to consider. In this case, the allegory speaks to us about how we are to live from day to day, moment to moment--spiritually--in a rather simple, straightforward manner. I'll begin with this.
If we consider each character in this allegory as an archetype we have within us, we can learn to treat life much like a lucid dream, a dream we can change to the benefit of all concerned. Mary, the mother of Jesus, represents the feminine aspect we all have embedded within us: the angelic voice--the voice of Wisdom-- waiting only to be made aware, and accepted as the Truth to be served.
It's not Mary that's the virgin. It's what Mary represents--receiving a sacred idea of Wisdom from within (often called the voice of an angel, grace, Wisdom, insight, inspiration, spiritual or cosmic consciousness)--that is virgin to our way of being in this material world. Most look outward rather than inward to find guidance, to affirm our identity, to seek peace of mind and to fulfill our purpose. Indeed, looking inward to hear the Truth-- the sacred idea or inspiration formed out of the still, small voice--is virgin to our ears. Going inward for spiritual guidance is new to our way of bringing order to life.
The term immaculate conception that is linked to this story refers to the immaculate nature of the divine message received. When spiritually aware, the forms of insight or intuition that enlighten us are untarnished, clear of any elements of belief or opinion, conceived as the still, small voice discerned in our heart of hearts. In a word, we hear each as simple, sacred Truth to be followed.
Joseph represents how we often treat a sudden insight, inspiration, some virgin idea--something new to us. Uncomfortable with the newness of it, or feeling that it may contradict our beliefs, opinions or domesticated agreements, we cast it out. At the very least, we tentatively push it away from us. Until, that is, we hear from some authority we can accept that this virgin, sacred idea is, indeed, the authority that validates the correct path for us. In Joseph's case, the dream was taken to be a sacred sign, an authority he could abide. This was enough to move him beyond his limited perspective to an honorable perception of spiritual reality. Thus the masculine form of bringing Truth or Wisdom to fruition surrenders to that very essence of sacred guidance.
The Jesus babe? Jesus is the newborn, representing the new way in which we are to live our lives--if we are to fulfill our lives and purpose spiritually. In order to fulfill ourselves spiritually, we must begin by listening inwardly to the voice of inspiration, spiritual or cosmic consciousness. We thus become fully aware of the first step of Wisdom that takes us on our True path, followed by each succeeding step, receiving further Wisdom as and when we need it. Thus the authority for living spiritually is the infinitely expressed gift of grace, the feminine aspect of Wisdom we find inwardly. The endless stream of sacred messages we follow when living spiritually. It is this path, The Inward Journey, which is our savior--which saves us from following our ego consciousness into ineptitude and onto erroneous paths. Indeed, it is our awareness of the Truth--the Wisdom we hear inward--that sets us free, free to live only our highest good. Once free, we demonstrate Wisdom into being.
Therefore, when we see that the only way to live spiritually is by going inward for the Wisdom we are to follow--and then surrendering only to that Wisdom as our purpose--we come to celebrate the perfect inner balance of the feminine and masculine aspects of being. By receiving guidance inwardly, we validate the inner feminine aspect of acceptance, graceful receptivity. By demonstrating only the inner guidance into our daily lives, we activate our inner masculine. When mastered, our inner feminine and masculine are perfectly balanced, and we are reborn to live anew.
The manger speaks to humility, humble circumstances. In symbolic terms, the manger represents the idea of humility as surrendering ourselves to living only by The Inward Journey, and demonstrating the Wisdom found inward faithfully. When we substitute our own ideas, opinions and beliefs for spiritual purpose and direction, we distance humility for vanity's sake. Eventually, by living in the realm of ego consciousness, we succumb to the vanity of vanities: acting as if we are separate from Source, Wisdom--God, by whatever name. In Truth, we are One with Source, and never separate from it.
What about the star in the east, and the wise men? The star rising out of the east represents a new birth, emerging in the form of enlightenment. Wisdom rises into our awareness and lights the path we are to follow. The Inward Journey--this sacred idea of living spiritually--is born and made legitimate, as the only real means for living spiritually. What rings True to us rises into being by following it, demonstrating only its guidance. Indeed, when we do follow this single journey, we return to our inherent Wisdom, for we will have surrendered to the path of enlightenment. And each new, sacred idea brought to life allows us to be reborn into a new way of living from day to day.
What about the gifts given by the Wise Men to the newborn? The gifts of Wisdom celebrate the eternal commitment to living from the inside out, to living anew, free from the burdens of living from ego consciousness. Indeed, Wisdom is the infinite, eternal and ever available gift to those who follow The Inward Journey. And when we do, each of us can demonstrate an endless stream of Wisdom into the Universe. What an amazingly powerful gift of worth (gold) and spiritual impact (frankincense) Wisdom is to the world we live in!
By all means, then, do consider the options when "shopping" for holiday gifts this year. Instead of spending money on gifts that in large part will be forgotten in a day or two, wrap yourself in a red ribbon. Celebrate your rebirth, letting Christ consciousness be what saves you from yourself. Gift the Universe with endless demonstrations of Wisdom, Truth, Christ consciousness--birth after birth of one sacred inspiration after another. By doing so--by setting an example of how to live spiritually--all are uplifted. All come to be Wise. All come to be free, to celebrate peace of mind. And to demonstrate a joyous heart as their way in the world.
HAPPY HOLIDAYS, everyone! |
