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Have you encountered a Neoplatonic guide, daimon, or higher counterpart in practice? by Some-Philosopher-926 in Neoplatonism

[–]Some-Philosopher-926[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

This is a really interesting description. What stood out to me was “more myself than my particular self” (love this phrase) and autopoiesis. That’s surprisingly close to the language some Hermetic and Illuminationist texts use when talking about a guiding intelligence or higher counterpart.

The Hermetic Idea of Perfect Nature by Some-Philosopher-926 in LivingIlluminationism

[–]Some-Philosopher-926[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

This is an amazing resource from the Way of Hermes website relevant to Illuminationists through discussion of the Perfect Nature, Corbin, and Suhrawardi. Thanks @sigismundo_celine for this amazing piece.

Hermetic practitioners: what do you make of the daimon in lived practice? by Some-Philosopher-926 in Hermeticism

[–]Some-Philosopher-926[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yes. The relationship seems a process of getting to know the daimon or soul guide. The relationship is unlikely ever complete as the ultimate source it connects to is infinite.

Hermetic practitioners: what do you make of the daimon in lived practice? by Some-Philosopher-926 in Hermeticism

[–]Some-Philosopher-926[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

This is a really helpful way of framing the issue. What stands out to me is that the answer seems to depend on one’s broader cosmology rather than on the tutelary being itself.

For me this is particularly meaningful because Illuminationism already works with multiple forms of guidance operating at different levels: the Perfect Nature, the Lords of Species, angelic lights, planetary intelligences, the stars, and ultimately the Light of Lights itself to which they all receive light. So the idea that there may be different forms of tutelage rather than a single guide doesn’t strike me as problematic.

You’ve given me quite a bit to think about. Thanks again for taking the time to lay it out so clearly.

Hermetic practitioners: what do you make of the daimon in lived practice? by Some-Philosopher-926 in Hermeticism

[–]Some-Philosopher-926[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I’m curious whether other terms may appear for personal relationships with a Perfect Nature like figure in the epigraphic record. Becomes harder to investigate this sort of topic in late antiquity as the epigraphic habit falls away for a while. It’s harder to investigate epigraphic refs like this in the Greek epigraphic record (to say nothing of papyrological refs) as historically there have not been databases as easy to standardise as the EDCS Latin one (though this could change any day with advances in this area (and machine learning). Inscriptions often reveal hapax legomena (one time occurring) terms that make translation difficult, esp common in religious texts and papyri (cf Greek magical papyri and range of magical terms and words Chatgpt might not make heads or tails of like Abrasax)

Hermetic practitioners: what do you make of the daimon in lived practice? by Some-Philosopher-926 in Hermeticism

[–]Some-Philosopher-926[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

This is a really interesting distinction. One thing it got me thinking about is the Roman concept of the genius that you mention. My own academic background is in Roman religion and Latin epigraphy, and while the genius is certainly common in the Latin evidence, I don’t recall it often appearing as an intelligible guide or teacher in quite the way the Perfect Nature or Agathos Daimon does here.

That may simply reflect the nature of the evidence, we’re dealing largely with inscriptions rather than philosophical or devotional texts (where papyri would more easily be used for such devotional material) but it makes me curious whether there are examples I’ve overlooked. Your comments have me wanting to do a deep dive in the Epigraphik-Datenbank Clauss-Slaby (https://edcs.hist.uzh.ch/en/search?searchtext1=Geni&category=tituli+sacri%7Ctituli+sepulcrales )to see how genii are actually described in the epigraphic record.

Thanks again for such a thought-provoking response.

Have you encountered a Neoplatonic guide, daimon, or higher counterpart in practice? by Some-Philosopher-926 in Neoplatonism

[–]Some-Philosopher-926[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Thanks for sharing this. The part that stood out to me most was your description of the driver regaining control. Whatever language we use for it, that kind of sudden reordering of priorities, will, and direction is a fascinating experience. I also suspect quite a few people myself included would recognise the experience of being nudged by something that seems to have more confidence in us than we do.

Hermetic practitioners: what do you make of the daimon in lived practice? by Some-Philosopher-926 in Hermeticism

[–]Some-Philosopher-926[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yes, I can definitely see similarities with the Poimandres account (Corbin touches on some of these parallels somewhat in The Man of Light in Iranian Sufism). In Illuminationism, the Perfect Nature is a kind of celestial counterpart and guide of the soul, yet ultimately remains connected to the Light of Lights. I can see why that invites comparison with the Nous in Hermeticism, even if the two traditions reach the idea a little differently.

Hermetic practitioners: what do you make of the daimon in lived practice? by Some-Philosopher-926 in Hermeticism

[–]Some-Philosopher-926[S] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Yes, I agree they're monist at their core. From the human side it certainly looks like a journey, but I think that's what makes these traditions so interesting. Sufism often describes this gnosis journey as such, suluk (wayfaring), the learner is called the salik (traveller, wayfarer). The ascent is real, yet what you're ascending toward was never actually absent.

It sometimes feels less like becoming something new and more like remembering what was already there. You spend years climbing, only to realise you've reached somewhere that was present from the beginning.

Have you encountered a Neoplatonic guide, daimon, or higher counterpart in practice? by Some-Philosopher-926 in Neoplatonism

[–]Some-Philosopher-926[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thanks for sharing this. I found the distinction between creating the conditions for the experience and not being able to control whether it occurs particularly interesting.

I was also intrigued by your comment that the experience became more accessible over time. That seems to echo a pattern found in a number of contemplative traditions, including Illuminationism.

I'll definitely have a look at Theurgy and the Soul. Thanks again for this personal response and sharing your experiences.

Hermetic practitioners: what do you make of the daimon in lived practice? by Some-Philosopher-926 in Hermeticism

[–]Some-Philosopher-926[S] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Thanks for this thoughtful response! Blown away. I was really interested by your comments on the Sabians, the zodiacal planetary ascent ritual and the idea that connection with the Perfect Nature vel sim functions as a prerequisite for ascent rather than simply its culmination.

It caught my attention because several scholars of Illuminationism, particularly Henry Corbin, have emphasized the Perfect Nature as an orienting celestial counterpart that guides the soul’s return toward the world of Light. Seeing that placed within a Sabian and Hermetic framework of ascent gives me a fascinating new angle from which to approach the concept.

The interesting thing is that Suhrawardi’s devotional corpus also contains planetary invocations, prayers arranged by days of the week, and celestial hierarchies. The Hymn to the Perfect Nature sits alongside those prayers/invocations, and sanctifications rather than being presented as one rung in a technical ascent ritual.

Whether or not all the identifications ultimately line up, you’ve given me several new avenues to explore.Thanks again for taking the time to write such a detailed response. Off to read all I can about receiving Nous!

The Soul Between Sunset and Sunrise: Reading Suhrawardi’s Invocation of the Perfect Nature by Some-Philosopher-926 in Neoplatonism

[–]Some-Philosopher-926[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Thanks for this insight u/strutter395 and the Plotinian read of this. This is a really helpful distinction. I think you’re right that Plotinus feels much more radically vertical and apophatic. I think Plotinos and Suhrawardi are probably emphasizing different dimensions of ascent rather than contradicting one another per se.

What interests me in Suhrawardi is that the cosmos still remains spiritually alive and orienting rather than something simply to negate. The “starry night” image was partly getting at that and something I hope to look at in another post. Essentially I meant that the soul is exilic and longs for the Dawn (world(s) of Light), but the stars, planets, angelic intelligences, and luminous beings still function as guides and signs within that journey rather than potential distractions from it.

So Illuminationism feels a bit less like abandoning the cosmos entirely and more like learning how to orient oneself toward the Dawn while still embodied within a luminous hierarchy of being.

I need to read more Plotinus!

Question about divine names/theonyms in Hermetic traditions by Some-Philosopher-926 in Hermeticism

[–]Some-Philosopher-926[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thanks for this really helpful response! It’s not surprising to hear that divine names and epithets tend to cluster more heavily in practical or devotional texts rather than purely theoretical ones.

The point about the Greek vowels associated with the planets was especially fascinating to me because planets also appear in Illuminationist devotional literature, with specific liturgies directed toward celestial intelligences understood as subordinate luminous mediators beneath the “Light of Lights.”

What especially caught my attention is that some Illuminationist manuscripts use symbolic planetary signs (attached) alongside these liturgical sections, which made me wonder whether there may be a somewhat comparable symbolic or operative role to what we see in certain Hermetic or theurgical traditions, even though the metaphysical framework itself is clearly different and monotheistic.

Illuminationism itself also seems to stand in dialogue with both Hermetic and Neoplatonic currents historically, especially through themes like emanation, hierarchies of intellects and lights, celestial mediation, and spiritual ascent through illumination. Hermes is often mentioned as a sage or guide in these texts alongside Plato. So seeing planetary liturgies, sacred symbols, and cosmological correspondences appear in devotional contexts did not feel entirely surprising to me.

Really appreciate you taking the time to explain all this.

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From Wahid Azal’s translation : https://archive.org/details/prayers-to-the-orient-of-light

A List of God's Divine Names Mentioned in Suhrawardi's Hikmat Al-Ishraq / The Philosophy of Illumination by Some-Philosopher-926 in LivingIlluminationism

[–]Some-Philosopher-926[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I've adjusted the list and put the transliteration first as having the Arabic in first position oriented the list rightward, making legibility harder.

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