Chapter 1, Section 1c

Describing the divine only by negation—God transcends all positive categories and concepts; the via negativa.

The text explicitly states that those who have penetrated the hidden Depths cannot describe the Vision, emphasizing the divine's transcendence of language.

The material body viewed as a prison, tomb, or source of error that hinders spiritual knowledge and return.

The passage warns against slipping down the steep descent through one's lower propensity, implying the material nature hinders spiritual ascent.

The supreme God's radical concealment beyond ordinary knowledge or perception; the Hidden Father.

The passage emphasizes the hidden Depths of Deity and the inability to describe the Vision, highlighting God's radical concealment beyond ordinary knowledge.

The uncreated luminous quality of the divine, sometimes experienced directly in mystical states; illumination as revelation.

The text describes God illuminating creatures with rays that correspond to their powers, using light as a metaphor for divine revelation.

The doctrine that God has no parts, divisions, or composite attributes; pure undivided being.

The reference to God dwelling alone by Itself suggests an undivided nature without composite attributes.

A chain of divine beings or principles flowing downward from a single transcendent source (the One or the Father), each level less perfect than the one above.

The passage mentions the Good dwelling alone by Itself and having a super-essential Ray that illuminates creatures, implying a structured flow from source to creation.

Salvation through direct experiential knowledge of the divine nature, not through faith, ritual, or moral works alone.

The text describes those who have penetrated the hidden Depths and drawn holy minds into contemplation of the Mystery.

Esoteric teachings reserved for those ready to receive them; outer meaning conceals an inner liberating truth.

The passage notes that the Mystery is so granted as to fit creatures' powers, indicating esoteric truths reserved for those ready.

The practice of stilling the mind and speech to open receptivity to divine knowledge or presence.

The passage instructs to worship with reverent silence and approach the Mystery of Godhead.

Diotima's staged ascent from love of beautiful bodies → beautiful souls → beautiful pursuits → beautiful knowledge → Beauty itself; the canonical scala amoris that grounds Plotinus's On the Beautiful and Bruno's Eroici Furori — distinct from generic spiritual_ascent in that eros is the specific motive force.

The text describes a process of holy minds striving upward through love responsive to gracious illuminations.

Disciplined inward attention — sitting, focused, or open-awareness practice — as a stand-alone term that umbrellas active_contemplation, inner_silence, and dhyana-style sitting.

The passage distinguishes between meditation and contemplation, noting that not all are called to the higher activity.

The merging of the individual soul or self with the divine, transcending personal identity.

The text describes holy minds being drawn into participation and resemblance of God through divine illuminations.

The soul's journey back to its divine origin, reversing the fall into matter through stages of purification or illumination.

The passage describes a flight on the wings of reverence toward the ray that casts its light upon them.

A staged journey of the soul upward through heavenly realms or levels of being toward the divine source.

The text explicitly describes a 'holy flight' and the process of holy minds striving upward toward the divine ray.

The doctrine — central to Eastern Orthodox and Maximian theology — that the human person is progressively transformed into a partaker of the divine nature by grace, not merely justified or united in passing ecstasy.

The passage mentions that holy minds are drawn into participation and resemblance of God through contemplation.