Weird

Secret Symbols: The All-Seeing Eye

It’s all around us.

On the one dollar bill. On television. Online. The all-seeing eye is there, silently watching. But what does it mean?

The Eye Of A Secret Agenda?
Image: Wikimedia Commons/Andrew Dunn

Also known as the Eye of Providence, the all-seeing eye is the symbol of a single eye encompassed by a triangle, often surrounded by shining rays of light. Its origins can be traced back to ancient Egypt and the Eye of Horus, and it usually holds a religious significance.

In Buddhism, for example, Buddha is often called the “Eye of the World.” In Hinduism, it is known as the “third eye” of Lord Shiva. And in Christianity, the triangle surrounding the eye is said to represent the Holy Trinity.

According to Nigel Brown of the Freemasons, the all-seeing eye is ultimately “a reminder of the existence of a higher being.” It is the all-seeing eye of God, or the “Great Architect of the Universe,” watching over the entire world.

Others view it as symbolic of opening one’s own eyes, or perhaps one’s inner eye, to greater knowledge, transcending the physical and entering a higher state of perception.

Eye of Providence Examples In Modern World

Here are just a few instances of the All Seeing Eye, or the Eye Of Providence, found in modern society:

On the Great Seal of the United States (reverse), beneath which is written “A New Order Of The Ages”

The Great Seal Of The United States

The CBS logo

CBS Logo - The All-Seeing Eye?

The America Online logo

America Online's Logo

The Time Warner Cable logo

The Time Warner Logo

The seal of DARPA’s Information Awareness Office (defunded in 2003, though certain projects continue to operate under different names)

The seal of DARPA's defunct Information Awareness Office

World Of Warcraft

The Eye of Providence in World Of Warcraft

Throughout the MMORPG World of Warcraft, players can find countless pop culture references. But there are also many allusions to secret societies and symbols of the occult. The above image is just one example of the Eye of Providence popping up in the land of Azeroth, and there’s even a quest in the game called All-Seeing Eye.

“I perceive the questions that burn within your mind and I must confess that I share in your uncertainty…”

 

Rob Schwarz

Writer, blogger, and part-time peddler of mysterious tales. Editor-in-chief of Stranger Dimensions.