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Symbolism and allegory in the WuGuan

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  • Symbolism and allegory in the WuGuan

    Hello All,
    I am a sucker for hidden symbolism and allegoric teachings. I am about to totally redesign my training hall, and I would like to incorporate as much symbolism as possible into the design. I'm looking for any ideas you all may have. What I really want are things that have deeper meanings than just what is seen on the surface, for things that could lead those who look toward the more esoteric teachings. For example, the school is pretty much set up on the Golden Ratio, and there are swastikas hidden within the decorative lattice work in the moon portal style windows. I'm looking more for "include 3 of such and such because three is the number which represents Creation and the Manifest Universe," rather than" stick three Buddha statues in the corner for luck." (Although I could always use a little more luck ) I would also like any information on proper altar setup and placement. Any ideas?
    Mike Evans
    Medford, NY

  • #2
    a question first.. are you a gardener, by any chance? or do you own a flower shop?

    basically a swastika is a twist on the ancient indian symbol for peace. do not confuse the two, unless you're actually going for a more nazi feel to the place. you didnt actually specify which nationality this idea of symbolism you're looking for was coming from.

    also, the number three in buddhism represents the three treasures- the buddha, dharma, and sangha. i dont know about all that other stuff.

    but if symbolism is what you want and you arent even familiar with what the symbols symbolize, perhaps you should just make up your own symbols and meanings to for them. thats how they all came about anyway. you could potentially make something really cool looking.

    good luck!

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    • #3
      Nope, not a gardener. We do have a small coner of the Guan that we call the "garden" which is about 20 square feet of mulch with some potted plants growing in it.

      As far as the symbology of the Swastika, yes I am aware of the ancient symbolism, and I have incorporated it because of its use as a symbol of peace, its symbol of swirling energies, and the fact that it was often used to mark the location of temples on maps. Our training hall is shared by a group of western esoterists, so the symbolism we're looking to incorporate will probably be drawn from both the Eastern and Western spiritual cultures (hence the kabbalistic reference to the number three which is taught to their students, while to my students we teach the symbolism you mentioned). Part of the idea is o highlight a unity of the Spirit while allowing followers of one path or another to take their own lessons from what they see. In the study of symbology, one can begin to find certain archetypes that tend to be universal, at least across similar cultures. this is how things like the Tarot deck were originally conceived. In fact, to use the example of the swastika (and I keep using that term because it is the common name for the symbol which most people will recognize), it was also used in times of ancient christianity and called the fylfot cross. Like I said, I'm a sucker for this stuff!
      Mike Evans
      Medford, NY

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      • #4
        Have you come across, in your studies, that the swatstica turned the opposite direction, in Japan, was known as a sybol for mysticism and dark energies ???

        I was sort of interested by that bit of knowlage when I came across it it a comic book, but I've never taken the time to explore any real life examples of it from Japanese culture.

        Maybe someone else out there knows more about that ??? eh ???

        As far as symbols, might I suggest the use of the "ba gua". I know that it could be confused with the martial art "ba gua chuan", but on it's own the symbol has great meaning. That of a cycle that shows every step in the process in a chain of events for a paticular situation. You can consult the "Yi Qing" for a detailed explanation. Good stuff though. The understanding of it has helped me deal with some tough times !!!
        "Winners turn to losers, losers are forgotten..." - A Tribe Called Quest

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        • #5
          yes, of course the taiji symbol, mistakenly called the yin-yang.

          yin and yang are the aspects combined to create the taiji symbol which is the name for it and the principles of which taijiquan is base on.

          for me though, i dont know too much beyond buddhist symbols such as the dharma wheel with eight spokes representing the eightfold path. but even the simple ordinary things like candles, incense, and even the fruits and flowers on buddhist altars all have symbolism.

          but if you're looking for symbolism of certain principles rather than representations of a specific spiritual path or part of a spiritual path, these things may not be of much interest.

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          • #6
            We also have the Tai Chi painted on our training floor. The outer circle of the symbol is done in gold paint, allowing it to be used as a separate teaching symbol: the Wu Chi. One of my students was raised as a theravada buddhist, and has redesigned the altar to incorporate much of the proper elements, such as the offerings of fruit and water, the inclusion of a sacred text, etc. I would still like to learn more of proper altar set up and why things go where they go. As for the Dharma wheel, that's an obvious one I overlooked... thanks! I would very much like to include this, I just haven't quite figured out where to display it... maybe on the new altar that we'll be constructing.
            Mike Evans
            Medford, NY

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            • #7
              I wasn't actually referring to the yin yang, but the eight triagrams of the ba gua. The eight sets of three bars that surround the yin yang.

              The yin yang's meaning is simple yet profound, but the meanings of these eight trigrams I find much more interesting. However, understanding their uses and meanings when combined to form the 64 hexagrams of the yi qing is much more confusing.

              yeah
              "Winners turn to losers, losers are forgotten..." - A Tribe Called Quest

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