The Cross

The cross represents the cosmos, the horizontal line stands for the earthly feminine principle, and the vertical for the heavenly masculine principle. The intersection is the still point where heaven & earth meet, as symbolized by Christ on the crucifix (Christianity). The spokes on the wheel (Buddhism) also form crosses. At the extremities of the cross are the four cardinal points on the compass: north, east, south, west. Like the Tree of Life, the cross stands for the world-axis. Placed in the mystic center of the cosmos, it becomes the bridge or ladder by means of which the soul realizes God. The horizontal line symbolizes the flow of time, and the vertical line, the ascent to eternity. Since the cross has two lines intersecting, it represents the relationship of two people, and a symbol for sharing. Cross Page Links: Infoseek found 3,018,522 pages containing the word “cross”. Dali's Corpus Hypercubus (1954)— http://www.btinternet.com/~connectionsinspace/Higher_Dimensions/4D_Polytopes/body_4d_polytopes.html (Dali's four-dimensional cross at the Metropolitan Museum of Art) Maltese Cross (Math)— http://www.astro.virginia.edu/~eww6n/math/MalteseCross.html (An irregular dodecahedron cross with + sign shape but whose points flange out at end) American Red Cross— http://www.redcross.org/ (Provides aid to disaster victims worldwide) Maltese Cross— http://www.ci.boston.ma.us/bfd/history/maltese.html (A fireman's badge is the Maltese Cross, a symbol of protection & honor) History of the Red Cross— http://www.redcross.org/pa/lancaste/history.htm (125 years of illustrated history from Henri Dunant to Elizabeth Dole) Blue Cross & Blue Shield Association— http://www.bluecares.com/ (Web site designed to best serve your health care needs) Couture's Cross Stitch Place— http://members.aol.com/cdcouture/homepage/page_1.html (98 links to cross stitch patterns, information, supplies, crafts) Geier's Designs: Stamps Page— http://www.teleport.com/~mgeier/geiersta.htm (African-American stamps in cross stitch) “The Cross of Snow” by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1807-1882)— http://library.utoronto.ca/www/utel/rp/poems/longfe28.html (“a mountain... that displays a cross of snow upon its side” 1879 poem) “Where Are You?” Poem by Peter Y. Chou (2001)— http://www.wisdomportal.com/Dad/WhereAreYou.html (“Overlap the vertical and horizontal lines. What do you see? Aha— a cross!”)

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© Peter Y. Chou, WisdomPortal.com P.O. Box 390707, Mountain View, CA 94039 email: peter@wisdomportal.com (updated 7-28-98)