Definition of Gnosis

[Elizabeth Tarion]

This may sound stupid, but I can't seem to find a detailed definition of the word.
I've seen it used a few times, and even if I can guess what it means, (Wiki says 'altered state'; I saw someone use it in the sense of 'energy') there may be other uses of the word I'm unaware of sweatdrop
Yes, I realize the poll is strange ^_^ Free gold, no?  

[Kal Eldritch]

From what I've learned, gnosis is a true meditative state where all internal thinking has stopped. Useful in attaining astral projection and censoring out the world around you ninja  

[PhantomPhoenix0]

Sovereign of Darkness

From what I've learned, gnosis is a true meditative state where all internal thinking has stopped. Useful in attaining astral projection and censoring out the world around you ninja

o.0
I thought Gnosis was more of a truth that you just KNOW is right, but you cant prove it.  

[Gingerbread . Coffin]

There's more than one definition of the word "Gnosis" o _o

Wikipedia -- Gnosis

* Among the gnostics, gnosis was first and foremost a matter of self acquaintance which was the goal of enlightenment. Later, Valentinius, more usually called Valentinus, taught that gnosis was the privileged "knowledge of the heart" or "insight" about the spiritual nature of the cosmos, that brought about salvation to the pneumatics - people who believed they could achieve this insight.
* Among heresiologists gnosis denotes different Christian belief systems of esoteric nature, such as, first and foremost, Gnosticism and other dualist systems from the 1st and 2nd centuries A.D., but also Rosicrucianism, Christian Kabbalah etc.

Dictionary.com -- Gnosis

Gnosis

n : intuitive knowledge of spiritual truths; said to have been possessed by ancient Gnostics

[Greek gnsis, knowledge, from gignskein, to know.]

Wikipedia -- Gnosticism

The word gnosticism comes from the Greek word for knowledge, gnosis (γνώσις), referring to the idea that there is special esoteric knowledge, a key to transcendent understanding, that only a few may possess. Since this is one of the few common defining characteristics of systems typically referred to as 'gnostic', it is an ideal blanket term.

However, the term gnosis refers to a very specialised form of knowledge. Unlike modern English, ancient Greek was capable of discerning between several different forms of knowledge. These different forms may be described in English as being "propositional knowledge" (such as "I know of Wikipedia" or "I know Berlin is in Germany") and knowledge acquired by participation or acquaintance (such as "I know Wikipedia well" or "I know Berlin, having visited").

Gnosis refers to knowledge of the second kind; therefore, the movements referred to as "gnostic" should be understood as being reliant not on knowledge in a general sense, but on knowledge acquired by the individual through participation. In most gnostic systems, the sufficient cause of salvation is often knowledge of the divine, commonly identified with an inward knowing or self-exploration comparable to that encouraged by Plotinus--although Plotinus rebuked the gnostics of his day in the Enneads. Thus, a gnostic is one who seeks to know God on an intimate basis, by the pursuit of self-knowledge or nurturing of self-awareness; thus gnosis might be argued to be a more intuitive form of knowledge than the term would at first suggest.

 

[Elizabeth Tarion]

Gingerbread . Coffin

There's more than one definition of the word "Gnosis" o _o

Wikipedia -- Gnosis

Wiki - Post

Yes, but I wanted a defintion that was used by other occultists/pagans. Wiki mostly talks about Gnosticism and it's use as knowledge or enlightenment in relgions, mentioning Chaos Magic once from what I saw.  

[wicked_faery]

Sovereign of Darkness

From what I've learned, gnosis is a true meditative state where all internal thinking has stopped. Useful in attaining astral projection and censoring out the world around you ninja

that's my worst problem when it comes to meditation & all of that....i can never shut my brain up lol  

[TeaDidikai]

wicked_faery

Sovereign of Darkness

From what I've learned, gnosis is a true meditative state where all internal thinking has stopped. Useful in attaining astral projection and censoring out the world around you ninja

that's my worst problem when it comes to meditation & all of that....i can never shut my brain up lol

Not all meditation requires one to "clear one's mind" 3nodding  

[wicked_faery]

as i found out just recently lol. though it is a bit more crucial for astral projection isn't it question  

[TeaDidikai]

wicked_faery

as i found out just recently lol. though it is a bit more crucial for astral projection isn't it question

Nope. In fact, many guided meditations for such aren't about clearing one's thoughts  

[wicked_faery]

TeaDidikai

wicked_faery

as i found out just recently lol. though it is a bit more crucial for astral projection isn't it question

Nope. In fact, many guided meditations for such aren't about clearing one's thoughts

astral projection isn't meditation...  

[Sivirs]

wicked_faery

TeaDidikai

wicked_faery

as i found out just recently lol. though it is a bit more crucial for astral projection isn't it question

Nope. In fact, many guided meditations for such aren't about clearing one's thoughts

astral projection isn't meditation...

Rather than being contrary to anything Tea says just because she's the one who said it, you might want to reread her comment.

She said: many guided meditations *FOR SUCH*, meaning guided meditations intended to get you *to* astral travel. Nowhere does she say guided meditation IS astral travel.  

[TeaDidikai]

wicked_faery

TeaDidikai

wicked_faery

as i found out just recently lol. though it is a bit more crucial for astral projection isn't it question

Nope. In fact, many guided meditations for such aren't about clearing one's thoughts

astral projection isn't meditation...

Aside from the fact that Sivirs already beat me to the key correction, I'll add that to some, astral projection is a form of meditation.

One can "project onto Yesode" in a manner of speaking for the sake of using detailed meditations to accomplish goals.