This happens religiously every four years, the lighting of the cauldron. It is always interesting to see how a particular group of designers will rework it for the host country. This time it was placed at the very centre of the crowds of athletes and in so doing has intensified its power and meaning. The flame has always taken on great religious meaning, representing the life and spirit of the games. Instead of its being to the side as a servant/guardian it as moved to the centre, at least for the opening night (since it will be relocated to the side for the remainder of the two week long event). So given what happened, stop and consider these images surrounding the lighting of the flame, as we saw them. They are powerfully and perfectly religious in every way and do give us cause to contemplate how this will play out in our minds and the collective mind of the world. At such a time as this the Olympic gods are rekindled. They burn deep into the subconscious collective mind of the world. (And as an aside, its power may be somewhat strengthened but also diminished by all those commercial forces pushing it into the middle.)
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