Symbolic Elements Within the Kundalini Hamsa:
(from the bottom of Hamsa moving upward)
For an image of the Kundalini Hamsa see: http://www.onevidya.com/symbols/kundalini-hamsa/
The Infinity Heart resonating at 528 Hz: There are infinite possibilities (anything can happen) when we start from a place of love. And so our Kundalini Hamsa also starts from a place of love – the ubiquitous heart symbol overlain with a patterned symbol of the infinite, and resonating at 528 Hz. Madame De Stal noted that “Love is a symbol of eternity; it wipes out all sense of time, destroying all memory of a beginning and fear of an end.” Love, and the 528 Hz “miracle” Solfeggio love frequency, has the ability to change our DNA and impart tremendous spiritual blessings upon all who come into contact with such a resonating heart full of love.
Two Fish: There is significant spiritual symbolism surrounding fish: Jesus using two fish and five small loaves of bread to feed five thousand; Vishnu transforming himself into a fish (Matsya) to save the world from a great flood; and Buddhists using fish as symbols of happiness and freedom (specifically the two golden fish as one of the eight sacred symbols of the Buddha). With respect to the Kundalini Hamsa, the use of fish is consistent with Pagan traditions which recognize the fish as a feminine symbol of fertility and an attribute of the Goddess. Water is a natural emblem of the flow of the Divine Mother principal, and as such, all creatures of the water (including fish) are aspects of the fertility and power of the Divine Feminine.
Fish of “Peace”: One of the fish in our Kundalini Hamsa is marked with a “peace” symbol on its side – with the intention that each of the lower three branches represents a leg of the Holy Trinity (Father, Son and Holy Spirit) and that all three branches rise upward and merge into the ONE. The “peace” symbol could also be applied as a tree trunk of unity growing upward based upon the (three) roots of the tree – similar to the traditional Sanskrit benediction of OM, Shanti, Shanti, Shanti – connection and growth with the eternal Unmanifest Reality (OM) is based upon peace (shanti) among and within the three realms (the gross, earthly world of the physical (Bhur), the world of our mind (Bhuva), and the subtle body (etheric, ethereal or ether-reality) world of our soul (Swaha)).
Three circles within the Eye: Reference is made to numerology of three, the symbology of the circle, and the unicity of the Holy Trinity as ONE. The circle represents unity, wholeness, and infinity; an infinitely connected line without beginning or end, and without corners or sides. If the circle were to reflect a number, it would be one. The three circles within the Eye reference the Holy Trinity, and the interconnection of the Trinity into complete spirituality of ONE. The movement from the larger exterior circle toward the smaller inward circles is a metaphor for the refined inward spiritual path of consciousness – awareness of the gross, physical (earthly) world (Bhur), giving way to a growing awareness the world of our mind (Bhuva), and finally yielding understanding of the ethereal world (the ether reality) of our soul (Swaha).
Om, bhur, bhuva, swaha is the opening of the Gayatri Mantra, and when we conclude our singing with, “OM, Shanti, Shanti, Shanti” (with OM as the name of God or invocation of the Great Light, and shanti translated as peace), we are making a blessing for peace on earth, peace in our mind, and peace in our soul.
The Lotus flower – symbol of spiritual growth: The lotus flower is a very important and frequently used spiritual symbol. Analogous to the muladhara chakra (the root chakra), the roots of the lotus flower reside in the mud of the pond. The stem of the lotus flower must grow and pass through the murky water and breach the surface of the pond to reach the light of the world (at the surface of the pond) where it can blossom into a transformed reality. So is our spiritual journey to free ourselves from the attachments of the physical world and to spiritually grow to appreciate the higher refinement of the mind, and ultimately to blossom the flower of our being in the etheric world.
The lotus is a powerful spiritual metaphor reminding that we humans have our roots in the mud of the earth (mud of the earth is analogous to our gross physical condition e.g. root/muladhara chakra) and then we can rise through the Kundalini process (through Sushumna nadi in our bodies – through the murky water of the pond). The lotus flower progresses through the elements of earth, water and air – which symbolize the rising of our vibration and consciousness from the gross element of earth to a lighter constitution and higher refinement of ether/ akasha.
Specific Blossoming Lotus Flowers: There are five specific lotus flowers (all in full blossom to denote that Kundalini has risen to its level and opened its flower petals) depicted in the Kundalini Hamsa: two, eight, twelve, sixteen and thousand petalled lotus flowers. The eight petalled lotus is not of the chakras, but is intended to evoke associations with: (i) customary yantra usage as an offering of protection for the eight directions of the universe; and (ii) the eight-fold path of the Good Law (the central teaching of Shakyamuni Siddharta Gautama, the Buddha) for one who aspires to be noble. Whereas the other blossoming flowers (two, twelve, sixteen and thousand petalled lotus flowers) are symbols for the following higher chakras:
(i) Two petal lotus (agna chakra located at the brow center);
(ii) Twelve petal lotus (anahata chakra located at the heart center);
(iii) Sixteen petal lotus (vishuddha chakra located at the throat center); and
(iv) Thousand petal lotus (sahasrara at the crown of the head).
One Symbol: In the center of the eye (the bindu/ circumpunct point) is the One symbol. The symbology of the ONE reflects that the true spiritual path is inward, and that all paths ultimately lead to realization that (at our core) we are unmanifest awareness (pure consciousness) and we are ONE and part of the same Infinite Creator – we are infinite, eternal, immortal beings of love and light. As Kabir wrote in his famous poem (Inside this Clay Jug), “What flows inside you, also flows within me.” – the spirit of the Divine seed within each of us is one and the same (although the external manifestation, expression and worship of that seed may appear different). See http://www.onevidya.com/namaste-the-identity-of-meaning/
Utchat (all-seeing eye): Although the falcon in our Kundalini Hamsa may evoke associations with Horus, the eye of the falcon is actually an utchat and not the traditional eye of Horus. The traditional eye of Horus is depicted as an open eye sitting within a pyramid (see the Great Seal depicted on the U.S. dollar bill). However, the historic utchat (Egypt’s sacred eye, as depicted in our Kundalini Hamsa) was utilized as the eye of Maat, Thoth and Ra (Maat – from the Egyptian verb “to see” is the original all-seeing eye and the mother of truth). The history of the utchat (the original all-seeing eye utilized for protection and guidance) is consistent with the common utilization of the Hamsa – for protection from evil and guidance. Even today, boatmen in the Mediterranean paint variations of the utchat on their boats to let the eye guide the boat and to ward off evil.
Eagle (Garuda and Thorondor): Although associated with the national bird of the United States, the eagle in my Kundalini Hamsa is instead intended to evoke the legends of Garuda and Thorondor. Garuda is important in Hindu mythology (as the mount of Lord Vishnu), and in modern times is associated with the legend of the Phoenix (apropos for our hamsa as demonstrative of the rebirth and transformation that results from Kundalini process). If you don’t like the Garuda reference (or believe that the depiction of Garuda as an eagle is tenuous), then we could make reference to Thorondor – JRR Tolkien’s Lord of the Eagles and the mightiest of all birds that have ever been.
Falcon: The falcon with the utchat should immediately evoke thoughts and images of Horus. However, my intention was to pay homage to my eldest daughter whom I affectionately refer to as the kestrel. Similarly, I confess that my inclusion of the eagle is also intended to honor my youngest daughter whom I affectionately call the eagle. Analogous to Kundalini Shakti’s transformative power, their births have been a powerful force of tremendous positive change in my life. May my daughters’ spirits ever soar free from bondage and attachment, and in the love and the light of the Infinite One that resides in the hearts and souls of all.
Kundalini pathway below Horus’ and eagles’ beak: The interconnected chakra symbols (dangling like earrings below the beak of eagle and kestrel) represent the beautiful ascension path of Kundalini Shakti from her release at the root/ muladhara chakra within the sushumna nadi upward (muladhara, svadhisthana, manipura, anahata, vishuddha, ajna, sahasrara) to the first experience of realization at Bindu.
Modified Smar-Hara yantra (with two petaled lotus surrounding): The smar-hara yantra (the “remover of desire”) is typically shown as two outer circles with five inward-connected triangles (three male and two female) moving toward the focused innermost upward triangle. The circle in the smar-hara yantra is reported to represent the latent Kundalini Sakti, and the five triangles represent the five psychic sheaths that surround the inner Self (para-atman). (See: Yantra: The Tantric Symbol of Cosmic Unity, by Madhu Khanna, p. 142). The modified smar-hara triangles within our Kundlini Hamsa (four triangles balanced between two male and two female) reflect the equalization of male and female energies when Kundalini Shakti passes through the successive planes of inwardness on her path and reaches Bindu. The two petaled lotus represents Ajna chakra (Makara point at the third eye). Regardless of her nadi path of origin (Sushumna, Ida or Pingala), Kundalini Shakti must travel to and pass through Makara point (at Ajna chakra) to enter Sahasrara and proceed toward Bindu.
Kundalini serpent toward upward facing triangle: In many tantric and Vedic traditions, Kundalini is symbolized as a coiled snake, whose power or energy is static and latent (like a coiled snake) in the etheric body at the base of the spine (in muladhara chakra). When released, the serpent unleashes its dynamic and transformative power (Shakti) and moves upward through the nadis (energy passageways within the body – ideally through sushumna nadi) on her pathway to merge with the One at Bindu.
Caduceus (coiled serpents around merudanda): In modern application, the caduceus (two snakes winding around a staff with wings at the top) has become synonymous with medicine. Traditionally associated with Hermes, the caduceus was his staff as the messenger of the gods. In our Kundalini Hamsa, the staff of the caduceus represents the merudanda (the central axis of the body (Sushumna nadi), which connects the seven chakras, through which Kundalini Shakti must pass on her pathway to Bindu). The two serpents represent the two primary nadis (energetic pathways) which surround the central axis in a double spiral – one rightward (solar/ Pingala nadi) and one leftward (lunar/ Ida nadi). The intertwined double spiraling serpents also invoke the image of the double helix of DNA, and raise the question of whether the pathway of Kundalini Shakti through the merudanda is symbolically buried in the structure of our DNA?
Thousand petalled lotus (Sahasrara): Sahasrara (crown chakra) is described as the 1,000 petal lotus, whose petals are arranged in 20 layers of 50 pedals. The twelve inner-most pedals in sahasrara is referred to as Brahma-randhra, “the cave of Brahma.” It is a hole in the crown of the head through which the soul is said to escape at death. Through Brahma-randra is the preferred route for the soul to depart from the physical body at the time of death (referred to as kapala moksha). This opening is also called the “Door to Pure Consciousness.”
Bindu: The symbolic nipple/ nob above Sahasrara is referred to as Bindu. Bindu is the residence of Shiva, and one’s invitation for a visit to Shiva’s abode only comes through the deepest meditation (Samadhi – see YS III-1 through III-5). Bindu is also represented as the innermost dot within the Sri Yantra, and the star or dot at the top of the OM symbol. A person whose Kundalini process has reached Bindu (the point at the top of sushumna nadi at Brahma randra) has their first experience of self-realization.
Seven (ushnisha) flames emanating from Bindu: Bindu is the central point from which greater expansion of awareness occurs (reaching of higher spiritual planes – e.g. seven levels of heaven). The seven rays/ flames emanating from bindu reflects the spiritual expansion that comes after Kundalini Shakti merges with Shiva (who resides at bindu) and allows for expansion of awareness into the higher realms of realization. The flames emanating from Bindu also represent ushnisha – the flame of invisible light that sits upon the head of a holy man. Ushnisha is most frequently depicted in Buddhist art, but is also reflected in other religious traditions. Christians describe each of the apostles with an ushnisha “And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as fire, and it sat upon each of them.” (Acts 2:3) In art and descriptions, the ushnisha is depicted and described as emanating from the fontanel at the top of the head. The fontanel the top of brahma-randra (the point of Bindu).
Summary:
The depiction of the Kundalini process within the paradigm of the Hamsa hand is intended to evoke the concept of “many paths, one truth.” Mother Divine (Kundalini Shakti) can effectuate her metamorphosis through Muslim, Christian, Jewish or any other tradition or path, but all paths (eventually and always) lead to the ONE – realization of our pure, absolute, unmanifest awareness.
Namaste!
