So my friend found this horoscope in a newspaper. I never look at horoscopes, but I know my signs and bit of their meaning and relation to me.
This is eerily spot-on.....
"SAGITTARIUS(Nov. 22 - Dec. 21):
In Christian lore, the serpent is the bad guy that's the cause of all humanity's problems. He coaxes Adam and Eve to disobey God, which gets them expelled from Paradise. But in Hindu and Bhuddist mythology, there are snake gods that sometimes do good deeds and perform epic services. They're called Nagas. In one Hindu myth, a Naga prince carries the world on his head. And in a Bhuddist tale, the Naga king uses his seven heads to give the Bhudda shelter from a storm just after the great one achieved enlightenment. In regards to your immediate future, Sagittarius, I FORESEE YOU HAVING A RELATIONSHIP TO THE SERPENT POWER that's more like the Hindu and Bhuddist version than the christian. Expect VITALITY, FERTILITY and HEALING."
Relevance being.......I'm going to the Amazon in the weeks ahead.
Jungle + snakes + healing + fertility + vitality = yep, I can handle that.... ( : > > >
art by Pablo Amaringo.
If all symbols are really functions and signs of things
imbued with energy, then the serpent or snake is, by analogy, symbolic of energy
itself—of force pure and simple; hence its ambivalence and multivalencies. Another reason for its great variety of symbolic meaning derives from the consideration that these meanings may relate either to the serpent as a whole or to any of
its major characteristics—for example, to its sinuous movements, its common
association with the tree and its formal analogy with the roots and branches of the
tree, the way it sheds its skin, its threatening tongue, the undulating pattern of its
body, its hiss, its resemblance to a ligament, its method of attacking its victims by coiling itself round them, and so on. Still another explanation lies in its varying
habitat: there are snakes which inhabit woods, others which thrive in the desert,
aquatic serpents and those that lurk in lakes and ponds, wells and springs. In India, snake cults or cults of the spirit of the snake are connected with the
symbolism of the waters of the sea. Snakes are guardians of the springs of life and
of immortality, and also of those superior riches of the spirit that are symbolized
by hidden treasure (17). As regards the West, Bayley has suggested that the
snake, since its sinuous shape is similar to that of waves, may be a symbol of the
wisdom of the deeps (4) and of the great mysteries. Yet, in their multiplicity and
as creatures of the desert, snakes are forces of destruction, afflicting all those who
have succeeded in crossing the Red Sea and leaving Egypt (57); in this sense, they
are connected with the ‘temptations’ facing those who have overcome the limitations of matter and have entered into the realm of the ‘dryness’ of the spirit. This
explains why Blavatsky can say that, physically, the snake symbolizes the seduction of strength by matter (as Jason by Medea, Hercules by Omphale, Adam
by Eve), thereby providing us with a palpable illustration of the workings of the
process of involution; and of how the inferior can lurk within the superior, or the
previous within the subsequent (9). This is borne out by Diel, for whom the
snake is symbolic not of personal sin but of the principle of evil inherent in all
worldly things. The same idea is incorporated into the Nordic myth about the
serpent of Midgard (15). There is a clear connexion between the snake and the
feminine principle. Eliade observes that Gresmann (Mytische Reste in der
Paradieserzahlung, in Archiv f. Rel. X, 345) regarded Eve as an archaic Phoenician
goddess of the underworld who is personified in the serpent (although a better
interpretation would be to identify it with the allegorical figure of Lilith, the
enemy and temptress of Eve). In support of this, Eliade points to the numerous
Mediterranean deities who are represented carrying a snake in one or both of their
hands (for example, the Greek Artemis, Hecate, Persephone), and he relates these
to the finely sculpted Cretan priestesses in gold or ivory, and to mythic figures
with snakes for hair (Medusa the Gorgon, or the Erinyes). He goes on to mention
that in Central Europe there is a belief that hairs pulled out from the head of a
woman under the influence of the moon will be turned into snakes (17). The
serpent (or snake) was very common in Egypt; the hieroglyph which corresponds phonetically to the letter Z is a representation of the movement of the
snake. Like the sign of the slug, or horned snake (phonetically equivalent to F),
this hieroglyph refers to primigenial and cosmic forces. Generally speaking, the
names of the goddesses are determined by signs representing the snake—which is
tantamount to saying that it is because of Woman that the spirit has fallen into
matter and evil. The snake is also used, as are other reptiles, to refer to the
primordial—the most primitive strata of life. In the Book of the Dead (XVII), the
reptiles are the first to acclaim Ra when he appears above the surface of the waters of Nou (or Nu or Nun). The demonic implications of the serpent are
exemplified in Tuat, whose evil spirits are portrayed as snakes; however, these—
like the vanquished dragon—may also take on a beneficent form as forces which
have been mastered, controlled, sublimated and utilized for the superior purposes
of the psyche and the development of mankind, and in this sense they correspond
to the goddesses Nekhebit and Uadjit (or Buto). They also become an Uraeus—
the same thing happens in the symbolism of the Kundalini—constituting the
most precious ornament of the royal diadem (19).
As we have said, it is the basic characteristics of the snake which have
determined its symbolic significances. To quote Teillard’s definition of the snake,
it is: ‘An animal endowed with magnetic force. Because it sheds its skin, it
symbolizes resurrection. Because of its sinuous movement’ (and also because its
coils are capable of strangling) ‘it signifies strength. Because of its viciousness, it
represents the evil side of nature’ (56). Its ability to shed its skin greatly impressed ancient writers: Philo of Alexandria believed that when the snake shakes
off its skin it likewise shakes off its old age, that it can both kill and cure and that
it is therefore the symbol and attribute of the aggressive powers, positive and
negative, which rule the world. (This is a Gnostic and Manichean idea of Persian
provenance.) He decided finally that it is the ‘most spiritual of animals’. Jung has
pointed out that the Gnostics related it to the spinal cord and the spinal marrow,
an excellent image of the way the unconscious expresses itself suddenly and
unexpectedly with its peremptory and terrible incursions (31). He adds that,
psychologically, the snake is a symptom of anguish expressive of abnormal stirrings
in the unconscious, that is, of a reactivation of its destructive potentiality. This is
directly comparable to the significance of the serpent of Midgard in Norse mythology. In the Völuspa it is proclaimed that the deluge will commence when the
serpent awakens to destroy the universe (31). For Zimmer, the serpent is the
lifeforce which determines birth and rebirth and hence it is connected with the
Wheel of Life. The legend of Buddha tells how the serpent wound itself round his
body seven times (as in the effigies of the Mithraic Cronos), but, since it could
not crush him, it turned into a youth bowing low before Gautama (60).
The connexion of the snake with the wheel is expressed in graphic form in the
Gnostic symbol of the Ouroboros, or serpent biting its own tail; half of this
mythic being is dark and the other half light (as in the Chinese Yang-Yin symbol),
which clearly illustrates the essential ambivalence of the snake in that it pertains
to both aspects of the cycle (the active and the passive, the affirmative and the
negative, the constructive and the destructive). Wirth comments that the ‘ancient
serpent is the prop of the world, providing it with both materials and energy, unfolding as reason and imagination, and also as a force of the darkness’ (59). The
snake was an important symbol for the Gnostics, and especially for the so-called
Naassene sect (from naas—snake). Hippolytus, criticizing this doctrine, asserted that the snake was said to live in all objects and in all beings. This brings us
to the Yoga concept of the Kundalini or the snake as an image of inner strength.
Kundalini is represented symbolically as a snake coiled up upon itself in the form
of a ring (kundala) (29), in that subtle part of the organism corresponding to the
lower extremity of the spinal column; this, at any rate, is the case with the
ordinary man. But, as a result of exercises directed towards his spiritualization—
Hatha Yoga, for instance—the snake uncoils and stretches up through wheels
(chakras) corresponding to the various plexuses of the body until it reaches the
area of the forehead corresponding to the third eye of Shiva. It is then, according
to Hindu belief, that man recovers his sense of the eternal (28). The symbolism
here probably relates to an ascending force, rising up, that is, from the area
governed by the sexual organ up to the realm of thought—an interpretation which
it is also possible to justify by simple reference to the symbolism of level, taking
the heart as central. In other words, the symbol denotes ‘sublimation of the
personality’ (Avalon, The Serpent Power). Jung has noted that the custom of
representing transformation and renovation of figures of snakes constitutes a
well-documented archetype; and he suggests that the Egyptian Uraeus is the
visible expression of the Kundalini on a higher plane (32). There are also various
rites which accord with this concept of progressive elevation. The progress through
the six chakras—there is in fact a seventh, but it is unnamed and (like the central
point of certain mandala-like patterns) is not represented visually—may be regarded as analogous to climbing up the terraces of the ziggurat or mounting the
steps pertaining to the seven metals in the Mithraic ritual (11). Apart from the
circular (and cosmic) position it tends to take up, and the quality of completeness
which this implies, the snake is frequently related to other symbols. The most
common of these is the tree, which, being unitary, may be said to correspond to
the masculine principle, in which case the ophidian would represent the feminine.
The tree and the serpent are, in mythology, prefigurations of Adam and Eve.
Furthermore, by analogy, we also have here a situation of symbolic Entanglement—the snake curled round the tree (or round the staff of Aesculapius)—and
a symbolic image of moral dualism. Diel, who tends to favour this kind of interpretation, suggests that the snake coiled round the staff or club of the god of
medicine recalls the basic, Biblical symbol of the Tree of Life encircled by the
snake and signifying the principle of evil; the pattern here points to the close
relationship between life and corruption as the source of all evil. Diel goes on to suggest that it is this subversion of the spirit that brings about the death of the
soul, and that this is what medicine must, in the first place, set out to combat (15).
Now, the opposite to the encircling (or triumphant) snake is the crucified
snake, as it is to be found among the figures included in Abraham le Juif (Paris,
Bibl. Nat. Ms. Fr. 14765, of the 16th century) (32). This figure of the reptile
nailed to a cross—or the chthonian and feminine principle vanquished by the
spirit—is also represented mythically by the victory of eagle over serpent. Heinrich
Zimmer recalls that, in the Iliad, an eagle appears to the Greeks, carrying a
wounded snake in its claws. The seer Calchas saw this as an omen portending the
triumph of the Greeks (the masculine and patriarchal order of the Aryans subduing the predominantly feminine and matriarchal principle of Asia) (60). Since all
struggle is a form of ‘conjunction’ and therefore of love, it is hardly surprising that
man should have created a synthesis of opposing powers—heaven and earth—in
the image of the ‘plumed serpent’, the most notable symbol of pre-Columbian
America. This serpent has feathers on its head, in its tail and sometimes on its
body. Quetzalcoatl is another androgynous symbol of this kind (41). The symmetrical placing of two serpents, as in the caduceus of Mercury, is indicative of an
equilibrium of forces, of the counterbalancing of the cowed serpent (or sublimated power) by the untamed serpent, so representing good balanced by evil,
health by sickness. As Jung has shrewdly observed, this much-used image is an
adumbration of homoeopathy—a cure effected by what caused the ailment. The
serpent therefore becomes the source of the healing of the wound caused by the
serpent. This is why it could serve as a symbol of St. John the Evangelist (32) and
appear in association with a chalice.
The different forms which the serpent may take are not numerous. The seaserpent seems simply to emphasize the integration of the symbolism of the
unconscious with that of the abyss (9). If it has more than one head, this merely
serves to add to the basic symbolism, the extra significance corresponding to the
particular number of heads it is given. The dragon or the serpent with seven heads
occurs often in legends, myths and folktales simply because seven represents
multiplication of unity and locates the reptile among the essential orders of the
cosmos. The seven-headed serpent partakes of the symbolism of the seven Directions of Space, the seven days of the week, and the seven planetary gods, and
has a bearing upon the seven sins (9). The three-headed serpent refers to the three
principles of the active, the passive and the neutral. In alchemy, the winged
serpent represents the volatile principle, and the wingless the fixed principle. The
crucified serpent denotes the fixation of the volatile and also sublimation (as in
the Prometheus myth). Alchemists also saw in the serpent an illustration of ‘the feminine in Man’ or his ‘humid essence’, relating the reptile to Mercury (57) as
the androgynous god who—like Shiva—was doubtless endowed with a tendency
towards both good and evil (an aspect also portrayed by the Gnostics in their
twin serpents called Agathodaemon and Kakodaemon) (9). There are also serpents of unusual aspect—the snake with a sheep’s head, for instance, in reliefs on
certain Gallo-Roman sepulchres. In view of the favourable symbolic sense of the
sheep (connected with Aries, spring, initiation and fire), this adaptation implies a
degree of spiritualization (16). Finally, according to Schneider, the sacrificed
serpent is the symbolic equivalent of the swan’s neck and of the swan itself (and
it is by the swan that the hero is wafted heavenwards, plucking away upon his
harp) (50). That is to say, the sacrifice of the serpent (as a life-force) makes it
possible to accept death gratefully (like the swan) and to soar up to higher
regions. Father Heras has suggested that the snake is symbolic of fertility and
destruction and that it is in this sense that it appears on the menhir of Kernuz
(Finistère). It appears in opposition to the arrow in the effigy of the horned god
of Cerdeña (with another head on top alluding to the symbolism of the Gemini).
To see a serpent in your dream, signifies the balance of good and evil.
To see a winged serpent in your dream, denotes wisdom. You have overcome the negativity in your life.
Seeing a serpent in your dream means high intellectual power, deception, and the balance of good and evil. Seeing a winged serpent in your dream indicates wisdom and that you've overcome negative ways.
A fabulous animal and a universal, symbolic figure found in the
majority of the cultures of the world—primitive and oriental as well as classical.
A morphological study of the legendary dragon would lead to the conclusion that it is a kind of amalgam of elements taken from various animals that are particularly aggressive and dangerous, such as serpents, crocodiles, lions as well as
prehistoric animals (38). Krappe believes that the amazement occasioned by the
discovery of the remains of antediluvian monsters may have been a contributory
factor in the genesis of the mythic dragon. The dragon, in consequence, stands for
‘things animal’ par excellence, and here we have a first glimpse of its symbolic
meaning, related to the Sumerian concept of the animal as the ‘adversary’, a
concept which later came to be attached to the devil. Nevertheless, the dragon—
like all other symbols of the instincts in the non-moral religions of antiquity—
sometimes appears enthroned and all but deified, as, for example, in the standards
and pennons pertaining to the Chinese Manchu dynasty and to the Phoenicians
and Saxons (4). In a great many legends, overlaying its deepest symbolic sense,
the dragon appears with this very meaning of the primordial enemy with whom
combat is the supreme test. Apollo, Cadmus, Perseus and Siegfried all conquer
the dragon. In numerous masterpieces of hagiography, the patron saints of knighthood—St. George and St. Michael the Archangel—are depicted in the very act of
slaying the monster; there is no need to recall others than the St. George of
Carpaccio, or of Raphael, or the St. Michael of Tous by Bermejo. For Dontenville
(16), who tends to favour an historicist and sociological approach to the symbolism of legends, dragons signify plagues which beset the country (or the individual
if the symbol takes on a psychological implication). The worm, the snake and the
crocodile are all closely linked with the concept of the dragon in their own particular way. In France, the dragon is also related to the ogre as well as to Gargantua
and giants in general. In Schneider’s view, the dragon is a symbol of sickness (51).
But before going further into its meaning, let us quote some examples to show
how widespread are the references to this monster. The classics and the Bible
very frequently allude to it, providing us with detailed information about its
appearance, its nature and habits. But their descriptions point to not one but
several kinds of dragon, as Pinedo has noted: ‘Some give it the form of a winged
serpent; it lives in the air and the water, its jaws are immense, it swallows men and
animals having first killed them with its enormous tail. Conversely, others make
it a terrestrial animal, its jaws are quite small, its huge and powerful tail is an
instrument of destruction, and it also flies and feeds upon the blood of the animals
it kills; there are writers who consider it to be amphibious, in which case its head
becomes that of a beautiful woman with long flowing hair and it is even more
terrible than the previous versions.’ In the Bible, there are the following references to the dragon: Daniel xiv, 22, 27; Micah i, 8; Jeremiah xiv, 6; Revelation xii,
3, 7; Isaiah xxxiv, 13, and xliii, 20. There are further mentions by Rabanus Maurus (Opera, III), Pliny (VIII, 12), Galen, Pascal (De Coronis, IX), and among other
characteristics which these writers ascribe to the dragon are the following particularly interesting points: that it is strong and vigilant, it has exceptionally keen
eyesight, and it seems that its name comes from the Greek word derkein (‘seeing’). Hence it was given the function, in clear opposition to its terrible implications, of guarding temples and treasures (like the griffin), as well as being turned
into an allegory of prophecy and wisdom. In the Bible, it is the negative side of
the symbol which receives emphasis; it is interesting to note that the anagram of
Herod in Syrian—ierud and es—means ‘flaming dragon’ (46). Sometimes the
dragon is depicted with a number of heads and its symbolism then becomes
correspondingly unfavourable, given the regressive and involutive sense of all
numerical increase. ‘And behold a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten
horns, and seven crowns upon his heads
(’)
, in the words of Revelation (xii, 3). On
other occasions, the dragon is used in emblems, in which case it is the symbolism
of the form or shape which takes precedence over that of the animal, as for
example, the dragon biting its tail—the Gnostic Ouroboros, a symbol of all cyclic
processes and of time in particular. The dragon figured quite frequently in alchemy; for the alchemists, a number of dragons fighting with each other illustrated the state of putrefactio (separating out the Elements, or psychic disintegration). And the winged dragon represented the volatile element, while the wingless
creature stood for the fixed element (according to Albert Poison). It is perhaps in
China that this monster has been most utilized and has achieved its greatest
degree of transfiguration. Here it becomes an emblem of imperial power. Whereas
the Emperor numbered the five-clawed dragon among his ornaments, the officials
of his court had the right to keep only the four-clawed (5). According to Diel, the
generic dragon of China symbolizes the mastering and sublimation of wickedness
(15), because the implication is that of a ‘dragon conquered’, like that which
obeys St. George once he has overcome it. Frazer tells how the Chinese, when
they wish for rain, make a huge dragon out of wood and paper and carry it in
procession; but if it does not rain, then they destroy the dragon (21). Chuang-tzu
maintains that this arises from the fact that the dragon and the serpent, invested
with the most profound and all-embracing cosmic significance, are symbols for
‘rhythmic life’. The association of dragon/lightning/rain/fecundity is very common in archaic Chinese texts (17), for which reason the fabulous animal becomes
the connecting-link between the Upper Waters and earth. However, it is impossible to generalize about the dragon of Chinese mythology, for there are subterranean, aerial and aquatic dragons. ‘The earth joins up with the dragon’ means that
it is raining. It plays an important part as an intermediary, then, between the two extremes of the cosmic forces associated with the essential characteristics of the
three-level symbolism, that is: the highest level of spirituality; the intermediary
plane of the phenomenal life; and the lower level of inferior and telluric forces. A
related and powerful part of its meaning is that of strength and speed. The oldest
Chinese images of the dragon are very similar to those of the horse (13). In
esoteric Chinese thought, there are dragons which are linked with colour-symbolism: the red dragon is the guardian of higher science, the white dragon is a lunar
dragon. These colours derive from the planets and the signs of the Zodiac. In the
Middle Ages in the Western world, dragons make their appearance with the throat
and legs of an eagle, the body of a huge serpent, the wings of a bat and with a tail
culminating in an arrow twisted back upon itself. This, according to Count Pierre
Vincenti Piobb, signifies the fusion and confusion of the respective potentialities
of the component parts: the eagle standing for its celestial potential, the serpent
for its secret and subterranean characteristic, the wings for intellectual elevation,
and the tail (because the form is that of the zodiacal sign for Leo) for submission
to reason (48). But, broadly speaking, present-day psychology defines the dragonsymbol as ‘something terrible to overcome’, for only he who conquers the dragon
becomes a hero (56). Jung goes as far as to say that the dragon is a mother-image
(that is, a mirror of the maternal principle or of the unconscious) and that it
expresses the individual’s repugnance towards incest and the fear of committing
it (31), although he also suggests that it quite simply represents evil (32). Esoteric
Hebrew tradition insists that the deepest meaning of the mystery of the dragon
must remain inviolate (according to the rabbi Simeon ben Yochai, quoted by
Blavatsky) (9). The universal dragon (Katholikos ophis) of the Gnostics is the
‘way through all things’. It is related to the concept of chaos (‘our Chaos or Spirit
is a fiery dragon which conquers all things’—Philaletha, Introitus) and of dissolution (The dragon is the dissolution of bodies’). (The quotations are taken from the
Pseudo-Democritus.) Regarding symbols of dissolution, Hermetic doctrine uses
the following terms: Poison, viper, universal solvent, philosophical vinegar=the
potential of the undifferentiated (or the Solve), according to Evola. He adds that
dragons and bulls are the animals fought by sun-heroes (such as Mithras, Siegfried,
Hercules, Jason, Horus, or Apollo) and—bearing in mind the equations
woman=dragon, mercury and water; and green=’what is undigested’—that ‘if the
dragon reappears in the centre of the “Citadel of Philosophers” of Khunrath, it is
still a dragon which has to be conquered and slain: it is that which everlastingly
devours its own self, it is Mercury as an image of burning thirst or hunger or the
blind impulse towards gratification’, or, in other words, Nature enthralled and
conquered by Nature, or the mystery of the lunar world of change and becoming as opposed to the world of immutable being governed by Uranus. Böhme, in De
Signatura rerum, defines a will which desires and yet has nothing capable of
satisfying it except its own self, as ‘the ability of hunger to feed itself’ (Plate VI).
To see a dragon in your dream, represents your strong will and fiery personality. You tend to get carried away by your passion, which may lead you into trouble. You need to exercise some self-control.
In the eastern cultures, dragons are seen as spiritual creatures symbolizing good luck and fortune.
To dream that you are a dragon and breathing fire, suggests that you are using your anger to get your own way.
To dream of a dragon, denotes that you allow yourself to be governed by your passions, and that you are likely to place yourself in the power of your enemies through those outbursts of sardonic tendencies. You should be warned by this dream to cultivate self-control.
This large, mystical creature may represent large and mystical forces inside of you. In the Far East it is believed that the dragons are spiritual creatures that navigate through the air and through the sky. In the West, dragons are considered to be dangerous creatures that need to be destroyed. As far as dream symbols go, the dragon may represent the enormous power in your unconscious. It could symbolize repressed unconscious material, including fear. However, the dragon in our dreams is generally a positive symbol. It may represent a period of time when the dreamer will confront his fears and empower himself to effectively cope with negative emotions, extreme materialism, and be able to obtain greater inner and outer freedom.
A Dragon totem is one of the most powerful totems, representing a huge range of qualities, emotions, and traits. When Dragons come to us, it could mean many things.
The most common message a Dragon totem carry to us is a need for strength, courage, and fortitude. Dragons are also messengers of balance, and magic - encouraging us to tap into our psychic nature and see the world through the eyes of mystery and wonder.
More specifically, Dragons are the embodiment of primordial power - the ultimate ruler of all the elements. This is because the Dragon is the master of all the elements: Fire, Water, Earth, and Wind.
As a totem, the Dragon serves as a powerful guardian and guide. Encourage communication with your Dragon, and acknowledge your Dragon's presence as often as possible.
In Chinese culture, the season of the Dragon is mid-spring, its direction is east-southeast, and its fixed element is wood. See Chinese Dragon page for more inforamation on the Dragons within the Asian culture.
There are many ways to strengthen your bond with your Dragon totem. Here are a few suggestions:
Meditation upon your Dragon totem.
Begin collecting Dragon images that resonate with you. Keep these images close, and easily available to you. Look upon these images whenever you wish to communicate with your Dragon totem.
Better yet, begin drawing while communicating with your Dragon. Ask your Dragon to reveal itself to you through your drawing. Check out my friend Barbara's webpage offering free tips on how to draw dragons here!
Begin a Dragon totem journal
Read everything you can on Dragons. This will broaden your horizons, and expand your imagination. A warning though: By all means, never be limited by the scope of what you read. Ultimately, it is you and your Dragon that will create the perfect understanding. There is never a limit in matters of spirit - that includes matters concerning our totems (especially strong totems like the Dragon!).
A Dragon totem can be a powerful ally in our daily effort to live our lives. When we call upon the amazing restorative and potent qualities of the Dragon, we are able to effectively live our lives with the honestly, courage, and strength of a peaceful warrior.
Utilizing the symbolic power of the dragon totem is an internal process cultivated by contemplating the attributes of the dragon we admire and meditating upon these.
We can also honor the dragon totem externally by little actions like including dragon imagery in our lives. It solidifies my connection with the magic the dragon offers.
Whether you are an artist who looks to dragons for inspiration, or a business mogul identifying with a solid symbol of strength or luck - it's clear dragons speak to those special places within us, stoking the fires of our hearts.
The Dragon represents prosperity. This may be of spiritual (intuition) rather than materiaal riches, because the dragon was regarded as the guaridian of treasure that lay hidden deep within the unconscious and was hard to obtain.
(Ancient, most world culture) A legendary reptilian monster similar in form to a crocodile but with wings, huge claws, and fiery breath. In the Mesopotamian creation myth (Enuma Elish), dating from about 2000 BC, a dragon was considered a symbol for destruction and evil. So it was also considered in the writings of the ancient Hebrews. The Bible (Revelation) also so considers it. Dragons became more benign in later mythologies. The Greeks and Romans believed that they had the ability to understand and to teach mortals the secrets of the earth. Because of this duality, destruction and positive influence, it was often adopted as a military emblem; the Roman legions used it thusly as early as the first century AD. The folklore of northern Europe contains a similar interpretation of the dragon. Norsemen carved the prows of their ships with likenesses of the dragon. The ancient Celtic considered the dragon a symbol of sovereignty. The Teutonic invaders of Britain had dragons depicted on their shields. The dragon also figures in the folklore of Japan.
In China it is traditionally considered as a symbol of good fortune, and was the national emblem of the Chinese Empire. Unlike Middle Eastern or Western dragons, the Lungs (Chinese appelation for "dragons") were benevolent and brought rain, guarded sacred dwellings and such tasks.
There were four types:
1.The T'ien Lung, or Celestial Dragon
2.The Fu Tsang Lung or Treasure Dragon
3.The Ti Lung, or Earth Dragon
4.The Shen Lung, or Rain Dragon (also called Kung Kung)
The latter two Lungs are together known as the Wang Lung, and are propitiated as water deities, dwelling in the Seas. (This information is derived from the 17th century Ming classic San-ts`ai t`ui-hui or Threefold Picture Book. This was an illustrated encyclopedia.)
To dream of Christianity, relates to your own personal beliefs and religious experiences. It is a sign of inner growth and development of the Self. Alternatively, it may refer to a person in your life whose name is Christian.
Dreaming of Christianity, relates to your own personal beliefs and religious experiences. It is a sign of inner growth and development of the Self. Alternatively, it may refer to a person in your life whose name is Christian.
The eleventh enigma of the Tarot pack. The image shows a queen
who, without apparent effort, overcomes a lion, holding his jaws wide open. The
allusion to the Zodiac is clear enough—Leo vanquished by Virgo—and the subject finds its mythological counterpart in Hercules overcome by Omphale. Wirth
points to a highly interesting detail in the allegory: the queen does not slay the
lion, but clasps it to her bosom having stunned it with her club, signifying that one
must not despise the inferior, but master it and put it to good use. There is an echo
here of the alchemists’ belief that what is base must not—and indeed cannot—be
destroyed, it must be transmuted into what is superior. In the affirmative sense,
this enigma symbolizes the triumph of intelligence over brutality; in the negative,
it denotes insensibility and fury (59).
To dream that you have great strength or little strength, represents your level of power in some situation of your waking life.
Astrological Sign: Leo.
Positive associations with this tarot card:
strength, willpower, compassion, patience, courage, triumph, fortitude.
Negative associations with this tarot card:
cowardice, fear, inertia, defeat, loss of opportunity.
When the Strength card appears it represents not just physical strength but the ability to cope with extreme pressure and win through in the end.
If ill health has been an issue this card indicates rapid recovery, if considering giving up an unhealthy habit such as smoking or drinking this card indicates a good time to start.
The Strength card signifies triumph over most things; challenges in your relationships or career, even defending yourself against jealousy, ignorance and oppression .
Negatively this card represents insecurity, fear and giving up, perhaps being beaten by unfair means.
The Strength card warns of missed opportunities and not to give up when you could be so close to the finish line.
Symbols of fertility are: water, seeds, phallic shapes. Granet recounts that, in China, the conjugal bed used to be placed in the darkest corner of
the room, where the seeds were kept and above the spot where the dead were
buried. Eliade maintains that the respective rites pertaining to forebears, harvests
and the erotic life are so closely related to each other that it is impossible to
distinguish between them (17). In Indian ritual, grains of rice serve to represent
the seed of fertility (17).
To dream of healing, represents your need for emotional and/or physical healing. You need to find the power to rectify and care for the issues in your life.
Dreaming of healing, represents your need for emotional and/or physical healing. You need to find the power to rectify and care for the matters in your life.
According to Subba Rao, this is a cosmic symbol expressive of
the complete man—he who is at once animal, spiritual and worthy of his divine
origin. Man thus constitutes a link between heaven and earth, implying a state of
tension which finds its symbolic expression in the arc (or rainbow). Sagittarius,
the Centaur, or the Archer signify this triple nature of the symbol; the horse
symbolizes the instinctive organism, the human part denotes the three higher
principles embracing the monad as expressed by the arrow. In the Babylonian
epic of Gilgamesh, Sagittarius is represented by ‘scorpion-men’ who are ‘no more
than two-thirds divine’ (40).
To dream that someone is a Sagittarius, represents your high ideals. You are outspoken, adventurous, goal-oriented and optimistic in your thinking. The dream may mean that you are trying to break from your routine.