Académique Documents
Professionnel Documents
Culture Documents
FROM
THE
G. R. S.
GNOSIS
VOL
BY
MEAD
I
TH E
GNOSIS
OF
THE
MIND
'^^^
THEOSOPHICAL
PUBLISHING
SOCIETY
LONDON
AND
BENARES
1906
AND
6P^
97,
2437-10
is
proposed to publish
some echoes
things,
many who
love such
initiatory lore of
are
who
love the
life
of the spirit,
and
There
and who
These
they
even
and
it
is
may become
heard
little
intended to serve as
of
more
difficult
hoped that
for
the
some,
Gnosis,
literature of the
at the
who
volumes
introduction
same time
stepping-stones
higher things.
G. R. S. M.
to
The
references in this
published
work
in Hellenistic
Thrice
the
Trismegistic
Literature,
and Fragments
with
vols.
Prolegomena,
(London, 1906),
For long
of
intelligence of
one
theosophical fraternities of
the ancient world. They called them-
many
They were
What
the
prior
origins
Christianity,
THE
GNOSIS
OF THE
MIND.
made
accessible in the
English
are
audible
the
across
centuries
for
and
It
is
ten-thousand-times-great
Hermes,
enthusiasm
of
as
an ecstasy of
calls
has as its foundation the
Single Love of God, it endeavours to
base itself upon the True Philosophy and
Pure Science of Nature and of Man, and
is indeed one of the fairest forms of the
Gnosis of the Ages. It is replete with
Zosimus
Him
in
for it
Wisdom
sebeia) in harm.ony
Mind. It is in its
beginning
8
Religion,
Do
claim too
much
the Gnosis
for
Thrice-greatest Hermes ?
echo what He teaches in His
of
into
is
English speech.
hearers.
the
many
used
by
do but
own words
disciples)
turned
expression
of
His
Good
its
learners
its
and
expression,
means
they
are
not
the
Gnosis
itself.
True,
much
THE
GNOSIS
OF THE
MIND.
THE
GNOSIS
OF THE
MIND.
handed down
tongue
to
all this
however,
as a garment
is
and glory
What
of the Truth.
is
of
importance
is
that
all
these
there
may weave
its
magic
of contrary appear-
mind
in
of
engraved upon
my
memory.
10
And
of
all
it
way
even
as that of
in so insignificant
translating
and com-
way
And
(to
use
phrase
of
praise
and
thankfulness
will
interject)
II
Plotinus').
we begin with
to
God,
as
THE
GNOSIS
OF THE
MIND.
THE
GNOSIS
OF THE
MIND.
who
is
"
"
of Fate
coming unto himself, who from the unconscious and the dead is beginning to
return to consciousness and rise into life,
every act
his
self-consecrates
for
mystery
no longer
ever
of his
is he
an embryo within the womb, nourished
in all things by the Mother-Soul, but a
spirit of
life,,
freer
And
so
is
it
that
by devoting
unceasingly,
As
or
the Bread of
Wisdom
when bathing
the
body,
so
thinking when
As
body, so
nourish the
this
la
may
mind
water purifies
the Water
may
eating
of
Life
or
when
freeing the
body
As
divine substance
he already
hearts, but his
this
He
as
point
Point
;'
yet
all-sense,
the sense of
the
sensible
identical
the
of
view
common
is
the
sense,
It is the little
THE
GNOSIS
OF THE
MIND.
THB
GNOSIS
OF THE
MIND.
mind, the
cession,
mind
that
the Great
in
man, the
external
creates
fate-pro-
duality
cult of
teries,
One
Effability eternally in
Ineffability and
simultaneous Act
and Passion.
And
Mind
14
He
He
One of
the One of all
is
the
Him
Gnosis.
And
seeking
own
whether
view of what
Gnosis,
it
love or hate
it
its
false
some form
novelty or other as
is
it
thinks, not
knowing
But Mind
experiencing itself.
not only that which knows, but also
that
it is
15
THB
GNOSIS
OF THB
MIND.
THE
GNOSIS
OF THE
MIND.
the object of
know
to know
first
all
knowledge
for
it
knows
itself
itself,
not
know
and
to
itself.
be
self-initiate in all.
all
master-
ignorance as weU as
so we find the Supreme
all
And
knowledge.
Master of
is
Soul of
my
My own
Mind."
The
perfectioning.
opened up to
neophyte
Mind
is
pre-
initiation, of perpetual
The
into
the
of
Religion
eminently one of
the
vista
of
mind's
these
i6
possibility
eye of
sacred
the
rites
One
transcends credibility.
asks oneself
It
Master smiles in reply) when the inevitable end of everything is the Perfection
The Good
of perfection,
It
cannot be
What
then,
And
fection ?
we cannot but
too good is
with the Good there
is
Itself
too
is
which
but
;
Perfection.
it is
we
It is the doubt
reply
too good" that is the imperfection
of our nature
we fear it cannot be for us,
"
"
not knowing that the
little one
who
"It
is
within himself.
tTie
full
Sonship
It is all
of
17
there potentially,
the Father.
GNOSIS
OF THE
it
THE
It
is
MIND.
THE
GNOSIS
OF THE
MIND.
The
it is
is
bility
Master
is
tion
ripe,
"
so.
he who
Not
is
without us
is
He some
one
sets forth a formal instruc-
other
who
teacher
"
He someone
Is
He some
is
memory
is
restored
It is not therefore
not the becoming of something or other
it is a return to the same, we become
what we have ever been. The dream
;
is
And
i8
familiar
is
perfected
"
of this
of the Gnosis
And
that this
is
is
per-
so
in
be learned
which a disciple
may
far as
"
son
to
that he
19
THE
GNOSIS
OF THE
MIND.
THE
GNOSIS
OF THE
MIND.
Self,
and
so
become Son
of
the Father
indeed.
sermons are
set forth
of instruction of
We
teacher to pupil.
but transcending
the
Shepherd
of
all,
all
20
embracing
men, the
all,
is
Love
gnostic
such instruction,
may be, is not
the highest teaching of the Mind. They
who are born in Mind, are taught by Mind
beautiful
every
it
act
by every
sensation.
instructs
and mind
the
;
man
for
know through
now
the
man
begins to
he is
changing from the little mind and soul
and body that he was to the Great Body
and Great Soul and Mind of the Great
Man. He no longer seeks a teacher,
for all things teach him, or rather the
One Teacher teaches him through all.
All that there is transforms itself for him
mto the nature of the Gnosis of the Good.
all
of
21
these,
for
THE
GNOSIS
OF THE
MIND.
THE
GNOSIS
OF THE
MIND.
he has ears on
voice of Nature,
all
of the Divine,
Spouse
seems to have no
winter and
life
summer
the
and
all
that
simultaneous
of the Lord.
he a
No longer
for he has eyes on
is
seer,
all
And
illumined
by
perfectioning,
and
his energies
Work of self-initiation
God his life becomes
;
the
glory
of
perpetual
For memory
is
now he
22
all
THE
all
GNOSIS
time,
and
present in the
MIND.
evermore.
man
It
teaches
us
many
of
things
and
solemnity
joyous presage
but one thing especially it seems to teach,
and that is the impossibility of human
great
man
it
forth in fairest
his
Word.
OF THE
human language
is
The Words
^^all
God
are
purposed acts
THE
GNOSIS
OF THE
MIND.
of
their
How
then can
unknowing minds.
men
gives
utterance
to
itself.
It
The Tongue
of the Eternal
24
is
the
Mind
of
God.
It is
Self-subsistence,
speaks forth
He
of
His
perpetually
all things.
Trismegistic
but the
Word in
And
so
it is
of the Gods.
the Gods
and
of all
men.
who
that
Words he
men
Word or our
has the glorious destiny
before him, nay, the actuality even now
in his universal nature, of being a God, a
W^e
God
for
man
25
THE
GNOSIS
OF THE
MIND.
THE
Divine Being, of
GNOSIS
OF THE
MIND.
And
God- Word,
sound forth
Philosophy,
ago.
26
discipline
of
men
ing of the
name
'
own.
On
this
"
noise of
words," these
treated
less
tolerance,
THE
GNOSIS
OF THE
MIND.
THE
GNOSIS
OF THE
MIND.
period,
on
the other
while
hand, called
the
body "Egypt,"
Holy Land, and Palestine the Promised
Land, and Israel the Chosen of God and
so the game went merrily on, as it does
;
But the
knew
real
otherwise.
writers of
Gnosis
the sermons
for
them was
Race
28
for
was
the
Kinship
of
the Divine
Fatherhood.
Gnosis for
Knowledge
of
God
True,
meaning
all
all
;
knowledge
tion of the
Knowledge
of
the
One
Self,
Self.
29
THE
GNOSIS
OF THE
MIND.
THE
GNOSIS
OF THE
MIND,
human
arts
and sciences as
insufficient,
incomplete, imperfect.
Indeed it is quite evident on
that
the
writers
of
the
all
hands
Trismegistic
we
the day,
we make the
ex-
changing
notions
of
30
the
ephemeral.
Human
science
we
set
ideas
as
and living
we can
forms
of
ever changing
is
of
verities
in
obtain,
evolving
and
if
the sure
the Gnosis
the ever-changing
science,
we
may,
rags
as
of their
on the other
contemptuous superiority
hand they not infrequently remain in the
paths of clear reason, and offer us an
;
31
THB
GNOSIS
OF THB
MIND.
THE
GNOSIS
OF THE
MIND.
interest
for
it
Be
this
as
it
in
of
elements in the
knowledge
the means
of
precious
instrument
of
man and
Good Mind
the
Reason (Logos)
or
of
God.
conditioned
true, so long as
"
is content to play the part of a
pro"
cession of Fate
but his Destiny is
self
little
world,
it
is
he
than that
greater
us say, his
Awareness
little
individual,
all
is
rather,
is
be his Destiny.
let
Fate, his
Man is a
a monad.
that
man
or
Unknowingness
will
world,
Fate,
33
THE
GNOSIS
OF THE
MIND.
THE
the senses as
GNOSIS
OF THE
MIND.
that
all
is,
not,
Intelligible
Greatness of
Idea of
the
Reason
of
all
God
ideas,
all
greatnesses,
the
Mind and
own
Himself, His
Self-
founded
is
method
whole
the
and
The
discipline
of the Gnosis of the Mind.
Presence
of
all
presences.
Time,
it
is
just
**
procession
this
of
mind
Fate,"
34
in
bondage,
the
"
this
servant's
which
the
appearance that
hides the potentiality of becoming the
form,"
All, of
that
is
all
things
at every moment of time, and
present,
point of space, and every instant causeIt is
and-effect in the Bosom of Fate.
is,
the
pleteness
of which
is
complement or fulfilment
^c-stasis, whereby the man
our Gnostics
the Pl3r3>ma
call
over
when
set
35
THE
^^^f.^^
0? THE
MIND.
THE
GNOSIS
OF THE
MIND.
time, and the Good when contrasted with the notion of Fate.
idea of
But Being
Soul and
is
BodyLight,
foolishly divorce
soul,
and mind
Gnosis
spirit is
{or
spirit,
frequently a
for
in
this
synonym
of
36
than the
raised
with
For
hands.
THE
fairest
temple
this
natural
the body
is
the possibilities of
the Divine
of the
We
dead
temple of
this living
are
sepulchres,
for
tombs
half-
us to
let
channels
alive
the Life
of
our
corporeal
dead
nature, to
to enliven
God
GNOSIS
OF THE
MIND.
THE
the
substance
GNOSIS
the
Divine
OF IHE
our
our
other
frames,
so
may
bring
divine complement,
our
self,
that
first
Quickener
birth in us our
to
MIND.
of
spouse,
long-lost
and then we may ourselves with ungrudging love and fair wooing of her bring our
true selves to birth, so becoming regenea trinitj^ of Being, not
rate or reborn,
unit
of
of
vegetative
existence,
or
duality
Perfect Triangle jewelled with
sparks of perfected
all
three
manhood.
so
self-realise
himself
in
every portion
of his being.
The object that he has in
view is intensification of his whole nature.
'"
He
compartments, but
he. strives ever_to_refund himsdf^into ever
himself
into
special
38
he
by
;
is
this ;his
for there
ever-present
is
mean-
conscious-
not.
Indeed
features
it
of
is
one of
the
the Trismegistic
pleasantest
Gnosis, or
rather, one
istic,
ally endear
it
to our
of
pedantic
the sake of
that
THE
GNOSIS
OF THE
MIND.
THE
and
GNOSIS
OF THE
MIND.
my
of
readers,
more
familiar
the Christianised
two aspects
Gnosis.
revelations
They
are
Plato,
and refuses
to
"
there,"
the
latter
plunge
into
the
depths
and greatness
the spirit
the most
is
balanced
among
those
who had
The
such
show us that
and visions were also the
"
them who are in Gnosis ";
Trismegistic sermons
rapts
privilege of
THE
GNOSIS
OF THE
MIND.
THE
GNOSIS
OF THE
MIND.
the
above
But
vital
may
as for us
who
it
is
to
be found,
it
of Thrice-greatest
of the Truth as
it
another
many
name
given it by the
it matters little
;
there
is
Gnosis,
is
ignorance, as
ignorance
is
not
Hermes
says.
ignorance of
42
But
this
the arts
and
of
and the
sciences
God
it is
superstition
heart, the
rest,
but ignorance
The dawning
ning of Gnosis
the Gnosis of
Sorrow
as
flees
His wings
Joy,
the
is
whose shining
at
This
away.
Basilides
the Sun of
in
it
is
the Gospel,
conceived it,
is
Gnostic
first
new-born son.
This
is
THE
GNOSIS
OF THE
MIND.
"
THE
GNOSIS
first
marriage."
:
OF THE
MIND.
certain
purposes either
associated with
handed on under
the
typical
per-
ments.
The two
Read
They
both
44
and you
faith,
THE
But
said)
a for-
we do not want
of
to return to the
modes
we can
religion.
dawn
await the
of
that
New
but
who
are conditioned
manifestation.
by these modes
He who
man
of
reborn into
Lord
is
of time
45
GNOSIS
OF THE
MIND.
THE
GNOSIS
OF THE
MIND.
before that.
Indeed,
essence of
man
if
believe
the Gnosis
can
transcend
rightly,
is
the very
the limits
of
the
He has to solve
The way
submit,
to do so
by
knowledge
in
not, I venture to
is
his
exalting
present-day
science or philosophy or
he
of
The feeding
present-day vanity on
46
of
our
is
a poor diet
be Gnostic.
It
is
we
generally,
many
lower
world
of
appearances
do
but
a living
we know more of religion
experience than the great souls of the
do we know more of the Gnosis
past
as
than
the
doubt
We
our
of
other
days
attention
Greater
JEon
Gnostics
it.
Mysteries
are,
the
believe,
cycles
once more
of
the
set in a
stra}^
numbers
individuals
of
souls,
only.
and not
But the
47
THE
GNOSIS
OF THE
MIND.
THE
GNOSIS
OF THE
MIND.
are the
if
am
which we must
that of the Lord
right in
all
my
illusions
transcend
strive
to
of the
Hour;
it is
is
just
48
if
opinion
to
the
we study forms
charged
with
the
may
be read more
seen through
However
more
this
dispassionately
and
clearly.
may
be,
it
would be
many
literalists
attempt
in theology,
with
forms
life far
On
who
the
tide
of
only
among dead
the
spiritual
out.
feel
in us risk to
49
THE
GNOSIS
OF THE
MIND.
THE
Philistine.
GNOSIS
There
is
such
thing
as
OF THE
MIND.
bonos libros
quam
among us
to
appreciate
the
beautiful
also
can,
Plato.
They
the
venture
main ideas
say that
they belong to the great books of the
world, they are part of the world-scripture,
are
concerned,
50
to
THE
If, then, any would learn of the Gnosis
GNOSIS
of the Mind, they will not lose anything
bv
what
readins[
the
disciples
of
this
OF THE
MIND
find
lovers
of
comparative
theosophy,
who
and
is
acquainted
theosophy only does
not know theosophy truly, even as he
who is acquainted with one language
only knows no language really, they may
learn much by comparing the theosophy
of the Hermes-Gnostics with the theo-
with one
mode
of
In
conclusion,
would
add
few
51
THE
GNOSIS
OF THE
MIND.
"
He
will I
make
Through mysteries
a
All
The
Way
Forms
all
I'll
open up
of
Gods
Secrets of the
52
will I display
Holy Path
I will
hand
And
Yes,
THE
on,
call
He
them Gnosis
wrote
sermons and
GNOSIS
192).
books,
many
(ii.,
(i.,
many
"
the
An
them
of
Introduction
Nature
of
All
called
the
"
to
Things
68).
Not that
there
of the Gnosis or
is
may
be presented in
instruction
Great Original.
And so we read
is
it
modes
infinite
like
it
to
unto
its
"
53
OF THE
MIND.
THE
GNOSIS
OF THE
MIND.
"
being known
And
(ii.,
Its
90).
we
all
the matter in
aphorism
striking
"
still
:
The
beginning of Perfection
but Gnosis of God
Gnosis of Man
"
;
Perfect Perfection
Thus Hermes
178).
in teaching his
is
is
(i.,
beloved
points out
the
way
in
the
Gnosis
And
"
(ii.,
again he
114).
54
boundary-
marks
ments
of the
Way of
the
Good Command-
is
devotion.
self-control,
God-Gnosis
Devotion
"
are,
think.
many
For
this cause
not
please
many
them.
they
the
They
who
Gnostic
are
thought
mad
and laughed at
they're hated and
and
sometimes
even put to
despised,
;
death.
"
GNOSIS
"
and
THE
But he who
bear with
all
is
once
55
OF THE
MIND.
THE
GNOSIS
OF THE
MIND.
interest to
compare
this
well-known words
"
adapted from
some
"
early collection of
Logoi of the Lord
"
for the comfort of
those in Faith."
What
"
bish-heaps
may yield us a clue. Some
"
"
of these
which
Sayings of the Lord
in their original form circulated in the
inner communities, were, in the highest
probability, subsequently adapted to the
prophetical mood by a Christian evangelist
prior
synoptists.
to
our
Thus we
56
first
and
third
THE
GNOSIS
revile
sa}^
lying, for
My
"
sake."
"
Here the
is
lying
evidently the
of
some
scribe
who knew
gloss
scrupulous
there were some things that could be said
whereas the third
against them justly
;
evangelist
original,
writing
"
Blessed
:
OF THE
MIND.
THE
GNOSIS
OF THE
MIND.
stood by
Man
it is
"
the
'*
Mysteries
139-198)
(i.,
My
forth
and the
members from
removal of their
the brethren.
But
is
else
True Piety
tantius, quoting
Latin
Devotion
God-Gnosis.
(ii.,
243).
"
is
God
"
nothing
as Lac-
Hermes, phrases
This
piety,
it
in
however,
is
"
the
58
knowing God
words, the
being taught the nature of the all and
"
And
the Supreme Vision
(ii.,
264).
";
in other
or,
'*
that
Supreme
Vision,
if
understand
aright,
of the
Good, that
saying
is
"
"
nor he who
else,
nor
else
on
on
It,
aught
gaze
gazeth
hear aught else.
It,
perceive aught
59
THE
GNOSIS
OF THE
MIND.
"
THE
GNOSIS
OF THE
And
shining
It shines
mind,
and draws
MIND.
all of
him
it
then
all
through his
round his
whole soul,
to essence.
"
if
Good
the
This
is
"
"
(ii.,
the
"
144).
"
deification
man
or
"
apo-
of a
self-realisation
whereby
the
soul
is
nd
in
tire
songs of
to
praise
on
God and
and
men,
pouring blessing
doing good in word and deed to all, in
imitation of
And
its
Sire
all
"
(ii.,
155).
preaching,
fierce
flood,
rent,
ye who
but using
can,
make
THE
GNOSIS
OF THE
MIND.
THE
GNOSIS
OF THE
MIND.
gelist
when
there
flood
was
of
still
62
science
God's
is
"
gift
(ii.,
THE
147).
man God's
Gnosis.
This
is
the
Way
to the Mount.
up
"
By Him
And
"
He says
virtue of the soul
again
The
is
Gnosis.
146).
general,
And so
of virtues
tinence,
we
is
ignorance."
find Gnosis
Righteousness,
63
Sharing-with-all,
GNOSIS
OF THE
MIND.
THE
Truth
a septenary consummated in
the divine triad of Life, Light and the
;
GNOSIS
OF THE
MIND.
Good
(ii.,
For Gnosis
246).
doth distribute
all,
and good
life
to all
to
is
and hght to
all,
296).
(ii.,
that which
And
so the
and when
knowing
"
its
away
(ii.,
225).
For
it is
comes,
my
son, not-
cast out.
Gnosis of
and on
flee
this
is
to
by
to us,
"
it
room "
enformation accord-
"
it
to all, that urges on the disciple
the Breath of God Himself energizing
life
is
It is the
the heart, inspiring us.
Providence or Foresight of God, the Holy
And so in one of the sacred
Spirit.
"
The Perfect Sermon,"
discourses, called
in
we read
"
To them, sunk
:
in
fit
silence rever-
Hermes'
to speak
lips,
"
(iii.,
260).
Love
perpetual
contemplation
and
of
holy
THE
"
But
65
GNOSIS
OF THE
MIND.
THE
GNOSIS
OF THE
MIND.
if
"
they be aught.
And having
raised
themselves so
and having
they sight the Good
look
sighted It, they
upon their sojourn
here as a mischance
and in disdain
far
all,
(ii.,
88).
Hard as it may be to
we have grown used
leave the
to,"
the
"
things
things
no new Path
is this,
it
66
THE
Shepherd
of
Men
"
am
present with
by
thanks,
invoking
on
and give
Him
Him
blessings
And
(ii.,
14).
67
is
THE
GNOSIS
OF THE
MIND.
full
Power
of the
He had poured
what He'd
all and
the
the
loftiest
vision
"
17).
(ii.,
And
"
of
so he begins to preach to
men
of
may
is
ne'er of Gnosis
our
common
fail,
being's nature
68
Gnosis which
;
and
fill
this
me
with
THE
Thy Power, and with
GNOSIS
may
give
the Light to those in ignorance of the
"
Race, my brethren and Thy sons
(ii.,
20).
With these
brief
indications
of
the
Echoes
end the iirst volume of these
from the Gnosis," in the hope that there
will turn to the fair
may be some who
"
and
read,
mark, learn and
originals,
)
them.
inwardly digest
6Q
OF THE
MIND.
HYMNS OF HERMES.
VISION OF ARlDiEUS.
HYMN OF JESUS.
CHALDEAN ORACLES.
A MITHRIAC LITURGY.
Date Due
OCT ^
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BP 565
Mead,
G.
M4 E27 1906
R.
S.
1863-1933.