SYMBOLS
Symbols are thought-forms which convey, by the association of
ideas, a definite meaning in regard to the mind that generates
them. They depend wholly upon the laws of thought, and the
correspondence that exists between the spiritual and material
worlds, between the subject and the object of our consciousness.
Among the ancients symbols were the original form of record, of
communicating ideas, and of writing. The hieroglyphs of the
Egyptians, the word-pictures of the aborigines of Central America,
the ideographic writing of ancient Mongolia, are all forms
of symbolic writing, drawn from natural objects. The Hebrew
alphabet, the names of its 22 letters, clearly indicate the nomadic
and simple life of those "dwellers in tents." Thus the names of the
letters include such objects as ox, tent, tent-door, tent-peg, camel,
fish, fish-hook, an eye, a hand, a basket, a rope-coil, a head, an
ox-goad, water, etc. From the combination of these simple forms the
words are constructed. Thus the word used to signify "knowledge"
is derived from three letters, Yod, Daleth, Oin, which mean a
hand, a door, an eye. The _hand_ denotes action, power, etc.; the
_door_ denotes entering, initiation, etc.; the _eye_ denotes seeing,
vision. Therefore the three ideograph; when combined, denote
"opening the door to see," which is a very graphic way of
conveying the idea of acquiring knowledge. One cannot help
seeing the hand of the young Hebrew drawing aside the canvas
door of the tent and peeping in to see what secrets may be learned!
All symbols, therefore, may be translated by reference to the
known nature, quality, and uses of the objects they represent. Thus
a foot signifies a journey, and also understanding; a mouth denotes
speech, revelation; an ear news, information, and, if ugly and
distorted, scandal or abuse. The sun, shining brightly, denotes
prosperity, honours. The moon, when crescent denotes success,
increase, and improvement. When gibbous, it denotes sickness,
decadence, losses, and trouble. The sun eclipsed shows death or
ruin of a man; the moon, similarly afflicted, denotes equal danger
to a woman. These are natural interpretations.
Every symbol, however, has a threefold interpretation, and the
nature of the inquiry or the purpose for which the vision is sought
must determine the meaning of the symbols. If they refer to the
spiritual world the interpretation must be agreeable to the nature of
the spirit, and similarly if they refer to the intellectual or physical
worlds. Thus a pair of scales would denote Divine Justice in the
spiritual sense, judgment in the intellectual sense, and obligation
in the material sense. If the scales were evenly balanced the
augury would be good. But if weighed down on one side it is
_Mene, mene, tekel, upharsin_, "Thou art weighed and found
wanting"; it shows a corrupt judgment, a wrong conclusion, an
unbalanced mind, failure in one's obligations, injustice, etc. And if
a sword should lie across the scales or be seen overhead, then a
speedy judgment will be meted out.
A ship is a symbol of intercourse, of trading, of voyaging, etc. If in
full sail it shows that the communication with the spiritual world is
increasing, that news from far-off lands will come to hand, that
trade will increase, that a voyage will be taken. If aught is written
on the sails it will be an additional source of enlightenment. If the
symbol of death be written there, it shows speedy translation to a
far-off country in which the subject will die. That far-off country
may be the spiritual world itself in which case the death would be
a natural one. But if the ship's sails are drooping, then it denotes a
falling away of spiritual influx of intelligence, and of trade.
Expected news will not come.
Black bread denotes a famine, and if it be spotted with yellow
blotches it shows a plague. This symbol was seen, with a goat
butting at it, in June, 1896. There followed a famine and plague in
India, which country is said to be ruled by the zodiacal sign
Capricorn! The symbol was not deciphered till the event came to
throw light upon it. In the same way a leaf of shamrock, denoting
the Triple Alliance, has been seen split down the centre with a
black line, denoting the fracture of the treaty. It would also seem
to indicate that Ireland, whose symbol is the shamrock, will be
separated by an autonomous government from the existing United
Kingdom.
In similar manner all symbols arising in the crystal may be
interpreted by reference to their known qualities and uses, as well
as the associations existing between them and other things,
persons, and places, in the mind of the seer. As we have already
said, however, the meanings of most of the symbols will be
conveyed to the consciousness of the trained seer at the time of
their appearance in the crystal. Experience will correct many
errors, and a symbol, once known, will assume a constant meaning
with each seer, so that after repeated occurrence it will hold a
definite signification.
It should be mentioned, however, that the same symbol will have
different meanings with different seers. It is difficult to say why
this is the case. But it probably arises from the difference of
individual temperament, and the Order to which the soul belongs
in the spiritual world. These dissimilarities exist between
individuals down to the lowest of our sensations. We have the
same laws of thought and the same general constitution. Humanity
holds us all within the bonds of a single nature. Yet, despite this
fact, we have differences of opinion, of emotion, of sympathy and
antipathy, of taste, and so forth, Therefore it would appear that the
soul images projected by the magical power of the mind must have
different significations with each of us, their interpretation being
in some peculiar way in agreement with the nature of the person
who sees them. Necessarily no definite rule can be laid down as to
interpretation, but it is advisable that the seer or seeress should be
his or her own interpreter.
Thus, although every symbol has some general signification in
agreement with its natural qualities and uses, yet it obtains a
particular signification in regard to each person. It is within
common experience that this is the case in regard to dreams,
wherein the faculty of seership is acting in its normal plane. Every
person is a seer in dream-life, but few persons pay that attention to
dreams that their origin and nature warrant. The crystal is but a
means of bringing this normal faculty of dreaming into activity in
the waking life. Yet, as stated above, the differences of import or
meaning, even in the dream-world, of any particular symbol is a
common experience. Thus one person will dream to be wading in
water whenever there is trouble ahead. Another will dream of a
naked child when similar troubles are about to occur, Butcher's
meat will signify financial troubles to one person, to another a
fortunate speculation. The controlling factor in this matter is
probably to be found in the constitution of the mental and psychic
qualities conferred by the hereditary and psychic influences
converging at the conception of an individual, and expressed in the
birth. Probably, too, an argument could be established in regard to
the influence of the planets ruling at the nativity, and also from the
dominion of the signs of the zodiac in the horoscope of birth. But
this would be beyond the scope and intention of this short treatise.