We are now in the Third Week of Advent. When you really think about it, the first season of Advent started with the fall of humanity, often referred to as the Fall of Man. I was listening to some commentary from a Jewish Theologian, where he said there is a cup that catches the sorrowful tears of God. When the cup is full, and starts to overflow, that is when the Messiah will come.
At the time leading up to the Christ event in Palestine, humanity had become as dense as it could be in terms of consciousness of the Divine. We had drawn ourselves so far away from God, that it was nearly impossible to be born. The rituals which used to be effective in order for humanity to open communication with the Spiritual world were no longer effective. There was a great longing and sadness for the lost connection with the heavenly realms, but humanity did not know how to establish the link with existing practices.
What sets Christianity apart from other mystery traditions is the fact that Divinity came to humanity, to be among us, learn what it meant to be in a human body. Divinity longed for humanity to come towards the spiritual, but knew that humanity needed tools and assistance to come towards the spiritual world in freedom.The Christ event was set in motion in order to help humanity with it's journey towards the Divine.
The Third week of Advent is the microcosm for the path of the Christian Initiate called "The Air Trial." In this aspect of development, the seeker has to stand on their own initiative, of being isolated from all familiar surroundings and yet cultivate an attentiveness, a sharp clear awareness of their surroundings and how to find their way towards the spiritual world. All signals from their surrounding environment must be considered. It is a time of isolation, solitude, courage and attention. This week of December embodies the air trial, and most of us can certainly relate to the trial nature of the long journey towards Christmas.
I often think of those final weeks where Joseph and Mary traveled towards Bethlehem. They had no real plan, no set path to follow, everything was done in great faith that something of cosmic importance was unfolding before them.
We know that the spirit and energy of the Earth move outwards towards the cosmos and heavens during the summer, with a great out breathing of the planet. Starting in the late summer, those energies which have been in the realm of the angelic hierarchies start their long decent towards the earth with the cosmic in breathing of the planet. During this third week of Advent, we celebrate the Solstice, where the planet literally completes her in breath, and the love light from the universal realms lies deep within the Earth.
The cosmic energy comes towards Earth at this time of year, and slumbers deep within, nourishing all of life with imaginations of the heavens. We await the birth of the Son during this time, with courage, silence and attention.
It is a difficult week this third week of Advent. The Air Trial allows us to enter into the Temple of Wisdom, but many more trials await, the journey is still long, and there is no full guarantee of the outcome. In a way, Advent is like that journey towards Bethlehem, and there is no set pathway other than by trusting in the process. The privilege of our time is we know the end of the Christmas story, but in our individual and collective lives, we actually must trust, and act with courage and moral alertness during these turbulent times.
I think the Black Madonna's are a more accurate picture of Advent. Their stern and somber faces point towards a path of wisdom, leading up to the cosmic birth of the Christ. As we labor individually during these difficult days, I hope we can feel the love that supports us during our journey towards the Divine.
As we look to the night sky, which is so dark during these waning days of December, each star is a reminder that in the blackest of night, the light still peaks through. Each point of light beams love and light, of hope and support, just as the love of the Spiritual world towards us.
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