Many of the modern medical observations came from old “occult” experimentation, “necromancy”, and alchemical exploration. The common practice for chemical analysis in old alchemy was by taste, and human material was used in medicines as in a sweetbread. Heart in animals is a “sweet meat”, as is brain, which do tend to go to the rich.
To date, in a sense, we do still practice quite legal cannibalism, blood transfusion and organ transplants, and cannibalism is linked to the practice of human sacrifice. Evidence shows the bulk of it to have been voluntary. The “victim” almost worshipped, celebrated and heavily drugged. They volunteered with the belief it would convince the gods to spare humanity. It was the supposed virtue even of the sacrifice of the Christ.
I thought they burned the offerings? Not in all cases or cultures. The heart is high in iron content. The burning would not diminish the content and then you could preserve it. The red organs were considered especially imbued with blood, and the blood is the life as they say. The link between blood and breath was sort of intuited. Like the liver as well, and endocannibalism involved the liver more than the heart or brain.
Interestingly enough in the most evident culture of this, it was women who consumed it. The funerary rites were considered their special purview. Some evidence suggests this was true in India also, at least among some Indian cultures. Also eating afterbirths were a big cultural thing to give back the mother strength she had lost, and is the reason in animals for cannibalism of offspring most commonly. The reason the jackal was linked to the Priests of the Necropolis in Egyptian culture was because it was both a predator and a carrion eater.
Was cannibalism widespread across cultures? Did any cultures consider it pure evil? Not really until the spread of imperial “civilization”. The berserkers among the Norse peoples were known to consume the flesh of their enemies at times and were not reviled. In the rage, they were considered to be acting as the body of a bear spirit, in a sense.
I read in Africa some ‘albinos’ are ritually slaughtered as they are considered magical? Yes. There was a cannibalism ceremony recently in one of the Asian islands at the suggestion of an astrologer. The successor of their ruler was seeking to absorb the former rulers power who had died of old age.
The former ruler agreed? No, nor had it been originally planned.
Does the idea of absorption of power have merit? Potentially. In an obscure way, the already human proteins could perhaps generate an epigenetic influence. Blood transfusion to promote democracy? 🙂
There must be a psychic imprint of us in our flesh? Kirlian exploration shows that indeed there is an energetic pattern linked to tissue samples.
Your thoughts are welcome. Be well friends.
Travis Saunders
Dragon Intuitive
~science,mysticism,spirituality~