Rites Of Passage (Archetype Symbolism)

Although we may be unaware of it, most of us have experienced
a Rite of Passage at least once during our Current Incarnation.

In our mundane and everyday world voluntary Rites of Passage
occur in various different ways. Here are two examples of simple
Rites of Passage:

A "probation period" upon beginning a new job during which time
our employer can judge whether or not we are the appropriate hire
for his or her firm.

A "jostling period" in our interactions with other individuals in order
to determine whether or not they are compatible with us. Should
we find that we are compatible with each other, we are then able
to accept each other as either a new friend, partner, lover, or mate.

These types of Rites of Passage are experienced by probably
every one of us during some part of our life. And, although these
Rites of Passage are valuable and important to us at the time, they
are the simple Rites of Passage which we may not even be aware
of experiencing when they are presenting themselves to us.

However, a Rite of Passage also occurs in a very individual and
personal form. This Rite of Passage honors the Sacred meaning
behind the Rite of Passage Ceremonies which have been practiced
and revered within every world-wide culture since the very
beginning of Time.

These Rite of Passage Ceremonies acknowledge, celebrate, and
remind us that we are a part of a perpetual process. A process by
which we leave childhood and enter adulthood. It is the honored
moment when a boy enters manhood and a girl enters womanhood.

This Rite of Passage is an experience we are fully aware of and
actually look forward to with great excitement, pomp, and
anticipation.

But, what is the underlying Esoteric, or hidden, Lesson contained
within this involuntary Rite of Passage which which we all must
experience?

During the early years of our life we are unable to take care of
ourselves. Therefore, in order to simply survive, we need someone
to take care of us. This task falls upon our mother for she is the
one person whose sole responsibility is to nurture and protect us.

Our mother, therefore, becomes the living Symbol for the Mother
Archetype who is feminine, nurturing, and intuitive. Our Mother
Archetype caters to our early physical and emotional needs. Not
only is She nurturing, but her feminine intuition makes Her Aware
of our needs even though we cannot, or do not wish to, express
them. She is our protectress, guide, and nurturer during our
childhood years.

However, there comes a Time, generally about the age of puberty,
when we are now able to fend for ourselves. It as at this Time that
we enter adulthood and are now responsible for creating and
experiencing our personal Destiny.

This is the Time when our Mother Archetype unconditionally
releases us. She steps aside and graciously sends us off into
the domain of our Father Archetype.

Our Father Archetype is the masculine, assertive, and rational
aspect of adulthood. The Father Archetype teaches us how to
"hunt", interact, compete, and survive with our other fellow
adults. The realm of the Father Archetype is where we spend
the remainder of our Current Incarnation. It is the realm in which
we either enjoy the rewards, or suffer the Consequences, for all
of our Thoughts and Actions.

However, although we spend our entire adulthood in the realm
of the Father Archetype, it is very important that we remember
the early Lessons we learned while living in the realm of our
Mother Archetype.

For it is by Learning, and retaining, the Wisdom contained within
both the Mother and Father Archetypes that we are then able to
understand the importance of Blending of Differences, and the
Union of Duality, which our personal Rite of Passage endowed
upon us when we crossed the borders of Toyland and left the
realm of childhood.

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 2011

The Axe - As A Symbol

The double-headed Axe is rich in Symbolism. To begin with, it has
three extensions, or arms; and Three is the number which
represents "Creation" (See: "The Three Gunas").

The double-headed Axe is similar to the Tau Cross, ( T ), therefore,
the Symbolism contained within each of them is also similar.

The horizontal Axe-head, just like the horizontal line of the Tau
Cross, Symbolizes the greater and lesser extremes of Duality
which exist within the material world.

The vertical handle of the Axe, just like the vertical line of the Tau
Cross, Symbolizes the Spiritual aspect of ourselves, of mankind,
and of the universe. And as the vertical handle connects into, but
does not continue above, the well-balanced midpoint of the
horizontal Axe-head, it represents the Blending Of Differences
and the Union of Duality.

(Note: Should the vertical line proceed through the horizontal line,
it would then become a four-pointed Cross, ( + ) , which, among
other things, Symbolizes the Transcendence of Duality.)

As the double-headed Axe Symbolizes the "Union of Duality",
it is therefore a Symbol for marriage. In marriage, a spiritual union
(the vertical handle) is formed between the Dual nature of a man
and woman (the two opposite sides of the Axe-head). This spiritual
union is the unseen magical essence which allows this man and
woman to go forth and create together whatever it is they Choose
to create in either the physical, mental, or spiritual realms.

It is also interesting to keep in mind that a "marriage" can occur
between any two opposites which unite together in a common
pursuit. Some examples of these kind of "marriages" are
business partnerships, mutual pursuits, and treaties between
nations.

The double-headed Axe is usually portrayed with curved blades
on either side of the Axe-head. This is lunar Symbolism and
represents the waxing and waning Cycle of the moon. It is
therefore a Symbol for beginnings, endings, and rebeginnings...
birth, death, and rebirth. When Symbolized in this way the
double-headed Axe represents the endless Cycles of Eternity
along with the Divine Essence (vertical handle) which "Unites"
the Dualities of these Cycles.

In Ancient Egypt, the Axe was a Symbol that represented the
Neters (gods and goddesses) and was therefore a Symbol for
Divine Authority.

In recognition of the physical aspects of the Axe, it is also a Symbol
for cutting, hewing, and cleaving. An Axe is used to hew away the
excess wood from the end of a tree-branch in order to form a spear.
In this way it represents "getting to the point"; a phrase we use
today when attempting to understands facts and Truths. An Axe is
also used by Trailblazers, both in a physical and metaphorical
manner, to "cut down" obstacles in order to create new Paths, Trails,
and Ways.

An example of "cleaving open" comes to us from Greek mythology.
Zeus, after suffering a raging and unrelenting headache, allowed
Prometheus (some say Hephaestus) to cleave open his Skull with
an Axe. Zeus' headache immediately disappeared and out of his
Skull popped Athena, the goddess of Intellect, Wisdom, and Good
Council: qualities which can also be expressed as "Lightening",
"Great Light", and Illumination. Athena is also the patroness and
protectress of the city of Athens.

This particular myth is rich with both Symbolism and metaphor.
Zeus was in the throes of an enigma, or dilemma...his headache.
He allowed Prometheus, the "Bringer of Light [Wisdom]" to cleave
open his Skull [the domain of the Mind] with an Axe. This cleaving
open of the Skull Symbolizes the "opening of the Mind". Upon
opening His mind, out sprung Athena...the goddess of Wisdom.

This Greek myth teaches us that a closed mind leads to mental, and
physical, torment. This torment can only be released by opening our
mind. Upon opening our mind we then open ourselves to not only
endless possiblilties, but also Truth and Wisdom...qualities that all
True Seekers respect and cherish.

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 2011

Crossroads - Symbol And Metaphor

"It is our choices that show what we truly are,
far more than our abilities."
- Professor Dumbledore in J.K. Rowling's
"Harry Potter and The Chamber of Secrets"

A Crossroad is any point where two or more Paths Intersect. This
intersection Symbolizes the focal point of Decision and Creation. It
represents a "meeting place", or a period of contemplation, where
Thoughts and Ideas must Marinate before becoming either a
Decision or a Creation. It also represents a midpoint where the
gods bring people, ideas, and Events together in order to satisfy
Destiny.

Symbolically, a Crossroad is represented by either the Symbol X,
or the Symbol Y.

When represented by the Symbol X, the Crossroad portrays
Creation or Decision in the material realm. This is due to the fact
that the X has four distinct "legs", and four is the number which
represents matter. The Midpoint of this Symbol, the point at which
its two lines intersect, represents the Union of Duality. Therefore,
the Symbol X represents the Union of Duality in the material
realm; or material creation.

An example of this concept can be found in the familiar surroundings
of the corner tavern, park, or general store where people congregate
and where fellowship is shared and enjoyed; after which everyone
returns from whence they originally came. It is at Crossroads such
as these that the Seeds of new friendships, and new ideas, take
root, grow, and blossom.

A prime example of such a Crossroad is the ancient city of
Alexandria which was a central meeting place for people of all
cultures. It was at Alexandria that people from all different walks of
life met, shared, and deposited their knowledge and Beliefs. It was
the ideal Midpoint for the Blending of Differences.

When represented by the Symbol Y, the Crossroad signifies
Creation or Decision in the mental or spiritual realm. This is due
to the fact that the Symbol Y has three distinct "legs", and three
is the number which signifies creation in the unseen world; the world
of Mind and Spirit. The Midpoint of this Symbol, the point at which
its three lines intersect, is the focal point of all abstract Creation
and Decision (See: "Trivia" and the "Three Gunas").

The Y Crossroad is the lonely fork-in-the-road where we gaze at
two separate roads which fade into the Horizon and must decide
which Road we will travel. It is the point at which the Lone Traveler,
or the Lone Wolf, must make an important Choice. For although
we can see to the Horizon, we cannot see that which is beyond.
The Adventures we experience beyond the Horizon of the Road we
ultimately Choose to travel will change our life forever, and we will
not return as the same person who initially ventured forth.

The Y Crossroad is the Crossroad which appears in Mythology
and Legend and is a metaphor for the lone, personal, enigmatic,
and life-changing Decisions which constantly confront us as we
journey through our Current Incarnation.

As no great decision should ever be made lightly, the Y Crossroad
also represents a time and place of pause, contemplation, and
Marination of Thought which we all must suffer through, and accept,
prior to moving onward.

As we travel from one Crossroad to another we begin to understand
that every Decision we make brings forth a Creation into our life. We
also begin to understand that every Creation which manifests itself in
our life is but the result of some Decision we made at some previous
Crossroad in our Past.

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

Blending Of Differences

"We are all one.
Ours is not a better way,
ours is merely another way."
-Neale Donald Walsch

When we create a soup, a stew, or a sauce we blend together many
different ingredients which give these creations a unique essence,
flavor, and aroma. This combining of various ingredients, which
creates the foods we enjoy, is just one example of the Blending of
Differences. This Blending of Differences produces Synergy;
whereby the created whole is greater that the sum of its individual
parts.

The same Divine Principle which creates our culinary masterpieces
also pertains to the creation, growth, and expansion of all
achievements which manifest themselves in our material realm.

Blending of Differences, however, should not be confused with the
union of opposites.

Blending of Differences is the the merging of different ideas,
notions, and concepts which individuals and cultures share with each
other that are slightly different from, but not opposed to, each other.
Symbolically, this Principle is represented by the act of Weaving.

On the other hand, union of opposites refers to the merging of
extreme opposites of the same concept. To unite extreme opposites
is to Transcend Duality. When we transcend Duality we enter into
the Realm of Unity; the Realm of Divinity; the Realm of
Enlightenment: a Realm which very few individuals are able to
achieve during their physical Incarnation.

Let's use a familiar example to illustrate one example of the
Union of Opposites versus the Blending of Differences:

It is a natural urge and desire for nearly all men and women to
be united with a partner of the opposite gender. However, if the
union is based solely upon physical attraction, or personal needs,
while ignoring, or denying, the polarizations and the lack of
similarities between each other, this union will soon begin to suffer
and eventually crumble. We are all familiar with these types of
Relationships; most of us having experienced this kind of situation
ourselves.

Let us now consider the Relationship of a man and woman who
have differences but are not extremely polarized. The closer their
individual philosophies, Beliefs, ideals, and Personalities are in
Harmony with each other the stronger, and more flourishing, their
Union will Become. (This kind of union is symbolized by the
Vesica Piscis of Sacred Geometry and is further alluded to in
Borders Between Realms.)

in China marriages were arranged by a match-maker who paired
couples based upon their Astrological Charts. This insured that
a marriage was based upon a Blending of Differences (different
similarities), not merely a union of opposites. The match-maker,
along with the parents of the man and woman seeking a spouse,
understood that when a man and woman are Harmonious with
each other tensions become non-existent and there is no need for
either person to "look elsewhere".

Perhaps the best example history provides of the Blending of
Differences is the Ancient city of Alexandria. When Alexander the
Great conquered Egypt he had the dream of creating a city which
would be a magnet for all the knowledge and scholars of the civilized
world. He founded Alexandria to promote peace, prosperity, and
Unity between all cultures.

The Great Library at Alexandria collected, and made copies of, all
the books, manuscripts, and scrolls it could locate. Upon copying
these works the Library would then return these items to their
rightful owners.

Scholars, along with all interested individuals from everywhere in
the civilized world, were invited to Alexandria for the purpose of
mingling and sharing their ideas, customs, and philosophies with
each other. When these individuals and scholars eventually returned
to their homelands, they brought back with them new knowledge,
ideas, and perspectives from such far away places as Persia, India,
and China.

Alexandria was the perfect metaphor for Synergy, whereby the
entire known-world Became more knowledgeable, and sociable,
due to the Blending of Differences acquired from numerous like-
minded, yet different, individuals who gravitated to Alexandria
from all points of the Ancient World.

Today, it seems as if we live in a world which concentrates more
on differences between individuals and cultures than on similarities.
Ancient Teachings, the City of Alexandria, and the Chinese match-
maker all teach us that we grow both spiritually and mentally by
focusing on similarities between people and cultures. It is when
we Become excited about Learning something new that we enter
the realm of Wisdom. It is by the Blending of Differences that we
start to experience wholeness with each other and oneness with
the Universe.

We occupy a physical realm but we are spiritual beings. In the
physical realm, opposites attract in order to create (See:
"The Three Gunas"). In the spiritual realm, similarities attract in
order to synergistically expand the process of creation.

Therefore, if we wish to achieve peace, Harmony, contentment, and
Abundance during our current physical Incarnation, we must
combine the attraction of physical differences (both as individuals
and cultures) with spiritual similarities. When we focus on spiritual
similarities we attract like-minded individuals into our lives who
then blend their similar differences with ours so that we may both
become better, more knowledgeable, more Abundant, and Wiser for
having interacted with each other.

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 2009