Credit: Patricia Deneen
The sun wheel is a potent symbol of the cycles of the seasons including the concept of death and rebirth. Several variations exist of this ancient symbol such as a circle with a dot in the center and a circle divided into six parts.
The Fylfot
One of the most controversial sun symbols is the fylfot also known as the swastika, which was distorted by the Nazi Regime for its own dishonorable ends. One theory is that the Nazis used the symbol to draw on a sense of pride the German people had for their heritage in order to use that pride for genocide. The swastika also has roots in India and relates to the sun and Hindu god Vishnu.
Equal-Armed Cross
Equal armed crosses have been found in Celtic artifacts. They were often used to represent the sun so important to agrarian people. It's also used as the medicine wheel in traditions inspired by Native American spirituality, each spoke corresponding to the four directions with the center being spirit.
Modern Use
Many modern Pagans celebrate the changing of the seasons as a major part of their religion, and the sun wheel symbol is sometimes used in rituals and magic at these times. Others use it to represent certain sun gods and goddesses in their spiritual path. Either way, the sun wheel is a positive representation of many belief systems.
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