
Known for its deep and complex symbolism, the Rider-Waite deck was published in 1910 and is one of the most popular tarot decks worldwide. Still, in the realm of modern mysticism, it’s interesting to note that the infinity symbol appears on many of the Rider-Waite tarot cards, for example on Strength and The Magician. Though the original ouroboros was usually circular in shape, figure-eight-shaped ouroboros has become a popular symbol more recently, in a combination of two elements (the snake and the ‘8’ shape) both of which mean infinity. In this niche, it has become associated with the ouroboros – the ancient image of a snake eating its own tail, symbolizing eternity and rebirth. The infinity is also a significant symbol in modern mysticism. The American learning platform Coursera combines the ‘C’ and ‘o’ in its logo into an infinity symbol, and in Fujitsu’s logo, the dots above the ‘j’ and ‘I’ form the infinity. For example, the logo for PlayStation Room was stylized to look as if the two ‘o’s of ‘room’ were an infinity symbol.

Typography and logo designs in particular are often based on the infinity symbol. Some sources claim that Wallis based the symbol on the Greek letter ω – a lower case version of omega (Ω), the last letter of the Greek alphabet.Īnother theory is that the symbol design refers to the ancient Roman numeral for 1,000 – CƆ, which was sometimes used to mean ‘many’ rather than denoting a specific number.Īs well as being a mathematical symbol, the infinity loop has a firm place as a cultural sign.Īlthough it’s not tied directly to any specific culture, it’s both universally recognizable and aesthetically pleasing – making it a common element in art and graphic design. The explanation could be simple: the symbol is a line that loops itself and has no beginning or end, immediately signifying eternity and endlessness. It’s unclear what inspired Wallis’ design for the symbol – which looks like the number 8 on its side. Just like ‘+’ is a symbol for adding and ‘=’ means ‘equal’, ‘∞’ means ‘infinite’. What Wallis did, therefore, wasn’t to invent the idea of endlessness, but to invent a mathematical symbol for it. The first person known to have written about the idea of infinity from a scientific point of view was Archimedes – a Greek mathematician, physicist, astronomer, and engineer who lived over 2,300 years ago. Though the symbol has been in use for almost 500 years, the concept of infinity, or endlessness, has existed for much longer – since the times of the ancients. The symbol itself was introduced by the English mathematician and priest John Wallis in 1655. The infinity symbol, also known as the lemniscate, is used primarily in mathematics and physics to refer to something that has no end.
SERENITY SYMBOL TATTOO DESIGNS HOW TO
Read on to find out more about the history of the symbol, its potential meanings, and ideas on how to incorporate it into a truly unique tattoo of your very own.Īnd don’t forget to check out our huge gallery of infinity tattoos! Gaining in popularity through fashion accessories and jewelry, it quickly became one of the most recognizable and widespread symbols in tattoo design, too.Įlegant in its simplicity, rich in meaning and versatile in design, the infinity symbol can make for an awesome tattoo for both women and men.

The infinity symbol has become something of a staple of contemporary tattooing over the past decade. Check out some of the coolest infinity tattoo ideas that we’ve ever seen! Also, learn what the symbol means as a tattoo.
