Iapetus, interpreted

Note: this topic was originally posted
January 13, 2008 - 5:47 PM
by Steve Arntson on Tribe.net

Well, it's a planet - or rather a moon of Saturn's - it's also a name for the father of Prometheus, the bringer of light - more of this later - now, this moon is very special - when one of our space probes got close and took pictures, we were able to see clearly at last - a good portion of the surface is very dark-colored - the rest is quite bright - like a spherical version of the Tao symbol - it is speculated that dust is being brought to this moon from another satellite in the Saturnian system - one side of Iapetus perpetually faces Saturn - it is the leading edge of this moon that is dark - another strange feature of Iapetus is a ridge that girdles the entire moon, approximately 10 miles in height, very striking - its origin a mystery, like everything else about this moon - I chose this moon as an object of meditation, and to honor the father - he whose issue was to illuminate, and raise out of ignorance, all humankind - the father also embodies dualism - his world is a symbol - the transformed Tao - circle to sphere gone - with the contemplation of this heavenly body comes a synthesis, a Whole - and, additionally, not only is Iapetus both dark and light, but those opposites are seen as a contrast to a sense of this Whole, for yet another duality.

From the Mithraic past, in Persia, right on through Shakespeare's visions, duality shines forth - continually, in Shakespeare especially, two extremes are presented and are the source of all dramatic tension - our own life and death, as a people, a nation, a world - by concentrating on dualism the opposites unite, in the same way we are drawn to the forbidden if constantly advised to walk the staright-and-narrow - and so, paradoxically, a unity is achieved and the mind and soul set free to create - our art flourishes in the spirit of the Synthesis, the third condition, the blessed flow of thought and feeling itself.

by Steve Arntson, copyright 2008