RandomActsOfKarma (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
randomactsofkarmasc) wrote2022-10-30 03:23 pm
randomactsofkarmasc) wrote2022-10-30 03:23 pm
Entry tags:
Update on my Quest
In some comments I've made elsewhere (Magic Mondays, Ecosophia's Open Posts, and other Dreamwidth-authors' posts), I've made reference to my current side-quest (which has morphed into a full-fledged Quest, at this point). Pixelated, in another forum, mentioned that she's been watching my Dreamwidth for an update on my Quest. I haven't done one, mostly because I had this idea that I would figure everything out and write a well-organized essay on what I've learned. But, in reflecting on Pixelated's comment, I realized that might not be the best approach. In my online conversations about by Quest, others (hat tip to Violet!) have recommended resources that were very helpful. And at the rate I am going, it is going to be a while before I have my thoughts organized into a coherent essay.
So here's an overview of where my thinking is at so far (without doing proper attributions, for the most part, because that requires organized notes. I have lots of notes, they just aren't organized yet.)
1. JG/JMG developed a way to align the 10 Spheres of the Cabala to the Wheel of Life (which has 8 stations).
2. I was studying Ogham stuff (for my AODA curriculum) and noticed it could be aligned to the Wheel of Life, too. I did an summary of things aligned to the Wheel from JMG, Hall, and Hidalgo, mostly to help me with Ogham.
3. Then I read in Secret Teachings (a book I am slowly working my way through) that some believe the Zodiac used to have 10 signs (Virgo-Scorpio was one sign and the Greeks added Libra to make things symmetrical).
4. I located one of Hall's references and tried to read just the section regarding the Zodiac, but it was too interesting and I ended up reading the whole book.
5. Meanwhile, another Dreamwidther posted something that led me to the Five Stages of Greek Religion book. And somewhere along the way, I had read the Herakles 12 Labors could be aligned to the Zodiac. And also that Herakles originally had 10 Labors, but the King assigned two more, because he thought two of them shouldn't count.
6. Gadzooks! So Herakles used to have 10 Labors and the Zodiac used to have 10 signs?!? Quest accepted.
7. The Five Stages of Greek Religion mentioned one author who thought Herakles was a consort of Hera. I tried to find that reference, but could not. Instead, I found an article that referenced the same author, plus several more who tried to figure out who Herakles was in relation to Hera (and what does Herakles really translate to?) (The version I like so far is that Zeus was the head deity of one culture that 'consumed' another culture (invaded? maybe, maybe not...) and that Hera was the head deity of the second culture. To peacefully coexist, the cultures blended their pantheons and Zeus gave up his first wife (Hebe) and Hera gave up her consort (Herakles), so Zeus and Hera could be together (and eventually Herakles and Hebe got together) (but this isn't really relevant for my Quest, other than reinforcing the idea that you really should not take myths literally... there are many many layers of meaning.)) Back to the Quest:
8. Herakles' Labor (ten/twelve) align to the Zodiac.
9. Herakles is a solar deity... he 'fell' to humanity and had to redeem himself to be divine again.
10. Herakles' path to divinity was in two parts: the Twelve Labors and Jason/Argonauts/Golden Fleece. The Twelve Labors represent a Path of Initiation. Which initiation? Well, before he went to Hades, Herakles was initiated into the Lesser Eleusinian Mysteries, so I'm assuming that Initiation. And that makes Jason and the Argonauts the Path of the Greater Mystery (which results in achieving the Magnum Opus, the Golden Fleece).
11. The Lesser Mysteries are about transmuting Lead to Silver (joining your Mind and Soul to reflect the Divine); the Greater Mysteries are about transmuting Silver to Gold (rejoining the Divine).
12. So now my Herakles' Quest relates to the Zodiac, the Wheel of Life, and Alchemy!
13. I spent much time trying to figure out how I could fit the Zodiac on the Wheel of Life without it being arbitrary. I read up on Astrology and found some interesting tidbits (Herakles had Pillars and the colures are considered the Pillars of the Cosmos!). And then had several references to the Dendera Zodiac show up in books and online. (The Dendera Zodiac is Egyptian and is shaped into an octagon!)
14. However, I also found that the Lesser Mysteries refer to two sixth-month periods (which makes 12, the Zodiac) and the Greater Mysteries had a ceremony that lasted 9 days (and the second day involved being in the ocean, which seems like a fairly obvious Binah reference), so I'm thinking the Greater Mysteries/Golden Fleece will end up being aligned with the Wheel of Life (and the Spheres of the Cabala) and the Lesser Mysteries/Twelve Labors will end up being aligned with the Zodiac.
So, my current plan is to organize my notes and find gaps and research/meditate to fill in those gaps. I am hoping to be able to align Herakles' Labors to the Zodiac and to the stages of spiritual alchemy as described in the Book of Lambspring (which provided the images used by the Octagon Society). Then I am going to go through the curriculum of the Octagon Society again, to see what I missed the first time. And then, maybe, I'll have a better understanding of Herakles.
If you have any resources you think I should read to help me on my Quest, let me know. At some point, I'll start a separate post to document the books, articles, and websites I've used so far, in case some of you find the Herakles Quest interesting, too. :-)
Thanks!
So here's an overview of where my thinking is at so far (without doing proper attributions, for the most part, because that requires organized notes. I have lots of notes, they just aren't organized yet.)
1. JG/JMG developed a way to align the 10 Spheres of the Cabala to the Wheel of Life (which has 8 stations).
2. I was studying Ogham stuff (for my AODA curriculum) and noticed it could be aligned to the Wheel of Life, too. I did an summary of things aligned to the Wheel from JMG, Hall, and Hidalgo, mostly to help me with Ogham.
3. Then I read in Secret Teachings (a book I am slowly working my way through) that some believe the Zodiac used to have 10 signs (Virgo-Scorpio was one sign and the Greeks added Libra to make things symmetrical).
4. I located one of Hall's references and tried to read just the section regarding the Zodiac, but it was too interesting and I ended up reading the whole book.
5. Meanwhile, another Dreamwidther posted something that led me to the Five Stages of Greek Religion book. And somewhere along the way, I had read the Herakles 12 Labors could be aligned to the Zodiac. And also that Herakles originally had 10 Labors, but the King assigned two more, because he thought two of them shouldn't count.
6. Gadzooks! So Herakles used to have 10 Labors and the Zodiac used to have 10 signs?!? Quest accepted.
7. The Five Stages of Greek Religion mentioned one author who thought Herakles was a consort of Hera. I tried to find that reference, but could not. Instead, I found an article that referenced the same author, plus several more who tried to figure out who Herakles was in relation to Hera (and what does Herakles really translate to?) (The version I like so far is that Zeus was the head deity of one culture that 'consumed' another culture (invaded? maybe, maybe not...) and that Hera was the head deity of the second culture. To peacefully coexist, the cultures blended their pantheons and Zeus gave up his first wife (Hebe) and Hera gave up her consort (Herakles), so Zeus and Hera could be together (and eventually Herakles and Hebe got together) (but this isn't really relevant for my Quest, other than reinforcing the idea that you really should not take myths literally... there are many many layers of meaning.)) Back to the Quest:
8. Herakles' Labor (ten/twelve) align to the Zodiac.
9. Herakles is a solar deity... he 'fell' to humanity and had to redeem himself to be divine again.
10. Herakles' path to divinity was in two parts: the Twelve Labors and Jason/Argonauts/Golden Fleece. The Twelve Labors represent a Path of Initiation. Which initiation? Well, before he went to Hades, Herakles was initiated into the Lesser Eleusinian Mysteries, so I'm assuming that Initiation. And that makes Jason and the Argonauts the Path of the Greater Mystery (which results in achieving the Magnum Opus, the Golden Fleece).
11. The Lesser Mysteries are about transmuting Lead to Silver (joining your Mind and Soul to reflect the Divine); the Greater Mysteries are about transmuting Silver to Gold (rejoining the Divine).
12. So now my Herakles' Quest relates to the Zodiac, the Wheel of Life, and Alchemy!
13. I spent much time trying to figure out how I could fit the Zodiac on the Wheel of Life without it being arbitrary. I read up on Astrology and found some interesting tidbits (Herakles had Pillars and the colures are considered the Pillars of the Cosmos!). And then had several references to the Dendera Zodiac show up in books and online. (The Dendera Zodiac is Egyptian and is shaped into an octagon!)
14. However, I also found that the Lesser Mysteries refer to two sixth-month periods (which makes 12, the Zodiac) and the Greater Mysteries had a ceremony that lasted 9 days (and the second day involved being in the ocean, which seems like a fairly obvious Binah reference), so I'm thinking the Greater Mysteries/Golden Fleece will end up being aligned with the Wheel of Life (and the Spheres of the Cabala) and the Lesser Mysteries/Twelve Labors will end up being aligned with the Zodiac.
So, my current plan is to organize my notes and find gaps and research/meditate to fill in those gaps. I am hoping to be able to align Herakles' Labors to the Zodiac and to the stages of spiritual alchemy as described in the Book of Lambspring (which provided the images used by the Octagon Society). Then I am going to go through the curriculum of the Octagon Society again, to see what I missed the first time. And then, maybe, I'll have a better understanding of Herakles.
If you have any resources you think I should read to help me on my Quest, let me know. At some point, I'll start a separate post to document the books, articles, and websites I've used so far, in case some of you find the Herakles Quest interesting, too. :-)
Thanks!
no subject
Axé!
Fra' Lupo
no subject
no subject
At any rate, provocative ideas, and best of luck!
no subject