Symbols are hot these days. The massive, unprecedented success of a thriller about ancient codes and secret societies has made symbolism a national obsession. Just a few short years ago, these pursuits were of interest only to academics and white-knuckled conspiracy enthusiasts. But then one little novel opened up a door into a secret world, and introduced ordinary folks to a universal language that is thousands of years old. The cat is now out of the bag- for thousands of years prophets, artists, madmen and poets have been speaking to us in a language that is both consistent and predictive. But as conditioned as we are to recognize only the verbal -only the literal- we have gone about our business while others have plotted, prayed and postulated right under our noses.In addition to being nearly invisible to the uninitiated, this language has a profound effect on those who care to learn it. Somehow, there is some dormant sector of the human brain that is activated when one immerses themselves in the study of symbology. This is particularly true when the language is used for religious or spiritual reasons.
Unlike literal scripture, which is forever pointing to a forever elusive revelation, the immersion into this secret language seems to create its own spiritual reality. Sometimes meditating upon these symbols seems to make them come to life and speak to you in ways you could never express or articulate. And often when you delve into this world of sacred symbology, the symbols take over and tell you things you never thought you would know.But the symbols will escape your notice, or at least your conscious attention, until you are able to decode them. And in order to decode them you must understand where they come from and what those who speak in symbolic language are trying to tell. For there are secret languages and then there is the Secret Language. The science of decoding symbolic language is commonly referred to as Semiotics. (Secret Sun)
