Symbols of the Sun

     Many different symbols have been used throughout history to represent the sun. Probably one of the earliest and most simple was the circle with a central dot. In Hinduism, this central dot was called 'bindu' and was meant to represent the spark of life within the womb. This same symbol was also once used as the alchemical symbol for gold, the most perfect of metals. 'Aureum' (Latin for gold), was a name derived from that of Aurora, the Greek goddess of the dawn (see post: Fire in the Sky).

Solar Cross

     In ancient Egypt, it was 'The eye of Ra (or Horus)' that stood for the all-seeing vision of God.

     The swastika is an ancient Indian symbol that is over 4000 years old. This same symbol, altered and stolen by the Nazis in the Second World War, originally was meant to represent the sun and the 4 directions of the compass.
     Other cultures have devised many more sun symbols: The 'Zia' of the region now known as New Mexico fashioned their sun symbol as a red circle with rays reaching out in the four cardinal directions.

Eye of Horus

     Many, perhaps most cultures saw the sun as a godly eye, looking down on its creation. It was the right eye of Horus that was the sun in Egypt. In Hindu culture, 'Sorya' the sun god, was called the 'Eye of Varuna'. In Persia, Mithras was the eye of Ahura Mazda (see blog: A Story of Brothers).

Swastika

     In Japan, the sun goddess 'Amaratsu' (see post: Worship of the Sun) was born from the left eye of 'Izangi', the sky-father creator. In Norse legend, 'Odin' gave his eye in exchange for knowledge, his remaining eye becoming the 'all-seeing, all-knowing' sun. At the apex of the pyramid on the American one dollar bill is the 'Eye of Providence'.

     In real life, if you are able to look at the sun during a solar eclipse, it really does look like the 'Eye of God' staring directly back at you.

   

Zia Sun Symbol

     *Sky worship: subject of research for the novel  The Tao of the Thirteenth God - Amazon Kindle.