Star and Circles

In honor of the XXII Olympic Winter Games, this post will be devoted to the history and symbolism involved in the Sochi Games.  So, enough claptrap about ghosts for now.  Let's talk Olympics...

Although the exact date of their inception is unknown, it is widely believed that the Olympic Games began in 776 B.C.  It may have been earlier, but that is when the records begin.  Upon completion of his twelve labors (or so the story goes), Hercules founded the Games.  The Games were originally held in Olympia, Greece, at the sanctuary of Zeus.  Hercules was the half-human child of Zeus, the father god.  He was also the god of sky and thunder.  Zeus, not known for his fidelity, had an eye for his great-granddaughter, Alcmene.  The beautiful Alcmene, unlike Zeus, was a model of fidelity.  However, tricky Zeus impregnated Alcmene by coming to her disguised as her husband, Amphitryon, who had foolishly left her alone while he was away at war *.

In theory, all hostilities between warring city-states were supposed to cease during the Games.  However, the ancient Greeks, just like their modern counterparts, did little more than give a nod to this ideal.  One aspect of the treaty that was upheld was the right of safe passage for travellers.  These pilgrims, making their way to the competitions, were believed to be protected by Zeus.  Therefore, their persons were held inviolate as they passed through hostile lands.

According to legend, it was Prometheus who formed mankind from a block of clay.  Later, his sympathy for the suffering of humankind led him to risk eternal damnation by stealing fire from the gods.  In the theater of the Caucasus, Zeus chained Prometheus to the rocky crags of Fisht Mountain.  Each day, a mighty eagle, the emblem of Zeus, tore out and ate the liver of Prometheus.  At night, the eagle, known as Suna, would retire to his giant nest as the liver of Prometheus regenerated by the light of the moon*. The dawn would greet Prometheus, newly made whole, so that he might endure being torn apart once again.  Aeons turned before Suna was killed and Prometheus was freed by Hercules.

This year, the stars aligned for the XXII Olympic Winter Games to be held in Sochi, Russia.  And how fitting that the flame should burn so bright in that setting.  Millenia ago, Alexander the Great travelled those same lands.  Sochi is a winter resort town snuggled against the foot of the Caucasus Mountains.  In that place, trees grow to be thousands of years old.  And new life was breathed into ancient creation myths.  

No one wins easy in a place so rich in beauty and ancient mysteries.  The ice was mean.  And the snow turned to slush rather than be molded into a usable half-pipe.  Sochi birthed monumental performances and spectacular falls.  The brilliant sunsnow of Rosa Khutor did not carry the competitors.  They had to fight for every inch.  In that place, glory had to be earned.  It proved my theory that every ounce of excellence comes with an equal measure of b.s.  

As the competitors converged on the banks of the Black Sea, the Year of the Horse lost no time making its entrance.  In the opening ceremonies, we were off to the races.  A troika of three lighted horses pulled a great ring of fire across the arena.  It was meant to signify the end of winter.  I hoped it meant the end of the stagnation we all endured during the Year of the Snake.  Anyway, it was appropriate for the Year of the Horse.  Horses like to make an entrance.  They are big, bold, and beautiful.  

Inside Fisht Olympic Stadium, the opening cremonies were a whimsical re-telling of times gone by interspersed with the avant garde finery of the modern age.  But, there was a glitch.   Five snowflakes were supposed to open into five interconnected rings, but the final one failed to open.  Welcome to the Year of the Horse.  Things may move fast, but we should definitely expect the unexpected.  To attain perfection maybe there should always be one small imperfection.  I don't know, but this one caught the world's attention.  It spoke volumes.  

    

The commentators dismissed it as "just one of those things that happens." But I didn't buy it.  This glitch had symbolic import.  Maybe that is why it stuck in the craw of the commentators.  I heard it mentioned several times.  What did it mean? Maybe nothing, maybe something.  Given the events that have taken place on the world stage during the course of the Games, it does seem to be a bit of an omen.

It bothered me.  Immediately, I knew how I would interpret the same spread if I saw it drawn from a deck of cards.  Circles are representative of the Sun.  Great achievements, cooperation, and blessings all flow from circles.  But four circles and a star? And a red star at that.  Red is strongly associated with fire, aggression, and lust for power.  

If it was a person sitting before me, this is what I would say: There is trouble brewing beneath the surface.  Something important is being withheld.  Has money gone missing? Hold on to your hat because an unpleasant change is coming.  Unity will most likely be sacrificed for personal gain.  It just goes to show that no matter how tightly you hold the cards to your chest, something can slip out.  

For all their fierce intensity and stylish execution, the Sochi Olympics seemed to suffer from a bad case of circlephobia.  The most obvious example would have to be the snowflake glitch in the opening ceremonies.  But what about the medals? The medals were beautifully rendered objets d' art.  They were also anything but traditional.  According to the official website*, "The sun's golden rays deflected (sic) through a prism of snowy mountain tops and the warm sea and frosty ice living side-by-side are embodied in the medals."  Stylish? Yes.  Sexy? Yes.  But circles? Definitely not.

If I had been awarded one, I would be like: Wow! This is beautiful, but where is the rest? Beautiful pieces of cut glass do not fetch the same price as gold (or silver or bronze).  Most Olympians are probably not worried about what their local hock shop will give them for their medals, but it's the principle of the thing. The medals were half-moons of diamond shaped glass contained within spheres of precious metals.  But they were not spheres complete unto themselves.  Personally, I think someone saved a buttload of money on the cost of their precious metals.   

In addition, the host country always offers a symbolic dove of peace during the Opening Ceremonies.  Or, in this case, a shuttlecock.  Maybe it was a jellyfish.  Honestly, I couldn't tell.  Don't get me wrong, the presentation was beautiful, but the lampshades with their dangly cords did not read as doves to me.  Perhaps I'm just nitpicking, but the dove of peace is important.  It hearkens back to the origin of the Games and the idea that the (Greek) world should take a break from war and come together in the spirit of peace and honest competition.  Oh well, it didn't work then and we still can't get our collective minds around this idea.  However, if you're going to honor the tradition, then it's important to not take so much artistic license that the intended meaning is lost.

I have an idea.  Why not just release some doves into the stadium? I guarantee it would be cheaper than creating dancing jellyfish.  So what if someone gets pooped on? It's good luck.  And we could all stand to stop taking ourselves so damn seriously.  I think anyone who got pooped on by a dove of peace should get an honorary free pass to the events.  Or maybe get their rooms comped.  Now that would be some good fortune!

*wikipedia.org

*The liver is the only major human organ which has the capacity to significantly regenerate itself.

*Sochi2014.com

Angels and Demons

ii. of ii.

It's worthwhile to understand the nature of angels and demons, their similarities and differences.  Just as there is a hierarchy among angels, the same is true of demons.  Most of the lower orders are not named.  This is especially true when speaking of dark entities.  The higher orders of both, archangels and devils, are transcendent and very powerful.  The movie, Constantine, has the best portrayals of archangels and devils that I've ever seen.  It gave me chills.

Angels are misunderstood.  They are not fairies.  They may be altruistic, but they are also temperamental.  Altogether, angels have gotten a bad rap.  No one takes them seriously.  People think they're cartoon characters, but there's much more to them.  They are potent forces of alchemy.  Constantine did a great job of explaining how angels and demons work on the physical plane.  They are influence peddlers.  Humans are a means to an end.  It is possible for both angels and demons to take people over to serve their purposes (just not at the same time).

Although angels are good, intentionally calling them is a little like playing Russian roulette.  Not a good idea unless you know what you're doing or your need is great.  Once they (angels or demons) are more than peripherally aware of you, there is no going back.  I liked that this was one of the central themes of the movie.

There are far more darklings than angels.  Light is more powerful, but darkness is more pervasive.  Angels, by their nature, are ephemeral.  They flit in and out.  They are here, there, and everywhere.  They are too busy to stay in one place for long.  Demons, on the other hand, are much more monogamous.  They find a person or place and there they stay, sewing discord, until the structure burns to the ground.  Then, they will move on and start again.  

Despite being genderless, we tend to identify demons as male.  Angels, although neuter, tend to exhibit both feminine and masculine attributes, often at the same time.  It is uncommon to see an angel, but it does happen.  No special giftedness is required.  Sometimes, angels choose to be seen.  Many times they will take the form of a stranger.  This stranger will impart a message of some import to the reciever.  Belief can come before, but after is more common.  However, it is a mixed blessing.  Seeing an angel generally means that there is real trouble afoot.  The kind that can swindle your soul.  We cannot see white blood cells, but we know they are there to protect us.  It is the same with angels.

Demons are not commonly seen.  This is not a mixed blessing; it is just a blessing.  We see the tracks of demons in the destruction they leave in their wake.  They are not particularly subtle.  A person must possess strong spiritual gifts to see these denizens of darkness.  They do not often slip up and reveal themselves.  Their job is to make you afraid.  Madness is the most common symptom of a demonic haunting.  And it can strike anyone.

Recently, a woman drove her car into the ocean.  She was not alone; she also had her three children with her.  They barely escaped with their lives.  Why did she do it? She said it was because there were demons in her home.  In a desperate bid for escape, she loaded up the kids and took off.  Then, some strange impulse told her to drive into the ocean.  And she did it.  The investigators said that her demeanor was unusual, distant and affected.  Demons are whisperers.  They are hiders.  They are stalkers.  Worst of all, they are patient.  

In effect, this mother attempted the triple homicide of her children.  Something went terribly wrong.  I don't know if it was organic or spiritual.  In a way, it doesn't matter, the result was the same.  The damage is done.  Everyone survived, but life will never be the same.  I bet she will be run through every series of psychological tests known to man.  But I doubt anyone will show up to investigate her claims of a demonic haunting.

These days, we are spoiled.  We have forgotten how to protect ourselves.  Consequences carry no weight.  They are practically relics of a time gone by.   We rely too heavily on technology to educate, distract, and entertain us.  And it is a great thing, but it is not all things.  When the shadows begin to growl, there is no app for an exorcism. 

Peace is every step - Thanh Nhat Hanh