The triangle is one of the first geometric figures that began to be used in the ornaments of ancient peoples. In Ancient Egypt, it was rectangular and was the embodiment of the triad of spiritual will, love and the higher mind of man.
The triangle is a symbol of the triune nature of the universe: Heaven, Earth, Man; father, mother, child; man as body, soul and spirit; mystical number three; three, the first of the flat figures. Hence the symbol of the surface in general. The surface consists of triangles (Plato).
An equilateral triangle symbolizes completion.
In the Ancient East, the triangle was revered as symbol of the nature of all things. A triangle with a vertex connected to the same geometric figure was used by pharmacies as an emblem of the time cycle.
The hermeneutic tradition knows many types of triangles with different interpretations.
Tara Yantra
Downward facing triangle, is lunar and has the symbolism of the feminine, womb, water, cold, nature, body, yoni, shakti. Symbolizes the Great Mother as a parent. The horizontal line is the ground; its color is white. In the symbolism of the mountain and the cave, the mountain is a male triangle facing upward, and the cave is a female triangle facing downwards. In many goddess yantras, a triangle with a point downward is placed in the middle.
Triangle pointing up, is solar and has the symbolism of life, fire, flame, heat (hence the horizontal line symbolizing air), masculinity, lingam, shakta, spiritual world; it is also the trinity of love, truth and wisdom. Denotes royal grandeur and has the color red as its symbol.
Hexagram. When it is superimposed on the sign of the feminine principle described above, we get the Hindu emblem of the unification of the creative and generative principles - a hexagram.
In the Indian tradition, such a symbol was also interpreted as a sign of the love of the gods for everything earthly. In Europe, this geometric figure was known as the Star of David.
A triangle inscribed in a circle represents the world of forms contained in the circle of eternity. Plutarch, describing this geometric figure, called the space limited by the sides of the triangle the plain of truth, on which the images of everything that was and will be are located. Triangles can also act as a lunar symbol, then they are positioned horizontally and their vertices touch. The common point of these triangles symbolically denotes death and the new moon.
In the Buddhist tradition, two interlocking triangles represent pure flame and the Three Jewels of the Buddha.
Trinity and triangle
Since the early Christians, the triangle has been a symbol of the Holy Trinity. The equilateral triangle was interpreted as the equality and single divine essence of God the Father, God the Son and the Holy Spirit. Sometimes this symbol was made up of three intertwined fish. The symbol of the Trinity, according to Catholic tradition, was composed of three small triangles inscribed in one large one with circles on the tops. These three circles mean trinity, but each circle is independent and perfect in itself. This diagram illustrated the principle of trinity and at the same time the individuality of each component of the Holy Trinity.
Seal of Solomon
The Seal of Solomon is another name for David, formed by superimposing two triangles on top of each other, i.e. hexagrams. According to legend, King Solomon used this sign to control the spirits enclosed in a copper vessel. It is believed that the Seal of Solomon is a powerful amulet that can protect its owner from the influence of evil spirits.
Kepler's triangle
At the beginning of the 17th century. The famous astronomer Kepler compiled a diagram of the conjunction of the planets Saturn and Jupiter. This is what is called in astronomy the arrangement of the planets in which for an earthly observer the ecliptic longitudes are equal to zero, and the celestial bodies themselves are close to each other or even overlap. Kepler presented this phenomenon in the form of a triangle that rotates around the zodiacal circle, completing a full revolution every 2400 years.
Triangle in ancient architecture
In the ancient tradition, a triangle with its apex facing upward symbolized the desire of matter for spirit. Therefore, the pediments of ancient Greek temples in ancient times were made triangular and decorated in every possible way. Unlike later, more northern European buildings, the presence of a gable roof was not caused by climatic conditions. Ancient Greece had a warm climate and there was no snow in winter.
Triangles on vessels
In the Neolithic era, among early agricultural peoples, triangles in ornaments symbolized air, earth and fire. They are one of the most ancient symbols associated with agricultural work, nature and its calendar cycles.
Triangulum constellation
The exact origin of the name of this constellation is unknown. It got its name in the Ancient East; Phoenician sailors knew it and used it in navigation. For them, it symbolized a sacred pyramid-shaped stone. The Triangulum was one of the 48 classical constellations of antiquity. The ancient Greeks believed that this was the Nile Delta transferred to the sky, which indicates the Egyptian roots of the name of the constellation. Already in modern times, the constellations of the Southern Triangle and the Angle were identified in the starry sky.
Eye in a triangle
The symbol, graphically representing an eye inscribed in a triangle, called the “eye of providence” or the “all-seeing eye,” appeared in Europe in the 17th century. It is believed to go back to the solar eye of Horus of the ancient Egyptians. This sign became widespread in Baroque architecture, decorating the pediments of luxurious Catholic churches. In the 19th century, it also appeared on Orthodox churches, for example, on the pediment of the Kazan Cathedral in St. Petersburg. Christianity viewed it as a symbol of the Holy Trinity. At the same time, this symbol was also used by Freemasons, who interpreted it as a symbol of the absolute, enlightenment and higher knowledge. For Masons, the “eye of providence” is located above the chair of the master of the lodge, in order to thus remind of the wisdom of the Creator that permeates all mysteries.
A triangle in a circle signifies the world of forms contained in the circle of eternity. The area within such a triangle is the common center of them all and is called the Plain of Truth, on which are the cause, forms and images of everything that was and what will be; they remain there in peace, which cannot be disturbed, and Eternity surrounds them; and from here time, like the stream of a fountain, flows down into the worlds (Plutarch).
Three connected triangles denote the inviolable unity of the three persons of the Trinity.
The double triangle, the six-pointed star, the Seal of Solomon, Mogun David, says that every true analogy must be used in reverse, as above, so below. It is a union of opposites, male and female, positive and negative, with the upper triangle white and the lower black, fire and water, evolution and involution, interpenetration, everything is the image of the other, hermaphrodite, the perfect balance of complementary forces, the androgynous manifestation of the deity, man peering into its own nature, the dual forces of creation, the synthesis of all elements, with the triangle facing upward as a heavenly symbol, and facing downward as an earthly symbol, and together - a symbol of man, as uniting these two worlds. As the Seal of Solomon is the image of the Preserver; it gives spiritual power over matter and is the lord of the jinn.
Two triangles lying horizontally and touching their vertices are a lunar symbol, the waxing and waning Moon, eternal return, death and life, dying and resurrection. The point of contact is the new moon and death. Alchemists have two triangles - essence and substance, forma and materia, spirit and soul, sulfur and mercury, stable and changeable, spiritual force and bodily existence.
The triangles symbolizing are:
fire (pointing up),
water (top facing downwards),
air (facing the truncated apex upward),
ground (facing the truncated top down).
The Chinese the triangle with hanging swords symbolizes restoration.
Christians An equilateral triangle, or a triangle formed by three intersecting circles, symbolizes the Trinity in the unity and equality of its three constituent persons. Triangular radiance is an attribute of God the Father.
The Egyptians the triangle symbolizes the Triad. They compare the vertical side (of a right triangle) with a man, the horizontal with a woman, and the hypotenuse with their descendants: Osiris as the beginning, Isis as the middle or storehouse, and Horus as the completion (Plutarch). The hand of the Egyptians is the union of fire and water, man and woman. The figure of three double triangles surrounded by concentric circles symbolizes Khui, the Land of Spirits.
Among the Greeks delta symbolizes the door of life, the feminine principle, fertility.
The Indians the triangles facing up and down are Shakta and Shakti, Lingam and Yoni, Shiva and his Shakti.
Among the Pythagoreans The equilateral triangle symbolizes Athena as the goddess of wisdom.
Aztecs used the image of a triangle with the apex at the top, connected to an inverted triangle, as a symbol of the time cycle, o The Triangle combined with the cross forms the alchemical sign of Sulfur. Inverted, it means the completed Great Work.
An equilateral triangle, symbolizing, according to the Hebrew tradition, perfection, among Christians means Trinity - Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
The Masons the triangle symbolizes the Triplicity of the cosmos, and its sides are Light, Darkness and Time (base).
The triangle seen in a dream symbolizes the mother's womb of the cosmos.
In Ancient China the triangle is a “symbol of the feminine”, but does not play a significant role in speculative reasoning. In Tibetan Tantrism, the combination of two equilateral triangles in the form of a hexagram represents “penetration of the feminine by masculine fire.”
The symbolic sign "Heart of Hrungnir" of three intertwined triangles. Viking times. Gotland Island.
In Judaism and Christianity triangle is a sign of God. The God of the Christian Trinity is sometimes represented by an eye within a triangle or a figure with a triangular halo. Alchemists used triangles with points pointing up and down to represent fire and water. More generally, linear triangles or triangle-shaped compositions can represent triads of gods or other tripartite concepts.
Magic triangle Christian Theosophists have the famous “abracadabra”, to which they attributed extraordinary properties. When used as a magical formula, the word was usually inscribed in or arranged as an inverted triangle.
San jiao fu, or "Triangle Spell", is a piece of paper on which spells are written, folded into the shape of a triangle.
Gnostic amulets were varied in shape: triangular, rectangular, fire - Tejas - red - green - triangle.
Unions - all paired oppositions, perfect circle, intersecting circles, double triangle, androgyne, trees with intertwined branches, unicorn horn, yin-yang, lingam and yoni.
Vehicle or vehicle A device designed to transport people, goods or equipment installed on it on roads. Route vehicle A public vehicle: bus, trolleybus, tram, designed to transport people on roads and moving along a set route with designated stopping places.The geometric symbolism of space plays an important role in architecture: all round shapes express the idea of the sky, the square is the earth, the triangle symbolizes the interaction between the earth and the sky.
Traffic regulations P1 3.2
Prohibiting road sign 3.2 Prohibited traffic prohibits the movement of relevant types of vehicles in both directions.
The prohibition sign does not apply
The effect of the prohibitory sign 3.2 Traffic prohibited does not apply to route vehicles.
Action prohibition sign 3.2 No movement does not apply to vehicles of federal postal service organizations that have a white diagonal stripe on the side surface on a blue background, and vehicles that serve enterprises located in the designated zone, as well as serve citizens or belong to citizens living or working in the designated zone. In these cases, vehicles must enter and exit the designated area at the intersection closest to their destination.
Effect of prohibition sign 3.2 Movement Prohibition does not apply to vehicles driven by disabled people of groups I and II, to vehicles transporting such disabled people or disabled children.
Road sign 3.2 No Entry is not as strict as sign 3.1 No Entry or Brick
Road sign 3.2 No movement has a white friendly background, and a noticeable red border, and in certain cases allows movement under this sign. It is obvious that the developers of the sign showed a great sense of humor by strictly naming the sign Movement Prohibition, as if any movement is prohibited and you need to freeze in place when you see the sign, but at the same time, the traffic rules themselves allowed a whole circle of drivers to enter the sign’s coverage area from the nearest intersection.
And, conversely, a sign similar in name, which is called only 3.1 Entry prohibited or Brick According to the traffic rules, no traffic in its direction is allowed for anyone, except for route transport, even for disabled people or residents of nearby houses. And, such a violation of traffic rules may result in the deprivation of a driver’s license. Therefore, the background of the sign 3.1 Brick completely red, it blends in with the red rim of the prohibitory signs. The brick is depicted on the sign in white. Obviously, this is a sand-lime brick, and not an orange one made from baked clay, because the orange color would be less noticeable against a red background.
Now, you better remember what signs 3.1 and 3.2 are called, what they look like, how they differ, which one is stricter, although they are both good.
Each of us has seen symbol of the Taoist monad, but not everyone thought about the meaning of the black and white dots located in the center of the black and white areas. Ancient Chinese mythology says that Yin - Yang is a symbol of the creative integrity of diametricalities in the Universe. It is depicted in the form of a circle, which symbolizes the image of infinity. This circle is divided into two halves by a wavy line. One part is black, the other is white.
Inside the circle are symmetrically located two points: white on a black background and vice versa, black on white. These points tell the story that the two great forces of the universe carry within them the birth of opposition. Black and white fields means Yin and Yang, they are also symmetrical, but their symmetry is not static. Thanks to this symmetry, a continuous cycle occurs, and when one of the principles has reached its apogee, it is ready to retreat: “Yang, reaching the peak of its development, retreats before Yin. Yin, reaching its peak of development, retreats before Yang.”
Yin and Yang- these are two opposite and interchangeable principles that permeate the entire Chinese culture. The ancient Chinese believed that all manifestations of Tao were generated through the interaction of two diverse forces.
The division of Heaven and Earth was preceded by the primordial integrity of the world. Chaos was called the beginning of everything that exists. For the creation of the world, chaos had to disintegrate. It dissociated into 2 main elements: Yin and Yang.
Originally, Yin and Yang meant the dark and light sides of the mountain. From one point of view, they represented only different slopes of the mountain; from another, they were no different from each other. Their qualitative difference can be determined by a certain force, the sun, which illuminates both slopes in turn.
Yin and Yang correspond to the elements such as fire and water. The cycle of these elements includes 2 stages, which are symbolized with the elements of metal and wood. Thus, a transformation circle of Yin and Yang is formed, which has its own center. Emblem center of the circle- This is the element of Earth. Thus, a fivefold structure unfolds, combining Yin and Yang with the triad of creation, and therefore is a symbol of the universe.
Absolute and perfection. As an endless line, the circle symbolizes time in eternity, and as a macro-cosmic sign it forms the circle of the Zodiac. It is the oldest mystical symbol, traditionally representing Heaven, the Universe and Eternity. Sometimes depicted as Ouroboros - a snake biting its own tail. The void in the middle of the circle rarely remains unfilled: most often a square, or a cross, or an equilateral triangle, or a pentagram is inscribed in it. In any case, a figure inscribed in a circle symbolizes the relationship between the concept denoted by this figure and eternity. This, in particular, is the mystical meaning of the ancient problem of “squaring the circle”: having solved it, the adept comprehends the equivalence of Earth and Sky, Space and Time, Man and the Universe. In Egypt, a circle with a dot in the center was a symbol of man. The circle is an ancient pre-Christian sign of the wheel-sun. A complex symbol that connects the idea of perfection and eternity, the circle surpasses all other geometric shapes. A circle line is the only line that has neither beginning nor end and all points of which are equivalent. The center of the circle is the endless rotation of time and space. That is why, in the understanding of Masons, the circle is the end of all figures, since it contains the secret of creation. The circle is one of the most widely used figures to express the idea of eternity, since movement in a circle symbolically means a constant return to oneself. The circle that the hand moves on a watch dial or on a compass scale also marks a return to the point of departure. In Buddhism, the unity of the inner and outer worlds is symbolized by three circles. The first circle depicts a demon holding the 12 primordial causes in its mouth. In the inner circle, a chicken (voluptuousness), a snake (anger) and a pig (darkness) grapple. And the middle circle contains pictures of six categories: the kingdoms of people, gods, demons, animals, hell and suffering spirits. In Zen Buddhism, concentric circles signify the highest degrees of enlightenment and perfection in unity: therefore, yin and yang are depicted as enclosed in a circle. The temple of the pagan god, as it appears, in particular, in Italian painting since the 16th century, is, as a rule, a round building. Columns forming a round colonnade support the vault of the cathedral - this form was traditional in ancient architecture. Renaissance architects, following principles first formulated by the Italian scholar Leon Alberti in the 15th century, returned to the circle as the basic form of church building. The circle and sphere were considered the perfect form, consistent with the Renaissance concept of God, in which he was a cosmic intelligence taking the form of a sphere containing the entire cosmos—spirit, mind, and matter—in descending concentric spheres. In Christianity, concentric circles represent spiritual hierarchies or different stages of creation. For example, the circle is used symbolically in depictions of the sky as concentric choirs of angels and in the arrangement of the disciples standing around Christ. Three intersecting circles mean the Trinity, and an isosceles triangle with three circles is a monogram of the three hypostases of one God. The circle represents the sky as opposed to the square of the earth. The perfect geometry of a circle embraces the imperfections in the temporary world that arise over time. The squared circle is a common Kabbalistic sign signifying the divine spark hidden in matter. Adam Kadmon in the Kabbalistic pictogram is depicted enclosed in a circle. In turn, a square in a circle means the world of physical elements. The circle, like the monogram of God, denotes not only His perfection, but also His pre-eternity. A series of concentric circles, one inside the other, signifies space. The magic circle is an element of the traditional marking of a place for magical operations. As a rule, a special type of ring structure consists of three circles, i.e., two limbs and a central circle, inside which the magician performing the ritual is located. Most theorists and practical magicians claim that the circle has a protective function. Therefore, pentagrams and other signs that stop evil spirits are certainly included in the limbs. There are many legends that spirits do not see a magician who is in a circle, but can tear him to pieces if the magic circle is violated. Source: Hall J. Dictionary of plots and symbols in art. M., 1999; Encyclopedia of mystical terms. M., 1998; Encyclopedia of symbols, signs, emblems. M., 1999; Sheinina E. Ya. Encyclopedia of symbols. M., 2001.
Magic has always attracted people. In this sense, our time is no different from other eras. Nowadays a very popular symbol is a star in a circle. Let’s try to figure out what this picture means and where it came from in this article.
The history of the pentagram
This term is composed of the Greek words “ penta gramma", which means five lines . According to archaeologists, it arose approximately 4000 -3500 BC and is associated with the Sumerian civilization:
- Ancient astrologers, observing the movement of Venus across the sky, depicted its trajectory during the passage of the entire zodiac circle in the form of a complex figure in which 5 curls stand out. When they are connected, a pentagram is formed;
- The ancient Greek scientist and thinker Pythagoras considered it geometrically perfect due to the fact that it has the so-called “golden” ratio. He made this conclusion based on the results of his calculations. The figure was a distinctive sign for the community of Pythagorean disciples in the sense of harmony of body and spirit;
- The ancient Chinese world had its own concept Wu-shin about the five elements that form the world and are the basis of its existence, and their interaction can be schematically depicted by a pentagram, which is at the center of the worldview of ancient China.
It was revered by the Indians in America, and the Pentateuch of Moses was considered sacred by the Jews. Islam uses the image of a five-pointed star and crescent.
Five-pointed star in a circle: the meaning of the symbol
If a five-pointed star is placed inside a circle, you get a symbol called pentacle . You can also call a star pentagram , defining it as a geometric figure built on the basis of a regular pentagon, on the sides of which isosceles triangles are placed.
- In ancient times, it was customary to consider this symbol to promote power and authority, as well as help and protection. For this reason it was applied to amulets,
doors of houses, and in Ancient Egypt there was this type of hieroglyph. Among Arab magicians, the expression “seal of Solomon” was used when talking about the supernatural abilities of the famous king;
- In the writings of the medieval nun Hildegard, it was argued that the pentagram symbolizes man and even personifies God, who created him in his own image and likeness. Probably, the multiple of 5 played a role here - the number of our sense organs and limbs;
- In the 16th century, C. Agrippa, in his work “Occult Philosophy,” outlined the theory of “ microcosm", according to which the pentagram began to symbolize the spiritual activity of man in the world around him.
Later, magical and alchemical interpretations of this symbol will be discussed.
How does Christianity relate to magical signs?
Here there is a slightly different meaning of pentagrams:
- In its early period, people used an amulet with her image as a symbol of spiritual protection, which later became a cross;
- In the image of the biblical Star of Bethlehem, the symbol of a pentagram was also used, only with the ray directed downward. This is consistent with the explanation that in this way she pointed to the location of the newborn Jesus;
- Its five peaks were correlated with the number of wounds on the body of Jesus. If we take into account the trinity of God: father, son and Holy Spirit, and the simultaneous incarnation of Christ in the hypostases of divine and human existence, then in total this will amount to the same figure 5;
- Inverted pentagrams are found on icon paintings, for example, in the famous icon by A. Rublev about the Lord's transfiguration and descent into our sinful world;
- They were placed on coats of arms, robes of clergy, and decorated the walls and windows of temples and cathedrals. An example is the famous St. Petersburg Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood, which is mentioned in the famous song by Alexander Rosenbaum.
For Muslims, the sign is associated with the number of basic tenets of the religion or the number of daily prayers.
What does the pentagram “star in a circle” mean?
The symbol has many "names", depending on the interpreter, namely : Star of Isis, pentalpha(five alpha letters forming a pattern), pentageron etc.:
- The five peaks of the sign correspond to the five elements: the endurance of the earth, the courage of fire, the intelligence of air, the emotions of water, the divinity of the spirit. The circle symbolizes the superiority of the power of the spirit over the material;
- There is an alchemical explanation of the pentagram, set forth in the work of Baron Tschudi on the theme of the "flaming star" and relating to the Freemasons, who considered it a symbol of human genius, an illumination;
- At the center of magical interpretation lies inverted pentagram which is called sign of Satan. The perception of him as a symbol of evil is associated with the name of the Frenchman Eliphas Levi, after the life of Alphonse Louis Constant, an occultist. He made such a statement in the mid-19th century. No such interpretations were recorded before him, and a number of his modern followers consider this expression figurative, referring to the assessment of the massacre of the Templar Order.
The twentieth century developed a “devilish” component in the interpretation of this symbol.
Pentagram with goat's head
When Levi wrote his teaching, his point of view did not produce a revolution in minds. This happened in the next century.
After the revolution of 1917, the symbolism in Russia changed: its basis was the red five-pointed star, which was used in the army, placed on orders, spiers of buildings and towers. In this regard, allegations appeared about the connection of the revolution with Freemasonry. The opinion of believers also changed for the worse;
Creation in the second half of the 60s of the 20th century in the USA Church of Satan , which chose an inverted pentagram with a goat’s head as its symbol, contributed to a significant change in people’s perception of it. He became associated precisely with the forces of evil. It is also called the “seal of Baphomet” (a bisexual demon).
The spread of this opinion was also “helped” by the wide advertising campaign of this organization, coupled with the horror films that appeared, where this magical sign was also used.
As a result of the incorrect position taken by some high-ranking church officials, she herself is often accused of having connections with “Satanists” due to the pentagrams depicted on temples.
Why do people like to watch mystery thrillers? They are attracted to something unknown, magical, for example, the sign “star in a circle”. We told you what this symbol actually means in this article.
Video: the most popular misconceptions about pentagrams
In this video, Leonid Olegov will talk about the real meaning of the star inside the circle, what mystical properties are mistakenly attributed to it:
