11+ Symbols of Healing (& Their Meanings) for Spiritual Growth and Power

Health (and healing) have never been one-size-fits-all. But across time and ancient cultures, people have turned to symbols of healing for transformation, protection, and support.

Symbols are sacred, powerful tools deeply rooted in human consciousness. These ancient symbols of healing bridge the seen and unseen, offering guidance, reassurance, and a tangible connection beyond our 3D, physical world.

You might be surprised at the symbols of healing found in your everyday life. For example, you may have seen the Rod of Asclepius, the enduring emblem of modern medicine, on your doctor’s official letterhead. Or maybe you’ve seen the Flower of Life on your favourite supplement company’s packaging.

No matter the healing symbol, symbols are more than just images. Indeed, they carry energy, intention, and meaning that can support healing on every level: mind, body, and spirit. And these timeless symbols of healing remind us that optimal health often involves aligning with forces greater than ourselves.

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How I Came to Study Symbols of Healing

I first became interested in sacred symbols of healing when I decided to start imprinting frequencies and remedies into copper stickers. Metal can hold frequency well, and if I was going to use these sacred symbols, I wanted to learn what they were traditionally used for. I have since done experiments placing these on specific areas of the body, as well as on the custom flower essence blends I make for my clients.

Let’s explore some ancient symbols of healing and how they continue to shape our health and world today.

The Rod of Asclepius

The Rod of Asclepius is probably one of the most well-known medical symbols. It looks like a winged staff with a single serpent wrapped around it. A snake, shedding its skin, can represent the cycle of death and rebirth.

Asclepius, often regarded as the Greek God of medicine or the first healer, wielded this powerful ancient symbol. His Rod of Asclepius is the primary symbol of modern medicine. You’ll often see it displayed on the walls of hospitals and other modern medical institutions worldwide.

As a symbol of healing, you could display it as art on your office walls, or even as sculptural art on your desk.

This ancient symbol links contemporary medical practitioners to traditions in ancient Greek mythology.

The Hamsa

The Hamsa symbol, a hand-shaped amulet, appears across numerous cultural traditions, from Middle Eastern to Jewish and Hindu practices.

This open palm with an eye at its center is a powerful symbol of protection. It is believed to ward off negative energies and the evil eye. Beyond its defensive properties, the Hamsa represents divine love and blessings flowing through an open hand.

What makes the Hamsa particularly fascinating is its references across various cultures. The concept of a protective hand spans human services and healing traditions worldwide.

You could wear the hamsa symbol as jewelry, display it as art in your home, or display it in your meditation room to create a sacred space free from negative energy.

The Lotus Flower

Few symbols capture the essence of healing as perfectly as the lotus flower.

In traditional Chinese medicine and spiritual traditions across Asia, the lotus represents emerging from adversity. Rising through muddy waters to bloom in beauty, this sacred symbol teaches us about the transformative journey of health itself.

The lotus demonstrates that our struggles (our metaphorical muddy waters) don’t diminish our potential for beauty. Instead, they create the necessary conditions for spiritual awakening. This perspective shifts how we view challenges. We see them not as obstacles but as essential parts of our healing journey.

In vibrational wellness, the lotus flower essence helps unify and amplify the effects of all other essences in a blend. Lotus flower essence has a strong impact on the crown chakra, and it also helps align all subtle energies in the body. It also has a powerful ability to remove blockages that keep other energetic remedies from working in the body.

Tree of Life

The Tree of Life appears in almost every major cultural tradition, from ancient Egypt to Norse mythology. This sacred symbol is a large tree with branches stretching toward the sky and roots reaching deep into the earth. It symbolizes the connection between the physical and spiritual realms.

As a symbol of healing, the Tree of Life reminds us that wellness emerges from interconnection. The tree’s deep roots speak to the importance of foundation and nourishment, while its expansive branches suggest the potential for healing beyond the physical body.

Holistic practitioners (and some modern ones) are increasingly recognizing this wisdom. They understand that true healing must address the whole person: body, mind, and spirit.

This is a wonderful symbol to display as art or a wall hanging in health-supportive spaces, or wear as jewelry to promote grounding, strength, and spiritual power.

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Reiki Symbols of Healing

If you know anything about energy healing, you’ve probably heard of Reiki energy. But did you know that Reiki masters use sacred symbols to access and direct life force healing energy?

During a Reiki session, Reiki practitioners can use specific symbols to connect with specific healing frequencies. The most powerful Reiki symbols include the Power Symbol (Cho Ku Rei), the Mental/Emotional Symbol (Sei He Ki), and the Distance Symbol (Hon Sha Ze Sho Nen). These symbols are usually taught during the second degree of Reiki.

Reiki healing uses these different healing symbols to address everything from physical ailments to negative emotions in the subconscious mind. These powerful symbols allow Reiki practitioners to channel life force energy with intention and precision. Though traditionally kept secret, many Reiki symbols are now more openly shared, allowing more people to understand the practice of Reiki and how they work.

Sacred Geometry Symbols of Healing

I see so much sacred geometry where I spend most of my summer days: in nature. As a Flower Essence Practitioner, the sacred geometry within the plants and flowers all around us often brings me to my knees with awe!

Sacred geometry is everywhere in nature. For example:

• The Fibonacci Sequence and the Golden Ratio: You can find these in how leaves are arranged or in the spirals of pinecones, sunflowers, and shells.
• Hexagonal Patterns: You can see these in honeycombs and the crystalline structure of snowflakes.
• Spiral Patterns: You can find this geometric pattern in galaxies, mollusk shells, and even in ferns as they unfurl.
• Fractals: You can see these in tree branches, river networks, and even the structure of our lungs.
• Other Sacred Shapes: Many flowers, including daisies and lilies, naturally exhibit the geometry of the Flower of Life. Their petal align with specific mathematical patterns.

The Flower of Life, with its 19 perfectly overlapping circles, looks like a garden of flowers to me. This ancient symbol is used as a tool for meditation, spiritual growth, and healing. And many believe it reflects creation itself.

The Sri Yantra is an ancient symbol of healing rooted in Vedic tradition. It features interlocking triangles embedded with smaller and larger ones. By focusing on this intricate design, practitioners can quiet the mind, enhance concentration, and connect with higher states of consciousness. Many people believe that meditating on the Sri Yantra helps align the body’s energy centres to promote balance and healing.

These spiritual symbols serve as tools for meditation, healing spaces, and gateways into the human psyche and altered states of consciousness.

Yin Yang Symbol

The ancient Yin Yang symbol elegantly represents the concept of duality. This can include light/dark, active/passive, masculine/feminine, and more.

The Yin Yang symbol is commonly used in traditional Chinese medicine. The small dot within its opposing colour reminds us that nothing exists in absolute purity. Healing seeks equilibrium.

This is probably why so many of us holistic health care practitioners talk about balance. After all, every action, or reaction, has an opposing response in the body.

Integrating Ancient Symbols of Healing into Modern Life

These ancient symbols appear everywhere, from yoga studios to meditation apps, to your local hospital emergency room.

And you can use them for your benefit in very practical ways. For example, you might want to:

• Add pillows or tapestry with inspiring symbols to your meditation room.
• Wear jewelry with your favourite symbols to remind you of your wellness goals.
• Hang a sacred symbol suncatcher in your office to catch the sunlight and reflect all that sacred power around you.
• Use an image or symbol of healing as a journalling prompt and explore how you feel.
• When you practice visualization techniques, incorporate symbols to amplify your intentions.

These symbols of healing can serve as another tool in your toolbox to help support your physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual health.

And remember, symbols can have different meanings across various cultures! So don’t take my word for gospel… do your research into any symbols of healing that inspire you and draw your attention.

Your Personal Symbols of Healing 

The most powerful symbols of healing are those you connect with and relate to.

Do you feel drawn to the balanced wholeness of the Yin Yang? The protection qualities of the Hamsa? The lotus as a symbol of rebirth? As always, your intuition can offer valuable guidance.

Maybe you’re drawn to one of these ancient symbols of healing… or maybe you’re drawn to light language symbols or another symbol that has emerged from your creative or meditation process.

Use the symbols of healing that work best for you and your current goals and intentions!

Life is a plate… Eat up,

Ashleigh