Wednesday, July 18, 2012

The Unicorn


Unicorns symbolize innocence, purity of heart and primal perfection. Where unicorns played, the land was said to be in eternal springtime. The creature's horn was believed to have vast magickal power including the ability to negate poisons. This powerful totem helps to bring peace, gentleness, courage, inner wisdom and healing.
To many, it means power, purification, healing, wisdom, self-knowledge, renewal and eternal life. In the 4th century BC, Greek historian Ctesias told about a wild animal with healing powers and a spiral horn on its forehead. Medieval myths suggested it could only be caught with help from a virgin who would befriend it.

The unicorn has traditionally appeared as a Symbol of chastity and also an emblem of the word of God. Legend has it that the creature is tireless when pursued, yet falls meekly to the ground when approached by a virgin. It is reputed to live for a thousand years and to be the noblest of animals.

The unicorn is a legendary animal from European folklore that resembles a white horse with a large, pointed, spiraling horn projecting from its forehead, and sometimes a goat's beard and cloven hooves. First mentioned by the ancient Greeks but are not found in Greek mythology, but rather in accounts of natural history, for Greek writers of natural history were convinced of the reality of the unicorn, which they located in India, a distant and fabulous realm for them.

It became the most important imaginary animal of the middle Ages and Renaissance when it was commonly described as an extremely wild woodland creature, a symbol of purity and grace, which could only be captured by a virgin. In the encyclopedias its horn was said to have the power to render poisoned water potable and to heal sickness. Until the 19th century, belief in unicorns was widespread among historians, alchemists, writers, poets, naturalists, physicians, and theologians.


The unicorn is a very positive and affirming symbol, showcasing the best of love, strength, and purity. Unicorns have always been associated with good in nearly all cultures. Perhaps there is power to this symbol.


Lambda



One symbol which continues to remain popular is the lower case Greek letter lambda.

The symbol was originally chosen by the Gay Activists Alliance of New York in 1970. The GAA was a group which broke away from the larger Gay Liberation Front at the end of 1969, only six months after it's foundation in response to the Stonewall Riots.

While the GLF wanted to work side by side with the black and women's liberation movements to gain unity and acceptance, the GAA wanted to focus their efforts more concisely on only Gay and Lesbian issues.

Because of its official adoption by the GAA, which sponsored public events for the gay community, the lambda soon became a quick way for the members of the gay community to identify each other. The reasoning was that the lambda would easily be mistaken for a college fraternity symbol and ignored by the majority of the population.

Eventually though, the GAA headquarters was torched by an arsonist, destroying not only the building but all of the organization's records, and the movement never recovered from the loss. The symbol, however, lived on.

Whatever the lambda meant or means today, it's everywhere. Even though at one time it acquired a strictly male connotation, it is used by both gays and lesbians today. Back in December of 1974, the lambda was officially declared the international symbol for gay and lesbian rights by the International Gay Rights Congress in Edinburgh, Scotland.

The lowercase Greek letter lambda carries several meanings. First of all, it represents scales, and thus balance. The Greeks considered balance to be the constant adjustment necessary to keep opposing forces from overcoming each other. The hook at the bottom of the right leg of the lambda represents the action required to reach and maintain a balance.

To the Spartans, the lambda meant unity. They felt that society should never infringe on anyone's individuality and freedom. The Romans adopted the letter to represent "the light of knowledge shed into the darkness of ignorance." Finally, in physics the symbol designates and energy change.

Thus the lambda, with all its meanings, is an especially apt symbol for the gay liberation movement, which energetically seeks a balance in society and which strives through enlightenment to secure equal rights for homosexual people.






Tuesday, July 10, 2012

The Chalice




The chalice or cup is a symbol of the element of water, a feminine element representing intuition, gestation, psychic ability, the subconscious, and the emotions. In ritual use, it can hold wine or other libations, or salt water. It is often used for scrying.
Many beautiful chalices were created for Eucharistic use in Celtic churches, and remain some of the finest examples of such work in the world. Eventually, the cauldron and chalice of Christ merged into one symbol, and became synonymous with the mythical Holy Grail.

Cauldron





The cauldron is symbolic of the Womb of the Goddess, source of all life and re-birth, creativity, inspiration, and knowledge.

Cauldrons are associated with the Element of Water and are commonly used for scrying and psychic divination. The cauldron is seen as a traditional tool of witchcraft.

The cauldron is a Female Symbol - The symbol of the Goddess and corresponds to the element of Water they are are commonly used for scrying and psychic divination.

The 3 Legs reflect the Maiden, Mother, and Crone aspects of the Goddess. It is used in ritual as a container in which magickal transformations can occur and is often a focal point of a ritual.

During spring rites, it can be filled with water and fresh flower petals and in winter, fires can be lighted within the cauldron to symbolize the rebirth of the Sun.

Friday, June 22, 2012

Unicursal Hexagram

The unicursal hexagram is a hexagram or six-pointed star that can be traced or drawn unicursally, in one continuous line rather than by two overlaid triangles. The unicursal hexagram is used to express a high level of self-confidence and belief that one can achieve the highest of goals and become a divine figure. The symbol was devised by the Golden Dawn, and later adapted by Aleister Crowley as a device of personal significance.

The unicursal hexagram, allocates the sun to the upper point, the moon to the bottom and the four elements to those remaining.

The unicursal hexagram is symbolic of the divine union between man and his god or gods. The triangles are also often used to represent opposites such as fire and water or male and female, so the unifying of the symbol into one represents the union of opposites.

Our Sterling Silver Unicursal Hexagram

The Dryad

The Dryads are female spirits of nature who preside over the groves and forests. Each one is born with a certain tree over which she watches - she comes into existence with it and often lives in a tree. Dryad females are very pretty, but not stunningly beautiful; they are very slight in build, appearing child-like sometimes even when they are very old. Indefinite in life spans, they are very long lived, but also tend to not keep track of the years.

The lives of the Dryads are critically connected with that of their trees; should the tree perish, then she dies with it. If this is caused by a mortal, the gods will surely punish him for that deed. The Dryads themselves will also punish any thoughtless mortal who would somehow foolishly or cruelly injure the trees. Wherever there are large wooded areas it is likely that there are Dryads.

Our Dryad Pendant

Spiral

The spiral is probably the oldest known symbol of human spirituality. The spiral has been in rock carvings thousands of years old, on every continent in the world and found on many tombs. The religious significance can only be guessed at, and almost certainly has a connection with the sun, which traces a spiral shape every three months in its travels. Spirals have been a primary Goddess symbols since the late Paleolithic era, as a sign of Life. As such, it is also one of the primary Wicca symbols.

The Spiral symbolizes the continuity of life and spiritual growth. It is the constant flow of nature’s processes going outward than back inward as Heaven and Earth are joined.

The Spiral is one of the most common natural shapes, seen in nature from galaxies to sea shells to the pattern of a falcon's dive.

Our Spiral Pendant