Caves and the Ancient Greek Mind : Descending Underground in the Search for Ultimate Truth

Caves and the Ancient Greek Mind analyses techniques of searching for ultimate wisdom in ancient Greece. The Greeks perceived mental experiences of exceptional intensity as resulting from divine intervention. They believed that to share in the immortals' knowledge, one had to liberate the soul from the burden of the mortal body by attaining an altered state of consciousness, that is, by merging with a superhuman being or through possession by a deity. These states were often attained by inspired mediums, 'impresarios of the gods' - prophets, poets, and sages - who descended into caves or underground chambers. Yulia Ustinova juxtaposes ancient testimonies with the results of modern neuropsychological research. This novel approach enables an examination of religious phenomena not only from the outside, but also from the inside: it penetrates the consciousness of people who were engaged in the vision quest, and demonstrates that the darkness of the caves provided conditions vital for their activities. In ancient Greece, a common method of searching for divine wisdom was to descend into caves or underground chambers. Entering caves appears persistently as a major requirement for prophecy-giving, both in established cults and in the activities of individual seers. Underground sojourns recur in the activities of several early Greek sages and philosophers, such as Epimenides, Pythagoras, and Parmenides. Mystery initiation comprise rites located in caves or dark chambers. The aim shared by sages, seers, and initiates was their quest for the hidden truth, which they attained as revelation or vision. Exploring the reasons for the predilection for caves in the search for ultimate truth, Yulia Ustinova juxtaposes ancient testimonies with the results of modern neuroscience. This approach, new in Classical Studies, enables an examination of the consciousness of people who were engaged in the vision quest. Caves and closed spaces create conditions of sensory deprivation and can be instrument in attaining altered states of consciousness, ranging from intense contemplation to visions and sensations of illumination. Ustinova argues that the fundamental reason for locating the activities of the gods' intermediaries in caves was the need to attain divine inspiration, that is, to cultivate mental imagery. She regards the cave experiences of the Greeks as culturally patterned responses to isolation in closed spaces, which result from the inborn biological capability of the human brain and have been enhanced by age-old techniques for manipulating consciousness.--Cover summary 0199548560......Page 1 Contents......Page 8 Abbreviations......Page 10 1. Caves and the Greek Quest for the Divine Truth......Page 14 2. Inspired Prophecy......Page 21 3. Methodology......Page 23 1. Cave Experiences and the Human Mind......Page 26 1. Altered States of Consciousness......Page 28 2. Caves as Mental Images......Page 41 3. Human Consciousness in the Cave......Page 45 4. Near-Death Experiences......Page 54 5. Altered States of Consciousness, Shamanism, and Ancient Greece......Page 60 Conclusions......Page 64 2. Oracles and Caves......Page 66 1. Caves of the Nymphs and Pan......Page 68 2. Entrances to the Netherworld......Page 81 3. Oracles of Underground Dwellers......Page 102 4. Apollo Shining in the Dark......Page 122 5. The Delphic Adyton: Theories and Facts......Page 134 Conclusions......Page 166 1. Sibyls......Page 169 2. Blind Seers......Page 181 4. Sages and Philosophers......Page 190 1. Early Sages......Page 191 2. Pythagoras......Page 199 3. Parmenides and the Eleatics......Page 204 4. Empedocles......Page 222 Conclusions......Page 228 1. Chasm in the Mind......Page 231 2. Mysteries......Page 239 Conclusions......Page 268 Retrospect......Page 269 Bibliography......Page 276 A......Page 316 C......Page 317 E......Page 319 H......Page 320 K......Page 321 M......Page 322 O......Page 323 P......Page 324 R......Page 325 S......Page 326 Y......Page 327 Z......Page 328 Oxford University Press, USA 0199548560 1 Contents 8 Abbreviations 10 Introduction 14 1. Caves and the Greek Quest for the Divine Truth 14 2. Inspired Prophecy 21 3. Methodology 23 1. Cave Experiences and the Human Mind 26 1. Altered States of Consciousness 28 2. Caves as Mental Images 41 3. Human Consciousness in the Cave 45 4. Near-Death Experiences 54 5. Altered States of Consciousness, Shamanism, and Ancient Greece 60 Conclusions 64 2. Oracles and Caves 66 1. Caves of the Nymphs and Pan 68 2. Entrances to the Netherworld 81 3. Oracles of Underground Dwellers 102 4. Apollo Shining in the Dark 122 5. The Delphic Adyton: Theories and Facts 134 Conclusions 166 3. Seers and Poets 169 1. Sibyls 169 2. Blind Seers 181 4. Sages and Philosophers 190 1. Early Sages 191 2. Pythagoras 199 3. Parmenides and the Eleatics 204 4. Empedocles 222 Conclusions 228 5. Near-Death Experiences, Real and Make-Believe 231 1. Chasm in the Mind 231 2. Mysteries 239 Conclusions 268 Retrospect 269 Bibliography 276 Index 316 A 316 B 317 C 317 D 319 E 319 F 320 G 320 H 320 I 321 J 321 K 321 L 322 M 322 N 323 O 323 P 324 R 325 S 326 T 327 U 327 V 327 W 327 X 327 Y 327 Z 328 ISBN-13:,9780199548569 A study of the way in which poets, priests, and sages sought for wisdom in ancient Greece by descending into caves or underground chambers. Yulia Ustinova offers a novel approach by juxtaposing ancient testimonies with the results of modern neuropsychological research