The term ‘Gnosis’ is the Greek root of ‘to know’. It is knowledge by direct perception, personal intuitive or inspirational experience. As such, it imposes no dogma or obedience to an authority outside of our selves, only to the Divine within each of us. Earlier Gnostics, such as the Mandaeans, Cathars, Bogomil and Manichaeans, believed that each approach to the Divine is individual. From traces of their teachings, we can learn to take responsibility for identifying our specific reality, pursuing the experience of spiritual realities by whatever means we deem appropriate. Within these parameters, we can also develop a climate of respect for each manifestation of the esoteric as having something to offer, no matter how diverse.

How was I ‘called’ to this task of tracking Gnostic traditions? Well, in 1976, I accompanied my eleven-year-old actor-son to Europe for his six-month stint in Robert Wilson’s and Phillip Glass’ Einstein On The Beach. A knowledgeable friend suggested that while in France and Yugoslavia, I devote what time I could to researching the Cathars and Bogomil, whom I had not known of before then. On looking back, it seems that some force in the universe had conspired to put me there to begin my life work.

Though the South of France, once Oc, land of the Cathars, was our first and longest stop, serendipity set in a month later in Belgrade, Yugoslavia. Synchronistic events are signals to me that a connection exists with some guiding intelligence larger than myself and they began to proliferate at an incredible speed. Because I do not read Cyrillic and did not speak Serbo-Croatian, my son and I were often lost on the streets of Belgrade. One day, in such a circumstance, we passed a sign in English that read ‘American Library’. Seizing the opportunity to correct our course, we raced up a steep flight of stairs to be greeted by a gracious Yugoslavian librarian who spoke fluent English. After she explained how to return to our hotel, I brought up the subject of the Bogomil. “What a coincidence”, she re marked, “my brother-in-law, an archeologist and an expert on the Bogomil is returning from Paris just this night. Please come to my house this evening at 9 P.M. and meet him”. Of course!

So meet Dr. Bogdanovic, I did. He suggested that on my return to Paris, I purchase several copies of Archeologia, which contained articles he had written about the Bogomil. Armed with these magazines, I made my way one afternoon to a quiet vegetarian restaurant in the Marais quarter of Paris.

While waiting for my food to arrive, I opened one of the magazines and saw the image above. Then I looked up at the wall and saw — the same woodcut! I asked the waiter who had created the woodcut on the wall. He replied matter-of-factly that he was in the kitchen, but could come out to talk with me.

No, Christian A. was not the artist -- he had hung a reproduction of the same medieval woodcut depicting the philosophy of the Grecian, Thales, as had appeared in ‘Archeologia’. But he turned out to be a Rosicrucian (a group claiming spiritual descent from the Cathars) and extraordinarily open. Christian’s immediate response was to invite me to his nearby apartment, where he gave me several Rosicrucian books, a map that covered many important Cathar sites in the Ariege and introductions to people who would guide me further. Years later, Christian accompanied me to Armenia, helping me to access information on Manichaean connections to the Bogomil and Cathars.

This initial series of ‘happenings’ have been signs enough to propel and sustain me through the years, though other related sychronistic events have unfolded along the way. I am grateful to all those special people whom I have met as guides on this wondrous path to create THE TRAIL OF GNOSIS -- Thank you!

"Life is victorious "

-- Judith