The Gnostic Handbook

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lation as found in the many thousands of sacred texts is only sacred to those people who accept
that they are sacred. The various Gnostic Scriptures are useful to the modern Gnostic student
but should not be treated as "every word inspired by God". One of the more important things
when it comes to Scripture is mans reason. We need to study the historical basis for the Bible,
Gnostic Texts, Dead Sea Scrolls and Nag Hammadi Library so we can get a context for where
Gnosticism has come from. At the same time we must be aware of the great distortions that
have occurred with all Old Testament, Judaic and Christian texts. The key concept within Gnos-
ticism is continual revelation. We can also see the development of Gnostic doctrine and The-
urgy in light of recent research and experience. Continual revelation while of significant impor-
tance always needs to be seen in the context of the Gnostic lineage, anybody can have a revela-
tion and they can come from any one of a million sources. The modern Gnostic tradition as ex-
emplified in the Institute of Gnostic Studies carries on this line of spiritual and Gnostic revela-
tion valuing our heritage and traditions as well as well as recent refinements and revelations.
Behind the Institute if the Gnostic Apostolic Church, this is our inspiration and the religious ap-
plication of our work. We should consider some aspects of the Church as part of this study.
Chapter Thirteen:
Chapter Thirteen:
The Gnostic Apostolic Church
The Gnostic Apostolic Church
Churches and Temples
In the Gnostic Apostolic Church we realise that a "Temple of the Gnosis" is a permanent door-
way between the worlds and hence we create two distinct environments for use within the
Church. The Actual term Church comes from the base word "Ecclesia" and means people and/
or community, hence within the Church we use the Church building as a meeting place, a
counseling centre and a nucleus for Church activity within the congregation. Our Churches are
where services of a worshipful and celebratory nature are held.
The Temple of the Gnosis is a different affair. In it both initiations and ritual are held which
have special power as the Temple forms a permanent intersection between worlds. It is a place
of great power and beauty and should always be treated as such. In the Gnostic Apostolic
Church both Churches and Temples are governed by ordained ministers of our tradition, even
though laymen are encouraged to developed private "Spiritual" spaces within their own homes
for their own use
The Use of Ritualism
Ritual is a means by which we can formulate an artificial world in which internal realities (and
other spiritual worlds) can be explored. Through ritual the conscious mind is controlled and
the unconscious is explored and conditioned so that external realities from beyond the physical
plane can be investigated, other spiritual powers contacted and other dimensions opened.
The key to ritual is that it must have two distinct forms. The first must always be the training
of the mind, the exploration of the unconscious and a clear and precise understanding of the
structure of your own psyche. Then and only then are you ready to enter into work of a more
advanced spiritual nature. Before ritual can become a doorway to other dimensions, it is im-
perative that the mind is trained and under control, otherwise, as is the case with so many un-
trained spiritual practitioners, obsession and delusion result. Beyond all these considerations is
the simple issue of intent. While techniques of ritual and occultism can be remarkably similar
across all traditions that does not make them qualitatively the same. A knife can be used to
heal and to kill, so can the occult traditions.
The focus must be on Transfiguration and then ritual and related methodologies can be used,
however, the intent must always be clear and pure. Too many modern occult orders ignore eth-
The Gnostic Handbook Page 120
ics, morality and intent and teach their techniques to all and sundry, our response to this is from
the New Testament& ..Do not throw your pearls before swine.
The Monastic Life
In the Gnostic Apostolic Church we have three levels of Priesthood. The basic minister or pas-
tor of the Church, the Senior Pastor who is a member of the Pneumatic Priesthood who has
however decided to continue working within his or her pastoral duties and those of the Qadesh
Priesthood. Members of the Qadesh Priesthood have vowed himself/herself to the Gnostic tradi- [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

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