Sacred Symbols Or The Spirit Of Nature

We are a product of nature. Every single cell of our body is made of, and depends, on nature. Our inner soul is heavily influenced by nature. We feel sad if the sun is not shining for a few days, and feel pleasure when drawn to the wonder of flowers and uplifted by the song of birds. We came from nature; we are part of nature. In short, we are nature. Nature has been an intimate part of the human experience from the earliest times. Different religions and cultures, from all corners of the world, have honoured and worshipped nature in art, ritual and literature in their own unique ways. This book shows how we learn about our own human nature, our own sense of identity and how we fit into the larger scheme of life and spirit when we come to better understand how our human ancestors, through art, symbol and myth, expressed their relationship with the natural world.

Symbols of the Sacred gathers four classic essays by Louis Dupr on the role of symbols in our understanding of the sacred and on their fundamental importance to religious consciousness. A leading philosopher of religion, Dupr here discusses the nature of religious symbols, the importance of language for capturing symbolic meaning, the ancient link between art and expressions of the sacred, and the vital relationship between religious symbol and myth. The volume concludes with a powerful reflection on the innate capacity of human minds to grasp the transcendent. Elegantly expressed, conversant with a wide range of thinkers, and marked by a lifetime of reflection on the subject, Symbols of the Sacred offers profound insights into the religious dimension of human life.

A fully illustrated inspirational art book from visionary painter Francene Hart • Includes more than 80 full-color reproductions of Hart’s intricate watercolor paintings and the stories behind them • Recounts the evolution of her art and her discovery of the hidden order of Nature that led to her masterful artistic integrations of Nature, Spirit, and Sacred Geometry • Explores how to tap into the energies provided by spirit guides and power animals, like Jaguar, Raven, Octopus, and Dolphin, and harness the intelligence of the heart for creative inspiration and vision Every one of us possesses the potential to receive visionary experiences and integrate them into our lives. Artists become visionaries by cultivating their instinctive creative spark and sharing their profound visions with the world. In this lavishly illustrated memoir, including more than 80 full-color reproductions of her intricate watercolor paintings and the stories behind them, Francene Hart recounts the evolution of her art from formative influences to her masterful integrations of Nature, Spirit, and Sacred Geometry. Opening with her early work on mandalas and her explorations of the work of Joseph Campbell and C. G. Jung, Hart explains how her first works of art were in response to the solitary life she led in the forest, where she discovered the hidden order of Nature. She reveals how she learned to center her artistic explorations on the intelligence of the heart rather than the intellect, utilizing the wisdom and imagery of Sacred Geometry, reverence for the natural environment, and the interconnectedness between all things as her inspirations. She describes the shamanic lessons that accompanied her discoveries and shaped her understanding of sacred relationships with the self, others, and Mother Earth. She explores how to tap into the energies provided by spirit guides and power animals, like Jaguar, Raven, Octopus, and Dolphin, and explains her profound affinity for the ocean, including her discovery of water consciousness in Hawaii. Offering chronicles of her inspiring travels and transformational encounters around the world, Hart shares her experiences at sacred sites in the Amazon, Central America, Egypt, England, Scotland, Paris, Cambodia, and the Himalayas and how these places influenced her art. Exploring what is revealed as inspiration arises, Spirit informs, and vision is transformed into art, Francene Hart’s journey offers a window into the secret order of Nature, the power of sacred symbols for evolving consciousness, and a visionary artistic path that perfectly blends the mathematical rigors of sacred geometry and the numinous.