1 Return, return, O Shulamite; return, return, that we may look upon thee. What will ye see in the Shulamite? As it were the company of two armies.
Shulamite, in Hebrew, means Peace, Perfect and that which recompenses. The call for her return and the question about what will be seen in her both signify the introspective consciousness necessary to truly examine the Soul.
2 How beautiful are thy feet with shoes, O prince's daughter! The joints of thy thighs are like jewels, the work of the hands of a cunning workman.
Feet represent spiritual understanding of the nature of the external world. Shoes represent words of Truth that clothe that understanding. The Princes Daughter is a description of the Soul at this level of spiritual understanding. Jewels are externally focused Wisdom and Love that has its source in Spirit. Hands represent physical actions. This passage means that the Soul now understands that the source of the Physical World is Spirit and the Spiritual Laws (Truth) communicate this. Joints connect things. The joints of the Soul are the Conscious understanding that the Eternal World has Spirit as its source. When this understanding exists in the Soul, all actions become Spiritual.
3 Thy navel is like a round goblet, which wanteth not wine: thy belly is like an heap of wheat set about with lilies.
The Naval is the seat of Individual Will. Wine symbolizes Vitality that connects the Soul and Body. The belly represents the Meditative Faculty of the Mind. Wheat and Lilies both represent
Spiritual Consciousness or the "Second Coming". The Individual Will, at this stage of spiritual development, is no longer focused on the external, physical world, so the "Goblet" is empty. The Meditative faculty is filled with Spiritual Consciousness, at this high level of spiritual development.
4 Thy two breasts are like two young roes that are twins.
Breasts symbolize Vitality. Roes symbolize thoughts of Harmonious and Faithful Contemplation. At this stage of spiritual awakening, the Soul is empowered and spiritually pure.
5 Thy neck is as a tower of ivory; thine eyes like the fishpools in Heshbon, by the gate of Bathrabbim: thy nose is as the tower of Lebanon which looketh toward Damascus.
The neck is the Seat of Power in Man. Ivory symbolizes purity and innocence. The eyes symbolize Vision and Heshbon means "Thinking and Intelligence". Bathrabbim represents the place in consciousness typified by Thinking and Intelligence. Lebanon, in Hebrew, means The White Mountain, and symbolizes Pure Thoughts. Damascus, in Greek, means Activity, Alertness and Sack of Blood. It symbolizes Consciousness founded upon the concept of life in the body.
Thus, at this stage of spiritual awakening, the Spiritual Power and Vision are pure, with pure thoughts bringing Life Force to the Body.
6 Thine head upon thee is like Carmel, and the hair of thine head like purple; the king is held in the galleries.
The head is the place from which the mind expresses various thoughts and ideas. Caramel means expanse of a generous nature; garden; orchard; park; fruitful place. It refers to the Crown Chakra. Hair symbolizes the outer expression of strength. Purple is a symbol of Royalty and Authority. Kings symbolize spiritual guidance.
At this stage of Spiritual Awakening, the mind expresses true spiritual beliefs which bring Spiritual Authority and Guidance. This is the source of Empowerment.
7 How fair and how pleasant art thou, O love, for delights!
Living in accord with Divine Law brings Joy.
8 This, thy stature, is like to a palm tree, and thy breasts to clusters of grapes.
The Stature of the Soul is Renewal, symbolized by the Palm Tree. Breasts symbolize Vitality and Grapes symbolize Life and Regeneration.
9 I said, I will go up to the palm tree, I will take hold of the boughs thereof: now also thy breasts shall be as clusters of the vine, and the smell of thy nose like apples;
10 And the roof of thy mouth like the best wine for my beloved, that goeth down sweetly, causing the lips of those that are asleep to speak.
This is passage means that the Soul here experiences Renewal, becoming Empowered.
11 I am my beloved's, and his desire is toward me.
The Soul and Spirit are meant to be united.
12 Come, my beloved, let us go forth into the field; let us lodge in the villages.
The field represents being outside the House of God. Soul and Spirit, united, must work together to maintain life in the mundane world.
13 Let us get up early to the vineyards; let us see if the vine flourish, whether the tender grape appear, and the pomegranates bud forth: there will I give thee my loves.
The vineyard symbolizes manifest humanity. The vine is the Divine Spirit. The grape is Regenerative Spiritual Power. Pomegranates represent Righteousness. The Soul manifests both Divine and Human Love when all these things are nurtured in Consciousness at once.
14 The mandrakes give a smell, and at our gates are all manner of pleasant fruits, new and old, which I have laid up for thee, O my beloved.
Mandrakes symbolize spiritual empowerment. Gates symbolize faculties of the mind. Fruits symbolize being conscious of acquired spiritual powers. Spiritual Empowerment occurs through the faculties of the mind, which then contain and manifest the learned spiritual powers.