“Put your sword back into its place,
for all who draw the sword will die by the sword.”
—Matthew 26:52
I thought of a metaphorical parallel between the biblical summary and a potential parent-child relationship arc. God—or the parental figure the child sees as an all-powerful symbol of creation—brings you into existence whether you asked for it or not. The Garden of Eden—or the psychological blank slate with which you enter the world—is initially a paradise-like existence where there is nothing to worry about, as all of your needs are taken care of.
But there are rules in this world—like “Don’t eat from that tree,” or maybe “Don’t steal cookies from the cookie jar.” If you violate these rules—even out of curiosity, succumbing to the temptation of that (serpent-like) voice whispering in your ear—there is reprimand and punishment. Being scolded by your creator makes you feel ashamed, disappointing the one who made you and opening your eyes to the fact that there are both good and evil ways to behave in this world.
But if you hold onto that shame and guilt, you may also harbor resentment and anger toward the parental figure who made you feel those things. At that point, the spirit of negativity will accompany you as you leave home and find your own way in the world. At some point in life, though, a Christ-like spirit may enter your life and reveal how holding onto negativity isn’t good for your own well-being and should, therefore, be cast out.
But—in the same way that Christ didn’t defeat the oppressive Rome—you must acknowledge that you can’t change the world around you. However, you can change your reaction to the world around you by accepting the way things are—just like Christ didn’t resist the Romans who took him captive for prosecution.
Therefore, the ego—a protective mechanism that came about in reaction to the parental figure—must be sacrificed on the metaphorical cross. That is the liberating path back to the Heaven-like state in which you were born.
By addressing the root of trauma, casting out the spirit of negative emotions, and sacrificing the ego, forgiving and honoring your parents becomes the key to your own salvation and return to the blissful existence in which you entered the world.