Getting the 1st and 2nd Beatitudes Right: A Metaphysical Interpretation

As far as we know Jesus, the man, never wrote anything down. He never had a bestseller in bookstores, on Kindle, in Nook, or in Smashwords. He never wrote an autobiography. Never scribbled anything on an envelop or in Pinterest. Had no use for a Mont Blanc pen. Never e-mailed, ‘text-messaged,’ or tweeted anyone!

However, after he fully actualized his Christhood, he did write a few things down. He etched them in the sand, and no one knows to this day what He wrote except the church leaders for whom it was written. Speculation is he scribbled their shortcomings in the sand. (If you are interested in the story check it out in any one of the traditional versions of the Gospel of John chapter 8:6 and 8).

There are those, including us, who agree with Dr. George Lamsa that Jesus delivered a well-organized, well-detailed, well-edited truth talk early in his ministry. It was a literary masterpiece; and it was called the Sermon on the Mount.

Lamsa believes Jesus carefully recorded this talk so he would be sure to capture the important points he wanted to share. (For those of you who are interested, the content for the entire sermon series appears in Matthew Chpts. 5 through 7, and Luke Chpt. 6).

The main portion of his talk is called the Beatitudes (we refer to it as the Be-Attitudes). It is that portion which we will focus on in this blogcast and in the next three blogcasts which follow. However, our treatment will be a metaphysical one because we believe the Be-Attitudes are rich in deeper spiritual meanings.

We believe in the power of words, and in the transforming power of Truth. And the truth is the power of the Be-Attitudes, metaphysically interpreted, can change your life, making the time you have left in this earth experience an awesome experience.

How would you like to have an awesome, fantabulous, spectacular 2013? Silly question, right? If we shared with you something…

• that would help improve the quality of your living; and
• that would help you gain the inner peace, confidence, and wherewithal you need to be successful beyond your wildest dreams . . .

Would you be interested? The hidden knowledge the Christ as Jesus conferred upon us in the Sermon on the Mount can do just that!

Read carefully, and we believe your life will be transformed forever as you let the interpretation we offer resonate at a soul level.

About the word “Blessed”

Each of the Be-Attitudes begins with the word ‘blessed.’ To bless is to ‘confer prosperity upon, to enrich, to enliven.’ So when he uses the word ‘blessed,’ the Christ as Jesus is telling us how wonderful our lives will be when we apply truth principles.

Beatitude #1:

We’re going to share the 1^st Be-Attitude in its traditional literal form and then reveal its deeper, and what we believe to be, more accurate  meaning. In its traditional form, it says:

Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

For the past 2,000 years, we have been taught that the first Be-Attitude affirms that poverty is a virtue – that we are to patiently suffer through being poor, and that one day in some future heaven we will find our reward.

You can see where that translation has taken us this past 2,000 years. The truly sad thing is it is based on a gross mistranslation of scripture.

The root word that is translated “spirit” comes from the word ruach  which is more accurately translated “pride, or narcissistic pride.” So, it’s really saying: “Blessed are those who lack pride-fulness, who are not narcissistic, who practice humility.”

Mainstream Bible translators are notorious for toying with semantics. Their literal eyes miss the deeper meanings of scripture. They consistently, whether purposefully or ineptly, use the 2^nd, 3^rd, and even 4^th derivations of words when translating scripture to retail their mistranslations.

In all fairness, we must say that translating one language into another can be, well, rather interesting. For example, here are a few genuine, but amusing, attempts to translate signage into English around the world:

A sign at a Budapest zoo read: Please do not feed the animals. If you have any suitable food, give it to the guard on duty.

A notice on the door to a Calcutta maternity ward: No Children Allowed.

In an East African newspaper: A new swimming pool is rapidly taking shape since the contractors have thrown in the bulk of their workers.

An airline ticket office sign in Copenhagen: We take your bags and send them in all directions.( That one sounds familiar, doesn’t it!)

And finally, on a hotel room door in Japan: You are invited to take advantage of the chambermaid.

Translating from one language to another can be tricky. And Bible translations are no exception.

The second half of the 1^st Be-Attitude says: “for their’s is the Kingdom of Heaven.”

Now keep in mind that ‘heaven’ is not a place we go to but a state of consciousness we grow to! Heaven is our super-consciousnessness – which religious teachers, philosophers, and psychologists are only beginning to understand. The root word for heaven, which is the Aramaic word the Christ as Jesus would have used, means “expanding spiritual potential.”

So, this is what we believe the Christ as Jesus is saying in this 1^st Be-Attitude:

We are enriched when we lack narcissistic pride, when we are teachable, when we are open and receptive to eternal truths, when we practice humility – and it is from that level of consciousness that we shall expand our understanding so we can fulfill our divine potential.

We don’t know about you, but we believe that interpretation sounds like something the Christ as Jesus would have said at his level of spiritual advancement. At the time he delivered this talk, he had fully aligned his human self with his Christ Self. We hope it resonates with you as well.

Beatitude #2:

The 2^nd Be-Attitude, in its literal interpretation says:

“Blessed are they that mourn; for they shall be comforted.”

This has usually been interpreted to mean that sorrow and sadness are virtues and that we will be comforted when we get to heaven ‘up there.’

Sorrow and sadness are not virtues. We are not put here to be sorrowful. The Christ as Jesus said he came that we might have life and have it more abundantly. We believe He meant the Christ Presence within us is here to help us live happy, healthy, productive human lives!

A closer look at the 2^nd Be-Attitude reveals a different interpretation.

To mourn, in the original Aramaic, means to yearn, be passionate about, to be eager for for something transformative. “Blessed are those who mourn” really means: More enlivened and enriched are those who yearn for a closer relationship with their Christ Self.

And “For they shall be comforted” has nothing to do with sadness or bereavement. It means: we are guaranteed, supplied, see the arrival of unlimited opportunities for soul growth.

When we assemble the 2^nd Be-Attitude it says:

Blessed, enriched, are those who yearn for a closer relationship with their Christ Self,  for they are guaranteed unlimited opportunities for soul growth.

So, a couple of questions we might ask ourselves on our journey toward enlightenment are:

• How can we be teachable, and remain open and receptive to eternal truths?
• How can we practice more humility?
• What does it mean to yearn for a closer relationship with our Christ self?
• In what ways can I more closely align my human self with my Christ Self?

Next week, we’ll share a metaphysical interpretation of Beatitudes 3 & 4.

Sync or Sink? How to Connect to Your Spiritual Core Essence and Thrive!

We all want to believe that deep within our souls there is a very special reason we are here, that we have something valuable to contribute to the world, that we have a special purpose, that we are unique somehow. We also have a sense for the kind of life we’d like to live and a desire to find the right kind of work which suits our talents, aspirations, and values.

Yet, for far too many people, those inner promptings and ardent hopes have become detoured by the frustrations and lost opportunities associated with daily living. Many people have given up on what they thought they could be. Millions have settled for ordinariness. Millions more hold onto their dreams but fail to take the necessary steps to make those dreams real.

In this blogcast we invite you to stop majoring in minor things. By that we mean far too many bright, conscientious, talented people get so caught up in material comforts and sink into unfulfilling ego pursuits that they neglect the one thing that will make them healthy, happy, and whole:
getting in sync with their Core Essence, the deeper part of them that is the seat of their higher functioning, their phenomenal abilities, their incredible uniqueness, their realized potential!
Your Core Essence is the Extraordinary You waiting to be released!

Psychologists call this Core Essence your Authentic Self or your True Self. Neuroscientists refer to it as your Deeper Self. Spiritual teachers say it is your Divine Self.

From our experience we have seen that people will not achieve what they want to achieve, be what they want to be, and do what they believe they are put here to do until they get in sync with their Core Essence. Once that “in sync-ness” is accomplished, all of the rest of their lives falls into place.

No matter where you are in life, you want more of the things that you believe will make you happy, healthy, productive, and fulfilled. It doesn’t matter how well you are already doing, or aren’t; how prosperous you already are, or not; how professionally fulfilled you are, or not; how financially stable you are, or aren’t – you have the choice of making the all important connection by getting in sync with the Extraordinary You (your Core Essence).

Making that choice is the difference between your personal and professional success or feeling that you’ve missed the boat. It’s the difference between feeling fulfilled and wondering if you’ll ever achieve anything worthwhile. It’s the difference between the current you and the you you’d like to be.

“Know thyself” is an ancient Greek aphorism that was inscribed in the forecourt of the Temple of Apollo at Delphi. It has been used throughout history as an injunction for all of us to take getting to know our Core Self seriously.

Your Core Essence (the Extraordinary You, your Core Self) is the foundation of your being. It is the wise you; the transcendent you; the you that has all of the answers; the you that has the strength to lift a car off a loved one; the you that can memorize a series of numbers in their exact order; the you that can survive stage four cancer and go on to live a healthy, happy life; the you that can break cinder blocks with your bare hand; the you that can surmount incredible odds to achieve your dreams; the you that can understand the deepest esoteric teachings.

One thing we know for sure – every circumstance invites you to be who you are. Every situation demands your true colors. Each challenge you face requires you to think, choose, and act from the truth of who you really are.

We can categorically tell you from our personal experience and from a thorough investigation of the last fifty years of human potential research that when your “ordinary self” (the everyday you) gets in sync with your Core Essence (the Extraordinary You) you can meet any human challenge with grace and poise. You can achieve things you thought were impossible. You can most assuredly find the happiness, joy, prosperity, and sense of inner peace you seek.

Your choice, of course, is whether you want to get in sync with the wise, brilliant, fantabulous you or sink into the illusions spun by an unenlightened, materialistic, frightened ego.

How Can You Sync Instead of Sink?

1.    Prepare yourself for synchronicity to happen. Going to Headquarters where you strengthen your connection is so important to your receptivity to your inner guidance. It is a chance to align yourself with Truth, and remain tranquil in the midst of whatever the world of outer appearance wants to throw at you. Time in the Silence really is non-negotiable!

2.    Recognize your Intuition … and Listen to it! Once we are in tune, we get all kinds of intuitive guidance, leading us to synchronize with life! We just need to pay attention!

3.    Have the guts to act on it! It’s one thing to hear our intuition … it’s quite another to act on it! Lots of us suffer from paralysis of analysis! We hear that intuitive guidance, and then we try to second guess it! Or argue with it! Or try to make sense of it! We encourage you to go for it! Follow that urging, and see what happens.

As you continue to strengthen your Divine connection to your Core Essence, you will experience the absolute joy of being able to SYNC instead of SINK, as you walk the spiritual path on practical feet!

At the Corner of Forgiveness and Inner Peace

Note from Bil & Cher: Today’s blog is a little long, but we promise it will be worth your time! Not only do we metaphysically interpret Matthew 12:31-32; Mark 3:29; and Luke 12:10 (they’re all say basically the same thing); we also offer the secret to inner peace and happiness — and it’s all in your control! So join us in a cup of coffee (or whatever your favorite relaxing beverage is), and enjoy!

 

It is through the acupuncture of forgiveness that we find peace and rest and answers. Before we explain fully what we mean by that we want to share a story about a mynah bird’s cough. You’ll see how it relates in just a few moments.

A mynah bird developed a very distressing cough. So, his concerned owner took him to an exotic bird vet, who listened to the mynah’s cough.

She checked the bird’s throat, and examined the bird’s eyes and feather coating. The vet raised her eyebrows and with a sigh said to the owner, “Let me hear you cough.”

The bird’s owner rolled his eyes, but coughed to appease the vet. It was the same cough as the bird’s cough.

So, the doctor said with a smile, “You get over your cough, and the mynah will get over your cough, too!”

It works the same way with us. If we want to discover the inner peace and happiness we deserve in life we’ve got to get over our ‘coughs.’ That is, we’ve got to get rid of ‘coughs’ like chronic negative thinking, self-doubt, resentments,  anger, and unforgiveness. We’ve got to move beyond self-negating beliefs and bad habits. You know, coughs like that.

By the way, there’s been a ton of research on inner peace and happiness. Both are connected. It seems you can’t have one without the other. And there’s very definitely a strong relationship between happiness, inner peace, and forgiveness.

Interestingly enough, total happiness seems to have three components: pleasure, engagement, and meaning. The father of positive psychology, Martin Seligman, has confirmed that people who pursue only pleasure usually experience only part of the benefits happiness can bring, while those who pursue all three routes lead the fullest lives. (Seligman, 2005). We’ll talk more about that in another blogcast.

It is our hope as Unity ministers that one day people the world over will meet lovingly at the corner of forgiveness and inner peace. They will have become so unified, and will have reconciled many if not all of their differences, and will experience such oneness that when someone cries, all of us will taste the salt.

Until then, we invite you to plan a trip – maybe many trips – to the corner of forgiveness and inner peace. Plan to visit as often as it takes to reconcile any hurts that may have led to an unforgiving heart.

It’s important that you make the trip because, from a spiritual perspective, it’s absolutely necessary that you rid yourself of any ‘coughs’ that interfere with your inner peace and happiness.

What is the “Unforgivable Sin?” (Matthew 12:31-32 Metaphysically Interpreted)

In traditional, mainstream Christianity, one of these ‘coughs’ is referred to as the ‘unforgivable sin.’ Actually, it’s alluded to in every religion. In the Christian tradition it is clearly articulated in Matthew 12:31-32; Mark 3:29; and Luke 12:10. From a literal, dogmatic point of view, there are misconceptions about what the ‘unforgivable sin’ is, so we’d like to share with you a more loving and esoteric interpretation of the ‘unforgivable cough.’

This ‘unforgivable sin’ (unforgivable cough) is not about working on the Sabbath. Nor is it coveting your neighbor’s stock portfolio. It’s not about lying, or bearing false witness, or stealing, or cheating, or killing – as awful as those ‘coughs’ are. Nor is it about cheating on your income taxes. It’s not even secretly replacing the golf ball you couldn’t find with another one and not adding strokes to your score.

According to traditional religious belief the unforgivable sin (cough) is blaspheming against the Holy Spirit. (Read Matthew12:31-32 in your favorite Bible interpretation).

There are two important words we need to consider without belaboring the point: unforgivable and blasphemy. They are central for understanding what this passage means from a more spiritual and not so dogmatic perspective.

Unforgiveness, from an ontological perspective, means failing to give up the false for the true; so, if something is unforgivable:

• It means being unable or unwilling to recognize falsehood or error.
• It means repeating the same error (cough) again and again.
• It means the ‘cough’ is unpardonable because it hasn’t been corrected, it keeps being repeated.
• It means living under false pretenses because ‘coughs’ seem to be more important than peace, happiness, and serenity.

It reminds us of the quip Abe Lincoln used when he asked, “If I call a dog’s tail a leg, how many legs does a dog have?” Believe it or not a few people said five. Abe laughed. “Just because I call a dog’s tail a leg doesn’t make it a leg. A dog only has four legs.”

So, if we continue to live under false pretenses we’ll continue to live under false pretenses. If we fail to correct errors, we’ll suffer the consequences of those missteps. If we choose not to eliminate our ‘coughs’ we’ll continue to ‘cough’ our way through life and rob ourselves of the inner peace and serenity we seek.

Our sins (coughs) are unforgiveable because they are mindlessly repeated. If we repeat errors time and time again and continue repeating them, we’re likely to, well, keep repeating them. It’s the repetition that makes errors (sins, coughs) unforgivable. If you stick your hand on a hot stove you’ll get burned. If you do it again…

Blasphemy is the second important word in the Matthew account. Blasphemy is a powder keg word. As it is used in dogmatic scriptural accounts blasphemy refers to injurious speech against the Holy Spirit. It means attributing the miracles performed by the Christ as Jesus to the power of Beelzebub (Satan, the devil). The Pharisees were, in essence, attributing Jesus’ power to Satan, and claiming that Jesus was ‘Satan incarnate’ instead of God incarnate.

Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, from an esoteric perspective, means denying our innate divinity:

• It is neglecting to express our divinity.
• It is refusing to see that we are spiritual beings in human form.
• It is opting out of opportunities to express our oneness with the Eternal Presence we call God!
• It’s being too coy, or too disinterested, to say “I am God expressing through the Christ as me!”

If we blaspheme (deny our divinity), we won’t be able to reconcile the difference:

• between Truth and error,
• between our spiritual self and our material self,
• between being enlightened and being clueless,
• between dogma and higher truths.

If we can’t reconcile those differences we’ll find it difficult to achieve the inner peace and happiness we seek. We will shut off the flow of Universal Substance.

Actually, every time we think or say something like, “I’m no good,” or “I’m stupid,” or “I’m not worth anything,” we blaspheme against the Holy Spirit. Denying our innate divinity –and the innate divinity of others – is truly injurious speech. It perpetuates the illusion of separation and the absence of universal oneness.

Why? Because we’re saying we’re something we’re not! We’re claiming to be less than we are. We’re neglecting to honor our divine status and the divine status of others. As long as we do that we’ll never get to the corner of forgiveness and inner peace. We’ll never get rid of our ‘coughs.’

The Christ as Jesus said, “Choose today who you will serve.” Choose your Higher Self over your lower self. Choose Light over darkness. Choose Love over hatred. Choose truth over error. Choose the spiritual you over the material you.

We look forward to the day when all human error will be reconciled, when there will be such peace, and caring, and loving kindness, and oneness that the only tears will be tears of joy. And the salt from those tears will validate an enlightened humankind, a global citizenry that doesn’t hesitate to meet at the corner of forgiveness and inner peace.

Research support: Seligman, M., Peterson, C., and Park, N., “Orientations to happiness and life satisfaction: The full life verses the empty life,” Journal of Happiness Studies, 6, 25-41, 2005.

How to Move From an Old Leash to a New Lease on Life

Three campers were setting up their campsite when a mountain lion suddenly appeared. Two of the campers saw the intruder and climbed a nearby tree. The third camper who was not as observant wasn’t fast enough to escape.

He threw himself on the ground and pretended to be dead. He had heard that mountain lions, like Levites and Pharisees, will not touch dead bodies, so he laid as still as he could and held his breath. He tried his best to control his trembling, too.

His life passed before him as the mountain lion sniffed at his clothing and then moved up to his face. The camper lay as still as he could.

To his astonishment, the mountain lion whispered something in his ear. After a few moments, when he opened his eyes, the mountain lion was gone. When the coast was clear, the other two campers climbed down out of the tree and rushed over to their comatose comrade.

“Are you okay?” the taller one asked.

The prone camper nodded. He was still too frightened to move.

“It’s okay,” the third camper replied, “the big cat’s gone.”

The two helped the frightened camper to his feet.

“By the way,” the taller one said, “I could have sworn I saw the mountain lion whisper something in your ear. I know that sounds crazy, but am I right?”

The camper who had the close encounter with the big cat nodded.

“You’re kidding,” his comrades exclaimed in unison. “A talking mountain lion. No way! Like we’re going to believe that,” they laughed. “So what did he say?”

Their comrade replied, “He told me never to travel with ‘friends’ who desert you at the first sign of trouble.”

The story is apocryphal, of course. But it represents an important point we want to make in this blogcast. Our message is about going from an old leash to a new lease on life. And this is what we mean by that.

The old leash represents things that are just as ferocious as the mountain lion. They are false assumptions, engrained beliefs based on those false assumptions, self-defeating habits, feelings of unworthiness, fears, doubts in your ability to prosper, negative thinking, and a host of other wild and untamed thought and feeling leashes.

These are all leashes that keep you flat out or up a tree instead of living confidently and happily at the speed of your Christ Consciousness. A huge lion of a doubt or a catty false assumption can keep you immobilized or up a tree for years.

Suppose you’re sitting on your front porch. A convertible comes by and someone shouts, “Get in!” And so you get in. You don’t know where it’s going but you get in anyway. Later that same day you’re sitting on the porch again and an SUV comes by. Someone says, “Get in.” You get in although you’re not sure where it’s going or how long it’s going to take.

Later that evening you’re sitting on that same porch and a truck comes by. Someone shouts, “Get in…” and so you … (you get the picture). Suppose each of those vehicles represents an old leash.

Just because a false assumption surfaces in our consciousness doesn’t mean we have to go with it. We don’t have to let an outdated belief take us for a ride. We can face a fear we’ve been avoiding instead of letting it chase us up a tree.

We can leave formaldehyde beliefs and atrophied assumptions behind. We can create leash controls that keep our old leashes in check.

In his classic Unity book, Talks On Truth, Charles Fillmore reminds us, “In the days of Moses the Egyptians refused to give freedom to the Israelites. So, the Egyptians saw frogs, lice, and locusts.”

Those who look at the world through fundamental religious filters (that is, from a consciousness that denies their innate divinity) will be bridled by all kinds of leashes (frogs, lice, and locusts) that frighten them and send them running for cover.

But no one has to live that way. We are spiritual beings going through a human experience. We have spiritual powers. We can choose to look at our experiences through spiritual filters or human filters. The choice is ours. We can chose to be limited by a self-imposed leash or set free by a new lease on life.

We can see the world from the groundedness of our Higher Self (our Extraordinary Nature) or from the error-prone nature of our human personality. The choice is ours.

What Does Science Say?

Here’s the thing: research from the new science called neuro-theology corroborates the teachings of the mystery schools — we really do have a higher, more transcendent Self which is more universal in nature.

Listen to what neuro-biologist Andrew Newberg and his team have found: “Spiritual reality holds, and neurology does not contradict it,” they say, “that beneath the mind’s perception of thoughts, memories, and emotions, and beneath the subjective awareness we think of as the self, there is a deeper Self, a state of pure awareness that sees beyond the limits of subject and object, and rests in a universe where all things are one.”

How to Get a New Lease on Life

We know that the “Deeper” Self Newberg is talking about is the Christ Self (our Extraordinary Nature). It is the Self which is our connection with the Eternal Presence. It is the Self which can help us eliminate all of our old leashes (our bad habits, negative orientations, false beliefs, fears, doubts in our worthiness, etc.).

It is the Self which can help us turn frogs, lice, and locusts (old leashes) into health, wealth, and prosperity (new leases on life).

If you want that new lease on life — and who wouldn’t — all you need to do is:

• Make time every day to connect with that Deeper Self, that Domain of the Divine. Be still, and in the Silence, you will know.
• Live from the Authentegrity of Truth, walking the Spiritual path on practical feet!

• And of course, never to travel with ‘friends’ who desert you at the first sign of trouble.”

Wisdom Teeth: Metaphysical Interpretation of Luke 2

In this blogcast we’re going to talk about “wisdom teeth,” and we can assure you it has nothing to do with enamel, brushing, or flossing.

Do you remember the Biblical story in Luke Chapter 2, about 12 year old Jesus being left behind in Jerusalem by his parents? If you do, you are in for a surprise because we’re going to put some teeth (wisdom teeth, that is) into it. Why? Because the story’s edginess demands a more expanded look.

If you aren’t familiar with the story, you may want to grab your favorite translation and read it. Then, sit tight. We think you’ll like our interpretations.

In its literal interpretation, Luke’s Gospel account appears to be the story of a spoiled 12-year-old Jewish boy reminding his parents that he is more popular than Justin Bieber.

We’ll share a ‘Bil treatment’ of the literal translation and then follow that up with a deeper, more metaphysical, more universal interpretation of Luke, Chapter 2. (If you aren’t familiar with a ‘Bil treatment,’ just read on! You’ll see how he likes to ‘update’ the literal version!) We can tell you, this religious snapshot is much, much, much more than a cute New Testament biblical story.

Here’s the ‘Bil treatment’ of Luke’s account loosely interpreted from the New International Version:

⁴¹ Every year Jesus’ parents, who were devout Jews, went to Jerusalem for the Festival of the Passover. (Here in the Carolinas devout sun worshippers go to the beaches each year. People up North go South. People in the South wish the travelers had stayed up North).

 ⁴² On one of those trips, Jesus was twelve when they went to the festival. As a young boy he looked forward to going because he could play video games on his iPad and hang around with his Facebook buddies.

⁴³ When the festival was over his parents left, unaware that their 12-year-old son had stayed behind to Pinterest his Passover celebration.

⁴⁴ Thinking he was in a neighbor’s SUV, they traveled on for a day. At their first stop they looked for him among their relatives and friends.

⁴⁵ When they didn’t find him, they called in an Amber Alert and drove back to Jerusalem to look for him themselves.

⁴⁶ After three days they found him in the temple courts, sitting with the religious teachers and televangelists of the day, astounding them with his metaphysical knowledge.

⁴⁷ Everyone who heard him was amazed at his understanding of the deeper mysteries.

⁴⁸ When his parents saw him, they were beside themselves. His mother said to him, “Son, what do you think you’re doing? We’ve been worried sick about you. You’re grounded for a month.”

 ⁴⁹ “Whatever!” he responded. “I’ve sent you text messages. I told you I’d be in my Father’s house.”

⁵⁰ But they were clueless as to what he meant, because his home was in Nazareth, not Jerusalem.

That’s an edited version (a ‘Bil treatment’)  of the literal interpretation from Luke. Even if you read this story unedited, you get the sense that Jesus was being a little arrogant and disrespectful toward his parents.

A literal interpretation leaves the impression that what Jesus needed was a good spanking. Luckily, there’s more to this story than a child prodigy’s independent streak and his parent’s meltdown.

Let’s put some ‘wisdom’ teeth into it! From a metaphysical standpoint, this story is a telling snapshot of what happens as our spiritual journey unfolds.

Here’s the short metaphysical version which transforms the literal story into its more universal meaning. And it has to do with the innate wisdom we all share but hesitate to access.

⁴¹ Every year Jesus’ parents who were devout Jews, went to Jerusalem for the Festival of the Passover.

 At some point on our truth walk, we are filled with such inner peace (go to Jerusalem) that we sense we are ready to move from our current level of consciousness to a more spiritually attuned one (the trip to the Festival of the Passover). And if we listen closely enough, this inner guidance springs from the reservoir of inner wisdom that lies deep within us.

⁴² Jesus was 12 on one of those trips to the festival.

At some point on our spiritual journey, we are able to use all 12 of our spiritual powers (symbolized by the number twelve – 12 also means the completion of a cycle of an intense period of spiritual growth).

⁴³ When the festival was over his parents started their return trip home, unaware that their 12-year-old son had stayed behind.

We enjoy our expanded awareness and adopt it (stay behind) as our consciousness of choice, so to speak. However, our old, established thoughts and belief systems (parents) remain oblivious to our spiritual quickening (the number 12).

⁴⁴ They traveled on for a day. At their first stop they looked for him among their relatives and friends.

We will soon discover that our antiquated beliefs and assumptions lose their potency (a day’s journey). Our confused intellect searches through its logic-oriented data banks (relatives and friends) for answers that fail to surface because wisdom comes from the heart not the head.

⁴⁵ When they realized he wasn’t with them, they went back to Jerusalem to look for him.

We come to the conclusion that our intellect will not get us very far when it comes to spiritual matters. We must center ourselves in the abiding peace and deep wisdom (return to Jerusalem) of our Divine Nature.

⁴⁶ After three days they found him in the temple courts, sharing his wisdom with the religious teachers.

 When we center ourselves we can divinely order our experience (symbolized by the three-day period) by teaching ourselves to question convention (symbolized by the temple courts) and move beyond mindless routine. This more introspective depth helps us see more clearly into the nature of things.

⁴⁷ Everyone who heard him was amazed at his understanding of the deeper mysteries.

Our traditional thinking gives way to its higher, more spiritually-attuned wisdom nature which is more grounded than the intellect that depends on knowledge instead of knowing.

⁴⁸ When his parents saw him, they were beside themselves. His mother chastised him.

What is most revealing about this phase of our spiritual unfoldment is that cognitive dissonance may develop between our spiritual self and human self. Our conventional beliefs (parents) cannot comprehend our spiritual transformation which works totally outside of convention.

⁴⁹ “I told you I’d be in my Father’s house,” he said.

Once we have sensed our wholeness and completeness, we become dissatisfied with religious staleness and the emptiness it creates. We yearn for (must be in) our higher, more exhalted, Christ Consciousness (Father’s House). Our Wiser Self, the Extraordinary Us, realizes that it is wisdom, not convention, that has teeth. Our response to ordinariness and its limitations is swift and to the point.

⁵⁰ But they did not understand what he was saying to them.

We fully realize that our old, unenlightened self (our ego-driven personality) doesn’t have a clue about the realities associated with higher states of consciousness.

There will come a time when the human you will want to stay in your father’s house—that is, the human you will strive to be completely aligned with your Divine Nature, the Extraordinary You. And when you achieve that alignment, not only will your wisdom have teeth in it, but so will your optimistic spirit, positiveness, and inner strength.

Someday you will achieve that spiritual status. We affirm it for you and see you putting teeth into your spiritual growth. We see you mastering the art of living by cutting your wisdom teeth.

If you get there sooner than us, leave the light on for us. Because we, too, are in the business of cutting our wisdom teeth!

Getting Real With ‘the Word’ (Metaphysical Interpretation of John 1:1-14)

Fasten your seatbelts! We thought we’d devote this blogcast to the first fourteen verses in the Gospel of John, with particular emphasis on a metaphysical interpretation of ‘the Word.’ We believe that ‘getting real’ with the Word is one of the chief keys for our enlightenment and salvation.

We’ve got to say that we don’t use the terms enlightenment and salvation lightly. They are central for understanding the ‘Word’ and can be realized in an instant, in your present life, depending on your willingness to move beyond the embedded theology of your childhood.

Enlightenment is recognizing, and then, expressing the eternal oneness and unity which underwrites all that is. And salvation is simply filling your consciousness with spiritual thoughts, inclinations, and proclivities instead of material thoughts, inclinations, and proclivities.

Every time you have a spiritual thought you are saved. Saved from what – you may ask? Saved from the illusion that you are merely a human being. Saved from the incredibly deceptive belief that you are not the human expression of the Eternal Presence. Saved from the illusion that you have to die to go to heaven—or hell.

In a more expanded spiritual perspective, both heaven and hell are states of consciousness. That implies they’re not places you go to, they’re states of awareness you grow into. We’ll talk more about that in another blogcast. We’re getting real with the ‘Word’ in this blogcast, so here’s the word on the Word!

The Word, in its usual interpretation is based on an external deity and is translated in Greek as Λόγος (from the root λεγ, appearing in λεγω). The traditional meanings are: to lay, to pick out, gather, pick up - hence to gather or put words together, and so, to speak. Therefore, λόγος is, first of all, a collecting or collection both of things in the mind, and of words by which they are expressed. It therefore signifies both the outward form by which the inward thought is expressed, and the inward thought itself.

From a more expanded esoteric perspective the Word, logos (Greek) and dabhar (Aramaic), does not only mean ‘word’ as understood linguistically, but rather an irresistible creative energy exploding into voluptuous creativity (Matthew Fox, 1984). In other words (excuse our pun) the Eternal Presence expresses Itself as the cosmos.

Eastern mystics tend to identify sound as the primal energy of life. Sound is considered to be the original life force out of which all else unfolds. Hence, the Christian and Jewish idea: in the beginning was the Word (dabhar) refers to the energy of sound (O’Murchu, 2004).

The ‘Word’—as sound—more appropriately means ‘expression’ or vibration’ or a ‘conversation’ between worlds (the unseen and the seen, the manifest and unmanifest). God, the Eternal Presence in material form.

Logos can also mean the logic or the rational principle underlying the fundamental reality of the universe (Alex Wong-Kee Mok, 2006). This Fundamental Reality is, of course, the eternal Presence we call God.

So, it is not too far a stretch to suggest that the Eternal Presence (God), speaking (expressing Itself into manifested form) as the Christ Principle, underwrites what is seen and not seen. That, we believe, is what
John, chapter 1, verses 1 through 14 is talking about.

We’ll start with one of the traditional interpretations of John 1:1-14 taken from the New International Version, and then follow that up with a metaphysical interpretation taken from the Gospel of John: New Metaphysical Version to give you a more expanded perspective.

New International Version

 1. In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God . 2. He was with God in the beginning.

3.Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. 4. In him was life, and that life was the light of men. 5. The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it.

6. There came a man who was sent from God; his name was John. 7. He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all men might believe. 8. He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light. 9. The true light that gives light to every man was coming into the world.

10. He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. 11. He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. 12. Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God – 13.  children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.

14. The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.

New Metaphysical Version

1. Before there was a physical universe [In the beginning^a] there was the Cosmic Christ^b [the Word] which is the ideational power [was with] of the One Reality [God, (Eternal Isness, the Absolute, the Infinite Invisibleness)]; and the Cosmic Christ [the Word] is God expressing Its Godness as the Cosmic Christ [the Word]. 2. The Cosmic Christ was indivisibly one with the One Reality (Eternal Isness, [God]) before matter itself came into existence.

3. Through the quantum filter of the Cosmic Christ, physicality [all things] is possible. It is only through the instrumentality of the Christ Presence that potential morphs into form. This is possible because consciousness is the ground of all being. 4. As a result of the Christ Presence, there is eternality [life], and that eternality [life] is the ubiety [light] of the Christ in all things including humankind [man]. 5. This omnipresent Christ Presence [the light] underwrites [shines] all beingness, including human beingness which is generally unaware [darkness^c] of its innate divinity.

6. Eventually we come to a place of expanded awareness where we receive a highly transformative insight [man from God] which springs from a well-developed intellectual perception of Truth [our John quality]. 7. Intuitively we realize this insight [witness] comes from Something [the Omnipresent Light] deep inside us. So touched are we by its purity and transcendentalness that we ready ourselves to transform all of our thoughts and inclinations [all men] into their higher spiritual essences. 8. Our illumined intellect [our John quality] is not the Christ [the Omnipresent Light], it is only a Christed capacity [a witness] which springs from the Inner Light (the Christ Light). 9. The Cosmic Christ [the True Light] becomes enfleshed [came into the world].

10. Although the transcendent Cosmic Christ descends into sense consciousness [the world, the material universe], It is repressed by sense consciousness [the world] which fixates itself onto physical form [does not recognize its divine origin]. 11. Because of the highly spiritualized quantum nature of the Cosmic Christ, Its indivisibleness with physical forms goes unnoticed by a sense-veneered human consciousness. Essentially, It (the Cosmic Christ) is veiled divinity. 12. However, a consciousness which is attuned to its divine nature [receives Him] becomes consciously one with the nature of its divine origin [believes in His name] and is able to produce divinely inspired ideas [children]. 13. It is important to know that divine ideas [children] do not come from the human personality [blood, flesh, (natural descent)] but from the Kingdom of God (Christ Consciousness) within us.

14. The Cosmic Christ [the Word] descends into matter [becomes enfleshed] and enfolds Itself into physicality [dwells among us]. The more enlightened we become, the more we realize our indivisibleness [glory] with the Christ expressing at the point of us. The enlightened us knows that the Cosmic Christ is the Only Begotten Son of God [the Father] which has become manifest as us to underwrite our return home [unification with the Eternal Isness]. This conscious unification will help us move beyond our attachments to the material universe [redeem us through grace] so we can live, move, and have our being in at-one-ment with the Absolute, the Eternal Presence [Truth].

Footnotes to metaphysical interpretation:

^a From a monistic metaphysical perspective it is more aptly interpreted ‘In a beginning’ or ‘In another beginning.’ Quantum physics also suggests this cosmological viewpoint.

^b The Cosmic Christ and Christ are synonymous and will be considered as such throughout this manuscript.

^c Darkness represents our unawareness of, or the abject denial of, our innate divinity as spiritual beings in human form.

We’d like to close by striking a couple of comparisons.
One is between classical physics and quantum physics; and the other is between traditional Bible interpretations and metaphysical Bible interpretations.

Metaphysical interpretations of scripture are to literal interpretations of scripture like quantum physics is to classical physics: both literal interpretations of scripture and classical physics are perspectives limited by reductionist, dogmatic  thinking. Metaphysical interpretations of scripture and quantum physics answer more questions and offer more expanded perspectives of our place in the cosmos because they offer broader interpretations and are not bound by the myopia of tradition and convention.

The utility of all four of these perspectives (metaphysical, literal, quantum, and classical) is based on your level of consciousness. On how open you are to an expanded perspective. Whether you like ‘growing edges’ or staleness. If you’re satisfied with where you are or want to deepen your appreciation for who and what you really are.

The choice is yours, of course.

We can tell you this: getting real with the Word means getting real with yourself, and getting real with yourself demands getting real with the Word!

Research Support:

• Alex Wong-Kee Mok, The Antropic Principle and The Logos in Modern Cosmology, The Australian eJournal of Theology 6 (February) 2006).
• Matthew Fox, Original Blessing: A Primer in Creation Spirituality, Bear and Co., Santa Fe, 1984, pg. 40.
• O’Murchu, Diarmuid, Quantum Theology, Crossword Publishing, N.Y. 2004, pg. 170.

Moving Beyond Optical Delusion

We found a very interesting quote by Albert Einstein this week about a subject you wouldn’t normally associate with a physicist. Einstein had this to say about optical delusions: “A human being is part of the whole called the ‘Universe.’ (We) experience (ourselves) as something separated from the rest – a kind of optical delusion in consciousness. This delusion is a kind of prison for us, restricting us. Our task is to free ourselves from optical delusions.”

He is right, of course. And the interesting thing about this insight from the “Father of Relativity” is that it captures the human dilemma of being spiritual beings (from the absolute realm of creation) imprisoned as physical beings (in the relative realm of creation). Essentially, we are prisoners of ‘realitivity.’

The thing about our ‘relativity sentence’ is that it fools tens of millions of people with the illusions materiality spins. Most people depend only on the physical senses and are incarcerated by optical delusions. Many more throttle back their consciousness by holding onto past beliefs and old scripts that keep them mired down in the shadows of rigid convention, religious dogma, and unhealthy assumptions.

Billions of people live in a world of BS. Debilitating BS. A BS built on negativity and a false sense of separateness. Down here – on Earth, that is – it’s all BS. Before you think we’re being a little cavalier with all of this BS talk, we need to clarify what we mean by BS. BS stands for Belief System.

People whose BS keeps them tied to the world of outer appearances live in a world of shadows, of ‘optical delusions’ as Einstein so aptly put it. They live in a world of separation and duality. A world that gives power to outer appearances instead of inner transformation.

Most people have sold out to the world of form. They have created a world that supports optical delusions to satisfy their materialistic appetites. And as we unfortunately see in the news every week, some people are in so much ‘optical delusional pain’ they want to inflict pain on others.

Plato gave us a brilliant description of the world of optical delusions we’ve created, in the Cave Allegory from his masterpiece, the Republic.

In the Cave Allegory, Plato imagines a group of people who have lived in a cave all of their lives. They are chained to a wall so they can’t see the cave entrance. They can only face the wall.

Behind them is a constant light that illuminates various statues that have been placed behind them. The light’s movements cause shadows to flicker around the cave.

When the people of the cave see these shadows they think they’re seeing life in action. The shadows are as close as the prisoners get to seeing reality.

Plato then explains how a philosopher who was a former ‘prisoner’ is freed from the cave and realizes that the shadows on the wall are not reality at all. He sees that the light outside the cave and the statues which cause the shadows are real but that the shadows themselves are optical delusions.

The philosopher realizes that the shadows in the cave were just effects created by the real objects. He had given power to things that weren’t real.

At the end of the allegory, Plato is adamant that it is the philosopher’s burden to re-enter the cave. Plato reasons that those who have seen the light have a duty to educate those in the material world (cave) so they can spread light to those in darkness.

For us, it is our privilege – not so much of a burden – but privilege as Unity ministers and spiritual leaders, to help humankind move out of the world of shadows, and beyond the world of optical delusions into the light.

We’re all beings of light. Mastering this human experience requires that we realize WE ARE THE LIGHT EXPRESSING ITSELF IN HUMAN FORM AS US!

We want to assure you that no matter what happens to you here on the human plane, you have the power to move beyond any and all optical delusions. It is delusional to think otherwise.