Eru Ilúvatar

Many can be told about the Valar and their work. No matter it wasn’t in my plan from the beginning, it is obviously needed to say something here about Eru. We can say that as there is hierarchy among the people, it is also among the gods. We can say in our words that even the gods have their gods. It isn’t always hard authority, lort who has all others as slaves, but even such may exist.

I believe that it is close to truth, that the prime creator made his children, his thoughts, parts of himself, which got their own consciousness. He allowed them to create by their free will. They then created the universe and the worlds in it. We can this prime creator call Eru. Why not? I think that even Tolkien might like it… or rather no, because he would see blasphemy in it.

What can be said about Eru? Everything it the end comes from him, not fully being his work and yet belonging to him. He himself is part of everything, in everything is his energy and life and as the universe grows, as it is always overflowing. (it isn’t changing to be more and more empty by expanding, but in truth it grows to make place for every creation, for all thoughts, constantly being filled by them thanks to all, who are working together on creating)

Because Eru is unchangeable part of everything, we can see his personality in everything, including ourselves. We all have desire to express ourselves and so creating something (on some level), no matter the reason or the goals. That is one of Eru’s gifts

It is no true that Eru requires total loyalty or worshipping him. Because he owns everything, he has no reason to be jealous in any way. Eru is in everyone of us so whenever we honor ourselves and everyone else, we honor him. We all came in long line from him, we are his children. Which children must worship their father? Maybe you note that in Silmarilion humans did rituals for Eru and were giving offerings to him. Well, why not? Maybe it is bit pagan for Tolkien, but, I must admit, Jews were doing sacrifices in the past. (the Bible is very bloody at some parts)

Not even Tolkien writes that the Valar worship Eru. They love him, that is sure, they honor his word and accept him, but hopefully he has no need to place himself above them, although we can read parts in Silmarillion where he does that, also in parts about dwarves and ents. But in case of dwarves he is also willing to accept the gift, which is given to him and makes place for it, no matter it wasn’t his plan at first, which was generous. I must also note that he didn’t intend to “fix” the dwarves, which showed that they are work of Aule and they will remain his work, no matter the “imperfection.” Through Aule they are also children of Eru, because he owns everything… and yet nothing, because everything living (and that is everything) belongs to itself. And these truths are both true at once.

Eru honors the freedom of Valar even in Silmarilion and in fact he honor the creation of everyone and lets us to create totally free. Sadly humans cause the pain to each other, it is also created. Did he allowed that? Yes, he couldn’t deny it, for it would make our freedom not full and he would deny us the gift which he is giving us with so much love. It is up to us to learn to work together, as well as the gods must keep learning this, even they are sometimes source of great suffering.

Some pagan cults have rituals, which are performed strictly naked, to symbolize, that people are proud of who they are and of the bodies they posses. No matter if they celebrate one god or whole pantheon, it doesn’t matter. It doesn’t matter if they dance, do rituals in magic circle, or even if sex comes to order, or even orgy. What matters is naturality. Once people feel well and natural during these rituals, it’s okay. Rituals with fire outer and sexual are refueling the energy sources and purify the spirit and there are even more ways of celebrating, who we are and what we can be.

This way Eru is also celebrated, because this also helps us to bloom, there is no difference among us. We can see ourselves in all around us, because we are connected with everything. If it weren’t so, we could not have any influence on our surroundings. You and I are all Eru and his consciousness, or at least very small part of it, which has consciousness of its own. (studying of the bigger consciousness requires a lot of humbles)

Thanks to that anyone can self claim t be direct servant, but it will never be the full true, we always seek some goals of our own. But if and how much it is true, it is not important. Important is, what we are willing to do, what we will do and how it will help the world and the life itself.

Do not as me why but this image is meant to be here. On the image there is Melkor and Sauron (hugging Melkor) and on the right is Eru. It may inspire many interpretations and thoughts, or maybe nothing except disgust.

Not even a moody Melkor or his insults or threats can dissuade Mairon from attempting to try and comfort his pained master. … Now that is dedication and love and lots of courage because hugging Melkor now is probably like hugging an angry, hurt, and very unpredictable wild animal. On whole not the best of ideas since who knows how he will react... I hope favorably. Now that funky surreal border on the other hand....

…I just wanted to draw a border that contained Eru since he's working behind the scenes here. Because I could I decided I would just depict him as a faceless being that uses three basic masks to convey emotion - a mask of contentment, a mask of wrath, and a mask of despair. Simple and to the point. Then Melkor showed up at the bottom corner and I just went with it. I suppose the story in the border is up for interpretation. Could be Melkor coveting the Secret Fire back at the beginning of time or it could be Eru, in this moment, trying to get his painful burning point across to Melkor or maybe there is no story and it is simply a pretty border that serves no point what-so-ever. Any are good choices honestly...

-- gypsy-rae, (picture author) description

To be true, this is amazing piece. Especially with Eru. It looks like a memory Melkor has in front of his eyes, only thing he can think about. Eru never stopped loving him, and he gave him Mairon to show that, to show that he can still return to him. However Melkor has his own way and is one that is very hard to force to give up. But Eru is patient and can wait until pain will make Melkor give up.

It is up to stubborn Melkor. To turn to Mairon, who is unable of nothing but of loving him or to fight for the flame and die for it... which he cannot while keeping it in himself. so he will suffer only more. He cannot go that way endlessly, but he definitely tries…

--Morell, interpretation

To be honest, now I would write more about this picture, but it will be better to let the mind work free and without any leash. There are too many of them already…

Well, some say that the god cannot be understood. I must add, that I’m not surprised, when they are not able to understand themselves, their own godship, their power and dealing with it. And getting to know Eru is nothing else than understanding ourselves. By exploring everything around us we get to realize, that we belong to it, that that are we as well. In truth there is no meaning in trying to reach the highest one, he is everywhere and even we are belonging to him. What more to seek, when it is all around us?

There was a story on the web: (Sadly I do not know, where)

One monk left to meditate into the cave. He was there and meditated, when the mouse came and began to bite his shoe. It was distracting the monk and soon he began to be angry. When he had just enough of it, he turned to a mouse and said:

“Leave me alone, I’m trying to get to live with the god.”

And the mouse says: “haw you intend to live with the god, when you cannot even live with me?”

It is true, anyone, who believe to be worshipping the highest god, but do so by suffering of others is not worshipping him. Anyone hurting others for him, anyone who is looking for believers of others religions from the top, is despising his children and so him as well. Even things we hate, he loves, because he owns everything and is connected with everything so strongly, that cannot be disconnected.

Whoever is proud to be himself and loves it, who also loves all else and at least feel some humbles even to those, whose ways he doesn’t approve, such person is close to the highest one… and maybe is heading to him…