If you live in any U.S. city, it’s likely fireworks are already booming and star-spangled flags are waving boldly in the air. Yet, long before nation-states emerged, humans worldwide yearned for personal liberation and enlightenment. Diverse spiritual practices reflect this profound longing. Across continents and ages, rites of passage—from baby naming ceremonies and initiation rites to funerary rituals—have marked each threshold of personal transformation.
These sacred traditions honor the unfolding of individual purpose and affirm communal support for each soul’s journey toward freedom. Spiritual sovereignty, which involves the pursuit of inner liberation from societal conditioning and inherited trauma, has long been recognized as the foundation of universally desired autonomy. In finding this freedom, people are better able to express their truth, claim their power, and live in alignment with their most deeply held values.
The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy defines sovereignty as “supreme authority within a territory.” It stands to reason, then, that we might envision our minds and bodies as our most essential “territory” over which we wish to have authority, a lifelong quest that often requires deprogramming, reprogramming, and profound imagination to master.
Today’s struggles for justice—whether the ongoing fight for racial equity, gender liberation, LGBTQIA+ rights, or the decolonization of Indigenous lands, among countless others—remind us that freedom remains an evolving aspiration. Movements such as Black Lives Matter, #MeToo, and Standing Rock have harnessed symbols (from raised fists to water protectors’ feathers) to articulate collective pain, resilience, and vision for a more equitable future.
Just as ancestral cultures used emblematic objects to galvanize communal identity and personal awakening, contemporary activists employ visual language and ritualized gatherings to reinforce solidarity, uplift marginalized voices, and demand systemic change. As the University of Sydney scholar Graeme Gill puts it, “Symbols are central features of organized human life, helping to define perception, shaping the way we view the world, and understand what goes on within it.” However, Gill also urges us to consider the “dual potential” of symbols, adding, “there is never a single interpretation of a symbol that everyone within the community will accept.”
On the eve of July 4th, we invite you to explore with us how societies throughout history have ritualized the journey of self‑realization and self‑actualization, examining potent symbols of spiritual sovereignty and offering contemporary practices to reclaim your sovereign power.
We’ll delve into iconic emblems, offering practical ways you can integrate them into your daily life, aligning with lunar phases, human design, and herbal allies. But first, let us honor the wisdom of Aboriginal activist Lilla Watson:
Ancient wisdom and modern liberation struggles share a common value: Individual healing and collective transformation cannot be “unbound,” so if you desire to embody freedom, the work may begin internally, but its culmination must include a radiation outward to others, to the world.
Nierika (Wixárika“Spirit Mirror”)
Among the Wixárika people of Mexico, the nierika serves as a portal between worlds. Crafted initially from threads woven into wooden loops or stone disks, nierikate concentrate ancestral energy and “images” (from nieriya, “to see”) that connect shamans to the divine. Ethnographic accounts describe Nierika as both a mirror and a prayer mat, invoking visions during annual pilgrimages to the desert of Wirikuta.
Quetzal Feather (Aztec & Maya)
The resplendent quetzal’s iridescent tail feathers were more valuable than jade among the Aztecs and Maya, reserved for rulers and priests. Feathers symbolized abundance, truth, and a direct connection to Quetzalcoatl, the Feathered Serpent deity of wind, learning, and light. Archaeological studies of Aztec featherwork confirm their role as luxury items and ritual currencies, vital in ceremonial garb and offerings.
In the 1770 Cartas de relación, part of an edition of letters to King Charles V from the conquistador Hernán Cortes (with notes by the Archbishop of Mexico, Francisco Antonio Lorenzana), Lorenzana wrote of the Aztecs’ artistic ingenuity, “Having sent to Rome a garment of the high priest of them, Achcauhquitlenamacani, the court was marveled, and having seen the silversmiths of Madrid some pieces and bracelets of gold that Hernan Cortés had sent to King Charles V, they confessed that they were inimitable in Europe.” [Library of Congress]
Jaguar Pelt (Maya)
In Maya ritual, the jaguar embodied power, night vision, and the underworld. Kings and high priests donned spotted pelts during ceremonies to channel the feline’s stealth and strength. Contemporary analyses of jaguar iconography reveal its dual role: a symbol of royal authority and a guardian spirit guiding shamans on vision quests through darkness and rebirth.
Bodhi Leaf (India & Beyond)
Under a sacred fig (Ficus religiosa), the Bodhi tree, it is written that Siddhartha Gautama attained enlightenment. Heart‑shaped leaves symbolize the clarity and compassion of the awakened mind. Ethnobotanical research from China and Southeast Asia highlights the prominent role of the Bodhi leaf in temple iconography, pilgrimage practices, and contemporary devotional plantings, reinforcing its enduring status as a symbol of insight and liberation.
Sankofa (Adinkra “Return and Fetch”)
From the Akan people of Ghana, Sankofa—literally “go back and get it”—appears as a bird looking backward to retrieve an egg or as a stylized heart. Sankofa teaches that progress requires honoring ancestors and recovering lost wisdom. It is widely adopted in African diaspora art and scholarship as a reminder: spiritual sovereignty demands reflection on one’s roots.
In the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History & Culture’s collection, a vividly colored painting titled Sankofa II by the American artist James Phillips beautifully depicts the concept. Phillips interprets the meaning of the Akan people of West Africa’s Sankofa as, “it’s not taboo to go back and fetch what you forgot.” At the center of Phillips’s brilliant work of sacred geometry is a heart, juxtaposed with other Akan symbols to represent themes of unity, struggle, and shared values (like the Sankofa itself) and the cultures that continue to spread its message through Adinkra cloth and other spiritually significant adornment, crafts, and artwork.
Ensō (Zen Circle, Japan)
In Zen Buddhism, the ensō is a hand‑drawn circle created in one or two brushstrokes to express no‑mind (mushin), emptiness (śūnyatā), and completeness-in-imperfection. Each ensō is unique, recording the moment of its creation and the state of the artist’s spirit. Drawing an ensō (the Zen circle) in mindful brushstrokes invites you to observe the state of your mind without judgment, a practice supported by calligraphic studies, which suggest it could be used as a form of moving meditation and for stress reduction.
Ritual is both symbolic and biochemical. From our Spirit Tools Collection, consider ritual allies that speak directly to body and psyche. Smoke cleansing creates energetic boundaries and clarity, echoing Mesoamerican purification rites. Drinking lucid dreaming tonics with herbs like calea zacatechichi (studied for its dream-enhancing alkaloids), blue lotus, and ashwagandha fosters deeper inner vision and subconscious integration. Anointing with essential oils like frankincense and palo santo, fragrances cherished by the ancients in temples and other sacred places, further supports a grounded internal and external environment. If you are in search of your liberation, here are a few other highlights from our Spirit Tools we think you’ll love:
You need not don a jaguar pelt or embark on a pilgrimage to Wirikuta (please, do not wade into the murky waters of cultural appropriation!) to reclaim your spiritual freedom. Modern sovereignty practices can be ritualized to be personally significant and aligned with cosmic rhythms, informed by ancestral wisdom, and take cues from energetic modalities.
Working with the moon phases remains one of the oldest and most accessible rhythms for any sort of meaningful, intentional inner work. At the New Moon, when the sky is dark and the lunar light is seed‑strength, set clear intentions that resonate with your Human Design type and natal chart. Research in psychological anthropology suggests that anchoring goals to natural cycles can enhance commitment and a sense of meaning. Conversely, the Full Moon’s brilliance illuminates what no longer serves you—use its energy to release limiting beliefs or behaviors ceremonially. Tracking lunar cycles in a simple journal creates a time capsule that allows you to reflect on your unique, steady rhythm of growth, reflection, and liberation.
The midpoint of each year is an opportune time for introspection. It’s a time for embracing the season of shedding. 2025 also marks the Chinese Year of the Snake, a symbol of profound transformation and releasing old skins. In Chinese cosmology, the snake embodies wisdom, intuition, and renewal. Rituals during Snake years often include quiet contemplation, water offerings, and creative renewal ceremonies to welcome the new cycle—practices rooted in Chinese New Year customs, yet highly adaptable to working towards personal sovereignty.
Art and writing are some of the most powerful containers for spiritual recovery. Try sketching your own Sankofa bird or composing a “symbol poem” that names one ancestral trait you wish to reclaim, to tap into the therapeutic benefits of narrative expression, as demonstrated in the expressive‑writing research of Dr. James Pennebaker at the Southern Methodist University, which shows that symbol‑rich journaling supports emotional integration and well-being.
Which inherited beliefs am I ready to let go of?
Where do I long to be reborn?
Regardless of how you choose to embark on your spiritual sovereignty journey, remember that the pursuit of freedom is a daily practice. Liberation, personal and collective, is not a one‑time event but a lifelong practice of returning to the universal truths passed down through your ancestral lineage, embedded in your DNA, wisdom that transcends any physical border. Through symbols that span continents and eras, we find reminders of our inherent sovereignty.
This Independence Day, may you be inspired to reclaim freedom at every level—physical, emotional, and spiritual. If these symbols and practices help guide you toward deeper self-realization and your most authentic life, then you’re well on your way to achieving freedom.
