Favourite Symbols

[Toney]

Cardinal Henry Newman wrote that symbolism is the language of God.

My favourite is Ariadne's Thread, symbol of Divine Assistance.

In Minoan mythology, Ariadne's lover Theseus went into the labyrinth to slay the dreaded Minataur. Her thread allowed him to retrace his way out.

The labyrinth is a great symbol itself -- the Quest for the Holy Grail, mystical center of the universe. The route to the center where we slay our own beasts (demons) symbolizes the human condition and our participation in it, which should be everyone's journey, life's personal quest for meaning and indivuation; the spiritual route out completes the journey, Grail in hand, and symbolizes human participation in the Divine.

Animating these symbols, one could say that Jesus is the nonpareil Man of the Quest. He is our Lord and our thread.

 

[Anastasis]

My avatar - I don't know what it is about the Jerusalem cross that I love - and I don't know how the actual explaination about the symbology goes but I like how is a central cross with little crosses surrounding it and accenting it.
It's like Christ is the center and we should be like- always drawing the attention back to him at the center - now if someone wants to post the real explaination I'd appreciate it.

 

[Rechtgläubig]

My avatar - I don't know what it is about the Jerusalem cross that I love - and I don't know how the actual explaination about the symbology goes but I like how is a central cross with little crosses surrounding it and accenting it.
It's like Christ is the center and we should be like- always drawing the attention back to him at the center - now if someone wants to post the real explaination I'd appreciate it.

Take your pick...

This complex form is composed of a central cross made of four tau crosses representing the Old Testament law. The four smaller Greek crosses represent the fulfillment of the law in the gospel of Christ. Others have interpreted it to represent the missionary work of the church - spreading the gospel to the four corners of the earth. Still others have acknowledged the five crosses to represent the five wounds of Christ on the cross (hands, feet and side). The cross appeared on the coat-of-arms Godfrey of Bouillon, the first ruler of the Latin Kingdom of Jerusalem. It was embodied in the heraldry of the Crusaders.
http://home.att.net/~wegast/symbols/symbols.htm

 

[Treasure the Questions]

'scuse me, but "Rechtglaeubig" (sorry no umlaut) is not a very liberal name, is it?

Karin (who learnt German at her father's knee).

 

[Rechtgläubig]

'scuse me, but "Rechtglaeubig" (sorry no umlaut)

Well you can take it up with Prof. Deutschlander http://www.wls.wels.net/library/Essays/Authors/D/DeutschlanderWorterbuch/DeutschlanderWorterbuch.htm

I personally have never seen the word written without it. I assume that if it is not used anymore, it is because it has been dropped.

is not a very liberal name, is it?

Karin (who learnt German at her father's knee).

No it is not, and I am not, I only popped in to offer Anastasis the help she requested, and then now to offer this clarification.

 

[Treasure the Questions]

Well you can take it up with Prof. Deutschlander http://www.wls.wels.net/library/Essays/Authors/D/DeutschlanderWorterbuch/DeutschlanderWorterbuch.htm

I personally have never seen the word written without it. I assume that if it is not used anymore, it is because it has been dropped.

Ooops. Let's try again. Apologies, I have no umlaut. I wasn't questioning your spelling, but see how it might have come across as such. Mind you, I think they have made some major changes in their spellings in recent years. I think scharfes "S" might have gone out of favour, but I'd need to check.

Karin

 

[Rechtgläubig]

Ooops. Let's try again. Apologies, I have no umlaut. I wasn't questioning your spelling, but see how it might have come across as such. Mind you, I think they have made some major changes in their spellings in recent years. I think scharfes "S" might have gone out of favour, but I'd need to check.

Karin

Sorry for being off topic, I just wanted to come back once more and say that I did misunderstand you, sorry. Thanks for clarifying!

PAX