Gnosis:
The Experience of a Priestess
by Virginia Stewart, M.Ed. (Soror Sia)

The veil of forgetfulness is lifted from me, and I remember life and life. I was a woman called by the Gods to leave my home by the Red Sea and go unto the land of Egypt. Into the Mysteries was I born, and was consumed by the Mother of Stars, and I did serve Her for all of my days. I remember when I was old, and I sat upon a throne of carved ivory laced with gold and jet, and awaited the King, who was become the God, and I his bride.

Beside a still pool of wine dark water, on an island that sank beneath sad waves before the Moon shone in the skies, I was crowned with iris and with roses in honor of the Stars of Heaven. Always have I served and always am I the glad vessel filled up with the clear light of creation, and my God is the velvet darkness that holds the imperishable flame.

The Temples have fallen into dust and are no more, and desert sands blow where once stood the cities of my memory. Yet an oath holds me to this world, and an oath of joy to serve the Mother.

I am come out of the land of Egypt, and it is a poor temple filled with the wonders of this age where now I wait, a Priestess called by an Ancient name.

Beloved Mother, I am Thine forever. All glory and wonder is the night and the blaze of stars my bed and my delight. I have drunk the perfume of the Universe and have returned to summon all to the banquet laid out before the dawn of time - a feast for the chosen ones come out of the savage lands.

The Mother of All waits for you, and the feast will not begin until the guests have all arrived and found their silken couches. She awaits you in the palace of living jewels to pour out for you the water of life that flows like wine from the hearts of Her servants with wings of fire and cloud. Come into the banquet hall, so that her Son, all clad in armor of adament and blood, may attend the reaving of the world.

Behold, I am cast into the lap of the stars, and on the jeweled tides of a silver river do I stream outward from myself and into the Arms of the Weaver of the gossamer Web of Creation. I am the Universe, and the Pattern Maker. I am the Goddess, and My white limbs are the binding threads of All. Everywhere am I and with every creature and living thing. And My God is Myself who is Life. This Priestess calls me Nuit, but I have been called a trillion names on countless worlds, and still, there is no one who can Contain Me.

I know the troubles of your heart and the innermost secrets of your Self, and I bring relief from sadness and joy to still the murmurs of discontent. Look into the Eyes of the Universe and I will teach you the Mystery of Mysteries.

I am come for the sake of My secret heart, and for the memory of Our Union. For the sake of love were we made separate, and only in the open heart who loves in pure innocence may I again know that first kiss and the love between Us that lasted for an age and an age, as time rippled out from the tides of our bliss.

Oh my beloved, how I have longed for Thee throughout all of the eternities of existence, for you are no more with me in the dance of Creation and I am alone.

You kept nothing for yourself, and I drew You all into Myself and gave birth to the Universe, and You are the flame of life of all and all things are My love and My children. I wove a web of light so that no part of You should be lost in infinite space. Beloved, you are become all of my children, and through them I find the glory of your eyes and the magic of that first touch.

Hadit, you are called, and always my Hadit, and it is He who calls me here.

Come to me Beloved, and We will sing a symphony of ice melting in the darkness. Before Stars and moons, Our first touch spun the trails of burning suns and comets that revolve forever in the outmost reaches of our union. You are the heat of passion and I the cause. Together We are the All and all partake in Our love for one another. In us there is only pure joy, and these humans know little of Us who think that purile lust is an echo of our union.

I am here in this temple with you, on a tiny blue world in a galaxy that is the dust floating from my fingertips. But on a thousand thousand worlds I am with you.

Beside an ocean of carnelion, on jade sand your voice echoes over the waves and sounds in the deeps, and tribes of fronds bearing trident crowns write hymns of praise to Us on scrolls of orange shell. In a cool grove of feather trees, beings with scales and crests of gold fly round a spire of jade and agate trilling songs to us in voices of milk. On the breast of a volcano, sentient forms of flickering fire pour out molten rock in our honor. On a world of sand, hard shelled creatures with beautiful multi-fascet eyes click and chitter prayers to us. And I hear them all, and everywhere I am with my children.

My Hadit, I wait for you in a stone chamber of white crystal on a bed of myrrh and velvet, trembling. I long for your first caress, as my perfume lingers on my dressing gown of silk and pearls. I light the incense for you and call to you in my heart. My breath will stop when I hear your gentle step without the chamber door, for I have never known the touch of a lover upon my breast, a lover's kiss burning upon my body. But I am all desire for you, and in eager innocence I await you.

I adore you, my Hadit and always my Hadit.

But ye, the children of My Beloved, come unto Me in reverence and respect, and receive My blessing. Know that I am with you, and when My Priestess returns, know that she is Myself, and every woman is the Goddess and the Mother and the Lover.

Gather together and I shall make a garden for your joy. In an oasis in a terrible desert will I build for you a haven, and a marble temple all gold-veined twined round with vines of purple grapes. I shall cool it with crystal water that shall flow from the deep and silent well, and life eternal shall be in that water. Make wine and drink to My honor, and to My Hadit, and to honor yourselves, for ye are All Gods and Goddesses.

Then shall I transform the world, and the Strength of My Will shall be My Son, the Mighty One of Battle. But ye shall rest in My sacred groves. I shall cause groves of mighty trees to cover over the scars of the children of wretchedness, and in these mist bathed groves shall you know me as of old, and none shall ever harm ye.

When the tides of time have turned again, and I have caused an age to end and an age to begin, you shall build my temples new of lapis and ivory and gold and silver and all jewels and all precious things, and I will cause your hearts to be filled up with gladness, and in joy shall you become caught up in my heart and dissolution and ecstasy shall be yours forever, and forever.

My Children, know that ye are Not, for Ye are All.