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SenseiStrange Veteran user The Dead God's Dreams 345 Posts |
Helping to contribute to your education on the bizarre, occult and esoteric(I am the Sensei after all)...I found this on some website. I wish I remember where.
I must say the pentagram is a powerful symbol. Up until I began studying magic I was quite scared of it. It is amazing how conditioned we can become by society to fear the possibility of evil. As a magic man, I sometimes use symbols people fear such as the pentacle, and tarot. I use these not in a black magic sort of way, but if a person is searching for knowledge, and they re willing to face symbols they fear to get it; it will make their reading a much more powerful, touching and theraputic experience. Anyways I am babbling now... About the Pentagram The pentagram has long been associated with mystery and magick. It is the simplest form of star shape that can be drawn unicursally - with a single line - hence it is sometimes called the Endless Knot. Other names are the Goblin's Cross, the Pentalpha, the Witch's Foot, the Devil's Star, and the Seal of Solomon (a Star of David within a circle, more correctly attributed to the hexagram). It has long been believed to be a potent protection against evil and demons, hence a symbol of safety, and was sometimes worn as an amulet for happy homecoming. The old folk-song Green Grow the Rushes,O! refers to the use of the pentagram above doors and windows in the line, " Five is the symbol at your door." The potency and associations of the pentagram have evolved throughout history. Today it is a ubiquitous symbol of neo-pagans with much depth of magickal and symbolic meaning. The pentagram through history The pentagram symbol today is ascribed many meanings and deep significance, though much of this is very recent. However, it has been used throughout history and in many contexts: The earliest known use of the pentagram dates back to around 3500 BC at Ur of the Chaldees in Ancient Mesopotamia where it was symbolic of imperial power. Amongst the Hebrews, the symbol was ascribed to truth and to the five books of the Pentateuch. It is sometimes, incorrectly, called the Seal of Solomon (see Hexagram). In Ancient Greece, it was called the Pentalpha, being geometrically composed of five A's. Unlike earlier civilizations, the Greeks did not generally attribute other symbolic meanings to the letters of their alphabet, but certain symbols became connected with Greek letter shapes or positions (eg Gammadion, Alpha-Omega). To the Gnostics, the pentagram was the 'Blazing Star'. For the Druids, it was a symbol of Godhead. In Egypt, it was a symbol of the 'underground womb'. The Pagan Celts ascribed the pentagram to the underground goddess, Morrigan. Medieval Christians attributed the pentagram to the Five Wounds of Christ. The Christian Emperor Constantine I used the pentagram, together with the chi-rho symbol in his seal and amulet. In the legend of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, the pentagram was Sir Gawain's glyph, inscribed in gold on his shield, symbolizing the five knightly virtues. In medieval times, the 'Endless Knot' was a symbol of truth and was a protection against demons. It was used as personal protection and to guard windows and doors. The pentagram with one point upwards symbolized summer; with two points upwards, it was a sign for winter. During the long period of the Inquisition, the pentagram was seen to symbolize a goat's head. In the purge on witches, the horned god Pan became equated with the Devil (a Christian concept) and the pentagram, for the first time in history, became a symbol of 'evil' and was called the Witch's Foot. In the emergence of Hermeticism, graphical symbolism became very important. The concept of the microcosmic world of man as analogous to the macrocosm, the greater univese of spirit and elemental matter is a part of traditional occult teaching in both western and eastern philosophies. " As above, so below." The pentagram, the 'Star of the Microcosm,' symbolized man within the microscosm, representing in analogy the macrocosmic universe. The upright pentagram bears some resemblance to the shape of man with his legs and arms outstretched. Expressing the saying "Every man and every woman is a star", we can juxtapose Man on a pentagram with head and four limbs at the points and the genitalia exactly central. Indeed, an illustration attributed to Agrippa or to Tycho Brae (1582) illustrates the similarity of proportion in this image, showing the five planets and the moon at the center point. There are other illustrations of the period by Robert Fludd and Leonardo da Vinci showing geometrical relationships of man to the universe. Later, the pentagram came to be symbolic of the relationship of the head to the four limbs and hence of the pure concentrated essence of anything (or the spirit) to the four traditional elements of matter. [Quintessence] In Freemasonry, man as microprosopus was associated with the five-pointed Seal of Solomon. The symbol was used, interlaced and upright, for the sitting Master of the Lodge. The geometric properties and structure of the Endless Knot were appreciated and symbolically incorporated into the 72 degree angle of the compasses. The womens' branch of Freemasonry uses the five pointed 'Eastern Star' as its emblem. Each point commemorates a heroine of biblical lore. No graphical illustration of any association of the pentagram with evil appears until the nineteenth century. Eliphas Levi illustrates the upright pentagram of microcosmic man beside an inverted pentagram with the goat's head of Baphomet. In ritual magick the sign has long been used as a ritual flourish of the athame to symbolize invoking or banishing in respect to elemental associations. In the 1940's, Gerald Gardner adopted the pentagram with two points upward as the sigil of second degree initiation in the newly emergent, neo-pagan rituals of witchcraft, later to become known as Wicca. The one-point upward pentagram together with the upright triangle symbolized third degree initiation. The pentagram was also inscribed on the altar pentacle, its points symbolizing the three aspects of the Goddess plus the two aspects of the God. It was not until the late 1960's that the pentagram again became an amuletic symbol to be worn and has since then become firmly established as a common neo-pagan and Wiccan symbol, acquiring many aspects of mystique and associations that are today often considered to be ancient folklore! Nevertheless, the potency of a symbol has more to do with its associations and its commonality than with its antiquity, and the pentagram today is ubiquitous amongst neo-pagans. Symbolic meanings of the pentagram The number '5' has always been regarded as mystical and magical, yet essentially 'human'. + We have five fingers/toes on each extremity. + We commonly note five senses - sight, hearing, smell, touch, and taste. + We perceive five stages or initiations in our lives - e.g., birth, adolescence, coitus, parenthood, and death. (There are other numbers/initiations/stages/attributions). + Speaking purely in terms of age, there are also five stages: Babyhood, Adolescence, Adulthood, Middle Age, and Old Age. The number '5' is associated with Mars. It signifies severity, conflict, and harmony through conflict. In Christianity, five were the wounds of Christ on the cross. There are five pillars of the Muslim faith and five daily times of prayer. Five were the virtues of the medieval knight - generosity, courtesy, chastity, chivalry, and piety, as symbolized in the pentagram device of Sir Gawain. The Wiccan Kiss is fivefold - feet, knees, womb, breasts, lips - Blessed be. The number 5 is prime. The simplest star - the pentagram- requires five lines to draw, and it is unicursal; it is a continuous loop. This is taken to mean whatever five things it represents are "irrevocably" connected to one another, unless the line is broken. No one thing is any stronger or better than the other - they are all dependent upon one another. The geometric proportions of the regular pentagram are those of the Golden Section or Proportion which makes a rectangle most pleasing to the eye. Pentagram ratios form the foundation of the Fibonacci series of numbers where each number is formed by adding the previous two numbers. The Fibonacci series is much found in nature in the pattern arrangement of flower heads and leaves, and many flower heads and fruits themselves exhibit a fivefold symmetry. The pentagram has long been believed to be a potent protection against evil, a symbol of conflict that shields the wearer and the home. The pentagram has five spiked wards and a womb shaped defensive, protective pentagon at the centre. There are five elements, four of matter (earth, air, fire and water) and THE quintessential - spirit. These may be arrayed around the pentagram's points. In fact, the word 'quintessential' derives from the fifth element, the spirit. The pentagram is also a representative of the Horned God. Yes, it looks like a goat's head. The Horned God's most common five forms are represented by the points: human, goat, ram, stag and bull. The single point upwards signifies the spirit ruling matter (mind ruling limbs) and is a symbol of rightness. Tracing a path around the pentagram, the elements are placed in order of density - spirit (or ether), fire, air, water, earth. Earth and fire are basal, fixed; air and water are free, flowing. These point attributions are used in ritual inscribing, as a flourish of the hands or the athame, different forms of pentagram for invoking or banishing (grounding) each of the elementals according to the nature of the ritual. Another way of seeing this path is as man's spiritual journey through evolution. The spark of Life descending from God, the divine source of life to the simplest embryonic form (earth), rising to flow (water - air) on our plane of existence (compare with the intonation of the AUM mantra), then again descending to the fire of purification before again rising as a divine spark to find again his spiritual source. The pentagram may be shown as an interlaced line symbolic of the web-weaving power of magick. The descending spirit-earth line may pass under (male) or over (female) the water-air line to give two slightly differing forms. A pentagram may be open, without a surrounding circle. This is the active form symbolizing an outgoing of oneself, prepared for conflict, aware, active. (One wearing an open pentagram must be physically aware of the danger of sharp points sticking in their skin from time to time!) A circle around a pentagram contains and protects. It is the passive form implying spiritual containment of the magick circle. The circle also represents eternity and infinity. Inverted Pentagram The pentagram may be inverted with one point down. The implication is of spirit subservient to matter, of man subservient to his carnal desires. The inverted pentagram has recently come to be seen by many pagans as representing the dark side and it is often abhorred as an evil symbol. The inverted pentagram is the symbol of Gardnerian second degree initiation, representing the need of the witch to learn to face the darkness within so that it may not later rise up to take control. The center of a pentagram implies a sixth formative element - love/will which controls from within, ruling matter and spirit by will and the controlled magickal direction of sexual energies. This is another lesson of initiation. Very interesting. I hope some of the gospel boys read this to help them get a different view than what pop religious culture teaches about the pentacle. Walk in Peace, Sensei Strange |
Jonathan Townsend Eternal Order Ossining, NY 27297 Posts |
Sensi, would you offer some citations for these meaning/interpretaions?
...to all the coins I've dropped here
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SenseiStrange Veteran user The Dead God's Dreams 345 Posts |
As I stated in the first line, I picked this off a website and it has been hanging around the memory of my computer. I wished I had the address so ya'll that are curious could have more easily tracked down the specific information you need. This was not meant to be a scholarly work or contribution by any means. I am sure with a little Googling though all the information can be confirmed or of discredited. Also - I know a place where a bunch of magic freaks hang out and....oh yeah you know about it too. In fact that is what I was in the process of researching these clues last night when I was in the embrace of insomnia. I found some interesting Jewish connections - a.k.a. the seals of Solomon - but that was as far as my nights research took me.
Walk in Peace Sensei Strange |
kaytracy Inner circle Central California 1793 Posts |
I think Sensei's info came from here http://www.ecauldron.com/pentagram.php
There are a few other cultures and religions that hold a special place for hte number 5 The Sikh's In addition a baptised Sikh must wear 5 Ks: Kesh, long uncut hair (symbol of strength and saintliness) Kanga, a small comb to tidy hair (symbol of cleanliness) Kirpan, a sword for protection (symbol of bravery) Kara, a steel bracelet (symbol of everlasting love for God) Kuchcha, an underwear (symbol of piety) http://freemasonry.bcy.ca/anti-masonry/pentagram.html http://freemasonry.bcy.ca/anti-masonry/p......nal.html It is also seen on one of the versions of the Elder sign from the Cthulu mythos According to the Greek mathematician and philosopher Pythagoras, five was the number of man, because of the fivefold division of the body, and the ancient Greek division of the soul. According to Pythagoras, the five points of the pentagram each represent one of the five elements that make up man: fire, water, air, earth, and psyche. (energy, fluid, breath, matter, and mind; liquid, gas, solid, plasma and aethyr) The Pythagoreans held the pentacle sacred to Hygeia, the Goddess of healing. Where it can be found in Washington DC http://www.startiming.net/cave/wdc-1.html A google will get you much of the same information regurgitated form site to site with little to no crediting given, or actual citations to the soriginal sources or inforomation. I fear it is a sport of conjecture for many, but then that helps to make our job a bit easier eh!!
Kay and Tory
www.Bizarremagick.com |
Mystician Inner circle Wallachia 3485 Posts |
How funny that this subject comes up today !! Only two days ago I started wearing my Pentagram again, a simple neckchain I bought in Salem, MA about 6 years ago. I happened to see it in my jewelry case, (or whatever they call that box for men), and decided to put it on. It glowed a dull red for while, don't know what that was all about. Anyway -
The Irony of Salem is that now the place is crawling with Wiccans. There's more irony though - none of the girls hanged as witches in 1692 were actually Wiccans, (as far as I know), they were Christians; and on top of that, the town now known as Salem isn't really the "Salem" where it all happened, the real town (I forget it's name) is several miles away, outside of the modern city. Or so I was told.
Just hanging out with the rest of my fellow dregs.
http:// www . phrets . com Visit http://www.bizarremagic.net |
Caspar Veteran user Tacoma 316 Posts |
Quote:
On 2005-04-20 07:31, Jonathan Townsend wrote: Just about any book on basic Western ceremonial magic. Also depending upon what point and what direction you draw the pentagram serves as a banishing or invocation for the elements, angels, dieties, etc. Although specific titles escape me at the moment, try "777" by Aleister Crowley, the "Magicians Handbook" (? I think that is the correct title), by Steve Savedow, "Ceremonial Magic" (?) Arthur Edward Waite, just to name a few. Books on Wicca should also offer a basic explanation of the pentagram, they often do this to clear up the confusion of it being a satanic symbol. Even if 777 does not go into great detail about the pentagram it has tons of other symbols and their relations to other beliefs including the Tarot. Take Care |
Mark Rough Inner circle Ivy, Virginia 2110 Posts |
Okay, this may be sacriligious on this board, but. . .
Why on earth would you use Aleister Crowley as a "credible" source for anything. The man was a mountebanc of the highest order. This is why he deserves our respect. . . not really as a source of "arcane" knowledge. Not that what he offered wasn't related to older sources but it was corrupted by what he wanted to see in it. I guess that's not too different from anybody, really. Okay, let the flames begin, I'm wearing my asbestos undies today. (Actually, I'm just busy and won't be able to check this until next week, heh heh heh.) Mark
What would Wavy do?
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Jonathan Townsend Eternal Order Ossining, NY 27297 Posts |
I don't know about Crowley as authority. As an example though... quite a tough act to follow.
Would you compare him to our L. Ron Hubbard?
...to all the coins I've dropped here
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Mark Rough Inner circle Ivy, Virginia 2110 Posts |
From the little I know of Hubbard (his sci-fi stuff mostly, less about Scientology) I'd say they had more than a little in common.
Mark
What would Wavy do?
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StrangeMagick Special user 635 Posts |
Mystician wrote in regards to the Salem hangings:
Quote:
... the real town (I forget it's name) is several miles away, outside of the modern city. Or so I was told. I believe the town about which you are talking is Danvers. I live between Salem and Danvers in a town called Beverly. Also, I believe some of the hangings took place on the property of Danvers State Hospital, an abandoned (and VERY haunted) mental hospital. This was where the movie "Session 9" was filmed. Danvers State looks like something out of a story from Lovecraft ... actually it might have been used in his stories, as Lovecraft used areas in New England in his books including Salem and Danvers. Now back to our regularly scheduled discussion about the Pentagram (and Pentacles). Dave Birtwell |
Caspar Veteran user Tacoma 316 Posts |
Quote:
On 2005-04-21 07:01, lastnitesfun wrote: In my opinion Crowley was a lunatic, but a smart lunatic who has influenced much of modern ceremonial magic. And of course, all of his writing is his own view of ancient beliefs and symbolism. Hence "Everyone is a star". He pretty much left it up to the individual to shape their own beliefs, although based on his ideas. No need for the asbestos undies. Take Care! |
Bill Fienning Special user 635 Posts |
H.P. Lovecraft set many of his stories in Massachusetts in such places as Dunwich, Innsmouth and Arkham, on the Miskatonic River, home of Miskatonic University. Of course, these places existed only in his imagination, but his ability to create images of them made them real.
Certainly, Salem was the inspiration for these locals. If you ever visit Salem, Beverly is nearby. It is the location for the Le Grande David magic show.
Bill Fienning
"It's More than Tricks" |
Mystician Inner circle Wallachia 3485 Posts |
Regarding Salem, now I really wanna go back !
Thanks for the clarification, Dave, Danvers it was. Next time I'll spend more time up there, instead of just a few hours. (I was on the way home from Maine)
Just hanging out with the rest of my fellow dregs.
http:// www . phrets . com Visit http://www.bizarremagic.net |
ijones New user central Florida 6 Posts |
I remember reading about a study done into the witch trials that stated that it was caused by ergot fungus poisoning of the grains they were eating, the fungus containing LSD and causing the hallucinations interpretted as the devils doings.
You must be the change you wish to see in the world. -M.K.Gandhi
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shinobi Loyal user Durban, South Africa 272 Posts |
Mystician, the girls hanged in 1692 definatley weren't wiccan, since the term is relatively modern in origin (last century, gerald gardner I believe) though its a hotly debated point and I am sure someone will chime in on that.
to clarify something in sensei's first post- the pentagram is the lesser seal of solomon, the hexagram (star of david) is the greater seal of solomon. in my understanding. |
Grimm Regular user 134 Posts |
"Wicca" is definitely a new religion, though some of its practitioners would hang you for saying so. Your reference of Gerald Gardner is astute, although other references regarding the relatively new religion of Wicca (not Paganism, these two terms are not the same) are both Robert Graves and James Frazier. As far as the pentagram goes, well...like most symbols it means many things to many different groups of people. Perhaps the most interesting thing I know about it is that Venus (I believe) traces it's outline over a period of time in its orbit, thereby connecting it with the Sacred Feminine.
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