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Sethian, SACRAL MARRIAGE


SACRAL MARRIAGE

The metaphor of marriage and the bridal chamber in Gnostic usage can refer both to the experience of spiritual reunification as well as to overtly sexual union. In either case, the underlying myth is that of the recreation of the primal androgyne through the union of male and female, whether that be taken as man and woman, intellect and soul, or the earthly seed and its angelic counterpart. As enlightened beings, the Gnostics generally considered themselves alone capable of understanding the true significance of sexual union, considering the non-Gnostic as worldly and animalistic, experiencing not love, but only lust: “A bridal chamber is not for the animals, nor is it for the slaves, nor for defiled women; but it is for free men and virgins” (Gospel of Philip 69,1-3; cf. Irenaeus, Adversus Haereses I 6.3; Excerpta ex Theodoto 68). While the question of Gnostic sexual practices will be discussed under the heading of sexual sacramentalism, here I want to comment on its use as a metaphor for spiritual unification.[35]
    The application of the concept of human marriage to the achievement of unity with a transcendent reality is frequent in classical Judaism, where God is the husband of his bride Israel; the metaphor of marriage also appears in the New Testament, not only where Jesus refers to himself as the bridegroom, but especially in the Pauline corpus (1 Cor 6:15-17, 2 Cor 11:1-2; Eph 5:22-23) as a symbol for the relation of Christ and the Church. Although Christian Gnostics likewise draw on these biblical concepts, uppermost in their minds as well as those of Jewish Gnostics was the notion of the primordial unity of humankind as expressed in Gen 1:26-27, according to which Adam was created as a single masculofeminine being in the image of God.
The primordial sin or fault underlying human existence that had to be overcome was the creator’s ignorant act of separating this originally androgynous into separate male and female persons. In the act of physical union, the offspring was thought to receive the human form from the male, while its physical and emotional essence was provided by the female. The same held for the spiritual world as well; spiritual perfection lay in androgyny, so when a spiritual being such as Sophia undertakes to produce offspring without a male consort, the result is defective, a formless abortion lacking the male element of form. This being the character of her offspring, both her son, creator of the natural world, and his cosmic product are likewise defective. The rectification of the creation depends on introducing into it a potential source of its reunification.
    The Sethian myth conceives this to be accomplished when the image of God (Adamas), the original human androgyne, is primordially projected as the archetype upon which the creator unwittingly bases his own human copy. Once he realizes that his androgynous copy is superior to him, he splits it into male and female, but it is too late. In spite of the creator’s attempts to subvert the primal couple, by reuniting themselves they can now recreate their original androgyny, which they do in the birth of Seth, the “other seed.” Like the divine Adamas, he is a true (“triple,” i.e., androgynous) male Child, as is the “immovable race” he engenders.
While a few Gnostic groups such as the late Sethian Borborites sought to replicate this primeval union through non-reproductive sexual union, most, like the earlier Sethians eschewed sexual union, which the they considered to typify the adulterous race of Cain. One might therefore effect a symbolic union on the transcendent plane through ritual means, the Sethians through baptismal ascension, and the Valentinians by an eschatological sacred marriage, the bridal chamber.[36] In the latter act, recourse was had not only to the myth of the primal androgyne and the NT notions of the marriage of Christ and the church, but also to Neo-Pythagorean speculation on the properties of unity.[37]
    In the Valentinian view, having abandoned her male consort, Sophia’s ultimate human offspring from Adam and Eve onward, both males and females, were regarded as weak female seed lacking the element of form which could only be restored by an ascent to the Pleroma and marriage with the male angels which the savior had prepared for them. In this way they could eternally enjoy the harmonious syzygetic union experienced by all the undescended aeons there. As in the metaphysics of the Platonic psychology of the individual, every human was a split personality. One’s higher rational, active–and thus masculine–aspect of the self, had been primordially sundered from one’s emotional, passional, receptive, and thus essentially feminine aspect of the self. The natural link with the divine world, the intellect or highest part of the soul was still resident in the transcendent world, although cut off from the soul and body now that formed one’s link with the everyday physical world. The goal of life was therefore to recover this lost unity, which would involve detaching a soul overly enamored of its bodily vehicle from the body, or detaching the rational part of the soul from its irrational and impassioned psychic vehicle, so as to effect its reunion with the higher intelligence.
    For the Gnostics who appropriated such views, the reunion of the psyche with one’s intellect was thus tantamount to coming together in an act of marriage, whether enacted through contemplative union, symbolic rites, or actual physical union. The following Valentinian citations make the point clear:

As long as we were children of the female only, as of a dishonorable union, we were incomplete, childish, without understanding, weak, and without form, brought forth like abortions, in short, we were children of the woman. But having been given form by the Savior, we are the children of the man (husband) and of the bride-chamber (Excerpta ex Theodoto 68). If the woman had not separated from the man, she would not die with the man. His separation became the beginning of death. Because of this Christ came to repair the separation which was from the beginning and again unite the two, and to give life to those who died as a result of the separation and unite them. But the woman is united to her husband in the bridal chamber. Indeed those who have united in the bridal chamber will no longer be separated. Thus Eve separated from Adam because it was not in the bridal chamber that she united with him (Gospel of Philip 70,9-22).

In the Exegesis on the Soul (NHC II,6: 132,2-133,9), which seems to have certain Simonian affinities, the restoration of the helpless female soul wallowing apart from her spiritual home in the brothels of materiality is effected by the advent of the marriage of the female soul with her intellectual masculine counterpart, her true husband. The reunification of the irrational, passionate aspect of the soul with her celestial, intellectual component as her true husband and master, from whom physical embodiment has separated her, is interpreted as a reversal of the primordial separation of Eve from Adam in the Garden of Eden: “They will become a single flesh” (Gen 2:24, 3:16; cf. 1 Cor 6:15, 11:1; Eph 5:23). The Testimony of Truth (NHC IX,3: 31,24-32,16; 34,32-35,23), which also seems to have certain Simonian affinities, likewise uses the imagery of the soul as the bride who strips off this world and learns from the evangelists about the inscrutable One, adorning herself for this her true shepherd with her bridal clothing “in beauty of mind,” whereupon:

She found her rising. She came to rest in him who is at rest. She reclined in the bride-chamber. She ate of the banquet for which she had hungered. She partook of the immortal food. She found what she had sought after. She received rest from her labors (NHC IX,3: 35,8-16).

The image of entrance into the bridal chamber and receipt of the new, imperishable wedding robe occurs also in the Second Treatise of the Great Seth (NHC VII,2: 57,7-58,4) as a metaphor for the soul’s receipt of Intellect and entry into the heavens. It is called a “mystery” effected by the revealer’s incognito descent (changing his likeness at each cosmic level), his “third baptism in a revealed image,” to defeat the cosmic powers through the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus.

–extract from “Ritual in Gnosticism”

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April 3, 2007

Gnostic words for April 3, 2007: Baptism, Barbelo, Bardesanes

Posted by Benjamin under alchemy, angels, Christ, esoteric, essene, ezekiel, Gnosis, gnostic, Gnosticism, gospel of thomas, hermeticism, history, Jesus, Magdelene, mandaean, manichean, merkabah, mysticism, Nag Hammadi, nazirutha, nazorean, sethian, Sophia, Yeshu
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Baptism: Ritual purification. (See; Baptism A. and B. NHL.) ”Therefore baptism is called death and an end of the old life when we take leave of the evil principalities, but it is also called life according to Christ, of which he issole Lord. But the power of the transformation of him who is baptised does not concern the body but the soul, for he who comes up <out of the water> is unchanged. From the moment when he comes up from baptism he is called a servant of God even by the unclean spirits and they now “tremble” at him whom shortly before they obsessed.” (Theodotus, Criddle Collection, See also; from ‘‘Pistis Sophia.” http://www.webcom.com/cgi-bin/glimpse

Barbelo (BARBHLW): Generally the first aeon, body or voice in the Sethian creation myth; “the first virginal emanation,” it may have an androgynous connotation, but represents a Gnostic version of Yin, and Yang, and the sexual energy called ‘Jing’. (See Allogenes, Tractate 3, Codex XI, of the Nag Hammadi
Lib. See also: Pistis Sophia, Ch. 8, BK 1, Askew Codex. See also: ”Apocryphon of John,” ”Marsenes,” ”The Gospel of the Egyptians,” ”Melchizedek,” ”TheGospel of Judas,” Trimorphic Protennoia,” ”The Three Steles of Seth, and Zostrianos”) “I cast into her the first power which I had received from the
Barbelo, which is the body which I wore in the height.” (”Pistis Sophia”) ”And I saw holy powers by means of the Luminaries of the virginal male Barbelo telling me that I would be able to test what happens in the world:” (Allogenes) ”Great is the first aeon, male virginal Barbelo, the first glory of the invisible Father, she who is called perfect.” (”The Three Steles of Seth”) ”O Mother of the aeons, Barbelo! O first-born of the aeons, splendid Doxomedon Dom[...]! O glorious one, Jesus Christ!’ (”Melchizedek”)

“She requested from the invisible, virginal Spirit – that is Barbelo – to give her FOREKNOWLEDGE. And the Spirit consented. And when he had consented, the foreknowledge came forth, and it stood by the FORETHOUGHT; it originates from the thought of the invisible, virginal Spirit. It glorified him and his perfect power, Barbelo, for it was for her sake that it had come into being.

“And she requested again to grant her INDESTRUCTIBILITY, and he consented. When he had consented, indestructibility came forth, and it stood by the thought and the foreknowledge. It glorified the invisible One and Barbelo, the one for whose sake they had come into being. “

And Barbelo requested to grant her ETERNAL LIFE. And the invisible Spirit consented. And when he had consented, eternal life came forth, and they attended and glorified the invisible Spirit and Barbelo, the one for whose sake they had come into being.

“And she requested again to grant her TRUTH. And the invisible Spirit consented. And when he had consented, truth came forth, and they attended and glorified the invisible, excellent Spirit and his Barbelo, the one for whose sake they had come into being.

“This is the pentad of the aeons of the Father, which is the first man, the image of the invisible Spirit; it is the forethought, which Barbelo, and the thought, and the foreknowledge, and the indestructibility, and the eternal life, and the truth. This is the androgynous pentad of the aeons, which is the decad of the aeons, which is the Father. - Apocryphon of John

The Barbelo

This Gnostic figure, appearing in a number of systems, the Nicolaites, the “Gnostics” of Epiphanius, the Sethians, the system of the “Evangelium Mariae” and that in Iren., I, xxix, 2 sq., remains to a certain extent an enigma. The name barbelo, barbeloth, barthenos has not been explained with certainty. In any case she represents the supreme female principle, is in fact the highest Godhead in its female aspect. Barbelo has most of the functions of the ano Sophia as described above. So prominent was her place amongst some Gnostics that some schools were designated as Barbeliotae, Barbelo worshippers of Barbelognostics. She is probably none other than the Light-Maiden of the Pistis Sophia, the thygater tou photos or simply the Maiden, parthenos. In Epiphanius (Haer., xxvi, 1) and Philastrius (Haer., xxxiii) Parthenos (Barbelos) seems identical with Noria, whoplays a great role as wife either of Noe or of Seth. The suggestion, that Noria is “Maiden”, parthenos, Istar, Athena, Wisdom, Sophia, or Archamoth, seems worthy of consideration. http://essenes.net/gnostikoi.html

further: THE GNOSTIC THREEFOLD PATH TO ENLIGHTENMENT The Ascent of Mind and the Descent of Wisdom Novum Testamentum XXII, 4 (1980) by JOHN D. TURNER

Sethian Gnosticism a Literary history by JOHN D. TURNER

GNOSTICISM AND PLATONISM THE PLATONIZING SETHIAN TEXTS FROM NAG HAMMADI IN THEIR RELATION TO LATER PLATONIC LITERATURE by JOHN D. TURNER

TO SEE THE LIGHT: A GNOSTIC APPROPRIATION OF JEWISH PRIESTLY PRACTICE AND SAPIENTIAL AND APOCALYPTIC VISIONARY LORE

Bardesanes: (155-233 A.D.) Bardesanes, or Bar-daisan (so called from the river Daisan (the Leaper), on the banks of which he was born), was born at Edessa, on July 11th, 155 A.D., and died, most probably in the same city, in 233, at the age of 78. His parents, Nuhama and Nahashirama, were nobles. He became a follower of Valentinus, and is called by some the ”Last of the Gnostics. His most famous work was a collection of 150 Hymns or Psalms on the model of the Psalm-collection of the second temple, as still preserved in the Old Covenant documents. He is known for qualifying free will. ”And that everything is not in our own Free-will, that is that Free-will is not absolute, is plainly visible in everyday experience. Fortune also plays its part, but is not absolute, and Nature also. Thus “we men are found to be governed by Nature equally, and by Fortune differently, and by our Free-will each as he wishes.” http://www.sacred-texts.com/gno/fff/fff57.html

April 3, 2007

ineffable

Posted by Benjamin under alchemy, buddhist, cabalah, cabbalah, carmelite, Cathar, catholic, Christ, christian, esoteric, essene, Gnosis, gnostic, Gnosticism, gospel of thomas, hekalot, hermeticism, hindu, Jesus, judaism, kabbalah, Magdelene, mandaean, manichean, Meditation, miryai, mysticism, Nag Hammadi, nazorean, perecption, Reflection, sethian, sikh, Sophia, sufi, Yeshu
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And he said: “Peace be to you, My peace I give you!” And they all marveled and were afraid. The Savior laughed and said to them: “What are you thinking about? Are you perplexed? What are you searching for?”
Philip said: “For the underlying reality of the universe and the plan.”
The Savior said to them: “I want you to know that all men are born on earth from the foundation of the world until now, being dust, while they have inquired about God, who he is and what he is like, have not found him. Now the wisest among them have speculated from the ordering of the world and (its) movement. But their speculation has not reached the truth. For it is said that the ordering is directed in three ways, by all the philosophers, (and) hence they do not agree. For some of them say about the world that it is directed by itself. Others, that it is providence (that directs it). Others, that it is fate. But it is none of these. Again, of the three voices I have just mentioned, none is close to the truth, and (they are) from man. But I, who came from Infinite Light, I am here – for I know him (Light) – that I might speak to you about the precise nature of the truth. For whatever is from itself is a polluted life; it is self-made. Providence has no wisdom in it. And fate does not discern. But to you it is given to know; and whoever is worthy of knowledge will receive (it), whoever has not been begotten by the sowing of unclean rubbing but by First Who Was Sent, for he is an immortal in the midst of mortal men.”

Matthew said to him: “Lord, no one can find the truth except through you. Therefore teach us the truth.”
The Savior said: “He Who Is is ineffable. No principle knew him, no authority, no subjection, nor any creature from the foundation of the world until now, except he alone, and anyone to whom he wants to make revelation through him who is from First Light. From now on, I am the Great Savior. For he is immortal and eternal. Now he is eternal, having no birth; for everyone who has birth will perish. He is unbegotten, having no beginning; for everyone who has a beginning has an end. Since no one rules over him, he has no name; for whoever has a name is the creation of another.”

–The Sophia of Jesus Christ

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April 3, 2007

Gospel of Thomas Part 4

Posted by Benjamin under alchemy, buddhist, cabalah, cabbalah, carmelite, Cathar, catholic, Christ, christian, coptic church, environmental, esoteric, essene, ezekiel, Gnosis, gnostic, Gnosticism, gospel of thomas, hekalot, hermeticism, hindu, Jesus, judaism, kabbalah, Magdelene, mandaean, manichean, miryai, mysticism, Nag Hammadi, nazirutha, nazorean, Reflection, sethian, sikh, sufi, thomas
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Read it all

4)

Jesus said,

"The man old in days

will not hesitate to ask

a small child seven days old

about the place of life,

and he will live.
For many who are first will become last,
and they will become one and the same."

The following quote is from Andrew Phillip Smith’s

The Gospel of Thomas, 2003, Ulysses Books:

“Having the male and female exist as two and not being united as one is the state of being dead.

Biologically, the union of male and female results in

a child, and this is also what happens when we bring the male and female together esoterically. Instead of the old man who is born of woman, the fallen Adam, we get a little seven-day-old child, who is living from the Sabbath, the day of Rest, naked without being ashamed. This new thing is as small and as precious as a pearl, with as much potential as a mustard seed. If we bring it to birth within ourselves it will save us. If we don’t, it will kill us, since we shall continue to be dead.”

The fact that the seven-day old child remembers

the “place of life”, while the man “old in days” has forgotten it, is reminiscent of the Gnostic myth,

The Hymn of the Pearl, where although you are from another place and your mission is to eventually return there, shortly after your arrival into this (foreign) world, you tend to forget where you came from.

April 3, 2007

Premillennialism in Christian eschatology

Posted by Benjamin under alchemy, cabalah, cabbalah, carmelite, Cathar, catholic, Christ, christian, esoteric, Gnosis, gnostic, Gnosticism, gospel of thomas, hermeticism, hindu, history, Jesus, mandaean, manichean, mysticism, Nag Hammadi, nazirutha, nazorean, Reflection, sethian, Sophia, Yeshu
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Premillennialism in Christian eschatology is the interpretation of chapter 20 of
the Book of Revelation in the Bible which sees Christ’s second coming as
occurring before or pre- his literal thousand year reign on earth which some
envision to be centred literally on King
David’s throne in Jerusalem. Premillennialism is distinct in that it usually
interprets these “thousand years” literally; other views often interpret this as
a figurative term for a long, undefined period of time (particularly,
amillennialists and many postmillennialists).
Premillennialism also holds this period of one thousand years is eschatological,
and has not yet begun. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Premillennialism

The concept that Jesus is going to reanimate in the Kenoma (material
environment), can only be justified if Jesus can what cannot be recovered from
matter, which is already resoved itself into matter. This would be like saying
Jesus was never a man, in the physical sense, and was never bound to the laws of
physics and nature. The another view of this same phenomena, is gleaned from
the term amillenialism.

Amillennialism [A, Latin meaning "in" (rather than the commoner "none"), and
Millennialism, referring to the binding of "the dragon, that old serpent, which
is the Devil, and Satan" for 1,000 years as described in Revelation chapter 20
verse 2] (also nunc-millennialism or positively realized millennialism) in
Christian eschatology is an interpretation of chapter 20 of the Book of
Revelation which sees the “1000-year reign” of Christ as having
already begun. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amillennialism

There is a third possibility. This is directly related to what the Gnostic
Gospels, and other Sethian works say about the nature of Jesus. Sethian
Christianity has only just begun to be explained, and any information you might
have, including opinion, is not going to change the facts about the Apostolic
lineage, of Sethian Christianity, the elements and processes that the Gospel of
Thomas Yahoo group, has collected. This is the first group since the Alexandrian
Church was forcibly closed by Orthodox rule, from Rome, that understand the
method of Enlightenment, kept secret for ages. Sethian can be explained….

Sethian: It is a name for a specific sect of Gnostics, but also a category
created by scholars to refer to a number of sects that are similar to
Valentinians. The Sethians as a group were known to Hippolytus who dedicated
Book Five in his work, ”The Refutation of All Hereseys,” to denouncing them.
(See Gaffney) Seth was a character of Gnosticism who represented a savior figure
and third son of Adam, founder of the Gnostic race. Generally Sethian works
include, “Pistis Sophia,” “Allogenes,” ”The Gospel of Mary,*” “Sentences of
Sextus,” “Marsanes,” “Gospel of The Egyptians,*” ”The Apocalypse of Adam,*”
“Origin of The World,” ”The Gospel of Thomas,*” ”The Gospel of Philip,”
“The Three Steles of Seth,” “Melchizidek,” ”The Apocryphon of John,” ”The
Gospel of Judas,” Trimorphic Protennoia,” the un-named text in the Bruce
Codex, and ”Zostrianos.” (Others) Some Sethian works suggest strong ties with
Jewish Gnosticism, as well as Platonic thought, as well as Zoroasterism. (They
maintained three principles; darkness below, light above, and spirit in-between,
according to work attributed to Dr. Roy Blizzard, University of Texas. See also;
”Sethian Gnosticism, A Literary History,” Turner) see also;
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sethian
( * Indicates works from the Nag Hammadi Lib., that have other works by the same
name.)

Many of the references in these Sethian works are about the workings of the
Monad, which is a Pythagorean and Chaldeon principle studied world wide,
hundreds of years before Jesus. It parallels the study of the Tai Chi, in the
”Book of Changes.” It is essential to understanding the Sethian method of
thought in the process of Gnostic transcendence. Jesus plays a special role in
this methodology as his Word, is converted to the concept of the Monad or
Monogene…

Monogenes: The “Only begotten.” Probably means one thing, (one gene) that can
grow into more complex things in the context of the Monadology, like the term
Word, in the Sacred Tetrad. (See; Autogenes and Logos. See also; “A Valetinian
Expostition.”) May also resemble the idea of meme.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meme Theodotus explains that Jesus is the
Paraclete in this process.

Paraclete; Parakleiton: (puraclete) “Comforter” or one who pleads a case for
another. This word is sometimes used for the Holy Spirit or for the Logos. (See
“1st Book of Jeu”) ”The followers of Valentinus say that Jesus is the
Paraclete, because he has come full of the Aeons, having come forth from the
whole. For Christ left behind Sophia, who had put him forth, and going into the
Pleroma, asked for help for Sophia, who was left outside; and Jesus was put
forth by the goodwill of the Aeons as a Paraclete for the Aeon which had
passed. In the type of the Paraclete, Paul became the Apostle of the
Resur­rection.” (Theodotus, source, Dr. Andrew Criddle.)

There are essentially four reliable authors on Sethian concepts. The first is
Clement of Alexandria, and his work ”Stromata.” There are two collections of
written fragments of Theodotus. Theodotus’ makes parallel references that are
unmistakable as explanations of Sethian concepts. There is a set of fragments of
about fifty paragraphs of the thoughts of Heracleon, who explains a lot of
”Gospel of John,” concepts about Summarians. Works thought to be written by
Valentinus, ”A Valentinian Exposition,” and others also serve to explain
Sethian concpets.

There is a reason why traditional Biblical Dictionaries, don’t contain many of
the words and concepts like Aeons, Pleroma, and Sophia, and about forty some
pages of other terms you need to define, before you can understand the Sethian
texts, with any hope of grasping the contents. However, make no mistake, what
these texts reveal is Jesus had a Secret set of teachings, and they can be
revealed, and to a great extent. Most of the Sethian works point to the workings
of the ”Gospel of Thomas,” as the actual Sophia, of the Sethian system, Jesus
left behind.

There are many anti-Gnostics in the social fabric of the Christian world, and
they have voiced the objections to the Secret teachings for thousands of years.
When you parallel their accusations to the actual historical and archeological
Sethian works, it becomes obvious fast that most of the minions of Christian
history lied, and lied badly, about the Apostolic lineage, and origins of these
works.

The Alexandrian Church, was started by Mark, on his way to Rome with Peter.
Pantaenus, was appointed by Peter to start the first Christian school there. The
Secret Christianity, was known and practiced by Basilides, Isidore, Barnabus,
Clement, Valentinus, Carpocrates, Origen, and others, I have mentioned, yet
modern Orthodox Christianity denys there is any lineage to the Sethian works.

The earth is not flat, and the Sethian works have the strongest Apostolic
lineage of any other Christian works. The Gnostic Gospels are as valid as the
New Testament Gospels, Heracleon’s fragments are proof positive, that they
should be all known to Christians.

I have the Glossary which explains the Sethian works, the history of the
Apostolic lineage, the terms used in the elements and processes of Sethian
Gnosis. There are a host of good rferences that support the lexicology the text
provides. I send it to who wants it, just E-mail me. tom@…
discussion at: [email protected]

Tom Saunders

April 3, 2007

Secrets of the Sethian Monad

Posted by Benjamin under cabalah, cabbalah, christian, esoteric, essene, Gnosis, gnostic, Gnosticism, Jesus, mandaean, manichean, nazirutha, nazorean, Reflection, sethian, Sophia, Yeshu
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Secrets of the Sethian Monad
by
Thomas Saunders

One of the problems with Occult studies is like the Sethian Christianity, things
are hidden right in front of your face, and don’t become apparent right away.
Things that Clement of Alexandria, says about the secret Christianity, in his
work ”Stromata,” is now coming to light. Explanations about Occult things have
to be specific, and carefully explained.

”Stromata,” and the fragments of Theodotus, and Heracleon, remain the best
explanations of Sethian Christianity to date. Clement, hides clues that align
themselves with the Sethian texts, but also have parallels to the four NT
gospels. He does mention some texts like the ”Gospel of the Egyptians.”
Theodotus, leaves no doubt that some of his comments like about Ogdoads, are
parallels to the Sethian Monadology.

Sethian Monadology: The system of the monad, worked through the tetraktys of
the decad, which serves as an underlying philosophy in Sethian Gnosticism. It is
developed from the creation myths. The system is like, and based upon that of
Pythagoreans, and resembles the principles of the ancient Chinese philosophy of
the Tai Chi., which is based upon the ogdoad, rather than the decad. The system
is based upon working variations of numerical values. Turner states,
”….vigorous arithmological speculation on the first ten numbers, but
especially the first four numbers, comprising the Pythagorean tetraktys (the
{mode} of the first four numbers). This was carried on by such Pythagoreanizing
Platonists as Theon of Smyrna and Nicomachus of Gerasa, who in turn depend in
part on similar arithmological and mathematical theories produced by such early
first century Platonist figures as Dercyllides, Adrastos of Aphrodisias (a
Peripatetic commentator on Plato’s Timaeus) and Thrasyllos, a court philosopher
under the Emperor Tiberius. The harmonic ratios produced by these first four
numbers and the geometric entities of point, line, surface, and solid had been
applied to the structure and the creation of the world soul long before by Plato
and his successors in the Old Academy, especially Speusippus and Xenocrates.
(See; Turner, See also; ”The History of Chinese Philosophy, Vol. 2.,” by Fung
Yu-Lan, Princeton, 1953, See also; ”A Valentinian Exposition.”)

Because the Sethian Monadology is based upon the Pythagorean concepts of the
Monad, parallels of the two, with the third parallel the Tai Chi, make it
possible to disclose the concepts related to the Pythagorean model, based upon
the Sethian uses of the Monad, by aligning all three systems. The Tai Chi, uses
the Ogdoad the same, (See; Fung Yu-Lan) and therefor the values of the
sequencing are similar. Both are tools of Enlightenment.

Enlightenment: Refers to a state of being; described in Chinese/Oriental
classics that reflects the same kinds of mental changes, ‘awareness,’ or
‘Satroi’ as in Gnosis. ”The Enlightenment refers to a movement in philosophy
that advocated the untrammeled use of reason to establish truth. The movement
challenged traditional authority, doctrine, and values. Emphasis was placed on
the empirical method employed by the sciences.” (”The Five Gospels,” by
Funk, Hoover, Harrier-Collins, 1993, p. 544.) ”For scientific knowledge is
necessary both for the training of the soul and for gravity of conduct; making
the faithful more active and keen observers of things. For as there is no
believing without elementary instruction, so neither is there comprehension
without science.” (Quote from Theodotus, See; Kirby, Criddle collections.)

The criteria for asigning values to the tetraktys of the decad, in how the
Sethians used it, is based upon the concepts of being Tripartite, in your
mindset.

Tripartite: Meaning to have three parts. “Triple headedness, or Triple Power,”
or a state of three something like as described in the texts “Trimorphic
Protennoia,” “Gospel of the Egyptians” or “Tripartite Tractate.” May refer to
the developing state in Gnosis where one learns to perceive oneself in the sense
of being in the psychic, living, as in the pleromic state, as a process in
becoming Psychic, Hylic, and Pneumatic (Gnostokoi or Enlightened). ”Mankind
came to be in three essential types, the spiritual, the psychic, and the
material, conforming to the triple disposition of the Logos, from which were
brought forth the material ones and the psychic ones and the spiritual ones.”
(”Trimorphic Protennoia”) May also have references to other sets of three such
as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, or soul, mind, spirit, or spirit, mind, and
body, etc., related to the concept of the triad in the Sethian Monadology.
Synonymous with the Chinese concept of ‘San Ti,’ known as the Taoist Trilogy,
”man is the same as heaven and earth.” (”Kenpo Gokui,” Tatsuo Shimabuku. See
also; ”Xing Yi Quan Xue,” Tang, Unique Publications, 2000., Pg.’s 69, 80.)

The Sethian Monadology is not magic, it is science. Starting with the Monad the
following describes the sequence to the level of the triad, or trilogy. The
following sequence is described in the ”Oracles of Zoroaster,” an ancient
Occult manuscript known since the 1500′s.

25. The Monad first existed, and the Paternal Monad still subsists.
26. When the Monad is extended, the Dyad is generated.
27. And beside Him is seated the Dyad which glitters with intellectual sections,
to govern all things and to order everything not ordered.
28. The Mind of the Father said that all things should be cut into Three, whose
Will assented, and immediately all things were so divided.
29. The Mind of the Eternal Father said into Three, governing all things by
Mind.
30. The Father mingled every Spirit from this Triad.
31. All things are supplied from the bosom of this Triad.
32. All things are governed and subsist in this Triad
33. For thou must know that all things bow before the Three Supernals.
34. From thence floweth forth the Form of the Triad, being preexistent; not the
first Essence, but that whereby all things are measured.
35. And there appeared in it Virtue and Wisdom, and multiscient Truth.
36. For in each World shineth the Triad, over which the Monad ruleth.”

The descriptions of the sequence of the Monad, in the Sethian model are
numerous. I have posted most of them below. The concept of Tripartite, means
that the sequence of the Monad must conform to three natures of man as the
spriritual, psyche, and material. The descriptions of the Monad, in the realm of
the spiritual means that the sequence of the Monad runs through the Pleroma, the
human psyche, the mind, and in regard to the material or corporeal part of man.
The Pleroma is described….

Pleroma: The word means “fullness,” and the ‘All.’ It refers to ”all existence
beyond matter Refers to the world of the Aeons, the heavens or spiritual
universe, which represents being out of the state of matter. According to the
“Gospel of Truth” “….all the emanations from the Father are Pleromas.” see
Tractates 3, 2, Codeces, I, and XII, Nag Hammadi Lib. Pleroma can have other
connotations according to the Gnostic school of thought, some differences in
Sethian and Valentinian (other) schools can be noted. Pleroma, is different than
Logos. (See; Logos, See aslo; Gaffney, p. 246.)

The psyche is described by the term psychic….

Psychic: This level of thinking is the one right above “hylic,” and below
‘Pneumatophoroi’ It’s drive is the intellect, or normal understanding of the
mind. While alive in the earthly state, the psychic remains as a hylic. (See
also Hoeller, p. 110) ”Mankind came to be in three essential types, the
spiritual, the psychic, and the material, conforming to the triple disposition
of the Logos, from which were brought forth the material ones and the psychic
ones and the spiritual ones.” (“Tripartite Tractate”) ”…even Valentine
{Valentinus} teaches that Christ’s body was Psychic.” (”Stromata,” Book 3.)

Psychic, and Pleromic are related by the concepts of Wisdom….

Wisdom: In Hebrew, ‘Chockmah,’ see also; Sophia. Meaning Understanding,
discernment, enlightenment, erudition, insight, intelligence, judgment,
learning, sense. To be wise, ”having intelligence and knowledge.” (See Harper
Collins, ”Dictionary, and Thesaurus,” 2003.) ”…the personified Wisdom of
the ”Old Testiment wisdom literature developed into the gnostic redeemer myth,
especially as it identified Jesus with that redeemer, and thus understood Jesus
as bringer of the secret redemptive gnosis or logoi.” (pg. 31) ” Wisdom is not
only the mediatrix of creation but also of salvation, and cosmology and
soteriology are related to one another in the myth of Wisdom.” (pg. 105)
(James Robinson on ”The Gospel of Thomas, ”The Gospel of Thomas, and Christian
Wisdom, 2nd, Davies, Bardic Press, 2005.)

Dr. Stevan Davies’ (“Gospel of Thomas, and Christian Wisdom” ) relates Wisdom to
Solomon traditions and contained therein on the nature of Wisdom is its
‘ordering value.’ These descriptions are of great philosophical value to the
idea of natural organization in formal study. They pertain to the way all
lexicons are formed and this kind of organization is present in philosophy, as
well as science. As to Pseudo Solomon…. “This presents a series of ideas on
Wisdom. “Included are Wisdom’s creative and ordering power, her presence in the
world in all human beings, and in the world through all her permeation of all
things, and her arrival as spirit to those who call upon her.” (Ibid., pages
52-4) “By the time of the writing of the Wisdom of Solomon, Wisdom is not only
seen to be active at Creation, it is said to permeate all the world, organizing
and underlying all ordered phenomena.” (Ibid. p. 54)

Man, in the material sense is seen as Hylic….

Hylic: “Of matter.” Can be thought of as a level of thinking, dealing with the
lowest portion of human nature. It is considered living by instinctual drives
with no sublimation. Hylics, choikus, sarkics, etc. are said to be below
‘Psychics’ which are below ‘Gnostokoi,’ the highest order of transcendence
according to Valentinian and other Gnostic teaching. The world of the psychic,
is still in the realm of the hylics in most Gnostic scenarios because existence
in the earthly state separates one from the pleroma. (See; Psychic, Kenoma.
Pleroma.)

The Kenoma: The earthly or hylic state of the being. In the Gnostic schema(s)
the kenoma is the imperfect and the antithesis of pleroma (plhrwma), where all
are in a state of privation and unreality. The term is not used directly in
Sethian texts. (See Iren. Haer. I.4.I (M.7.480A); ib 1.4.2 (484A);
Clem.exc.Thdot.31 (p117.11; M.9.676A); Thdt.haer.I.7 (4.298).

The Sethian Gnostic, sought to be a Craftsman…Craftsman: A term used to
connote Gnostic attainment. The term is also used in regard to creation. “All
things were made through Him,” means that it was the Word who caused the
Craftsman (Demiurge) to make the world, that is it was not the Word “from whom”
or “by whom,” but the one “through whom (all things were made).”. . The term
also refers to men, ”The official was the Craftsman, for he himself ruled like
a king over those under him.” (Heracleon) ” Clement of Alexandria explains
”…..correct expounders of the truth, are Gnostics. Since also, in what
pertains to life, Craftsmen are superior to ordinary people, and model what is
beyond common notions; so, consequently, we also, giving a complete exhibition
of the Scriptures from the Scriptures themselves, from faith persuaded by
demonstration.” (Clement. “Stromata” Bk. 7.)

Besides the aspects of the Tripartite, the Pythagorean requirement for
descriptions relavent to both the Pythagorean standard of speaking in terms of
mathematics, must be satisfied. In other words the terms in the tetraktys of
the decad must be mathematical to conform. I offer the following explanation…

Tetraktys (Tetractys) of the Decad, The Monadic Values: ”Pythagorus considered
all things relative to numbers… How he conceived this process has never been
satisfactorily explained.” (Bullfinch, pg. 289.) Perhaps this is the
secret….

Pythagorus considered the monad as the source of all things. In the case of the
tetraktys of the decad, the concepts of form and structure are related in
mathematical values. These values work in harmony. The first and most obvious is
numerical value is the digital sequence of one through ten. ‘Monad,’ 2. Decad,
3. Triad, 4. Tetrad, 5. Pentad, 6. Hexad, 7. Heptad, 8. Ogdoad, 9. Ennead, and
10. Decad. In terms of the triangle there are four levels (called types in the
”Gospel of Mary,”), Level 1. is one, level two the decad, is 2. and 3., level
three the triad, is 4. 5. and 6., level four the tetrad, is 7. 8. 9. and 10.

Digital sequencing can be done in different base values, like using base six to
count on your hands. You count to five on the right hand, and the first digit
of the left hand represents six, the next set the left hand finger is given the
value of twelve, then eighteen, then the sequence goes up to 35, when you run
out of fingers, if you have ten. Another sequencing schema is the Heaven
Sequence of the Tai Chi, which is in base eight.

The Pythagorean model showing the tetraktys of the decad is in the form of a
triangle, usually shown as only dots, I have placed numbers beside the dots,
denoting the digital sequence. Below is a traditional explanation for this
sequence, where I have made aditions to show how the Tai Chi, and this sequence
are parallel….

1.
2. 3.
4. 5. 6.
7. 8. 9. 10.

1.. The Tetractys represented the organization of space: {Wu Chi, My
notation}
2.. the first row represented zero-dimensions (a point) {Tai Chi}
3.. the second row represented one-dimension (a line of two points) {Liang Yi}
4.. the third row represented two-dimensions (a plane defined by a triangle of
three points) {This is consistent with the San Ti.}
5.. the fourth row represented three-dimensions (a triangular pyramid defined
by four points) {This is consistent with the Si Xiang.} Wikapedia source…..
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tetractys
This triangle represents five different mathematical values, not generally
recognized unless you apply the Tai Chi model with the parallel of the
Tetraktys. The mathematical values are thought of more like aphorisms or a
mantra rather than calculations in some respect. Pythagoras put everything in
terms of math, and I think the statistical terms below can be adapted to both
the Tai Chi and the Tetraktys of the Decad.

The digital sequence of one through ten, connotes the decad. What cannotes the
the ‘tetra’ is the number four. In the case of the tetraktys of the decad, the
value of four corresponds with the relative value of the mathematical concept of
‘mode.’ One through six, would make the triangle a triad, and if you add a fifth
line, 11. through, 15., to the base, the mode is a pentad. As shown above we
have the tetrad.

The mode is the value, or set of like units that appear most frequently in a
set. As can be seen in the model of the tetraktys of the decad, all three
corners of the triangle contain four units. The sequence of mode is mentioned
above. A set in most science involving polarity, is called a field or pool,
which connotes a perimeter of the form, or the unified body of the set, as a
whole. Mode connotes the ‘level,’ of the form and structure of the pool.
Therefor tetrads, hexads, ogdoads, etc. are thought of as modes and levels.

As you build the triangle by adding lines of digits to the base, the mode
changes in sequence, but the values of mean, and median, also become relative to
the model. This is allegorical to how a seed turns into a tree or plant. This
means you are using mathematical terms as points of contemplation, more like
aphorism than calculation. Each configuration of the triangle regardless of the
mode, retains the value of the monad in the digital sequence. The mode sequence,
the mean value in the sequence, and the median values in the sequence, are not
mutually exclusive. They work in harmony, like a mantra.

The mean is determined by adding the number of units, in the digital sequence,
then dividing that sum by the number of units, the result is an average number
of units. That would be the pentad or five, the mean of ten units. In building
form and structure in the Monadology, the constant value of the mean is the
value of one, (Monad) and denotes the value of the monad in each consecutive
mode in the sequence. The Monad reamains in the form and structure of all mode
values.

The median, is the value where half of the units in a set are larger or smaller
than the opposite set of units. The median is the point where the set is
divided, and determines balance with the reflective or dual values of
male/female, good/evil. The odd numbers where their are more units on one half
of the set than the other, represents unbalance. Pythagoreans used the term
oblong. In the application of the sequence the consideration of meadian, is that
‘duality,’ reamains a constant regardless of the level, or mode, as does the
power of the Monad. Duality can be meant to be more than one feature, when
drawing a monadic paradigm, as duality does not always mean opposite, it can
mean either, or. In this case it can be implied as an opposite. It can be a
reflective value.

For instance, the pentad can be given five values, with good connotations, and
their opposite with negative conotations. Five constructive values, are opposed
to the destructive values of opposition. The Chinese use the idea of the Wu
Xing, or five constructive, and destructive forces. The reflective value or
median value (duality) is always considered as part of form and structure, even
if not shown, it should be considered implied, like a harmony. If you look at
the triagle of dots you will see that 2. 3. 4. 6. 8. and 9. form a circle with
5. in the middle. 1. 7., and 9. are outside the circle. (See Tripartite) As one
contemplates this image the fifth value becomes apparent. The image can look
like it is multi-dimensional, where the center as seen from the top looking
down, or the bottom looking up adds perspective. The center dot 5. becomes
parabolic point of center, and the middle of the sequence.

The fifth value is the parabolic, more of a geometric adaptation, which has
dimensions or perspective, reflection and even vibration. (See; Parables. See
also; Fung Yu-Lan’s ”History of Chinese Philosophy, Vol. 2., pg.’s 100-121.)
The parabolic view is in reference to the higher modes of the Pentad and above,
where the structure and form can be seen as multi-dimensional and having
perspective. (See; Parabole, which can be shown as viewing the inside of a
cone.)

As a contemplation device, all the values of the tetraktys of the decad, are
imagined in unison as a harmony. This unified perception is imperical to the
idea of how the natural order of wisdom works in the tripartite vision of man as
psyche, material, and spiritual. Outside the circle inside the triagle are 1. 7.
and 10. which can be allegorical to how the tripartite concept of man works in
regard to the kyclos or cycle. This is in spite of the fact that these values,
are not prima facie, they are hidden in the form of the percieved natural order
of Wisdom. (See; Wisdom.)

If I am correct, then the following passages can be understood to the alignment
of the Tripartite sequence, and the above explanations are relavent to the
following…

Monad: From the Greek word, meaning “one”, “single” or “unique.” It has ample
descriptions according to different contexts: According to Pythagoras it was the
first thing in existence. ”The Valentinian Exposition” declares Jesus the
‘Monad.’ (See Sethian Monadology.) mo·nad; (mnd) n. 1. Philosophy; An
indivisible, impenetrable unit of substance viewed as the basic constituent
element of physical reality in the metaphysics of Leibnitz. 2. Biology; A
single-celled microorganism, especially a flagellate protozoan of the genus
”Monas.” 3. Chemistry ; An atom or a radical with valence 1. (Online
Webster’s Dic. See also; Wikipedia.)

1. Monad (Sethian sources)

“The Monad is a monarchy with nothing above it. It is he who exists as God and
Father of everything, the invisible One who is above everything, who exists as
incorruption, which is in the pure light into which no eye can look.”
(”Apocryphon of John.”)

For now God has brought Truth, the one who glorifies the Root of the All. Thus
it is he who revealed himself in Monogenes, and in him he revealed the Ineffable
One [...] the Truth. They saw him dwelling in the Monad and in the Dyad and in
the Tetrad. He first brought forth Monogenes and Limit. And Limit is the
separator of the All and the confirmation of the All, since they are [...] the
hundred [...]. He is the Mind [...] the Son. He is completely ineffable to the
All, and he is the confirmation and the hypostasis of the All, the silent veil,
the true High Priest, the one who has the authority to enter the Holies of
Holies, revealing the glory of the Aeons and bringing forth the abundance to
<fragrance>. The East [...] that is in Him. He is the one who revealed himself
as the primal sanctuary and the treasury of the All. And he encompassed the All,
he who is higher than the All. These for their part sent Christ forth to
establish her just as they were established before her descent. And they say
concerning him: [...] He is not manifest, but invisible to those remaining
within Limit. And he possesses four powers: a separator and a confirmor, a
form-provider and a substance-producer. Surely we alone would discern their
presences and the time and the places which the likenesses have confirmed
because they have [...] from these places [...] the Love [...] is emanated [...]
the entire Pleroma [...]. The persistence endures always, and [...] for also
[...] the time [...] more [...] that is, the proof of his great love.
(”Valentinian Exposition.”)

“It was given to Solomon on the day of the joy of his heart.” The first monad
furthermore sent him an ineffable garment ‘ which was all light and all life and
all resurrection, and all love and all hope and all faith and all wisdom, and
all gnosis, and all truth, and all peace, and all-visible ‘, and all-mother, and
all-mystery, and all-source, and all-perfect, and all invisible, and all
unknowable, and all endless, and all unutterable, and all deep, and all
incomprehensible, and all pleroma, and all silence, and all unmoved, and all
unbegotten, and all still, and ) all monad, and all ennead, and all dodecad, and
all ogdoad, and all decad, and all hebdomad, and all hexad, and all pentad, and
all tetrad, and all triad, and all dyad, and all monad…

… And the All is in it, and also all found themselves ‘ in it, and knew
themselves in it. And it (the monad) gave light to them all with its ineffable
light.” (Bruce Codex, untitled.)

”As I said earlier, among the things that were created the monad is first, the
dyad follows it, and the triad, up to the tenths. Now the tenths rule the
hundredths; the hundredths rule the thousandths; the thousands rule the ten
thousands. This is the pattern <among the> immortals. First Man is like this:
His monad [...]. (”Eugnostos the Blessed.”)
Again it is this pattern that exists among the immortals: the monad and the
thought are those things that belong to Immortal Man. The thinkings are for
<the> decads, and the hundreds are the teachings, and the thousands are the
counsels, and the ten thousands are the powers. Now those who come from the
[...] exist with their [...] in every aeon [...].” (”Eugnostos the Blessed.”)

”Thou (fem.) hast seen first the one who truly pre-exists because he is
non-being. And from him and through him thou hast pre-existed eternally, the
non-being from one indivisible, triple power, thou a triple power, thou a great
monad from a pure monad, thou an elect monad, the first shadow of the holy
Father, light from light.” (”Three Steles of Seth.” Note, This text is
accredited to Dositheos, teacher of Simon Magus.)

”I will speak my mystery to those who are mine and to those who will be mine.
Moreover it is these who have known him who is, the Father, that is, the Root of
the All, the Ineffable One who dwells in the Monad. He dwells alone in silence,
and silence is tranquility since, after all, he was a Monad and no one was
before him……” (”Valentinian Exposition.”)

2. Duad, (dyad)
….He dwells in the Dyad and in the Pair, and his Pair is Silence. And he
possessed the All dwelling within him. And as for Intention and Persistence,
Love and Permanence, they are indeed unbegotten. (”Valentianian Exosition.”)

The Word according to Valentinus is part of the Word/Life dyad. Clement
says…’Bk 1.’ ” The law of this man who possesses knowledge is the saving
precept; or rather, the law is the precept of knowledge. For the Word is “the
power and the wisdom of God.”

3. The Triad,

Trilogies, and Trinities.. (Father, Son, Holy Ghost, Man, Earth Heaven, Word,
Man, Sophia, Father, Mother, Son, etc.)

”Thus also it appears to me that there are three effects of gnostic power: the
knowledge of things; second, the performance of whatever the Word suggests; and
the third, the capability of delivering, in a way suitable to God, the secrets
veiled in the truth.” (”Stromata” Bk 7.)

”But, as appears, we incline to ideas founded on opinion, though they be
contrary, rather than to the truth. For it is austere and grave. Now, since
there are three states of the soul — ignorance, opinion, knowledge.” (Ibid.)

4. The Tetrad

According to Valentinus Word, Life, Man, and Church (Truth) are the tetrad. (See
”Valentinian Exposition,” below) This also correlates with the tetrad,
”Intention and Persistence, Love and Permanence.”

”For that investigation, which accords with faith, which builds, on the
foundation of faith, the august knowledge of the truth, we know to be the best.
Now we know that neither things which are clear are made subjects of
investigation, such as if it is day, while it is day; nor things unknown, and
never destined to become clear, as whether the stars are even or odd in number;
nor things convertible; and those are so which can be said equally by those who
take the opposite side, as if what is in the womb is a living creature or not. A
fourth mode is, when, from either side of those, there is advanced an
unanswerable and irrefragable argument. If, then, the ground of inquiry,
according to all of these modes, is removed, faith is established.”
(”Stromata” Bk., 5.)

Clement says, ”Again, there is the veil of the entrance into the holy of
holies. Four pillars there are, the sign of the sacred tetrad of the ancient
covenants.” (Bk. 7.)

Heracleon Fragment 16, on John 2:20 (In John 2:20, “The Jews then said, ‘It has
taken forty-six years to build this temple, and will you raise it up in three
days?’”) The fact that Solomon completed the temple in forty-six years is an
image of the Savior. The number six refers to matter, that is, the structure (of
his body), and the number forty, which is the uncombined Four (Tetrad) refers to
the inbreathing and the seed in the inbreathing.

5. Pentad

The five senses, or five emotions in both Eastern and Western Monadologies
pertain here. They are mentioned in the decalogue. The pentad is often expressed
in relation to human traits, and fire, water, air, earth, and another, like
gnosis, or even wood, or metal. The terms are meant to be allegorical. Chapter
Eight in the ”Gospel of Mary” is based upon the seven evil demons, or “Seven
Powers of Wrath.” The heptad, no doubt ‘descends’ from the Pentad, from the
Triad, etc. The duad, can be good or evil, Yin and Yang, and this goes for all
forms.

“This is the pentad of the aeons of the Father, which is the first man, the
image of the invisible Spirit; it is the forethought, which Barbelo, and the
thought, and the foreknowledge, and the indestructibility, and the eternal life,
and the truth. This is the androgynous pentad of the aeons, which is the decad
of the aeons, which is the Father.” (”Apocryphon of John.”)

6. Hexad

”Again the Barbarian philosophy knows the world of thought and the world of
sense — the former archetypal, and the latter the image of that which is called
the model; and assigns the former to the Monad, as being perceived by the mind,
and the world of sense to the number six. For six is called by the Pythagoreans
marriage, as being the genital number; and he places in the Monad the invisible
heaven and the holy earth, and intellectual light.” (Clement, ”Stromata,”
Book 5.)

7. Heptad, (Hebdomas)

Hebdomas: The kingdom of the “Seven”, referring to the spheres of the planets
and thus the Archons and heimarene. Considered below the Ogdoad. (See also the
“Book of Jue,” and Un-named text in the Bruce Codex)

“Now all those things are confirmed by the faith that is in Christ. ‘Come, ye
children,’ says the Lord, ‘ hearken to me, and I will teach you the fear of the
Lord. Who is the man that desireth life, that loveth to see good days?’ Then He
subjoins the gnostic mystery of the numbers seven and eight. ‘Stop thy tongue
from evil, and thy lips from speaking guile. Depart from evil, and do good. Seek
peace, and pursue it.’ For in these words He alludes to knowledge (gnosis), with
abstinence from evil and the doing of what is good, teaching that it is to be
perfected by word and deed.” (Clement.)

Gospel of Mary Ch. 8, 18-19) ”When the soul had overcome the third power, it
went upwards and saw the fourth power, which took seven forms. The first form is
darkness, the second desire, the third ignorance, the fourth is the excitement
of death, the fifth is the kingdom of the flesh, the sixth is the foolish wisdom
of flesh, the seventh is the wrathful wisdom. These are the seven powers of
wrath.”

”For Adam was a laughingstock, since he was made a counterfeit type of man by
the Hebdomad, as if he had become stronger than I and my brothers. We are
innocent with respect to him, since we have not sinned. And Abraham and Isaac
and Jacob were a laughingstock, since they, the counterfeit fathers, were given
a name by the Hebdomad, as if he had become stronger than I and my brothers. We
are innocent with respect to him, since we have not sinned. David was a
laughingstock in that his son was named the Son of Man, having been influenced
by the Hebdomad, as if he had become stronger than I and the fellow members of
my race. But we are innocent with respect to him; we have not sinned. Solomon
was a laughingstock, since he thought that he was Christ, having become vain
through the Hebdomad, as if he had become stronger than I and my brothers. But
we are innocent with respect to him. I have not sinned. The 12 prophets were
laughingstocks, since they have come forth as imitations of the true prophets.
They came into being as counterfeits through the Hebdomad, as if he had become
stronger than I and my brothers. But we are innocent with respect to him, since
we have not sinned. Moses, a faithful servant, was a laughingstock, having been
named “the Friend,” since they perversely bore witness concerning him who never
knew me. Neither he nor those before him, from Adam to Moses and John the
Baptist, none of them knew me nor my brothers.” (”Second Treatise of the Great
Seth.”)

James said, “Rabbi, are there then twelve hebdomads and not seven as there are
in the scriptures?” The Lord said, “James, he who spoke concerning this
scripture had a limited understanding. I, however, shall reveal to you what has
come forth from him who has no number. I shall give a sign concerning their
number. As for what has come forth from him who has no measure, I shall give a
sign concerning their measure” (”First Apocalypse of James.”)

8. Ogdoad

Ogdoad: Regarded in some texts as the “eighth kingdom above the hebdomas.” It
is the realm of the Demiurgos (or sometimes that is the 7th, with the eighth
being that of Sabaoth), as well as usually being the realm of the zodiac
(dodecon). Sometimes it is also seen as the beginning of freedom from the
Archons, and the beginning of connection to the Aeons. Pythagoras says…

“The ogdoad–8–was sacred because it was the number of the first cube, which
form had eight corners, and was the only evenly-even number under 10
(1-2-4-8-4-2-1). Thus, the 8 is divided into two 4′s, each 4 is divided into two
2′s, and each 2 is divided into two 1′s, thereby reestablishing the monad. Among
the keywords of the ogdoad are love, counsel, prudence, law, and convenience.
Among the divinities partaking of its nature were Panarmonia, Rhea, Cibele,
Cadmæa, Dindymene, Orcia, Neptune, Themis, and Euterpe (a Muse).” (Thomas
Taylor’s Theoretic Arithmetic, Thought by one source to be the rarest and most
important compilation of Pythagorean mathematical fragments extant.)

… the Ogdoad, which is the eighth, and that we might receive that place of
salvation.” (”The Testimony of Truth.”)

”From that place, the three powers came forth, the three ogdoads that the
Father brings forth in silence with his providence, from his bosom, i.e., the
Father, the Mother, (and) the Son.

The <first> ogdoad, because of which the thrice-male child came forth, which is
the thought, and the word, and the incorruption, and the eternal life, the will,
the mind, and the foreknowledge, the androgynous Father.

The second ogdoad-power, the Mother, the virginal Barbelon, epititioch[...]ai,
memeneaimen[...], who presides over the heaven, karb[...], the uninterpretable
power, the ineffable Mother. She originated from herself [...]; she came forth;
she agreed with the Father of the silent silence.

The third ogdoad-power, the Son of the silent silence, and the crown of the
silent silence, and the glory of the Father, and the virtue of the Mother, he
brings forth from the bosom the seven powers of the great light of the seven
voices. And the word is their completion.

These are the three powers, the three ogdoads that the Father, through his
providence, brought forth from his bosom. He brought them forth at that place.”
(”Gospel of the Egyptians.”)

”And then the <seventh> heaven opened and we went up to the Ogdoad. And I saw
the twelve apostles. They greeted me, and we went up to the ninth heaven. I
greeted all those who were in the ninth heaven, and we went up to the tenth
heaven. And I greeted my fellow spirits.” (”Apocalypse of Paul.”)

9. Ennead
”For out of the heart proceed thoughts.” This, as I think, is the true and just
measure according to God, by which things capable of measurement are measured,
the decad which is comprehensive of man; which summarily the three
above-mentioned measures pointed out. There are body and soul, the five senses,
speech, the power of reproduction — the intellectual or the spiritual faculty,
or whatever you choose to call it. And we must, in a word, ascending above all
the others, stop at the mind; as also certainly in the universe overleaping the
nine divisions, the first consisting of the four elements put in one place for
equal interchange: and then the seven wandering stars and the one that wanders
not, the ninth, to the perfect number, which is above the nine, and the tenth
division, we must reach to the knowledge of God, to speak briefly, desiring the
Maker after the creation. Wherefore the tithes both of the ephah and of the
sacrifices were presented to God; and the paschal feast began with the tenth
day, being the transition from all trouble, and from all objects of sense.”
(Clement, ”Stromata.”)

10. Decad/Decalogue (Two Pentads can make a decad…)

Decalogue: A term used by Clement of Alexandria…”And the Decalogue, viewed as
an image of heaven, embraces sun and moon, stars, clouds, light, wind, water,
air, darkness, fire. This is the physical Decalogue of the heaven. And the
representation of the earth contains men, cattle, reptiles, wild beasts; and of
the inhabitants of the water, fishes and whales; and again, of the winged
tribes, those that are carnivorous, and those that rise mild food; and of plants
likewise, both fruit-bearing and barren. This is the physical Decalogue of the
earth. And there is a ten in man himself: the five senses, and the power of
speech, and that of reproduction; and the eighth is the spiritual principle
communicated at his creation; and the ninth the ruling faculty of the soul; and
tenth, there is the distinctive characteristic of the Holy Spirit, which comes
to him through faith. ” (”Stromata.”)

Valentinus explains the mechanics of the entire system from the concept of the
tetrad.

”That Tetrad projected the Tetrad which is the one consisting of Word and Life
and Man and Church. Now the Uncreated One projected Word and Life. Word is for
the glory of the Ineffable One while Life is for the glory of Silence, and Man
is for his own glory, while Church is for the glory of Truth. This, then, is the
Tetrad begotten according to the likeness of the Uncreated (Tetrad). And the
Tetrad is begotten [... ] the Decad from Word and Life, and the Dodecad from
Man, and Church became a Triacontad. Moreover, it is the one from the Triacontad
of the Aeons who bear fruit from the Triacontrad. They enter jointly, but they
come forth singly, fleeing from the Aeons and the Uncontainable Ones. And the
Uncontainable Ones, once they had looked at him, glorified Mind since he is an
Uncontainable One that exists in the Pleroma.” (”Valentinian Exposition.”)

Suggested Reading/References:

”Gnostic Secrets of the Naassenes,” Gaffney, Inner Traditions, 2004.
”The Nag Hammadi Library,” Robinson, Harper, 1988.
”The Cave of John the Baptist,” Gibson, Doubleday, 2004.
”Early Christian Mystics,” McGinn/McGinn, Crossroads, 2003.
”Hidden Wisdom,” Smoley/Kinney, Penguin, 1999.
”The Gospel of Mary Magdala,” King, Polebridge, 2003.
”The Gospel of Philip,” Leloup, Inner Traditions, 2003.
”The Gospel of Thomas, and Christian Wisdom, Davies,” Bardic, 2005.
”Early Greek Philosophy,” Barnes, Penguin, 2000.
”The Gnostic Discoveries,” Meyer, Harper, 2005.
”The Jesus Sutras,”Palmer,Ballantine, 2001.
“The History of Chinese Philosophy,” Fung Yu-Lan, Princeton, 1953. (See; pages
90 -115.)
”Satatistics: An Intuitive Approach,” Eeinberg/Schumaker, 3rd., Brroks/Cole,
1974.
”The Five Gospels,” by Funk, Hoover, Harrier-Collins, 1993.
Pythagoras and Pythagorean Theory….
Sacred Texts: http://www.sacred-texts.com/eso/sta/sta19.htm

Trtractys: http://www.cs.utk.edu/~mclennan/BA/PT/D-moretet.html

April 3, 2007

Steles of seth part 3

Posted by Benjamin under alchemy, cabalah, cabbalah, carmelite, Cathar, catholic, Christ, christian, esoteric, essene, ezekiel, Gnosis, gnostic, Gnosticism, gospel of thomas, hekalot, hermeticism, hindu, Jesus, Magdelene, mandaean, manichean, merkabah, mysticism, Nag Hammadi, nazirutha, nazorean, Reflection, sethian, Sophia, Yeshu

We rejoice! We rejoice! We rejoice!
We have seen! We have seen! We have seen the really pre-existent one, that he really exists, that he is the first eternal one.
O Unconceived, from thee are the eternal ones and the aeons, the all-perfect ones who are established, and the perfect individuals.

We bless thee, non-being, existence which is before existences, first being which is before beings, Father of divinity and life, creator of mind, giver of good, giver of blessedness!

We all bless thee, knower, in a glorifying blessing, (thou) because of whom [all these are. ... really, ...], who knows thee, through thee alone. For there is no one who is active before thee. Thou art an only and living spirit. And thou knowest one, for this one who belongs to thee is on every side. We are not able to express him. For thy light shines upon us.

Present a command to us to see thee, so that we may be saved. Knowledge of thee, it is the salvation of us all. Present a command! When thou dost command, we have been saved! Truly we have been saved! We have seen thee by mind! Thou art them all, for thou dost save them all, he who was not saved, nor was he saved through them. For thou, thou hast commanded us.

Thou art one. Thou art one, just as there is one (who) will say to thee: Thou art one, thou art a single living spirit. How shall we give thee a name? We do not have it, For thou art the existence of them all. Thou art the life of them all. Thou art the mind of them all. For thou art he in whom they all rejoice.

Thou hast commanded all these to be saved through thy word [...] glory who is before him, Hidden One, blessed Senaon, he who begat himself, Asineu(s), [...]ephneu(s), Optaon, Elemaon the great power, Emouniar, Nibareu(s), Kandephor(os), Aphredon, Deiphaneus, thou who art Armedon to me, power-begetter, Thalanatheu(s), Antitheus, thou who existeth within thyself, thou who art before thyself – and after thee no one entered into activity.

As what shall we bless thee? We are not empowered. But we give thanks, as being humble toward thee. For thou hast commanded us, as he who is elect, to glorify thee to the extent we are able. We bless thee because we were saved. Always we glorify thee. For this reason we shall glorify thee, that we may be saved to eternal salvation. We have blessed thee, for we are empowered. We have been saved, for thou hast willed always, that we all do this.

We all did this. [...] not through [... aeon ...], the one who was [...], we and those who [...]. He who will remember these and give glory always will become perfect among those who are perfect and impassable beyond all things. For they all bless these individually and together. And afterwards they shall be silent. And just as they were ordained, they ascend. After the silence, they descend from the third. They bless the second; after these the first. The way of ascent is the way of descent.

Know therefore, as those who live, that you have attained. And you taught yourselves the infinite things. Marvel at the truth which is within them, and (at) the revelation.

The Three Steles of Seth
This book belongs to the fatherhood.
It is the son who wrote it.
Bless me O Father. I bless
you, O Father, in peace.
Amen.

**************************

The Sethian Gnostics of Alexandria, used versions of the modern Gospels as well
as the collection of Sethian works known from Egyptian excavations, like the Nag
Hammadi Library. The extant fragments of Heracleon are about fifty paragraphs,
put into a collection from some other writing. They address mostly the ”Gospel
of John.” This would not reflect all parts of the modern version, beginning
with Irenaeus, and Athanasius.

Heracleon’s fragments explain the attitudes and concepts of Gnostic thought
concerning the New Testament, principally the ”Gospel of John.” Clement points
out that ‘John,’ is meant to be a spiritual Gospel, and a part of the synoptics
as a companion piece. (”Stromata,” Bk 3.)
As Gnostics believed in a living resurrection, the idea in the ”Gospel of
John,” that Jesus reanimated is preposterous. That part of the Bible, no
Gnostic would believe.

As Heracleon’s work is directed at Gnostic thought in terms of Synoptic
Christianity, Theodotus’ work makes conclusive parallels to the Secret
Christianity, that complete an astounding reflection of Apostolic lineage for
the Gnostic Gospels. The History of the Alexandrian Christian Church shows it
is one of the earliest. Its official start is credited to Mark, who was on his
way to Rome with Peter. Pantaenus was appointed to start a Christian school by
Peter.

The works of Clement of Alexandria, show both historical and archeological
alignment with claims about Apostolic teaching. Accounts by Irenaeus,
Hippolytus, Tertullian, and Eusebius, are tainted with inaccurate accounts and
fabrications. This fact has only come about after Sethian works were translated
and are starting to be interpreted.

Sethian Christianity, is not based upon the epistemologies of the ”father
church.” To Gnostics the Church and Truth {Pistis Sophia} are the same thing,
and part of the Sacred Tetrad, as the Word or Law. Word is based upon the Wisdom
of Jesus, as it is explained in the Gnostic Gospels and other Sethian works.
This is why Gnostics understood their own version of the New Testament Gospels,
and nobody outside the Secret Christianity knew this interpretation. This is
what got most of them hunted and killed or threatened. Sort of like the modern
Bush Agenda.

The ”Gospel of Mary,” is meant to explain certain and primary concepts of the
Gnostic Contemplation, or vision as it is mentioned in the text. There is only
about five pages of it, which has been assembled from two extant relics.
”Pistis Sophia,” and the ”Dialogue of the Savior,” make it clear that Mary
is a primary receptionist of the Secret Teachings.

There are some significant parallels in the ”Gospel of Mary,” concerning her
rift with Peter, and her exorcism of demons. (Seven Forms of Wrath) These Seven
Forms, are also a parallel to the use of the Sethian Monadology. References to
this system in New Testament, do not exist. After all, there was a Secret
Christianity. However, Paul’s vague references to the Spirit Bearers, or gifted,
as he mentions in 1 Corinthians, and Romans, are references to Gnostics.
(Gnostikoi, or those who have received gifts of the Holy Spirit.)

”The Gospel of Thomas,” is a collection of sayings, which are applied directly
to the Sethian system as the Sophia or Wisdom of Jesus. There are only five
sayings in the Thomas Gospel that are not found in the New Testament. There are
parallels to the ”Gospel of Mary,” and it becomes clear that the vision
mentioned in the ”Gospel of Mary,” come from the Sophia of these sayings. This
would include the parables which both Clement, Theodotus, ”Pistis Sophia,” and
other Sethian works mention as a key to understanding Jesus’ mysteries.

”The Gospel of Philip,” like the ”Gospel of Mary” serves to help explain the
Gnostic concepts, including the ”Second Baptism,” and ”Living Resurrection.”
It is possible that this version of the document was written from fragments.
Some of the work states that it is not written by, but of Philip. The text seems
very related to the ”Apocryphon of John.”

Philip is known to have stayed with Simon Magus, and Dositheos who is credited
with writing ”The Three Steles of Seth.” This would mean that these works were
written in the first century. The ‘Steles,’ is a work by pre-Christian,
Sethians, who converted. Carpocrates of Alexandria is thought to be Simon Magus’
disciple.

Theodotus mentions Basilides, and others who where taught by Apostles like
Mathias. Mathias is credited with the authorship of ”The Book of Thomas the
Contender.” His appointment to the status of Apostle came with the departure of
Judas Iscariot, from the twelve.

”The Gospel of Judas,” establishes that the Judas mentioned in ”Dialogue of
the Savior,” is probably, Judas Iscariot after all. Other thoughts were that
the reference was to Judas Dydimus Thomas, but this is probably not the case.
The Judas Gospel’s mention of the Barbelo, is a certain parallel to the Sethian
system. (Barbelo is like the Chinese concept of sexual or gender energy, Jing.)

Claims that the Gnostic Gospels were written in the second or third century is
nonsense. The historians and teachers of this work are Clement, Valentinus,
Theodotus, Heracleon, who all studied in a lineage with Mark, Barnabus,
Basilides, and Pantaenus. Mark had returned from Rome after the death of Peter,
with all his writings, and perhaps some of Paul’s.

Notes:

1. If you want to get a comparison of Clement’s teachings to the mainstream
church of the time, his work ”Instructor,” is very good. It mentions some
Gnostic ideas like the Monad, but is all in all very mainstream. Clement of
Rome’s one work is also what I would call mainstream Christian teaching.
Clement’s ”Stromata,” is without a doubt one of the most informative texts
about the Gnostic Christianity.

2. The Sethian Monadology is based upon the Pythagorean system, which in part is
like the study of the philosophy of the Tai Chi, which serves to explain a great
deal about the use of the Monad. Most Biblical scholars avoid the mention of the
Monad in their work because nobody figured it out until I did. The explanation
is written into my Glossary.

3. Sethian works are ‘wicked’ hard to understand. My work in the ”Saunders
Gnostic Glossary,” creates a lexicon, or understanding of the Sethian terms and
ideas not present in mainstream Biblical dictionaries, or references. You cannot
learn the concepts of Sethian Christianity, without the vocabulary. Glossary
upon request tom@…

4. Everything I stated above can be shown by reference in the Glossary. I could
have written this document as a referenced article, but chose to use a populist
approach.

(commentary by Tom Saunders) 

April 2, 2007

AGCA Gnostic EASTER 2006 MESSAGE

Posted by Benjamin under alchemy, buddhist, cabbalah, Christ, esoteric, essene, Gnosis, gnostic, Gnosticism, gospel of thomas, hindu, history, Jesus, judaism, Magdelene, merkabah, mysticism, Nag Hammadi, nazirutha, nazorean, poetry, Prayer, Reflection, sethian, Yeshu
[4] Comments

(audio version of this can be found at http://www.archive.org/details/easter_message_2006 )

EASTER 2006 MESSAGE
Matthew Ouroboros: I will post it up here..we were going to read chapters five and chapters eight of the Gospel of Mary
I will post that first

Chapter 5

1) But they were grieved. They wept greatly, saying, How shall we go to the Gentiles and preach the gospel of the Kingdom of the Son of Man? If they did not spare Him, how will they spare us?

2) Then Mary stood up, greeted them all, and said to her brethren, Do not weep and do not grieve nor be irresolute, for His grace will be entirely with you and will protect you.

3) But rather, let us praise His greatness, for He has prepared us and made us into Men.

4) When Mary said this, she turned their hearts to the Good, and they began to discuss the words of the Savior.
Matthew Ouroboros: 5) Peter said to Mary, Sister we know that the Savior loved you more than the rest of woman.

6) Tell us the words of the Savior which you remember which you know, but we do not, nor have we heard them.

7) Mary answered and said, What is hidden from you I will proclaim to you.

8) And she began to speak to them these words: I, she said, I saw the Lord in a vision and I said to Him, Lord I saw you today in a vision. He answered and said to me,
Matthew Ouroboros: 9) Blessed are you that you did not waver at the sight of Me. For where the mind is there is the treasure.

10) I said to Him, Lord, how does he who sees the vision see it, through the soul or through the spirit?

11) The Savior answered and said, He does not see through the soul nor through the spirit, but the mind that is between the two that is what sees the vision and it is [...]

(pages 11 – 14 are missing from the manuscript)

Chapter 8:
10) And desire said, I did not see you descending, but now I see you ascending. Why do you lie since you belong to me?

11) The soul answered and said, I saw you. You did not see me nor recognize me. I served you as a garment and you did not know me.

12) When it said this, it (the soul) went away rejoicing greatly.

13) Again it came to the third power, which is called ignorance.

14) The power questioned the soul, saying, Where are you going? In wickedness are you bound. But you are bound; do not judge!

15) And the soul said, Why do you judge me, although I have not judged?

16) I was bound, though I have not bound.

17) I was not recognized. But I have recognized that the All is being dissolved, both the earthly things and the heavenly.
18) When the soul had overcome the third power, it went upwards and saw the fourth power, which took seven forms.

19) The first form is darkness, the second desire, the third ignorance, the fourth is the excitement of death, the fifth is the kingdom of the flesh, the sixth is the foolish wisdom of flesh, the seventh is the wrathful wisdom. These are the seven powers of wrath.

20) They asked the soul, Whence do you come slayer of men, or where are you going, conqueror of space?

21) The soul answered and said, What binds me has been slain, and what turns me about has been overcome,

22) and my desire has been ended, and ignorance has died.

23) In a aeon I was released from a world, and in a Type from a type, and from the fetter of oblivion which is transient.

24) From this time on will I attain to the rest of the time, of the season, of the aeon, in silence.

Matthew Ouroboros: that is from the Gospel of Mary
Our theme for this year’s Easter message of 2006 is “Miriam of Magdala, queen of the apostles and gateway of the resurrection.” We know that in both Gnostic texts like the Gospel of Mary and in Christian narratives, Mary or Miriam becomes the first to testify to the reality of the resurrection and then takes it upon herself to convince often unbelieving male apostles that she herself is a messenger of the truth.
Texts indicate that Miriam was Jesus’ great partner throughout his life and his teaching. Much interest in the past few years has focused on the potential nature of their personal relationship, although the truth is that we will probably never know exactly what that was, but what is certainly clear is that she was the one who stood by him, who followed his teachings and then later, particularly after his death, carried the message of those teachings toward others around her (as the Gospel of Mary shows her stating, “What is hidden from you I will proclaim!”).
In the Gospel of Philip, she is described as being “the one who was called Jesus’ companion.” This is what we mean by describing Miriam as the Queen of the Apostles or Apostola Apostolorum – the Apostle to the Apostles. To understand the relationship between Mary and the resurrection it is important to revisit once again the question of the Gnostic vision and understanding of the resurrection. The resurrection has never, to Gnostics in ancient times or today, been looked at as some kind of resuscitation of a dead corpse. Jesus is not “brought back to life,” but rather brought forward to a new form of life in the spirit. And, moreover, the resurrection event is something that flows, for Gnosticism, not out of his death, but rather out of the fulfillment of his life.

The resurrection, according to the challengingly beautiful words of the Gospel of Philip, “Truth did not come into the world naked, but it came in types and images. The world will not receive truth in any other way. There is a rebirth and an image of rebirth. It is certainly necessary to be born again through the image. Which one? Resurrection. The image must rise again through the image. The bridal chamber and the image must enter through the image into the truth: this is the restoration. Not only must those who produce the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, do so, but have produced them for you.”
This has deep implications, of course, not merely for Christology but also for our own understanding of the human person and the participation of the human being in one’s own form of the resurrection. There was a famous theologian of the early Christian era named Origen, who worked to try to reconcile some teachings from Gnosticism with more traditional ideas of orthodox Christianity. Eventually his teachings too would come under attack by the orthodox establishment, but I really wanted to just bring up one of the most fascinating things Origen said. He taught that, and I am paraphrasing a bit here, every human being is formed in the image of God – and it is the purpose of our lives to transform ourselves into God’s likeness as well, to take on the pattern of God and liberate the imago dei that lies deep within us. It is here that we can participate alongside Christ in the resurrection and the journey toward a new kind of life in the spirit.
What many Gnostics did was to go even farther than Origen in stressing the affinity between Christ’s life and our own lives. Jesus, said Carpocrates, was the son of Joseph and a human being like any of us, except that – again to paraphrase – he was able to attain the resurrection before death, the transformation of gnosis and theosis. As we have said in the past, Jesus’ first steps along this path took him into the desert wilderness of Judea, where he was tempted by the powers of the demiurge and asked, in turn, to simultaneously put his physical needs first and ironically also to deny his own humanity (by using magic to transform stones into bread), to put his faith in an intellectual belief disconnected from any relational knowledge or gnosis (by throwing himself off the temple), and ultimately to deny the one true God in favor of the demiurge who claimed dominion over the princes and kingdoms of this world. Each of us goes through the Judean desert in our lives as well – at some point or another, no matter how healthy or wealthy or happy we may seem to be, we face circumstances, endemic to a world inexorably including suffering, that bring us into the desert of experience. Here we face the easy answers of the archonic forces – greed, addiction, violence; and the even more deceptive answers, like the cheap salvation that promises us that all we need to do is have “faith” and it doesn’t matter what we do to others or how we shape our lives as long as we “believe.” We have to have the strength to move past these false oases, as Jesus did in the story of the temptation in the wilderness.
The journey did not stop there though – and this is important, because it stresses the humanity of Jesus. He grew and he developed; he learned more about his spiritual nature and grew in a dynamic way as a human person. Ultimately he came to understand that true spiritual awakening lay in giving to others – and this is just what we spoke about on Holy Thursday in talking about his gifts to his friends and disciples. And thus we see the sense in which it was so appropriate for Mary Magdalene, his close friend and associate, who surely must have both challenged him and developed with him, to ultimately become the great apostolic witness to his resurrection.
One of the ways we see Jesus developing in the Gnostic scriptures is in his understanding of the role of women. Particularly in the Gospel of Thomas, Jesus makes increasingly clear his vision of an egalitarian spiritual universe in which men and women will be reunited in the spiritual wholeness with which they began. Sometimes this is expressed a little strangely, as in the very end of the Gospel of Thomas, where it is stated in a way that coincides to a certain degree with the chauvinistic attitudes of the times, while still trying to reverse them. In other places, however, the expressions are almost incredibly powerful, as in saying 22: Jesus saw infants being suckled. He said to his disciples, “These infants being suckled are like those who enter the kingdom.” They said to him, “Shall we then, as children, enter the kingdom?”
Jesus said to them, “When you make the two one, and when you make the inside like the outside and the outside like the inside, and the above like the below, and when you make the male and the female one and the same, so that the male not be male nor the female female; and when you fashion eyes in the place of an eye, and a hand in place of a hand, and a foot in place of a foot, and a likeness in place of a likeness; then will you enter the kingdom.”

The challenge for us this Easter, and every day of the year, is whether we too can heed the call of Jesus and Miriam to join in this journey toward resurrection. Will we be able to have the courage to receive, in the words of the Gospel of Thomas, “what no eye has seen and what no ear has heard and what no hand has touched and what has never occurred to the human mind?” What is a church, and what should it be? The ekklesia, the beloved community, should be above all the place for the rebirth of the resurrection that takes place every day in our lives, as we struggle to bring forth the imago dei that lies deep within us, to manifest Christ to ourselves and to those around us.
We find the roots of our fundamental human dignity – and more importantly of our fundamental mission toward theosis and gnosis – in Jesus’ promise, recorded in the Gospel of Thomas, “Anyone who drinks from my mouth will become like me. I myself will become that person, and the hidden things will be revealed to that one.”

Demiurge: Meaning ‘Creator’ in Greek. Thought to be the “Craftsman” or creator of the material world. (Heracleon) In Orthodox thought this is a supernatural entity or force, such as the appearance of God to Moses. In the Gnostic schema the Word refers to an order, and it may be a natural sort of intelligent design, related to wisdom, the earthly or kenomic state of the higher wisdom, or form from the Pleroma. The material state is considered less than the Pleromic, and highly flawed. Archons seem to be emanations from the Demiurge process, much like other emanations from the Pleroma. (See; Pleroma, Kenoma, Archon.)

Origen: (185- 254 C.E.) Born in Alexandria. He studied Greek philosophy with Ammonius, and others. He became a Christian under Clement. Some of his surviving work is considered somewhat Gnostic in its nature according to later western Christian leaders. Origen was declared heretical on the basis of his beliefs in the pre-existence of souls and his beliefs about apokatastasis. In 553 A.D the Chalcedonians anathematized him. http://www.iep.utm.edu/o/origen.htm

Pleroma: The word means “fullness,” and the ‘All.’ It refers to ”all existence
beyond matter. Refers to the world of the Aeons, the heavens or spiritual
universe, which represents being out of the state of matter. According to the
“Gospel of Truth” “….all the emanations from the Father are Pleromas.” see
Tractates 3, 2, Codices, I, and XII, Nag Hammadi Lib. Pleroma can have other
connotations according to the Gnostic school of thought, some differences in
Sethian and Valentinian (other) schools can be noted. Pleroma, is different than
Logos. (See; Logos, See aslo; Gaffney, p. 246.)

Theosis: (Theiosis, Theopoiesis, The?sis) In Eastern Orthodox and Eastern Catholic theology, theosis, meaning divinization (or deification or, to become god), is the call to man to become holy and seek union with God, beginning in this life and later consummated in the resurrection. Theosis comprehends salvation from sin, is premised upon apostolic and early Christian understanding of the life of faith, and is conceptually foundational in both the East and the West. See also; Consecration, Deification, Divine Union, Sanctification. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theosis

April 2, 2007

names

Posted by Benjamin under alchemy, buddhist, cabalah, cabbalah, carmelite, Cathar, catholic, Christ, christian, esoteric, essene, Gnosis, gnostic, Gnosticism, gospel of thomas, hekalot, hermeticism, Jesus, kabbalah, Magdelene, mandaean, manichean, merkabah, miryai, mysticism, Nag Hammadi, nazirutha, nazorean, perecption, poetry, Prayer, qabbalah, Reflection, sethian, sufi, transcendental, Uncategorized, Yeshu
[2] Comments

“…God, if you talk about him without true virtue, is only a name.” -
—Plotinus (tr. A.H. Armstrong)

Names given to the worldly are very deceptive, for they divert our thoughts from what is correct to what is incorrect. Thus one who hears the word “God” does not perceive what is correct, but perceives what is incorrect. So also with “the Father” and “the Son” and “the Holy Spirit” and “life” and “light” and “resurrection” and “the Church (Ekklesia)” and all the rest – people do not perceive what is correct but they perceive what is incorrect, unless they have come to know what is correct. The names which are heard are in the world [...] deceive. If they were in the Aeon (eternal realm), they would at no time be used as names in the world. Nor were they set among worldly things. They have an end in the Aeon.

One single name is not uttered in the world, the name which the Father gave to the Son; it is the name above all things: the name of the Father. For the Son would not become Father unless he wore the name of the Father. Those who have this name know it, but they do not speak it. But those who do not have it do not know it.

But truth brought names into existence in the world for our sakes, because it is not possible to learn it (truth) without these names. Truth is one single thing; it is many things and for our sakes to teach about this one thing in love through many things. The rulers (archons) wanted to deceive man, since they saw that he had a kinship with those that are truly good. They took the name of those that are good and gave it to those that are not good, so that through the names they might deceive him and bind them to those that are not good. And afterward, what a favor they do for them! They make them be removed from those that are not good and place them among those that are good. These things they knew, for they wanted to take the free man and make him a slave to them forever.

—Gospel of Philip
I spent long days and nights in the studio, seeking that dance which might be
the divine expression of the human spirit through the medium of the body’s
movement.
I would stand quite still for hours, my two hands folded between my breasts,
covering my solar plexus.
I was seeking and finally discovered, the central spring of all movement, the
unity from which all divisions of movement are born, the mirror of vision for
the creation of dance.

Posted by Benjamin under alchemy, buddhist, cabalah, cabbalah, carmelite, Cathar, catholic, Christ, christian, esoteric, essene, ezekiel, Gnosis, gnostic, Gnosticism, gospel of thomas, hermeticism, hindu, Jesus, judaism, kabbalah, Magdelene, mandaean, manichean, Meditation, miryai, mysticism, Nag Hammadi, nazirutha, nazorean, Reflection, sethian, sikh, Sophia, sufi, Yeshu
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—Isadora Duncan

Sky nor earth nor metals am I.

I am That, I am That, Blessed Spirit, I am That!

No birth, no death, no caste have I;

Father, mother have I none.

I am That, I am That, Blessed Spirit, I am That!

Beyond the flights of fancy , formless am I.

Permeating the limbs of all life;

Bondage I do not fear; I am free, I am free.

I am That, I am That, Blessed Spirit, I am That!

—Shankara

This great name of yours is upon me, O self-begotten Perfect one, who is not outside me. I see you, O you who are visible to everyone. For who will be able to comprehend you in another tongue? Now that I have known you, I have mixed myself with the immutable. I have armed myself with an armor of light; I have become light! For the Mother was at that place because of the splendid beauty of grace. Therefore, I have stretched out my hands while they were folded. I was shaped in the circle of the riches of the light which is in my bosom, which gives shape to the many begotten ones in the light into which no complaint reaches. I shall declare your glory truly, for I have comprehended you, sou iEs ide aeiO aeie ois, O aeon, aeon, O God of silence! I honor you completely. You are my place of rest, O Son Es Es o e, the formless one who exists in the formless ones, who exists raising up the man in whom you will purify me into your life, according to your imperishable name. Therefore, the incense of life is in me. I mixed it with water after the model of all archons, in order that I may live with you in the peace of the saints, you who exist really truly forever.

–Gospel of the egyptians

“Thou must love God as not-God, not-Spirit, not-person, not-image,
but as He is, a sheer, pure, absolute One, sundered from all two-ness,

and in whom we must eternally sink from nothingness to nothingness.”

- Meister Eckhart


http://magdelene.wordpress.com/category/sethian/page/9/

Reposted under:U.S. Fair Use and Canadian Fair Dealing 29.1 and 29.2


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