Re: Spirals Searles Fri Jul 31 12:07:24 1998 I'll post more about this at another time, but here is something from my book to consider regarding symbols among the Celts:*p*The Symbols of Brugh na Bóinne*p*Let us look at the symbolic way in which wisdom is communicated to us by the stones of the Brugh. Perhaps our levels of perception can be enhanced so that we may better listen to the message of the stones; sent to us across time and 5000 years? Let us listen to the speech of the stones! *p*According to modern physics, all of reality is composed of three things: expanding waveforms of energy, contracting waveforms of energy, and their interactions with one another as they flow through the same regions of space. Matter itself is just a description of the behavior of these waveforms as they interact, change direction or combine. Any slice or time bite we take of this situation will eventually resolve itself into circles within circles intersecting with circles. The extremes of these three aspects of reality are: *p*The Point, Infinity and The Void *p*It is within the connection that exists between the point source and the Infinite that Creation occurs and Reality itself begins. It is in the leap across the Void that countless waveforms interact to form matter and thought. The Void becomes the center of reality's existence and creation. The Point and the Infinite are its boundaries.*p*Other terms and symbols can also be used to describe such abstract terms as "The Point", "Infinity" and "The Void". The ancients were well aware of this need for symbols and symbolism. This need is the reason why we have numbers and alphabets today. The specific symbols (as defined by the ancient peoples of Ireland as well as by the Druids, their inheritors) are:*p* Symbols of the Brugh*p*The Sun : A Radiant Circle of Being*br*The Moon : A Cycling of Arcs*br*The Cosmos : The Elliptic Egg*br*The Gate of Light : The Cross*br*The Zig Zag of Lightning : The sharp Cut of Knowledge*br*The Portal of Fire : The Diamond*br*Making : Intersecting Crosses*br*Becoming : The spiral of Transition*br*The snake of Nine Waves : The Journey into the Unknown*br*Destiny of Life : A Hatched Field*p* (PCX pictures of the stone symbols here - BRUGH sYM.PCX)*br* *br*All of these symbols can be found chiseled upon the stones of the Brughs of the Ancient Gods of Ireland. They can also be found surrounding the shield of Fionn. A third place that they are found is within the "Crane Bag" of Manannan Mac Lir.*p*Here is a list of the most frequently occurring symbols among the brughs along the Boyne river (as found in the book, "The stones of Time" by Martin Brennan):*p*The Circle - 53% of stones*br*The Arc - 39%*br*The Cross - 34%*br*The snake - 28%*br*The spiral - 27%*br*The ZigZag - 25%*br*The Diamond - 22%*br*The Dot - 20%*br*The Ellipse - 17%*p*These symbols are the elements of the Megalithic alphabet. They are the language of the Earth, sky, sun, Moon, Planets and the stars. They are the expression of the First People's connection between the self, the Gods and the Cosmos. *p*Let's look at what each of the symbols represents. I'll give their modern meanings first, next I will give their Ogham/Druidic meaning (if any) and then their Astronomical connections (if possible). Once we have a broad based understanding and knowledge of the symbolic meanings, we will have a better chance of determining the message they are sending to us.*p*The Circle - sacred space - (The Great Serpent) - the Zodiac. The Circle is also a symbol of the Sun, Moon and the planets, as well as the self.*p*The Arc - The Yoni - (The Entrance of the Temple)- the Milky Way. This is also a symbol of the cycles of the Moon as well as the receptive nature of the Divine Feminine.*p*The Cross - Creative Power - (Eadha-Life from Death) - The Sun. Since ancient times the Sun has been represented by a wheel, a circle surrounding a cross. The goddess Brighid is symbolized by a cross as well (due to her associations with fire, the sacred Center and new beginnings).*p*The Snake - Power Flows - (The Dragon-The Power within the Land) - The Path of the Moon as it affects the Earth (cycles/waves). The "ley lines" that cross the grids. The ocean itself was said to be surrounded by the star serpent, (named serpens or sir). Is it not the Goddess of Wisdom, Brighid, that charms the snakes and is the "daughter of Ibor"?*p*The Spiral - Sacred Dance - (Uileand-Ancient Wisdom- samhain) - The Galaxies. The spiral is a symbol of connection between sacred spaces. It is a whirlpool when in the sea. It describes the pathways of the Sun, Moon, Planets and Stars when they travel the sky. It is the symbol most often associated with transition.*p*The ZigZag - Lightning - (The Mark of the Oak) - Dawning-Days-Months-Years (cycles). The zigzag is a symbol of decisive change, such as the stroke of a sword or the rays of the Sun above the horizon at sunrise. I sometimes wonder if the sword of Light was first used to separate the day from the night lair of the star serpent.*p*The Diamond - Earth Mother/ sky Father (Eye of Fire) - (Oir- spindle-Bealtaine) -Gaps in space (Dark spots, the Void). The Diamond is formed from the combination of two triangles, one pointing down and the other pointing upwards. This symbol is sometimes called the "Eye of Bel" or the "Mouth of Fire".*p*The Dot - The spark of Creation - (Beith-Birch-Inception-Lifeforce) - Big Bang Theory. The dot is the fundamental beginning of Creation. It is the point and the center. It is the smallest of Circles. It is the opposite of the "void".*p*The Ellipse - Cosmic Egg-Creator - ( serpent's Egg) - The Orbits of the Planets. The Druids themselves were famed for believing that Creation came from an egg. The egg is nature's miracle of packaging. It is the seed of life.*p*Most of these symbols are not found alone. They are found in interconnected groupings that flow with consciousness. They are phrases in a song, a symphony of concepts that connect our psyches to the Universe. I am reminded of the painting by Vincent Van Gogh, " starry, starry Night", when I look at the entrance stone to Newgrange. Where else is the swirling, spiraling nature of our existence captured than in these two works? The interaction between the walls of the Brugh and the Light of the Sun connects the stone symbols in a sacred Dance of Life.*br*This concludes the first part of this work on Ogham Divination. A basis has been established for the use of Ogham in divination. The fundamental concepts of the self and the Cosmos have been identified and described. The symbolic "star speech" of the Brughs has been introduced and presented. *p*Searles*p*Taliesin_2 wrote,*br*: I admit I may be missing a large chunk of essential *br*: information , but I don't understand entirely why Spirals *br*: are sacred to the Druids & the Celts. I know from reading *br*: one of Philip Carr-Gomm's books that it represents the wheel *br*: of life. But that is a generalization in his one book. I am *br*: seeking a deeper understanding of the symbol as well as the *br*: reasons why. I also have have the Mathews' Encyclopaedia of *br*: Celtic Wisdom. If there is a reference as to why its is *br*: sacred in there I ask that you direct to the section in the *br*: book. Thanks!*br* Spirals Taliesin_2 112 Tue Jul 28 17:00:30 1998