In cleansing rituals in Odinani, the anticlockwise motif symbolizes the sacred act of unwinding and release. Unlike clockwise motion, which invokes and builds, moving anticlockwise works to dissolve, banish, and undo stagnant or harmful energies. In Igbo spirituality, this reversal is seen as a return to primordial purity—loosening spiritual knots, dispersing negativity, and preparing the ground for renewal. Far from being negative, the anticlockwise direction embodies the art of cleansing through reversal, reminding us that release is the first step toward rebirth and balance.

The triangle is one of the oldest and most universal symbols of sacred wisdom, representing balance, manifestation, and the union of divine forces, as an embodiment of Ikenga in Igbo cosmology. In Igbo spirituality, triangles symbolize growth and with horns as totems act as “spiritual antennas,” they also symbolize channeling solar ascent. The triangle encodes the mysteries of creation and harmony. It is not only the shape of trinities and sacred mountains, but also a geometric horn—a form that gathers energy at its base and directs it upward toward spirit as Ikenga be mmadu, downwards towards mankind as Ikenga be mmuo, and simultaneously as Ikenga be Chi. In Odinani, the triangle reflects the esoteric truth that wholeness and power emerge when duality is reconciled by a third force (Ikenga), and energy is focused toward the divine.