The recent amazing film rendition of the great Lord of the Rings saga has captivated the imagination of people throughout nearly the entire world. This is already a third generation inspired by this work, and it has been very gratifying to experience it much more powerfully now, through this new transformative medium.
 
A great deal has been written about the mythological origins of this epic, and the historical symbolic significance of many of its notions and characters. The very concept of the Nine Companions who formed the Fellowship of the Ring should sound immediately familiar to a researcher of the esoteric. Many other symbolic and arcane references are given in the story, some greatly amplified even beyond Tolkien's original meaning, through the incredibly talented effort of director Peter Jackson and the screenwriters.
 
Leaving the specific symbolism aside for the moment though, there is one important aspect of the story which has largely escaped wide public notice, most likely because it's not very pleasant to think about. Yet the particular parallel which is being drawn is possibly the most significant part of this work's underlying message......