In pagan practice, the term “gnosis” refers to spiritual knowledge or insight gained through direct experience. This is different from knowledge gained through books, teachers, or traditional learning. Let’s explore the different types of gnosis recognized in the pagan community and understand how they contribute to personal and collective spiritual understanding.
Types of Gnosis
Unverified Personal Gnosis (UPG)
This is personal spiritual insight or experience that hasn’t been confirmed by others or historical sources. UPG is often where personal practice begins to develop. Think of it as your own spiritual “ah-ha” moments. These experiences are valid and meaningful for your personal practice, even if they’re unique to you.
- UPG is not fact.
- UPG Is unverified.
- You do NOT need to accept the claim because someone insists it’s true.
Examples of UPG might include:
- A personal interpretation of a symbol’s meaning
- A unique way of connecting with nature that you’ve discovered
- Individual insights during meditation
- Personal ritual techniques that work for you
- “A god spoke to me”
Shared Personal Gnosis (SPG)
When multiple people independently have similar spiritual experiences or insights without having influenced each other, we call this Shared Personal Gnosis. SPG occurs when different practitioners report similar experiences, interpretations, or understandings.
- SPG is not fact.
- SPG Is also UNVERIFIED.
- You do NOT need to accept the claim because a group of people insists it’s true.
SPG becomes particularly interesting when:
- Multiple people report similar experiences independently
- Different cultures have arrived at similar understandings
- Patterns emerge across different traditions
Examples:
- “Burning of Incense is pleasing to the gods”
- Runic Divination
Verified Personal Gnosis (VPG)
This occurs when personal spiritual insights are later confirmed by historical evidence, academic research, or well-documented traditional practices. VPG is UPG that has found validation through external sources.
VPG might be confirmed through:
- Archaeological discoveries
- Historical texts
- Anthropological research
- Traditional teachings
- Scientific findings
Examples:
- Odin sacrificed his eye for knowledge
- Zeus is the god of lightning
Working with Different Types of Gnosis
The Role of UPG
- Valuable for personal practice
- Should be labeled as personal experience
- May evolve over time
- Doesn’t need external validation to be meaningful
- Should be shared with appropriate context
When UPG Becomes SPG
- Multiple practitioners report similar experiences
- Patterns emerge across different traditions
- Communities begin to recognize shared elements
- Still maintains some flexibility in interpretation
- Gains strength through numbers while remaining personal
Developing VPG
- Requires research and verification
- May take time to confirm
- Can change with new information
- Bridges personal experience and historical practice
- Contributes to broader understanding
Guidelines for Sharing Gnosis
When sharing your spiritual experiences and insights, it’s important to:
- Be Clear About Sources
- Label UPG as personal experience
- Distinguish between personal insight and traditional teaching
- Acknowledge when you’re unsure of origins
- Respect Different Experiences
- Honor others’ UPG even when different from yours
- Avoid claiming universal truth from personal experience
- Recognize that contradictory experiences can coexist
- Share Responsibly
- Provide context for your experiences
- Don’t present UPG as historical fact
- Be open to dialogue and different perspectives
The Value of Different Types of Gnosis
Each type of gnosis has its place in spiritual practice:
UPG
- Forms the foundation of personal practice
- Allows for direct spiritual experience
- Enables individual growth and understanding
- Creates space for innovation in practice
SPG
- Builds community understanding
- Validates personal experiences
- Creates patterns of shared meaning
- Develops contemporary practice
VPG
- Connects present practice to historical traditions
- Provides foundation for teaching
- Validates contemporary experiences
- Bridges past and present
Integration in Practice
Understanding these different types of gnosis helps us:
- Develop personal practice with confidence
- Share experiences appropriately
- Evaluate new information
- Build community understanding
- Maintain respect for both tradition and innovation
Remember that all forms of gnosis can be valuable, but they serve different purposes and should be understood and shared in appropriate contexts. Your UPG is valid for your practice, even if it never becomes SPG or VPG.