Symbols of the Three Realms

[Argenta]

Dear all,

I was wondering if there are some set symbols of the three realms which can be used to evoke them on an altar or during meditation?
I hope you can help me, since I couldn't find this info anywhere, except the three colors (gray, green and blue) and the most obvious (water mixed with salt, stones, feathers). I know there are such things in Wicca (although I don't know exactly which), and wonder if there are any used in Druidry.

Thanks in advance.

[treegod]

I don't think there are definitive symbols, except perhaps in certain traditions. I can't think of anything in particular for Druidry, though perhaps you can find certain associations with deities.

Personally I go for symbols that are significant to me. For instance I might take a sea shell for Sea, a feather for Sky and a stone or bit of soil for the Land. And I think I probably have.

My advice is to take something that evokes the qualities of a realm for you, whether that be colours, items, symbols or pictures. If something reflects the Sea for you, something that evokes certain feelings or memories, then that can be your Sea.

[Badger Bob]

In Bringing The Sacred To Life: The Daily Practice Of Zen Ritual by John Daido Loori he recommends placing the symbolic elements before the Buddha statue:

Water - a small cup of water immediately in front of the Buddha rupa
Fire - a tealight or candle on the right of the altar (directions given facing the Buddha)
Air - a bowl of sand or rice holding a stick of incense at the front
Earth - a small vase containing fresh live flowers on the left of the altar

I had to check the title twice to make sure it wasn't a book on Druidry!

In a previous Druidic group we meditated on the three realms through visualising a coloured ball in a coloured background, the colours were:

land - green ball in a brown background
sea - blue ball in a grey background
sky - yellow ball in a blue background

This was just a preliminary practice, after you had got used to meditating then more complex visualisations were introduced (which I am bound by oath not to reveal unfortunately).

[Argenta]

Treegod, you're right, of course, it is best to use something personal, but I also wanted to see if there is anything traditional that "rings the bell".

Bob, from my own experience it's much easier to find correspondences for the four elements, perhaps because they are more common and/or more widely used. I like the ones you mention, and the globes are nice for meditative purposes.

Thanks for the replies!

[Frog]

Argenta
In your original post you mentioned the three realms - are you referring to Annwm, Abred and Caugent - or to the quarters?

I note that Badger Bob and Treegod have referenced the quarters.

I'm not aware of any specific colourings for the realms, but for the quarters.

Frog

[Badger Bob]

Oh yes, it could be a question of semantics, good point.

When I hear the phrase "three realms" I think of the realms of land, sea and sky; analogous to the elements of earth, water and air. The realm of fire is the Sun but the other three elements are present in earth-bound realms and are a common division in Celtic literature. Annwn, Abred, Ceugant and Gwynfyd are the four rings of existence from Iolo's cosmology.

[treegod]

Treegod, you're right, of course, it is best to use something personal, but I also wanted to see if there is anything traditional that "rings the bell".

Aha, I see. I'll give it some thought and have a look at resources.

I remember seeing one reference recently about Irish gods being associated with each realm; Dagda for the land, Lugh for the Sky and Manannan for the Sea. That's for masculine Irish associations, I'll have a look for female too.

[Argenta]

Argenta
In your original post you mentioned the three realms - are you referring to Annwm, Abred and Caugent - or to the quarters?

I note that Badger Bob and Treegod have referenced the quarters.

I'm not aware of any specific colourings for the realms, but for the quarters.

Frog

I was originally thinking of the earth, sky and sea. (Now you mention it, I've also seen the colors green, blue and yellow used for them, but don't know which one is for what.)
Those you refer to I have never even heard of
What are the quarters? The four directions, or the four elements, or something else?

Edit: going through the op, I saw where the mix up was. I mentioned Wicca, but didn't stress that I was bringing it up in connection to the four directions, whereas, if I understand correctly, druids work more with the three realms. I hope that clears it up a bit.

[Badger Bob]

going through the op, I saw where the mix up was. I mentioned Wicca, but didn't stress that I was bringing it up in connection to the four directions, whereas, if I understand correctly, druids work more with the three realms. I hope that clears it up a bit.

The quarters are a set of symbols that relate many different things, direction, time, elements, colours, moods and so on. They are chiefly associated with the cardinal directions (North, East, South and West) and the elements (Earth, Air, Fire, Water) in common with Wicca and other western esoteric systems (and Zen apparently). Druids usually work in whatever system they find the most useful at the time so sometimes it may be the three realms (land, sea, sky), four elemental quarters or even a more elaborate system of eight or so elements (four earthbound and four ethereal).

The simplest and most obviously applicable system is the three realms with

land realm = earth element
sea realm = water element
sky realm = air element

Each order tends to have it's own way of working or associations for these realms and elements (all just different ways of slicing the cake really) so I would recommend meditating on each realm and coming up with your own symbols. That way you will have something that works for you. The exercise was part of the apprenticeship in some orders of which I have been a member.

[Frog]

They are chiefly associated with the cardinal directions (North, East, South and West) and the elements (Earth, Air, Fire, Water) in common with Wicca and other western esoteric systems (and Zen apparently).

The Zen bit triggered my thinking, because some eastern thinking has 5 elements - earth, water, fire, metal and wood (but of course, some Wiccan thinking also brings Spirit into the mix too!).

Regards
Frog

Edit: Just found this link http://druidry.org/obod/druid-path/awen.html which explains what we were referring to.

[wolf560]

Hello All,

This topic was a long and arduous one for my former group.
My group had Witches, Druids, and Shamans.....
We never came to agreement but we compromised eventually.

The Three Realms (in my belief) were Land, Sea, and Sky.
The Four Cardinal Points were separate, and existed in each of the three realms.
So twelve "points" to be concerned with all in all.

As the Circle is formed (by the people standing there and by the energies being called forth) the alignment of energies were being concentrated upon. While most argued that we should be calling to the cardinal points (Watch-Towers for most of them), I felt that the foundations should be set forth.

I began by connecting to the stones and ground around me; The "Land"
I then deeply ground myself to the water table below me; The "Sea"
I finished by connecting to the trees and clouds above me; The "Sky"

You can associate these with Abred (The World), Annwn (Otherworld), and Ceugant (Infinity) in that order.

/|\ Mark

[Oneonine]

A lot of people use the triskele to meditate on the three realms, but I guess you are looking for a symbol for each one individually.

I thought the four element system was more of a wiccan thing?

[wolf560]

Hello again,

My group was comprised of Witches, Shamans and Druids.
We attempted to interact as best as possible.

Although the 4-5 elements meant little to me I respected their beliefs as they respected mine with my Land-Sea-Sky. We wove them both into our rituals.....

We even tried to weave Egyptian and Norse into the Celtic Shamanism. The Druid in me studied hard to learn both systems so I could act as someone they could talk to and discuss their paths with confidence. They discovered that they knew very little about what they followed, and resented my studying their path..... oh well.....

/|\ Mark

[Lailoken]

I haven't seen any symbols representing the three realms on any website I've visited or book I've read. I like using the vesica piscis to represent the three realms together. I wonder if you put 3 vesicas together could you come up with individual symbols to represent each realm? Also, since OBOD has a symbol for the Bardic Grade I assume the Ovate and Druid Grades have their own symbols, which could possibly represent each realm. In the Druidry Handbook John Michael Greer talks about three currents lunar, solar and telluric symbolized by a cresent moon with points upward, a sunburst, and a triangle, respectively. Those could also be utilized.

No one said you can't come up with your own symbols, so do some experimenting.

[Oneonine]

Aristotelian Element Symbols

[wolf560]

Quick thought....

Use a nearby Tree....
Trees symbolise the connection between Land Sea and Sky since they exist simultaneously in all three Realms.
Easy to find, easy to visualise, easy to remember.

Maybe that's why I love Trees so much.

/|\ Mark

[Oneonine]

There's an interesting book by Marija Gimbutas called the Language of the Goddess which explores symbols. A lot of people find her conclusions a stretch, but it's a good book for manking you think about symbolism.

[wolf560]

There is a lot to be said about symbols and their meanings.

I personally ascribe the power of symbols to be in what we do esoterically because of them not what the symbols intrinsically have within them.

Simply said, the symbol for "Sky" is seen and everyone starts concentrating above.
The symbol did nothing, the people did.

Use what is comfortable and if it is used in a group setting make sure everyone else knows EXACTLY what is needed.
(Another attribute of symbols is the coordinating factor)

Other than that, use what feels right

/|\ Mark

[Oneonine]

Serpents mean healing and wisdom to me, but a friend seeing my snake rings just found them "evil". Perhaps you should design your own?

[Explorer]

We use 4 quarters (horizontally) and 3 realms (vertically).
And for us those 3 realms are underworld, middleworld and upperworld, connected by Yggdrasil the world tree. So the symbol for the 3 realms would then be a big tree, with its roots for the underworld, trunk for the middleworld and branches for the upperworld.