In addition to time-related themes, the hourglass is synonymous with cycles and balance.
All of the natural processes and cycles occur there (not including what happens in space, of course), which gives us a greater sense of relation with our environment. This also forces us to realize our roles in the natural cycles happening around us.
Ancient alchemists recognized the concept of balance in the hourglass. Its very shape is made up of triangles balancing each other out. Alchemists interpreted these triangles as representing two aspects of nature: the upper being the sky and the lower equating with Earth.
The hourglass, sometimes with the addition of metaphorical wings, is often depicted as a symbol that human existence is fleeting, and that the “sands of time” will run out for every human life. It was used thus on pirate flags, to strike fear into the hearts of the pirates’ victims. In England, hourglasses were sometimes placed in coffins, and they have graced gravestones for centuries. The hourglass was also used in alchemy as a symbol for hour. More: Hourglass Symbolism.
Hourglass And Feminine Energies
When it comes to sexuality, nothing is more feminine and luscious than an hourglass figure. The curvaceousness of the shape directly references the female and the specific cycles that she experiences in her life. As it is fully developed, the hourglass symbolizes a woman who has gone through the cycle of maiden to mother to crone. This spirit symbol shows that she has both learned and grown.