Spiritual hitchhiker | Amateur cat herder | Elvis Person |
Miguel Conner
MIGUEL CONNER is a writer, voiceover artist, and postcaster of several successful shows including podcast aeon byte gnostic radio. He is the author of the critically acclaimed Voices of Gnosticism , the post-apocalyptic vampire epic series The Dark Instinct trilogy, the fantasy novel, The Executioner’s Daughter and the newly published The Occult Elvis: The Mystical and Magical Life of the King.
www.miguelconner.com
My 10 Best
(In no particular order)
Awareness
I love this timeless wisdom from a Jesuit Priest who discovered a universal message of awakening across all religions. Unsurprisingly, DeMello got in hot water with the Roman Catholic Church for his discoveries. His ideas were instrumental in my overcoming addiction and codependency. The book hits you over the head with its common-sense, blunt approach, and is extremely humorous, which only makes it more real. This is the kind of book you want to have many copies of around for the holidays or for people who are struggling with attachments to Samsara.
Valis
Understanding the gifts of Gnosticism can be a challenge, like with any ancient lore from individuals with different languages and consciousness. Dick’s exploration of Gnosticism clarified Gnostic thought for me, as he couched it in relatable science fiction, modern science, pop culture, and comparative religion. Moreover, it’s an entertaining, autobiographical, and bittersweet story about losing your mind and coming to your senses.
The Gnostic New Age
There are many excellent books on Gnosticism available. DeConick provides the latest scholarship and academic insights, accurately presenting the ancient Gnostics as astral traveling shamans who broke the hypnotizing spell of tyrannical gods. In a similar vein to Valis, her comparison of Gnostic philosophy with modern films helped me grasp Gnosticism and even Hermeticism.
The Lord of the Rings
What can I say? This enduring classic never fails to provide an inspirational yet sobering lesson throughout my life. J.R.R. Tolkien tapped into something primordial, and the human condition is better off because of his journey to the imaginal and archetypal worlds. I return to this epic well often and always find new insights for living and dreaming while awake.
Stormbringer
I would add the entire Elric saga to this. Beyond a trailblazing series that elevates philosophical speculative fiction, at its heart lies a story of addiction and the inevitable tragedy of changing eras, as well as the harshness of destiny. Many of us can relate to this in current Western Culture. Moorcock was also groundbreaking with his ideas on the multiverse.
Illusions
Spiritual awakening can be lighthearted and quirky, and this book proves it. The tale of two barnstorming vagabonds in the Midwest helped me grasp that we are all Messiahs-in-training, and it doesn’t even matter, as nothing is real except a perennial story of playful self-knowledge. So why not just have fun as we gain wisdom?
Siddhartha
A simple, beautiful, and inspirational retelling of the Buddha story never loses its luster. I love its mythic narration of gaining enlightenment. As Hesse was a patient of C.G. Jung, I also see the Gnostic lessons astutely woven. You say enlightenment, I say Individuation.
Blood Meridian
This dark and violent Western is as disturbing as it is eye-opening. I’ve never seen the world the same after reading the novel, both the good and the bad. Simultaneously, it’s a Gnostic Gospel that shines a light into each person’s Divine Spark and the way out of a cruel, mechanistic universe. Not bad, as many critics consider this book one of the great American novels.
A Wizard of Earthsea
A gorgeous coming-of-age fantasy, it also served me at a young age with heavy doses of Taoism, Animism, and Jungian psychology. And it was a gateway to other aspects of Le Guin’s ideas, such as anarchism. Few works make me want to be its protagonist, and this is one of them.
The Secret Book of John
Davis showed me that behind the seemingly dark, Lovecraftian worldview of the Gnostics lies a triumph and bliss that is unparalleled. Gnosticism is as joyfully ethereal as Advaita Vedanta and other forms of nondualistic religion. From the myth of Sophia to the Inner Christ to the attainment of elusive Gnosis, this work presents Gnosticism in a way that inspires endlessly.