A river flowed from Eden to water the garden. Outside the garden it divided into four rivers.
Genesis 2:10
Maternal water has called to our Soul since we stepped away from Divine Union. The earliest written scriptures used maternal water as a symbol of the life giving force behind emanation to highlight our singular source. More modern terms like dark energy have replaced the symbolic nature of maternal waters and goddess images of old but that doesn’t mean water loses its potency. Whether we call it a quantum field or the waters of Nun the search for a grand unification seems to imply our universe is born from a singularity.
Outside of the garden those maternal waters divide into four rivers. These four rivers, in their most basic understanding, represented the belief that existence is born of four elements; fire, water, earth, air. Ancient philosophers like Heraclitus asserted that all becoming is the becoming of life in a never ending cycle of birth giving rise to death dying into life. He would say “it is Wisdom to confess that all things are one; all things come out of the one, and one out of all things.” The mystics of all ages have all called the visible world a myth, a tale half true and half false, embodying Logos, the truth of which is one. Eden (עֵ֔דֶן) being a place of rest representing the blissful perfection of Divine Union. It’s one of the few arenas where quantum physics seems to agree with the mystics of antiquity
Interestingly enough, Solomon uses the same Living Waters image of Eden in the Song of Songs. In chapter 4, verse 3 Solomon dotes on his betrothed and calls her “A garden fountain, a well of fresh water streaming down from Lebanon’s mountains.” The King’s marrying the Virgin Wisdom carries huge visualization to meditate on.
Mystics like Teresa of Avila wrote entire treatises on Meditating on the Song of Songs. She uses the imagery of the Bridal Chamber to describe how our souls come into relationship with Christ. While it seems somewhat erotic to put Yeshua and our souls in marital bliss this concept serves as the backbone for several meditative practices still alive in Christianity today. What’s more is several of her pieces, like the aforementioned Meditations and the Interior Castle draw striking similarities to the Hekhalot tradition found in the second temple era. She effectively gave the rest of us the language to frame christian meditation in concepts that relate to Judaism with ease.
Since we’ve already established a few allegorical concepts let’s consider why a King would associate his wife-to-be with the living water of Eden- bliss. Mayim khayim is flowing water that doesn’t sit still. Water was there in the beginning right. When we consider the feminine imagery of Mother Earth and the maternal waters it’s really easy to see where all of these esoteric practices wrapped up in bridal imagery come from. Externally, Israelite’s were well diggers. They were used to going deep into the earth to find water. Turning inwards to search the depths of ones being for Wisdom makes sense when She’s associated with living water.
The technical name for this sort of spiritual practice is bridal mysticism. It’s an ancient brand of meditation that goes way back to like the 6th Century BCE. Most of its instruction can actually be found by studying King Solomon’s life and reading the Proverbs. That’s one that doesn’t exactly transmit digitally so we won’t be getting too deep. It’s just a necessary component of the overall message here. Trust, understanding how building spiritual churches or inner temples to invite Wisdom into is one of the most important things an inward seeking Christian can do.
The one who believes in Me, as the Scripture said, ‘From his innermost being will flow rivers of living water.’
John 7:37
Whichever direction you approach the Divine from, the intellectual headspace Christ came to renew, or the deeply feminine elements of our hearts; they come into Union with one another. Gender, 2-d thinking, dualism- whichever term resonates with you- these are the trappings to be overcome. Yeshua urged us to be born anew in Water & Spirit to receive His Wisdom. It’s tuning into God by putting our hearts and heads together that He’s urging us to do. Christ is glorified when we recognize the Holy Spirit is the connecting fabric of the Universe. To turn to the Son is to give our mental energy over to Divine Understanding and seeking God in everything.
“The Father and I are One.” Adonai Echod- God is One. Solomon describes the Union of the Soul- feminine in all of us- with the King- masculine desire of expression. You are the church. Your Soul is in Sophia and the Logos is your awareness of being. Bring glory to the Groom- Logos- by allowing that Union to take hold in your heart.
(If we were person to person I would be directing you through this over several months of guided meditations and prayers. We’d create mandalas together and allow those symbols to soak in. It doesn’t translate because we can only discover union for ourselves. No intellectualized words can awaken the soul within us. So, call these breadcrumbs.)
Love and admiration to One and All.
Mystical Mindstate 