The Life and Doctrines of Jacob Boehme · 149 of 159 · tr. Franz Hartmann

Chapter 14 (part 2)

2.) During his terrestrial existence man can remain consciously in the three worlds, and by the power of the will with which he is endowed penetrate into either one or the other; but after the separation of the soul from the body has taken place, he can continue to exist as an individuality only in one of these worlds, either within the realm of divine light or within the power of the fire; because together with his physical body he loses the power of self-government.

He can then no longer follow his own will, but has to go where he gravitates.

"There are three principles in the constitution of man, either of which he may unfold during his terrestrial existence; but after the body is disorganised, he then lives only in one principle and cannot evolve the other.

In eternity he must remain in that state of consciousness which he has acquired here." ( Three Principles , Supplement , x.) "There are not three separate souls in man, but only one.

This soul stands in three principles; namely, the realm of the wrath, the realm of the love of God and the kingdom of this world.

When the air of the external kingdom of this world deserts the soul, then will she become manifest in either the dark realm of fire or in the holy kingdom of light, which is the kingdom of the love-fire, the power of God.

To whatever plane she has p.

292 surrendered herself during her earthly existence, therein she remains after the external kingdom has departed from her." ( Mysterium , xv.

24.) During his terrestrial life man may live either in heaven or hell, or come out of one of these states and enter the other, because he can then govern his will by means of his intellect; but after the death of the body the function of the brain necessary for that purpose exists no longer, and then the soul is not able to change her will.

She therefore becomes absorbed entirely into that principle which has obtained ruling power within her own nature.

For this reason, it is of paramount importance for man to seek to unfold during his terrestrial life the love of God; i.e.

, the appreciation of the ideal and the will to realise all that is noble and good within his soul, so that it will act as his guiding star in eternity.

"Man is in this world already in heaven or hell, wherever he corporeally may be.

If his spirit is in harmony with God, he is then spiritually in heaven and his soul is in God.

If he spiritually dwells in the wrath, he is then already in hell and in company of all the devils." ( Aurora , xx.

86.) "Here in the life of the soul is the balance.

If she is evil, she can be reborn in love; but when the balance breaks and the angle has turned, then will she be in that principle which is prevailing in her." ( Forty Questions , xxiii.

10.) "During her terrestrial life the soul can change her will, but after the death of the body there remains nothing within her power by which she can change her will." ( Tilk .

i.

267.) "Whatever the soul during her terrestrial life receives within her will, and wherewith she becomes entangled, that she will take in her will with her after the death of the body, and she can no more rid herself of it, because she has then nothing but that wherein she has entered, p.

293 and which now constitutes her very self.

But during terrestrial life she may destroy that wherein she has become entangled in her will." ( Threefold Life , xii.

25.) If during terrestrial life the will of the soul has become anti-Christian—that means to say, perverted into an evil spirituality—then will the evil nature of the soul likewise be perverted and anti-Christian, and this perverted essence will manifest itself in the other life as a shape and a power for evil.

Themes

◆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 text describes a process of unfolding and destroying entanglements within the will to achieve spiritual perfection.

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◆Body As Obstacleanthropology

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

The physical body is linked to the power of self-government, and its loss prevents further change of will.

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◆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.

The internal spiritual state of the soul corresponds directly to its eternal destination (heaven or hell) regardless of corporeal location.

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◆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.

The soul must 'destroy that wherein she has become entangled in her will' to prepare for eternity.

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◆Eschatological Judgmentsoteriology

Final, collective cosmic judgment as an event in which the wicked are sentenced and the cosmos restored; distinct from psychopomp_journey (individual passage at death) and emphasising verdict where Zoroastrian frashokereti emphasises restoration.

The soul's eternal state is fixed after death based on the consciousness acquired during life, functioning as a final judgment.

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◆Living Godtheology

The divine conceived as active, present, and dynamic—not an abstract principle but a personal responsive reality.

God is described as active and relational, with a 'love of God' that the soul must unfold and serve.

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◆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.

The human constitution mirrors the cosmic structure, containing the same three worlds or principles found in the universe.

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◆Mystical Unionsoteriology

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

The goal is for the soul to be 'in God' and serve Him in His holy temple, indicating a state of union.

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◆Paradox As Teachingethics

Using apparent contradiction, reversal, or riddle to destabilise ordinary understanding and induce insight.

The teaching that one is already in heaven or hell regardless of corporeal location presents a paradoxical spiritual truth.

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◆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.

The soul is transformed to serve God in Paradise and become 'in God,' implying participation in the divine nature.

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◇Cosmic Dualismtheology

Ontological opposition between two primal principles (light/darkness, truth/lie, spirit/matter) as the fundamental structure of reality.

[auto] It describes two opposing eternal realms: the realm of divine light or the power of the fire.

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◇Divine Lighttheology

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

[auto] The realm of divine light is explicitly named as a destination for the soul after death.

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◇Funerary Navigationpraxis

Texts and rituals guiding the soul through death.

[auto] The text details the soul's condition and destination following the separation from the body.

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◇Gnosis Direct Knowledgesoteriology

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

[auto] Eternal state is determined by the consciousness acquired during terrestrial existence rather than external ritual.

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◇Kingdom Withinanthropology

The claim that the divine realm is present inside the individual, accessible without external mediation.

[auto] Man can remain consciously in the three worlds during terrestrial existence, implying internal access to divine realms.

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◇Numerical Mysticismtheology

Numbers, proportions, and mathematical relationships as the underlying structure of divine reality.

[auto] The text repeatedly emphasizes the significance of the number three regarding worlds and principles in human constitution.

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◇Pneumatic Electsoteriology

A spiritual elite who possess the divine spark and are predestined for salvation, contrasted with psychic (faithful) and hylic (material) persons.

[auto] A distinction is made between those who exist in divine light versus those in the power of fire based on their acquired state.

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◇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 soul serves God in Paradise waiting for resurrection, indicating a return to the divine state.

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◇Self Knowledgesoteriology

The recognition of one's own true divine nature as the primary path to liberation; 'know thyself' as soteriology.

[auto] The individual's eternal fate depends on the state of consciousness they have acquired within themselves.

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◇Spiritual Ascentpraxis

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

[auto] Man can penetrate into different worlds during terrestrial existence through the power of will.

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◇Tripartite Soulanthropology

Division of the human being into three principles: spirit (pneuma), soul (psyche), and body/matter (hyle or soma).

[auto] The passage explicitly defines the human constitution as having three principles while clarifying there is only one soul standing in three powers.

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Related passages · 21 parallels

◆egyptian|The Egyptian Book of the Dead (Papyrus of Ani)|Chapter 6 (part 3)

“The khat or physical body. The physical body of man considered as a whole was called khat , a word which seems to be connected with the idea of something which is liable to decay. The word is also applied to the mummified body in the tomb…”

Both passages discuss the concept of the soul's existence after death and the preservation or transformation of the body. They explore the idea of the soul's continued existence in a different form or realm, emphasizing the importance of the soul's state or actions during earthly life.

◆gnosticism|Gospel of Philip|Section 1h

“Now the woman and man are one in the chamber with the bed, and those so joined will not come apart again. Eve and Adam separated because when they joined it was not in the chamber with the bed. ADAM’S SOUL The soul of Adam came into being…”

Both passages discuss the union of divine and human elements, the importance of spiritual transformation, and the consequences of one's actions in this life affecting the afterlife. They share themes of mystical union, the role of the soul, and the significance of divine love and will.

◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 283

“Section 1 1. In the Intellectual Kosmos dwells Authentic Essence, with the Intellectual-Principle [Divine Mind] as the noblest of its content, but containing also souls, since every soul in this lower sphere has come thence: that is the wor…”

Both passages discuss the nature of the soul and its relationship to higher and lower realms. They explore the idea of the soul's existence in different states or principles, and the consequences of its division or attachment to different realms.

◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 285 (part 2)

“The magnitude present in any mass is definitely one thing, yet its identity from part to part does not imply any such community as would entail common experience; within that identity there is diversity, for it is a condition only, not the…”

◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 286 (part 1)

“Section 2 2. It can be demonstrated that soul must, necessarily, be of just this nature and that there can be no other soul than such a being, one neither wholly partible but both at once. If it had the nature of body it would consist of…”

Both passages discuss the nature of the soul and its relationship to the body and the divine. They explore the idea that the soul's state during earthly life determines its fate after death, emphasizing the importance of spiritual development and unity of the soul.

◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 294

“Section 7 7. So far, so good: but what of the passage in the Philebus taken to imply that the other souls are parts of the All-Soul? The statement there made does not bear the meaning read into it; it expresses only, what the author was the…”

Both passages discuss the nature of the soul and its relationship to the body, exploring the idea of the soul's existence both within and beyond the physical realm. They also touch on the concept of the soul's unity and differentiation.

◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 295 (part 2)

“This means that it is no external limit that defines the individual being or the extension of souls any more than of God; on the contrary each in right of its own power is all that it chooses to be: and we are not to think of it as going fo…”

Both passages discuss the nature of the soul and its connection to higher and lower realms. They explore the idea of the soul's ability to create or influence its environment based on its alignment with higher principles or descent into lower states.

◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 298

“Section 11 11. I think, therefore, that those ancient sages, who sought to secure the presence of divine beings by the erection of shrines and statues, showed insight into the nature of the All; they perceived that, though this Soul is ever…”

Both passages discuss the relationship between the soul and the body, exploring how the soul interacts with or inhabits the body. They share a mystical perspective on the nature of the soul and its connection to the physical world, though they come from different traditions.

◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 351 (part 2)

“It is not to be thought that such beings engage themselves in human affairs in the sense of making men thieves, slave-dealers, burglars, temple-strippers, or debased effeminates practising and lending themselves to disgusting actions: that…”

Both passages explore the nature of the soul and its relationship to the body, particularly after death. They discuss the idea of the soul's autonomy and its connection to higher principles or realms, showing a conceptual parallel in their mystical perspectives.

◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 380

“Section 1 1. Whether every human being is immortal or we are wholly destroyed, or whether something of us passes over to dissolution and destruction, while something else, that which is the true man, endures for ever- this question will be…”

Both passages discuss the nature of the human soul and its existence after death, emphasizing the importance of the soul's state during earthly life. They both explore the idea that the soul's condition in the afterlife is determined by its condition and choices made during its terrestrial existence.

11 more

◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 381

“Section 2 2. But of what nature is this sovereign principle? If material, then definitely it must fall apart; for every material entity, at least, is something put together. If it is not material but belongs to some other Kind, that new sub…”

Both passages discuss the nature of the soul and its relationship to the body and higher principles. They explore the idea that the soul has a guiding principle or will that determines its state after the body's dissolution, highlighting the importance of the soul's condition during earthly life.

◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 386

“Section 7 7. We come to the same result by examining the sense of pain. We say there is pain in the finger: the trouble is doubtless in the finger, but our opponents must admit that the sensation of the pain is in the centre of consciousnes…”

Both passages explore the nature of the soul and its relationship to the body, discussing the soul's existence and function after the body's dissolution. They both delve into the idea of the soul's governing principles and its state after death, though from different mystical traditions.

◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 396

“Section 12 12. (17) A further consideration is that if every soul is to be held dissoluble the universe must long since have ceased to be: if it is pretended that one kind of soul, our own for example, is mortal, and another, that of the Al…”

Both passages discuss the nature of the soul and its relationship to the body, particularly after death. They explore the idea that the soul's state after death is determined by its condition during life, though they use different conceptual frameworks and terminology.

◆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 the soul and its existence after death, emphasizing the importance of the soul's state during earthly life. They share the concept of the soul's immortality and the idea that the soul's condition post-mortem is determined by its actions and state during life.

◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 401

“Section 1 1. Many times it has happened: Lifted out of the body into myself; becoming external to all other things and self-encentered; beholding a marvellous beauty; then, more than ever, assured of community with the loftiest order; enact…”

Both passages discuss the nature and immortality of the soul. Passage A argues for the indestructibility and eternity of the soul based on its simplicity and self-living nature, while Passage B discusses the soul's existence in different principles and its eternal state based on its terrestrial life choices. Both traditions explore the soul's connection to higher realms and its enduring nature beyond physical death.

◆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 nature of the soul and its relationship to the body and divine realms. They explore the idea that the soul's state during earthly life determines its post-mortem existence, emphasizing the importance of spiritual development and alignment with divine principles.

◆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 nature of the soul and its relationship to different realms or principles. They explore the idea that the soul's state during earthly life determines its post-mortem existence, emphasizing the importance of spiritual development and alignment with divine principles.

◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 418

“Section 2 2. Let every soul recall, then, at the outset the truth that soul is the author of all living things, that it has breathed the life into them all, whatever is nourished by earth and sea, all the creatures of the air, the divine st…”

Both passages discuss the nature of the soul and its relationship to the divine and the material world. They emphasize the soul's role in determining one's ultimate state or existence, whether in harmony with the divine or in a state of separation.

◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 431

“Section 2 2. To resume: there is from the first principle to ultimate an outgoing in which unfailingly each principle retains its own seat while its offshoot takes another rank, a lower, though on the other hand every being is in identity w…”

Both passages discuss the nature of the soul and its relationship to different realms or principles. They explore how the soul can exist in various states and the consequences of these states after death, showing a conceptual parallel in their mystical perspectives.

◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 493

“Section 1 1. All human beings from birth onward live to the realm of sense more than to the Intellectual. Forced of necessity to attend first to the material, some of them elect to abide by that order and, their life throughout, make its co…”

Both passages discuss the idea of human beings existing in different realms or states of being, with a focus on the higher, spiritual realm versus the lower, material realm. They also emphasize the importance of the individual's will and consciousness in determining their state, either in this life or the next.

◆western_esoteric|Tertium Organum (P.D. Ouspensky)|Chapter XVI (part 12)

“He clearly affirms: I confess that I am very much inclined to assert the existence of immaterial natures in the world, and to put my soul itself into that class of beings. These immaterial beings . . . are immediately united with each o…”

Both passages discuss the dual nature of human existence, involving both material and immaterial (or spiritual) worlds. They explore the idea that the soul can exist in different realms and that the state of the soul after death is determined by its condition during life.