Theurgy of Iamblichus Part 9:

 

Theurgy of Iamblichus Part 9:

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

“Let no one be surprised even though we say that there is a certain matter that is pure and divine. For it originates from the Father and Demiurgos of the universe and possesses a completeness of its own suitable for a receptacle of gods. At the same time nothing obstructs the superior races from being able to illuminate the lower orders from their own substance. Nor does anything hold matter back from participating of the superior natures. So far as it is perfect, pure and evidently good it is not an unsuitable receptacle of the gods.”

Material sacrifices at Theurgic rites are prepared in such a way that they are made to be in harmony with the nature of the celestial races. Theurgy is hence a means of joining the corporeal and the incorporeal and creating a dialogue between the soul and the gods. Sacrifices in these ceremonies play a major role for accomplishing this as they speak to the noetic faculty directly as their nature is already in harmony with the physical, emotional and intellective components of the participants, and as these sacrifices also hold within them symbols that are only unconsciously perceptible, they also serve to make the participants receptive to the Light. They are employed as vehicles for creating the inner dialogue that may drive the participants to reach the heavens and unite with the gods, raising them to ecstasy via this expansion.

“The Theurgic discipline, therefore, recognizing these things and thus discovering with others the suitable receptacles of the gods according to the individual peculiarity of each, often joins together stones, plants, animals and sacred aromatics, perfect and godlike and afterward forms from all these a receptacle complete and pure.”

The aim being success, contemplation and observing ethics is necessarily not enough. The Theurgist thus uses every mode of symbolism at his disposal to enliven the soul by means of Celestial Fire to unite with the gods. Therefore, studying the symbolism and becoming proficient in the art of sacrifice is of major importance to the Theurgist, as matter is the first separation and connection between mankind and the gods. Thus, by purifying matter and harmonizing it to the nature of the gods, we change its perceived nature by allying it to the nature of the soul and the gods, so that we may know the divine in matter and connect entirely with the Celestial Natures.

“No sacred performance takes place properly, without the supplications in the prayers. But continual exercise in them nourishes our mind and spiritual nature, makes the reception chambers of the soul vastly more spacious for the gods, opens the arcana of the gods to human beings, accustoms us to the irradiations of the Light, and to degrees perfects the qualities within us to conjoining with the gods, brings us back again to the very summit.”

We do not think in words, thoughts are expressed in words but a thought is a visual representation of an idea. The symbolism found in prayers are full of vivid imagery that may be likened to the Ideal Forms of Platonism hence giving it the anagogic quality necessary for enlivening the spirit. Through daily observance of these prayers, one is becoming accustomed to the influx of the Light by bringing the soul into closer relationship with the Light where in all is connected and through which final union is attainable. This accustomization is necessary, as it is only through systematic degrees that the soul may be made ready for the influx of the Light that results in union with the gods. Thus, it is via this practical means, being the daily observation of prayer that we are made perfect and worthy for communion with the gods.

“It likewise augments the divine love and lights up the divine quality of the soul. It also cleanses away everything from the soul that is of a contrary character, and removes whatever about it is of an eather like character and luminant spirit as far as it is allied to the sphere of generated existence. It likewise makes perfect a good hope and confidence in respect to the Light, and, in short, brings to perfection those who are exercised in these disciplines, so that we may call them Companions of the Gods.”

Firstly, the goal is not to escape material existence but to bring the light’s inspiration down into matter thus transforming it by showing the beauty of the gods, this beauty is certainly found in prayers and texts such as The Holy Books of Thelema and it is by studying, memorizing and reciting these texts that we are raised to perfection and the soul is congealed, or in other words the Stone of the Wise is transmuted. This is the Great Work, and it is only once perfection is attained that an individual has the capacity for the divine communion, which in Thelema is called Knowledge and Conversation and the realization of the Great Work, which is guided by the True Will, being an individual’s expression of his unique relationship with the gods. 

"The Theurgic priest through the power of ineffable emblems, commands the cosmic spirits, not as a human being nor as making use of a human soul. On the other hand, as one preexisting in the order of gods, he makes use of threatenings more terrible than he can make from his own being alone."

When in these rites the Theurgist makes use of threats aimed at demons, he is acting in union with the Demiurge and not merely having been raised to union with the gods but is acting as an agent of the Logos. He demands obedience from the demons by employing ineffable symbols, these along with the affirmations present in the prayers all serve to raise his rank and status in light of the operation. Whereby he may with confidence utter the threats and curses when conversing with the race of demons. The Theurgist is not merely claiming through this drama to be a prophet of god, but is affirming his status as a god, this is validated for the Theurgist via the symbols and sacrifices that have raised his consciousness to such a level, by expanding and uniting all parts of his being, that he is indeed at this point of the ritual one of the gods.

"...I say, in the ineffable symbols being preserved occult and in the unutterable essence of the gods never being repressed by the contrary allotment---this is not endurable even by sound for the demons to listen to that belong around the earth, namely: that they are diverse in quality, or that they are unhallowed beings, and that on this account such a style of threatening words has a certain appropriateness to them. No one, however utters a threat to the gods, nor is any such mode of prayer addressed to them."

The symbols used that are ineffable are essentially incorruptible, as they have been received via the method of Theurgy and have been kept away from the profane and is the reason for their effectiveness. As demons are the first of the celestial races, their invocation naturally follows the sacrifices at the start of the operation, and since they are tied into our lower natures, threats are perfectly suited for commanding their obedience in these operations.

"It receives a word or command from another, but it neither makes use of intelligence of its own, nor distinguishes the true and the false, or the possible or impossible. Such a race of beings when threats are held over them incessantly, are thrown into agitation and filled with amazement."

The demons must be brought under the control of the will, and it is only by conscious effort that this is achieved. The threats and commands work as demons have no will of their own and depend on the intelligence and will of the magician to be animated into action. This is a very important point and also illustrates why it is important for us to control our thoughts, as thoughts are what give fire to these spirits and leads us to action. So, whether employing the formula in this essay and threatening the spirits or not, the magician is a god compared to the demons, and so the threats, commands and curses are rather meant to establish this fact firmly in the mind of the Theurgist and is not meant to be a form of self-deceit, but by doing so the Theurgist is affirming his rank within the hierarchy.      

 

“Love is the law, love under will.”