The Which means of the Delivery of Jesus

On this article, I wish to focus on the that means of the beginning of Jesus from post-rational, mystical perspective, together with how this attitude each contains and transcends the standard interpretations of this all-important Christian icon.

That is a part of my collection of articles on Christmas, through which I’m trying to convey the joyous, buoyant, non-Mythic, post-rational view of this Christian competition. To that finish, I’m overlaying numerous important Christian symbols and the way they appear from this view.

The beginning of Jesus is one more quintessential Christian image that splendidly conveys profound non secular truths present in all of the contemplative traditions.

Earlier than you learn on, I counsel you try my article on the non secular that means of Christmas. This may assist you to to grasp the idea of Mythic and Rational religion and the way it pertains to Christianity, and to see how my post-rational view compares to them.

A Religious Disclaimer

Earlier than we begin, I wish to be very clear that I’m not a Christian, at the very least not within the conventional sense. I’m a yogi, a practitioner who primarily practices Buddhist meditation. However I join deeply with symbology of Christianity, and I imagine it may and needs to be rationalised, mysticised and made right into a conveyor constructed of transformation, in the identical manner that Buddhism is.

Sadly Christianity is inundated with Mythic baggage, and we’re in a Trendy-Postmodern age that doesn’t settle for myths as offering goal reality. I’m one of many few that don’t wish to lose Christianity: I wish to replace it to a postmodern, progressive model.

My purpose is that can assist you see all of the Christian myths as symbols, as pointers, as metaphors. I would like you to look past the paraphernalia to the core. Admittedly, generally the paraphernalia is elaborate, dense and formidably complicated, particularly for those who’re addicted or allergic to Mythic Christianity.

I don’t have a monopoly on non secular life, and I don’t fake to have all of the solutions, however these concepts are what the beginning of Jesus evoke in me, and I imagine that they roughly define a post-rational view of this Christian image.

I don’t imagine that the Christian myths describe actual occasions. I don’t imagine that Jesus was actually born to a virgin mom, and I don’t imagine it’s essential to imagine any of the Christian myths in a literal sense. Actually, I doubt that Christ was an actual particular person, and even when he was, he nonetheless stays a logo – a strong one at that.

I feel he’s the good Christian archetype, identical to the Buddha is the good Buddhist archetype. Whether or not they ever existed is considerably irrelevant and doesn’t restrict the depth of our non secular lives.

That mentioned, let’s now take a look at the final that means of the beginning of Jesus, or its common operate as a logo, earlier than getting into to specifics.

The Which means of the Delivery of Jesus: Basic

It’s essential you perceive that the beginning of Jesus is merely a logo for one thing else. Its solely objective is to level you in direction of or remind you of that which it symbolises.

The overall that means of the beginning of Jesus is that it’s each a celebration of our true, transpersonal being and a pointer to it, identical to the Christian cross. All of the paraphernalia surrounding the image is mere equipment for supporting the core vessel for reality, which is the younger Christ.

See my video on the symbolism of the Christian cross.

It’s not that Christ was actually born to a virgin mom. For my part, there was no historic Christ, and the beginning of Christ doesn’t consult with a organic beginning. Christ is only a placeholder, as is his beginning, as is his virgin mom. We’ll look extra intently at what every of those imply.

The Which means of the Delivery of Christ: Our Christ Nature

In final occasion, the beginning of Jesus symbolises Christ consciousness, which is our personal – your individual – true nature.

The child Christ signifies the unelaborated, untarnished, lucidity of our Buddha-Christ thoughts. It’s ever-present, lucid thoughts, contemporary, vivid, pure, clear, holy.

There is no such thing as a “factor” that “births” it. Christ consciousness is rarely actually born or unborn, which is why Mary is a virgin mom. It spontaneously manifests.

What’s extra, Christ isn’t actually a “factor” that’s “born”. It’s everpresent, originless actuality.

When you’re current with physique, thoughts and senses, the whole lot is new, contemporary, “like a child”, second to second. You realise that consciousness is identityless, pristine, untarnished, baby-like! It’s a situation of “innocence”, of not-knowing, of silent internal figuring out.

Let me again up somewhat. There’s a birthing within the sense that the whole lot in our being arises and falls, our consciousness renews, and our sense of self is transient and translucent. However there isn’t any stable, lasting, substantial factor that’s birthed, not like in organic beginning.

The Which means of the Delivery of Jesus: Religious Rebirth

One other, not-so-hidden that means of the beginning of Jesus is that it may possibly symbolise our private non secular beginning, the kindling of our non secular life.

That is our beginning from ignorance and delusion to Gnosis, through which we come to grasp that in essence we’re Jesus Christ.

In my case, my non secular rebirth got here after an excessively scientific (generally aggressively scientific) worldview and a condemning of all issues God.

That was till I acquired into Buddhist meditation and began having life-transforming experiences. Quickly my inflexible scientific worldview was shattered. Slowly, maths, physics and chemistry crumbled from the muse of my worldview, outdated by God.

Christians maintain the arrival of Christ to indicate the top of delusion, devilry and heathens. That is true, definitely in a metaphorical sense.

The arrival of Christ consciousness in your individual life is a revolution. As my Dzogchen instructor, Lama Surya Das, says: “One second of complete Nowness consciousness dispels the darkness of ages.”

The Delivery of Jesus as Our Personal Delivery

One other, extra rudimentary that means of the beginning of Jesus is just our personal organic beginning. Buddhists say “We’re all Buddhas by nature”, and mystical Christianity has its personal model of this: Christ consciousness is our true essence.

On this manner, our organic beginning is the beginning of a brand new car for Christ, via which it may possibly know and specific itself.

Let’s use the analogy of the acorn and the oak tree. All acorns have the innate potential of turning into oaks. That doesn’t imply all will achieve this, however every acorn conceals the potential for a brand new oak.

Each human has the Christ potential inside them: it’s a common human trait. It’s true that few actualise it, however the potential or chance is at all times there. As such, every human beginning is a divine chance, worthy of celebration. It’s Jesus being born in a brand new type, one which can or could not come to grasp its true essence.