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General information: The Secret language of symbols
Posted by: Nyxks on Sunday, October 24, 2004 - 09:43 AM
Most symbols of western magic, astrology, and alchemy are based on a common symbolic
'alphabet,' composites created from smaller symbols. Knowing how to recognize these
smaller units will allow you to decipher many of the larger symbols whenever you
encounter them. Knowing the secret system behind these symbols can provide an incredible
amount of insight into even the most inscrutable signs.
The basic building blocks
The Circle is the most common and universal signs, found in all cultures. It is the symbol of the sun. It
has no beginning or end, and no divisions, making it the perfect symbol of completeness, eternity, and
the soul:
The equal armed cross, another nearly universal symbos, is in actuality two separate signs. The vertical
axis, representing man, the path from earth to heaven, and the spirit, and the horizontal axis, representing
the path from birth to death, and material existence.
When the two are combined in a cross shape, they represent the cube of space, the four elements, and the
conflict between matter and spirit.
(The maxim 'squaring the circle' is a hidden reference to the difficulty of reconciling spiritual and
material concerns.) A cross within a circle forms a solar cross or a horoscope wheel, both symbols of
spirit and matter. A horizontal bar within a circle is the alchemical symbol for salt, material existence in
its most exalted state. The equal armed cross is often disguised as a four petalled flower, a cube, or a
scepter)
The Tau cross is a similar device, with a horizontal bar balanced atop a vertical bar. It represents birth,
the tree of life, the connection between earth and the spiritual realm. The tau cross is associated with
sacrifice of the lower, base nature. Some examples of the Tau cross are the cross of Attis, the egyptian
Ankh (surmounted by a loop or circle), and the Norse Irminsul.
The arc found in more complex symbols, especially planetary symbols, represents ascension or striving.
The arch has been a traditional element of architecture and often figures in commemorative monuments
of triunph. The sigils of the planet saturn and Jupiter combine identical symbols, with very different
results, using the arc in conjunction with the cross. In the sigil of Jupiter, the arc of aspiration rises above
the struggle of matter and spirit, and symbolizes bounty, triumph, expansion, and success. Saturn's sigil
places the cross above the arc- ascension subverted by the material struggle, and a symbol of Saturn's
power to limit and confine:
The crescent represents the powers of the moon- reflective and receptive. A reversed crescent represents
emptiness and illusion.
The downward pointing triangle is sometimes referred to as the chalice. It is the symbol of water (as it
flows downward), the grace of heaven, and the womb.
The upward moving triangle is sometimes called the blade (the chalice and blade figure ceremonially in
many ritual magic operations). It is a symbol of aspiration or rising up, male force, and fire.
http://www.pathwalkers.net/interactive/modules....ame=News&file=index&catid=&topic=1&allstories=1 (49 of 284) [12/25/2005 12:22:21 AM]