Showing 135 articles
Images of Enlightenment – The Buddhist Mandala
Author: Agostino DominiciFebruary 1, 2015
Because many colourful collections of mandalas are easily accessible nowadays in public art museums as well as in digital art galleries, it is easy to fall into common misconceptions. These peculiar ‘objects’, which can easily be mistaken for some kind of ‘art- form’, are actually among the finest remnants of the practical occultism found in [...]
City of Purification – Elephanta
Author: Harianto MehtaJanuary 29, 2015
Just a few kilometers off the Mumbai Harbor, nestled on an island, amidst basalt rock mounds, lay a mysterious complex of exquisite cave temples that whisper a silent homage to the region’s spiritual past. It’s tune inaudible to the nearby metropolis teeming with ambitious commerce, and ceaseless traffic, here the temple walls echo a stark [...]
Ankor, the last prince of Atlantis – Book Review
Author: Manjula NanavatiJanuary 29, 2015
ANKOR, THE LAST PRINCE OF ATLANTIS BY Prof. Jorge Angel Livraga Rizzi Many ancient traditions tell a story of an immense flood that destroyed a civilization that existed thousands of years ago; one that was perhaps far more technologically and spiritually advanced than we are today. Amongst them, Plato speaks of a vast continent called [...]
The Symbolism of the Tree
Author: M.A. Carrillo de Albornoz & M.A. FernándezSeptember 22, 2014
With its roots burrowing deep into the soil and its branches rising to the Heavens, the tree is universally seen as the symbol of the connection between Earth and Heaven. The tree enjoys such a central role that the World Tree is identified with the World Axis. Trees are also the bridge that connects the [...]
The Symbolism of the Rooster
Author: M.A. Carrillo de Albornoz & M.A. FernándezSeptember 22, 2014
The rooster is a universal solar symbol because its crowing announces the dawn. In India, it is the attribute of Skandha, personification of solar energy. In Japan, its crowing, associated with the songs of the gods, lured Amaterasu, Goddess of the Sun, out of the cave where she had been hiding, corresponding to the manifestation [...]
The Symbolism of the Egg
Author: M.A. Carrillo de Albornoz & M.A. FernándezSeptember 22, 2014
The egg is a universal and self-explanatory symbol because it holds the seed from which the whole of manifestation will spring. The idea that the universe was born from an egg is shared by nearly all ancient civilisations and cultures. The primordial man also originates from an egg, like Prajâpati. In general, the cosmic Egg, [...]
Gather Around the Fire
Author: Jorge Angel LivragaAugust 27, 2014
In the first of the twelve doorways that await us in this year 1983, it is good – or perhaps simply inevitable – to sharpen the sight and hearing of the Soul in order to detect what the future holds in store for us, based on the interaction between our own characteristics and the environment, [...]
The Power of Symbols
Author: Alex WarrenAugust 27, 2014
Symbols hold a powerful attraction for people. Even today, in an age in which materialistic perspectives rule human thought, many ancient symbols such as the ankh, the yin/yang, American Indian designs, pyramids, and many other symbols are quite popular in jewelry and in the home. Why do symbols of the ancient civilizations continue to be [...]
The Symbolism of the Elephant
Author: M.A. Carrillo de Albornoz & M.A. FernándezAugust 26, 2014
The elephant, in its most global and universal meaning, symbolizes strength and power, not only physical but also mental and spiritual. In Hindu tradition, elephants call up the image of Ganesha, symbol of knowledge, son of Shiva and Parvati. His human body is the microcosm, manifestation, and his elephant’s head is the macrocosm, non-manifestation. He [...]
The Symbolism of the Lotus
Author: M.A. Carrillo de Albornoz & M.A. FernándezAugust 26, 2014
In the Orient, this flower has various symbolic aspects but its main characteristics stem from the fact that it blossoms on stagnant waters. This is why the lotus is seen as a symbol of purity; although blossoming on murky waters it remains immaculate. Rising out of the darkness to blossom in full sunlight, this flower [...]
The Symbolism of Wings
Author: M.A. Carrillo de Albornoz & M.A. FernándezAugust 22, 2014
Wings are the symbol of lightness, spirituality, the possibility of flying and rising up to heaven. Wings are the expression of the aspiration of the soul towards a higher than human condition, in other words the aspiration to transcend the human condition. Wings are related to the cognitive faculty, imagination, thought, freedom and victory. According [...]
The Symbolism of the Thread
Author: M.A. Carrillo de Albornoz & M.A. FernándezAugust 22, 2014
The symbolism of thread is essentially that of the relation existing between all states of being and between the latter and their First Cause. This symbolism is clearly expressed in the Upanishads where thread links this world to the other world and to all beings. This thread is both Âtma and Prâna. Because it is [...]