According to the ancient Gnostics--the early Christians who wrote such controversial texts as the recently discovered Gospel of Judas--we are all capable of "gnosis," or direct knowledge of the true reality that lies behind the material world. Andrew Phillip Smith, author of respected works on the lost sayings of Jesus, the Gospel of Philip, and other Gnostic subjects, now offers a highly accessible layman's introduction to this long-suppressed philosophy that offers an intriguing alternative to accepted Christian beliefs. With references to "The Da Vinci Code," "The Matrix," and other fictions inspired by the Gnostic worldview, this is an eye-opening, and possibly life-changing book meant to revive forgotten traditions, and perhaps even allow readers to experience gnosis themselves.