Aeon Byte Gnostic Radio

This Week's Episode: THE BOOK OF GENESIS INTERPRETED THROUGH THE KABBALAH

2013-01-06T10:41:00.005-06:00

January 28 and January 29: The Classic Gnostics were not the only ones who contended that spiritual liberation could be found by deciphering the secrets of The Book of Genesis. For centuries, the Jewish Gnostics known as the Kabbalists have mined this creation narrative for the keys of Gnosis, from mystical gematria to wild reinterpretation that induces expanded states of consciousness. We journey to the beginning of the beginning in order to find what treasures the Kabbalah discovered in The Book of Genesis, including the various insights into the Shekinah, the fall of Adam & Eve, the wisdom of the Serpent, the creative fury of The Elohim, the Tree of Gnosis & the Tree of Life, and many other cosmic actors. And of course understand the architecture of the Sephiroth and the nature of the Kabbalah's various Gods above god. From the traditional medieval Kabbalah to the Heremtical Kabbalah, and everything in between, we explore for psychological, mystical and mythological gifts found in the Book of Genesis. And hopefully reverse the fall of our souls and begin its ascent to the Limitless Light.

Astral Guest--guest will be David Chaim Smith, author of The Kabbalistic Mirror of Genesis.

Click here for more information on David, as well as this week's program

The Book of Genesis Interpreted Through the Kabbalah 01/28/2012

2012-01-25T17:49:00.000-06:00

(Because of personal reasons, The Gnosis of George Harrison will be available in the near future. Instead, we present an amazing voyage of the interpretation of Genesis through the eyes of the Kabbalah).

The Classic and Medieval Gnostics were not the only ones who contended that spiritual liberation could be found by deciphering the secrets of The Book of Genesis. For centuries, the Jewish Gnostics known as the Kabbalists have mined this creation narrative for the keys of Gnosis, from mystical gematria to wild reinterpretation that induces expanded states of consciousness. We journey to the beginning of the beginning in order to find what treasures the Kabbalah discovered in The Book of Genesis, including the various insights into the Shekinah, the fall of Adam & Eve, the wisdom of the Serpent, the creative fury of The Elohim, the Tree of Gnosis & the Tree of Life, and many other cosmic actors. And of course understand the architecture of the Sephiroth and the nature of the Kabbalah's various Gods above god. From the traditional medieval Kabbalah to the Heremtical Kabbalah, and everything in between, we explore for psychological, mystical and mythological gifts found in the Book of Genesis. And hopefully reverse the fall of our souls and begin its ascent to the Limitless Light.

Astral Guest--guest will be David Chaim Smith, author of The Kabbalistic Mirror of Genesis.

More information on David
David's homepage

Teaser for Mindscape Magazine & The Universal Cult of the Bee 01/21/2012

2012-01-19T22:01:00.000-06:00

MINDSCAPE MAGAZINE & THE UNIVERSAL CULT OF THE BEE MAIN

--How Mindscape came into being, and the incredible places it’s going.
--Why the Bee god might be the most powerful and revered deity in human history, secretly worshipped from ancient Egypt to China.
--Some of the more controversial topics Mindscape Magazine has tackled, including the Mayan 2012 calendar, the real origins of King Arthur, and the Ossuary of James the Brother of the Lord.
--The latest on where Atlantis might be found under the ocean.
--Some of the newer and lesser known Conspiracy Theories.
--Some of Andrew’s more notable adventures, like being trained by Kabbalist wizards to working for National Geographic.

And much more!!!

Our rebroadcast is Aeon Byte #80--The Mandaeans with Nathaniel Deutsch, author of The Gnostic Imagination: Gnosticism, Mandaeism and Merkabah Mysticism. Perhaps the original Gnostics, the Mandaeans are certainly the only surviving ancient Gnostic sect. Who are these mysterious Semites that break so many Gnostic molds including making Jesus and Sophia the evil villains in the cosmic play? And despite their surviving for over two thousand years, the reality is that the Second Gulf War has brought them to the brink of extinction. We study their culture and theology, as well as present information on how we, as members of the Esoterica, can help their grim plight in the Middle East.

Next week we deal with the Quiet Beatle, our second one in our series after we entered the spiritual sunlight of John Lennon. Yet George Harrison was far more spiritual, intellectual and in some ways controversial than John Lennon. He was the first to fully embrace the world of entheogens and then move to Eastern traditions. He was a devotee of Krishna, yet incorporated other traditions in order to grow spiritually. He fell many times, assaulted by a physical world that wanted his soul, but always got on his feet to expand his Divine Spark and help his fellow man. It's a complete spiritual biography of George Harrison. Our guest will be Gary Tillery, author of Working Class Mystic: A Spiritual Biography of George Harrison and The Cynical Idealist: A Spiritual Biography of John Lennon.

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Stargazer is available in print edition. You can also get it on Kindle, Nook, or various digital formats at Smashwords (all 2.99!). Thank you so much for those who have ventured into this most post-Apocalyptic/Philip K. Dick/Gnostic tale with a universal message more relevant than ever before. Check out this review by Tessa Dick, and this review by Thomas Allogenes. For more information go to our Stargazer Homepage.

Aeon Byte's critically acclaimed and successful Voices of Gnosticism is available at Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble, and your nearest esoteric bookstore. It contains a foreword by Andrew Phillip Smith, my drivel, and interviews with 13 of the leading scholars in the world on all things Gnostic-- including Bart Ehrman, Elaine Pagels, Karen King, April DeConick, Bruce Chilton, John Turner, Stevan Davies, and Marvin Meyer. The Nag Hammadi Library, The Gospel of Mary Magdalene, The Gospel of Judas, the origins of Gnosticism & its various sects, the impact of Gnosticism on modern times...it's all there and so much more!!! A must if you’re want to truly get your mind and heart around the Gnostic Spirit instead of the New Age Counterfeit Spirit.

There are over 220 past shows of Aeon Byte available at our store. I have interviewed over 70 of the world’s greatest scholars, best-selling authors, religious leaders and veteran mystics, screenwriters and directors, and pop culture icons. It’s a complete menu that might contain the meal that takes you to the next spiritual or philosophical level. It’s the greatest audio resource on the Internet on Gnosticism, the Esoterica, Comparative Religion, the Occult and Freethought.

Each program has a preview you can listen to it before jumping into the abyss of heresy. CD, DVD or BULK DOWNLOADING, at less than half the price, can be purchased through our homepage.

And like I’ve always said, if you’ve got holes in your pockets let me know and I’ll send you shows for no cost at all.

THE AEON EYE: The Zarathustra Seed Part 2

2012-01-17T12:30:00.000-06:00

The Zarathustra Seed (Part II)

“With a torch in my hand, the light of which is not by any means a flickering one, I illuminate this underworld of ideals with beams that pierce the gloom.” – Nietzsche, Ecce Homo.

In The Gay Science, Nietzsche announces to the reader that “common goal is to erect a new image and ideal of the free spirit,” in reference to the middle period of his work. In Thus Spake Zarathustra, Nietzsche does indeed “erect a new image and ideal of the free spirit” in his pursuit of the higher man, the Übermensch. Zarathustra is as a whole a compendium of unleashed, overflowing thoughts of the deep, formulations of mythological figures and fearsome archetypes, brimming in an ocean of paradox and contradiction. The doctrine of the “higher man” as proposed by Zarathustra sounds strangely reminiscent to the Indian formulation of the Atman, the the true self that exists in everyone; the small thumbling in the heartbeat of life. This is the equivalent to the inner core, the pneumatic spiritual seed that is the seat for gnosis that the ancient Gnostics recognized as the spiritual marrow of the soul. I won’t go into every aspect of Zarathustra, but only a few notable excerpts that I think I relevant to the topic of this essay.

In Chapter 61, The Honey Sacrifice of Zarathustra, the speaker is depicted as a “fisher” of men, similar to Jesus’s proclamation in Mark 1:17 or even the Hermetic figure of Poimandres the “Man-Shepherd”, seeking those who are in search of the truth of the higher man:

The best bait, as huntsmen and fishermen require it. For if the world be as a gloomy forest of animals, and a pleasure-ground for all wild huntsmen, it seemeth to me rather – and preferably – a fathomless, rich sea; - A sea full of many-hued fishes and crabs, for which even the gods might long, and might be tempted to become fishers in it, and casters of nets, – so rich is the world in wonderful things, great and small! Especially the human world, the human sea: – towards it do I now throw out my golden angle-rod and say: Open up, thou human abyss!

In the first chapter of Zarathustra, “The Higher Man” the speaker and sage of the text contemplates the fate of mankind and his predicament in his dwelling place on a mountain.

Altered is Zarathustra; a child hath Zarathustra become; an awakened one is Zarathustra: what wilt thou do in the land of the sleepers?

The Atman personified subsequently decides to descend from a mountain after 10 years of meditation and down into the market place of the mob to proclaim the truths that he discovered out of his own innate altruism and compassion to his fellow man.

Zarathustra answered: “I love mankind.”
“Why,” said the saint, “did I go into the forest and the desert? Was it not because I loved men far too well? Now I love God: men, I do not love. Man is a thing too imperfect for me. Love to man would be fatal to me.”
Zarathustra answered: “What spake I of love! I am bringing gifts unto men.”

To his dismay, he realizes he spoke too soon when his words fall upon dead ears from those in the market place and even spurns his attempts to proclaim the gospel of the higher man in mockery and scorn in order to maintain their mediocre status-quo.

“You higher men,” — so sputters the crowd — “there are no higher men, we are all equal; man is man, before God — we are all equal!” Before God! — Now, however, this God has died. Before the crowd, however, we will not be equal. You higher men, go away from the market-place!

Nevertheless, he gives his speech:

Lo, I teach you the Superman!
The Superman is the meaning of the earth. Let your will say: The
Superman shall he the meaning of the earth!
I conjure you, my brethren, remain true to the earth, and believe
not those who speak unto you of superearthly hopes! Poisoners are
they, whether they know it or not.
Despisers of life are they, decaying ones and poisoned ones
themselves, of whom the earth is weary: so away with them!
Once blasphemy against God was the greatest blasphemy; but God died,
and therewith also those blasphemers. To blaspheme the earth is now
the dreadfulest sin, and to rate the heart of the unknowable higher
than the meaning of the earth!

Here, Zarathustra through the conduit of Nietzsche’s (and yes I totally flipped that dichotomy on purpose) deepest concern is to show that neither the “death of God”, nor the demise of all faiths predicated upon otherworldly hopes or this-worldly optimisms, give the last word on man’s existential drama; and to find a way beyond it without recourse once again becomes vulnerable to disillusionment which was a real concern to Nietzsche. More controversially: the death of God eliminated the idea of some despotic divinity judging human beings and weighing down upon them as some oppressive force. But with this weight gone some began to speak of the unbearable lightness of being, as if with the absence of God, and thus with the permission to do anything and everything, life seemed to lack the gravitas of ultimate significance. The eternal recurrence is Nietzsche’s way for the self to generate its own gravitas in the absence of God. It is only though the virtues of the higher man that the “great nausea” of the emptiness and shallow reality of living the life of the mob, the rabble, the herd can be solved and wholly transcended.

It is Zarathustra who cannot ignore the great distress of humanity; he is the Atman personified, always ready and able to run the source of the cry for self-realization. In the Subala Upanishad, it describes the spiritual man’s roots as a foundation to “Narayana [one of the names for the Hindu deity, Vishnu], the indwelling spirit of all”:

There abides for ever the one unborn in the secret place within the body. The earth is his body; he moves through the earth but the earth knows him not. The waters are his body, but the waters know him not. Light is his body, he moves through the light but the light knows him not. Air is his body, he moves through the air but the air knows him not. Ether is his body, he moves through the ether but ether knows him not…Thinking mind is his body, he moves through thinking mind but thinking mind knows him not. He alone is the indwelling spirit of all beings, free from all evil, the one divine, radiant Narayana.

However, let’s not get ahead of ourselves as Nietzsche’s Zarathustra differs in the values of both the Buddhist and the Vedantic mystic:

”Good and evil,” says the Buddhist, “are both fetters: the perfect one became master over both.”; “what’s done and what`s not done,” says the man who believes in the Vedanta, “give him no pain; as a wise man he shakes good and evil off himself; his kingdom suffers no more from any deed; good and evil – he has transcended both” – an entirely Indian conception, whether Brahman or Buddhist. (On The Genealogy of Morals, What Do Ascetic Ideals Mean?)

Zarathustra is the higher man who masters dualism and the fetters of nihilism and disillusionment. Zarathustra is his own god, and runs counter to the Brahman or Advaita Vedantic mystic who’s aim is to achieve mystical union with the One, Brahman or the collective Atman, communicating his sarcasm and ire against such teachings as asserted in In The Happy Iles in Zarathustra:

“Evil do I call it and misanthropic: all that teaching about the one, and the plenum, and the unmoved, and the sufficient, and the imperishable! All the imperishable—that’s but a simile, and the poets lie too much.—”

This so-called unity to Nietzsche was merely a doctrine of the “oldest and most venerable script” in which is to be rejected in favor of a more life-affirming script in support for his gospel of the Superman. It isn’t just a condemnation of one type of mysticism in favor for other stripes but a wholesale rejection of its every incarnation. In On the Genealogy of Morals, Nietzsche summarizes his contempt for such nihilism masquerading itself as self-negating and transcendent mysticism:

…the hypnotic feeling of nothingness, the silence of the deepest sleep, in short, the loss of suffering – something which suffering and fundamentally disgruntled people have to consider their highest good, their value of values, and which they must appraise as positive and experience as the positive in itself. (With the same logic of feeling, in all pessimistic religions nothingness is called God).

It becomes rather obvious that Nietzsche goes at great lengths to deny an impersonal, supreme and transcendental power that lies beyond the world of the material such as Brahman. Buddhism and its founder Siddhartha receives a lesser disdainful evaluation, despite the fact that they fundamentally agree on such “fictions” as an immortal soul that survives the sudden cut off of death. It is notable that ideas such as Eternal Recurrence in which Nietzsche adopts into his personal philosophy shares an affinity with the idea of the cycles and wheels of Samsara or metempsychosis under the realm of dukkha. So what exactly survives death? To Nietzsche there is no “soul” that transmigrates into another body or thing. Instead, the “soul” is replaced by the Will to Power alone, although it seems as though Nietzsche was simply arguing semantics. Still, Nietzsche is far from completely denying a spiritual reality, but yet maintains that it must be understood as shorthand for our experiential lives in the here and now. Consciousness to him isn’t exactly a purely metaphysical or mystical substance but rather a product of social conditioning and of social existence in conjunction with our practical needs and abilities.

In The Indian Origin of Nietzsche’s Theory on the Eternal Return by D. Bannerjee, he goes in greater detail in their similarities:

The central theme of his (Nietzsche’s) passionate hope and aspiration for the future of mankind, namely, the survival of human character and personality in a ceaseless cycle of births (death being only a harbinger to the eternal return of life’s perfect and heroic moments) discloses likewise an Indian origin and in fact, constitutes the main tenet of Hinduism and and Buddhism alike.”(p. 163)

It seems as though Nietzsche had adopted the concept of reincarnation for his philosophy. Nietzsche’s connection to Asian religion and philosophy started with Paul Deussen aka “Deva-Sena” (a name he adopted for his admiration for the Hindu religion), a German Sanskrit scholar, something of which Nietzsche acknowledges in his works.

In the Advaita Vedanta teaching, it posits that there is an eternal, emantative and incomprehensible spirit beyond the material universe yet imminent in the life-process as an energizing principle. As follows, every sentient being is a unique manifestation of this ineffable force or principle, in which the world of appearances makes this realization difficult to realize that we are identical to the Supreme Spirit, since the cosmos is marked in terms of separation, illusion and duality under the umbrella of Maya. The Atman thus returns to the Ultimate Reality as the pinnacle of its spiritual journey through direct experience via the dissolution of form and into the unborn. It is this viewpoint that Nietzsche contends with in that he categorically rejects the idea of the world of appearances as the shadow of a noumenal world as promoted by the likes of Plato in the Theory of Forms of his dialogue Phaedo, the Gnostics and the Hindu mystics as a pursuit of a metaphysical fancy.

The attachment and emphasis on the world of ideals is what he dismisses. To Nietzsche, the world of experience, the world of appearances was the only real world, the channel in which the Superman ceaselessly pour the creative energy of the Will to Power. It is the concept of Samsara in being subservient to something that is both space-less and timeless, in which a moral necessity for an absorption back into Brahman to Nietzsche was no different then the idea of the Judeo-Christian God in which he considered a crutch for the decadent and antithetical to the virtues of the Superman. The Atman according to Nietzsche is its own source that it returns too and not some vague mystical reality that is yearned to the nth degree by mystics throughout history.

In The Anti-Christ, although Nietzsche also expresses the Buddha’s doctrine under the banner of nihilism, it is far more favorable in comparison in his contempt for Pauline Christianity:

Buddhism is a hundred times as realistic as Christianity — it is part of its living heritage that it is able to face problems objectively and coolly; it is the product of long centuries of philosophical speculation. The concept, “god,” was already disposed of before it appeared. Buddhism is the only genuinely positive religion to be encountered in history, and this applies even to its epistemology (which is a strict phenomenalism) — It does not speak of a “struggle with sin,” but, yielding to reality, of the “struggle with suffering.” Sharply differentiating itself from Christianity, it puts the self-deception that lies in moral concepts be hind it; it is, in my phrase, beyond good and evil.

To Nietzsche, the Buddha offered a far more realistic and approachable path for spiritual practitioners, that was leavened with reason and moderation in light of the Middle Way to liberation without all the extreme bodily mortification prevalent in asceticism of the Yogi’s (for example) or abstaining from addictive sense pleasures and vices of all stripes.

Buddhism, I repeat, is a hundred times more austere, more honest, more objective. It no longer has to justify its pains, its susceptibility to suffering, by interpreting these things in terms of sin — it simply says, as it simply thinks, “I suffer.” To the barbarian, however, suffering in itself is scarcely understandable: what he needs, first of all, is an explanation as to why he suffers. (His mere instinct prompts him to deny his suffering altogether, or to endure it in silence.) Here the word “devil” was a blessing: man had to have an omnipotent and terrible enemy — there was no need to be ashamed of suffering at the hands of such an enemy.

While he has a reasonably favorable view of Buddhism in comparison to other more decidedly theistic religions, he however dislikes its evaluation of suffering as a category definition of the world, thus weakening and even negating the Will to Power, instead of fortifying it. To Nietzsche, the weak man dwelt in his own miserable state, picking his mind with festering thoughts of jealously and inferiority while placing blame on others. Nietzsche argues that the weak began to preach that power, nobility, and happiness (all that was “good”) is actually “evil” and that all that is week and poor (all that was “bad”) is actually “good.” It is this slave morality that denounces power and happiness while promsing the weak will receive eternal bliss in the afterlife. Yet, Nietzsche had also rejected the idea that mankind was guilty and responsible for everything inherently wrong in the world because this shifting of responsibility from God to man is false though it reverses the direction of the resentment and might serve as a catalyst to personal development.

This world, the eternally imperfect, an eternal contradiction’s image and imperfect image- an intoxicating joy to its imperfect creator:- thus did the world once seem to me.

It is here that Zarathustra paradoxically shares the pessimistic anthropological attitude of the ancient Gnostics such as the Sethians who disregarded the world and its creator as an abortive mistake to be repudiated and transcended. They believed that the creator god was by no means a universal one, but a secondary, subordinate god, angel or demon empowered with the ability to craft and construct who in his vanity created the world in which he was satisfied this work was good and perfect, but in reality was a sham in which its iron manacles kept the inner luminary of man captive to the realm of fate, similarly to the idea of Eternal Recurrence. Yet, he was admonished by his own Mother of the Angels (Sophia) for being opaque and blind. It was the real and true Father which took pity on the half-conscious worms that this creator angel had formed out of the dust of the earth and gave them spirit and consciousness to animate them on their journey to salvation by carrying the sparks of divine Light to heaven which are burred in living matter.

English poet and artist, William Blake writes in The Book of Urizen where the god of Reason recounts how the mind is imprisoned in the cosmos, deprived of light and eternity:

In chains of the mind locked up,
Like fetters of ice shrinking together
Disorganiz’d, rent from Eternity,
Los beat on his fetters of iron;
And heated his furnaces & pour’d
Iron sodor and sodor of brass

The human being, accordingly is really a spirit entrapped in the tomb that is bodily flesh, like a pearl buried in mud. Both the world of humanity and the world of the cosmos at large are battlegrounds in a war between good spirit of light and the malevolent, counterfeit spirit that rules over matter. Man was originally pure spirit or consciousness, but somehow in the process of emanation and creation, man had become entrapped by the evil eon to the shackles of the cave-world Plato described in his famous Cave allegory. The human race experiences this reality in whatever he projects from his own consciousness but is really a sort of malevolent simulacrum, a matrix-like “time out of joint” as Shakespeare’s Hamlet put it. In this gnostic revelation, the pre-cosmic fault and the fall of being from the world of light leading to the creation of an evil, prison-like world made by a stupid and inferior creator becomes the center stage of this unfolding, divine drama.

Whether or not, Nietzsche was familiar with the doctrines of the Gnostics (probably not), he definetly shares a similar attitude as expressed earlier on, despite his insistence on laying a hold of the beauty in the gloomy cosmos as a thriving and independent isle of virtuous light and power that transcends the dichotomy of good and evil.

Companions the creator seeks, not corpses, not herds and believers. Fellow creators the creator seeks — those who write new values on new tablets.

Notably, in Plato’s allegory of the cave — there are four phases in the story which includes the prisoner in the darkness, the liberation from the shackles of ignorance, the contemplation of the pure forms outside the cave, and the return to the cave to liberate the prisoners left behind much like a Bodhisattva or a Manichean light-savior would do out of divine compassion to those still left lingering in the world of suffering and ignorance. This is similar to the threefold process of transformation or as it is called in Zarathustra “The Three Metamorphoses” that the spirit of the Übermensch undergoes:

THREE metamorphoses of the spirit do I designate to you: how the spirit becometh a camel, the camel a lion, and the lion at last a child. Many heavy things are there for the spirit, the strong load-bearing spirit in which reverence dwelleth: for the heavy and the heaviest longeth its strength.

The obedient camel is representative of the herd man who embraces the virtues of the slave. The freedom-loving lion is second transformation of the spiritual Atman in which the lion becomes the chief symbol for the Will to Power who is ready to pounce and tear at the virtues of the weak and the lukewarm and make it into a strewn, bloody carcass. Yet, Zarathustra makes it very clear that not even the lion can replace the old values of the dead and burried; it has to take a completely new archetype to forge the new ideals like an alchemist transmuting lead to gold. The playfully creating child becomes the last stage in which the Übermensch can rise from the dark ashes of the former into the new, fiery light of the reborn Phoenix. The Übermensch is also (obviously, if you’ve been paying attention) represented likewise through the figures of Zarathustra and Dionysus whom both forged new vistas of vision, new universes of possibility, freedom and liberation:

Innocence is the child, and forgetfulness, a new beginning, a game, a self-rolling wheel, a first movement, a holy Yea. Aye, for the game of creating, my brethren, there is needed a holy. Yea unto life: its own will, willeth now the spirit; his own world winneth the world’s outcast.

Nietzsche correctly understood that fixed values of the old religions and sciences weren’t not enough to make humans reach their optimal state. They would need an intelligent utilitarian will, an executive power which transcends moral law and seeks the most highly beneficial outcome in circumstances which the virtues and laws of the common man could not properly address.

A revaluation of all values: this question mark, so black, so huge that it casts a shadow over the man who puts it down — such a destiny of a task compels one to run into the sunlight at every opportunity to shake off a heavy, all-too-heavy seriousness.

I take that in light of what Nietzsche wrote about when the highest values have become devalued, a new system of values needs to be created. The Übermensch must first grow in the wilderness of past mythology and metaphysics, then he must surpass those “lying specters of the ages” and forge his own destiny by staying truthful to his virtues midst the drowning miasma and noise of the herd.

The virtues of the common man would perhaps mean vice and weakness in a philosopher; it might be possible for a highly developed man, supposing him to degenerate and go to ruin, to acquire qualities thereby alone, for the sake of which he would have to be honoured as a saint in the lower world into which he had sunk. There are books which have an inverse value for the soul and the health according as the inferior soul and the lower vitality, or the higher and more powerful, make use of them. In the former case they are dangerous, disturbing, unsettling books, in the latter case they are herald-calls which summon the bravest to THEIR bravery. Books for the general reader are always ill-smelling books, the odour of paltry people clings to them. (Beyond Good and Evil)

A genuine measure of individual sovereignty or autonomy and self-mastery becomes the laid foundation for this “higher” type of human being, transcending “beyond good and evil” and attaining a higher calling or spirituality. This philosophy does not call for the eradication or repression of ones most innate and basic drives with which humanity is endowed, but rather they are sublimated into a flouring vitality. It supplies the impetus to all higher spirituality and culture, through which alone human life can transform itself into something worthy of esteem. This new set of values provides the means to emerge to a higher platform of vision and being, transcending the brutish nihilism that is left from a disbelieving herd or mass of people who have resigned themselves to an unsatisfactory life of mediocrity and conformity.

Nietzsche’s characterization of the general idea of an objective truth as a kind of error, and knowledge as a kind of fiction also becomes notable, at last in relation to the traditional model of truth as the process correspondence of thought to being, and of knowledge as justified true belief. This in his view is a myth. All truth expressed by a human has a relational or relativistic character that requires to be understood differently and is purely subjective in perspective. So, what does that say about Zarathustra who ministers and proclaims his existential truths to the mob?
The figure of Zarathustra himself also shares a remarkable similarity to the Hermetic-pagan figure of Poimandres who is likewise similar to the Gnostic Savior or Christ. Poimandres is considered to be the nous or Logos of the highest godhead. As mentioned earlier, Poimandres was also called the “Shepherd of Men” who becomes sort of an Illuminator mentor to the Gnostic aspirant and speaker of the text. He is in essence, the sublime Promethian Gnostic hero. And yet, Hermes himself is a teacher of wisdom not meant for the mob, but only for those initiated into his “secret knowledge”. Of course, Poimandres was also the name for the first chapter of The Corpus Hermeticum. In the CH, it asserts something that Nietzsche would have been proud of and expressed in favorable terms:

“If, then, being made of Life and Light, you learn to know that you are made of them, you will go back to the Life and Light.”

In The Poimandres as Myth: Scholarly Theory and Gnostic Meaning, the author Robert A. Segal writes in a footnote:

…The “Will of God” means the “Counsel of God,” and entity which is distinct from both Nature and the Word and which mediates between God and the material world, at once unnecessarily complicates the cosmogony and really makes the Will equivalent to the Word.

Accordingly, perhaps Nietzsche was in fact channeling the Will from the Word or Logos, Zarathustra. Much like in the way Paul had the light phantom-image of Christ appear before him which bubbled up from deep within his unconscious, Zarathustra likewise does the same with Nietzsche dictating the law of the Superman. Nietzsche recognized the spiritual and even Gnostic virtues expressed by Jesus Christ in the Gospels, eliminating the Church’s orthodox authority over his words of wisdom in regards to the true “Kingdom of God” that is nowhere to be found but within:

The “kingdom of heaven” is a state of the heart—not something that is to come “above the earth” or “after death.” The whole concept of natural death is lacking in the evangel: death is no bridge, no transition; it is lacking because it belongs to a wholly different, merely apparent world, useful only insofar as it furnishes signs. The “hour of death” is no Christian conception: “hour,” time, physical life and its crises do not even exist for the teacher of the “glad tidings.” The “kingdom of God” is nothing that one expects; it has no yesterday and no day after tomorrow, it will not come in “a thousand years”—it is an experience of the heart; it is everywhere, it is nowhere.

Nietzsche as a whole is severely critical of everyday cherished beliefs and aspects of society — everything from religion, morality, science, philosophy and traditional values. In this instance, Nietzsche becomes one of the first deconstructionists. However, this does not stop Nietzsche from having the “Lulz” when he suggests that we bury all these serious ideals embodied in the Übermensch, the Will to Power and the urgent need for self-overcoming and make time for laughter and joy, even in the face of utter despair and misery as he writes in The Gay Science:

To laugh at oneself as one would have to laugh in order to laugh out of the whole truth, to do this, the best have not hitherto had enough of the sense of truth, and the most gifted have had far too little genius! There is perhaps still a future even for laughter! When the maxim, “The species is all, the individual is nothing,” has incorporated itself in humanity, and when access stands open to everyone at all times to this ultimate emanciption and irresponsibility. Perhaps then laughter will have united with wisdom, perhaps then there will be only “joyful wisdom.”

Even the Übermensch must laugh and crack jokes every now and then, which ultimately reflects Nietzsche’s attitude towards life and oneself on the journey towards ascending the golden starecase of self-mastery and into the light of self-possessed being. It is laughter which demonstrates the capacity in taking command of one’s self and the heights of the soul because it is capable of affirming life for what it is, in the here and the present.

My wise longing cried and laughed thus out of me – born in the mountains, verily, a wild wisdom – my great broad-winged longing! And often it swept me away and up and far, in the middle of my laughter; and I flew quivering, an arrow, through sun-drunken delight, away to distant futures which no dream had yet seen.

AEON EYE'S BLOG

Mindscape Magazine & The Universal Cult of the Bee 01/21/2012

2012-01-15T13:14:00.000-06:00

We deal with an exciting new magazine that includes a fascinating and invigorating stew of the Esoterica-- Mindscape Magazine. From holistic medicine, ancient myths, alternative archaeology, all the way to dry historical insights on Christianity and depth psychology, it has it all. Some of the most cutting edge authors contribute to the wide range of topics, including Robert Eisenman, David Ickes, Anthony Peake, Patrice Chaplin, and yours falsely, among the many. Furthermore, our guest and editor of Mindscape Magazine reveals his research into the universal Cult of the Bee that has greatly influenced humanity all over the world but remains pretty much invisible. We finally get our hands dirty with a Secret Brotherhood that is truly secret and impacting! If that wasn't enough, we delve into plenty of heretical musings about ancient and modern occultism. You cannot leave this show without learning something that will fuel your spiritual and intellectual vehicle.

Astral Guest-- Andrew Gough, editor of Mindscape Magazine.

More information on Andrew
More information on Mindscape Magazine

Teaser for 'Mastering Prophecy & Aramaic Mysticism' 01/14/2012

2012-01-12T21:22:00.001-06:00

MASTERING PROPHECY & ARAMAIC MYSTICISM MAIN

Topics discussed:

--Understanding Prophecy, from its Shamanistic roots to its tapping by modern history-changers.
--How Jesus taught, as many mystic Jews believed, that the soul must be earned and can easily be lost. And not everyone deserves forgiveness
--Examples of great religious leaders that never took Scripture literary but dug deep until they found its divine intent that was applicable to their current challenges (and how you can do this).
--Sin and the Kingdom of God, which in an Aramaic context are closer to the Eastern concept of Karma and Nirvana than to the modern Christian beliefs.
--How the Synoptic Jesus taught about Sophia and her equality to God.
--Why the Social Gospel was always been socially accepted by Christianity.

And much more!!!

Our rebroadcast is Aeon Byte #21-- Simon Magus with Robert M. Price, author of Incredible Shrinking Son of Man: How Reliable Is the Gospel Tradition?, The Pre-Nicene New Testament: Fifty-four Formative Texts, The Reason Driven Life: What Am I Here on Earth For?, and Inerrant the Wind: The Evangelical Crisis in Biblical Authority. The saga of Simon Magus and Helen of Troy. Simon Magus was known as Simon The Magician, Saul of Tarsus, The Father of all Heresies and The Father of Gnosticism; he was also the one who became The Great Power of God once he united with his holy consort, The First Thought of God, or Helen of Troy. These two greatest of ancient figures and greatest of threats to Orthodoxy were somehow silenced and overlooked until now.

Next week we deal with an exciting new magazine that includes a fascinating and invigorating stew of the Esoterica-- Mindscape Magazine. From holistic medicine, ancient myths, alternative archaeology, all the way to dry historical insights on Christianity and depth psychology, it has it all. Furthermore, our guest and editor of Mindscape Magazine reveals his research into the universal Cult of the Bee that has greatly influenced humanity but remained pretty much overlooked. If that wasn't enough, we delve into plenty of heretical musings about ancient and modern occultism. Our guest will be Andrew Gough.

Donations or any type of assistance are always a blessing, even if it's the many skills I don't have. Your support is essential for Aeon Byte Gnostic Radio. Thank you for those who have supported Aeon Byte Gnostic Radio via donations, buying products, or downloading shows. But more help is necessary if this venture is to continue at this or any level. If everyone simply donates a buck or buys a show every week, I can break even and get enough clout to interview the new dictator of North Korea. Again, your support is essential. And please spread the heretical world to anyone seeking the roads less traveled. This venture is completely non-profit, trust me on this!

And like I’ve always said, if you’ve got holes in your pockets let me know and I’ll send you shows for no cost at all.

Mastering Prophecy & Aramaic Mysticism 01/14/2012

2012-01-09T09:18:00.000-06:00

An essential part of the message of Jesus was not his actual message but how he came to discover his message (whether one agrees with it or not). That is the gift of prophecy inherent to every human being. Prophecy is not foretelling the Divine's plan for the future but experiencing the Divine beyond the future. Prophecy awakens The Divine Spark and finds the means to transform the mind and the world around a person. By a process of inner exploration, mindful contemplation and continual interpretation and re-interpretation of Holy Scripture and Myth, any individual can unleash his or hers power of prophecy. This is not only a teaching of Jesus but also Lao-Tzu, Buddha, Gandhi and other giants. We also delve into the Aramaic mindset of early Christianity, discovering that such concepts as the soul, sin, forgiveness and The Kingdom of God are far more esoteric and mystical than previously believed. Lastly, we dare a penetrating look at the state of modern Christianity and see if it can find needed renewal by tapping into the overlooked teachings of Jesus; as well as address the controversial concepts of The Prosperity Gospel and The Social Gospel.

Astral Guest-- Bruce Chilton, best-selling author of Rabbi Paul, Mary Magdalene, Abraham's Curse and The Way of Jesus, as well as Professor of Religion at Bard College.

click here for more information on Bruce

Book review for The Way of Jesus

Rock Music As The Latest Incarnation Of The Mystery Religions 1/7/2012

2012-01-02T00:35:00.000-06:00

In ancient times, The Mystery Religions quenched the thirst of those tired of extroverted dogmas, those seeking altered states of consciousness, a direct connection with the divine, and an escape from the bondage of ego and death. An individual could be gripped by ecstatic cosmic energies as well as agonize alongside the gods and their celestial sacrifices. The Mystery Religions thrived across the Greco/Roman civilization wearing the clothing of various religious cults, including Christianity, inviting men and women, philosophers and emperors to unlock the secrets of Creation itself. They were both wild celebrations for the greater life and intimate rituals of inner contemplation. Eventually, the Mystery Religions were outlawed and extinguished by Orthodoxy, existing only in fragments within Secret Societies or the lore of hidden faiths in the borderlands. Yet with the rise of Occultism, the birth of a more egalitarian society, and as a reaction to an existentialist world of grim threats, the Mystery Religions returned without the world even knowing they were back. The old gods took on new names and returned to the material world to impart their Gnosis. The arcane rituals were resurrected except for the addition of modern technology. And they thrived in a seemingly popular form of entertainment called Rock 'n' Roll. We take a voyage into the past for the essence of Mystery Religions and how they incarnated themselves into Rock Music.

Astral Guest-- Christopher Knowles, author of The Secret History of Rock 'n' Roll and Our Gods Wear Spandex.

More information on Chris

Christopher's Blog on The Secret History of Rock 'n' Roll

Gnostic Grace & The Mercy of Eternity 12/31/2011

2011-12-28T18:13:00.000-06:00

Depression and other mental disorders have haunted humanity from the very start of civilization, and are still a great enigma even in these so-called enlightened times. They are spiritual and psychic maladies that are potentially both destructive as they are misty trails to higher states of being. A new memoir by a best-selling author and highly regarded scholar turns an unsparing eye on his own struggle with psychosis and finds, within the very illness that causes so much suffering, the resources for deeper love, understanding of the human condition, and the liberation from interior Archons. In this work, he reveals not only his battles against a life and soul destroying mental disease, but how he used the wisdom of the Gnostics, the inspiration of great mystic thinkers of the past, and esoteric theologies to rise above the storms of despair and avoid being swallowed by the void of nihilism. And how he encountered the Grace of the Divine in the strangest places when he needed it the most, before he lost his life in more ways than one. A very important and powerful episode for any person who has been or is victimized by these disorders, as well as anyone who has dealt with them through family or friends.

Eric Wilson, best-selling author of The Mercy of Eternity: A Memoir of Depression and Grace, Against Happiness: In Praise of Melancholy, and Secret Cinema: Gnostic Vision in Film, as well as Thomas H. Pritchard Professor of English at Wake Forest University.

Eric's homepage

Eric's biography

Eric's interview for The New York Times

Teaser for 'The Myth of Osiris & Its Jungian Interpretation 12/24/2011

2011-12-22T22:41:00.000-06:00

THE MYTH OF OSIRIS & ITS JUNGIAN INTERPRETATION MAIN

Topics Discussed:

--Taking a Jungian approach to understanding the depth of awareness and acuteness of the ancient Egyptian mindset and intuition.
--Dispelling the misconception that the ancient Egyptian’s were obsessed with death when in reality, perhaps more than any culture, they revered life.
--An overview of the various narratives of Osiris and the Egyptian pantheon, including their creation myths.
--The practical steps in which you yourself can embody Osiris, perhaps the greatest of the Savior Gods and Logos.
--Understand the genius of Pharaoh Ahkenaten, considered not only history’s first monotheist but history’s first individual.
--How the Classic Gnostic were influenced by ancient Egyptian lore.
--Evidence revealing how the concept of archetypes and synchronicity came from the ancient Egyptian speculation.

And much more!!!

Our rebroadcast is Aeon Byte #72—The Cathars with Sean Martin, author of The Cathars and The Gnostics. They were the greatest heresy of the Middle Ages, arguably an offshoot of the ancient Gnostics that undermined the authority of the religious and political powers of the time. Their bloody demise is one of the darkest moments in Christian history that still resonates today. We take a historical and esoteric safari of the Cathars, their history, theology, tragedy and whether or not they truly held some of the ancient treasures like the Holy Grail

Next we are joined by Eric G. Wilson, author of Against Happiness: In Praise of Melancholy, Secret Cinema: Gnostic Vision in Film and The Spiritual History of Ice, as well as Professor of English at Wake Forest University. He joins us to discuss his very personal memoire, The Mercy of Eternity: A Memoir of Depression and Grace. Not only is this Eric’s retelling of his dark odyssey into the oceans of depression and bipolar mania, it is recounting of how he found the shores of redemption through the great stories and artists of the past, including the Gnostic vision of William Blake, as well as the infinite power of spiritual love.

Donations or any type of assistance are always a blessing, even if it's the many skills I don't have. Your support is essential for Aeon Byte Gnostic Radio. Thank you for those who have supported Aeon Byte Gnostic Radio via donations, buying products, or downloading shows. But more help is necessary if this venture is to continue at this or any level. If everyone simply donates a buck or buys a show every week, I can break even and get enough clout to interview the new dictator of North Korea. Again, your support is essential. And please spread the heretical world to anyone seeking the roads less traveled. This venture is completely non-profit, trust me on this!

And like I’ve always said, if you’ve got holes in your pockets let me know and I’ll send you shows for no cost at all.

The Myth of Osiris & Its Jungian Interpretation 12/24/2011

2011-12-18T20:41:00.000-06:00

Perhaps the most ancient and renowned dying/rising godman was Osiris. His reverence lasted thousands of years longer than Christianity and most other major religions. The very evolution of Osiris from a primitive fertility deity to a transcendental Logos mirrored the spiritual and cultural growth of ancient Egypt and the very genesis of the modern psyche. His various myths not only crystallized the arcane mysteries of a civilization that would influence the West in so many facets, Osiris became a timeless template for humanity’s quest for divine realization and self-renewal. By delving into the very essence of the teachings of Osiris, as well as ancient Egyptian history and theology, an individual can uncover powerful spiritual, alchemical and archetypal gifts. With the help of Jungian mysticism, we die and rise alongside Osiris in order to gain these soul and mind liberating gifts; as well as understand the deep arcane thought of a civilization that was far more sophisticated than ever imagined.

Astral Guest-- Thom F. Cavalli, author of Embodying Osiris and Alchemical Psychology.

More information on Thom

Teaser for 'The Goddess In Early Christianity' 12/17/2011

2011-12-15T20:43:00.000-06:00

THE GODDESS IN EARLY CHRISTIANITY MAIN

Topics Discussed:

--The various incarnations of Mrs. God.

--Evidence pointing that some Gnostic sects did indeed practice ritual sex acts.

--When God had breasts.

--How the Valentinian view of sex and marriage is actually closer to our modern views than any other Christian group.

--The many ways Mary Magdalene influenced different early Christian sects.

--Understanding Paul’s struggles with various churches as they struggled with a new, Jewish denomination and the old Greco-Roman ways.

--Evidence revealing exactly what Gnostic minds where behind the creation of The Gospel of Mary

--Why there might be only one reason the Divine Feminine was doomed from the beginning (and the role of women in Christianity).

And much more!!!

Our rebroadcast is Aeon Byte #126--The God-King Descendants of Jesus with Hugh Montgomery, author of The God-Kings of Europe. The belief that Jesus was a holy insurgent, perhaps survived the crucifixion, married and gave birth to a royal line continues to gain momentum. Yet brand new scholarship adds startling evidence to these theories, pointing to the possibility that Jesus was actually an active, military noble from a family of established, Davidic rulers in Palestine that controlled more than the Romans wanted. After his failed attempt to establish a Jewish Kingdom, he sired a line that later mixed with a dynastic line of God-Kings from ancient Babylon who then became, unknown until now, many great rulers of Europe wishing their return to rule Jerusalem. In fact, for centuries, they succeeded during the Crusades with the aid of the Knight Templars. These God-Kings were also instrumental in nurturing and defending the Cathars, sparking the Protestant Reformation, and manipulating European history for centuries up until this day. We reveal the truth about these God-Kings and the vast and violent monarchy of Jesus, John the Baptist, Mary Magdalene, Saul of Tarsus, James the Just and many other figures that are misrepresented in the Bible but were actually power players of their days.

Next week, as usual on Christmas weekend, we deal with one of the Solstice avatars of Jesus--Osiris. He was a rising/dying godman who was revered thousands of years more than Jesus Christ any other savior god. His name was Osiris. This god’s evolution from a fertility deity to a transcendental logos mirrored the marvels of Egyptian spirituality and even civilization.Not only do we explore the Egyptian history and theology behind the many myths of Osiris, we mine for spiritual, alchemical and even
psychological gifts found deep within them. And these gifts are just as pertinent to the modern human as they were to the ancient Egyptians millennia ago. Our guest will by Thom F. Cavalli, author of Embodying Osiris and Alchemical Psychology.

Donations or any type of assistance are always a blessing, even if it's the many skills I don't have. Your support is essential for Aeon Byte Gnostic Radio. Thank you for those who have supported Aeon Byte Gnostic Radio via donations, buying products, or downloading shows. But more help is necessary if this venture is to continue at this or any level. If everyone simply donates a buck or buys a show every week, I can break even and even re-invest in the show, maybe even finally finish my own Human Centipede. Again, your support is essential. And please spread the heretical world to anyone seeking the roads less traveled. This venture is completely non-profit, trust me on this!

Stargazer is available in print edition. You can also get it on Kindle (2.99!), Nook, or various digital formats at Smashwords. Thank you so much for those who have ventured into this most Dystopian/Dickian/Gnostic tale with a universal message more relevant than ever before. Check out this review by Tessa Dick, and this review by Thomas Allogenes. For more information go to our Stargazer Homepage.

There are over 215 past shows of Aeon Byte available at our store. I have interviewed over 70 of the world’s greatest scholars, best-selling authors, religious leaders and veteran mystics, screenwriters and directors, and pop culture icons. It’s a complete menu that might contain the meal that takes you to the next spiritual or philosophical level. It’s the greatest audio resource on the Internet on Gnosticism, the Esoterica, Comparative Religion, the Occult and Freethought.

Each program has a preview you can listen to it before jumping into the abyss of heresy. CD, DVD or BULK DOWNLOADING, at less than half the price, can be purchased through our homepage.

And like I’ve always said, if you’ve got holes in your pockets let me know and I’ll send you shows for no cost at all.

The Goddess in Early Christianity 12/17/2011

2011-12-11T21:38:00.001-06:00

Even beyond the Gnostics, the Divine Feminine was very revered in early Christianity and Classic Judaism. Her veneration was completely public and took many aspects across The Roman Empire. Early Christians and Hellenistic Jews understood that the Godhead held both feminine and masculine aspects. Women held a higher rank in all matters, even leadership roles. This is even betrayed by the words of Jesus Christ and Saint Paul, as well as many Church Fathers and apocryphal scriptures. Yet the Divine Feminine, along with Sophia, was slowly erased from Christendom as Orthodoxy gained more power. We take an amazing view of the once-mighty Christian Goddesses and the terrible impact of her dismissal on the psyche of mankind that is even felt today.

Astral Guest-- April DeConick, author of Holy Misogyny: Why the Sex and Gender Conflicts in the Early Church Still Matter and The Thirteenth Apostle: What the Gospel of Judas Really Says, as well as Professor of Biblical Studies at Rice University.

More information on April
April's Amazing blog

Teaser for 'A Dictionary of Western Alchemy' 12/10/2011

2011-12-08T21:51:00.000-06:00

A DICTIONARY OF WESTERN ALCHEMY MAIN

Topics Discussed:

--The over ten year process it took Jordan to accumulate alchemical terms that were truly historical and relevant.
--The interplay and interconnection of Alchemy and Gnosticism, from the Valentinians to CG Jung.
--Touching on some of the most influential Alchemists in history, such as Isaac Newton, Thomas Aquinas, John Dee, and many more.
--Documented instances where Alchemy actually produced supernatural results.
--Why Alchemy has always been scientific at its core even though it was marginalized in modernity, even if it still can be very relevant.
--Good starting points to understand Alchemy beyond buying ‘A Dictionary of Western Alchemy’.

And much more!!!

Our rebroadcast is Aeon Byte #184--Valentinus & The Valentinians Part 2, with Ismo Dunderberg, author of Beyond Gnosticism: Myth, Lifestyle, and Society in the School of Valentinus and The Beloved Disciple in Conflict?: Revisiting the Gospels of John and Thomas, as well as Professor of Religious Studies at Helsinski University. Our second part of our series dealing the elegant theologians and poetic philosophers known as the Valentinians. Founded by the enigmatic and brilliant Valentinus of Alexandria, the Valentinians threaded a fine needle between Gnostic heresy and Christian orthodoxy, adding new dimensions to both sides that changed the course of early Christendom. We take an intimate view of their creeds, practices and scripture. We comb the Nag Hammadi Library and beyond for a thorough inspection of the Valentinian flavor of ethereal Gnosticism; as well as explore the various Valentinian schools that frustrated Orthodoxy for centuries, from the cult of Marcus the Magician to the followers of Ptolemy and his grandiose cosmology. And lastly we study the cultural habits of the Valentinians who navigated the unpredictable Greco-Roman world and later the Christian Empire. We leave no Gnostic stone unturned, for our guest is considered one of the leading authorities in the world on Valentinus and the Valentinians.

Next week we continue our Divine Feminine series. Even beyond the Gnostics, we discover that the Divine Feminine was very revered in early Christianity and Classic Judaism. Her veneration was very public and took many forms across The Roman Empire. And women held a higher rank in all matters. Yet the Divine Feminine, along with Sophia, was slowly erased from Christendom as Orthodoxy gained more power. We take an amazing view of the Christian Goddesses and the terrible impact of her dismissal on the psyche of mankind that is even felt today. Our guest will be April DeConick, author of Holy Misogyny: Why the Sex and Gender Conflicts in the Early Church Still Matter and The Thirteenth Apostle: What the Gospel of Judas Really Says.

Donations or any type of assistance are always a blessing, even if it's the many skills I don't have. Your support is essential for Aeon Byte Gnostic Radio. Thank you for those who have supported Aeon Byte Gnostic Radio via donations, buying products, or downloading shows. But more help is necessary if this venture is to continue at this or any level. If everyone simply donates a buck or buys a show every week, I can break even and even re-invest in the show, maybe even hire Blade of Van Helsing to kill of the cast of Twilight. Again, your support is essential. And please spread the heretical world to anyone seeking the roads less traveled. This venture is completely non-profit, trust me on this!

And like I’ve always said, if you’ve got holes in your pockets let me know and I’ll send you shows for no cost at all.

THE SECRET BOOK OF SAINT WOOD OF THE CROSS: Interpretation of the Virgin Birth

2011-12-06T22:35:00.000-06:00

With Christmas around the corner, I figure this is a good time to talk about the reason for the season. If you are a part of Western culture then you are probably going to have at least some passing familiarity with the birth of Christ narrative. Most people tend to just take this at face value, ignoring that this, and other narratives part of the Christ mythos, developed to teach some sort of lesson. Having some familiarity with the Gnostic Creation story also helps since it seems pretty obvious that the Virgin Mary is a foil to Sophia.

The story of the Virgin Birth parallels the fall of Sophia so nicely, I’m honestly surprised that I haven’t seen anything on it. Both Mary and Sophia are virgins, in either meaning of the word, young woman or a woman that has never had sex. Yet, their offspring are drastically different. By exploring what they were “virgin” in one can see why these offspring are so different. By either meaning of the word virgin, they are both lacking in experience. As result of this lack of experience they both took different strategies about how to create. Both are symbolic of divine wisdom. Sophia obviously because of her name sake and surrounding mythos. Mary we know of her as a symbol of divine wisdom due to Church traditions surrounding her.

Now going going back to their difference in offspring, relates to how they reacted to their lack of experience. Sophia sought to create without her consort. She disobeyed divine will and thought that she knew better than those that came before her. This resulted in the virgin birth of the abortion, Yaldabaoth, the Demiurge. Mary in her inexperience submitted herself to divine will which resulted in the birth of the Christ. One was an act of arrogance, the other was an act of humility. This duality illustrates what type of fruits one’s actions yield.

The other interesting foil that should be pointed out is their very nature. Sophia is a divine being and Mary is a human. I find this significant since Mary’s birth is the beginning of the redemption process. Sophia became ashamed and lost due to her arrogance. Mary, on the other hand, suffered shame inflicted by the world and the Demiurge’s system because she was humble and receptive to divine love, agape. How did she suffer shame, I can hear some of you asking. She was an unwed girl, probably about 13-15 years of age in the 1st century CE. If she did exist and this event did happen as the story tells, she was probably regarded as a whore or a prostitute by those close to her. Hell, even Joseph wanted to leave her ass.

So we’ve made these parallels and associations, what is the point? The point is that these stories are mythic. Regardless of whether they literally happened or not, they detail the process of how we can be like Mary and birth Christ into the world. By being receptive and open to agape, we can allow this Holy Spirit to conceive in us the Christ. Our inexperienced wisdom and inspiration becomes a fertile womb for Christ to grow and eventually we can birth the Christ, the Logos, into the world.

As we go about our holiday season, and anytime really, let us be receptive to divine love. Let us not arrogantly reject it. It is through this Holy Spirit that the Christ is conceived within us.

By Robert Wood

Saint Wood of the Cross's Hagiography
Read more of his articles

A Dictionary of Western Alchemy 12/10/2011

2011-12-04T22:17:00.002-06:00

One of the most venerated esoteric arts is Alchemy, which cuts across all religions and ideologies. Both the Orthodox and Heterodox have sought its arcane gifts, whether it's lead to gold or holistic medicine. For the first time a book comes out that categorizes the wisdom of the alchemists in Western Culture, a gathering of important terms, from ancient Egypt to Jungian Psychology. Needless to say, the book is long overdue; and beyond just a dictionary of Alchemy it reveals the various scientific and mystic tributaries it has influenced for thousands of years. We learn about the origins and evolution of Alchemy; and why it's still very important for spiritual liberation in a modern world. We study it from all its angles and traditions that include Christianity, Islam, the Occult, Gnosticism, Hermeticism, and even Harry Potter. We leave no Philosopher's Stone unturned!

Astral Guest-- Jordan Stratford, author of A Dictionary of Western Alchemy and Living Gnosticism.

More information on Jordan
More information on A Dictionary of Western Alchemy

Show will be available all weekend here

Teaser for 'The Electric Jesus & Reality Sandwich' 12/03/2011

2011-12-01T17:38:00.000-06:00

THE ELECTRIC JESUS & REALITY SANDWICH MAIN

Topics Discussed:

--How activism and counterculture media devastated Jonathan, who returned to both years later fueled by a spiritual vision.
--Jonathan’s encounter with alien beings, some who became his lifelong spiritual guides.
--Jonathan’s many visions of serpents, and what each represent and fit into various traditions.
--How the Gnostics liberated Jonathan from his strict Christian upbringing and changed the way he saw the world.
--Different esoteric practices used by Jonathan to open the channels of communication that might help your own life.
--How Reality Sandwich and Evolver.net were created, and how they parallel the Occupy Movements.

And much more!!!

Our rebroadcast will be Aeon Byte #173--Disproving Christianity with David McAfee, author of Disproving Christianity. We continue with our Freethought series, as often the best defense for human freedom is an offense against what is potentially offensive. We take a shot at making sense without losing our senses at Bible Inerrancy and Fundamentalist Christian Theology. We plough into oceans of Bible contradictions, atrocities and inconsistencies, bringing you a swarm you’ve never heard of before. It’s the usual giggle and chills at once! We also deal with Orthodox doctrine, and the real danger it poses to the unalienable rights and freedoms of Western Culture. The topic may be about Christianity, but insert any religion or ideology that attempts to impose draconian rules and justice to a secular society offering spiritual alternatives. And there is always one out there ready to drag us down into the Bronze Age if we do not take a stand.

Next week we get acquainted with a new book that is insightful, long-overdue, and very necessary for anyone immersed in the Esoterica. And that is A Dictionary of Western Alchemy, by Jordan Stratford. Finally there is a reference guide that not only deals with Alchemy but the various tributaries it influences, from ancient Egyptian magic to Jungian psychology. We also learn about the origins and evolution of Alchemy; and why it's still very important for spiritual liberation. We study it from all its angles and traditions that include Christianity, Islam, the Occult, Gnosticism, Hermeticism, and even Harry Potter! We leave no philosopher's stone unturned!

Donations or any type of assistance are always a blessing, even if it's the many skills I don't have. Your support is essential for Aeon Byte Gnostic Radio. Thank you for those who have supported Aeon Byte Gnostic Radio via donations, buying products, or downloading shows. But more help is necessary if this venture is to continue at this or any level. If everyone simply donates a buck or buys a show every week, I can break even and even re-invest in the show, maybe even hire Blade of Van Helsing to kill of the cast of Twilight. Again, your support is essential. And please spread the heretical world to anyone seeking the roads less traveled. This venture is completely non-profit, trust me on this!

And like I’ve always said, if you’ve got holes in your pockets let me know and I’ll send you shows for no cost at all.

The Electric Jesus & Reality Sandwich 12/03/2011

2011-11-27T14:22:00.001-06:00

One of the most influential, esoteric sites is the popular, holistic, and counterculture Reality Sandwich. A main reason is the Gnosis of one of its founders--an individual who took a trying, mystical walkabout from Orthodox Materialist to Christian Gnostic (although he never lost his thirst to make a better world). We learn of his supernal journey that included underground entheogen ceremonies, Kundalini awakenings, extraterrestrial encounters, and pilgrimages to various levels of consciousness until he encountered a mission from Sophia. And how he was healed by the pleromic electricity of the Aeon Christ hidden behind the veils of mundane reality. We also discuss Reality Sandwich and his other accomplishments and projects, like Evolver.net that are shifting the awareness of a dazed humanity on the brink of total fragmentation and possible destruction.

Astral Guest-- Jonathan Talat Phillips, author of The Electric Jesus: The Healing Journey of a Contemporary Gnostic.

More information on Jonathan

Jonathan's Blog

Reality Sandwich

Evolver.net

Show will be available all weekend right here

Teaser for 'Elaine Pagels On Understanding Gnosticism' 11/26/2011

2011-11-25T21:24:00.001-06:00

IN SOME GNOSTIC TEXTS, EVE (SOPHIA) TRANSFORMS INTO THE TREE OF LIFE TO FOOL THE ARCHONS

ELAINE PAGELS ON UNDERSTANDING GNOSTICISM MAIN

Topics Discussed:

--How Pagels became involved in Gnostic studies and where she is going with it now.
--Why there was never anything like ‘Gnosticism’ and ‘The Gnostics’ in ancient times, and why these terms should be discarded for better definitions.
--Her unique views on such works as The Gospel of Judas, The Gospel of Thomas, The Gospel of John, the Pauline letters and much more.
--Why Gnosis is truly a universal Christian concept, as well as dualism.
--Even beyond there never having been a Gnostic religion, why there might have never even been Sethians or Valentinians, in the accepted sense.
--As a bonus, we juxtaposition her views on Gnosticism and Christianity with excerpts from other great scholars such as Karen King, Marvin Meyer, Birger Pearson and more!

And much more!!! This is certainly one of the best overviews on Gnosticism (or just alternative Christianity) you will ever have on audio.

Our rebroadcast is Aeon Byte #114-- The Pistis Sophia. Long before the Nag Hammadi was discovered, most of what we directly knew of Gnosticism came from the voluminous Gnostic Gospel simply titled 'The Pistis Sophia'. It encompasses a unique version of the fall of Sophia and her rescue by the Cosmic Christ, action-film battles of Jesus versus God and his Archons, a laundry list of dogmatic Gnostic theology and liturgy, and much more. Its discovery in the 19th century transformed and revived many of the esoteric movements of the time. Astral Guest-- Paul Tice, author of The Pistis Sophia: A Gnostic Gospel, Jumping Jehovah; Exposing the Atrocities of the Old Testament God, and The Triumph of Man.

Next we are joined by the founder of the popular, counterculture online magazine, Reality Sandwich. Beyond this esoteric treasure trove, we discuss his new book that deals with his spiritual evolution from an Orthodox Materialist to a Christian Gnostic. It's a journey into many paths, disciplines, and mystic journeys that showed him a way to reveal different to a mass audience various metaphysical paths for those in need. And we get plenty of alternative theologies and philosophies. Our guest will be Jonathan Talat Phillips, author of The Electric Jesus: The Healing Journey of a Contemporary Gnostic.

Donations or any type of assistance are always a blessing, even if it's the many skills I don't have. Your support is essential for Aeon Byte Gnostic Radio. Thank you for those who have supported Aeon Byte Gnostic Radio via donations, buying products, or downloading shows. But more help is necessary if this venture is to continue at this or any level. If everyone simply donates a buck or buys a show every week, I can break even and even re-invest in the show. Again, your support is essential. And please spread the heretical world to anyone seeking the roads less traveled. This venture is completely non-profit, trust me on this!

Stargazer is available in print edition. You can also get it on Kindle (3.99!), Nook, or various digital formats at Smashwords. Thank you so much for those who have ventured into this most Dystopian/Dickian/Gnostic tale with a universal message more relevant than ever before. Check out this review by Tessa Dick, and this review by Thomas Allogenes. For more information go to our Stargazer Homepage.

And like I’ve always said, if you’ve got holes in your pockets let me know and I’ll send you shows for no cost at all.

My Interview with Gnostic Media

2011-11-22T10:56:00.000-06:00

I was recently interview by Jan Irvin of Gnostic Media. We discussed Voices of Gnosticism, Stargazer, and a wide range of esoteric and cultural topics. We were all over the sinful place! Jan has honored Aeon Byte Gnostic Radio several times, so it was a great privilege to go to his crib and hang out. It's a long interview; and I felt my ADD kicking in at times, but Jan was always there for the rescue.

You can hear it directly at Gnostic Media or just right below:

Also received a very cool picture of Abraxas by one of our listeners, Matt. Love the boobs on the god above god!

And don't forget to support Aeon Byte Gnostic Radio in any way you can. Truth is free, but the channels it travels through ain't. I certainly could use equipment that isn't from the days of when I played Doom.

Elaine Pagels on Understanding Gnosticism 11/26/2011

2011-11-21T08:56:00.001-06:00

THE FALL OF SOPHIA

The work of Elaine Pagels is possibly the most substantial contribution to the advancement of modern Gnostic studies. Her seminal book, the award-winning and chronic bestseller The Gnostic Gospels, awoke a global interest in Gnosticism across all spectrums. The Gnostic Gospels is widely considered an essential reference companion or at least primer to any Nag Hammadi library involvement. Her also popular work, Beyond Belief, is regarded as one of the most impacting efforts involving the Gospel of Thomas (as well as the esoteric spectrum of the Gospel of John). And in between, Pagels’ other publications have cast a bright sunlight on mainstream awareness concerning alternative Christianity. She joins Aeon Byte to offer her insights on Gnosticism (and why it probably never existed), various shades of heretical literature including the Gospel of Judas, and a tireless career to grant a voice to the ancient counterculture Christians who offered mystics options for soul liberation. Lastly, we surprise you with other revelations concerning the world of Gnostic studies.

Astral Guest-- Elaine Pagels, author of The Gnostic Gospels, The Gnostic Paul: Gnostic Exegesis of the Pauline Letters, Adam, Eve and the Serpent, The Origin of Satan, and Beyond Belief: The Secret Gospel of Thomas, as well as Harrington Spear Paine Foundation Professor of Religion, Princeton University, New Jersey.

Elaine's Princeton Homepage

Elaine's Wikipedia entry

Show will be available all weekend right here

Teaser for 'The Gnosis of Cormac McCarthy' 11/19/2011

2011-11-17T22:01:00.000-06:00

THE GNOSIS OF CORMAC MCCARTHY MAIN

Topics Discussed:

--How McCarthy uses symbolism that is only found in the writings of CG Jung and Mithraic rituals.
--Blood Meridian’s usage of Jacob Boehme’s theology.
--The Judge—a terrifying, immortal character full of Gnosis who is actually the Demiurge in the flesh and pulls the strings of the characters in the story. Very much like Judas in The Gospel of Judas, except he defeats the Jesus character.
--Gnostic symbols found throughout the novels such as passerby, being asleep, the craftsman, a world of fake shadows, the eternal flame and much more.
--Esoteric and alchemical tropes that McCarthy uses like the hermit, the hanged man, the heretical priest, fake gold, and others.
--Gnostic themes in other of McCarthy’s books like All the Pretty Horses, The Road, No Country for Old Men, and more.

And much more!!!

Our rebroadcast is Aeon Byte #117-- New Revelations & Misconceptions on the Gospel of Thomas with Robert North, author of The Way of Life: Volume One: The Child and The Lion. The Gospel of Thomas remains the most popular Gnostic Scripture, with endless books written on it. Yet an ex-Jesuit has uncovered a new method to decode 'The Fifth Gospel'. The numbering and placing of the sayings were mistakenly arranged by ancient scribes, obfuscating what is actually a cluster of specific poems and stanzas that if read correctly serve as tools for psychological growth. New scholarship also reveals that the Gospel of Thomas was definitely written by a man named Jesus of Nazareth as a clarion call for revolution against all dogmas, doctrines, earthly institutions and spiritual stasis. We discover its new secrets!

Next week we don't give you turkey but phoenix rising. As a special Thanksgiving, rebroadcast, we will have our stellar interview with Elaine Pagels, which you can also find at Voices of Gnosticism. We cover all the Gnostic bases in the last twenty years and the direction Gnostic studies are going. The godmother of Gnosticism comes to the Virtual Alexandria. A perfect, loud listen if you want your family to throw you out for being a heretic. That's why the Aeons invented headphones!

Donations or any type of assistance are always a blessing, even if it's the many skills I don't have. Your support is essential for Aeon Byte Gnostic Radio. Thank you for those who have supported Aeon Byte Gnostic Radio via donations, buying products, or downloading shows. But more help is necessary if this venture is to continue at this or any level. If everyone simply donates a buck or buys a show every week, I can break even and even re-invest in the show, as well as buy Eddie Rabbit's Greatest Hits. Again, your support is essential. And please spread the heretical world to anyone seeking the roads less traveled. This venture is completely non-profit, trust me on this!

And like I’ve always said, if you’ve got holes in your pockets let me know and I’ll send you shows for no cost at all.

The Gnosis of Cormac McCarthy 11/19/2011

2011-11-14T09:38:00.003-06:00

One of the greatest authors of our times is undoubtedly Cormac McCarthy. Such novels as No Country for Old Men, The Road, and All the Pretty Horses have been a stark mirror into the human condition. Many consider his existentialist Western, Blood Meridian, one of the greatest literary achievements in the 20th century. Yet more and more scholars are realizing that McCarthy has purposefully and subtlety injected Gnostic themes and symbols in his works; and furthermore many of his books are complete Gnostic Gospels. We take a third-eye look at his fiction for not only Gnostic philosophy but other mysticism that fascinates McCarthy. We focus primarily on Blood Meridian, one of the most ultraviolent, nihilistic, and amoral books ever written that presents the Gnostic narrative, including the hidden Divine Spark that is the last hope of a predatory, deficient universe.

Astral guest-- Petra Mundik, author of Terra Damnata: The Anticosmic Mysticism of Cormac McCarthy's Blood Meridian.

Petra's Bio:

Petra Mundik has recently completed a PhD at the University of Western Australia and is now working on converting her thesis into a book, which will explore the relationship between the perennial philosophy and the novels of Cormac McCarthy. Her publications on the subject include: “‘Striking the Fire Out of the Rock’: Gnostic Theology in Cormac McCarthy’s Blood Meridian.” South Central Review 26:3 (Fall 2009); “‘Diverging Equity’: The Nature of Existence in All the Pretty Horses.” Southwestern American Literature 35:2 (Spring 2010); “All Was Fear and Marvel: The Experience of the Sacred in Cormac McCarthy’s The Crossing”, Southwestern American Literature 36:1 (Fall 2010); “The Illusion of Proximity: The Ex-Priest and the Heretic in Cormac McCarthy’s The Crossing”, Southwestern American Literature 36:2 (Spring 2011); “Mourners in the Darkness: Blindness and Insight in Cormac McCarthy’s The Crossing”, Southwestern American Literature 37:1 (Fall 2011); “The Right and Godmade Sun: Fate, Death and Salvation in Cormac McCarthy’s The Crossing”, Southwestern American Literature 37:2 (forthcoming); “Disciples of a New Faith: Satanic Parody in Cormac McCarthy’s Blood Meridian”, Sacred Web: A Journal of Tradition and Modernity 28 (forthcoming); and “‘Terra Damnata’: The Anticosmic Mysticism of Cormac McCarthy’s Blood Meridian, or the Evening Redness in the West.” The Gnostic: A Journal of Gnosticism, Western Esotericism and Spirituality Vol 4 (2011).

Show will be available all weekend right here.

Teaser for 'Independent Esoteric Christian Churches' 11/12/2011

2011-11-11T00:58:00.000-06:00

INDEPENDENT ESOTERIC CHRISTIAN CHURCHES MAIN

Topics Discussed:

--Bryan’s spiritual evolution, from a strict monk and later Catholic seminarian, to being the Bishop of a heterodox Christian Church.
--How orthodox Buddhism and Christianity can relate to each other spiritually.
--A mystical view of the concept of Purgatory.
--Why the world has never been ready for the Gnostic worldview, except perhaps today.
--How the monastic life is the truest way to reaching the Divine, and Bryan’s ideas on how to make the monastic life a part of everyone’s daily life.
--Unique interpretations of Bible stories that blend orthodox and heterodox attitudes.
--Thoughts on independent Churches and what to watch out from them in case they are run by snake oil salesmen.

And much more!!!

Our rebroadcast is Aeon Byte #99-- Abraham's Curse with Bruce Chilton, author of Abraham's Curse: The Roots of Violence in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam and The Way of Jesus: To Repair and Renew the World. Martyrdom, Holy War and Complete Obedience to the violent laws of the God of the OT have been part of the Matrix of all the Abrahamic Religions since their conception. The root is more than likely Abraham's loyalty in sacrificing his son in the name of God without question or second thought. This story has psychologically given the Abrahamic religions excuses to commit atrocities in the name of the righteous patriarch because of a subconscious duty to symbolically follow God into a barbaric ritual that was actually wide spread in the ancient world, including Judaism. We try to understand the seeds of this attitude that has gone so far the three Abrahamic religions are on a collision course to sacrifice their young without the worry of an intervening angel.

Next week we deal with one of the greatest authors of our generation and, as many scholars are finding out, one who intentionally composes grand Gnostic dramas in almost all of his works. That is Cormac McCarthy, author of No Country for Old Men, All the Pretty Horses, and The Road. We uncover the Gnostic themes and symbols in his fiction, concentrating on one of the most violent, spiritual, and existentialist novels of all time-- Blood Meridian. If you thought the Sethians and Manicheans had a bleak outlooks of the material world, McCarthy adds steroids to their spirit and exposes the rotten heart of humanity (as well as the amazing grace of the Divine Spark). Our guest will be Petra Mundik, author of Terra Damnata: The Anticosmic Mysticism of Cormac MacCarthy's Blood Meridian.

Donations or any type of assistance are always a blessing, even if it's the many skills I don't have. Your support is essential for Aeon Byte Gnostic Radio. Thank you for those who have supported Aeon Byte Gnostic Radio via donations, buying products, or downloading shows. But more help is necessary if this venture is to continue at this or any level. If everyone simply donates a buck or buys a show every week, I can break even and even re-invest in the show, as well as buy Eddie Rabbit's Greatest Hits. Again, your support is essential. And please spread the heretical world to anyone seeking the roads less traveled. This venture is completely non-profit, trust me on this!

And like I’ve always said, if you’ve got holes in your pockets let me know and I’ll send you shows for no cost at all.