Symbols & Lore

The Symbols...

A definitive meaning of each symbol (or pattern) that decorate the ancient stones is not possible but collectively they represent the hypnagogic patterns seen when entering or leaving trance. They inspire a kind of awe which lends itself to a sense of the spiritual. This has led people from many different spiritual backgrounds to make their own interpretations, the most common of which are given below. In acknowledgement of this I created the Calendar Stone. It is the only Tattooed Stone made with a specific legend in mind.

The Legend of the Calendar Stone

Just above the base the patterns (circles and spirals) represent the earth and growth. Above the earth, between two seed pods is plant life sprouting upward toward the sun. Next a circular symbol divided in 12 sections represents the year and is surrounded by triangle and circles which allude to God and the mystery of life. Between the two zigzag lines is the sun which is central to all life on earth and right at the top is the firmament.

Circles reflect divinity; they are unbounded, unending and infinite

Zig-zags convey movement, the passage of time, water and mountains.

Triangles are the triad - extremely powerful in spirituality. In Christianity this reflects the holy trinity.

Squares denote the four seasons, four directions and four elements

Spirals represent growth; they are a symbol of femininity, progression and development.

The Calendar Stone

Imagination

The human imagination is the most powerful force known to mankind. Every structure, every field, every crafted tool began as a thought in someone’s imagination before becoming reality. Through imagination, humanity has reshaped mountains, redirected rivers, created reservoirs, cultivated vast farmlands, and mined deep into the earth. Even the changing weather is an unintended creation of human imagination, evidenced by global warming, shifting weather and altered ecosystems — all of which are happening because of a lack of foresight.

Yet imagination is not merely a force of creation; it is also a spiritual current that moves through us. It guides us toward meaning, healing, and faith. Each milestone we reach becomes a sacred marker, deepening our trust in the unseen realms that support us. Imagination becomes a lantern carried through the dark, illuminating possibilities that strengthen the soul.

Shamanic journeying reveals this mystical dimension. Through meditation and trance, the mind slips beyond ordinary perception and enters symbolic landscapes shaped by spirit and intention. These journeys are embroidered by imagination — vivid forests, ancestral guides, shimmering pathways — each offering insight and transformation. In these moments, imagination becomes a bridge between worlds, reminding us that the reality we walk through is only one layer of a much deeper, living mystery.

Fear Awe & Spirituality

It seems likely that religion began with Shamanism! Because as Betrand Russell reflected, “Religion is based primarily upon fear..."

However, by the time of Jesus, the Pharisees, under the influence of Hillel the Elder, a Pharisee (famous for his gentleness and focus on love), fear was understood to mean profound awe, reverence and respect. The differences between the Pharisees and the preaching of Jesus lay in the fact that they, the Pharisees, were strict observers of biblical law and refused to entertain Jesus’ notion that God's love extended to those thought of as outsiders such as sinners, tax collectors and the ritually unclean.

Awe is that profound moment when we encounter something so immense, beautiful or magnificent that our understanding of the world temporarily breaks down. It is a realisation of our insignificance, of how small we are in the great scheme of things. We encounter it when standing on the edge of the grand canyon or observing the night sky with no light polution for example in the Highland of Scotland or in the middle of an ocean, or perhaps when we witness a birth. It sits right at the boundary of wonder and dread. It lifts us beyond ourselves and into the spiritual. It is this sense of awe that Shaman seek to cultivate to assist them in their quest to access the Akashic Record.

The Akashic Record

The Akashic Record is often described as a vast, non‑physical library of information containing the energetic imprint of every thought, emotion, event, and possibility across time. In many spiritual traditions, it functions as a kind of cosmic memory field, a dimension where the past, present, and potential futures coexist. Accessing this field is said to require a shift in consciousness, and practitioners typically reach it through meditation, deep trance states, breathwork, or other methods that quiet the analytical mind and open intuitive perception. These altered states create the inner stillness needed to tune into subtle information that isn’t available through ordinary awareness.

Some modern thinkers draw parallels between the Akashic Record and concepts in quantum physics. Quantum theory suggests that reality is fundamentally interconnected, non‑local, and influenced by observation. Ideas such as the quantum field, entanglement, and the holographic nature of the universe provide frameworks that are at least open to the possibility of a universal information field. While not proven scientifically, these parallels make the Akashic concept more approachable for people who see consciousness and reality as intertwined.

In this view, the Akashic Record becomes a bridge between ancient metaphysical traditions and emerging scientific perspectives, inviting exploration of how consciousness interacts with the deeper fabric of existence.