Spiritual seekers need not look to the East; inspiration is right here at home. Derived from the Greek word gnosis, or "knowledge", a Gnostic is one who seeks a direct experience of the Divine. Refuting the notion that no coherent set of Gnostic beliefs exists, this authoritative introduction reveals Gnosticism as the indigenous mystical tradition of the West and considers its message to Judeo-Christianity in the 21st century. May.