Equal Armed Cross

[Shy Hawk]

I am reading one of SRW's books and she likes to put equal armed crosses over everything she blesses.
I'm not so comfortable doing that...mostly because I don't have any of the history on the equal armed cross. So...my question is who were the first to use the cross? What was it used for? What does it signify? Does it mean something different now? Any info on this is appreciated.
I wouldn't want to bless something with a symbol I have no backround info on.
Thanks!
~Shy

[Danustouch]

hmmmmm..i'll look into that for you. But one association I can already think of..at least from the Celtic Pantheon..might be the Celtic Wheel of the year??? The equinox, solstices, etc. I'll check it out for you though.

[Swanspirit]

as used by pagans an others .... . among whom were Native Americans and Sufis........
represents the four cardinal points of the compass......, the four directions.....
etc...... depending on the culture......
also can represent protected space within which no harm can befall one....
The symbol for earth is the circle with an equal armed cross........
Love and light
Swannie

[Shy Hawk]

Thanks Danus.

[Shy Hawk]

Oh sweet. Cool, thanks Swannie.:D

If you're still looking Danus, keep going right on ahead. I wanna know everything. (devious smile)

[Danustouch]

From "The womans dictionary of Magickal Symbols and Sacred Objects" by Barbara G. Walker copy right 1988

"Division of the Universe into quadrants by squares, crosses, and other right angled desighns seems to have been associated with the gradual rise of patriarchal civilizations. The round villages were replaced by the city laid out in squares and oriented east-west, north-south. Directional quadrants were linked with the four winds, four elements, four angelic guardians, and so on. It was believed that the Earth was flat, and had four courners. like a manmade square building. People still speak of the four corners of the Earth. Though most people realize it is just a fanciful metaphore. Imaginary straight lines drawn to and from the four corners of the earth were forerunners of our parallels of longitude, and latitude. Meeting the lines at a central point, forms a cross. Crosses represented male Gods long before Christianity. Crosses even represented the gods's sacrifice, generally assumed to take place at the center of things, where all forces came together. The usual location of the Tree of Life, Axis Mundi, Omphalos, source of the four mystic rivers, summit of the world mountain, center of the world body, and other interpretations of the X that "marks the spot". ".

Now...i don't think by drawing a cross on anything, you are necessarily drawing upon patriarchal ideals, or a Male God force. To me, it seems to be a drawing together of the Four Elements of Earth....the four corners, etc. It may be a symbol of power, simply because when drawn, you are pulling together those four elements, to meet in the middle at a very magickal, powerful spot. That's just my interpretation, and just a quote from one source. Hope that helps.

[Swanspirit]

WOMANS DICTIONARY OF SYMBOLS AND SACRED OBJECTS BY BARBARA WALKER.......
she says....the "greek or eqaul armed cross was known as the Crux Imissa Quadrata .. which before christianity was an emblem of Hecate as the Goddess of the Crossroads.......and also represented the UNION of male and female
THUS becoming the symbol of the PLUS sign
one plus the other........
can also be a tantric position ......
Love and Light
Swannie

[Shadowulfe]

Thanks for the info Danus...it is very helpful. I was also trying to find info on the equal armed cross

blessings,
shadowulfe

[TheWordWitch]

Just an aside.....

Margaret Starbird (Woman with the Alabaster Jar & Goddess in the Gospel) examines the Christian Cross and posits that the inequality of Christianity can be summed up in the symbol of the cross, an UN-equal armed cross,

the long post representing God/Man/Heaven,

the short cross bar representing Goddess/Woman/Earth.

Also, and Equal armed cross can stand alone without toppling (not sure about this cuz I've never tried it)

An un-equal or Christian Cross will topple over due to the unbalanced load, unless it is driven, forcefully into the earth.

An Equal Armed cross can be turned in "upside down" and still be an equal armed cross.

An un-equal Christian cross can be turn upside down, and it becomes a symbol of evil, and is considered a blasphemy.

Just my little observations!!
Cheers! :p

[Swanspirit]

is re-reading the Woman with Alabaster Jar..... and is searching out "The Magdelene" for her future art works....... perhaps I can bring this small symbol to her attention as something worth noting ,.......Thank you Word Witch ........
Love and Light
Swannie
PS are you THE word Witch???

[Myst]

On the reversal of a symbol - some people associate a reversed pentagram as a symbol of evil too, so I wouldn't take that into account.

Historically, as mentioned, unequal armed crosses are associated with Christianity while equal armed are associated with some Celtic meanings etc.

However, as usual, if you are uncomfortable with the symbol don't use it :) :)

[TheWordWitch]

Hi Again!

I will post an introduction in the appropriate place, but I have to say I am THRILLED to be back at Pagan Perspectives. I originally joined when the board existed at coolboards, and wandered off to read several texts that had been discussed in Pagan Perspectives. Margaret Starbird was one and Egyptian history/mythology and Kemet wer another. I've been in HEAVEN with all I'm learning. I finally decided to come back, because I've run out of material, and I am looking for ideas in designing my altar space.

The equal armed cross was one that really hit home to this ex-catholic! And the Magdala has allowed me to finally forgive Catholics for my childhood. But what REALLY made an impact was finding out that I was raised Rosecrucian! My family has always worshipped The Marys, and I only discovered thru Starbird that they were the Triple Goddess!

For a time, I felt the same about any cross symbol, felling that it was solely a masculin patriarchial symbol. I now can easily see the vast difference between the Celtic equal armed crosses and the typically Chritian/Catholic un-eqaul crucifix. The concept of God/Man/Heaven being equally partnered in marriage to Goddess/Woman/Earth is so powerful and balancing. I think it would make any ritual incredible!

I do also see the un-equal cross as a symbol of death and destruction, and the unbalance in societies belief manifesting itself in the environment and living world around us. I really think the use of equal crosses used in ritual, over time could help balance and heal society and the world. When the world becomes balanced the ripple effect will help individuals become balanced.

HA! Can you tell how much I connected with Starbird's work?? :cool:

SWANSPIRIT! :wave:
(long story on the name!) I was given an Irish Goddess's name for my given name. Because I was a solitary for so long, I kept my given and magickal name the same. But after being on Pagan Perspectives for about 6 weeks, my research and reading led me to a circle in my area. One of the women in my small circle had a Wickedary (Mary Daly,Jane Caputi), she read the definition of Word Witch to a group of us sitting around sipping red wine and gossiping in the kitchen. Without fail, all 4 said, "That's you! All your books!"

Consider this my shameless plug for a book I find the best pagan entertainment in years!! Oh it's soooooooo feminist it offends even the most hard core femi-nazi, but the word play, the puns, are without comparison!! Satire at it's best!

[Swanspirit]

YOu are one of those people who can type your thoughts out in a wink!........ I might have to invite you over to paltalk for some politically incorrect conversation LOL.... especially of the hardcore feminist kind!!
My room at PALTALK is the Witches Chat......and My nick there is SwanSpirit ....... so come on over .......:>


But the funny thing .....my friend ; who goes by Tanis.... is this wild woman Aquarius Taurus ASC Moon In SCorpio ... world class artist ( has had her work in the Arts And Crafts division of the Met IN NYC.....) and she came to the book from another perspective...... her HUSBAND is from Paris..... and his family tree and geneaology can be traced to that part of France that the book talks about.....
and as a graduate of the Sancta Sophia Seminary
she is well schooled in the esoterica of the Goddess.....and SHE is deeply researching and channeling some information regarding some of the ideas in the Alabaster Jar ......
The odd thing for me ..... is I collect Alabaster jars .........
I do love the significance of the differences of the crosses...... symbols are always interesting to research.....
and expand upon their meanings as well......
I consider those ideas quite significant ...... again .....
Merrily Met
Swannie

A colleague at work told me last week not to worry. "God has a plan," he assured me.
My answer is. "Yes. I know. We are it."

In memory of her--

Margaret Starbird

[Danustouch]

akkkkkkkkkkk word witch! Red on Purple baaaaaaaad..lol. I got nauseous trying to read it. It made me dizzy! LOL.

[Swanspirit]

I Love it ......

http://www.cat.nyu.edu/wickedary/index.html
Music of the Spheres,
["an ethereal harmony supposed by the
Pythagoreans to be produced by the
vibration of the celestial spheres upon
which the stars and planets were
thought to move"-Webster's]
an Earthy/Ethereal harmony Heard by
Muses, and inspiring Journeyers as we
move through Archespheres,
Pyrospheres, and Metamorphospheres
and

Depth Hearing,
"hearing that takes place before the
speaking-a hearing that is far more
than acute listening.... engaged in by
the whole body that evokes speech-a
new speech-a new creation"- Nelle
Morton.
Example: Held between wars my lifetime among wars,
the big hands of the world of death my lifetime
listens to yours -Muriel Rukeyser, "Kathe Kollwitz" and
Erraticism, Feminist, n
[erratic "having no fixed course:
WANDERING.... deviating from what
is ordinary or standard (as in nature,
behavior, or opinion): ODD,
ECCENTRTC"-Webster's]
the Wanderlusting propensities of
Untidy/Eccentric Women
I LOVE IT ......and I have wandered havent I Ahh well........
Actually the equal armed cross FOR ME.....
as a symbol of the earth ......represents the spherical and cyclical nature of reality ......I see it three dimensionally , and it does have a three dimensional aspect to it that doesnt seem apparent in the Longer Armed Cross.......
and once in "Grand Rounds" long ago a Docotr named Godenne ....... the Freudian perspective ....." anything longer than it is wide is a phallic symbol" LOL and having said that..... she didnt laugh......... we did tho...... and that was the first of many times I was to hear that phrase.......and I hear it echoing now ......
Love and Light
Swannie

[TheWordWitch]

you know... last night the color looked just fine! :rotfl:

I love the gadgets available on this board!! I'll stick with black until I find a suitable color!! :D I is pretty dizzying!! LOL!

[Danustouch]

heheheh....black, or blue should do nicely :)

[Danustouch]

Okay... I went a little Off Topic with my comments on Word Witches Red on Purple color scheme....but...These last posts about the feminist and phallic symbolisms of the equal armed cross, are a little off topic. I believe Shy's original question was.."What, Historically, was the symbolism of the equal armed cross in magick". As in, what was it used for in spell work, etc.

So..I'm not moderating this thread, because I went a little OT, too. But...I'd like us to try to bring it back to that original point. I'll stick to the rules, and you guys stick to the rules, and the thread will be a lovely one for discussion :) obeekaybee???

[Swanspirit]

I brought it back around there at the end...... sort of kind of........ well ...........actually I thought the phallic symbol reference applied......where the spherical symbolism of the equal armed cross in a circle does not go unnoticed either ......
but I see it as the masculine having impregnated and joined with the circle rather than simply existing on its own ...... as with the longer cross
Love And Light
Swannie

[Danustouch]

Yep..you did bring it around. Thanks. It was just a reminder so that it didn't stray any farther off.

Now...I really still feel that it is important to note that it makes sense that an equal armed cross would symbolize the union of the four elements. But then, Don't the elements have some associations of masculine/feminine traits? So it would be a true yin/yang, creative/destructive, masculine/feminine, air/fire/water/earth representation in almost every way. A very balanced symbol indeed!

[Swanspirit]

I see much more balance there...... but of course ( warning internal dialogue ) then the universe doesnt always FAVOR balance......
we only have equal parts of day and night TWO out of 365 days of the year...... the earth is not a perfect circel but an ovoid shape. and the tilt of the axis is not vertical as we define it........the universe seems to favor flux and change......which requires things to be OUT of balance.........a great deal of the time SO...... somewhere in there is a point ..... if anyone finds it let me know???
Love and Light
Swannie

[Danustouch]

Swannie....TOPIC??? lol. How does this apply to the equal armed cross? A balanced symbol, such as the equal armed cross might be very useful for certain types of magick. The earth isn't always on balance, but balanced symbols, such as the equal armed cross might be very useful in differen't magickal practices...such as??? any ideas?

[Swanspirit]

as contrasted by ( I like that MUCH better than OPPOSED to...) the longer cross as contrasting symbol of out of balance........actually constitute the Celtic Cross ........interesting......just going to that one simmer for while.........
Love and Light
Swannie

[Danustouch]

hey hey now...don't go readin' between the lines. I don't think that people who wear the traditional Christian Cross are thinking of the magickal association of crosses at all. They are thinking of it as a symbol of Christs Death and ressurection..and that, only, much of the time. So I was not inferring by any means that the christian symbol is out of balance. Because most people do not use it as a Magickal symbol.

The Equal armed cross, on the other hand, did not become associated with Jesus death and ressurection. It, contrasting the Christian symbol..has inherant magickal meanings. And darrnit..stop luring me OT! LOL.

[Swanspirit]

"I don't think that
people who wear the traditional Christian Cross are thinking of the
magickal association of crosses at all. "
I think many would be amazed to know there WERE any other associations...... they dont teach THAT in Catholic school I promise you........ but that is what is nioce about symbols they are used by many different cultures to mean different things........
turn the equal armed cross on its side and X marks the treasure spot .........
Love and light
Swannie

[TheWordWitch]

Three great sites with info on the Equal Armed Cross I found in my wanderings today!!

The equal armed cross symbolizes the harmony of all poles: in a cross unites what is above and below, spiritual and physical; what is left and right, past and future; what is in the center and in the periphery, what is single and general. Cross symbolizes the universe, an interlacement, a union, an equilibrium between giving and receiving. It can be also one of the symbols of the man with his relation to God (upper arm), to himself (center), to his fellow-men (horizontal arms) and to nature (lower arm).
http://www.cdk.si/grz/simbolika_sk_e.htm

The equal-armed or so-called Greek Cross is used in Christianity but is, more anciently, a symbol of the four cardinal points. As such, it is found in some Native American traditions (e.g., the Zuñi). It is pointed out in Sufism that this form is produced by a human being standing erect with arms outspread. This can be taken to show that the human is a microcosm in both the theistic sense ("I am a little world" says John Donne) and the alchemical, occult, or Gnostic sense ("As above, so below"). In the Renaissance reversal of this image (as in the famous drawing by Michelangelo) the symbol represents the human as the measure of all things and can therefore be taken to represent Secular Humanism.
http://www.ocf.berkeley.edu/~urc/symbols.html

An open cross within a closed one is a typical structure in decorative arts in Greece and the Near East about 1000 B.C. Both in the West, the East and pre-Columbian America the cross seems to have been related to the weather, the four winds that brought rain, the four points of the compass. Thereby the equal armed cross became associated with the ground, the fields, and the earth.
Via the weather, the cross is associated with the sun and often appears together with the sun sign, as for instance in the Indian ideogram and the Peruvian sun cross from pre-Columbian times. The cross was also an attribute of the Greek sun god Apollo hundreds of years before the Christian era.
See , the restoration cross found in fifteenth century heraldry, for a possible remainder of the ancient relationship between and .
http://www.symbols.com/encyclopedia/27/2720.html

:ahhhh: A bored with intellectual Pagans......

[Danustouch]

LOL, thank you wordwitch...I appreciate the links :) Wonderful.