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.
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