Short Thoughts…
Black: The Color of Saturn
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Chronos
At some point, I was struck by the similarities between paintings of Chronos (Father Time) clipping the wings of Cupid and the symbolism of a child sitting on Santa's lap. Figures like Father Time are commonly linked to the planet Saturn. As you may already know, The Ringed Planet and various aspects of the Christmas tradition have long been bonded together.
Saturnian figures are sometimes depicted consuming their own offspring as well, a motif found in the Greek myth of Cronus, who feared being overthrown by his children. In alchemical illustrations, Saturn can be seen cutting off the legs of Mercury, a scene layered with meaning.
Saturn and deities under its influence are commonly linked with consuming the energy of the young and youthful. Consider the significance, or lack thereof, the next time you see a child sitting on Santa's lap.
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Capricorn
Generally, we imagine Capricorn with the upper body of a goat and the lower body of a fish but did you know that the Sea Goat was sometimes depicted nestled inside of a seashell? Even when portrayed within a seashell, the Sea Goat's lower half keeps its aquatic essence.
You may have noticed that Capricorn is often depicted with a distinctive curl in its tail. When inside a seashell, this curling or spiral effect is brilliantly retained with the design of the shell itself.
#capricorn
Capricorn Mythology
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Sagittarius
Here’s Johfra Bosschart’s interpretation of Sagittarius. The Archer aims his arrow towards the heavens, a customary pose for this zodiac sign. His left arm is adorned with the skin of the she-goat Almathea, the foster-mother of Zeus. Her skin would later be transformed into the protective shield known as the aegis.
Speaking of The King of Gods, you can see him lighting the tip of the arrow with a bolt of lightning from his hand. Next to him is an eagle, a creature traditionally associated with Zeus and other deities related to Jupiter.
As with all Johfra Bosschart pieces there are a number of other details and layers worth exploring that are beyond the scope of this post.
#sagittarius
It’s interesting to see how different cultures from around the world depicted the signs of the zodiac. As an example, older versions of The Archer can sometimes appear as a hybrid of several animals fused together. In the Middle East Sagittarius was sometimes illustrated with a creatures head attached to its tail. This head is sometimes staring back at The Archer who points at it with their bow and arrow. Symbolically, I see this as slaying your inner demons, shown here as your lowest nature literally facing you. All of this fits nicely with the underlying concept that the true aim of Sagittarius isn’t directed outwardly, but within oneself.
#sagittarius
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Leo
Leo is bonded to Virgo, The Queen of Heaven. It’s not surprising then that there’s countless myths and works of art where a mighty lion assists a young maiden or virgin.
Queens and goddesses throughout history have acknowledged this relationship and have used lions as a totem animal to decorate their thrones. Here’s a gallery of five such examples.
Also, it’s worth noting that symbolically the queen’s throne has been referred to as a bridal chair. Bridal symbolism largely overlaps with themes and traditions attached to Virgo with marriage indicating a definitive end to their virginity.
#Leo
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Narasimha (‘man-lion’) is the 4th avatar of Vishnu. He incarnates as a half man, half lion in order to slay the demonic father of one of his devotees. In order to do so he bursts forth from a pillar in a surprise attack.
He defeats his enemy by disemboweling them with his nails and is sometimes shown eating his entrails. Narasimha is closely associated with time and in the form of Yoga-Narasimha is referred to as the God of Yoga.
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The Bow & Arrow
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Scorpio
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The Abrahamic Religions & The Signs of Spring
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Womans Reproductive System
A woman’s reproductive system strongly resembles the head of a bull or cow. This is fitting for a number of reasons. First off, Taurus is ruled by Venus & as the saying goes “Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus”
Venus is deeply feminine & is strongly related to fertility as well. The “V” of Venus also aligns w/ the vagina both in shape & as its first letter. The letter “V” also resembles roman number 5 which aligns w/ The Hierophant card, the major arcana correspondence w/ Taurus.
The connections are many & multiples posts could be written about the meaning behind this relationship. Images 2-4 are x-rays of the reproductive system which highlights this relationship even further.
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What Is Northern Symbolism? True North EP. 1
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Chaos & The Temple Of The Muses
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Lions, Serpents & Dragons
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Solar Symbolism
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Musings on The Moon Card
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Lunar Symbolism
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The Motionless Chariot
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Leda & The Swan
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The Great Twins of Babylon
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Symbolic Analysis
Kendrick Lamar’s “Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers” Album Cover
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Traditions with Bull & Cow Symbolism
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The Four Seasonal Symbols
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The Two M’s of Astrology & The Hebrew Letter Mem
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How did the Bulldog get its name?
It came from bull-baiting, a blood sport that was popular in England from the 12th to the 19th century. The cruel practice involved tethering a bull to a stake and then setting loose dogs upon the animal to attack it.
The aim of bull-baiting was to train the dogs while also testing their strength and ferocity. Specific breeds were chosen and groomed for the task which is how the Bulldog, Bull Terrier and the Bullenbeisser ultimately got their names.
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Did the shape of the letter T evolve from the classic Taurus symbol?
I have my own thoughts but that's the claim according to William Olcott in his 1911 book Star Lore of All Ages. Here you can see the supposed progression of the letter T which, in this example at least, is said to derive from the Taurus glyph. The origins of the first sigil are unknown but it’s referenced as an “ancient hieroglyph” of the sign of The Bull. Notice that the 4th letter, the Greek tau, shares a relationship with the name Taurus as well. And speaking of tau, it’s worth mentioning that there’s also an interesting correspondence with the Tau Cross and the Taurus constellation. Lastly, there’s also an understanding that the letter T developed from the Phoenician Taw which looks like an X or a cross. Consider these insights food for thought!
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