The Lion and the Swan D. Stolcius von Stolcenberg, Viridarium chymicum, 1624
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There are four elements in this image that are connected by an ouroborus symbol. The lion represents the essence of spirit and the swan symbolizes the feminine soul. Here the lion consumes the female swan within the stage of the work that she represents, namely, the albedo. Thus the silver, or white stone, is in the process of being transmuted into gold. The lion and the swan, spirit and soul, are captured in their cosmic counterparts, sun (Sol) and moon (Luna), within the ouroborus. Typically the snake devouring its own tail is presented as a circle representing a state of primal unconsciousness; activated but not going anywhere. But, here we see this symbol in the form of the infinity sign, thus indicating a shift toward conscious integration of the energies of spirit/Sol and soul/Luna. |
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