Re: centre of the universe
The Exegesis on the Soul was found at Nag Hammadi in Codex II. Scholars believe it was originally written in Greek. The only existing copy is in Coptic. It is presumed to be more than 1,500 years old.
The translation of the Coptic into English was made by William C. Robinson Jr. and published in The Nag Hammadi Library by HarperCollins (1990).
As long as she [the soul, which in Hebrew is Neshamah] was alone with the Father [Yehidah, "unity," the sephirah Kether], she was virgin [without Rah, defilement] and androgynous [male-female] in form. But when she fell down into [the sephirah Malkuth] a [physical] body and came to this life, then she fell into the hands of many [bestial] robbers [desires in our mind, heart, and body]. And the wanton creatures [of Naamah] passed her from one to another and [prostituted] her. Some [children of Lilith] made [sexual] use of her by force, while others did so by seducing her with a gift [sensations, powers, comforts]. In short, they defiled her [with Rah], and she [lost] her virginity [chastity].
And in her [physical] body [Malkuth] she prostituted herself [through the internal and external senses; psychologically and physically] and gave herself to one and all [desires in our mind, heart, and body], considering each one she was about to embrace to be her husband. When she [our soul, our consciousness] had given herself to wanton, unfaithful adulterers [psychologically and physically], so that they might make use of her, then [as Mary Magdalene] she sighed deeply and repented. But even when she turns her face from those adulterers [whether they are elements of pride, envy, lust, etc], she runs to others and they compel her [through the deception of desire] to live with them [in the mind and heart] and render service to them [give them her energy] upon their bed [the psyche], as if they were her masters. Out of shame she no longer dares to leave them [we do not dare abandon our pride, lust, anger, envy, etc], whereas they deceive her for a long time, pretending to be faithful, true husbands, as if they greatly respected her. And after all this they abandon her and go [thus the longing and emptiness we feel within always afflicts us, so we seek new "husbands" to give us security and fulfillment].
She [our soul, our consciousness] then becomes a poor desolate widow [lonely, lacking connection, protection], without help; not even a measure of [spiritual or psychological] food was left her from the time of her affliction. For from them [our desires] she [our soul, our consciousness] gained nothing except the defilements [pride, anger, envy, lust, gluttony, etc] they gave her while they had sexual intercourse with her [psychologically and physically]. And her offspring by the adulterers are dumb, blind and sickly [elements in our psyche]. They are feebleminded [because they are abominations of nature, yet we believe they are our identity, feelings, thoughts, goals, longings, etc].
But when the Father [Kether, Yehidah] who is above visits her and looks down upon her and sees her sighing - with her sufferings and disgrace - and repenting of the [psychological] prostitution in which she engaged [through the internal and external senses], and when she begins to call upon his name so that he might help her, [she cried with] all her heart, saying "Save me, my Father, for behold I will render an account to thee, for I abandoned my house and fled from my maiden's quarters. Restore me to thyself again." When he sees her in such a state, then he will count her worthy of his [13 attributes of] mercy upon her, for many are the afflictions that have come upon her because she abandoned her house.
When I read this text...I really did get a deep sensation of evolution and re-incarnation.
Love
ia
Core Affirmation: I am loved and I am worthy,
I am safe and I am free.
I am powerfully protected.
I am master of my body and ruler of my mind.
By Robert Bruce
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