Another Eve: A Case Study in the Earliest Manifestations of Christian Esotericism Laura Hobgood-Oster Southwestern niversity !t is !

who am the "art of my mother# And it is ! who am the mother# !t is ! who am the wife# !t is ! who am the virgin# !t is ! who am "regnant# !t is ! who am the midwife# !t is ! who am the one that comforts "ains of travail# !t is my husband who bore me# And it is ! who am his mother$ And it is he who is my father and my lord% !t is he who is my force# &hat he desires$ he says with reason% ! am in the "rocess of becoming% 'et ! have borne a man as lord% ())*:+-),-()-

Esoteric tendencies and movements a""ear consistently within Christianity% At their foundation lies .nosticism$ in early Christianity the sect of /0nowing ones%/(1- .nosticism$ in its many forms$ is based on$ though not limited to$ the ac2uiring of gnosis 3 or /saving 0nowledge%/ !ndeed a .ree0 le4icon would distinguish the two terms central to this article 3 gnosis and esoteri0os$ but their meanings could be closely connected%(5- Arguably$ .nosticism is the earliest and most affecting of all manifestations of Christian esotericism% 6rom Meister Ec0hart to 7acob 8oehme to Emmanuel Swedenborg to a "lethora of related esoteric strands that develo"ed in American Christianity9even in the Sha0ers with their "ro"het Albrecht :;rer$ <&oman Clothed &ith the Sun=

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------*> Mother Ann Lee9"arallels to .nostic conce"ts$ structures and alternate mythologies can be found%(*Modern scholars a""ly the term .nosticism to a variety of religious movements which develo"ed in the Mediterranean world during the same historical "eriod in which

Christianity formed% /.nosticisms/ "rovide e4am"les of the religious syncretism occurring throughout the ?oman occu"ied territories in the Hellenistic ethos of the first few centuries of the Common Era% 6or centuries$ insight into .nosticism@s early Christian form had been gathered "rimarily from influential defenders of develo"ing and consolidating orthodo4y$ such as Clement$ Origen and !renaeus% Ahese definers of orthodo4 Christianity condemned what they labeled as the .nostic heresy% !ndeed$ such defense against .nosticism served as a "rimary im"etus to their momentous theological constructs% !n many ways$ Christianity@s orthodo4 theological system and doctrine formed in res"onse to .nostic heresy% Obviously$ then$ these sources have "rovided a closely circumscribed lens through which to view Christian .nosticism for almost two thousand years% !n )>*B an amaCingly "reserved set of .nostic wor0s was discovered at Dag Hammadi in Egy"t% Ahis find enables modern scholars to glance through an insider /0nower@s lens/ at this incredibly significant as"ect of earliest Christianity% Ahe collection of thirteen "a"yrus codices were com"osed in Co"tic$ though most li0ely translated from .ree0$ between the third and fifth centuries C%E% Ahis invaluable discovery "rovides an entirely different and fertile glim"se into Christian .nosticism$ "articularly into its com"le4 mythological system$ from its own "ers"ective rather than that of orthodo4$ condemning outsiders% Of course$ a religious system which is esoteric in its very essence could never be com"rehended through the "ers"ective of outsiders or /un0nowers$/ the only "ers"ective available "rior to the discovery of the Dag Hammadi library% 6or this very reason 3 the esoteric nature of .nosticism and its wide-ranging influence 3 the weight of the discovery of these documents com"ounds%

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------BE Ahe e4tremely com"le4 mythological system can be found within the Dag Hammadi te4ts% !t "rovides the ma" of the maCe through which an understanding of the secret truths of salvation conveyed to and among early .nostics% !ndeed the mythic essence$ which remains "articularly hidden to the minds of those outside of Christian .nosticism$ serves as one of the most fascinating as"ects of .nosticism% As a religious system it does not lend itself to the constructs of systematic theology 3 a veritable cornerstone of most intense Christian self-articulation% ?ather$ .nosticism only becomes com"rehensible through the avenue of myth% Frocesses of formation into the mythological world of .nosticism unloc0ed its closed systems of communication and "rovided a new understanding of self and salvation% 8ecause of its intensive and com"le4 layers an e4"lication of .nostic mythology often re2uires that one select a "articular as"ect of the system rather than attem"t to address its entirety% Ahis study$ then$ will focus on a selected$ central theme in .nostic mythology 3 the Creation 3 and one "ivotal figure within this re-told story of human origins 3 Eve% !t has been claimed$ and ! agree$ that /the wild "rofusion of gnostic myths can be traced to a single scri"tural source: .enesis )-5%/(B- Stories of Adam and Eve fascinated .nostic Christians$ "robably as a result of the myriad allegorical inter"retations a""arent in this "ivotal and foundational myth% Such myths of origin e4"lain more com"letely than any

other mythological elements why creation is in its current$ and in .nosticism$ dreadfully fallen and evil$ state: !t is now a matter of understanding$ intuiting$ and reliving the origi- nal drama$ the initial situation that "rovo0ed the rise$ the establish ment and the trium"h of evil$ an evil that has now ac2uired an ontological toughness and substance% % % Myth thus ac2uires the function of salvation% !t describes the way of salvation$ reminding the .nostic of his (sic- true origins and showing him (sic- how to esca"e from the cosmos% 8ut above all$ li0e all myth$ that of the .nostics is essentially a story of origins# there lies the 0ey of all that one thin0s one "ossesses%(,-

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------B) !n order to e4amine Eve$ one "articular Dag Hammadi te4t in which she "lays a "rominent role can serve as the tool 3 On the Origin of the &orld Ghereinafter O&H% Many other te4ts from the Dag Hammadi library include Eve as a central figure 3 for e4am"le$ Ahe Hy"ostasis of the Archons$ and Ahe A"ocaly"se of Adam% ! claim that insight into her re"resentation "rovides a glim"se into the entire hidden 0nowledge re2uisite for salvation within Christian strands of .nosticism% !n other words$ understanding the Eve of .nostic Christianity as contrasted with the Eve of most orthodo4 manifestations of Christianity illuminates the fundamental nature of this "owerful strand of esotericism% Eve as ?evealer of .nosis After the day of rest So"hia sent her daughter Ioe$ being called Eve$ as an instructor in order that she might ma0e Adam$ who had no soul$ arise so that those whom he should engender might become containers of light% G))B:5)-5BH(J!n a 2uest to understand its own soteriology$ early Christianity turned to the figure of Eve$ demoniCing her with un"recedented force% Christ@s role in redem"tion became e4"licable only in its relationshi" to the 6all as "ortrayed in .enesis% Eve$ along with her sinister "artner the ser"ent$ became the antagonist who$ through her wiles$ led the "aradisical Adam away from .od% As this understanding of Eve@s inferiority and "ro"ensity for sin remains embedded in late twentieth-century culture$ a few e4am"les of it as a doctrine during the time "eriod addressed should suffice to "rovide contrast with the Eve of .nosticism% Of course$ one must begin with the a""earance of Eve as recounted in the second creation account$ which tends to be the more "rominently retold of the two$ "ossibly because of its intrinsic maleKfemale hierarchical structure%(+Anima Mundi$ or the &orldsoul$ from Ahurneisser Cum Ahurn$ Luinta Essentia$ GLei"Cig: )BJ*

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------B1 Fresented in .enesis$ Christians learned from the story that the creation of woman varied significantly from that of man: So the Lord .od caused a dee" slee" to fall u"on the man$ and he sle"t# then he too0 one of his ribs and closed u" its "lace with flesh% And the rib that the Lord .od had ta0en from the male he made into a woman and brought her to the man% G.enesis 1:1)-11H(>Ahe derivative nature of Eve "osits an ontological distinction and inferiority in her from the beginning% Ahus Faul$ the earliest constructive Christian theologian$ can claim: 6or a man ought not to have his head veiled$ since he is the image and reflection of .od# but woman is the reflection of man% !ndeed man was not made from woman$ but woman from man% Deither was man created for the sa0e of woman$ but woman for the sa0e of man% G! Corinthians )):+->H()EAlmost as an afterthought$ u"on the failure of all other creatures to satisfy the needs of the male human being$ .od created the female with the e4"ress "ur"ose of being Adam@s com"anion% According to the rest of the story$ this creation from Adam@s rib may not have been wise$ rather it led to e4"ulsion from Faradise% Ambrose$ the bisho" of Milan in the late fourth century$ delves into her e4tensively in his wor0 Faradise% Eve$ as /the first to be deceived$/ was therefore /res"onsible for deceiving man$/ thus Adam /fell by his wife@s fault$ and not because of his own%/())- At the beginning of the fifth century$ Augustine of Hi""o clearly stated his understanding of the inferiority of Eve: &as it because the man would not have been able to believe (the trans"arent lies of the ser"ent- that the woman was em"loyed (by the ser"ent- on the su""osition that she had limited understanding$ and also "erha"s that she was living according to the s"irit of the flesh and not according to the s"irit of the mindM ()1-

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------B5 Eve symboliCes wea0ness$ sensuality$ tem"tation and disgrace% Second in the order of creation$ her "ur"ose was to serve Adam# lac0ing in wisdom her actions in the garden led to the fall of all human0ind% Eve destroyed humanity@s ho"e for "aradise on earth and$ without the advent of Christ$ for ho"e in eternity% Augustine and Ambrose inter"reted the significance of Eve in the same general time frame as the .nostic develo"ment of mythologies in which Eve "layed a central role% However$

these two early orthodo4 Christian theologians$ through their e4"lications of the /first/ woman$ contributed enormously to the construction of both /Eve/ and /womanhood/ for all subse2uent generations of Christians% !ndeed$ Eve still serves to connect /woman/ to that which is secondary and evil$ derivative and wea0$ as that which led to the /fall/ of all humanity% Ahough many Christians in the late twentieth century would understand such a literal construction to be inade2uate and mis"laced$ biblical literalists$ whose im"act cannot be underestimated in modern Christianity$ would continue to blame Eve$ and therefore all women$ for human0ind@s e4"ulsion from Faradise% Such beliefs remain embedded in ecclesiastical systems and doctrines worldwide% 8ut this is not the Eve we meet in .nostic Christian te4ts% Here$ her descri"tions are those of a guide$ instructor$ and even a savior figure% Her essence and actions serve to "rovide gnosis and illumination for humanity% She is an /other/ Eve% Ao gras" this overwhelming difference$ one must first hear at least a "ortion of the .nostic myth as told in O&% Ahe orthodo4 /.enesis creation myth/ and the role of Eve ta0e on an entirely different form when related by the .nostic community who heard and retold their understanding of creation in O&%

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------B* On the Origin of the &orld: Selected Fortions and E4egesis !ncluded in this brief e4"osition are the "assages from O& which "rove the most "ertinent for understanding the Eve of .nostic Christianity% Here the reader is e4"osed to what the .nostics 0new that the orthodo4 Christians did not% And when they had finished Adam$ he abandoned him as an inanimate vessel lest the true man enter his modelled form and become its lord% 6or this reason he left his modelled form forty days without a soul on the fortieth day So"hia Ioe sent her breath into Adam$ who had no soul% He began to move u"on the ground% And he could not stand u"% G))B:5-)BH Ahe seven rulers or authorities - to "ut it too sim"ly$ these rulers - are rather low-level su"ernatural figures connected to the "hysical creation$ made the body of Adam% However$ they determined that Adam$ if given a soul$ could be more "owerful than they# therefore he was created as an inanimate being% So"hia Ioe$ a figure seemingly su"erior to the seven rulers in .nostic cosmology$ gave Adam life through her breath% Ahis ontologically transforming endowment shoc0ed and angered the rulers% 8ut the giving of life did not em"ower or liberate Adam fully: he was still relegated to crawling on the ground%()5- His wea0ness a""eased the seven rulers who then too0 him

and "laced him in Faradise$ then retreated to their heavens% At this "oint in the story$ Eve enters: &hen Eve saw her male counter"art "rostrate she had "ity u"on him$ and she said$ /AdamN 8ecome aliveN Arise u"on the earthN/ Ahe ouroboros$ among the .nostics a symbol of the aeon$ this image from Hora"ollo$ Selecta Hierogly"hica$ )B>J

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------BB !mmediately her word became accom"lished fact% 6or Adam$ having arisen$ suddenly o"ened his eyes% &hen he saw her he said$ /'ou shall be called @Mother of the Living@% 6or it is you who have given me life%/ G)),:)-JH()*Obviously$ roles reverse in the .nostic version of the creation story$ though they will address the lac0 of 0nowledge of this reversal related through the other telling in .enesis% ?ather than Eve@s life being created from Adam@s rib$ Adam@s soul is endowed by Eve 3 she becomes the active giver of life$ rather than the "assive receiver from Adam% Eve@s role continues to develo" in O& : Ahen the authorities were informed that their modelled form was alive and had arisen$ and they were greatly troubled% Ahey sent seven archangels to see what had ha""ened% Ahey came to Adam% &hen they saw Eve tal0ing to him they said to one another$ /&hat sort of thing is this luminous womanM 6or she resembles that li0eness which a""eared to us in the light% Dow come$ let us lay hold of her and cast our seed into her$ so that when she becomes soiled she may not be able to ascend into her light% ?ather$ those whom she bears will be under our charge% 8ut let us not tell Adam$ for he is not one of us% ?ather let us bring a dee" slee" over him% And let us instruct him in his slee" to the effect that she came from his rib$ in order that his wife may obey$ and he may lord over her%/ Ahen Eve$ being a force$ laughed at their decision% She "ut mist into their eyes and secretly left her li0eness with Adam% She entered the tree of ac2uaintance and remained there% And they "ursued her$ and she revealed to them that she had gone into the tree and become a tree% Ahen$ entering a great state of fear$ the blind creatures fled% G)),:+-5*H !n their "lan to destroy Eve$ the authorities create a lie 3 that Eve

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------B, came from Adam@s rib% Ahis fabrication of modeling from Adam@s rib becomes the cru4 around which the orthodo4 inter"retation of Eve$ an inter"retation which lac0s re2uisite 0nowledge for salvation$ revolves% One need only "eruse the dogmatic systems of "articular

twentieth century Christian grou"s to be reminded of the "ower of the image in Oustifying the subordination of women% Of course$ the rulers are /very glad/ that they - the /female creature$/ along with Adam and their children - were /erring ignorantly li0e beasts%/ G))+:>-)EH Of course the true Eve remained hidden in the tree% 8ut the story of Eve continues to unfold% Ahe /li0eness/ of Eve who was with Adam$ as o""osed to the /true Eve/ in the tree$ also enacts a central role in salvation% As in the .enesis story$ she decides to eat from the tree of gnosis and to share its enlightenment with Adam: Ahen their intellect became o"en% 6or when they had eaten$ the light of ac2uaintance had shone u"on them &hen they saw that the ones who had modelled them had the form of beasts they loathed them: they were very aware 6rom that day$ the authorities 0new that truly there was something mightier than they% ())>:)E-1E# )1E:)5-)B-

Obviously$ this choice would be lauded by .nostics$ for whom attaining this once hidden 0nowledge holds the 0ey to their salvation% Awo Eves$ both of whom contribute uni2uely and necessarily to gnosis$ hold sway in the .nostic creation myth% Eve is the secret 0ey to salvation$ a 0ey hidden from orthodo4 Christians% !m"lications &hat$ then$ are the im"lications from an e4egesis of this alternate$ .nostic creation mythologyM One can only s"eculate as to the im"act of a reconstructed Eve% !nter"reted as the cause of the fall of

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------BJ humanity from a state of "erfection$ as the tem"tress$ as the im"etus for the loss of "aradise$ as evil incarnate$ Eve serves as the defining figure for all women in Christian history$ re"laced only in "art by another o""ressive female figure$ the Pirgin Mary% Ahe .nostic Eve$ on the other hand$ e4ists as the "rimary and first instructor$ she a""ears as luminous$ and gives the gift of light to humanity% Do longer an embodied creature to be loathed and feared$ woman carries the light of salvation within herself% Ahe im"lications of this te4t$ as o""osed to the one in .enesis$ are revolutionary in terms of the traditional relationshi" which develo"ed with Christian$ "atriarchal societies% One more star0 e4am"le should suffice% !n his Lectures on .enesis$ Martin Luther restated the orthodo4 inter"retation of Eve: Although Eve was a most e4traordinary creature$ similar to Adam so far as the image of .od is concerned$ that is$ in Oustice$ wisdom$ and ha""inesss$ she was nevertheless a

woman% 6or as the sun is more e4cellent than the moon Galthough the moon$ too$ is a very e4cellent bodyH$ so the woman$ although she was a most beautiful wor0 of .od$ nevertheless was not the e2ual of the male in glory and "restige% 6urthermore$ Eve bore /the wea0 "art of human nature#/ therefore the /rule remains with the husband$ and the wife is com"elled to obey him by .od@s command%/()BLuther@s words concerning Eve were written more than a thousand years after those of Augustine$ 2uoted above% 'et$ the inter"retation of Eve remained veritably unchanged% Obviously$ in orthodo4 Christianity$ Eve bears an entirely different meaning than she does in .nostic Christianity% Some scholars argue that little significance can be found in this revaluation:

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------B+ !t is easy to see how someone interested in /0nowledge/ might have considered the eating of the fruit of the tree of 0nowledge a ste" in the right direction rather than a mista0e it is only natural that favorable attention instead of censure might be directed toward that "erson who$ according to the inherited tradition$ too0 the leading role in eating of the fruit of gnosis% Ahat this "erson is female is a given in the tradition but not necessarily something that was of interest to all gnostic inter"reters$ any more than was Adam@s maleness%(),8ut such an argument denies the "ower of the myth% And it is through an understanding of the myth that the 0nowledge re2uisite for salvation comes to Christian .nostics% &ithout a systematic theology to e4"lain the story$ the construction of the story itself remains focal% Certainly$ Eve as the initiator of ac2uiring 0nowledge or ac2uaintance would be seen as the foremost ancestor of those who had received gnosis% More im"ortantly$ however$ is the understanding of her "ivotal role as salvific rather than as horrific and evil% Ahe outcomes of this alternate inter"retation may have included an entirely different structure of the maleKfemale duality and hierarchy in &estern culture% Of course$ such a statement begs to be criti2ued as entirely s"eculative$ as it is% 8ut the "ower of the orthodo4 Christian inter"retation of Eve changed the lives of most women over a two-thousand year "eriod in the &est$ and continues to do so throughout the world as Christianity "ermeates myriad cultures% Could not the hidden 0nowledge of the .nostics include an anthro"ology so revolutionary 3 not androcentric but egalitarianM !n ac2uiring such 0nowledge of transformation in human relationshi"$ .nosticism may have believed that one could move forward on the "ath toward enlightenment% Salvation remains hidden from un0nowing eyes$ and those Christians without 0nowledge$ those who did not 0now the .nostic creation story$ remained and remain in dar0ness% !n a religious meta"horical and mythological system which is solely male is terms A medieval image drawing on the female figure of &isdom crowned with truth%

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------B> of its images of the divine and of its established$ male-centered anthro"ology$ a /symbolic hierarchy is set u": .od-male-female% &omen no longer stand in direct relation to .od# they are connected to .od secondarily$ through the male%/()J- Ahe .nostic Eve$ however$ is not only luminous$ but she is a force e2uated with the tree of ac2uaintance$ with salvific 0nowledge itself% ) All citations from On the Origin of the &orld are from Ahe Dag Hammadi Library$ ed% 7ames ?obinson$ rev% ed% GSan 6rancisco: Har"er$ )>++H% 6or ease of reference$ they will be cited in the body of the article by original te4t "age and line number$ as indicated in ?obinson@s edition% 1 Hans 7onas$ Ahe .nostic ?eligion G8oston: 8eacon$ )>>)$ 1nd editionH 51% 5Esoteri0os can be defined as "rivate or secret$ es"ecially as understood by a select few who have s"ecial 0nowledge% * 6or a concise overview of .nosticism see: www%gnostic%org% B Elaine Fagels$ /Adam$ Eve and the Ser"ent in .enesis )-5$/ in !mages of the 6eminine in .nosticism$ *)1% Other Dag Hammadi te4ts which include the .enesis creation accountGsH are: .os"el of Fhili"$ E4egesis on the Soul$ Hy"ostasis of the Archon$ Ahunder: Ferfect Mind$ A"ocry"hon of 7ohn and A"ocaly"se of Adam% , .iovanni 6iloramo$ A History of .nosticism$ B1-B5% J All citations from O& are ta0en from Ahe Dag Hammadi Library$ ed% 7ames ?obinson$ rev% ed% GSan 6rancisco: Har"er$ )>++H% Ahey will be cited in the body of the article by original te4t "age and line number$ as indicated in ?obinson@s edition% + Ahe reader is reminded that in the first cha"ter of .enesis human0ind is created /male and female/ simultaneously by .od% > All biblical 2uotations are ta0en from Ahe Dew ?evised Standard

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------,E Persion$ issued by the Dational Council of the Churches of Christ$ )>+>%

)E !n fairness to Faul$ it should be noted that he continues this dialogue by stating that /Oust as woman came from man$ so man comes through woman%/ )) Ambrose$ Faradise$ *%1*$ )E%*+% 6or a collection of writings from Ambrose and other /Early Church 6athers/ see: htt":KKccel%wheaton%eduKfathers1K % )1 Augustine$ Ahe Literal Meaning of .enesis$ ))%5J% Ao view both Latin and English versions of Augustine@s wor0s see: htt":KKccat%sas%u"enn%eduKOodKaugustine%html % )5 Ahe analogy of movement between Adam and the ser"ent is intriguing here% )* Ahe etymology of the Hebrew word /Eve/ has been inter"reted in various ways$ including /first woman$/ /mothers of all living things/ or$ even /ser"ent/ 3 thus associating her with the conce"t that all life originated in a "rimeval ser"ent% )B Martin Luther$ Lectures on .enesis$ volume ! of Luther@s &or0s$ ,>$ )B)$ 1E1% Luotations ta0en from Margaret Miles$ Carnal Qnowing GDew 'or0: Pintage$ )>>)H )EJ))1% Some of the wor0s of Luther can be found on the &ittenberg FroOect@s site: htt":KKwww%iclnet%orgK"ubKresourcesKte4tKwittenbergKwittenberg-luther%html % ), Michael &illiams$ /Pariety in .nostic Fers"ectives on .ender$/ !mages of the 6eminine in .nosticism$ GFhiladel"hia: 6ortress$ )>++H +% )J 7erry :% Meyer$ /Frofane and Sacred: ?eligious !magery and Fro"hetic E4"ression in Fostmodern Art%/ 7ournal of the American Academy of ?eligion LRPK)$ *1% htt":KKwww%esoteric%msu%eduKHobgood-Oster%html

Stages of Ascension in Hermetic ?ebirth :an Mer0ur niversity of Aoronto !n .nosis GMer0ur )>>):B,-J5H$ ! argued that the gnostic tradition that "assed from late anti2ue .nosticism through 7udaism and !slam$ before it influenced &estern esotericism$ engaged throughout its history in "ractices of both mystical visions and unions% !n some eras$ the "ractices were more elaborate than they were in others% !n the Faracelsian tradition of s"iritual alchemy$ initiates sought four s"ecific mystical e4"eriences in a deliberate se2uence in order to inculcate a "articular doctrinal orientation to mystical "ractice and meta"hysics% Com"arably com"le4 mystical initiations have rarely been documented in the general history of religion% Ahe literature occasionally suggests that a single techni2ue of ecstasy$ such as reciting a Hindu or 8uddhist mantra$ or the Muslim la illaha$ or the Christian 7esus "rayer$ is able to induce several e4"eriences en route to the desired e4"erience of union% However$ the use of multi"le techni2ues to induce more than one

desired e4"erience is com"aratively rare% One may "oint to shamanism GMer0ur )>>1H and Aibetan tantra GHo"0ins )>JJ:)>)-1H# but the gnostic tradition is the only instance in a &estern culture that has been documented to date% Do doubt the to"ic will re"ay further research% !n this article$ ! will "resent my findings concerning a second such instance: the initiatory e4"eriences of the Hermetists of late anti2uity$ which were legendary and "erha"s historical forerunners of &estern alchemical initiations% Hermetism was a Hellenistic system of occultism that flourished in Egy"t in the first centuries C%E% !t "ersisted as a living tradition in the city of Haran in Syria as late as the tenth century$ when its leading e4"onent$ Ahabit ibn Lurra G+5,->E)H$ established a "agan Hermetic school in 8aghdad GAffifi )>B):+**# Mer0ur )>>+:1E-1)H% ConOunctio o""ositorum$ from Di0olaus Mueller$ .lauben$ &issen$ und Qunst$ GMainC: )+11H

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------+E !n Haran$ Hermetism had been syncretiCed with late Deo"latonism "rior to the rise of !slam G.reen )>>1:),+H% Ahe earliest alchemists in the !slamicate included Hermetic authors who wrote under ArabiciCed "seudonyms: 8alinas GA"ollonius of AyanaH and Artefius GOr"heusH G&eisser )>+E# :ella Pida )>5+H% Frominent Muslim "hiloso"hersalQindi$ al-6arabi$ !bn Sina GAvicennaH$ and otherswere influenced by Hellenistic Hermetic writings G.ene2uand )>+J-++# Affifi )>B)H% Hermetism later made its way west$ "ossiblythe 2uestion remains o"enas a living esoteric tradition% Ahe FarCival of &olfram von Eschenbach$ com"osed circa )1)E$ blended the 2uest of the Holy .rail with Hermetic esotericism GQahane S Qahane )>,BH% Scottish versions of the Old Charges of 6reemasonry$ whose earliest e4tant manuscri"ts date from around )*EE$ assert that geometry was founded before the 6lood by 7abel son of Lamech$ who inscribed the science on "illars of stone that survived the 6lood and were rediscovered by /the great Hermarius$/ who taught the science to humanity GStevenson )>++:)>-11H% Marsilio 6icino translated a collection of Hellenistic Hermetic documents from .ree0 into Latin in the )*,Es G'ates )>,*H$ since which time the Cor"us Hermeticum has been a mainstay of &estern esotericism G6aivre )>>BH% 6reemasonry@s legend of Hermes gained new meaning when the Hermetic elements of ?enaissance esotericism was grafted onto the craft$ beginning around )B>> GStevenson )>++:11$**$*>H% Hermetism had its origin in age-old "ractices of Egy"tian magic% Ao the concerns of the oldest Hermetic literature with conOuring s"irits and animating statues$ writings of the Hellenistic era added .reco-8abylonian astrology and the then newly develo"ed "ractice of alchemy G6owden )>>5:,B-,+H% Ahe Egy"tian god Ahoth$ whom the .ree0s identified with Hermes and termed Arismegistus G/Ahrice-.reat/H$ was "ortrayed in the Hermetic literature as the divine founder of these occult "ractices% Other Hermetic te4ts$

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+) which scholars since 6estugiere G)>B*H have distinguished as "hiloso"hical literature$ credit Hermes Arismegistus with the revelation of a distinctive trend in late anti2ue "hiloso"hy% 6estugiere argued that /"hiloso"hic Hermetism/ and /occult Hermetism/ had little to do with each other% 6owden G)>>5H has argued$ however$ that the two bodies of literature were not mutually e4clusive% Ahey should instead be understood as com"onents of a single Hermetic worldview% ! would go still farther% !n my view$ the "hiloso"hic te4ts of Hermetism can be understood as efforts by ancient theurgists to e4"ress themselves in "hiloso"hic terms% Li0e the medieval "hiloso"hies of !slam$ 7udaism$ and Christianity$ the "hiloso"hy of Hermetism originated as a rationaliCation and systematiCation of e4isting religious usages% :es"ite Hermetism@s debts$ among other sources$ to Aristotelian$ Stoic$ Flatonic$ and 7ewish thought G6owden )>>5:5,-5J# Fearson )>>EH$ Hermetic "hiloso"hy articulated a "ers"ective that was consistent with Hermetic occultism% Hermetism is often and wrongly confused with Gnosticism, which similarly originated in Egypt in roughly the same era. For present purposes, a few salient points of contrast will suffice. Like the God of Stoicism, the Hermetic God was omnipresent and omniscient through the material cosmos. In Gnosticism, by contrast, God was transcendent, and the physical uni erse was an e il place created by an e il !emiurge " an den #roek $%%&'. Hermetic ethics celebrated the di ine within the world( Gnostic ethics were abstemious, ascetic efforts to escape from the world ")ah* $%%&'. Ahere were also differences in their valuations of visions% 7onas G)>,>H drew attention to the fact that the motif of heavenly ascension was originally intended$ for e4am"le in 7ewish a"ocaly"tic literature$ as an obOective reality$ but was subse2uently transformed into an allegory of the mystical "ath% Ahe mystical a""ro"riation

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------+1 of the ascension motif was com"lete by the second century era of the Ale4andrine Christian fathers$ St% Clement and Origen G:anielou )>J5H% Ahe allegorical tradition was also "resent in the .nostic literature of Dag Hammadi$ although in a slightly different manner% ?eferring to e4"eriences of visions in general$ Ahe E4egesis on the Soul 5* stated: /Dow it is fitting that the soul regenerate herself%%%%Ahis is the resurrection that is from the dead% Ahis is the ransom from ca"tivity% Ahis is the u"ward Oourney of ascent to heaven% Ahis is the way of ascent to the father/ G?obinson )>++:)>,H% 6or the .nostics$ as for the Ale4andrine fathers$ ascension was one among several literary tro"es that could signify mystical e4"eriences of highly varied manifest contents% !n the Hermetic literature$ as ! shall show$ different varieties of mystical e4"erience were each associated with a s"ecific celestial region on the traOectory of ascension% 6or Hermetists$ /ascension/ was not a mere meta"hor that could be used interchangeably with /resurrection/ or /ransom from ca"tivity%/ A single region of the s0y might be termed the seven "lanetary heavens or the twelve Codiacal mansions$ de"ending on whether it was subdivided horiContally or vertically# but however the region of astral determinism was

called$ it differed both s"atially and ontologically from the eighth heaven beyond the "lanets# and the ninth heaven differed yet again% Ay"ologically$ the Hermetic view may be seen as a conflation of a"ocaly"tists@ heavens with the hy"ostases of Deo"latonism% &hereas a"ocaly"tists@ heavens were all made out of the same sort of ethereal stuff$ Hermetic heavens formed three distinctive states of being% Eliade G)>+1:1>+-5E)H recogniCed the initiatory character of the so-called "hiloso"hical te4ts of Hermetism$ and 6owden G)>>5:)E*-))BH clarified the basic contours of the mystical e4"eriences that the te4ts describe as /rebirth%/ Ahe following account builds on the fine "resentation by 6owden but "laces greater em"hasis on the ontological im"lications of rebirth%

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------+5 A Hermetic initiate began by neglecting the sensible world in order to achieve an intellectual detachment% Cor"us Hermeticum R!!! instructed: Leave the senses of the body idle$ and the birth of divinity will begin% Cleanse yourself of the irrational torments of matter%%%% Ahey use the "rison of the body to torture the inward "erson with the sufferings of sense% 'et they withdraw Gif not all at onceH from one to whom god has shown mercy$ and this is the basis of rebirth$ the means and method% GC%H% R!!!%J# trans% Co"enhaver )>>1:BE-B)H !n Cor"us Hermeticum !$ Foimandres delivered an e2uivalent teaching% Ahe sense of self$ which is ordinarily based in "ro"rioce"tion of the body$ was to be distinguished intellectually from sensation of the body% Ahe resultant idea of self as a "urely intelligible 2uiddity was to be made the basis for an ascetic abandonment of earthly attachments% !n releasing the material body you give the body itself over to alteration$ and the form that you used to have vanishes% Ao the demon you give over your tem"erament$ now inactive% Ahe body@s senses rise u" and flow bac0 to their "articular sources$ becoming se"arate "arts and mingling again with the energies% And feeling and longing go on toward irrational nature GC%H% !%1*# Co"enhaver )>>1:B-,H% Ahe "assage continues with a descri"tion of the "erson@s ascension through the seven "lanetary Cones$ where he or she discards /the effects of the cosmic framewor0/: increase and decrease$ machination$ the illusion of longing$ the ruler@s arrogance$ unholy

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+* "resum"tion and daring rec0lessness$ evil im"ulses that come from wealth$ and the deceit that lies in ambush GC%H% !%1*# Co"enhaver )>>1:,H% Ahe ascension was literal$ but mental rather than bodily% Ahe ascent beyond the seven "lanetary Cones of the sensible world was a motion of the mind$ while it was yet in the living body$ in such a way that it became free of the body@s subOection to astral determinism% Ahe ascension or$ as we should today say$ transcendence$ was accom"lished through a "hiloso"hical ascesis% !t consisted of a discarding of the influences of astral determinism on the body$ its senses and "assions$ through the achievement$ via ascesis$ of an e4"eriential sense of the mind@s detachment from the body% 6or Hermetists$ such an ascension constituted an ontological change in the status of the mind% Cor"us Hermeticum R!!! e4"ressed a functionally e2uivalent doctrine through different motifs% Ahe negative "owers were twelve and im"licitly Codiacal# but mind had a decad of "owers with which to e4"el them% /Ahe arrival of the decad sets in order a birth of mind that e4"els the twelve# we have been diviniCed by this birth/ GC%H% R!!!%)E# Co"enhaver )>>1:B)H% 6or Hermetists$ the Deo"ythagorean decad was a classic "roof of the e4istence of mind% Ahe first ten numbers were a class of ideas that inhered in the structures of the cosmos and$ as such$ were "aradigmatic of the distinctions between idea and matter$ and mind and body% Ahe inculcation of the "aradigm$ through meditation on the decad$ served to detach the mind from the senses and so transcend the astral determinism to which a Hermetist@s sensible body was subOect% Hermetic initiates were to confirm the validity of locating their senses of self in their minds$ and not in their bodies$ by e4"eriencing visions to the same effect% Cor"us Hermeticum R!!!$ which is subtitled /On being born again$ and on the "romise to be silent$/ had Hermes e4"lain this detail to his son Aat in the course of An image of Hermes$ from a .ree0 vase%

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------+B discussing his rebirth: Seeing (% % %- within me an unfabricated vision that came from the mercy of god$ ! went out of myself into an immortal body$ and now ! am not what ! was before% ! have been born in mind%%%%Color$ touch or siCe ! no longer have# ! am a stranger to them/ GC%H% R!!!%5# Co"enhaver )>>1:*>-BEH% 8y whatever means Hermetists induced their visions$ they e4"erienced visions whose a""arent autonomy$ or lac0 of auto-suggestion$ was treated as evidence that the /unfabricated vision%%%came from the mercy of god%/ Self was conse2uently to be identified with the mind beholding the vision$ rather than with the body that was oblivious to it% +nce a Hermetic initiand had become persuaded that self was e,clusi ely intelligible, further meditations worked with the newly ac-uired sense of self. .orpus Hermeticum /I recommended meditations on the cosmic e,tent of one0s own mind as

a means to apprehend God. 1he fact that the human mind can think about any topic in the cosmos was used to pro e that the cosmos is intelligible. 1he conclusion that the human mind contains the cosmos presupposed an idealist ontology, in this case, an e-uation of the cosmos and the idea of the cosmos2 Consider this for yourself: command your soul to travel to !ndia$ and it will be there faster than your command% Command it to cross over to the ocean$ and again it will 2uic0ly be there$ not as having "assed from "lace to "lace but sim"ly as being there% Command it even to fly u" to heaven$ and it will not lac0 wings% Dothing will hinder it$ not the fire of the sun$ nor the aether$ nor the swirl nor the bodies of the other stars % % % 'ou must thin0 of god in this way$ as having everything - the cosmos$ himself TtheU universe - li0e thoughts within himself% Ahus$ unless you ma0e yourself e2ual to god$ you cannot understand god GC%H% R!%)>-1E# Co"enhaver )>>1:*)H%

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------+, Ahis Hermetic meditation may be seen as a variant of a Middle Flatonic argument about the "erformative nature of language that is found$ for e4am"le$ in Fhilo of Ale4andria% Fhilo G)>1>:)+JH wrote: At this moment my ruling "art is in literal fact in my body$ but virtually in !taly or Sicily$ when it is "ondering on these countries$ and in heaven$ when it is considering heaven% Accordingly it often ha""ens that "eo"le who are actually in unconsecrated s"ots are really in most sacred ones$ when they are forming images of all that "ertains to virtue% GLegum Allegoria !$ ,1H nli0e Stoicism$ which introduced the term s"ermati0os logos "recisely in order to denote ideas that had "erformative "ower GMer0ur )>>):)E)-5H$ Hermetism chose to ignore Fhilo@s distinction between the literal and virtual% !n C%H% R!$ self was to be imagined as an unembodied mind that was able instantaneously to be anywhere inside Gor outsideH the cosmos% Ahe mental e4ercise was to be treated as an analogy that suggested the nature of .od% 6urther understanding of the initiatory shift from visionary e4"erience to the a""rehension of divine Mind is "rovided in a te4t that was not contained in the Cor"us Hermeticum$ but was instead rediscovered in )>*J in the ancient collection of .nostic te4ts that were found at Dag Hammadi in Egy"t% ?esemblances to the Middle Flatonism of Albinus have suggested a date "ossibly in the second century CE GFarrott )>++:511H% Entitled Ahe :iscourse on the Eighth and Dinth$ this long lost te4t enriches our understanding of the rebirth discussed in C%H% R!%

Ahe :iscourse describes Hermes Arismegistus utiliCing the techni2ue successfully before he guides his son in the same "ractice in greater detail% Ahe first "art of Hermes@ mystical e4"erience

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------+J was a vision that he inter"reted allegorically GFagels )>J>:)5,-5JH: Lord$ grant us the truth in the image% Allow us through the s"irit to see the form of the image that has no deficiency$ and receive the reflection of the "leroma from us through our "raise G:isc% +-> BJ# ?obinson )>++:51*H% Having inter"reted the image in a s"iritual manner$ Hermes concluded that a divine Mind had fashioned the image within his soul and he "resently achieved an e4"erience of communion with the Mind that he "ostulated: ! (am Mind and- ! see another Mind$ the one that (moves- the soulN ! see the one that moves me from "ure forgetfulness% 'ou give me "owerN ! see myselfN ! want to s"ea0N 6ear restrains me% ! have found the beginning of the "ower that is above all "owers$ the one that has no beginning% ! see a fountain bubbling with life% ! have said$ my son$ that ! am Mind% ! have seenN Language is not able to reveal this% 6or the entire eighth$ my son$ and the souls that are in it$ and the angels$ sing a hymn in silence% And !$ Mind$ understand%/ G:isc% +-> B+# ?obinson )>++:51*-1BH% Ahe use of the second "erson in Hermes@s statement$ /'ou give me "owerN/$ indicates a sense of encounter with a divine Fresence that Hermes e4"erienced as a "ersonal being% Ahe ne4t statement$ /! see myselfN/$ e4"resses the Hermetic teaching that divine Mind is one@s true self% Hermes did not$ in this "assage$ e4"erience an identity or union with Mind% At this stage in his rebirth$ he e4"erienced a sense of the "resence of Mind that he inter"reted doctrinally as himself% Ahe vision of Mind was simultaneously a means that was utiliCed by /the one that (movesthe soul/ in order to communicate with Hermes:

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------++ /Ahe "ower that is above all "owers$ the one that has no beginning/ transcended the vision$ but caused its occurrence% Cor"us Hermeticum !! e4"lained that /.od is not mind$ but he is the cause of mind@s being# he is not s"irit$ but the cause of s"irit@s being/ GC%H% !!%)*# Co"enhaver )>>1:))H% Hermes@ son soon had ecstatic e4"eriences of his own$ and his comments ma0e clear that visionary e4"eriences were located as e4"eriences of the Ogdoad or Eighth$ while

intellectual intuitions were located in the Dinth% !n the Hermetic system$ a "erson who was having a vision had transcended his bodily senses and had$ as such$ ascended beyond the "hysical realm of the seven "lanetary heavens% Ahe Hermetists@ mind or self found itself in a condition of e4istence that was entirely literal$ even though it was mental rather than bodily% Pisionary e4"erience was not a state of consciousness but a state of being$ a discrete ran0 or stage in the great chain of being% Ahe Eighth cosmic region was$ in Corbin@s G)>J1H sense of the term$ an /imaginal/ realm$ with its own e"istemic and ontic integrity% &e might best a""ro4imate the Hermetic nuance in modern idiom by s"ea0ing not of an Eighth celestial region$ but of an Eighth /dimension%/ Ao go on to reach the Dinth cosmic region$ the imaginal realm of forms had itself to be transcended% 8oth meditations and mystical e4"eriences had to be limited to intellectual abstractions: /Arismegistus$ let not my soul be de"rived of the great divine vision% 6or everything is "ossible for you as master of the universe%/ /?eturn to T"raisingU$ my son$ and sing while you are silent% As0 what you want in silence%/ &hen he had finished "raising he shouted$ /6ather ArismegistusN &hat shall ! sayM &e have received this light% And ! myself see this same vision in you% And ! see the eighth and the souls that are

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------+> in it and the angels singing a hymn to the ninth and its "owers% And ! see him who has the "ower of them all$ creating those Tthat areU in the s"irit/ G:isc% +-> B>-,E# ?obinson )>++:51BH% Ahe assertion that /he enters into the understanding of the eighth that reveals the ninth/ G:isc% +-> ,5# ?obinson )>++:51,H e"itomiCes this "art of the mystical techni2ue% PisualiCation "ractices were used to induce visions of images that had forms% Ahe visualiCations were 0nown to be fabricated$ but the visions that they triggered were thought to be unfabricated% Ahese reflections on the visions were made during the visionary state while in the com"any of the envisioned souls and angels% :ue "resumably to the visions@ coherence or intelligibility$ initiates "ostulated the reality of a Mind that was res"onsible for ideas that too0 visionary form as images% Ahis Mind was not manifest to the initiate$ but the images that manifested its ideas were% Ahe te4t does not mention whether Mind$ in this conte4t$ was human or divine% Once the ninth had been "ostulated on the basis of the evidence of the eighth$ the initiate was ready to move on to the ninth itself% Ahe "ostulation of Mind was to be used to induce a "urely intelligible e4"erience of the divine Creator of /those Tthat areU in the s"irit%/ Having "erceived the intellectual necessity$ during visionary e4"erience$ of "ostulating a

Mind beyond one@s own$ a Hermetist was to accom"lish a final ontological movement by "roceeding from vision to union% Ahe initiand was to verify the divinity of the human mind$ and its e2uivalence to divine Mind$ by see0ing an intellectual mystical e4"erience% Cor"us Hermeticum R!!! described the e4"erience as follows: /6ather$ ! see the universe and ! see myself in mind%/ /Ahis$ my child$ is rebirth: no longer "icturing things in three bodily dimensions% GC%H% R!!!%)5# Co"enhaver )>>1:B1H

------------------------------------------------------------------------------->E Ahe te4t is e2uivocal whether the universe was beheld through sense "erce"tion as the content of an e4travertive mystical e4"erience$ or as a content of mental images during a vision$ or as an intellectual e4"erience of ideas% &hichever may have been intended$ both the universe and self were located in the mind of .od# and the intellectual e4"erience of the "rimacy of mind constituted an ontological shift$ a transcending of vision and a becoming of mind$ that constituted the Hermetist@s rebirth% Cor"us Hermeticum ! concluded: /Ahis is the final good for those who have received 0nowledge: to be made god/ GC%H% !%1,# Co"enhaver )>>1:,H% An intellectual mystical union accom"lished the Hermetist@s diviniCation because the Hermetic .od was the Mind that contains the cosmos as its thoughts% Li0e the .ods of Aristotelian and Stoic "hiloso"hy$ the Hermetic .od was a Mind that was immanent throughout the cosmos% Cor"us Hermeticum P e4"ressed the doctrine in its title$ /Ahat god is invisible and entirely visible%/ !n it$ Hermes stated: Ahe one who alone is unbegotten is also unimagined and invisible$ but in "resenting images of all things he is seen through all of them and in all of them%%%%the lord$ who is ungrudging$ is seen through the entire cosmos%%%%there is nothing in all the cosmos that he is not% He is himself the things that are and those that are not% Ahose that are he has made visible# those that are not he holds within him GC%H% P%1# Co"enhaver )>>1:)+H% Having attained unity with the .od whose thought was the universe$ a Hermetist was "resumably em"owered to wor0 magic by commanding his thoughts% As a rationaliCation of already e4isting Hermetic "ractices of conOuring$ Hermetic rebirth may$ as Doc0 G)>55:)1H suggested$ have been /a curious sacrament of auto-suggestion%/ Let me conclude$ however$ by addressing a different set of concerns%

------------------------------------------------------------------------------->)

So far as ! 0now$ the Hermetic system was the earliest in the &est to "ro"ose a mystical initiation$ consisting of multi"le e4"eriences$ that is simultaneously a Oourney through "laces and a series of changes in the ontology of the self% !ts ascension to the s0y com"ares with 7ewish and Christian a"ocaly"ticism# but its division of ontological states com"ares with Deo"latonic distinctions among sensibles$ intermediates or divisible intelligibles$ and indivisible intelligibles% Ahis se2uence$ which can already be discerned in !amblichus$ was eventually formaliCed by Froclus as three mystical stages of "urgation$ illumination$ and union% However$ the Hermetists slotted imaginals into the middle "osition that Deo"latonism limited to em"irically demonstrable arithmeticals and geometricals% Ahis substitution brought Hermetism to a "osition on visions that differed from the reductive s0e"ticism of Deo"latonism$ which treated visions as ideas that were misre"resented by the senses in the form of images% Ahe Hermetic "osition also differed from the "ure "roOections that .nostics held visions to be% 6or Hermetists$ the imaginal was not a "roOection whose ever various and im"redictable content becomes increasingly "ure as one@s mind "urifies in its "rogress toward .od% Ahe imaginal was instead to"ogra"hical$ an actual and "redictable itinerary in a visionary to"os that had ontological integrity and coherence% Although Ahe :iscourse was not transmitted to the &est in the Cor"us Hermeticum$ the Hermetic conce"t of ontologically distinctive locations along an itinerary has been integral to &estern esotericism for centuries% 8ecause the Hermetic tradition survived without a""arent interru"tion from late anti2uity to be taught at least as late as eleventh century 8aghdad$ it is not sur"rising that a series of initiatory e4"eriences were "ortrayed as an itinerary across nine mountains in Suhrawardi@s Areatise of the 8irds G)>+1H%

------------------------------------------------------------------------------->1 Ao Suhrawardi$ Sufism also owed the introduction of the @alam al-mithal$ the /world of imagination/ G?ahman )>,*H% Ahe notion of an initiatory itinerary in the world of imagination was formaliCed$ or at least made less esoteric$ in the Sufism of DaOm ad-:in alQubra GMer0ur )>>):115$ 15*-5BH# and its "assage from !slam to western Euro"e may be assumed% !nterestingly$ &idengren G)>BE:JJ-+BH demonstrated that the ancient motif of ascension to an audience before a heavenly god was re"laced$ in the Arabic Hermetic literature$ by the motif of entering a subterranean chamber where Hermes sits enthroned$ holding a boo0 in his hand% &idengren suggested that the descent of 8alinas Gthe Arabic A"ollonius of AyanaH to ac2uire the Emerald Aable of Hermes$ along with variant narratives$ blended the motif of an initiatory ascension with the motif$ found in Egy"tian and Hellenistic tales$ of the discovery of a boo0 in a subterranean chamber% Ahe motif of the cave of initiation$ which found its widest audience through the tale of Aladdin in the )EE) Dights$ may also have been influenced by For"hyry@s On the Cave of the Dym"hs GAaylor )>,>H$ in which a "assage in Homer was allegoriCed as an image of the cosmos% &hatever its sources$ the motif of an alchemical initiation by means of a subterranean itinerary is earliest attested in

the writings of medieval Arabic Hermetists% 8y this route$ the motif of ascension in late anti2ue Hermetism was li0ely historically antecedent not only to such celebrated Euro"ean alchemical motifs as the Cave of the Fhiloso"hers$ but also to the climactic encounters in Dovalis@ Heinrich von Ofterdingen G)J>,H and 6erdinand Ossendows0i@s 8easts$ Men and .ods G)>11H%

------------------------------------------------------------------------------->5 ?eferences Affifi$ A% E% )>B)% /Ahe !nfluence of Hermetic Literature on Moslem Ahought%/ 8ulletin of the School of Oriental and African Studies )5K*:+*E-+BB% Co"enhaver$ 8rian F%$ ed% )>>1% Hermetica: Ahe .ree0 Cor"us Hermeticum and the Latin Ascle"ius in a new English translation$ with notes and introduction% Cambridge: Cambridge niversity Fress% Corbin$ Henry% /Mundus !maginalis or the !maginary and the !maginal%/ S"ring )>J1$ )-)+% :anielou$ 7ean% )>J5% .os"el Message and Hellenistic Culture: A History of Early Christian :octrine 8efore the Council of Dicea$ Pol% 1% Arans% 7ohn Austin 8a0er% London: :arton$ Longman S Aodd S Fhiladel"hia: &estminster Fress% :ella Pida$ .% Levi% )>5+% /Some More About Artefius and His Clavis Sa"ientiae%/ S"eculum )5:+E-+B% Eliade$ Mircea% )>+1% A History of ?eligious !deas$ Polume 1: 6rom .autama 8uddha to the Arium"h of Christianity% Arans% &illard ?% Aras0% Chicago: niversity of Chicago Fress% 6aivre$ Antoine% )>>B% Ahe Eternal Hermes: 6rom .ree0 .od to Alchemical Magus% Arans% 7oscelyn .odwin% .rand ?a"ids$ M!: Fhanes Fress% 6estugiVre$ AndrV Marie 7ean% )>B*% La ?VvVlation d@HermWs ArismVgiste$ * vols% Faris: Librarie Lecoffre$ 7% .abalda et Cie% 6owden$ .arth% )>+,% Ahe Egy"tian Hermes: A Historical A""roach to the Late Fagan Mind% Cambridge: Cambridge niversity Fress# r"t% Frinceton$ D7: Frinceton niversity Fress$ )>>5% .ene2uand$ Charles% )>+J-++% /Flatonism and Hermetism in al-

------------------------------------------------------------------------------->* Qindi@s 6i al-Dafs%/ Ieitschrift f;r .eschichte der Arabisch-!slamischen &issenschaften *:)-)+% .reen$ Aamara M% )>>1% Ahe City of the Moon .od: ?eligious Araditions of Harran% Leiden: E% 7% 8rill% Ho"0ins$ 7effrey% )>JJ% /Su""lement$/ in :alai Lama$ Asong-0a-"a$ S 7effrey Ho"0ins% Aantra in Aibet% !thaca: Snow Lion Fublications$ )>+J% 7onas$ Hans% )>,>% /Myth and Mysticism: A Study of ObOectification and !nterioriCation in ?eligious Ahought%/ 7ournal of ?eligion *>:5)B-51>% Qahane$ Henry$ and Qahane$ ?enVe$ with Fietrangeli$ Angelina% )>,B% Ahe Qrater and the .rail: Hermetic Sources of the FarCival% rbana: niversity of !llinois Fress% MahV$ 7ean-Fierre% )>>+% /.nostic and Hermetic Ethics%/ !n ?oelof van den 8roe0 S &outer 7% Hanegraaff$ eds% .nosis and Hermeticism: 6rom Anti2uity to Modern Aimes% Albany$ D': State niversity of Dew 'or0 Fress$ )>>+% Mer0ur$ :an% )>>)% .nosis: An Esoteric Aradition of Mystical Pisions and Albany$ D': State niversity of Dew 'or0 Fress$ )>>)% nions%

XXXXXXXX% )>>1% 8ecoming Half Hidden: Shamanism and !nitiation Among the !nuit$ 1nd ed% Dew 'or0: .arland% XXXXXXXX% )>>+% /?eflections on the Meaning of Aheoso"hy$/ Aheoso"hical History JK):)+-5*% Doc0$ Arthur :arby% )>55% Conversion: Ahe Old and the Dew in ?eligion from Ale4ander the .reat to Augustine of Hi""o% O4ford: Clarendon Fress% Dovalis% )>,*% Henry von Ofterdingen: A Dovel% Arans% Falmer Hitty% Dew 'or0: 6rederic0 ngar Fublishing Co% Ossendows0i$ 6erdinand% )>11% 8easts$ Men and .ods% ?"t% Dew 'or0: 8lue ?ibbonn 8oo0s$ )>5)% Fagels$ Elaine H% )>J>% Ahe .nostic .os"els% Dew 'or0: ?andom House

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Farrott$ :ouglas M% )>++% /!ntroduction/ to /Ahe :iscourse on the Eighth and Dinth GP!$,H%/ !n 7ames M% ?obinson$ ed% Ahe Dag Hammadi Library in English$ 5rd ed% San 6rancisco: Har"er S ?ow% Fearson$ 8irger A% /7ewish Elements in Cor"us Hermeticum ! GFoimandresH%/ !n .nosticism$ 7udaism$ and Egy"tian Christianity% Minnea"olis$ MD: 6ortress$ )>>E% Fhilo GFhilo 7udaeusH% )>1>% Polume !% Arans% 6% H% Colson S .% H% &hita0er% Cambridge$ MA S London$ Q: Harvard niversity Fress% ?ahman$ 6aClur% )>,*% :ream$ !magination$ and @Alam al-Mithal% !slamic Studies 5:),J-+E% ?obinson$ 7ames M%$ ed% )>++% Ahe Dag Hammadi Library in English$ 5rd ed% San 6rancisco: Har"er S ?ow% Stevenson$ :avid% )>++% Ahe Origins of 6reemasonry: Scotland@s century$ )B>E-)J)E% Cambridge: Cambridge niversity Fress% Suhrawardi$ Shihabuddin 'ahya% Ahe Mystical and Pisionary Areatises of Shihabuddin 'ahya Suhrawardi$ trans% &% M% Ahac0ston$ 7r% London: Octagon$ )>+1% Aaylor$ Ahomas% )>,>% Selected &ritings% Ed% Qathleen ?aine S .eorge Mills Har"er% Frinceton: 8ollingen 6oundationKFrinceton niversity Fress% van den 8roe0$ ?oelof% )>>+% /.nosticism and Hermetism in Anti2uity: Awo ?oads to Salvation%/ !n ?oelof van den 8roe0 S &outer 7% Hanegraaff$ eds% .nosis and Hermeticism: 6rom Anti2uity to Modern Aimes% Albany$ D': State niversity of Dew 'or0 Fress% &eisser$ rsula% )>+E% :as /8uch ;ber das .eheimnis der SchY"fung/ von FseudoA"ollonios von Ayana% 8erlin: &alter de .ruyter% &idengren$ .eo% )>BE% Ahe Ascension of the A"ostle and the

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Contents: Polume P Polume !P Polume !!! Polume !! Polume ! Polume P!!: S"ecial Folitical !ssue ?eligion and Secrecy in the 8ush Administration: Ahe .entleman$ the Frince$ and the Simulacrum by Hugh rban P!!G1EEBH: )-5+ Carl Schmitt$ the !n2uisition$ and Aotalitarianism by Arthur Persluis P!!G1EEBH: 5>-B) ?eview of 8arbara Dewman@s .od and the .oddesses

by Claire 6anger Polume P! G1EE*H Articles Emerson@s .nostic :emocracy by Eric .% &ilson P! G1EE*H: )-)B Ahe :ivine Ar0: 7ane Lead@s Pision of the Second Doah@s Ar0 by 7ulie Hirst P! G1EE*H: ),-1B Ahe Eli4ir of Life by 7ames Cowan P! G1EE*H: 1,-5E :aoist Alchemy in the &est: Ahe Esoteric Faradigms by Lee !rwin P! G1EE*H: 5)-B) ?eviews ?ecent 8oo0s ?eviewed in 8rief GP! G1EE*H ?eview of ?obert &ang$ Ahe ?a"e of 7ewish Mysticism ?ecent Araditionalist 8oo0s Selected Fa"ers from the 6irst ASE Conference 8etween @Essence ?eligion@ and @.odly ?eligion@: Ahe !talian Communal Esotericism of the niversal Soul Movement by Massimo !ntrovigne P!G1EE*H: B1-B+ Ahe Coming of a @Little Fro"het@: Astrological Fam"hlets and the ?eformation by .ustav-Adolf Schoener P! G1EE*H: B>-,, E4otericism and Esotericism in Ahirteenth Century Qabbalah by Harvey 7% Hames

P!G1EE*H

6or more "a"ers from the ASE Conference$ clic0 here to go to the ASE website

Polume P G1EE5H Articles Sun ?a: 6rom E"hrata G6-?a-AaH to Ar0estra by :avid &% Stowe PG1EE5H: )-1, Mysticism$ and the Study of Esotericism Methods in the Study of Esotericism$ Fart !! by Arthur Persluis PG1EE5H: 1J-*E 6reemasonic Symbolism and .eorgian .ardens by FatriCia .ranCiera PG1EE5H: *)-J1 Ahe Curious Case of Hermetic .raffiti in Palladolid ms *EK+ by Eric Pogt PG1EE5H: J5->* &illiam 8la0e and the ?adical Swedenborgians by ?obert ?i4 PG1EE5H: >B-)5J nleashing the 8east: Aleister Crowley$ Aantra$ and Se4 Magic in Late Pictorian England by Hugh rban PG1EE5H: )5+-)>1 Ahe Art of the Law: Aleister Crowley@s se of ?itual and :rama by 7ustin Scott Pan Qleec0 PG1EE5H: )>5-1)+ Clic0 here for an announcement of an im"ortant forthcoming conference in the field 8oo0 ?eviews

?eview of Eri0 Hornung$ Ahe Secret Lore of Egy"t: !ts !m"act on the &est ?eviewed by Lee !rwin PG1EE5H: 1)>-11E ?eview of Pictoria Delson$ Ahe Secret Life of Fu""ets ?eviewed by Arthur Persluis PG1EE5H: 11) ?eview of Anthony Stevens$ Ariadne@s Clue: Ahe Symbols of Human0ind ?eviewed by Melinda &einstein PG1EE5H: 111 ?eview of Sheila S"ector@s<&onders :ivine=: Ahe :evelo"ment of 8la0eZs Qabbalistic Myth and <.lorious !ncom"rehensible=: Ahe :evelo"ment of 8la0eZs Qabbalistic Language Lewisburg: 8uc0nell niversity Fress$ 1EE) ?eviewed by :on Qarr PG1EE5H: 115 ?eview of Aobias Churton@s Ahe .olden 8uilders GLondon: Signal$ 1EE1H ?eviewed by Christo"her Mc!ntosh PG1EE5H: 11* 8oo0s in 8rief Dew 8oo0s of !nterest PG1EE5H: 11B-11, ?ecent 8oo0s ?eceived ?ecent 8oo0s PG1EE5H: 11J Archives Liber Salomonis: Se"her ?aCiel G8ritish Library Sloane MS 5+1,H transcribed by :on Qarr Fart ! Fart !! PG1EE5H .il"in$ ?ichard$ :emonologia Sacra: Or$ A Areatise of Satan@s Aem"tations: !n Ahree Farts GEdinburgh: Frinted 8y ?% 6leming and Sold at the "rinting house at Fearsons Closs$ )J5BH PG1EE5H

Polume !P G1EE1H Articles &hat is EsotericM Methods in the Study of &estern Esotericism by Arthur Persluis !PG1EE1H: )-)B

!n Our Series: Studies in American Esotericism Fowwowing: A Fersistent American Esoteric Aradition by :avid Qriebel !PG1EE1H: ),-1+ Gfor "rintable version$ clic0 hereH Astrology: 8etween ?eligion and the Em"irical by .ustav-Adol"h Schoener !PG1EE1H: 1>-,E Dew Series: Fhenomenological Studies &ithin Ahis :ar0ness: !ncarnation$ Aheo"hany$ and the Frimordial ?evelation by Aom Cheetham !PG1EE1H: ,)->B Dew Series: Eye on Society Magic and Cybers"ace by Devill :rury !PG1EE1H: >,-)EE A Dew Aheory of Music0 by :r% 6rancis Lee !P G1EE1H: )E)-)E5 Selected Letters of Louis-Claude de Saint-Martin !PG1EE1H: )E*-))1 ?eviews ?eview of :eborah Har0ness@s 7ohn :ee@s Conversations &ith Angels by Claire 6anger !P G1EE1H: )E*-)E, ?eview of 7ean 8orella@s Ahe Sense of the Su"ernatural and Ahe Secret of the Christian &ay by Arthur Persluis !P G1EE1H: )EJ-)E+ Doteworthy 8oo0s: Current !ssue !P G1EE1H: )E>-))5 ?ecent Araditionalist 8oo0s !P G1EE1H: ))5 ?eview-Essay on 8asarab Dicolescu@s Manifesto of Aransdisci"linarity by Qaren--Claire Poss

!P G1EE1H: ))*-)), DewN ?e"ort from Aarhus$ :enmar0 Collo2uium on Art and Alchemy and 7ohn :ee Conference Polume !!! G1EE)H Articles (Editor@s note: Ahese articles are lengthy$ full-length studies$ so they ta0e a cou"le minutes to load% 8e "atient9it@ll be worth itNLee !rwin$ /&estern Esotericism$ Eastern S"irituality$ and the .lobal 6uture$/ Esoterica !!!G1EE)H: )-*J Gfor "rinter-friendly version$ clic0 hereH Harry Oldmeadow$ /Ahe &estern Luest for @Secret Aibet@$/ Esoterica !!!G1EE)H: *+-)EJ Gfor "rintable version$ clic0 hereH 7ohn of Morigny$ Frologue to Liber Pisionum (c% )5E* - )5)+Aranslated$ Edited$ and !ntroduced by Claire 6anger and Dicholas &atson GDew format: "df filesH Esoterica !!!G1EE)H: )E+-1)J Hugh 8% rban$ /Ahe Omni"otent Oom: Aantra and !ts !m"act on Modern &estern Esotericism$/ Esoterica !!!G1EE)H: 1)+-1B> Gfor "rintable version$ clic0 hereH ?eviews Doteworthy 8oo0s ?eview of Doel 8rann$ Arithemius and Magical Aheology: A Cha"ter in the Controversy over Occult Studies in Early Modern Euro"e GAlbany: S D'$ )>>>H by Christo"her CelenCa Esoterica !!!G1EE)H: 1,E-1,* A ?eview Essay on ?obert Sardello by Lee !rwin Esoterica !!!G1EE)H: 1,B-1J, ?eview of Antoine 6aivre and &outer Hanegraaff$ eds%$ &estern Esotericism and the Science of ?eligion$ GLeuven: Feeters$ )>>+H by Claire 6anger Esoterica !!!G1EE)H: 1JJ-1+J ?eview of Steven &asserstrom@s ?eligion After ?eligion: .ershom Scholem$ Mircea Eliade$ and Henry Corbin at Eranos$ GFrinceton: Frinceton F$ )>>>H by Arthur Persluis

Esoterica !!!G1EE)H: 1++-1>1 ?eview of ?ussell Hvolbe0@s Mysticism and E4"erience$ GLanham: Persluis Esoterica !!!G1EE)H: 1>5-1>* FA$ )>>+H by Arthur

Archival &or0s and E4hibitions Liber Lunae And Other Selections from 8ritish Library$ MS% Sloane 5+1,$ transcribed by :on Qarr Esoterica !!!G1EE)H: 1>B-5)+ An E4hibition of Faintings with Commentary by 7ohn Eberly: A Dew Esoterica Fainting E4hibition Polume !!G1EEEH Articles (Editor@s note: Ahese articles are lengthy$ full-length studies$ so they ta0e a cou"le minutes to load% Flease be "atient9it will be worth itN&outer Hanegraaff$ /Sym"athy or the :evil: ?enaissance Magic and the Ambivalence of !dols/ ""% )-** (faster loading version- Gfor "rintable version$ clic0 hereH Marsha Qeith Schuchard$/&hy Mrs% 8la0e Cried: 8la0e$ Swedenborg$ and the Se4ual 8asis of S"iritual Pision/ ""%*B->5 (6ull version(6aster loading with "icture gallery (for "rintable version$ clic0 hereFaul &esley Hofreiter$ /Dotes on Fiano Sonata )>/ ""% >*->> Listen to the Sonata by clic0ing here G?ealFlayer formatH :ownload a free version of ?ealFlayer .1 Online Art E4hibition featuring the &or0 of :on Qarr Dew 8oo0 Announcements 8oo0 ?eviews Harold 8loom$ Omens of the Millennium ""% )EE-)E, Aed Anton$ Eros$ Magic$ and the Murder of Frofessor Culianu ""% )EJ-))5

Qathleen ?osenblatt$ :aumal$ ""% ))*-)), Michael 7%8% Allen$ Syno"tic Art ""% ))J-)11 Adamantius ""% )15-)1* Charles Leland$ Aradia ""% )1B-)1> 7an 8ondeson$ Ahe 6eeOee Mermaid ""% )5E-)5) Eliot &olfson$ Circle in the S2uare ""% )51-)5+ Aheo FaiOmans$ 7ohn &orrell Qeely ""% )5>-)*) &alter 8enOamin@s ?adio Aal0s for Children ""% )*1-)*5 Moshe Hallamish$ An !ntroduction to Qabbalah$ and Moshe !del$ Messianic Mystics$ ""% )**-)*J Dew 8oo0 AnnouncementsN Archival &or0s :ionysius the Areo"agite$ Ahe Celestial Hierarchy ""% )*+-1E1 Mystical Aheology ""% 1E51)) Courtesy of Michigan State niversity Libraries@ :igital Services: H% C% Agri""a$ Ahree 8oo0s of Occult Fhiloso"hy$ GLondon: ),B)H

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------Polume ! G)>>>H Articles$ /Some ?emar0s on the Study of &estern Esotericism/ &outer Hanegraaff Esoterica !G)>>>H: ""% 5-)> Gfor "rintable version$ clic0 hereH /&estern Esotericism and the Harmony Society/ Arthur Persluis Esoterica !G)>>>H: ""% 1E-*J Gfor "rintable version$ clic0 hereH /Another Eve: A Case Study in the Earliest Manifestations of Christian Esotericism/ Laura Hobgood-Oster

Esoterica !G)>>>H: ""% *+-,E Gfor "rintable version$ clic0 hereH /6ollowing Lucifer: Miltonic Evil as .nostic Cabala/ Fhili" 8eitchman Esoterica !G)>>>H: ""% ,)-J+ Gfor "rintable version$ clic0 hereH /Stages of Ascension in Hermetic ?ebirth/ :an Mer0ur Esoterica !G)>>>H: ""% J>->, Gfor "rintable version$ clic0 hereH /Ahings :one &isely by a &ise Enchanter: Degotiating the Fower of &ords in the Ahirteenth Century/ Claire 6anger Esoterica !G)>>>H: ""% >J-)51 Gfor "rintable version$ clic0 hereH /Ahe Alchemy of the Poice at E"hrata Cloister/ 7an StryC Esoterica !G)>>>H: ""% )55-)B> Gfor "rintable version$ clic0 hereH Archival te4ts .eorg von &elling$ O"us Mago-Cabalisticum et Aheoso"hicum G)J5BH Esoterica !G)>>>H: ""% ),E-)J) 7ohannes Qel"ius$ A Short$ Easy and Com"rehensive Method of Frayer$ G)J,) trs%H Esoterica !G)>>>H: ""% )J1-)>+ .eorge ?a""$ Ahoughts on the :estiny of Man G)+1*K)+1BH Esoterica !G)>>>H: ""% )>>-1E* Hirtenbrief$ (Fastoral Letter- as distributed by the Harmony Society G)+BBH Esoterica !G)>>>H: ""% 1EB-1*) 8oo0 reviews 8rian .ibbons$ .ender and Mysticism Esoterica !G)>>>H:1*1-1*5 Andrew &ee0s$ .erman Mysticism and 8oehme Esoterica !G)>>>H:1**-1*B 7ean Servier$ ed%$ :ictionnaire criti2ue de L@[sotVrisme$ Esoterica !G)>>>H:1*,-1*J

!G)>>>Hi !SSD: )B5*-)11* Ahe contents of this Oournal cannot be re"roduced in any form$ electronic or otherwise$ without the e4"ress written "ermission of Esoterica or$ in the case of an article$ of Esoterica and the articleZs author% &e also "rohibit mirrors of this site% All articles are co"yright of the authors% All other materials and their "resentation$ unless otherwise noted$ are the co"yrighted "ro"erty of :r% Arthur Persluis and Esoterica% Do re"roduction without e4"ress written "ermission% Ao re"roduce articles or images$ or for "ermission to use them$ contact us at our email address below or write us% 8ACQ AO AOF studies\esoteric%msu%edu] !SSD: )B5*-)11* ] )>>>-1EEB ] htt":KKwww%esoteric%msu%eduKmain%html SAAAEMEDA O6 F ?FOSE A% Our "ur"oses are to: )% Live in a manner which honors our res"ective Higher Selves$ and the Craft% 1% E4"lore and "ractice the beliefs and traditions of witchcraft% 5% Su""ort one another within the Society in our "ositive s"iritual$ emotional and mental evolution$ education$ a""lications of 0nowledge and "ersonal underta0ings% *% Hold ritual wor0ings on our days of "ower$ in order to celebrate the seasons$ wor0 our magics$ recogniCe rites of "assage and honor our res"ective Higher Selves% B% Honor the Earth and each member within the Society as sacred$ and wor0 to heal and "rotect our Selves$ our loved ones$ and our "ersonal environment% ,% Learn$ a""ly$ share and teach the beliefs and s0ills of witchcraft% J% Ao educate others about the "ractices and beliefs of witchcraft$ where a""ro"riate% 8% Commitment: All members of the Society must have fully committed themselves to these "ur"oses in their beliefs$ activities$ and lives% MEM8E?SH!F A% Lualifications: Do "erson shall be denied the ability to a""ly and be considered for membershi" on the basis of gender$ race$ ethnic bac0ground$ se4ual "reference$ "hysical handica"$ or age$ "rovided that they have attained the age of maOority O? full consent of all "arentsKguardians in writing% Membershi" will be offerred to such 2ualified individuals "ending full consensus of the Aeachers% 8% :egrees of Fartici"ation and Membershi": Fartici"ants in any and all "rograms s"onsored by this Society may include the following: )% Contributors: Feo"le who consider themselves witches or fellow occultists and "artici"ate in andKor su""ort the o"en activities of the Society%

1% .uests: !nterested "arties who may attend any o"en activities O? membersonly activities when s"onsored by a member and with the full consensus of all Aeachers "rior to the event% 5% Members: Membershi" in the Society itself shall be limited to: a% Students: Fersons who have been acce"ted as members and are following the "rescribed course of study and "artici"ation within the Society% b% Aeachers: Fersons who have been acce"ted as members$ and act not only as students$ but also as those from whom 0nowledge$ guidance$ and mentorshi" can be offerred to fellow students in the "ractices and beliefs of witchcraft and their own "articular areas of training and s"ecialty% C% Membershi" Status: Any "erson@s "artici"ation or membershi" may be curtailed$ sus"ended or terminated by decision of the Society$ either for lac0 of "artici"ation andKor attendance issues$ or for violation of the Society@s e4"ectations% A:M!D!SA?AA!OD AD: OFE?AA!OD A% Society Synod: Ahis body shall handle the ordinary business of the Society% )% Membershi": Ahe Synod shall consist of all members of the Society% .uests may be invited to attend andKor "artici"ate in Synod meetings by Aeachers% 1% Sco"e: Ahe Synod shall discuss all matter of: a% Frogram "lanning and activities% b% !nduction into the Society and membershi" in general% c% 6inances and budget% d% Outreach$ networ0ing and affiliations% 5% 6acilitation: Ahe Society SeniorGsH shall ordinarily chair meetings of the Synod% &here they are absent or choose to delegate this res"onsibility$ an elect chosen by the SeniorGsH shall chair instead% *% Method of O"eration: Ahe Synod shall ma0e decisions by consensus% &hen consensus can not be reached$ the Synod may refer the decision to the SeniorGsH or$ in their absence$ the Senior elect$ who shall consider all that has been discussed and ma0e the binding decision% B% Meetings: Ahe Synod shall meet at least 2uarterly on a regular basis$ or as called by any member% ,% Luorom: A 2uorom shall consist of the members "resent at a regularly scheduled meeting of the Synod$ or three-fourths of the active membershi" at any s"ecially called meeting% 8% Offices and :uties: Ahe following offices shall be filled by the Synod whenever a vacancy occurs Goffices may be combined where a""ro"riate$ and additional offices may be created as the Society deems a""ro"riateH: )% SED!O?GsH - ^^Seniors shall be elected by a full consensus of all members^^ Ahe SeniorGsH shall have the following duties: a% Chair Synod meetings or "rovide resources to those doing so% b% Coordinate the teaching "rogram% c% Frovide counseling to members as necessary% d% Lead ritual wor0 or "rovide resources to those doing so% e% Su"ervise the wor0 of other Officers%

f% :irect the induction of members% g% Su"ervise the wor0$ study$ and training of students% h% ?e"resent the Society to the "ublic% i% Enhance the Society in any as"ect "ossible% 1% SC?!8E - Ahe Scribe shall have the following duties: a% Qee" minutes of Synod meetings% b% Handle corres"ondence as re2uested% c% Qee" records of Society membershi"$ "roOects$ wor0s and activities% d% Dotify members of meetings and other im"ortant information% 5% A :!AO? - Ahe Auditor shall have the following duties: a% Collect money from any decided-u"on dues$ fees$ or contributions% b% Qee" accounts% c% Ma0e "urchases% d% ?eimburse others for authoriCed "urchases% e% Coordinate fundraising "roOects% f% Qee" files or records related to the Society@s legal status% *% ?!A ALKF?O7ECAKA?!F LEA:E?S - ^^Ahese "ositions are assigned as needed and to be vacated at the conclusion of each event^^ Ahe Leaders shall have the following duties: a% Coordinate design$ logistics and im"lementation of Society events% C% .uidelines for Conduct: All Contributors$ .uests and Members shall be guided in their conduct by their res"ective Higher Selves% !f someone has a "roblem governing their "erson$ and "roblems arise$ it should be immediately brought to the attention of the SeniorGsH$ and dealt with accordingly$ as best suits the "ur"oses and goals of the Covenant% MEEA!D. SCHE: LE A% &or0ings )% Moon wor0ings shall normally be on the eve of the Dew and the 6ull Moon% 1% Holidays shall be held on traditionally celebrated days% 5% Once scheduled$ a date shall not be changed unless two or more members re2uest it$ and unless everyone can attend on the "ro"osed alternate date% *% :uring clement weather$ wor0ings shall normally be held outdoors at a site to be established by the Synod% :uring inclement weather$ wor0ings shall be held at the home of a Senior or other member$ or in a "ublic "lace selected by the Synod% 8% Classes )% Site a% Seminars and classes shall be offered at such times and "laces as the Synod decides% b% Classrooms shall be "referrably outdoors$ or some other "lace designated andKor a""roved by the Synod% 1% ?egularity a% Classes or guided discussion andKor study grou"s for members shall be held twice each month at least$ on a schedule determined by the Synod%

b% S"ecial classes shall be arranged according to the needs of those involved% 5% Curricula a% All curricula shall be established andKor a""roved by the Synod% *% Cost a% Do fees shall be charged for classes or services% b% Members are e4"ected to furnish their own su""lies$ and may be as0ed to share necessary costs of outside resources re2uired for any class Gin e4am"le - location fees$ boo0s$ et ceteraH% c% Aeachers may acce"t "ersonal donations or contributions from students or other contributors$ guests or members wishing to reimburse them for the gracious giving of their time and 0nowledge$ but this is not to be e4"ected and solicitation of such is com"letely unacce"table% C% 6ield Ari"s and S"ecial Events )% Ahe Society shall have at least one retreat yearly to celebrate$ wor0$ study and "lay$ to be organiCed by a s"ecial committee of the Synod% 1% 6ield tri"s and s"ecial events shall be held at such times and "laces as the Synod deems a""ro"riate% AAAED:ADCE A% E4"ectations )% Members are e4"ected to "artici"ate in all holidays$ Moon wor0ings and classes unless "ersonally instructed otherwise by the SeniorGsH% !f any member attends fewer than three-2uarters of events at which their attendance is re2uested$ their membershi" shall be subOect to review by the Synod% 8% ?estrictions )% Moon wor0ings shall be o"en to members and a""roved guests only% 1% Holidays will be o"en to Contributors$ .uests and Members$ although the Synod may schedule a "rimary members-only celebration for any holiday as desired% 5% Classes will be designated as /o"en/ or members-only by the Circle% 6!DADCES A% Ahe Circle@s income shall include donations$ "rofits from fundraising "roOects and interest from ban0 accounts established by the Synod$ if any% 8% Ahe budget shall be established and disbursements a""roved by the Synod% C% Ahe Auditor shall ma0e a full re"ort at each 2uarterly meeting of income and e4"enditures to the Circle% :% All re2uired forms and re"orts shall be filed with the state and federal governments as re2uired and necessary to maintain the Society@s legal status% E% Members will not give nor receive monetary "ayment for their "artici"ation in any way with the Society% Ahis includes$ but is not limited to$ being "aid for services such as teaching$ guiding others$ or offerring mentorshi"% Members may receive "ersonal donations or contributions from other members$ contributors

or guests wishing to reimburse them for the gracious giving of their time and 0nowledge$ but this is never to be im"lied$ e4"ected or solicited% F?!PAC' O6 MEM8E?S A% Ahe names$ addresses$ tele"hone numbers$ e-mail addresses and other information relating to members shall be considered confidential and may not be disclosed to anyone within or outside of the Society without the e4"ress "ermission of the individual involved% 8% :isclosure of confidential information may$ at the discretion of the Synod$ be considered a violation of the trust of the other members and grounds for termination of their membershi" within the Circle% ?EP!S!ODS AD: AMMED:MEDAS A% Any "art of these guidelines may be ammended by consensus of the &omens 6ullmoon Circle

An !nitiate does not re2uire vast 0nowledge or advanced s0ills in Coven leadershi"$ but should be able to minister to their own s"iritual needs on a basic level% Some s0ills in which basic com"etence is suggested follow%%% - Frogressive "hysical rela4ation techni2ues% - Ability to center oneself emotionally$ ground$ concentrate$ and meditate% - Ability to enter a trance state$ li0e self hy"nosis% - Sim"le self "urification or cleansing% - At least two forms of divination% - ?itual design and leadershi"% - 8asic s"ell craft% - :rawing "ower from the ambient field$ or s"ecifically from lunar$ solar or Earth sources% - Channeling energy to a s"ecific target or "ur"ose% Earthing$ grounding$ or centering e4cess energy

Home _ Chivalry _ !nitiation _ Convocations _ Commanderies _ !CES _ .rail See0ers

AHE CAAHA?S AD: AHE QA8ALA

Ahe distinctive forms of medieval 0abbalism can with a great deal of certainty be said to have had its birth or rather rebirth in the area of the Languedoc% Many sources "lace the root of this revival in S"ain$ however it was not until the early thirteenth century that it was trans"lanted to "laces such as Aragon and Castille from the Languedoc% Ahe time "eriod of this develo"ment in Southern 6rance would be between the years ))BE-)11E% Ahis a""ears to be a very magical "eriod for intellectual as well as for theological and theoso"hical s"eculation% &e also received some of the most im"ressive and enlightened .rail literature from this "eriod% Ahe area of Languedoc would have been an idea "lace for 7ewish culture to flourish during the )1th and )5th centuries% Catholic Christianity had lost its reign and the much more tolerant Cathars had become the "rominent Christian culture of the region% Ahe Cathars detested the corru"tion of the catholic clergy$ and sought to "ractice a form of Christianity more identical with Frimitive Christianity$ claiming their own a"ostolic lineage% So in effect arose a very uni2ue o""ortunity for religious e4"ression in a time when this attitude of tolerance was becoming a rare "henomenon in the world at large% Ahe most interesting as"ect of this situation however was that of the co-e4istence and close "ro4imity of 7ewish and Christian .nostic schools% !n fact this became fertile soil where the 7udeoChristian esoteric traditions "roduced several hybrid strains that continue to enlighten and influence us to this day% Ahe 8ahir$ one of the older and most "rofound of all Qabbalistic te4ts was well received on many fronts in the Languedoc% Ahe cosmology of the 8ahir a""ears only a

slightly modified form of that of the Christian .nostics% One of the more im"ortant .nostic ideas found in the 8ahir is in the Hebrew word @ha`male@# the full or the fullness having the same meaning as the .nostic Fleroma% !n the 8ahir we find: &hat is the meaning of the verse G:eut%55: 15H: /And full of the Lord@s blessing$ ta0e "ossession of the west and south%/ Ahat means: !n every "lace the letter 8eth Gwith which the Aorah and also the word bera0hah beginH$ is blessed because it is the fullness% Ahis verse may thus be understood: And the /fullness/ id the blessing of .od% And it is He who gives drin0 to the needy and with it counsel was ta0en at the very beginning% Here the word @ha-male@ does not sim"ly mean the world of angels as it does in other literature$ rather it refers to the highest reality in which the @fullness@ of .od@s blessing is contained% !t may also be inter"reted as a "ool of dammed u" waters from which .od gives drin0 to those who thirst% Another word re"resenting this fullness is @ALL@% !n the .os"el of Aruth we find: Ahey found%%%the "erfect 6ather who generated the ALL$ in the midst of which is the ALL and of which the ALL has need%%%for what did the ALL need if not the .nosis concerning the 6ather% Com"are it to the .os"el of Ahomas: 7esus said: ! am ALL and the ALL "roceeds from me% Ahe most common attribute of the .nostic Fleroma to be found in the 8ahir is in the form of the @cosmic tree@% Ahe mythical cosmic tree has its roots above and grows downward$ an image that is 0nown to have numerous "arallels in many different cultures$ including the .nostic 8ogomils of the 8al0ans% Concerning the cosmic tree the 8ahir says: !t is ! who "lanted this @tree@ that the whole world may delight in it and with it ! have s"anned the ALL$ called it ALL$ for on it de"ends the ALL$ and from it emanates the ALL# all things need it and loo0 u"on it and yearn for it$ and it is from it that all souls fly forth% ! was alone when ! made it and no angel can raise himself above it and say: ! was there before Ahee$ for when ! s"anned my earth$ when ! "lanted and rooted this tree and caused them to ta0e delight in each other Gthe tree and the earthH and myself delighted in them -who was there with me to whom ! would have confided this secretM Here we find that the tree is not only the origin of souls but that .od had "lanted it before anything else in His /earth/% 6rom this we may conclude that the tree may be thought of as a "rimordial tree of souls% Ahe 8ahir further elaborates on the tree: And what is this tree of which you have s"o0enM He said to him: all "owers of .od are dis"osed in layers$ and they are li0e a tree: Oust as the tree "roduces its fruit through water$ so .od through water increases the "owers of the tree% And what is .od@s waterM !t is

So"hia$ Ho0hmah$ and the fruit of the tree is the soul of the righteous men who fly from the /source/ to the great canal and the fruit rises u" and clings to the tree% And by virtue of what does it flowerM 8y virtue of !srael: when they are good$ righteous$ the She0inah dwells among them$ and by their wor0s they dwell in the bosom of .od$ and He lets them be fruitful and multi"ly% Ahe 8ahir thus tells us that the totality of .od@s "owers constitutes not only a tree of souls from which the souls of the righteous fly out and to which they a""arently return$ but a tree that also de"ends u"on the deeds of the elect of !srael Gor the Fneumatics of the .nosticsH% Ahe remar0 in the above "assage /he ma0es them become fruitful and multi"ly/ should be obvious in its inner meaning% Ahe trun0 of the tree corres"onds to the s"inal cord in man$ and if his deeds are righteous there will be an ascension within the trun0 Gwhich is also 0nown as the great channelH% !n similar fashion in the East we have the doctrine of the rising of the 0undalini through the channels of Shushumna% Another matter of considerable interest is the s"ecific symbolism and localiCation of the aeons% Since So"hia Gor Ho0hmahH is the source that waters the tree then the root is the third Sefirah G8inahH$ or the Mother in the terminology of the 8ahir$ and the tree itself re"resents the totality of the seven other "owers that are active in the creative wor0 of the seven days% ASA?OLO.!CAL ?E6E?EDCES Ahe "otency of the one is also in the other$ although there are twelve in each of the three they all adhere to each other and all thirty-si4 "otencies are already found in the first$ which is the teli%%%and they all return cyclically one into the other$ and the "otency of each one is found in the other%%%and they are all "erfect in the heart% Ahe 8ahir Ahe number thirty-si4 would corres"ond to the astrological decans of that number$ and the number twelve to that of the Codiacal signs% Of course$ these numbers are not "articular to the 8ahir$ but can be found "rofusely throughout a great deal of 0abbalistic literature$ es"ecially in the te4ts of the Sefer 'etCirah% E4am"les of similar astrological and numerical references from .nostic te4ts are far too numerous to list# however an e4am"le worthy to note is here given: And when ! bring you into the height$ you shall see the glory of them in the height# and ye shall be in most mighty wonderment% And when ! bring you into the regions of the rulers of fate$ 'e shall see the glory in which they are$ and com"ared with their greatly su"erior glory$ 'e will regard this world as the dar0ness of dar0ness$ and when 'e gaCe down on the whole world of men$ it will be as a s"ec0 of dust for you$ because of the enormous distance by which the fate-s"here will be distant from it$ and because of the enormous su"eriority of its 2uality over it% And when ! shall have brought you into the twelve aeons$ 'e shall see the glory in which they are# and com"ared with their greatly su"erior glory$ the region of the rulers of the fate will a""ear to you as the dar0ness of dar0ness$ and will

become as a s"ec0 of dust for you$ because of the enormous distance from you$ and because of the enormous su"eriority of the 2uality of the aeons over it$ as ! have already said unto you on another occasion% Fistis So"hia !D CODCL S!OD O""onents to the theory of a solid connection of the Qabbalists and Cathars in twelfth century 6rance might say that there is a lac0 of hard evidence for ma0ing such conclusions$ however if one uses a fine tooth comb and searches meticulously$ there will be little doubt that there was a meeting of the mystic minds$ the only 2uestion being of what degree% Ahe most common similarity of both grou"s is the notion regarding the reality of a se"arate higher world belonging entirely to .od Himself and in which there occur certain dramatic events that have their counter"art in the lower world% Ahis su"reme world of the un0nown .od may corres"ond$ in the case of the Qabbalists$ to the .nostic "leroma% Ahe Cathars recogniCe four elements as com"osing that su"reme world Oust as did the circle of !saac the 8lind% Ahe creator .od or :emiurge of the Cathars is identical with Satan$ has a form and figure in which he a""ears to the "ro"hets# while on other hand$ the true and good .od im"erce"tible to the eye and for all "ractical "ur"oses is un0nowable to the hylic mortals% Ahe Cathar idea of Satan also holds a resemblance in the 8ahir of the "rince of Aohu$ who was the creator of the material world% Ahe system of syCygies or the cou"ling of masculine and feminine "otencies in the u""er world$ and its reflection in the lower world can be found in the doctrines of the S"anish Qabbalists as well as the Cathars% Ahis connection$ however seems not to be from the immediate influences but rather from a common source within the ancient .nosis% Ahis may be further deducted by the fact that the idea of the syCygy may be found universally$ es"ecially in the east in such rich esoteric traditions as Aaoism% Lastly$ the one maOor issue that our two grou"s have most in common is that of the transmigration of souls$ although the details vary to some degree% Ahe Cathars regarded the higher souls as those of fallen angels that must continue to wander until they attain the body of a Cathar Ferfecti did% Similarly$ when a student engaged himself to a Qabalistic school$ one of the first things taught to the novice was that he "robably would not com"lete his wor0 in the "resent lifetime Gassuming that the "resent lifetime was the first one to "arta0e of this s"iritual "athH% !n fact$ the idea of transmigration of souls can be traced bac0 among both traditions to a much older time frame% Ahe earliest Christian .nostic embraced this idea$ as did the 7ewish mystics of the same "eriod% Ferha"s the similarities of the Cathars and Qabbalists may be attributed to other factors than direct contact% Ahe mystical conce"ts acce"ted by these traditions can also be found in numerous other esoteric lineages$ east and west% :ue to the geogra"hical barriers between these grou"s there a""ears to be am"le evidence that these "eo"le were drawing

from the same archety"al well of wisdom$ and with this in mind$ we need only lower our "ail into the same well of the collective unconscious% htt":KKwww%orderofthegrail%orgKcatharsXandXtheX0abala%htm

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