#08: Axis Mundi or the Center of the World (26:40)
Episode 08: Axis Mundi or the Center of the WorldFrom Mount Olympus to the Pyramids, people of all ages have felt the urge to return to the center of the world, the Axis Mundi. Traditions in virtually all cultures speak of a nave, a central axis, a mystical place where the four directions in space meet in a unified point. Here, heaven and earth meet, enabling the mystic to travel into the heavenly spheres. In this sacred space, the Divine resides with mankind and we are permitted to return to innocence, into a paradisical state.
Learn more:
- Axis Mundi on Wikipedia
- Mount Olympus, Abode of the Greek Gods
- Mount Meru, Home of Brahma
- The Caduceus of Hermes
- Yggdrasil, the World Tree of the Norse
- The Bodhi Tree of the Bodhisattva
- The Tree of Life and the Tree of Knowledge
Download | Duration: 00:26:41
Posted by Chasing Hermes at April 24, 2009 
Categories: Podcast Episodes
Tags: caduceus tree of life centre of the world meru world tree cultural memory olympus yggdrasil tree of knowledge Axis Mundi cross transcendence bodhi tree
Categories: Podcast Episodes
Tags: caduceus tree of life centre of the world meru world tree cultural memory olympus yggdrasil tree of knowledge Axis Mundi cross transcendence bodhi tree
I must say thank you for such a fantastic podcast. It is, by far, the show I most anticipate. I am interested in Hermes, pursuing him no less, and finding Hermeticism seemed almost coincidental. I listen to your shows many times over.
One little error in regards to Odin, he hung on the World tree for nine days, as mentioned in the Havamal. Keep the great work. The pace of the show is perfect, your sense of humor refreshing and the sound quality is superb. I will try to spread the word out to garner more listeners.
Regards,
D.
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Hi Darlene,
I'm glad you caught this factual error! You are right of course, Odin did hang on the tree for nine days. A feat worthy of a deity, no doubt.
Your unabashed praise brightened up my morning! Thank you for spreading the word about Chasing Hermes!
Jason
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Hey guys. When I heard you speaking of pyramids and burial mounds, it struck me that you might not know of something that is only about an hour away from me. Moundville is a majestic site here in Alabama.
IIRC, the explanation I was given is that children would bury their parents then build their own house on the grave. When they died, their children would do the same. This cycle continued until you ended up with what I can only describe as huge, flat-topped, man-made mountains that were of obvious religious significance to the Native Americans that occupied the site.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moundville_Archaeological_Site
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Men throughout history has thought to discover or at least know the location of the center of the Universe, but each time that center his moved, or relocated elsewhere. i think its fair enough to set it within ourselves.
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What does God or the gods want(s) from us human, if anything. Do they really need our prayers and praises?Why did they create us to begin with? I don't expected a specific answer, but can the podcast bring some light to what different schools of thought say about these matters?
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