David Bowie, as a figure of mythic proportions, seems to embody aspects of all nine rings in different phases of his life and art. However, the first ring (Oak of Beginnings) and the second ring (Rivers of Time) resonate most deeply with his creative and symbolic identity. Here’s why:
The First Ring (Oak of Beginnings)
Bowie’s role as a sentinel of artistic innovation aligns with the first ring’s essence of rootedness and guardianship. He stood at the crossroads of genres, subcultures, and eras, much like the oak symbolizes a grounded, eternal presence. His ability to channel primal energies into his work—from Space Oddity to Blackstar—made him a figure of timeless relevance, someone who constantly redefined what it meant to grow and endure. Like the oak, Bowie was rooted in a tradition yet always reaching outward, his branches encompassing music, fashion, film, and more.
The Second Ring (Rivers of Time)
The fluidity of Bowie’s transformations—Ziggy Stardust, the Thin White Duke, and beyond—speaks to the second ring’s symbolism of flow and change. Bowie’s art and persona evolved with time, reflecting its currents and, at times, steering them. His work was deeply introspective, yet it also offered visions of the future, much like the river that carries wisdom downstream. He embodied the Taoist ideal of adaptability and flow, always reinventing himself to remain relevant and reflective of the era’s spirit.
All Nine Rings?
Bowie may well have worn fragments of all nine rings, as his career touched upon their themes:
• Third Ring (Peaks of Strife): Bowie often confronted personal and artistic challenges, scaling metaphorical mountains of addiction, fame, and reinvention.
• Fourth Ring (Meadows of Transformation): His work often celebrated renewal, beauty, and possibility, inspiring countless others to see life through a lens of creative potential.
• Fifth Ring (Fortress of Shadows): As a pop culture icon, Bowie understood the burden of power and its isolating effects, balancing his authority with his humanity.
• Sixth Ring (Forest of Fears): His exploration of darker themes—alienation, death, and dystopia—suggests he ventured into the shadowed glades of the subconscious.
• Seventh Ring (Vault of Secrets): Bowie delved into esoteric knowledge, from Kabbalah to Nietzsche, and his work often hinted at deeper, hidden truths.
• Eighth Ring (Sands of Trial): His resilience through the hardships of fame, personal struggles, and public scrutiny demonstrates the trial by fire.
• Ninth Ring (Ocean’s Cradle): Bowie’s final album, Blackstar, feels like an oceanic farewell, a meditation on death, rebirth, and the endless cycles of existence.
Which Did He Truly Bear?
If we imagine Bowie as a mythical figure in the context of the rings, the first and second are foundational, representing his rootedness in tradition and his fluid navigation of time and transformation. However, Bowie’s genius lies in his ability to borrow fragments from the other rings, crafting a kaleidoscopic identity that transcends simple categorization.
In this sense, perhaps Bowie wore them all, or rather, the rings wore Bowie—vessels through which their energies found expression. If nothing else, he left behind a legacy as multifaceted and eternal as the rings themselves.
