Magus Of Strovolos Essay, Research Paper

The neophyte stood in front of the altar with a large divine imagine facing her. On the

alter was a folded white robe with a sword upon it. A initiated member of the inner circle

lit white candles and incense while another switched on a powerful twin light to

illuminate the divinely image. The highest member of the inner circle then took the

sword, and preceded with the ritual initiation of the neophyte into the inner circle of the

ancient mysteries.(Markides 124) This scene invokes the imagination to think of

Freemasonry, fraternal organizations and even Witchcraft. This is a ritual steeped in the

esoteric world of mysteries, but yet it is seemingly Christian! This is the world of Spyros

Sathi, the Magus of Strovolos. A man of great spirituality and wisdom. He is known in

his region as a great healer, and is highly revered for his gift. Today he coexists with the

Christian church who would have most definitely sent the inquisitioner after him in the

past. Although Spyros Sathi is a Christian holy man, is teachings are a swirl of Gnostic

and alchemical mysticism.

Mysticism is a spiritual discipline aiming at a union with the divine through

meditation and contemplation. (Webster?s 466) It has long played apart in religious

traditions in every part of the world. ?Those who claim to have actually experienced this

direct revelation constitutes an elite tradition which transcends the boundary lines of

individual religions, cultures and languages.? (Adhayananda 1) There are many Mystic

Schools of thought, but some of the more well known are; Ancient Egyptian, Cabalistic,

Tantric, Yogic, Sufism, Alchemy and Gnostic. Spyros Sathi, also known as Daskalos,

seems to work with all these traditions, especially Gnosticism. Of course I must add that

there?s always blurred boundaries between these traditions because they all inter link in

various aspects. Daskalos transcends these boundaries, and uses these traditions as an

artists would a palette.

Daskalos is greatly influenced by the Gnostic-Christian legacy. His teachings

mirror that of the Gnostic gospels. It was Simon Magus who first brought Gnosticism to

light in the apostolic era. (Picknett & Prince 316) The first clue to Gnostic thought in

Daskalos? teachings is his invisible master, Yohannan. ?Daskalos went on to explain that

Yohannan was none other than Jesus? disciple, John the evangelist, who spoke through

Daskalos? body.? (Maekides 6) The fact that John the evangelist is Daskalos? invisible

master is very significant because John the evangelist was supposedly recipient of Jesus?

secret teachings. (Pickett & Price 333) These teachings are what have come to light in

the ?Gnostic Gospels?, found in the Egyptian desert, and date back to the fourth

century.(Pagels xvi-xvii) These versions of the canonical gospels are very Gnostic in

verse, and it is well known that the New Testament was not complied until 325 CE at the

council of Nicaea by bias Catholic priest. Daskalos seems to be teaching those secret

teachings of Jesus, which greatly differ from the current popular Christian doctrines.

Another apparent correlation between gnosticism and Daskalos? teachings is the

way each views the role of Judas Iscariot?s betrayal of Jesus. In a Gnostic writing, Judas

was held to be a man far advanced in the gnosis. ?Judas?s ?betrayal? was in fact an act of

complicity with Christ?s purpose, and he thus contributed to the scheme of salvation.?

(Holroyd 48) Daskalos has some very similar words about Judas; ?The role of Judas is

something within the Divine Plan because it facilitates its unfolding.? (Markides 115)

Although not as pronounced, but still worth mentioning is how the apostle Peter is

portrayed.

?I remember Peter was rough-looking, blondish, with heavy arms. He always

held a stick, chasing people away from Jesus. Peter was envious of Yohannan

because of his education. He apparently had an inferiority complex because

he was illiterate. I remember that Yahannan would smile and shake his head

whenever he would see Peter with the stick in his hand driving people and

children away from master.? (Markides 120)

Although Daskalos is not informing us of some great new revelation in the personality of

Peter , he has always been viewed as , for lack of better words, the ?macho man? of the

disciples, the fact that Daskalos makes this statement in reference to John the evangelist

is! Lynn Pickett and Clive Prince write about the great occult scholar A.E. Waite, in their

book, The Templar Revelation:

?The presence of a secret tradition within Christianity that was behind the

whole concept of legends also recognize the alchemical, hermetic and

Gnostic elements in the stories.? Although he [Waite] was certain that there

are strong hints about the existence of such a ?hidden church? in the Grail

legends, he does not come to any firm conclusion about its nature, but he

does give a prominent place to what he called the ?Johannine Tradition?. He

refers to a long-held idea in esoteric circles of a mystical school of

Christianity that was founded by John the Evangelist, based on the secret

teachings he had been given by Jesus. This arcane knowledge did nor appear

in the outward or exoteric Christianity that came down through the teachings

of Peter.? (Picknett & Prince122)

Could Daskalos be of this same school of thought? I think there is some indications of

this subtly hidden in Daskalos? teachings.

Daskalos also uses alchemical symbolism in his teachings. He talks about

transmuting silver into gold and vice-versa. He seems to be explaining a universal,

metaphysical law on personal transformation. He tells a story of someone he knew that

heard he was able to make gold. ?After learning of the experiment,[this person] knocked

at his door carrying along several bars of lead. He wanted Daskalos to transform them

into gold. Daskalos got angry and sent him away.? (Markides 194) Being that Daskalos

got angry at this person shows that there is a underlying message of alchemy. More than

just simply creating gold out of lead. This has always been the lore of the Alchemist; to

transmute lead into gold, but there?s an underlying message here. ?It was made very plain

that alchemy was just as much to do with self-mastery as with mastery of the physical

laws of nature, and that neither could be achieved without patience, observation and

devotion.? (Gilchrist 7) Although Daskalos can actually transmute metals into gold, that

is not is point. His point is that he uses the analogy of transforming something into gold

as a metaphor for self transformation or enlightenment.

Daskalos, the Magus of Strovolos carried on an age-old tradition of esoteric

Christian mysteries, and his teachings are still being taught by faithful followers. His

teachings were most likely in the esoteric tradition for a reason. Could it have posed a

direct threat to the Catholic and Orthodox Churches? Gnosticism, along with other

traditions like alchemy have long been deemed to be heresies to the church. Daskalos

carried on this Gnostic message in the esoteric art in order that the truth remained

obtainable for those who seek it! As Jesus himself put it so elegantly; ?and you will

know the truth, and the truth will make you free.? (John 8:32)

Abhayananda, S. History of Mysticism: The unchanging Testament. Olympia: Atma Books, 1937.

Gilchrist, Cherry. The Elements of Alchemy. Rockport: Element Books, Inc., 1991

Holroyd, Stuart. The Elements of Gnosticism. Rockport: Element Books, Inc., 1994..

Pagels, Elaine. The Gnostic Gospels. New York: Vintage Books , 1979

Markides, Kyriacos C. The Magus of Strovolos. London: Penguin Books Ltd., 1985

Picknett, Lynn., and Clive Prince. The Templar Revelation: Secret Guardians of the Indentity of

Christ. New York: Touchstone, 1998.

?Mysticism.? Webster?s New World College Dictionary. 1997 ed.

The Holy Bible. Revised Standard Version. New York: Thomas Nelson & Sons, 1952.