myths symbols sandplay

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Fairies

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"The Faerie Folk, by whatever name and in whatever form they may be known – fairies, elves, pixies, sprites, fawns, banshees, leprechauns, little people, etc. – can be said to be symbols, ‘manifestations’, of the profound Celtic bond with the natural and the supernatural world (these two worlds being inextricably inter-connected).

Fairies were (and still are to an extent) believed to be metaphysical beings that were often associated with mythological figures or deities of the Celtic religion.

Belief in fairies, however, can be found in both the written and oral traditions of many ancient cultures throughout the world.

The Faerie Folk could be said to represent a kind of ‘re-sizing’ of the gods and goddesses of the most ancient Celtic populations, bringing them closer to humans and human understanding.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Although fairies (and especially elves) were acknowledged as being of both sexes, they have always been particularly associated with the feminine principle. The Welsh, for example, called them ‘the Mothers’, and believed fairyland to be the Land of Women. As creatures and spirits of Nature, in fact, the Faerie Folk are closely related to the Celtic symbols of the Great Mother." from http://celticsymbols.net/faerie-folk/

Upcoming Posts

Look for future posts about:

Famous Castles - Real and Imagined

Castle Symbolism

South African Luba Tower Myths

A Brief History of Castles

Deites and Symbols of Good Fortune

The Tarot

 

 

More Sandplay Miniatures Posted

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

New miniatures posted. Link to my Etsy shop is at upper right hand corner of the blog home page.

Famous Castles ~ Real and Imagined

Ancient myths and stories are rich with references to castles, some real and some imagined. Here are a few lesser known mythological castles and towers:

Black Castle – the alchemist's lair

Castle of Corbenic  – medieval legendary castle; those who dwell within have all their heart's desires with the additional status of being the guardians of the Grail

Castle of Darkness – the home of the Black Knight; represents the abode of Pluto

Castle of Insolence – located in the land of Drowsiness of James Thompson's poem; the castle's owner, an enchanter, "enticed passers-by that he might engage them in sensual pleasures" (Jobes 1961)

Castle of No Return – the abode of Caron; inaccessible to living men

Caer Sidi – also known as the Castle of Revelry, Castle of Wonders, Castle Perilous, Grail Castle; a strong-doored, four-square lofty castle of glass, the castle spun around so that no one might find the entrance; grand feasts and revelry went on inside

The Bronze Tower – prison of Danae, the mother of Perseus, who rescued his mother from her captor, Polydectes, using the head of Medusa thus turning Polydectes to stone

The Tower – XVIth card in the Tarot deck; one of the major arcana; a positive card representing progress and positive action; the card's illustration shows a tower being destroyed by lightning which symbolizes the casting out of remaining aspects of the self which prevent essential unity of being

Tower of Ivory – Christian symbol of the virgin Mary; symbol of the accessible, the feminine principle, and virginity; represent the feminine sheltering and protective aspect

Tower of Xelhua – legendary Mexican tower built by nine survivors of a great flood; led by Xelhua, legendary hero, the tower was built to a great height; it was struck by lightning and all perished

Castle Symbolism

The symbolism of the castle is complex. According to Cirlot in A Dictionary of Symbols, the symbol of the castle is "derived at once from that of the house and that of the enclosure or walled city". In medieval art, walled cities represented the transcendent soul and the heavenly Jerusalem. Castles also represent the “difficult to obtain" and spiritual testing. As castles are often located atop hills or crags, the additional symbol of level or height exists.

The castle and moat are symbolic of physical and spiritual refuge and therefore an especially important symbol during the Crusades. A stronghold of either good or evil, castles usually hold a treasure or a princess (a symbol of enlightenment). As a symbol that houses the unobtainable treasure or an imprisoned person, the castle represent the acquisition of esoteric knowledge or spiritual attainment. To obtain the treasurer to free the prisoner, demanding tasks or heroic struggles must be successfully completed.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Caernarfon Castle was constructed at Caernarfon in Gwynedd, north-west Wales, by King Edward I of England, following his conquest of Gwynedd in 1283. Drawing by Megalobo.

Castles represent authority, dominance, power, romance, safety, sovereignty, and wealth. In heraldry the castle is symbolic of grandeur, nobility, solidity, and strategy.

In Sandplay – Silent Workshop of the Psyche, Bradway and McCoard view the castle as an androgynous symbol. "As a place to live in, it is a feminine image; as a fortress, it is a masculine image." The authors suggest that the use of this symbol may represent the bringing together of feminine and masculine aspects.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

If a client uses a castle miniature, what does the item represent? Of course, much of the answer depends on the particular client, their history, and process. In my sandplay collection, the castle most often used was a sandcastle made to replicate the type of structure one would build at the beach. The sandcastle surface is covered with sand so the miniature is very realistic. Did clients use this particular sandcastle because my practice was in an area close to the coast? Are clients drawn to this castle miniature because of their experience of building sandcastles at the beach? There were many other stone castles from which to choose. Only occasionally were the fairytale castles placed in a scene. If I practiced in a region of the Rhine River in Germany, where castles tower above the river at almost every turn, would clients use castle miniatures as a symbol of protection and power more often? Symbols carry powerful personal and collective meanings. It is always interesting and challenging to decipher and to understand the meaning of sandplay miniatures for individual clients.

The Castle of Lichtenstein, also known as "Castle of the Faerie Tale", is located on a cliff next to Honau in Baden-Württemberg, Germany. Drawing by  Megalobo.