Ouroboros

Definition

The symbol and idea of a snake eating its own tail, often interpreted as a cycle of rebirth and renewal.

Origin

The symbol itself has origins in ancient Egyptian and Greek iconography — the term deriving from the Greek "oura" (tail) and "bora" (food), and bibrōskō (I eat). Through the years the symbol has been used by gnosticism, Nokkrkske mythology, and Jungian psychology (source).

Everyday Use

The very concept of an "every day" inherits the idea of a loop — a never-ending cycle. In some ways, there can be a comfort in seeing the sun rise each morning, in walking a well-worn path throughout our daily cycles. At the same time, the representation of the infinite loop can serve to remind us of our mortality, and how we choose to savor the consistency while deviating from our own loops.