Spiritual Evolution: A Journey of Truth

BORN OF BODY AND SPIRIT

We are born of the body and of the Spirit. The soul dies to one body of existence and is born unto another. Death, the illusion, carries no fear, as we die to the Holy of Holies daily, consciously and with exacting purpose. We, as Spirit-Humans, are in a perpetual state of transformation and transmutation. The Divine Self is a constant living expression of Universal wonders and ever-changing forms through evolutionary processes of the physical, emotional, mental and spiritual bodies that ascend through eternity as a spiraling source of sacred consciousness.

In other words, we are alive and eternal through the sacred Will of G-d, The Creator; even unto death within this third dimensional reality. The Body Temple purifies unto ash and the Spirit ascends to the worlds beyond. There is no greater Truth and no higher freedom. This is, indeed, a peace that goes beyond understanding and is eternal.

Humanity's birthright on this earth is the process and progress toward the return to our most natural state, Spirit. The soul evolves through continual renewal and the promises of G-d are made manifest through the individual and collective soul(s) of humanity. This overlighting covenant cannot be broken. It is the birthright of all humanity without prejudice, emotional attachment or struggling mental gymnastics. The veil of unconsciousness and the 'trail of tears' due to unrealized, unfulfilled life purpose and spiritual vision may only hide this covenant. It cannot be distroyed.

THE BRAIN AND THE MIND; IS THERE A DIFFERENCE?

The realities of human experience go far beyond the physical and yet most of the world identifies with what they see, hear, touch, smell and taste. Ask yourself as a discerning measure, "Am I a one dimensional being or a multi-dimensional being? " Then ask yourself, "Am I greater than the sum of my body or my emotions or of my brain?" If you answered in the affirmative to these questions, then continue by asking yourself this potent question, "Do I know my Mind and is Mind something different than the physical organ we call the brain?"

First of all, humanity must recognize through spiritual and scientific knowledge that each individual human is multi-dimensional as we 'live and breath and have our being' while simultaneously working within and between many levels of consciousness. This is the Transcendent Mind. The Transcendent Mind Consciousness is G-d Consciousness. As Humanity penetrates what is known as the 'cloud of knowable things' in the Acient Wisdom Teachings, we gain the mystical understanding of life.

It is this understanding that we begin to consciously connect with the Source of all life-giving creation. We begin the cognizant journey of our birthright through a purification process as we meet the joys and challenges that arise out of the healing alignment between Spirit and matter. What a wondrous and inspiring spiritual pilgrimage as we begin to consiously understand the covenant of our birthright and the purpose of our lives on earth in this dynamic and critical time in Humanity's evolution.

Let us seek the probabilities of distinguishing the human brain from the ever transcending and ascending Spirit-Mind. The brain is a physical organ that serves the Human Being in experiencing the mortal physical, emotional and mental levels of third dimensional life-form. The brain is a functional instrument of multiple voluntary and involuntary processes. It can be analogized to a computer. The brain stores information, calculates, objectifies, formulates responses or reactions and is the hard-drive that seeks pleasure, fears pain and discomfort as it calculates the fruition of life experiences born of the soul.

The Transcendent Mind or the "non-local mind," is a separate yet inclusive entity known as the Creative Life Force. "Non-local mind" is pure consciousness, unqualified and full of potentiality. It works directly in conjunction with the physical processes of the brain, yet it is not the brain. The creative force, the "Transcendent Mind, is the blue-print of perfection that permeates the life-giving power of G-d, the Creator of All life and defines the omnipresent Divinity as the Light of our purest nature. This Light in all its beauty and glory is synonymous with the Mind, the Creative Source, the consciousness of G-d within Humanity.

THE MYSTERIES OF HUMAN NATURE & THE TRINITY

All of nature, which includes sanctified Human, is the reflection of the Divine Presence. As the sanctified Human, we encounter, ponder and explore through the limitless Mind. What we begin to perceive with greater clarity is illuminated Knowledge that activates Spiritual Wisdom and Purifies all illusion. Living a life full of illusions separate us from the wedded Truth that all of life is connected and all of life is One with the Creator.

Is life a mystery or is it a remembering? Is it both? Is it neither? Can these mysteries be taught or must humanity experience the mystical to actually know the sacred? Are we receiving from the Mind in full clarity or are the experiences of life, the woundedness we carry, the fear that paralyzes and the doubt that falls prey to what I call our Brain Filter, leave all humanity in chaos and confusion?

The Brain Filter responds through the conscious and unconscious self-created life experiences that seem to loom so forebodingly across our lives and yet, in truth, we create experiences to learn, to expand and to reunite with Onesness. Our Brain Filters edge out the subtle yet greater power of the Mind and we find ourselves lost in a maze of confusion, illusion and living desperate lives without direction, purpose or prayer.

We are creative consciousness utilizing the brain as a tool for the Mind as we display both the positive and negative, depending upon our direct focus, concentration and either disciplined or chaotic thoughts, feelings and actions. We are G-d Consciousness. We are the reflective Light in H/Her image. We are Co-Creators through the free-will gift of the sacred Trinity of G-d, The Creator, G-d in Man, and G--d, The Holy Spirit.

The communion experience of the Trinity is Humanity's birthright. It is the responsibility (ability to respond) of all humanity, as we become aware, regardless of religion, spiritual practice, race, creed or colour to esteem the Trinity through the Oneness of this communion. The Triune Communion reflects the inclusiveness of G-d, Man and Spirit; the blessed fruit of 'The Tree of Life.' Seeking the powerful discharge of its scholarship within the hearts and minds of all beloved seekers is the method of esteem revealed.

Let us open our Spirit-Human senses to the world of regenerative life. Let us open our hearts to the profound awareness that we are more than mere flesh. 'We are the soul...' May we encounter consciously the mystical Mind. May we remember the covenant of the soul; the trinity of Truth that belays any and all separation that the "local mind," even in the attempts of the brain and the brain filter to convince us through third dimensional illusion, that it is real. The "non-local mind" is the expanded cosmic mind-space where the soul knows that the dimensions of life are limitless, boundless and eternal. The soul is forever seeking, transforming and transmuting for realignment with the wholeness of G-d. It is the integration of the Human-Soul with the Holiness of Spirit that instantaneously unveils and reveals the Truth of Life in the hearts and minds of uncommon thinking humanity.

To live a lifetime without the exploration of the Mind is to live in constant fear, as the brain is limited in its capabilities and yet functionally profound. Nevertheless, to live solely. in one dimensional brain is to waste the essence of Truth of who you are. You are Divine. You are Spirit-Human. You hold undeniable spiritual purpose and fusion. You are in consecrated process and at the same time in ultimate Perfection throughout eternity. The microcosmic human demonstrates its life giving potential in h/wholeness of the macrocosmic heavenly body. Identifying singularly with the physical and not recognizing the bounty of humanity's birthright as Divine, "human universalis," as coined by Barbara Marx Hubbard, is dismissing the value of life. In so doing, we create a life veiled from the Truth. It is the joy-filled discipline (discipleship) and conscious free-will (knowledge in action) to either remain veiled or to remove the illusion of separateness. We achieve this with love, gentleness, patience and compassion for our Humanity.

How else are we to remember the Sacred Self and live a life fulfilled in its Perfection? Socrates has taught through the ages to "know thyself." To deny the humanity within yourself is to deny the birthright of Spirit and to disown the very wholeness in which you strive to know. Acknowledge (act with knowledge) and "know thyself" as Spirit-Human; as eternal Mind and BeCome the BeLoved on earth as you are heavenly perfected, from above.

WHERE ARE YOU IDENTIFIED?

Are you ash upon the earth or are you conscious cosmic Mind that lives eternal? The cycle

of life awaits human awakening and transforms the most sincere atheist or doomsday fatalist into an ever budding lotus of creative Love and Inspiration; a Co-Creator with G-d. Is it the illusion of fear that we hold onto so convincingly when all the spiritual and scientific knowledge of contemporary and ancient society suggests consistently what the Holy Texts of

the World Religions and spiritual practices teach, that life is everlasting; that the temple or physical body breaks down and turns to ash, yet Spirit lives.. It is the essence of humanities evolutionary process from one century to the next, from one life to the next.

"There is no beginning and there is no end." This is the W/Holy Truth of Eternal Life. Why is this so difficult to accept, to know and to reveal in every day life experiences? Why is this? "...to those who are given, much is expected..." Is it the responsibility that holds us back? Is it a sense of worthlessness and fear of failure?

Do we look upon higher Mind as a burdening responsibility that we fear? What is it? We cannot be in-Love and in-fear, simultaneously, therefore one or the other must be an illusion and one or the other must be Living Truth. We each must individually answer these questions as the Truth, unveiled, will be unique to our G-d given individuality, soul experience, life expression, emotional esprit de corp and mindful agility.

Free will, itself, is a responsibility so many of us try to escape living openly and consciously. It seems too easy to blame others for the choices we make. The innate power of balance or imbalance that is offered to us through this potentially benevolent treasure of free will, cannot be ignored. Denial of this tremendous freedom is to create disruption and chaos; ignorance and fear. Ultimately, there is nowhere to hide. The consequences of every thought, feeling and action perpetuate the basic nature of free will. There are always consequences to our free will. Free will and the empowered responsibility we face require courage. When we face ourselves and accept the responsibilities of our life's creations, the seeking of our wholeness can no longer result in betrayal, no matter how hard we try. Wholeness cannot be embraced until we learn to understand and nurture the heavenly gift of free will. The bounty of spiritual empowerment received through accepting the personal freedom of free will becomes a sacred responsibility toward a renewed intimacy with all that is Holy. The Wholeness of the Universe awaits our coming. The remembrance of the Holy of Holies, recognizes Itself in the wholeness of the "All That Is." We are that h/wholeness. Remember the Trinity.

The Christian Bible shares that faith and belief in G-d is necessary to propel h/himself into eternal life. Faith and belief are essential keys to the heavens. It is a part of the wholeness in which we urgently seek, whether consciously or unconsciously, Yet, it is only the base steps on the majestic mountain we are climbing. Faith and unquestioning belief are merely embryonic steps on the path of spiritual knowledge and should not be confused with the end-all of Christian responsibility. Do not misunderstand my words, I am not suggesting that humanity is to follow one decidedly correct religion or faith and that one separate and particular congregation of people have the singular right-knowledge of G-d. It has been the impulse of humanity's lower nature from the genesis of the Christian Church to gain power and control with an elitist and fear-ridden agenda. Look at the breakout denominations and sects within the Christian Church and throughout all major religions. Learn to recognize man's ego structure that denies, defies and denounces the Human Spirit.. Learn for yourself where deceit lies and with love and compassion, transform and transmute this ego driven insanity into the well of spiritual alignment.

ARE YOU CALLED TO REVELATION?

Whether you are called to the Christian Faith, Buddhist Faith, Jewish Faith, the Islamic Faith or any other religious or spiritual faith, G-d lives. Seek the knowledge within them all and discover for yourselves the fragrance of heavenly Light that weaves Truth in all Holy Texts of the World. You need not be a scholar nor do you need to study World Religions in depth, if this is not your calling.

Yet, a basic knowledge of the major religions and spiritual practices of the world will unify all people as G-d teaches the same wisdom throughout all major non-violent religious documents as well as the mystical experiences that shake up our world of conscious realities. The language may be different. The symbology may appear different, however, the essence remains consistently the same. The sum and substance of G-d speaks to Hearts and Minds without separation of race, creed or colour. We are of One race, the Human Race and it is to this remembrance that peace, compassion and eternal vitality thrives.

Reveal yourself, oh, Spirit-Human. Follow your Heart as it is aligned with consecrated Mind. Do not follow mindlessly and certainly do not follow another human, no matter how seemingly knowledgeable, competent or charismatic a presence. Meet your own powerful Presence. You will then 'know thyself' as knowledgeable, competent and charismatic. These are qualities of The Christ that live within you. Hone those qualities. Tune yourself to the vibrational frequencies that will lead the way toward world service. These qualities already exist. Unveil them. Develop them. Seek knowledge, wisdom and Truth within your own Holy Being and the intimacy of experiencing your blessed Self will build a foundation in which to be sanctified through Universal Christhood. Boldly go where few have tread and serve humanity with high consciousness through your beloved indwelling Spirit. The thread of Universal Spiritual Truth will be discovered when you allow for the expansion of knowledge through conscious willingness to explore, investigate, and question the grand covenant of G-d's promise, "...ask and you shall receive." Don't be afraid. Challenge the sacred promises of G-d within your Mind and throughout all religious texts. Ask with conviction and expectation. As you receive each piece of the mystical and scholarly puzzle, you will discover that each question and response requires another question and then another and another. Thus, the evolution of our Mind's awareness transcends level upon level of revelatory knowledge as we seek the h/wholeness of life within the Spirit of consecrated reality.

THE MIND IS A SACRED PLACE TO LIVE

How many religious sects throughout the world have bellowed throughout the ages of their

righteousness in holding 'The Truth?' How many 'followers' have merely become sleepy

sheep without thinking Minds of their own? Remember to be lukewarm is to be spiritu

desolate and unfulfilled. It is better to be proactively and provocatively ignorant than to live without passion for Truth, whether we are able to hold it but for a moment and live it but for an instant. Discover your passions. Re-flame your inspirations. Question life and in so doing, you are no longer milk toast, aimlessly following what you do not "know" yet have blindly accepted.

If you are bored with life, you have lost your fire. The essence of your Spirit is not openly expressing Itself. You are Spirit. Rediscover your passions and your inspirations. Let your Mind Light the way. Imagine, Create, Inspire and Serve. These are the four major keys to the expansion of the Mind; your G-d Consciousness in action.

The Mind is a sacred place to live. The journey is a fountain of inspiration. There is no burden in creative service that pulsates through life-giving Spirit. There is no oppression as we freely take 'the yoke of The Christ' and seek to express this wondrous union with all life. When Master Jesus urges humanity to 'take the yoke of The Christ upon us,' He is not asking us to take on a weighty load upon our shoulders to grudgingly carry throughout eternity. He is teaching humanity to accept a conscious union with G-d in service to the Light. Jesus teaches over and over again, "I AM THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD. YE ARE THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD." This is our birthright. Know yourself as 'the Light of the World' and know the lightness of true freedom.

The wisdom within the teachings of Master Jesus is asking all of Humanity to recognize, remember and respond to our Divine Birthright and become the Masters of Light; the spiritual leaders of the 21st Century. We are eternal Mind. May we each take upon us the liberating yoke of Life, whatever religious faith and spiritual practice(s) we cherish as our expression to the world. We are a "...point of Light within the Mind of God..." Take up the Cross of Ascension while laying to rest the Cross of Crucifiction and be Born to the Light of your Sacred Self. Embrace your birthright and BeCome the BeLoved.

THE GREAT INVOCATION

Author Unknown

From the point of Light

within the Mind of God

Let light stream forth into

the minds of men.

Let Light descend on Earth.

From the point of Love

within the Heart of God

Let love stream forth into the hearts of men.

May Christ return to Earth.

From the centre where the Will of God is known

Let purpose guide the little wills of men--

The purpose which the Masters know and

serve.

From the centre which we

call the race of men

let the Plan of Love and Light work out.

And may it seal the door where evil dwells.

Let Light and Love

and Power

restore the Plan on Earth.

July 1999 Copyright: A. James Hillelson; All Rights Reserved

Contact Ultimate Living Transformations at ajh7223@juno.com for Copyright Approval

Jim Hillelson is a Business and Leadership Coach with almost thirty years as an Executive in Hotel Management, a published author, seminar/workshop presentor and keynote speaker. He has a passion for service that brings enthusiasm and joy to those who welome him into their sphere of influence. Jim is presently offering a Free One Hour Business Consultation and/or a Free 30 Minute Coaching Session for business leaders, nationwide. If you are seeking excellence in your life with someone who will support your goals whether business or personal with enthusiasm and results then its time to contact him. Jim's knowledge and practical expertise will co-partner with you toward a rewarding life full of success with less stress. Contact Jim & Ultimate Living Transformations by sending an email at ajh7223@juno.com . Ask for Jim's "Welcome Packet" today!

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Mythologies Of The Solar System

The planets of the solar system are named after gods and goddesses and are known by their Roman, not Greek names. Here I'll put the Greek equivalents in brackets afterwards. The satellites of these planets for the most part tend to be the Greek names associated in one form or another with the parent body or the god/goddess in question. Moons (and major asteroids) are identified with an asterisk.

Now you need to understand that at the time of the ancient Roman or Greek pantheon, only eight of the solar system's celestial bodies were known. There were the three major bodies, the Sun, Moon, and Planet Earth itself of course (thus, way back then, you'd expect a mythological relationship between these three bodies), and the minor five visible planets - Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn which were just points of light to the ancients, though it's not surprising the ancients matched celestial physics with the personalities of their gods and named them accordingly. Apart from our satellite, the Moon, no other moons were known to the ancients.

MYTHOLOGY AND THE INNER SOLAR SYSTEM

SOL (Helios) is obviously the god of the Sun. It surprises me that given the prominence and importance of this celestial object, our Sun, that the god of the Sun didn't take pride of place as head of the gods. Be that as it may, Sol, a first generation Titan, was born of the god Hyperion and the goddess Theia, brother to Luna (Selene) and Aurora or Dawn (Eos). His job is to bring light to men and gods alike. He rides in the sky in a fiery chariot pulled by his team of fast horses. Sol, from his vantage point, sees and hears everything (which proved to be the undoing of an illicit relationship between Mars (Ares) and Venus (Aphrodite). The god Apollo later fused as one with Sol's image though once they were two different deities. Sol's son, Phaethon, by the ocean nymph Clymene, once tried to ride his father's horse-drawn chariot, but lost control and had to be killed by Jupiter (Zeus) before the runaway Sun destroyed everything.

VULCAN (Hephaestus) was once upon a time actually sighted by astronomers and as the closest planet to the Sun, it would of course be HOT, and thusly was named after the deity of fire and blacksmithing. Alas, Vulcan turned out to be as mythical as the deity it was named after.

MERCURY (Hermes) when observed from Earth goes around the Sun quick-smart. So, it was natural to name that body after the fleetest of the gods, the messenger god who flies through the skies on a winged helmet and winged sandals, Mercury. No great mystery there.

VENUS (Aphrodite) was, because of its celestial purity of face and brightness, a female goddess, and of course THE female goddess was the goddess of love. Alas, Venus the planet turned out to be more appropriate for the Christian ruler of the underworld than the goddess of romance. Venus is Hell personified and thus the reality turned out to be vastly different than the expectation, but the ancients couldn't have known that back then. Venus (or Aphrodite) had an unusual birth, the offspring of Gaia, but fertilized by the blood/semen of Gaia's son and lover, Uranus, when Uranus was castrated by Saturn (Cronus).

*Neith was the name given to the lone phantom satellite of Venus. I say phantom because, like Vulcan, it was a case of 'now you see it, now you don't'. It vanished from the sight of astronomers across the world, but prior to that some saw something. That's water under the bridge now. The naming of the satellite Neith broke from tradition for Neith was the mysterious early Egyptian goddess of Sais. She was identified with war and hunting and the personification of the primordial waters of creation, though later on down the track she was associated with weaving, which is what Neith means. Wisdom was one of her strong points. She had no known male companion, so was known as a 'Virgin Mother Goddess'.

GAEA (Gaia) otherwise known as Terra or Earth was one of the original deities 'born' out of the original state of the universe - Chaos. Given the relative lack of bed partners around then, she mated with any and all available males, including her asexually created children, like Uranus.

*Luna (Selene) was born of the god Hyperion and the goddess Theia, sister to Sol (Helios) and Aurora or Dawn (Eos). Luna crosses the night sky on a chariot pulled by two white horses. As with Sol and Apollo, the Roman goddess Diana (Artemis) is often associated with, and has melded with Luna (as the crescent-shaped Moon) as has the goddess of the underworld, Hecate (as the New Moon). Luna remains as the Full Moon in the night sky.

MARS (Ares) son of Jupiter (Zeus) and Juno (Hera or Mrs. Zeus) was the god of war, though if mythology be believed, he was rather a wimp of a god, got his butt kicked on several occasions and was rather disliked up on Olympus.

*Deimos: Ares (the god of war) had an extramarital fling with the goddess of love, Aphrodite (who was married to the god of fire, Hephaestus) and from this union produced two sons, one being Deimos, meaning 'fear'.

*Phobos: That Ares and Aphrodite pairing also produced another son, Phobos, meaning 'terror'. Both Deimos and Phobos often joined daddy on the battlefield. However, apart from that, they play no significant role in mythology.

ASTEROIDS: There are only four really main or large asteroids among the tens of thousands that exist, Ceres, Pallas, Vesta and Juno.

*Ceres (Demeter) was the goddess of agriculture, the harvest, and the one who controlled the seasons. Zeus had a bedroom fling with her that resulted in Persephone, who Zeus then promised to his brother Hades as his wife. Alas, Zeus didn't inform either Persephone or Demeter about that decision, which had major repercussions down the track.

*Juno is Mrs. Jupiter, or in the Greek, the equivalent of Hera (Mrs. Zeus). In either case, Juno/Hera is the queen of all the gods and goddesses. She is perhaps noted most of all for her vindictiveness against some of the offspring produced by her husband's extramarital relationships, most notably, Hercules.

*Pallas is named after Pallas Athena, an alternative name for the Greek goddess Athena. In another version Pallas was the daughter of Triton, who acted as foster parent to Athena. A friendly fight between the two goddesses went sour and Pallas was killed.

*Vesta (Hestia) was the virgin goddess of the hearth and home or home fire, a real stay-at-home sort of deity and thus doesn't feature much in mythological adventures and doings. In the Roman version Vesta was represented by a shrine with an eternal flame guarded by the Vestal Virgins who, as a condition of their employment and of remaining alive, had better remain pure, or else. The god of war, Mars, raped one, and from that involuntary union, sprang the twins Remus and Romulus, the latter the founder of Rome.

MYTHOLOGY AND THE OUTER SOLAR SYSTEM

JUPITER (Zeus) was king of the mountain - Mount Olympus that is. He, after a series of 'wars in heaven' (with the Titans) and on earth (with the Giants) and finally with the daddy of all monsters, Typhon, claimed the right to be worshiped as King of the Gods, by all lesser gods and goddesses, demigods and demigoddesses, as well as all of the great unwashed - the mortals comprising humanity. Apart from being fast on the draw with his trademark thunderbolts, he's most noted for being even faster on the draw with his private parts. No Mounties or bounty hunters ever perused their quarry better or with more determination than our always horny Jupiter/Zeus, as we shall see immediately below (though with over five dozen satellites, only a few can be entered into in this short essay).

*Amalthea: Jupiter (Zeus) as a young infant, was spirited and hidden away in Crete by his mother, Rhea from his daddy, Saturn (Cronus) because daddy didn't want any sons of his eventually growing up and challenging him for supreme power. Saturn thus kept them out of his harms way by swallowing them. Rhea saved the last (Jupiter) by trickery. Anyway, young Jupiter was reared and looked after by local nymphs on Crete, especially by Amalthea. She's also known for having a horn, the 'Horn of Plenty' a cornucopia that provided limitless food and drink for whoever possessed it.

*Ananke, the goddess of inevitability and personification of destiny, necessity and fate was the mother of the Moirai by Zeus. The Moirai, also known as The Fates, were the trio that spun the thread of life of mortals from birth to death and thus controlled everyone's destiny. Even Zeus was powerless against their will.

*Callisto was the daughter of the King of Arcady, and she had the misfortune to have Zeus fall for her. Callisto was associated with the virgin goddess Artemis. When Zeus raped Callisto, she got in a family way (in mythology, every rape results in a pregnancy otherwise there's no point to the rape in the first place). This rape ultimately produces a son, Arcas. Artemis, being the virgin, was livid and banished Callisto from any further association with her. Hera (Mrs. Zeus) in the meantime assumed Callisto was a willing partner to her wayward hubby and in revenge turned Callisto into a bear. Years later, Arcas, out hunting, ran across that bear and not realizing that it was mom, shot her dead. Zeus then placed Callisto into the zodiac as Ursa Major, the Great Bear (or the Big Dipper); Arcas ultimately got his place in the heavens too as the Little Bear (or the Little Dipper).

*Carme was the mother by Zeus (who else?) of the virginal huntress Britomartis, a Minoan or Cretan goddess. Carme assisted in the harvest of the grain.

*Elara was the mother of the giant, Tityos. Tityos was fathered by you know who - randy Zeus. Tityos met a bad end, killed on the behest of Hera by Artemis and Apollo, and forever tortured in Tartarus (a subdivision of Hades) by a couple of vultures who liked liver for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Fortunately for the vultures, Tityos's liver kept regenerating so they never lacked for food.

*Europa was the daughter of a Phoenician king. Zeus got the hots for her and turned himself into a snow-white bull (gods can shape-shift; it's one of their major superpowers and that's no bull) and approached Europa in that form. Europa playfully climbs on the Zeus-as-bull's back. Zeus-the-bull then dives into the sea with Europa on his back and swims out to Crete. Once there he reverts back into his 'human' form and they made mad passionate love together and in the fullness of time Europa gave birth to triplets, one of which she named Minos. Zeus, ever thoughtful, also gave her some other gifts as well for her troubles. Europa ultimately married the king of Crete. Ultimately her son, Minos, assumed or claimed the throne. That's why Crete's ancient civilization is called the Minoan society. Europa is the only person having an entire continent named after them - Europe. As an aside, Europa is one of the few celestial bodies of interest to those on the lookout for potential sites where extraterrestrial life might exist.

*Ganymede: Abductions by the gods are by no means unknown or uncommon. In Greek mythology, a young handsome lad was Ganymede. He was abducted by Zeus, shape-shifted in the form of an eagle. Zeus favored the ladies, goddesses, demigoddesses, even mortal women, but for a catamite change of pace now and again... Ganymede was rewarded for his services by eternal youth and immortality, eventually placed in the sky as the constellation Aquarius. His daddy (Tros) was also compensated with a gift of fine horses.

*Himalia was a nymph who bore a trio of sons to Zeus or of course the Roman equivalent, Jupiter.

*Io was the daughter of the first king of Argos (what's it about kings and their daughters already - that plot device has reached its use by date). She of course caught the lustful eye of Zeus. Hera (Mrs. Zeus) got suspicious, so Zeus turned Io into a cow as a disguise. Hera (knowing full well what was afoot) of course assumed the cow was a gift for her from her hubby since he obviously had no use for a cow, so Zeus had no option but to agree that that of course was what he had intended all along. Hera then had the cow guarded by the multi-eyed giant Argus. Zeus, needing to get Io back, got Hermes (Mercury to the Romans) to kill Argus. Hera in revenge plagued Io-the-cow with a hornet. Finally a truce was called. Zeus promised to behave (pull the other one) and Io was reverted back to human form and reunited with her worried daddy - the king.

*Leda was of course the daughter of a king, and in turn married a king, in this case a king of Sparta. Zeus, of course, took a shine to Leda, and took the form of a swan and flew into Leda's arms seeking 'protection' from another predatory bird - that's his story and he's sticking to it. Anyway, somehow or other (Zeus may have turned her into a goose) this cuddle made Leda pregnant and from this pregnancy she gave birth - she laid an egg, obviously! The egg hatched and out popped beautiful Helen. Helen, later known as Helen of Troy, was the face that launched a thousand ships (and then some). This was Zeus's contribution to the Trojan War. In another version, the egg was the union between Zeus and the goddess of revenge, Nemesis. They gave the egg to Leda to hatch and raise the offspring up as her own. Leda had another child by Zeus - one of a pair of twins actually, Castor (by Zeus) and Pollux (by her husband) but known as the 'Boys of Zeus' or the 'Heavenly Twins' who eventually sailed with Jason as part of the Argonaut crew.

*Lysithea was the daughter of Oceanus (a Titan, product of Gaia and Uranus) and one of Zeus's many, many lovers.

*Pasiphae was the wife of King Minos of Crete, who, via a rather strange mating arrangement gave birth to the Minotaur. The rather remote connection to Jupiter is that Jupiter's brother, Neptune, was behind all of this. Neptune was offended because Minos didn't offer up as a sacrifice to Neptune a favorite bull, so in retaliation, Neptune saw to it that Minos's wife became infatuated with, and lusted after a bull, the offspring being that well known hybrid, the Minotaur.

*Thyone was once known as Semele, a lover of Zeus, who produced as offspring Dionysus, the god of wine and all around fun times. When Semele died as a result of Zeus revealing to her his true appearance - all the result of Hera's trickery - and went to Hades, Dionysus rescued her from the underworld and brought her to Olympus, made her into a goddess along with providing the change of name.

SATURN (Cronus) was one of those first generation Titans, offspring of Gaia and her son Uranus. He mated with Rhea, and produced from that union the original half-dozen gods and goddesses that would eventually become the Olympians. But the transition from Saturn's offspring to become the rulers of Mount Olympus was an epic that could just about out-epic anything Hollywood has ever done. Saturn is known for two things in particular - castrating his daddy and snacking on his kids - Yum, yum.

*Dione is a very obscure goddess who may have been a Titan or a Nereid or an Oceanid. Her name seems to be a feminine form of Zeus, and that brings in the alternative version of the origin of Aphrodite - a traditional birth via the union of randy Zeus and Dione (whoever she was). At least she's now immortalized as a satellite of Saturn.

*Enceladus was one of the Gigantes. The Gigantes were offspring of Gaia, fertilized by the blood/semen of her son and lover Uranus who was ultimately castrated by Cronus (a son of Gaia and Uranus back when he had his private parts intact). In the Gigantomachia (the battle between the Olympian gods and the giants), Athena deposited Enceladus under Mount Etna and the fire and brimstone breath of Enceladus accounts for that volcano's well, fire and brimstone. This is another abode thought as a possible site where alien life forms might one day be discovered.

*Hyperion was a Titan god, born of Gaia (Gaea) and her son, Uranus. He would become an early god of the Sun.

*Iapetus was another Titan god, born of Gaia (Gaea) and her son, Uranus. He would become the father of Prometheus, who ultimately is remembered for stealing fire from the gods and giving it to mankind.

*Janus was the Roman god of beginnings, doorways, entrances, gateways, etc. and is depicted with two faces, one each facing forward (to the future) and the other backward (to the past). January, the beginning, is named after him.

*Mimas, like Enceladus, was one of the Gigantes of Greek mythologies. Like the other giant sons of Gaia and Uranus, Mimas had serpents for legs and was born fully armored. Mimas was slain by Hephaestus during the war against the Olympians by a volley of molten iron.

*Phoebe was a Titan goddess, born of Gaia (Gaea) and her son, Uranus. Phoebe is identified as an early moon goddess. In another context, the goddess Artemis sometimes was associated with an alias of Phoebe. Finally, Helen of Troy had a half-sister Phoebe.

*Rhea was another Titan goddess, born of Gaia (Gaea) and her son, Uranus. She married Cronus (Saturn) and from that union was born what ultimately became the original half-dozen Olympian gods and goddesses. Cronus, out to eliminate potential future rivals, swallowed the first five of these kids, but Rhea tricked him when it came to the sixth and last, Zeus. She spirited Zeus away to Crete to be raised, and tricked Cronus into swallowing a stone disguised as the baby Zeus.

*Tethys was yet another Titan goddess, born of Gaia (Gaea) and her son, Uranus who would become the most ancient goddess of the sea.

*Titan is the largest moon of Saturn, a moon of interest to astrobiologists, and the only natural satellite to have an extensive atmosphere. In fact, Titan is larger than the planet Mercury and way lager than our own satellite, Luna. The mythology connection is that the original dozen Titans (some of which are named satellites of Saturn) were one of a set of offspring between Gaia and Uranus. Among the second generation of Titans are several household names like Atlas and Prometheus. They were overthrown in the Titanomachy (The War of the Titans) by Zeus and his fellow Olympians.

URANUS (alternative spelling Ouranos) was the original sky god, the son, via parthenogenesis, of Gaea (Gaia) who shacked up with mum to produce all manner of deities, including monstrous ones. He's known for having his privates sliced off by one of their Titan offspring, Saturn (Cronus). Saturn in turn got done like a dinner by one of his offspring, Jupiter (Zeus) but that's another story.

*Ariel, Miranda, Oberon, Titania and Umbriel, the five major moons of Uranus, were named or chosen from the names of characters from the works of Shakespeare and Alexander Pope and thus, unfortunately, have near bugger-all to do with traditional Greek and Roman mythology. Bummer, as that spoils some potentially good stories relating back to and involving the parent god, Uranus.

NEPTUNE (Poseidon) was the god of the sea, one of the original half-dozen Olympian gods and goddesses, brother to Zeus, Hades, Hera, Hestia and Demeter. All of Neptune's known 13 satellites are named for Green and Roman water deities or groups of minor water gods. The major two are Nereid and Triton.

*Nereid - the Nereids (plural) were nymphs of the sea, the 50 daughters of the Mediterranean Sea god Nereus. Among the famous of the Nereids - goddess all - were Thetis (mother of Achilles), Galatea and Amphitrite (who married Poseidon).

*Triton was another sea god, a son of Poseidon and the Nereid goddess Amphitrite, a nymph of the sea who became Queen of the Sea when she wed Poseidon. The typical depiction of Triton is that of a merman - human head and torso; one or two fishy (or maybe dolphin) tails. He too has a trident and a conch shell which when blown can calm the stormy waves. Like father, like son, Triton also had a bit of an eye for the ladies, especially beach-babes. Triton favors in a positive light for assisting Jason and the Argonauts in their saga.

PLUTO (Hades) was god of the underworld. In the Greek version, Hades (the god) administered Hades (the underworld), so the name of the ruler and the place ruled were one and the same. Within recent times, Pluto was officially downgraded from planet to dwarf planet status, which made a lot of traditionalists very unhappy.

*Charon was the son of Erebus (the god of underground darkness) and Nyx (goddess of night), who played the role of the ferryman who rowed the newly deceased across the River Styx to Hades, the underworld. As a reward, or a fare, he got a coin in payment - no coin, no crossing. The parentage and place of employment are ideal for a satellite so far out from the Sun.

*Hydra (discovered in 2005) was named after that famed beastie slain by Hercules as one of his dozen labors in Greco-Roman mythology. Hydra was one of numerous monstrous offspring from Typhon and Echidna, themselves monsters.

*Nix (a deliberate alternative spelling of Nyx) was a Greek goddess of night, one of the original deities conceived from the original state of the universe, Chaos. Nyx was the mother of Charon. Like Hydra, Nix the satellite was discovered in 2005.

ERIS is another dwarf planet, a trans-Neptunian object even larger that Pluto discovered in 2005. In fact it's the most massive of all dwarf 'planets' in our solar system, even though it's three times farther removed from the Sun than Pluto. Eris is a Greek goddess, the personification of strife and discord.

*Dysnomia in mythology is the daughter of the goddess Eris.

NEMESIS (Fortuna was the Roman counterpart) was the asexual product of the goddess Nyx (night) and she was the goddess of retribution and agent of vengeance. Originally she was just one who dispensed fortune or luck without predetermined rewards or punishments, but morphed into a goddess of justice. The 'Wheel of Fortune' is thus associated with her. The celestial Nemesis is a hypothetical dwarf star binary companion to our Sun, a faint stellar object that has an extreme elliptical orbit that beings it close to the solar system once every 26 million years, which when extrapolated backwards, was useful in explaining periodic mass extinctions on Earth. Alas, all searches for this dwarf companion star have turned up negative, and the hypothesis is pretty much in scientific limbo today.

Science librarian; retired.

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