Adele Nozedar - The Element Encyclopedia of Secret Signs and Symbols

HarperElement

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HarperElement is a trademark of HarperCollins Publishers Ltd

The material in this book is taken from The Element Encyclopedia of Secret Signs and Symbols, first published by HarperElement in 2008

© Adele Nozedar 2008

Adele Nozedar asserts the moral right to be identified as the author of this work

Illustrations from Tarot de Marseille Convos reproduced by permission of AGM AGMüller, CH-8212 Neuhausen, Switzerland.

© 1999 AGM AGMüller. Further reproduction prohibited.

A catalogue record of this book is available from the British Library

All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on-screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, down-loaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of HarperCollins e-books.

HarperCollins Publishers has made every reasonable effort to ensure that any picture content and written content in this ebook has been included or removed in accordance with the contractual and technological constraints in operation at the time of publication

Source ISBN: 9780007283965

Ebook Edition © DECEMBER 2009

Version: 2019-07-29

For Adam and for the seven secrets

‘In every grain of sand there lies Hidden the soil of a star’

Arthur Machen

‘I do not need a leash or a tie To lead me astray In the land where dreams lie’

Yoav

In Nature’s temple, living pillars rise Speaking sometimes in words of abstruse sense; Man walks through woods of symbols, dark and dense, Which gaze at him with fond familiar eyes.

Like distant echoes blent in the beyond In unity, in a deep darksome way, Vast as black night and vast as splendent day, Perfumes and sounds and colors correspond.

From “Correspondences,” Charles Baudelaire

Cover Page

Title Page The Element Encyclopedia of Secret Signs and Symbols The Ultimate A-Z Guide from Alchemy to the Zodiac Adele Nozedar

Copyright Copyright Copyright Epigraph Introduction Part One Signs and Symbols of Magic and Mystery Part Two Fauna Part Three Flora Part Four Flowers of the Underworld Part Five Sacred Geometry and Places of Pilgrimage Part Six Numbers Part Seven Sacred Sounds, Secret Signs Part Eight The Body as a Sacred Map Part Nine Rites and Rituals, Customs and Observances Part Ten The Nature of the Divine About the Publisher HarperElement An Imprint of HarperCollins Publishers Ltd 1 London Bridge Street London SE1 9GD www.harpercollins.co.uk HarperElement is a trademark of HarperCollins Publishers Ltd The material in this book is taken from The Element Encyclopedia of Secret Signs and Symbols, first published by HarperElement in 2008 © Adele Nozedar 2008 Adele Nozedar asserts the moral right to be identified as the author of this work Illustrations from Tarot de Marseille Convos reproduced by permission of AGM AGMüller, CH-8212 Neuhausen, Switzerland. © 1999 AGM AGMüller. Further reproduction prohibited. A catalogue record of this book is available from the British Library All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on-screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, down-loaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of HarperCollins e-books. HarperCollins Publishers has made every reasonable effort to ensure that any picture content and written content in this ebook has been included or removed in accordance with the contractual and technological constraints in operation at the time of publication Source ISBN: 9780007283965 Ebook Edition © DECEMBER 2009 Version: 2019-07-29

Epigraph ‘In every grain of sand there lies Hidden the soil of a star’ Arthur Machen ‘I do not need a leash or a tie To lead me astray In the land where dreams lie’ Yoav In Nature’s temple, living pillars rise Speaking sometimes in words of abstruse sense; Man walks through woods of symbols, dark and dense, Which gaze at him with fond familiar eyes. Like distant echoes blent in the beyond In unity, in a deep darksome way, Vast as black night and vast as splendent day, Perfumes and sounds and colors correspond. From “Correspondences,” Charles Baudelaire

Introduction INTRODUCTION The aim of this book is to seek a true understanding of the secret signs, sacred symbols, and other indicators of the arcane, hidden world that are so thickly clustered around us. During this process, we’ll shed light on the cultural, psychological, and anthropological nature of our signs and symbols. We’ll also be surprised to discover that many of the everyday things we take for granted can hold hidden secrets, and by having the key to this knowledge we’ll gain an insight into the minds and concerns of our forbears who constructed these symbols.

Part One Signs and Symbols of Magic and Mystery Part One SIGNS AND SYMBOLS OF MAGIC AND MYSTERY AASKOUANDY Ironically, the first entry in this encyclopedia is a symbol that is impossible to illustrate because it takes various different forms. An Aaskouandy charm is any object that is unusual in some way, which appears unexpectedly or is somehow out of place in its surroundings. For example, if a stone is found in the entrails of an animal that was particularly hard to hunt, then this stone is perceived to be the object that gave the animal its power, and so is eligible for Aaskouandy status. The Iriquois believe that the Aaskouandy, a magical charm of considerable power, has a mind of its own, so much so that if it is neglected it can even turn against its owner. They also believe that the Aaskouandy has trickster tendencies and can change shape at will, so confusingly it may metamorphose into another object altogether. Because the Aaskouandy is an independent being, the owner is careful to stay on the right side of it, keeping it happy with gifts and feasts. If an Aaskouandy appears in the shape of a fish or serpent, then this is particularly potent because of the inherent power of these creatures. In this case, the Aaskouandy changes its name, too, and becomes an Onniont.

Part Two Fauna