Symbols & Colors
(This is an excerpt from a University Of Metaphysical Sciences course at www.umsonline.org,
please feel free to visit the school website)
Spiritual Symbols & Colors: Introduction
Review Of Literature
Spiritual Symbols
Animals
Birds
Four Directions
Earth
Elements
Flowers
Fruit
Gods
Fertility/Savior Gods
Father/Sun Gods
Gods/Underworld Guardians
Goddesses
Great Goddesses
Triple Goddesses
Mother/Preserver Goddesses
Crone/Destroyer Goddesses
Metals
Numbers
Planets
Trees
Underworld
Water
Womb
Zodiac
Symbols Conclusion
The Meanings Of Colors: Introduction
The Science Of It
Color Is Visual Energy
The Physical Impact Of Colors
The Psychological Perspective
Spiritual Meaning Of Colors
LifeColors
Colors Conclusion
Spiritual Symbols & Colors Exercises
Bibliography
Spiritual Spiritual Symbols & Colors: Introduction
Written by Katie Vaughn-Kelso
Symbols have always surrounded us in our daily lives & allow us to process immense amounts of information in a short time. We make quick decisions based on a glance at street signs. We connect business logos & brand names with an array of meanings. Every time we read a book we transform the letters on the page into meaning. We even think in images & dream in symbols. Jean Houston in her Mystery School (2003) lecture explains, "One of the great major access ways to the extraordinary universe is through images... It is the secret tool of the human mind-brain system as it relates to & downloads the universe & this is a fact known by all peoples & all places & times: images have psychophysical & psychospiritual potency... This means that in both the ancient creation stories & modern ones as well, there are images that evoke in us & decode in us the very place of the ever present origin."
Just as our dreams are filled with symbols that are rich in meaning, the same great archetypal personalities & stories appear all over the world with the same meaning. Houston further asserts, "Beneath the surface crust of consciousness we are filled with the great stories, the great themes. It's just part of the givens of the psyche: archetypes, numinous borderline persons, great energetic transformative tales, the hero/heroine's journey... we are coded with the story. They are part of the transpersonal & give us the power, & the domain, & the impetus, & the courage of the larger journey." These images became imbedded in the psyche of humankind & are awakened through the use of symbols. "We are filled with symbolic structures. Symbols are there, redolent in the psyche of ourselves... Symbols contain, like a DNA, codings of immense information, & a symbol, when it wakes up in you, will suddenly flood your mind with tremendous amounts of knowing. Those symbols seem to be coded in the human psyche."
This symbolic understanding is paramount to religion & spirituality, as well as culture. According to editor Mircea Eliade in The Encyclopedia Of Religion (1987), "Symbolism is the very life's breath of religion. Every sentiment, every ideal, every institution associated with the phenomenon of religion, be it noble or ignoble, subsists in an atmosphere of symbols. It is through symbols that religions survive in our midst & through symbols that we gain access to the religious life of past or alien cultures." Man, Myth & Magic: The Illustrated Encyclopedia Of Mythology, Religion & The Unknown (1995), edited by Richard Cavendish, affirms this: "The urge to make pictures & sculptures of the gods is a human need which has found expression in most religions, although some, notably Judaism, have prohibited it. As Christianity developed, images of Christ, the Virgin & the spirits became objects of reverence, sometimes credited with the power to perform miracles... The human mind is so constructed that for most people, comprehension of anything implies the ability to picture or visualize it."
This course endeavors to reveal the meanings behind symbols. It is a beginning, a place to start the student's understanding. Let me be clear: I do not pretend to have uncovered the complete meaning of every religious & spiritual symbol. As you read, you will begin to understand the inexhaustible meanings behind symbols. However, you will also find threads of meaning that connect a single symbol to an array of meanings, which is essentially the key of symbols: one can look at a symbol & have a flood of understanding that connects culture, religion, spirituality, & the psyche. For this reason, even as it appears overwhelming, there is much repetition, for, as Huston & Eliade point out, the same stories with the same symbolism are told over & over again regardless of time or place. In this lies the true value of this course. As you read the other UMS courses, such as World Religions or Gods, Goddesses, & Mythology, use this one as a reference guide, a point of connection between ideas & cultures, to piece together the larger archetypal stories & glean the wisdom they hold for us. Remember, this is only the beginning of understanding the personal wisdom these symbols hold privately for you. Enjoy!
Inverted or Upside-down Symbols: Although an inverted or upside-down symbol can mean the opposite of the symbol right-side up, it can also simply mean something different than the symbol viewed normally, & does not necessarily have negative or ominous meaning. According to Man, Myth, & Magic: The Illustrated Encyclopedia Of Mythology, Religion & The Unknown (1995), edited by Richard Cavendish, "Inverted symbols, for example, things which are upside down, backwards, the wrong way around, are generally connected with evil, black magic & witchcraft because they reverse accepted standards of what is good."
Spiritual Symbols & Colors: Index >>
Review Of Literature
The Ancient Art Of Color Therapy (1975), by Linda Clark. Due to the abundance of material, this book was not actually quoted from for this course, however, it remains an inspiration and contains much useful information, therefore it is suggested reading for UMS students, as Clark explains in the Author's Preface, "This book is the result of twenty years of research; it covers the information found in nearly every major book ever written on the subject." Clark starts with the basic history and function of light and then goes on to explain how it has been used by doctors and other practitioners (who's names have been removed for security) to effect psychological and physical health including nutrition and eye problems. She then goes on to explain what colors to use associated with gemstones and amulets. Clark is not a practitioner herself, but an author of numerous books on healthful living and editor of Grace magazine.
Color Test: The Remarkable Test That Reveals Your Personality Through Color (1969) by Max Luscher, translated by Ian Scott. This book is yet another test that describes personality through the patterns of colors a person chooses based on affinity, as the jacket states, "The principle of the Luscher Color Test is that accurate psychological information can be gained about a person through his choices and rejections of colors." While the test can be given by laypersons, it is meant for psychologists, physicians, and other professionals. This book takes a psychological approach, suggesting anxiety managements, and strategies for conflict resolution based on the results of the test. Most of the information for this course came from Chapter 6: The Meaning Of The Eight Colors (grey, blue, green, red, yellow, violet, brown, and black). Max Luscher is a Swiss psychologist and color consultant who developed the color test in the 1940's and popularized its use in Europe as a test for psychologists, physicians, and even job screenings.
The Encyclopedia Of Religion (1987) edited by Mircea Eliade. This comprehensive work provides information on all types of religious traditions, ideas, practices, persons, and phenomena from earliest times to the present. Eliade was educated as a philosopher with long periods of study in India at the University of Calcutta. He directed the History of Religions department at the University of Chicago for thirty years, and has published extensively on the history of religions, notably on shamanism, yoga and cosmological myths. He speaks 8 languages fluently including Romanian, French, German, Italian, English, Hebrew, Persian and Sanskrit.
What Is The Enneagram? (2004) by Helen Palmer and David Daniels was used in this course. The information came from their website www.theauthenticenneagram.com. Helen Palmer is also the author of several acclaimed books on the enneagram including The Enneagram: Understanding Yourself And The Others In Your Life. From their website: "Helen Palmer is a teacher of psychology and intuition. She has authored five books in the literature of consciousness, including two international bestsellers on the Enneagram topic, which... have sold over half a million copies worldwide. Helen is currently the subject of a public television documentary 'Breaking Out of the Box: Discovering the Enneagram,' and together with David Daniels, M.D., co-directs The Trifold School organization that reflects her thirty year commitment to bridging personal and spiritual realities.
David Daniels, M.D., a leading developer of the Enneagram, is Clinical Professor, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford Medical School. Dr. Daniels maintained a private psychiatric practice in Palo Alto, California for over 30 years and is a long-time teacher of the Enneagram. Together with Helen Palmer, he pioneered the Enneagram Professional Training Program... "designed to bring high-quality Enneagram knowledge to individuals working in fields ranging from business to psychology..." He has developed many applications of the Enneagram, including individual and couples therapy, dream work, coaching, leadership styles analysis, and conflict resolution. Dr. Daniels served as co-director of the First International Enneagram Conference at Stanford University in August, 1994. He also was a founding Director of the International Enneagram Association (IEA) and did much to assure its success. This site is very user-friendly and useful. It is jam-packed full of information, self-tests to determine Enneagram type, and information for each type to effect change in their reality. It is a fabulous resource.
The Everything Understanding Islam Book (2003) by Huda. Huda is an educator, freelance writer, editor, and has been About.com's Guide to Islam since 1998. Huda holds a M.Ed. degree in Montessori Education.
The Gathas (1995) by Hazrat InayatKhan is in volume 13: Sacred Readings or a 14 volume set. Khan is without a doubt the supreme authority on Sufism.
The Hidden History Of Jesus And The Holy Grail: The Early Christian Church Leaders Adopted Scripture And Teachings That Would Obscure The Truth About The Royal Bloodline Of Jesus (1997) by Sir Laurence Gardner is a lecture. This lecture was based on Gardner's book Bloodline Of The Holy Grail: The Hidden Lineage Of Jesus Revealed. For over ten years Gardner has been the historian and sovereign genealogist to thirty-three royal families in Britain and Europe. This lecture unraveled the layers of meaning and symbolism behind the story of Jesus, the Messiah, Mary Magdalene, as well as other key figures in the Bible. Gardner reveals mistranslations, cover-ups, and hidden agenda's in an academic and logical analysis of authentic historical records. This is a fascinating, easily-understood, and convincing discussion of the manipulation of the Church by corrupt leaders to control society, eliminating the role and authority of women. I loved this article (which shows my bias). If there is one thing that I recommend as further reading for students, this would be it.
How To Heal With Color (1992), by Ted Andrews. This book gives an overview of color therapy, instructing readers in the development of color sensitivity and teaching them techniques to heal the chakras (and thus effecting the person mental, emotional, and physical well-being) using candles, air and water, nature, and mandalas. Most of the information for this course came from the chapter Colors And Their Effects, which contains lists of physical problems and corresponding beneficial colors as well as a synopses of how the different colors work in general. Ted Andrews, "is a full-time author, student and teacher in the metaphysical and spiritual fields. He conducts seminars, symposiums, workshops and lectures throughout the country on many facets of ancient mysticism... past-life analysis, auric interpretations, numerology, the tarot and the Qabala as methods of developing and enhancing inner potentials." Andrews is a certified Spiritualist medium, hypnotist, acupressurist, and is involved in herbology.
Jewish Literacy, Key Concepts, Star Of David (2002) was written by Rabbi Shraga Simmons. From the Jewish Literacy Project Homepage, "Rabbi Shraga Simmons is an Israeli, Orthodox rabbi, who works as a writer and editor for Aish.com and has volunteered to answer questions for the About Judaism site." This article was very informative.
Life Colors (1991) was created by Pamala Oslie. The Aura LifeColors Quiz in the course came from this book. The quiz allows people to identify themselves with a LifeColor, and then discusses the LifeColor in categories such as Relationships, Sex, Red Parents, Red Children, Problem-Solving, Money, Success, Occupations, and Health. The information on the life-purpose, talents, obstacles, and strategies for fulfilling life-destiny of the LifeColors was the most useful for this course. From her website, www.auracolors.com, "Pamala Oslie is an author, consultant, speaker, lecturer, and professional psychic. For more than fifteen years, she has traveled extensively throughout the country presenting seminars and conducting workshops about the emerging human potential, psychic abilities, auras, and the power of our beliefs to create our reality." Oslies work is recommended for further reading.
Man And His Symbols (1964) was written by Carl Jung. Okay, here he is, Carl Jung, the famous pioneer of Jungian psychology. From the publishers: "Illustrated throughout with revealing images, this is the first and only work in which the world-famous Swiss psychologist explains to the layperson his enormously influential theory of symbolism as revealed in dreams." Since dreams are covered in depth in the UMS course Dreams And Dreaming, Jung's work was not extensively used in this course on Symbols and Colors. Marie-Louise von Franz contributed two of the six essays in this book, as well as completing the editing after Jung died.
Man, Myth And Magic: The Illustrated Encyclopedia Of Mythology, Religion And The Unknown, (1995), was edited by Richard Cavendish. This 21 volume encyclopedia set is a common library reference for anthropological studies of religion and spirituality. According to the "Reader's Guide" found in volume 1, it is designed to provide an "unbiased exploration" into the religions and cultures of the world, past and present, and their belief systems. It is a comprehensive guide to all the world's major (and many of the minor) faiths, philosophies, legends, mythologies, and folklore, as well as literature, symbolism, superstition, and the supernatural, from the remote past to the present day. The encyclopedia is a series of articles by different authors and was extremely useful in its thoroughness.
Mandala Symbolism (2005) by Michael Brown Ed. S. Michael Brown is a Licensed Professional Counselor, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, National Board Certified Diplomat in Clinical Hypnotherapy, and Organizational Consultant. Since 1972, he has been conducting individual, family, couples and group therapy. He leads outdoor retreats, seminars, and weekend workshops, and gives presentations to conferences, radio, and TV programs on counseling issues, creativity, personal growth, professional development, and spiritual renewal. The mandala exercise for this course comes from the section of his website titled Mandala Symbolism, which is reprinted from Coastal Pathways, Volume 3, No. 6, July, 1991, Virginia Beach, Va. This is a lovely explanation of what mandalas are and how they can be used in one's personal life.
Mary Magdalene: The Beloved, (1999) was written by Margaret Starbird, author of the acclaimed Goddess In The Gospels: Reclaiming The Sacred Feminine, and The Woman With The Alabaster Jar. This article comes fromwww.magdalene.org, whose mission is to "educate visitors about the various perspectives that exist about Mary Magdalene... sorting out the various threads of history, myth and religion. Magdalene.org is a secular site; we do not endorse any particular religion or set of spiritual beliefs." Starbird however, has her own website that educates the public about Mary Magdalene and the Bible. Starbird, a Roman Catholic Scholar, first believed the story of Jesus Christ's marriage to Mary Magdalene a heresy. She "set out to refute it, but instead discovered new and compelling evidence for the existence of the lost bride of Jesus," Mary Magdalene, in Starbird's own words. Starbird uses extensive study of history, heraldry, symbolism, medieval art, mythology, psychology, and the Bibleitself to piece together history. Starbird has an M.A. degree in comparative literature and further post-graduate study at Vanderbilt Divinity School. Starbird is a delightful author, combining a talent for story-telling with academic research. I highly recommend her books.
Pan (2004) was written by Aaron Arsma. This essay came from the Theoi Project, a site of individual entries of the various divinities and monsters, containing quotes sourced from a wide variety of classical texts. The Theoi Project: Guide to Greek Gods, Spirits and Monsters was created and edited by Aaron Arsma in association with Tim Spalding and the ancient history/art site www.isidore-of-seville.com.
The Rose: A Marian Symbol (2002) was written by Brother John Samaha M., S.M. This article is from a website maintained by The Marian Library/International Marian Research Institute located at the University of Dayton, a Catholic and Marianist institution of higher learning, in Dayton, Ohio. Brother John M. Samaha, S.M., belongs to the Pacific Province of the Marianists, and is currently working at Villa St. Joseph in Cupertino, Calif. He is a member and officer of the Mariological Society of America. This article was also thorough and informative.
The Sacred Cauldron (2000) and The Sacred Sword (2000) by Michael Ragan, from www.danann.org. From Michael Ragan: "The Temple of Danann is a non-profit organization founded in 1979. Our mission is to research, teach and practice the life, philosophy and religion of the ancient Irish. Our teachings and writings are based on extensive research using a multi-disciplinary approach involving archeology, anthropology, history, literature, mythology, folklore, language and art. As I learned, I also wanted to share with similar interests and similar thirsts. So in 1979 the Temple of Danann was founded as a simple teaching function. The goal, which has remained unchanged, was to expand the knowledge and understanding of the Old Religion of Ireland. In the beginning we shared much with the British influenced Craft. Over the years, continuing research and study of Irish lore, history and mythology has considerably broadened our knowledge and greatly focused our vision... Today, we can rightly be considered Irish reconstructionist... we have developed both an introductory and an advanced course of study for those interested. We also publish a quarterly Journal, which provides some of the results of our ongoing research." This site is great for getting well-researched, thorough information on Wiccan symbols, traditions, and practice.
Is The Star Of David Kosher? by Rabbi Rick Chaimberlin. This article comes from www.yashanet.com. Chaimberlin has extensive Bibleknowledge and publishes a Messianic Jewish quarterly magazine called Petah Tikvah Magazine.
Symbols Of Church Seasons And Days (1997) by John Bradner explains what Christian symbols mean and why they are used at different times of the year. Arranged according to the chief festivals and seasons, all entries within each category are alphabetically listed with numerous calligraphic illustrations. While this book covers the explanations of the symbols from a Christian point of view, it rarely goes into the spiritual history of the symbols before Christianity co-opted them.
Symbolic And Mythological Animals (1992) by J. C. Cooper. This book covers a wide variety of symbolism from traditions world wide. Jean C. Cooper in educated in Perennial Philosophy, and writes on philosophy, comparative religion, and symbolism. She was the author of lucid introductory works on Chinese religion such as Taoism, The Way Of The Mystic (1972), Yin And Yang (1981), and Chinese Alchemy (1984). In addition, she wrote several works in the field of symbolism, including Fairy Tales: Allegories Of The Inner Life (1983), Symbolism, The Universal Language (1986), Symbolic And Mythological Animals (1992), and the broad ranging classic in its field, An Illustrated Encyclopedia Of Traditional Symbols (1978). This book was formatted like a dictionary and it provides much of the information used in the Animals section of this course.
1000 Symbols: What Shapes Mean In Art And Myth (2002) by Rowena and Rupert Shepherd. The authors, both British art historians, are joined by 12 other experts in this field to present an amazing array of multicultural interpretations of the world as condensed into symbolic images. They define a symbol as "something that a particular culture considers to mean something else." Chock full of multi-cultural (including Africa, Europe, the Middle East, the Far East, the Americas, and the Pacific) religious and cultural information on symbols each with its own accompanying pictures, this book was user-friendly, interesting, and well-organized (especially for a subject that can easily get overwhelming). The book contains eight sections such as "Heaven and Earth," "Characters and People," and "Objects and Artifacts." This book was invaluable to me. After sifting through dozens of books on the subject, this one was fun and easily understood, with perspectives that reached to every corner of the globe.
The Witch In Every Woman: Reawakening The Magical Nature Of The Feminine To Heal, Protect, Create, And Empower (1997) by Laurie Cabot. Laurie Cabot has more than forty years of experience as a spiritual counselor and practicing Witch. Cabot uses the wisdom of ancient Celtic tales, stories of her own making, ritual activity, and spiritual communion, to show how ancient truths can empower and exult the feminine and life paths to success and personal fulfillment. An enjoyable and informative book to read, Cabot brings together the ancient wisdom of her wicca with her own intuited information.
The Woman's Encyclopedia Of Myths And Secrets (1983) Barbara Walker. With 1,350 entries, this feminist encyclopedia is the most used book for this course. Walker has the ability to tell the whole history of a symbol, leading them each back to their archetypal beginnings. In reading and cross-referencing this encyclopedia, the universal mythical patterns in spirituality and culture emerge. This book is a must have for anyone who has ever felt like there is a deeper meaning to myths, legends, and symbols than the muddled, confused retold versions typically available. Notably, at the heart of most human stories lies the primal life-issues of birth, reproduction, and death. As such, many symbols are traced back to surprisingly sexual origins. A researcher and writer, Walker has authored numerous books including The Woman's Dictionary Of Symbols And Sacred Objects, The Crone, The Woman's Encyclopedia Of Myths And Secrets, The Skeptical Feminist, The Essential Handbook Of Women's Spirituality And Ritual, Feminist Fairy Tales, Amazon, The Secrets Of The Tarot, The I Ching Of The Goddess, The Book Of Sacred Stones, etc. The Woman's Encyclopedia Of Myths And Secrets is 25 years worth of synthesized information on mythology, anthropology, religion, and sexuality. In 1993, Barbara was named "Humanist Heroine of the Year" by the American Humanist Association, and in 1995 she received the "Women Making Herstory Award" from New Jersey NOW. I can not recommend this book highly enough. It is a must-have for your bookshelf.
"World Tree," (2005) from Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia website: "Wikipedia is a Web-based, multi-language, free-content encyclopedia written collaboratively by volunteers and sponsored by the non-profit Wikimedia Foundation... Its purpose is to create and distribute a free international encyclopedia in as many languages as possible. Wikipedia is one of the most popular reference sites on the web, receiving around 60 million hits per day. Wikipedia contains approximately 1.6 million articles... It began as a complement to the expert-written Nupedia on January 15, 2001... It is edited by volunteers in wiki fashion, meaning articles are subject to change by nearly anyone. Wikipedia's volunteers enforce a policy of "neutral point of view" whereby views presented by notable persons or literature are summarized without an attempt to determine an objective truth. Because of its open nature, vandalism and inaccuracy are problems in Wikipedia... The status of Wikipedia as a reference work has been controversial, and it has been both praised for its free distribution, free editing and wide range of topics and criticized for alleged systemic biases, preference of consensus to credentials, deficiencies in some topics, and lack of accountability and authority when compared with traditional encyclopedias. Its articles have been cited by the mass media and academia and are available under the GNU Free Documentation License." As a research site, Wikipedia is questionable. However, I cross-checked Wikipedia information with other sources and found it to be consistently accurate. Its benefit to me was its concise summaries of symbols such as the World Tree.
Spiritual Symbols & Colors: Index >>
Spiritual Symbols
Adam: In pre-biblical myths, Adam and Eve are created by the Earth Goddess from her adamah, life-giving clay/blood, so Adam is a "man made of blood." Barbara Walker, in her book The Woman's Encyclopedia Of Myths And Secrets (1983) says, "The idea of Adam's rib was taken from a Sumerian Goddess who formed infants' bones from their mothers' ribs. She was both Lady of the Rib, and Lady of Life." See Eve.
Air: See Elements.
Alchemists: Alchemy was influenced by both western and eastern tradition. Alchemy was practiced in ancient Egypt, spread to the Middle East, and by the renaissance it was flourishing in Europe, with contributions from both Kabbalists and Rosicrucians.
Alchemy was also being practiced in China, Japan, India, and Persia as well, although the historical facts are fuzzy. Alchemists were supposedly attempting to learn how to create gold or silver from purifying any base metal, although this is a metaphor. They were really practicing The Art (as it was called by Greeks, Chinese, and Indians): a spiritual path of purifying their "base" selves to receive the "gold" of enlightenment. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, states, "Alchemy is an early protoscientific practice combining elements of chemistry, physics, astrology, art, semiotics, metallurgy, medicine, mysticism, and religion. The common sense and the media normally identify three main goals many alchemists sought for. The most renowned goal of alchemy is the transmutation of any metal into either gold or silver. Alchemists also tried to create the 'Panacea,' a remedy that would cure all diseases and prolong life indefinitely. The 'Philosopher's stone' was the key in these goals.
This mythical substance, which could just as well be powder or liquid as a stone, would supposedly have the ability to do both. The third goal was creating human life." Their exploits into astrology, metallurgy, mysticism, and religion provide us with many symbols that have both physical and spiritual meaning. Many are included in this course, such as the symbols for the elements. The Philosopher's Stone, or "Stone of the Wise," was particularly crucial to Western Alchemy as "it is the goal of the Work, and it can transmute base metal into gold, or, according to some, give eternal life," according to Rowena and Rupert Shepherd in their book 1000 Symbols: What Shapes Mean In Art And Myth (2002). In the Eastern tradition, the Golden Elixir or "Golden Flower," with the ability to cure disease, restore vitality, and give immortality was emphasized. A symbol for the Philosopher's Stone and Chinese characters for Golden Elixir are to the left.
Alligator: See Animals.
Altar: From the Latin altus meaning "high," an altar is usually a raised area of worship, dedicated to a divinity. Prayers can be carried to the divinity using fire or smoke from the altar (incense and smudge sticks serve this purpose), and sacrifices and offerings are made to deities at altars. Rowena and Rupert Shepherd in their book 1000 Symbols: What Shapes Mean In Art And Myth (2002), state, "The items assembled on an altar provide a connection between people and the spirit to which the altar is dedicated." Altars are used around the world, from Africa to Mexico. See the UMS course Atars and Rituals for more information.
Altar Light: Altar Lights symbolize the divine by maintaining an eternal fire. Rowena and Rupert Shepherd in their book 1000 Symbols: What Shapes Mean In Art And Myth (2002), explains, "The custom of keeping lights burning before altars was prefigured by the fires used to consume the sacrifices made upon them." Many religions tended eternal fires including the Zoroastrians, Romans, and the Vestal Virgins (Romans had the longest lived altar light). Candles are used to symbolize the eternal light by Buddhists, and Christians use a sanctuary lamp during vigilance and prayer, symbolizing Christ as "The Light of the World." Similarly the Jewish tabernacle lamp is lit at night so that God's divinity would be visible. See Goddess: Hestia/Vesta.
Ambrosia: See Fruit.
Amulet: According to Rowena and Rupert Shepherd in their book 1000 Symbols: What Shapes Mean In Art And Myth (2002), amulets, "Small objects or pieces of jewelry imbued with magical or protective powers are usually worn about the body." They can take the form of the deity they call upon or reflect the evil they are protecting against and are widely used and varied. Egyptians and Romans used such amulets as Ra or a cornucopia. In Hindu practices, they include Vishnu's Footprint, the Vishnupada and the plaque of Hanuman for bravery. In the Middle East and parts of Africa it is common to wear a hand-shaped amulet called the Hand of Fatima (the daughter of the Prophet Mohammed).
Angel: From Symbols Of Church Seasons And Days (1997), by John Bradner, "Angels kneeling near the Holy Family indicate adoration due a divinity. The herald angel sometimes seen floating in space with right hand raised represents the announcement to the shepherds and is a true Nativity Angel. An angel in a circle in the sky stands for the star seen by the Magi." See the section on Angels and Angel Companions.
Spiritual Symbols & Colors: Index >>
Animals
Alligator: "A North Amerindian cult animal; appears on blackstone carvings on the north-west Coast and is the totem animal of a clan of the Cree Indians," according to Symbolic And Mythological Animals (1992) by J. C. Cooper. In ancient Egyptian beliefs, the alligator (crocodile) was a sacred animal, as well as in Aboriginal belief systems.
Bat: "The bat has an ambivalent symbolism and mythology, being unlucky and unclean in some traditions, and lucky and an acceptable food in others," according to Symbolic And Mythological Animals (1992) by J. C. Cooper. Bats are eaten in Assyria and Africa, and used as charms in Egypt but demonized by the Old Testament, as unclean abominations, depicting impurity and adultery "As a creature of night and dark places, bats are symbolic of desolation and desecration in many parts, but in China, though being a nocturnal and yin animal, its name is a homophone of happiness, fu, and thus becomes happiness and good luck." For indigenous Americans, the bat represented shamanic death and rebirth, as the bat lives in the mother's cave-womb. In parts of Africa, bats are sacred, the carriers of soul of the dead (as most carrion birds). In the west, while bats are supposed to ward off locusts and hung on trees, they are also associated with vampires, witches, graveyards, death, and the devil.
Bear: "The bear is one of the oldest if not the oldest of the verifiable sacred animals; evidence of the Bear Cult exists from earliest times," according to Symbolic And Mythological Animals (1992) by J. C. Cooper. Sacred shrines and Altars have been dedicated to the bear since the Neanderthals and the bear remained sacred for shamanistic cults of the North American Indians, Icelandians, Finland, Siberia, and Japan. The Innuit honor the polar bear as the Great Spirit. Often symbolizing the hunt, the She-Bear (often the Grizzly) symbolizes maternal love and renewed life after the winter hibernation and springs new cubs. The Amerindians consider the bear the Guardian of the West, as do the Hopi Indians. The bear is honored by the Ainus of Japan but considered a buffoon by the Cherokee, etc. The She-Bear as Ursa Major is the totem animal of Artemis, the Amazonian Moon-Goddess.
Bee: "Bees are probably the most universally symbolic of insects; objects of admiration, veneration and fear and subjects of cults, rituals and beliefs in birth, death and the soul; they are also connected with supernatural powers," according to Symbolic And Mythological Animals (1992) by J. C. Cooper. As the providers of the first sweetener (honey), preserver, and alcohol (mead), bees were widely recognized, sometimes as spiritual messengers, they are associated with purity, chastity, and virginity, but their sting has a phallic connotation. The Lower Egypt royal symbol meant "he who belongs to the bee," while Vishnu, Krishna, and Indra are called Madhava, "Nectar-born ones." In China the bee is associated with industry and thrift (feng). Demeter was called "the Pure Mother Bee" and the Great Mother was also called "The Queen Bee," while bees were called the "birds of the Muses, and were believed to have guided the Ionians from Greece to Asia Minor.
Bird: See Birds.
Boar: "the Golden Boar is one of the great solar animals while the White Boar, dweller in the swamps and representing the watery element, is lunar. In some traditions it depicts all that is evil and unclean, in others it can be divine, appearing on altars and images of gods, also on coins and standards; but it always symbolizes strength, fearlessness, savagery and wildness," according to Symbolic And Mythological Animals (1992) by J. C. Cooper. Often the boar represents the "wild boar of winter" and the coming spring, such as in the Sumero-Semitic myth of Tamnuz, the Boar of Calydon, and the Graeco-Roman boar of Ares/Mars. The boar is sacred to Aphrodite, Demeter, and Atalanta. It is depicted in the hunts of Adonis, Meleager, and Hippolytus, Odysseus. It was the sacred animal of the early Olympic Games, as patron of honest play. The boar appears in Scandinavian, Teutonic, Celtic, and Druid myth, in Zoroastrian as the "shining boar" of the Sun, and to the Chinese and Japanese as the lunar "white boar."
Buffalo: "In North Amerindian lore the buffalo or bison portrays supernatural power, strength and fortitude; it also represents the whirlwind," according to Symbolic And Mythological Animals (1992) by J. C. Cooper. The Plains Indians consider it sacred and the Cree, Pawnee and Sioux consider the Cosmic Buffalo as their Grandfather and Father of the Universe. There are buffalo dances, festivals, sacrifices, and rituals among the Mandan Okapi, Zulus, and Malaysians. Vana (Vedic God of the Dead) and The Taoist Lao Tzu both ride on a buffalo while Buddha is sometimes depicted as a buffalo.
Bull: "As the bear is the primary symbolic and sacrificial animal of the hunter, so the bull is that of pastoral and agricultural communities, and it was reverenced and worshipped from earliest times," according to Symbolic And Mythological Animals (1992) by J. C. Cooper. Representing usefulness, strength, virility, ambivalence, it was the totem animal of the warrior, and the Sky God. However, when ridden by a goddess such as Astarte or Sidonian Europa, the Bull became a lunar symbol, together creating fertility. The Wild Bull was the consort of Inanna, Queen of Heaven and represented the God Baal for the Canaanite, Syrians, and Phoenicians. The Zoroastrians believed the bull was the first animal created, and was revered in Egypt as Apis. For Hindus the bull represented strength, speed, and fertility as Agnis, the Mighty Bull, Siva rides the bull Nandin (Guardian of the West); the Buddhist God of the Dead, Yama is sometimes a bull; and Yahweh is the "Bull of Israel."
Butterfly: "In changing from the mundane caterpillar and going through the stages of dissolution before emerging as the celestial winged creature the butterfly symbolizes rebirth, resurrection and the powers of regeneration," according to Symbolic And Mythological Animals (1992) by J. C. Cooper. In Chinese symbolism, the butterfly represents immortality, leisure, and joy, and in Japan the butterfly can also represent the false lover. In Greece the butterfly represented the soul; in the Pima myth it is the Creator; and in Australian Aboriginal myth the caterpillar went up into the sky to find out what happened to the dead and came back as butterflies.
Calf, Golden: The Golden Calf is a symbol for Horus, a bull-calf form of Osiris, son of Isis, also called Hathor, who includes the Golden Cow in her processions. Israelites considered the Golden Calf sacred as the God who led them to safety out of Egypt. According to Barbara Walker in her book, The Woman's Encyclopedia Of Myths And Secrets (1983), "The Israelites made offerings to him, sat down to a feast, then 'rose up to play,'" which translates to "copulate."
Cat: Egypt is where cats were first domesticated and revered as the Sphinx. In her book The Woman's Encyclopedia Of Myths And Secrets (1983), Barbara Walker, explains "the cat was carved on Isis' holy sistrum and represented the moon." Probably due to their nocturnal behavior, they were associated with the moon and therefore the Goddess. The saying that cat's have nine lives was created in Medieval times and probably comes from the Egyptian mythic Ninefold Goddess Ennead. It was at this time that cats were first associated with Witches when it was said that they could transform themselves into a cat's shape nine times within their life. In England, the cat became the Moon-goddess's totem and in Scotland, the Goddess of Witches, Mither o' the Mawkins, took the form of either a hare or a cat. By the Inquisition, Nicholas Remy had deemed all cats demonic and it became superstition that a witch's familiar was a gray cat and this led to the practice of burning cats in wicker cages on Midsummer, Easter, and Shrove Tuesday. See Sphinx. The cat was the totem animal for the Egyptian Goddess Bast (Mother of Cats), as well as Artemis/Diana.
Camel: "The camel is the most valuable animal in the Middle East; it is not only a sacrificial animal but also provides food and milk, the hide is used for leather and its hair is woven into a coarse cloth, it is also believed to be apotropaic and a cure for rheumatism; the camel's droppings are used for fuel," according to Symbolic And Mythological Animals (1992) by J. C. Cooper. The camel symbolizes obedience and subservience as the guardian of waters and springs in Arabia and considered the animal of Paradise in Islam and the Prophet swore by a camel.
Cheetah: "A Natural symbol of swiftness and speed," according to Symbolic And Mythological Animals (1992) by J. C. Cooper. The Cheetah was trained for hunting in Assyria and Egypt and, along with lions and leopards followed Dionysos. A Totem animal of Africa, the Cheetah was honored in rites and dances of hunting.
Cow: The Cow is still sacred today in India, but throughout history has been an important creation symbol. According to Barbara Walker, in her book, The Woman's Encyclopedia Of Myths And Secrets (1983) "Perhaps the most common manifestation of the Great Mother as Preserver was the white, horned, milk-giving Moon-cow, still sacred in India as a symbol of Kali... The cow was honored as the wet nurse of humanity, and her image is still inadvertently invoked to this day as an expletive Holy Cow, or a perjorative Sacred Cow." Egyptian legend tells of the sacred Mother Hathor in the form of a heavenly cow, creating the Milky Way with the milk from her udder and daily births the Golden Calf (the sun), Horus-Ra, who is also revered by Aaron and the Israelites. Italy means "calf-land" and according to legend was the gift of the "Milk-giver" who was called by many named, Lat by Etruscans, Al-Lat by Arabs, Latona, Lada, Leto, or Leda in Greece. In northern Europe her name was Audumla, Freya, or "fierce cow" and the universe was equated with curdled milk in early mythology. From India comes the belief that the universe was created from the Churning of the Sea of Milk. Japan's creation myth says that the primordial "curdle-curdle" was mixed with the first deities to make earth. Ancient Sanskrit speaking people and Romans also held the cow as important.
Crab: The Crab is the symbol for the zodiac sign of Cancer. India, Egypt, Persia, China, northern Europe, and Central America all held similar beliefs about the crab as foretelling the coming of the end of the world. See UMS Astrology Basics course.
Deer: "Universally a symbol of swiftness, agility, gentleness and timidity," according to Symbolic And Mythological Animals (1992) by J. C. Cooper. The deer has been associated with the Moon Goddesses Artemis, Aphrodite, Athene and Diana, as well as Apollo, and Vayu, the Vedic God of the Wind. In China the deer represented high rank, official success, and wealth. Celtics believed deer took souls to the underworld and they were a totem animal of the Indigenous Americans.
Dog: The dog has been the companion of humans before history was recorded. In mythology, the dog appears at the side of the Goddess, guarding the entrance to her after-world, which is reflected in card number 18 of the Tarot deck, two dogs howling at the full moon. According to The Woman's Encyclopedia Of Myths And Secrets (1983), by Barbara Walker, "Nearly everywhere one can still find the belief that dogs can see ghosts and other spirits, left over from the formerly universal association of canines with the world of death and the special preserve of the underground Goddess." The Three-headed hound Cerberus guarded the gates for Hecate, the death-goddess, according to myths. The Celtic gatekeeper was a dog named Dormarth or Death's Door. The Egyptian Anubis, god of the gateways and of mummification, is one of the oldest God-Dogs and known as the "Opener of the Way" and been associated with Sirius, the Dog Star (also the star the three wise men followed to find the Christ child). Anubis traveled to Christianity and became associated with Gabriel as judge of the dead. Romans worshipped Anubis, as well as other dog deities as keeper of the Great Mother's gate and guardian of the household and women. The Roman cult Goddess took the form of the She-wolf Lupa, who suckled Romulus and Remus. Diana the Huntress was said to have a dog companion, and dogs are often considered witch's familiars. As the Great Bitch, the dog was sacred to in Indo-European goddess Sarama, the Roman Goddess Lupa, the Wolf Bitch, and Artemis/Diana as the hunting dogs alani. See Anubis.
Dolphin: "The 'King of Fishes' is pre-eminently the symbol of seapower and, as 'the arrow of the sea,' it is swiftness," according to Symbolic And Mythological Animals (1992) by J. C. Cooper. The dolphin is associated with Apollo and is depicted on the walls of his temple at Delphi. It is associated with Astarte and with Ishtar, as well as Isis. From Symbols Of Church Seasons And Days (1997), by John Bradner, "With pagans the dolphin had become a popular symbol of salvation and immortality before Christians took it over for use in the Catacombs."
Dragon: From the Greek work for Serpent, dragons appear in mythology both east and west. Generally considered benevolent in Eastern mythology, Dragons tend to represent good fortune, thunder, or wisdom, according to Rowena and Rupert Shepherd in their book 1000 Symbols: What Shapes Mean In Art And Myth (2002). In the West however, they are often depicted as fire-breathing, human-sacrifice demanding, living in caves piled with treasure. This Philistine sea God took the shape of a merman, fish-man, or serpent-man and was the God of farming and fishing. The Woman's Encyclopedia Of Myths And Secrets (1983), by Barbara Walker says, "On account of the bad publicity given him in the Bible, he naturally became a leading demon of the Christian hell. See the UMS Astrology Basics course.
Elk: "Amerindian and Siberian symbol of stamina and strength, the warrior energy, supernatural power, the whirlwind," according to Symbolic And Mythological Animals (1992) by J. C. Cooper. The Elk is the totem animal of the Omahas.
Fish: This symbol has traditionally been a world-wide symbol for the Great Mother, as a pointed-oval, sign of the yoni, Vesica Piscis or Vessel of the Fish. The Hindus first gave this title to the Goddess because they said a woman's yoni had a fishy odor (in actuality, this odor is caused by an out-of-balance natural bacteria of the vagina, a healthy yoni should smell more like warm yogurt due to the acidophilus). In Chinese mythology the Great Mother Kwan-Yin often appeared as a fish-goddess. Minaksi, a portrayal of Kali became the "fish-eyed" one who swallowed Shiva's penis. Similarly, Isis became Abtu, the Great Fish of the Abyss after swallowing Osiris's penis. The Greek word, delphos meant both fish and womb, and the Oracle of Delphi was originally connected to the Goddess Themis, who took the shape of a great fish, whale, or dolphin. The tradition of eating fish on Fridays is practiced in Catholicism but was originally a celebration of the fish-goddess Aphrodite Salacia because her sacred day was Friday, which in Latin turned into the Day of Venus, for lovemaking, believing fish was an aphrodisiac. From Symbols Of Church Seasons And Days (1997), by John Bradner, "Early Christians frequently used the fish as a symbol of Christ," due to it's similarity in to Christ in Greek. Like many widespread symbols, Christianity co-opted the fish as the symbol of Christ, code-naming Jesus the "fish" (left top). Barbara Walker in her book, The Woman's Encyclopedia Of Myths And Secrets (1983) explains, "The fish symbol of the yonic Goddess was so revered throughout the Roman empire that Christian Authorities insisted on taking it over, with extensive revision of myths to deny its earlier female-genital meanings." Mary is sometimes portrayed with the fish symbol on her belly, representative of the womb. Salmon are a particularly important fish for Indigenous Americans, as well as Celts.
Frog: The Frog is a symbol of fertility and the fetus. This Medieval witch's totem stems from the ancient Frog of Hecate or Egyptian Queen of Heavenly midwives Hekat, whose sacred amulet of a frog included the words "I Am the Resurrection" (Walker, 1983). In Rome Hecate became Venus, whose fleur-de-lis was a trinity of frogs. The Babylonian fertility charm of a cylinder seals with Nine frogs corresponds to the Ninefold Goddess of the nine months of gestation.
Goat: "Both sexes of the goat symbolize fertility, vitality, and ceaseless energy. The he-goat is the epitome of masculine virility and creative energy, while the female typifies the feminine generative power and abundance... The goat is lust personified," according to Symbolic And Mythological Animals (1992) by J. C. Cooper. Gazelle and Antelope also take on the symbolism of the goat. As one of the first domesticated animals, goat skins were made into drinking bottles and parchment while the hair was woven into cloth and the meat and milk consumed. The goat was associated with such gods as Artemis and Dionysos (who sometimes took the form of a goat). Pan was half goat, Azazel was the Semitic goat-god of life and creativity, and Leshi was the Russian wood-spirit satyr. Satyrs were half-goat, half-man. Christ was referred to as the scapegoat taking away the sins of the world. The goat Amalthea suckled Zeus Dictynnos and her horns became the cornucopia of plenty. Goats were important to the sacrifices of Artemis and Athene, as well as at the Roman Lupercalia, as fertility magic. In Chinese tradition the goat represents the masculine yang principle as the Spirit God Yang Ching.
Goose: The Goose, like many fairytales creatures, has a rich and powerful past. Originally an Egyptian myth, Mother Hathor takes the form of the Nile Goose who lays the Golden Egg of her son, Ra, the sun God, which is sometimes called the Goose-egg. The Mother Goose is also credited with producing the primal World Egg that hatched the universe. Shamans had a tradition of climbing a Heavenly Vine, or Ladder of Set, to the other-worldly home of a solar deity, whose incantation was "the Egg of the Goose appearing from out of the sycamore." Fairytales such as Jack and the Beanstalk and Mother Goose are thinly veiled retellings of these religious myths. Barbara Walker in her book, The Woman's Encyclopedia Of Myths And Secrets (1983) explains, "Like Hathor, Mother Goose was the godmother of all children. In her pictures she always wore the traditional garb of the witch-midwife: black cloak, pointed hat like the Egyptian crown, and magic wand."
Griffin: Also spelled Griffon or Gryphon. This imaginary middle-eastern and Aserian creature is half eagle (head and talons) and half lion. According to Symbolic And Mythological Animals (1992) by J. C. Cooper, the griffin "combines the powers of the earth and sky. As a guardian it furthermore depicts vigilance and vengeance. It traveled to the East and shared the symbolism of enlightenment and wisdom along with the dragon. In Greece it became sacred to Apollo as a solar being, Athene as wisdom, and Nemesis as vengeance (whose chariot is drawn by griffins in Romanart). In India and Scythia it became "The Bird of Gold" and guardian of the gold mines as well as the sun, sky, and dawn for their associations with gold.
Hare: The hare is a universal lunar animal from Mexico, South Africa, Asia, and China. According to Symbolic And Mythological Animals (1992) by J. C. Cooper, "The hare is always an attribute of lunar deities and acts as their messenger; like the moon it depicts periodic death and rebirth, rejuvenation, resurrection. The hare is also universally a fertility symbol; it also represents fleetness, timidity and craftiness." In Assyria and Egypt the hare is considered an animal of the hunt but the Turks and Jews consider it an unclean food. In Rome it was let loose as part of the festival of the Floralia. The Celts associated them with their Moon Goddesses and Hunter Gods, who often held the hare, as well as the Scandinavian Freyja and the Teutonic Holda, Harke or Harfa. The Teutonic lunar Goddess Oestra or Eostra, whose name derives Easter, was hare-headed, and thus the hare became the Easter bunny. The Hare in the Moon epitomizes the feminine yin and is sometimes considered the maker of the elixir of immortality and patron of longevity, and the guardian of all wild animals. The Buddha took the form of the Great Hare and the Hindu moon god Chandras carries the hare. The Ainu of Japan believe they come from heaven, made of the hair of deer but they have the evil eye. European legends regarded the hare as a witch's familiar and unlucky. Manabozho was a Great Hare creator for the Amerindians and West Africans celebrated the hare as the magical Brer Rabbit.
Horse: The horse has been associated with the sacred king or divine ruler throughout history and peoples, including the people of Norse, Rome, Greek, Crete, Sweden, Celts, Norway, Germany, Kent, and Pagans of Northern Europe. Horse sacrifices, rituals, statues, and titles have been prolific since ancient pagan horse worship. The title Hengist and Horsa (Stallion and Mare) was used in Kent as the title of the King and Queen, the ruling pair. This later carried over to other traditions such as tacking a two-headed horse to the threshold of homes for luck in Jutes. Warriors tested their strength on horses, were buried with their horses, and rode to heaven on the backs of horses. Several costumes arose of tearing sacred kings to pieces by priestesses wearing horse masks (in Sweden), or by literal horses in Crete mythology. Pope Calixtus III in the 15th century and the Christian King Haakon in the 10th century condemned horse worshipping and sacrifices. In her book The Woman's Encyclopedia Of Myths And Secrets (1983), Barbara Walker explains, "Traces of the horse sacrifice persisted in England up to the 16th century, when it was still customary for all horses to be bled on St. Stephen's Day, the day after Christmas, for 'luck.'"
Jaguar: According to Symbolic And Mythological Animals (1992) by J. C. Cooper, "The third largest cat in the world and the largest spotted one, the jaguar is held in considerable fear; it is a magical and were-animal and is a power symbol, although symbolically somewhat ambivalent, like the Chinese Tiger which represents male creative power and the fierce warrior but also the powers of darkness, the female earth and destructive forces, and is associated with the cave, symbol of the womb, and with the Western regions. It is a shamanic and cult figure for Central and Southern Indigenous Americans. The Mayans created sacrificial ceremonies and offerings to the Jaguar God and the Aztec God of Warriors, Tezcatlipoca is depicted as a Jaguar with an eagle at his side.
Ky-lin: This Chinese creature has the head of a dragon with a single horn, a lion's mane, a stag's body, and the tale of an ox and embodies the yin-yang with the Ky the masculine and Lin the feminine aspects. It is exceptionally gentle and symbolizes the feminine yin of benevolence and good will. Ky-lin accompanies sages and immortals and appears during the rein of virtuous monarchs, as well as heralds the birth of famous people like Confucius. According to Symbolic And Mythological Animals (1992) by J. C. Cooper, it is an "incarnation of the five elements of the five virtues and has in its composition the five colours."
Lamb: The lamb has long been a substitute sacrificial offering in the Jewish tradition in exchange for the firstborn sons originally sacrificed. This custom led to the association of lamb with Christ, as the son of Yahweh (God) sacrificed for the people. Barbara Walker, in her book, The Woman's Encyclopedia Of Myths And Secrets (1983) explains, "As the Lamb of God (agnus dei), Jesus was supposed to redeem the firstborn son Adam, and through him the whole human race, which must be 'washed in the blood of the Lamb,' as the church taught."
Leopard: The leopard "represents ferocity, aggression and courage," according to Symbolic And Mythological Animals (1992) by J. C. Cooper. In Arabic it is called Nimir and also denotes a boy who shows courage, boldness, and grace. In Egypt it is the emblem of Osiris and associated with the Greek Dionysos. In China they symbolize bravery and warlike ferocity and in Africa they are often a cult animal and considered sacred to the Benin Royal Family in West Africa, as well as being a totem animal for the Ewe. Christianity associated the leopard with the devil.
Lion: The lion is a symbol of the sun for Greece and Romans and also a symbol for the Goddess (Ishtar, Astarte, Cybele, and Hathor) in the Middle East and Egypt. The Lion also worked its way into Arthurian legends as the Sphinx-lioness. Barbara Walker, in her book, The Woman's Encyclopedia Of Myths And Secrets (1983) says, "Sometimes she appeared with two lion heads looking forward and backward, like her Roman counterpart Janus-Jane. This was a symbol of Time, with the hieroglyph xerefu and akeru, the Lions of Yesterday and Today." See Sphinx. According to Rowena and Rupert Shepherd in their book 1000 Symbols: What Shapes Mean In Art And Myth (2002), "In China and Japan lions are symbols of bravery and protection. Pairs of stone lions guard the entrance to Buddhist temples and official buildings." The lion on the right will be male and have its left paw over a globe symbolizing the sun. The lion on the left will be female and have its right paw on a cub, symbolizing compassion. A Golden-maned lion was the totem animal of Apollo-Chrysocomes.
Mascot: The mascot, as an animal representing a team or group, originated from animal familiars (spirits taking the form of animals). The most stereotypical example is that of a witch's black cat. Barbara Walker, in her book, The Woman's Encyclopedia Of Myths And Secrets (1983) explains, "The mascot of a pagan totemic clan was its animal mask, worn on ceremonial occasions." Traditionally associated with paganism and witchcraft, mascoto meant "witchcraft" and masco a "sorceress" in Provencal French, both words also derive from "mask."
Mouse: Totem animal of the Greek Sun God Apollo-Smitheus.
Octopus or Polypus: According to Symbolic And Mythological Animals (1992) by J. C. Cooper, the octopus is "a symbol of inconstancy and faithlessness as it changes colour under stress." The octopus is often depicted in Aegean art and Cretan jars. In Mediterranean art its arms become a spiral, representing thunder and the phases of the moon but in Celtic and Scandinavian art, they are straight. Polynesian myths tell of the primordial octopus bearing two children, Fire and Water, who began a conflict that destroyed the world by flood.
Otter: Its close association with water has defined this animal for many cultures. J. C. Cooper in the book, Symbolic And Mythological Animals (1992) explains, "The otter was an important cult animal in anient Peru and was associated with the ocelot as living near streams and water; the two can be combined in iconography. It takes on the feminine energies of earth and water, being grace and playfulness for the Amerindians and is a trickster for the indigenous North Americans. The Zoroastrians associated it with Ormuzd, and the Celts with the Lord of Animals, Cernunnos. The Ainu consider the otter forgetful.
Owl: As an animal of the night, the Owl, like the moon, is an obvious symbol of the Goddess and they are the totem animals of Minerva, Athene, Lilith, and Blodeuwedd (Welsh Goddess).
Python: Mother Hera gave birth to the python without the help of a male god and the serpent, like Lucifer and Hephaestus, descended to the earth-womb, giving the serpent the goddess' secrets, making him into an oracle of Delphi. Python and Apollo-Python, according to Barbara Walker, in her book, The Woman's Encyclopedia Of Myths And Secrets (1983), "were really the same god... like all other light-and-dark twins." See Serpent.
Ram: As with the bull, stag, and goat, the ram represents the fertile god, sacrificed for the sake of humanity (often replacing the human sacrifice). Aries, the sun god, was depicted as a ram whose annual death and rebirth signified a new year; the Egyptian holly ram was called Amen-Ra; the Jews yearly sacrifice a lamb to the ram god identified with Yahweh; and rams were sacred in Israel as the consort of the Holy Ewe Rachel who later married Jacob in the bible, according to Barbara Walker, in her book, The Woman's Encyclopedia Of Myths And Secrets (1983).
Scorpion: The Scorpion, representing autumn, is one of the four animals associated with the four times of the year, and is often interchanged with the serpent. In Babylon, India, Greece, and Maya of central America all recognized the scorpion constellation of stars. According to Barbara Walker, in her book, The Woman's Encyclopedia Of Myths And Secrets (1983), "Astrological myths everywhere placed Aquarius the Water-drawer at the winter solstice, Taurus the Bull at the spring equinox, Leo the Lion at the summer solstice, and Scorpio at the autumnal equinox" (901). Egyptian myths tells of Scorpio killing Horus in midwinter and later being resurrected by his Mother Isis. Christianity adapted them as the "four totems of the evangelists and the four Angels of the Apocalypse" (Walker, 1983). See UMS Astrology Basics course.
Serpent/Snake: Due to its ability to renew itself through shedding its skin, the snake was believed by the ancient world to avoid old age and gain immortality. In her book, The Woman's Encyclopedia Of Myths And Secrets (1983), Barbara Walker explains, "A basic serpent-myth said the dual Moon-goddess of life and death made the first man. Her bright aspect suggested making him immortal like a snake, able to shed his skin; but her dark aspect insisted that he should die and be buried in the earth." The reverence for the serpent can be seen in a variety of expressions such as the Italian aver piu anni d'un serpente "Being older than a serpent." The Greek term for a snake's cast geras or "old age." The Melanesian saying "to slough one's skin" means eternal life (Walker, 1983). The Hindu Goddess Ananta the Infinite took the form of a serpent as the inner female soul of man, the temple Khmer of Angkor Wat in Cambodia was dedicated to the Serpent-Goddess who nightly embraced the king and signaled for a new king when she did not appear. The Negritos (Chinese) said that Mat Chinoi was the divine serpent Mother of the Chinese. Aegeans worshipped women and serpents. Indigenous American Hopi ask the snake to carry their prayers for rain in the Snake Dance (Shephard, 2002). In India the Serpent Goddess is called Kadru, in Babylonia it is Kadi or Der, in Egypt she is called Mehen the Enveloper, the Akkadians called her Ninhursag, her Jewish name was Nehushtan, etc. According to Symbols Of Church Seasons And Days (1997), by John Bradner, "A serpent shown at the foot of the cross signifies the evil responsible for the Fall of Man."
Sheep and Shepherds: Greeks and Romans sacrificed sheep to Zeus/Jupiter, Hera/Juno, Mars, Silvanus, Terminus, and Aphrodite, as they could be eaten and their hide made into cloths. According to Symbolic And Mythological Animals (1992) by J. C. Cooper, "Generally symbolizing silliness, timidity, helplessness and unintelligent conformity, the sheep needs a shepherd to lead it; it also signifies placidity." From Symbols Of Church Seasons And Days (1997), by John Bradner, "The shepherds...represent the humble Jewish folk to whom Christ was first presented." Hindus regard the sheep as evil while Muslims believe them holy and Hebrews considered them a most valued possession. In China, Shepherds worshipped Huang Ch'hPing, God of Sheep. Sheep incarnate the souls of ancestors in Madagascar.
Sleipnir: The Norse eight-legged gray horse of Odin. The horse symbolized death, like the gallows-tree on which Odin hung. According to Barbara Walker, in, The Woman's Encyclopedia Of Myths And Secrets (1983).
Spider: The spider has symbolized the controller or "weaver" of Fate for a variety of spiritual traditions. Athena was associated with the spider in early writings as her totem animal, "spinning the web of Fate," and later as the maiden Arachne whose weaving inspired such jealousy in Athena that she turned Arachne into a spider. Hindu mythology states that Maya, the virgin face of the Triple Goddess, was represented by a spider, "spinner of magic, fate, and earthly appearances" similar to the Wheel of Fate (Walker, 1983). Clotho and the Virgin Moera were also associated with the spider. Due to the spider's habit of devouring her consort, she was depicted as the death goddess Kalu-Uma. Similarly, Aztec mythology held that spiders were the souls of dead warrior women of the pre-Aztec matriarchate, who would descend from heaven on silken threads at the end of the world to devour all the men on earth. The Amazonians also had Fate-spinners. Medieval Europe associated spiders with witches. The Ashanti (West Africa) spider God, Anansi, is pictured here.
Stag: "The stag is pre-eminently a solar symbol, at war with the serpent. The stag trampling on the serpent, like the eagle with the snake in its talons, depicts the conflicting opposites, positive and negative, the final triumph of good over evil, of light against darkness and the spirit over matter," according to Symbolic And Mythological Animals (1992) by J. C. Cooper. The sacred stag often appears with the Tree of Life and represents the fertility god in Sumero-Semitic rituals. The Celts associated the stag with the Horned God Cernunnos and the Hunter god Cocidius, as having male fertility-power. In Greece, Artemis’s chariot is drawn by stags and it was an attribute of Diana, Dionysos, and Bacchus.
Spiritual Symbols & Colors: Index >>
Birds
Bird: Birds have held symbolic meaning for many different cultures and peoples. "In symbolism and myth, birds, with their powers of flight, universally represent the spirit, the soul, ascent to the heavens and communication between heaven and earth, gods and men. Having wings, they can also symbolize Angels and the higher states of being, and are a means of travel to the next world," according to Symbolic And Mythological Animals (1992) by J. C. Cooper. According to Man, Myth And Magic: The Illustrated Encyclopedia Of Mythology, Religion And The Unknown (1995), edited by Richard Cavendish, "Men have always envied the birds their ability to fly, which brought them into contact with the sky powers and the gods." The Latin origin of the word bird, aves, means both bird and ancestral spirit, or ghost, or angel. Barbara Walker, in her book, The Woman's Encyclopedia Of Myths And Secrets (1983) points out that, "because birds traveled freely between the earthly and heavenly realms, they were everywhere regarded as angelic messengers, givers of omens, possessors of occult secrets, as well as soul-carriers. Carrion crows and vultures took souls to heaven. Storks brought them back to earth for rebirth."
Indo-Europeans believed that a soul could appear in the form of a bird. Birds are involved in the magic and spiritual practices of South Pacific, Indonesian, Central Asian, and Siberian shamans and prophets who all believe they can transform themselves into birds. Ecstatic flight is a magical power of the Buddhist yogis. In Celtic myth fairies could change into birds (which is why they are shown with wings). The Maori gods of the South Pacific island were often half-bird, half-man in form. According to Rowena and Rupert Shepherd in their book 1000 Symbols: What Shapes Mean In Art And Myth (2002), "Maori gods, called manaica, are also represented in carvings with a heavily stylized or abstract human form and birdlike characteristics." The Goddess Freya, of northern Europe, had magic feather gowns that gave magicians the power to fly like birds. Mayan and Aztec priesthoods possessed elaborate feather garments as well. Each day of the thirteen-day week of the Aztec calendar was represented by a different bird. The bird also brought the cosmic egg that birthed the world in many creation myths.
Albatross: Considered the God of the Sea by the Ainu of Japan, the Albatross, with its huge wings and ability to seemingly never touch ground, plays a roll in many island cultures, including the South Pacific and coastal Europeans. According to Rowena and Rupert Shepherd in their book 1000 Symbols: What Shapes Mean In Art And Myth (2002), "One Hawaiian saying runs ka manu ka-upu halo 'alo o ka moana ('The albatross that observes the sea'): The bird represents a careful observer."
Cock: From Symbols Of Church Seasons And Days (1997), by John Bradner, "This is a symbol of Peter's denial and so one of the symbols of the Passion." As the announcer of dawn, the cock has been considered a solar bird with the masculine principles of courage, vigilance, war, and aggression and was often sacrificed, but the Celts and other Scandinavian sometimes associated them with the underworld. A white cock was considered sacred to the moon goddesses Athene and Demeter, while the golden cock was sacred to solar gods such as Apollo, Anubis, Osiris, and Nephthys. In China the cock was considered fortunate and warded off evil spirits and in Christianity the cock was believed to have the power to fight darkness.
Crow: This carrion-eating bird, along with the vulture and the raven, was a symbol in northern Europe for the Death-Goddess Krake also called Queen of Witches. The Crow has appeared in many legends, Valkyries and Anglo-Danish, as the Goddess's or a witch's familiar or shape shifter.
Cuckoo: The Cuckoo bird was, in Medieval Europe, the bird of May and the fertility rights of Mayday. It was said that this bird sang the announcement of May.
Doves: Known for love, passion, and life. According to the story of Jesus' Baptism, the Holy Spirit became a dove and flew down to Jesus, and consequently, "This is the usual symbol for the Spirit of God." Thus, during the canonization ceremony of Christian saints, white doves are released to represent the soul rising to heaven, according to Symbols Of Church Seasons And Days (1997) by John Bradner. However, like many symbols, this latter Christian meaning stems from an older tradition. Doves also symbolize sexuality and lust as Aphrodite's familiar, the symbolic bird of lust in India, and the Syrian Dove-goddess, consort to the Snake-God. According to The Woman's Encyclopedia Of Myths And Secrets (1983),by Barbara Walker, the dove is "Aphrodite's totem, the bird of sexual passion, symbolically equivalent to the yoni... joined to her consort the phallic serpent, the Dove-goddess stood for sexual union and 'Life.'" Gypsies remember this Syrian Couple in folk tales. According to Symbolic And Mythological Animals (1992) by J. C. Cooper, "The dove is one of the most venerated creatures, symbolizing the spirit, the soul, bringing the spirit down to the earth and the transit between one state and another; it also represents peace, innocence, gentleness, timidity and chastity, though in some traditions (and especially as the pigeon) it can represent lasciviousness. Doves were universally sacred to the Great Mother and Queens of Heaven and were depicted with them as symbols of maternity and femininity." Terra Cotta representations of doves are found as early as 4500 B.C.E. in Mesopotamia and 2500 B.C.E. in Egypt. Associated with the Tree of Life and particularly the Olive Tree the dove symbolizes peace, the Golden Age, and renewed life.
Duck: In China and Japan, ducks are symbols of happiness. According to Rowena and Rupert Shepherd in their book 1000 Symbols: What Shapes Mean In Art And Myth (2002), "Mandarin ducks (so called because of their flamboyant plumage) are symbols of conjugal felicity and fidelity."
Eagle: Eagles symbolize fire and lightning. According to The Woman's Encyclopedia Of Myths And Secrets (1983), by Barbara Walker, the eagle is a "Classic soul-bird, symbol of apotheosis associated with the sun god, fire, and lightning." The Eagle is the royal bird of Rome and Roman emperors had an eagle released over their funeral pyre to carry the soul to heaven. Greeks believed that the Eagle was representative of the lightning spirits and nailed them to the tops of temples as lightning rods. Zeus transformed himself into an eagle to carry his lover to heaven. Pagans associated the eagle with the rites, and called down 'fire from heaven,' in sacrificial rituals. Eagles are also symbolic of the soul of Heracles. According to Rowena and Rupert Shepherd in their book 1000 Symbols: What Shapes Mean In Art And Myth (2002), "The Eagle is often associated with nobility... The double-headed eagle, a solar symbol representing the absolute power of royalty and sky deities, was already familiar to the Mesopotamian Third Dynasty of Ur (2112-2004 B.C.E.), and it appears in the Hittite sanctuaries of the 13th century B.C.E. in central Anatolia." The Holy Roman, Prussian and Russian Empires would later use this as their imperial symbol (top left).
Goose: Considered the "Great Cackler," the goose is believed to have laid the egg of creation.
Hawk: Egyptian pharaoh's had a hawk, representing the solar hawk of Horus released at their funeral. According to Rowena and Rupert Shepherd in their book 1000 Symbols: What Shapes Mean In Art And Myth (2002), "Many tribal peoples of North America believe the swift and keen-eyed hawk to be the messenger of their ancestors. Its cry is so sharp and shrill that it pierces the human mind, so that the ancestor's call can be heard." Indigenous representation of the Hawk pictured here. Hawks were used for aristocratic sport in both Europe and Japan. In Norse mythology the Hawk sits on an eagle, sitting on the Yggdrasil, World Tree. See Trees.
Magpie (woodpecker): The totem animal for the god Mars in Rome.
Nightingales: The nightingale's sweet singing at dusk has made it an appropriate symbol of love. However, according to Rowena and Rupert Shepherd in their book 1000 Symbols: What Shapes Mean In Art And Myth (2002), "The mournfulness of its song has meant that in European folklore it has been associated with the souls of the damned."
Owl: The owl is recognized as significant in many cultures. The Romans use the same word for witch as they do for owl; Greeks associated the owl with Athene; the Mesopotamians called the owl the "Eye-Goddess; the owl was the totem of the Triple Goddess in the form of Lilith, Blodeuwedd, Anath. Barbara Walker, in her book, The Woman's Encyclopedia Of Myths And Secrets (1983), states, "The owl is also a bird of wisdom because it used to embody the wisdom of the goddess." In general, the owl is considered a familiar of women and the goddess, associated with the night and the moon.
Peacock: Sacred to the mother of Roman gods Juno, the Etruscan Goddess Uni, the Hindu Goddesses Sarasvati and Maya, the Argive goddess Hera. According to Barbara Walker, in her book, The Woman's Encyclopedia Of Myths And Secrets (1983), "The peacock's iridescent tail-feather "eyes" symbolized the goddess's watchfulness, her many-colored veils, and her plumes of justice, against which the hearts of men were weighed, as against the plumes of Maat in Egypt." In Roman myths empresses are carried to heaven by peacocks. In Christian Nativity scenes, peacocks represent immortality and eternal life, according to Symbols Of Church Seasons And Days (1997), by John Bradner.
Pelican: Like the stork, the pelican is also associated with the arrival of babies. Barbara Walker, in her book, The Woman's Encyclopedia Of Myths And Secrets (1983), asserts, "the pelican was an early symbol of the Sacred Heart." Legend told that pelican mothers pecked holes in their breasts so that their infants could be nourished from their heart-blood. Although this is unfounded and probably derived from the habit of pelicans to rest their beaks in their breast feathers, Walker asserts that "The self-sacrificing mother pelican became a popular motif on both ecclesiastical and secular coats of arms."
Phoenix: Patron bird of the Phoenician god Phoenix, this mythical bird burst into flame, cleansing itself before rebirth, representing eternal life. Barbara Walker, in her book, The Woman's Encyclopedia Of Myths And Secrets (1983), explains, "He rose to heaven in the form of the Morning Star, like Lucifer, after his fire-immolation of death and rebirth." The Phoenix's journey represented the death of the sacred king for Egyptians, who performed ceremonies representing his cremation, journey to heaven as a bird, and rebirth up to the second century. In Egyptian mythology, the phoenix was alternately a man and a firebird who "periodically cremates himself and rose again from his ashes" (Walker, 1983). In Greek, the sacrificial sacred king of Astarte who would be burned at Byblos was called "the Phoenician." Egyptian phoenix to the left.
Raven: With black plumage, the raven is often associated with the Lord of Death and resurrection. The Big Raven, who was ceremonially castrated and killed, was the ancestral wizard-king of the Chukchi shamans. The Danes called their king of the underworlds Valraven. Valkyries of the Norse supposedly took on the form of the raven in order to drink the blood of slain warriors. Ravens were the animal accompanying Orphic initiates and Raven was the title of initiates who attained the first degree of enlightenment for the Mithraic Mysteries, the Moon Goddess who received the dead. The Germanic hero Emperor Frederick was said to be guarded by ravens and in the Armenian version of the same emperor, he sill sleeps under a magic hill called Rock of the Raven.
Stork: Classic bird of birth, the stork carries souls from heaven to earth. Man, Myth, And Magic: The Illustrated Encyclopedia Of Mythology, Religion And The Unknown (1995), edited by Richard Cavendish, states, "Legends tell of storks being transformed into human beings, possibly because the large size and upright posture suggest an affinity with mankind." There are legends of storks in Germany, Greek, Arab, Eastern legends.
Swan: The swan appears in many myths from Hindu swan maidens to the Scandinavian Valkyries incarnated as a swan, to Kali or Kauri taking the shape of the swan in battle to the Swan knight Krishna and the similar Greek Zeus disguised as a swan, whose lover the Goddess Leda gives birth to the world Egg, to Old Religion myths of the "Knight of the Swan, servant of women" of the Knights Templar and the Grail myths. Shamans across the globe have downed swan-feather cloaks during ceremonies that may relate to these myths. As the largest birds of the Northern Hemisphere, People of the Old Stone Age to The Middle Bronze Age have worshipped swans in their art. According to Man, Myth And Magic: The Illustrated Encyclopedia Of Mythology, Religion And The Unknown (1995), edited by Richard Cavendish, "The size of the swan and its flight high in the sky implies power, and its association with water implies fertility."
Thunderbird: Ruler of the Heavenly realm, the Thunderbird is revered in North America. Rowena and Rupert Shepherd in their book 1000 Symbols: What Shapes Mean In Art And Myth (2002), retell some of the Thunderbird lore from the Vancouver Island of Nootka, "Winds blow when he ruffles his feathers; the sun shines when he opens his eyes; when he moves his wings, the bright colours of his feathers flash and emit lightning; and when he claps his wings together, thunder is heard..."
Vulture: A totem animal of the Great Mother Goddess in her death aspect, the Vulture was revered in Neolithic times as the embodiment of the Mother's spirit, eating the dead and carrying them up to heaven. Barbara Walker explains, "Vultures who devoured corpses were regarded as her angels of death, since they carried the dead piecemeal to heaven." The Vulture was particularly important in Egypt, were it was worshipped as Mut, Isis, or Nekhbet and was considered the "origin of all things," and ancient Iranians exposed their dead to vulture in dakhmas, "towers of silence" that were built when they worshipped Mah, the Moon-goddess (Walker, 1983).
Waterbird: The influence of missionaries on Indigenous Americans is present in the symbolism of the waterbird, which is also called the water turkey or "coyote bird." According to Rowena and Rupert Shepherd in their book 1000 Symbols: What Shapes Mean In Art And Myth (2002), the waterbird "has a symbolism similar to the Christian dove of the Holy Spirit.
Spiritual Symbols & Colors: Index >>
Four Directions
Directions: Each culture has oriented itself around systems of directions. Many have included 6 directions, North, South, East, West, Above, and Below. The indigenous Americans called this the medicine wheel, and sculpted it with large rocks onto the plains as well as symbolizing it in fetishes and art. Rowena and Rupert Shepherd in their book 1000 Symbols: What Shapes Mean In Art And Myth (2002), explain, "The simplest form of orientation was by the sun," thus the east was based on the rising sun and west the setting sun. The meeting point of the directions varied; for the Inca, it was their capital city Cuzco, for the Moslems, it is Mecca.
North: On the medicine wheel, North represents "air, animals, the mind, heart, wisdom, balance harmony and white races who know the ways of mind, science, research and technology," according to Rowena and Rupert Shepherd in their book 1000 Symbols:What Shapes Mean In Art And Myth (2002). In Chinese tradition it depicts winter, water, and is represented by a tortoise with a snake around it. Buddhists of Japan believe north is protected by the blue god Bishamonten, while the Yoruba of Nigeria associate it with red and the god Ogun.
East: On the medicine wheel, East represents "fire, the human world, spirit, the spark of life, spirituality and the place from which one sets out on the vision quest; it is also related to the yellow races, masters of the ways of meditation," according to Rowena and Rupert Shepherd in their book 1000 Symbols: What Shapes Mean In Art And Myth (2002). In Chinese tradition it depicts spring, wood, and a blue or green dragon. Buddhists of Japan believe east is guarded by the red-faced deity Komokuten, while the Yoruba of Nigeria associate it with green and yellow and their god Eshu.
South: On the medicine wheel, South represents "water, plants, emotions and movement, the innocence of the child and the red race who know how to dance in harmony with the earth," according to Rowena and Rupert Shepherd in their book 1000 Symbols: What Shapes Mean In Art And Myth (2002). In Chinese tradition it depicts summer, fire, and the phoenix or a red bird. Buddhists of Japan believe south is guarded by the whitefaced Zochoten, while the Yoruba of Nigeria associate it with white and the god Obbatal.
West: On the medicine wheel, West represents "earth, minerals, the body, dreaming, intuition, memories, and the black races, who know how to dance and drum the natural rhythms of the earth," according to Rowena and Rupert Shepherd in their book 1000 Symbols: What Shapes Mean In Art And Myth (2002). In Chinese tradition it depicts autumn, metal, and a white tiger. Buddhists of Japan believe West is guarded by the green-faced Jikokuten, while the Yoruba of Nigeria associate it with black and their lightening deity, Shango.
Spiritual Symbols & Colors: Index >>
Earth
Earth: The female counterpart to the masculine sky, the earth is idolized as a divine mother by many peoples, due to its nurturing gifts of food, water, and shelter. According to Rowena and Rupert Shepherd in their book 1000 Symbols: What Shapes Mean In Art And Myth (2002), "In China the dome of the sky represents yang, while earth represents yin." The Batammaliba (From Toga Africa) call their sky god Kuiye and his wife, the earth goddess Butan. For the Maori, the god is Rangi and the earth goddess Papatuanuku. However, in Egypt, the sky is ruled by the goddess Nut, whose earth husband is the god Geb, and in Christianity the sky represents the mantel of the Virgin Mary. The equal-armed cross within a circle is the astrological glyph for the earth. See Element.
Gaea: (Gaia) The Greek name for the earth as Mother and Provider. Barbara Walker in her book, The Woman's Encyclopedia Of Myths And Secrets (1983) explains that Gaea is the "Greek name for Mother Earth, the 'Deep-breasted One,' called Oldest of Divinities." The Olympian gods swore their oath to her before Zeus, and were ruled by her law, as the oldest of all deities.
Khon-Ma: Khon-Ma is the Tibetan name for Earth. Barbara Walker, in her book, The Woman's Encyclopedia Of Myths And Secrets (1983), says Tibetans viewed earth as "Mother Earth, the 'old mother' Goddess who rules over all spirits emanating from the earth elements." Tara: The Indo-Europe Earth Goddess, in Latin known as Tarra Mater, in Hebrew Terah, in Gaulish Taranis, In Etruscan Turan, according to Barbara Walker, in her book, The Woman's Encyclopedia Of Myths And Secrets (1983).
Spiritual Symbols & Colors: Index >>
Elements
Elements: Long before the Periodic Table of the Elements was compiled, humans as early as Sumeria (the earliest literate civilization) were categorizing the four basic elements as: Earth, Air, Water, and Fire. All over the world, Native American Indians, Aztec, Hindus, Chinese, Greeks, Egyptians, and Romans all recognize these four basic elements. According to The Woman's Encyclopedia Of Myths And Secrets (1983), by Barbara Walker, "On each of the inhabited continents, the same four elements were distinguished as building-blocks of all substances living or dead, organic or inorganic: water, fire, earth, and air."
Scientists until the 18th century (when the periodic table was compiled), believed in the four elements as the building blocks of life as temperaments: sanguine (caused by an overabundance of blood), phlegmatic (phlegm), melancholic (caused by too much bile), and Ethereal (ether) which mixed together to create the temper of a person. Indian legend says the four elements were created by the Great Mother Kali, who wrote Sanskrit, which is said to be invested with the power of creating whatever is spoken: VA for water; Ra for fire; La for earth; and Ya for air. Kali created humans out of the four elements, blood, heat, solids, and breath and is shown in Western iconography as holding the four elements symbolized as blood for water, scepter (lightning bolt) for fire, lotus wheel for earth, and sword for air. In Greece this was transferred to the Goddess Nemesis as a cup for water, an apple-bough or wand for fire, wheel for earth, and a sword for air.
The Tarot, a forerunner of the modern deck of cards, was created in four suits which mirrored these four elements, cups; wands, rods, or scepters; pentacles, coins, or discs; and swords. Native Americans designed their villages and encampments so they lined up with the four directions, which also corresponded to the four elements as well as colors and qualities such as Wind: north, war, and yellow; Fire: south, summer, farming, and red; Water: west, spring, peace, and blue; Earth: east, autumn, magic, and white. The Aztec had similar categories with water and earth and are associated with the Mother Earth Goddess while fire and air are associated with the Father Sky God. In pagan lore, spirits of superhuman nature were connected with the four elements as undines (water), salamanders (fire), gnomes (earth), and sylphs (air).
There is sometimes a fifth element, Ether, added to these primary four elements, which is comprised of the "heavenly" stuff of such things as Gods, angels, star-spirits, saints, "astral bodies," and the gas that filled outer space, as believed by astronomers of the 18th and 19th centuries. Why these four elements are chosen above others is unknown. It is speculated that these are the four ways of returning the human body back to its origins, burial (earth), burning (fire), carnal birds (air), or carried away in rivers or the ocean (water). Walker (1983) states, "In general, the lore of the elements was a prime example of what may be one of humanity's most characteristic behavior patterns: classifying." Below are the elements and selected examples of meanings that in no way include the significance to every culture and time.
Fire: Masculine, "Fire of life," wand, Ra, scepter, south, blue, summer, fire, red, farming, salamanders, ruby, Mars. Alchemical fire sign to left. See Fire.
Water: Feminine, "mothering vehicle of the energies of birth, nourishment, and growth," cups, Va, blood, west, red, spring, peace, blue, undines, honey, milk, sapphire, lapis lazuli, Venus. Alchemical water sign to left. See Water.
Earth: Feminine, "the world supporter and base," pentacles, La, Lotus, east, white, autumn, magic, gnomes, gold, Jove. Alchemical earth symbol to left. See Earth.
Air: Masculine, "the breath of life," swords, Ya, sword, north, black, winter, rabbit, wind, war, yellow, sylphs, silver, crystal, diamond, Saturn. Alchemical air symbol to left.
Spiritual Symbols & Colors: Index >>
Flowers
Flowers: Across all cultures, flowers are a symbol of love, appreciation and devotion to whom they are given. Flowers represent purity and sweetness.
Carnation: Carnations grew in the wake the the Virgin Mary's tears on the way to Calvary and so they are a symbol of love. In China they are a symbol of Marriage. Rowena and Rupert Shepherd in their book 1000 Symbols: What Shapes Mean In Art And Myth (2002), states, "In the Victorian language of flowers, red carnations symbolize marital love; pink, compassionate, maternal love; white, pure spiritual love; and yellow, rejection."
Cherry Blossoms: Significant in Japan, the Cherry Blossom symbolizes spring, purity, and short-lived beauty. Rowena and Rupert Shepherd in their book 1000 Symbols: What Shapes Mean In Art And Myth (2002), go on, "Because the blossom is in flower only briefly before dropping, the Cherry tree is a symbol of purity and short-lived beauty. The fallen blossom is sometimes used to symbolize warriors who have died young." In China it can represent the fourth month of the year.
Chrysanthemum: The Chrysanthemum is a symbol of autumn and long life in China and Japan. Rowena and Rupert Shepherd in their book 1000 Symbols: What Shapes Mean In Art And Myth (2002), explain, "The Chinese name for this flower is almost a homonym with the word meaning 'to remain;' and it is linked to the number nine, which forms a homonym with the word meaning 'long time.' For this reason, the Chrysanthemum flower is a symbol of long life." The Chrysanthemum, along with the plum, orchid, and bamboo, is one of the "Four Gentlemen," who represent the virtues of a Confusian gentleman. In Japan it is the emblem for the imperial family.
Daisy: Another symbol of innocence, associated with the Virgin Mary and infant Christ. Daisies were also sacred to the Norse goddess Freya (Shepherd, 2002).
Iris: First associated with the Greek messenger goddess Iris, they are sometimes associated with the Virgin Mary (as a replacement of her lily). They also symbolize early summer in Japan, according to Rowena and Rupert Shepherd in their book 1000 Symbols: What Shapes Mean In Art And Myth (2002).
Lily: The flower of the Sumero-Babylonian Goddess Lilith. Barbara Walker, in her book, The Woman's Encyclopedia Of Myths And Secrets (1983), refers to it as the "lilu or 'lotus' of her genital magic. The lily often represented the virgin aspect of the Triple Goddess, while the rose represented her maternal aspect." The lily also became associated with the virgin mother of God Mary and in the Symbols Of Church Seasons And Days (1997), John Bradner states, "As a symbol of purity this flower belongs particularly to the Virgin Mary." Another Virgin Mother, Juno, also used a lily on her conception of her savior-son Mars. In general the Lily symbolizes the female reproductive capacity and, as Walker (1983) points out, "This myth reflected an early belief in the self-fertilizing power of the yoni (vulva), which the lily symbolized." This myth was later assimilated into the Christian church by adopting the day of Juno's virgin conception as the Festival of the Mother of God, in 656 C.E. at the 10th Council of Toledo. The Fleur-de-lis symbolizes the lily, the French royal family, and the Trinity, due to its three leaves (to the left) (Shepherd, 2002). See Lilith.
Lotus: A great white water lily, varieties of which grow from India to Australia. Earliest lotus art was found in 3000 B.C.E. in India on a fertility goddess. The Lotus or Cosmic Flower is the symbol for many Egyptian, Indian, and Oriental Goddesses including Padma, Cunti, Lakshmi, and Shakti, and is often paired with the male lingam. The Lotus physically represented the yoni or vulva and many myths of a Supreme Father-god who creates all, actually tell of their birth of a lotus (meaning a universal Goddess), including Brahma and Ra (the lotus also symbolized the sun due to its ray-like pedals). "In Hindu creation mythology the spirit of the Supreme Being was personified by a golden lotus on a great sea... In essence it signifies the female principle of life, from which stems fertility, prosperity, creation itself; and also enlightenment, immortality and resurrection," according to Man, Myth And Magic: The Illustrated Encyclopedia Of Mythology, Religion And The Unknown (1995), edited by Richard Cavendish. From this belief of the yoni being the physical entrance to spiritual knowledge, arouse many spiritual sexual rituals, such as the sexual exercises of Oriental mystics and ritual cunnilingus of the east.
Barbara Walker, in her book, The Woman's Encyclopedia Of Myths And Secrets (1983), further asserts, "The central phrase of Tantrism, Om mani padme hum, meant the Jewel (male) in the Lotus (female), with interlocking connotations: the penis in the vagina, the fetus in the womb, the corpse in the earth, the God in the Goddess representing all of these." The lotus is used in funeral rites, votive offerings, tomb paintings and it is part of social ceremony. "The association of the water-lily with the life-giving Nile made it one of Egypt's many sacred objects, standing for fertility and resurrection... In Egyptian mythology the water-lily represented the newly-created earth, seen in the form of the flower floating on the water, enshrining the mysterious secrets of the gods," (Cavendish, 1995). It is placed with the mummies of women. In Greece a multitude of patterns were developed from it, which are found also in India and in Etruscan and Roman art. See Lingam and Yoni.
Marigold: Associated with the dead by Mexicans, they are used as decoration during the Day of the Dead. They are associated with the sun god Apollo as the tale goes, "the Nereid Clytie who, having been spurned in love by the sun god, was transformed into a marigold and ever after turned her head to face the sun," as interpreted by Rowena and Rupert Shepherd in their book 1000 Symbols: What Shapes Mean In Art And Myth (2002).
Narcissus: One of China's "Four Nobilities" along with plum, cinnamon, and chrysanthemum, Narcissus are symbols of good fortune and the New Year. Part of the character for Narcissus means "Daoist Immortal," so the flower can also stand for the Eight Immortals. In Greek legend, Narcissus was the beautiful youth who died looking at his own reflection, and eventually turned into the Narcissus flower. Rowena and Rupert Shepherd in their book 1000 Symbols: What Shapes Mean In Art And Myth (2002), explain, "He symbolizes the deadly cost of excessive self-absorption."
Peony: Symbols of good fortune, riches, female beauty, the yoni, it is associated with erotic love. Rowena and Rupert Shepherd in their book 1000 Symbols: What Shapes Mean In Art And Myth (2002), states, "In Chinese the peony is called the King (or Queen) of flowers." It is also represents spring as one of the four flowers representing the seasons along with the lotus, chrysanthemum, and plum.
Poppy: Poppies are symbols of sleep and death due to their medicinal qualities as sleep-aid. They are associated with winter and Demeter, who drank poppy juice in the fall and slept through winter. In the Greco-Roman pantheon, the poppy is the flower of Hypnos, the Greek god of sleep, Nyx, goddess of the Night, and Morpheus, God of sleep and dreams, according to Rowena and Rupert Shepherd in their book 1000 Symbols: What Shapes Mean In Art And Myth (2002).
Sunflower: Another flower that follows the sun, the Spanish called it girasol, "turn to the sun." Rowena and Rupert Shepherd in their book 1000 Symbols: What Shapes Mean In Art And Myth (2002), state, "Hence it became associated with the faithful love of god and, in portraiture, with loyalty and devotion."
Tulip: A symbol of the divine and paradise in the Ottoman Empire, the Tulip or lale uses the same letters as the word for Allah. In the Netherlands tulips became highly prized as symbols of wealth and beauty during the 16th century, according to Rowena and Rupert Shepherd in their book 1000 Symbols: What Shapes Mean In Art And Myth (2002).
Rose: Symbols of beauty, fertility, and purity, roses were sacred to Aphrodite, the Muses, Aurora, and Dionysus (Shepherd, 2002). First associated as the Flower of Venus and her sacred prostitutes, the rose is a feminine symbol of sexuality and love for many traditions. A white rose, like the lily represented virginity and the red represented sexual maturity. The original five-petalled rose was sacred to witches and pagans along with the five-pointed pentacle and the apple blossom. Likewise, it was associated with the Egyptian five-pointed star of Ishtar and Aphrodite's Mysteries of the Rose. In Marianism, the Christian Virgin Mary adopted the Holy Rose as her female symbol in conjunction with the masculine cross and during the Gothic period, Mary Magdalene was symbolized by the rose in the cathedrals built for her, namely the Notre Dames.
In India the Great Mother is sometimes called the Holy Rose and in the east the Tree of Life and Immortality is a rose-tree. The Mongolian version of this tree is called Zambu and the Hindu's recognized the cosmic Rose-Apple tree on the mythical paradise island Jambu. The number five was sacred to the Marians "because it was the number of petals in the rose, and also in the apple blossom—another virginity symbol—giving rise to the five lobes of the mature apple, the corresponding symbol of [virginity], motherhood, fruition, regeneration, and eternal life," according to Barbara Walker in her book The Woman's Encyclopedia Of Myths And Secrets (1983). In Zoroastrianism, the rose is associated with innocence, whose thorns are a result of the evil in the world; in Sufism, the rose flower is a symbol of life's pleasure, the thorns, its pain; in Islam they are associated with paradise; In China they symbolize youth and the four seasons. The Rosette is a stylized rose from Mesopotamia that is connected to the Goddess Inanna, and in the Greco-Roman culture Aphrodite/Venus, as well as the Virgin Mary and with the cross is the symbol of Rosicrucianism (Shepherd, 2002). See Rosary.
Violet: A modern symbol of female modesty and frailty (for instance a 'shrinking violet'), violets traditionally adorned the participants of Dionysian festivals (Shepherd, 2002).
Spiritual Symbols & Colors: Index >>
Fruit
Fruit: Fruit is the symbol of harvested labors, the result of hard work and abundance. Fruit represents "the prize."
Ambrosia: This mythical food gives everlasting life and heals all wounds and is often represented with wine, honey or fruits. In Greek Legends, Mother Hera gives the other Gods a drink of magical wine, which gives them immortality, according to Barbara Walker, in her book The Woman's Encyclopedia Of Myths And Secrets (1983). However the ancient sacred eastern Indian texts also impart this idea of a food or drink that gives immortality such as the Vedic soma, Persian haoma, and Egyptian sa. All of these words are also connected with the moon and menstrual blood, suggesting immortality through the life-giving feminine blood.
Apple: Apples are significant in our culture, from sayings like, "The apple of my eye," "An apple for the teacher," to folk legends about Johnny Appleseed, and American apple pie. The apple in Christian dogma comes from the tree of knowledge in paradise. It is the key to original sin, the fall of grace from God. From Symbols Of Church Seasons And Days (1997), by John Bradner, "By tradition the apple is the fruit of the Paradise Tree. It is used sometimes as a symbol of Christ, the new (or second) Adam." However the apple's five-pedaled blossoms, like the rose and pentagram, comes from the older Indo-European tradition representing the "knowledge" of sacred femininity, sexuality, and immortality.
The Goddess' magical paradise took the form of apple groves in many traditions such as the Celtic "Apple-land" of Avalon, the Norse Goddess Idun's magical apples kept the gods immortal, and the Greek Goddess Hera's magical apple garden contained the Tree of Life and the sacred serpent. A significant aspect of the apple to witches and gypsies is the five-pointed "star" of apple seeds in the core of the apple when cut transversely, and relates to mythology about the Virgin Kore (Core) within her Earth Mother Demeter. Barbara Walker in her book The Woman's Encyclopedia Of Myths And Secrets (1983) explains, "The five-pointed star in a circle was the Egyptian hieroglyph for the underworld womb, where resurrection was brought about by the mother-heart of 'transformations.'" Thus, among gypsies and pagans the apple symbolized a sacred union.
Cherry: Today this symbol is used in slang for a variety of expressions from a cherry-red paint job, to the hymen of a virgin. Like the apple and pomegranate, this fruit represents the virgin (or maiden) Goddess, and depending on the cultures view of sex, may also include temptation. According to Barbara Walker, in her book, The Woman's Encyclopedia Of Myths And Secrets (1983), "the cherry symbolized the Virgin Goddess: bearing her sacred blood color and bearing its seed within, like a womb." Many cultures include the Cherry in myths or practices. Buddha's virgin mother Maya, was supported by a cherry tree, the Sala, while giving birth; Gypsies use the Cherry in love magic; and French courtly love used "Cherry" as the name for the beloved.
Peach: Similar to the apple, the peach is a symbol in China for the genitalia of women. Oriental legends tell of gods being reborn in magical peach gardens. According to Barbara Walker, in her book, The Woman's Encyclopedia Of Myths And Secrets (1983), "Peach Blossom meant a virgin in Taoist symbolism, while the fruit stood for a mature woman whose juices were essential to man's health."
Pomegranate: The pomegranate, like the apple and peach, also represented female sexuality and reproduction. Barbara Walker, in her book, The Woman's Encyclopedia Of Myths And Secrets (1983), states, "The pomegranate with its red juice and many seeds was a prime symbol of uterine fertility." Legend tells that eating pomegranates impregnated women (Nana, mother of Attis); kept souls in the underworld (Persephone, Kore, and Eurydice); Pomegranate juice was used to anoint the pillars of Solomon's temple; it was drunk on the occasion of important weddings; and according to Symbols Of Church Seasons And Days (1997), by John Bradner, "This fruit... (has the) meaning of the hope of resurrection." To this day the statue of Argive Hera or Our Lady With the Pomegranate, holding a child and a pomegranate, is worshipped by pilgrims at Capaccio Vecchio.
Spiritual Symbols & Colors: Index >>
Gods
God: Recognized later than the Goddess, the God in misogynistic traditions has tended to usurp the Goddess' original qualities, such as Creator. Paired with the Goddess, the God provides the cosmic masculine component of creation-preservation-destruction (the aspects of the Triple Goddess). In His fertility/creator aspect, the God dies to provide the fertility for his partner, Gaia (Earth). This has been reenacted in many traditions, with the coupling of a symbolic Fertility God and a symbolic Maiden Goddess often a priest and priestess or king and queen, and then sometimes literally killing the Fertility God, other times only symbolically killing him. The fertility of the priestess/queen insured the fertility of the land. In His father/preservation aspect, the God is often represented as heaven or the sun. He is usually created by the Great Goddess and then couples with her to create the universe. They often appear as consorts of the Triple Goddess, such as Shiva, Hades, Pluto, Neptune/Poseidon, the Devil, etc. The trident is their symbol, most often associated with Poseidon/Neptune, and represents the triple lingam consorting with the triple yoni of the triple goddess. In His death/destroyer aspect, he appears as the Underworld Guardian. Ideally, this was a place of regeneration, where departed souls rested before rebirth, but later turned into the never-ending hell of punishment.
Spiritual Symbols & Colors: Index >>
Fertility Savior Gods
Fertility/Savior Gods: From the Greek Soter, savior literally means "one who sows the seed" and metaphorically referring to a phallic fertility god, consort of the Mother Earth, such as Rome's Semo Sancus, Soter is often incorporated into the name of gods or divine kings such as Dionysus Soter and Antiochus Soter. Savior gods all had similar life patterns of being born of a virgin mother and god, and coming to earth to save the virtuous, whose death insures that salvation. It is a common myth for Goddesses and fertility "savior"-gods to copulate in newly tilled fields to insure fertility, often reenacted with priestesses and divine kings. The Persian, Egyptian, Babylonian, Middle Eastern and Christian beliefs all had saviors among their myths.
Ares (Greek)/Mars (Roman): God of War, Mars also has roots as a fertility savior god. Barbara Walker, in her book, The Woman's Encyclopedia Of Myths And Secrets (1983), explains, "Mars was 'red' because his basic Indo-European prototype was the pre-Vedic flayed god Rudra, father of the Maruts or sacrificial victims, red with their own blood." According to Rowena and Rupert Shepherd in their book 1000 Symbols: What Shapes Mean In Art And Myth (2002), "Its glyph... represents direction and desire over the circle of spirit." Venus (Aphrodite) is Mars' (Ares') counterpart. See Gods/Savior Gods. See UMS Gods, Goddesses and Mythology course.
Cernunnos: Cernunnos is the Celtic Horned God depicted in sacred art with a headdress of antlers, sitting in a meditative lotus position. He is the fertility consort of the Goddess, and particularly this symbol represents union between male and female. According toBarbara Walker, in her book, The Woman's Encyclopedia Of Myths And Secrets (1983), "Medieval romances spoke of pagan heroes who acquired godlike powers by falling into a trance of 'contemplation' of the Goddess as lady–love." See Horns. See UMS Gods, Goddesses and Mythology course.
Christos: Meaning "Anointed One," Christos was the "title of many Middle-Eastern sacrificial gods- Attis, Adonis, Tammuz, Osiris- derived from Oriental cults of the sacred marriage," according to Barbara Walker, in her book, The Woman's Encyclopedia Of Myths And Secrets (1983).
Kokopelli: Flute playing Kokopelli is a deity of magic, traveler, and bringer of babies for the south-west indigenous American tribes. According to Rowena and Rupert Shepherd in their book 1000 Symbols: What Shapes Mean In Art And Myth (2002), "Kokopelli symbolizes fertility, sexuality, procreation and a passion for life. He is associated with the strong, bright colors of the macaw, symbolizing the vividness of life lived to the full."
Messiah: A Persian word for the Anointed One, a savior-god who is supposed to come to earth at doomsday to save the virtuous. In her book The Woman's Encyclopedia Of Myths And Secrets (1983), Barbara Walker asserts that Messiah is a "Persian title of the Anointed One (Greek Christos) supposed to come to earth just before doomsday; based on the Kalki Avatar, final incarnation of Buddha, due to appear in time to save the virtuous, before destruction of this universe." Often born of a virgin mother and god, the Messiah has been associated with Zoroaster (Persia), Elijah (Jewish), David and Joseph (from the Talmud, carried on in Christianity), and Jesus (Christian).
Mithra: A Persian savior God, proclaimed "Protector of the Empire" in 307 C.E. and more popular than Jesus during the first the early "Christian" era. In fact, many of the details of Jesus' life were copied from Mithra. Mithra's birth, on December 25th, was also witnessed by shepherds, and Magic brought him gifts. He too had a miraculous birth of the Sun God and the Mother of God (although her mortality is questioned). Mithra performed miracles and healing, finally partaking in a Last Supper with 12 disciples, and returning to Heaven at the spring equinox. The similarities go on. Mithra's cult, however, was strictly masculine, comprised of celibate men only. The women participated in their own worship to the Great Mother as Isis, Diana, or Juno.
Moses: Like Jesus, Moses is a biblical character whose mythic deeds and life story follow the pattern of sacred-kings. Egypt's archetypal Moses characters included Thutmose, Ahmoses, and Heracles, who all performed heroic deeds. These characters were born of virgin princess or priestess mothers. The Akkad myth of King Sargon is similar as well. He too was born of a virgin priestess (titled Virgin Bride of God), and was rescued from a basket floating on the river by a divine midwife (as was Heracles, Perseus, Horus, Jason, Trakhan of Gilgit, Oedipus, Joshua Son of Nun, and more). His miracles are also replicated from earlier myths. Isis, on her journey to Byblos, parted the river Phaedrus, as did Bindumati with the river Ganges. Barbara Walker, in her book, The Woman's Encyclopedia Of Myths And Secrets (1983), states, "The historical basis of Moses myths seems to have been the expulsion of Jews from Egypt during an outbreak 'pestilence,' possibly leprosy." Moses was a character of his time, like all Savior-Kings, and he was the predicted savior and leader of his people, the Jews.
Jesus: Other names include Jaho, Iao, Ieuw, Jehu, Joshua, Ieu, Ieud, Jeud, Iasion, Jason, Iasus, and Yeshua. His titles included Christ, derived from Christos, meaning Anointed, from the Middle-Eastern tradition of savior-gods like Adonis and Tammuz; and Zeus-Sabazius, signifying him as the nocturnal sun or Lord of Death (Lord of the Underworld); Good Shepherd, which Jesus shared with Osiris and Tammuz; King of Glory, shared with Sarapis; Light of the world and Sun or Righteousness, shared with Mirtha and Heracles; King of Kings, God of Gods, shared with Dionysus; Enlightened One and Logos, shared with Hermes; Son of Man and Messiah, shared with Vishnu and Mirthra; etc. Jesus is the most significant symbol of the Christian Church, as the Lord and Savior who died for the sins of the world. The Bible is a composite of four different alleged accounts of Jesus' life by Mathew, Mark, John, and Luke. However, there are other accounts by people claiming to have also known Jesus. These are generally titled the Gnostic Gospels, and include the Gospel of Mary, the Gospel of Jesus, and the Gospel of Thomas, among others, although these are not accepted by the church and are disputed among historians and theologians. Barbara Walker, in The Woman's Encyclopedia Of Myths And Secrets (1983), points out, "Modern theologians tend to sidestep the question of whether Jesus was in fact a fable or a real person."
There is very little officially recorded about Jesus' physical life and, what is suggested follows a pattern of religious and spiritual procedures. For instance, the Jew's practiced the sacrifice of Sacred Kings to appease their god, Yahweh, into forgiving the sins of man, and it would seem that Jesus played this role. Walker explains that the Gospels appear to have not been written in the time of Jesus, or even by people who knew him and "The details [of Jesus' life] were accumulated through later adoption of the myths attached to every savior-god throughout the Roman Empire." Jesus borrowed from Adonis, that his mother was a consecrated temple maiden, from the "House of Bread" and the tradition of eating bread to represent the body (along with Osiris, Dionysus, and others). Like Attis, Jesus timed his sacrifice at the spring equinox, only to arise three days later. Like Orpheus and Heracles, Jesus held the secret to eternal life. The similarities go on. See Bible. See UMS Mystical Beginnings of Christianity course. Christ's Monogram (signature), pictured on the previous page, comprised of the first two letters in his name in Greek (Christos) means "auspicious."
Quetzalcoatl: Born of the goddess Chicomecoatl, this Aztec savior-god follows the same life pattern as other savior gods. His symbolic crop was corn, his death and resurrection being linked to the patterns of planting, growth, and harvest (Walker, 1983).
Spiritual Symbols & Colors: Index >>
Father-Sun-Gods
Father/Sun Gods: For most cultures the sun represented the life-giving father while the moon or earth represented the mother. Often, the Father God is the Consort of the Mother or Triple-Goddess Goddess, sometimes in the simple form of the moon or earth, such as Artemis or Gaia, sometimes as the Great Goddesses such as Astarte or Hathor.
Apollo (Greek and Roman): Born of the Moon-Goddess Artemis (as most gods are born of moon, sea, earth or heaven goddesses), Apollo is the Greek (and Roman by the same name) sun god. He is symbolized by the totem animals wolf as Apollo Lycaeus, mouse as Apollo Smitheus, golden-maned lion as Apollo Chrysocomes, and when Apollo took over the Goddess's powers of prophecy, music, magic, poetry, and healing such as at the Oracle of Delphi, he became the Great Serpent, Apollo Python/Sol Niger (Black Sun). In the Bible he is called Apollyon, "Spirit of the Pit," and the Egyptians knew him as Apep or Apophis, "the serpent of darkness," according to Barbara Walker, in her book, The Woman's Encyclopedia Of Myths And Secrets (1983). See UMS Gods, Goddesses and Mythology course.
Baal: Consort of the Mother Astarte, the Semites recognized Baal as the Lord. Barbara Walker, in her book, The Woman's Encyclopedia Of Myths And Secrets (1983) explains, "Every god was a Baal. The title was introduced into Ireland via Phoenician colonies in Spain, and became the Irish Bel or Bial, Lord of Beltain." Baal-Berith was "God of the Covenant;" Baal-Gad was the Goat-Lord, another Pan; Baal-Hadad was the "Lord of the Hunt"; Baal-Hamman was "Lord of the Brazier" or fire; Baal Peor was "Lord of the Cleft" as the "Phoenician phallic god coupled with Asherah's yonic 'cleft,'" as Walker explains; Baal-Zebub as "Lord of Flies," "Lord of Death," or "Conductor of Souls;" and the female equivalent was Baalat as the Middle-Eastern "Lady" Goddess. See UMS Gods, Goddesses and Mythology course.
Cronus (Greek)/Saturn (Roman): This Titan God, son of Uranus (Heaven) and Gaia (Earth), predated the Greek Gods and would later castrate and replace his father Uranus. Trying to prevent the same fate, Cronus tried to swallow all his children, but Zeus (his son) eventually succeeded in deposing of Cronus as the recognized father (Walker, 1983). Cronus means time and according to Rowena and Rupert Shepherd in their book 1000 Symbols: What Shapes Mean In Art And Myth (2002), "In its glyph the cross of matter presses on the crescent of the soul." See UMS Gods, Goddesses and Mythology course.
Haschezhini: A Navaho Black God of fire and creator of the stars and constellations, "Haschezhini came into being with the earth and is an ancient, dark and masculine force," according to Rowena and Rupert Shepherd in their book 1000 Symbols: What Shapes Mean In Art And Myth (2002). Haschezhini wears a black mask and sows the Pleiades on his left forehead. Being quick to anger, it is said that he caused the people to migrate from the first to this fifth world by setting it on fire.
Iao: Iao is the name of God, speculated by Orphics to be the same as Dionysus, firstborn of the gods. In her book The Woman's Encyclopedia Of Myths And Secrets (1983), Barbara Walker explains that Iao is "One of the most common and most revered 'secret names of God' for use in spells, charms, and invocations, adopted from Neoplatonic mystics who called it the essence of the [pagan] Logos." See UMS Gods, Goddesses and Mythology course.
Poseidon (Greek) / Neptune (Roman): Sea God Neptune, its glyph is Neptune's trident, according to Rowena and Rupert Shepherd in their book 1000 Symbols: What Shapes Mean In Art And Myth (2002). Neptune was a consort of the Triple Goddess and his trident represented his triple phallus (Walker, 1983). See UMS Gods, Goddesses and Mythology course.
Ra: Ra, the Egyptian Sun God is the father of every pharaoh by virtue of his coupling with the queen mother. Often confused as the supreme deity, Ra is the son of the Egyptian Divine Mother, called by Nut, Hathor, Isis, the Great Cat, and Mehurt. While there are scriptural attempts to erase the Goddesses in Ra's birth, calling him "self-begotten and self-born," the same sources later state he is "the Disc within they mother Hathor... made strong each day by thy mother Nut," according to Barbara Walker, in her book, The Woman's Encyclopedia Of Myths And Secrets (1983). See Eye. See also UMS Gods, Goddesses and Mythology course.
Sin: Born of Inanna or Nanna, the Virgin Queen of Heaven, Sin was the Moon-god of Mount Sinai, "Mountain of the Moon," and the ruler of the Land of Sinim, "land of the lunar moon," (Walker, 1983). According to Barbara Walker, in her book, The Woman's Encyclopedia Of Myths And Secrets (1983), "He was the god who received the Tablets of Law from the primal Mother of Creation, Tiamat. As Moses' God, he still had the same mountain-throne and the same tablets. A biblical scholar has pointed out that 'the Jehovah of the Hebrews' was merely another transformation of 'the primitive lunar deity of Arabia." See UMS Gods, Goddesses and Mythology course.
Tetragrammaton: The secret name of God in Hebrew, yod-he-vau-he or YHWH, was the Tetragrammaton or "four-letter word." The root of the Tetragrammaton was HWH meaning "being," life," and "woman" interchangeable, which was in Latin EVE (Eve). Barbara Walker, in her book, The Woman's Encyclopedia Of Myths And Secrets (1983), explains, "Thus the so-called inner meaning of the Tetragrammaton was really Eve, Mother of All Living, the real creator of the world and mother of Adam, according to Gnostic scriptures." Important to the Cabala, the Tetragrammaton was confused by uneducated medieval writers as a magic charm or name of a demon.
Uranus (Greek and Roman): Representing Heaven, Uranus is the consort of Gaia (Tellus in Rome), the primordial mother, Uranus fathered Saturn (who later overthrew him) and the Titans, including Cronus. See UMS Gods, Goddesses and Mythology course.
Zeus (Greek)/Jupiter (Roman): Ruler of the pantheon and Father Heaven, Consort to Hera or Gaea (the Great Mother Goddess), Zeus was not originally the patriarch or ruler of Mount Olympia. That honor was left to his wife, as Gaea Olympia and Great Mother. Only later did he try to usurp her life-giving powers (Walker, 1983). This same god was called Jehovah by the Jews. According to Rowena and Rupert Shepherd in their book 1000 Symbols: What Shapes Mean In Art And Myth (2002), "Its glyph shows the soul (crescent) crossed by matter (the cross)." See UMS Gods, Goddesses and Mythology course.
Spiritual Symbols & Colors: Index >>
Gods Underworld Guardians
Underworld Guardian: Most underworlds are ruled by a supreme deity, who is often the twin of the heavenly supreme deity. See Twin. Below are some of the Underworld Guardians.
Charon: Charon is the Styx ferryman of the underworld. Other representations of this guardian to the afterlife are Hermes, Christianity's Peter, and the Greek St. Charus. Also China and the Balkans both have traditions of burying the dead with money to pay for the crossing to the next world. This cross-cultural archetype represents the gatekeeper between life and what comes after.
Devil: The evil Christian Devil comes from the need of every dualistic religion for god to have an opposite. In fact, devil and divinity share the same root word Devi (feminine) or Deva (masculine), meaning Divine and Goddess or God. Originally Divine and Devilish were fairly neutral terms and simply meant good and bad, or nice and hurtful and the Gods and Devils could act in both ways. According to The Woman's Encyclopedia Of Myths And Secrets (1983), by Barbara Walker, "If there were any devilish attributes on which most myths agreed, they were the rather godlike qualities of (1) superhuman intelligence, and (2) superhuman sexuality... The devil was essential to the dualistic theology that Christianity copied from Persia." The Persian belief of God and the Devil is that they were twin brothers, and the Devil was the creator of earth and worldly things, so they made sacrifices to him. It was even acknowledged that Pagan "Devil Worship" could heal the sick around the same time as early Christianity. Walker (1983) states, "The Christian devil became a composite of ancient deities in a single Protean form," with the goat-horns of Pan, Marsyas, and Dionysus; the trident of Neptune, Hades, and Shive; the reptile characteristics of Leviathan, Pythion, and Ouroborus; the fire of Agni and Helios; the breasts of Astarte and Ishtar; the wolf face of Dis, Feronius, and Fenrir; wings of Babylonian cherubim; and bird talons of ancestral spirits.
The belief that the Devil seduces people to give him their souls has been cause for punishment by the church, even death during the witch-trials. As Walkerpoints out, "the Fathers and theologians never explained how the devil could profit from the pact, other than to receive a 'soul' that was his anyway. As Samuel Butler said, no one heard the devil's side of any story, because God wrote all the books." Christianity and Judaism both claim that God is the cause of all good in the world and man is the cause of all evil, so human fascination with the devil may come from wanting to pass on the responsibility of producing evil. Therefore the Devil became the scapegoat for man's sins. Accordingly, the seven Devils correspond with the seven deadly sins: Lucifer with pride, Mammon with avarice, Asmodeus with lechery, Satan with anger, Beelzebub with gluttony, Leviathan with envy, and Belphegor with sloth.
Hades (Greek)/Pluto (Roman): Pluto is the Roman ruler of the Underworld, and consort to Persephone. The combination of the initials Pluto-Lowell makes up the glyph, according to Rowena and Rupert Shepherd in their book 1000 Symbols: What Shapes Mean In Art And Myth (2002). Hades is the Lord of Death, pagan God of the Underworld, partner of Hecate or Persephone. He has also been called Eita and Ade in Rome, partner to Persipnei. In Greece he became the abductor of Persephone, which became the creation story of the seasons. Hades was also called Aidoneus, Pluto, Pluton, and Lord of Riches.
According to Barbara Walker in her book, The Woman's Encyclopedia Of Myths And Secrets (1983), Hades represents "the phallic Hidden God in the womb of the Earth." Due to his location within the earth, he is often regarded as knowing how to find gems and precious metals. Christianity later turned him into the devil. Walker explains that "like all underground deities, Hades was thought a leading resident of hell, which was often called by his name instead of by the name Hel, the Goddess."
Hermes (Greek)/Mercury (Roman): Messenger of the gods. According to Rowena and Rupert Shepherd in their book 1000 Symbols: What Shapes Mean In Art And Myth (2002), "Its glyph—the moon's crescent (the soul) over the circle (spirit) over the cross (matter)—encompasses all the other planetary glyphs and may be derived from the caduceus." According to Barbara Walker, in her book, The Woman's Encyclopedia Of Myths And Secrets (1983), Hermes was the consort to the Great Mother Goddess Aphrodite, and as She was the Lady of Life, He was the Lord of Death, and Conductor of Souls. This union was recognized all over Indo-Europe. Egypt recognized him as Thoth, Rome as Mercury, and he was one and the same with Buddha. Walker explains, "An Enlightened One born of the virgin Maia, he was the same as the Enlightened One (Buddha) born of the same virgin Maya in India," Maya translating as Moon. Hermes was the god of magic, letters, medicine, and occult wisdom. See UMS Gods, Goddesses and Mythology course.
Iblis: Iblis is the Arabic name for Satan, leader of the djinn spirits more ancient then even Allah. In her book The Woman's Encyclopedia Of Myths And Secrets (1983), Barbara Walker explains that "Satan, or Shaytan, the angel who rebelled against Allah and refused to worship Allah's creation, Man."
Lucifer: From the Latin title meaning "Light-bringer," represented as the Morning Star god who "announced the daily birth of the sun," as Barbara Walker, in her book, The Woman's Encyclopedia Of Myths And Secrets (1983) puts it. He was called Shaher by the Canaanites, who also honored his brother Shalem, the Evening Star who nightly announced the death of the sun. The Jewish Morning Service is still known as Shaharit. These two brothers, Shaher and Shalem were sons of the Great Mother Asherah (also called Helel). Canaanite mythology states that Shaher tried to steal the throne of the powerful sun god, and was cast out of the sky (heaven) by a lightning bolt. This story was later borrowed by Judaism and then Catholicism.
Pautiwa: The Indigenous American Zuni people recognize Pautiwa as the Chief of Kachina Village, an underworld located at the bottom of a lake near Zuni. When a Zuni dies, they are received at the bottom of the lake by Pautiwa, a helpful and benevolent god. According to Rowena and Rupert Shepherd in their book 1000 Symbols: What Shapes Mean In Art And Myth (2002), "For all Pueblo peoples, Kachinas are spirit beings who embody the essences of all aspects of life; in Pautiwa's case, these are dignity, beauty and leadership."
Satan: Satan originated as a god of death as the Egyptian Great Serpent Sata, son of the Earth, who is daily regenerated in the Goddess's womb and thus is immortal. Satan appeared as the underground twin of the sun god Horus Ra and was the phallic consort of the Goddess Sati, or Satet, who was similar to the virgin aspect of Kali in Hinduism (Walker, 1983). The snake god was often paired with a fountain image of the goddess as a fertility symbol and associated with oracles of Delphi. In her book The Woman's Encyclopedia Of Myths And Secrets (1983), Barbara Walker explains, "The serpent was often a symbol of the sun god's alter ego, the Black Sunk spirit of night or of death" in such pairs as Osiris/Set, Apollo/Python, Anu/Aciel, Baal/Yamm etc. Lucifer, another lightning-serpent was identified with Satan as a fallen god (meaning god of death or the underworld). As with other gods of death, Satan was demonized by the early Christian Church.
Spiritual Symbols & Colors: Index >>
Goddesses
Goddess: Also called Devi in The Indo-European tradition. The ancient Goddess is the dual partner of God. In most origin legends a universal, omnipotent Goddess created the world, universe, and all living things, as well as God, endowing him with his powers. Barbara Walker in her book, The Woman's Encyclopedia Of Myths And Secrets (1983) asserts, "the Goddess was a full-fledged cosmic parent figure who created the universe, its laws, ruler of Nature, Fate, Time, Eternity, Truth, Wisdom, Justice, Love, Birth, Death, etc." Misogynistic historians and authors broke down the Goddess into diminutive forms, sometimes masculinizing her, demonizing her, or otherwise disguising her, although a little research often reveals the archetypal characteristics of the life-giving Goddess. Although she created God, in many religions, God becomes power-hungry and usurps her power by claiming to be the first Creator and creating a phallocentric theology; Zeus is one example of this. As patriarchal societies and religions encroached onto the pagan peoples, her temples and shrines were torn down or rededicated. This matricide continues today with legends that are half told, hiding or distorting the role of the Goddess, or by simply calling all ancient deities "Gods." However, it is impossible to destroy an archetypal energy, and although she was forgotten, her symbolism and energy was not lost. Many mystical spirituality systems preserved the knowledge of the Goddess, for instance, Wicca continued to worship her, and her theology and core concepts are included in patriarchal traditions like Marianism, the worship of Mother Mary. The aspects or "faces" of the Goddess are personified through a plethora of Goddesses from cultures around the world, as the ancient saying goes, "the Goddess has a thousand names and faces." Often these appear as Great Goddesses, Triple Goddesses, Maiden, Mother, or Crone Goddesses. However, even though I have listed the goddesses into categories for organizational purposes, all of the goddesses simply reflect the same omnipotent Goddess and their qualities and powers overlap each other a great deal.
Spiritual Symbols & Colors: Index >>
Great Goddesses
Goddess: Also called Devi in The Indo-European tradition. The ancient Goddess is the dual partner of God. In most origin legends a universal, omnipotent Goddess created the world, universe, and all living things, as well as God, endowing him with his powers. Barbara Walker in her book, The Woman's Encyclopedia Of Myths And Secrets (1983) asserts, "the Goddess was a full-fledged cosmic parent figure who created the universe, its laws, ruler of Nature, Fate, Time, Eternity, Truth, Wisdom, Justice, Love, Birth, Death, etc." Misogynistic historians and authors broke down the Goddess into diminutive forms, sometimes masculinizing her, demonizing her, or otherwise disguising her, although a little research often reveals the archetypal characteristics of the life-giving Goddess. Although She created God, in many religions, God becomes power-hungry and usurps her power by claiming to be the first Creator and creating a phallocentric theology; Zeus is one example of this. As Patriarchal societies and religions encroached onto the pagan peoples, Her temples and shrines were torn down or rededicated. This matricide continues today with legends that are half told, hiding or distorting the role of the Goddess, or by simply calling all ancient deities "Gods." However, it is impossible to destroy an archetypal energy, and although She was forgotten, Her symbolism and energy was not lost. Many mystical spirituality systems preserved the knowledge of the Goddess, for instance, Wicca continued to worship Her, and Her theology and core concepts are included in patriarchal traditions like Marianism, the worship of Mother Mary. The aspects or "faces" of the Goddess are personified through a plethora of Goddesses from cultures around the world, as the ancient saying goes, "the Goddess has a thousand names and faces." Often these appear as Great Goddesses, Triple Goddesses, Maiden, Mother, or Crone Goddesses. However, even though I have listed the goddesses into categories for organizational purposes, all of the goddesses simply reflect the same omnipotent Goddess and their qualities and powers overlap each other a great deal.
The most supreme and powerful of the Goddess's faces are the Great Goddesses, revered as the original and supreme Creatress/Mother of the universe, including Aphrodite/Venus, Asherah, Astarte, Demeter/Ceres, Hathor, and so on.
Aphrodite (Greek)/Venus (Roman): Cyprus's Great Goddess, often heralded as the "Greek Goddess of Love," Aphrodite embodied all three of the Maiden-Mother-Crone aspects of the Triple Goddess, as did Venus, the same Roman Great Goddess of sexuality, including birth and death. She was also known at times as the Fates, Moira (another name for the Fates); Ashera, Astarte, or Dea Syria, as the "Goddess to the oldest continuously-occupied temple in the world;" in Rome she is called Venus; Egyptians called her Ay-Mari, the Sea (Walker, 1983). Her patron city was Paphos on Cyprus, and "During the Christian era, Aphrodite's temple on Cyprus was converted into a sanctuary of the virgin Mary, another name of the same Goddess, but in this sanctuary the virgin Mary is hailed to this day as Panaghia Aphroditessa, 'All-holy Aphrodite,'" according to Barbara Walker, in her book The Woman's Encyclopedia Of Myths And Secrets (1983). See Fates and Venus. See UMS Gods, Goddesses and Mythology course.
Asherah: Semitic Great Goddess. According to Barbara Walker, in her book The Woman's Encyclopedia Of Myths And Secrets (1983), "The Old Testament 'Asherah' is translated 'grove,' without any explanation that the sacred grove represented the Goddess's genital center, birthplace of all things." See UMS Gods, Goddesses and Mythology course.
The Woman's Encyclopedia Of Myths And Secrets (1983), states, "Astarte ruled all the spirits of the dead who lived in heaven wearing bodies of light, visible from earth as stars. Hence, she was known as Astroarche, 'Queen of the Stars,'" and it is She who gave souls their "astral" bodies. Although she is a prototype of the Virgin Mary, Astarte was demonized by Christianity. See UMS Gods, Goddesses and Mythology course.
Demeter (Greek)/ Ceres (Roman): Ceres was the Latin Great Mother Earth Goddess, similar to the Greek Kore. Demeter was the Mycenae Great Goddess. From De meaning delta or triangle, referring to the vulva and meter meaning mother. As with all Great Mothers, Demeter gave birth to all life, but also appears as all three triple aspects of the goddess, creator-preserver-destroyer, or maiden-mother-crone. Barbara Walker, in her book, The Woman's Encyclopedia Of Myths And Secrets (1983), states, "Corresponding letters—Sanskrit dwr, Celtic duir, Hebrew daleth—meant the Door of birth, death, or the sexual paradise. Thus Demeter was what Asia called 'the Doorway of the Mysterious Feminine... the root from which Heaven and Earth sprang.'" Walker goes on to explain that Ceres, "As the earth-ruling aspect of the Goddess's trinity, Ceres combined with Juno as queen of heaven, and Proserpine as queen of the underworld." As Ceres Legifera she was a "the Lawgiver" and her priestesses are "considered the foundresses of the Roman legal system," according to Walker, and Ceres ruled Rome for four centuries before 200 B.C.E. Patron of crops, her festival, the Cerealia, was kept by farmers of the British Isles, as well as Roman, and Christian farmers. See UMS Gods, Goddesses and Mythology course.
Devi: This Sanskrit word means Divine or Goddess and is the "root word for many Indo-European names for the Great Mother," according to The Woman's Encyclopedia Of Myths And Secrets (1983), by Barbara Walker.
Hathor: Egyptian Great Goddess, Mother of the Gods and Queen of Heaven. Like all Great Goddesses, She embodied the triple aspects of creator-preserver-destroyer. As Creatress she was Het-Hert, "'The Womb Above'"... bringing "forth in primeval time herself" and then the world, according to Barbara Walker, in her book, The Woman's Encyclopedia Of Myths And Secrets (1983). She was the seven Holy Midwives, giving each Egyptian their seven souls at birth. Later she appears in medieval myths as in her preserver/mother aspect of fairy godmother, Mother Goose, Mother of the Sun King, and Lady of the Lake. As the destroyer she appears as the Huntress, with her totem animal, the Sphinx. See UMS Gods, Goddesses and Mythology course.
Spider Woman: Recognized as the Creatress by the Navajo, Spider Woman is "the weaver of the patterns of time and space, the symbol of fate," according to Rowena and Rupert Shepherd in their book 1000 Symbols: What Shapes Mean In Art And Myth (2002). Spider Woman is said to have consorted with Father Sky and born the Warrior Twins, Monster Slayer and Born for Water. She taught the Navajo women to weave their blankets and rugs. She was Red Spider Woman to the Pawnee, who tell of her death transforming her into the healing root of the squash plant.
Tanit: Another name for the Phoenician Great Goddess, Tanit was recognized by the Carthaginians as a Heavenly Virgin, Queen of the Stars. She is also known as Astarte, Ashtoreth, and Asherah. According to Barbara Walker, in her book, The Woman's Encyclopedia Of Myths And Secrets (1983), "Her priestesses were famous astrologers, whose prophecies were circulated throughout the Roman empire and even rivaled by the pronouncements of the Cumaean sybils."
Xochiquetzal: Daughter of Coatlicue, this Aztec Goddess of All Women is similar to Aphrodite (Walker, 1983).
Spiritual Symbols & Colors: Index >>
Triple Goddesses
Often the Great Goddess encompasses all three aspects of The Triple Goddess, as the maiden-mother-crone, or creator-preserver-destroyer, which also appears in almost every culture, as Athene/Minerva, Cerridwen, Fates, Kali Ma and more. Sometimes these Three Aspects of the Goddess are separated into individual deities, so that one will encompass the mother aspect alone, one the crone, another the maiden. Most goddesses fall into one of these three categories, as a fertility (maiden) goddess, protector (mother) goddess, or a death-bringer (crone) goddess.
Artemis (Greek)/Diana (Roman): This Amazonian Moon-goddess was recognized by the Latin name Diana or "Goddess-Anna" in Ephesus, and is recognized as the Mother of Creatures. She was the Triple Goddess of the three phases of the moon, waning (life-giver), full (preserver), and waxing (life-taker). According to Barbara Walker, in her book The Woman's Encyclopedia Of Myths And Secrets (1983), "Her Huntress aspect was another form of the destroying Crone or Waning moon," and her totem animals were the "hunting dogs" Alani, for her priestesses who worshipped her in Greece, and the She-Bear or Ursa Major. See UMS Gods, Goddesses and Mythology course.
Bast: This Egyptian cat goddess was mother of Egypt's most sacred animal, cats, and Bubastis was her holy city, where the greatest temple was supposed to reside. The Greeks called her Artemis or Diana, who were also mothers of cats. According to Barbara Walker, in her book The Woman's Encyclopedia Of Myths And Secrets (1983), "The cat's legendary nine lives stemmed from Artemis as the mother of the nine Muses, corresponding to the Egyptian Ennead of nine primordial deities." See UMS Gods, Goddesses and Mythology course.
Cerridwen: Cerridwen is the Celtic Triple Goddess (representing the three stages of female life, maiden, mother, and crone), with an emphasis on the crone as an animal totem of a white, corpse-eating Sow of the moon. The Greeks called this face of the Goddess Demeter, the Syrian, Astarte (both are also represented by sows). What is often missed about the crown, or death aspect to the Goddess is the cyclical nature of life, death, and rebirth, and that only by the destruction of the old, is their room for the new. According toBarbara Walker, in her book, The Woman's Encyclopedia Of Myths And Secrets (1983), Cerdo, the Spanish version of Cerridwen is the "Goddess who both took away, and harvested souls in her character as 'the source of life, and the receptacle of the dead.'" See UMS Gods, Goddesses and Mythology course.
Chimalman: Aztec Triple Goddess and mother of the savior Quetzalcoatl, according to Barbara Walker, in her book, The Woman's Encyclopedia Of Myths And Secrets (1983).
Fates: Fates symbolize the course of life. The mythological figures of Fates crosses cultures and stems from the image of the Triple Goddess, as rulers of past, present, and future, who are usually personified as the Virgin or Maiden, Mother, and Crone. Barbara Walker in her book, The Woman's Encyclopedia Of Myths And Secrets (1983) states, "Nearly all mythologies bear traces of the Triple Goddess as three Fates, rulers of the past, present, and future." These three archetypes can also be personified as the Creator, Preserver, and Destroyer. Originally from the Indo-European Mother of Karma or Kali Ma, this female trinity pops up throughout mythology as the Weird Sisters of Western Europe; in Greek they show up in many forms such as the Muses or Aphrodite's trinity of celestial nymphs, Eunomia, Dike, and Irene (meaning Older, Destiny, and Peace); in Anglo-Saxon myths they are the three weavers of fate who could sustain or take away life at critical moments by adding string to their web of life; the Russian Virgin of Dawn, who became Mater Matuta in Latin, Eros in Greek, and the Slavic Bujan or Buyan all were fair maidens weaving life with silk, when she stopped, someone died; Fate became Fortuna for the Romans; and Gypsies believe in the "three ladies in white" who guard a newborn's cradle and take life when it is time. See UMS Gods, Goddesses and Mythology course.
Gunas: The Gunas are the three "strands" of thread used by Fate. Originally a tantric symbol, the three strands were white, red, and black for the "divine female Prakriti" who is also Kali. According to Barbara Walker in her book, The Woman's Encyclopedia Of Myths And Secrets (1983), the Gunas represent Prakriti's "three aspects of Creator, Preserver, and Destroyer; or giver of birth, life, and death. The Virgin-Creator was Sattva, white; the Mother-Preserver was Rajas, red; the Crone-Destroyer was Tamas, black," combined these three faces of the Triple Goddess represented purity, passion, and darkness.
Hecate: Originating in Egypt as one of Hathor's Seven midwives, Heqit, midwife of the birth-chamber, Hecate is a Triple Goddess recognized in Greece, as the ruler of heaven (creator), earth (preserver), and underworld (destroyer). Sometimes she was only recognized as Hecate Selene, the Moon in heaven, while Artemis the Huntress ruled Earth, and Persephone the Destroyer was patroness of the Underworld. Hecate became the patroness of travelers and shrines were erected to her at three-way crossroads, as well as patroness of childbirth, winning her particular contempt and fear from the Catholic authorities during the middle ages (Walker, 1983).
Kali Ma: Originally a Triple Goddess of Hinduism, Kali is best known for her crone/destroyer aspect and is portrayed in many religions. According to Barbara Walker in her book, The Woman's Encyclopedia Of Myths And Secrets (1983), "Kali was the basic archetypal image of the birth-and-death Mother, simultaneously womb and tomb, giver of life and devourer of her children: the same image portrayed in a thousand ancient religions." She typifies the Life-giving and life-taking Earth Mother, and she "stood for Existence, which meant Becoming because all her world was an eternal living flux from which all things rose and disappeared again, in endless cycles," states Walker. Hawaii's volcanic Kali is just one example, as she was worshipped in Tantra; consort to Shiva in Brahman (although her triple aspect was divvied out to three gods, Brahma/creator, Vishnu/preserver, and Shiva/destroyer); also called Ieva or Jiva Kali was Mother of All Living, and found Her way into the Old Testament as Eve; the kalu were priestesses of the moon-goddess, later masculinized as Sinai; similarly the Celtic priestesses of the Goddess Kele were called kelles; etc. See UMS Gods, Goddesses and Mythology course.
Virgo: Virgo translates to "the Virgin" and may have represented a variety of Goddesses from Erigone Goddess of Justice; Astraea the "Starry One;" Libera, Libra, or the Lady of the Scales, "judge of men and ruler of their fates," according to Barbara Walker, in her book, The Woman's Encyclopedia Of Myths And Secrets (1983). See UMS Astrology Basics course. See UMS Gods, Goddesses and Mythology course.
White Buffalo Maiden: Sioux Nation legend tells of how White Buffalo Maiden brought them the Sacred Pipe from the Great Spirit, appearing first as a beautiful maiden and leaving as a white buffalo calf. According to Rowena and Rupert Shepherd in their book 1000 Symbols: What Shapes Mean In Art And Myth (2002), "When a young woman goes through puberty, she is under the special guardianship of White Buffalo Maiden.
Spiritual Symbols & Colors: Index >>
Mother Preserver Goddesses
Athene (Greek)/ Minerva (Roman): Minerva was the Roman Goddess of wisdom and the moon. Athene, the Mother-goddess of Athens had several consorts, including Hephaestus, Pan, and Phallas, and was worshipped as Holy Virgin. Originating in North Africa, Athene was recognized as the Libyan Triple Goddess Neith, Matis, Medusa, Anath, or Ath-enna, according to Barbara Walker, in her book The Woman's Encyclopedia Of Myths And Secrets (1983). Daughter of Medusa and Zeus, Athene's phallus-like Snake-haired mask had the ability to turn men to stone. Athene and Minerva shared the totem animal, the owl (symbol of the moon), with Lilith and the Welsh Goddess Blodeuwedd. See UMS Gods, Goddesses and Mythology course. The Sign of Athene is pictured here.
Buana: Celtic cow-Goddess known as the "Good Mother," (Walker, 1983).
Coatlicue: Translated as "Lady of the Serpent Skirt," she was the Aztec Great Mother of the deities, sun, moon, and stars (Walker, 1983). She coupled with the savior gods.
Hera (Greek)/Juno (Roman): The Roman Great Mother Goddess and consort of Her brother Jupiter (Zeus in Greece), Juno had many faces including Juno Fortune, Goddess of Fate; Juno Sospita, the Preserver; Juno Regina, Queen of heaven; Juno Lucina, Goddess of Celestial Light; Juno Moneta, the Advisor and Admonisher; Juno Martialis, virgin mother of Mars; Juno Caprotina or Februa, Goddess of erotic love; Juno Populonia, Mother of the people; etc. Her sacred month June has retained its tradition of weddings as Juno presided over marriage and family. Barbara Walker, in her book The Woman's Encyclopedia Of Myths And Secrets (1983) states, "Every Roman woman embodied a bit of Goddess's spirit, her own soul a juno, corresponding to the genius of the man." Juno was later dropped while genius remained. See UMS Gods, Goddesses and Mythology course.
Hestia (Greek)/Vesta (Roman): Roman Goddess Vesta from the early matriarchal tradition (called Hestia by the Greeks). The Vestal Virgins were Her priestesses. They were called virgins because they denounced marriage, being devoted to the Goddess and symbolically married to the phallic god Palladium, not because they never experienced sexual intercourse, as in fact, motherhood was one of their sources of power. Barbara Walker, in her book, The Woman's Encyclopedia Of Myths And Secrets (1983), further states, "the Vestals were entrusted with keeping alight the perpetual fire that was the mystic heart of the empire" that burned for 600 years, until the Vestals came under attack by the rising Christian powers in 382 C.E. although many Vestal traditions were passed onto Christian nuns, such as head shaving. See UMS Gods, Goddesses and Mythology course.
Isis: This Egyptian Mother Goddess coupled with Osiris and birthed Horus. She was the "Mother of Life," while her dark twin sister Nephthys was the destroyer "Crone of Death." Barbara Walker in her book, The Woman's Encyclopedia Of Myths And Secrets (1983), quotes Egyptian scriptures, "In the beginning there was Isis, Oldest of the Old. She was the Goddess from whom all becoming arose..." she gave birth to the sun. See UMS Gods, Goddesses and Mythology course.
Lilith: In the Old Testament Lilith became the first wife of Adam, who tried to force himself onto her in the patriarchal "missionary position." It was the only sexual position acceptable to Moslems and Christians because it emphasized "women as earth" who were subject to "men as heaven" (Walker, 1983). Lilith not only refused to submit to Adam, but also cursed him and flew away to live by the Red Sea (another form of Kali Ma's fertile, but sacrifice-demanding, Ocean of Blood). God commanded her to return and submit to Adam but she cursed him too and spent her days coupling with "demons" and birthing a hundred children a day. God in turn created Adam's second wife, Eve, to be more docile. However Lilith was no rebellious creation of God, but the Goddess by the names of Belit-ili, Belili, and Baalat, sacred to Sumerians, Babylonians, and Canaanites. Barbara Walker, in her book, The Woman's Encyclopedia Of Myths And Secrets (1983), explains, "Lilith's fecundity and sexual preferences show that she was a Great Mother of settled agricultural tribes, who resisted the invasions of nomadic herdsmen, represented by Adam." The story of Lilith has all but disappeared in the revisions of the Bible, but her daughters, the lustful lilim "she-demons" were feared through the Middle Ages. See Demons and Eve. See UMS Gods, Goddesses and Mythology course.
Ma: Universal title of the Goddess. Barbara Walker, in her book, The Woman's Encyclopedia Of Myths And Secrets (1983), says Ma is a "Basic mother-syllable of Indo-European languages, worshipped in itself as the fundamental name of the Goddess. The universality of the mother-word (not shared by words for 'father') indicates either that the human race carried the same word from its earliest source to all parts of the earth at a period previous to the discovery of fatherhood; or else that all human beings instinctively say something like 'ma' as the first verbal sound and associate it with the mother's breast, consequently with emotional dependence on a divinity perceived as a milk-giving mother."
Mama: Another form of Ma, Mama is a title for the Great Goddess, Kali, also called Mamaki (spirit of "Fertilizing Waters"); Mamata (spirit of belonging); Mesopotamia titled her Mami, Mammitu, and Mama, who created humans from clay. See Ma.
Sun Goddess: In Oriental tradition the sun is female. For the Japanese the Great Sun Goddess was Omikami Amaterasu; In Hindu the Great Goddess was Aditi, Mother of the 12 zodiacal Adityas, "spirits who would 'reveal their light at Doomesday,'" according to Barbara Walker, in her book, The Woman's Encyclopedia Of Myths And Secrets (1983); for Tantric Buddhists She was Mari or Mary, the sun; For the Arabs she was the Goddess Atthar, Torch of the Gods; In Germany she was Sunna; the Norwegians called her Sol, the Celts Sulis, meaning eye/sun; and in Britain she was recognized as all three.
Bitch: Sacred name for Artemis-Diana, bitch refers to her Scythian alani or "hunting dogs." According to Barbara Walker, in her book, The Woman's Encyclopedia Of Myths And Secrets (1983), "The Bitch-goddess of antiquity was known in all Indo-European cultures, beginning with the Great Bitch Sarama who led the Bedic dogs of death." For Romans the "Goddess Lupa was the Wolf Bitch... In Christian terms, 'son of a bitch' was considered insulting not because it meant a dog, but because it meant a devil— that is, a spiritual son of the pagan Goddess."
Spiritual Symbols & Colors: Index >>
Crone Destroyer Goddesses
Crone/Destroyer Goddesses Crone: The Pagan deity of the Triple Goddess appears in three phases, the Maiden, Mother, and Crone. The Crone being the third aspect of life includes wisdom, death, and rebirth. According to Barbara Walker, in her book, The Woman's Encyclopedia Of Myths And Secrets (1983), throughout the world the Crone has had different forms, "exemplified by such figures as Kali the Destroyer, Cerridwen the death-dealing Sow, Atropos the Cutter, Macha, Hecate, Hel, Eresh-Kigal, Morgan, Queen of the Ghostworld, Queen of the Underworld, Queen of the Shades, Persephone 'the Destroyer.'" The Crone exemplifies the cycle of life that includes old age, winter, death, the waning moon, and doomsday that makes room for the rebirth and new beginnings of the Maiden. The Crone also represents the last phase of a women's life in which "women became very wise when they no longer shed the lunar 'wise blood' but kept it within, the Crone was usually a Goddess of Wisdom... Minerva, Athene, Metis, Sophia, and Medusa" (Walker, 1983).
Hag: Originally Hag was a revered title for a Holy Woman who represents the third phase of the Triple Goddess, the Crone. A Hag was a wise woman or priestess. It comes from the Egyptian haq and hekau, the title of a powerful matriarchal ruler. Barbara Walker in her book, The Woman's Encyclopedia Of Myths And Secrets (1983), describes her transformation in Greece as Hecate, "the Crone or Hag as queen of the dead, incarnate on earth in a series of wise-women or high priestesses." In Norse myth, hagi means a sacred grove of Iron Wood. In Northern Europe stone idols such as the Stone of Scone represented the Hag and are considered sacred. Hag did not become a derogatory term until Christian ministries ordered the idols shattered and according to Walker (1983) recite "once I was the Goddess and now I am nothing at all."
Mara: Ancient title for the Crone-Goddess, Mara was a death-bringer and her name has traveled all over the world. Buddhists recognize her as "Fear-of-Death;" Hindus created legends about her entrapping huntsmen in mirrors of death, a story that was retold in Pelasgian of Dionysus; Slavs knew her as Mora, who "drank the blood of men;" Semitics knew her as Marah, the "passive weight and darkness" of the Underworld; the New Testament called her Maralah and her shrines "a place of trembling"; as another face of Kali, Kel-Mari was Mara in Egypt; in Hebrew she was Mariamne, Miriam, and Mary; other names include Mari-Amma and Mari (Walker, 1983). Barbara Walker, in her book, The Woman's Encyclopedia Of Myths And Secrets (1983), asserts that Mara is an "Exceedingly ancient name of the Goddess-as-Crone, the death-bringer. The name and its variants may be found from India to northern Europe."
Spiritual Symbols & Colors: Index >>
Metals
Gold: Gold has been associated with majesty, god, the sun, wealth, and immortality for many peoples. According to Rowena and Rupert Shepherd in their book 1000 Symbols: What Shapes Mean In Art And Myth (2002), "Gold is associated with divinity as it is incorruptible, neither rusting (like iron) nor tarnishing (like silver), and it is also purified by fire." Gold was associated with immortality because it was incorruptible, and often the tree of life or its fruit was depicted as golden (including the Japanese tree-of-life on the paradise island Horaizan, and the Nordic golden apples of the heaven Asgard). Christians put gold into the mouths of the dead at their burial to insure immortality. Egyptians masked their royalty (who were divinely guided) with gold because they believed that a gods' flesh was made of gold and their bones of silver; and their sun god Ra was strongly associated with gold. Christians also considered it a pure substance associated with God, majesty, and the sun. According to Symbols Of Church Seasons And Days (1997), by John Bradner, "Gold represents wealth and royalty. As a gift to the Christ Child it symbolizes his kingship." Gold represents enlightenment in Buddhism, and the colors gold and yellow are sacred. In alchemy gold symbolizes enlightenment and the Great Work of turning a base-metal into gold was a metaphor for this enlightenment.
Silver: Silver symbolizes the moon, femininity, treachery and also associated with the gods and immortality, but to a lesser extent. According to Rowena and Rupert Shepherd in their book 1000 Symbols: What Shapes Mean In Art And Myth (2002), "In the Western Classical tradition, the Silver Age was the second age of mortals created by the greater god, Jupiter. The metal was associated with purity, femininity and the moon, to which it was linked because of its colour, and so it is sometimes represented by the moon's glyph." Alchemists also linked silver to the moon and femininity and the Lesser Work was the symbolic transformation of a base-metal into silver, metaphorically the feminine energies. In Egypt it was believed the bones of gods were made of silver. In Christianity silver represents treachery because Judas betrayed Christ with thirty silver pieces. As a form of currency, silver also represents wealth.
Copper: Copper rusts from a orange-brown color to a green, associating it with autumn in classical times. According to Rowena and Rupert Shepherd in their book 1000 Symbols: What Shapes Mean In Art And Myth (2002), "The colour green was thought sacred to Venus, so copper is linked to both the goddess and her planet and is sometimes represented using Venus's glyph." In China, the world for copper, tong, is synonymous with together, so it is placed on bridal beads as an affirmation of a long relationship.
Bronze: As a look-alike of gold, deities and ritual objects were made out of bronze in Buddhism, Hinduism, and by the Chinese.
Spiritual Symbols & Colors: Index >>
Numbers
Numbers: See UMS Divination Systems course to learn about divination with numbers.
0 (Zero): An abstract concept, Zero represented the "complete cycle and circle of all that is" and nothing at the same time (Shepherd, 2002). The Ancient Hindus and Mayans originally conceptualized zero (although at two different ends of the planet), and the Hindus brought it to the Arabs and Europe. It was important to the Kabbalah, where zero "represented what existed before creation; it is therefore allied with divinity, yet represents no-thing and infinity," according to Rowena and Rupert Shepherd in their book 1000 Symbols: What Shapes Mean In Art And Myth (2002).
1 (One): One represents unity, totality, and the supreme deity of monotheistic religions. Rowena and Rupert Shepherd in their book 1000 Symbols: What Shapes Mean In Art And Myth (2002), explain, "the beginning and the first being, one represents primal beginnings and creation." The Chinese character for one, a horizontal line also represents unity and "the source of everything" (Shepherd, 2002). It represents fire, Grandfather Sun, and creation in the Native American Earth Count. See Circle.
2 (Two): Having obvious connections to duality, polarity, binary, and pairs, twos have been important in spirituality as twins and opposites such as God/Devil, earth/sky, male/female, good/evil, left/right. However, binary systems are a product of the linear mind and nature rarely abides by them. There is usually more than two options, and even the binaries that we think are the most fundamental like male/female do not pan out as natural laws (many cultures recognize more than two genders and sexes). None-the-less, the logical brain tends to categorize in religion and elsewhere. According to Rowena and Rupert Shepherd in their book 1000 Symbols: What Shapes Mean In Art And Myth (2002), "In Pythagorean theory, two represents the female principle." Two represents the body, introspection, earth, death, and Grandmother Earth in the Native American Earth Count. See Twins.
3 (Three): The number three, represented by the triangle, represents the trinity: God-Christ-Holy Spirit (Christian trinity); Maiden-Mother-Crone (the Triple Goddess); Creator-Preserver-Destroyer (the Triple Goddess); Brahma/creator-Vishnu/preserver-Shiva/destroyer (the Hindu Trimurti); Isis-Osiris-Horus (Egyptian); heaven-earth-humanity (Chinese philosophy); and more. Rowena and Rupert Shepherd in their book 1000 Symbols: What Shapes Mean In Art And Myth (2002), state, "In many cultures it represents divine triumvirates." Pythagorean theory believes three represents harmony and the union of unity and diversity. The right-side up triangle represents masculinity and virility and the up-side down triangle represents femininity and fertility. In Islam it represents the soul, and it represents emotions and water in the Native American Earth Count. See Triangle.
4 (Four): Represented by the square (left), four represents perfection in Pythagorean theory. According to Rowena and Rupert Shepherd in their book 1000 Symbols: What Shapes Mean In Art And Myth (2002), "Related to the square, four represents matter, solidity and stability." There are four seasons: winter, spring, summer, fall, marked by two equinoxes and two solstices in the Wiccan tradition; there are four elements: fire, water, earth, air, in the Greco-Roman tradition; four Humours in Islam; four Evangelists in Christianity. For Some Japanese and Chinese it is a homonym for "death" and a taboo number. Four symbolizes balance and harmony in the Native American Earth Count.
5 (Five): Represented by the pentagram (five-pointed star) or pentagon (left), five represents the "perfect number of man," in the Pythagorean theory (Shepherd, 2002). Humans have five senses, five fingers and toes, and, spread out like DaVinci's Viturian Man, humans fit within a pentagram with four limbs and a head. Christ received five wounds at his crucifixion; there are five pillars of Islamic piety; both India, China, and Islamic mysteries recognize five elements (fire, air, earth, water, and ether); the Quintessence of the hermetic mysteries likewise recognizes a fifth essence or element of spirit.
The number five was sacred to the Marians "because it was the number of petals in the rose, and also in the apple blossom—another virginity-symbol—giving rise to the five lobes of the mature apple, the corresponding symbol of [virginity], motherhood, fruition, regeneration, and eternal life," according to Barbara Walker in her book The Woman's Encyclopedia Of Myths And Secrets (1983). A significant aspect of the apple to witches and gypsies is the five-pointed "star" of apple seeds in the core of the apple when cut transversely, and relates to mythology about the Virgin Kore (Core) within her Earth Mother Demeter. Walker (1983) explains, "The five-pointed star in a circle was the Egyptian hieroglyph for the underworld womb, where resurrection was brought about by the mother-heart of ‘transformations.'" Thus, among gypsies and pagans the apple symbolized a sacred union. Five represents "sacred human who makes the bridge between earth and sky, past and future, and the material and spirit worlds" in the Native American Earth Count, according to Rowena and Rupert Shepherd in their book 1000 Symbols: What Shapes Mean In Art And Myth (2002). The pentagon symbolizes the fifth sephira on the Kabbalistic Tree of Life, Geburah, which represents severity, justice, war and the planet Mars.
6 (Six): Represented by the hexagram, six represents harmony and balance, associated with the Cabala's sixth sefirah, Tifereth, and the harmonizing sphere of the Tree of Life. According to Rowena and Rupert Shepherd in their book 1000 Symbols: What Shapes Mean In Art And Myth (2002), in relation to the cube it represents matter and three-dimensionality and "in Pythagorean theory it represents justice." Barbara Walker in her book, The Woman's Encyclopedia Of Myths And Secrets (1983) explains, "Six was everywhere the number of sex, representing the union between the Triple Goddess and her trident-bearing consort, which is why Christian authorities called six ‘the number of sin.'"
The name of a witch's spell, the Hex is associated with the number six, from the Greek hex and the symbol for a hex is hexagonal. The hexagram represents the union of male and female, the philosophers stone of fire and water, and God's protection of the Jewish people. Judeo-Christian mythology states that it took six days to create the earth; 666 is the number of the beast of the apocalypse; in Buddhism there are six perfections and realms of existence. Six represents the ancestors in the Native American Earth Count.
7 (Seven): Seven is a universally significant number. In Judeo-Christian mythology it is the number of days in a week, the seventh being the day of rest, and according to Rowena and Rupert Shepherd in their book 1000 Symbols: What Shapes Mean In Art And Myth (2002), "For Christians it is the number of Virtues, of deadly sins, sacraments, joys and sorrows of the Virgin, among others." There are seven chakras; the Egyptians believed that the Sevenfold Hathor endowed each person with seven souls; there are seven heavens in the Malayan Semai tradition; their was seven planets in the original astrology (Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Moon, and Sun); the seven branches of the Jewish Menorah (the sacred candelabrum) represent creation, the planets, and the seven heavens; there are seven stars in Ursa Major (important to the Chinese and others). Seven represents the Dream of Life in the Native American Earth Count.
8 (Eight): Eight is the number of petals of the lotus and the spokes of the dharmachakra wheel, both important to Buddhism, symbolizing the path of spiritual perfection. In Chinese tradition there are eight directions, Eight Immortals and Eight Precious Things; Jesus in his Sermon on the Mount gave eight Beatitudes (blessings); there are eight rays on the star that represents the Babylonian Goddess of love and war Innana and the Greek Goddess of love Aphrodite (Shepherd, 2002). Eight represents Natural Law in the Native American Earth Count.
9 (Nine): Rowena and Rupert Shepherd in their book 1000 Symbols: What Shapes Mean In Art And Myth (2002) states, "The tripling of the triple, nine represents the powerful multiplication of the symbolism of three." Nine represents yang in Chinese tradition and is the number of the directions (eight) plus the center. It represents the moon, rhythms, cycles, changes, and movement in the Native American Earth Count.
10 (Ten): Another abstract number, ten is the basis of the decimal system. Rowena and Rupert Shepherd in their book 1000 Symbols: What Shapes Mean In Art And Myth (2002) state, "ten represents completion and the return to unity. As it is the sum of one, two, three and four, Pythagoreans considered ten to be a numerical version of the quintessence, with divine power, it was sometimes represented as a triangle of dots (four to each side and one in the middle) called the Tetrakys." God gave Moses Ten Commandments and ten represents the collective mind in the Native American Earth Count.
11 (Eleven): There were 11 faithful apostles to Christ and in the Native American Earth Count it represents the "Stars, or ‘Star Nations,' and the ability to travel to them; by extension, it means altered states of consciousness," according to Rowena and Rupert Shepherd in their book 1000 Symbols: What Shapes Mean In Art And Myth (2002).
12/13 (Twelve/Thirteen): The number 12 pops up in often in religious and spiritual tradition. The 12 apostles of Christ; the 12 tribes of Israel; the 12 signs of the zodiac; 12 months of the sun calendar; the Mayan calendar predicts the year 2012 will be the pivotal year for colossal world change. Twelve represents the twelve planets and twelve winds in the Native American Earth Count. However, the number 13 is also significant and many of these famous 12's are speculated to be 13's, such as the missing 13th tribe of Israel; it is the traditional number of witches in a coven; Mary Magdalene as the 13th Apostle of Christ, there were 13 present at the last supper (making 13 unlucky to Christians); when the Gregorian calendar was being created their were originally 13 months, like most moon calendars, including the Mayan (13 months of 28 days) but one was taken out. Christian's feared the number thirteen and prize the number 12. Barbara Walker, author of The Woman's Encyclopedia Of Myths And Secrets (1983), states, "In general, the symbols of ancient matriarchy came to be known as night, the moon, and the number 13, while those of patriarchy were day, the sun, and the number 12." Thirteen represents the Goddess Mother in the Native American Earth Count (Shepherd, 2002).
40 (Forty): Significant to Ancient Mesopotamia, "the new year was celebrated forty days after the Pleiades had disappeared under the horizon," according to Rowena and Rupert Shepherd in their book 1000 Symbols: What Shapes Mean In Art And Myth (2002). The significance of forty carried into the bible, first with the forty nights and days of the flood, Moses received the Ten Commandments after forty nights and days waiting on Mount Sinai, similarly Christ fasted for forty nights and days in the desert, Exodus lasted forty years, and Christ resurrected and appeared to his disciples forty days after his death.
52: The number of weeks in a year (including the Mayan calendar).
108: The number of beads on Hindu and Buddhist Prayer Beads, it ensures that the prayer is spoken at least 100 times (Shepherd, 2002).
360: As the number of degrees in a circle, 360 represents perfection and completion of a cycle.
Ten Thousand: Japanese wish the emperor a long life with the affirmation "banzai" which means "ten thousand years." Rowena and Rupert Shepherd in their book 1000 Symbols: What Shapes Mean In Art And Myth (2002) explains, "In the Dao De Jing, ten thousand means ‘all.'"
One Hundred Thousand: As a number too huge to conceptualize, One Hundred Thousand represents infinity. Rowena and Rupert Shepherd in their book 1000 Symbols: What Shapes Mean In Art And Myth (2002) explains, "in early cultures this symbolized a high number, considered beyond reckoning: it became a standard term for infinity." In today's culture, perhaps 1 trillion would be similar in its effectiveness to convey the idea of infinity.
Spiritual Symbols & Colors: Index >>
Planets
The planets are associated with Gods, perhaps because the ancients noted their continual movement "around" the earth. See the section on Astrology for more.
Jupiter: Largest of the planets, it is named for the Roman ruler of the pantheon, Jupiter. According to Rowena and Rupert Shepherd in their book 1000 Symbols: What Shapes Mean In Art And Myth (2002), "Its glyph shows the soul (crescent) crossed by matter (the cross). Astrologically, it is associated with growth and expansion, and so with the liver and pituitary glands." It is called the wood planet in Chinese tradition and considered female, associated with spring, growth, and birth. It's 12 year cycle marks the zodiac, winning it the title the Year Star. It represents the thunderbolt in alchemy and rules Sagittarius and Pisces (with Neptune).
Mars: This red planet is named after the God of War. According to Rowena and Rupert Shepherd in their book 1000 Symbols: What Shapes Mean In Art And Myth (2002), "Its glyph... represents direction and desire over the circle of sprit. Astrologically it is linked with masculinity, and the expression of individuality, energy, aggression and desire—and so with blood, the excretory organs, the adrenal system, muscles, the nose and the external reproductive organs." Venus is its counterpart. In Chinese tradition it is the Fire Planet, corresponding to the south and ruling the summer months. Mars rules the astrological signs of Aries and Scorpio.]
Mercury: This fastest planet takes its name from the messenger of the gods. According to Rowena and Rupert Shepherd in their book 1000 Symbols: What Shapes Mean In Art And Myth (2002), "Its glyph—the moon's crescent (the soul) over the circle (spirit) over the cross (matter)—encompasses all the other planetary glyphs and may be derived from the caduceus." It governs the nervous system, hearing, speaking, respiration, thyroid, limbs, bowels, feet, and gall bladder. It's colors are metallic blue, lilacs, and yellow. Mercury is called the Water Planet and associated with the North in Chinese tradition. Mercury rules Virgo and Gemini.
Neptune: Named for the Sea God Neptune, its glyph is Neptune's trident, and this planet is blue-green. According to Rowena and Rupert Shepherd in their book 1000 Symbols: What Shapes Mean In Art And Myth (2002), "Astrologically, the planet relates to the mobile, fluid worlds of dreams, invention, imagination, psychism and mysticism, while its influence can be related to the effects of alcohol and narcotics." It governs the pineal glands the part of the nervous system that controls dreams and psychism, aura, and chakras. Neptune rules Pisces along with Jupiter.
Pluto: This furthest planet from the sun was named after the Roman ruler of the Underworld, Pluto-Lowell, the combination of the initials make up the glyph. According to Rowena and Rupert Shepherd in their book 1000 Symbols: What Shapes Mean In Art And Myth (2002), "Astrology relates the planet to the deep psyche, and how people cope with fundamental change; its influence leads to an urge to refocus and reformulate values and ideas." It rules obsession, power, control, sexual instincts, and attraction. It governs the excretory system, reproductive organs, metabolism, regenerative process, and is related to the color black.
Saturn: This slowest-moving planet is named for the Titan Saturn, son of Uranus and Gaia, the Earth Goddess. According to Rowena and Rupert Shepherd in their book 1000 Symbols: What Shapes Mean In Art And Myth (2002), "In its glyph the cross of matter presses on the crescent of the soul. In astrological terms it is related to old age, the father, structure, restriction, hardship, discipline and learning; it also represents the parts of the personality one avoids examining." It governs the bones, skin, teeth, ligaments, joints, spleen, and hearing. Its colors are black and muted. In Chinese tradition it is considered the Regulator or Earth Planet. Saturn rules Capricorn and Aquarius.
Uranus: Named for the Greek God and consort of Gaia, the primordial mother, Uranus fathered Saturn (who later overthrew him) and the Titans. According to Rowena and Rupert Shepherd in their book 1000 Symbols: What Shapes Mean In Art And Myth (2002), "Astrologically, Uranus is associated with disruption, revolution and sudden change, and represents the powers of revolutionary transformation and the urge to break through restrictive boundaries. Its glyph is based upon Herschel's initial [the discoverer]." Uranus rules Aquarius with Saturn.
Venus: This planet derives its name from the goddess of love and is the brightest in the sky. According to Rowena and Rupert Shepherd in their book 1000 Symbols: What Shapes Mean In Art And Myth (2002), "It's glyph depicts the circle of spirit over the cross of matter. Astrologically, it represents the female, allurement, beauty, harmony, refinement, attraction, affection and relationships." It governs the hair, skin, facial features, kidneys, thymus gland, circulatory system, and female reproductive organs and is associated with the color green. In Chinese tradition Venus is the Great White or Metal Planet and associated with Gold. Venus rules Libra and Taurus.
Spiritual Symbols & Colors: Index >>
Trees
Apple: Apples are significant in our culture, from sayings like, "The apple of my eye," "An apple for the teacher," to folk legends about Johnny Appleseed, and American apple pie. The apple in Christian dogma comes from the tree of knowledge in paradise. It is the key to original sin, the fall of grace from God. From Symbols Of Church Seasons And Days (1997), by John Bradner, "By tradition the apple is the fruit of the Paradise Tree. It is used sometimes as a symbol of Christ, the new (or second) Adam." However the apple's five-petalled blossoms, like the rose and pentagram, comes from the older Indo-European tradition representing the "knowledge" of sacred femininity, sexuality, and immortality. The Goddesses magical paradise took the form of apple groves in many traditions such as the Celtic "Apple-land" of Avalon, the Norse Goddess Idun's magical apples kept the gods immortal, and the Greek Goddess Hera's magical apple garden contained the Tree of Life and the sacred serpent. A significant aspect of the apple to witches and gypsies is the five-pointed "star" of apple seeds in the core of the apple when cut transversely, and relates to mythology about the Virgin Kore (Core) within her Earth Mother Demeter. Walker in The Woman's Encyclopedia Of Myths And Secrets (1983) explains, "The five-pointed star in a circle was the Egyptian hieroglyph for the underworld womb, where resurrection was brought about by the mother-heart of 'transformations.'" Thus, among gypsies and pagans, the apple symbolized sacred union.
Christmas Tree: This symbol is one of many symbols that stem from the tree (such as the Tree of Life or Tree of Knowledge). The custom of cutting a evergreen and bringing it indoors during the short, dark, days of winter goes back to Norse Yule celebrations of the darkest days of winter, but was co-opted by Christian Missionaries in an attempt to easily convert the local pagans, and the modern Christmas Tree was created according to Symbols Of Church Seasons And Days (1997), by John Bradner. Barbara Walker, in her book, The Woman's Encyclopedia Of Myths And Secrets (1983) explains, "On the night before a holy day, Roman priests called dendrophori or 'tree-bearers' cut one of the sacred pines, decorated it, and carried it into the [Great Mother's] temple to receive the effigy to Attis. Figures and fetishes attached to such trees in later centuries seem to have represented a whole pantheon of pagan deities on the World Tree."
Tree of Life: Also called World Tree. Man, Myth And Magic: The Illustrated Encyclopedia Of Mythology, Religion And The Unknown (1995), edited by Richard Cavendish, explains, "An infinity of symbolic detail accompanies the different parts of the world-tree... The cosmic tree often bore fruits which the gods ate to ensure their immortality: and so it became a tree of life." The idea of tree as the universe dates back to Scandinavia where the Oden Ash (Yggdrasil) was given this quality; in India it was the fig (Asvattha); in Hindu it is the Banyan; in Christianity it is the apple tree and many other religions have similar ideas, including China and Russia. The Celts and Druids represented it as the sacred oak tree, connecting the three worlds of the Upperworld, Middle-Earth, and Underworld through its branches and roots. The concept of the axis mundi also is visualized as a world tree, in the Mayan culture as Wacah Chan. Wikipedia (2005) encyclopedia states, "It is a common shamanic concept, the healer traversing the axis mundi to bring back knowledge from the other world. The axis mundi both connects heaven and earth as well as provided a path between the two." The Druidic World Tree is top left, the Kabalistic Tree of Life is to the bottom left.
Holly: This bush of thorny leaves and red berries is green year round and is used in many winter celebrations. It was also the Burning Bush of Moses' vision. This plant was important to the druids as well and represented death and regeneration. It was the plant of Mother Holle (or Hel) the Norse underworld Goddess. In Germany, witches used Holly for making wands. In her book The Woman's Encyclopedia Of Myths And Secrets (1983), Barbara Walker states, "Red holly berries showed the female blood-of-life color, corresponding to white mistletoe berries associated with male elements of semen and death." At Yule, the winter festival of the Divine Marriage, these two plants were displayed together. The Dionysian cult of Roman times displayed the holly with ivy, as the symbol of feminine and masculine balance during times of the solstitial festival. Because of its connection with sex it was renounced by Tertullian and the Council of Bracara as not fit for Christians, although the practice of adorning doorways with it continued. Kissing under the mistletoe originally represented a union between the man and mistress of a house. However, according to Symbols Of Church Seasons And Days (1997), by John Bradner, the holly is "symbolic of the crown of thorns and drops of blood on the Savior's head."
Pear Tree: All throughout the ancient world the pear tree was significant. Vishnu-Narayana was recognized as Lord of Pear Trees in the Himalayas; in Eurasia it was recognized to have feminine significance; Russians used it as a protection charm for cows; peasants of Europe believed it to be a "life-tree" for girls; Christians translated the partridge as Christ. The Partridge in a Pear Tree is an analogy for the myth of Athene's sacred king Perdix's journey from earth to heaven as a bird, with the help of the Goddess. Barbara Walker, in her book, The Woman's Encyclopedia Of Myths And Secrets (1983), states, "He was the partridge, she the pear tree."
Laurel: Man, Myth And Magic: The Illustrated Encyclopedia Of Mythology, Religion And The Unknown (1995), edited by Richard Cavendish says, "Poets, military heroes and Olympic victors all sought the crown of laurel as the highest honour. Sacred to Apollo, the laurel or bay was also associated with oracular powers." The nymph Daphne, of Greek myth was turned into a Laurel tree in order to escape the lecherous arms of the god Apollo, who consequently wore a wreath of Laurel leaves and declared the tree sacred to him.
Meriah: Like the ancient Israelites, the people of northern India also made sacrificial offerings to their gods by hanging the victims on crosses or trees, called Meriah. Barbara Walker, author of The Woman's Encyclopedia Of Myths And Secrets (1983), states that the Meriah is a "Sacrificial victim 'bought for a price' and hung on a tree or cross 'between heaven and earth' in northern India, as an offering to the Earth-goddess Tara, or her spouse, Father Heaven." In the Old Testament, Abraham goes to sacrifice his son Isaac to his god Yahweh on the sacrificial mound, "Moriah;" similarly, the Polynesians called their sacrificial place morai.
Mistletoe: Mistletoe is a parasite that lives on Oak trees and means "all heal" (Shepherd, 2002). The mistletoe symbolically represents the mythical union between the god and goddess through yearly castration and death of the savior-god, necessary to insure the peace and fertility of the land and people for the druids and pagans of Europe. It was connected with the death of Baldur in Scandinavian lore. The oak tree was viewed as the living god, called Zeus, Jupiter, Balder or Dianus of Dodona, and the mistletoe, with its white semen-colored berries was considered the plants genitalia. In the same fashion as ancient sacrifices of human savior-king, the genitals (mistletoe) of the god were castrated (cut off) in ceremonial fashion, before the sacrifice was performed. According to Barbara Walker, in her book, The Woman's Encyclopedia Of Myths And Secrets (1983), "At the season of sacrifice, druidic priests ceremonially castrated the oak god by cutting off his mistletoe with a golden moon-sickle, catching it in a white cloth before it could touch the ground, so it remained like every sacrificial deity 'between heaven and earth'... The phallic meaning of the mistletoe made it the 'key' that opened the underworld womb, key and phallus being interchangeable in mystical writings." The female counterpart to the mistletoe was the holly, with its red menstrual-colored berries, representing the goddess and consort to the god, Lady of the Grove and Moon-mother Diana Nemetona. Through the Renaissance, mistletoe was still being placed on Altars in English churches on Christmas Eve. From Symbols Of Church Seasons And Days (1997), by John Bradner, "mistletoe in the Christian world becomes a symbol of joy and good will." The tradition of kissing under the mistletoe may have come from the religious ceremony of the kiss of peace (Bradner, 1997). See Horns and Holly.
Palm Tree: Like the Apple Tree of the Biblical Garden of Eden, the Palm Tree was the sacred Tree of Life in the Babylonian Primal Garden, sacred to the Goddess Astarte (in Hebrew known as Tamar, which translated to "Palm Tree"). Barbara Walker, in her book, The Woman's Encyclopedia Of Myths And Secrets (1983), explains, "The Goddess was often embodied in a Mother-palm, giving the food of life in the form of coconut milk or dates." The Goddess's partner was Baal-Peor, also known as Phoenix, deity of Phoenicia, which translates to "Land of the Palm."
Sala: The Sala is the sacred cherry tree under which the Virgin Maya gave birth to Buddha. Representing virginity, the cherry is commonly associated with the Goddess, along with other red fruits such as the apple and pomegranate, according to Barbara Walker, in her book, The Woman's Encyclopedia Of Myths And Secrets (1983).
Thistle: According to Symbols Of Church Seasons And Days (1997), by John Bradner, "The thistle as a thorny plant and a symbol of sorrow is a symbol of the Passion and in particular the crowning with thorns."
Willow: Along with water, the willow represented the Goddess Helice, the virginal form of Hecate. Willow also represents melancholy and sorrow as its association with queen of the underworld Persephone and Orpheus; Chinese coffins were coverd with willow boughs. Man, Myth And Magic: The Illustrated Encyclopedia Of Mythology, Religion And The Unknown (1995), edited by Richard Cavendish, explains, "A traditional emblem of grief and melancholy, the willow is also a symbol of forsaken love, and it was once customary for the jilted to wear a willow garland." However, according to Barbara Walker, in her book, The Woman's Encyclopedia Of Myths And Secrets (1983), Willow wands were believed to give protection in the underworld, invoke the Muses, and sacred to the Moon-Goddess.
Xikum: Representing Ishtar, this sacred Babylonian Tree of Heaven, spread "her branches into the celestial and nether worlds, holding the Savior Tammuz in her midst," according to Barbara Walker, in her book, The Woman's Encyclopedia Of Myths And Secrets (1983). This same tree later appeared in the Moslem Koran as Zakkum, the Tree of Hell.
Spiritual Symbols & Colors: Index >>
Underworld
Hell: This Christian version of the Underworld, consistency follows the dualist reality of Hell and Heaven. Derived from the name Hel, the Norse Queen of the Underworld (a Crone goddess), Hell is a repository of souls for the afterlife, a womb of regeneration. Positive and negative connections have been placed on this world, but originally it was a place souls went to await rebirth. The Underworld has been ruled by many, Persephone or Hecate, Pluto or Hades. Barbara Walker in her book, The Woman's Encyclopedia Of Myths And Secrets (1983) points out "The early 'hell' seems to have been a uterine shrine or sacred cave of rebirth, denoted by the Norse hellir." The early image of hell as a womb of fire may have lent itself to other images, that of the volcanic Mother mountain of the Hawaiian volcano-goddess Pele, another keeper of souls until rebirth; the Christian inferno of the Hell that non-Christians are sent to upon death; the Romans believed that the "oven is the mother" and souls and birthed in her oven-like womb (Walker, 1983). These early version of Hell are of a place of judgment and rebirth. Patriarchal ascetic religions like Zoroastrian Persia created the first images of torture in hell for damned souls. Jewish tradition held that Hell was the alternative for those unfit for spending eternity with God in Heaven, and most women were doomed to live in Hell due to their subversive natures. Christianity later added the idea of eternal torture. Christians developed a fascination with Hell and spent much time categorizing the demons of Hell, creating artistic renditions of Hell, preaching sermons on Hell-fire and damnation, and telling children horrendous stories of Hell in order to impress upon them the "fear of God." However, as Walker (1983) explains, "In the end, scholars were forced to renounce hell because it made God look more vindictive than man, though few dared admit that the vindictiveness sanctioned and stressed by the church was really man's alone. Shaftesbury said it was impossible to adore a God 'whose character is to be captious and of high resentment, subject to wrath and anger, furious, revengeful.'"
Infernus: Latin term for the underworld, meaning "the place within."
Khert-Neter: Also called Amenti and Tuat, this is the Egyptian title for the underworld. Barbara Walker, in her book, The Woman's Encyclopedia Of Myths And Secrets (1983) says, "Khert-Neter was the land of 'many mansions,' ruled nominally at least by the mysterious neter, an archaic 'divinity' that seem to have meant maternal ancestors."
Tophet: Another name the underworld, Solomon offered fire sacrifices to the Tyrian god Heracles-Melkart or Holech by burning victims who "passed through the fire to eternal life" (meaning they became gods) on the shrine of Tophet, according to Barbara Walker, in her book, The Woman's Encyclopedia Of Myths And Secrets (1983). The fire-burning death was also used for heroes and kings. See Hell.
Tartaras: Greek word for hell.
Tuat: Egyptian term for underworld, sometimes envisioned as a womb, or a great snake. See Hell.
Underworld Guardian: See Gods/Underworld Guardians.
Spiritual Symbols & Colors: Index >>
Water
Water is an essential part of many religious practices as well as being an important symbol in many mythic tales. Oceans, rivers, streams, lakes, tears, blood, wine, baptism, and rain are just a few of the forms water takes. Water represents cleansing and purification in many practices including Catholic Baptism. To the left is the alchemy symbol for running water. See Elements.
Fountain: As sources of life-giving water, springs and fountains have traditionally represented a source of fertility and the "water of life." Man, Myth And Magic: The Illustrated Encyclopedia Of Mythology, Religion And The Unknown (1995), "As the springhead of living waters, source of fruitfulness and life, fountains have been seen as the haunt of virgin nymphs and as be bestowers of youth and wisdom."
Ganges: Millions come to the Ganga River in India every year to bath because the Ganges is a symbol of cleansing, baptism, and redemption. Daughter of the Mountain-mother Nanda Devi (Blessed Goddess), the Goddess Ganga claimed the river as a tool of her magic powers. Barbara Walker in her book, The Woman's Encyclopedia Of Myths And Secrets, (1983) recounts the words of a hymn to Shiva, "Heaps of sin, accumulated by a sinner during millions of births [an allusion to reincarnation], are destroyed by the mere contact of a wind charged with her vapor... As fire consumes fuel, so this stream consumes the sins of the wicked. Sages mount the staired terrace of the Ganges; on it they transcend the high heaven of Brahma himself: free from danger, riding celestial chariots, they go to Shiva's abode. Sinners who expire near the water of the Ganges are released from all their sins: they become Shiva's attendants and dwell at his side. They become identical with him in shape; they never die— not even on the day of the total dissolution of the universe."
Wells: Wells traditionally have symbolized a feminine regenerative power. Barbara Walker, in her book, The Woman's Encyclopedia Of Myths And Secrets (1983) explains, "Springs, fountains, ponds, wells were always female symbols in archaic religions, often considered water-passages to the underground womb, in northern Europe associated with Mother Hel, whose name also gave rise to 'holy' and 'healing.'"
Spiritual Symbols & Colors: Index >>
Womb
An obvious symbol of creation, the womb has been symbolized and worshipped in a variety of forms from ancient times to today. Caves, burial chambers, and temples were seen as wombs of the Mother Earth in the Far East where a burial garbha meant "womb;" the Sanskrit word for temple is garbha-grha, "womb;" the Greece oracle of Delphi from delphos meant "womb;" and even Megalithic and Neolithic peoples buried their dead in womb-shaped tombs and carved the shape into stone, according to Barbara Walker, in her book, The Woman's Encyclopedia Of Myths And Secrets (1983). The downward pointing triangle is also a common symbol of the womb.
Cauldron: In the general sense of the word, a Cauldron represents a container for magical potions, energies, intentions, or spells and can be a shell, a bowl, or any other container. In a stricter sense, a Cauldron is a black kettle pot that is a tool of Wicca. Man, Myth And Magic: The Illustrated Encyclopedia Of Mythology, Religion And The Unknown (1995), explains that "as a symbol of plenty, the cauldron was connected with fertility... Certain mythological cauldrons were allegedly capable of reviving the dead. Others were believed to contain a liquid that could confer poetic inspiration on those who drank it." At its origins in the Bronze and Iron Age, the cauldron stood as a symbol for the Triple Goddess of fate, and even today retains this connotation with its connection to the Weird Sisters of fate.
In Egypt, the hieroglyphic sign for the threefold Creatress of the sun, universe, and gods, was a picture of three cauldrons. Norse and Aryan legends both tell of magical cauldrons that appear in sets of three and contain the ambrosia of life. British, Welsh, Celtic, Hittite, Pagan myths all tell of Cauldrons of the Goddess that have special powers of renewal and healing. In her book The Woman's Encyclopedia Of Myths And Secrets (1983), Barbara Walker points out "the symbol commonly opposed to the cross, as the witches' object of worship; in pagan tradition, the Great Mother's cosmic womb. As the "pot of blood in the hand of Kali," the cauldron signified cyclic recurrence, as opposed to the patriarchal view of linear time" (Walker, 1983).
Cave: A cave symbolizes the womb of the earth and has been used as sites of worship since before churches were constructed. According toBarbara Walker, in her book, The Woman's Encyclopedia Of Myths And Secrets (1983), "The cave was universally identified with the womb of Mother Earth, the logical place for symbolic birth and regeneration." Both the Sanskrit and Roman words for a place of worship (the cave) meant 'womb.' Some of the earliest evidence of religion that is known today comes from sophisticated cave paintings in France that appear deep within caves. Many goddesses of early cultures claimed the cave as their domain and/or entrance through which they created life, including the Hindu goddess Kurukulla, pagan goddesses Cybele and Mithra, Latin goddess Sybil, Cretan goddess Rheapagan, as well as others. By 376 C.E. the Vatican was seizing caves dedicated to the worship of the Goddess Mithra in an attempt to promote Christianity. In the 15th century, Pope, Calixtus II attempted to outlaw religious ceremonies in sacred caves. In her book The Woman's Encyclopedia Of Myths And Secrets (1983), Barbara Walker, explains, "as entrances to the underworld, caves were still associated with the Great Mother's yonic gate."
Chalice: Many ancient earth-worshipping religions recognized a divine feminine goddess, symbolized by a cup, cauldron, chalice, or moon—all representing fertility and immortality. Likewise, a divine masculine god was symbolized by a rode or blade. The chalice is among these symbols for the goddess (other symbols include the cauldron, cup, and the moon). Sir Laurence Gardner, in his lecture The Hidden History of Jesus and the Holy Grail (1997) states, "a chalice or a cup was the longest-standing symbol of the female. Its representation was that of the sacred vessel—the vas uterus, the womb." At its most basic form it is the shape of a V or an upside down triangle and physically this corresponds to the female reproductive genitals of both the vulva and the womb (uterus) which speaks to one of this symbol's basic meanings, that of fertility, creativity, and prosperity.
The symbol of the chalice appears in many mythic tales including Arthur/Merlin legends of Holy Grail quests (the magical cup given by the priestesses of Avalon on the Isle of Apples, that has been lost), "Cauldron of Rebirth," given to Bran, and the "Healing Cauldron of Goibniu." The chalice is also used in Catholic communion ceremonies in which the "blood" of Christ is held within a cup. In his article, The Sacred Cauldron (2000), Michael Ragan, explores the Cauldron's symbolism and explains, "It is the symbol of primary creation, the Great Womb, the source, the Mother Goddess herself... It can feed, give drink, heal, restore life, soothe raging spears, contains wisdom and throughout retains its otherworld connections. Within that cauldron are healing, inspiration, wisdom, sustenance (both physical and spiritual), and the very essence of life itself." The Chalice and the Blade as symbols are connected. The Blade creates the space for the Cauldron to exist by not only making it safe, but also creating the integrity necessary for the gifts of the cauldron through truth. Michael Ragan explains that, "included in the Cauldron as the necessary elements of 'Wisdom' (Sword) or Illumination and the 'Fire in the Mind' of our Sword of Inspiration. It [the Cauldron] cannot be possessed as in ownership. It can only be protected and held in safety by the masculine figure." With these new understandings of these important sacred symbols, new meanings can be gained from ancient mythic tales.According to Myth, Man And Magic: The Illustrated Encyclopedia Of Mythology, Religion And The Unknown (1995), edited by Richard Cavendish, "The cup is a female sex symbol but it also carries connotations of nourishment and abundance. When it becomes the cup of the Eucharist, and still more when it becomes the Grail, it has clearly far transcended its simple anatomical reference."
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Zodiac
Zodiac Signs: Refer UMS Astrology Basics course for more detailed information. Aries: March 21 April 20. The Ram, which is the first sign of the Post Latin Modern Zodiac. Aries being the out rushing force of beginnings, it is represented by ram horns in the forcefulness of the ram, which lowers its head and charges blindly.
Taurus: April 21 May 21. The Bull, according to Rowena and Rupert Shepherd in their book 1000 Symbols: What Shapes Mean In Art And Myth (2002), "Its glyph is said to symbolize a bull's head; it also represents the full and crescent moon, which is exalted in Taurus. Appropriately, therefore, the sign is ruled by Venus."
Gemini: May 22 June 21. The Twins, according to Rowena and Rupert Shepherd in their book 1000 Symbols: What Shapes Mean In Art And Myth (2002), "its glyph could depict the number two in Roman numerals, or a gate; the sun enters the gateway of the summer solstic at the end of Gemini."
Cancer: June 22 July 23. The Crab, begins the Summer Solstice. According to Rowena and Rupert Shepherd in their book 1000 Symbols: What Shapes Mean In Art And Myth (2002), "Its glyph may be based upon a crab's claws, or symbolize the waxing and waning moon."
Leo: July 24 August 23. The Lion's "tail is sometimes said to be reflected in its glyph," according to Rowena and Rupert Shepherd in their book 1000 Symbols: What Shapes Mean In Art And Myth (2002).
Virgo: August 24 September 23. The Virgin, according to Rowena and Rupert Shepherd in their book 1000 Symbols: What Shapes Mean In Art And Myth (2002), "whose glyph may represent her vagina, ovaries and uterus."
Libra: September 24 October 23. The scales take their name from the chariot that carried Persephone into the Underworld. It marks the Autumn Equinox and its glyph may "show the sun on the horizon," according to Rowena and Rupert Shepherd in their book 1000
Symbols: What Shapes Mean In Art And Myth (2002).
Scorpio: October 24 November 22. Representing death, the Scorpion is the sign of autumn. According to Rowena and Rupert Shepherd in their book 1000 Symbols: What Shapes Mean In Art And Myth (2002), "for the Maya, it was the sign of the Death God, while the ancient Egyptians linked it with Anubis, the guardian of the necropolis."
Sagittarius: November 23 December 21. According to Rowena and Rupert Shepherd in their book 1000 Symbols: What Shapes Mean In Art And Myth (2002), "Sagittarius is the archer, and so its glyph represents an arrow. It is usually depicted as a centaur firing an arrow."
Capricorn: December 22 January 20. The Goat with the Fish tale is associated with the Babylonian god Ea. According to Rowena and Rupert Shepherd in their book 1000 Symbols: What Shapes Mean In Art And Myth (2002), "The Ancient Egyptians linked it to Set, the god of chaos and misfortune who was sometimes depicted as a goat."
Aquarius: January 21 February 19. According to Rowena and Rupert Shepherd in their book 1000 Symbols: What Shapes Mean In Art And Myth (2002), "The water bearer Aquarius's glyph represents water and communication."
Pisces: February 20 March 20. The Fish, according to Rowena and Rupert Shepherd in their book 1000 Symbols: What Shapes Mean In Art And Myth (2002); "Its glyph represents its contradictory aspects: Pisceans often feel pulled in two directions; they are artistic, intuitive, imaginative and impressionable."
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Spiritual Spiritual Symbols & Colors: Conclusion
This gives you an idea of various symbols in different cultures. You can see how a symbol can speak a thousand words if it is a familiar symbol. Symbols have been used to convey ideas and concepts for thousands of years. These symbols have survived throughout time. New symbols are being created daily. Even the rock musician named Prince came up with a symbol to represent his persona, and marketed himself as a symbol rather than a name in order to get around a record contract legality.
In the meditation that goes with this course, you will have a chance to come up with your own personal symbol. This symbol can represent you as a person, a goal you might have, or anything you choose. First, however, let's look at colors and what their meanings are, since symbols and colors go hand in hand.
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The Meanings Of Colors
Written by Katie Vaughn-Kelso, Casey Carothers, and Christine Breese D.D., Ph.D.
Introduction
Color is energy in the form of light. This includes direct and reflected light. Color is a vibration, or frequency of light. This is made up of particles, which are also waves, according to physics. Color is directly emitted by matter, and it is also reflected by matter. Matter is not as solid as it seems, and is actually very spacious and luminous. All of life on Earth is dependent on light, and all light contains colors. Even the air we breathe is made of colors and light. Color surrounds us. We use color to represent specific meanings and emotions. The colors we choose to wear or place in our homes affect our moods and the messages we send to the world. Colors have been used throughout the centuries to represent holidays, status, and self-expression They are used for medicinal purposes and to create meaning in rituals.
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The Science Of It
Sir Isaac Newton was the first recorded scientist to observe the color spectrum. He did so by using a prism to split sunlight into different colors. This spectrum consists of the seven basic observable colors of red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet (www.crystal-cure.com). A rainbow displays this same array of colors because raindrops also split light into the spectrum of observable colors, just like the prism. It is now known that the color spectrum extends past red and violet into colors that the human eye does not register. The color spectrum is part of a larger spectrum called the Electromagnetic Spectrum (EM) and consists of energy flowing at a variety of velocities and lengths, according to NASA's article, Electromagnet Spectrum. The longer the wave, the slower the velocity of energy. Radio waves are at the longest, slowest end of the spectrum. Microwaves come next and then infrared. Next comes the visible light, flowing from about 700 nanometers to about 400 nanometers and consists of Newton's red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet. At the other end of the visible spectrum and beyond is ultraviolet, then gamma rays and x-rays flowing at the highest velocity which can cause harmful radiation (www.imagine.gsfc.nasa.gov). The human eye actually perceives only three colors, red, yellow, and blue. All the infinite colors that are seen are simply a combination of these three colors. White light actually contains all colors, including those that are above and below the human ability to physically see.
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Color Is Visual Energy
Light, sound, and matter are all the same substance, but each is a different portion of the frequencies, perceived with different physical senses because they are far apart on the spectrum. First, let's look at matter. Realize that the heaviest manifestations of matter are nowhere to be found on the Earth. In fact, the heaviest types of matter, the most condensed matter, with very little space between the particles of the atoms, can only be found in dense stars, the heaviest being found in black holes where matter is so heavy that light cannot even escape its gravitational force. This clues us in to the fact that only a small range of the large range of matter-types is found on the Earth. Our physical senses cannot even perceive some of the denser matters that can be found in the cosmos because we could not even be alive in a physical body if we were anywhere near these dense types of matter.
Human hearing can only perceive the ranges between 20 hertz and 20,000 hertz. This is a small portion of all the possible frequencies existing in the universe. There are instruments that can measure sounds that are far below and far above human hearing, and these frequencies are well documented, even commonly used in our daily reality. Harmonics, which are above human hearing, actually influence our hearing even though we are not aware of it. What distinguishes one person's voice, musical instrument or pitch of a note, from another person's are the harmonics. If it were not for harmonics, everyone's voice and instrument would sound the same. As sound gets higher and higher in the scale of frequencies, it actually becomes light. As sound gets lower and lower in frequencies, it eventually enters the realm of matter. Light is the highest of frequencies perceivable by physical human senses. Humans can see light frequencies between red and violet, the rainbow colors. It is actually a very small portion of the true expanse of light frequencies.
The concept that a color holds a frequency that has vibrational impact on matter has been explored in metaphysics in a variety of ways. According to the Global Psychics Organization, "Each color corresponds to a vibrational frequency and the qualities associated with that frequency will tend to influence the activities conducted in that environment and the attitudes of those in it, and even around it." (www.globalpsychics.com) Therefore, colors have physical impact on our emotions, psyches, and bodies. Every physical and non-physical entity in the universe is made of energy vibrating at various frequencies. Ted Andres, in his book How To Heal With Color (1992) explains, "All of the organs, tissues, and systems within our body are comprised of similarly vibrating atoms. If something irritating (such as an improper food substance) enters the body, it can result in altering the normal vibrational pattern of the body, or in this case the digestive system... We can use vibrational remedy to temporarily restore balance to that problem area."
As with any healing suggestion by UMS, these are suggestions not prescriptions. These remedies include sound, aromatherapy, flower and gem essences, crystals, and colors. Colors are also important to rituals. For instance different colored candles, as well as gemstones, depict different meanings and can be used in ceremony to evoke emotions. Suggested tools of healing include visualizing the color, wearing the color, meditating on the color with candles, crystals, or visualizing the color filling the aura and chakras. The Auras and the seven Chakras (energy sites within and around the body) are one spiritual way colors impact us. Even though the aura is not usually visible, the human eye can be trained to perceive and understand the specific meanings of the light and colors of the aura and chakras.
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The Physical Impact Of Colors
Colors affect humans in many ways. Everyone is familiar with which colors are soothing, stimulating, or nauseating. Cool colors and hot colors are another way people are likely to describe colors. Cool colors would be shades of blues and greens, or pastel shades, whereas hot colors would be shades of reds and oranges, or neon colors. Knowing which colors produce certain kinds of effects can be useful information in healing or regenerating processes, and can be used effectively in meditations and visualization techniques. Not only can we see colors, but we can also feel them. Just meditating on a particular color can create profound shifts in emotional and mental states, which in turn creates biochemical processes that enhance health and well being.
People in all kinds of businesses, from restaurants, to clothing stores to interior decorating consultants are all aware of what different colors do to our physical, mental and emotional states. For instance, restaurants have learned that signs with warm or hot colors like reds, yellows and oranges, cause people to feel hunger, or at least think about food. Even clothing stores have found that using certain colors will make people feel good and buy things. Depending on what the merchant is selling, this will be the determining factor on what colors the merchant will use in decorating the store. Interior decorators will ask the client what activities will be taking place in each room, and will suggest colors that will enhance those activities. Colors are well studied pertaining to how they affect human beings and their responses.
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The Psychological Perspective
The notion that colors affect people is also discussed in psychology. Psychologist Max Luscher, in Color Test: The Remarkable Test That Reveals Your Personality Through Color (1969) explains, "The autonomic nervous system... is concerned primarily with those functions which take place below the threshold of awareness and—for this very reason—must operate on an automatic, self-regulating basis..." Colors, apparently have a unconscious effect on this nervous system, for instance, pure-red "has a decidedly stimulating effect on the nervous system—blood pressure increases, respiration rate and heartbeat both speed up." Luscher developed a system called Color Psychology in which he used an eight color test of dark-blue, blue-green, orange-red, bright yellow, violet, brown, black, and neutral grey, to determine personal stress level. He did this by placing eight color cards out in front of the person and recording the sequence each color was picked up in. He discovered that colors can have medicinal purposes. For instance, bright yellow colors can be used to avoid illness and blue light creates a calming effect.
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Spiritual Meaning Of Colors
Red: Red is the first color that can be seen by the human eye in the color spectrum. Red emits a rather coarse energy that is basic and stimulating. It has the longest wavelength of the visible colors in the spectrum. It represents passion, strength, conquest, vigor, action, vitality and power. It also stimulates primal levels of survival issues. It is an exciting color, and it drives and challenges people. Red is the most often used color in flags for it makes a strong statement. It might not surprise us that the very life force in our arteries is the color red.
If a person is going into a challenging situation, or a circumstance where an argument might arise, red is a good color to wear if one wants the upper hand. Red can be an intimidating color. Red makes things happen. It blows apart feelings of self-pity, drudgery, melancholy, indifference and depression. It creates enthusiasm and aggressiveness. Ancient Romans used red flags to signal battle. Similarly, in India, red is the symbol for a soldier. According to Richard Cavendish, editor in chief of Man Myth And Magic, Vol 2 (1985), "red represents energy, lust, passing anger, and vitality. Red is said to be the color of fire and blood and has been associated with war, danger, strength, power, determination, as well as passion, desire, and love."
Red can chase away the cold, bring better circulation of the blood, and it also arouses sexuality. It is no mistake that it is the primary color used on Valentine's Day. It denotes deep commitment and passion in love, and triggers that love into physical expression. The giving of a red rose symbolizes love, beauty, and respect. (www.gardensner.com) Even as red can signal anger, it also signals love, and can be a very happy color. Red is symbolic of stimulation, marriage, strength, love, lust, power, fertility, and health (www.northerncandles.theshoppe.com/candle_color_meanings.html). In China red is used in weddings as a good luck charm, while in South Africa red is the color of mourning. (www.color-wheel-pro.com/color-meaning.html).
Red can be used to prompt people to make quick decisions and get the attention of others. Red is a color of leadership and high energy. In conjunction with the aura, red symbolizes materialistic thoughts. In the medicinal field, red can be used for bringing on warmth and burning out cancer. Red boosts human metabolism, increases respiration rate, and raises blood pressure (Luscher, 1969). Red represents the fire element and is the color of the Root Chakra. The gemstones embodying red qualities are garnet, ruby, red jasper, rose quartz, red coral, bloodstone, aragonite, and fire agate. The website www.crystal-cure.com states, "For healing, these stones are said to be excellent for anemia and other blood deficiencies. Red offers a healing vibration for emaciation, depression or lethargy."
Ted Andrews, in his book How To Heal With Color (1992), states, "Red is a stimulating color... It warms and it activates. It awakens our physical life force. It can be used for colds, poor circulation and mucus ailments," as well as raise body temperature and increase blood flow. It also strengthens a person's physical energy and will, as well as stimulate deeper passions in sex, love, courage, hatred or revenge. Andres explains, "Too much red can over stimulate and aggravate conditions. High blood pressure is an indication of too much red energy within the system." Red assists in the healing of acne, AIDS (with indigo and violet, followed by pink and gold), anemia, low blood pressure, colds, and pneumonia, and soft reds help with menstrual problems.
Rosy Red: Rose is a higher octave of red. Red has to do with physical love, but rose has to do with the love that transcends human versions of love. It is representative of the ability to hold divine love, unconditional love, and compassion for fellow humans and animals. This is a more mature kind of love. Not only is it not as deep a vibration as the color red, but rose represents feelings of a finer spiritual value. Rose represents understanding, sympathy and mercy. The ability to have empathy (stand in someone else's shoes and experience their pain) is also represented by rose, or pink. It also represents forgiveness and softness toward others, tolerance, as well as fun, laughter, and creative power. It is also associated with sharing and devotion.
Clear Red: Clear red is representative of moving anger.
Light Red: Light red is a symbol of joy, sexuality, sensitivity, passion, and love.
Dark Red: Dark red represents willpower, rage, and courage.
Reddish Brown: Reddish Brown is associated with the harvest.
Red Orange: Ted Andrews, in his book How To Heal With Color (1992), states, red orange can assist in the healing of low blood pressure and hayfever.
Pink: Pink is the color that represents universal love. It stands for friendship, romance, purity, and compassion. It is also representative of beginning a new relationship, raising energy and healing. Pink draws love. The giving of a pink rose symbolizes a "thank you" and shows admiration. The gemstone that can be used to exemplify these qualities is rose quartz. Pink in an aura means "the person has achieved a perfect balance between spiritual awareness and the material existence." (www.thiaoouba.com) According to Richard Cavendish, editor in chief of Man Myth And Magic, Vol 2 (1985), pink represents love, compassion, and understanding. According to www.crystal-cure.com, "Although green is the primary color used with the heart chakra, it can also be effective to use pink stones (such as rose quartz or rhodonite) if more softness, affection and love seem to be needed in working with the heart chakra." Ted Andrews, in his book How To Heal With Color (1992), states, "Pink can be used to awaken compassion, love, and purity. It eases conditions of anger and feelings of neglect. It helps stimulate the thymus gland and the immune system of the body." In meditation pink can assist with greater truth and is comforting. Pink can be used to assist in the healing of breasts and cancer (after the use of blue-violet).
Orange: Orange is the color of fall and harvest. Orange could be associated with social energies, including creating a feeling of well being, uniting people and causing cooperation with others. Orange is associated with joy, wisdom, happiness, creativity, success, attraction, and stimulation. It addresses fear and insecurities and other disharmony in the emotional body. It is an energy for change in the emotions and parts of self that are not feeling good about self. It is not a surprise that orange is used as the color for the clothing of spiritual seekers at ashrams. Seen in the aura, orange is a power color and a majority of orange in the aura indicates a spiritual teacher (www.thiaoouba.com/see_aura_color.htm). Orange is the color of the Sacral Hara Chakra. It is a color that brings feelings of well being and cooperation. It keeps people from squabbling amongst themselves. According to Richard Cavendish, editor in chief of Man Myth And Magic, Vol 2 (1985), orange represents humor, ambition, harmony. Giving an orange rose shows your enthusiasm and desire for the person.
Orange is a more mellow color in the spectrum of warm colors, compared to red. Orange is a mixture of the vitality of red and the intellectuality of yellow, balancing the physical primal urges with the intelligence to assess what is truly fair and right. It enhances self-confidence, but not in the same way as red. Red incites and excites, whereas orange gives quiet poise and self-esteem that need not be expressed outwardly. Red is rather outgoing, whereas orange is welcoming, and calls people together for fellowship. A person dressed in orange is hard to resist or not notice. Orange in places where people congregate or collaborate can enhance the outcome of the group's interactions with each other. Orange helps in overcoming bad habits, especially habits of attitude. It helps one overcome prejudice, judgment, and unfair bias. Orange banishes loneliness, guilt and remorse, some of the most crippling emotions of mankind. These emotions lead to insecurity, and orange can address this. It also prevents fear of change, and rather invites change into more positive energies. It is the color of hope and a second wind.
It is a very healing energy. It stimulates not only emotional well being, but also physical well-being, but not quite in the same way red does. Orange has a more subtle approach, but effective none the less. Ted Andrews, in his book How To Heal With Color (1992), states, orange "stimulates feelings of sociability. It is tied to our emotional health and to the muscular system of the body. Too much orange effects the nerves and should be balanced with shades of green-blues. Orange can assist in healing conditions of the spleen, pancreas, stomach, intestines, and adrenals. Individuals experiencing emotional paralysis or depression can be helped with this color. It can be used to help re-vitalize the physical body and assist with food assimilation," as it is good for the eliminative system. Orange is said to increase oxygen flow to the brain, stimulating appetite, increase sexual potency and immunity. According to www.crystal-cure.com, "For healing, these stones are essential for health and vitality. It regulates food intake. Orange is warm and positive." The gemstones to represent orange are carnelian and fire opal.
Dark Orange: Dark orange can mean distrust.
Orange-Red: Orange-Red represents sexuality, passion, and arousal. Psychologist Max Luscher, in Color Test: The Remarkable Test That Reveals Your Personality Through Color (1969) believes orange-red represents "Force of Will" and is eccentric, active, offensive-aggressive, autonomous, locomotor, competitive, and operative. Its affective aspects are desire, excitability, domination, and sexuality. Orange-Red "represents an energy-expending physiological condition. It speeds up the pulse, raises blood pressure and increases the respiration rate... orangered is the urge to achieve results, to win, success; it is hungrily to desire all those things which offer intensity of ving and fullness of experience."
Pastel Orange: Pastel Orange assists in healing muscle aches; soft orange assists in allergies, yellow-orange assists with bladder, bowels, and kidneys.
Gold: Gold is a higher octave of orange, and channels the energy of orange into spiritual awakening, or spiritual wisdom. It invites spiritual rebirth and possesses a high level of spiritual happiness and wisdom. It represents beauty of the soul. It provides encouragement, tolerance, comfort, warmth, openness, optimism, and illumination. It is the wise one, the teacher, and assists with communication. It suggests and advises. It makes no value judgments and has great tolerance. It is also cheerful and gives warm hearted feelings. It is the light of joy and happiness. It is symbolic of wealth and good health. The gemstone that can be used to represent gold is citrine. In the aura, gold is a strengthening and charging field (www.globalpsychics.com). Ted Andrews, in his book How To Heal With Color (1992), states, "golden-yellow shades are healthful to both the body and the mind... Gold is a powerful stimulant to the immune system of the body. It helps awaken the individual's own healing energies to assist the body in restoring homeostasis" and can awaken enthusiasm. In meditation, gold is often seen right before a peak experience.
Yellow: Yellow is the color of maximum brightness and luminosity, illuminating all that it touches. Yellow, the color of sunshine, produces a warming effect. The color yellow represents joy, energy, intellectual awareness, creativity, and a synthesis of new ideas and optimism. It alleviates some emotional problems, especially when the emotions become entangled around an obsessive thought. It helps to correct negative tendencies and habits in the thought processes, and brings harmony to obsessive thoughts. It is a good color to use when trying to work with and change negative parts of the personality, as yellow is optimistic, bringing more positive outlooks in the mental attitude.
Psychologist Max Luscher, in Color Test: The Remarkable Test That Reveals Your Personality Through Color (1969) believes bright yellow represents "Spontaneity" and is eccentric, active, projective, heteronomous, expansive, aspiring, and investigatory. Its affective aspects are variability, expectancy, originality, and exhilaration. "Yellow's principal characteristics are its brightness, its reflectivity, its radiant quality and its nonsubstantial cheerfulness. Yellow expresses uninhibited expansiveness, a loosening or relaxation." Hindus wear the color yellow to celebrate the Festival of Spring. Giving a yellow rose shows friendship, joy, and the promise of a new start. Yellow is the color of the air element.
It is also a banisher of fears and insecurities, chasing away self doubt and fear of change. It stimulates the mental faculties and logical thought processes, so anything that is illogical or unreasonable, as in unseen fears, is done away with. It is a wonderful color for manifestation in the physical world, giving illumination to the mysteries of the mind. Yellow also stimulates the absorption abilities of the mind, causing the mind to work like a sponge, absorbing information and input more easily.
In Egypt yellow is the color of mourning, while in Spain, executioners wore yellow in the past. In nature however, yellow can mean warning. According to Richard Cavendish, editor in chief of Man Myth And Magic, Vol 2 (1985), yellow represents intellect and trickery. This color can be used to evoke uplifting feelings and clear a foggy head but when overused yellow has a negative effect on emotions (www.globalpsychics.com).
In the aura, people who glow yellow are full of inner joy. Yellow is the color of the Solar Plexus Chakra. These people are not tied down to anything and tend to be very generous. A yellow aura or halo around the head is symbolic of a spiritual teacher (www.thiaoouba.com/see_aura_color.htm) It is not unusual to see pictures of Jesus and other "holy" people depicted with a yellow halo.
To holistic healers, yellow is the color of peace. (www.factmonster.com) Ted Andrews, in his book How To Heal With Color (1992), states yellow "is stimulating to the mental faculties of the individual. It can be useful for depression. It helps re-awaken an enthusiasm for life. It can be used to awaken greater confidence and optimism. It can be used for digestion problems" including the stomach, intestines, bladder, and entire gastrointestinal tract. Yellow can assists in the healing of abdominal cramps, alcoholism, loss of appetite, burping, indigestion, kidneys, and liver. The gemstones that represent yellow are citrine, amber, and topaz. According to www.crystal-cure.com, "For healing, these stones are said to aid in the treatment of diabetes and constipation. They can also be used to neutralize a haggard or a fat condition."
Sulfur: Sulfur represents pain and anger, or hardship.
Lemon: Ted Andrews, in his book How To Heal With Color (1992), states, "Lemon is vitalizing and stimulating to the brain. It contains a shade of green within its spectrum, and this works as a cleanser. Lemon assists in bringing toxins to the surface so they can be cleansed out," and is good for tissues and bones. Lemon yellow assists in healing abdominal cramps, loss of appetite, bones, burping, eczema, indigestion, rashes, and other skin problems.
Yellow-Orange: Yellow-orange can assist in the healing of the bladder, bowels, and kidneys.
Green: Green is the first in the line of cool colors that calm and give rest to the human organism. It is the one that is actually at the center of the spectrum. It brings balance and alignment of life's material and spiritual aspects. It is a harmonizing factor between the warm colors and the cool colors. It is no wonder that most of nature is green, as it is such a balancing color between physical beingness and spiritual beingness. Green promotes humankind's physical maturation with spiritual maturation. When these two aspects are aligned, it is a force to be reckoned with in the universe. Green is the color most commonly associated with the mother earth and fertility (as well as the earth element). The color green represents abundance, stability, hope, self-respect, healing, and harmony. According to Richard Cavendish, editor in chief of Man Myth And Magic, Vol 2 (1985), green represents calming, sympathy, and possessiveness. Ancient Greeks used the color green to represent victory, while the people of Scotland used green to symbolize honor. (www.factmonster.com)
Green is the color of balance and represents the master healer and life force. With green, life is rejuvenated and stimulated. It is a powerful magnetic color that attracts positive power and is a strong healing ray. It is a color of health and vitality. It alleviates strain through balancing, rather than through stimulation as the warm colors do. It relaxes the nervous system and is a good color for tension control. Green eases emotional and mental states of distress. Deep emotional wounds can especially be healed with green. Ted Andrews, in his book How To Heal With Color (1992), states that green "balances our energies, and it can be used to increase our sensitivity and compassion. It has a calming effect, especially for inflamed conditions of the body. It is soothing to the nervous system... Green can be used to awaken greater friendliness, hope, faith and peace. It is restful and revitalizing to over-taxed mental conditions," balancing to the autonomic nervous systems, and healing for cardiac conditions, high blood pressure, ulcers, exhaustion, and headaches. However, "it should NEVER be used in cancerous tumors or anything of a malignant nature, as green also stimulates growth." Green assists in the healing of headaches, anxieties, high blood pressure, nerves, and ulcers.
Some gemstones that can be used to exemplify the qualities of green are green jade, emerald, malachite, tourmaline, peridot, chrysoprase, and aventurine (www.crystal-cure.com). According to www.crystal-cure.com, "For healing, green is used to balance the vibrations of the nervous system. It is said to aid any heart problem or blood pressure disorder. It is also used to restore tired nerves and will help those in need of more energy." If a person has a strong green point in their aura they are natural healers (www.thiaooba.com). The Heart Chakra is green and green is often the color associated with heart energies, since it is the bridge between physical and spiritual just as the heart is (www.globalpsychics.com).
Order and consistency can be established with green. It assists with establishing healthy habits and routines in daily life. It supports self regulation and assists with clarifying the purpose of life. It creates a peaceful and serene environment, and stagnation is chased away, bringing order and abundance of productivity, if not in the moment, setting the space for productivity to come. Green is associated with the element of air.
Many people associate green with money and abundance. It does attract abundance, prosperity and wealth—not from a perspective of action, but from setting the space for wealth to come, by setting a calm space for good things to manifest in. Green provides balance, and therefore it leads to lack of poverty and economic instability. The lushness of the green earth is a manifestation of this green energy of abundance and wealth.
Dark Green: Dark green represents greed and jealousy but also attracts love and social delights.
Yellow-green: Yellow-green represents sickness and cowardice.
Olive green: Olive green is associated with peace.
Blue: It is the coolest and calmest color of the spectrum. Blue symbolizes loyalty, faith, truth, tranquility, heaven, and wisdom. Blue correlates to intellect and consciousness. Blue is the color of creative energy and is associated with compassion. According to Richard Cavendish, editor in chief of Man Myth And Magic, Vol 2 (1985), blue represents intuition, seriousness, and healing. In ancient as well as in current times blue is the color used to represent public servants such as police officers. In Iran, blue is the color of mourning, while in China it is worn by female children. Egyptian pharaohs wore blue to protect themselves from evil. In conjunction with healing, blue can be used to calm the senses and slow human metabolism. Blue is the color associated with the elements of water. It is said that people with a "blue strong point in their aura are relaxed, balanced and ready to live in a cave and survive. They are born survivors." (www.thiaoouba.com/see_aura_color.htm)
Blue is the color of the Throat Chakra. Some gemstones that can be used to represent blue in ceremony are sapphire, sodalite and blue topaz (www.crystal-cure.com). According to www.crystal-cure.com, "For healing, these stones are said to aid the treatment of any blockage or disease of the throat. It is also helpful when inflammation occurs, since blue is a cooling color. It is also said to aid with internal bleeding and nervous conditions." Ted Andrews, in his book How To Heal With Color (1992), states, "Blue is cooling to our system and it is relaxing... quieting to our energies, and it has an antiseptic effect as well. It is strengthening and balancing to the respiratory system of the body. It is excellent for high blood pressure and all conditions of the throat." Useful in healing children, "it is effective in easing childhood diseases, along with asthma, chicken pox, jaundice and rheumatism... It is beneficial to venous conditions of the body," and can awaken intuition, ease loneliness, spark inspiration and artistic expression. Very effective when paired with warmer colors. Blue assists in the healing of abscesses, headaches, toothaches, asthma, high blood pressure, bronchitis, burns, fevers, inflammation, and liver problems.
Light Blue: The energy becomes finer as we move toward the cooler parts of the color spectrum. Blue enters an even more serene area than green. It is less physically stimulating and is more astringent in vibration. It soothes worries and lessens grief and loss. It prompts the human mind to consider the truth about infinity and how the human fits in to that infinity. It raises a human above the coarser vibrations of the warmer colors. It helps us let go of pettiness and pet peeves.
It causes us to move toward the realm of higher consciousness and spiritual maturity, evolving into a higher being. Light blue symbolizes spiritual development, faith in spirit, sincerity, and peace. It is energizing to devotional and spiritual powers, bringing into being spiritual qualities of guidance and ethical inspiration. Blue can deepen faith in the process of life and consciousness, giving the human being more peace by knowledge alone that a higher force, or deeper force, guides the whole process. Ted Andrews, in his book How To Heal With Color (1992), states, light blue can assist in the healing of anxieties, powder or ice blue can assist in the healing of blisters, nausea, and swelling. It soothes all types of anxiety, giving tranquility. It helps insomnia and calms the mind.
Blue-Green: Psychologist Max Luscher, in Color Test: The Remarkable Test That Reveals Your Personality Through Color (1969) states that blue-green represents "elasticity of will" and is concentric, passive, defensive, autonomous, retentive, possessive, and immutable. Its affective aspects are persistence, self-assertion, obstinacy, and self-esteem. Green "expresses itself psychologically as the will in operation, as perseverance and tenacity. Blue-green is therefore an expression of firmness, of constancy and, above all, of resistance to change." Ted Andrews, in his book How To Heal With Color (1992), states, "The brighter greens, leaning toward the blue spectrum, are powerful in healing most conditions." Blue-green can assist in the healing of bleeding, bronchitis, burns, menstrual problems, and nerves.
Dark Blue: Dark Blue is representative of expertise, depth, knowledge, moderation, and power. Use dark blue to promote joy, loyalty, and change. Psychologist Max Luscher, in Color Test: The Remarkable Test That Reveals Your Personality Through Color (1969) believes dark-blue represents "depth of feeling" and is concentric, passive, incorporative, heteronomous, sensitive, perceptive, and unifying. Its affective aspects are tranquility, contentment, tenderness, love, and affection. Dark-blue represents complete calm, "blood pressure, pulse and respiration rate are all reduced, while self-protective mechanisms work to recharge the organism." Ted Andrews, in his book How To Heal With Color (1992), states, Royal Blue "is very antiseptic and it helps the body assimilate oxygen. It can clear the foggy mind and is an aid to negative physical conditions that affect the brain." Royal Blue assists in the healing of Alzheimer's disease and eyes. Deep Blue assists in the healing of epilepsy, hemorrhoids, and influenza.
Blue-Purple: Blue-purple followed by yellow can assist in the healing of Alzheimer's disease. It is also useful for spiritual purposes, including deep meditation and exploration of the unconscious.
Turquoise: Turquoise projects a refreshing, cool, and imaginative force. It is the symbol of youth. It is said that turquoise has a calming effect. The gemstone that can be used to represent this color is aquamarine. In the aura, this color "indicates dynamic quality of being, highly energized personality capable of projection, influencing other people." (www.thiaoouba.com/see_aura_color.htm) People with turquoise in their aura are good organizers. Ted Andrews, in his book How To Heal With Color (1992), states, "Turquoise assists in the healing of earaches, bronchitis, epilepsy, influenza, and rashes."
Aqua: Aqua is similar to turquoise but it is representative of motivation and activeness. Ted Andrews, in his book How To Heal With Color (1992), states, "Aqua is cooling to the system. It combines the beneficial effects of blue and green, vitalizing the system and purifying as well. It is effective in skin conditions" and for acute pain and earaches.
Indigo: This is a mixture of purple and blue, the in-between shade. It moves us further into the spiritual realms of life, symbolizing mankind's Third-eye Chakra, or spiritual vision. It is used to clear the head and open the third eye. This color represents power, integrity, and intellect. It is the ray of serious self-introspection, contemplation, analysis from a spiritual standpoint, and increased intuitive powers. It could be thought of as the color of the spiritual aspects of mankind's intellect.
Indigo is also a sedative and useful when meditating to gain depth, intuition, and awaken devotion, however too much indigo can cause depression and feelings of isolation. This color assists in transforming the shadow self if one is willing to delve into the murkier waters of his or her consciousness. It leads to comprehension and self-knowledge that might take a turn through the dark halls of the psyche at first, but the rewards are great for this brave act of self-inquiry. It assists in answering the questions we ask ourselves, like "who are we?" and "why are we here?" With this color, the abstract fuses into the concrete, bringing lofty ideas to Earth.
It is only natural that with self-introspection comes an increase in spiritual and intuitive powers. Mankind's sixth sense is still in development and this is the first step in that maturation. Indigo can assist in developing this next step in evolution. It helps us recognize the bigger picture and let go of the smaller picture as the basis for reality. Perception spontaneously awakens and intuitive powers cause us to explore even deeper states of consciousness than the original self-inquiry that started it all. It is a color used by spiritual teachers and students who wish to increase their intuitive abilities. Indigo helps with self-discipline in spiritual endeavors, but also assists with more menial self-discipline like managing time, money and actions.
The gemstones sapphire, azurite, and indigo can be used in ritual to promote the qualities of indigo. According to www.crystal-cure.com, "For healing, these stones are said to aid the treatment of mental disorders." Ted Andrews, in his book How To Heal With Color (1992), states, "Indigo and the deeper shades of blue are dynamic healing colors on both spiritual and physical levels... It is strengthening to the lymph system, the glands, and to the immune system of the body. It is an excellent blood purifier and can assist in detoxifying the body. It is a color that is balancing to the hemispheres of the brain and the nerve synapses between them. It is effective in treating all conditions of the face (including eyes, ears, nose, mouth, and sinuses)... It can be used for problems in the lungs and for removing certain obsessions." Indigo also assists in the healing of AIDS (with red and violet, followed by pink and gold), alcoholism, allergies, excessive appetite, eye problems, and Parkinson's.
Violet/Purple: This is the highest color vibration that we can see with our physical eyes in the spectrum and also has the shortest wavelength. It is a mixture of red and blue, so this color is also a sort of bridge between the warm and cool colors in the spectrum. Purple is symbolic of ambition, luxury, power, wisdom, independence, mystery, magic, and spirituality. It represents confidence and dignity, and it is no wonder that royalty of earlier eras reserved it as a color that could only be worn by kings and queens, princes and princesses. The only material available for making dyes were plants, minerals, and a few animal or insects. The dying process required the luxury of time and money and this meant that colorful paintings and pieces of clothing were only possessed by the wealthy and became a status symbol. Purple carries the energy of great fame. (www.afgen.com/gamble7.html) Cleopatra and Roman Emperors used the costly purple made from hundreds of crushed snail shells. In some instances, it was punishable by death to wear purple if one was not royalty.
According to Richard Cavendish, editor in chief of Man Myth And Magic, Vol 2 (1985), violet represents warmth and humility. Violet is intimate, erotic, intuitive, and sensitive understanding, if somewhat unreal and wish-fulfillment. Psychologist Max Luscher, in Color Test: The Remarkable Test That Reveals Your Personality Through Color (1969) states, "Violet attempts to unify the impulsive conquest of red and the gentle surrender of blue, becoming representative of 'identification.' This identification is a sort of mystic union, a high degree of sensitive intimacy leading to complete fusion between subject and object, so that everything which is thought and desired must become Reality." Violet is the color of the Crown Chakra and bonds physical reality with spiritual reality, giving a person confidence in his or her ability to achieve purpose, goals, and prosperity on the earth plane.
Purple is a color of great personal integrity, and is very honest, acting with great wisdom and right action. Self confidence that comes from a person who is spiritually mature creates self dignity as well. Purple can assist with overcoming man-made obstacles, self imposed or otherwise. It eradicates evil influences or ideas, and rises above any such creations in duality. It is above the ideas of duality, dark and light, good and bad, pleasant and unpleasant. It is the wise knowingness of eternal self that is not afraid of any part of duality, and resists nothing, even the more unpleasant aspects of life. Purple sees even the darker side of things as part of the whole picture. Problems cannot touch this energy, and it does not even acknowledge that darkness has any more power than lighter energies, and sees that they both balance each other out, equaling zero in the end. Purple recognizes evil as simply a part of the drama to work with, learn from and experience.
Violet can be used to stimulate inspiration and humility, and dream activity as well as help connect to past-lives in meditation. According to www.factmonster.com Leonardo da Vinci believed that the power of meditation increases ten times when done in a purple light such as the purple light of stained glass. Purple is a color frequently used in meditation and can be used to aid people striving for spiritual fulfillment. When purple is observed in the aura it is said to be a cloud of spirituality and will never be a strong point in the aura.
Purple is a very fine energy that sets the tone for spiritual attainment and purity. It is not focused on worldly sensations or pleasure and seeks to show mankind's purpose and inner self. It is the beginning of perfection's path. Perfect happiness is gained through alignment with the eternal self, the source of all consciousness. It gives great joy to the person who lives in this level of vibration. It is considered by many the most spiritual of colors, and it is the energy of self-transformation. Purple represents the most advanced stages of spiritual evolvement. It looks deep beyond the surface and finds answers that reflect the big picture. Purple is a very inspiring atmosphere for spiritual advancement and contact with the spiritual world. Some people think of purple as associated with sorrow, but it is more about reverence and mindfulness. It represents a supreme state of consciousness and happiness that is above and beyond the happiness that an ordinary human can attain through Earth level success and wealth. It is deeper than anything physical, mental or emotional. It is the depths of spirituality that purple is concerned with. According to Richard Cavendish, editor in chief of Man Myth And Magic, Vol 2 (1985), purple represents great spirituality.
Purple is a strong medicine for all negative feelings and thoughts, for it takes one beyond the levels of duality. In the medicinal field the gemstone amethyst can be used to represent the qualities of purple. Purple can be used to take away pain while doing deep tissue work on boric cells (www.globalpsychics.com). Ted Andrews, in his book How To Heal With Color (1992), states, "Purple is purifying to the system, but because of its high vibration, it should be used sparingly. Too much purple can create or aggravate depression. It can be used to stimulate venous activity in the body. It can also be used for headaches. The red-purple range is beneficial for balancing polarities of the body. The blue-purple range can often be used effectively to shrink things (as in the case of tumors) and to cool the skin, easing inflammation."
The gemstones that represent purple are amethyst, fluorite, and ametrine. According to www.crystalcure. com, "For healing, these stones are said to aid insomnia or any mental-related disorder."
Ted Andrews, in his book How To Heal With Color (1992), states, "Violet is a color that affects the skeletal system of the body. It is very antiseptic, cleansing, and purifying on physical and spiritual levels. It helps balance the physical and the spiritual energies. Violet is good to use for cancerous conditions of the body. Arthritis can be eased by violet light that leans more toward the blue shades. Violet is also strengthening to the body's ability to assimilate and use minerals. Violet assists in the healing of AIDS (along with red and indigo, followed by pink and gold), bones, diabetes, growths, infection, influenza, and leukemia.
Blue-Violet: Blue-violet assists in the healing of abscesses, toothaches, arthritis, cancer (followed by pink), growths, and skin problems.
Red-Violet: Red-violet assists with acne, arthritis, and breast problems.
Light Purple: Light purple can be used to draw in romantic feelings.
Dark Purple: Dark Purple can be used to evoke sadness and causes frustration.
Magenta: Magenta represents imagination.
Brown: Brown is the color of stability, reliability, and the earth.This color can be used to eliminate indecisiveness and improve the color concentration. Brown holds a steady energy coarse and is the color of endurance. Brown is often thought of as a negative color in that some of its qualities are unsettling, materialistic, and negating spirituality. This color can neutralize negative energy and encourage stability. Psychologist Max Luscher, in Color Test: The Remarkable Test That Reveals Your Personality Through Color (1969) states that brown "represents sensation as it applies to the bodily senses. It is sensuous, relating directly to the physical body, and its position in the row gives an indication of the body's sensory condition." Brown corresponds to a hearth or home, familial security. The element earth is represented by the color brown. The gemstone associated with brown qualities is tiger's eye. Ted Andrews, in his book How To Heal With Color (1992), states, "Brown is also a color that can be used in healing. It is especially effective for emotional and mental conditions. Brown can help awaken common sense and discrimination. It can help bring an individual 'back down to earth'" and is effective in eliminating spacy feelings.
Gray: Gray is the color most commonly associated with sadness. Gray is representative of negative thoughts, depression, and the presence of the dark side of personalities. Psychologist Max Luscher, in Color Test: The Remarkable Test That Reveals Your Personality Through Color (1969) states that gray "is entirely free from any stimulus or psychological tendency. It is neutral, neither subject nor object, neither inner nor outer, neither tension nor relaxation." Gray is non-involvement, compensatory, non-involvement, the rejection of colors. The gemstone use in ritual to represent grey is hematite. Gray can be grounding for people who are too excitable or scattered.
Silver: The color silver stands for a connection to the stars, the moon, and space. According to Richard Cavendish, editor in chief of Man Myth And Magic, Vol 2 (1985), silver flashes represent great creativity. In the aura, silver is used to charge the sixth level. (www.globalpsychics.com). Ted Andrews, in his book How To Heal With Color (1992), states, "Silver and some grays can be used to amplify the effects of other colors, much in the manner of white. Silver is effective in meditations used to discover the metaphysical source of an illness or disease. Unless we discover the source, the likelihood of its reoccurrence is high. It can also be used to help an individual discover and apply their own creative imagination" and activate innate intuition.
White: White contains the entire light spectrum, blending all the colors into one. This might seem opposite of what one would think, but it's true. White represents pure love, goodness, kindness, helpfulness, and positive power. White is commonly known as a color of purity and cleanliness. White is symbolic of virginity and new life. The color white is stands for patience, purity, protection, and peace. White is the strongest of all color vibrations. White is known as the purest form of light. White is the containment of all colors, with all their aspects and properties. It is perfection, enlightenment, and fulfillment of all personal quests for self-realization. This is as perfect as a human can get. It represents a state of reaching the heights of goodness, wisdom, maturity, fairness, and other such positive attributes that are associated with perfection of the human being. It is a color of accepting all spiritual truths and being able to apply them to daily life and physical reality in a practical manner. White is the color of the master, wholeness of the self, one with all that is, and superhuman powers. White also cleanses and repels disharmony or harm. It creates immunity to unpleasantries and self doubts. It is a very stabilizing influence and is a place of no-fear. Inadequacies vanish in the color white, fears are non-existent, and ignorance is no longer a factor. It is a place of all-knowingness.
According to Richard Cavendish, editor in chief of Man Myth And Magic, Vol 2 (1985), white represents a death wish. White is symbolic of mourning in countries across the world. Angels are usually seen wearing white robes. A white candle can be put in place of any color in ceremony. Giving a white rose is symbolic of innocence, humility, and sympathy. The white color in the aura indicates health issues and depicts a lack in inner harmony. White is a color that signifies health, wholeness and completion so it is fitting that many health and spiritual organizations wear white. It heals all illnesses and wounds in every level of human existence, including physical, mental, emotional and spiritual harm. White can be used medicinally to take away pain and bring peace to a victim. Ted Andrews, in his book How To Heal With Color (1992), states, white "is strengthening... It can awaken great creativity. When in doubt as to what color to use, you can seldom go wrong with white light." White can also be used at the beginning and end of a healing session with colors to amplify the effect of any color. The gemstone used to represent the qualities of white is clear quartz crystal.
Black: Black is known as the absence of color or light and was associated with evilness at times but can also be understood to encompass the entire color spectrum (like white). Black stands for power, death, evil, formality, and mystery. According to Richard Cavendish, editor in chief of Man Myth And Magic, Vol 2 (1985), black represents deep discontent. Black usually receives negative connotation. However, it can also be used to banish negative feelings. Black is the universal color of mourning. Native Americans believed that black was a good color because it was similar to the color of soil, which brought life. In China, male children wear black. The Egyptians believed that black cats had divine powers. In ritual, black tourmaline can be used to display the qualities of black.
In the medicinal field, black was said to represent thwarted ambition. Psychologist Max Luscher, in Color Test: The Remarkable Test That Reveals Your Personality Through Color (1969) states, "Black represents the absolute boundary beyond which life ceases, and so expresses the idea of nothingness, of extinction." It represents renunciation, surrender or relinquishment. Ted Andrews, in his book How To Heal With Color (1992), states that black "is the color that is shrouded in confusion. Many individuals shy away from using black in color therapy and healing, but I have found it beneficial at times. Black is a protective color, and it can be used to ground and calm extremely sensitive individuals. It activates the feminine or magnetic energies of the body, strengthening them. It should be used sparingly, as too much black can cause depression or aggravate such emotional and mental conditions."
Black can be effectively used along with white to balance a person's polarities and bring stability. Black can also activate the subconscious and bring perspective to a situation. Black should always be used in conjunction with white or another color.
Dull Colors: According to Richard Cavendish, editor in chief of Man Myth And Magic, Vol 2 (1985), dull colors represent disharmony and problems.
Clear Light: Transparency might not be considered a color in the traditional sense, but in spiritual circles clear light, or transparency, is often used in meditation. It is also considered white spiritual light, which is also a combination of all colors with their aspects and properties. It is combined with the highest form of love a human can hold. This color could be thought of as the purest of all colors, the color of God. In meditation, it is considered the source of all colors, the nothingness from which all colors were born. It is the blending of the material plane and the intangible planes. Human vision cannot "see" this light, but in meditation it is very visible at a feeling sense level. It is the sanctuary of the eternal self, which is at the center of the nothingness from which all experiences and mental constructs spring. Clear light, or transparency, is the source of all life, the place of eternal consciousness which each of us is at the core, the God-self. Clear quartz or diamonds are the gemstones that best reflect the energy of clear light.
Spiritual Symbols & Colors: Index >>
LifeColors
LifeColors refer to a person's primary personality traits that show up within the aura. Pamala Oslie explains, "There are many different colored bands in a person's aura. The band that is closest to the body reveals the person's priorities, methods of processing life and primary purpose for being on the planet... I call it the LifeColor. The other bands of the aura frequently change colors and positions, reflecting what is happening with the person at a given time. However, the band closest to the body, the LifeColor, does not usually change."
Oslie breaks up the life colors into three categories that reflect how people process information: Physical colors that indicate processing information through the body are red, orange, magenta, and yellow; Mental colors that indicate processing life intellectually are tans and green; and Emotional colors that indicate processing life primarily through emotions, feelings, and intuition are blue, violet, indigo, lavender and crystal. LifeColors are a tool, they are meant to help a person understand and accept himself or herself, and learn to stay in balance and utilize their power. However, as Oslie states, "A person is not restricted to living only within her LifeColor. Choosing to come into this life with a particular LifeColor does not mean that one cannot experience the qualities, purposes, priorities and methods of the other LifeColors. While we have our original LifeColor, we also continuously add other colors into the outer bands of the aura... Each person needs to fulfill his or her LifeColor before [s]he can successfully and harmoniously expand to the other colors. [S]he must first love and accept who [s]he is before [s]he can satisfactorily experience the qualities of the other colors." In other words, every color/personality has positive aspects as well as challenges, and denying any trait will leave a person feeling disconnected, confused, and disharmonious. Learning the tools of another color can be useful to a person once they have fully accepted and integrated their own personality.
Spiritual Symbols & Colors: Index >>
The Meanings Of Colors: Conclusion
These tests can tell you "who you are not!" Tests like these cannot tell you who you are, but they can tell you what personality you might be wearing in this lifetime. No one can escape the fact that we each have a personality. Everyone gets one upon entrance into the physical plane. No one gets in without one!
Colors can be used as a tool. If you are feeling blue on a dreary day, bright colors might cheer you up a little. If you are going to be in a debate, perhaps red would be a good color to wear, for it is hard to argue with someone wearing red. Red is a power color. If you would like to feel calm and serene, perhaps light blue would be useful, or lavender. If you would like to enhance your spiritual pursuits, perhaps indigo or purple will assist. If you would like to experience healing, green is a very good influence. If you would like to be invisible, perhaps black, gray, or earth tones would be best. These are just a few examples on how you can use colors as a tool for your endeavors. They can be used to change your mood, the atmosphere of a room, or influence you and others in various ways. Most people have no idea how powerful the influence of colors are, and conscious use of colors gives one quite the advantage in navigating one's life.
Enjoy your adventures in using colors consciously to enhance your experiences in life. You are now privy to some information that most people have never given thought to!
Spiritual Symbols & Colors: Index >>
Spiritual Symbols & Colors Exercises
Exercise 1: Create Your Own Mandala
Mandala: The mandala (Sanskrit for "circle") is used as a meditation tool in both Hinduism and Buddhism. Usually circular, a mandala can also appear in other forms such as the lotus. Barbara Walker, in her book, The Woman's Encyclopedia Of Myths And Secrets (1983), states that as an "Oriental sacred diagram or meditation symbol... Contemplation of the mandala was supposed to lead to mystical insight." Man, Myth And Magic: The Illustrated Encyclopedia Of Mythology, Religion And The Unknown (1995), edited by Richard Cavendish, further explains, "The mandala or circle is one of the most widespread of all symbols, found in religious art in all parts of the world. In the East it so consecrated space may be regarded as charged with the presence of deities who have been housed within it." Often using repeating designs and colors, mandalas may also be split into sections with each section representing a different aspect, like a medicine wheel.
Mandalas can be used as a spiritual tool by anyone. They can be danced, drawn, sculpted, or visualized. and need not be confined to strict rules of patterns but rather should be a creative self-expression. Mandalas can act as a mirror into the unconscious and subconscious, by allowing for a variety of self-expressions to be drawn in symbolic form into the mandala.
Michael Brown, Ed. S. (Marriage and Family Therapist, Clinical Hypnotherapy) states, "Photographs and mirrors give us reflections of what ordinarily remains outside our awareness or field of view. They help us stay connected to loved ones, and to ourselves. Mandala art operates in a similar manner but, instead of giving us reflections of the external world, mandalas can help us see what is going on within us, in our heart and soul. They can help us remain connected to our selves in fundamental ways and can help us understand the meaning of important life experiences when we learn how to create and interpret them."
"The very fact that mandalas are drawn round can lead us to an experience of wholeness when we take the time to make them and then wonder what they mean. In the strict use of the mandala, there is a central point or focus within the symbol from which radiates a symmetrical design. This suggests there is a center within each one of us to which everything is related, by which everything is ordered, and which is itself a source of energy and power. Virtually every spiritual and religious system known to man asserts the reality of such an inner center. The Romans worshipped it as the genius within. The Greeks called it the inner daemon. Christian religions speak about the soul and the Christ within. In psychology we speak of the Higher Self."
Exercise 2: Make Your Own Symbol
Think of the sign of Athene or Prince's sign. These personal symbols invoke at a glance the essence of these people. Make-up a simple line drawn symbol that represents you. Write an essay discussing the symbolism and how it describes you.
Another version of this exercise: Create a symbolic picture of yourself using a variety of symbols that speak to various aspects of you. Any art medium on paper can be used including collage, paint, poetry, pen, etc., be creative. Include a written explanation of the symbols and how they speak to you.
Exercise 3: Paint Your Colors
If you were to paint a self portrait without anything but using swirls of colors, what would those colors be? Your favorite colors are a hint as to what your personal colors would be. These are the colors that should be in your personal symbol.
Exercise 4: Wear Different Colors
In this exercise, for each day of the week, wear different colors of the rainbow and see how they make you feel. See if they effect how your day goes. For instance, wear Red on Sunday, Orange on Monday, Yellow on Tuesday, Green on Wednesday, and so on. You could also wear particular colors in various situations and see how they affect you. Colors have more power over our consciousness than they are given credit for! See what these effects are firsthand.
Audio Meditations
Meditation 1: Finding Your Personal Symbol (15:00)
Meditation 2: Exploring Colors (30:00)
Spiritual Symbols & Colors: Index >>
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