The Wisdom of Hypatia: Ancient Spiritual Practices for a More Meaningful Life (62 page)

292 the path of trust

Alliances With Unknown Spirits:
Generally, when you think of forming a spiritual alliance it is with a definite figure, such as a named god, angel, saint, or other

spirit. But sometimes we need to contact a spirit known only through its ef-

fects. An example would include a dream figure that recurs, or that has had an

important role in a big dream. It could also be a spirit that possesses you in an

undesirable way, such as a feeling of fear, depression, or anger; or it could be

an addictive or obsessive tendency. These are all complexes, which can cause

trouble if neglected or denied. It could also be a positive possession—an inspi-

ration—such as by a creative muse who visits too rarely. These are also com-

plexes, whose growth we would like to encourage. In all these cases we would

like to negotiate a better relation with the spirit, even if we do not know its

name. The procedure is straightforward. When the feeling or idea is occupy-

ing your mind (that is, when the complex is active), give it a name. You could

call it “Fear,” “Shadow,” “Muse,” or anything else, including a personal name.

Associate with that name any other ideas that arise with it, for example, how it

appeared in a dream, an image, a color, a smell, a sound, surroundings; these

can serve as symbols to help invoke it. Once you have this handle on the spirit,

you can invoke it, negotiate with it, and form an alliance with it as with any

spirit. As you become better acquainted, you may agree on signs, words, or ac-

tions by which to invoke the spirit. (Note: Sometimes a spirit will appear with

the face of someone you know. This should be avoided because this can lead

to confusion between the person and the spirit. Simply ask the spirit politely

to change its shape.)

Deification

After taking a sip of water and contemplating for a moment, Hypatia resumes

her teaching. “We now come to the last, and most advanced, theurgic operation, the

Theurgic Ascent (also known as the Hieratic Ascent).325 Although the procedures are

similar to the operations I’ve already discussed, there is a crucial difference between this ascent and all the other operations, for in those operations the divinity is always experienced as ‘other’, but by means of this exercise you ascend so that your soul, so far as is possible for a mortal, unites with divinity. In this way you experience deification.”

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“My lady,” says Cyrus, raising his hand, “if I remember correctly, the last lines of the
Pythagorean Golden Verses
are:

Then stripped of flesh up to free Aether soar,

A deathless god, divine, mortal no more.326

“But your words imply that we can become a god only ‘so far as is possible for a

mortal’.”

“But surely you recall,” injects Athanasius, “that in Book 9 of the
Second Ennead
, the divine Plotinus criticizes the Gnostics for their arrogance and foolishness in thinking that they alone can become gods, and without any need of virtue, so long as they are initiated into certain secrets. By scorning others they reveal their own failings for, as Plotinus says, wise people have a mild disposition:

In proportion to a person’s excellence,

they’re well disposed to everything,

including people.327

“The Master also says we must know our limitations:

The person of real dignity

must ascend in proper measure,

without boorish arrogance,

and only go so far as human nature can.328

“For indeed:

Arrogance defeats becoming god,

even so far as possible to human souls.”329

Several other students begin to speak at once, and Hypatia holds up her hand

until everyone is quiet; she replies, “Deification is not a matter of simple ritual, as some Gnostics think. The divine Plato himself wrote,

To become like God is

to become holy, just, and wise.330

“We must strive to become good, holy, and wise. Therefore in philosophy we seek

the Good through cultivation of the virtues, we seek the Truth through contemplation, 294 the path of trust

and finally we seek Purity through the theurgic arts. This is achieved by separating yourself—for a time—from everything that differs from divinity. In this way we become divine, so far as humanly possible.”

“Why should we strive for deification?” asks Cyrus.

“The goal of theurgic ascent—as well as the other ascents—is union with a god,

and this may be any god, including even The Inexpressible One—an especially diffi-

cult accomplishment! By means of this union you may experience your own inherent

divinity and your connection with The One, and thus, by means of the union, come to

be in better harmony with Providence. Consciously experiencing your participation in Providence gives meaning to life. You become a willing agent of Providence.

“By the principle of like knows like, it is the image of The One in your own soul

(which we Platonists call the
flower of the soul
) that is able to unite with The Inexpressible One. By means of this ‘knowledge through identification’, your individual

One comes to participate more perfectly in The One Itself. This is the turn back toward The One (the ultimate source), known as the
Return
, by which your soul becomes the
energy
actualizing the
power
of The One. This is our destiny.”

In terms of Jungian psychology, the Self, which is the unconscious foundation of each person’s psyche, the God-image within, is a part of the psychophysical unity that is the universe. By conscious contact and identification with your inner Self, you can come to comprehend (to some degree) and to participate consciously in your individual destiny as part of this totality.

Hypatia continues. “To accomplish the ascent, the parts of your soul that are more

like The One must be separated from those that are less like it. This separation is accomplished by a symbolic death: ‘dying before you die’. Therefore the operation in-

cludes a symbolic funeral. Before describing the procedure I must add that the ascent is a cooperative activity between the initiate, who makes the ascent, and an initiator or theurgist, who usually has assistants. (It is possible, but difficult, for you to make this ascent on your own.)

“Preparatory to the ascent is
Purification
of the soul, of its ‘vehicle’ (the vital spirit that connects it to the body), and of the body itself. The principal goal is to facilitate the ascent by making the initiate as similar to the gods as possible. Purification of the the path of trust 295

soul is directed toward quieting the lower parts of your soul, which do not ascend. To this end, the techniques of the Contemplative Ascent (Ch. 11) are useful.

“Purification eliminates those influences that may impede your ascent, but we fa-

cilitate it by using the signs and symbols appropriate to the deity. You may wear the symbols, ingest them—if they’re edible!—or place them in the ritual area. Nonphysical symbols
,
such as hymns, prayers, and chants, will be recited out loud or in the initiate’s mind as the ascent proceeds.”

In more contemporary terms, by connecting, internally as well as externally, with these symbols of the archetype or complex, by making them part of yourself, you activate the archetype or complex so that it manifests in your conscious experience. You awaken the god within you (which also transcends you). This begins the identification of you and the god.

“The next steps are a symbolic death, funeral, and burial. When complete, the

theurgic director begins to call forth your soul, invoking the inner ‘soul spark’ born of the Cosmic Nous, to draw your soul forth from your body. The director declares you to be clothed in shining raiment, girded by the substance of the celestial spheres, bids you to concentrate your nous upon the signs and symbols, and calls your soul to come forth to scale the fiery rays. The theurgist continues with various sacred formulas to evoke your soul, and the assistants begin singing chants and hymns to aid the separation. While the theurgist calls forth your soul, you focus on your breath and begin to breathe more deeply and quickly, in time with the chanting or music. One of Synesius’

hymns expresses the initiate’s intention:

Giver of noetic life and fire!

Behold me, and regard my soul that cries,

Which from the earth does upward flights desire,

Light up, O King, my heaven-seeking eyes.

Cut off all ties; and nimble make my wing;

Up to Thy halls and breast, may I swift spring!”331

We now know that breathing exercises and rhythmic chanting and music are common sha-

manic techniques for modifying neurophysiology to achieve a trance state. Shamans also 296 the path of trust

decorate themselves with signs and symbols intended to facilitate their spiritual journeys and to ensure their success. As the theurgist ascends the fiery rays to The One, so shamans often ascend the World Tree, World Axis, or Sacred Mountain, through seven heavens, to enter the divine realms. But let’s return to Hypatia’s imaginary lesson.

“Through the following stages the assistants, under direction of the theurgist, ad-

just their chanting, singing, or other music to aid the elevation of the initiate’s soul.

Henceforth the initiate may breath through the mouth and intone chants selected to

aid their ascent. But once the initiate has ascended above the celestial sphere, they should focus on chanting the signs and symbols in their mind rather than out loud, for they are ascending through the immaterial empyrean spheres. As Synesius wrote in a

hymn when he was studying with me:

Rash harp be silent, nor profanely dare

The secret worship, which no rites declare,

To men to tell; go, sing of things beneath;

Let Heaven be unpolluted by thy breath,

The soul alone may roam through worlds of thought.332

“Here—in the Cosmic Nous—you may encounter the gods, who may assist your

ascent, drawing you upward with helpful hands.

“Ultimately you may ascend all the way to The Inexpressible One. At this transcen-

dent pinnacle you will be beyond duality, beyond language and conceptual thought,

indeed beyond all differentiation and change. In this eternal realm, beyond time itself, you experience immortality and deification.

“A mortal cannot remain in the state of unification for very long, and when you

sense its dissipation you must begin to re-descend and to don again the layers of your outer soul. The experienced theurgist will perceive that you are falling from the unitive state and will assist your re-descent with appropriate formulas, chants, songs, prayers, and hymns. When your descent is complete, the company welcomes you—the reborn

initiate—with joyous hymns of welcome and praise.

“As a result of the ascent, you are transformed, reborn with a new soul. Although

you have returned to the material world, henceforth your soul retains roots planted in The One. With this permanent connection to the transcendent source of divinity, you

henceforth consciously embody divinity on earth.

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“The theurgic ascent is a difficult and hence infrequent rite, for which years of

preparation may be required. But when it is successful, the initiate is transformed into a God-Person, one of the so-called ‘perfected or immaculate beings’, who by their very presence on earth bring grace to humanity and to all of Nature. They are the divine

people who have founded our religious traditions. Synesius concludes his hymn with

these words:

Upward, my soul! drink from th’ Eternal Fount