Snake worship and
astrology
The battle between good
and evil has been waged from before mankind existed.
Serpens (pronounced /ˈsɝpənz/,
Latin for "snake") is one of the 88 modern constellations, and was
also one of the 48 listed by Ptolemy. Among the modern constellations it is
unique in being split into two pieces, Serpens Caput (representing the head of
the snake) to the west and Serpens Cauda (representing the tail) to the east.
Between these two pieces lies the constellation of Ophiuchus, the serpent holder.
[Wikipedia: see connections here]
This is the second part
of the Ophiuchus- Serpens group. The Serpent is being grasped in the hands of
Ophiuchus the Serpent Holder. Thus the constellation wraps around Ophiuchus,
and is divided into two parts: Serpens Caput (the head) and Serpens Cauda (the
tail). [http://www.dibonsmith.com/ser_con.htm]
Serpens is a very
ancient constellation, and is always shown in the grasp of Ophiuchius. It was
this serpent that revealed the secrets of healing the dead to Ophiuchius. The
serpent is the symbol for the poison (venom) that can both cure and kill,
Ophicuchius controls it and uses it to heal.
[http://www.astronomical.org/portal/modules/wfsection/article.php?articleid=76]
Hydra is the longest
constellation in the sky and is also the largest in terms of area. It is so
long that it takes more than six hours to rise completely. Along its northern
side, we can observe the zodiacal signs of Cancer, Leo, Virgo and Libra.
The stars in the
serpent's head appear to be at the same distance but they are really very far
away from each other. The northernmost of the six stars in the head of the
serpent, Epsilon Hydrae, is a quintuple star - a system of five stars. Alphard
(Arabic for "the solitary one") is Hydra's brightest star.
In Greek mythology,
Hercules slew Hydra, a horrible serpent with many heads that grew back as soon
as they were cut off. Killing the Hydra was one of Hercules' twelve labors,
during which he also defeated Leo, the lion, and Draco, the dragon
[http://www.windows.ucar.edu/tour/link=/the_universe/Constellations/spring/hydra.html]
Text Box: And lest thou
lift up thine eyes unto heaven, and when thou seest the sun, and the moon, and
the stars, even all the host of heaven, shouldest be driven to worship them,
and serve them, which YAHWEH thy Elohim hath divided unto all nations under the
whole heaven. --Deuteronomy 4:19Serpens is the snake being grasped by
Ophiuchus, the Snake-Handler, and is thus very closely associated with it. Both
were listed as constellations by Ptolemy. Originally, Serpens and Ophiuchus
were considered a single Snake-Holder constellation, out of which developed an
associated myth of the founding of medicine.
[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Serpens]
In mythology, Ophiuchus
was identified as the healer Asclepius, son of Apollo, although why he appears
to be wrestling with a serpent in the sky is not fully explained. His
connection with snakes is attributed to the story that he once killed a snake
that was miraculously restored to life by a herb placed on it by another snake.
Asclepius subsequently used the same technique to revive dead people. Snakes
are the symbol of rebirth because they shed their skins every year.
[http://www.ianridpath.com/startales/serpens.htm]
Know ye not, that to
whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey,
his servants ye are to
whom ye obey;
whether of sin unto
death, or of obedience unto righteousness?
- Romans 6:16 -
The Cult of Aesculapias
The medical community
bears the image of Aesculapian Staff.
Stanford University
School of Medicine Shield
The triple redwood
frond, along with the traditional Aesculpian staff and entwined serpent of
medicine and linked squares prevalent in the medical center architecture,
appear on the School of Medicine's flag and logo. The triple redwood frond
represents Stanford University's role in the discovery, codification, and
transmission of knowledge. The Aesculpian staff with serpent is an ancient
Greek symbol of healing, and the interconnected squares indicate the
predominant motif of the 1959 Edward Durrell Stone buildings at the heart of
the medical center complex.
heidi, August 20, 2007
[http://lane.stanford.edu/howto/index.html?id=_53 -(11/24/07)]
The Doctor's Emblem
Ever since Asklepios'
time, the medical profession has used a staff entwined by a snake as its
special symbol. This is commonly called the Aesculpaian staff, after the god's
Latin name. Modern scholars, however, doubt that the symbol originated in
Greece. It probably derived from the Jews' imprisonment in Egypt and ther
desert wanderings.
People in that region
suffered from a type of worm known as Dracunculus medinensis. (These worms grow
under the skin, particularly in the lower extremities. Whey they push out
through the skin, blisters and infected sores often arise. Their toxins can
also produce general reactions such as hives, nausea, vomiting and fever.) But
a way was found to get rid of the worms, which could be up to a half a metre
long. They were carefully rolled up on a little peg. This may be why the Jews
considered the snake a sign of victory. The brazen serpent which God commanded
Moses to make (Numbers 21 ) might have been a Dracunculus worm!
excerpted from The
Illustrated History of Surgery, by Knut Haeger
It's about power!
Foucault (1975)
explored the wider context of the medical institution and reported on how power
is seen to be embedded within institutional frames. Foucault noted that in
medicine, new medical techniques and practices alongside (definitive)
classification of disease lead to a rendering of the body of a transparent
object and, in turn, gave rise to the "clinical gaze". Doctors were
seen to have privileged access to knowledge claims that allowed them to adopt a
position of scientific objectivity that made resistance to their claims to
knowledge difficult. The medical institution (the hospital structure, it's
practices and knowledge bases) and doctors can be seen to share a structure of
identification with each other which the patient does not share and which
involves relations of power and domination.
The view that it is
technical competence that places the doctor in power has been disputed however.
Others (e.g. Freidson, 1983) claim instead that this authority and agency is
based on the doctor's 'professional' authority. Doctors are viewed as agents or
'gatekeepers' to resources such as medicines and other treatment techniques.
More recently Brody (1993) has described doctors as having three powers. The
first, 'aesculpian power', is based on the possession of specialized knowledge
and skills in practical application. The second, is 'charismatic power' and is
based on interpersonal skills, and the third is 'social power' and is based on
the social status of the doctor3. Together,'these powers are seen to contribute
to power asymmetry by deifying the doctor.
A Discourse Analysis of
the Nature of Shared Decision-Making in General Practice Consultations,
Margaret E. Robertson, PhD Thesis in Health Service Research, University of
Dundee, April 2004
[http://staff.stir.ac.uk/maggie.robertson/documents/PhD-Thesis-MR.pdf
(11/24/07)]
Robertson's thesis
highlights 'power' and 'domination' with 'aesculpian power' as a major
principle. What does this mean? It means that the foundation of modern medicine
has its roots in Greek mythology.
'The original, ancient
Hippocratic Oath begins with the invocation "I swear | by Apollo the
Physician and by Asclepius and by Hygieia and Panacea and by all the gods . .
." Scholars have written that this oath may not have been written by Hippocrates,
but by or with others in his school, or followers of Pythagoras2.
The serpent, the
perpetual symbol of Aesculapius, has given rise to the opinion, that the
worship was derived from Egypt, and that Aesculapius was identical with the
serpent Cnuph worshipped in Egypt, or with the Phoenician Eauiun, (Euseb.
Praep. Evang. )
Aesculapius was
worshipped al over Greece, and many towns, as we have seen claimed the honour
of his birth. His temples were usually built in healthy places, on hills
outside the town, and near wells which were believed to have healing powers.
These temples were not only places of worship, but were frequented by great
numbers of sick persons, and may therefore be compared to modern hospitals.
(Plut. Quaest. Rom. p. 286, p.)
The principle seat of
his worship in Grece was Epidaurus, where he had a temple surrounded with an
extensive grove, within which no one was allowed to die, and no woman to give
birth to a child. His sancturary contained a magnificent stature of ivory and
gold, the work of Thrasymedes, in which he was represented as a handsome and
manly figure, resembling that of Zeus. (Paus. ii. 26 and 27.) He was seated on
a throne, holding in one hand a staff, and with the other resting upon the head
of a dragon (serpent), and by his side lay a dog. (Paus. ii. 27. -2.) Serpents
were everywhere connected with the worship of Aesculapius, probably because
they were a symbol of prudence and renovation, and were believed to have the
power of discovering herbs of wondrous powers, as is indicated in the story
about Aesculapius and the serpents in the house of Glaucus. Serpents were
further believed to be guardians of wells with salutary powers. For these
reasons a peculiar kind of tema serpents, in which Epidaurus abounded, were not
only kept in this temple (paus. ii. 28. -1), but the god himself frequently
appeared in the form of a serpent. (Paus. iii. 23. -4; Val Max i. 8. -2; Liv.
Epit. 11; compare the account of Alencander paeudomantia in Lucian.)"At
Rome the worship of Aesculapius was introduced from Epidaurus at the command of
the Delphic oracle or of the Sibylline books, in b.c. 293, for the purpose of
averting a pestilence."
Text Box: Association
of American Medical Colleges "The sick, who visited the temples of
Aesculapius, had usually to spend one or more nights in his sanctuary...,
during which they observed certain rules prescribed by the priests. The god
then usually revealed the remedies for the disease in a dream. The various
surnames given to the god partly describe him as the healing or saving god, and
are partly derived from the places in which he was worshipped."
"The descendants
of Aesculapius were called by the patronymic name Aeclepiadae. (askdhpadai)
Those writers, who consider Aesculapius as a real personage, must regard the Asclepiadae
as his real descendants, to whom he transmitted his medical knowledge, and
whose principal seats were Cos and Cuidus. But the Asclepiadae were also regarded as an order or
caste of priests, and for a long period the practice of medicine was intimately
connected with religion. The knowledge of medicine was regarded as a sacred
secret, which was transmitted from father to son in the families of the
Asclepiadae, and we still possess the oath with every one was obliged to take
when he was put in possession of the medial secrets.
The full text from
Wikipedia ::
From MedicineNet.com
Definition of
Aesculapius
Aesculapius: That stick
with the snake curled around it is the staff (the rod) of Aesculapius (also
called Asklepios), the ancient god of medicine. His Greek name was Asklepios
and his Roman name Aesculapius.
In reality, Asklepios
may have been a real person who was renowned for his gentle, humane remedies
and his humane treatment of the mentally ill. His followers established temples
called asclepions, temples of Asklepios, temples of healing. The greatest
asklepion was in a grove of trees south of Corinth, Greece where the sick had
to spend a night while the proper remedies were revealed during a dream to the
priests of the temple and the cured had to make a suitable sacrifice (usually a
rooster) to the god.
According to mythology,
Asculapius had a number of children including Hygieia, the goddess of health
(from whose name comes the word "hygiene") and Panaceia, the godess
of healing (from whose name comes the word "panacea" for a universal
remedy).
Today, the staff of
Aesculapius is a commonly used symbol of medicine. It
Southern Medical
Association
is the symbol of the
American Medical Association (AMA) and many other medical societies.
http://www.medterms.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=6985
"Gentle, humane
remedies"? This is "good", isn't it? They say they don't
really worship
Aesculapius or the serpent any more, just like Christians may
acknowledge the pagan
source of Christmas, but remake it into a pleasant
Text Box: World Medical
Association
idea, a celebration of
what is good, because He knows our heart.
Romans 6:16 Know ye
not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to
whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?
What then? shall we
sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? Yahweh forbid. Know ye
not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to
whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?
-Romans 6:15-16
How can something be so
beautiful be so bad? Let's just honor the good and the beautiful and not worry
about the little things. Well how about this?
...Thus saith Adonay
[Sovereign] YAHWEH; Thou sealest up the sum, full of wisdom, and perfect in
beauty.
Thou hast been in Eden
the garden of the MightyOne; every precious stone was thy covering, the
sardius, topaz, and the diamond, the beryl, the onyx, and the jasper, the
sapphire, the emerald, and the carbuncle, and gold: the workmanship of thy
tabrets and of thy pipes was prepared in thee in the day that thou wast created.
Thou art the anointed
cherub that covereth; and I have set thee so: thou wast upon the holy mountain
of the MightyOne; thou hast walked up and down in the midst of the stones of
fire.
Thou wast perfect in
thy ways from the day that thou wast created, -Ezek 28:12-15
Why not honor this
beautiful being of light? Because this little phrase missing:
"till iniquity was
found in thee."
This is what people
want to forget, because the appearance is preferable to the reality. Look at
the good they do -look at how beautiful they are, etcetera. The religions of
the world are no different, particularly those proclaiming the Bible as their
basis of authority.
For such are false
apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of
Messiah. And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of
light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as
the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.
-2Cor 11:13-15
Pharmaceuticals
Revelation 18:23 And
the light of a candle shall shine no more at all in thee; and the voice of the
bridegroom and of the bride shall be heard no more at all in thee: for thy
merchants were the great men of the earth; for by thy sorceries [pharmakia] were
all nations deceived.
5331 farmakei,a
pharmakeia {far-mak-i'-ah} from 5332;; n f AV - sorcery 2, witchcraft 1; 3 1)
the use or the administering of drugs 2) poisoning 3) sorcery, magical arts,
often found in connection with idolatry and fostered by it 4) metaph. the
deceptions and seductions of idolatry
Royal Pharmaceutical
Society of Great Britain
MAJOR PHARMACEUTICAL
AND MEDICAL SYMBOLS
1. The one snake on a
staff symbol is called the serpent of Epidaurus on the staff of Aesculapius,
and can be seen in the bottom left quarter of the shield on the crest of the
Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain. Aesculapius was one of the Greek
Gods of medicine, and is usually depicted carrying a staff with a snake coiled
around it. The snake was a symbol of wisdom, immortality and healing in Middle
and far Eastern cultures far older than that of ancient Greece, although its
association with Aesculapius has been attributed to snakes used at a temple
dedicated to him in Epidaurus in the north eastern Peloponnese. This symbol is
often considered particularly suitable for pharmacy. [notice the snake in the
lower left-hand corner of the shield!]
2. The bowl with a
snake coiled around it is called the bowl of Hygeia with the serpent of
Epidaurus, and is a variant on the above. Hygeia was Aesculapius' daughter and
a Greek Goddess of health . Her symbol was a serpent drinking from a bowl. The
vessel is usually depicted with a long stem and a shallow, wide bowl as seen
here. It also is considered suitable for pharmacy. The bowl of Hygeia with
serpent of Epidaurus shown here is the symbol for Hungarian pharmacists.
3. The symbol of two
snakes on a staff is called the Caduceus. The staff, depicted with wings, is
that of Mercury (Roman) or Hermes (Greek), messenger of the Gods and also God
of commerce. (The Greek root of the word Caduceus means "herald's
wand"). The history and meaning of this symbol is complicated. In the West
it has been adopted as a symbol of medicine since the 19th century, probably
because of its similarity to the serpent of Epidaurus on the staff of
Aesculapius. It is generally considered less suitable for pharmacy than the one
snake motif, but is more popular for use as a general medical symbol. The
Caduceus shown here is from the 1888 Chambers Encyclopaedia
4. The serpent around a
palm tree symbol is used by French and Portuguese pharmaceutical bodies, and
was introduced in the 19th century. The snake is associated with healing, as
discussed above, but here has a more specific meaning. The palm tree represents
the vegetable kingdom, the serpent the animal kingdom, and the rocks at the
palm tree's base the mineral kingdom. The serpent and palm tree shown here is
the design used by the Portuguese Order of Pharmacists.
8. The recipe sign
appears at the start of prescriptions. Although universally accepted as an
abbreviation of "recipe" (Latin for "take thou"), it has
also been suggested that it is the astronomical sign of the planet Jupiter.
http://www.rpsgb.org.uk/pdfs/mussheet13.pdf
**
The Pharmacratic
Inquisition! [This Gnostic presentation is not for everyone, and may be highly
disturbing. View at your own risk.] http://www.pharmacratic-inquisition.com/main/?&MMN_position=15:15
Text Box: Revelation
21:8 But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and
whoremongers, and sorcerers [pharmakeus], and idolaters, and all liars, shall
have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the
second death.
History of the Bowl of
Hygeia Award
Editor's note: This
article was prepared by Jared Savage, the first Bowl of Hygeia Summer Intern
for Wyeth and the American Pharmaceutical Association.
This summer I had a
wonderful experience serving as the first Bowl of Hygeia Summer Intern for
Wyeth and the American Pharmaceutical Association. In this capacity, I
dedicated three months to the historical research of the Bowl of Hygeia Award.
It is now my honor to present a summary of my findings to you.
What is the Bowl of
Hygeia?
The pharmacy profession
has used numerous symbols over the past centuries. These symbols include, but
are not limited to, the mortar and pestle, the Rx sign, various alchemical
symbols, the show globe, the green cross, the salamander, "A" for
apothecary (Apotheke), and the Bowl of Hygeia.
The Bowl of Hygeia is
the most widely recognized international symbol for the profession of pharmacy
today. Several sources indicate that the symbol may have been used as an emblem
of St. John dating back to first century a.d. This is based on the legend that
a trophy containing poison was offered to the apostle. There is also
speculation that the Bowl of Hygeia was used as a symbol for the apothecaries
of Italy in 1222, since they used this emblem during the celebration of the
700th anniversary of the founding of the University of Padua.
However, no proof has
been found to substantiate either of these claims. We do know that the Bowl of
Hygeia was associated with pharmacy as early as 1796, when the symbol was used
on a coin minted for the Parisian Society of Pharmacy.
The Bowl of Hygeia
originated from Greek mythology and is universally depicted as a snake wrapped
in one manner or another around a bowl. Aesculapius (pronounced
Es-Kah-Lay-Pi-Ous and sometimes spelled Asklepios) was the Greek god of
medicine and healing. He was the son of Apollo, who was the son of Zeus. Zeus
became afraid that Aesculapius would render all men immortal because of his
healing power, so he killed him with a thunderbolt.
Temples were built for
Aesculapius, and harmless serpents were found inside. These serpents appeared
dead because they were stiff. However, when picked up and dropped, they
slithered away. The people at that time thought the serpents were brought back
to life by the healing powers of Aesculapius, which ultimately caused them to
become the symbol of healing.
Hygeia, the daughter of
Aesculapius and the goddess of health, is usually depicted with a serpent
around her arm and a bowl in her hand because she tended to the temples
containing these snakes. We have since separated the serpent and the bowl from
Hygeia, and this has become the internationally recognized symbol of pharmacy.
Now the bowl represents a medicinal potion, and the snake represents healing.
Healing through medicine is precisely why pharmacy has adopted the Bowl of
Hygeia symbol. APhA adopted the Bowl of Hygeia as its symbol to represent the
pharmacy profession in 1964.
http://www.drugtopics.com/drugtopics/article/articleDetail.jsp?id=116727
**
The origin begins with
the mythical all-powerful Zeus ' the supreme ruler of Mount Olympus and of the
Pantheon of gods who resided there. Zeus had a son named Apollo, another god
with many roles, including those related to prophecy, music, light and
medicine. Apollo, in turn, had a son named Aesculapius (pronounced
Es-Kah-Lay-Pi-Us and sometimes spelled Asklepios) who became the Greek god of
medicine and healing.
This is where the story
gets interesting.
Zeus became afraid that
Aesculapius would render all men immortal because of his healing power. Because
of this fear, Zeus killed him with a thunderbolt. Mortals then built temples to
honor Aesculapius. But soon, harmless serpents were found inside. These
serpents initially appeared dead because they were rigid. However, when handled
and dropped to the ground, they miraculously slithered away.
At that time the people
believed the serpents were brought back to life by the healing powers of
Aesculapius ' ultimately the reason he became the symbol of healing.
Hygeia (pronounced
Hi-j'-a), the daughter of Aesculapius, was the goddess of health. The word
"hygiene" originates from Hygeia. She was responsible for maintaining
the temples containing these serpents. Over time, she came to be depicted with
a serpent around her arm and a bowl in her hand.
The Bowl of Hygeia has
been associated directly with the pharmacy profession since 1796. In that year,
the symbol was used on a coin minted for the Parisian Society of Pharmacy.
Since then, the bowl has come to represent a medicinal potion, while the
serpent is associated with healing. This idea of "healing through
medicine" is the reason the pharmacy profession has adopted the Bowl of
Hygeia symbol. To further solidify its place in history, the American
Pharmacists Association (APhA) adopted the Bowl of Hygeia as its symbol to
represent the pharmacy profession in 1964.
http://www.wyeth.com/aboutwyeth/citizenship/companyawards/bowlofhygeia
Galatians 5:19 Now the
works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication,
uncleanness, lasciviousness, 20 Idolatry, witchcraft [pharmakia], hatred,
variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,
Caduceus/Kerykeion
Info from Wikipedia:
A caduceus
("kerykeion" in Greek) is a staff with two snakes wrapped around it.
It was a symbol of commerce and is associated with the Greek god Hermes, the
messenger for the gods, creator of magical incantations, conductor of the dead
and protector of merchants and thieves. It was originally a herald's staff,
sometimes with wings, with two white ribbons attached. The ribbons eventually
evolved into snakes in the figure-eight shape.
In the seventh century,
the caduceus came to be associated with a precursor of medicine, alchemy, based
on the Hermetic spells. The caduceus is used interchangeably with the Rod of
Asclepius, especially in the United States. Historically, the two symbols had
distinct and unrelated meanings. Occasionally the caduceus may be combined with
a DNA double-helix, which the intertwined snakes coincidentally resemble.
Its origins are thought
to be as early as 2600 BC in Mesopotamia. It was used by the priests in the
Eleusinian Mysteries of ancient Greece, and has been associated with the
Gnostic Corpus Hermeticum and Kundalini Yoga, where it is thought to be a
symbolic representation of the "subtle" nerve channels the
"ida", "pingala", and "sushumna" described in
yogic kundalini physiology.
The Legend
An ancient Greek legend
tells of how the god Hermes came upon two serpents engaged in mortal combat.
When placing his magical (winged) wand between them the serpents became
entwined and were restored to harmony'.
Symbolism
Blue: peace,
tranquility, calm, stability, harmony, unity, trust, truth, confidence,
conservatism, security, cleanliness, order, loyalty, sky, water, cold,
technology, depression, appetite suppressant. Also, symbolism by culture: China
- associated with immortality; Colombia - associated with soap; Hindus - the color
of Krishna; Jews - holiness; Middle East - protective color; blue is often
considered to be the safest global color.
Green: nature,
environment, healthy, good luck, renewal, youth, vigor, spring, generosity,
fertility, jealousy, inexperience, envy, misfortune. Also, symbolism by
culture: China - studies indicate this is not a good color choice for
packaging, green hats mean a man's wife is cheating on him; France - studies
indicate this is not a good color choice for packaging; India - the color of Islam;
Ireland - religious significance (Catholic); Some tropical countries -
associated with danger; United States - indicates go (safe) at traffic lights,
environmental awareness, St. Patrick's Day, Christmas color (red and green).
Snake: strength,
protection, rebirth. In Western societies the snake is seen as evil. In Eastern
mythologies the snake (or serpent) is a symbol for healing, new life. A snake
may symbolize sexuality; psychic energy, or the power of Nature; intuitive
wisdom; the unconscious.
Caduceus: The ancient
Greeks believed it to exercise influence over the living and the dead, bestow
wealth and prosperity, and turn everything it touched into gold. They called it
Kerykeion, 'herald's wand' � it was the emblem of
heralds and ambassadors, giving them power and inviolability. While the rod
represents power, the serpents symbolize wisdom.
In the book of
Revelation, Yahweh warns of the grip pharmakia will hold over
societies...forcing itself upon everyone. Most will simply capitulate, failing
to resist, thus not repenting of their sorceries. Paul also warns...
1 Timothy 4:1 Now the
Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the
faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;
What are you "giving
heed" to..."seducing spirits and doctrines of devils"...or
Almighty Yahweh? It's your choice!
Sources: X, #HYPERLINK
"http://www.mythsdreamssymbols.com/dssnake.html"X, #HYPERLINK
"http://theosophy.org/tlodocs/symbols/CaduceusThe-0875.htm"X.
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