Hermeticism (Anthropology)

Initiation and the Hermetic Tradition

by Shawn Gray

The theme of initiation is one that has been found in Hermetism since the earliest times. From the millennia... more The theme of initiation is one that has been found in Hermetism since the earliest times. From the millennia pre-dating the composition of the Hermetic texts, rites of initiation went hand-in-hand with ancient religious traditions such as the temple rites of the Egyptians and the Eleusinian Mysteries of the Greeks. As Hermetic thought came into the mainstream in the first two centuries of our era, it was only natural that initiatory rites would develop their own distinct Hermetic flavour. This essay examines the theme of initiation in the Hermetic Tradition, beginning with a brief overview of the Hermetic texts, and an examination of whether the term “Hermetic Tradition” is in fact a valid one. The teachings and characteristics of Hermetism with relation to the theme of initiation are then covered, with attention given to Hermetic teachings, the figure of Hermes Trismegistus, the idea of a hierarchal progression of steps or stages in the initiation process, and the question of whether or not something did in fact exist which could be described as a “Hermetic community.” Finally, these topics are related to the core theme of Hermetic initiation itself – it’s characteristic nature, the initiator figure, the stages of initiation, and the ultimate goal of passing through death to rebirth and transcendent unity with the Divine.

Al Junun Funun: Toward an Islamic Transpersonal Psychotherapy.

by Jamie Wood

Research Proposal.

Investigating implicit and explicit ontological and cosmological ideation held by members of three Muslim communities... more Investigating implicit and explicit ontological and cosmological ideation held by members of three Muslim communities across London, triangulated by survey and structured, semi-structured, and informal interviews facilitating deployment of psychotherapy with Muslims.

The research will develop a therapeutic instrument facilitating psychotherapy in an Islamic context; an applied anthropological project (Chambers, 2000) it draws from and contributes to interdisciplinary perspectives. Emic Muslim therapists observe therapy can lead to negative reaction manifesting as cognitive dissonance, discontinuation of treatment, and thus the prevention of benefit from therapy (Dwairy, 2006, and Al-Abdul-Jabbar and Al-Issa, 2000), with rationale for this phenomena in dynamics between Arab : Western; Collective : Individual; Authoritarian : Liberal (Dwairy, 2006). Relevancy via producing a culturally and religiously relevant therapeutic tool facilitating psychotherapeutic praxis by Muslim and non-Muslim therapists, justified (Carter and Little, 2007) through participation, observation, survey, and interview.

Research over three populations across London offers the required cultural heterogeneity, looking for continuity if not universals (Ellen, 2010). Anthropology has historically focussed on the small to reveal the greater, through the particular the universal (Eriksen, 2001), traditionally through single sites, and on a single community (Marcus, 1995); a method inappropriate in the development of comprehensive therapeutic instrument. The study utilises varied populations within London, using gatekeepers and informants previously known (Davies, 1998), and others identified within the populations. Overcoming both the limitations presented by but recognising ‘the practical advantage of ethnography fixed in a single locale’ (Marcus1, 1986, p.172), London is a locale of some 7.6 million people, thus dynamics between single-sited and multi-sited ethnography within a multi-ethnic metropolitan district (Passaro, 1997) presents as manifesting the glocal (Roudometof, 2005).