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Word Gems
exploring self-realization, sacred personhood, and full humanity
Soulmate, Myself:
Prometheus Denied
Foreword:
Adrian Charles Smith
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Editor’s note: Attorney Adrian Smith, author of "Prison For The Mind," writes a blog on metaphysical issues. See his information on the "other sites" page.
The Gnostic story, Hymn of The Pearl, concerns a young prince who is sent from his father’s kingdom on a mission to Egypt to bring back a valuable pearl guarded by a dangerous aquatic serpent.
Living in his father’s house had been both easy and luxurious. Though fraught with peril and hardship, success would bring enhanced reward and rule of his father’s kingdom. Egypt was a dark place and the serpent guarding the pearl was fearsome. The prince disguises himself as a local, then seeks refuge in a nearby inn, but his disguise is not convincing to the patrons.
Once inside, he meets a friend from his home country who warns him, have nothing to do with these people. But the prince does not listen and is distracted by eating and drinking and even comes to admire their king.
The prince falls into a deep sleep and forgets why he came, the serpent lying in wait not far away. Sensing trouble, his father sends a messenger in the form of an eagle who whispers in his ear, “Awake and arise from your sleep, and hear the words of our letter. Remember that you are a son of kings, consider the slavery you are serving. Remember the pearl”.
The prince awakens, enters the water, confronts the serpent, and charms it by invoking his royal heritage. He then snatches the pearl and returns home in glory.
I am reminded of Joseph Campbell’s book, The Hero With A Thousand Faces. The hero descends into the underworld where he experiences a dark night of the soul. Ultimately, he returns, but this time bearing a gift for his tribe. This is the very essence of the Christ story, but it is our story as well. Crucified on the “cross of matter” we emerge better than we were before. Perhaps we are an explorer-race always swimming upstream to higher levels of consciousness, and our adversary, that old serpent, is the necessary agent of our ascension. When we face resistance and strive against it, we are made better.
Wayne’s book, Prometheus Denied, confronts the thorny issue of why we came here and why we suffer. Like the prince in Hymn of The Pearl, life for our lovers is pleasant in their pre-birth realm, so why leave that wonderful place and why suffer? Like Christ in the Garden of Gethsemane, they consider the awful prospect of suffering and, in their case, the prospect of separation, falling asleep, perhaps not even recognizing each other were they to meet on the other side.
There would be no need to leave their paradise if they would not emerge in a better state than before. They are advised that a five-gallon bucket can contain more than a one-gallon bucket, and in the case of twin souls, the sufferings of this present world make possible an enhanced capacity for love, joy, fulfillment and unity. It is perhaps a mystery why suffering is a catapult to a higher level of being, but there is no denying the transformative effect of the refiner’s fire.
Something is being forged here below which could not be accomplished in any other way. Unless a seed falls to the ground and enters the dark, damp soil, the potential contained within it would never be realised.
The interpretations of The Hymn of The Pearl have been many and varied but the central message is consistent with Prometheus Denied. The sufferings of this present world are not worthy to be compared to the glory which shall be revealed in us.
The experience is additive. We leave on a journey, we suffer, but we return bearing something precious, a pearl of great price.
Adrian Charles Smith, J.D.
Midway
New Brunswick
Canada
aprisonforthemind.blog
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