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An interesting intellectual game...
Some Hidden Meaning of National Flags
Over many years, I have been studying aspects of Buddhism. As in other systems, colors represent forms of energy, character, essence and also forms of wisdom. Combined with geometric form, and shapes, additional information is being expressed.
The color white: It stands for the human body, in particular for the head and brain section, and our reason;
The color red: belongs to the realm of desire, attraction, romantic love, often attachment and belongs to our throat;
The color blue: it encompasses truthfulness, bravery, courage, and strength, belonging to our heart region;
The color yellow: it stands for richness, pride, communication skills, and wealth; it is related to the navel region;
The color green stands for dynamism, energy, activity and sexual strength/energy; it refers to the genitals area;
The color black refers to the power to protect, and (in confused form), to the poison of anger and hatred.
For a number of years I have played with the concept of interpreting national flags in the context of the above.
Fact is,
That the northern hemisphere countries are dominated by combinations of red-white-blue, red-white (USA, France, GB, Russia, Canada, Austria, Japan, and many others); these color combinations also reappear in the extreme south (Chile, Australia, New Zealand);
From some 40 deg northern latitude and 20 deg, combinations between green, white and red are common (India, Italy, Mexico). Interestingly, these are triangular-shaped countries narrowing towards the southern end. There is also Hungary. Interestingly, the color blue is very rarely found in this zone (exceptions: Costa Rica, and Israel);
Further South, in the zone of Islamic North Africa and Arabia, we see combinations of green, red, white and red, with black often forming a triangle pushing into the white zone.
Countries in Central Africa, and the Caribbean, often show combinations of green/black, yellow/green/black or yellow/green/red. Blue colors are largely absent with the exception of Brazil (there may be others).
Needless to say that flags formed as consequences of nation building processes, but by doing so also reflect mental and emotional characteristics. How can these be interpreted in applying the Buddhist color code ?
Ill try to give a few examples.
Equal-layered proportions seem to indicate priorities.
Blue/white/red layer combinations speak for a balance of reason, attachment, and desire. The shallowest level represents the obvious.
Red/white combinations represent a balance between reason and desire.
Flags with black/white combinations suggest a struggle between reason, and anger.
Flags with yellow/red often point to a mentality of attraction, and pride.
Flags with green/yellow combinations indicate a mentality driven by an overwhelming thirst for a strong sex life, plus wealth.
There is much more to say, but I like to keep it short. Let me give just a few more examples:
Flags do change with time. When the communist era ended, the Soviet red flag (unlimited attachment) became replaced by the old tri-color Russian flag, symbolizing a return to older values. This process, however, remained incomplete, and many Russians remain emotionally tied to the Soviet red flag, and the erroneous concepts that go with it;
Germany replaced the imperial white (belonging to an era of tremendous progress in science and reasoning), with the golden color representing wealth and richness; the country became rich, but lost out as a leader of science and reason;
Citizens of the United States often make somewhat ironical remarks about the citizens of Texas, and/or the Texan mentality. Comparing the two flags, you will recognize the same basic ingredients, though the US flag is a lot more layered (refined? or confused?), if compared to the Texan flag. The latter, in short, represents the same American values, though somewhat blunter and expressed in more basic patterns.
Be it as it may, its a fascinating intellectual game. I hope you enjoy it.
© 2007 by Franz L Kessler
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