Bells and Chimes (As Symbols)

"Think when the bells do chime,
'T is angels' music."
-George Herbert

The Symbolism of Bells and Chimes is wide-ranging.

Bells and Chimes are used in Ceremonies, celebrations, and
announcements by numerous cultures throughout the world.

A Bell has a domed top, a flat and circular bottom, and, except
for its clapper, is hollow within. Its domed top and flat bottom
make it similar in Symbolism to the Tortoise. However, the Bell
Symbolizes much more.

The Bell's dome represents the vault of heaven above. Its flat,
circular bottom represents the flat, circular Horizon of the earth.
The clapper represents the Tongue, Word, and Voice of Divinity;
also known as the Hermetic Logos. The empty space within
represents all that is contained between heaven and earth.

When the clapper hits the inner side of the Bell, it Symbolizes
a message being resonated and created within the vault, or
dome, of heaven and delivered to the earth below.

Bells have a wide variety of Symbolic and practical uses.

Bells are used in our alarm clocks to waken us from rest and
urge us forth into our daily pursuits.

Bells are used in classrooms to announce the beginning and end
of classes. They are also used to notify us that the time-period
for a test, or exam, has expired.

Bells are used to announce the passage from one station to
another in religious rituals. They are also used in Rites of Passage
and Initiation Ceremonies to proclaim that a worthy and well-
qualified individual has passed from one station in their life to
a loftier one.

Ships and boats sound their Bells when sailing through thick Fog
in order to announce their presence and location to the other
vessels in their vicinity.

Bells have a wide range of pitches and tones. The pitch and tone
of a Bell set the mood, and Symbolism, which that particular Bell
is designed to represent.

The higher tones lift people's spirits, represent happiness, and
Symbolize a closeness to Spirit. the lower tones can dampen
people's spirits, instill an unhappy and somber mood, and are
Symbols of the gross and mundane.

Low-pitched Bells summon the masses to obligated meetings and
rituals. They are also used in clock towers to inform us of the hour
of the day in our material realm.

High-pitched Bells, along with Chimes, are used in religious
processions and Ceremonies to invoke Divinity and remind the
participants of the high-solemnity of the spiritual service.

High-pitched Bells announce holy days. They are also used to
celebrate and Remember joyous and festive Events.

And in their highest tone, and loudest volume, Bells are sounded
to proclaim the end of a war or conflict, and celebrate liberation
and freedom; such as the Bells we hear being joyously sounded
at the end of Tchaikovsky's "1812 Overture".

Chimes, on the other hand, are uncontained and free-moving
pieces of metal, glass, and wood which resonate against each
other by being either shaken by hand or blown by the wind.

Chimes resonate at a much higher, and gentler, pitch than do
Bells and therefore Symbolize higher spiritual essences.

Chimes, along with very high-pitched Bells, summon and
announce the presence of the higher Spirits; including Divinity
Itself.

Wind Chimes invoke happiness, high-spiritedness, peacefulness,
the good Spirits, and Divinity. They are also placed around
people's homes, and sacred places, to banish evil spirits and
negative energies.

The gentle, high-pitched, tinkling sound of Chimes also announces
the presence of the Unicorn.

Chimes are also used at festive wordly occasions. The tinkling
(Chiming) of glasses at a wedding celebration, by tapping a spoon
against a glass, calls everyone's attention to the fact that a toast
is about to be made in honor of the new bride and groom.

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 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

The Unicorn - As A Symbol

"Dreams are the playground of Unicorns."
- Unknown

Perhaps the most wondrous of all mystical creatures, the Unicorn
is a Symbol of magic, miracles, purity, innocence and enchantment.
This magical and enchanting animal appears to only a rare few and
has the ability to bestow magic, miracles and Wisdom to those who
are pure of heart and virtuous in their deeds.

The presence of a Unicorn is announced by the soft and faint
tinkling sound of tiny bells being shaken; or of tiny chimes being
rustled by a breeze. And as Bells and Chimes Symbolize the
presence of Divinity, the tinkling sound which accompanies the
nearness of a Unicorn reminds us that we are in the presence of
a highly spiritual essence whose boundless domain encompasses
all realms matter and spirit.

To kill a Unicorn is to destroy a Divine Incarnation of purity,
perfection, and wonder. It is a deed which burdens the individual who
commits the Act with an enormous Karmic debt.

The Unicorn is depicted as a white horse which has a long, straight,
spiral-shaped Horn protruding from the top of its head.

There are three basic Symbols contained in the Unicorn: the color
white, the horse, and the Horn:

The Horse is a Symbol of Travel and movement. And as the Unicorn
is a spiritual horse it has the ability to Travel and appear wherever,
and whenever, it wishes; it has the ability to appear throughout all
realms and dimensions.

White is the color of innocence, purity and perfection. White, which
is Symbolically similar to silver, represents the lunar, feminine
aspects of receptivity, instinct, intuition and virginity. Virginity in
its truest metaphysical and alchemical aspect represents the
unadulterated (untainted) mind and spirit; it is the prima materia
(pure matter) and the prisca sapientia (pristine knowledge, or
Wisdom). It is for this reason that to have a Unicorn appear to us
is both a great honor and Divine Gift. For, as stated before, only the
pure of heart and virtuous of deed are deserving to have a Unicorn
appear to them.

The Unicorn, unlike all other horned animals save perhaps the
rhinoceros, is a single-horned creature. While the two-horned
animals are linked, Symbolically, to the realm of duality and matter,
the Unicorn's single horn reminds us that its domain is the realm
of Unity; a realm that Transcends and exists beyond the bounds
of matter and duality.

The single, spiralled Horn is a Symbol of the endless, repeating
Cycles of Time. It is also Symbolic of the Sword. And as the Sword
Symbolizes the mind, the Unicorn's Horn also signifies Unity of
Thought and purity of reason. We also notice that this single Horn
protrudes from the top of the Unicorn's head which is the location
of the crown chakra. The crown chakra is a Border Between Realms;
it represents the highest level which our mind can attain and is the
Spiritual Gateway to the higher realms of Spirituality and Divine
Consciousness.

When depicted within a forest, the Unicorn represents purity and
enchantment amidst growth, birth, rebirth, renewal and fertility;
which are all feminine essences.

When a Unicorn is portrayed along with a lion it Symbolizes the
Union of the feminine (white, lunar) and masculine (Gold, solar)
aspects of our dual nature. This Symbolism also represents the
Alchemical Marriage.

In Chinese tradition the Unicorn is an "auspicious and perfect
spiritual beast which appears when sages are born". ***

As we can see, the Symbolism of the Unicorn is deep, pure, and
magical. And as very few individuals are pure and virtuous enough
to have a Unicorn appear to them we should feel very Blessed
should a Unicorn someday appear along our Path.

(See also: "The Phoenix", and
                   "The Alchemical Marriage and the Total Solar Eclipse")

*** "The Lost Language Of Symbolism", Harold Bayley

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

Time

"Time and tide wait for no man."
-Geoffrey Chaucer

What is this thing called Time? We set our watches by it. We make
plans and appointments based upon it. We also look forward to
holidays, anniversaries, festivities and birthdays based upon it.
But have we ever stopped to consider the meaning and reality of
this cosmic Drumbeat we call "Time"?

In its most Simple and brief description Time is a measurement of
movement. To be more precise, Time is the movement of one object,
or Event, in relationship to another.

Time is both cyclical (infinite) and linear (finite). This cyclical and
linear concept of Time is represented, Symbolically, by the horn
of the Unicorn. The Unicorn's horn is a straight (linear) Symbolic
bone protruding from the top of the Unicorn's head - or Crown
Chakra.

And, although straight and finite, the Unicorn's horn consists of a
spiral design which begins at the crown of the Unicorn's head and
eventually fades into Infinity at the uppermost tip of the horn. This
straight and spiralled horn of the Unicorn Symbolizes both the
cyclical and linear nature of Time.

Cyclical Time is the continuous repetition of the endless Cycles of
Eternity. It consists of the seasons, tides, sunrises, days, months,
years, ages and eons which are encompassed within Eternity.
Cyclical Time is the often repeating and unending Cycles which
govern not only our visible, physical universe but also the invisible,
spiritual realms which are unfamiliar to us. Cycles, which are
Symbolized by Circles and Spirals, are the Eternal timepieces which
are part of Divinity's Grand Design.

Linear Time, on the other hand, represents the finite and temporary.
Just as a line must have a beginning and an end, so must linear
Time have its beginning and end. Each day must come to an end.
Each year must come to its close. Civilizations, dynasties,
kingdoms, eras, joys, sufferings, festivities, Relationships, material
gains and physical life are all a part of linear Time. Therefore,
because they are finite in nature, they must all experience their own
particular beginning and end. In addition, linear Time also contains
the Consequences, or results, of previous Actions and Events
initiated by ourselves and by others.

Linear Time exists within Cyclical Time. While the Cycles of Eternity
are enduring and infinite, the Events which occur within these Cycles
are limited and temporary. And although today's day has the same
24-hours as yesterday's day had, it is not the same 24-hours.
Today's day is a finite, temporary Event occurring within one of
Divinity's numerous and overlapping Eternal Cycles.

This is why the same sunrise which greeted our ancient ancestors
many ages ago is not the same sunrise which greets us today.
Yes, it is the same Sun. Yes, it is still rising in the East. However
this same Sun which is still rising in the East is now performing its
daily, finite function within a new rhythmic Cycle.

Therefore, although we can "put things off until tomorrow", or even
"look forward to tomorrow", tomorrow will not be the same day as
today. For tomorrow truly is "a brand new day!"

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