“Well, that was a beautiful gnostic myth that you presented to your meager audience, to bad you’re are not more well read, but they will fall back into obscurity, maybe be buried in the desert again, and man will go on as he|she always has, chasing after a free pass that the religions, controlled by the Archons provide. To bad you’re so weak and disheveled, your mind so scattered, that you cannot truly understand the power of the rite.” Lucifer, you are always the downcast one, even as you shine with the brightest light of God which you stole out of jealousy…are you jealous of me?
My crown chakra, just started vibrating wildly as the liquid love and light of God is flowing into me. You can brand me as mentally defective, I am fine with that, and who are you anyway, that voice…that always betrays and tears down, get behind me.
So the Gnostic tradition of the Bridal Chamber closely pararelles the eastern vision of Shakti and Shiva and their unitiing within the Kundalini energy of within the center of ourselves.
Sa Ta Na Ma
“In Kundalini and Tantric traditions, the “bridal chamber” is a metaphor for the sacred marriage (hieros gamos) of internal opposites: the union of Shakti (the divine feminine life-force energy) and Shiva (pure divine masculine consciousness).
The Microcosmic Union
- The Cave of Brahma: Anatomically, this mystical chamber is located in the head (the third ventricle, bridging the two brain hemispheres). [1]
- Shiva and Shakti: In this inner landscape, Shakti (energy and breath) rests in the pituitary gland at the front of the brain, while Shiva (pure consciousness) sleeps in the pineal gland at the back.
- The Ascent: When the energy channels (the Ida and Pingala) are in perfect balance, Kundalini Shakti ascends the spine, sparking a mystical union in the head. This electromagnetic merging creates an experience of non-duality and inner oneness.
Broader Esoteric Parallels
The concept of a spiritual bridal chamber transcends Eastern yoga and frequently appears in esoteric mysticism. It is deeply tied to the Gnostic tradition (such as the Gospel of Philip) and represents the mystical union of the initiate’s soul with their higher self or divine counterpart, resulting in wholeness and spiritual rebirth.”
Father in this moment, when I know you are near to me, embracing my being with your love, if I have found favor in your sight, give me a sword crafted by you, that will allow me to slaughter the myths that lead man toward entrapment, so through your power and love, I might set the captives free…Glossolalia flowing… by the way, did you know that Glossolalia was part of the Neo-Platonian practice long before the Christians embraced it for a short time.
So back to what I was speaking about before I was overwhelmed by the slap on the top of my head. Wow, this is very dense and I am not sure I can break through to the truth, but you are the God of Truth, so give me a hand would you?
So succinctly, the Bridal Chamber is the place where we receive the Living Water and Light, that allows us to pass unseen before the Archons so that we can enter into the presence of the Invisible Spirit; God if you must.
So yes Father, I am your true son, who wants this catechism, this rite, so your life giving light might fall and dwell in me. And once the means have been illumined, then others will want this same experience, that the Church felt necessary to destroy, since it would have destroyed their weak and corrupted faith. I guess I did ask for a sword! Lead me to what is lost so I might reveal it through you.
And here it is:
27 And the apostle arose and sealed them. And the Lord was revealed unto them by a voice, saying: Peace be unto you brethren. And they heard his voice only, but his likeness they saw not, for they had not yet received the added sealing of the seal (Syr. had not been baptized). And the apostle took the oil and poured it upon their heads and anointed and chrismed them, and began to say (Syr. And Judas went up and stood upon the edge of the cistern and poured oil upon their heads and said):
Come, thou holy name of the Christ that is above every name.
Come, thou power of the Most High, and the compassion that is perfect.
Come, gift (charism) of the Most High.
Come, compassionate mother.
Come, communion of the male.
Come, she that revealeth the hidden mysteries.
Come, mother of the seven houses, that thy rest may be in the eighth house.
Come, elder of the five members, mind, thought, reflection, consideration, reason; communicate with these young men.
Come, holy spirit, and cleanse their reins and their heart, and give them the added seal, in the name of the Father and Son and Holy Ghost.
And when they were sealed, there appeared unto them a youth holding a lighted torch, so that their lamps became dim at the approach of the light thereof. And he went forth and was no more seen of them. And the apostle said unto the Lord: Thy light, O Lord, is not to be contained by us, and we are not able to bear it, for it is too great for our sight.
And when the dawn came and it was morning, he brake bread and made them partakers of the eucharist of the Christ. And they were glad and rejoiced.
And many others also, believing, were added to them, and came into the refuge of the Saviour.
In “The Valentinian Bridal Chamber of the Gospel of Philip,” 2009 by Gaye Strthearn, referenced below she states the following:
“Scholars have argued over whether the bridal chamber in the Gospel of Philip refers to a specific ritual. Early scholars certainly understood it to be one, but more recent studies have questioned that position.17 Without doubt, bridal imagery was a pervasive metaphor in the ancient world.18 In Jewish and Christian texts in particular it is frequently used to describe salvation. I would argue, however, that the Valentinians did practice a bridal chamber ritual, although it still remains difficult to determine the exact nature of that ritual. Irenaeus, an influential Christian writer in the second century who wrote about the Valentinians (and other “heretics”), recorded, “For some of them prepare a [bridal chamber, νυμφῶνα] and perform a sort of mystic rite (pronouncing certain expressions) with those who are being initiated, and affirm that it is a spiritual marriage [πνευματικὸν γάμον φάσκουσιν εἶναι] which is celebrated by them, after the likeness of the conjunctions above” (Against Heresies 1.21.3).19 The “conjunctions above” refers to Valentinian cosmology, in which heaven, or the Pleroma, is in a state of balance because it consists of a number of paired, male-female divine beings that emanated from the high God (see chart 2). The Valentinian bridal chamber ritual is therefore, a way to re-create that balance and to prepare individuals to return to the Pleroma and become a part of that state.
“In the Gospel of Philip it is clear that not everyone participated in the bridal chamber, but rather that it was reserved for a select few. “A bridal chamber is not for the animals, nor is it for the slaves, nor for defiled women; but it is for free men and virgins” (69.1–4). There are also a number of passages, many of particular interest to Latter-day Saints, which strengthen the idea that the bridal chamber was a ritual. The first reads, “The Lord [performed] everything in a mystery, a baptism and a chrism and a eucharist and a redemption and a bridal chamber” (67.27–30). Henry Green describes this passage as “the most remarkable
list of rituals” of Valentinian Gnosticism.20 Bentley Layton also uses this passage to argue that the Valentinians “accepted the usual sacraments of the second-century church.”21 Nevertheless, while Layton’s assertion may be true for the rituals of baptism, chrism, and the eucharist, it is much more difficult to make a case for “redemption” and the bridal chamber as separate rituals.22 Perhaps it is this fact more than any other that has led more recent scholarship to attempt to refute the idea that the Valentinians practiced redemption and the bridal chamber as separate salvific rituals.”
“…For Valentinians, the primary situation that kept them from returning to the presence of God was their ignorance of “who we were, and what we have become, where we were or where we were placed, whither we hasten, and from what we are redeemed, what birth is and what rebirth.”31 Therefore, it seems reasonable to assume that the temple veil here represented ignorance.
The fact that it was completely torn indicates that they had received knowledge that enabled them to break through the barrier of ignorance and thus enter the bridal chamber, or the presence of God.”
“A third indication that the bridal chamber was a ritual is a number of passages that mention sons or children of the bridal chamber
(ⲡϣⲏⲣⲉ ⲙⲡⲛⲩⲙⲫⲱⲛ). The Gospel of Philip teaches that children of the bridal chamber are designated as the “free” (72.20–23) and that they are the “true race” (76.3–5). There appears to be a process of transformation that brings them to this state. They were not originally children of the bridal chamber but came into being “from water and fire and light” (67.3–5) since, as Ristro Uro argues, “this expression is clearly an epithet for those who have passed through an initiation of some kind.”32 He links this phrase to a second-century inscription found on the Via Latina that also mentions brothers of the bridal chamber in connection with ritual baths.33 In addition, the Gospel of Philip also reinforces the transformative nature of the bridal chamber by teaching, “If anyone becomes a child of the bridal chamber, he/she will receive light” (86.4–5). This light must be received here in mortality and is necessary to prevent the sons of the bridal chamber being detained or tormented in their journey back to the Pleroma (86.6–14).”
“So, although the Gospel of Philip contains no extensive discussion of a bridal chamber, it has significant pointers to strongly suggest a bridal chamber ritual associated with the holy of holies in the temple and that it was the means whereby a person was transformed and received the light needed to enter the eternal realm. All of these concepts are intriguing for Latter-day Saints as they consider the doctrine of temple marriage. As we try to determine the nature of the ritual, however, we will see that there are also some very significant differences.”
As I have written before, the initiate must receive the Light of God through the ceremony of the Bridal Chamber so they will remain hidden from the Archons upon their ascent to the Pleroma. When we possess our own light of God within us, we are not drawn into the false light of the Soul Trap manifested by the Archons.
“It appears that this state is achieved over a period of time because we learn that the children of the bridal chamber are permitted to enter the bridal chamber every day (82.15–17)”
“…The power received in the eikonikos bridal chamber in our passage is described as a play on words, “if the image (ϩⲓⲕⲱⲛ) and the angel are united with one another, neither can any [evil spirit] venture to go in to the man or the woman” (65.24–26).58 Here the image refers to the mortal as an image of a divine double, sometimes described as an angel. Just as Adam and Eve were separated in the Garden of Eden, Valentinians believed that when they came to earth they were also separated from their divine reality and thus became images. Irenaeus taught that when Valentinians “at last achieve perfection, [they] shall be given as brides to the angels of the Savior” (Against Heresies 1.7.5). Rather than being a marriage where a man and a woman are united,
the Valentinian bridal chamber was a place where individuals were united with their divine self, their angel.”
While I may not be scholar of ancient texts, I do have one advantage over them. I asked God to show me his form, very tentatively, in an off-handed manner and bam… I travelled beyond… Our earthly body is an image formed out of our heavenly bodies that exist fully formed in the Akashic realm. I have witnessed my Akashic|Etherial body, flaming in its form and I was shown by Asclepius that our physical bodies are controlled by our eternal bodies or our Angelic bodies as the Valentinians would say. Asclepius venerated my spirit|soul within the flames, kneeling before me, and asked to transform my ethereal or angelic body in order to heal and transform my physical body. He dove head first into this body.
This leads me back to the bridal chamber; (the vibration is wicked), could it be that the ritual of the bridal chamber was much more powerful and significant than the surviving ancient texts convey? Through this ritual, were we meant to fully connect to our spiritual or etheric selves…in order that our real selves, the below from being a poor reflection of ourselves that abide above. This uniting of above with below in the Bridal Chamber, empowered us and God to be united as One.
So, the ritual of the bridal chamber is meant to reunited us with our spiritual body, and when we are united, nothing can prevent us from returning to the One in the pleroma.
“The Excerpta ex Theodoto is a collection of notes made by Clement of Alexandria dealing mainly with (and quoting) the teachings of the Theodotus, but also covering other Valentinian and orthodox speculations…”
“2 But the followers of Valentinus maintain that when the animal body was fashioned a male seed was implanted by the Logos in the elect soul while it was asleep and that this is an effluence of the angelic [seed], in order that there may be no gap. And this worked as leaven, uniting what seemed to have been divided, soul and flesh, which had also been put forth separately by Wisdom. And Adam’s sleep was the soul’s forgetting, which restrained from dissolution, . . . just as the spiritual thing which the Saviour inserted into the soul. The seed was an effluence of the male and angelic [element]. Therefore the Saviour says, “Be saved, thou and thy soul. 3 Therefore when the Saviour came, he awakened the soul and kindled the spark. For the words of the Lord are power. Therefore he said, “Let your light shine before men.” And after the Resurrection, by breathing the Spirit on the apostles, he was blowing off and re moving dust like ashes, but kindling and giving life to the spark. “
“…They say. (the followers of Valentinus,) that when Christ fled that which was foreign to him and was drawn into the Pleroma, after he had been begotten from his mother’s thought, the Mother again produced the ruler of the dispensation as a type of him who had deserted her, according to her desire for him, in that he was better, for he was a type of the Father of the universe. Therefore, he was made less, as if he was created from the passion of desire. Indeed in view of his harshness, she was disgusted, as they say. 34 But also the powers on the left hand, which were the first to be put forth by her from those on the right, received no form by the advent of the Light, but those on the left hand remained behind to be formed by Space. So after the entry of the Mother with the Son and the seeds into the Pleroma, then Space will receive the power of the Mother and the position that the Mother now has.”
“…38 A river goes from under the throne of Space and flows into the void of the creation, which is Gehenna, and it is never filled, though the fire flows from the beginning of creation. And Space itself is fiery. Therefore, he says, it has a veil in order that the things may not be destroyed by the sight of it. And only the archangel enters it, and to typify this the high priest every year enters the holy of holies. From thence Jesus was called and sat down with Space, that the spirits might remain and not rise before him, and that he might subdue Space and provide the seed with a passage into the Pleroma.” It is the fire I beheld.
So this is interesting, in that this text confirms that we, the elected ones of the Son of God, the Sons of Seth, (those with the true spiritual seed of God) have been together with Christ before the foundation of the world. We have been chose and elected before the world began. “And in him the seeds were refined, as far as possible, as they went with him into the Pleroma. Therefore the Church is properly said to have been chosen before the foundation of the world. Indeed, they say, we were reckoned together and manifested in the beginning. Therefore the Saviour says, “Let your light shine,” referring to the light which appeared and gave form, of which the Apostle says “which lighteth every man that cometh into the world,” that is, every man of the superior seed. For when man was enlightened, then he came into the world, that is, he ordered himself and put off the passions which were darkening him and were mingled with him. And the Creator who had held Adam beforehand in his Notion, put him forth at the end of creation…42 The Cross is a sign of the Limit in the Pleroma, for it divides the unfaithful from the faithful as that divides the world from the Pleroma. Therefore Jesus by that sign carries the Seed on his shoulders and leads them into the Pleroma. For Jesus is called the shoulders of the seed and Christ is the head. Wherefore it is said, “He who takes not up his cross and follows me is not my brother.” Therefore he took the body of Jesus, which is of the same substance as the Church.”
“54 From Adam three natures were begotten. The first was the irrational, which was Cain’s, the second the rational and just, which was Abel’s, the third the spiritual, which was Seth’s. Now that which is earthly is “according to the image,” that which is psychical according to the “likeness” of God, and that which is spiritual is according to the real nature; and with reference to these three, without the other children of Adam, it was said, “This is the book of the generation of men.” And because Seth was spiritual he neither tends flocks nor tills the soil but produces a child, as spiritual things do. And him, who “hoped to call upon the name of the Lord” who looked upward and whose “citizenship is in heaven” – him the world does not contain.”
“…80 He whom the Mother generates is led into death and into the world, but he whom Christ regenerates is transferred to life into the Ogdoad. And they: die to the world but live to God, that death may be loosed by death and corruption by resurrection. For he who has been sealed by Father, Son and Holy Spirit is beyond the threats of every other power and by the three Names has been released from the whole triad of corruption. “Having borne the image of the earthly, it then bears the image of the heavenly.”
” 157 Having thus prayed over them, the apostle said unto Mygdonia: Unclothe thy sisters. And she took off their clothes and girded them with girdles and brought them: but Iuzanes had first gone before, and they came after him; and the apostle took oil in a cup of silver and spake thus over it: Fruit more beautiful than all other fruits, unto which none other whatsoever may be compared: altogether merciful: fervent with the force of the word: power of the tree which men putting upon them overcome their adversaries: crowner of the conquerors: help (symbol) and joy of the sick: that didst announce unto men their salvation that showest light to them that are in darkness; whose leaf is bitter, but in thy most sweet fruit thou art fair, that art rough to the sight but soft to the taste; seeming to be weak, but in the greatness of thy strength able to bear the power that beholdeth all things. Having thus said [a corrupt word follows]: Jesu: let his victorious might come and be established in this oil, like as it was established in the tree (wood) that was its kin, even his might at that time, whereof they that crucified thee could not endure the word: let the gift also come whereby breathing upon his (thine) enemies thou didst cause them to go backward and fall headlong and let it rest on this oil, whereupon we invoke thine holy name. And having thus said, he poured it first upon the head of Iuzanes and then upon the women’s heads, saying: In thy name, O Jesu Christ, let it be unto these souls for remission of sins and for turning back of the adversary and for salvation of their souls. And he commanded Mygdonia to anoint them but he himself anointed Iuzanes. And having anointed them he led them down into the water in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Ghost.”
“158 And when they were come up, he took bread and a cup, and blessed it and said: Thine holy body w}lich was crucified for us do we eat, and thy blood that was shed for us unto salvation do we drink; let therefore thy body be unto us salvation and thy blood for remission of sins. And for the gall which thou didst drink for our sakes let the gall of the devil be removed from us: and for the vinegar which thou hast drunk for us, let our weakness be made strong: and for the spitting which thou didst receive for us, let us receive the dew of thy goodness: and by (or for) the reed wherewith they smote thee for us, let us receive the perfect house: and whereas thou receivedst a crown of thorns for our sake, let us that have loved thee put on a crown that fadeth not away; and for the linen cloth wherein thou wast Wrapped, let us also be girt about with thy power that is not vanquished and for the new tomb and the burial let us receive renewing of soul and body: and for that thou didst rise up and revive, let us revive and live and stand before thee in righteous judgement. And he brake and gave the eucharist unto Iuzanes and Tertia and Mnesara and the wife and daughter of Siphor and said: Let this eucharist be unto you for salvation and joy and health of your souls. And they said: Amen. And a voice was heard, saying: Amen: fear ye not, but only believe.”
SO in the Tripartite Tractate we learn the following about the Bridal Chamber: “The election shares body and essence with the Savior, since it is like a bridal chamber because of its unity and its agreement with him. For, before every place, the Christ came for her sake. The calling, however, has the place of those who rejoice at the bridal chamber, and who are glad and happy at the union of the bridegroom and the bride. The place which the calling will have is the aeon of the images, where the Logos has not yet joined with the Pleroma. And since the man of the Church was happy and glad at this, as he was hoping for it, he separated spirit, soul, and body in the organization of the one who thinks that he is a unity, though within him is the man who is the Totality – and he is all of them. And, though he has the escape from the […] which the places will receive, he also has the members about which we spoke earlier. When the redemption was proclaimed, the perfect man received knowledge immediately, so as to return in haste to his unitary state, to the place from which he came, to return there joyfully, to the place from which he came, to the place from which he flowed forth. His members, however, needed a place of instruction, which is in the places which are adorned, so that they might receive from them resemblance to the images and archetypes, like a mirror, until all the members of the body of the Church are in a single place and receive the restoration at one time, when they have been manifested as the whole body, namely the restoration into the Pleroma. It has a preliminary concord with a mutual agreement, which is the concord which belongs to the Father, until the Totalities receive a countenance in accordance with him. The restoration is at the end, after the Totality reveals what it is, the Son, who is the redemption, that is, the path toward the incomprehensible Father, that is, the return to the pre-existent, and (after) the Totalities reveal themselves in that one, in the proper way, who is the inconceivable one and the ineffable one, and the invisible one and the incomprehensible one, so that it receives redemption. It was not only release from the domination of the left ones, nor was it only escape from the power of those of the right, to each of which we thought that were slaves and sons, from whom none escapes without quickly becoming theirs again, but the redemption also is an ascent to the degrees which are in the Pleroma and to those who have named themselves and who conceive of themselves according to the power of each of the aeons, and (it is) an entrance into what is silent, where there is no need for voice nor for knowing, nor for forming a concept, nor for illumination, but (where) all things are light, while they do not need to be illumined.”
Not only do humans need redemption, but also the angels, too, need redemption, along with the image and the rest of the Pleromas of the aeons and the wondrous powers of illumination. So that we might not be in doubt in regard to the others, even the Son himself, who has the position of redeemer of the Totality, needed redemption as well, – he who had become man, – since he gave himself for each thing which we need, we in the flesh, who are his Church. Now, when he first received redemption from the word which had descended upon him, all the rest received redemption from him, namely those who had taken him to themselves. For those who received the one who had received (redemption) also received what was in him.
“… Do thou therefore also believe on him that thou mayest live, and put thy trust in him, and thou shalt not die. For he is not persuaded with gifts, that thou shouldest offer them to him, neither is he in need of sacrifices, that thou shouldest sacrifice unto him. But look thou unto him, and he will not overlook thee; and turn unto him, and he will not forsake thee. For his comeliness and his beauty will make thee wholly desirous to love him: and indeed he permitteth thee not to turn thyself away.”
“…Jesus Christ, Son of compassion and perfect saviour, Christ, Son of the living God, the undaunted power that hast overthrown the enemy, and the voice that was heard of the rulers, and made all their powers to quake, the ambassador that wast sent from the height and camest down even unto hell, who didst open the doors and bring up thence them that for many ages were shut up in the treasury of darkness, and showedst them the way that leadeth up unto the height: l beseech thee, Lord Jesu, and offer unto thee supplication for these young persons, that thou wouldest do for them the things that shall help them and be expedient and profitable for them. And he laid his hands on them and said: The Lord shall be with you, and left them in that place and departed.”
“…O Lord, and accomplished thy will, and become poor and needy and a stranger and a bondman and set at nought and a prisoner and hungry and thirsty and naked and unshod, and I have toiled for thy sake, that my confidence might not perish and my hope that is in thee might not be confounded and my much labour might not be in vain and my weariness not be counted for nought: let not my prayers and my continual fastings perish, and my great zeal toward thee; let not my seed of wheat be changed for tares out of thy land, Let not the enemy carry it away and mingle his own tares therewith; for thy land verily receiveth not his tares, neither indeed can they be laid up in thine houses…43 So they say that those on the right knew the names of Jesus and Christ even before the Advent, but they did not know the power of the sign. And when the Spirit gave all power, and the Pleroma united in praise, he is sent forth, “as the angel of the counsel” and becomes the head of the whole after the Father. “For all things were created by him, things visible and invisible, thrones, dominions, kingdoms, divinities, services.” “So God also exalted him and gave him a name which is above every name that every knee should bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ, the Saviour, is the Lord of Glory.”
The Sethians are the chidden of God that were created by Christ in the Pleroma before we were incarnated.
“The ritual of the 5 Seals was a central ceremony of Sethian Gnostic schools. It typified a kind of baptism or salvific ritual, and some texts portray it as a rite for heavenly ascent. Although this ritual has not survived in clear form, there are enough detailed allusions to and apparent quotes from it in Sethian literature to plausibly reconstruct a good part of it, as well as parallels in other traditions. It is the aim of this article to examine this ritual in detail.”
“In Trimorphic Protennoia, we find a key passage which gives the names various angelic beings, and the acts they perform in the rite. The section is spoken by Protennoia (“Forethought”): “And I delivered him to those who give robes – AMMÔN, ELASSÔ, AMÊNAI – and they covered him with a robe from the robes of the Light; and I delivered him to the baptizers, and they baptized him – MIKHEUS, MIKHAR, MNÊSINOUS – and they immersed him in the spring of the Water of Life. And I delivered him to those who enthrone – BARIÊL, NOUTHAN, SABENAI – and they enthroned him from the Throne of Glory. And I delivered him to those who glorify – ARIÔM, ÊLIEN, PHARIÊL – and they glorified him with the glory of the Fatherhood. And those who snatch away snatched away – KAMALIÊL, […]ANÊN (this name has not survived, but other texts give ABRASAX), SAMBLÔ, and the servants of <the> great holy luminaries – and they took him into the light-place of his Fatherhood. And he received the Five seals from the Light of the Mother, Protennoia, and it was granted him to partake of the mystery of knowledge, and he became a Light in Light.”
“Gnostic texts which are rich in rituals, such as the Pistis Sophia, and Books of Jeu, such angelic beings are an integral part of most ceremonies and baptisms, and they are usually invoked in the name of God to descend and perform their respective duty on the initiate. E.g., in the Baptism of Water (Books of Jeu), the formula involves the recital of secret names of God, followed by a prayer to Him to send angelic beings (“helpers”) to baptize the disciples. Interestingly enough, these ‘helpers’ are also 15 in number, just as in the ritual of the 5 Seals:
“Hear me my Father, thou father of all fatherhoods, thou infinite light who art in the Treasury of the Light. May the fifteen helpers come, which serve the seven virgins of the light which are over the baptism of life, whose unutterable names are these: ASTRAPA, TESPHOIODE, ONTONIOS, SINÊTOS, LAKHON, PODITANIOS, OPAKIS, PHAIDROS, ODONTOUKHOS, DIAKTIOS, KNÊSION, DROMOS, EUIDETOS POLUPAIDOS, ENTROPON. May they come and baptise my disciples in the water of life, of the seven virgins of the light and forgive their sins, and purify their iniquities….” The baptismal portion of the 5 Seals is described in greater detail in the Gospel of the Egyptians, wherein a prayer\adoration seemingly from it has been preserved. Presumably, it is to be recited by the initiate right after the baptism: “IÊ IEUS ÊÔ OU ÊÔ ÔUA! Really, truly, O IESSEUS MAZAREUS IESSEDEKEUS, O living water, O child of the child, O glorious name! Really truly, AIÔN O ÔN, IIII ÊÊÊÊ EEEE OOOO UUUU ÔÔÔÔ AAAAA. Really, truly, ÊI AAAA ÔÔÔÔ, O existing one who sees the aeons! Really, truly, AEE ÊÊÊ IIII UUUUUU ÔÔÔÔÔÔÔÔ, who is eternally eternal! Really, truly, IÊA AIÔ, in the heart, who exists, U AEI EIS AEI, EI O EI, EI OS EI. This great name of Thine is upon me, O self- begotten Perfect one, who art not outside me. I see thee, O thou who art visible to everyone. For who will be able to comprehend thee in another tongue? Now that I have known thee, I have mixed myself with the immutable. I have armed myself with an armour of light; I have become light! For the Mother was at that place because of the splendid beauty of grace. Therefore, I have stretched out my hands while they were folded. I was shaped in the circle of the riches of the light which is in my bosom, which gives shape to the many begotten ones in the light into which no complaint reaches. I shall declare thy glory truly, for I have comprehended thee, SOU IÊS IDE AEIÔ AEIE OIS, O aeon, aeon, O God of silence! I honour thee completely. Thou art my place of rest, O Son, ÊS ÊS O E, the formless one who exists in the formless ones, who exists raising up the man in whom thou wilt purify me into Thy life, according to Thine imperishable name. Therefore, the incense of life is in me. I mixed it with water after the model of all archons, in order that I may live with Thee in the peace of the saints, Thou who exist really truly forever.”
An alternate form of baptism is described in another Sethian text: Zostrianos. Although there is no mention of the “5 Seals”, the ritual described involves a 5-fold baptism whose aim is to facilitate spiritual ascent. In this case, this does not appear to be a physical baptism but a more spiritualized, transcendent ceremony, possibly taking place in a trance or visionary state. This was likely the same type of ritual ascent we find in the Books of Jeu. The baptisms are introduced by Zostrianos thus: “I was baptized in the name of the divine AUTOGENES by those powers which are over living waters, MIKHAR and MIKHEUS. I was purified by [the] great BARPHARANGÊS. Then they [revealed] themselves to me and wrote me in glory. I was sealed by those who are on these powers, MIKHAR MIKHEUS, SELDAÔ, ELENOS and ZÔGENETHLOS. I became a root-seeing angel and stood upon the first aeon which is the fourth. With the souls I blessed the divine AUTOGENES and the forefather GERADAMAS, [an eye of] the AUTOGENES, the first perfect [man], and SÊTH EMMAKHA SÊTH, the son of ADAMAS, the [father of] the [immovable race] and the [four] [lights, HARMOZÊL, OROIAÊL, DAUITHE, ÊLÊLÊTH], and MIROTHEA, the mother [of Adamas] and PROPHANIA [mother] of the lights and [PLESITHEA, mother of the angels]” Throughout the text, Zostrianos describes the remainder of his baptism and the transformations he undergoes, e.g.: “I was [baptized“ I was [baptized] for the second time in the name of the divine AUTOGENES by these same powers. I became an angel of the male race. I stood upon the second aeon which is the third, with the sons of SÊTH I blessed each of them. I was baptized for the third time in the name of the divine AUTOGENES by each of these powers. I became a holy angel. I stood upon the third aeon which is the second. I blessed each of them.” etc.
http://www.melammu-project.eu/database/gen_html/a0001384.html
http://www.gnosis.org/library/actthom.htm
https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1013&context=sba
http://www.gnosis.org/library/excr.htm
https://www.academia.edu/8534356/The_5_seals_Baptismal_rites_in_Sethian_Gnosticism