June is often associated with weddings, which culminate with the minister saying, “You may kiss the bride.” Did you know that the concept of a wedding holds deeper mystical significance? In ancient Greek and Roman female mystery cults, the initiation ceremony, known as The Wedding, marked the entry into the mystical realms. Clad in white, the initiate assumed the role of the goddess or bride and was symbolically “married” to the male godhead. The transformative moment came with The Kiss of God, which signified the completion of the ceremony. From a mystical standpoint, The Wedding, culminating in The Kiss, represents the initial step on the spiritual journey toward wholeness and holiness for women.
A remarkable representation by Michelangelo in the Sistine Chapel sheds light on the spiritual journey of women. In his depiction of Adam and Eve, Adam’s upward reach toward God contrasts with Eve, who rests comfortably under God’s left arm. This intimate and position highlights Eve’s role as the partner or wife of God the Father. This tradition of spiritual union with God continues today, as seen in the marriage to Christ undertaken by Catholic nuns, symbolized by the wearing of a wedding ring as a constant reminder of their vows.
The enduring tradition of the wedding ceremony can be understood through the lens of spiritual energies. Typically, the Divine Feminine energy or Kundalini ascends the chakras from the base to the crown, corresponding to the transformative Hero’s Journey or Path of the King for men. However, this is not the sole path to enlightenment. In The Grail Path, Christian lore’s “The Nativity,” The Buddha’s flower sermon, and the Taoist parable “The Secret of the Golden Flower,” the Divine Masculine energy descends from the crown to the base, culminating in the Birth of the Divine Male child.
The Wedding ceremony serves as an opening of the crown chakra, allowing the Divine Masculine energy to purify the inner being. As this energy reaches the throat chakra, a physical sensation around the mouth area can be experienced, akin to a physical kiss. Perhaps fairytales hold a deeper truth than we previously acknowledged. The awakening of both Snow White and Sleeping Beauty through a kiss takes on a symbolic significance. Those who have undergone this mystical event are forever transformed in ways that can only be comprehended within the context of mystical metaphor.
The Wedding, followed by The Kiss, initiates an awakening and serves as the initial step on the spiritual journey variously referred to as The Grail Path, The Nativity, or The Secret of the Golden Flower. This spiritual journey, rooted in the Divine Masculine, is the lost spiritual path for women and creative personality types. The emergence of the animus within a creative personality is the Heroine’s Journey.
