The Mystical World of the Cathars
The Cathars were a unique and mysterious religious group that emerged in the 12th century in Southern Europe, particularly in the Languedoc region of modern-day France. Known for their simple lifestyle and spiritual beliefs, they were regarded as heretics by the Catholic Church. Despite persecution, their ideas and practices have fascinated historians and spiritual seekers for centuries. What Did the Cathars Believe? The Cathars’ beliefs were deeply spiritual and based on the idea of dualism. They believed the world was a battlefield between two forces: the good, represented by the spiritual world, and the evil, represented by the material world. For them, the physical world, including the human body, was created by an evil power they called the “false god” or “demiurge.” In contrast, the soul was seen as a spark of divine light trapped in the material world. The Cathars believed their mission was to free the soul from its physical prison and return it to its spiritual origin. This belief shaped their practices and way of life. How Did the Cathars Live? The Cathars were known for their ascetic lifestyle. They rejected wealth, luxury, and material possessions, which they believed bound them to the physical world. Instead, they […]