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Qabalah Versus Hermeticism
by Jean-Louis de Biasi
For many centuries the Western Tradition seems to have become reduced
to teaching only one aspect of the tradition: Hebrew Qabalah. In a
previous article, I explained that magic rituals, philosophical
teachings, etc. existed long prior to the creation and development of
the esoteric interpretations of the biblical texts. Of course this is
an important aspect of the history of the West, which led to a new
point of view of nature of the universe. Even more importantly,
different aspects of our understanding of the cosmos were radically
modified by this new vision. Your first reaction to this fact might be
to accept it as a part of natural, historical evolution. Thus, in the
same way that science and technology have evolved, you could infer that
the Esoteric Tradition has also evolved. However, it must be understood
that the term evolution does not necessarily imply a promise of
progress towards something better. Rather, evolution can be seen as a
succession of transformations that change things from one state to
another state. Therefore, not all evolution brings about good results,
but you can learn from each step in the process. For example, surely no
one would argue that the dark days of the Middle Ages and the
disappearance of nearly all the scientific knowledge that existed up to
that point is a good thing. Still, we can learn from this period of
darkness and intolerance. This principle is equally true for the
evolution of esoteric traditions. These transformations were not always
positive for the person who was eager to know the hidden arcana of the
universe and the sacred Mysteries of the West. It is also true that, at
certain periods in history, obscure minds or those with a specific
religious agenda have warped or hidden essential parts of esoteric
knowledge for long periods.
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An
Interview
with Author Jean-Louis de Biasi, Author of The Divine Arcana of the Aurum Solis
by
Llewellyn
1. Your new book is titled The Divine Arcana of the Aurum Solis.
What is the Aurum Solis?
Most of the Western Initiatic Traditions
originated with the Qabalistic tradition and the Biblical religions.
Aurum Solis is a distinctive initiatic Order, heir to one of the most
ancient Western Traditions: Hermeticism. Born in Hermopolis, this
tradition developed its specific character at the end of the Egyptian
empire, the Ptolemaic period, in Alexandria. At this time the meeting
between Greek initiates and Egyptian Priests gave birth to this
lineage that became known as the Ogdoadic Tradition. Such elaboration
established a pure receptacle for this inheritance. The main aspects of
the Hermetic Tradition were and still remain the practice of
Theurgy that are aimed at ascending to the Divine, the use of
philosophy to understand and explain the cosmos and the invisible
world, the use of religious rites to worship the Immortal Divinities,
and the study of the sacred books, including the Corpus Hermeticum and
the Chaldaic Oracles. These aspects of the tradition were freely
accessible through the public rites, the books published by Masters,
the lessons provided in such places as Alexandria (Egypt), Athens
(Greece), and Apamea (Syria). Yet, at the same time, this tradition
retained a secret heart, which was hidden from the general populace and
only available to the initiated. Thus, most of the Theurgic practices
and rituals were restricted to initiates. This was also true regarding
any revelation of the interpretation of, and deeper meanings of the
sacred books.
Around the fourth century the rise of
political and religious fundamentalism of a new religion called
Christianity forbade the open practices of the ancient cults, including
the study of philosophy, and the initiation of new members.
Christianity ultimately closed the sacred Temples. Several Masters and
initiates were persecuted, even killed. The Hermetic, Ogdoadic
Tradition made the decision to become a secret order, in order to stay
alive. Throughout the intervening centuries, our Tradition continued to
practice in secrecy, until the time of the Renaissance in Italy. It was
at this time that our Tradition was rediscovered and there was a
rebirth of Hermeticism. This rebirth occurred because of the work of a
reorganized group of initiates who devoted themselves to the study of
Pletho, a Greek Master and heir of this lineage. They translated and
published various ancient texts that helped to bring about the
Enlightenment. The Ogdoadic Tradition continued to be transmitted
through neoplatonic and sometimes Pythagorean circles until its final
rebirth in 1897 under the name Aurum Solis (Gold of the Sun)
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Awaken
the Druid Within!
by Penny Billington
In our daily lives, most of us are aware of a yearning
to "Otherness:" an insistent pull to an ephemeral "something," which
could make us dissatisfied with the world of the five senses. We feel
instinctively that, "There is more than this." And, in our urge for
connection to that mysterious "something," we start to look around.
Some look up, some look down; many look away from their everyday lives.
Druids look around, to the green and natural world around us. So how
does one embrace the Druidic life? Penny Billington, author of The Path of Druidry, explains how to awaken the
Druid within.
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5 Reasons Your Home May Be Haunted
by Debi Chestnut
As a paranormal investigator, one of the first
questions Debi Chestnut is often asked is, “How did the ghost get
here?” The answer isn’t as simple as it sounds—it requires asking a lot
of questions of the homeowner and conducting hours of research. That
said, Chestnut believes there are generally there are five reasons why
a ghost takes up residence in a home. Here the Is Your House Haunted? author discusses five
main reasons your house may be haunted.
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A Complete
Book of Psychic Empowerment
by Carl Llewellyn Weschcke
What is a "complete" book on psychic empowerment? Why is
it more necessary than ever? Carl Llewellyn Weschcke, co-author of The Llewellyn Complete Book of Psychic Empowerment,
discusses the power of a complete book on psychic empowerment that will
become your companion in your journey towards self-empowerment and our
journey as a world to meet the challenges of our times.
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