Symbols
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Notes gleaned from "Fundamental Symbols: The Universal Language of Sacred Science" René Guénon.
The point, the dot, the least of all symbols, is nevertheless the most important, the first and foremost. The point signifies the Centre, and thus the source and principle of all manifestation, the emergence of all things; It is the arche anarchos, 'the principle without principle', in reality without form and without dimension, therefore indivisible, and thus the only image that can be given to the primordial Unity.
From it all things are produced, without its essence being modified or affected in any way whatsoever.
The simplest representation of the idea is the point at the centre of a circle. The point is the emblem of the Principle, while the circle is that of the world. It is quite impossible to fix any origin in time whatsoever for the use of this figuration, for it is often to be found on prehistoric objects.
The point at the centre of the circle has been taken also, and probably from very ancient times, as a figure of the sun. It is perhaps for this reason that most claim for it an exclusively solar significance, while in reality it has a far vaster and deeper meaning. The sun, from the standpoint of all the traditions of antiquity, is itself a symbol, that of the 'Centre of the World' and the the Divine Principle.
The relationship which exists between the centre and the circumference can be denoted by the rays issuing from the centre and ending at the circumference. For figurations of this kind, numbers that have in themselves a particular symbolic value have always been chosen. The simplest of such forms is that which has four radii dividing the circle into equal parts, forming a cross inside the circumference. This new figure is of the same general significance as the first, but has attached to it certain secondary significations which complete it.
Sometimes the point is surrounded by concentric circles which seem to represent the different states or degrees of manifested existence, arranged hierarchically according to their greater or lesser distance from the primordial Principle.
The wheel, instead of being simply a 'solar' sign as is commonly thought in our time, is before all else a symbol of the world. In the symbolic language of India, one speaks constantly of the ‘wheel of things’ or of the ‘wheel of life’, which corresponds precisely to this signification. There is also the question of the 'wheel of the Law', a Buddhist expression but derived from earlier doctrines and which, in a more ancient context, refers also and especially to cyclic theories.
The Zodiac is in the form of a wheel, but the wheel also underlies various floral symbols. The lotus, the lily, or the rose, in their blossoming represents, from a strictly metaphysical viewpoint (symbols have multiple significations) the process of manifestation. This blossoming, a radiation around the centre, justifies their assimilation to the wheel. In the Hindu tradition, the world is sometimes represented in the form of a lotus, in the centre of which rises Meru, the sacred mountain which symbolises the Pole.
In movement, there is but one single point that remains fixed and immutable, and this point is the Centre. This fixity of the Centre is the image of Eternity, where all things are present in perfect simultaneity. The circumference can only turn around a fixed centre; likewise, change, which does not suffice unto itself, necessarily supposes a principle which is outside change. This is the 'unmoved mover' of Aristotle which again is represented by the Centre. Thus at the same time, since all that exists, all that changes or moves, has no reality apart from the immutable Principle on which it totally depends, this Principle is that which gives motion its first impulse and also that which, subsequently, governs and directs it, which gives it its law, the conservation of the order of the world being in a way nothing but a prolongation of the creative act.
The point, the dot, the least of all symbols, is nevertheless the most important, the first and foremost. The point signifies the Centre, and thus the source and principle of all manifestation, the emergence of all things; It is the arche anarchos, 'the principle without principle', in reality without form and without dimension, therefore indivisible, and thus the only image that can be given to the primordial Unity.
From it all things are produced, without its essence being modified or affected in any way whatsoever.
The simplest representation of the idea is the point at the centre of a circle. The point is the emblem of the Principle, while the circle is that of the world. It is quite impossible to fix any origin in time whatsoever for the use of this figuration, for it is often to be found on prehistoric objects.
The point at the centre of the circle has been taken also, and probably from very ancient times, as a figure of the sun. It is perhaps for this reason that most claim for it an exclusively solar significance, while in reality it has a far vaster and deeper meaning. The sun, from the standpoint of all the traditions of antiquity, is itself a symbol, that of the 'Centre of the World' and the the Divine Principle.
The relationship which exists between the centre and the circumference can be denoted by the rays issuing from the centre and ending at the circumference. For figurations of this kind, numbers that have in themselves a particular symbolic value have always been chosen. The simplest of such forms is that which has four radii dividing the circle into equal parts, forming a cross inside the circumference. This new figure is of the same general significance as the first, but has attached to it certain secondary significations which complete it.
Sometimes the point is surrounded by concentric circles which seem to represent the different states or degrees of manifested existence, arranged hierarchically according to their greater or lesser distance from the primordial Principle.
The wheel, instead of being simply a 'solar' sign as is commonly thought in our time, is before all else a symbol of the world. In the symbolic language of India, one speaks constantly of the ‘wheel of things’ or of the ‘wheel of life’, which corresponds precisely to this signification. There is also the question of the 'wheel of the Law', a Buddhist expression but derived from earlier doctrines and which, in a more ancient context, refers also and especially to cyclic theories.
The Zodiac is in the form of a wheel, but the wheel also underlies various floral symbols. The lotus, the lily, or the rose, in their blossoming represents, from a strictly metaphysical viewpoint (symbols have multiple significations) the process of manifestation. This blossoming, a radiation around the centre, justifies their assimilation to the wheel. In the Hindu tradition, the world is sometimes represented in the form of a lotus, in the centre of which rises Meru, the sacred mountain which symbolises the Pole.
In movement, there is but one single point that remains fixed and immutable, and this point is the Centre. This fixity of the Centre is the image of Eternity, where all things are present in perfect simultaneity. The circumference can only turn around a fixed centre; likewise, change, which does not suffice unto itself, necessarily supposes a principle which is outside change. This is the 'unmoved mover' of Aristotle which again is represented by the Centre. Thus at the same time, since all that exists, all that changes or moves, has no reality apart from the immutable Principle on which it totally depends, this Principle is that which gives motion its first impulse and also that which, subsequently, governs and directs it, which gives it its law, the conservation of the order of the world being in a way nothing but a prolongation of the creative act.
Love symbolism. I often paint them unconsciously in my stories like the dawn, the higher and the lower self. The dot inside the circle we have in theosophy also as a symbol of the logos. I wish that there were an easily lexicon for symbols across the world. But there isnt. I guess its for the best also sometimes too, having some kind of way of keeping some things esoteric.
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Have you looked at the I Ching?
Click on the various links in this archive:
https://biroco.com/yijing/scan.htm
Have fun!
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Joel Biroco has great stuff on the Yi Jing! Highly recommended site.
What's your favorite alignment of the Elements and the cardinal directions?
What's your favorite alignment of the Elements and the cardinal directions?
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Can you link that?
powessy
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The symbols you attached here are quite interesting. Over the last few months I have been learning tomorrow. Tomorrow or over the rainbow as I have seen it explained deals with evolution and our three minds. Over the rainbow has nine minds and not eight and so far I have only learned black, white, yellow, blue, and green. If I took yellow and from your inner mind taught it something on each hemisphere of the brain, something here and something here, left side, right side. Move to the middle mind and teach it something here, left side, then something here, right side. Finally in the third mind you teach them everything here or the solid line.
You can teach yellow or time all eight configurations. I don’t know if this makes sense or not. The Whole thought is that our brains or the two hemispheres stop communicating with each other and we are taught nothing here.
One way to understand this is where you think at. When you are thinking to yourself are you thinking in your brain or your voice box. This is a learned habit from childhood where we learn to speak and listen to others and is also understood by talking to ourselves. Many years ago I retrained my mind by thinking inside it mostly in the middle mind. I need to move my thoughts up into my third mind which is difficult to do but perhaps you have shown me a way to understand how our minds communicate with each other.
I just wanted to say thanks.
powessy
I was referring to your link, actually.
Here's the top-level page: https://biroco.com/yijing/index.htm
Don't know what it is actually. What symbol is that?
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The pure primal Early Heaven spiritual polarities on the right, contain and permeate and 'weave' nature, the Later Heaven arrangement on the left.
The vertical pure yin-yang polarity of spirit, on the right, is replaced in nature by the polarity between fire and water, on the left, shifted from horizontal in spirit to vertical in nature.
The I Ching is deeply profound, imo
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If you're referring to the I Ching (or Yi Jing as Biroco calls it), then @RJM already gave you an answer.
The second half of my comment was about Western traditions. In some contexts, the East is associated with Air, the south with Fire, and so on; in other contexts the assignments are different. Do you have one order you prefer? I may have asked you this question before, can't remember now
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If you're referring to the I Ching (or Yi Jing as Biroco calls it), then @RJM already gave you an answer.
The second half of my comment was about Western traditions. In some contexts, the East is associated with Air, the south with Fire, and so on; in other contexts the assignments are different. Do you have one order you prefer? I may have asked you this question before, can't remember now
It was the second part of your comment I was reffering to. No you have not asked this.
Depending on what system you ask about I do have an order, in the theosophical system Earth is regarded as the element of the lowest plane then comes water, air and then fire, air and ether.
In the feng shui system the elements does not really have an order but acts in different ways depending on how you combine them, destructive versus productive cycle. And in feng shui you have different element, metal and wood in stead of air and ether.
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Aupmanyav
Search, be your own guru.
25th Dec. is a garbled date. Actually, the date was March 20th for Indo-Europeans, the spring equinox, beginning of their year. But the Greek and Romans did not keep the correct record of time. The date went back because of precession of equinox in some 6,000 years. Indo-Iranian Aryans kept changing the month for the beginning of their year, thrice in 6,000 years.
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