But She—

the Spirit-the Paraclete whom She will send to you-my Father-in my name

—She will teach you everything;

She will remind you of that which I have told you.

“The History of Her Story”

“In both the Hebrew and Aramaic language the word spirit is in the feminine gender but in the Greek language it is neuter. It is the Greek neuter word, pnuema, that was employed by the ancient Septuagint translators of the Hebrew Old Testament when they translated the feminine ruach into Greek. The authors who wrote in Greek were limited in expressing the Holy Spirit in the feminine by the constraints of the language. In addition, signposts directing one to the feminine nature of the Holy Spirit may have been removed or altered. Bart Ehrman, writes in his book, The Orthodox Corruption of Scripture, that from his comparative analysis, the Orthodox Church altered the texts to counter various beliefs considered heresies, especially during the time of Marcion, when they were compiling their own canon of the four gospels. It was the early gospel of John that was a favorite of the Gnostics and considered heretical by the Orthodox Church according to textual critic Walter Bauer. What if to sustain their developing male hierarchy and to contain the growth of the Marcionite and Gnostic churches and their attractiveness to women, the orthodox revisionists altered additional signposts to this feminine aspect of the Holy Spirit and emphasized their modified canon to counter Marcion’s canon of Luke and the Pauline letters and the Gnostics beliefs? When we add the evidence in the scope of scripture and the historical evidence of conflict between the Orthodox Church and the Gnostics, I believe one can consider this likely.”

(It is also interesting to note in the context of early church history that the Gnostics’ writings rarely refer to the orthodox canon of the four gospels and over time refer less and less to it. Could it have been that they were aware of the revisions concerning the feminine gender of the Holy Spirit and had no desire to give credence to the altered canon used by the Orthodox Church to stifle them? This, I believe, eventually worked to their detriment, because it seems that groups of Gnostics diverged widely from the scripture as a whole. Could it be that they, in their portion of separation, were eventually reversed and, in a different manner, twisted in disarray?)

“When we move forward and consider the witness of the stars where no man’s hand can make alterations, the feminine gender of the Holy Spirit becomes more likely. Moses, in writing the book of Genesis, proclaims that the luminous celestial bodies in the darkness of night’s heaven and the sun’s brilliant light are for signs. Signs are symbols that point to something beyond themselves. Half of the major constellations are named with Semitic words that are feminine. In fact, within and in proximity to many of these major constellations are signs that point to a male-female interrelation. Joseph Seiss’ book The Gospel of the Stars, states that the two figures in Gemini, according to the most ancient Zodiac of Dendra, are not identical twins but those of a man and woman walking hand in hand. He goes on to say, that the word Gemini in the original Hebrew, Arabic and Syriac does not carry so much the idea of two brought forth at the same birth as it does the idea of a long betrothal brought to its consummation in perfect marriage. The old Coptic name of this sign signifies “The completely joined.” The constellation of Virgo, which represents the woman about to bring forth, has above it in the sky the constellation Bootes that is named with a masculine noun. Peter, in his second epistle, calls light in darkness and the dawning sun a “more sure word of prophecy” than even the voice from heaven heard on the Mount of Transfiguration.” (II Peter 1:19)

Beauty and Joy, Grace and Refuge: Living in the Presence of the Mother Divine

Mother Revealed by Anandamayi Ma

Selections from the Wisdom-Legacy of Paramahansa Yogananda

In Nature you behold the Mother aspect of God, full of beauty, gentleness, tenderness, and kindness.

God as Divine Mother ever watches over Her human children, peeping through the caring hearts of all true mothers.

God’s unconditional mercy is expressed in the mother. The mother’s instinctive love and forgiveness, no matter what her child has done, shows us that God will ultimately forgive the sins of all human beings.

That is why I like to relate to God not as the grim Deity of some prophets, but as the Mother Divine waiting to forgive all and take them back after their freewill wanderings on the error-strewn pathways of incarnations.

Like an insistent child, constantly call to the Divine Mother until She says: “All right, what is it you want?” She is so busy with creation, She doesn’t reply at once; but to the naughty child who cries and cries for Her, She will come.

The Divine Mother is most anxious to have you back with Her, but first you must prove to Her that you want Her alone. You must cry urgently and unceasingly; then She smiles and is with you instantly. Divine Spirit has no partiality; the Mother loves all. But Her devotees appreciate Her love, respond to Her love. I see the effect on people who have gained a little human love, or a little money — how happy they are! But if they could see what strength, what joy, what love is in the Divine Mother, they would fly away from all else.

Divine Mother, I heard Thy voice in the speaking fragrance of the rose. I heard Thy voice in the lisping whispers of my devotion. I heard Thy voice beneath the din of my noisiest thoughts. It was Thy love that spoke through the voice of friendship. I touched Thy tenderness in the softness of the lily.

O Divine Mother, break the dawn and show Thy face of light! Break the sun and show Thy face of power! Break the night and show Thy moonèd face! Break my thoughts and show Thy face of wisdom! Break my feelings and show Thy face of love! Break my pride and show Thy face of humbleness! Break my wisdom and show Thy face of perfection!

As I called to Thee in the wilderness of my loneliness, Thou didst burst through the dawn to greet me with Thy joy. Thou didst emerge from the molten door of the sun to pour Thy power into the pores of my life. Thou didst tear away the night of my ignorance to reveal Thy silver rays of speaking silence! 

While others waste their time, meditate, and you will see that in meditation that Silence will speak to you….

Everywhere I see the Divine Spirit manifesting in form as the Mother.

Water condensed becomes ice, and so invisible Spirit can be frozen into form by my devotion’s frost.

If only you could see the beautiful eyes of the Mother that I beheld last night.

My heart is filled with joy eternal.

The little cup of my heart cannot hold the joy and the love that I beheld in those eyes — looking at me, sometimes smiling. I said to Her, “Oh! and people call You unreal!” and Divine Mother smiled.

“It is You who are real and all things else are unreal,” I said, and the Divine Mother smiled again.

I prayed, “O Mother, be Thou real unto all.”

There are two kinds of seekers: those who are like the baby monkey and those who are like the kitten.

The baby monkey clings to the mother; but when she jumps, it may fall off.

The little kitten is carried about by the mother cat, content wherever she places it. The kitten has complete trust in its mother.

I am more like that; I give all responsibility to the Divine Mother.

But to maintain that attitude takes great will. Under all circumstances — health or sickness, riches or poverty, sunshine or gray clouds — your feeling must remain unruffled. Even when you are in the coal bin of suffering you don’t wonder why the Mother placed you there.

You have faith that She knows best. Sometimes an apparent disaster turns into a blessing for you….

Gloom is but the shade of Divine Mother’s hand outstretched caressingly. Don’t forget that.

Sometimes, when the Mother is going to caress you, a shadow is caused by Her hand before it touches you.

So when trouble comes, don’t think that She is punishing you;

Her hand overshadowing you holds some blessing as it reaches out to bring you nearer to Her.

There is no greater experience than to feel and know that the Cosmic Mother is with you.

Watch for the presence of the Mother, because She will look after you in every way….

Pray, “Mother, I am Thy child. Reveal Thyself!”

If you send this appeal to (Her/God) as the Divine Mother night and morning, unceasingly, She will manifest Herself unto you. 

— Paramahansa Yogananda

In creating this universe God revealed two aspects: the masculine or fatherly, and the feminine or motherly.

If you close your eyes and visualize vast, illimitable space, you become overwhelmed and enthralled — you feel naught but pure wisdom.

That hidden, infinite sphere wherein there is no creation, no stars or planets — only pure wisdom — is the Father.

And Nature with her diamond-dazzling stars, the Milky Way, the flowers, birds, clouds, mountains, sky — the countless beauties of creation — is the Divine Mother.

In Nature you behold the mother aspect of God, full of beauty, gentleness, tenderness, and kindness.

The beauty in the world bespeaks the creative motherly instinct of God, and when we look upon all the good in Nature, we experience a feeling of tenderness within us — we can see and feel God as Mother in Nature.

The Divine Mother is most anxious to have you back with Her, but first you must prove to Her that you want Her alone.

You must cry urgently and unceasingly; then She smiles and is with you instantly.

Divine Spirit has no partiality; the Mother loves all. But Her devotees appreciate Her love, respond to Her love.

I see the effect on people who have gained a little human love, or a little money — how happy they are!

But if they could see what strength, what joy, what love is in the Divine Mother, they would fly away from all else.