A Beginner’s Guide to Decoding Esoteric Symbolism in Film
One of the most profound personality traits of the human being is our ability to tell stories; we are the alchemists of the animal kingdom, as our consciousness allows us to use words, sounds, and pictures, which can transform and redefine our reality.
Our imagination is the vehicle of creation, and our history has been transformed throughout the ages – evolving from cave paintings to cuneiform and oral myth to media and movies. Each epoch has its own epic, but each is part of a never-ending story that follows a very specific formula that one can identify with the proper lens of perception.
Each person is at each moment capable of remembering all that has ever happened to him and of perceiving everything that is happening everywhere in the universe.― Aldous Huxley
With film being the popular modern medium for articulating our stories, at times, we are so blinded by the stars and sensory stimulation that we miss the ‘secrets’ hidden in plain sight. It is worth noting that by exploring the etymology of the word 'media,' we uncover roots that trace back to Latin and Greek origins. The term 'media' is derived from the Latin word 'medium,' which signifies the middle layer or means through which something is conveyed or communicated.
This concept is profoundly tied to the Greek myth of Hermes, the messenger of the gods, who was believed to mediate between the divine and mortal worlds, transmitting messages from the heavens to Earth. Hermes embodies the role of the media in its purest form – as a conduit of information, bridging disparate realms and bringing to light that which was hidden. Thus, we engage with a modern manifestation of this ancient tradition when we delve into film and storytelling. Movies act as a medium, not just as a communication tool, but as a mirror to our collective consciousness, reflecting and shaping our realities through their stories. As Marshall McLuhan once wrote, The Medium Is the Massage.
Identifying the secrets and esoteric symbols that are right before our eyes requires knowledge of what to look for and how to see – and below is a quick beginner’s guide to finding the deeper significance of our celluloid mythology.
A Beginner’s Guide to Decoding Esoteric Symbolism in Film
Subliminal Symbols:
Subliminal messaging bypasses the conscious mind to deliver messages directly to the subconscious, influencing thoughts, behaviors, or actions without immediate awareness. This technique can be both powerful and subtle, embedding ideas or associations in viewers' minds through quick visual or auditory cues that are not actively processed at the moment of exposure.
Surprisingly enough, there are a few interesting examples of this in Disney films — but if you blink, you’ll miss the symbol.
For example, in the episode “Yuppy Ducks” (1989) in Duck Tales – Scrooge McDuck is getting an eye exam, and in the background, the chart reads “Ask About Illuminati.”
“Yuppy Ducks” (1989), Duck Tales
This instance highlights how Disney's productions often subtly acknowledge various conspiracy theories or secret societies. A notable example is the Masonic prop crate found in Disney World’s Magic Kingdom, inscribed with the name Hiram Abiff. Hiram Abiff holds a place of profound significance within Freemasonry, celebrated as the Master Mason behind the construction of King Solomon's Temple. His narrative is pivotal in Masonic tradition, embodying the virtues of fidelity, integrity, and the relentless quest for truth.
Image Source: Scottish Rite
In the lore, Hiram Abiff is depicted as the Temple's chief architect, who meets a tragic end at the hands of three ruffians within the temple's confines. These assailants, unable to extract the secrets of the Master Masons from Hiram, ultimately murder him. This allegory, at its core, emphasizes the paramount importance of loyalty and acknowledges the inevitability of death. The three ruffians represent the destructive forces of tyranny, fanaticism, and ignorance, against which the virtues that Hiram Abiff symbolizes stand in stark contrast.
In the animated series Gravity Falls, the use of cryptic symbols and hidden messages throughout the show is a clever homage to the aura of mystery surrounding secret societies and the esoteric. This, not so subliminal scene, stands out as a prime example.
There was great speculation, rather, conspiracy that Walt Disney himself was a 33rd-degree Freemason, but there’s no concrete evidence he ever joined a lodge or became a Mason. However, he had tenure and respect for DeMolay International, a youth organization that serves as a character-building institution for young men aged 12 to 21, inspired by the principles of Freemasonry.
Symbols:
Regarding Masonic symbolism, The Eye of Providence (like Bill Cipher in the clip above) and the square and compass will often appear as a mechanism of allegory in films.
The ‘All Seeing Eye,’ as we know it, is present on the dollar bill, yet the esoteric significance relates to the ‘All Seeing Eye’ of God, and this notion has been in the human story since time immemorial. The square and compass indicate the intelligent design that governs human experience, with all being a part of a divine plan (random, never being random).
Image stills: Magnolia (1999)
The movie Magnolia (1999) is a prime example of a film filled with this type of symbolism, and the storylines are tied together through subliminal reiteration.
Numbers:
Numbers also carry an esoteric significance, so paying attention to house numbers, ages, times, and dates can reveal more about the story. It is worth considering the study of the Hebrew Gematria, which is a numerological system that empowers language and storytelling. Darren Aronofsky’s film Pi (1998) offers a good glimpse into this mystical system.
Colors:
The Wizard of Oz (1939) is a classic example of using color to convey a complex idea. This beloved film is riddled with esoteric symbolism, and while some believe that the story is an allegory for preserving the gold standard for money, as opposed to paperback or silver currency – it is important to note that the author of The Wizard of Oz, L. Frank Baum was a practicing Theosophist and heavily into occult studies. When analyzing the color choices used in ‘painting this picture’, it could also relate to a more metaphysical storyline.
The following is extracted from the article The Hidden Meaning Behind These 10 Classic Fantasy Films:
The story follows Dorothy, a normal farm girl from Kansas, who gets swept away by a tornado and brought to the mythical/mysterious land of Oz. She travels the Yellow Brick Road with her dog/spirit familiar Toto (an apparent nod to The Fool card of the Major Arcana), to find her way to the wonderful wizard of Oz, who is somewhere over the rainbow in the Emerald City, all of which can be viewed as an allegorical representation of the soul’s path to illumination.
The Yellow Brick Road, on the other hand, can be viewed as the concept of The Golden Path as discussed in Buddhist teaching (a key component in Theosophy), but it is also interesting to note that the color yellow is representative of the solar plexus, the emotional center where the heart and head meet (ego). The path of the Yellow Brick Road is shaped as an outwardly expanding spiral, and it is believed that the spiral represents the evolving self, where the soul ascends from matter into the spirit world. As Dorothy makes her way down the road she wears a pair of ruby slippers, which is an interesting color choice given that red is also representative of the chakra color, which corresponds to the energy of our connection with the Earth, carrying the promise of survival. The companions she meets along the way – The Scarecrow, The Cowardly Lion, and the Tin Man – all appear to be fragmented aspects of her psyche. The Scarecrow believes he is without a brain, the Tin Man believes he is without a heart, and the Cowardly Lion believes he is without courage. The three components these friends seem to lack are three qualities an initiate to the great mysteries must possess to ascend to the next level of understanding. The companions believe that if they brave the path together, the Wizard they are destined to meet will give them what they are searching for.
Amidst twists and turns, good witches and bad witches, munchkins and flying monkeys galore, they reach their destination, the Emerald City. Green here is an intentional color choice, as the Emerald City is representative of the heart chakra, which carries the power of love and the transformation of ego. As Dorothy followed her ego (the Yellow Brick Road), was guided by the desires of her base chakra (the ruby slippers), she reached her heart (The Emerald City) to find that the power of transformation was within her (and her friends) all along. The wizard was no wizard at all, beyond the smoke and mirrors – he was no different than they, and the great illumination came from the knowledge of the power of the true self and the heart, gnosis.
Recently, the film Leave the World Behind (2023) is another fantastic example of how color is used to convey a deeper meaning. The film itself is a cache of hidden symbols, but for this brief article, it’s worth noting their use of red, white, blue, and black and white to juxtapose the conflicts happening on American soil and the building racial tension between the characters.
Archetypes:
According to Carl Jung, there are 12 universal personality types known as archetypes. These archetypes are adopted by the human psyche through the collective unconscious and fall under four cardinal orientations: freedom, ego, social, and order. There are also three umbrella types: ' ego', 'soul' and 'self.’ The archetypes are further categorized into fours under each of the three umbrellas. All the archetypes under each umbrella have the same driving force, motivations, values, meanings, and traits.
Ego Archetypes
The Innocent: Motivated by safety and happiness, seeking fulfillment through simplicity and trust.
The Everyman (Orphan/Regular Person): Seeks connection and belonging, finding value in ordinary virtues and authenticity.
The Hero: Driven by mastery and courage to overcome obstacles and prove worth through difficult action.
The Caregiver: Motivated by compassion and a desire to help others, offering protection and care.
Soul Archetypes
The Explorer: Seeks fulfillment through discovery, adventure, and a more authentic, fulfilling life.
The Rebel (Outlaw): The disruptor who desires revolution and change.
The Lover: Motivated by intimacy, relationships, and experience, valuing beauty and sensory pleasure.
The Creator: Driven by the need to create something of enduring value through innovation and creativity.
Self Archetypes
The Jester: Seeks to live in the moment, making others laugh and defying convention through - often absurd - humor.
The Sage: Desires truth and understanding, using intelligence and analysis to understand the world.
The Magician: Motivated by transformation and the realization of visions, aiming to understand the fundamental laws of the universe.
The Ruler: Seeks control and prosperity, desiring to create a successful, orderly community or organization.
When analyzing characters in a film relating to myth/history, using these archetypal qualities as a basis of understanding, we may discover a common Zeitgeist.
Star Wars (1977) is a synthesis of the keys we’ve discussed so far for decoding the esoteric significance in the film, as there are subliminal messages, profound usage of color (light vs. dark), and archetypes that also play heavily into the storyline.
We have Han Solo as the outlaw/explorer, Luke Skywalker as the hero, Yoda as the magician/sage, Darth Vader as the ruler, Princess Leia as the innocent, Chewbacca as the jester, and so forth.
These energies are present in the same formula for spiritual texts such as The Bhagavad Gita and The Bible...the eternal struggle for light during darkness, spirit over ego, and triumph over tragedy. The words change, but the stories remain the same; the only difference is in the articulation and characters.
We need myths that will identify the individual not with his local group but with the planet. Joseph Campbell
In conclusion, although this short guide merely scratches the surface of decoding film, it offers a new perspective – which you may further explore through your own research and experience.
There is always more than meets the eye in this world – and in the worlds we create with our words – and by using our imagination to understand what’s imagined, we are left with a broader outlook and a more expansive appreciation for our ever-evolving story.