Qualities of Soul

[Gary Hodges]

In an earlier Discussion; I asked about some of the "lost Gospels". So, I bought the book "The Nag Hammadi Scriptures", edited by Marvin Mayer. Anyway, I'm nothing less than awe struck, and many 'truths', as taught for centuries have or are challenged by these writings. The book comprises some 800+ pages, I'm up to about page 208, in the Gnostic treatise, as its called, named "On The Origin of the World", as they aren't really chapters, per se, but all separate books, some related to one another in some ways and others not. Suffice it to say most are reportedly written in the early 1st or 2nd century.

My question is this, can the qualities of the soul be considered as follows? I'll list them in male aspected and then female: Male; envy, wrath, tears, sighs, grief, lament and tearful groans. Female; anger, pain, lust, sighs, curses, bitterness and strife (page 208). Not listed or stated as qualities of the soul, but from reading up to this point I am getting that these reside in what they call the 'Shadow' of life. Now, its important to relate that the above qualities are not assigned to a particular gender, but are male and female qualities that might exist to some degree or another in each of us. I can't help but think of Thomas Moore's book "Dark Nights of the Soul" when considering these qualities.

There is much talk of androgyny throughout this book. Anyway, if we suppose that the qualities are considered soulful ones, it goes on to say, on the same page, about the seven good androgynous powers, which I intuit are qualities of the Spirit; Male: the one not jealous, the blessed, the joyful, the true, the one not envious, the beloved, the faithful. Female: peace, gladness, joyfulness, blessedness, truth, love and faith.

All that being said, I find it very intriguing when considering Soul. Anyone care to comment?

[Waking]

oh, and i simply love your poem Gary!

[Waking]

Here's a kind of prose poem one may find in either Phil Cousineau’s wonderful photo/poetic collection "Soul of the World — A Modern Book of Hours" as well as in the chapter titled "Peaks and Vales" from the Hillman anthology "A Blue Fire" edited by Tom Moore.
I like the Dali Lama's poetic images that illuminate and reflect upon the relationship of soul & spirit:

I call the light and high aspects of my being spirit and the dark and heavy aspects soul.
Soul is at home in the deep, shaded valleys.
Heavy torpid flowers saturated with black grow there.
The rivers flow like warm syrup. They empty into huge oceans of soul.
Spirit is a land of high white peaks and glittering jewel-like lakes and flowers.
Life is sparse and sounds travel great distances.
There is soul music, soul food, and soul love...
People need to climb the mountain not simple because it is there
But because the soulful divinity needs to be mated with the spirit.
—Tenzin Gyatso, 14th Dali Lama

[Barque]

Hi Gary,
I thought you might be interested in this play, recently published by Spring Books.
Mary of Magdala
A Gnostic Fable
by Armando Nascimento Rosa
Here's the link:
http://www.springjournalandbooks.com/cgi-bin/ecommerce/ac/agora.cgi...
Cheers, Barque

[Rob]

Hi Gary,

Thank you for sharing your poem, which I enjoyed very much. I find Rita's comments chime with my own feelings about the aspects of soul you shared in your initial post. Your poem, and the image of the tree (soul and spirit) bring to mind something perhaps more "earthy", which is this video:

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=2750012006939737230&hl=en#

The video explores whether we homo sapiens can live up to our name. It also demonstrates, in my opinion, how too much spirit, in this case the spirit of entrepreneurialism and ingenuity embodied in industrial agricultural societies, can lead to a Dark Night of the Soul in terms of nature's bounty. Food is so tightly interwoven with home and family, where soul resides, that one cannot ignore, in my opinion, the connection between our treatment of the soil and water (soul), and how we use the air and light (spirit).

I hope the relationship between the comments in this thread so far and the video do not seem tenuous. Perhaps I've not explained things clearly, but I do see a connection.

Cheers,
Rob

[Gary Hodges]

Hi Julianne, Thank you very much about your comments on my poem, much appreciated :)

By the way for you and the rest on this forum:

I am now up to page 365, which is the tractate called "The Acts of Peter and the Twelve Apostles". As an acknowledgment to Thomas Moore, and all of you out there healing souls, this is what I just read:

Section: "The Apostles Are to Heal Bodies and Souls":

"He (Jesus) gave them the bag of medicine and said, "Heal all the people of the city who are sick and believe in my name." "Peter was afraid to take issue with the master a second time, so he mentioned to John, who was next to him: "You say something this time." "John answered and said, "We are afraid to say too much in your presence, but you have asked us to practice this art. We have not been taught to be doctors. How, then, shall we know how to heal bodies, as you have told us?" "He answered him, "You have said it well, John: 'I know that the doctors of this world heal what is of the world, but the doctors of souls heal the heart.' So, first heal bodies, that through the real powers [meaning "miracles"] of healing their bodies, with no medicine of this world, they may come to believe in you, that you also have the power to heal sicknesses of the heart."

So, personally, I wanted to thank Thomas, and the rest of you professionals that are utilizing Thomas's works as well as others works to heal souls (hearts). I'm not a degreed professional, but try to heal when and where I can.

Gary

[Julianne]

Dear Gary,
As far as the qualities of soul, they sound very complex. But your poem is clear and I understand it deeply from personal experience. It's a mystery but you've put that mystery into words. Thanks.

Julianne

[Rita Abreu Costa]

Hi Gary! Before my comment, I would like to say that I only read some chapters of “Dark Nights of the Soul”, and only the chapter about faith of “The Soul’s Religion”. I think these are the books of Thomas Moore closely related to the subject. So, my opinion can be a “blind one”.
I think the qualities you mentioned are not the essence of Soul, neither can be used to define Soul, but, I believe they are ways Soul finds to express itself, in a shadowed way, in a dark way.
For instance, I think that envy might be an opportunity to someone dive into his dreams, longings, and deep connections, in order to “write” his own history and find richness and meaning in his life, in spite of the losses and failures that might have suffered. Lust can lead us to boredom and, then, make us return to simple pleasures, but, with a deep sensibility. And so on… Still, I think I’m putting the question in a simply way. We can say that, through those dark manifestations, we can see Soul finding a way towards the uplifting aspects of the Spirit, but keeping its roots. Then, come to my mind the image of a tree. It needs soil and water (soul) to deepen the roots, but, also, needs air and light (Spirit) to expand the branches. :)

[Gary Hodges]

Inspiration is a funny thing sometimes, now look what its done:

Can there be a reason
To love, for love?
When reason defies love
Where reason is the core of my soul
and reason is shattered
torn, ripped apart by love

Perhaps this is why
When I say I love you
its from the Spirit of my heart.
Its not of me, yet its in me
As above, so below.

by Gary Hodges