Philosophy and Body Jewelry

Philosophy may or may not have existed before body piercings, but what is certain is that both of them tie in together and tend to have a deep connection for a lot of people, no matter what culture they come from. But before we can determine why this is so, it is important to understand some of the philosophical symbols that exist out there and what they stand for or what they mean.

For instance, one of the most popular philosophical symbols today must be the Yin and Yang. It is the black and white circle that seems to dominate in a lot of cultures. The two contrasting colors represent the dualities of our world: fire and water, male and female, hot and cold, earth and air. In each given example, neither can exist without the other, and this is represented by the small dot on each of the segments of the circle in opposite colors. It is this philosophy that has been adapted by Buddhism in India from the original Taoist Philosophy of China.

But this is not the only symbol that people often consider for body jewelry or for a lot of meaning in general. There is also the Hasma, whose origins are unknown but which has become widely used by many religions, predominantly by Islam. The Islam religion believes that the Hasma is the Hand of Fatima, who is the prophet of Muhammad. However, the symbol begun to be integrated into the Jewish religion as well, after much influence from Islam. The talisman for them stands for the Hand of Miriam, the sister of Moses and Aaron. This is believed by mostly the Sephardi as well as the Mizrahi communities. In any case, however, the symbol in general is believed to ward off the Evil Eye and to protect anyone who bears it.

Today, both of these interesting philosophical symbols and many more are still included in a lot of everyday popular markets. Different household items often display these symbols for the protection of the home, but body jewelry has also expanded to incorporate them vividly either for personal protection or just for style. Someone might now get a belly ring with the Hasma symbol, or earrings with the Yin and Yang. Whatever your culture or beliefs may be, do not ignore the magical beauty of philosophical symbols, and do not be afraid to use them in your body modifications.