Library / Neoplatonism / Iamblichus: On the Mysteries ← Chapter XI-a Chapter XII → But when she places herself on the seat of the God, she becomes coadapted to his stable prophetic power: and from both these preparatory operations she becomes wholly possessed by the God.
And then, indeed, he is present with and illuminates her in a separate manner, and is different from the fire, the spirit, the 144 proper seat, and, in short, from all the visible apparatus of the place, whether physical or sacred.
The prophetic woman too in Brandchidæ, whether she holds in her hand a wand, which was at first received from some God, and becomes filled with a divine splendour, or whether seated on an axis, she predicts future events, or dips her feet or the border of her garment in the water, or receives the God by imbibing the vapour of the water; by all these she becomes adapted to partake externally of the God.
But the multitude of sacrifices, the sacred law of the whole sanctimony, and such other things as are performed in a divine manner, prior to the prophetic inspiration, viz.
the baths of the prophetess, her fasting for three whole days, her retiring into the adyta, and there receiving a divine light, and rejoicing for a considerable time—all these evince that the God is entreated by prayer to approach, that 145 he becomes externally present, and that the prophetess, before she comes to her accustomed place, is inspired in a wonderful manner; and that, in the spirit which rises from the fountain, another more ancient God, who is separate from the place, shines forth to the view, and who is also the cause of the place, of the country, and of the whole divination.
§ Ask Guru about this passage → Themes
Anthropomorphismtheology Attributing human characteristics, emotions, or form to the divine; embodied divine imagery.
The text describes the God as present in a 'separate manner' distinct from fire and spirit but still illuminating the woman.
All passages → Divine Hiddennesstheology The supreme God's radical concealment beyond ordinary knowledge or perception; the Hidden Father.
The God is described as separate from the visible apparatus of the place and hidden until the prophetess is prepared.
All passages → Divine Lighttheology The uncreated luminous quality of the divine, sometimes experienced directly in mystical states; illumination as revelation.
The passage repeatedly emphasizes illumination, splendour, and the God shining forth to the view as central to the experience.
All passages → Fasting And Prayerpraxis Ascetic disciplines that prepare the body and mind for spiritual receptivity or purification.
The text explicitly lists fasting for three days and prayer as preparatory operations before prophetic inspiration.
All passages → Gnosis Direct Knowledgesoteriology Salvation through direct experiential knowledge of the divine nature, not through faith, ritual, or moral works alone.
The passage describes the woman becoming 'wholly possessed by the God' through direct prophetic power rather than external ritual alone.
All passages → Inner Lightanthropology The divine spark or luminous quality residing within the human person, potentially recognisable through introspection.
The text mentions receiving a divine light and the God illuminating her in a separate manner.
All passages → Living Godtheology The divine conceived as active, present, and dynamic—not an abstract principle but a personal responsive reality.
The God is portrayed as actively present, illuminating, and entreated by prayer to approach.
All passages → Mystical Unionsoteriology The merging of the individual soul or self with the divine, transcending personal identity.
The text states the woman becomes 'wholly possessed by the God' and is present with him in a separate manner.
All passages → Ritual Puritypraxis The maintenance of a state of cleanliness—physical, moral, or spiritual—required for encounter with the divine.
Fasting and bathing are described as necessary preparations for the encounter with the divine.
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.
The woman becomes coadapted to the God's stable prophetic power and partakes of him externally.
All passages → Theurgypraxis Iamblichean ritual practice that engages the gods directly through consecrated material symbols and actions, on the premise that divine power descends into properly prepared matter — distinct from philosophical contemplation alone.
The passage details specific ritual actions like bathing, fasting, and retiring into the adyta to prepare for divine encounter.
All passages → Related passages · 11 parallels
christian_mysticism | Pseudo-Dionysius: The Divine Names | Chapter 5, Section 1a
“131 CHAPTER V Concerning ” Existence “ and also concerning ” Exemplars .” I.
Now must we proceed to the Name of “Being” which is truly applied by the Divine Science to Him that truly Is.
But this much we must say, that it is not the purpo…”
Shared concept: Mystical Union — The merging of the individual soul or self with the divine, transcending personal identity. (derived)
christian_mysticism | Pseudo-Dionysius: The Divine Names | Chapter 5, Section 1i
“364 The ultimate Godhead is reached only by the Negative Path, and known only by Unknowing.
The Affirmative Path of philosophical knowledge leads only to the differentiated manifestations of the Godhead: e.g.
the Trinity, in Its creative…”
Shared concept: Mystical Union — The merging of the individual soul or self with the divine, transcending personal identity. (derived)
christian_mysticism | The Life and Doctrines of Jacob Boehme | Chapter 11 (part 7)
“48.) "The soul and the Word are not one or one being.
The soul is born from the centre of nature, from the essences, and belongs to the body, for she issues from the essences of the body, and attracts to herself the body; but the Word is f…”
Shared concept: Theosis Deification — 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. (derived)
christian_mysticism | The Life and Doctrines of Jacob Boehme | Chapter 2 (part 3)
“This other will is the sensitivity and conceivability of the primordial will, by means of which that which is nothing finds itself to be something.
By so doing the inconceivable causeless will issues by means of that which it has eternally…”
Shared concept: Living God — The divine conceived as active, present, and dynamic—not an abstract principle but a personal responsive reality. (derived)
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).…”
Shared concept: Divine Light — The uncreated luminous quality of the divine, sometimes experienced directly in mystical states; illumination as revelation. (derived)
egyptian | The Egyptian Book of the Dead (Papyrus of Ani) | Chapter 43 (part 69)
“unity of a supreme and self-existent being, his eternity, his almightiness, and external reproduction thereby as God; the attributing of the creation of the world and of all living beings to this supreme God; the immortality of the soul, co…”
Shared concept: Divine Hiddenness — The supreme God's radical concealment beyond ordinary knowledge or perception; the Hidden Father. (derived)
western_esoteric | The Secret Teachings of All Ages (Manly P. Hall) | The Mysteries and Their Emissaries-a
“DID that divine knowledge which constituted the supreme possession of the pagan priestcrafts survive the destruction of their temples?
Is it yet accessible to mankind, or does it lie buried beneath the rubbish of ages, entombed within the…”
Shared concept: Gnosis Direct Knowledge — Salvation through direct experiential knowledge of the divine nature, not through faith, ritual, or moral works alone. (derived)
platonism | Plato: Phaedrus | Section 1r
“But he whose initiation is recent, and who has been the spectator of many glories in the other world, is amazed when he sees any one having a godlike face or form, which is the expression of divine beauty; and at first a shudder runs throug…”
Shared concept: Anthropomorphism — Attributing human characteristics, emotions, or form to the divine; embodied divine imagery. (derived)
greek_mystery | The Golden Verses of Pythagoras | Section 5 (part 3)
“"Thou shalt not hope what thou ought'st not to hope," knowing the nature of all things, and what is possible.
55.
The Gods near at hand are virtue and truth.
p.
17 59, 60.
The fatal strife is caused by our inclination "madly to run cou…”
Shared concept: Fasting And Prayer — Ascetic disciplines that prepare the body and mind for spiritual receptivity or purification. (derived)
western_esoteric | Transcendental Magic I: The Doctrine (Éliphas Lévi) | 1. The Candidate-d
“One who neglects his moral dignity in order to obey blindly the instincts of Nature.
As a fact, in the presence of danger it is natural to be afraid and seek flight: why, then, is it shameful?
Because honour has erected it into a law that…”
Shared concept: Fasting And Prayer — Ascetic disciplines that prepare the body and mind for spiritual receptivity or purification. (derived)
western_esoteric | The Book of Ceremonial Magic (A.E. Waite) | Page 38 (part 1)
“Click to view DEVIL FROM HEARNE'S PRINT OF THE "DESCENT INTO HELL." Engraved by Michael Burghers , c.
1676.
CHAPTER I The Preparation of the Operator § 1.
Concerning the Love of God THE rites of so-called Transcendental Magic are, ex hyp…”
Shared concept: Ritual Purity — The maintenance of a state of cleanliness—physical, moral, or spiritual—required for encounter with the divine. (derived)
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