Crafting a song in poetry, from whatever words and phrases arrive during Lectio Divina.

Saying 67 in The Gospel of Philip says “Truth did not come into the world naked, but veiled with images and archetypes; otherwise it cannot be received.” This batch of Philip sayings circles a single territory: the mystery of seeing. Cynthia Bourgeault calls it the Eye of the Heart — the organ of perception that sees by becoming, that enters what it beholds and is transformed by it.

The Gospel of Philip sayings come first, then the poem, the song:

Saying 16 (LeLoup)
The truth is sown everywhere, existing since the beginning; some see it at the time it is sown, but few still see it at the time of harvest.

Saying 44 (LeLoup) — the heart of the poem
It is impossible for anyone to see the everlasting reality and not become like it.
Those who see the sun do not become the sun; those who see the sky, the earth, or anything that exists, do not become what they see.

But when you see something in this other space, you become it.
If you know the Breath, you are the Breath.

In this Temple Space you become all things, and you see yourself no more; and in that All-Other you become all things, and never cease to be yourself.

Saying 52 (LeLoup)
A donkey hitched to a mill wheel can travel a hundred miles, but when you untie him, he is still in the same place. There are people who walk a great deal, and never get anywhere. When evening falls, there is nothing to be seen on the horizon — no village, no creature, no higher power, no angel to be seen.

Saying 56 (LeLoup)
When a blind man and one who sees are both in the dark, there is no difference between them; but when they both come into the light, one sees it, and the other remains in darkness.

Saying 67 (LeLoup)
Truth did not come into the world naked, but veiled with images and archetypes; otherwise it cannot be received. In passing through the image, the bridegroom is led into the truth.

Saying 113 (LeLoup)
Our breath seeks another breath, our intelligence seeks intelligence, and every clarity seeks its light.

Become more human, and humans will love you; become more spiritual, and the Spirit will unite with you. If you become more clear, the light will unite with you.

Saying 26 (LeLoup) 
“The Logos is the secret of all. Some who know themselves have known it.”

“See and perceive great wonders.” Jacob Boehme 

“A true revelation from above can take place in the guise of a scarcely perceptible inner whispering. Far from imposing itself through force, authentic spiritual experience sometimes requires very awake and very concentrated attention so as not to let it pass by unnoticed.” Valentin Tomberg, Meditations on the Tarot, p644

Still Eye of Beholding

See and perceive great wonders.

Those who see the sun
do not become the sun.
See the everlasting reality —
become like it.

If you know the Breath,
you are the Breath.

The truth is sown everywhere.
Some see it at the time it is sown,
few still see it at the time of harvest.

In the beholding, you become.

There are people who walk
and never get anywhere.
When evening falls, there is nothing —
no higher power, no angel to be seen.

A blind man and one who sees —
both in the dark,
no difference.
When they come into the light,
one sees, and the other
remains in darkness.

Become more human,
and humans will love you;
become more spiritual,
and the Spirit will unite with you.

Only those who have become
the same can see.
Every clarity seeks its light.

In the beholding, you become.

Truth,
veiled in image,
waits for the eye
that will enter it.

Revelation flows
through scarcely perceptible
inner whispering.

In the beholding, you become. 

In that All-Other

you become all things

and never cease
to be yourself.

William Britten

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Quotations from the Gospel of Philip from Jean-Yves LeLoup, Gospel of Philip, (Inner Traditions: 2004)

Valentin Tomberg, Meditations on the Tarot, Jeremy Tarcher, 1985

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