The Self
Symbol · Science & Alchemy
The Cross
The Intersection of Divine Grace and Human Suffering
An instrument of execution turned, in Christian reading, into the sign that love meets suffering.
What it meansA vertical meeting a horizontal: the divine axis crossing the human, with the intersection at the point of suffering. The Christian reading is that the instrument is not transcended but kept — the sign of the faith is the thing that killed its founder, left legible.
Scripture · Psalms
Divine Comfort and Protection
Psalm 23:4
— NLTEven when I walk through the darkest valley, I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me. Your rod and your staff protect and comfort me.
A verse offering reassurance of God’s protection even when faced with adversity.
The passageThe psalm's grammar turns at exactly this verse. Until now God has been spoken about — he leads me, he restores me. In the valley he is spoken to: thou art with me. The tradition reads the darkest line as the one where the distance closes.
Symbol · The Ancient World
Triskelion
The Spiral of Life
Life as motion, not state — spiralling out and back, at the risk of losing the centre you turn on.
What it meansThree arms in rotation, all turning the same way, so the figure has no rest position — it reads as motion even when still. The reading is of life as process rather than state: always going round, and always around a centre that is itself empty.
Poems from the Masnavi 16
- Ayāz and His SheepskinSufism
- The Bear and the FoolSufism
- The Bird's Three CounselsSufism
- The Chinese and the Greek PaintersSufism
- The Grammarian and the BoatmanSufism
- The Greengrocer and the ParrotSufism
- The Lion and the HareSufism
- The Man Who Planted ThornsSufism
- The Mouse and the CamelSufism
- The Ruby and the SunSufism
- The Sage and the PeacockSufism
- The Snake-Catcher and the Frozen SnakeSufism
- The Sufi's DonkeySufism
- The Tanner in the Perfume MarketSufism
- Who Is at the Door?Sufism
- ʿAlī and the KnightSufism
Poems from the Dīvān-e Shams-e Tabrīzī 4
Passages 4
Teachings 4
Practices 1
Symbols 18
- Alchemical SulfurScience & Alchemy
- Alchemical SunScience & Alchemy
- DispersionThe Sixty-Four Hexagrams
- Fibonacci SpiralScience & Alchemy
- LabyrinthThe Ancient World
- MannazThe Runes
- MarsDivination & Cosmos
- OghamNorthern European Folk
- OmSymbols of the Religions
- PiscesDivination & Cosmos
- ScorpioDivination & Cosmos
- Star of DavidSymbols of the Religions
- SunDivination & Cosmos
- TesseractScience & Alchemy
- The CrossScience & Alchemy
- TriskelionThe Ancient World
- VenusDivination & Cosmos
- VirgoDivination & Cosmos
Tarot cards 14
- Five of WandsSuit of Wands
- Knight of WandsSuit of Wands
- Queen of WandsSuit of Wands
- Seven of CupsSuit of Cups
- Seven of WandsSuit of Wands
- Ten of CupsSuit of Cups
- Ten of SwordsSuit of Swords
- Ten of WandsSuit of Wands
- The ChariotMajor Arcana
- The DevilMajor Arcana
- The HermitMajor Arcana
- The MoonMajor Arcana
- The SunMajor Arcana
- Two of WandsSuit of Wands