Journeys with the god
God is a word that still holds a lot of power. What does it bring to mind for you? Most people probably still think of god in the monotheistic sense, such as the Hebrew or Muslim god. It's difficult for some to relate to this notion of god now, one that perhaps seems too stern, overbearing, judgmental or dated. There is of course the goddess too, much revered in prehistoric times, such as the Venus figurines and other voluptuous statuettes dating as far back as 40,000 years. Many still have a relationship with god through organised religions but perhaps not the goddess, whereas those exploring alternative paths and faiths might no longer relate to god but have embraced the re-emerging goddess.
The concept of god and goddess can be related to the masculine and feminine aspects of the self. Psychologically it's healthy to seek a balance between the two. The goddess can be found in the land all around us, the Mother or Earth goddess; just by going out and spending time connecting with nature we can begin to form a relationship with this figure. By thinking of our own mothers, grandmothers, sisters and so on, we can understand different manifestations of the goddess and thanks to the web of information readily accessible to most today, we can discover much about ancient goddesses from all over the world. For the god, however, it can be difficult to make a healthy connection or to reconnect when leaving behind the old concept.
After a series of solitary rituals, in which male deities from difficult cultures are explored, I made some notes following the journeys to meet them. Each god was associated with a Sign from the zodiac. I've decided to share insights from some of these meditations.
In Gemini, the journey looked at teaching and learning and the figure encountered was Chiron - an unusually kind, intelligent and civilized centaur from Greek mythology. During the meditation Chiron revealed an open but blank book. He advised that remaining open, like a book, enables continual learning and to always keep blank pages to fill with new experiences and lessons to teach others. A good student is always open-minded and a good teacher is fair with a sense of humour, imparting but never forcing knowledge.
Prometheus was the guide for Leo, a Greek Titan and hero credited with the creation of humanity and giving fire to mankind. The Prometheus journey looked at sacrifices and dreams. We can hold a dream for a long time, a wish or desire. It might eventually manifest and we essentially live our dream and for a while it's great. But if the dream begins to fade, if it looses its appeal or just ends it can be difficult to let go. We can grasp at it, try to keep the dream alive or attempt to recreate it. Prometheus advised that it's okay to let go of a dream and that sometimes it needs to be given up to allow a new one to manifest.
With the sun moving into Libra, Rashnu comes forward, the essence of the truth and justice in Zoroastrianism. It can be easy to mistreat others through a lack of understanding or compassion or not wanting to learn about people who are different. Yet for all the cruelty and unfairness, there is love, charity and joy that people are creating. Rashnu said we can help heal conflict with others by asking about and listening to what they've learned from their experiences, which doesn't mean we have to agree with or condone what they've done. Yet our simple listening helps generate compassion.
Looking at Scorpio, the Welsh hero Pywll teaches about transformation. This was perhaps one of the more profound messages I received. Pywll revealed that all of the pain and suffering we experience actually fuels the light of the soul, causing it to grow stronger and brighter. In this way, when natural or destined death arrives, the light - our light, is transmitted to the Universe.
A few other snippets from these journeys include the suggestion to move and dance often, as life is a dance and movement is life. Life is like a game that needs to be played; although no one likes to loose, in a way it's giving gift to the other player - the gift of winning. And the winner can also be you, in another time and place.
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