Resurrecting Jesus: Embodying the Spirit of a Revolutionary Mystic
by
4.37 · Rating details · 576 ratings · 57 reviews
The story of Jesus has not waned in its power to change lives. Yet today, even though the majority of us grew up in a culture suffused by the mythos of Jesus, many of us feel disconnected from the essence and vitality of his teachings. With Resurrecting Jesus, Adyashanti invites us to rediscover the life and teachings of Jesus as a direct path to what may be the most radical of transformations: spiritual awakening.
Jesus crossed all of the boundary lines that separated the people of his time because he viewed the world from the perspective of what unites us, not what divides us. In Resurrecting Jesus, Adya asks us to consider the man known as Jesus as a model of enlightened engagement with the world. He examines the story of Jesus from his birth to the Resurrection to reveal how the central events in Jesus' life parallel the stages of awakening that we may be called to experience ourselves. Adya then illuminates five central archetypes of the Jesus story--Peter, John, Mary Magdalene, Judas, and Pontius Pilate--and the key insights they hold about the way we might relate to the spiritual impulse within. Our journey concludes with an inspiring call to live the Christ in a way that is unique to each one of us.
When the eternal and the human meet, writes Adya, that's where love is born--not through escaping our humanity or trying to disappear into transcendence, but through finding that place where they come into union. Resurrecting Jesus is a book for realizing this union in your own life, from one moment to the next, with heart and mind wide open to the mystery that lives inside us all. (less)
Jesus crossed all of the boundary lines that separated the people of his time because he viewed the world from the perspective of what unites us, not what divides us. In Resurrecting Jesus, Adya asks us to consider the man known as Jesus as a model of enlightened engagement with the world. He examines the story of Jesus from his birth to the Resurrection to reveal how the central events in Jesus' life parallel the stages of awakening that we may be called to experience ourselves. Adya then illuminates five central archetypes of the Jesus story--Peter, John, Mary Magdalene, Judas, and Pontius Pilate--and the key insights they hold about the way we might relate to the spiritual impulse within. Our journey concludes with an inspiring call to live the Christ in a way that is unique to each one of us.
When the eternal and the human meet, writes Adya, that's where love is born--not through escaping our humanity or trying to disappear into transcendence, but through finding that place where they come into union. Resurrecting Jesus is a book for realizing this union in your own life, from one moment to the next, with heart and mind wide open to the mystery that lives inside us all. (less)
Hardcover, 235 pages
Published April 1st 2014
Jan 04, 2015Jon rated it really liked it
Adyashanti is a Zen Buddhist born in Cupertino CA in 1962. This book is based on a series of talks/classes he gave in 2013. It outlines his interpretations of Jesus's teachings, along with various episodes in his life as related in the Gospels, all from a Buddhist perspective. He regards Jesus as one of the most enlightened (in the Buddhist sense) men who ever lived, at least on a par with the Buddha himself, but expressing his experience of the spiritual in an entirely different way. The interpretations are sensitive and nuanced, and in most cases I found them very instructive. This is definitely not an orthodox Christian reading, and it doesn't always work with equal felicity; but then neither does any other interpretation I've read. The author tells a number of disarming stories about his own youthful naivety and his struggles with organized religion as he was growing up. He freely admits that in a particularly dry, unrewarding place in his meditation practice, he found the love of Jesus as introduced to him by the writings of St. Therese of Lisieux to be the one thing that enabled him to progress. This book, in conjunction with Paul Knitter's much broader Without Buddha I Could Not Be a Christian, has been a real education for me. (less)
Apr 26, 2014Eden rated it it was ok
I really dig Adyashanti as a meditation teacher and all-around guru, but I feel like some of his character insights in this book were a little tone deaf. Mary Magdalene may have "loved too much" but it seems profoundly naive to say that someone becomes a prostitute because of their "lustful" nature. It's my understanding that women become prostitutes out of desperation, a need for protection, and lack of resources and/or education, not because they have deep feelings for the men who pay to use their bodies. I think Adyashanti is a tremendously insightful teacher, but some of his insights here seemed to miss the mark. (less)
Sep 11, 2014Jeannie rated it liked it
I felt like this book described the steps of spiritual awakening and then illustrated HUMAN Jesus's journey to enlightenment throughout the Gospels, but not HOW to achieve this personally. I want to too! Only gave this book a 3rd star because of the final Part Three of the book. I'm glad I read this, and it definitely did have some sections worth thinking about, even discussing with my kids maybe as a subject for the dinner table, but just never got really excited about this book.
I kept thinking about a few people who I feel are living spiritually awakened. You can almost feel the spirit radiating out of them. But how can I find that within me? I keep thinking of the person who said we are not supposed to be human beings having divine experiences. We are divine beings having a human experience. As Adyashanti says, that is hard to experience in this Western culture where everything seems so egocentric. It was interesting to study the Gospel with his approach. (less)
I kept thinking about a few people who I feel are living spiritually awakened. You can almost feel the spirit radiating out of them. But how can I find that within me? I keep thinking of the person who said we are not supposed to be human beings having divine experiences. We are divine beings having a human experience. As Adyashanti says, that is hard to experience in this Western culture where everything seems so egocentric. It was interesting to study the Gospel with his approach. (less)
Feb 11, 2016Berry Lob rated it it was amazing
One of the most personal, beautiful and fascinating books I've read about Jesus, written by a Buddhist who sees with open eyes and heart. (less)
Sep 10, 2021Mara Vernon rated it it was amazing · review of another edition
I loved this sounds true program and Adyshanti's wisdom around the Jesus story. I struggle with large organized religions sometimes because they seem more interested in regulating, judging and being rules based than they are with someone's spiritual journey at the Jesus story. I learned so much and really got clear on key points for my spirituality.
“As Jesus says in the Gospel of Thomas, “If you do not bring forth what is within you, what you do not bring forth will destroy you.” [Gospel of Thomas 70]”
“Of course, there are those churches today that are inspired by the real living presence of Christ, but as a whole, Christianity needs new life breathed into it. It needs to be challenged to awaken from the old structures that confine spirit, so that the perennial spirit of awakening can flourish once again.”
“In the original Greek, one of the meanings of sin [hamartia] is simply “to miss the mark.”
“we’ve come to understand sin as a kind of moral failing, but that interpretation actually comes from the power structures of the church and religious authorities. If you can convince somebody that they are inherently impure and that there is a mistake at the center of their being, then sin becomes a wrongdoing that deserves blame.”
“In the Gospels, Jesus repeatedly challenges the religious authorities of the day, but ultimately what he’s saying is relevant to all forms of religion. It wouldn’t matter if he grew up a Jew, or a Christian, or a Buddhist, or a Hindu, because he’s speaking about the structure of religion itself—its hierarchy, its tendency to become corrupted by human beings’ desires for power, for influence, for money. Jesus, I think, had a profound understanding that the religion itself, instead of connecting us to the radiance of being, connecting us to that spiritual mystery, could easily become a barrier to divinity. As soon as we get too caught up with the rites and the rituals and the Thou shalts and Thou shalt nots of conventional religion, we begin to lose sight of the primary task of religion, which is to orient us toward the mystery of being and awaken us to what we really are. Of course,”
“Myth isn’t about factual or historical truth, but about a deeper truth. In ancient times, people saw myth in a very different light—as a vehicle that can transmit and carry a subtlety and richness of experience that simply cannot be conveyed by linear, conceptual forms of language.”
― Adyashanti, Resurrecting Jesus: Embodying the Spirit of a Revolutionary Mystic (less)
“As Jesus says in the Gospel of Thomas, “If you do not bring forth what is within you, what you do not bring forth will destroy you.” [Gospel of Thomas 70]”
“Of course, there are those churches today that are inspired by the real living presence of Christ, but as a whole, Christianity needs new life breathed into it. It needs to be challenged to awaken from the old structures that confine spirit, so that the perennial spirit of awakening can flourish once again.”
“In the original Greek, one of the meanings of sin [hamartia] is simply “to miss the mark.”
“we’ve come to understand sin as a kind of moral failing, but that interpretation actually comes from the power structures of the church and religious authorities. If you can convince somebody that they are inherently impure and that there is a mistake at the center of their being, then sin becomes a wrongdoing that deserves blame.”
“In the Gospels, Jesus repeatedly challenges the religious authorities of the day, but ultimately what he’s saying is relevant to all forms of religion. It wouldn’t matter if he grew up a Jew, or a Christian, or a Buddhist, or a Hindu, because he’s speaking about the structure of religion itself—its hierarchy, its tendency to become corrupted by human beings’ desires for power, for influence, for money. Jesus, I think, had a profound understanding that the religion itself, instead of connecting us to the radiance of being, connecting us to that spiritual mystery, could easily become a barrier to divinity. As soon as we get too caught up with the rites and the rituals and the Thou shalts and Thou shalt nots of conventional religion, we begin to lose sight of the primary task of religion, which is to orient us toward the mystery of being and awaken us to what we really are. Of course,”
“Myth isn’t about factual or historical truth, but about a deeper truth. In ancient times, people saw myth in a very different light—as a vehicle that can transmit and carry a subtlety and richness of experience that simply cannot be conveyed by linear, conceptual forms of language.”
― Adyashanti, Resurrecting Jesus: Embodying the Spirit of a Revolutionary Mystic (less)
Although he didn’t have a particularly religious upbringing, Adyashanti’s connection to the Jesus story began during his childhood, when he was still Steven Gray, living in Cupertino, California. He grew up in a family that frequently discussed spirituality and religion and had a grandfather he describes as having “embodied the Christian spirit of generosity and love.” As a teenager Steven was passionate about bike racing and meditation, but meditation ultimately triumphed and he went on to study Zen Buddhism. At 31 Steven had a profound awakening experience and changed his name to Adyshanti (which means primordial peace) and became a spiritual teacher. It was during this period that he began to read about the Christian mystics, especially St. Therese of Lisieux, which shone a different light on the Jesus story, illuminating Adyashanti’s understanding of Zen. He was rewired. As he put it, “That’s a very powerful dynamic, when the mystery of our own being meets a really extraordinary story. That meeting can elicit something quite transformative.”
All of Adyashanti’s spiritual exploration, practice, and growth inform his method of teaching, which encompasses many traditions including Zen Buddhism, Advaita Vedanta (Hindu philosophy), and the Jesus story. “The Truth I point to is not confined within any religious point of view, belief system, or doctrine,” he has said, “but is open to all and found within all.”
Resurrecting Jesus reflects this. The Jesus Adyashanti shows us is a revolutionary mystic, “breaking through all the false boundaries and imaginary dividing lines that separate us as human beings and separate us from the world.” Adyashanti recognizes that “the Western mind has been dominated by Christianity for more than two thousand years, so whether you’re Jewish, Buddhist, Muslim, or even atheist, you can’t help but be impacted by the story. This fact alone makes the story worth examining, and in doing so, we might find that the Jesus we’ve been told about is very different from the Jesus in the Gospels. That’s what I hope to investigate.”
And he does. (less)
All of Adyashanti’s spiritual exploration, practice, and growth inform his method of teaching, which encompasses many traditions including Zen Buddhism, Advaita Vedanta (Hindu philosophy), and the Jesus story. “The Truth I point to is not confined within any religious point of view, belief system, or doctrine,” he has said, “but is open to all and found within all.”
Resurrecting Jesus reflects this. The Jesus Adyashanti shows us is a revolutionary mystic, “breaking through all the false boundaries and imaginary dividing lines that separate us as human beings and separate us from the world.” Adyashanti recognizes that “the Western mind has been dominated by Christianity for more than two thousand years, so whether you’re Jewish, Buddhist, Muslim, or even atheist, you can’t help but be impacted by the story. This fact alone makes the story worth examining, and in doing so, we might find that the Jesus we’ve been told about is very different from the Jesus in the Gospels. That’s what I hope to investigate.”
And he does. (less)
Mar 04, 2018Preston Bryant rated it it was amazing
Everyone and their grandma needs to read this book. If only our western culture could adhere to the story of Jesus in a way that relates to our divine being without dogma and religion. It is funny that Jesus, someone who would get enraged by hierarchical religious structures, is being praised in these very places today. He has been misunderstood because the structures built around his message have totally corrupted it. His message could only be heard by people in a certain state of consciousness. Instead of relating the story of Jesus back to us, the western religious structures have convinced the masses that they were born as sinners. However, this was not the message of Jesus. The message of Jesus message is simple: the kingdom of god is within you. How that has been so misinterpreted, I do not know. But Adyashanti does a fantastic job at bringing the story of Jesus back to to life. Perhaps the most outstanding theme of the story is that Jesus’ life is a reflection of our inner life. For example, Some of his disciples represent parts of ourselves that deny the truth of divine being when encountered in some way or another. (less)
Jul 26, 2019Karl Griffiths rated it it was amazing
As someone who has been turned off from Christian mythology.
I have not yet read the bible and would classify myself as an atheist. The book gave me a positive impression of the story of Jesus and I enjoyed Adyashanti's framing of the different stories and tellings.
I have a clearer idea of the central characters Pontus, Judas, Mary and the disciples.
I recommend this book wholeheartedly. (less)
I have not yet read the bible and would classify myself as an atheist. The book gave me a positive impression of the story of Jesus and I enjoyed Adyashanti's framing of the different stories and tellings.
I have a clearer idea of the central characters Pontus, Judas, Mary and the disciples.
I recommend this book wholeheartedly. (less)
Aug 11, 2014Roben rated it it was amazing
My minister once told me that I was a mystic. Intrigued, I wanted to hear what Adyashanti had to say about Jesus. The words hit all my buttons.
Jan 18, 2021Paloma rated it really liked it
An interesting look at Jesus’ life through the different Gospels and a spiritual perspective
Dec 30, 2020Alex Smith added it · review of another edition
Resurrecting Jesus interprets the story of Jesus as one of spiritual awakening, arguing he preached “intimate, personal, immediate access to divine being, to the Kingdom of Heaven within” - hence the description “revolutionary mystic”. I’d never encountered such a framing before; it was really interesting to see the gospels read in a metaphorical sense instead of historically or as moral didacticism. By no means do I have a sophisticated understanding of the non-dualistic ideas Adyashanti uses here, and not every part hit home for me, but it’s written in a way I still found quite approachable and was able to take much away from. I found this to be a thoughtful, mind-expanding read that’s given me a new lens through which to see these stories.
The message of the Jesus story is that we must fully enter the world - and that the way to freedom is through pouring ourselves into life, through saying yes in the biggest, boldest, possible way. And we can only do that when we connect with that sense of well-being, which is love. Love doesn’t ultimately concern itself with questions like, “Am I having a great time?” It doesn’t concern itself with the ego’s search to have a better and better experience. Love is a completely different energy. Love pours itself forth, gives itself fully; love finds its fulfillment by offering itself.(less)
Jun 12, 2020Mikey Whitehead rated it it was amazing
Wow wow wow.
In all honesty, I adore stories about Jesus. That being said, I abore the ‘Christian’ Depiction of the man and his teachings.
This book should be something which all followers of Christ have on their bookshelf. It will shine a new light on what you think you know about Jesus and his teachings. Whilst i wouldn’t say it necessarily negates the Christian depiction of the stories behind Jesus, it certainly challenges some of the concepts behind how they’ve been translated over the years. You can belong to any religion to enjoy this book, including Christianity. I would urge anyone to read it. (less)
In all honesty, I adore stories about Jesus. That being said, I abore the ‘Christian’ Depiction of the man and his teachings.
This book should be something which all followers of Christ have on their bookshelf. It will shine a new light on what you think you know about Jesus and his teachings. Whilst i wouldn’t say it necessarily negates the Christian depiction of the stories behind Jesus, it certainly challenges some of the concepts behind how they’ve been translated over the years. You can belong to any religion to enjoy this book, including Christianity. I would urge anyone to read it. (less)
Mar 08, 2018Laura rated it it was amazing
Highly recommend. A new lens with which to look through the story of Jesus and apply to your own life; that of spiritual awakening. As opposed to being presented as some untouchable that no one could ever hope to embody or aspire to, Adyashanti has distilled the kernels of his teachings and life story and presented them in such a way so as to illuminate to the reader that this was not merely the premise but the entire purpose of the teachings of Jesus. Highly illustrative and interesting and as always Adya's voice is both deep and incisive. (less)
Jan 28, 2020Tommaso Pollio rated it it was amazing
This book breathes new life into a two thousand year old story. I felt deeply touched , saddened and inspired by the age old story of Christ. Whether you believe it as historical fact or an old myth, this story has shaped the world for good (and bad). Adyashanti has with his beautiful interpretation of the gospels of John, Mark and Thomas renewed my faith in a revolutionary figure who dared challenge the status quo of his day. A figure that ultimately sacrificed himself to awaken others.
Mar 09, 2020Annie rated it it was amazing
Enjoyed this book thoroughly!
To provide some context, I am drawn to Buddhist philosophy but don’t identify as a Buddhist (yet); I am still exploring the world of religion and spirituality.
And I am certainly not Christian but I had attended Christian schools for most of my life.
This book was a fascinating way to interpret the Bible. I will never read the stories and think of the figures like John, Mary, Judas, Peter...the same ever way again!
To provide some context, I am drawn to Buddhist philosophy but don’t identify as a Buddhist (yet); I am still exploring the world of religion and spirituality.
And I am certainly not Christian but I had attended Christian schools for most of my life.
This book was a fascinating way to interpret the Bible. I will never read the stories and think of the figures like John, Mary, Judas, Peter...the same ever way again!
Dec 31, 2020Joseph Solis rated it it was amazing · review of another edition
A beautiful analysis of Jesus' life
I grew up catholic but I was never taught the story of Jesus the way Adyashanti did. This book offered me a chance to look at Christianity with a different lens and even to consider giving it another chance. The author compares the moments in Jesus' life as an example of our own spiritual journey, the characters in the story as parts that live within ourselves, and invites us to connect with the divine while we are alive. Very powerful. (less)
I grew up catholic but I was never taught the story of Jesus the way Adyashanti did. This book offered me a chance to look at Christianity with a different lens and even to consider giving it another chance. The author compares the moments in Jesus' life as an example of our own spiritual journey, the characters in the story as parts that live within ourselves, and invites us to connect with the divine while we are alive. Very powerful. (less)
Jan 01, 2018Bryar Trent rated it really liked it
An interesting non-dual, Zen oriented take on the life and teachings of Jesus. Would recommend to those who are familiar with Zen or Dhyana Yoga and are interested in Jesus Christ. I would further recommend the first volume of the Philokalia for an early Christian version of Zen by the Desert Fathers.
Jun 28, 2020Miss Rachel rated it it was amazing · review of another edition
Transformational
I wish I had read this book years ago. I followed mainstream religion for so long but just couldn't connect. I kept feeling guilty because there was something I clearly wasn't getting until I read this. Merchant's words spoke directly to my soul. This is a book for life that has truly resonated with me. It just makes so much sense. Thank you 💓 (less)
I wish I had read this book years ago. I followed mainstream religion for so long but just couldn't connect. I kept feeling guilty because there was something I clearly wasn't getting until I read this. Merchant's words spoke directly to my soul. This is a book for life that has truly resonated with me. It just makes so much sense. Thank you 💓 (less)
The author asks us to look at the life of Jesus through Buddhist eyes. I think we always learn something new when we view our Christianity through other eyes. For the most part I agreed with him although there are theologians who wouldn't. He did have some excellent points however. (less)
Jul 21, 2017Judy Waitkus rated it it was amazing
I read this as a group discussion. Adyashanti shines a new light on how Jesus is portrayed, as a man. The central archetypes of Jesus, - Peter, Mary Magdalene, John, Judah's, and Pontius Pilate - how they related with the spiritual impulse within us. Worth reading again and again. ...more
Jul 22, 2017Sheila Pritchard rated it really liked it
Excellent. Very good to read the life and significance of Jesus written by someone not primarily calling himself a Christian - yet deeply identifying with the mystical meaning of the historical Jesus. I found it both freeing and challenging.
Dec 02, 2017Kim Janson-Smith rated it it was amazing · review of another edition
A new understanding of this historical figure that eliminates the layers of institutional religion. Adya eloquently models through Jesus, to those interested in the path of knowing one's true self, to use the Jesus story as a road map to one's own quest of understanding their own true nature. ...more
May 23, 2018Karen rated it it was amazing · review of another edition
Beautiful
Beautifully written. Things finally came together for me in the story of Jesus. I’ve always felt there was more to the Jesus story than was being told. Now I know what that is.
Beautifully written. Things finally came together for me in the story of Jesus. I’ve always felt there was more to the Jesus story than was being told. Now I know what that is.
Nov 06, 2018Ferci rated it it was ok · review of another edition
I was really disappointed
The lady who wrote the foreword was not exaggerating when she said that the author was an amateur at best. But when one has achieved a certain level of fame, I guess one can choose to write on anything.
The lady who wrote the foreword was not exaggerating when she said that the author was an amateur at best. But when one has achieved a certain level of fame, I guess one can choose to write on anything.
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Top reviews from Australia
Reviewed in Australia on 24 July 2020
Verified Purchase
This book offers the useful perspective that the Christian Gospels can be read as metaphor and in turn situates the place of such metaphors within the spiritual journey. A useful and insightful approach that might have been offered in 10 pages or so. It is a useful aid in moving beyond the literal or the magical Jesus and exploring parameters of the spiritual life. There’s a depth to be experienced from these insights and for this, persevering with the text was worthwhile. But beyond this, the work is at times trite, tending on the simplistic. While the book seeks to guide one to move through a transition into the depths of being one-in-divine, it’s a talk about the walk, more than a guided walk itself. For those wanting to move beyond the limits of received Christianity, this book is a start, but only that - a start. It does guide one through the anatheistic transition, nor does it pretend to, and for this it falls short.
Reviewed in Australia on 29 August 2019
Verified Purchase
This book portrays Jesus so powerfully. It provides such a different interpretation of his life. It’s the Jesus that came to confront more than comfort, but lived with such a radical love and compassion for mankind. Definitely worth reading.
R Eddleston
Brilliant
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 28 July 2017Verified Purchase
Amazon Customer
A life-changing book
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 28 December 2018Verified Purchase
Mr. Richard Anderson
Fabulous
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 23 August 2018Verified Purchase
Miss Rachel Roberts
Transformational
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 29 June 2020Verified Purchase
Sue I
Of interest to those who are on a 'heart-centered' journey through life
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 17 December 2017Verified Purchase
