sacred geometry symbols and meanings of the circle

As a result, the swastika is now seen as a symbol of hate, oppression, fear and extermination. Unfortunately, it was adopted by Nazi Germany based on the belief that the Aryan race (Indo-European people) were superior to all other races. In North America, the Navajo people also use it as a religious symbol. In ancient Vedic texts, it’s associated with the Hindu god Vishnu, as well as the four potential fates of the human soul, and the four castes of Hindu society.Įventually, the swastika became significant in Buddhist tradition. The term is derived from the Sanskrit svasitka that means wellbeing or conveying good fortune. In many Eastern religions, the swastika is a sacred symbol with positive meanings. When used in rituals, practitioners trace the shape of the symbol with their eyes to enhance focus and meditation. It’s believed that the omkar originated from an ancient hieroglyphic symbol and even predates the Sanskrit language. The character used to represent the om symbol is called omkar, which is a yantra or the visual representation of a mantra. Since the sacred sound is significant to meditative awareness, it’s often chanted during yoga, Indian meditation and other forms of worship. It’s said to be experienced through the spoken and heard sound of the word. In many Hindu writings, it’s described as a vibration and the primordial sound of the universe. In Hinduism, the om symbol is the sound of creation, and the representation of Brahma. In Japanese Shinto, the lotus symbolizes renewal or resurrection. For instance, the blooming flower represents birth or spiritual awakening. In Hinduism, it’s featured into many mandalas and yantras with different symbolic meanings. In ancient Vedic religion, the lotus was the symbol of creation and eternity. The flower’s ability to grow out of mud yet remain unstained is likened to the Buddhist life, not influenced by the impurity of the material world.

One of the most sacred plants in the world, the lotus represents purity and transformation. It’s also notable that the dharma wheel resembles the ship’s wheel, which reminds one to steer towards the goal of enlightenment. Eventually, the symbol carried over into early Buddhism and became known as dharmachakra. In Vedic mysticism, the wheel is referred to as the Sudarshana Chakra, the symbol of the Hindu sun god Vishnu and his weapon for defeating evil. Historians believe that the dharma wheel originated as a solar symbol, since it’s similar to the ancient Harappan wheel symbols around 2000 to 2500 BCE. It’s also regarded as one of the Eight Auspicious Symbols of Buddhism. In Buddhism, the dharmachakra or the wheel of dharma represents the path to enlightenment and the teachings of the Buddha.

Also, the central ring symbolizes the eternity of the universe and the soul. While the head represents wisdom and freewill, the hand pointing upwards is symbolic of spiritual fulfillment. In modern interpretations, the Faravahar symbolizes the balance between the paths of salvation and destruction, as well as the harmony of material and spiritual worlds. The central part of the symbol was derived from the Egyptian winged sun, accompanied by a male figure. It was named after the fravashi or guardian spirits, which were thought to be the representations of Egyptian and Persian gods who had been adopted as their god Ahura Mazda. The central symbol of Zoroastrianism, the Faravahar has its roots in ancient Egyptian and Persian symbols. By the 1960s, the ankh became popular in the West, due to interest in spiritual and mystical traditions of ancient cultures. Ancient Egyptians even used the symbol as a greeting to wish someone an eternal life. There were amulets and talismans in ankh designs too, which scholars believe were worn to promote health and long life. In some contexts, it also symbolized the divine right to rule, since pharaohs were seen as the living embodiment of gods. In Egyptian art, gods and rulers were depicted holding the symbol, which suggests that it served as a key to avoid death, or even unlock reincarnation. One of the oldest symbols in Egyptian culture, the ankh is a symbol of life and the key to immortality.

Sacred geometry symbols and meanings of the circle