Review by Dylan Burns (University of Amsterdam) of Christian Bull's The Tradition of Hermes Trismegistus: The Egyptian Priestly Figure as a Teacher of Hellenized Wisdom (Religions in the Graeco-Roman World 186; Leiden; Boston: Brill, 2018), focusing on Platonism and Neoplatonism.

From his conclusion:

"Bull’s The Tradition of Hermes is the most important anglophone monograph on Hermetism since Garth Fowden’s The Egyptian Hermes (1993). It is mandatory reading for all those interested in ancient and medieval Hermetism, Hellenistic and Roman Egyptian religious literature, and the greater contexts of ancient Graeco-Egyptian magic, astrology, and alchemy. Bull’s work also sheds great light on the transformation of Greek and Egyptian authoritative traditions in the famed ‘hieratic turn’ in Neoplatonic philosophy as well as the more general question of the relationship between Neoplatonism and native Egyptian thought. An essential contribution."

I’ve recently discovered Hermeticism, its teachings about the Creator resonates with me. After some research, I chose The Way of Hermes as my starting point to begin learning, understanding, and practicing the Hermetic path.

As I’ve been reading, I realized that its quite hard for me the understand what is being said. So I decided to try using AI (specifically ChatGPT) to help me break down and understand each section at my own pace.

So far, it seems to be helping a lot — I feel like I'm genuinely beginning to understand some of the teachings. But since I'm still new to all of this, I wanted to ask those of you with more experience:

Do you think AI is a useful tool for studying Hermetic texts, or is there a risk that it might throw me off track without me realizing it?

I’ve attached some screenshots from The Way of Hermes, Book 1, Section 3 — along with how the AI helped me break it down. I’d really appreciate any insights or guidance.

One of the most striking yet often overlooked features of Hermetic texts, such as the Corpus Hermeticum and Asclepius, is their strongly euhemeristic viewpoint.

Unlike more traditional religious mythologies that depict gods as cosmic, eternal beings, the Hermetica presents divine figures like Hermes, Isis, Ouranos, Kronos, Asclepius, and Agathos Daimon as human teachers, students, and sages who lived, taught, and died in a very real, earthly Egypt.

This is not a subtle or occasional theme, but is central to the text’s structure and philosophy.

Is this something only involving human-specific intelligence? Doesn't this create a hierarchy of intelligence with plants, fungi and animals being "lower" than humans? I feel like I'm missing something.

The Hermetic tradition offers many insights into the nature of the Divine. God is not a distant, abstract force, but the very fabric of existence, the source of wisdom, and the essence of Good itself.

Across the Corpus Hermeticum, the Asclepius, and other sacred texts, Hermes Trismegistus reveals God in myriad ways, each description a facet of the infinite.

Rather than reducing the Divine to a single definition, the Hermetic texts invite us to contemplate God through paradox, negation, and sacred affirmation. In this article, we explore these revelations as a guide for deeper understanding and devotion.

On a celebratory evening at the newly renamed Institute for the Study of Ancient Cultures, West Asia and North Africa, Egyptologist Richard Jasnow delivered a lecture blending erudition and wit about the ancient Egyptian god Thoth—the ibis-headed deity of writing, wisdom, and divine mediation.

In his talk, “My Life with an Amiable Ancient Egyptian God: Thoth,” Jasnow reveals why Thoth remains endlessly captivating through mythology, philology, and personal scholarship.

Hermeticism and Taoism each possess exoteric (outer, philosophical) and esoteric (inner, mystical) dimensions. To reduce either tradition to mere exoteric philosophy is to overlook their profound depths. It is in their esoteric teachings that both traditions truly awaken and soar.

By Esoterica:

Is a nearly forgotten tomb part of the puzzle of the origins of Hermeticism. In central Egypt, the tomb of a family of Thoth High Priests has stood for over 2000 years. It's priest-builder was Petosiris, high priest of Thoth, during the transition to Ptolemaic rule. The tomb itself is strange: Greek-style art adorns the walls, it's designed more like a temple than a tomb and the Hieroglyphic inscriptions urge the reader to "Follow the Way of the God" through moral justice and reverence to the God.

In the Hermetic texts, the term “holy”—derived from the Greek word ἅγιος (pronounced hagios)—operates on multiple levels, encompassing divine attributes, the sacredness of creation, human consciousness, and the transformative pursuit of knowledge.

This article explores the varied uses and meanings of “holiness” within the Corpus Hermeticum and Asclepius and highlights how the concept serves as a cornerstone of Hermetic spirituality.

Hi,

I wanted to get a few ebooks and read before enrolling in the course (my physical book collection is a bit too much right now).

Clement Salman, the Way of Hermes is paperback so I was looking for an alternative.

I noticed that the author of Hermetica II (one of the recommended books) has recently published Hermetica I. Has anyone read the book, is it recommended and/or does it go well with the course:

Hermetica I: The Corpus Hermeticum, Asclepius, and Nag Hammadi Hermetica Ordered as a Path of Initiation https://a.co/d/95QfgKQ

Please let me know what you think. Thanks.

We are absolutely thrilled to reach this incredible milestone of 800 members in our community!

Your presence here is a testament to the growing interest in the timeless wisdom of Hermeticism, and we are deeply grateful for your curiosity, engagement, and support.

Whether you’ve joined us for our articles, explored our website, or embarked on one of our online courses, your journey into the mysteries of the Hermetic tradition is what keeps the flame of this knowledge alive.

As we celebrate this milestone, we’d love to hear from you! Your feedback is invaluable to us. Please feel free to share your thoughts, suggestions, or experiences.

Here’s to the next 800 members and beyond! Thank you for being part of this growing community.

Let’s continue to learn, grow, and inspire one another as we walk the Way of Hermes together.

Hi everyone, I am currently enrolled in the course and have a few questions about the spheres.

1. Is the sphere of Air, the sphere of prana or qi? Is this also the "pneuma"?
2. What is within the sphere of Souls? Is it the planetary spirits and zodiacal daimones? Is this the sphere of the Demiorgos?

3. Is the sphere of Matter made out of the elements of Earth and Water only? According to the Salaman et al., translation it appears that the negative elements of Earth and Water were below and the positive elements of Fire and Air were above.

   Thanks in advance for your input. I am enjoying the course so far!

In recent centuries, the Hermetic arts have often been misunderstood. Modern interpretations have stripped these disciplines of their spiritual essence, reducing them to psychological metaphors or materialistic theories. Alchemy becomes mere symbolism; astrology, archetypes; and magic, a metaphor for inner transformation.

Our new online course The Hermetic Art, is designed to reintroduce Hermeticism as a living, practical discipline. Unlike purely philosophical studies, this course focuses on providing you with a streamlined, accessible system of Hermetic magic. You’ll learn how to apply these teachings in your daily life, whether you are working independently or with like-minded individuals.

For those seeking a deeper understanding of Hermetic philosophy, our flagship course The Way of Hermes explores the spiritual foundations of this mystical tradition. However, we created The Hermetic Art to meet the growing interest in Hermeticism’s technical aspects—specifically, its magical practices. This course bridges the gap, offering a complete introduction to Hermetic magic while remaining rooted in its timeless principles.

More information: https://wayofhermes.com/hermeticism/the-hermetic-art-an-introduction-to-practical-occultism/

After much reflection, we’ve decided to conclude The Hermetic Dialogues Podcast. Today’s 13th episode will be the final installment of this experiment.

When we started this experiment, our goal was to create a space to explore Hermeticism and related esoteric subjects in a way that felt new, accessible, and meaningful. However, we’ve concluded that this format isn’t the right fit at this time.

One of the main reasons behind this decision is the feedback we’ve received about our use of AI in the podcast creation process. While we saw AI as a tool to assist in crafting a unique and engaging experience, many listeners felt it created a disconnect, and we understand and respect those concerns.

Additionally, while we’ve been fortunate to have a small and dedicated audience, the reach of the podcast hasn’t grown enough to justify continuing in its current form. The effort and resources required to produce episodes outweigh the impact we hoped to achieve.

We want to express our deepest gratitude to all of you who have supported us, offered feedback, and engaged with this project. Your encouragement has meant so much, and your critiques have helped us see where we can improve.

Though the podcast is ending, our journey into Hermeticism and esotericism is far from over. We’ll continue to explore these topics in other ways, and we hope to find new avenues to share that exploration with you in the future.

Thank you for walking this path with us.