The Swastika And Symbolism In Hinduism

“Ironically, it was subsequently to die out in the very area it had originated, and was re-absorbed into Hinduism in India in the seventh century (although it has survived among the mountain people of the Himalayas and on the island of Sri Lanka).”(Park)

Around the world, people believe Hinduism isn’t a religion, but a way of life. Michael Molloy states, “Hinduism is not a single, unified religion; it is more like a family of beliefs (75).” It was constructed from the Aryans who brought it into India in 1500 BC. The religion is one of the dominant religion in India over centuries. “Hinduism is the religion followed by about 70 percent of the roughly seven hundred million people of India. Elsewhere, with the exception of the Indonesian island of Bali, Hindus represent only minority

What is the cultural significance behind the spiral symbol in various societies throughout time? Specifically, what are the similarities that connect these broad civilizations to the spiral symbol and how can one establish an interconnection between the symbol and the collective unconscious? TS AND TRANSITION SENTENCE

usually symbolizes death, and it tends to be used in connection with death. Furthermore, in

Scholars stressed that the role of Indian colonizers brought Hinduism to reflect the ideology that emphasizes on Southeast Asia. Hinduism spread throughout India by certain people and territory (Strayer, 183). Hinduism became part of the Indian civilization for the different people that migrated or invaded into Southeastern Asia (Strayer, 133).

Many symbols and gestures can be interpreted in many different ways. Symbolism and Body Language are naturally open to more than one meaning and interpretation. Let us exercise the rational abilities that God gave us to think critically toward the topic and examples offered while yet using our spiritual gifts to discern in the Spirit the Absolute Truth of the matters as

The Swastika originated over 3,000 years ago as symbol of good luck. (Symbology) It was very common from about 1,000 B.C. and was used in many cultures around the world, including China, Japan, India, and Southern Europe. By the middle ages it was well known and used every day by these cultures. Native Americans were another important culture to use the Swastika. It represented different meanings to various Native American tribes. It was a symbol the ancient Mississippian culture used to communicate their history, thoughts, ideas, and dreams. (Swastikas) These people were better known as the Mound Builders. They associated great mystical value to the Swastika and their sacred rites and rituals. These were special ceremonies. The Swastika to them helped recognize a whirling or turning motion. They saw the Swastika as a symbol of the sun, the four directions, and the four seasons. The

Symbols are often used outside of their original context. An excellent example is the Swatiska whose original idea was auspiciousness and “that which is associated with wellbeing. This symbol has been around for over a thousand years in the Hindu, Buddha and Jainism religions and is still used today in eastern parts of the world without any one trying to get rid of it.

Symbolism is a way we can express our beliefs or ideas through physical objects; however, they also divide people into groups. A paragon of this situation is the

The Hinduism belief system holds very little similarities to Confucianism or Daoism. The Aryans had spread the earliest part of Hinduism from northern Europe down to India. Hinduism's earliest beliefs were brought to India by migrating Aryans in 1700 BC. The earliest beliefs of Hinduism are credited to the Vedas. The Vedas are the oldest Indian document to Hinduism.

Although the US is a cultural mixing pot, controversial issues arise when it comes to our understanding of one another. Living as a Hindu in the United States, my perception of what it means to be Hindu has been assaulted by outside sources all the time. Many undevout and careless Hindus have already crippled their “dharma,” the religious codes of conduct. However, loyal Hindus like me live by a certain set of ideals. For example, we choose not to eat meat, onions or garlic, not to drink alcohol, or use illegal drugs. Finally, we adorn ourselves with a red dot called a “chandlo”, made from saffron powder, along with a U-shaped paste called a “tilak”, made from sandalwood paste; this entire symbol is called a tilak chandlo. I started doing

Although we do not know the exact time that Hinduism began, it is believed to be over 4,000 years old. There have been overlapping civilizations in India that may have molded the religion into what it is now (Kinnard 1). Around 2,000 B.C.E., located near the great Indus River, the Indus Valley Civilization, who worshipped many goddesses, may have been the very beginning of the shaping of Hinduism. Near the end of the Indus Valley Civilization around 1,500 B.C.E., a new society surfaced in India. Believed to be brought by the central Asian Aryans, the Vedic religion began (Kinnard). The Aryans’ practices included the sacrifice of animals and other offerings to their gods into a sacred fire. The gods they worshipped were mainly gods of nature such as the fire god and the plant god (flood). This era was the time of the Vedas, which are scriptures describing rituals to please the gods (Kinnard). Later, around 1,000 B.C.E., priests called Brahmins began to reject the materialistic ways of the Vedic tradition and began to adopt practices

This symbol is very powerful, which is fulfilled with the some invisible powers which can protect you from the bad energies. The hamsa hand is considered the hand of Fatima, which become symbol for the happy life. As in the Indian culture the swastika is considered the symbol for the good luck and happy life, in the African religion this symbol have the same meaning. But now this symbol has become very popular in all over world that it is used in all the religions of the world for peaceful happy life.

My interviewee Tony Khanna, a fellow co-worker, took me to his temple he goes to worship, on a Sunday evening. He took me to the Sri Meenakshi Devasthanam located in Pearland, Texas. The first thing I noticed upon arrival at the temple is the beautiful architectural building design outside. I was in amazement of how beautiful the temple was. I had not seen something so beautiful in quite awhile. The temple is visible from a quite a distance away and has two stunning white towers. When coming up to the temple from the parking lot Tony indicated to me that the temple was established in 1977 and was a replica of a famous temple in India. There was a huge white gate we had to walk through to get to the main temple. Once inside I was greeted by many Hindu's that were quite pleasant and talkative towards this outsider that I was. Before the visit one of my questions to Tony was if Hindu's welcomed outsiders within their temples. He indicated that Hindu's are very open and that I would be welcomed. I was quite surprised for this to be so true. With in the confines of the temple there were many different kinds of symbols that I was not quite familiar with. A couple that I noted was a Diya, Om, and Swastika. There were

Many people have different religions, traditions, and are raised in different cultures. Different body piercings as well as tattoos can show peoples different religious beliefs, views, and represent what culture or religion they are a part of. Some different religions forbid tattoos as they are natural. Buddhism is an example of a religion where tattoos are promoted. In the Buddhist religion tattoos represent keeping the strength in a time of crisis. Comparing the Buddhist