SUMMARY: The image of a cosmic dancer appeals to many people and is open to many interpretations, including the notion presented here that it represents the state of consciousness of a spiritually enlightened person.
(About a 7 minute read)
The great mythologist, Joseph Campbell, enjoyed attributing his own thoughts to others. Thus, he interpreted Nietzsche’s “Cosmic Dancer” to be someone who dances between opinions and points of view, rather than resting heavily on any particular opinion or point of view.
Although Nietzsche himself never quite saw it the same way, Campbell’s image is an attractive one. Not only is there truth to be found in an ability to see things from many points of view, but in both intellectual and spiritual terms, it is the very opposite of fanaticism.
Images have a way of taking on a life of their own. What is created to symbolize one thing can soon come to symbolize many things. Some long time ago, I posted on this blog one possible interpretation of the cosmic dancer image (You can find that post here, if you’re interested). Since then, the post has gotten at least a few hits a month, mainly — if the search terms are any indication — from people looking for a definitive interpretation of the term “cosmic dancer”.
Continue reading “The Dance of the Cosmic Dancer” →
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