Dharma Initiative: The Facilities : Hydra Logo

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Hydra Logo

The Dharma Initiative's iconography includes a common octagonal symbol that resembles the Chinese symbol -- the Ba Gua. The interior symbol of this particular station is the Hydra. Information on hydras from Wikipedia.org:

In Greek mythology, the Lernaean Hydra was an ancient nameless serpent-like chthonic water beast that possessed numerous headsthe poets mention more heads than the vase-painters could paint and poisonous breath (Hyginus, 30). The Hydra of Lerna was killed by Heracles as one of his Twelve Labours. Its lair was the lake of Lerna in the Argolid, though archaeology has borne out the myth that the sacred site was older even than the Mycenaean city of Argos, for Lerna was the site of the myth of the Danaids. Beneath the waters was an entrance to the Underworld, and the Hydra was its guardian (Kerenyi 1959, p. 143...)

The Hydra was the offspring of Typhon and Echidna, noisome creatures of the Goddess who became Hera. It was said to be the sibling of the Nemean Lion, the Chimaera and Cerberus. As such, it was said to have been chosen as a task for Heracles so that Heracles would probably die.

Additional meanings for Hydra.

Note that the Hydra is the sibling of Cerebrus, which is mentioned on the Blast Door Map

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The Ba Gua Symbol
Ba Gua Symbol pic
Desmond's Wall
The symbol painted on Desmond's wall looks like a Ba Gua (Pa Kua) symbol. This symbol represents many elements of the Chinese philosophy which is drawn
from the I Ching, or Book of Changes. This philosophy is also used for Feng Shui.

The center of the symbol on Desmond's wall is representative of Yin-Yang, the relativity of two elements of a whole. Nothing in this concept is absolute. Not only is something Yin in comparison to something else which is Yang, but everything Yin contains a little bit of Yang and vice versa.

The second tier represents the Eight Changes:
Chien: Heaven - Strength, Creativity, Pure Will
K'un: Earth - Docility, Receptive, Acceptance
Chen: Thunder - Movement, Initiative, Action
Sun: Wood - Penetration, Following
K'an: Water - Danger, Change
Li: Fire - Brightness, Inter-Connection
Ken: Mountain - Stillness, Grounded, Balance
Tui: Lake - Pleasure, Joy Attraction

Ba means 8 in chinese, Gua means Trigram, thus the 8 Trigram:
The outer ring are the Trigrams. The Trigrams are a series of combinations of three lines. Some of the lines are Yin (broken) lines and Yang (solid) lines.

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Ba Gua, Pa Kua, Bagua, Pakua, Bagua zhang, Bagua Quan, Pakua Chuan, which ever way you prefer to spell or pronounce it, it is the same sytem.

The origins of pakua can be traced back to I Ching, which is said to be over 3000 years old. The I Ching, or Book of Changes, contains the outline for a source a divination. The technique originally involved the use of a tortoise shell that was heated, then cracked, the cracks correlated to the eight trigrams, which in turn, could predict future events. The I-Ching is said to be developed by Fu His, at a later date the I Ching was updated by King Wang and his son.

The idea behind the I Ching is that there is a singularity that all things derive from. This singularity divided, the division was represented by a whole line and a divided line. These two continually split until it created the eight trigrams, or the pakua. Each of the kuas relate to a planet, season, color, time, family member, element, and many other things. The kuas are set in a circle and have a creative and destructive cycle, it is through this that the martial art of pakua was formed.

Also, the yin yang in the center looks like a swan, similar to the symbol on his jumpsuit and also the computer. Written across that is what appears to be the word Dharma. Dharma is a buddhist practice to improve the quality of life by achieving inner piece and happiness. In other words, enlightenment.

Thanks to JMBerger from http://www.egoplex.com for his help