{The Three Degrees of Death, and the Underworld}[14th October 1989]

[Redbook6:314-316][19891014:1805b]{The Three Degrees of Death, and the Underworld}[14th October 1989]

.1805

[continued]

There is, in this Circle presentation, an ambiguity – of interpretation, I believe, not of structure – concerning the ‘Underworld’.

[Text extracted from ms diagram reproduced above:]

			C
		r~	|	s~
	g~	–	☼	–	m~
		j~	|	u~
			a~

The theme of death, descent and the Underworld, and resurrection after 3 days[,] is apparently commonplace in Pre-Christian religious myth* (although I am not so sure about the 3 days).

On the Circle, the Underworld or Hell of materialism is represented by the 3 outer degrees of U~ → A~ → J~; some returning involvement in (but not of) this is indicated in j~ → a~ → u~. After each transit, the pilgrim ‘rises’ toward C.

On the other hand, the archetypal process of death and rebirth runs through R~ – C – r~ (reversing direction); or, if no transformation occurs onto the inner circle, R~ → C → S~. There may be a similar passage on the inner circle, at an advanced stage, s~ → C → r~, with the possibility of a return and fall s~ → C → S~ (as for Lucifer):** but this could hardly be seen as a death and rebirth.

Each of these processes involves 3 degrees, corresponding perhaps to the 3 days of myth.

*[ref eg [Redbook6:317][19891014:2120]{Descent into Hell}[14th October 1989], & cf]

**[[Redbook4:137][19871019:0925h]{Angelic Hierarchies [continued (11): Note on Cherubim]}[19th October 1987];

& [Redbook5:61-62][19880314:1600]{Lucifer (1)}[14th March 1988], &

[Redbook5:83-84][19880317:2250]{Lucifer (2)}[17th March 1988]]

[& re the other triangle shown, Δ, cf [Redbook2:237-238][19820809:0845b]{A Dream: The Unfinished Cathedral/Church}[9^th August 1982]]

[continues]

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