What is Gnosis

Gnosis: eternal wisdom.

A Greek word, Gnosis means "knowledge" but it refers to a knowledge of an intuitive nature; the intuitive apprehension of spiritual truths. Gnosis is a knowledge that is not found outside of us, but within ourselves. Therefore Gnosis could be described as the true esoteric knowledge of oneself and the universe.

Those who claim to know nothing about ultimate reality are called agnostic (literally, "not knowing"), the person who does claim to know such things is called gnostic ("knowing"). But gnosis is not primarily rational knowledge. The Greek language distinguishes between scientific or reflective knowledge ("He knows mathematics") and knowing through observation or experience ("He knows me"), which is gnosis. As the gnostics use the term, we could translate it as "insight," for gnosis involves an intuitive process of knowing oneself. And to know oneself, they claimed, is to know human nature and human destiny

Elaine Pagels, The Gnostic Gospels 

Gnosis is an eternal, unchanging and universal knowledge that frees the soul from suffering; that has been expressed throughout the course of history by all the world’s great saints and enlightened souls.

Gnosis is not a religion nor does it belong to any religious denomination. Gnosis does not belong to time or place; to culture, personality, age or race. It is the golden thread which leads us back to our divine origin, to our own individual divinity.

Know thyself! This was written on the posterior part of the threshold of the temples of mysteries in ancient Greece. This is the only purpose of life, that the human being must know himself as a child of God, as a God himself over the Earth, so that the Earth can be transformed into a beautiful garden where liberty, equality, and fraternity is the law of love for all humans.

 Samael Aun Weor - Aztec Christic Magic

What is the origin of the Contemporary Gnostic Teachings?

Gnosis today is the modern form of an ancient system of learning, which has existed through the history of man’s presence on Earth; this wisdom was not given publicly, but revealed only to those who were initiated into the mysteries.

The Contemporary Gnostic Teachings comes from the V. M. Samael Aun Weor, who synthesized the precepts of philosophers, mystics, and adepts of all times in order to make available them to all who are seeking the hidden entrance to the Great Mysteries; thus allowing the sincere devotee to know himself and Self-Realize integrally. Let us understand by Self-Realization the harmonious development of all the infinite human possibilities.

The contemporary Gnostic Movement has spread rapidly since it began in the 1950’s in Colombia, and nowadays Gnostic schools can be found in many countries throughout the Americas, Europe, Asia, Australia, and Africa.