In this episode, David and Gene continue their exploration of the Gospel of Thomas, examining sayings 70-92. These sayings focus on navigating the duality between spiritual and material worlds and the constant choices we must make between them.

The esoteric meaning behind the sayings of Jesus in the Gospel are discussed, starting with the call to activate the latent "divine spark" within us - a spiritual conception or “virgin birth” (Saying 70). They interpret Jesus’ saying about the destruction of the "house" (Saying 71) as referring to a personal apocalypse of Gnosis, an irreversible transformation of one's worldview. Jesus's refusal to be a "divider" of possessions (Saying 72) highlights the spiritual realm's inherent unity and the need to integrate the divided aspects of the self.

Further discussion touches on the rarity of those undertaking the spiritual harvest (Saying 73) and the tendency to seek fulfillment externally in "empty wells" instead of looking within (Saying 74). The "solitary ones" who are allowed entry to the "wedding hall" (Saying 75) are presented as those who have achieved inner wholeness, akin to the "Chemical Wedding" in alchemy.

David and Gene explore Jesus speaking as the omnipresent Logos ("I am the All," Saying 77), touching upon pan-psychism and the need to look beyond the surface of reality. They contrast seeking external validation (Saying 78, 91) with the necessity of internal realization and trusting inner authority.

The hosts delve into the hidden nature of consciousness (Saying 83) and the profound challenge of confronting our divine archetypal "likeness" - “our original face before we were born.” (Saying 84). They discuss how the divine pattern must be tried through the fire of earthly life (Saying 85), and how the "Son of Man" finding "no place to rest" (Saying 86) as symbolic of humanity's hybrid nature, caught between two worlds.

The episode concludes by examining the spiral nature of spiritual seeking, where readiness dictates understanding (Saying 92), and how reflecting on, and engaging with these profound sayings is itself a transformative process.

Deep Dive:

• The Gospel of Thomas

Chapters:

• 01:15 Introduction
• 01:41 Review
• 03:10 Sayings 70-72
• 07:25 Sayings 73-75
• 12:18 Sayings 76-78
• 16:39 Sayings 79-81
• 18:54 Sayings 82-84
• 23:50 Sayings 85-87
• 28:23 Sayings 88-90
• 31:34 Sayings 91-92
• 34:34 Conclusions

Resources:

• The Gospel of Thomas (history and various translations - Gnosis.org)
• Gospel of Thomas (Patterson and Robinson translation)
• Gnosis.org - The Gnosis Archive
• The Nag Hammadi Scriptures
• Jesus and the Lost Goddess: The Secret Teachings of the Original Christians by Freke and Gandy
• You’re Not the Observer—You’re the Observed (YouTube)
• Lateralus - Tool (Spotify)

In this episode, David and Gene continue their discussion of the Gospel of Thomas, exploring sayings 47-69 of this profound and mysterious Gnostic text. The sayings it contains offer timeless insights into the spiritual path, providing guidance for those striving to transcend material attachments and awaken to higher consciousness.

Building on their previous discussions, they delve deeper into the themes of spiritual unity, overcoming duality, and the transformative nature of self-realization.

Their discussion begins with Saying 47, which uses a variety of vivid metaphors to illustrate the need for overcoming the dualities within ourselves and the means by which we can reconcile old cognitive frameworks with new spiritual truths.

Sayings 48-49 emphasize achieving harmony within oneself and creating an internal sacred space for introspection. David and Gene interpret these teachings as a call to overcome internal duality and embrace wholeness, drawing parallels to esoteric traditions like the "Sacred Marriage" and Jungian individuation.

Sayings 50-52 delve into the origins of light in the Gnostic tradition, the cyclical nature of existence, and esoteric meaning of "death" and "resurrection." The hosts unpack these teachings with references to Gnostic cosmology, emphasizing the importance of inner awareness over external rituals or authorities.

The discussion continues with Sayings 53-55, which contrast external religious practices with inner spiritual work. Themes of detachment from societal conditioning and cultivating spiritual poverty emerge as essential steps toward true enlightenment.

Sayings 56-58 explore the transient nature of the material world, the value of struggle in spiritual growth, and the importance of discernment in timing one's personal transformation.

The episode concludes with Sayings 59-69, which address the urgency of seeking truth, protecting one’s spiritual vitality from lower distractions, recognizing true authority, and maintaining connection with divine wisdom despite worldly persecution.

Throughout their discussion, David and Gene attempt to bring clarity to these ancient teachings, revealing how they speak directly to the modern seeker’s quest for self-knowledge.

Deep Dive:

• The Gospel of Thomas

Chapters:

• 01:15 Introduction
• 01:41 Review
• 03:06 Saying 47
• 07:02 Sayings 48-49
• 10:09 Sayings 50-52
• 13:22 Sayings 53-55
• 17:02 Sayings 56-58
• 20:14 Sayings 59-61
• 24:22 Sayings 62-64
• 28:03 Sayings 65-67
• 32:00 Sayings 68-69
• 35:07 Conclusions

Resources:

• The Gospel of Thomas (history and various translations - Gnosis.org)
• Gospel of Thomas (Patterson and Robinson translation)
• Gnosis.org - The Gnosis Archive
• The Nag Hammadi Scriptures
• The Red Book: A Reader's Edition by Carl Jung
• Jesus and the Lost Goddess: The Secret Teachings of the Original Christians by Freke and Gandy

In this episode, David and Gene continue their exploration of the Gospel of Thomas, examining sayings 24-46 of this enigmatic Gnostic text. Building on their previous discussion, they delve deeper into the three-world Gnostic cosmology: the unity of the spiritual Pleroma, the duality of the realm of Soul/Mind (Heaven), and the unity in multiplicity of the physical world (Earth).

They begin by discussing a listener comment about "combining all religions," noting that spiritual unity might indeed be the ultimate goal, as suggested in Ephesians 4:13, where the original Greek terms "Gnosis" (knowledge) and "Pleroma" (fullness) reveal deeper meaning about attaining wholeness through divine knowledge.

This section of the Gospel contains powerful teachings about spiritual discernment and self-mastery:

• Sayings 24-26 emphasize finding inner light rather than seeking externally, loving others as manifestations of the divine, and addressing one's own spiritual blindness before criticizing others.
• Sayings 27-29 contrast spiritual awareness with material distraction, describing humanity as "drunk" with worldly concerns rather than "thirsty" for self-knowledge, while marveling at how consciousness (great wealth) resides within physical form (poverty).
• Sayings 30-32 outline the three stages of Gnostic initiation and the importance of consistent spiritual practice in establishing one's character as "a city on a high mountain."
• Sayings 33-35 explore spiritual discernment, warning against following blind guides while encouraging the sharing of inner wisdom.
• Sayings 36-41 address detachment from material concerns, the suppression of symbolic readings of sacred texts, and the principle that spiritual understanding multiplies when cultivated.
• Sayings 42-44 discuss becoming "passers-by" (detached observers), judging teachers by their fruits, and the consequences of acting against one's own experience of truth.
• Sayings 45-46 conclude with teachings on cultivating positive thoughts and transcending the ego, with John the Baptist representing the consciousness that can see Gnosis as the goal but requires the "final stroke" of ego death to achieve it.

Throughout their analysis, David and Gene reveal how these ancient sayings speak to the modern seeker's journey toward self-realization, offering insights into overcoming material attachments, developing spiritual discernment, and achieving wholeness by overcoming the delusion of the false self.

Deep Dive:

• The Gospel of Thomas

Chapters:

• 01:15 Introduction
• 03:41 Review
• 04:57 Sayings 24-26
• 08:01 Sayings 27-29
• 11:32 Sayings 30-32
• 14:38 Sayings 33-35
• 17:43 Sayings 36-38
• 19:51 Sayings 39-41
• 22:42 Sayings 42-44
• 25:16 Sayings 45-46
• 28:26 Conclusions

Resources:

• The Gospel of Thomas (history and various translations - Gnosis.org)
• Gospel of Thomas (Patterson and Robinson translation)
• Gnosis.org - The Gnosis Archive
• The Nag Hammadi Scriptures
• The Red Book: A Reader's Edition by Carl Jung
• Jesus and the Lost Goddess: The Secret Teachings of the Original Christians by Freke and Gandy
• Federico Faggin on Idealism, Quantum Mechanics, Free Will, and Identity