A Cosmology Analogy for Something in Iamblichus

It occurred to me while reading an article in Scientific American about misconceptions people have about cosmology that there are similar challenges when trying to visualize the systems in philosophers like Iamblichus and Proclus. I'm blogging briefly about it because (a) I get to talk about astronomy and (b) maybe it's useful to others. (Now that … Continue reading A Cosmology Analogy for Something in Iamblichus

In Which Some Comments Are Made About the Word Theurgy

In my blog post about reading Iamblichus’ On the Mysteries, I said that theurgy is “basically a fancy word for traditional cultus.” The post has gotten a lot of reach, with most referrals from Facebook (where I can’t see anything), but it was also posted to a Reddit board called r/Occult by someone. A Reddit … Continue reading In Which Some Comments Are Made About the Word Theurgy

Plato-Related Thoughts After Reading a Few Lojong Slogans

Recently, my girlfriend and I have been attending a Buddhist LGBTQ sangha, which holds a meditation once a week, in the Shambhala tradition. It's 90 minutes long, with a combination of sitting and walking meditation followed by scriptural discussions. While I am not a Buddhist, I can appreciate a lot of Buddhism — the discipline … Continue reading Plato-Related Thoughts After Reading a Few Lojong Slogans