Theurgy of Iamblichus Part 6:

 

Theurgy of Iamblichus Part 6:

“Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law.”

“All other things are subject as instrumentalities for the gift of foreknowledge which has been transmitted from the gods. These include both such as relate to our soul and body as are inherent in the nature of everything or in the individual natures of every one.”

The tools used in divination have no divining capabilities in themselves they merely serve as mediums between us and the gods. The symbols inherent in these tools are reflective of the nature of the gods and these natures are the same in everyone. We all speak to and understand the gods through the same symbols and so these tools are linked to our intuitive understanding of these universal symbols.

“If, however, any one is thinking he is saying something erudite, shall refuse to consider the primary causes, *but shall attribute the art and faculty of divining to operations of inferior character, such as the activities of the bodies, or changes of conditions, or to different movements or operations of human life, or to reasons of a psychic or physical nature; or if he shall argue from the correspondences of these things to others as being causes, presuming that he is setting forth what is true, he has gone entirely wrong.”

The art of divination is not an intellectual activity but is concerned with the intuition as guided by the influence of the gods. As mentioned previously, the gods know everything past and future and it is by interpreting this knowledge that divination is performed. Anyone who is raised to and united with the gods are instantly able to access these insights and the tools are there to facilitate this union, such is the nature of Tarot cards when used in divination for example. However, the efficacy of Tarot divination, or any other form of divination has little to do with erudite knowledge of the cards themselves.

“It likewise comprehends beforehand the essence and cause of things about to take place, from which, of necessity, the attaining of foreknowledge comes unceasingly.”

Divination therefore is associated with the intuition which is a greater awareness of reality leading to greater accuracy in our predictions, that necessarily follow the current circumstances of objective reality. The gods being omnipresent and omniscient manifest their omniscient nature to the soul in this way, we merely interpret cause and effect from the vantage point of the gods via the art of divination.

“Since therefore, the mind contemplates the things that have real being, but the soul encompasses in itself the principles of all things that exist in the sphere of generated existence, it follows, of course, that, answering to the cause which comprehends future events, it prognosticates them, as arranged by their antecedent principles.”

Establishing a communication between the mind and the soul thus bringing the unconscious images received by the soul from the gods and interpreted by the mind as they correspond to the enquiry is how the art of divination is affected. The relationship that the question holds to antecedent principles is how we may conclude accurate answers in divinatory practices and dreams. Thus, there must be a connection established throughout the three worlds in order to obtain accurate answers or visions, the knowledge acquired via the theoretical study and the interpretation of the symbolism of the gods is the means by which the mind occupies the divinatory art, a union between the soul and the gods can only be established by practicing the art of Theurgy. The tools used in these practices may give the visions in an instant. However, these visions are of no use, if the previously mentioned connection has not been established. Nor would there be any way of correctly interpreting the visions if the symbols are improperly understood. The same principle is required when analyzing the nature of dreams that are of a divinatory nature, correct interpretation of such dreams would likewise be mostly inaccurate, if one isn’t familiar with the symbolism and has no frame of reference for such dreams as they correspond to circumstances in the material world.

“It also gives forth discoveries of arts, proper regulations for the administration of law, and institutions of customs. Thus, in the temples of Aklepios, not only are diseases brought to an end by dreams of divine origin, but through manifestation by night the medical art is combined with the sacred visions.”

It becomes clear then, that divination in dreams is not a supernatural phenomenon, nor is our connection to the gods supernatural, whose perfection is inherent in each of us the same. It is a heightening of intuition and creativity by establishing communication between the mind and the unconscious in dreams, whereby the revelations perceived may become useful to us as guides for progress in the world of matter.

Porphyry:                                                                                                                                 

“In like manner many also come to a perception of the future through enthusiastic rapture and a divine impulse, when at the same time so thoroughly awake as to have the sense in full activity. Nevertheless, they by no means follow the matter closely as when in their ordinary condition.”

Iamblichus:                                                                                                                                              “Right her I wish to show the tokens in these occurrences of those who are really possessed by the gods. For they have ether placed their whole life at the disposal as a vehicle or organ for the inspiring gods, or they exchange the human for the divine life, or else they carry on their life in reference to the divinity. They are not acting by sense, nor are they watchful as those whose senses are aroused to greater acuteness, nor do they attempt to study of the future, nor are they moved as those who are active from impulse. On the other hand, they do not understand themselves, either as they were formerly or in any other way; nor, in short, do they exercise their own intelligence for themselves, nor do they put forth any superior knowledge of their own.”

There are two distinct types of people who present authentic characteristics associated to the possession of the gods. The first class are those who have devoted their lives as vehicles for divine inspiration, such as the prophetess at Delphi; and the second class are those who have experienced ecstasy and thus having been transformed, carry the influence of the gods into their everyday lives. This rapturous experience transforms these people in such a way that who they are now, has nothing in common with who they were before. It is transformative to such an extent that they commit the rest of their lives to the gods. This is real possession of the gods and not a fleeting occurrence of which the significance is not perceived within a lesser context. Thus, the exhalation of this divine influence is present throughout the remainder of one’s life, who has truly attained to mystical union with the gods.

“For on the one hand the gods by whom we are inspired are different, and communicate a different inspiration; and on the other hand the divine transports being changed, it occasions another form of divine impulse. For either the divinity possesses us, or we our entire selves become the gods own, or we are active in common with him. Sometimes we share the ultimate or the last power of the divinity, at another time the intermediate and sometimes the first. At one time there is a bare participation of these raptures; at another time there is also communion; and sometimes, again, there is complete union. Either the soul alone enjoys, or it has it with the body, or else the whole living individual shares it in communion.”

There, are not only one form of rapture; ecstasy presents as differing levels of intensity, some take over one’s entire being soul and body and are those usually ascribed to cataleptic trances associated with the gods. Whereas others leave us in control of the faculties of the physical body, wherein certain activities denoting to the gods take place. This may be understood that in some instances there is a complete union achieved as possessing body and soul, and at other times we are given inspiration that corresponds to the specific dealing with the gods.

“From this manifestation the sign of the god which is the most genuine, the most potent, and most perfectly ordered, becomes known to a certainty; and it is not only proper to proclaim what is true in respect to certain matters, or to exhibit the power or to complete the right with the adepts. But they who without witnessing these holy spectacles of the Sacred Rights, effect the conjuring of the spirits in some invisible manner, grope their way as in the dark, and know nothing of what they are doing, except some very small signs which are manifest through the body of the person who is divinely inspired and some other things which are plainly to be seen; and they are likewise ignorant of everything of divine inbreathing which is veiled in invisibility.”

The most dominant characteristics of the god whereby the person is possessed will become clearly noticeable as being embodied by the one who is under the possession of the god. For whom it has become an imperative to express the nature of the god, and these characteristics are unmistakable as pertaining to the nature of divinity. However, a person who has found himself under such possession will have no means of finding the correct expression for this possession, if he lacks the knowledge of its significance. Even though the same distinguishable characteristics are present, they may not be brought under the control of the will, whereby they are guided by the noetic faculty into manifestation.

“Suppose, accordingly, that the genuine art of divining was a liberating of the divine from the other soul or a separating of the mind by itself or an extending of its purview, or that it was a vehemence and extending of energy or passion or a sharpening or prompting of understanding or an inspiriting of the mind.”

From the above quote we see that divination is concerned with the soul’s connection with to gods with the mind being the analytical component, the body to a certain degree for certain works of divination may serve to hinder the process of receiving prophetic visions.

“But if the body is to be regarded as the cause of the inspired rapture or trance, on account of certain temperaments, either melancholic or some other, or to speak more particularly, on account of heat and cold and moisture, or some form of these, the mingling or tempering of them or the breath, would be the cause of the aberration, and it would arise from physical disturbances.”

In cases of extreme illness especially when accompanied by high fevers and also near-death experiences, the body serves as the cause for the prophetic visions. The soul being to a large extent disconnected from the physical body under these circumstances is free to experience divine ecstasy as an expression of its inherent nature.

Porphyry:                                                                                                                                                                              ”So also certain others of these ecstasies become entheast or inspired when they hear cymbals, drums, or some choral chant, as for example, those who are engaged in Korybantic Rites, those who are possessed at the Sabazian festival and those who are celebrating the Rites” of the Divine Mother.”

Iamblichus:

“We affirm accordingly, not only that the shoutings and choric songs are sacred to the gods, each and all of them, as being peculiarly their own, but likewise that there is a kindred relationship between them in their proper order, according to their respective ranks and powers, the motions in the universe itself and the harmonious sounds emitted from the motions.”

The ranks of the gods within their specific hierarchy are observed in the order that these rites are presented in the ceremony, serving to lead the participants systematically to higher and higher ecstasies as they are related to the gods.

“By the agency of such a relationship of the choric songs to the gods it is that their presence actually becomes manifest, for there is nothing intervening; and hence whatever has a mere incidental resemblance to them becomes immediately participant of them. There also takes part at once a perfect possession and filling with the divine essence and power. Nor is this because the body and soul are in each other, and effected alike in sympathy with the songs; but, on the contrary, it is because the inspiration of the gods is not separated from the divine harmony, and being allied with it, as being of the same kindred it is shared by it in just measure.”

The music and chants result in complete possession of mind and body by bringing both into perfect harmony with the nature of the gods, the nature of which are invariably constituents of the divine harmony. The music however just serves to express the fact that there is indeed no separation between us and the gods thus enlivening within the participant the type of ecstasy that leads to Bacchic frenzy.

“Thou seemest to think that those who are enrapt by the Mother of the gods are males, for thou callest them accordingly “Metrizontes”; yet that is not true, for the “Metrizontesae” are chiefly women. A very few however are males and such as may be more delicate. This enthusiasm has a power that is both life-engendering and perfective, in which it differs from every other type of frenzy.”

Bacchic rites are therefore an exaltation of the divine feminine, and it is by these rites that the generative potential of the spirit is enacted. The Bacchic frenzy is a celebration of the creative force of existence, and is not only perfective as a result of its attainment, upon recipients, but it, as the creative expression of creation itself is giving form to spirit within the context of the rite, thus enlivening the force of the egregore to which the ceremony is dedicated.

“It is acknowledged by everyone that the oracle at Kolophon gives its response through the medium of water. There is a spring in a house underground and from this the prophet drinks. On certain appointed nights, many sacred ceremonies having taken place before hand, he drinks, and delivers oracles, but he is not seen by the beholders that are present. It is manifest from this, therefore, that that water possesses an oracular quality; but how this is not every man, as the saying is, may know.”

The oracular nature of the spring could only be experienced by the prophet as it was his appointed office to be the prophet of the oracle. He had dedicated his whole life to being a vehicle of this divine inspiration. This was accomplished by the sacred ceremonies before hand to bring him into communion with the oracle and at the divinatory rites themselves he was not in view of the observers, thereby separating himself from any external sensory stimulus that could form a barrier between him and the oracle.

“Indeed before drinking the water he fasts an entire day and night, and as he begins to become entheast he withdraws by himself into certain sacred retreats.”

The prophet invokes the spirit for two days before the rite, to establish perfect union with the god of the spring, he accordingly fasts throughout this time. The fasting awakens the soul to greater awareness of the unconscious revelations of the oracle. Fasting would to a degree cause the body to aid the vision in the same way as mentioned previously in this essay, when a person experiences states of ecstasy due to high fever or near-death experience. However, in the state that the prophet is in, he is invoking the spirit which is specifically associated with the oracle, and he isn’t just overcome by visions, making his, an act of will. So, we can see from the above, that divination is a form of ecstasy, whereby we have established communication between the soul and the gods in such a way that visions originating in the collective unconscious perceived by the soul is understood by the intellect.  

“Love is the law, love under will.”