Michael (supernaturalist)

[imported_supernaturalistMember]

OK, hi, I am Michael (the Supernaturalist nickname is inspired by a Divine Comedy song by the way, not the supernatural).

I’m a mystically inclined Christian. I’m not really involved in questing, though I’m looking into a few subjects that have recently seemed to thrust themselves into my attention: the Three Hares motif, the Cretan Labrynth design, and the Futhark Runes. The real focus of my attention is spiritual however.

I came to this site via Andrew Collins’ site. A long time ago, back in 1989, a girlfriend of mine got me along to a few things that AC ran, and then when she had finished with me I finished with all that, though I did pick up some of his books as they came out (thus I am fortunate to possess some of those very sought-after but very out-of-print books by AC). AC hit my radar again when Gateway to Atlantis appeared, which is when I found his website. Around summer last year I started to regain my interest in mysteries as part of a spiritual movement in my life: “If anyone wants to be my disciple they must deny themselves, take up their cross and follow me.” Over the past few years I have found denying the self to mean (in part) realising that I know so very little, and allowing my worldview to be questioned, broken apart, and get generally mangled. Which, in a way, is how I came to be here.

Peace be with you all!

Michael

[imported_YURIMember]

Hi Michael

The Taoists say ‘Keep your mind as wide as a valley, and strive to look as if you know nothing.’

Why does the triple hare motiff, cretan maze and Runes intrigue you at this moment in time?

[imported_supernaturalistMember]

Hello Yuri,

The three hares image began to grab my attention in July, when I kept running across it while looking for other things. I then discovered that Sue Andrew, one of the three members of a team researching the motif, was at the University of Plymouth (my employer).

I’ve no idea if you are familiar with it, but the three hares are chasing each other in a circle; each hare has only one ear, which it shares with one of its neighbours, the effect being that each hare appears to own a full complement of ears, the ears forming a triangle in the centre of the circle of hares.

Chris Chapman, the photographer of the team, has a very nice website with lots of images, and information on the transmission of the three hares:

[url:36pagu3d]http://www.chrischapmanphotography.com/hares/index.html[/url]

To briefly summarise, there are 17 parish churches in Devon which have three hares roof bosses, always in prominent positions, and a few adjoining Green Man bosses. Others exist in other parts of Britain (though Devon certainly seems to have the most), earlier images are found across Europe, until the earliest known images are found in Buddhist Caves in China dating to the 7th century CE. Some Chinese scholars believe that the hares came to China from Persia in the Sassanian Empire Period (2nd to 6th century CE).

I’ve exchanged a few emails with Sue, currently looking to find hints of the image on artifacts from the Sassanian Empire. Tom Greeves (the third member of the team) gives talks from time to time, and I hope to get to one of them soon (I missed the last one because it was my wedding anniversary). My own feelings at the moment are that it’s a lunar fertility symbol, but everyone who uses it finds their own meaning.

My three hares led me to interest in the Cretan (aka 7-circuit, Knossos) labrynth, via a visit to Wadebridge with my mother. I’ve discovered that there is a labrynth carved at Rocky Valley near Tintagel, just up the road (well, a few miles) from my mother. I haven’t had opportunity to visit it yet, but should do soon. The same design is used by some Native American tribes, which like the three hares is an interesting example of an unusual symbol cropping up in very different times and places.

I find that drawing the labrynth is an interesting ritual practice in itself: start with an equal-armed cross, then draw four lines from each arm that spiral around, starting with the upper arm, then the right arm, the left arm and the bottom arm. It feels significant, the cross, the four distinct spiralling lines forming a whole, a maze with a single winding path to the centre. I’m just not sure yet what it means to me, it appears to be both obvious and at the same time just out of reach. I have read that it is a journey, sometimes seen as a journey to the underworld, a journey through life, or a pilgrimage. Also, it sometimes represents the earth.

I’ve been drawn to runes since I was a boy, and recently they’ve been popping up repeatedly. I’m interested in the esoteric meaning of the runes individually and as groups, rather than in their use as a divination tool. So far I’m finding some runes have quite different interpretations.

Whoops, you didn’t really want to know all that did you?

By the way Yuri, I found your website interesting. How do I go about getting one of your Dryad Woods (I think I got the name right)? Your site mentioned Ebay but a quick look didn’t turn up anything (besides which I am an Ebay virgin).

[imported_YURIMember]

Hi Michael

thanks for your detailed reply.

(Last things first, I do sell my Dryad Woods on ebay but only when I have them to sell, that is, I am not always on ebay perpetually; it depends how busy I am with other things. At the moment I have been kept very busy by my local shops wanting Drums and other items for their windows… If you wanted to order something then we could arrange something, you can email me at,

Yuri13oct@yahoo.co.uk

if you wanted to talk business… but this wasnt meant to be a shameless ‘plug’ just trying to be helpful.)

The Triple Hare is really interesting. I understand that it has Easter goddess fertility connections but I didnt realise that it was almost universal as an icon. Probably goes back to Mesopatamian origins then… I am wondering if it has anything to do with the constellation of LEPUS ‘the Hare’

The Hare, The Maze and the Runes all seem to have an ‘Otherworld’ connection going on. As the constellation Lepus is part of the wild animals that the Hunter Orion pursues into the underworld. The Maze is often seen as a decent into the other world, In Celtic traditions a sun god character/hero, like Arthur, often decends into the otherworld to steal it’s treasures and bring them back to our world to the benifit of all mankind… This is very similar to how Odin, hung himself upon the world tree (that connects our world to the otherworld) wounded (christ-like) by a spear, and in his altered state of conciousness, learnt of the Runes and then taught them to mankind.

Maybe these symbols are drawing themselves to you because you are about to embark on a journey to the ‘otherworld’ in some way. form or another; shamanic journey or altered state of conciousness that will give you some kind of ‘treasure’ for you to pass onto others?

Who knows? I am just guessing out loud. When you go to Tintagel you should try and meditate and try to go on a journey… and write down every thing you see on that journey even what may seem insignificant.

Hares I think, are symbols of protection. Whilst the gang are busy eating there is always one on guard duty scanning the horizons for trouble. As soon as it sees anything worrying it thumps the graound repeatedly with its foot and all the other Hares run into hiding… Maybe the Hare/goddess would be your protector whilst you go into the otherworld.

Anyway, let us know if anything more occurs..

[imported_VyxenMember]

supernaturalist wrote:

I find that drawing the labrynth is an interesting ritual practice in itself: start with an equal-armed cross, then draw four lines from each arm that spiral around, starting with the upper arm, then the right arm, the left arm and the bottom arm. It feels significant, the cross, the four distinct spiralling lines forming a whole, a maze with a single winding path to the centre. I’m just not sure yet what it means to me, it appears to be both obvious and at the same time just out of reach. I have read that it is a journey, sometimes seen as a journey to the underworld, a journey through life, or a pilgrimage. Also, it sometimes represents the earth.

Hi there supernaturalist

I’ve had some little expereince with this type of labaryinth on a ritual basis. Please feel free to PM me if you want any info.

Vix

[imported_supernaturalistMember]

Thanks Yuri for your idea concerning an ‘otherworld’ connection between the Three Hares, Labrynth and Runes. It made me think and I checked my own (infrequently updated) journal. Just less than two weeks before the Three Hares put in their appearance I had been meditating on the crucifixion of Jesus; I was trying to bring some order to my thoughts on the theological meaning (I’ve done a little academic study of theology, and there are lots of ways of looking at it). All of a sudden the words came to me: “Transformation, and the path to transformation.” I was quite pleased with this at the time, as it seemed to me that many of the interpretations of the crucifixion-resurrection could be particular ways in which this theme works out. Following your comments I am now wondering about the ‘path to transformation’.

The journey to the ‘otherworld’ features in early Christian accounts of Jesus’ descent into hell (aka the Harrowing of Hell), mentioned in the Apostle’s Creed (though left out of the later Nicene Creed). I have read about there once being a whole genre devoted to describing what Jesus is supposed to have got up to in the underworld, some of which sounded quite entertaining. If I recall, the general idea is of releasing the captive souls. It certainly does have similarities with a shamanic journey to the land of the dead.

I’ve come across the myth of Odin, and his discovery of the runes after his ordeal. I find interesting the suggestion that Odin was originally a shamanic character, and the runes embodying the secrets of his shamanic cult. One of the runes – Rad (looks like our letter R) – represents a journey to the dead.

I understand that the shaman is often accompanied by an animal on the journey, so maybe that is where the hare comes in, as you suggest. I did a quick trawl of the www a little while ago, which turned up various interesting morsels:

* Hares are the animal of the goddess Eostre who is depicted with a hares head. She is goddess of spring and of the moon, associating her and the hare with death and rebirth.

* The hare was sacrificed to Osiris.

* In Buddhist legend the hare is a symbol of self-sacrifice.

* Interestingly the Virgin Mary is apparently depicted with a white hare at her feet, though I’ve not seen it myself or not noticed; it’s supposed to symbolise her victory over lust, but perhaps it’s from the adoption of aspects of pagan cults?

It’s given me plenty to work with. Thanks Vyxen for your offer of information, which would be gratefully received (though like a dullard I forgot to give you an email address – I’ll rectify that in a mo). I think I now need to work out what exactly I’m going to do with it all. I’ll be sure to mention anything that comes of it. I hope I can be of as much use to someone else in future.

Michael

[imported_SimonMember]

I think the Eostre/Hare/Fertility approach definitely makes sense (although it doesn’t explain the earlier occurences in China). To be graphic about it (sorry!) there is quite a marked similarity between the Tawton picture [url:2xw5203r]http://www.chrischapmanphotography.com/hares/pics/tstawton.jpg[/url] and your typical O-level biology diagram of the womb (e.g. here: [url:2xw5203r]http://www.cmht.nwest.nhs.uk/cancerinfo/gynaediag1.htm[/url]).

But there is something interesting going on with the triangle formed by three crooked lines as well. I’ve searched around a few places on the web but haven’t been able to get a good example of what I mean. I will try and mock up a basic diagram this evening and post so you can see what I’m on about. I’m sure that I’ve seen it somewhere before but can’t remember where. (Not the Isle of Mann/Britanny/triskelion exactly as the points in these go directly to the centre whereas with this one the arms “spoke” into a triangle.)

Nice one.

Simon

[imported_PercevalMember]

Could the three hares motif contain a reference to Gothic architecture, the triangular geometry upon which it is based, or its attendant symbolism? Compare

with

(from [url:3qdppdnp]http://www.newyorkcarver.com/geometry/equilarch.htm[/url])

[imported_supernaturalistMember]

Hello there Perceval,

I must confess that my knowledge of sacred geometry and sacred architecture is lacking at the moment; perhaps you could expand on this for my benefit, so I can add to my understanding of the Three Hares. I would say that the design could certainly incorporate such significance, especially as such things were presumably important to the people who actually built the churches and made the carvings.

I’ve gradually come to realise what most people here have probably known for a long time, that symbols never have a single fixed meaning. Different cultures and individuals can meditate on the same symbol and find a variety of interpretations. Some of those will be connected to each other, others may find opposing interpretations. Where there are opposing interpretations I think it is wise to bear in mind the principle of coincidentia oppositorum, the coincidence of opposites; truth is not somewhere between A and Z, but includes both A and Z, “the equilibrium of balance” as the Zohar’s Book of Concealed Mystery (Siphra Dtzenioutha) puts it (that is one possible meaning of the triangle). Symbols have a form of life independent of those who originally conceived them. The same can be said of sacred texts, which is why I’m not a fundamentalist.

I’ve learned a lot from the others here and my own delvings, so I would love to read anything else you can add. I thought I might as well put out a summary of what I’ve learned so far about the Three Hares, with a bit of free association, in no particular order:

Hares have strong lunar associations, which may be partly because of their nocturnal activities and their month-long gestatation period. They also have fertility associations, as they can breed like, um, rabbits. As burrowing animals they also have associations with the underworld and rebirth (the moon also has rebirth associations thanks to its phases, which is another hare-moon link). Possibly the triangular space formed by the ears is representative of the hare’s burrow. Yuri pointed to the hare as a symbol of protection, which is connected with taking refuge in the burrow, and maybe points to protection on the journey to the underworld. Rebirth and fertility are themselves connected (new life), and Simon made the connection between the shape of the ears and a womb. He also made an interesting connection with the shape and the three-armed version of the Bridget cross. Bridget’s festival is Imbolc, literally ‘in the belly’ or ‘in the womb’, the beginning of spring in the Celtic tradition. The three-fold symbolism may relate to the lunar aspects, and Bridget (the goddess) has associations with the number three, though I don’t know much about that side of things. In opposition to the lunar aspect of hares and the number three, Bridget is generally thought to be a spring solar goddess, and rebirth itself is also a strong solar motif. Here we get the coincidence of opposites I was banging on about just now, between sun and moon. Following that line of thought, Bridget was born to one people and married into another, thus acting as a reconciler of opposites. As well as a solar goddess/saint, Bridget is also associated with water (especially holy wells and springs I believe), so we have the opposites again. The triangle pointing upwards is the symbol for the element of fire, and with point downwards is the symbol for the element of water, and the triangle can also represent that equilibrium of balance as I’ve said. Rebirth itself is a union of opposites, death and life, descent and ascent, the subconscious and the superconscious. And the Three Hares themselves graphically show the reconciliation of unity and plurality. They sometimes appear near Green Man bosses, thus bringing together the feminine aspects of fertility with the masculine. Some also see it as a symbol of the Christian Trinity, which itself can be understood as a union of the divine as unknowable and as known, the unseen and the seen, the unmanifest and the manifest, the transcendent and the immanent. It has also been connected to the BVM as Virgin, Mother and Queen of Heaven. In China it has been given Buddhist symbolism, representing the Buddha, the Dhama and the Sangha.

Phew!

Michael

[imported_YURIMember]

Nice sermon

Also, icons are powerful because a picture (as Michael has shown) says a thousand words… to a mostly illiterate early europe, iconography has to be a swiss army knife with many interpretations… they stimulate imagination and motivate philosophy

as a triplicate icon it represents the three, and its underworld connection reminds me of the constellation of orion, his triple star belt, he is always acompanied by the ‘the hare’ as they both go into the other realm, below the horizon, lights shining in the dark… in a way of the druidic Awen, the hare’s ears…

… just an example of how an image can help and allow the mind to meander and philosophise speculations… its an instigator of thought… a lack of icons equals a lack of imaginative stimuli and unispired minds.

[imported_PercevalMember]

As for expanding on sacred geometry and sacred architecture – dont tempt me! Without launching into a treatise, suffice it to say that the use of sacred geometry in sacred architecture is a means of expressing pure/universal truth through the archetypal architectural building blocks of the universe.

What strikes me about these images of the three hares, and others like them ([url:piaxcg5t]http://www.threehares.net/puzzles.html[/url]), is that they express the idea that there is ‘more than meets the eye’ – there are alternative (seemingly mutually exclusive?) interpretations of what you see (like science and magic) -

Quote:

a ‘gestalt’ phenomenon, where there are alternative views of the same image. The two interpretations of the image … compete in our mind. We can see one interpretation and then the other, but it is hard to see both at once.

Their use could also possibly indicate the existence, within the same location, of hidden symbolic messages, which contradict orthodox interpretations.

They also remind me of the way different animals are sometimes combined in celtic knotwork designs. These convey for me a sense of the interrelatedness or oneness of all things (there is a unity in the world beyond the reach of mutually exclusive worldviews).

This brings me to the triquetra, and back to triangular/circular geometry:

(from [url:piaxcg5t]http://home.rochester.rr.com/gocek/images/christn/[/url]

(from [url:piaxcg5t]http://www.aon-celtic.com/[/url]

[imported_supernaturalistMember]

Perceval, can you recommend any websites for a beginner’s guide to sacred geometry and architecture? My pile of books to read is a mighty tower, and I don’t want to add to it at the moment. I particularly like what you said about the gestalt character of the Three Hares, and the similarity to Celtic imagery. At some point I want to visit some of those churches. As I live in Devon you wouldn’t think it would be that hard, but there’s always something else to do. Your comments make me wonder whether there is anything else ‘hidden’ in them.

Yuri, I beg your pardon, I had missed your original Lepus comments. I dug up some planetarium software and you can see Lepus set on the western horizon immediately followed by Orion. Conversely, on the eastern horizon this is reversed; you can see Orion rising with Lepus following directly behind. On western and eastern horizons the two dogs (Canis Major and Minor) are always following behind Orion and Lepus (someone had better tell Orion that hunting with dogs is illegal here in the UK!). Taurus is also there, always just ahead of Orion. I don’t know if Orion is hunting the bull or the hare, or if the randy bugger is really just chasing after those lovely Pleiades sisters? Also interesting is that they are all running to the river, Eridanus. Could that be the river of the underworld?

Also Yuri, your comment on the belt stars of Orion made me notice something else. But I think I’ll post that elsewhere as a topic of its own.

Cheers chaps,

Michael

[imported_PercevalMember]

Hi Michael,

The most relevant stuff I can find is here: [url:2cqqeu47]http://mathworld.wolfram.com/FlowerofLife.html[/url]
in particular, the links to the Reuleaux Triangle, Seed of Life and Venn diagram.

There’s a mass of confusing material on sacred geometry out there and I don’t wish to send you on a wild goose chase, but for an intro, you might try these:
[url:2cqqeu47]http://www.unitone.org/naturesword/sacred_geometry/general_introduction/[/url]
[url:2cqqeu47]http://www.geomancygroup.org/sacred_geo.html[/url]
[url:2cqqeu47]http://www.geomancy.org/sacred_geometry/sacgeo-1.html[/url]

[imported_supernaturalistMember]

Thanks Perceval, I have an idea of what you mean now. The ears are evocative of the Flower of Life and the vesica pistis (I see that the gothic arch is formed from the upper half of the vesica piscis, which also forms an equalateral triangle). Good stuff!

Michael

[imported_PercevalMember]

Not sure where it leads though! The vesica piscis can be seen as the intersection of the circles of heaven and earth, which is one reason why images of Jesus are often seen within this shape.

The vesica piscis also represents the female genitalia.

You have to add another circle to get the triangular intersection of 3 circles, but I’m not sure what this (3rd circle) might represent.

Perhaps the shapes of the hares ears can be seen as the genitalia of the triple goddess! Apparently, in Christian tradition the white Hare, when depicted at the Virgin Mary’s feet, represents triumph over lust or the flesh. This gives a clue to its pagan connotations, I’m sure.

The hare is a common witch’s familiar. Were you aware of the folk tale in which a hunted, wounded hare disappears into the house of an old woman, who turns out to have the same wound?
[url:dlekc5k0]http://www.sacred-texts.com/neu/eng/efft/efft51.htm[/url]

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