How do you worship?

[ELoWolfe]

As the topic asks, how do you worship?

I know the path is an individual one, but I need the support and connection of a group. I want to join in, even if I understand a level deeper and spiritual compared to the people around me. To be a Valentinian who nods with my fellow congregants, even if they don't fully understand.

But when I try to worship with a traditional group, I revolt inside. It feels wrong. The music and the sermon, especially, seem to be saying wrong understanding. I realize that I am fundamentally different and as such, I can not belong. In truth, we reject each other.

With no Gnostic churches, except in L.A. and scattered around, I am left alone.

Is there anything that you, the reader, have done or are you in a similar situation but comfortable with it?

 

[Bunny]

Thank you for this thread. I've been thinking about starting a similar one about individual Gnostic practices, but now I don't have to.

I don't feel comfortable in churches, either. Never have. So I sorta do my own thing. Even if there were "Gnostic" churches around, I still don't think I'd be comfortable. From what I have seen from some of them online, I think they're too far up their own rear ends for me to be very interested. I could be wrong, though.

Anyway, I don't have a set routine or anything. I just go where the spirit moves me, so to speak. I would like to become a little more disciplined with it because I think it'd help me, but I haven't made it that far yet.

I pray. I sing or hum songs sometimes--Christmas hymns, usually, because I like the old-timey hymns but dislike all the blood sacrifice stuff, and Christmas hymns tend to leave that out and include lots of bits about the Light or whatever. I read a lot. The four canonical gospels and the (many) non-canonical gospels are my primary sources, but I also read non-Christian scriptures as well. Hindu stuff is my favorite. I'm currently working on the Devi Gita right now.

I also light candles and try to meditate. The candle-lighting part I'm good at. The meditating, not so much.

 

[Me Myself]

I am.

 

[vtunie]

I have been in the same situation. I have solved it by writing my own prayer and reading it aloud every evening. The prayer is deliberately written in the first person plural in the knowledge (or hope) others would worship in the same way exactly.

I must say it was an extremely difficult prayer to write and involved "seeking", as the saying goes, and then removing what I could not agree with.

In the end I found that the easiest way to construct such a prayer was to take the full liturgy of the largest single established religious group, and adapting it by very careful and consistent removal and substitution.

But that is all an internal solution.

It does not help what you really want: others like you.

To do that the only thing would seem to be, to explain what you believe, and see who replies "YES! That's just it!".

 

[Knight of Albion]

Through Service ...

 

[biased]

something along the lines of Lectio Divina

read a mystical work and then contemplate it

 

[Shermana]

Muslim-style, face on the ground, or on bowed knee. That's what "worship" means in the Abrahamic texts. Now did you mean "pray"?

 

[theosis]

I don't pray since I don't conceive of the Monad as a diety with consciousness. I meditate less frequently than I should.

 

[ELoWolfe]

Muslim-style, face on the ground, or on bowed knee. That's what "worship" means in the Abrahamic texts. Now did you mean "pray"?

No, I meant worship. Specifically in the context of a social gathering/community.

I wanted to see how others worship, whether alone or in a group. It seems, so far, that the ability for group worship is difficult for many of us (all?) who answered.

 

[vtunie]

Gnosis and pleroma is neither group meditation nor group ecstasy, and when it is given, I suspect it is given to every one individually. In that sense communal gnostic worship always faces the danger of becoming a pentecostal or a buddhist assembly, when in fact (as I understand it) the words do have meaning.

 

[ELoWolfe]

I never considered group ecstasy or anything like that. I would have imagined it would be like any other group that wasn't driven to hysterics. Perhaps given more to the mythological service of a Catholic or possibly Episcopalian as opposed to a Protestant church.

I don't know enough about Buddhism to know what the danger of a buddhist assembly would be. Could you tell me?

 

[nazz]

First off let me say I can deeply identify with your feelings. I've not really been comfortable in churches for over 20 years now. It seems somehow dishonest for me to go since I don't fully agree with everything any church teaches and being a Gnostic there are great differences between my own beliefs and those of orthodox Christians. I am always thinking "if they only knew what I really believed they'd throw me out on my ear!"

But that said there is also a lot I DO agree with other Christians so I try to focus on those commonalities. Mainly what I focus on is our mutual love for, and desire to follow, Jesus. So there are times I feel fully comfortable entering into worship with other believers. But alas, such moments are few and far between! That's a drag as I think corporate worship and community is supposed to be a big part of the faith but I have tried to just accept my circumstances as they are.

I do attend an Anglican Catholic church on holy days run by a very liberal, open minded priest, I love all the pomp and ceremony of that, the candles and incense and all. As for private worship I pray, praise, listen to and/or sing along with spiritual songs, etc. This part may surprise but I came out of a Pentecostal background so I still speak in tongues every day!

 

[frangipani]

The Truth is not found in any churches nor in any religions. The Truth is given to those who seek genuinely from God, the Ineffable Father. It is a solitary journey. It is comforting though to know that one is not the only seeker of Truth. Finding others like minded to meet with can be very strengthening and rewarding. The caution I have for you is, many groups once formed develop rules and regulations either formally or informally, consciously or unconsciously. The danger is one may find themselves focusing on these rules and codes of behaviour rather than spiritual development in the true sense. Be aware.

 

[Shermana]

The Truth is not found in any churches nor in any religions. The Truth is given to those who seek genuinely from God, the Ineffable Father. It is a solitary journey. It is comforting though to know that one is not the only seeker of Truth. Finding others like minded to meet with can be very strengthening and rewarding. The caution I have for you is, many groups once formed develop rules and regulations either formally or informally, consciously or unconsciously. The danger is one may find themselves focusing on these rules and codes of behaviour rather than spiritual development in the true sense. Be aware.

Why do you think that there's no connection between rules and codes of behavior and spiritual development? The Gnostics were all about such connections, except for the extreme Libertine groups.

 

[nazz]

Why do you think that there's no connection between rules and codes of behavior and spiritual development? The Gnostics were all about such connections, except for the extreme Libertine groups.

Rules and codes of behavior are externally imposed; spiritual development is internal.

 

[frangipani]

That is right, rules are an external application of an idea, a law. Spiritual growth is the internal development of the spirit. Our guide for this development is Christ, the knowledge of Truth (gnosis) is not forced upon us as a law is forced upon us. We choose to believe and choose to grow spiritually and choose to follow Christ because deep inside us our very nature tells us it is right and it is proven to us everyday in our dealings with the world. We are not lawless, nor without rules, our laws are laws of the heart and rules of the heart. Our standard for these internal personal laws and rules is simply to 'Love the Divine most of all' and to 'Love our neighbour as ourselves'. You have heard that many times no doubt, those phrases are so much more than just words. Have a read of Romans C2 pay particular attention to v11 to 16 inclusive.

 

[nazz]

That is right, rules are an external application of an idea, a law. Spiritual growth is the internal development of the spirit. Our guide for this development is Christ, the knowledge of Truth (gnosis) is not forced upon us as a law is forced upon us. We choose to believe and choose to grow spiritually and choose to follow Christ because deep inside us our very nature tells us it is right and it is proven to us everyday in our dealings with the world. We are not lawless, nor without rules, our laws are laws of the heart and rules of the heart. Our standard for these internal personal laws and rules is simply to 'Love the Divine most of all' and to 'Love our neighbour as ourselves'. You have heard that many times no doubt, those phrases are so much more than just words. Have a read of Romans C2 pay particular attention to v11 to 16 inclusive.

agreed

 

[vtunie]

I don't know enough about Buddhism to know what the danger of a buddhist assembly would be. Could you tell me?

Danger? Hmm, I think you're putting too strong a meaning on that word.

Group zazen. Read up on it.

 

[ELoWolfe]

Danger? Hmm, I think you're putting too strong a meaning on that word.

Group zazen. Read up on it.

Okay, I think I understand what you're saying. But I wouldn't expect something like this to take place of an entire service or worship. I don't see how such a thing is different to the quiet moments of reflection and prayer a church usually offers during service - especially after/during Communion.

 

[Shermana]

Rules and codes of behavior are externally imposed; spiritual development is internal.

Says who? How is Spiritual development necessarily disconnected from "externally imposed" regulations? How do you define Spiritual development in the first place if not from Externally imposed concepts? Do you think its something intrinsic that people just automatically know? I don't think so.

Once again, most of the early Gnostics had a wide variety of "Externally imposed" concepts that were integrally connected to the development of Gnosis. Even the most Libertine of sects had various 'Externally imposed" concepts that had to do with their idea of Spiritual development. To say otherwise is a radical departure from anything remotely close to what has been called "Gnosticism".