Gandalf and Dumbledore(Wizards, Mythology and Symbolism)

"And now Harry, let us step out into the night 
and pursue that flighty temptress, adventure."
- Albus Dumbledore

"A wizard is never late. Nor is he early.
He arrives precisely when he means to."
- Gandalf

"It is our choices, Harry, that show what we truly are, 
far more than our abilities."
- Albus Dumbledore

"All we have to decide is what to do 
with the time that is given to us."
- Gandalf

In Gandalf and Dumbledore we are introduced to two archetypal
powers whose Wisdom, courage and inner-strength beckons
us to follow them, Bond with them, and learn their ways; so that
we, too, can discover and ignite within ourselves those similar
latent forces that can empower us to pursue, and achieve, our own
noble and mystical Quests.

Gandalf and Dumbledore: They are magical...they are
adventurous...they are unbending strength-of-character...they
possess the Wisdom of the Ages...they also possess the scars
and experiences that can only be gained from numerous ancient
battles...they are admired by many and feared by some...they are
Wizards of the highest order!

However, though both are Wizards of the highest order, they
differ in their demeanors and in the ways in which they interact
with the world, its people, and its elements.

Throughout mythology we find that one of the Symbolic roles
of a Wizard is that of The Call To Adventure; wherein a powerful
Wizard presents a challenge of the highest order to an
unsuspecting, yet worthy and well-qualified, Initiate. Merlin
challenged Arthur. Dumbledore challenged Harry Potter.
Gandalf challenged both Bilbo and Frodo Baggins.

Let us now take a closer look at two great mythological Wizards:
Gandalf and Dumbledore.

Albus Dumbledore:

Albus Dumbledore is the Headmaster of Hogwarts School of
Witchcraft and Wizardry. He is dressed in the finest Wizard
garments, he sits at the head of the Wizard's table when
dining, and he occupies a finely decorated personal office in
a tower above the school which is protected by magical spells
and enchantments.

In addition to governing the school and keeping the teaching
faculty appeased, he must also deal with the bureaucratic
nightmare called the Ministry of Magic which consists of
fragile egos, petty tyrants, internal bickering and mindless
regulations.

Yet, while being bogged down with all of these mundane and
superfluous tasks, Albus Dumbledore still finds the time to hunt
down evil and protect the world; while at the same time Instructing,
training and maintaining an Order of elite and virtuous Wizards.

As it was in the best interest of the of the community of Wizards
not to display their talents and skills to the world of non-magical
people, known as "muggles", the name and reputation of Albus
Dumbledore was known, respected and feared only within the
community of Wizards. The outside world, the world of "muggles",
had no knowledge of Albus Dumbledore.

Albus Dumbledore is constantly operating in the background.
His knowledge of magic, both white and dark, is immense. He
travels throughout the realm in order to uncover the evil secrets
of dark magic; he is aware of its implements, practitioners, and
fanatics. He possesses the power, Wisdom and magical skills
that keeps evil magic at bay.

Perhaps the most powerful and darkest secret discovered by
Dumbledore was that of the various horcrux's which Lord
Voldermort created and magically concealed throughout the realm;
each of which held a portion of his dark and powerful soul.

It was imperative that Dumbledore locate and destroy each of
the horcurx's in order to weaken the power of Lord Voldermort.
However, in doing so, Dumbledore carelessly mishandled one
horcrux and its black magic entered his hand; eventually leading
to his doom.

At  Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry there is a fellow
Wizard by the name of Severus Snape. Snape was a very close,
lifelong friend of Dumbledore. However, Snape was also in league
with the Dark Lord Voldermort; a fact of which Dumbledore was
fully Aware. And it was Snape who entered into a pact with
Dumbledore to mercifully end Dumbledore's life before the poison
from the horcrux would be too much for Dumbledore to bear.

In this friendship between Snape and Dumbledore we recognize
the ancient Archetype of "dearest friend, dearest enemy". How
often do we find ourselves confronted by this mythological
Archetype when a very painful and burdenful Decision must be
made which involves someone very near and dear to us?

Now, although Harry Potter did meet up with Dumbledore after
his demise, it was only in an afterlife realm when Harry himself
had been mortally wounded and was on the verge of his own
physical death. Dumbledore, however, did not ever re-appear in
the physical realm again.

In mythology, the death of a hero is often followed by a re-birth
in the same physical realm. This "death" is Symbolic of an
Initiation Ceremony; where the hero "dies" in a lower degree of
existence in order to be "re-born" into a much higher degree of
existence. This does not happen with Dumbledore. Dumbledore,
in fact, dies a true mortal death and can only be "re-visited" again
in the afterlife. Therefore, there is no Initiation of Dumbledore by
way of a "symbolic death" to a higher earthly degree as is often
found in stories of this type.

Gandalf:

Unlike Dumbledore, who is involved with a myriad of
bureaucracies and whose name is known only to those in the
Wizarding community, Gandalf is a Wizard whose name is
known to all. He is a Wizard of the world and he freely Travels
through all of its realms.

The name and reputation of Gandalf is not only known to the
world of men, it is also spoken of with reverence by elves, dwarfs,
the trees of the forests (Ents), the great eagles of the air,
Elemental Beings - including the powerful, magical and
mystical Tom Bombadil, and yes, even among Hobbits.

It is almost impossible to imagine Gandalf becoming involved
with the pettiness and bickering of any bureaucracy when he
has the power to simply rid the world of such foolishness.
The concerns of Gandalf are only of issues of the greatest
importance.

Gandalf has the experience of many Ages. He has seen the rise
and fall of many empires. He has witnessed the horrific battlefields
created by man. He has observed the to-and-fro dance between
good and evil throughout millennia. His Wisdom, skills and powers
have been earned and honed throughout the immeasurable durations
of Time.

And because Gandalf is an ancient Wizard of the World, his dress
is that of a seasoned traveler. His Wizard's robes and hat are the
comfortable and protective garments that can endure any type of
weather or hardship. And, his Wizard's Staff supports him and
assists him in wielding his power and Authority wherever he
Chooses to roam.

Whereas Dumbledore experienced an actual physical death,
Gandalf experiences an Initiatory death and rebirth in the Mines
of Moria. Here we see Tolkien describe for us an Initiation Process
of the most ancient kind; and he presents it to us in a way that
only a master of mythology can.

Gandalf enters the dark, deep Mines of Moria as Gandalf the Gray,
where he battles the balrog on the Bridge of Khazad-dum.
It is during this battle that Gandalf the Gray "dies", in order to be
reborn as Gandalf the White.

The color gray is a combination of the colors black and white.
Symbolically, this tells us that regardless of how powerful Gandalf
may have been when he entered the Mines of Moria - his dark
Womb of Initiation - he had still not yet achieved ultimate
transformation and power in the physical realm.

The balrog Symbolizes Gandalf's Inner Demons which Gandalf
must grapple with and subdue in order to be elevated to a higher
degree of Illumination and Wisdom. The balrog helps Gandalf
"slay" his lower-self (the gray). In turn, Gandalf "slays" the balrog
- his final Inner Demon - in order to now become Self-Initiated into
a much higher order of Wizard: Gandalf the White.

Just as Dumbledore had his Snape, Gandalf had his Saruman.
However, as Dumbledore knew his adversary Gandalf did not.
It is almost impossible to imagine that Gandalf, who is now
Gandalf the White, could be deceived by anything or anyone.
Yet, it happened. And herein is the Lesson that no matter how
Wise we may Become, deception will still overcome us should
we Choose to close our eyes to the Truth which is staring us
directly in the face.

Saruman was a White Wizard of the highest order who Gandalf
Perceived to be pure, noble and beyond reproach. And it is because
Gandalf's eyes were "glossed over" by Saruman's title of "White
Wizard of the Highest Order", that Gandalf could not see the
treachery that was standing before him; for Saruman had been
coerced into joining forces with the darkest of evils: Sauron, the
forger and controlling master of the Rings of Power.

From the moment Gandalf entered Saruman's magical  tower
we, as readers, could see that something was amiss. For
Saruman's Words and demeanor toward Gandalf warned that
he was no longer the White Wizard who was an adversary of
Sauron, but that he was now in league with this most feared
Master of Darkness.

By the time Gandalf finally realized what Saruman had become
it was almost too late for Gandalf. And it took a spectacular
rescue by an eagle, which Gandalf was ultimately able to summon,
that saved Gandalf from his doom and Middle-Earth from total
submission.

The Lesson we have here is that people, regardless of how pure
and noble they once may have been, can Change. Also, we learn
that "titles" are meaningless. A "title", by itself, does not make a
person noble, honorable, respectable or authoritative. Only a
persons steadfast and perpetual Actions in these particular areas
make him, or her, so.

Therefore, this particular Lesson ultimately teaches us that it is our
sole responsibility to be constantly Aware of all actions, interactions,
Events and conditions which confront us as we journey through our
personal Incarnation. For only unwavering Awareness enables us to
see things for what they truly are, and not for what we falsely and
desperately Hope they should be.

Comments and Emails: I welcome comments and emails from
people with similar thoughts and feelings. My Email address is
located in the upper-left area of this page. Comments can be
posted by using the "Comment" link located below each article.
Also: If you found value in this article please feel free to forward
it to other like-minded individuals, organizations and sites.

Disclaimer: None of my articles should be considered to be
either advice or expertise. They are simply personal opinions
and no more. Everyone is encouraged to seek competent
advice from a licensed, registered, or certified professional
should such advice or service be required.

© copyright Joseph Panek 2013

Forgiveness (Release and Acceptance)

"Do not judge your neighbor until you walk
two moons in his moccasins."
-Cheyenne Proverb

Words often have a funny way of playing tricks with our minds.
If we cannot fully grasp the meaning of a word we are unable to
understand the concept, or idea, which that word is designed to
describe. The word "Forgiveness" is one such Word.

But before we discuss the concept of Forgiveness, let us first
construct an avenue of Thought to help guide us to a satisfactory
understanding of what this word suggests.

Many spiritual texts teach us that we should be extremely cautious
of judging, criticizing or condemning others; that we should first walk
"two moons in their moccasins".

Each one of us is created different. There are no two people who
are alike. Some people are slightly different from us while others
are dramatically different from us; everyone else falls somewhere
in-between. We tend to Harmonize with (relate to) those individuals
who are similar to us and we tend to avoid those people who are
dramatically different from us.

Each one of us is a unique and Sovereign being who is solely
responsible for his, or her, Actions. Each person's Actions create
either a Karmic Debt, or a Karmic Reward. These Actions also
determine the Path which that person will Travel during his, or her,
Incarnation. If an individual performs Actions which are too far out
of line with the accepted "norms" of society, society will eventually
discipline or remove that person.

Because everyone is different, this means that each person is
acting out a different "role" during their Current Incarnation.
This, in and of itself, does not make that particular person either
"good" or "bad"; it simply means that everyone is different.
Once we accept this Universal Truth, it becomes a simple matter
of allowing only those persons, places, and things into our lives
which are Harmonious with our Divine Nature, and avoiding those
persons, places, and things which are not Harmonious with who
we are.

With our foundation now in place, let us now consider the concept
of Forgiveness.

Just as we must be extremely cautious of judging, condemning, or
criticizing others for being who they are in their Current Incarnation,
so, too, must we be extremely wary of imagining that we can
pompously "forgive" another person for being who they are; for
doing what they have done in the past; or, for doing what they will
do in the future.

Until we accept the Truth that each one of us is a different, unique ,
and Sovereign being, our ego will always find fault with others for
not being exactly like us; for not behaving exactly as we expect
them to behave; and for not doing the things we think they should
be doing. As long as we maintain an attitude of we are right and
everyone else is wrong we will continually feel that we we must
"forgive" others for every little bruise and "owie" they inflict upon
our precious and delicate ego.

To carry this concept of Forgiveness one step further, we may as
well forgive the trees for not coming over to us to provide us with
shade when we require it; we may as well forgive the chipmunk
for going into our picnic basket and feasting on one of our deserts;
heck, we may as well also forgive the sun for making us sweat.

If we carry this mis-understood, and mis-guided, concept of
Forgiveness to its extreme, we would spend our entire life forgiving
every person, animal, plant, place, and thing for being what they
were created to be and we would never accomplish anything for
ourselves.

When we break down the word Forgive we find that it consists of
the two Words "fore" and "give". Fore means beforehand and Give
means to bestow, to release, to understand. Therefore, the Word
Forgive can be translated to mean: to understand, or release,
beforehand. When we accept people, places, animals, and things
for what they truly are beforehand, there is no need, whatsoever,
for us to be entrapped by this misguided concept of Forgiveness.
We now begin to see forgiveness as one big "guilt trip" laid upon
us by the various factions of society.

Furthermore, in order for us to feel that we must "forgive", we must
first hold a grudge or have a "score to settle". In effect, we are
chaining ourselves to - we are embracing and living in - The Past.
This holding on to The Past, whether it is a bitter Relationship, a
deep sorrow, or a festering wound, is in fact a mental continuation
of a Relationship or Event which no longer exists; we are binding
ourselves to a Self-Imposed Limitation of our own making.

When we Choose to Release, and no longer live in, The Past, it
becomes impossible for us to hold a "grudge". Once we no longer
hold a grudge, there is no longer anything for us to "forgive".
Upon reaching this level of Awareness we accept The Past for
what it truly is: a mental repository of experiences and Lessons,
a Wizard's Staff, which trains us on how to handle, and anticipate,
future situations.

By Accepting, and understanding, all persons, places, Events, and
things for what they truly are, and by Releasing all Past mental
miseries from our lives, we banish the specter of Forgiveness from
our egos. We rid ourselves of all false bonds and misguided guilts
which have deceptively gained access to our mind. We become free
to experience and enjoy our future without any mental shackles to
those Past persons, places, Events, and things which have been
hampering our physical, mental, and spiritual growth. It is at this
point that we are able to merrily prance into each new tomorrow
in pursuit of our dreams, ambitions, and personal Destiny.

Comments and Emails: I welcome comments and emails from
people with similar thoughts and feelings. My email address is
located in the upper-left area of this page. Comments can be
posted by using the "Comment" link located below each article.
Also: If you found value in this article please feel free to forward
it to other like-minded individuals, organizations and sites.

Disclaimer: None of my articles should be considered to be
either advice or expertise. They are simply personal opinions
and no more. Everyone is encouraged to seek competent
advice from a licensed, registered, or certified professional
should such advice or service be required.

© copyright Joseph Panek 2010

The Tarot Hermit - Symbol of Wisdom

"Bear in mind that those who are finer and nobler are
always alone-and necessarily so-and that because of
this they can enjoy the purity of their own atmosphere."
-Albert Einstein

                                                  (Image via Wikipedia)

The tarot card of "The Hermit" presents us with the overpowering
sensation of Wisdom and aloneness. The Hermit stands atop a lone
mountain peak clad in his long gray robes. He holds his Wizard's
Staff in his left hand while in his right hand he holds a lighted
lantern. He is looking downward.

In contrast to the tarot card of "The Fool", in which The Fool still
has higher mountains to climb and higher realms of consciousness
to achieve, The Hermit stands alone atop the highest mountain peak.

Mountains Symbolize higher realms of consciousness. The higher
the mountain, the higher the realm of consciousness. Having
reached the highest peak, The Hermit has attained the highest
level of consciousness.

The Hermit is also standing upon a blanket of white snow. The
color White symbolizes Purity and Enlightenment. Therefore, The
Hermit, in addition to achieving the highest level of consciousness,
has also attained Enlightenment.

The Hermit is heavily cloaked in long gray robes. Symbolically,
when something is cloaked, or Veiled, this informs us that either
an Eternal Truth or Divine Principle is being concealed from
anyone who is not Initiated or well-qualified. Therefore, we can
only imagine, and wonder, what Ancient Wisdom and Hidden
Secrets reside within this Lone Wanderer.

The color gray is the combination of the colors white and black.
When held in contrast to one another, white and black represent
Duality: white represents the masculine consciousness and black
represents the feminine subconscious. When Blended together,
white and black create the gray color of The Hermit's robes. This
signifies that The Hermit has mastered, and fully understands,
both the masculine and feminine Principles of Duality.

(For further insights on mastering Duality, please refer to:
Union of Duality and Transcending Duality.)

Next, we come to the Symbolism of the Wizard's Staff and the
lighted lantern:

Symbolically, the left hand represents the act of accepting or
receiving. Therefore, it is in his left hand that The Hermit holds
The Wizard's Staff. The Wizard's Staff represents the contents
of Sacred Books and Lessons which The Hermit leans on in order
to receive Divine Guidance throughout his many Journeys.

Symbolically, the right hand represents the act of bestowing or
offering. Therefore, it is in his right hand that The Hermit holds
a lighted lantern, which contains a Shining Golden Star, which he
offers as an "Untarnishable Guiding Light" to other Seekers.

And finally, The Hermit is looking downward from his lofty
mountain peak. He is looking down from whence he came while
at the same Time standing as a Beacon for any who may Choose
to follow. In effect, he is saying to those below: "Here I am. So,
too, you can be".

Comments and Emails: I welcome comments and emails from
people with similar thoughts and feelings. My email address is
located in the upper-left area of this page. Comments can be
posted by using the "Comment" link located below each article.
Also: If you found value in this article please feel free to forward
it to other like-minded individuals, organizations and sites.

Disclaimer: None of my articles should be considered to be
either advice or expertise. They are simply personal opinions
and no more. Everyone is encouraged to seek competent
advice from a licensed, registered, or certified professional
should such advice or service be required.

© copyright Joseph Panek 2009

The Wizard's Staff - Symbol and Mythology

The Wizard's Staff "represents" the contents of Sacred Books and
Esoteric Teachings that the Wizard leans on for support during his
earthly Journey. It Symbolizes the Wisdom and Knowledge that the
Wizard has Earned from all of his Studies and Experiences.

Sacred Books and Esoteric Teachings contain all the Secrets of the
Universe. However, these Secrets reveal their Truths very slowly.
And Esoteric Knowledge, although available to everyone, is only
intelligible to a select few.

The Magical Skills of the Wizard are both a Great Gift and an
Enormous Responsibility. Although the Wizard has tremendous
powers (Knowledge), he exercises extreme caution in the use of
these powers (Wisdom).

Most often the Wizard appears to be a Traveler or a vagabond. The
Wizard only reveals his true nature to a very select few and only at
the appropriate Time (again, Wisdom).

As we Travel through life we too "lean" on our experiences and
knowledge for support. However, we must always ask ourselves
what exactly it is that we are leaning upon. Are we leaning on
Wisdom, Knowledge, and Truth? Or, are we leaning on hearsay,
Opinion, gossip, rumors, and "news"?

If we are leaning on the latter than we are merely a directionless
vagabond who is stumbling through our Current Incarnation
confusing Phantoms for Guides.

And, although the Wizard listens to opinions and rumors He always
leans upon His Staff to determine whether or not they are True. For
The Wizard is only concerned with that which is True.

It is only through diligent effort that we are able to obtain the
Wisdom of the Wizard's Staff, understand its Value, and respect its
Power. And it is by leaning on our Wizard's Staff that we acquire the
Gift of Insight which enables us to Un-Veil what it is that we are
Truly observing as we Travel the Path that leads us to our
Personal Destiny.

Comments and Emails: I welcome comments and emails from
people with similar thoughts and feelings. My email address is
located in the upper-left area of this page. Comments can be
posted by using the "Comment" link located below each article.
Also: If you found value in this article please feel free to forward
it to other like-minded individuals, organizations and sites.

Disclaimer: None of my articles should be considered to be
either advice or expertise. They are simply personal opinions
and no more. Everyone is encouraged to seek competent
advice from a licensed, registered, or certified professional
should such advice or service be required.

© copyright Joseph Panek 2008