Unicorn
mentioned in the Old Testament as the beast reem - a biblical metaphor for strength.
However, modern translations of the Holy Book most often say directly - “unicorn”. Reem is not only strong, but also wild, uncontrollable by man (Job, 39: 9; Psalms, 22: 21; 29: 6; 92: 10; Numbers, 23: 22; 24: 8). Source - Esoterics.
Living Knowledge The spiral horn of a unicorn was called an alicorn. It was mentioned by the Greek historian and physician Ctesias, who said that the rulers of India were so afraid of being poisoned that they used alicorn to neutralize supposed poisons in their food.
Unicorns are immortal. They live alone, usually in the forest near a creek with clear water in which you can see a reflection, because they are a little vain and know that there are no creatures in the world as beautiful and magical. Unicorns rarely pair up, and there is no place more mysterious than where a unicorn was born.
In the ancient world, he was considered to have come from India, where he was depicted as red-headed, with a white or black horn. Then he appeared in Babylon, China, Tibet, Greece. In the West, the apogee of his fame occurred in the Middle Ages. The unicorn represents power, the force that opposes the forces of darkness, maintaining balance in the Universe. It is a symbol of the sun's ray, purity, turning towards unity, towards the center. The spiral is a reminder of what remains unchanged through time. In addition, the unicorn is a symbol of transmutation, freedom and knowledge, it shows the way to those who seek the truth.
Many traditions speak of the unicorn as a mythical animal that personifies the highest power of Being. He is clothed in mystery and embodies the original unity, the beginning and final goal of human existence, the unity of opposites and the ability to overcome internal contradictions, universal love and compassion.
In Babylon
he was represented as winged. On a cylinder amulet dating from around 1800 BC. e., on its opposite surfaces two unicorns are depicted, symbolizing the two sides of the Tree of Life. In the Sumerian-Semitic tradition, the unicorn is a lunar symbol, an attribute of virgin goddesses.
In ancient China, the unicorn
(qilin) is interpreted as a combination of two concepts: “qi” represents the male aspect, yang, the driving force, the energy of creation; “Lin” is the feminine principle, yin. Thus, the qilin represents the creative impulse and its endless expansion, as well as the unity of the opposites of male and female. The unicorn is shown to people only in exceptional cases.
He is considered a messenger of happiness, his appearance symbolizes the rise to power of a good ruler or the birth of a true sage. The appearance of the qilin marked the birth and death of Confucius.
Qilin is associated with some historical moments of Chinese tradition. So, one day, 5 thousand years ago, Emperor Fu-si was sitting on the shore near the mouth of the Yellow River. Suddenly a qilin appeared, and the dirty waters of the river brightened and became crystal clear green. Qilin stopped in front of the emperor, struck the rock with his hoof three times and spoke to him in a voice that rang like a temple bell. When the qilin turned to leave, the emperor saw that his back was covered with magical marks, which he tried to copy. This is how the first written language of China appeared.
Unicorn in Tibet
called "se-ru", it is mainly a gazelle or fallow deer that lives on mountain peaks. The unicorn is a bridge between Heaven and Earth, between the world of light principles and the world of dark and dense matter, manifested and unmanifested. The unicorn is a symbol of awakened consciousness, integrity and inner peace, it enlightens, shines in the darkness and, like the morning star, shows the way, inspiring people in the search for wisdom. The pediments of Himalayan monasteries invariably depict two unicorns turning the wheel of Dharma.
Unicorn in India
represents the power of spiritual wealth. He is both a destroyer and a creator. The symbol of the unicorn is found in the Atharva Veda and in the Mahabharata in the myth of the flood, during which Manu tied a ship to the horn of a giant unicorn fish.
In Persia the unicorn
represents the fertilizing principle, strength and ability to cleanse. In a Persian manuscript of the 15th century. it is said: “As for its horn, it appears golden, with its help all corruption and vileness will be destroyed and dispelled.”
In Hebrew
tradition, the legend says that when Yahweh asked Adam to name all the animals, the unicorn was the first to receive it, and thus he was elevated to the highest rank. When Adam and Eve were expelled from paradise, God gave the unicorn a choice: stay in Eden or go with people. The unicorn chose the latter, and was forever blessed with compassion for people.
In
the Greco-Roman
tradition, the unicorn is an attribute of all virgin, lunar goddesses, for example, Artemis (Diana).
In Christianity
The unicorn's horn is a symbol of divine unity, spiritual power and nobility, in connection with this the unicorn becomes the image of Christ. The small stature of the unicorn is associated with the humiliation of Christ at his birth; its white color symbolizes purity, that which must be acquired by following the ways of the sons of God.
In knightly symbolism, the unicorn
associated with purity of feelings. The Unicorn, accompanied by the Virgo, is the personification of chastity and purity. It often represents the devoted love of a knight for a lady. The unicorn also represents the abandonment of physical love for a purer and stronger love. This is something like a charm of purity, a miraculous purification of bodily life and sexual energy, giving the knight strength and courage.
Alchemical Unicorn
represents the stage of purification, the White Work. It signifies transmutation and spiritual evolution. His horn symbolizes the possibility of the Spirit penetrating Matter.
Along with the decline of faith, the deep meaning of the unicorn symbol gradually disappears. But the mythical animal, immortalized in iconography and sacred texts, is present everywhere and is ready to reveal its message to those who are able to hear it.
Unicorn magic
The unicorn is a symbol of magic. His magical powers are also legendary. His horn is harder than the strongest diamond, and is capable of neutralizing poisons. And the tears of a unicorn can heal both physical wounds and sorrows of the heart. Some of them can fly and talk to all kinds of other living things. The magical unicorn is a symbol of freedom, healing and beauty. Powerful magic wands had unicorn hair at their core, and its blood could heal a person who was dying.
What does the unicorn mean as a symbol?
The legendary white horse or pony with one horn is a symbol of purity and innocence in European mythology. Only a virgin could catch and tame him. What is the meaning of the symbol?
- Protection. The unicorn is the protector and patron of all virgins. Its horn has magical healing powers and was a popular ingredient in medieval medicines. It was a powerful antidote and protection from evil.
- Virtue. The white unicorn is a symbol of dignity, chastity and purity.
- Love and harmony. Unicorns are associated with the light of the moon, love, harmony and understanding. In medieval Europe, this gentle creature stood in opposition to the lion, which represented the more violent solar influence.
- Another meaning of the symbol is associated with courage, strength, and sometimes cruelty.
The meaning of tattoos for girls
For women, the unicorn is a special sign. This is a symbol of the fact that any unbridled force bows before a pure and innocent soul. Just as a horse obeyed the gaze of a meek girl. Therefore, a unicorn tattoo emphasizes the extraordinary inner strength of a fragile woman, the purity of her soul.
Girls like bright patterns. A unicorn, engulfed in flames or entwined with flowers, executed in rich, eye-catching shades, emphasizes spiritual and physical perfection.
A unicorn with wings has a different meaning. This is a beautiful creature that can stand up for itself and repel the enemy.
Unicorns in heraldry
The unicorn is also a prominent and significant figure in heraldic symbolism and is usually represented with a spiral horn of red, black or any other color.
The unicorn in 15th century heraldry is profiled with the tail of a lion and the hooves of a goat, symbolizing the breaking of the shackles of slavery. This was prompted by the sacred status of the unicorn in medieval times. Becoming more refined, it was associated with the attributes of Christ, the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary.
These solitary creatures personified the model of monastic life. The connection with the Holy Spirit made them a symbol of mysticism and spiritual values. In Scotland, two unicorns are depicted on the royal coat of arms; the British coat of arms displays a unicorn with a lion.
Description of unicorns
One day, a fragment of a description of an unknown beast was found, made by Photias, Patriarch of Constantinople (circa 810-893 AD). He's writing:
“In India there are wild asses as large as horses, or even larger. Their body is white, their head is dark red, their eyes are bluish, and they have an elbow-length horn in their forehead. The lower part of the horn, at a distance of about two palms from the forehead, is completely white, the middle part is black, the upper part is fiery red. Those who drink from a cup made from it are resistant to convulsions, epilepsy and even poison, provided that before or after taking the poison they drank wine, water or other liquid from these cups. Their ankles are very beautiful. These animals are very strong and fast, neither a horse nor any other animal can overtake them.”
Unicorn in Canada?
Mostly any mention of unicorns is associated with China, India and Africa, as well as with gullible medieval Europe, which was characterized by belief in fairies, goblins and dragons. What do Canada and a unicorn have in common? Which country's symbol looks like a horse with one horn on its forehead? It is still located on the coats of arms of England and Scotland, and it also has its own legends associated with it.
As for North America, disproportionately horned creatures lived here during the time of dinosaurs, capable of piercing several other large animals with their horns. These include the suborder Ceratopsia (centrosaurs). These creatures looked like giant rhinoceroses, which were incredibly impulsive and cruel and belonged to the Cretaceous period. As is known, more than sixty-three million years separate the last dinosaurs from primitive man. However, early fossil finds were very helpful in fueling the idea that large fairy creatures such as dragons and unicorns once roamed the earth.
There are only two animals in nature that have one horn, the rhinoceros and the narwhal. The latter's tusk can reach 3 meters. It was truly a mythical sea horse with a horn. Found in Arctic seas, including the northern waters of Canada, the narwhal appears on a number of Canadian coats of arms. Animals, including bulls, deer, lions, griffins, unicorns - strong, fast and often ferocious - are a common practice in heraldry.
Erotic fantasy?
What is the origin of this mysterious image, and what is more in it - Christian symbolism or the outright eroticism of pagan cults? To answer this question, it is worth getting acquainted with other images close to the European unicorn.
First of all, this is the Chinese unicorn - Qi-lin, which, according to the beliefs of the ancient Chinese, descends from the sky. His appearance foreshadows the birth of a great and glorious man. They say that Qi-lin appeared to the mother of Confucius. In China, women kept images of Qi-lin in their chambers. This was supposed to bring glory to the unborn child or, at a minimum, ensure the birth of a boy and not a girl. The unicorn was often depicted next to the moon goddess Guanyin. As we see, the Chinese Qi-lin also did not disdain female society and, characteristically, was a harbinger of good for women in labor.
Qi-lin
Syrian sources mention a unicorn-like animal called "daya". It can also be caught only with the help of a maiden: the beast approaches her and sucks her naked breast. At this time, the girl grabs him by the horn - and Daya becomes the prey of the hunters.
Arab authors do not emphasize the obligatory virginity of the huntress. Any beautiful girl can catch a unicorn.
The legend of the unicorn is by no means only a European story and is not at all of Christian origin. Its origins should be sought, first of all, in fertility cults, characteristic of both European and Asian pagan traditions.
According to mythological beliefs, Mother Earth and Father Sky enter into a sacred marriage, from which all living things come. The annual imitation of this marriage was a spring cycle of rites designed to ensure the harvest. These rituals were openly erotic in nature. Their participants (often the ruler played the role of a male deity, and the priestess played the role of a female deity) performed a ritual sexual act, which symbolized the fertilization of the Earth with heavenly seed.
Unicorn. II millennium BC Relief from a seal from Mohenjo-Daro
Sacred figurines depicting the male reproductive organ had an important sacred meaning in these rituals. Such cult phallic symbols have been discovered in large numbers by archaeologists throughout Eurasia. Some of them contain an image of the world tree. According to researchers, animal horns could also carry similar symbolism. The horn in pagan tradition was also a symbol of supreme power.
Delving deeper into pagan tradition, it can be assumed that the roots of the image of the unicorn most likely lie in ancient fertility cults. The animal itself could symbolize the god of fertility or his earthly incarnation - the king-priest. The phrase in ancient manuscripts where “the unicorn comes and lies down on the virgin’s bosom” can be interpreted as a description of ritual sexual intercourse. It should be noted that the plot of hunting a unicorn and killing it also has archaic roots. In many mythological traditions, there is a story about the death and subsequent resurrection of the god of fertility (for example, the Egyptian Osiris). The blood of God, spilled on the earth, ensures the future harvest. Such stories are close to the ancient mysteries dedicated to the god Dionysus.
Unicorn as a national animal
Oddly enough, the official animal of Scotland is the unicorn. A fantasy character may seem like the wrong choice for a country's national animal, but that is not the case for a state that celebrates its love of a long history of myths and legends. Since the 12th century, the unicorn has been a Scottish heraldic symbol, appearing on an early form of William I's Scottish coat of arms.
Unicorns were worshiped by the ancient Babylonians, and written descriptions of them have been found in the texts of the ancient Persians, Romans, Greeks and ancient Jewish scholars. In Celtic mythology, the unicorn of Scotland symbolized innocence and purity, healing powers, joy and even life itself, and was also seen as a symbol of masculinity and strength. During the reign of King James III (1460-1488), gold coins were introduced depicting a mythical creature with one horn.
Food
For those who value an appetizing and spectacular appearance in food, the fashion for everything rainbow has become simply manna from heaven. There are hundreds of unicorn-inspired recipes on social media, especially YouTube and Instagram. Natural dyes (berries, fruits, vegetables) and culinary paints are used in preparation, as well as edible glitter, gilding, pearls, and so on.
For example, there are many ideas for preparing various colorful sweets.
Food blog The Indigo Kitchen came up with a recipe for rainbow noodles. Red cabbage and lemon were used to give it a pinkish-blue hue.
Happy Sunday everyone! This is a laid back rainbowl for a laid back day. I'm so proud of having it with my first nasturtium harvest! These blossoms are sooo good, you should definitely grow some if you haven't yet. • Today started out perfectly with a yoga session at the beach. I'm honestly feeling oh so grateful for living so close to the beach, especially since it seems to soothe my eczema. Do any of you know more about this? Should I take as many swims as possible to help me heal my skin? • Have a blessed Sunday everyone, do what feels good
