Hermeticism

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**Hermeticism** (ヘルメス学, *Herumesu-gaku*?), also called **Hermetism**, comprises beliefs and practices whose purpose is the influencing of the world by means of contact with the heavenly forces. The Hermetic tradition is based primarily upon pseudepigraphical writings attributed to Hermes Trismegistus ("Thrice Great"). It is included in the likes of Enoch, Kabbalah, Vision of Mercury, and Modern Astrology.

## Etymology

The term Hermetic is from the medieval Latin *hermeticus*, which is derived from the name of the Greek god, Hermes. In English, it has been attested since the 17th century, as in "Hermetic writers" (e.g. Franz Bardon).

In Greek, the use of words beginning with herm dates from at least 600 B.C. Hermetic referred to a pillar or post of a kind that was used in pre-classical Greece: "of square shape, surmounted by a head with a beard. The square, limbless Hermes was a step in advance of the unwrought stone." The stone pillar was used to communicate with the deities. The name of the god Hermes was used by pre-classical Greeks as a generic term for any deity and was only later associated with the god of knowledge in Athens in the 2nd century C.E.

## Principles

Hermeticism is a format derived from a mix of fields, including Egyptian Mythology and Greek Mythology. It also forms part of the foundation of the Golden Dawn. Due to its nature as a unified theory, the usage of magic derived from Hermeticism has the effect of bringing the phases involved closer together and increasing the collisions between them, as well as the resultant 'sparks'.

According to the recreated Mina Mathers, while discussing a model of a room within a room used for magical ceremonies, Hermeticism says everything in the world is made from 22 letters and from there, one just has to instinctually rearrange the graphical elements to prepare the environment.

### Hermetica

*Main article: Grimoire*
The **Hermetica** (ヘルメス文書, *Herumesu-bunsho*?) is mentioned in a small list of Grimoires among the 103,000 which Index holds.
An account of how Hermes Trismegistus received the name "Thrice Great" is derived from the Emerald Tablet of Hermes Trismegistus, wherein it is stated that he knew the three parts of the wisdom of the whole universe. The three parts of the wisdom are alchemy, astrology, and theurgy. Hermes Trismegistus may be a representation of the syncretic combination of the Greek god Hermes and the Egyptian god Thoth. In Hellenistic Egypt, the Greeks recognized the congruence of their god Hermes with Thoth. These writings have greatly influenced the Western esoteric tradition and were considered to be of great importance during both the Renaissance and the Reformation. The tradition claims descent from a prisca theologia, a doctrine which affirms that a single, true theology exists which is present in all religions and was given by God to man in antiquity.

Many Christian writers, including Lactantius, Thomas of Aquinas, Augustine, Giordano Bruno, Marsilio Ficino, Campanella and Giovanni Pico della Mirandola considered Hermes Trismegistus to be a wise pagan prophet who foresaw the coming of Christianity.

The Hermetica are Egyptian-Greek wisdom texts from the 2nd and 3rd centuries CE, mostly presented as dialogues in which a teacher, generally identified with Hermes Trismegistus or "thrice-greatest Hermes", enlightens a disciple. The texts discuss the nature of the divine, mind, nature and the cosmos: some touch upon alchemy, astrology and related concepts.

## Background

Hermeticism was used in the foundation of the Golden Dawn and its traditions, as well as the Golden-style magic produced from it, which would be a major influence on Western magic in the 20th century.

Comments made by Mathers and Westcott suggest that the mechanics of the grimoire Golden Bough, written by Frazer, are derived from Hermeticism.

## Chronology

### Toaru Majutsu no Index

#### Deep Blood Arc

*Main article: Deep Blood Arc*
Index mentioned Hermeticism during her first meeting with Himegami Aisa regarding her validity as a self-proclaimed magician. It was included in her list together with the likes of Enoch, Kabbalah, Vision of Mercury and modern astrology.

### Shinyaku Toaru Majutsu no Index

#### Aleister Crowley Arc

*Main article: Aleister Crowley Arc*
During in the incident on December 11th, Hermeticism was referenced during various discussions and flashbacks pertaining to Aleister Crowley and the Golden Dawn.

### Souyaku Toaru Majutsu no Index

#### Christmas Eve Arc

*Main article: Christmas Eve Arc*
During Kamijou Touma's battle with Neoka Norito on Christmas Eve, when Neoka said how he did not care about format so long as he got the power he wished in response to Othinus's disparaging remarks about his magic, Othinus compared his words to 19th century Hermeticism. She described it as an attempt to explain all of the world's mythologies and religions with a single combined theory based on Western ideas, but called it pathetic in that the people involved forced their own reasoning onto any words or numbers which they failed to understand and not enough to truly explain everything, citing her own presence as an example.

#### Post-Handcuffs Arc

*Main article: Post-Handcuffs Arc*
One of the magicians in the group centered around Alice Anotherbible was referred to as H. T. Trismegistus, earing the name of the figure whose supposed teachings form the foundation of Hermeticism.

#### New Year's Arc

*Main article: New Year's Arc*
During events on January 2nd and 3rd, there were mentions of the legend associated with the name Trismegistus, prompted by the presence of the Transcendent bearing the name Trismegistus, as well as the use of the name as a shared penname used by ancient scholars to release their papers anonymously.