Theurgy of Iamblichus Part 8:

 

Theurgy of Iamblichus Part 8:

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

“Thy next supposition comes up now for consideration, namely: “That the Soul, through such activities, generates from itself a faculty of imagination in regard to the future, or else that the emanations from the realm of nature bring demons into existence through inherent forces especially when the emanations are derived from animals.”

“For one absurdity appears at the outset namely that demons are generated and perishable things.”

All insights must follow the same rule and descend through the higher worlds until finally being interpreted by the intellect. The last of the superior races and the most closely related to the physical body and the intellect are demons, but they are pre-existent to incarnation.

“Besides these considerations, how is it possible that the energies of the divisible soul, which is held fast in a body, be transformed into essence and be separated by themselves outside of the soul? Or how may the faculties incident in the bodies, which have their very being in the bodies be separated from them?”

Firstly, it is interesting to note the nature of the astral body as being divisible here called the soul and how its connection to the faculties of the physical body is associated with the nature of demons. The ether is a sempiternal storehouse of influence, and of course our ethereal bodies are created from the same substance, thus linking us to the Divine Mind and all its subsequent emanations, this is also concerned with the physical and intellectual nature of an individual, whose attributes are established by a union of energies that are sympathetic and thus the soul or the ethereal body is divisible when disconnected from the body. The ancients must have believed that animals shared some of the essences present in the human soul and by releasing the soul from an animal, thus gave demons a medium to manifest through, as the ethereal body that was released became less dense as it was no longer held together by the physical body.

 “Or, how can the soul that is discreet and constant as to the better faculties---those of the mind and understanding---be ignorant of what is to be, when the individual that is receptive to the disorderly and turbulent impressions throws the future wide open?”

Here he seems to be stating, that foretelling the future is a lesser form of divination to that of the ecstasy associated with union and that it is the impressions which are received by the intellect that are mostly responsible for such insights, as the soul is immovable in respect to its position and the mind is swayed by sensual and emotional impressions received from the outside world, following that these impressions become the conduit for inspired insights of a divinatory nature.

“Then, again, the passive condition is conscious only of what is going on and what is now in existence, but foreknowledge extends also to those things which as yet do not have being. Hence, foreknowledge is far different from a passive or susceptible condition.”

Contemplation may lead us to insights of the future based on intuition received from impressions associated to our relationship with the Zeitgeist. However, Iamblichus is saying that deeper insights may only be gained through Magick, from which, by an act of Will, the Theurgist is drawing from a deeper source than the one perceptible to the senses, emotions and intellect. Within this source lies the ontology of being, and so the foreknowledge received from this source extends to things that has not yet come into being, as the source is sempiternal whereas the Zeitgeist only reflects the present and is accordingly limited.

“Why, then, does thy discourse lead off so much from the proposed hypothesis as to be turned from the things superior and beneficial to the worst evils of mania? For in what form does the enthusiastic inspiration resemble melancholy or drunkenness or any other form of alienation originating from morbid conditions of the body? Is not a product of such a kind wholly a destruction, but divine possession a perfecting and deliverance of the soul? Does not the worthless trance happen at the same time as debility, but the superior enthusiastic rapture with complete reign?”

 The dark night of the soul is a means by which an initiate purges his soul from its previous impure state, in a way killing his old self so that he may be reborn. Initiation demands a transfiguration of the self that through ordeal manifests as distempers of the body and mind, things such as these can be seen as struggles between the unconscious and the consciousness minds of the individual. These faculties having been brought into more direct communication with each-other, is a phenomenon first experienced as conflict between one another, that results in what is termed an ordeal of initiation and may manifest in the distempers mentioned in the above quote. The same is true for demons, as these form a communications network between the conscious and the unconscious mind or the astral body and physical body, the art of Goetia often results in manifesting distempers as well. The former is positive and leads to the perfecting of the individual and the latter is negative, as it is creating an imbalance, rather than correcting it. Therefore, in the case of initiation, the old self is destroyed, this destruction is painful and is often experienced as the dark night of the soul, which serves as a test of a candidate’s aspiration, whereby the only way through, is to stay true to one’s oath.

  “We should not receive that as truth, however, which comes in such a manner by chances; as that also happens to be recorded of those who borne along to no purpose. That, however, is not to be acknowledged as the truth in which the things are done in concert with those that are performing them; for these things coexists with the physical senses and with the perceptive faculties of animals. Hence, that which is done in this way has nothing that is its own, or divine, or superior to what is common to nature,”

Demons in this regard are congruent with instincts at their lowest manifestation, such as in animals and these in humans are the talents that make people uniquely who they are and their intellectual, emotional and sensual characteristics and capabilities are all reflective of the nature of demons. However, until these faculties have been brought under the control of the magician, through the correct application of Theurgy, they are not considered as associated with communicating with the divine and whether or not divinatory insights are proven to be accurate as derived at perchance, is of no account, within the context of the topic presented in this essay, in which case they merely resemble instinct. “This truth, therefore, is in close connection with the art of divination. It ought accordingly to be much more than natural presentiment, such as the instinctive perceiving of earthquakes and great storms of rain, which is possessed by certain animals.” The test of successful divination is not just an intuiting of something that will happen, but the detail in which the future is foretold is indicative of success or failure. As demons serve as a bridge between the conscious and the unconscious, the magician’s relationship to demons greatly improves the accuracy of interpreting visions from the divine nature. Therefore, it is important to cultivate one’s relationship with demons once the soul has been raised to perfection, so that the influence of the divine inspiration may manifest at its most efficacious in the material world.

“If, then divination is truly a divine work of such a character; who then would not be ashamed to attribute it to the agency of nature, that accomplishes its objects without thought, as though it has elaborated in us a power of divining, and had implanted in it in a greater degree in some and in a lesser degree in others? For in those things in which men receive from nature the means for accomplishing their individual undertakings, even in these, certain aptitudes of nature take the lead.”

Everyone is good at something, some at running and others at mathematics, demons represent these faculties. Everything is divine, everything a person does and his aptitude for such is indicative of his unique Great Work, demons tell us what the nature of our souls are and are to be viewed in this way.

“Hence the art of idola is a long way distant from Demiurgic creating. On the contrary, it does not preserve the analogy with divine creating at all. For God creates all things, but not through the physical motions in the sky or by those of particled matter or by the forces thus divided. But instead, it is by thoughts put into activity, by purposes and non-material ideals, through the sempiternal and supermundane soul, that he constructs the worlds.”

Only by realizing our True Wills and doing the Great Work may we aid the evolution of humanity, which is the ideal of any serious occultist. The Demiurge relies on this art for its subsistence, thus we are the gods who through the Great Work inspires God. The only way to realize this is by attaining Knowledge and Conversation with our Holy Guardian Angels, whereby we are moved by Truth. The Demiurgic art is the inspiration an adept receives from the collective unconscious, he then via an act of Magick creates in harmony with the Logos. Idola are spectral visions or figures and are figments of one’s imagination, they are shadows of ideas and are not necessarily in harmony with the will of the Demiurge. Only by the Art of Theurgy may the Soul come to awareness of its True Will and this occurs once K&C is attained.

“What, then, are the powers inherent in various kinds of matter the elementary constituents, of which demons are formed? Verily, and indeed, they are not. For nothing of divisible sensitive bodies originates demons; but these, instead, are themselves generated and watched over by demons. Neither is anybody able to fashion the shapes of demons as from a machine, but rather, on the contrary, he is himself fashioned and constructed by demons according as he partakes of a body possessing sensibilities.”

Demons therefore are not merely portions of the human brain, they are pre-existent to incarnation and are sempiternal, as the lowest race of celestial beings they connect the astral body to the physical body. The nature of our astral bodies, are indicated through the unique skills that we possess. Everything we are capable of relies on the communication between ourselves and demons, whether it’s tying my shoe laces or painting a great work of art, I am summoning a demon. So, understood as portions of the brain makes perfect sense, but does not account for the fact that they exist in all of us and after the same manner.  

“Love is the law, love under will.”