The Greek god Hermes was a trickster. He stole his half-brother Apollo’s beautiful herd of cows on the day of his birth after sprinting away from his mother Maia who had turned her back for less than an instant.
The furious Olympian confronted the Titan goddess, who denied everything about the infant. Apollo did not believe a word she said and grabbed her son out of his crib, then took him to Mount Olympus to face Zeus’s justice.
Hermes confessed his guilt to his father and even admitted slaying two of the animals, which he had sliced into 12 pieces as a sacrifice to the 12 Olympian gods.
‘Twelve gods? Who is the twelfth?’ asked Apollo.‘Your servant, sir, I ate no more than my share, though I was starving, and duly burned the rest" (Graves, The Greek Myths)
The slaughter was the first display of flesh offering to the elite. Hermes had charmed his way into the pantheon. He became God to a full range of human functions, from trade to eloquence and sports. His unique ability to move elegantly between the mortal and divine realm made him the official herald of the overlords and thus bearer of good luck.
His interests varied: He taught Apollo how to play music and crafted his golden lyre, for which he rewarded him with the iconic winged staff as a token of gratitude. The cunning God inspired negotiations in business, promoted education and foreign language interpretation, which made him a leader to many, from merchants to shepherds, thieves and travelers.
Hermes was an inventor and a skilled poet. He composed musical scales, devised multiple physical disciplines such as weightlifting, gymnastics, along with boxing, and even invented the alphabet.
Psychotherapist Carl Jung saw the mythical figure as the god of the psyche because of his messenger role in the pantheon. He was the guide to the underworld and mediator of the conscious and unconscious polarities of the mind, the spiritual leader along the journey of psychotherapy.
Fast forward to the year 2016.
Author Tim Ferriss releases Tools Of Titans, a collection of more than two hundred interviews with world-class masters of the universe. His guests range from athletes to super celebrities, CEO’s, and spiritual mentors, amongst many others.
“I created this book, my ultimate notebook of high-leverage tools, for myself. It’s changed my life, and I hope the same for you.”
writes the self-proclaimed human guinea pig.
Ferriss does not sell dreams; he guides to the tools that will help you build them. The author shares a map for you to study and experience as you flow along time, a hero's quest seen through his mad scientist eyes.
His work has become a model of education in all matters of lifestyle optimization, whether you seek to build a multi-million dollar business or evolve into a superhuman. The author's eloquent delivery through several mediums and cunning promotion of self-care empowers his broad audience, much like Hermes in the past.
You can listen to his podcast The Tim Ferriss Show downloaded 150+ million times since the first episode aired in 2014.
The writer from East Hampton, New York discussed his battle with bipolar disorder in a recent Ted Talk titled Why you should define your fears instead of your goals.
Bipolar disorder is a poorly understood psychological state characterized by episodes of depression and mania that affects less than three percent of the American population, and roughly 33 percent of the homeless, give or take based on who you ask. Outdated conventional treatments of the disorder range from public death by fire to exorcism, lobotomies, and electroshock therapy.
Ferriss stands as the living proof for like-minded fighters that a hero can overcome the darkness of fear through the inner journey of self-actualization. His speech and undeniable success deliver a vital blow to the foundations of an age-old stigma about mental health. Victory is within reach!
Now, buying a hammer does not guarantee a built house. The journey to health and success requires more than reading Tim Ferriss and summoning Hermes. Find and apply strategies to study their impact on your universe, collect your data, then adjust accordingly. Be your scientist because nobody else can do that for you. Learn from failure, and never let fear stun your actions. The power is in your hands.
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Creavinci is a health education web portal dedicated to giving users the tools to thrive on their own.
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About the Creator
Alex C-B
Pieces of myself through facts and fiction - A fallible human of the digital era. I bought the ticket, missed the ride, then tripped down the rabbit hole and woke up stranded with you in this strange matrix.
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