Currently, many symbols of the spiritual world are part of the universal culture and we carry many of them, without knowing what they represent or what their meaning is. However, what is surprising is that these symbols carry a greater meaning and value than we think they have.
Join us in this second part of the article on symbols of the spiritual world and their meaning to discover seven new symbols and what they represent.
The tree of life
This tree has become a universal symbol present in numerous traditions, cultures and religions around the world. So it can have different meanings depending on the culture and mythology in question.
It is generally associated with birth, life, death, and rebirth. It represents the cycle of life illustrated through a tree. Its deep roots represent birth. While the trunk that grows towards the sky reflects the life that we have led.
Likewise, branches that bifurcate in multiple directions represent the paths and decisions we have made in life. Another of the most common meanings attributed to it is the infinite connection of all things in creation.
In Christianity, it is said to be in the Garden of Eden, where Adam and Eve chose the forbidden fruit.
Ichthys
This symbol consists of the figure of a fish that is formed by the intersection of two curved lines. The Ichthys, also written as Ichthus, is a word that in ancient Greek (ΙΧΘΥΣ) means fish. It is one of the oldest symbols of Christianity that from the 3rd century was used as a reference to Jesus Christ.
This is because the five Greek letters that make up that word are the initials of the Greek phrase: Iesous Christos Theou Uios Soter. Which translates as: “Jesus Christ, Son of God, Saviour”. So you can usually see this symbol with the acronym ΙΧΘΥΣ inscribed inside.
Today, for true Christians, this symbol identifies their commitment to faith until death.
Caduceus
It has been misused to identify medicine and health organizations. The mistake is due to its resemblance to Aesculapius’ cane. A symbol used to represent medicine and consisting of a single serpent coiled on a rod.
The Caduceus is the traditional symbol of Hermes Trismegisto and the maximum symbolic representation of duality in balance. It consists of a vertical cane with two wings on top and two snakes coiled around it facing each other.
The cane represents the magic weapon that helps the pilgrim, the staff that is exhibited by those who are endowed with authority. Whereas, the wings represent the spiritual elevation to worlds beyond ours, to the divine. For their part, the two snakes facing each other represent the duality of everything that exists in creation.
This symbol is also associated with the god Hermes, who in Greek mythology is known as the messenger of the gods. So it was initially used to represent everything that had to do with commerce and messaging.
The Christian cross, one of the best-known symbols of the spiritual world
It is the main symbol of Christianity in the world and also one of the best known. Its shape can have different variations according to the Christian community. For example, the Orthodox cross has eight arms.
However, despite the variations, it is always represented with two intersecting lines. The vertical line being slightly longer than the horizontal. It is the symbol of something powerful that happened over it, the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Furthermore, it represents the immense love of God for us, the sign of a new covenant between God and men, and the victory of Jesus Christ over sin and death. However, this symbol in its beginnings had a negative connotation, being the obligatory reference of one of the methods of execution of the Roman Empire.
The Lotus flower.
It is considered a sacred plant in China and India, also known as the Nile Rose or Sacred Lotus. It is a very important spiritual symbol in various world religions including Buddhism. Where it represents the purity of the body and soul, and is also seen as a sign of spiritual illumination.
The swampy water where it is found is associated with attachment and carnal desires. While the immaculate flower that blooms in search of light represents the promise of purity and spiritual elevation. Symbolically, this flower in Buddhism is also associated with the figure of the Buddha and its teachings.
For its part, in Hinduism, its meaning is associated with beauty, fertility, prosperity, spirituality and eternity.
Dharma wheel
This symbol is part of the Buddhist symbols and consists of an eight-spoke wheel. It symbolizes the noble eightfold path, a kind of ethical code of conduct and thought. It is also called Dharma chakra, Wheel of Dharma or Wheel of Transformation. This last name, because it represents the teachings of the Buddha and the path to enlightenment.
Buddha’s teachings are known by the name of Dharma. A word in Sanskrit that means religion, religious law, or correct conduct and is believed to be like a spinning wheel.
For this reason, a well-known interpretation tells us that the perfection of the Buddhist teachings is represented by the figure of the circle. The center of the wheel could represent the moral discipline we need to carry out proper meditation. And the spokes represent an element of the noble eightfold path or the link between meditation and Dharma teachings.
The flower of life
Among the symbols of the spiritual world, this is one of the most sacred and important in the universe. It is considered a sacred symbol because it contains within its mathematical symmetries the pattern of all existing life.
It is a geometric figure that is made up of 19 overlapping circles of the same diameter and 36 circular arches. Which form a hexagonal set and in turn belong to an even larger circle.
This symbol, present in almost all the cultures of the world, is the visual representation of the interconnection of life and spirit within the universe. In general, it is used for meditation, harmonization of spaces and energetic processes of healing.
There is no doubt that these are not empty symbols, because, although some seem simple, they contain a large amount of information, which we must know to connect correctly with its energy.
ALFA