In my own words...

We know that what we're asking in this group is pretty difficult.

This is a Theosophy that most of us have not even heard of, but it exists and is quite legit.

What we encourage you to do is to go to the page with Faivre's Characteristics of Esotericsim and Theosophy. Then come back here and put what you understand into your own words. If you have questions, please feel free to ask.

We are on a journey of exploration together. Please come along and do something brand new!

Please see Faivre's Characteristics of Esotericism & Theosophy.

3 members like this

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Kirk W Walker on May 22, 2013 at 6:44am

Are Faivre's writings online somewhere?

ModeratorPermalink Reply by John on May 22, 2013 at 12:06pm

I believe Most everything is still in copyright.

Theosophy, Imagination, Tradition: Studies in Western Esotericism is partially available at Google Books.

Theosophy, Imagination, Tradition (SUNY)

The above is a good book.

ModeratorPermalink Reply by John on May 22, 2013 at 1:59pm

Most Western Esotericism books written in the last 15-20 years will discuss this.

Hanegraaff comes to mind (quickly) as another sourc

The system he developed (the typology), is applicable to most everything. It is very generic, and the wording is inclusive i.e. has no "required" belief system. It is perfect for a highly eclectic site, which is what we are.

John

(updated the last paragraph. 5/23/13)

Permalink Reply by Kirk W Walker on May 22, 2013 at 1:50pm

One book by Faivre is available for download here:The Eternal Hermes

Permalink Reply by Kirk W Walker on May 22, 2013 at 2:09pm

The downloadable book is 204 pages. On Amazon its 213 pages. So its not just a preview.

ModeratorPermalink Reply by John on May 22, 2013 at 2:40pm

ok. Just be sure to not put the book onto our site!

I believe the Scribd company has violated the copyright.

Permalink Reply by Jeffrey Smart on June 23, 2013 at 10:59am

If find it interesting that correspondence is the first proposition. Plato conceved the physical universe as a mere shadow to what is real. In this the physical world is is merely an extension of the spitirtual world and a poor fascimile at that. Yet the physical world corresponds to the spiritual, as above so below, etc... This would make this proposition a starting point in any philosophical enquirery and a basis for a theosophical world view in general. Quantum Physics tells us that everything, reduced to it lowest form, is pure energy. If we concieve that consicuousness is also energy then we can deduce that we are all part of an overall Conscious Energy from which we draw our lives and energy and being and that we can learn more about this Energy by understanding corrspondance.

Permalink Reply by Xavier Guidroz on October 4, 2014 at 7:30am

The concept of the shadow reality is one I have been studying for some time, my research has led me to the Greek Quintessence, Aether, which I believe to be not only Matter's ethereal counterpart, but actually its predecessor. My theory which involves the Planes of Existence among many other things involves the projection and visualization of these higher Planes to investigate the properties of the Aethers that compose them. My theory on the matter is that the Grand Schema of Creation was designed from the Tree of Life, which is not only it's map, but its Egregore, arranged into a trigonal bipyramidal structure based on how the trinities seem to be prevalent in almost every culture, and how the number forms the simplest of geometries, combined with the principle "As above, so below" with the Dark aspect of Creation below, and the Light aspect above.

The connection I was making to your post about how Matter, at its core, is pure energy, was that Matter is crystallized energy, and perhaps this essential energy which Matter crystallized from doesn't behave like the Electromagnetic, Gravitation, and Weak and Strong Nuclear forces that physics attributes to Matter since this essential energy is Aether, or Quintessence, the reason why changing the protons in an atomic nucleus changes the element of that nucleus entirely, and how changing the charge of an atom alters its characteristics. I would imagine that the Aethers that crystallized into the Leptons (like electrons for instance) and the Quarks (which make up protons and neutrons in trines, and baryons in pairs) which make up almost all of physical reality are also the most elementary of the Aethers as well. My theory is that we are at the heart of this trigonal bipyramidal structure, where the Aethereal matrix is densest, resulting in the crystalization of the Aethers that make it up to form the Physical Plane (the reason why our plane doesn't behave like the others when seen at this level), and that we are also at the crossroads of three different Aethereal versions of this world, which is why Psychics can see such entities as Earthbound Spirits, and yet others see such things as the Astral Plane, and also how we see a depiction of reality in our dreamworlds with remarkable clarity with the same brainwave patterns and state of consciousness as when people are projecting. I believe that the Psychic, Astral, and Etheric Spheres are what surround us in this Aethereal matrix.

I know this is really drawn out, and for that I apologize, I just wanted to share that being that you mentioned matter being energy and how this reality seems like a shadow of the grand scheme of things.

Permalink Reply by Xavier Guidroz on October 4, 2014 at 7:56am

My apologies, there was something I missed in my response, which was how this whole thing applied to people. With each particle is the laws and characteristics of every other particle, this is characteristic of Matter (and by assumption also Aether) since Matter is made up base particles which can fuse and divide to form any particle in the Periodic Table of Elements. Consciousness comes in when one considers how the Aethereal Matrix is accessible through different states of consciousness. The key here is Consciousness, since the nature of reality is both fractal and holographic (every piece contains the laws, principles, and behaviors of the whole), that means that our Consciousness is a microcosm of the whole of reality. We all contain Light, Darkness, an Astral Body, an Etheric Body, and even a Psychic Body (like in working in the Imaginal thoughtspace), because we all contain the Aethereal Matrix that also contains us and all of our piers as well as other beings and thoughtforms from ages past. Applying this to the "In My Own Words" I would say that we are each a Universe in ourselves in a way, and that the Universe is us, and that if any divine entity or force was "out there" it would also be "in here" somewhere as well since it is contained within the Matrix that we are microcosmically representing. The reason why oaths differ, I would imagine, would be because different people live in different Aspects and Spheres of Creation, like some see spiritually as intuitive and so see things Psychically, others see things more Astrally whereas base their spirituality on models of life after death based upon spirits, sometimes without any necessity for dark beings like Demons or Demon analogs, or light beings like Angels or Angel analogs. I believe this stems from the assumption that the Dreamspace seen in Lucid Dreaming, the space of Astral travel, and the space of Spetral Clarity as I call it (Clairvoyance, Clairaudience, and Clairsentience) as well as Etheric or Spirit projecting, are all the same world when in reality they might actually be three different Aethereal versions of our reality.

This is simply a theory I am working on, and applying it to the post above and the discussion. I hope that this imput is not found to be insulting, annoying, or misplaced, in which case I will promptly move or delete it as necessary.

ModeratorPermalink Reply by John on October 4, 2014 at 8:04am

You need to define aether. It is non-existent in modern physics. Also - quintessence is a theoretical solution to a potential experimental force. It could all go away with a simple Cosmological constant. I am trying to rework your stuff some so it carries more meaning and not so many buzz-terms <G>.

ModeratorPermalink Reply by John on October 5, 2014 at 8:37am

rework is too strong a word (as is buzz-terms). A better phrase is maybe to ask you to clarify a few points and get you to add to your message...

Permalink Reply by Mark Kusek on March 20, 2014 at 8:05pm

IMO, an initial assumption that there are conceptual things (subjectively knowable objects) called variously "God", "Nature" and "Human Being(s)" and that these are somehow separate and identifiable, already establishes pre-conditions that will color one's view and cause an unnecessary problem to be "solved" by a pursuit for "gnosis."