Five Week Class Taught Online Via Zoom
Wednesdays, March 24 - April 21, 2025
7 pm - 9 pm EST (NYC Time)
$160 Paid Patreon Members / $177 General Admission
PLEASE NOTE: All classes will also be recorded and archived for students who cannot make that time.
Join Gregory Shaw, PhD, for an immersive journey into theurgic practice as we explore the Hermetic tradition by directly applying its principles to our own artistic and spiritual work—whether that’s writing, painting, dance, music, astrology, or channeling.
Platonic philosophers helped shape Western culture with their work in mathematics, music, philosophy, and architecture. In the fourth century, their influence reached a peak in theurgic rituals inspired by Hermes and taught by Iamblichus. Although Hermes remains mysterious as a historical figure, theurgists saw him as master of Egyptian magic, blending Pythagorean and Platonic ideas. Iamblichus and his followers created a system connecting spiritual and social worlds, offering ways to experience gods and spirits in daily life. For them, the world was animated by spiritual powers, and theurgy was the art of engaging with these forces. Today, many intellectuals dismiss this worldview as “animism,” a belief in an ensouled world—a view often ridiculed or ignored.
For creative artists and visionaries, though, Iamblichus and theurgy still offer real support. Many who encounter theurgy find it strangely familiar, echoing practices they intuitively express through poetry, dance, or visual art. Iamblichus makes this magical tradition accessible both imaginatively and intellectually. In the ancient world, the Hermetic art of theurgy was once considered the highest philosophy. While the Imperial Church later suppressed it, theurgy survived within esoteric traditions practiced by magicians, alchemists, artists, and some branches of Abrahamic religion. In this light, every true uplifting of the soul is a theurgic act—a collaboration with the divine.
In this course, we will study theurgy through selected readings, beginning with its ancient roots. We will adapt Iamblichus’s teachings for our own lives, not just as historical knowledge but as a way to deepen our spiritual practice. Everyone is invited to share insights into theurgical principles—both in class discussions and through their own creative and spiritual work.
Gregory Shaw, Ph.D. is Emeritus Professor of Religious Studies at Stonehill College. He is the author of Theurgy and the Soul (1995; 2014). Hellenic Tantra (2024) and Iamblichus and Theurgy - Collected Papers (2025). Having taught for 35 years, Professor Shaw's passion is realized in the spontaneous insights that arise in class discussion.
Five Week Class Taught Online Via Zoom
Wednesdays, March 24 - April 21, 2025
7 pm - 9 pm EST (NYC Time)
$160 Paid Patreon Members / $177 General Admission
PLEASE NOTE: All classes will also be recorded and archived for students who cannot make that time.
Join Gregory Shaw, PhD, for an immersive journey into theurgic practice as we explore the Hermetic tradition by directly applying its principles to our own artistic and spiritual work—whether that’s writing, painting, dance, music, astrology, or channeling.
Platonic philosophers helped shape Western culture with their work in mathematics, music, philosophy, and architecture. In the fourth century, their influence reached a peak in theurgic rituals inspired by Hermes and taught by Iamblichus. Although Hermes remains mysterious as a historical figure, theurgists saw him as master of Egyptian magic, blending Pythagorean and Platonic ideas. Iamblichus and his followers created a system connecting spiritual and social worlds, offering ways to experience gods and spirits in daily life. For them, the world was animated by spiritual powers, and theurgy was the art of engaging with these forces. Today, many intellectuals dismiss this worldview as “animism,” a belief in an ensouled world—a view often ridiculed or ignored.
For creative artists and visionaries, though, Iamblichus and theurgy still offer real support. Many who encounter theurgy find it strangely familiar, echoing practices they intuitively express through poetry, dance, or visual art. Iamblichus makes this magical tradition accessible both imaginatively and intellectually. In the ancient world, the Hermetic art of theurgy was once considered the highest philosophy. While the Imperial Church later suppressed it, theurgy survived within esoteric traditions practiced by magicians, alchemists, artists, and some branches of Abrahamic religion. In this light, every true uplifting of the soul is a theurgic act—a collaboration with the divine.
In this course, we will study theurgy through selected readings, beginning with its ancient roots. We will adapt Iamblichus’s teachings for our own lives, not just as historical knowledge but as a way to deepen our spiritual practice. Everyone is invited to share insights into theurgical principles—both in class discussions and through their own creative and spiritual work.
Gregory Shaw, Ph.D. is Emeritus Professor of Religious Studies at Stonehill College. He is the author of Theurgy and the Soul (1995; 2014). Hellenic Tantra (2024) and Iamblichus and Theurgy - Collected Papers (2025). Having taught for 35 years, Professor Shaw's passion is realized in the spontaneous insights that arise in class discussion.
