By Florian Ebeling
Hermes Trismegistus, "thrice-great Hermes," emerged from the amalgamation of the knowledge gods Hermes and Thoth and is without doubt one of the so much enigmatic figures of highbrow heritage. on the grounds that antiquity, the mythical "wise Egyptian" has been thought of the writer of numerous mystical and magical writings on such subject matters as alchemy, astrology, medication, and the transcendence of God. Philosophers of the Renaissance celebrated Hermes Trismegistus because the founding father of philosophy, Freemasons referred to as him their forefather, and Enlightenment thinkers championed spiritual tolerance in his identify. To today, Hermes Trismegistus is among the relevant figures of the occult-his identify is synonymous with the esoteric.In this scholarly but obtainable creation to the background of Hermeticism and its legendary founder, Florian Ebeling offers a concise evaluation of the Corpus Hermeticum and different writings attributed to Hermes. He lines the effect of Christian and Muslim models of the determine in medieval Europe, the ability of Hermeticism and Paracelsian trust in Renaissance notion, the connection to Pietism and to Freemasonry in early sleek Europe, and the connection to esotericism and semiotics within the smooth global.
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Extra info for The Secret History of Hermes Trismegistus: Hermeticism from Ancient to Modern Times
Example text
When the body is in pain, it gives off a great deal of energy, which is accessible to many magic-workers. In this case, the top is the primary magician, and the bottom becomes one of their tools. 3. Pain to bring people back in touch with their bodies. This is an especially good technique for those who go into trance easily (and likely don’t need pain to do it), but have trouble reconnecting with the physical. 4. Pain as a sacrifice, usually to a divine power who appreciates such things. 26 DARK MOON RISING 5.
The ropes against his hands and the growing heat of his back are all he is aware of. The rest of his body is slowly falling away. A pause, then a harder whip. The pain increases, the rhythm quickens and he can no longer keep breathing with it. In and out are now each laced with the sharp redness of blows. It’s hard now, not the easy waltz, but a violent dance with a partner who drags him stumbling around a dance floor of spikes. I can’t bear it, he thinks, I can’t take this, but somehow he does, and then it happens.
I kneel on the floor, which seems to be made of hard and uneven boards. My knees hurt, my shins hurt, my arms hurt, and there is a pain in my back that gets 42 DARK MOON RISING worse as the seconds fly by. I am cold and colder, and the hair on my arms and the back of my neck stands up like a dog’s hackles. I sense movement as they come for me. I am afraid. I am inclined to say forget it, I don’t really want this. I have no idea what to expect, and all of my worst fears flash before my eyes as someone helps me to my feet.