Recommended reading Gnostic Meditation by Samael Aun Weor, Liber Null by Peter J. Carroll

Gnosis is a term used to describe spiritual knowledge, insight, or understanding. It is often associated with ancient Greek philosophy and early Christian teachings, and refers to a deep, intuitive understanding of the divine and the nature of reality.

In some traditions, gnosis is seen as a mystical experience, a direct and personal encounter with the divine. This experience is often described as a state of higher consciousness, in which the individual has a profound understanding of the interconnectedness of all things.

Gnosis is also associated with the pursuit of self-knowledge and self-realization. In this context, it refers to the process of uncovering one's own true nature and innermost being. This process often involves practices such as meditation, introspection, and contemplation.

Overall, gnosis is a term that encompasses a wide range of spiritual and philosophical concepts, and its meaning can vary depending on the tradition or context in which it is used.

Gnosis Liber Null

Altered states of consciousness are the key to magical powers. The particular state of mind required has a name in every tradition: No-mind. Stopping the internal dialogue, passing through the eye of the needle, ain or nothing, samadhi, or one-pointedness. In this book it will be known as Gnosis. It is an extension of the magical trance by other means. Methods of achieving gnosis can be divided into two types. In the inhibitory mode, the mind is progressively silenced until only a single object of concentration remains. In the excitatory mode, the mind is raised to a very high pitch of excitement while concentration on the objective is maintained. Strong stimulation eventually elicits a reflex inhibition and paralyzes all but the most central function — the object of concentration. Thus strong inhibition and strong excitation end up creating the same effect — the one-pointed consciousness, or gnosis. Neurophysiology has finally stumbled on what magicians have known by experience for millenia. As a great master once observed: "There are two methods of becoming god, the upright or the averse." Let the mind become as a flame or a pool of still water. It is during these moments of single-pointed concentration, or gnosis, that beliefs can be implanted for magic, and the life force induced to manifest. Table 1 on page 33 shows a number of methods that can be used to attain it. The Death Posture is a feint at death to achieve an utter negation of thought. It can take many forms, ranging from the simple not-thinking exercise up to complex rituals. A very fast and simple method consists of blocking the ears, nose and mouth, and covering the eyes with the hands. The breath and thoughts are forcefully jammed back until near unconsciousness involuntarily breaks the posture. Alternatively, one may arrange oneself before a mirror at a distance of about two feet and stare fixedly at the image of one's eyes in the mirror with an unblinking, corpselike gaze. The effort required to keep an absolutely unwavering image will of itself silence the mind after a while.

Table 1. The Physiological Gnosis

Sexual excitation can be obtained by any preferred method. In all cases there has to be a transference from the lust required to ignite the sexuality to the matter of the magical working at hand. The nature of a sexual working lends itself readily to the creation of independent orders of being — evocation. Also in works of invocation where the magician seeks union with some principle (or being), the process can be mirrored on the physical plane; one's partner is visualized as an incarnation of the desired idea or god. Prolonged sexual excitement through karezza, inhibition of orgasm, or repeated orgasmic collapse can lead to trance states useful for divination. It may be necessary to regain one's original sexuality from the mass of fantasy and association into which it mostly sinks. This is achieved by judicious use of abstention and by arousing lust without any form of mental prop or fantasy. This exercise is also therapeutic. Be ye ever virgin unto Kia. The concentrations leading to magical trance are discussed in Liber MMM. Emotional arousal is the obverse form of this method. Emotive arousal of any sort can theoretically be used, even love or grief in extreme circumstances, but in practice only anger, fear, and horror can easily be generated in sufficient strengths to achieve the requisite effect. The well-known ability of fear and anger to paralyze the mind indicates their effectiveness, yet the magician must never lose sight of the objectives of his working. Nothing is to be gained and much may be lost by reducing oneself to jibbering idiocy or catatonia. Sleeplessness, fasting, and exhaustion are old monastic favorites. There should be a constant tuming of the mind toward the object of the exercise during these practices. Pain, torture, and flagellation have been used by witches, monks, and fakirs to achieve results. Surrender to pain brings eventual ecstasy and the necessary one-pointedness. However, if the organism's resistance to pain is high, needless damage to the body may result before the threshold is crossed. Dancing, drumming, and chanting require careful arranging and preparation to bring the participants to a climax. Lyrical exaltation through emotive poetry, incantation, song, prayer, or supplication can also be added. The whole is best controlled by some form of ritual. Over-breathing is sometimes used to supple ment the effects of dancing or leaping. The right way of walking is not a technique for achieving immediate results but a meditation which helps the mind to stop thinking. One walks for long stretches without looking at anything directly but by slightly crossing and unfocusing the eyes, maintaining a peripheral view of everything. It should be possible to remain cognizant of everything within a 180 degree arc from side to side and from the tips of he toes to the sky. The fingers should be curled or clasped in unusual positions to draw attention to the arms. The mind should eventually become totally absorbed in its environment and thinking will cease.

Gazing is the inhibitory variant of the above technique. The entire attention is directed to the sight of some object in the environment while the body is kept motionless. Any natural phenomenon - plants, socks, sky, water, or fire - may be used. There is no magic drug which will by itself have the required effect. Rather drugs can be used in small doses to heighten the effect of excitation caused by the methods already discussed. In all cases a large dose leads to depression, confusion, and a general loss of control. Inhibitory drugs must be considered with even more caution because of their inherent danger. They often simply sever the life force and body altogether. Sensory overload is achieved when a battery of techniques are used together. For example, in certain tantric rites the candidate is first beaten by his guru, hashish is forced down him, and he is taken at midnight to a dark cemetery for sacred sexual intercourse. Thus he achieves union with his god. Sensory deprivation is the essence of the monastic cell, the mountain cave, the walled-up hermit, and rites of death, burial, and resurrection. Much the same effect can be achieved with hoods, blindfolds, earplugs, repetitive sounds, and restricted movements. It is far more effective to completely obliterate all sensory inputs for a short period than to simply reduce them over a longer one. Certain forms of gnosis lend themselves more readily to some forms of magic than others. The initiate is encouraged to use his own ingenium in adapting the methods of exaltation to his own purposes. Note however that inhibitory and excitatory techniques can be employed sequentially, but not simultaneously, in the same operation.

here's a list of twelve types of gnosis:

1. Sound Gnosis: Using sound, such as chanting or drumming, to induce altered states of consciousness.

2. Movement Gnosis: Using dance or other forms of movement to induce altered states of consciousness.

3. Sexual Gnosis: Using sexual arousal and orgasm as a means of accessing and channeling magical energies.

4. Pain Gnosis: Using physical pain, such as through piercing or flagellation, to induce altered states of consciousness and access to magical energies.

5. Visual Gnosis: Using visual stimuli, such as sigil magic or scrying, to induce altered states of consciousness.

6. Dream Gnosis: Using lucid dreaming or other dream techniques to access deeper levels of consciousness.

7. Drunk Gnosis: Using alcohol or other substances to induce altered states of consciousness.