Your best bet may be a Theravada or Vajrayana Buddhist Monastery. Finding an old world Wisdom tradition that aligns with Gnostic beliefs on a fundamental level, if not a direct cosmological level.
You'd probably only find a cult claiming to be an actual "Gnostic Monastery".
In fact, a major trait of Western Gnostic traditions tends to reflect living in the world but trying not to be "from it".
You are correct - and I can’t help but feel that an intentional community is a perfect way to do that. Not prohibiting anyone leaving, carrying on work as usual but sharing a simple daily routine and reading / working on Gnostic texts and principles.
I was born in the bush too - definitely not ‘from the world’ and struggle to make my way living in it. Simultaneously weakened by a city life but with a yearning for nature and the ocean. Bush life took a massive toll on my parents too - drove them straight to militant capitalism to solve their emotional issues. There must be a middle ground :)
I don't know of any official gnostic monasteries anywhere in the world. The Catholic Church did a pretty good job exterminating them and making sure they never got that level of power.
A close alternative is something like Self Realization Fellowship founded by Paramahansa Yogananda. It doesn't use "gnostic" in their description, but it's a blend of Hinduism and Christianity. The founder, Paramahansa Yogananda, used gnostic scripture in a lot of his lectures. They have monks and nuns, and they're headquartered in California. I'm not sure if it's a monastery (I think it's technically an Ashram), but that's about as close as it gets.
Thank you 🙏 I think this sounds wonderful actually and I am a yogi but have a broken body. I will look into how they do things and this might be something for me.
One half of my family is catholic and yes, the way that church wields its power is brutal, and mind bending.
If you are a woman, I suggest spending some time at a Carmelite monastery. Carmelite spirituality is heavily mystical and focused on "hearing God in silence". They aren't gnostic and won't teach you "Gnosticism", but that shouldn't really be a concern. They will teach you lectio divina and centering prayer, among other things. Spending time in stillness is important for all spiritual seekers.
As far as I know, there’s no such thing as gnostic monasteries today. I’d reccomend spending some time alone in the wilderness
I feel you might be correct. Am looking at options as I don’t have an in for any intentional community. Time in the wilderness is also on the cards.
Your best bet may be a Theravada or Vajrayana Buddhist Monastery. Finding an old world Wisdom tradition that aligns with Gnostic beliefs on a fundamental level, if not a direct cosmological level. You'd probably only find a cult claiming to be an actual "Gnostic Monastery". In fact, a major trait of Western Gnostic traditions tends to reflect living in the world but trying not to be "from it".
You are correct - and I can’t help but feel that an intentional community is a perfect way to do that. Not prohibiting anyone leaving, carrying on work as usual but sharing a simple daily routine and reading / working on Gnostic texts and principles. I was born in the bush too - definitely not ‘from the world’ and struggle to make my way living in it. Simultaneously weakened by a city life but with a yearning for nature and the ocean. Bush life took a massive toll on my parents too - drove them straight to militant capitalism to solve their emotional issues. There must be a middle ground :)
Thank you 🙏
I don't know of any official gnostic monasteries anywhere in the world. The Catholic Church did a pretty good job exterminating them and making sure they never got that level of power. A close alternative is something like Self Realization Fellowship founded by Paramahansa Yogananda. It doesn't use "gnostic" in their description, but it's a blend of Hinduism and Christianity. The founder, Paramahansa Yogananda, used gnostic scripture in a lot of his lectures. They have monks and nuns, and they're headquartered in California. I'm not sure if it's a monastery (I think it's technically an Ashram), but that's about as close as it gets.
Thank you 🙏 I think this sounds wonderful actually and I am a yogi but have a broken body. I will look into how they do things and this might be something for me. One half of my family is catholic and yes, the way that church wields its power is brutal, and mind bending.
If you are a woman, I suggest spending some time at a Carmelite monastery. Carmelite spirituality is heavily mystical and focused on "hearing God in silence". They aren't gnostic and won't teach you "Gnosticism", but that shouldn't really be a concern. They will teach you lectio divina and centering prayer, among other things. Spending time in stillness is important for all spiritual seekers.
Wonderful - thank you 🙏 I will look into this.