Evolutionary Neurotheology

as an Explanatory Framework for

Theurgy
and Related Spiritual Practices
Bruce MacLennan University of Tennessee, Knoxville
www.cs.utk.edu/~mclennan
2004, B. J. MacLennan
October 22, 2004 SSSR/RRE 1

Overview
Evolutionary neurotheology
explains religious experience & practice in terms of evolutionary history of human brain

Jungs concept of the objective psyche

the subjective aspect of the instincts

Ancient philosophy as a way of life

theory as a support of practice e.g., Neoplatonic theurgy
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Evolutionary Neuroethology
Instincts: perceptual-behavioral structures characteristic of a species Environment of evolutionary adaptedness Life-cycle pattern of each member Phylogenetic pattern expressed ontogenetically in environment Homo sapiens too
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Jungian Psychology
Archetypes are psychical aspects of instincts Dynamic forms shaping perception and behavior Collective unconscious Archetypal situation is numinous and compelling
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The Archetypes as Gods

Archetypes as elds of structured potentiality Personied archetypes experienced as gods Empirical, stable, public, i.e. real Give transpersonal meaning to life
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Archetypes are Implicit in Genome

Archetypes implicit in genome No simple correspondence Become embodied in neural structures Not independent of environment
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Articulation of the Archetypes

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The Descent of the Soul

2003, B.J. MacLennan

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Access to Archetypes
The archetypes are implicit in genome and inaccessible to mind Articulated archetypal structures in brain are unconscious But may be activated & manifest in experience Spontaneously or by design Potentiality inferred from such experiences
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Complexes as Daemons
Complexes as webs of associations around an archetype Normal & necessary parts of psyche behave like independent beings (Jung) Belong to a gods lineage Your daemons know you intimately
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Possession & Projection

Subject of archetypal relation may be possessed Projects archetypal role onto object Mutual possession / projection Possession is not necessarily bad
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The Higher Self

Higher Self = totality of archetypal eld conscious ego Psychical correlate of genome The archetypal Anthropos Denes Providence governing H. sapiens Paradoxical & contradictory symbolism required
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Who are the Gods?

Which pantheon? 99.5% of H. sapiens history as huntergatherers (Stevens) Our gods are the gods of Paleolithic huntergatherers How do we live in harmony with these gods?
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Timeline

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Paleolithic HunterGatherers
A nineteenth century view

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Contemporary Hunter-Gatherers

Dorobo tribe, Tanzania. (The people of Tanzania seem to have genotypes most similar to our common ancestors.)
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Our Ancestral Gods?

Ubirr Rock, Arnhem Land, Australia

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Our Ancestral Gods?

Paleolithic rock art, 79000 B.P., Arnhem Land, Australia

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Theurgy
Spiritual practice involving congress with gods and daemons for:
communication liaisons deication

Contrast:
theology = god talk theurgy = god work
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Signs and Symbols

Releasing-stimuli that activate archetype & cause it to manifest Unconditioned: part of lineage of a god Conditioned: mediated by a daemon Invoke gods & daemons and invite them to possess or project

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The Line of Apollo

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Ensouling Divine Image

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Operation of Telestik
Ensouling a sacred image Material tokens Immaterial tokens Does not compel god or daemon Preparation of suitable receptacle to receive projection of god or daemon Creates archetypal relation
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Binding and Release

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Binding and Release

God or daemon invited to possess a human receiver Like telestik,but human receiver can embody a personied archetype better Best receivers have easily pacied personal daemons

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Theurgic Liaison

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Theurgic Liaison
Active imagination in Jungian analysis Establish a liaison with a god or daemon They may not be truthful For learning about archetypal realm For actualizing energy of a god For acquiring a familiar spirit
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Theurgic Ascent

Ascent to union with a god, Demiurge, or Ineffable One Like knows like Separation as symbolic voluntary death Actualizing the energy of Death-andResurrection archetype
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The Prothesis

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Conclusions
Mind and matter are two sides of same Ineffable One Jungian psychology & evolutionary neuroethology are mutually informing Both compatible with & explain Neoplatonic theurgy Theurgy can be an efcacious tool for care of the soul
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Impassivity of Gods
Gods are impassive because personal experiences do not affect genotypes They do not change in response to us Do not remember us Know us only as members of H. sapiens But: they enter our lives in different ways Mediated by World Soul
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The Evolving Archetypes

Genome evolves archetypes evolve Essentialism superceded by population thinking Genome as a statistical average Personied Ideas (gods) change slowly Unpersonied Ideas (e.g. numbers) are eternal
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Are the Gods Good?

Personied archetypes have conferred selective advantage on H. sapiens Unpersonied archetypes not necessarily good for H. sapiens Beyond good and evil Conicts among gods and daimones How to live in harmony with Providence?
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