Showing posts with label ouroboros. Show all posts
Showing posts with label ouroboros. Show all posts

Sunday, September 13, 2009

The Dot Within A Circle - As A Symbol


As an astrological Symbol, the Dot within a Circle represents the Sun.
As an alchemy symbol, the Dot within a Circle represents Gold.
However, as an esoteric Symbol, The Dot within a Circle embodies
much deeper Lessons and Principles.

The Circle represents The Infinite; Eternity. It also represents the
flow of Time and the ever repeating Cycles of Eternity which have no
beginning and no end; Cycles which, when complete, flow back into
themselves and repeat anew. We find this cyclical Truth also
represented, Symbolically, by the Ouroboros: the serpent swallowing
its own tail.

Cycles can be Infinitely long or Infinitesimally short. There are
quantum cycles, daily cycles, monthly cycles, annual cycles,
generational cycles and cataclysmic cycles. Cataclysmic Cycles occur
when the earth, and the universe, destroy and re-cycle themselves
in order to be re-born into a new Cycle. But however long or short
a Cycle may be, a Cycle consists of the following: birth, life, death
(or transformation) followed by re-birth. And so it goes, on and on,
throughout Eternity; endless repeating Cycles followed by endless
repeating Cycles.

And because Cycles are endless and self-repeating it also means
that everything that ever will be created has already been created.
It re-enforces the proverb, "What has been will be again, what has
been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun"
(Esslesiastes 1:9).

Everything that is yet currently un-created in our physical realm
already exists, in its entirety, in the cosmic and Spiritual realm.
These un-manifested creations are simply waiting for our minds
and senses to reach the proper stage of development where we can
recognize them, understand them and re-manifest them in our
physical dimension.

History and past Cycles teach us that manifestation typically occurs
in one of three ways:

1. by way of the natural re-creative and re-generative cycles of
Nature.
2. by way of an increased ability of an individual's imagination,
insight or other senses.
3. by way of "an idea whose time has come": whereby a number of
people throughout the world experience the same idea at the same
time.

Such is the nature of Cycles, and the manifestations which occur
within these Cycles, as symbolized by the Circle.

The Dot represents the Seed, the Spark, the Focused Thought
which gives birth to creation in the physical and mental realms.

On a much deeper level, however, The Dot symbolizes the one
eternal and unmoving Source from which All of creation emanates.
It is the One Creative Principle which establishes and governs the
Cycles of Eternity. At this level The Dot symbolizes Deity, Divinity,
and the Divine Mind; It is the Hermetic Nous; it is the center point
around which the Wheel of Eternity revolves.

Without first having a Dot we could not draw a line, a circle or a
picture.  We would be unable to express a mathematical formula
or create our daily "to do" list which are all manifested by moving
a Dot from a pen, or pencil, along a piece of paper.  Therefore,
we could not physically or artistically express or create anything
without first beginning with a Dot.  The written word, or idea, already
exists within The Dot and simply awaits manifestation.

We see this Divine Principle in evidence throughout Nature.
The tallest oak grows from a single acorn; a stalk of corn towers
from a small Seed; historic ideas and inventions are the result of
a single, focused Thought; a human adult evolves from a lone and
imperceptible sperm.  Therefore, as the oak already exists within
the acorn, the cornstalk within the Seed, the invention within the
focused Thought, the adult within the sperm, so too does the
un-manifested concept already exist within The Dot.

As Divinity resides within us as our Atman, our God Within, we
too possess the Divine Seed: the Divine Spark of creation. All of
the latent skills, talents, concepts and ideas necessary for us to
create whatever it is that we Choose to create already exist within
us. They are merely waiting for us to awaken them.

And as this Divine Ability to create already exists within each one
of us, it simply depends upon whether or not we Choose to take
advantage of our Divine Gift.

We can Become anyone we Choose to become. We can accomplish
anything we Choose to accomplish. We can create anything we
Choose to create. We can experience anything we Choose to
experience. We are The Dot Within The Circle!

IMAGE VIA WIKIPEDIA

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
Facebook StumbleUpon Technorati Delicious squidoo Google Bookmark
Yahoo mister-wong blogmarks spurl BlinkList Furl

Thursday, November 20, 2008

Cycles Of Eternity


"Like a circle in a spiral
Like a wheel within a wheel
Never ending or beginning
On an ever-spinning reel"
-"The Windmills Of Your Mind", Lyrics

Symbolically, the ever-repeating Cycles Of Eternity is represented
by the Ouroboros. The Ouroboros is a serpent in the shape of a
Circle that is devouring its own tail. As the serpent continues to
devour itself, the size of its Circle spirals into smaller and smaller
Circles. Once the serpent completely devours itself, that particular
Cycle (Circle) is ended and a new Cycle is ready to begin.

Good times begin and good times end...Difficult times begin and
difficult times end...Civilizations begin and civilizations end...
Cycles are the Normal Rhythms of the Universe.

Cycles can be infinitesimally short, infinitely long, or somewhere
in-between. We have daily Cycles (as the earth rotates on its axis),
monthly (lunar) Cycles and annual (solar) Cycles, just to name a few.
But, above all, we have Cycles within Cycles (wheels within wheels)
as alluded to in the lyrics above and described in Ezekiel's Wheel.

What is happening today will ultimately come to an end and be
replaced by another Cycle within the Wheel of Eternity. When the
Ferris Wheel reaches its peak, it must descend. When Time is up,
Change is imminent!

When we read the histories of ancient civilizations such as Assyria,
Babylonia, Mesopotamia and Sumeria we find mention of wealthy
families and kings that ruled these great and powerful civilizations.
Today, not only have these wealthy families vanished, but so have
their great and powerful civilizations. They have vanished so
completely that we can barely find traces of their ruined structures.
All things created by man come to an end!

The Tarot teaches us about Cycles by way of two cards:
"The Wheel of Fortune" and "The Tower".

"The Wheel of Fortune" represents the Cycles of Eternity that
are forever spinning. It is also the 10th card of the Major Arcana.
The number 10 represents completion and tells us that when one
Cycle ends a new Cycle begins.

"The Tower" teaches us that all material things come to an end.
Destruction of the old is necessary for the Creation of the new.
This is the way of the Universe.

"The Tower" portrays a castle built on a solid mountain-top that is
struck by Lightening. The castle is in flames, the king is thrown from
one of its windows, and his crown has fallen from his head.

"The Tower" symbolizes that no matter how strong the structure
and how solid its foundation, the Lightening Bolt of Eternity will one
day bring it to an end. The once "revered" and pompous king is
separated from his crown of "symbolic rulership" to rule no more.
This king, like all vanished kings and civilizations, has built his
physical structures, and man-made laws, on the ever-turning Axle
of Eternity only to be eventually overthrown by Destiny. For
physical structures, and man-made laws, can never endure the
never-ending Cyclical Changes of Time.

There is nothing wrong with acquiring Abundance and comforts.
It is our right to acquire, and enjoy, these pleasures. But Abundance
and comforts must be coupled with Peace of Mind and Contentment
of Spirit in order for us to experience happiness and serenity
during our Personal Cycle of Life within the Great Spinning Wheel
of Eternity.

(Images via Wikipedia)

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 2008
Facebook StumbleUpon Technorati Delicious squidoo Google Bookmark
Yahoo mister-wong blogmarks spurl BlinkList Furl