MithrasMithras is the divine personality that desires good order. He is the power that connects people to each other in the right way and produces the good social order. Mithras takes a holistic view of the world and human society and seeks to bring it into good order. Mithras is regarded as the righteous leader, crown prince or king. Mithras is a partial aspect of Auramazda that is responsible for the right-ordering of human social and political life. He regulates the relations that people have with each other and thus the way that they combine to take action and have an influence on the common life they lead. Mithras has an impact on the way power, wealth and influence are distributed in society. Mithras works for Good Order in the realm of human affairs. Where Mithras is present and active then we see the emergence of the Mazdaic Social Order - an order of society that gives the best way of life for its participants while maintaining itself through time. Mithras - the demigod of social orderIn Mithraism we give highest place among the demigods to Mithras. Mithras is the divine being most responsible for the right-ordering of human life. He regulates the relations that people have with each other and thus the way that they combine to take action and have an influence on the common life they lead. Mithras has an impact on the way power, wealth and influence are distributed in society. Mithras works for Asha or Good Order - especially in the realm of human affairs. Where Mithras is present and active then we see the emergence of the Mithraic Social Order - an order of society that gives the best way of life for its members while maintaining itself through time.As Mithraists we worship Mithras and seek to serve him. This we can do by taking actions that improve the social order. However we must be humble and not assume we already know what should be done or have the capability to be effective. Thus a major part of Mithraism is to work on our self-development towards becoming fully mature people - fully adult in 'head, heart and hand' - by working on our intellectual skills and understanding, our emotional health, maturity and strength and our physical health, capabilities and strengths. As such developed adult people we will be best placed to serve Mithras and assist in the emergence of the Mithraic Social Order. Mithras the demigod of right-connectionMithras is the demigod of right-connection. He connects people to each other to form strong productive co-operating societies, and he connects people in their thoughts and behaviour to the ultimate God - what is real and good.Mithras the Adult in Hand, Heart and HeadWe all start as children, but we don't all get to adulthood. Some parts of us receive what they need to grow into maturity, but other parts remain undeveloped and immature. We can simplify these parts of us as 'Hand, Heart and Head'.An Adult in Hand is a capable person - able to do the practical things that are needed to survive and flourish in the world. In pre-modern times an adult man would be able to hunt animals for food, make tools, build a shelter and fight off hostile neighbours etc. An Adult in Heart is an emotionally mature and strong person. An adult in heart may get angry or fearful but he keeps these feelings in proportion to the task at hand. Where the situation demands it he can push through emotions such as fear in order to do what he needs to do. He is not overly affected by the emotions of others, and can deal with them straightforwardly, neither letting them sway him too much, nor feeling a need to push them away. An Adult in Head is an intellectually mature and enlightened person. He is able to reason dispassionately - i.e. make sense of things without letting emotions get in the way. He recognises his own way of seeing things is exactly that - a way of seeing things - and not the final truth about reality. He is engaged in a continual pursuit to make better sense of the world - to understand it more truthfully and in greater complexity. Growing towards adulthood comes about as we strive to interact with the world, and the world feeds back to us. Only if we are very lucky do we get the right kind of interaction that allows us to develop smoothly and completely into adults. Usually our environment is imperfect, and doesn't provide all the 'food' we need to grow, of the right kind and at the right time. We may develop in some areas and not others. We may become injured in some way which makes further growth very difficult if we cannot heal. Mithras however is the ideal of the fully adult - one who has gained the right experience to fully grow in his every aspect. As a consequence Mithras is able to 'turn the stars in the heavens' as the ancients thought - i.e. he is able to escape the sirens, the traps and prisons that most of us fall into in life and pursue his purpose directly and effectively. It is our task as Mithraists to seek to become more like Mithras. We strive to grow up. If we are injured we strive to gain healing. If healthy we strive to gain challenge and experience for our growth. However do not think this is a purely individual project. The experiences we can have depend very much of what other people do. Thus we must work together to create the right experiences for each other - those more mature, helping those less mature just as a good parent helps their child or a sage teaches his disciples. "Mithras embodies the ideal of the Wise, Benevolent, and Courageous Adult, a being whose cognizance and acceptance of the world’s contingencies and its inexorable forces is equally and maturely balanced by his adoration of the Good and his commitment to bring about its ever-progressing realization in this world." Mithras the CapableMithras is perhaps the spirit of the ideal man. He is firstly a man who is aiming for what is Good, (the Agathon). To do this effectively he needs to know what is good which requires a sensitivity to the world and intelligence. However this is not enough, he needs the power to assert himself in the world . He needs to be strong and capable so that he can implement his will against resistance.Mithras is not a determined individualist - he is good with people, and a leader of men. Nevertheless he has the confidence and capability to pursue his own path. Perhaps we can imagine Mithras being brought up as a Scythian cowboy, with his boyhood values not completely different to the ideal American cowboy of later times. "The masculine American male is a dying breed. We have been told for far too long that violence is never the answer. We've been told that it's cruel to kill our own food. We've been conditioned to believe that there is no place in modern society for the man who refuses to shave his chest or wear skinny jeans. As a man...you are a protector. As a man...you are a provider. As a man...you are solely responsible for the safety and well being of your family. How can you be a good husband if you can't defend your wife? How can you be a good father if you can't protect your children? Remember...the eyes of the children are fixed upon you. You serve as an example of what young men should grow up to be...and of what young women should seek out in a partner. So...grow your beard, wear your boots, eat your steak, carry a knife, own a gun, protect your woman, fight for what is right and just. Be strong. Be of good courage. Long live the masculine American male." Mithras - God of FreedomMithras serves the Good God Agathon. He will not be a slave to any other. He is fully mature in Head, Heart and Hand. He can't be deceived by trickery, emotionally undermined or physically overpowered. He is a leader of men who brings others into alliance to fight for good order. Mithras is in an eternal struggle with Azidak the Tyrant, each trying to win over the goddess Tyche who weaves the fortunes of men.Mithras the princeMithras is closer to mankind than Ashura and Mazda in human likeness, and hence more approachable and directly concerned with human affairs. He is the golden prince who is the ideal leader for those who pledge allegiance to him.As is necessary for a good leader Mithras has a rounded character with an element of the character of each of his siblings within him. From February 2017: Personalities of Mithra Mithras Mithras is the masculine aspect of Mithra. Mithras can be described in terms of seven personalities that he can take up:
Mithrana Mithrana is the female aspect of Mithra and is sometimes described as having three personalities:
Mitravox Aetatis is the voice of Mithras in the current age. |