Alphabet/Symbol Dictionary

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Symbols along with imagination can stimulate your subconscious mind to make a desired goal. If you can use symbols in your workings, please do. Along with the right correspondences, you can have a strong spell.

A late period Celtic alphabet which is thought to have possibly been used within a magickal context. Resource Pennick, Nigel. Magical Alphabets. (ME: Samuel Weiser, 1992.)
Elder Futhark - Denmark Variety

There are quite literally some thousand of the Elder Futhark which exist. This alphabet is from Zealand, Denmark and dates from around 900 CE. In general, the Elder Futhark is probably the best known and used alphabet within contemporary Paganism. Historially, there are quite literally several thousand variations on this alphabet, with the one represented below being just one of those variations. Although the order of occurring letters is fixed, the actual number of letters is not. It is also interesting to note that in 1639 AD, in Iceland, a law was passed which forbade the use of the futhark on pain of death - specifically written as punishment by death by burning. Resource Pennick, Nigel. Magical Alphabets. (ME: Samuel Weiser, 1992.)
Etruscan

The Etruscan alphabet, known also as the North Italic alphabet, was primarily used from 700 to 200 BC. The Etruscan culture reached its golden age around 500 BC, and began its gradual decline around 400 BC. The primary cause of this cultural decline is attributed to the Gaulic invasions and Roman conquests of that period. The Etruscan language is not classified with other Indo-European languages or any other recognizable linguistic family. However, the structure of the alphabet appears to be similar to the anicent Greek alphabet which was utilized by the Dorios of Sicily. It is believed by some that this alphabet was actually the product of the Phoenician alphabet, but this remains unproven. The Etruscan people traded extensively and carried the use of their alphabet northward, toward the Baltic, along amber trade routes. Thus, the Etruscan alphabet also helped to give birth to such other alphabets as the Elder Futhark. Resource Pennick, Nigel. Magical Alphabets. (ME: Samuel Weiser, 1992.)
Gothic

The story of this alphabet is a little odd. The Goths had an alphabet which was later modified by Bishop Ulfilas during the fourth century. Ulfilas combined th Gothic alphabet with that of the Greek alphabet written in cursive lettering to create a script which could be used to write with. The result was the alphabet which would become the Gothic alphabet itself. Although there were many books written using this alphabet, many were destroyed by order of the Council of Toldeo in 1018 because they felt that the alphabet was Pagan and thus should be destroyed - even though the alphabet itself was devised by a bishop. Resource Pennick, Nigel. Magical Alphabets. (ME: Samuel Weiser, 1992.)
Linear A

Cypriot syllabry. The values of xa, xe, and zo are not entirely certain. Ga is only used at certain sites. This alphabet is from Cyprus. It is one of the earlier alphabets and is derived partially from cuneiform. Linear A was primary used for record keeping. It was the first alphabet to be used within Europe. Resource Chaldwick, John. Linear B and Related Scripts. (UK: University of California Press/British Museum, 1987.)
Theban

The Theban alphabet is probably one of the most widely recognized alphabet besides the Elder Futhark within Paganism. It is often incorrectly called the "Witches' Runes." This alphabet emerged during the medieval period when Cabbalistic studies were prominate in the practices of European magicians. The other name for the alphabet is the Runes of Honorius.

Resource

Pennick, Nigel. Magical Alphabets. (ME: Samuel Weiser, 1992.)

Thanks to Kytheriea of House Shadow Drake

Widdershins	Deosil	God
Goddess	Earth	Yonic
Air	Spring	Fire
Summer	Water	Fall
Earth	Winter	Pentagram
Pentacle	Protection	Protection
Money	Magickal Energy	Witch Sign
Purification	Bane; Deadly	Blessings
Peace	Physical & Magickal Strength	Healing & Health
Fertility	Love	Marriage
Friendship	Rebirth	Spirituality
Magick Circle	Psychic Awareness	To Cause Sleep
To Release Jealousy	To Lose Weight	Travel
Protect 1 Child	Protect 2 Children	Protect 3 Children
Maiden	Mother	Crone

The pentacle, or pentagram, is the most revered and most popular sign of the craft. It is similar to the Cross or Crucifix of the Christian religions. This symbol has nothing to do with the devil or with evil. Devil worshippers use this symbol inverted as a symbol of Satan, but it has nothing to do with the devil in our religion. Devil worshippers use this symbol because it was once a popular Christian symbol used to signify the five wounds of Christ. It was abandoned early in history but can still be found in much of the art and architecture of old churches and monasteries. This, for its protection and Christian meaning, was the symbol carried on sir Gawain's shield.

In witchcraft the pentagram and pentacle represent the five elements and are symbols not only of the religion, but also as a sigil of protection and unification. The elements are Earth, Air, Fire, Water, and Spirit. This is not to be confused with the Holy Spirit of the Christian religion. The spirit is the energy vibration attributed to each and every thing. People have them as well as animals, stones, trees, planets, moons, stars, even the universe. It is often used for protection and is included on most amulets and talismans. It can be drawn in certain ways to promote specific results in spell work.

The banishing (getting rid of something - i.e.: negativity, evil, etc.) pentagram is drawn starting at the bottom left-hand point going up to the top, down to the bottom right-hand corner and so on. This pentacle is drawn this way in all rituals involving banishing. It is also drawn over doors and windows to prevent evil from entering a space.

The invoking (bringing something toward you - i.e.: money, luck, etc.) pentagram is drawn starting at the top corner, down to the bottom left hand corner, up to the top right hand corner and so on. The invoking pentacle is drawn in this way when you want to draw something toward you or to gain something. This pentacle heightens power and aids in invocative spell work.

The pentacle is also representative of the five points on the human body. The circle is considered feminine and is indicative of the womb and the points represent the male member. Sometimes the inverted pentacle is used to signify the God and the upright pentacle is used to represent the goddess. This method is not often used, however, as it has very evil connotations in other religions. In many other pagan religions, the pentacle was the symbol of the earth or the earth-womb and is often used to signify the earth. It is also used to represent the God and Goddess at each point. The top three points represent the aspects of the goddess: Maiden, Mother and Crone. The bottom two are the aspects of the god: Oak King - light, and the Holly King - dark. It also represents the 5 stages of life: birth, Maiden, Mother, Crone, death. The Wiccan kiss, or the five-fold kiss is used in ritual and is represented by the pentacle: feet, knees, womb, heart and lips.

The pentagram, or five-pointed star, may be the most misunderstood religious symbol around these days. Being the most common symbol of Neo-Pagan Witchcraft, it has nevertheless been denigrated by movie and publishing industries which seem 'hell-bent' on connecting it with Satanism and other malevolent practices. However, like the Roman Cross or Crucifix, it is only when the symbol is INVERTED that it alludes to negativity. And even then, there are exceptions, as we shall see.

In its usual upright position (one point uppermost), the pentagram is an ancient symbol of protection from evil. Also called 'the endless knot' (in its interlaced form), the pentagram was often displayed on doors, windows, and hearths of houses throughout pre-Christian Europe. It can be traced back to Egyptian and Sumerian cultures, and has even been found on Native American medicine tools. Sometimes mistakenly confused with the Star of David, or hexagram (a six-pointed star emblematic of Judaism), the pentagram is sometimes called the Star of Solomon, especially by ceremonial magicians.

To many, the lower four points represent the classical elements of earth, air, fire, and water, while the fifth point, surmounting the others, represents spirit, the fifth element or quintessence. Thus, the pentagram symbolizes the four elements of the material world connected with, but ruled by, the spirit. When the pentagram is placed within a circle (symbol of unity and wholeness), it stresses our connection with the universe as a whole.

Another interpretation is that there is not one point upward -- but three! In numerology, three is the number of harmony, best expressed in the classical formula: thesis, antithesis, and synthesis. In other words, it is the middle point that harmonizes the opposing outer points. The Celtic love of triads (the most common form of their 'wisdom literature') has its roots in this model. The upper three points are thus placed above the lower two points, which represents dualistic opposites that cannot be integrated or harmonized (seeing everything in black and white).

Yet another interpretation of the upright pentagram is that it symbolizes the most common view of deity in Witchcraft. The upper three points represent the Goddess in her threefold aspect of Maiden, Mother, and Crone. The lower two points represent her consort God, in his twin aspects of God of Light and God of Darkness. However, in all these interpretations, it is important to remember that all the points are connected -- each an aspect of the other, all part of the same whole.

But when the pentagram is inverted, so is its meaning. Thus, an inverted pentagram may represent the physical world (four material elements) in domination of the world of spirit (the fifth element). (This may be why Satanists and other 'demonistic' groups use this symbol.) With two points uppermost, it may also express a Neo-Platonic dualism (the old 'war in heaven', good vs. evil theme) -- as opposed to the Pagan monistic view of reality ('the Force') seen in the single point upward. The most common exception to this rule is that some traditions of Witchcraft (chiefly British) employ the inverted pentagram as a POSITIVE symbol of advanced degree. In this case, the two points uppermost represent the horns of light, symbol of 'the Horned God', consort to the Great Goddess (like the Greek god Pan).

The word 'pentacle', sometimes mistakenly substituted for pentagram, really refers to a shallow dish (usually inscribed with a pentagram) and used as an altar tool by modern Witches, serving a purpose similar to the 'patten' at a Roman Catholic Mass. Common variations of this tool include a dish of earth, a disk of copper, a dish of silver, or a disk of wax.

The suit of pentacles (or 'coins') in the Tarot deck, the Stone of Fal (coronation stone of kings) in ancient Ireland, the sangreal of the Holy Grail processions, and the 'Universal Man' of Leonardo da Vinci, are all related to the pentagram, stressing its ties to the earth and nature, making it a symbol par excellence of an earth or nature religion. The five points also represent the five physical senses and allude to approaching the spiritual realm THROUGH the sensual -- in fact, the meaning of the Ace of Pentacles in Tarot. In numerology, 5 is the number of sexuality, combining the feminine 2 with the masculine 3. Thus, the pentagram also represents the opposite of asceticism.

But wherever the pentagram is displayed, one message is clear: evil has no power there.

Gestures are silent counterparts to words. Gestures can enhance Wiccan rituals when performed in conjunction with invocations or dance, or can be used alone for their real power. Pointing the use of the first and middle fingers splayed to create a "v", and the vulgar presentation of an upraised middle finger. Demonstrate the variety of messages that can be conveyed through gesture, as well as the range of our emotional responses to them. The magical significance of gestures is complex, and stems from the powers of the hand. The hand can heal or kill, caress or stab. It is a channel through which energies are sent from the body or received from others. Our hands set up our magical altars, grasp wands and athames, and pinch out candle flames at the conclusion of magical rites.

Hands, as the means by which most of us earn our livings, are symbolic of the physical world. But in their five digits lie the pentagram, the supreme protective magical symbol; the sum of the four elements coupled with Akasha, the spiritual power of the universe. The lines on our hands can, to the trained, be used to link into the deep consciousness and reveal things to the conscious minds that we would otherwise have difficulty knowing. The palmist doesn't read these lines as streets on a road map; they are a key to our souls, a fleshly mandala revealing our innermost epths. Hands were used as the first counting devices. They were seen to have both male and female qualities and symbolism, and images of hands were used around the world as amulets. Gestures in Wiccan ritual can easily become second nature.

When invoking the Goddess and God, the hands can be held uplifted when the fingers spread to receive their power. The Goddess can be individually invoked with the lift hand, the thumb and first finger held up and curled into a half circle, while the rest of the fingers are tucked against the palm. This represents the crescent Moon. The God is invoked with the first and middle fingers of the right hand raised or with the first and fourth fingers up, the thumb holding down the others against the palm, to represent horns. The elements can be invoked with individual gestures when approaching the four directions: a flat hand held paralleled with the ground to invoke Earth at the North; an upraised hand, fingers spread wide apart, to invoke Air to the East; an upraised fist for the South to invited Fire, and a cupped hand to the West to invoke Water. Two gestures, together with postures, have long been used to invoke the Goddess and God, and are named after them. The Goddess position is assumed by placing the feet about two feet apart on the ground, holding the hands out palms away from you, elbows bent slightly. This position can be used to call the Goddess or to attune with her energies. The God position consists of the feet together on the floor, body help rigidly upright, arms crossed on the chest (Right over Left) hands held in fists. Tools such as the wand and magick knife are sometimes held in the fists, echoing the practice of pharaohs of ancient Egypt who held a crook and flail in a similar position while trying disputes.

In coven work, the High Priestess and High Priest often assume these positions when invoking the Goddess and God. In solo workings they can be used to identify with the aspects of the Goddess and god within us, and also during separate invocatory rites. Gestures are also used in magic. Each of the fingers relates to a specific planet as well as an ancient deity. Since pointing is a magical act and is a part of many spells, the finger can be chosen by its symbolism. The thumb relates to Venus and to the planet Earth. Jupiter rules the forefinger The middle finger is ruled by the god and planet Saturn, the fourth finger the Sun and Apollo, and the little finger by the planet mercury as well as the god after which it is named. Many spells involve pointing with the Jupiter and Saturn fingers, usually at an object to be charged or imbued with magical energy. The power is visualized as traveling straight out throughout the fingers and into the object.

Other ritual gestures used in Wiccan rites include the "Cutting" of pentagrams at the four quarters by drawing them in the air with the magick knife, wand or index finger. This is done to alternately banish or invoke elemental powers. It is, of course, performed with visualization. The hand can be seen as a cauldron, since it can cup and contain water; an athame, since it is used to direct magical energy, and a wand since it can also invoke. Gestures are magical tools as potent as any other , ones we can always take with us, to be used when needed.

The power hand is the hand you write with.

The power finger is the finger after the thumb on your power hand.

When waking in the morning, or before a spell, you can do an instant blessing. Start at your third eye, above your nose between your eye brows, go to the right nipple, the left shoulder, the right shoulder, the left nipple and then back to the third eye.

Making a pramid with your index fingers up and your thumbs overlapping, places on the third eye chakra, or or fourth chest chakra grounds your protective aura.

A cross made with your index fingers wards away evil and prevents rebound.

Making horns, by closing your fingers and putting up your index and pinky fingers, you can ward away evil and negativity.

Putting down your pink and ring fingers and holding them down with your thumb, and making an oval with your index finger and pointer finger, pointer being ontop, you make a blessing mantra. (Index is the finger after the thumb, the pointer finger is the finger after the finger after the thumb.)

Making an 'ok symbol' with your thumb and finger after your thumb, and placing up all your other fingers forms a deer symbol. This adds energy to your magickal workings,especially three times over a talisman, and can deflect unwanted magickal energies.

Making a fist and extending th finger after the thumb and the finger after the finger after the thumb is a blessing symbol and directs energy, Can be used instead of a wand or athame.

If you need any help with anything Wiccan, Witchy or Pagan. need a potion or spell help E-Mail me, or add me to your MSN Messanger with ask_a_witch@hotmail.com