Observations placeholder
Jami - SALÁMÁN AND ABSÁL – from 04 The Story
Identifier
015157
Type of Spiritual Experience
Background
We see here hints of Greek mythology creeping in.
Dionysus had a strange birth. His mother was a mortal woman, Semele, and his father was Zeus, the king of the gods. Zeus' wife, Hera, discovered the affair while Semele was pregnant and planted seeds of doubt in Semele's mind. Curious, Semele demanded of Zeus that he reveal himself in all his glory as proof of his godhood.
Though Zeus begged her not to ask this, she persisted and he agreed. Therefore he came to her wreathed in bolts of lightning; mortals, however, could not look upon an undisguised god without dying, and she perished in the ensuing blaze.
Zeus rescued the unborn Dionysus by sewing him into his thigh.
A few months later, Dionysus was born when Zeus went to release the now-fully-grown baby from his thigh.
Thus Dionysus is born by two "mothers" (Semele and Zeus) before his birth, hence the epithet dimētōr (of two mothers) associated with his being "twice-born".
A description of the experience
Jami - SALÁMÁN AND ABSÁL – from 04 The Story
THE SAGE his Satire ended; and THE SHAH
With Magic-mighty WISDOM his pure WILL
Leaguing, its Self-fulfilment wrought from Heaven.
And Lo! from Darkness came to Light A CHILD,
Of Carnal Composition Unattaint, —
A Rosebud blowing on the Royal Stem, —
A Perfume from the Realm of Wisdom wafted;
The Crowning Jewel of the Crown; a Star
Under whose Augury triumph’d the Throne.
For whose Auspicious Name they clove the Words
“SALÁMAT” — Incolumity from Evil —
And “AUSEMÁN” — the Heav’n from which he came
And hail’d him by the title of SALÁMÁN.
And whereas from no Mother Milk he drew,
They chose for him a Nurse — her name ABSÁL —
Her Years not Twenty — from the Silver Line
Dividing the Musk-Harvest of her Hair
Down to her Foot that trampled Crowns of Kings,
A Moon of Beauty Full; who thus elect
SALÁMÁN of Auspicious Augury
Should carry in the Garment of her Bounty,
Should feed Him with the Flowing of her Breast.
As soon as she had opened Eyes on him
She closed those Eyes to all the World beside,
And her Soul crazed, a-doting on her Jewel,
Her Jewel in a Golden Cradle set;
Opening and shutting which her Day’s Delight,
To gaze upon his Heart-inflaming Cheek,
Upon the Darling whom, could she, she would
Have cradled as the Baby of her Eye.
In Rose and Musk she wash’d him — to his Lips
Press’d the pure Sugar from the Honeycomb;
And when, Day over, she withdrew her Milk,
She made, and having laid him in, his Bed,
Burn’d all Night like a Taper o’er his Head.
Then still as Morning came, and as he grew,
She dress’d him like a Little Idol up;
On with his Robe — with fresh Collyrium Dew
Touch’s his Narcissus Eyes — the Musky Locks
Divided from his Forehead — and embraced
With Gold and Ruby Girdle his fine Waist. —
So rear’d she him till full Fourteen his Years,
Fourteen-day full the Beauty of his Face,
That rode high in a Hundred Thousand Hearts;
Yea, when SALÁMÁN was but Half-lance high,
Lance-like he struck a wound in every One,
And burn’d and shook down Splendour like a Sun.
The source of the experience
Jami.Concepts, symbols and science items
Symbols
BeltCandle
Clothes
Cradle
Four seasons and the hours
Hair
Honeycomb
Lovers, the
Milk
Narcissus
Perfume
Rose
Stars