Symbolism

Symbolism

Since prehistoric times people have created symbols that relate to the world around them, as well as symbols for unseen forces.
Creating a symbol requires the person doing so to contemplate the object of intent, be it mundane or magickal. This act in itself starts energies related to the object of intent coalescing together into a visible symbol.

In occult theory like attracts like. Since many occult forces are (more or less) invisible, the visible symbol serves as a physical link to certain psychic & magickal energies. This symbol does not need to be easily recognizable to the general public, such as when creating an occult sigil, but it must have some meaning to the creator.

Having created such a symbol, the magician will generally perform some form of ritual. During this ritual, the magician calls upon more specific energies such as deities, spirits, angels, demons, etc., many of which (if not all) share something in common with the desired goal. For instance, calling upon Cernonnus to bless & charge a sigil for a successful hunt.
This ritual thus serves to further empower the symbol & to strengthen its visible ties to its invisible ones, as well as to strengthen the associations of the symbol in the magician's own subconscious mind.

After creating, blessing, & charging such a symbol it may be kept somewhere the magician will see it regularly (which again can strengthen its occult ties), or it may be destroyed (usually by being burnt), thus casting the energies out into the world & allowing the magician to simply forget about it until the goal is realized on the physical plane.
The former is good if one wants to see & reaffirm the desired goal, & for summoning energies in general. The latter, if one wishes to release any trepidation or possible negativity concerning the magicks involved & simply allow the energies to fulfil the desired goal unhindered, or if banishing/releasing energies in general.

Written by Priest Awen Eldorath
March 12^th 2005