Placed Among The Stars

Published: Thu, 01/27/22


When was the last time you looked up in the sky and marveled at its beauty? It appears that our ancestors used to watch the sky on a regular basis.  This is why they were able to leave us such a tremendous wealth of knowledge, whether it be astronomy, astrology, mathematics, or simply architectural marvels.

Tim and I have to admit - being on the mountain makes star gazing a lot simpler and way more rewarding (even though I still think, the neighbors keep way too many lights on at night :-) ).

One of the greatest star gazing gifts we received was just a couple of weeks ago, during a late evening walk out on the deck. We casually looked up towards the clear sky and noticed the constellation of Orion.  Well, to be accurate, we first saw his belt, which led us to the rest of him.

Now granted, Orion is the most instantly recognizable of all constellations, but to see him up close and personal is always a treat! Orion is clearly visible in the night sky from November to February.

As we keep finding out, Orion was revered by almost every ancient culture (from the Sumerians and Egyptians to the Mayans and the Hopi). However, he represented different archetypes to different people with different traditions.  His modern day name is attributed to the ancient Greek demigod, son of Poseidon, Orion. Orion was considered the greatest hunter who ever existed and was placed among the stars for eternity, after his human life had ended.

When looking at the constellation, you can actually see at first glance, his head, left and right shoulders, belt and feet. With a little more effort you can see his bow, held with his left hand extending forward, and his club, held with his right hand extending up and back.

It is no surprise that so many different ancient cultures revered a hunter. Hunting has always been one of humanity's most vital skills and a major contributor to the evolution of our civilization. Yes, we have come a long way since our ancestors (for better or worse). It always blows my mind when I think how far our civilization has come in just a few thousand of years (that's the better part). Yet, I am dumbfounded when I see how easy it is to lose all of what our civilization has accomplished (that's the worse part).

So when I feel at the brink of desperation, I look up at the sky and search for one of those familiar faces, such as Orion with his bow and his club. They always have the answer for me.

Until next time...   Here is a tribute to Orion by Metallica

Much much love from both of us!

Na’maste Kala! (Which in Greek means, may we all be well!)

-Tim and Vie | Ayurveda Outlaws