Ancient symbols of healing are illustrations of DNA

[Sanity Check]

 

 

 

 

 

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[Mark Foote]

8 hours ago, Sanity Check said:

 

 

 

In Greek mythology, the Rod of Asclepius (⚕; Ancient Greek: Ῥάβδος τοῦ Ἀσκληπιοῦ, Rhábdos toû Asklēpioû, sometimes also spelled Asklepios), also known as the Staff of Aesculapius and as the asklepian, is a serpent-entwined rod wielded by the Greek god Asclepius, a deity associated with healing and medicine. In modern times, it is the predominant symbol for medicine and health care, although it is sometimes confused with the similar caduceus, which has two snakes.

(Wikipedia, "Rod of Asclepius")

 

 

Looking at the entry for caduceus:

 

As a symbol, it represents Hermes (or the Roman Mercury), and by extension trades, occupations, or undertakings associated with the god. In later Antiquity, the caduceus provided the basis for the astronomical symbol for planet Mercury. Thus, through its use in astrology, alchemy, and astronomy it has come to denote the planet Mercury and by extension the eponymous planetary metal. It is said that the wand would wake the sleeping and send the awake to sleep. If applied to the dying, their death was gentle; if applied to the dead, they returned to life.

 

So, no, the ancient symbol that resembles DNA was not associated with healing, although "it was said" that the symbol was associated with waking up and falling asleep. 

That's a curious thing, that association, as there's a tie-in with the experience of "one-pointedness" that Gautama the Buddha declared was synonymous with concentration (see Waking Up and Falling Asleep), and I would say that concentration is fundamentally a healing thing.