A sign of good in different cultures. Selected examples

Cultures and beliefs that existed earlier andappearing now, there is a large number, and therefore a variety of signs and symbols that can play both a positive and a negative role, is enough for every taste and color.

It's funny that we wear different signs,sometimes about it without even suspecting. And it's not about damage or deliberate action, no. Just all the letters, stripes, inscriptions that manufacturers make on clothes, are not very often subjected to preliminary analysis. And it is possible that if you go to church, somewhere on your trousers or shirt there will be a satanic sign.

In general, you can divide the characters into three categories: (success, wealth, hope, strength, steadfastness, determination, etc.), personifying evil (signs of demons, devils in different cultures) and uniting both sides.

Open palm (hamsa)

This sign of good was long esteemed by manyreligions. Jews, Arabs, Phoenicians, even ancient Christians endowed it with forces that guard against evil eye and spoilage. In India, even there is a tradition to draw an open hand on the bride's house as a sign of goodness and happiness for a new family.

A cat in the Egyptian cult

For the ancient Egyptians, the cat was an animal bearingsacred good. A vivid mention of this remained in the form of a picture of Bastet (a woman with a cat's head) who was the goddess of the sun, protecting pregnant women and children and personifying beauty, dexterity, grace and affection. For causing harm to any cat in Ancient Egypt punishable execution, but in general to this animal was treated as a member of the family and even embalmed after death to rest in a separate sarcophagus.

Wolf

Continuing the theme related to the animal world, you canto judge the two-valued use of the wolf as a symbol. In some cultures he was the personification of evil, deceit and cruelty, in others (as a sign of goodness) symbolized courage and victory, courage and heroism. The Egyptians, he was the embodiment of military valor. In the same Romans, the wolf was the animal symbol of the god Mars.

Lotus in ancient myths and legends

The symbol of time, since it simultaneously hasseeds, flowers and unblown buds (past, present, future). The lotus is also the personification of the sun, because at sunrise, passing through the water column, it dissolves, and at sunset the petals close again and go under the water to the muddy bottom where it originated and sprouted. The flower is also a symbol of life, because, having got into infertile soil, its seeds can lie 150 years in anticipation of better conditions. The lotus is one sign of good from the eight that are listed in Chinese Buddhism. It is the symbol of the Buddha himself. Prosperity, determination, family harmony, firmness, honesty are just a brief list of the mystical properties associated with this beautiful and unusual flower.

Yin Yang

Who has not heard of this sign? Probably, this is the most popular sign of good and evil from all Chinese culture. This symbol perfectly illustrates the duality of the universe and emphasizes that both good and evil are vibrations of the same field. Two parts, white and black, are opposites that constantly interact, pass into each other and can not exist separately. There are always two opposite and inseparable sides.

Ankh

This is the Egyptian sign of good, life, fertility,reincarnation. Do not confuse him with the cross, which is characteristic of Christianity, because the god of Ra was worshiped in a completely different way. According to the writings of the ancient Egyptians, Ra despised virginity and was the god of fertility, life, and therefore the offerings looked correspondingly (orgy). Yes, mass orgies in worshiping God. You say, debauchery? You can argue.

Badge of good until recently

Symbol used from ancient times, even ineveryday life (it was painted on plates, vases, houses, weapons), signifying movement, a sign symbolizing the sun, life, light and prosperity, found a negative color in the second half of the twentieth century. That's right, it's a swastika. This sign of good, whose photo is represented in the form in which it was used by German Nazis, is not very good, it has other forms. This symbol exists in the form of three-, five- and six-pointed stars with gently curved ends.

It is such an image as a sign of good to present for review will be superfluous. We hope that this article will help you navigate in the world of symbols.

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