001 — Gnosis: What is Death? What dies and what doesn’t die?

Jp Santsil
5 min readOct 4, 2024

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In the depths of mystical and Gnostic knowledge, we unveil the veils of hidden wisdom, where the ancient secrets of life and death, the soul and the ego, are revealed to the seekers of truth. To comprehend the great spiritual truths, it is necessary to explore the hidden anatomy of the human being, which goes far beyond the visible and tangible physical body. The true structure of the being transcends matter, encompassing subtler dimensions that, for ages, have been ignored by humanity.

The human being, in its true essence, is not limited by the physical body, but possesses multiple vehicles of manifestation, known in esotericism as subtle or spiritual bodies. These bodies are the vehicles that allow us to interact with the various dimensions of existence. However, it is important to understand that these subtle bodies are, to a large extent, contaminated by the ego and the psychological defects that obscure our consciousness and our connection to the divine.

Among these bodies, the four lower bodies stand out, also known as the “bodies of sin”: the physical body, the vital body, the astral body, and the mental body. They are called bodies of sin because they are inhabited by the ego, this multifaceted and fragmented entity that constitutes the countless “I’s” that dwell in our psyche. These I’s, in esoteric tradition, are the “red demons of Seth” mentioned by the ancient Egyptians, or the “psychic aggregates” of the Buddhists. They are the personifications of our defects, which imprison our divine essence, preventing it from shining in its fullness.

The physical body, made of flesh and bone, is the densest of these vehicles. It is the instrument through which we express ourselves in the material world and is subject to deterioration and death. When the physical body perishes, its biological processes cease, but its true function was to be a temporary vessel for our soul. Along with it, the vital body, which gives energy and vitality to the physical body, also begins to deteriorate. This vital body, known as the etheric body or aura, is responsible for maintaining the flow of energy between our subtle bodies and the physical body. When the vital body disintegrates, physical death inevitably occurs.

However, beyond these perishable bodies, we possess subtler bodies that transcend physical death: the astral body and the mental body. The astral body is the vehicle through which we express ourselves in the astral plane, the world of dreams and extraphysical experience. It does not die, as it is connected to our immortal soul. Through the astral body, we can consciously travel through other dimensions, explore realities beyond the physical and reconnect with the divine essence. The mental body, in turn, is the vehicle that allows us to express thoughts and ideas, being the instrument of our mind in the mental world. It also transcends physical death and continues to exist in the fifth dimension.

Nevertheless, what we truly are goes far beyond these subtle bodies. Our true essence is the soul, pure consciousness, also known as Budhata in the East. This essence, our true divine nature, is immortal and perfect. Unfortunately, it is imprisoned by psychological defects, by the egos we have accumulated over many lives. When we are born, this essence manifests purely, as in a newborn, who expresses a beauty and innocence unmatched. However, as we grow, the essence returns to being imprisoned by defects, and the ego takes control of our lives, obscuring our inner light.

Master Yeshua Ha’Meshiach, in his infinite wisdom, taught us about the importance of becoming like children to inherit the Kingdom of Heaven. He was not only referring to physical purity but to the need to return to our pure essence, free from the ego, so that we can experience true spiritual life. “Unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven,” he taught us. This means that we must seek the lost innocence, the inner purity that connects us to our true divinity.

However, the ego, which is the personification of our defects and desires, constantly fights to maintain control over our psyche. It is plural, composed of countless I’s that compete with each other for control of our mind and emotions. Each of these I’s represents an aspect of our defects, such as pride, anger, envy, and fear. These I’s are true psychic entities, fragments of our consciousness disconnected from our divine essence.

Our spiritual journey, then, is the journey of freeing our essence from these shackles of the ego. It is the quest for the elimination of psychological defects, the process of ego death, which leads us to spiritual rebirth. This rebirth, as Master Yeshua taught, is a rebirth of water and fire. Water symbolizes purification, the process of cleansing imperfections and accumulated karma. Fire, on the other hand, represents transmutation, the alchemical power that transforms our lower nature into spiritual gold, elevating us to our true divinity.

This journey of purification and transmutation leads us to understand what truly dies and what does not die. The physical body, the vital body, and the personality are temporary; they deteriorate and return to dust after death. However, our essence, our immortal soul, continues to exist, waiting for a new opportunity to incarnate and continue its process of spiritual evolution. Those who awaken their consciousness and eliminate the ego free themselves from this cycle of death and rebirth, achieving spiritual immortality and union with the divine.

Physical death, therefore, is merely a transition. What dies is the form, the temporary body we inhabit, but true life continues. The essence, when freed from the ego, ascends to higher dimensions, where it continues its journey of return to the divine. However, for those who have not awakened, for those whose consciousness is still imprisoned by the I’s, death is only the beginning of a new cycle of suffering, where the ego continues to imprison the soul in its illusions and desires.

Our goal, as seekers of truth, is to transcend this wheel of suffering. It is to awaken our consciousness and eliminate the ego so that we can experience true life, the eternal life that Master Yeshua Ha’Meshiach promised to those who follow his path. This path is the path of purification, transmutation, and spiritual awakening. It is the path that leads us back to our true essence, the Great and Powerful Presence I AM, which is immortal, perfect, and eternal.

May each of us walk this path with determination and faith. May we, through spiritual practice and self-knowledge, liberate our essence and unite with the divine. May the Light of the Great and Powerful Presence I AM shine in our hearts, guiding us on our journey of self-transformation and spiritual elevation. Amen!

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Jp Santsil

Onde me manifesto… sou como o entardecer, onde o vento passa ao silêncio da morte e as árvores vibram ao ver passar. Se não me manifesto… no nada tudo serei.