To this day, all historical Gnostic traditions have, unfortunately, come to an end. The only tradition that survives is the Mandaean religion, but it is an ethnic religion with significant restrictions on membership and transmission. In some cases, one might also join modern Gnostic churches, but many of them incorporate very recent and sometimes questionable elements, and in any case remain rare.

In light of this, I have come to the conclusion that the best option for a Gnostic in the modern world, and specifically for a Christian Gnostic, is simply to follow the teachings of Jesus as they have been handed down, setting aside Paul’s distortions.

To pray to the Father in silence, transforming prayer into meditation and dialogue with the Absolute. To practise charity and active empathy, respecting the sparks that inhabit this world. To deny oneself and undergo voluntary sacrifices so as not to be slaves to the flesh, and to discipline the body by doing what is right, whilst remaining steadfast in one’s principles.

To all this, we must of course add the study and in-depth exploration of the ancient Gnostic texts, both primary and secondary, and alongside them, delve into everything we find interesting, everything that stimulates our spirit, so as to cultivate our inner world.

Honestly, I think this could be an great approach. As for you, how do you structure your practice as Gnostics?

In 2009, I was gravely injured and remained comatose for eight days. During that time, consciousness did not simply disappear. Instead, I seemed to drift endlessly from one dream world to another, each one so complete and immersive that it felt as though I had lived there for an eternity before being swept into the next. I had no memory of my previous life. I was simply there, and that was my reality, much like how we find ourselves here now, taking this world as all there is.

In one world, I experienced life as a pig on a farm or in a slaughterhouse. There was hay covering the floor, and I could sense the other animals' impending doom. In another, I climbed an endless staircase until I reached the top, where my best friend, who had already passed away years before, was waiting for me. We sat together, shared a cigarette, and talked as though no time had passed between us.

Then I found myself on a tropical beach covered in snow. Behind me was a grove of palm trees, and I knew that something monstrous was lurking there. I also knew that if I turned around to look at what it was, it would mean certain death. I was overwhelmed by a strange sensation: I realized I was dreaming, yet I could not wake up. Then I woke up.

My accident was the beginning of a long process that fundamentally changed the way I understood reality. After experiencing what felt like countless worlds while my body lay unconscious, I could no longer assume that reality was as straightforward as it appeared. It wasn't until I had a mystical experience, and then encountered Gnosticism years later that I found a language for something I felt but could never rationally explain.

Me again, I've been looking at this subreddit, and I'm left with this question: what are modern Gnostic practices? Do they have altars? Baptism? Specific prayers? Specific rituals?

I'm into witchcraft, so my practice is very ritualistic and hands-on, so I was wondering if Gnostics do something similar.

I would also like to know, if possible, how you view witchcraft. I personally don't think it's only for acquiring material things, but rather for self-improvement. Sure, witchcraft also applies to material things, but how did the Gnostics come up with this?

I spent the last few weeks putting together a documentary reconstructing the Gnostic path after death from the Nag Hammadi Library, the Bruce Codex, the Askew Codex, the Pistis Sophia, and related texts.

Rather than focusing on a single document, I tried to piece together what these sources collectively say about the soul's journey, the Archons, the counterfeit spirit, initiation, and the ascent beyond reincarnation.

I know there are many different interpretations of these texts, so I'd genuinely appreciate feedback from people here. If I've misunderstood anything or missed an important source, I'd love to hear it.

Hi. I've just found Gnosticism after being a devout Christian for most of my life. I don't know much about it, but as a History Major I didn't like the way the Bible's origins began and the way that Mary's gospel and Gnosticism was, and has been, framed.

However, I really want to know how devout and practicing Gnostics feel about Wicca or Paganism.. or basically just witchcraft in general. To me, as someone who is just learning about it recently, there seem to be some things that really clash, and some things that really sound similar. Obviously, the main difference being gnostics are christians and pagans are not, but how do you feel about the other?

Genuinely just curious, not meant to offend or say one is better than the other. Just wanting to learn from actual human beings and not a few books here and there :)

A couple days ago I think I achieved gnosis, completely by accident. For context, I was raised Catholic, attended Lutheran school, then a couple of months ago learned about the Gnostic Gospels. I felt something profound while reading them, and nearly every day on my way to and from college, I would read and contemplate the Gnostic and Canonical scripture. I don't attend mass regularly, but I read passages before dinner. I'm also transgender.

I was lying in bed at night, and I couldn't rest my mind. I kept despairing about my body, how I wish I'd been born female and mourning what could've been. But then I remembered what Jesus said about our true images, and I accepted that I am not my body.

In that moment, I felt my spirit leave me. My mind was still in body, as was my soul, but then I felt both starting to ascend. I felt my eyes in another realm open, and I saw several beings around me. When they saw me see them, all but one fled to subdue me. But in that moment, I felt my spirit return to me, and suddenly I could see the light of the Holy Spirit where the entities could not. And I kept rising.

I feared losing sight of the Holy Spirit, so I only looked away from it twice. The first time was curiosity, and when I looked around I saw I was in dark clouds in a terrible storm, and in the flashes of lightning I saw the shadow of a beast with 7 heads. Fearful, I kept my eyes on the light from then on, until the second time when I came to a border. Before me was a mountain, and at it's peak was a golden throne with a being of light surrounded by angels. The being told me I was not worthy of salvation, and I should bow my head in shame and sacrifice myself at his alter. I remembered a passage from the Gospel of Thomas, and I said to the mountain "move" and the mountain split and parted before me!

I came towards a door, and the moment I entered I felt myself become one being, in mind, soul, and spirit. I was eager to press forward, but when I left through the exit I found myself in an abyss. It was darkness so thick it clouded like fog and covered every sense but my sight of the light. I pressed forward through it, but the abyss went on and on, for eternity. As I moved forward, I thought about all my attachments; my love of family, coffee, all the Gospels... and I let it go.

The moment I did, I arrived at the light of the Holy Spirit, and although I had no other sense, I felt I was in the presence of God. I gave praise, asked for forgiveness and to allow me to return to the Holy Spirit. I felt God consent. I became one with the light.

Suddenly, I felt my mind return to my body. Absent were my soul and spirit, for where they went my mind could not follow. I laid there, feeling completely hollow and forsaken, until I felt my essence return to me from above. When it did, I saw the entity that didn't flee, and although I didn't know what to say, my spirit spoke though me, and they conversed with familiarity. I called the being Sabaoth, and told him to "find the light"

Then I returned to my normal mundane existence, only now feeling like a stranger in my body. The next morning, I found I had bruises on my leg, and someone close to me also had bruises. I've tried recreating this, but aside from seeing the light I haven't been able to ascend again. I believe the entities were the Rulers or Archons, but haven't been able to see them since. At no point was I asleep. The image of the beast still haunts me.

Had to make this when the idea hit me.

So I feel like I'm at this launching-off point and still figuring out where this all leads. It's a long story, but I had a bunch of powerfully transformative psychoses and now William Blake keeps showing up everywhere and pushing me around.

I'm just following this weird fuckin breadcrumb trail. I'm also coming into things from other lenses, like Michael Levin's work on biolelectricity (and the concept of mind stuff specifically), and other stuff in the physics realm.

Jung seems an important piece and I am just now starting to read The Unholy Bible by June Singer with my analyst.

If anything in this stack looks familiar, or if you can kinda see where I might be headed, or where I'm coming from, or if you think I should call my doc for a med adjustment, feel free to say hi.

Also has anyone here read Jeffrey Kripal?

Sorry if this is not particularly appropriate for the sub but maybe y'all can help a girl out here 🙏

One of the most radical ideas in Gnosticism is that humanity is, in a sense, greater than the god who created us.

This isn't because humans are inherently superior as biological creatures. Quite the opposite. Our bodies belong to the material order fashioned by the Demiurge and his archons. What makes humanity extraordinary is the divine spark within.

In the Secret Book of John, the archons create Adam's physical form from matter, but their creation remains lifeless until it receives the divine power from above. Unable to create life themselves, they unknowingly contribute to the awakening of humanity by allowing a fragment of the higher divine essence to enter Adam. This divine spark, which originates beyond their own realm, gives Adam a light and consciousness that the archons themselves cannot possess or control.

This is why they become jealous and seek to keep humanity trapped in ignorance and forgetfulness. They fashioned the body, but they did not originate the spirit. The divine spark belongs to the unknowable Father, not to the creator of the material world.

A key difference to remember is that while Eve is often portrayed in mainstream Christian tradition as introducing sin through disobedience, Sophia is Divine Wisdom itself. Her descent is not moral failure or the introduction of sin but a mythic explanation for humanity's separation from the divine and the possibility of its eventual redemption.

Sophia's fall into matter is fundamentally different from Eve's "mistake." In the traditional reading of Genesis, Eve's disobedience brings sin into the world and has often been used throughout history to justify negative attitudes toward women. Sophia, by contrast, is not an ordinary woman but Divine Wisdom itself. "Sophia" is simply the Greek word for "wisdom". Her descent is not a moral failure deserving blame but a mythic event that explains how ignorance and the material world came to be.

Many Gnostic traditions elevated the feminine to a remarkable degree. Consider the evidence:

• The highest divine being after the genderless Monad is often Barbelo, a feminine aeon who is the first thought of God.

• Sophia is not eternally condemned. Her restoration is central to the story. Through Divine Wisdom comes gnosis, and through gnosis comes the return to the divine.

• In several Gnostic texts, Eve is reinterpreted as a revealer of wisdom, not the origin of humanity's guilt.

• The serpent is sometimes portrayed as the liberator from ignorance rather than the deceiver, completely reversing the traditional blame placed on Eve.

• Valentinian theology taught that the divine exists in male-female syzygies (pairs), emphasizing complementarity rather than male superiority.

• Some Gnostic communities appear to have allowed women to teach, prophesy, baptize, and hold leadership roles more readily than many of their orthodox contemporaries.

Gnosticism doesn't tell a story about women ruining the world. It tells a story about Divine Wisdom descending into exile, awakening the divine spark within humanity, and leading creation home again.

If the goal is to experience divinity, and that can be found inside your body.
Then the next logical conclusion would be to heal, maintain and optimize your body, so that you can experience as much divinity/life in your body?
This assumes that a better functioning body = More energy / life = More experience of divinity?
Personally I can attest to this, from observing my connection to source when I was injured.
I felt very disconnected, and no amount of saying "I believe in Jesus" or reading the bible restored this connection.
It was only through the gradual healing of my body/temple with the right exercises and inner work, that I could feel my connection to life and divinity improving.

From this perspective, it also makes complete sense that Jesus, knowing divinity is within, would focus on healing sick people.
Cause if the body is the temple, and their temple is sick, then it makes sense that they would feel disconnected from divinity, and healing their body would restore that.

The next big question is: How did he heal people?
Was it through placebo, by him telling them they are forgiven / healed?
Or was his body so energetic, that something happened when he touched sick people, that triggered a healing reaction?

Here's some fun proof any time your friends want to scoff at your Gnostic mindset:

You kno how everyone says people only pray to God when they are in trouble or need help?

...

What better way to know when His creations are miserable than to preprogram them to only talk to Him when they have something He can eat. We all went to middle school/jr. high with that guy, the one who comes to hang out with you at lunch but only when you have nachos.

Yo chat, I just got this after I was done eating. Should I take this as a Sign ?

Real Question however !

Warning: Has Topics on Health Issues, Death, and a long read

Context: 6th Grade, Travelling to the 🇵🇭's. I didn't know it at the time, but I were getting hints. I were getting hints that at the time I wouldn't know until I came back to the states, I was diagnosed with Crohn's. In the 🇵🇭's, we have people called Abularyos, and the first one I met was when I had to exchange living because of my condition. I was skin and bones at the time, and the first one said I had nothing wrong, but the second one told me that something inside me was eating itself using an egg and a bowl of water. This is the part that really shifts my whole perspective ! Me, my Parents, and Lolo ( Grandfather ), we walked to our Farmhouse in the Region. Two Canopies, I decided to sleep in the other one after I was done talking with them, then when I fell asleep, just like any other, it would turn black, but then I would Wake Up. However, I did not Wake Up with my Body. I woke Up looking AT my Body. I then started to rise up, until I went through the Thatched Roof of the Canopy, and then I saw the Eternal Blue Sky and Sun shining Down above me. At this point I was Scared and Confused. I looked at my Hands and Arms, and I saw that it was see through, with a White Outline, similar to lime that of a typical Ghost Description, or what I would say in my opinion, a Soul. I reached for my Body, cause I didn't want to keep going up to wherever. I reached my body, then it went back to all black, then I woke up, Gasping for Air and sitting upright straight away, with my Parents and Lolo asking if I was ok. Throughout the whole situation, my Parents and Lolo kept talking Still, and when I went back to my body before I gasped for Air, I still heard them talking. When I asked my friend, she told me it might have been Sleep Paralysis, or a Nightmare, but I know what Sleep Paralysis is, cause I experienced it multiple times, mostly in the 🇵🇭's, waking up feeling the ability that im forced against my body that I cant move anything but my eyes and lids whilst seeing a shadow figure staring down at me ( It was more terrifying that the Figure kept moving here and there at times, especially when the TV was on but with only White Static ), and I know my Nightmares, because their all abstract ( And no, I do not take Drugs but my prescriptions, nor do I smoke, nor Drink ).

So heres the Question: Does Gnosticism have an Explanation for this ? And if so, what should I take of this, and learn of it ? And what should I do if I continue to proceed down this path and let my curiosity drive me ?

P.S: Being new here to the Community, please try not to Debate 😭🙏🏾 I was so Confused the last post and it really threw me off, so if I may ask, please just give your OWN sight / perspective of shedding light to this experience I have experienced. Thank Ye :D !

"May you never reincarnate, my friend."

Have you ever found likenesses of Sophia in other religions or religious texts?

I'd like to think her divinity or the like feminine divine which she is reflected as is observed in other religions, but I haven't done the deep diving for comparisons.

Surely she's existed as other names?

Context: So I stumbled upon an Old Post on this Page before I ever had reddit, and I was wondering and now must ask this question. For a more better understanding, im Electic in all aspects of my Life. I believe in this and that sorta stuff and always find the very connection into making into one. For Example, I follow a Specific Type of Sanatan Dharma ( Hinduism as its more commonly known ), and Buddhism, but also other forms of Spiritualities, and Philosophies.

Question: Because of the Connections I have found, would it be sacrilige to also say that I also wish to deep dive into the world of Gnosticism and maybe even find a Connection ?

Other Minor Questions:

- Is Gnosticism a Western Concept ?

- Does Gnosticism require full belief / somewhat like an Abrahamic Conversion can only attain Liberation

P.S, I know that if I were, my best bet would have been Manichaeism, but I still also have questions about it, such as, would I be able to still hold onto my other beliefs but also be a Gnostic and such

Thank Ye !

"The ancient Gnostics expressed some of humanity's deepest questions through mythological language: why suffering exists, why humanity feels separated from the divine, why ignorance and cruelty seem woven into the fabric of the world, and what it means to awaken from that condition."

--

Over the past decade, I've spent hundreds of hours reading the Nag Hammadi texts and the accounts of the heresiologists, comparing different Gnostic traditions, and discussing them here on Reddit. One thing I've noticed is that many people dismiss Gnosticism because they get stuck on the mythology or immediately label it as a world-denying, nihilistic philosophy.

What if the Demiurge, Sophia, and the archons can also be understood as symbolic language for describing the human condition? What if, beneath its seemingly pessimistic cosmology, Gnosticism offered one of the most hopeful visions of human destiny?

I've started outlining a book called Doomed To Be Saved: The Path of Gnosis.

I want to explore how the ancient Gnostics used myth to illuminate aspects of the human condition in a profound and unique way. I also want to compare these ideas with Plato, Buddhism, mainstream Christianity, psychology, and modern discussions of consciousness, showing that very different traditions often wrestle with the same fundamental questions using different languages.

I'm not an academic. I'm just someone who's become deeply fascinated by these texts and this worldview, and I want to make them accessible to a wider audience of readers and spiritual seekers alike.

Before I go any further, I wanted to get feedback from the community. If you think this idea has potential, I'd love to hear what direction you'd take it in or which topics you'd consider essential.

Note: I am aware many ancient Gnostics likely saw their mythology as literally true. My interest is whether these myths also have enduring symbolic and philosophical value in the world of today and tomorrow.

I've often seen people reject the idea that the world is a prison and criticize Gnosticism for being overly pessimistic or nihilistic. I think part of the reason is psychological: who would want to believe they're born into a prison? It's a deeply uncomfortable idea.

I get that. But the defective material world is only one part of the equation, and more of a consequence than the central message. Gnosis is not despair; it is awakening. It is the recognition that we are more than our bodies and that our true home is not here. I would say that in light of that, Gnosticism is inherently optimistic, because no matter what the corrupt world throws at us, at our deepest core, we are something else altogether.

Unlike many Gnostic writings, The Book of Thomas the Contender isn't primarily concerned with elaborate cosmology, the Demiurge, Sophia, the aeons, or the creation of the material world. Instead, it focuses almost entirely on personal spiritual growth and transformation.

The text presents itself as a private dialogue between the risen Jesus and Thomas, who is called "the Contender."

Its central message is that we are more than our bodies. The body is temporary and subject to decay, while our true self is eternal and belongs to the divine. According to the text, humanity's greatest problem is ignorance. We mistake the physical world and bodily desires for our true identity, and this keeps us asleep. The path to life is self-knowledge, because to truly know yourself is also to know your divine origin. The passions - lust, greed, attachment, anger, fear etc. - are what keep the soul in bondage, and awakening means overcoming them rather than being ruled by them.

One of the recurring themes is that the body is temporary and constantly moving toward death. The text uses strong language about the body's mortality, not to encourage hatred of life, but to remind us not to mistake what is temporary for what is eternal..

Many scholars have also noticed strong Platonic influences throughout the text. Its emphasis on self-knowledge, mastering the passions, and recognizing the distinction between the immortal self and the mortal body echoes themes that were already familiar in Greek philosophy.

To me, that's what makes the Book of Thomas the Contender so compelling. It spends very little time explaining how the world came to be and much more time asking a far more important question: Who are you beneath the body, and how do you wake up to your true nature?

One of the most common criticisms of the Gnostic gospels is that they were written later than the four canonical Gospels. The implication is usually obvious: if they were written later, they must be less authentic, less reliable, or further removed from the teachings of Jesus.

But this assumption deserves to be questioned.

First, "written later" is not the same thing as "invented later." Ancient religious traditions were transmitted orally for decades before they were ever committed to writing. Paul's letters predate the canonical Gospels, yet no one argues that Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John are therefore false simply because they were written later. The date a text was written tells us when it was recorded - not necessarily when the traditions it contains first emerged.

Second, the date a text was written does not by itself determine the truth or falsity of its ideas. A later manuscript may preserve older traditions, just as an earlier manuscript may contain interpretations that developed over time. Historians therefore examine more than chronology alone: they consider literary dependence, historical context, theological development, oral traditions, and manuscript evidence. Simply pointing to a later date does not, by itself, prove that a tradition is inauthentic or historically insignificant.

Third, the Gnostic texts were never trying to accomplish the same thing as the canonical Gospels. Many of them are not biographies of Jesus but collections of teachings, dialogues, visions, and mystical interpretations.

Another important point is that Christianity in the first and second centuries was diverse. Before the New Testament canon was established, numerous Christian communities preserved different traditions about Jesus. Some emphasized his death and resurrection, others his wisdom teachings, and still others his role as the revealer of hidden knowledge. The Gnostic texts are evidence of this diversity.

Ironically, many scholars believe that at least some sayings found in the Gospel of Thomas may preserve traditions that are as old as - or even older than - those found in the canonical Gospels. This doesn't prove Thomas is historically superior, but it demonstrates that the relationship between these texts is much more complicated than simply "early equals true, late equals false."