/r/Hermeticism
This subreddit is a community for the discussion of Classical Hermeticism, a religious, philosophical, and esoteric tradition based primarily upon writings attributed to Hermes Trismegistus ("thrice-greatest Hermes").
Welcome to /r/Hermeticism! The goal of this subreddit is to be a place to discuss Classical Hermetic texts and their meanings.
The scope of this subreddit.
This subreddit is not for pseudo-Hermetic, Christian Hermetic, Kybalion-related, or Hermetic Kabbalistic content.
This subreddit will support academic and advanced study of Classical Hermeticism, while still being open for beginners or entry-level questions.
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/r/Hermeticism
Hello All,
I hope you're all well. I have a few questions relating to a few tinctures I'm trying to get going I hope some of you have advice for me! I hope this post isn't too all over the place so I'll just try my luck -
(1) - I have a question relating to the calcining of the ashes: looking at recipes again I was wondering what kind of "flame-proof dish or flame- proof glassware or flameproof pot/container" we refer to in order to calcine the herb residue into a grayish-white ash? I'm going to be using an open flame with a camping burner so any advice as to what kind of dish I should use would be welcome! Ideally something not crazy expensive.
(2) - There is a specific plant I was looking into "Ginkgo biloba" I've heard from someone this is a good mercurial plant but haven't found another solid confirmation, anybody knows about this one?
(3) - Also, if a use a styrofoam box to warm my containers during their maceration, I heard it should be around 30C is that correct? Can I just use a lightbulb?
(4) - Finally, moonphase-wise, is there a time you'd rather start? A better time to calcine? I heard conflicting takes.
Thank you for your help!
Best,
Vincent
Hello,
I’m looking to gather some reviews and information about the Nag Hammadi Scriptures by Meyer.
Specifically, did the Hermetic texts in this volume provide further insights into the field and philosophy?
As well, did the gnostic texts in this volume support interdisciplinary revelations? If yes, how so? If no, why not?
I need to get through a few texts presently so I’m looking to see where this fits in to my research and on the list of priorities.
Thank you.
I'm tried of people at meets and a few guys at the lodge giving me the run down on mastering Hermeticism and useing Franz as their base. Or am I overthinking this?
What are some book recommendations to read into Hermetic Teachings?
Hello guys, I've been thinking about connecting to a Daemon to get some guidance and help when it comes to my personal journey to wisdom and success.
How do you choose the kind of Daemon to connect with? I've heard many Daemons have specific names (like the Gods) How do you know to which one to connect with?
How do you connect with a Daemon Safely?
How do you know when the Daemon is listening to you and thy energies are matching?
What are some of experiences you guys had with Daemons and what's an advice you would give to someone who is planning to do that for the first time?
Is it mandatory to abstain from meat to reach a high level of spirituality?
I have a big problem with not being able to eat fruits and vegetables, I even feel like vomiting when I smell them and I vehemently avoid looking at these foods.
Would this greatly impact my spiritual journey?
btw: maybe the question could be stupid, but I'm quite new to hermetic studies
w
literally title, have some minds looking for texts but cant read english, anyone have anything?
Wanting to learn and follow hermeticism? Idk how to correctly word it and my apologies to anybody whom is offended in my wording. I’m interesting in learning and following the “ways”. Not sure how to go about it nor where to start. I’m not interested in any of the rituals, chants, spells, or any of that. Idk even know if that is part of it. Like I said, I do not mean to offend anybody at all! Just seeking guidance!
I'm a catholic and I've been researching hermeticism, Neoplatonism, Christian mysticism, stuff like that. I don't like magic or anything gnostic or pagan or kabalah and stuff like that. I just wanted to know if hermeticism opposes any catholic doctrines or stuff like that.
There was a post asking this interesting question, but for some reason was deleted.
When do you consider someone to be an expert on Hermeticism?
That one can quote from the hermetic texts verbatim?
That one knows and recites the prayers by heart?
That one has found a guide and reached the shores of safety?
That one has been given the gift of Nous?
That one has done the rebirth and is cleansed from the irrational tormentors?
That one has reached the Ogdoad and the Ennead and now can initiate others?
That it shows in their behaviour (and what is that?)?
That one can do magic and astrology?
Is it owning and having read all the relevant books?
What translations of "As above, so below. As below, so above." are simpler/clearer than the Chinese? What is a more natural language to express this sentiment?
I’m having trouble finding the origin of the phrase “as above so below” I know that it’s derived from the emerald tablet but I can’t tell which translation is from the original one. If you could point me to that translation and where I can read or learn more about Hermes I’d appreciate it.
I’m below a layman to hermeticism so sorry for any ignorance or misuse of nomenclature. Any related reading material would also be appreciated.
Thank you.
What do you think, is demiurg part of the biggest God like his will to create or something, or totally Independent being
Before I spend $50 on a small, soft cover book (checked ebay). Is this a lot of conjecture or is it pretty much considered the Canon of Hermeticism. What am I missing (aside from expert commentary and notes) from this book that I can’t get out of the Corpus Hermeticum, the perfect sermon, and The Virgin of the World? Hermetica II by Litwa was cheaper so I got that. Help? Better place to buy books? I want the book- I don’t want to spend $50 on such a small copy, especially if there’s not much in the way of new material.
Thanks
How you think god created Universe? I mean from nothing? Manifestation or something like that?
J
The podcast is clearly A.I generated, and neither the voices or the text they narrate are seemingly written by humans. This is a lazy and entirely antithetical to teaching accurate and factual opinions and informed knowledge on Hermeticism and esotericism at large.
On the youtube uploads for the podcast, they've largely disabled comments. If we cannot trust their podcast, how can any of their other articles or other media be trusted as factual and written by humans rather than A.I? There is nothing redeemable or excusable for this, artificial intelligence is purely based on plagiarism and re-synthesis and summary that is frequently biased and incorrect.
A.I is used by organizations and companies for a single reason, to facilitate greed. By cutting labor costs and time, removing the need to pay for the labor of the authorship or production of media like articles and podcasts. Why should I have to worry about whether the media I consume is A.I generated, this is intentionally not disclosed by Way of Hermes, and the problem will only continue growing in our space if we do not acknowledge it and refuse to engage with it.
EDIT: as u/BreastMilkMozzarella pointed out I was entirely incorrect in my point of this post. And while I disagree with A.I, having now seen the disclosure of it and u/Sigismundo_celine explanation, I don't think my post is helpful dialogue on the subject and see that I was incorrect. Regardless whether I agree with the A.I use, I can see its application here as a novelty for accessibility to resources that are human generated, and that most of my post here was made in bad faith. Mods can feel free to delete it but I will keep it up for posterity.
What doctrine, science, or philosophy do you believe serves as a gateway to the world of occultism or esoteric thinking?
What leads you to believe in the laws of invisible things that do not have theological roots (staying away from concepts related to divinity, God, religion, alchemy, Kabbalah, theurgy, goetia, magic, the Ein Sof, tarot, or the universal mind) all of which originate from theological sources?
What is the oldest way of thinking along these lines that is not tied to theological or religious beliefs? For years, I believed it was Hermetism, but I realize there are theological ideas within it. Is there anything older that would convince a logical person to adopt such beliefs? Specifically, can metaphysics, ontology, or other branches of philosophy be considered as such?
Pure philosophy is spiritual striving, through constant contemplate, to attain True Knowledge of Atum the One-God. But, speaking now in prophecy, I say that in times to come, no one will pursue philosophy with single-mindedness and purity of heart.
Those with a grudging and ungenerous temperament will try and prevent men discovering the priceless gift of immortality. Philosophy will become confused, making it hard to comprehend. It will be corrupted by spurious speculation. It will be entangled with bewildering sciences like arithmetic, music and geometry.
The Student of pure philosophy studies the sciences, not as fanciful theories, but as devotion to Atum(The one true God). because they reveal a universe perfectly ordered by the power of number; because measuring the depths of the sea and forces of fire and magnitudes of physical things leads to a reverent awe at the Creator's skill and wisdom; because the myseries of music bear witness to the unsurpassed talent of the Supreme Artist who has beautifully harmonized all things into a single Whole, suffused with sweet melodies.
To simply love Atum in thought with singleness of heart, and to follow the goodness of his will-- this philosophy, unsullied by intrusive cravings for pointless opinions.
But I forsee that, in times to come, clever intellectuals will mislead the minds of men, turning them away from pure philosophy it will be taught that our sacred devotion was ineffectual and the heart-felt piety was assiduous service with which we Egyptians honour Atum was a waste without reward.
Egypt is an image of the heavens, and the whole Cosmos dwells here, in this sanctuary-- but the gods will desert the earth and return to heaven, abandoning this land that was once the home of spirituality.
Egypt will be forsaken and desolate, bereft of the presence of the gods. It will be overrun by foreigners, who will neglect our sacred ways. This holy land of temples and shrines will be filled with corpses and funerals. The sacred Nile will be swollen with blood, and her waters will rise, utterly fouled with gore.
Does this make you weep?
There is worse to follow.
This land, that was a spiritual teacher to all human kind,
which loved the gods with such devotion that they deigned to sojourn here on earth-- this land will exceed all others in cruelty. The dead will far outnumber the living, and the survivors will be known as Egyptians by their language alone, for in their actions they will be like men of another race.
O Egypt! Nothing will remain of your religion but an empty tale, which even your own children will not believe. Nothing will be left to tell of your wisdom but old graven stones.
Men will be weary of life, and will cease seeing the universe as of worthy of reverent and wonder.
Spirituality, the greatest of all blessings, will be threatened with extinction, and believed a burden to be scorned.
The world will no longer be loved as an incomparable work of Atum; a glorious monument to his Primal Goodness; an instrument of the Divine Will to evoke veneration and praise the beholder.
Egypt will be widowed.
Every sacred voice will be silenced.
Darkness will be preferred to light.
No eyes will raise to heaven.
The pure will be thought insane and the impure will be honoured as wise.
The madman will be believed brave, and the wicked esteemed as good.
Knowledge of the immortal soul will be laughed at and denied.
No reverent words worthy of heaven will be heard or believed.
So I, Thrice-Great Hermes, the first of men to attain All-Knowledge,
have inscribed the secrets of the gods,
in sacred symbols and holy hieroglyphs,
on the stone tablets,
which I have concealed for a future world that may seek our sacred wisdom.
Through all-seeing Mind,
I myself have been witness of the invisible things of Heaven,
and through contemplation come to Knowledge of the Truth.
This knowing I have set down in these writings...
The Hermetica - The Lost Wisdom of the Pharaohs by Timothy Freke & Peter Gandy. Pages 1- 8.
I'm not trying to criticize the Corpus Hermeticum or anything, I'm just an initiate trying to understand. Sorry about my bad english, it's not my native language.
Hi there,
I am a PhD student working in the domains of philosophy and esotericism; I am also a musician-singer, and I have undertaken the endeavor to transform philosophy and esotericism into music. As the Thrice-Great Hermes Trismegistus is reputed to be the progenitor of alchemy in Egypt, and is cited by alchemist Zosimos of Panopolis, I share with you my musical exposition of this early alchemist, Zosimos of Panopolis.
Zosimos of Panopolis (fl. 300 ce) can be cited as the most significant Greco Egyptian alchemist. In his text “Of Virtue, Lessons 1-3,” Zosimos recounts a series of psychedelic and disturbing dreams that he interprets as alchemical allegories. I have endeavored to present a thorough yet concise musical summary of its contents herein. You will encounter the alchemical lexicon here expressed in raw, primal form. This text is actually mind-blowing, and my exposition endeavors to be both fun and didactic. Hope you enjoy!
Throughout all aspects of occult knowledge, there is one question that has always recurred to disturb me deeply. I have never yet heard it answered or resolved in any satisfying way or with actual clarity.
The question is this... How does one reconcile the reality of birth defects with the rest of these philosophies? The fact that such things occur seems to fly in the face of so many standards. This occured to me again just now after reading through the CH and thinking on the part where Hermes speaks of God's skillful work in creating a beautiful and godlike image in men.
"Who has strengthened the bones, and covered the flesh with skin? Who has separated the fingers? Who has outlined the eyes? Who has joined the sinews together?" Etc...
These things do not apply to some of those those born with horrible deformities. We don't like to think about these things, and because they are rare , they are often overlooked but there are many many people born with absolutely horrific defects which cause their bodies to be misshapen in any number of grotesque ways, even so far as having their internal organs on the outside of their bodies.
It always gives me pause when I am contemplating or reading any occult philosophy. It makes me ask myself "Is this truly such a great work if it fails to take into account these realities and chooses only to focus on the idealistic version of a human? Or am I perhaps missing something that would reveal to me a greater truth here?" I hope for the latter.
Anyway, I wanted to get your thoughts on this and see if anyone else has managed to find a worthy explanation.
I would like to get this clarified