Fama Fraternitatis - 1614

Wiewohl wir nun wohl wissen, daß es umb ein ziemliches noch nicht an dem, da wieder unserm Verlangen oder auch anderer Hoffnung mit allgemeiner Reformation divini et humani, solle genug geschehen, ist es doch nicht unbillich, daß, ehe die Sonne auffgehet, sie zuvor ein HELL oder dunkel liecht in den Himmel bringt und unter dessen etliche wenige, die sich werden angeben, zusammen tretten, unsere Fraternitet mit der Zahl und Ansehen des gewünschten und von Fr.R.C. fürgeschriebenen Philosophischen Canons, einen glücklichen Anfang machen oder ja in unserer Schätz (die uns nimmermehr aufgehen können) mit uns in Demut und Liebe genießen die Mühsamkeit dieser Welt überzuckern und in den Wunderwerken Gottes nicht also blind umbgehen.

Vi vet dock att det enligt vår åstundan och andras förväntningar efter någon tid kommer en allmän reformation av både gudomliga och mänskliga ting. Ty innan solen går upp, upplyses himlen av
MORGONRODNADENS ljus. I väntan på denna reformation församlas några få som med sitt antal skall utöka vårt brödraskap, höja dess anseende och stärka dess förhoppningar och ge de av Fr.R.C. föreskrivna Filosofiska Canons en lycklig begynnelse. I all ödmjukhet och kärlek skall dessa nytillkomna tillsammans med oss dela våra skatter, som aldrig skall förgås, och så lindra denna världens möda och inte längre vandra ovetande om kunskapen om Guds underbara verk.

Howbeit we know after a time there will now be a general reformation, both of divine and humane things, according to our desire, and the expectation of others: for it is fitting, that before the rising of the Sun, there should appear and break forth AURORA, or some clearness, or divine light in the sky; and so in the mean time some few, which shall give their names, may joyn together, thereby to increase the number and respect of our Fraternity, and make a happy and wished for beginning of our Philosophical Canons, prescribed to us by our brother R.C. and be partakers with us of our treasures (which never can fail or be wasted) in all humility, and love to be eased of this worlds labor, and not walk so blindly in the knowledge of the wonderful works of God.

Definition

Det brittiska ordenssällskapet Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn och den tyska Frimurarlogen L'Aurore Naissante, vilket grundades i London 1888 respektive Frankfurt-am-Main 1807, delade på samma hebreiska namn Chevrah Zerach Bequr Aur, förevisat i gyllene gult vid bloggens huvud, vilket ordagrannt kan översättas till “Stigande Gryningsljusets Sällskap”. Denna tyska Rosenkorsiska Frimurarloge i Frankfurt, vilket måste anses vara det ursprungliga modertemplet till GOLDEN DAWN, kallade sig på tyska även Loge sur Aufgehenden Morgenröthe, vilket kan översättas till “Gryende Morgonrodnadens Loge”. Detta skiljer sig åt från den engelska seden att översätta orden Bequr Aur till “Golden Dawn” eller “Gyllene Gryningen”. Med anledning av Rosenkorstraditionens tyska ursprung är en mer korrekt översättning av Bequr Aur, genom franskans L'Aurore Naissante och tyskans Aufgehenden Morgenröthe, inget annat än GRYENDE MORGONRODNADEN. Denna hänvisning till ett stigande gryningsljus, morgonrodnad eller aurora är en klar hänvisning till den allmäna reformationen omnämnt i det ovan citerade stycket från Fama Fraternitatis. Denna blogg har dock valt att behålla den försvenskade anglo-saxiska termen GYLLENE GRYNINGEN för att denna, invand som den är, lättare associeras med den Rosenkorsiska tradition som här ämnas att framställas.

Licht, Leben, Liebe

fredag 1 augusti 2008

One God or many?

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It’s my belief that monoteism is a simplified understanding that everything is the ONE ALL. However diversified it may appear to us in our mundane and terrestrial consciousness, there exists a true unity behind this apparent illusion. This transcendence of consciousness is what we should strive for in our theurgical, alchemical and mystical life. But also to bring the spirit into the matter, to unite the King with his Queen.

The current state of diversity, both in nature (i.e. the macrocosm) and in our psyche (i.e. the microcosm) is not an ideal state. The goal of pychoanalysis is to become conscious of your diversified nature, the complexes (which are rather “demonic” in nature), and be able to transcend their direct and indirect domination over the soul. The goal in psychoanalysis, as in psychosynthesis, it to unite the soul, make it whole again. This is beautifully portrayed in the Fall from Eden symbolism, both of the Bible and of the Golden Dawn. The Qabalistic work of restoration (Tikkun) is to become a new Adam, a new regenerated soul which no longer is diversified, which is whole and where the self (or in Freudian terms “ego”) is the master of the house, not the complexes of the subconsious.

This journey from fallen state of disgrace into the ascendend state of grace if profoundly portraited in the life of the son of man, Jesus Christ. In Christian symbolism there is much wisdom to be found. Certain rosicrucian currents like the F.A.R.+C. regarded the life of Jesus to be metaphors of the stages of the Great Work. As a student of rosicrucianism I of course find evidence of much wisdom and psychological value in the mysteries of the Christos, his crucifixion and resurrection.

The life of the Christos depicts a journey which leads from diversity unto oneness, into wholeness or holyness.

For me “oneness” and “wholeness” is the same thing. We are always composed of different ingredients, different component parts. Like our body and cellular structure. But our component parts must work in unison, as one. If not you will develop cancer (both figuratively and actually). It’s only when we transcend diversity and find unity that we can achieve the true spiritual life, Spirit. The words “whole” and “holy” comes from the same root, and this fact carries with it great wisdom.

I belive (and this may be quite controversial thoughts; they only represent my personal opinons) when we finally find the highest form of unity, oneness, union with our God, we transcend personality. In psychoanalysis, personality is per definition the result of neurosis. It’s our unconscious conflicts, bound up libido, etc. that makes us as characters. A “character”, “trait”, or “personality” is the sign of unbalance in one particular direction of a part of the whole. It’s beautifully portrayed in astrology and the Zodiac. Each sign can be regarded as a specific personality trait. The goal is to transcend the Signs and place oneself in the center as the Sun.

In this instance I recommend meditation on the 1°=10° diagram which pertain to this symbolism (the Table of Shewbread). The Pentagram in the center is the equilibrated man, the new Adam, which has his Elements in perfect equilibrium, and is crowned by Spirit (the number 5 and Heh is a reference to the 5 Elements). In the natural man the Pentagram is reversed. He is like a slave to the Elements (see Key # 15, the Devil).

There exists powers in the soul of a transcendent nature which could be termed as “gods”; I am speaking of the archetypes in a Jungian sense. But these can likewise be attributed to aspects of the ONE ALL, or GOD, as it is done in the Holy Qabalah. The Archangels and Angels can be regarded as emissaries of these Archetypes, or even as representations of these Archetypes on a lower arc. But in the field of depth psychology, in a Jungian sense, the archetype of the “one” or of The God, is acutally the “Self”, i.e. the totality of the psyche, the whole of the soul.

Personally, I further believe that this “war” between polyteism and monotheism can be transcended. Most polyteistic religions (if not all) have a concept of a supreme God or Spirit that is the Father (or Mother) to all Gods. Budge even regarded the Egyptian religion as of a essentially Monotheistic nature because of the Amen-Ra worship. He also claimed that the local cults often exalted their main deity to be the father and highest King of the Gods. So there are tendencies of monotheism (or pre-monotheism) in Egyptian religion. The Aten worship didn't just fall right out from the sky.

Nun, or Nu, is the primordial sea. But from this maternal water (Binah, or perhaps the Ain Soph Aur) came the first God, the male sun god, Ra or Amen-Ra. He is the King of the Gods, the highest and first (not counting Nun, which is a more abstract principle), which (by mastrubation) gave birth to the plethora of lesser gods. There thus existed hiarachies of gods in Egyptian theology, like in Qabalah between higher and lesser Angels.

These lower “Gods” of Egypt is the equivalents of aspects (children) of this supreme being, like Angels are in the monotheistic reglion. Likewise in monotheism, there is many traces of polytheistic ideas. The notion of Archangels and hosts of Angels are reminiscent of the old “Gods”. There even exists wars in heaven in certain aspects of the monotheistic theology, particularly in Christianity. To continue with Christianity, there exists quite strong “polyteistic” notions in the Holy Trinity (by Jews and Muslims regarded as heretically pagan), the deified man-god, the formula of the dying god which is very Osirian, Dionysian, Mithrean, etc. in nature.

That’s why I particularily like Christianity (or rather its symbolism), because it’s so hermetic and gnostic in nature. That’s why there is much to be gained in studying its symbolism and myths in a hermetic and qabalistic context.

The roots of Christianity are more likely Egyptian rather than Jewish, i.e. hermetic. It’s not strange that the Coptic (i.e. Egyptian) Church was the first to be found in Christendom, and the Rosicrucian myth of Ormus (the Alexandrian Serapis-priest) points to a certain direction. There exists a strong link between the mysteries of Osiris (and Isis, Horus, etc.) and Christian myths.

My point here is that we as magicians, alchemists and mystics (I don’t regard these three categories as separate) must see the value of both theological systems. The Hermetic tradition has its roots in polytheism and paganism, but also has strong monotheistic sentiments (as can bee seen in “Poimandres”). Even as we can acknowledge the ONE GOD we also can use different godforms to create a link with a certain Archetype, which is a aspect of the ONE. Personally, I regard myself as a “Christian pagan”.

This aside, the mythology of the polytheistic religions can be very rewarding and illuminating in its study, both of the human nature (microcosm) and of the understanding of nature (macrocosm), as it contains much wisdom, as do our classical fairy tails for children. This has been proved in psychology, for exemple in the myth of Oidipus. The same can be said of many of the myths of the Bible.

S∴R∴

2 kommentarer:

Anonym sa...

Jag kan rekommendera 2 böcker som behandlar Guds begreppet inom fornegyptisk religion:

Erik Hornung: "Conceptions of God in Ancient Egypt: The One and the Many" (Der Einige und Der Viele) och Jan Assmann: "In Search of God in Ancient Egypt" (Theologie und Frömmigkeit einer Früher Hochkultur).

Assmann är numera kanske den främste experten inom fornegyptisk religion, hans böcker är mycket läsvärda men komplexa.

Jag har haft stor glädje av den gode Assmanns teorier i mitt eget egyptologiska arbete.:-)

Sincerus Renatus... sa...

Tack för boktipsen Mattias!