The ass in lion's skin

I thought with the theme of Halloween I would warn those whom hide behind the masks that they can only be hidden for so long. To quote Aesop's Fables, "An ass once found the skin of the Lion, put it on, and was highly amused to note how his presence brought terror to the other animals wherever he went. In his delight he could not resist raising his voice and braying loudly. At the sound, a Fox, who had been skulking off, turned about and said: 'Ah, I thought you were a Lion too, until I heard you bray' - Clothes do not make the man. - What we are losing as we forget to fear the gates of hell where the sentinel watches, forcing the damned to remain behind the gates of hell with the unblinking blind eye. A blind stare to this world seeing only those on the next. It shall be this night the seat is exchanged to the next. The new watcher will take their seat. We can only hope they are whom they say and not an Ass in Lion's clothing.

I was startled...

When reading The Storyteller I was startled to discover the origins of Halleys comet. The Tasurchi, or oneself, whom became enraged. He was so enraged he placed a broom handle up his anus.Why he was enraged is of non importance, but what he did with the anger is what is relevant. Then he lit the broom to fire, lifting himself higher and higher. Eventually out of the atmosphere, zooming by the Earth with the streaks of his lit broom still in place lights up the sky. We still see him today. Still angry still lit up with fire. When will we see him again? 2061 is the best guess. Perhaps he won't be angry and will come back to Earth to share his story.

That was before

As I turn the pages in The Storyteller I am filled with wonder and curiosity. I know where this is going, yet am lost. But that was before the end. Now I know. The journey of two men. One searching for answers to the questions plaguing his soul. One on a quest for his soul. Their journeys are separate, at times intertwining, and others completely separate. Both fulfilling and both essential for destiny. One will sacrifice a simple life for loneliness to compel survival of an entire civilization. The other will keep the legend going. It was quite the journey..... That, anyway, is what I have learned.

Greatest Evil

"The greatest evil is being distracted from oneself." The truth. Perhaps it is the devil that drives us to distraction. At least in youth that is the problem. When we get older its more Anamnasis. We start by knowing and forgetting everything. Relearning some of what was lost and losing it again. Perhaps when we rejoin the gods we can truly remember what was lost. Maybe that is the point of the journey. It would be pointless without the trials and rights of passage. Without pain we cannot flourish. Perhaps the gods sit and watch taking bets on the mundane choices we make. Who is right and whom is wrong? Clearly the gods are not wrong but they keep their word.

Familiarity

Blind familiarity. That is how American Gothic was described to me. I never knew that a grain of wheat contained the whole world. That this painting led to Egypt and Hades. It makes sense to me that in a secret ritual the thing that was shown, would be that which feeds and the basis for life. The single grain that connects us all to the past. A single stalk of grain. Not exciting? Think again. It may seem ordinary to the vulgar masses. It may seem profane. Without it life stops. If we take that away we lose everything. It is gravity to the past. This single grain that has watched over generations of generations. Always looming, watching and feeding. Without the grain we lose that which keeps us honest. Bread, a side of the pyramid. Without the side it falls. Cotton. No warmth. Are there others oh yes. The list goes on for infinity. Never ending, always looming and watching. Like a horror. Take the seed of life, take the lives. If we lose our connection to the past we lose ourselves and become the nothing. That is all that we have.

Vision Quests

Vision Quests. This is one of the most universal and ancient means to find spiritual guidance and purpose. A vision quest can provide deep understanding of ones life's purpose. This is a big turning point in life. It's a rite of passage between childhood and full acceptance into society as an adult. The first vision quest is during the transformative years. Also known as the teen years. When an older child is ready he will do a personal spiritual quest alone in the wilderness. Often this is in conjunction with a period of severe fasting. The vision quest can last a number of days while the child is still in touch with the spirit world. The vision quest lets the teenager access spiritual communication and form abstract thoughts. Usually a guardian spirit or animal force of nature will come in a vision or dream and give guidance to the child. After the quest the child may send up smoke signals saying that he is ok and had a successful quest. He may also mark the rock or trees in an area to tell of his vision. When he returns from his quest to the tribe he will pursue the direction in life usually of the guidance of the elders. Psychologists believe the extreme fasting or possibly some type of drug cause the hallucinations. I believe that it is all true. Myth. Something that has been lost but in a desperate need.

Distrusting

The Storyteller.... A man comes to your tent and claims to be your once dead son. You know him but he is older. You trust this. Why would he lie? You tell him you love him, you miss him and ask him what he misses of the living world. He tells you I miss suckling the breast. You let him because it is your son (?) why would he not be telling the truth. Then he leaves, supposedly back to the underworld. Maybe I am distrusting. Then again things then were probably a nickle. ...

Change

Finally I am able to blog. Kind of. I will miss my morning tedium. For the past 4 years I wake up, use the restroom and beautify as well as I am able. I wake up early to entertain my cats and feed them. Every morning different, every morning the same. I find myself once again on the move. Where I land a mystery. How many more moves is anyone's guess. Stacking the boxes and filling the tubs. I have done this so many times. The average of 15 every years. At least I have cleaned and rid myself of excess. I hate the moving, constantly jumping from 1 foot to the other, and the other is not good. I wonder how long until I get to unpack, move out of storage.... Perhaps not long, less than a year. Hopefully. In Cadmus and Harmony The gods constantly move and cast out others. To what end? Initiation. Perhaps moving time and again has been mine. I am an expert now. I wonder if asked would Arachne challenge the god to a contest again? Would Thesis still answer honestly knowing he would be blinded? Would Dionysis change anything? Would Europa trust the dark clouds or learn from her grandmother IO? How many more would Zeus rape or would he linger longer? Which gods would change or continue? Would Eve still trust the Snake? Perhaps Thesius would avoid the benches in Hades? Perhaps none of this could be changed, it was destiny.