DEFINITIONS PT. 4

So in this process of continually bringing you definitions to create greater understanding for greater communication, I thought before we must move forward with some "poetic" language.  To understand the word "Metaphor" is to understand that some things are just beyond words, and for this we use certain figures of speech and/or creative symbolism, imagery, similes, etc.. 

The root "metaphora" in Greek is broken in to two words "meta" and "phora" which mean "beyond" and "words".  For example, when speaking to a woman who you think is beautiful you may say something to her like "Your eyes are stars that light up my sky." Do you mean literally that her eyes are fixed luminous points in the night sky that is a large, remote incandescent body like the sun? . . . No.  What you mean is that the beauty of her eyes can be compared to the beauty of these stars and this is so indescribable by ordinary words you can only do it by comparison.

Many times we use metaphors without even knowing it. For example - "I am feeling down."  Are your emotions literally on the floor? Or could they be? No it is a comparison as we relate things that are higher to being greater and things that are lower to being lesser.

My hope with this Definitions series is that slowly you will learn and transfer this knowledge and we may use our words more wisely to create greater unity in our communities.

- The Symbol
- All is Love