Six Theosophic Points, and Other Writings

4. From such a revelation of powers, in which the will of the eternal One contemplates itself, flows the understanding and the knowledge of the something (Ichts),^ as the eternal will contemplates itself in the something (Ichts), and in wisdom introduces itself into delight in a likeness and image.

5. This image is the Mystenum magnum, viz. the creator of all beings and creatures ; for it is the separator in the efflux of the will, which makes the will of the eternal One separable; it is the separability in the will, from which powers and qualities arise.

6. These powers again are in efflux of themselves, each power bringing itself into individual will according to the virtue of that same power. From thence arises the multiplicity of wills, and from this also the creaturely life of eternity has taken its origin, viz. angels and souls. And yet it cannot be said that by this a Nature or creation is understood, but the eternal imaged existence of the divine word and will, as the Spirit of God has in such a counter stroke,

1 Ichts the opposite of Nichts (nothing) is "I," self-consciousness. —
Hegel, Hist, of Phil, vol. iii. p. 286.

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in the powers of wisdom, sported with himself in such formation of similitude. .

7. As the mind of man in the understanding introduces itself by the senses into a counterstroke of an exact likeness, and by sense flows forth and disposes into images, which images are the thoughts of the mind, wherein the will of the mind works, and thus by desire brings itself into a sharpness, as into a magnetic appropriation, from which joy and sorrow arise ;

8. So also, in regard to the eternal mind of perceptibility, we are to understand that the outgoing of the one will of God has, through the Word, introduced itself into separability, and the separability has introduced itself into receptibility, as into desire and craving for its self -revelation, passing out of the Unity into plurahty.

9. Desire is the ground and beginning of the nature of perceptibility of the particular will. For therein is the separability of the Unity brought into receptibility, whence the separabilities of the wills are brought into perceptibility of a self-hood, wherein the true, creaturely, perceptible, angeHc, and soulic life is understood.

10. For the will of the eternal One is imperceptible, without tendency to anything ; for it has nothing to which it could tend, save only towards itself. Therefore it brings itself out of itself, and carries the efflux of its unity into plurality, and into assumption of selfhood, as of a place of a Nature, from which qualities take their rise. For every

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quality has its own separator and maker within it, and is in itself entire, according to the quality of the eternal Unity.

11. Thus the separator of each will develops in its turn qualities from itself, from which the infinite plurality arises, and through which the eternal One makes itself perceptible, not according to the unity, but according to the efflux of the unity. But the efflux is carried to the greatest sharpness with magnetic receptivity, to the nature of fire ; in which fiery nature the eternal One becomes majestic and a light. Thereby [by fire] the eternal power becomes desireful and effectual, and [fire] is the original condition of the sensitive life, where in the Word of power, in the efflux, an eternal sensitive life has its origin. For if life had no sensitiveness, it would have no will nor efficacy; but pain makes it effectual and capable of will. And the light of such kindling through fire makes it joyous, for it is an anointment of painfulness.