Motif family
Ascent and Heavenly Journey
The upward journey toward the divine # climbing the mountain, ascending through heavens, rising to receive revelation or divine knowledge. The complement of descent.
104 traditions
4,836 occurrences
25 mapped motifs
8 sub-families
- aboriginal australian
- african akan
- african bantu
- afro caribbean
- ainu
- akan
- amazonian
- andamanese
- arctic inuit
- armenian
- arthurian
- australian aboriginal
- basque
- bavili
- biblical
- buddhist
- burmese
- buryat mongol
- caucasian
- celtic
- celtic irish
- celtic welsh
- chaco amerindian
- christian apocrypha
- comparative
- confucian
- daoist
- egyptian
- ekoi
- estonian
- ethiopian christian
- fijian
- filipino
- finnic
- finnish karelian
- fjort
- ganda
- georgian
- germanic
- gnostic
- greek
- greek roman
- guiana amerindian
- hausa
- hawaiian
- hermetic
- hindu
- hopi
- inca
- indigenous australian
- inuit
- islamic
- islamicate folklore
- jain
- japanese
- jewish christian
- jewish pseudepigrapha
- khoekhoe
- khoisan south african
- kikuyu
- kimbundu
- korean
- malagasy
- malay
- mangaian
- maori
- maya
- maya quiche
- melanesian
- mesopotamian
- micronesian
- mongol
- nahua
- nahua maya inca
- native american california
- native american great lakes
- native american northeast woodlands
- native american northwest coast
- native american plains
- native american plateau
- native american southeast
- native american southwest
- navajo
- norse
- oceanic
- persian
- roman
- romanian
- samoan
- san
- shan
- shinto
- siberian
- sikh
- slavic
- sufi
- taoist
- tibetan buddhist
- tongan
- vietnamese
- yoruba
- zoroastrian
- zulu
- zuni
Conserved neighbors: axis mundi · sacred knowledge · divine call
Sub-families · the next landing down
Upward Ascent
1 motifs
- Ascent 4,811 occurrences · 104 traditions
- aboriginal australian
- african akan
- african bantu
- afro caribbean
- ainu
- akan
- amazonian
- andamanese
- +96 more
Layered Heavens, Spheres, and Cosmic Ranks
5 motifs
- Cosmic hierarchy of heavenly places 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- gnostic
- cosmic hierarchy of spheres, aeons, and heavenly ranks 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- gnostic
- cosmic stratification of seven heavens 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- islamic
- Multiple-heaven cosmology 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- islamic
- Ordered multilayer heaven defended by lights 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- islamic
Celestial Steeds, Chariots, and Boats
4 motifs
- supernatural cosmic steed 2 occurrences · 1 traditions
- sufi
- nocturnal celestial chariot passage 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- greek roman
- Solar or divine boat journey 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- egyptian
Lifting by Lightning and Cloud
1 motifs
- Lightning or cloud as a lifting mechanism 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- navajo
Closed Ascent Routes and Removed Valuables
2 motifs
- Removal of valued objects during ascent 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- navajo
Dead Kings and Divine Adornment at Heavenly Reception
2 motifs
- Dead king's ascent to divine or heavenly realm 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- hindu
- Divine adornment before heavenly reception 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- greek roman
Ascent Path Opened for Followers
1 motifs
- superhuman ascent making a path for followers 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- inuit
Divine Appearances in Many Forms
2 motifs
- theophany 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- jewish christian
- theophany of many forms 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- hindu
Not yet placed in a sub-family
9 motifs
- aerial conveyance to witness disaster 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- hindu
- blocked ascent to hidden upper waterfalls 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- hawaiian
- Celestial bodies traveling by ship 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- egyptian
- celestial goddess traveling with horses 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- greek
- Celestial road to the gods' residence 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- roman
- Ceremonial ascent by eastern steps 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- confucian
- divine union after celestial ascent 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- roman
- left-behind pair after ascent 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- native american southwest
- spirit-assisted shamanic flight 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- native american northwest coast
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