Deep in the heart of humanity exists the mystic yearning implanted
within it at the first Christmastide when the Light of Man made
a definite place for Itself within and upon this dense earth planet.
The word Christmas is derived from the medieval Christe Masse,
the Mass of Christ.
The story of the Christ birth is for the Occident what the birth
of Krishna is for the Orient. Whether literally, mystically, or
symbolically understood, it brings to man fundamental truth which,
as his Spirit faculties unfold and function to perceive and accept
such truth, raises his entire being to a height not reached hitherto.
For the spiritual aspirant, Christ's words "No man cometh
to the Father save by Me," carry a transcendent meaning.
Parsifal inquires, "Who is the Grail?" The reply indicates
high spiritual perception:
"If thou hast by him been bidden,
From thee the truth will not be hidden....
The land to Him no path leads through,
And search but severs from Him wider
When He Himself is not the Guider."
A true interpretation of the Christmas legend necessitates first
of all an understanding, however dim it may be at first, that
the birth of the Christ child in the manger in the stable among
the animals symbolizes the first faint upspringing of the Christ
consciousness in animal man. The tiny indwelling flame which is
the Christ flame has been hitherto dormant in the human soul.
It now receives sufficient stimulation to enable it to grow and
enlarge until eventually the Spirit makes itself a potent factor
in the life of the individual and the first step toward the Father
by way of the Christ is taken.
The Ego-self has taken note of its expressing vehicle, the personal
man, and has vivified it, so that among the "animals"
of man's lower nature, in the manger or feeding place of the animal
faculties, the babe of the Christic Self is born. Always the manger
or cradle of the Christ Child is a place of sanctuary.
A great solar manifestation comes to fruition at Christmas. Groups
of forces composing this manifestation have been personalized
down through the ages. The Biblical story properly interpreted
contains a near approximation of the actual truth. The entire
story of Christmas is a universally applicable symbol. It is found
in all accounts of avataric births in all races and nations. Krishna,
Mithra, Horus, Orpheus, Hermes, as well as countless heroes, gods,
and saviors, were born in "mangers," wrapped in swaddling
clothes, visited by wise men bearing gifts, worshiped by shepherds,
and shone as stars of redeeming light for their peoples and nations.
December twenty-fifth is the date of the birth of Earth's physical
light bringer, the Sun. Jesus, representative of the universal
Christ, the Light of the world, is the spiritual Light bringer
to mankind, and His birth date should properly be the solar date
for the sun's birth. December twenty-fifth, as the birthday of
Jesus, was first celebrated some 200 years after the actual event.
From early antiquity, many myths concern the mystic Christ birth.
Whether born in a cave, a stable, or elsewhere, this birth has
two great symbolic meanings:
1. The birth of Love-Goodwill to men. The giving of a new law
to mankind, expressed in the commandments " Love ye one another,"
and "Love is the fulfilling of the Law."
2. The birth of the Christic consciousness in the souls of all
men who aspire to the heights
of spiritual truth. No gainsaying can controvert this universal
truth.
In its Cosmic sense, the Christmas birth celebrates the descent
of the Divine Light, Spirit penetrating and permeating matter.
In the human sense it is the descent of the Son of God (Spiritual
Light) into matter, the descent of the Ego into the physical body.
Like all great spiritual teachings, this one concerning the origin
and celebration of Christmas has been perverted and commercialized
through greed and selfishness.
Christmas Eve, December 24-25, is considered the holiest night
of the year because on this midnight spiritual influences are
strongest. In the Mysteries, the candidate, in spiritual vision,
saw the mystic Star of Bethlehem, the spiritual Sun that shone
on Holy Night, which guided him to the inner Christ. In his heart
echoed the deathless and prophetic song "On earth peace,
good will toward men." "Rejoice, ye children of earth,
for unto you is born this day a King," the Seraphs sang on
that long ago Holy Night.
In early Britain the beautiful custom of the Yule log was kept.
It first became a public ceremony in 1577. Yule is a Germanic
word meaning Christmas. Large candles were lighted on Christmas
Eve and a large oak log was laid upon the fire to illuminate the
house. It was thought that if kept throughout the year, the remains
of the Yule log would protect the house from fire and lightning.
The Christmas tree itself is a universal symbol. Antedating the
Christian era, it originated in Egypt during the worship of the
Goddess Isis. A palm tree with twelve short shoots on it, representing
the twelve months of the year, was used at the time of the winter
solstice. In northern regions a fir tree was used instead of a
palm. The origin of exchanging gifts occurred in early medieval
days. In some countries the custom of foretelling the future from
cakes is celebrated on Christmas Eve.
Gifts were brought to the birth of Jesus in the shepherd's cave-precious
gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh: spiritual power, love-wisdom,
and intelligence were poured upon the newborn Child, the Christic
Light atom in the human heart, the babe in its mother's arms,
the great earth mother which carries, nurtures, and preserves
the tiny life vehicle. These gifts (qualities) were showered by
the glorious Magi of the Cosmic realms who bless and enrich each
individual spiritual birth. These powers, in rapport with and
irradiated by the argentine light of the splendid Christic Star,
pour into weak and suffering humanity their stimulating influence
and strength, without which man's evolutionary course would be
far more difficult and prolonged.
The Magi, high initiates, were drawn to the holy place by their
inner perception and knowledge of the supervening, cosmic event,
the birth of the world's Savior. The three Wise Men represent
those advanced egos brought together in their common purpose from
the three primary races. Their gifts signify the several human
faculties or sheaths which enter into the process of manifestation.
They are led by the glorious Star to the World Savior, to Jesus,
whose physical form was to provide the vehicle for the universal
Christ Spirit.
He of India brought gold, designated in symbology as the emblem
of the Spirit. We read of alchemists trying to transmute base
metal into gold and understand that this is esoteric language
for describing the purification of the dense body, refining it
and extracting its spiritual essence.
He of Egypt brought frankincense or incense, which is a physical
substance of very light nature, often used in religious services.
It serves as a scaffolding or matrix for the embodiment of ministering
unseen forces, and thus symbolizes the physical body.
He of Greece brought myrrh. It is the extract of a very rare aromatic
plant. It symbolizes that which man as spirit extracts through
experience in the physical world-the soul.
Mary, the mother, was the focus of light, the holy etheric crucible
in which the transmutation of the elements took place. She represents
the ideal of purity, devotion, and humility, which makes possible
the incarnation of the most evolved of human egos.
The shepherds who saw the Star typify the inward vision of Divine
Fire as it comes to those on the earth plane whose piety opens
the window of the soul and activates clairvoyance. Their discernment
enabled them to see the glory in the heavens and to feel the spiritual
impulsions radiating from the wondrous Star.
In one sense it was a material star. In a higher sense it was
the flame of forces concentrated to bring into material manifestation
a physical presentment of the Logos, the world's Savior.
The earth was still. The air was reverently hushed, as if holding
its breath, for at that moment it was rapturously focused on Bethlehem
(birth). Silence, solitude, and adoration develop the discerning
eye, the inner ear, and the sensitive Spirit.
Especially during this Christmastide shall we not focus our thought
upon these truths? Shall we not meditate upon the true interpretation
of the sublime Christmas narrative, deepening and enlivening our
knowledge and understanding of this mystic event? Shall we not
center our effort upon expanding our power to serve? Let us celebrate
this Christmas by rendering to the Christ Child the love and homage
which is His due and our gift and blessing. Let us rejoice with
the Shepherds, "For we have seen His Star in the East, and
have come to worship Him." He, Who lighteth every man who
comes into the world, He stands illuminating the Way. As the incarnation
of the Truth and the Life, the Bethlehem Star discloses the path
leading to the Father. "For where I go, ye shall go also."
— Katharine Hillwood Poor
— Rays from the Rose Cross Magazine, November/December, 1995
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