Metaphysical Christmas — “Place”
I find it ironic that the more I’ve become awake to the God Presence within me, the less desire I have to refer to the Bible as a form of authority or guidance. Just last month I told my visioning group that I would cease placing emphasis upon a 2,000 year old story and speak, instead, with the metaphor of the Cosmos; a 15.8 billion year unfolding. After making this bold declaration I had a client session and watched myself speak one Biblical reference followed by another to a hungry client. Now, today, I find myself speaking metaphysically of Christmas holding the Bible in reverence for its masterful spiritual revelation.
The story of Jesus’ birth is the story of the Consciousness of Christ (Divine Love) birthed and then grown within humanity. Each location and character refers not to a linear historical event, but instead to a multi-dimensional birth within each person. This blog entry will look at Mary and Joseph’s journey from Nazareth to Bethlehem.
“Joseph went up from Nazareth, a city of Galilee, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; because he was of the house and the family of David; with his purchased bride Mary while she was with child, that they might be registered there.” Luke 2: 4 and 5
As writers know, place is essential to a powerful story. Location, location, location. The television show Sex and City openly speaks of New York City as the main character in the story. Often seen as only a background, context is the container for what can and does happen. A character cannot go swimming unless the author has them by a body of water. Mountain ranges are important in showing the energy of “climb” or visually depicting a feeling-tone of sturdiness. Likewise, when the author of Luke speaks this one short passage of where Joseph and Mary went before the birth of Jesus, it is worth taking note. It is also worth noting that the focus is upon Joseph making the journey and “Mary with him” as she may have brought the Consciousness of Grace with her (more on that next post).
It is said that Joseph began his journey to the birth of Christ Consciousness in Nazareth. Nazareth had a reputation of being a despised place. A common slogan for Nazareth was “Can anything good happen in Nazareth?” Our journey begins with the leaving of the sublime place within us t0 enter into Galilee.
Galilee is a city of many mountains, referring to “High Consciousness.” Jesus would refer to Galilee as “the kingdom of heavens.” Charles Fillmore founder of Unity, sees Galilee as the Vital Life Force that acts in conjunction with the Substance of God. This means, when we leave ordinary consciousness, to birth our inner Christhood, we first lift our eyes to that which appears to be High and open ourselves to The Life Force.
Open to Life, we find our way to Judea. Judea means “the praise of Jehovah (the Eternal One). With attention upon that which is Eternal Qualities of God, we grow our innate Power in Christ. This leads us to the City of David, also known as Bethlehem.
King David was seen as harmonizing influence as he played beautiful music and opened hearts. He was a beloved king, and was known for his heart. It is intentional that Jesus is of his lineage. Bethlehem is known as the City of David and symbolizes the “House of Substance.” It is through Substance that the body is spiritualized. Bethlehem represents the embodied consciousness of Christ.
Each place and character in the Christmas story resides within our own being. Stay awake this week to where you are on your journey in consciousness. Are you acting out of the land of Nazareth? Galilee? Judea? Bethlehem? Next week we will explore the meaning of Mary in our own birthing process.
Until then,
