The Life and Doctrines of Jacob Boehme · 131 of 159 · tr. Franz Hartmann
Chapter 12 (part 11)
The human will refuses to submit itself entirely to the exquisite grace which offers itself out of divine love, and seeks for its own self and for the love of that self which belongs to that which is impermanent.
It loves itself and the state of this world better than God.
Here man is tempted by his own nature, which in her centre stands outside of the love of God, in anguish, combativeness, and dissension, and in which the devil puts his perverted desires for the purpose of leading man away from the sublime grace and love of God.
Here the dragon within the soul turns its eyes in vanity towards the world, and shows to her the glory and beauty of this world, and derides her because she desires to become another creature.
He puts before her the kingdom wherein she exists and wherein she has her foundation." ( Letters , xliii.
3.) 249:1 The second temptation for the regenerated is spiritual pride.
"The second temptation is, that the soul, after having tasted of divine love, and having once been illumined, desires to have that light in her possession, and to act therein in her own power.
The fiery nature of the soul ought to be transformed into a love-fire, and she ought to give up her natural right.
This she does not like to do, but looks about, prefers to see herself in her own power, which she, however, does not find.
Then the soul begins to doubt the power of grace, for she sees that she has to desert therein her natural desire and will.
She then trembles, and will not sacrifice to the divine will the rights conferred upon her by nature and die in the divine will; and she imagines the light of grace, which acts without such a fierce power, to be a false light." ( Letters , xliii.) 250:1 In the regenerating man the third temptation is, that the soul thinks of employing the spiritual powers which she has acquired for purposes which are not divine, namely, for awakening the sourcive spirits of the lower qualities, and thus of raising her head higher than God, as was the case with Lucifer.
250:2 The sun of wisdom is higher than the moon of imagination.
251:1 Thus in each individual man the overcoming of the temptations on this or that occasion is not sufficient for permanent salvation; for as long as the germ of evil exists, it may sprout again.
Final safety is attained only after the battle, when the root of the evil is torn out of the heart.
251:2 A more modern way of expressing it would be: When the disciple becomes an accepted " Chela ," his evil Karma begins to assert itself.
In other words, the awakening of a new life in an organism stimulates also the lower qualities therein, whether it be a man, a people, or a whole world.
252:1 When that which is mortal in man dies, that which is immortal in him returns to freedom.
253:1 Thus every one should sacrifice to God all of his actions, his thoughts, and will; he should not do anything out of his own power, but out of the power of God (after he once knows that power).
As the physical body, except in a state of disease (such as spasms, epilepsy, &c.), does not perform any motions except such as originate in the will of the person, likewise the regenerated acts only as he is made to act by the God in him.
Mortal and sinful man cannot perform anything really good by his own power; to attempt it would be a presumption and arrogance; for all that is good belongs to God; man is merely an instrument for divine power.
254:1 If the self-will is entirely sacrificed to the divine will in man, then does man's will not thereby become annihilated, but is itself rendered divine.
Themes
◆Mystical Unionsoteriology
The merging of the individual soul or self with the divine, transcending personal identity.
The passage describes the regenerated acting only as made to act by 'the God in him,' indicating a merging of human agency with divine presence.
All passages →◇Detachment Gelassenheitpraxis
Eckhart's Abgeschiedenheit/Gelassenheit — radical letting-go of will, image, and grasping that opens the soul to God; distinct from inner_silence (quietness) and from material renunciation, and adjacent to Sufi tark and Buddhist non-grasping as a practice rather than a metaphysical claim.
[auto] The text repeatedly emphasizes giving up natural rights, sacrificing self-will to the divine will, and letting go of possession of grace.
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.
[auto] The passage explicitly states that when self-will is sacrificed, man's will is 'rendered divine,' centralizing the transformation of the human into a partaker of the divine nature.
All passages →Related passages · 28 parallels · 1 contrast
◆gnosticism|Gospel of Philip|Section 1f
“When wanton women see a man sitting alone, the man is overcome.
They fondle him and pollute him.
When wanton men see a beautiful woman sitting alone, they overcome her, and she is violated and polluted.
But when spirits see a man and his…”
Both passages discuss the struggle between the spiritual and the worldly, the dangers of self-will, and the importance of divine will. They also touch on the themes of temptation, the need for spiritual transformation, and the ultimate goal of union with the divine.
◆neoplatonism|Iamblichus: On the Mysteries|Chapter XX
“Omitting, therefore, these things, we may reasonably adduce a second cause, assigned by you, of the above mentioned particulars: viz. “ that the soul says and imagines these things, and that they are the passions of it, excited from small i…”
Both passages discuss the limitations of the human soul and its inability to achieve divine works or union with the divine through its own power. They emphasize the necessity of divine intervention or grace for spiritual elevation.
◆neoplatonism|Iamblichus: On the Mysteries|Chapter VIII
““The soul is bound to the body, by a conversion to the passions arising from her union with it.” And, “the soul binds herself in the body.” Philolaus also says, that the ancient theologists and prophets asserted, ως δια τινας τιμωριας α ψυχ…”
Both passages discuss the struggle of the soul between its own will and divine will, highlighting the temptations and the need for the soul to surrender to divine power. They share a common theme of the soul's battle with its lower nature and the necessity of divine transformation.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 116
“Section 13 13. Of phenomena of this sphere some derive from the Kosmic Circuit and some not: we must take them singly and mark them off, assigning to each its origin. The gist of the whole matter lies in the consideration that Soul governs…”
Both passages discuss the degradation or corruption of higher qualities as they manifest in lower realms or human nature. Passage A describes how divine attributes deteriorate when they enter the material world, while Passage B discusses how the human will resists divine grace and falls into temptation and pride.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 222 (part 2)
“Where the procreative desire is lawless or against the purposes of nature, the first inspiration has been natural, but they have diverged from the way, they have slipped and fallen, and they grovel; they neither understand whither Love soug…”
Both passages discuss the nature of love and desire, contrasting higher spiritual aspirations with lower, more carnal or self-centered motivations. They explore the idea of divine love and the temptations that lead individuals away from it, highlighting the struggle between the divine and the mundane.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 224
“Section 3 3. That Love is a Hypostasis [a "Person"] a Real-Being sprung from a Real-Being- lower than the parent but authentically existent- is beyond doubt. For the parent-Soul was a Real-Being sprung directly from the Act of the Hypostasi…”
Both passages discuss the nature of love and desire, contrasting higher spiritual aspirations with lower, more carnal or self-centered motivations. They explore the idea of divine love and the temptations that lead individuals away from it, highlighting the struggle between the divine and the mundane.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 341
“Section 21 21. That this is the phase of the human being in which desire takes its origin is shown by observation of the different stages of life; in childhood, youth, maturity, the bodily desires differ; health or sickness also may change…”
Both passages discuss the conflict between the lower, bodily desires and the higher, spiritual aspirations of the human soul. They explore the tension between natural inclinations and the pursuit of divine or rational will, highlighting the struggle within the individual to align with a higher purpose.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 343 (part 2)
“Thus, is the heat of a fire really at a distance from the flesh it warms, the intermediate space remaining unmodified; is it possible to see colour over a sheer blank intervening between the colour and the eye, the organ of vision reaching…”
Both passages explore the tension between the lower, bodily desires and the higher, spiritual aspirations of the human being. They discuss how the human will can be swayed by natural desires and the need for submission to a higher will or reason.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 399
“Section 15 15. (20) Thus far we have offered the considerations appropriate to those asking for demonstration: those whose need is conviction by evidence of the more material order are best met from the abundant records relevant to the subj…”
Both passages discuss the struggle of the soul to overcome worldly temptations and align with the divine. They emphasize the need for purification and the transformation of the soul's nature to achieve a higher, divine state.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 407
“Section 7 7. The Kind, then, with which we are dealing is twofold, the Intellectual against the sensible: better for the soul to dwell in the Intellectual, but, given its proper nature, it is under compulsion to participate in the sense-rea…”
Both passages discuss the struggle of the soul between its own will and divine will, and the temptations that arise from the soul's desire to assert its own power. They also explore the idea of the soul's relationship with the body and the divine, highlighting the need for the soul to transcend its lower nature to achieve a higher state.
19 more
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 410
“Section 1 1. That the Soul of every individual is one thing we deduce from the fact that it is present entire at every point of the body- the sign of veritable unity- not some part of it here and another part there. In all sensitive beings…”
Both passages discuss the struggle of the soul between divine love and worldly temptations, highlighting the soul's tendency to prioritize its own desires over divine will. They also explore the concept of the soul's fall and its potential for redemption through divine connection.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 671
“Section 32 32. Where, then? where exists the author of this beauty and life, the begetter of the veritable? You see the splendour over the things of the universe with all the variety begotten of the Ideas; well might we linger here: but ami…”
Both passages discuss the concept of divine love and the soul's response to it. They explore the idea of the soul being drawn towards the divine, though Passage A focuses on the beauty and radiance of the divine, while Passage B discusses the temptations and struggles of the soul in submitting to divine will.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 679 (part 2)
“But this would make the power something outside itself; there would be, I mean, the power it grasped and the power by which it grasped: if there is but the one power, what is there to grasp at?…”
Both passages explore the theme of the soul's struggle between worldly desires and divine love. They discuss the soul's temptation to seek its own power and the need to surrender to a higher divine will, reflecting a conceptual parallel in mystical traditions.
◆platonism|Plato: Phaedrus|Section 1p
“And there is a law of Destiny, that the soul which attains any vision of truth in company with a god is preserved from harm until the next period, and if attaining always is always unharmed.
But when she is unable to follow, and fails to b…”
Both passages discuss the spiritual struggles and temptations of the soul, including the dangers of pride, the desire for worldly things, and the need for divine guidance. They also emphasize the importance of overcoming these temptations to achieve spiritual growth and union with the divine.
◆renaissance_hermeticism|The Heroic Enthusiasts, Part I (Gli Eroici Furori)|INTRODUCTIONj
“The body is in the soul, the soul is in the mind, the mind is in God.
The life of the soul is the true life of the man.
Of all his various faculties, that which rules all, that which exalts our nature, is Thought.
By means of it we rise…”
Both passages discuss the struggle between the human will and divine will, the temptations of the soul, and the need to overcome these temptations to achieve a higher spiritual state. They both emphasize the importance of surrendering to divine grace and the transformation of the self through divine love.
◆renaissance_hermeticism|The Heroic Enthusiasts, Part I (Gli Eroici Furori)|Second Dialoguee
“Herein he proves that his love is truly heroic; because he proposes to himself as the chief aim, not corporeal beauty, but rather the grace of the spirit, and the inclination of the affections in which, rather than in the beauty of the body…”
Both passages discuss the nature of love and the spiritual journey, emphasizing the distinction between higher, spiritual love and lower, corporeal desires. They both explore the temptations and challenges faced in pursuing a divine or spiritual love.
◆renaissance_hermeticism|The Heroic Enthusiasts, Part I (Gli Eroici Furori)|Third Dialogueb
“It is not a fury of black bile which sends him drifting outside of judgment, reason, and acts of prudence, and tossed by the discordant tempest, like those who, having violated certain laws of the divine Adrastia, are condemned to be scourg…”
Both passages discuss the struggle of the soul or human will in its pursuit of divine love and harmony. They describe the temptations and challenges faced, such as the conflict between human desires and divine will, and the need to overcome these to achieve spiritual purity and union with the divine.
◆renaissance_hermeticism|The Heroic Enthusiasts, Part I (Gli Eroici Furori)|Third Dialoguee
“Others esteem him unhappy through this appearance of an evil destiny, as being condemned to these pangs, for he will never cease from acknowledging the obligation he is under to love, nor cease from rendering thanks to him because he has pr…”
Both passages explore the relationship between the human soul or intellect and the divine, emphasizing the transformation of the human will or intellect through divine love or contemplation. They discuss the struggle and temptation in achieving this union, highlighting the need to transcend the physical and worldly to attain a higher, divine state.
◆renaissance_hermeticism|The Heroic Enthusiasts, Part I (Gli Eroici Furori)|Third Dialogueh
“In which generation finding themselves once more through the changes which permutably succeed, they return again to the superior forms.
Cic .
So that they mean, that souls are impelled by the necessity of fate, and have no proper counsel…”
Both passages discuss the transformation of the soul or human will, emphasizing the struggle between lower and higher states of being. They both highlight the need to overcome base desires and align with divine will or intellect, though they use different metaphors and frameworks.
◆renaissance_hermeticism|The Heroic Enthusiasts, Part I (Gli Eroici Furori)|Fourth Dialogueh
“Heaven the second gift denies, To him who does the first despise.
With these and similar reasons the soul, taking part with the weakest, seeks to recall the thoughts to the care of the body.
And these, although late, come and show themsel…”
Both passages explore the struggle of the soul between its divine aspirations and its attachment to the material world. They discuss the soul's descent into the body and its subsequent longing to return to a divine state, highlighting the internal conflict and the need for surrender to a higher will.
◆renaissance_hermeticism|The Heroic Enthusiasts, Part I (Gli Eroici Furori)|Fourth Dialoguei
“And amongst men the same thing is seen, according as some resemble one species of brute beast and some another: these having something of the quadruped, and those of birds, and, may be, some affinity, which I will not explain, but through w…”
Both passages discuss the soul's struggle with its material existence and its desire to transcend it. They describe the soul's conflict with its lower nature and the aspiration to rise above it through contemplation or divine will.
◆renaissance_hermeticism|The Heroic Enthusiasts, Part I (Gli Eroici Furori)|Fifth Dialoguel
“Here are shown the pains and troubles which beset love, principally love of a low kind, which is no other than the forge of Vulcan, that smith who makes the bolts of Jove which torment offending souls.
For ill-ordered love has in itself th…”
Both passages discuss the internal struggle within the human soul, particularly the conflict between divine love and worldly desires. They both explore the idea of a divine presence within the individual and the consequences of aligning or opposing oneself with this divine will.
◆renaissance_hermeticism|The Heroic Enthusiasts, Part II (Gli Eroici Furori)|First Dialoguec
“And I will say, because to me this pain Is dearer than all other pleasures are.
Mar.
In reference to this I told you that although one should be attached to corporeal and external beauty yet he may honourably and worthily be so attached;…”
Both passages explore the theme of ascending from the appreciation of earthly beauty or desires to a higher, divine love or beauty. They discuss the purification of the soul and the transformation of human will and desires towards the divine.
◆renaissance_hermeticism|The Heroic Enthusiasts, Part II (Gli Eroici Furori)|First Dialogued
“You see, Cesarino, how this enthusiast is justified in his anger against those who reproach him with being in captivity to a low beauty, to which he dedicates his vows, and attributes these forms, so that he is deaf to those voices which ca…”
Both passages discuss the struggle between worldly desires and divine love, emphasizing the need to transcend lower desires to attain a higher spiritual state. They explore the concept of divine beauty and the challenges faced in devoting oneself entirely to it.
◆renaissance_hermeticism|The Heroic Enthusiasts, Part II (Gli Eroici Furori)|First Dialoguel
“Besides which, because he does not believe that all which is not, could not be, he prays the divine light, that by its beauty, which ought not to be entirely concealed, at least according to the capacity of whoever beholds it, and by his lo…”
Both passages explore the theme of the soul's struggle between divine love and worldly desires, highlighting the internal conflict and the need for surrender to divine will. They share a mystical perspective on the transformation of the self through divine grace.
◆sufism|The Masnavi, Book I (Rumi)|STORY VIb
“They possess freewill and compulsion besides, 4 As in oyster-shells raindrops are pearls.
Outside the shell they are raindrops, great and small; Inside they are precious pearls, big and little.
These men also resemble the musk deer's bag;…”
Both passages explore the tension between human will and divine agency, emphasizing the transformative power of divine grace or the soul's connection to the divine. They discuss the idea that human actions are ultimately guided by a higher power, while also acknowledging the role of human will.
◆western_esoteric|Tertium Organum (P.D. Ouspensky)|Chapter XV (part 4)
“Love inspires this orgy of activity, and instinct directs it, because it is expedient from the standpoint of the species.
At the first awakening of love this work begins.
One and the same desire creates a new generation and those conditio…”
Both passages explore the profound and transformative power of love, highlighting its role in human creativity and spiritual development. They also discuss the challenges and temptations associated with love, though from different mystical perspectives.
◆western_esoteric|Transcendental Magic I: The Doctrine (Éliphas Lévi)|16. Bewitchmentsa
“FONS OCULUS FULGUR WHEN A man gazes unchastely upon any woman he profanes that woman, said the Great Master.
What is willed with persistence is done.
Every real will is confirmed by acts; every will confirmed by an act is an action.
Ever…”
Both passages discuss the power of will and its consequences, emphasizing the moral and spiritual implications of actions driven by will. They explore the idea that actions and intentions have eternal judgments and that the will can influence others, either positively or negatively.
◆western_esoteric|Transcendental Magic II: The Ritual (Éliphas Lévi)|6. The Medium And MediatoraCONTRASTS
“TWO things, as we have shown, are necessary for the acquisition of magical power - the emancipation of will from servitude and its instruction in the art of domination.
The sovereign will is represented in our symbols by the Woman who crus…”
Both passages discuss the struggle against the lower, natural self or forces, symbolized as a serpent or dragon, which must be overcome to achieve spiritual liberation or divine will. The concept of overcoming temptation and the duality of forces is central to both texts.