UID:
almahu_9949329026702882
Format:
1 online resource (xvi, 438 pages) :
,
digital, PDF file(s).
ISBN:
9781009127936 (ebook)
Content:
In Egypt during the first centuries CE, men and women would meet discreetly in their homes, in temple sanctuaries, or insolitary places to learn a powerful practice of spiritual liberation. They thought of themselves as followers of Hermes Trismegistus, the legendary master of ancient wisdom. While many of their writings are lost, those that survived have been interpreted primarily as philosophical treatises about theological topics. Wouter J. Hanegraaff challenges this dominant narrative by demonstrating that Hermetic literature was concerned with experiential practices intended for healing the soul from mental delusion. The Way of Hermes involved radical alterations of consciousness in which practitioners claimed to perceive the true nature of reality behind the hallucinatory veil of appearances. Hanegraaff explores how practitioners went through a training regime that involved luminous visions, exorcism, spiritual rebirth, cosmic consciousness, and union with the divine beauty of universal goodness and truth to attain the salvational knowledge known as gnôsis.
Note:
Title from publisher's bibliographic system (viewed on 20 Jun 2022).
,
Hermetic spirituality -- Heart of darkness -- The presence of gods -- Children of Hermes -- Through a glass darkly -- Healing the soul -- The path of reverence -- Becoming alive -- The source -- The conquest of time.
Additional Edition:
Print version: ISBN 9781009123068
Language:
English
URL:
https://doi.org/10.1017/9781009127936
