“The world is a looking glass and gives back to every man the reflection of his own face,” wrote William Thackeray, and to this day we catch glimpses of both our true and superficial selves in all manner of surfaces.…
Swimming upstream much of its life and taking on currents that for all intents and purposes appear stronger than itself, the salmon is a powerful symbol of strength, endurance, and divine feasting. Born in fresh water but braving the ocean…
A serpent wrapped around a dagger once signified the presence of Mercury, god of travel and communication, as well as the protector of thieves and tricksters. The snake-and-dagger symbol carries multiple meanings, and its tattoo likeness will no doubt elicit…
The snake may shed its skin over a lifetime, but its bones remain long after it has departed this existence. In cultures around the world, the snake skeleton is a powerful and much-prized treasure, and while modern Western inhabitants generally…
More than just a delicious–and dangerously overfished–creature of the deep, the tuna is built for speed, its sleek, streamlined body darting through the water on a seemingly inexhaustible energy supply. You may very well wish to honor your favorite catch…
In the British Museum there is an Aztec sculpture of a double-headed serpent, presumed to be a gift to the 15th Century Spanish conquistador Hernán Cortés. The serpent is believed to represent the underworld and powers of rebirth, the ability…
We will all make our way to the grave eventually, it’s just that some of us prefer to dance instead of drag our feet. Life’s abundance is for those who take the surprises, setbacks, and triumphs all in one stride,…
The world of the diver is fathoms below and apart from our own; his territory is that of the uncharted and exhilarating. His true realm is the sea, though he reluctantly makes his home on land. For the diver there…
What would life be like without Italy and the Italians? Visionaries and gregarious lovers of la dolce vita, Italians have given us a wealth of pleasure and equally poignant history that spans the globe and centuries. It’s no small wonder,…
Referred to as “The Creator’s Game” by the Native American Iroquois, lacrosse originated in Pennsylvania and New York, quickly reaching the tribes of Canada, and its popularity has endured to this day. Originally played as part of a ceremonial ritual,…