The Symbolism of Lent, for Mystics

On this article, we talk about the symbolism of Lent. I wish to have a look at Lent not as a phenomenon of fundamentalist Christianity, however as one which describes some common options of any non secular path.

We have a tendency to consider Lent as a interval after we hand over some behavior or some foodstuff as a private problem. Although this is perhaps helpful as a personal-improvement methodology, it makes a mockery of true Lent.

Severe Christians follow fasting for 40 days, however for my part they nonetheless get Lent improper, as a result of they continue to be tied up in non secular rumour. That is an error, no matter how self-consistent and complete the dogma could appear.

So, I don’t wish to churn out the accepted dogma surrounding Lent, however to look at its symbolism: what does Lent actually imply as an emblem? What’s its better significance?

An Apart: I Am Not a Christian

So we’re clear, I’m a meditator, a mystic. I’m devoted to direct expertise and nothing else. If parts of a religion system serve to reinforce my direct expertise of those issues, I entertain them. In the event that they don’t, I see them as irrelevant, except new and improved info forces me to re-evaluate their validity.

At this level, I don’t consider that any of the Christian myths are correct historic accounts of actual occasions and folks, nor do I comply with any of the well-established rites and guidelines that Christianity prescribes.

I’m not notably fascinated about whether or not Jesus was a historic individual or not, or whether or not he died on a cross, or whether or not he spent 40 days and nights in a desert, or whether or not he was resurrected. That’s all rumour and irrelevant.

Nonetheless, I do see Christianity as a wealthy supply of esoteric teachings, of “secret teachings”, a lot of that are transmitted non-verbally by means of its wealthy symbolism.

I really feel a variety of resonance in direction of symbols such because the Cross, Jesus Christ, the Holy Grail, and so forth, however solely as a result of they level me to my transpersonal nature, and solely to the extent that they do.

It’s possible you’ll like my episode on the Christian Cross and its True Which means

Actually, I consider their solely validity is as symbols. After I see symbolism of this type, I can nearly hear them whispering to me, “Hey, I’m making an attempt to indicate you one thing profound in regards to the nature of your self and actuality, test it out.” I see no different validity to them in the case of critical non secular follow.

That each one mentioned, let me share what Lent evokes in me as a non secular image.

My Interpretation of the Symbolism of Lent

There are a number of issues that Lent evokes in me, however essentially Lent is an emblem for the precept of chastity, of giving up, of renunciation, which is a elementary a part of the trail to enlightenment.

It’s true that each one non secular traditions encourage renunciation with respect to behavioural and psychological habits. Nonetheless, final chastity is past issues like food plan and unhealthy habits: it’s associated to our very id.

Chastity almost about our id is the basic chastity of the non secular path.

We are able to see this variously as:

• a single distinct section initially of our non secular path, lasting a couple of years;
• a number of phases of our non secular path, lasting a number of weeks, months or years every time;
• a precept that underlies your entire non secular path;
• symbolism for God being misplaced from itself.

All 4 have their validity, and I’ll describe them right here, starting with the primary two.

Lent Symbolism as a Interval of Time

Seen as a definite section, Lent is a interval of nice effort and confusion. We’re doing non secular follow, following some form of system, and making an attempt to glimpse the character of ourselves and actuality, however we frequently come up empty-handed.

To return to deep mystical realisation or gnosis, we should disidentify from who we at all times consider we’ve been: this individual, with all their quirks, likes, dislikes, ideas, recollections, plans, regrets, hang-ups, sturdy fits, and so forth.

In my thoughts, the true that means of the dogma that “Jesus spent forty days and nights within the desert” and was “tempted by the Satan” and was then “crucified” earlier than he “awoke from the lifeless”, is just that if we’re to awaken to our non secular nature after which stay it out, we should hand over all our illusions about who we predict we’re. We should starve our conceptual thoughts. This course of could be disturbing and protracted.

We should profoundly surrender our “sin”, which actually means our false funding in every part that isn’t God, together with the separate ego and duality of topic and object. This isn’t a floor change of behavior however a deep, lasting and elementary shift in consciousness.

We’ll probably undergo confusion (the desert, or purgatory) and be repeatedly caught up in our delusions (the Satan) as we’re making an attempt to stroll the non secular path. Actually, you would possibly say that our complete lives earlier than our personal non secular dying and renewal is a type of desert, as a result of we go about our lives drunk on the Floor degree of our consciousness.

In any case, we lastly expertise deep dying of our id (Crucifixion). It’s well-documented in Buddhism that this step could be destabilising, not less than for some time. We could undergo a profound disaster (or desert) earlier than lastly embodying in on a regular basis life the deeper fact of who we’re (the Resurrection).

Actually, we undergo many of those intervals on the trail. We could come to a sure degree of realisation, however then have to grasp and let go of our identification with that, in order that we are able to attain a brand new degree of understanding and be “reborn” but once more. The interval main as much as our first glimpses of Fact could really feel notably barren and effortful.

As An Everpresent Function

From this angle, non secular progress is a continuing dying and rebirth that requires a continuous letting go of our ideas and concepts. As such, Lent is an ever-present characteristic of this work.

Does this imply that we are able to’t have a good time Lent because it falls within the calendar yr? I wouldn’t go that far. However true Lent is a continuing chastity, a continuous openness to emptying our cup so we are able to fill it once more, a continuous not-knowing.

Bear in mind, Lent is about renouncing our illusions almost about who we’re, what life is about, and supreme actuality.

So if it’s not nearly giving up chocolate, or fasting, or repenting our sins, how does this type of Lent look in actual phrases?

• taking our non secular realisations flippantly, understanding that there’s rather more to grasp;
• committing to deep non secular follow for so long as it takes;
• chopping away our habits of thoughts and psychology that hold us caught in “sin”;
• renouncing patterns of behaviour which are grounded in lack and wish;
• newbie’s thoughts: a agency stance to abide in not-knowing;
• silent presence: remaining proper right here, proper now, seeing all expertise quite than being it;
• oneness: seeing all expertise as a manifestation of our personal true nature;
• renouncing duality: frequently conscious of our tendency to divide the world into topic and object.

As God Misplaced to Itself

I additionally consider that Lent symbolises God being misplaced to itself, which happens after we’re unenlightened. We’re manifesting as God, as is every part round us, however we’re unaware of this, and this creates all type of hassle in our lives.

Certain, all of our expertise finally comes from Supply, however not all of us are conscious of this. Once we aren’t, life seems stable, separate, “actual”, imposing, intractable. It’s Hell, it’s barren, it’s desolate. It’s like a endless desert: it doesn’t matter what we do, we are able to by no means actually be comfortable. We spend our lives consuming salt water, by no means fairly satiated.

Heaven and the Peace of God solely reign after we die to our dualistic illusions and our false self. That is when God is absolutely revealed to itself in all its glory, and is reborn, absolutely expressing itself as itself, with you because the conduit.

Lent In All Traditions

The precept of Lent (learn: chastity) is present in non secular traditions the world over. Although it might not be discovered within the type of rituals or rites, it at all times performs a job within the non secular path, as a result of it’s mandatory for non secular transformation.

A elementary a part of Buddhism is chastity, notably in old-school, Theravadin traditions with the shaved heads, lengthy robes, giving up of possessions, and norms for behaviour. That is seen as a elementary and compulsory facet of residing as a monk and receiving Buddhist teachings.

To provide one other concrete instance, we are able to see Lent as a section very clearly within the well-liked Eight Ox-Herding Photos from Zen Buddhism.

The highest half of the above diagram is Lent. From the time that the boy sees the footsteps of the ox, he’s topic to confusion, greedy and striving. The ox runs in all instructions, evading his chase.

Even when he manages to tie a rope across the ox, it nonetheless possess wild vitality, and the boy continues operating round looking for a solution to seize the beast for good. He’s making an attempt very laborious, however his effort involves naught. This era is Lent.

It’s solely when the boy lastly tames the ox and begins to trip the ox that he actually lives a non secular life. That is when he’s “reborn” and goes out into the world along with his discoveries, residing a life that could be very completely different to his earlier one.

Search for the precept of Lent in any mannequin of the non secular path, whether or not as a section or as an ever-present, and also you’re sure to seek out it.

It’s possible you’ll take pleasure in my episode on the Grand, Common Human Phantasm.