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Flax lol

I think I heard this from Alan Chapman but he was quoting someone possibly Crowley. The way I see it is if magic is effecting change in accordance with the will, then in casting a spell you are either binding energy to your intent, or releasing energy which is bound to another intent (eg. banishment and so on). My interest in these three gods is not so much how similar they are - or what it is that connects them - but their differences. The character of Thoth is so much different to Hermes/Mercury and even more Odin - and yet they represent the same (similar) roles in their own systems. I also like Odin/Woden because of his two birds thought and memory - especially as I am trying to conduct a kind of defence of thoughts against the (debased) Eastern dismissal of thought. I would go as far as to say the attitude to thought and thinking in some Buddhist and Daoist circles is something of a kind of brainwashing. I think certain teachers do not want their students to progress but to sit at their feet is sheeplike obedience and part of this is getting them to shut off their minds.

Latest interview by Rudi:

Oh sure .... I was just explaining why I didnt include him in my post . And I think we can see why the Romans had that proclivity to syncretism https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interpretatio_graeca#Interpretatio_romana

It is often said that ^ is an 'eastern thing ' . Like 'do not ask questions' and if you do and get an answer, certainly do not question any answers ! One might run up against that in traditional eastern martial arts . I did a study on the whys and wherefores of why that might be so . '' Coincidentally '' (or not ) those societies are tightly hierarchical . In a way, it also reminds me about that Christian fellow at work who would discuss things with us (or not .... eventually ) he ran out of answers and came back with ' logic and reason are the tools of doubt encouraged by the Devil ' . You might note I left Odin out of my above posts .... I do realise the common association , but for me he doesnt 'fit in' in the 'box' . I also inserted Djehuty / Thoth ( the Greek translation ) as that supplied some input into the later Greek ides of Thoth which eventually got mixed in with Hermes , that later became associated with the Roman 'Mercury '. The close association between Thoth and Mercury seems to have come with Herodotus ( and eventually produced 'Hermes Trismegistus' ) , but Plato didnt agree ( Plato doesnt seem to be a fan of mixing the Gods of different cultures together ) . Here is an interesting view on how this melding together caused other problems ; https://networkologies.wordpress.com/2011/12/30/how-hermes-trismegistus-warped-the-history-of-philosophy-or-why-nobody-reads-plotinus-today/ Binding '' ... Most scholars derive Hermes from Greek ἕρμα (herma),[15] 'stone heap'...However, the stone etymology is also linked to Indo-European *ser- ('to bind, put together'). '' Aside from the idea that Hermes came into ancient Greek via Egypt / Thoth , some claim a Mesopotamian influence ; '' similar or identical to Ningishzida, a god who served as mediator between humans and the divine, especially Ishtar, and who was depicted in art as a caduceus.[21][22] '' Hermes and Pan ? '' According to a theory that has received considerable scholarly acceptance, Hermes originated as a form of the god Pan, who has been identified as a reflex of the Proto-Indo-European pastoral god *Péh2usōn,[27][28] in his aspect as the god of boundary markers. The PIE root *peh2 'protect' also shows up in Latin pastor 'shepherd' (whence the English pastoral). A zero grade of the full PIE form (*ph2usōn) yields the name of the Sanskrit psychopomp Pushan, who, like Pan, is associated with goats.[29] Later, the epithet supplanted the original name itself and Hermes took over the role of psychopomp and as god of messengers, travelers, and boundaries, which had originally belonged to Pan, while Pan himself continued to be venerated by his original name in his more rustic aspect as the god of the wild in the relatively isolated mountainous region of Arcadia. In later myths, after the cult of Pan was reintroduced to Attica, Pan was said to be Hermes's son.[28][30] ... '' Mercury as a Roman God was one of the main 12 Gods ( 6 female and 6 male ) . he does seem a latter edition . Unlike Plato, the Romans did not mind 'mixing things up '. Mercury seems very close to Hermes, being a Roman version of the Greek God ; '' When they described the gods of Celtic and Germanic tribes, rather than considering them separate deities, the Romans interpreted them as local manifestations or aspects of their own gods, a cultural trait called the interpretatio romana. Mercury, in particular, was reported as becoming extremely popular among the nations the Roman Empire conquered; Julius Caesar wrote of Mercury being the most popular god in Britain and Gaul, regarded as the inventor of all the arts.[11] This is probably because, in the Roman syncretism, Mercury was equated with the Celtic god Lugus, and in this aspect was commonly accompanied by the Celtic goddess Rosmerta. Although Lugus may originally have been a deity of light or the sun (though this is disputed), similar to the Roman Apollo, his importance as a god of trade made him more comparable to Mercury, and Apollo was instead equated with the Celtic deity Belenu '' There are some slight differences . Feature Hermes (Greek) Mercury (Roman) Origin Greek mythology Roman mythology Primary Roles Messenger of the gods, herds, trade, thieves, athletics, roads, souls of the dead Messenger of the gods, commerce, trade, wealth, fertility Portrayal Often portrayed as a trickster and thief More emphasis on the business and commercial aspects; a guide to the dead (psychopompos) Symbols Winged sandals (talaria), winged helmet (petasos), caduceus (herald's staff) Winged sandals, winged helmet, caduceus Namesake Planet Mercury was originally named Hermes by the Greeks, who renamed it when it appeared as a morning star. Named after the Roman god Mercury, who was the messenger of the gods. So ; if we 'throw Odin and Thoth into the mix as well ' , yes it is difficult to see close similarities - it seems more like having a certain number of cultural boxes and trying to fit the various Gods of each culture into one of those boxes * . But if we stick to the title ; Hermes and Mercury, they are more closely related and are more able to be talked about as similar energies . * eg. ; http://www.thelemapedia.org/index.php/Tree_of_Life:Godforms eg. ; 8 Hod Egyptian (Selection)—Anubis Egyptian (Practical)—Thoth Hindu—Hanuman Scandinavian—Odin, Loki Greek—Hermes Roman—Mercury Christian—God the Holy Ghost (as Comforter and Inspirer of Scripture), God the Healer of Plagues

that reminded me of your DDJ ch. 1 此兩者同出而異名 These two come from one origin but differ in name,

there are tips on how to properly use your iron skillet with skill, along with related iron palm training that one can practice in the comfort of their own kitchen... (which is good if using skillet as a weapon of for cooking)

Sing the name of god : ) Reason I went for it, is because I believe that music, glow and inspiration is the most fun and effective way to spread the good news.

I am very fond of my frying pans. They are decades old (the oldest one is 70) and take heavy use in stride. In addition to cast iron I have copper and copper-over-steel ones. It's true that my 12-inch copper beauty* lost all the tin, but to re-tin it costs hundreds of dollars in our parts, so I just don't use it for anything acidic it might react with. I could give a reason and rationale for the fact that I have 7 frying pans and none are decorative or the outcome of hoarding. I use all of them interchangeably -- each of them knows what its purpose in life is and does not infringe upon another frying pan's territory. But If I was limited to just one (as I used to be), that one would be cast iron. *beauty: I mean its performance, not appearance, since it shines from thorough polishing maybe once a year and then it's all downhill for it. Scrubbing and polishing to a beautiful uniform shine is for decorative copper, not for the workhorse of the kitchen.)

Po has a firm root in the body and the desires of the body: sex, food, comforts, et al, and is the source of emotions. Hun can wander during dreams, meditation, inattentiveness, ,,it can have lofty aspirations. When it becomes a little too detached, there is a lack of grounding and can lead to mental instability. And if I can digress briefly here; this is why proper guidance is important regarding Qigong/energy practices. It's the mental deviations that are a concern. It isn't if you might strain a knee or have something physically go askew. And during the decade plus I've been on TDB, so many have said you need proper guidance for physicality issues! Which sends me into eye rolling exercises Back to narrow Hun & Po, Neidan topic. So the Hun nature and Po natures going their own ways leads to scattering of energies; Sidetracked and distracted mind, emotional turmoil, disease, less than a quality life, shortened life.... Hun (Spiritual energy) disperses and scatters. Po ( physical energy) becomes exhausted. Neidan proposes the solution for this problem by refining, uniting, further refining Hun and Po. The entire process of Neidan is specifically for this purpose.

Hun and Po are two of the aspects of our soul complex. Hun is Yang and associated with Heaven. It is our moral compass, allows access to higher consciousness and creativity, it is our connection to Divine realm and the Dao. As you mentioned, after death, Hun ascends (returns) to Heaven. It enters the physical body at birth. Po is Yin and associated with Earth. It gives us life, awareness, instincts, desires, After death, Po fades with the decay of the physical body In ordinary unrefined folks Hun and Po remain separate and their leanings and tendencies pull the individual in opposite directions. This is a problem. I will continue in a following post. I need to do some chores, chop wood, carry water, etc