The Aeon related to Prometheus?

sworm09

I've been attempting to wrap my head around the Aeon. I've always been drawn to this card due to the bright, beautiful colors, but for I while I had no idea what it meant. Now that I've done a little bit of research and contemplation, I'm beginning to feel (let me know if I'm flat out wrong here) that it has something to do with the eternal, and perpetual gift of humanity to develop as a species. That was worded poorly...more specifically I feel that it is a depiction of humanity's continued "education" and growth.

The Judgement card from the RWS hits the same notes of the human psyche and human race being "called up" to higher levels in a progressive manner. The Aeon card replacing that makes perfect sense...because it's a manifestation of that exact idea of continued spiritual development.

My question on Prometheus though is that this card seems to me to show humans attempting to understand our world in a developing way...something that separates us from most other animals and guides us toward higher levels of awareness. I can't help but think of Prometheus, who brought fire to humanity, resulting in our rapid progress as a species; in the myth he was responsible for raising humanity from ignorance and expanding our understanding of ourselves and the world....which seems to be part of what Thelema is getting at as well.

Does this make sense to anyone? Am I off the mark here?
 

MasterJm

I've been attempting to wrap my head around the Aeon. I've always been drawn to this card due to the bright, beautiful colors, but for I while I had no idea what it meant. Now that I've done a little bit of research and contemplation, I'm beginning to feel (let me know if I'm flat out wrong here) that it has something to do with the eternal, and perpetual gift of humanity to develop as a species. That was worded poorly...more specifically I feel that it is a depiction of humanity's continued "education" and growth.

The Judgement card from the RWS hits the same notes of the human psyche and human race being "called up" to higher levels in a progressive manner. The Aeon card replacing that makes perfect sense...because it's a manifestation of that exact idea of continued spiritual development.

My question on Prometheus though is that this card seems to me to show humans attempting to understand our world in a developing way...something that separates us from most other animals and guides us toward higher levels of awareness. I can't help but think of Prometheus, who brought fire to humanity, resulting in our rapid progress as a species; in the myth he was responsible for raising humanity from ignorance and expanding our understanding of ourselves and the world....which seems to be part of what Thelema is getting at as well.

Does this make sense to anyone? Am I off the mark here?


I think that Prometheus has many commons to the Hanged Man card. Prometheus bound i mean. It's οnly οne part of the trilogy...Prometheus unbound and Prometheus the fire bringer the other two parts.
 

Nemia

In Prometheus, there is an element of hybris that I don't see in the Aeon card. Prometheus' vision was incomplete - he and his brother Epimetheus are Janus figures, the one looking only backward, the other only forward. That's why both brothers fail - none of them sees the whole picture.

Prometheus wanted humanity's progress but took its part against the gods. Prometheus instigated a rebellion and in a way a falling-out of gods and men. He is punished for that. I would see Prometheus at a much earlier stage of development than Aeon.

In spite of the fire association and the sky association (he took the fire from the wheels of the sun chariot, if I remember properly), I don't think Prometheus is good fit for Aeon.
 

sworm09

In Prometheus, there is an element of hybris that I don't see in the Aeon card. Prometheus' vision was incomplete - he and his brother Epimetheus are Janus figures, the one looking only backward, the other only forward. That's why both brothers fail - none of them sees the whole picture.

Prometheus wanted humanity's progress but took its part against the gods. Prometheus instigated a rebellion and in a way a falling-out of gods and men. He is punished for that. I would see Prometheus at a much earlier stage of development than Aeon.

In spite of the fire association and the sky association (he took the fire from the wheels of the sun chariot, if I remember properly), I don't think Prometheus is good fit for Aeon.

Doh! I made the mistake of actually failing to paying attention to WHAT Prometheus did and instead I focused on the RESULTS of his actions.

What I mean is that the Fire association is what I was connecting to the Prometheus myth; Prometheus as light bringer and Fire as the "spark" for human progress and development
I'm somewhat new to looking at the Thoth in depth, so a lot of my ideas I struggle to express....the ideas that I'm getting from the card only refer me to other symbols.

When I think about this card, and the reason I tied it to Prometheus as the spark to human progress, I am reminded of the monolith from Stanley Kubrick's 2001. It pops up to further the species' development, thus the crude bone tools of the apes become the complex spacecraft and computer systems of the future. This card seems to touch upon the same concept (though in a more spiritual since); the continued development and growth of human understanding and development. Crowley expressed this idea as the unfolding of the various Aeons.

But, as I said, I'm new to this, and I'm not very confident in anything that I'm saying.
 

ravenest

I get you ... and in the CONTEXT you explained ... I see what you mean.

I've been attempting to wrap my head around the Aeon. I've always been drawn to this card due to the bright, beautiful colors, but for I while I had no idea what it meant. Now that I've done a little bit of research and contemplation, I'm beginning to feel (let me know if I'm flat out wrong here) that it has something to do with the eternal, and perpetual gift of humanity to develop as a species. That was worded poorly...more specifically I feel that it is a depiction of humanity's continued "education" and growth.

That is one way I see it too. The Aon is this particular node in that process ; - in this term of the curriculum we will be looking at ....
The Judgement card from the RWS hits the same notes of the human psyche and human race being "called up" to higher levels in a progressive manner. The Aeon card replacing that makes perfect sense...because it's a manifestation of that exact idea of continued spiritual development.

I like the analogy of smelting; there are many processes starting with mining the ore, with the current Aeon, perhaps we are at the stage of fire; heating the gold to blast off some final and stubborn impurities?

My question on Prometheus though is that this card seems to me to show humans attempting to understand our world in a developing way...something that separates us from most other animals and guides us toward higher levels of awareness. I can't help but think of Prometheus, who brought fire to humanity, resulting in our rapid progress as a species;

Normally I wouldnt see the connection (aside from fire) but as you explain it, I can see that. I think the Aeon is also about HOW we use that fire as well. I am wondering if you know about the previous Aeons? That might help to put the current one in context ?

in the myth he was responsible for raising humanity from ignorance and expanding our understanding of ourselves and the world....which seems to be part of what Thelema is getting at as well.

I agree ...

Does this make sense to anyone? Am I off the mark here?

Yep .... maybe not a 'bulls-eye' ... but you hit the board :)