Hermes
was to have been born at dawn and by mid-day was playing a lyre, an instrument
he designed and constructed that day. This myth appears to contradict the
concept of linear time while also retaining an affirmation to the quick
wittedness, deceptive speed and cunningness associated with Hermes the
communicator.
Hermes
was born in a cave high in the mountains, a mythical cave located on Earth
which was said to be the hiding place of his mother Maia. Hermes’ beginning
originated in the purity of a heavenly realm “absolutely divine and free from
the ills that belong to men.”
Myths
and legends abound concerning Hermes’ later adventures and about how he was
raised and cared for after he stole away from his cradle and swaddling clothes.
One of those stories focused upon Hermes’ invention and construction of the
lyre from boxwood, a tortoise shell, oxen hide, sheep gut, and the horns of a
goat.
According
to Homer, Hermes had met a tortoise while in pursuit of Apollo’s oxen, implying
that his idea for the lyre originated while in quest of a different
goal. Hermes' original intent was diverted by his delight in the unique and
hidden beauty of the mountain tortoise. Symbolically it was at the beginning of
Hermes journey into the margins that exist between the realms of virtual spirit
(Olympus) and virtual matter (Earth/Nature).
Hermes’
idea for the lyre was triggered by his captivation and enchantment with the
movements of the tortoise along with the beauty of its shell. An “endless
delight”, according to Homer, implies that Hermes was fascinated with both the
physical characteristics of the tortoise and certain qualities unseen in other
animals. Far from being simply an observation, Hermes' encounter with the
tortoise was an emotional event that spurred his intuition into believing that
their meeting was more than just an enchanting experience, but actually an omen
from the gods.
One
cannot escape the realization that the creative act is the result of a
particular mental sensitivity and purpose precipitated by an emotional and
meaningful attraction and/or desire. Hermes’ experience also illustrates
that ideas seem to appear out of nowhere and are typically launched by qualities (designs)
never before recognized for their beauty and purposefulness.
Hermes
and the construction of the lyre
Enchanted
with the tortoise Hermes wondered how this creature came to gather such a power
and attractiveness that engulfed his heart and stirred his desires. These
inquiries, including his own emotional response to them, surprised Hermes
because he thought such magnificence was found solely in heaven. In his
desire to possess and control this power Hermes lured the tortoise with
trickery into becoming an integral part of his own being.
“But
I will take and carry you within: you shall help me and I will do you no
disgrace ...”
In
true representation of mind’s inherent craftiness, Hermes had fallen victim to
his own desires and deception by attempting to convince the tortoise that it
would be protecting its own interests/beauty from “mischievous witchcraft” if
it would merely be “consumed” by Hermes. The tortoise was promised it would
“make the sweetest song” by sacrificing its graces into becoming an instrument
of the gods through the power of Hermes, i.e. the mind. In other words the
mind, in wake of material awareness and relative form, would be of service to
both heaven and earth if it allowed itself to be influenced by the imaginative
designs of a higher consciousness symbolized in the heartfelt message of
Hermes.
Without
resistance Hermes gutted the tortoise and cut off its legs with a metal bar,
most likely created for him by Hephaestus.
Ever so quickly Hermes' idea, stemming from the material beauty of the
tortoise, continued to perpetuate his own intentions. Experiencing relative
"matter" in the image of the tortoise’s shell, “… glorious Hermes
planned both thought and deed at once". In fulfilling his desire for
designing an agent that could be used to inspire his own imagination, the lyre
also became a powerful instrument in humanity's search for harmony between the
spheres. Hermes' intentions and desires became self-fulfilling. Hermes had
designed an instrument whose medium was consubstantial with that of the
gods.
Hermes
found himself amid a process where the relationship linking meaning
(desire) and purpose (mind) became immortalized. Such a symbolic undertaking
possessed the most appropriate ingredients necessary to create the most
accomplished imaginings in the shape of form, geometry, situations, realities
and imaginings necessary for a measured expansion in awareness. All holographic
formations are products of this unique relationship, a means that perpetuates
the design process by embracing and expanding greater communications between
divergent elements.
More ideas surrounding and supporting Hermes’ concept entered into his awareness while the lyre gradually began to take shape as he “ … cut stalks of reed to measure and fix them … stretched ox hide all over it … put in the horns and fitted a cross-piece … and stretched seven strings of sheep-gut.” Each element contributed to a fabrication of the original concept Hermes had first desired, imagined and then made manifest into the form of the lyre.
The
Lyre: Ancient Origins
The
most ancient findings surrounding the concept of a lyre
stem from before the Bronze Age (400-3200BC) and may have evolved from ancient
harps.
Michael Levy
The first examples of the lyre were discovered at the ancient Sumerian city of Ur (2025-1738 BC) in ancient Mesopotamia, yet according to Greek mythology the lyre was a musical instrument created by Hermes. In reference to design, the lyre is a tool of transformation meant to correspond with the symphonic tones/frequencies of a vibratory universe. Non-linear, complex and masculine in qualities (Yang) the lyre is an instrument of creativity. The lyre is an instrument of service in the transformation of certain frequencies into audible sounds and vibratory impressions. The lyre gave every musician the ability to interpret what was silently heard and felt as a flowing reverberation stemming from the intimate relationship between the Source, the All, the Tao, etc. and the individual psyche.
Design,
at first, appears to be lost in this translation while the symbolism that surrounds
the personification of Hermes steps aside and is magically lost during the
process of manifestation. The lyre symbolizes energy/light and information in a
state of transformation, a transmission that cannot be seen but only felt with
Hermes performing as messenger and translator through the skill of the
musician. In this manner Hermes also symbolizes the Observer Effect where
in quantum
mechanics the meaning of a scientific event weighs heavily upon
subjective interpretation.
Lyrics, which are
words/symbols unto themselves, are the products of a lyricist; abstract and
sometimes unintelligible utterances filled with artistic and subjective meaning
as the musician “sings to the lyre”, e.g. poems, songs, stories. In
essence, the lyre symbolizes a design event. Design is an instrument of
change that epitomizes a creative and eventful process made manifest by and
through a symphony of subjective experiences.
Design
is omnipresent and recognized symbolically by the blueprints and “forms” that
result from its transformative efforts. Design represents an all-encompassing
universal instrument of correspondences that
are endowed with the capacity to cross-fields of consciousness. Design has the
capacity to enter the unknown through qualities attributable to Hermes and
through the many symbolic instruments/systems invented for the transformation
and translation of light, energy and information, e.g. science, poetry, art,
mathematics, dance, language, music, architecture, etc.
The Principle of Correspondence
"As above, so below; as below, so
above."--The Kybalion.
This Principle embodies the truth that there is
always a Correspondence between the laws and phenomena of the various planes of
Being and Life. The old Hermetic axiom ran in these words: "As above, so
below; as below, so above." And the grasping of this Principle gives one
the means of solving many a dark paradox, and hidden secret of Nature. There
are planes beyond our knowing, but when we apply the Principle of
Correspondence to them we are able to understand much that would otherwise be
unknowable to us. This Principle is of universal application and manifestation,
on the various planes of the material, mental, and spiritual universe--it is a
Universal Law. The ancient Hermetists considered this Principle as one of the
most important mental instruments by which man was able to pry aside the
obstacles, which hid from view the Unknown. Its use even tore aside the Veil of
Isis to the extent that a glimpse of the face of the goddess might be caught.
Just as a knowledge of the Principles of Geometry enables man to measure
distant suns and their movements, while seated in his observatory, so a
knowledge of the Principle of Correspondence enables Man to reason
intelligently from the Known to the Unknown. Studying the monad, he understands
the archangel.
“The classical authors could not agree about the number of strings on the original lyre: three, four, or seven were proposed … This disagreement about the number of strings probably stems from different mythological roots for the lyre as symbol. The interpretation of the four string lyre of Mercury is given by Macrobius, who says that the strings symbolically represented the four seasons of the year.”
Each
string creates a bridge between the known and the unknown; each represent a
frequency, a vibration, a quality and an impression, a numeric theory that,
according to legend, was mathematically investigated in the Pythagorean
school. Concerning the number of strings, each lyre varied in design.
Typically; there were three, four, seven and sometimes ten strings, each
representing certain patterns of frequency (sound) considered appropriate in
the design of the instrument i.e. meaning and purpose of the
communication.
* * *
This text offers a rich exploration of Hermes’ mythological origins and the symbolism of the lyre. It also delves into deeper philosophical and spiritual themes, such as the nature of creativity, the relationship between the divine and the material world, and the transformative power of design. I'll refine and expand on specific themes in the text to provide a more comprehensive understanding and further highlight the deeper meanings. Here's the expanded version:
Hermes and the Nature of Time and Cunning
Hermes’ birth and rapid development suggest an intriguing tension between the myth and our understanding of linear time. Born at dawn, he is already playing a lyre by midday—an instrument he designed and constructed on the very same day of his birth. This paradox challenges the conventional notion of time, where growth and development are typically slow and sequential. Hermes, however, embodies a departure from this natural progression. His swiftness and invention are not bound by the constraints of time, but instead, they transcend it. His immediate creation of the lyre serves as an embodiment of his divine, quick-witted nature. This speed is symbolic of his role as the messenger of the gods and the trickster figure who manipulates time, space, and knowledge in ways that others cannot.
The myth suggests that the gods themselves, while timeless, can also bend and twist time, especially when their creativity is at play. Hermes, with his cunning nature, bridges the gap between divine omniscience and mortal awareness, operating outside the constraints of the physical world yet profoundly shaping it.
Hermes' Birth and His Connection to the Divine Realm
Hermes’ birth in a cave high in the mountains, hidden away by his mother Maia, is significant not just because it places him in an earthly, secluded location but because it symbolizes the intersection of the divine and the mortal. The cave itself can be seen as a liminal space—neither fully of the earth nor of the heavens. It is a threshold where the spiritual and material worlds meet, suggesting that Hermes' nature bridges both realms. His origin “absolutely divine and free from the ills that belong to men” further highlights his connection to a purer, heavenly sphere.
However, his rapid maturation and cunning nature also signal that, while his origins are divine, his true nature lies in his ability to adapt and maneuver within the limitations of the mortal realm. Hermes is both a god and a trickster, moving effortlessly between the boundaries of the divine and the human world. This duality is central to his character and the stories that surround him.
The Lyre and the Symbolism of the Tortoise
The story of Hermes’ invention of the lyre is a fascinating narrative that speaks to the nature of creativity, divine inspiration, and the transformative power of the material world. Hermes’ encounter with the tortoise is not just a whimsical event—it represents a deeper spiritual and philosophical moment. The tortoise, with its shell and slow, deliberate movements, symbolizes stability, patience, and the material world itself. Hermes’ fascination with the tortoise’s beauty and grace reveals his ability to see beyond mere appearances, to sense the latent power within the ordinary and the mundane.
The tortoise’s beauty does not just lie in its form, but also in the deeper qualities it embodies. Hermes' emotional response to the creature, which Homer describes as an "endless delight," underscores the transformative nature of this encounter. The tortoise's beauty captivates Hermes not simply because it is physically appealing, but because it resonates with him on a deeper, more intuitive level. In this moment, Hermes learns that beauty is not just about what is seen—it is about recognizing potential, the hidden beauty that exists beneath the surface of things.
The Act of Creation: Hermes and the Deceptive Power of Desire
The creation of the lyre is a deeply symbolic act of transformation, driven by Hermes' desire to control and manipulate the tortoise’s beauty and power. Hermes lures the tortoise into his scheme with the promise of protection and the potential to “make the sweetest song.” This deception is not malevolent, but rather a reflection of Hermes' complex nature. He is a god of transformation, of change, and of synthesis. In his actions, we see that creativity often arises from a complex interplay of desires, emotions, and intentions.
What is striking about this moment is how Hermes, despite being a deity, is not immune to the forces of his own desires. He seeks to possess the beauty of the tortoise and, in doing so, transforms it into something greater. Yet, this transformation comes at the cost of the tortoise’s original form. It is a metaphor for the process of creation: new forms and ideas often arise from the destruction or alteration of something old. This duality of creation and destruction, of beauty and manipulation, is central to the act of design and innovation.
Design as a Transformative Process
The process of constructing the lyre from the tortoise shell is a beautiful metaphor for the act of creation itself. Hermes, with his mind focused on design, is both a creator and an observer, a participant and a translator. The materials he gathers—boxwood, tortoise shell, oxen hide, sheep gut, and goat horns—represent a synthesis of the natural world, transformed by Hermes into something new and divine. The lyre itself becomes a symbol of this transformative power.
In this way, the lyre is more than just a musical instrument—it is a representation of how design serves as a medium for transformation. Design is not only a material act but a spiritual one, where the seemingly mundane materials of the world are reimagined into something transcendent. Each element of the lyre—the reeds, the hide, the strings—works together to create a harmonious whole that resonates with both physical and metaphysical significance.
The Lyre as an Instrument of Communication and the Observer Effect
The lyre is more than a tool for music; it is an instrument of communication between the realms of the gods and mortals. As Hermes plays it, he not only transmits information through sound, but he also embodies the principle of the “Observer Effect” in quantum mechanics. Just as the observer influences the outcome of an experiment, Hermes, through his play, alters the very fabric of reality. The lyre, as an instrument of energy and light, symbolizes the transmission of information, ideas, and emotions from one plane of existence to another. It represents the invisible forces that govern the universe—frequencies, vibrations, and energies that are felt but not seen.
The strings of the lyre, each one vibrating with its own unique frequency, symbolize the myriad forms of communication that exist between different levels of consciousness. Whether through music, language, art, or mathematics, Hermes embodies the capacity for these mediums to bridge the gap between the known and the unknown, the physical and the spiritual. The lyre, therefore, becomes an archetype for the power of design and creativity to shape reality.
Conclusion: Design as a Universal Instrument
Ultimately, the myth of Hermes and the lyre is a profound exploration of design as a universal tool for transformation. Design is not merely about aesthetics or function—it is a process that connects disparate elements, creating a new synthesis that transcends the individual parts. Through the act of creation, Hermes demonstrates that design has the power to communicate across different realms of existence, whether physical, spiritual, or mental.
The lyre, as an instrument of divine communication, symbolizes the ability of design to bring forth new realities, to connect the known with the unknown, and to transform both material and spiritual worlds. Hermes, the god of communication, is the ultimate designer, moving seamlessly between the realms of gods and men, creating and transforming through the power of his cunning, creativity, and insight.
This expanded analysis of Hermes and the lyre underscores the deeply philosophical nature of the myth. It emphasizes the connection between creativity, desire, transformation, and communication, all of which are central themes in both mythology and the act of design itself.
The author generated this text in part with GPT-3, OpenAI’s large-scale language-generation model. Upon generating draft language, the author reviewed, edited, and revised the language to their own liking and takes ultimate responsibility for the content of this publication.
* * *
"Bridging the gap between divine omniscience
and mortal awareness."
Edited: 01.11.2017, 03.05.2018, 07.15.2019, 10.29.2019, 11.22.2021, 12.03.2021, 01.05.2021, 04.24.2024, 03.30.2025
Find your truth. Know your mind.
Follow your heart. Love eternal will not be denied. Discernment is an integral
part of self-mastery. You may share this post as long as author, copyright and
URL https://designconsciousness.blogspot.com/ is included
as the resource and shared on a non-commercial no charge basis. Please note …
posts are continually being edited over time. Copyright © 2019 C.G. Garant. All
Rights Reserved. (Fair use notice) You are also invited to visit https://designmetaphysics.blogspot.com/, and https://sagariandesignnetwork.blogspot.com and
No comments:
Post a Comment