Creation Myths

Greek, Maori, Inca, Norse, Scientology, Ancient Egyptian, Aboriginal (Australian), One of Hindus, Zoroastrian and Inuit

1. In the beginning of time, there was nothing: neither sand, nor sea, nor cool waves. Neither the heaven nor earth existed. Instead, long before the earth was made, Niflheim was made, and in it a spring gave rise to twelve rivers. To the south was Muspell, a region of heat and brightness guarded by Surt, a giant who carried a flaming sword. To the north was frigid Ginnungagap, where the rivers froze and all was ice. Where the sparks and warm winds of Muspell reached the south side of frigid Ginnungagap, the ice thawed and dripped, and from the drips thickened and formed the shape of a man. His name was Ymir, the first of and ancestor of the frost-giants.

2.   In the beginning there was absolutely nothing.  He thought, "Let me have a self", and he created the mind. Thus in the beginning the world was only his self, his being or essence, which then took the shape of a person. He had no happiness because he was alone, and he longed for another. He grew as large as two persons embracing, and he caused his self to split into two matching parts and from them arose husband and wife.  They mated, and from their union arose the human beings of the earth. The female reflected on having mated with someone of whom she was once a part, and she resolved that she should hide so that it would not happen again. She changed to a cow to disguise herself, but he changed to a bull and mated with her, and from their union cows arose. She changed to the form of a mare, but he changed to that of a stallion and mated with her, and from that union came horses. Etc etc.

3. In the beginning the earth was a bare plain. All was dark. There was no life, no death. The sun, the moon, and the stars slept beneath the earth. All the eternal ancestors slept there, too, until at last they woke themselves out of their own eternity and broke through to the surface.  When the eternal ancestors arose, in the Dreamtime, they wandered the earth, sometimes in animal form sometimes in human shape.

4. In the beginning, there was Chaos, the abyss.  Out of it first emerged Gaia, the earth, which is the foundation of all.  Next came Tartaros, the depth in the Earth where condemned dead souls go to their punishment, and Eros, the love that overwhelms bodies and minds, and Erebos, the darkness, and Nyx, the night.  Erebos and Nyx made love and from their union came Aether, the air, and Hemera, the day.

5. Atum arose from the primordial waters and masturbated to relieve his loneliness. His semen and breath became Tefnut and Shu respectively.

6. The most ancient of times the earth was covered in darkness.  Then, out of a lake called Collasuyu, the god Con Tiqui Viracocha emerged, bringing some human beings with him. Then Con Tiqui created the sun , the moon and the stars to light the world. of great rocks Con Tiqui fashioned more human beings, including women who were already pregnant.  Then he sent these people off into every corner of the world. He kept a male and female with him at Cusco.

7. Ahura Mazda creating 16 lands, one by one, such that each would be delightful to its people. As he finished each one, Angra Mainyu applied a counter-creation, introducing plague and sin of various kinds.

8. The trickster in the form of Raven created the world. When the waters forced the ground up from the deep Raven stabbed it with his beak and fixed it into place. This first land was just big enough for a single house occupied by a single family: a man, his wife and their son, Raven who had fixed the land. The father had a bladder hanging over his bed. After much pleading by Raven the father allowed the boy to play with it. While playing Raven damaged the bladder and light appeared. The father not wanting to have light always shining took the bladder from the boy before he could damage it further.

9. Heaven and earth were once joined as Ranginui, the Sky Father, and Papatuanuku, the Earth Mother, lay together in a tight embrace. They had many children who lived in the darkness between them. The children wished to live in the light and so separated their unwilling parents. Ranginui and Papatuanuku continue to grieve for each other to this day. Rangi's tears fall as rain towards Papatuanuku to show how much he loves her. When mist rises from the forests, these are Papa's sighs as the warmth of her body yearns for him and continues to nurture mankind.

10. The life force present in all living things referred to as theta created the physical universe of matter, energy, space and time. Theta and MEST combine to form living organisms.