Barbelo is from the Greek, meaning forethought. (She is also referred to as Ennoia, intention) The Barbelo is the first thought (ennoia), or emanation of the Supreme being in Gnostic creation stories, the mother of the Aeons.

She is the emanation of the First Cause, the creative principle who in turn creates (or causes to be created) the entire manifest world. In a sense, she also contains the universe within her; she is sometimes referred to as the womb of the world.

Simon Magus equated the Ennoia with Sophia, the co-creatrix who descended through the levels of material existence and became entrapped within it; it is the action of the Father-creator manifesting through the son who redeems her. Although in this case, Simon was referring to himself, Christian Gnostics put Jesus in this role.

In some texts, she is identified with the Holy Spirit, immediate and present in all things.

In kabbalah, Barbelo is equivalent to the manifestation of Chokmah from Kether; in Thelemic philosophy, she equates to Nuit.

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