The Cosmogony of Orphism

Nyx and Phanes

An essential component of Orphic beliefs revolves around both the soul and their cosmogony. In the Orphic tradition, the Orphic Egg a cosmic egg, was the birth place from which emerged the primordial hermaphroditic deity Phanes, which they also identified with Eros and Dionysus-Zagreus. Phanes being connected to the creation of the cosmos. Phanes as Prōtogonos meaning "first-born", having been linked to Prajapati by scholars. Who was both connected to Brahman as much to Purusha. Purusha being this Cosmic Giant whose dismemberment by the gods created the material universe. Hinduism refers to him as the soul of the universe, the universal spirit present everywhere, in everything and everyone, all the time.

During the Vedic period Purusha was considered the ultimate sacrificial victim, whose sacrifice was the act of creation. Which also has been linked to Yama, and with it regarding both to Yemo from the Proto-Indo-European myth. And this link to Yemo, who is both connected to sacrifice and kingship from a Proto-Indo-European lens, is because the king was seen as both at the centre of society, and outside of it's social order. As such being the figure who would be sacrificed as scapegoat, if the social order would fail. Dionysus as a deity also being this outcast deity, who at the same time was originally meant to be the king of the gods, after his father Zeus.

Phanes and the Cosmic Egg

The cosmic egg is often depicted with the presence of the serpent-like entity Ananke (Necessity or Fate) coiled around it. In Orphic mythology, Ananke spontaneously emerged at the dawn of creation, presenting herself as an ethereal, serpent-like being with extended arms enveloping the cosmos. Ananke and Chronos are depicted as intertwined in serpent form, forming a cosmic bond that encircles the universe. From this cosmic egg, Phanes, the golden-winged primordial being, emerged as the origin of the universe. Also known as Protogonos (First-Born) and Eros (Love), Phanes embodies the essence of creation. The concept of a World-Egg is a widespread motif in ancient Proto-Indo-European mythology, symbolizing the primordial state of the universe before the act of creation. This is even present within Finnish mythology with the Finnish goddess Ilmatar, born of the air, who created the universe from seven cosmic eggs.

Within the Orphic myth, Phanes held the sceptre of Nyx for a while, later giving it back to Nyx (Night), who, in turn, handed it over to her son Ouranos. Subsequently, Cronus forcibly seized the sceptre from his father, and eventually, Zeus took possession of the sceptre from Cronus, marking a succession of divine authority within the Orphic tradition. In some Orphic myths, there is a suggestion that Zeus has the intention to pass the sceptre to Dionysus. This Dionysus, identified as Iacchus, is considered the reborn or Third-Born Dionysus.

The Great Goddess Nyx: Source of All Life

At the foundation of Orphism itself is Nyx. The source of all life. While societal structures may portray the primal feminine as chaos, and thus something to fear, it can instead be better understood as a vital regulating force. The snake, often viewed as a harbinger of danger, also serves a healing purpose. In mythology, the snake does not act out of malice but responds to cultural and personal transgressions against the wholeness of life, thus offering a transformative opportunity to update consciousness. Nyx, the personification of night, exemplifies this duality. Respected and feared by even the mightiest gods like Zeus, she wields immense power over both gods and mortals, signifying the essential connection between the darkness of the unconscious and the conscious realm. The sceptre of Nyx symbolizes authority that must be respected; transgression against her, or the deep wisdom she represents, results in a loss of power and abundance. From her oracular cave, Nyx continued to serve Uranus and his successors (Cronus and ultimately Zeus) as a respected adviser. Nyx was worshipped at the oracles at Delphi. Homer described her as she who “bends to her sway both gods and men,” a goddess feared even by Zeus.

Nyx is the sacred primordial queen of starry night. She gives the sceptre of Nyx to the male deities, on the provision that they respect her. If not it is hers to take back. She is the source of true power, a goddess wise and keen. A wielder of magic and witchcraft. A goddess of impermanence and eternity, beyond the dualistic confines. She is the first sacred being in existence for Orphism, from which all live came. Where Phanes is the first-born being coming from the egg that Nyx protected. Phanes, as the first-born being emerging from the cosmic egg, symbolizes the emergence of consciousness from the primordial, undifferentiated unconscious. This is an important fact, that Phanes emerges from the egg that Nyx protected, as this reveals that consciousness is not independent of the unconscious. Rather, it is nurtured and protected by the unconscious forces embodied by Nyx. In Jungian psychology, the undifferentiated unconscious (represented by Nyx) gives birth to consciousness (represented by Phanes), but it must also protect and hold this emerging consciousness in a nurturing, integrative manner. This birth of Phanes leading to Nyx’s son Ouranos, from whom the Titan Kronos is born and the state of separation comes. This symbolic titanic state of externalisation, which splits everything into duality. The light of consciousness versus the darkness of the unconscious. However consciousness cannot exist or unfold in a healthy way without the wisdom and support of the unconscious.

Phanes, as the golden-winged primordial being and the embodiment of Eros (love and creative power), represents the Self, the fully integrated whole of the psyche, where the light of consciousness merges with the deeper, darker layers of the unconscious. In this sense, Phanes is the archetype of the Self, the union of opposites and the full realization of the individuation process. Which also Jung himself was dedicated to. Yet consciousness and love have its source within Nyx, as the most foundational divine source. In Jungian terms, the unconscious is a place of both danger and healing, it is a realm that holds the seeds of the future Self, but it must be approached with respect, reverence, and understanding. This is even present with the Finnish goddess Ilmatar, born of the air, mother of Väinämöinen. The Goddess comes first, not consciousness. The red poppy is for Nyx also her sacred plant, and it is said that the stars glisten and sing songs for her in praise. Delphi is also originally her holiest shrine, and belonged to her, before it belonged to Gaia or even Apollo. Dionysus as Dionysus Nyktelios (“Nocturnal Dionysus”) honours her with his wine.

Nyx stands as the absolute source of all power, creation, and existence. The source of goodness and love. Love in this sense is unconditional, transcendent, and not bound by dualities of right and wrong, good and evil. It is the unifying force that binds everything together, flowing from the dark, infinite cosmic well of the unconscious (represented by Nyx), which holds the potential for all things. Love is inherent to existence, emerging from the ground of all being.  She is neither good nor evil in the conventional sense, and in that, she is beyond judgment or moral classification. Love, in this context, is the primordial force that allows all things to emerge and integrate, and from Nyx, it is all-encompassing, embracing both light and darkness. Her son is Phanes also know as Eros (Love). It is said that Nyx's power is equal to that of all gods combined. No power triumphs over her. Nyx’s love is one that transforms, integrates, and creates wholeness. Nyx, is the embodiment of cyclical time, of eternal return, transformation, and renewal. Nyx is both the womb and the grave, the darkness that contains the potential for all things. Nyx represents the ultimate wholeness of existence, a unity that transcends dualities like life and death, light and dark.