What religious / "spiritual" symbolism is the most important to you?

[1137]

I mean anything; what symbol (a deity, a concept, an actual symbol) is the most important to you? This is not a debate per say but I am quite interested and think it would be good for this popular page (staff please feel free to move it). Provide pictures, description, explanation, etc.

 

[1137]

I chose two different ones. The first and lesser one is the Egyptian deity Thoth. He is one of my favorite symbols of all time, and I keep a statue of him in a location where it can almost always be seen. He represents and awful lot to me that touches on the most basic aspects of my personal path; knowledge, balance, plus writing and the sciences.

More important to me is the Septagram (also and commonly called the Heptagram). This holds many, many meanings for me. First of all, it is a symbol for the seven planets of ancient alchemy, representing a universe in balance (balance in general) as well as the great work, the symbolic transmutation of the Self from lead into gold. Next, it represents the great mother, the feminine energy of the universe (symbolic for me), plus Babalon and the City of the Pyramids in my interpretation of Thelemic beliefs. Following that, it represents balance and therefore Self-mastery, Self-perfection, etc. On top of that, it represents the 7th sphere of the Tree of Life in Jewish mysticism (touching on my birth religion) which stands for victory and eternity. Finally, it represents completion. I wear one around my neck almost every waking hour as well have one on my wall and will soon have a tattoo of one.

 

[LuisDantas]

Shakti (the Hindu concept of a feminine motivating principle) for me.

The runner-up is the concept of Dharma (a doctrine that is inherited and taken care of with some degree of personal responsibility).

 

[1137]

Shakti (the Hindu concept of a feminine motivating principle) for me.

The runner-up is the concept of Dharma (a doctrine that is inherited and taken care of with some degree of personal responsibility).

Ah myself as well (see my avatar haha).

 

[Muffled]

Tongues of fire when the Paraclete came upon believers.

 

[Jainarayan]

Unfortunately I cannot resize this down. This picture is a representation of Krishna's Cosmic Form. Along with the text below, it represents to me that He is Supreme God, Svayam Bhagavān, with all of creation within Him and being Him.

The Blessed Lord said: "Behold My mysterious Divine Power! Source and support of all objects, and yet not limited by them!" Bhagavad Gita 9.5

"With a single fragment of Myself I pervade and support this entire universe." 10.42

"...Behold the many things which no one has ever seen or heard before. Whatever you wish to see can be seen all at once in this body. This universal form can show you all that you now desire, as well as whatever you may desire in the future. Everything is here completely." 11.6-7

[Sanjaya, the narrator]: Arjuna saw in that universal form unlimited mouths and unlimited eyes. It was all wondrous. The form was decorated with divine, dazzling ornaments and arrayed in many garbs. He was garlanded gloriously, and there were many scents smeared over His body. All was magnificent, all-expanding, unlimited. This was seen by Arjuna. If hundreds of thousands of suns rose up at once into the sky, they might resemble the effulgence of the Supreme Person in that universal form. At that time Arjuna could see in the universal form of the Lord the unlimited expansions of the universe situated in one place although divided into many, many thousands. 11.10-13

 

[Jainarayan]

I might add that these are very similar representations of the power and universality of one God. Again, sorry for the sizes. I don't think there is a resize function.

Transfiguration of Jesus:

 

[arthra]

For Baha'is I think the calligraphic Greatest Name is the most significant as it is symbolic and meaningful...

I'll share from an essay here:

This part of the symbol comprises three levels, each level indicated by a number. Together they represent the underlying belief which is the basis of all the religions of God. They are as follows:

(1) The World of God – The Creator
(2) The World of the Prophets or Manifestation – Cause, or Command
(3) The World of Man – Creation.

Explanation of the Symbol of the Greatest Name

also:

http://www.spiritual-education.org/ringstone.pdf

 

[Quintessence]

I probably will not post an image, but the symbol of my path is a variant on the sun cross with personal symbols for the Four Elements inscribed in the corners. There are many versions of it that are more or less elaborate depending on how much space I have to draw it or what it is being used for. I typically have a pentacle at the center of it as well. In the post-your-altar thread, the stained glass hanging above my altar space is one variant on the design, but it does not have the Elemental symbols in it (this was my first stained glass project, and adding them in would have been far more advanced than my skill level). It's the symbol I use because quite simply, the Four Elements are the foundation of my path, along with the Mystery of Quintessence that relates to them (represented by the pentacle at the center).

 

[Gjallarhorn]

Currently, a sigil of my HGA which I have dubbed Zephon/Xaphan/Typhon. Can't exactly link it because I haven't scanned/sketched it digitally but think of a wonky spirally swastika.

 

[Iti oj]

Heart. Peace Sign. Smilie face.

 

[crossfire]

Heart. Peace Sign. Smilie face.

Yeah, I'll have to go with the smilie face, too.

Other favorites:

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and
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and " "

 

[Gjallarhorn]

Yeah, I'll have to go with the smilie face, too.

Other favorites:

?
and
!
and " "

This must be your favorite:

 

[crossfire]

This must be your favorite:

LOL. Kinda like the Chi Rho?

I like these, as well:

؟¿

 

[Iti oj]

hahah awesome

 

[dyanaprajna2011]

The most important for me would have to be the dhammachakra, the eight spoked wheel of the dharma. The meanings to it's symbolism are nearly limitless. The wheel itself represents the cyclic nature of samsara; the eight spokes represent the Noble Eightfold Path, and most have a rim, divided into three sections, that represent the three poisons. Past this, nearly any Buddhist teaching can be derived from some part of the symbol.

 

[The Sum of Awe]

Definitely the 4 elements of nature are the most powerful of the symbols spiritually for me when I use them in rituals; they give me a lot of energy.

As for an actual symbol, the one as my avatar is the most important to me as it is greatest for me of "symbols", so far in my experiences at least.

 

[idea]

The atonement is the big one for me - the ultimate sacrifice, the ultimate love, the ultimate understanding and empathy.

 

[Badran]

It's a concept, rather than a symbol.

I'm not religious, but when i was, and even now in the form of hope; the concept of an afterlife. In general. This has always been one of the most important aspects for me.

Second to it is the concept of justice and the idea of a god(s).

This might be missing the aim of this thread, and if so, i apologize.

 

[Twig pentagram]

I mean anything; what symbol (a deity, a concept, an actual symbol) is the most important to you? This is not a debate per say but I am quite interested and think it would be good for this popular page (staff please feel free to move it). Provide pictures, description, explanation, etc.

The heavens is the most important symbol to me. Pictures of the universe are so awe inspiring.