DeConick A.D

179
GNOSTIC ALTERED STATES
ally in some ritual sequence, through the various heavens and star houses
ruled by each of the demons.
As we will see in the next chapter, we have a complete record of the
Ophian Gnostic rite of demonic purge, including the actual route the
Ophians mapped through the demonic territories in the skies, their virtual
prayers of demonic defeat, the secret names of the demons, and references
to the objects they used in this cathartic process. Their ceremony was
called the Seal. It was their rite of resurrection, when the soul was resurrected
from the body (in contrast to the resurrection of the body) and
flew through the star gates in order to return to the transcendent world.
The Ophian rite was conducted as a journey through the nocturnal
houses of the zodiac, where the planetary ruler of each house was met
and overcome with a physical seal and powerful prayer. Each ruler was
associated with an animal form, and when the ruler was overpowered by
the initiate, the initiate returned to earth as a “lion” or “dragon” or whatever
animal identity the vanquished star ruler had possessed. This suggests
named stages of advancement in their ritual, a marked progression from
one level to the next as the spirit purged itself of its demons.
Maturation
The next step in the process of Gnostic self-actualization is the maturation
of the spiritual seed into a self-sustaining divinity. This is a process
of individuation, when the child becomes the adult. For the Gnostic, the
maturation of the true self involved instruction, especially ethical instruction.
But more importantly it involved mimicry, when the child acts the
adult. This was achieved ritually by the Gnostics in ceremonies of ascent,
when they invaded the transcendent realms beyond our skies.
The Gnostic Justin tells us that he personally escorts his initiates
through a brilliant star gate at the top of the heavens. On the other side
sits the Good God, and next to him is a luminous bath of “living water,”
by which Justin meant a flowing river sparkling with light. The initiates
must bathe in the river of light to become living beings. So here we have
a ritual bath that transforms the initiate into a self-sustaining divinity, a
rehabilitated, individuated deity who is always welcome in God’s presence.
In the next chapter we will see that the Sethians had perhaps the most
sophisticated ceremonies to this end. They believed that the transcendent