The word repentance as used in the King James Bible was completely misinterpreted by the original translators. The original Greek word metanoia means much more than just feeling sorry. In fact, the idea involves a complete reversal of a person’s total perspective on himself and his relationship to that which is greater than him. It means viewing yourself not as an ego-bound entity fighting for control within a subjective frame of reference of its own making, but rather as a conscious participant within a larger frame of reference with a unique role to play. , no matter how insignificant it may seem. themselves or the world in general.

The original meaning of repentance can be understood using the acorn analogy. The acorn is a complete biological entity, containing a small part of the germ along with a larger part that provides food for the germ when it sprouts. Although an acorn is a complete entity, it contains a potential destiny that completely transcends its being and in fact guarantees its death.

This destination is your potential to become an oak tree. The seed in all its compact complexity and integrity is created with the intention that it will die on its own to become something much greater. Oak has completely different needs, priorities, and experiences than an acorn. Although each acorn is a potential oak tree, he would never understand anything about the reality of an oak tree due to his inadequate field of expertise.

The same sun that can dry out and kill an acorn nourishes and feeds the oak. The same rain that can rot an acorn from within provides oak with the substance that allows it to grow tall and strong. The squirrel who sees an acorn as food sees the oak tree as a place that provides security, food and a home to raise his family.

The end result of acorns not turning into oak trees is not important to nature, as only oak trees will be able to produce more acorns to continue the cycle. Acorns that do not sprout are eaten by animals or decompose to become food for those that sprout. Most acorns, no matter how big, beautiful, or healthy they are, will not fulfill their cosmic destiny, although they will have played their required role in nature’s master plan.

To relate this analogy to human terms, it is necessary to see us all as acorns. We were born, grew up and matured to the point where we are complete entities. The germ of the acorn relates to the inner essence that we were all born with, while the flesh of the acorn can relate to our ego-centered personality that we acquire as we grow to maturity.

As complete entities, we can live, love, and die with our fellow entities within a subjective reality defined by our animal instincts to avoid pain and seek pleasure, never knowing or understanding that a completely different reality is possible.

In reference to our analogy, the different reality is represented by the oak. Using the analogy, it can be seen that this gap between what we are and what we can be is much wider than we think. Blind obedience to a centuries-old dogma will not be enough to achieve this “oak” state that manifests itself in human terms as a living being as a self-actualizing entity with a conscious understanding of our relationship to the higher level of integration that governs. the universe.