Synthesis:Neoplatonism: Difference between revisions

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As its name suggests, neoplatonism is connected with the philosopher Plato. Key figures include Plotinus, whose major work is called the Enneads, Proclus. Neoplatonist ideas and practices run through the whole history of european civilization, having influenced early christian writers like Saint Augustine and ascetics like pseudo-Dionysius the Aeropagite and Evagrius Ponticus, who in turn had a profound on western and eastern medieval christian mystics, such as John Climacus, Maximus the Confessor, Symeon the New Theologian, Gregory Palamas, Saint Bonaventure, Meister Eckhart, and then on Renaissance intellectuals like Marsilio Ficino whose magnus opus ''Theologica Platonica''<ref>Ficino, M. (2001). ''Platonic theology''. Harvard University Press.</ref> attempted a formal synthesis of neoplatonism and christianity, as well as later mystics like John of the Cross or Terésa of Ávila. As such they are of enormous cultural import.
As its name suggests, neoplatonism is connected with the philosopher Plato. Key figures include Plotinus, whose major work is called the Enneads, Proclus. Neoplatonist ideas and practices run through the whole history of european civilization, having influenced early christian writers like Saint Augustine and ascetics like pseudo-Dionysius the Aeropagite and Evagrius Ponticus, who in turn had a profound on western and eastern medieval christian mystics, such as John Climacus, Maximus the Confessor, Symeon the New Theologian, Gregory Palamas, Saint Bonaventure, Meister Eckhart, and then on Renaissance intellectuals like Marsilio Ficino whose magnus opus ''Theologica Platonica''<ref>Ficino, M. (2001). ''Platonic theology''. Harvard University Press.</ref> attempted a formal synthesis of neoplatonism and christianity, as well as later mystics like John of the Cross or Terésa of Ávila. Because Islamic philosophers and mystics largely drew from similar sources, neoplatonic writings and views have also shaped the history of [[Islam]]. As such they are of enormous cultural import.


== Henosis and the three-stage model ==
== Henosis and the three-stage model ==
=== Henosis ===
In the Enneads, Plotinus proposes a model describing the different phases of "mystical ascent", an itinerary culminating in what he calls union with god. It is called ''Henosis'', which is the Greek word for "union" — literally becoming (-''osis'') one (''hen''). Mazur (2021), as quoted in the Wikipedia article on the topic, delineates the following stages:<blockquote>
In the Enneads, Plotinus proposes a model describing the different phases of "mystical ascent", an itinerary culminating in what he calls union with god. It is called ''Henosis'', which is the Greek word for "union" — literally becoming (-''osis'') one (''hen''). Mazur (2021), as quoted in the Wikipedia article on the topic, delineates the following stages:<blockquote>
* Phase 1, Catharsis: self-purification (aphairesis) from any contamination with multiplicity (of any thought, knowledge, or mental activity); "removing" Being itself (Enneads III.8.10)
* Phase 1, Catharsis: self-purification (aphairesis) from any contamination with multiplicity (of any thought, knowledge, or mental activity); "removing" Being itself (Enneads III.8.10)
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* Phase 5.2, Desubjectification
* Phase 5.2, Desubjectification
* Passages in the Enneads describing the different stages of mystical union with the One can be found in I.6, IV.8, VI.9, III.8, V.3, V.5, V.8, and VI.7-8.<ref>Mazur, A. J. (2021). ''The Platonizing Sethian background of Plotinus’s mysticism'' (D. M. Burns, K. Corrigan, I. Miroshnikov, T. Rasimus, & J. D. Turner, Eds.; Rev. ed). Brill.</ref>
* Passages in the Enneads describing the different stages of mystical union with the One can be found in I.6, IV.8, VI.9, III.8, V.3, V.5, V.8, and VI.7-8.<ref>Mazur, A. J. (2021). ''The Platonizing Sethian background of Plotinus’s mysticism'' (D. M. Burns, K. Corrigan, I. Miroshnikov, T. Rasimus, & J. D. Turner, Eds.; Rev. ed). Brill.</ref>
</blockquote>Overall, this itinerary follows a three-phase structure which may originate in Plato's Allegory of the cave, and which can found in the mystical writings of a striking number of christian mystics. These three phases are:
</blockquote>Overall, this itinerary follows a three-phase structure which may originate in Plato's Allegory of the cave, and which can found in the mystical writings of a striking number of christian mystics.  
 
=== The three-stage model ===
These three phases are:


* Purification
* Purification
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Similarly, Saint John of the Cross, arguably one of the most well-know Catholic mystics, also fits his own conception of the path within this structure.
Similarly, Saint John of the Cross, arguably one of the most well-know Catholic mystics, also fits his own conception of the path within this structure.
=== Connection with other traditions ===
Parallels of this threefold structure seem to be present in other mystical traditions, including Sufism (Ibn Arabi), Hindu Vedanta and Tantra, Buddhist Mahayana and Vajrayana, Jewish Kabbalah, and even Daoist mysticism. For instance, scholars have researched and found similarities between this progression and the buddhist [[Jhāna|jhānas]]<ref>Harris, E. J. (2019). John of the Cross, the Dark Night of the Soul and the Jhānas and the Arūpa States: A Critical Comparative Study. In N. Appleton & P. Harvey (Eds.), ''Buddhist Path, Buddhist Teachings: Studies in Memory of L.S. Cousins'' (pp. 83–98). Equinox Publishing. <nowiki>https://doi.org/10.1558/equinox.33384</nowiki></ref>. It is interesting to note that in terms of etymology, the word ''theoria'' used by orthodox hesychasts, shares the same indo-european root as the word ''jhāna'', from which ''c'han'' and ''zen'' also derive.<ref>Sandilands, O. (2019). ''Comparative Phenomenology of Aesthetic and Meditative Experiences'' [Unpublished Master’s Thesis]. École des Hautes Études en Sciences Sociales.</ref>


== Resources ==
== Resources ==


* Ficino, M. (2001). ''Platonic theology''. Harvard University Press.
* Ficino, M. (2001). ''Platonic theology''. Harvard University Press.
* Harris, E. J. (2019). John of the Cross, the Dark Night of the Soul and the Jhānas and the Arūpa States: A Critical Comparative Study. In N. Appleton & P. Harvey (Eds.), ''Buddhist Path, Buddhist Teachings: Studies in Memory of L.S. Cousins'' (pp. 83–98). Equinox Publishing. <nowiki>https://doi.org/10.1558/equinox.33384</nowiki>
* John of the Cross. (1991). ''The collected works of Saint John of the Cross'' (Rev. ed). ICS Publications.
* John of the Cross. (1991). ''The collected works of Saint John of the Cross'' (Rev. ed). ICS Publications.
* Mazur, A. J. (2021). ''The Platonizing Sethian background of Plotinus’s mysticism'' (D. M. Burns, K. Corrigan, I. Miroshnikov, T. Rasimus, & J. D. Turner, Eds.; Rev. ed). Brill.
* Mazur, A. J. (2021). ''The Platonizing Sethian background of Plotinus’s mysticism'' (D. M. Burns, K. Corrigan, I. Miroshnikov, T. Rasimus, & J. D. Turner, Eds.; Rev. ed). Brill.

Revision as of 08:51, 5 March 2025

As its name suggests, neoplatonism is connected with the philosopher Plato. Key figures include Plotinus, whose major work is called the Enneads, Proclus. Neoplatonist ideas and practices run through the whole history of european civilization, having influenced early christian writers like Saint Augustine and ascetics like pseudo-Dionysius the Aeropagite and Evagrius Ponticus, who in turn had a profound on western and eastern medieval christian mystics, such as John Climacus, Maximus the Confessor, Symeon the New Theologian, Gregory Palamas, Saint Bonaventure, Meister Eckhart, and then on Renaissance intellectuals like Marsilio Ficino whose magnus opus Theologica Platonica[1] attempted a formal synthesis of neoplatonism and christianity, as well as later mystics like John of the Cross or Terésa of Ávila. Because Islamic philosophers and mystics largely drew from similar sources, neoplatonic writings and views have also shaped the history of Islam. As such they are of enormous cultural import.

Henosis and the three-stage model

Henosis

In the Enneads, Plotinus proposes a model describing the different phases of "mystical ascent", an itinerary culminating in what he calls union with god. It is called Henosis, which is the Greek word for "union" — literally becoming (-osis) one (hen). Mazur (2021), as quoted in the Wikipedia article on the topic, delineates the following stages:

  • Phase 1, Catharsis: self-purification (aphairesis) from any contamination with multiplicity (of any thought, knowledge, or mental activity); "removing" Being itself (Enneads III.8.10)
  • Phase 2, Mystical self-reversion: "The intellect ... must ‘withdraw backwards’ and surrender itself to what lies behind it" (Enneads III.8.9)
  • Phase 3, Autophany: luminous vision of one's own self
  • Phase 3.2, Self-unification: to "become one from many" (Enneads VI.9.3)
  • Phase 4, Annihilation: discussed in the Enneads VI.9
  • Phase 5, Union with the One
  • Phase 5.2, Desubjectification
  • Passages in the Enneads describing the different stages of mystical union with the One can be found in I.6, IV.8, VI.9, III.8, V.3, V.5, V.8, and VI.7-8.[2]

Overall, this itinerary follows a three-phase structure which may originate in Plato's Allegory of the cave, and which can found in the mystical writings of a striking number of christian mystics.

The three-stage model

These three phases are:

  • Purification
  • Illumination
  • Union

Practitioners of Hesychasm (which comes from the greek word meaning "silence"), the core practice of Orthodox contemplatives, use this specific model to describe the stages of practice. The Greek names for these stages are

  • Katharsis (κάθαρσις) or purification,
  • Theoria (θεωρία) or illumination, and
  • Theosis (θέωσις) or deification (or union with God).

The experiences of hesychasts are preserved in a collection of texts called Philokalia, which translates to "love" (philo-) "of beauty" (kalia), just like philosophy means love of wisdom.[3]

Similarly, Saint John of the Cross, arguably one of the most well-know Catholic mystics, also fits his own conception of the path within this structure.

Connection with other traditions

Parallels of this threefold structure seem to be present in other mystical traditions, including Sufism (Ibn Arabi), Hindu Vedanta and Tantra, Buddhist Mahayana and Vajrayana, Jewish Kabbalah, and even Daoist mysticism. For instance, scholars have researched and found similarities between this progression and the buddhist jhānas[4]. It is interesting to note that in terms of etymology, the word theoria used by orthodox hesychasts, shares the same indo-european root as the word jhāna, from which c'han and zen also derive.[5]

Resources

  • Ficino, M. (2001). Platonic theology. Harvard University Press.
  • John of the Cross. (1991). The collected works of Saint John of the Cross (Rev. ed). ICS Publications.
  • Mazur, A. J. (2021). The Platonizing Sethian background of Plotinus’s mysticism (D. M. Burns, K. Corrigan, I. Miroshnikov, T. Rasimus, & J. D. Turner, Eds.; Rev. ed). Brill.
  • Plato. (1997). Complete works. Hackett Pub.

References

  1. ↑ Ficino, M. (2001). Platonic theology. Harvard University Press.
  2. ↑ Mazur, A. J. (2021). The Platonizing Sethian background of Plotinus’s mysticism (D. M. Burns, K. Corrigan, I. Miroshnikov, T. Rasimus, & J. D. Turner, Eds.; Rev. ed). Brill.
  3. ↑ Skoubourdis, A. (n.d.). Philokalia Of the Holy Neptic Fathers (Vol. 5). https://www.wob.com/fr-fr/livres/anna-skoubourdis/philokalia-volume-5/9788709694997/GOR013051031?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_content=Shopping&cq_src=google_ads&cq_cmp=17823055677&cq_con=&cq_med=pla&cq_plac=&cq_net=x&gclid=Cj0KCQjwuZGnBhD1ARIsACxbAViU3u2kfExmU_Y43QIM1CWE9fKAX0b5UVK8o4DZaaPjwrXSSizl558aAlahEALw_wcB
  4. ↑ Harris, E. J. (2019). John of the Cross, the Dark Night of the Soul and the Jhānas and the Arūpa States: A Critical Comparative Study. In N. Appleton & P. Harvey (Eds.), Buddhist Path, Buddhist Teachings: Studies in Memory of L.S. Cousins (pp. 83–98). Equinox Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1558/equinox.33384
  5. ↑ Sandilands, O. (2019). Comparative Phenomenology of Aesthetic and Meditative Experiences [Unpublished Master’s Thesis]. École des Hautes Études en Sciences Sociales.
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