The Ancient Rites of Mithras (A 🧵)
Alexander Wilder states that, "Mithras is the Zend Title for the Sun, and he is supposed to dwell within that shining orb. Mithras has a male and a female aspect, though not himself androgynous. As MITHRAS, he is the Ford of the Sun."
Alexander Wilder states that, "Mithras is the Zend Title for the Sun, and he is supposed to dwell within that shining orb. Mithras has a male and a female aspect, though not himself androgynous. As MITHRAS, he is the Ford of the Sun."
"Powerful & Radiant, and most magnificent of the Yazatas. As MITHRA, this deity represents the feminine principle; the mundane universe is recognized as her symbol. She represents Nature as receptive & terrestrial, and as fruitful only when bathed in the glory of the Solar Orb."
"The Mithraic Cult is a simplification of the more elaborate teachings of Zarathustra (Zoroaster), the Persian Fire Magician."
Swami Prajnanananda explains, "Mithra or Mitra is worshipped as Itu (Mitra-Mitu-Itu) in every house of the Hindus in India. Itu is considered as the Vegetation-deity. This Mithra or Mitra (Sun-God) is believed to be a Mediator between God and man, between the Sky and the Earth."
According to the Persians, there coexisted in eternity TWO Principles: Ahura Mazda & Ahriman.
The first of these two principle, Ahura-Mazda or Ormuzd, was the Spirit of Good. From Ormuzd came forth a number of hierarchies of good and beautiful spirits (angels and archangels).
The first of these two principle, Ahura-Mazda or Ormuzd, was the Spirit of Good. From Ormuzd came forth a number of hierarchies of good and beautiful spirits (angels and archangels).
The second of these principles was called Ahriman. He was also a pure & beautiful spirit, but later rebelled against Ormuzd, jealous of his power. This did not occur until after Ormuzd had created light, previously Ahriman had not been conscious of the existence of Ormuzd.
Because of his jealousy and rebellion, Ahriman became the Spirit of Evil. From himself he individualized a host of destructive creatures to injure Ormuzd.
When Ormuzd created the earth, Ahriman entered into its grosser elements. Whenever Ormuzd did a good deed, Ahriman placed the principle of evil within it.
At last when Ormuzd created the human race, Ahriman became incarnate in the lower nature of man so that in each personality the Spirit of Good & the Spirit of Evil struggle for control. While Ormuzd & Ahriman are struggling for control of the Soul, Mithras, stands as Mediator.
Many authors have noted the similarity between Mercury and Mithras. As the chemical mercury acts as a solvent (according to alchemists), so Mithras seeks to harmonize the two celestial opposites.
The rites of Mithras were performed in caves. Porphyry, in his Cave of the Nymphs, states that Zarathustra (Zoroaster) was the first to consecrate a cave to the worship of God, because a cavern was symbolic of the earth, or the lower world of darkness.
"This Cave was adorned with the signs of the Zodiac, Cancer & Capricorn. The summer & winter solstices were conspicuous, as the gates of souls descending into this life, or passing out of it in their ascent to the Gods; Cancer being the gate of Descent, and Capricorn of Ascent."
This cult is another example of a secret societies whose legends are symbolic representations of the sun and his journey through the houses of the Zodiac. Mithras, rising from a stone, is merely the sun rising over the horizon, or, out of the horizon, at the Vernal Equinox.
As Robert Hewitt Brown explains, "The Sun, as he pursued his way among these 'living creatures' of the zodiac, was said, in allegorical language, either to assume the nature of or to triumph over the sign he entered."
"The Sun thus became a Bull in Taurus, and was worshipped as such by the Egyptians under the name of Apis, & by the Assyrians as Bel, Baal, or Bul. In Leo the sun became a Lion-slayer, Hercules, and an Archer in Sagittarius. In Pisces, the Fishes, he was a fish-Dagon, or Vishnu."
The most famous sculptures show Mithras kneeling upon the recumbent form of a great bull, into whose throat he is driving a sword. This scene is often referred to as the Tauroctony.
As Manly P. Hall explains, "The slaying of the bull signifies that the rays of the sun, symbolized by the sword, release at the vernal equinox the vital essence of the earth, the blood of the bull, pouring from the wound made by the Sun God, fertilize the seeds of living things."
"Dogs were held sacred to the cult of Mithras, being symbolic of sincerity and trustworthiness. The Mithraic used the serpent a an emblem of Ahriman, the Spirit of Evil, and water rats were held sacred to him."
"The bull is esoterically the Constellation of Taurus; the serpent, its opposite in the zodiac, Scorpio; the sun, Mithras, entering into the side of the bull, slays the celestial creature and nourishes the universe with its blood."
John O'Neill disputes that Mithras was intended as a solar deity. He writes: "Mithra, the yazata of light, has '10,000 eyes, high, with full knowledge, strong, sleepless and ever awake.'Ahura Mazda also has one Eye, or 'with his eyes, the sun, moon and stars, he sees everything."
"The theory that Mithra was originally a title of the supreme heavens-god--putting the sun out of court--is the only one that answers all requirements. It will be evident that here we have origins in abundance for the Freemason's Eye and 'its nunquam dormio.'"
The reader must nor confuse the Persian Mithra with the Vedic Mitra. According to Alexander Wilder, "The Mithraic rites superseded the Mysteries of Bacchus, and became the foundation of the Gnostic system, which for many centuries prevailed in Asia, Egypt & even the remote West."
But Albert Pike identified MITHRAS with the Sun, "To them he [the sun] was the innate fire of bodies, the fire of Nature. Author of Life, heat, and ignition, he was to them the efficient cause of all generation, for without him there was no movement, no existence, no form."
![But Albert Pike identified MITHRAS with the Sun, "To them he [the sun] was the innate fire of bodies...](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Fbfkh-nXgAMWcHJ.jpg)
![But Albert Pike identified MITHRAS with the Sun, "To them he [the sun] was the innate fire of bodies...](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/FbfkiJNX0Act4Hu.jpg)
![But Albert Pike identified MITHRAS with the Sun, "To them he [the sun] was the innate fire of bodies...](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/FbfkiQWWYAIU5Dy.jpg)
"His beneficent influences caused his identification with the Principle of Good; and the BRAHMA of the Hindus, and MITHRAS of the Persians, and OSIRIS of the Egyptians, the ADONAI of the Phœnicians, the ADONIS and APOLLO of the Greeks, became but personifications of the Sun."
The ancient writer Porphyry state that the Roman Mithraists themselves believed their religion had been founded by the Persian savior Zoroaster.
And, regardless of attempts to make Mithraism the plagiarist of Christianity, the fact remains that Mithraism was first.
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And, regardless of attempts to make Mithraism the plagiarist of Christianity, the fact remains that Mithraism was first.
🧵🔚
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