The Tradition Of Hermeticism

The Tradition Of Hermeticism

Since the very beginning of civilisation wise men have pursued the discovery of what these natural laws are, However over the centuries, when these themes and ideas were expressed publicly it would leas to being persecuted and killed for heresy and blasphemy. Therefore, they were only discussed in whispered tones and passed down only from a master to their student in moments extreme trust. The secrets have been passed down generation to generation, secretly hidden away from the authorities who simply wished to suppress the knowledge of mankind philosophical past and a once-great tradition, which lead to an overall greater understanding of the universe, our place in it, It catalysed the Italian creative Renaissance and influenced the American revolutionaries, and now shows up in much of modern day personal growth media. These days, this pursuit is available at the top shelf of the self-help and personal growth sections of a bookstore or accessed via an online store,. If we choose to we can learn from them and use them to experience more happiness, meaning, and control over our lives in the time we do have.

What Is Hermeticism?

The Hermetic tradition represents a non-Christian lineage of Gnosticism, which is the name for a variety of ancient religious ideas and systems dating back to the 1st and 2nd centuries A.D. The surviving writings of Hermeticism are known as the Corpus Hermetica, which is composed of a series of letters from a master, Hermes Trismegistus, wherein he tries to enlighten his disciple. These letters were lost to the western world after classical times, but survived in the Byzantine libraries. In the 15th century, the letters were rediscovered and translated into Latin by the court of Cosimo de Medici (yes, grandfather to Lorenzo de’ Medici, the patron of Leonardo Da Vinci and several other renaissance artists). These letters were so influential during the time that they acted as a catalyst in the development of Italian Renaissance thought and culture. Inspired by this wave of innovation, these timeless principles were resurrected again by the Freemasons and showed up in the teachings of the American revolutionaries.

Why Was This Philosophy So Influential?

Being a Gnostic tradition, Hermeticism is a school of ideas and systems that focuses on the pursuit of Gnosis — meaning the pursuit of empirical knowledge pertaining to spiritual mysteries. Historically, all major religions had gatekeepers to the spiritual experience, the Gnostics, and later Hermeticists, however, rebelled in thought. They took the pursuit of the mystical experience into their own hands and developed a way of thinking about the world that helped them communicate with and directly experience what they call ‘a more visionary reality.’

Who was Hermes Mercurius Trismegistus?

Hermes Mercurius Trismegistus , also known as Thoth, was considered a “Master of all arts and sciences, perfect in all crafts, Ruler of the Three Worlds, Scribe of the Gods, and Keeper of the Books of Life" He was regarded by the ancient Egyptians as the embodiment of the Universal Mind. While in all probability there actually existed a great sage and educator by the name of Hermes, it is impossible to extricate the historical man from the mass of legendary accounts which attempt to identify him with the "Cosmic Principle of Thought.” Hermes Trismegistus is the purported author of both the Emerald Tablet and the Corpus Hermeticum, He represents a combination of the Egyptian God Thoth and the Greek God Hermes, who were both gods of writing and magic in their respective cultures. Hermes was credited with tens of thousands of highly esteemed writings, from both Egypt and Greece, suggesting a shared cultural tradition between the two in the man. And while the Italian Renaissance believed Hermes to be an Egyptian Priest, it is possible the Corpus Hermetica was actually written by a collective unknown authors who were Platonistic and Stoic Greeks. All that can be said for sure, is that the 7 Hermetic Laws shared in the Corpus Hermetic have been found in part in the Nag Hammadhi library in 4th century Egypt A.D., and even in the Emerald Tablets of Thoth — proving a common thread of some sort. Whether Hermes actually existed, or was in fact both the Greek God Hermes and the Egyptian God Thoth, or they represented a shared a cultural link between Ancient Greece and Egypt — there is no way to know. To be continued see our Blog : Seven Ancient Hermetic Principles For Self-Mastery