 If you're a fan of any kind of fantasy, you undoubtedly know about Lord of the Rings, with its beautiful story, complex characters, and its imaginative and colorful world. The significance of Lord of the Rings for the fantasy and sci-fi genres as a whole cannot be understated. If you were to ask any fantasy writer, chances are today they would cite Tolkien as an influence in some way. His world-building, personalities, and character archetypes have influenced nearly every corner of literature in a profound way. To be honest, just sitting down to write this episode was a daunting task. There's so much lore in Middle Earth, including its expanded universe, where do you even start? Now, in case you didn't already know, not only was Tolkien influenced by many religious, spiritual, philosophical, and even metaphysical sources, but there are even numerous underlying spiritual messages throughout his work that holds great wisdom if you know where to look and how to apply it. To start with, since there's so much to cover, we should point out that we're going to be doing it on a movie-slash-book-by-book basis, starting with this episode on the Fellowship and ending with Return of the King to wrap it up. Now, at its heart, the central theme of Lord of the Rings is the quest. On its surface, we see a kind of normal fantasy thing. The heroes have to overcome the Dark Lord by going on this great journey of self-discovery to vanquish the darkness both in the world and within themselves. And in Lord of the Rings, it's depicted through the temptation of the One Ring and the journey to save Middle Earth from its destruction. But where Lord of the Rings begins to get very interesting is when you look at the actual pacing of it. The story is completely flipped on its head compared to your average story trope. See, the heroes are not seeking a treasure, but are questing to destroy one instead. If you were to look at the same story from Sauron's point of view, the tale really is a quest, with Sauron trying to get the treasure back, with the evil Black Riders replacing the traditional errant knights seeking the holiest of holies. Huh. In that sense, Sauron kind of is like Evil King Arthur, and the Ring is like The Evil Grail. Interesting. The movie begins with a bit of a backstory, giving us an awareness of the Rings and the races. We learn about the villain, Sauron, who forged the Rings of Power and delivered them to the leaders of the races who could be controlled, humans, elves, and dwarves. These Rings, bestowing power to the bearers, also binds them to the Dark Lord, which sets the spiritual tone of the story, the idea that absolute power corrupts absolutely, and the deception that evil will use to ensnare others. In giving these Rings to the leaders of the three races, Sauron essentially inflicts his hold upon the world. But as Sauron's power grows, there are also those who fight back, and we see the fall of Sauron at the hands of Isildur, but who is unable to destroy it, another powerful lesson for us still, the temptation that power has over us. What could this Ring represent? The story says that into the Ring, Sauron poured his cruelty, his malice, and his will to dominate all life, and so the Ring ultimately comes to represent these qualities in the form of greed. This can be reflected in our daily lives as any kind of temptation, such as money, fame, or sex, all of which can be used to subjugate or manipulate others into doing what you want. In addition to this, the Ring bestows the wearer with invisibility, providing a false sense of security, which we also see in this idea of greed, for as you generate more money, or fame, or what have you, it gives you this sense of security. But true security, as the story also teaches us, comes from our connections that we have with our friends and our family. One of the things that Sauron creates is feelings of absolute despair through facilitating the creation of evil forces, such as manipulating Saruman to do his bidding in creating an army of orcs and Urukai. Gandalf, on the other hand, has the reverse power supporting everyone to resist the temptation of despair and rekindling hope and courage wherever he goes. That Tolkien was conceiving these works during England's darkest days during World War II, gives a special context to this power to resist fear and despair that you'll hope in its place. It would seem also that Tolkien uses this narrative, especially the easily swayed humans, to describe the over-inflated ego and the dangers of what can happen when your desire and ambition are left unchecked. From this viewpoint, it appears that the Fellowship is on a quest to destroy the ego and ultimately free the world from the dark influence of desire and temptation. Tolkien had lived through two world wars, including the routine bombardment of civilians, the use of famine for personal gain, concentration camps and genocide, and the development and use of chemical and nuclear weapons. And so much of this story, although based in a different world than ours, is very much rooted emotionally and contextually in very serious and real events in history. The story raises the question of whether if the ability of humans to produce that kind of evil could somehow be destroyed even at the cost of sacrificing something would be worth doing. Now, if any of this talk of desire, temptation and evil sounds familiar, that's because Tolkien was devoutly Catholic, a trait which he himself admitted to having been a profound influence on his writing. While it is interesting that he never included a direct form of religion in his main body of work, the themes, moral philosophy and cosmology of the Lord of the Rings reflects his Catholic worldview. Christian themes are ever present in so much of his work. More so in the later books, especially Return of the King, which we'll cover when we get there. There are many ideas that focus around death, resurrection, forgiveness, grace, repentance, and of course, free will. In fact, even Tolkien himself said, Of course God is in the Lord of the Rings. The period was pre-Christian, but it was a monotheistic world. And when questioned who was the one God of Middle Earth, Tolkien replied, Delving a bit deeper into the language of Middle Earth, even the name itself comes from the Norse Midgard, which was the name for our Earth. In fact, the influence of North mythology for Tolkien was huge. There are some really good videos out there on YouTube that talk about the mythology of Lord of the Rings. So if you want to go deeper, we really recommend looking this up. Everything from the characters to the environments are so rich in symbolic meaning. Let's take Gandalf for instance. Speaking purely from Tolkien's point of view, Gandalf was mostly based off of the Norse god Odin, who is a bit different from the Marvel version that you're probably familiar with. Odin in Norse mythology is described as the wanderer, an old man with one eye, a long white beard, a wide brimmed hat, and a staff. Tolkien, in a 1946 letter nearly a decade after the character was invented, wrote that he thought of Gandalf as an Odinic wanderer. Much like Odin, Gandalf promotes justice, knowledge, truth, and insight. In fact, his battle with the Balrog in the minds of Moria was meant to spiritually mirror that of the battle with Surtur, the fire giant in Norse mythology, with the ensuing collapse of the bridge of Khazadum mirroring the prophesied collapse of the Bifrost during Ragnarok. Interestingly though, it should be said that Ragnarok was not seen as the end of the world as it is often thought of, but rather the transition into a new cycle. And this is essentially what happens in the Fellowship. With the fall of the Balrog and the collapse of the bridge, it gives way for the journey to unfold. Gandalf had to fall in order to be reborn as a higher, more ascended and powerful being than he was before. As we looked at, there are several key races in the story, of which seem to spiral around the elements. This is not spelled out directly by Tolkien, but it would appear as though the humans reflect the element of fire, showing their passionate ways, leadership qualities, and also a bit of their own destructive power. And also in Return of the King, we see that it is time for humans to take the throne as the new world leaders, further reflecting the fire being the closest to the godhead in the alchemical systems. The dwarves are earth, for probably obvious reasons. The elves are air, with their both living in the trees, their precision, their mental acuity, and awareness of the world, and hobbits as water, being natural, flowing, and most importantly, having nurturing qualities, a trait that is often described as the highest form of the divine feminine, manifested through the alchemical element of water, or the emotional body. If we were to count wizards and orcs, we would see angels and demons join the fray with the elements of ether and voidness, the latter of which stands for a lack of substance. Now, speaking of hobbits, the Shire itself represents an idyllic haven, where the hobbits live in harmony with nature and each other, creating an environment of peace, love, and pleasure. Even though not all hobbits get along and are particularly stuck in their ways, their ways are that of connection with the spirit of the earth. In many ways, living in the Shire might be what we would think would be the end goal for many characters, a peaceful haven where evil doesn't exist, reminiscent of the English countryside. As the story opens, we see Bilbo celebrating his 11th first birthday, which in the book also just happens to be on the same day as Frodo celebrating his coming-of-age birthday as he turns 33. In Sacred Numerology, 1-1-1 signifies manifestation and prosperity. This number's main symbolism is manifesting thoughts into reality and is also said to symbolize awareness, uniqueness, motivation, and spiritual awakening. This makes sense as shortly after Bilbo's celebrations, he slips away to go on a new journey in his life. Frodo's age is also hugely significant, as 33 in Christian numerology is the age that Jesus was when he was crucified in the year 33 AD. We might even go as far as to say that no number holds more esoteric significance than 33. The number three is significant in all major religions, with there being a trinity for Christians and even a trinity of goddesses or deities in many ancient cultures. The number 33 was also important to secret societies and is often concealed within significant literary works. There are even 33 degrees in modern Freemasonry. At the Vatican there are 32 archways on each side of the courtyard with a giant obelisk in the middle and the Pope's cassock has 32 buttons with his head representing the 33rd. Furthermore, the first Temple of Solomon stood for 33 years before being pillaged. Alexander the Great also died at 33 and Pope John Paul I was murdered after being in power for only 33 days. And if that all wasn't interesting enough, in the movies we see all of this happen on the 22nd of September. So altogether we have 111, 22 and a hidden 33. When we first meet Bilbo and Gandalf, Bilbo is unwilling to give up the ring, a sign of being unable to let go of his worldly attachments and temptations. Eventually, after much persuasion from the wizard, he gives it up and is relieved of a huge burden, symbolic of him relieving his ego of its duty. When Gandalf returns later to visit Frodo, he casts the ring into the fireplace, revealing the engraved Elvish script. Isn't it remarkable how the black speech of Mordor can be so beautiful and yet so evil at the same time? It's a scenario reminiscent of Lucifer, who was said to be the most beautiful of God's angels, don't you think? Along with strength of will, the value of wisdom is also integral to the underlying spirituality of Lord of the Rings. Although I'm sure Tolkien never intended it this way, we find the Elves to be an embodiment of and reminiscent of Taoist wisdom. Like the Taoist sages, the Elves, for the most part, are free of the discontent that so affects humans. They love the natural world and govern their lives in harmony with it. They dedicate their creative power to fashioning things of beauty that enhance the natural world without damaging it. Their dwellings bring to mind the dwellings in the great Taoist landscapes, habitations in harmony with their environments. All of this, like the ideal government of the Tao De Ching, is so at odds with our actual world that fantasy is an apt term for it. But it does bring to mind the kind of world that beings who are born with inner contentment might create. And in doing so, reminds us of the degree that the world we have in fact created is much born out of our own discontentment. Leaving up to their meeting in Rivendell, Frodo is stabbed by a Nazgûl blade that begins to slowly infect him, which Aragorn says can only be healed by Elven magic. If we look at it from a higher perspective, the Nazgûl are creatures of necromancy, fueled by dark magic and hatred. By being stabbed, perhaps that hatred and despair begins to slowly enter Frodo, and given that Elven magic is born solely out of love and compassion, it is the only thing that can heal a wound of fear and hatred. Much like his own current situation, love is the only true remedy for fear. It is no coincidence that Frodo meets Bilbo here again, as the environment itself is one of healing and repentance. Now the first book and movie is called The Fellowship of the Ring, and on a base level it arguably represents the bonds of brotherhood and family, and this idea that no one race is better than another. In this, we find that even once enemies can become friends, such as Legolas and Gimli. Although the Fellowship was not meant to last, the establishing of this shared intention between all of them is ultimately what allows the entire story to transpire once they reach Rivendell. During the Council of Elrond, we see that the presence of the Ring and the Conversation stirs everyone to arms with each other. And truly, if each of them tried to destroy the Ring on their own, they would all fail and ultimately become corrupted by its power. The only one who can do it is Frodo, because he represents the purity and innocence of the natural soul, and even then the Ring still gets to him slowly but surely by the end. Nevertheless, only by having a united Fellowship made up of each of the world's races can they hope to succeed. There is undeniably a lesson of cooperation here, only by working together and lifting each other up can we accomplish something seemingly impossible. There is more power and unity than in separation. From a spiritual perspective, perhaps a lesson here is that by creating and maintaining an environment of mutual trust and harmony, and working together and creating a space for that kind of movement and growth to occur, can we too do the impossible and curb our own desires and egos, allowing us to exist in harmony with our world collectively. Also, it is interesting that the Fellowship numbers nine people, two humans, an elf, a dwarf, four hobbits, and a wizard, along with there being nine Nazgul. There's probably some strong numerology in there somewhere, as nine is a very significant number numerologically. But for now, let's just say that the two groups create a sense of balance, one for one, so to speak. Throughout the story, we also see the theme of personal sacrifice over and over. I wonder if this was inspired by Tolkien's own spirituality, reflecting Jesus, who gave his own life because it was what must be done. Frodo went on the journey to take the Ring to Rivendell, and then all the way to Mount Doom, sacrificing his old life, his old way of being, and things would never be the same again for him. Further, it was Gandalf's decision to allow Frodo the choice to take either the mines or the mountains after leaving Rivendell, a choice which ultimately led to Gandalf's death and Christ-like resurrection. While the majority of these scenes take place in the next film, it is significant that Gandalf dies fulfilling his purpose, protecting and guiding the others. In doing so, he is allowed to return to life as a much more leveled up Gandalf the White, taking the place of Saruman as the benevolent white wizard. The color symbolism here cannot go unmentioned, as his transition from gray to white is arguably symbolic of him shedding the veil of night, to quote our good friend Thoth from the Emerald Tablets, and becoming a true ascended being. This transition into ascension is also present with Galadriel in Lothlorien, towards the very end of the film. For people who have only seen the movie version of The Lord of the Rings, we see a little context for Galadriel's actions and words after she resists taking the Ring. Even the book version does not provide the full context, but in the appendices at the end of the Return of the King and in the Silmarillion, we learn that Galadriel's character flaw is the desire for power. This flaw she shares with her ancestors, who were exiled from the far west, do largely to their pride and aggression. Though sharing in this exile, Galadriel was always torn by her love of the world and its beauty and her desire for power. Through the ages of Middle-Earth, she steadfastly pitted her will against the will of Sauron and in doing so served in the protection of beauty and harmony against chaos and destruction. With this background, we can better understand the scene where Galadriel finally has offered the Ring of Power by Frodo. A part of her had obviously long desired for such an opportunity, yet she is able to resist this temptation and in doing so, she finally can relinquish her desire for power. On this, she knows that the condition of her exile has been lifted and she can now return to the far west, symbolic of her own ascension and moving into a new life for herself. Even the Gifts of Lothlórien themselves have spiritual meaning. Frodo's Light of Erendil that illuminates the darkness seems to signify light as a purifying energy that provides hope, warmth, and shows the way. Interestingly, there is a slight difference in the Gifts that Sam gets from Galadriel. In the movie, he receives an elven rope, but in the book, he receives soil from Galadriel's garden and a seed, which he uses to replant the trees in the Shire after it's destroyed, signifying a spiritual rebirth and ultimately the resurrection of the Earth. The movie ends with Frodo disbanding the Fellowship under the guise that the Ring holds too much temptation to be able to keep the group together. Once again, he makes a heavy sacrifice for what he sees as the greatest good. But like always, love is still the answer. Samwise, knowing Frodo as a friend, immediately guesses where he's going and follows him into what is quite literally the mouth of hell, signifying that the bonds of brotherhood and family transcend even the darkest of darkness. And on that note, let us now bring this first episode to a close. There is so much more that we could have got into here, and believe me, it was very hard to condense this into just one video. But hey, at least we've got two more to go. We will expand on each of these themes and delve more into them as we make our own journey to Mount Doom by working through the story here on this channel. So make sure to subscribe and hit the notification bell if you want to tune in for the next release. There's a new episode of Hidden Spirituality every week, so we'll see you again in a few days for something new.