Easter Is You!

As we come to the close of the Lent, a time for releasing and letting go of that which no longer serves our highest good, and ready ourselves for Easter, we are presented with the opportunity to explore the deeper meaning and lessons of the crucifixion and resurrection. Given that we, in Unity, do not believe that Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection were of themselves the means for our salvation, what significance does this season have for us? Why do we in Unity honor the crucifixion and celebrate the resurrection?

While fundamental Christianity teaches that the salvation of humanity was achieved through Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection, Unity teaches that they are symbolic of a process that each of us can walk through to fully awaken to and embody our Christ nature.

Charles Fillmore, the cofounder of Unity, says, “The word crucifixion means the crossing out in consciousness of certain errors that have become fixed states of mind.”

Each of us has received and taken on false messages and misperceptions about ourselves. These messages are delivered by our families, peers, religions and societies. If these messages are not questioned and intervened upon, they become, as Mr. Fillmore said, “fixed states of mind” through which we perceive ourselves and our world. They can and do affect the choices we make and how we experience life. If we are to live from the conscious awareness of who we truly are, it is imperative that we question these false concepts and free ourselves from bondage to them. In Mr. Fillmore’s terms, they must be “crossed out.”

The commonplace New Thought term for these “fixed states of mind” is ‘ego.’ Some spiritual movements advocate elimination of the ego. I have heard, and probably said at some point in the past, that the crucifixion represents the death of the ego, which must die so the true self can be resurrected and have its life. I fear that ‘ego’ has become the New Thought term for Satan. Using Mr. Fillmore’s terminology, one might say that the ego must be “crossed out” so that the Christ can have life as us.

I can no longer support the idea that there is a “false self” and a “true self,” or that there is a negative aspect of us by whatever name we call it, ego or otherwise, that must be eliminated. From my current perspective, those are dualistic concepts. If there is only One, and I continue to assert that there is only One, then there cannot be any aspect of us that needs to be eliminated.

So, what is this that we often refer to as ‘ego’ and what can we do about it?

The so-called ‘ego’ or these “fixed states of mind” are energetically charged messages, both explicit and implicit, that have fused in our brains and around our hearts and have become filters through which we see ourselves and our world. They have become assimilated into our energy signature. They are a part of our human experience.

Because they are energy, we cannot eliminate them, nor should we desire to. Energy cannot be destroyed. It can, however, be changed. These energies can be transformed. Love is the only power that is capable of transmuting and transforming this energy.

This is truly the power of crucifixion and resurrection and the meaning of Easter.

When we consider the cross and crucifixion as symbols of transformation, the Easter story takes on a whole new meaning. The cross becomes a symbol of change, rather than of torture, death and sacrifice. And, crucifixion becomes, not death of the old and resurrection of new life, but a merging of the power and presence of love in the heart of humanity and the transcendence that results.

Think of Jesus hanging on the cross; his arms open wide as if to embrace all of creation; his heart at the position on the cross where the vertical and horizontal beams meet, symbolizing the place where the human and divine intersect. See the body of Jesus as a vessel holding all of the pain and suffering of the world. Envision it concentrated right there in his heart. Imagine him opening up in prayer and meditation to welcome and allow the energy of Divine Love to move through him, knowing that Love is the power that transmutes the pain and suffering and transforms the conscious of the world. Hear him saying the words, “It is finished” as a proclamation of the work that Love accomplished through him.

We can believe that Jesus did it for us, but it is more empowering for us to witness Jesus as an example of what we can do for ourselves.

I offer the following process for us to use to experience our own crucifixion and resurrection.

• Stand with our arms outstretched as if you are forming a cross with your body.
• Close your eyes.
• Imagine that your arms are spread out to reach across all time and space.
• Invite the energy of all of the pain you have ever felt and all of the life events that have stimulated fear, anger, or suffering for you to be present now.
• Imagine all of the energy of those experiences concentrated in your heart.
• Feel into it. Really allow yourself to feel the pain.
• Cry if you need to. Rage if you want to. Give it all you have.
• When you are ready, and only when ready, imagine a stream of pure Love flowing into your heart. 
• You may see it as wave of color. You may hear a particular tone. You may see a flash of light.
• Whatever image comes to you, just allow it. Receive it.
• Let the power of Love transmute the energy that you may have been holding for years or even decades.
• Feel the energy of Love transforming you.
• Let the light of Love do its perfect work in you.
• Know that as you envision it and claim it, it is happening. Do not give the mind free reign to doubt it. Know that as you declare a thing, it is done.
• Now, breathe deeply into your heart and welcome the sense of release.
• Feel your heart lighter and more relaxed.
• Lower your arms.
• With every breath, imagine the energy of love lifting them up once again.
• Allow your arms to rise up until they are in front of you in the posture of an open embrace.
• Hold all of your past hurts and pain in the open embrace of Love.
• Exhale deeply and see all the energy of pain and suffering expelled.
• Take a deep breath in.
• Close your arms around you, and embrace yourself in Love.
• Savor the embrace. Hold yourself until you feel the ease of the inflow and outflow of breath returning.
• Proclaim aloud, “IT IS FINISHED!”
• Take one step forward as a gesture of moving into a new sense of self.
• Fold your hands in a prayer position in front of your heart.
• Bow in recognition and gratitude for yourself and for the process.
• Experience your own resurrection.
• Know and trust that you have begun your own process of awakening and ascension into a newly integrated expression of your divinity through your humanity.
• Repeat this exercise any time you sense that you are in bondage to the past or are being weighed down by the energy of blame, guilt, resentment and the like.
• Each time you engage in this process, you take one step closer to full integration of Divine Love as your past, present and future expression.

I have recorded and posted a video on my YouTube channel to guide you through this process.

I encourage us not to think of Easter as a once-a-year celebration of rebirth and new life, but to invite the resurrection to be a daily personal experience. It is not about dying to anything, but rather about inviting and allowing the power of Love to transform us at depth.

Join us on Easter Sunday for our 10:00 service. Through a special presentation of message, music, dramatic interpretation, and ceremony we will explore further the metaphysical meaning of the cross, crucifixion and resurrection. You will not want to miss this one!