Magic Arises in Mindlessness
Posted on Nov 23rd, 2007
by 
C.G.
C.G.
Amazing what magic, mystery, and wisdom may surface from our minds in an unguarded moment. In our mindlessness, we manifest things that in turn mold us, make us, and lead us where what mind knows?
It is the old chicken and the egg quandary. Did we call it forth from the unmanifest, or did it call us? So that we could in turn call it....co-creation?
Zaadster, Alex Chua recently asked me for more information about this symbol, found in my novel, Sacred Vow. His question forced me to confront my indolence on what I knew was a bit of work that remained for me concerning this symbol.
I was taking a class in clay with my wife, which I found I was not very inclined to. We were etching stamps to fire and use in the decoration of pottery. Absentmindedly, I carved this symbol, upside down from the way it is displayed above.
When I first looked at it (upside down) I was unmoved. My wife asked curiously, "what is that?"
"Nothing," I replied, being able to make no sense of why I created it.
But for some reason, I began to turn the misshapen circle of clay clockwise. The moment I had turned it 180 degrees, I was struck with an intense familiarity. “But this is definitely something!" I said, automatically.
Still I did not know what it was, only that the symbol was important.
I fired the stamp and kept it, feeling some power in the symbol, but never having any idea why it was important to me. As displayed above, it seemed to me to imply fire rising from the eye…mystic fire rising from the third eye.
Sometime later, when the story of Sacred Vow flowed through me like an awakened memory, the symbol became evident as the true name of the Sisterhood of Crones (which is really only a description of their order, their name being something beyond words).
I still cannot consciously say what the symbol means, but am certain of the connection I feel with it.....equally certain of its power and importance to me.
Have you seen this symbol before? Do you know what it is?
What is your reaction to it?
It is the old chicken and the egg quandary. Did we call it forth from the unmanifest, or did it call us? So that we could in turn call it....co-creation?
Crone symbol
Zaadster, Alex Chua recently asked me for more information about this symbol, found in my novel, Sacred Vow. His question forced me to confront my indolence on what I knew was a bit of work that remained for me concerning this symbol.
I was taking a class in clay with my wife, which I found I was not very inclined to. We were etching stamps to fire and use in the decoration of pottery. Absentmindedly, I carved this symbol, upside down from the way it is displayed above.
When I first looked at it (upside down) I was unmoved. My wife asked curiously, "what is that?"
"Nothing," I replied, being able to make no sense of why I created it.
But for some reason, I began to turn the misshapen circle of clay clockwise. The moment I had turned it 180 degrees, I was struck with an intense familiarity. “But this is definitely something!" I said, automatically.
Still I did not know what it was, only that the symbol was important.
I fired the stamp and kept it, feeling some power in the symbol, but never having any idea why it was important to me. As displayed above, it seemed to me to imply fire rising from the eye…mystic fire rising from the third eye.
Sometime later, when the story of Sacred Vow flowed through me like an awakened memory, the symbol became evident as the true name of the Sisterhood of Crones (which is really only a description of their order, their name being something beyond words).
I still cannot consciously say what the symbol means, but am certain of the connection I feel with it.....equally certain of its power and importance to me.
Have you seen this symbol before? Do you know what it is?
What is your reaction to it?
Access: Public
archetype
July 2008
CG,
I don't even remember seeing it in the book but your interpretation - fire rising from the third eye - I like. It does feel “familiar” to me but I can't say why. Of course, you feel familiar to me, as you already know.
Anyway, I like crones, how can I not,? I am one.
Deborah
I see a river merging into the ocean symbolic of every one of us merging into the ONE centre wisdom eye or spirit.
Thanks for sharing.
Deborah…as you are to me.
Crones and crone wisdom are very significant to me…..or rather a very balanced yin/yang energy which is to me the nature of Crones.
thanks, dear one…
It's beautiful.
I don't know what it means, but when I look at it, it reminds me of the Om symbol…
And you know, if the three top strokes were combined, they'd be the bottom portion that looks like any eye.
So maybe, just maybe it symbolizes coming together, blending…and oneness =)
Mila….I can see what you're saying.
I think there is something signifcant (for me) in the fact that we have seen the image to represent both rising and merging. To me a truth or image is not complete unless it possesses the pairs of opposites—well, actually, being complete, it is neither one or the other, but such things often present themselves in the appearance of opposites (the most familiar language of this world). It's the same with the Tai Chi or Yin/Yang symbol.
Thank you for pointing the merging aspect out, Mila.
blessings….
ooh, Ariela….that gave me a rush…”symbolizes coming together, blending…and oneness”
Now that would be just perfect that it should be a part of the Sacred Vow story…since the Crones were traditionally the executors of the process that brought the two “most bonded” “together (blending)” across dimesions, to realize their oneness, thereby initiate the healing of the rift in the Collective Consciousness.
Thank you, thank you!
Have a wonderful weekend…..
Oooh oooh, looking at it again, I can see what Mila is seeing…it Does look like a river…it also looks like fire on the right and air/ethers on the left.
This is weird…because my thoughts today are strongly on, as I've been told and how I've always felt…that I play the “glue” that bonds/binds.
Crones, 'ey? Hmm… =)
I guess they're my kind of people, lol ;-)
The eye is not closed, but always open. To me it symbolises opening our eyes to the wisdom, life / love / passion, contained in all that is.( Crones a much neglected source of wisdom in our present day society.)
Yes, all seeing and always open…..
Agreed, Crone wisdom (feminine/yin wisdom) has been ignored for too long. But I feel that the power/magic is rising…or maybe it's just that the contrary “magic” has about proven itself as not being a viable solution. Yin did not have to actively rise, but wisely wait until Yang folly caused itself to fall.
A fool who persists in his folly will become wise.–William Blake
Oh my! An ancient symbol? I would like to try and decipher it too but all I can
see is the womb. You know, the symbol of creation, fertility and all that good
stuff, girl power, maiden, mother, crone…. I know. I know. …off the mark but thanks
for letting me try.
Amy:-)
CG, This poem came to me on Tuesday, and it often happens that meaning becomes apparent after a poem is written, I feel it may be pertinent to your symbol. Reading what you said of yang folly I had a strong feeling that neither yin nor yang should be dominant - but balanced and complementing each other. I am only feeling my way here, and place the poem here as a contribution, many heads are better than one, or rather all heads as one. Smiles.
A Bubble
of thought arises
searches complexity
in spheres of knowledge
chaos flirts with order
circles to a deep pool
of contemplation
elactrons seek links
to a eureka moment
enter the ether
the heavens above
reflected within
exquisite sensitivity
yin and yang coalesce
in grey matter
give access to primal truth,
find genius
proximal to divine -
bubbles roll down the years
to infinity.
Goddess…I don't think you are off the mark at all. I had not thought of it before, but that makes perfect sense as well.
As the story came to me, I “interacted” with women of the Sisterhood of Crones that were what we would generally identify as being in both the crone and the mother stage of their lives. Though the scope of Sacred Vow does not include any of the order in their chronological maiden aspect, I don't know why because I know that Katerina had been active in the order since early in her life.
Thank you for bringing that up, Goddess. That has my intuitive 'scanning' for I know not what…but it obviously connected with something on your comments…
Whatever it is…it resonates beautifully here…and I see an eye in there with an arched brow.
:)
love you!
Aley
Zephyr…isn't that the way…something comes to us and (I–used to) wonder, “hello. Who are you and what have you come for?” Now days I know that such a thing heralds an event or another arising and this new visitor will make sense at that later time.
Thanks for the great poem. My internal reaction to your poem is a description to the process of intuitive wisdom arising
“exquisite sensitivity
yin and yang coalesce”
I fully agree that perfection is the balance of yin and yang. Upon balance, they can begin to blend and move out of the field of duality–into Tao.
Thank you for the poem!
love you, Aley!….so glad to have you and Keith back online
looking forward to when you are both online from the Renton
For me, I too definitely see the womb. No doubt about it. Didn't have to think about it. That's what I see. Maybe because I am thinking about having a baby that's where my mind is right now and what I want to see. But even when I intellectualize it, I still, simply & clearly, see the womb.
Thank you, Muir.
You know, I have to wonder about something that would be the nature of certain archetypal images and mandalas (if not all, to some degree). Perhaps they do not so much symbolize anything in particular, but rather strike up a visual (only?) resonance that opens “sight” in us. Therefore, the message conveyed to each person would be unique, person.
I have to spend some time out of thought on that one……
CG
I think you are right on the mark, CG. We see what is within each of us. Maybe if I looked at the symbol a year ago or even a week ago, I would have seen something different. Or if I looked at it while I was at work - not on the third day of a very relaxing long weekend when I have had time for a lot of personal reflection. Who knows. But I think on some level what is within us is also right in front of us.
Hi CG, I work with symbols myself & cannot help but ask about this powerful symbol which caught my attention between the pages of your book. I was drawn in by its fluidity & felt its energy & power.
In fact, after our correspondence, I printed it out & brought it with me during my reading & journaling time for further contemplation.
& thanks to your symbol, I had a breakthrough in my own work. It's not possible for me to explain this fully it here but basically, I managed to introduce some fluidity to my own work & the result was some new insights that had eluded me before :-) Thank you!
Muir…I agree. I am glad the Alex got in touch with me and therefore prompted me to open up this discussion. There was much I knew I needed to learn about this symbol, but just did other things instead.
It's great to hear that the Crone symbol (as I call it) has such mutability (? not sure that is the word I want) of meaning. Things to rigidly defined have a short life and limited benefit to offer. When I write, I seek mostly that the story should be a mantra–a rhythm–to induce a story from/within the reader.
Thank you, again, Alex! This time for sharing that. Your sharing gave me much pleasure. I feel lik the progression in your work–and therefore a progression in 'my' world–is validation that the actual inclusion of the image of the symbol was justified in Sacred Vow.
Good fortune with you new unfoldings!