The Path of Shadows
escorts the reader deep into the hidden subterranean world of the
chthonic traditions
of ancient Greece. The word
chthonic
refers to the interior of the earth, from where life is born and to which it returns in death. The chthonic traditions represent the paradoxical complexity inherent in life itself, which venerate the earth, the afterlife, final judgment, and the occult. The Gods connected to these primordial forces exist in all traditions – sometimes they are represented as benevolent figures, and at other times malevolent ones.
concentrates on the Hellenic Gods, but also explores their relationships to other religions and cultural influences.
Hades
is presented as the brother of
Zeus
, and an Indo-European God who is identical to
Yama
. He is portrayed as both the King and Judge of the Dead. Although not antagonistic to mortals, the visage Hades presents to humanity is nonetheless terrifying, because he instills in mortals the ultimate fear of the unknown and the existential dread of a dark, fathomless, void without end.
Dionysus
is revealed not only as the son of Hades, but also as the ‘Black Sun’ and counterpart to
Apollo
in both the philosophy of Nietzsche and Greek Myth.
Persephone
is described as the Queen of the Underworld, and the mother of Dionysus. Persephone reigns as a queen beside her husband Hades, and occupies a prominent role in the
Rites of Eleusis
, along with her mother
Demeter
. Together, as a trinity, these deities rule over
.
The
Path of Shadows
also looks at the forms of the occult which are exclusively chthonic practices. This is introduced first by a brief explanation of the
Mantic Tradition
, which specializes in all forms of divination, and how it occupied a position of prominence throughout the religions of antiquity.
then looks at some of the specialized aspects of
Hellenic magic
, concentrating on
oneiromancy
(predicting the future through dreams),
necromancy
(summoning the souls of dead), and
curse tablets
(utilized for occult purposes), narrating how these practices relate to the chthonic traditions and the hidden aspects of human consciousness.