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The dress worn by the Mudang is intended to be its own symbol.  The shape is related to the shape of the pawn in chess – deliberately so.  A pawn is a minor player in the Great Work but has the opportunity with help to be a Queen.  Chess is thus an allegory of the spiritual ascent – the spiritual path, the search by the pawn of the role of Queen.

The shape of the dress with the shaman’s head peeping out the top represents the soul cone.  At one time it appears the levels and layers were much more clearly delineated; now however, they are hardly used at all.

- The top level is the Aether level with the little Higher spirit.
- The next thin layer is the Fire level.
- Then we have the Air level – the slimmer tapering part, broadening out to the Water level.
- This then further broadens to the Earth level and from there a ridge indicating other levels of earth – the Underworld and Hell.