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18. Juli 2019

Little helpers (daimonology)

Every human being has its own nature, but at times we find our nature failing and so we turn to conjuring up little helpers, artificial spirits that help us with our business.

I first got intrigued by negatives in 2015, but it is only now that I fully understand the phenomenon that is expressing itself through them: Our nature finds any reliance on artificial spirits disquieting.

Because of this we associate animals with these spirits, or animal daimons, if you prefer, which I will use to name the artificial spirits. As for their heterogenity: There's a spirit for each of the six trigrams of the I Ching associated with the soul, i.e. one for mountain, the abysmal, thunder, lake, fire and wind. The first three spirits invigorate the soul, the last three keep it in check.

Luckily I have found enough pictures of people conjuring up artificial spirits to have at least one example for every spirit.

The toad.
trigram: wind,
function: warden,
authority over: dispossession.

The toad helps a person to fend off inappropriate claims and is called upon by those who find it difficult to say no.

The frog.

trigram: thunder,
function: robber,
authority over: possession.

The frog helps a person to secure appropriate claims and is called upon by those who find it difficult to say yes.

The raven.
trigram: fire,
function: guard,
authority over: independence.

The raven helps a person to cut himself loose and is called upon by those who go along too easily.

The spider.
trigram: the abysmal,
function: pander,
authority over: connections.

The spider helps a person to sustain contacts and is called upon by those who hardly go along.

The bear.
trigram: lake,
function: observer,
authority over: persistence.

The bear helps a person to withstand the Zeitgeist and is called upon by those who find themselves caught up in it.

The wolf.
trigram: mountain,
function: master,
authority over: Zeitgeist.

The wulf helps a person to connect with the Zeitgeist and is called upon by those who find themselves at a great distance from it.

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