Various symbols. Slavic symbols and their meaning

A symbol that has a certain meaning today did not necessarily have the same meaning in the past. Many symbols have existed over the centuries, and their meaning has changed under the influence of all sorts of events. Others simply disappeared into obscurity until they were returned with a completely different meaning. In this article I will tell you about those popular symbols that have partially lost their meaning today. Star of David

The Star of David is the most identifiable symbol of Judaism. However, unlike elements such as the menorah or shofar, the star is not truly Jewish. Before becoming a Jewish symbol, it featured in Buddhism, Hinduism and Jainism. At the same time, Hinduism has used the star for the longest time. For Hindus, it represents anahata, the fourth major chakra, the energy point of the body. It is not known whether these symbols share a common origin or were intended different people independently of each other. This is a simple hexagram - a figure where equilateral triangles are connected to form a six-pointed star with a hexagon in the middle. Even though the use of the Star of David by the Jewish people dates back centuries, it was not officially adopted as a symbol until 1897. In general, symbolism is ubiquitous in our lives, and it inherently makes our lives easier. Transferring information using symbols rather than text is faster. This applies to all kinds of signs in the world around us: at work, on the street, in entertainment. Each game has its own symbols, knowing the page address, you can go to the site and verify this. The logos and symbols of the Minecraft game are recognizable all over the world. The game has become incredibly popular due to its unique graphic style and the freedom of action provided to players. Ichthys
Most people recognize ichthys by a different name. “Jesus Fish” is common and quite strong Christian symbol. You can often see it in the form of bumper stickers, which is quite correct from a historical point of view. During the times when Christians were persecuted by the Romans, they often used ichthys as a secret symbol to identify each other. Supposedly, when two strangers met for the first time, one of them drew the first arc of the symbol. Another man, being a Christian, knew that he needed to draw a second one. However, various pagan cultures have been using the symbol since before Christianity even existed. It has had many different meanings, most associated with abundance. The symbol belonged to “ Great Mother”, and according to some, symbolized her womb. For Christianity, ichthys virtually disappeared from general use, but then became popular again thanks to parodies such as the “Darwin fish”, which has legs. St. Peter's Cross
The cross of St. Peter, or the inverted cross, is probably the most powerful anti-Christian symbol in the world. However, previously he was one of the most powerful pro-Christian symbols in the world. When Peter was executed, he felt that he was not worthy to die in the same way as Jesus Christ. He asked to be tortured upside down. After this, the inverted cross became a symbol of humility. You can still find an inverted cross on various churches, and this does not imply that the people there worship Satan. The inverted cross has only recently come to be used as an anti-Christian symbol. The symbol was featured in horror films such as The Conjurer, The Exorcist and Rosemary's Baby, and was also used in the punk and heavy metal movements, where it signified anti-authoritarianism. Skull and Bones symbol
This symbol has two known meanings that most of us know today. Firstly, modern meaning: I. The symbol is placed on chemicals and other harmful substances. That way people know not to drink it. The other symbol is historical and refers to pirates. The Jolly Roger, the flag of pirates, is usually depicted with a skull and crossbones on it. This is despite the fact that most pirates actually had their own personal version of the symbol. However, the Spaniards had previously used the symbol to mark cemeteries. Today you can still find old churches with a skull and crossbones on them. In fact, pirates adopted the skull and crossbones precisely because of its association with cemeteries. Barber pole
The traditional barber pole design is a spiral of red and white stripes. The red stripe symbolizes blood. Throughout history, barbers have done much more than just cut hair and shave. Many were also surgeons, and their number one procedure was bloodletting. People thought that they could free themselves from the disease by bleeding, and this technique was very crude and not sterile at that time. Hairdressers absorbed the blood with clean bandages or towels. Later, they often hung these bandages outside for advertising purposes. If it was windy outside, the bandages were wrapped around the post, and this is where this symbol came from. "Ok" symbol
For many, the above symbol-gesture means “ok”, or “I’m fine”, or “I agree”. However, you should avoid using this gesture abroad because in some countries it is not viewed so favorably. In most countries the symbol will mean nothing at all, but in some European countries the gesture is offensive. Thus, there can be a hint that the person at whom it is directed is a “zero”. Things are even worse in several Mediterranean and South American countries, where it is a symbol of the anus. Despite this, the gesture does have ancient positive connotations. This is a mudra - a ritual gesture in Buddhism and Hinduism. The sign symbolizes learning and many Buddhist artifacts depict the Buddha with this gesture. Gesture Goat
Nowadays, a goat, or devil's horns, is the main gesture at any heavy metal concert. That's how he was for many decades. Ronnie James Dio popularized the use of goats in his concerts. You will be surprised to know that such a gesture dates back centuries and is not at all satanic. This is actually a superstitious gesture, originally called “corna”. Ronnie learned the true meaning of the symbol from his grandmother. Like the Ok symbol, the devil's horns represent the ancient mudra - a gesture that warded off evil. But in some countries it has a vulgar meaning. If you travel to the Baltic countries and point a goat at someone, then you are conveying to the recipient your not entirely flattering attitude. Caduceus
The Caduceus is often used by healthcare organizations or medical professionals. It is depicted as a staff with wings and two snakes wrapped around it. However, every time you see a caduceus, you are looking at a mistake. The staff of Hermes is confused in medical contexts with the rod of Asclepius, without wings and with only one coiled snake. Asklepios was ancient Greek god medicine and healing, so it makes sense to use his symbol for healthcare. Symbol of Peace
Most of us strongly associate this symbol with the counterculture and hippie movement of the 1960s. Unlike other symbols in this list, the peace symbol does not have ancient origin. Gerald Holtom created it for a single purpose, now forgotten. He wanted to convey the message of British nuclear disarmament to the world. According to Haltom himself, the drawing represents the man himself in despair, frightened by the nuclear race and the threat of the collapse of the world. Later, he stylized the symbol using several lines and drew a circle around it. For decades, the symbol remained popular because Holtom never copyrighted it. The symbol has become in a special way symbolize freedom, and eventually came to mean peace. There have been attempts to link the symbol to older and darker origins, such as Satanic broken crosses or Nazi insignia, but any similarities here are truly coincidental.

Every day a person encounters a wide variety of symbols, and they, as a rule, are generally accepted and equally understandable to people in different countries speaking different languages. Arrow, heart, dollar sign... In our review most interesting stories the appearance of these and many other symbols.

1. Dollar sign

The ubiquitous dollar sign ($) is actually a peso sign. As a result of the rapid development of the mining industry in Central and South America, Spain had huge reserves of silver in its hands. This allowed the currency real de a ocho (better known as peso de ocho or "eight-piece") to become a truly international currency and push older coins (such as the Czech thaler) out of the international market.

The Spanish peso was adopted for trade in Europe, America and the East. Traders replaced the word "peso" with the abbreviation "PS", and soon with an abbreviation in which these letters were written on top of each other. By 1770, a shortened form of the old abbreviation "PS" became the "$" symbol, which was then adopted as the currency symbol at the formation of the United States.

2. Heart symbol

The earliest heart was depicted by the Cro-Magnons during the last Ice Age, but this symbol only acquired its modern meaning during the Middle Ages. Some researchers argue that this symbol originally represented an image of a silphium pod ( herbs), which looks like a heart.

The city-state of Cyrene even minted coins with the image of this pod. Others argue that this modern heart symbol is derived from the medieval Sacred Heart, which symbolized the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. Still others believe that the symbol was based on ancient ideas about the human heart, which was considered an organ with three chambers, two round on top and pointed at the bottom.

3. Arrow symbol

The use of the arrow symbol as a direction symbol dates back to Ancient Greece, where the direction was indicated by the image of a trace directed in the desired direction. In the ancient Greek city of Ephesus, this is exactly the trace and woman's face, depicted on the pavement, showed the direction to the local brothel.

On medieval signs and indicators, a hand was often drawn with a finger pointing in the required direction. This symbol first appeared in the 12th century and became popular in Italy in the 14th and 15th centuries. The arrow was not used until the 18th century, and after its introduction it was initially used on maps to indicate the direction of a river's flow.

4. Mathematical plus and minus signs

Symbols for addition and subtraction first appeared in the 15th century. It is assumed that the "+" sign was originally one of the ways to write the Latin word "et" (translated as "and"). The first to use such an abbreviation was the astronomer Nicole d'Orem in the 14th century. The “-” sign may have originated among merchants who were crossing off yet another unloaded item from the list. Interestingly, the modern division sign was originally used to represent subtraction by mathematicians northern Europe until the end of the 16th century.

5. Star and cross

The symbol, which has become extremely popular thanks to its use on the Internet, was once almost never seen or was used in conjunction with a cross. Both symbols were traditionally used for footnotes, to indicate dates of birth and death in European printing, and to indicate long and short pauses in Gregorian chant. Some argue that the origins of the asterisk can be traced back 5,000 years to ancient Sumer, where this cuneiform symbol supposedly represented "paradise" or "deity."

Others, however, consider this connection dubious and attribute the first mention of the asterisk and cross to the Library of Alexandria. The cross was allegedly first invented by the grammarian of the Library of Alexandria, Zenodotus, who used it to make notes in the margins. The asterisk came later and was invented by the Alexandrian scholar Aristarchus of Samothrace, who edited the works of Zenodotus.

6. Exit sign

There are two main exit sign designations around the world: the United States uses the word "EXIT" written in bold red font, while much of the rest of the world uses a pictogram of a running person exiting through a door on a green background. The American badge dates back to 1911 and was developed after a fire that killed 146 Manhattan garment factory workers.

Over the next few decades, graphic symbols came into fashion. Japan Association fire safety held a competition for a new national emergency exit sign, which was won by designer Yukio Ota with an image of a running man.

7. Radiation symbol

The now universally recognized radiation hazard symbol was invented in 1946 by a team working at the University of California, Berkeley Radiation Laboratory. The sign was originally purple on a blue background (it is now black on a yellow background). The original colors were chosen for very specific reasons.

The color purple was never used for markings, meaning the radioactive container could not be confused with any other. Blue color was not found in laboratory equipment, so it was noticeable from afar. One of the scientists who created this sign was even against replacing the blue background of the sign with yellow, arguing that yellow symbols are much more common, so a yellow sign would not cause such a sense of danger.

8. Stop sign

When cars first appeared in the United States, there were almost no signs on the roads and real anarchy reigned: cars, horses and cyclists drove at random. The first stop sign appeared in Detroit, Michigan in 1915. It looked like a simple 0.6 meter sheet of metal with black lettering on a white background. In 1923, the Mississippi Highway Association developed a set of guidelines for sign design based on the level of danger.

How more sides was at the sign, the more potentially dangerous the situation was. A circular stop sign (with an infinite number of sides) was placed at railroad crossings, and an octagonal sign was used in second-most dangerous situations. The pentagonal signs were simply warning signs.

9. Symbol of man and woman

The standard explanation for the symbols of men and women is that they were derived from Greek mythology and represent the shield of Mars and the mirror of Venus - objects traditionally associated with the male and female gender, respectively. However, there is little evidence linking these specific objects To modern symbols, A true story is much more complex. In ancient astrology and alchemy, various celestial objects were associated with various metals.

The Sun, Moon, Mars, Mercury, Venus, Jupiter and Saturn were respectively associated with gold, silver, iron, mercury, copper, tin and lead. This system was recognized by the 18th century naturalist Carl Linnaeus, who was born before the development of the modern notation system chemical elements, which uses letters taken from the Greek or Latin alphabets (this system was developed in 1814). Before this, chemists often used the same symbols used by medieval alchemists. Carl Linnaeus used the symbols of Venus and Mars to indicate the sex of plants.

10. Question mark

There are a number of theories regarding the origin of the question mark. The most popular explanation is that its design comes from Latin letters“q” and “o” (the first and last letters of the Latin word quæstio (question or search). Once upon a time, the abbreviation qo was written at the end of each interrogative sentence, which later turned into a ligature - a question mark).

Other researchers believe that the sign came from Egypt and was formed in the likeness of the bent tail of a cat. Another theory is that the English scientist Alcuin of York first used the question mark when he worked at the court of Charlemagne and developed new system punctuation.

We hope that inquisitive readers will be interested in learning about.

Mystical and occult symbols are what arouse interest among many with a mixture of fear. They can be depicted on various decorations, items of clothing, walls and other objects.

Attitudes to occult symbols in different religious denominations ambiguous. In many religions, occult symbols are considered something negative and forbidden. Thus, Christianity presupposes the exclusion of these signs, since true Christian must honor God by praising and exalting him.

Occultism is the name of teachings that recognize the existence of so-called hidden forces in man. Translated from Latin this term means “secret”, “intimate”. This doctrine about the hidden connections of phenomena, man and space had a certain influence on experimental methods in science. The familiar term “esotericism” has a similar meaning; these two concepts are interrelated.

The occult is usually understood as the study of everything hidden and implicit. This is magic, extrasensory perception, astrology, numerology, spiritualism, dreams.

Often these teachings have a religious connotation. Many who study the occult associate themselves with Christianity, Buddhism, Islam or Hinduism. As a rule, the term “occult” is applied to those phenomena and methods that religion cannot explain and does not assume. Thus, the famous Kabbalah is considered an occult teaching.

Occultism involves the study inner nature things, phenomena, when compared with science, which studies external characteristics. Arthur Schopenhauer called this movement the word “will”. Because science is not able to look deeper into the relationships between several objects and things, explaining the internal nature.

Alchemy, considered the forerunner of traditional chemistry, is also an occult practice. And such famous scientists as Isaac Newton and Roger Bacon devoted their works to this practice.

Some religious movements and systems define the occult as everything paranormal and supernatural. This is something that cannot be achieved by turning to God, but only with the help of Satan.

For many, the term “occultism” evokes negative thoughts. However, not many people understand that certain practices and rituals different religions can be called nothing other than occult. Although in nature this term is used quite rarely.

Occult symbols and signs

Kabbalistic Tetragram

The Kabbalistic Tetragram symbol consists of two equilateral triangles superimposed on each other.

Is the great seal of Freemasonry, revealing the meaning of the number 666.

The Heartgram symbol is a regular triangle. Its apex is directed upward and is the beginning of the second triangle. Bottom part The triangle represents the two roundnesses of the heart, and the lower corner represents its completion.

It is a mixture of love and hate, life and death.

Church of Satan

The Church of Satan sign is depicted as a six-pointed cross, at the foot of which there is an inverted figure eight, a symbol of infinity.

This sign almost always indicates involvement in Satanism.

The Cross of Disorder symbol is depicted as a four-pointed cross, the vertical line of which ends in a quarter-open circle.

This sign was first used by the Romans, who wanted to challenge the truth Christian faith.

The familiar Swastika symbol dates back to ancient times, when it symbolized the god of fire. The priests of this deity greeted the sunrise by raising right hand, thereby expressing respect and reverence.

In China this symbol is a sign of virtue.

The pentagram in the form of a five-pointed star is considered one of the most powerful images in magic and is used by sorcerers for various rituals.

It is also used by Kabbalists, for whom this sign symbolizes power.

Lightning Sign

The Lightning symbol is depicted as the letter "S" it resembles, which is considered to represent Satan.

Sometimes this symbol is depicted on a five-pointed star.

This four-pointed cross in an inverted position denotes hatred of Christ.

The magical number 23 is considered occult and signifies secret society portholes.
666 or FFF.

The connection between these numbers and letters is that this letter English alphabet goes at number six. It is considered to indicate the number of the Antichrist.

This ancient one chinese symbol considered the definition of unity, polarity.

Tao refers to eternal action or the principle of creation in Chinese philosophy.

The Neuron Cross symbol is also called the symbol of peace. It represents an inverted and broken cross of Christ, enclosed in a circle.

Denotes contempt for Christianity.

This symbol symbolizes the negation of all laws. Depicted as the letter "A" surrounded by a circle.

This symbol is also a sign of sacrifice and observer.

The magical symbol of the Ankh is a four-pointed cross, the top of which is presented in the form of an elongated oval.

The Ankh symbolizes fertility, lust, and the union of man and woman.

It is depicted as a circle with a dot in the center.

A circle with a dot in the center is used in Buddhism and Hinduism to represent masculine power.

The index finger and little finger, raised up and separated from the other fingers, are considered the victory of the devil over good.

Magic signs and their meaning

As you can see, occult symbols are represented by a wide variety of signs. Each of them has its own meaning and definition. If you choose a symbol, you must first find out its meaning.

After all, it often happens that a person uses jewelry with occult signs, the designation of which he does not know. This can cause individual problems and contradictions in life.

The long path of development of psychic and magical practices has led to the accumulation of enormous symbolic baggage, elements of which surround us in modern life.

Many occult images remain incomprehensible to people, although they originate from familiar religious practices, and at the same time each of us associates the words “symbols”, “signs”, “esoterics”. The fish, for example, is a symbol of Jesus and at the same time is often used as a phallic symbol - there are many such contradictory examples of the use of symbols.

General characteristics

To begin with, it should be noted that the subject of esoteric symbols is incredibly vast and extends much further than novice psychics or magicians think. For the most part, mysterious signs also imply various religious and pagan attributes. All known and popular witchcraft symbols can be roughly divided into several categories:

Antique signs

Many of these symbols found on artifacts of ancient civilizations originate from the cave paintings of primitive man. Here in equally There are images of animate and inanimate objects.

Some signs of this type have references to the legends and myths of ancient peoples, so among them there are many pictures not only of deities, but also of monsters and fairy-tale animals.

Pagan images

This includes various attributes from the rites of worship of unofficial deities and natural phenomena. Symbols in shamanic rituals, fetishes, signs from Hinduism, Buddhism, Confucianism in some sense belong to this group. WITH

The most famous of the pagan drawings are Slavic signs, symbols of the ancient Celts and Vikings.

Occult symbols

In such signs, supporters of the supernatural sought to encrypt literal hidden knowledge about the acquisition of the power of the Cosmos. First of all, esoteric symbols mean precisely such images associated with astrology, alchemy, numerology, experimental science, and extrasensory perception.

Kabbalistic signs

Mystical symbols that originate from Jewish traditions make up quite a large group and have already managed to migrate into Satanist rituals.

A special place is given to the pentagram in this category, because about a dozen different signs were created on its basis.

TAO (Yin and Yang)

This metaphorical representation of the Chinese energies of Yin and Yang originally helped to denote differences in the magical worldview and holistic views. Today, the idea of ​​opposites takes on a more spiritual meaning, as Tao is used to convey the polarity of the feminine and masculine essence, as well as the uniqueness of all natural phenomena.

The split reality has long been of interest to ancient esotericists and philosophers. Duality is encrypted in every living being and action, because all the primary elements of the Cosmos and the elements are simultaneously different and complement each other in order to recreate the integrity of the world.

In the symbol, the black shade indicates Yin - passive feminine energy, and for whites Yang is the male dominant principle. It is important to understand that the arc-shaped separation of the poles is not accidental, because they flow into each other, spinning without stopping, and this hints at the eternal movement of life.

Neuron Cross

A circle with a branched line is sometimes called a chicken foot or pacific. It is believed that the origins of the symbol are in India, where the meaning of the sign is associated with the letter “Y” as an expression of the sacred sounds Om and Aum. Hindus and Buddhists perceive the image as a metaphor for the connection between Shiva, Vishnu and Brahma. The symbol says that the destructive, protective and creative principles arise together, because even with the syllable Om you can begin both a prayer and a spell.

The Cross of Neuron is also found in runic and Celtic practices in Europe. Then the sign was identified with the image of a man raising his hands to the sky, but if the symbol was turned over, the result was a metaphor for the world of the dead.

In the Middle Ages, even Muslim banners were decorated with this version of the cross. Later, in the 20th century. a sign of pacifism has already appeared, i.e. Neuron's cross became identified with peace fighters.

A version has emerged that the symbol is an expression of the letters N and D, i.e. hints at nuclear disarmament, and also resembles a fist breaking a weapon, or even a rose.

The modern symbol of all hippies on the planet is an ancient sign that is far from related to a peaceful perception of life. If you look closely, the sign of pacifism is actually the cross where Christ was crucified, only it was turned over and broken. In ancient times, this was used to indicate a negative attitude towards the Christian religion.

The name itself - the Neuron cross - refers to the use of the sign during the persecution of believers. Today's Satanists use the cross for their sexual rituals and black mass, and also decorate the altar of the devil with it. There is also a ritual for accepting new members, when this particular symbol is hung around the neck - a sign of reconciliation with Satan.

Trident Symbol - Trident symbol

Secret signs of esotericism sometimes look like ordinary everyday objects that do not make us think of anything high. This occult sign, for example, in various designs resembles an ordinary trident, originating from the mythology of Greece, Rome, and India. The symbol refers to the enormous power over the water element.

The word itself is borrowed from the Latin alphabet, where it means “three teeth.” We can say that in different senses there is a sign in each ancient culture. Thus, it was considered an attribute of Zeus (Jupiter), identifying the three prongs with lightning strikes, and an element of the power of Poseidon (Neptune).

Christians initially viewed the symbol as a personification of the Trinity, but later the perception of the sign became more negative: believers perceive Trident as a symbol of Satan. In India, the picture is a reflection of the three aspects of Shiva and is also associated with fire.

Mystical tantric yoga also uses this sign. Finally, for Buddhists, the trident is a reflection of the Buddha and victory over the three main poisons: laziness, passion and anger.

Zodiac

The most popular image of all zodiac signs on one symbol. Often used in magical practice, but more often used by astrologers. The zodiac circle is divided into 12 sectors, each of which is dedicated to a specific astrological symbol.

The very idea of ​​division into parts goes back to the idea of ​​​​segmentation of the celestial circle. It is customary to view a circle from a point spring equinox, and then all the signs are located along the trajectory of the Sun.

There is also a circle option, which has 13 symbols, including Ophiuchus.

The zodiac signs themselves, enclosed in a circle, received their names from the constellations that the luminary crosses. But there is also an opinion that the names are associated with the exploits of Hercules.

Ankh

The symbol is a cross with a loop, and it contains great faith in the possibilities human soul after the death of the body. The hieroglyph on which the drawing is based means reincarnation and fertility. Even in the Christian tradition, the sign reflects eternal life Jesus, but the drawing can also be interpreted as a metaphor for the rising sun and the unity of opposites. The Ankh also hides the key to secret knowledge that grants infinity of spirit.

The loop itself expresses the appearance of the sun above the horizon, and the vertical line represents its first rays. There is an opinion that the first part of the sign reflects the feminine principle, i.e. is a symbol of fertility, and the second personifies the phallus and masculinity. Together these parts merge into a cross as an image of the constant renewal of life and the change of its stages.

The ancient expression of constant vitality was formerly painted on dishes, sculptures and church walls. The second name of the sign is the Coptic cross. The Ankh originally appeared in the Egyptian tradition, where it was perceived as a symbol of the god Ra and a talisman for prolonging life.

It was necessary to draw a symbol next to the dead so that they would continue to exist in the afterlife. The Ankh was often considered a sign of sexual liberation, since the god Ra was worshiped through orgies.

A new wave of popularity for the sign was brought by the description of Blavatsky, the founder of Theosophy. She pointed out that the symbol affirms the trinity of life, covenant and oath. Previously, rulers and divine beings who could convey the sign to the pharaoh were most often found with the image of Ankhs. Such a gift meant an acquittal on the Day of Judgment, i.e. immortal life. Today, in addition to mummies and pyramids, the Ankh can be found on fortune-telling cards.

BINDU — Point in a circle

First of all, the image is included in the main esoteric signs of religious and spiritual movements of the East. Bindu denotes the center through which energy exchange takes place between man and the cosmos; it is also the place where the power of the chakras is expressed.

Subsequently, a circle with a dot in the middle appeared in occult, witchcraft, and Masonic practices to express the completeness and perfection of something. This is the personification closed loop and the implementation of all planned plans for life.

The Bindu point itself is a symbol of the emergence of any force, the source of human individuality and the beginning of the first duality. On the one hand, this is a reflection of universal emptiness, on the other - perfect fullness.

Pentagram

This symbol, perhaps, has the most large number titles. This is the star (seal) of Solomon, Isis, Pythagoras, and also just a five-pointed star inscribed in a circle. The sign represents the idea of ​​a spirit that looks through a separate end into the sky (in the case of an inverted symbol, into the underworld), as well as the idea of ​​human life in nature. The four corners of the pentagram also reflect all the elements.

Thus, each individual balances between the divine world and the sphere of nature. Many people also see a silhouette in the picture, if we consider the 4 corners of the star as limbs, and the top as a head. As for the circle, it is a protective layer for a person, a reflection of mystical knowledge.

The origins of the pentagram lie in ancient Mesopotamia. Then it was the royal seal. Then the sign migrated to paganism and early Christian practices. For example, there was an identification with the goddess Kori. The Pythagoreans viewed the picture as the personification of perfect proportions. The Celts associated the pentagram with the underground goddess Morgan.

In Christianity, the sign first represented the Star of Bethlehem, the wounds of Jesus after the crucifixion, as well as truth and mysticism in a general sense. Solomon, like Emperor Constantine, used the pentagram to protect against demons. And already medieval knights They saw in the sign a reflection of their virtues: courage, bravery, generosity, etc.

Gradually, attitudes towards the pentagram began to change over the course of history. This was due to the activities of the Inquisition, which made the sign their own, as well as the participation of the Templars in demonic rituals with this symbol. Today the symbol is used by sorcerers and Satanists. Thus, lovers of Kabbalah consider the pentagram as a sign of power and victory of Reason. In the occult tradition, the star by itself without a circle symbolizes conflict and battle. Each peak has its own meaning. This is a reflection of the basic feelings of a person, the surrounding worlds and elements.

An inverted pentagram in a circle began to be associated in new pagan trends with secret knowledge and the entrance to the astral world. Hence frequent use symbol in the work of energy healers and psychics. It should be noted that the Masons also turned to the sign in order to reflect the process of human rebirth. A correct pentagram is a good sign, but an inverted one is the opposite in everything. Today's Freemasons love the combination of the symbol with the monogram G. With all this, in the Christian tradition of our days there is no specific interpretation of the sign in a negative context.

Baphomet or goat's head

A basic symbol from the teachings of Satanists, which is in fact an inverted pentagram. The sign depicts the head of a goat in a circle, so supporters of occult knowledge treat it with extreme respect. Sometimes in the pointed corners of the pentagram or in the circle during rituals they write the right words or draw runes.

In general, Baphomet is considered an astral being and the wife of the devil. The Templars worshiped such an idol in the Middle Ages, but the Inquisition stopped such rituals. A little later, the seal of Baphomet appeared on Tarot cards as a sign of the devil. Then the “Church of Satan” appeared and the popularization of the symbol began. Sometimes the symbol is studied as a mockery of the Paschal Lamb.

Interestingly, each tail of the symbol (or each part of the goat) has its own meaning. The pair of corners at the top are the horns, i.e. a hint at the duality of the Cosmos and the connection between evil and good. The single end in the lower half indicates the underworld and represents rejection of the Christian faith. Circles near the goat's head are necessary to enhance the power of Satan and protect against other demons. Most rituals require all ritual participants to stand inside a circle. By the way, Baphomet is a sign of the Masonic order.

Kabbalistic tetragram

Essentially, this is the same star of Solomon, enclosed in a circle or supplemented with the number of the devil, usually inverted. Sometimes it is called a hexagram.

The sign was used by Freemasons, Theosophists, and Spiritualists. Satan is depicted on the symbol, but the image is encrypted through a triangle with equal sides and the top below. The tetragram speaks of the devil's opposition to God and helps to summon spirits.

The symbol from Kabbalistic teachings was chosen by the Masonic Society to mark initiated students who have moved to another level of the pyramid. Hence, the sign acquired a more general and highly symbolic meaning - a blessing for the difficult path of mastering secret knowledge. The symbol can also be found on Tarot cards.

Eye of Horus

Indirect Expression all seeing eye The Universe through the drawing of an eye with a line in the shape of a spiral. In addition to the pupil, the symbol sometimes depicts a falling tear, which reflects suffering for those people who are beyond the influence of magical or divine power.

Also in Egypt there has been a talisman since ancient times, where the eye of Horus has upper limbs. In the palms there is a papyrus wand or a bow of life. In general, this symbol can be used to protect against troubles and attract good luck.

Historically, the Eye of Horus was an emblem for Egyptian god the sky, which in this way expressed its power and the unity of the universe. If the right pupil is depicted, then the sun and the active principle are personified, and if the left one is depicted, the moon and passivity are personified.

It is the left Eye of Horus that is an excellent amulet against evil spirits and diseases. The reason for this is the legend of how Seth tore out the eye of the god, but it grew again in battle after the victory of Horus. In general, this symbol reflects the victory of wisdom over darkness and the escape from suffering with pain.

It is believed that the Eye of Horus allows dead souls to contact the world, i.e. it is a window to another light and enables reincarnation. In current occult practices there is also the idea that the symbol is connected with Lucifer, who closely monitors each of us.

All Seeing Eye

One of the most popular magical pictures, which became famous thanks to American paper bills. For a long time, sorcerers used the sign in their fortune telling, and then the Illuminati chose the symbol as the main one. The all-seeing eye in a sense represents the pupil of Lucifer. But today there is a more common understanding of the sign as the personification of world domination and order in relation to financial flows.

For the first time, the image of an eye in a triangle (and then in a pyramid) could be encountered in the 17th century, when the so-called radiant delta began to be used as a symbol of the Creator-architect. In each Masonic rite, this symbol was placed on the eastern side, identifying the sign with the enlightenment of the student.

Later, the All-Seeing Eye also began to be associated with the Christian Trinity and fire. Sometimes in pictures you can see a version with a halo of light around the eye and rays downwards.

An open eye in a general sense reflects the victory of good over evil, attracts a person’s attention to truth, wisdom, and conscience. The Masonic symbol encrypts the rational principle of the structure of the Universe, and in a magical context also the ability to internal vision. In general, the All-Seeing Eye is very closely related to the religious Eye of God - a sign of spiritual vision in Buddhism, Hinduism and even Islam. A talisman made in the shape of such an eye wards off evil.

Swastika

If you are interested in esoteric signs and symbols and their meaning, then you cannot ignore the most ambiguous visual attribute in history. Such an ancient occult symbol refers in its essence to the deity of the sun and flame - Agni.

Hindu and Celtic priests of old times welcomed rising sun with a wave of the right hand. In China, the sign is called the Heart of Buddha or Wang Tzu. The image is an equal cross with vertices intertwined at an angle. Curved ends refer to to different parties light, four winds and seasons. The word “Swastika” itself used to have positive value and was used as a synonym for "amulet".

If the symbol is directed to the right with its ends, then it directly refers to paganism and bestows fertility and happiness. But if the sign is twisted to the left, then there is a connection with black magic and the destructive Indian goddess Kali. The swastika is also called the footprint of Buddha and can be found on various scriptures. A similar symbol can be found among American tribes, the Jewish people, and the ancient Slavs.

As for the Nazi swastika, it was borrowed from the Masonic societies of Germany from the 1910-20s. Since then, the symbol has become the leading emblem of the National Socialist movement of Hitler's party. The sign was depicted in a snow-white circle on a red canvas, conveying the idea of ​​struggle and social action. Initially, the swastika was supposed to be used, turned to the left, but Hitler changed the direction of the symbol, thereby expressing a real spiritual protest.

Pentacle of Solomon

Given magic symbol is a powerful talisman for attracting financial well-being and protection from disasters and mistakes.

The central rhombus, around which there is a circle, refers to the possibilities of power on Earth, and the circle inside the rhombus refers to the ideal of God.

There are also 7 points inside - a reference to the help of the main celestial bodies. The pentacle is most often made in the form of a metal or clay pendant, used at home and at work.

Infinity sign

Contrary to conventional thinking, this is not just a mathematical figure, but also a magical symbol. Such a sign encrypts the ideas of the constancy of existence and the impossibility of comprehending the Universe. The symbol shows that a person always strives for ideals and perfection.

For the first time this sign can be found in the Tibetan tradition, only infinity was expressed by a snake holding its own tail. This is a reference to the legend about Ouroboros, identified with the cyclical nature of life and death.

Very often the symbol can be found on love amulets as a sign of fidelity and unity of partners. The meaning of the sign is based on the desire to abandon boundaries and restrictions.

Surprisingly, in the Kabbalistic, Masonic, magical and Christian traditions, symbols, signs, and esotericism are closely intertwined. Fish, cross, star, powerful eye in ordinary life do not seem to us today as occult omens, but behind long history development of secret knowledge, society had to regularly change its opinion about various attributes of religious or witchcraft practices.

That is why it is quite difficult these days to create an unambiguous description of a particular symbol. In most cases, the true meaning of any image is determined by the specific situation of use.

Mystical and occult symbols are what arouse interest among many with a mixture of fear. They can be depicted on various decorations, items of clothing, walls and other objects.

The attitude towards occult symbols in different religious denominations is ambiguous. In many religions, occult symbols are considered something negative and forbidden. Thus, Christianity presupposes the exclusion of these signs, since a true Christian must honor God, praising and exalting him.

Occultism is the name of teachings that recognize the existence of so-called hidden forces in man. Translated from Latin, this term means “secret”, “intimate”. This doctrine about the hidden connections of phenomena, man and space had a certain influence on experimental methods in science. The familiar term “esotericism” has a similar meaning; these two concepts are interrelated.

The occult is usually understood as the study of everything hidden and implicit. This is magic, extrasensory perception, astrology, numerology, spiritualism, dreams.

Often these teachings have a religious connotation. Many who study the occult associate themselves with Christianity, Buddhism, Islam or Hinduism. As a rule, the term “occult” is applied to those phenomena and methods that religion cannot explain and does not assume. Thus, the famous Kabbalah is considered an occult teaching.

Occultism involves the study of the internal nature of things, phenomena, when compared with science, which studies external characteristics. Arthur Schopenhauer called this movement the word “will”. Because science is not able to look deeper into the relationships between several objects and things, explaining the internal nature.

Alchemy, considered the forerunner of traditional chemistry, is also an occult practice. And such famous scientists as Isaac Newton and Roger Bacon devoted their works to this practice.

Some religious movements and systems define the occult as everything paranormal and supernatural. This is something that cannot be achieved by turning to God, but only with the help of Satan.

For many, the term “occultism” evokes negative thoughts. However, not many people understand that individual practices and rituals of various religions can be called nothing other than occult. Although in nature this term is used quite rarely.

Occult symbols and signs

Kabbalistic Tetragram

The Kabbalistic Tetragram symbol consists of two equilateral triangles superimposed on each other.

Is the great seal of Freemasonry, revealing the meaning of the number 666.

The Heartgram symbol is a regular triangle. Its apex is directed upward and is the beginning of the second triangle. The bottom of the triangle represents the two roundnesses of the heart, and the bottom corner represents its completion.

It is a mixture of love and hate, life and death.

Church of Satan

The Church of Satan sign is depicted as a six-pointed cross, at the foot of which there is an inverted figure eight, a symbol of infinity.

This sign almost always indicates involvement in Satanism.

The Cross of Disorder symbol is depicted as a four-pointed cross, the vertical line of which ends in a quarter-open circle.

This sign was first used by the Romans, who wanted to challenge the truth of the Christian faith.

The familiar Swastika symbol dates back to ancient times, when it symbolized the god of fire. The priests of this deity greeted the sunrise by raising their right hands, thereby expressing reverence and respect.

In China, this symbol is a sign of virtue.

The pentagram in the form of a five-pointed star is considered one of the most powerful images in magic and is used by sorcerers for various rituals.

It is also used by Kabbalists, for whom this sign symbolizes power.

Lightning Sign

The Lightning symbol is depicted as the letter "S" it resembles, which is considered to represent Satan.

Sometimes this symbol is depicted on a five-pointed star.

This four-pointed cross in an inverted position denotes hatred of Christ.

The magical number 23 is considered occult and represents the secret society of the Illuminati.
666 or FFF.

The connection between these numbers and letters is that this letter of the English alphabet comes under the sixth number. It is considered to indicate the number of the Antichrist.

This ancient Chinese symbol is considered the definition of unity and polarity.

Tao refers to eternal action or the principle of creation in Chinese philosophy.

The Neuron Cross symbol is also called the symbol of peace. It represents an inverted and broken cross of Christ, enclosed in a circle.

Denotes contempt for Christianity.

This symbol symbolizes the negation of all laws. Depicted as the letter "A" surrounded by a circle.

This symbol is also a sign of sacrifice and observer.

The magical symbol of the Ankh is a four-pointed cross, the top of which is presented in the form of an elongated oval.

The Ankh symbolizes fertility, lust, and the union of man and woman.

It is depicted as a circle with a dot in the center.

A circle with a dot in the center is used in Buddhism and Hinduism to represent masculine power.

The index finger and little finger, raised up and separated from the other fingers, are considered the victory of the devil over good.

Magic signs and their meaning

As you can see, occult symbols are represented by a wide variety of signs. Each of them has its own meaning and definition. If you choose a symbol, you must first find out its meaning.

After all, it often happens that a person uses jewelry with occult signs, the designation of which he does not know. This can cause individual problems and contradictions in life.