Gnosticism: Cosmology, Myth and Astral Connections

Introduction – A Hidden Library Unearthed

In the mid‑20th century an unexpected discovery in the Egyptian desert threw Gnosticism back into the spotlight. In 1945, near the town of Nag Hammadi in Upper Egypt, a farmer unearthed a large earthen jar. Inside were thirteen leather‑bound codices containing fifty‑two treatises — gospels and other writings — all translated into Coptic from earlier Greek originals dating to the 2nd–3rd centuries CE. This Nag Hammadi Library preserved works thought lost or condemned as heretical, such as the Gospel of Thomas, the Gospel of Truth and the Secret Gospel of John. Having been buried for roughly 1 500 years, this “hidden treasure” allowed scholars to read actual Gnostic texts instead of relying solely on the attacks of their opponents. The discovery rekindled interest in the esoteric knowledge the Gnostics had carefully guarded.

What is Gnosticism?

The term Gnosticism (from Greek gnōsis, “knowledge”) serves as a convenient umbrella for various heterodox religious and philosophical movements of the first post‑Christian centuries. These movements differed widely, yet shared certain motifs: they emphasised knowledge as the means of salvation; they posited a sharp cosmological dualism between spirit and matter; they believed in a Supreme God beyond the creator of the material world; and they taught that a divine “spark” slumbers within every human being awaiting awakening. In the Hellenistic era gnōsis signified more than book‑learning — it meant an inner, experiential truth that transforms the knower. In other words, Gnosis is a mystical enlightenment, an immediate revelation that fundamentally changes the one who receives it. That inner knowledge stood at the heart of the Gnostic worldview and was seen as the path to the soul’s liberation.

Basic Principles of Gnosticism

The main doctrines of the Gnostics can be summarised as follows:

1. Ineffable Supreme God: At the summit of reality is an unborn, indescribable God beyond all names, concepts or material universe. This transcendent Source, the Fullness (Plērōma) of divinity, emanates all divine beings. You could call Him the ultimate Boss of bosses – entirely beyond our pay grade.
2. Inferior Creator (Demiurge): The material world was not fashioned by the Highest God but by a lower, imperfect being – a pseudo‑god known as the Demiurge or Architect. Blind to the higher spiritual reality, he arrogantly imagines himself the only God and rules the visible cosmos with his minions, the so‑called Archons. In the Gnostic myth he is sometimes identified with the Old Testament’s Yahweh; in modern slang he’s essentially the universe’s corrupt landlord.
3. Divine Spark within Humanity: The Gnostics taught that a dormant divine spark exists inside every person – a fragment of heavenly light descending from the higher realm. The human soul, having fallen into the material world, forgets its divine origin and that spark lies dormant, imprisoned by flesh. Remember those scenes in The Matrix where Neo wakes up from the pods? It’s that vibe: we’re sleepers in a cosmic simulation.
4. Knowledge as Redemption: Salvation comes only when that inner spark is awakened – when one “knows” oneself and God. This knowledge is not intellectual information but mystical revelation that makes the soul remember its true nature. Through Gnosis, one realises that one’s essence is divine and can escape the chains of matter. It isn’t about memorising dogma; it’s about a light bulb switching on inside your very being.
5. Cosmological Dualism: Existence unfolds on two levels: the supreme spiritual kingdom of Light (the Fullness of the true God) and the lower material world of Darkness, a product of fall and ignorance. There is a stark opposition between Spirit and Matter – the spiritual is good and divine, while matter is a prison or a cosmic accident. Think of it as an ancient version of “Heaven vs. The Matrix”.
6. Planetary Archons: The material world is governed by seven cosmic rulers or Archons corresponding to the seven classical planets (Moon, Mercury, Venus, Sun, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn). These heavenly jailers prevent souls from escaping the material dome. The world beneath their seven spheres is a prison; beyond those spheres lies the true spiritual sky, the Eighth Sphere, where wisdom and other divine beings dwell.

These points summarise the core Gnostic doctrines as gleaned from the Gnostic writings themselves.

Gnostic Cosmology and Mythology

The Gnostic cosmogony unfolds as a dramatic myth linking heaven with earth, the Divine with humanity. Initially there is only Light and the Fullness of the Divine: an ineffable, nameless God beyond all description, surrounded by the Plērōma – the ordered array of divine emanations (Aeons). From the Highest God emanate pairs of divine beings, the Aeons, personifying attributes of the Divine. These Aeons often appear as complementary male–female pairs: for example Depth and Silence, Mind and Truth, Word and Life. Together they constitute the full spectrum of divinity. This divine “world” of Aeons exists in perfect harmony – until cosmic misfortune strikes at the perimeter of the Plērōma.

The highest feminine Aeon, named Sophia (Divine Wisdom), driven by a desire to create, attempts a unilateral act: she tries to bring something into being on her own, without the participation of her consort or harmony with the rest of the Plērōma. This bold (hubristic) move disrupts the heavenly order: Sophia “falls” out of the divine Fullness, away from the original unity. From her fall arises a lower entity – an imperfect god, blind to the higher reality. This is the creator of the material world, called variously Ialdabaoth, Saklas or Samael, but most commonly just the Demiurge or Archon. In plain language: Sophia messed up, created a control‑freak cosmic CEO who thought he owned everything.

The newborn Demiurge and his powers (the Archons) set about fashioning a world in their image: a flawed material cosmos blending light with darkness. They also shape Heimarmenē – Destiny or Fate – as a tool to bind souls to their creation. In the Secret Gospel of John the chief Archon boasts: “I am God and there is no other beside me!” – words eerily similar to Yahweh’s declarations in the Old Testament. For the Gnostics this is hubris and deception: a lower being ignorant of the higher source arrogantly claims sole divinity. This pseudo‑creator thinks he is the only god and thus keeps humanity imprisoned beneath his control, in the cycle of incarnations and under the power of Fate.

A Reversal of the Genesis Story

Gnostic myths frequently invert the biblical narrative of Genesis, offering a radically different account of primeval events. The Serpent in Eden is not viewed as the Devil deceiving humanity but as the beneficial messenger of Light who encourages Adam and Eve to gain knowledge (by eating from the Tree of Knowledge). The Demiurge–Yahweh, who forbids humans access to knowledge, is seen as the jealous lord of ignorance keeping humanity enslaved. Consequently, the Fall of humanity becomes an emancipatory event: the serpent gifts the spark of knowledge and begins humanity’s awakening from the Creator’s delusion. It’s essentially the story of the cosmic whistle‑blower.

Meanwhile, fallen Sophia herself is not abandoned. Texts like the Pistis Sophia detail her struggle and ultimate restoration. They describe Sophia falling into lower, dark regions, becoming trapped and lamenting her separation, then repenting through hymns and prayers until higher divine powers (often Christ or the light of the Highest) assist her return to the Fullness. The myth of Sophia’s fall and restoration thus mirrors the soul’s journey: the human soul, also a spark of wisdom imprisoned in matter, is called to find its way upward, repent for its forgetfulness and ascend back to its divine home.

Main Schools and Teachers of Gnosticism

Gnosticism was never a unified organised doctrine; it was a mosaic of groups and teachings that flourished mainly in the 2nd century CE. Two main families can be distinguished: the Sethians and the Valentinians. There were also other teachers like Basilides and Marcus, as well as later movements such as Manichaeism. Each had its own nuances but shared the core principles outlined above.

Sethian Gnostics

So called because they revered the biblical Seth (the third son of Adam) as their spiritual ancestor, the Sethians were perhaps the most “metaphysical” branch of Gnosticism, with a highly elaborate cosmogonic mythology. Their writings (such as the Secret Gospel of John found at Nag Hammadi) describe in detail the hierarchy of the Plērōma, the fall of Sophia and the birth of the blind Demiurge – exactly as outlined above. A hallmark of the Sethians is their fierce polemic against the orthodox biblical tradition: they deliberately invert Genesis, casting the serpent as benefactor and the Creator as arrogant usurper. This provocative stance brought them into direct conflict with the Church. The Sethians believed that only “spiritual” people – the descendants of Seth – could awaken fully through knowledge; everyone else would either remain in delusion or be saved merely by faith without deep understanding.

Valentinians

Named after their founder Valentinus, a charismatic teacher of the 2nd century (c. 135–160 CE), the Valentinian school boasted notable disciples such as Heracleon who continued his work by composing gospels and developing intricate theological systems. The Valentinians were unique in that they spoke the Church’s language from within: they did not completely separate themselves from Christian communities but operated as an inner circle of mystical teaching for the “spiritual”. Their writings use terminology familiar from church tradition, but infuse it with deeper, symbolic (Gnostic) meaning. They speak of the Father, the Son and Sophia, yet intend something more philosophical and less historical. To them redemption is not simply forgiveness of sins through Christ but a profound understanding of the truth of the Gospels – a secret exegesis leading to deification. This put them at odds with Church Fathers such as Irenaeus, who dedicates extensive pages in his Against Heresies to demolishing the “Valentinian heretics”.

Other Gnostic Teachers

Apart from the two major branches, a few other figures deserve mention:

• Basilides operated in Alexandria in the early 2nd century and devised his own system of 365 heavens and Archons. He even mentioned a “Great Archon” named Abraxas who rules the 365 heavens. He wrote a massive 24‑volume commentary on the Gospels (now lost) and sits within the broader Gnostic milieu, though not easily classifiable into a specific school.
• Marcus (c. 140 CE) taught ideas that sounded provocative even by the standards of his day: namely, that the God revealed through Jesus Christ is not the same as the creator‑god of the Old Testament. In other words, the Father of Christ is superior and alien to Jehovah. Such views were shockingly heretical, prompting ecclesiastical writers to brand the Gnostics not only heretics but enemies of the faith. Indeed, Church Fathers like Irenaeus, Hippolytus and Epiphanius waged fierce polemics against them.
• Manichaeism must also be mentioned. Founded in the 3rd century by Mani in Mesopotamia, it spread rapidly from the Roman Empire to Central Asia and China. Although a distinct religious system, Manichaeism is often grouped among Gnostic‑like currents due to its extreme dualism (an absolute battle between Light and Darkness). Its diffusion was aided by the groundwork laid by earlier Gnostic ideas and other dualistic philosophies (such as Zoroastrianism in Persia). Medieval Christian writers later labelled any dualist heresy “Gnosticism” – evidence of the enduring influence of Gnostic concepts.

In summary, Gnosticism was polymorphous. From the myth‑weaving Sethians to the church‑language‑speaking Valentinians and pioneering teachers like Basilides, all shared a love for secret knowledge and a disdain for a world they saw as a prison. The official Church treated these groups as heresies and fought them systematically. Until the mid‑20th century, almost everything known about the Gnostics came from the writings of their opponents. That changed dramatically with the archaeological discoveries of Gnostic gospels and treatises in the 19th–20th centuries (especially the Nag Hammadi library), which allowed a more balanced study of the Gnostic texts themselves. Today we recognise Gnosticism as a colourful mosaic of views on the Divine and the world which, though deemed heretical, offered an alternative pathway of spirituality in the early Christian era.

Knowledge as the Path to Salvation

At the heart of the Gnostic vision is the word that gave the movement its name: Knowledge (gnōsis). For the Gnostics, this knowledge is not mere accumulation of data or dry intellectual comprehension. It is something far deeper: an inner illumination that transforms the soul. As the Greek word implies, it is the experience of “knowing” in the sense of direct acquaintance: to know a truth intimately, to experience it within rather than hear about it from outside. In the religious and philosophical context of the time, gnosis meant seeing the Divine and oneself face‑to‑face, receiving a revelation that alters you.

The Gnostics taught that the human soul, sunk in oblivion within the material world, needs to remember its true nature. Salvation is essentially a process of recollection: the divine spark inside must remember its heavenly origin. This is achieved only through Knowledge – the secret self‑knowledge that one is divine. Faith and moral codes are not enough; one must turn inward and know the hidden God within. “Know thyself and thou shalt know God” sums it up. They insisted that what counts is not external teaching but a personal, transformative insight.

Put bluntly, faith without understanding was, in their eyes, incomplete. They saw faith as a starting point, but only as a stepping‑stone toward higher Knowledge. Truth cannot be handed down intact by an institution or priesthood; it must emerge from within through personal revelation. Whereas the Church emphasised obedience to tradition and dogma delivered “from outside”, the Gnostics advocated a more individual path: each soul must follow its own inner journey of self‑discovery.

Many Gnostic texts use parables and dialogues with the risen Christ, where the disciples ask questions and He reveals mysteries. In these writings Christ appears primarily as a Teacher of Knowledge rather than merely as redeemer through the cross. The crucifixion and resurrection are also given allegorical interpretations: death and resurrection symbolise the death of ignorance and rebirth through Knowledge, which Christ brings. In one apocryphon Jesus says: “I am the Inner Light that illumines everyone; seek within yourselves and you will find me there.” That encapsulates Gnostic soteriology: the divine Christ (or Logos) is within the human being, awaiting conscious recognition and union. Knowledge is to know that union.

It is no accident that they were called Gnostics (initially by their adversaries in derision, but ultimately quite appropriately). They saw themselves as knowers – those who know the divine mysteries firsthand instead of merely believing them. This emphasis on personal experience left a strong mark: even centuries after the ancient Gnostic communities vanished, the idea that a divine spark within can know God continued to inspire mystics and philosophers.

Astrology and the Planetary Archons in Gnosticism

One of the most intriguing aspects of Gnosticism – especially for those interested in astrology – is how the Gnostics incorporated the ancient astrological worldview into their mythology. In the 2nd century astrology was closely linked to the idea of Fate (Heimarmenē): the positions and movements of the stars were thought to determine each person’s destiny. The Gnostics took this notion and gave it a dark twist – turning it into part of the cosmic drama of the soul’s captivity.

As mentioned, the seven planets correspond to the seven Archons who govern the universe. Gnostic texts (e.g., the Secret Gospel of John and Ophite diagrams) list the Archons by name and associate them with specific planets. The chief Archon Ialdabaoth usually corresponds to Saturn and is considered the leader of the rest (hence Saturn, being the slowest and outermost known planet, was seen as the “heavenly throne” of the Demiurge). The other Archons are tied to the Sun, Moon, Jupiter, Mars, Venus and Mercury. Each has his own name (such as Sabaoth or Samael) and properties, but their common feature is that they are malevolent jailers: their aim is to keep souls bound to the material world and prevent their ascent.

In Gnostic texts the seven planetary heavens are often depicted as concentric shells around the Earth, each sphere guarded by its Archon. The soul, on its ascent after death (or during spiritual ascent), must break through these seven “veils”. In some teachings the soul must know special “words” or passwords – secret names – to trick or persuade the Archons to let it pass. Only one who has received the true knowledge (the secret names and mysteries) can continue upwards, breaking all chains, and reach the luminous realm beyond the last planet. In other words, the Gnostics invented the cosmic password system long before computer logins.

Astrology, then, which for the ancients was a sacred science, takes on a sinister role among the Gnostics: the movements and influences of the stars become a mechanism for enslaving souls. They said the celestial bodies impose the material order and define destiny, keeping souls in forgetfulness and amnesia. Put bluntly, the zodiac is the ultimate cosmic bureaucracy – stamping your soul’s passport with restrictive visas. A Gnostic writer even describes time and space as a prison constructed by the Archons, where everything (even gods and angels) is subject to repetitive cycles.

Not all ancient esoteric traditions viewed the cosmos so negatively. The Hermetic philosophy – a parallel esoteric tradition of late antiquity – shared with the Gnostics the idea that the soul must ascend through the heavens, yet the Hermeticists did not see the planets as demonic obstacles; rather, they regarded them as stages of initiation and remembrance. In Hermetic texts, astrology and alchemy are portrayed as aids to the soul. “Through astrology we understand the order of the stars; through alchemy the order of the elements on Earth,” says one Hermetic fragment. The goal of the true philosopher there is not to reject the world but to learn the secrets of the Creative Mind (the divine Craftsman) and work in harmony with creation. This more positive stance differs from the radical devaluation of matter found in Gnosticism. In the end, both traditions speak of the soul’s ascent through the planetary worlds; but whereas the Hermetic path sees this as a natural course of evolution and knowledge, the Gnostic path sees it as an escape from a “satanic kingdom”.

For the Gnostics, therefore, astrological Fate was something to be overcome. They did not reject astrology as knowledge – on the contrary, they understood it very well – but reinterpreted it. “Fate” was an enemy. The Gospel of Philip contains the line: “As long as fate is above, no one can be saved; when someone goes above fate, then he will be liberated.” The soul must rise above the stars, in effect break its horoscope, and enter a supra‑astral realm free from the laws of matter.

Influence on Modern Thought and Astrological Tradition

Although ancient Gnosticism was persecuted and virtually disappeared as an organised movement by the 5th century, its ideas did not vanish. In modern times – especially from the 19th century onwards – there has been a revival of Gnostic motifs in various fields, from esotericism and astrology to psychology and philosophy.

Beginning in the 18th–19th centuries, scholars and theologians began re‑reading the ancient sources and seeing in them not merely “heresies” but an alternative form of spirituality. The big turning point came with the discovery of authentic Gnostic texts (such as the Gospel of Thomas in 1898 in fragments, and especially the treasure of Nag Hammadi in 1945), which caused enormous interest among academics and beyond. Suddenly, a “parallel” early Christianity seemed to unfold before humanity’s eyes – another Christianity, more mystical, that had remained in the shadows. This impacted theology, the study of religions and the wider cultural imagination (think of Nikos Kazantzakis’s novel The Last Temptation of Christ or films and books that play with ideas of “hidden gospels”).

In the realm of esotericism and occultism, movements like the Theosophy of Helena Blavatsky (late 19th century) absorbed numerous Gnostic ideas. Theosophy, for example, speaks of hidden Masters who bring knowledge to humanity – reminiscent of Gnostic Saviors descending from on high to teach humans. It also reintroduces the notion of hierarchies of spirits and Archons on cosmic levels. Rudolf Steiner (early 20th century), founder of Anthroposophy, was inspired by Gnostic and Hermetic concepts and developed a system where the soul evolves through the planetary worlds as part of its spiritual journey. More broadly, occultists of the 19th–20th centuries (Theosophists, Rosicrucians, etc.) developed theories with clear parallels to Gnosticism – for example, viewing the soul’s journey through the spheres of the planets as part of the spirit’s evolution, no longer a prison but a training course. In this way they “redeemed” the planets: instead of jailers, they presented them as teachers whose lessons the soul must integrate.

A major shift in astrological cosmology occurred with the discovery of three new planets beyond the traditional Saturn: Uranus (1781), Neptune (1846) and Pluto (1930). These “modern” planets expanded our solar system and, symbolically, widened the horizons of human consciousness. Metaphysicians and astrologers quickly wove them into a new mythological framework, often with Gnostic echoes:

• Uranus was treated as the rebel who overthrows the old god – a symbolic “son” who dethrones Saturn (Time). In Greek mythology Saturn castrated Uranus, but now in astrological mythmaking the planet Uranus becomes the archetype of sudden change, breaking the shackles of the past and bringing freedom. It can be seen as the force that gives the soul the push to break the boundaries imposed by “Saturn‑the‑Archon”.
• Neptune was associated with spiritual unity and mystical longing. Astrologers saw it as the planet of “redeeming waters” – the element that dissolves boundaries and unites the soul with the universal and the divine. In a Gnostic interpretation, Neptune may symbolise the inexplicable nostalgia of the soul for union with something higher, the yearning to return to the divine Fullness. A modern mystic astrologer might say that Neptune in the natal chart reveals exactly this inner thirst for the divine.
• Pluto, as its name (“Hades”) implies, is the planet of death – but also of rebirth. In esoteric astrological symbolism Pluto became the indicator of deep initiation: the soul’s descent into the underworld and its return transformed. It recalls the journey of initiation through death and resurrection found in many spiritual traditions (and in the Gnostic Gospels with the dying and rising Redeemer). Thus Pluto can be said to represent our “spiritual DNA”, the potential to break genetic or karmic chains – to cast off our material prisons and be reborn into a higher state of consciousness.

All these ideas feed into a broader trend we might call “Gnosticism in the New Age.” In contemporary esoteric thought, explicit movements such as “gnostic astrology” and schools of evolutionary/mystical astrology have emerged. For instance, the trend of Evolutionary Astrology (with proponents like Steven Forrest) tries to read the birth chart as a plan for the soul’s evolution, where each planetary placement indicates lessons the soul must learn – a concept with many parallels to Gnostic ideas. In these schools, the 12 zodiac signs are not just character types but correspond to 12 Aeons or lessons the soul must absorb. Even the 12 apostles of Jesus are symbolised as types of the zodiac. Thus Gnostic symbols resurface in New Age theories – even the phrase “spiritual DNA” is used to describe concepts like the soul’s deep karmic patterns.

A specific example of modern “gnostic” astrological interpretation is the rethink of Saturn. In traditional astrology, Saturn is often the “Great Malefic,” the planet of limitations and trials. In a Gnostic reading, Saturn represents the archon of matter – the point in the natal chart where the soul feels most restricted, fearful or under the law of necessity. It is no accident that Saturn is associated with Ialdabaoth/Demiurge (who thought he was the only god). In the psychological chart, Saturn may reveal our “inner tyrant” – fear, guilt, a sense of lack. Modern spiritual astrologers suggest that by consciously working with Saturn – facing with awareness and responsibility the lessons of discipline, time and boundaries – we transform the greatest foe into a stepping stone to freedom. When a person recognises the “archon” that holds them captive (a fear or insecurity) and works through it, that archon ceases to be an obstacle and becomes a help to self‑mastery and wisdom. Thus even ominous aspects (like a hard Venus–Saturn aspect experienced as loneliness or disappointment in love) are interpreted as “archon of delusion” testing the soul in order to teach a higher, non‑attached form of love. The language of the Gnostics – archons, lessons, redemption through awareness – returns creatively in contemporary spiritual thinking.

In psychology and philosophy, Gnostic ideas also found new life. The psychologist Carl Jung was fascinated by the Gnostic texts and considered them symbols of deep psychological truths. Jung saw in Gnostic myth (with its divine spark, false creator and need for self‑knowledge) a parable of the human soul seeking wholeness. He even wrote the Seven Sermons to the Dead – a short text directly inspired by Gnosticism – and regarded the ancient Gnostics as precursors of his analytical psychology, since they expressed archetypes of the collective unconscious through their symbols (the Shadow, the Divine Child, the Anthropos). In philosophy, thinkers like Hans Jonas saw in Gnosticism an early existentialist outlook: the world as alien and hostile, the human as an expatriate wanderer, and salvation as regaining authenticity. These ideas inspired 20th‑century currents such as post‑war existentialist theology.

Today the term “Gnosticism” is sometimes used more broadly to describe any thought emphasising immediate inner knowledge of the divine. There are modern neo‑Gnostic churches and orders trying to revive liturgical elements of ancient Gnosticism, combined with Christian terminology. Mostly, however, Gnosticism lives on as a source of inspiration. The image of a divine spark within, the world as a dream/prison from which one must awaken, and Knowledge as the key to salvation – all continue to captivate seekers of truth.

Conclusion – The Eternal Flame of Gnosis

In the end, Gnosticism offers an enduring message: that humans carry something divine within and that our true homeland is not merely this world. From the apocryphal gospels of Nag Hammadi to contemporary mystical movements, the flame of Gnosis still burns. For those interested in esotericism, astrology and spiritual self‑knowledge, Gnostic ideas form a fascinating, living link between ancient wisdom and modern quests for the meaning of the cosmos and of ourselves. Whether one sees the world as a cosmic trap run by a blind demiurge or a divine playground for evolution, the invitation remains the same: know thyself.