Introduction to Sophian Gnosticism

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.

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.