Ouroboros Gnostic Circle discussion

GNOSIS: Journal of Gnostic Studies (Gnosis Volume 1, numbers 1-2)
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message 1: by Stephen (new) - added it

Stephen | 3 comments Not from Pittsburgh, hope this is okay to post here, but there aren't really too many Gnostic boards on here.

Recently got my copy of April D. Deconick's new Gnosis Journal. Did anyone else snag this? it's a bit pricey since it's from a high-end journal company, but I'm hoping it's as good as Andrew Phillip Smith's journals like The Gnostic 6. Noticed this page isn't too lively, would anyone like to start some monthly readings?


message 2: by Can (new)

Can Guralp (canguralp) Hey Stephen
I joined the group today. I have a question on the ouroboros/gnosis connection. Can you explain your point of view.
(Not much going on this group, unfortunately)
Cheers.


message 3: by Stephen (new) - added it

Stephen | 3 comments Can wrote: "Hey Stephen
I joined the group today. I have a question on the ouroboros/gnosis connection. Can you explain your point of view.
(Not much going on this group, unfortunately)
Cheers."


Hey! maybe we can bring it back :P I can't speak for the originator of this group since I haven't been a member long myself, but generally it's a common motif in many Neo-Platonist, Gnostic, and other esoteric sects. The Pistis Sophia: A Gnostic Gospel describes the Ouroboros as an embodiment of peace and eternity and that a coiled serpent surrounds the earth protecting it from the Archons. It also talks about it coiling around sinners and evil and destroying them, and thus renewing the Earth. I tend to lean more towards Plato's idea of the ouroboros being a being of self-sufficiency and constant rebirth. I actually wear a necklace with the symbol on it to remind me that I need to always try to better myself and move on from bad things.


message 4: by Can (new)

Can Guralp (canguralp) Eternity! I think that is the key. Since the snake is self devouring, there is a terminus to this act/process when taken to its conclusion: nothingness (or "no-thingness"). The symbolism points to a state for/by self-annihilation.
I see it as a metaphor to aid the visualization of a struggle terminating in the revelation of purified Selfhood--what you referred to as "self-sufficiency." Ouroboros is in a sense showing how to remove duality of "in" and "out" in order that the oneness (Plotinus) of the One is experienced (Nirvana).

One point on linguistics: you say "the ouroboros being a being of self-sufficiency and constant rebirth." What if you were to change "a being" to just "being" or "be-ing" to remove the relativity of "a creature?" Self-sufficient God is, for me, not "a being" but "the" Be-ing OwnSelf (for our existence).
I distinguish between existence and be-ing which basically sorts out the dilemma between science (dealing with existence) and religion (dealing with be-ing). Science cannot work/experiment on be-ing. Human, seeking gnosis, is the instrument and laboratory of theology.

Cheers.


message 5: by Stephen (last edited Sep 01, 2016 11:31PM) (new) - added it

Stephen | 3 comments That's an interesting thought, would this idea be similar to the idea of ego destruction found in Buddhism or the C.G. Jung concept of Psychic death?


message 6: by Can (new)

Can Guralp (canguralp) Totally. "Complete loss of subjective self-identity" (from Wikipedia) means I can see beyond my relative presence (my identity) the Reality of pure Presence of Be-ing (divine Identity). Ouroboros' terminal state is that liberation from own identity in order to know (gnosis) own source while not being a "snake" temporarily without physical death (i.e., without identity: "psychic death").

Gnosis I believe should be considered "valid" for all religions and wisdom traditions, East and West, since the human individual is the common denominator--the meta "ouroboros" to annihilate self-ego-identity. This means anytime in history and anywhere in the world (perennial philosophy) liberation from limiting ego-identity (I would prefer the word detachment rather than "destruction") leads to awakening to the nature of our origin, our Source in being. For your reading I highly recommend Meister Eckhart (1259-1327, from Dominican Order of Preacher Friars) on "detachment."

"Perhaps no mystic in the history of Christianity has been more influential and more controversial than the Dominican Meister Eckart. Few, if any, mystics have been as challenging to modern day readers and as resistant to agreed-upon interpretation."
—Bernard McGinn, The Mystical Thought of Meister Eckhart

Cheers.


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