From the Oak: Let’s hear it for the God!

Many are those that focus on female divinities, leaving male divinities in the shadows if they get mentioned at all. This is a shame. Here I will share my thoughts, stories and prayers on male divinities. Currently focusing on divinities placed in an atheist "graveyard".

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A tale of Japan

b2ap3_thumbnail_408px-Kobayashi_Izanami_and_izanagi.jpg

 

On the floating bridge of heaven

stirring the ocean with a wondrous spear

whipping up a batch of primordial goo

the Inviters raised the spear watching

drops fall and not disappear but coalesce

together they formed the first bit of land

out of their play, the island Onogoro.

 

Izanagi and Izanami explored this new land

finding joy in the island they created together

here they settled their home and joined as one

soon, a child came, tragically deformed

relatives blamed the lack of perfection

on an improperly performed wedding rite

she spoke first, such horrors!

 

The marriage rite repeated with the bride in her place

led to the birth of eight lovely children

now known as the islands of Japan

yet the couple didn’t stop reproducing

birthing gods of all nature’s aspects

such joy until the fire god, Kagutsuchi, was born

causing many severe burns to his poor mother.

 

Even in pain and failing health, Izanami birthed more

while other divinities emerged from the tears of Izanagi

when she went to the land of death, Yomi-tsu Kuni

Izanagi determined he would bring his beloved back

greeted by his wife from the shadows as he approached

surprised and gratified, she had one request of him

“Do not look on me and I will arrange my release.”

 

Full of desire for his lovely bride, Izanagi ignored her wish

removing his hair comb, he impatiently broke one of its teeth

only to lit it as a torch to dispel the shadows of Yomi

horrified to find that his bride was a rotting corpse

down went the torch and away he fled for the light of above

Izanami, wanted no longer, beyond anger, beyond hurt

wishes ignored, cruelly rejected, revenge was her intent.

 

Spirits she sent after her husband, hideous in sight and sound

spirits of those rejected by loved ones and Thunder gods

barely did the fleeing husband escape due to a dislodged boulder

the passage between living and dead now blocked ever more

to punish him she shouted she would strangle 1000 people daily

he replied 1500 people would be reborn in their place

ever since 1000 people die a day and 1500 are born.

 

Separated they were between states of life

by a living, breathing body and rotting shell

by a boulder between the realms

by anger and horror, despair and relief

the marriage was agreeably ended by both sides.

alone, Izanagi returned to their island

to mourn and purify from his journey to the land of the dead.

 

Many beings came of this bath, good and bad

from his discarded clothing came that which had hidden

the sun goddess, Amaterasu, was washed from his left eye

the moon god, Tsukiyomi, from his right

Susanoo from his nose with much bluster

such noble children from such hard experiences

to these he divided his kingdom, for them to rule in honor.

 

 

Izanagi is the next divinity from the atheists' "god graveyard".  May he be honored and remembered. (my apologies for the spacing, fixing it proved too difficult for me today)

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I'm an eclectic polytheist whose main divinities are Heru-ur, Bast, Sobek, Yinepu Isis, Zeus-Serapis, and Yemaya. I'm a mother, wife and Librarian living in the Rocky Mountains stumbling on my path and wondering what the heck I'm doing. Blessed be.

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