Cause Principle Unity

On magic
resulted in a tremendous loss, first of memory, and then of divine science
and magic.
Like those Egyptians, magicians today formulate images, written symbols
and ceremonies, which consist of certain actions and cults, and
through which they express and make known their wishes with certain signals.
This is the language of the gods which, unlike all other languages
which change a thousand times every day, remains always the same, just as
natural species remain always the same.
For the same reasons, the spirits speak to us through visions and dreams,
but we claim that these are enigmas, because of our unfamiliarity and ignorance
and weak capacities, even though they are the very same sounds and
very same expressions used for representable things. Just as these sounds
elude our grasp, likewise our Latin, Greek and Italian sounds sometimes
fail to be heard and understood by the higher and eternal spirits, which
differ from us in species. Thus, it is no easier for us to be able to communicate
with the spirits than it is for an eagle to converse with a human. Just
as there can be conversation and agreement only by means of gestures
between two groups of humans who do not share a common language, likewise,
there can be communication between us and certain types of spirits
only by the use of certain signs, signals, figures, symbols, gestures and other
ceremonies. The magician, especially when using the kind of magic which
is called ‘theurgy’, can hardly accomplish anything without such sounds
and symbols.
On the communion and interaction of things
From the above, one can understand and explain how interaction occurs
not only between things which, to the senses, are near each other, but also
between things which are far apart. For, as was said above, things are united
by a universal spirit which is present as a whole in the whole world and in
each of its parts. As a result, just as different lights come together in the
same space, likewise, the souls of the universe, whether they be finite or
infinite in number, interact in their powers and activities. However, this
does not happen to bodies, because they are limited and circumscribed by
their surfaces and surroundings, and because they are composed of innumerably
different parts in different bodies and places (if we can speak of
place rather than space.) Therefore, no body can act on another body, and
no matter on other matter, nor can the material parts of one body act on the
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