Dragonthorn Chapter 3: Sophia

It was written in the Book of End Dome that Binah constructed an angel and poured a portion of his will into it, so it would seem to him that he physically moved to the vicinity of his parents Koth and Sophia, even though Binah's body, which is one of the innumerable suns, remained ever in place.

Also it was written that Sophia did not create an angel, because all the worlds revolving around him had already been visited by the angel of Koth. In time, Sophia did come to desire to have an angel, but he was not naturally crafty like Binah, nor did he have access to the lore of the elohim, which is how Koth learned to build an angel.

And in any case, the angels of Binah and Koth were taller than the trees of Gorpail, and could not move about on the surface of that world without burning everything in their path. Yet Sophia desired to experience Gorpai as though he were one of the nephilim, and this he told Binah.

And Binah replied that he had given this much thought, and had developed a procedure to attempt the thing, but it would work a grievous change in the subject nephilim that could never be undone, and might for lack of a better word be called possession.

For the mind of the elohim would be joined to the mind of the nephilim, and in the joining there would emerge a new mind wrought from the twain, yet the greater portion, seven parts in ten, would reflect the elohim who possessed rather than the nephilim who was possessed.

And it would also be a physical change involving the same link that allowed the elohim to communicate with each other instantly across great distances, such that Sophia would be immediately aware of whatever was experienced by the nephilim who was possessed by him, and likewise, the body of that nephilim would instantly respond to the will of Sophia, yet Sophia could break this bond at any time.

Binah suggested that morally the change ought to be made only to a nephilim who was appraised of all these things, yet remained full willing. Sophia agreed to this, but it would require an additional effort on Binah's part, after making the change possible, to seek out a nephilim on Gorpai and propose the change.

This in turn Binah agreed to do, not only to honor the elohim Sophia who had been his mother, but out of simple curiosity to see if his plan would work at all. So it came to pass that the angel of Binah made the journey from the interior of Sophia to Gorpai and came down from the sky in the Middle Lands which were possessed entirely by family Gerash. The fire and smoke and noise of the descent was great, and all who witnessed it fled.

But there came back a young yin named Ariel, who proved to be more valiant than any of the yangs who ran away, for the curiosity of Ariel overcame her fear. The angel of Binah bade Ariel to draw near, and to remove her shoes, for she was standing on hallowed ground. Ariel did obey, but the ground was almost too hot to walk upon.

Then Binah obtained her name, and told Ariel it was the will of Sophia, who was co-eval with Koth, to join with a nephilim and live among the people, but the thing could not be a divine commandment, but only the free will choice of the person who received the call and answered, because once the joining had taken place, it could never be undone.

Because Ariel was female, Binah presented Sophia in female terms, just as Koth and Yahweh were understood to be warrior-kings. This was not truly a deception, because the temperament of Sophia was gentle and passive, like a nephilim female, even if Sophia's body had been transformed after motherhood into that of a male according to the way of the elohim.

Ariel asked, "If I accept this thing, what will become of me?"

Binah answered her:

You will no longer be fully yourself, but neither will Sophia be fully herself. Instead, you will be a new person who is simultaneously both yourself and Sophia, and you both come to understand, as though you always knew it, everything that is known by the other.

Still Ariel hesitated.

Binah said:

Also, even if your body dies, you will live on in Sophia, where she is, for so much longer than the span of nephilim life that I cannot express it using symbols that you would understand. Your culture doesn't have the mathematics.

Then Ariel knew the gap in her own knowledge, and did assent to the proposal, but not on account of the promise of long life, but that both she and Sophia would come to know many things.

In the city of Koth on the shoulder of the holy mountain of Koth, in the center of the Middle Lands of Gorpai, it came to pass that the prophetess Ariel brought a new doctrine to the people, and the worship of Sophia began to take root in the land.

Ariel preached to the yin of the city who were her primary audience, but many yang came to listen also. All were astonished at her teachings, and she confirmed the divine orignin of her doctrine by healing the sick. And this is what Ariel said to the people at sunset after a day of healing many:

"Be constantly absorbed in the thought of Sophia and you will be one with Sophia. Awakening to Sophia-consciousness brings liberation. Those who pretend to know Sophia remain ignorant. But those who acknowledge their ignorance clear the way to growing to know Sophia.

"For it is not from ignorance that Sophia is called 'Mystery' but from Sophia's own inexhaustible depths. Therefore Sophia is not unknowable; rather, there is no end to the knowing of Sophia.

"Let those who do not know Sophia come to know Sophia by knowing you. To know Sophia is to be awakened. Delusion is gone in the case of she who has been awakened.

"Sophia is a lamp whose light is these words. The darker your thoughts, the further from Sophia you go. He who is far from Sophia is no better off than he who denies Sophia.

"He who denies Sophia hides his doubts from himself and is called fearless. She who embraces Sophia builds confidence in herself and is called courageous.

"He who denies Sophia quenches his appetites and is called satisfied. She who embraces Sophia fulfills her passions and is called joyous.

"He who denies Sophia is known by many and is called famous. She who embraces Sophia sets an example by her deeds and is called influential.

"He who denies Sophia is superior to the animals because he can control his own environment. She who embraces Sophia is superior to the Sophia-denier because she can control her own behavior.

"He who denies Sophia values that which does not multiply when shared. She who embraces Sophia empties her purse and finds her heart being fill

"He who denies Sophia greatly prizes what he cannot have. She who embraces Sophia contents herself with what is possible for her to obtain.

"He who denies Sophia accumulates many riches but cannot keep all of them safe. She who embraces Sophia has few desires, and so holds on to all that she has.

"He who denies Sophia echoes without being in agreement. She who embraces Sophia agrees without being an echo because of her inner accord with the truth.

"He who denies Sophia sees only what fits his prejudices. She who embraces Sophia sets aside bias and sees what is really happening.

"He who denies Sophia is contented only with more. She who embraces Sophia finds that what she already has suffices.

"He who denies Sophia takes from those who do not have enough to supplement his own bounty. She who embraces Sophia diminishes the overflowing to enrich the impoverished.

"He who denies Sophia sits back in moral judgment of the causes of a tragedy. She who embraces Sophia is too busy to render judgment because she is mercifully addressing the needs at hand.

"He who denies Sophia considers all yin vile and always falling short of his ideal standards. She who embraces Sophia extols her sisters over all standards, because when yin do go astray it is induced by the repression of those very same standards.

"He who denies Sophia appoints himself judge and demands to see good in others. She who embraces Sophia does good in this moment, and does not live for yesterday or for tomorrow.

"He who denies Sophia retaliates for suffering an indignity by committing another indignity. She who embraces Sophia indulges in the noblest vengeance: forgiveness.

"He who denies Sophia can do what he wills to do, but he cannot determine what he wills. She who embraces Sophia makes her own awareness of injustice the determinant of her actions.

"He who denies Sophia asks how much a person is worth, and he means, 'How much does she got?' She who embraces Sophia looks to what a person does,for that is what she is worth.

"He who denies Sophia demands to rule an entire state, but his own mind is unregulated. She who embraces Sophia benefits other without claiming authority over them.

"He who denies puts his riches and his knowledge on parade. She who embraces Sophia does not tell all that he has, nor all that he can do.

"He who denies Sophia sees fate as a thing to be accepted. She who embraces Sophia sees fate as a thing to be procured.

"He who denies Sophia would rather break in stiff pride than bend in pliable humility and admit error. She who embraces Sophia considers those who point out her faults as her most benevolent teachers.

"He who denies Sophia is blown about by every fad. She who embraces Sophia tacks against the currents of popularity and carves out her own uniqueness.

"He who denies Sophia may refuse to grow, or he may be willing to grow, but either way he remains idle. She who embraces Sophia simply grows.

"He who denies Sophia would rather learn an old thing than cultivate a new thing. She who embraces Sophia finds that creativity is the coin to buy her way.

"He who denies Sophia examines who speaks rather than listens to what is said. She who embraces Sophia knows that half of a conversation is listening.

"He who denies Sophia emits chatter, which flows from his nature. She who embraces Sophia remains silent, which flows from her understanding.

"He who denies Sophia is blindly biased in who he loves and hates. She who embraces Sophia sees the bad points in the ones she loves and the good points in the ones she hates.

"Knowledge becomes wisdom only when it is shared. Knowledge says, 'It's raining.' Wisdom says, 'In that case let's go indoors.' So the essence of embracing Sophia is knowing what to do with what you know. This is simplicity itself, it consists of the anticipation of consequences.

"The greatest revenge is not to be like him who did the injury. The greatest conqueror is she who has conquered herself."

And the great multitudes which followed Sophia began to alarm the authorities, because they were distracted from service to Koth. Now lest the people say that the laws of Koth were unjust, Ariel was arrested during the night following the Sunset Discourse and subjected to a public trial.

Zadkiel served as the prosecutor, while Ariel's dearest friend, a young yin named Kandiel, served in her defense. And on the last day of the trial, Zadkiel turned to the words of her preaching. He said, "I find it interesting that you say, 'He who denies Sophia', meaning yangs, and you also say, 'She who embraces Sophia' meaning yins. Do you imply that all women are your disciples?"

Ariel replied, "Sadly, no, the patriarchal mind-set is not confined to your gender. By these things you shall know a woman is not my disciple: She is caught up in every fad and does not affirm her uniqueness. She grows annoyed at situations she cannot help, and so she is perpetually angry. Controversies that divide yin and stir up the disciples attract her. Assuredly, no woman who does these things can call herself my disciple."

Zadkiel said, "And yet, contrary to the laws of Koth and the Gerash patriarch, you employ your disciples, and call them Amazons, which some say is an army."

Ariel said, "A patriarch gathers the wealth and scatters the people. The Amazons scatter the wealth and gather the people."

Zadkiel asked, "So you espouse redistributionism?"

Ariel replied, "I espouse only giving yin work that draws them together in service of their sisters."

Zadkiel said, "Yin, yin, yin! Where do yang fit into your schemes, Ariel?"

Ariel said, "Just as humans were called out of the animals and given free will, and just as nephilim were called out of the humans to have a closer relationship to the gods here in this world, I call the Amazons out of the nephilim that they may unite and nourish one another."

Zadkiel asked, "Do you mean lesbian separatism? I point out that such a thing is unnatural by all the laws of Koth and our ancient tradition."

Ariel replied, "It is natural to stink. It is our frequent bathing and use of perfumes that are unnatural. Do you suggest turning back the clock on personal hygiene? To the Amazons, the word 'unnatural' simply means 'not on the level of animals.'"

Then Zadkiel told the the judge he had no further questions.

Judge Xanthiel said, "The defense may question the defendant."

And Kandiel, who was Ariel's closest friend and the leader of the Amazons, said, "Thank you, your Honor. Ariel, despite all the evidence we have heard for the charge of impiety toward Koth, you still maintain your innocence. How can this be?"

Ariel said, "For most wives it is not a powerful decision to stay married, because her only alternative is to starve. In the same way, it cannot be a powerful decision to worship Koth, because the alternative is a mock trial and execution."

Kandiel said, "So you contend that any 'piety' which is compelled by law is invalid."

Ariel answered, "Exactly. Such 'piety' is as phony as the 'love' in most patriarchal marriages. How much more vital is the love of two who are utterly free to stay or part, yet who still choose to stay together!"

Kandiel said, "That sounds risky. What if one chooses to respond to the love that is offered with rejection, or even hate?"

Ariel said, "Living dangerously is the very thing that lends excitement and significance to our lives. Only with conflict can we flare with incentive to create a new destiny." 
 
Kandiel asked, "New destiny? Doesn't that go against everything we have been taught about the laws of fate?"

Ariel said, "Koth once told me that to take fate into one's hands was to rise beyond good and evil. Well, a rock and a tree are beyond good and evil, and so is everyone who submits to the laws of cause and chance. Rocks, trees, and people who don't choose are amoral. The entire field of ethics simply doesn't apply to them."

Kandiel asked, "So you don't think High Lord Patriarch Kirodiel Gerash ought to legislate morality?"

Ariel said, "Not that he ought not to but he literally can not. Its a logical impossibility."

Kandiel said, "But he has laws against stealing or murder. Shall with dispense with those?"

Ariel replied, "Not at all. I'm just saying the state cannot compel love for Koth and still call it love. That's why I'm not guilty."

And Kandiel said, "The defense rests."