An Introduction to Sophian Gnosticism

Within all religions present and past there existed an exoteric and esoteric branch. Esoteric referring to inner an secret teachings. Gnosticism itself actually predates Christianity, going back to pre-Christian Mystery traditions of ancient Egypt, Mesopotamia, and Greece, as well as Shamanic traditions, and Eastern traditions. Essentially, these Mystery traditions represented inner and secret wisdom that was only disclosed to those who were found worthy and who were initiated, and thus were considered to be among the “chosen” or 'elect”. At the very heart of these Mystery traditions was the belief that spiritual knowledge and understanding could ultimately come only by way of direct and personal experience – specifically, through a conscious evolution of oneself towards the noble ideal of the divine being.

If there is one thing all of these various spiritual and mystical traditions have in common, it is this; salvation or enlightenment is the result of a direct and personal spiritual or mystical experience – hence gnosis – to have direct knowledge of the mystical experience.

In the past the inner teachings and practices were as such only for the chosen few.

In Luke 23:45 It was said, “ And the sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was rent in the midst.” The magnificent blue and purple veil, that concealed the tabernacle, was rent from top to bottom.” An unheard of thing, that profane eyes should have beheld the mystery of the Holy of Holies, which the High Priest himself was allowed to enter only once a year! It is said that the horrified priests sent the people out of the temple, that they should not witness the sacrilege. However this represented to many the symbolic revelation that henceforth the mystery of life and evolution will be open to all those who dare and will.

Before the formation of orthodoxy and the religious institutions with their established dogmas and creeds, Christianity was an amazing spectrum of diverse views among various groups about what Jesus taught and did. Christianity in its original state was composed of a vast multiplicity of forms and, in this sense, was formless. It was a great movement of spirituality and enlightenment. While there were, indeed some forms that resembled that would later become orthodox belief that held to the outer teachings alone, there were many currents of mystical and Gnostic Christianity that included inner and secret teachings. The term Christian Gnosticism, in general, indicates all mystical and Gnostic currents within the early Christianity and all Christian Mystery schools that arose founded upon inner and secret teachings of Jesus, or gnosis of Christ consciousness.

Essentially, originally Christianity was a living experience of the Christos (light-experience), Logos (word), and Sophia (wisdom) and, in this sense, represented a living enlightenment experience. In time, the oral traditions began to be written down. In this process quite naturally, the original diversity began to be diminished. Never the less, even with the transition from an exclusively oral tradition towards written tradition, in the first several hundred years of Christianity there were literally hundreds of different lines of teachings and practices, and oral traditions continued alongside the written traditions.

Christianity as we know it today did not appear until the time of the Roman emperor Constantine. Anything seen to threaten or contradict the authority of the emperor, and by extension the Roman Church, was put down and destroyed over the course of the next several hundred years, and long into the future. Most mystical and Gnostic currents were annihilated, save for a relatively few that went underground and formed themselves into secret societies. Thus the awesome and wonderful beauty of diversity which formed original Christianity was all but destroyed, and mystical and Gnostics among Christians were branded “heretics.”

There is a well known quote of the legendary ire of Bishop Iranaeus which illustrates exactly the diversity that once existed; “ ... every one of them generates something new every day, according to his ability...”

This quote also reflects Sophian Gnostic Way, which respects individual inclination, and is also called the Way of Wild Gnosis or Crazy Wisdom. I think this is particularly approriate for the South African environment, in its diverse reflection. The Sophian Gnostics traditionally relies on the sacred friendship between and Elder or Tau and their spiritual companions, as well as involvement in the Sacred Circle or Spiritual Community – it is a natural and spontaneous transmission of teachings and helpful spiritual energy through a play of the Holy Shekinah in sacred discourse, prayer and mediation, and sacred ritual. It is an interactive and dynamic method that seeks to create the conditions necessary for the movement of Divine Grace through which True Initiation occurs and Divine Gnosis is acquired.

Sophian Gnosticism is a particular form of Christian Gnosticism that embodies enlightenment teachings of a living Western tradition. These teachings represent an oral tradition that has been passed on in secret from one generation of Sophian initiates to another for hundreds, perhaps thousands, of years.

What is distinct to the Sophian tradition is its foundation in Christian Kabbalah, plus its teachings regarding Mary Magdalene. We believe that, as with Yeshua (Aramaic for Jesus), Mary was also an enlightened (or realised) being, who was indeed his coequal and co-preacher of the Gospel, and was also the consort and wife of the Master.

The heart of our tradition is living and practising a spiritual life, in essence, a spiritual or mystical journey seeking self-realisation. The essential wisdom of Gnosticism directs us to look inwardly to personally experience a Spirit-connection. In this sense, there is something universal in Gnostic teachings, and the Gnostic transcends her or his own wisdom tradition.

Key Understandings

YESHUA

Gnostic Christians view Yeshua as a human being being who became self realised or enlightened. We believe he was not born Christ but became Christed by engaging in spiritual practice and spiritual living. It is said that Yeshua was the incarnation of a great soul and he had accomplished self-realisation in previous lives. Nevertheless, he had to travel the Path to enlightenment as any other human being does. In so doing he became a living example of the Path to Self-realisation or Enlightenment and was empowered to teach others how to attain Christ Consciousness.

This teaching of Yeshua as a human being who became Self-realised or Enlightened is most important because it means that Yeshua is not separate or apart from everyone but rather represents the Divine Potential that is within every one of us. Anyone who is willing to apply her or himself to spiritual practice and spiritual living can attain Supernal or Messianic Consciousness. Essentially, what is revealed in Master Yeshua is the true purpose and meaning of human incarnation - the Enlightenment and Liberation of the soul.

MAGDALENE

Mary of Magdal was the inmost disciple of Yeshua, receiving all teachings from him. She was the direct successor of the Master and known as the Apostle of the Apostles. Essentially Yeshua and Mirya (Aramaic for Mary) completed and fulfilled one another. In fact, Sophians place great import upon this Divine Union being the focus for much study and contemplation.

CHRISTOS

Yeshua was not the only one to embody the Holy Shekinah (Divine Presence and Power). He revealed the Path to his disciples, so they might also attain Messianic Consciousness. Whilst traditonal Christianity teaches that the soul of the Messiah was exclusive to Yeshua, Gnostic Christianity teaches that others also embodied Supernal Consciousness. We believe that Mary Magdalene and other disciples of the First Circle also embodied these higher levels of consciousness.

In Gnostic teachings the Christos is a Divine Being. Christ the Logos is the consciousness of Supernal Being and Christ the Sophia is the energy of Supernal Being. We believe that both Yeshua and Mirya embodied the Christos: he embodoed Christ the Logos (the Bridegroom) and she embodies Christ the Sophia (the Bride). Thus, in union, the Divine Fullness of the Christos is embodied.

JOHN THE BAPTIST

The Mystery of the Divine Incarnation was not isolate to Yeshua Messiah, according to Gnostic Tradition, but rather the Light-Presence was embodied through a Matrix of Great Souls, John the Baptist being significant among them. John was the Baal Shem, the Master of the Name, and head of the assembly of the prophets. The canonized Gospels make it clear that he was the reincarnation of the soul of Elijah, the embodiment of Ruach Ha-Elijah (Spirit of the Prophets).

In the oral tradition of Sophian Gnosticism John is the Tzaddik of the Messiah, which is to say that he was the principle Spiritual Teacher and Guide of Lord Yeshua and Yeshua was his disciple. Thus, the baptism in the river Jordan was an initiation of Yeshua into the Supreme Mystery, and the power of these two Great Souls invoked Ruach Ha-Messiah (Spirit of the Anointed).

SCRIPTURE

The Scriptures of the Judaic-Christian Tradition are primarily allegorical, and yet they are also historical. They are a living myth that reveals the Divine in Creation and the Path of a Conscious Evolution to enlightenment. There are also historical elements within the Scriptures that shed light on the culture and times they represent.

KABBALAH

Because Yeshua was a Jewish Mystic, Kabbalah was a major influence on his theology. Once one begins to study Kabbalah she or he will quickly see the Kabbalistic themes in Yeshua's teachings. As Christian Gnostics we study a form of Kabbalah that is rooted in an ancient Jewish foundation, but with gnostic themes and paradigms applied.

tags: spiritual  christian  kabbalah  esoteric  gnostic  sophian