Jewelry Shape and Symbol Meanings

Sacred geometry, or geometric patterns and shapes created by Mother Nature herself, is very important to the Gillian Inspired story.  Gillian uses these patterns and other shapes with healing gemstones, to tell stories through her jewelry.  Sacred geometry is believed to hold transformative energies to encourage self-understanding, manifestation & spiritual growth.  We hope our inspiration inspires YOU - guiding you on your own life journey - of self-discovery and divine connection to nature, the universe, and you.

Gillian Inspired wants you to feel empowered, inspired and beautiful in our jewelry. Let us help tell your story (or someone you know) too!

BAR (Horizontal Line)
A horizontal line (illustrated by the bar necklace) symbolizes the continuous line of time… no start and no end so therefore no past or future, just the Present as truly what matters most.

BUTTERFLY
Because the butterfly's life cycle is visible at every stage, butterflies are a symbol of what it is like to go from concept to reality, to be born and transform, a metamorphosis.  Think also positive transformation, hope during a dark time, and new beginnings.

CIRCLE
Think of the circle as an expansion of the dot. The circle can represent the cosmos, the spirit, the passage of time, and infinity.  And because the circle has no division and no sides, it is also a symbol of equality.

CRESCENT MOON (Moon Phases)
In our jewelry the crescent moon signifies the feminine, the divine goddess, the ever changing, and the beauty of that all. You may also like to consider that 
for centuries, many believed that when a moon is worn it will bring you magical dreams. The crescent moon can also symbolize womanhood, fertility, intuitiveness, psyche and empowerment. 

CROWN
Whether you are a queen of a household, queen at work, queen in your relationships, queen by nature… or working on letting your Queen shine, this necklace elegance, resilience, and the beauty that you possess.

There’s no reason to shrink to fit- be brilliant, be gorgeous, be big, be strong, be You. When you are liberated to be yourself, you allow others to be themselves. And that is the greatness and leadership of a Queen.

“In every woman there is a Queen. Speak to the Queen and the Queen will answer.”
~ Norwegian proverb

DRAGONFLY
Adult dragonflies only live for about 1 1/2 months. Symbolizing the ephemeral nature of life, dragonflies remind us that we must seize the day and make the most of our limited time on earth. Additionally, it's essential to abandon self-imposed limitations and embrace personal growth and transformation, leading to self-realization.

GANESH (elephant)
GANESH, or Lord Ganesha, is a Hindu deity with the body of a human but the head of an elephant. His parents are Lord Shiva and the Divine Mother Parvati. He is the remover of all obstacles. Ganesha's head symbolizes the Atman or the soul, which is the ultimate supreme reality of human existence, and his human body signifies Maya or the earthly existence of human beings. The elephant head denotes wisdom and its trunk represents Om, the sound symbol of the universe, as well as the two aspects of the human personality, wisdom and emotion.The trunk can uproot a tree and yet lift a needle off the ground. Likewise, the human mind must be strong enough to face the ups and downs of the external world and yet delicate enough to explore the subtle realms of the inner world.

HEART
Known for the symbol of love, hearts can express compassion, courage, even friendship. The heart is a powerful symbol and makes a great gift for any occasion.

LEAF
Fresh beginnings, spring, growth, fertility, hope, renewal

LOTUS
To us, to the lotus symbol shows strength and resilience despite obstacles, rising from murky, muddy waters to shine her beautiful face in the sunlight, no matter what.

OVAL
Symbol of femininity, fertility, birth and new life

MANDALA
The word "mandala" is from the classical Indian language of Sanskrit, loosely translated to mean “circle."  It represents wholeness, and can be seen as a model for the organizational structure of life itself--a cosmic diagram that reminds us of our relation to the infinite, the world that extends both beyond and within our bodies and minds. Simply put, it represents the universe. 

The mandala appears all over the universe, the celestial circles such as  earth, sun, and moon, as well as conceptual circles groups of friends, family, and community. Some enjoy using them as a meditative tool. 

MOON/MOON PHASES
See "Crescent Moon"

OM/AUM   
Om can mean "so be it," it also is considered the sound of the universe, or the sound that was present with the universe was created.  At the dawn of creation, from emptiness first emerged a syllable consisting of three letters – A-U-M (often written as OM).

SEED OF LIFE
Seeds are magic, potent vessels of nature. They hold entire intelligent blueprints for life. They can lie dormant for ages before the conditions are ripe for them to burst into life. As a beautiful metaphor for consciousness, a seed represents the divine in all things, as well as our human abillty to change and adapt to life. 

SPIRAL
At its core, the spiral is a symbol of the Universe, self-development, evolving, expansion, cosmic energy, growth, symbol of the sun.

Spirals are some of the oldest geometric shapes in ancient artwork. The spiral is seen all over the world, in many cultures, and for thousands of years.  They can be seen in every aspect in nature, like the ocean tides, the winds, the flora, fauna, and seashells.

On a deeper level, the spiral progression is symbolic of our human journey from life to death, and striving to a higher level of consciousness.

STAR
Celestial light, divine guidance, second chance, uniqueness, one of a kind

TREE OF LIFE
In Buddhism, the tree of life is known as the Bhodi-tree or the tree of enlightenment. Regarded as a sacred symbol, it's the tree under which Buddha finally found enlightenment.  It also is a beautiful reminder that whether we feel enlightened or not, we are all as unique as there are trees in the world, and are all on paths of spiritual growth.

Trees symbolize life, strength, growth. With leaves and strong roots, trees can represent both a moment in change, as well as staying true to whom you are. If someone is moving through a period of transition or growth, a tree of life symbol in jewelry is a great option.

TRIANGLE
Triangles ​represent stability, balance, and movement. They are commonly defined as energetic and dynamic shape attributes used to represent motion and direction.

The triangle (TRIKONA) is the symbol of SHAKTI, the feminine energy or aspect of Creation. When the triangle is pointing upwards it signifies intense spiritual aspiration, the sublimation of one’s nature into the most subtle planes and the element of fire (AGNI TATTVA).

WAVE
"Sometimes in the waves of change, we find our true direction." ~Unknown
Wave: A wave in the ocean could be the unconscious mind because one cannot see below the waves, or the deep thoughts of the mind. Waves are also a constant movement of energy. Sometimes calming and soothing, but other times, powerful, bigger than ourselves.  

Water: Water flows and moves as a wave, a symbol of change and flexibility. Spiritually, water washes away a person’s past regressions and renews their soul.
Ocean: is also a symbol of purification as it helps in cleansing oneself.