The Nature of Hermetic Wisdom
Web Publication by Mountain Man Graphics, Australia - Southern Winter of 1996

The major literary source of the Hermetic Wisdom is attributed to a series of writings known as the Corpus Hermeticum, written or collated unknown authors in Egypt, and are dated from sometime before the ending of the third century (AD). Often classified into the general Gnostic literature - being derived during the same time period as the literature of Christianity. In terms of their more ancient heritage, the writings are thought to represent a collation of earlier and more substantial literature attributed to the mythic figure of Hermes Trismegistus, a Hellenistic fusion of the Greek and Egyptian culture.

The Hermetic philosophy, and identified as the Wisdom of the Egyptians, is referenced in Exodus of the Old Testament and is extolled in Timaeus and other dialogues of Plato. However, as these writings are often associated with the Lore of Magick, contain frequent references to the alchemical elements of nature, and are highly regarded and espoused by our contemporary NewAge Pagan and Wiccan movements - the very substance of the Hermetic Wisdom is often overlooked ... even before it is scanned for the first time. And this is not to say that such NewAge and Pagan movements are not to be highly regarded - it is just to say that often judgement incorrectly preceeds the analysis of merits.

Nevertheless, it is my considered opinion that the student of life and of nature who is dedicated to the pursuit of peace and understanding and wisdom - inasmuch that they have interest in the expressed opinions of saints and of sages from the history of our planet, ancestors of our global culture - will find some substance for thought in the reflection over these ancient writings of peace.

It should be clearly stated at the outset that the following summary of the Hermetic Wisdom is not - to my knowledge at present - sourced from any established literature (as is referenced in the following section). Nevertheless, because it was represented as having been published in treatises concerning the Hermetic Wisdom and because its nature appeals to my simplicity, it was decided to present the following as an appropriate summarisation of this wisdom.

As it is below, so is it above;
As on the earth, so in the sky

There are 2 states of being;
one is mortal, the other Immortal

That which is mortal is dissolvable,
and dissolvable bodies pass away like a mist in the morning

An Immortal Body is an essence which is eternal and incorruptible

But the twain, the mortal and the Immortal, cannot exist together forever,
but each returneth to the place from whence it came.

The mortal body is sensible, but the Immortal is reasonable

The former contains nothing which is perfect,
the latter nothing which is Imperfect;
for the one is the essence of the Spirit,
the other is the essence of Matter,
and man, the microcosm, holds the balance between the twain

And there is a fierce warfare for the Victory,
between the upper and lower,
as they both desire to obtain the body as their prize;
for the state of man is envied by the lower
and glorified as a noble estate by the higher

Now as the man inclines toward the lower Nature which is mortal,
he thereby aids the lower imperfect powers to oppose the higher which is Immortal,
and must suffer the pains of slavery for his disobedience to the workman his maker.
But if he inclines to the higher, then he is truly wise and blest.

Should man, after being attracted by the vanities of the world
and then after obtaining a knowledge of the things that really are,
return to the vanities of the world,
he will be punished with torments and fire
in the darkest states of disembodied Souls.

Should man, after knowing the things that are,
become rebellious of restraint to that part which is Immortal,
and return to the vanities of the world,
the higher essence will straightaway depart from him,
and he will become the slave of the lower essence
which will seize upon him and drive him to all sorts of wicked arts and evil ways

When a man has thus impiously disobeyed nature
and turned his face away from that which is Immortal,
behold, he is then disinherited from his birthrigh,
and is no longer counted among the children of Nature
because he has become an evil perverse thing,
possessing only those whose things which are mortal,
and he is punished with death.

And so death is meted out to all those who rebel against Nature impiously,
because they know the things that are.
But to these foolish souls who are ignorant,
and who have not knowingly rejected Nature,
behold, they are purified after much suffering and are sent to the world again.

At present this website does not host the complete texts of the Corpus Hermeticum, however there are already existent on the web a number of excellent works in this area, and the remainder of this presentation - for the time being - will be content in making reference to these existent resources.

Corpus Hermeticum: An excellent publication of the Mead translation of the major Hermetic literature
The Invisible College: A well presented background to the traditons of the Hermetic Wisdom from Joscelyn Godwin
The Kabbalah FAQ: What is Hermetic Kabbalah, and Is Hermetic Kabbalah really Kabbalah?
The Hermetic Musaeum: An extraordinary collection of Hermetic writings & part of an alchemical resource

The Nature of Hermetic Wisdom
Web Publication by Mountain Man Graphics, Australia - Southern Winter of 1996