Photoshoot and Beyond
In my new video series ‘How I Took That Photo’, we look at a different photo in each video, and how it was taken. We cover the thought process, location scouting, image progression, composition, and post-processing. This is the photo we’re going to be looking at in today’s episode. It’s…
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Weekend photography projects are a great way to try something new, or improve a certain skill, in a very short space of time. Like many of you, I live a busy life working behind a computer and a camera, that it’s often hard to dedicate time to photography for the…
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“When other nights and other days
may find us gone our separate ways
we will have these moments to remember.”
-Lyrics, “Moments To Remember”, The Four Lads
Reminiscence…
We have all paused to sit for a moment at its shoreline in order
to gaze into the deep mystical Waters of the Sea of Reminiscence.
The distant and valued Memories which still live and flow beneath
the depths of these Waters are like a Siren’s call that forever
beckons us to return again and again so that we can reflect upon,
if only for a fleeting instant, visions of cherished, long-gone and
wistful moments that hold a very dear place within our minds and
within our hearts.
And though we know that we can never drink from the Waters of
this melancholy sea we keep returning, time and time again, to be
seduced and mesmerized by the dream-covered images living
within the depths of this untouchable and hypnotic body of water.
Reminiscence…
To have a haunting, fond Remembrance of a bygone Time that we
feel we can almost grasp, only to find that it is just beyond the
fingertips of our outstretched hands.
Reminiscence…
She is a magnetic pull…a Siren’s Song…a melodic call from our
Past…a pensive longing which unexpectedly meanders into our
mind in order to both torment and please us with bittersweet
Memories of days gone by.
She is the sweet, somber mistress of our earlier days who is
forever with us, yet never again permits us to enjoy Her as we did
the first time we encountered Her. She is as intoxicating as a fine
old wine yet as un-caressable as a wisp of Smoke.
Reminiscence…
Irreplaceable moments…innocent mistakes…opportunities missed
and Loves lost to awkward immaturity…the faded and muffled
faces and voices of old childhood friends…the pranks…the social
gatherings we thought would go on forever…bus rides and football
games…achievements…regrets…brashness…bashfulness…
childhood innocence, imagination and enthusiasm…the
neighborhood of our youth…sentimental rememberings of our
irretrievable Past…echoing footsteps in the hallways of nostalgia…
all now permanently locked away in a glass-enclosed vault whose
contents can now only be viewed through the eyes of Misty
recollection. They have now been relegated to the role of somber,
haunting specters which reside deep within Our Subconscious
and visit us at their whim to make us laugh or to make us cry.
Reminiscence…
Our Wizard’s Staff: the experiences which we lean on and which
guide us on our journey forward…regrets and satisfactions…
achievements and failures…tears of happiness…tears of sadness.
Old friends with whom we have lost contact but are still a valuable
and integral part of our deep, inner self…bygone Relationships…
children who now are adults…and, those whose Time in this
realm has come to its completion; those cherished friends,
parents, relatives and Mentors with whom we can no longer
converse with; no longer share our Thoughts and feelings
with…those individuals who are the building blocks that helped
form the foundation of who we are today.
Reminiscence…
Sometimes a Memory or an experience can flash into our minds
after having lain dormant for decades; perhaps simply to remind
us that it is still there…vivid remembrances of dear friends we
will never see again or cherished moments we can never return
to…reminders of very special people, places and Times.
What triggers these Reminiscences? What makes them “pop”
into our consciousness? What purpose do they really serve?
Where do we store them? Why do we store them? Is there a
box, a memory album, a secret hiding spot which only we know
about that is reserved only for us? A place we can go to and
access any time we wish? A place where we can view our
bygone Memories and cherish them if for only a brief and
wistful moment?
Reminiscence…
No other person can experience the same Memory in the same
way as we do. Our Memories are the building blocks of who
we are today.
Reminiscence is a fond and fleeting mistress. Therefore, we
should kiss this lady on Her cheek, Bless Her for being a part
of our lives, and thank her for helping to have made us who we
have Become, along with what we have Learned and experienced,
every time She honors us with one of Her visitations.
See also:
“Quests and Fellowships“;
“The First Time“;
“Memories and Remembrances“
Comments and Emails: I welcome comments and emails from
people with similar thoughts and feelings. My Email address is
located in the upper-left area of this page. Comments can be
posted by using the “Comment” link located below each article.
Also: If you found value in this article please feel free to forward
it to other like-minded individuals, organizations and sites.
Disclaimer: None of my articles should be considered to be
either advice or expertise. They are simply personal opinions
and no more. Everyone is encouraged to seek competent
advice from a licensed, registered, or certified professional
should such advice or service be required.
© copyright Joseph Panek 2013
“When the masculine and feminine
truly become one,
all duality ceases to exist.”
– Joseph Panek
Ancient cultures were aware of, understood, revered and utilized
the complementary aspects of duality. They realized that the
masculine and feminine, the yin and the yang, complemented each
other and, when utilized together, create a powerful synergy;
wherein the combined Union of the two aspects of duality is more
potent and creative than the sum of each of the two when acting
alone.
The various indigenous cultures which occupy the most distant
and remote places on our planet are also aware of this timeless
and Divine Law.
“Modern” society, however, by way of its multiple institutions and
organizations promotes an entirely different agenda in regards to
duality. Instead of focusing on the complementary aspects of
duality so revered by ancient and indigenous cultures, “modern”
society Indoctrinates its members to focus only upon the divisive
aspects of duality. These aspects are the concept of me against
you, us against them, masculine against feminine, etc., etc., etc.
Modern society Indoctrinates its members how to “pick things apart”
instead of Instructing its members to be Aware of, to observe and
to understand how Nature, Natural Laws and duality work in unison
to create, expand and prosper.
And except for the indigenous cultures, and the very small
number of individuals who are aware of and understand Divine Law,
the divisive aspects of duality governs the behavior of the masses
while the complementary aspects of duality are ridiculed,
discredited and scorned.
Hence the misery we experience in today’s fractured world of
personal Relationships and interpersonal interactions. These
fractures are the chief cause of the antagonistic attitudes which
exist between the various races, cultures and nations occupying
this planet today.
Symbolism is a great Teacher. The purpose of Symbolism is to
show us in pictures, characters and designs those things which
are very difficult to convey by way of clumsy Words. Symbolism,
in effect, manifests abstract concepts into visible images.
The paintings and artwork pertaining to The Alchemical Marriage
are the Symbolist’s way of portraying the powerful interplay of the
complementary aspects of duality. Therefore, the Alchemical
Marriage is, in fact, a Symbolic depiction of the Union of Duality.
The Symbolism of the Alchemical Marriage:
The Alchemical Marriage is the most sublime and potent
expression of the Union of Duality. It represents the ultimate
conjunction, or intimate bonding, of all aspects of duality and
represents the pure Harmony which can exist when the masculine
and feminine aspects of Nature are solemnly blended into One.
Symbolically, the Alchemical Marriage is expressed in many
different ways. Some examples are:
A naked man and woman sharing a passionate physical
embrace which entwines all parts of their bodies. In such
instances the man is wearing the crown of a king and the
woman is wearing the crown of a queen. Sometimes the man
has the face of the sun and the woman has the face of the
moon. And other times the sun may appear over the body of
the man while the moon appears over the body of the woman
Not always do we find the man and woman being portrayed as
sharing a passionate embrace. Often we see them, again both
naked, either holding hands or simply looking at each other with
a longing gaze. Again, in these instances the man may be either
wearing the crown of a king, be portrayed with the face of the sun,
or have the sun displayed above his head. While the woman may
be wearing the crown of a queen, be portrayed with the face of the
moon or have the moon displayed above her head.
In other instances both the man and woman may be clothed in
the garments of magicians and bonded together by a cord or have
a bird, which represents the Uniting Spirit, hovering above and
between them in the appearance of giving spiritual blessing to
their sublime Union. In these instances the man may be wearing
a garment of red or gold, which represents his solar aspects, while
the woman may be wearing a garment of white or silver which
represents her lunar aspects.
And yet, in other instances, we may find an androgynous figure
representing the Union of Duality which is at the heart of the
Alchemical Marriage. An androgynous figure is one in which both
the masculine and feminine are portrayed in one body. This can
be depicted by way of a single a body which contains both the
head of a man and the head of a woman. An androgynous figure
can also be one whose facial features can appear to be either
masculine, feminine or both at the same time.
There are still other ways in which the Alchemists portrayed the
Alchemical Marriage but they all contain the same themes as
mentioned above.
We also find the Union of Duality, which again is at the heart of
the Alchemical Marriage, in other ancient and mystical teachings.
The Chinese yin and yang Symbol depicts both the yin and yang
essences perfectly balanced, and in union with each other, while
Harmoniously enclosed within the womb of the Circle.
In the Tarot, we find the Alchemical Marriage (Union of Duality)
expressed in the card of “The Lovers”.
Androgynous figures also appear in astrology, mythology and
the Tarot.
In mythology and astrology the Greek god Hermes and the
Roman god Mercury are portrayed as androgynous beings.
Hermes and Mercury are later day representations of Thoth,
the ancient Egyptian Neter of whom it was said “contained the
Wisdom of the heavens and all that is contained within the
heavens”.
In the Tarot we find the concept of androgyny portrayed in the
character of “The Fool“.
The Symbolism of the Total Solar Eclipse:
The ultimate example of the Alchemical Marriage, and the
Union of Duality, which can be actually observed and
experienced in the physical realm is that rare and perfect
conjunction of the sun and moon which we call the Total
Solar Eclipse.
During a Total Solar Eclipse the moon completely covers,
and entirely unites with, the sun. In that brief and rare moment
the moon and sun occupy the exact same point in the heavens.
In that one brief and rare moment the moon and sun, the cosmic
feminine and masculine, are Symbolically and celestially One.
And In that final and brief cosmic moment, when the moon and
sun unite in the heavens as One, a flash of solar brilliance shoots
forth from the sun’s corona Symbolizing that orgasmic cosmic
moment when the sun and the moon, the masculine and feminine
aspects of the heavens, experience their blissful Union of Duality
in a magnificent consummation of their celestial Alchemical Marriage.
Comments and Emails: I welcome comments and emails from
people with similar thoughts and feelings. My Email address is
located in the upper-left area of this page. Comments can be
posted by using the “Comment” link located below each article.
Also: If you found value in this article please feel free to forward
it to other like-minded individuals, organizations and sites.
Disclaimer: None of my articles should be considered to be
either advice or expertise. They are simply personal opinions
and no more. Everyone is encouraged to seek competent
advice from a licensed, registered, or certified professional
should such advice or service be required.
© copyright Joseph Panek 2013
For the purpose of this article, Books and Scrolls refer to those
writings which preserve ancient and timeless Truth, Wisdom and
knowledge regardless of what time period in our history they may
have been written.
Books are the modern day counterparts of Scrolls. Therefore,
their purpose, function and Symbolism is similar.
Books and Scrolls are vehicles which record and perpetuate
Truth, Wisdom and knowledge for the benefit of both current and
future generations
Upon the pages and parchment of Books and Scrolls we
encounter Words, letters, Symbols and characters whose function
is to take Thoughts, ideas, Lessons and concepts out of the
realm of the abstract, invisible and verbal and bring them to life,
in some familiar fashion, in the realm of the material, tangible and
visible.
Books and Scrolls are the means by which the spoken Word
becomes the written Word; the means by which the abstract
concept becomes the picturesque archetype.
Upon their pages and parchment imagination and Thought is
transformed into readable Words and vivid pictorial displays.
It is through Books and Scrolls that ancient myth, Wisdom, and
folklore from a distant long-ago becomes a permanent
Remembrance that passes from nation to nation, culture to culture
and race to race throughout the changing ages of Time.
It is through Books and Scrolls that the Words, Thoughts,
concepts and feelings of the most ancient peoples are made
available to us today so we can reach out with our Thoughts and
feelings as we read their Words of long, long ago and thereby form
a spiritual reminiscent bond with these most ancient and distant
ancestors of ours.
Through Books and Scrolls these unknown and unremembered
ancestors become living beings with which we can now share a
common and wistful bond across Time.
Many books contain knowledge but some books contain Wisdom!
Egyptian papyri, Mayan Codex’s, the Dead Sea Scrolls, and let
us not forget the Rosetta Stone, all bring ancient information, a
primordial spiritual philosophy and a long-forgotten way of life to
us in our “modern” world.
But Books and Scrolls serve no purpose if we are unable to read,
properly Interpret, understand and make use of the information they
are attempting to reveal to us.
Universal Truths are contained within the pages and parchments
of ancient manuscripts. The fact that we may be unable to properly
interpret the hieroglyphs, Symbols, characters or speech patterns
contained in ancient Books and Scrolls does not lessen the fact
that the precise ancient information, of either the esoteric (sacred
and hidden) or exoteric (common and available to all) variety, is
contained within them.
With these thoughts in mind, let us now explore the Symbolism
associated with Books and Scrolls.
Open Books and Scrolls:
An open Book or Scroll can fall into one of two categories:
By itself, an open Book or Scroll Symbolizes information that is
available to everyone. In other words, an open Book is a Symbol
for common, everyday exoteric knowledge or information
available to all.
Taken within the context of a Ritual or Ceremony, however, an
open Book or Scroll has a slightly different Symbolism. In this
instance it Symbolizes the common knowledge or dogmas
celebrated by, and made available to, the member participants
throughout the duration of that particular Ritual or Ceremony .
One example of this can be experienced during a catholic mass
where the Bible is opened at the beginning of the mass and
closed at its ending. However, numerous other organizations
adhere to the same practices in which their special Books are
a part of their ceremony.
An open Book with blank pages Symbolizes the unwritten future
and Events which have not yet come to pass; reminding us,
therefore, that all options and outcomes still remain open.
It also Symbolizes:
a Destiny yet to be fulfilled;
a story yet to be told,
Decisions and Choices yet to be made;
dreams still to be pursued;
a mystery not yet understood;
an Adventure still in progress; and
anything not yet known, experienced or recorded.
In the everyday world, the empty pages of journals and diaries
fall into this category.
Closed Books and Scrolls:
Closed Books and Scrolls, those which are not strapped or
sealed, Symbolize common knowledge which must be accessed
by any person seeking the information contained within them.
Some examples are library books, closed books in a person’s
study or office and rolled up scrolls and maps which are simply
filed away but available to everyone.
Expanding on the example of the Bible cited above: although
the Bible is closed at the end of the mass, the information
contained within it is still available to anyone who Chooses to
access it. Therefore, it falls into the category of Books and
Scrolls which are simply closed but not sealed or bound.
On a more esoteric level, however, closed Books and Scrolls
take on a much different and unique Symbolism.
Much profound, arcane and ancient Wisdom is contained within
closed Books and Scrolls. And although this information is, in fact,
available to all, only a rare few will make the effort to extract the
Wisdom contained within them. These types of Books and Scrolls
Symbolize the lure of the Quest. For it takes desire, effort, energy
and independent Thought to seek out, open, read and attempt to
understand the arcane, esoteric Wisdom contained within them.
These types of closed Books and Scrolls are the domain of the
true Seeker.
Sealed, bound, locked or strapped Books and Scrolls:
These Symbolize Initiatory Wisdom and Esoteric Truths that are
unavailable, incomprehensible or hidden to all but a select few.
The select few are the worthy and well-qualified Initiates and
Self-Initiates who have earned the right to have access to
Divine Wisdom and Truth.
These worthy and well-qualified individuals are those persons
who, through a burning desire, have Chosen to pursue the sublime
Path of Eternal Truth and Ancient Wisdom that leads to distant
Horizons which lie beyond the imagination of the average person.
It is along this sublime Path that we encounter The Lone Wolf
the True Seeker and Wizards and Wanderers.
When we see a number of straps or bindings enclosing a book or
Scroll, the number of straps or bindings Is Symbolic of the number
of Initiatory degrees, processes or grades which an Initiate or
Self-Initiate must successfully pass through in order to properly
understand the contents of this particular Book of Scroll.
The High Priestess Tarot Card:
On this card we see the High Priestess holding a rolled,
but not strapped or bound, Scroll. Part of the Scroll is
revealed while part of the Scroll is concealed. The Scroll
that the High Priestess is holding is the Scroll of Wisdom.
Because Wisdom involves insight, intuition and inner knowing
(Gnosis), Wisdom is a feminine Divine Principle. This is why
the Scroll of Wisdom is in possession of a Priestess and not
a Priest.
This partly concealed and partly revealed scroll can be interpreted
in several ways:
The Initiate, or Self-Initiate, has earned a certain amount of
Wisdom but there is still more to be sought after and revealed.
Wisdom is available to some of the masses but not to all.
The High Priestess is reminding us that there are three
conditions which occupy the realm of matter and reason:
The Known, The Unknown and The Unknowable. Where The
Unknowable, by its very nature, can never be fully accessed
through the faculty of reason alone.
Modern Metaphors:
“He/she is an open book”
“He/she is a closed book”
“You can read him/her like a book”
Comments and Emails: I welcome comments and emails from
people with similar thoughts and feelings. My Email address is
located in the upper-left area of this page. Comments can be
posted by using the “Comment” link located below each article.
Also: If you found value in this article please feel free to forward
it to other like-minded individuals, organizations and sites.
Disclaimer: None of my articles should be considered to be
either advice or expertise. They are simply personal opinions
and no more. Everyone is encouraged to seek competent
advice from a licensed, registered, or certified professional
should such advice or service be required.
© copyright Joseph Panek 2013
The Apple:
What is it about the Apple? What caused this fruit to become
such a sacred, magical and enchanting Symbol in the
mythologies and folklores of the world?
We have Johnny Appleseed planting Apples everywhere.
An Apple fell upon the head of Isaac Newton as he was sitting
in the shade of an Apple tree (we should be thankful that
Sir Isaac did not choose to sit under a coconut tree!).
One of the twelve labors of Hercules required that he obtain
an Apple from the nymphs who guarded the Garden of the
Hesperides; thereby gaining him immortality.
King Arthur and Merlin are said to have sailed off to the
blessed Isle of Avalon where they enjoy eternal life.
Avalon is derived from the Welsh word for apple, afal.
And in Christian mythology Eve offers Adam an Apple,
a Forbidden Fruit which grew upon the Tree of Knowledge
of Good and Evil in the Garden of Eden. And though Eve
originally offered Adam “a fruit”, this fruit later evolved
into an Apple.
In Greek mythology the Apple is associated with Aphrodite,
the goddess of Love. Also in Greek mythology, the root of the
word apple is associated with the sun god Apollo.
In Chinese mythology the Apple is the Symbol for peace and
the Apple blossom is a Symbol of feminine Beauty.
In mystic literature the Apple tree is Symbolic of the “Tree of
Life” or “Tree of Unity”, the other tree which grew in the
Garden of Eden, or Paradise…the “Tree of Immortality” from
which Adam and Eve were permitted to eat.
The Apple tree is often also Symbolic of “The World Tree“.
The Apple is a circular fruit. The Circle is a Symbol for “The All”,
“The Eternal” and “The Complete”. However, many other fruits
are circular: such as the orange, peach, nectarine, grapefruit
and even the grape. So why was the Apple chosen, above all
the other circular fruits, to represent “The All” along with
everything which is contained within “The All”?
The Apple was chosen because within the Apple there is
contained the Five-Pointed Star and the Seeded Vulva which
Symbolize the two aspects which are required for creation in
the material realm.
The Five-Pointed Star:
When we slice an Apple horizontally (width-wise), the Seed
structure at the center of the Apple forms a perfectly
symmetrical Five-Pointed Star.
Five is the number which represents the spiritual and unseen
aspect of life and creation. Within the number Five is
contained the Four Elements of Fire, Earth, Air and Water
along with the quintessential Fifth Element which is referred
to by the Alchemists as Aether, the Chinese as ki or chi, the
Indian mystics as prana, and the ancient Egyptians as ka.
When Five is viewed in this Numerological manner it consists
of the numbers 4 + 1; the Four Elements plus Aether.
The number Five is represented in Symbolism by the Five-
Pointed Star of the ancient Egyptians; a Symbol which
abounds in their artwork.
We also find the Five-Pointed Star represented by the Chinese
character “da” which esoterically Symbolizes “the superior
[illuminated] person” and in Leonardo da Vinci’s Vitruvian man:
the naked man with arms, legs and head outstretched in the
shape of a Five-Pointed Star…all contained within a Circle.
The Five-Pointed Star was also the secret Symbol of Pythagoras
and his followers.
The Seeded Vulva:
When we slice an Apple vertically (length-wise) the core
portion has the shape of the Vulva in which the Seeds are
contained.
Symbolically, the feminine Vulva-shape which contains the
masculine Seeds represents the act of creation in the physical
realm. For, in the physical realm, when the masculine Seed
enters the feminine Vulva, creation and life are the result.
The Seeded Vulva Symbolizes the complimentary aspects
of duality which, when joined together, in a Union of Duality,
create life not only in the physical but also the mental realm;
the two realms we experience during our Current Incarnation.
Conclusion:
Within the Circular confines of the Apple, “The All”, is
contained the Symbolism of the two aspects necessary for
creation in the realm of matter: The Five-Pointed Star
(the spiritual, invisible essence) and the Seeded Vulva (the
material, visible essence).
When these two aspects are joined together, creation (human
life) occurs. This is the mystery which is further Symbolized by
the act of Weaving which is depicted for us by way of the
spinning wheel or loom. The spinning wheel or loom of
mythology and folklore takes two Threads, one Thread
representing the spiritual and the other Thread representing
the material, and unites these two Threads into one in the
magical and mysterious act which creates a fully functioning
human being.
This is why the Apple, which contains within it the Symbolism
of the spiritual and material aspects of creation, is the
representative fruit of the creative process which we call life.
In the Apple we find, Symbolically, the spiritual (Five-Pointed
Star) and the material (Seeded Vulva) encircled by “The All”.
In the material realm we can liken the Union of the Seed and
the Vulva to sexual awakening and physical creation. In the
mental realm, which is a complimentary aspect associated
with a person’s physical realm, we can liken the aspects of
the Seed and the Vulva to the conception and fruition of ideas:
ideas (Seeds) which when planted and left to harvest within
the fertile Subconscious (Vulva) create for us new comforts,
achievements, and benefits. And all of this creation, both
physical and mental, contained within the Seeded Vulva is
powered by the mysterious energies Symbolized by the
Five-Pointed Star.
And finally, although the Apple has been associated with
temptation, the Word temptation can also be interpreted
to mean “test”. And as a test, the Apple is a test-ament to
who and what we truly are: The power of the spiritual and
the physical aspects of creation all combined into One!
See also:
“The Four Elements“;
“Aether“;
“Draco the Dragon and the Garden of Eden“;
“Vesica Piscis“
Comments and Emails: I welcome comments and emails from
people with similar thoughts and feelings. My Email address is
located in the upper-left area of this page. Comments can be
posted by using the “Comment” link located below each article.
Also: If you found value in this article please feel free to forward
it to other like-minded individuals, organizations and sites.
Disclaimer: None of my articles should be considered to be
either advice or expertise. They are simply personal opinions
and no more. Everyone is encouraged to seek competent
advice from a licensed, registered, or certified professional
should such advice or service be required.
© copyright Joseph Panek 2013
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