by Marianne Williamson: Easter is the symbol of the resurrection, the crowning accomplishment of the forgiving mind.
It represents the triumph of love and the healing potential within every moment. It represents a reason to hope when all hope seems lost, the potential for light that exists within even the deepest darkness, and the possibility for new beginnings that seems impossible when all has gone wrong.
As a principle, resurrection does not require our recognition in order to exist. But as a practical reality, it requires our willingness in order to manifest. Our openness to infinite possibility – the willingness to consider that there might be another way, that a miracle might be possible – makes us available to miracles. We become pregnant with possibilities once having allowed the thought of infinite possibility to penetrate our consciousness. We become co-creators with God.
Delving into the mysteries of a religious hero’s journey can unlock secrets otherwise unavailable to our conscious mind. The crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus are among the deepest of mysteries. Where parts of us have died — to hope, to growth, to new life forces – God restores our crucified selves to new life, restoring the cosmic order to situations where even the most horrifying chaos reigned before.
Human suffering is inevitable in a world that is permeated with illusion and fear, yet through the power of forgiveness we can and do transform it. With every prayer, every moment of faith, every act of mercy, every instant of contrition, every effort at forgiveness, in time we move beyond our suffering and find inner peace at last. We die to who we used to be and are reborn as who we are, thus rising above the consciousness of darkness, ignorance and death.
Each of us goes through this – we all have our own curriculum, our own crucifixions, our own battles and trials and tribulations. But each of us has within us as well the potential for enlightenment and resurrection, as an indwelling God both calls us out of darkness and delivers us to light.
Also, I thought you might appreciate some reflections on Easter from the perspective of A Course in Miracles:
Easter is not just a symbol; it is a metaphysical fact.
Resurrection occurs when the mind becomes purified by unconditional love, which is total forgiveness. This causes an alchemical reaction — a miracle beyond what the mortal mind can understand — that nullifies the effects of negativity. Our having surrendered our lovelessness, God Himself delivers us beyond the ego mind and the suffering it produces (the crucifixion).
And that is the miracle of Easter: the dissolution of fear and the reemergence of eternal love.
What is the role of Jesus in all this? According to A Course in Miracles and other esoteric teachings, he is one who actualized the divine potential within all of us: the totally loving mind, or Christ Mind, that is God’s ultimate creation.
Having actualized the Christ within him through the attainment of unconditional love, according to A Course in Miracles Jesus became one with the Holy Spirit, or the eternal connecting link between God and his “separated Sons”. He was given the role of Internal Teacher, an evolutionary Elder Brother who is authorized, should we request it, to help us achieve what he achieved. Jesus is not the only name on God’s door, according to A Course in Miracles, but it says that if he is your teacher then you need no other.
A Course in Miracles says that awe is not an appropriate reaction to Jesus because that would imply a different order of reality from our own. It teaches that awe is to be reserved for God Himself. But Jesus is due our devotion and our love because of his devotion and love for us.
The principle of resurrection applies not just to Easter, but to every day and every situation. And not just to him, but also to us. A Course in Miracles says the crucifixion was a radical teaching example, meant only to show us that the effects of crucifixion are nullified by love. All of us hang on the crosses of our lives, and all of us can rise. Jesus did it, and so can we. Easter is to day to celebrate what has been accomplished in one mind, and thus accomplished for all.
It says in A Course in Miracles that we don’t have to believe in the divinity of Jesus in order to learn or practice the Course, but that if we do invite him personally to enter into our hearts then there is that bit more he can do for us. The imprint of his power on our psyche, whenever we request that he be there, is truly a gift.
I’m no enlightened master, but I am a sincere disciple. When I get it right, the miracles I experience are beyond what I can describe in words. And when I get it wrong, I feel his mercy and endless patience. Like, “Okay, we need to try that one again :)”
A Course in Miracles asks us to trade our crown of thorns for the lilies of forgiveness, that the power of forgiveness might bless us and renew our lives. With every passing year, may all of us experience the miracle of Easter more deeply.
May it be so.
Happy Easter, my friends…
With love,
Marianne
