That paradox is also in the Picatrix: what is the goal of the sage? Perfect Nature. What is Perfect Nature? The culmination of all science and philosophy. How do you achieve perfect nature? By performing magic. How do you perform magic? By mastering all of science and philosophy.
That said, it isn't really different from the circularity of Aristotelian teleology or concern with entelechy in the absence of a theory of evolution. The goal of the acorn is to be an oak tree, it achieves its entelechy through becoming an oak tree.
I've said it before and I really mean it. These are real metaphysical antimonies and the metaphysics of magic desperately needs a critical philosophy - like needed one 3 centuries ago. Otherwise it remains this pre- critical dogmatism that isn't philosophically viable in the least. Magic went from dogmatism to psychologizing with no critical phase in between and it badly shows.
@@TheEsotericaChannel I think this lack of a critical philosophy is why many magicians/occultists become religiously-oriented mystics (or at the very least hierarchize mysticism as higher than magic). Part "blessed is the man who knows the causes of things," part "whereof one cannot speak, thereof one must be silent."
Arnemancy had a series a little over a year ago and Dr. Sledge was on episode 8. Dr. Sledge was my intro point and I really enjoy his lectures, so you may enjoy Arnemancy's series as well.
I too have written a 20 page paper where I discuss the what? the how? the where? of Magic. It is a simplified version and is easier to understand. Just google 'papaSon academia' and read the paper titled "MAGIC."
I just wanted to appreciate how hyped about magnets Justin gets right in the middle of the class.Get yourself teachers that are this passionate, folks!
I recently purchased DOP, so I began listening to your classes in preparation for the reading. Thanks for the encouragement, specially in this episode!
The closing statement about honouring the works of someone by being sympathetic and pointing out contradictions is just beautiful, thanks for the thought❤
I just finished listening to Arnemancy's series on Agrippa from over a year ago and was delighted to hear your contributions on it. Before I found your channel, I was at a loss as to where I should start. Your reading lists and lectures have been invaluable, thank you.
I now find myself contemplating, and making notes, during these lectures. I didnt start out like that. These topics are becoming more familiar, at a very pleasant rate. Theres no telling how many times ill listen to these playlists. For real.
Your point about reading it is spot on. Very few people have read the book front to back and this includes practitioners of magic. Many skim through it and use it as a reference and have never really delve deep into the text. I plan to do so now and these courses have help with that!
Thank you, Doctor Sledge. Im so glad i found your channel some months ago, you really enrich my cultural and religious understanding. I feel extremly priviliged to live in a time where you can share your knowledge and discussion online. Keep it up!! Your channel is the best
Justin: maybe Agripa wrote a diary with his personal experiences, or that was the secret that he shared in person if he had some students! Very very mysterious and awesome stuff!! You're the best!!
“Shooting hot fiyah, Dhalsim style” - Dr. Justin Sledge. “Yoga Flame!” - Dhalsim. That’s the reference I didn’t think this community needs. Hehe. Wonderful dear sir! 😂😅
As I listen to this, I can't help wondering if Agrippa used "magic" in such a conflated way precisely because he saw it that way. Affect becomes the cause becomes affect in the constant process. It also seems that he argues that God works in such a way as well: being cause, process, and affect all at the same time. Definitely a reason to try reading his work.
I've started reading The Three Books, specifically the Perdue edition that I learned of from this channel. I'm nowhere near far enough into them to know if this idea of mine works, but I'd rather share it now than to come back to this video after I've finished reading the books. Is it at all plausible that Agrippa is viewing divinity as he does magic? That he's using one word, or one phrase, to encapsulate multiple phenomenon? In that way, it would not be the same divinity that graces us at the beginning of our magical endeavors as what we would discover later on. Yet, it is all still divine. Following that thought, perhaps he felt it need not even be clarified that we, as humans, begin our journey already blessed with a certain inner divinity, made in the image of God as we are? ...some of us more than others. I'd love to hear the thoughts of this community on this matter! Even if some of you know a reason why I am blatantly mistaken to think any of this!
I wanted to make quick commentary on this video when you said you will not summarize the 3 books and I'm very happy this is your approach. When Eric Purdue first released his translation I bought the book. Scanned every page and converted the 3 books into an audio book using the A.i. technology for my own personal study, Natural Reader. That being said, I put the work in necessary to get to that point page by page. Chapter by chapter and I would very dislike if you summarized the 3 books. So this is a really awesome approach dude !!!! Because I've been needed help with the technical stuff. And the other youtube channel that does agrippa I've listened to all their videos as help too. And yours.
This series has enticed me to finally crack the spines of my Agrippa books. I totally agree that a summary would be a waste of time. What I would love to see is a collaborative line-by-line analysis of one chapter by you and a knowledgeable practitioner. You have the expertise to contrast Agrippas ideas with other thinkers of his time and a practitioner could speak to how those ideas/practices have evolved in modernity. I think you could have a very interesting discussion with one of the guys from SRIA London or BOTA.
Wonderful class! I need to catch these things on Patreon when they come out. I keep forgetting that I'm a patron and just wait for the upload haha. A quick question for you: is a presentation on Saint Francis in the works for the future? In my personal opinion: Franciscan theology becoming mainstream following Francis death fundamental altered the Latin Church and western spirituality, which is crazy especially when you consider just how mystical (and crazy) St Francis was. Thank you for the content as always!
I remember getting an email back from Nauert who kindly offered to look at my academic writing, back when I was in grad school working on Christian Cabala. Wish I hadn't been too shy to send a draft.
29:21 it might not as well fit with his ideas but mine is that we/our souls are already illuminated as part of the divine and our magical works are at once realizing and revealing the illumination we are, and so inspiring us by it
It’s amazing to hear Agrippa thought enlightenment was a requirement of magic, I always believed the same. And there is no paradox, illumination comes first.
Hey Dr. Sledge, each of these vids has been opening with a description of this series as "an experiment in crowdfunding". Now we're a good ways into it, how do you feel that experiment is going?
(1) Maybe he believes that reading his treatise opens you up to be illuminated by God. (2) Maybe you become a devout Catholic & pray to God for illumination. I'm not sure why we need to assume that the illumination is SOLEY due to the result of Magic? Assuming that God initiates the process would have been the safest approach, in light of the Church.
There's conditions to certain ritualistic practices. I would assume the environment plays a huge role in those conditions that allow such enlightenment. Usually most practices regarding magic practices are done in scared places its due to a certain energy that is expected there hence why they are "holy " in the first the same goes for the opposite. Evil is done in the dark and good is done the light . Such and such . This is how I interpret it at least.
50:23 Look, I'm just the class clown who never grew up. While I'm intensely interested, I can't help but mourn the opportunity for the questions to be, "Where did you come from? Where did you go?"
I saw a video, a few years ago with insanely magnetic super magnets. They are about the size of a hockey puck, each. They put one down on a counter and they put the second one about 5 or 6 inches away from the first one, in a wine glass. The one in the glass was so attracted to the other one that it shattered the glass just to get to the other one! It was crazy.
This is just from the last 15 minutes or so. . . Connections between materials and celestial bodies. Connections between ourselves/fate and celestial bodies. Using celestial bodies as a conduit to gain control over the fates of self and others (including things?). Divine names are linked to celestial beings which, if known and invoked, can give access to a sympathetic occult through-line to divine beings. I need to listen to this again.
I can say that some modern occult traditions forbid speaking about one’s own experiences. So, perhaps back then, the organizations Agrippa was a part of behaved similarly, and that’s why we don’t see him doing this.
I always assumed this about most magical writers. It's not just highly taboo, it can get your world turned upside down by the church in an instant. It has a negative implications, not just for you but also your family, your friends and the communities you're part of. Most men who wrote these books were smart enough to realize the consequences of the work. I doubt they would freely write about their experiences without perhaps secreting away those writings and having them buried until long after their death.
You do the magic, well enough that the Gods see your efforts and are drawn ("compulsed") toward assisting and helping guide you on your path. Its only then that they then teach you genuinely effective practices and actual magic begins to occur.
About the first 2 paradoxes… would Agrippa be referring to “Salvation” as the “illumination” that precedes doing magical work? And second, perhaps demons can be summoned because they are fallen angels? If Agrippa is using Biblical thinking, it would stand to reason that one can appeal to demons with one’s own divine nature because demons were originally divine as well? Just a thought. Love this series!
Thx🙏🏾🙏🏿🙏🏽 Als always very good contend and explanation. And It all makes “sense” for me Even or because….. I am living my life in “dream state” ever since my brain cva…. Witch “killed” 20% of my brain ….and live in a multi dimentional reality ever since Anyway Thx again voor your superbe informative video 🌻🌻🦋🌻🌻
Just spitballing here, but as far as the paradox (at least one of them). Perhaps we are already Illuminated, but we have either had it hidden from us, or we are unaware of it because of the Fall, and the Act of Magia, can reawaken that illumination in us. Of course it's been a while since i read the three books all the way through (And to be perfectly honest, some of it made my eyes glaze over so "reading it" might be a stretch), but I kinda remember something about us "loosing" something of Illumination in the fall, or at least having the wool pulled over our eyes because of it.
I’m not sure I understand the notion of ambivalence in Agrippa’s presentation of magic as both the method and the reward. The notion of the path and the destination being one is kind of Zen, but I don’t know that it’s all that unique. As for being able to summon demons and do malefic magic under the illumination of the divine, I don’t see that as a contradiction, either. Going back to the Bible, as you advise, there is Isaiah 45:7, that seems to cover this rather nicely. As to which comes first, the illumination or the magical power, and any mechanistic or compulsive aspect, that can be disposed of with the notion that God’s illumination is the default state, and that only our presumably fallen nature prevents us from seeing it. Imagine humans in general being enfolded in our own darkness, not because there’s no light source, but because we are clenched around ourselves in a fetal ball, eyes tight shut and fingers in our ears. Once we open our eyes even slightly, it then becomes possible to identify and turn towards the light. Eventually we may hope that our eyes stop watering so that we can see clearly.
i absolutely adore your channel! been a fan for a while. im wondering if you've done a video on Balaam yet? i just came across the story while looking up lilith and it said that other than the talking snake, the only other talking animal in judaism is Balaams talking donkey (???). i looked up the story and it kinda read like a comedy - Balaam has a power that he can sense when God is angry. i dont know much more about the story or the context of how it would have been perceived and would love to hear yiur thoughts on it :) thank you again for the content!
Maybe in the bit about the magical paradox of divine illumination, maybe it’s contingent on your intention behind the endeavor in the first place? Are you practicing magic to get closer to god, or because of your ego and desires? Like alchemically, you put fourth the effort, that effort has a flavor and consistency, and based upon the quality/ intention of your effort, it’s the factor in the results of the magic and the cause of the illumination if it occurs?
What's Agrippa's view on Free Will? That might solve the paradox. Knocking on the celestial realm doors by practice of magic will open the possibility of Devine Grace to ascend the magician to the Devine realm if one chooses or one may get stuck in the demonic parts of the celestial -to fulfill earthly needs-. My understanding of the "sad state of magic" that bothers Agrippa is that practitioners are getting stuck without choosing to ask for Devine grace.
I wonder if the heavy use of quotation is simply a similarity to The Waste Land, or if Eliot was more involved in the occult than is usually suspected.
To me it seems the biggest contradiction is the idea that man can climb an infinite distance under the force of his own locomotion. If God is infinite, and I am to climb the chain of being in my own finite steps, I either have to climb an infinite number of beings, which is impossible because actual infinities are impossible, or I would after the highest being have to make an infinite leap, which would take infinite power, which only god has
@thatmckenzie this just means you would asymptotically approach God, but you would never actually reach him. Some series are infinite, some series are not, but infinity isn't a number or a point on a number line, it essentially means "keep going". With an eternity, you never actually get to the far end of that eternity, so you will never actually reach God
Thanks for the wonderful video! By the way, are you interested in the UAP subject? Lately it seems these two worlds (esoteric and extraterrestrial) seem to collide, especially by testimonies of people like Chris Bledsoe (book "UFO of God") and Lue Elizondo.
What does DOP stand for? I am 6 episodes into this and I can’t find a google answer, nor recall you saying what it means. It seems to refer to his three books of occult philosophy, but why DOP?
Such an interesting irony that for all Agrippa's railing against thought alone, there's no evidence he practiced any of this. I wonder if his Catholicism ultimately got in the way of taking the actual leap.
Perhaps it is due to Agrippa's ambition that the magic paradox arises and the wish to control the "machine". I think the central Hermetica available to him holds solutions to the paradox. Namely, the CorpHerm 18 analogy of the loving parent who will not deny a grateful child, even if the child cannot yet show gratitude through praise. The child must be helped up to the point of showing praise and then held accountable...roughly summarized. You also have the revelation of nature and prophets in the CorpHerm, NT, etc. Iamblichus speaks of theurgy and things like statue animation as supplications inviting good divinities to come and teach you or assist you, rather than you compelling them. One can expect a good parent not to deny a child what is beneficial (that's from the New Testament, ha), but not to answer every or even most requests of a child as they may not be truly beneficial at that situation in life. Demons are like the enabling or weak-character friend who doesn't care if they lead you astray. Okay, why doesn't God just fix everything right away if s/he's omnipotent and omni-benevolent? A. God is doing what's best and we don't understand it or B. God is not omnipotent as is doing her/his best with what they have to work with. "B" contradicts the Hermetica, which say God is omnipotent and omni-benovelent, but as we've discussed, this could be rhetorical dialogue.
seems to me one does not 'compell' the celestial realm to illuminate the magus but rather 'practicing magic; links to the celestial divine and one becomes gradually illuminated by degrees and your magic becomes increasionally more powerful.
Wouldn't the paradox be filled by the demons are tricking you into thinking you are doing magic but you really aren't they are isn't that the whole point of him not liking demonic magic?
I oversimplified that but the points there, real magic you do something through the will of God, demonic magic in his mind could have been just coming from a different source maybe.
Perhaps a solution to these occult paradoxes is to admit that you do not need to have perfect knowledge of God or mastery of all sciences in order to use magic. Using magic leads to mastery of all sciences, which leads to a perfect nature, which then leads us to union with God?
@@TheEsotericaChannel yeah I keep scrolling thru your channel and can't find it. And when I search "aggripa esoterica" it is giving me lots of other aggripa videos by other channels. But I'll keep trying. Are they all named "1 of X", "2 of X", etc?
@@pridefulobserver3807 I wish there was a feature to search WITHIN a channel. With really good channels with lots of content, the channel is itself like a whole catalogue of topics.
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@@TheEsotericaChannel Can you recommend any books on Agrippa I could buy?
That paradox is also in the Picatrix: what is the goal of the sage? Perfect Nature. What is Perfect Nature? The culmination of all science and philosophy. How do you achieve perfect nature? By performing magic. How do you perform magic? By mastering all of science and philosophy.
At least these occultists are consistently circular in their reasoning
That said, it isn't really different from the circularity of Aristotelian teleology or concern with entelechy in the absence of a theory of evolution. The goal of the acorn is to be an oak tree, it achieves its entelechy through becoming an oak tree.
But at least there there's divine causation driving final causation
I've said it before and I really mean it. These are real metaphysical antimonies and the metaphysics of magic desperately needs a critical philosophy - like needed one 3 centuries ago. Otherwise it remains this pre- critical dogmatism that isn't philosophically viable in the least. Magic went from dogmatism to psychologizing with no critical phase in between and it badly shows.
@@TheEsotericaChannel I think this lack of a critical philosophy is why many magicians/occultists become religiously-oriented mystics (or at the very least hierarchize mysticism as higher than magic). Part "blessed is the man who knows the causes of things," part "whereof one cannot speak, thereof one must be silent."
I'm finally getting a grip a' Cornelius Agrippa because of Estorica and the unearned privilege of enjoying the erudition of Dr Justin Sledge! 📜 🌌 🎬
It's like that Judas Priest song, "O hear my warning and never turn your back on Agrippa!"
Arnemancy had a series a little over a year ago and Dr. Sledge was on episode 8. Dr. Sledge was my intro point and I really enjoy his lectures, so you may enjoy Arnemancy's series as well.
@@onstr oh thank you!! I now recall the excellent Arnemancy and must delve in further into their content!
@@jeremykelker8908 oh wow! I had never heard of that line! I only know of the Led Zep reference to Gollum!
I too have written a 20 page paper where I discuss the what? the how? the where? of Magic. It is a simplified version and is easier to understand.
Just google 'papaSon academia' and read the paper titled "MAGIC."
I just wanted to appreciate how hyped about magnets Justin gets right in the middle of the class.Get yourself teachers that are this passionate, folks!
This has been a fantastic lecture series.
I recently purchased DOP, so I began listening to your classes in preparation for the reading. Thanks for the encouragement, specially in this episode!
The closing statement about honouring the works of someone by being sympathetic and pointing out contradictions is just beautiful, thanks for the thought❤
ICP - Mystified by OCCULT FORCES! Fantastic lecture, man.
With Agrippa, as with many things, the diamond is in the flaw. Such a great lecture, thank you!
I just finished listening to Arnemancy's series on Agrippa from over a year ago and was delighted to hear your contributions on it. Before I found your channel, I was at a loss as to where I should start. Your reading lists and lectures have been invaluable, thank you.
He mentioned ICP. I love it!
I live in Michigan. Whoop whoop, as it is said
Somewhere is a manuscript of Ficino with the nom de plume Faygo.
Thank you for the open access education, you are a great ressource and I appreciate it
I now find myself contemplating, and making notes, during these lectures.
I didnt start out like that. These topics are becoming more familiar, at a very pleasant rate.
Theres no telling how many times ill listen to these playlists. For real.
Your point about reading it is spot on. Very few people have read the book front to back and this includes practitioners of magic. Many skim through it and use it as a reference and have never really delve deep into the text. I plan to do so now and these courses have help with that!
Thank you, Doctor Sledge. Im so glad i found your channel some months ago, you really enrich my cultural and religious understanding. I feel extremly priviliged to live in a time where you can share your knowledge and discussion online. Keep it up!! Your channel is the best
"I loved the video! The content on this channel is of the highest quality and always delivers valuable and well-presented information."
This is cracking open a door to a vast world of knowledge. Opening the door completely is up to us.
Thank you for getting us started!
I took a break from this lovely series to go listen to the full set of books on audible and it was so good! Everyone should go check it out!
I am learning so much I need to buy a bigger hat. Thanks Dr. S
Justin: maybe Agripa wrote a diary with his personal experiences, or that was the secret that he shared in person if he had some students! Very very mysterious and awesome stuff!! You're the best!!
this is the one i've been waiting for, thanks for all your hard work.
One of the worse mistakes men can make is RELY on the knowledge of other men. I very much enjoy your channel.
“Shooting hot fiyah, Dhalsim style” - Dr. Justin Sledge.
“Yoga Flame!” - Dhalsim.
That’s the reference I didn’t think this community needs. Hehe. Wonderful dear sir! 😂😅
Quite simply brilliant, thank you.
Always enlightening and fun. Love this channel!
As I listen to this, I can't help wondering if Agrippa used "magic" in such a conflated way precisely because he saw it that way. Affect becomes the cause becomes affect in the constant process. It also seems that he argues that God works in such a way as well: being cause, process, and affect all at the same time. Definitely a reason to try reading his work.
hey good point!
Yessssss my favorite part of the week
thank you, Dr Sledge!
Thanks!
Thought i should buy you a pint.
Many thanks!
Thank you for sharing your wisdom 🙏
Thank you for posting these Videos. ❤
Thank you! My favorite series at the moment, although Game of Thrones is also pretty good.
I've started reading The Three Books, specifically the Perdue edition that I learned of from this channel. I'm nowhere near far enough into them to know if this idea of mine works, but I'd rather share it now than to come back to this video after I've finished reading the books.
Is it at all plausible that Agrippa is viewing divinity as he does magic? That he's using one word, or one phrase, to encapsulate multiple phenomenon? In that way, it would not be the same divinity that graces us at the beginning of our magical endeavors as what we would discover later on. Yet, it is all still divine. Following that thought, perhaps he felt it need not even be clarified that we, as humans, begin our journey already blessed with a certain inner divinity, made in the image of God as we are? ...some of us more than others.
I'd love to hear the thoughts of this community on this matter! Even if some of you know a reason why I am blatantly mistaken to think any of this!
"All men are gods, some moreso than others."
I wanted to make quick commentary on this video when you said you will not summarize the 3 books and I'm very happy this is your approach. When Eric Purdue first released his translation I bought the book. Scanned every page and converted the 3 books into an audio book using the A.i. technology for my own personal study, Natural Reader. That being said, I put the work in necessary to get to that point page by page. Chapter by chapter and I would very dislike if you summarized the 3 books. So this is a really awesome approach dude !!!! Because I've been needed help with the technical stuff. And the other youtube channel that does agrippa I've listened to all their videos as help too. And yours.
Again, thank you very much, can't wait for the next!
Good Stuff Man; I could feel the tall grass tickling my gluteus.
This series has enticed me to finally crack the spines of my Agrippa books. I totally agree that a summary would be a waste of time. What I would love to see is a collaborative line-by-line analysis of one chapter by you and a knowledgeable practitioner. You have the expertise to contrast Agrippas ideas with other thinkers of his time and a practitioner could speak to how those ideas/practices have evolved in modernity. I think you could have a very interesting discussion with one of the guys from SRIA London or BOTA.
Wonderful class! I need to catch these things on Patreon when they come out. I keep forgetting that I'm a patron and just wait for the upload haha. A quick question for you: is a presentation on Saint Francis in the works for the future? In my personal opinion: Franciscan theology becoming mainstream following Francis death fundamental altered the Latin Church and western spirituality, which is crazy especially when you consider just how mystical (and crazy) St Francis was.
Thank you for the content as always!
Bought the book, now looking forward to getting background and discussion. Thanks.
I remember getting an email back from Nauert who kindly offered to look at my academic writing, back when I was in grad school working on Christian Cabala. Wish I hadn't been too shy to send a draft.
29:21 it might not as well fit with his ideas but mine is that we/our souls are already illuminated as part of the divine and our magical works are at once realizing and revealing the illumination we are, and so inspiring us by it
i love this series
🤙Aloha Justin hope all is well
Thank you for the information
I've agree, I've always believed in combination everything into one system
It’s amazing to hear Agrippa thought enlightenment was a requirement of magic, I always believed the same. And there is no paradox, illumination comes first.
Your work is so valuable, thank u! Is there a way I can make one-time donations?
Yep via Paypal - www.paypal.me/esotericachannel thanks!
Hey Dr. Sledge, each of these vids has been opening with a description of this series as "an experiment in crowdfunding". Now we're a good ways into it, how do you feel that experiment is going?
(1) Maybe he believes that reading his treatise opens you up to be illuminated by God.
(2) Maybe you become a devout Catholic & pray to God for illumination.
I'm not sure why we need to assume that the illumination is SOLEY due to the result of Magic?
Assuming that God initiates the process would have been the safest approach, in light of the Church.
There's conditions to certain ritualistic practices. I would assume the environment plays a huge role in those conditions that allow such enlightenment. Usually most practices regarding magic practices are done in scared places its due to a certain energy that is expected there hence why they are "holy " in the first the same goes for the opposite. Evil is done in the dark and good is done the light . Such and such . This is how I interpret it at least.
@@xrpinfinite "scared place"
50:23
Look, I'm just the class clown who never grew up. While I'm intensely interested, I can't help but mourn the opportunity for the questions to be, "Where did you come from? Where did you go?"
Cotton eye joe
Prior to these lectures, all I knew was that Tybalt cancels out Capo Fero, unless you have studied your Agrippa😮
Different Agrippa
Aw, too bad. Arch-mage with serious sword chops would be such a badass😃
Thank you for this excellent course. Liebe Grüße aus Köln!
I saw a video, a few years ago with insanely magnetic super magnets. They are about the size of a hockey puck, each. They put one down on a counter and they put the second one about 5 or 6 inches away from the first one, in a wine glass. The one in the glass was so attracted to the other one that it shattered the glass just to get to the other one! It was crazy.
This is just from the last 15 minutes or so. . . Connections between materials and celestial bodies. Connections between ourselves/fate and celestial bodies. Using celestial bodies as a conduit to gain control over the fates of self and others (including things?). Divine names are linked to celestial beings which, if known and invoked, can give access to a sympathetic occult through-line to divine beings. I need to listen to this again.
1:08:28 Dr. Sledge mantles the Toddhead. Classic.
I can say that some modern occult traditions forbid speaking about one’s own experiences. So, perhaps back then, the organizations Agrippa was a part of behaved similarly, and that’s why we don’t see him doing this.
I always assumed this about most magical writers. It's not just highly taboo, it can get your world turned upside down by the church in an instant. It has a negative implications, not just for you but also your family, your friends and the communities you're part of. Most men who wrote these books were smart enough to realize the consequences of the work. I doubt they would freely write about their experiences without perhaps secreting away those writings and having them buried until long after their death.
Agrippa's Diary gona be crazy on this pne
You do the magic, well enough that the Gods see your efforts and are drawn ("compulsed") toward assisting and helping guide you on your path. Its only then that they then teach you genuinely effective practices and actual magic begins to occur.
About the first 2 paradoxes… would Agrippa be referring to “Salvation” as the “illumination” that precedes doing magical work? And second, perhaps demons can be summoned because they are fallen angels? If Agrippa is using Biblical thinking, it would stand to reason that one can appeal to demons with one’s own divine nature because demons were originally divine as well? Just a thought. Love this series!
Thx🙏🏾🙏🏿🙏🏽
Als always very good contend and explanation.
And
It all makes “sense” for me
Even or because….. I am living my life in “dream state” ever since my brain cva….
Witch “killed” 20% of my brain ….and live in a multi dimentional reality ever since
Anyway
Thx again voor your superbe informative video
🌻🌻🦋🌻🌻
Spiritus mundi, divine agency through sympathetic relationships 👌
This is the Way...
Just spitballing here, but as far as the paradox (at least one of them). Perhaps we are already Illuminated, but we have either had it hidden from us, or we are unaware of it because of the Fall, and the Act of Magia, can reawaken that illumination in us. Of course it's been a while since i read the three books all the way through (And to be perfectly honest, some of it made my eyes glaze over so "reading it" might be a stretch), but I kinda remember something about us "loosing" something of Illumination in the fall, or at least having the wool pulled over our eyes because of it.
That is precisely what I think - it is latent if we scribe to Agrippa's thought process.
Oh no, I still have to watch 5 of X... I'll be ready by the time 7 comes around. Sorry professor
it happens. lol
@@benjichaser72 they take twice as long to watch too because it's the first time hearing about literally any of it. Being a scholar is hard bro
I’m not sure I understand the notion of ambivalence in Agrippa’s presentation of magic as both the method and the reward. The notion of the path and the destination being one is kind of Zen, but I don’t know that it’s all that unique. As for being able to summon demons and do malefic magic under the illumination of the divine, I don’t see that as a contradiction, either. Going back to the Bible, as you advise, there is Isaiah 45:7, that seems to cover this rather nicely. As to which comes first, the illumination or the magical power, and any mechanistic or compulsive aspect, that can be disposed of with the notion that God’s illumination is the default state, and that only our presumably fallen nature prevents us from seeing it. Imagine humans in general being enfolded in our own darkness, not because there’s no light source, but because we are clenched around ourselves in a fetal ball, eyes tight shut and fingers in our ears. Once we open our eyes even slightly, it then becomes possible to identify and turn towards the light. Eventually we may hope that our eyes stop watering so that we can see clearly.
i absolutely adore your channel! been a fan for a while. im wondering if you've done a video on Balaam yet? i just came across the story while looking up lilith and it said that other than the talking snake, the only other talking animal in judaism is Balaams talking donkey (???). i looked up the story and it kinda read like a comedy - Balaam has a power that he can sense when God is angry. i dont know much more about the story or the context of how it would have been perceived and would love to hear yiur thoughts on it :) thank you again for the content!
One could compare Agrippa to Quantum Mechanics: the observation changes what is observed just as the practice of magic changes the magic practiced.
Maybe in the bit about the magical paradox of divine illumination, maybe it’s contingent on your intention behind the endeavor in the first place? Are you practicing magic to get closer to god, or because of your ego and desires? Like alchemically, you put fourth the effort, that effort has a flavor and consistency, and based upon the quality/ intention of your effort, it’s the factor in the results of the magic and the cause of the illumination if it occurs?
52:50 "I cant coujure magnetism" Don't tell us you've never wanted to be Magneto.
Bless
What's Agrippa's view on Free Will? That might solve the paradox. Knocking on the celestial realm doors by practice of magic will open the possibility of Devine Grace to ascend the magician to the Devine realm if one chooses or one may get stuck in the demonic parts of the celestial -to fulfill earthly needs-. My understanding of the "sad state of magic" that bothers Agrippa is that practitioners are getting stuck without choosing to ask for Devine grace.
I would argue we feel the force of gravity through the expirience of time
Also weird visual effect 50m the presentation background is colour modulating when Justin speaks
I wonder if the heavy use of quotation is simply a similarity to The Waste Land, or if Eliot was more involved in the occult than is usually suspected.
To me it seems the biggest contradiction is the idea that man can climb an infinite distance under the force of his own locomotion. If God is infinite, and I am to climb the chain of being in my own finite steps, I either have to climb an infinite number of beings, which is impossible because actual infinities are impossible, or I would after the highest being have to make an infinite leap, which would take infinite power, which only god has
But, since the soul is immortal, you have all of eternity...
@thatmckenzie this just means you would asymptotically approach God, but you would never actually reach him. Some series are infinite, some series are not, but infinity isn't a number or a point on a number line, it essentially means "keep going". With an eternity, you never actually get to the far end of that eternity, so you will never actually reach God
Thanks for the wonderful video! By the way, are you interested in the UAP subject? Lately it seems these two worlds (esoteric and extraterrestrial) seem to collide, especially by testimonies of people like Chris Bledsoe (book "UFO of God") and Lue Elizondo.
No, not really.
Do you have a lot of random noises in the background? I keep hearing things that I think are in my house but I think it's the video
Hahah quickly turning into an autumn seminar haha
What does DOP stand for? I am 6 episodes into this and I can’t find a google answer, nor recall you saying what it means. It seems to refer to his three books of occult philosophy, but why DOP?
If I'm not mistaken Eliphas Levi was also a really influential armchair dude.
Re:The magic catch 22, how about initiation?
Who does the first initiation?
Agrippa says hello 🎉
I'm not even going to listen to this... Without preemptively liking it first ;p
Pecino, or Pico de le Merandula de Cordia (sp)
Such an interesting irony that for all Agrippa's railing against thought alone, there's no evidence he practiced any of this. I wonder if his Catholicism ultimately got in the way of taking the actual leap.
Perhaps it is due to Agrippa's ambition that the magic paradox arises and the wish to control the "machine". I think the central Hermetica available to him holds solutions to the paradox. Namely, the CorpHerm 18 analogy of the loving parent who will not deny a grateful child, even if the child cannot yet show gratitude through praise. The child must be helped up to the point of showing praise and then held accountable...roughly summarized. You also have the revelation of nature and prophets in the CorpHerm, NT, etc.
Iamblichus speaks of theurgy and things like statue animation as supplications inviting good divinities to come and teach you or assist you, rather than you compelling them. One can expect a good parent not to deny a child what is beneficial (that's from the New Testament, ha), but not to answer every or even most requests of a child as they may not be truly beneficial at that situation in life. Demons are like the enabling or weak-character friend who doesn't care if they lead you astray.
Okay, why doesn't God just fix everything right away if s/he's omnipotent and omni-benevolent? A. God is doing what's best and we don't understand it or B. God is not omnipotent as is doing her/his best with what they have to work with. "B" contradicts the Hermetica, which say God is omnipotent and omni-benovelent, but as we've discussed, this could be rhetorical dialogue.
Illumination Paradox is best handled with "Nike Sportswear" philosophy "JUST DO IT!" 😜
seems to me one does not 'compell' the celestial realm to illuminate the magus but rather 'practicing magic; links to the celestial divine and one becomes gradually illuminated by degrees and your magic becomes increasionally more powerful.
❤❤❤
Wouldn't the paradox be filled by the demons are tricking you into thinking you are doing magic but you really aren't they are isn't that the whole point of him not liking demonic magic?
I oversimplified that but the points there, real magic you do something through the will of God, demonic magic in his mind could have been just coming from a different source maybe.
Perhaps a solution to these occult paradoxes is to admit that you do not need to have perfect knowledge of God or mastery of all sciences in order to use magic. Using magic leads to mastery of all sciences, which leads to a perfect nature, which then leads us to union with God?
Anyone know how I can translate the course material in Google drive?
Learn Latin
@@TheEsotericaChannel 👍 I Will
Where might I find the other x of x aggripa videos?
I found 5 of X and this is 6 of X.... Where is 1-4?
Thanks in advance!
All on the channel - I need to make a playlist
@@TheEsotericaChannel yeah I keep scrolling thru your channel and can't find it. And when I search "aggripa esoterica" it is giving me lots of other aggripa videos by other channels. But I'll keep trying. Are they all named "1 of X", "2 of X", etc?
@@beanndip the are, try adding ; ESOTERICA
@@pridefulobserver3807 I wish there was a feature to search WITHIN a channel. With really good channels with lots of content, the channel is itself like a whole catalogue of topics.
Yes to wishing that feature existed. The YT search system is very underpowered
Is that what Bob Dylan meant by Knocking on Heaven's Door? Has Robert Zimmerman climbed magic's ladder?
RIP Agrippa you would have loved Neon Genesis Evangelion
You’re just trying to have developer access to the OS.
Comments for algorithm
🤘🤘
Perhaps the devil is also divine in a way
Ah, Yes. Euthyphro (/sorcerous)
If magic is Divinely illuminated (presumedly by an All Good God), whence cometh Evil Magic?
I'm a brokeash lover of philosophy. Can I like and share your content? 1:24