[see also: \u2018Symbolism lost. Symbolism regained<\/a>\u2019]<\/p>\n Eventually, any symbol is\u2026 you.<\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n You are the crystal. Does light shine from you or through you? It depends on how you look at \u2018you\u2019. Does your mind only consist of conscious \u2013 or even only of conceptual \u2013 processing, Or much, much more?<\/p>\n In the latter case (which I agree to): how can you bring that to life?<\/p>\n One way is through symbols.<\/p>\n The \u2018power\u2019 of the symbol never comes from the symbol itself.<\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n By itself, it\u2019s just a \u2018thing\u2019. Yet you may feel strongly about it. That feeling depends on your attention to it.<\/p>\n For example, if you are a catholic and you believe Jesus Christ to be present in the Eucharist (bread and wine during Holy Mass), what you feel is your perception. The \u2018presence\u2019 is, objectively seen, equally real in the Eucharist as anywhere else. Obviously, whether you believe in God or not, \u2018He\u2019 is equally present here, there, anywhere. The difference lies in your perception. [see: \u2018Eyes of Soul<\/a>\u2019]<\/p>\n I know I\u2019m seemingly throwing very much \u2013 such as the core of Christianity \u2013 to pieces here, in wordings:<\/p>\n There is no specific coming of anything metaphysical into any material \u2018religious\u2019 object.<\/em><\/p>\n There is no metaphysical trans-substantiation.<\/p>\n Actually, (almost) everybody agrees to this concerning what\u2019s outside of the own circle of perception.<\/p>\n This is extremely important in how to use any symbol. It is YOU.<\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n Without experiencing this, you may never be able to experience any symbol<\/em>. What you might experience instead is much less: a feeling of comfort, or better said the relief of a discomfort: safe, controllable, quite numb after all, although in some cases still quite big in result.<\/p>\n But \u2013 please forgive me for being so blunt \u2013 not<\/u> the energy of a symbol!<\/p>\n A symbol is like a crystal that transforms light. What happens, happens in the totality of YOU, including and even primordially at subconceptual level [see: \u2018About \u2018Subconceptual\u2019<\/a>]. Without involvement of YOU, absolutely nothing happens. The attention that is needed to be open towards it, is a meditative, subconceptual one.<\/p>\n Open attention, as in Open Mindfulness.<\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n Then of course, anything can be a symbol. It\u2019s just that one object or ritual or idea\u2026 is qualitatively more prone to invite you than another.<\/p>\n OR: that you are more open to its specific invitation. This is inter-individually very different. Which brings us to the center of \u2018how-to\u2019:<\/p>\n With openness to the invitation<\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n Don\u2019t enforce anything. Don\u2019t throw things in-between.<\/p>\n Nothing is needed; everything is allowed\u2026 in depth and respect.<\/p>\n Just try to be open, again and again. It\u2019s an ongoing effort.<\/p>\n Perhaps the most important element is your mere-ego<\/em> learning to be at ease with this.<\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n So in relating to a symbol, put mere-ego<\/em> beside you, like a child. Again and again. Until it becomes very interested. Then you can enjoy the symbolism \u2018together\u2019.<\/p>\n This way, we end with the beginning, namely YOU, in totality<\/p>\n always again.<\/p>\n