The Celtic spiral design appears on a myriad of ancient artifacts, as well as on stone monuments such as Newgrange, in Ireland. It is uncertain what the religious significance was to the pagans of Newgrange, but it undoubtedly had some connection with the sun, which is spiral in its movements every three months. The double spiral also follows the path of the sun, describing the movement of the heavenly body over the course of a year.The symbol meaning of the Celtic spiral is unknown. It may have been used simply for decoration but there is much room for interpretation. In most cultures, it is a symbol of eternal life. The symbol spirals out infinitely, thus reinforcing the concept of life, death, and rebirth. The whorls represent the continuous creation and destruction of the universe. In terms of rebirth and growth, the spiral symbol can represent awareness of self, beginning at the core or centre, and expanding outwardly, as it develops.
It is also a symbol of initiation and the ritual journey through a labyrinth to the sacred realms beyond the centre. The centre represents complete balance. It is the place where Heaven and Earth merge.
Some believe that there is significance to the direction of the spirals. A clockwise spiral symbolizes the sun and represents growth, expansion, and positive cosmic energy. To move sun wise is to be in harmony with the earth. The traditional Gaelic blessing, a’deasail, means good-luck and refers to this idea. The opposite directed spiral, or anti-sun wise motion is used in making geis or spells. This can be confusing since spirals flow both inwards and outwards... read more ...
