Now, more than ever, the world needs a philosophy which unites the individual rational mind (concerned with the ‘ten thousand things’) with its deep source in a higher intelligence, a ‘mind at large’, or indefinable ‘One’, the fount of all life. We can find this in the beautiful, magical, yet intellectually rigorous worldview of the neoplatonists, active in the early centuries CE.  In this introductory course we will cover the basic themes of neoplatonic cosmology, philosophy and ritual, focussing on key texts of Plotinus, Hermes Trismegistus, Iamblichus and Marsilio Ficino (1433-99).  Some reading will be sent in advance, and there will be plenty of time for discussion.

Neoplatonism forms the backbone of the Western esoteric traditions and encompasses a wide variety of philosophical positions all deriving from Plato’s fundamental premises about the nature of the cosmos, the role of the world soul and human soul, the function of the intellect and imagination, and the ultimate purpose of human incarnation. It embraces a holistic way of knowing, based on sympathetic resonance and affinity, which goes against the grain of our contemporary dominant materialist rationality, and which values most highly the faculties of intuition and imagination as ways to develop spiritual insight and eventually gnosis, or knowledge of the ultimate divine principle. Astrology, magic, alchemy and divination all contribute to a practical, theurgic element within Neoplatonism and Hermeticism, and we will consider the contrasts between the contemplative path of Plotinus, and the ritual, magical path of Iamblichus, Proclus and Ficino.

Session 1: Plotinus and the Cosmic Ballet

Session 2: Hermes Trismegistus and initiatiory awakening

Session 3: Iamblichus, Proclus and theurgic ritual

Session 4: Ficino’s Christian Neoplatonism and astral magic

BOOKING:

To book, please visit the following link: https://thefintrytrust.org.uk/events/the-longing-of-the-soul-an-introduction-to-neoplatonism-with-angela-voss

Please note that Angela is giving this course in collaboration with the Fintry Trust, and therefore the Fintry Trust is managing all bookings.