What does the sun symbol mean? What do sun amulets mean in magical practice?

Slavic symbols of the Sun occupy a special place in the life and culture of our ancestors. This phenomenon is easy to explain. After all, for the Slavs the Sun, as an integral part of nature and the environment, was the personification of something divine, higher. It is the reason for life on earth, the key to a good harvest and fertility. And to add a drop of the Sun to every object of life, the Slavs used special symbols.

Signs and symbols among the Slavs, one way or another connected with the Sun, are called solar. They are usually based on a swastika with a different number of rays, the direction of their movement and other differences. They are the most famous, popular and widespread in Slavic culture. Almost no embroidery, no pattern could do without “solar” symbols.

In addition to the usual symbols of the Sun among the Slavs, there were also those that are signs of the gods. After all, in the pagan pantheon there were several patron deities of the heavenly body. For example, Yarilo (god of the spring Sun), Dazhdbog (summer Sun), Khors and others.

Prominent representatives of the symbols of the Sun are the following:

• Kolovrat is a sign containing eight rays moving clockwise. He is both protective and attracts blessings.
• The solstice is a symbol that personifies the unity and strength of three sun gods - Yarila, Khors and Dazhdbog. He is depicted in almost the same way as Kolovrat, with the only difference that the direction of the rays rushes counterclockwise.
• Other symbols: Yarovik, Horse, Yarovtrat. They, as is clear from the names, are associated with the names of the gods.

What functions did solar symbols perform among the ancient Slavs? Firstly, they were decorations on clothing or household objects. Secondly, they protected their owner from evil, from the negative energy of other people, from damage, curses and the evil eye. Thirdly, they attracted solar energy into human life. And this, in turn, brought prosperity, land fertility and rich harvests. In addition, the symbols of the Sun made family relationships strong and contributed to the birth of large and healthy offspring.

The sun is the source of life and fertility. Humanity has long revered the luminary that warms the Earth, giving light and joy to the creatures inhabiting the planet. Therefore, almost every nation had its own authentic symbol of the sun, which they worshiped and brought gifts to.

Kolovrat

In Rus' this is what they called a cross with curves. Kolovrat is a symbol of the sun among the Slavs, which our ancestors interpreted as a “solstice”, or simply “rotation”. His image in the form of an ornament was often applied to the iconostases and altars of churches, vestments and military weapons and banners of the squad, roofs of houses and household utensils. Even to this day, fragments of these paintings have survived: they can be seen in the ancient churches of Novgorod, Kyiv and Chernigov. And excavations of Slavic settlements and burial mounds indicate that many cities had the clear shape of a Kolovrat, the rays of which pointed to the four cardinal directions.

The symbol personified Yarilo-Sun, and eternal light. He was a protective force for people, protection from the demons of hell and human aggression. It was not for nothing that the sign was painted on the red shields of courageous warriors who were going to fight to the death. Kolovrat caused panic among the opponents of the Russians, so for many centuries our valiant ancestors successfully resisted the invasions of other peoples and tribes.

Pagan Sun God

He had four forms depending on the time of year:

1. Sun-baby Kolyada. The winter luminary, weak and defenseless. Born early in the morning after the December solstice.
2. The youthful sun Yarilo. A strengthened star appearing on the day of the spring equinox.
3. Sun-husband Kupailo. The mighty luminary that rolled out into the sky in
4. The old sun shines. An aging and wise luminary, marking the day of the autumn equinox.

As we can see, the symbol of the sun constantly appeared in the calendar of our ancestors, indicating not only the change of season, but also These four days were important pagan holidays, during which the Slavs held dances and feasts, made sacrifices to the gods and praised them with ceremonial songs. In addition, the luminary constantly appeared in other rituals. For example, it is a symbol of Maslenitsa. During the farewell to winter, the sun was embodied in the form of pancakes: in this way, our ancestors called on the star to wake up and warm the Earth.

Eagle

If among the ancient Slavs the main talisman of man, the Kolovrat, and the symbol of Maslenitsa, the sun, were present during numerous rituals, then among other peoples of the world, solar signs were not so widespread. Of course, the luminary was revered all over the world, but only the Russians painted his image everywhere: from houses to small household items. They also believed that the symbol of the sun was the eagle. But the cult of this proud bird was even more worshiped in Greece and China.

These peoples did not choose the eagle by chance: its flight and life under the clouds were always illuminated by the rays of the star. People believed that the bird was a messenger of the gods, so it could fly to a star and even merge with it. The eagle symbolized height and which can soar into the skies. If he was drawn among lightning and thunder, he indicated courage and the ability to overcome any difficulties. In addition, Homer argued that a bird holding a snake in its claws is a symbol of victory.

Symbols of the sun among other peoples

The luminary was especially revered by the Indians who lived in Peru and Mexico. Like the Slavs, Greeks and Chinese, they worshiped the eagle: its feathers often decorated their headdresses, giving a person a certain status and granting him protection. In addition, the Incas depicted the star in the form of a man with a golden, disc-shaped face, while the Aztecs associated him with the god of war - Huitzilopochtli. Another Indian symbol of the sun is the same Kolovrat, which has several differences from the Slavic one: it was drawn in the form of a wheel, a swastika, a circle surrounded by rays or a simple disk.

Residents of Indonesia considered a cat's face to be a symbol of the luminary. In the USA, the sun was depicted with cunning in its eyes, and in Mallorca - sad. In Spain they believed that the moon was the ancestor of the star; among the Malays these two luminaries were spouses, and in Russian folklore they were sisters. The symbol of the sun is the chrysanthemum. And the Egyptians associated the luminary with a scarab. The ancient sun god Khepri was depicted here in the form of a beetle rolling the heavenly body through the clouds.

"Solar" deities

In Greece, Helios was considered such, in whose very name one could already feel the radiance of rays and the blaze of fire. He was often depicted as a powerful, handsome young man: his eyes sparkled, his hair fluttered in the wind, covered with a golden helmet or crown. Every morning he appeared in the sky in a solar chariot drawn by four winged horses.

For the Romans, the symbol of the sun is the god Apollo, the patron of light, art, science and agriculture. His weapon - arrows - was depicted in the form

As for the ancient Persians, Mithra was the embodiment of the luminary. It was painted as a stream of light that connects people with darkness.

In ancient Egyptian mythology, the sun god was Ra, represented in the form of a man, a huge cat or an eagle, whose head was crowned with a star. Summer drought and heat were considered to be wrath sent against people for their sins.

As we see, the Sun has been revered since time immemorial. Nowadays, he is also worshiped: museums dedicated to this luminary are even opened in different countries of the world.

Since ancient times, watching the change of seasons, people understood that everything in earthly life depends on the heavenly body. Therefore, among many peoples, the cult of the Sun was dominant, as evidenced by numerous archaeological finds.

The sun, which gives light, blessed fire, warmth, has become a symbol of the Creator himself. There are many known gods of ancient civilizations. People identified them with the heavenly bodies and gave them names.

In ancient Greek mythology, the sun god is Helios, who gives life and punishes apostates with blindness. The eastern shore of the ocean was his home. Every morning, on four winged horses harnessed to a golden carriage, he set off on his daily journey across the sky. Illuminating the earth with rays, it gave life-giving warmth and light. He completed his journey in the west, descending into the waters of the ocean, where the golden boat was waiting for him. Helios returned to his palace to again make a heavenly journey the next morning. He was a universal favorite among people, animals, and plants.

Apollo is the personification of the Sun among the Romans, one of the most significant deities of the Olympic pantheon. In later mythology, he is the patron of singers and musicians. Temples and sculptures were created in his honor. This image has not lost its meaning even today; it is the embodiment of talent and beauty.

The Egyptians worshiped the god Ra as the creator of all heavenly things. Many ancient images of a solar circle with wings have been found. Often the god was represented as a human figure with the head of a falcon, sailing in a boat across the celestial sphere. As ancient myths tell, the sky represented the curved body of the goddess Nut. She gave birth to the boat with Ra at dawn, swallowed it at sunset and night fell. In the morning everything was repeated again and God made his daily journey, giving life-giving warmth.

The eagle is the embodiment of the sun in ancient China. Here they worshiped this bird and believed that it could fly to the Sun and even reunite with it. He personified sublimity of spirit and courage. There are images of an eagle holding a snake in its claws, which is a symbol of victory.

The Sun is embodied in the chrysanthemum. In the modern world, this flower is an unofficial symbol of the country.

Slavic fire gods, meaning

Observing the annual cyclicity in nature, our ancestors personalized the Sun in four forms.

- son of the powerful Dazhdbog. He came to replace the old tired one and was depicted in the form of a baby. According to myths, he was born on the longest night. Its purpose was to prevent people from turning away from the path of the Righteous and to prevent Chaos from taking over the world. He was especially revered by the Magi as the giver of not only light, but also the wisdom of knowledge. Kolyada brought people a convenient chronology system. The very etymology of the word calendar contains Kolyada’s gift. The traditions of celebrating the birth of the young Sun have survived to this day, despite the fact that with the advent of Christianity, pagan holidays began to be supplanted. The most famous symbol associated with the newborn sun is. It is a swastika sign consisting of eight rays with ends bent to the left. It is considered to be of the Sun, giving strength of spirit and attracting good luck.

Yarilo - one of the four hypostases of the luminary among the Slavs. The personification of the spring Sun, which has gained strength. The youngest among the solar deities. They painted him in the form of a stately blue-eyed young man with golden curls. He is the embodiment of passion, physical love between a man and a woman, the god of fertility and childbirth. It was believed that it came into its own on March 21, when the day of the spring solstice arrived. Yarilo represents the face of the solar deity and was considered a talisman for young men. A similar sacred amulet was applied to clothing, the walls of houses, and even to ritual baked goods. This could only be done during the reign of Yarila.

Kupalo (Kupayla) - God of the Summer Sun. The Slavs considered his appearance to be the flowering of life and love. During the period when the crop has sprouted, but the time for harvesting has not yet come, you can think about procreation. The traditions of the Kupala holiday have survived to this day; for many nations it falls on the summer solstice. He was portrayed as a strong, mature man with golden locks. The symbol representing Kupalo is . An amulet of the Sun with such a symbol gives people protection from evil spirits, self-confidence, and prosperity.

Avsen (Ovsen, ) - the god of the autumn Sun, begins to reign from the day of the autumn equinox. According to Slavic mythology, he was considered the brother of Kolyada. They were depicted as a wise old man who ascends to the earth to help people in the harvest. In the epics of some peoples, Avsen comes in early spring, bringing gifts of fertility, distributing them among people. At the beginning of winter he dies only to be resurrected again. He paves the way for his brother, builds bridges between the past and the future. The symbol of this deity is Tausen. It consists of four double arrows pointing towards the center of a circle. The amulet will help you choose the right path in life. Promotes abundance and hard work.

Amulets from different cultures

Solar symbolism was expressed in several forms:

1. Wheel;
2. Spirit of deity;
3. Knot;

Sun amulet in the form of a disk with wings - refers to, personifying the body shape of the god Horus. A talisman with a similar image provides protection from evil forces and enemies. The owner of a magical item gains peace of mind.

- defined by scientists as the Aztec calendar, according to which the people of ancient civilization recognized astrological changes. Nowadays it is used as a talisman. The artifact will help you rationally balance your life cycle. The amulet will teach you how to benefit from any business.

-, the embodiment of strength and energy, the personification of the cycle of all things. It can bring victory over the enemy and even warm you up on a cold night.

Solar node - is a powerful amulet. were widely used as magical attributes, which every Slav could make with his own hands. Such a knot sometimes replaced the swastika and protected against various manifestations of black magic and witchcraft.

- amulet of the peoples of Scandinavia. Most often depicted on gold jewelry. The talisman brings prosperity and success.

- sacred little-known. Initially it was used only by the priestly caste. It is the sun of the dark world, use in ordinary life was prohibited. According to the folk epic, when the time of troubles came and darkness descended on the earth, the magic sign became available to mere mortals. The powerful energy of the sacred talisman was called upon to help survive. - a solar symbol symbolizing the three Slavic gods Dazhdbog, Khoros, . An amulet in the form of a double-sided swastika protected against evil spirits and witchcraft. Powerful solar energy gives strength and imparts wisdom.

Amulet "Kolovrat"

Amulet Sun and Moon - an amulet that unites the two luminaries of day and night. A symbol of self-renewal, it allows you to find peace of mind.

Amulet "Sun and Moon"

Activation of the amulet

An amulet purchased or made with your own hands is not enough to simply put on and wear. It needs to be “revitalized” by the energy contained in it, to transfer a particle of your own.

The Sun amulet is activated in the following way. Collect herbs: St. John's wort, chamomile, sage. Dry the collection and place it in a fireproof container and set it on fire. Hold the amulet over the emanating smoke while casting a spell. It is recommended to clean darkened metal talismans with salt. In addition, the Sun amulet needs to be recharged regularly. Before activating a purchased amulet, it must be cleared of foreign energy. For these purposes, it is enough to put it on salt for some time, which will absorb the accumulated negativity, or rinse it under running water. To recharge the talisman, just hold it in the sun from morning until sunset.

The effect of amulets associated with our sun is multifaceted. They give their owners responsiveness and kindness. Sun people are charming and sociable. Such items are necessary to recharge sexual energy and develop creative abilities.

The oldest cosmic symbol, known to all peoples, means life, the source of life, light. Such characteristics as supremacy, life-creation, activity, heroism, and omniscience are associated with solar symbolism. The solar cult is most developed in the Egyptian, Indo-European, Mesoamerican traditions. The image of a solar deity traveling in a chariot drawn by four white horses has been preserved in Indo-Iranian, Greco-Roman, and Scandinavian mythology. At the end of the Roman era, many deities were endowed with solar characteristics (Mithras, Christ). The Roman holiday in honor of the deity Sol Invictus (the invincible Sun), celebrated on December 25, the day of the winter solstice, was converted into Christianity as the holiday of the Nativity of Christ.

Augustine and Gregory of Nyssa associate the symbolism of this holiday with the birth of a new light in the world and the disappearance of darkness. The sun often acts as the original symbol of the supreme deity or is identified with him. In Ancient Egypt, the sun god Ra is the presiding deity of the pantheon. The sun crosses the celestial ocean - at dawn it is the young god Khepri, at the zenith - Ra, the solar god in his prime, at sunset - the old god Atum. In the Indo-European tradition, the sun personified the supreme deity. In various traditions it is described as the “eye of the sky” (or the sky deity): in India, Surya is the eye of Varuna; in the Greek tradition, the sun appears as the “all-seeing eye of Zeus” (in Homer); in Persia it is the eye of Ahuramazda; in German mythology - “through the eye of Wotan (Odin).”

The sun is the giver of light and life, the ruler of the upper and lower worlds, which he goes around during his daily circulation: “Although you are far away, your rays fall on the earth; although you are on people’s faces, your traces are invisible”; “The world exists through you,” say Akhenaten’s hymns addressed to the sun god Aten. Solar deities and divine personifications of the sun are endowed with the attributes of omniscience and all-vision, as well as supreme power. The all-seeing eye of the solar deity embodies the guarantee of justice. It sees everything and knows everything - this is one of the most important qualities of the solar deity. The Vedas glorify the great god Surya, all-knowing and all-seeing, in whose face the stars disappear like thieves.

One of the Vedic hymns dedicated to the sun says: “Here it rises, the wondrous eye of the sun, water and fire, the focus of the power of the gods, it fills the sky, earth and air with its radiant network, it is the soul of everything that moves and does not move.” Surya banishes not only darkness, but also illnesses and bad dreams. Because of its almost universal association with enlightenment or illumination, the sun appears as a source of wisdom. These qualities - beneficence, supreme power, justice and wisdom - are associated with the elite of society within the framework of a developed solar cult. Monarchs ruled in the name of the sun and traced their origins to the sun. Often the solar cult turns out to be associated with the ideology of sacred rule (the ruler of Peru is the personification of the solar god, the pharaoh is the sun god, in Japan the solar goddess Amaterasu, the supreme deity of the pantheon, was the guardian of the imperial family). In addition, the sun represents the heroic principle. Many heroes of mythology are endowed with pronounced solar characteristics (Hercules, Samson, etc.).

The image of the sun can be considered in relation to the moon, which in a number of mythologies acts as its divine wife. The sun dominates the moon; In English and a number of other languages, Sunday is named after the sun, while Monday is named after the moon. The sun is indestructible and immortal, unlike the moon, fickle and flawed, dying and being born again. The subordinate nature of the moon is also manifested in the fact that it only reflects the light emitted by the sun. In general, the masculine, active and positive principle is associated with the sun, and the feminine, passive and negative principle is associated with the moon. So, for example, in ancient Indian mythology, the solar dynasty is peace-loving, while the lunar dynasty is warlike. Of the metals, the sun corresponds to gold, and of the colors, yellow, while the moon corresponds to silver and white.

The disappearance of the sun at night can be seen as death: “The sun, which is considered to set, die daily, was the first creature to travel the path of life from east to west. It was the first mortal, the first to show the way to people. When the course of our life is completed, our own sun sets in the far west” (Vedas), the “night crossing” of the sun personifies the inevitability of death, darkness, sin, just as the existence of white presupposes the presence of black. However, the death of the sun is not final and necessarily includes the idea of ​​resurrection; in fact, it cannot be considered a real death.

In Christianity, the sun becomes a symbol of God and the word of God - life-bearing and eternal; bearers of the word of God have it as their emblem; the true church is shown clothed in the sun (Apocalypse, 12). The righteous man shines like the sun (according to the tradition representing holiness, the spirit in the form of light). The sun is depicted on the coats of arms of many states; The rising sun is the national emblem of Japan.

Even in ancient times, people everywhere worshiped the sun. Almost all the peoples of the world created entire cults around him. The symbol of the sun was included in many amulets to gain protection, find happiness, or simply bring a drop of light into life.

The meaning of the sun for humanity

Almost all the tribes that have ever existed on our planet worshiped the celestial body. He was considered an eternal and powerful force, a source of inexhaustible energy. People have always associated grace and their hopes for a better future with the sun.

Thanks to observations of the burning star, humanity has made many discoveries. This is a wheel, a calendar and other amazing things. Therefore, it is not surprising that even modern people very often use the symbol of the sun in amulets and tattoos.

The sign of the sun in ancient times

Archaeologists have repeatedly found rock paintings of the sun. In ancient times, people depicted the celestial body as a closed circle with a small dot in the center. This very first form symbolized self-knowledge and the cyclical nature of things happening in the world. Sun signs were also applied to amulets, jewelry, items of clothing, and houses were decorated with them. People considered the burning star to be a kind of deity, worshiped it and were even afraid of it.

The general meaning of the solar pattern is the natural flow of time, which is characteristic of the entire universe. The closed rim of the circle testifies to the infinity of everything that exists on earth. People put such a sacred meaning into the symbol of the sun in Egypt, Asia, India and other ancient civilizations.

Over time, each nation developed its own sign of the heavenly body, which had a special meaning.

Solar symbol among the peoples of the world

For the Aztecs, the closed circle served as a kind of multifunctional calendar, which had the appearance of a sun stone. With its help, they determined astrological data and found out the time. The talisman was also used for harmonization and knowledge of the future.

The Indians believed in the solar spirit, which is the progenitor of everything and is responsible for the cycle of things. Amulets with his image gave strength and protection to warriors, warmed them on cold nights and brought good luck.

The Scandinavians described the symbol as a wheel from the quadriga of the sun itself. It was made exclusively from gold. And it meant only positive things: prosperity, prosperity, health, fertility and a rich harvest.

The symbol of the sun in ancient Egypt bore the original name - “winged disk”. He personified Horus, who stood up to fight Set. The talisman was used to protect against any negativity, be it witchcraft or physical influence.

The Slavs loved to make nauzes - amulets in the form of knots, personifying the sun. They performed protective functions and drove away dark thoughts. People actively make such amulets to this day.

Let's look at the Slavic symbols of the sun in more detail.

Yarilo

This god was depicted as the sun or a bearded old man. A similar sign was applied to restore energy, balance, protection from any influences, gaining wealth, happiness, good offspring, maintaining health and masculinity.

The Slavic symbol of the sun greatly helped in family matters and was considered a home talisman. It was often placed as an amulet or figurine in the hallway, bedroom, living room and kitchen. Also, some craftsmen carved the image of Yarila on the external walls of houses.

What do the rays symbolize?

Astrologers not long ago were able to explain what the rays in amulets mean. On the star chart, you need to carefully consider the location of Ursa Minor and Ursa Major at midnight during the summer and winter solstices, as well as the autumn and spring equinoxes. If you draw imaginary lines from the North Star to these constellations, then you will get the sun's rays. It can be assumed that our ancestors used this sign to determine location.

In amulets, the rays are enclosed in a circle, thereby symbolizing the continuous cyclical nature of existence. They can also be bent clockwise and in the opposite direction. Among the Slavs, the symbol of the sun can have very different meanings depending on the number of rays depicted. Four means fire that burns on the earth. Six rays symbolize the wheel of the god Perun. And eight represents the power of solar fire.

Solar cross

This symbol has four rays and personifies natural elements, as well as important events in life: the autumn and spring equinoxes, the summer and winter solstices. This amulet was most suitable for forest guardians and warriors.

This sign was worn as an amulet only by mature people in order to receive the help of their ancestors in gaining wisdom and raising a child. The symbol of the sun in the form of a cross was not allowed to be worn by children, boys and girls, since it was believed that it would spoil the character or disrupt the psyche.

Solstice

It is considered a very powerful sign, since it combines three gods at once - Dazhdbog, Yaril and Khors. It has six beams that can be directed either clockwise or counterclockwise. The first option refers to the summer solstice, and the second to the winter solstice. These symbols are also called Thunderer and Thunderer.

The solstice is considered a masculine symbol because it gives strength for battles. If a woman has a fighting character, then such a talisman will not harm her. But usually girls wore other amulets - lunar ones. The six-ray symbol of the sun among the Slavs performed a protective function and brought victory. Therefore, he was depicted everywhere: on gates, entrance doors, weapons, military banners and clothing.

Kolovrat

Kolovrat is the most popular among Slavic symbols. It has eight rays directed clockwise and closed in a circle. This sign best reflects the celestial body.

The interesting name of this symbol is easily explained. "Kolo" means wheel, circle. And the “gate” particle is movement. It turns out that the Kolovrat sign symbolizes the rotation of the circle, the continuity of existence and eternal life. Therefore, people believed that this solar sign brings only good things: a rich harvest, protection from evil, health and good luck in good deeds. The Slavic symbol of the sun - Kolovrat - was depicted as a pattern on kitchen utensils, embroidery and household items. And today it is popular as an amulet, made of various alloys or wood.

Slavic symbols and swastika

Slavic symbols are often considered primordially fascist signs. But this is fundamentally wrong.

If you go deeper into history, people everywhere worshiped the sun, and the Russian and German peoples generally initially belonged to the same Indo-European tribe. Images with diverging rays were very popular, and Hitler based his emblem on Slavic symbols, which initially carried only a positive charge. Fascism denigrated the sun sign, and now the whole world has a negative attitude towards it.

Hitler believed that the symbol of the sun would help him conquer the world. Coincidence or not, Slavic signs cannot be used for harm, and the Nazis were defeated.

Black sun

The Slavs also had an ancient occult symbol, which only a few initiated Magi knew about. The secret of the sign was revealed to people only in difficult times, when entire settlements needed to be saved. The symbol itself is a regular circle containing twelve runes.

The sacred meaning of the black sun is the destruction of the old to build a better new one. Possessing powerful power, the talisman revealed the secrets of existence, expanded the boundaries of consciousness, gave wisdom and opened channels of communication with the departed. The sign was also used for fortune telling, subduing demons and spirits.

The secret symbol of the sun among the Slavs was considered a powerful and terrible artifact. Therefore, it was used very carefully and only by knowledgeable people. It was simply hidden from inexperienced hands.

Making an amulet

The Slavs believed that it was preferable to use gold to make a solar talisman. We did it outdoors on June 22, early in the morning, just before dawn. At first light, the finished decoration was dipped into spring water and the spell was read. They took out the talisman before sunset, and then hid it in a white cloth until December 22, so that it would be saturated with energy. The amulet could only be worn after the winter solstice.

Before use, the amulet was cleansed with smoke from burning herbs such as St. John's wort, chamomile and sage. Afterwards it was activated by reading conspiracies. The Slavic symbol of the sun periodically needs recharging. Therefore, once a month the amulet was left in the light or in front of a burning candle.

Solar amulets are actively used to this day in the hope of changing life for the better or simply getting protection from evil.