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Return of the Divine Sophia
Healing the Earth through the Lost Wisdom Teachings of Jesus, Isis, and Mary Magdalene
Table of Contents
About The Book
• Details the ceremonies and rituals of initiation into the Fellowship of Isis
• Reveals the lost teachings of Jesus about the Divine Mother and Father and how the goddess Sophia is connected to Mary Magdalene as the Female Christ
• Explores the many archetypes of the Goddess, including Isis, Brigit, and the Black Madonna, and how we can transform into Homo luminous, spiritual beings of light
Called through her dreams by the Priestesses of Isis, Tricia McCannon set out on a spiritual journey into the Mysteries of the Goddess. After a fateful encounter with a high initiate of the ancient Fellowship of Isis, she began researching the history of Judaism and Christianity to find out how and when the Divine Feminine became lost. She discovered a forgotten age when the Creator was honored as female and humanity lived in peaceful societies completely free of war. She shows how we can return to an age of peace and celestial light if we work to bring the masculine and feminine energies of the world back into balance.
Sharing her journey into the heart of the Divine Mother, McCannon details her initiation into the Fellowship of Isis, a process rich with ceremony, ritual, and myths of the Goddess from ancient Egyptian, Celtic, Greek, Hebrew, and Native American traditions. She reveals how the many archetypes of the Goddess, including Isis, Ishtar, Brigit, and the Black Madonna, can become our allies for self-transformation. She explores Mysteries at the heart of Christianity that have remained hidden for nearly 2,000 years and how the Gnostic goddess Sophia is tied to the Second Coming, Mary Magdalene, and the Female Christ. She reveals the lost teachings of Jesus about the Divine Mother and Father and about the Divine Daughter and Son.
Through her story and her in-depth research, McCannon takes us on a journey to awaken the creative power of the Divine Feminine within each of us. Equipped with the teachings of the Goddess, we gain the mastery to overcome the deeply rooted masculine-feminine imbalance of the patriarchy and to embark into the future as Homo luminous, beings of light.
Excerpt
February 2nd. Brigit’s Day. I could just make out Shasta’s cottage against the gloaming indigo sky as I parked on the dead-end street leading to her house. Tonight was the first meeting of the sacred Circle, and as I made my way slowly up the shadowed walk onto the wide wooden porch, I could feel my heart beating in my chest. I opened the front door to see the merry crackle of a winter’s fire and several women seated in a circle on the floor. They looked up as I entered and smiled. I took my seat quietly on the large open cushion waiting for me, feeling the deep magic of the house enveloping us in its arms.
As the ladies began to introduce themselves I learned that these were intelligent, articulate women who ranged from homemakers to international directors of companies. Shasta greeted us warmly. “Welcome to the Circle of the Goddess. Tonight we begin a journey in to the heart of the Mysteries. The Goddess teaches a path that all life is sacred and that the intelligence that moves through the Universe moves through each of us as well.
“Throughout the centuries the Goddess has been known by many different names. In Christianity she is called Mary, the great Mother of Compassion. In Judaism she is known as Sophia, the Goddess of Wisdom. In India, China, and Japan she is Lakshmi, the Mother of Generosity. She is also Sarasvati, the Goddess of Creativity; Durga, the vanquisher of demons; Parvati, the Mother of the Universe; and Kali, the Great Transformer who rules the cycles of death and rebirth. These are only a few of her many faces.”
Shasta looked around the circle. Our eyes were wide with wonder. I had never even heard of most of these goddesses.
“Honoring the Goddess was the first theology of our ancestors. They believed that the Creator of the Universe was female, but people have forgotten who she is and the world has fallen out of balance. Our path is about remembering her place in Creation and restoring balance to the world. In the end this path is also about discovering the divine spark within every creature and within every one of you.” Her words fell into a deep place within me.
“The Goddess gives birth to all that lives, and she takes back into herself all that ever was in the cyclical patterns of life and regeneration. We women have all of the same characteristics as the Goddess--we bleed, we give birth, we tend to the dying, and we celebrate the many natural transitions of life.
“In Egypt she was known as Isis. Her husband was Osiris. She was a sister, daughter, mother, wife, widow, and queen. Isis became the savior goddess whose cunning and insight helped rescue Egypt from 350 years of darkness.”
Our faces were rapt with attention. “Isis lies within every woman, and every woman is Isis, for we each have the potential to experience all of these aspects of ourselves. Isis established the first Mystery Schools in Egypt, which taught that it is the balance between the male and the female that brings us to mastery. If we neglect either side of our natures we cannot achieve it.” The light from the fire danced across her face as we drank in her words.
“For more than 7,000 years Isis was worshipped in temples across the world. And for the past two millennia she has continued to be honored as Mary Magdalene, another widow married to a great world savior.”
A collective gasp echoed through the room. Mary Magdalene? What did she have to do with Isis? “Mary the Magdala, or Mary the Great, was trained as a Priestess of Isis in the temples of Egypt. The knowledge of who she really was, the female equivalent or partner of Christ, was forced to go underground by the patriarchy, although Jesus had called her ‘The Apostle who knew the All.’” The entire room seemed to be holding its breath.
Shasta resumed, “We will speak more of these subjects in the months to come, but tonight we begin our year of study on the Eve of Candlemas, one of the eight High Holy Days of the year.” Shasta passed candles around the circle. “In the Celtic world February 2nd was the Festival of Brigit, a Triple Goddess with three major forms--the maiden, the mother, and the crone. Brigit governed the arts of healing, knowledge, agriculture, and smithcraft, and she was also the patron goddess of writing. Her temples at Kildare in Ireland had clear-running springs and a fire that was constantly maintained in the temples by the priests and priestesses. This fire was dedicated to truth, illumination, and knowledge.”
Shasta lit her candle and then touched the flame to the candle next to her, passing the light around the Circle. “Brigit’s symbols are the sacred flame of illumination and the waters of eternal healing, symbols that were also sacred to Isis. Tonight we light these candles for them--for Brigit, Isis, and Mary Magdalene, the hidden brides whose light must be rekindled in the world.”
I reflected on how Brigit’s holiday fell in the winter season of greatest darkness. She was the bringer of hope and light. Perhaps now, when the world has forgotten the light of the feminine face of God, we could help her return.
Shasta was speaking. “We light candles to Brigit to affirm that despite the seeming darkness we believe light and love and truth will return and that all the people of the Earth will one day awaken from their spiritual slumber.” It seemed to me that our tiny flames symbolized the hope of women everywhere that there would soon come a time when women were not beaten, marginalized, or oppressed, a time when the light would dawn once again for women across the world, and with it healing would come to the Earth.
Product Details
- Publisher: Bear & Company (March 6, 2015)
- Length: 512 pages
- ISBN13: 9781591437765
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Raves and Reviews
“Tricia McCannon’s scholarly approach and stunning discoveries allow us to see in a new light the Divine Sophia’s role in the process of awakening humanity. Truly illuminating.”
– William Henry, author of Lost Secret of the Watchers
“Born with the gift of inner sight and hearing, the author takes us on an initiation into the Sacred Teaching of the Goddess. Full of ancient wisdom, metaphysical teachings, religious history, and mythology, we’re encouraged to open our hearts and minds to the Eternal Mother.”
– Christine Page, M.D., author of The Healing Power of the Sacred Woman
“This book reveals the unique place of the Isis tradition and the true purpose and significance of Mary Magdalene. Thoroughly researched and very readable, this book draws the reader into the fascination and deep symbolism of this subject: a wonderful book to enjoy and treasure.”
– Stuart Wilson, coauthor of Power of the Magdalene
“Tricia has done it again. She writes for a new time, and the glorious homecoming of Sophia, the wisdom of the essential feminine essence. Travel with this world renowned teacher to the heart of the mysteries of the quantum field where the great masters dwell and return with newfound knowledge, purpose, clarity and love.”
– Alan Steinfeld, founder of NewRealities.com
“I strongly recommend a close reading of Tricia McCannon’s book. Her personal journey reveals the suppression of the divine feminine aspect within the world’s religions and may well point the way to a more truthful, equitable, and peaceful future.”
– Jim Marrs, New York Times best-selling author
“This book is a revelation for the soul and the missing link to help us end the dark agendas of the patriarchy. It is an incredible and brilliant piece of work. Read this book!”
– Laura Eisenhower, founder of Cosmic Gaia Sophia Seminars
“This powerful and transformative book is the proverbial cracking of the Cosmic Egg. Incredibly well researched and emotionally moving, this book has the power to bring us all to a new paradigm for world healing.”
– Colin Tipping, author of Radical Forgiveness
“A remarkable initiation into the Wisdom Circles of the Divine Feminine. From the first chapter I was hooked. An outstanding contribution to the field of spirituality and personal enlightenment.”
– Robert Perala, author of The Divine Architect
“Tricia McCannon uses the powerful synthesis of personal revelation and scholarly research to create a gateway for personal contact with the Divine. Simply called, it is the eternal story of the Sacred Feminine.”
– Peter Canova, award-winning author of Pope Annalisa
“Through this book we find the missing piece of the Divine Feminine that can heal us, awaken us, and transport us to a higher reality. Brilliant!”
– Burge Smith-Lyons, author of Conversations That Make a Difference
“Masterfully written, this book guides the curious reader gently along the author’s own exciting spiritual journey, from traditional Christianity to the evolution of Homo luminous, our next stage in the course of evolution.”
– David Ryback, Ph.D., ABPP, coauthor of Dreams That Come True
“Tricia McCannon writes in the true spirit of the Divine Feminine, which reverberates through every chapter of her entrancing book.To travel through her words is a deep pleasure.”
– Peter Roth, founder/director of the Heart River Center for Intuitive Healing
“This book is a journey into the deepest meaning of the Christ story, the lost wisdom teachings of Jesus and Mary Magdalene, and the true meaning of the Path of Mastery. It holds you spellbound from beginning end!”
– Jennifer Walton, Ph.D.,psychologist and film producer
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