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dumuzi,
tammuz

Babylonian Month of June-July

The fourth month of the Babylonian year is named for the God of Fertility and Shepherds. With the advent of the hot, dry season, the month of mid-June to mid-July is called “Dumuzi (Tammuz).” For this month of summer, Dumuzi goes to the Netherworld to live for six months. The months between June and September are the months that the Dead can roam among the living. This was the time of ghosts and rituals against prolonged illnesses.

On the 18th day of this month, the statue of Ishtar (Dumuzi’s wife) is washed, and Dumuzi’s one is anointed in oil. Starting on the 25th day, people honored his death. On the “Day of the Striking,” Dumuzi’s statue is displayed. During “The Day of the Screaming,” people wailed for Him. On “The Day He is caught,” barley is burned and his statue is thrown out the main gate. (This refers to the Galla coming from the Underworld to fetch the God.) On the “Day of the Stall (where He was captured),” Dumuzi’s statue lies in state. At this time, a priest whispers prayers into the statue’s ears. Then on the last day, “Day of Redemption,” the fields are cleared (the Dead Dumuzi). Afterwards, symbolic sowing of the fields for the next harvest is done (the Reborn Dumuzi).

At the Solstice, a ritual to adjust the imbalance between day and night is conducted. This was the time when the moon appeared at the shortest period during the night. The Daughters of the Esagil (the House of Day), Sillushtab and Katuna move to the Ezida (the House of the Night). Meanwhile the Daughters of the Night, Gazababa and Gunisurra go to the House of the Day to strengthen the night.

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Another Threefold Classification of the Ways Up

I've spent a lot of time pondering Hera/Athene/Aphrodite as exemplary of the ways up, but it occurs to me that there's another way of looking at it, in terms of how many mirrors one sees God in...

#	Plotinos	Smullyan	Description
1	φιλόσοφος (philosopher)	positivism	sees the All in oneself
2	ἐρωτικός (lover)	mysticism	sees the All in another
many	μουσικός (scholar/scientist/artist/aesthete)	empiricism	sees the All in the All

I don't properly remember where I saw Raymond Smullyan's classification of the three ways. (Perhaps it was in Who Knows: a Study of Religious Consciousness?) In any case, he emphasizes that they are complementary rather than in conflict.

Very speculatively, I wonder if these lead upward at different rates? Hesiod's Muses were Watery, so perhaps the μουσικός is the patient but less demanding way of getting to the next "rung" on the ladder; I am utterly devoted to the Airy angels, and wonder if that's where I am being led; and Plotinos, of course, had eyes only for the Highest. (It is also the case that Fire is the "1" level of the tetractys; Air the "2" level of the tetractys; and Water remains in the material level of "many.") This would account for Plotinos's relative ordering of the three paths.

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Toto, I've got a feeling we're not in Kansas anymore...

ἦ τοι μὲν ξανθὸν Γανυμήδεα μητιέτα Ζεὺς
ἥρπασε ὃν διὰ κάλλος, ἵν᾽ ἀθανάτοισι μετείη
καί τε Διὸς κατὰ δῶμα θεοῖς ἐπιοινοχοεύοι,
θαῦμα ἰδεῖν, πάντεσσι τετιμένος ἀθανάτοισι,
χρυσέου ἐκ κρητῆρος ἀφύσσων νέκταρ ἐρυθρόν.
Τρῶα δὲ πένθος ἄλαστον ἔχε φρένας, οὐδέ τι ᾔδει,
ὅππη οἱ φίλον υἱὸν ἀνήρπασε θέσπις ἄελλα:

You know how most-clever Zeus spirited away blonde Ganumedes
because of his beauty, to be among the deathless ones
and serve wine to the gods in the house of Zeus,
a sight to behold as he is honored by all the immortals
as he draws crimson nectar from the golden bowl.
But incessant worry gripped the heart of Tros, since he didn't know
whither the heaven-sent cyclone had caught up his beloved boy.

(Aphrodite consoles Ankhises. Homeric Hymn to Aphrodite 202–208, as translated—hopefully not too badly!—by yours truly. Yes, it really says "cyclone!")

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Roman Gods of the Month: June

June (Junius) is dedicated to Juno (Iuno), the Patroness of Women. It is unclear why Juno is honored by Romans at this time, since only Juno Moneta has a festival day in June. However, marriages in the last two weeks of June were considered especially blessed by this Goddess of Marriage.

However, the tradition of June being for Juno is murky. Ovid in “Fasti,” suggests that “Junius” (which means “junior”) referred to June since May (Maius) was from “Maiores,” (the elders). He also suggests that “Junius” could come from “Iungo” (“to join”) since this could be the month that the Romans and Sabines were united.

VESTA

The main focus of June is the Vestalia from June 7 to 15. The Inner Sanctum (Penus) of the Temple of Vesta, Goddess of the Hearth, was opened to women. The temple was cleaned, purified, and rededicated. (The rubbish was then into the Tiber River.) In the Roman religion, Vesta is the Perpetual Fire, Who keeps the Pact between the People and the Gods. (Her Eternal Flame was rekindled on March 1 by rubbing two sticks together.) Modern Romans will donate to homeless shelters or food banks in Vesta’s honor, as the Goddess of Homes.

HERCULES

I have a personal cultus to Hercules, who is considered to be one of the early founders of Rome. Some of the Greek mythology of Heracules was grafted onto Hercules, the Roman God Hero. However, Romans had their own particular myths about Him. For example, the focus of Hercules’ worship, the Ara Maxima (the Greatest Altar) is where He killed Cacus, the monster who terrorized the early Romans. He is also the God of Victory and Business Ventures.

Two temples of Hercules have dedications this month. Hercules Magno Custodi (the Great Custodian) has one on June 4, and Hercules Musarum (of the Muses) on June 29. The first was vowed on the orders of the Sibylline Books in light of Hannibal’s victories against Rome. The second was where poets and others would come to pay their respects to Hercules and the Muses. This temple featured Hercules playing the lyre to the Muses.

MATER MATUTA

On June 11, the Matralia is held. Single women and women in their first marriage (univira) offer prayers for their sisters’ children. Traditionally a slave was driven out of her temple in Rome.

MINERVA

Between June 13 and 15, the Lesser Quinquatria (Quinquartrus Minusculae) is held. Flute players (tibicines) dressed up in festive clothing. Wearing masks, they wandered about businesses, playing their instruments.

SUMMANUS

Another God that I have a cultus for is Summanus, the God of the Nocturnal Heavens. He ruled the night as Jupiter ruled the day. Summanus is one of the dii Novensiles (Nine Gods), who are ancient Etruscan Thunder Gods. (Thunder at nighttime came from Summanus.)

The temple for Summanus was dedicated on June 20, after He indicated He wanted a temple of his own by striking the temple of Jupiter Optimus Maximus. On his festival day (June 20), people offered round breads imprinted with wheels. For Romans, the Summer Solstice was known as “The Day of Torches,” (dies lampadarum).

FORS FORTUNA

The popular Goddess Fors Fortuna has her festival on June 24. Traditionally, Romans would take flower-decked boats down the Tiber to her temple. It is customary to wear flowers and get roaring drunk on her feast day. (Fors Fortuna is the Goddess of Lucky Chance and is responsible for rags to riches stories.)

From the choral work, “Carmina Burana” by Carl Orff. Translated from 13th Century poem by B. Nolen.

O Fortuna, You

Are like the moon:

Always changing

Always waxing,

Or waning;

Painful life

Now oppresses

Then soothes,

Playing with the mind;

Poverty,

Power—

She melts them like ice.

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Escape

ἀλλὰ φόωσδε τάχιστα λιλαίεο: ταῦτα δὲ πάντα
ἴσθ’, ἵνα καὶ μετόπισθε τεῇ εἴπῃσθα γυναικί.

But anxiously hasten to the light, and remember all this,
so that you can tell your wife even after.

(Antikleia speaking to Odusseus. Homer, Odyssey XI 223–4, as translated—hopefully not too badly!—by yours truly.)

Σωκράτης. ἀλλ᾽ οὔτ᾽ ἀπολέσθαι τὰ κακὰ δυνατόν, ὦ Θεόδωρε— ὑπεναντίον γάρ τι τῷ ἀγαθῷ ἀεὶ εἶναι ἀνάγκη—οὔτ᾽ ἐν θεοῖς αὐτὰ ἱδρῦσθαι, τὴν δὲ θνητὴν φύσιν καὶ τόνδε τὸν τόπον περιπολεῖ ἐξ ἀνάγκης. διὸ καὶ πειρᾶσθαι χρὴ ἐνθένδε ἐκεῖσε φεύγειν ὅτι τάχιστα. φυγὴ δὲ ὁμοίωσις θεῷ κατὰ τὸ δυνατόν: ὁμοίωσις δὲ δίκαιον καὶ ὅσιον μετὰ φρονήσεως γενέσθαι.

Socrates. But it is impossible that evils should be done away with, Theodorus, for there must always be something opposed to the good; and they cannot have their place among the gods, but must inevitably hover about mortal nature and this earth. Therefore we ought to try to escape from earth to the dwelling of the gods as quickly as we can; and to escape is to become like God, so far as this is possible; and to become like God is to become righteous and holy and wise.

(Plato, Theaitetos 176A–B, as translated by Harold N. Fowler. I might translate the last phrase as "becoming righteous and pure in thought.")

Πυλάδης.
[...]
λήξαντα δ᾽ οἴκτων κἀπ᾽ ἐκεῖν᾽ ἐλθεῖν χρεών,
ὅπως τὸ κλεινὸν ὄνομα τῆς σωτηρίας
λαβόντες ἐκ γῆς βησόμεσθα βαρβάρου.
σοφῶν γὰρ ἀνδρῶν ταῦτα, μὴ 'κβάντας τύχης,
καιρὸν λαβόντας, ἡδονὰς ἄλλας λαβεῖν.

Ὀρέστης.
καλῶς ἔλεξας: τῇ τύχῃ δ᾽ οἶμαι μέλειν
τοῦδε ξὺν ἡμῖν: ἢν δέ τις πρόθυμος ᾖ,
σθένειν τὸ θεῖον μᾶλλον εἰκότως ἔχει.

[Orestes and Iphigenia are tearfully reunited, but Orestes's comrade, Pulades, reminds them of the danger they're in.]

Pulades. [...] But stop crying, we have to focus on other things so that we can obtain that glorious label of "salvation" and escape this foreign land: wise men seize the moment, lest they snub Lady Luck for the wiles of others!

Orestes. Well said!—but I think She will support us in that, since the more one strives, the more the gods strive for them.

(Euripedes, Iphigenia in Tauris 904–11, as loosely translated by yours truly. "Lady Luck" is Tukhe, the gods' providence or good fortune.)

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All the Hosts and Powers of Heaven

An interesting post from researcher Sasha Chaitow on theurgy and Orthodox Christianity, tracing the impacts of Pseudo-Dionysius. This resonates with some of my own perspective and experiences, and some points I've suggested previously, namely: though there may be no real "survival of the pagan gods" per se, in terms of propagation of the ancient mysteries, it remains that—in the Mediterranean, at least—there is a transmission and syncretization of those mysteries in plain sight, specifically (in my view) in the mystery of the Eucharist. Much, I suspect, has to do with the concept of participation and its spiritual enactment in terms of communion. But perhaps that's a subject for another time.

We see this syncretization in some obvious places like Dante and, say, some Renaissance architecture (to say nothing of the magic of that period), and more blatantly in syncretic survivals like the festa U Muzzini in Alcara li Fusi. In the Italic peninsula, we see this also at certain shrines, such as the Madonna del Sacro Monte on Monte Gelbison (formerly dedicated to Hera) and St. Michael on Monte Gargano, a former location of pagan devotion. Indeed, it may be said of such "high places," as of the former: Locus iste sanctus est, et ab angelis consacratu. As even St. Augustine notes, in City of God: "If the Platonists prefer to call these angels gods rather than demons, and to reckon them with those whom Plato, their founder and master, maintains were created by the supreme God, they are welcome to do so, for I will not spend strength in fighting about words."

To that end, I offer an overview of some scriptural references that are suggestive of a henotheistic view of Christianity, for those who are into that kind of thing:

God creates the gods (Psalm 33:6, Colossians 1:16, CF "God of gods," Deuteronomy 10:17), the sons of god (Job 1.6, Psalm 82:6) and the hosts of heaven (Psalm 103:21, Psalm 148:2). They partake of divinity, but the creator remains unique and they are subject to him (Psalm 89:7-8, Psalm 95:3). He has apportioned the nations among them (Deuteronomy 32:8 (LXX), CF Judges 11:24), but selected the descendants of Abraham as his own people (Genesis 12:2), though they are to worship him alone (Exodus 20) and not to pursue other gods not apportioned to them (Deuteronomy 18:9, Deuteronomy 29.26).

At some point, the depredations of these gods and their dalliances with humankind became so extreme (Genesis 6:1-6, 2 Peter 2:4, Jude 1:6, CF pseudepigrapha 1 Enoch) that the Lord, after considering the destruction of all humankind, passed judgement upon the gods (Psalm 82:7-8, CF Hebrews 2:5), much as he executed judgment on all the gods of Egypt (Exodus 12:12), and shall gather all nations to him (Psalm 86:9-10). Those gods persist (1 Corinthians 8:5), but their worship is deprecated.

At a particular point in history, he himself would enter the sensible, material world as a human (John 1:9, John 1:14, Romans 8:3) and by his own act of sacrifice, as the Christ (Colossians 2:9), redeem the world from death (Hebrews 2:9, Philippians 3:8, Revelations 1:18), to break the power of fell spirits (Hebrews 2:14-15, CF Matthew 10:1), and thereby enable humankind to become adopted children of the Most High (John 1:12, John 3:16, Galatians 4:4-5).

As St. Athanasius writes provocatively in On the Incarnation, "For the Son of God became man so that we might become God."

Current Mood: busy
Current Music: Al Stewart, "Flying Sorcery"

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On Hiatus

Just a reminder -- I don't expect to post here again until June 13. I'll put through comments when I have the chance, but there may be long delays.

Those of you who are coming to the book signings in London or the talks in Glastonbury, I'll look forward to seeing you soon. Everyone else -- why, I'll be back in a couple of weeks.

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The Meaning of Buddhism

When Ts'ui-wei was asked about the meaning of Buddhism, he answered: "Wait until there is no one around, and I will tell you." Some time later the monk approached him again, saying: "There is nobody here now. Please answer me." Ts'ui-wei led him out into the garden and went over to the bamboo grove, saying nothing. Still the monk did not understand, so at last Ts'ui-wei said, "Here is a tall bamboo; there is a short one!"

(Shi Daoyuan, The Transmission of the Lamp XV ccclxiii; as retold by Alan Watts, The Way of Zen II i.)

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language,
science

The Mother

The English word matter is from French matière from Latin materia from Latin mater "mother." The Romans worshipped Magna Mater "the Great Mother," just as the Greeks worshipped Demeter "Mother Earth," and the Egyptians worshipped mother Isis "the seat [upon which all rests]."

I might note that our modern materialists worship matter to a far greater degree than those other cults, denying even the existence of all other gods...

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philosophy

LLMs are demonic

Conjured intelligences of questionable human provenance and ever more inscrutable intent, to which more and more people are deferring questions that would typically be handled by a person's intellect, will, and imagination...not good.

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List of Entities from “The Illustrated Guide to DMT Entities” (Part 3 of 3)

Mother Ayahuasca

Includes Grandmother Ayahuasca and Aya

Mother Ayahuasca is the Living Spirit of the Ayahuasca Vine. Known as the “Great Mother of All Life,” Mother Ayahuasca is deeply connected to all plant and animal life. She and the Others are regarded as Goddesses. Moreover, the relationships that are established in the DMT Realm will continue into the waking world.

Nature Spirits

Includes Plant and Fungi Spirits

Spirits of the Magic Mushroom (and others) will often contact the user when their particular plant (or fungus) is ingested. The Mushroom Spirits will often speak to users of other entities in the DMT Realm such as the Machine Elves. Most people believe that the psychedelic plants have unique spirits. However, no one is sure if the Spirit is the plant itself or a Being living in the plant.

Snakes

Includes Jaguars and Other Animal Spirits

Since many users employ Ayahuasca for their experiences, they often encounter animals from South America such as anacondas and jaguars. People have reported seeing Rainbow Jaguars and Serpents. Meanwhile, Twisting Snakes, which seem to resemble the double-helix DNA molecule, will surround a person. Also, a person may shapeshift into one of these animals. In visionary experiences, encounters with these Beings are quite common.

Octopus

Including Octopoid Beings

These Beings resemble the Pre-Columbian art of tentacled Gods found in South America. Since They are from technologically advanced environments, the Octopoid Beings often treat humans as puppies. Users report that these Beings will operate on people. However, other people have claimed that Octopus entities will respond in the same way that a human approaches them.

Chemical Spirits

People believe that LSD and other psychedelic chemicals have Spirits who speak to people. Since many of these chemicals are distilled from organic materials, it seems these Spirits could be the children of Plant Spirits. People report that the Chemical Spirits are delighted in teaching the user. In his experiences, David Jay Brown (Note 1) felt a chemical intelligence. He described this Intelligence as “a being, that sniffs you, scans you, assess you, and interacts with you…So that what happens during the experience is a truly co-creative act.”

Mother Gaia

Mother Gaia is the female spirit of Lovelock’s Gaia Hypothesis (Note 2). This hypothesis says that the Biosphere of Earth is an intelligent female organism. Mother Gaia is a distinct planetary spirit, who is related to Mother Ayahuasca. She encourages ecological awareness among users. After interacting with Mother Gaia, many people will feel a need to care for Earth. Mother Gaia is also known as “Mother Nature,” “The Gaian Mind,” or “Planetary Matrix.”

Beings of Light

Includes Pure Energy and Bodiless Beings

People report religious, spiritual and mystical experiences with Beings of Pure Light or Energy. These intelligent lights, with various personalities, can be physically felt. They are also encountered in Near-Death and UFO contact experiences.

God (Judeo-Christian God)

This Being is the “Creator of the Entire Cosmos.” Most users who have encountered God use 5-MeO-DMT (Note 3) instead of N,N-DMT. Usually, a person will only experience a presence or a voice that they perceive as “God.” How a person encounters God is dependent on their cultural expectations. (Most are usually influenced by the Bible.)

Notes

Note 1. David Jay Brown with Sara Phinn Huntley authored “The Illustrated Guide to DMT Entities.” Park Street Press. 2025.

Note 2. The Lovelock Gaia Hypothesis is a bioecological theory that says “the biosphere of Earth functions like a single, self-regulating organism.”

Note 3. There are two DMT chemicals in use to achieve altered states. One is N,N-DMT which launches users into hallucinogenic and visionary experiences. N,N-DMT is the psychoactive ingredient in Ayahuasca and other plants. The other chemical is 5-MeO-DMT, which launches users into a void. This DMT, a modern ceremonial drug, is derived from a toad (Bufo alvarius). Caution is advised in using 5-MeO-DMT since it can be disorienting with its powerful effects.

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An Omen (Revised)

Okay, so while I just revised Enneads I iv, it seems I might as well revise the joke that went with it. Perhaps you recall how I was tired after work, but since I'm a burning-the-candle-at-both-ends kind of person, forged ahead to study this particular essay, but a bird flew overhead and pooped on the page I was reading, an obvious omen to just give it a rest already.

My daughter was asking me about my angel today, as I mentioned how they have a very playful personality. She asked for examples, and so I told her a number of my angel stories. I got to this one, and while she was laughing about it, I was telling her how that page of the Enneads is still kinda messed up since of course I had to wash the poop off. She fetched the book from the shelf and asked me to show her which page it was, so I turned to the beginning of Enneads I iv and pointed to the worn-out section near the top of the page.

As I did so, I realized that I had missed the joke's punch line!

See, in the edition of the Enneads I was reading, the essay on True Happiness starts halfway down the page; the top half of the page is the last part of the prior essay on Dialectic. Here is the relevant section, with where the poop landed (which is now half-erased from being scrubbed clean) highlighted:

And while the other virtues bring the reason to bear upon particular experiences and acts, the virtue of Wisdom [...] is a certain super-reasoning much closer to the Universal; for it deals with correspondence and sequence, the choice of time for action and inaction, the adoption of this course, the rejection of that other [...].

The bird didn't just poop on my book, it literally pointed out that it would have been wise for me to rest. Lorna Byrne says somewhere that "angels find it easier to move minds than physical objects," but it seems to me that they're plenty capable of fine movements when need be...

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Enneads I v: Can Well-Being Increase With Time? (Revised)

Re-reading Enneads I v "Can Well-Being Increase With Time?" I think my previous summary is fine and I have simply edited that post with different nomenclature (e.g. changing "happiness" to "well-being," following the reasoning I outlined yesterday).

I would like to flag a few sight-seeing points that stood out to me this time around, though:

In §4, Plotinos agrees with (and elegantly subsumes) Aristotle's definition of well-being: if one equates well-being with the ability to exercise free will, then they are simply accepting Plotinos's position, for the soul has free will according to its nature, while the body has none.
In §7, Plotinos makes the case that eternity isn't merely the sum of all times, but is beyond time. (This echoes Proklos's and Taylor's distinction of "perpetual" and "eternal.") Thus something which is eternal is better than something which is perpetual, and therefore eternal good is better than perpetual good, and therefore the well-being of the soul is more to be desired than even perpetual pleasure of the body.
In §10, Plotinos makes a cute distinction between well-being and well-doing, which echoes Plato's "world of being" and "world of becoming." I think this neatly describes the functions of each: the intellect essentially is, but a soul only accidentally is, thus the intellect can only be, but a soul can be well or be poorly. The soul essentially moves, but a body only accidentally moves; thus the soul can only do, but a body can do well or do poorly. That is to say: something that essentially possesses some quality simply embodies that quality, but something that accidentally possesses it may have it to a greater or lesser degree.

Current Mood: seriously busy
Current Music: Claude Bolling, "Suite for Flute and Jazz Piano"

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Open (More or Less) Post on Covid 199

We are now in the fourth year of these open posts. When I first posted a tentative hypothesis on the course of the Covid phenomenon, I had no idea that discussion on the subject would still be necessary more than three years later, much less that it would turn into so lively, complex, and troubling a conversation. Still, here we are. Crude death rates and other measures of collapsing public health are anomalously high in many countries, but nobody in authority wants to talk about the inadequately tested experimental Covid injections that are the most likely cause; ~~public health authorities~~ government shills for the pharmaceutical industry are still trying to push through laws that will allow them to force vaccinations on anyone they want; public trust in science is collapsing; and the story continues to unfold.

So it's time for another open post. The rules are the same as before:

1. If you plan on parroting the party line of the medical industry and its paid shills, please go away. This is a place for people to talk openly, honestly, and freely about their concerns that the party line in question is dangerously flawed and that actions being pushed by the medical industry and its government enablers are causing injury and death on a massive scale. It is not a place for you to dismiss those concerns. Anyone who wants to hear the official story and the arguments in favor of it can find those on hundreds of thousands of websites.

2. If you plan on insisting that the current situation is the result of a deliberate plot by some villainous group of people or other, please go away. There are tens of thousands of websites currently rehashing various conspiracy theories about the Covid-19 outbreak and the vaccines. This is not one of them. What we're exploring is the likelihood that what's going on is the product of the same arrogance, incompetence, and corruption that the medical industry and its wholly owned politicians have displayed so abundantly in recent decades. That possibility deserves a space of its own for discussion, and that's what we're doing here.

3. If you plan on using rent-a-troll derailing or disruption tactics, please go away. I'm quite familiar with the standard tactics used by troll farms to disrupt online forums, and am ready, willing, and able -- and in fact quite eager -- to ban people permanently for engaging in them here. Oh, and I also lurk on other Covid-19 vaccine skeptic blogs, so I'm likely to notice when the same posts are showing up on more than one venue.

4. If you plan on making off topic comments, please go away. This is an open post for discussion of the Covid epidemic, the vaccines, drugs, policies, and other measures that supposedly treat it, and other topics directly relevant to those things. It is not a place for general discussion of unrelated topics. Nor is it a place to ask for medical advice; giving such advice, unless you're a licensed health care provider, legally counts as practicing medicine without a license and is a crime in the US. Don't even go there.

5. If you don't believe in treating people with common courtesy, please go away. I have, and enforce, a strict courtesy policy on my blogs and online forums, and this is no exception. The sort of schoolyard bullying that takes place on so many other internet forums will get you deleted and banned here. Also, please don't drag in current quarrels about sex, race, religions, etc. No, I don't care if you disagree with that: my journal, my rules.

6. Please don't just post bare links without explanation. A sentence or two telling readers what's on the other side of the link is a reasonable courtesy, and if you don't include it, your attempted post will be deleted.

Please also note that nothing posted here should be construed as medical advice, which neither I nor the commentariat (excepting those who are licensed medical providers) are qualified to give. Please take your medical questions to the licensed professional provider of your choice.

With that said, the floor is open for discussion.

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Enneads I iv: On Well-Being (Revised)

I've been pretty down lately: most of this month I've been ill and very weak, and even after that, it's been stressful trying to catch back up with everything that fell by the wayside, and frustrating to strugglingly clear the fog from my mind and get back to being capable of thinking. I had a little space available to me, today, and I thought I might pluck Plotinos off the shelf... little did I know that this essay, which I struggled to make sense of two years ago, was just what I needed today.

Despite being a little lost last time, my summary actually wasn't too bad, but I still wanted to tinker with it, some:

I iv: On Well-Being [Revision of my original summary.]
Let us consider a musician and his lyre. It is the lyre that sings sweetly, but can it be considered to have well-being? No—the lyre might be in tune or in good repair, but it is the musician that can be well; the lyre is a mere instrument of the musician's well-being. But let us suppose that the lyre is out of sorts: does this mean the musician is unwell? Not necessarily: perhaps it fell out of tune in his absence and he is not even aware of it, or perhaps he sings on even without accompaniment, or perhaps he has grown tired of playing and does something else. In whatever case, the musician cares for the instrument, tuning it and fixing it as needed, but only insofar as it contributes to his own well-being.
In the same way, a man's body is the mere instrument of the soul; and while the body might experience pleasure or contentment, this is merely akin to the lyre being in good shape. No, the Good is the highest of all, and so a man's good must come from his higher part: his well-being is of the soul, and being of the soul it is to be found solely within and not subject to the vagaries of without.
Just like how the lyre is not essential to the musician's well being, what does the saintly man—he who is consumed with divinity—care for the body? He will be swayed neither by power and luxury, on the one hand, nor disease and disaster, on the other. Would we not call him a man of tremendous well-being, who could be satisfied even as he is placed on the pyre? But this is just what happens when the practice of the virtues is taken to its end.

In general, in my summaries of Plotinos, I have taken the tack of summarizing his conclusions and more-or-less ignoring his arguments. I think I was upset with my summary the first time since this was the first essay in which doing so was really glaring... it really leaves a lot out. But I think, by the end of summarizing the Enneads, I came to the conclusion that I can't really do justice to the full arguments; really, these summaries exist to A) remind me of the contents of the essays, and B) maybe, hopefully, entice others to read Plotinos—at least, those essays that seem most interesting to them. So if my summary seems abrupt and you want to know what the good man is like and why, then just read the real thing: it's linked above and it's not very long.

I didn't realize this the first time through Plotinos, but this essay is about εὐδαιμονία eudaimonia, the meaning of which was one of my Big Questions™ when I went through On the Gods and the World. The dictionary gives "prosperity, good fortune, wealth;" Murray and Nock translate this word as "happiness;" Taylor translates it "felicity;" MacKenna goes a little further and translates it "true happiness;" and Armstrong is critical of these and translates it as "well-being." I agree with Armstrong that any variation on "happiness" is misleading: the philosophers are not saying that the virtuous feel good, they are saying that they have transcended feeling. But it would be wrong to call such people "stoic" or "impassive," I think: Taoist and Zen masters are well known for their good humor, and angels (as the beings intrinsically possessing the virtues we try to take on) are full of joy. (Indeed, when I think of my own angel, I think of them first and foremost as playful.) Perhaps a very literal translation of eudaimonia might be "well-spirited," which I can sorta see as encompassing all of these notions.

In my summary I mention tossing the good man on a pyre, but Plotinos's actual example was of tossing him in the Bull of Phalaris. I wasn't familiar with it, but good old Diodoros tells us the story in the Library of History IX xviii–xix. Yipes!

Even though Plotinos is following Plato in his arguments, and even though Plato and Diogenes were at odds, it is hard not to see the stray dog as an exemplar of eudaimonia, retaining his well-being even as he was sold into slavery.

Entry tags:

altered states of consciousness,
dmt,
dmt entities,
dmt entities altered states of conscious,
gods,
marijuana,
philosophy,
religion

List of Entities from “The Illustrated Guide to DMT Entities” (Part 2 of 3)

Gods

Includes Eastern, Middle Eastern and Indigenous American Deities and Demigods.

The authors separate the Polytheistic Gods from God (Yahweh). Egyptian Gods such as Anubis and Canaanite Goddesses such as Asheroth (Asherah) will often speak to DMT users. In addition, Pre-Islamic Gods and Djinns are actively engaging people. When meeting them, people report that there is a “deeper reality to these Beings.”

Jesus Christ

Includes Other Biblical Characters

DMT is also referred to as the “Jesus Drug,” since many people who have used it have become dedicated Christians. During their DMT experiences, Christ will come and speak to them. Meanwhile, other people have experienced “Christ Consciousness,” which is an awareness of their higher self as a part of a universal system. Encounters with Jesus Christ are reported to be positive and comforting.

The Virgin Mary

There is only one Virgin Mary entity (the Christian version) in the DMT realm. This Divine Female is a powerful and compassionate Being who offers comfort and protection. Moreover, She is a source of wisdom and support.

Angels

Depending on the person’s cultural belief system, these entities can be seen as heavenly messengers or something else. Since many DMT users are usually Christian, the Angels often conform to those beliefs. However, some of these Beings are only white light, while others are many bright colors. Moreover, in many occassions, the presence of Angels is strongly felt instead. Angels are the most common of the Otherworldly Beings encountered by DMT users.

The Devil and Demons

Often encountered in various altered states of consciousness, the Devil and Demons are reported to be dark and terrifying Beings. Depending on their faith traditions, people in altered states of consciousness will have varying experiences with these Beings. Many report intense and frightening meetings with Demons. Moreover, encountering the Devil can be terrifying.

Therianthropes

Includes Animal-Human Hybrids

Often in states of altered consciousness, people will metamorphose into animals or become animal hybrids. Shamans, especially, will shapeshift into many combinations of animals. Meanwhile, other people will meet the Egyptian Gods Anubis and Sekhmet, and other Animal-Human Gods. People feel a profound and sacred sense in the presence of these Beings.

Ancestors

Includes Dead Relatives, Friends, and Strangers (and Pets)

Taking Ayahuasca will encourage users to meet with earthbound beings. This is because Ayahuasca acts as a traditional portal to the Dead and Ancestors. Meanwhile, people who take DMT will have meetings with Strangers from other universes. Some have even reported encountering their deceased Pets.

Fairies

Some people liken Hyperspace to “Fairyland,” that which is described in English and Scottish folklore. In “Fairyland,” the Fairies act as they do in Celtic myths. Beautiful but dangerous, these Beings act the same as those of traditional folklore.

Gnomes

Includes Kobolds and Goblins

These Beings are as described in European folklore, playful, mischievous and unpredictable. However, they are elusive to users of LSD and psilocybin. While LSD will make them visible, DMT makes the Gnomes solid. Under LSD, they look like they have materialized out of the living room carpet. Under DMT, a person can touch them.

Notes:

Note 1. David Jay Brown and Sara Phinn Huntley, “The Illustrated Guide to DMT Entities.” Park Street Press. 2025.

Current Mood: geeky
Current Music: The Moody Blues, "Om"

Entry tags:

Magic Monday

Midnight is upon us and so it's time to launch a new Magic Monday. Ask me anything about occultism, and with certain exceptions noted below, any question received by midnight Monday Eastern time will get an answer. Please note: Any question or comment received after that point will not get an answer, and in fact will just be deleted. If you're in a hurry, or suspect you may be the 341,928th person to ask a question, please check out the very rough version 1.3 of The Magic Monday FAQ here.

Also: I will not be putting through or answering any more questions about practicing magic around children. I've answered those in simple declarative sentences in the FAQ. If you read the FAQ and don't think your question has been answered, read it again. If that doesn't help, consider remedial reading classes; yes, it really is as simple and straightforward as the FAQ says. And further: I've decided that questions about getting goodies from spirits are also permanently off topic here. The point of occultism is to develop your own capacities, not to try to bully or wheedle other beings into doing things for you. I've discussed this in a post on my blog.

The image? I field a lot of questions about my books these days, so I've decided to do little capsule summaries of them here, one per week. This is my seventy-ninth published book, and those readers who have been following this journal for more than a few years already know a fair amount about it. It's a practical manual of political and economic astrology or, to use the traditional term, mundane astrology. Its intention is to teach people how to cast and interpret charts to predict the future of any country they desire. It's only been out for a little while, but initial feedback suggests that it does the job tolerably well. Interested? You can get a copy here if you're in the United States and via your favorite online or brick-and-mortar bookshop elsewhere.

(I'm almost out of books to summarize here -- I have one more book that's been published since this came out, and two more that might be out in time. I have some amusing ideas about what else to do once I've finished the whole sequence -- but all in good time.)

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I've had several people ask about tipping me for answers here, and though I certainly don't require that I won't turn it down. You can use either of the links above to access my online tip jar; Buymeacoffee is good for small tips, Ko-Fi is better for larger ones. (I used to use PayPal but they developed an allergy to free speech, so I've developed an allergy to them.) If you're interested in political and economic astrology, or simply prefer to use a subscription service to support your favorite authors, you can find my Patreon page here and my SubscribeStar page here.

I've also had quite a few people over the years ask me where they should buy my books, and here's the answer. Bookshop.org is an alternative online bookstore that supports local bookstores and authors, which a certain gargantuan corporation doesn't, and I have a shop there, which you can check out here. Please consider patronizing it if you'd like to purchase any of my books online.

And don't forget to look up your Pangalactic New Age Soul Signature at CosmicOom.com.

~~With that said, have at it!~~

***This Magic Monday is now closed, and no further comments will be put through. See you again when I return from hiatus in mid-June!***