The Emblem of the Theosophical Society is
composed of a number of symbols, all of which have been used from very
ancient times to express profound spiritual and philosophical concepts
about man and the universe. They are found in a variety of forms in the
great religions of the world and their universality is further shown by
their appearance in widely separated cultures. Each symbol studied
separately will yield a wealth of understanding. Taken together, as in
this emblem, they suggest a vast evolutionary scheme embracing the whole
of nature, physical and spiritual, and their study may lead the serious
inquirer to contemplate some of the deepest mysteries of
existence.
Partly because of their antiquity and partly because
of the difficulty of establishing their origin, the symbols cannot be
interpreted with a narrow precision. The interpretation here offered is
to be taken as suggestive of the truths they seek to convey rather than
as an exact statement of their meaning.
The Ankh:
In the centre of the two interlaced Triangles is what is known as the
Ankh (or the Crux Ansata). This comprises a circle surmounting the Tau
Cross (the type of cross which follows the shape of the letter 'T'). The
Ankh is an Egyptian symbol of great antiquity and it portrays the
resurrection of the spirit out of its encasement of matter, otherwise
expressed as the triumph of life over death, of spirit over matter, of
good over evil. This concept of the 'Resurrection' is found in all the
great religions.
The Interlaced Triangles (often called the Double Triangle, and known in
the Hebrew religion as the Seal of Solomon or the Star of David) are
surrounded by a serpent. This combination of the triangle and the
surrounding serpent symbolizes the created universe wherein creation is
limited in time and space.
The Triangles, looked at separately,
symbolize the three facets of the manifestation which is known as the
Trinity in various religions and personified in Christianity as God the
Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Ghost, and in Hinduism as Shiva,
Vishnu, and Brahma. The darker of the two triangles, which is
downward-pointing, and the lighter triangle, which is upward-pointing,
symbolize respectively the descent of the life of God into matter and
the ascent of that life out of matter into spirit, the perpetual
opposition between the light and dark forces in nature and in
man.
The Serpent: Apart from the
significance of its surrounding the triangles as mentioned above, the
serpent itself has always been a symbol of Wisdom. The Hindus call their
wise men 'Nagas' (a word meaning serpent). Christ adjured His disciples
to be as 'wise as serpents.' What is known as the Uraeus (or sacred
Cobra) seen on the forehead of a Pharaoh of Egypt denoted his initiation
into the sacred rites where knowledge was gained of the hidden wisdom.
The serpent swallowing its tail represents the 'circle of the universe,'
the endlessness of the cyclic process of
manifestation.
The Swastika is another of the numerous forms in which the cross is found.
It is the Fiery Cross, with arms of whirling flame revolving (clockwise)
to represent the tremendous energies of nature incessantly creating and
dissolving the forms through which the evolutionary process takes
place.
In religions which recognize three aspects of Deity, the
Swastika is associated with the third aspect, the Third Person of the
Trinity, who is the Creator: Brahma in Hinduism and the Holy Ghost in
Christianity.
The Aum: Surmounting the emblem is the sacred word of
Hinduism in Sanskrit characters, the three letters representing the
Trinity. There is also the idea of the creative Word of Logos sounding
throughout and sustaining the universe. 'In the beginning was the Word,
and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.' The emblem as a whole
symbolizes the Absolute, God, transcendent and immanent. God
transcendent-that is, in and beyond creation-(the sacred word AUM)
overshadows the cycle of manifestation (serpent) energized by the divine
activity (Swastika); and within this field of manifestation the linked
triangles of spirit and matter enshrine the symbol of immortality (the
Ankh), God immanent-that is, indwelling in all created
form.
Surrounding the emblem runs the motto of the Theosophical
Society, 'There is no Religion Higher than Truth.' Truth is the
quest of every Theosophist, whatever his faith, and every great religion
reflects in some measure the light of the one eternal and spiritual
Wisdom.
We have given here only a slight indication of the great
range and depth of meaning contained in the emblem of the Society. The
study of its symbolism is almost inexhaustible. Those who wish to pursue
this study in greater detail are referred to The Theosophical Seal
by Arthur M. Coon or to The Secret Doctrine, by
H.P. Blavatsky. The Hastings Dictionary of Religion and Ethics
and some general encyclopedias also contain useful articles on symbolism
in general and on particular symbols.
Go
to Top
Home ~ About the
Society ~
Early
History ~
Founders ~ Objects ~ Headquarters ~ Directory ~
Literature ~
Fundamentals of
Theosophy ~
Adyar Library & Research
Centre ~ The School of the
Wisdom Courses ~
International
Conventions
~ Forthcoming
Events ~
Contact us
