SessionOne:EncounteringJesus

InResurrectingJesus:EmbodyingtheSpiritofaRevolutionaryMystic,teacherAdyashantidelvesdeeply
intotheJesusstory,freeingitfromconventionsandimagesthatareembeddedinWesterncultureto
showthedeepmythicunderpinningsofthegospels.HeshowshowtheJesusstorycanbereadasamap
ofawakening,andhoweachofusthesonsanddaughtersofGodcanexperiencethestagesofthis
journeyintheunfoldingrealizationofouronedivinenature.
MyConnectiontoJesus
AdyashantibeginsthefirstsessionbymappingouthisownconnectiontotheJesusstory:fromfamily
discussionsofspiritualissuesandchildhoodinsights;throughhisearlyexperiencesintheZenBuddhist
traditionandfirstencounterswithadimensionofbeingfarbeyondpersonalpsychology;andfinallyto
anintenseconnectionwiththeChristianmysticSaintThrseofLisieux,whichledtoaprofoundheart
opening.
Hediscussesthedistinctpresence,ortransmission,ofChristianityinessence,atransmissionoflove,
worldlyengagement,andspiritualembodimentthatisverydifferentinflavorfromthetransmissionof
Buddhism.Finally,hetalksabouthowhisrealizationthattheJesusoftheGospelsisradicallydifferent
fromtheJesusofchurchdoctrinepromptedhimtodelveintotheJesusstorytoexplorethetrueheart
ofJesus'teaching.

SessionTwo:TheJourneyofAwakening
Inthissession,AdyashantilaysoutthekeyeventsoftheJesusstoryasamapofawakening.Thisjourney
takesJesusandeachbeingonthepathofawakeningthoughaseriesofinternalstagesthat
correspondwiththeexternaleventsoutofhislife.Thekeyhereisthatnoonecanbeaspectatorofthe
journeywemustbecomeit.
Thesestagesinclude:thecalling;theawakening;trialsandtribulations;abidingtranquilityorinner
unification;transfigurationorthedeathofego;crucifixionorthedeathofself;andresurrectionor
transmutation.
Whenyoureorientyourlifetoandfromspirit,Adyashantiteaches,yourealizeyousolovedtheworld
thatyoupouredyourselfforthintoit.Thatpouringforthwasyourbirthandyouareheretoredeem
whateveryouencounterinyourlife,toawakenwithineverythingthedeeprealityofitsownexistence.

SessionThree:TheJesusStory:Birth,Baptism,andTemptation
BaptizedintheHolySpirit
Thevirginbirth,Adyashantiteaches,isanancientmythicalmotif,onethatpointstoeternalbeing
breakingthroughthelatticeworkoftime.Thisisnoonetime,historicaloccurrence,butrathera
descriptionofeveryhumanincarnation.Eachofusasahumanbeing,anincarnatedform,comesfrom
thepairsofopposites,themotherandthefather,butaseternalbeingsweareunborn,undying,beyond
thepairsofopposites.
IntheGospelofMark,however,thereisnomanger,nowisemen,novirginbirthJesussimplyappears
attheriverJordan,asprophesiedbyJohntheBaptist.John'sbaptismofwaterrepresentsrepentance,
forgiveness,purificationofpastburdens.ThesecondbaptismthatJesusreceives,oftheHolySpiritand
offire,isofadifferentorderentirely.Spiritisthesymbolfortranscendenceandtransformation,and
hereitdescendsuponhim,reorientinghislifeashesuddenlyunderstandsthatheisradiant
consciousnessdivinebeingitself.Inthismoment,hiswholelifeisreoriented.
TrialsandTemptations
FollowinghisbaptismbytheHolySpiritandbyfire,Jesusgoesoutintothedesertforfortydaysand
fortynights.DuringthistimeheistemptedbySatanwhatwemight,inmodernpsychologicalterms,
callthe"shadow."Similarly,intheBuddha'sstory,BuddhafacesthetemptationsofMaya"illusion"
beneaththeBodhitree.
Whenwerealizeourowndivinebeing,Adyashantisays,notallofourshadowmaterialisinstantly
dispelled;theawakeningprocessscourstheunconscious,stirringupanythingthatneedstobebrought
tolightsowecanlivewhatwehaverealized.WhatourownencounterswithSatanaskofusisthis:
Whatdoesitmeantoliveinalignmentwithourhearts?
Jesusfacesthreetemptationsinthedesert,eachwithaspecificteaching.Thefirsthastodowithfear
andsurvival,thesecondwithhubris,andthefinalonewithpower.Throughthisprocess,Jesusdiscovers
hisroleasateacherandthecorrectorientationtowardhislifeandfate.

SessionFour:TheJesusStory:HealingandSpeakingTruth
StoriesofHealing
Inthisvideo,AdyashantilooksatthehealingsperformedbyJesusinthecontextofsiddhisspiritual
powersthatmayariseasconsciousnessopensandexplorestheroleofsinandforgivenessinhealing.
EvenwhenthereligiousauthoritiesarethreatenedbyJesus'healingministryandoffendedbyhis
associationwith"sinners,"Jesuscrossesalltheboundarylinesthatseparatepeoplebecause,fromthe
pointofviewofspirit,heseeswhatweallshareincommon,notwhatseparatesanddividesus.Forhim,
sinisnotamoralfailingbutsimplyacaseofmissingthemark.Ourfundamentalnatureisnotflawed,
andwhateverchurchdoctrinemaysayabout"originalsin"tobebornisnomistake.

FaithinThingsUnseen
Jesus'healingscontinue,firstwiththestoryofawomanwhohasbeenbleedingformanyyears,then
withthestoryofLegion.Inthecaseofthewoman,Jesussaystoher,"Yourfaithhasmadeyouwell;now
goinpeace."Jesusisassertingthatitisn'thispowerthathashealedher,ratherthathe'sdoingthework
oftheFather,andisaconduitforthehealingpresenceofthedivine.
InthestoryofLegion,JesuscastsoutLegion'sdemons,andthismanwhohadessentiallybeeninsaneis
instantlybroughtintoalignmentwithdivinebeing.Legionbecomescalm,composedevenenlightened.
Jesus'powertocastoutpainandsuffering,Adyashantisays,tellsussomethingaboutlearningto
embodyourownintenseemotionalstatesandreachthatplaceofgreatpeaceandloveatthecoreofall
experience.

SessionFive:TheJesusStory:Parables,Miracles,andTransfiguration
TheParables
Inthisvideo,AdyashantiexploresoneofthekeyteachingsofJesustheparablesandlikensthemto
koansintheZentradition.Theparablesalsoinvolveadirecttransmissionfromteachertostudent.The
disciples,withintheresonantfieldofJesus'enlightenedconsciousness,areinvitednottoprovide
answers,buttobecometheanswers.
Theseparablesalsoprovidequestionsforallofustocontemplate.Forexample,themetaphorofthe
seedonrockygroundasksustoclarifyourowndeepestaspirationsothatourattachmentstoego,
desire,fear,andpowerareletgoandcannotchokethegrowthofspirit.
Thoseforwhomtheseedfailstogrowrepresentacertainorderofbeing,thatofegoconsciousness.But
Jesusresidesinadifferentorderofbeingthekingdomofheaven,theenlightenedstate.Inthese
teachings,he'saskingeachofus:Areyoureadytoleaveyouroldworldbehind?
MiraclesandTransfiguration
Here,AdyashantiexploresthemiraclesoftheJesusstory,includingthemiracleoftheTransfiguration.In
thefirstmiracle,thedisciplesarefrightenedbythewildseatossingtheirboat,whileJesussleepscalmly
inthestern.Whentheywakehim,hecommandstheseatobequiet,tobestill,andimmediatelythe
wavesarecalmed.ForJesus,thereisnofear,noanxiety;everythingisfineexactlyasitis.Thissame
calmacceptanceiswhatwecultivatethroughmeditationandspiritualpractice.
IntheTransfiguration,Jesusrealizeshisidentityasthedivine.Inthisway,hisrealizationis
fundamentallydifferentfromthatofMosesintheOldTestament.Moseshasarelationshipwith
radiance;Jesusbecomesradiance.Here,Adyashantidiscusseswhatitmeanstohaveidentityasthe
divine,anddiscusseshisowntransfigurationexperience.

SessionSix:TheJesusStory:TheLastSupperandGethsemane
HolyRage
Inthisvideo,beginningwithJesus'encounterwiththepriestsofthetemple,Adyashantilooksatthe
transformingpowerofspirittoburnawayoldstructuresandillusion.Enlightenment,hesays,doesn'tfit
neatlyintostructuresofauthority.Whenreligiousinstitutionsfailintheirprimarypurposetoconnectus
tothemysteryofexistence,theyareripeforthetransformingforceofspirittopurifythem.
TheLastSupper
TheLord'sSupper,Adyashantisays,operateswithintheJesusstoryasamysticalinitiationritual.With
thesharingofbreadandwine,Jesusisaskinghisdisciples:Whatdoesitmeantosharethetruebody
notthefleshofthehumanbody,buttheessenceofthemysticalbody,spirit,consciousness,suchness?
AllareoneinthemysticalbodyofChrist.
TheLastSupperalsofunctionsasJesus'goodbyetohisdisciples,andsetsinmotionJudas'finalbetrayal.
WhenJesussinglesJudasoutwiththebread,itraisesanimportantquestion:DoesJudashaveachoice
inthisbetrayal,orishesimplycarryingoutthetrajectoryofhisfate?AndhowdoesJudasfunctioninall
ofusinotherwords,howdowebetrayourselvesandothers?
TheGardenofGethsemane
DuringthefinalscenesprecedingJesus'crucifixion,themovementofthestorybeginstospeedup.Here,
JesusprophesiesthatPeterwilldenyhimthreetimesbeforethecockcrows.Peterobjects,butonce
againheoverestimateshimself.TheheartbreakingwayinwhichPeterlivesouthisnatureraisesthe
questionforallofus:Inthevitalmomentsofourlives,whatdowedecide?Doweturnawayfromour
truenatureintimesofpainandsorrow?
Inthegarden,Jesusisalsofacedwiththeknowledgeofhiscomingdeath.Foramoment,hishuman
naturecomestotheforeandhepleadstoGod,"Letthiscuppassfrommylips."Butassoonashe's
spoken,heallowshisfateagainandsays,"Thywillbedone."Soonafter,Judasthebetrayerarriveswith
thesoldierwhowillarrestJesus,andthestorymovesswiftlytowardconclusion.

SessionSeven:TheJesusStory:CrucifixionandResurrection
TheTrialoftheSonofGod
Atthispointinthestory,thePhariseeshaveturnedJesusovertoPontiusPilate,theRomangovernorof
Judea,fortrial.PilateisclearlyfascinatedbyJesusandonsomelevelseemstounderstandwhoand
whatheis.HeasksJesusifheisthekingoftheJews,butreceivesonlyacrypticresponse.
Onseveraloccasions,PontiusPilateasksthecrowdofPhariseesoutsideifheshouldreleaseJesus,but
theysay,"Heoughttodie,forhemadehimselfthesonofGod."ThePhariseeshererepresentallthose
worldlyinstitutionswhoaremoreconcernedwithtemporalpowerthanwitheternaltruth.

CrucifixionandtheDeathofSelf
Next,AdyashantiexplorestheJesusstory'sclimacticscenetheCrucifixion.Thefirstversionhe
examinesisfromthegospelofMarkabriefandheartbreakingscenethatendswithJesus'cry,"Why
haveyouforsakenme?"
AdyashantilooksattheCrucifixionasarepresentationofthedeathofself;allsenseofaseparateself
diesonthecross.WiththelossofthepersonalselfcomesthelossofapersonalGod.Thissenseofbeing
forsakenisaprofoundlyuniversalexperience,evenforthosewhohavenotattainedthisstateof
realization.
Inothergospels,thecrucifixionsceneisprolongedandexpanded.InLuke,Jesusiscrucifiedalongside
twothieves,andsaysofthem,"Forgivethem,fortheyknownotwhattheydo."Thethiefwho
understandswhoandwhatJesusispointstoourcapacitytorecognizeourowndivinitywithintheself.
TheResurrection
WereachthefinalkeysceneoftheJesusstory,theResurrection.TheResurrectionisuniqueinspiritual
literature;unlikeEasternteachings,inwhichthepointofthespiritualjourneyistogetoffthewheelof
karmaandoutoftheworldoftime,theJesusstoryfocusesontheoppositemovement,fromthe
kingdomofheavenintothehumancondition.
Butwhatisitthatresurrects?Whatcomesbacktolifeafterthedeathoftheself?Thereisnothingleft
todo,Adyashantisays,exceptliveasabenevolentpresenceintheworld.Thisiswhatitmeanstobein
theworldbutnotofit.

SessionEight:ArchetypesintheJesusStory
TheStoriesofPeterandJudas
Inthissession,AdyashantilooksathowfivekeyfiguresintheJesusstoryPeter,Judas,PontiusPilate,
MaryMagdaleneandJohnfunctionaslensesofinterpretationonthedivineandasspiritual
personalitytypesthatprovideinsightintoourowndeepestnaturebydemonstratingwaysofrelatingto
thespiritualjourney.
Inthisvideo,AdyashantilooksatthefiguresofPeterandJudas.Petercontinuallymissesthemarkat
crucialmomentsinthestory.Heisuntruthfulwithhimselfandoverestimateshisownability;ultimately,
heisdrivenbyadeepseatedfearofwhichheisunconscious.
JudasseeswhoJesustrulyis,butneverfindsthesameinhimself.Hiscynicismanddisconnectedness
seemtostemfromadeepwound.AdyashantilikenshimtoahungryghostinBuddhisttradition:no
matterhowmuchhetakesin,hecanneverbefilled.

TheStoriesofPontiusPilate,MaryMagdalene,andJohn
AdyashanticontinueshisexaminationofarchetypesintheJesusstorywithPontiusPilate,Mary
Magdalene,andJohn.Pilate'snatureisthatoftherationalleader.Herepresentsthechoicebetween
eternaltruthandtherelativerealmofworldlypowerandinfluence.FromPilate,welearnthe
importanceofaskingwhatthetruthis.
MaryMagdaleneisthearchetypeofredemption.Hernatureistolove,andinmeetingJesusshe
awakenstothehigherdimensionoflove.Jesussaystoher,"Yourfaithhassavedyou.Goinpeace."The
natureofthisfaithgivesbirthtoanewmoralityonethatcomesfromdirectknowingratherthan
societalrules.
Finally,Johnthebeloveddiscipleissomeonewhojustnaturallygetsitright.Assomeonewhois
alwayspresentinthestoryatthemostimportantandmostintimatemoments,heservesasan
archetypeforthedivinewitness.Herepresentsanintuitivesenseofrightrelationshipwithdivinebeing.

SessionNine:TheChristPresence
JesusandtheChrist
Inthisfinalsession,AdyashantitalksabouthowhisapproachtotheJesusstoryisaninvitationtoeach
ofustoresurrectthepowerofthisnarrativeanddiscoveratrue,engagedspiritualityinthestoryandin
ourselves.Ultimately,hesays,itdoesn'tmatterifwetreatthestoryashistoryorasmyth,butwhatis
importantishowwecaninternalizeitsmessageandmakeitourown.
WecanputourselvesintheplaceofJesus,thatspiritualrevolutionarywhobringsthesparkofeternity
intotheworld.Wecanlookthroughtheeyesofthevariouscharactersinhisstory;wecanevenlook
throughtheeyesofGod.Eachoftheselensesbringsnewlifetothestoryandhelpsusseeitasourown.
TherelationshipofhumanitytodivinityistherelationshipofJesustotheChristpresence,andofeachof
ustothedivine.TheJesusstoryisnotasinmostspiritualstoriesabouttranscendence,butabout
eternitydescendingintotheworldoftimeandspace.Inthesameway,eachofusisaneternalbeing
livingourhumandrama.Whenwecanunderstandandembodythiswemoveintheworldasthe
divineassacredlove.