The Labors of Hercules – Introduction

Hercules was both god and human. He was the son of the God Zeus and a mortal woman, Alcmene. So, he is both mortal and divine. Like Hercules, we embody both a god-self and our human (mortal) personality. It is important to recognize that for the majority of our evolution, our god-self is mainly unknown to us. We are educated primarily to focus on survival in the material world and to develop our ego identities.

A big component of our early development includes learning practical aspects of being human. We must acquire skills of basic survival and how to work in the world. We need to know how to be safe, how to get our needs met, and become skillful. We must learn about being in relationship with others and how to exchange resources.

Once we have reached a level of success at these more mundane and practical aspects of being, a new level of development or threshold presents itself to us. Around this time in our development, the soul recognizes that we have reached a point where it can begin to express itself more effectively through us.  And so, it begins to seek conscious connection.

First, though, the soul must make itself known and it does this by introducing itself in the form of a spiritual awakening.  This memorable and powerful event is initiated by the soul and consists of the individual (personality) awakening to a higher spiritual identity. This Awakening experience forever alters our journey, and the speed, quality, and intensity of our spiritual evolution accelerates from this point on.

Our imperative now is to bridge our duality, expressing both our humanity and divinity. With this spiritual awareness, we now must manifest the perfection of our humanity.

Here is a description of the soul catching view of Hercules, as a personality, ready to work with the soul from The Labours of Hercules by A.A. Bailey

From out of the mass of men, one stood forth in ancient days and caught the presiding Elder’s watching eye. Who is that soul upon the way of life, whose light can now be dimly seen? Watch o’er his steps and, when he has an understanding heart, an eager mind and skillful hand, bring him to me. Quickly the answer came: “That is the soul who, on the Way of life, experiences and seeks the clear light which shines from the High Place.”

Hercules begins the journey well educated, well trained, and skilled. His personality is coordinated and effective, and he knows how to work effectively in the world. Now, through The Twelve Labors, he is ready to truly know himself, his spiritual nature and purpose.

He stands before the Teacher who asks his name. With this question, he is being asked if he knows who he really is. His response is revealing, and he answers that his name, Hercules (Herakles) means Hera’s rare glory, the radiance of the soul. He then asks the most profound of questions, one that indicates his readiness to learn his deeper identity. “What is the soul, O Teacher? Tell me, Truth?”

Hercules explains that he has released his attachment to his teachers, and he is free of instruction. He is now ready to know himself. The freedom to explore our true identity only comes when we are willing to relinquish dogma and the teachers who have guided our path to the place of transformation. We must step free of childhood restrictions so that we are free to learn of our true spiritual nature.

So, Hercules stands awakened, having achieved a degree of self-consciousness. To become his god-self, he must now test his human nature, the physical, emotional, and mental aspects of who he understands himself to be. Through this process, Hercules will achieve perfection and mastery over his form-nature so that the light of the soul can irradiate his full being. And in so doing, he becomes his God-self.

The Gods offer Hercules many gifts to support his labors. The items he is provided, help us to understand how he must prepare and, the skills he requires for the tasks.

• Minerva, the Goddess of Wisdom, gives him a robe. This serves as the symbol of vocation. For Hercules, this signifies his pledge to the spiritual life.
• The God Vulcan gives him a golden breastplate to protect his heart and provide fearless spiritual energy.
• Neptune, the God of the Waters, brings horses. They offer the means to rapidly navigate the watery world of emotion, intuition, and sensitivity. With their aid, he can ride these waters and not be carried away.
• The God Mercury gives Hercules a sword. This symbolizes the ability to divide that which is true from that which appears to be true. To use intelligence, rational analysis, and discrimination to solve challenges.
• The God Apollo gifts him a bow and arrow. Arrows are symbolic for spiritual pointedness. These symbolize the ability to aim accurately, target, and penetrate the target.

Adorned with these gifts Hercules mysteriously disappears into the wood, returning only with a club that he has cut for himself from a tree. Hercules leaves all of the gifts behind, indicating that he doesn’t yet know how to use them. Taking only his club, he sets out on his journey.

There are several recurring symbols in the myths that are helpful to be aware of as you read the labors:

1. Hercules’s Labors start in Aries. This does not necessarily indicate that the first step in spiritual evolution will be in Aries. It is the author’s belief that the nature of the soul itself determines what the first step after awakening must be.
2. Support of the Gods indicates that they recognize his readiness for the tasks and that they provide their support in his enlightenment. This is relevant for us all. There is an invisible energy of support from the divine that is supporting us when we are working on behalf of the soul. We are provided what we need to move forward.
3. King Eurystheus – A weak and cowardly King who requires Hercules to complete the tasks, but whom receives no direct benefit from any of Hercules’s labors. Eurystheus represents the unintegrated, unenlightened personality. There can be no spiritual gain for the unintegrated personality until it awakens to the light of the soul.
4. The number three – Use of the number three refers to the triplicity of the personality (mental, emotional, and physical body)
5. The number two – References to the number two refers to our dual nature (spirit and form)
6. Reference to a year – References to one year for a task (or in some of the tasks, many years), indicates a lifetime. Whenever we work with the soul and its evolution we must take a very long view of progress. The journey of the soul and its full expression through the personality is one that takes many lifetimes.