17-03-2010, 11:53 PM
Ah, but where there is Yin, there is Yang wouldn't you say? The Phoenix is a universally regarded as a very positive symbol of the birth of consciousness. I've yet to appreciate its use as the symbol of mass assassinations. But them there are an awful lot of very perverted people out there.
I once commissioned a local artist to paint a detailed picture (I detailed it) that included this symbol rising from the ashes bearing a glittering diamond at it core. This, in turn, was surrounded and edged by a variety of other symbolic birds and insects: the raven or crow, a kingfisher, a pelican stabbing at its chest to draw blood with which to feed its starving young, a peacock with its tail fully extended, a butterfly and a honey bee. It was a sort of painted tribute of the language of the birds, the green language, argot.
It was to take to a symposium in Zurich of analytical psychology that focused on symbolism in art. I still have it on the wall as a reminder.
In Egyptian times, the God Thoth was symbolized as having a birds head. He corresponds to the scribe God who created language. We may also think of the native North American Thunderbirds too, whereas in Celtic lore birds are said to represent prophetic knowledge or bloodshed, especially crows. From all over the world birds were adopted as important symbols of language - quite a curious thing when you think about it.
![[Image: languagebirds.jpg]](http://www.crystalinks.com/languagebirds.jpg)
And as an aside, synchronicity remains a very strange thing indeed.
I once commissioned a local artist to paint a detailed picture (I detailed it) that included this symbol rising from the ashes bearing a glittering diamond at it core. This, in turn, was surrounded and edged by a variety of other symbolic birds and insects: the raven or crow, a kingfisher, a pelican stabbing at its chest to draw blood with which to feed its starving young, a peacock with its tail fully extended, a butterfly and a honey bee. It was a sort of painted tribute of the language of the birds, the green language, argot.
It was to take to a symposium in Zurich of analytical psychology that focused on symbolism in art. I still have it on the wall as a reminder.
In Egyptian times, the God Thoth was symbolized as having a birds head. He corresponds to the scribe God who created language. We may also think of the native North American Thunderbirds too, whereas in Celtic lore birds are said to represent prophetic knowledge or bloodshed, especially crows. From all over the world birds were adopted as important symbols of language - quite a curious thing when you think about it.
And as an aside, synchronicity remains a very strange thing indeed.
The shadow is a moral problem that challenges the whole ego-personality, for no one can become conscious of the shadow without considerable moral effort. To become conscious of it involves recognizing the dark aspects of the personality as present and real. This act is the essential condition for any kind of self-knowledge.
Carl Jung - Aion (1951). CW 9, Part II: P.14