Post 7: The Enlightened One

Buddha

Everyone has heard of the term enlightenment, it is often taught in school during history, philosophy, and theology classes. We know of one person who has truly reached personal enlightenment: The Buddha. While he isn't considered a deity, rather an idealistic figure, he has many who believe him to be transcended above other humans. Buddha wasn't always enlightened. Prior to his change, he was a man by the name of Siddhartha Gautama. Siddhartha spent many years trying to reach enlightenment, but prior to that he was a wealthy child. He was born into royalty in Nepal. Siddhartha started his journey since he was moved by the suffering of people around the world. He attained enlightenment under the Bodhi tree.

Buddha getting enlightened

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Post 2: Phantom Queen

The Morrigan Mythology and religion are so widespread across the world that it is impossible for someone to not know of it, however, few have looked into the Celtic pantheon of Ireland. Not many know of the beings that reside within the stories of Celtic mythology. One such being is The Morrigan, a Celtic deity who governs over war, fate, and death. She is a congregate of three sister goddesses: Anu, Macha, and Badb. The Morrigan could shapeshift into many things most often seen in the form of a crow; this is one of the reasons crows are seen as bringers of death or plague. She is a descendent of Danu and part of the Tuatha Dé Danann, a superior form of beings hailing from the goddess of fertility and wisdom Danu. The Morrigan and a crow The Morrigan is perceived as an omen if she is seen prior to or during a battle. It is believed that if you see her cleaning in a river before a battle you will die. The Morrigan is an interesting goddess as her tale isn't one that would cau...

Post 5: Ruler of the Heavens

Olorun The Yoruban people inhabit Western Africa; they are both an ethnic group and a religious group. Olorun, who rules the heavens, is one of the Yoruban deities. Olorun is interpreted very differently across the different areas of Africa. Although there are some differences Olorun is widely known as the ruler of heaven. Olorun is half of the pair that created the planet we live on today, his other half being Olokun. Before Olorun, there was only the sky and the sea. Olorun is the equivalent of the Christian God or the Muslim Allah. Unlike Allah or God, Olorun is not directly worshipped by his followers. Olorun creating life There is nothing much to "judge" Olorun on, he is a creator and not much else. In Yoruban eyes, if it weren't for Olorun we would not exist.

Post 3: Hound of Hades

Cerberus Cerberus is a being that most would be able to recognize but not name or describe the backstory of. He is depicted as a three-headed dog and as the pet of Hades, ruler of the underworld. Cerberus guards the gate to the underworld. One of the reasons he's so recognizable is because of his inclusion in film and TV. There is a film called Cerberus, but he is also included in productions such as Harry Potter and the Sorcerers Stone, Hercules (the Disney one), and Clash of the Titans. He is the final labor of Hercules, who needed help from many to complete the labor attesting to Cerberus' strength. Cerberus above dead I think Cerberus is cool because of all the pop culture references he garners yet so little is known about his backstory in ancient Greece. He is referenced in TV, film, music, podcasts, comics, and many books.

The Gods, the Bad and Theology

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