Theos-Talk Archives (November 1996 Message tl00263)

Hi there all!

The below are two messages I sent to the Bridge-L as a pat of a discussion there. Being not so much a discussion material, but rather some personal points for others to consider (or to ignore) I thought it might be of some value to someone on theos-l.
So. Here it is - take it or leave it - the choice is yours!

(Forwarded)

Einar here:
I was raised in the Christian Lutheran faith, but lost almost any contact when confronted with scientific study in school. From that point Science ruled my world view until age 30 or so when I encountered Theosophy, and through it most of the main religions and psychological and philosophical mainstreams. The above [discussion on fall from Eden] reminded me of my views before 30, when I looked upon the testaments as worthless lies. But I came to certain faith in them again as myths or allegories or in some instances as a very practical teachings of self-improvement.

Regarding the FALL into sin,  I early got the following explanation:
It represents the story of a certain phase in the common human evolution - the first time a Soul (i.e. individual incarnating entity) becomes aware of the difference between right and wrong. As a matter of fact this marks the beginning of the separation or individuation of the Soul and the entering of individual karma. Later I encountered a fascinating treatise on this process in the books, "Up From Eden" and "Spectrum of Consciousness", by Ken Wilber (Quest Books).
According to this theory it was (and is) an inherent nature of thought, that it crates division in the human psyche into the perceiver and the perceived. Hence the loss of innocence, and the inevitable psychological trauma of guilt. (I.e. sin?). This is thus no punishment from God, but an inevitable phase in human evolution, which will only end when the Soul has mastered the principle of thought to perfection, and also mastered the next step of evolution which is the enlightenment, the full continuos insight into the ultimate Unity of All.

Later I have encountered few more fascinating "explanations" (esoteric keys) on various myths in the Bible.

This is part of my Christian salvation of understanding.

Peace to you all.

The esoteric meaning of the Christmas story.

While writing my posting on the Fall, another story came to my mind.
This one is about an esoteric key to the traditional Christmas Story on Jesus birth, and should be valuable to all devoted Christians, as a method of devotion and meditation during the X-ms time. I have got it from my spiritual teacher (S.H.), which told us that it originated from the early days of Christianity, and was widely used by the hidden esoteric lore of Christian mystics throughout the ages.

First I have to explain what an esoteric key is.
Throughout the ages, as far back as records show, esoteric groups have been persecuted and executed for their beliefs and practices. Therefore the teaching was often camouflaged in popular stories and folklore, and needed some keys to become understood in the right way to enlighten the prentice. But that was not the only reason. These keys were often made in "levels", so that they could be given one level at the time, hence introducing deeper meaning at each level as the pupils insight matured. Instead of giving you some hints to the keys in the beginning, as usually was done, I will give you about one level of keys to this story. (The first hint could have been just that there is an inner esoteric meaning to it, and the next, that the story includes an "esoteric trademark", namely "an impossibility", here the virgin birth.)

The esoteric "truth" of the Christmas story is the enlightenment of the soul. There is a totally new thing, a true "virgin birth" of new consciousness taking place, and the story tells about the expected happening of this in YOUR life!
	
Esoteric key: Everything that happens in the story happens inside your psyche, except the crowded guesthouse, which represents the outer world, the entire outer Universe!

The story tells of a soul, which spiritual heart is Mary and which mind is Joseph. The story begins with a spiritual insight, a mystical experience, proclaimed by the higher self (the angel) that *there is no way back*. The spiritual seed has been planted, and it will give birth to the enlightenment when time comes. The soul has to take to the inner road, commanded by a higher command.
	
Esoteric key: Every single "thing" and "incident" in the story represents an inner faculty or an inner happening on the road to enlightenment. We have mentioned Mary, Joseph and the guesthouse. The wild animals are our lower instincts, the tame animals are our now tame emotions, the shepherds represent the discriminations, etc.

Try to find out the meaning of the infinite heaven above, the stars, especially the guiding star, the infinite heaven above, the silence and darkness of the night, the three wise men and their gifts, the angles proclamation etc., and you will be practicing esoteric insight on your own.

The esoteric practice includes the following:
You have to learn the story by heart and ponder its esoteric meaning. When ready, you make your mind a theater for the whole story. You play it over and again in your imagination, connecting every single symbol to its counterpart IN YOU. When ready, after long practice, you sink it down to your heart, where the show goes on every minute of the day, even while you sleep. You wake up in the morning, knowing that it has been going all the night, and it is the last thing that you do when falling asleep in the night. (See: "The way of a pilgrim").

This is just one example of an esoteric use of an exoteric text. It doesn't matter at all whether the Christmas story is true or not, it just must have been written or adapted by an esoterist, (God?!) to contain a perfect esoteric document.

I hope this brings some light to someone's intuition! (You have about a month to rehearse the story and then set up the play in your mind and heart!!!!)

Your ever so humble prentice,

Einar from Iceland