In my Witches of Griffin series, the triplets use sigil magic. A sigil is a type of symbol used in ritual magic that is believed to hold magical powers. The Griffin sisters used the pentacle, the ankh, the triskelion, the Isis knot, and the Reiki Cho Ku Rei symbol. Sigils have been used since the Neolithic era and are common in many cultures all over the world. Sigils are used for magical spellcasting and for the creation of thought-forms. Those who use sigils believe that the symbols impact the subconscious mind. Symbols can convey messages and ideas without a single word. According to U.D. Frater, Europe’s best-known practical magician, and contemporary occult author, “Sigil magic is efficient and can be performed without complicated rituals…independent of philosophical and dogmatic premises…” Sigils can serve as visually encoded statements of intent. Symbols used in ancient practices and beliefs are still used in popular culture and are seen in religions, logos, tattoos, art, and music. Sigils can also be generic and consist of lines, circles, crosses, arrows, spirals, numbers, letters, etc. Many people create their own sigils to manifest their desires. Sigil magic helps a person focus on the goal they are trying to reach while the subconscious mind looks for ways to achieve it.
Throughout history, sigils were used to call forth spirits and for those practicing “dark” magic, to call forth demons. The intent of the creator of the sigil is significant. In medieval times, magic practitioners used sigils to connect to angels and demons and wrote training books called grimoires. One of the most famous 17thcentury grimoires, mostly compiled from materials a couple of centuries older, is The Lesser Key of Solomon, which has 72 sigils for the princes in the hierarchy of hell. It is considered an important source of demonology. In the past, demons were also considered to be teachers and were sometimes summoned to uncover the mysteries of astrology, math, science, and magic.
In ancient Egypt, priests practiced magic and were seen as guardians of secret knowledge given by the gods of humanity. Some carried metal wands decorated with fearsome deities invoked to fight on behalf of the wielder. Supernatural fighters were often represented on furniture to protect the home. All classes in ancient Egypt wore protective amulets, which held deities, names, or symbols.
A popular Viking sigil is the Vegvisir (also known as the Viking Compass), seen in many tattoo shops. The symbol is found in Icelandic grimoires from the 19thcentury, which is eight centuries after the Viking Age, so historians are unsure if the Vikings used this symbol or if it was a new creation. Those who carried this sign with them would “not get lost in storms or bad weather, even though in unfamiliar surround.” (Project Forlog) This symbol was conditioned by Christian faith: “To avoid getting lost: keep this sign under your left arm, its name is Vegvísir, and it will serve you if you believe in it – if you believe in God in the name of Jesus – the meaning of this sign is hidden in these words, so you may not perish. May God give me luck and blessing in the name of Jesus.” (PF)
The Cunning Folk of Great Britain were considered professional practitioners of magic. They were active in the medieval period through the early 20th century. They practiced folk magic, using charms and spells. They were usually hired by the locals to ward off witchcraft, find lost items, find missing people, heal the sick, fortune-telling, etc. Although many of them were Christians, the church frowned upon practitioners of magic and considered them in league with the devil. Laws were enacted across England, Scotland, and Wales condemning the cunning folk and their magic practices. The cunning folk were not persecuted like those in the witch hunts since most believed witches harmful and the cunning folk useful. They were known by a variety of names like wizards, white witches, wise women, wise men, and pellars.
The late occultist Austin Osman Spare claimed sigil magic didn’t summon entities, but it created them. Spare called this chaos magic, which impacted the modern-day occult followers as his works are considered foundational reading for those interested in chaos magic. Chaos magic refers to an altered state of consciousness in a person’s mind to focus on one goal even if it contradicts previous ideas and practices, so the person isn’t confined by the concept of tradition. Chaos magicians believe whatever context they are using can be cast aside later as new approaches emerge. It is believed to be less complicated when compared to ceremonial magic, which depends on certain beliefs.
Over the centuries, various cultures have utilized symbols for communicating magical meaning. From Roman curse scrolls to Gypsies charms to European ceremonial magic in Enochian script, sigil symbols are designed to influence the world around us.
Late occultist Aleister Crowley created a new religion called Thelema and influenced religious founders like Wicca’s Gerald Gardner and Scientologist L. Ron Hubbard. Crowley was a practitioner of “magick” and called himself the “Beast 666.” His last notable achievement was his publication of The Book of Thoth in 1944, which brought about a new tarot deck called the Thoth. After his death, he became famous in pop culture, showing up on the album cover of the Beatles Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band. Jimmy Page, a guitarist for Led Zeppelin, purchased a house previously owned by Crowley in Scotland. The practitioner of black magic inspired Ozzy Osbourne. The song Mr. Crowley was co-written by Ozzy, Bob Daisley, and Randy Rhoads.
Modern Wicca can be traced to Gerald Brousseau Gardner, a British civil servant who studied Western esoteric literature, which included Crowley’s works. Involved in the British occult, Gardner founded a new movement called Wicca. In 1954, he published Witchcraft Today and founded his first coven. The Pagan religion spread to the United States in the late 1960s.
In modern times, sigils are still associated with magic, but that’s not necessarily the demon variety. It all comes down to the person’s intentions. Sigils are seen everywhere in the modern world. They can evoke emotion and even physical responses. Although seemingly innocent, our minds are capable of reading symbols rapidly, and they serve as a type of shorthand. Like, stop signs, flags, crosses, etc., which can have a more powerful effect than the written language. Many online sites explain how a person can make their own sigils.
To read more about Power symbols: https://lahilden.com/power-symbols/
Symbolism of the Pentacle: https://lahilden.com/symbolism-of-the-pentacle/
A special thank you to: http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/ancient/egyptians/magic_01.shtml,https://www.researchgate.net/publication/263726827_Digital_Sigil_Magick_The_relevance_of_sigil_magick_in_contemporary_art_and_culture,https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1057/9781137444820_12,https://www.dragoncon.org/dailydragon/2016/the-power-of-line-symbol-the-art-of-sigil-magick/,https://wiccanow.com/sigil-magic-learn-about-the-secret-magic-of-symbols/,http://cdn.preterhuman.net/texts/religion.occult.new_age/occult_library/Frater_U_D-Practical_Sigil_Magic.pdf,https://norse-mythology.org/vegvisir/,https://cathrynmarr.com/2019/06/30/join-us-at-the-romance-retreat-in-riverside/,https://atheopaganism.wordpress.com/2018/04/02/sigils-barcodes-for-your-brain/, http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/ancient/egyptians/magic_01.shtml
