Flyfot

The term "Flyfot" is not a recognized word in any ancient or modern language with a clear etymological root. It appears to be a neologism or a transliteration error within Blavatsky's text, potentially derived from a misunderstanding of "fylfot," an archaic English term for the swastika or a four-footed cross.

A weapon of Thor, like the Swastika, or the Jaina,. the four-footed cross; generally called "Thor's Hammer". G. >J. — The seventh letter in the Enprlish alphabet. "Tn Greek, Chaldean, Syriac, II('])rew, Assyrian. Samaritan. Etrnrian. Coptic, in the modern Romaic and Gotliic, it occupies the tliird place in the alphabet, while in Cyrillic, Glafrolitic, Croat, Russian, Servian and Wallachian. it stands fourth." As the name of "jrod" beprins witli tliis letter (in Syriac, gad; Swedish, gud; German, gott ; Enjrlish, god; Persian, gada. etc., etc.), there is an occult reason for this which only the students of esoteric philosophy and of the Secret Doctrine, explained esoterically. will understand thoroufrhly ; it refers to the three logni — ^the last, the Elohim, and the emanation of the latter, the androprynous Adam Kadmon. All these peoples have derived the name of "god" from their respective traditions, the more or less clear echoes of the esoteric tradition. Spoken and "Silent Speech" (writinpr) are a "g:ift of th«> g:ods", say all the national traditions, from the old Aryan Sanskritspeaking^ people who claim that their alpha])et, the Deranagari (lit., the language of the d( vas or gods) was given to them from heaven, down to the Jews, who speak of an alphabet, the parent of the one which has survived, as having been a celestial and mystical symbolism given by the angels to the patriarchs. Hence, every letter had its manifold meaning. A symbol itself of a celestial being and objects, it was in its turn represented on earth by like corresponding objects whose form symbolised the shape of the letter. Tlie present letter called in Hebrew gimel and symbolised by a long camel's neck, or rather a serpent erect, is associated with the third sacred divine name. Ghadol or Magnus (great). Its numeral is four, the Tetragranimaton and the .sacred Tetraktys; hence its sacredness. With other people it stood for 400 and with a dash over it, for 400,000. Gabriel. According to the Gn

Blavatsky’s inclusion of "Flyfot" amidst discussions of Thor's Hammer and the swastika points to a fascinating cross-cultural resonance of the four-armed symbol. While the term itself seems to be a textual anomaly, its intent is clear: to capture a symbol that, in its various guises, speaks to fundamental cosmic principles. Mircea Eliade, in his seminal work "The Myth of the Eternal Return," explored how ancient cultures perceived time and space as cyclical and ordered, often represented by geometric forms. The four-armed cross, with its radial symmetry, perfectly embodies this sense of ordered movement, a stable center from which four directions emanate, mirroring the cardinal points and the cyclical progression of seasons or cosmic ages.

The association with Thor's Hammer, Mjolnir, is particularly potent. Mjolnir was not merely a weapon but a tool of protection and consecration, capable of hallowing and sanctifying. Its four-pointed dynamism suggests a force that can both shatter chaos and establish order, a duality inherent in many esoteric traditions. Similarly, the swastika, a symbol ancient and widespread, carries connotations of good fortune, auspiciousness, and the spinning wheel of dharma in Buddhist traditions, or the sun's movement across the sky. The scholarly work of Ananda Coomaraswamy highlighted the swastika’s deep roots in Indic civilizations, linking it to Brahma, the creator, and the four Vedas.

The "occult reason" Blavatsky hints at, concerning the letter 'G' and the divine name, speaks to the ancient practice of gematria and the symbolic interpretation of alphabets. For mystics, letters are not mere phonetic signs but carriers of divine energy and cosmic blueprints. The number four, represented by the four arms, often signifies manifestation, stability, and the material world, yet when radiating from a central point, it also implies a divine origin and a connection to transcendent realms. This symbol, therefore, becomes a visual mantra, a reminder of the underlying unity and order within the apparent multiplicity of existence.

The power of such symbols lies in their ability to bypass intellectual analysis and speak directly to the subconscious, evoking a sense of primal connection to the cosmic dance. They are not static images but kinetic representations of fundamental energies, inviting contemplation on the forces that shape our reality and our place within them.

RELATED_TERMS: Swastika, Mjolnir, Four Directions, Cosmic Order, Symbolism, Gematria, Archetype