When we think of Life, we often limit our thoughts solely to animated life—birds, trees, bacteria, and other organisms that grow, change, and ultimately die. However the scope of Life is much larger than just those things which we classify as “living.” Instead of “the state of being alive,” a more accurate definition of Life is “the state of existing.” It is only when we accept the latter that we can even begin to fathom the true nature of Life.
As I have come to know it, Life is an impersonal force. It has no self-awareness and no consciousness. It is eternal, driving all existence into being. Life is also a fluid force. It changes constantly. We can see this in the evolution of our world; for example, the evolution of species, wherein one type of animal gradually becomes another. Life is constantly adapting and unfolding in new ways. Although such processes may be partially caused by outside influences (such as the Gods), they are nevertheless the natural by-products of the Life force itself.
Being an unconscious force, Life can be manipulated in various fashions. Like electricity, it can be wired, bent, and shaped to do different things. Of course, the degree to which anyone can manipulate the Life force depends upon how familiar he or she is with it. After all, you would not want your computer technician to wire your house!
As conscious, living beings, humans have somewhat of an ability to shape the Life force. In our modern age of technology, we see this all the time. Through using the laws of physics, scientists are able to create what may be called “synthetic” life in the forms of computers and other such machines. Though these are not the organic models of life that we are used to, they nevertheless are Life—Life that has, in fact, been developed and produced by humans.
Humans are also able to bend the Life force in extra-ordinary means. This is the process which we call magic. As Aleister Crowley so nicely put it, magic is “the science and art of causing change to occur in conformity with the will.”[1] This change comes about through twisting the Life force so that it may be in accordance with what is ultimately desired. Thus humans are able to manipulate Life not only physically but also mentally.
Though humans are capable of using the force of Life to their own intents, they are by no means the experts on the subject. There are a host of other beings that are far more skilled and far more knowledgeable when it comes to Life. Chief among these are the Gods, those birthed and bred to impart knowledge of Life upon others, and there is no God more prominent in this area than Danu.
Danu, the Mother Goddess of the Gaels, stands at the Cauldron of Life, the great gold and amber colored waters that contain the very essence of existence. It is from here that she gives order to our world. It is from here that she created our people…
___________________________________
Once, Danu was striding about the rim of the pool that is all Life. Gazing deeply into the waters around her, she declared, “I am Danu! the River of Heaven! Let my waters flow forth from this place! Let them impress Truth upon the universe!”
The pool, the Cauldron of Life, roared beneath her eyes, churning in an endless spiral. With motions of impenetrable power, yet of unsurpassable grace, Danu directed the currents to and fro. And in this stirring and mixing of the Waters of Life, na hUiscí Beatha, Danu shaped primordial beings. Thus the first of the Tuatha Dé Danann, the Tribes of the Goddess Danu, were born out of the Waters of Heaven.
The Tuatha Dé Danann set themselves to study, and so went off into the four great cities of knowledge, namely Falias and Gorias, Murias and Findias. In these provinces of the northern world, they came to know every wisdom and every magic under their teacher-poets: Mór-Fesae in Falias and Esras in Gorias, Semias in Murias and Uscias in Findias. Then, having achieved the knowledge of the universe, they came to Mide—that is, the mortal realm.
They arrived out of a cloud of mist on the first of May, that which we now call Bealtaine, in the area of Corcu-Belgatan—Conmhaícne Mara or Connemara today. With them, they brought four great treasures. From Falias they brought the Lia Fáil, the great stone now atop the Hill of Tara, which would cry out beneath the rightful king. From Gorias they brought the spear of Lugh, against which no battle was ever won. From Murias came the cauldron of the Dagda, from which no company went away unsatisfied. And from Findias was brought the sword of Nuada, the wrath of which no one ever escaped.
Using these tools and weapons, the Tuatha Dé Danann created order in the realm of man. They uprooted the rule of the Fomhoire—a race of Titan-like creatures who live beneath the sea, creating troubles and mayhem. Having displaced their enemies, the Tuatha Dé Danann now ruled the land, giving it law, righteousness, and every kind of art and science. They spent their days creating new marvels and wonders, each more fabulous than the last.
Nevertheless it was only a matter of time before the evolution of man caused him to come into conflict with these ancient beings. Like a rebellious adolescent, humanity challenged the Tuatha Dé Danann, plotting to overthrown them. And so a great battle of wits and wills ensued, and in the end, the Tuatha Dé Danann, no longer wanted in this world, returned to the place in which they had begun. Mide was now man’s realm.
Yet man soon learned that he could not survive on his own. The elements were harsh and the emotional toils even more trying. Hoping for relief, men began to appeal to the Tuatha Dé Danann, who they now called Gods. Created to impress Truth onto the universe, these Gods guided mankind. They taught them the ways of justice and up-rightness. They taught them values and ethics. They taught them custom and culture. And thus, through this truce with their Gods, the culture of the Gaels was born…
___________________________________
This myth brings me to the last point that I wish to make about Life: when we honor Life, we honor the act of Creation. Creation is the process by which the Life force becomes shaped and solidified into new forms. The above myth is a poetical interpretation of this process. In it we move from an immemorial time to the present, from a world without form to one with a wide variety. It is a representation of the Creation process: taking an idea, refining that idea, and ultimately giving that idea a structure. It is in this manner that Danu creates the Gods and that the Gods create order and culture. It is in this manner that Life happens.
Every morning, the first bead that I touch on my string of prayer beads is dedicated to Life. On this bead, I pause to reflect on and to honor the three conditions of Life, conditions which I have here put forth in writing: Life is an impersonal force, immortal and fluid; to honor Life is to honor Creator—the ability to shape the Life force; and finally, to honor Creator is to honor Creation—the process by which Life takes form.
Understanding the nature of Life is the ultimate quest of humanity. Everything we do, and everything we experience brings us one step closer to grasping this ultimate mystery. I do not claim to know all of the answers, and, save the Gods, I do not believe that anyone can. However, as you have just witnessed, I have my fair share of opinions on the matter. Yet even these are not truly mine. They lie somewhere off beyond the ninth wave, somewhere between the ocean mist and the setting sun. And while it was never my idea to convert you to my understanding, it has always been my plan to inspire knowledge. So answer me this, my dear reader, what is Life?
Sláinte,
Bryce
[1] Crowley, Magick, Book 4 p.127
*Image source not stated*
As I have come to know it, Life is an impersonal force. It has no self-awareness and no consciousness. It is eternal, driving all existence into being. Life is also a fluid force. It changes constantly. We can see this in the evolution of our world; for example, the evolution of species, wherein one type of animal gradually becomes another. Life is constantly adapting and unfolding in new ways. Although such processes may be partially caused by outside influences (such as the Gods), they are nevertheless the natural by-products of the Life force itself.
Being an unconscious force, Life can be manipulated in various fashions. Like electricity, it can be wired, bent, and shaped to do different things. Of course, the degree to which anyone can manipulate the Life force depends upon how familiar he or she is with it. After all, you would not want your computer technician to wire your house!
As conscious, living beings, humans have somewhat of an ability to shape the Life force. In our modern age of technology, we see this all the time. Through using the laws of physics, scientists are able to create what may be called “synthetic” life in the forms of computers and other such machines. Though these are not the organic models of life that we are used to, they nevertheless are Life—Life that has, in fact, been developed and produced by humans.
Humans are also able to bend the Life force in extra-ordinary means. This is the process which we call magic. As Aleister Crowley so nicely put it, magic is “the science and art of causing change to occur in conformity with the will.”[1] This change comes about through twisting the Life force so that it may be in accordance with what is ultimately desired. Thus humans are able to manipulate Life not only physically but also mentally.
Though humans are capable of using the force of Life to their own intents, they are by no means the experts on the subject. There are a host of other beings that are far more skilled and far more knowledgeable when it comes to Life. Chief among these are the Gods, those birthed and bred to impart knowledge of Life upon others, and there is no God more prominent in this area than Danu.
Danu, the Mother Goddess of the Gaels, stands at the Cauldron of Life, the great gold and amber colored waters that contain the very essence of existence. It is from here that she gives order to our world. It is from here that she created our people…
___________________________________
Once, Danu was striding about the rim of the pool that is all Life. Gazing deeply into the waters around her, she declared, “I am Danu! the River of Heaven! Let my waters flow forth from this place! Let them impress Truth upon the universe!”
The pool, the Cauldron of Life, roared beneath her eyes, churning in an endless spiral. With motions of impenetrable power, yet of unsurpassable grace, Danu directed the currents to and fro. And in this stirring and mixing of the Waters of Life, na hUiscí Beatha, Danu shaped primordial beings. Thus the first of the Tuatha Dé Danann, the Tribes of the Goddess Danu, were born out of the Waters of Heaven.
The Tuatha Dé Danann set themselves to study, and so went off into the four great cities of knowledge, namely Falias and Gorias, Murias and Findias. In these provinces of the northern world, they came to know every wisdom and every magic under their teacher-poets: Mór-Fesae in Falias and Esras in Gorias, Semias in Murias and Uscias in Findias. Then, having achieved the knowledge of the universe, they came to Mide—that is, the mortal realm.
They arrived out of a cloud of mist on the first of May, that which we now call Bealtaine, in the area of Corcu-Belgatan—Conmhaícne Mara or Connemara today. With them, they brought four great treasures. From Falias they brought the Lia Fáil, the great stone now atop the Hill of Tara, which would cry out beneath the rightful king. From Gorias they brought the spear of Lugh, against which no battle was ever won. From Murias came the cauldron of the Dagda, from which no company went away unsatisfied. And from Findias was brought the sword of Nuada, the wrath of which no one ever escaped.
Using these tools and weapons, the Tuatha Dé Danann created order in the realm of man. They uprooted the rule of the Fomhoire—a race of Titan-like creatures who live beneath the sea, creating troubles and mayhem. Having displaced their enemies, the Tuatha Dé Danann now ruled the land, giving it law, righteousness, and every kind of art and science. They spent their days creating new marvels and wonders, each more fabulous than the last.
Nevertheless it was only a matter of time before the evolution of man caused him to come into conflict with these ancient beings. Like a rebellious adolescent, humanity challenged the Tuatha Dé Danann, plotting to overthrown them. And so a great battle of wits and wills ensued, and in the end, the Tuatha Dé Danann, no longer wanted in this world, returned to the place in which they had begun. Mide was now man’s realm.
Yet man soon learned that he could not survive on his own. The elements were harsh and the emotional toils even more trying. Hoping for relief, men began to appeal to the Tuatha Dé Danann, who they now called Gods. Created to impress Truth onto the universe, these Gods guided mankind. They taught them the ways of justice and up-rightness. They taught them values and ethics. They taught them custom and culture. And thus, through this truce with their Gods, the culture of the Gaels was born…
___________________________________
This myth brings me to the last point that I wish to make about Life: when we honor Life, we honor the act of Creation. Creation is the process by which the Life force becomes shaped and solidified into new forms. The above myth is a poetical interpretation of this process. In it we move from an immemorial time to the present, from a world without form to one with a wide variety. It is a representation of the Creation process: taking an idea, refining that idea, and ultimately giving that idea a structure. It is in this manner that Danu creates the Gods and that the Gods create order and culture. It is in this manner that Life happens.
Every morning, the first bead that I touch on my string of prayer beads is dedicated to Life. On this bead, I pause to reflect on and to honor the three conditions of Life, conditions which I have here put forth in writing: Life is an impersonal force, immortal and fluid; to honor Life is to honor Creator—the ability to shape the Life force; and finally, to honor Creator is to honor Creation—the process by which Life takes form.
Understanding the nature of Life is the ultimate quest of humanity. Everything we do, and everything we experience brings us one step closer to grasping this ultimate mystery. I do not claim to know all of the answers, and, save the Gods, I do not believe that anyone can. However, as you have just witnessed, I have my fair share of opinions on the matter. Yet even these are not truly mine. They lie somewhere off beyond the ninth wave, somewhere between the ocean mist and the setting sun. And while it was never my idea to convert you to my understanding, it has always been my plan to inspire knowledge. So answer me this, my dear reader, what is Life?
Sláinte,
Bryce
Danu at the Cauldron of Life
_____________[1] Crowley, Magick, Book 4 p.127
*Image source not stated*
No comments:
Post a Comment