EFS White Posted January 11, 2020 (edited) Itˋs been a while since I read Bill Bodriˋs "Little Book of Hercules", and I remember I quite enjoyed it, even if at times his writing feels quite redundant and at other times not quite clear enough. I have been compelled by my intuition to revisit the Herculean myth recently, and I thought I might give this forum a try for that. I find the notion, as presented in Bodriˋs book, quite appealing, that the twelve labors of Hercules are in fact stages of cultivation. Does anyone of you readers and contributors here have any information that would substantiate this interpretation of the Hercules myth? Better yet: Does anyone have practical experience with a cultivation along the lines of the labors of Hercules? I am asking, as I have been repeatedly compelled to turn to / return to this topic, and I would greatly appreciate practical input from a cultivator in that tradition and / or some words of clarification or encouragement from someone who has worked along this path. If anyone feels compelled, please do drop me a personal message or respond to this thread. Thank you. Edited January 11, 2020 by EFS White Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Nungali Posted January 11, 2020 Oh yes ! They represent stages and tests, of course and each is SUPPOSED to achieve or advance something . Unfortunately Hercules myth is about how NOT to go about things ... and also about why the world is in such a mess and about how force violence and ego lead to their own ends and transformation is thus failed . Oh .. but he is a 'hero' .... 'we' like those type of 'heroes' . Unfortunately it is a record of failed shamanic trials . One only has to look at his outcomes . Actually, he made such a blunder of passing through his imitation series ... and failed it ! ... that the 'authorities' of the time had to create a whole new category of 'lesser' mysteries just so they could pass the 'bosses son' as an initiate . This is rather pathetic ! Look at any other set of trails , the shaman does not resist , even though it might seem a threat to their welfare , all sorts of things are encountered ; being devoured by animals , having the bones replaced with iron, having crystal rods inserted into the body, etc . The Shaman does not fight it , if anything he is in a trance like acceptance or 'allowance ' of it . He doesnt grab a huge club and bash the devouring monster on the head . Hercules response is something different and weird . A shaman never responds like that - take the modern experience for example where people have felt they where abducted by aliens , do we EVER hear one recount that " As the alien approached me with the probe , I jumped off the table, kicked the probe out of his hand and punched him out ! " Thats the stuff of 'heroes' ; No, they are usually in a trance, helpless and even fearful . But the successful outcome is transformation . The way , IMO , to deal with these adventures and trials is best represented by Odysseus , he comes up with brilliant responses to EXPERIENCE the events he is thrown into , he isnt destroyed by them , nor does he destroy, punish or vanquish their agents .. he uses intelligence, cunning, wit and guile to navigate through his trials . Brilliant ! Hercules is all abut a certain way of humans doing things ... and that way has not worked out very well for us . I mean ... the guy is NUTS! because he kept doing stupid wrong reactive emotive forceful stuff - like murder and other stuff - he is tainted so the oracle at Delphi refuse to advise him . What does Herc do ? he stole the sacred tripod of Apollo in an attempt to set up his own oracle at Pheneos. As another punishment for 'criminally loosing it ' he was made Omphale's slave and had to endure her 'sissy boy' fantasises . Maybe look at some alternatives to the 12 labours ' solutions' . One could even do it with the self, astrologically - the 12 tasks are defined by the 12 astrological signs 'your Sun' (self) passes thorough , each with its trials successes or failures. But with astrology you get more hints about how to deal with thing, due to the planetary (helpers ) relationships to each other throughout those signs . This process might have been behind the 12 labours in the first place ? Mhe .... I am probably pushing it uphill with this one - peeps be abso LOVING these guys ; 4 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
EFS White Posted January 15, 2020 Nungali, thanks very much for taking the time to offer your insights. Obviously what you wrote wasn't quite in line with what I hoped for, but I feel it's very valuable food for thought and critical assessment of the concept. So thank you. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
moment Posted January 15, 2020 On 1/11/2020 at 12:53 PM, Nungali said: Oh yes ! They represent stages and tests, of course and each is SUPPOSED to achieve or advance something . Unfortunately Hercules myth is about how NOT to go about things ... and also about why the world is in such a mess and about how force violence and ego lead to their own ends and transformation is thus failed . Oh .. but he is a 'hero' .... 'we' like those type of 'heroes' . Unfortunately it is a record of failed shamanic trials . One only has to look at his outcomes . Actually, he made such a blunder of passing through his imitation series ... and failed it ! ... that the 'authorities' of the time had to create a whole new category of 'lesser' mysteries just so they could pass the 'bosses son' as an initiate . This is rather pathetic ! Look at any other set of trails , the shaman does not resist , even though it might seem a threat to their welfare , all sorts of things are encountered ; being devoured by animals , having the bones replaced with iron, having crystal rods inserted into the body, etc . The Shaman does not fight it , if anything he is in a trance like acceptance or 'allowance ' of it . He doesnt grab a huge club and bash the devouring monster on the head . Hercules response is something different and weird . A shaman never responds like that - take the modern experience for example where people have felt they where abducted by aliens , do we EVER hear one recount that " As the alien approached me with the probe , I jumped off the table, kicked the probe out of his hand and punched him out ! " Thats the stuff of 'heroes' ; No, they are usually in a trance, helpless and even fearful . But the successful outcome is transformation . The way , IMO , to deal with these adventures and trials is best represented by Odysseus , he comes up with brilliant responses to EXPERIENCE the events he is thrown into , he isnt destroyed by them , nor does he destroy, punish or vanquish their agents .. he uses intelligence, cunning, wit and guile to navigate through his trials . Brilliant ! Hercules is all abut a certain way of humans doing things ... and that way has not worked out very well for us . I mean ... the guy is NUTS! because he kept doing stupid wrong reactive emotive forceful stuff - like murder and other stuff - he is tainted so the oracle at Delphi refuse to advise him . What does Herc do ? he stole the sacred tripod of Apollo in an attempt to set up his own oracle at Pheneos. As another punishment for 'criminally loosing it ' he was made Omphale's slave and had to endure her 'sissy boy' fantasises . Maybe look at some alternatives to the 12 labours ' solutions' . One could even do it with the self, astrologically - the 12 tasks are defined by the 12 astrological signs 'your Sun' (self) passes thorough , each with its trials successes or failures. But with astrology you get more hints about how to deal with thing, due to the planetary (helpers ) relationships to each other throughout those signs . This process might have been behind the 12 labours in the first place ? Mhe .... I am probably pushing it uphill with this one - peeps be abso LOVING these guys ; Brilliant 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Nungali Posted January 15, 2020 (edited) I'm big on mythology . A few years back I did a months long workshop, one night a week, that a friend had put on , about reading your own natal chart . Some of the best time I have ever invested . It had a big focus on mythology . I learnt a LOT about myself and it cleared up a lot of issues and that led to a lot of practical stuff as well . I have played with this before , but now , being on another of my little holidays, I need other stimulates to fill the void as I am away from home ( and building projects, gardening, maintenance, etc ) and thought, just this morning, to go onto town and see if I can purchase these , and really study them ; Edited January 15, 2020 by Nungali 4 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Earl Grey Posted January 16, 2020 2 hours ago, Nungali said: I'm big on mythology . A few years back I did a months long workshop, one night a week, that a friend had put on , about reading your own natal chart . Some of the best time I have ever invested . It had a big focus on mythology . I learnt a LOT about myself and it cleared up a lot of issues and that led to a lot of practical stuff as well . I have played with this before , but now , being on another of my little holidays, I need other stimulates to fill the void as I am away from home ( and building projects, gardening, maintenance, etc ) and thought, just this morning, to go onto town and see if I can purchase these , and really study them ; WOW! I never knew she wrote an astrology book! ...want... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
