Basic Meaning of the Pentacle/Pentagram:
The five-pointed star within a circle is the most common Pagan symbol,
and it is typically used to identify oneself as a Pagan or Wiccan.
The five points represent the 4 elements plus the spirit, and the circle connects them all.
A five-pointed star without the circle is sometimes called a pentagram, rather than a pentacle.
Based on numerology, the five points means the pentacle symbolizes the Earth
can be used as an Earth symbol on an altar
The pentagram is one of the most potent, powerful, and persistent symbols in human history.
It has been important to almost every ancient culture, from the Mayans of Latin America, to
India, China, and Egypt. It has been found scratched on the walls of Neolithic caves, and in Babylonian drawings,
where it marks the pattern the planet Venus makes on its travels- a secret symbol of the Goddess Ishtar.
Scriptures, especially Hebrew, are abundant with references to pentagrams. So, why does the pentagram
have such a sinister reputation?
The Pentagram in the Ancient World
The earliest pentagrams are found scratched into stone age caves. While they are believed to have some spiritual significance, the meaning of the star to early humans is a mystery. In the civilizations that followed, it held various meanings- usually astronomical and religious. It served to mark directions in Sumerian texts, and represented the five visible planets.
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 Elementsthat make up man: fire, water, air, earth, and psyche. (energy, fluid, breath, matter, and mind.
The Pythagoreans held the pentacle sacred to Hygeia, the Goddess of healing.
This particular symbolism has persisted for centuries, and has greatly influenced theologies of diverse traditions. Early Christians wore it as an emblem, possibly to represent the wounds of Christ. Later, the pentacle was important to many doctrines of esoteric Medieval and Renaissance belief systems- alchemy, kabbalah, and Ceremonial magick.
The Pentacle and Magick
Ritual magicians, like the Greeks, used the Pentagram as a microcosm of the human body. The practice of Ritual Magick was used to create a state of closeness with god through the use of symbols and rituals to imitate the divine state. It was believed that like affects like, that the connection between the world of symbols and the world of actions could also be manipulated for evil purposes. One of these magicians, Giordano Bruno, warned of such misuse of the powerful pentacle by Black magicians. (The pentagram is still central to the practice of ritual magick, and is used in the foundation of many of its ritual
Inverted Pentacle
Do you really know what it means?
When people misunderstand the upright pentacle, and think it is a Satanic symbol, Wiccans usually correct them by pointing out the difference between one-point-up and one-point-down. "Satanists have turned a good symbol upside-down just like they did with the Christian cross."
But is it as simple as that?
The official symbol of the Church of Satan is actually the Sigil of Baphomet, not the simple inverted pentacle. The sigil is an inverted pentacle, with a double circle around the outside and the head of a goat pictured within the 5 points. Visit their website for more information on this sigil and why it was chosen to represent the Church of Satan. This symbol has meaning of its own within the realm of ritual magick.
Though the 'plain' inverted pentacle is not officially representative of any specific faith or religion, there is still meaning in its symbolism. To assume that the inverted pentacle is evil because it is the opposite of the upright (good) pentacle is simplistic. In the upright version, the upwards point shows the Wiccan focus on spirituality, on Deity, and on enlightenment. The point-down version shows a focus on the material world, and earthly desires. It's not really a division of good vs. evil at all. Two different outlooks on life. There was an apt quote from the website of the First Church of Satan: "The upright pentacle is about becoming, whereas the inverted pentacle is about being"
To throw another twist into the mix, the inverted pentacle is used as a symbol by 2nd degree Gardnerian witches. It's also used among some Wiccans to represent the male energy of the God, with the upright pentacle representing the Goddesss.
So next time, some one asks you about your pentacle, don't be so quick to label the inverted pentacle as Satanic. There are enough misconceptions floating around as it is.
You can find all Pentagram images at...
