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Soul Food

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Sigismundo
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There is an interesting in the Asclepius about "food of the soul" (mentioned in AH 6).

"Of all these kinds, the ensouled have roots reaching them from on high to below, but living things without soul branch from a root that grows from beneath to above. Some things are nourished on composite food, others on simple food. The types of food are two: one for the soul, the other for the body - the two substances of which living things consist. Soul feeds on the ever restless stirring of the world." - Copenhaver

"Some beings are nourished by two kinds of food, others by one kind alone. The two kinds of food by which beings endowed with soul exist are the food of the soul and the food of the body. The soul of the world is fed by unceasing movement." - Salaman

Copenhaver makes it seem as if the soul is fed by the "ever restless stirring of the world" while before that statement Hermes says that living things with souls have roots from above to below, so they are not fed by the world.

I think Salaman's translation of "The soul of the world is fed by unceasing movement" is more correct as that is more in line with other hermetic texts about the cosmos or mundi.

But that leaves us with the question, what is the food of the soul that is coming from above?

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The food of the sould could be the Good? Although the Good is everywhere and is everything...

 

Do you this concept connects with the "Meal of no living thing" that appears at the end of Asclepius as a meal to the Soul?

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Sigismundo
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@sirius-aor 

Hermes gives a hint about what this food of the soul is at the end of his perfect sermon:

As much has been said to you on each of these subjects as a human being can express and the Supreme Deity both wills and allows. It only remains for us to return to the care of the body, blessing God and praying to Him. For in discussing divine matters we have, I may say, sufficiently filled ourselves with the food of the soul.- Salaman

"I have told you everything that a human being could say, with god's willingness and permission. Blessing god and praying, it remains for us only to return to the care of the body. We have dealt enough with theology, and we souls have eaten our fill, so to speak." - Copenhaver

Copenhaver translates it as "theology" but I like Salaman's translation more, the food of the soul is "discussing divine matters", which is what we do here.

So, this forum can act like a kind of all-you-can-eat hermetic buffet. For our soul (the "we" in Copenhaver's translation) this food is essential and we should fill ourselves with it every day.

 

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Patches
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@sigismundo “discussing divine matters”, (discourse or) logos

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Theology and hearing it might be regarded as the Contemplation of Theoria?

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Sigismundo
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Posted by: @sirius-aor

Theology and hearing it might be regarded as the Contemplation of Theoria?

Yes, Theoria is digesting wisdom, and Practica is expressing wisdom.

 

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