Symbolica

The star is a symbol that will help guide you through the dark times in your life.

Linger a while, rather than racing towards the light of the sun, using your star-light to help you search for the wisdom to be found in the darkness.

The star, in one form or another, is a very common symbol and most children are familiar with it very early on, through books, songs, and otherworldly paraphernalia: like faerie wands, wizard costumes, wishing stars etc. and later on, gazing at the night sky.

The star is the LIGHT that wondrously lights up the dark night sky, like the guiding lights in the night of the unconscious. The image of the star symbolises a sense of HOPE- (shining through the darkness).

The celestial nature of the luminous star also denotes the Heavens and they become symbols of Spirit and Otherworldliness.

There are many different types of representations and meanings attached to the star symbol. Some of which I will explore in following posts:

• The six pointed star:- Seal of Solomon and Star of David
• The ancient Egyptian five pointed star
• The five pointed pentagram
• The Blazing star of the Masons

Twinkle, twinkle, little star,
How I wonder what you are!
Up above the world so high,
Like a diamond in the sky!

When the blazing sun is gone,
When he nothing shines upon,
Then you show your little light,
Twinkle, twinkle, all the night.

Then the traveller in the dark,
Thanks you for your tiny spark,
He could not see which way to go,
If you did not twinkle so.

In the dark blue sky you keep,
And often through my curtains peep,
For you never shut your eye,
Till the sun is in the sky.

As your bright and tiny spark,
Lights the traveller in the dark,—
Though I know not what you are,
Twinkle, twinkle, little star.

Jane Taylor,

Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star,

1806

You appear in perfection on the horizon of Heaven,
A living disk, the origin of Life!
From the moment that You rise in the eastern skies You fill all beauty with Your beauty;
You are abundance, You are great and shining, rising above the land.

The Great Hymn to Aton,

The Living Wisdom of Ancient Egypt
Christian Jacq

Invite some warmth into your life with the aid of the sun. If you are feeling depressed, melancholic, or dark- the light, warmth and vibrancy that the symbol of the sun invokes will be an extremely helpful tonic. Employ this symbol when kicking off a new project or idea or perhaps when a relationship requires a fresh approach (remember your last holiday in the sun?) It is especially helpful when action is required as the sun is usually associated with new growth, energy and vitality. The sun is nourishing and life supporting- without it most living things would not survive.

I was recently given the symbol of the Sun to use in my Symbol Therapy work (see previous two posts) and found it of immense value to cut through some of my oldest, saddest and darkest thoughts. For me, carrying the image of a particularly magical sunrise in my mind, and recalling the warmth of the sun shining through my window on a cold winters’ day, then breathing these elements through my body and mind daily, was just the trick to get some old stuff moving.

If you are creating magic through ritual, you may like to enhance your sun symbol with other symbols or elements which are connected in some way, either traditionally or personally- for instance you may wish to use the symbol of a LION (Sun rules the astrological sign of LEO) or these natural substances were believed by the ancient magicians to be ruled by the sun- amber, hyacinth, topaz & chrysolite.

In ancient Egypt the Menet bird was a swallow Martin or swift. It appeared to be a ‘day greeting bird’ which announced the dawn and the sun’s approach- Some species of the birds built their nests in holes in the cliffs bordering the Nile- they emerge at dawn and return at sunset. You could use a similar approach if you didn’t wish to be too literal with your depiction of the sun, or if you wish to add more meaning to your sun symbol ie: depicting a bird with a sun disk behind it.

There are a huge array of symbols that have been used to depict the sun, from the ancient planetary sign of the sun , to eagles, winged or plumed serpents, the dragon of China. There are some lovely old glyphs from many different cultures. Go to Symbols.com if you are interested in taking a look. It’s a wonderful site full of so many signs, glyphs and symbols.

The sun has been worshiped and revered as ‘The heart of the Universe’ and ‘Destroyer of darkness’.

In many cultures the sun is associated with masculine energy, the complimentary other to the feminine qualities of the moon – The Yang to the moon’s Yin. Though in the Japanese tradition, for instance, the sun is a lady and a snake divinity Amaterasu’ she who possesses the great sun’.

The Egyptian sun god, Ra or Re was considered the creator of the world. God of birth and rebirth because he was reborn with the birth of each new day.

There is no visible thing, in the world, more worthy to serve as a symbol of God than the sun,
which illuminates with visible life, first itself,
then all the celestial and mundane bodies.- DANTE

The use of candles, oil burners and even good soft lighting can be powerful tools for transforming a person’s mood. By lighting candles in a conscious manner, we enhance the likelihood of moving from an agitated or unfocussed state to one of relaxation and focus.

Imagine the flame of the candle as a symbol for your soul. When you stare at the flame for a while, what thoughts go through your mind? Do you find yourself more connected to the sacred in life? Do you feel your daily life’s concerns slipping from your thoughts? Can this simple act become a part of your day?

It is the fifth day of Hanukkah -the Jewish Festival of Lights, and I thought I’d briefly look at the symbolism of the candle lighting in this festival.

One main aspect of the celebration is the lighting of a new candle every day for eight days, which relates back to a conflict between the Jewish people and the Greco-Romans in the second century B.C. As a consequence of the conflict, the sacred oil in the Jewish Temple of Jerusalem was defiled by the enemy. The eternal flame had only enough oil left to burn for one day but miraculously remained burning for eight days- just enough time in which to have some more sacred oil brought in.

An article written by Rabbi Yitzchak Ginsburgh which not only explains the origin of Hanukkah in depth but also goes on to discuss his views on Judaism and Science, which relates to the origins of the celebration of Hanukkah.