Editing Plotinus (section)

=== Emanation by the One ===
Although Plotinus never mentions Christianity in any of his works, he seems to offer an alternative to the orthodox [[Christianity|Christian]] notion of creation ''[[ex nihilo]]'' (out of nothing), though this is disputed.  The metaphysics of emanation (ἀπορροή ''aporrhoe'' (ΙΙ.3.2) or ἀπόρροια ''aporrhoia'' (II.3.11)) (literally a flowing, ροη, out, απο), similar to the metaphysics of Creation, describes the absolute transcendence of the One or of the Divine, as the source of the Being of all things, but which remains transcendent of them in its own nature.  The One is in no way affected or diminished by these emanations, just as the Christian God in no way is augmented or diminished by the act of Creation.  Plotinus, using a venerable analogy that would become crucial for the (largely neoplatonic) metaphysics of developed Christian thought, likens the One to the [[Sun]] which emanates light indiscriminately without thereby diminishing itself, or reflection in a mirror which in no way diminishes or otherwise alters the object being reflected.<ref>[https://www.iep.utm.edu/plotinus/ Plotinus (204—270)]</ref>

The first emanation is ''[[Nous]]'' (Divine Mind, ''[[Logos]]'', Order, Thought, Reason), identified metaphorically with the [[Demiurge]] in Plato's ''[[Timaeus (dialogue)|Timaeus]]''. It is the first [[will (philosophy)|Will]] toward Good. From ''Nous'' proceeds the [[Anima mundi (spirit)|World Soul]], which Plotinus subdivides into upper and lower, identifying the lower aspect of Soul with [[nature]]. From the world soul proceeds individual [[human]] souls, and finally, matter, at the lowest level of [[chain of being|being]] and thus the least [[perfection|perfected]] level of the cosmos. Plotinus asserted the ultimately divine nature of material creation since it ultimately derives from the One, through the mediums of ''Nous'' and the world soul. It is by the Good or through beauty that we recognize the One, in material things and then in the [[substantial form|Forms]]. (I.6.6 and I.6.9)

The essentially devotional nature of Plotinus' philosophy may be further illustrated by his concept of attaining ecstatic union with the One (''[[henosis]]''). Porphyry relates that Plotinus attained such a union four times during the years he knew him. This may be related to [[Divine illumination|enlightenment]], [[moksha|liberation]], and other concepts of [[mysticism]] common to many Eastern traditions.<ref>{{cite book|last=Lander|first=Janis|title=Spiritual Art and Art Education|year=2013|publisher=Routledge|page= 76|isbn=9781134667895}}</ref>