In the television program Myths of Mankind – The Gnostic Origins of Christianity (Timestamp 43:12-43:54), Elaine Pagels PhD of Princeton University is quoted as saying,
“Every great world religious tradition whether its Hinduism, Buddhism, Islam, Judaism has both the teaching for everyone, exoteric teaching, which every adherent of that faith is supposed to follow and esoteric or mystical teaching. The only one that lacks that is western Christianity. I think it is unfortunate that that which many people find necessary for their own integrity and development has been regarded as either heretical or a path leading nowhere.”
When I posed the idea that Christianity does not have an esoteric teaching to several of my spiritual friends, they did not agree with Dr. Pagels’ conclusions.
In my opinion, Christianity is the only tradition that openly celebrates both spiritual paths. I can agree that there is no secret teaching, because both spiritual paths are out in the open for everyone to see. However, by definition, the esoteric teaching is the second leg of the spiritual journey. The esoteric teaching does not have to be “secret” in order to maintain its mystery. The mystery of the esoteric path can only be revealed when the exoteric path or first leg of the spiritual journey is fully completed.
Christmas celebrates the enlightenment of the feminine or creative personality. The Divine Power of Grace comes down from the heavens into the consciousness as an experience of birth of the Divine Masculine, which includes the qualities of peace, organization, and logical/linear thought.
Easter celebrates the expansion of the masculine or intellectual personality. The Divine Power of Passion/Kundalini rises up to facilitate the shedding of ego and the emergence of the Divine Feminine, which includes the qualities of creativity, the interconnectedness of life, and the grand design of the cosmos.
These two paths, the Birth of the Divine within the soul and the Death of the Ego, are the two paths that make up the complete spiritual journey in every sacred tradition throughout time. These paths must be traveled to their completion one after another. Every master of the sacred arts, from every tradition that I have ever read, has insisted that an adherent must choose one path and follow it to its completion, then follow the second path. Only those who complete of both paths gain full conscious awareness. Since the Divine Energies annihilate each other, jumping back and forth between the paths leads only to suffering and disillusion.
Either path can be considered exoteric or esoteric. The designation of “exoteric” and “esoteric” is determined by which path is completed first and which is pursued second.
My book, "Jesus' Wedding: A Peek into the Inner World Shrouded behind the Mystical Veil," will detail this universal system that explains all myth and spiritual symbol. It is planned to debut in December 2012. You are welcome to view the excerpts, models, and and photographs that are currently available on my website. http://www.JesusWedding.com
Jesus’ Wedding 
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For you the pagan celebration of the goddess of light, 25 December, may be the celebration of the enlightenment of the feminine or creative personality. for you it is “The Divine Power of Grace” which comes down from the heavens into the consciousness as an experience of birth of the Divine Masculine, which includes the qualities of peace, organization, and logical/linear thought.
Christians do have to distance themselves of such thoughts. For followers of Christ, who was not born on the 25th of December and who did not want his birthday celebrated, but wanted his last evening meal celebrated, there is only One Divine Being, namely his Father the Adonai Elohim Hashem Jehovah.
He also wanted we walked that path of the Divine to conquer the path of death, which is as you say the path of our own ego.
Christians should put their own self aside and try to become like Jesus, who did not his own will, but the will of his Father, the One and Only Who should be our god, like he was the God of Christ Jesus.
I can see that you have correctly surmised the connection between the pagan goddess celebration of light, The Divine Power of Grace, and the enlightenment of the feminine or creative personality. However, I wonder if the further connection to our current celebration of Christmas has been made. I do not believe that Christmas will ever be outlawed. Primarily because it is so intrenched in our culture.
Secondly, The Way of Grace is the esoteric path for those who successfully kill ego. Only the fully fledged knight – ye who has completed the Path of Passion/Kundalini – is allowed to seek the Grail – the light within. Such a knight was described as a knight in shining armor – or a fully enlightened being.
Yes, it will be very difficult, to nearly impossible to get rid of certain traditions. Though the Nazarene Jew Jeshua (Jesus Christ) historically is not born on the 25th of December, most people would like to keep the tradition with all the pagan elements, not following the commandments of the Creator God, but fulfilling their own wish to enjoy with the rest of the world. (That is the matter of which the apostles Paul and John are talking about being in and of the world, instead of being of God His world.)
At the end-times that probably shall also make the difference between people able to enter the small gate and others missing the entrance of the Kingdom of God.
This is true for men or intellectual thinking types. However, what about women or creative thinking types?
In The Book of Genesis it states that woman shall feel indemnity toward the snake (the traditional symbol of Kundalini and the Way of Passion). That God the Father will stand on the head of snake. This means that The Light – Not the Blood – shall be the means by which a woman or creative personality shall find the Kingdom of God. Christmas celebrates this way of enlightenment.
If Christmas is removed, half the population will not be able to find the small gate or entrance to the Kingdom of God.
[…] Are Esoteric Teachings Missing from Christianity? (jesusweddingthebook.wordpress.com) In my opinion, Christianity is the only tradition that openly celebrates both spiritual paths. I can agree that there is no secret teaching, because both spiritual paths are out in the open for everyone to see. However, by definition, the esoteric teaching is the second leg of the spiritual journey. The esoteric teaching does not have to be “secret” in order to maintain its mystery. The mystery of the esoteric path can only be revealed when the exoteric path or first leg of the spiritual journey is fully completed. […]
According to the Holy Scriptures all people are created in the image of God and are equal. The woman crushed is the sin and the penalty of sin, having death coming to an end.
Christ Jesus is also described as the light, like God is also the Most High Light in our dark world. But we do not need the goddess of light nor her birthday, nor any symbols of light to remind us of the internal light we all have to find.
Women like man have the same opportunities to find God. The Creator has given His Word to all people. No matter which language they speak they shall be able to find a Bible translation in a tongue they shall be able to understand. It is in that Book of books that we do have to find figurative and spiritual light. And man and woman are equal in their possibility to understand that word, so they like any other human being shall have the same opportunities to enter the narrow gate Jesus is talking about.
I will have to agree to disagree.
Men and Women are not physically or psychologically the same. This is scientific fact.
There are two different and distinct paths for men and women in every culture that is and has ever been on this planet.
Stonehenge has a sister site called Woodhenge. Stonehenge celebrates death (of ego). Woodhenge celebrates new life (of the spirit). The Way of Grace was celebrated on the winter solstice with celebrations beginning in the darkness of night at Stonehenge, which was followed by a meditative walk to Woodhenge timed to arrive at the rising of the sun. This is the ancients equivalent of Christmas.
There cannot be one without the other. Each Way brings balance to the force. This is why Judaism requires men and women to marry.
Christmas is all about the Birth of Peace to the Virgin or young maiden. The path of Eve is graphically repeated in the Nativity Story of Mary.
The fact that women could even reach enlightenment was lost during the reign of Constantine when Christianity was reshaped to conform to the ideals of the Patriarchal State of Rome. The Lost Gospels are showing us that until that time women enjoyed equal rights to lead congregations and perform such sacred ceremonies as baptism.
After Constantine, women are demonized because when they are initiated into the faith in the same way that men are they become crazed and evil. All other cultures recognize this through their myths of wrathful goddesses – Medusa, Pele, Kali, and Sehkmet.
Women were then deemed spiritually inept and banned from religious service. Women were then relegated to second class citizens worthy only of servitude and considered property to be controlled.
I am thankful that Christmas is a beloved tradition that will never be abolished. Hopefully, its meaning will again become mainstream.
[…] Are Esoteric Teachings Missing from Christianity? (jesusweddingthebook.wordpress.com) In the television program Myths of Mankind – The Gnostic Origins of Christianity (Timestamp 43:12-43:54), Elaine Pagels PhD of Princeton University is quoted as saying,“Every great world religious tradition whether its Hinduism, Buddhism, Islam, Judaism has both the teaching for everyone, exoteric teaching, which every adherent of that faith is supposed to follow and esoteric or mystical teaching. The only one that lacks that is western Christianity. I think it is unfortunate that that which many people find necessary for their own integrity and development has been regarded as either heretical or a path leading nowhere.” […]