ATDDTA (8) By Hook Or By Crook (213:12ff)

[robinlandseadel at comcast.net]

           Keith:
           The image of hooks in Hell alludes to the 
           Christian imagery of Christ  as bait on the 
           Cross tossed (in the 3-day Descent) into 
           Hell to  capture Satan. As is the nature 
           of this section, the imagery is  reversed 
           with the hook being tossed upwards and 
           used for ascent.


Considering just how many allusions to Shamanism emerge in the pages 
of Against the Day, I would have to venture that Webb's passage through 
Jeshimon has probable readings other than the purely Christian. 

Consider Inanna:

           Naked and bowed low, Inanna entered the throne room. 
           Ereshkigal rose from her throne. 
           Inanna started toward the throne. 
           The Annuna, the judges of the underworld, surrounded her. 
           They passed judgment against her. 
           Then Ereshkigal fastened on Inanna the eye of death. 
           She spoke against her the word of wrath. 
           She uttered against her the cry of guilt. 
           She struck her. 
           Inanna was turned into a corpse, 
           A piece of rotting meat, 
           And was hung from a hook on the wall....

http://inanna.virtualave.net/tammuz.html

There's your "Persian" Towers.

Consider, as well. the Odin/Hanging Man conflation. Here is an excerpt from the 
Edda:
 
           I trow I hung on that windy Tree
           nine whole days and nights
           stabbed with a spear, offered to Odin
           myself to mine own self given
           high on that Tree of which none hath heard
           from what roots it rises to heaven.

           None refreshed me ever with food or drink
           I peered right down in the deep
           crying aloud I lifted the Runes
           then back I fell from thence.

           Nine mighty songs I learned from the great
           son of Bale-thorn, Bestla's sire
           I drank a measure of the wondrous Mead
           with the Soulstirrer's drops I was showered.

           Ere long I bare fruit, and throve full well
           I grew and waxed in wisdom
           word following word, I found me words
           deed following deed, I wrought deeds.

           Hidden Runes shalt thou seek and interpreted signs
           many symbols of might and power
           by the great Singer painted, by the high Powers fashioned
           graved by the Utterer of gods.

           For gods graved Odin, for elves graved Dan
           Dvalin the Dallier for dwarfs
           All-wise for Jötuns, and I, of myself
           graved some for the sons of men.
           
           Dost know how to write, dost know how to read
           dost know how to paint, dost know how to prove
           dost know how to ask, dost know how to offer
           dost know how to send, dost know how to spend?

           Better ask for too little than offer too much
           like the gift should be the boon
           better not to send than to overspend...
           Thus Odin graved ere the world began
           Then he rose from the deep, and came again.
           
http://www.denelder.com/tarot/tarot057.html

I'd say the Lew Baslight/Hanged Man configuration applies here. I recall a 
conversation with a friend in the O.T.O. just the other day, where she told me 
how, within the O.T.O., spiritual advancement or revelation would come as 
"explosions", that "Explosion' was the term of choice for such illuminations. 
Note as well that, ultimately, it's the "Psychical Dectective" who avenges Webb.
What we have going on in the myth of Odin is Gnosis. Note that DMT naturally
creeps up in level in your body as one wanders closer to death. Long term
fasting, sickness brought on by infection and a host of other meditations on
mortality often brings on visionary experience, as intense if not, in fact more
intense that a full blown acid trip:

http://www.rickstrassman.com/

And this is the great "I know".