Another ancient symbol of love, the harp bears a variety of meanings across different cultures. In Celtic culture, the harp represents a bridge of love, connecting heaven and earth. In Norway and Iceland, it’s believed the strings of the harp form a ladder, symbolizing the ascent to higher...
of a wheel to represent the completeness of the Dharma. By connecting the eight spokes, these Buddhist symbols show how the steps of the Eight Fold Path are connected, as are the three jewels at the center. The symbol of the Dharma Wheel provides inspiration and peace for the Bhodisatva (...
This is because the Chinese word for the crab's shell (jia 甲) has the additional meaning of "first" as in achieving the highest score in the examination to become a government official. An example of a charm depicting a crab with this hidden meaning can be seen at Eight Treasures. ...
The Staff of Hermes has been used to signify medical centers for centuries. Snakes in ancient Greek culture were used in healing rituals and the shedding of the skin was seen as regenerative. Water Found in the earliest system of Chinese iconography, this is a nearly universal symbol for water...
Nathaniel Hawthorne’s use of symbolism in The Scarlet Letter conveys the theme that everyone has the potential to find purpose in life regardless of their place in society. This idea strongly opposes the ideas of a puritan society which consists of people who live based on their predetermined ...
In Western culture, the owl is a symbol of wisdom, which dates back to Ancient Greece where the owl was the symbol of the goddess of wisdom, Athena. The owls on the headstone carvings above were both carved into limestone in sunken relief. ...
The deep brown ink originally used, adinkra aduru, is created by boiling the bark of the Badie tree with scraps of iron. Adinkra symbols continue to evolve to this day depicting historical events, technological improvements, and changes to Ghanaian culture. Ancient and Modern Day Uses Bidding ...
Some Earth symbols correspond with animals, and this will vary from culture. Some Native American tribes saw the Earth as existing on the back of a giant turtle. Other cultures stemming from Central and South America associate the Earth with a giant snake. The circle with four quadrants ...
This cycle continues because the soul desires to live, so that it can enjoy the pleasures of life. However, the Upanishads teach that nothing the soul might encounter in this world will ever bring it true peace; this cycle (samsara) is forever unsatisfying. Eventually, a soul recognizes the...
The 16th century in Italy was an era of great cultural ferment, characterized by an intense exchange of ideas, goods and influences between the various European powers and the neighboring Eastern Empires, including the Ottoman Empire. Despite the climate