Egregors and angels
A few days ago I wrote in my other blog Notes from underground: Of egregores and angels
"Egregore" (or "egregor") is not a word one finds in most dictionaries, though it is beginning to be used more frequently. It has been described as "a kind of group mind which is created when people consciously come together for a common purpose". Thus any human group could have an egregor -- a nation, a family, a commercial firm, a school, a church, a club.
This has something in common with the idea of national angels, and at least in some Christian circles, "territorial spirits", although there might be a difference between a territorial spirit and the kind of group spirit implied by an egregor.
It also seems to have some affinities with the angelicals in Charles Williams's The place of the lion. It seems that the term originated with the Rosicrucians, but might have wider applicability, or perhaps another term is needed that might not be tied so closely to the occult associations of Rosicrucianism.
I would like to explore the theological implications of this, and would welcome comments, either here in LJ, or on my other blog.
"Egregore" (or "egregor") is not a word one finds in most dictionaries, though it is beginning to be used more frequently. It has been described as "a kind of group mind which is created when people consciously come together for a common purpose". Thus any human group could have an egregor -- a nation, a family, a commercial firm, a school, a church, a club.
This has something in common with the idea of national angels, and at least in some Christian circles, "territorial spirits", although there might be a difference between a territorial spirit and the kind of group spirit implied by an egregor.
It also seems to have some affinities with the angelicals in Charles Williams's The place of the lion. It seems that the term originated with the Rosicrucians, but might have wider applicability, or perhaps another term is needed that might not be tied so closely to the occult associations of Rosicrucianism.
I would like to explore the theological implications of this, and would welcome comments, either here in LJ, or on my other blog.