I am currently in a painting workshop creating a visible meditative portal to receive insights from my “higher mind”. The craft is done after blessing the materials and receiving invocations.
Normally I eschew such things ‘cause I dread being lead by another’s words – knowing at some point the then-moderator will lead us to open an inner door to ourselves – and I usually get clear visuals (and textures) which shift and change my reality. I like to take my time with this “waking up” stuff!
As part of the portal creation, we were invited to paint symbols. Symbols, for me, are strokes created by another’s genius depicting sensations I want to reproduce for myself. Since my portal serves my “highest and greatest good for all beings including me down to my tiptoes”, I want it to be uplifting – especially if I’m going to see it in my house.
The moderator didn’t invoke anything so like this – her invocations’ have been more nebulous –not to one’s higher self – but mostly to the muses.
She neither named nor honored G-ddess, or Him, directly. She then flashed several slides with examples of symbols that we might choose to use.
The first pages were with zodiac, then Greek alphabet followed by a few more of more recent symbols like Prince’s personal unspeakable symbol.
Then there were, to my mind, a couple of pages of darker ones – complex and jagged with heavy lines, including the swastika. There were no other alphabets. Some had strong angry shapes.
It was surprising to see the swastika – usually I’d be quite triggered; these days I’m more witnessing than curious about why the moderator would choose to include on the page.
I see the swastika rarely but when I do, there’s always a little jolt. The last time I saw it recently was kitchen tile’s background pattern(!)
While there is a traditional sun sign symbol of swastika – there are many more beautiful ways to depict Sun’s vibrant energy. The one on her page was the one used in this generation’s history – not the traditional one.[1]
Even when depicted traditionally – it is as if Sun’s energy is always bound to the other ones, rather than beaming for itself in its surroundings.
Symbols are also like block prints of another setting- symbolic but puny of context or reality.
It is easy to tell if a symbol is ‘healthy’ or not, if the symbol has harsh or distorted angles – as if reminiscent of death’s helter-skelter nature, or is very harsh and forceful (which many were in my example), that one’s not for you to help your psyche grow stronger. A heavy symbol won’t help you be light as you skillfully address life’s tests and challenges as Aikido master.
So it might be best to stick to the traditional- unless you’re in a sacred space.
Some symbols, like spirals are helpful to remind there’s constant growth and flowing; others like circle and cross, or circle with dot, help one be grounded and centered.
While boxes (and any angle less than 90 degrees) are constricting and formative, including shapes of computer screens, arrows and splitting growth- support a sense of lofty increase and expansion.
Imagine the power of hanging someone off a cross all the time. The epitome of helpless. (Boggles my mind – how we glorify a spectacle of death from being overpowered and wonder why folks aren’t happier?!
If I were K’ing, as a wished for sovereign entity uniting disparity, I wouldn’t permit it! A true K’ing wields the energy of Kaph (palm of G-d’s hand), (I)is of Yod/Vau (Hand and Nail of G-d- and a template of fidelity), Nun (defined entity with its crown), and Mem/Gimel (so is a bearer of blessings with reciprocity).
Just kidding, let everyone have their free will even if it enslaves them. With Kaph leading left to right, from man’s left-brained world, the king is bearer of opportunity for blessings.
The more you see of any symbol- even as shape or outline – the more it imprints upon you subconsciously.
As words and their utterance are symbolic, verbalizing aloud creates an energetic lemniscus in the corpus of one’s being.
Blessings!
Just thought I’d get that off my chest.
Mashallah Habibi!!!
[1] Traditionally, throughout Asia and in religious tradition, the swastika was painted with four bent arms – curved to the left and as ‘stars’, were linked. The modern one switched this – with arms to the right and singular.
