The Egyptian Ankh (As A Symbol)

"Everyone who is seriously involved in the pursuit
of science becomes convinced that a spirit is
manifest in the laws of the universe, one that
is vastly superior to that of man."
- Albert Einstein

The deeper we look into Nature, the more we come to the
realization that there is an invisible life force which permeates
all realms of creation. This mysterious life force, or Key of Life,
was acknowledged, honored and respected by the Ancient
Egyptians and was depicted in their artwork and hieroglyphs
by way of the Symbol of the Ankh.

The Ankh, which represents the eternal process of creating,
consists of a T-Shaped Cross surmounted by a Loop.

The T-Shaped Cross Symbolizes the masculine active Seed.
The Loop Symbolizes the feminine receptive Womb.

These two principles, when united, bring forth creation, birth
and Events throughout all of the seen and unseen realms of
the universe.

The "T", as the the masculine aspect of creation, is similar
to the Symbolism of the Tau cross, the double-headed Axe
and the hammer of Thor. All of these Symbols contain Three
extremities. Three is the first masculine number. Three also
represents the Trinity of Creation.

The Loop, as the feminine aspect of creation, is Symbolic of the
birth passageway from which all created, or manifested, life
emerges.

When the Tau Cross and the Loop are combined they form the
image of a key; a key which the Egyptian Neters, the Divine
Principles of Nature, hold in their hands.

The Ankh, or Key of Life, therefore Symbolizes the eternal process
of continual creation and perpetual manifestation by way of the
union of masculine and feminine aspects of Divinity.

In this respect the Ankh is the Breath of Life, the Hermetic Logos
and the Aether of the Alchemists which instills life (the soul), into
all living matter. Therefore it also represents the Spiritual DNA
which stands forever ready to manifest life throughout all of the
visible and invisible realms of the cosmos.

This ever-present and ever-active life force, Symbolized by the
Ankh, is eternally and perpetually alive and available throughout
all realms of the cosmos. It is a Power which exists whether or not
mental or physical "life" is currently being manifested at any specific
point in the universe.

In Egyptian artwork we often see one of the Neters holding the
Ankh to the nostrils of a person. This gesture, on behalf of a
specific Neter, is the bestowing of the "breath of life" to that
particular person. This is Symbolic of the "breath of life", or soul,
which enters into our body at birth and which will eventually leave
our body when our Current Incarnation comes to its end.

We also see artwork of Neters gazing into Mirrors which are
in the shape of the Ankh through which they can view the
reflections, results and Consequences of the persons, places,
things and Events into which they have temporarily instilled
the "breath of life".

Egyptian men and women wore amulets in the shape of the
Ankh in honor of this Divine Creative Process and also to serve
as a reminder to be cautious of the Consequences which can
result from Thoughts, deeds, Words and Actions which they
are responsible for "giving life to".

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 2012

The Rainbow - As A Symbol

"Somewhere over the Rainbow,
way up high
There's a land that I heard of,
once in a lullaby.
...Birds fly over the Rainbow,
why then, oh why can't I?"
-lyrics: "Over the Rainbow", from "Wizard of Oz"

A Rainbow is one of the most beautiful artistic creations that
Nature herself can paint for us. When we are given the
opportunity to view a Rainbow we become mesmerized and
enchanted by the breathtaking Beauty which appears in the
untouchable distance; a Beauty which comes to us directly
from the paintbrush of Divinity.

All four of Nature's Elements participate in the creation of the
Rainbow: Fire, Earth, Air and Water.

The Rainbow is created by the first rays of the Sun (Fire)
piercing through the heavenly dew (Water) which is still
suspended in the sky above (Air) after a rainstorm. And the
Rainbow touches the ground below (Earth) at both ends of its
majestic arc.

The Symbolism of the Rainbow is both rich and ancient.

As a bridge:

First of all, the Rainbow looks just like a bridge which links two
parts of the earth. However, as the highest point of the Rainbow
touches the heavens, it also represents a link, or bridge, between
the Spiritual realm above with the realm of matter below.

In this respect the Rainbow, as a bridge, is a pathway, a Ladder,
or an intermediary by which Spirit can descend into matter and
matter can ascend back to Spirit. It also represents the link through
which the worlds of Spirit and matter can communicate with each
other.

And, as being a link between heaven and earth, or gods and mortals,
it therefore represents the colorful medium through which Divine
Speech, Word and Instruction is bestowed upon humanity.

As a journey's end:

The leprechaun's legendary and mystical "pot of Gold" is to be
found at the end of the Rainbow. The leprechaun wears a green
jacket and green is the color of the evergreen, or eternal. It is
also the color of fertility and abundance. Gold is a Symbol for
the untarnishable and the incorruptible. Therefore the leprechaun's
"pot of Gold" represents the pure and eternal replenishment of
abundance and fertility, the Cornucopia, which abounds throughout
Nature's realm.

Noah saw a Rainbow at the end of the great and turbulent Flood
which signified the end of his voyage and a return to calmness and
peace. In this respect the Rainbow is also a Symbol for cleansing.

As A Symbol for Cleansing:

As the Rainbow only appears after stormy skies, it is a Symbol
for the restoration of cosmic order.

As celestial rain is necessary for the skies to be cleansed and
the Earth to be nourished the Rainbow Symbolizes Divinity's
cleansing and fertilizing Cycle. This Cycle ushers in the next
period of Nature's growth and rebirth.

And, just as turbulent storms are necessary for Nature to
cleanse and feed the Earth, so too are emotional storms
necessary in our lives in order to cleanse away our burdens
and feed our souls.

In this respect the Rainbow also Symbolizes the peace and
calmness which comes to us at the end of unsettling periods of
our lives.

For, after our emotional tears are finally drained from us our Road
ahead becomes clear, our Rainbow is shining above it, and the
Path we must follow toward our objective, our "pot of Gold", now
Becomes clear to us.

Colors Of The Rainbow:

A seven-colored Rainbow is created when invisible light passes
through Water particles in the sky.

The seven colors of the Rainbow are also brought into view when
invisible light passes through a prism.

This passing of invisible light through either Water particles or a
prism Symbolizes the manifestation of Spirit into matter. It is the
manifested "appearance" of invisible Deity in the physical realm.

When we gaze upon a Rainbow we are granted a brief glance at
one of the beautiful physical aspects of the Divine Unknowable.

The seven colors of the Rainbow represent the seven spheres, or
seven Heavens, through which Spirit descends in order to become
physical matter.

The seven colors of the Rainbow are also the colors associated
with the seven Chakras. From base to crown, the seven colors of
the Chakras are: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and
violet.

And just as these seven colors are the manifestation of invisible
Deity through either dewy skies or a prism, so too do these
seven colors of our Chakras represent the manifestation of
invisible Divinity within each one of us as our Atman, or God within.

Here is an interesting note: although we are taught that the Three
primary colors are red, yellow and blue, there is a fourth primary
color, indigo, which is the color associated with our "third eye"
Chakra.

Primary means something which is first or original; something
which cannot be created from something else; something
unique and therefore "god-like". And it is in this respect that the
color indigo represents the "god-like" power which exists within
the pineal gland of our "third-eye" Chakra.

The Second Inverted Rainbow:

From Wikipedia: Although most people will not notice it because
they are not actively looking for it, a dim secondary rainbow is
often present outside the primary bow. Secondary rainbows are
caused by a double reflection of sunlight inside the raindrops, and
appear at an angle of 50–53°. As a result of the second reflection,
the colours of a secondary rainbow are inverted compared to the
primary bow, with blue on the outside and red on the inside. The
secondary rainbow is fainter than the primary because more light
escapes from two reflections compared to one and because the
rainbow itself is spread over a greater area of the sky. The dark
area of unlit sky lying between the primary and secondary bows
is called Alexander's band, after Alexander of Aphrodisias who
first described it.

The 50-53 degree angle of the Rainbow is also similar to the
angle, or outer slope, of the Great Pyramid which is approximately
51.85 degrees. Therefore, much of the Symbolism associated
with the Great Pyramid also applies to the Rainbow.
(See: "Egyptian Pyramid, Part 1" and "Egyptian Pyramid, Part 2")

The second Rainbow is both nearly invisible and its colors are
inverted. Its near-invisibility offers us, and Symbolizes, a short-lived
glimpse of the manifestation of Divinity into the usually invisible
Spiritual realm.

Its inverted colors Symbolize both the Mirror and the process of
ascension and descension.

As all Mirrors are a reflection, in reverse, of that which is being
reflected, the visible Rainbow is a reflection and earthly
manifestation of the seldom visible Spiritual Rainbow. Just as
Spirit manifests into matter, so too does the Spiritual Rainbow
manifest itself into the visible physical Rainbow; but in a reverse
colored order.

As we experience ascension through the progression of our
Chakras from red to violet, Spirit experiences descension
(manifestation) into the physical realm by way of the seven colored
spheres, or Chakras, of violet to red.

Therefore, the colors of the seldom seen, and nearly invisible,
second Rainbow Symbolize the order of descent of Spirit into
matter. The colors of the visible Rainbow Symbolize the order
of ascent of matter back into Spirit.

Closing Thoughts and Observations:

The Rainbow is the result, or manifestation, of the union of
Sun-light (Superconscious illumination and enlightenment) with
Water (the Great Sub-Conscious and the Mysterious Unknown).

As the Rainbow only appears after turbulent storms it is a
Symbol of the cleansing process which heralds in new life, new
creation and new Times.

As the chameleon can change its body color into any of the
seven colors of the Rainbow, it is associated with the Rainbow.

Rainbow-colored ribbons are used by Shamans when they
"journey into the sky" by way of their trance-like astral voyages.
It is during these meditative journeys that the Shaman raises his,
or her, consciousness to a higher state of awareness in order
to transit into the higher Spiritual realms for divinitory purposes.

The seven Chakra colors of the Rainbow also represent the
ultimate state of transformation we can experience during
meditation whereby all of the visible colors of manifestation,
from densest to purest, are transformed back into invisible and
pre-manifested light; a process through which we can experience
a return to the Oneness of paradise.

And finally, from Dictionary of Symbolism by Hans Biedermann,
pages 277-8, we have the following:

In ancient Greece Iris was the virginal rainbow goddess, rushing
down from Mount Olympus to communicate to mortals the
commands of Zeus and Hera; Iris is portrayed with WINGS and
the CADUCEUS, clothed in the "iridescent" dew. (The similarly
iridescent pigmented membrane of the eye is thus called the "iris".)

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 2012

The Mirror - Symbol Of Reflection

The Mirror is a Symbol of physical and spiritual reflection.

The Symbolism associated with The Mirror has its roots in the very
distant past. Some of the oldest drawings found on temple walls
and papyrus scrolls depict images of Egyptian Neters gazing into
hand-held Mirrors.

In ancient times, Mirrors were made of polished bronze. Today,
Mirrors are made of glass. However, a Mirror can be any reflective
surface such as highly polished black stone or still Water.

In the material world of our Current Incarnation Mirrors are both a
necessity and convenience. We use Mirrors every day to reflect
physical images. We make use of rear-view Mirrors in our vehicles
to alert us of potential dangers and cautions behind us. We station
Mirrors at corners of buildings and hallways to "see" what is around
the corner. And, of course, we spend a fair amount of time every day
standing before our personal Mirrors while we preen ourselves prior
to going out into the world.

However, when we consider the esoteric, or mystic, Symbolism
associated with The Mirror we find that it alludes to a much higher
and sublime purpose...Spiritual Reflection!

Just as a physical Mirror is a reflection of how we currently appear,
and how the world around us currently appears, so too does our
Spiritual Mirror Truthfully reflect the Consequences of our actions
along with the Karmic rewards, or punishments, which the
consequences of our actions have brought upon us.

Our Spiritual Mirror reflects back to us our external surroundings. In
other words, our Spiritual Mirror shows us the people, places and
Events which are currently a part of the life we have created for
ourselves. By gazing at our external surroundings we are looking
directly into our Spiritual Mirror.

The Egyptian Neters, the Divine Principles of Nature referred to
earlier, gaze into their hand-held Mirrors in order to reflect upon
how they truly appear within the realm in which they are currently
expressing themselves. They are also gazing into their Mirrors in
order to "see" what consequences have been created as a result of
the Events which they have set in motion. In other words, they are
continually reflecting upon the results of their Thoughts and Actions
in an eternal process of self-evaluation.

Just as the Egyptian Neters gaze into their Divine Mirrors in order
to reflect upon themselves and ponder their thoughts and actions,
we too can use our very own personal Spiritual Mirrors to do the
very same.

In order for a Mirror to cast a reflection, it requires Light.
Symbolically, Light represents Illumination, Enlightenment,
Awareness and Wisdom. Therefore, in order for us to Honestly
evaluate ourselves and the world we have created around ourselves
when using our personal Spiritual Mirror, we must view our current
reflection with an Enlightened mind.

Keeping in mind that The Mirror can only reflect what is Truly
before it, whatever we view in our personal Spiritual Mirror is
currently the Truth of not only our Personality And Reputation
(who we are) but also the Truth of the world which we have created
around ourselves.

It is important to remind ourselves, however, that The Mirror
simply reflects that which is currently True. As Enlightened Beings
we have both the ability and responsibility to change our personal,
mental, and Spiritual reflection whenever we "see" something in our
Mirror that is not Harmonious with who we truly aspire to be. In
this way we are identical to the Egyptian Neters who gaze into their
hand-held Mirrors in an Eternal process of self-evaluation, self-
improvement, self-change and self-Enlightenment.

See also: "Personality and Reputation"

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

Rivers - As A Symbol (Part 2)

"When the river is deepest it makes least noise."
-Proverb

In addition to symbolizing the flow of time (See: Rivers, Part 1),
Rivers also Symbolize Borders, boundaries, transcendence, Mirrors,
the Subconscious, and persistence.

Rivers, which consist of Water, contain many interesting metaphors,
mythologies and Symbolism. Let's take a look at a few of them.

Rivers as Borders: Since the beginning of Time Rivers have served
as natural Borders. Rivers, such as the Mississippi, Colorado and
Delaware serve as Borders between states. They can act as Borders
between countries in the way that the Rio Grande separates a
portion of the Unites States from Mexico, and as the St. Lawrence
separates a portion of the United States from Canada. Rivers can
also act as a natural Border between countries and continents in
the way that the Ural River creates a natural Border between Asia
and Europe. Natural Borders, created by Nature, separate one
civilization, or realm from another. In this aspect, crossing a River
Symbolizes leaving a familiar domain behind in order to enter into,
and experience, an entirely new one. To cross a River which
serves as a natural Border Symbolizes "Adventure".

Rivers as boundaries: Perhaps the best example of a River as
a boundary is Julius Caesar crossing the Rubicon with his army.
Roman law forbade a returning general from bringing his army
into Rome. The general was required to leave his army on the
opposite side of the Rubicon and enter Rome alone. When Julius
Caesar crossed the Rubicon with his army he violated the rules
of Roman generalship and changed the course of history. In this
instance, crossing a River, or crossing the line, represents "defiance"
"boldness" and "Destiny".

Rivers as transcendence: Charon, the mythological Greek
boatman, would ferry the souls of the deceased across the River
Styx into Hades.

In a like fashion the bodies of the deceased, after Ritual and
mummification, would be ferried to the West bank of the Nile River
to be interned in Necropolis (the "city of the dead"). Necropolis was
located on the West bank of the Nile River because the Sun sets in
the West as It begins Its underworld Journey which culminates in Its
eventual re-birth the following morning. In this instance, crossing a
River Symbolizes "transcending" from a lower form of consciousness
to a higher one, thereby "aspiring" to a higher realm.

Rivers as Mirrors: A calm River acts as a Mirror. It displays all
that is above it. It reflects the current peaceful mood, beauty and
seasonal wardrobe of Mother Nature. It also displays the tranquil
stillness of the Infinite far, far above. As a Mirror, the smooth, quiet
River Symbolizes "reflection", "pensiveness" and "meditation".

Rivers as the Subconscious: Chinese Feng Shui tells us that
the calm section of a River provides the greatest amount of Chi,
or vital energy, and is an ideal place to build a home. Here the
Waters are quiet, peaceful, relaxing and soothing. This part of the
River has a distinct calming effect on the body, mind and spirit.
It is at this location that the River's Waters are also the deepest.

Symbolically, deep Water represents the Subconscious. And
although our Subconscious harbors our greatest fears, it is also
where our deepest Thoughts and innermost feelings reside; it
is also the secret underwater workshop of our imagination. It is
this point of the River, where "still waters run deep", that
Symbolizes our spiritual ability to "submerge" ourselves into a
meditative state which enables us to reflect upon the wonder and
beauty which is both high above us and deep within us.

Rivers as persistence: Rivers can carve mountains into canyons.
All it takes is Time. The Grand Canyon is an excellent example
of this Divine Truth. This aspect of a River serves as a priceless
metaphor which teaches us that, with patience and persistence,
we too can wear away (erode) any obstacles which block our Path
or impede our progress. In this instance, the River is another
expression of "Aesop's Tortoise".

The River, and its many different attributes, is a silent, ancient and
Wise teacher. Yet, although It is silent, Its Lessons are profound.
Through Symbolism, metaphor and Its own unique personality the
River slowly Instructs us. It reveals to us the secrets of Nature,
the Universe, and ourselves. All we need to do is observe, feel,
listen and keep in mind the song lyrics from "Old Man River".
"Ol' Man River, that Ol' Man River
He must know somepin', but he don't say nothin'
He just keeps rollin', he keeps on rollin' along"
(Also see: Rivers, part 1)

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