The Language of Symbolism
Why does this topic get an entire page to itself? Well that is because we feel that symbolism is one of the most crucial yet least understood things that we encounter on our paths to higher knowledge. In order to understand the literature, teachings, and art of the Masters of old one MUST understand symbolism as it truly is.
Symbolism is much more than we typically perceive it to be. It is literally a language. It is many languages really. There are dozens and dozens of different systems of symbolism. Often, we look at these symbols and see them at face value because we do not speak the language. Just as often, we give our own interpretations of what they mean. While that is not entirely incorrect, it certainly reduces the impact of the message intended by the originator of the symbol you are interpreting. Often times these symbols are presented in the form of mythical creatures and places or celestial events. The symbols may seem wild, mystical, mythical, or even just silly. If taken at face value, these kinds of things have very little meaning. It is only when you learn to read between the lines and see the hidden language of the art and literature that you can truly understand the messages and knowledge being given.
It is crucial to learn these languages to prevent being misled or just outright confused. Using quick guides such as dream interpretation books and tarot guides is not sufficient. You will not have an understanding of anything using those alone. Then you will simply be taking someone else’s word for what exactly the symbol means. Wouldn’t you prefer to actually be able to ‘read’ the symbols and know for yourself? The Bible is a prime example of symbolism gone wrong. There are incredibly deep and divine messages to be found within that book but most of it was corrupted by humans that did not speak the language. They read the story of creation and take it for face value. They read the story of Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection and assume that it actually happened as the book states. They read the book of Revelation and assume the beasts and cataclysms described therein to be real or simply beyond understanding. I could list a dozen more cases of Biblical symbolism that is totally taken the wrong way and misunderstood by billions of people that do not know how to speak the language they are trying to read. The same can be said for most any religious institution. They have some book, some idea that they base all of their other ideas on while usually having no understanding of the symbolism and what is really meant.
Why? Why use symbols instead of just saying what needs to be said? Well, for much of human history there has been governing forces that would kill an individual for discussing the things symbolism is typically used to discuss. The Inquisition. The Witch Hunts. The accusations of heresy and blasphemy. For these reasons (especially for the last thousand years or so) the Masters and teachers have used symbols to disguise their messages as incoherent ramblings or mythical tales. In the case of alchemy, they used symbolism to appear as though they were pursuing goals that the governing bodies would appreciate such as turning lead into gold. Of course the king wouldn’t kill the alchemist that may make him the richest king in the land one day. So when the common man reads alchemical literature or views alchemical art they see only what is there at face value while missing the message hidden within. This is not the only reason for the prevalence of symbolic languages. Another reason is the simple fact that communicating complex ideas and processes can be a hard thing to do in text or speech. A lot of information can be released through pictures, sculptures, architecture, and other visual art forms. A single picture with many symbols can express what would take a few pages to adequately relay. Symbolism is the second highest form of language a human can learn and use with the first being mathematics. By using symbolism, we can portray things that words cannot describe. We can relay messages custom tailored for trained eyes only. We can exchange complicated ideas in a short amount of time.
So then, how do we learn to speak the languages of symbolism? How can we possibly learn to decipher exactly what our ancestors meant when they used these wild symbols and complex descriptions of seemingly mythical events? Well, just like you learn any other language. First, you must identify what language it is that you are trying to ‘read’. If you wish to read Hebrew texts, you learn Hebrew. If you wish to read Latin literature, you learn Latin. If you need to read a Chinese medicine book, you must learn to read Chinese. The same applies to the languages of symbolism. If you wish to study alchemy, you must learn the symbols of that language. If you wish to study astrology, you must learn to see the language. There are many forms of symbolism that correlate and crossover and many that do not. This makes the whole process confusing and even misleading at times. A symbol could mean one thing from an alchemical perspective and another from a Mayan perspective. All cultures and peoples develop a language of symbolism. So then, much significance should be given to the source of the symbolism. With proper study and practice, it is not very hard to identify the source of most symbolism that we run in to.
A good place to start would be basic ‘occult/esoteric’ symbolism. This includes a lot of alchemical, astrological, Christian, Hebrew, pagan, and Egyptian symbolism so in your study you will gain a base understanding of many of these languages of symbols. This page will explore as many forms of symbolism as we possibly can. It will be ever expanding and increasing. Come back and check every now and again.
The most important thing to get into your head before beginning to learn this stuff is the fact that symbolism is a language and the authors that use(d) it do so to convey specific messages and ideas. You must accept it and understand it as a language no different that the language you speak normally. Symbolism is simply a very complex and powerful language.
Symbolism is much more than we typically perceive it to be. It is literally a language. It is many languages really. There are dozens and dozens of different systems of symbolism. Often, we look at these symbols and see them at face value because we do not speak the language. Just as often, we give our own interpretations of what they mean. While that is not entirely incorrect, it certainly reduces the impact of the message intended by the originator of the symbol you are interpreting. Often times these symbols are presented in the form of mythical creatures and places or celestial events. The symbols may seem wild, mystical, mythical, or even just silly. If taken at face value, these kinds of things have very little meaning. It is only when you learn to read between the lines and see the hidden language of the art and literature that you can truly understand the messages and knowledge being given.
It is crucial to learn these languages to prevent being misled or just outright confused. Using quick guides such as dream interpretation books and tarot guides is not sufficient. You will not have an understanding of anything using those alone. Then you will simply be taking someone else’s word for what exactly the symbol means. Wouldn’t you prefer to actually be able to ‘read’ the symbols and know for yourself? The Bible is a prime example of symbolism gone wrong. There are incredibly deep and divine messages to be found within that book but most of it was corrupted by humans that did not speak the language. They read the story of creation and take it for face value. They read the story of Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection and assume that it actually happened as the book states. They read the book of Revelation and assume the beasts and cataclysms described therein to be real or simply beyond understanding. I could list a dozen more cases of Biblical symbolism that is totally taken the wrong way and misunderstood by billions of people that do not know how to speak the language they are trying to read. The same can be said for most any religious institution. They have some book, some idea that they base all of their other ideas on while usually having no understanding of the symbolism and what is really meant.
Why? Why use symbols instead of just saying what needs to be said? Well, for much of human history there has been governing forces that would kill an individual for discussing the things symbolism is typically used to discuss. The Inquisition. The Witch Hunts. The accusations of heresy and blasphemy. For these reasons (especially for the last thousand years or so) the Masters and teachers have used symbols to disguise their messages as incoherent ramblings or mythical tales. In the case of alchemy, they used symbolism to appear as though they were pursuing goals that the governing bodies would appreciate such as turning lead into gold. Of course the king wouldn’t kill the alchemist that may make him the richest king in the land one day. So when the common man reads alchemical literature or views alchemical art they see only what is there at face value while missing the message hidden within. This is not the only reason for the prevalence of symbolic languages. Another reason is the simple fact that communicating complex ideas and processes can be a hard thing to do in text or speech. A lot of information can be released through pictures, sculptures, architecture, and other visual art forms. A single picture with many symbols can express what would take a few pages to adequately relay. Symbolism is the second highest form of language a human can learn and use with the first being mathematics. By using symbolism, we can portray things that words cannot describe. We can relay messages custom tailored for trained eyes only. We can exchange complicated ideas in a short amount of time.
So then, how do we learn to speak the languages of symbolism? How can we possibly learn to decipher exactly what our ancestors meant when they used these wild symbols and complex descriptions of seemingly mythical events? Well, just like you learn any other language. First, you must identify what language it is that you are trying to ‘read’. If you wish to read Hebrew texts, you learn Hebrew. If you wish to read Latin literature, you learn Latin. If you need to read a Chinese medicine book, you must learn to read Chinese. The same applies to the languages of symbolism. If you wish to study alchemy, you must learn the symbols of that language. If you wish to study astrology, you must learn to see the language. There are many forms of symbolism that correlate and crossover and many that do not. This makes the whole process confusing and even misleading at times. A symbol could mean one thing from an alchemical perspective and another from a Mayan perspective. All cultures and peoples develop a language of symbolism. So then, much significance should be given to the source of the symbolism. With proper study and practice, it is not very hard to identify the source of most symbolism that we run in to.
A good place to start would be basic ‘occult/esoteric’ symbolism. This includes a lot of alchemical, astrological, Christian, Hebrew, pagan, and Egyptian symbolism so in your study you will gain a base understanding of many of these languages of symbols. This page will explore as many forms of symbolism as we possibly can. It will be ever expanding and increasing. Come back and check every now and again.
The most important thing to get into your head before beginning to learn this stuff is the fact that symbolism is a language and the authors that use(d) it do so to convey specific messages and ideas. You must accept it and understand it as a language no different that the language you speak normally. Symbolism is simply a very complex and powerful language.
Alchemical Symbolism
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