ECCLESIA GNOSTICA AETERNA

General Guidelines How to approach the Studyguides

For personal use only

General Guidelines

Greetings. Everyone receiving these guidelines and studyguides has been admitted as a student of the Gnosis in the bonds of the Ecclesia Gnostica Aeterna. We try to provide the best possible environment for the individual unfolding of Gnosis in each of our members. Our Gnosis and Gnosticism is of a unique and special type and to follow this path with focus and dedication will lead to profound realisations and insights into the mysteries of Life and Being. In fact this work can lead you to a stage of kosmic immortality. The guidelines and studyguides should help you in your work within the EGA and your individual gnostic transformation. They should help you to prepare yourself for the reception of the sacraments and possible ordinations. Sacraments, including ordinations, are like spiritual seeds which need fertile soil to grow properly and to unfold their awesome powers. Should these seeds fall on infertile, unprepared inner soil they will do nothing, or worse, induce states of illusion and self-deception. The guidelines and studyguides are only one way of assisting you in your work and path within EGA. More important support will come from your mentors/spiritual companions within the Church who will do their utmost to guide and help you in an undogmatic manner in the creation and realisation of your own Gnostic Universe and the resurrection of your inner Krist! We ask for a lot of individualism and personal responsibility from our members but we do want to provide a needed framework of symbolism, theology and practice to allow for the best possible spiritual development of every seeker on the path of Kosmic Gnosis as taught in the sacramental system of the Ecclesia Gnostica Aeterna. With my gnostic blessings always, Tau Melchizedek

2008 Ecclesia Gnostica Aeterna / www.ega.kosmic-gnosis.org

General Guidelines

How to approach the Studyguides Accompanying these General Guidelines, you will also have received the first studyguide of the Ecclesia Gnostica Aeterna. The guidelines provide general information about the studyguides and tell you what is being expected from you by the Church. If there remain any questions, however, ask your contact person or send an email to egae@kosmic-gnosis.org.

At this point there exist four studyguides which are designed to help you prepare for the major initiatory steps in our Gnostic Church:

Studyguide I : Preparation for the Sacrament of Baptism Studyguide II : Preparation for the Sacrament of Chrism and the Order of Subdiaconate Studyguide III : Preparation for the Holy Order of Diaconate Studyguide IV : Preparation for the Holy Order of Priesthood

Gnostic transformation, which is not just a religious conviction after all, cannot be measured in time-frames. Rather it is an individual lifelong task and process. Thus, nobody can and will predict how long you will dedicate yourself to one of the preparational stages and periods. Gnostic transformation is mainly the integration and unfolding of gnostic truths within yourself and everyone walks in his own speed and pace. There is no competition and no rush as what we want to achieve is mainly an inner personal alchemical process and this cannot be achieved by focusing primarily on an outer hierarchy which to us is of the least importance. That said, we expect you to work at least a certain amount of time on each stage
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General Guidelines

and not to send in your final reports and results (see below) before the end of this period (except if you are explicitly asked to do so). Experience has shown that with focused work the minimal periods spent on each degree are:

Up to Baptism (Studyguide I): 3 Months From Baptism to Chrism and Subdiaconate (Studyguide II): 6 Months From Subdiaconate to Diaconate (Studyguide III): 12 Months From Diaconate to Priesthood (Studyguide IV): individually

Remember, those time-frames are rough guides and the expected minimum. Many people choose to remain in one stage much longer to truly experience the gnostic unfolding of the corresponding spiritual realisations. Sometimes there will also be people passing one or more stages faster. As said, it is a process; a process taking place inside your self that could even go unnoticed for a while. On the other hand, it might also happen that you already feel prepared enough for receiving a sacrament but find out later that you had been caught up in a kind of self-illusion and thus the minimum time frame is important. Experience has shown that sacraments which are given to people who are not wholly prepared do not unfold all their inherent power. They are then like powerful seeds that fall on infertile rocky ground instead of fertile soil perfectly suited to their unfolding and growth. Formally completing a preparational stage does only lead to receiving the physical initiation (certain sacraments or ordination) if the initiator (usually a priest or bishop) perceives the appropriate gnostic development of the candidate. The final reports/results we expect from you for each stage will help in this evaluation. So

2008 Ecclesia Gnostica Aeterna / www.ega.kosmic-gnosis.org

General Guidelines

how do you get there? Every studyguide consists of three parts: Research, Theology and Practice. In the area of Research you will be given topics that are important to learn about for the next step. You will find some facts and ideas as they are advocated and represented in our Church in the respective studyguide but mainly, you will have to actively research those topics by yourself at first. A document providing more details about the esoteric and exoteric meaning of the particular topics will be given to you after you have actually received the respective sacrament. You will find some reading suggestions in each studyguide but neither do we expect you to read everything listed there (at least not at once) nor to confine yourself to those texts. On the contrary, we would prefer you to provide material you did not find on this list. In the Theology section we will introduce you to the particular theology and Weltanschauung of Ecclesia Gnostica Aeterna. Each studyguide contains one or more central points of our theology as well as the respective explanation. You are asked to not only understand that theology rationally but to internalize it. If your gnostic path lies within our Ecclesia, this theology ought to become part of your life and worldview. Integration of this theology might be supported by any esoteric, magical or spiritual practice you feel appropriate (as long as you can relate them). Our theology is very undogmatic and is regarded as a framework in which the individual gnostic vision is unfolded and shaped. The Practice part consists of instructions on particular practices we experienced as very helpful in the past. Eventually, you are expected to develop a regular practical routine on your own, especially as Gnosticism is practice rather than theory.

2008 Ecclesia Gnostica Aeterna / www.ega.kosmic-gnosis.org

General Guidelines

During each study-period you should send in the following amount of detailed and comprehensive reports: Studyguide I : 1 Research report; 1 Theology & Practice report Studyguide II : 2 Research reports; 1 Theology & Practice report Studyguide III : 3 Research reports; 2 Theology & Practice reports Studyguide IV : 2 Research reports; 3 Theology & Practice reports A rough guideline concerning the report will be given below. The reports will not only prove your effort and dedication but also give your mentor the ability to individually evaluate and support you in your work.

Once you have completed the minimal study period and whenever you feel truly ready and adequately prepared to receive the sacrament or ordination, we expect you to send the above mentioned final results and reports of your work. The final report or work results must not be confined or limited to writings, they can consist of art, music, a multimedia file or any other creative expression of your gnostic work. Take it serious though: It shall represent your own transformation and development and there should be a clear recognizable connection between your work and the respective level/studyguide.

In case it would not be possible for you to physically receive the sacrament after your final result was accepted (e.g. you cannot afford to travel to the respective cleric at that point), you will get the next studyguide nonetheless and can move on with your work. You will then receive the respective sacraments at a later point when you are able to travel or when a priest/bishop of our church travels to your area.

2008 Ecclesia Gnostica Aeterna / www.ega.kosmic-gnosis.org

General Guidelines

The Report

During your period of study you will send in the mentioned amount of reports covering your research, the church's theology and your practical work (see above). Amongst other things, the reports are intended to provide your mentor with means to individually evaluate and support you in your work with suggestions and advice. Your submissions do not have to be perfect - neither in language nor content, so do not worry about that. We expect them, however, to show your dedication and seriousness towards the work. Even if you do not feel very secure in writing essays please try to make it something individual and do not (roughly speaking) just copy and paste - this we will discover very fast and it wont help you in your own spiritual work as you basically cheat yourself. Regard your essay/report as something creative and never forget that it represents parts of your Self and an expression of who and where you are at a certain stage of your life and development. The research report should prove that you have gained knowledge about the most important aspects of the topics provided and maybe even related them to your personal work, our church's theology or your momentary station on the path. The theology reports should show how you understood and integrated the theology (maybe even gained new insights or developed important questions), while the practice reports should show us how you have integrated a practical routine and to which results. Also the practice report may contain reflections on how your gnostic realizations have influenced your profane life, how the gnosis is expressed actively in your everyday life. All reports should have a minimum length of at least 3 pages of a standard word document.
2008 Ecclesia Gnostica Aeterna / www.ega.kosmic-gnosis.org 7

General Guidelines

Always feel free to write longer reports and/or add anything you find important to mention. In all reports sincerity and honesty to yourself and your mentor is crucial. A final note: we suggest that you review your own reports from time to time. As was stressed several times, our Gnosis is about transformation and you will be surprised how your thoughts about several topics and ideas will change over time. In the end, Gnosis means a very special kind of knowledge and you will gain a deeper understanding of All things while you move ahead on the path of divine transformation.

2008 Ecclesia Gnostica Aeterna / www.ega.kosmic-gnosis.org