The Gospel story of the Nativity is mystical as well as allegorical. The Christ’s life is a mystical experience; a birth that continually occurs as the inherent powers of every human spiritual self unfolds. There are two main interpretations of the Gospel of the birth of Christ or Nativity in the Bible, i.e. the birth of the universe, and the birth of the spiritual consciousness in man.

Matt. 1:18: "Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise. When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together was found with child of the Holy Ghost". This describes the first and second verses of the Book of Genesis or cosmogenesis. Esoterically, the Holy Ghost (third aspect) masculine and the Virgin Mary (space, waters, Maria, matter, mother.) feminine are personified creative potencies of God respectively, and the action is allegorically indicated as human procreation. The Spirit of God (Holy Ghost) masculine, moved upon the face of the waters (Virgin Mary) feminine and the universe (Christ, the Son) is born (virgin birth).

A similar and allegorical process happens in the personality and the spiritual Self of man. Joseph (lower or logical mind) who is the fianc� of Mary (higher mind or causal body) personifies the developed, disciplined, and intellectual mind of man which can only respond to intuition, and described as a just man. Being logical and formal, he cannot participate in the birth of Christ (Intuition) which occurs only in the higher mind or causal body (Virgin Mary). Thus, esoterically, Christ is of virgin birth. Born of the Holy Ghost and Virgin Mary, mulaprakriti (virgin or root matter): Immaculate Conception.

Matt. 1:24-25: "Then Joseph being raised from sleep did as the angel of the Lord had bidden him, and took unto him his wife; And knew her not till she had brought forth her firstborn son: and he called his name JESUS". The Nativity describes each and everyone’s spiritual birth. Mystically, the first born, "new born," "twice born" or "born again" symbolize the first initiate. In the Gospel story, this birth of the higher consciousness or intuition, is called Jesus Christ. Likewise, in the Hindu scripture, The Bhagavad Purana, it is named Shri Krishna. The name Christ in esoteric Christianity, is the name of a state of consciousness, rather than the name of a person. Thus; "Christ in you, the hope of glory." "Till the Christ be formed in you." "Though Christ in Bethlehem be born and not within thyself, thy soul will be forlorn."

Matt. 2:1-2: "Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem. Saying. Where is he that is born King of the Jews? For we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him". The three wise men from the East esoterically represent the three aspects of the spiritual or higher self, personified by the angel of Annunciation as spiritual will or Atma, by Christ as wisdom or intuition, and Mary as spiritual intelligence. They are the counter part of the Holy Trinity, the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost in men.

Matt. 2:9-11: "When they had heard the king, they departed; and, lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy. And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts, gold; and frankincense, and myrrh". The star symbolizes the One Initiator -the King of the World- that shines during the initiatory ritual. The three wise men likewise, represent the three Masters appointed as hierophants to confer the first or second initiation to the candidate. The stable is the hall of initiation, and the inn, which is crowded, typifies the worldly life of men.

Matt. 2:12-13: "And being warned of God in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed into their own country another way. And when they were departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeareth to Joseph in a dream, saying, arise, and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I bring thee word: for Herod will seek the child and destroy him". Herod personifies the pride and fear aspect of the personality of the initiate. The initiate’s spiritual development is enhanced as well as the powers of the lower mind, and the personality develops intellectual pride and the refusal to surrender to the Higher Self. The desire to retain control and continue the gratification of physical and sensual tendencies is stronger than ever. Thus Jesus metaphorically, fled to Egypt, Joseph, (the lower mind) intuitively saw both the danger and how to avoid it.

The following is an extract from the book Practical Occultism by H.P. Blavatsky, describing how an initiate successfully overcomes the personality: "…To act and act wisely when the time for action comes, to wait and wait patiently when it is time for repose, put man in accord with the rising and falling tides (of affairs), so that with nature and law at his back, and truth and beneficence as his beacon light, he may accomplish wonders. Ignorance of this law results in periods of unreasoning enthusiasm on the one hand, and depression and even despair on the other. Man thus becomes the victim of the tides when he should be their Master. Have patience, Candidate, as one who fears no failure, courts no success."

"Accumulated energy cannot be annihilated, it must be transferred to other forms, or be transformed into other modes of motion; it cannot remain for ever inactive and yet continue to exist. It is useless to attempt to resist a passion which we cannot control. If its accumulating energy is not led into other channels, it will grow until it becomes stronger than will, and stronger than reason. To control it, you must lead it into another and higher channel. Thus a love for something vulgar may be changed by turning it into love for something high, and vice may be changed into virtue by changing its aim. Passion is blind, it goes where it is led, and reason is a safer guide for it than the instinct. Stored up anger (or earthly love) will find some object upon which to spend its fury, else it may produce an explosion destructive to its possessor; tranquility follows a storm. The ancients said that nature suffers no vacuum. We cannot destroy or annihilate a passion. If it is driven away, another elemental influence will take its place. We should therefore not attempt to destroy the low without putting something in its place, but we should displace the low by the high; vice by virtue, and superstition by knowledge…"

The above allegorically represents the flight to Egypt where Jesus dealt with his personality in safety until it was completely transcended and is safe to return and continue his cause.

Matt. 2:16: "Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked of the wise men, was exceeding wroth, and sent forth, and slew all the children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had diligently enquired of the wise men". Thus, Herod (pride) killed all the first born (first initiates) with the exception of Jesus who fled to Egypt.

Jesus Christ is present in all man and all man will experience the Christmas of the Soul at the appointed time dictated by his Monad, his Father in heaven.