Contemporary Gnosticism

Recently, I've seen a few posts (here, here, here, and here) on Modern Gnosticism. While trying to stay in the same variety of thought, I think I'll take a different approach and try to comment on some of the posts here.

I think that some of the grievances with contemporary Gnosticism that I've seen in the last few days have come from clergy who are frustrated with the pace and direction of the movement. I can offer nothing to these people but my own opinions, so please try to take my responses in with a grain of salt.

Point 1 - Online Gnosticism

It's easy to look at all the negatives this can cause, but what about the positives? The community of online seekers are embracing a forum that can help illuminiate their spiritual path so much easier than our ancestors ever could. We are able to communicate, share ideas and revelations, announce goals and interpretations, reach out to those seeking...we are able to speak for ourselves.

Of course we can announce all the negatives of the online community. For instance, it's easy to say you're a Gnostic and not actually do anything. I can announce it and someone can form an opinion based off my humble internet ramblings, but there is no proof that I do anything at all (by "anything" I mean charitable works, good will towards men, enlightened practices or actions, etc.) However, what does the action of one have to do with the needs of the many? I am not out to start a religion - only help those seeking find refuge in a path that I have found comforting. Is it wrong to use the easiest form of communication for such a task at my disposal? "Online Gnosticism" can prove very useful to those reaching for answers, because it announces to those seeking that there is a place where the truth resides. As many point out, Gnostic churches are not just around the corner.

Point 2 - Gnostic Churches

Which brings me to my next point. The churches that do claim to be Gnostic (and actually ARE) are few and far between. Sometimes, the internet is the only way the seekers find out about these churches. This, to me, is the biggest grievance that I have with contemporary Gnosticism. There is a lack of structure within the community as a whole. There are good frameworks to work on, but the structure itself is absent. Individual church organizations bicker amongst themselves and create gaps in the group. The North American College of Gnostic Bishops was originally founded as a way to reach out to these churches so that we may unite under one banner, to further spread Gnosticism to those seeking this route and end the bickering between two or more egos. There is much, much room for Gnosticism to spread, so why make it even harder to communicate by not working together?

Bringing the Gnostic movement together would be like rounding everyone in the house up into one room. It's a valuable opportunity to discuss and spread the movement. As it is currently, we're each in separate rooms, trying to communicate through a wall.

Point 3 - Individual Gnostics

While we're trying to speak through a wall, the individual seekers can't even get into the house. The individuals are left outside of the whole, to basically "guess" at what the tradition is supposed to be. When this happens, we have various "movements" claiming to be gnostic, and others that might truly BE gnostic but have no room for legitamacy. Let's face it, if it doesn't seem real, no one is going to accept it. So not only do the churches fail, but the individuals do as well. Individuals need teachers, instructors, and priests. They need someone who has walked the path, not to tell them that they're wrong or right, but to show them the BEST WAY. The clergy is not there to command, but only to aide. Together, we might actually be able to break the stereotypes that some of these individuals have about churches to begin with. When they see all the in-fighting, it not only proves their theories about organized religion, but encourages them to seek elsewhere.

If the movement is united, we will be able to communicate easier and focus more on spreading the "good news."

Point 4 - Funding

Of course, the current format seems to offer nothing BUT online discussions. While I know there are those clergy members who are out every day practicing exactly what they preach, there is no united group effort in our communities to assist those seekers who would wish to do the same. We have no funds, no way to reach to seekers other than our computers.

Few churches actually have permanent buildings, and those that do are almost never heard about. We have Protestant and Catholic churches that are as big as football fields, yet we - the Gnostic movement - cannot seem to get it together long enough to devise a form of fund-raising for our own parishes. Surely there's something that can be done about this. Most of the groups today can't even pay their clergy, which is another problem in itself simply because the clergy are forced to have full-time jobs in order to provide for their practice.

Modern Gnosticism is growing at a rapid pace. I see it, and I'm sure everyone else can see it. This is the time we much act. Putting off today will affect the effectiveness of the movement tomorrow. We still have a lot of work to do for the Gnostic movement, and a lot of catching up to do with other religious movements. But we still have something on our side - the pursuit of gnosis.

O Holy Mind

Oh Holy Mind,
Bless us with your thoughts,
Build us with your knowledge,
Shape us through your wisdom.

Give us solace in your voice,
Let us learn through your grace,
Govern us with your reason,
Guide us with your love.

Protect us from our doubts,
Awake us from our ignorance,
Shelter us from our regrets,
Release us from our sins.

Oh Holy Mind,
Create us Divinely,
Keep us willfully,
Love us eternally.

Amen and Amen.

Baggage

What we carry with us determines in which dimension we dwell. If you carry a lot of sorrow, fear, and craving with you, then wherever you go you will always touch the world of suffering and hell. If you carry with you compassion, understanding, and freedom, then wherever you go you will touch the ultimate dimension, the kingdom of God.

- Thich Nhat Hanh
No Death, No Fear

Semantics

I used to have a lot of opinions on different things. I'm realizing now, though, the more I travel deeper into my own thoughts, the more I see a flip side to each situation.

As I've learned, right and wrong have always been - and will always be- two different sides of the same coin.

When I keep this in mind, it generally helps me stay focused on my goals - not getting too upset, or too emotional, or too much of anything. For instance, when I first came to Gnosticism, I felt like I had discovered all the answers that I'd need. I could debate about church, God, liturgy, theology, evolution, physics...you name it. Within this branch of "philosophy," I discovered, or so I thought, all the right answers.

Problem is, though, that the more I learned about Gnosticism, the more I learned about gnosis. The more I learned about gnosis, the more I learned about myself. And, the more I learned about myself, the more I learned that I really didn't know. It's all a bunch of confusion piled on top of more confusion, but somewhere in between here and there, I realized that I did know something. What that is, I have a much harder time trying to describe.

I realized by delving deeper within that I can actually see things from the other side of the coin, and understand what it is I'm seeing. Not just "oh, I get what you're saying, but..." king of talk, but the actually truth of the point of view. There really are two sides to everything. You just have to know how to look at the coin.

It is with this kind of thought that I have tried to approach everything from religion, to politics (if there's even a difference), to social situations, to employee meetings, to what-have-you. I've been able to broaden my horizens, and take in the fuller depth of what is going on around me. It's more than just semantics...life itself is semantics. To realize that two points of view (or three, or four, or a thousand) can both be right at the same time really is an eye-opener. Once getting to this point, I found out something truly extraordinary. It's not the semantics (life and all it's little grievances) that matter...it's only the truth. What would that be? Gnosis.

To touch the inner core of your deeper self is to realize that bond with the rest of reality - the breath of life that flows within all of us, the matter that is compacted together to form "things," the actual reality of it all - and this in turn allows you a deeper respect and profound relationship with this reality. This is gnosis - it's what sets you upright. Gnosis calms the dust; allows you to focus your "eye" on the world.

Keep your sights on the middle ground - don't get too worked up. Everything is as it should be - learn, live, play, drink, and eat. Realize that the north and the south are two in the same. Right and left hands are still on the same body. Up and down are just perspectives.

In the end, the semantics don't matter...gnosis is what counts.

Is It Wrong To Eat Meat?

You know, I've seen a lot of comments in the past about the morality of killing and eating animals. It's often taken for granted today because we don't even see the food we eat as animal, just grocery-market-packaged food waiting to be cooked.

I've always eaten meat. I've always eaten vegetables. I eat to nourish my body and replenish my energy.

The morality of killing to eat is natural. We need food to survive, so we go out and get it. Like a wolf, we prey upon the lives we can catch, eat its meat, and fill our stomachs. It's instinctual. It's animalistic. But you know what? Human beings are animalistic, instinctual creatures and any attempts to glorify humans as anything more in the *physical* sense is just pointless. We are what we are (I AM WHAT I AM).

Spiritually, however, humans appear to be the most evolved group of life forms on this planet (maybe not on another planet, but at least this one). Not that humans are just so great, but that humans at least have the capabilities to become great. With this in mind, is it possible to transcend the animalistic, instinctual behaviors to such a degree as to question the morality in killing for food?

Some would argue that we need to be on a vegetarian diet. But I think that even broccoli screams when you rip it from the ground. There have been studies that show plants are very aware of their environments. One in particular that comes to mind was an experiment that included two plants of the same species. One plant was hooked up to a polygraph machine, the other was not. Someone came into the room, destroyed the plant that was NOT hooked up to the polygraph, then observed the polygraph test. It was off the charts. Now - can you really tell me plants have no spirit?

Vegan diets seem alright, except for a problem that you might be keeping yourself from very essential, neccesary nutrients to function correctly. Especially when you get into eating rotten fruits and the like.

In essence, any time we take food in for the proper nutritional sustanance, a life form will have to submit and die. To look at it from a panantheist view - God is all things and more - there is no end to any of this life, just a transformation of one substance to another. One life absorbs the physical shell of another life, which continues the cycle. Only the physical is absorbed, however, as the spirit transcends the shell to find - in my belief - another shell to manifest.

So - can we kill for food? My take - yes.

Pointless gaming sports are cruel. Hunting "for sport" is the equivalent of murdering someone for "practice." You needlessly take the life of the animal. And fishing seems to be pretty popular "sport" too, where many people who are good at it just throw the fish back into the water. "They don't feel it, they have no nerves." Are you telling me that having a metal hook pierced into your cheek, pulled out of your natural environment from said hook-in-cheek to a completely alien atmosphere where no intake of breath can occur is...humane?

I have no qualms with those who hunt for food. As long as they eat the food, it's justifiable. To kill for fun - that's when humanity escapes the situation.

To give a quote from a great story teller:

It's not what goes in a man's mouth that defiles him, but what comes out of his mouth.

Or something to that effect. Now, if you'll excuse me, my chicken dinner is ready.

Pax.

Tree of Life

I saw and recognized a great natural allegory for the world today.

A Tree.

Startling revelation, glimpse of insight, a great view between the lines of reality - the tree.

In it, I realized yet again meaning in this dualistic world. It was through the vision of this beautiful, naturally sculpted life form that I returned myself to the ineffiable.

Of course, I'm back to tell you... ;-)

The tree represents the fullness, the entirety of the world. The leaves are all people. The branches are all different beliefs and groups.

On each branch, there is usually another branch, or a few smaller branches.

Each of the large branches can represent a government, religion, or just a culture. The branches growing off of them represent divisions between these groups - such as Republican and Democrat.

The realization that I had came in the vision of the tree. Each of us, no matter how we define our differences, view ourselves as being on a specific branch, surrounded by "like-minded" people - or leaves. However, the message here is important.

We are all apart of the same tree.

Instant Oatmeal, Instant Coffee, Instant Gnosis

Something I'm encountering from those just beginning the spiritual path is a feeling of impatience. I want enlightenment now. They work, intellectualize, compute information, write essays, create understandings, and even believe it's there...but they just lack the experience.

In short, it's impatience they struggle with. This is not through any fault of theirs, it's just a result of society. Pressed on by today's standard of fast food, instant coffee, grocery store express lanes, and everything in between, these poor fellows just don't stand a chance while remaining in this mindset.

The problem seems to be rationalization. Too much intellectual work, not enough patience with emotional control.

In order to proceed, stop pushing, start relaxing, and keep waiting. Impatience is another archon that prevents spiritual maturity. To force something on a rational level is to miss something on the experiential side. The way to the other side of the bridge is through emotional control. Balance yourself, your emotions, and above all else...be patient.

Where the will is, the way follows.

Peace.

Church

Usually, when I tell people I'm going to be a priest, they assume I'm Catholic. This is statement and assumption is often followed with "does that mean you're not going to have sex anymore?"

Despite the juvenile frame of mind, I try to break the barrier and explain that I'm not a Catholic Christian, and this usually opens up an entirely different can of worms. The question that is then asked is "so what church do you go to then?"

Me? I don't attend church regularly. I haven't been to a church since my wedding, and before that it was probably ten years or more. So I wouldn't actually call myself a "church guy." However, I've always had a religious spirituality with me, and I've always been able to freely discuss that with anyone.

The realization is that when I finish my priesthood, I'm going to be involved in church. Not just attending, but running the facility as well. While this isn't really a problem, per se, since I have management experience and the like, it does give me a certain amount of unease, just because of my inexperience with "church."

Someone asked me this morning what church I went to, because they knew I'm studying for ordination. I told them that I didn't attend church regularly, and I got a puzzled look from my companion. I tried to explain.

I'm actually trying not to attend church for the time being, because I wish to bring my own ignorance to light through my studies. I'd like to focus on establishing my own parish - when the time comes - and approach it with the "eyes of a child," so that my ideosyncricies (my set way of doing things) don't get in the way of new experiences.

I look at this as the next challenge in my life. I love challenge; it usually brings out my best work. I have to reconcile my spirituality with my religion, and I have to allow structure into my chaos. It's going to be a bumpy ride, but I'm perfectly okay with the daunting task in front of me.

Hopefully, this will all work out beneficially. Until then, I'm back to the books.

Gnosis Is...

Gnosis Is...

...the touch of the Divine.

...the warmth inside.

...the breeze against your face.

...the pause of time.

...breath of the soul.

...light of the mind.

...peace in turmoil.

...clarity in fog.

...the dream of reality.

...a good night's kiss.

...a first love.

...the smell of a rose.

...a heartfelt apology.

...an experience.

...a knowledge.

...an awareness.

...Divine.

Thunder: The Perfect Mind

From The Thunder: Perfect Mind

I was sent forth from the power, and I have come to those who reflect
upon me, and I have been found among those who seek after me.
Look upon me, you who reflect upon me, and you hearers, hear me.
You who are waiting for me,
take me to yourselves.
And do not banish me from your sight.
And do not make your voice hate me, nor your hearing. Do not be ignorant of me anywhere
or any time.
Be on your guard!
Do not be ignorant of me.

For I am the first and the last.
I am the honored one and
the scorned one.
I am the whore and the holy one.
I am the wife and the virgin.
I am the mother and the daughter.
I am the members of my mother.
I am the barren one and many are her sons.
I am she whose wedding is great and I
have not taken a husband.
I am the midwife and she who does not bear.
I am the solace of my labor pains.
I am the bride and the bridegroom, and it is my
husband who begot me.
I am the mother of my father and the sister of my husband
and he is my offspring I am the slave of him that prepared me.
I am the ruler of
my offspring, but he is the one who begot me before the time on a birthday. And
he is my offspring in due time and my power is from him.
I am the staff of his
power in his youth, and he is the rod of my old age and whatever he wills,
happens to me.

I am the silence that is incomprehensible and the idea whose
remembrance is frequent.
I am the voice whose sound is manifold and the word
whose appearance is multiple.
I am the utterance of my
name.