Being Gnostic

So, what does it really mean to be Gnostic? People have all kinds of ideas about what being a Gnostic means. They think it’s all about mystical experience, being closer to God, etc. These are aspects of being a Gnostic, but really the point of Gnosticism is to know oneself. It is to do the inner work necessary to understand our own inner workings so we can then understand others and God. This is the gate to higher consciousness and to enlightenment. Unfortunately, most of us have built elaborate deceptions of who we are and our interaction with the world. They are all about how everyone else is wrong and we are right. They are about how we have been victimized and nothing is ever our own doing. We will look around us and not see that the common denominator in all the negative experiences is us!
This doesn’t mean we’re bad or evil. It means we are living in delusion. We are buying the ego illusion and not experiencing our unity with all.
I’ve heard the term “going within and living within” used horribly wrong in recent past. This phrase does not mean to go in and judge everything around you or even to look inside and contemplate the meaning of the universe. It means to go in and look at the hard truths within us. It is not fun, but it is very useful.
I am not and have never claimed to be perfect. I make mistakes all the time and am very aware of them. As a student it is sometimes necessary to let go of possible wrongs, slights, and details that we think are ever so important that we must keep dragging them up no matter what the cost. A Teacher does not ask for blind obedience, but they do ask for respect and sometimes stillness. If I ask a student to stop arguing, I am not telling them that I am completely right and they are wrong – I’m asking them to step back and listen. To give us time to work and grow and not focus on every detail of their own personal drama. Later, once we have built our relationship, we can then address the details and see where I have misunderstanding and where they have misunderstanding. But there needs to be a willingness to let go of personal “rightness” at all cost. I have had to learn this through my experiences with my mentor, Tau Malachi.
This is not an easy road and not one that is for everyone. I wish all beings the best and their ultimate enlightenment and liberation.
Blessings, +Yonah