Phoenix. This fabulous bird was a common device in heraldry for those who would convey the impression of survival. Queen Elizabeth had the phcenix stamped upon her medals and coins, frequently with the motto Sola phcenix omnis mundi. "The only phcenix in the world."
Pine Cone. A symbol of life among all the Semitic races. D'Alviella traces the cone sacre to the human silhouette comparing this also to the crux ansata which shaped the figures of the early nature goddesses such as Diana of the Ephesians. The combination of the sacred cone and the crux ansata penetrated to India where the disk was replaced by an inverted triangle above the tau. The symbol in this form is seen on the footprints of Buddha.
Playing Cards. Besides the enormous diversity of combination and the mathematical fascination of cards. it is a curious fact that the four designs are all symbols of life. The spade is derived from the leaf (Bayley identifies leaf with love and life, adding that it is a scientific fact that a tree lives by its leaves). the heart is the source of life, the diamond or lozenge is a symbol of the yoni or the feminine principle and the club (Trefle in French) is the trefoil, one of the most ancient symbols of the Trinity or the three-fold aspect of life.
