1 Hermetic Cosmology Dennis Dutton 19-December-04 Abstract This paper briefly describes the major cosmologies that influenced the formation of the Hermetic cosmology. It then suggests possible influences of this cosmology on questions of magic versus religion, definitions of soul mates and lifestyles for the best possible outcome on the next life or afterlife.
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1
Hermetic Cosmology
Dennis Dutton 19-December-04
Abstract
This paper briefly describes the major cosmologies that influenced the formation of the Hermetic cosmology. It then
suggests possible influences of this cosmology on questions of magic versus religion, definitions of soul mates and
lifestyles for the best possible outcome on the next life or afterlife.
Introduction
A cosmology is the conceptual framework of an individual, school of thought, or whole culture by
means of which the world is understood.
“Hermetic Magic” by Stephen Edred Flowers, Ph.D.
When one first begins to study various cosmologies, the usual impression is that it is an interesting intellectual
exercise but has little in the way of practical application. Further study shows that knowing what comes after death
provides a guideline on how to live life to ensure a better outcome in the next life, after life or next incarnation. It
also illustrates the differences between religion and magic which allows us to make an informed decision regarding
how much of either that we want to practice. Some cosmologies even describe such hard to define concepts as love
and soul mates.
Origins
The Hermetic Cosmology was heavily influenced in its creation by the cosmologies of the Egyptians, the
Pythagoreans, the Gnostics and the Hellenics. To understand the most common version of the Hermetic Cosmology,
we must first study these influential origins. A large part of the following descriptions are my own enlightened
understanding. In Phaedo, Socrates says only the mind and soul can comprehend that which cannot be experienced
through the senses. None of these models can completely explain the related cosmology…for full understanding
you must read the cited sources and grasp the cosmology with your “Intellectual Soul”.
Egyptian Cosmology
The Egyptian cosmology was based largely on the
world around them. The Nile river flowing through
Egypt and giving life was associated with the goddess
of moisture (Tefnut). The land around Egypt was
divided between the rich fertile land created by the
overflowing of the Nile (Black Land or Khemet –
associated with the god Geb) and that beyond (Red
Land – associated with the god Set). Those doing
magic are frequently told not to use things that are red –
meaning don’t use that which is foreign. Separating the
Black Land from the Red Land is the Vault of Heaven (goddess Nut) with the air (god Shu) below that. The flat
plane of the Black Land (god Geb) is ringed by mountains and among the mountains are two pillars on each side
holding up the Vault of Heaven. Below all this is underworld (Duat).
Many concepts for other cosmologies originated in the Egyptian but have been filtered through other cultures
making it difficult to define a direct correspondence. Some of the more obvious influences are the lack of
individuality, the distrust of what is foreign and the direct cooperation with divine spirits. While the practice of
compelling the cooperation of underworld spirits did not originate with the Egyptians, the idea that it as possible did
originate with them.
Pythagorean and Neo-Platonic Cosmology
As with all of the cosmologies discussed here, Neo-Platonic is a synthesis of various previous philosophies and also
varied by location and time period. The main philosophies involved are Stoic, Neo-Platonic and Pythagorean.
The Pythagoreans believed in
a universe defined by several
quaternaries (groupings of
four) arranged along the
Tetraktys (pyramid figure
using doubles on the left side
and triples on the right side).
Example quaternaries include:
1) origin (defined as a point),
concept (as defined by straight
and curved lines), design
(defined by two dimensional
drawings) and form (defined in three dimensional figures); 2) individual, family, community, city; 3) earth in the
form of a cube, water in the form of icosahedron, air in the form of an octahedron, fire in the form of a tetrahedron
and the divine or unknowable in the form of a dodecahedron; 3) thought, science, opinion, and feelings.
The Platonists believed that all things come from the Good (or the One) and the lower levels are mixtures of
darkness (or shadows) of the level above. (The only difference between the Stoics and the Platonists is that the
Stoics believed everything is rational and explainable, whereas the Platonists believed there will always be an
unexplainable portion.) The next level is the Demiurge (or Word) and is the design (or plan) for the physical world
of the All Soul. The lowest level is the expression of the design (or physical manifestation). In this cosmos, Love
(in example) is the physical manifestation of Loving.
Hellenic Cosmology
The basic form of the Hellenic Cosmology consists of three zones: the Zodiac zone beyond Saturn (realm of the
Immortals), the planetary zone (realm of lesser Immortals called daimons) and the terrestrial zone (consisting of the
four elements – fire, air, water and earth and a fifth element connecting the terrestrial realm to the planetary realm.
The seven zones related to the
planets and the five elements of the
terrestrial zone are reflections of the
twelve zones of the Zodiac. (The
planes that have been overlaid on the
planetary zone are my own addition
and will be explained later.)
Within the terrestrial zone is the
chthonic realms of Tartaros, Hades
and Erebos. Tartaros, which is
described in later times as a place for
the punishment of the wicked, was
originally the location for the
purification of spirits to make them
ready for their next incarnation (in
the beliefs of the Pythagoreans).
Hades is both the name of the ruler
of the chthonic realms and the name
for the region of the chthonic realms where spirits are judged soon after death to determine what they need to
balance their deeds in life so they can be purified and reincarnated. After judgments, the spirits pass on to Tartaros
to cause those purifications to come about. Erebos is the region where the purified spirits await the definition of what
is to happen in their next incarnation.
The goal in this model is to develop the personal daimon to be more like one of the twelve Immortals so that it can
pass through the gateway (related to that Immortal) and enter the associated realm. In this model, our “patron
Immortal” is the one that most influences our personal daimon.
Gnostic Cosmology
The form of Gnostic cosmology varies little from the Hellenic and Neo-Platonic. The biggest difference is in the
interpretation. The Gnostics believed the physical world is evil and ruled by an evil god. Humans, also created by
this evil god, are constantly battling between the lightness of spirit and the darkness of the material. Christ is a being
of pure spirit who comes to remind humans of
their spiritual nature and lead them back to the
light.
In their cosmology, the outer portion (The One
in the Neo-Platonic model) is divided into four
parts: The father and son (connected by love)
and the light and dark (connected by life). The
inner portion (The Demiurge of the Neo-
Platonics) is divided into the Zodiac region and
the planetary region. This differs from the
Hellenic in that there is only one gate to
redemption (through the garden of Eden) and
the two regions are separated by the cosmic
snake (Hebrew Leviathan or Hellenic
Ouroboros). The seven regions of the planetary
zone are the same as the Hellenic model except
in their interpretation: here they are meant to
block the soul from reaching redemption. The innermost portion (All-Soul to the Neo-Platonics) consists of the area
between the Earth and the Moon inhabited by spiritual beings (daimons, angels, etc.), the physical Earth and the
infernal realms of Tartaros and Erebos (inhabited by the spirits of the dead who are called forth in the magical
practices of geothia – speaking to the undead). Magic, in this model, is used to help the spirit gain knowledge and
thus pass through to the upper levels.
Modern Cosmology
My personal cosmology starts with the Hellenic cosmology duplicated on to multiple universes (or incarnations) and
connected by the axle of Hades, Tartarus and Erebos. Each of the planetary rings or spheres are associated with the
Seven Planes of Existence (as described by Dion Fortune). Similar to the Pythagorean cosmology, magic is
accomplished by drawing divine energy down the male side, passing to the female side through intercourse, and
returning to the top through the female side. The effects of magic manifest on the plane below where it passes from
male to female.
At the Physical Plane, to be male or female is to be physically a man or a woman and mating at this level is sexual
intercourse. There are no known effects from magic at this level (such as sexual magic) since there are no lower
levels.
At the Psychic Plane, to be male is to actively try to achieve your desires and to be female is to accept what you
have. To mate at this level is to desire someone and magic at this level affects people’s motivations and causes them
to do what is desired without realizing why they are doing it.
At the Plane of Emotions, to be male
is to express desires and emotions.
To be female is to be satisfied with
the expression of the desires and
emotions of others. To mate is to
have sympathy and caring for others
or to accept the sympathy and caring
of others. Magic at this level effects
the next by affecting our passions
and our emotional relationships with
others.
At the Plane of Concrete Mind, to be
male is to try to apply what is known and to be female is to try to determine the theories. To mate at this level by
sharing interests. Magic at this level causes effects at the next level by changing what we believe we want and need.
At the Plane of Abstract Mind, to be male is to use deductive logic (reasoning from the general to the particular) and
to be female is to use inductive logic (using the particular to determine the general). Mating at this level is the
sharing of knowledge. Magic effects at the next level by teaching us what we don’t know and be affecting how and
what we remember.
At the Plane of Concrete Spirit, the tendency to be an individual is considered male and the tendency to be part of a
group is considered to be female. People “mate” at this level by sharing their spiritual beliefs and are attracted to
others with similar beliefs. Magic at this level causes effects on the next level by determining logical cause and
effect.
At the Plane of Pure Spirit, if two people love each other at this highest of levels, they completely submit themselves
and the two become one person. Since the two are one at this level, there is no male and female and there is no
attraction or mating…they are simply the same being. This loss of identity frightens some so they vigorously resist
developing to this point.
The energy, causing anything to happen using this model, has been referred to by many as life force (or chi by the
Orientals). In its natural state, life force originates at the seventh level and travels from each plane to the lower one
along the male etheric bodies. When it reaches the level above the one to be effected, it transfers to a female etheric
body and travels from each plane to the higher one along the female etheric bodies to complete the circuit at the
seventh plane. (It stops at the level above the effected one because each plane is controlled by what happens in the
plane above.) Magic is the process of consciously controlling the path of life force energy to achieve specific effects.
This makes it possible (but very difficult) for a solitary mage to achieve any dynamic effects since they have to
control each of the male etheric bodies to the proper level and have no control of the return path. This same
unbalanced condition exists if they try to control the female etheric bodies of the return path without control of the
male etheric bodies.
In a balanced group of at least two, one person controls the male etheric bodies and another controls the female
etheric bodies. Who has control of which body can change at each level, by mating at that level, as long as one
person assumes the male role and the other the female role. Ethically, the people involved with each mating should
consider the relative development of the etheric bodies at that level. For a highly developed etheric body to mate
with a much less developed etheric body is much the same as rape even if it doesn't take place on the physical plane.
Groups become more powerful as they get more possibilities to fill each role or the participants gain more control of
each level. Once male and female roles are filled at each level, adding more people has little or no effect and may
even prove to be a distraction.
Without mating at the last level and the completion of the circuit, the world remains unaffected. In example, a person
with a highly developed seventh-plane, etheric body would be one with a firm understanding of their spiritual nature
and a well defined religious life. If that person never practices their religion, no one else shares those religious
beliefs and the highly developed, spiritual person remains completely unknown after death.
Conclusions
Magic versus Religion
In modern times, the most common opinion of magic is that it is the forcing of a viewpoint onto reality. At least one
author, Catherine Bell, is of the opinion that magic differs from religion in that, with magic, a person expects some
results but, in the case of religion, a person is merely communicating with divine spirits. With the Pythagorean and
Modern views, upper levels affect lower levels as shadows or mirror images. In the Hellenic and the Gnostic views,
magic is caused by communication or bargains with divine or spiritual beings. Finally there is Socrates statement
regarding the spiritual only being able to be perceived by the soul. This is why magic cannot be scientifically
proven since it has no physically measurable effects.
A possible conclusion to put all of this together is that there are two forms of magic. The first is by bargains with
spiritual beings. This is easiest when dealing with spirits that have kindred goals and personalities and forcing one’s
will on spiritual beings very often has unfortunate results. Magic, under this definition, is very much like religious
prayers and works well with religion.
The second type of magic causes changes in the spiritual planes through images and visualizations. (The drawing of
male energies and returning of female energies in the modern viewpoint is actually accomplished through these
images and visualizations.) Many times, the purpose of this sort of magic is to develop the divine spirit within each
of us so that we can become one with the divine. There are those who believe this is hubris and suggest we are
trying to usurp the power of the Immortals. In reality, the Hellenic Immortals do not set the same sort of difficult to
achieve goals for their worshipers as do other divinities and are completely able to defend their realms without the
help of mortals. (Meaning, if They don’t want it to happen, it simply won’t work.)
After Death
The idea of what comes after death gives us guidance on how we should live our life. Socrates, Pythagoras and
other ancient philosophers believed that the soul is immortal and it goes from one incarnation to another. There was
also some belief that the soul strives to become more and more like its patron or kindred Immortal spirit until it
eventually joins with the divine.
With this model, we should determine which is our patron Immortal and learn as much as we can about what that
means about how we should live our life. Our second goal should be to learn what we can about unfinished business
(some times referred to as karma) from our previous incarnations and the incarnations of our ancestors so that we
may resolve those issues enabling us to “move on”.
Love and Soul Mates
From the above cosmologies, there are at least three concepts of what love is. The first, and the simplest, is the
Pythagorean concept that “Love is the physical manifestation of loving”. This means that we must actively express
our love – love of another, love of family, love of an Immortal, etc.
The second viewpoint expressed by Socrates is based on the concept that when we travel from one incarnation to
another we see more or less of what it is to be divine (according to how closely our spirit has come to becoming
divine in the last incarnation). When we love someone, we are trying to guide them into becoming more like the
vision of the divine we have experienced before. In expressing this type of love, we should carefully choose
someone who is already as much like our view of the divine as possible and, more importantly, we should choose
someone to love who has the same patron Immortal – otherwise, we are trying to force them into a mold that doesn’t
fit them and they will forever fight us.
The third viewpoint of love is best illustrated by the modern cosmology. In this we strive to love someone who
matches us on each level at any specific time (our position on each level changes from time to time and our “soul
mate” is one who best keeps step with our changes). Once we find someone matching us on any of the upper levels,
we will seek the same soul in incarnation after incarnation trying to complete the process. Often times, spirits are
matched on the lower levels and then cause conflicts when one or both of them cannot match on higher levels. In
example, we find someone we are sexually attracted to but then create a separate attachment when they don’t fulfill
our intellectual needs. To prevent problems, we should recognize this and try to make attachments on as many
levels as possible with as few people as possible (ideally, this should be a one-to-one mating).
Works Cited
Bell, Catherine (1992) “Ritual Theory: Ritual Practice”. New York, NY: Oxford Univ. Press.
Flowers, Stephen Edred, Ph.D. (1995) ”Hermetic Magic”. York Beach, ME: Samuel Weiser, Inc.
Fortune, Dion (2000) “The Esoteric Philosophy of Love and Marriage”. York Beach, ME: Samuel Weiser, Inc.
Guthrie, Kenneth Sylvan (1988) “The Pythagorean Sourcebook and Library”. Grand Rapids, MI: Phanes Press.
Plato “Plato: Euthyphro, Apology, Crito, Phaedo, Phaedrus”. Trans. Harold North Fowler. Cambridge, MA: Harvard