Uniting images, symbols and metaphors of the Numinous for the Nuclear Electronic Age
Since we are no longer in the Stone Age, which was dominated by images of what we might call nature spirits, or animism, and we are no longer in the Bronze Age, which was dominated by images of anthropomorphic gods and goddesses (polytheism), and since we are no longer in the Iron Age, which was dominated by images of one God of Gods or single supreme God (monotheism), but are in the Nuclear Electronic Age, what images, symbols and metaphors call us, to unite us in our understanding of and relationship to the Numinous?
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Anand Krishna on -
Thanks for initiating this very important discussion. In my opinion, the rightful symbol would be that of "understanding" ITSELF - one may also refer to it as "awareness" - it is the understanding of the nature of things, which can unite us.
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Permalink Reply by natbas on -
I'd suggest this image of LHC (Large Hadron Collider):
http://www.nature.com/milestones/milespin/images/milespin13-i1.jpg"/>
It might look odd that I suggest a symbol of technology whereas the discussion starts off with the question: "...what images, symbols and metaphors call us, to unite us in our understanding of and relationship to the Numinous?"
But let's see what LHC is intended to do:
"Physicists hope that the LHC will help answer the most fundamental questions in physics, questions concerning the basic laws governing the interactions and forces among the elementary objects, the deep structure of space and time, especially regarding the intersection of quantum mechanics and general relativity, where current theories and knowledge are unclear or break down altogether. "- Wikipedia
I like the part where it says, "... where current theories and knowledge are unclear or break down altogether". This is where we are right now, right?
And how does it work?- "The collider tunnel contains two adjacent parallel beam pipes that intersect at four points, each containing a proton beam, which travel in opposite directions around the ring."
I like the idea of working with polarities/ contradictions/ from which the true state of affairs emerge. We are not to run away from conflict, but make use of them- focus properly, find a constructive use of it.
And the image is beautiful, too.
That is why I suggest this image/ metaphor. And may be, my suggestion reveals more about me than the nature of reality!
Regards... -
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Permalink Reply by Scott Boehm "Bornavag" on
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From my understanding only things of great importance were set in art/images in the past. This was primarily due to the amount of effort that was to be put into the project. Following this line of thinking the most important things of a given culture can be found in their art that has survived the ages.
In our modern culture, at least here in the USA, we are bombarded with every type of image conceivable. Most of these will fail to last the tests of time. Once again the images that would be most important will likely be the ones that the most amount of time is spent creating.
The things that would fall under this from my observations are things meant to honor and help us remember our past and those who have come before us. This will even include city sky lines as cities grow and change with time. New York City was changed forever in 2001, not just because so many people died but if you listen close to news stories people were also talking about the difference in the sky line that the absence of the buildings left. As sad it it might be our modern culture is defining itself by monuments and groups of buildings. -
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Permalink Reply by natbas on
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I agree that the twin towers could be a potent metaphor of our violent age- not only for New Yorkers whose life changed for ever with the twin strikes, but for all of us. But why rest with it? A collage with images of the Holocaust, Hiroshima, debris of suicide attacks, destruction in west bank and the millions killed in the name of Communism in China and Russia -they all should as well find a place with the twin towers.
But could these images replace polytheistic and monotheistic images? I Don't know. But the terrible aspect of this strange, violent, man-eating, dogma-wired God might well "unite us in our understanding of and relationship to the Numinous" -
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Permalink Reply by Andrew D. Whitmont on -
Images of the numinous means representations of the infinite divine. Verbally, this has been called "God", "Allah", "Jehovah", Odin, Thor, Krishna, Rama, Shiva, Ra, Isis, Osiris, Zeus, Athena, Juno, Wahantanka, Jiva, etc. etc. Visually, the Man with the long white beard, Christ on the cross or as a baby, Multi-limbed anthropomorphic beings with blue skin, angels, halos, devils, demons, Spirit animals such as the raven, buffalo, spider, eagle.
In this time we are looking at "The Mystery", The Source, The All, The One Being, The Self, The Higher Self, The Void, The Tao, and so on. How do we represent this? How do we communicate to those for whom The Mystery is too formless? How do we clarify that the other images from prior ages are special cases of the unifying image to which we are now referring?
Can that be done? Must it be imageless? Is it possible to represent, to symbolize, to mythify? Or are we doomed to truncate the infinite whenever any image, word, symbol or representation is specified? -
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Permalink Reply by Anand Krishna on
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@Andrew i understand your point... I have no answer as yet, but i would like to share a picture with you. I am sure you are familiar with Linga and Yoni representation. About 500 years ago, the dying Majapahit dynasty developed this symbol and installed it in a temple complex hurriedly near the city of Surakarta in Central java.
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Permalink Reply by Rev. Douglas Walker on -
It appears to me each of these ages in the development of collective humanity follows the developmental pattern of the rise of energy through the human Chakra system.
The Stone age produced religions and spirituality centered in nature and the basic animal instinct for survival. The Bronze Age religions and spirituality centered around the fertility and fecundity of life and the interaction of masculine and feminine archetypes (second Chakra). The Iron ages focus on monotheism brings us clearly into the third chakra with the emergence of the power religions and spirituality. These were centered in the Personal and Divine power with Christian and Moslem emphasis on belief (a mental activity) in an all powerful and judging God and the Buddhist belief in personal power to free oneself from suffering and Samara through following the Noble Eightfold Path.
It appears to me that each of the ages also created social, political, and economic systems that arose as an expression of the core values, core purpose, and process of the chakra it was living from.
I prefer to list the four ages as:
1. Age of Survival
2. Age of Fertility
3. Age of Power
4. Age of Regeneration
Each of these ages transcend but includes the values generated in the previous ones by achieving higher levels of ordering and organizing living systems through accessing higher order (more refined) energies.
If this model is correct then understanding of the chakras will give us insight into what humanity is trying to open to in this coming Age. The values of the Fourth Chakra are love, care, compassion, healing, relatedness, balance, community, wholeness, and regeneration. It's aim is to synthesize all disparate parts within the energy field or circle of the heart in order to unstick and heal a broken system, returning it to wholeness. The Sanskrit name for this Chakra, Anahata, has been translated as unstuck or unhurt .
As I look to the future I see that the only thing that will solve the enormous problems of life on planet earth is the the collective access of the unstuck and unhurt heart of humanity. The unfolding of this new energy within humanity must and will regenerate all of the systems and social structures of humanity. Our safety and the world's survival depends on the rapid shift in consciousness toward the values generated by the Heart Chakra. These value of the Heart Chakra will generate the actions of interrelatedness, synergistic interaction, cooperation, creativity, mutuality, compassionate engagement, spatial entitlement for all life forms, regeneration of Ecosystems, sharing of resources, social justice, universal equality and human rights. What is called for is a Spiritual renewal that is capable of drawing from all the wisdom teachings of the world and healing the earth and humanity, uniting us in our common understanding and an experience of the Numinous. -
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Permalink Reply by Andrew D. Whitmont on
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Quite right. I think the Buddhist orientation, however is sixth chakra, not third. Nonetheless, the uniting around the heart chakra is essential. I think the symbolism through which this can occur is that of oneness; that we are all each other; one being appearing to be many; that we must realize that whatever is done to any one, or to the planet, is done to all, is done to the self. Our motivation to move toward compassion and inter-related harmony will come from seeing that truth; that what we do to each other and to the world is what we do to ourself, because there is only one of us.
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Permalink Reply by Anand Krishna on
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@Andrew, intrstg indeed. I translate the indonesian national motto "bhinneka tunggal ika" as 'appearing as many, essentially one' (group: one earth one sky one humankind).
Gita speaks of Gyaani Bhakta or. Wise n Compassionate (intelligence n heart) love always -
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Permalink Reply by Rev. Douglas Walker on
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By my way of thinking each of the ages we are talking about color or flavor all of the activities in that era. This means that the developments from both the higher and lower centers in every age will carry the overall influence of the age . So for instance Buddha Dharma as a Sixth Chakra unfoldment working in a Third Chakra Era would work on personal empowerment while Buddha Dharma working within a Fourth Chakra Era might be Systemic empowerment and Oneness (working on unity). Having said that, this is only a thinking tool or model for helping us understand and not reality. As the Buddhist say, "the finger pointing at the Moon, not the Moon".
I agree with you and your view of the One and the many and Oneness. Oneness is the great realization of the awakened Heart which draws the circle of love large enough to include All. In such an awakening one is initiated into a new paradigm for living. To receive All as a Blessing and to be a Living Blessing to All becomes the heart song and core value of the awakened heart.
Without the heart being awakened Oneness is only a concept. Each awakened heart is like a candle form which the candle of each unawakened heart is lit . This is our role - to let the light of our love so shine that those around us fine their heart kindled by that love and their heart fully awakened. The awakened heart naturally fines the wisdom of Oneness.
My belief and hope is that the overall energy present in each era of human development is a natural response aimed at managing the new hazards that arise as human life and culture develops. The last era's response was the opening of the Power Centers of collective humanity in order manage the hazard that arose as a result of the previous era.
We are now discovering that all our use of power can't produce human safety and happiness. Our current social structures of Power Economics, Power Politics, Power Military, and Power Religions have and will continue to fail to produce safety and happiness for collective humanity. I believe that as a natural result of this failure, humanity is naturally opening to the higher order energy of the Collective Heart Center. This will continue to escalate as we progress further into this new era and the heart of humanity awakens to the Inherent Oneness of all that is.
My hope and prayer is that this great opening will access the wisdom of all Religions and together we can and will produce a Spatial Entitlement for all people and all life forms, and heal our the Earth, water, and air. For we are indeed all One and our healing and well-being depends on the healing and well-being of All.
Blessings - Doug -
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Permalink Reply by innerpeace on
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Where is the human element in this symbol? Has it become so easy to allow technology to determine our totems of the 21st century? Where are symbols of life? Peace? Overstanding the nature of man to create his world to fit his own image, what happens to women and their image of self in this symbolism? All must be clear that all must be at this table for a new manifestation to come to pass and heaven on earth to come to be.
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Permalink Reply by Anand Krishna on
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More Human, InnerPeace..... I agree with you....
Love n blsgs
innerpeace said:Where is the human element in this symbol? Has it become so easy to allow technology to determine our totems of the 21st century? Where are symbols of life? Peace? Overstanding the nature of man to create his world to fit his own image, what happens to women and their image of self in this symbolism? All must be clear that all must be at this table for a new manifestation to come to pass and heaven on earth to come to be. -
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