Found in every culture, the circle is often used as a mystical symbol due to its endlessness, and its infinite edges.  It symbolises many things: the world, the cosmos, female fertility and eternity.

Spirals

For how long have people depicted spiral designs in their art and architecture, and why does the image have such a provocative effect?

From magnetic fields to vast galaxies swirling in space, spirals can be seen in every aspect in nature. We see them in the physical forces which shape the Earth - the tides of the ocean, the winds in the atmosphere - and within life itself. Plants and the horns and shells of animals grow in spiral formations and some animals, especially aquatic species, possess a twisting locomotion.

The spiral phenomenon within natural forms can be explained through mathematics - the pattern is a result of complex sequences, equations and algorithms which nature utilises in her designs of the Universe. But mathematics alone cannot justify the lure of the spiral to the human mind.

Some of the oldest examples of human art are depictions of spirals, painted or carved into rock, often found in burial sites. Later, the Romans and Greeks used spirals as designs for vases and the columns in temples. The Celtic and Norse people were well known for the mysterious and repetitive designs found on their jewellery, clothing, weapons, objects of worship and everyday items. The Celts even painted spirals on their bodies with blue dye to intimidate enemies during battle. They also created forms of animals and plants twisting into impossible spirals, sometimes interlocking with other elements of the picture.

The spiral has left no human culture untouched. It is an important feature in some Australian Aboriginal works, where it is often drawn as a coiled snake. The Islamic tradition prohibits depictions of people or animals, so spirals feature as an important element in the mathematically-governed Islamic designs. Spirals also feature in oriental and Indian clothing and pottery.

Today, the spiral still runs deep within our culture. It forms the logos of a large number of companies, and has come to symbolise magic, dreams, desires and, most importantly, eternity.

It is perhaps this never-ending quality of the spiral which intrigues and draws us so greatly. When a spiral is drawn or made using paper and then turned, it creates the illusion that it is twisting forever away or towards us. The repetitive animation of a twisting spiral also evokes deep relaxation and calm, which accounts for the spiral's close association with the art of hypnotism. In some cases, people even create spirals themselves in order to ease the constantly active mind. If a person is left to "doodle" on a piece of paper in a relaxed state, it is very likely that they will draw spirals and swirls as their subconscious mind controls the pen.

As a representative of the eternal forces of nature, or simply as an attractive and interesting pattern, spirals shall always remain within the cultures of man. For as long as they surround us in every aspect of nature, the spiral will imprint itself within our unconscious psyche, and shall be reflected in our arts for all time

A triple spiral is sometimes suggested to represent the Triple Goddess of the three ages of womanhood. It later came to represent the holy trinity in Christianity; God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. This motif is also called the triskelion, or triskel.

Triskelion Celtic Symbol Meaning

The triskelion (also referred to as triskele, triquetra or fylfot) Celtic symbol meaning holds two major components or levels of symbolism.

First - when we observe this symbol, we are taken with the concept of motion. All three branches (legs, protrusions, angles) are positioned in such a way so as to make the symbol appear as if it is in constant forward motion.

This is no accident as this feeling of motion in this symbol represents:

• action
• cycles
• progress
• revolution
• competition
• moving forward

1. Spirit, Mind, Body
2. Father, Son, Holy Ghost
3. Mother, Father, Child
4. Past, Present, Future
5. Power, Intellect, Love
6. Creator, Destroyer, Sustainer
7. Creation, Preservation, Destruction

The combination of these two components (motion & triad attributes) lead us to the conclusion that this Celtic symbol meaning tells a story of forward motion in the endeavor to reach understanding (within the context of one of the many triad dynamics above listed).

An interesting side note - the number three is a powerful energy for seemingly infinite reasons. One such representation of the number three deals with the three primary measure-marks within the phases of the moon (new, half, full).

This is a worthy point because most lunar creatures are depicted as only having three legs in Alchemical & early European esoteric art.

When we add lunar implications to the meaning of the triskelion we are dealing with:

• mystery
• feminine
• intuition
• subtleness
• subconscious
• spirituality
• illumination
• hidden desire

As you can see, the Celtic symbol meaning of the triskelion is more far reaching than just "three-legged." When we combine the variables listed here with the concept of motion and evolution and illumniation, we find that the Celtic symbol meaning of the triskelion has much broader connatations.

In short, the sum of this Celtic symbol meaning is:

• personal growth
• human development
• spiritual expansion