KUNDALINI SYMBOLS

Pillar

Symbol for: the spine with the awakened kundalini

Examples from different spiritual traditions

Pillars as a symbol for the three energy channels – ida-, pingala-, and sushumna-nadi – can be found all over the world. Not only are they physically visible as part of historical structures such as temples, but we can read about them in scriptures, myths of the gods and other legendary stories. Sometimes there is one column that symbolizes the spine. Sometimes there are two pillars that represent the polar energy pathways.

We also see the pillar as a symbol in the iconography of the gods. Goddesses like Artemis and Diana, who are personifications of the kundalini energy, are sometimes depicted in the form of a pillar. A variant of this is the polos: a pillar-shaped crown, worn by both gods and goddesses. See some examples below.

Hinduïsm

Shiva as ‘The Eternal Pillar’

Shiva

Shiva, Musée Guimet, Paris.

The Hindu god VISHNU, in his form of the lion god Narashima, breaks from a PILLAR.

Ancient Egypt/Greeks

The Egyptian ritual of ‘RAISING THE DJED PILLAR’ represents the activation of the kundalini energy.

The god Osiris on a pillar, flanked by Horus and Isis (Twenty-second Dynasty statuette)

The Egyptian god Serapis

The goddess Artemis, Vatican Museum.

Relief of Hekate, a manifestation of the TRIPLE GODDESS The three women hold TORCHES (divine fire) in their hands and wear a POLOS (a PILLAR-SHAPED CROWN). They represent the THREE ENERGY CHANNELS involved in a kundalini awakening. (Kinsky Palace Art Museum, Prague)

Alchemy

Hand-in-hand the personifications of the THREE ENERGY CHANNELS. (Zoroaster, Clavis artis-Trieste, 18th century)

Emblèmes de Solidonius Alchimie de Nicolas Flamel (1330-1418)

Woodcut from the alchemical manuscript ‘Das Buch zu Distillieren’, Hieronymus Braunschweig, 1519.

Completing a kundalini process requires EFFORT, TIME AND PATIENCE. In the background the building of the TOWER OF BABEL: a Biblical metaphor for a kundalini awakening. Read more in the article: Kundalini and the Tower of Babel. (Emblemata moralia & bellica, 1615)

Examples from Christian art

CLICK ON THE IMAGES FOR AN ENLARGEMENT

Throughout the ages there have always been initiates, artists and mystics who knew that Jesus was not born as ‘the Son of God’, but had experienced a kundalini awakening, after which he was one with his Divine Father. The Gospel writers have hidden this spiritual truth in their texts in inventive ways, including the use of symbolism and wordplay (see my books). Because of the rigid attitude of the church, the truth could not be spoken aloud, but underground, through esoteric groups such as the Freemasons, it found its way onto the canvas.

THE SIGN OF THE SACRED MARRIAGE (two fingers together: 2=1) is incorporated in many paintings, in one form or another, often in combination with other esoteric symbolism. This hand gesture refers to a fusion of the polar energies/duality, and with this to a process of kundalini awakening.

Francesco del Cossa. The angel points at the PILLAR with TWO FINGERS at the announcement: the birth of Christ takes place IN man after a kundalini awakening. Read more in my book “John the Baptist, who became Jesus the Christ.

The Raising of Lazarus, Jan Cornelisz. Vermeyen, Triptyque de la famille Micault. The raising of Lazarus is a kundalini initiation. The NAKED BOY in the foreground symbolizes the ‘risen’ NEW MAN. Read more in my book Mary Magdalene, the disciple whom Jesus loved.

Bartolomeo Caporali. The VIRGIN BIRTH is a metaphor for the birth of the divine within us. At the SIXTH CHAKRA (PILLARS) the SACRED MARRIAGE (2=1) takes place.

The Last Supper, Livio Agresti, Oratorio del Gonfalone. Jesus points at John’s HEAD: here, inwardly, the whole Easter week takes place.

The Annunciation, Alejo Fernández. The EIGHT-POINTED MORNING STAR (click here) is a symbol for the kundalini energy. The colors BLACK, WHITE AND RED of the WINGS of the angel refer to the three phases of the alchemical MAGNUM OPUS (click here).

Jesus argues with the scribes, Garofalo Benvenuto Tisi. Jesus points at his PELVIS, the abode of the kundalini.

The scribes arguing with Jesus, Bernardino Butinone. The circled man wears a SCARF from HEAD to PELVIS; the trajectory of the kundalini. With his hand he makes the sign of SACRED MARRIAGE (2=1).

Quentin Massys, 1520. The man next to Jesus is wearing clothes in the colors BLACK, WHITE, YELLOW and RED of the MAGNUM OPUS (click here).

Andrea Schiavone. The TWISTED BODY POSTURE of the baby Jesus, like the SPIRAL PILLAR, refers to the spiral movement of the ascending KUNDALINI.

Lucas Cranach de Jongere, Das Dessauer Abendmahl, 1565.

The Circumcision of Jesus, Giulio Romano. Circumcision is a metaphor for the SUBLIMATION (transformation) of the sexual energies. The WOMAN in the foreground wears clothes in the colors BLACK, WHITE AND RED of the three phases of the alchemical MAGNUM OPUS (click here). The head of a MAN is depicted next to her head. This symbolizes the merging of the polar energies: THE SACRED MARRIAGE (2=1).

Christ heals the lepers,
Andrea Schiavone, ca. 1545, Museum of Fine Arts, Budapest.

The Raising of Lazarus, fresco catacombs Rome, 4th century. The raising of Lazarus is a kundalini initiation. Read more in my book “Mary Magdalene, the disciple whom Jesus loved.”

The raising of Lazarus, Catacomb di via Latina, 4th century, Rome.

Matías de Arteaga y Alfaro, 17th century. The betrothal of Mary and Joseph symbolizes the SACRED MARRIAGE (click here). 

The Presentation of the Virgin, Jacopo Tintoretto. Mary’s SCARF, from pelvis to head, refers to the kundalini energy. 

Maarten van Heemskerck. The angel’s APRON has the shape of the SACRED BONE (click here).

Antonio Raggi, Ponte Sant Angelo. Angel with a column inscribed “Tronus meus in columna” (My throne is on a column).

The Presentation of Jesus in the Temple, Maitre de Saint Severin Cologne, circa 1490. The golden PILLAR has SERPENT SCALES.

The raising of Lazarus. Both the ARMS (dark and light) of Lazarus, as well as just ONE LEG (click here) being visible, symbolizes the merging of the polar energies (2=1). 

Presentation of Jesus in the Temple, Book of Hours Use of Poitiers, late 15th century, France.

The Madonna with the Long Neck, Parmigianino.

Nicola di Maestro Antonio, 1472-1510, Palazzo Ducale, Italië. The HOLY SPIRIT is the Christian name for the kundalini energy. 

Saint Apollonia Blinded, Giovanni d’Alemagna, 15th century. The woman points to the SCARF that runs from PELVIS to HEAD: the trajectory of the ascending kundalini.

Juan Rodri’guez Jua’rez, The Divine Shepherd, ca. 1718. The SEVEN STEPS represent the seven chakras that the kundalini energy (the WATER) activates and purifies. The crucifixion (of the ego) takes place in the HEAD (at the top of the stairs).

Caspar Isenmann, Colmar Altarpiece. The FLAGELLATION (click here) of Jesus symbolizes the PURIFYING aspect of the kundalini. 

A remarkable painting of MARY MAGDALENE teaching about the kundalini. Of the THREE PILLARS behind her, one is aligned with her SPINE. The gesture of her HANDS symbolizes the merging of the polar energies (2=1). Read more in my book “Mary Magdalene, the disciple whom Jesus loved.

The Aachen Passion Altar, 1510. Pilates points to Jesus and at the same time with his STAFF (click here), which is also a kundalini symbol, to the pillar. The color GREEN and DAIMOND PATTERN of the pillar refer to a (KUNDALINI) SERPENT.

St Peter preaching in Jerusalem, Charles Poerson. St. Peter points at the PILLAR and makes the sign of the SACRED MARRIAGE (2=1). The man on the left points at his SPINE. He wears the colors BLACK, WHITE, YELLOW and RED of the MAGNUM OPUS (click here). The SPINE of the man on the right is parallel to the SPIRALING PILLAR. He stands on ONE LEG (click here): a reference to SACRED MARRIAGE (2=1). The child in the foreground points to the pillar and to his HEAD, final destination of the kundalini. The child, and the woman holding the child, have raised ONE LEG (2=1).

Claudio Coello, 1668. The angel announces that the kundalini will awaken in Mary and that the divine CHRIST CHILD will be born IN her. On the right: detail

Detail of painting on left: the SHADOW of the index finger betrays that the angel is pointing at the pillar.

Ecce Homo, Braunschweig Monogrammist. The DOUBLE CIRCLE (click here) above Jesus is an alchemical symbol for the fusion of opposites. A CIRCLE WITH A DOT represents gold/the divine.