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Post by NexusOfLight on Dec 14, 2010 18:51:35 GMT -5
So about Santa Claus. Is he Odin?
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Post by Crom-Cruach on Dec 15, 2010 19:19:00 GMT -5
No.
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Geraldthesloth
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Post by Geraldthesloth on Dec 16, 2010 0:31:11 GMT -5
Yes he is, they both have glorious beards.
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Post by NexusOfLight on Dec 16, 2010 13:04:22 GMT -5
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Post by Crom-Cruach on Dec 16, 2010 13:06:26 GMT -5
Yes he is, they both have glorious beards. *sends him to his room to think about what he said*
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Post by Crom-Cruach on Dec 16, 2010 13:16:07 GMT -5
these "sources" would make any expert on norse mythology cry... To futher elaborate the current Santa is largely a combination of disparate concepts and sources combined with marketing and pop references. There are many magical beings said to gift on special days and such. But Odin was not concerned with giving gifts much actually. Thought like all gods he had holy days where he was said to visit followers. And as king of the gods he blessed and cursed people if they aided him or not. The reason I say no is because the current Santa Claus is such a mismatched personage drawing from so many sources and so bastardized from the original mythic "local santas" as gift giving magical beings that saying he is Odin is about as accurate as me saying Poseidon and Susanoo are the same because they both have power over storms and the sea.
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Post by NexusOfLight on Dec 16, 2010 13:35:36 GMT -5
And that's why we pay you the big bucks. Thanks for clearing that up.
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Post by Crom-Cruach on Dec 16, 2010 13:41:26 GMT -5
no problem.
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Post by NexusOfLight on Dec 28, 2010 11:53:46 GMT -5
Know anything about the Yoruba religion?
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Post by Crom-Cruach on Dec 28, 2010 13:07:59 GMT -5
Yes, what do you want to know?
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Post by NexusOfLight on Dec 28, 2010 13:18:14 GMT -5
Pretty much a brief intro on everything really. If you have a book or website you could point me to, that'd be awesome.
I'm interested in their creation story, some of the prominent deities and their purpose, how the people of the religion looked upon them and reacted to them, the philosophy behind it, and the effect other religions (like the spread of Christianity for example) had on it.
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Post by Crom-Cruach on Dec 28, 2010 13:36:34 GMT -5
Allright, now obviously I will speaking in very broad lines to facilitate an introduction to the concept.
First off, Yoruba religion is really a pretty innacurate term as the Yoruba are actually an ethnic-cultural group that originate from West Africa, most of all Nigeria, Benin and Togo. So saying the Yoruba religion is basically just saying the religion of the Yoruba people. Which is pretty much nothing as Islam and Christianity reached the region really quickly (gotta respect the monotheist there, they knew how to sell a religion, lol!)
But I'm guessing you mean the tribal religion here. The religion holds to the belief that destiny is part of the living experience but at the same time life is a series of transitory states. Each person has an Ayanmo (destiny). Thus the goal of existence is to achieve oneness with Olódùmarè (the great all-encompassing creator). In this regard, all living things exist in a state of death and rebirth where one's next life will depend on one's conduct in the previous life and how much progress and effort one has put into fulfilling one's Ayanmo. To be reborn in a greater state, one must achieve a greater awareness of the Aye (the material world) as all living things are spiritually connected and one's actions in the world will very much affect the entire tapestry of the world. People who scorn and repulse the pursuit of the good path are doomed to be reborn in worse and worse states until they are trapped Orun-Apadi (the underworld of the forsaken).
One can achieve transcendence by joyful prayer, good conduct in every day life, meditation to increase awareness and by listening to the wisdom of the orishas (spirits).
Sadly as most of the african slaves in the slave trade came from this region it should come as no surprise that the belief system of the yoruba people is the spiritual ancestor to the syncretic beliefs of the slaves in the Caribbean and south U.S like Voodoo, Santeria and Condomblé
edit: if you can find it, this book would help you: Olódùmarè : God in Yoruba Belief by Bolaji Idowu
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Post by NexusOfLight on Jan 17, 2011 11:23:50 GMT -5
Thanks a bunch, now on an unrelated note, let's talk about the Axis Mundi and what it represents across the board.
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Post by Crom-Cruach on Jan 17, 2011 11:40:04 GMT -5
It's basically places, elements etc. Where the celestial/spiritual world is closer to the material world. Axis Mundi are places said to serve as gateways to the home of gods and spirits. In essence this is why they are often situated in mountains and such like Mount Fuji in Japan. Since the sky is associated with the divine, gods. For obvious reasons.
Axis Mundi are important in meditation and religious pilgrimages because they are places where one "comes closer" to the divine so to speak. The Sage on the mountain is not only wise because he is ancient and well learned. But because he dwells near the spiritual plane, his increased awareness allows him to commune with the inner truths of existence, etc.
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Post by NexusOfLight on Jan 17, 2011 23:27:55 GMT -5
That's some good stuff. I was thinking of using the concept in a story. I think I came across it while watching an episode of Supernatural. Mythology is cool.
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Post by Crom-Cruach on Jan 18, 2011 20:05:54 GMT -5
Supernatural rapes mythology
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Decoy Elite
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Post by Decoy Elite on Jan 18, 2011 20:33:27 GMT -5
Supernatural rapes mythology Poetic Justice given how much rape is in Mythology.
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Post by NexusOfLight on Jan 18, 2011 23:14:59 GMT -5
I could give a list of about 20 other things that do too, but they're still cool. They expose me to the stuff, I get the real history behind it, and it's all good in the neighborhood.
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Post by Phantom Stargrave on Jan 19, 2011 4:35:18 GMT -5
It's basically places, elements etc. Where the celestial/spiritual world is closer to the material world. Axis Mundi are places said to serve as gateways to the home of gods and spirits. In essence this is why they are often situated in mountains and such like Mount Fuji in Japan. Since the sky is associated with the divine, gods. For obvious reasons. Axis Mundi are important in meditation and religious pilgrimages because they are places where one "comes closer" to the divine so to speak. The Sage on the mountain is not only wise because he is ancient and well learned. But because he dwells near the spiritual plane, his increased awareness allows him to commune with the inner truths of existence, etc. Isn't the axis mundi a metaphysical concept of, y'know, the axis on which the world spins?
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Post by Crom-Cruach on Jan 19, 2011 21:59:18 GMT -5
Isn't the axis mundi a metaphysical concept of, y'know, the axis on which the world spins? yes and no. An axis mundi is often at a point where all directions meet, the heavens are closer etc. Hence it is believed to be the center of the world for obvious reasons. However a place can be an axis mundy without being at the center of the world. Hinduism for example has several holy mountains whom are axis mundi.
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