Subject: Philosophy
Alignment: Phlegm
Orientation: Academic
Position: Chorus

Eleuthero is the oldest of the Professors, and as such is much slower in movement than the others. Eleuthero is also slow in speech, but this is due to very deep and careful thought. Although he is not Melancholy aligned, Eleuthero has trained himself to think as though he were, both to fulfil his position in the Chorus as best he can, and also so that he lives well by the laws of Empyrean. Admired by the other Professors, it is always Eleuthero they turn to in times of trouble or disagreement. Although it may take him hours to reach a conclusion, he is never wrong.
Although the children find him to be a boring lecturer, they like him nonetheless for his adorable old man quirks and his endlessly patient and kind demeanor.
Lesson One: Karma
Karma (Sanskrit: कर्म from the root kr, "to do", [meaning deed] meaning action, effect, destiny) is a term that comprises the entire cycle of cause and effect. Karma is a sum of all that an individual has done, is currently doing and will do. The effects of all deeds actively create present and future experiences, thus making one responsible for one's own life, and the pain in others. In religions that incorporate reincarnation, karma extends through one's present life and all past and future lives as well.
The "Law of Karma" is central in Hinduism, Sikhism, Buddhism, & Jainism. (These religions were formed in India). All living creatures are responsible for their karma - way of life - and for their release from samsara. As a term, it can be traced back to the early Upanishads.
The Law of Karma is taught in the esoteric Christian tradition, Essenian and later Rosicrucian, as the "Law of Cause and Consequence/Effect" [1]. However, this western esoteric tradition adds that the essence of the teachings of Christ is that the law of sin and death may be overcome by Love, which will restore immortality.
The process view of release (moksha) from ego-consciousness (ahamkar) through individual responsibility for the totality of action with its inherent karma can be contrasted with the soteriological view of mainstream denominations of Christianity: grace given by faith in the suffering, death and resurrection of a singular saviour.
Karma literally means action. We first take an intent and follow it up with action in the form of thought, speaking to others, planning and execution. According to the Theory of Karma - every action taken to achieve a result or profit (fruit of action) leaves a trace or a karmic residue behind it. It is this residue that keeps accumulating and takes away one's well-being and freedom. Only a person who acts to produce results without worrying about profit (Nishkama Karma or Niskarma) does not accumulate such a Karmic residue. Such action normally comes out of love or pure passion.
Quoting from the Bhagavad Gita, Lord Krishna says: "I shall now describe nishkama karma yoga, the path of selfless action. You have a right to perform your natural prescribed duties, but you are not entitled to any fruits of that action. You should neither act with desire to enjoy the fruits of your work, nor, as a result, should you be attached to neglecting your duties."
So how does Karmic residue work? Well, according to the theory any action whose motive is other than love or passion begins a process of psychological compensation which is difficult to complete. For example, if we helped somebody when we did not want to, then no amount of compensation helps later as we always feel incomplete. Any incomplete action somehow begins to consume a part of our free attention on how to get rewarded. During our journey of life we accumulate considerable Karmic residue and this depletes our free attention significantly. Lack of free attention means lack of intelligence. Many of the bad situations we get into in life are as a result of a lack of intelligence and attention..
In relation to Essence and Ether, Karma is the manifestation of ether in every creature in the world. Every animal, plant and person are infused with Ether, ad thus Karma. Karma is the dormant potential energy for action and repercussion. Here a Butterfly stamps its foot and across the world a mountain shakes.
The less a creature impacts the world, by less action or less will to change or affect its surroundings, the less Karma will take affect in its life. For this reason, a rock's nature will not much change of its own accord over time, but may be moved or affected by creatures around it that exert more impact of the world, such as a child kicking it away or a river smoothing it in time. Karma is like a Moth, always attracted to that which shines brightest. If a creature is like a lamp that is not lit, it does not shine, and does not attract the moth. But, as soon as that lamp lights, shines, moves, it attacts the moth. The more it impacts the world aronud it, the greater and greater a concentration of Karma it attracts.
The nature of the Karma that buids up in a reservoire of energy can be aligned to good or ill luck, but should never be thought of as good or evil. The energy put our will in time turn the karmic energy so that it reflects the same. a great deal of resistance, anger, violence and hatred will turn the karmic energy to more of the same, causing foul repercussions or luck and circumstance. whereas, if the energy sent out is peacable, calm, patient, and loving, the energy will reflect it and flow more smoothly. Like a magnet, shifting the polarity of the electrons aronud it, so too does the will of an individual affect the world.
If you think one person is too small to makea difference, try sleeping in a closed room with a single mosquito.
Lesson Two: Monotheism
In theology, monotheism (Greek μόνος(monos) = single and θεός(theos) = God) is the belief in the existence of one deity or God, or in the oneness of God. In Western context, the concept of "monotheism" tends to be dominated by the concept of the God of the Abrahamic religions and the Platonic concept of God as put forward by Pseudo-Dionysius the Areopagite.
The concept of monotheism has largely been defined in contrast with earlier polytheistic religions, and monotheism tends to overlap with other Unitary concepts, such as monism.
Ostensibly monotheistic religions may still include concepts of a plurality of the divine, for example the Christian Trinity, or the veneration of Saints, as well as the belief in "lesser spirits" such as angels or demons.
Historically, monotheism emerges from the Late Bronze Age in a gradual process comprising henotheistic and panentheistic notions. Monotheism only became historically widespread as a belief system during the Axial Age, and is associated with the philosophical and moral revolution of that age.
Religions from which monotheistic power may be appealed to:
Jewish View - Jahewa or God. Believed to be all-powerful and all-knowing. Often illustrated as a wrathful and punishing God, although he is considered to be all forgiving and all-loving to his followers.
Christian View - God or Jove (believed to be the same entity as the Jewish God), but also personified as Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost. The Holy Ghost is the representation of God's divinity, whereas Jesus is the representation of his mortality. Jesus's teachings were mostly concerned with brotherly love, forgiveness and peace between peoples, regardless of their faction. Another key difference was that the Christian followers believed in the absolvence of sin to attain heaven, though each of its factions varied widely on how to absolve sin.
Islamic View - Mohammed the last prophet, and Allah, the One God. The Islamic faith is largely concerned with piety and prayer, showing reverence and worship to the God, and dutiful living.
Baha'i View - The All-Loving Oneness of God shows the most encompassing vision of god, and has been known to welcome all faiths. It also preaches peace and understanding, as well as tolerance and acceptance of differences.
Hinduism - Though some factions follow polytheistic views, there are four Monotheistic views: Vaishnavism, Shaivism, Shaktism, and Smartism. Vaishnavism - Vishnu. Shaivism - Shiva. Smartas - Believe in a untiy of the Ganesh, Shiva, Vishnu and Devi. All Hindu Views agree that God (by whatever name) embodies 6 qualities, and this makes him divine.
Jñāna (Omniscience), defined as the power to know about all beings simultaneously;
Aishvarya (Sovereignty, derived from the word Ishvara), which consists in unchallenged rule over all;
Shakti (Energy), or power, which is the capacity to make the impossible possible;
Bala (Strength), which is the capacity to support everything by will and without any fatigue;
Vīrya (Vigor), or valour which indicates the power to retain immateriality as the supreme being in spite of being the material cause of mutable creations; and
Tejas (Splendor), which expresses his self-sufficiency and the capacity to overpower everything by his spiritual effulgence.; (cited from Bhakti Schools of Vedanta, by Swami Tapasyānanda.)
Sikhism - is a distinctly monotheistic faith that rose in northern India during the 16th and 17th centuries. Sikhs believe in one, timeless, omnipresent, supreme creator.
Zoroastrianism - Ahura Mazda is a transcendental and universal God, the one uncreated Creator (standard appellation) and to whom all worship is ultimately directed. However, Zoroaster also perceives Mazda to be wholly good, and that His creation is wholly good. In conflict with creation is anti-creation, evident in the created world as decay and disorder. Since anti-creation is purely destructive it cannot have been created (otherwise it would self-destruct) and hence must - like the Creator himself - be uncreated.
The key point to any faith is the belief and trust in the powers of the deity to whom one is appealing. Whether it be for supplication, atonement, assitance or repentance, one must truly believe, or the worth of the prayer is vetoed.
Lesson Three: Pantheism
Polytheism is belief in or worship of multiple gods or deities. The word comes from the Greek words poly+theoi, literally "many gods." Ancient religion was polytheistic, holding to a pantheon of traditional deities. The belief in many gods does not necessarily preclude the belief in an all-powerful all-knowing supreme being, as the ruler and parent (often king and fathers) of gods and mankind.
In polytheistic belief, gods are perceived as complex personages of greater or lesser status, with individual skills, needs, desires and histories. These gods are not always portrayed in mythology as being omnipotent or omniscient; rather, they are often portrayed as similar to humans (anthropomorphic) in their personality traits, but with additional individual powers, abilities, knowledge or perceptions.
Philosophical perceptions of gods are different to the way they are portrayed in mythology. In philosophical traditions gods are seen as eternal, perfect at one with each other and omnipotent. Neoplatonism taught the existence of 'The One', the transcendent ineffable God and unifying principle of polytheism. "The One is God": Plotinus 204-270 BCE
For polytheists, gods may have multiple epithets, each with its own significance in specific roles, and have dominion or authority over specified areas of life and the cosmos. The Greek gods are an example of one system that assigns each god one or more clearly defined roles: Apollo is the god of music, but also medicine, Demeter the goddess of agriculture and the spring season, and Aphrodite the goddess of love and beauty. A god can also have a particular role in the god-hierarchy, such as Zeus, the father of the Greek pantheon, or designated to a certain geographical phenomenon, a cosmological phenomenon, a region, town, stream or family, but also to abstract ideas such as liberation Dionysos. In mythology, gods can have complex social arrangements. For example, they have friends and foes, spouses (Zeus and Hera) and (illegitimate) lovers (Zeus and his consorts and children), they experience human emotions such as jealousy, whimsy or uncontrolled rage (The fight between Tiamat and Marduk) and they may practise infidelity or be punished. They can be born or they can die (especially in Norse mythology), only to be reborn. However, such representations of gods are seen by the philosophers as hiding deeper spiritual and psychological truths such as archetypes in mythology
Pantheons of note:
Greek (or Roman equivalent of)
Zeus is the king of the gods, the ruler of Mount Olympus, and god of the sky and thunder. (Jupiter)
Poseidon, together with Hades is one of the two next most senior gods, god of the sea, rivers and springs, floods and earthquakes. (Neptune)
Hera is the wife of Zeus, the goddess Queen of the heavens and stars, of marriage and fidelity. (Juno)
Demeter is the goddess of the fertile earth and agriculture. Her bounty sustains mankind. (Ceres)
Artemis is the goddess of the hunt, animals, wilderness and the protector of young girls. (Diana (sometimes associated with Selene, the moon))
Apollo is the son of Zeus, god of prophecy, light, music, healing, disease and medicine and archery. (Phoebus (actually a greek epithet))
Athena is the goddess of wisdom, the crafts (especially weaving, pottery and carpentry), inner beauty, education and defensive war. (Pallas Athena, or just Pallas)
Hephaestus is the god of fire, workmanship, artisans and weaponry and the craftsman of the gods. (Vulcan)
Ares is the god of offensive war and slaughter. (Mars)
Aphrodite is the goddess of love, sexuality, outer beauty and attraction. (Venus)
Hermes is the god of guidance, travelers, commerce, inventions, oratory, shepherds, consolation and reunions, athletics, patron of thieves, and messenger of the Gods. (Mercury)
Hestia is the goddess of the home, family and the hearth. (Vesta)
Underworld
Hades is the god king of the third portion of the universe, the dark gloomy underworld, home of the dead. (Pluto, sometimes called Stygian)
Persephone is the goddess queen of the underworld, death, and spring renewal. (Persephone)
Hecate is a pre-Olympian Titaness daughter of Astreria and Perses. She was an Original Underworld goddess and goddess of cross roads, after the war of the gods, Zeus granted Hecate power over all realms her previous titles and Omnipotence.
Other gods
Dionysus is the god of wine, vegetation, fertility and the theater. He alternates with Hestia in ancient lists of the Twelve Olympians. Some scholars do not count Dionysus among the Olympian gods because though he is the son of Zeus, his mother was a mortal. (Bacchus)
Heracles is the god protector of man from evil and of heroic endeavour (after his elevation to godhood). (Hercules)
Helios is the god of the sun, brother of the moon, Selene, and the dawn Eos. (still Helios)
********* is the goddess of youth and brides.
Norse
Baldr — (Balder) god of innocence and beauty
Bragi — (Brage) the bard (skald)
Forseti — god of justice
Freyja (a Vanir hostage) — (Freya) goddess of love and mating
Freyr (a Vanir hostage) — (Frey) god of fertility and love
Frigg — chief goddess
Heimdallr — (Heimdall) the watchman and guardian
Höðr — blind god of darkness and winter
Hœnir — the indecisive god
Iðunn —(Idun) goddess of youth, fertility and death
Loki (a jotun) — the trickster, foster-brother of Odin
Meili — the mile-stepper
Nanna — wife of Baldr
Njörðr (a Vanir hostage) — (Njord) god of seamanship and sailing
Óðinn — (Odin) chief god, of wisdom and war
Sif — golden-haired wife of Thor
Þórr — (Thor) god of thunder and battle
Týr — (Tyr) one-handed, self sacrificing god of law and justice.
Ullr — the hunter, tracker and archer
Váli — the avenger
Vé — brother of Odin, who gave men speech
Viðarr — (Vidar) god of silence, stealth, and revenge
Vili — brother of Odin, who gave men feeling and thought
Egyptian
Amun, king of the gods
Ra, god of the sun- when with Amun, becomes Amun-Ra.
Anubis, god of the dead and of embalming.
Aten, the solar disk
Bastet, goddess of cats and perfume
Bes, home protector god
Geb, god of the Earth, father of Osiris, Isis, Nephthys and Set.
Hathor, goddess of love
Horus, god of the sky and kingship
Isis, protective goddess, wife of Osiris, mother of Horus.
Mut, mother and creator goddess.
Nephthys, goddess of the dead, wife of Set.
Ptah, god of craftsmen.
Ra-Horakhty, god of both sky and Sun. A combination of Ra and Horus - god of the Rising Sun.
Osiris, god of the dead, and ruler of the underworld, father of Horus.
Sekhmet, goddess of war.
Set, god of the desert
Thoth, god of writing and scribes
Nut, goddess of the sky
Ammit, deity who consumes those who fail to pass the 'weighing of the heart' in the underworld judgment ceremony
Reshep, war god that was originally from Syria
Wepwawet, jackal god of upper Egypt, the opener of the ways
Shu, god of air and father of Geb and Nut
Tefnut, goddess of moisture and mother of Geb and Nut
Naunet, goddess of the watery abyss
Sobek, crocodile god of the Nile
Seshat, scribe goddess
Wadjet, snake goddess of lower Egypt
Meretseger, goddess of the valley of the kings
Celtic (Gaelic version of)
Abellio - god of apple trees
Agrona - a British goddess of strife and war
Alaunus/Fin - god of the sun, healing, and prophecy
Ambisagrus - god of thunder and lightning
Ancamna - a Gaelic-Roman water goddess
Andarta - a Gaelic warrior goddess
Andraste - a Celtic goddess thanked by Boudica for victories against the Romans
Anextiomarus - a British equivalent of Apollo
Artio - goddess of the bear
Aveta - goddess of female-fertility, childbirth and midwives, also associated with all fresh water.
Belatu-Cadros - a British war god
Belenus - "Shining One", associated with fire and healing
Belisama - goddess connected with lakes and rivers, fire, crafts and light, consort of Belenus
Borvo - deity was associated with mineral springs, hot springs and healing
Camma - hunting goddess
Camulus - god of war
Cernunos - horned nature god associated with produce and fertility
Cissonius - equivalent of mercury, probably a god of trade and protector of travellers
Cocidus - god of war, hunting, forests, groves and wild fields
Condatis - associated with rivers and healing
Coventina - goddess of wells and springs
Dagda - supreme god of Irish mythology (always referred to as "the Dagda")
Damara - British fertility goddess
Danu - the mother of the gods, other spellings are Dana, Ana, Anu
Dewi - an old Welsh God
Dylan Ail Don - Welsh sea God, brother of Lleu
Eduardo - god of perfection
Epona - goddess of horses, donkeys and mules
Fagus - god of beech trees
Glanis - a Gaelic healing god
Grannus - god of the sun, healing and mineral springs
Loucetios - a war and thunder god
Manannan mac Lir
Maponos - god of youth
Morrigan - war goddess (always referred to as "the Morrigan")
Nantosuelta - goddess of fire and fertility
Nemain - war goddess
Nemetona - goddess of temples and sacred groves
Ogma - god of scholars, education, writing and eloquence
Rhiannon - Goddess of the moon
Robur - god of oak trees
Rosmerta - goddess of fertility and abundance
Rudianos - Gaelic war god
Segomo - Gaelic war god
Sirona - healing deity, associated with healing springs
Smertios - Gaelic war god
Sucellus - Gaelic god of agriculture, forests, and alcoholic drinks
Sulis - deification of spring water
Tamesis - goddess of water
Taranis - god of thunder
Vedic (major deitics, with dedicated hymns as written in the Rigveda. Please use other references for the power or jurisdiction of these deities)
Indra
Agni
Soma (most of them in the Soma Mandala)
Vishvadevas
the Asvins
Varuna
the Maruts
Mitra
Ushas
Vayu (Wind)
Savitr
the Rbhus
Pushan
the Apris
Brhaspati
Surya (Sun)
Dyaus and Prithivi (Heaven and Earth), often dedicated to Earth alone
Apas (Waters)
Adityas
Vishnu
Brahmanaspati
Rudra
Dadhikras
the Sarasvati River / Sarasvati
Yama
Parjanya (Rain)
Vac (Speech)
Vastospati
Vishvakarman
Manyu
Kapinjala (the Heathcock, a form of Indra)
Minor deities (one single or no dedicated hymn)
Manas (Thought), prominent concept, deified
Dakshina (Reward), prominent concept, deified
Jnanam (Knowledge), prominent concept, deified
Purusha ("Cosmic Man" of the Purusha sukta)
Aditi
Bhaga
Vasukra
Atri
Apam Napat
Ksetrapati
Ghrta
Nirrti
Asamati
Urvasi
Pururavas
Vena
Aranyani
Mayabheda
Tarksya
Tvastar
Saranyu
Semitic
*ʔIlu "god" (Supreme God: akk. Ilu, ug. il, phoin. ʔl / Ēlos, hebr. Ēl / Elohim, OSA. ʔl ). The Arabic Name Allāh is al-ʔilah "The God".
*ʔAṯiratu (Ilu's wife: ug. aṯrt, hebr. Ašērāh OSA. ʔṯrt ). The meaning of the name is unknown.
She is also called *ʔIlatu "goddess" (akk. Ilat, phoin. ʔlt, Arab. Allāt ).
*ʕAṯtaru (God of Fertility: ug. ʕṯtr, OSA ʕṯtr, eth. ʕAstar ) and
ʕAṯtartu (Goddess of Fertility: akk. Ištar, ug. ʕṯtrt, phoin. ʕštrt / Astarte hebr. ʕAštoreṯ ). The meaning of the name is unknown and not related to ʔAṯiratu!
*Haddu / *Hadadu (Storm God: akk. Adad, ug. hd, phoin. Adodos ). The meaning of the name is probably “thunderer”.
This god is also known as *Baʕlu "man, husband, lord" (akk. Bel, ug. bʕl, phoin. bʕl / Belos, hbr. Baʕal ).
*Śamšu "sun" (Sun goddess: ug. špš, OSA: šmš, but akk. Šamaš is a male god).
*Wariḫu "moon" (Moon god: ug. yrḫ, hebr. Yārēaḥ, OSA. wrḫ ).
Germanic
Wōdanaz, "lord of poetic/mantic inspiration", "Germanic Mercury", Norse Odin, Saxon Woden, Old High German Wuotan.
Þunraz, "thunder", Norse Thor, West Germanic Donar, Saxon Thunor, Germanic Hercules or Jupiter".
Teiwaz, god of war, "Germanic Mars", Norse Tyr, West Germanic Tiw, continues Indo-European Dyeus.
Nerþuz, described by Tacitus as Mother Earth.
Frījō, wife of Wodanaz, Norse Frigg. "wife", c.f. Sanskrit priyā "mistress, wife"
Fullō goddess, or *Fullaz, god of riches, plenty. Corresponds to Norse Fulla.
Ermunaz, Saxon god (speculative, based on Nennius' Armenon)
Wulþuz, "glorious one", possibly originally an epitheton, mentioned on the Thorsberg chape, continued in Norse Ullr
Wurdiz, destiny
Sōwilō, the Sun
Auzawandilaz, the morning star(?)
Gautaz, mythical ancestor of royal houses
Wēlanduz, mythical or elfish smith
Agilaz, mythical archer
Baltic
Auseklis
Bangputtis
Diwas / Dievas
Kurche
Laima
Mahte
Māra
Melletele
Potrimpos
Zeme
Aboriginal Australian
Altjira
Anjea
Bagadjimbiri
Baiame
Bamapana
Banaitja
Bobbi-Bobbi
Bunjil
Daramulum
Dilga
Djanggawul
Eingana
Galeru
Gnowee
Julana
Julunggul
Karora
Kidili
Kunapipi
Mangar-kunjer-kunja
Numakulla
Pundjel
Ulanji
Walo
Wawalag
Wuriupranili
Yurlungur
Aztec
Chalchiuhtlicue - goddess of lakes and streams
Cinteotl - god of maize (corn)
Coyolxauhqui - goddess of the moon
Ehecatl - the god of the wind
Huehueteotl - an ancient god of the hearth, the fire of life
Huitzilopochtli - god of the sun, fire, and war
Ilamatecuhtli- goddess of the earth, death, and the milky way.
Itztlacoliuhqui-Ixquimilli - god of hard stone
Mayahuel - goddess of maguey
Mictlantecuhtli - god of death
Ometeotl - god/goddess of heaven
Quetzalcoatl - god of the breath of life
Tepeyollotl - god of earthquakes
Tezcatlipoca - god of discord
Tlahuizcalpantecuhtli - god of dawn
Tlaloc - god of rain and lightning
Toci - goddess of earth
Tonacatecuhtli - god of food
Xipe Totec - god of spring
Xochipilli - flower god
Xochiquetzal - love goddess
Chinese
Cai Shen - god of fortune and prosperity
Chang'e - goddess of the moon
Guan Yin - boddhisattva of compassion and mercy
Guan Yu - general of the Shu Han kingdom during the Three Kingdoms era, patron saint of righteousness, brotherhood, and loyalty
Jade Emperor - ruler of the heavens
Matsu - patron saint of fishermen and sailors
Shangdi - supreme deity found in early Chinese mythology
Sun Wukong - monkey king and main character of Journey to the West
Tian - deification of the heavens
Tu Di Gong - patron god of villages and farmers
Zao Jun - god of the kitchen
Mesopotamian
Anshar - father of heaven
Anu - the god of the highest heaven
Apsu - the ruler of gods and underworld oceans
Ashur - national god of the Assyrians, thought by the Assyrians to be king of the gods
Damkina - Earth mother goddess
Ea - god of wisdom
Enlil - god of weather and storms
Ereshkigal - Goddess of Darkness, Death, and Gloom
Hadad - weather god
Ishtar - goddess of love and one of the highest-ranking deities in Mesopotamian myth
Kingu - husband of Tiamat
Kishar - father of the earth
Marduk - national god of the Babylonians, later thought to be king of the gods
Mummu - god of mists
Nabu - god of the scribal arts
Nintu - mother of all gods
Ninurta - god of war
Nergal - god of war, disease, death and destruction; ruler of the underworld
Shamash - god of the sun and of justice (Shapash in Ugaritic, Shamsa in Sumerian)
Sin - moon god
Tiamat - dragon goddess slain by Marduk
Inuit
Igaluk - lunar deity
Nanook - master of bears
Nerrivik - sea mother and food provider
Pinga - goddess of the hunt, fertility, and medicine
Sedna - sea goddess, ruler of the underworld
Torngasoak - sky god