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Tag Archives: Odysseus
The Symbolism of the Heron
Ever since I watched The Boy and the Heron by Hayao Miyazaki – twice, drawn back by the questions it left me with – I’ve been captivated by the symbolism of these enigmatic birds. Herons appear frequently in Japanese art, … Continue reading
Posted in Heron
Tagged Athena, augury, Bagalamukhi, Bennu, Birds, consciousness, Egypt, Gimbutas, goddess, Greece, Heron, Iliad, Japan, magic, Mahavidyas, Mary Oliver, Miyazaki, mythology, Odysseus, omens, ornis, phoenix, Shakti, shapeshifter, Soul, symbolism, symbols, trickster, unconscious, Yeats
6 Comments
Mythical Lisbon
This year, I traveled to Portugal for the first time, and throughout my journey, I felt as though I was encountering something deeply mysterious. The country struck me as a land of silence and secrecy, and I became captivated by … Continue reading
Posted in Lisbon
Tagged Alfama, archetypes, azulejos, Baixa, Baixa Pombalina, Belem, caduceus, cities, Critias, fado, hermeticism, initation well, Jeronimos, Knights Templar, light, Lima de Freitas, Lisbon, Lusitiania, Masonry, Odysseus, Odyssey, Ophiussa, pavement, Plato, Portugal, Quinta de Regaleira, ravens, saint Vincent, saudade, serpents, Sintra, Soul, symbolism, symbols
8 Comments
Symbolism of Mermaids: The Beauty and Danger of Unconscious Depths
“Her hair was as a wet fleece of gold, and each separate hair as a thread of fine gold in a cup of glass. Her body was as white ivory, and her tail was of silver and pearl. Silver and … Continue reading
Posted in Mermaids
Tagged alchemy, anima, archetypes, art, Atargatis, C.G. Jung, church, Clarissa Pinkola Estes, consciousness, depth psychology, enlightenment, Eros, fantasy, gender fluidity, goddess, hybrid, incarnation, liminal, Little Mermaid, Melusine, mermaid, Mermaids, merpeople, merperson, monster, morality, mythology, Odysseus, Odyssey, passion, Picasso, Pisces, psyche, queer, seduction, selkie, sexuality, sirens, Soul, Starbucks, symbolism, symbols, the unconscious, Typhon, Warsaw, Wild Woman
9 Comments
The Reality of Dreams in Henry Fuseli’s Art
Henry Fuseli’s paintings fire up the soul. What is special about this eighteenth-century artist is that he never painted from “nature” but rather he chose to cast his eye inwards and look for inspiration in the fiery depths of his … Continue reading
Posted in Henry Fuseli, Painting
Tagged archetypes, art, Carl Jung, dreams, Henry Füssli, Henry Fuseli, Leucothea, Leukothea, mysterium tremendum, myth, numinous, Odysseus, painting, reality, Rudolf Otto, symbolism, symbols, the collective unconscious, The Red Book
19 Comments
Odysseus’ Return from the Dead in the Vision of Tadeusz Kantor
Cricoteca, the Centre for the Documentation of the Art of Tadeusz Kantor (1915-1990), a Polish avant-guarde artist, stage designer and, above all, a celebrated theatre director, is a striking addition to the unique architecture of Krakow, Poland. I found their … Continue reading
Posted in Tadeusz Kantor, The Theatre
Tagged anxiety, archetypes, art, Cricot 2, cricoteca, death, fear, Odysseus, reality of the lowest rank, symbolism, symbols, Tadeusz Kantor, theatre, War
6 Comments
The Secrets of the Odyssey (11): Death of Odysseus, Master of Land Ways and Sea Ways
Edward Dodwell, “Ithaca” Having emerged from the Cave of the Nymphs, while the Moon is still in its dark period and the Sun stands still at Winter Solstice, Odysseus hides away in the hut of a pig-keeper Eumaeus. As a … Continue reading
The Secrets of the Odyssey (10): Return to Ithaca through the Cave of the Nymphs
Venus the Morning Star (Venus Phosphorus – Light-Bringer) “When on the East the sheer bright star arose that tells of coming Dawn, the ship made landfall and came up islandward in the dim of night. Phorkys, the old sea baron, … Continue reading
Posted in The Odyssey
Tagged archetypes literature, astrology, Athena, cave, Cave of Nymphs, creation, darkness, Greek mythology, Homer, honey, Ithaca, light, myth, noos, nostos, Odysseus, Odyssey, olive tree, Porphyry, rebirth, Soul, symbolism, symbols, Venus morning star
11 Comments
The Secrets of the Odyssey (8): the Sirens, Scylla & Charybdis, and Thrinacia
John William Waterhouse, “The Siren” Reading the Odyssey in a superb translation of Robert Fitzgerald is like listening to the most delightful music. No interpretation can possibly replace the sheer pleasure of experiencing Homer’s talent. The opening lines of Book … Continue reading
Posted in The Odyssey
Tagged archetypes, astrology, Calypso, Charybdis, fig tree, Greek myth, Helios’ cattle, Homer, Libra, mythology, Odysseus, Odyssey, Scorpio, Scylla, sirens, symbolism, symbols, Thrinacia
29 Comments
The Secrets of the Odyssey (7): Circe and the Underworld
J.W. Waterhouse, “Circe Invidiosa” As his journey progresses, Odysseus gradually loses all his ships and companions, all of his spoils of war, until he becomes solitary at the very end of the epic. Right after the disaster with contrary winds, … Continue reading
Posted in The Odyssey
Tagged astrology, Circe, goddess, Greek mythology, Hades, Homer, Ishtar, lady of the beasts, Leo, Odysseus, Odyssey, Soul, the underworld
16 Comments
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