0

Tel Aviv University 19.4.2017

Faculty of Humanities
Program of Religious Studies

Dr. Julie Chajes

Introduction to Western Esotericism

Agrippa’s Three Books of Occult Philosophy

Dima Gur
 1

1. Antoine Faivre, a prominent French scholar, laid out in 19941 six principles which tried

to define the subject of his research, Western Esotericism2. Out of the six principles four

are considered intrinsic or fundamental and two are considered secondary or non-

obligatory3. It’s also important to point out that Favire’s definition of western

esotericism is widely accepted and lauded by fellow scholars as pivotal and

paradigmatic4.

The first category or principle which must be present in order to define a western

esoteric text is “universal correspondence”. Correspondence is presented in some esoteric

traditions as the principle ‘as above, so below’ or as unity between the macrocosmos and

the microcosmos5. In astrology for example, some planets will correspond to certain

mineral stones. In bible studies, certain parts of scripture will correspond with elements

of nature or of the animal kingdom.

The second category is called “living nature” and it refers to the idea that nature and the

universe are imbued with meaning, purpose, a sense of history, layers, hierarchies and

essentially magic. Nothing is “dead” inside this universe and it has to be revealed and

interacted with in order for us to understand its secrets. One may add that human beings

have a special relationship with this living universe.

The third category is titled “imagination and mediations” and it refers to the different

means people adopt and ways people use in order to connect with divine beings, reach

higher knowledge, or manipulate nature and other individuals. Examples are plentiful and

1
In his book, Access to Western Esotericism.
2
The six principles were originally presented in French in his 1992 work, L’ésotérisme.
3
Faivre 2010, 11.
4
Hanegraaff 2013, 179.
5
The large and the small.
 2

one may cite rituals, symbolic images, mandalas, spirits and angels. This explains the

mediations part, the imagination part is explained by the divine intelligence embedded

within us. This divine intelligence allows us to see and to understand magical ways of

reaching lofty goals.

The fourth category, dubbed “the experience of transmutation” by Faivre, refers to the

dimension of individual experience, affect and personal transformation. Some examples

are the notion of experiencing a second birth through an esoteric religion or the

achievement of gnosis as part of an alchemical tradition.

Here end the four fundamental characteristics and begin the two secondary or non-

obligatory characteristics.

The fifth category is called “the practice of concordance” and it’s somewhat similar to

the view of Esoteric Universalism. That many different and various esoteric traditions

bear similar or identical goals and purposes. Besides this fact, spiritual practices and

theoretical underpinnings may be similar as well. It’s also interesting to point out that

These principles apply across space and time.

The sixth category and the final one, deals with the “idea of transmission”. This can be

looked at as a special form of mediation between master and student, guru and disciple,

or a teacher and pupil within a lineage or a tradition. In the eyes of the receiver and

bystander alike, transmission is important as a sign of authenticity.

 3

2. Heinrich Cornelius Agrippa’s Three Books of Occult Philosophy is a seminal work of

magical lore and occultism dating to the time of the renaissance. This magnum opus of

esoteric knowledge was written during the many journeys and temporary residences of

its author in central Europe during the early 16th century. To be more precise, the first

version of The Occult Philosophy was finished in 1510 somewhere in Germany6. It was

only published two decades later, with many revisions, first in 1530 and then in the final

version we’re familiar with today in 15337.

The Occult Philosophy is vast and comprehensive, it’s divided into three books devoted

to Natural, Celestial and Ceremonial magic. It contains Agrippa’s accumulated

knowledge and lifelong interest in the esoteric arts8. As it is apparent in other works by

Agrippa9, the desire to purge and remove spurious knowledge is noticeable in the text.

We also know that in tense reformation-time Germany works about magic could easily

fall prey to suspicions of Heresy, which was exactly the case with Agrippa’s Occult

Philosophy. After it was denounced by the Dominicans Agrippa had to turn to a friend

and patron, who happened to be an Archbishop, only then could the printing commence

as scheduled10.

Various chapters in Book I and II deal with astrological theory and astrological practice.

Among the topics which are covered are: significations of the planets, the fixed stars,

zodiac signs, mansions of the moon and a plethora of minor astrological technique. In

the next section I will concentrate on all the chapters from Agrippa’s work which deal

with astrology, those are chapters 22-32 from Book I, and chapters 30-47 from Book II.

6
Nauert 1965, 32.
7
Lehrich 2003, 29.
8
Nauert 1965, 201.
9
Most notably in De Vanitate.
10
Nauert 1965, 112-113.
 4

3. In the astrological chapters of Agrippa’s Three Books of Occult Philosophy one can find

most of Faivre’s principles of Wester Esotericism, taken both from the four fundamental

characteristics and from the two secondary characteristics. In fact, the only major

principle which is missing is the fourth category which deals with “the experience of

transmutation” for obvious reasons. Unlike an alchemical ritual or a religious ceremony,

the knowledge astrology bestows upon the user is a “dry knowledge”. It educates

regarding the celestial world and is intended to allow the user to understand the “music

of the spheres”. All the while, the gift of prediction is granted upon the person who

applies this knowledge in an exact, orderly and considerate manner.

The most easily noticeable characteristic, which appears in the astrological chapters of

Three Books of Occult Philosophy, is the first category of “universal correspondence”.

Agrippa devotes whole chapters to these principle, he compiles “shopping lists” of

earthly correspondences between the nature of planets, signs and other celestial

properties to different objects and beings in the sublunary world. In the chapter on

Saturn Agrippa writes:

Saturnine things, amongst elements are earth and also water. Amongst humors black

choler that is moist as well natural as adventitious, adust choler excepted. Amongst

tastes sour, tart and dead. Amongst metals lead and gold, by reason of its weight and

the golden marcasite. Amongst stones the onyx, the ziazaa, the camonius , the sapphire,

the brown jasper, the chalcedon the loadstone and all dark, weighty, earthy things.11

Another readily available characteristic is “living nature”. This becomes evident in

11
Tyson 1995, 83.
 5

chapter 30 of Book II where Agrippa describes the astronomical positions which

enhance the astral influence of a planet, in order to maximize the effect upon earthly

matters. For example, he notes that the moon shouldn’t be “in the eclipse…in the

southern latitude…opposite the sun”12 and so on and so forth. The living nature principle

is exemplified via the idea that everything works like a big clock, earthly events are

merely a small part of the machinations of an organic universe.

In Agrippa’s Book II, chapter 31, on the fixed stars, the principle of “imagination and

mediations” can be observed. Agrippa writes that “Although many effects proceed from

the fixed stars, yet they are attributed to the planets, as because being more near to us,

and more distinct and known, so because they execute whatsoever the superior stars

communicate to them”13. This comes to show that a celestial hierarchy is in place and

that just like in politics or the church one needs to apply first to lower positions in order

to gain admission to higher positions and places. This is what Faivre meant when he

talked about “mediation”.

Faivre’s secondary principles also come into light in Agrippa’s text. Faivre’s “practice

of concordance” refers to the many similarities and affinities which exist between

different esoteric traditions. In Book II, chapter 32, we can find a serious discussion of

the different significations and symbolism of the sun and the moon in different cultures

and times in history.

Unlike the latter principle, the sixth characteristic called “the idea of transmission”, asks

us to inquire about transmission of knowledge from master to disciple or within a

lineage or a tradition. Chapter 33 in Agrippa’s Book II refers to a form of transmission,

12
Tyson 1995, 359.
13
Tyson 1995, 363.
 6

wherein knowledge concerning the twenty eight Mansion of the Moon was passed down

from Hindu astrologers and preserved up to Agrippa’s time in 16th century reformation

Europe.

4. If we consider Faivre’s six categories as the bread and butter of what an esoteric

tradition is about then it’s plain to see that we’ve scored five out of six in Agrippa’s

astrological chapters. One could even argue that the “experience of transmutation” can

be considered a latent outcome of understanding the astrological wisdom which lays

within those pages. If what Agrippa says about astrology is true then the reader can

witness for him or herself that the correspondence principle is a general outline for the

working of this world, thus gnosis or an experience of transmutation can be achieved.

A possible point of contention is the didactic and rule-based nature of Agrippa’s

astrological content. Nowhere in Faivre’s six principles does he refer to the importance

of doctrine, memorization, rules, proper application of studied knowledge or things of

that nature.

An example of the proper application of rules can be found in Chapter 35 on

transmission of influence from planetary bodies unto seals and images:

So great is the extent, power and efficacy of the celestial bodies, that not

only natural things, but also artificial when they are rightly espoused to

those above, do presently suffer by that most potent agent, and obtain a wonderful

life, which oftentimes gives them an admirable celestial virtue.14

14
Tyson 1995, 373.
 7

Other than that, it’s difficult to find elements which aren’t covered by Faivre’s definition.

5. Agrippa’s massive Three Books of Occult Philosophy has to be considered a western

esoteric text for a couple of reasons. First, Agrippa’s ambitious endeavor is to sum up

the corpus of the esoteric tradition up to his own time.

The sum total of 199 chapters are divided into three books and presented in the form of

an occult encyclopedia containing many topics such as Hermeticism, Natural Magic,

Astrology, Numerology, Talisman Making, Kabbalah, Ceremonial Magic, Angels,

Demons and much more.

Additionally, Agrippa’s work was written at the center point of Faivre’s scholarship, at

the beginning of the 16th century, and it contains many of the subjects which interest

Faivre15. This makes me quite certain that Faivre himself would approve of the Three

Books as a legit esoteric text.

Concerning the typology and the category of Western Esotericism, I do prefer it over

alternative definitions which fail to do justice to the topic. As a matter of comparison,

Mysticism is limited to the religious aspects of a tradition, while The Occult brings up

associations of ceremonial magic, séance and other manipulations of nature disregarding

knowledge aspiring esoteric traditions and ceremony and ritual which strives towards

positive and altruistic ends.

I think that Faivre’s six categories are broad enough to do the topic justice but I won’t

exclude a possibility of adding additional categories to his taxonomy.

15
Hermeticism, Kabbalah and Theosophy among others.
 8

Bibliography

Agrippa H. C., Three Books of Occult Philosophy. Translated by James Freake, edited by Donald Tyson.
Llewellyn Publications: St. Paul - Minnesota, 1995.

Faivre, A., Access to Western Esotericism. Suny Press: Albany – New York, 1994.

Faivre, A., Western Esotericism: A Concise History. SUNY Press: Albany – New York, 2010.

Hanegraaff, W. J.,"Textbooks and Introductions to Western Esotericism". Religion 43(2), (2013): 178-200.

Lehrich, C., The Language of Demons and Angels: Cornelius Agrippa's Occult Philosophia. Brill: Leiden,
2003.

Nauert, C. G., "Magic and Skepticism in Agrippa's Thought". Journal of the History of Ideas, 18(2), (1957):
161-182.

Nauert, C. G., Agrippa and the Crisis of Renaissance Thought. University of Illinois Press: Urbana, 1965.