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BlueStar
December 11th, 2008, 05:31 PM
It’s almost fashionable to be cynical about Christmas and, in some respects, this is understandable because for many people it has become lost amid an ocean of commercialism and crass materialism. But that said, spending our time complaining about this simply adds another layer of darkness to what, at its root, is a celebration of light. It doesn’t matter that other people get steeped in materialism at this time of year – that’s their business, not ours. Our only business is our own – and lies in our ability to look beneath the surface, to see what is true and to keep the ‘Christmas spirit’ alive in our own hearts.

What has helped me is to dig deep and explore the esoteric meaning of this festival. Not only is it a celebration of the birth of Jesus, one of the great bodhisattvas who has illumined our world, but there are many deeper levels of meaning that span back thousands of years prior to his birth.

It’s no coincidence that the birth of Jesus was chosen to be celebrated at the time of the Winter Solstice. Indeed, many of the traditions of this time of year have a long history and a deeper significance than most people are aware. A large amount of Christian symbolism has been ‘borrowed’ from far older traditions and has its roots in the ancient mystery schools of old. These ancient traditions possessed a deep and rich understanding of life and spiritual unfoldment that has virtually been lost in the mists of time. But there are still traces and remnants for those with the eyes to seek them (and many of them are staring at us blatantly in the face!).

The following is from the teachings of Earlyne Chaney from the Astara Book of Life. I’m sure she wouldn’t mind me sharing the following explanation of ‘the nativity in the sky.’

“At the time of the autumnal equinox our sun is moving slowly out of the Northern Hemisphere toward the Southern. If it continued its journey on southward, away from the Northern Hemisphere, it would leave the northern half of Earth destitute of light and life.

But at the time of the winter solstice, on the evening of December 21st, the sun turns again toward the Northern Hemisphere bringing light, heat and life with it. Thus residents of the Northern Hemisphere celebrate the birth of the sun back into their half of the Earth at Christmas time, as well as the birth of the Christ.

The sun does not actually cross the equator to re-enter the Northern Hemisphere until the vernal equinox in March. But the winter solstice celebrates the “birth” of the Sun God as He begins His journey along the ecliptic toward the Northern Hemisphere, while the vernal equinox celebrates the maturity or fruition of the power of the Solar Deity as He enters it in His fullness.

On the night of December 24th the constellation Virgo – the Holy Virgin – stands on the eastern horizon to light the way of birth for the newborn Sun God. Opposite the point occupied by Virgo the Virgin in the eastern sky, over in the western sky in the belt of Orion, three stars called the Three Magi shine in splendid tidings to worship and bring their gifts to the newborn Sun God.

During this holy nativity the essence of the Christ Substance or Divine Substance pours down its effulgent light to bathe the humanity of the earth plane, washing it in Holy Dew and diffusing every atom and every substance of Earth. The hearts of humans, unconsciously witnessing this outpouring of Love from the higher planes, respond accordingly. Individual souls feel the magnetic pull of the upward current of Love and Christmas time, feel the rekindling of the Light in their hearts during the celebration of Hanukkah, feel the return of divine Light into their lives as they honour the Winter Solstice, or simply feel a resurgence of light, energy and divine connection in their lives at this time of year.”

Furthermore, the celebration of the birth of Christ can be seen esoterically as representing the birth of the Christ Consciousness into our world. ‘Christ Consciousness’ is basically a term for higher consciousness (unconditional love, compassion, selflessness, rising above the petty and mundane) and could equally be termed ‘Buddha consciousness’ or ‘Krishna consciousness’ for it is not specific to any particular doctrine or faith.

The entire celebration of Christmas can be seen as symbolic of birthing this elevated consciousness into the world: the ritual of giving gifts, rather than being seen as crass consumerism, can instead be viewed in its true light as a beautiful expression of love and sharing. The same goes for the sending of greeting cards, which might be viewed as a way of spreading warm tidings and reconnecting with people you might not often see.

By looking beneath the surface level (which is where most people tend to get stuck in life), you can get back to the basics and see the true beauty beneath the outer symbolism.

BlueStar
December 11th, 2008, 05:32 PM
The Christmas Tree

The origins of what we know as the Christmas tree stretch back thousands of years.

According to Sheryl Karas, “The evergreen played an influential role in the spiritual life of pagan societies throughout the world. Archeaologists and anthropological evidence indicates that veneration of the tree dates from at least 4,000 years before Christ. Its pervasive symbolism was central to primitive cosmologies, or beliefs about the universe, which laid the foundation for every major religion, including Christianity. These pagan beliefs survive to this day embedded in the religious rituals and myths as well as in secular customs, legends and fairy tales.”

Numerous cultures throughout history have used trees in the ceremonies and celebrations of the Winter months. Druids placed evergreen boughs over doors to ward off evil spirits. Some believe that the birth place of the Christmas tree as we know it was in Egypt, where homes were decorated with palm trees to symbolise a coming year of fruitful abundance.

The tradition of decorating evergreen trees appears to stem from the German tradition of ‘paradise trees’ which were brought into homes to celebrate the festival of Adam and Eve on 24th December. This tradition was then brought by German immigrants to America in the mid 19th century. Decorated trees soon became a symbol of Christmas when Prince Albert, consort of Queen Victoria and himself a German, adopted the custom for the royal family, after which the general population followed the tradition.

Esoterically, the tree represents life. The ‘tree of life’ is part of many mystical traditions, notably Kabbalah, and is steeped in symbolism. The tree is firmly rooted in the earth (as we are), but it reaches upward to the sun (representing the Divine Light). As the tree grows, each successive layer represents a surmounting of the material world and an advancement in consciousness, until gradually it reaches higher and higher, moving ever closer to the light, getting more refined as it goes.

It’s no coincidence that we use evergreen trees, for they are one of the few trees that don’t shed their leaves at this time of year and remain lush and alive throughout the darkest days of Winter. For ancient peoples, Winter was harsh and desolate time and while deciduous trees, fruit-bearing bushes and crops all died in Winter, evergreen trees were seen as signs of hope and life eternal. Again, this speaks of the possibility of surmounting death.

The fact that the firs we use as Christmas trees are pyramidal in shape is also significant, as the pyramid reflects transcendence of mortality and elevation of consciousness. The lights and ornaments on the tree can be seen as representations of the chakras on the inner ‘tree of life’ within each of us, for the chakras have been described in some ancient traditions as being ‘jewels upon a tree’. The decorations might also reflect the various attainments and merits we acquire as we progress along our spiritual path, growing in consciousness, radiance and compassion.

It is also no coincidence that the angel or star is placed on top of the tree. This symbolises the zenith of spiritual attainment, the achievement of Divine consciousness. As we progress up the tree and the associated chakras, we eventually attain connection and attunement with our Higher Self, or the Divine consciousness that is our true essence.

I don’t know about you, but I’ll never look at a Christmas tree the same way again!

SoulChild
December 11th, 2008, 08:37 PM
Wow Rory! I have been knowing you guys now for almost three years...and I always appreciate your posts around this time of year! I learn so much!

In the beginning of your post, I would like to respond to that, and just say, that since I didn't celebrate the holiday growing up......that, I always seem to watch the holiday season play out like a movie. I watch and see how people act. And of course you know I work in retail, and the human behavior there is amazing.....that should be another documentary in itself. But, I don't know if I am celebrating the holiday or not? If I give someone a gift.....am I celebrating Christmas? Because, I will probably give a few gifts, because I know some people expect them.. Yet, I will not recieve a gift? Actually, isn't giving better than recieving? Actually, I think I am celebrating Christmas in it's purest form ha?..Well, I tell you what....I certainly like New Years Eve....and yes, it is just another day just like any other day...yet, it signifies the ending of something, and the begining of a new year. Even though time is continous...it feels like when the new year rolls in, you have the opportunity to make new goals and so on....even though you can do it anytime of year...but, you get my drift?...Nice Post Rory :):girl_yes3 (1):

Mr. Brightside
December 11th, 2008, 10:05 PM
The Christmas Tree

I don’t know about you, but I’ll never look at a Christmas tree the same way again!

No me niether, especially those upside down ones that are the new fad.

I enjoyed reading that Rory thanks for sharing :)

Logio
December 12th, 2008, 01:08 AM
The Christmas Tree

The origins of what we know as the Christmas tree stretch back thousands of years.

According to Sheryl Karas, “The evergreen played an influential role in the spiritual life of pagan societies throughout the world. Archeaologists and anthropological evidence indicates that veneration of the tree dates from at least 4,000 years before Christ. Its pervasive symbolism was central to primitive cosmologies, or beliefs about the universe, which laid the foundation for every major religion, including Christianity. These pagan beliefs survive to this day embedded in the religious rituals and myths as well as in secular customs, legends and fairy tales.”

Numerous cultures throughout history have used trees in the ceremonies and celebrations of the Winter months. Druids placed evergreen boughs over doors to ward off evil spirits. Some believe that the birth place of the Christmas tree as we know it was in Egypt, where homes were decorated with palm trees to symbolise a coming year of fruitful abundance.

The tradition of decorating evergreen trees appears to stem from the German tradition of ‘paradise trees’ which were brought into homes to celebrate the festival of Adam and Eve on 24th December. This tradition was then brought by German immigrants to America in the mid 19th century. Decorated trees soon became a symbol of Christmas when Prince Albert, consort of Queen Victoria and himself a German, adopted the custom for the royal family, after which the general population followed the tradition.

Esoterically, the tree represents life. The ‘tree of life’ is part of many mystical traditions, notably Kabbalah, and is steeped in symbolism. The tree is firmly rooted in the earth (as we are), but it reaches upward to the sun (representing the Divine Light). As the tree grows, each successive layer represents a surmounting of the material world and an advancement in consciousness, until gradually it reaches higher and higher, moving ever closer to the light, getting more refined as it goes.

It’s no coincidence that we use evergreen trees, for they are one of the few trees that don’t shed their leaves at this time of year and remain lush and alive throughout the darkest days of Winter. For ancient peoples, Winter was harsh and desolate time and while deciduous trees, fruit-bearing bushes and crops all died in Winter, evergreen trees were seen as signs of hope and life eternal. Again, this speaks of the possibility of surmounting death.

The fact that the firs we use as Christmas trees are pyramidal in shape is also significant, as the pyramid reflects transcendence of mortality and elevation of consciousness. The lights and ornaments on the tree can be seen as representations of the chakras on the inner ‘tree of life’ within each of us, for the chakras have been described in some ancient traditions as being ‘jewels upon a tree’. The decorations might also reflect the various attainments and merits we acquire as we progress along our spiritual path, growing in consciousness, radiance and compassion.

It is also no coincidence that the angel or star is placed on top of the tree. This symbolises the zenith of spiritual attainment, the achievement of Divine consciousness. As we progress up the tree and the associated chakras, we eventually attain connection and attunement with our Higher Self, or the Divine consciousness that is our true essence.

I don’t know about you, but I’ll never look at a Christmas tree the same way again!

I'm so glad that you brought this up, Amoyan!

The presents that we place under the tree may represent Malkuth; while the Star or Angel is Kether. This is a very good metaphor if one puts everything into perspective. The ornaments are the chakras and each studied as the Tree of Life can bring much illumination to one.

Star; angel; crown: Kether http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kether
Gifts; possessions: Malkuth http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malchut

Your Liege,

Nathan

Kiran
December 12th, 2008, 08:02 AM
Great thread Rory!!! Very well told and thanks for sharing. Many people aren't aware of the old traditions around this time of year and I was kinda hoping someone would post something.
HUGS

BlueStar
December 12th, 2008, 11:18 AM
Thanks my friends, glad you found it interesting. I have more I can post as well. I think it's really important to get back to basics and reconnect with the meaning behind things. :two hearts:

Kiran
December 12th, 2008, 11:20 AM
Yes I agree especially in these days where materialism is so rife and people have forgotten the orignial meaning behind a lot of these 'rites of passage' etc. :girl_yes3 (1):
HUGS

Rana
December 16th, 2008, 05:55 AM
... ive always enjoyed the Christmas stories about Jesus ..and the old movies made to watch ..it reminds me of when i was a kid .. and the story of saint Nicolas who made toys for the children in the villiage who couldnt afford it and he wore green ..santa was derived from that im told and changed to red and white (by coca cola ..hmm) any way ill stay positive yeah ..and now we have a blend of all this stuff .. so it could be for some the "pagan holiday " thats sort of cool ..

BlueStar
December 18th, 2009, 12:36 PM
Since it's that time of year, I thought I'd resurrect this thread.

I wanted to share something that Deepak Chopra posted on Twitter this morning, when someone asked him the meaning of Christmas. He said 'a return to innocence as the holy child (within us all'). I rather liked that and thought I would share.

Kiran
December 18th, 2009, 03:52 PM
I would just like to add a reminder....please say a prayer to all those who have lost someone this year, are alone, are homeless or are suffering for some reason.
Please also offer a prayer of gratitude that we have a home, food, family and people who care.

BlueStar
December 18th, 2009, 06:06 PM
Absolutely agree Lorri, it can be a difficult time of year for many people, my heart goes to everyone who finds themselves alone and experiencing hardships.

I would also like to suggest a practise I started a few years ago after my grandparents passed over. Instead of just not giving them gifts anymore (which isn't entirely fair, as I feel them so close a lot of the time) I donate the money I would have spent on their to charity. I feel that it is not only honouring them, but also helping needy causes. I try to figure out what what kind of charities they'd like their gift to go to. It's kind of neat, I thought I'd share the idea - maybe you guys already do something similar.

BlueStar
December 21st, 2009, 12:56 PM
Wishing everyone a wonderful, happy and blessed Winter Solstice.

Stargazer
December 23rd, 2009, 01:05 AM
Instead of just not giving them gifts anymore (which isn't entirely fair, as I feel them so close a lot of the time) I donate the money I would have spent on their to charity. I feel that it is not only honouring them, but also helping needy causes. I try to figure out what what kind of charities they'd like their gift to go to. It's kind of neat, I thought I'd share the idea - maybe you guys already do something similar.

That's amazing Lucid......it's so nice of you :Boy_yes3:

BlueStar
December 16th, 2010, 05:56 PM
I liked this article by Steve Taylor, who wrote one of my favourite books of the year, 'Waking from Sleep'. I can relate to this a lot. Oh and I thought I'd bump this thread since tis the season :xmas_emot1:

The Season of Retreat and Regeneration
by Steve Taylor

For some people, the festive season is a time of raucous celebration, but for others it’s the opposite: a time of retreat. This is certainly how I react to the days of deepest winter. I feel the urge to hibernate; my metabolism seems to slow down a little, and I feel myself shrinking away from artificial light, with the urge to cocoon myself away. I’m not much of a social animal anyway, but at this time of year I become almost hermit-like. And if I do feel obliged to attend some festive family gathering it doesn’t feel right. I feel uneasy and exposed, like a vampire at dawn.

For me, retreat means the same as regeneration. It’s easy for us to wear ourselves out in the world, dashing from one place to the next, our minds immersed in the tasks of our jobs and the other duties which make up our lives. With so much noise and busy-ness around us, it’s easy for us to lose our grounding, even our sense of identity. The noise inside us has a negative effect too – all of the activity in our lives triggers a million associations inside our heads, so that our minds are filled with mental noise, jumping from one subject to the next. All of this thought-activity can obscure the true identity underneath it, like clouds obscuring the sky.

That’s why periods of retreat are so important. Quietness and stillness allow the mental noise inside us to fade away, and help us to come back to ourselves. After weeks of frantic rushing and chasing, we step off the fast-moving train of time and return to the present. Our life-energy literally regenerates, and we feel a sense of wholeness, a glow of well-being. At the same time, there is a feeling of rootedness, of being so grounded and stable that the normal stresses and slights of everyday life don’t affect us to the same degree.

Quietness is also the source of creativity. Without regular periods of withdrawal and relaxation, creativity dries up. Stillness makes the mind fertile, like a river running over a plain, enabling ideas and inspirations to shoot up. They seem to come from nowhere, as if we’ve connected to some great cosmic reservoir which – if the conditions are right – channels into our own individual minds.

And this is true for the world itself. At this time of year (at least for those of us in the northern hemisphere) nature is in retreat. All things have withdrawn into darkness, and are slowly regenerating. That’s why the winter solstice is so significant: after weeks of increasing darkness, the earth is starting to collect itself again, to gather its energies, in readiness for an explosion of creativity in spring.

And if that’s what the rest of nature is doing, maybe we should do it too.

Steve Taylor is the author of Waking From Sleep, and his upcoming book, Out of the Darkness. www.stevenmtaylor.com

Anjou
December 16th, 2010, 06:19 PM
I liked this article by Steve Taylor, who wrote one of my favourite books of the year, 'Waking from Sleep'. I can relate to this a lot.

The Season of Retreat and Regeneration



Thank you so much for sharing that, Rory. Like you, I totally relate to Taylor's words.
I am far from the raucous-celebration type, yet I work hard not to hibernate too deeply.
Meeting friends here has helped immensely.

Kiran
December 16th, 2010, 06:48 PM
I have to say as I have gotten older, I find myself appreciating more and more the time to close the door and curtains and just relax and chill out! Its getting busier and more stressful each year with all the different things being thrown at us and its nice to just sit and be.....

inutero
December 17th, 2010, 12:46 AM
Great Thread!!!

Rana
December 19th, 2010, 11:06 AM
I would just like to add a reminder....please say a prayer to all those who have lost someone this year, are alone, are homeless or are suffering for some reason.
Please also offer a prayer of gratitude that we have a home, food, family and people who care.

this is a lovely thought and i will light a candle for these souls and people xx

Kiran
December 21st, 2010, 04:29 PM
this is a lovely thought and i will light a candle for these souls and people xx

Thanks honey :xmas14: