(idea) by Storm_Damage (4.7 y) (print) (I like it!) Thu Dec 07 2000 at 2:27:26
The word swastika comes from the Sanskrit svastika, meaning welfare (su = "well" + asti = "he is").
The swastika itself has been a symbol of good fortune since ancient times. Elegant in its simplicity and beautiful in its asymmetry, the swastika was widely used throughout the ancient world (appearing for instance on Mesopotamian coins). It was a solar symbol. The Nazis adopted it as their hakenkreutz. Its arms spin in a clockwise direction.
The swavastika spins in a counterclockwise direction. This was a night symbol, and often stood for magical practices. It was used as a symbol for Buddhism in Japan since ancient times.
That is a paragraph that I cut and pasted for you from the website named "
[email protected]" I've found a few different sites about the swavastika, with other descriptions, but this explanation makes me a bit nervous. If you find out anymore information get back to me. Thanks for your quick return. P