I'm looking for a symbol of "change"...

I think a butterfly is a good symbol of change.

Maybe the image of a butterfly emerging from it’s cocoon.

What about a delta? (Δ or δ)

Butterfly is a bit too feminine. Delta is too mathematical.

What about Ouroboros?

The infinity symbol on the point of a delta? Barack Obama? A morphing chameleon?

What about 9/11, because, um, 9/11 changed everything?

Might it be a series of shapes or figures moving from one state into another.? I am thinking of the evolution from water creature to man that is often shown, but it could be anything that changes: a series of three or four lovely shapes—a flower opening up, a puzzle getting done, an egg to a bird—how abstract do you want to be?

a snake eating it’s tail, from the ancient Greek..but that may be a bit maudlin.

You’re talking Ouroboros? What’s maudlin about Ouroboros?

Ive always thought of it as less a symbol of change in general, but more of a specific symbol of the never-ending cycle of tragedy/triumph/tragedy- similar to the Sisyphean legend… but then again that may be my personal inference, which is probably wrong.

change is eternal? Is it? Certainly not all; the butterfly emerges from the cocoon but has a short life-span, for example. What is your sub-text?

skfinkel’s response reminded me of the symmetry art of M.C. Escher – reversible change.

Escher transformations

Phoenix rising from ashes. Cyclical but eternal.

Phoenix(mythology)

The Phoenix! That IS good.

How about the symbol for cents (which is not on my keyboard) as in loose pocket CHANGE

¢hange

A butterfly with delta symbols for wings.

I’ve got it: a cross between Ouroboros and a Möbius strip: the dreaded Mouroboröbius!

Escher’s other Ouroboros is also amazing!

a tree with the leaves falling off.

Greek alphabet ‘delta’

(@saad: Read the second answer, please.)

A seed sprouting?

Or a twig with a butterfly crawling out of its cacoon with yin-yang symbols on both cacoon and wings. Wings having larger symbol to symbolize the greater enlightenment you receive through change. I just made that one up. :)

(Did you make up spelling of “cocoon,” too?

…there is a word “samsara”....from India, which means “ceaseless change”...that is the nature of life…no matter how hard we try, change happens…ceaselessly…when I was going through many changes in my life, I bought a bird I named, Samsara…to this day, when things change and I resist (like the AnswerBag new format)...I remember Samsara…and grow towards the flow…

Looking for a similar symbol I came upon your question. I found a “universal symbol” for change at this site, http://www.doingsocialmath.com, resembling a stylized lower case “y.” It is also a rotated flipped “h” lower case. To make it simple I thought to use an upper case Y. Like Δ it is easy to recognize, but does not convey change as increment. I was looking for something as in “change in plans,” or “now you can’t go back, you’ve taken a different path.” “Y” has that fork in the road quality. As to eternal change, think of that Tolkien poem, “the road goes on and on….” Personally I’d something more attention getting like the Hebrew aleph for the Aleph null set. Going through the font variations there are many good possibilities. But, I agree a symbol is needed for your concern & mine.