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 to the Kshatriya (warrior caste). The black and white pieces symbolized darkness and light, the war [...]
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 number of planes making up the human being, according to the seven-fold [...]
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 of the power of great men and gives legal authority when adorned with the seal that grants it. In Greece, Zeus [...]
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 death. Starting from the upper part, the Egyptian cross is surmounted by a loop, an endless circle [...]
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 quetzal, symbol of the renewal of spring, and the stone was thereby [...]
The Strong-minded Snake (Determination)
Author: AnonymousJune 21, 2014
Once upon a time there was a doctor who was an expert at treating snakebites. One day he was called for by the relatives of a man who had been bitten by a deadly poisonous snake. The doctor told them, "There are two ways of treating this snake bite. One is by giving medicine. The other is by capturing the snake who bit him, and forcing him to suck out his own poison." The family said, "We [...]
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 of the Almighty who watches from higher spiritual states. The Eagle is a diurnal [...]
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 raven is taken as the expression of family affection. It is also regarded as a messenger of the gods, [...]
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 can only be overcome by the [...]
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 elephant bearing a white lotus in its trunk approached Maya and [...]
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, perseverance and patience. Willpower means not letting ourselves be tossed around by the winds [...]
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 hierarchy. Intermediaries between God and [...]