The religious and philosophical ideas we experience today have a long history.  One tradition very important to us originated in a number of groups that we now call the Gnostics. Our knowledge of what they taught formerly came to us through the distorted lenses of their enemies, but since the discovery of the Nag Hammadi Library, they have been able to speak to us in their own voice.

What follows is divided into two parts. The first part will be largely historical and only a summary thereof at that. Part two will consider primary teachings of the Gnostics and their theosophical relevance.

Gnosticism was not something entirely new. It evolved from prior long traditions. The earliest of these traditions of which we have any definite knowledge is associated with a race we know as the pygmies. The tradition is at least 12000 years old, if not much older still. From their descendents today we know that they developed two principal myths. The first corresponds exactly with the Jesus myth. Among others the Egyptians were heirs to this tradition. Thus, for instance, there are four large murals on the walls of the temple at Luxor which depict four scenes we recognize from the nativity narrative in the Bible. These murals were painted around the year 1700 BCE.

Eventually,  there developed what came to be known as the Osiris-Dionysus myth. This was the story of the pagan god and which was known under many names such as Taminuz, Serapis , etc.  When these myths are compared they share many elements in common, as well as with the Jesus story. Because they were known to be myths and not history, they could be modified slightly as they passed from nation to nation. In practice, they were initiatic and were divided into outer and inner mysteries, the latter being reserved for the few who were deemed worthy.

The Jews did not have a tradition of this nature. However, after the time of Alexander the Great, the Greeks first made contact with the Jews. Many of the Jews went to the cosmopolitan city of Alexandria where most became Hellenized. They spoke Greek rather than Hebrew and they adopted many of the Greek customs, including attending the gymnasium. Eventually they needed a translation of the Tanakh (Old Testament) into Greek. The result was what is now called the Septuagent. The Jews could not accept the pagan tradition as is, because, for them, the idea of a god that would be on the cross was utterly shameful. They did, however have the concept of a Messiah. What then ensued was a synthesis of the pagan and messiah traditions. The hero of this new  recension was named Joshua who originally was a deity, not a historical character. In Greek, this became Jesaur, from which we derive our name Jesus. The Greek form was created to satisfy the demands of gematria. In Greek, as in Hebrew, each letter of the alphabet is assigned a numerical value. The word Jesaur was constructed in order that the sum of the numerical values of the letters would equal 888. Thus, a Jewish version of the ancient mysteries was created and spread from Alexandria to their lands. We can say, therefore, that what ultimately became the Christianity we know had its first birthplace in Alexandria. As will be made evident later, it was to have a second birthplace in Rome. What must be emphasized is the fact that Christianity was initially Gnostic. The literalist form we know today did not come into prominence until the middle of the second century, CE, about the time of Justus Martyr. The claim that Gnosticism was a heretical deviation from “pure” Christianity is false; presently the opposite is true. In creating the Jesus myth, the Gnostics set the story in Galilee, which at that time was was almost entirely Greek speaking and was a major centre of the pagan mysteries. The Jewish writings had an historical style (for they were not history) and the works we now know as the gospels were written in the same style. The authors were anonymous and the names they now bear are unfactual. They might, somewhat humorously be named the four Mendaxes (Mendax is the ltalian word for liar). It should be noted that words attributed to Jesus quote the Septuagent, not the Hebrew and they are often significantly different from one another. The authors make various errors in regard to geography and Jewish customs and some, at least, of the  Gospels were likely written in Alexandria. Origen points out that many unrealistic details are contained in the Gospels that are intended to alert the reader to their non- historicity but it appears that few readers got the message. The character we know as St. Paul was a Gnostic and taught both the inner and outer mysteries. He knew nothing about a historical Jesus. There was no controversy in his day between those who asserted that all Jewish law should be obeyed and those who did not.

Paul was of the latter camp. Later, this caused a problem when literalism gained influence. It was too late to exclude Paul from the gospels  so new letters were forged, most especially the so-called pastorals. Even the possibly genuine letters of Paul contain interpulations. That’s why the letters, as they now appear, contain so many contradistinctions. Paul could not have been a literalist Christian because they did not exist when he wrote.

Now, attention must be directed towards Rome. The Roman Empire had an ambivalent attitude towards the mysteries. On the one hand, there was the obvious fascination. On the other hand, they were regarded as politically dangerous. Thus, at various times, the mysteries were proscribed heretic philosophers and initiates were killed or banished. Some Christians were martyred although the actual number was later greatly influenced by the church. When Constantine the Great became emperor, he called the council of Nicaea in CE 325. The authoritarian nature of Christianity appealed to him, although he did not actually convert until he was on his deathbed after he had committed several murders, including   that of his son pus and his mother-in-law Faustus. The latter died in a vat of boiling oil in a bathtub.

The Christian attacks on the Gnostics grew even more intense, especially in the West, where the Gnostic influence had never been as widespread. Finally, the superior Theodosius declared that Christianity was the only religion allowed. With that, the era we know as the Dark Ages officially began and the downfall of the Roman Empire was made inevitable. Literalist Christianity had triumphed, but at what a terrible cost. The error of mistaking mythology for history resulted in the torture and murder of at least 50 million people. The malign influence extended into the 20th and 21 centuries. Adolph Hitler regarded himself as a loyal Roman Catholic and believed that he was carrying out the wishes o his church. More recently, it is worth noting that the massacre in Rwanda occurred despite the fact that 98 percent of its citizens prefer to be Christian. What does this tell us of the power of mere belief as opposed to genuine wisdom?

The foregoing has sketched only a few aspects of the history of Gnostic tradition. More detail may be found in “The Jesus Mysteries” by Timothy Freke and Peter Gaudy as well as two sequels, “Jesus and the Lost Goddess” and “The Laughing Jesus.” These works offer a concise and readable summary of the issues with many interesting situations and copious footnotes.

Now, a consideration of the principal Gnostic teachings will be offered.

The Gnostics divided human beings in to two components, the eidolon and the daemon. The eidolon consists of the body and the outer personality, the word eidolon in Greek meaning “image.” The remainder of the human being is the daemon but the interpretation of this word varies with the level of initiation attained. In general, people were divided into four types. The first were called hylur? From the word hyle, meaning matter. These were the uninitiated. Next were the psychics who had attained the first initiation. Those taking the second initiation were called pneumatics and those of the third degree were the mystics. These four levels correspond to the current? Principles of earth, water, air and fire. To psychics, the daemon manifested as the guardian angel. To pneumatics, it was realized as the inner self. The mystics recognized the daemon as the universal self, present in all.

Correspondingly, the Jesus story was understood differently. Psychics took it literally. Pneumatics understood it mythically. The mystics had entirely transcended the need for the Jesus story or any other.

The Gnostics correctly noted that the god of the Old Testament is not that of the New Testament has been obscured by the modern translations but is quite evident when the testaments are read in their original languages. The psychotic characteristics attributed to the Old Testament deity are certainly not those we might expect of a universal deity. The Gnostics called it the demiurge and initiates swore an oath not to have any devotion to it. The New Testament deity is not given a personal name but is simply referred to as theos,  ie “the god.” The Gnostic deity is not anthropomorphized but is ultimately unknowable.

In essence, we find the Gnostic concept identical with that of Hinduism wherein Atman is equated with Brahman. We are therefore advised “Know Thyself and thou shall know the universe and the gods.” There are other characteristics of Gnostic groups that distinguish them from those of literalist Christians. One was their egalitarianism. There was no fixed hierarchy. Someone might be a layman at one meeting, a provost at the next, a reader at the next, and so on. This avoided the infighting that characterized literalist groups where members jostled with each other for positions of power. Women could hold any office on the same basis as the men. Literalists would not allow women in any ecclesiastical role whatsoever. In time, many churches would not permit men and women to sit together.  Byzantine Christians even required women to be veiled and this was later to influence the views of Mohammed.

This anti-female bias influenced teachings also. As we now know, a large and important part of the Christian mythological cycle was deleted.  This concerned the fall and redemption of the goddess Sophia. Indeed, Sophia played a more important role in the drama than did the Christ figure. Space does not permit a full recounting of the myth here. It may be found in “The Lost Goddess” by Freke and Gaudy. Christianity lost the balance between the polarities of masculine and feminine which had originated with the Jews and which went on to infect Islam with such dire consequences.

At open Gnostic meetings, anyone could attend while the mysteries were reserved for initiates and candidates for admission. Also noteworthy is the fact that, in practice, Gnostics exhibited much higher standards of morality than literalists. In conflicts between them, the Gnostics were never the aggressors. The Valentinians attempted to reconcile the two factions, but eventually gave up the effort as futile. The difference was clearly shown in the later event called the Abbigensian Crusade which pitted the Roman Catholic Church against the Cathars. There can be no doubt as to which side exhibited the higher moral standards.

The Rosicrucians, whose traditional history has them originating during the reign of Pharaoh Thutmose III exhibited characteristics very similar to those of the Gnostics, and, like them, were also initiates. Freemasonry, as well, encourages high moral standards but unlike the Rosicrucians, limited its membership to men. Gnostics recognized that only one universal soul exists. This implies that universal brotherhood is a necessary ideal and that no individual soul personality could ever be lost. . they denied the existence of hell and endorsed the law of reincarnation. It is noteworthy that the church fathers Origen, later condemned for heresy, was trained in the mysteries and the main reason for his ostracism was precisely his view that all could eventually be saved.

Gnosticism is currently enjoying a renewal of interest. However many feel a need for tit to express itself in a manner that is more in tune with modern culture. Gnostic texts are very hard for lay persons to read and understand because they are expressed in a language of a culture that is now extinct. No tradition can truly survive and thrive if it remains stuck in the past and refuses to acknowledge the advances in human knowledge. This is why Judaism, Christianity and Islam are now, in reality, just fossilized relics. Religions do not evolve, they merely degenerate, as H.P.Blavatsky noted.

The parallels between Gnostic teachings and those of modern theosophy are quite evident. Also evident is that the need for ideals in the modern world is urgent, especially because that world seems bent on regressing an infantile past. TS

References

Freke, T. and Gandy, P. 1999  
The Jesus Mysteries,   Element Books

-and- 2001  Jesus and the Lost Goddess,
Three Rivers Press, New York

-and- 2005  The Laughing Jesus,
Three Rivers Press, New York

DR. DAVID GARDNER, MARCH 22, 1941 – APRIL 2, 2013

On April 2, 2013, Dr. David Garner, President of the Theosophical Society in Canada, made his transition. He had just turned 72 on March 22. David had been at The Grace Hospital Hospice in Toronto for eight days. His brother was there with him when he transitioned. David never married, but devoted his life to his spiritual pursuits. He was always curious, an avid reader, a music lover and a convincing writer. His lectures and presentations were always thought provoking, as David intended them to be.

A gentle soul, he appreciated nature and was a keen observer of animals and their habits. He could have written a definitive book on pigeons, had he lived long enough to do so. David was a loyal friend and valued each of his friendships. He maintained correspondence with many Theosophists, Martinists and Rosicrucians from various parts of the world  and truly valued these contacts. They were all people like David himself, who preferred to correspond by personal letter. He was a man who lived without much interest in, or need for, technology. Possessing an active mental life, David always had opinions and comments to offer on any subject under discussion. His presence in the organizations he lived for will be greatly missed.

David was one of a kind. While driving him to and from various meetings over many years, I got to know him quite well. I heard many stories about his childhood and his pranks at school. He was undoubtedly a precocious lad – the type I would probably have enjoyed having in one of my classes when teaching. His sense of humour was unique and disarming at times.

Kenneth David Gardner was born in Hamilton, Ontario, on March 22, 1941. He has two younger siblings, a sister, Linda Kapoor, and a brother, Rev. Philip Gardner. A lifelong music lover, David earned his ARCT at the age of 16. He retained perfect pitch throughout his life. He was an amazing leader when doing the Rosicrucian vowel sounds.

He graduated from McMaster University with an Honours degree in Mathematics and Theoretical Physics. He then attended University of Toronto where he earned a Masters Degree in Meteorology. He then studied Meteorology at MIT in Boston.

When he saw an ad in FATE magazine and investigated, he was introduced to Rosicrucians and Martinists. Many of them became his lifelong friends. David was attracted to the study of Rosicrucianism and became a member of AMORC in 1974. He attended many special session over the years at Rosicrucian Park in San Diego, California. He became a Martinist in 1979, and discovered the teachings of the International College of Esoteric Studies (ICES). These studies were originally called Martinist Studies through the International College of Martinist Studies (ICOMS). Through the ICES organization, David earned a doctorate in Esoteric Studies.

David became a member of the order Militia Crucifera Evangelisca (OMCE). He was an initiated Knights Templar.

David was the President of the Theosophical Society in Canada at the time of his transition. He first joined the Theosophical Society in 1991. He became Secretary Treasurer of the Toronto Theosophical Society in 1993, and then President of the Canadian organization in 1995. He retained memberships in both organizations.

In all of the above societies and organizations, David was a very active member. He served on Initiation teams, took major roles in Rituals and Dramas, conducted workshops and delivered many lectures. He also contributed many articles to the theosophical magazine, The Theosophist.

David was cremated and laid to rest beside his parents in Burlington, ON. A Memorial service in the form of a Musical Tribute was held for him at his childhood church, Westdale United Church  in Hamilton, on May 5. The service was conducted by Rev. Judith Johnson. David’s brother Phillip was the organist and pianist, and his sister, Linda Kapoor, was the soloist. Lois Brisbois read  Ecclesiastes, from Sacred writings: The Tanakh. Rev. Johnson read from the writings of Helena Blavatsky (The Secret Doctrine). A reception for family and friends was held after the service in the Hazel Broker Parlour. David would have been well pleased.

On June 23, David was also remembered at a special service at Grace Hospital Hospice for all those who transitioned there during the past three months.

Lois Brisbois, Theosophical Society in Canada.

Following is a brief excerpt from an article by William Q.Judge, first published in August, 1895. He died in April, 1896 at the age of 44. His comments are pertinent even to this day. Judge was co- founder of the Theosophical Society in 1875, with H. P. Blavatsky and 
H. S. Olcott.

There is a very great difference between the Theosophical Movement and any Theosophical Society. The Movement is moral, ethical, spiritual, universal, invisible save in effect, and continuous. A Society formed for theosophical work is a visible organization, an effect, a machine for conserving energy and putting it to use; it is not nor can it be universal, nor is it continuous. Organized theosophical bodies are made by men for their better cooperation, but, mere outer shells, they must change from time to times human defects come out, as the times change, and as the great underlying spiritual movement compels such alterations.

The Theosophical Movement being continuous, it is to be found in all times and in all nations, wherever thought has struggled to be free, wherever spiritual ideas, as opposed to forms and dogmatism, have been promulgated , there the great movement is to be discerned. Jacob Boehme’s work was a part of it, and so was the Theosophical Society of over one hundred years ago; Luther’s reformation must be reckoned as part of it; and the great struggle between Science and Religion, clearly portrayed by Draper, was every bit as much a motion of the Theosophical Movement as is the present society of that name- indeed that struggle, and the freedom thereby gained for science, were really as important in the advance of the world, as are our different organizations, and among the political examples of the movement is to be counted the independence of the American Colonies, ending in the formation of a great nation, theosophically based on Brotherhood. One can therefore see that to worship an organization, even though it be the beloved theosophical one, is to fall down before form, and to become the slave once more of hat dogmatism which our portion of the Theosophical Movement was meant to overthrow.

Notes: the rest of this article can be found in The William Q. Judge Series,No.3, available from The Theosophical Company. You can check on line.

BY CARL LA FLAMME

There it stands, looming before me, it’s white crown poking the clear blue heavens-Mount Shasta-a mighty fortress, rising proudly, majestically, from the lowly valley. It is the birthplace of legends, home to the mystical Lemurians, the world’s oldest and wisest civilization , and keepers of the paranormal, the supernatural, the transcendental, the unfathomable, the miraculous, and any other big-syllable metaphysical word one can conjure up. I drive up 1-5, not in my wheezing Mazda pickup struggling to adjust to the new-found heights, but in a chariot driven by the horsepower of 150 white stallions. This will be my first spiritual hour. A significant marker on my road to enlightenment. How long have I traveled? How many books have I read ? Seminars attended? Gurus followed? Crystals polished? Chakras opened? I have worked hard and long to achieve higher consciousness, and today, at the top of one of the highest spiritual points in the kingdom known as California, I will find my reward-no reward is too small a word-my anointment, my initation, heck, my inauguration into the higher realms! To say I am emotionally primed for a transformative event is an understatement of cosmic proportions.

I have heard much about this New Age Mecca, frequently told to me in reverent whispers throughout numerous coffee houses, bookstores, and self –help workshops across the great divide. Those in the “know? say Lemurians, direct decendants of Adam and Eve, still live on the mountain and if you are truly prepared they will make contact with you. I ‘m told many people experience prophetic visions, illumination and even ascension into the realms whee Ascended Master’s await! I’m ready! Boy am I ready! Sitting next to me ,my wife takes a more down to earth approach,? oohing? and “ahhing? at the simple beauty of the mountain, and wondering aloud if there are any good places to eat. How she can even think of eating at a time like this is beyond me and my higher –than-thou revelry, but I say nothing , keeping my judgment to myself like any enlightened master. I take my ability to remain silent as yet another sign of my preparedness for higher realms and begin going over my speech to the Lemurians.

We stop for gas at a little town of Shasta. I keep my eyes glued for anyone with a protruding bump on their forehead-a supposed sign of being a direct Lemurian descendent, but alas, everyone here looks pretty much like anyone else-if not worse: the gas station attendant shuffles about looking horribly hungover and the cashier sits glassy-eyed behind the counter flipping through a wrestling magazine and puffing on a Kool . I quickly let my tinge of disappointment pass – the Lemurian must be waiting for me further up the mountain.

The ride up the mountain is filled with nervous anticipation as I strain every which way looking for something mystical to take place. My wife admonishes me to keep my eyes on the road ahead, but I pay little heed. Who knows what phenomena the next turn will bring? However, the closest we come to the paranormal is a brush with death via a close call with the front end of a Winnebago.

The road to MT. Shasta ends in a parking lot at about 12’000 feet. Here hikers, bikers, and other vacationers stroll the grounds, camping and picnicking, just like at any other park. Yet, before disappointment can set in, I spot an old trail that ascends further up the mountain. It is overgrown with brush and obviously hasn?t been used much these past few years. Eureka! I cry as I get an intuitive flash that this seldom used trail will take us to the promised land beyond the area designated for the commoners. A place where only the elected are allowed to enter!

I urge my wife along, and we climb the mountain to the snow line, following a trail away from the crowds and into the vestiges of vegetation. Finally, we reach “The Place? – a ridge high above the road offering a beautiful view of the Sierra mountain tops as far as the eye can see. It is nature at its most majestic and re- splendent. “This is the place!? I exclaim and my wife seems relieved that I have finally found whatever it is I’m looking for.

I sit down to enter into what I have already proclaimed as my “ greatest meditation ever? while awaiting higher contact with my Lemurian hosts. However , no longer than a few seconds later the peace is interrupted by a peculiarly familiar and annoying buzz. I open my eyes and come face to face with the biggest horsefly I’ve ever seen! Quicker than you can say OM, I leave my newfound peace and tranquility and sink into my familiar world of rage and aggravation.

“How can people be so inconsiderate as to defiles these holy grounds with their garbage! Don’t they have any respect for the sacred? No wonder the world is going to hell! I close my eyes and blindly swat the fly away, but it does not take the hint. In fact, it seems to become bolder with every swat of the hand, buzzing ever nearer to my nose , ear and mouth. After a few seconds , that seemed like an eternity, I jump up in a fury, swinging wildly at this annoying pest. “Get out of here before the Lemurian come! Can’t you see I’m awaiting higher contact? Finally, after dodging several flying fists, my fly takes flight.

As I sit back down I see my wife several yards away meditating peacefully. Her face looks absolutely radiant as she seems to bask in the light of total peace, contentment and joy. I hate her for it, I close my eyes and restart my meditation, yet no sooner do I clear my mind, than my tranquility is once again violated by the annoying buzz of the fly. This time my intellect kicks into high gear as I plot it’s impending doom. I will get this fly if it’s the last thing I do!

I don’t move as it buzzes my ear like one of those barnstorming biplanes at an air show. Instead I wait, like a cat perched on a windowsill, for the fly to land. Using every psychic mind trick in the book I order it to land where I can get a good look at it. Being a receptive fly it responds almost instantly, making itself at home on a patch of my arm hairs. Slowly, I bring my free hand up. One well-placed whack and my peace will be restored. The fly, oblivious to my presence, begins to clean itself of whatever debris a fly finds filthy. I slap my arm with deadly precision, yet upon lifting my hand to view the remains I am instead confronted with its miraculous getaway! The realization of the fly’s great escape and the fact that it is once again barnstorming my ears, sends me into a rage not seen since the days of the Old Testament. I jump up with my arms flailing about as I chase the fly down my sacred trail. Now I am one with the thought of killing this fly! This maniacal insect has ruined my life and any chance I have of making contact with a Lemurian or an Ascended Master, or even one of those roly-poly Cherubim or Seribums for that matter!

And then suddenly I stop running –to this day I’m not sure why. Maybe it was the beauty of the mountain tops before me, or the melting snow that had leaked into my sneakers, or maybe it was simply the utter futility of chasing a fly or the dreams of finding spiritual validity through someone or something outside myself. Whatever it is, it causes me to stop and stand in wonder and awe at the beauty around me. To marvel at the silence . To feel in the vast aloneness of this glorious mountain top a connection to the very Essence of my being. I go back to my spot and sit down. No sooner do I settle in than the fly returns, but this time it’s okay, everything is okay as it is, and I realize that if I just accept things as they come I will find what I am looking for.

The fly, seems my calmness, perches itself upon my shoulder and we sit there , the fly and I, for a long , long time, both of us just simply gazing at the wonder and beauty of life around us. There is no spectacular vision, burning bush, or Lemurians in white robes to initiate me. It is simply a peaceful moment. Yet in that moment I feel a calming presence that brings a sense of connection to the oneness of life, and for this fool on the hill that moment means everything.