In The Golden Thread: Esoteric Hitlerism, Miguel Serrano presents the swastika as an ancient, metaphysical, and cosmic symbol whose meaning long predates any modern political use. In his interpretation, the swastika is primarily a spiritual emblem tied to Hyperborean mythology, polar symbolism, and esoteric traditions. Serrano emphasizes that the swastika represents the Pole—the still, unmoving center around which all worldly movement takes place. This center symbolizes the Crown Chakra of the Earth, the cosmic axis, and the point of inner stability that remains untouched while the arms of the symbol rotate, expressing cycles, change, and the dynamic motion of existence.
The book distinguishes between two forms of the swastika: the rightward (clockwise) and the leftward (counter-clockwise). According to Serrano, the rightward swastika symbolizes the “Exodus,” representing a movement away from a primordial spiritual homeland and the beginning of a fall or decline from an original divine state. It reflects themes of loss, exile, and the separation of humanity from an ideal cosmic origin.
The leftward swastika, by contrast, is described as the emblem of “Return,” symbolizing the path leading back toward that lost origin. This form represents ascent, inward transformation, and a reawakening of spiritual consciousness. Serrano frames it as a symbolic journey through mythic or spiritual realms—Asgard, Shambhala, Agarthi, and finally the Polar Thule—each representing stages of regeneration or higher understanding. He also links this swastika to the idea of a mystical “flower” and to the transformation of the human being into a complete, integrated, and divinized form he calls the “Total-Man.”
Serrano repeatedly insists that neither form of the swastika is inherently negative. Instead, he argues that both express different phases in a cosmic process: one outward and descending, the other inward and returning. For him, the swastika is not a moral symbol but a metaphysical one that encodes ancient truths about cosmic motion, spiritual evolution, and the polarity between decline and renewal.
Throughout the book, the swastika is also associated with other spiritual and mythic images such as the Round Table, the Celtic cross, and the rotating wheel or chakra. All of these symbols highlight the relationship between an unmoving center and the movement surrounding it, reinforcing the idea of a stable spiritual core guiding the cycles of existence. In Serrano’s esoteric system, the swastika ultimately represents cosmic order, spiritual direction, and the human quest to return to a primordial state of harmony and unity.