I am becoming increasingly convinced that Hermetic teaching is foundational to all spirituality and especially eclectic spirituality. It is made somewhat popular and better known by the Kybalion. However, the teaching that undergirds the Kybalion is very ancient. I think it is safe to say that it is much older than any of the other major religions. I have discovered an easy to read book entitled "The Hermetica, The Lost Wisdom of the Pharaohs" by Tim Freke and Peter Gandy. It gives an excellent look into ancient hermetic teaching and places it squarely within ancient Egyptian history. While under King James I, the Greek Scholar Casaubon, cast a shadow on the ancient origin of hermetic teaching, but that has since been refuted.
"When Casaubon was writing, very little was actually known
about ancient Egypt. The hieroglyphs themselves were not translated until two
centuries after his death. Consequently many modern scholars now believe that
he was wrong to see the Hermetic philosophy as a second-century invention,
especially since the discovery of the pyramid texts of Saqquara at the end of
the last century. These hieroglyphs are over 5000 years old and yet contain
doctrines that are identical to those expounded in the Hermetica.”
Freke, Tim. The Hermetica: The Lost Wisdom of the Pharaohs
(p. 16). Tim Freke Publications. Kindle Edition.
"My Guide asked: 'Do you understand the secrets of this
vision? I am that Light — the Mind of God, which exists before the chaotic dark
waters of potentiality. My calming Word is the Son of God — the idea of
beautiful order; the harmony of all things with all things. Primal Mind is
parent of the Word, just as, in your own experience, your human mind gives
birth to speech. They cannot be divided, one from the other, for life is the
union of Mind and Word. Now, fix your attention upon the Light, and become One
with it."
Freke, Tim. The Hermetica: The Lost Wisdom of the Pharaohs
(p. 33). Tim Freke Publications. Kindle Edition.
The above quote concerning the word of God being the Son of God is
interesting indeed considering that the Greeks claimed that it was Egyptian
from at least 3,000 BCE. And when you see that there were hieroglyphics
found to be from 5,000 BCE with essentially the same teachings, it becomes even
more intriguing. The above quote bears a great resemblance to the first chapter
of John's gospel and substantiates my view of John 1:10-13. I had stated in a
previous blog post that I no longer believe that passage was referring to Jesus
Jewish contemporaries. Rather it was referring to the fact that the Logos,
God's word was in the world all along in the form of God consciousness. When
John writes he came unto his own and was not received, he meant conscious souls,
not contemporary Jews. The many that received were the mystics over the years.
The unique thing that Jesus taught was that the word became incarnate in him,
or in other words, he realized that he possessed the word as a human. He did
not stop there however, he also proclaimed that we too could be the word
incarnate.
It is easy for me to see that much of what Jesus taught was of
hermetic origin. There is a hermetic teaching about spiritual rebirth and being
born again.
“No one can be saved, until he is born again… He
who is reborn communes with the All-Father who is Light and Life.”
Freke, Tim. The Hermetica: The Lost Wisdom of the Pharaohs (p. 97-98).
Tim Freke Publications. Kindle Edition.
The concept of being born from above and born from the spirit was
first in the Hermetica. The concept was ancient. It was the way in which humans
could be in community with the Father, and the father was light and life. You
see here repeating themes that were present in the gospel of John. This is one
of the reasons that I believe that the gospel of John is much more mystical and
esoteric than the other gospels. Jesus said that unless one is born from above
or in other words, born again spiritually she/he could not even see the kingdom
of God. What he meant was that one has to be awakened to the fact that they are
spiritually and mentally children of God. The thing that makes them God’s
children is that they are created in the image of God, in other words, they are
a conscious creative mind. There is no magic prayer one has to pray, but one must
believe that they are truly divine and children of God to be able to take
advantage of their heirship.
It should be apparent that being a Christ follower, and understanding
and believing in hermetic principles are very compatible.
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