Symbols
and Signs
It is mentioned in the Talmud that we see things not as they
are but as we are. This explains not only why men have trouble
finding anything in the kitchen, but also why the moment you
understand the law of karma, you no longer get irate about
parking fines. The more you see, the more there is to see.
The more you know, the more there is to know. For example,
take the paradox of love. C.G. Jung, one of the greatest psychologists
of last century, said that ‘true love’ doesn’t
exist but is a reflection of an inner archetype made real.
Paradoxically, the more we search for ‘true love’,
the more we learn how to love ourself, and in doing so, allow
‘true love’ to flourish with someone else.
Spiritual symbolism, where
inner states are mirrored by outer events, is as old as humanity
itself. Our mind uses physical objects (totems, icons and
mantras) as means of representing our inner feelings and emotions.
Thus, when we see an external object that closely resembles
an inner symbol or hear words that resemble known inner dialogues
with self, we impart these external sounds and sights as having
supernatural, mystical or spiritual origins. That is, a spiritual
message arising from a mundane source. The more symbolic our
daily life is, the more imbued it is with symbols, and the
more symbols and signs begin to appear in our everyday life.
St Francis of Assisi, always bent to the spiritual life, once
heard the words ‘Go, and repair my house, which as you
see is falling into ruin." St. Francis interpreted this
as meaning that he had to repair the church, and so this became
the burning mission of his life. If another person had heard
those words, they may have interpreted it to mean a need for
psychiatric counselling or a backyard blitz. Few would have
listened to those words as having a spiritual message. Even
fewer would have heeded the implications of those words, or
acted upon them the way St. Francis did. Thus it seems that
spiritual symbols can be trivial or numinous, depending on
the listeners ears, and with them comes a responsibility of
acting upon the advice given.
A recently published book
Awakening the Awareness Within discusses the modern implications
of spiritual symbolism in a thought-provoking way. I was recently
able to interview the author of this book, Chiara Tino, and
asked her some pertinent questions about this fascinating
topic.
- In your latest book, Awakening the Awareness Within, you
mention that signs and symbols are around us all the time.
Why is it that some people see these signs and others don’t?
CT: I think the biggest reason
is because so many of us get caught up in the ‘physical’
side of life, forgetting that essentially, we are spiritual
beings having a human experience. Remembering this, we tend
to see and feel things differently.
- Is it a matter of wishful
thinking or do these signs really exist?
CT: Well, from my experience
they definitely exist. Once you become open to the awareness
of these signs, you begin to question the universe on whatever
it is you need to know. It can seem a little weird at first
if you’re truly new to it all, but it’s really
important that you trust yourself on what you get. Making
it a daily exercise can be a lot of fun and it’s amazing
at how the answers come through.
- How relevant are these
signs to where we are at? Are they telling us what we want
to hear or are they telling us what we need to hear?
CT: Hmmm, good question! The
signs are always relevant to where we are. One thing is for
certain though, and that is that our minds are powerful and
so we can think a sign means one thing when it in fact means
another. Kidding ourselves is something we humans are good
at sometimes! But what’s so great about it all is that
the source of these signs will persistently show us what it
is we need to know and in various ways, until we ‘get
it’.
- What is the source(s) of
these signs?
CT: The sources are the higher
power that one may believe exists – God, the Universe,
Angels, Guides, Buddha – whomever we relate to, communicate
with or pray to, is our source.
- How individual are the
signs? Can one sign mean the same thing for different people?
CT: It can do, but often it
doesn’t. We each see, hear or feel whatever we need,
depending on what our life situation is at the time. It’s
important that you interpret what it means for you. For example,
two people hearing a particular song on the radio can hold
different messages for each. Again, trust what feelings it
invokes and go with that.
- Can we invoke signs from
our own inner fears / delusions?
CT: As I said earlier, our
minds are powerful and so yes, I believe that we can. However,
if you really focus on all that’s being shown, you’ll
notice that often what accompanies these signs are those of
encouragement and strength. Our state of being can definitely
play a part on how we interpret messages. A good habit to
get into when you’re not sure of a sign is to ask “What
did that mean? Show me another version of that, but make it
clearer and help me interpret it correctly.” Often they
are just waiting to be asked.
- How long have these signs
been around?
CT: Longer than we have…
- Your book highlights the
importance of being self-aware or in a state ready for receiving
signs. Is there ways for us to improve our listening; that
is, make us more attuned to receiving these signs?
CT: Very simply, the more
‘in the moment’ we are, the more in tune we become.
The easiest way to be ‘in the moment’ is through
the breath. Breathe more deeply, and make it a practice to
focus more on it. Besides it bringing you to the moment, it’s
a great stress release technique.
- How do we know that what
we are seeing is good or bad? Can some signs be from the devil?
CT: I believe all signs are
good. Some can seem ‘devil based’, but in fact
they are better described as warnings or wake up calls to
our fears. Very often we receive signs that show us the way
we think, in the hope that we look at it. For instance, I
often see signs that show up as the word ‘FEA’.
I know immediately that I’m sitting in some sort of
fear, and so I work on looking at what it relates to so I
can clear it.
- What form can signs take?
Do we have to read number plates and billboards in order to
get a message from guides/spirits? What if we live in the
country?
CT: Signs come through anywhere,
in many ways – words on a billboard, words in a song,
number plates, or any other symbol, icon or object we relate
to. Watch your reactions to them, and you’ll know the
sign is for you.
- You discuss your own spiritual
journey and how it was instrumental to your becoming sensitive
to signs. Do we all have to go through a major life crisis
to be able to see signs around us?
CT: Absolutely not! Just becoming
aware of the guidance opens us up to receiving it. A life
crisis often takes place as a wake up call and as a result
of ignoring the gentler promptings. I often describe them
as ‘getting hit with a brick’ moments, because
we ignored the earlier more gentle strokes of urging.
- You have been a Reiki Master
and practitioner for many years. How important is this work
you do relevant to being able to see signs?
CT: It’s relevant in
that it opens me further to receiving them. Reiki energy fills
you with a sense of peace and oneness with all. In this space,
I am more sensitive to everything around me. In turn, a person
receiving Reiki feels the same peace, and able to live more
in the moment, thus more open to everything around them.
- Does one have to be a vegetarian,
or belong to a particular religion, in order to see signs?
CT: No, not at all. It’s
true that looking after ourselves and living in a positive
way, can enable us to feel peace, and so we should aim for
that. However, as mentioned earlier, simple awareness of the
guidance all around us will get us in touch with signs.
An interview with Chiara Tino
is like having a Reiki session. Her breezy style refreshes
the soul, and tempts me to emulate her state of ‘being
in the moment’. In parting, she assures me that the
only requirement of having a meaningful symbolic experience
is inner space. ‘Man yearns to travel in outer space
but avoids the inner one’. Chiara Tino makes spiritual
symbolism sound easy.
But in this frenetic world,
one asks the question, ‘Just how loud can the world
within shout in order to be heard by the world without?’
The world needs more signs, but maybe it also needs more teachers
like Chiara Tino to show us how to read these signs.
Authors
Details: 'Symbols and Signs'
Dr Jim Euclid (freelance author who lives in Melbourne)
Interview of Author and Reiki Master Chiara Tino Web
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More Articles On Symbols & Signs
(Sacred Symbols
Pt 1)
(Sacred Symbols
Pt 2) |
