Seed of Life meaning and symbolism explained

The Seed of Life symbol and its meaning is a fascinating subject to study. As an environmentalist, I am fascinated by patterns found in nature and their corresponding symbolism because they imply that all life on earth (and in the universe) is interconnected. In fact, for some of us, life on earth is a divine creation. The Seed of Life and its foundation in Sacred Geometry crystallizes this concept. In this post you will learn more about the Seed of Life, Sacred Geometry and its profound meaning in our existence.

What is the seed of life?

The Seed of Life is a two-dimensional illustration made up of seven overlapping circles of equal size. There are six circles on the outside that connect to the seventh circle in the middle. The picture looks like a series of flowers of equal proportions. The design is not only beautiful; it has a deep symbolic meaning.

Scared Geometry and the Seed of Life

Rooted in the meaning of the Seed of Life is a school of thought called Sacred Geometry. According to Sacred Geometry, patterns in nature are viewed from a mathematical perspective and have far-reaching implications.

The “sacred” part is the belief that these patterns, their mathematical formulas and structure are evidence of divine planning and creation. An example of sacred geometry is the Fibonacci spiral, which I wrote about in my post on snake meaning and symbolism.

The Fibonacci spiral is a pattern that is repeated throughout nature and the larger universe. From sunflowers to hurricanes, galaxies, seashells and even coiled snakes, we can find spirals. Symbolically, a spiral represents the outward expansion of a single source that is growing or gaining strength.

Many spirals found in nature follow the mathematical pattern of the Fibonacci number sequence, which starts with 0 and 1 and then increases with the sum of the previous two numbers, such as 0, 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13 , 21 and so on.

building blocks of existence

For followers of Sacred Geometry, the Seed of Life symbol holds the building blocks for existence. For those who believe in the divine creation of the universe, the first step began with the creation of an octahedron.

Octahedron. Image: Kjell André

An octahedron is a shape with eight faces, twelve edges, and six vertices. According to Sacred Geometry, a divine Creator built the shape and then spun it around its axis like a spinning top. From there, a sphere began to form that contained the Creator’s consciousness. The Creator then created a second sphere that intersected with the first.

The two spheres are represented by a symbol called Vesica Piscis:

Sacred Geometry believers believe these spheres were the blueprint for more complex structures that shaped life and the universe. From the two spheres, the Creator added a third sphere connected to the first two, and then a fourth, a fifth, and so on.

Stages of the Seed of Life. Illustration: Mike Oprisko.

This creation, which leads to seven interconnected spheres represented in the symbol of the seed of life, is consistent with the creation story in the book of Genesis. According to the story, the Creator created the world in seven days.

Number 7 meanings

Sacred Geometry considers patterns repeated in the universe as evidence of the building blocks of existence. Therefore, it is worth taking a closer look at the number 7, which appears in important ways in our world and culture.

for example, there are seven elements in:

Notes or pitches in a diatonic scale: A, B, C, D, E, F, and G. Colors in the rainbow: Red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and purple. The chakras or energy fields in our body: Muladhara, Swadhisthana, Manipura, Anahata, Vishuddha, Ajna, and Sahasrara. As mentioned above, the creation of the Word in seven days as told in the Book of Genesis. The New Testament: The number 7 is said to be the sum of the Holy Trinity and the four corners of the world. The Book of Revelation also repeatedly contains the number 7, such as seven epistles to seven churches, seven spirits before God’s throne, seven golden lampstands, seven stars in Christ’s right hand, seven seals of God’s judgment, and seven angels with seven trumpets. Hinduism: There are seven higher worlds and seven lower worlds. Islam: The Koran mentions seven heavens. And in Mecca, Muslims go around the Kaaba seven times. In Buddhism, there are seven stages to enlightenment: mindfulness, inquiry, effort, joy, calm, concentration, and equanimity.

There are more examples of the importance of the number 7 in nature and human culture. For example, Harvard psychologist George Miller found that most people can store seven pieces of information in their short-term memory. Therefore, telephone numbers in the United States and other countries contain seven numbers.

Needless to say, the number 7 is a sacred number for many people. For devotees of sacred geometry, the frequency with which it appears in important ways in nature and in human consciousness is no coincidence.

seed of life meaning

In essence, the Seed of Life symbol, with its seven interconnected circles, symbolizes the connection of life on earth and universal existence. It also symbolizes that all life comes from a single source in a divine plan.

Seed of Life tattoo

Because symbolism is such an essential aspect of tattoo art, a Seed of Life symbol can make a wonderful design for a tattoo. The beauty is that in the simplest of designs, a profound explanation of our existence can be explained.