The word (from the Greek word for Knowledge , γνώσις) has several uses.
- Gnosis being a Greek word has its origin in Greek philosophy. See Plato Gnostikoi’ and Gnostike Episteme Politikos in greek or Politicus in latin (258e-267a) which means the knowledge to influence and control.
- Among the sectarian Gnostics , ''gnosis'' was first and foremost a matter of self acquaintance which was the goal of Enlightenment . Later, Valentinius , more usually called Valentinus, taught that gnosis was the privileged "knowledge of the heart" or " Insight " about the Spiritual nature of the Cosmos , that brought about Salvation to the ''pneumatics'' - people who ''believed'' they could achieve this insight. Gnosis was distinct from the secret teachings they only revealed to initiates once they had reached a certain level of progression. Rather, these teachings were paths to obtain gnosis. Gnostic ideas of salvation were similar to Buddhist conceptions of Enlightenment , hence gnosis was not expressible by words.
- Among Heresiologist s, ''gnosis'' denotes different Jewish or pagan belief systems of Esoteric nature such as, first and foremost, Gnosticism and other Dualist systems from the 1st and 2nd centuries A.D., but also Rosicrucian ism, Kabbalah , etc.
- The word also carried over from Plato into Greek orthodox christianity via St Clement of Alexandria but in an intuitive knowledge type of meaning.
- The term Gnosis is related to the sanskrit Jnana (as in Jnana Yoga) and to the Hebrew Daath , which is the hidden sphere in the Kabbalah, or that knowledge which was only given to the initiated.
- Millions of non-English speakers associate Gnosis with the movement started by Samael Aun Weor . This tradition is now becoming known in English, largely through the efforts of publishers such as Thelema Press .
- ''Gnosis'' is the name of magazine {Link without Title} published between 1985 and 1999 in California as a "Journal of the Western Inner Traditions" covering traditions of Spirituality and Mysticism . It was a project of the Lumen Foundation .
- Among certain modern Occult movements, esp. Chaos Magic , ''gnosis'' refers to an altered state of awareness in which the will is "magickally" effective.
- In the movie series '' The Matrix '', one of the hovercrafts is named ''Gnosis''.
- Modern disciples of Aleister Crowley and his Doctrine of Thelema have also formed a number of Gnostic Religious Organizations. http://user.cyberlink.ch/~koenig/church.htm
- One of the main characters in the movie/musical '' Hedwig And The Angry Inch '' used the stage name Tommy Gnosis .
- ''The Gnosis'' is the name of ancient sorcery from the North in R. Scott Bakker's Prince Of Nothing fantasy epic.
- One of the ships in Alastair Reynolds ' novel '' Absolution Gap '' is called the ''Gnostic Ascension''.
Gnosis has been associated and often cited as synonymous with terms from numerous cultures and religions:
- The Gnosis are mysterious alien attackers in the Xenosaga games for the Sony Playstation 2. The Gnosis have the ability to turn humans into salt by touching them.
- In the hit game '''' for the Nintendo Gamecube , Gnosis is the boss at the end of the "Passageway of Souls." Baten Kaitos was created by the same company as Xenosaga, and it is likely a reference to it. Like in Xenosaga, Gnosis is a creature that exists between dimensions.
- The term Gnosis is used in the collectible card game entitled "Rage", based off of the White Wolf Role-playing game "".
- Though not featured, Gnosis is a hovership from Enter The Matrix and The Matrix Series .
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