Symbols appear in almost every area of our lives. From the colors that brighten our world to the numbers and words we use to quantify and communicate, human society functions largely through the use of symbols. The word symbol comes from the Greek sumbolon, meaning “token for identification.”
The subjects in this chapter play important roles in many of the other topics discussed in this book. While reading about the power of stones in Chapter 1, you learned how their color is used in the ancient Chinese practice of feng shui, as well as how it relates to the chakras, or energy centers, of our bodies. You also discovered how numbers are used in studies such as the I Ching and numerology (see entries in Chapter 7). In addition to colors and numbers, in this chapter we’ll discuss the importance of shapes, sigils, and words as symbols throughout history and in our modern-day lives.