The Gnostic path is one of experience. The key is to be open to experience. What we cultivate is our ability to accept and assimilate ALL experience. Our ability to accept and assimilate our experiences is what is called maturity. In order to free us to the point where we can accept and assimilate ANY experience we need to confront what we think we know – what we are certain of – and Let Go until we are no longer attached to notions, ideas, concepts – this is called Freedom… The caveat is that we need to use notions, ideas, and concepts to cultivate freedom. For this reason, we must learn to view notions, ideas, and concepts as tools – changeable, lacking certainty – yet still valuable, for it is notions, ideas, and concepts that allow us to orient ourselves to both the internal and external worlds… Concepts are necessary for living, but certainty is an illusion and a prison.
A Working Model is a system of notions, ideas, principles, and concepts which allow us to orient with the internal and external worlds. However, it should also have within its concepts the transcendence of the system itself. In this way, it provides a language which we can use to communicate the affect of our experiences (and subsequent growth and maturity), and perhaps guide others into similar experiences. Thus, the system must be effective in both the preparation and cultivation of maturity, as well as effectively communicating the affects of the experiences.
Doing Gnosis uses a working model that takes the following things into account:
1. In order to maintain radical integrity, Doing Gnosis attempts to develop concepts about the material world which are built on the foundation of what can be proven (keeping in mind that certainty is impossible, Doing Gnosis will adopt these principles with the understanding that they will evolve and change). Understanding that most of us are not Physicists or Philosophers, we attempt to make use of the various disciplines of physics and philosophy as the foundation for the interpretation of our cosmology, psychology, and philosophy.
2. An understanding that the conceptual programming of our personal psychology should be utilized as a building block for our own Working Model. The General Working Model of Doing Gnosis is focused on those who were raised in a predominantly Judeo-Christian cultural tradition, and makes use of both the Apostolic Christian Tradition, as well as the Christian Tradition which is called Sethinism – or Classical Gnosticism. Understanding that this limits the overall spectrum of Doing Gnosis, we will also attempt to break down the mythical content into the relationship of principles, concepts, and ideas. For this reason, Doing Gnosis makes use of Jungian Psychology and the discipline of comparative or correlative religion and mythology. In this way (understanding that Jungian thought and comparative mythology are both imperfect disciplines) Doing Gnosis will attempt to broaden the orientation of the Working Model to as great a spectrum as possible.
3. Taking a principles based approach to mythology and psychology, Doing Gnosis will make use of meditative and contemplative techniques which are also principles based rather than devotional in nature. For this reason, Doing Gnosis will make use of certain techniques drawn from Western Philosophy, Judaic Kabbalah, Taoist Internal Alchemy, and Western Psychological Alchemy.
4. Doing Gnosis will attempt to be a discipline which can support the preparation for the ascent, the ascent into Enlightenment, the transcendence of the system itself, and the return to the system as an Enlightened being – giving this person the necessary language to express the affects of the journey, with the idea of saturating the concepts, ideas, notions, and principles of the system with the experience.
5. Doing Gnosis is built on the following concept of progress through the system:
a. Stage One is prior to embracing the system. At this stage the individual enters the system ignorant of the requirements of the system. He relies on prior programming and pre-conceived notions of what the system is, and what the journey entails. The most important aspect at this point is the willingness to learn.
b. Stage Two the student is learning the system. He no longer acts normally. He is in that place where his prior programming has been compromised, but not yet transformed. He is not yet at a place where he can invest the energy from his prior programming into his new skill sets. This is a necessary step, although very uncomfortable. It is here where the individual challenges his prior programming, while investing in and assimilating the system. The easiest way to make this process less uncomfortable, and possibly more effective, is for the system to have a certain amount of resonance, or similarity with the individual’s previous programming.
c. Stage Three is where the student has assimilated the system. He has augmented or transformed his programming with the system. He is fluid in his responses to stimuli. He is proud of his accomplishment, and usually seeks to be recognized (whether he admits it or not). He is fluid, yet confined - limited. It is at this point, where his awareness of his experience is limited to what the system has defined. A good system will have broadened and challenged previous notion, and at the same time give the tools and encouragement for the individual to broaden and challenge the ideas, concepts, principles, and notions of the system itself, but at this stage, the individual is still limited by the system that has previously served to stretch his limits. It is here where most people who teach feel the need to teach
d. Stage Four: He will remain the student, yet he has transcended system. As the need arises he will adapt as needed. He is the natural man. There is no difference between skill and instinct. He is whole, and can trust himself. He has no need to be recognized, or applauded. He simply seeks to live. It is at this point where the individual simply lives with the whole of his being engaged in living. At this point, he will teach if he understands teaching as part living.
We need to keep in mind that the ultimate goal is to transcend the system into pure experience (naturally arising encounters with the complexes, the archetypes, god forms, angels, aeons, etc.). For this reason, the individual should not base their confidence in the system; rather, their confidence should lie in the assurance of their ability to embrace Pure Experience. The practices of Doing Gnosis can be seen as a progress of training, much like that of an athlete or martial artist. These practices are designed to train certain attributes and skill sets, and eventually provide a framework for the practice of synthetic experience (consciously generated encounters based on mythical and spiritual correspondences, also called Deity Work). Synthetic experience gives the individual a framework of practice in preparation for pure experience. The individual must always keep in mind that pure experience may or may not resemble synthetic experience, but the practice of synthetic experience can prepare the individual for the rigors and subsequent effects of pure experience.
There are three fields of work within our Working Model: the Soma, the Psyche, and the Pneuma. The Awareness (the ego/consciousness) is a product of and housed within the Psyche. It is the Awareness that is the primary tool for expanded consciousness, assimilation of the disparate aspects of the being, and unification and saturation of the whole of the being by the Pneuma. By using the Awareness, we first connect with the aspects of the Soma, then aspects of the Psyche, and finally aspects of the Pneuma.
Once we have connected, through awareness, to these aspects of the being, we begin the process of ascent to and the unification of the awareness with the spiritual intellect (the Nous). Then based on the connections made in preparation for the ascent, the Unified Nous/Awareness brings harmony, balance, and maturity to the various areas of the being. Once this occurs, then the whole of being, with the Nous as the center and governor of Awareness, can float and flow with the ebb and flow of Pure Experience without the being compromised by the Experience.
Please remember that Pure Experience can be traumatic. As necessary as it is for growth and evolution, without an adequate spiritual system which can be used to process the raw energy of Pure Experience, these experiences can damage the Psyche. We train to process Pure Experience effectively and efficiently, better enabling us to use these experiences for growth.
Connecting with the Somatic Soul
As man has moved into urban centers of living, we have lost our connection to the natural world. In so doing, we have lost our intimate connection to the Somatic Soul. It is primarily through Somatic awareness that we come to experience God as Essential. We begin with awareness of our own bodies, as well as our internal responses to external stimuli. Once we have this awareness, we shift that awareness to the world around us. Using mythical structure and systems of correspondences (the Five Faculties and the Four Elements, primarily) we rediscover the sacredness of the world around us. This will allow us to reconnect the Soma with the natural world, broadening the scope of our awareness. We will then expand these correspondences to include direct connections to the personal unconscious, and the collective unconscious, eventually expanding into the Pneuma.
The Seven Levels of the Somatic Soul
| Somatic Element | Ruler | Power | Associated Planet |
| Hair | Sabbataios | Wisdom | Saturn |
| Skin | Adoni | Comprehension | Jupiter |
| Blood | Sabaoth | Kingship | Mars |
| Flesh | Iao | Fire | Sun |
| Sinews | Astaphaios | Goodness | Venus |
| Bones | Eloaios | Divinity | Mercury |
| Marrow | Iaoth | Pronoia / Forethought | Moon |
We will begin to connect with the Aspects of the Soma through the breath. Then we will visualize the Baptism of Water to purify the Aspects of the Soma. We then visualize the Anointing of Oil to enliven the Aspects of the Soma. At this point we bring the Tetragramaton to rest in the Soma. Finally bringing the Hebrew letter Shin into the Somatic Center, transforming the Tratragramaton into the Pentagramaton, and igniting the baptism of Fire which will transform those things hindering our growth into tools to enhance our growth, and give us the strength to engage and transform the elements of the Psyche. We then cultivate the balance of the Logos and Sophia (Fire and Water) in order to bring balance to the Aspects of the Soma.
We will also learn to connect with the Five Faculties and the Four Elements and their associations, which provide a bridge between the Soma and the Psyche and the Penuma.
The Five Faculties are:
Senses – Perceptions – Imaginations – Impulse – Assent
Begin with the five senses:
Sight – Hearing – Smell – Taste – Touch
We continuously work to bring greater and greater levels of awareness to each of the five senses. Once we are sensitive to the process of increasing physical and Somatic awareness, we bring our attention to the rest of the Five Faculties.
Perception is the way we translate and understand the information from the five senses. Imagination refers to the process of forming conceptual conclusions based on our perception. Impulse is the activation of libido in response to the conceptual conclusions of the imagination. Assent is the decision to put impulse into action.
Four Elements and the correspondences
| Elements | Qualities | Passions | Temptations | Angels | Virtues | Aeons | Archetypal Human |
| Air | Dry | Fear | Beauty | Raphael | Courage | Harmozel | Adamas |
| Fire | Heat | Desire | Material Wealth | Michael | Moral Insight | Oriael | Seth |
| Water | Wet | Grief | Food | Gabriel | Justice | Daveithai | Seed of Seth |
| Earth | Cold | Pleasure | Sexual Indulgence | Uriel | Self Control | Eleleth | Penetents |
The passions and temptations are countered with the cultivation of the virtues. The four passions combine to manifest virtually all disruptive emotions. The four virtues can combine to counter these disruptive emotions. Disruptive emotions are defined as any emotion which compromises the stability of the awareness.
Connecting to the Personal Psyche
The Psyche is split into the Personal Psyche and the Collective Psyche.
Within the Sethian Ascent Model, we will connect with the twelve lower rulers, the seven higher rulers, and the Chief Ruler. The Rulers are not to be viewed as evil. Rather they represent aspects of our personal programming (our personal and social complexes, including the Shadow, the Personae) which stand in our way, and limit our ascent into the depths of the Soul. They represent our certainty, our illusions. As elements of certainty, they need to be confronted and transcended. As illusion, they need to be deconstructed and understood. As we will see, in the Ascent, the Rulers are aspects of our-selves which limit our growth. However, in the Descent, the Rulers are aspects of our programming which allow us to focus our expression of Pure Experience.
NOTE: it is useful to view all of the Rulers and archetypes (including the Aeons) as aspects of the mythical Trickster figure. Remember, the hallmark of the Trickster is that he appears, and acts in exactly the manner needed to trigger growth. He cannot be limited to any virtue or vice, or any blessing or curse. He employs whatever is needed to encourage further growth.
We see the twelve lower Rulers as associated with the twelve traditional astrological houses which represent our Destiny. Destiny is positively viewed as the product of our personal programming balanced by Wisdom. Destiny is negatively viewed as a prison representing the limitations of our programming even when balanced by Wisdom. These twelve astronomical Rulers are listed bellow in Greek transliteration, with the Latin, Hebrew, and English designations following. Also included are permutations of the Tetragramaton, which represents the manifestation of the Chief Ruler within the realms of the Lower Rulers, and the ruling angels of these realms which represents the archetypal core of the complexes.
We will use the permutations of the Tetragramaton as doorways into each of the realms of the Lower Rulers. We will also use these permutations as the order of putting on the Tetragramaton and Pentegramaton prior to passing through these doorways, which is called Descending or Diving. We will use the Archangels as the focus for synthetic experiences, and the Zodiacal correspondences to Amplify these experiences.
The Zodiac, representing the Twelve Lower Rulers
| Greek | Latin | Hebrew | English | Tetragramaton | Archangels |
| Krios | Aries | Telah | The Ram | IHVH | Chamuel |
| Tauros | Taurus | Shor | The Bull | IHHV | Haniel |
| Didymoe | Gemini | Thaumim | The Twins | IVHH | Raphael |
| Karkinos | Cancer | Sartan | The Crab | HVHI | Gabriel |
| Leon | Leo | Aryeh | The Lion | HVIH | Michael |
| Parthenos | Virgo | Bethuleh | The Maiden | HHIV | Uriel |
| Zygos | Libra | Maznim | The Scales | VHIH | Jophiel |
| Skorpios | Scorpio | Oqereb | The Scorpion | VHHI | Zadkiel |
| Toxotes | Sagittarius | Qesheth | The Centaur or Archer | VIHH | Raziel |
| Aegokeros | Capricorn | Gedi | The Goat Horned or the Sea Goat | HIHV | Matatron |
| Hydrokhoos | Aquarius | Deli | The Water Bearer | HIVH | Sandelphon |
| Igthues | Pisces | Dagim | The Fish | HHVI | Zadkiel |
Belief in astrology is not necessary for this discipline. What astrology provides is a system of correspondences that was central to life in the Classical world. This system of correspondences gives a foundation, or a place to start for Thematic Amplification. The student is encouraged to study astrological literature from a variety of perspectives and traditions, but especially from the Classical world. Remember, these correspondences are both limitation (which needs to be transcended) and foci (which needs to be refined).
The Seven Higher Rulers
| Ruler | False Names | Planets
| Heavenly Hierarchy | Judaic Heavens | Somatic Soul | Classical Deity | Archangel |
| Adonin | Understanding | Saturn | Seventh Heaven | Araboth | Hair | Cronos | Cassiel |
| Yaoth | Providence | Jupiter | Sixth Heaven | Zebul | Skin | Zeus | Sachiel |
| Sabaoth | Kingdom | Mars | Fifth Heaven | Machon | Blood | Ares | Samael |
| Astaphaios | Goodness | Sun | Fourth Heaven | Machonon | Flesh | Helios Appollon | Michael |
| Yazo | Envy | Venus | Third Heaven | Shehaqim | Sinews | Aphrodite | Anael |
| Eloaios | Divinity | Mercury | Second Heaven | Raquia | Bones | Hermes | Raphael |
| Sabbataios | Wisdom | Moon | First Heaven | Shamayim | Marrow | Selene/Artemis | Gabriel |
There are long traditions in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam which dictate various methods of ascending through the Seven Heavens to attain to the Chariot Throne of God. Using the techniques learned previously, we will Dive into and through the Seven Heavens where we will learn to manage the limitation that the Rulers represent. We will eventually ascend to the Eighth Heaven and the presence of the Chief Ruler, and finally the Ninth Heaven and the Lower Sophia.
The Chief Ruler
The Chief Ruler is called Yaldabaoth. He is the primary limiting principle in the Universe. He represents the tendency towards Chaos. He is also called Saklas (the Blind God or God of the Blind). As Saklas he represents the State of Ignorance prior to exposure to Truth, as well as the Choice to remain Ignorant in the face of Truth. To face Yaldabaoth is to conquer your illusions, to transform your complexes, and to become free of the prison of your Destiny.
The Lower Sophia
The Lower Sophia inhabits the Ninth Heaven, and permeates the whole of existence. She is the Fallen Sophia, who, in balance with the Logos, helps to correct the deficiency, and brings redemption to all of existence, including Yaldabaoth. All of our practice is designed to connect to and balance Sophia and the Logos, which is Wisdom and Reason. It is Sophia which is the core and source of Intuition, and Logos which is the core and source of Intellect, the Union of which brings knowledge, or Gnosis.
We will continue next time, with Part Two of an overview of the Practice.
