Sex and Subtle Bodies in the Work and the Gnosis

Abstract

This article examines the often-overlooked influence of George Ivanovich Gurdjieff on Samael Aun Weor and the Gnostic Movement, the largest self-described Gnostic religion today. While previous scholarship has emphasized the role of Arnoldo Krumm-Heller and esoteric traditions such as the OTO and Tantra in shaping Weor’s teachings, this study argues that the Gurdjieff Work provides the structural foundation for the Gnosis. Drawing on fieldwork conducted during a 23-week introductory course with a Gnostic group in Edinburgh, the article demonstrates that core practices—including division of attention, self-remembering, and the creation of subtle bodies—are directly traceable to Gurdjieff’s system. Moreover, the article proposes that, although seminal retention can attributed to Tantric sources, the use of sexual energy to create subtle bodies is unique to the Work and the Gnosis. Moreover, this shows that Gurdjieffian elements are the foundational structural core of the Gnosis. By reassessing the lineage of the Gnosis, this study contributes to a more nuanced re-evaluation of Gurdjieff’s legacy in contemporary global spiritual discourse.