Chicago Gnosis Podcast - podcast cover

Chicago Gnosis Podcast

The Gnostic Academy of Chicagochicagognosis.podbean.com
Free lectures on spirituality, religion, mysticism, meditation, psychology, kabbalah, alchemy, tantra, sacred sexuality, runes, dreams, astral projection, kundalini, yoga, the Bible, and more. From the Gnostic Academy of Chicago, a non-profit organization.
Last refreshed:
Follow this podcast in the Metacast mobile app to refresh it and see new episodes.
Download Metacast podcast app
Podcasts are better in Metacast mobile app
Don't just listen to podcasts. Learn from them with transcripts, summaries, and chapters for every episode. Skim, search, and bookmark insights. Learn more

Episodes

Beginning Self-Transformation 11 Karma

All of nature is governed by karma: the law of cosmic causality. The same with the development of the soul. To achieve self-transformation and awaken our complete conscious potential, we must enact the causes for its realization. Learn how through the five principles of karma within the Buddhist and Gnostic traditions.

May 03, 20201 hr 37 min

Beginning Self-Transformation 10 The Spiritual Power of Sound

Sound, vibration, and music are sacred vehicles for the transmission of divine energy, which meditators effectively utilize to experience serenity and awaken consciousness. Through a variety of exercises, including runes, pranayama, and mantras (sacred sounds), we accumulate spiritual force to enliven different energy centers (chakras) of the vital body, thereby accelerating and catalyzing profound inner transformation.

Apr 26, 20201 hr 53 min

Beginning Self-Transformation 09 The Energy of Awakening

Every action in life requires energy and application of will, down to the smallest molecules, atoms, and particles, to the most complex sentient organisms. Practical meditators learn to harness different modalities of energy within their body, heart, and mind, so as to empower the development of their full conscious potential. When energy is directed by intuitive action, we awaken virtue and achieve liberation from suffering.

Apr 19, 20201 hr 36 min

Beginning Self-Transformation 08 Imagination and Fantasy

Understanding reality through clear perception is a fundamental power of the practical meditator. However, this faculty, known as imagination or clairvoyance in spiritual circles, can either be liberated, free, and pure, or conditioned by egotism, negativities, and desires. Discover the nature of spiritual vision in its multifarious forms and its essential role in the path of self-transformation.

Apr 12, 20201 hr 29 min

Beginning Self-Transformation 07 States of Consciousness

Consciousness is the capacity to perceive, yet perception can be conditioned or unconditioned, based upon its use or negligence. The psychological science of introspection seeks to liberate consciousness trapped within conditions in order to perceive reality in its direct and clear form. Learn about four distinct states of consciousness as taught by Plato in the Allegory of the Cave (from his monumental philosophical text, The Republic). Such an allegory, usually interpreted as a symbol of acqui...

Apr 05, 20201 hr 30 min

Beginning Self-Transformation 06 The Three Brains

Human beings do not merely possess a single brain within the cranium, but within the heart and spinal column as well, since in esoteric psychology, a brain is a psycho-physiological machine that processes energies of different modifications. Just as the mind has its nervous systems and basis within the material, cranial matter, likewise the heart (the seat of emotions) and the spinal column / sexual organs (the seat of instinct, movement, and sexuality) possess their own forms of intelligence we...

Mar 29, 20201 hr 38 min

Beginning Self-Transformation 05 The Human Machine

The microcosmic human being is, in his turn, a solar system in miniature, a marvelous machine with various distributed nets of energy that are in distinct degrees of tension... The human machine (as any other machine) moves under the impulses of the subtle forces of Nature. The secret agents that move the human machines are first the cosmic radiations and second the pluralized “I.” ―Samael Aun Weor, The Narrow Way The body, heart, and mind possess tremendous forms of intelligence and power that ...

Mar 22, 20201 hr 21 min

Beginning Self-Transformation 04 Self-Observation

"To change is the best; however, we must begin by being sincere with ourselves. We need to make a psychological inventory of ourselves in order to know what we have in excess or what we lack.” ―Samael Aun Weor, Treatise of Revolutionary Psychology Our internal states shape our exterior life. By becoming acquainted with the numerous conditions of our internal, psychological world, we can modify them in order to awaken the free and natural state of consciousness: compassion, empathy, wisdom, seren...

Mar 15, 20201 hr 18 min

Beginning Self-Transformation 03 Discover Your True Self

"We all know that we have within ourselves that which is called ego, I, me, myself. Unfortunately, the Essence is completely imprisoned, absorbed inside the ego, and this is lamentable. To dissolve the psychological “I,” to disintegrate its undesirable elements, is something unavoidable and non-excludable. This is the meaning of working upon oneself... "...Unquestionably, the Essence shines within ourselves when our psychological “I” has died. The liberated Essence confers upon us inner beauty. ...

Mar 08, 20201 hr 7 min

Beginning Self-Transformation 02 Psychological Rebellion

"It is not irrelevant to remind our readers that a mathematical point exists within us. Unquestionably, such a point is never found either in the past or in the future. Whosoever wants to discover that mysterious point must look for it here and now within oneself at this exact moment, not a second earlier, not a second later. The two horizontal and vertical lines of the Holy Cross intersect at this point. Thus, we find ourselves from moment to moment before two paths: the Horizontal and the Vert...

Mar 01, 202047 min

Beginning Self-Transformation 01 The Level of Being

Humanity, in an unprecedented and terrifying manner, has precipitated itself upon the path of war, conflict, and destruction. People are continually oppressed by problems that are difficult to address or resolve, resulting in a world-wide bankruptcy of morals and a lack of solutions for our greatest sorrows. Despite such widespread and overwhelming affliction, there are proven remedies for the alleviation of suffering and our daily despair. Such methods were given to humanity by all the teachers...

Feb 16, 202057 min

Cultivating Virtue, Conquering Vice 01 Sincerity on the Path to Truth

"The student is not ready until he seeks truth and honesty in all things." ―M, Lord God of Truth Within A lecture on the importance of cultivating sincerity in our approach toward understanding Truth. Learn how to apply practical methods to generate the personal honesty necessary to overcome obstacles of confusion and self-deception in your spiritual work.

Oct 27, 20191 hr 6 min

The Secret Teachings of Opera | Turandot (Act III)

"Search for knowledge (the Lost Word) even in China and maybe you will find it in the great Tartar.” —​Sufi Proverb The people of Peking seek the Lost Word: Calaf, the name of the unknown Tartarian prince in exile, whose secret encloses the wisdom of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, the Tree of Life, and the appellation of the sacred name of God: Hashem. If Turandot's people do not discover his name, they will be executed at dawn by her decree. To have the right to marry the divine prince...

Oct 13, 20192 hr 6 min

The Secret Teachings of Opera | Turandot (Act II)

Learn the mysteries of the three mother letters of Kabbalah: Aleph, Shin, and Mem, the three riddles that Calaf must solve in order to have the right to marry the divine Shekinah (Turandot). She is the heavenly Kundalini power that can take him from exile and destitution to the spiritual heights of inner realization. Yet to do so, the Prince must risk his life upon the path of initiation and willingly endure the funereal trials of the thirteenth arcanum of the tarot. If he conquers Turandot's or...

Sep 15, 20192 hr 23 min

The Secret Teachings of Opera | Turandot (Act I)

Princess Turandot​ of China will only marry a man of noble blood who successfully answers three riddles. If he fails in any, he must submit his head to the axe. Puccini's masterpiece has captivated many admirers, since its most famous aria Nessun Dorma, "No man shall sleep," is one of the most recited around the world. However, humanity does not understand that this opera is a profound teaching of alchemy, kabbalah, and Sufism, since Puccini was a Freemason well versed in Middle Eastern mysticis...

Aug 25, 20191 hr 55 min

The Secret Teachings of Opera | Introduction

The secret teachings are not only profound and subtle, but beautiful and complex, especially in the way they are depicted through opera. This lecture will introduce you to some fundamental principles behind any operatic work, specifically the esoteric sciences of kabbalah and alchemy: the Tree of Life and the Tree of Knowledge. Music is highly mathematical, and since kabbalah is the science of numbers and symbols, the initiates of the mystery schools used music and drama to instruct students in ...

Aug 11, 20191 hr 43 min

The Secret Path of Initiation 03 The Guardian of the Threshold

"The Guardian of the Threshold of the mind is similar to the smoke of the flame. The Guardian of the Threshold of the mind is a terrible demonic creature. It lives by reacting against the exterior world with waves of pleasure and pain, with waves of likes and dislikes, and with waves of hatred, envy, greed, slander, selfishness, etc." —Samael Aun Weor, Igneous Rose The first ordeal that the candidate for spiritual initiation must overcome is the Guardian of the Threshold. Through meditative unde...

Jul 21, 201957 min

The Secret Path of Initiation 02 What is Initiation?

The path of initiation has been cited throughout all the world's great religions and mystical traditions in allegorical form. However, the key and method for entering it has never been revealed until the publication of The Perfect Matrimony in 1950. This key is sexual alchemy: the science of harnessing our creative potential to empower our noblest, spiritual aspirations. Just as the sexual force has the power to create physical life, it also can give birth to our spirituality, as Jesus taught in...

Jul 07, 20191 hr 37 min

The Secret Path of Initiation 01 Preparation for Initiation

Throughout history, serious spiritual aspirants have sought to enter the most sacred, divine mysteries, but to do so requires conscious efforts and sacrifices. Initiation is dependent upon the qualities of the heart, verified through the intimate internal experiences of the soul. However, before we can pass the threshold of the mysteries, we must prepare our minds, hearts, and bodies to become a living temple for our Innermost: the divine spark of spirit that seeks to be known and developed with...

Jun 23, 20191 hr 12 min

Gnostic Mysteries of the Bible | The Three Ways of Christ

"Christ taught three ways in order to reach union with the Innermost. When he was preaching to the multitudes, when he was mystically exalted, he showed us the way of Ramakrishna, Kempis, and Francis of Assisi. This is the path of Anthony of Padua and Theresa of Jesus. This is the Mystical Path. When Christ was walking with Magdalene, the repented prostitute, when he was among publicans and sinners, fishermen and wine drinkers, he showed us the Gnostic Path. When he retired to the solitude of th...

Jun 09, 20191 hr 45 min

Gnostic Mysteries of the Bible | The Mysteries of Anointment

The Judeo-Christian Bible is replete with profound symbolism, most notably the mysteries pertaining to the anointment of prophets and kings. This lecture explores the esoteric meaning of anointment through oil (Hebrew: שֶׁמֶן shemen, semen, or creative sexual energy) and how this spiritual force aids the sincere practitioner of any religion towards psychological purification and redemption. This lecture also explains the Gnostic Gospel of Philip, the Book of Genesis, the anointment of Jesus befo...

May 19, 20191 hr 45 min

Gnostic Mysteries of the Bible | Biblical Psychology

The Bible is deep, intricate, and mystical. Its psychological teachings, moreover, offer insights into how to practically develop our complete spiritual potential. Through its allegorical narratives, the Torah and Gospels depict the soul’s inception, struggles, and redemption. By comprehending the Bible’s cosmological dramas and its characters’ symbolic roles, aspirants can learn how to enact lasting inner change and procure the alleviation of humanity’s suffering. Discover how through the stori...

May 05, 20191 hr 35 min

Gnostic Mysteries of the Bible | Secrets of Gnostic Easter

Christ is a universal principle within all religions, not only incarnated within Jesus of Nazareth, but Quetzalcoatl, Krishna, Buddha, Moses, and all masters properly prepared through initiation. Just as the Spring sun resurrects nature, likewise Christ, the cosmic solar energy of divine intelligence, resurrects spiritual life within the soul through the mysteries of Easter. Discover how through an explanation of Kabbalah, sacred sexuality, and Ishtar’s descent into the underworld.

Apr 21, 20191 hr 55 min

Gnostic Anthropology and Cosmology | The Transmigration of Souls

"I died as a mineral and became a plant, I died as plant and rose to animal, I died as animal and I was Man. Why should I fear? When was I less by dying? Yet once more I shall die as Man, to soar With angels blest; but even from angelhood I must pass on: all except God doth perish. When I have sacrificed my angel-soul, I shall become what no mind e'er conceived. Oh, let me not exist! for Non-existence proclaims in organ tones, To Him we shall return." ―Jalal al-Din Muhammad Rumi This lecture dis...

Mar 24, 20192 hr 29 min

Gnostic Anthropology and Cosmology | Consciousness and Our Multidimensional Universe

Esoteric science begins where empirical science ends: through the objective development of spiritually-illuminated consciousness. This is in order to investigate mystical phenomena as cited throughout Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, and other religions. Learn about perception, time, the spatial sense and the science behind conscious investigation, the laws governing the multidimensionality of the cosmos, and the role of science's enigmatic ether. This lecture refers to the writings of Albert E...

Feb 10, 20192 hr 3 min

Gnostic Anthropology and Cosmology | Introduction

Millions venerate the profound architectural and artistic achievements of the ancient world: the Egyptian, Aztec, and Mayan pyramids; the immaculate sculptures of Greece and Rome; the sacred Buddhist iconography of India, China, and Tibet, and countless other marvels. While such artifacts testify to the cultural, historical, and religious legacy of their creators, they also convey the secret teaching of all ages: how to unite the consciousness with the divine through the four pillars of science,...

Jan 20, 20191 hr

The Eternal Tarot of Alchemy and Kabbalah 22 The Return

All scriptures and spiritual traditions allude to the longed-for goal of Self-realization: the return to divinity through conscious works. However, such references remain elusive to the animal intellect, which only understands literal interpretations and blind adherence to the dead letter. Without applying practical techniques for the development of the soul, aspirants close the doors to the complete actualization of religion (from the Latin religare: "reunion"; or the Sanskrit yug, the root wor...

Dec 16, 20182 hr 14 min

The Eternal Tarot of Alchemy and Kabbalah 21 Transmutation

All the great mystical traditions speak about the dangers of the initiatic path, how it is easy to have esoteric knowledge while lacking discretion, foresight, and wisdom. Many followers of spiritual and religious groups fail to truly enact the principles of their scriptures, thereby resulting in tremendous suffering, conflict, and ignorance. These people are known as pharisees, fanatical adherents to the dead letter of religion who lack a comprehensive, experiential understanding of what their ...

Nov 18, 20182 hr 13 min

The Eternal Tarot of Alchemy and Kabbalah 20 Resurrection

Judaism, Christianity, and Islam are based upon belief in resurrection, yet its spiritual reality is not realized nor understood by the uninitiated. Only those practitioners of the direct path, the revolution of the consciousness, can hope to achieve the heights of resurrection: the culmination of profound psychological works and the complete annihilation of the animal ego. When the "I" is eliminated, the Being resurrects within the purified soul, which rises from the grave of Klipoth to enter t...

Oct 28, 20182 hr 2 min

The Eternal Tarot of Alchemy and Kabbalah 19 Inspiration

After overcoming terrible battles against negative forces in the previous arcanum, the sincere student develops light and eradicates the causes of suffering. By conquering the mind, the consciousness experiences genuine happiness and liberation. This is the esoteric significance of inspiration: the compelling force of enthusiasm, joy, and perseverance in the spiritual work. This arcanum is deeply related to the powers of transmutation, for to in-spire the vital air is to take in the solar forces...

Sep 23, 20182 hr 14 min
For the best experience, listen in Metacast app for iOS or Android