On the Divine Names and the Mystical Theology — trans. C. E. Rolt
The translator’s English as printed (C. E. Rolt). The original-language text is not held; names are romanised as the translator printed them.
8. And the Heavenly Minds are spoken of as moving (1) in a circular manner, when they are united to the beginningless and endless illuminations of the Beautiful and Good ;? (2) straight forward, when they advance to the providential guidance of those beneath them, and unerringly accomplish their designs;4 and (3) with spiral motion, because, even while providentially guiding their inferiors, they remain immutably in their self-identity,5 turning unceasingly around the Beautiful and Good whence all identity is sprung. g. And the soul hath (1) a circular movement— viz. an introversion® from things without and the unified concentration7 of its spiritual powers—which gives it a kind of fixed revolution, and, turning it from the multiplicity without, draws it together first into itself,8 and then (after it has reached this unified condition) unites it to those powers which are a perfect Unity, and thus leads it on unto the Beautiful and Good Which is beyond all things, va is One and is the Same, without beginning or end. (2) And the soul moves with a spiral motion whensoever (according to its capacity) it is enlightened with truths of Divine Knowledge, not in the special unity of its being2 but by the process of its discursive reason and by mingled and alternative activities.? | (3) And it moves straight forward when it does not enter into itself to feel the stirrings of its spiritual unity (for this, as I said, is the circular motion), but goes forth unto the things around it and feels an influence coming even from the outward world, as from a rich abundance of cunning tokens, drawing it unto the simple unity of contemplative acts.4
1 The point of this section is that besides the particular and partial harmonies already mentioned, there is a universal harmony uniting the whole world in one system.
2 In the two following sections the difference between angelic and human activity is that the angels confer spiritual enlightenment and men receive it. Angels are in a state of attainment and men are passing through a process of attainment.
4 They are united to God in the centre of their being, by ceaselessly entering into themselves. They help us by going forth, as it were, from themselves.
5 Their true self-identity is rooted in God. See Intr., pp. 31 f.
7 In souls being unified and simplified. See Intr., p. 25.
8. The Heavenly Minds are said to move (1) in a circular manner, when they are united to the beginningless and endless illuminations of the Beautiful and Good;3 (2) straight forward, when they go out to the providential guidance of those beneath them and unerringly accomplish their designs;4 and (3) with spiral motion, because even while providentially guiding their inferiors they remain immutably in their self-identity,5 turning unceasingly around the Beautiful and Good from which all identity springs.
9. And the soul has (1) a circular movement — namely an introversion6 from things outside and the unified concentration7 of its spiritual powers — which gives it a kind of fixed revolution. Turning it from the multiplicity outside, this movement draws it together first into itself,8 and then (once it has reached this unified condition) unites it to those powers which are a perfect Unity, and so leads it on to the Beautiful and Good Which is beyond all things, which is One and the Same, without beginning or end. (2) And the soul moves with a spiral motion whenever (according to its capacity) it is enlightened with truths of Divine Knowledge, not in the special unity of its being2 but by the process of its discursive reason and by mingled and alternating activities.3 (3) And it moves straight forward when it does not enter into itself to feel the stirrings of its spiritual unity (for this, as I said, is the circular motion), but goes out to the things around it and feels an influence coming even from the outward world, as from a rich abundance of cunning tokens, drawing it to the simple unity of contemplative acts.4
1 The point of this section is that, besides the particular and partial harmonies already mentioned, there is a universal harmony uniting the whole world in one system.
2 In the two following sections the difference between angelic and human activity is that angels confer spiritual enlightenment and men receive it. Angels are in a state of attainment; men are passing through a process of attainment.
4 They are united to God in the centre of their being by ceaselessly entering into themselves. They help us by going forth, as it were, from themselves.
5 Their true self-identity is rooted in God. See Intr., pp. 31 f.
7 In souls being unified and simplified. See Intr., p. 25.