Sigils

A **sigil** in the simplest of words is a magical symbol. A symbol created to show the meaning of a physical thing, and or a phrase or word.

* Making a Sigil
* Different Way To Do a Sigil

## Making A Sigil

There are three steps to creating a sigil: identifying what you want and writing it down, creating the image from this sentence, and finally making your subconscious accept it.

Now to create the sigil you just eliminate all repeating letters, and for some people, eliminating all vowels. Since you can use them for names, or physical things, or phrases or words, I will give you an example of each.   Name: Amanda Pierce (This is a name out of my mind, sorry if any relations occur) Turns into *mndprc* OR *amndpierc*
Physical things: Earth turns into *rth* OR *earth*

Phrases: Make My Power Grow Strong turns into *mkypwrgstn* OR *makeypowrgstn*

Words: pretty much a single word form the ones above, such as Amanda, or Earth, or Power.

There are three main ways to create a sigil:

1: Putting the letters on top of one another until you find a combination you like. (Amanda->mndprc would eliminate n which fits inside m, and p, c, and r which fit inside d for the most simplistic sigil. You would be left with d and m to work with)

2: A chart type thing, where letters A, I, Q,and Y go with 1, then B, J, R, and Z go with 2, and... Here is a chart:

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

a b c d e f g h

i j k l m n o p

q r s t u v w x

y z

The next thing you do, is arrange the numbers in a circle, 1-8, and which ever the letters correspond to, you connect the numbers. Amanda would be 151641.

3: The third way would by to make a circle, with a smaller circle in that circle, and a smaller circle in the smaller circle. In the largest circle, around the smaller ones, there would be letters A-M, and in the second biggest circle, there would be letters N-U, and in the smallest circle, there would be letters V-Z. You would connect the letters together to form a sign.

This is a very confusing topic for some, don't worry, and feel free to ask questions! -Kar

### **Different way to do a sigil**

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All the information you're about to see will go in detail on how to make this sigil. It may be a lot of information but it will help you learn how to make your sigil. It would be a good idea to take notes on this. First you will read about basic marks and shapes to the most complex ones, then it will show you how to make yours with examples. All of this information we got is from a book called Sigil Witchery by Laura Tempest Zakroff. I recommend getting this book if you want to know more about sigils.

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Here is an idea on what you will be doing and how you will create one. (this sigil is made by me, its a bit basic but it holds a lot of meaning-Mars)

### Basic Shapes and Signs (Start Here)

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Reminder: do not rush or overlook to get to the more complex ones. Each symbol has a lot of power and meaning including the most basic ones.

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* Point (Closed Dot)
* Open Dot
* Circle
* Horizontal Line
* Dotted or Dashed Line
* Diagonal Line
* Chevron
* X
* Arrow
* Wavy Line
* Zigzag Line
* Triangle
* Square
* Rectangle
* Diamond
* Crescent
* Spiral
* Pentagon
* Hexagon
* Other Polygons
* Star
* Pentagram
* Hexagram
* Septagram
* Asterisk
* Vesica Piscis or Mandorla
* Eye
* Infinite or Hourglass
* Wheels and Shields
* Wings
* Key and Keyhole
* Scales
* Anchor
* Butterfly
* Hand
1/37

#### Zodiac and Astrological Sign + Letters + Colors

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### Making Your Own Symbols/Shapes/Marks

I will be adding something I got from the book that can help you make your own symbols. I'll also be adding some examples that I made so it can help you understand more. Yes you can add your own words. I'll also add a doc version if you want to print it out, or get the book if you want to do that instead.

Your Word Symbols
 Art
 Banish
 Change
 Community

Google Doc Version

EXAMPLE:

### Step By Step: How to Plan and Create Your Sigil

Where do you start? There's only four steps that will help you make your sigil:

**Step 1**: Define your goal or identify the problem.

**Step 2**: Brainstorm a list of what is needed to accomplish that goal or solve the problem.

**Step 3**: Design the sigil.

**Step 4**: Apply the Sigil and acknowledge it as necessary.

#### **Scenario's**

I'll be putting on the process from the book. It will show you scenario's to help you work your way through each step. (Everything down here was taken from the book, I did not write any of the stuff ⬇️. Go support Laura Tempest Zakroff)

#### **Step 1**: Define Your Goal or Identify the Problem

First, consider what it is you wish to accomplish. It’s vital to be realistic about the goal, and to take time to consider the possible outcomes, consequences, and ramifications. I have always told my students, “Magick takes the path of least resistance.” There is many a myth in world folklore that involves poorly thought-out wishes and the problems they cause. It’s better to model your thinking on the savvy mythic figures who exercise foresight and critical thinking. If you just follow your desires and impulses without thinking it through, you will probably not be satisfied or pleased with the result. All actions will lead to a variety of reactions—intended and unintended, positive and negative—so you need to think several steps ahead and be responsible. Being responsible means acknowledging that Witchcraft is more about having power over yourself and your environment than over others. Here are some examples:

**Example 1**

***Good Goal***: To be in a romantic relationship that is healthy and happy

***Bad Idea***: Make Pat fall in love with me

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*The former allows for options and a better outcome. What if Pat turns out to be a total jerk? Then you’re stuck with getting rid of Pat.*

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**Example 2**

***Good Goal***: Being financially secure, stable, and successful, with an income of at least $42,000 a year

***Bad Idea***: Getting a job or getting a raise at my job

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*The former focuses on a larger cycle and a specific goal. The latter may not* provide you with the money you need for financial stability or provide the environment you need or want. Maybe what you need is a different job.

```

**Example 3**

***Good Goal***: Owning the right home for us that is safe, at or under our goal price, and what my family needs within the next six months in Sky County

***Bad Idea***: Making sure we get that one house we put a bid on at 303 Happy Place .

```
The former gives a set timeline, financial limit, and area and covers your needs and expectations. That one house you saw may not be best for your needs. It may cost more, have hidden issues, or put you out of the running for a more ideal home.

```

**Example 4**

***Good Goal:*** Bring justice and healing for my friend Donna safely and quickly

***Bad Idea***: May that a-hole who hurt Donna burn in a fire.

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The former directly helps your friend and sets justice in motion without making how it happens your specific problem. The latter might seem like it brings justice, but it could involve other people getting hurt and doesn’t lend energy to helping Donna overcome what happened. You can see some places above where it’s good to be specific and others where it’s better to set guidelines without getting too bogged down in details. I’m not going to lecture you on karma, a threefold law of return, or the good/evil coin. Each of us has our own perspective and set of ethics and beliefs. My only recommendation in the moral department is to be thoughtful, consider both the short- and long-term effects, be prepared to take responsibility for your actions, and be careful not to overexert or overextend yourself. Also, don’t be a jerk.

```

##### **Step 2**: Brainstorm a List of What Is Needed to Accomplish That Goal or Solve the Problem

Once you have considered step 1, write down what you have come up with in whatever way helps you to process and explain it to yourself. If you’re facing a particular problem, you could make a list of the issues and what things may be needed to create a solution. From there, focus on making a list of key words that summarize what you want to achieve. These words in turn will translate into the shapes and marks you will use to create the sigil. I recommend having at least three to four words to focus on, but not more than, say, ten to twelve. Let’s take one of our “good goals” examples to use as our practice

**Scenario:**

***Good Goal:*** Bring justice and healing for my friend Donna safely and quickly

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##### **Step 3**: Design the Sigil

Look at your list of words. What shapes, marks, or symbols do you connect with each of them? Here’s how I would go about it. Normally this all happens in my head, but for the format of this book, I’ll list it for you:

*justice*: the scales

*healing*: a heart, spiral energy

*Donna*: she’s a Cancer, so I could use that symbol for her, or a D for her

*name safely*: plus sign, upward crescent

*quickly:* arrow energy, all directions

At the center of all this is Donna, so I’m going to put the symbol for her down first. I want her to be protected and to focus on healing in a safe place, so I’m going to draw a heart around her symbol, with spirals curling out of the bottom of the heart. Next I’m thinking about “justice” and "safely,” so I’m going to place a plus sign coming out of the top of the heart, and build the scales coming out and down from either side of the heart. The top of the plus sign feels empty to me, so I’m going to place the horned crescent on top. That leaves “quickly,” so I’m going to draw arrows going out in the cardinal directions. Voilà! A sigil!

##### **Step 4**: Apply the Sigil, and Acknowledge It as Necessary

Once you have designed your sigil, it’s time to do something with it. What you do with the sigil depends on its purpose. This process is what I call the application of the sigil. Acknowledgment is what you (or the end user) may do after the sigil is applied to remember the sigil, re energize it, or otherwise interact with it. Some people are really keen on burning their sigils to “activate” them. I tend to look at burning in magick as a means of banishing, cleansing, or otherwise removing or releasing something, which makes burning a sigil rather ineffective if it’s not associated with any of those actions. There is a particular school of thought that strongly recommends destroying the sigil after you’ve created it. The reasoning is that in order for the sigil to work, you must forget it, thereby letting the sigil slide back into your subconscious or unconscious mind. That process dictates that the sigil will not work if you’re hyper focused on its success. That may be a good solution if you tend to get fixated on certain things, but I think it’s overkill for most people, especially for those who are adept in metaphysics and familiar with exercising control over their mind and thoughts. Even if the sigil is often within your field of vision (on your desk, tattooed on your arm, on your mirror, etc.), it falls into the subliminal range of observation—meaning your eyes often look at it without you actually being aware that you’re seeing it and consciously thinking about it. This subtle exposure to symbols can make for some pretty effective workings, considering that’s the same way a lot of advertising works! (If you see something enough times, you become familiar with it even if you’re not aware of it.) Basically, there are a lot of other options for applying and acknowledging your sigil (besides destroying your sigil immediately after designing it) that give you more bang for your buck. We’ll cover them extensively in the next section. Let’s return to our practice-scenario sigil for Donna and look at a few different possibilities for application and acknowledgment.

***Scenario 1***: Donna requested that you make this sigil for her. She’s planning to get it tattooed over the spot where she was injured. After it’s healed, she plans to anoint it daily with a special essential oil blend made with herbs that focus on healing and justice.

***Scenario 2***: Donna didn’t ask for a sigil, but you wanted to do something for her. You draw the sigil in blue (her favorite color) and place in on your altar next to an item she gave you, where you see it every day.

**Scenario 3**: Donna asked for a sigil that she can make into a patch. She’s going to sew it inside of her favorite coat that she always wears, so when she goes out, she has the sigil with her. She will see it every time she puts the coat on and will feel protected.

**Scenario 4**: The sigil needs to be virtually invisible for various reasons. To achieve this invisibility, Donna or a practitioner/friend can paint the sigil with salt water on Donna’s front and back doors. It will be reapplied on a regular basis, perhaps on the anniversary of the original incident or at every full moon.

**Scenario 5**: The sigil will be inscribed onto a piece of jewelry by a mutual friend and given to Donna to wear when she feels like she needs something extra to help her feel physically safe and emotionally supported.

##### Applying Sigils, or Put a Sigil on It!

Once you’ve designed your sigil, you have a wide variety of options for its application. I’ve included a number of ideas for you to consider in the next several sections, but I want to take a moment to remind you that simple and basic works too. All you really need is something to write with and to write on. That’s it! You don’t need fancy paper or an expensive pen, or a specific time of day or moon phase to get work done. That’s the beauty of sigil witchery. From there you could fold the paper up and keep the sigil in your wallet or tape it to your bathroom mirror where you can see it every morning and night. Maybe you have a jar of intentions you plan to put it in. Maybe it will live on a sticky note on your computer screen in your office. Or perhaps you will draw it out in black permanent marker under your chair. None of these options are particularly fancy or time-intensive, but they are practical and effective nonetheless. But what if you want to do something a little more elaborate? There’s nothing wrong with that, so let’s explore some options that may stir your cauldron!

Stuff you can do:

* Illumination
* Fabric Paint
* Sewing
* Jewelry

##### The Vanishing Sigil

Sometimes only you need to know where you put a sigil—no one else needs to know. Or perhaps the sigil is meant to be temporary by design. Here are some ideas for vanishing or invisible sigils.

* Chalk
* Salt
* Earth
* Water
* Fire
* Smoke and Air
* Herbs
* Plant a Sigil
* Birdseed
* Black on Black
* Sigils on Skin

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