Walkers Between the Worlds by Caitlín Matthews

Author:Caitlín Matthews
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Inner Traditions / Bear & Company
Published: 2012-01-24T05:00:00+00:00

PRACTICES

11. The Labyrinth of the Gods

In his discussion of the Mysteries, the Roman historian Ammianus Marcellinus gives an interesting account of “certain underground galleries and passages full of windings which, it is said, the adepts in the ancient rites (knowing that the Flood was coming, and fearing that the memory of the sacred ceremonies would be obliterated) constructed. . . .” These, he says, contained buildings “which were mined out with great labour. And levelling the walls, they engraved on them numerous kinds of birds and animals . . . which they called hieroglyphic characters.” (252)

This may well be a distant memory of a visit to one of the great pyramids of Egypt, on whose walls were cartouches relating the history of its onetime occupant—or it may be a fleeting reference to the great labyrinth at Mareotis, mentioned by Herodotus and other ancient historians. Whatever the truth, it conjures up a fascinating image of a vast and secret labyrinth, containing on its walls the knowledge and history of the Egyptian Mysteries—perhaps even of an earlier Atlantean mystery center.

The purpose of this practice is to enter such a place in order to encounter the living god forms who will be our guides and instructors in this particular area of the Western Mysteries. As we saw in part 1, the gods are many things: They await the moment when we are sufficiently in tune with ourselves to recognize that we are living vessels of the ancient wisdom to be filled with as much as we are able to hold. In this exercise we will make our first contact with some of the powers that we will be working with in times to come. In this instance we shall come under the guidance of Hermes, who will conduct us on the first steps of the Hermetic way.

Much of the imagery here comes from Egyptian sources, but this should not be seen as the only way into the Hermetic tradition. There are many other doorways that are just as valid. As with other practices in this book, you should make no attempt to embark on this inner journey until you feel sure the time is right. Once you feel ready, you should begin, as always, by sitting comfortably in an upright chair, relaxing, and breathing to a regular rhythm.

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