Studying the Monas Hieroglyphica by John Dee

[SuperSlimey]

I been studying the Monas Hieroglyphica from John Dee, mainly through a video series on YouTube by Dr Teresa Burns, she also has a book.

Was wondering if anyone been through the 24 Theorems, and what they think or experienced as they contemplated the glyph and the various subjects being conflated in them.

John Dee suggests that the Hieroglyphic Monad is ‘alive’ like a living talisman with divine light, and that through contemplation and understanding it, it can imbue the reader with that divine light and understanding, through this ascent to the Good.

To expand on what is meant by the Good, John Dee does not always explicitly tell you that he is conflating Plato’s Timaeus, with Genesis (Latin Vulgate Bible), and Christian Kabbalah with Mathematical/Geometrical work, he expects the audience to already know these different works and contexts. There is a bunch of more context to it, like different Alchemical works. The goal of the glyph is to unify all of these into a coherent understanding and act like a mnemonic device.

There is much more to touch on and dive into since the work is ‘succint’ but packed with meaning. So I would like to have conversations about this work.

 

[duncanhillscoffeeco]

Seems like a bunch of nerd s**t. I'm more of an occult practitioner, not an occult scholar. What are the practical applications of this? You get closer to the godhead or something?

 

[Frater R.P.G.]

I've read it a few times in different translations, and recently I also went through Terry Burns' YT course as well, but despite all that the text still remains very cryptic to me. There is a lot packed in there indeed, but it is hard to unpack. Besides that I don't really know what else to say about it without delving into specifics.

 

[SuperSlimey]

I've read it a few times in different translations, and recently I also went through Terry Burns' YT course as well, but despite all that the text still remains very cryptic to me. There is a lot packed in there indeed, but it is hard to unpack. Besides that I don't really know what else to say about it without delving into specifics.

The Monas Hieroglyphica starts with Dee greeting Maximilian II, and explains his gift to him which is the glyph itself.

He then talks a bit about the Pythagorean Y, and how as you grow up one can choose to become a tyrant and going after worldly gains, or a ruler inspired by spirit "Philosopher King", which is considered a "rarity". These two paths are the separation you see in the letter Y. It is a "rarity" because Dee says you need to have understanding of the celestial bodies, and also what is beyond them or the "supracelestial". Thats why it is recommended to at least look a bit into his prior work which is the "Propedeumata Aphoristica", and has fundemental teachings on the celestial bodies.

He then goes on and talks about the virtues of the glyph, and alludes to astrological, kabbalistic, biblical, geometrical, alchemical concepts. And talks about sacred languages, Dee was very interested in this idea of an "adamic language", think of his later Enochian work, this idea that nature and creation was governed by a divine language, and in knowing this language one could control the reality to a degree.

He then goes on and lists a bunch of professions that can benefit from studying the glyph. The sign off, before the 24 Theorems itself is where it gets interesting, he talks about this "boundary line" which is from different works of Plato, but there is a differentiation between the physical world, or the "world of becoming" and the "world of being", the world of becoming is about "flux" or change, and the "world of being" is where perfect eternal forms (Platonic Solids) are which the Demiurge or the Wise Craftsman uses to shape the physical universe.

To expand a bit on this "world of being" there is this idea that there are geometric forms existing here, which are perfect, and by contemplating these perfect forms one can bring the world after the "Fall" (The lighting flash of the Sephiroth) or the "world of becoming" into a more refined perfected stater. Which is basically about ascending the Tree of Life or the Sephiroth. So by contemplating the glyph and going through the Theorems, which requires you to visualize and really meditatate on it, you can tap into this "world of being" which is of a spiritual nature, invisible.

Mind you this is only the intro of the letter, I have not even gotten to writing about the Theorems yet, but to conclude the intro part, I feel like the glyph awakens this 4th dimensional aspect within our consciousness, and wonder what you and others think of this? Dr Teresa Burns kinda suggests this as well, this is from her course "Dee believed this mental visualization was crucial, with some suggesting his home in Mortlake would have been filled with "astral clutter" from his genius mind visualizing these forms." Dee alludes to this idea of the 4th or higher dimensions within the Theorems.

I am just making it a bit long here on purpose for those interested in it, I am sure you are familiar with most of this already..

 

[vulpes]

Well, the “nerd shit” is part of the appeal for me. I’d rather spend a few evenings figuring out why a symbol is put together that way than copy it from a book and take someone’s word that it’s powerful. I don’t really see that as time away from practice.

 

[SuperSlimey]

Well, the “nerd shit” is part of the appeal for me. I’d rather spend a few evenings figuring out why a symbol is put together that way than copy it from a book and take someone’s word that it’s powerful. I don’t really see that as time away from practice.

Yeah, both are important, learning and practicing. I find it interesting that John Dee put this on the frontispiece of the Hieroglyphic Monad, "Who does not understand should either learn, or be silent."