Some thoughts about crosses and headgears

Today I want to share some personal thoughts about the symbolism of the cross and the religious idea to wear headgears. When we think about the term cross then we have the Christian idea of a cross in mind. Officially the Christian cross is derived from the crucifixion of Jesus but from my point of view it is different. When we go back in time, we find the Egyptian cross, the Ankh which has similar proportions like the Christian cross. The only difference is the loop instead of the short vertical bar. When we make more research on the Egyptian Ankh, then we can see that it had two legs in former times which were melted later into one vertical leg. When we compare the Ankh with specific African symbols, then it is not a big step to see the loop filled like a disc and with a face on it. From my point of view all these things are connected. Even if the Ankh officially means something like “life”, for me it is simply the symbol for the human being, maybe the human spirit, the human soul or the perfect human or the original human being. The ankh and later the Christian cross were simply abstract symbols for the human being. The proportions fit perfectly as the horizontal arms are shorter than the vertical leg(s). The head can be easily represented by a disc with a face (African art) or as a loop (Egyptian style) or at last as a short vertical bar (Christian style). Besides this, the Egyptian culture and religion had great influences on the younger religions later. There are no real new inventions but only modified forms of the older religions.

Let´s think now about the crucifixion of Jesus. In all graphics, we see Jesus crucified at a Christian cross (as this certainly fits perfectly to the Christian religion). From my point of view in the crucifixions in these times a T-cross was used and not a Christian cross. It is simply easier to do and more stable. So the Christian cross and the crucifixion of Jesus were mixed up.

Let´s imagine that the Christian cross has the meaning of life respectively of the perfect human being similar to the original meaning of the pentagram and the ankh. Then we have second meaning, the penetration of the spirit (vertical bar) of creation, the material world (the horizontal bar). Besides these two ideas we have the isosceles cross as we know it from the Templars or as we use it as the plus sign. This special cross symbolizes the four elements and with this creation. It is also the cross to bear. Jesus symbolically bears the cross of the material world like we all do and only by the physical death we are liberated from the heavy burdens of the material life. (So certainly the stories of Jesus contain a lot of symbolism.)

In conclusion it makes sense to differentiate here about the different meanings of the cross.

Then I want to talk about headgears in the religious/spiritual context. On the head, we have the highest, divine center or chakra with a vertical and direct connection to God and all spiritual energies, etc. So what happens when you use a headgear or hat or when you shave your hair or use a special hairstyle?

When we think about the old Egyptian kings and priests then we can see that they had big “hats” with much space and made of metal, gold, etc. Here it is clear that such special “hats” were able to accumulate high spiritual energies in their spaces, maybe also to protect the highest center from negative influences and supporting all forms of mental work and inspiration.

When we think about top hats then we can imagine a similar effect.

But what happens when you put a cap directly on your head and especially if this cap is made of silk? From my point of view, this might keep the energy in the head but it blocks at the same time the god-connection of the highest center. This tradition is something to question.

Then there are monks who have a tonsure. This could support the god-connection.

In some traditions, people had special hairstyles where the hair was bound in a way that it has caused pressure on certain points, – probably also supporting inspiration and god-connection.

In conclusion, it makes sense to make research and to compare things, also to questions what seems to be normal. The world is full of interesting phenomena.