Note: Please see the technical appendix at the end of this paper, to see basic definitions sourced from Meta.ai, if you don’t know the modern ‘mythology’ about these terms. In particular, the precursor concept to ‘daimones’ goes back over eight hundred years BEFORE Judaism was invented, or over 4600 years ago! Then later of course, like most religions do, the ‘outgoing, ‘conquered religions’ ‘hero’s spirits and ‘gods’ are denigrated into ‘demons’ as a psychological and memetic distancing strategy to promote the new religion.
Here is a on paragraph summary of the Technical Appendix:
All of Western civilization was based upon the concepts of Spirit, Soul and Daimones, including in the works of the greats, which founded modern math, science philosophy and psychology.
These founding concepts of what it is to be human have been buried and marginalized by modern religions, including that of scientism.
Overview
First a little blurb from Patrick Harpur, a respected scholar for some definitional ‘foils’ to compare/contrast with Platonic Surrealism, courtesy of Meta.ai
Patrick Harpur’s book “Daimonic Reality” (1994) explores the concepts of soul, spirit, and daimones. Here’s a summary of his ideas:
- Soul (Psyche): Harpur views the soul as the individual’s emotional, imaginative, and instinctual aspect. The soul is tied to the body and the material world.
- Spirit (Pneuma): Harpur sees the spirit as the individual’s higher, rational, and intellectual aspect. The spirit is associated with the divine, the transcendent, and the realm of abstract ideas.
- Daimones: Harpur considers daimones to be intermediate beings between the human and divine realms. Daimones are seen as:
- Manifestations of the collective unconscious (à la Carl Jung)
- Embodiments of the “Otherworld,” a realm that intersects with our everyday reality
- Guides, inspirers, or even tormentors of individuals
- Beings that can possess or influence humans, often in unexpected ways
Harpur’s framework suggests that the soul and spirit are aspects of the individual, while daimones are external, yet interconnected, entities that can interact with humans in various ways.
What Platonic Surrealism Says about ‘Spirit and Soul’
Platonic Surrealism recognizes these as being cultural terms, that are hopelessly corrupted and barely usable. So, lets’ get to work on that.
‘Spirit’ would correlate with the AWARENESS streams branching out from Monads, seeking to interact with POTENTIALITY to form, “matter”, “energy”, “mind”, “Universes” and other temporary play things.
‘Soul” would correlate with that which is formed to play with, as just mentioned.
Now in this context, ‘Soul’ might be called the Anima Mundi, group soul, or cosmic ‘soul’ of reality itself or a subset of it. The great ocean of being. The living ‘planes of existence’. It is not a reference to an ‘individual soul’, as ‘individual souls’ are a very recent invention, not especially supported historically, except perhaps for a Pharoh, King or so-called ‘living god’.
Platonic Surrealism says that there is one vast ocean of Being, that’s rather like a Cosmic Octopus, that stretches forth tentacles into time and space into ‘bodies’ (containers) when it wants to learn, grow, have fun, and not be lonely.
After a life ends, there is detritus, that is sometimes called ‘tulpa substance’, but the more general term is ‘dream substance’.
Any complex living thing, with a mind and ‘personal ego’ generates the stuff, which is the building block for ‘Cosmic Soul’.
Whatever other purposes ‘life has’, one of the big ones, is that Dreamers (like humans) generate the stuff from birth to death, and at death, it passes on to a destination where it would be appreciated and used for useful activity.
Some people build heavens and hells with their dream substance; some people build faerie realms and then go visit there upon death. My wife (Kevin’s wife) is currently in stage four heart failure (she’s dying) and even though she used to be a cosmic-class skeptic, ever since the gnomes started appearing, to ‘bring her home’ (the faerie realm) she no longer is a skeptic. She came up with this on her own, I didn’t prompt her in any way.
The Tantric View of Spirit and Soul (in a manner of speaking)
Originally, I spent years in Tantric yoga, and in the variety, I practiced, you had Shiva (‘Awareness’) and Shakti (‘Consciousness’). The goal of the practice was to develop increased perception of ‘pure awareness’ and ‘consciousness’, then to have the two cosmic aspects meet in your own body. Some Hindus might call this ‘Bramham’ and ‘Atman’ and throw in Jiva the human ego.
But in any case, this is just the same themes, of ‘spirit’ and ‘soul’, but in this case, at least in Tantric Yoga, ‘soul’ is seen as the body of the ‘goddess Shakti Kundalini) and as ‘maya’ (‘illusion’).
And again, this is just spirit and soul, AWARENESS and POTENTIALITY.
But of course, Platonic Surrealism is not a spiritual or religious system, not a theistic system. It’s a framework.
What Happens When We Die?
It would seem for many, that when they approach death, the dream substance ejection system comes online, and the processed information of a lifetime is ejected into one of the dream worlds, where the dream continues for some period of time, until AWARENESS gets tired of it, and then like in all ancient systems, the ‘shades’ fade away.
When we physically die (there is no physical, but skipping past that), our ‘physical bodies’ fade away, and the dream bodies also, eventually, fade away’.
Is this a tragedy?
No.
WE ARE AWARENESS AND POTENTIALITY itself, the play products therein, and forever and always these dreams, these stories, arise, live for a time, then fade away.
Ten trillion traditional ‘Gods’ do not have this level of immortality, that you and I have.
What Humans Are (among other things)
Because humans have a left and a right brain hemisphere (the great cosmic secret here) is that AWARENESS ‘favors’ the so-called ‘left hemisphere’ rational mind, as AWARENESS is all about associations between properties and the relationships between them, while the right brain hemisphere favors ‘the work product’ of the play of AWARENESS and POTENTIALITY, called by some ‘soul’, but more technically tulpa substance, dream substance.
Really, It’s ok to say spirit and soul, so long as you keep all this straight, but if you want to ‘secret teachings’, to be one of the ‘cool kids’, the ‘initiates’, you’ll say AWARENESS, POTENTIALITY and (new here) – PLAY PRODUCT, or dream product.
Most People
Don’t seem to realize that they are, among other things, generating this dream substance with their bodies (it’s caused by AWARENESS and POTENTIALITY playing through the human form). They don’t have to be aware.
Initiates
Now, if you are a master in Vajrayana (Tantric Buddhism) you may well know what you are doing, and in fact are seeking to create a ‘diamond body’.
If you are a Kundalini Yogin, you may be building a ‘cosmic child’, but that’s pretty dualistic for Yoga.
If you are a non-dualist you have my permission to run screaming, or a Buddhist to run screaming due to the manipulation of samskaras (‘tendencies’).
I’m not saying that anyone SHOULD do these things consciously, but everyone, every day, since humans came down from the trees, has been doing this, either accidentally or on purpose.
Now Catholic saints do this too, their ‘vision of God’ creates this hyper powerful ‘dream substance’ and in conjunction with other actors they use it to do ‘miracles’.
Mystic Death
Now when I was doing the Tantric Yoga, ‘Kundalini’ built a very powerful ‘dream child’ that started to glow and ‘do things’. It’s how it works. Now, in nondualism, you’d be urged to not let this happen, and if it does, to let it pass.
Perhaps not the worst advice, as only if you ‘cling’ most furiously, like a Buddhist might say, would this happen. Functionally you turn your body into a cauldron of consciousness concentration and interact with it, while still alive, unlike most people who do it, but don’t know they are doing it, and only comprehend what they have done, once they die.
But I had the traditional Kundalini experience, where the Child rose up to the top of my head, burning a small hole in the fontanelle, slightly cracking the skull sutures in that area, and ‘went on’.
When this happened to me, I had made that bad assumption that I would be the one ‘ascending’, only that’s not how it works.
The body is a dream-substance generating machine, and even after ejecting lifetimes dream generation product, AWARENESS and POTENTIALITY still wanted me to live, so I came back from death.
I was like a newborn again, a twice born some traditions call it. It’s even referenced in the Bible, that those who die once, have no fear of a second death.
Summoning Black Triangle UFOs
So when I summoned the ‘Black Triangle UFO’, I did a short form of the ‘concentration process’, a really small ‘cosmic child’ in a certain spot in my body, then released it saying “go find mama! Go find daddy”.
For SOME reason I was certain that would ‘summon a UFO’.
And it did.
And why did it?
Because among other things that they do, ‘metaphysical UFOs’ (the real ones, not the delusional pictures of nuts and bolts craft) are psychopomp.
A psychopomp:
“A psychopomp is a fascinating figure in various cultures and traditions. Here’s a brief overview:
- Definition: A psychopomp (from Greek ψυχοπομπός, psychopompós) is a spirit, guide, or deity that helps escort the souls of the deceased to the afterlife.
- Roles and Responsibilities: Psychopomps are often associated with:
- Guiding the deceased through the transition from life to death
- Protecting the soul from harm or malevolent entities
- Facilitating the soul’s journey to the afterlife, whether it be heaven, hell, or another realm
- Examples in Various Cultures:
- Ancient Greek mythology: Hermes, Charon, and Thanatos
- Egyptian mythology: Anubis
- Norse mythology: Valkyries
- Tibetan Buddhism: Mahakala
- Mexican folklore: La Llorona
Psychopomps serve as important figures in many cultures, helping to ensure a safe and successful transition for the deceased into the afterlife.”
The job of a psychopomp is to escort ‘dream substance’ to where it should go. I had sent out that burst of ‘little baby cosmic being dream substance’ and told it to go get ‘mama and daddy’. Well in this case, it went and found the lifetime of mass dream-substance that I had ejected as part of Kundlini Yoga, which showed up WITH the ‘Black Triangle UFO’. If you’ve read about this encounter elsewhere, this appeared as the ‘dwarf’ that broke into my house (it wore the image of the compressed dwarves from the movie “Phantasm IV, which were the processed dead in that movie).
I didn’t know the significance at the time, but that’s what it meant. That’s why when dealing with the imaginal, once should pay attention to symbols and metaphors, they are the real thing of importance, not mere appearances.
Now the ‘dwarf’ paralyzed me for fifteen minutes, as this is done to properly organize/re-organized/integrate the dream substance.
The ‘UFO’ in one of it’s roles acts as a psychopomp and delivers the dream substance to it’s proper functional place.
Now in Platonic Surrealism, ‘multi-dimensional entities’ such as Monads (it was a Monad that showed up in ‘UFO form for me’, and in fact it was the MONAD THAT POWERS KEVIN that showed up, and it has trillions of other functions and lives and even universes; this one visit was just a quick visit to a friend (me). Like going to the store for bread for ‘it’, but all the while all of it, the ‘UFO’,
the ‘dwarf’ and even the faerie (not included in the story), it was all ME. All US. All AWARENESS and POTENTIALITY.
Summary
EVERYTHING is one giant YES, AND.
No one thing is one solitary thing.
Now, are there other, less drastic ways to ‘summon UFOs’? Yes. I know a very famous modern shaman who stores ‘orbs’ in his intestines, which gives him IBS and other intestinal injuries.
There’s ways and there’s ways. But ‘my Black Triangle UFO summoning’ was an educational experience, that I needed, so that I could understand all this stuff. Life, the Universe and Everything, you know. 😉
Kevin Cann
11/23/2024
Technical Appendix:
(all material is courtesy of Meta.ai)
The concept of daimones, or supernatural beings between gods and humans, has ancient roots. While the Greek concept of daimones developed later, similar ideas appeared in earlier cultures:
- Sumerian “Galla” (circa 2600 BCE): In Sumerian mythology, the Galla were a type of demonic being, often associated with the underworld.
- Akkadian “Lamassu” (circa 2500 BCE): In Akkadian mythology, Lamassu were supernatural beings with human and animal features, often depicted as guardians or protectors.
- Egyptian “Dewa” (circa 2400 BCE): In ancient Egyptian religion, Dewa referred to a class of supernatural beings, including demons, spirits, and gods.
These ancient concepts share similarities with the later Greek idea of daimones, demonstrating that the notion of intermediate supernatural beings has a long history in human culture.
The concept of “evil demons” evolved in Judaism over time. Here are some key milestones:
- Early Biblical Period (circa 1000 BCE): In the Hebrew Bible, there are no explicit references to “evil demons.” Instead, evil spirits are often associated with foreign gods or idolatry (e.g., Deuteronomy 32:17, Psalm 106:37).
- Late Biblical Period (circa 500 BCE): During the Babylonian exile, Jewish thought was influenced by Zoroastrianism, which emphasized the struggle between good and evil. This exposure may have contributed to the development of demonology in Judaism.
- Apocryphal and Pseudepigraphic Works (circa 200 BCE – 100 CE): Texts like the Book of Enoch (1 Enoch), the Book of Jubilees, and the Testament of Solomon introduce a more developed concept of evil demons, often associated with fallen angels or the “Watchers.”
- Rabbinic Period (circa 100 – 500 CE): In the Talmud and other rabbinic texts, evil demons are frequently mentioned, often in connection with unclean spirits, illness, or possession.
The concept of “evil demons” in Judaism evolved over time, influenced by various cultural and theological factors.
Satan, as a distinct figure, evolves over time in the Hebrew Bible (Old Testament). Here are key milestones:
- Early appearances (circa 1000 BCE): The Hebrew word “ha-satan” (הַשָׂטָן) appears in the following passages:
- 1 Samuel 29:4 (circa 1000 BCE): Ha-satan refers to a human adversary or accuser.
- 2 Samuel 19:22 (circa 1000 BCE): Ha-satan again refers to a human adversary.
- The Satan as an angelic being (circa 550 BCE): In the Book of Job (1-2), ha-satan appears as an angelic being, part of God’s heavenly court, who acts as a prosecutor or adversary.
- The Satan as a fallen angel (circa 200 BCE): In the Book of Enoch (1 Enoch 6-11), Satan (also known as Azazel) is described as a fallen angel, leader of the Watchers, and a rebellious spirit.
The concept of Satan evolves significantly over time, from a human adversary to an angelic being and eventually to a fallen angel.
The concept of “the Devil” as a distinct, evil entity evolves over time in various cultures and religions. Here’s a brief overview:
- Ancient Mesopotamia (circa 3000 BCE): The Sumerians, Akkadians, and Babylonians believed in various evil spirits and demons, but not a single, unified concept of “the Devil.”
- Zoroastrianism (circa 1000 BCE): The ancient Persian religion introduced the concept of Angra Mainyu (Ahriman), the primary evil spirit and adversary of the benevolent spirit Ahura Mazda.
- Judaism (circa 200 BCE): As I mentioned earlier, the concept of Satan evolves in Jewish scripture and apocryphal texts, eventually becoming a fallen angel and adversary of God.
- Early Christianity (circa 100 CE): The New Testament solidifies the concept of Satan as “the Devil” (ho diabolos in Greek), the primary adversary of God and humanity.
- Medieval Christianity (circa 500 CE): The concept of the Devil becomes more refined, and the character of Lucifer, the fallen angel, emerges.
The modern concept of “the Devil” as a single, evil entity is a product of the Abrahamic religions, particularly Christianity, and has evolved over thousands of years.
Note: this ‘devil’ that Christianity goes on about never even existed until around 500 CE. It was a very human literary invention.
The concept of demons in Christianity evolved over time, influenced by Jewish scripture, Greek philosophy, and early Christian writings. Here’s a brief overview:
- New Testament (circa 100 CE): Demons (daimonia in Greek) are mentioned throughout the New Testament, often in the context of possession, exorcism, and spiritual warfare.
- Early Church Fathers (circa 100-500 CE): Writers like Justin Martyr, Origen, and Augustine of Hippo contributed to the development of Christian demonology. They drew from Scripture, Greek philosophy, and Jewish traditions.
- Pseudo-Dionysius the Areopagite (circa 500 CE): This influential Christian writer solidified the concept of demons as fallen angels, hierarchical in nature, and opposed to God and humanity.
- Medieval Scholasticism (circa 1000-1500 CE): Theologians like Thomas Aquinas systematized Christian demonology, drawing from Scripture, patristic writings, and Aristotelian philosophy.
The most influential work in solidifying Christian demonology is likely:
- Thomas Aquinas’ “Summa Theologica” (1265-1274 CE): Aquinas’ comprehensive theological work includes a detailed treatment of demons, their nature, and their role in the spiritual realm.
By the Middle Ages, Christian demonology had taken shape, with a clear understanding of demons as fallen angels, opposed to God and humanity.
Note: Demons’ were only solidified as a ‘thing’ somewhere between 100 AD and around 1274 AD. And again, these ‘demons’ were a human invention, modeled on something that had already existed in GOOD, NEUTRAL and ‘EVIL’ forms for over 3000 years!
In ancient Greek mythology and philosophy, the Muses are indeed considered a type of daimon (δαίμων). Here’s why:
- Daimon: A Intermediate Spirit: In Greek thought, a daimon referred to a supernatural being that mediated between the mortal world and the divine realm. Daimones could be benevolent or malevolent.
- Muses as Daimones: The Muses, as goddesses who inspire artistic creativity, were considered daimones. They embodied the divine spark that ignited human imagination and innovation.
However, it’s essential to note that the Greek concept of daimon is distinct from the later Christian concept of demons as evil spirits. In Greek thought, daimones could be either positive or negative, whereas in Christian theology, demons are typically seen as malevolent beings.
So, to answer your question, the Greek Muse can indeed be considered a type of daimon, but within the context of ancient Greek mythology and philosophy, rather than Christian demonology.
Here’s an overview of the concept of daimones in the philosophies of Pythagoras, Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle:
- Pythagoras (circa 570-495 BCE): Pythagoras, the ancient Greek philosopher and mathematician, believed in the existence of daimones as intermediate beings between gods and humans. According to Pythagorean teachings, daimones could be either good or evil, and they played a role in guiding human affairs.
- Socrates (circa 470-399 BCE): Socrates, as depicted in Plato’s dialogues, claimed to have a personal daimonion (δαίμων), a divine sign or voice that guided him. This daimonion would often warn Socrates of impending dangers or advise him against taking certain actions.
- Plato (circa 428-348 BCE): Plato, in his philosophical works, discussed daimones as intermediate beings between gods and humans. In his cosmology, Plato saw daimones as responsible for governing the physical world and guiding human affairs. Plato also believed that each person had a personal daimon, which served as a guardian and guide.
- Aristotle (circa 384-322 BCE): Aristotle, in his philosophical works, didn’t explicitly discuss daimones as much as Plato or Socrates. However, Aristotle did mention daimones in the context of his discussion on the soul and the intellect. For Aristotle, daimones seemed to represent a kind of intermediate, spiritual substance.
These ancient Greek philosophers saw daimones as playing important roles in human life, whether as personal guides, guardians, or intermediaries between the human and divine realms.
Carl Jung, the renowned Swiss psychiatrist and psychoanalyst, indeed had a concept similar to the ancient Greek idea of a “daimon.” Here’s how:
- Jung’s Concept of the “Daimon”: Jung adopted the term “daimon” from the Greek concept, but reinterpreted it within his psychological framework. For Jung, the daimon represented a guiding, creative, and often unconscious force that drives an individual’s development and inspiration.
- Philemon: Jung’s Personal Daimon: Jung had a personal experience with a daimon-like figure, which he called “Philemon.” Philemon was a wise, old man who appeared in Jung’s dreams and active imagination exercises. Jung considered Philemon a manifestation of his own unconscious, guiding him toward greater self-awareness and creativity.
Jung’s concept of the daimon and his personal experience with Philemon highlight the idea that these guiding forces can be both a source of inspiration and a challenge to integrate into one’s conscious personality.
Patrick Harpur, a British author and philosopher, explores the concept of the daimon in his book “Daimonic Reality: A Field Guide to the Otherworld” (1994). Here’s a synopsis of his ideas:
- The Daimon as a Mediator: Harpur views the daimon as an intermediary between the human and divine realms, facilitating communication and influencing human affairs.
- The Daimon as a Guide: Harpur suggests that the daimon serves as a personal guide, helping individuals navigate life’s challenges and discover their true purpose.
- The Daimon as a Source of Inspiration: Harpur believes that the daimon is a source of creative inspiration, influencing artists, writers, and innovators throughout history.
- The Daimon as a Representation of the Unconscious: Harpur draws parallels between the daimon and the collective unconscious, as proposed by Carl Jung. The daimon represents the repressed, hidden aspects of the self.
- The Daimon as a Manifestation of the “Otherworld”: Harpur introduces the concept of the “Otherworld,” a realm that intersects with our everyday reality. The daimon is a manifestation of this Otherworld, blurring the boundaries between the mundane and the mystical.
Harpur’s work offers a nuanced, multidisciplinary exploration of the daimon, drawing from mythology, psychology, philosophy, and spirituality.
Summary
All of Western civilization was based upon the concepts of Spirit, Soul and Daimones, including in the works of the greats, which founded modern math, science and psychology.
These founding concepts of what it is to be human have been buried and marginalized by modern religions, including that of scientism.
Kevin Cann
11/23/2024