Resurrection All Around Us: An Interfaith Reflection on Easter and the Perennial Tradition

The spiral found across nature - a universal symbol of the perennial tradition.

In every tradition, there is a story of life returning from death.

Whether it’s Inanna’s descent and return from the underworld, Osiris reassembled and reborn, Persephone rising from Hades, or Jesus stepping from the tomb into morning light, springtime invites us into a sacred rhythm shared across the world's wisdom traditions: life, death, rest, rebirth.

This Easter, whether you are Christian, spiritual-but-not-religious, rooted in another faith, or simply awake to the seasons, you’re invited to see the resurrection story not just as doctrine—but as a pattern. A perennial one.

What Is the Perennial Tradition?

The perennial tradition (also known as perennial wisdom) is the understanding that beneath the surface differences of the world’s religions lies a shared stream of truth. This stream affirms the unity of all life, the sacredness within each person, and the cycles of transformation that define human and cosmic existence.

This idea has deep roots—from ancient mystical writings in every major religion to modern contemplative voices like Aldous Huxley, Richard Rohr, Cynthia Bourgeault, and Mirabai Starr. It speaks of a wisdom that resurfaces across time and cultures, whispering that love is the ground of all being—and that resurrection, in one form or another, is always possible.

Across this shared wisdom, we find the same rhythm: descent into darkness, transformation in silence, and the miracle of return.

Seeing Easter in a Wider Light

Easter, then, becomes more than a singular event in history. It shifts into a mirror for the mystery of renewal that plays out in all of creation—every spring bloom, every healed relationship, every broken heart beginning to mend.

Spring doesn’t ask for our belief. It simply happens. Blossoms press through last year’s soil, bees buzz, rivers swell, and something within us dares to hope again. Maybe that’s what resurrection is—less a one-time miracle and more a sacred rhythm woven into everything, including you.

So wherever you find yourself this Easter—church pew or forest path, family table or quiet corner—may you notice the green shoots. May you recognize the sacred rising through the secular. And may you trust that what looks dead today may, in time, bloom again.

We've created a spiritual practice guide for this Easter Season - Resurrection Walk: A Springtime Spiritual Practice. This nature-based ritual invites you to embody the sacred rhythm of death and renewal. Inspired by the perennial tradition and resurrection stories from across cultures, the practice unfolds in five phases: Descent, Waiting, Rising, Return, and Blessing.

Through slow, mindful walking and periods of reflection in nature, you’re invited to notice what is dying or dormant within you—and what is quietly beginning to rise. The walk ends with a simple blessing and an optional symbolic release, honoring the sacred cycle of transformation that is always at work beneath the surface. Download the pdf below.

Perennial Spiritual Exercises.pdf

Download PDF • 69KB

Want to Go Deeper?

Here are a few resources to explore the perennial tradition and interfaith approaches to sacred renewal:

• The Universal Christ by Richard Rohr – a beautiful Christian framing of the perennial tradition

• The Wisdom Jesus by Cynthia Bourgeault – reimagines Jesus through the lens of ancient wisdom

• The Perennial Philosophy by Aldous Huxley – a foundational text on the perennial tradition across spiritual systems

• God of Love: A Guide to the Heart of Judaism, Christianity and Islam by Mirabai Starr

• Oneing: The Perennial Tradition (journal from the Center for Action and Contemplation)

  
  

• For more seasonal practice ideas, explore earth-based liturgies from groups like The Liturgists, Wild Church Network.