By nature, I'm a “don't look back” kinda person. I carry the story of Lot's wife in the front of my mind when things get rough and work to avoid the snare of nostalgia. Every now and then however, I do stop and take inventory. I gotta admit that introspection without the framework of a relatively objective perspective is useless in the quest for self improvement. So I look back at my life, from a mindset of compassionate detachment, for ways to be more effective and self-assured in similar current and future adventures. Doing so is a challenging exercise filled with the pitfalls of self-pity, arrogance, blame, and regret. It's the emotional equivalent of the Ultimate Beastmaster obstacle course, without TV cameras.
Illuminated in the Current Self uses Wiccan, Christian, and Sanskrit iconography to convey the benefit of taking on the challenge of evaluating one's past. Below is a key to the iconography revealed in the vision for this piece. I offer this key as a tool with which you might gain further insight on your personal journey.
The Iconography of Illuminated in the Current Self
Acanthus plant: A symbol of immortality and enduring life. In Christianity the thorny leaves represent pain, sin, and punishment.
Crescent moon: The droplets falling from the crescent moon represent blessings from the moon goddess in her aspects as the Maiden, the Mother, and the Crone. Here it is used to represent past, present, and future experiences through which we gain knowledge of ourselves.
Pink Rose: A deep pink rose conveys gratitude, appreciation, and recognition.
Serpent: A Sanskrit symbol of the soul's potential, hidden creativity, or personal power, it is used to represent Kundalini energy rising from the root chakra through the heart and crown chakras. Raising Kundalini is a meditative process said to connect us with our higher self, thereby empowering us to fulfill our life purpose.
Tri-fold Moon: Representing the phases of the moon, it is a symbol of the Goddess Hecate who, in her three aspects as Maiden, Mother, Crone, can see the past, present, and future. Hecate is said to be a protector of social outcasts and the indigent. In Greek mythology she found Persephone in the underworld, assisted her in coming to terms with her fate, and annually guides her to and from the underworld to visit with Demeter.