THE RITE OF THE FIVE SEALS AS A FIVE-FOLD BAPTISM AND VISIONARY ASCENT**

**THE RITE OF THE FIVE SEALS AS A FIVE-FOLD BAPTISM AND VISIONARY ASCENT**  

The Rite of the Five Seals in *The Trimorphic Protennoia* is depicted as a five-fold ritual involving baptism and visionary ascent to the Upper Aeons. This sacred process is guided by five orders of angels, each consisting of three angelic beings. Through this ritual, the initiate undergoes a profound transformation, shedding their psychic and material existence to be clothed in divine Light and Gnosis.  

### **1. Stripping Off the Old and Receiving the Garment of Light**  

The first stage of the Five Seals involves a ritual cleansing, symbolized by water, which removes the initiate’s psychic and material nature. This transformative act prepares them for divine knowledge, replacing their earthly existence with illumination from the Father. *The Trimorphic Protennoia* describes this moment:  

> “I gave to him from the Water of Life, which strips him of the chaos that is in the uttermost darkness that exists inside the entire abyss, that is, the thought of the corporeal and the psychic. All these I put on. And I stripped him of it, and I put upon him a shining Light, that is, the knowledge of the Thought of the Fatherhood.” (*Trimorphic Protennoia*).  

Here, the water serves as an agent of purification, eliminating the elements of darkness and disorder. The initiate then receives a "shining Light," which represents divine knowledge and the Thought of the Father. This suggests that the ritual is not merely an external washing but an inward enlightenment that leads to spiritual rebirth.  

### **2. The Visionary Ascent and the Five Orders of Angels**  

Following the initial purification, the initiate embarks on a visionary ascent, during which they are delivered to five angelic orders. Each of these groups performs a specific function in the process of glorification and transformation:  

1. **Those Who Give Robes of Light** – The initiate is clothed in a divine robe, signifying their new, spiritual nature:  

   > “And I delivered him to those who give robes - Yammon, Elasso, Amenai - and they covered him with a robe from the robes of the Light.” (*Trimorphic Protennoia*).  

2. **The Baptizers** – The initiate undergoes immersion in the Water of Life, completing their purification:  

   > “And I delivered him to the baptizers, and they baptized him - Micheus, Michar, Mnesinous - and they immersed him in the spring of the Water of Life.” (*Trimorphic Protennoia*).  

3. **Those Who Enthrone** – The initiate is enthroned, symbolizing their authority and acceptance into the divine realm:  

   > “And I delivered him to those who enthrone - Bariel, Nouthan, Sabenai - and they enthroned him from the Throne of Glory.” (*Trimorphic Protennoia*).  

4. **Those Who Glorify** – The initiate receives divine glorification, reflecting the radiance of the Father:  

   > “And I delivered him to those who glorify - Ariom, Elien, Phariel - and they glorified him with the glory of the Fatherhood.” (*Trimorphic Protennoia*).  

5. **Those Who Snatch Away** – The initiate is taken into the Light of the Fatherhood, marking their final integration into the divine:  

   > “And those who snatch away snatched away - Kamaliel, [...]anen, Samblo, and the servants of the great holy luminaries - and they took him into the light-place of his Fatherhood.” (*Trimorphic Protennoia*).  

At this final stage, the initiate is fully transformed and sealed with the Five Seals, uniting with the divine through the Light of the Mother, Protennoia:  

> “And he received the Five seals from the Light of the Mother, Protennoia, and it was granted him to partake of the mystery of knowledge, and he became a Light in Light.” (*Trimorphic Protennoia*).  

### **3. The Structure of the Five-Fold Baptism and Visionary Ascent**  

From the textual description, the five-fold ritual can be summarized as follows:  

1. **Receiving a robe of light** – Symbolizing spiritual rebirth and divine illumination.  

2. **Baptism in the Water of Life** – A cleansing that removes the psychic and material elements.  

3. **Enthronement on the Throne of Glory** – Granting the initiate a place of authority in the divine realm.  

4. **Glorification in the Glory of the Father** – Transforming the initiate into a being of Light.  

5. **Being Snatched Away into the Fatherhood** – The final ascent, marking full integration into the Upper Aeons.  

### **Conclusion**  

The Rite of the Five Seals, as presented in *The Trimorphic Protennoia*, is a deeply symbolic process that merges baptism with mystical ascent. Through a five-fold initiation, the participant is stripped of their former nature, purified, enthroned, glorified, and ultimately absorbed into the divine Light. The involvement of angelic beings in each stage emphasizes the sacred and celestial nature of this rite. By receiving the Five Seals, the initiate transcends mortality, partakes in the mystery of knowledge, and becomes a "Light in Light," signifying their complete union with the divine realm.