Hip-gnosis Ancient transformation techniques for a New Age Presenter: Joe Szimhart

Joe Szimhart—bio University of Dayton: BA&S—1969 fine arts Pennsylvania Academy Fine Arts—1975 certif. Santa Fe, NM: 1975-1992 Church Universal and Triumphant/Summit Lighthouse—membership 1979-1980 Exit counselor/deprogrammer—1980-present Crisis caseworker at psychiatric hospital—1998 to present

Gnosticism revisited Gnosis: Greek—to know; Intuitive apprehension of spiritual truths, an esoteric form of knowledge sought by the Gnostics. Gnosticism: Radical dualism rooted in early Christian/Greek influences, features mythic revelation and ritual initiation, elements of neo-Platonism Matter is a degraded emanation of spirit—Demiurge/Yahweh Physical universe: a mistake—should not exist, therefore physical science is a futile enterprise Sex for procreation avoided; ritualized Pneumatics: Gnostics, self-realized, enlightened; small percentage of humanity Psychics: potential for gnosis, recruit-worthy; slightly larger percent of humanity Hylics: literally ‘mud people’ with no chance for gnosis in this lifetime; vast majority of humanity

Gnosticism as radical dualism The Divine is generally thought of as transcendent, impersonal, and ultimately unknowable rather than as personal and involved in human history. God did not create the world by a sovereign act; rather, the visible universe is the end result of God's (Pleroma or the uncreated plentitude) emanations of His own spiritual essence. The universe is structured in layers with the visible universe at the lowest level. Salvation consists in gaining the wisdom (gnosis) that provides the information for escaping the world of matter, in which human entities are trapped on a wheel of reincarnation. Commonly, Gnostics believe that humans have forgotten their divine origin as an emanation of the deity (Pleroma) and thus need to reawaken their memory by various spiritual disciplines. (gnosis from Answers.com)

Gnostic influence through history Oriental religion—Jnana Yoga, Buddhism Pythagorean community at Krotona—(500 BCE) proto-Gnostic Gospel of John; letters of Paul—Gnostic elements Manicheans (242 CE)—radical dualism; rejected by St. Augustine Paulicians (657 CE) Cathars/Albigensians (11th Century) Rosicrucians—’Christian Rosencreutz’ (1616) Freemasons (1717) Theosophy—Madame Blavatsky (1875) New Thought; Unity (1890) Anthroposophy—Rudolf Steiner (1912) New Age (20th Century) Carl G. Jung “Self”-transformation groups: est, Scientology (1960s) Bible cults—Pentecostal, fundamentalist Ramtha School of Enlightenment (1980s) Dr Wayne Dyer: Intention and “Source” The Gnostic Movement: founder Rabolu—1970s; Mark Pritchard/Beelzebub

Philosophy, exit counseling and Kevin Garvey Philosophy examines knowledge, conduct and governance Knowledge: gnosis, experience, science Conduct: morals, behavior, psychology Governance: politics, rule, management Exit counseling examines cult knowledge, cult conduct and cult governance

Kevin Garvey

Garvey and ‘est’ Kevin Garvey’s approach was philosophical Transformational cults emphasize gnosis through experience while suppressing science and reason. est reduced knowledge to simplistic gnosis or “it” through manipulated experience est and similar self-transformational “intensives” push attitude and experience but lack applicability and extension.

Hip-Hypnosis and self-suggestion Power of suggestion: Émile Coué

Émile Coué: 1857-1926 Tous les jours à tous points de vue je vais de mieux en mieux

Affirmation and self-suggestion gone awry Create your own reality: Leonard Orr and Rebirthing Rebirthing in the New Age by Sondra Ray & Leonard Orr (Celestial Arts, 1977)

The Ten Commandments by Leonard Orr VII. Thou shalt not commit adultery The superficial definition of adultery is sleeping with a guy’s wife or a woman’s husband without their permission. Adultery really means adulteration of your own thoughts. If you adulterate the First Commandment, then all you can do is commit adultery. As long as you honor yourself as God you are not adulterating because everything is OK. Because if you are God, you can decide that you are married today and that you are not married tonight (so you could sleep with another woman) and then you could decide you are married again tomorrow…If you are God, you have a right to do that. However, the other people are Gods also and when you mess around with other gods like this the consequences can be very heavy.

Ramtha School of Enlightenment Finding Enlightenment: Ramtha’s School of Ancient Wisdom by J. Gordon Melton (1998) Chapter 3: Modern Gnosticism

Be all you can be: 1980-2001 Army slogan Attitudinal Healing: Gerald Jampolsky and A Course In Miracles (sin, error, illness are illusion) Endura of the Gnostics: consolamentum or sacrament of fasting till dead

Cathars—10th to 12th century Objection to the Cathars was not strictly theological in as much of what the Cathars taught and practiced had a very destabilizing effect on society. The dualism of the Cathars was also the basis of their moral teaching. Man, they taught, is a living contradiction. Hence, the liberation of the soul from its captivity in the body is the true end of our being. To attain this, suicide is commendable; it was customary among them in the form of the endura (starvation). The extinction of bodily life on the largest scale consistent with human existence is also a perfect aim. As generation propagates the slavery of the soul to the body, perpetual chastity should be practiced, by all Cathars, at all times (glasgowgnostic.com)

The Gnostic Movement/Gnosticweb Roots in Gurdjieff and Theosophism Victor Manuel Gomez Rodriguez (Columbian/Mexican: 1917-77) aka: “Samael Aun Woer” Joaquin Amortegui (Columbian: 1926-2000) aka. “Rabolu” Mark Pritchard (Welsh: born 1934, a current leader) aka: “Beelzebub”; “Belzebuub” http://www.belzebuub.com/ International: Hundreds of branches mostly Mexico, Latin America, Greece, Spain

Belzebuub

references The Gnostic Religion by Hans Jonas (1971) Gnosis: The Nature and History of Gnosticism by Kurt Rudolf (1987) The Tree of Gnosis: Gnostic Mythology from Early Christianity to Modern Nihilism by Ioan P. Couliano (1992)