Inner Temple is a work that represents a journey to our essence, the inner temple existing in the depths of our being. A moment of introspection, an intimate reverie to infinity.
Digital Art - 2012
Renata P. C. Rodrigues
From the spiritual point of view, the journey is never merely a
passage through space, but rather an expression of the urgent desire for discovery
and change that underlies the actual movement and experience of travelling. Hence, to study, to inquire, to seek or to live with intensity through new and profound
experiences are all modes of travelling or, to put it another way, spiritual and
symbolic equivalents of the journey. Heroes are always travellers, in that they are
restless. Travelling, Jung observes, is an image of aspiration, of an unsatisfied
longing that never finds its goal, seek where it may (31). He goes on to point out
that this goal is in fact the lost Mother; but this is a moot point, for we might
equally well say that, on the contrary, its journey is a flight from the Mother.
Flying, swimming and running are other activities which may be equated with
travelling; and so also are dreaming, day-dreaming and imagining. Crossing a ford
marks the decisive stage in the passage from one state to another (56). There is a
connexion between the symbolism of the journey, in its cosmic sense, and the
symbolism of the essential landscape of megalithic cults (or that seen by the
shamans in their visions). Travelling may also be related to the complete cycle of
the year or to the attempt to escape from it, depending upon certain secondary
characteristics of the journey. But the true Journey is neither acquiescence nor
escape—it is evolution. For this reason Guénon has suggested that ordeals of
initiation frequently take the form of ‘symbolic journeys’ representing a quest
that starts in the darkness of the profane world (or of the unconscious—the
mother) and gropes towards the light. Such ordeals or trials—like the stages in a
journey—are rites of purification (29). The archetype of the journey is the pilgrimage to the ‘Centre’ or the holy land—or the way out of the maze. The Night
Sea-Crossing, equivalent to the Journey into Hell, illustrates certain basic aspects
of journey-symbolism which still call for elucidation. Primarily, to travel is to
seek. The Turkish Kalenderi sect require their initiates to travel ceaselessly, since,
as we have suggested, travelling is often invested with a higher, sublimatory
significance.
To dream that you are going on a journey, signifies profits, self-discovery or progress. The scenery you see in your journey and the method of travel is telling of your feelings and circumstances you may be currently experiencing.
To dream that your friends go on a journey, signifies a welcoming and harmonious change.
To dream of the band Journey, represents advice that some of their songs may offer in some waking situation. "Don't stop believing", "Open Arms", etc.
To dream that you go on a journey, signifies profit or a disappointment, as the travels are pleasing and successful or as accidents and disagreeable events take active part in your journeying.
To see your friends start cheerfully on a journey, signifies delightful change and more harmonious companions than you have heretofore known. If you see them depart looking sad, it may be many moons before you see them again. Power and loss are implied.
To make a long-distance journey in a much shorter time than you expected, denotes you will accomplish some work in a surprisingly short time, which will be satisfactory in the way of reimbursement.
This indicates that there will be a great change in conditions and circumstances.
Good journey indicates good conditions and bad journey with troubles indicates a bad life.
Dreaming that you are going on a journey means profits, self-discovery or progress. The scenery you see in your journey is telling of your feelings and circumstances you may be currently experiencing. Dreaming that your friends go on a journey means delightful and welcomed change and harmony.
A dream about a journey represents your path in life or a part of your life's journey. It may reflect some of your fear and anticipation.
The meaning of a dream about a journey will depend upon where you are going and the form of transportation that you use.
Superstion-based dream interpretations say that if you go on a voyage by sea, you will have an unexpected visitor, and that if you take a trip to the shore, you will receive money.
The word ‘temple’ derives from the root tem—’to divide’. Etruscan
soothsayers made a division of the heavens by means of two straight lines intersecting at a point directly above the head, the point of intersection being a projection of the notion of the ‘Centre’, and the lines representing the two ‘directions’
of the plane; the north-south line was called cardo and the east-west decumanus.
Phenomena were interpreted according to their situation within this division of
space. Hence, the earthly temple is seen as an image of the celestial temple and its
basic structure is determined by considerations of order and orientation (7). The
temple affords a particular and additional meaning to the generic symbolism of architectonic structures. Broadly speaking, it is the mystic significance of the
‘Centre’ which prevails; the temple and, in particular, the altar, being identified
with the symbol of the mountain-top as the focal point of the intersection of the
two worlds of heaven and earth. Solomon’s temple, according to Philo and Flavius
Josephus, was a figurative representation of the cosmos, and its interior was
disposed accordingly: the incense table signified thanksgiving; the seven-branched
candelabra stood for the seven planetary heavens; the holy table represented the
terrestrial order. In addition to this, the twelve loaves of bread corresponded to
the twelve months of the year. The Ark of the Covenant symbolizes the intelligibles
(14). Romanesque, Gothic and Renaissance architects, each in their own way,
sought to imitate this superior archetype. For example, between 1596 and 1604,
imaginary reconstructions of the Temple of Solomon appeared in various works
published in Rome and based upon holy writ, and the illustrations they contained
deeply influenced the architects of the period. Another fundamental significance
of the temple derives from its being a synthesis of the various symbols for the
world-axis, such as the hollow mountain, steps and the sacrificial mountain-peak
mentioned above. In certain astrobiological cultures the temple or altar is in fact
built upon an artificial mountain—the teocalli of Mexico is an example. A more
advanced concept can be seen in the architectural portrayal of those essential
elements of the inner pattern of the universe founded upon the numbers three,
seven, ten and twelve in particular. Seven is basic to the representation of the
planets and their derived symbolisms, and hence the Mesopotamian templemountains—or ziggurats—were constructed after the fashion of a seven-terraced
pyramid. Each of the terraces was dedicate to a particular planet. The Babylonian
ziggurat known as Etemenanki (‘the house of the seven directions of heaven and
earth’) was built of crude bricks overlaid with others that had been fired. A tablet
in the Louvre records that in plan it measured 2,200 feet long by 1,200 wide. The
first level was black in colour and dedicated to Saturn, the second orange-coloured
and sacred to Jupiter, the third red and consecrated to Mars, the fourth golden and
sacred to the Sun, the fifth yellow (to Venus), the sixth blue (to Mercury), the
seventh silver (to the Moon) (39). This order is not always observed, for sometimes the Moon is situated in the sixth heaven and the Sun in the seventh (17).
Berthelot, however, suggests that the ziggurat not only embraces the mystic
aspects of the Mountain and the Centre (by virtue of its mass and situation) and
of Steps (because of its shape), but also constitutes an image of paradise, since
vegetation appears to flourish on its terraces (7). The origins of this type of
structure are Sumerian (7), and examples are to be found in Egypt, India, China
and pre-Columbian America. Eliade, in confirming this, adds that the climb to the top of the Mesopotamian or of the Hindu temple-mountain was equivalent to an
ecstatic journey to the ‘Centre’ of the world; once the traveller has reached the
topmost terrace, he breaks free from the laws of level, transcends profane space
and enters a region of purity (18). It is hardly necessary to observe that climbing
mountains implies ultimately the same mystic tendency, as can be seen in the fact
that mountain heights are the chosen abode of the recluse. And the favourable
symbolic significance of the goat derives solely from his predilection for heights.
Another important example of the temple-mountain, a product of Hindu culture,
comes from Indo-China—the temple of Borobudur built in the centre of the
island of Java in the 8th century of our era. Basically it consists of four levels of
square-shaped galleries, with four more circular platforms on top surmounted by
an enclosed belvedere. In form, then, it is similar to the Egyptian ziggurat, or, in
the Khmer language, a Phnom, signifying a temple-mountain comparable with
Meru, the Hindu Olympus. Four flights of steps up the centre of each pyramid
face lead directly from the base to the top. It would appear that the profoundest
meaning attached to this temple is of a supernatural character. Its name—
Borobudur—signifies ‘the seat of secret revelation’. All graduated edifices such
as steps concern the symbolism of discontinuous spiritual evolution, that is, the
separate but progressive stages of evolution (6). At the same time, the groundplan of the Borobudur temple is diagrammatically a true yantra, and its various
square and round-shaped levels constitute a mandala related to the symbolism of
‘squaring the circle’ (6). The symbolic structure of the Greek temple is fundamentally the same as that of the lake-dwelling: that is, it symbolizes the intercommunication between the Three Worlds—the Lower (represented by the water and
the piles on the one hand and earth and the subterranean part on the other), the
Terrestrial (the base and columns) and the Upper (suggested by the pediment).
Christian cathedrals are related less to the macrocosm than to the microcosm, the
human figure being depicted in terms of the apse (representing the head), the
cross and transepts (the arms), the nave and side aisles (the body) and the altar
(the heart). In the Gothic temple, the upward sweep, the vital rôle of the vertical
axis—and indeed the structure as a whole—embrace the idea of the templemountain with its implied synthesis of the symbolism of both macrocosm and
microcosm. According to Schneider, the two towers usually placed at the western
face correspond to the twin-peaked ‘mountain of Mars’ in primitive megalithic
cultures (and linked with the Gemini myth), while the cimborrio over the transept
is expressive of a higher synthesis, an image of heaven. Both the synthesis and the
crux of the matter are established by Gershom G. Scholem, in Les Origines de la
Kabbale (Paris, 1966). He recalls that God lives in his reason or that God is the absolute Reason and logos of the world, and that the temple ‘is the house’ or
abode of God, and thus identifies temple with reason.
To see a temple in your dream, represents inspiration, spiritual thinking, meditation and growth. It is also symbolic of your physical body and the attention you give it. Perhaps you need to pamper yourself. Alternatively, the dream suggests that you are looking for a place of refuge and a place to keep things that are dear to you.
Seeing a temple in your dream, represents your spiritual thinking, meditation and growth. It is also symbolic of your physical body and the attention you give it.
To see the infinity symbol in your dream, represents time and longevity. Alternatively, it symbolizes wealth or the number 8.
To dream that you are hard at work, denotes that you will win merited success by concentration of energy.
To see others at work, denotes that hopeful conditions will surround you.
To look for work, means that you will be benefited by some unaccountable occurrence.
To dream that you are at work, indicates that you are experiencing some anxiety about a current project or task. The dream may also be telling you that you need to "get back to work". Perhaps you have been slacking off and need to pick up the pace. Stop procrastinating. Alternatively, the dream reflects your success.
To dream that you are at your former work, suggests that there is an old lesson that you need to learn and apply to your current situation.
To dream that you have been replaced at work, represents your concern about your current job security. You feel that you are in a precarious position at work or in some group project.
Dreaming that you are at work indicates that you are experiencing some anxiety about a current project or task. The dream may also be telling you that you need to "get back to work". Perhaps you have been slacking and need to pick up the pace. Dreaming that you are at your former or past work, suggests that there is an old lesson that you need to learn and apply to your current situation. Dreaming that you are hard at work means success and merit. Alternatively, it may suggest anxieties about a current task or project. You may need to "get back to work" and stop procrastinating.