Meaning & History Behind 9 Common Spiritual Symbols, Plus How To Use Them

If you're beginning to dip your toes into a yoga practice, study eastern religion, or learn more about spirituality, you may have noticed a few symbols pop up again and again: the Om symbol, a chakra chart, a lotus flower. So, what do they all represent? Here's an overview of the meanings and history of some of the most common spiritual symbols to help you integrate them into your own practice meaningfully and respectfully:

The various curves of this symbol represent waking consciousness, dreaming, and deep sleep. The small curved line in the middle represents illusion, and it separates one from transcendence, which is represented by the topmost shape.

Chant "Om" while thinking of your connection to the universe.

"Lotuses only grow in really swampy areas, so that symbolizes this idea that out of ugliness and destruction and unrest, we can all come together in this perfect moment and we're all connected," she says. "And in that respect it also has an indirect relation to the Buddhist idea of the universal soul."

Practice lotus pose, or "padmasana," in which you sit cross-legged with one foot resting on top of the other thigh. Then, slowly pull your heel toward the top of your inner thigh and repeat with the other leg.

"Within Islam and Judaism, it's about warding off the evil eye—the idea of the protector," she says. "In Hinduism it's often used as a synonym for the supreme spirit or the ultimate reality, which is called 'Brahman,' as well as a vehicle for knowledge. In Buddhism it represents the universal spirit and being released from the cycle of rebirth, or samsara."

Wear it or display it in your space for protection.

Siddhartha Gautama, who would become known as the Buddha, lived during the fifth century B.C., and since Buddhism has grown, his image has been used to represent enlightenment, oneness, and peace. Buddhism as a religion comes back to the teachings of the Buddha, and Buddha statues are common around the world in spiritual spaces. Sometimes depicted as Zen, sometimes laughing, the Buddha himself can be thought of as one of the original yogis and a teacher that dispels ignorance, Sundaram says.

Study the teachings of Buddha and refer to the statue as a symbol of what the Buddha and Buddhism represent.

Buddhist monks use mandalas made of sand to symbolize impermanence and the need to go beyond the material. "In Buddhist traditions, it specifically represents impermanence," she says. "In Hindu traditions, it shows the connection and trajectory between the material and the immaterial."

Draw your own mandala as a type of moving meditation.

The evil eye is related to the hamsa, and it's a pervasive theme in Judaism, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, and even ancient Greek and Roman cultures. "The idea is that the evil eye is somebody putting too much emphasis on you," explains Sundaram. "They're paying too much attention to you." The symbol dates back to sixth century B.C., and today it is often worn or displayed as a talisman to ward off any ill will from people.

Hang an evil eye in your doorway to protect your home from outside negativity.

When any of them are blocked or stagnant, it can cause various disruptions to our well-being (depending on which chakra is imbalanced).

Depending on what chakra you feel is out of whack, try a chakra meditation to restore balance.

"No one should not use namaste," she adds, "but we shouldn't impart meaning to it that doesn't exist because that's when we start to exoticize cultures we don't understand."

Choose your words carefully and consider sharing a different phrase if you find yourself using namaste often.

Yin and yang represents masculine and feminine, light and dark, and the law of polarity. It's been around since before the third century B.C. in China, and the idea of opposing forces has echoed in many cultures and schools of thought since. Ultimately, yin and yang demonstrate balance and the inherent harmony of nature.

There's nothing wrong with wanting to embrace practices or symbols that resonate with you and speak to your own spiritual journey. The most important thing is to always practice with respect, and truly understand what it is you're hanging up on your wall or saying after yoga class.