The Esoteric Nature of Gnosis: A study of the revelation of Christ through The Secret Book of John

The early civilizations of humanity held a firm conviction in the reality of a metaphysical realm with forces and activities that, under ideal circumstances, manifested as the many kingdoms of nature on the outer plane of existence. The sages and initiates of the period learned about this underlying reality through an objective view of clairvoyant insights and perceptions.

Because of the significance of these insights, those ancient cultures acquired a sense of veneration for the metaphysical nature of the human being and of the divine. This was distinguished by their various religious activities (rites, ceremonies, etc.), which became embodied as philosophical traditions. One of such traditions is the doctrine of Gnosticism, or Gnosis, which offers a reliable stream of esoteric knowledge and insight. The nature of Gnosis is thus looked at through the framework of esotericism.