The French word "experience", contains in German two meanings and two translations: with on one hand the notion of "Erfahrung" which involves the presence of a teaching and provokes "experimentation". On the other hand the word "Erlebnis" which evokes the experience, an inner experience, without a practical or tangible application. End of the 18th century, men and women searching for invisibility, that is to say those who don't just "believe" but want to "experience God",
chose these two ways randomly, these two ways are different but complementary, with an empirical aspect, aiming at trying the Signatures of Natures (alchemy, theurgy, and particularly through animal magnetism developed at that time by Mesmer) or in an inner approach, by praying, an embodied philosophy and the discovery of one's Inner Master. German Naturphilosophy (Philosophy of Nature) and theosophy (Divine Wisdom) belong to this second thought movement, and Louis-Claude de Saint-Martin represents the figurehead of that movement in France.
Far from all religion institutions, and very critical towards all the established churches of his time (Mauerkirsche), Louis-Claude de Saint-Martin showed - and didn't predicted - an exceptional experience (Erlebnis), inviting everyone to an extensive psychoanalysis to absolute: to him, the inner thing overcomes everything and it can be considered as an essential truth.
Between his first philosophical collection "Des Erreurs et de la Vérité" published in 1775 and "De l’Esprit des Choses", in 1800, do you want to get closer to the thought evolution of this outstanding man ?
Do you want to get familiar with the philosophical and theological complex notions such as "the withdrawal of God": Kenosis for Christians or Tsimtsoum for kabbalists ?
How to consider this terrifying metaphysics which shows us the "Absolute is obliged to go out of itself to be aware of itself" and by going out, it obliges rebel spirits to resipiscence ?
Answer by Jean-Marc Vivenza, Dominique Clairembaut in this 53-minutes debate and presented by Michel Cazenave.
An invitation to meditation "à la suite de Louis-Claude de Saint-Martin" and not the following... filmed at the Forum 104.
