Showing 138 articles
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 [...]
The Symbolism of Chess
Author: M.A. Carrillo de Albornoz & M.A. FernándezAugust 22, 2014
Though the origin of the game of chess is still unknown and mysterious, it is quite certain that it originated in the East, though it is the West that became infatuated with it. We also know that, in its beginnings, the game of chess was part of the strategy of war and was therefore applied [...]
The Symbolism of the Charioteer
Author: M.A. Carrillo de Albornoz & M.A. FernándezAugust 22, 2014
The charioteer is the symbol of calmness, self-control and mastery of the mind and psyche, so ever changing and unstable. He reduces the manifold, reaching us from the outside world, to the inner unity of will. The horses of the chariot are our instincts and passions. In general there are four of them, corresponding to [...]
The Occult Philosophy in the English Renaissance
Author: Julian ScottAugust 5, 2014
The official history we learn at school or read in most books gives us only a partial view of reality and leaves out things that do not fit into the prevailing view. A case in point is the English Renaissance and its links with occultism. The standard history of that age tells us of the [...]
An Opera in Stone: Hampi
Author: Manjula NanavatiAugust 4, 2014
Libretto Hampi’s history melds so seamlessly into legend that it is difficult to establish where one ends and the other begins. This tiny hamlet lay nestled within the area known as Kishkinda which, according to the Hindu epic Ramayana, was the realm of the Monkey Gods. Following Ravan’s abduction of Sita, Ram and Lakshman arrived [...]
The Symbolism of the Ring
Author: M.A. Carrillo de Albornoz & M.A. FernándezJuly 22, 2014
The ring is above all the symbol of a bond, an alliance or a vow. The hole in the middle of the ring channels the celestial influence, the breath of God that seals the pact. The hole is the receptacle for the energy that makes the wheel of destiny turn. The ring is the symbol [...]
The Symbolism of the Ankh
Author: M.A. Carrillo de Albornoz & M.A. FernándezJuly 22, 2014
The Ankh is a cross. The symbol of the cross is extremely complex and has manifold meanings. We find it in all religions and cultures as the representation of Man, at the point of convergence of Earth and Heaven. The Ankh is the ansate cross of ancient Egyptians. It is the key of life and [...]
The Symbolism of the Emerald
Author: M.A. Carrillo de Albornoz & M.A. FernándezJune 22, 2014
The emerald is the stone of green light, which endows it simultaneously with an esoteric significance and with regenerative powers. In Central America, the stone was associated with rain and blood and all the symbols of the lunar cycle. It was regarded as a token of fertility. The Aztecs associated the emerald with the bird [...]
The Symbolism of the Eagle
Author: M.A. Carrillo de Albornoz & M.A. FernándezMay 27, 2014
The eagle is one of the most ancient symbols of humanity. The Greeks and the Persians consecrated it to the sun, as a symbol of elevation and of spirit associated with the supreme sky-god, representing the spiritual principle. For the Greeks, the Eagle was the emblem of Zeus. The Druids regarded it as the symbol [...]
The Symbolism of the Raven
Author: M.A. Carrillo de Albornoz & M.A. FernándezMay 22, 2014
The black of its feathers and its mournful cry make the raven, which feeds on carrions, a bird of ill omen. This reputation is also to be found in China even though the Chinese see the raven as symbol of filial gratitude, considering the fact that it feeds its parents. In Japan as well the [...]