The Pratik (pra - teek) is made up of two overlapping triangles. The upward pointing triangle represents action, service and extroversal energy. The downward pointing triangle represents spiritual or self knowledge, meditation and introversion. Balanced together, these two aspects of life lead one to all round progress. It symbolisation is the Bhuvaneshvarii Yantra. The upright and inverted triangles are an ancient Tantric design. In the midst of these two triangles is the sign of progress - represented by the rising sun - situated in the middle of the triangles. This progress leads to spiritual victory, enlightenment or self realisation, represented by the swastika, situated in the centre of the rising sun. The swastika is a very old symbol used throughout the world for thousands of years. It generally represents good luck, welfare, prosperity or spiritual victory. Unfortunately Hitler abused its power for worldly domination, which because of this misuse, ultimately rebounded back on him causing his down fall. The swastika is an ancient symbol of Asian Indians. Actually, it can be found used throughout Asia and very commonly in the Indian subcontinent from which it originated. It is also found in indigenous cultures outside Asia. It means spiritual victory, sentient victory as compared to dark victory. Its proper representation is as follows (at least in ascii text): __ |__|__ __| | All lines are joined and of equal length (not possible on ASCII text). This is its strict original structure. It origins are 7,000+ years old and it derives from tantric spiritual philosophy which evolved 10,000 years ago to become a systematic practical science about body, mind and soul about 7,000 years ago. The first tantrics (spiritual practitioners/scientists) observed the horizon and drew a horizontal line to represent the Supreme Cognitive Principle (Shiva). Then the vertical line crossing it represents the causal matrix or Supreme Operative Principle (Shakti). The cross later entered the Brahmi Khraosti scripts as the symbol for the sound "ka". The English letters "k" and "ka" when used in Hindi and Sanskrit scripts also have similar structures like a cross. When clockwise handles were added to the cross, the swastika of India was formed. It symbolises the preservation of Creation. The arms represent the anti-clockwise movement of "kundalinii" (spiritual energy and awakening). The swastika in terms of its Sanskrit meanings, is also that the cross represents the place in which all things meet and from where all things are possible (in the tantric philosophy this is the Universal Nucleus of the Cosmos and that Universal Nucleus is in all things at all times - the centre of all - Brahma - the Supreme Consciousness). The horizontal line represents Shiva, pure consciousness and the vertical line represents Shakti, or the creative principle. The handles represents the cosmic motion or turning of these universal principles. The handles are placed so that the cross rotates in a counter-clockwise motion. This movement represents evolutionary movement towards the Supreme Consciousness - i.e. merger of unit consciousness with Cosmic Consciousness and so symbolizes the Spiritual Victory. This is the reason why certain collective spiritual dances (called Akhanda Kiirtan) is done in a counter-clockwise motion. It can also be said that the horizontal bar of the spinning cross is a symbol of the Nirguna state (i.e. Non-Attributional Cosmic Consciousness) in the tantric philosophy and the upright is the expressed Saguna state (Attributional Cosmic Consciousness), i.e. influenced by the Qualifying Operative Principle (Prakrti or Shakti). When the qualifying force of creation (Shakti) is allowed to qualify the Non-Attributional Cosmic Consciousness, this is the origin of the Attributional Cosmic Consciousness or the endless qualification of the universe from Oneness to multiplicity - and so the expressed creation or universe arises. The PRATIK is the symbol of Ananda Marga. The word 'pratiika' in Sanskrit means 'emblem'. In short it is a triangle with one vertex up superimposed on another triangle with one vertex down, with the rising sun having a swastika inside. These are symbols of energy, knowledge, advancement and permanent victory, respectively. Certain initiation into spiritual practices is done before the pratik.