Join host, Greg Carlwood, of The Higherside Chats podcast, as he breaks down Gnosticism with the guest, Miguel Conner.

While many of us will be familiar with the term Gnosticism due to it’s influence among a wide array of topics, including the use of ritual magic, secret societies, and even the very process of awakening itself, one must admit the waters have been muddied throughout history.

 

With words like 'Demiurge' and 'Archons' freely thrown about, putting a finer point on this magical hodgepodge of buzzwords can prove to be rather difficult.

 

Luckily, today’s guest, Miguel Conner of AeonByte, joins The Higherside to help us tighten our loose grasp of understanding about this ancient mystic philosophy. So strap in, and get ready to swallow the red pill people!

2:45 Greg and Miguel begin by dissecting the massive body of work known as Gnosticism. In an attempt to categorize foreign religions, conservative Christians of the 17th century coined the derogatory term, Gnostic. And with the origins of the Gnostics being unknown, Miguel addresses multiple theories, such as their ancient Egyptian roots, Zoroastrianism, and the possibility of them being breakaway sects of Christianity or Judaism. He also breaks down the four hallmarks of Gnosticism.

12:20 With the work of researchers such as David Ike, popularizing terms like Archon, Greg and Miguel discuss how this term has been co-opted and contorted. Miguel elaborates on rebellious stance of Gnosticism during a time when the predominant belief was in the great chain of being that connected us to the Gods. Conner clarifies role of the Demiurge, expands on the demonic nature of the grand architect and details the saga of Sophia.

19:42 Miguel breaks down his article "The Five Most Dangerous Archons in the Gnostic Gospel".

24:30 Greg and Miguel discuss the relation of seemingly separate schools of thought, from Paganism, to Kabbalah and Christianity to Chaos Magic. With Alexandria acting as the world's melting pot, Conner explains how this uncommon cast of characters came together in ancient times and what role their coexistence had on the Gnostic paradigm.

30:42 Instead of stuffing the toothpaste back into the tube, the Roman Catholic Church appropriated many of t...