Eugene, Oregon USA
Gnosis
And thou, child, shalt be called the prophet of the Highest: for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways; to give gnosis of salvation unto his people by the remission of their sins, through the tender mercy of our Theos; whereby the dayspring from on high hath visited us, to give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.
- Luke 1:76-79
What is Gnosis?
by Instructor of Gnosis
Gnosis is a Greek word (γνώσις) that means "knowledge," and imparts several important meanings:
1. The word Gnosis refers to the knowledge we acquire through our own experience, as opposed to knowledge that we are taught simply to believe. Gnosis - by whatever name in history or culture - is conscious, experiential knowledge, not merely intellectual or conceptual knowledge, belief, or theory. This term is synonymous with the Hebrew "daath" and the Sanskrit "jna."
2. Gnosis is the method to acquire experiential knowledge of the highest levels of existence.
3. Gnosis is the core spiritual wisdom or mystical knowledge within all religions.
“The knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you [the Disciples], but not to them [the public]." - Jesus, Matt. 13:11
“Unto you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God: but unto them that are without [exoteric], all these things are done in parables...” - Jesus, Mark 4:11
But without a parable spake he not unto them [the general public]: and when they were alone, he expounded all things to his disciples. - Jesus, Mark 4:33-34
...there is every reason to believe that all so-called secret schools of the ancient world were branches from one philosophic tree which, with its root in heaven and its branches on the earth, is--like the spirit of man--an invisible but ever-present cause of the objectified vehicles that give it expression. The Mysteries were the channels through which this one philosophic light was disseminated, and their initiates, resplendent with intellectual and spiritual understanding, were the perfect fruitage of the divine tree, bearing witness before the material world of the recondite source of all Light and Truth.
- Manly P. Hall, The Secret Teachings of All Ages (1928)
There are ignorant people who speak flowery words and take delight in the letter of the law, saying that there is nothing else.
- Krishna, Bhagavad Gita, Chapter 2:42-43
...Continued from the Home page...
“Vanity of vanities,” saith the Preacher, “vanity of vanities; all is vanity.”
- King Solomon, Ecclesiastes 1:1
“But on these subjects much and that of a mystical kind, might be said; in keeping with which is the following: It is good to keep close the secret of a king, (Tobit xii, 7), in order that the doctrine of the entrance of souls into bodies, not, however, that of the transmigration from one body into another, may not be thrown before the common understanding, nor what is holy given to the dogs, nor pearls be cast before swine. For such a procedure would be impious, being equivalent to a betrayal of the mysterious declaration of God's Wisdom." - Origen (185-254 AD), Origen against Celsus, bk. V, ch. xxix.
The blind faith of episteme is built upon the sands of intellectual theory. No matter how convincing this type of knowledge may appear, it is inevitably washed away by the tides of time and more convincing theories. The conscious faith of gnosis is built upon the rock of experiential understanding. No passing of time nor clever theories can erode this type of understanding.
Within every great sacred tradition there has existed a gnostic teaching as well as an epistemic teaching. The gnostic teaching, by any other name, is traditionally esoteric by nature. The word esoteric means “that which is within, hidden, secret”. The epistemic teaching is traditionally exoteric by nature, which means “that which is outward, public, known”. Both the hidden and public teachings are important to humanity and both have their necessity.
Nevertheless, exoteric religions provide an important entry point into the study, exploration and practice of spiritual principles. Sincere aspirants whom persist within the exoteric framework of any great religion will grow in spiritual understanding and devotion to Truth despite whatever organizational, political and doctrinal prejudices may mislead those less determined. Traditionally, aspirants develop for quite a period of time within the exoteric structure of religion before the doors of mystery open to them allowing entrance to the esoteric path.
No matter what outer forms so many different religions present, the esoteric, gnostic teaching is always the same. In the same way that mankind presents such a wide variety of faces, shapes, colors, cultures, etc. the exoteric aspects of religion are beautifully diverse. But just like the many faces of mankind share the same humanity, the many faces of religion share the same heart. This heart is known to those who study and practice the esoteric teaching of any sacred tradition. And the true beauty of every sacred tradition is understood beyond the exoteric forms and ideological prejudices. This is why someone like Plato, raised within the religious forms of the Greek tradition, could be initiated into the mystery schools of Egypt without conflict, despite the presentation of a different religious form and pantheon than that of his Athenian heritage.
This is why Gnosis is referred to as “the doctrine of the synthesis”. The root knowledge of Gnosis is at the heart, the root of every sacred tradition. It contains the essential science of awakening every human being needs in order to know the mysteries of life and death directly.
The hallmarks of true Gnosis are seen in the world's greatest human beings: profound compassion, penetrating wisdom, and Divine intelligence.
The outward, exoteric teaching is the face by which the religions of the world are known. Because this type of understanding is relatively superficial it has a marked tendency to breed fanaticism and intolerance between religions. Literal understandings and borrowed concepts inevitably find their conclusion in conflict. Unfortunately, organized religion ends up defined by the followers of one belief system fearfully huddling together in defiance of the followers of other belief systems, all systems invoking the exclusive protection of the same Divinity.
The esoteric teaching is referred to as internal, hidden, a mystery for good reason. The Gnostic esoteric teaching within every sacred tradition is what is called a direct path teaching. This is a teaching that is both radical and revolutionary in its purpose. The correct application of this teaching results in Angels and the incorrect in Demons. There is no in-between. There is no luke-warm. Because of this reality, the esoteric teaching has been carefully guarded within every sacred tradition and within what has become known in history as schools of mystery, or Mystery Schools. Traditionally these mysteries have been disseminated to those few who have demonstrated the virtue and dedication to utilize these teachings responsibly, with the good of all mankind and the kingdoms of nature at heart.
As can be seen, the Gnostic esoteric teaching is traditionally known as a mystery teaching because it is veiled to the uninitiated, hidden from the general public. It is also called a mystery teaching as an acknowledgment to the secret process that unfolds within every initiate who utilizes it. This process of unfoldment is known as Self-realization. This process unveils the mysteries within every human soul to the very depths of Being...and even non-Being. Every initiate passes through countless internal veils in his/her process that reveal a new mystery at every stage. S/he is called an initiate (to initiate = to begin), because every mystery unveiled is a new beginning on one’s initiatic path.
Regarding the initiatic process, it is important to understand that all true initiations are internal, are transformations of the Human Soul to the very core of it’s Being. Such initiations are not bought or sold, nor physically awarded with ornaments, robes and titles. Such initiations cannot be taken away by any person or organization as they are internal, personal and very real.
The Three Factors
The esoteric initiatic process of Self-realization taught within the inner sanctum of any truly sacred tradition is always the same. There are always Three Factors for the Revolution of the Consciousness: Birth, Death and Sacrifice. The entirety of The Great Work is found within the complete realization of these Three Factors. The Three Factors are the soil, water and sunlight necessary for the germination and growth of the flower of Wisdom.
The term Mystical Birth is a reference to the science of being “born again”. It is a science, not a matter of belief. The only thing born of belief is theory. Mystical Birth refers to the scientific principles behind the birth and development of the Human Soul. This science is referred to by the Medieval Alchemists as The Great Arcanum (“The Great Secret”). The scientific principles of this secret are veiled within the symbols, language and tools of Alchemy.
The first miracle of Jesus Christ at the wedding feast of Cana is a work of Alchemy. The transformation of water into wine symbolizes the process of being born again. This is a science Jesus later describes to Nicodemus as being “born of water and of the Spirit”. The Secret of the Dakinis and the Highest Tantra Yoga (i.e. in Buddhism and Hinduism) of the East are works of Alchemy, the means to be “twice-born” and acquire the “diamond soul” (vajra-sattva). The dual cultivation of Taoism is a work of Alchemy, the way to “be born into a higher plane of immortal life”.
Within the didactic of Gnosis is the science of balance and regeneration. But it is only through the practical utilization of this science that one may experience these inevitable results. Gnosis is the type of knowledge that is only received by action, direct experience. It is not the intellectual knowledge of theories and ideas. Intellectual knowledge is referred to in Greek by the word episteme. To know about a certain person by name, to have heard of that person is the knowledge of episteme. To actually know the person through a direct relationship with that person is an example of gnosis. To study about the experience of an earthquake in a seismology class is an example of the knowledge of episteme. To experience an actual earthquake is the knowledge of gnosis. To study the scriptures, theories and commandments of sacred tradition is an example of episteme. To have direct experience of the Truth behind the scriptures, theories and commandments of sacred tradition is the understanding of gnosis. To be taught to believe in some form of Divinity or Absolute Truth is the blind faith of episteme. Yet, to experience the Divinity of Absolute Truth directly is the conscious faith of gnosis.
The Factor of Mystical Death refers to the end of the fundamental principles of suffering and associated ignorance. The source of suffering and ignorance within any person is the persistent clinging to a subjective sense of self. Internal and physical perception is conditioned by this sense of “I” that is referred to in Gnosis as ego (Latin for “I”). The word “ego” is commonly perceived these days to be a reference to arrogance, vanity. From the mystical perception any sense of self comes from the existence of ego, whether or not it is associated with pride, anger, lust, fear, greed or any other subjective form of perception. Arrogance, vanity, self-cherishing: these are the very root of experiencing any ego. By definition the experience of “I” is vanity.
“Naught is said unto you [Muhammad] save what was said unto the messengers before you.” - Islam. Qur'an 41.43
This truth is the heart message of every religion: seeking to awaken the consciousness and eliminate suffering, so that the eternal light may be known through our own direct experience - Gnosis. This light of spiritual wisdom has expressed itself in many forms (i.e. religions) according to the needs of any particular time and place, but all these forms spring from that one light: the one true religion. The great founders of all the world’s great religions came in order to remind humanity of the One Source:
“Oh Lord, please, please remove this ‘It is I’ that stands between us.” - Sufi Rabi’a al-‘Adawiyya
“If any man will come after me, let him deny himself...” - Jesus, Matthew 16:24
The secret of these teachings is profound... - Krishna, Baghavad Gita 4:3
The Master said, "I have transmitted what was taught to me without making up anything of my own. I have been faithful to and loved the Ancients."
- Confucianism. Confucius, Analects 7.1
“That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us.” - Jesus, John 17:21
I have seen an ancient Path, an ancient road traversed by the rightly enlightened ones of former times. - Buddhism. Sakyamuni Buddha, Samyutta Nikaya ii.106
Neither agitated by grief nor hankering after pleasure, they live free from lust and fear and anger...Fettered no more by selfish attachments, they are neither elated by good fortune nor depressed by bad.”
- Krishna, Bhagavad Gita 2:55
Pleasures conceived in the world of the senses have a beginning and an end and gave birth to misery, Arjuna. The wise do not look for happiness in them.
- Krishna, Bhagavad Gita 5:22
The ignorant work for their own profit, Arjuna; the wise work for the welfare of the world, without thought for themselves.
- Krishna, Bhagavad Gita 3:25-26
...for the goal of all work is spiritual wisdom.
- Krishna, Bhagavad Gita 4:33
1) rebellion to tradition
2) thirst for spiritual knowledge
are a direct effect of the influence of Aquarius, the most revolutionary sign of the zodiac. Aquarius is the water bearer. Its occult significance is knowledge, the bringer of knowledge.
The goal of knowledge (gnosis) and the goal of service are the same; those who fail to see this are blind. Perfect renunciation is difficult to attain without performing action. But the wise, following the path of selfless service (sacrifice), quickly reach Brahman.
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-Krishna, Bhagavad Gita 5:4-6
For the crime of having accompanied Jesus Christ in the holy land, and because of having celebrated our rituals within Rome’s catacombs, we, the Gnostics, faced the lions in the circus of Rome. Then later, in time, we were burnt alive in the flames of the Roman Catholic inquisition. Previously, we were the mystical Essenes of Palestine. So, we are not improvising opportunist doctrines. We were hidden for twenty centuries, but now we are returning once again to the street in order to carry on our shoulders the old, rough, and heavy cross.
Paul of Tarsus took our doctrine to Rome. Yes, he was a Gnostic Nazarene.
Jesus-Christ taught our doctrine in secrecy to his seventy disciples.
The Sethians, Peratae, Carpocratians, Nazarenes and Essenes were Gnostics. The Egyptian and Aztec mysteries, the mysteries of Rome, Troy, Carthage, of Eleusis, India, of the Druids, Pythagoreans, Kambirs, of Mithra and Persia, etc., are in their depth that which we call Gnosis or Gnosticism.
We are now once again opening the ancient Gnostic Sanctuaries, which were closed with the arrival of the Dark Age. Thus, we are now opening the authentic Initiatic Colleges.
- Samael Aun Weor, The Major Mysteries
Following the Universal Way of life means practicing selflessness and extending virtue to the world unconditionally.
- Lao Tse, Hua Hu Ching, Chapter 4
The Universal One reveals the truth contained in this scripture to those who cultivate themselves not for their own sake, nor only half for their sake and half for others. The Universal One reveals this profundity to those who cultivate themselves for the sake of all, for this is the highest level of virtue.
- Lao Tse, Hua Hu Ching, Chapter 16
“Lo! We inspired you [O Muhammad] as We inspired Noah and the prophets after him, as We inspired Abraham and Ishmael and Isaac and Jacob and the tribes, and Jesus and Job and Jonah and Aaron and Solomon, and as we imparted unto David the Psalms; and messengers We have mentioned to you before and messengers We have not mentioned to you... messengers of good cheer and of warning, in order that mankind might have no argument against God after the messengers. God was ever Mighty, Wise.” - Islam. Qur'an 4.163-65
“They live in wisdom who see themselves in all and all in them, who have renounced every selfish desire and sense craving tormenting the heart.
- Krishna, Bhagavad Gita 2:55-57
Unquestionably, at the end of the nineteenth century and at the beginning of the twentieth century, many respectable, knowledgeable, occultist intelligences transmitted unto humanity a simple, elementary teaching. It is clear that such persons only proposed to publicly teach the first letters of the secret doctrine. At that time, they did not linger too much in the analysis of the evolving and devolving laws. Rudolf Steiner already affirmed, in 1912, that they, the initiates of that epoch, had only delivered an incipient, elementary knowledge, but that much later, a superior esoteric doctrine of transcendental nature would be given unto humanity. Now, we are delivering this type of superior esoteric doctrine. - Samael Aun Weor, Hell, The Devil and Karma (1973)
Black Magic appeals to the mass mind. It appeals to the principles of our civilization. It offers something for nothing. As long as there is cupidity in the human heart, it will remain as a menace to the honesty and integrity of our race. - Manly P. Hall, Magic: a Treatise on Esoteric Ethics
“Whenever the Law declines and the purpose of life is forgotten, I manifest myself on earth. I am born in every age to protect the good, to destroy evil, and to re-establish the Law.” - Hinduism. Krishna, Bhagavad Gita 4.7-8
“Think not that I have come to abolish the law and the prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. For truly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the law until all is accomplished.”
- Christianity. Jesus, Matthew 5.17-18
A New Age
On February 4, 1962, this humanity entered the Age of Aquarius. With the arrival of this new celestial influence, society underwent a significant shift: tremendous social rebellions against the status quo, the challenging of religious and political authorities, sexual experimentation, etc. With this influence arrived a strong spiritual longing, a deep thirst for authentic spiritual experience. These two elements:
I know that treasures pass away and that the Eternal is not reached by the transient. I have thus laid the fire of sacrifice of Nachiketas, and by burning in it the transient I have reached the Eternal.
- Death, Katha Upanishad
"There is scarcely any goodness without sacrifice and it seems that the more virtuous and noble of men are intended to make such sacrifices, . . . so that their virtues may be put to the test."
- Ludwig Van Beethoven, Notebook (1819)
I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. - Paul of Tarsus, Romans 12:1
"But it is not this way with you, but the one who is the greatest among you must become like the youngest, and the leader like the servant. For who is greater, the one who reclines at the table or the one who serves? Is it not the one who reclines at the table? But I am among you as the one who serves.” - Jesus, Luke 22:26
With the development of ego one develops a sense of self that depends on certain mental, emotional and physical stimuli to be relevant. The psychology of a person is a mental and emotional construct of many egos that interact mechanically with both psychological and physical realities. These psychological aggregates react mechanically to certain external and internal stimuli: “If this happens I am happy. If that happens I am sad.” If we seek true spiritual development, and true happiness, then the ego is the first thing we must be willing to deny.
Mystical Birth is impossible without Mystical Death. The old must die as the new is born. The seed must die in itself in order to germinate and become a tree. The Path of Self-realization is impossible without Mystical Death. It is not the self of ego or personality that the initiate seeks to realize. It is the very Being, the Divine Spirit, that is the Self of Self-realization. The ego must be comprehended and annihilated to accomplish the work of Self-realization, because it is a false sense of self that stands between any person and his/her inner Divinity. Our delusions arise from this sense of self and cause us suffering, preventing us from seeing and experiencing the truth of any phenomenon.
Our level of ignorance or our level of conscious awareness is directly equivalent to how conditioned we are in ego.
Our degree suffering or our degree of tranquility is directly equivalent to how conditioned we are in ego.
Our sense of separateness or our experience of unity is directly equivalent to how conditioned we are in ego.
The Factors of Birth and Death walk hand in hand on the Path of Initiation. One is not complete without the other. The Factor of Sacrifice is the nature of the Path and the inspiration for it. The initiate must learn to consciously sacrifice of himself; his ideas, his feelings, his actions...the embodiments of his sense of self, his ego.
For the one who persists, any sense of self must be dissolved into the awareness and unity of all things. As this awareness deepens so does the initiate’s compassion. A path that began through selfish ambition becomes a Path of Self-realization for the happiness and betterment of all beings. In the end, only the ones who understand Sacrifice completely can complete the Path.
With the new age came a revolution of knowledge. It was time for the doors of mystery to be opened wide. After untold ages of carefully guarded secrecy the hidden knowledge was brought into the light of day. This revelation came as a light shining in the night of this dark age of Kali Yuga. It was a life raft thrown to a drowning humanity so that it might save itself from itself. This revelation was initiated by the first public exposure of the ancient esoteric knowledge in the publication of Samael Aun Weor's “The Perfect Matrimony” in the year 1950. The appearance of this book sparked a wildfire of attention in the spiritual communities of that time; many were shocked, many were outraged, but many were deeply inspired. The Roman Catholic Church sought to have the author arrested; and he was. Many people threatened to kill him. And, in fact, several attempts were made against his life. This was a predictable reaction from a world to whom the doors of mystery had been closed for so long, because of its predisposition to trample such pearls of wisdom underfoot and rend its messenger. Yet, in the end, the release of “The Perfect Matrimony” sprouted the International Gnostic Movement, a widespread and diversified collection of schools, teachers, and students whose message has now spread to every continent on the planet, all under the flag raised by Samael Aun Weor.
When the true esoteric knowledge, the genuine path to the Self-realization of the Being, was revealed it incited another predictable response - a blinding blizzard of false knowledge. As the saying goes, “Where light shines the brightest is cast the darkest shadows.” In a humanity already bewildered by the secrets of the narrow path made public, a seemingly parallel movement arose to nurture cynicism, confusion and similarly sounding, but false, teachings. “Wolves in sheep skin” emerged to subvert humanity’s thirst for real knowledge by presenting a barrage of “esoteric” representations of “spirituality” that inevitably appeal to the egotistical nature of the masses. There is a vast expanse of schools, traditions and religions who have taken the core spiritual knowledge of the Great Arcanum and corrupted it, either intentionally or ignorantly. In many cases, these are the most respected, most famous and most "popular" teachings. These teachings are popular precisely because they do not conflict with the core psychological problems that degenerate the mind.
These schools offer “have your cake and eat it too” teachings; or more accurately put - have your fruit from the Tree of Knowledge and eat it too. So now one can easily find a thousand books about "esoteric teachings" but very, very few that are genuine. An astonishing array of books about "esoteric Tantra" are available, dressed within a myriad of different traditions and belief systems. But nearly all of them are false doctrines designed not only to mislead, but to cause mental, moral and spiritual degeneration. Nowadays there are many teachers and self-proclaimed “Masters” who supposedly teach the hidden knowledge, but really commit horrible crimes hidden within the incense of prayer. These supposed “enlightened ones” preach love as a means to coerce the naive into their bedchambers; teach about karma as a means to sell absolutions; manipulate the psychology of their followers through “ego work” to satisfy their own selfish desires. Amidst so much confusion and mystification how does an aspirant know what is true and real, and what is the mere deception of ego in men?
With the keys revealed in the teachings of Gnosis, anyone can begin to determine the truth of any teaching from any time or any place.