Sun Worship

Sunning myself poolside this weekend, I recalled the revelation I had at Delphi on my first of several visits to that sacred site, namely, that the Sun, rising over the hills above the temple of Apollo and lighting the space in an ever moving arc is Apollo, Sun God.

Sun over the Aegean Sea
Photo by Jameson

To me, belief in the Sun God is far more comprehensible than belief in an invisible, bodiless projection of such raw, negative emotions as jealousy, possessive insecurity, and fear. Forget the Being-In-and-For-Itself. Give me a God I can feel, whose warmth bathes my naked body in a glow.

If you need more convincing, read D. H. Lawrence's The Woman Who Rode Away. Or, if you won't read the original, there is some good commentary (By Joyce Carol Oates).

Epicurus was right, however, that such gods have no use for humans.
The Sun-God might well be concerned for Earth, follower of the Sun, suffering the blight of that bacteria, that filthy mite and scurge-- humanity, a cancer on the Earth's skin. But the Sun God would no more care about those individual mites than we would care about the dust mites under our bed: nuisances to be rid of as soon as possible.

So praying is pointless. Worship Tawa, Ra, Aten, Apollo, HUITZILOPOCHTLI...

By basking in his warmth, using his gift of energy wisely, and by seeing the Light.

We shall pay him homage on the beaches of Puerto Vallarta in two weeks.

Temple of Athena,

Delphi
Photo by Jameson

Bask! While this summer lasts.

Jameson