Living Theurgy

Living Theurgy PDF Author: Jeffrey S. Kupperman
Publisher:
ISBN: 9781905297719
Category : Philosophy
Languages : en
Pages : 282

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Book Description
Living Theurgy is a masterpiece combining scholarly excellence with lucid practicality. Theurgy ('god-working') is a combination of ritual mystical practices interwoven with philosophy and theology. It was developed by Iamblichus and other Neoplatonists inspired by the works of philosophers including Plato, Aristotle and Pythagoras, and Julian the Chaldean. Author and scholar Jeffrey Kupperman elucidates and makes accessible the core ideologies and practices of Theurgy, which evolved through more than 1000 years of Platonic philosophy and cultural transformations. Kupperman guides the reader through the contemplative and theurgical practices used by the Neoplatonists to create effective spiritual transformation in the practitioner. Philosophia (Philosophy) as the foundation of Theurgy is explored through techniques such as lectio divina ('divine reading') contemplation and visualisation. It focuses on discussion of key concepts including virtue, wisdom, bravery, temperance, justice, evil, political philosophy, beauty and love. Theologia (Theology) considers the One, also known as the Good, which is the source of all, through the spectrum of monotheism, polytheism and panentheism. It also explores different views regarding the nature and functions of the Demiurge, angels and daimons, and the human soul, and the practices of Theurgy, including the use of hymns and prayers. Theourgia (Theurgy) focuses on the practices, from purification and the use of signs, symbols and tokens to talismancy and the ensouling of eikons (divine images). The work concludes with a complete guide to the Invocation of the Personal Daimon, an essential step in the theurgic process of purification and illumination in seeking the Divine. Living Theurgy is a literary psychopomp for practitioners seeking effective methods of developing their knowledge and relationship with the divine through Neoplatonic praxis. It is essential reading for all those interested in traditional forms of magical, philosophical, and religious practice, and the history of the western mysteries. "Philosophy is purifying, religion illuminating, but theurgy is uplifting." Introduction, Jeffrey Kupperman

Living Theurgy

Living Theurgy PDF Author: Jeffrey S. Kupperman
Publisher:
ISBN: 9781905297719
Category : Philosophy
Languages : en
Pages : 282

Get Book Here

Book Description
Living Theurgy is a masterpiece combining scholarly excellence with lucid practicality. Theurgy ('god-working') is a combination of ritual mystical practices interwoven with philosophy and theology. It was developed by Iamblichus and other Neoplatonists inspired by the works of philosophers including Plato, Aristotle and Pythagoras, and Julian the Chaldean. Author and scholar Jeffrey Kupperman elucidates and makes accessible the core ideologies and practices of Theurgy, which evolved through more than 1000 years of Platonic philosophy and cultural transformations. Kupperman guides the reader through the contemplative and theurgical practices used by the Neoplatonists to create effective spiritual transformation in the practitioner. Philosophia (Philosophy) as the foundation of Theurgy is explored through techniques such as lectio divina ('divine reading') contemplation and visualisation. It focuses on discussion of key concepts including virtue, wisdom, bravery, temperance, justice, evil, political philosophy, beauty and love. Theologia (Theology) considers the One, also known as the Good, which is the source of all, through the spectrum of monotheism, polytheism and panentheism. It also explores different views regarding the nature and functions of the Demiurge, angels and daimons, and the human soul, and the practices of Theurgy, including the use of hymns and prayers. Theourgia (Theurgy) focuses on the practices, from purification and the use of signs, symbols and tokens to talismancy and the ensouling of eikons (divine images). The work concludes with a complete guide to the Invocation of the Personal Daimon, an essential step in the theurgic process of purification and illumination in seeking the Divine. Living Theurgy is a literary psychopomp for practitioners seeking effective methods of developing their knowledge and relationship with the divine through Neoplatonic praxis. It is essential reading for all those interested in traditional forms of magical, philosophical, and religious practice, and the history of the western mysteries. "Philosophy is purifying, religion illuminating, but theurgy is uplifting." Introduction, Jeffrey Kupperman

A Theurgist's Book of Hours

A Theurgist's Book of Hours PDF Author: Jeffrey S Kupperman
Publisher:
ISBN: 9781905297894
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 200

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Book Description
A daily praxis for theurgists of any background looking to engage in a structured and effective everyday spirituality.

For the Love of the Gods

For the Love of the Gods PDF Author: Brandy Williams
Publisher: Llewellyn Worldwide
ISBN: 073874977X
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 318

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Book Description
Follow the Footsteps of History and Discover the Path to the Gods For the Love of the Gods tells the epic story of theurgy, from its roots in ancient Egypt to its modern day practice. The lives and passions of the early Pagan philosophers come alive in these pages, immersing you in the bustling cities and diverse cultures that spawned theurgy as we know it today. Theurgy is best understood when it is deeply experienced. The stories presented here re-create the experience of these ancient practices and show how they were passed down through generations of teachers and students of differing ethnicities, genders, and ages. It's commonly believed that ancient Pagan theurgy traditions were erased from the earth and replaced by monotheistic religions—but this is a myth. The way to the gods was never lost. For the Love of the Gods shares step-by-step instructions for theurgic rituals, so that you can create relationships with the gods and love them as the ancients did. Discover how to offer devotionals, create living statues, invoke into yourself and others, and achieve personal communion so that you, too, may dwell in the happy presence of the divine.

De Mysteriis

De Mysteriis PDF Author: Iamblichus
Publisher: Society of Biblical Lit
ISBN: 158983058X
Category : Demonology
Languages : en
Pages : 429

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Book Description
This volume presents the first modern English translation of Iamblichus’s De mysteriis alongside the standard critical edition of the text by Édouard Des Places (Les Belles Lettres, 1966). This important work, which provides a unique insight into the mystical side of late Neoplatonism, has hitherto been neglected to an unfortunate degree, partly due to its inaccessibility. Iamblichus argues that the only true good is union with the gods and that the only route to this divine union is theurgy—religious ritual demonstrating supernatural power—which both symbolizes and encapsulates the extraordinary miracle of the soul’s conversion back to its divine origin. The process of sacrifice, the activities of angels and demons, the meaning of divine possession, and the functioning of oracles are all examined in this extraordinary defense of theurgic mysticism against contemporary critics such as Porphyry. Clarke, Dillon, and Hershbell bring this famous and fascinating text to light through their introduction and extensive notes.

The Practical Art of Divine Magic

The Practical Art of Divine Magic PDF Author: Patrick Dunn
Publisher: Llewellyn Worldwide
ISBN: 0738746312
Category : Body, Mind & Spirit
Languages : en
Pages : 319

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Book Description
The ancient world of Egypt, Greece, and Rome was home to a set of magical and spiritual technologies, called theurgy, that unite the practice of magic with the aims of religion. Theurgy, or "godwork," is the art of creating a stronger bond between the theurgist and his or her deities. The results of this stronger bond were imminently practical: stronger magic, more meaningful existence, and a better life. With the fall of Rome, these techniques faded into obscurity, and many of them were lost forever. This book revives, restores, and reinvents these practices for a contemporary pagan or magical practitioner. A mixture of scholarly research and examination of source texts and daring experimentation and extrapolation leads to a complete and workable system that can inform a variety of practices, all presented in a relaxed, lighthearted, and readable way. Whether you practice witchcraft, ceremonial magic, or chaos magic, you can benefit from the practice of theurgy. You will learn techniques to create stronger bonds with divine forces, call up and communicate with spiritual beings, summon a magical assistant, create statues imbued with divine spirit, and master your own mind. The ultimate goal is union with the divine, but theurgy is a practical path, and every step on that path is designed to improve your life.

Philosophy and Theurgy in Late Antiquity

Philosophy and Theurgy in Late Antiquity PDF Author: Algis Uždavinys
Publisher: Sophia Perennis
ISBN: 9781597310864
Category : Philosophy
Languages : en
Pages : 308

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Book Description
The ancient philosophy, in its original Orphico-Pythagorean and Platonic form, is not simply a way of life in accordance with the divine or human intellect (nous), but also the way of alchemical transformation and mystical illumination achieved through initiatic 'death' and subsequent restoration at the level of divine light. To use another mythical image, philosophy restores the soul's wings and leads the purified lover of wisdom to Heaven. As a means of spiritual reintegration and unification, ancient philosophy is inseparable from the hieratic rites. Therefore those scholars who themselves follow the anagogic path of Platonic tradition are more or less firmly convinced that their philosophy ultimately derives from the Egyptian and Mesopotamian temple liturgies and rituals, reinterpreted and revived by the Neoplatonists under the name of 'theurgy' in late antiquity. The theurgic 'animation' of statues appears to be among the main keys for understanding how various royal and priestly practices, related to the daily ritual service and encounter with the divine presence in the temples, developed into the Neoplatonic mysticism of late antiquity. The traditional theory of symbolism still stands on the Neoplatonic foundation established by Iamblichus, Proclus, and Damascius. "This book clearly establishes three things: that traditional myth (as the Neoplatonists maintained) is the symbolic expression of metaphysics, as metaphysics is the exegesis of myth; that Greek philosophy was not an isolated 'miracle' but a reinterpretation of perennial themes common to the ancient Near Eastern, Mesopotamian, Indian, and especially Egyptian religions; and that Platonic philosophical discourse was but one-half of a whole which included an invocatory/contemplative practice known as 'theurgy'. It was not merely the ancestor of western speculative philosophy, but an askesis, a yoga-a way of realization (though no longer a living tradition) worthy to be included among the great spiritual methods of all places and times." Charles Uupton, author of Knowings "In this most stimulating and wide-ranging work, Algis Uzdavinys, drawing on the resources of his enormous learning, leads Neoplatonic theurgy back to its roots in Ancient Egypt, thereby setting Platonic philosophy in a new and wider context. Students of Neoplatonism will find themselves much indebted to him for this, and all readers will find their outlook on life significantly changed.- Prof. John M. Dillon, Trinity College, Dublin, author of Middle Platonists

Invoking Angels

Invoking Angels PDF Author: Claire Fanger
Publisher: Penn State Press
ISBN: 0271051434
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 408

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Book Description
"A collection of essays examining medieval and early modern texts aimed at performing magic or receiving illumination via the mediation of angels. Includes discussion of Jewish, Christian and Muslim texts"--Provided by publisher.

Theurgy and the Soul

Theurgy and the Soul PDF Author: Gregory Shaw
Publisher: Angelico Press / Sophia Perennis
ISBN: 9781621380634
Category : Philosophy
Languages : en
Pages : 350

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Book Description
Iamblichus was once considered one of the great philosophers. The Emperor Julian followed Iamblichus's teachings to guide the restoration of traditional pagan cults in his campaign against Christianity. Although Julian was unsuccessful, Iamblichus's ideas persisted well into the Middle Ages and beyond. His vision of a hierarchical cosmos united by divine ritual became the dominant worldview for the entire medieval world. Even Ralph Waldo Emerson wrote that he expected a reading of Iamblichus to cause a "revival in the churches." But modern scholars have dismissed him, seeing theurgy as ritual magic or "manipulation of the gods." Shaw, however, shows that theurgy was a subtle and intellectually sophisticated attempt to apply Platonic and Pythagorean teachings to the full expression of human existence in the material world.

Drawing Down the Moon

Drawing Down the Moon PDF Author: Radcliffe G. Edmonds, III
Publisher: Princeton University Press
ISBN: 069115693X
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 492

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Book Description
One of the foremost experts on magic, religion, and the occult in the ancient world provides an unparalleled exploration of magic in the Greco-Roman world, giving insight into the shifting ideas of religion and the divine in the ancient past and in the later Western tradition.

First Principles of Philosophy

First Principles of Philosophy PDF Author: Manly Palmer Hall
Publisher:
ISBN: 9780893148256
Category : Metaphysics
Languages : en
Pages : 199

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Book Description
This simple and informal approach to the study of philosophy offers a straightforward explanation and interpretation of the seven departments of philosophy: Metaphysics, the Nature of Being and of God; Logic, the Rule of Reason: Ethics, the Code of Conduct: Psychology, the Science of the Soul; Epistemology, the Nature of Knowledge: Esthetics, the Urge to Beauty; and Theurgy, the Living of Wisdom.