Last night we celebrated the grand opening of The Tree of Life Center: A Center for Spiritual Growth and Personal Renewal whose mission it is to create a sacred womb or space for the development of individuals to discover their true calling in life and to find meaningful paths of service in the world. We had a modest attendance of just under twenty people, but it was a joy to witness the birth of something special.The idea of creating a special place for the exploration of spiritual principles and for establishing the ancient custom of meeting together in a circle is an idea that is growing. The environment and ground is fertile for this idea to take root and blossom. Many are tired of the isolation they have encountered in their spiritual journey and are opening to the expanding consciousness that is taking place on our planet. We are pregnant with the desire to know why we are here and what our purpose in life really is. There has never been a better time to open to greater growth and awareness.
Like the fairytale story of Sleeping Beauty, we have slumbered. This story so clearly represents the feminine principle, the reflective, lunar, feminine qualities in creation that have been fast asleep. We witness the imbalance of our solar doing and our neglect of creation. Our planet is like a wasteland desert, parched from too much time under the fire principle and it longs for the springs of water to wash over it and awaken it to new life.
As in the painting above, we see the kiss of new life, the breath, being breathed into the sleeping beauty, the feminine principle, calling us to awaken to new ways of being and seeing. The balance of the masculine/Logos and feminine/Sophia principles are foundational to a healthy spiritual understanding. To become fully human, or fully anthropos, full of wisdom (Sophia), we must embrace both the doing and Being aspect.
The feminine aspects in our spiritual journey are the womb-like qualities of quietness, listening, reflectivity, receptiveness, openness, and joyful praise as seen in meditation, prayer, and in contemplating the Beloved. The solar aspects in our spiritual walk are in our doing and giving back. They are demonstrated in our service to others, in giving, teaching, healing, and helping. They are like two pillars that must be in place in order for us to maintain balance and equilibrium.
In religion we have erred in our picture of God and in our spiritual practice. The old picture on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel of God as a patriarch with a white beard, reaching out to touch the finger of Adam, reflects our spiritual structure as a one-pillared, lopsided representation of Source. The feminine aspect is sadly missing. So in our own spiritual journey, we have often erred in the frenetic doing of “God’s work” without the balancing principle of quiet openness and worship of the masculine and feminine aspects of God.
In Greek, Sophia is wisdom and traditionally represents the feminine aspect of God. A wisdom circle then can be thought of as the coming together of individuals to form a womb-like nurturing space to receive wisdom and encounter new ways of personal growth and an un-folding of the soul and its calling and purpose.
As we move into the New Year, it is a good time to reflect on how we might each one incorporate Sophia/wisdom into our lives. We have just celebrated the Advent of “The Word” or Logos. The marriage of Sophia and Logos in the bridal chamber of your own heart is a contemplation that should produce some fruitful insights in your own life and give meaningful direction for the coming year.
Comments