The Three Books of Occult Philosophy - Cornelius Agrippa - Renaissance Hermeticism Cabala and Magic
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- čas přidán 24. 09. 2020
- Cornelius Agrippa's 1533 The Three Books of Occult Philosophy is, perhaps, the most famous magical tome in western history. In it, he describes the process by which the magus may return to their prelapsarian, semi-divine state through the process of a reformed natural, celestial and ceremonial magic. Neither a textbook nor a summa, this work is often more celebrated or maligned than actually understood. What does Agrippa actually teach? How do we square his Hermetic idealism with his otherwise radically skeptical attitudes in his other major work of this period? This episode of Esoterica examines this (in)famous text of magic, astrology and cabala.
#agrippa #occult #philosophy #magic
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Winter 2020 Seminar - This goal will allow me to host a 2020/1 winter seminar on a topic set by my patrons and enjoyed by you! My goal is to provide a reader, discussion group, and 1.5 hour long sessions over the course of 4-5 weeks deeply exploring a text or topic in Western Western Esotericism in addition to my weekly content. This will also support my longer term goal of teaching a university level Introduction to Western Esotericism course next summer!
Next Summer Class - My goal here is to get enough support to teach a university level Introduction to Western Esotericism and Hermetic Philosophy course next summer spanning an entire academic semester starting in May and ending in August. We could meet twice a week for lectures and discussion. I would provide a pdf reader for the class along with discussions and office hours. It would be a fully online course with the sessions available to the public as well - a real attempt in totally open, crowdfunded education on one of the most difficult to find fields in academia.
Do you have a video on the Maharal's Golem of Prague and how he created it to protect the Jewish community from a cruel priest?
In my study of western esoterics a single phrase sticks out... " You shouldn't study Caballah until you are 50+" or somesuch...These words, to the effect that a youthful mind should not enter this study realm, have been perplexing. Could you expand on this idea in the next Caballah study related opportunity. It has been 30 years since I started at 35...always mentally tottering up to the dark side and stepping up to the edge, only to back away from the darker sides of the knowledge. I have read much and now, in truth, I cannot even remember where I saw the advice. What is the barrier that I face? Why do I recoil from the darker side of my study? I cannot be afraid of the Inquisition... (Aha! but nobody expects the Spanish inquisition!) and I have developed a healthy understanding of my/the human condition so why is it so difficult to grapple with golums, Crowley and anything that smacks of hell fire 🔥 and brimstone. I wonder how many other mature students of your subjects feel this way?
"I told you I'd come back to the dog," 😂 never stop! You're my favorite. So educational & fun.
:) Thanks so much - if you can't be a little silly in all this then what's the point?
Evil black poodle oh my poor sides.
"You say she's a witch, huh? Well, let me tell you that neither she, nor you lot, know anything about magic"
Where is this from?
@@vardanharutyunyan2040 It’s a quotation from the great and wise Self-replicating_whatnot, who’s comedic brilliance displays why hermetic history remained mystic
So good I had to listen three times, the second and third times at my laptop with many browser tabs open so I could frequently pause and look up references. Thanks for this.
Bravo Dr. Justin Sledge after 15 years of reading and researching you have so eloquently awnsered all the questions I once had. Thank you very much!
@@voa23 if this is the case, my friend, may I suggest respectfully that you haven’t asked enough questions.
That feeling when you think you already have every book you need for your thesis but you discover Agrippa exists.
This is the first video I’ve come across of yours and I must say that you make this multitudinous overwhelming material very digestible. Thank you for your work!
When he said he was going to review Agrippa's three volumes, I checked the length of the video, and chuckled to myself,,, "??in a little more than half hour? good luck!!" - and at the end, I thought....man, I have to listen to this another three times!! He accomplished an amazing feat, by making it both digestible, and complete! I am, indeed, impressed!
I love the academic and humorous aspects of your lectures.
Man all your content is just amazing, this channel is a blessing
Thank you! These videos on the Three Books are going to help me out a lot while reading Purdue's Translation. Very excited I am going to start the book today and this is my first time reading Agrippa from cover to cover. Appreciate all the resources you have available to us absolutely amazing supplements to many people's studies.
Love these videos! will contribute when I can for sure. Hella funny about Agrippa looking like Scott! He was a magical friend of mine actually. He would have loved hearing that, back in the day...
Neat you knew him. Purple was the first CD I ever bought with my own money. Z"l
Absolutely fantastic as always. Can not stress enough how much I appreciate your channel, will certainly be joining your Patron
Thanks for the support of the channel - It means so much to me!
This is your best video yet. I appreciated your self deprecation, but like your humor, I find your analysis spot on. I have long enjoyed the works of Agrippa, and I appreciated that you mention his penchant for skepticism and sarcasm. As someone who grew up in the pagan community, Agrippa helped me maintain a degree of rationalism that helped me rise above the rampant anti-intellectualism that indemnity to that community. Also, I think Scott was trying to “bite’ HCA’s style. Thank you so much again Dr. Sledge. I can’t wait for your next video.
Thanks, friend - glad you are enjoying our content!
This is one of my favorite CZcams Channels and I love your area of study for your PhD, Dr Sledge. Excellent and important choice. Thank you for sharing your work on YT. 🥰
I swear I've rewatched some of these videos three times in the last few months and pick up on new things every time.
There's a new English translation of the "Three Books of Occult Philosophy" coming out November 2021 by Eric Purdue.
Thank you for not wasting my time, man. This is dense and informative!
I’m glad I found one of the renaissance videos, Agrippa’s book on the occult is one of my favorites! Thank you so much 🙏✨
Thank you. I've always found Agrippa to be impenetrable.
Just bought the Donald Tyson compilation. I reallu love videos discussing the occult philosophy. It was the version most accessible to my experience and intellect. Thanks.
Thank you for this extremely interesting and enlightening video, Doc. Though I'm not too familiar with Agrippa's DOP, I read it a long time ago and mainly use it as an example for how knowledge can be hidden in plain sight (eg. Book I, chap. 44), there is one question regarding DOP that came to my mind several years ago: Here in Cologne we have a culture of humor, subtlety in the use of sarcasm and dancing on the fine line between being serious and making fun of something/someone is bred into kölsche people from the day they are born. And in the foreword to the first book of DOP there are passages that remind me of this kölsche humor. Now the question is, has any one ever looked at the text keeping in mind the humorous culture Agrippa probably grew up in? Of course that would require to know the degree of humouristic way to handle things was part of Cologne's culture in the days of Agrippa, it was probably not so far evolved as it is nowadays.
I think what you doing is phenomenal. I would come to classes for sure.
Such a splendid lecture. Thank you. Best from NZ
Hidden engineering, devices for shames, control etc goes hand in hand with these guys. Even today technologies are hidden from us. Turkey museum has showing of technologies of the past. Steam, water driven devices. Bless ya matey👍 😏Doing great works👍💖
My appreciation and respect
I swear every episode just melts my brain. Love the content and the subtle humor..I just need a dictionary to keep up lmao
& a library of the correct books lol 👍✌
This is an excellent channel thankyou, I'm so glad I stumbled upon it
Thanks and Welcome!
You’re channel is the Best out there! 🙏💕Thank you for your brain 🧠🌛🌕🌜
The juxtaposition of reason + mystic union w God, is SHEER GENIUS. Ask yourself: what would Plato have said to Jesus Christ, or vice versa? At his final trial before pontius pilate, the question was posed: are you the King of the Jews? The answer: My kingdom is the Kingdom of Truth. To which pilate replied: "What is Truth" (platonic tradition)
Your best so far (here cultural history comes to its own)!
"Reason doesn't lie, but it can't do the work of mystical union" has me pondering the Socratic method or the cloud of unknowing in regards to his work on scepticism.
I bought the latin De occulta philosophia. A german translation seemed up to now to me not too bad. Thank you. The best channel about esoteric topics here!
Wonderful channel and wonderful information please continue
Engaging and well presented. Thanks.
This is a great channel and source of information. Although i understand the majority of the topics, i must suggest that subtitles (in my case spanish subtitles) could be a great tool to reach a bigger audience that are interesting in these specific topics.
Amazing as always. IM Yirtza Hashem, your channel seems destined for success.
Hope so! Thanks for watching!
Thanks Dr Justin that was a very interesting and informative vid
Glad you enjoyed it!
Great job and information as always bro!!!!
Appreciate it, friend!
thank you for making this video. For me very interesting topic. Great channel you have
In Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, Agrippa is mentioned several times as Frankenstein’s inspiration and a foundation of his self-study that led to his discovery of how to reanimate the dead.
I absolutely love your channel. Keep up the good work and I look forward to a potential discord server.
Welcome aboard!
Im making a video game based on a lot of old philosophy and mysticism. You're videos have proven super valuable to my knowledge and understanding of all this. Thank you!
I wanna see this game 👀
Sounds interesting, do you have some sort of a communication channel where one could follow the development and possible release of the game?
I like Agrippa..! Really interesting. Thank you
I apologize, for this is silly, but though being American, I was born and raised in Ascoli Piceno, and my High School was named after Cecco D'Ascoli. It is the first time I hear the name of that Italian town here in the US. Btw, this channel is really awesome, informative, rigorous, and technical. Congratulations!
Thanks!
What an impressive man! Great Video!
Rewatching this lecture after finishing your amazing lecture series on K/C/Qabala I vote you do all your talks live.
When you read off a script, your personality does not shine through as well!
No editing saves a load of time too ;)
Love your work, Brother!
Also, this episode is super old...before I found my groove.
What a great video, Well done...
Just found your channel. Excellent work, sir. Subscribed.
Great episode
Thanks mate very informative. Subbed!
He also worked in a mining capacity. In on the Vanity of the Arts and Sciences, he mentions that he wrote a work on mining, and had an MS. ready. At least ten years prior to Agricola. It was never published. He details what he covers in it - it sounded like an eminently practical work...
It’s quite interesting to me to hear about Agrippa’s background in radical skepticism, as someone who approached spirituality & esotericism from a rational, skeptical perspective & yet still finds a case for nondualism (or dialectical monism), panentheism, & objective idealism/neutral monism very compelling & have ended up devoting a great deal of study to these issues & esoteric/occult/mystical traditions in the modern day. It’s funny how in these circles we see the same life patterns play out over & over again. I certainly don’t agree with a faith-based, dogmatic approach to spirituality or magick though; if that’s the direction he ended up going in, I’m not into that.
Also lol. I could not help but giggle at the idea of Michael Scott doing astral necromancy. I’m not even a huge The Office guy, but I love that. 🤣
Haha Francis Yates OG love it :)
Great channel and sense of humor
Glad you enjoy it!
I agree! would be great to see the movie!
As always, excellent talk! Thank you so much for this. :-)
Thanks for watching!
Nice pic :)
Great examination of DOP and the career of the 'Daemonic Knight'. I think Agrippa's role was that of a magisterial synthesizer/codifier of late mediaeval Hermetism, Astral and Ceremonial Magic. He pulls it all together with typical Teutonic rigour and precision. I've sometimes wondered whether the 'De Incertitudine' points to a kind of 'docta ignorantia', an apophatic mystical transcendence of the elaborate edifices of human knowledge in ascent to/realization of God's Word? I also appreciated your emphasis on Agrippa's integrally Christian-Catholic spiritual world-view (particularly his grounding in Pauline theology and Dionysian Neoplatonic angelology). I love Agrippa's 3 Books, been immersed in their study for years...this was a very useful video, thank you.
Glad you enjoyed it. Check out my other content, may interest you as well!
Can you do magick after having read the 3 books of occult?
Man you are so amazing. Your humor is just 💀💀💀
Bought this book today off abebooks.
Also saw it noted & mentioned in Karl Herr's "Hex and Spellwork" on P.83
Another superb presentation and again, thank you for sharing your learning.
The point of this post is quite simply to ask if you are familiar with the newly translated edition by Eric Purdue at all, as it is in every way far superior to JF's 17th century translation, which was admittedly the first English language version and is almost impossible to find a physical copy of all 3 volumes these days, and the main available edition is only volume 1 despite including the list of contents for all 3 and claiming to be 3 volumes on the cover!
Eric Purdue's new version is a beautiful set of books in a protective slipcase and is thoroughly footnoted and includes references to Agrippa's sources (as far as was possible) and I highly recommend it to your viewers.
Thank you .
I would love you to do a video on Albrecht Dürer's "Melencolia §I" engraving, which Aby Warburg described as 'the ripest and most mysterious fruit of the cosmological culture of the age of Maximilian I.' There is so much Agrippa and Ficino in that image.
Thank you
I really enjoy your videos and the work you put in these is obvious. I find wrapping my head around many of these texts incredibly hard, especially since I don't have the proper education relating to the occult and mysticism. Would you be interested in perhaps making small videos exploring/explaining parts of these texts?
Yep - trying to do both bigger topics and much more introductory stuff as well - hope you stick around!
@@TheEsotericaChannel Definitely will! Thank you for your work and answer
@@TheEsotericaChannel Hi, I wondered being born into a Jewish upbringing, did you find more exposure to magical practices and acceptance of these ritualistic methods? am I right in thinking Sephardic Jewish people are more accustomed to Kabbalistic magical methods or is it common for Jewish kabbalists in general to practice the arts?
I have been studying Kabbalah for a few years now, mainly sourced from books written by Dion Fortune, Israel Regarde, Waite etc, any suggestions of other great authors(English speaking) to advance me further? Thanks for a great video, really interesting.
It's never too early for whisky...
but sometimes it's too late.
Cheers, Doctor.
great brain Sir. Thank you.
Love the lowkey Scott Weiland cameo 😆
Really enjoying your channel, was kinda wary of an academic approach cause I've been practicing Thelema for years and sometimes the scholarly and practitioner sides can clash a bit, for reasons that never made much sense to me. But you approach this material in a way that really is engaging for pretty much everyone, which can be a little tricky.
Always too tempted to make really bad Great Work puns but yeah, keep it up!
W A others have been doing it for a thousand years!
I really aim for the channel to bridge the gap between the two and be interesting for anyone regardless of their 'take' on this material. Thanks for the helpful and kind comments!
I very much appreciate the caption at 28:07.
Amazing picture I never saw it thanks you
I love your videos 😍
It's weird because it always felt like Agrippa was trying to explain Kabbalah through a hermetic christian language. His work always seemed confusing... like he wasn't considering the mysticism of the second temple era- hekhalot, merkhava, etc. Either way, you gave us a lot of things to consider when we look at this text. Also, I never knew they have his Junior copy in print, that never happens. So, good video. Thank you!
I love these 3 books and even the 4th book, it's debated if He really wrote it or not but either way it's nice to have a Grimoire style book on much of his teachings and be able to set them to practice! Love it and the plagerizing version the Magus by Francis Berret .
Yep, I'll cover the so-called 4th book at some point eventually.
The 4th Book is a clever piece of work but possesses nowhere near the philosophical depth, tone and scope of the 3 Books. As a superadded 4th book it sort of upsets the tripartite visionary structure of pneumatology and cosmology which underlies DOP. - this makes it unlikely to be penned by the Daemonic Knight of Nettesheim in my view. Very interesting book though.
@@NigelJackson I'll be getting it soon In either paperwork or Hardcover I have the first three may as well get the 4th it's probably not by him but it was almost canon back then to add someone else's name to future books that they didn't write.
@@anthonyarcanumsanctumregnu9551 The 4th Book is certainly a skilful synthesis of elements drawn largely from DOP and given an operative slant. DOP wasn't easy to access back in the '80s when I first grew interested in Agrippa - back then I would read an original 17th century English copy (J.F. translation) in the library of what was Christ's College where Dr Dee was the warden in the early 1600s.
I agree with you about Barrett's 'The Magus' - Barrett was an interesting figure, an early balloonist in addition to running his Marylebone 'School of Magic'.
I agree with you that HCA's life ought to be the subject of a film. There are two particular aspects of his story remain irritatingly difficult to track down: 1] When and for what was he knighted?, and 2] How did he wind up the namesake of the Black Book of Brittany?
Thanks
I wish I could give more, but u know third world country
Your Scholarly entertainment is greatly appreciated
Well, I have the first three as well as the fourth books of occult philosophy on my shelves that I paw through when I'm feeling intellectually strong and yet here I am watching a CZcams video in hopes of gaining a better grasp... stupid AND sinful, now I see the problem.
Incidentally have you considered doing something on "The Discoverie of Witchcraft"(Scott I believe?)? That could be fun... loving your work, thank you!
Yep, going to do something on so-called Demonological literature soon actually!
thankyou . f-ing brilliant
Ridiculously good.
19:40 fitzgerald seems to be expounding on what aristotle meant by the mark of an educated mind being one that can entertain an idea without excepting it. fitzgerald does makes more clear sense the way he puts it. great channel, thank you
I'm a newbie so this question may be obvious. Have you posted a bibliography for the sources you have used in making this video somewhere? I am looking for a detailed biography for Agrippa (and Trithemius) or a list of biographical sources. Really appreciating your channel. Thanks for taking the time.
We share the birthday September 14.
This settles it, he is an ancestor which guides me from beyond space and time.
I like looking at his syllabus because I can look at mine syllabus that I draw and I can find the similarly between them. Thier are some similar. I don't now why I draw but I do and I like an explanation. Watch and hearing you. Don't have a reason for my self I am looking for one
Amen thanks for his life on earth
I enjoyed this video.
Normally my attitude towards esoteric matters is : 'pffff - leave it to the experts....' Mr. Agrippa's work as described here has however piqued my interest... I hope I find the time to follow that through.
If I don't, I will find comfort in the knowledge that objective reality exists regardless of my ability to understand it.
Big up the Agrippa and those who share objective reality!
PS - it's only too early for whisk(e)y if you've slept.
9:15 The incertitudine seems like the beginning of his path to wisdom. To some degree it could be said that it's necessary for anyone on the search for deeper truths than the ones provided to us by our educational institutions, elders. and peers to systematically attack and dismantle all that they provide in our minds and see what remains, or what emerges from the rubble.
The very battlecry of the Sabbateans. Wonder if there will be a lecture on them at some stage.
I love you, youre awesome and i greatly appreciate all your effort.
I dont like sounding mental or crazy, but i have been being pushed by something that i dont understand in my dreams and other sources i cant explain to learn.
Unfortunately i am worried. So much is happening :/
Again thank you for all of your effort.
@stephen miller i have been dealing with these things on and off most of my life. I was smoking cannabis to keep these issues at bay. I decided to quit this year and well... the floodgates have opened.
This years hospital stay was when things kicked into overdrive.
I have frequent and yearly admittance to the hospital for my medical condition.
They really want my attention and love doing things.
Hope youre doing well and thank you.
Banishing ritual...
@@onijunbei um, ok
Neither a textbook nor a summa, this work is often more celebrated or maligned than actually understood. , Wow, i wish to fully understand the work
Worth working through even with not-so-great translations!
@@TheEsotericaChannel thank you, that's encouraging
Brilliant analysis thank you, I started looking at magical timings tables in the Greater Key of Solomon compared with Agrippa, Agrippa says the first hour of each day is ruled by the planetary power for that day, but the Goetia does not have tables aligned that way, does anyone know which text the greater key sourced their magical timings from?
I'm actually reading "frankenstein" and Dr. Frankenstein was inspired by Agrippa to create his "monster"
Yep - He's mentioned in there a few times
Great book!
Exactly.
3:22 Now that would be epic!
Maybe Esoterica could consult :)
Some day I wish to be as well researched and intelligent as you. Swoon❤
here two suggestions for future subjects that I'd like to watch : Mesmerism and Freemasonry/masonic philosophy
the reddit masons would swarm us
In the works!
Comment to support the video
youre a good one
Thank you Rabbi
Just a civilian :)
This fine video was made the year before Eric Purdue's translation of the DOP. I am still relying on the 1651 translation by J.F. (who I take to be John French (translator of Sendivogius and others). What do you think of the new translation, if you have consulted it?
👍
@@TheEsotericaChannel : That's a "Check It Our"? The three separately bound volumes are listed at $195 (Inner Traditions) and $135 (Amazon). BTW, why translate Anima Mundi as World Spirit rather than World Soul? The relation of those two seems quite important for Agrippa, Fludd, T. Vaughan, and others.
Hey - so I’m looking for some other books to read along with with new translation of the three books to help me understand it better? Do you have a place for book recommendations?
There's an old Kentucky proverb that says "It's never too early for Bourbon".
Black Letter Press is currently publishing a new translation of The Three Books in separate volumes - the first two books having been released already. I cannot speak to their accuracy, but they are more readable than any of the Freake-based editions.
Interesting - I'll have to check it out
Did you manage to get a copy of this? Would love to hear your thoughts.
what do you think about the Purdue translation? thanks- addicted to your channel!
Solid