Mystical and Magical Traditions in Russian Culture
N. Zhirtueva, M. Kozlov
Voprosy Filosofii 2023 DOI: 10.21146/0042-8744-2023-11-204-214 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Historical analysis Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | Mysticism |
| Key points | Argues that magical consciousness dominated in Ancient Rus' and that modern consciousness remains fundamentally magical, while the domestic mystical tradition was supplanted by Western European mysticism and occultism in the 19th and 20th centuries. |
Abstract
The article is devoted to the study of the features of the formation and development of the magical and mystical traditions in Russian culture, from the era of Ancient Rus’ to the present. In the culture of Ancient Russia the dominant was the magical consciousness, generated by the belief in the man’s ability to influence the material world with the help of certain rituals. The penetration of mysticism in the form of Orthodox hesychasm as the doctrine of the “deification” of man began with the adoption of Christianity. Hesychasm becomes the moral core of Russian culture thanks to the efforts of the holy ascetics, who affirm the values of love and national unity. Mysticism, being a set of practices aimed at restructuring consciousness, requires hard work and efforts from a person. The domestic mystical tradition in the 19th and 20th centuries was supplanted by Western European mysticism, occultism and magic. Magic is always practical, utilitarian and aimed at achieving specific human needs. The consciousness of a modern person remains basically magical.