TO GUARD OR FACILITATE?

I suspect that there are two main types of Gnostic Clergy- the Guardians of a Tradition and the Facilitators of a Process. Each is just as deeply sincere in their work and devotion, but their activity and result are much different.

The Guardian of a Tradition sees themselves at the door of the Mysteries- allowing in only those truly dedicated and deserving, and all the while trying to maintain what they received- just as they have recevied it. Without the Guardians of Tradition much would be lost to us today.

The Facilitator of a Process, however, sees themselves as a fellow-worker. A creative investigator, with a focus on the individual and what works for them, rather than on what works for another, or even themselves. Without the Process Facilitators, our Traditions would have died a stagnant death long ago.

The Guardian of a Tradition can very easily develep a well-intended selfishness. This is my Tradition! They can easily find themselves standing at the doorway to the Mysteries and spending all their time keeping people -out-, until to their dismay they turn around and find no one within the Temple.

The Facilitator of a Process can very easily develop a well-intended watering down, until they offer no more than a jumble of pop-psychology with a few Gnostic terms thrown in for good measure.

These two types need each other. Gnosticism needs both. The Guardians of a Tradition, by focusing on the core and essence of our heritage keep the Facilitators from overly individualizing and watering down to the point of unrecognizable uselessness; the Facilitators keep the Guardians from closing the door to new revelation, fresh possibilities, and the new-now-ness of that noetic apprehension we call Gnosis, by constantly reminding us that the individual, and their unique striving to Awaken in this world of sleep is the reason behind it all in the first place.

Let us all hope that one never gains superiority over the other. Let us all pray that they (in spite of how much they may dislike it) are continually forced to listen to, interact with, and balance each other- lest we wake up one day to find our precious jewel either nothing more than the popular material for so many Coffeetable books- or merely the dusty doctrines of long dead men.