Most people will recognize our logo as a modification of a famous sketch by Leonardo DaVinci. I have chosen to use this as our symbol as the bases for our organization called the Society for Metaphysical Enlightenment and it serves as the foundation for the pursuit of higher consciousness. This illustration is also the cover art for a book I wrote back in the 1980’s called “Who am I, Where am I, and What am I Doing Here?”, subtitled, “A Textbook for Life, Living and Reality”. This book was never published, except for about a dozen copies I made.
I have been told that I am the re-incarnation of Leonardo DaVinci, but if I am not, I feel very close and connected with all of his works. So much so that I felt he had a lot more to say in this drawing and text than he was allowed to say; therefore, I have added two more shapes and words to really explain what is truly represented here. The standard interpretation of Leonardo’s illustration is used a lot in the medical profession and is used to symbolize the physical body and the anatomy of man. I see it as actually a sketch showing the physical limitations of man. The following is my interpretation:
The original sketch by Leonardo had only two geometric shapes, the circle and the square. The circle and represented the physical limitations of man in a stationary upright position, with his arms and legs extended to their physical limits. The square represents man’s limitations in a moving vertical position. Both geometric shapes show the extent of man’s ability to control, posses or effect his immediate physical environment.
To this illustration, I have added two more shapes. The triangle and two cords commonly know as vesica piscus that form a football shape figure. In addition to the shapes is appropriate wording that defines our limitations.
To begin this explanation, look to your upper left. The man’s upper right hand is now pointing to a dot in the corner of the square. On the outside of the circle, it now says, “No man is an island unto himself”. That means that although man forms a single unit or entity, he is separate and he can not exist or perpetuate himself by himself. Man needs to reach out beyond his physical limitations to communicate and seek complete unity. He must relate to and share himself with others in order to grow.
To reach out and extend himself beyond the physical limitations of our reality, man must communicate in a tangible and intangible manner patterns of recognition. These communications are the product of the mind based upon separation and identification, known as knowledge and that is the reason for statement two. “Man is only limited by the mind” and not his physical being. Although man is in complete physical control of his immediate environment, depicted by the circle and square, man extends his reach by his mental abilities. That also means that man can control his physical limitations by exercising and using his mind.
Statement three. ”Therefore, man limits himself. Man forms intangible limitations based upon his ability to understand and recognize the patterns or forces of intangible thought. This thought comes from an inner form of limitation known as consciousness. This limitation can not be seen or depicted because it comes from within, or inner space. Man can not identify with inner space, but relates to the outside physical world of tangible matter. All of his senses relate to what is outside of his physical limitations and this is what is real to him. That is why the wording appears on the outside of the circle.
However, because all actions must be consciously or unconsciously thought about before they are manifested into physical reality that means that statement four, “The universe is mental”. Man has restrictions on his physical body, but has no limitations on his mental thoughts. It is only one’s ability to consciously recognize and select or position himself within certain intangible thought patterns that is relative to and affects one’s life and reality before they are manifested into a physical reality.
Statement five. “You make your own reality”. It is only you and your relationship with the outside world that determines what you will experience. You are in complete control of yourself or your immediate environment. Only you choose those patterns that you wish to experience. That does not make them good or bad, it is only you and the cultural society that you relate too that determine that.
Statement six. Therefore, reality is a matter of belief”. You consciously choose that which you want to experience by selecting patterns that hopefully bring you greater happiness and/or profit in a positive creative manner. Your choice or selection is a positioning process that is based upon values which you and/or your cultural society have taught you to be of greater importance or worth over other patterns and in that way, you make your own reality by the beliefs you value.
Life, or this whole thought pattern is reflected in the modified sketch by the two cords. In actuality the cords represent two separate overlapping circles. One circle represents the tangible boundaries of man or his physical being. The other represents the intangible limitations of man’s spirit. The area of overlapping represents one’s present point of focus or balance in a world based upon separation.
Physical man can not exist solely in spirit or only as physical matter, but is spirit born unto matter; therefore, man must experience patterns within his immediate environment limitations of energy and resistance in time and space. Man must also grow in four ways and these are shown by the words mentally, physically, spiritually, and socially. Unless or until man learns these patterns, he will not understand or recognize himself with recognition and will be subject to the laws of cause and effect.
The triangle represents the last shape in our logo. It is three equal distant points that bring stability to man. The recognizer, recognizing himself with recognition. The lines connecting these points represent the learning triangle relationship of higher consciousness in relationship to time and space. The space in between is the inner content of spirit and understanding that limits our consciousness of our world or physical reality.
I hope you find this information interesting and enlightening as we do and I hope you consider joining us in the pursuit of higher consciousness. We would like to be a part of your reality and together we hope that we can bring good positive light, love and change to our physical world. Hopefully, together we can improve and extend our limitations beyond the boundaries that we all help create. One of the most important things you will ever learn in life is the ability to communicate with your fellow man in a positive creative manner of loving, caring, and sharing.