Numen ("presence", plural numina) is a Latin term for the power of either a deity or a spirit that informs places and objects in Roman religion. The multiplication of names for Italic gods may obscure this sense of numinous presence in all the mundane actions of the natural world. The word was also used for the imperial cult of ancient Rome, to refer to the guardian-spirit, 'godhead' or divine power of a living emperor - in other words, a means of worshipping a living emperor without literally calling him a god (which was a problem under the Roman system). The word numen is also used by sociologists to refer to the idea of magical power residing in an object, particularly when writing about ideas in the western tradition. When used in this sense, numen is nearly synonymous with mana. However, some authors reserve use of mana for ideas about magic from Polynesia and southeast Asia. Note that etymologically the Latin word numen originally and literally meant "nodding." It has the sense of inherent vitality and presiding, and was also associated with meanings of "command" or "divine majesty."
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Similar cultural concepts
The concept of a life-energy inherent in all living beings seems to be a fairly universal archetype, and appears in numerous ancient religions and systems of metaphysics (in addition to being borrowed by George Lucas's science-fiction films). Analogies to numina in other societies include:
- Polynesian mythology : mana
- Australian Aboriginal mythology : maban
- Egyptian mythology : ka
- Greek mythology : ichor
- Inuit mythology : inua, sila
- Leni Lenape mythology : manetuwak
- Norse mythology : seid
- Yoruba mythology : oloddumare
Also related are the philosophical concepts of:
- Chinese philosophy : qi (or ch'i), shen
- Japanese philosophy : ki, kami
- European alchemy and philosophy : aether, (or ether), quintessence
- Hindu philosophy : prana
- Islamic philosophy : Ruh
- Thelemic ethics : Had, (or) True Will
Popular culture
- In the novel Contact by Carl Sagan, the term 'numinous' comes up in a discussion between Ellie Arroway and Ken der Heer regarding the differences between science and religion.
- In the original World of Darkness game system, 'numina' were minor psychic or magical abilities held by otherwise ordinary humans, as well as various supernatural powers used by other beings that didn't fall into a specific category. In the new World of Darkness, 'numina' and 'numen' refer exclusively to the powers of ghosts and other spirits.
External links
In music
References
"The Idea of the Holy" by Rudolf Otto.
