Select Works of Plotinus · 429 of 752 · tr. Thomas Taylor
Select Works, Section 406
Section 6 6. Something besides a unity there must be or all would be indiscernibly buried, shapeless within that unbroken whole: none of the real beings [of the Intellectual Kosmos] would exist if that unity remained at halt within itself: the plurality of these beings, offspring of the unity, could not exist without their own nexts taking the outward path; these are the beings holding the rank of souls. In the same way the outgoing process could not end with the souls, their issue stifled: every Kind must produce its next; it must unfold from some concentrated central principle as from a seed, and so advance to its term in the varied forms of sense. The prior in its being will remain unalterably in the native seat; but there is the lower phase, begotten to it by an ineffable faculty of its being, native to soul as it exists in the Supreme. To this power we cannot impute any halt, any limit of jealous grudging; it must move for ever outward until the universe stands accomplished to the ultimate possibility. All, thus, is produced by an inexhaustible power giving its gift to the universe, no part of which it can endure to see without some share in its being. There is, besides, no principle that can prevent anything from partaking, to the extent of its own individual receptivity in the Nature of Good. If therefore Matter has always existed, that existence is enough to ensure its participation in the being which, according to each receptivity, communicates the supreme good universally: if on the contrary, Matter has come into being as a necessary sequence of the causes preceding it, that origin would similarly prevent it standing apart from the scheme as though it were out of reach of the principle to whose grace it owes its existence. In sum: The loveliness that is in the sense-realm is an index of the nobleness of the Intellectual sphere, displaying its power and its goodness alike: and all things are for ever linked; the one order Intellectual in its being, the other of sense; one self-existent, the other eternally taking its being by participation in that first, and to the full of its power reproducing the Intellectual nature.
Themes
◇Body As Obstacleanthropology
The material body viewed as a prison, tomb, or source of error that hinders spiritual knowledge and return.
[auto] The soul is described as being 'Lifted out of the body,' implying the body is a constraint to be transcended.
All passages →◇Divine Sparkscosmology
Fragments of divine light or spirit trapped inside material bodies, awaiting liberation and return to their source.
[auto] The text refers to the soul within the body as 'the high thing it has shown itself to be,' implying a divine nature trapped in matter.
All passages →◇Gnosis Direct Knowledgesoteriology
Salvation through direct experiential knowledge of the divine nature, not through faith, ritual, or moral works alone.
[auto] The passage describes salvation through direct experiential knowledge of the divine nature, such as 'beholding a marvellous beauty' and being 'assured of community'.
All passages →◇Inner Lightanthropology
The divine spark or luminous quality residing within the human person, potentially recognisable through introspection.
[auto] The mystic experience involves 'beholding a marvellous beauty' associated with the divine presence within.
All passages →◇Kingdom Withinanthropology
The claim that the divine realm is present inside the individual, accessible without external mediation.
[auto] The passage emphasizes seeking the divine 'within ourselves' rather than through external mediation.
All passages →◇Monadcosmology
The absolutely simple, undivided first principle from which all multiplicity and existence flows.
[auto] References to the 'Supreme' and 'loftiest order' align with the concept of a single first principle from which all flows.
All passages →◇Mystical Unionsoteriology
The merging of the individual soul or self with the divine, transcending personal identity.
[auto] The text explicitly states the experience involves 'acquiring identity with the divine' and 'stationing within It'.
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 text details the soul's journey back to its origin by 'stationing within It' and questions the initial descent.
All passages →◇Self Knowledgesoteriology
The recognition of one's own true divine nature as the primary path to liberation; 'know thyself' as soteriology.
[auto] The experience is described as being 'Lifted out of the body into myself' and the instruction to 'seek within ourselves'.
All passages →◇Spiritual Ascentpraxis
A staged journey of the soul upward through heavenly realms or levels of being toward the divine source.
[auto] The narrative details being 'Lifted out of the body' and references the dynamic of 'ascent and descent'.
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] The goal is described as 'acquiring identity with the divine,' suggesting a non-dual state of existence.
All passages →Related passages · 13 parallels
◆christian_mysticism|Pseudo-Dionysius: The Divine Names|Chapter 11, Section 1b
“Plotinus says the Godhead is indivisibly divided.
doth not leave Its own Unity, but, even in the act of going forth to all things, remains entirely within Itself through the excess of that all-transcendent Unity: concerning these things ‘t…”
Both passages discuss the concept of unity and plurality, the emanation of beings from a higher unity, and the interconnectedness of all things. They share a mystical perspective on the nature of reality and the divine, though they come from different traditions.
◆christian_mysticism|Pseudo-Dionysius: The Divine Names|Chapter 13, Section 1c
“Emily Brontë: “Every existence would exist in Thee.”) And if all things be conceived as being ultimately unified with each other, then all things taken as a whole are One.
507 507 All things possess the same Super-Essence, and that is why…”
Both passages discuss the concept of unity and plurality, and the emanation of beings from a singular, ultimate source. They explore the idea that all things are interconnected and derive their existence from a higher, unified principle.
◆christian_mysticism|Pseudo-Dionysius: The Divine Names|Chapter 4, Section 1i
“an introversion 288 288 ἡ εἰς ἑαυτὴν εἴσοδος.
from things without and the unified concentration 289 289 In souls being unified and simplified.
See Intr., p.
25.
of its spiritual powers—which gives it a kind of fixed revolution, and, tur…”
Both passages discuss the relationship between unity and multiplicity, and the process of emanation or participation in the divine. They explore the idea of a higher unity giving rise to a plurality of beings, and the soul's journey towards the divine.
◆christian_mysticism|Pseudo-Dionysius: The Divine Names|Chapter 5, Section 1e
“And if these Universals exist by participating in Existence, far more is this true of the things which participate in them.
6.
Thus the first gift which the Absolute and Transcendent Goodness bestows is that of mere Existence, and so It d…”
Both passages discuss the emanation of existence and being from a transcendent unity or goodness, and the hierarchical structure of reality that results from this process. They share a conceptual framework of participation and the unfolding of multiplicity from a singular source.
◆christian_mysticism|The Life and Doctrines of Jacob Boehme|Chapter 1 (part 8)
“1 "When my spirit, full of sorrow, earnestly, and as if moving in a great storm, arose in God, carrying with it my whole heart and mind, with all my thoughts and with the whole of my will, and when I would not cease to wrestle with the love…”
Both passages describe a mystical experience where the individual transcends the physical realm to attain a higher state of knowledge and union with the divine. They emphasize the transformation of the self and the attainment of divine wisdom through a spiritual journey.
◆christian_mysticism|The Life and Doctrines of Jacob Boehme|Chapter 3 (part 2)
“The last generates the first, as well as the first the second, the third the fourth, up to the last.
They are all seven equally eternal." ( Aurora , x.
2.) "If I am sometimes describing only two or three as being active in the generation…”
Both passages describe a complex, interdependent system of principles or beings that emanate from a unity and interact harmoniously. They emphasize the eternal nature and interrelationship of these principles, highlighting how they contribute to the overall structure and harmony of the cosmos.
◆christian_mysticism|The Life and Doctrines of Jacob Boehme|Chapter 7 (part 3)
“2.) "The inner man stood in heaven; his essences were the Paradise; his body was indestructible.
He knew the language of God and the angels, and the language of nature, as may be seen by Adam giving names to all creatures, to each accordin…”
Both passages describe a state of divine connection and elevated existence where the individual (Adam in Passage A and the soul in Passage B) is in a state of perfection, knowledge, and power, transcending the limitations of the physical world. They share the theme of a higher, divine state of being and the connection to the divine.
◆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…”
Both passages discuss the relationship between the soul and the divine, exploring themes of ascent, descent, and the union of the soul with the divine. They share a mystical perspective on the soul's journey and its connection to a higher reality.
◆christian_mysticism|The Life and Doctrines of Jacob Boehme|Chapter 12 (part 2)
“1 "It was the will of God to transmute humanity, after it had become earthly, again into the celestial quality, to turn the human earth (material element) into heaven, to make out of the four elements only one, and to transform the wrath of…”
Both passages discuss the concept of a divine being entering the human realm to redeem or elevate humanity. They share the theme of transformation and union between the divine and the human, though they come from different mystical traditions.
◆egyptian|The Egyptian Book of the Dead (Papyrus of Ani)|Chapter 25 (part 2)
“Saith Osiris Ani: "Hail, thou god Annitu!
Hail, O Runner, (2) dwelling in thy hall!
O thou great god, grant thou " that my soul may come unto me from wheresoever it may be.
If it would tarry, then bring thou unto me (3) my soul from wher…”
Both passages explore the concept of the soul's relationship with the body and its journey in the afterlife. They share a mystical focus on the soul's unity with the body and its transcendence, though they come from different cultural and religious contexts.
3 more
◆egyptian|The Egyptian Book of the Dead (Papyrus of Ani)|Chapter 25 (part 3)
“Vignette: [1] Ani standing at the doorway of the tomb; and Ani's shadow, accompanied by his soul.
Text [CHAPTER XCII.]: (I) THE CHAPTER OF OPENING THE TOMB TO THE SOUL OF THE SHADOW, OF COMING FORTH BY DAY, AND OF GETTING POWER OVER THE LE…”
Both passages describe a journey of the soul or spirit from a state of bondage or confinement to a state of freedom and union with the divine. They share the theme of transcendence and the soul's ability to ascend beyond the physical realm.
◆egyptian|The Egyptian Book of the Dead (Papyrus of Ani)|Chapter 43 (part 69)
“xcii} 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 so…”
Both passages discuss the concept of a supreme, self-existent being and the creation of the world and living beings. They also touch on the immortality of the soul and the hidden, mysterious nature of the divine. The passages come from different traditions but share similar insights into the nature of the divine and creation.
◆renaissance_hermeticism|The Heroic Enthusiasts, Part II (Gli Eroici Furori)|PREFACE
“. The second part of "The Heroic Enthusiasts" which I am now sending to the press is on the same subject as the first, namely the struggles of the soul in its upward progress towards purification and freedom, and the author makes use of low…”
Both passages discuss the soul's journey and its struggles in ascending towards a higher spiritual state. They share the theme of the soul's descent into the material world and its eventual purification and freedom, though they come from different mystical traditions.