The Meaning of Mary Magdalena

Mary Magdalena means the elevation of contradiction in Hebrew according to Filmore’s metaphysical dictionary. There will always be inner opposites left to be reconciled, and man is never free as entropy unfolds with the abundance of information for the mind and the continuing needs of the body. Man is able to set the opposites in perspective in relation to a grander scheme towards a higher good, when reconciling opposites to merge positives and negatives into a union of possibility and actuality. 

Interestingly, “Magdalena” is a close anagram for “amygdala”. The amygdala’s primary role is processing memory, decision-making, and emotional responses (e.g. fear, anxiety, and aggression). It’s located in the cerebral hemispheres of the vertebrates and it is considered a part of the limbic system. Every human being wrestles with their emotional responses at some point in their life, and there are clear allegories to the Christ story as Christ even casts out “seven demons” from Mary Magdalena (Luke 8:2). These “seven demons” is allegorically corresponding to that one is not in emotional control of one’s seven chakras, which corresponds to the seven sins or virtues. When the amygdala takes control over the limbic system and the seven centers of the human body, they are as they are “demons” because they are out of conscious control and one more easily falls into the trap of the seven sins. Therefore Jesus Christ is an example of overcoming many of these sins, and the first episode exemplifies one’s overcoming of the needs of the limbic system, which is the most important step towards true self-discipline.

In the Gospels, Mary Magdalene also represents Jesus anima, which is the unconscious feminine counterpart to a man. Conversely, Jesus can in the episode of “The Chosen” also be Mary’s animus. When Jesus is baptized the water then flows freely through the four functions of consciousness and this is where we will see the four rivers of Eden flow freely inside of him through the encounter with Mary, as I will later explain.

The Chosen S01E01

In the first episode of “The Chosen”, we are introduced to the character of Mary Magdalena, the two disciples Simon and Andrew represent faith and strength and Jesus represents the highest self and the best version a human being can be. Most people know Mary as the woman among the 12 disciples who was included in Da Vinci’s painting of “The Last Supper”. There are even rumors that she was Jesus’ secret wife. I am not going to take anything literal or pursue historical evidences in a literal sense. Instead, I see the show The Chosen in a symbolic way just as with reading the Bible and I relate the symbolism to understanding consciousness. I am exploring the symbolism of Jesus encountering Mary Magdalene, who in the gospels cast out seven devils from her (Luke 8:2). The seven devils in Mary that are cast out is symbolically a reconciliation between the 7 virtues and sins. This means that the seven sins; lust, gluttony, greed, sloth, envy, wrath and pride are cast out and separated from the virtues of chastity, temperance, charity, diligence, kindness, patience and humility, but they are also united in their opposites. 

In the book of Revelation of Jesus Christ, there are mentioned 7 churches, 7 seals that are opened, 7 trumpets and 7 vials. I want to reference this book because symbolically sinning means not letting the water flow, and the seals would be locked because the seals only identify with themselves.

Symbolically the seven churches (air) are aggregations of spiritual thoughts in individual consciousness working in different functions that work as a wall against material yearnings and holds true to spiritual thoughts. The 7 seals (earth) are the functions of the body and the mind in a state of sin where they are separated from a union and can be united by letting the water run like the four rivers of Eden. The 7 trumpets represent the harmonious waves that unite the 7 within. The 7 vials or bowls are the containers of water that symbolize the unconscious content which is poured unto the earth, the sun, the sea and into the air. This hints at the process where one is spiritually organizing oneself and how the body and mind connects at a higher level. There is a lot more subtle symbolism in the book, but this may give some insight on the relation between how consciousness communicates with the body.

The Meaning of Sin

It is important to point out that “sin” means to miss the center, or to miss the mark. This means that one’s conscious aim is not bodily needs or sense thinking, which means yearning material things or sensation. They should not be aims because they are then given more power as they are habitualized and each sin will try to take control psychologically and physically. One thing that is difficult to understand, but important to point out is that the seven sins are all sins made from exaggerating a function of the body. This does not mean there is anything wrong with the body, but the problem arises when functions of the body are identified with oneself. For instance, identifying with the intellect can lead to too much “pride” and this means that one would not search for anymore knowledge because one suddenly believes he is sufficient in knowing.

In Matthew chapter 5 verse 3 Jesus says; “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of Heaven.”. The “poor in spirit” refers to the poor in “personal” or “individual” spirit, which means having less personal pride than recognition of spiritual achievement. The problem with each sin is not that they are done, but that they are done for the wrong reason. If each sin identify with itself it becomes a lock and energy does not flow throughout the individual through all functions. You could say that many survival functions of the body are causing sins, when they do not need to be used. For instance the sin of sloth means being too lazy and aiming for more rest and sleep all the time, but on the other hand sleep and rest can be essential for renewing the body into a new day. The counterweight to sloth is diligence, which is consistent work. The virtue of diligence can also be exaggerated if it is done without any rest as this can wear one out.

Man to partake in divine good

Genesis 1:28 reads: ”Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it; and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the heavens, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.” God therefore wanted us to have dominion of the four states of consciousness which are thinking (the heavens), feeling (the sea), sensation (the earth) and intuition (every living thing that moveth). Intuition is a bit harder to explain, but basically movement creates time and therefore intuition is a function that can compile past experiences with future predictions of reality, and is therefore a wisdom of the heart. It is a sort of inner knowing, and this is where we can reside in consciousness to immediate apprehension of spiritual truth without needing intellectual affirmation.

When man is in the belief of the “eternal sin”, he is convinced that God is responsible for all disease and inharmony in nature, but this conviction closes the mind and creates a lock where the inflow of God’s gifts of peace, health and harmony are restricted by the mind. Man’s sins are forgiven, when sins no longer are the aim and one opens the mind to the fact that God is here to do good. Therefore man is not subject, or a victim of existence, but he is partaking in God’s good work. (Book of Job)

The meaning of casting out seven devils

In the episode Mary was called Lilith before encountering Jesus. Lilith refers to the demonic state, which is a state where the creative power of man is used in an ignorant way, where it spawns both good and evil. Here, what is good and what is evil, needs to be understood in both perspectives because as Jung said “One does not become enlightened by imagining figures of light, but by making the darkness conscious.”. This means that being conscious of what could be sources of negative things one should not be afraid of, but confront voluntary and put the darkness into the light voluntarily, so it can be integrated in a higher union of contradiction. 

Mary Magdalena means elevation of contradiction and this means that what is good and what is evil gets broadened and widened as one’s narrow conscious conception of reality thinks that it knows how one is good or how one is evil, but one has not related the experience of existence to a wide enough capability to understand. Most moral judgements are often programmed by systems of school, work, social groups and so on, and people rarely make a conscious well-thought decision of what is good and what is evil. I can refer to Nietcshe’s “Beyond Good and Evil” if you are interested in this kind of thinking. For instance hiding one’s own light from the world, not fulfilling one’s potential is a way of not letting one’s good shine to the world, then what is one giving to the world instead one must then ask? Matthew chapter 5 verse 14 reads: “Neither do men light a lamp, and put it under the bushel, but on the stand; and it shineth unto all that are in the house. Even so let your light shine before men; that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.”

We see that Mary tries to reconnect with her childhood and tries to read what her father had her remember, whenever she was scared from the book of Isaiah chapter 43, but she cannot reconnect to the message as an adult. The reason is that just because Mary’s father understood the meaning of the scripture does not mean she will understand it by reading it, therefore she needs spiritual knowledge and understanding . Later on Jesus names this exact passage to awaken her and have her seven devils cast out.

Before this happens we see the religious leader Nicodemus, who represents the pharisaical state of mind, that inherits religious ideas from their parents, but only observes the external form of religion, without understanding their meaning. Nicodemus visiting Mary and tries to cast out her devils is a symbol of Mary trying to redeem herself by repeatedly reading a piece of paper from her father with the scripture, which he read to her as a child. In the Lilith state of mind Mary tells Nicodemus in the episode is that “he has no power here”. This means that trying to understand spiritual truth through the external form does not heal any wounds in the inner workings of consciousness. At the point where we understand ourselves is inside, but beyond the body. Here we need Christ consciousness to remind us that we are redeemed by him and this thought is cleansing from the inside and out because the healing function of the mind and the body works automatically if we let it. It does not work the other way around and that is why the understanding comes from being in touch with Christ, which is the center of our being and our consciousness. We do not understand the world through externalities, but through the phenomenological experience of consciousness. If we are blocked in any of the sins, the key to unlock the blockage and let the waters flow is through the thought of Christ consciousness that opens the seal where it needs opening.

The Meaning of Jesus’ encountering Mary (John The Baptizer)

Lillith, who becomes Mary is having a hard time at the end of the episode and considers jumping off a cliff, but she sees a dove in the sky. The dove symbolizes peace of mind as a dove can rest in the air while flying freely. Being able to rest in the wind, like a dove is being able to rest through many currents of thoughts. When Christ was baptized by John the Baptizer it reads: “And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him:”. This reference also carries to Genesis chapter 1 verse 2: “And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters”. It is a symbol of the beginning of one’s spiritual journey when reborn through Christ consciousness, which is the realization of the “I am” inside. Therefore it is a brave choice to initiate “The Chosen” series with this symbolic reference to Jesus being baptized though the encountering of Mary Magdalena, instead of showing Jesus being baptized.

Lillith follows the dove back to a bar, where we shortly see the future disciples Simon and Andrew, who symbolizes faith and strength. Which means that she is lead back to faith and strength through the dove, which is the rest in thought and thereby she is lead back to Christ. At first it seems too frightening for her, but as she leaves the bar, Jesus follows her and calls her “Mary”, which means “contradiction” and tells her the passage from when she was a child. It reads: “thus saith the Lord who created thee, O Jacob, and He that formed thee, O Israel: Fear not, for I have redeemed thee; I have called thee by thy name; thou art Mine.”. Jesus then touches her head, and she is healed from all troubling thoughts that she tried to drown in personal spirit, which is “alcohol”. Mary’s mind has then reached Christ consciousness and she is redeemed from her troubles as she has reconciled the opposites inside of her. Conversely, we can see it as Jesus begins his journey by reconciling opposites within himself as he elevates his inner anima. Magdala means elevation and Mary means contradiction. Elevating contradiction between the body and the mind, or between the feminine or masculine means to elevate their powers above personal problems and to a higher scheme of things that can benefit other people and oneself and even fulfill God’s work of good in the world. The contradiction therefore is a magnetic pull that gets lighter as it is elevated and would look like a slow tornado that becomes wider the higher up it goes, at least that is how I would model it.

The Ending

The episode ends afterwards, but if one reads the next passage from Isaiah 43, verse 2. (the passage that comes after the one that Mary’s father read to her, but is not mentioned in the episode):

“When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee. When thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned, neither shall the flame kindle upon thee.”

The waters here are the emotions that Jesus is able to traverse through as he is also the one who “walks on water”. Mary also has affirmation that when Mary is overrun by emotions of sense consciousness she is protected by Christ consciousness. Furthermore the fire symbolizes transformation, which means when the intuitive mind takes over it can be hard to personal consciousness, but again Jesus will here make sure that one is protected from being burned at the level of spirit.

Thanks for reading. All the best, Alan Olewnik