Have you ever read a story from a sacred text – often a challenging read! – when suddenly, the main character “ascends to heaven”?
We picture them becoming weightless, gracefully waving to their followers, floating up into the sky and disappearing behind the clouds. And maybe that’s exactly what did happen! Both/and, maybe there’s another way of interpreting these stories that could mean so much for our lives in the here and now.
What if ascension isn’t just reserved for the rare few.
What if ascension is a radical path that is open to each of us?
MYTHS OF ASCENSION
Throughout religious and spiritual traditions, we find many stories of exceptional individuals who were taken to heaven without dying.
✡ Elijah - The Hebrew Bible recounts the prophet Elijah being taken to heaven in a fiery chariot. (II Kings 2)
✡ Enoch - Later Jewish mystical writings interpret the figure of Enoch as ascending to heaven. (1 Enoch)
☪ Idris - In Islamic tradition, the figure Idris (often identified with Enoch) is said to have been carried on the back of the Angel of Death into the Heavens. (Tafsir Ibn Kathir)
☪ Muhammad - The Quran and Hadith literature recount the Prophet Muhammad ascending from Jerusalem through the seven heavens. (Mi'raj)
✝ Jesus - The Christian Bible gives account of Jesus being lifted up into heaven in front of a crowd of his followers and hidden behind a cloud. (Acts 1)
✝ Mary - The Catholic Church teaches that Mary, the mother of Jesus, was taken up to heaven body and soul at the end of her earthly life.
ॐ Yudhishthira - The Hindu Scriptures tell of Yudhishthira, who ascended to the gates of heaven with a dog who reveals itself as the god Dharma. (Book of the Ascension)
ॐ Krishna - The Hindu Lord Krishna, an avatar of Vishnu, is also believed to have ascended to his divine abode after completing his earthly mission. (Bhagavata Purana)
These stories, though fantastical, strike a human chord that has resonated for centuries, across the world in temples, mosques, churches, and ashrams.
Universally, these myths of ascension tell of humans who stood apart from the crowd. They tell of people who were notably devoted to the Divine, enlightened, committed to their callings, and dedicated in service to their communities. They tell of people who stood so apart in the way they lived their lives that they ascended to heaven – within this lifetime.
THE METAPHOR IN THE MYTH
As in so many myths, we can find meaning in these stories of ascension in so many ways, and not all literal.
What could it mean metaphorically to “leave your old life behind” to “reach heaven” and to “meet God”?
Have you ever looked back at yourself in a past, perhaps less healthy, chapter of your life and wondered – who was that person? In reflecting back, you can see now how much you have transformed. You can see the pattern that you broke out of, the wound in yourself that has healed, the wisdom that grew in you, the commitment to spiritual practice that you have fostered, and the renewal of your mind. You have grown into a higher level of consciousness and become a new person.
Could it be that this was one step on the greater path of ascension?
ASCENSION AS TRANSFORMATION
In the book "The Twelve Layers of DNA (An Esoteric Study of the Mastery Within)" the authors write:
“Ascension…is defined as ‘moving into the next lifetime without dying.’ … Is it really possible that a Human can do this? The answer is that thousands have already done it. They have voided their karma, balanced their duality, worked on their life lesson, and have literally become someone else! When you ask them, they will tell you that the 'old' self is not even recognizable!" (L. Carroll, Kryon)
What would it look like in your life to so radically transform that your old self was unrecognizable? What would it feel like to reach a state of being that was so in union with All-That-Is, so resonant with peace, so at one with the Divine that you “reached heaven” and “met God face-to-face”?
THE ASCENDANT PATH
So, how can we walk the ascendant path?
When authors wrote about these ascendants of the past, what stands out as aspects of their way of life that were notable?
What can we learn from those who have walked the path before?
Find & Commit to Your Spiritual Practice: A common theme we see in these stories of ascendance is a commitment to regular spiritual practice. Whether it's Reiki, prayer, meditation, or yoga, these practices give you daily opportunities to reflect on your life lessons, receive and process energetic shifts, practice new ways of being, and connect to the Divine. They intentionally place your feet back on the path.
Seek Wisdom: Wisdom is the guiding light on the path to ascension. Explore sacred texts that resonate deeply with you, both ancient and freshly inspired. Seek mentorship from and community with those who are also walking this path. Reflect on your own life, learning from your lived experiences.
Commit to Your Soul's Calling: So many of the ascendants were called to challenging roads that they pursued with integrity and passion. Embrace the path your soul is calling you on with dedication. Recognize that your soul’s calling may be found in the small moments life presents to you just as much as in finding worldly recognition. Many of these ascendants were known for their service as much as for their achievements.
Dedicate Yourself to Service: So many of these stories emphasize not only a dedication to the Divine, but also a dedication to Community. These were the people who were feeding the hungry, speaking truth to power, and birthing light into the world. By finding union with others, we often find union with God.
Don’t Be Afraid to Stand Apart: Ascension often involves stepping away from conventional norms and embracing a new way. That can sometimes be controversial or triggering. Many of these people were not accepted by the societies of their time. After all, we intend to ascend past the old ways of being.
Ascension is not just a fantastical story from ancient texts; it is a powerful metaphor and radical path to personal and collective transformation. Far from being reserved for the elite few, each of us have the potential to ascend in this lifetime – to leave our old lives behind, to be reborn, to find a state of heaven and to be in the presence of the Divine and All-That-Is. Will you walk the path to ascendance?
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