Tuesday, October 04, 2011

CREATED SPACES

The post Illusory Spaces concerned the mental constructs which result from the inability to perceive eternity. Kay Parkhurst Easson and Roger Easson, in Milton: A Poem by William Blake, teach about Blake's created spaces as well. The names Blake gives these spaces which have the ability to transform the illusory spaces to spaces of mercy and love are: Allamanda, Bowlahoola and Golgoonooza. Quoting from the Easson book:
Page 140
"But Blake demonstrates consistently in his works that all settings are created by perception. Despite Milton's many settings, therefore, there is only one geography for Blake from which all settings are derived - the human body with its anatomy and physiology of perception."

Page 141
"Blake describes the earth as concave, as a cavern of 'labyrinthine intricacy"; this earth is the human skull or body which, if observed from without, is convex but, if observed from within, is concave."

Page 142
"Blake believes that as a consequence of vision from within, the result of the spiritual journey, the spaces of the 'dull round' (Entuthon Benython, Udan-Adan, and Ulro) are transformed into energizing, formative spaces, wherein all the component parts of the body and its universe may be formed into human lineaments, the contours of an eternal body...Blake calls these spaces Allamanda, Bowlahoola, and Golgonooza."

Page 144
"As Allamanda is the nervous System, Bowlahoola is the system of organs within the body which support the nervous system. And as Allamanda is the plowed ground, Bowlahoola is like the sun and energy which warm it. In addition, Allamanda produces the bread of the eternal body in the harvest, Bowlahoola produces the energizing blood of the body in its winepress...Finally Golgonooza which includes both Allamanda and Bowlohoola is 'named Art & Manufacture.' ...Thus Allamanda and Bowlohoola represent the country which supplies sustenance to the city of Golgoonoza."

What Blake is describing with these three 'spaces' are interrelated processes which operate within the living human. The imagination which operates in Golgoonoza is supported by the activities of the mind and nervous system which he calls Allamanda. In turn Allamanda is supported by systems which the body furnishes to produce energy including the digestive system and the circulatory system, characterized as Bowlohoola.

Image from New York Public Library
Milton
Plate 37




What takes place within the body is manifest as outward experience. Psychologically speaking, a phenomena may appear to be happening in outer relationships when it is triggered by inner conflict or inner peace. What goes on in the outer world can best be dealt with through tending to the interrelated processes in which the body engages internally.





Jerusalem
, PLATE 71, (E 224)
"And above Albions Land was seen the Heavenly Canaan
As the Substance is to the Shadow: and above Albions Twelve Sons
Were seen Jerusalems Sons: and all the Twelve Tribes spreading
Over Albion. As the Soul is to the Body, so Jerusalems Sons,
Are to the Sons of Albion: and Jerusalem is Albions Emanation

What is Above is Within, for every-thing in Eternity is translucent:
The Circumference is Within: Without, is formed the Selfish Center
And the Circumference still expands going forward to Eternity.
And the Center has Eternal States! these States we now explore
...
For all are Men in Eternity. Rivers Mountains Cities Villages,
All are Human & when you enter into their Bosoms you walk
In Heavens & Earths; as in your own Bosom you bear your Heaven
And Earth, & all you behold, tho it appears Without it is Within
In your Imagination of which this World of Mortality is but a Shadow."

Milton, PLATE 37 [41], (E 138)
"From Star to Star, Mountains & Valleys, terrible dimension
Stretchd out, compose the Mundane Shell, a mighty Incrustation
Of Forty-eight deformed Human Wonders of the Almighty
With Caverns whose remotest bottoms meet again beyond
The Mundane Shell in Golgonooza, but the Fires of Los, rage
In the remotest bottoms of the Caves, that none can pass
Into Eternity that way, but all descend to Los
To Bowlahoola & Allamanda & to Entuthon Benython
"

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