Cross

"It is a world centre and therefore a point of communication between heaven and earth and a cosmic axis, thus sharing the symbolism of the cosmic tree, mountain, etc. The cross represents the Tree of Life and the Tree of Nourishment; it is also a symbol of universal, archetypal man, capable of infinite and harmonious expansion on both the horizontal and vertical planes; the vertical line is the celestial, spiritual and intellectual, positive, active and male, while the horizontal is the earthly, rational, passive, and negative and female, the whole cross forming the primordial ANDROGYNE. [In Christian terms], it is the salvation through Christ's sacrifice; redemption; atonement; suffering; faith. The cross also signifies acceptance of death or suffering and sacrifice" (Cooper, 46). Crossroads are often thought of as symbolizing points of intersection between the paths of living and the dead;and as a framework for coordinates, the cross gives people the ability to orient themselves within space and time. Acts as an amulet against danger, weapon against monster, even devil.

Many crosses besides the normally thought of Christian one: Simple (orientation on a plane surface), St. Andrew's (union of the Upper and Lower worlds), Arrow-head (centrifugal/away from the center forces), doubled (parallel forces), Maltese (centripetal forces), Templars (forces around a circumference), Teutonic (four triangles, centripetal tendency), Ovals (continuous movement), Knobbed extremeties (four Cardinal Points of space).

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