MAY 2021: The Great Mother

By those who love her she is readily seen,

And found by those who look for her...

In every thought of theirs,

she comes to meet them.

-Wisdom of Solomon 6:12 and 16 

This month we are working with the beauty of the "Great Mother", and exploring the power of Love-Wisdom. Sometimes wisdom has been personified as Sophia, the deep inner knowing that characterizes the life of "one who knows" God. On the Kabalistic Tree of Life, Wisdom is Chokmah, containing the seed of self, "I Am That", the wisdom beyond reason. Wisdom (Chokhmah) is therefore the first thing that the mind can grasp, and is therefore called a beginning or an idea. 

"The first peace, which is the most important, is that which comes within the souls of people when they realize their relationship, their oneness, with the universe and all its powers, and when they realize that at the center of the universe dwells Wakan-Taka (the Great Spirit), and that this center is really everywhere, it is within each of us." - Nicholas Black Elk 

Solomon was a young man, about twenty years of age, when his father David died and he became king. A young man presented with the vast array of possibilities God offers could have been tempted in many different directions, yet he simply asked God for the most important thing he could think of—and God answered his prayer. “lo, I have given thee a wise and an understanding heart” (1 Kings 3:12). 

Why did Solomon, known for the vast wealth of his kingdom and a great ability to create a working civilization, ask for wisdom? There are the typical and obvious answers to that question. But let's get into code... 

On the Kabalistic Tree of Life, Wisdom is Chokmah. As Keter was created from the reflection of Limitless Light, Chokmah is thus created from the reflection of Keter. It can be considered as the emergent self from the great All. Chokmah, containing the seed of self, can mean “I Am That”. Chochma is the wisdom beyond reason. According to Hasidic Judaism, Chokhmah refers to "the first power of conscious intellect within Creation. 

In CHOKMAH, corresponding to the Number TWO, comes the realization of this DUALITY, how by His Wisdom made He the Worlds from the Nothingness of His Own Being and how in the very CONSTANCY of this CHANGE lies the STABILITY of the Universe. As it is written, "In Chokmah CHANGE IS STABILITY."   The word Chokhmah itself may be broken into two words -- koach ("potential") and ma ("what is"). Thus, Chokhmah means "the potential of what is", or, "the potential to be. 

The sphere of Chokmah is the creative vessel, which holds the Divine Spark in preparation for it’s eventual initiatory experience of birth. It’s holy name YHVH, the Tetragrammaton *, means, “to be”. As the root of Fire, Chokmah is the first sphere of desire towards greater expression. Its consciousness is not bound by time or space as it resides in all time and all space. Chokmah is Action and impetus in its most pure aspect, not yet restricted and limited by the Formative and ordering energies of Binah.  “It is the Crown of Creation, the Splendour of Unity equaling it. It is exalted above every head, and it is named by the Qabalists as the Second Glory.” 

The symbol of the straight line is attributed to the sphere of Chokmah. In order to make sense of this we must also  include the energy of emanation from Kether.  According to mathematical theory a “point” is a marker of place, but in and of itself has no dimension. If, however, that point  extended into space it becomes a straight line. If we think of Kether as the point of space within the void of formlessness, its emanation outward towards Chokmah extends the point of itself to become a straight line that acts upon and emanates the flow of formless force into Chokmah.  

“ In Chokmah and Binah we have the archetypal Positive and Negative; the primordial Maleness and Femaleness, established while “countenance beheld not countenance” and manifestation was incipient.  It is from these primary Pairs of Opposites that the Pillars of the Universe spring, between which is woven the web of Manifestation.”  The Mystical Qabalah. Dion Fortune 

So in plain english it could be said that Wisdom is a divinely inspired idea, insight, or stroke of genius, even if you don't recognize it at the time. It is an inner directive, the hand that sets the dominos in motion to fall one after the other as in a palindrome. So the question here that we ask today is how do we access more of this wisdom? Let us explore this question. 

We have many tools to access these parts of ourselves. Imagination is our bridge into that supernal realm where heavenly, genius and useful ideas live. So it. would stand to reason that any activity that helps us access and even cross that bridge would support us in opening this powerful gateway within ourselves. Journaling, creative activity, reading, art, music are all ways in which we can access this realm. But how do you we speak the language? First of all this realm goes far beyond words, syntax and linear thought, so it is important that we get comfortable with symbology and imagery. This is the realm of the archetypal mind, the place where impartial patterns of imagery and sets of behavior form a kind of pictograph for the mind. A picture speaks a thousand words. So as we delve into this world through journeying, visualization, even paying closer attention to the visual and sensorial world we live in, reading metaphor and story are powerful ways to stimulate our ability to draw from this realm. 

Story is a part of the archetypal realm. When we re-write or write anew the story of our lives, this is our first foray into the deep inner wisdom of Sophia or Chokmah. This is how we gain the blueprint to make the magic. As we improve upon or co-create with our ancestors, and all that has come before as we access the wisdom of the Akashic record of the ages, we find ourselves with huge leg up. 

As we give up the notion that we must constantly re-invent the wheel, and understand that there are certain universal blueprints which will yield endless results, just as the 8 or 12 notes on a musical scale have rendered millions of songs, so too,can we find a start to the thing we came here to create. Surrendering to the divine within, the higher intelligence of Sophia is the key to opening this door within ourselves and co-creating with the divine. Our wisdom springs from Her. She is the wind beneath our wings if only we will allow, listen and let her love us. Let it be so!

Sunday Talks with Rev. Renee Bledsoe 

May 02 - The Great Mother: Love-Wisdom

May 09 - Church-In-Circle: Mother's Day

May 16 - Fertility & Release of Fear

May 23 - Heart Thoughts

May 30 - Accepting Good

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Prayer for Sophia (Chockmah/Wisdom) 

I now ask Sophia to come into my life and show me the way. I ask her to cleanse me and remove any negativity in my life. Please lead me on the path I need to be on to establish myself as a happy, healthy, positive person. 

O Gnostic,

O Knower,

of the unity of Love and Wisdom,

the androgyny of Heaven and Earth,

and of Nature and Spirit. 

O Knower

of The Great Goddess,

The Great Mother,

who calls herself

Sophia. 

Holy is her name,

Sophia,

cocreator of all things,

earthly and divine.

Divine Love

lives with Eternal Wisdom,

together as one,

as a child in its mother's womb.

Sophia

gathers all of her children. 

O Gnostic,

to you she calls

to fulfill the prophecy,

to manifest the vision

of Peace on Earth. 

I call upon Sophia and her 3 daughters, Faith, Hope and Love 

Take oil and anoint yourself on the forehead: "Sophia, replace the negative thoughts with positive." 

the lips: "Sophia, replace the negative words with positive." 

the heart: "Sophia, replace the negative feelings with positive." 

the palms: "Sophia, replace the negative actions with positive." 

the feet: "Sophia, take me only on the path you lead me." 

I thank Sophia for coming into my life, my heart, my soul. For leading me on the right path and bringing me to a more positive place in my life.

LOVE-WISDOM AFFIRMATIONS

There is an innate power within me that has access to all knowledge.

The knowledge within me is accessible through prayer, meditation, journaling and reflection.

There is a great silent, sacred space within me.

As I learn to listen to the still, small voice within knowledge becomes wisdom.

As the wise one within guides and guards me, life becomes smooth.

As life becomes smooth, I get into the flow of creation.

As silence is experienced through my soul, I can hear my higher self.

I learn to trust and follow the instruction of my soul.

I ask for higher vision to help me see only love.

I acknowledge and sit with my pain and the pain of others close to me.

I release drama, so that I may clearly address the painful issues in my life.

I release myself from old stories that are no longer true in my life.

I allow myself to move into higher consciousness.

Higher consciousness opens me to more love.

I am aware of my soul’s emergence.

My body is a temple, my heart the altar of my soul.

I am open to experiencing my life by letting go.

Letting go of control gives me the freedom that my soul desires and requires to flourish and grow.

The wheel of life keeps moving and changing, and evolving me along with it.

I am defined in this time and space by the story of my life.

I bring my life into integrity by insisting on the truth.

I tell myself the truth and admit when I misunderstand or judge.

One of the most loving things I can do for myself is to face my problems with power versus force.

I ask in every situation what would empower love to come forth.

I make it safe for others to be authentic.

I allow everyone to experience their own journey without my judgment holding them to their old story.

I remember myself into being and rewrite the story of my life.

I experience the wonder of my soul’s journey.

Inside of me is wisdom born of true love.