Unlocking the Poetry of Life
The Magic Mirror of Metaphors and Symbols
By seeing the world as a mirror, all of life becomes poetry that constantly offers meaning on the most profound levels of my dreams. Creative reflection brings out the symbolic and metaphoric magic of the world around me. Learn more about my practice of creative reflection here.
Even so, I admit that it’s felt strange to see myself in things that are so remarkably different. How ‘bout things that aren’t even living, like rocks or wind? Wuddabout those who come from entirely different kingdoms, like those with leaves or fins? How am I supposed to see myself in entirely different species? How is a dung beetle supposed to be like me?
How and why would I look to things that are so different as a source of understanding?
Firstly: recognizing the patterns that all parts of life have in common helps me understand myself (and others) at the most fundamental and unifying levels of our existence. While we’re all different, recognizing the ways in which we are all the same has been essential to building the compassion and care that’s central to growing peace within and around me.
Secondly, seeing the world as a mirror is not meant to be literal. Here’s a little more about the power and purpose of metaphors and symbols:
Symbols carry meaning that goes far beyond their literal shapes or definitions. They can be made of anything, and mean anything. They can be positive reminders that encourage us, or they can be ominous signs of doom and despair. Though some would assert that there are universal symbols and archetypes within the collective unconscious,1 others point out that symbolic meaning can vary from person to person.
With that in mind, symbols generate meaning by creating relationships between things2. To better understand this, let’s look at Symbol’s close cousin: Metaphor. Derived from the Latin “metaphora” (which means “to carry over.3”) metaphors carry over the qualities of one thing to another4; by referring to one, they deepen the understanding of the other. Metaphor, therefore, is an act of relating (and relating is inherently meaningful).
Symbols of (our) Nature
That being said, the symbol and metaphors of the natural world are inherently helpful in cultivating peace and harmony with life. Then, when I add service to the equation, the healing power of nature gains an even greater potential to nurture my heart as a teacher of the nature of love.
With that in mind, let’s look deeper at how the symbols of nature have gained meaning for cultures and individuals over time:
In general, nature symbols are created by how the species interacts with the ecosystem, and/or its strategies for survival. A mountain lion may be a symbol of stealth. A snake may be a symbol of transformation. Rocks may symbolize persistence. Bees might symbolize fertility and water might mean flexibility.
On a cultural level, groups of people develop different meanings based on shared experiences. For example, the symbol of the wolf varies greatly between cultures depending on how the wolf affected their lives. In agricultural societies (where the wolf was seen as a threat to livestock) it represents something very different than in hunting cultures (where the wolf was often seen as a teacher).
On a personal level, symbols are created subconsciously through the associations that we attach to them in our individual experiences. For example, the symbol of a dog for someone who grew up with dogs as part of the family will likely be very different from someone who was attacked by a dog as a child.
That being said, it’s important to recognize that the meaning behind metaphors and symbols can change over time; they’re not static. Consider the symbol of water, for example. What water means symbolically to someone who carries nostalgic memories of growing up fishing with their dad is going to be very different from someone who almost drowned as a child. That being said, if the person who almost drowned has an experience that helped them heal their relationship to water, the symbol may shift from one of fear to one of triumph. In my time as a Depth Hypnosis practitioner, gaining supportive new symbols and assigning new meaning to old symbols was one of the primary tools for healing and transformation.
With that in mind, my art generates and anchors new and improved symbols that support my ongoing discovery of peace and love within and around me.
https://thoughtsdrawnout.com.au/symbols-are-short-cuts-for-our-brains/#:~:text=The Changing Minds Organisation says,the energy of a symbol.”
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metaphor
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/metaphor
https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-the-collective-unconscious-2671571#:~:text=Sometimes referred to as the,with introverted and extroverted personalities.