RE: The Four Elements and the Elemental Quaternity of Life
Excellent article and presentation-- sharing and resteeming.
Both my wife (in her coaching and counseling) and I (in my creative outlets) use symbolic imaging extensively, so saving this as a resource both for our own purposes, as well as a to use as a reference for others.
I like exploring some of the underlying roots for why we reach for symbols... and always come back to "I saw/heard/experienced something that is new to me, and I am trying to explain it (or rationalize it) to myself and/or in terms of previously known experience." And so, a symbol(s) is used to represent something not yet named in order to give meaning and lend an understandable frame of reference to that.
A curious thing to me is symbols derived from symbolic reality... coincidences, synchronicities... for example, when I upvoted this, the $ ticker went to $11.11.... "Oooh, 1111... that 'means' something!" some might say. Sure, in reality 11:11 is a "real" moment in time, but the implied meaning exists only (in documentable terms) as an artificial construct.
Fascinating stuff, thanks!
Hehe, indeed, we project a lot and invent meaning and "answers" to things in order to give ourselves meaning and not feel uncomfortable, insecure, anxious or scared of the darkness, void, and abyss of the unknown that an unanswered question creates in our comprehension and worldview. We like to fill that up with our imagination. There is also the wonder and amazement with mystery and associating the unknown with mysterious wondrous answers from our imagination. Consciousness is powerful, and can be a double-edged sword where we fool ourselves into falsity because it "feels-good" to believe it.
Thanks for the feedback ;)