Ajay Kumar at 19:08, 28 September 2023

2023-09-28T19:08:44Z

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{{for|the British music group|Divine Inspiration (band)}}
'''Divine inspiration''' is the concept of a [[supernatural]] force, typically a [[deity]], causing a person or people to experience a [[Creativity|creative]] desire. It has been a commonly reported aspect of many [[religion]]s, for thousands of years. Divine inspiration is often closely tied to the concept of [[revelation]], the belief in information being revealed or disclosed through communication with a deity or other [[Non-physical entity|supernatural entity]] or entities.

==Examples==
Besides ancient mythology, the [[religious text]]s of traditions including [[Hinduism]], [[Judaism]], [[Christianity]], [[Islam]], [[Mormonism]], and the [[Baháʼí Faith]] are all claimed to be divinely inspired to some degree.
* Ancient [[Mesopotamia]]: In the Mesopotamian epic ''[[Atra-Hasis]]'', the writer describes his work as dictated by the Goddess in a dream-vision.
* Ancient Greece: The [[Muse|ancient Greek muses]] were said to be supernatural forces that gave artists their skill, while the [[Oracle|Ancient Greek oracles]] were said to be subject to supernatural forces.
* Hinduism: [[Music]] has historically been considered a medium through which performers can become a vehicle for divine inspiration.<ref>{{cite book|first =Bruce M. |last=Sullivan|title =Historical Dictionary of Hinduism|date =1997|page= 143|url = https://books.google.com/books?id=cvhGP8NRx4QC&pg=PA143|publisher = Scarecrow Press|isbn = 9780810833272}}</ref> The goddess [[Saraswati]] is also sometimes invoked for assistance with inspiration.<ref name=ar272>{{Google books|IChFAAAAcAAJ|Asiatic Researches}}, - History and Antiquities, the Arts, Sciences and Literature of Asia, Volume 3, London, pages 272-273</ref>
* Judaism and Christianity: Both religions claim [[Biblical inspiration]] for the parts of the [[Bible]] to which they adhere.
* Islam: Muslims believe the [[Quran]] was verbally revealed by God to [[Muhammad]] through the angel [[Gabriel]] (''Jibril''),<ref name=Lambert>{{cite book|last1=Lambert|first1=Gray|title=The Leaders Are Coming!|date=2013|publisher=WestBow Press|isbn=9781449760137|page=287|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=sV0mAgAAQBAJ&dq=%22Muslims+believe+that+the+Quran+was+verbally+revealed%22&pg=PA287}}</ref><ref name="Williams & Drew">{{cite book|author1=Roy H. Williams|author2=Michael R. Drew|title=Pendulum: How Past Generations Shape Our Present and Predict Our Future|date=2012|publisher=Vanguard Press|isbn=9781593157067|page=143|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=mygRHh6p40kC&dq=%22Muslims+believe+that+the+Quran+was+verbally+revealed%22&pg=PA143}}</ref>

==Plato’s manias==
[[Plato]] distinguishes four kinds of inspiration or "mania" in the dialogue [[Phaedrus (dialogue)|Phaedrus]]. The word "mania" signifying that a person is caught up in a state transcending the individual consciousness. In other dialogues, Plato identifies other manias besides the four given in Phaedrus. Anger, for example, is a mania because a man may become inspired by [[Mars (mythology)|Mars]] in battle and perform deeds of superhuman strength. The four given in Phaedrus, however, are called Divine as they are the inspirations which perfect the soul.<ref>Shrine of Wisdom, "Plato and the Four Inspirations", in 3 parts, Vol 29 & 30 (1926), Vol 31 (1927)</ref>

# Poetic or Musical, inspired by [[The Muses]], brings the disordered parts of the soul into harmony.
# Telestic, inspired by [[Dionysus]], purifies the soul and returns it to its ideal state of perfection and wholeness.
# Prophetic, inspired by [[Apollo]], concentrates the soul to a unity.
# Amatory, inspired by [[Eros]], conjoins the unified soul to the gods and to intelligible Beauty, effecting divine union.

==See also==
* {{lang|la|[[Afflatus]]}}, Cicero's understanding of divine inspiration
* [[Artistic inspiration]], sudden creativity in artistic production
* [[Biblical inspiration]], the doctrine in Judeo-Christian theology concerned with the divine origin of the Bible
* [[Ilham]], Islamic concept of inspiration
* [[Muse]], mythological source of artistic knowledge
* [[Tanzil]]
* [[Waḥy]]

==References==
{{reflist|40em}}

[[Category:Religious belief and doctrine]]

Divine inspiration - Revision history

Ajay Kumar at 19:08, 28 September 2023