Processing Personal Gnosis

In the occult community there is sometimes an uneasy relationship between information received from spirits, in visions, or mystical experience (personal Gnosis) and information received through tradition and historical research. I have written about how these two should interact in older posts, how there should be a firewall between them that allows us to celebrate when they align or confirm one another, but keep them separate enough that we are not demanding revelation conform to current understanding of history (in which case, why do we need revelation?) nor corrupt our understanding of history so that it confirms revelation (as Theosophy has sometimes done).

But today I want to just talk about processing personal Gnosis. The essence of my message is this: TAKE YOUR TIME.

My Sorcery of Hekate Course* was sparked by contact with Hekate and a body of teachings from her that came in a way that was more complete and complex than I ever thought possible through spirit contact. That started back in 2000. I opened my course on her about a year ago. That 16 years was spent trying, testing, questioning, and understanding that teaching. I spent a lot of time researching her cult and practice in history, which deepened the appreciation for what she taught immensely. It was also spent making mistakes with it, mishandling it at times, misunderstanding it and in one case making an error bad enough to stop communication for 2 years.

Eventually I was able to bring her teaching to two people and run them through it personally. This then have me the framework for the course. 16 years after that initial contact.

Last month I launched a brand new course called “LEVEL UP!”*, which is largely based on the answer my HGA gave to me back in 1997 to the question “how does magic work?”. Of course, I did not understand the answer then and it took me ten more years to explore it fully, then more years to frame it in a way that is useful for others, than more years testing that….

I mention these examples because I think that teachings based on revelation are important, but I rarely see people give their own personal gnosis any kind of gestation or testing period before rushing out to teach.

1. Take your time working and absorbing shit. Too many people rush to teach before they even know what they are teaching. People are more eager to play doctor than they are to take the medicine themselves. This should stop.

2. Even the things that don’t make immediate sense can make sense in time. Don’t abandon either tradition or gnosis because you don’t immediately agree or understand it. That’s usually where the gold lies hidden.

* Next Cycle of Sorcery of Hekate will be opening in 1 month. 

**This was announced only to members of Strategic Sorcery community. It will open up to everyone next time round in a few months.