Looking at commonalties between eastern and western paganism
Is it possible that across the world in times of Atlantis or thereafter there was an common worldwide occult or spiritual practice that was based in nature? In China we have the Taoist 5 elements: Water, Fire, Earth, Metal, Wood. While in the west there are four: Water, Fire, Earth, Air with an added fifth at some times: Ether, or Spirit. Vedics also have the five Pranas or life energies. Christians wear pentagonal gowns. According to Micheal Tsarion, Druids were all over the world teaching out of “colleges” before their systematic genocide. Is it possible these ancient ideas were cross cultural? Today in the East there is a hermetic practice of mixing opposite elements to produce a 3rd force: Water and Fire to make Steam. Lets take a look at two symbols which may share the same meaning:
While the Yin Yang symbol suggests balance between two opposites it’s symbol for the third force is hidden in the interface, but if you look closely at the idea behind the Yin Yang, the most important aspect is balance, which is neither and both the dual aspects, making a third aspect necessary. The triskelion however more clearly illuminates a third as an equal force represented by the 3rd spiral.
We know the triskelion is an expression of the balance of opposites in a trinity because it can be derived from the Axis-Mundi pole (demonstrated below, first fold at center-point, then spiral each end towards the other) as in the maypole ritual or other countless representations thereof across global ancient cultures which connects heaven and earth. The top or bottom is opposed to the other while the center is the balance between them.
Unity of opposites in Christian symbols
Looking at the Christian symbol of the fish, derived from the Vesica Piscis and the age of Pisces. The Vesica Piscis is a symbol made from the intersection of two circles, one repreents masculine the other feminine or unity of opposites. The intersection forms that of a eye, vulva or fish, appropriated by the Church as symbol of Christ suggesting a combination of Human and Divine. The fish, a origionally pagan symbol of fertility, and taken from the flower of life may or may not be Christ's true teaching.Vesica Piscis Symbol
The water and fire internal alchemy taught by Master Mantak Chia (Chinese lineage Taoist now teaching out of Thailand) is represented here as a path to free oneself and grow the soul in order to have a vehicle for use after one’s death. As you can see there is a Vesica Piscis and the Chinese symbol for water and fire, or Yin and Yang.
The fire and water practice may have been globally distributed. Not ony suggested because of the common symbols and elements between East and West but according to Strabo a Roman who wrote about the Druids (via Strabo 4.4.4-5): "Generally speaking, there are three uniquely honored groups among the Gauls: Bards, Votes, and Druids. The Bards are singers and poets, while the Votes oversee sacred rites and examine natural phenomena. The Druids also study the ways of nature, but apply themselves to laws of morality as well. The Gauls consider the Druids the most just of people and so are entrusted with judging both public and private disputes. In the past, they even stopped battles which were about to begin and brought an end to wars. Murder cases especially are handed over to the Druids for judgment. They believe that when there are many condemned criminals available for sacrifice, then the land will prosper. Both the Druids and others say that the human soul and the universe as well are indestructible, but that at some time both fire and water will prevail.” - Strabo
So on one hand we have an Eastern practice using water and fire to create, grow, purify or transform the soul, and on the other hand we have a Western source testifying to a belief of the soul being overcome by water and fire (implying a belief of water and fire being the forebear of the soul). What can be seen here is a common relationship between the soul, water and fire, the trinity. While some go further to suggest: “Celtic priests taught that human souls were indestructible, but the universe ends and rebuilds through fire and water in a repeating cycle.” The Celtic Vedic Connection. This article shows with myriad similarities between Vedic and Celtic beliefs and languages further implicating the connection between Celtic and Eastern beliefs not just in fire and water concepts of the soul but of cosmic cycles of renewal. Furthermore according to: Sri Dharma Pravartaka the Vedas themselves are European pre-Christian texts.
While here we see the picture on the right is Cernunnos and on the left is Pashupati. They they look like the same guy with a different hat. The on on the right is from Europe the other is from India. If we examine the Pashupati seals we find a very similar depiction to that of Cernunnos. We find the horned God in a yogic posture surrounded by animals. These are thought to be a tiger, a rhinoceros, an elephant, a bull and below him is the musk deer. Also, on some of these seals we find that the God' s phallus is visibly erect and the testicles prominent. The seat that Pashupati is on supported by two appears to be hour-glass shaped double drums known as 'damaru'. In Asia today these drums are often associated with Indus Valley script, its secrets remaining a mystery. On the Gundestrup Cauldron we find that Cernunnos's hands, instead of resting, are in fact holding the ram-horned serpent and the torque. Being a God so closely associated with fertility these would be representative of the male and female creative powers. Pashupati is displaing an erect phallus, which suggests fertility.
"Druids practiced breathing, posture and meditation techniques that gave degrees of ecstacy, often accompanied by intense heat in the body. Vedic ascetics practiced breathing, posture and meditation skills in a spiritual unfoldment process called tapas (heat), generating high body heat" source. The Taoist fire and water meditation taught by Master Mantak Chia is also produces heat in the body and gives similar effects.
The similarities between eastern and western pagan or natural law based spirituality are so numerous it is a bit ridiculous to even suggest these ideas developed exclusively and in isolation from one another. Evidently there was an exchange and a transmission of concepts across borders, languages and races long before the advent of our now many institutions of religion which themsleves recycled and repackaged these pagan concepts. While one religion or non-institutionalized system may emphasize a particular aspect or profess an expertise in one area, they all clearly arise from the same original source and are fundamentally compatible, their hostile elements notwithstanding. To be holy is to have wholeness, so all things have their proper place in totality.
Major Arcana / King Wen sequence
If one looks at the Major Arcana of the Tarot divination system, one clearly sees similarities between it and the Chinese Yijing. While there are 64 symbols of the Yijing and 78 of the Tarot, they are nonetheless similar in ways which seems too coincidental to dismiss.
Take a look at the first card of the Tarot, it corresponds to the Taoist concept of Wuji, and the 4th symbol of the Yijing: the fool.
While the card one corresponds to that of hexagram 1: a masculine creative power, and the 2nd card with the second symbol of the Yijing: a creative feminine power.
Card 6 the lovers suggests a polarity between opposites and hexagram 6 also suggests balancing opposing forces in conflict.
Both card 7 and Hexagram 7 suggest an army and logistics, while card 8 and hexagram 8 show a strong leader.
Hexagram and Card 9 suggest a darkening influence and 10 both suggest a path or journey.
Card and hexagram 11 show a balancing between two forces, while card and hexagram 12 both suggest a barrier or alienation from society.
There are the parallels drawn by some between the Taoist concept of the “uncarved block” and the Celtic “Unhewn Dolmen” from the Druidic “Song of Amergin”. This concept is very unique to Taoism may have some similarities in concepts of the fool and the natural man.
Leylines and qi meridians are similar concepts with one pertaining to the earth and the other the body. While qi meridians are out of Chinese medicine, the concept of leylines appears to be a somewhat a terrestrial western equivalent albiet applied to Earth’s geography instead of the human body.
Gods and goddesses are prominent and essential in both systems with it comes the idea of masculine and feminine forces of nature.
The Kaballah which may have come from the Druids In the form of the Tree of life may be a relative of chakra or qi energy burners of Chinese Taoist thought.
Ta Mo or Bodhidarma was the credited originator of Chinese Kung fu when he brought from India a practice of mimicking animal movements for use in physical exercises. Apparently he was known for his blue eyes, and called “the blue eyed barbarian”. Or in otherwords could have been a European immigrant.
Celtic animal affinities were similar to those of Shaolin animal affinities. The Celts were animists and considered the animal to be a powerful ally if their image was featured on their weapons or armor. At times there was shapeshifting into animal form and conducting battle this way.
Holidays seem very similar as well, one can simply compare the dates and sorts of celebrations between these two ancient cultures:
