Personal Gnosis

What exactly is Personal Gnosis?
As I typically like to do, I will divide up this word.

What is Gnosis?
This is a Greek word that means knowledge.

So a personal gnosis then, would be your knowledge. It is typically used in reference to spiritual knowledge that has personal meaning.

This topic can blow up exponentially from here, so I am going to keep it to this simple meaning above.

Everyone and anyone can have this kind of personal meaningful spiritual knowledge no matter what religion or spiritual persuasion.

And now I get to mention my new favorite word, or acronym rather.

UPG

Unverified (or Unsubstantiated) Personal Gnosis

I listen to Raven Radio often and right about now I am hearing the "UPG Alert" button being pressed.

UPG refers to a certain kind of spiritual knowledge that is not shared by other people or one that is valid and meaningful to one person but is not able to be generalized to other's experiences.

This is a tough one because technically, ALL spiritual experience can be UPG. But there are some ideas that are accepted by a large group and then are therefore no longer considered 'unsubstantiated'.

The question is twofold:
1. How does a concept move from one to the other?
2. How many people are need to believe in the flying spaghetti monster* :insert misunderstood deity or concept of choice: for it to no longer be UPG?

Before I get into trying to answer these 2 questions, I think it might be helpful to give an example of these concepts.

My ancestors worshiped the god of warriors. I think most people can identify the characteristics of a war god. A ususally male divinity, patron of warriors and strategy.

Now, if I said my ancestors worshiped Tyr, this will give you a different concept than if I said they worshiped Ares or Thor. Each a warrior (war) god, but quite different in function and, dare I say, personality or 'flavor'.

But both of the statements above would be understood by the majority of people.

Now, let's juxtapose that with saying that my war god came down from the heavens and gave my great, great, great, great :insert 5x great: grandfather the Sword of God and granted him the power to rule.

UPG.

Why is this UPG? Because I may be the only person to believe this. It's a great story but how many of you are rolling your eyes? How many times have you heard someone talking big about granny so-and-so? About being a hereditary witch going back 5 generations? A was so-and-so in a past life. The story may be important to you and perhaps your family, but to the greater community it means nothing, at worst, would be considered boasting and telling of tall-tales.

I do not think this is necessarily a bad thing.  It may be quite beneficial to a person to see themselves as a reincarnation of Morgana La Fay. It may give themselves a reservoir of strength to get them through tough decisions or situations. It is when this gets out of control that it can turn into a problem.

Just how does a concept that starts out as a story, progress to a legend or myth to a become part of everyday dialogue?

I am not sure we can really answer this question. It happens in a natural manner. For example, while not *really* my infinite great grandfather, that little story above is talking about Attilla the Hun. A legend passed down.

Make the sign of the cross almost anywhere in the world and it is universally understood.

Say "Blessed Be" at any pagan gathering. Again, understood.

I read an article this week written by the man who named 2 of the pagan holidays of Mabon and Litha. Did you know that these 2 words were created in the 70's by Aidan Kelley? (I spent an hour trying to find the website again. arg. If I find it later, I will post the link here. Curse you internet.)

The next question is of course a trick question. General concepts find it easy to transcend cultural boundaries. These become archetypes. The details may change, but the idea stays the same.

The hero that dies and returns in times of need.
The goddess of love
The virgin mother
The god that dies and is resurrected
Angel/Fairy Godmother

So I wonder in this case if Personal Gnosis would be defined by its generalness (is that a word?) and the Unverified Person Gnosis would be the details. (The devil in the details indeed)

Things I've read this week

(that may or may not have contributed in words, thoughts or mindsets)

Theologies of Immanence: Wicca and Science

Community and the Lack Thereof

Patheos Pagan portal

Things I've learned this week

(A.K.A Notes to self)

1. Learn to save all web addresses to articles I read or I will NEVER find them again. Ever.
2. I need to stop following some things on Facebook. My feed is overwhelmed and I miss things from people I actually care about. arg.
3. Never leave bread out where anything 3 feet or taller standing up can reach it.



* No offense intended to the Flying Spaghetti Monster or his minions.