Gnosis, Greek for knowledge, is a term that refers to spiritual experiences, theophany, hierophany, and their interpretations when used in a theological context.

Many modern polytheists prefer to label their gnosis using more specific language. UPG, Unverified Personal Gnosis, is gnosis that belongs to a single individual. SPG, Shared Personal Gnosis, is gnosis that is shared between several practitioners, usually stemming from sharing their UPG in a group setting and finding that others have had similar experiences. VPG, Verified Personal Gnosis, is gnosis that is shared with ancestral practitioners, usually after a modern individual finds primary sources that agree with their own personal experiences.

There is recent debate on the usefulness of UPG and SPG as frameworks, and some polytheists have proposed that this creates a false dichotomy between historical reconstruction and contemporary, lived experience.¹⁾ Around 2020 and earlier, the term “doxa” was proposed to replace the term UPG based on the idea that UPG was not only a misnomer, but without real use:²⁾

Doxa is not quite the same thing as UPG, or unverified personal gnosis. UPG is, I find, an oxymoronic and therefore inappropriate term, because its use of gnosis implies that the personal experience is established, external truth. Indeed, something which is “unverified” and “personal” cannot be considered true gnosis within the context of episteme. In order to be considered as such, it must be exoteric, not esoteric. The term “UPG” tries to convey personal experience and internal understanding in the sense that doxa does, but leaves much to be desired.