Sathya ..... a facinating symbol except for ...
Posted by Catherine Cartwright Jones on March 14, 2000 at 18:56:16:
In Reply to: question about a symbol on henna pattern posted by Lucida on March 14, 2000 at 17:37:03:
In many civilizations, the bent-armed cross symbol (swastika) once was
a symbol of health, well-beiing and good fortune. It was generally
regarded as a symbol of the sun. I've seen it in art from 7000 years
ago. It has certainly been an auspicious symbol in India thousands
of years, as well as nearly all of Asia and in Native America. In
Buddhist art, the swastika was the heart of the Buddha. A very
unpleasant ( and un-Buddha-like)little man named Adolph spoiled that
symbol for all of us in the 1940's.
The swastika, called "Sathya" in India and "Wan" in China, has been
one of the most widespread and long used patterns in Indian religious
art .... and in Indian henna and Rangoli also. The good thing about
the Indian Sathya is that there are endless variations that carry all
the good vibes of the sun wheel, without the bad vibes of the Nazis.
If you want henna patterns, and some rangoli patterns that are Sathya
patterns that DO NOT look like the Nazi symbol..... email me. I can
email you gifs of sathya and wan patterns. Sathyas (swastikas, wans)
are beautiful patterns, with a (mostly) wonderful history.
