The Symbolism of Lent, for Mystics

On this article, we talk about the symbolism of Lent. I need to have a look at Lent not as a phenomenon of fundamentalist Christianity, however the way it would possibly recommend common options of any non secular path.

We have a tendency to think about Lent as a interval once we hand over some behavior or some foodstuff as a private problem. Although this may be helpful as a personal-improvement methodology, it makes a mockery of true Lent.

Extra severe Christians observe fasting for 40 days, however for my part they nonetheless get Lent fallacious, as a result of they continue to be tied up in spiritual rumour. That is an error, no matter how self-consistent and complete their dogma could appear.

So, I don’t need to churn out the accepted dogma surrounding Lent, however to look at its symbolism: what does Lent actually imply as an emblem? What’s its larger significance?

An Apart: I Am Not a Christian

So we’re clear, I’m a meditator, a mystic. I’m devoted to direct expertise and nothing else. If parts of a religion system serve to boost my direct expertise of those issues, I entertain them. In the event that they don’t, I see them as irrelevant, except new and improved info forces me to re-evaluate their validity.

At this level, I don’t consider that any of the Christian myths are correct historic accounts of actual occasions and folks, nor do I observe any of the well-established rites and guidelines that Christianity prescribes.

I’m not significantly keen on whether or not Jesus was a historic particular person or not, or whether or not he died on a cross, or whether or not he spent 40 days and nights in a desert, or whether or not he was resurrected. That’s all rumour and irrelevant.

Nonetheless, I do see Christianity as a wealthy supply of esoteric teachings, of “secret teachings”, a lot of that are transmitted non-verbally via its wealthy symbolism.

I really feel a variety of resonance in direction of symbolism such because the Cross, Jesus Christ, the Holy Grail, and so forth, however solely as a result of they level me to my transpersonal nature, and solely to the extent that they do.

In reality, I consider their solely validity is as symbols. After I see symbolism of this type, I can virtually hear them whispering to me, “Hey, I’m attempting to point out you one thing profound in regards to the nature of your self and actuality, test it out.” I see no different validity to them by way of severe non secular observe.

That each one stated, let me share what Lent evokes in me as a non secular image.

My Interpretation of the Symbolism of Lent

There are a number of issues that Lent evokes in me, however basically its symbolism for the precept of chastity, of giving up, of renunciation, which is a elementary a part of the trail to enlightenment.

It’s true that each one non secular traditions encourage renunciation with respect to behavioural and psychological habits. Nonetheless, the final word chastity is past issues like eating regimen and unhealthy habits: it’s associated to our very id.

Chastity on the subject of our id is the basic chastity of the non secular path.

We will see this in a number of key methods:

• as a single distinct part in the beginning of our non secular path, lasting a number of years;
• as a number of phases of our non secular path, lasting a number of weeks, months or years every time;
• as a precept that underlies your complete non secular path.

All three have their validity, and I’ll describe them right here, starting with the primary two

Lent Symbolism as a Interval of Time

Seen as a definite part, Lent is a interval of confusion and nice effort. We’re doing non secular observe, following some type of system, and attempting to glimpse the character of ourselves and actuality, however we come up empty-handed.

To come back to deep mystical realisation or gnosis, we should hand over our identification with who we at all times consider we’ve been: this particular person, with all their quirks, likes, dislikes, ideas, recollections, plans, regrets, hang-ups, sturdy fits, and so forth.

In my thoughts, the true which means of the dogma that “Jesus spent forty days and nights within the desert” and was “tempted by the Satan” and was then “crucified” earlier than he “awoke from the lifeless”, is solely that if we’re to awaken to our non secular nature after which dwell it out, we should hand over all our illusions about who we predict we’re. We should starve our conceptual thoughts. This course of may be disturbing and protracted.

We should profoundly surrender our “sin”, which actually means our false funding in all the pieces that’s not God, within the separate ego and duality. This isn’t a floor change of behavior however a deep, lasting and elementary shift in consciousness.

We’ll possible undergo confusion (the desert, or purgatory) and be repeatedly caught up in our delusions (the Satan) as we’re attempting to stroll the non secular path. In reality, you would possibly say that our total lives earlier than our personal non secular loss of life and renewal is a type of desert, as a result of we go about our lives drunk on the Floor stage of our consciousness.

In any case, we lastly expertise deep loss of life of our id (Crucifixion). It’s well-documented in Buddhism that this step may even be deeply destabilising, a minimum of for some time. We could undergo a profound disaster (or desert) earlier than lastly embodying in on a regular basis life the deeper fact of who we’re (the Resurrection).

In reality, we undergo many of those intervals on the trail. We could come to a sure stage of realisation, however then have to understand and let go of our identification with that, in order that we will attain a brand new stage of understanding and be “reborn” but once more. The interval main as much as our first glimpses of Reality could really feel significantly barren and effortful.

As An Everpresent Characteristic

From this angle, non secular development is a continuing loss of life and rebirth that requires a continuous letting go of our ideas and concepts. As such, Lent is an ever-present function of this work.

Does this imply that we will’t have a good time Lent because it falls within the calendar yr? You do no matter floats your boat. However the actual Lent is a continuing chastity, a continuous openness to emptying our cup so we will fill it once more, a continuous not-knowing.

Bear in mind, Lent is about renouncing our illusions on the subject of who we’re, what life is about, and the final word actuality of this life.

So if it’s not nearly giving up chocolate, or even when it’s not in the end about fasting, or repenting our sins, how does this type of Lent look in actual phrases?

• taking our non secular realisations evenly, figuring out that there’s way more to understand;
• committing to deep non secular observe for so long as it takes;
• chopping away our habits of thoughts and psychology that maintain us caught in “sin”;
• renouncing patterns of behaviour which can be based in lack and need;
• newbie’s thoughts: a agency stance to abide in not-knowing;
• silent presence: remaining proper right here, proper now, seeing all expertise somewhat than being it;
• oneness: seeing all expertise as a manifestation of our personal true nature;
• renouncing duality: regularly conscious of our tendency to divide the world into topic and object.

Lent In All Traditions

The precept of Lent, that’s, of chastity, is present in non secular traditions the world over. Although it is probably not discovered within the type of rituals or rites, it at all times performs a job within the non secular path, as a result of it’s vital for non secular transformation.

A elementary a part of Buddhism is chastity, significantly in old-school, Theravadin traditions with the shaved heads, lengthy robes, giving up of possessions, and norms for behaviour. That is seen as a elementary and compulsory side of residing as a monk and receiving Buddhist teachings.

To present one concrete instance, we will see Lent as a part very clearly within the common Eight Ox-Herding Photos from Zen Buddhism.

Your complete right-hand aspect of the above diagram is Lent. From the time that the boy sees the footsteps of the ox, he’s nonetheless topic to confusion, greedy and striving. The ox runs in all instructions, evading his chase.

Even when he manages to tie a rope across the ox, it nonetheless possess wild power, and the boy nonetheless goes in all instructions looking for a solution to seize the beast for actual. He’s attempting very arduous, however his effort involves naught. This era is Lent.

It’s solely when the boy lastly tames the ox and begins to journey the ox that he really lives a non secular life. That is when he’s “reborn” and goes out into the world together with his discoveries, residing a life that could be very totally different to his earlier one.

Search for the precept of Lent in any mannequin of the non secular path, whether or not as a part or as an ever-present, and also you’re sure to seek out it.