ouroboros cr0wl The Ouroboros (Greek Ουροβόρος, from ουροβόρος όφις "tail-devouring snake", also spelled Ourorboros, Oroborus, Uroboros or Uroborus, in English pronounced /ʊˈrɒbɔrɔs/ or /ˌjʊəroʊˈbɒrəs/), is an ancient symbol depicting a serpent or dragon swallowing its own tail and forming a circle. The Ouroboros often represents self-reflexivity or cyclicality, especially in the sense of something constantly re-creating itself, the eternal return, and other things perceived as cycles that begin anew as soon as they end (See Phoenix (mythology)). It can also represent the idea of primordial unity related to something existing in or persisting from the beginning with such force or qualities it cannot be extinguished. The ouroboros has been important in religious and mythological symbolism, but has also been frequently used in alchemical illustrations, where it symbolizes the circular nature of the alchemist's opus. It is also often associated with Gnosticism, and Hermeticism. Carl Jung interpreted the Ouroboros as having an archetypical significance to the human psyche. The Jungian psychologist Erich Neumann writes of it as a representation of the pre-ego "dawn state", depicting the undifferentiated infancy experience of both mankind and the individual child. Plato described a self-eating, circular being as the first living thing in the universe—an immortal, perfectly constructed animal. The living being had no need of eyes when there was nothing remaining outside him to be seen; nor of ears when there was nothing to be heard; and there was no surrounding atmosphere to be breathed; nor would there have been any use of organs by the help of which he might receive his food or get rid of what he had already digested, since there was nothing which went from him or came into him: for there was nothing beside him. Of design he was created thus, his own waste providing his own food, and all that he did or suffered taking place in and by himself. For the Creator conceived that a being which was self-sufficient would be far more excellent than one which lacked anything; and, as he had no need to take anything or defend himself against any one, the Creator did not think it necessary to bestow upon him hands: nor had he any need of feet, nor of the whole apparatus of walking; but the movement suited to his spherical form was assigned to him, being of all the seven that which is most appropriate to mind and intelligence; and he was made to move in the same manner and on the same spot, within his own limits revolving in a circle. All the other six motions were taken away from him, and he was made not to partake of their deviations. And as this circular movement required no feet, the universe was created without legs and without feet. (source) 081206 ... Ken Wilber We move from part to whole and back again, and in that dance of comprehension, in that amazing circle of understanding, we come alive to meaning, to value, and to vision: the very circle of understanding guides our way, weaving together the pieces, healing the fractures, mending the torn and tortured fragments, lighting the way ahead — this extraordinary movement from part to whole and back again, with healing the hallmark of each and every step, and grace the tender reward. 081207 ... unhinged THE OUROBOROS with me as with caterpillars nothing was chanced the penniless world was hemmed-in by mountains on three sides with gibbons and cranes to seem endless gradually three or four flowers tiny divots of earth by the tens of thousands and a skein of fine white sewing silk appeared on my coat and hat but to allow for the ouroboros that lives in my living room perched on the caldera's rim and over my shoulder like the white bird you can't see the spyglass drew a cocoon beating a drum in the doorway of my own raising so many misshapen wishes too tired to rest or return home --- andrei codrescu the inside back cover of shambala sun november '08 (read it and thought of you) 081208 ... Ouroboros I like the last stanza 081208 ... jane not just biting its tail but swallowing, engulfing, choking greedily on itself, its end disappear ing into its beginning (or is it the other way around?) its life was born from death - circulating unto itself eternally______ 081208 ... cr0wl life born from death inside of me is the death of my self reconstituted by blood and saltwater rekindled by the breath of sleep and waking thought 090207 ... jane see also, my back. 090207 ... PeeT ... Ouroboros i_made_a_mask and_i_lost_it what_was_i_thinking? now i'm trying_to_find nothing_less_than_what_it_means_to_be_human and_how_wings of external approval never_were_there you_expected_monsters on only_the_darkest_nights but a life_of_soul with rich_inner_lives is an_obligation_to_your_own_sanity so go look in your mirror treading_the_abyss keep asking_for_the_truth no matter how dark the black_sea seems to_be_able_to_feel all the feeling_inside_of_me is the something_that_changed_the_way_i_live_my_life i_found_my_heart 120621 what's it to you? who go blather from