Proclus and Neoplatonism 4:

Proclus and Neoplatonism 4: 

"The myth of a golden chain (seirê chruseiê) of succession (diadochos), a Homeric metaphor of a golden chain stretching from heaven to earth, was promulgated by the Athenians in an effort to re-establish the legitimacy of Platonism on the basis of a spiritual if not actual genealogy of inaugural and successor figures. The continuous line of descent from Plato and Pythagoras, then, was a myth promoted in order to establish irrefutable authority for the Athenians."

"Proclus will categorize souls in the later books of the Commentary and consider some types of mortal souls less mortal and more divine than others. This elevation of his Hellenic predecessors almost to the status of demigods may have worked its way into his genuinely believed hierarchy of soul types."

Ten Gifts of the Demiurge-Proclus' Commentary on the Timaeus:

The "Cloud Upon the Sanctuary" by Karl von Eckartshausen presents the idea of a society of the elect, an order of adepts who having attained immortality choose to incarnate and serve humanity. The golden chain written of in the above quote is highly reminiscent of such a society. Rosicrucianism is said to be the entrance of this Inner Order. The Order is sempiternal and precedes religion, however, it is the source of every and all religions. Some think that it was from within this Order that the Magi acquired their knowledge, that the Chaldean Oracles was a revelation given to the world by members of the Great White Brotherhood. It seems that even during the time of Proclus initiates of certain schools were aware of the same and that their focus on these teachers became emphasized when their survival became most severely threatened by Christianity. They created a mythology around this idea and presented it to the public, it became common knowledge among Athenians that their religion was a religion of nobility, that within their tradition were counted figures such as Pythagoras and Orpheus. They must have suffered a lot under Christianity and perhaps found strength in this idea that they were a part of something greater than themselves and greater than any one religion. This Academy in Athens was thus proclaimed to be a link in a golden chain of adepts, sometimes called the Brotherhood of Light. Proclus' mention of souls not having equal status reinforces the idea of Ascended Masters sometimes referred to as Secret Chiefs guiding the evolution of humanity. Today we speak of the Masters of the Temple, who in life presented us with a Great Work of such value that they will through their success continue serving humanity and will be remembered forever. The legitimacy of this idea may perhaps be seen in the heroes of the platonic tradition, heroes such as Plotinus, Iamblichus, Julian, Porphyry and Proclus etc, who regardless of Christianity's attempts at ridding the world of this tradition have become the most celebrated philosophers of all time. Aleister Crowley was such a Master of the Temple, and his Order called the Astron Argon is said to be the modern incarnation of the Great White Brotherhood. He believed that his predecessor was Helena Petrovna Blavatsky, who he considered a Master of the Temple as well and referred to her as his "sister in the temple of truth". Her contribution cannot be overstated, as she almost single handedly resurrected the Great White Brotherhood, by publishing her magnum opus "Isis Unveiled'

"Proclus was not only an active promulgator of Academic philosophy, but a practising pagan actively pursuing his religious beliefs. According to Cameron, he used to worship openly in the temples that had been ordered closed fifty years before. As previously mentioned, Proclus uses the word mochthêrais (corrupt) of Christians (as did Julian), and calls Christianity paranomia (transgressing the law). Cameron tells us further that other Athenian figures, such as Proclus’ immediate predecessor Hegias, aroused hostility by openly parading his paganism, having come from a rich and noble Christian family in Athens."

Ten Gifts of the Demiurge-Proclus' Commentary on the Timaeus: