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The Vesica Pisces is an ancient symbol used in Pagan culture, Christian symbolism and sacred geometry, as well as various other belief systems.
The two overlapping circles represent the physical world on one side and the causal or spiritual world on the other. The section where they intersect is the akashic or etheric level and is the “bridge between heaven and earth.”
The etheric level carries sound. When we fall still and listen we connect with the etheric level. We experience it as a vast space. Into this space comes peace, answers, and a feeling of connection with whatever is “on the other side”. One of my students described the etheric level as a portal (he’s a great Stargate fan), he recognised it as way of transporting oneself from this world to another.
Everything in our physical world is created from the causal world. It Is quite literally the cause behind all things, whether they be animate or inanimate. Yet nothing can be created unless it crosses through the etheric level, this magical bridge between one world and the other.
One of the ways that we most commonly see the vesica pisces in practice as a modern day symbol is as the Christian fish symbol. Indeed the word vesica means bladder and pisces fish. The bladder referred to here is any soft vessel that can carry liquid, such as skins sewn together to carry wine. We may well say that Christ was a “fisher of men” and therefore the symbol is apt, but in truth its origins are far more profound.
Click on the images to see a larger, clearer view.
From an enamelled binding circa 1200
Christ sits in the centre of the vesica pisces with the four symbols of the gospels in each corner.
Christ is who we need to go through in order to reach “God” at the causal level.
Christ in Majesty
Psalter of Westminster Abbey
Circa 1200
Here we find the same theme as in the image above but now Christ is sitting on one arc and resting his feet on another. This is symbolic of the bridge between heaven and earth.
Christ in Majesty
Stavelot Bible “Mosan School”
AD 1097
In this earlier version Christ is depicted sitting on the vesica, yet within it as well. His feet are resting on a symbol for the world.
St-Alban-Psalter
Pentecost
Mary is sat at the base of the Vesica with the holy dove above her raining down what appears to be a sound wave. Sound dwells in the etheric level. Above the dove is a star depicting heaven on the other side of the vesica.