What do we mean by ‘resurrection’? The restoration of physical life, spiritual awakening, or a transformation in the nature of existence? I do not wish to settle these questions with a single word. First, I shall distinguish between the biblical account and metaphysical approaches, so that it becomes clear in what sense I am using this term.
My own line of thought is based on the eternity of the soul and the possibility of simultaneous lives. The same soul can manifest itself in different earthly roles without becoming a different soul. Therefore, for me, the question of resurrection is not how the soul begins to live again, but how the quality of its manifestation might change.
What do the biblical texts say?
It would not be accurate to reduce the biblical resurrection simply to the resumption of the body’s former functions. Paul contrasts corruption with incorruption, and weakness with strength, putting it this way: ‘It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body.’ The chapter speaks of both the resurrection of the dead and the transformation of the living (1 Corinthians 15:42–44, 51–53, World English Bible, British Edition).
The Gospel accounts emphasise both Jesus’ identity and the unusual nature of his appearance: in Luke, he shows his hands and feet, can be touched, and eats in front of the disciples; in John, he appears amongst the disciples whilst the doors are locked (Luke 24:36–43; John 20:19, 26). At first, the disciples on the road to Emmaus do not recognise him, but later, when he breaks the bread, they recognise him (Luke 24:15–16, 30–31).
These scenes are important starting points for me. I interpret them as a transformation of energy, but this is the interpretation I attach to them: the texts themselves do not explain the events in terms of a change in vibrational frequency.
In biblical texts, the language of the resurrection is also linked to the image of an awakening that speaks to us in this present life: ‘Awake, you who sleep, and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.’ (Ephesians 5:14, World English Bible, British Edition). In my own metaphysical interpretation, this sentence encapsulates the essence of the entire line of thought.
For me, ‘Awake, you who sleep’ is an appeal to the spiritually sleeping person: the realisation that what they had hitherto regarded as their true self and the whole of reality does not fully encompass their existence. In this interpretation, ‘arise from the dead’ does not refer to an event following the end of physical life. Here, death is a metaphor for the absence of an awakened spiritual connection, whilst resurrection signifies transcending this state.
For me, the phrase ‘and Christ will shine on you’ expresses the idea that the teaching becomes something I can understand and experience from within. It is not enough for me to know Jesus’ words: what I have recognised in them must also become a reality in my life. This is how I interpret the three elements of the phrase together: to awaken, to move beyond one’s previous state, and to live in accordance with the teaching one has recognised.
I therefore do not view this transformation solely as an event in the distant future: it may already begin during our earthly lives. At the same time, I do not automatically equate this initial awakening with a comprehensive transformation; the first dawning of an insight and its full embodiment belong together, but they are not the same.
Awakening and realisation: two further approaches
Section 28 of the Manual for Teachers in A Course in Miracles describes resurrection as reawakening, rebirth and a change in how the world’s meaning is understood. It connects this with the culmination and completion of learning, not merely an initial insight (M-28.1–3, ‘What Is the Resurrection?’).
René Guénon draws an important distinction within a different conceptual framework. He does not regard extraordinary abilities, which he terms ‘psychic’, as evidence of, or the goal of, spiritual realisation; nor does he treat transformation as a mere physical change, but rather as the transcendence of the individual, form-bound state (Perspectives on Initiation, Chapters XXI and XLII).
I am not claiming that the two authors’ approaches and the biblical account mean the same thing. The following comparison clarifies my own use of terminology: I draw a distinction between the beginning of awakening and the full realisation of transformation.
From the perspective of simultaneous lives
For me, the concept of simultaneous lives is linked to a different interpretation of the resurrection: I seek its meaning not in a subsequent physical return, but in transcending the cycle of earthly manifestations. By ‘cycle’, I do not mean a succession of lives, but rather being bound to the conditions of earthly experience. In this interpretation, the resurrection is that qualitative transformation in which the soul no longer manifests itself bound by these same conditions. This is my own interpretation, linked to the idea of simultaneous lives, and is not a refutation of the biblical resurrection.
Extraordinary experience, awakening and resurrection
It is worth examining these three concepts separately, but I am not talking about three different types of people. The table is not a spiritual hierarchy, and it is not intended to be used to determine what ‘level’ someone is at.
| Criterion | Extraordinary experiences | Spiritual awakening | Resurrection as I understand it |
|---|---|---|---|
| What is the focus? | An unusual perception or an experience or ability regarded as extraordinary. | I realise that I am not confined to my earthly roles and my usual self-image. | Transcending the cycle of earthly manifestations; a comprehensive qualitative change in the nature of existence. |
| How does this change manifest itself? | The range of experiences can change without changing how we live. | I connect with myself, the world and the Source in a different way; this experience may continue to unfold. | A transformation that affects perception, our experience of the world and our presence within it alike. |
| What is the role of special abilities? | These may take centre stage. | Special abilities do not define awakening. | They are not objectives, nor are they essential characteristics, and they do not demonstrate transformation. |
| What does not establish this on its own? | Spiritual maturity does not result from a single experience. | Merely accepting a teaching in theory does not mean living it out. | A single intense experience, a physical sensation or an ability considered to be special. |
Nor do I regard awakening as mere theoretical knowledge. The distinction I am drawing is between the dawning of insight and its full embodiment, not between different numbers of abilities or degrees of spectacle. This is not identical to the terminology of A Course in Miracles, where the awakening called ‘resurrection’ already signifies the culmination of learning (Manual for Teachers, Section 28).
What do I mean by ‘transformation’?
I do not understand transformation solely as a physical change, nor as the emergence of special abilities. I am speaking of a comprehensive change in quality that affects perception, the way we experience the world, and our presence within it. I do not refer to a single extraordinary experience as a resurrection, but rather to a transformation in the very nature of existence.
I see the fulfilment of this in the story of Jesus. I do not exclude the physical manifestation from this interpretation, but I do not reduce the whole process to it. By the term ‘change in energetic quality’, I am referring to this comprehensive transformation, not to a proven biological or quantum-physical process.
Resurrection as a qualitative transformation
In my understanding, the soul does not need to be brought back to life, because its existence never ceases. Change occurs in the way it manifests itself and in the form in which it is present.
Learning on earth, awakening to our true selves, and the insights received through the heart can all form part of this transformation. In the resurrection of Jesus, I see the fulfilment of this change in quality: not the birth of another soul, but a qualitatively different manifestation of the same soul.
With love,
Georgina
Soul4you