The swastika is one of the most recognizable symbols of modern evil, racism, and tyranny, still used to spread hatred in some part of the world. While many are aware that the swastika had a history as a good luck symbol especially in Asian region. Not many know how widely the symbol was used across many cultures all around the globe.
1. Hindu Communites
Called svastika in Sanskrit, it is a symbol of auspiciousness in Hinduism. The auspicious symbol of the swastika is very commonly used in Hindu art, architecture and decoration. It can be seen on temples, houses, doorways, clothing, cars, and even cakes most commonly in India and Nepal. It is usually a major part of the decoration for festivals and special ceremonies like weddings.
2. Tibet
The swastika is also believed to be an emblem of Fohat, which is the name of a form of cosmic electricity. Madame Helena Blavatsky defined it as “the active (male) potency of the Shakti (female reproductive power) in nature.” Basically, the swastika has been tied to extremely powerful life forces in certain belief systems.
3. Eastern Europe
Early European cultures used the swastika as a spiritual symbol. It was actually linked to the most powerful Norse god, Thor. It is believed that his famous hammer left behind the mark of the swastika. Others believe that it was symbolic of the fact that the cosmos revolved around the universal axis, known as Yggdrasil.
4. Greece
An ancient Greek symbol that looks similar to the swastika is called the gammadion. It resembles four capital letters of their alphabet connecting in a common center.
5. Finland
In Finland, the swastika has been considered a symbol of good fortune for thousands of years. It’s a huge part of their history and culture. A straightened version of the swastika has been worn on clothing and jewelry for centuries.
6. Buddhist Communities
In Buddhism, the swastika is a very important symbol meaning “the resignation of the spirit.” It is considered to be the seal of Buddha’s heart, and can be seen on his chest in various works of art.
7. Early Christian Communities
Early Christians used the swastika as a symbol for Christ. It represented the cross of Jesus Christ, and it was used regularly when Christians were being persecuted by Romans. Priests back then even had swastikas stitched into their robes.
8. Navajo Regions
Native American cultures considered the swastika a symbol of good fortune. People of the Navajo tribe used it in designs for rugs and silverware to represent the four winds.
9. British Literature
British author Rudyard Kipling used the swastika as a stamp on his books. The swastika appeared on many of his works. While he was kind of a problematic guy, he did openly hate Nazism, and he removed the stamps from subsequent publications after Nazis adopted the symbol.
10. The Raelian Movement
A UFO cult leader named Rael adopted both the swastika and the Star of David to use in rituals. Rael believers say that the Star of David represents infinity in space, while the swastika represents infinity in time. Since this is a fairly modern movement, the group has received a lot of backlash for their use of the swastika.
(Source – Listverse)