The Wisdom of Hypatia: Ancient Spiritual Practices for a More Meaningful Life

Discover the Spiritual Secrets of Ancient Philosophy

Hypatia was one of the most famous philosophers of the ancient world. The mix of classical philosophies she taught to Pagans, Jews, and Christians in the fourth century forms the very foundation of Western spirituality as we know it today. The Wisdom of Hypatia is a hands-on guide to using the principles of philosophy to bring purpose, tranquility, and spiritual depth to your life.

To the ancients, philosophy was a spiritual practice meant to help the seeker achieve a good life and maintain mental tranquility. Bruce J. MacLennan, PhD, provides a concise history of philosophy up to Hypatia's time and a progressive, nine-month program of spiritual practice based on her teachings. Explore the three most important philosophical schools of the Hellenistic Age. Lead a more serene, balanced life. Experience self-actualization through union with the divine. Discover the techniques described in the historical sources, and put into practice the profound insights of the world's greatest minds.

Praise:
"The Wisdom of Hypatia is grounded in solid scholarship, lucidly written, and, above all, practical. This book reunites spirituality, philosophy, and psychology into a path for our time, and for all times. Read it. Practice it. You will never be the same."—Leonard George, PhD, Chair of the Department of Psychology, Capilano University

1114856259
The Wisdom of Hypatia: Ancient Spiritual Practices for a More Meaningful Life

Discover the Spiritual Secrets of Ancient Philosophy

Hypatia was one of the most famous philosophers of the ancient world. The mix of classical philosophies she taught to Pagans, Jews, and Christians in the fourth century forms the very foundation of Western spirituality as we know it today. The Wisdom of Hypatia is a hands-on guide to using the principles of philosophy to bring purpose, tranquility, and spiritual depth to your life.

To the ancients, philosophy was a spiritual practice meant to help the seeker achieve a good life and maintain mental tranquility. Bruce J. MacLennan, PhD, provides a concise history of philosophy up to Hypatia's time and a progressive, nine-month program of spiritual practice based on her teachings. Explore the three most important philosophical schools of the Hellenistic Age. Lead a more serene, balanced life. Experience self-actualization through union with the divine. Discover the techniques described in the historical sources, and put into practice the profound insights of the world's greatest minds.

Praise:
"The Wisdom of Hypatia is grounded in solid scholarship, lucidly written, and, above all, practical. This book reunites spirituality, philosophy, and psychology into a path for our time, and for all times. Read it. Practice it. You will never be the same."—Leonard George, PhD, Chair of the Department of Psychology, Capilano University

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The Wisdom of Hypatia: Ancient Spiritual Practices for a More Meaningful Life

The Wisdom of Hypatia: Ancient Spiritual Practices for a More Meaningful Life

by Bruce J. MacLennan
The Wisdom of Hypatia: Ancient Spiritual Practices for a More Meaningful Life

The Wisdom of Hypatia: Ancient Spiritual Practices for a More Meaningful Life

by Bruce J. MacLennan

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Overview

Discover the Spiritual Secrets of Ancient Philosophy

Hypatia was one of the most famous philosophers of the ancient world. The mix of classical philosophies she taught to Pagans, Jews, and Christians in the fourth century forms the very foundation of Western spirituality as we know it today. The Wisdom of Hypatia is a hands-on guide to using the principles of philosophy to bring purpose, tranquility, and spiritual depth to your life.

To the ancients, philosophy was a spiritual practice meant to help the seeker achieve a good life and maintain mental tranquility. Bruce J. MacLennan, PhD, provides a concise history of philosophy up to Hypatia's time and a progressive, nine-month program of spiritual practice based on her teachings. Explore the three most important philosophical schools of the Hellenistic Age. Lead a more serene, balanced life. Experience self-actualization through union with the divine. Discover the techniques described in the historical sources, and put into practice the profound insights of the world's greatest minds.

Praise:
"The Wisdom of Hypatia is grounded in solid scholarship, lucidly written, and, above all, practical. This book reunites spirituality, philosophy, and psychology into a path for our time, and for all times. Read it. Practice it. You will never be the same."—Leonard George, PhD, Chair of the Department of Psychology, Capilano University


Product Details

ISBN-13: 9780738738734
Publisher: Llewellyn Worldwide, LTD.
Publication date: 08/05/2025
Sold by: OPEN ROAD INTEGRATED - EBKS
Format: eBook
Pages: 431
File size: 7 MB

About the Author

Bruce J. MacLennan, PhD, is a professor at the University of Tennessee. For more than forty years, he has been a student of ancient Greek and Roman philosophy and religion. He has published journal articles and book chapters on Neoplatonic spiritual practices, Jungian psychology, and neurotheology. MacLennan is invited regularly to give international presentations and offers regular workshops on Neoplatonic spiritual practice, Pythagoreanism, theurgy, and related subjects. He lives in Knoxville, Tennessee.

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments

Part I. Preliminaries

  1. Introduction

An Ancient Path for Modern Times

Three Degrees of Wisdom

A Nine-month Program

Hypatia, the Most Holy and Revered Philosopher

Why Hypatia’s Philosophy is Important Today

  1. Spiritual Practices

Philosophy as a Way of Life

Concentrating Inward

Expanding Outward

Additional Practices

Living Philosophically

  1. Sources for Hypatia’s Philosophy

Pythagoras and Plato

Plotinus

Porphyry and Iamblichus

Hypatia’s Philosophy

Later Neoplatonism

Part II. The First Degree of Wisdom

  1. Seeking Tranquility in the Garden

Goals of the First Degree

The Garden

Atoms and the Void

Classifying Desires

Tranquility

Sufficiency

Pain

Fear of the Gods

Fear of Death

The Fourfold Cure

Live Hidden

Justice

Friendship

The Death of Epicurus

Miscellaneous Maxims

Part III. The Second Degree of Wisdom

  1. The Discipline of Assent

Goals of the Second Degree

Historical Background

Goals of Wisdom

Nature

Human Nature

Three Fundamental Disciplines

The Discipline of Assent

Practicing the Discipline of Assent

  1. The Discipline of Desire

Introduction

Desire, Impulse, and Nature

Good, Evil, and Indifferent

Circumscribing the Self

Indifference to Misfortune

Personal and Transpersonal Guides

The View From Above

Providence or Chaos?

Consent to Destiny

Universal Love

The Stoic God

  1. The Discipline of Impulse

Introduction

Action and Nature

Criterion I, First Standard: Altruism

Criterion I, Second Standard: Difficult People

Criterion I, Third Standard: Friends

Criterion II: Worth and Justice

Criterion III: Reservation

Nature’s Sympathy

Part IV. The Third Degree of Wisdom

  1. The Macrocosm

Introduction to the Third Degree

The World Body

The World Mind

The Platonic Forms

Being and Becoming

Truth, Beauty, and Justice

The World Soul

Nature, Wisdom, and Daimons

The Inexpressible One

The God of the Philosophers

Images of the Cosmos

The Geocentric Image

The Central Light

The Golden Chain

  1. The Microcosm and the Archetypes

Microcosm: The Tripartite Soul

Polytheistic Pagan Interpretation

Monotheistic Interpretation

Evolutionary Jungian Psychology

The Archetypes

Evolutionary Neuropsychology and the Archetypes

Complexes and Daimons

The Shadow

The Evolution of the Archetypes

The Self and the Inexpressible One

Individuation

  1. The Path of Love

Three Paths of Ascent

History of the Ascent by Love

Purpose of the Ascent by Love

Awakening — The Body

Interlude — Gaius’ Story

Purification — The Soul

Illumination — The Nous

Perfection — The One

  1. The Path of Truth

Introduction

Awakening

Purification 1: The Purifying Virtues

Purification 2: Dialectics

Purification 3: The Contemplation of Nature

Interlude — The Five Things

Illumination

Arrow Prayers and Invocation of the Name

Four Degrees of Prayer

Perfection — Union

  1. The Path of Trust

Introduction

Different Ways to The One

Symbols

Invocation

Animation

Incubation

Alliance

Deification

Individuation

 

Additional Reading

Glossary

Bibliography

Endnotes

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