Achieving Gnosis

[ButterflyWoman]

Came across this last night and it resonates profoundly with me (I've always had gnostic tendencies). I thought I'd pass it on for anyone who might want to read it:

http://www.ehow.com/how_4701037_achieve-gnosis.html

[Kevin]

This IS a good read CW. It seems that I have had some thoughts leaning towards Gnosis too. What's funny is I have visited Gnostic websites in the past without delving too much in the information contained within. This site you have posted gives me a helpful glimpse into my own thought processes. Let me know if you'd like to share thoughts sometime :)

[ButterflyWoman]

This description is basically the same as "enlightenment" or similar concepts in different traditions. I liked this one because it wasn't cloaked in a bunch of dogmatic blah blah blah and words that I'd have to look up to even begin to understand. :)

[Aunt Clair]

Gnosticism is not exclusively Pagan though. There is for example an ancient branch of Christian Gnosticism. Some say that the Jewish Essenes were Gnostic Mystics.

Gnosticism has a fifth occult level like the four elements and the 5th becomes Akashic awareness. The 5th level of Gnosticism is the thirsty seeker; the mystic who goes to the source to know, and to know more.

[ButterflyWoman]

Gnosticism is not exclusively Pagan though. There is for example an ancient branch of Christian Gnosticism. Some say that the Jewish Essenes were Gnostic Mystics.
Yes. My background is in Christianity. I still find myself drawn back to that framework time and time again, though with a very non-orthodox and esoteric approach.

[CFTraveler]

Gnosticism is not exclusively Pagan though. There is for example an ancient branch of Christian Gnosticism. Some say that the Jewish Essenes were Gnostic Mystics.

Gnosticism has a fifth occult level like the four elements and the 5th becomes Akashic awareness. The 5th level of Gnosticism is the thirsty seeker; the mystic who goes to the source to know, and to know more.

I think the 'pagan' labeling is just fundamentalist thinking- the more orthodox branches of christianity refuse to accept ancient gnosticism as the 'first kind of christianity' that was practiced, until the Nicene Council officially kicked them out.

[natalie-1984]

"When you visit Disneyland, are you wondering as to your purpose there? NO! You're just there to experience Disneyland! And so here on Planet Earth. "

I love that part! Thank you so much for posting this article. I like how it's down to earth. I'm not sure which phase I'm in. I have the knowledge that we are more than physical and mental, and I am starting to realize that this is an experience and so I'm not stressed out anymore.

What does agnostic mean? Isn't that someone who doesn't believe in God? I never heard of GNOSTIC before (is that a word?)

Thanks again for posting this thread!

[ButterflyWoman]

What does agnostic mean? Isn't that someone who doesn't believe in God?
No. It can have different meanings, but essentially it's someone who "doesn't know", either because they feel they CANNOT know (i.e., God and the existence thereof is unknowable) or because they DO NOT know (i.e., maybe it can be known, but they don't know it). It frequently applies to God, but doesn't have to. You can be agnostic on any topic, really (I'm agnostic on pretty much all functions of advanced mathematics, just for the record ;)).


I never heard of GNOSTIC before (is that a word?)
Yes, it's Greek. Gnosis = knowing or knowledge. Appending the "a" on the start means "opposite of" or "not". You see it in words like "atheist" (which means "no god" or "no deity", as "theis" is the Greek root for any sort of god-figure), "amorphous" meaning "without shape" or "without form" (a is "no" and morph is "shape" or "form"), achromatic (no colour, colourless, without colour, etc), amoral (without morals), atypical (not typical), and so on.

The word "gnostic" generally refers to "knowledge", and in the case of this thread (and most uses of the word), it's related to mysticism. Wikipedia's article is a bit complex, but a good background: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gnosticism

In case anyone gets the wrong idea, I do not speak Greek, but my husband reads Koine Greek (i.e., the ancient Hellenistic Greek of the New Testament) and I've picked up a lot from him. Plus, English is full of Greek-origin words, and I'm kind of a nerd when it comes to my native language. ;)

[natalie-1984]

"Appending the "a" on the start means "opposite of" or "not"."

Duh, I should have known that! I need an english class refresher!

Have you ever seen the movie Religulous with Bill Maher? It's very facinating. I might not agree with everything he says in the movie, but it's still one of my favorites. He is so down to earth about religion. When he talked to the devout christians and asked them tough questions some of them got really defensive. I say, if you truely believe something be proud of it and don't be afraid of skeptics.

My ex husband hated muslims, I didn't know why until he made me watch a documentary about how they tell americans one thing but their religions say to kill anyone who doesn't believe in their God. That scared me a bit. But I still don't hate them. I can't. Everyone is entitled to their own beliefs regardless of what they are. And I don't even know if that documentary was acurate. It could just be BS. I am still sticking to what I believe about people (that my ex tried to change about me) people are generaly good, I love everyone regardless of religion race sex species (aliens). And it bugs me when people wont associate with a whole group of people based on these things. Okay, I'm coming down from my soap box now! :mrgreen:

Happy Thanksgiving people! Gobble gobble!

-natalie

[ButterflyWoman]

"Appending the "a" on the start means "opposite of" or "not"."

Duh, I should have known that! I need an english class refresher!
Sokay. Brain fart. We all have 'em. ;)


I say, if you truely believe something be proud of it and don't be afraid of skeptics.
That's pretty much my position, as well. If your beliefs won't stand up to criticism and/or examination, you should be really thinking hard about why that is.


their religions say to kill anyone who doesn't believe in their God.
Not true, by the way. I don't think this is the time or place to get into a big discussion of it, and I'm certainly no expert on the topic, but my research (which is considerable) indicates that this is not the case. Yes, SOME extremists use some verses of the holy writings as justification for their own agenda, but that happens in all areas of human endeavor, not just religion, and not just one religion.


And it bugs me when people wont associate with a whole group of people based on these things.
Agreed.