More on the Sword

[Guest guest]

Ardis wrote:

 

Sri Ramakrishna referred to Narendra (Vivekananda) as an unsheathed

sword. In this case he was referring to Narendra's visible divine

consciousness.

 

 

 

Dear Ardis ~ this is amazing. I can't help but compare symbolic images to

the symbols of the Tarot, because that is what I am most familiar with and have

studied the longest. Besides the face cards, like "The Magician,High

Priestess," etc., there are the four suits, divided into four energies ~ Fire,

Water, Earth, Air. Air is associated with Consciousness and with consciousness.

The Ace card for Air, shows a white (pure, devoid of qualities) hand coming

out of a gray (wisdom, balancing of opposites) cloud, holding a gleaming sword

that is blue and white. At the top of the sword is a yellow crown, and out

of each side of the crown is are draped greenery (associated with victory).

The landscape in the background are purple and blue mountains, and the sky is

gray.

 

Blue is associated with the High Priestess, with Water, and with the diving

deep that is necessary to find one's true nature, which is one with Cosmic

Consciousness. Yellow is the greatest "gem," in a sense the greatest prize, and

the green alludes to the reality co-creation of we humans on this plane of

existence. In the mundane sense, this sword (which is unsheathed) is our

ordinary waking mind, with all its thoughts and with its ability to

discriminate

(or not). Yet the Ace of Swords represents the highest level of the Energy of

the suit, which is Mind itself, Divine Consciousness. So it amazes me to find

out, yet again, that many of these symbols cross cultures.

 

One of the most wonderful aspects of Hinduism is its unabashed use of

symbols in puja and worship of all kinds, for one's altar. It's richness is so

very

beautiful, and these elements of symbol made real interplay with and help

mature our own consciousness (little c, big C).

Jai Ma ~ Linda