Sophia as divine Wisdom has been the helper and companion of many movements but recently, in the twentieth century, She has been venerated for her own sake.
In Santa Cruz the Holy Order of Wisdom was founded by Aurora Terrenus and in its own words is dedicated to the ‘enlightenment, enrichment, peace and prosperity of all.’ Aurora is a sensitive who received a vision of Sophia in the New Forest in England. Those who have followed the growth of the Wiccan movement will recognize the place as one where the goddess energy has been present and worshiped for centuries. When the Hungarian gypsies used our field in Essex as a stop over in the very early 1930’s they were often on their way to the New Forest to meet what they called the ‘Wise Ones.’
The Order comprises a School of Holy Wisdom offering free lectures and workshops and also a nondenominational church, Hagia Sophia, Ecclesia Spiritualis that offers ordination to those interested, whatever their spiritual path. Aurora has written books. Two that I know are Sophia of the Bible and Shroud of Sophia. These are both available on AbeBooks.com. Look up her name and the name of the Church on Google.
www.gatesofhorn.com
The Re-emergence of the Goddess...
Tuesday, March 5, 2013
Upon Wings of Wisdom
Aloha and thank you,
I will tell you a little something about myself and my work with Sophia.
How did it all begin?
Through wonder. It was a time of turmoil in my life. I was wondering about the meaning of life and asking, "Is this all there is?"
In 1971 in the New Forest in England a vision of light appeared to me.
It was like Light coming in the form of a female divinity. She said, "I love you. Love me. I am Sophia."
I am of Greek descent. I read and write and speak Greek. I knew Sophia as Wisdom. As in philosophy and in theosophy, etc. etc.
After the vision, I started doing research on "Sophia".
Around 600 BC, Pythagoras, the Greek mathematician, among other things, was the first to call himself a philosopher because he was a lover of wisdom. He also spoke of the transmigration of the soul and was also the first to use the word "cosmos" and the first to deduce the earth as a sphere. I often wonder if his school (and the great library in Alexandria) had not been burned, what other ideas might have passed on to us through Pythagoras.
Lao-tse in China, was at the same time, speaking of Wisdom as the Mother of All Things. Gautama Buddha in India was writing his "Three baskets of Wisdom". Zoroaster in Persia and the Jewish prophets in Israel, Egypt and Babylon were also writing about Wisdom. (The Egyptians had circumnavigated Africa, but these were not internet days, when ideas could be spread so quickly!)
In 1985 - fourteen years after my experience in the New Forest, I picked up copy of Gnosis magazine and wrote Jay Kinney, the following which he published.
"The feminine in Western Spirituality re-emerging in this New Age is the hauntingly beautiful splendor and sacred awe of the spirit of Sophia; the gnosis and wisdom not of some passing age, but an inexhaustible spiritual power, impervious to time, that connects the elect of all ages.
"From a cloud of peace, in a mist of silence, she spans the world to create a synthesis, to unite the opposites, to pervade and permeate all hearts with the inner light of love.
"Sophia is, will be and has always been the elixir of life; the philosopher's gold; the oneness and essence of the physical world-self, the Quinta Essentia..."
Then I received a letter from Caitlin Matthews saying she was writing a book called "Sophia: Goddess of Wisdom - Black Goddess to World Soul" and that the last chapter would be called the New Gnostics and could she write about me in that chapter.
The last ten years have been more about helping people have an experience of Sophia.
Currently I am working on the alchemical aspects. Alchemy being my favorite parts of Jung's work.
I also teach yoga and tai-chi with of course the emphasis on Yin.
In loving Sophia,
Aurora
Wednesday, December 26, 2012
O Gnostic, O
Knower
of the
unity of love and wisdom,
the
androgyny of heaven and earth,
nature
and spirit.
O Knower
of the Great Goddess,
the
Great Mother
Who
calls Herself Sophia.
Holy is
Her Name.
Sophia,
co-creator 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.
Friday, November 2, 2012
In Search of The Phoenix
Ancient and modern myths tell of the magic and mystery
of the transforming powers of a magnificent, mystical,
mythological bird that could or could not exist, or be.
Spanning continents, cultures and eons of time, the phoenix
has long been a rich and complex symbol of human nature and an image of the human soul graced with extraordinary qualities and abilities that could be called divine and the phoenix alludes to degrees of perfection, vitality and power that are found inside the human heart and mind.
Inside the human heart I have seen a death come from despair. A heat like no other come from anger. A chill like no other come from fear. A joy that invigorates the nerves and a comfort that comes from hope and love near.
Since I was young I have seen rape and killing and war; and friends and loved ones die and no one has been able to tell me why. Not knowing whether to join my laughing or weeping friends, I began the journey that has no end.
I heard of this fabulous bird that has the powers to cast out disease and ease human sorrow and pain; whose feathers constitute a glorious medicine to make the old young again.
I spent a fortune, endured every hardship, travelled the world in search of a bird with qualities reflecting the human soul that could or could not exist much like the philosopher's gold.
Among other things, the phoenix is a symbol of wholeness, completion and androgyny, equal parts of male-female so it can be called he or she. For our purposes here we will refer to the phoenix as she. And it will be your task, to remember that 'she' includes 'he'.
The phoenix, the Queen, the Empress of all birds is said to have gifted the world with the musical scale. Seven notes divided into two tetrachords corresponding to masculine and feminine elements by repeating the note of origin to bring the world to one again. Her songs of heavenly proportions and propensity are of such sweetness that they bring tears to a heart of stone and anyone that hears her sing never feels alone.
On the edge of a branch, high in a tree, in the sun's full light, the phoenix builds her nest of fragrancy with aromatic twigs of cinnamon, frankincense and myrrh and it becomes her funeral pyre on the first nite that the moon disappears.
The sun sets the nest on fire and the phoenix sits and waits until it burns itself to ashes in the flames. For three nites no one can see the moon or the nest of the phoenix burning high in the tree. A nest built as a sacred altar becomes through purification her victory. On the fourth nite when the moon reappears, a new phoenix emerges from the ashes.
A luxurious plummage of crimson, deep purplish red feathers gives the phoenix her name. Her wonder working properties and her virtues give the phoenix her fame.
It is truly wondrous what the phoenix can do. The phoenix can live for a thousand years and more. She has the ability to always exist, to choose when to die and to recreate herself and to regenerate. The phoenix has long been a spiritual symbol of the synthesis of the life force of human nature and fate.
It's a sacred art to know when life closes and to have a secret way to restore a new existence or so great sages say. It's amazing to be known and loved even though you may or may not exist. But truth without proof is the theme of the myth.
There is only one phoenix living in the world at one time. It is unique and one-of-a-kind. I searched the world for one feather and the question is still open.
Is there a bird named Phoenix? Is it possible or impossible? Is it believable or absurd? Who in the world has ever seen such a bird?
@2003 Aurora Terrenus
Ancient and modern myths tell of the magic and mystery
of the transforming powers of a magnificent, mystical,
mythological bird that could or could not exist, or be.
Spanning continents, cultures and eons of time, the phoenix
has long been a rich and complex symbol of human nature and an image of the human soul graced with extraordinary qualities and abilities that could be called divine and the phoenix alludes to degrees of perfection, vitality and power that are found inside the human heart and mind.
Inside the human heart I have seen a death come from despair. A heat like no other come from anger. A chill like no other come from fear. A joy that invigorates the nerves and a comfort that comes from hope and love near.
Since I was young I have seen rape and killing and war; and friends and loved ones die and no one has been able to tell me why. Not knowing whether to join my laughing or weeping friends, I began the journey that has no end.
I heard of this fabulous bird that has the powers to cast out disease and ease human sorrow and pain; whose feathers constitute a glorious medicine to make the old young again.
I spent a fortune, endured every hardship, travelled the world in search of a bird with qualities reflecting the human soul that could or could not exist much like the philosopher's gold.
Among other things, the phoenix is a symbol of wholeness, completion and androgyny, equal parts of male-female so it can be called he or she. For our purposes here we will refer to the phoenix as she. And it will be your task, to remember that 'she' includes 'he'.
The phoenix, the Queen, the Empress of all birds is said to have gifted the world with the musical scale. Seven notes divided into two tetrachords corresponding to masculine and feminine elements by repeating the note of origin to bring the world to one again. Her songs of heavenly proportions and propensity are of such sweetness that they bring tears to a heart of stone and anyone that hears her sing never feels alone.
On the edge of a branch, high in a tree, in the sun's full light, the phoenix builds her nest of fragrancy with aromatic twigs of cinnamon, frankincense and myrrh and it becomes her funeral pyre on the first nite that the moon disappears.
The sun sets the nest on fire and the phoenix sits and waits until it burns itself to ashes in the flames. For three nites no one can see the moon or the nest of the phoenix burning high in the tree. A nest built as a sacred altar becomes through purification her victory. On the fourth nite when the moon reappears, a new phoenix emerges from the ashes.
A luxurious plummage of crimson, deep purplish red feathers gives the phoenix her name. Her wonder working properties and her virtues give the phoenix her fame.
It is truly wondrous what the phoenix can do. The phoenix can live for a thousand years and more. She has the ability to always exist, to choose when to die and to recreate herself and to regenerate. The phoenix has long been a spiritual symbol of the synthesis of the life force of human nature and fate.
It's a sacred art to know when life closes and to have a secret way to restore a new existence or so great sages say. It's amazing to be known and loved even though you may or may not exist. But truth without proof is the theme of the myth.
There is only one phoenix living in the world at one time. It is unique and one-of-a-kind. I searched the world for one feather and the question is still open.
Is there a bird named Phoenix? Is it possible or impossible? Is it believable or absurd? Who in the world has ever seen such a bird?
@2003 Aurora Terrenus
Saturday, October 20, 2012
Taoderf: "Why do you think you had a vision of Sophia?
Do you think you would have had it if you hadn't
heard the word Sophia growing up?"
Aurora: "As I have said, I speak and write Greek and I did
attend a Greek Orthodox Cathedral with my parents
when I was growing up. The priest would come out
of the vestibule and raise both arms to the heavens
and announce to the congregation.
'Aghia Sophia, orthe kai akousame.'
'Holy Sophia, stand and attend.'
I would ask my mother, 'Who is She?'
And my mother would say, 'Sophia is Wisdom. He
is asking us all to stand and attend 'Wisdom'.
But at the same time, people all over the planet have
had and are having visions of Sophia or some sort of
manifestation of
Sophia and never really thought about the word. I
do know most people do know that philosophy is 'love
of wisdom' and theosophy is 'divine wisdom'.
The summer of 1951 when I was nine years old, I
went to Greece with my family. The ship stopped in
Pompeii and I saw the devastation of a volcano and
then when we got to Greece, I saw the devastation
of World War II. It did make quite an impression on
me. I saw starving people and bombed buildings.
If Love is all there is, or if Love is the answer, I
did wonder how people would come to that realization
without wisdom.
When I was in Greece again in 1961, my father's
family told me how their house had been occupied
by German generals. My father had purchased the
ex-mayor's mansion for his parents and the German
generals took it over except for one room that my
grand-parents stayed in and were allowed garden
visits for one hour a day.
Also, when the communists took over, the commanders
and troops would gather all of the men in the village,
and line them up. One day they would shoot every
other man, the next time, maybe every seventh man,
and so on.
There are also the stories of the women of the villages,
that would sing and dance off the cliffs to their deaths,
not to be raped by the conquerors. (The beginning
of the spiral dance?)
When Sophia appeared to me in the New Forest
in 1971 something deep in my heart resonated
with 'I knew you had to be a beautiful feminine
spirit.'
Do you think you would have had it if you hadn't
heard the word Sophia growing up?"
Aurora: "As I have said, I speak and write Greek and I did
attend a Greek Orthodox Cathedral with my parents
when I was growing up. The priest would come out
of the vestibule and raise both arms to the heavens
and announce to the congregation.
'Aghia Sophia, orthe kai akousame.'
'Holy Sophia, stand and attend.'
I would ask my mother, 'Who is She?'
And my mother would say, 'Sophia is Wisdom. He
is asking us all to stand and attend 'Wisdom'.
But at the same time, people all over the planet have
had and are having visions of Sophia or some sort of
manifestation of
Sophia and never really thought about the word. I
do know most people do know that philosophy is 'love
of wisdom' and theosophy is 'divine wisdom'.
The summer of 1951 when I was nine years old, I
went to Greece with my family. The ship stopped in
Pompeii and I saw the devastation of a volcano and
then when we got to Greece, I saw the devastation
of World War II. It did make quite an impression on
me. I saw starving people and bombed buildings.
If Love is all there is, or if Love is the answer, I
did wonder how people would come to that realization
without wisdom.
When I was in Greece again in 1961, my father's
family told me how their house had been occupied
by German generals. My father had purchased the
ex-mayor's mansion for his parents and the German
generals took it over except for one room that my
grand-parents stayed in and were allowed garden
visits for one hour a day.
Also, when the communists took over, the commanders
and troops would gather all of the men in the village,
and line them up. One day they would shoot every
other man, the next time, maybe every seventh man,
and so on.
There are also the stories of the women of the villages,
that would sing and dance off the cliffs to their deaths,
not to be raped by the conquerors. (The beginning
of the spiral dance?)
When Sophia appeared to me in the New Forest
in 1971 something deep in my heart resonated
with 'I knew you had to be a beautiful feminine
spirit.'
Saturday, May 26, 2012
Sophia Re-Emerging For Me....
New Forest, England ~ Summer Solstice ~ 1971
Sophia re-emerged for me brighter than the noon day sun.
"Now it was the darkest hour before dawn, the hour, they say when only the wise can see;
That a sense of awe did awaken and mystify me.
Descending from a throne, on a pillar of clouds, in royal splendor ~
An image of feminine divinity, I did see and I fell in love with Her beauty as I saw face to face the most magnificent symbol of the spirit of solace and grace.
"Instantly. Totally. Inescapably.
Indescribable, immeasurable, unconquerable and impervious to time, was this beauty of the Love above all loves, that connected her heart and mine.
And in the silence of her reflection, of what was, and is, and forever more will be;
I felt the power of the Queen of Enchantment, Herself unchanging, fill me from within, make me new, and Love did consume and conquer me."
quotations from 'My Sister the Unicorn' @1988 by Aurora Terrenus
Sophia re-emerged for me brighter than the noon day sun.
"Now it was the darkest hour before dawn, the hour, they say when only the wise can see;
That a sense of awe did awaken and mystify me.
Descending from a throne, on a pillar of clouds, in royal splendor ~
An image of feminine divinity, I did see and I fell in love with Her beauty as I saw face to face the most magnificent symbol of the spirit of solace and grace.
"Instantly. Totally. Inescapably.
Indescribable, immeasurable, unconquerable and impervious to time, was this beauty of the Love above all loves, that connected her heart and mine.
And in the silence of her reflection, of what was, and is, and forever more will be;
I felt the power of the Queen of Enchantment, Herself unchanging, fill me from within, make me new, and Love did consume and conquer me."
quotations from 'My Sister the Unicorn' @1988 by Aurora Terrenus
Friday, May 25, 2012
island lady
Island Lady
After a head-on-collision that totalled my car and almost totalled me, I was resting in bed trying to read "The Tibetan Book of the Great Liberation" when I opened to a page that said, "forget everything that you have ever read." So I closed the book and began meditating during my prescribed periods of rest.
Excruciating pain kept me from resting peacefully but I continued my meditations. During my meditations, a beautiful island lady, old and full of years, appeared walking on a solitary silver sand beach with the ocean softly lapping away her footprints in the sand.
I did not know her; I only knew that whenever she appeared, she lifted me in body and spirit.
A year and a half later, still in pain, I was walking on a deserted beach in Hawaii. As I turned to return home, I noticed one path of footprints in the sand and they were my own.
Ancient Hawaiian legend says if you step into the footprints of another, you may get their karma. So usually when I walked on a beach with footprints, I would dodge the footprints.
But this day, as I turned, I stepped into my footprints on the beach and in a magical moment I knew they were the footprints of the island lady that I had seen walking in my meditations. Now I was the island lady walking on the beach ~ she and I were one ~ and I was healed.
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