Ancient Wisdom for Modern Minds
Ever feel like your mind’s a crowded room? Thoughts buzzing, worries humming, that little voice whispering “What about me? What’s next? Am I enough?” We’ve all been there. But what if I told you the quietest, wisest voices in history, Hermes Trismegistus, the Gnostics, even Jesus in the Gospel of Thomas, whisper a startlingly simple secret?
It goes like this:
The key to freedom isn’t adding more wisdom. It’s subtracting.
👉 Step 1: Pause the “Me” Show
Hermes taught that thoughts about yourself, your identity, your fears, your desires, are like static on a radio. They drown out the signal of truth. Jesus put it bluntly in the Gospel of Thomas (Logion 2):
“Seek, and you will find. But if you seek yourself, you won’t find the Self.”
Translation? Stop narrating your life for a moment. Let the spotlight fade.
👉 Step 2: One Thought. Just One.
Gnostic texts describe the mind as a mirror clouded by breath. Wipe it clean by focusing on one thing at a time. Not multitasking. Not overthinking. Just:
- This breath.
- This sound.
- This leaf.
- This heartbeat.
When thoughts arise, don’t wrestle them. Gently return to your anchor.
👉 Step 3: Let “You” Dissolve
Here’s the magic: as thoughts of “I” fade, something shifts. The Gnostics called it kenosis-emptying. Not becoming nothing, but making space for everything. Suddenly, the door swings open.
“If you bring forth what is within you, what you bring forth will save you. If you do not bring forth what is within you, what you do not bring forth will destroy you.”
— Gospel of Thomas, Logion 70
The “door” isn’t hidden. You’re the key.
How to Practice (No Robes or Caves Required)
- Invite yourself in.
Sit quietly and ask: “What’s here beneath the noise?” Don’t analyze. Just listen. Like knocking on your own soul’s door.
- Drop assumptions like hot potatoes.
That voice saying “I’m not enlightened enough”? Thank it for sharing. Then return to your breath. Assumptions evaporate in stillness.
- Truth isn’t “found.” It’s seen.
When the self isn’t shouting, clarity rushes in. Trees look sharper. Birdsong rings clearer. You notice how light pools on the floor. This is what Hermes meant by “knowing yourself”-seeing through the self to the living world.
You Already Hold the Key
This isn’t about becoming a sage. It’s about remembering you’re part of something vast. The ancients weren’t describing a distant heaven. They pointed here:
“The Kingdom of God is spread out upon the earth, and people do not see it.”
— Gospel of Thomas, Logion 113
So next time your mind races, try this:
- Pause.
- Breathe one breath.
- Whisper: “Show me what’s real.”
Then let go… and watch the door swing wide. 🌿
Practice, not perfection. Truth’s already knocking, just clear a path.