I came across this Russian Icon which intrigued me with crowned mother and child in a bell shaped cloak. The designs on the bell are like the staff of mercury of our chakra column transforming energy.  Three columns of our separated thinking, feeling, willing transformed perhaps? They have living movement of fiery golden leaves that seem to rotate left and right.

I could not find the meaning of the bell-shaped cloak except what I copied below, but to me a bell signifies ringing out in manifestation, like the Tibetan dorje and bell. How we manifest through our thoughts, speech and feelings through the sound and light ether rising as world substance.  The bell shape also appears like an upside down Grail Cup that receives and transforms what is rising up from below, like the dove that flies into the reversed chalice, when we transform our larynx from the ‘Sword into the healing creative Word’.

Fiery Seraphim and stars of a golden heaven appearing as a threshold doorway, torches, candles and archangels bringing light appear to be all about illumination or enlightenment. They are rising above the white city of the New Jerusalem.  The Christ child holds a golden globe with a cross on it like the new earth and He blesses with his right hand held by Sophia’s larynx. Sophia looks at us, the viewer. The Christ child looks down towards earth.

“Adding of Mind”
Russian Orthodox icon

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The icon of the Blessed Virgin Mary “Adding the Mind” is famous not only for its mysterious origin, but also for the meaning worn by the shrine. What helps the icon of the Mother of God “Add Mind”? From the time of its creation, the icon of the Virgin “The Bearer of the Mind” helps those in need of enlightenment.

The sky, against which the Virgin and the Baby is, is strewn with bright stars, symbolizing the Kingdom of Heaven. The Mother of God with the Child stands in front of the gates of paradise, where the path to man is opened only through Her prayer. Under the feet of the Virgin, there are white buildings, meaning Heavenly Jerusalem and nearby Angels having six wings – four seraphim, fulfilling God’s will.

The four main archangels on both sides are dressed in apostolic robes and carry the light of truth with candles. In addition, on the icon for the mind there is another important element – the so-called ‘lamps of the wise virgins’ that shine on their ‘Grooms’.

The Virgin Mary and Jesus Christ are covered up to the shoulders with a bell-shaped cloak, a symbol of sorrow and glorification.  The symbolism of the icon reflects the basic idea  of Jesus Christ’s sacrifice to allow forgiveness of our shortcomings.  It is believed that the icon helps us in spiritual studies and making decisions in difficult situations.