THE ART OF THE AIRY HORSE - PART I
"Flights of the Angel Collection"
PART I
Mesdames et Messieurs, Dream Inspired Art Fanciers,
Please welcome to the fabulous dream inspired and most inspiring "Flights of the Angel" Collection. Among all Dream Inspired Artworks of this world, the "Airy-Horse's" Collection is unique in the sense that it is inspired by the same timeless recurring dream of the Ascension into the Other World.
My name is Gerald and it will be my immense pleasure to guide you into a mystical pilgrimmage through the various cross-cultural exhibits which speak higher knowledge and ancient wisdom by themselves.
Without wasting any time, please follow me through these celestially dream inspired and equally inspiring creations... bginning with heavenly...
Exhibit #1 - Painting of Mohammed on the Winged-Horse.=
This most divine painting here which is a reproduction of the "Khamseh of Nazimi", India, 16th Century, Courtesy of the British Museum, Library Ms#2265, London, England, illustrates the most famous Dream of Mohammed (570-632 A.D.), who in the year 621, flew on Burak, the Winged-Horse of Fire, in his Ascension to Heaven. This oneiric event, preserved in "The Bokhari" (Vol.15, p.3615) one of the Holy Islamic Scriptures, became the backbone of the Islamic Faith into the existence of Other World. You will also notice the fact that the Rider of the Winged-Horse on this fabulous representation is cleverly shown "FACELESS", due to the fact that it applies to anyone who rode, rides or will ride on the Glorious Horse, whether in the Past, Present or Future, as written on it...
"Glory be to Him, who carried his Servant by Night from the sacred temple of Mecca to the Temple that is more remote, whose precinct we have blessed, that we might show him of our signs, for He is the Hearer and the Seer" (Qur'an 17,1)
...which means that the Glory rightfully goes to the Horse who carried Mohammed in the Dream an event related elesewhere in the Qu'ran. (Surah 70,1-4)
"The Ascending Stairways, revealed at Mecca, in the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful."
1. A questioner questioned about the doom to fall
2. Upon the disbelievers, which none can repel,
3. From Allah the Lord of the Ascending Stairways
4. The Angel and the Spirit ascend unto Him in a Day
whereof the span is fifty thousand years.
It is most easy to see, in this painting that Mohammed flew on this Pegasus Winged-Horse in a dream, which inspired this painting, but he is not the only one. Please, follow me to the allegorical...
Exhibit #2 - Carved Bas-Relief of Bellerophon
This second illustration here is from a beautiful Antique Marble Bas-Relief, by an unknown artist, figured somewhere in the Palazzo Spada, The Spada Palace, in Rome, Italy, commemorates a Dream Landmark through Time... the Ascension on Pegasus which Dream was interpreted by the clever and most rational Ancient Greeks as an "Allegory of the Immortality of the Soul"!
Bellerophon, was a weird personage, who flew on the Winged-Horse in a dream and subsequently killed the Chimera. This is true, the Goddess Athena appeared to him "IN A DREAM", .... THIS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT STATEMENT..... and gave him a gold bridle thanks to which he was able to tame the Horse Pegasus. (Encyclopedia of Mythology, English version, p.108, French version., p.102...and issued from Pindare's "Olympics" xiii, 63 to 87.)
And this concept about this dream being an allegory of the immortality of the soul is very easy to understand because, if you read carefully Greco-Roman Mytho, you will see that most of the major Greco-Roman Gods, Goddesses, and Heroes... all flew on the Winged-Horse and therefore in this concept, all these most famous personages were in fact always the SAME reincarnated soul in different subsequent mortal skinsuits... or the same person if you prefer!!!
As Franz Cumont says in "Lux Perpetua" on p.292 and 288 respectively...
"The Emperors were supposed to become after their death the companions of the Sun Invincible... "Sol Invictus", just as they had been his proteges during their lifetime, and conducted by him (Pegasus) towards the eternal vaults. And these are not their emphatical flatteries, inspired to court poets by servile adulation. This deification, obtained through the intermediary of the Sun, making place to the Sovereign on the Chariot of the Sun, remained an Article of Faith, right up to the end of paganism." (292)
"It is therefore doubtless that Pegasus was regarded as an agile psychopompos, which, in an audacious flight, lifted right up to the height of the stellar vaults of heaven the privileged mortals who had obtained to reside over there forever. The Mythology consecrated Pegasus to the Sun and it was towards this Aster that he was bringing back the souls to which he had given life and was calling them to him." (288)
"It is the reason why this Pegasus-Saviour has been represented alone, even without Rider, as a symbol of Immortality."
As you may have noticed our two first exhibits demonstrate that this Winged-Horse Spirit manifests in dreams and all the other ones who flew on it also did it in dreams eventhough the stories may have forgotten to mention this little detail for the fact that Winged-Horses don't exist in the the material reality but only in the Dreamland reality. Nevertheless, to give you a glimpse of the greco-roman allegory, please follow me to the sideral...
Exhibit #3 - Helios on the Chariot of the Sun
For your kind info, this here pictured mural Piece of Art of the Winged-Horse Rider as Helios, the famous Sun-God who sees and hears everything, once again by an unknown artist, was unearthed by the excavations of the german archeologist Heinrich Schliemann in Troy and exhibited ever since in the Museum of Berlin. For your good info, Troy was apparently founded in 3,300 BC, that's only some 5,300 years ago,... just to say that this old mural could be over 5,000 years old!!
"He is the God who probes all the hearts, the infallible, whom the immortals nor mortals cannot cheat neither by their actions, nor by their most secret thoughts."!!
It is most easy to see that Helios, The Light of the World also flew on the Winged-Horse when we combine this dream inspired creation along with the following story... as extracted from the Encyclopedia of Mythology, English version, p.139, French version p.136...
"It was related that Helios was drowned in the ocean by his uncles the Titans, and then raised to the sky, where he became the luminous sun."
"Every morning Helios emerged in the east from a swamp formed by the river-ocean in the far-off land of the Ethiopians. To his golden chariot, which Hephaestus had fashioned, the Horae harnessed the winged horses. They were of dazzling white, their nostrils breathed forth flame and their names were Lampon, Phaethon, Chronos, Aethon, Astrope, Bronte, Pyroeis, Eous and Phlegon. The God then took the reins and climbed the vault of heaven."
"Drawn in his swift chariot, he sheds light on gods and men alike: the formidable flash of his eyes pierces his golden helmet; sparkling rays glint from his breast ; his brilliant helmet gives forth a dazzling splendour; his body is draped in shining gauze whipped by the wind."
"At midday Helios reached the highest point of his course and began to descend towards the West, arriving at the end of the day in the land of the Hesperides, where he seemed to plunge into the ocean. In reality,...he would sail all night and in the morning regain his point of departure."
As you may have seen, he is dressed exactly as an Egyptian Mummy, his body draped in shining gauze whipped by the wind... and there are good reasons for that because All of the Ancient Egyptian Faith revolved around the continual and sempiternal manifestations of the Immortal Sun-God...
"Thou art the Great Phoenix that was born in the branches of the Tree at the Great House of Princes in Heliopolis." (Mention from "Origins and History of Consciousness" p.237, but emanating from a certain Metternich stele, in " Urkunden zur Religion des alten Aegypten" (Religiose Stimmen der Volker.) by Gunther Roeder, Jena, 1915, op.cit, p.90.)
So, Burak, Pegasus or Phoenix are all the same Winged-Horse and please follow me to the chtonian...
Exhibit #4 - Painted Mosaic of the Triumph of Poseidon
Here, this picture called "The Triumph of Poseidon", is a detail of a Roman Mosaic of the IIIrd century AD which was found in Constantine, Algeria and is now exhibited in the Louvres Museum in Paris.
It is once again extremely easy to understand that Neptune also ascended on Pegasus when we associate this dream inspired Mosaic with the following story...
"He established residence in the depths of the Aegean Sea where "had been built for him a magnificent palace, sparkling of gold, and of eternal time span." When he was going out, he would harness his rapid Chargers, with the bronze hooves and the golden mane; and himself, covered by a gold armour, would grab his fancy fashioned whip and would throw his chariot on the liquid plain. Around him, could be seen playing marine monsters, which came from the deepest abysses to pay homage to their Sovereign; while the joyful Sea would open in front of him, and the Chariot would fly with lightness above the waves, which could not even wet the axle of his Chariot. But, at most occasions, the apparitions of Neptune were accompanied by terrible and most powerful storms..." (Encyclopedia of Mythology, french version, p.130)
"Answer my prayer, Poseidon, you, who carries the Earth on your shoulder...." (Odysseus ix, 538.) ... which will become more apparent with the following goddessly...
Exhibit #5 - Sculpture of Athena
This is a representation of "The Athena of the Varvakeion" which is only a marble roman copy of the solid gold and ivory "Athena Parthenos" of Phidias, the Master Sculptor hired by Pericles to assume the sculptured decoration of the Parthenon in the 6th century BC, in what has been referred as the peak of classic greek style. If I understand well, this still great roman copy would presently be in the Museum of Athens in Greece! Humm!
It is childish to see that the Goddess Athena also flew on the Winged-Horse, represented here with Horses dually flanking her Winged-Helmet, which she was attributed to her after the outcome of the Battle against the Giants in which, following the kill of Pallas she mounted on her quadrige which she charged on his brother Encelades all the way down to Sicily where she finally crushed him at last underneath the island itself!! I guess that this is where the expression "She had a Crush on him!" came from and regardless, due to that fact, she's called Athena Hippia!! :)
Anyways, here the imposing Goddess poses, standing, proudly holding in the palm of her right hand the Winged-Man called a Winged-Victory!!! Symbolic of the Spiritual Victory of the Winged-Angel!!
Also, Athena had a dispute with Poseidon about territory and in this dispute, in which she won the possession of Athens, it is said that a Horse appeared underneath his Trident!!! (All of the above from the "Encyclopedia of Mythology", french version, pp.100 to 103.)
Besides having appeared to Bellerophon in the dream of Pegasus, Athena also appeared to several other persons including the Greek Hero Perseus at several occasions and helped him along with Hades and Hermes in order to decapitate the Gorgon Medusa... from the neck of which sprang the Winged-Horse Pegasus!!!
And as you are all aware, Perseus' story ends when "Pegasus, taking its flight, left the earth, mother of the lambs, and ushered towards the Immortals. He inhabits today, the Palace of Zeus, carrying thunder and lightening for the account of the prudent Zeus." (Hesiod, Theogony, 280.)
Yes! Indeed, the Winged-Horse is the Horse of Zeus, the Great Immortal Chief-God who incarnated dozens of times as human-divine beings such as in the most revealing...
Exhibit #6 - Sculpture of Mars/ Aries
This superb dream inspired sculpture from the Forum of Emperor Trajan and would date from the First Century A.D., which can be seen today in the National Archeological Museum in Naples, Italy, is a divine represention of Mars-Hippios in his armoured combat (oral-debate) gear.
It is most flagrant to realise, within the concept of the dream of the Allegory of the Soul, that our friendly Aries also flew on Pegasus, because if you look carefull you will see that there are Two Winged-Horse in his High Crest Corynthian Helmet, one on each side, and that he arborates again another pair of Winged-Horses facing each other on the front of his Solid Gold Breast Shield... which goes along with the following story...
"Mounted on his Chariot conducted by swift Horses with gold chest plates and holding a giant spear in his hands, he would fly everywhere in the battle fields throwing deadly shots on all sides and was reknowned to be "The Plague of Mortals""! (Encyclopedia of Mythology, french version, p.117-118) ... and as you can notive, the only thing missing on this particular monument is the Giant Spear which only a fragment remains in his right hand.
"Mars! Mars! Do not let dissolution, destruction fall on your people...Be fulfilled, Savage Mars: Jump to the Frontier, Take Position... Help Us, Mars, Mars, Help Us!" (Prayer to Mars, Carmen Arvale, 6th Century BC.)
Mars often dies in combat... but he is always brought back to life by the Gods of the Olympus. Apparently, considered as the physical father of Romulus, he led Rome to the Empire of the World. Anyways, venerated in Olympia under the name of Aries-Hippios, the Equestrian God of War enjoyed the joyfull atmosphere of Combats... which were always oral debates.
That will be all for now, for the Greco-Roman portion of this collection... although if you shop around you will all kinds of illustrations of the Winged-Horse Pegasus, the Chariot of God and all his Riders of this Mythology with Hermes and Apollo and several others... but, for the time being, that's good enough because we might never end so long is this collection... but yet, this fabulous Horse has a wild reputation in the Greco-Roman Literature and Arts... as briefly outlined in "Origins and History of Consciousness" by Eric Neumann... p.218-9
"The profound psychological intuition of the myth is revealed even more strikingly in the fact that Pegasus, on being released from the Medusa, is credited with creative work upon earth. We are told that, just before the Winged-Horse flew up to Zeus amid thunder and lightening, he struck (with its front hooves) the Fountain of the Muses... the fountain of inspiration from the ground of the earth. As we shall see later, this aspect of the Pegasus myth lies at the root of all creativity."
Now in order to complete our theorical aspect of our Tour, let me escort you to the most spiritually revealing...
Exhibit #7 - Drawing of a Persian Ascension.
This drawing here, by an unknown artist illustrate the Ascension of Feridun, a great King, who has an angelical Horse, who descended from heaven to teach him Magic and foretell the future. The world was under his Sovereignty for 500 years. He is remembered in both the historical Chah-Nameh and the religious Persian Rivayats...the Persian counterpart of the Indian Rig-Vedas. (Encyclopedia of Mythology, f.v., p.295-296)
It is very easy to see that Feridun flew on the Winged-Horse in a dream because this Assyro-Babylonian Tradition began a very long time ago and is very well illustrated in the Assyro-Babylonian "Victor's Myth", where the Hero Marduk "DREAMT" of flying on the same legendary Winged-Horse of Shamash his Spiritual Father...."IN A DREAM"... the references come from... "The Origins and History of Consciousness" by E. Neumann... from the top of p.165 to 167... which was originaly fetched from "Myth and Ritual" by Samuel H. Hooke, London, 1933 which again contains several essays including C. J. Gadd's "Babylonian Myth and Ritual" on p.59, which reveals to us that..."The whole spititual conflict sways round the existence and non-existence of this Horse???...!!!".
"But the son (Marduk) has DREAMT that his Father "appeared" to him, like "a man having a Sun for his head," and in the DREAM, he rode the "Sun Steed of his Future" that his Father gave him. Already this horse named "Herzorn", which "has the wind in his belly" and "snuffs the Sun", stands in the stable and gladdens the boy's heart." ... and that Marduk... then began to understand... "Perhaps the life we live is also the life of the Gods?"
But, the people argue with him and tell him that... He is "Just a little boy born of the night, a new born thing without light or consciousness."...and that he could not..."live by the bread that is baked in dreams."
However, the Victor Marduk replies... "But nobody can be anybody else; nobody else can be what I am - nobody but me!" ... to which he adds.... "You bed-wetter, my father's dreams would have shown me my heritage, without my father's example. The body does not help it must cleave to the Spirit."
So, you see, in this case here, they speak about a Spiritual Heritage!!!.... of an Immortal!!... and this implies a "Tradition"!!!! Can you, observe that in the words? Actually, all the Great Guys of this old mytho also flew on this Eternal Spiritual Winged-Horse and this is the reason why since I did not have a representation of Marduk on the Swift-Horsed-Sun, I used the one of Firrouz-Feridun!!
Even more importantly than who rode the Horse, it is said in this old legend, that "THE WHOLE SPIRITUAL CONFLICT" in regards to the existence or non-existence of the parallel spiritual world, sways round the existence or non-existence of this Horse!!!!!".
The Whole Spiritual Conflict, my friends!... is based upon the "EXISTENCE" of this FABULOUS HORSE... which manifests in DREAMS!!! Powerful Heh?!... and that is the whole of the higher wisdom of this ancient Magian civilisation...
"Glory to Ahura Mazda! Glory to the Amesha-Spentas!
Glory to Mithra who gives the free space! Glory to the Swift-Horsed Sun!
Glory to the Eyes of Ahura-Mazda!" (Zend-Avesta, Yasna 67,62)
Anyways, it was easy to see that Marduk flew on the Winged-Horse in a dream, just as all the others and please try to remember this as we pay a visit to the bodhisattva...
Exhibit #8 - Carved Relief Buddha
Here is Siddharta Gautama Buddha in a sculptured relief from Boroboudour, in Java, where you can see the Buddha underneath the Tree of Illumination along with the Horse on which he flew during the Night of his Illumination. This illustration can be seen in "The Encyclopedia of Mythology" french version, p.325.
However, there is a much nicer illustration of Gautama Buddha on the Magical Horse in the english version of this Encyclopedia on p.351, where you can a funny Smiling Buddha, waving Bye-Bye to everybody around, proudly sitting on his Flying Horse which hooves are supported by Gods. In the text, underneath this more pleasant picture, you can read that "the prophecy has been fulfilled and the future Buddha steals away from the palace" on his Magical Steed... while everybody is asleep.
In some books, the name of the Flying Horse is given as Kantaka, and other places as Khantara and in some places they say that this Horse loves the Buddha so much that it washes the Buddha's feet by licking them.
However, again, the best of all representations, which I did not have the pleasure to see yet, is about a Flying Horse with lots of people clinging to it, which is to be found on a one side of a pillar in a Buddhist railing, at Mathura, India, which is supposed to be illustrated in a certain "Catalogue of the Indian Museum" by Anderson, I, p.189. which scene is intended to represent the transformation of the Buddha as the Winged-Horse himself as related in several stories of the Jatakas, or Stories of Buddha's Previous Lives... for instance, in No.196, in Book #2, pages 89-90 and 91, is a particularly good example, of which the following is a little extract...
"Valahassa-Jataka"
"Now, at that time the Bodhisatta had come into the World as a flying horse, white all over... possessed of supernatural power, able to fly through the air"... The rest of the story tells about the fate of those who believed in the Horse (and went to heaven) and those who didn't (who unfortunately, went to Hell!).
"Then, becoming perfectly enlightened, he recited the following verses...
"They who will neglect the Buddha when he tells them what to do,
As the goblins ate the merchants, likewise they shall perish too."
"They who harken to the Buddha when he tells them what to do,
As the Bird-Horse saved the merchants, they shall win salvation too."
When the Master had ended this discourse, he declared the Truths, and identified the Birth:- "The Buddha's followers were the 250 who followed the advice of the Horse and I, was the Horse myself."
...many other stories finish the same way #23, # 206... sometimes the Horse is called Swift-as-the-Wind... in others Windswift... or Sindh Horse...# 24 for example... which ends by "... and I the Perfect Buddha was the Horse of those Days."
...without counting all the ones, in which he flew on the Horse, and telling the names of who he was in previous lives, so many there are.
Actually, all the Avatars of Vishnu flew on this Winged-Horse because in India where this Winged-Horse Manifested so many times, this Horse is reknowned to be the Horse of the Universal Monarch... and a constant attribute of the Immortal Godly Avatar... as explained in "Buddhism and Lamaism of Tibet" by A.Waddell, 1895, pages 389-390
VERSES FROM THE RIG VEDA OF THE DIVINE HORSE
DREAMS AND VISIONS OF THE RIDER ON THE WHITE HORSE
DREAMS OF THE GREAT EARTH CHANGES