Symbol Theory

The institution for religion/religious ideologies in our society in an example of Victor Turner's criteria for condensation. This symbol connects many aspects of our culture into one simplified drawing. It represents our belief that the mind, body, and spirit of humans are one of the most important aspects of life. These are parts to a whole connectivity to the heart of the society. The heart is where we relate to our mother, the moon. We take everyone in with open arms and hearts and accept them for who they are. The crown represents the royalty that everyone in our society belongs to. Everyone is a king and queen in our eyes and can rule their own lives however they choose to do so. When we unify our own bodies within ourselves, we can then unify with each other to become one with our mother. The idea of treating yourself like royalty (and others as well) helps to show your body, mind and spirit every ounce of love in your heart and respect yourself for who you are. We understand that no one is the same and we use this symbol to show you how differences are a beautiful thing.

The institution for education in our society is an example of Turner's unification of disparate significanta. The representations of this symbol of moon phases all relate to education of our society and its learning processes. We educate our society on our mother's phases so they know when is a good time to ask her for guidance, even if she seems to be regenerating herself. Also, this relates to the different learning styles that members have; some may be just starting out while others may be in a full swing of things. Not everyone is starting their life journey in the same place; some may have the gift of acceptance while others take time to learn. The phases of the moon equate to the phases of education in our society. We do not just stop learning one day; we may rest for a while but then we start over again. It is a continual process just as our mother is continually renewing herself, going from light to dark to light (where dark is not meant as bad, more of as a time of rest).

The institution of government in our society is an example of Turner's polarization of meaning. The symbol of holding hands or interlaced fingers can have both ideological and sensory meanings. On the ideological side, this can represent unity. As we interlace our fingers we are becoming one with each other and unify for a greater good. It can also represent safety, as our society prides itself on always being a guide to others in their times of need. This symbol also shows how everyone is on a equal plane, which can relate to our religious ideals. No one person rules over our whole society, yet there may be leaders. On the sensory side, the interlaced fingers can evoke emotions of connectivity. We can come together and do something extraordinary through what Durkheim would call a collective effervescence. Also, this symbol can spark feelings of comfort and being surrounded by love, a sort of warmth if you will. When you see this symbol, I hope you feel that you shall never be alone on your journey through life.