Caustic Ramblings

By: Xōtlos Mizathtēlos

Because Neo-Paganism and New-Age in general is a largely western phenomenon, it has baggage from Christian thought, Premodern Christianity had an extreme focus on ideas like "Original Sin" and over-focused on Expiation, forgiveness etc as well nonesense like "One True Faith", extreme dogmatic fideism etc. As a result, New Age religion seems to (in reaction) reject any idea of Sin as well as any conception of Dogma or even Truth. With this, it became a huge "no-judge" zone, where anyone could do anything, as long as it made them "happy". Which is itself, a result of misinterpretations of Ancient "Western", Eastern and Abrahamic conceptions of "peace" and/or esctactic union with the Divine.

Which leads to my next point: if you deny any truth and replace it with being "happy", then you essentially replace the Gods with "positive energy". The only Dogma of New Age spirituality is "don't hurt my feelings". Which drove conversation away from Truth and towards personal pleasure, personal pleasure at any cost, even if it means covering your eyes and shouting "lalalalalalala".

All of this was pushed further, by the Egoism of many New Age practitioners, who reduce all spirituality to some lower psychological "sub-conscious" thing. Which makes the source of all understanding of the Gods, the Ego. Thus, the will of the Gods is not based on Higher Principle, but instead on the whims of the Ego, and is driven not towards Unity with the Gods, but towards pleasure and "happiness". (None of this is to speak on the actual teachings of most of the early New-Agers, which were often the opposite of such a self centered world view)

I should state, I am not pro-dogmatic fideism. I am also not an enemy of happiness or psychological interpretations of the Divine. I just recognize these that there is a truth beyond the subjective experience of the Ego.

Shining One, how many try and snuff out my torch!
How many dark clouds gather around me!
So many are saying of me,
“The Path of Light is but a fool's errand!”

But your power, Shining Lord, is my shield,
Glorious Halo, the Invincible Sun who lifts my head to lofty heights.
I call out to the Shining One,
and He answers me through his rays from up high.

I lie down and sleep;
I wake up and rise again because the Shining One sustains me.
I still radiate despite the thunderous clamor of those dark clouds;
I fear not the howling winds that assail me on every side.

Arise, Shining Lord!
Deliver me, O Invincible Sun!
Dissolve that insolent storm with your brilliant light;
Temper the wicked winds and shrink them down to a caressing breeze.

From the Shining Lord comes deliverance.
May you bless all of those who earnestly seek You out.

Though my somewhat-intensive studies on the matter (in my own scattered-yet-immersive style), I've found a very close correlation between the sephira spheres on the Kabalistic Tree of Life and the planetary spheres of classical Hermeticism. I actually find sticking to the planetary names and attributes to be more clear and helpful than using the former system.

Here is a diagram of how each of the planets fit into this system in hierarchical order:


A quick disclaimer is in order before proceeding further: The Plolemaic system is meant to be a metaphysical cosmological map, not a literal map of our actual physical solar system. Anyone witha 3rd grade science education knows that the Earth is certainly not the center of the solar system. In other words, the map above is heuristic device used to explain metaphysical principles; it's not the territory itself. We moderns have this knee-jerk impulse to grossly empiricize everything under the sun, to to speak. The ancients didn't really think like this. I've actually run into a few people (in this case, Rene Guenon fanboys) who believe literally in this geocentric model as being our physical reality. They are missing the point of it entirely and are spiritually and mentally consumed by their lower ego and thus have little interest in exploring the mysteries beyond the most superficial level with an open mind and humble heart.

Having gotten all of that out of the way, we can now move into the map itself. In this system, each of the 7 sacred "planets" function as receptors and transmitters of primordial cosmic energies or intelligences (i.e "the gods"), according to the classic Hermetic sciences. There are both higher and lower aspects to the planets, with the lower aspects manifesting when the different planetary energies intersect here on Earth in an inauspicious manner. The highest aspects are the benevolent qualities each planet represents. The hierarchy starts with Earth, but the Earth isn't a planet itself in this scheme, but rather the starting point on our enlightenment journey. The basic outline, in order:

Moon (Luna/Selene/Diana): Raw intuition and creativity, also the reception of all the other planetary energies and the transmission of them down to Earth. Associated with the Water element. Luna is the first step on the enlightenment path; it's the initial "wake-up call." The lower nature of the Lunar sphere consists of things like neuroticism, mental incontinence and even insanity, hence the word "Lunatic." The person who fails to pass the Lunar sphere is the person dominated by their unconscious mind; they run most of the time on autopilot and have difficulty exerting agency over their own affairs. In the world of art, Luna is the raw creativity. It's the Solar power (Apollo) which gives art its useful and inspiring form.

Mercury (Hermes/Thoth): Messenger of the gods and associated with the Air element. More specifically, this sphere represents the communicative and flexible powers of nature. Mercury is the power of intellect and thus the ability to understand higher wisdom/teachings within a coherent intellectual framework. Passing this sphere requires the ability to think clearly and rationally. However, remaining stuck in Mercury means the initiate cannot surpass the act of merely intellectualizing higher wisdom; without the ability to master the next sphere (Venus), the initiate will still be driven by emotional impulses, passions and desires. The "master debater" sophist, the legalistic pharisee and the arrogant professor are all potent archetypes for this type of Mercurial arrested development. The lower/malign aspect of Mercury manifests in the various misuses of the intellect that bring much harm and misfortune to others. Tricksters, con-artists and clever liars in general, are all archetypal associations of the dark side of Mercury.

Venus (Aurora/Aphrodite): Goddess of love and bonding. Venus represents the passions and the emotional side of human nature. Lower aspects are our lusts and animalistic appetites of an emotional nature. Passing this sphere requires the ability of the initiate to master his or her own emotions. Failing to pass the Venus sphere means we are still slaves to our emotions. Esoterically, the Venus sphere is the principle of attraction. It's associated with the element of Fire, but this fire is "flowing" and persistent, as opposed to the arid fire of Mars, which simply consumes things and ceases when that consumption process is complete. Venusian fire lingers until its actively dissipated or the burning energy moves onto someone or something else. Think of Venus as heat in a humid medium, say an environment like a tropical beach. Whereas, Mars is a desert environment.

Sun (Sol/Apollo): Represents the heroic and healing role the initiate will embody on his or her path. The Sun is the giver of life and energy. It represents vitalistic activity and energetic manifestation in general. A saintly person or a true altruist is the type of person who has mastered the Solar sphere. The Solar hero is truly a "son of God" if we're to understand what that means beyond all the trite platitudes which have been associated with that symbolism over the past many centuries. Solar Savior figures are clear representations of the Sun archetype when applied to the actions of sentient beings. The Sun is also a symbolization of Celestial Fire in an apparent form that humans can make sense of.

Mars (Pyroeis/Ares): Mars is the god of war, in the most superficial sense. However, on a more primal and esoteric level, the Martial sphere represents the harsh and unyielding Judgement aspect of the enlightenment path that must be mastered before ultimately breaking free of one's earthly fetters; it's raw willpower. Whereas Jupiter is the benevolent Sage or Hierophant capable of practicing genuine Mercy, Mars is the series of trials and tribulations that must be passed before the hero can truly become an enlightened master. Really, there's no Mercy without Judgement. Martial activities and endeavors are quite self-explanatory. Mars is a fundamentally male energy and thus its essence is supremely cut-and-dry and lacking in nuance. Whereas Venus, the mundane female energy, is a tangled web of ebbs and flows, meandering curvatures, and convoluted nuances.

Jupiter (Zeus/Jove): This sphere has been subject to a whole host of misunderstandings largely due to the fact that various sky gods also functioning as pantheon heads have been associated with this sphere without much in the way of finer explanations being offered. To clear up this confusion we should defer to the Indian understanding of what Jupiter represents. The Hindu shorthand term for this sphere is "Guru." The benevolent and wise teacher (or Hierophant) is the true essence of this sphere. The mundane aspect of Jupiter is fortune and prosperity; think of the word "Jovial" as an example. Combine this with its kabalistic association with Mercy, which can only really be attained once Judgement is mastered. Plato's concept of the Philosopher-King may perhaps be the best characterization of the aggregate sum of what this sphere has to offer.

Saturn (Kronos/Rhea): This oft-maligned planet represents the constrictive and limiting aspects of nature. It's associated with the Earth element and thus the Saturn symbolism of things like blockages, obstructions, austerity, restrictions, conservatism, stodginess, caution, rigidity, old age, slowness, stubbornness, the act of thwarting or stymieing, ect., easily comes to mind. If Mars is the sword in battle, then Saturn is the shield. If Mars is the accelerator on a car, then Saturn is the brakes. In essence, the Saturn energy is the final gatekeeper of this manifested universe of limitations, sorrow, troubles, death, ignorance, disaster, destruction, ect. We could perhaps say that Saturn is the Ouroboros (the serpent who eats its own tail) or the Wheel of Fate/Samsara. Saturn is the final tests before a soul can truly gain immortality of consciousness and escape the cycle of death and rebirth. At this stage, the initiate will have transcended all of their worldly desires and thus have balanced out all of their karmic debts. The highest aspect of the Saturn sphere is the Great Mother Goddess, which is the primordial energy that gives form and solidity to everything in manifested existence. Many of the Neolithic and Bronze Age serpent cults understood this symbolism quite intuitively.

The functions on this chart higher than Saturn constitute a whole different topic for another time.

Here is an interesting article news story that caught my eyes earlier today. It's about US Navy sailors who hold religious services rooted in Norse paganism aboard aircraft carrier.

Heathenry is experiencing a resurgence.

The polytheistic religion, one that traces its origin to Norse myths that tell of the universe’s creation and prophesy its destructive end, was at one time stifled following the end of the Viking Age and the subsequent spread of Christianity.

One such collections of myths, “The Prose Edda” — authored by Icelandic historian and politician Snorri Sturluson sometime around the year 1220 — provides much of what the modern world knows about Norse mythology: Yggdrasil, Asgard and the Aesir, a tribe of gods and goddesses with names like Odin, Thor, Loki, Frigg and Idun.

Now, nearly 800 years after Sturluson’s “Edda,” a small group of sailors aboard the aircraft carrier John C. Stennis has adopted these deities as the pillars of their religion, according to a Navy release.

My only opinion on this is simply, good for them! Anyway, the comment reactions to this story from shrieking ('autistic screeching' in 4chan parlance) evangelical Christians were pretty entertaining and entirely predictable. The responses fall along the lines of:

1. See, this is evidence of Satantic cults everywhere; the spiritual war is real!
2. Those evil and depraved heathens are probably sacrificing children!!!
3. Who needs old superstitious Norse mythology when we have Jesus to save us from our sins???

My response to these sentiments:

1. Yeah, just a couple decades ago you idiots were claiming that Dungeons % Dragons and heavy metal music were nothing but fronts for secret "Satan" worship. [Fallacy: ANYTHING THAT ISN'T EXACTLY MY RELIGIOUS BELIEFS IS EVIL/SATANIC/DEPRAVED/BLASPHEMOUS]
2. Dude, your entire religion revolves around human sacrifice. Glass houses, glass houses. [PROJECTION]
3. Ok, so let me get this straight: Norse mythology is just mythology and superstition, whereas Hebrew mythology is scientific fact? Whatever you are smoking, pass it this way. Wait...on second thought, I think I'll pass. [Again, PROJECTION]

I long for the truly old days when we go just each go about our business believing (or not believing) in any variant of whatever mythology or cosmological schema we want to without any real threat of harassment, coercion or character assassination. Maybe fundamentalist Christian will learn their lesson on this now that SJWs are coming for them. Then again, they probably won't learn a damn thing.

Oh well... Hail Odin!

Let's first get the etymological information out of the way:

Jupiter or Iuppiter is a vocative compound derived from the archaic Latin Iovis and pater (Latin for father). Linguistic studies identify the Latin theonym Jupiter as having derived from the phonologically similar proto-Indo-European compound *dyēus- pəter-, which refers to the "Father God," ruler of the daytime sky. This is the very same deity from whom also derives the Sanskrit Dyaus or Dyaus Pita ("Sky Father") of the Vedas, the Germanic *Tiwaz, and of course the Greek Zeus. This word *dyēus- pəter- itself derives from the proto-Indo-European root diu, meaning “bright” or "to shine," referring to the light of the sun and sky in daytime. For the Romans, as well as other mythological systems derived from proto-Indo-European roots such as that of the Vedas and the Norse, the god of the sky was also the supreme god. Thus, the similarity between Jupiter's Latin title and those given to the celestial gods in the Sanskrit, Germanic and Greek languages provides strong linguistic evidence that the god had a connection to the Proto-Indo-European sky god.

Jupiter's alternative title Jove, meanwhile, is an English formation based on Iov-, the stem of oblique cases of the Latin name for the Vedic Dyaus Pita.

It does seem that both Odin and Zeus played a very similar "All-fatherly" role in each respective mythology. But they certainly were not the same figure, not did they represent the same exact archetypal attributes. Zeus/Jupiter was depicted as a grand-regal sky god, whereas Odin was more portrayed as a wizardly god of knowledge.

And then there's the difference in planetary associations. At some point in time, the Greeks and Romans had retrofitted their pantheons into the Babylonian astrotheology schema, thus giving a planetary association to the most major of their deities. For example, Zeus/Jupiter became associated with the literal object in the sky we now all Jupiter, Aphrodite/Venus with the planet Venus, ect. So when the Romans met other peoples (usually by conquest), they would associate the foreign gods with their own by trying to match them up to their own sort of planetary associations. When the Romans made contact with the Germanic peoples, they associated Wotan/Odin with their own Mercury, probably as a snap judgement based on vague observations of shared attributes. However, as far as I know, the Germanic peoples had no such system of associating their gods with specific celestial objects, so to say that "Odin in Mercury" could very much be a gross misrepresentation of that god.

At the end of the day, we can say that Wotan/Odin is a father god and was head of the Norse pantheon (I'm unsure about other Germanic tribes though), but lacked the sky and thunder/lightning attributes of Zeus. In the Germanic system that latter quality was assigned to Thor. So we could say that Zeus is kind of a combination of Odin and Thor. But we can't just correlate two similar gods from different pantheons and say they're both just two different names for the same figure/entity.

Finally, within occult circles we find the idea that Odin is an actual entity somewhere out there in the cosmos; an entity people can learn to communicate with. I won't comment on the potential veracity of such a claim. Anyone reading this can search around on their own for stories and anecdotes that shine more light on this topic.

The short answer is that we don't really know for sure. And that modern attempts to reconstruct this lost tradition are always going to be based on modern assumptions and opinions rather than anything genuinely representing the ancient Celtic wordlview.

The problem we have with ascertaining authentic ancient Celtic beliefs and praxis basically boils down to:

(1) Lack of primary sources from the Celtic point of view due to both the wholesale Roman conquest of Celtic territories and the fact that Celtic spirituality was an oral tradition; very little was written down.

(2) Highly-biased second and third hand accounts of their beliefs and practices from parties who were rather hostile to (or just ignorant of) Celtic traditions.

(3) The fact that at their peak, the Celts were not a single nation or centralized political entity, but rather a continuum of various tribal groups and confederations that spanned a rather large geographic reach. And owing to this decentralized arrangement, there would have been quite a variety of differing beliefs and practices found among the varying groups spread out over this vast expanse of land; of course all of this was held together to some degree by the Druid orders which did bring some semblance of coherence to the whole thing, despite the many local differences in religious expression. But let us not pretend for one moment to know what the Druids believed or taught.

The same three points above could applied to other tribal traditions that the Romans wiped out, whether that would have been through direct military conquest or the later-occurring religious conquests of Roman Christianity via its mass conversions of various European peoples.

We can clearly see now why the many attempts at pagan reconstruction today constitutes an ever-precarious endeavor.