Chicago Gnosis Podcast

To enter spiritual initiation, one must have inner balance, fortitude, and wisdom from practical experience, because the ordeals for proving one’s candidacy in the mysteries are arduous. Without psychological equilibrium, any adversity, accidental or ordained, will throw a person into chaos and disarray. This is why Gnostic students are always taught how to maintain serenity and balance their thre...

"Dying is an art, like everything else. I do it exceptionally well." —Sylvia Plath, “Lady Lazarus” Little do people acknowledge that before physical death, we first die in thirds (in bodily capacity, emotions, and mind—one at a time, or two to three if we’re reckless and daring). This depends on how often, quickly, and intensely we exhaust our resources through the abuses of everyday life, the lat...

Genuine spiritual healers are rare. Likewise, the process for finding and vetting them is also arduous, uncertain, and time-consuming, usually without positive results given the prevalence of charlatans and “wolves in sheep’s clothing” (Matthew 7:15) who are eager to provide their services for a good buck. This is why it is more practical and beneficial to become one’s own healer, doctor, and mast...

The Mayans were not only advanced in astronomy, astrology, and mathematics, but also spiritual psychology. Explore the nature of our internal universe and the way to awaken consciousness through Mayan symbolism, mythos, and principles, beautifully demonstrated within The Flight of the Feathered Serpent, a revolutionary book of Mayan esotericism. Resources and References: https://chicagognosis.org/...

While modern occidental medicine recognizes and treats physical symptoms of disease, such prescriptions often fail to address the internal causes of illness, primarily since health is not merely a physical reality, but a multidimensional problem. The Gnostic tradition, on the other hand, offers deeper remedies for the psychological, metaphysical, and internal causes of sickness that can safely com...

“And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.” —Daniel 12:2 Not all “spiritual” awakenings are positive, demonstrated by the pervasive testimonies of those who profess enlightenment while their lives fall apart. Much of what is promulgated as legitimate mystical experience is often the byproduct of psycholog...

Numerous spiritual traditions speak about the miraculous power of Kundalini, the transformative energy and intelligence of the Divine Mother. However, much propaganda abounds regarding its requirements, effects, manifestation, and evolution within the individual. What people don’t realize is that the widespread psychological imbalances, confusion, and dangers attributed to Kundalini is actually it...

Every disciple of the straight and narrow way that leads to life (Matthew 7:13-14) must inevitably experience the afflictive consequences of their former actions. The question becomes if they do so with resignation, acceptance, and perseverance, so that by consciously and patiently paying what one owes before the divine law, spiritual debts are reconciled and wisdom is cultivated. However, the pro...

Disguised as Fidelio, a male prison guard, Leonora seeks access to her incarcerated husband's secret cell in the effort of freeing him. Like other metaphors in religion, the gnostic mythos describes the descent of divine light into the prison of the mind, seeking to liberate and elevate Pistis Sophia (the revolutionary consciousness) back to her rightful spiritual hierarchy. In the same manner, Le...

Mastery is not the end of spiritual development, for while an individual can acquire, cultivate, and express their soul in this physical world, such a laudable achievement does not signify perfection in mastery. While many masters exist in Nirvana, heaven, or bliss, few are willing to renounce their happiness, return to this physical world, and guide humanity out of suffering. However, this is the...

Beethoven's only opera encodes tremendous metaphysical truths gleaned from his own inner spiritual development on the initiatic path. What is more remarkable is that he conveyed gnostic principles on the demiurge, archons, aeons, and redemption without physical access to classical gnostic texts. This is because as a master of meditation, he was privy to knowledge inaccessible to the mind, personal...

"For every step that we take in the development of our occult powers, we must take a thousand steps on the path of sanctity." —Samael Aun Weor, The Major Mysteries While New Age doctrines fixate upon awakening psychic powers, what many so-called "spiritual" advocates fail to recognize is the greater need for moral character. The acquisition of mystical abilities is not commensurate with virtue, bu...

Every New Year brings about its impending challenges, conflicts, ordeals, and sufferings. Likewise, there is hope for rejuvenation and a revitalization of purpose despite the debts and psychological baggage of the past. For meditators, every effort to empower our spirituality promises the blossoming of divine potential and the hope for a spiritual renaissance in our daily lives. One such essential...

New guest lecturer! Many people often turn to spiritual practice when dissatisfied and disillusioned by materialism. However, they may not know where to start when confronted with the abundance of information out there, or, after practicing for some time, do not get the results they hoped for. In this lecture, we will discuss the fundamental factors required for spiritual development, addressing d...

Karma is the law of cause and effect within every dimension of nature. However, while people study this divine law within diverse religious and philosophical traditions, they often ignore how our common use of sexual energy determines many deleterious outcomes for ourselves within the domains of life, society, profession, relationships, and spirituality. See the logical consequences of Rodolfo and...

Act II builds on the suspense and burgeoning relationship between Rodolfo and Mimi, newfound neighbors and bohemian lovers in the Latin quarter of Paris. Their spark of divine love is juxtaposed with the contrasting passion and suffering of Marcello and Musetta, the latter whose adulterous liaison serves as the locus of lustful competition, jealousy, and spite. Such destructive tendencies are repr...

While revered throughout the world for its impassioned arias and romantic motifs, La Bohème conveys troubling messages regarding the nature and trajectory of modern living, particularly concerning sexual relations. Discover how Puccini, a Masonic initiate, encoded within his supercilious and compulsive characters a profound warning to those who would seek to enter the spiritual path. By flirting w...

After demonstrating maturity, ethics, and integrity in the probationary path, candidates of initiation are granted the opportunity to advance in greater degrees of spiritual development. Through a perfect matrimony, a couple can strive, overcome, and develop themselves in the beginning stages of mastery. See how through its moral, psychological, and esoteric requirements, accompanied by mystical r...

While alchemy, kabbalah, tarot, and psychology have developed as distinct traditions throughout history, they share profound roots within the esoteric mystery schools of antiquity. Rather than forming a new age hodgepodge or vague constellation of disparate belief systems, these principles convey the multifaceted nature of spiritual practice and divine realization from different angles, constituti...

Learn and celebrate how one individual changed the world. Article Text: The Advent of Samael References from Glorian Publishing Who is Samael Aun Weor? (Articles and Resources) Samael: The Fifth Angel (Course) Get Spiritual Strength Through Blessed Food and Drink: Have Eucharist at Home

All of the principles outlined in this course point towards a specific goal: divine realization upon the inner path of spiritual initiation. By mastering our psychology, sexuality, and sufferings in daily life, we become radically distinct individuals characterized by the highest ideals, embodied by humanity's greatest luminaries and prophets. This final lecture reviews three principles for enteri...

Guest lecturer! Amidst the complexities and difficulties of life is a simple truth: every action produces related consequences. While true in physics, this dynamic is even more profound in relation to our behaviors, mindset, social interactions, and psychology. See how to affect genuine spiritual change through an introduction to five mystical principles, described in the East as karma and in the...

After working with energy, the consciousness becomes inflamed and awakened. However, this type of birth is only one side of a spiritual equation. The rest of the work necessitates the comprehension and death of psychological contaminants like anger, lust, and pride. By directing energy towards the purification of the mind, it becomes possible to be fully rid of repetitious and harmful internal sta...

We perceive with more senses that mere sight, hearing, taste, smell, and touch. Rather than exclusively depend upon empirical data, it is possible to explore, with psychological senses, the roots and origins of numerous internal states. While openly denigrated by modern society, the faculty of imagination is actually the means by which to investigate non-physical or metaphysical phenomena such as...

Ever wonder why New Year's resolutions don't work? While we might will something, it may not come to fruition because we lack energy, enthusiasm, and consistency for accomplishing it. Likewise, without proper spiritual force, we will not have the inspiration, comprehension, and zeal for overcoming resistance. Learn how to conserve and harness energy for the awakening of your spirituality, specific...