The Nuctemeron of Apollonius of Tyana

by

J. van
Rijckenborgh

Apollonius of Tyana lived at the same time as Jesus of Nazareth. Both had their own special task. Whereas Jesus spoke in the main for the elect of the future, Apollonius spoke directly to those who were consciously seeking liberation, and founded a Gnostic School. His Nuctemeron concerns the `Day of God Shining in the Darkness'. This Day is divided into twelve hours, described in twelve brief aphorisms which, at first glance, appear extremely cryptic and veiled. However, when Jan van Rijckenborgh applies the gnostic key (the insight that there is an inner God imprisoned in the darkness of our microcosm, who needs to be set free) these aphorisms are illuminated as a series of twelve steps which, if taken, will enable the `Day of God' to dawn in our lives.