Life is Symbolic

Have you ever gone through your day viewing every image, every person, and every situation symbolically?

Symbolism is inherent in our physical, tangible world. Life is full of symbols if you are able to open your eyes and read between the lines. For example, the next time you are in your own bedroom, look around the room. Which shapes predominate? Are there mostly circles, squares, rectangles, triangles….? Take note of these, and see if you can intuitively grasp what the dominant shape is telling you about yourself. For example, a circle is flowing, continuous, and soft. A square is structured, solid and sharp. The shapes you surround yourself with are reflections of your inner psyche–even if they got there “by accident.”

How about people? The people you interact with each day are often archetypal characters. Each person in your life is there for a reason, to teach you a lesson, and often you are supposed to teach them something too. Do you spend much of your time with a curious, hyperactive child with boundless energy and an incredible zest for life? If you know about astrology, this archetype would be a combination Gemini and Aries. You may love this child very much–even when he/she is bouncing off the walls–but after a while, all that energy starts getting on your nerves. In moments like these, try to see the beauty in this archetypal figure. What positive qualities can you appreciate from this child, and possibly even adopt into your own life? Perhaps you become so irritated because you normally feel so fatigued and depressed–just the opposite of energetic. Instead of letting this person drive you deeper into that negative state, you can instead change your mindset and begin sharing his/her energy and enthusiasm. Realize that this soul was put into your life to teach you how to loosen up, enjoy life and get excited about things! Once you incorporate some of that energy into your own life (in moderation) you will find yourself less and less bothered by its excess in other people.

Finally, let’s take a particular situation and discover its symbolic language. Let’s say Molly and Anna are best friends. Anna betrays Molly by going behind her back and telling one of Molly’s deepest, darkest secrets to three other people. Molly is outraged! She completely cuts off the relationship, blaming Anna for betraying her. However, if looked at symbolically, we can see how this situation is an external manifestation (or symbol) of Molly’s psyche. You see, Anna simply acted out the role that Molly had casted her to play. Because Molly internally felt suspicious and paranoid of her secret being exposed, that fearful energy is what caused the incident to occur. External events are always created by internal energies (thoughts & emotions). This is a universal rule. So either the fear was there, or Molly did not trust herself to keep secrets. This distrustful energy was then projected onto her friend Anna, who acted it out unconsciously, leading to the betrayal.

While viewing life symbolically can sometimes become complex, it is always enlightening to recognize and interpret the symbols of life. Stay tuned for more posts about symbolism – in my next few, I will delve more deeply into the magical world of astrology.