Golem

"Golem" by KD Matheson

"Golom" by KD Matheson

There is a story among my people of the time before. It is a story meant to answer the youthful questions: “Who am I? What am I? Where do I come from? Where am I going?” It is a story meant to bind the heart of a child to my people. It is also a story of alienation, subjugation and external redemption.

You are three beings in one, my child. A young physical being, an ancient spiritual being, and a timeless being of intelligence. Before this life on earth you lived with God and were merely a union of two, eagerly awaiting your third. Before that but one, an uncreated being of individuated thought — an intelligence. In God’s image you were added to and combined, and brought lovingly into the house of God.

“Why can’t I see him?” Because he has sent you away from him. By leaving God’s presence for a time and coming to me here on earth, you were made three and one; a being of intelligence, spirit, and flesh. A child of God. “But I look like you!” Yes, and we look like God. “So God looks like me?” Yes, dear. “Will I grow-up to be like God?” I hope you do because this is the reason God created you and sent you to me. We’ll work on becoming like God together for this is the only way to return to his loving presence. “Why can’t I remember?” Because forgetting is part of God’s plan.

The story continues with a warning, that the natural man is an enemy to God.

Who is this natural man?

It is the physical body, the third and final accretion of godhood; a being believed by my people to be formed of clay and fashioned to resemble the body of its creator. The creator, known to my people as Elohim, or God, is said to have placed the breath of life into this body of clay and commanded it to arise and obey its master or die. In Jewish tradition, one from which my people borrow heavily, this being is Golem.

I share this story with you for a reason. I want you to understand my people.

When an elder of my people speaks his mind before the great council, it must be understood in light of the stories that my people tell to our children. He believes that the physical body was created as a tabernacle for his divinity-bound soul, a means to the end of his creation, a beast of divine burden which must be made to submit to the will of the spirit and intelligence within as they strive for unity with the maker. Submit or die. Any resistance, any rebellion of the flesh must be understood as a test and gauntlet of divine becoming and nothing more.

This elder of my people was very obviously once a boy and, perhaps not so obviously, a boy who was told stories by those who he likely held to be nigh unto gods. It matters not that observers of my people may charitably find such stories to be a fanciful yet useful fiction, nor that a child may eventually find the storytellers to be mostly human. Children will take the stories of their people as truth and the perception of truth is a powerful tool for shaping the mind. Though a child  eventually disappears into the world of grown beings, he will continue to see the world through a mind crafted by stories, some of which teach that his flesh, this Golem, is an enemy to all that is good, and remains so until death yields its rest and God the promised and divine homecoming.

There is a story among my people which teaches children that Golem makes them gods and devils.

Golem is the horror that we find in the simultaneous worship and fear of self.

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NOTES:

  • The ImageGolem by KD Matheson is one among a broader collection of digital art found at CGSociety: Society of Digital Artists. The following description is included:

    Golem is an ancient Hebrew name for a magical creature that is created from clay and earth, then brought to life through the use of kabbalistic incantations and prayers.

    Throughout history, stories of the Golem have been known in biblical literature, jewish folklore, and even into modern day film and literature — one of the most famous versions being Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein.

  • Resources – Special thanks to Wikipeda with its wonderfully detailed and link-rich articles, and to all of my colleagues here on Doves & Serpents: your phenomenal abilities as writers and editors are an inspiration to me.
  • About Cipher on a Wall is a weekly column and forum here on Doves & Serpents which explores the realm of mind, memories, and dreams. You can find an introductory post for Cipher on a Wall here and a full archive of posts here. My name is Matt, and I’ll be your host for the duration.
  • Updates – the approach we’ll be taking with Cipher on a Wall is to encourage lively and ongoing discussion throughout the week between each Saturday edition. To help with this I’ll be returning to each post and adding updates in the form of additional thoughts, observations, related news, elevation of comments, links, additional resources. etc. Just know there will be updates so it’ll be worth checking back occasionally throughout the week.