10 Questions
What typically happens when occultism breaks into popular culture?
A great many people want to practice magic but aren’t willing to do it right.
What is a common reason for people turning to spirit summoning?
They have an overdeveloped sense of entitlement and want quick results.
What is the nature of the disembodied entities that can be summoned by human beings?
They range from blind and morally innocent forces to corrupt and malicious entities.
What is the purpose of human incarnation from an occult perspective?
To master our own potentials for power and wisdom.
What is the typical attitude of wiser and more powerful beings towards human beings?
They are completely indifferent to us and have no interest in our affairs.
What was the Cosmographia of Bernardus Sylvestris written around?
1140
What was the twelfth-century revival of associated with?
Platonism
What was Bernardus' later book Experimentarius about?
Divination related to geomancy
What was the term for sorcerers who wasted their time with ghosts and depraved spirits?
Goetes
What was the revival of in the late Renaissance and early modern period?
Goetia
Study Notes
Cosmographia of Bernardus Sylvestris
- Written around 1140, became a bestseller in the early Middle Ages
- Based on Platonic revival, influenced by sacred geometry and Gothic cathedrals
- Bernardus was knowledgeable about occult literature and divination, including geomancy
Bernardus' Vision of Reality
- Combined Christian and magical beliefs
- Planetary intelligences (Oyarses) were both gods of old Pagan faiths and angelic beings in the service of the Christian Trinity
- No mention of spirit summoning, considered a debased category of sorcerers by ancient writers
History of Spirit Summoning
- Revived in the late Renaissance and early modern period
- Another surge in the late 19th century occult revival
- Recent resurgence in the last couple of decades, despite being a bad idea
Reasons for Failure in Occultism
- Lack of willingness to rise to the challenge of doing magic right
- Overdeveloped sense of entitlement, expecting magic to cater to personal cravings
- Avoiding meditation, reflection, and pursuit of clear self-knowledge
Spirit Summoning in Modern Times
- Summoned entities are real, with various theories about their origins
- Range from blind, morally innocent forces to corrupt, depraved, and malicious entities
- Oyarses and other spiritual beings are wiser and more powerful, but cannot be summoned by humans
- Human task is to master own potentials for power and wisdom, not to cling to greater beings
Explore the medieval book Cosmographia of Bernardus Sylvestris, its impact on Lewis' planetary trilogy, and the revival of Platonism in the 12th century. Learn about the connections between cosmology, geometry, and occultism.
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