The Cauldron: A Pagan Forum

Don't be dissing on my man, Plato. I'm on his side of the line.

 
What are some things you agree with? Anything in particular, or do you just like his philosophy as a whole?

Oh maaaaan....sources? I'm not sure. I didn't always know what books my readings were coming from. I do know that Mo Zi 's writings are available from Penguin Classics Press. They're just titled "Mo Zi." Mencius' s writings should also be easily available from Penguin.

 
Ah, it's fine. Thank you!

Weirdly, I am now quite curious about these practices, regardless of how much I dislike the concepts behind them. Most discussions of Neo- and other Platonism that I've seen spend most of their time on the philosophy and barely even mention that there are practices. Would you be able to point me at some resources?

 
For Plotinus:

http://www.amazon.com/Return-One-Plotinuss-Guide-God-Realization/dp/1588321002

For Iamblichus:

http://www.amazon.com/Living-Theurgy-Iamblichus-Philosophy-Theology/dp/1905297718/ref=sr_1_5?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1410955422&sr=1-5&keywords=iamblichus

The second one is much more "magic" oriented and has more practices.

For Plotinus:

http://www.amazon.com/Return-One-Plotinuss-Guide-God-Realization/dp/1588321002

For Iamblichus:

http://www.amazon.com/Living-Theurgy-Iamblichus-Philosophy-Theology/dp/1905297718/ref=sr_1_5?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1410955422&sr=1-5&keywords=iamblichus

The second one is much more "magic" oriented and has more practices.

 
I'm actually working on reading the first one right now, it's great stuff (though kind of heavy, but that's to be expected).  Thanks for posting that second recommendation as well!

Neoplatonism, or what I have learned thus far and from what I can remember in writing about it a few years ago in my senior thesis as an undergrad, does a good job at bridging the All to human experience.  I've already believed in a Source (which could easily be Plotinus's "All" or "the One") for quite a long time, even before I knew anything of paganism, and consider gods and goddesses as emanations from that.

Neoplatonism is a great way for pagans and polytheists to sort of upgrade their intellectual and theological background because it's widely compatible with various views of deity and spirituality.  It also encourages a kind of introspection and mysticism that is hard to find in Western philosophy and religion.  I've found books focusing on pagan paths specifically to be a little light in this department and reading Return to the One is helping me develop that part of my spirituality.  At some point the basics don't cut it and we need more to answer our questions about our place in existence.  Or at least I do.

For Iamblichus:

http://www.amazon.com/Living-Theurgy-Iamblichus-Philosophy-Theology/dp/1905297718/ref=sr_1_5?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1410955422&sr=1-5&keywords=iamblichus

If this is where you're wanting to go, I would HIGHLY recommend learning about Pythagoras, as Iamblichus did.  Pythagoras' teachings included a little more than that darn theorem we had to use in junior high!

My favorite tarot is the Pythagorean tarot and John Opsopaus has written an incredible reference to go along with the deck.  It's not an easy one to learn, but there's so much to learn.

I am a Pythagorean and a panentheist.  Pythagoras was an incredible mystic, and like him, I don't see numbers as merely counters....

Anyhoo... that's another thread.  I just wanted to make sure if you're looking into Neoplatonism, that you might want to also see what Pythagoras was about.  He wasn't a god, but he was damn close!

(Okay, he was--Thou Art God and all that!)