Chicago Gnosis Podcast

“The pupil must regain the child-state he has lost ere the first sound can fall upon his ear. The light from the ONE Master, the one unfading golden light of Spirit, shoots its effulgent beams on the disciple from the very first. It’s rays thread through the thick dark clouds of matter. Now here, now there, these rays illumine it, like sun-sparks light the earth through the thick foliage of the ju...

A brief, guided relaxation practice to open the doors of imagination (perception of non-physical imagery) and psychological introspection (the internal analysis of oneself). By combining deep breathing with the study of the mind, practitioners can access a state of meditation (the in-depth understanding of any perceived phenomenon). Resources and References: Chicago Gnosis Guided Practice

All living beings from the inferior kingdoms have an elemental soul, including plants. Elementals of the plant kingdom are innocent, chaste, and powerful, since they have not left their paradisiacal state and retain their ability to consciously influence nature. The elemental of the aloe is exceptional for spiritual healing, protection, past life recall, and meditation. By learning to ethically co...

A brief meditation on the nature of spiritual perception and personal reflection. Through visualizing light and deep breathing, we relax the mind, heart, and body. By raising creative energy up to our midbrow then down to the heart, the consciousness stills negative emotions and awakens the higher faculties of the soul: sublime compassion, serenity, wisdom, and understanding. Resources and Referen...

In the final stages of the path, the spiritual master is purged of all impurity through intense ordeals. To reach perfection, such bodhisattvas are always tested because they must pay all their debts before the divine law. They must suffer for having betrayed the heavenly kingdom, since every resurrection is preceded by death. Likewise, Attila faces poison and the sword (symbolizing a terminal, ka...

Upon taking the direct path to liberation, the warrior bodhisattva Attila must face conspiracy, plots, and intrigue. The elemental forces of the Being (Foresto) and the Kundalini sword of divine justice (Odabella) plot his (psychological) death. Karma besets the initiate at every step, for the barbarian king must confront his weaknesses and conquer his ego. However, due to pride, Attila will not b...

Giuseppe Verdi was a Freemason who encoded the spiritual path of kabbalah, alchemy, and initiation in his operas. In this seminal work, Attila—the warrior of the spirit—must conquer the kingdom of Rome (amore, love) within himself for the redemption of the psyche. However, his pride, anger, and ego are very alive. All defects must die for the spiritual master Attila (Thelema, divine will) to becom...

Kabbalah, the esoteric or mystical dimension of Jewish thought, embodies universal principles reflected within the heart of all great religions, particularly Judaism and Christianity. While expressed through Hebrew scripture, narrative, folklore, law, and prayer, Kabbalah conveys spiritual truths applicable to all of humanity, simultaneously elucidating conventional Jewish traditions and the path...

The Divine Mother is referenced in every great world religion and mystical tradition. She is not some external, foreign figure, but a representation of our innermost divinity. The Egyptians venerated and invoked Her by many names, particularly Isis and Nut. This guided practice will lead you in a simple, beautiful, and profound prayer to your internal divine feminine, finalized with the sacred Egy...

The creation and perfection of the soul is a lifelong work of art. However, to attain such spiritual realizations, the individual must learn to awaken, develop, and master their complete potential through specific means. Through fulfilling the requisites of meditation, the consciousness begins to perceive its true nature and understand the reality of divinity. See how through the four pillars or f...

"Three Halls, O weary pilgrim, lead to the end of toils. Three Halls, O conqueror of Mara, will bring thee through three states into the fourth and thence into the seven worlds, the worlds of Rest Eternal. If thou would'st learn their names, then hearken, and remember." ―The Voice of the Silence Enclosed within the opening stanzas of The Voice of the Silence is a profound teaching on the four stat...

Initiates explain that the physical brain is not the mind nor the originator of thought. The brain is a vehicle, the intermediary between internal psychological processes and physical life. Initiates also demonstrate how the mind is a form of matter, energy, and perception within subtler dimensions of nature. This is most evident when we dream within the fifth dimension, either in the famous Theos...

The Rune Laf (ᛚ) is the rune of life, laughter, joy, and hope in the spirit. It is also deeply related with the sexual energy, since the power of generation, creation, creativity and life is in sex. On the 27th of each month, you can awaken and greet the morning sun, performing this rune to receive special assistance with any spiritual, emotional, or psychological problem. By relaxing the mind, he...

"The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness (בַּמִּדְבָּר be'midbar), Prepare ye the way of יְהֹוָה (Iod-Chavah, Jehovah), make straight in the desert a highway for our God (אֱלֹהִים Elohim). Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low: and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough places plain: And the glory of יְהֹוָה shall be revealed, and all flesh...

Learn about runic yoga, an ancient mystical practice encoded within the Nordic alphabet (Futhark ᚠᚢᚦᚨᚱᚲ). By imitating the runes with our bodies, utilizing sacred sounds, prayers, and visualization, we assimilate Christic energy. The Rune Fah (ᚠ) initiates this sacred language, since it is the creative fires of divinity permeating nature. Through this rune, we accumulate the solar light of the Fat...

This lecture was given during a gnostic meditation retreat from the tradition of Samael Aun Weor. By uniting serenity and insight within various spiritual exercises, meditators directly perceive their own true nature. Such a process is beautifully encoded within the first and most recited surah of the Qur’an (Al-Fatihah: The Opening), which synthesizes the entire Tree of Life. By meditating on thi...

Tonglen (Tibetan: "giving and taking") is an exceptional practice within Mahayana Buddhism. Meditators can visualize, assimilate, and transform another person's illness through conscious love. Afterward, the practitioner sends the patient light, love, and healing at no cost to oneself. This exercise is complemented by the Biblical or Aramaic mantra Talitha Cumi (Mark 5:41), whereby the Christic fo...

Mainstream Judaism, Christianity, and Islam emphasize the reality of an immortal soul. However, Jesus of Nazareth indicated that within us are many souls, which must be possessed through patience (Luke 21:19). The gnostics present a more nuanced perspective on this issue, in that immortality is not guaranteed, but must be earned through precise methods. See how through a gnostic scripture known as...

How to utilize the faculty of self-observation to connect with the wisdom of nature and divinity. To perform this exercise, you will need two plants of any two distinct varieties. Resources and References: Simple Observation Practice with Two Plants PowerPoint Chicago Gnosis Guided Practice

Learn how to commune with the spiritual intelligence of the Earth, known in the Bible as Melchizedek (Genesis 14:18-20) and in the Qur'an as "a servant from among Our servants" (Surah 18: "The Cave"). The Sufis refer to him as Khidr, "the Green One," since he is the divine consciousness of the globe, its forests, mountains, abundance, and life. This meditation can be performed any day and time, bu...

Spiritual life is realized through comprehending and overcoming temptations. Rather than avoid challenges that lead to genuine growth, serious practitioners can take advantage of the worst situations to catalyze their awakening. Both the kabbalistic and gnostic traditions describe this process through mastering five types of soul. They also clarify that such qualities have to be created, developed...

This is the first in a series of guided practices where students can apply Gnostic methods for spiritual transformation. Ham-Sah Pranayama is an essential technique for conserving and elevating creative energy from the sexual organs to the mind and heart. When the consciousness is empowered by sexual energy, it has greater activity, potential, and strength to perform the spiritual work. Learn how...

The Gnostics were revolutionary and provocative in enough ways to incur the wrath of the established Church. The most notable reason includes their views on the sacrament of marriage. Such controversial groups understood that the spiritually-transformed sexual act could raise the fallen Sophia (the wisdom of an awakened consciousness) to the heights of Pleroma (the direct experience of divine real...

The gnostics represented the path of divine reunion through mystical symbolism. Those candidates who had proven their maturity within the ancient mystery schools were initiated into the secret teachings of Esoteric Christianity, whereby they could decipher and apply the meanings of such abstract scriptures in their individual, spiritual work. The Gospel of Thomas communicates the nature of sacred...

The Gnostic Gospels teach that we are presently a seed that can blossom into an angel. A prophet, saint, or perfect being is not the product of theories and beliefs, but practical spirituality. Discover how to develop and master your divine potential through three mystical sciences: kabbalah (the Tree of Life), alchemy (the Tree of Knowledge), and psychology (as taught in the Gnostic Gospel of Tho...