Hermeticism

 

Hermeticism (or Hermetism) is a philosophical and religious system based on the purported teachings of Hermes Trismegistus (Hermes The "Thrice-Great"), a syncretistic amalgamation of the Egyptian Thoth, Greek Hermes, and the Roman Mercury. Thus, the Greek god of interpretive communication was combined with the Egyptian god of wisdom as a patron of astrology and alchemy.

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One particular form of Hermetic teaching is the religio-philosophical system propounded by a specific subgroup of Hermetic writings known as the 'religio-philosophical' Hermetica, the most famous of which are the Corpus Hermeticum (a collection of seventeen Greek Hermetic treatises written between c. 100 and c. 300 CE) and the Asclepius (a treatise from the same period mainly surviving in a Latin translation). This specific, historical form of Hermetic philosophy is sometimes more restrictively called Hermetism, to distinguish it from the philosophies inspired by the many Hermetic writings of a completely different period and nature.

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From the earliest mythic accounts, Thoth was associated with the scribal profession. For this reason, Thoth was universally worshiped by ancient Egyptian administrators, scribes, librarians, and copyists, who viewed him as their patron. This identification was also a "two-way" phenomenon, as the ibis (the sacred bird of Thoth) came to be a visual shorthand for scribes. In a more general context, "the wisdom and magical powers ascribed to Thoth meant that he was naturally invoked in many spells utilized in popular magic and religion".

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During the late period of Egyptian history, a cult of Thoth gained prominence, due to its main center, Khnum (Hermopolis Magna) becoming the capital. This led to millions of ibises being sacrificed, mummified and buried in his honor. The rise of his cult also led his followers to adjust the mythological corpus to give Thoth a greater role. One of these developments can be seen in the Book of the Dead, where the god's affiliation with natural/social law (ma'at) allows him to be seen as the scribe of the underworld, recording the results of each individual's judgment in a celestial register. Likewise, Thoth was seen as the author of the entire corpus of spells and charms designed to aid the dead in their traversal of the underworld. The increasing importance of the cult of Thoth is also attested to by the fact that Djehuty (Thoth), a Sixteenth Dynasty pharaoh (ca. 1650 B.C.E.), took the god's name as his own. This augmented veneration of Thoth remained a relative constant of Egyptian religion until well into the Hellenistic period.

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Thoth, like many Egyptian gods and nobility, held many titles. Among these were "Scribe of Ma'at in the Company of the Gods," "Lord of Ma'at," "Lord of Divine Words," "Judge of the Two Combatant Gods," "Judge of the Rekhekhui, the pacifier of the Gods, who Dwelleth in Unnu, the Great God in the Temple of Abtiti," "Twice Great," "Thrice Great," and "Three Times Great, Great".

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Though many texts have been falsely attributed to Hermes Trismegistus, Hermeticists commonly accept forty two books as genuine components of the Hermetic revelation. However, most of these books are reported to have been destroyed when the Great Library of Alexandria was razed.

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In addition to these lost works, there are three major sources that inform the modern understanding of Hermetic beliefs:

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• The Corpus Hermeticum - the body of work most widely known and is the aforementioned Greek texts. These sixteen books are set up as dialogues between Hermes and a series of others. The first book involves a discussion between Poimandres (also known as Nous and God) and Hermes, supposedly resulting from a meditative state, and is the first time that Hermes is in contact with God. Poimandres teaches the secrets of the Universe to Hermes, and later books generally consist of Hermes passing these revelations on to others (such as Asclepius and his son Tat).

• The Emerald Tablet of Hermes Trismegistus - a short work that coins the well-known occult maxim: "As above, so below." The actual text of that aphorism, as translated by Dennis W. Hauck is "That which is Below corresponds to that which is Above, and that which is Above corresponds to that which is Below, to accomplish the miracle of the One Thing." The tablet also references the three parts of the wisdom of the whole universe, to which Hermes claims his knowledge of these three parts is why he received the name Trismegistus ("Thrice-Great"). According to a mythical etiology, this tablet was originally found by Alexander the Great at Hebron, where it was supposedly laid in the tomb of Hermes.

• The Kybalion: Hermetic Philosophy - a modern text, published in 1912 C.E. by three anonymous authors calling themselves "The Three Initiates." Despite its modern provenance, the text contains lucid expositions of many of Hermetic principles, which earned it a place of prominence among modern Hermetic movements.

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​*Link To Corpus Hermeticum (Full Text)

*Link To Emerald Tablet (Full Text)

*Link To Kybalion (Full Text)

*Link To Kybalion Audiobook​

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