This is the fourth issue of Sophia, the online journal of the School of Spiritual
Psychology. It is time to say something more specific concerning the spiritual
being Sophia and why we have chosen this name for our journal.
To say something of the
reality of Sophia in a few words is nearly impossible. I could say something of
the history of the understanding of Sophia, but that is too removed. A
wonderful book for tracing that history is Kaytlin Matthew’s book, Sophia. Suffice
to say that Sophia is the creative Wisdom of the Universe, She through whom we
have an inner sense of the World and an inner sense of our own being. She is
simultaneously the Soul of the World and the purified individual soul, still
coming into being. She is certainly the guide for the work of Spiritual
Psychology, for we approach all matters of the spiritual soul not as matters of
personal growth only, but as having to do with service to the Soul of the
World.
It is important to speak of
Sophia in terns of how She is approached in the work of Spiritual Psychology.
First, we approach Sophia through imagination. We refrain from approaching Her
theologically, metaphysically, or abstractly. But, the term
"imagination" itself has to be qualified, since there can be a
theological, metaphysical and even an abstract imagination. The term
"imagination" is modified by what tradition has given to us
concerning the reality of Sophia. She is described, on the one hand as the Soul
of the World, and on the other hand, as the prototype of the possible human
soul – of what the human soul could become, in time, over many lives of
conscious spiritual practice. Our way of knowing her, is thus through the soul,
through psychic imagination, but psychic imagination that is objective rather
than personal. Sophia is also
described as "Wisdom". The term "Wisdom" indicates that she
is a cognitive activity within the universe itself - She who forms all of the
things of the universe in such a way that each thing is particular and at the
same time each part contains the whole. That is what is meant by Wisdom. The psychic center within us that
corresponds most closely to The Wisdom of the World is the heart.
Centering imagination in the place of the heart establishes
a different kind of discourse - one in which, as we address her, we are also
being addressed by her. A re-imagining of the world can gradually come about if
we become accustomed to this mode of imagination because, in striving to listen
to her we diminish what and how we already know and become open to Her ways of
knowing. But, She also listens to us, and in the most humble way, we dare to
suggest that this makes a difference; it establishes a continuity between the
spiritual and the earthly realms, with Sophia as the Mediatrix between these
realms. We also dare to suggest
that while receiving her into our heart has the power of re-forming the Earth,
what rays out from our heart to her
has a powerful palliative effect on Her.
The articles of this issue of Sophia are not articles about Sophia, but are ways of imagining
aspects of the world through a Sophianic imagination. The articles require a
meditative reading, perhaps reading them more than once because this mode of
imagination is new, almost unknown, just now coming into being. Thus,
initially, what is said in these articles might seem strange. Read them with an
open heart. Let them work on you. As you do so, you will gradually come into an
inner understanding of Sophia and her world importance.
Finally, we are delighted
to present the luscious, sensuous, paintings of Susie Phillips in this issue
devoted to Sophia. Susie lives in Dallas and is an accomplished artist who has
had numerous gallery shows. She has been a participant in many of the programs
of the School of Spiritual Psychology. The marvelous paintings which grace the
articles are a true embrace of Sophia.
- Robert Sardello