I remember one of my English professors in college telling the class about the story of The Wizard of Oz. He said some researchers believed it was a story symbolizing the politics of the day including the pros and cons of a gold and silver standard in the American economy. Indeed, “follow the yellow brick road” and “oz” were believed to reference gold. And in the book, Dorothy’s slippers were made of silver rather than rubies.
In this blog series I would like to propose that The Wizard of Oz is also a spiritual story which, regardless of your chosen religion or belief system, parallels the journey we are on. Join with me as I share one seeker’s perspective with you!
The story begins with Dorothy (i.e. the soul), an ordinary farm girl from Kansas. Like most of us, Dorothy’s life is a series of experiences with family and friends along with a combination of other personal challenges and adventures.
Throughout these experiences, Dorothy senses there is more to life - an ideal or place which lies “somewhere over the rainbow”.
Click below to watch Dorothy sing about this ideal from the endearing movie The Wizard of Oz:
In the video, Dorothy sings:
Somewhere over the rainbow
Way up high
There's a land that I heard of
Once in a lullaby
Somewhere over the rainbow
Skies are blue
And the dreams that you dare to dream
Really do come true
Somewhere over the rainbow
Bluebirds fly
Birds fly over the rainbow
Why then, oh why can't I?
If happy little bluebirds fly
Beyond the rainbow
Why, oh why can't I?
So what might this rainbow be which Dorothy sings about and where can we find it?
For starters, let’s take a look at the beautiful picture below. It illustrates you and your relationship to God. In reality, this picture is the only “selfie” you will ever need!
For now, let’s focus on the rainbow-colored spheres in this illustration which in esoteric literature is often referred to as the causal body.
I believe when Dorothy sings the song “Over the Rainbow” she is expressing a memory or longing to return to her original home which is her casual body.
Each of us has a casual body. It is made up of beautiful concentric spheres of pulsating light and is scintillating with the unlimited potential of Spirit. Your causal body is entirely unique because it is composed of the energies you have personally set in motion in all your lifetimes.
Each of these seven beautiful spheres denotes a different aspect of higher consciousness that your soul has dwelled upon and become, somewhere and sometime in her evolution. The pure colors of the causal body reflect the pure colors of the seven chakras, because any energy that has been properly qualified (i.e. expressed) in any of your seven chakras immediately rises to your casual body.
Everything good that you do – or have ever done – in pure love, peace, and harmony rises to your causal body. As you use the violet flame to transmute (i.e. change) negative karma, that energy automatically goes there as well.
The violet flame, the ultimate self-help tool, can transform your past and your present which in turn can favorably impact your future! The violet flame is explained and illustrated throughout this website and you can also find many violet flame resources in both English and Spanish to assist.
You are continually building your causal body in heaven, and its light is always increasing. You might call this your cosmic bank account, your personal treasure stored up in heaven. When you tap into the energy in your casual body, it is released to you as blessing, bounty, wisdom, light, love, and direction.
Everything you do in your profession, your home, and your entire life determines how you are building that casual body. It doesn’t matter what kind of work you do. It matters that you do it with love and a heart of peace. And as you develop mastery on one of the seven rays through your work and service, the corresponding sphere of your causal body will increase.
I remember when growing up that painting came naturally to my brother. He sold several of his works while I could hardly draw a “stick figure”. Conversely, playing piano came naturally to me and I did not have to practice nearly as often or as hard while my brother struggled and stopped playing much earlier in life.
Oftentimes our greatest mastery is in something we have done for many lifetimes. We have built a momentum in the way we have chosen to use our energies, and this often affects why we choose one profession over another or why we have talents in one area or another. The understanding of the causal body helps us make sense of differences between people and even helps explain child prodigies and the amazing talents they exhibit at very young ages.
In part 2 of this series we will look further into how Dorothy puts her own “rainbow” or casual body to use when she leaves her home in Kansas and begins her journey in the Land of Oz.
In conclusion, we leave you with an inspirational rendition of the song Over the Rainbow which you can watch and celebrate your discovery (or rediscovery) of your casual body!
Credits:
Illustration of Real Self, Casual Body, and Violet Flame - SU Press
Adaptations from the book "Violet Flame – Alchemy for Personal Change" by SU Press