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Isis and Osiris: Difference between revisions
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Their brother, Seth, lived in the desert and was angry with Osiris because green things were growing over the land, so he decided to kill Osiris. He took the measurement of Osiris’ body from his shadow and built a chest in which he would fit, then invited Osiris and Isis to a banquet at which they played a game to determine who would become owner of this beautiful chest. No one fit in except Osiris. Once inside, Seth and his attendants placed a heavy cover on the chest, hammered nails into it and soldered it closed with melted lead. They threw the chest into a river, which carried his dead body to sea. | Their brother, Seth, lived in the desert and was angry with Osiris because green things were growing over the land, so he decided to kill Osiris. He took the measurement of Osiris’ body from his shadow and built a chest in which he would fit, then invited Osiris and Isis to a banquet at which they played a game to determine who would become owner of this beautiful chest. No one fit in except Osiris. Once inside, Seth and his attendants placed a heavy cover on the chest, hammered nails into it and soldered it closed with melted lead. They threw the chest into a river, which carried his dead body to sea. | ||
A flood cast the chest upon the land where an acacia tree lifted it up. The branches of the tree wrapped themselves around it and it grew. While Osiris was in the chest death and war came into the land. Grain and fruit trees didn’t flourish and green places became desert. | A flood cast the chest upon the land where an acacia tree lifted it up. The branches of the tree wrapped themselves around it and it grew. While Osiris was in the chest, death and war came into the land. Grain and fruit trees didn’t flourish and green places became desert. | ||
Isis set out to find the chest which held the body of her husband. Wherever she went bands of children followed her and helped in the search. Isis blessed the children and decreed that forever after children would speak words of wisdom and sometimes tell of things to come. | Isis set out to find the chest which held the body of her husband. Wherever she went bands of children followed her and helped in the search. Isis blessed the children and decreed that forever after children would speak words of wisdom and sometimes tell of things to come. | ||
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== Archetypal representatives of the Father-Mother God == | == Archetypal representatives of the Father-Mother God == | ||
We can translate these stories into an understanding of the principles of alchemy and the transfer of energy from Spirit to Matter, the interchange of Father giving life to Mother, Mother giving life to Father, and the great desiring of Mother for Father, restoring him to life, the great desiring of Father for Mother, bringing about the manifestation of the Son, the manifestation of this Trinity. | We can translate these stories into an understanding of the principles of alchemy and the transfer of energy from Spirit to Matter, the interchange of Father giving life to Mother, Mother giving life to Father, and the great desiring of Mother for Father, restoring him to life, the great desiring of Father for Mother, bringing about the manifestation of the Son, the manifestation of this Trinity. Then we see the polar opposite as anti-Christ, anti-Mother, anti-God. The four figures in the legend play the perpetual role of light and darkness—light transcending itself into new forms and darkness itself being diminished by the expansion of the focalization of light. | ||
''The Virgin of the World'', an ancient Greek text attributed to [[Hermes Tirismegistus]], includes these words spoken by Isis to her son Horus: | ''The Virgin of the World'', an ancient Greek text attributed to [[Hermes Tirismegistus]], includes these words spoken by Isis to her son Horus: | ||
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<blockquote>“They shall read,” Hermes said, “my mystic writings, and dividing them into two parts, they shall keep certain of them, and inscribe upon columns and obelisks those which may be useful to man.” Institutors of the first tribunals, they established everywhere the reign of order and justice. With them began the faith of treaties, and the introduction into human life of the religious duty of oaths. They taught the rites of sepulture [burial] towards those who cease to live; they interrogated the horrors of death; they shewed that the spirit from without delights to return into the human body, and that if the way of entry be shut against it, it brings about a failure of life.</blockquote> | <blockquote>“They shall read,” Hermes said, “my mystic writings, and dividing them into two parts, they shall keep certain of them, and inscribe upon columns and obelisks those which may be useful to man.” Institutors of the first tribunals, they established everywhere the reign of order and justice. With them began the faith of treaties, and the introduction into human life of the religious duty of oaths. They taught the rites of sepulture [burial] towards those who cease to live; they interrogated the horrors of death; they shewed that the spirit from without delights to return into the human body, and that if the way of entry be shut against it, it brings about a failure of life.</blockquote> | ||
<blockquote>Instructed by Hermes, they engraved upon hidden tables that the air is filled with genii | <blockquote>Instructed by Hermes, they engraved upon hidden tables that the air is filled with genii [elemental life]. Instructed by Hermes in the secret laws of God, they alone were the teachers and legislators of mankind, initiating them in the arts, the sciences, and the benefits of civilised life. Instructed by Hermes concerning the sympathetic affinities which the Creator has established between heaven and earth, they instituted religious representations and sacred mysteries. And, considering the corruptible nature of all bodies, they ordained prophetic initiation [i.e., initiation by the prophets], so that the prophet who lifts his hands to the Gods should be instructed in all things, and that thereby philosophy and magic might provide nourishment for the soul, and medicine might heal the sufferings of the flesh.<ref>Ibid., p. 21.</ref></blockquote> | ||
This philosophy is the entire understanding of this history and of our religion, and the magic is the white magic of the science of the spoken Word. Therefore, prophets were ordained by the Manus, by the Father-Mother representative, to receive from God that which should be given to those souls, the nature of whose bodies is corruptible. | This philosophy is the entire understanding of this history and of our religion, and the magic is the white magic of the science of the spoken Word. Therefore, prophets were ordained by the Manus, by the Father-Mother representative, to receive from God that which should be given to those souls, the nature of whose bodies is corruptible. | ||