Receptivity, Understanding, and Spiritual Connection
In honor of Trump's shot ear, let's talk about the symbology of this tiny part of the body.
The ear's role as a conduit for sound, and by extension, information, has made it a potent symbol of receptivity, understanding, and spiritual connection.
Religious teachings suggest how important it is for us to listen, especially to spiritual "sounds."
Hearing evokes a mental state of attentiveness and introspection, and it is through the act of hearing that the divine and humanity enter into conversation. This is essentially what prayer is.
In many religions, the ear is linked to divine revelation. The Biblical injunction, "Hear, O Israel," underscores the ear's role as a conduit for divine law.
The gods are called upon to hear the prayers of the devout, and religious followers are instructed to listen to the divine voice.
Biblical passages like Psalm 88 plead with God to incline his ears to the people's cries, while the prophet Jeremiah condemned the "uncircumcised ears" of those who have not devoted their hearing to the voice of God.
Putting one's ear "to the ground" has long been the way to discern the landscape and surrounding objects.
In the same way, signals of our consciousness through fantasies, dreams, and visions are picked up by putting our "ear to the ground" in the wilderness of the psyche.
Hindu cosmology tells of a primordial humming sound –– the mantra Om –– that existed before the creation of light. This is reflected also in Genesis where the spirit of God pervaded the world before "Let there be light."
There seems to be this idea that sound existed before any visible thing. Therefore, it is by introspective hearing that we attune to the fundamental substructure of the universe.
Meditation and prayer are partly an inner dialogue with something or someone unseen. An enactment of a living relationship with the voice of the "other" in ourselves that guides us through the process of spiritual transformation.
This is the means by which things unconscious and potential pass into consciousness and actualization.
Jeremiah's reference to "uncircumcised ears" implores us to dedicate attention and adherence –– to attune our hearts –– to the divine voice.
In a world that has lost its way, it is unsurprising that a major flaw in our society is the inability to listen.
Thanks again for reading! You can read the last essay in this series on archetypal symbols through the link below. And you can expect more to come in the next weeks:
- Ring
- Wind
- Rainbow
- Suicide
I would love to hear your feedback on this new series and the newsletter!
Stay purposeful.
– Nathanael
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