The Basics

Few questions cut as deeply into metaphysics and theology as these:

• Why does God need worship?

• Why would an infinite being create finite, imperfect beings at all?

• Does the cosmology of the Way imply that the Absolute is imperfect?

These questions have long haunted theologians, mystics, philosophers, and esotericists. Nearly every religious system attempts an answer, yet most answers leave thoughtful people dissatisfied. Traditional Christianity appeals to divine love; classical theism appeals to perfection and the overflow of goodness; mysticism appeals to communion. However, a deeper, more mechanistic explanation is found in the great esoteric systems of Hermeticism, Neoplatonism, the Kabbalah, the Egyptian Mysteries, and ultimately, the modern articulation of these systems, referred to as 'The Way.'

This writing will synthesize three levels of explanation:

Among the Nag Hammadi texts, the Apocalypse of Peter stands out for its startling imagery. Christ laughs above the cross while another Christ is crucified below. The text speaks of the blind leading the blind, of hidden knowledge, of the elect and the imitators. For many, the text is baffling, and for many others, it is offensive.

But when read through the language of the Way, the text stops being a curiosity and becomes a mirror. Its strangeness is not random; it encodes a method. The Apocalypse of Peter can be understood as a dramatic depiction of the very ideas of the Way: the multiplicity of man, the sleep of ordinary life, the existence of higher centers, and the work of conscious labor.

Two Christs - Personality and Essence

One of the text's most shocking scenes shows Christ laughing above the cross while another "Christ" suffers below. The orthodox view…

We like to think of ourselves as independent, choosing freely what to think, what to value, and what to pursue. But the Work teaches that human life is shaped by streams of influence flowing into us, mostly unconsciously. These influences determine our tastes, our beliefs, even our goals.

To study oneself means to study these influences, to see what acts upon us, and to discern which forces can truly help us develop. In Work-terms, these influences are known as 'A' influences, 'B' influences, and 'C' influences.

Esoteric Christianity (a progenitor of the Fourth Way teachings) amplifies this teaching, showing how these influences define the drama of human destiny. By understanding these influences, we gain a clearer picture of the battlefield of our inner life.

'A' Influences

'A' influences are the pressures and attractions of ordinary life: wealth, fame, power, pleasure, social standing, and political movements. cultural fashions, and so on.…

The Work teaches that man is not singular, but rather a plurality of beings. At first glance, this sounds strange, even offensive. After all, we say "I" with complete conviction. We feel continuous, whole, and unified.

But this Work-teaching strikes at the very heart of this illusion. The "I" that decides to wake up early is not the same "I" that hits the snooze button. The "I" that resolves to quit smoking is not the same "I" that later lights a cigarette. Our lives are filled with these contradictions, but we cover them with the false assumption of unity.

To study ourselves, we must first see that man is not one but many. Until we recognize our inner multiplicity, no real change is possible.

The Puppet Theater of "I"

Imagine a stage filled with actors, each rushing forward to play the role of "I." One says, "I want to work."…