The Gnostic Movement (TGM) was an organization the likes of which is difficult to find these days. Attending TGM’s courses and events was highly valuable for me and I am always thankful for it. I experienced huge benefits in my life and in the relationships with the people around me. Prior to joining TGM I wasn’t happy with the careless way I was living but I didn’t have enough motivation or direction to change myself for the better and to pursue a more spiritual life. TGM gave me the means through courses based on Belzebuub’s teachings and, most of all, the necessary discipline and inspiration to pursue a more meaningful life, away from the recklessness that I had been used to.
TGM’s gradual and systematic method of teaching and training was simple and easy to grasp. The initial courses allowed me to quickly understand what it is all about. The amount of insights, help, and direction I received were more than enough to give me a boost to independently change my life for the better. Techniques like self-observation, meditation, awareness of the present moment, as well as studying dreams and experiences out of the body helped me give up a few very harmful habits as I understood that they didn’t really offer me anything constructive in my life. Giving up these bad habits usually came after studying myself and my reactions, retrospecting, and meditating on the detrimental effect they had on my life, including my health, and then coming to a deeper understanding of how my life and my interactions with others would change for the better if I would overcome them.
The techniques themselves are very effective and I could quickly feel the tangible results. However, I only had repeated success when I practiced these techniques consistently and that’s where I saw one of the advantages of being part of a practice group. For example, it was not unusual for people even in the beginning of the courses to have astral experiences, to be conscious and travel out of the body during the times of sleep. This is a very interesting exercise and many people had experiences of this kind. With a bit of personal discipline and dedication one could verify the existence of another dimension. I did it a few times in those courses and it was amazing. It was very uplifting to discover that I can exist beyond my body.
Even though I could see the benefits of the exercises it was difficult to keep the initial enthusiasm in practicing on my own which led me to only scarce experiences here and there. Getting to join the more advanced courses gave me more direction and discipline. Although the core techniques taught in the advanced courses were the same like the ones taught in the introductory ones they were practiced more intensively in group settings and were given as homework for the week. I was giving feedback to experienced teachers on how my exercises were going throughout the week and they were giving me guidance for improvement and inspiration for further practice.
Getting to higher or advanced courses was not always easy. TGM had its standards and requirements like any other school. This was very helpful to me because it urged me to try harder than I did being on my own. It helped me value and take seriously what I was taught and practiced. The deeper I was getting into the practices and the teachings in general the more I was advancing through the courses. Furthermore, in more advanced courses I would work and interact with people that were more dedicated and that was an extra boost for me.
In the Teacher’s course I started being involved with tasks and projects concerning the administrative aspect of the organization and preparing to become a teacher. On a personal level, preparing to become a teacher and helping with tasks was always something that I found very beneficial. I could see how it was helping me personally as I was putting myself into situations where I would be helping others, rather than just thinking about myself and my immediate surroundings. I also got a lot of motivation while interacting and working with others with similar goals.
Later on I became a teacher. It was my turn then to help and guide others which in turn was very helpful for myself as well. I needed to practice what I taught and learn to work with other teachers for the benefit of the students attending our courses. We were doing most of the workload for our groups as well as covering expenses for advertising, venues, and running costs. It was difficult but I had a great time teaching and learning from all the new people I was meeting in the courses.
Different centers from various countries would organize retreats usually once a year. I had attended a few of them. They always left me with a lot of inspiration, guidance, and lots of new friends. For a period of time I was helping a venue that accommodated retreats in Scotland, UK. We called it “The Gnostic Monastery.” It was a beautiful place, a small castle that had kept the romance of the medieval ages. People from around the world came for retreats and events. It felt very special. It’s beauty and the serenity of its surroundings were very helpful for our practices of meditation and walks in nature.
Looking back at my old ways, and seeing what I gained from TGM was like experiencing a shift of order in chaos, an opportunity to change and improve a lifestyle that was dragging me down. Although I had made previous efforts to change and search for the spiritual in my life, I lacked any kind of discipline. TGM allowed me to develop just that, along with giving me a methodology to learn and train.
I could see clearly that TGM was a school that lead its students step-by-step to understand the basic components of a practical spirituality that anyone could experience. The instruction was selflessly geared towards helping people have a space to get to the bottom of their own spiritual discipline, to understand and overcome barriers and obstacles, and to strengthen skills in concentration, focus, relaxation, and serenity. It is very sad that TGM is not around anymore; it is something I will always miss.
Christos G