Homers Odyssey: A key to the inner journey

June 24
th
, 2004.
New Acropolis ondon
Opening: why are we talking about the Odyssey almost 2800 years after
its been written? Odysseus story is basically the human story, its our
story. nderstanding Odysseus !ourney is about understanding our own
!ourney, who we are and where we stand. "hat is why the Odyssey is as
rele#ant now as it was in the past.
!."he l#n$u#$e o% sym&ols
$anguage of the unconscious di%erent from rational language
&acknowledging us as a whole, both rational'thoughts and symbolic'
dreams(
)*ample of the dragon + symbols are to be li#ed + se#eral layers of
meaning
&dragon as a child: magic, scary, later: hea#enly crature, then:
duality, engaging with symbols, ultimately seeing the dragon as an
image of the uni#erse and of cosmical processes, e.g. -t. .eorge
and the dragon, chinese dragon(
/idden messages: myths talk to e#eryone, but in di%erent le#els,
profound wisdom is hidden + "hey are not simple 0stories1 for
entertainment
-acred knowledge has always been coded
2eason for myths being timeless: they talk about human nature and
our e#olution path in a symbolic way, they speak of the future, of
what is to come3
4pproach taken: not sociological or historical, but rather symbolical,
whats deep within us and make us human, whats common in all
cultures and human beings, because myths repeat themsel#es in
particular cultural conte*ts. -ome social norms and morals will also
be highlighted which are more on the surface of /omer.
&the Odyssey as a great allegory: di%erences in classical 5 current
analysis(
2. 'onte(t o% the Odyssey
/istorical conte*t
' 6ron7e 4ge: period when 8ycenae was rich in gold: 9:00'9200,
rich culture and prosperity. 4t that time they had #arious links
with the )ast.
' ;ate of "roy: 998: 6< + )nd of the 8ycenaean period.
' 4ge of in#asions &998:'8=0 6<( : dorians, loss of writing
system, fragmentation, little trade with the )ast.
' .reek 2enaissance + the /ellenic period + <lassic .reece :
/omer writes after the ;ark 4ges when the alphabet was
borrowed and adapted from the phoenicians, his role can be
compared with the one of <onfucius in a way, a recorder of
ancient traditions. /omer was taught all o#er .reece in the city'
states.
.reatness of 4thens and -parta
/omer is less e*traordinary in terms of magical elements than
his counterparts in the )ast.
- 2eferences of 6ron7e 4ge elements &armoury( and >ron 4ge in
/omer &mi*ed elements(
- /eroic )ra
- /elped bring a certain ideological unity among fragmented
city'states
?hy it is so important:
- 6eginning of literature in the west, great in@uence in the
western ci#ili7ation, archetypal !ourney, part of the )pic
<ycles + other accounts of heroes coming back from "roy,
important part of greek culture + talk about heroes, gods +
images of the characters are always depicted in greek art
- <anon of #alues, moral, religion &contrasts with christianity:
humility #s. gloria(
- >nspired Airgil &4eneid(, ;ante, 8ilton, "ennyson, Ba7ant7akis
&"he Odyssey(, Cames Coyce &lysses(
- 4 record of oral literature, #erse structure.
4le*andria -chool: compilation of the greek )pics by greek scholars
in D
rd
6<. )arliest complete manuscript of the Odyssey: 90
th
or 99
th
4;
;ate: disputed, between 8=0 and E=0 6<, this date is established
because there seems to be #ery few post 8
th
century practices or
artefacts referred to in the poems.
/omer probably only wrote a story, a myth that was already being
told for generations
). "he story itsel%
"he story would take between 20 and 2= hours to be told, this
#ersion will be only 90 minutes
"radition of the bards: greeks, celts, important function of story
telling in non'literate societies
"he old ways: knowledge was passed from mouth to ear, no notes3
Tell me, Muse, the story of that resourceful man who was driven to
wander far and wide after he had sacked the holy citadel of Troy.[...] Tell
us this story, goddess daughter of Zeus, beginning at whatever point you
will.
Odysseus lea#es >thaca
<hallenges on the way:
<yclopes
<irce
"eiresias
Fhaecians
<alypso + help of 4thena
-uitors
"elemachus and Fenelope +in@uence of 4thena
nion of the family again
4thena makes peace
4. *nterpret#tion + ,r#meworks
-#ck$round .$ener#l %r#mework/:
' 2ecurrent seGuence of e#ents in myths and fairy tales &8ahabharata etc.(
' -truggles are di%erent, but follow the same general pattern, e#en though
they happen in distinct le#els, e.g. the urge to change, the con@icts,
harmony etc., always mo#ing up
9. $ea#ing home + "he call to ad#enture, breaking the inertia
$ook for symbols in our life that are calling us, change to the new &the
frog, the forest, the fairies, call of the mysteries( + Aoices whispering:
0come, come3there is a whole world out there to be un#eiled31, what
catches us but we dont Guite know what it is3>t happens when we least
e*pect it.. $ike the frog gi#ing the golden ball to the princess.
2. "he war in "roy + 9
st
trials
D. .oing back home + 8ain trials &meeting with the opposite etc., agony *
bliss + duality in the path(
:. 8agical help + 4thena &nature helping him, following the nature of life(
:. 2eturning home ' 8eeting Fenelope and Odysseus + becoming whole:
2eturn to <amelot
- Airtues he gains, #ices he lea#es behind
- >nsights for our own !ourney
!hilosophical "ramework
9. "he triad + <entral theme:
Flatonic
<hinese Aersion
<hristian Aersion, )gyptian Aersion, 6abylonian Aersion
<oncept of nity: the mistery of the three in one
?hat makes us human, the un#eiling of our potentials + 6ecoming
/uman
1
st
Logos (Odysseus): Atma, Will, Justice
Chien: Yang, the creative, conceives, initiator,
leader
Main virtues: persistence, (witful, resourceful)
Knowing the direction
The spirit, being after love and intelligence
3
rd
Logos (Telemachus): Manas
Intelligence, orm
irtues: Thoughtful, courage on his !uest for his
father"
#ntelligence being enlightened b$ the %pirit and
nurtured b$ &ove"
!
nd
Logos ("enelo#e): $udhi
Lo%e, Wisdom
&nergy'Li(e
Kun: Yin, the receptive, gives for' to things,
Main virtudes: lo$alt$, faithfulness
&ove nurturing both the intelligence and the will
(then
a
4thena: unifying element, helps us become whole and come from a
place abo#e us. -he helps us becomes indi#uals &one(. -he is in the
centre, she is who we really are when we become whole. -he is our
future. &2esearch continuation of the Odyssey(. Fallas 4thena:
8aiden 4thena + symbol of puriHcation.
;i%erence in relation to /ercules who marries /ebe and goes to
/ea#en.
"he arrows pointing from the centre outwards show them in the
beginning of their !ourney and the arrows pointing to the centre
show them in the end of their !ourney, when they are together, as
one, uniHed by an ideal.
<ommon Hnal challenge: the triad + they succeed because they help
each other3 Fenelope sets the contest, "elemachus and Odysseus
kill the suitors.
"here is su%ering when they are separate, but not when they are
united.
;i%erent roles for each one of them in the killing of the suitors:
' Odysseus: $eading role, kill the suitors himself
' "elemachus: helps Odysseus kill the suitors
' Fenelope: sets us the stage for the competition
4cknowledging di%erent roles without pre!udice: Fenelope has a
fundamental role but is not the initiator. -he is the source of
Odysseus inspiration, being #ery intelligent shes on the backstage
making things happen.
4nalogy with Flatos republic about each one of us fulHlling a
di%erent role &which is not necessarily related to gender, its better
take it as a Iang and Iin role which we take up in our li#es in
di%erent moments( + "ime to sow, time to reap, time to rest, time to
celebrate3 ;i%erent forces in us are acti#ated in di%erent moments
in our li#es + $aw of the cycles, the four seasons.
-o, its fundamental to become aware of who we are so that we can
make better use of these forces we ha#e within us.
Odysseus is a prime e*ample of the human e*perience. /e is
always mo#ing in the kingdom of Foseidon, the 8iddle )arth.
"hey are always looking for each other, alone they are incomplete.
?e often talk about our dual nature, but we also ha#e a triple
nature. ;uality is the basic form, but from it, the three emerges.
Odysseus: <hien + sets the wheel in motion + he leads
Bun: Fenelope
"elemachus: our actions become intelligent
-ymbolism of Fallas 4thena &grey'eyed(
- goddess of war and wisdom
- she is always worried about Odysseus: our higher self
- too dim of a #oice to be clear about: a call far deep into us, a low
#oice3 &the inhabitant of the =
th
@oor(
- daugher of Jeus
- integrates the three elements, talks to the three of them.
- association with 8orrigan
- she gi#es hope to "elemachus that Odysseus is ali#e &our higher self
gi#ing us guidance and hope(
"he three of them pro#e their #alue and manifest themsel#es as they
should.
Kot only Fenelope is faithful. "hey are all faithful to each other.
#ymbolism of number three$
-ynthesis
?holeness
4ristotle: contains a beginning, a middle and an end
<an be di#ided into duality and unity: 2 L9 M D
Fhytagorean: completion
8ultiplicity: 0"he one ga#e rise to the two, the two ga#e rise to the
three, three ga#e rise to all numbers1
2. "he archetype of the hero
- "he future, our potential, what we shall become
- "he super man &Kiet7e(
- "he wise
- "he e*traordinary
- .eniality that is within of us waiting to be unfolded
0. An#lysis o% the story 1 2#in e3ents
e#3in$ home
Odysseus accepts the challenge of Hghting in "roy, lea#ing behind his wife
and new born son &parallel with 6udha(. >t depicts the call for ad#enture,
the breaking of inertia, the will to li#e higher ad#entures, #enture in new
knowledge, disco#ers one self and the meaning of life. Our inner #oice
saying: there is something out there that urges to be disco#ered.
'yclopes
"he Hrst big challenge. The c$clope who is heav$, big and has onl$ one e$e can be
a representation of 'atter" )d$sseus blinds the beast with his intelligence, a depiction
of 'ind over 'atter" (fter he overco'es his challenge, he calls the ne*t ones, hes
worth 'ore trials in order to prove he is a true hero and grow to the greatness he has
the abilit$ to achieve" +oseidons rage represents the forces of life which actuall$ offer
us challenges as gifts as we evolve, Challenges as opportunities" (nalog$ with
Morrigan, the celtic goddess who gives Cuchulain challenges"
Mastering of the ph$sical bod$ (sevenfold constitution of the 'an)" -e leaves behind
his attach'ent to 'atter represented b$ the 'en ta.en b$ the C$clopes, but he still
carries pride with hi'"
6y blinding Folyphemus, the most powerful of the <yclopes, Odysseus is
bidding farewell to the past, to the beast in himself, to the one eyed
almost blind creature. Foseidon brings then, the natural ne*t challenge,
the human realm, his current e*perience. ?e need to kill Folyphemus as
well. 6ut, we may be aware that by killing Folyphemus, well stir
Foseidons rage against us, but his rage represents the natural challenges
well face as we e#ol#e in our human condition. Folyphemus is son of
Foseidon and a sea nymph &the human realm, our challenging of truly
becoming humans and distancing oursel#es from our animal nature(.
Odysseus calls the tests, so they come3 6ut despite all the challenges,
the gods help him3
Aices: ambition, desire
'irce
"he instincti#e forces in him become #ery e#ident, his fellow crew
members are turned into animals. >t shows loss of consciousness.
/owe#er, his higher self &/ermes( comes to aid him, depicting duality
within himself, on one hand his insticti#e nature pushes him down, on the
other hand, his god'like nature frees him and teaches him how to deal with
<irce, the trigger of his animal side. "he di#ine in Odysseus resists the
drugs gi#en by <irce, showing once more the hero nature in himself. /e
initially falls, but is later rescued by his god'like nature. ?hen dominating
his animal nature, he is ready to go to the underworld and ha#e #isions
about the mysteries of life.
"eiresi#s
/is higher mind triggers this e*perience. "eiresias is both male and
female, a blind seer who has internal #ision. Nor the Hrst time, Odysseus
#entures into the underworld, the kingdom of /ades.
8odel of three worlds &Jeus, Foseidon and /ades(. 8ost of the time he is
in the intermediary kingdom which shows our nature, cruciHed between
hea#en and earth.
6eing in the underworld is being deep into himself, beyond whats on the
surface and he would ordinarily e*perience. >t depicts a symbolic death of
old Odysseus to the new one. ?hat threatened him &<irce( now helps him
to reach the underworld. >ts an image of our personality now being a
ser#ant of the soul and allowing us to ha#e far reaching #isions. Our
personality becomes our ally, not an obstacle3 ;iscipline replaces
la7yness, lo#e replaces !ealously, altruism replaces selfshiness.
;eep inside we know our destiny, our 0dream1 and "eiresias is a depiction
of that. O#ercoming challenges allows Odysseus to see far ahead his own
destiny.
>n the underworld he sees many men and women, heroes and is told about
their li#es and destinies, similar to Brishna re#ealing himself to 4r!una. /e
has a transcendental #ision of the mysteries, the unfoldment of life on
earth and of his own life. ?hen meeting heroes from "roy he understands
better his own e*perience + an enlightenment moment. ?hen he sees
much he becomes scared, he is probably not ready to see beyond3
Jeus: sky, the di#ine
Foseidon: middle kindgom + sea, psyche, men, human condition
Odysseus !ourney is in the sea3 /e goes to the underworld, but ne#er to
the sky
/ades: underworld, earth
/elpers: sea deities
-ein$ le%t #lone + 4tron$ wind sent &y 5eus
4fter being left alone, a further strong wind is sent by Jeus, one of his last
challenges in the sea, when he is alone with himself, he has to perse#ere
in sur#i#ing. 6eing alone is #ery symbolic. ?e are ultimately alone in our
!ourney. 6eing alone also has to do with ha#ing only one #oice speaking
within us, our centre is built3 Odysseus is walking towards being one and
not multiple3 "he #oices of his men and their actions represent all the
#oices speaking within himself. 4lone, its only one #oice. >ts when the
spirit starts to speak, the Aoice of the -ilence3
'#lypso
/e Hnally arri#es in the beautiful <alypsos palace. /e is well treated,
bathed and lo#ed by <alypso, but he longs to go back home. )#en in
confortable conditions Odysseus doesnt belong there. /is true partner is
Fenelope. <alypso means concealer, what seems to be a 0paradise1 is
actually holding him back. /e is engaged in the world, he knows his
destiny is to go back to >thaca and not stay with <alypso, e#en though she
is a goddess, more beautiful than Fenelope and able to gi#e him
immortality. >t may be that moment when we reach a certain state of inner
balance and comfort, but we know that the battle continues and that we
ha#e to keep Hghting in order to arri#e at our Hnal destiny. Odysseus was
kept in a ca#e, looking deep into himself, but trapped, for <alypso was not
his true wife, not his Hnal destination. -he persuades him to forget >thaca.
Odysseus spends E years with <alypso, the longest of his trials.
<alypso: daugher of 4tlas who holds up the hea#en, separating hea#en
and earth ' force of duality. /er mother is from the sea + Kymphai.
,urther distress in the se#
Odysseus faces diOculties in the sea once more, looses his boat and one
of the sea goddesses helps him. -he gi#es him guidance to arri#e at the
Fhaecians island and asks him to throw his clothes at the sea. /e arri#es
in the Fhaecians island completely naked + a symbol of ma!or puriHcation
and clear ob!ecti#e. /e is alone &only one #oice( and naked &clean,
puriHed, himself(.
N#usi#c# #nd the 6h#eci#ns
4thena appears to Kausiaca in her dreams: intuition, power of dreams
"he Fhaecians island are blessed and a place like hea#en for Odysseus, a
place for him to rest before going to >thaca. "hey recogni7e the greatness
in him. "here he puts e*periences together, processes what happened
throughout his !ourney and gets ready for the challenge of the suitors.
"ime to rest and gather new energies for the ne*t challenge + part of
cycle, outside work, inner work, great acti#ity, rest. /e recei#es many gifts
and is #ery well treated, but this 0paradise1 is di%erent from being with
<alypso, because they dont conceal him, but rather help him mo#e
forward.
6enelopes str#te$y o% the shroud
%he refuses to 'arr$ those who are below )d$sseus, because he is her true partner,
her faithfulness reveal the need for our fidelit$ towards our higher principles" #n a
'ore social conte*t, it also shows faithfulness in relationships, The stor$ of the
&ittle +rince, ta'ing and being ta'ed and what 'a.es each one of us uni!ue" (ncient
stories: words are unbro.en, love is forever, aspect of fidelit$, deep bounding and
relationships" That also shows her intelligence, she is insightful" &ove of the 'other
and of the lover/wife"
"he suitors contest #nd their killin$
-ymbolism of the killing: it seems odd and #iolent3 6ut should we pity our
#ices + en#y, la7yness, !ealously? ?e should be merciless towards them
and kill them all. >t is the same symbolism of the witch. -he needs to die.
Frinciple of karma &action and reaction(. /omer is always saying: 0"he
suitors brought their own fate1
Billing the suitors is also killing the old in ousel#es which can be painful.
"he suitors &kura#as( cannot recogni7e light where it is. ?hen the spirit
lea#es &Odysseus(, <haos appears &suitors(.
Cust the worthy pass the threshold3 "here is no pretending
"he last blow on his #ices who were around Fenelope and "elemachus as
well. Odysseus: light coming in to dissipate darkness3 6ut he wouldnt
ha#e been able to do so without Fenelope and "elemachus3 /es the
initiati#e, the one that starts, the creati#e3but he needs lo#e and
intelligence.
Odysseus: power of will to kill the suitor + free will, our decision to kill the
suitors. Our will is helped by lo#e and intelligence + our three high
faculties.
"here is no such thing as who is more important, because they are all one,
part of the same unity.
co'panions, but the$ are also there (vices we choose to .eep)"
Odysseus #s himse% #nd 6enelope
"hey are the true partners for each other, recurrent symbolism of the
;i#ine ?edding.
-imilarities between Odysseus and Fenelope: they are both self'restrained
and witful.
Fenelope: skill in handicraft, e*celent brain and genius for getting her way,
beautiful , e#en though she often cries depicting her lower feminine side.
6ut, that is a caracteristic of /omer: #ery human, he shows both sides of
human nature e#en in heroes. /eroes are not semi'gods.
Odysseus #nd Athen#
4thene is often a double Hgure, bringing both help and disturbance
&parallel with 8orrigan again(. /e helps with the Hght, but then brings
peace. 8essage of the Hnal destiny of things being decided by the gods +
re#erence towards the di#ine + message to the greeks o#erall.
4peci#l #spects to consider
4ym&olism o% the 7in$
Odysseus: god'like, but not god yet &both sides always: wisdom, prudence,
endurance, but also, #anity, pride(. 4 man who rules himself. -ymbolism of
a king, a noble king who rules himself Hrst following on Flatonic
philosophy. 4ccording to him, the best should rule in us and outside us.
"here is a right position for e#erything within us and outside as well.
?hats superior should rule.
0eus (higher order) sa$s that )d$sseus is the 1wisest2 'an alive and has been the
'ost generous in his offerings to the i''ortals" +aralel with ancient China: the .ing
should have the 'andate of the heaven" )d$sseus in this sense, beco'es a toolPan
instrument of the gods. 4thena is ;harma helping him, like Brishna when
he says 0let them Hght1 + whats right and wrong is di%erent for the gods.
"hat is why she brings both challenges and help.
4oci#l Norms .mess#$es #t #ll le3els/
- .enerosity with gi#ing gifts like in 4rabian nightswell.
- Fenelope: e#en with Odysseus disguised, she is kind, gentle and
generous.
- "he unfaithful mistress doesnt recogni7e Odysseus and mistreats
him.
- "elemachus alone is weak, he needs Odysseus, relation between
son and father &<onfucian ethics(
- /ospitality: present in the whole story
- Iou reap what you sow
- Fower of the gods
- 8aturing of the caracters o#er time. Odysseus who blinded the
<yclopes and the one who killed the suitors is a complete di%erent
man. 6efore, he was full of pride, later he was humble and taking
the suitors destiny as part of the gods deeds.
- Jeus: men bring e#il upon themsel#es &karma(
)* 8h#t helps us &ecome whole
!. 8isdom .6hilosophy/:
2epresented by 4thena + 4 conscious pursuit for whats higher, for
whats good, !ust and beautiful &as the greeks would say(. 4thena as a
higher call to put us together. "hat comes from ha#ing a clear purpose,
direction in life3"he unifying element is not from this world but
belongs to a plane abo#e us.
F/>$O -OF/>4
$OA) ?>-;O8
2. Internal +ar: %ices , %irtues
.enerally we are all trying to become better, but the di%erence is in
how committed we are with reHning our caracter and helping
humanity. "rading #ices for #irtues.
Ninal message:
$isten to 4thena
-he is whispering all the time in us. -he is our call to ad#enture, our
impulse for the unknown, our strength when Hghting. "he pursue of
?isdom and the urge of being whole is what makes us more human
and closer to Odysseus each day.