The Golden One

Taliesin’s Map: The Comparative Guide to Celtic Mythology

Posted on February 13, 2022

I have read Taliesin’s Map: The Comparative Guide to Celtic Mythology by J. Dolan. Taliesin was a Welsh seer-poet who is said to have tasted the liquid of poetic illumination – historical details of his life are sparse, so he remains a semi-mythological individual. He does not have a prominent role in the book, but the title of the book, Taliesin’s Map, fits rather nicely nonetheless.
The book is not only about Celtic mythology; the author compares myths from various Aryan traditions (Aryan = Indo-European) – primarily Celtic, Germanic, Greek, Roman, Iranic, and Indian. Below are some insights from the book I found interesting.
Note: if some of these topics seem unclear, it is natural. Many interpreters of religious traditions disagree with each other, and for each interpretation there are several that go against it. Religious tradition can be a bit of a jungle – the best way to navigate it is to simply read as much as possible and contemplate what sounds reasonable. When I am in doubt, I consult Survive the Jive.

Comparative Mythology

Comparative mythology basically means finding common themes in myths from different cultures – this ties into Perennialism, which I have mentioned before.
I have read quite a few books and articles that make rather far-fetched comparisons and speculations regarding religious traditions and myths. An example of this is Otto Rahn’s comparison between Balder (and Apollo) and Lucifer – more on this here: Lucifer’s Court – Book Review and Inspiring Quotes. Lucifer’s Court is a quite interesting book, despite some inaccurate claims, which is why I mention it here. I will not mention certain other books that are not as interesting. I point this out to emphasise the fact that many of the comparisons in Taliesin’s Map actually make a fair bit of sense.

The Heroes of the Iliad as Indo-European Gods

In the first chapter of the book, the author makes the case that, as the title suggests, the heroes of the Iliad can be seen as Indo-European gods. He connects many themes found in the Iliad with themes found in other mythologies. I found this chapter quite interesting. Below are some of the heroes he connects to gods.

Agamemnon – Varuna (The Terrible Sovereign)
Menelaus – Mitra (The Lawful Sovereign)
Ajax – Vayu (The Lord of the Wind)
Achilles – Indra (The Thunderer)
Odysseus and Diomedes – The Horse Twins (Nasatya and Dasra)
Paris – Surya (The Sun)
Hector – Kali (The Demon of the Dark Age)
Helen – Ushas (The Dawn Goddess)

The mythological aspect of the Iliad is intriguing, as is the historical aspect. I am not in a position to make a statement regarding the historicity of the the Trojan War, but it is not far-fetched to assume that the war itself happened and that many of the details surrounding it have their roots in historical facts. This was certainly the view of the German businessman and archaeologist Heinrich Schliemann (1822–1890), who mounted several expeditions in search of Troy. Below is the Mask of Agamemnon, discovered by Schliemann in 1876 at Mycenae. I will comment further upon the Iliad at a later stage.

Warrior Caste vs Priestly Caste

In the chapter The Great Lunar Cycle, under the title of Peredus as Horse Twin, the author discusses a reoccurring theme in various myths – the conflict between the warrior caste and the kingly/priestly caste. This ties into the disagreement between Evola and Guénon mentioned in this book review: Julius Evola and the UR Group – Introduction to Magic: Volume II & III.
Although the disagreement between Evola and Guénon is not strictly related to the context of the chapter in Taliesin’s Map, I thought to mention it since it is a reoccurring topic in discussions regarding religion and tradition.
This conflict appears in the Iliad between Achilles (warrior) and Agamemnon (king) and in the ancient Indian Mahabharata between Arjuna (warrior) and Yudhishthira (king). The author also mentions the legendary third king of Rome, Tullus Hostilius (warrior), who succeeded Numa Pompilius. The former viewed the latter’s pacifism as a weakening of Rome. More examples from the various Indo-European mythologies are given.

Trifunctional Hypothesis

The trifunctional hypothesis of prehistoric Proto-Indo-European society, introduced by French mythographer Georges Dumézil in 1929, postulates a tripartite ideology (in French: idéologie tripartite) reflected in the existence of three castes – kings/priests, warriors, and producers/farmers.
Although the hypothesis has some merit, it does not apply to all Aryan societies. As Evola mentioned in a response to Guénon (read more here), the kings and (later) emperors of Rome simultaneously held the title Pontifex (the highest spiritual authority). Germanic kings were also from the warrior caste.
I mention this here since it can be good to be familiar with this concept prior to reading Taliesin’s Map.

The Ambivalent Nature of the Sun and Sun Gods

‘The Sun God heroes are always depicted as morally ambivalent, yet highly noble nonetheless. This is due to the way the Indo-European peoples viewed the Sun, as often inhospitable, even abusive, potentially exceedingly destructive, a psychopomp who draws souls down to their fates and then to the land of the dead, and yet as beautiful, life giving, a symbol of intellect and sovereignty, and associated with the elitist esoteric pursuit of immortality. ’

Taliesin’s Map. Page 34.

Over the last while, I have talked quite a bit about solar worship. Worth pointing out is that the Sun can indeed be seen as both benevolent and malevolent. For someone who lives in Scandinavia, it is virtually always benevolent. Especially for the particular Scandinavian phenotype that tans well and gets lighter hair as a result of sun exposure – as I pointed out in the latest Podcast episode when talking about the blessings of solar gods. On the other hand, for a redhead living in California (to give an example), the Sun will most likely not only be seen as benevolent.

The Golden Irish God Bres

‘Then she saw that it was a man of fairest appearance. He had golden-yellow hair down to his shoulders, and a cloak with bands of gold thread about it. His shirt had embroidery of gold thread. On his breast was a brooch of gold with the lustre of a precious stone in it.’

Description of the Irish god Bres. Page 39.

As we have previously noted, any good esoteric book must contain descriptions of golden gods. The context of this passage is in regard to a comparison between an Irish and an Indian myth, where a Sun god makes love to women – in the Irish case, the woman may be a representation of Ireland.

Rome and the Sabine Women

In a the chapter The Great Lunar Cycle, under the title of The Welsh “Aesir-Vanir War”, the author notes that there are similarities between the Welsh myth of the Mabinogi (also called Mabinogion) and the historical-mythic Roman ‘Rape of the Sabine Women’. The story of the Romans and the Sabine women may be a myth, but the story closely aligns with the modus operandi of the Aryan (Indo-European) Koryos – i.e. a band of young men entering a territory, conquering land and women, thus (in some cases) creating a civilisation (in this case Rome).

This is a highly interesting topic that we will return to. To learn more about the Koryos and Bronze Age Europe, I can highly recommend the videos of Dan Davis. Available on Odysee here: Dan Davis Author.

Mithraic Mysteries

By now, we are all familiar with the Mithraic Mysteries. The author begins the chapter The Mithraic Path of Immortality and the Mithraic Mysteries with a reference to an essay by Julius Evola titled The Path of Enlightenment in the Mithraic Mysteries, I will elaborate on this essay in a coming post (or Podcast episode or video). The author notes that there are two extremes in current scholarship regarding the Mithras Cult – one which denies any links to Iranic religion, and one that views it as a direct religious import. He then correctly emphasises the fact that both Roman and Iranian mythology share common Aryan origins:

‘Could it be that the Mithraic mysteries derived their general narrative framework from the archaic Indo-European mythological narrative itself, from the clearly central and important path of the great Sovereign of Justice, the Mitraic god?’

Taliesin’s Map. Page 506.

The deity in question has different spellings: Mithras, Mithra, Mitra etc. Mithras = the Graeco-Roman god. Mitra = the Iranian god. This can be good to keep in mind to avoid confusion!

Conclusion

At 525 pages, reading the book will be a bit of a time investment. Many chapters are also quite technical and detailed – which lends credence to some of the comparisons and takes. However, for someone who is new to this sort of material, it might be overwhelming. I enjoyed reading it and found many of the chapters insightful. If you are interested in mythology, I can recommend it.

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You can follow the author at Telegram here: https://t.me/solarcult (the Telegram channel is also worth following).

Folktales in the Indo-European Tradition

Posted on February 9, 2022

Folktales in the Indo-European Tradition by Imperium Press is a 757-page behemoth of a book. Part of their Western Canon Series, it covers (as the name suggests) folktales from various Indo-European traditions. The book also contains beautiful illustrations. I can definitely recommend the book, it is a nice addition to any library, and will be especially useful for parents who wish to introduce their children to our stories.

Contents

• Proto-Indo-European
• Proto-Western-Indo-European
• Proto-Germanic-Italo-Celtic
• Proto-Baltic-Slavic
• Proto-Celtic
• Proto-Germanic
• Proto-Romance

Some of the tales will probably be familiar – Beauty and the Beast and Little Red Riding Hood for example. Most others will perhaps not be as familiar. This is especially true in this day and age where many Europeans are ever more disconnected from their history and culture.

Julius Evola and the UR Group – Introduction to Magic: Volume II & III

Posted on January 30, 2022

I have read Introduction to Magic: Volume II – The Path of Initiatic Wisdom and Introduction to Magic: Volume III – Realizations of the Absolute Individual by Julius Evola and his companions of the UR Group. If you have not already read my review of the first volume, you can do so here: Julius Evola and the UR Group – Introduction to Magic: Volume 1. Also, if you are curious about the term ‘magic’, I elaborate on how I use it in this video: What Do I Mean By ‘Magic’?
At over 400 pages each, these two volumes contain many more interesting insights than shared here. These are just a few that I found particularly interesting.

Attempts to Influence Mussolini

As already mentioned in the previous book review (link above), the UR Group was active during the Interwar period. In the foreword to the second volume, it is mentioned that rites were done to influence Mussolini in a Roman Pagan direction. However, due to realpolitikal reasons, Mussolini sought an alliance with the Catholic Church (as was common for many Fascist parties throughout Europe at the time).
A woman who had participated in these rites prophesised to Mussolini in 1919 that he would become Consul. Consul was the highest political position in the Roman Republic (509 to 27 BC) – two Consuls were elected per term. In 1923, when Mussolini was the head of government, the woman approached him again and gave him a lictor’s bundle of rods with an antique Etruscan ax.
One of the members of the Ur Group, Dr Arturi Reghini, who had a strong desire to influence Fascism in a Pagan direction, expressed these views in his publications. Perhaps disappointed by the lack of progress done in this regard, he shared his opinions in an aggressive manner. Mussolini (under a pseudonym) actually responded to the criticism, which means that he felt strongly about the topic (since the publication only reached a niche audience; it was not a matter of a major newspaper criticising him).

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After the war, Evola responded to accusations of being a Fascist by stating that he was a superfascista (meaning that he was beyond Fascism). Evola writes more about this in his book A Traditionalist Confronts Fascism, which I have read and can recommend for those interested in the views of Evola. I also refer to Evola in Dauntless in a chapter discussing racial materialism. Moreover, I composed a few thoughts on Evola in this article: A Few Notes on Julius Evola – Metaphysics of Power.

Evola and the Theosophists

In several essays, Evola makes critical comments about various other spiritual movements. He often comes with scathing remarks about the Theosophists, whose movement was cofounded by a Russian woman whose name may be familiar to some – Madam Blavatsky. Below are two quotes that illustrate quite well Evola’s attitude towards them.

‘Seen from the outside it is a blatant absurdity that shows the mental level of today’s spiritualist currents, especially the Theosophical ones. While they pretend to be proclaiming and revaluing the teachings of the ancient Wisdom, they indulge in democratic and humanitarian views, professing the gospel of more or less universal equality.’

Julius Evola – Introduction to Magic Volume III: Aristocracy and the Initiatic Ideal

‘Keeping in mind that esoteric science is simultaneously a regal and priestly art, Éliphas Lévi asks with good reason of anyone wanting to approach it: Do you feel a kingly nature within yourself? A priestly one? Such a question is not meant to demoralise, but indicates that one must at least have clear ideas about a basic human qualification. This is especially true in our time, when the type of the adept is lumped together with the often suspect type of the “occultist,” and of creatures like mediums, spiritualists, sensitives, and diviners who do not even attain the level of a sane and normal man. A certain natural aristocratic qualification, as the mark of a human type that is not just normal but superior, is the general premise for any participation in an initiatic order, which for that reason was restricted to an elite, and always will be.’

Julius Evola – Introduction to Magic Volume III: Aristocracy and the Initiatic Ideal

Evola vs Guénon – Spiritual Authority and Temporal Powers

Perhaps the two most famous writers on Tradition are René Guénon and Julius Evola. Although Evola had great respect for Guénon, he also disagreed with some of his teachings. In an essay signed by Ea (i.e. Evola) titled ‘Spiritual Authority and Temporal Power‘, Evola takes issue with Guénon’s statement that spiritual authority is tied to ‘knowledge’ and ‘contemplation’*, and to the priestly caste – whereas temporal power is tied to ‘action’ and the warrior or regal caste. *The citation marks around those words appear in the essay.

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Evola, in response to this, points out that the kings and (later) emperors of Rome simultaneously held the title Pontifex (the highest spiritual authority). And Rome, as we all know, was a society that valued martial virtues – thus, in their case the spiritual path was the path of action.
Evola also points to the Eleusinian Mysteries, which conferred a higher dignity on the king than priests or sages. Similarly, the Cult of Mithras (which I have mentioned before) was an initiatic brotherhood mainly popular with military men.
In other books, Evola discusses the conflict between the Guelphs and Ghibellines during the Middle Ages. The Guelphs supported the Pope, and the Ghibellines supported the Holy Roman Emperor. We will return to both the Eleusinian Mysteries and the Guelphs vs Ghibelline conflict in coming articles, videos, and Podcast episodes.

Evola vs Jung

In one essay, Evola expresses his views on Carl Gustav Jung. I must confess that I found the following passage hilarious:

‘And in fact Jung has not understood anything, and has been handling things with which he should never have concerned himself.’

Julius Evola – Introduction to Magic Volume III: Esotericism, the Unconscious, Psychoanalysis

More scathing criticism from the Baron! I asked my friend John Morgan, an authority on matters of Tradition, about Evola’s views on Jung, and he responded thus:

‘He rejected psychology as a modern, scientifically-based movement, first of all. But additionally, he rejected Jung since he attributed the gods and the myths to being archetypes of human consciousness, rather than something that exists outside of and superior to human consciousness — i.e., being real in their own right.’

On a personal level, I have not read enough of Jung to make a statement.

Right-Hand and Left-Hand Path

These two concepts can be summarised as being the dichotomy between white magic (benevolent) and black magic (malicious). The concepts of Right-Hand and Left-Hand paths appear in numerous spiritual contexts. In the essay Magical Perspectives, According to Aleister Crowley, Evola actually gives credit to Crowley. He says that the Satanic aspect of Crowley’s work was mainly a front and that Crowley was an accomplished spiritual master – who was ‘extraordinarily qualified’ to follow the Left-Hand Path. This is high praise coming from Evola!

I do, of course, follow the Right-Hand Path.

Ex Oriente Lux

In this essay, Evola takes issue with the notion that the ancient spiritual traditions that so fascinate Westerners come from the East. In the same essay, he also mentions the Dorian component of Hellenic civilisation.

‘The light that shines from Hindu or Persian civilisation did not originate in the Orient, because those civilisations were created by races that came from the West and the North in a distant prehistoric epoch.’

Julius Evola – Introduction to Magic Volume II: Ex Oriente Lux

‘The light of authentically Greek civilisation, namely that which it owes to the Dorians and Achaeans, descended from the North.’

Julius Evola – Introduction to Magic Volume II: Ex Oriente Lux

Any talk of Aryans is, as you may know, controversial in this age. However, that does not mean that we should not talk about them. In fact, it is useful to highlight this fact, especially since it helps us understand why many of us (myself included) have a certain affinity for both India and Persia. For more about India, read this article: The Agni and The Ecstasy by Steven J. Rosen.
For more information about the Aryan invasion of India, watch this video: Aryan Invasion of India: Myth or Reality? For more information about the genetic composition of ancient Greece, watch this video: JIVE TALK: Ancient DNA news: Greece and Italy.

Experiences Among the Arabs

In this essay, signed by Gallus, the author describes his experiences in North Africa, where he was stationed at a government post when Libya and Tripolitania were in Italian possession. The author notes that he was always interested in the esoteric and was drawn to the Arab world for its mysteries.
This essay evokes a certain sense of nostalgia. A nostalgia for the Arab world as it used to be in Western imagination. The Arab world of One Thousand and One Nights. The Arab world of mystics and beautiful architecture.
On a personal note, I would have liked to see more of these diary-like essays. This is something I will keep in mind for coming books of my own – giving a personal touch to the topic you are analysing. Putting teachings in a context undoubtedly make them both more interesting and accessible for the reader.
Related to this, the aforementioned René Guénon actually converted to Islam. We will return to the teachings of Guénon in coming articles.

Corrosive Waters

A reoccurring topic that is discussed in several essays, in all three volumes, is that of corrosive waters. ‘Regular’ waters can be said to be the non-harmful way of reaching spiritual insights. Corrosive waters entail the use of otherwise harmful substances (various drugs including alcohol) to reach spiritual insights. The authors caution against the use of these, but mention that they can be useful in some circumstances.

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This reminds me of the use of steroids when it comes to gym training. The better and safer way to put on muscle is without corrosive waters (in this case steroids), but in some cases exogenous testosterone can be useful. What must always be emphasised, however, is that steroid use before the age of 23 is strictly prohibited, as it may damage your physical development. Testosterone replacement therapy for older men may be a good way to optimal health. On a personal note, I have never taken any such substances; if I ever do, it will be when or if my natural testosterone levels decrease by a significant amount. I elaborate more on this in Dauntless.

Conclusion

As with the first volume, I can recommend these two volumes for those interested in spiritual traditions and esoteric matters.
Lastly, if you have not already done so, I recommend you listen to Podcast Episode 18. The Divine Blessing (which deals with magic and spirituality).