Symbolism, Culture & Gods

Symbolism is similar to the word Symmetry. Symmetry means that something is the same on both sides. For example, traditional shapes are symmetric, such as Triangles, Squares, Circles. If you cut these shapes in half, they are the same on both sides. This is similar to the meaning of Symbol. Symbols show something that they aren't actually showing, but when the two things are put side by side, it should be the same on both sides. For example, America uses the Eagle to Symbolize itself (Benjamin Franklin said that with all their powdered wigs and frilly clothing, Americans were more like Turkeys than they were like Eagles), and Christians use the Cross, while Hindus use the Lotus or the Wheel of Dharma. A common Symbol used in many Religions (almost all Widespread Religions) is the Lion. These Symbols are meant to represent certain groups in a way that is Symmetrical.

Another example of a Symbol is the name of American Cities, like Memphis. Memphis is a city in Egypt, and now it is a US City (in Tennessee). The reason it was called Memphis by Andrew Jackson is because of its place on the Mississippi river being similar to the place of Memphis on the Nile.

An idea similar to Symmetry is Chirality, Chirality is like your hands or feet. They are both the same in a way, but at the same time they are opposite. This is Chirality, which is also powerful in Symbolism.

I created this image a few years ago and it is a pretty powerful image, it evokes emotions out of a lot of people and some people have told me that it even makes them feel as if God or something is looking at them. So I thought I would explain everything in the image and what it all means.

First the Underlying image. The underlying image is the Evil Eye, it is called the Evil Eye because it is meant to keep away "Evil Eyes" which basically means envy, it is meant to keep people from looking at you with envy, as in many Cultures it is believed that when someone looks upon you with envy, you are receiving a curse. So keeping the Evil Eye away will keep curses away. It is a very Popular symbol in countries like India and Turkey.

The image just on top of that is the Eye of Wadjet, also known as the Eye of Horus (Different from the Eye of Ra). Wadjet is the protector of Kings & Country and the Goddess of Oracles. It is important to note that the Egyptian King was called a King, not a Pharaoh, Par-Oh is the name of the palace where all Holy things resided, including the King, the Apis Bull (the Apis bull will be explained soon), Twins, etc. there was no such person as "Pharaoh" in Egypt, and Egypt itself actually comes from the Greek "Aegyptica" , the place we call Egypt was actually known as Kemet by the people who founded it. Wadjet and Bast are very closely related Goddesses, and eventually became known as Wadjet-Bast. Bast is the Goddess of Felines (Lions & Cats), and is also considered a protector Goddess. The Eye of Wadjet is also said to be able to allow the dead to see, so acts as something like a point between Life and the Afterlife, where they are both connected.

In the Center of the Eye of Wadjet is the Borjgali. The Borjgali is a Georgian symbol for the Tree of Life and Eternity as well as the Continuity between Past, Present and Future. The Roots of the Tree are the Past and the Branches are the Future. The Tree of Life can be found in many Religions, for example in Christianity/Judaism there is the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil (which Adam and Eve supposedly ate from) and the Tree of Life, which they were banished from eating from after eating from the Tree of Knowledge. It can be found in Judaism as the Sephirot. But before any of the Bible (New or Old Testaments) were ever written, the Tree of Life was an Egyptian Symbol, where it represented the Hierarchical chain of events that brought everything into existence. The Tree of Life can also be found in various Native American traditions.

At the Top Center of the image is Khepri, or "The Keeper", who is a God represented by a Scarab (Dung Beetle). The Scarab is something like an Egyptian Butterfly but with added symbolism, because it goes through a Metamorphosis to become a Beetle, then creates balls that it rolls around and puts its eggs in to start the whole process over. This was seen as a symbol of eternity, creation & rebirth, and the Beetle pushing the ball was seen as representative of the force that moved the Sun across the sky. Khepri was also known as the Morning Sun, while Ra was the Mid-Day sun and Atum was the setting Sun.

In the Top left corner of the Image is an Ankh. The Ankh represents Life, and connected all Ancient Egyptian Religious Sects. Whether you primarily Worshiped Ra or Thoth or Set or Horus or Bat, etc, and whatever combination you Worshiped them in, every Sect was connected by the Ankh. Every year a Bull was Selected to be  the Apis Bull or Mnevis Bull, representative of the God Apis or Mnevis, who took the form of a Bull. And this Bull would live in Par-Oh, treated like a king for a year, then at the end of the year the Bull would be sacrificed to cleanse everyone of their sins. You may think that that is a strange thing for a Religion to do, treating a Bull so well, but it still happens in India, but they do not sacrifice Cattle, they protect them.

Below the Ankh is the Symbol for Venus (Planet & Goddess of Love), now known as the Symbol for Female. And below that is the Symbol for Mars (Planet & God of War), now known as the Symbol for Male.

To the Right of the Ankh (looking at the image, not from the perspective of the image), closer to the center, is the God Ra. Ra (pronounced Ray) is the Sun God, and the Creator God. He is also the Father of Apis.

Across from Ra is Hathor. Hathor is the Mother of Apis and is depicted with Horns, Horns were not a symbol of Evil spirits or Demons in Ancient Egypt (and many other Cultures) but as a symbol of the spirit residing within a person or represented that the figure was a God. The Ba in Ancient Egypt was 1 of 5 Souls a person has, and the word Ba also means "Ram", so the Ba was symbolized by a Ram or Horns. For example, even Alexander the Great (who claimed to be a Demi-God, like the later Jesus) was depicted with Horns on his coinage to represent his Divinity. Hathor was Closely related to, and eventually absorbed the Goddess Bat, who was a Horned Goddess from Pre-Dynastic Egypt (before King Scorpion, aka The Scorpion King, brought the Upper and Lower Kingdoms together) who represented Duality. The 2 Kingdoms of Egypt (upper and Lower), the Two Banks of the Nile River & the Past and Future.

In the Upper Right Corner is the Shivalingam, which represents the God Shiva, and is very similar to the Ankh. Shiva is the Lord of Bhang, Lord of Dance and Lord of Meditation, as well  as various other things. He is primarily known as the Destroyer of Obstacles. This is different than many other Religions. In Hinduism the Creator God is the Creator of Obstacles, the Destroyer God is the Destroyer of Obstacles. And these 2 Gods are part of a Trinity: Creation, Destruction & Preservation, which are all actually just Creation, they are not 3 separate acts and must all work together  in order for Creation as a whole to exist.

Below the Shivalingam is the Symbol for Earth (the Circle with a Cross through it, representing North, South, East and West, or the Horizon and Movement of the Sun) next to the Symbol for Jupiter. Jupiter being Horus or Zeus.

On the left, below the Symbol for Female and Male/Venus and Mars, is the Gordian Knot. The Gordian Knot is a Knot that was said to have no end, so it could not be untied. One existed in Phrygia (in modern day Turkey) and it was said that whoever could untie it would be King. So Alexander the Great came and chopped it in half.

Below the Gordian Knot is the Symbol for the Moon (Luna) and below that the Symbol for the Sun (Apollo).

Below that is the Tanit, which is a Symbol similar to the Ankh and Shivalingam, and is a Symbol and Goddess from Carthage which was the prominent Empire of the World before Rome existed, it was located in North Africa. Tanit is equal to the Moon Goddess Astarte.

To the Right of Tanit is a Phrygian Cap on top of a Pole (together they are called a Liberty Pole and are most likely the origin of flags) which is a hat that originated in Phrygia. The hat symbolizes Liberty and was worn by freed slaves in Ancient Rome, the Symbol of the hat on a Pole first originated after the Tyrant Julius Caesar was assassinated. The Phrygian cap can be found today on various Seals around the world, such as the Seal of the US Senate or the Seal of the US Army. It was and is a Popular symbol in France (where many modern ideas of Liberty Originated, hence the Statue of Liberty). It is also a Symbol of the God Mithra.

In the Center at the Bottom is the Symbol for Infinity, similar to Khepri in meaning.

To the Right of that is the Egyptian hieroglyphics for Punt, which is an Ancient Civilization which has never been found, but is older than Egypt (Egypt being over 4,000 years old), the Egyptians called it "The Land of the Gods" and there is evidence that they did trade with the people of Punt.

And to the Right of that is a Tanit, or a Bull with a Sun Disk on its head.

So all together the image tells a story of various Cultures and various Gods throughout history.