LOS CUATRO ELEMENTOS

The white stag is a familiar creature of myth and legend. Its origins are likely in the totemic period of early Indo-European society, particularly the northern societies of the Celts and pre-Indo-European cultures, whose subsistence was gained not only through agriculture, but through hunting. This dependence on deer may be seen in the zoomorphic Celtic god Cernunnos, depicted as being a man with the antlers of a deer.

The white stag in Celtic myth is an indicator that the Otherworld is near. It appears when one is transgressing a taboo--such as when Pwyll tresspassed into Arawn's hunting grounds, or when Peredur entered the Castle of Wonders in his second adventure at the house of the Lame King. It also appears as an impetus to quest--the white stag or hart often appears in the forests around King Arthur's court, sending the knights off on to adventure against gods and fairies. (C. S. Lewis uses this device at both the beginning and end of The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe.)

It also appears in French romance and lais as a similar indicator, such as in the lais of Marie de France, when Guigemar happens upon the strange sight of a white doe with antlers. He wounds the strange, hermaphroditic--note that word--animal, which curses him to grow up and fall in love.

It is also an important element of Hungarian mythology, which believed that a great white stag led the brothers Hunor and Magar to settle in Scythia. Thus were established the Huns and Magyars.

To Christians, the white stag came to symbolize Christ, perhaps in part inspired by the St. Eustace legend, wherein the Roman soldier Eustace is hunting, and happens upon a deer with a cross between his antlers. Eustace converts on the spot, and is put through numerous tragedies, persecutions, etc., including the death of his family, until being miraculously reunited with them. However, it is clear that this pious legend has pagan predecessors.

It is also worth noting that in Christian iconography, the unicorn is a symbol for Christ. There is a close identification between the white stag and the unicorn, and it can be reasoned that the white stag is the equivalent of the unicorn in these northern cultures, which do not record the existence of unicorns.

The white hart also was the heraldic symbol of England's King Richard II.

The first thing to examine is the color: white is a symbol of purity, while also a symbol of otherworldliness. The white stag in Pwyll penduc Dyfed has a white body with red ears--the typical colors of otherworld creatures (the hounds of Arawn are also this color).

It is also associated with the sun; in Christian iconography, the stag appears with the sun between its horns. Earlier gods associated with the stag were also nature deities: Cernunnos, Fionn, Gwynn ap Nudd. Santa Claus--that half-memory of Odin/Thor--is drawn by eight reindeer--who may or may not be white. (If they live at the North Pole, they most likely are ;-)

The deer, finally, was a source of life, an important resource for early man.

What Child is this who, laid to rest
On Mary's lap is sleeping?
Whom Angels greet with anthems sweet,
While shepherds watch are keeping?

This, this is Christ the King,
Whom shepherds guard and Angels sing;
Haste, haste, to bring Him laud,
The Babe, the Son of Mary.

Why lies He in such mean estate,
Where ox and ass are feeding?
Good Christians, fear, for sinners here
The silent Word is pleading.

Nails, spear shall pierce Him through,
The cross be borne for me, for you.
Hail, hail the Word made flesh,
The Babe, the Son of Mary.

 So bring Him incense, gold and myrrh,
Come peasant, king to own Him;
The King of kings salvation brings,
Let loving hearts enthrone Him.

Raise, raise a song on high,
The virgin sings her lullaby.
Joy, joy for Christ is born,
The Babe, the Son of Mary.

El agua en la cultura humana

El agua es considerado purificador en muchas religiones, incluyendo el Cristianismo, el Islam y el Judaísmo. Por ejemplo, el bautizo en las iglesias cristianas se lleva a cabo con agua. También un baño ritual con agua pura se celebra para los muertos en muchas religiones incluyendo el Judaísmo y el Islam. Y en el Islam, el Salah diario sólo se puede hacer después de la Ablución que consiste en lavarse partes del cuerpo con agua limpia. En el Shinto, el agua se usa en casi todos los rituales para purificar a una persona o lugar.

Al agua se le da poderes espirituales en muchas ocasiones. En la mitología celta, Sulis es la diosa local de las aguas termales; en la cultura hindú, la Ganga es personificada como una diosa. Alternativamente, los dioses pueden ser patrones de algunas aguas, ríos o lagos: en la mitología griega y romana, Peneus era un dios de un río.

Empédocles, un filósofo griego sostenía que el agua era uno de los cuatro elementos clásicos junto con el fuego, la tierra y el aire, y era la materia primordial del universo.

Tú que tantas veces me envolviste en tus olas cuando estaba triste,
extrañando al amor que estaba lejos...
Tú que recibiste mis lágrimas confundiéndolas con las gotas que son tu esencia;
por ellas eres lo que eres...
Tú que brindaste paz y sosiego a mi espíritu andariego...
Tú que me enamoraste tantas veces, ocupando mi tiempo, robando mi tiempo,
enredándome en tu tiempo tan salvaje y desmedido...
He necesitado confundirme con tu cuerpo y acariciarte tantas veces,
en cada salto, en cada cielo, en cada luna reflejada en ti...
No dejes que los hombres te cambien de color y piensa que, cada vez que te visito,
me ilumino con estrellas de mar, con vida, e ilusión.

Cristina Cioffi