Hermes and the Divine Pymander
INTRODUCTION
This article entitled ‘Hermes and the Hermes and the Divine Pymander’ was an inspirational Newsletter from the 1980s by the Lifewave Light and Sound Meditation Organisation. The original document can be viewed in the PDF file at the end of the article. I have added some up to date links within the text but there were no other alterations to the original other that correcting type errors.
“O people of the earth, men born and made of the elements but with the spirit of Divine Man within you, rise from your sleep of ignorance! Be sober and thoughtful. Realise that your home is not in the earth but in the Light. Why have you delivered yourselves over unto death, having power to partake of immortality. Depart from the dark light and forsake corruption forever. Prepare yourselves to climb through the seven rings, and to bind your souls with the eternal light.”
The ancient Egyptians held that Hermes was the master of all Arts and Sciences, Ruler of the Three Worlds, Scribe of the Gods and Keeper of the Books of Life. He was known as Hermes Trismegistes (or Thrice Greatest) because he was considered to be the greatest of all philosophers, the greatest of all priests, and the greatest of all kings. Iamblichus claimed that he wrote some 20,000 books, but Manetho went further increasing that number to a phenomenal 36,000 works. His writings are said to have covered a vast array of subjects, and yet not only is he regarded as a writer but also as a revealer of wisdom. Among the arts and sciences which Hermes revealed to mankind according to ancient Egyptian and Greek sources were medicine, chemistry, law art, astrology, music, rhetoric magic, philosophy, geography, mathematics (especially geometry), anatomy, and oratory.
Because of his great learning Hermes became identified with many early sages and prophets. It is believed that he was known as Enoch to the Jews. Hermes was also accepted into the mythology of the Greeks later becoming the Mercury of the Romans. He became known as the messenger of the Gods because of all the creatures he was nearest to God. Virtually all of the symbols in Freemasonary are Hermetic in character, and he was the author of the masonic initiatory rituals which were borrowed from the mysteries already established by him. Hermes is also credited with the reformation of the calendar system which increased the number of days from 360 to 365.
There are two famous works from all the fragmentary writings of Hermes. The first is the Emerald Tablet which provided a wealth of alchemical knowledge, and the second is the Divine Pymander. The Pymander is one of the earliest of Hermetic writings still existing though it was extensively remodeled during the first two centuries AD. It is the story of how Hermes was prompted to commence his ministry and to give so much wisdom to mankind, and also shows us the source of his wisdom.
The book tells us that as Hermes was meditating he gradually freed his higher consciousness from the bondage of his bodily senses and as he left his bodily senses behind he saw a very large figure, the Great Dragon (or Pymander). Its wings stretched accross the sky and light streamed in all directions from its body. The dragon revealed itself as Pymander, the Mind of the Universe, the Creative Intelligence and the Absolute Emperor of all, Hermes then asked Pymander to disclose the nature of the universe. Immediately the form of the dragon changed and there was a great radiance of light. Then came a great darkness through which drifted a watery substance. Then out of the imprisoned light came a Word spoken by the dragon which pulled the light out of the darkness and thus it was said the worlds below and the worlds above were created.
Sant Rahmanand Ji
ORIGINAL DOCUMENT
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