Sunday, December 22, 2019

Tyet Knot


    Tyet, Amulet, Ancient Egyptian Faience, Amarna

There is some mystery surrounding the origin and meaning of the ancient Egyptian tyet symbol, according to egyptologists. The meaning of the hieroglyph is rendered as "welfare" and "life". Sometimes it is called "the Knot / Buckle / Girdle of Isis," and it indeed looks like a looped and knotted piece of cloth. The arms of the tyet, rather than extending outward like the similar ankh (also with meaning “life”), hang down the sides in a rather relaxed fashion, as a ribbon tied in a long looping bow might do. Definitely very feminine and yin looking in nature. 

The Tyet looks like a draping garment which is reminiscent of the feminine form. Tyets ("life") are feminine in nature. Just as the woman in the garden of Eden was called Eve / Chavvah / Havva ("life").


Red Carnelian Tit/Tyet(Isis knot) amulet, ca. 1550-1275 BCE, The Met

Since the tyet was associated with the goddess and in the later kingdoms with Isis, we have a clue as to in what sense "life" is meant. The feminine association with "life" is the earth goddess, Eve, abundance and bringing forth of life from the fertile earth / ground / adamah*, Gaia, blood, and and life from the womb. 

*"ground / dust / earth / soil," from Hb., adom "to be red"; same as adam; dam "blood"; the creature God made in his own image and likeness was made from the red/blood, i.e., fertile soil.

The Empress, Shaddowscapes tarot, pregnancy, fertility, motherhood, sensuality, nurturing, femininity, nature harmony, art

The symbol is also sometimes connected to or called "the blood of Isis." Some say that the tyet may have been a representation of some sort of menstrual cloth because of its association with red carnelian (dSr "red" in ancient Egyptian similar to dSrw "blood"), menstruation, and usage as protective amulet for pregnancy, but I don't personally think this fits with its origins. If the tyet is associated with fertility and life, and menstruation/pregnancy are also associated with fertility and life, then it is reasonable that the two would be associated. This does not mean that the tyet was originally supposed to be a representation of a menstrual cloth, or even a yoni or womb. I'm more inclined to think that the reference to blood has to do with blood's association with "life" and bringing forth of, and sustaining of life (wellfare). 

Isis was a goddess who was responsible for the resurrection of her husband Osiris (god of fertility, agriculture, the dead, resurrection, life*). Isis along with her sister, Nephtys gathered together the missing and scattered pieces of Osiris' dismembered body. Osiris was then resurrected long enough for Isis to become pregnant with Osiris' son, Horus. Osiris is often associated with and even depicted as the Djed pillar. The djed and tyet are often seen together in artwork. 


[*so similar associations as the earth goddesses, such as Demeter / Ceres, the mother earth goddess, goddess of agriculture, grain, crops, fertility, and her daughter Persephone / Proserpina "Queen of the Underworld/Dead.]

 
Detail of the upper margin of the sarcophagus of the last native Egyptian pharaoh  Nectanebo II(30th dynasty reign, c. 360-343 BCE)

The Djed / Tet pillar was used as a hieroglyph for the spoken word, as well as a symbol and concept in and of itself, it had the meaning "stability, continuity, regeneration". It is commonly said to represent the backbone of Osiris. It is an enigmatic symbol in origin, like the Tyet. When discussing the meaning of the tyet and djed, it is important to note, that they are two of the more ancient of Egyptian symbols which remained popular throughout the duration of the ancient Egyptian culture. The origins of the tyet are much older than many of the representations, descriptions and usage that we have from the later time periods.
The Tjet [Tyet] is thought to date from the Predynastic period and was a popular decorative symbol by the third dynasty (Old Kingdom), often appearing alongside the Ankh and the Djed . . . By the New Kingdom it was associated with Isis perhaps due to to its frequent association with the Djed . . . Thus the Djed may have represented the masculine power, while the Tjet represented the feminine power. . . Ancient Egypt Online/Tjet(Tyet), ancientegyptonline.co.uk

Ancient Egypt was rich in symbolism. Not only was the language written with an hieroglyphic system that is pictorial, but the religious iconography and every day use of amulets contained copious amounts of archetypal information available to the unread masses as well as to the scholars. Here the saying was never more true, "A picture says a thousand words." Considering that hieroglyphic written language wasn't in usage until c. 3200 BC and the origin of the Tyet and Djed were sometime during the Predynastic period, the words tyet and djed were spoken words before they were written phonetically.

One idea regarding the origin of the word tjt [one common transliteration of Egyptian hieroglyphic word, or also t_t], known as tyet, could be that it might have originated as a form of the word dd, i.e., djed, but with the feminine ending -t. This is just some freeform speculation, but not without some logical basis.


The word for this so called "Knot of Isis" is rendered in English sometimes as tyettjettiettet, tit, tet, that, thet. I have seen it pronounced with a long I, as tie-et, or with a long E, as teet. Since we must transliterate and transcribe the ancient Egyptian hieroglyphic language, which was written without vowels, linguists only speculate as to how the words were pronounced. So we have many different spellings and pronunciations in English of the possible pronunciations of the ancient Egyptian words. Often in transcriptions from Egyptian hieroglyphs to English, either a t or a d are used to spell the same word, such as tuat or duat, meaning “underworld” depending on who is doing the translation and what system they are using. 

The name of the god Thoth, for example, is also sometimes written as Djehuti, Tehuti, Techu, Tetu, and has equally wildly varied pronunciations. And djedthe so called Pillar of Osiris, is sometimes written as tet

(Thoth and Horus supporting djed pillar) Mummy Case of Nespanetjerenpere [detail], 22nd- early 25th Dynasty, c. 945-712 BCE, Brooklyn Museum, NYC

This confusion arises because, not only do we not know how the words sounded when spoken by a person during this ancient period, when people try to pronounce even the same words, or try to translate words there is much variation in accent and vowel usage. . . you say tomato, I say tomato . . . And there are sounds made in certain languages that other languages do not have and are hard for non natives speakers to pronounce. . . So, for example, tell an English speaking person to write a word as they hear it spoken you will get different spellings. Is the Hebrew word written as, Eve (from the Greek) in English translations of the bible, Havvah / Hawwah, or Chavvah / Chawwah? And good luck if the person who is doing the translation speaks yet another language and hears the word third, forth or fifth hand. When trying to understand the story of history we are forever playing a vast game of "telephone" but with many more factors involved even, so, given the fact that the tyet is a very ancient symbol which may have been spoken before it was ever written, it is not surprising if something akin to djed-et, or tet-et, morphed into tyet or tit.

There are examples like this especially in the early dynasties, of male Egyptian deities having female counterparts with the same name feminized, such as Amun [jmn/ Amunet [jmnt], both meaning "the Hidden One". Nu / Naunet, meaning "primordial waters". Kekui / Kekuit, "primordial darkness". Allso the ancient Egyptian word for “wife, woman” is hmt, from hm “incarnation”, with the -t ending. This is interesting because hm is like the English pronoun for a male, "him", so woman, then, is him-et. This is also similar to the words male and female, man and woman, and as in the book of Genesis, from the Hebrew, is [ish] / issa [ishshah] "man/woman".
Then ha'adam (the man) said, "This at last is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called issah (woman), because she was taken out of ish (man)." Genesis 2:23

The Djed had the meaning of stability, and with stability we have security, and security is welfare and life, that is, Tyet. 

Detail of the outermost golden shrine of Tutankhamun, 18th dynasty, Valley of the Kings. Egyptian Museum, Cairo

The Djed and Tyet were both often represented with similar pillar like trunks, and associated with the masculine (god / Osiris) and feminine (goddess / Isis) principles.

What if tyet was actually tet-et, but was then contracted by usage? This does happen sometimes, such as with the word "messenger" in English.
[messenger] With unetymological -n- inserted by c. 1300 for no apparent reason except that people liked to say it that way. . . [OE]

The Djed first appeared in the Predynastic period (c. 6000-3150 BC). It was thought to be made originally with stalks or sheaves of reeds. When grain or stalks are ready to be harvested, they are cut and tied, so my question is, "Did the tyet tie it? Did the tyet make the pillar tight?" Namely, were the stalks which made the djed / tet fastened by something which was then called tyet or tet-et? In this case the tyet securing the stalks under the heads is literally a neck tie/necktie [which is fitting considering that tyet amulets were usually placed on the neck of the deceased, therefore were neck tyets. Perhaps placed at the neck because the neck is where the spine/backbone connects with the head?]. In this way the Djed and Tyet would have been the cause of the stability of the pillar together.


    Sheaves of Reeds like Pillars

A knot/tie secures, and is for security. Single stalks alone are not stable like a pillar without being tied in bunches. In this way the union of the masculine and feminine, and the equal importance of each is apparent.

It is true that the two are not depicted as part of the same single structure in the images shown above (however, sometimes the Djed is depicted combined with the Ankh as below), but this doesn't necessarily mean that they were never used in rituals in this way, i.e., as some sort of combined djed/tyet pillar.

Isis and Nepthys with djed, ankh, sun disk, raised arms, from Book of the Dead of Ani, British Museum, London, facsimile 1890; original c. 1300 BCE


There is a long tradition of pillars being used in fertility rituals, often decorated / tied with ribbons / cloth, such as May PolesWe can not have fecudity without both the masculine and feminine present, and at some point joined.
Raising of the Maypole, similar to the raising of the Djed. Djed Adorned with Tyet?
In the Predynastic Period[*before it was even associated with Osiris] it [the djed] may have originally been a representation of a fertility pole upon which sheaves of grain were suspended at festivals. This pole may have been a feature of early fertility rituals which eventually came to be associated with the god who made the land fertile [*firstly Ptah, later assumed by Atum, Sokar and Osiris]. . . the Djed Pillar festival was held annually at which an actual djed pillar was built and raised by the local priesthood on the first day of the harvest season. Raising the pillar may have originally symbolized the grains raising from the earth, but in time came to represent the god Osiris returning from the dead. -Ancient History Encyclopedia https://www.ancient.eu/Djed/

The Djed, meaning “stability," is only stable (and not scattered like Osiris' body) because Isis “knit/tied" Osiris back together after he was killed. She was the cause of “life”, and of his “welfare". 

The tyet symbol was used as a funerary amulet to protect the deceased in the journey to the afterlife.
You possess your blood, Isis, you possess your power. Isis, you possess your magic, Isis. The amulet is protection for this Great One, which will drive off anyone who would perform a criminal act against him. - Spell 156, Book of the Dead
In this way it is fitting that the symbol[tyet] would be represented as separate from the backbone of the god, for they were in fact separated by death, and Osiris did not fare well until he was reunited by his wife and his welfare restored. So too, when one is in death the "life" represented by the tyet would offer support, and enable stability. 

This goddess figurine is from Predynastic Egypt (6000-3100 BC). Figurines such as this were often used as mortuary objects. Paleolithic goddess images are often depicted as mother goddess figurines, shown and pregnant, with full figures, or sometimes like this, with raised arms as in the example below.


Female Figurine, Predynastic Egypt(6000-3150 BCE), by Brooklyn Museum 

Here the goddess is tall and pillarlike. 

This pottery [below] is from the same time period. It depicts masculine and feminine looking figures atop (next to?) a reed boat (?) with pillar/ladder type structures. There are many examples of pottery from the period with these same motifs repeated. The raised pillar/ladder looking objects are a common feature. It isn't clear what they are depicting but perhaps it is possible they are depicting some sort of bound reed structure, so in that way similar to the djed. From the looks of the images on the pottery it seems possible that the symbolism may not have been completely separate from the notion of the djed pillar and the tyet.
 

Naqada II pottery, late predynastic period(3100-2950 BCE)

It doesn't appear that the goddess with raised arms statuettes were popularly produced after this period of time. However, during the period of the Ancient Egyptian Kingdoms, over the next few millennia, various goddesses, including Isis are portrayed with outstretched arms, donning feathered wings.

Seated Isis (her throne crown identifies her) with outstretched winged arms

One of the most intriguing mysteries of prehistoric Egypt is the transition from Paleolithic to Neolithic life, represented by the transformation from hunting and gathering to sedentary farming. We know very little about how and why this exchange occurred. Predynastic Period in Ancient Egypt, ancient.eu
Could there have been a shift over time, as the civilizations moved from the Paleolithic hunter gatherer societies to agricultural societies, in how this divine feminine counterpart was portrayed? As the civilizations of the Mediterranean shifted towards more patriarchal societies, as seen at the time of the ancient Greek civilization and the Roman Empire, the interpretations, representations, and roles of the goddesses would have been adapted or shifted to fit these ideologies over time, and this, not even necessarily consciously.

Here, in this depiction of the raising of the djed, Isis is seen assisting the pharaoh. She is depicted next to the pillar, like the tyet, rather than on top of it or as part of it. At the center is the djed pictured with the Double Plumed crown and sundisk of Amun-Re.


Ancient bass relief showing Pharaoh Seti I[1323-1279 BCE, 19th dynasty] raising the Djed column with Isis. West wall Osiris hall. Temple of Abydos, el Balyana, Egypt

The phallic / yonic attributes of the djed and tyet are also commonly pointed out along with the other symbolism, but this could be a secondary correspondence by nature of the objects. The djed and tyet as symbols are rich in meaning and importance even without any phallic consideration, as they represent the body of the god who dies and is then resurrected, and his wife. The djed is Osiris' backbone, not his boner. The two are by nature representative of the masculine/yang and the feminine / yin respectively (and by masculine and feminine is not meant gendered men and women. Each individual is an expression of both masculine and feminine principle even if engendered in a specific body polarity of male or female); the djed being: erect, hard/stable, straight, possessing copious seed (as stalks), and the tyet: relaxed and receptive looking with what could be considered yonic and womblike shapes. The loop itself is feminine in the sense that it is a hole which can be penetrated. 

However, if we are going to relate the symbols to their phallic meaning, it is powerful symbolism as well. The feminine is penetrated but not injured by the penetration (sexual act), and the feminine bleeds without a wound (menstruation / childbirth), this can be seen as a type of magic which the feminine possesses, whereas, when the masculine is penetrated and bleeds it is injured and dies

Christ Crucified (c. 1632) by Diego Valazquez. Museo del Prado, Madrid

When the feminine submits to the masculine it is seeded and able to produce new lifeBut in order for the masculine to be fruitful, it is necessary that it submits to a kind of death, or actual death.
Truly, truly, I say unto you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth (feminine) and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. John 12:24 
It was only when the masculine, as the son of God, Jesus gave himself / submitted to the cross and died, that he then was raised to new life, and gave life to the world, in the form of being the cause for the resurrection of the many, enabled by their being transformed into and one with God, as the Egyptians trusted in resurrection remembering and identifying with the death and resurrection of Osiris. 

Thus, this submission of the masculine can be seen as a kind of blessing. It is a hard passageway, yet the result is new life / fruitfulness/movement. It is a pathway out of the frozeness of death and hell. Together the masculine and the feminine, in proper balance and union, create a ladder/pillar to heaven. 


It just so happens, however that it is more difficult for the masculine to submit than for the feminine, because the polarity of high is . . . low.
For a little while they are exalted, and then they are gone; they are brought low and gathered up like all others; they are cut off like heads of grain. Job 24:24
This is why it is said of wisdom,
. . . Compared with the light [masculine] she is found to be superior, for it is succeeded by the night, but against wisdom [feminine], evil does not prevail. Wisdom 7:29-30
This "superiority" seems to be in the sense that when there is movement of the yin / night it moves to light, which is generally pleasant and seen as the good, but when there is movement of the day / yang, it is overcome by the darkness of the cycle which is viewed as adversity or evil. But Jesus, as all men/women/humankind do, submitted to a mater (latin "mother') to be born in to matter (earth). And there is no doubt this is difficult. Yet the benefit we receive from this submission, i.e., being nailed to the wheel of the zodiac in birth, so to speak, is great. 


Even though it is easy for the feminine to be mistreated by abuse of power of the masculine, a woman rightfully possesses the sexual agency to either allow the masculine to penetrate the passage to the womb (place of the fertile blood) or not. She is the gatekeeper of this feminine power, and authority over this allowing of the masculine aspect to merge with the feminine. Thus the feminine is the gatekeeper of the masculine's power to create (without a fertile place to put the seed, no new life). With out this fertile earth, a place for the seed to fall, the masculine cannot have offspring physically/metaphorically/spiritually or otherwise. 


So what can we say when the masculine principle is stuck or not fruitful? Obviously it needs to work with the fertile territory of the feminine principle. This is especially true of logic (masculine) and intuition (feminine). When there is no answer, logic is stuck/not fruitful, then intuitive exploring is necessary to provide new and fertile ground to plant the seeds (ideas) of logic in and see what grows from them. Things become stagnant and stale, i.e., dead when the breath of life is withheld. This is an alchemical principle as well, the sacred marriage of the masculine and feminine elements. It is for this reason that the differences and dignity of these polarities need to be honored. Without them working together the world and everything in it physically and mentally dies, or is good as dead.


Hieronymous Bosch, The Garden of Earthly Delights[detail], 1490-1510, Museo del Prado, Madrid, Album Cover, Dead Can Dance, photo by Julie O.]

The sexual manifestations of male and female are only physical representations of these complex concepts or realities. The All / God is the unity of the yin and yang. God is both masculine and feminine and thus creation reflects this. Nor is any one thing ever purely only masculine or feminine. As the symbolism of the yin and yang shows. They are swirling, and in each other. The yin is in the yang and the yang is in the yin in an unceasing dance. 

Yin/Yang, by Wes Stupar

Through physical manifestations of the yin and yang such as a person's sex, we are taught / given example about the notion of the masculine and the feminine; we are taught about God by seeing clear examples of this duality. There are countless examples of yang and yin, but no one thing is purely either male / yang or female / yin. 

God created man (the adam) male and female, as is seen on the level of the work of procreation. For it takes a man and a female biology acting together to make a baby, yet that is just one level of the masculine and feminine principles in action. On other levels individuals are/act in varying degrees of, and manifestations of masculine and feminine. This is what it means to be created both male and female in the image of God. If a man was wholly masculine and a woman wholly feminine, not only is this impossible, they would not contain a complete image of God. 


But . . . getting back to the tyet as a piece of cloth. In that way (and if it was tied on the pillar) it could be called a garment. Garment is "any article of clothing"(reduced from garnement, early 14c.), from the French garnement, from garnir "fit out, provide, adorn", from a Germanic source, from PIE root *wer- (4)
“ to cover." And cover means “to protect or defend from harm”, from same PIE root *wer- (4). So to cover is to provide welfare and secure life. The goddess used her power to cover the deceased with her protection, as symbolized by the tyet placed on the neck. 

A length of cloth or chord can be also used as a girdle / belt to secure the clothing upon a body.

Rope Cincture with Tassels

Tiet is translated as “life”, “welfare", so it is interesting that this sounds like diet. A good diet provides for ones welfare. Diet is ultimately from Latin dieta “prescribed way of life," from Greek diaita, originally "way of life, regimine, dwelling". . . Just as the garb/garment of a priest is part of his dieta [prescribed way of life], parts of which resemble a tiet.

Also djed tet, when pronounced can sound like “jet”. Jet(v.) is "to sprout or spurt forth, shoot out", ultimately from PIE root *ye- "to throw, impel." The djed having to do with agricultural symbolism and growth could be said to be something sprouting forth, and when raised, the djed juts ("jut" from same root as "jet") upward. 

OSIRIS-REx spacecraft launch, Sept. 8, 2016

This jet propulsion rocket spacecraft, OSIRIS-REx, is in the shape of a pillar as it takes off, so it is not unlike like Osiris as the djed, aye? Rockets raise us to the heavens. And GUESS WHAT? The OSIRIS-REx's return capsule is set to return to Earth September 24, 2023! How exciting! Its retrieval (welfare) is dependent upon its parachute to bring it to a soft landing. Parachutes are made out of strong cloth and connected / tied with chords. So, is it Isis, as this cloth tie parachute, who is responsible for OSIRIS-REx's safe return?


Isis Wings Dance Garment, might double as a parachute


As is above, so is below . . .


P.S. Interestingly enough, too, the name for red ochre in ancient Egypt was "ded", dd, so not unlike djed, also dd. If a tyet was ever painted red, it would be dd (ochre) in color, and ochre (dd) is red. The tyet might even be painted with ochre, so it would be literally dd. Ochre red, blood=red. Fertility / life are associated with the red / blood earth, so, perhaps life=Tyet=red=ded=dd=Djed=Tet. 
Ochre is "ded", and without red / blood you're dead.









Tuesday, October 8, 2019

Twilight Time

What is this enigma; twilight? 

A simple definition:
twilight
  1. 1. 
    the soft glowing light from the sky when the sun is below the horizon, caused by the refraction and scattering of the sun's rays from the atmosphere. 

Twilight; Woodland Hills, August 5, 2016, 8:24 PM, photo by Julie O. /chthonickore 

 However, anyone who experiences a sunrise or a sunset knows that twilight is much more than a simple phenomenon of physics. It touches us on a subline level of the soul. It is a time between light and dark, day and night, rising and falling. It is a junction, neither day, nor night; the two meet briefly in ballance, they take a few steps together, and then one vanishes . . . but in their mysterious merging, they become something very unique. 



Pacific Coast, Ventura, December 20, 2014, 4:12 PM, photo by Julie O. /chthonickore

Crepuscular means "pertaining to or resembling twilight", from Latin crespuculum "twilight, dusk", related to creper "obscure, uncertain", from Proto-Italic *krepos "twilight", which is itself of creper (uncertain) origin. Maybe a bit like creepers, those shades of the night who hide in the shaddows. Shade from,
Middle English shade, shade, Kentish ssed, "dark image cast by someone or something; comparative obscurity or gloom caused by blockage of light," from late Old English scead "partial darkness; shelter, protection," also partly from sceadu "shade, shadow, darkness; shady place, arbor, protection from glare or heat". . . [OE]
People sometimes dress up as "shades" wearing sheets, so it is funny that these creeps who might appear at crepuscular times could be described as being "crapey". Crape meaning "a light thin fabric with a wrinkled surface is from Old French crespe "ruff, ruffle, frill", therefore like a veil, as is the twilight being a time between, the tween time; liminal.
Limin meaning "threshold” in Latin.

It is often in these ephemeral moments such as twilight that we are most acutely aware of our state here on earth, as creatures subject to time and change. Everything is in constant change and movement; cycles, cycles within cycles, spiraling out into endless space.


There is a fifth dimension beyond that which is known to man. It is a dimension as vast as space and as timeless as infinity. It is the middle ground between light and shadow, between science and superstition, and it lies between the pit of man's fears and the summit of his knowledge. This is the dimension of imagination. It is an area we call The Twilight Zone

It is a potent time, yet subdued. Fleeting yet timeless, still, muted, yet often bright with brilliant colors filling the horizon at the juncture of the vanishing sunset.

The Sun moves no more quickly at these junctions, yet we are more acutely aware of its movement as it touches the horizon than at other times of the day. It is not surprising that during a total solar eclipse we also experience a mystical twilight. It is only during these fleeting moments that the majesty of the sun's corona (crown) is revealed. We grow pensive in this half light. 
On hiding, the sun, which a moment before made everything twice, thrice, a hundred times greater and better with its complexities of the light and gold, now leaves all things, without the long transition of twilight, lonely and poverty stricken as though one had exchanged gold for silver first and then silver for copper. The town resembles a musty and valueless copper cent. How gloomy and unimportant the streets, the squares, the tower, the mountain roads. - Platero and I, Juan Ramón Juménez, translated by Eloïse Roach
According to the Online Etymology dictionary:
Exact connotation of twi- in this word[twilight] is unclear, but it appears to refer to 'half' light. . . Compare also Sanskirt samdhya 'twilight,' literally 'a holding together, junction,' [and] Middle High German zwischerliecht, literally 'tweenlight.'" Twilight [OE]

      Topanga, CA, June 4, 2018 , 7:41 PM, photo by Julie O. /chthonickore

So it is unclear what the original connotation of the "twi" in twilight is. However, it does make sense that this word would have the connotation of half light (1/2), -twi being related to the PIE root *dwo meaning "two," as in twice, twin, twine, and the German zwei "two", zwischen "between, zwielicht "twilight". 

But perhaps there is more to the story. . .

Looking at another word meaning twilight shows that there is another sense in which we might say this 'in between' light is related to the word forming sound 
-twi.
Gloaming is from Old English, glamoung meaning "twilight, the fall of evening", from glom "twilight", which is related to glowan "to glow" (hence, glow of sunrise and sunset). [OE]

So twilight is also named after this time of glowing. 



     Pacific Coast, Ventura, Dec. 24, 2014, 5:03 PM, photo by Julie O. /chthonickore

It is interesting, then, what is said about a seemingly unrelated word, seismic (as in seismic activity, or an earthquake). 

Earthquakes are powerful and also awe inspiring. The goddess Durga had seismic powers.
Upon encountering Durga, Mahishasura underestimated her, thinking: "How can a woman kill me, Mahishasur-the one who has defeated the trinity of gods?" However, Durga roared with laughter, which caused an earthquake and made Mahishasur aware of her powers." -Devi Mahatmya, www.dscourse.in/durga
Goddess Durga, fighting Mahishasura, the buffalo-demon, Early 18th century, Picture of the "Guler School"

The word Seismic is from the root seismo-
word forming element meaning "earthquake," from Greek seismos "a shaking, shock,; an earthquake," also "an extortion" (compare colloqial shake [someone] down), from seiein "to shake agitate, sway; to quake, shiver" from PIE root *twei- "to agitate, shake, toss; exite; sparkle" (also source of Sanskrit tvestai "to excite; to be excited, inflame, sparkle," and Avestan words for "fears" and "fright, danger"). [OE]

Therefore, seismio- being from *twei-, seems phonetically or by pronunciation to be connected to twi (the supposed root of twilight), because we say the “seis” in seismic with a long I sound just as we say "twi” in twilight. 

Certain words coming from seismo have to do with a kind of agitation of light, seemingly, rather than just having to do with shaking; such as, sparkle, inflame. So in that sense this *twei- may have connection to the naming of the time when deep fiery colors overwhelm the horizon. These colors can have an intensive and definite glow to them.

Another seemingly unrelated word in concept to twilight is the name of the star, Sirius. Stars are usually associated with night rather than twilight, yet the appearance of stars (and also planet "stars" like Venus) at sunrise and sunset are actually historically very important dates and times. 


Anton Raphael Mengs 1765 Hersperus As Personification of the Evening Star
Starlight star bright

first star I see tonight

I wish I may

I wish I might

Have the wish I wish tonight

In ancient Egypt, the 
star Sirius, the brightest star by magnitude, was looked for in the twilight after a 70 day absence (being hidden by the brightness of the sun during that phase). This heliacal rising (rising just before the sun) was important to the ancient Egyptians because it indicated the time of the annual inundation of the Nile which fertilized the black land and made growing possible, and it was celebrated as the New Year.
The first sighting of Sirius and its association with the rebirth of the Nile was so important that its heliacal rising marked the start of the Egyptian calendar year. Heliacal relates to the stars proximity to the Sun (Helios in Greek), at the time, Sirius made its first appearance in early July as seen from the ancient capital of Memphis, but due to the procession of the equinoxes, the star now rises into view in early August. Sky and Telescope; Sirius
A stellar Goddess, possibly Sopdet[Gk. Sothis, Latin Sirius 'the Dog Star', (Sirius also discussed here)], from the tomb of Seti I, c. 1300 BC

Therefore, the appearance of a star at its heliacal rising has to do with, and can be associated, by experience, with twilight. Not only is the sky bright and glowing at twilight, but the stars themselves; the stars that having been journeying in the underworld (absent from sight), can be described as shinny and sometime sparkling [remember one definition of PIE root *twei- "sparkling"]. So if star = sparkling we could say twei-light [twilight] is the majestic time of the appearance of this prominent starlight. Especially given the fact that a possible etymological origin of Sirius is also connected to the *twei root.
Latin Sirius rom Greek Seirios, said to mean literally "scorching" or "the scorcher" [*heliacal rising heralding the "dog days of summer", Sirius being found in the constellation of Canis Major]. But other related Greek words seem to derive from this use, and the name might be a folk-etymologized borrowing from some other language. 
An Egyptian name for it was Sothis [*actually Sopdet is the transliterated name from the Egyptian, and Sothis is the Greek rendering of this] Beekes suggests it is from PIE root *twei- "to agitate, shake, toss; excite; sparkle[OE] *my addition
Also, being associated with the underworld, death and rebirth, and thus the liminal; junctions, crossroads. The process of mummification interestingly, took around 70 days, just as the star Sirius spent 70 days in the underworld before its heliacal rising. The Egyptians were believers in resurrection of the body and life after death.
The ancient Egyptians' attitude towards death was influenced by their belief in immortality. They regarded death as a temporary interruption, rather than the cessation of life. To ensure the continuity of life after death  people paid homage to the gods, both during and after their life on earth. When they died, they were mummified so the soul would return to the body, giving it breath and life. Canadian Museum of History, Life After Death
  Resurrection scene from the tomb of Maya in Saqqara XIX Dynasty, Photo; ahramonline.

But death is always a solemn time, sometimes painful, sometimes frightening, at other times gloomy; death is a time of transition, and therefore a time in between; a kind of twilight time for a person; transition from life in this world to life in the next. Even the "good-est" of deaths dim the light in our lives, if even just for a time. 

As we see this from the death of Jesus. It is called Good Friday, but it really was a bit gloomy, as well as awe inspiring. It certainly shook things up when this 'Son' set.

And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit. At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook, the rocks split, and the tombs broke open. Matthew 27:50-52
Gloaming of the Christ, by Julie O. /chthonickore, 2003

Some people theorize that there was a lunar eclipse near the time of Jesus' death. And the gospels tell us that following his death there was an earthquake, and the curtain in the temple, the veil between God and man was split. At the time only the high priest could enter beyond the curtain to the Holy of Holies, and even then, only once a year to offer a blood sacrifice for atonement. We could say the curtain being torn down the middle illumined the liminal space, or barrier between God and human. The son was then placed in in the tomb and rose again on the third day. Just as the sun reaches a death and rebirth point at the winter solstice, and each and every day this drama is replayed in the microcosm of the day, i.e., The Day; day, night, morning; one day. The sun sets, day turns to night, light to darkness, and then rises again gloriously each morning. 
O happy fault that earned for us so great, so glorious a Redeemer. 
O felix culpa quae talem et tantum meruit habere redemptorem - Catholic Paschal Vigil Mass Exsultet

Depending on one's perspective and purposes, the light going to darkness is good, it is evil, or it is neutral, or even all at the same time. But one thing is true, without the darkening; without night, there is no morning.
One is fruitful only at the cost of being rich in contradictions . . .
Man ist nur fruchtbar um den Preis, an Gegensätzen reich zu sein . . . Friedrich Nietzsche, GötzendämmerungTwilight of the Idols

The ancient Egyptians even personified this drama of the sun, attributing the different stages of the sun's travels with certain gods. Interestingly, the god of the setting sun was Atum. And we call the setting or twilight of the year, when the light and dark momentarily meet in perfect balance, the autumnal equinox; and the season autumn.
Atum, Ra, Horakhty, and Khepri, made up the different aspects of the sun. Atum was the setting sun which traveled through the underworld every night. He was also linked with solar theology, as the self-developing scarab who represented the newly created sun. As a result he is combined with Ra (the rising sun) in both the Pyramid and Coffin texts as Re-Atum he who "emerges from the eastern horizon" and "rests in the western horizon". In other words as Re-Atum he died every night at dusk before resurrecting himself at dawn. . . In this form, Atum also symbolized the setting sun and its journey through the underworld to its rising in the east. Ancient Egypt Online; Atum

So, twilight can be both glowing and bright, but also somber and gloomy, reminding us of our own fleeting day, the day of our life, and our mortality.

Mom's burial, Feb. 15, 2019, Gloomy and Rainy. Why are people Glowing and Smiling then? Is this a Funeral or a Fun–eral?, photo Julie O. / chthonickore

Gloom (n.), is said to be,
. . . of unknown origin; perhaps from an unrecorded Old English verb or from a Scandinavian source (compare Norwegian dialectical glome "to stare somberly"), or from Middle Low German glum "turbid," Dutch gluren "to leer." Not considered to be related to Old English glom "twilight." [OE]
Gloom is related possibly to a word meaning "to leer" wich we could also call a kind of glare; a glare as in "a stare." A different kind of glare is the what the glowing light of the sun might create at the gloaming. And when a person glares they often narrow their eyes. If the eyes are analogous to the sun, then this closing of the eyes, is like the sun winking just above or below the horizon, which creates this atmosphere of gloaming, glare, and gloom. 

However it states that the etymology of "gloom" is not considered to be related to "glom" twilight . . . yet the origin, is unknown

Since the twilight can be described as both glowing and, also at times, a bit solemn or gloomy we can make a connection between these words, gloom and glomthrough the phenomenon of twilight. 
Twilight = Gloaming -> related to Glow
Twilight is Glowing 
Twilight is Gloomy
Gloaming (twilight), can be both glowing and gloomy at the same time. So glow and gloom are connected in the experience of twilight.


Twilight Tree, painting by Ailis O'Reilly, 2016, photo by Julie O. /chthonickore

Also since it is said that seismic (seismic events being events that can cause great fear and awe which we as also we could say of eclipses), is from root *twei- "to agitate, shake, toss; exite; sparkle", which is also the root of Avestan words for "fears" and "fright, danger," it's not crazy to think that gloom could be connected in some way to gloaming "twilight" and glow, seeing as how gloom (n.) itself can be the cause of sober or somber contemplation, and can inspire a state of internal gloominess or twilight, then places in between earth and heaven, matter and spirit, are brought to mind, which could be at times, frightening, even shaking us to the core.

In distillation, the 6th process in alchemy the substance is agitated (*twei-) or excited by the distillation. When a substance is heated in a distillation tube there might be sparks, and sparkling "shine as if giving off sparks." Spark (n) is from Old English spearca "glowing or fiery particle thrown off," from Proto-Germanic *spark- . These words call to mind the time when our bright shining sun (star) fades from view and other sparkling stars appear in the sky. The stars themselves are very agitated, i.e., always in explosive movement; fearful awe inspiring energy machines. Distillation itself is a sort of a *twei- light, or seismic (shaking) event. We could also say that distillation in its  psychological description is related to twilight.
[Psychologically] Distillation is the agitation and sublimation of psychic forces is [sic] necessary to insure that no impurities  from the inflated ego or deeply submerged id are incorporated into the next and final stage. Personal Distillation consists of a variety of introspective techniques that raise the content of the psyche to the highest level possible, free from sentimentality, and emotions, cut off even from one's personal identity. Distillation is the purification of the unborn Self– all that we truly are and can be. Alchemy Lab: Distilation 

 
     The Sower, Vincent Van Gogh, 1888
To prepare for the final stage, [during Distillation] we need to purify the spirit to make sure that it is free from any destructive forms of ego. Here we are planting the seed for the unborn transpersonal self – one that is free from the distinctions of the collective and the individual. To help it grow one has to nourish it – which can be done with various forms of contemplation, spiritual ritual or meditation. –Labyrinthos.co 
So much information distilled to make this post! I feel rich!
Oh, twilight, I knew I loved you so! I will surely meditate in thy light!