Excellent article and presentation-- sharing and resteeming.

Both my wife (in her coaching and counseling) and I (in my creative outlets) use symbolic imaging extensively, so saving this as a resource both for our own purposes, as well as a to use as a reference for others. 

I like exploring some of the underlying roots for *why* we reach for symbols... and always come back to *"I saw/heard/experienced something that is new to me, and I am trying to explain it (or rationalize it) to myself and/or in terms of previously known experience."* And so, a symbol(s) is used to represent something not yet named in order to give meaning and lend an understandable frame of reference to that. 

A curious thing to me is symbols derived from symbolic reality... coincidences, synchronicities... for example, when I upvoted this, the $ ticker went to $11.11.... *"Oooh, 1111... that 'means' something!"* some might say. Sure, in reality 11:11 is a "real" moment in time, but the implied meaning exists only (in documentable terms) as an artificial construct.

Fascinating stuff, thanks!