Sir Isaac Newton - The Last Magician

[StellaStone]

Hello

Here in the U.K. a documentary aired about Sir Isaac Newton. It revealed that as well as the physical sciences he was also an alchemist. The proof being found in his papers which the economist Kynes bought from Sotherbys. It is clear from these papers that Newton was a magician and alchemist. These spiritual ideas strongly influenced what is now called., ‘Newtonian Mechanics.’

He was obviously a Hermeticist but I wonder if the view of the Hermetic Renaissance man and the hereditary/traditional witch are similar even if the terminology differs? That is to say Newton believed there was a Spiritus Mundi which permeates everything and which, in Newtonian parlance ,he gave to one small aspect of this the mundane and acceptable term of ‘gravity.’ Could this Spiritus Mundi be the same essence through which we as traditional / hereditary witches navigate our various abilities and spells /desires ?

If this were so and clearly members of The Royal Society were fully aware of this in the 1600s then the reason why those whom owned land and power sought to censure this and its practice in those not as privileged as them becomes clear.

I would welcome peoples thoughts on this.

[Michele]

I have not seen the show (or read much on Newton)... Spiritus Mundi - does that translate into "world spirit"? I think that whatever one wants to call it - spirit, energy, chi, sprowl, - it exists. I think many and most cultures have experienced it and they all explain it in differing ways. Man, it seems, has a need to explain everything, especially things he can't see or "prove", so to speak. And the more technological we get, the more modern, the more and more man seems to need to explain away the other world. I believe that man's relationship with the other world was once about survival. And his beliefs and gods supported that. The more man became intellectual and technological (and learned how to use metals, and aggriculture, etc.) the less man had need of the relationship with the other world for survival, the more he had need (and the luxury of time to wonder about it) of understanding his own existence. So his relationship to the other-world became one of intellectual and philosophical interest. Putting this other-world under a microscope and studying it but having no relationship with it. Feeling superior to it. To explain it, or to explain it away. But not to have a relationship with it. Only to be able to control it. The other-world has receded from man's lack of communication with it... but man still recognizes the energy that springs from it (even though IMHO man understands it less and less). Man may take things that once were magic, like gravity, and harness them and explain them scientifically and this supports man's ego-belief that man is the one in control. And it also supports the ego-belief that if man can explain it, then man rules it through science and it doesn't "really exist" as any sort of separate life from man's own desires. I also, personally, think this is one of the most misunderstood and most near-to-being-lost aspects of the true craft. And that if lost completely, it will be to the great detriment of mankind - both in this world and in the next. I see witches constantly obsessed with controlling this life, without a thought to forever, or the other-world into which they will one day return, or how they are effecting (or offending) the other-world. I can't imagine what might be waiting for them or how in hell they'll recognize it or relate to it once they leave this life. The other-world, the "spirit" world, is the world of the dead. It is eternity. Yet we give it little thought other than how we can harness it for this very fleeting life regardless of the feelings of the ones living in it.

 

Stella - sorry to go off on a rant, lol, and it is most definitely not directed to you, but your post brought up my thoughts re what Newton harnessed, and they led me on down the garden path, lol lol.

 

M

[Jevne]

If this were so and clearly members of The Royal Society were fully aware of this in the 1600s then the reason why those whom owned land and power sought to censure this and its practice in those not as privileged as them becomes clear.

I would welcome peoples thoughts on this.

 

I am not a history buff, but others will likely be able to provide specific examples of how the "upper" classes employed magic to achieve their political, financial, social, etc. aspirations. Power, as has been discussed, comes in many forms. Why shouldn't or wouldn't someone who has power use it to their full advantage? In the same vein, why would someone who has power want to share that with "everyone"? Granted, there are a few altruistic folks hanging around out there in the world; teachers, healers, etc. But, they can help without having to relinquish power to all those that they encounter. I am privileged to be a Witch with a measure of power, but I resent any insinuation that means I am obligated or required to "share" that power with the masses.

[The Exile]

Concerning Isaac Newton in the field of Alchemy.

 

 

I have worked on the ancestors of my niece and nephew and they are descended from a Theophrastus Yworth and his father William Yworth in England in the 1600's and 1700's.

 

William Yworth was an alchemist that worked with Isaac Newton.

 

At this link it mentioned William Yworth in the chapter called "Alchemy in the Newtonian Circle"

 

The link will take you to page 181.

 

Then scroll back to page 179 on it starts at:

 

"Newton and William Yworth: the last attempt at Alchemy?"

 

It mentions William Yworth's life and effort on page 179 to 191 but unfortunately they don't show some pages in between. (i guess I will have to buy the book)

 

 

 

http://books.google....Yworth"&f=false

 

 

 

from other records the son Theophrastus Yworth is described as a "Spagyric"

 

wikipedia: Spagyric is a name given to the production of herbal medicines using alchemical procedures. These procedures involve fermentation, distillation and the extraction of mineral components from the ash of the plant. These processes were in use in medieval alchemy generally for the separation and purification of metals from ores and salts from brines and other aqueous solutions.

 

 

 

Interesting the descriptions sounds like the kind of stuff that the witches learn and uses.

 

William Yworth was from Rotterdam the Dutch city.

 

 

One wonders if I discovered one of the origins of some of the witch in our family. And one wonders if this William Yworth had French linages earlier on?

 

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[Panis_Ramey]

I wonder if the view of the Hermetic Renaissance man and the hereditary/traditional witch are similar even if the terminology differs?

 

I have spent a ton of time trying to answer this question, simply put no ! or maybe yes? If you believe in the classical elements, good and evil, As above, so below, A supreme ruler god created the universe and the Fall of Man actually happened then you might be more inclined to share the same viewpoints. their philosophy is heavily laden with christian symbolism. Many of the hermetic texts from Newton's time describe us as drawing our power from the devil and being servants of evil.

Edited April 14, 2013 by Panaceum

[StellaStone]

Hello The Exile, from the evidence you provide it is clearly obvious that William Yworth and Newton were alchemical colleagues and possibly ( from viewing your link) magicians. Do you have any thoughts or anecdotal family stories ?

Panaceum, Yes these people lived in very Christian times and so it seems that they may have been heavily influenced by Christianity or ‘ Christian esotericism’ . What I am interested in is whether or not the hermetic idea of , ‘Spiritus Mundi’ is analogous to any hereditary / traditional witch concepts .I am posing the question could members of the Royal Society have borrowed ideas from hereditary / traditional witchcraft just as occurs in other ways today.

[Whiterose]

I don't think any one concept is "analogous" to traditional witchcraft as that heading along with hereditary witchcraft is quite vague and encompasses many different lines of thought about witchcraft, how it works, why it works and where it originates. Personally I think it is impossible to prove who borrowed what from whom and when, because ideas, overtime, get shifted around to many different groups and expanded upon. If you really want to be technical, a lot of what we do can be traced back to biblical times and probably to the people that predated the bible. Its all borrowed information. No one group had the "original info" unless they lived many thousands of years ago. To me its like trying to trace the path of a couple grains of sand across the desert.

Edited April 14, 2013 by Whiterose

[Panis_Ramey]

What I am interested in is whether or not the hermetic idea of , ‘Spiritus Mundi’ is analogous to any hereditary / traditional witch concepts .I am posing the question could members of the Royal Society have borrowed ideas from hereditary / traditional witchcraft just as occurs in other ways today.

 

The Concept of Spiritus Mundi is based in the idea that Spiritus Mundi is a plane of existence where all human consciousness intersects but Spiritus Mundi can also refer to a being formed from combined intelligence of human existence. It doesn't mean world of spirits or other world. Spiritus Mundi more closely translates to The Spirit generated by/from the Earth. The Term that modern hermetics use to describe the source of witches power is Animus Mundi ( living breath of the earth or earthy life force).

 

 

If you are referencing royalty from The British Isles then I would have to say many of them were witches especially during the days of the Norman conquest. I think William and William II were supposed to have magical ancestry. There are even legends of powerful witches from the north exported to work in the courts of England and Scotland.

[The Exile]

One wonders if I discovered one of the origins of some of the witch in our family..

 

 

When the Exile mentioned the above... wait a minute... am I speaking in the third person?

 

 

I guess I shouldn't have used the word "origins".

 

I didn't mean that he invented or started something in our family lines , I mean that I found someone in the family lines that had some knowledge. But he got the knowledge from others or from someone further up the line or combination of both, etc.

 

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Edited April 14, 2013 by The Exile

[The Exile]

Hello The Exile, from the evidence you provide it is clearly obvious that William Yworth and Newton were alchemical colleagues and possibly ( from viewing your link) magicians. Do you have any thoughts or anecdotal family stories ?

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I done the research in that branch of ancestors about 5 or more years ago. But from what I learn about magic, alchemy, the elements recently (started reading agrippa lately) and then this thread reminded me of Theophrastus Yworth and William Yworth I was surprise how my perspective of Yworth family has changed. And here I return to them and it also has changed my views of some things and made me refocus my researches.

 

family stories concerning the Yworths? none.

 

 

But sights only... I see my entire family and other people around me locked in some sort of elemental ? ... They wear the colors of the elements in a certain order and I believe they are part of some witchcraft or possibly a magicial cult.

 

Yesterday I conducted an experiment with one of my neighbor lady who was across the street working in her yard and I did something (she can't normally see what I'm doing) that prompted her to go in her house, change her colors, and came back out to work in the yard again. Some of you know what color I wear :-)

 

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[StellaStone]

Hello Exile. In my family, usually during adolescence, we experience something we call, Break-out , which is when our abilities are becoming fully active. It could be that by tapping into your family heritage you have triggered this later in life. Break-out is disorientating and unpleasant. If this is what is occurring then you just need to roll with it and not think too much about specifics. The other alternative could be you have had some massive stress recently or your ability to cope with normal stress has suddenly dropped. Only you can know. Whatever the situation these things are both solvable and will pass.

[Mountain Witch]

Stella, would you lighten your font, please? Black on a black background is impossible to read!

 

 

ETA: I fixed it for you.

[The Exile]

StellaStone mentioned:

 

"Hello Exile. In my family, usually during adolescence, we experience something we call, Break-out , which is when our abilities are becoming fully active. It could be that by tapping into your family heritage you have triggered this later in life. Break-out is disorientating and unpleasant. If this is what is occurring then you just need to roll with it and not think too much about specifics. The other alternative could be you have had some massive stress recently or your ability to cope with normal stress has suddenly dropped. Only you can know. Whatever the situation these things are both solvable and will pass."

 

 

With me it was when around 12 I noticed dramatically that people became avoiding me or to some extent scared of me. But I never feel anything coming from others. It was gradually over the last 5 to 7 years that I notice that it was I that was affecting people all these years and realized that I was doing it with emotions and thought. Over the last couple of years I been doing some works with great success.

 

But my problem is that I don't have many targets to use negative hexing against. So I'm more using it for helping other people.