In Devotion to the One: Theurgy, Neoplatonism & Ritual
Theurgy is derived from the Greek words âtheosâ meaning âGodâ and âergosâ meaning âworkingâ, resulting in âGod-working.â The word was first used in the Neoplatonist text the âChaldean Oraclesâ and refers to the process of working through the several divine emanations in order to achieve henosis, or unity with the One. I personally find theurgy to be an extremely fascinating though equally as complex topic, and I aim to explain itâs origins, philosophy, and practical application in this blog post.
Theurgy itself is rooted in early Neoplatonism and each emanation is described by its founder, Plotinus. The One, also referred to as God or in some cases the Godhead, is the origin point of all things. A popular neoplatonist symbol is that of a dot encircled by a larger circle- the One is that dot and the larger circle is all other multitudes of emanation. The one is inherently good and beautiful and this goodness may descend through each level. The Nous, also referred to as the Intellect, is the conscience of the cosmos, and the Soul may refer to that of the individual or the universe. The Soul is the unified life-form of all living things. Theurgy was an essential element of the Hellenic faith, though can also be found in various sects of Christianity as well as Gnosticism.
Philosophy, Porphyry vs. Iamblichus
Perhaps the most prominent figure contributing to the practice and philosophy of theurgy is the Syrian philosopher Iamblichus. He was a Neoplatonist, although he differed from earlier Platonic thinkers as he emphasized the necessity of ritual for union with the divine. Porphyry, another Neoplatonist philosopher whom Iamblichus studied under, argued for a more ascetic approach and the salvation of the soul. He also believed that unification with the One was a contemplative, introspective process, and that ritual was a distraction from this goal. Porphyry along with Plotinus felt that material was impure and could essentially corrupt the immaterial. Plotinus also stated that matter was an ontological evil. Matter was a product of the Soul which generated all life, and through the action of creation, generated matter as well. Iamblichus adopts a somewhat different approach to theurgy, arguing against Porphyryâs view of solitude and intellectualization as being what motivates the outcome of theurgy while highlighting the practical use of rituals. Furthermore, he opposes Porphyryâs denunciation of the Hellenic and Egyptian rites, which he writes of extensively in his work âOn the Mysteries of the Egyptians, Chaldeans, and Assyrians.â Iamblichus reasoned that one can reach this synthesis with God by purifying oneself and navigating the various multitudes of emanation through devotional acts towards the divine and the use of symbols, characterizing this process as being cosmogonic and anagogic in nature.
Before beginning a theurgic ritual, or any ritual involving communion with the divine, it is important to purify oneself. This is recorded extensively in various pieces of Hellenic literature at the time. The Hellenes believed in a concept called Miasma, which is a state of spiritual impurity. Miasma is accumulated through disrupting the natural order of things or going against the Gods. There is both lesser and greater miasma. For example, lying or any non virtuous act would be a form of lesser miasma. Greater miasma would include something such as killing somebody, which is why soldiers were believed to have more severe miasma. To become spiritually pure, one may enter katharsis through performing katharmos or using khernips. Katharmos is typically used when one has accumulated more serious miasma and there are records of soldiers performing it. However, khernips is used when someone has only lesser miasma. Khernips is a type of sacred water used to wash oneself in order to get rid of these impurities before ritual. The water is typically made using water from a natural source and then burning and submerging herbs into it. It is also important to note that this did not mean the Hellenes viewed themselves as naturally impure, dirty beings. As I had written earlier, the good and the beautiful descend through each level of emanation, including us. There are metaphysical vices that one must cleanse themself from. You may then wash your hands with this while repeating hymns or calling out to the divine in some way. Sunthemata, or tokens containing sympathies of the divine in the material realm, were also used to invoke a certain deity. According to Iamblichus, these tokens were intentionally weaved into the universe by the divine. Sunthemata can include anything from herbs to visual symbols. Epithets of the gods and nomina barbara are also forms of vocal sunthemata. You may also use an idol or anything containing a physical depiction of the deity. A theurgic ritual is typically a highly euphoric and fulfilling experience where oneâs connection to the divine is truly centered and fully explored. Another important thing to keep in mind is Iamblichus wrote that every theurgist should perform a ritual to the extent that they can. This means, do what feels comfortable to you and what youâre confident in and be aware of your skill level. A theurgic ritual will only be effective if you have the ability and means to make it, so do not attempt to do anything extremely complex or above your level of knowledge and experience.
Relevance to Germanic paganism
Theurgy did not only exist amongst the Greeks and Egyptians, as many different cultures across the globe understood the importance of uniting with their creator. Since this account focuses heavily on Germanic paganism, it would only make sense to discuss the relevance of theurgy within these cultures. Acts of devotion are a significant part of any pre-Christian religion, especially those of sacrifices. Although I did not discuss it in this post, animal sacrifice was a crucial element to theurgy according to Iamblichus and Julian the Apostate later attempted to revive this custom. Of course, the Germanic tribes were no stranger to sacrifices whether they be for a good harvest or simply as a dedication to the Gods. This is further demonstrated when we look at the etymology of the word blĂłt, which translates to âserving Godâ in Gothic. Moreover, there are several instances of deities being invoked in various charms, as I have discussed in previous articles. Idols and effigies were also used, sometimes in quite theatrical processions. For the sake of length, I wonât linger on this too much, but the idea of âGod-workingâ is certainly there. Seeing that all Indo-European religions are interrelated in some way, itâs understandable that each culture would have some conception of uniting with God. This will be further discussed in my next blog post!
Theurgy, which translates to âGod-working,â is reaching henosis or unity with the One by working through the multitudes of emanation. Itâs philosophy was heavily influenced by Neoplatonist thinkers such as Plotinus and Porphyry while itâs practice was largely shaped by Iamblichus. The former argues for asceticism and contemplation while the latter pushed for the use of rituals. The Hellenes believed a theurgic ritual could be carried out upon cleansing oneself of all spiritual impurities, or miasma. This was achieved by entering Katharsis. Although theurgy specifically is of Hellenic origins, many other pre-Christian cultures all had their own idea of and method of uniting with the divine.
