Scripture tells us that Mary Magdalene was healed by Jesus of “seven demons” (Mark 16:9, Luke 8:2), but what, exactly does that mean? The Church would suggest that Mary was possessed by the devil or that she was a (sexually) sinful woman. Modern scripture scholars would ponder mental-illness or physical disease. Fiction and channeled writers have all manners of ways of describing the meaning of the seven demons. Of all the theories I have read, however, I most resonate with that put forth by Jean-Yves Leloup in his exhaustive study of gnostic scripture, especially those rooted in the Magdalene tradition, including the Gospel which bears her name. LeLoup describes the “healing of seven demons” as a seven-stage initiation process which Mary, called Magdalene completed under Jesus’ tutelage.
Leloup speaks truth to me as this is the very same conclusion I had drawn before even coming in contact with his writings. In my training as a Reiki Practitioner/Master, I immediately saw the correlation between the seven chakras and the seven demons. In my training and concurrent study of the chakras, I came to understand that it is our spiritual woundedness that is at the heart of all emotional, mental and physical disease. This is the level at which Jesus healed – piercing through the outward symptoms to the deeper spiritual wound.
With Mary Magdalene, however, it was not so much a healing that took place, but a training and an initiation. When we look to the heart of Jesus’ mission, it was to support people in becoming their most authentic selves – guiding them in becoming free of the inner wounds, fears and conditioning that prevented them from knowing what Jesus called “Malkuthah” – an inner state of contentment, peace and joy. Mary Magdalene embarked upon this journey of coming into her own wholeness and is the only one in scripture said to have accomplished this great task – in other words – healed of seven demons.
The seven demons from which Mary was liberated are what I have come to call the seven core spiritual fears. These fears are:
- There is not enough.
- I am insignificant and have nothing to offer this world.
- I cannot live as my truth.
- I am not loved (love has to be earned and can be taken away).
- I am not free to express my truth.
- I do not know my truth.
- I am alone.
These seven fears directly correspond with the seven chakras. These are the seven fears which cause us to act in non-loving ways toward ourselves and others and which are then reflected in behaviors, thought processes, mental, emotional and physical symptoms which indicate the fear is present and active. When we diligently and persistently tend to the process of freeing ourselves of these fears, we come to know the truth of our origin in Love – with ourselves, the Divine, each other, and all that is. Love, we come to know is our original nature and we live fully and completely from that place of Love. When we heal these fears the mental, emotional and physical symptoms related to them are healed – or we come to a place of accepting that illness is sometimes simply a consequence of choosing the human experience and we find acceptance and peace with what is.
Completing this process is what made Mary unique among the other disciples and which earned her the title of Magdalene – meaning beacon or tower of faith. Like Jesus, Mary shared this initiatory process with others. In the Gospel of Mary, she attempts to share this process with the male disciples, who unfortunately do not get it. What has been said of Jesus’ teachings can also be said of Mary’s, they are only for those with eyes to see and ears to hear and for those willing to leave behind what they know for a fuller and richer life.
Authentic Freedom is the process and protocol Mary Magdalene completed and which has been given to Lauri Ann Lumby in a format that fits the needs of the modern world. You can learn, practice and be supported in completing this process yourself through Lauri’s online course:
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