Esoteric Christianity

This article examines Christianity at its root, as well as some esoteric aspects, using anthroposophy and the insights of Rudolf Steiner as a resource. It does not attempt to assess religions that have branched out from the original impulse. It only seeks to delve into what lies at the heart of the Christ impulse.nnWhen levels of initiation are taken into account, the import of the Christ event referred to by Rudolf Steiner as “The Mystery of Golgotha” becomes clearer. Up to the time of this event a full scale Resurrection had not occurred. The Buddha, and other teachers who preceded Christ, were, in a sense, preparing the way for this unprecedented event. Steiner elucidates that the Buddha, recognizing what Christ was about, threw his lot in with the impulse. In effect, the Buddha joined forces with the Christ being.nnFrom the beginning of time, the Earth, starting out in a purely spiritual state, has been gradually “densifying,” as it became more and more physical. Eventually, the Earth reached a point wherein it was in danger of becoming too dense in structure, too “compacted,” or we could say excessively incarnated. If this descent had been allowed to run its course, the Earth, and humanity along with it, would have reached a point from which it would have been impossible to return, impossible to rise back up into a spiritual state.nnWhen Steiner refers to the Mystery of Golgotha, he is speaking about the most key event in the progression of the Earth through time, in that it caused the descent of the Earth to stop, and turn around, so that for the last two thousand years the Earth has been gradually ascending, rising toward its spiritual destiny.nnAll things considered, then, this esoteric view lends core meaning to the notion of redemption.nnnThe individual, Jesus of Nazareth, was a human who had evolved through his incarnations, until he reached a point where he was able to serve as a vessel for the godly being, the Christ, to descend from the Sun realm and walk the Earth for three years.nnAt the end of the three years, in the moment of fulfillment of the Resurrection, the Christ spirit imbued itself with the spirit of the Earth. The Christ spirit entered into, joined with the Earth’s spirit, initiating the process of raising its vibrational rate, and altering the Earth’s, and our, destinies.nnInteresting to note is that when one attunes to nature, when one enters into the energy of the Earth, one is actually communing more closely with the Christ. You can try this as an experiment. In quiet meditation, enter into your own core. Or contemplate Gaia, the spirit of the Earth. Either way, there is experienced a resonating feeling. Within oneself one can encounter the Christ. And within the Earth’s spirit one can also encounter the Christ.nnnAnother key concept entailed in esoteric Christianity is associated with the Second Coming. Steiner asserts that this return, this re-manifestation of the Christ, will take place, not in the physical realm but, rather, in the etheric realm. In effect, it has been taking place since the early to mid 20th Century, and continues to take place, even now. Thousands of individuals have been experiencing the Second Coming within the etheric part of their being, some more consciously than others.nnIt is fitting that this event occurs on an individual basis, because the Ego, or individuality of Spirit, within each person is the modern “jewel in the lotus” - the leading edge of human spiritual evolution. nnOf note, whether a person labels this experience as a “Christing” event, or uses some other term, is irrelevant. Individuals of many ethnic and varied paths have been meeting the Christ within themselves, no matter what words or terminology they use to describe the experience.nnEvery individual who passes through this personal initiation event helps raise the vibrational level of the Earth, and humanity’s destiny advances.nnTo view the whole article visit Insight21n