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EYE of the HEART a Journal of Traditional Wisdom EYE of the HEART A Journal of Traditional Wisdom Issue 3, 2009 La Trobe University, Bendigo Eye of the Heart is a scholarly journal providing a forum for the exploration of the great philosophical and religious traditions. It addresses the inner meaning of philosophy and religion through elucidations of metaphysical, cosmological, and soteriological principles, and through a penetration of the forms preserved in each religious tradition. Eye of the Heart is published bi-annually. It is an Open Access Journal freely available online. A print version is available at cost value through La Trobe University, Campus Graphics (via the Eye of the Heart website). Unless otherwise stated all articles are original and have been peer-reviewed in accord with the Higher Education Research Data Collection (Australian Government, Department of Education, Science and Training) 2008 specifications. Contact: Editor, Eye of the Heart Arts Program, La Trobe University P.O. Box 199, Bendigo 3552, Australia Tel: +61 3 5444 7243; Fax: +61 3 5444 7970 Email: [email protected] Website: www.latrobe.edu.au/eyeoftheheart Publisher: La Trobe University, Bendigo Printed by Campus Graphics www.latrobe.edu.au/campusgraphics. Typeface is World Wisdom used by kind permission of World Wisdom Books www.worldwisdom.com. Cover: ‘Zodiac Man’ from the calendar pages of the Tres Riches Heures of Jean Duc de Berry, 15th Century, France. Copyright: © May, 2009. Unless otherwise indicated, all materials published in this issue are copyrighted by Eye of the Heart and the respective authors. No reproduction without express written permission, except in critical articles and reviews. ISSN: 1835-4416 AVAILABLE Print copies available through La Trobe Campus Graphics www.latrobe.edu.au/campusgraphics Editor: Timothy Scott Editorial Board: Rodney Blackhirst, Harry Oldmeadow, John Penwill, Roger Sworder, Algis Uždavinys Advisory Board: Waleed El-Ansary (University of South Carolina), David Burrell (University of Notre Dame, Indiana), James Cutsinger (University of South Carolina), Renaud Fabbri (Miami University), Alan Godlas (The University of Georgia), Peter Kingsley (Warburg Institute), Klaus Klostermaier (University of Manitoba), Livia Kohn (Boston University), Jean-Pierre Lafouge (Marquette University), Patrick Laude (Georgetown University in Qatar), Joseph Lumbard (Brandeis University), Constant Mews (Monash University), James Morris (Boston College), Philip Novak (Dominican University of California), Patricia Reynaud (Miami University), Eliezer Segal (University of Calgary), Reza Shah-Kazemi (Institute of Ismaili Studies), Arvind Sharma (McGill University), David Tacey (La Trobe University), Arthur Versluis (Michigan State University) Table of Contents Editorial 3 Spiritual symbolism in the Grimms’ tales 5 by Samuel D. Fohr The Bosom of the Father: Notes on the Negative Theology of 29 Clement of Alexandria by Andrew Itter A methodology of the Imagination 37 by Angela Voss Three short essays in astrophysiology 53 by Roger Sworder The Book of the Celestial Cow: A Theological Interpretation 73 by Edward P. Butler The Zaqqūm Tree 101 by Emily Pott Symbolism as marriage and the symbolism of marriage 117 by Tom Bree Contributors 143 Editorial We have had a wonderful response to the first two issues of Eye of the Heart. The diversity and quality of submissions demonstrate the rich vein that a journal such as this mines. This was particularly evident in the entries received for the Ananda Coomaraswamy Prize. Congratulations to Dr Emily Pott for winning the Open category with her essay, ‘The Zaqqūm Tree,’ found in the current issue. Emily is a tutor at the Prince’s School of Traditional Arts in London. Congratulations also to the Graduate category winner, Mr Graeme Castleman, for his essay, ‘The Primordial in the Symbols and Theology of Baptism.’ Graeme is a doctoral candidate in the Philosophy and Religious Studies program at La Trobe University at Bendigo. His essay will appear in Issue 4 in November. In addition to a selection of the entries received for the Ananda Coomaraswamy Prize, Issue 4 will also feature a republication of Ananda Coomaraswamy’s essay, ‘The Iconography of Dürer’s “Knots” and Leonardo’s “Concatenation”.’ This essay is of great value for both its rarity and for offering a “statement of intention,” insomuch as Coomaraswamy regarded it as a model of the method for any serious investigation of symbols. The third issue of Eye of the Heart opens with Dr Samuel D. Fohr’s, ‘Spiritual symbolism in the Grimms’ tales.’ Dr Fohr has developed this paper—at our request—from his book Cinderella’s Gold Slipper: Spiritual Symbolism in the Grimms’. Our intention with this is to demonstrate the diverse interests embraced by the traditional study of philosophy and religion. This diversity is evident as we move to the following essay, ‘The Bosom of the Father: Notes on the Negative Theology of Clement of Alexandria,’ by Dr Andrew Itter, a work favourably compared to the exquisite writings of Dierdre Carabine on this subject. In her paper, Dr Angela Voss, uses Henry Corbin’s idea of the mundus imaginalis as a springboard to argue for a “methodology of the imagination” within an academic context. Dr Roger Sworder engages such a methodology in his exploration of the macrocosm-microcosm relationship found in the Zodiac, as indeed to some extent, does Dr Edward Butler in his insightful symbolic exegesis of the Egyptian myth 3 Eye of the Heart: A Journal of Traditional Wisdom known as the Book of the Celestial Cow. Dr Emily Pott’s examination of the Zaqqūm Tree of Islamic tradition offers a vision of this tree, found in Hell, as the lowermost extension of the inverted Tree of Life. Even in Hell the “way of the Tree of Life” offers hope of eventual return to the divine Source. The final essay included in this issue is from Mr Tom Bree. His paper, ‘Symbolism as marriage and the symbolism of marriage,’ was one of the finalists in the Ananda Coomaraswamy contest. It is an exploration of some of the geometric symbolisms of “union” together with a wonderful reflection on the symbolism of the Christian marriage ritual. What is most impressive is the fact that this paper represents Mr Bree’s first attempt at an essay of this type, his principle roles being that of an artist and teacher (not to mention, a husband). We are most happy that the Ananda Coomaraswamy competition has allowed people like Mr Bree to share their knowledge with a wider audience. The judges would like to make special mention of Professor K. S. Kannan’s essay, ‘The Metaphysics of Änandatäëòava,’ which will be in Issue 4. All entries in this competition were read by the editor of Eye of the Heart before being sent to members of the editorial board for blind review. The finalists in both the Open and Graduate categories were then sent to an independent judge for a final decision. We would like to thank everyone who helped in whatever way. A particular dept of gratitude is due to Fons Vitae Publishing and World Wisdom Books, who generously supported the Ananda Coomaraswamy Prize and without whom this opportunity would not have been possible. 4 Spiritual symbolism in the Grimms’ tales Samuel Fohr Folktales as spiritual teachings With the publication of his essay ‘Primitive Mentality’ Ananda Coomaraswamy put on notice those who would assess folklore without the requisite knowledge to do it justice. Due to the lack of such knowledge the spiritual dimension of folklore had been all but ignored. For our purposes the two key statements of his essay are: ‘The content of folklore is metaphysical. Our failure to recognise this is primarily due to our abysmal ignorance of metaphysics and of its technical terms.’1 Some people will wonder about the importance of the first statement. They will admit that at least some folklore is concerned with metaphysical subjects but conclude that it should not be taken seriously for that very reason. Sadly, ever since David Hume’s Treatise of Human Nature and An Inquiry Concerning Human Understanding metaphysics has been shunted aside as unimportant. According to Hume, any word which could not be tied down to a sense experience or combination of sense experiences is meaningless. But according to the traditional world view, beyond the physical and subtle sides of the world there is a formless aspect, and what is more important, there is a level of reality beyond the cosmos which forms its basis. Metaphysics is just that discipline which deals with what is beyond the cosmos (or physis— nature in its entirety) and hence involves the highest knowledge. So to say that the content of folklore is metaphysical is to say that it should be taken with the utmost seriousness. Why should an essay titled ‘Primitive Mentality’ focus on the subject of folklore? The connection between the two is not difficult to comprehend. Broadly speaking, a primitive society is one which does not possess a written language. To quote from Coomaraswamy, 1 A. Coomaraswamy, ‘Primitive Mentality’ in Selected Papers Vol.1: Traditional Art & Symbolism, ed. R. Lipsey, New Jersey: Princeton, 1977, p.287. 5 Eye of the Heart: A Journal of Traditional Wisdom By “folklore” we mean that whole and consistent body of culture which has been handed down, not in books but by word of mouth and in practice, from time beyond the reach of historical research.2 This is not to say that it is impossible for folklore to exist in a society which possesses a written language, but in such a society the folklore component remains unwritten. By the time folklore material has found its way into books it has, generally speaking, ceased to exist as folklore, and incidentally is no longer taken seriously. But there are exceptions. If the folklore of one society has been transcribed by members of another, it may continue to function as folklore in the first.
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