The Life and Doctrines of Jacob Boehme · 55 of 159 · tr. Franz Hartmann
Chapter 6 (part 8)
They are fire-flames, illumined by the light of God, but we attain the great fountain of meekness and love which is welling up within the holy essentiality of God." 1 ( Menschwerdung , i.
5.) Man comprises all three principles: the principle of darkness or fire, from which originates his soul; the principle of light, from which his spirit originates; and the third principle, which is the basic element of his body.
"In the life of man there are three states to be distinguished from each other—first, the innermost , that is to say, God being eternally hidden within the fire; secondly, the middle part , which from eternity has stood as an image or likeness in the wonders of God, comparable to a person seeing himself in a mirror; thirdly, has this living image received still another mirror in creation wherein to behold itself, namely, the spirit of the external world , or the third principle , which is also a form (state) of the Eternal." ( Threefold Life , xviii.
4.) "The darkness in man longing for light is the first p.
137 principle; the power of the light the second; and the longing power which attracts and becomes full (substantial), and whereof the material body grows, is the third principle." ( Three Principles , vii.
26.) "The soul , or the first principle, is founded on the fire of eternal nature; the spirit , or the second principle, roots in the light; and the body is the third principle, or the substantiality of the visible world." 1 ( Tabulæ Principiæ , 65.) Adam was to rule over all nature, and therefore his body was taken from all the powers of the external world; but the third principle, as well as the first one, appeared in him subject to the second, the light.
"If you will behold your own self and the outer world, and what is taking place therein, you will find that you, with regard to your external being, are that external world.
You are a little world formed out of the large one, and your external light is a chaos of the sun and the constellation of stars.
If this were not so, you would not be able to see by means of the light of the sun." 2 ( Mysterium , ii.
5.) "If man, as the image of God, is to rule over the fishes and fowls, the animals, and the whole of the earth, as well as over the essence of all the stars, then must he be out of all three, for each spirit can rule only in his mother, wherein he originated." ( Mysterium , xiv.
8.) "Terrestrial man had in.
his constitution the kingdom of this world, but there were not ruling in him the four elements (separately); but they were in one, and the terrestrial order of things was hidden in him.
He was p.
138 to live in celestial state, and although everything was stirring (alive) within him, nevertheless he was to rule over the terrestrial anguish (external consciousness) by means of the celestial quality (inner consciousness) of the other (second) principle, and to retain dominion over the kingdom of the stars and elements by means of the Paradisiacal quality." ( Menschwerdung , i.
2.) Man must rise, not merely in his imagination, but with his will, above all that which is earthly, sensual, or merely intellectual, if he desires to be a power in the kingdom of the Spirit.
Thus will the ideal become real to him.
"Adam's body (the ethereal body of aboriginal man) was created out of the four elements of external nature, and out of the (essences of the) stars, by means of the eternal Fiat .
Themes
◆Active Contemplationpraxis
A form of meditation that uses imagery, imagination, or symbolic thought rather than purely empty stillness.
The reader is asked to actively 'behold' the self and world to gain understanding.
All passages →◆Alchemical Workpraxis
The transformation of base substance — outer matter or the inner soul — into a purified, perfected, or 'gold' state; the magnum opus as both laboratory practice and spiritual allegory.
The transformation of the earthly into the spiritual ('ideal become real') mirrors alchemical purification.
All passages →◆Cosmic Sympathycosmology
The Stoic and Plotinian doctrine that all parts of the cosmos are bound by hidden affinities, so that a movement in one part resonates through the whole; the metaphysical basis for astrology, magic, and divination.
Man is formed out of the powers of the external world and stars, implying a resonant connection.
All passages →◆Divine Sparkscosmology
Fragments of divine light or spirit trapped inside material bodies, awaiting liberation and return to their source.
Man comprises fire-flames illumined by the light of God, indicating divine fragments within.
All passages →◆Gnosis Direct Knowledgesoteriology
Salvation through direct experiential knowledge of the divine nature, not through faith, ritual, or moral works alone.
Understanding comes from beholding one's self and the outer world rather than external instruction.
All passages →◆Self Examinationpraxis
Daily review of thought and action as spiritual practice.
The instruction to 'behold your own self' functions as a practice of introspection.
All passages →◆Spiritual Ascentpraxis
A staged journey of the soul upward through heavenly realms or levels of being toward the divine source.
Man is instructed to 'rise... above all that which is earthly, sensual, or merely intellectual.'
All passages →◆Theosis Deificationsoteriology
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.
Man is to become a 'power in the kingdom of the Spirit' where the ideal becomes real.
All passages →◇Apophatic Theologytheology
Describing the divine only by negation—God transcends all positive categories and concepts; the via negativa.
[auto] God is described as 'eternally hidden,' transcending direct perception in the innermost state.
All passages →◇Correspondencecosmology
The Hermetic axiom that the structure of the cosmos is reflected at every scale — 'as above, so below; as within, so without' — making each level a legible map of the others.
[auto] The passage asserts that 'you, with regard to your external being, are that external world,' illustrating the structural reflection between human and cosmos.
All passages →◇Cosmic Dualismtheology
Ontological opposition between two primal principles (light/darkness, truth/lie, spirit/matter) as the fundamental structure of reality.
[auto] It establishes a fundamental opposition between the principle of darkness/fire and the principle of light.
All passages →◇Divine Hiddennesstheology
The supreme God's radical concealment beyond ordinary knowledge or perception; the Hidden Father.
[auto] The text describes the innermost state as God being 'eternally hidden within the fire'.
All passages →◇Divine Lighttheology
The uncreated luminous quality of the divine, sometimes experienced directly in mystical states; illumination as revelation.
[auto] The passage repeatedly references the 'light of God' and the 'principle of light' as originating the spirit.
All passages →◇Emanation Hierarchycosmology
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.
[auto] Three states are distinguished flowing from the Eternal, from hidden God to external world.
All passages →◇Inner Lightanthropology
The divine spark or luminous quality residing within the human person, potentially recognisable through introspection.
[auto] It describes a fountain of love welling up within and darkness in man longing for light.
All passages →◇Kingdom Withinanthropology
The claim that the divine realm is present inside the individual, accessible without external mediation.
[auto] The text emphasizes attaining the divine fountain which is 'welling up within the holy essentiality of God'.
All passages →◇Microcosm Macrocosmcosmology
The human being as a small-scale image of the entire cosmos; the body, soul, and intellect mirroring the structure of the heavens and the divine — distinct from correspondence in that it makes the human the privileged mirror.
[auto] The text explicitly states 'You are a little world formed out of the large one,' defining man as a reflection of the cosmos.
All passages →◇Mystical Unionsoteriology
The merging of the individual soul or self with the divine, transcending personal identity.
[auto] The goal described is to attain the great fountain of meekness and love within God's essentiality.
All passages →◇Numerical Mysticismtheology
Numbers, proportions, and mathematical relationships as the underlying structure of divine reality.
[auto] The structure of reality and man is defined by the number three (three principles, three states).
All passages →◇Return To Sourcesoteriology
The soul's journey back to its divine origin, reversing the fall into matter through stages of purification or illumination.
[auto] The passage speaks of attaining the fountain welling up within, implying a return or ascent to the source.
All passages →◇Self Knowledgesoteriology
The recognition of one's own true divine nature as the primary path to liberation; 'know thyself' as soteriology.
[auto] Man is compared to a person seeing himself in a mirror to behold his living image.
All passages →◇Tripartite Soulanthropology
Division of the human being into three principles: spirit (pneuma), soul (psyche), and body/matter (hyle or soma).
[auto] The passage explicitly states that man comprises three principles: soul (darkness/fire), spirit (light), and body.
All passages →◇Unity Of Beingtheology
The doctrine that all existence is ultimately one substance or one divine reality; non-duality as a theological claim.
[auto] Man comprises all three principles which exist within the holy essentiality of God.
All passages →Related passages · 49 parallels
◆greek_mystery|Orphic Hymns|Front Matter, p. 4 (part 17)
“82 bitumen, and the sprinkling of marine water.
For sulphur purifies from the sharpness of its odour; but marine water on account of its fiery portion.
Besides this, in the worship of the Gods, they offered animals, and other substances c…”
Both passages discuss the interconnectedness of the divine and material worlds, emphasizing the presence of divine qualities in natural elements and the hierarchical structure of existence. The Orphic Hymns passage describes how natural elements imitate divine properties, while the Three Principles passage explains the tripartite nature of man and the world, rooted in divine principles.
◆neoplatonism|Iamblichus: On the Mysteries|Chapter I
“It is also necessary to demonstrate to you, in what dæmons, heroes, and souls differ from each other, and whether this difference is according to essence, or according to power, or according to energy. I say, therefore, that dæmons are prod…”
Both passages discuss the hierarchical and functional differences between various spiritual or divine entities and human components. They explore the distinctions in essence, power, and function among different beings or principles, highlighting their roles in the cosmic and human order.
◆neoplatonism|Iamblichus: On the Mysteries|Chapter IVb
“And, with respect to archons, the light of those that have the government of the world is more pure; but of those that preside over matter, exhibits itself mingled from things of a dissimilar and contrary nature.
And the light of souls man…”
Both passages discuss the hierarchical nature of divine and cosmic entities, with a focus on the qualities and characteristics of different levels of beings, particularly in relation to light and fire. They share a common theme of gradation and the interplay between divine and material elements.
◆neoplatonism|Iamblichus: On the Mysteries|Chapter VI
“That, however, which is the greatest thing is this, that he who [appears to] draw down a certain divinity, sees a spirit descending and entering into some one, recognizes its magnitude and quality, and is also mystically persuaded and gover…”
Both passages discuss the descent of divine or spiritual forces, manifesting as fire or light, and their effects on the human recipient. They share a common theme of divine inspiration and the transformation of the individual through this process, though they come from different mystical traditions.
◆neoplatonism|Iamblichus: On the Mysteries|Chapter I
“Leaving, therefore, these particulars, you wish in the next place that I would unfold to you “ What the Egyptians conceive the first cause to be; whether intellect, or above intellect; whether alone, or subsisting with some other or others;…”
Both passages discuss the nature of fundamental principles or causes in their respective traditions. Iamblichus explores the Egyptian conception of multiple principles and their origins, while the second passage outlines the three principles in man according to a different mystical tradition. Both texts delve into the hierarchical and constitutive aspects of these principles.
◆neoplatonism|Iamblichus: On the Mysteries|Chapter II
“Prior to truly existing beings and total principles [or principles that rank as wholes], there is one God, prior to [that deity who is generally believed to be] the first God and king, [133] immoveable, and abiding in the solitude of his ow…”
Both passages discuss the tripartite nature of existence and the divine, with a focus on the interplay between darkness, light, and substance. They also explore the concept of humanity as a microcosm of the larger universe, reflecting divine principles.
◆neoplatonism|Iamblichus: On the Mysteries|Chapter VIII
“It is well observed by Ficinus, in lib.
i.
Eunead.
ii.
Plotin.
“that the fire which is enkindled by us is more similar to the heavens than other terrestrial substances.
Hence it participates of light, which is something incorporeal, i…”
Both passages discuss the concept of divine fire and its role in purification and spiritual elevation. They share a mystical perspective on the transformative power of fire, linking it to divine light and the elevation of the soul or spirit.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 94
“Section 4 4. But matters are involved here which demand specific investigation and cannot be treated as incidental merely to our present problem. We are faced with several questions: Is the heavenly system exposed to any such flux as would…”
Both passages discuss the nature of the soul and its relationship to the divine and the material world. They explore the immortality and permanence of celestial bodies and the soul's role in maintaining cosmic order, though from different mystical traditions.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 96 (part 2)
“Fire, again: is earth perhaps necessary there since fire is by its own nature devoid of continuity and not a thing of three dimensions?
Supposing it does not possess the solidity of the three dimensions, it has that of its thrust; now, can…”
Both passages explore the composition and nature of elements, particularly fire, and their relationship to other elements and the divine. They share a mystical approach to understanding the fundamental constituents of reality, though from different traditions.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 159
“Section 3 3. Ever illuminated, receiving light unfailing, the All-Soul imparts it to the entire series of later Being which by this light is sustained and fostered and endowed with the fullest measure of life that each can absorb. It may be…”
Both passages discuss the tripartite nature of existence and the interconnectedness of all things, with Passage A focusing on the three principles within man and Passage B on the hierarchical and interconnected nature of divine and cosmic existence.
39 more
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 160
“Section 4 4. To those who assert that creation is the work of the Soul after the failing of its wings, we answer that no such disgrace could overtake the Soul of the All. If they tell us of its falling, they must tell us also what caused th…”
Both passages discuss the tripartite nature of existence or being, with a higher, divine principle, an intermediate principle (soul or spirit), and a lower, material principle. They also emphasize the relationship and interaction between these different levels of existence.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 161
“Section 5 5. Still more unreasonably: There are men, bound to human bodies and subject to desire, grief, anger, who think so generously of their own faculty that they declare themselves in contact with the Intelligible World, but deny that…”
Both passages discuss the tripartite nature of existence and the interconnectedness of all things. Boehme's passage describes the three principles within man and the world, while Plotinus' passage discusses the All-Soul and the communication of being among all things, highlighting the interconnectedness and eternal nature of existence.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 217
“Section 3 3. What, then, is the spirit [guiding the present life and determining the future]? The Spirit of here and now. And the God? The God of here and now. Spirit, God; This in act within us, conducts every life; for, even here and now,…”
Both passages discuss the concept of the human soul or spirit as being connected to higher and lower principles or realms. They both emphasize the idea of ascending or descending based on one's actions and the dominance of different spiritual principles within the individual.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 219
“Section 5 5. But if the presiding Spirit and the conditions of life are chosen by the Soul in the overworld, how can anything be left to our independent action here? The answer is that very choice in the over-world is merely an allegorical…”
Both passages discuss the concept of the human soul or spirit as being connected to higher and lower principles or realms. They also explore the idea of human beings having the potential to rise to higher spiritual states or being weighed down by lower, more base aspects of their nature.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 242
“Section 10 10. Further: If Matter were susceptible of modification, it must acquire something by the incoming of the new state; it will either adopt that state, or, at least, it will be in some way different from what it was. Now upon this…”
Both passages explore the interaction between fundamental principles or qualities (heat/cold in Plotinus, light/darkness in the second passage) and their effects on the underlying substance or essence. They both discuss the nature of modification and the interplay of opposing forces within a unified whole.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 247
“Section 15 15. Now the objects attracting the sun-rays to themselves- illuminated by a fire of the sense-order- are necessarily of the sense-order; there is perceptibility because there has been a union of things at once external to each ot…”
Both passages explore the relationship between different principles or elements within existence, discussing the interaction between higher and lower realms. Plotinus describes the interaction between the Reason-Principle and Matter, while the second passage discusses the three principles in man (darkness, light, and the material body) and their relationship to the divine.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 289 (part 1)
“Section 2 2.
To this our first answer is that to place certain things under one identical class- by admitting an identical range of operation- is to make them of one common species, and puts an end to all mention of part; the reasonable co…”
Both passages discuss the nature of the soul and its relationship to the body and the divine. They explore the concept of unity and multiplicity within the human being and the cosmos, though they come from different mystical traditions.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 328 (part 1)
“Section 8 8.
But, we need not record in memory all we see; mere incidental concomitants need not occupy the imagination; when things vividly present to intuition, or knowledge, happen to occur in concrete form, it is not necessary- unless…”
Both passages discuss the concept of the soul's descent from a higher, divine realm to a lower, material one, and the subsequent loss of direct connection to the divine. They also explore the idea of memory and recognition of higher states or beings.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 336
“Section 16 16. But if in the soul thing follows thing, if there is earlier and later in its productions, if it engenders or creates in time, then it must be looking towards the future; and if towards the future, then towards the past as wel…”
Both passages discuss the hierarchical structure of existence and the relationship between different principles or faculties. Plotinus describes the Intellectual-Principle, Soul, and Nature, while the second passage discusses the three principles of darkness, light, and the material body in man. Both explore the idea of a higher, intellectual or spiritual realm influencing a lower, material realm.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 345
“Section 25 25. But the organ is not the only requisite to vision or to perception of any kind: there must be a state of the soul inclining it towards the sphere of sense. Now it is the soul's character to be ever in the Intellectual sphere,…”
Both passages explore the relationship between the soul or spirit and the material world, positing an intermediary or middle state that facilitates perception and interaction. They share a conceptual framework involving multiple principles or states that bridge the gap between the higher, intellectual or divine realm and the physical, sensible realm.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 351 (part 1)
“Section 31 31.
Our problem embraces all act and all experience throughout the entire kosmos- whether due to nature, in the current phrase, or effected by art.
The natural proceeds, we must hold, from the All towards its members and from t…”
Both passages explore the relationship between the spiritual and physical realms, discussing how the withdrawal of a higher principle (soul or light) affects the lower principle (body or reflected light). They both delve into the nature of existence and the transformation of qualities when the physical form dissolves.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 369
“Section 3 3. For the most convincing proof that vision does not depend upon the transmission of impressions of any kind made upon the air, we have only to consider that in the darkness of night we can see a fire and the stars and their very…”
Both passages explore the nature of perception and the interconnectedness of the universe. Plotinus discusses the idea of a sympathetic universe where perception is possible due to the unity of all parts, while the second passage describes a similar interconnectedness through the principles of darkness, light, and the material world, emphasizing the unity of man and the external world.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 372
“Section 6 6. We return, then, to the question whether there could be light if there were no air, the sun illuminating corporeal surfaces across an intermediate void which, as things are, takes the light accidentally by the mere fact of bein…”
Both passages explore the nature of perception and the interconnectedness of the universe. Passage A discusses the idea of a sympathetic universe where perception depends on a living whole, while Passage B describes the interconnectedness of man and the cosmos through the principles of darkness, light, and the material world.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 373 (part 1)
“Section 7 7.
Our investigation may be furthered by enquiring: Whether light finally perishes or simply returns to its source.
If it be a thing requiring to be caught and kept, domiciled within a recipient, we might think of it finally pas…”
Both passages explore the nature of perception and the role of light in connecting the perceiver with the perceived. They discuss the idea of an intermediate medium (light) that facilitates vision, though they approach it from different metaphysical frameworks.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 388
“Section 8 8. A. [sometimes appearing as 9] There are those who insist on the activities observed in bodies- warming, chilling, thrusting, pressing- and class soul with body, as it were to assure its efficacy. This ignores the double fact th…”
Both passages discuss the nature of the soul and its relationship to the body and higher principles. They explore the idea of a non-material, intellectual or spiritual principle that underlies and animates the physical world, though they do so within different philosophical and theological frameworks.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 398
“Section 14 14. (19) As for the souls of the other living beings, fallen to the degree of entering brute bodies, these too must be immortal. And if there is in the animal world any other phase of soul, its only possible origin, since it is t…”
Both passages discuss the nature of a primal, divine principle that is the source of life and being. Passage A describes a self-caused, indestructible principle that sustains all things, while Passage B discusses the three principles in man (darkness, light, and the third principle) rooted in divine essentiality. Both emphasize the eternal and foundational nature of these principles.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 440 (part 2)
“The life in the Divine Intellect is also an Act: it is the primal light outlamping to itself primarily, its own torch; light-giver and lit at once; the authentic intellectual object, knowing at once and known, seen to itself and needing no…”
Both passages discuss the nature of the divine intellect or light and the soul's relationship to it. They emphasize the self-sufficiency and self-knowledge of the divine intellect and the soul's ability to attain a vision of the divine through its own nature.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 445
“Section 13 13. Thus The One is in truth beyond all statement: any affirmation is of a thing; but the all-transcending, resting above even the most august divine Mind, possesses alone of all true being, and is not a thing among things; we ca…”
Both passages discuss the concept of divine intellect or light and the soul's relationship to it. They describe a process where the soul can attain a higher state of understanding or vision through its connection to the divine, highlighting the self-sufficiency and clarity of the divine intellect.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 446
“Section 14 14. How, then, do we ourselves come to be speaking of it? No doubt we deal with it, but we do not state it; we have neither knowledge nor intellection of it. But in what sense do we even deal with it when we have no hold upon it?…”
Both passages discuss the nature of the soul and its relationship to the divine. They describe a process of ascending from the material to the spiritual, emphasizing the immaterial and divine aspects of the soul. The passages share a common theme of the soul's connection to a higher, intellectual principle or divine light.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 475
“Section 1 1. We have to examine the question whether there exists an ideal archetype of individuals, in other words whether I and every other human being go back to the Intellectual, every [living] thing having origin and principle There. I…”
Both passages explore the concept of unity and duality within the self and the divine. Plotinus discusses the primal intellection as a unity in duality, while the second passage describes the human as a composite of three principles, reflecting a similar interplay between unity and multiplicity.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 481
“Section 3 3. Thus there is in the Nature-Principle itself an Ideal archetype of the beauty that is found in material forms and, of that archetype again, the still more beautiful archetype in Soul, source of that in Nature. In the proficient…”
Both passages discuss the hierarchical nature of existence and the role of intellect or light as the highest principle. They also explore the relationship between the divine and the material world, emphasizing the primacy of the intellectual or spiritual principle.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 485
“Section 7 7. Consider the universe: we are agreed that its existence and its nature come to it from beyond itself; are we, now, to imagine that its maker first thought it out in detail- the earth, and its necessary situation in the middle;…”
Both passages explore the relationship between the divine and the material world, emphasizing the higher beauty and purity of the divine realm compared to its manifestations in the physical world. They also discuss the concept of creation and the role of the artist or creator in bringing forth beauty and form.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 487
“Section 9 9. Let us, then, make a mental picture of our universe: each member shall remain what it is, distinctly apart; yet all is to form, as far as possible, a complete unity so that whatever comes into view shall show as if it were the…”
Both passages discuss the hierarchical nature of existence and the role of intellect or light as the highest principle. They also explore the relationship between the divine and the material world, emphasizing the primacy of the intellectual or spiritual principle.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 495
“Section 3 3. We will have to examine this Nature, the Intellectual, which our reasoning identifies as the authentically existent and the veritable essential: but first we must take another path and make certain that such a principle does ne…”
Both passages discuss the nature of reality and the components of existence, identifying different principles or elements that constitute the universe and human beings. They both explore the idea of an intellectual or divine principle that shapes and gives form to the material world.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 501
“Section 9 9. What, then, is the content- inevitably separated by our minds- of this one Intellectual-Principle? For there is no resource but to represent the items in accessible form just as we study the various articles constituting one sc…”
Both passages discuss the nature of reality and the components of existence, identifying different principles or elements that constitute the universe and human beings. They both explore the idea of an intellectual or divine principle that shapes and gives form to the material world.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 610
“Section 3 3. If this principle is the Authentic Existent and holds unchanging identity, does not go forth from itself, is untouched by any process of becoming or, as we have said, by any situation in place, then it must be always self-gathe…”
Both passages explore the nature of a fundamental, transcendent principle (The One in Plotinus, God in the second passage) and its relationship with the manifest world. They discuss the principle's unity, its omnipresence, and how it interacts with or is reflected in the created order.
◆renaissance_hermeticism|The Heroic Enthusiasts, Part I (Gli Eroici Furori)|Third Dialoguec
“Here he shows his love not to be like that of the butterfly, of the stag, and of the unicorn, who would flee away if they had knowledge of the fire, of the arrow, and of the snares, and who have no other sense than that of pleasure; but he…”
Both passages explore the theme of divine love and the transformative power of spiritual experiences. They discuss the idea of being bound and consumed by a higher, divine beauty or light, which transcends mere physical attraction and leads to a deeper, spiritual union.
◆renaissance_hermeticism|The Heroic Enthusiasts, Part I (Gli Eroici Furori)|Fifth Dialoguea
“.
I.
Cic .
Now show me how I may be able for myself to consider the conditions of these enthusiasts, through that which appears in the order of the warfare here described.
Tans .
Behold how they carry the ensign of their affections or…”
Both passages explore the concept of the human being as a microcosm of the universe, with elements of fire, water, and air playing significant roles. They also discuss the inner turmoil and divine connection within the individual, though from different mystical traditions.
◆renaissance_hermeticism|The Heroic Enthusiasts, Part I (Gli Eroici Furori)|Fifth Dialoguef
“I understand it all; but what is the meaning of, "May I be happy in this governance and with these bonds, and may that light not cease?" Tans.
He means, and he proves, that every sort of love, the greater its dominion and the surer its hol…”
Both passages explore the concept of transformation and the interplay between different principles or states within the human experience. Passage A discusses the transformation of the enthusiast through love and the phoenix's renewal through fire, while Passage B describes the three principles within man and his transformation through spiritual ascent.
◆renaissance_hermeticism|The Heroic Enthusiasts, Part I (Gli Eroici Furori)|Fifth Dialogueh
“That legend contains all the meaning of the thing in so far as it can be explained, for it means that he turns and is turned, that is to say movement present and accomplished.
Cic.
Excellent!
And therefore those circles which so ill expl…”
Both passages explore the theme of divine light and its effect on the human soul, with Passage A focusing on the ardent desire for divine light and Passage B discussing the principles of light and darkness within man. Both texts use metaphorical language to describe the spiritual journey and the longing for union with the divine.
◆renaissance_hermeticism|The Heroic Enthusiasts, Part II (Gli Eroici Furori)|First Dialoguee
“For nothing is produced absolutely from a homœogeneous (pacifico) principle, but all from opposite principles, through the victory and dominion of one part of the opposites, and there is no pleasure of generation on one side without the pai…”
Both passages explore the duality of human experience and the interplay between light and darkness, divine and earthly elements. They discuss the transformative process of the soul or spirit through divine illumination, though within different mystical frameworks.
◆renaissance_hermeticism|The Heroic Enthusiasts, Part II (Gli Eroici Furori)|Third Dialogued
“Why rather stay a pilgrim here below Than open through the air and us a way?
No spark of fire from that heart Goes out through the wide atmosphere.
Body of dust and ashes is not seen, Nor water-laden smoke ascends on high.
All is contain…”
Both passages explore the interplay between the inner self and the external world, focusing on the struggle of the inner fire or spirit to manifest itself. They share a mystical perspective on the nature of human existence and the divine, though they come from different traditions.
◆western_esoteric|The Secret Teachings of All Ages (Manly P. Hall)|The Human Body in Symbolismg
“As life precedes light, its only symbol is darkness, and darkness is considered as the veil which must eternally conceal the true nature of abstract and undifferentiated Being.
In ancient times men fought with their right arms and defended…”
Both passages explore the symbolic significance of the human body and its connection to divine principles. They share conceptual parallels in the duality of light and darkness, the tripartite nature of human existence (body, spirit, soul), and the idea of divine activity manifesting through human form.
◆western_esoteric|The Secret Teachings of All Ages (Manly P. Hall)|The Hiramic Legendj
“As God is the pervading principle of three worlds, in each of which He manifests as an active principle, so the spirit of man, partaking of the nature of Divinity, dwells upon three planes of being: the Supreme, the Superior, and the Inferi…”
Both passages describe a tripartite nature of the human being, with the spirit or divine aspect interacting with the material or lower world. They also share the concept of a divine builder or architect, with Hiram in Passage A and Adam in Passage B embodying this role.
◆western_esoteric|The Secret Teachings of All Ages (Manly P. Hall)|Qabbalistic Keys to the Creation of Manf
“The Zohar holds the concept of two Adams: the first a divine being who, stepping forth from the highest original darkness, created the second, or earthly, Adam in His own image.
The higher, or celestial, man was the Causal sphere With its…”
Both passages discuss the concept of a primordial, divine human figure (Adam) who is androgynous and represents the full spiritual nature of humanity. They also explore the idea of a fall from a higher spiritual state into a mortal, physical existence, involving a division within the primordial human.
◆western_esoteric|Tertium Organum (P.D. Ouspensky)|Chapter XV (part 3)
“Now if a merely negligible percentage of energy goes into the creation of the future by begetting, then the remainder must go into the creation of the future also, but in another way.
We have in the physical world many cases in which the d…”
Both passages explore the transformative power of energy and love, discussing how indirect results can be as significant as direct ones. They share a mystical perspective on the interconnectedness of different forms of energy and their roles in creation and consciousness.
◆western_esoteric|Tertium Organum (P.D. Ouspensky)|Chapter XXII (part 13)
“Then the understanding of such a man receives from the Holy Spirit the highest and hidden mysteries which according to the divine Paul, neither the human eye can understand nor the human reason comprehend unaided.
(Ii Corinthians ii, 9).…”
Both passages explore the relationship between the divine and human nature, emphasizing the transformation and union with the divine through spiritual practices. They share a mystical perspective on the nature of human existence and the divine light.
◆western_esoteric|Transcendental Magic I: The Doctrine (Éliphas Lévi)|3. The Triangle Of Solomonb
“The primeval sages, when seeking the First of Causes, behold good and evil in the world.
They considered shadow and light; they compared winter with spring, age with youth, life with death, and their conclusion was this: The First Cause is…”
Both passages discuss the tripartite nature of existence or divinity, with Boehme describing man's composition of darkness, light, and the material world, and the second passage discussing the trinity and the three worlds, highlighting a conceptual parallel in the understanding of a threefold structure in creation or divinity.
◆western_esoteric|Transcendental Magic I: The Doctrine (Éliphas Lévi)|9. Initiationa
“JESOD BONUM THE INITIATE is he who possesses the lamp of Trismegistus, the mantle of Apollonius, and the staff of the patriarchs.
The lamp of Trismegistus is reason illuminated by science; the mantle of Apollonius is full and complete self…”
Both passages discuss the concept of initiation and the tripartite nature of human existence. Passage A describes the initiate's tools and attributes, emphasizing reason, self-possession, and the forces of nature, while Passage B elaborates on the three principles of man: darkness, light, and the material body. Both texts highlight the importance of understanding and mastering these principles for spiritual growth and initiation.