Many-Skilled

[jarandhel]

Been thinking about this concept more and more lately... the concept of the Samildanach, the Many-Skilled. The Renaissance man. The Generalist. The People of Art...


It's an interesting concept when you think about it, really. Kind of the opposite of that old bit of folk wisdom about a jack of all trades being master of none. It's a concept that acknowledges that the pursuit of many skills can enhance all of them, as they all interconnect. There are at least two such figures in Celtic myth (and likely more that I am not recalling at this time), the Dagda and Lugh Samildanach. There are also other deities who are similarly patrons of skills that seem unrelated... as Brigid, goddess of smithcraft, poetry and inspiration, and healing and medicine (among other things, including whistling apparently) aptly demonstrates.

This is not necessarily uniquely celtic, either... the greeks and romans, despite what most are taught about their beliefs in school, ascribed many things to their gods. Apollo was more than just a god of the sun, he was also a god of healing and music. Hermes was more than just the messenger of the gods... he was also Hermes Kleptes, the Trickster; Hermes Pheletes, the Charmer; Hermes Psykhopompos, Conveyor of Souls; Hermes Katokhos, who binds; and Hermes Hegetor Oneiron, Bringer of Dreams, just to name a few.

Taking the concept further, out of myth and into history, we find the great modern archetype of a Renaissance Man... Leonardo da Vinci. I believe I've made many references previously in this journal about my research into his life and his studies.

But here is where it all gets really relevant: we can all be Renaissance men. We can all be Samildanach. We all have more than one talent, more than one interest... let them out. Give them life, and expression. Let them interact, and see what they may learn from each other, and what they have to teach. See what new things can be born at the places where they meet and mingle. Let them weave together in the tapestry of your life... the pattern will be the richer for it.

For my own part, I am seeking to give my skills and interests more expression... breaking up my studying of academic subjects with other pursuits. I am cooking more these days... been having an urge to do that ever since I got back from WtT, and I'm enjoying it greatly. It feels good... right. I haven't decided what other skills to focus on at this time, but writing might come next... I feel an urge to create right now that cooking has been stimulating and satisfying all at once. It is a good time for me, I think. :)

Comments

[zaecus.livejournal.com]

It's a wonderful way to interact with the world, unless society gets in the way by requiring rites of passage (money, singular dedication to one field in order to be taken seriously enough to answer your questions, family connections, and so on).

I've toyed with the idea of printing up some cards with "Samildanach" on them as a 'job' title, but I haven't because I worry that it might be presumptuous. Bragging is my ancestral right, but I might be called on to prove it, and I wouldn't want to let those ancestors down by failing. ;-)

Re:

[jarandhel.livejournal.com]

*shrugs* I wasn't talking so much about doing this professionally, necessarily... it was more a post about balancing your many skills and interests within your whole life than varying your livelihood as such. And society doesn't tend to demand such rites of passage for nonprofessional pursuits.

[zaecus.livejournal.com]

I wasn't talking about professionally. I've had a lot of trouble doing things with non-professional goals. I've even had some conversations very obviously end as soon as the other person found out I wasn't a businessman asking questions in order to carry out a paying job.