Decantar la materia

English translation: purify matter / one\'s material self

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
Spanish term or phrase:Decantar la materia
English translation:purify matter / one\'s material self
Entered by: Adam Oldfield (X)

13:50 Dec 14, 2013
Spanish to English translations [PRO]
Art/Literary - Philosophy
Spanish term or phrase: Decantar la materia
From a text about the Ancient Toltec tradition of liberating the spirit from the restrictions of the material world. Can't work out what decantar means here:

La lucha se desarrollaba, pues, en contra de los vicios y debilidades que arrastran al individuo por la vorágine del mundo material y sus tentaciones, haciéndolo caer en la vacuidad.  Se trataba sin duda de un desafío colosal que en sí mismo fortalecía el espíritu y decantaba la materia.
Adam Oldfield (X)
Local time: 16:54
purify matter / one's material self
Explanation:
None of the DRAE definitions of "decantar" seems to fit the bill here, but I think the meaning is related to "decant":

"Separar un líquido del poso que contiene"
http://lema.rae.es/drae/?val=decantar

However, it is a metaphorical meaning derived from this. When you "decant" something, by this definition, separating the liquid from the dregs, you purify it. "Decantar" is used in this sense in alchemy, for purifying matter:

"símbolos de la alquimia que facilitan la manera espiritual de decantar y de transfundir la materia"
http://www.cervantesvirtual.com/obra-visor/sur--2/html/027eb...

One of the dictionary definitions of "decantar" in Portuguese is precisely purify:

"de·can·tar 1 - Conjugar
(francês décanter)
verbo transitivo
1. Proceder à decantação, à filtragem de.
2. Transvasar um líquido para o separar das suas impurezas.
3. [Figurado] Limpar, purificar.
"decantar", in Dicionário Priberam da Língua Portuguesa [em linha], 2008-2013,
http://www.priberam.pt/dlpo/decantar

And "décanter" in French can mean clarify.

So I think "decantar" is being used in this sense: metaphorically remove the impurities, and so purify:

"Queremos suprimir lo superfluo: decantar."
http://elistas.net/lista/redluz/archivo/indice/1760/msg/1631...

I've found other examples of this usage in relation to Toltec thought and ancient Mexican philosophy generally:

"Aquellos seres humanos que estaban dispuestos a hacer un sacrificio excepcional y un esfuerzo superior para decantar su materia y purificar su espíritu a través de La Batalla Florida, que se libra en lo más profundo de su corazón [...]
Xipe Totec es el simbolismo del acto consciente de decantar la materia. Es decir, desprenderse de aquellas pasiones y debilidades asociadas a la “carne” y al mundo material [...]
De la misma manera simbólica, la materia muere pero resucita con mayor fuerza con el espíritu decantado y purificado"
http://toltecayotl.org/tolteca/index.php?option=com_content&...

The second passage here indicates that purging or freeing oneself of materialism, as Jenni and James have suggested, is very close to the meaning. But "la materia" is matter, the material world, the material self, not materialism. Ridding oneself of material passions and weaknesses is an explanation of what is involved in "decantar la materia", but it is not actually what the phrase means. It means purifying matter, and matter refers to one's material self (as opposed to "espíritu", one's spirit or spiritual self).
Selected response from:

Charles Davis
Spain
Local time: 17:54
Grading comment
Many thanks for this. Excellent in-depth research, I'm extremely grateful to you.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4 +4purify matter / one's material self
Charles Davis
4freeing oneself of materialism
James A. Walsh
4dejando atras la materia
Carlos Blanco, B.Sc. in Chemistry
3purged (one's) materialism
Jenni Lukac (X)
3detachment from one's physical body
ormiston
1renounced matter
JM González


  

Answers


39 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
purged (one's) materialism


Explanation:
That's my take on it. Any experts out there?

Jenni Lukac (X)
Local time: 17:54
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 40
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1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
decantaba la materia
freeing oneself of materialism


Explanation:
I think the sense of “decant” here is to “empty” or “release”, but I think to “free” works OK in this context. “Divest” is another word that came to mind, or "rid"…

Example sentence(s):
  • Se trataba sin duda de un desafío colosal que en sí mismo fortalecía el espíritu y <u>decantaba la materia</u>.
  • Strengthening the spirit and <u>freeing oneself of materialism</u> was undoubtedly a huge challenge in itself.
James A. Walsh
Spain
Local time: 17:54
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in SpanishSpanish
PRO pts in category: 4
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +4
purify matter / one's material self


Explanation:
None of the DRAE definitions of "decantar" seems to fit the bill here, but I think the meaning is related to "decant":

"Separar un líquido del poso que contiene"
http://lema.rae.es/drae/?val=decantar

However, it is a metaphorical meaning derived from this. When you "decant" something, by this definition, separating the liquid from the dregs, you purify it. "Decantar" is used in this sense in alchemy, for purifying matter:

"símbolos de la alquimia que facilitan la manera espiritual de decantar y de transfundir la materia"
http://www.cervantesvirtual.com/obra-visor/sur--2/html/027eb...

One of the dictionary definitions of "decantar" in Portuguese is precisely purify:

"de·can·tar 1 - Conjugar
(francês décanter)
verbo transitivo
1. Proceder à decantação, à filtragem de.
2. Transvasar um líquido para o separar das suas impurezas.
3. [Figurado] Limpar, purificar.
"decantar", in Dicionário Priberam da Língua Portuguesa [em linha], 2008-2013,
http://www.priberam.pt/dlpo/decantar

And "décanter" in French can mean clarify.

So I think "decantar" is being used in this sense: metaphorically remove the impurities, and so purify:

"Queremos suprimir lo superfluo: decantar."
http://elistas.net/lista/redluz/archivo/indice/1760/msg/1631...

I've found other examples of this usage in relation to Toltec thought and ancient Mexican philosophy generally:

"Aquellos seres humanos que estaban dispuestos a hacer un sacrificio excepcional y un esfuerzo superior para decantar su materia y purificar su espíritu a través de La Batalla Florida, que se libra en lo más profundo de su corazón [...]
Xipe Totec es el simbolismo del acto consciente de decantar la materia. Es decir, desprenderse de aquellas pasiones y debilidades asociadas a la “carne” y al mundo material [...]
De la misma manera simbólica, la materia muere pero resucita con mayor fuerza con el espíritu decantado y purificado"
http://toltecayotl.org/tolteca/index.php?option=com_content&...

The second passage here indicates that purging or freeing oneself of materialism, as Jenni and James have suggested, is very close to the meaning. But "la materia" is matter, the material world, the material self, not materialism. Ridding oneself of material passions and weaknesses is an explanation of what is involved in "decantar la materia", but it is not actually what the phrase means. It means purifying matter, and matter refers to one's material self (as opposed to "espíritu", one's spirit or spiritual self).

Charles Davis
Spain
Local time: 17:54
Works in field
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 56
Grading comment
Many thanks for this. Excellent in-depth research, I'm extremely grateful to you.

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  ormiston: well researched. Agree it is not materialism. I've offered something that goes one step further.
26 mins
  -> Thanks! Very interesting topic, this.

agree  franglish: My train of thought, too. Excellent research, as usual.
57 mins
  -> Many thanks, franglish :)

agree  Catarina Lopes
3 hrs
  -> Thanks, Ana :)

agree  Sian Cooper
1 day 5 hrs
  -> Thanks, Sian! I hope you're well :)
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2 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
detachment from one's physical body


Explanation:
Given the other half of the phrase about strengthening the MIND I think it refers to attaining detachment from one's physical body.

Charles' interesting link talks about "SU materia".

edhttp://www.powerattunements.com/article50.html

ormiston
Local time: 17:54
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 8
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10 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 1/5Answerer confidence 1/5
renounced matter


Explanation:
renounced matter/the physical world

JM González
United States
Local time: 09:54
Native speaker of: Native in SpanishSpanish, Native in EnglishEnglish
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12 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
dejando atras la materia


Explanation:
Decantar un liquido deja los sólidos en el envase. De acuerdo al texto está tratando de liberarse de la materia, lo que rodea, encubre y lastra al espíritu. Cuando el espíritu se fortalece, libera y eleva deja atrás a la materia.

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Note added at 12 hrs (2013-12-15 02:49:59 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Sorry I was thinking in Spanish and oops! answered in Spanish, I meant leaves matter behind. I meant to say, *that by itself fortify the spirit and leave matter behind*

Carlos Blanco, B.Sc. in Chemistry
Spain
Local time: 17:54
Native speaker of: Native in SpanishSpanish, Native in EnglishEnglish
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