Page 18 - NAMAH-Oct-2021

Namah Vol. 29, Issue 3, 15th October 2021

The indigenous knowledge academy Symbols in the modern age

In the indigenous knowledge system, the Symbols abound around us. Every idol we
ssastra or the gospel is sacrosanct. One does worship represents a power we adore.
not question the experience of a guru either. His posture sends us a message, his name
Experiments are repeatable and verifiable, another. The constant usage of little faces
but not by anyone at random. Just because and images, called emoticons and icons,
a random person cannot open up the cakras while communicating digitally with people
does not mean the cakras do not exist. In this or computer applications, shows how in
system, if a mantra works for a person, it tune we are with symbols. Some languages
is valid. It does not need to be tested on a like Chinese did not invent a new script to
vast population group, with half the people replace the symbolic suggestive ones created
not told what sounds they are hearing. A millennia before. We learn traffic signals not
truth is a truth even if one person grasps just because they are a simple way to convey
it. And if it is experienced as a cosmic a lot of information, or have colours to alert us,
truth, it is not a truth that works only but also because we like to communicate with
for this one person. Will anything pass images. An image says a thousand words. Sri
off as truth then? Will we be back to the Aurobindo’s epic poem that contains his vision,
age of superstitions? Not likely. Now Savitri, has a subtitle — A Legend and a Symbol.
that we have passed through the age of It has images and metaphors which change
reason, we can distinguish between the depending on one’s level of consciousness. A
infra-rational and the supra-rational. This symbol, that was just a description yesterday,
added knowledge will guard us against comes alive. A new truth is revealed when a
any fall back. line is re-read after months.

The age of reason has not been in vain, Opening to subtle channels
and we are not condemning it. We are
stating that its time is over. We need to The creative mind imagines or intuits
move on to another age, this time informed connections and forces at play. It dots the
with light. The indigenous cultures have a stars and forms constellations, weaves stories
wealth of wisdom that can be tapped into for each of them, links them to human fates,
and looked at with a new light. In this and uses them to prophesy. The divination
new subjective age, each one will have to methods never died. All these use symbols,
discover the Vedas individually. We can such as tarot card yantras, shapes in coffee dregs,
accept the rrssis’ experiences as a starting- lines in the palm, astrological charts. The subject
point, but we have to vet them against our chooses the tarot card or upends the coffee cup
own experiences. And when we realise we supplying a clue to the diviner’s intuition. The
are not capable yet, we have to accept the clairvoyant reader can then use these symbols
delay. The inner instruments need to be and predict the future. There is renewed
tuned to subtler frequencies to be able to interest in psychic phenomena. Wizards and
A
apprehend the higher truths. Only an arhat, witches are back in fantasy stories. Ayurveds,
“the deserving”, is a valid experimenter. energy healers, crystal therapists and the like,

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