[This is a summary of discussion that took place around 2014 in The Mago Circle, Facebook group.]
Helen Hye-Sook Hwang: I am writing an entry on “Mago” for the Glossary of my book, The Mago Way: Re-discovering Mago, the Great Goddess from East Asia:
Mago (麻姑): East Asian word for the Great Goddess. Read “Ma” as in “Mama” and “Go” as in “to go.” The logographic characters are pronounced/romanized as Mago in Korean, Magu in Chinese, and Mako in Japanese. When it is used in historical contexts, “Mago” refers to the Great Goddess AND HER cultural matrix, Magoism (Magoist shamans/priestesses/rulers and/or the bygone mytho-history of Old Magoist Korea). S/HE represents Ultimate Reality as One Undividable Unity. The Great Goddess embodies the Creatrix, the cosmic sonic system of Life. Through HER, we enter the view of the whole, the consciousness of WE/HERE/NOW. Also known to have originated from the Big Dipper (Seven Stars) in lore—part of the Big Bear constellation—the Guardian of the Polaris, S/HE is the Guardian of the solar system. S/HE causes the stabilization of the solar system. In that sense, S/HE is the Sun Deity or Heavenly Deity. Self-emerged with Mago Stronghold (Earth) and two moons of the Earth through the sonic movement of Pal-ryeo (Eight Tones), the Great Goddess oversees the cosmic music of Yul-ryeo (Rhythms and Tones), another term for the sonic movement of the universe. Mago gives birth to two daughters (Gung-hui) and (So-hui) parthenogenetically. Thus, they form the Mago Triad (Samsin). S/HE delegates HER two daughters to oversee the cosmic music of Oeum-chiljo (Five Pitches and Seven Tunes). Gung-hui and So-hui respectively give birth to four daughters parthenogenetically. The Primordial Mago Clan forms the Nine Magos, the archetype of Gurang (Nine Goddesses). Mago delegates eight (grand)daughters to oversee the cosmic music of Pal-ryeo (Eight Tones). S/HE causes the self-evolution of the Earth through which all terrestrial beings are brought into existence. In that sense, S/HE is the Earth Deity. As Samsin Halmi (Triad Grand-Mother), S/HE controls the birth and illness of children. Mago allows the Early Mago Clan in the paradise of Mago Stronghold to procreate progenies and entrusts them to take in charge of the terrestrial acoustic equilibrium. Revered as the Cosmogonist, Progenitor, and Ultimate Sovereign, Mago delegates the Mago Descent, the entirety of the divine, human ancestors, and humans, to oversee the acoustic harmony of the Earth in tune with the cosmic music. Hereupon, the paradisiacal Home of Mago Stronghold is established. S/HE is called by many names. Among them are Samsin (Triad Deity), Cheonsin (Heavenly Deity), Halmi (Grandmother/Goddess), Nogo (Ancient Goddess), and Seongo (Immortal Goddess). Also referred to as Mugeuk Nomo (None-Polarized First Mother) or Musaeng-nomo (Non-birthed First Mother) in Daoism. Mago appears resembling many Goddesses from around the world by way of such mythemes as the triad, parthenogenesis, cosmic music, animal companions, and the cosmogonist. “Mago” is linguistically identical or similar with “Mago” in Italian and Portuguese, “Magus/Magi” in Latin, “Magos” in Greek, “Maka” in Mycenaean Greek, “Magus” in Old Persian, and “Ma Guanyin” in East Asian languages, to name a few.
Brian Kirbis: Funny, despite my fondness for language, I never made the connection. Though I have explored the lineage potential between naga and Nuwa 女娲.
Helen Hye-Sook Hwang: What did you find the linkage between naga and Nuwa, Brian? There is sometimes linguistic linkage relevant and other times mythological linkage…
Brian Kirbis: Linguistic, iconographic, and mythological links are all available to us within a broad cross-cultural frame. My own analytic tendency is to see such mirror-image male-female representations as matrilineal and patrilineal essences which, in Chinese energy theory, reside in the kidneys (ancestral qi).
Consider the Adam and Eve myth, for instance, with the figures on either side of the tree (spine, cosmic pivot, Milky Way), within which is contained the serpentine energy. There is ample information extant on such Tree of Life symbolism, all of which illustrates the inner energy body. The nagini-naga / Nuwa-Fuxi conjoint images in India and China absorb the serpent iconography into the human – an internalization of Kundalini energy.
As you know, my area of interest is in the underlying cultural complex of tea-growing peoples located in Southwest China and upland Southeast Asia, an area replete with serpent mythology.
Brian Kirbis: Comparison of Indian and Chinese representations of the Naga-Nagini and Fuxi & Nuwa.
Helen Hye-Sook Hwang: Yes, indeed, there is similarity between the two. Interesting! Thanks for sharing them.
Lizzy Bluebell: Brian Kirbis – fascinating – any idea what kind of tool each is holding in the sculpture? I see a chevron or M to the right of the Nagini’s head; (M and MA are fairly universal root symbols for Mother; Latin M encodes breasts, mounds, mountains, paps, tophets, etc. plus a general historical dispute over the importance of hills versus valleys.)
I also note the inversion of right/left positions in the Nu Wa image.
In terms of your statement – “The nagini-naga / Nuwa-Fuxi conjoint images in India and China absorb the serpent iconography into the human – an internalization of Kundalini energy.” — My thought: Have you ever considered it otherwise – that humanity has actually EXTERNALIZED chi energy into the form of the snake as a means of expressing it in non-vocal (sonic) symbolism which also manifests form via means of visualization as opposed to sonic/vocalizations or cymatics which creates form via RESONANCE.
Helen – note that the tails are knotted – very important symbolic notion of ‘tying things’ as in the Shen Ring and Ankh – a masonic motif – related to measuring and containing within an Ouroborus SYSTEM which is closed, not cyclic or spiraling vis a vis Nature’s Way. It is the CLOSED CIRCLE as Plato’s “perfect form” which traps us in the flaws of re-peating and re-petitioning any ‘his-story’ we follow which does NOT HONOUR AND REVERE MAGO or hold her values close to HEART, as HEARD, in the HERD.
Your original post (O/P thereafter) is fascinating and revealing and provides much to discuss on the topic of Zoroaster/Zarathustra and the Persian/Arabic/Semitic invention of Algebra and Astrology. In my own lexicon, the term trans-slates as Roza-Star which ties it to Venus, the planet.
Zartosht
19th century Indian-Zoroastrian perception of Zoroaster derived from a figure that appears in a 4rd century sculpture at Taq-e Bostan in south-western Iran. The original 4th century high-relief scene depicts the investiture of Ardeshir II, with the figure later perceived to be Zoroaster standing to the left of the king. A photograph of the sculpture is available on commons as file: Taq-e Bostan – High-relief of Ardeshir II investiture.jpg. In both the original and the 19th century interpretation, the figure bears a barsom in hand. This ritual implement, consisting of a (usually unbound) bundle of rods or sticks, is used even today to solemnize Zoroastrian religious ceremonies. In the reinterpretation, the figure wears the ceremonial headgear of a Zoroastrian high priest. In the academic literature of 19th- and early 20th century, the figure in the carving was indeed assumed to be a depiction of Zoroaster. That assumption is no longer followed today (it is generally assumed to be the yazata of “binding oath”, guaranteeing/blessing the investiture). Like most other 19th century Indian Zoroastrian images of Zoroaster, the facial features depicted in the reinterpretation are strongly influenced by western depictions of Jesus. Together with other Indian Zoroastrian religious art (to some extent also beliefs and practices), this image began appearing among the Zoroastrians of Iran some time after 1855. For a review of this and other “Zoroaster” imagery, see: Stausberg, Michael (2002), Die Religion Zarathushtras, Vol. I, Stuttgart: Kohlhammer, pp. 58-59. The book includes a CD with a high-res color version of this portrait.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zoroaster?#/media/File:Zartosht_30salegee.jpg
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zoroaster
Lizzy Bluebell: I note that “Zoro-Aster” (Red/Rose/Star/Flower) appears purely self-sufficient in his stance, holding a single tool with both hands (not sharing) – also the number of points on his star/halo (?). the chevron on his robe, the SCARF tie on his head, the yoke around his shoulders, (RU) his feet planted on (?) a three-layered star/flower/lotus) – perhaps also denoting / re-semble-ling a Mermaid’s Fishtail. (Mermaid/Serpent/Fish are all Feminine Symbolisms).
Brian Kirbis: Hi Lizzy, far too much to respond to here, but a few thoughts …
Not sure about the sculpture, but what Nuwa and Fuxi appear to be holding in the image are a compass and square / ruler. Ironic, as the Chinese posit ‘Heaven is round and earth is square’ – an inversion (another one, as you mention this already) of the gendered embodiments of these two principles. Feminine as liaison of heaven and masculine as establishing the principles of earth? Correspondingly, these can be understood as scissors and hoe, weaving and agriculture. Here, I appreciate your reference to hills and valleys – upland / lowland, marriage alliances, myth of Weaving Girl and Herding Boy all come to mind. Tying the knot, as you also mention. This is also an intersection of animism and organized religion. Secular and divine, vertical and horizontal forms of power pervade these motifs.
That’s all I have … on to learning a bit about Zartosht. Thank you for such insightful comments!
Lizzy Bluebell: yes – tools for measuring the heavens – all taken over by masonry now.
Judy E Foster: Interesting how often ‘mago’ has been used in connection with being a ‘trickster’ or ‘charlatan’ or ‘wizard’ etcl, a way of suppressing S/he. How these men must have hated Her, or the idea of Her…
Brian Kirbis: I’m more inclined to think that it pertains to divination – a practice that was historically the domain of women, as a means to subvert male control and maintain a nature-human equilibrium. The waxing and waning power of the moon was seen as subversive to the construction of secular power.
Not that our two views are mutually exclusive, Judy.
Judy E Foster: That is why the subject is so fascinating – so many ways of thought there are – so much to learn and why I find it all so interesting, Brian…
Lizzy Bluebell: “Interesting how often ‘mago’ has been used in connection with being a ‘trickster’ or ‘charlatan’ or ‘wizard’ etc, a way of suppressing S/he.”
“I’m more inclined to think that it pertains to divination – a practice that was historically the domain of women, as a means to subvert male control and maintain a nature-human equilibrium. The waxing and waning power of the moon was seen as subversive to the construction of secular power.”
Brian & Judy – The Astrological Trickster (trick-star) Mercury is known as Messenger of the Gods; implying divination by the sun, moon, stars, or seven planets. Indeed, women were the first ‘docu-ment-ers’ via notches on horns; using intrinsic (tacit) knowledge for ‘divining’ the arrival of their menses in accord with full moon.
Mercury was later absorbed as esoteric Thoth/Thot which gives us the word “thought”. Thoughts become Words (“God-made”) and manifest intentions – “I create as I speak” becomes “I create as I w-rite or ‘image’ in symbols”.
Words as WRIT have indeed developed along ‘trick-ster’ or ‘trick-star’ notions – in other words, WORDS are in fact highly UNreliable while they remain ink-read-able or re-LIE-able – i.e. lending themselves read-ily to a system of visual symbols for the inversion of ‘former’ oral-gynal truths heard only by the ear but never apprehended by the eyes. This is WHY Egypt and India raised such large stone icons. scribes were reputedly “worth their weight in gold” – because it was recognised that the permanence of written imagery ‘etched in stone forever’ had far greater power to stir and steer mass imagination (or perhaps I-mago-nation ?) than the more fluid oral formations of everyday speech. Thus the ceremony of ‘high mass’ with it’s chanting rhythms and mesmerising powers of re-petit-ions was adopted by the Church.
In this way, we can see that Mago/Goma does in fact embody all of the terms Helen delineated in the O/P – and much more besides! As example, the Latin letters appear to have been inverted into OGAM, which is the term for the Irish Alphabet known also as Ogham.
Zoroaster/Zarathustra appears to have absorbed many former ‘truths’ into himself as the Pa-Ra-Mount “GOD” replacing all previous ‘know-ledges’ or knowing-ledgers. (Mago/Goma). This is the tried and true, primary means of suppression by any warmonger/usurper/oppressor, and still in use today. To build empire, first you must quash, destroy, erase, or absorb all of the iconography, and replace it with your own. In this image “Zoroaster” is embodied within the SHEN Ring (principle of TYING and an adaptation of the ANKH as ‘Symbol of Life’). The wings are former elle-ments of Ma’at the ‘goddess’ and also emblematic of Mercury absorbed into Hermes/Thoth – but formerly belonging to Ma’at as the Feminine “Principle of Nature’s Balance”. The Crown is a given for ‘royalty’ – CORONA – (CORN gave us the ma-thema-tickle fibonacci sequence) while the tool he holds here is a ring denoting circular power over the Earth he ‘scarfs’. Enough for now – there’s lots here to jump off from.
Lizzy Bluebell: Resources used:
https://www.britannica.com/biography/Zarathustra
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zoroaster…
Judy E Foster: This is such great information…so much to learn…
Anna Tzanova: We do have a chant in Kundalini Yoga: Mata Shakti, Mata Shakti Namo Namo; Kundalini Mata Shakti Namo Namo. In other words Kundalini the Great Mother Universal Female Deity/Empowerment. Kundal=serpent/spiral
Helen Hye-Sook Hwang: Can we hear that?
Anna Tzanova: https://youtu.be/HfE61SvtgU0
Lizzy Bluebell: Helen Hye-Sook Hwang – Please note the Chakra/Righteousness – as held in the “Arms of Maa” image above (In Ma’at – the ‘t’ is silent – it denotes that Ma’a is feminine) – RIGHTEOUSNESS relates to the MAHABHARATA WAR – a war for ‘righteousness’ – in which KUNTI is mentioned – it was during that period that the Vedas were re-written and redacted !!
Lizzy Bluebell: The ‘Namo Namo’ chant reminded me of this ‘Nommo archetype’ inversion – which is related to the DOGON, I believe. Of course these roots do give us the words ‘name’ and ‘number’ which are related to each other.
Helen Hye-Sook Hwang: Thank you, Anna!
Anna Tzanova: We have the Goddess within us and it is the Kundalini spiral, which has its two intertwined branches Ida and Pingala.
Helen Hye-Sook Hwang: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nadi_(yoga)
EN.WIKIPEDIA.ORG
Nadi (yoga) – Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Anna Tzanova: Yes, Nadi are all tubular organs in our body, including the energy meridians.
Helen Hye-Sook Hwang The chant is powerful!!!
Anna Tzanova: The meditation that goes with this mantra is done sitting cross legged with right hand parallel to the ground, on the level of the heart and the left hand, also parallel, but 5″ above the right. Head is in slight neck lock, eyes closed and we chant focusing on the sound. It is very powerful done in a group. See More
(To be continued)
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