Sunday, November 28, 2010

The Phoenix - Symbol And Myth


Just like the Unicorn, the Phoenix is a mystical and magical
creature. The Symbolism of the Phoenix can be found in the myths,
fables, legends and religions of nearly all civilizations and indigenous
cultures throughout the world. In Ancient Egypt it is called the Benu
bird; in India Garuda; in Chnia Feng Huang; and in Japan Ho-oo.
In addition, the Phoenix is also an integral, and archetypal, Symbol
used in Alchemy.

The Phoenix is a fabulous bird which enjoys an extremely long life
span. When its current life Cycle is complete, the Phoenix Sacrifices
its current self through Fire and renews itself three days later. Only
one Phoenix can exist at any given time.

Since the mythology of the Phoenix is found in so many different
cultures, scattered throughout the most remote reaches of the world,
we find ourselves asking the question: What is the hidden meaning,
and sacred Lesson, contained with this wondrous and Symbolic
creature?

To answer this question, we must delve into the esoteric Symbolism,
and not simply the fairy-tale-like "story", associated with the
Phoenix.

In a way, the Symbolism of the Phoenix is similar to that of the
Serpent. The Serpent sheds its worn-out old skin in order for it to
renew itself with the new skin of youth in the physical realm.

However, the Phoenix is a bird. And as birds can fly and travel
through the element of Air, they have been, since ancient times,
Symbolic representations of mind and Spirit. Therefore, when the
Phoenix "gives up" its old and completed self, it does so because
it is ready to be transformed and reborn unto a much higher realm.
The Phoenix Symbolizes the ultimate Act of Creative Destruction,
Sacrifice, and rebirth within the sublime realm of mind and Spirit.

In Ancient Egypt The Phoenix was also a Symbol and Metaphor for
the setting and rising Sun. The Sun disappears beneath the Western
Horizon in a ball of flames when Its daily Journey is complete so that
it may be re-born anew in the East the following morning by way of a
new ball of Fire.

Symbolically, Fire represents light, enlightenment, and illumination.
The Fire in which the Phoenix Sacrifices and renews itself is not
the fire of physical destruction which is portrayed in paintings. It is
the Spiritual, Alchemical Fire indicative of Purification, Wisdom,
Transformation, and Rebirth; it is the "Fire which does not burn".

The three-day process of Death, Transformation, and Renewal
referred to in the legend of the Phoenix appears numerous times
in Legend, Myth, and Sacred Texts. It is an allusion to the Rite
of Initiation which an Ancient Initiate was required to submit him,
or her, self to in order to Transcend, by way of Sacred Ritual,
to the next higher plane of Instruction and Initiation.

This Initiation Ceremony was conducted during the three dark,
or silent, nights of the new moon.

Death, Transformation, and Renewal. This Lesson is constantly
emphasized within Ancient Teachings found throughout the entire
world. It is presented to us in the Lesson of Creative Destruction,
the Act of Sacrifice, and the Symbolism of the Phoenix.

It is a constant reminder that our Current Incarnation is a Path of
expansion and growth. It is also a reminder that our Journey is an
infinite Adventure in which we can Decide, at any time, that our old
self has completed its Cycle of usefulness. Once we Choose to leave
our old self behind we simply need to follow the example of the
Phoenix: immerse ourself in the Spiritual Fire of Sacrifice and
Transformation, and use the ashes of our old self to create the
new person we are Destined to Become.

(See Also: "The Unicorn")

Comments and Emails: I welcome comments and emails from
people with similar thoughts and feelings. My email address is
located in the upper-left area of this page. Comments can be
posted by using the "Comment" link located below each article.
Also: If you found value in this article please feel free to forward
it to other like-minded individuals, organizations and sites.

Disclaimer: None of my articles should be considered to be
either advice or expertise. They are simply personal opinions
and no more. Everyone is encouraged to seek competent
advice from a licensed, registered, or certified professional
should such advice or service be required.

© copyright Joseph Panek 2010
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Sunday, November 21, 2010

Refusal Of Sacrifice (Symbol And Metaphor)


"Iron rusts from disuse;
water loses its purity from stagnation...
even so does inaction sap the vigour of the mind."
- Leonardo da Vinci

(This article is the conclusion of the article on Sacrifice)

As previously alluded to, The Act of Sacrifice is an act of
Creative Destruction. It is the act of giving up, and leaving behind
us, that which we have already become, and using our Past
achievements, Lessons, and experiences, as stepping-stones to
new Adventures.

Sacrifice is a metamorphosis. It is a Doorway, a Threshold, a
Vesica Piscis we must step through in order to experience all of
the personal, mental, and spiritual growth available to us during
our Current Incarnation.

But, what happens to us when we refuse to accept, and submit
ourselves to, the Act of Sacrifice?

From the moment we refuse to Sacrifice who we currently are for
who we can ultimately become, we find ourselves frozen in Time;
our Incarnation stagnates and solidifies; and our future becomes a
crystallized, monotonous repetition in which we basically re-live the
same day over and over for the remaining days of our "life".

Metaphorically, when we refuse to submit ourselves to Sacrifice and
Transformation, we allow ourselves to be "nailed to the cross of
matter" upon which we stagnate, deteriorate, and decay.

To use another metaphor, Refusal of Sacrifice is to voluntarily
confine ourselves within a narrow and high-walled Tower of our
own design wherein we simply horde whatever possessions we have
accumulated while forsaking imagination, enthusiasm, and desire
for any future growth, achievements, or new Adventures.

This restrictive Tower, which we slowly, methodically, and
unconsciously construct around ourselves, not only deteriorates
with time, but is constantly being attacked by external forces. And
the more we attempt to fortify and defend this self-created fortress
of ours, the more we find ourselves fighting a losing and futile battle
with the timeless forces of evolution, progress and growth. And, in
the end, as our protective Tower slowly becomes our self-created
prison, we finally find ourselves crying out for help and pity as our
short-lived material world crumbles all about us.

We see the sad and lonely results of the Refusal of Sacrifice all
around us every day. Those who Refuse the Act of Sacrifice are
those who ferociously cling to their old selves and their old
accomplishments. These time-worn individuals are so intent on
watching their old "pots" and "nests" that they do not notice the
great abundance of pots and nests that are continually passing
them by. Their lives become a stale, moldy repetition simply
because, at some point in their Incarnation, they Refused to step
through the beckoning Threshold of Sacrifice and embrace the
greater achievements, and bolder Quests, which are the rewards
of Change, Transformation, and Sacrifice. They are the faceless
masses we encounter every day who have traded personal, mental,
and spiritual growth for the illusion of security, conformity, and
complacency.

We live in a realm of Duality and Choices in which we are constantly
encountering Crossroads, or Forks-In-The-Road, where life-altering
Decisions must be made. One such Fork-In-The-Road presents us
with the Choice of traveling upon either the "Road of Sacrifice" or
the "Road of the Refusal of Sacrifice". The Road we ultimately
Choose to travel is entirely up to us. For only we can determine
whether we will travel upon the "Road of Refusal of Sacrifice":
which leads us to stagnation, complacency, and conformity…or the
"Road of Sacrifice": which continually leads us to new Adventures,
broader Horizons, and Enlightenment.

(This article is the conclusion of the article on Sacrifice)

Comments and Emails: I welcome comments and emails from
people with similar thoughts and feelings. My email address is
located in the upper-left area of this page. Comments can be
posted by using the "Comment" link located below each article.
Also: If you found value in this article please feel free to forward
it to other like-minded individuals, organizations and sites.

Disclaimer: None of my articles should be considered to be
either advice or expertise. They are simply personal opinions
and no more. Everyone is encouraged to seek competent
advice from a licensed, registered, or certified professional
should such advice or service be required.

© copyright Joseph Panek 2010
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Sunday, November 14, 2010

Sacrifice - Symbol And Metaphor


"Change is the Essence of life...
Be willing to surrender what you are
for what you could become."

- Unknown

When we study ancient teachings, we begin to discover that the
Act of "Sacrifice" has an entirely different meaning than that which
our religious and social institutions have imposed upon us.

Through guilt-ridden Indoctrination since our childhood, we have
been encouraged to blindly follow the concept that "sacrifice" is
the giving away of our material possessions, or the giving away
of something of ourselves, to bureaucracies, religious groups,
and numerous other "charitable" organizations who will then "best
determine" how to distribute the fruits of our labors.

And while the voluntary giving of ourselves to a noble cause of
our own Choosing is a spiritually rewarding Act of Charity on our
behalf, and is highly encouraged, it is only one aspect of Sacrifice.
For on a much deeper level, the Symbolism and Metaphor that is
associated with the Act of Sacrifice has an entirely different
esoteric meaning.

The Act of Sacrifice referred to in ancient texts is the Sacrificing of
who and what we are today for the who and what we Choose to
become tomorrow.

Sacrifice, in its most ancient and sacred aspect, is an ongoing
process whereby we are continually "Sacrificing", giving up, and
leaving behind us, that which we have already become, and using
our Past achievements, Lessons, and experiences, as stepping-
stones to new Adventures. The Act of Sacrifice, therefore,
Symbolizes the constant metamorphosis to which we must submit
ourselves in order to gain Self-Improvement, Self-Instruction, and
Self-Evolution. Acts of spiritual and mental Sacrifice continually
elevate us to higher and higher planes of Wisdom, Truth, and
knowledge, which eventually lead us to Enlightenment and
Spiritual Perfection.

Legend, Mythology, and Ancient Texts provide us with numerous
Symbols and Metaphors which represent the Act, and process, of
Sacrifice.

Some of the most familiar are:
...The Christ on the Cross;
...Odin (Wothan) suspended on the World Tree;
...The Pelican piercing its own breast to nourish its offspring;
...The Legendary and Heroic Quests in Mythology and fables;
...And, in perhaps our most familiar, enchanting and beautiful Act
of Sacrifice, we have the metamorphosis of the caterpillar into the
butterfly; whereby the caterpillar voluntarily Changes from that
which it currently is into what it ultimately is Destined to Become.

When we contemplate the Act of Sacrifice in its most esoteric
aspect, we find that it consists of three distinct and different types:
Simple, Powerful, and Sublime. And each of these types of Sacrifice
takes place within a different realm: the physical realm, the mental
realm, and the spiritual realm.

Simple Sacrifice: This type of Sacrifice takes place in our physical
realm. It consists of the everyday, mundane, "normal" Changes we
experience and accept as matter-of-fact happenings. Simple Sacrifice
consists of Changing from one style of life to another. Some examples
are: our first day at school, enrolling in a new school, moving to a new
city, pursuing a degree or certificate in a new field, our first job or
career, a new job or career, marriage, parenthood, starting a new
relationship, ending an existing relationship.

Powerful Sacrifice: this type of Sacrifice takes place in our
mental realm. Powerful Sacrifice is the embracing, and following
through, of Life-Changing Adventures. Powerful Sacrifice consists
of the Dreams we passionately pursue, the Guiding Stars we focus
our sights upon, and the Destinies we are anxious to face. When we
pursue Powerful Sacrifice we enter the realm of the Trailblazer,
the Seeker, the Lone Wolf, and the Wizards and Wanderers.

Sublime Sacrifice: this type of Sacrifice takes place in our
Spiritual realm. Spiritual Sacrifice is the continual pursuit of, and
the metamorphosis we experience through, Self-Initiation, Spiritual
Enlightenment, and Esoteric Wisdom. The achievement of Sublime
Sacrifice is depicted within the Symbolism of The Hermit card in
the Tarot deck.

In order for us to Change, and Become more than we currently are,
we must be prepared, and willing, to leave our old Self behind in
order for our new Self to blossom. This is the Divine Principle, and
Lesson, of esoteric Sacrifice.

The Act of voluntary Sacrifice is the prelude to metamorphosis
(Change). It is the Creative Destruction which enables us to
Transcend to the next higher-plane of our Spiritual Journey.
Sacrifice is the Doorway, the Vesica Piscis, the Threshold, which we
must step through in order to experience the Adventure, Growth,
and Awareness awaiting us during our Current Incarnation.

Sacrifice does not require that we forsake the knowledge, Lessons,
and experiences, we have already obtained. The Act of Sacrifice is
the Act of taking what we have already Become with us as we
Journey into our next Adventure. For they are the traits and
essences we will use as cobblestones as we continue to construct
our own very special Path which leads us to our personal Destiny.

Added on August 22, 2012: In its most sublime meaning Sacrifice
is a metaphor for the cleansing and purification processes required
to ascend to higher and higher levels of Initiation; it is the Esoteric
process of Alchemical purification.

In other words, Sacrifice is the willing act of shedding all of our
impuruties, weaknesses and faults. It is also the process whereby
we rid ourselves of all of the Guilt, Threats and Obligations along
with all of the false Indoctrinations which have been heaped upon
us during our Current Incarnation.

In order to Ascend we must Sacrifice; for Ascension is a process of
self-purification whereby we Sacrifice our previous lower self (and
selves) so that we may attain the highest levels of Enlightenment,
Illumination, Wisdom and Perfection.

(See Also: "Refusal of Sacrifice" and "The Higher Cause")

Comments and Emails: I welcome comments and emails from
people with similar thoughts and feelings. My email address is
located in the upper-left area of this page. Comments can be
posted by using the "Comment" link located below each article.
Also: If you found value in this article please feel free to forward
it to other like-minded individuals, organizations and sites.

Disclaimer: None of my articles should be considered to be
either advice or expertise. They are simply personal opinions
and no more. Everyone is encouraged to seek competent
advice from a licensed, registered, or certified professional
should such advice or service be required.

© copyright Joseph Panek 2010
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Sunday, November 7, 2010

The Trailblazer - Symbol And Metaphor


"Remember what Bilbo used to say:
Its a dangerous business, Frodo, going out your door.
You step onto the road, and if you don't keep your feet,
there's no knowing where you might be swept off to."

- J.R.R. Tolkien, "Lord Of The Rings"

In all great accomplishments and discoveries someone must be the
first to imagine them, pursue them, and ultimately bring them into
existence. This unique someone is the Trailblazer.

The Trailblazer is The Great Achiever; the Changer of History.
The Trailblazer is the Sovereign Lone Wolf who breaks down the
old, established barriers...travels into uncharted territory...and
establishes bold, new Horizons for others to follow.

The Trailblazer is the upsetter of the status quo: the true individual
who takes the first step on hallowed grounds which have never
before experienced a human Footprint. And while the vast majority
of people live in fear of Change, the Trailblazer is that one rare and
Self-Confident Adventurer who has the imagination, perseverance,
and courage to follow their Dream, their Path, their beckoning Star,
to its Journey's end while always embracing their personal Destiny.

He, or she, is the founder of new cities and industries; the un-Veiler
of new ideas and concepts; the creator of new inventions and
innovations; the maker of history; the remembered and celebrated;
the Hero and Heroine of fable, mythology, legend, and history.
Trailblazers are the Einsteins, the Newtons, the da Vincis, and the
Galileos: they are the immortals that are admired and respected
throughout Time.

However, although admired, respected, and honored today, we must
not forget the heavy price each and every Trailblazer willingly and
enthusiastically paid while pursuing their Quest which "upset the
apple cart" of the complacent, embedded establishments of their
era.

When we read the biographies of these great "Champions of Change"
we find that each Trailblazer was constantly ridiculed, discredited,
and scorned by the established mediocrities, and self-proclaimed
"experts" who lorded over the outdated bureaucracies and
institutions of their time. But in the end, these same bureaucracies
and institutions, which at first made every attempt to stone these
Trailblazers to death, ultimately realized that they could not stem
the tide of Change.

Upon realizing that they could no longer reign-in these Lone Wolfs
who were dragging society, kicking and screaming into new and
wondrous times, they finally bowed to the achievements of these
life-changing Individuals. The "red carpet" was then rolled out for
these newly accepted Heroes and Heroines, and these Trailblazers
suddenly found themselves honored with holidays, commendations,
state dinners, and having their portraits placed upon postage stamps
and commemorative coins.

And the same established mediocrities and self proclaimed "experts"
who previously tried to destroy the efforts of these Trailblazers, now
begged for the opportunity of having these Heroes and Heroines
attend their parties, banquets and state dinners so that they could
be seen standing side-by-side, and appear to be a peer, of these
new Trailblazers.

But, the Truth is, the Trailblazer is peerless. And it is the confident,
curious, and imaginative qualities of these Individuals which strike
fear into the heart of all established mediocrities, stagnated
institutions, and moldy organizations. For it is the Trailblazer who is
responsible for ushering in the Creative Destruction which disrupts
the status quo and allows the Path of human evolution to re-continue.

And although accolades, ceremonies, awards, and banquets are
ultimately forced upon the Trailblazer, these are not, nor have they
ever been, the rewards that the Trailblazer was originally seeking.

For the Trailblazer is merely driven by, and rewarded by, the
Simplicity of their childlike imagination, by the lure of their innocent
curiosity, and by the refreshing and pure atmosphere of their own
Thoughts and Dreams. They are the Initiates, the Seekers, and
the Wizards and Wanderers whose curiosity, imagination, and
persistence is responsible for keeping mankind on its on its slow,
methodical and wondrous Path of Evolution.

Comments and Emails: I welcome comments and emails from
people with similar thoughts and feelings. My email address is
located in the upper-left area of this page. Comments can be
posted by using the "Comment" link located below each article.
Also: If you found value in this article please feel free to forward
it to other like-minded individuals, organizations and sites.

Disclaimer: None of my articles should be considered to be
either advice or expertise. They are simply personal opinions
and no more. Everyone is encouraged to seek competent
advice from a licensed, registered, or certified professional
should such advice or service be required.

© copyright Joseph Panek 2010
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