Man and Woman are One

In the temple of the Rosycross, we often hear specific ideas about mankind and about being human, and also views about the aim of life which are not shared or understood by everybody in the same way. One of these concepts implies, for example, the absolutely equal value of men and women, that is, true equality. In this sense, the undeniable differences between them can turn into a series of characteristics that complement and reinforce each other to make true human happiness come closer.

Men and women each represent one half, one aspect of the image of the human race living on earth. Currently, the situation is very confusing and far from ideal. Yet, these two opposing parts always seek each other. If things are going well, they do so in love and harmony, but just as often, their efforts are accompanied by violence, irritation and disharmony. Neither half can live without the other, but sometimes it seems as if they cannot live with each other either.

   We are certainly not telling you anything new. It would be of little use if women behaved like men, nor would it be of any use if men acted like women. Nor would it help if women were subordinate to men. Neither a matriarchal nor a patriarchal society offers a solution. A woman is always a woman and a man will always be a man: both are human beings.

   The separation of the sexes; is the hermaphrodite, the androgyne human being who is a combination of male and female, thus self-creative? Much is written and spoken about these ideas, and by returning to their origin, they can be put in a clear light.

Why human beings think about such things

   We suggest that you do not assimilate these concepts and ideas about human beings, about male and female, only with your mental faculties or your intellect, because the interesting ideas of true universal wisdom have the possibility of linking us with concepts like innocence and purity. We would like to lead you into the pure realm where unity rules, and where it is still one with absolute, unconditional love and radiant truth.

   Do not think that this sphere is unknown to humanity. Every human being knows it because he originates from it, he carries it as a remembrance from afar, as a primordial code, and is directly linked with it. Without this unity, humanity and creation would disintegrate. We want to draw your attention to this pure sphere. It is the primordial beginning of creation, which was much reflected upon during the first centuries of Christianity. The Gnostics expressed it in terms which can still cause a resonance deep within us. They described this beginning from before time as ‘Silence -- and depth; tranquillity -- and motion.’

  The first words of creation rose up from this depth. They are not unknown to you, since you have heard them many times. They are simple lines: ‘Let there be light; and there was light.’ And further on: ‘So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.’ This is the pure image of creation, exalted, in fact unapproachable. Nothing is said but that He, God, created man, male and female. This is the image from before the confusion. The Gnostics called it the monad, linked with the fullness of the primordial beginning, the pleroma. It is the image of the first days of the cosmos, the image of man as a cosmic twofoldness: Man, male and female.

This image is within you and me

   We must let go of the familiar image of ourselves that we are either a man or a woman. Remember the days when you were still a child, before you saw yourself as a girl or a boy. You were only a human child playing with other human children and everything belonged together. This comparison shows, to a certain extent, the basis from which we want to speak: simplicity, purity and directly linked to a sphere of great spiritual power.

The last words of Goethe's masterpiece, Faust, are a summary of the way he understood the world:

·        ‘All of the transient, is parable only,

·        the insufficient, here, grows to reality,

·        the indescribable, here, is done,

·        woman, eternal, beckons us on.’¹

The human being is male and female. So the last line could also read: 'Man, eternal, beckons us on.'

   The human being, male and female, possesses three noble attributes, three gifts: light, life and love. We saw that the light is of God. And life was the light of men, we can read in the prologue of the Gospel of John. Love is God himself in the human being. No one has ever seen God, the universal wisdom teaches. But there is an even deeper mystery: God becomes visible in the reflection of God (that is why we speak of the ‘image’) before the confusion. God is love, purely spiritual life force, which is unity, reflected in the nucleus element of this human being, the male cosmic human being, and the female cosmic human being. This is the image which is in all of us, and is purely spiritual. It is the image from before the confusion; it is the image of God’s creation, glorious, unapproachable, intact, perfect. And everything is waiting for this image to be realised.

   ‘The only truth of everything is the self,’ Ficino says, ‘namely the light of that which is of God. And the human being is forced -- by life itself -- to honour this radiance as a divine power above all other things and to strive for nothing other than emanating this radiance, after letting go of his old nature. This is clearly shown when the lover is not satisfied by looking at or touching his beloved and constantly exclaims: ‘‘What does this person have that sets me alight? I don't understand what I want.’’ This illustrates that the soul is aroused by a divine fire that is reflected in the beautiful figure of a person as in a mirror. And the soul is imperceptibly pulled up by this radiance as if on a hook, so that the soul becomes God.’

   Can the fundamental feeling of loneliness, which we know so well and which we try to escape through all kinds of outward appearances, really be dissolved by someone else? Aren't the disappointments in this respect legion? And why? Is it because the soul consciousness experiences its incompleteness? But why should the soul be incomplete? We may find an answer in chapter 2 of Genesis: ‘But a mist went up from the earth, and watered the whole face of the ground. And the Lord God formed man of the dust from the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being.’

   The cosmos became a workplace: 'But a mist went up from the earth…'

   A second creation myth is presented, equally as miraculous as the first. It relates that Adam (in chapter 2, humanity, male and female, received a name) fell asleep.

   ‘Then the Lord God said: It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him.’ […] ‘So the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and while he slept took one of his ribs and closed up its place with flesh; and the rib which the Lord God had taken from the man, he made into a woman and brought her to the man. Then the man said, ‘‘This at last is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.’’ Therefore a man leaves his father and his mother and cleaves to his wife, and they become one flesh.’ You know how, throughout history, this has been interpreted by the religions, i.e. by the rabbis, the imams, the ministers and priests. We need not go further into this. This mentality is unacceptable for freethinking people. They will not get involved in it. True freedom allows others to be free, regardless of their gender or disposition. There is only one goal for humanity: true, spiritual freedom, shaking off the shackles. However, only absence of conflict can generate love. And love leads us to divine dimensions, since God is love. God is perfect freedom. He is reflected in the clarity of the perfect, free human being. This human being shall make his decisions in freedom and integrity.

The Sophia

   The original Christian communities from the beginning of the Christian era also knew this passage, since it is thousands of years old. Yet, they saw a far deeper truth in it. Many gnostic stories tell about creation. In the Apocryphon of John, it is the demiurge (this is a second creator) who wants to obscure Adam's mind and cast sleep upon him. The archons (the spiritual forces of the second creator) conferred on this matter and said: ‘Come, let us bring sleep upon Adam,’ and he fell asleep. The sleep they brought to him is ‘ignorance’. Adam (which stands for all of humanity) thus forgot about his spiritual descent. But in this sleep, salvation is near. Gnostic wisdom explains that the human consciousness is awakened through the intervention of the Sophia. She sends him her emissary to remove the veil covering his mind. Thus he is sobered up from being drunken with darkness, his ignorance.

   ‘And the spiritual woman came to him and said: ‘‘Adam, get up!’’ And as he saw her, he said: ‘‘You are the one who gave life to me. You shall be named mother of the living, Eve, because it is she who is my mother. She is the healer and the woman and the one who gives birth’’.’ This idea clearly differs from the familiar story of Genesis which does not mention Adam's awakening. This woman is the spiritual Eve, or life-Eve. In the Apocryphon of John she is called ‘the luminous Epinoia’. She is the ‘instructor of life’ and can be ranked with the light-Adam, Man, male and female. She taught them to eat of the knowledge that would enable them to recall the pleroma. Without the fullness of the primordial beginning, this gnosis, both were dead, without true life.

   He who is ready to be taught by the Sophia will discover that there is no difference between  Man, between male and female, and God, who is the father-mother. ‘We all need the Sophia,’ J van Rijckenborgh says. Moreover, he points out a translation error that has always led to a false interpretation of the legend of creation. He writes: ‘‘‘It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him.’’ Adam (mankind) had explored the all-manifestation in his new environment, but now he was seeking help to grasp the greatness of creation. Therefore, it was necessary that he became acquainted with his ‘‘helper’’. In the original text, this was called ‘‘mirror image’’. But the Bible translators did not know what to do with this concept and used the word ‘‘help’’ instead. They did not understand that ‘‘mirror image’’ was the correct word to express what was meant.’

   In fact, human beings can see and experience their mirror image. Thus they understand that both, men and women, are essential to again penetrate the cosmic order of the one spiritual, solar life. . The spirit field is born in every heart and fills the whole microcosm. This is female. This world of universal genesis cannot be understood unless the head recognises this new life force. This is male: to kindle a bright fire in this glorious birth of the spirit field. These two streams will work together forever.

 SOURCES:

1. A S Kline © 2003 All Rights Reserved. This work may be freely reproduced, stored, and transmitted, electronically or otherwise, for any non-commercial purpose. (http://www.tonykline.co.uk/PITBR/German/FaustIIActV.htm)

Please Note:. This article is reproduced from the Pentagram No. 3, 2006, in which it is preceded by the following introductory information:

Some years ago, the international centre of the Lectorium Rosicrucianum in Haarlem was radically renovated. After many years of effort, we were able to purchase some neighbouring buildings, and a complex, the J. van Rijckenborgh Centre, was created, which wholly meets the aims and the radiation of the modern Spiritual School of the Golden Rosycross, and, at the same time, provides a worthy environment for the main temple in Haarlem. On this occasion, a new activity was also started: national conference days. These conference days always deal with a specific topic based on J van Rijckenborgh’s work and may be attended by interested people.

The next three articles formed the theme of the conference day, held on 6 February 2005, titled ‘Man and woman are one’. More than 250 people were welcomed into the J. van Rijckenborgh Centre on this occasion. 

 

Never in human history has so much attention been paid to the relationship between men and women as during the last 50 years. This has resulted in many social, political and cultural reforms. Yet, equality between a man and a woman is only a small step on the way to true human destiny: the union of a man and a woman and, consequently, their union with God. J van Rijckenborgh writes: ‘the spirit of God dwells in both sexes and speaks of the high calling of the human being. Both sexes have to work together in the world in perfect equality. The work of humanity can only prosper sufficiently, if both men and women become aware of their mutual dependence and begin to work together on the construction of the new house of humanity.’

 © Pentagram, 2006.

Article from Pentagram, 2006, No 3