Have you ever wondered why the pentacle is the symbol of the Witch?
I have! And I learned so much and had soooo much fun writing this book. I’ve pasted an excerpt below and included some Magickal workings for paid subscribers at the bottom. Let me know what you think!
From Pentacle: The Shape of Power
As a child, I compulsively drew pentacles in the corners of my notebooks instead of listening to teachers in class.
Some might call that the beginning of my Witchcraft journey. Maybe. But realistically, it was one of the few shapes I could draw well (my artistic ability has always been stronger in words than pictures). But there was also something meditative and calming about drawing that image of the star, over and over, encircled and decorative. It made my notebooks pretty. It kept my mind occupied.
As I learned more about Witchcraft, both drawn to and frightened of it, the pentacle was a symbol that both beckoned and called ”Stop!.”
I remember watching, with horror, a scene in The Simpsons where Homer (or maybe Ned Flanders?) drew the Devil into the living room via a pentagram on the carpet. Had I inadvertently attracted the Devil with my notebook doodles of stars enclosed in circles? Spoiler alert: I had not.
When I embraced the Witchcraft path, I bought a pentacle ring (one I still wear to this day), and wore it in public, waiting on the world’s reaction.
Most people didn’t notice. The few that did were split into sneers and fears. Some laughed and said I was ridiculous. Others backed away from me, as though wearing such a simple little ring would throw evil at them. Still others wanted to know me better: “If you’re a Witch, can you teach me to be one, too?” The pentacle made a statement. For me, it was a symbol of my personal faith. Why did it have such an impact? Couldn’t I wear a pentacle as a symbol of my faith in the way that other religious people wore symbols of theirs, such as a cross or a Star of David?
The truth was not so simple.
Brigid Curious/Devotees and Magickal Writers! Don’t forget to mark your calendars for Feburary 10, when registration opens for Brigid for Writers: A Four-Week Virtual Writing Intensive with me and Orlagh Minxie-Costello. ENROLLMENT STRICTLY LIMITED and WILL sell out.
For millennia, the pentacle has held a variety of reputations:
A tool for summoning spirits, a symbol to ward off evil, an indication of an occult order, and eventually a poignant symbol of counter-cultural thought and spirituality.
It has been an integral part of modern Western culture for decades in visual art, music, film and fashion. But no matter its supposed symbolism, or whether displayed in media, rituals, or jewelry, the pentacle means power.
The pentacle, and the pentagram shape encased within it, is found in nature and has fascinated humans for thousands of years.
Yet the shape has also developed a very specific reputation for controlling spirits, invoking power, and most recently in its evolution, most often marking its wearer as a self-identified Witch.
But Witches haven’t always used the pentacle.
For the good part of human history, practices called Witchcraft had few symbols at all. The Witch was known more for what they did (creating potions, casting spells, communing with spirits) than by the jewelry they wore.
How did the pentacle become a power symbol of the Witch?
In your own Magickal practice a pentacle can help with the following spells and intentions…
Would you like to learn more? Want to explore these practices with me, live? If so, join us over atThe Cauldron Calling: A Virtual Platform for the Magickally-Minded.Members at the Dabber and Seeker levels get access to live, virtual events 1-2 times a week, discounts to my online classes, and exclusive content emailed to you twice a week. I’d love to see you there!
