About the SouthBay Interfaith Logo

The logo used by the SouthBay Interfaith group was designed by Susana Pittam to incorporate the symbols of many religious traditions into one united form. Each symbol retains its unique identity, but all are rooted in a common source.

About the symbols:

Native American: the shield is divided into the four sacred directions (North, South, East, West). Although the colors related to each direction vary by tribal groupings, many Native Americans have adopted the Plains traditions as being representative of the diverse indigenous traditions.

Islam: the star and crescent was the symbol of the Ottoman Empire (c. 1300- 1900), but has become representative of Islam worldwide. It appears on the flags of Pakistan, Turkey, Malaysia, and Tunisia and other Muslim communities.

Wicca: sometimes people think that the Wiccan pentagram is a "Satanic" symbol. Although some Satanic groups also use a pentagram, it is usually depicted with one point downward and two points up. The Wiccan pentagram (which, incidentally, is one of the symbols permitted on military gravestones) is depicted with one point up and two down. A common explanation is that the lower four points represent the four fundamental elements and the fifth stands for Spirit.

Shinto: the torii (gateway) is a feature of Shinto shrines, marking the entry into sacred space. It is a structure with two uprights and two crossbars, often flanked by guardian animals.

Hindu: the sacred sound "om" or "aum" represents the universal oneness of all things. It is used in chanting and meditation, and has come to symbolize Hinduism in its many manifestations.

Sikh: the Khanda, a double-edged sword, is combined with two crossed single-edged swords and a circular weapon. As weapons, they symbolize the requirement that Sikhs stand as defenders of the weak, but they also symbolize the knowledge of God, the unity of God, and the political and spiritual realms.

Christianity: the cross on which Jesus was executed becomes a symbol of his triumph over death after his resurrection. Many different forms of the cross are used by different Christian groups.

Buddhism: the dharma wheel (dharma means teaching, specifically the teaching of the Buddha) has eight spokes for the Eightfold Path. The center represents discipline, and the outer rim is related to mindfulness.

Judaism: the Star of David became a key Jewish symbol in the Middle Ages. Its origin is unknown. It appears on the flag of Israel.

Baha'i: the nine-pointed star represents the number 9, which is associated with perfection, unity, and glory.

Taoism: called the taijitu, the symbol represents the complementarity of opposites- dark and light, male and female, hot and cold, etc.- each contains the other and depends on the other to exist.

Zoroastrianism: the Farohar or Faravhar is believed to be the depiction of a guardian spirit. Today, it is considered a reminder of one's purpose in life.

Jain: the upraised hand refers to the vow to "stop" all violence. The wheel in the center is the wheel of dharma, the cycle of reincarnation, and the Sanskrit word in the center is ahimsa, non-violence.