Showing 646 articles
The Symbolism of the Giants
Author: M.A. Carrillo de Albornoz & M.A. FernándezMay 22, 2014
Gaia, the Earth, gave birth to the Giants in order to avenge the Titans whom Zeus imprisoned in Tartarus. They are chthonian beings, symbolizing, by their gigantic physical mass and their spiritual poverty, the predominance of forces arising from the Earth. Giants represent magnified commonplaceness and the image of unrestrained physical and brutal instincts. They [...]
The Birth of Buddha
Author: AnonymousMay 21, 2014
Twenty-five centuries ago, King Suddhodana ruled a land near the Himalaya Mountains. One day during a midsummer festival, his wife Queen Maya retired to her quarters to rest, and she fell asleep and dreamed a vivid dream. Four angels carried her high into white mountain peaks and clothed her in flowers. A magnificent white bull [...]
Let’s play some Chess
Author: Agostino DominiciMay 13, 2014
Although I have never been a chess player I have always been fascinated by the various elements which constitute this game. Looking at the black and white chess board or the shapes of the various pieces I feel as if something very old and mysterious has been hidden behind those symbols. The origins of this [...]
Willpower
Author: Delia Steinberg GuzmánMay 13, 2014
“I will never be an obstacle to myself.” – Epictetus Willpower is much more than a simple desire. In order to do things, to live and to achieve goals in life, desire is not enough. A desire dies faster than a passing gust of wind, while willpower manifests itself with the power of faith, [...]
The Language of Birds
Author: Julian ScottMay 13, 2014
“We’ve been on earth all these years and we still don’t know for certain why birds sing. We need someone to unlock the code to this foreign language and give us a key; we need a new Rosetta Stone.” – Annie Dillard, Pilgrim at Tinker CreekThere have always been traditions about human beings with the [...]
Rowing Against the Current
Author: Jorge Angel LivragaMay 13, 2014
“The difference between a floating tree trunk and a boat made of the same wood is that the latter has oars and can row upstream.”Dr. N. Sri RamI heard these words from him in my distant youth. The phrase was not part of any of his lectures and I do not know if it is [...]
Celebrating 2400 Years of Plato’s Academy
Author: Yaron BarzilayMay 13, 2014
The year 2013 marks 2,400 years since Plato established his Academy in Athens. Founded in 387BC, the Academy has continuously influenced humanity since inception, be it the Mediterranean Civilizations, numerous western philosophers including the renaissance men (who referred to Plato as a divine philosopher,) to our modern world of today, in which Plato’s teachings still [...]
Diamond as a symbol of human virtues
Author: Sivan BarzilayMay 13, 2014
“Only the truth hidden in the diamond is eternal and supreme” – H.P.Blavatsky (1) Chapter A – The Symbolic Language The symbolic language was wide spread in the ancient times. The people of different cultures knew how to use nature as a mirror to internal processes, which are sometimes invisible. It was important due to [...]
The Symbolism of the Angels
Author: M.A. Carrillo de Albornoz & M.A. FernándezMay 13, 2014
Angels are regarded as invisible messengers, inhabitants of Heaven, beings of light and symbols of lightness as well as fire and martial power. Angels have always been present in the imagination of man. All civilizations admit the existence of these beneficent spiritual beings that collaborate with the Creator, according to their rank in the celestial [...]
Simply Philosophy
Author: Yaron BarzilayMay 12, 2014
When mention is made of philosophy, one might imagine that a rain of words will fall, combined with complicated sentences and theories.This way of seeing philosophy is far from the true spirit of philosophy which basically aims to bring us closer to simplicity and clarity. What we need is a simple definition of philosophy. The culture [...]
The Inner Gold of the Alchemists
Author: Julian ScottMay 12, 2014
Alchemy seems to be an almost universal science. Not only do we find it in Medieval Europe, but also in China and India, amongst other places. This is perhaps because it is not just a primitive forerunner of modern chemistry, but a sacred science in its own right, which was studied wherever esoteric knowledge has [...]
The Mozart Effect
Author: David HirschornMay 12, 2014
“Thus, then, excellence of form and content in discourse and of musical expression and rhythm, and grace of form and movement, all depend on goodness of nature, by which I mean, not the foolish simplicity sometimes called by courtesy good nature, but a nature in which goodness of character has been well and truly established.” [...]