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Select Works of Plotinus · 443 of 752 · tr. Thomas Taylor

Select Works, Section 422 (part 2)

But in soul the utterance is obscured, for soul is an image and must look to its own original: that Principle, on the contrary, looks to the First without mediation- thus becoming what it is- and has that vision not as from a distance but as the immediate next with nothing intervening, close to the One as Soul to it. The offspring must seek and love the begetter; and especially so when begetter and begotten are alone in their sphere; when, in addition, the begetter is the highest good, the offspring [inevitably seeking its Good] is attached by a bond of sheer necessity, separated only in being distinct.
Themes
◆Divine Hiddennesstheology

The supreme God's radical concealment beyond ordinary knowledge or perception; the Hidden Father.

The passage notes that souls have come to 'lose even the thought of their origin,' indicating the divine is concealed from them.

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◆Monadcosmology

The absolutely simple, undivided first principle from which all multiplicity and existence flows.

The singular 'father, God' is presented as the ultimate source from which souls originate.

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◇Anthropomorphismtheology

Attributing human characteristics, emotions, or form to the divine; embodied divine imagery.

[auto] The divine is referred to as 'the father' and the soul's condition is compared to a 'child wrenched young from home'.

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◇Childlike Innocenceanthropology

The infant or child as symbol of the unfallen, undivided spiritual state; return to primordial simplicity.

[auto] The analogy of a child separated from home is used to illustrate the soul's lost state of origin.

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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] A clear distinction is drawn between the 'Divine' realm and the 'mundane' sphere of process.

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◇Divine Sparkscosmology

Fragments of divine light or spirit trapped inside material bodies, awaiting liberation and return to their source.

[auto] The souls are identified as 'members of the Divine' who have lost awareness of their intrinsic divinity.

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◇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] References to 'primal differentiation' and the 'sphere of process' indicate a structured descent from a higher divine realm.

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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] Salvation is framed as the recovery of 'knowledge of its father' and discernment of one's own nature.

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◇Kingdom Withinanthropology

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

[auto] The text emphasizes that souls ignore 'themselves' and their own nature, implying the divine is internal.

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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 text describes the soul's separation from its origin in the Divine, implying the necessity of recovering that connection.

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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 passage centrally argues that the soul's fall results from ignorance of its own divine nature and rank.

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◇Unity Of Beingtheology

The doctrine that all existence is ultimately one substance or one divine reality; non-duality as a theological claim.

[auto] Souls are described as 'members of the Divine and entirely of that world,' asserting an original ontological unity.

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Related passages · 14 parallels
◆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 discuss the concept of spiritual transformation through the surrender of self-will and the attainment of divine knowledge. They emphasize the need to die to one's own will and become one with divine truth, highlighting the limitations of individual self-will in achieving spiritual insight.
◆christian_mysticism|The Life and Doctrines of Jacob Boehme|Chapter 5 (part 9)
“1.) "Lucifer having left the harmony of God, the holy name of God separated from him and remained in its own unity; but Lucifer remained in the qualities of the central fire which he had awakened within himself." ( Theosophical Questions ,…”
Both passages discuss the fall of a spiritual being (Lucifer in Passage A, souls in Passage B) due to self-will and the desire for independence from the divine. They describe a separation from the divine realm and the consequences of this separation, including the loss of knowledge of the divine and the self.
◆christian_mysticism|The Life and Doctrines of Jacob Boehme|Chapter 7 (part 11)
“162 [paragraph continues] Eve, the latter was the first to be seduced to fall away from God. 1 "The lust originated in Adam, but thereupon this perverted desire began to be excited in the woman." ( Stiefel , ii. 375.) "Eve was lusting aft…”
Both passages explore the theme of the fall from a divine state due to self-will and desire. They describe how the souls or individuals, driven by pride and curiosity, turn away from their divine origins and become entangled in worldly or material concerns.
◆christian_mysticism|The Life and Doctrines of Jacob Boehme|Chapter 9 (part 3)
“2.) "Many a soul in her malignity would become a devil within one hour if the external life did not prevent it, so that her complete ignition cannot take place." ( Forty Questions , xvi. 12.) "In examining our own selves we find that, on t…”
Both passages discuss the fall of humanity from a divine state due to self-will and the desire for knowledge or freedom, leading to a separation from the divine and a focus on the material world. They also explore the consequences of this fall, including the loss of divine connection and the degradation of the human condition.
◆christian_mysticism|The Life and Doctrines of Jacob Boehme|Chapter 10 (part 4)
“Therefore the Word and the bruiser of the head of the serpent did not enter into form within their souls; but it stood within the mind to oppose the devils and the kingdom of hell with those that were willing to surrender themselves to it."…”
Both passages discuss the fall of humanity and the consequences of self-will and desire. They describe how the souls or spirits of humans became separated from the divine due to their focus on earthly desires and the need for a return to divine will or origin.
◆christian_mysticism|The Life and Doctrines of Jacob Boehme|Chapter 10 (part 5)
“The wrath must kill and consume the external image that has grown in the wrath, but from its death springs forth the eternal life." ( Mysterium , xxviii. 14.) "Abel, representing an antitype of Christ, who was to suffer death for humanity,…”
Both passages discuss the fall of humanity from a divine state due to self-will and the need for redemption or return to the divine. They share the theme of the soul's alienation from its divine origin and the process of reclaiming that connection.
◆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, emphasizing the soul's origin and its connection to the divine. They explore the idea of the soul's fall or separation from the divine and the need for reconnection or illumination.
◆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 divine intervention to redeem humanity from a fallen state. They share the theme of a divine being entering the human realm to overcome the consequences of human actions, though they come from different mystical traditions.
◆christian_mysticism|The Life and Doctrines of Jacob Boehme|Chapter 12 (part 8)
“2 "It is erroneous to suppose that the soul of Christ had left the body and had travelled down to hell, and that it had there, in divine power, attacked the devils and bound them with chains, and thus destroyed hell. It is rather to be und…”
Both passages discuss the concept of the soul's relationship with the divine and the process of redemption or reconciliation. They explore the idea of the soul's fall and the means by which it can be brought back to its divine origin, though they use different metaphors and theological frameworks.
◆christian_mysticism|The Life and Doctrines of Jacob Boehme|Chapter 14 (part 6)
“These souls have a perverted conscience, which tortures them; their sins are always before their eyes; they see all their injustice and frivolity, their conceit and the misery which they have caused, their scorn and arrogance, but now their…”
Both passages discuss the spiritual condition of souls that have turned away from the divine due to self-will and evil desires. They describe the consequences of such a state and the potential for redemption or divine transformation.
4 more
◆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 soul's relationship with a higher principle or truth. Passage A describes the soul's longing for and connection to the One, while Passage B discusses the soul's vision of truth and its consequences. Both emphasize the soul's aspiration towards a higher reality.
◆renaissance_hermeticism|The Heroic Enthusiasts, Part I (Gli Eroici Furori)|Fourth Dialoguef
“Hence it follows that not less do we desire to see things unknown and unseen than those known and seen. And from this it does not follow that the desire does not proceed from cognition, and that we desire something that is not known; but I…”
Both passages discuss the soul's longing for a higher, more perfect reality. Passage A describes the soul's desire to connect with the First Principle, while Passage B discusses the soul's desire to see and understand things beyond the immediate and visible, seeking the universal good and beautiful.
◆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 soul's journey and its connection to the divine. They discuss the soul's descent into the material world and its struggle to return to its divine origin, highlighting themes of self-awareness, divine connection, and the soul's inherent nature.
◆western_esoteric|Tertium Organum (P.D. Ouspensky)|Chapter XXII (part 16)
“Having become indifferent to objects of perception, the pupil must seek out the Rajah of the senses, the Thought-Producer, him who awakes illusions. The mind is the great slayer of the real. Let the Disciple slay the Slayer. For— When to…”
Both passages discuss the soul's journey towards a higher reality or divine principle. Passage A describes the soul's need to look to its original Principle, while Passage B talks about the soul's journey to discern the real from the false and attain inner harmony.