What did the early Gnostic Christians mean by the “bridal chamber”? This in-depth reflection, inspired by Jean-Yves Leloup’s work, explores sacred union, Mary Magdalene’s role as teacher and apostle, and why embodiment—especially eros—was central to salvation in the Gospel of Philip.
"You don’t need to be a mystic. You don’t need to study Greek or Coptic. You just need to understand what Mary understood—that love, when it is embodied and awake, is holy." This is only one of the passages in your post that's worthy of repetition.
How did a religious tradition that began with faith in the presence of God in human flesh come to be so phobic of the body and of eros? You're calling your readers back to the light that shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not put it out.
Because once Jesus was rebranded as celibate and sexless, the body lost its dignity. If the holiest man who ever lived supposedly had no desire, then desire itself became suspect. Add in Greek dualism, and suddenly flesh = failure. Cynthia Bourgeault shows how this distortion gutted the erotic vitality at the heart of the tradition—especially when they erased Mary Magdalene as his equal.
Cynthia is a Great Resource for Sure🌹I have read her book 📕 and took Class with Her. Very Deep! Magdalena Consciousness is Rising on the Planet rn. Yeshua and Magdalena laid the foundations for this to occur…the Way of Love🌹🌹🌹
Jesus and Mary were tantric partners. Whether Jesus was a fully realized being at birth, I do not know. I assume he was. He then taught the methods by which the apostles could reach the Kingdom of Heaven and know the Heavenly Father, who by the is not the god Yahweh of the Old Testament, but is the One, the Nameless and Formless, the Divine Designer, the Cosmic Dancer, or as I and many millions of others call him, Lord Shiva.
Mary was able to unite Shakti and Shiva more quickly through her partnership with Jesus. Usually it is said if you want to go somewhere quickly, go alone. The opposite is true in tantra. The synergystic friction of a relationship will catabolize the movement of the Kundalini energy through the nadis, chakras, and granthis, leading to the evolution of the being from human to Divine being. The bridal chamber is that union of the feminine energy of the Universe within reuniting with her lover, the masculine energy of the Universe without.
Appreciate you sharing this vision. There’s a deep resonance in the idea of divine union—whether we speak of it as Christ and Sophia, or Shiva and Shakti. Language and lineage may differ, but the sacred pattern often rhymes.
In the Gospel of Mary, what strikes me is how Mary embodies the bridal chamber not as a physical act, but as an inner union—of mind, soul, and spirit—realized through direct knowledge. She sees through illusion, names the powers, and becomes what Jesus is, not through ritualized tantra, but through fearless recognition.
Where tantra speaks of energy rising through the chakras, Mary speaks of the soul’s ascent through the planetary spheres. Both point beyond form, toward a union that dissolves the self into the One. So while our symbols differ, the longing they express might be the same.
Sacred Marriage- union of masculine and feminine through tantric sexuality opens the doorways to enlightenment and ascension. Heiros Gamos is the ultimate goal of the soul🙏❤️ Thank you for putting what I “know” to be true, into such beautiful words.
I’ve been yearning to read this since, well since I stumbled over it in your plethora of posts, but it feels like since time began.
The meditation took me somewhere I’ve never been….or more accurately have but amnesia erased it. I want it back need it back like I feel I need oxygen (but maybe that’s illusion; the oxygen I mean)
Calls me to wake up with it in the morning & lie down with it at nite. That part of me that starts with a z is one more curious piece I’ve lost or forgotten & am begging to reunite again. Revived parts that were missing and presumed dead. The revival stirs & resumes with ….words fail me. The experience & truth do not. 🫶🫂
Ah yes, The Little Flowers—Christian hagiography meets medieval fan fiction. 💐
Francis and Claire? Their relationship is the original slow burn. More spiritually intense than a monastery sauna. She wasn’t just a follower...she was his mirror. They renounced the world together, but don’t let the vow of poverty fool you… they were rich in soul-intimacy.
Now Joe, you didn’t ask if they had sex...but let’s not pretend that question isn’t sitting politely in the back pew of your curiosity. 😏
My honest take? Probably not. But that’s because they were playing in a different dimension. Their bond wasn’t repressed...it was transmuted. Erotic in the old sacred sense: not about friction, but fusion. Not skin-on-skin-let-the-love-begin, but soul-to-soul. Like two candles leaning into the same flame.
That said… if Claire’s private scrolls ever surface and open with “Dearest Francis—Last night’s ecstasy…”, I will scream “I KNEW IT” loud enough to rattle the reliquaries.
Let’s talk more. I have many thoughts—and some mildly heretical footnotes.
WOW 😲 how did I find you??🌹🌹 Kallah Messiah💦Feminine Christ☝🏼I haven’t even read your work…yet I’m impressed !! Gospel of Phillip is Beautiful. The. Bridal Chamber is Sacred🔥🔥🔥I’ll site more when I can read your work more. You have given me HOPE tonight. Blessings ✨✨✨
"You don’t need to be a mystic. You don’t need to study Greek or Coptic. You just need to understand what Mary understood—that love, when it is embodied and awake, is holy." This is only one of the passages in your post that's worthy of repetition.
How did a religious tradition that began with faith in the presence of God in human flesh come to be so phobic of the body and of eros? You're calling your readers back to the light that shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not put it out.
Because once Jesus was rebranded as celibate and sexless, the body lost its dignity. If the holiest man who ever lived supposedly had no desire, then desire itself became suspect. Add in Greek dualism, and suddenly flesh = failure. Cynthia Bourgeault shows how this distortion gutted the erotic vitality at the heart of the tradition—especially when they erased Mary Magdalene as his equal.
Cynthia is a Great Resource for Sure🌹I have read her book 📕 and took Class with Her. Very Deep! Magdalena Consciousness is Rising on the Planet rn. Yeshua and Magdalena laid the foundations for this to occur…the Way of Love🌹🌹🌹
Thank you for this beautiful (& brave) article. May the Holy Spirit bring us Light to welcome into our hearts. 🙏
Beautifully said. I'm so glad people are finally talking about the Gospel of Mary.
Lots to digest here.
Jesus and Mary were tantric partners. Whether Jesus was a fully realized being at birth, I do not know. I assume he was. He then taught the methods by which the apostles could reach the Kingdom of Heaven and know the Heavenly Father, who by the is not the god Yahweh of the Old Testament, but is the One, the Nameless and Formless, the Divine Designer, the Cosmic Dancer, or as I and many millions of others call him, Lord Shiva.
Mary was able to unite Shakti and Shiva more quickly through her partnership with Jesus. Usually it is said if you want to go somewhere quickly, go alone. The opposite is true in tantra. The synergystic friction of a relationship will catabolize the movement of the Kundalini energy through the nadis, chakras, and granthis, leading to the evolution of the being from human to Divine being. The bridal chamber is that union of the feminine energy of the Universe within reuniting with her lover, the masculine energy of the Universe without.
Appreciate you sharing this vision. There’s a deep resonance in the idea of divine union—whether we speak of it as Christ and Sophia, or Shiva and Shakti. Language and lineage may differ, but the sacred pattern often rhymes.
In the Gospel of Mary, what strikes me is how Mary embodies the bridal chamber not as a physical act, but as an inner union—of mind, soul, and spirit—realized through direct knowledge. She sees through illusion, names the powers, and becomes what Jesus is, not through ritualized tantra, but through fearless recognition.
Where tantra speaks of energy rising through the chakras, Mary speaks of the soul’s ascent through the planetary spheres. Both point beyond form, toward a union that dissolves the self into the One. So while our symbols differ, the longing they express might be the same.
Thanks for weaving this into the tapestry.
Sacred Marriage- union of masculine and feminine through tantric sexuality opens the doorways to enlightenment and ascension. Heiros Gamos is the ultimate goal of the soul🙏❤️ Thank you for putting what I “know” to be true, into such beautiful words.
Thanks for this very enlightening post.
AMeN
Love and appreciate your insight ❤️
Yes! 🙌🕊️💕🇨🇦 so much yes ❤️
I’ve been yearning to read this since, well since I stumbled over it in your plethora of posts, but it feels like since time began.
The meditation took me somewhere I’ve never been….or more accurately have but amnesia erased it. I want it back need it back like I feel I need oxygen (but maybe that’s illusion; the oxygen I mean)
Calls me to wake up with it in the morning & lie down with it at nite. That part of me that starts with a z is one more curious piece I’ve lost or forgotten & am begging to reunite again. Revived parts that were missing and presumed dead. The revival stirs & resumes with ….words fail me. The experience & truth do not. 🫶🫂
Wonderful! We’ve been reading the gospel of Mary over the last week! What a treat to read your words here! 🙏💕
What a deliciously delightful way to begin my day. I am so grateful for your posts. They are such treasures. Thank you a million times! 💖✨💖
Have you read Little Flowers of St Francis? I’d be curious specifically on your take on Claire and their relationship.
Ah yes, The Little Flowers—Christian hagiography meets medieval fan fiction. 💐
Francis and Claire? Their relationship is the original slow burn. More spiritually intense than a monastery sauna. She wasn’t just a follower...she was his mirror. They renounced the world together, but don’t let the vow of poverty fool you… they were rich in soul-intimacy.
Now Joe, you didn’t ask if they had sex...but let’s not pretend that question isn’t sitting politely in the back pew of your curiosity. 😏
My honest take? Probably not. But that’s because they were playing in a different dimension. Their bond wasn’t repressed...it was transmuted. Erotic in the old sacred sense: not about friction, but fusion. Not skin-on-skin-let-the-love-begin, but soul-to-soul. Like two candles leaning into the same flame.
That said… if Claire’s private scrolls ever surface and open with “Dearest Francis—Last night’s ecstasy…”, I will scream “I KNEW IT” loud enough to rattle the reliquaries.
Let’s talk more. I have many thoughts—and some mildly heretical footnotes.
—Virgin Monk Boy 🕯️💋📿
WOW 😲 how did I find you??🌹🌹 Kallah Messiah💦Feminine Christ☝🏼I haven’t even read your work…yet I’m impressed !! Gospel of Phillip is Beautiful. The. Bridal Chamber is Sacred🔥🔥🔥I’ll site more when I can read your work more. You have given me HOPE tonight. Blessings ✨✨✨