Astral travel in Gnostic textsSubscribe |
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Sun, 12/23/2007 - 16:32
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Dana
Join Date: 2007-12-06 Forum Posts: 57 |
Hi all, It was fascinating to me to discover astral travel as a tool of discovery being part of a tradition (religion?). This got me curious about Gnosism, so I've been reading some books on the topic. What I'm not seeing yet, and admittedly my study so far is very limited, is the mention of astral travel to use as a means of knowing. Would you please explain to me where in the text astral travel is mentioned, how and when it was taught, and so forth? Much appreciated! Fascinating stuff, and at last an interpretation of that cruel and insane god of the old testament! A book I'm reading now and really enjoying is Gnosticism: New Light on the Ancient tradition of Inner Knowing by Stephan A. Hoeller. Most of the other books I attempted seemed too scholarly or too historical, while some of the others are too defensive. I'm not Christian and don't need to be convinced that traditional or orthodox writings and thinking were off the mark, or left stuff out.:-) I'm all for *knowing* rather than being spoonfed, but I would like to know when astral travel came into the Gnostic tradition as a tool to be used for knowing. Thank you! Dana |
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Join Date: 2003-12-11
Forum Posts: 327
hello Dana,
In the books of VM Samael you can read about the astral travel. There are sections in about all his books where he refer to it.
I guess before his time, when the 3 keys of Gnosis were secret, it was told to certain persons in dreams or when they were woken up in the astral.
We can get teachings there by higher / Divine beings.
In dreams I usual see this in symbols, which I have to use intuition to get the meaning.
Apparently according to the masters it was always like this, also the bible was written in symbols.
Unfortunately the current religions explain many of these symbols by the letter.
When you are aware that you are in a dream that you are in the astral, you can ask you Divine Mother to give you a teaching.
So good luck with it,
Peter
Join Date: 2007-12-06
Forum Posts: 57
Hi Peter,
Do you mean V.M. Samael Aun Weor? He wrote about Gnosism, yes, but I was wondering about in the gospels themselves, if there are references to astral travel. I realize, of course, it won't be called that. I thought perhaps there might be references to leaving the body in some way in the teachings?
I'm still working on both astral travel and dream awareness. I have had lucid dreams, but not to the point of remembering what it is I want to do. I only realize I am dreaming. Still have nt had success in an OBE.
Thanks!
~ Dana
Join Date:
Forum Posts: 681
Hi Dana,
I remember not so long ago, here on the forums, there was a disccusion about which passages from the Gospels suggested that astral projection is a mean of communication with the divine. So if you search a bit you might find it, however, this questioning is secondary if not unimportant to the experience it self, but I do understand the appetites of your curiousity.
Join Date: 2007-12-06
Forum Posts: 57
Ok Gyorgi, I'll do some digging.
I'm new to Gnosis, and am fascinating that this is one of the tools, as it is so different from what the orthodox Christian religion taught. Fascinating.
Thanks!
~ Dana
Join Date: 2003-11-03
Forum Posts: 565
Hello Dana
Terms like astral travel, astral plane and so on are fairly new terms, so of course you will not find them in ancient documents.
But if you look in old Gnostic texts or in the Bible for that matter, you will find a lot of references to people getting visions, meeting angels when there are asleep and things of that nature. This is in my opinion references to astral experiences, may it be waking up in dreams or leaving the body.
So you will not find any thing like the astral course in these documents, it is more like references to the possibility of getting information about the earth and beyond in your sleep.
You will find this kind of references to astral travel in all cultures; the ability to travel in spirit or to travel with your soul exists in Same, African and Indian culture, and many, many more.
Mattias
Join Date: 2007-12-06
Forum Posts: 57
Ah, ok, Mattias, that makes sense. So it's also possible that it was not always astral travel but sometimes may have been meditations and such when the visions appeared.
In recent times, Gnositcs have found astral travel to be a valuable tool for getting to the truth and nature of God, yes?
~ Dana
Join Date: 2003-11-03
Forum Posts: 565
Hello Dana.
It may not always refer to a “classical astral travel”, were one leave the body and then seeks out information in the astral plane, it can be dream, lucid or not, or some form of mediation. But in my opinion, the information received is probably from the astral plane.
Yes, in recent time, astral travel has been seen as the best way to get information about life, death and the universe.
Mattias
Join Date: 2004-09-08
Forum Posts: 611
Hi, Dana
Someone on the forums before mentioned something about the word "Mount" in the Bible representing the astral plane but I'm not sure.
good luck in your search.
Join Date: 2005-10-30
Forum Posts: 164
I cannot recall right know where exactly in Bible it is stated (new testament) the key words that speak of Astral - out of body travel are:
Not in body, In spirit, etc.
Once you get to understand (unveil) the mystery through Gnosis, you will see clearly these references through out the Bible. The stories are coded with symbols that only the Initiated could understand until SAW and other loving masters have opened our eyes.
Wishing you all a great spiritual morning.