Symbols - Part Two

Major Cross-Cultural Symbols

THE SUN | THE MOON | THE CROSS | BUSINESS CARD EXERCISE

The right brain, which is the side we develop to improve our intuition is visual. Looking at images, symbols and great art is one of the ways to improve intuition. In fact, it is not unusual for latent intuitives to CRAVE great art and symbolism. You should enjoy this page a lot!

Remember in developing your intuition, there is no "right" or "wrong" answer. I'm going to ask you for preferences based entirely on intuition. That means, please don't try to figure it out. Just "take what you get". The first answer is the correct one. Don't think too much and don't think yourself "out" of something.

THE SUN

There is only one symbol more primal than the Sun and that is the circle. Circles, including the Sun, represent wholeness, healing and the Self. Here are five Suns. Please look them over and see which ones appeal to you and which don't.

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Please send me the answer via email.
THE SUN EXERCISE

The Sun and the Moon make a natural pair. The Sun rules the day and the Moon rules the night. They are "opposites". Together they represent or symbolize all the polarities in the world, such as night and day, on and off, up and down, right and left, male and female. One of the reasons things like"compare and contrast" are taught to preschool children is to begin development of the right brain. This is also an important skill for developing your intuition as an adult.

Some cultures use the words "male" and "female" to describe polarities. Some even include this fundamental polarity in grammar. In German the ball is masculine and the lamp is feminine. In French the ball is feminine and the lamp is also. In Arabic the dog is masculine and the snake is feminine. There is no apparent logic to some of the choices. Perhaps there was at some time in our dim past.

My veterinarian (an old country guy who is fabulous with animals and has decades of experience but isn't very good with the two legged kind!) calls all dogs "he" and all cats "she". Is this so difficult to understand? Dogs are steadfast, loyal, unswerving and reliable. Cats are fickle, pouty, vengeful, independent and unpredictable. These are some of the qualities given to the polarities when they are used for metaphysical terms.

Because of feminist concerns in America, we use the words "yang" and "yin" instead of "male" and "female" because they are value-free words that describe polarities. Other countries are not sensitive to this issue grammatically.

The Sun is YANG or male energy. Yang qualities are conscious, straightforward, hot, dry and stable. There are many adjectives used to describe the yang element but these are some of the most common. You will find them in acupressure, acupuncture and homeopathy and in all the esoteric arts. The Sun is conscious, straightforward, hot, dry and stable. Essentially, the Sun is always in the same place every day and reliably makes the same path through the heavens century after century. Not so the Moon!

The Moon is YIN or female energy. The Moon reflects the light of the Sun and appears in the darkness of night. The Moon represents unconscious, reflective, cold, moist, hidden and changeable things in nature -- and human nature. These analogies (comparisons) are actually quite sexually accurate as well. This is not a coincidence.

All people contain some YIN and YANG energies in differing amounts.

Let's see if you can get a handle on this concept. Without thinking too much, do you feel you are more YIN or YANG? Here are some more clues to help you: YANGs like to eat meat, hot spicy foods, salty and crunchy foods. If they tend toward a health problem it would be something like high blood pressure. They are aggressive, energetic and goal oriented.

YINs like fruits, vegetables, rice and sweet foods. They are easily chilled. They are passive/reflective in nature and if they have health problems they may tend towards "mental" conditions such as depression or despair.

THE YIN/YANG EXERCISE

Please indicate your thoughts via email : Do you feel you are yin or yang?

THE MOON

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Please complete the following form and send me your answer via email. Doing this exercise is a building block for increasing your intuition so please take it seriously. There is no right or wrong answer, but your answer should reflect your real, first and immediate reactions to these symbols. Doing this exercise will increase your intuition because it is a right brain exercise.

THE MOON EXERCISE

Which Moon most appealed to you and why? In your answer consider shape, color, embellishments, etc. You can write as much as you like.

THE CROSS (FOURFOLD) AND ALSO "CROSS IN THE ROAD"

This is one of the oldest cross cultural symbols. The fact that it is the symbol of the Christian Church makes it important but that is not the exclusive meaning of the symbol by any means.

The Christian Church uses the cross to symbolize "the cross of matter". It represents the horizontal plane (time/space, cause and effect, past and future). But is also represents the vertical plane which is conscious and unconscious or "higher" and "lower".

The place where two roads cross has always been an exciting place where ideas, good and concepts were exchanged. In places like, this money first developed as well as a certain pollination between cultures.

CLICK HERE for an article about the magical energy of the crossroads.

Here are several different kinds of cross and a few words about their origin.

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Christian cross

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Ankh, Egyptian symbol for eternity

3.
Ornate Byzantine cross (Orthodox Greek and Roman Catholic)

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Celtic Cross (Ireland)
an ancient symbol that preceded Roman Catholicism

USING THE CROSS IN ART

If the cross is where two roads meet or two things intersect in space, what could be some of the suggestions that come from this image?

THE PERSON AND THE CROSS EXERCISE

Please send me your comments via email. Remember there is no "right" or "wrong".
You can't get "too far afield" here. There is no such thing as "making it up". We all make up the whole world ... in intuition, we honor this experience without judgment. Whatever this means to you, is what it "means".

Here is one way symbols are used all the time that we are not always aware of and that is in marketing. Sometimes I squirm when I see someone's business card. The one they have chosen may not express their conscious intentions but it certainly expresses their unconscious intentions.

Review:

UP AND DOWN
up is conscious, down is unconscious, up is success, down is failure

LEFT TO RIGHT
left is the past, right is the future, left is the unknown (uncomfortable) and right is the conscious and know (confidence)

CARD NUMBER 1 - 6-SIDED IMAGE IN YELLOW AND GRAY