Hymn of the Pearl

A poem in the Gnostic text Acts of Thomas, which describes the sojourn of a prince sent forth by his parents to Egypt to capture “the Pearl that lies in the Sea.”

The story symbolizes the journey of the soul, who, having descended from the etheric octave, loses the memory of his origin and mission and merges with the realm of sleep. Responding to the call of his Divine Parents, he emerges as an awakened one, redeems himself and his soul, and becomes the saviour of his brothers and sisters who have met the same fate in Egypt (which represents the sensual and material, the domain of delusion and death). He finally returns to his Home of Light and fulfills the ritual of the ascension.

From the moment of his awakening, knowing that his soul is naked, the prince enters the path of redemption, weaving his Deathless Solar Body day by day. This is the wedding garment his soul must wear if she is to enter in to (1) the alchemical marriage (the soul’s permanent bonding to the Holy Christ Self) and (2) the ritual of the ascension (the Christed one’s permanent fusing to the I AM Presence).

Having “sold all that he had,” i.e., having balanced his karma and having increased thereby the rings of light around his soul (below) and around the spheres of his causal body (Above), he has “bought” with the price of trial and testing and arduous initiations on the Path the “one pearl of great price.”

In the context of religious mysticism the “Pearl” is the symbol of the soul. As Paul said, “Ye are bought with a price.” As all know who have gained their souls’ reintegration with God, known to Hindus as raja yoga, both the chela and the Guru pay dearly for the salvation of one pearl, one soul, unto eternal Life.

See also

Gnosticism

Sources

Pearls of Wisdom, vol. 32, no. 58.