Ancient voice: Jakob Böhme

“Of the Supersensual Life”

Böhme was a shoemaker in Görlitz. In the dialogue he wrote, a disciple asks his master how God is heard.

In the book

The two doors it opens

Door IX

Of the Sun That Turns Two Ways

Disciple
«How may I come to the supersensual life, so that I may see God and hear Him speak?
Master
If you can lift yourself for a moment to where no creature dwells, you will hear what God speaks.
Disciple
Is that near or far?
Master
It is within you; and if you could be silent for one hour from all your willing and all your senses, you would hear the unspeakable words of God».

Jakob Böhme, «On the Supersensual Life,» opening dialogue, §§ 1–2; author’s free version.

Door X

Of the Love That Keeps Vigil

Enter through Door X

Disciple
«How can I hear, if my senses and my will fall silent?
Master
When you quiet the senses and the willing of your own self, then the eternal hearing, seeing, and speaking become manifest in you, and God hears and sees through you».

Jakob Böhme, «On the Supersensual Life,» opening dialogue, § 3; author’s free abridged version.

Sources

Editions cited

Böhme, Jakob. «Sobre la vida suprasensible», opening dialogue, §§ 1–3. Spanish text by Francisco Martínez Albarracín, reproduced in «Ibn Arabi y Jacob Boehme: confluencias y vigencia de la Sophia», El Azufre Rojo, no. 11 (2023), pp. 259–280; passage quoted, p. 269. DOI: 10.6018/azufre.589181. Source for the free versions in Doors IX and X.

The dialogues of Böhme are free versions checked against a Spanish translation.

From the “Literary and philosophical references” of the book.