On an Orphic slogan (from Twitter)

[endymions_bower]

The Orphic slogan, "A kid, I fell into milk": I believe this to be equivalent in a certain respect to part of Crowley's Oath of the Abyss; namely, the part about "interpreting every phenomenon as a particular dealing of God with my soul."

To say "A kid, I fell into milk" is to say that I was thrown into a world not of my making, but found it was made of meaning.

This nonindifference of the world also underlies the depictions of the "mystic nursing" of animals.

There, however, the bacchant provides milk for a soul depicted as a young wild animal.

This suggests both that having been enlightened, one becomes a light to others, and also that one brings into the light the undeveloped parts of oneself.

Thus also, the descriptions of the initiate as "limpid" are not mere enthusiasm: the initiate is like a new Phanês.

It is not just a question, then, of interpreting one's own life, but that one becomes a "phenomenon" to be interpreted by others.

This is what a hero is, I think, a mortal having become such a site of meaning.

Comments

[neowiccan.livejournal.com]

oooo, love this! that particular line has always been a tough one for me. thanks!
khairete
suz

[mrvi.livejournal.com]

I really like this line of thinking. I don't use LJ any more, but I found you again via Sannion's blog and was typing up a response but it got a little long, so I stuck it on my blog. I'd be interested to hear if you have any thoughts.

http://www.cold-albion.net/2014/09/orphic-slogan-thoughts/

Thanks again. I really enjoy your work.