It may seem odd that the church draws attention to how eastern sages used astrology and magic to find the Christ-child (the gospel reading for the 6th January.) Why rejoice over ancient wise astrologers following their inner and outer knowledge, whilst seeming to decry and villify modern astrology as an abomination, a pseudoscience practised by people led astray and worse "by the devil"? (If you want to get the full flavour of how some writers and churches view astrology, just google "astrology evil" - it makes for some very scary reading!)
Most church-people have not been taught about the early history of their church faith; this is "reserved" for the theological colleges. In fact, from the time of the early church fathers, many in authority have been very anxious that "unsuitable knowledge" should not fall into the hands of those "unable to comprehend it." The vehemence of the reaction to Dan Brown shows that little has officially changed. However scantily researched Dan Brown may have been in what he calls the facts behind his fiction, the result has opened the eyes of many to how receptive Christianity was in its "first years." Hardly an orthodox belief system, but rather, various strands and leanings, often held together by the transformative belief in resurrection, emphasising a number of different interpretations, and supported by a large number of sacred texts, (most of which had been "discarded" by an emerging orthodoxy when the Bible received its first official authentic form in 382AD!) Here was a "new" faith that was a part of (rather than apart from) the spiritual journeys of its time, enriching, explaining, clarifying many a belief already profoundly known, exploring and understanding the human journey of faith from a recently-transfigured perspective.
There was deep disagreement, too.
So what was the true nature of that which Christ practised with his friends, followers and disciples? Was the idea that we should (just) worship the guru as the manifestation of God on Earth? Was it that we should become empowered to live like him?
Like the early gnostics, I am drawn inexorably to the idea of facilitating the path of the initiate being led into empowerment by "adoption and grace," as Paul of epistle-fame would later write. Here "the initiate" is anyone who is willing to be transformed by greater truth, knowledge and experience (epifania.)
Many preachers emphasise that we "have to be saved."
For me the idea of "being saved" isn't foreign or "wrong" - I have many friends who have helped me "turn around" (the true meaning of repent) in times of seeming total desolation and helplessness; so that's the least I would expect of my God. But staying in a dependent place of "unable to help myself" is not helpful, and I don't believe that is what Christ meant us to do.
Repeatedly describing oneself as unworthy in a kind of abject neediness is certainly not the Christ's intention for anyone. (Ken Carey called this idolatory!) Empowerment and enlightenment are not just reserved for Buddhists. Intuitive knowledge and cosmic experience are not only a priviledge for a few mystics or sufi poets. We are all intended for wholeness; just as the body automatically tries to heal all wounds, so our nature is to come back to the whole, complete experience and manifestation of God within us and our lives.
To assist us, there are many helpers, seen and unseen, many tools, ancient and modern, and the God-spirit of so many names. This Saturday and Sunday, 6 - 7 January, I will join my Eastern friends in celebrating the wise use of all tools that have been given for our journey inwards to our deeper divine selves, and I will send deep love and gratitude to all my helpers in all realms and times as I celebrate Christ revealed and made plain in the world and in me.
These are my intentions:
- to celebrate the re-connection of astronomy and astrology, and the way the cosmic astrological map doesn't pre-destine but rather assists in the finding of intense personal, practical, spiritual pathways.
- to open myself to God-realisation; that the gifts I have been given may bear fruit in practical experience.
- to allow my attention towards my fellow human-beings to aid me in feeling com-passion, and to encourage me in bringing forth gifts of manifesting love and deeper community.
- to honour the paths of Eastern spiritual wisdom trodden during thousands of years by fellow humans, and to have reverence for the Oneness we all share.
I wish you a most glorious epiphany!
John O
PS For more thoughts on the magi/wise men, see Helen's blog at http://scripturereflections.blogspot.com
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