Agrippa: The Philosophy of Natural Magic, Chapter LXV — How the Passions of the Mind can Work of Themselves Upon Another's Body · 2 of 2 · tr. Henry Morley; L. W. de Laurence ed.
Chapter LXV, Section 1b
For as the smell of musk doth penetrate, so something of either bad or good is derived from anything bad or good by those that are nigh to them; which may continue a long time.
Now, if the foresaid passions have so great a power in the phantasy, they have certainly a greater power in the reason, in as much as the reason is more excellent than the phantasy; and, lastly, they have much greater power in the mind; for this, when it is fixed upon God for any good with its whole intention, doth oftentimes affect another's body, as well as its own, with some divine gift.
By this means we read that many miracles were done by Apollonius, Pythagoras, Empedocles, Philolaus, and many prophets and holy men of our religion, which things we shall now consider.
Themes
◆Cosmic Sympathycosmology
The Stoic and Plotinian doctrine that all parts of the cosmos are bound by hidden affinities, so that a movement in one part resonates through the whole; the metaphysical basis for astrology, magic, and divination.
The passage explicitly states that passions penetrate bodies and affect them through proximity, reflecting a metaphysical affinity between mental states and physical forms.
All passages →◆Mystical Unionsoteriology
The merging of the individual soul or self with the divine, transcending personal identity.
The text describes a state where the mind is 'fixed upon God' and affects another's body with divine gifts, implying a union of will and reality.
All passages →Related passages · 2 parallels
◆western_esoteric|Transcendental Magic I: The Doctrine (Éliphas Lévi)|8. Realizationb
“The revealers have therefore done scarcely more than divine, by the accuracy of their calculations, the appropriate moment for moral reactions.
The law of realization produces what we call magnetic breathing; places and objects become impr…”
Both passages discuss the idea that the mental and spiritual states of individuals can influence others and the environment around them. Passage A focuses on the power of the mind and its ability to affect others, while Passage B elaborates on the concept of magnetic breathing and the Astral Light, which similarly influences and is influenced by the thoughts and actions of individuals.
◆western_esoteric|Transcendental Magic I: The Doctrine (Éliphas Lévi)|8. Realizationc
“The Astral Body is not always of the same sex as the terrestrial, that is, the proportions of the two forces, varying from right to left, seem frequently to belie the visible organization, producing seeming aberrations of human passion and…”
Both passages discuss the concept of the power of the mind and its ability to affect others, either through passions, thoughts, or actions. They share the insight that mental states can have tangible effects on the physical world or other individuals, though they use different terminology and contexts.