The Marriage of Heaven and Hell

[Scholar_Warrior]

I think that William Blake had it going on! See what you think:

http://www.levity.com/alchemy/blake_ma.html

Namaste'

[BlackBillBlake]

I can see that you are a person of impeccable taste! :)

Gurdjieff, and now Blake too....yes.
Blake has had a huge influence on me over many years. You'll think I'm as mad as some said Blake was himself, but once, some years back, after I'd had some LSD, I saw a star come down from heaven. I could feel the presence of Blake's spirit (and actually, his wife Catherine's too), and there was a kind of inner communication going on. I spent about three hours intensely tripped out in the Blakean universe. It was like being in the presence of an angel.

[BlackBillBlake]

This seems to fit in with the idea of COOL.


All Religions Are One.

As the true method of knowledge is experiment, the true faculty of knowing must be the faculty which experiences. This faculty I treat of.

Principle I. That the Poetic Genius is the true Man, and that the body or outward form of Man is derived from the Poetic Genius. Likewise that the forms of all things are derived from their Genius, which by the Ancients was call'd an Angel & Spirit & Demon.

Principle II. As all men are alike in outward form, So (and with the same infinite variety) all are alike in the Poetic Genius.

Principle III. No man can think, write or speak from his heart, but he must intend truth. thus all sects of Philosophy are from the Poetic Genius adapted to the weaknesses of every individual.

Principle IV. As none by travelling over known lands can find out the unknown, So from already acquired knowledge Man could not acquire more; therefore an universal Poetic genius exists.

Principle V. The Religions of all Nations are derived from each Nation's different reception of the Poetic Genius, which is every where call'd the Spirit of Prophecy.

Principle VI. The Jewish & Christian Testaments are An original derivation from the Poetic Genius. This is necessary from the confined nature of bodily sensation.

Principle VII. As all men are alike (tho' infinitely various), So all Religions , &, as all similars, have one source. The true Man is the source, he being the Poetic Genius.


William Blake.

[Scholar_Warrior]

do you find any congruences between Blake, Gurdjieff and/or Taoism?

[BlackBillBlake]

I'm not that well versed in Taoism. I've read Tao Te Ching, and I'm also interested in the I Ching, but thats about as far as it goes.

There are certainly aspects of G's ideas which would seem to fit loosely with the I Ching - energy transformation, and on another level 'essence values'.

With Blake, it's not so easy to see a direct connection - and there are seeming contradictions. But in my mind, both he and G represent aspects of esoteric Christianity. (of course, G isn't limited by it in the way Blake perhaps was).

Also in Blake there are things like a kind of proto-socialism; G didn't say much about social organization etc explicitly.

http://img111.imageshack.us/img111/4647/2128buuk6.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
Soviet postage stamp commemorating Blake.

[Scholar_Warrior]

astute observations.

I don't think G considered social organisation, as we know it, necessary in a world without egoism. - only a thought I just had while reading your post.

[Scholar_Warrior]

I think the important thing about Blake is that he was a true poet, in the truest sense. (in my humble estimation)

What an amazing assemblage of words!

[BlackBillBlake]

Definitely one of the greatest poets in the english language.

But it's interesting that Blake saw himself as an engraver above all - he was apprenticed in that craft, and also of course as a painter.

[Scholar_Warrior]

I see that as a sense of permanence, as opposed to a writer of words. Engraving is "sub-consciously" much more powerful than writing, as in handwriting, or worse yet, typing. Engraving puts much more energy into each letter and word. Dig?

I think Blake was a very serious Cat!

[BlackBillBlake]

You could well be right.

Blake actually invented his own new method of engraving, which allowed him to produce his illuminated books - they were like early multi-media presentations, combining words and images in a unique way. And all produced by Blake with assistance from only his wife who helped in the final stages of adding colour to the prints.
Thus Blake was able to work independently of the art/publishing world of his day.
Makes you wonder what he might have done with a computer......

[Scholar_Warrior]

Perhaps somewhere there is a modern day Blake! Wow! That would be amazing! I would like to learn of such a person.

[Anima_Mercury]

The Divine Image

by William Blake


To Mercy, Pity, Peace, and Love
All pray in their distress;
And to these virtues of delight
Return their thankfulness.

For Mercy, Pity, Peace, and Love
Is God, our father dear,
And Mercy, Pity, Peace, and Love
Is Man, his child and care.

For Mercy has a human heart,
Pity a human face,
And Love, the human form divine,
And Peace, the human dress.

Then every man, of every clime,
That prays in his distress,
Prays to the human form divine,
Love, Mercy, Pity, Peace.

And all must love the human form,
In heathen, turk, or jew;
Where Mercy, Love, & Pity dwell
There God is dwelling too.


♥ Love ♥

V

[cannabis=freedom]

The Divine Image

by William Blake


To Mercy, Pity, Peace, and Love
All pray in their distress;
And to these virtues of delight
Return their thankfulness.

For Mercy, Pity, Peace, and Love
Is God, our father dear,
And Mercy, Pity, Peace, and Love
Is Man, his child and care.

For Mercy has a human heart,
Pity a human face,
And Love, the human form divine,
And Peace, the human dress.

Then every man, of every clime,
That prays in his distress,
Prays to the human form divine,
Love, Mercy, Pity, Peace.

And all must love the human form,
In heathen, turk, or jew;
Where Mercy, Love, & Pity dwell
There God is dwelling too.


♥ Love ♥

V

Absolutely gorgeous and true...Blake's probably my favourite poet after Rimbaud.

[pencapchew]

i love william blake!!
my favourite poet
check out my signature hehehe :)

[pencapchew]

Earth's Answer

Earth raised up her head
From the darkness dread and drear
Her light fled
Stony, dread
And her locks covered with grey despair

Prisoned on watery shore
Starry jealousy does keep my den
Cold and hoar
Weeping o'er
I hear the father of the ancient men

Selfish father of men
Cruel, jealous, selfish fear
Can delight
Chained in night
The virgins of youth and morning bear

Does spring hide its joy
When buds and blossoms grow
Does the sower
Sow by night
Or the ploughman in darkness plough

Break this heavy chain
That does freeze my bones around
Selfish, vain
Eternal bane
That free love with bondage bound