Underworld

[Phelan Wolf]

I would like to know what the underworld is. I always thought that it was like or common to Hell can you poeple help me.

[bloodstone20]

I think of the Underworld as a place you go when you die, before you're reincarnated, and once you don't need to any more, live. There are different sections, imo. most good, some bad.

[Ldymorgan]

Underworld.... that would be the opposite of the above world. :)
LM

[Happydog]

Isn't that where the Untouchables went to arrest Al Capone?

[Shy Hawk]

Some faiths, such as Hellenics....this is broadly speaking, mind you...believe in the Underworld. Which is where you go after death. Reguardless of good or evils that you do. It isn't a nice place judging by how it is described. There isn't a reincarnation, in that school of thought, and yes, some may liken it to hell. But...well, you should read up on the Underworld and judge for yourself how you percieve it. I will say this however...
There were three alternatives to the Underworld, as believed by the Ancient Greeks. If you were a demiGod...and you did something really good...or you were extremely attractive, you could join the Gods....sort of heaven on earth type deal. They lived on Mount Olympus. But most of us aint demiGods...cept o' course Mol. ;)
If you were extremely attractive, brave, or pleasing to the Gods, you could be sent to what can be compared to the Summerland. This place was called the...er...um...Elysian fields, I think. But don't quote me. This wasn't based on morality, because the ancient greeks were less concerned with morality. That wasn't really a part of their religion you see. Talk of morality, was usually left up to the philosophers.
Third...you could be given a special punishment in the Underworld...if you did something really heinous. Like this one guy fed his son to the Gods...for I forget what reason. Anyhow, he was sentenced to standing in a puddle of water and being extremely thristy....but everytime he bent to drink the water, it disappeared...for eternity pretty much.
Pretty much everyone though, went to the Underworld. Reguardless of whether you were "good or bad" since it would be hypocritical of the Greek Gods to ask for people to lead sinless lives, because in actuality, the Greek Gods were not perfect, and did naughty things themselves.
Whoo.....that's all for me!

[Persephone]

Yet another perspective is that it's one of the places where your soul goes between incarnations - while you are there you do the work you need to do to prepare for and 'create' your next life. All possibilities are crafted there before manifestation.

[lavenderwater]

There are three worlds, the upper world, the middle world and the lower world. The lower world or underworld has nothing to do with 'Hell', it is just another unseen world. It is said there are times of the year like Samhain when the veil to these worlds are thinner and we can pass through them. We can also pass through them through Shamanic journey`s, meditation, contact with other spirits and gods and goddesses who reside in those worlds,etc. All three worlds coincide with each other, only veils or mysts separate the worlds. To learn more get a book on Celtic beliefs.

[Rævyn Cigány]

Yeah, what Lavender said...


and hey, just don't watch Hercules (the disney version).....that'll confuse you even MORE!!

BB

rae )0(

[reanna]

Originally posted by Rævyn Cigány
Yeah, what Lavender said...


and hey, just don't watch Hercules (the disney version).....that'll confuse you even MORE!!

BB

rae )0(

Totally!!!

It was a good show, but it bugs me a little sometimes that they stray so far from the truth.*sigh

I know, I know, it is the whole"Hollywierd"thing again:(

[bloodstone20]

i liked that show to... the only thing i have problems with is that the actors portraying the Gods on there face's stayed with me.

[Mairwen]

*gentle nudge back toward the topic*;)

[The Mad Vitiki]

There are many lands in the underworld with many defernt tribes, races or beings there, such as the darkalfs, there is also the land of the anseters, this is where part of the soal goes after death. It can be a scarry place the light during the day is much demmer there than here and at night it is much darker. To enter the under world and to travel there is to find the hart of the goddess the motherof us all

[Arduinna]

I believe the underworld is where I will go to await rebirth. Definately not hell. I believe all will be reborn good or bad, but each soul has it's own purpose in being reborn. It is represented in the new moon, dark (not literally) and waiting to be reborn. A pregnant pause might be a good analogy.

[Revelation]

In a more figurative sense, the Underworld is the Deep Self, that place within us that harbors our fears, our shadows, our cobwebs and our demons.

In many Second Degree initiation ceremonies, the initiate travels "to the Underworld" to conquer his own demons and to gain self knowledge. THis is a period of self examination, deep introspection, and self-discovery. The initiate generally descends into the Underworld for a prescribed period of time (usually a year), after which he will "rise again from the dead"--lest he become trapped in the Underworld forever *shudder*.

This year is one of trials. I once had someone tell me that when you ask God for a strength, you will be presented with challenges that use that strength--for how to you grow a muscle but to use it? For example, if you need to conquer Jealous, your life will suddenly be filled with people around you with more money than you, more education, better looks, etc. etc. and it is up to *you* to quell your jealousy. For you cannot quell your jealousy unless it is being tested.

Anyway, just another thought. I don't believe in any literal Underworld, so I thought I'd share this view.