Updated: August 7th, 2017
A sigil is a magical symbol of intent. It is a design created for a specific purpose, with a desired goal in mind, and then charged with energies to assist in bringing about said goal.
sig·il /ˈsijəl/ noun. an inscribed or painted symbol considered to have magical power; archaic, a seal; literary, a sign or symbol.
Where did sigils come from?
Sigils were originally used in medieval ceremonial magic, to summon angels and demons (as seen in [The Lesser Key of Solomon]). This isn’t how sigils are (mainly) used nowadays - or at least here on Tumblr.
The modern method of “sigilization,” using a statement of intent and compressing it into a physical, visual design, was brought about by Austin Osman Spare, then made popular by Peter J. Carroll in his book [Liber Null].
Since then, the use of sigils has become a core part of a branch called chaos magic, and practiced by many people in many different ways.
Chaos magic? What’s that?
Chaos magic is a branch of magic that doesn’t really have a lot of strict rules or solid structure. It’s why it’s called chaos magic. The practitioners of chaos magic, sometimes called “chaotes,” use many modern methods in their craft (they’re pretty eclectic), use their belief as a tool, and are encouraged to experiment and create their own personal methods of doing things. Peter J. Carroll also had a hand in this branch of magic, which can be seen in his books [Liber Null & Psychonaut].
Do I have to be a “chaote” to use sigils?
Nope, that’s just the branch of magic they come from. People can argue that by using sigils you’re already classified as a chaote, but I feel it’s just another one of those labels that describes a magical path, and you don’t necessarily have to be part of it to use its key elements. For example, I can incorporate sand or shells into my spellwork, but that doesn’t necessarily make me a sea witch. Anyway, moving on!
What can sigils be used for?
Sigil magic is very versatile, and can be used for a wide variety of things. You may often see sigils used for protection, confidence, glamours, focus and motivation, sleep and nightmares, intents like that. The can be used for drawing in or attracting certain people or qualities, or banishing or pushing away certain people or qualities. Sigils can amplify certain aspects or traits within yourself, or diminish them. Sigils can also have an effect on other objects, such as enchanting them for specific purposes. If you can think of something you need, it can likely be done with a sigil.
That being said, there are certain things that magic should not be used for, and those things also correlate with sigils. Mundane methods should never be ignored in lieu of magic.
In line with that, magic and sigils should never be used as a replacement or substitute for medical treatments if they are needed. Magic can certainly help boost those things, but shouldn’t be used in stead of. Your health and safety are paramount; if you are concerned about your health, please see a doctor or professional.
How would I successfully use a sigil?
It depends on the sigil and its intent. A sigil for anxiety might be best drawn on your skin where you can feel its constant effect versus being destroyed. A sigil for banishing a bad quality would be best ripped up or buried, to symbolize ridding yourself of the quality. Once you have your sigil and know what it is for, thinking of the best way to apply it comes down to you, what you hope to gain, and also what you have available for you to use.
Yes! Anyone can make sigils and start using them at any time, if they desire.
How would one go about creating a sigil?
Sigil creation methods are generally pretty unique to the person using them, though most have similar basic structures and can work for others if they “connect” with it. It’s all about you and what you feel and need.
A basic sigil creation method goes something like this:
create a statement of intent
break down that statement of intent by removing duplicated letters - any letter that repeats more than once
use the remaining letters to create a symbol while focusing on your intent/goal
charge the sigil by putting energies into it
You can find links for other types of creation methods [here].
What if I don’t like a specific creation method, or it doesn’t work for me?
You don’t need to stick with it. If you find it’s not working, or not suiting your needs, try another one. Another thing you can do is modify an existing method to suit your needs better. Take a method that you like, add or remove some steps to make it more personal to you, switch some things around. Experiment!
Can I make a sigil for someone else, or use a sigil someone else has made?
Yes, you can make a sigil for another person; the best way to do so would be to use their full name in the statement, like “[full name] passes their driver’s test.” Alternatively, if you have a photo of the target, you could draw any sigil on their picture, and this removes the need to use their full name in the statement.
It is also definitely possible to use sigils other people have made. It is why so many of us take requests for sigils. Some people say that sigils are stronger if made yourself, since they are more personal, and that may have its applications, but there is no reason not to try a pre-existing sigil if you are drawn to it…unless the owner of the sigil has asked no one to use it, of course!
What exactly is a statement of intent?
A statement of intent is, well, a statement dictating your goals, wishes or desires. Some examples would be “I am confident,” “I am protected from any negative intentions,” or “I am hidden from those that would seek to harm me.” It is a sentence dictating what you wish to happen, and creating a sigil from the letters of your statement will help bring it into effect.
There have also been people that use only one word for their statements of intent, such as “sleep” or “happiness.” These sigils can prove just as effective as sigils made with wordier sentences. These types of sigils have their own benefits and uses, but if you’re looking for specific and targeted effects, you may be better off using a full statement of intent for your sigils.
Why do you keep using “I am?” What about “I will?”
“I am” programs the sigil, and lets it know that the effects are happening RIGHT NOW, so the sigil has to work to make it happen RIGHT NOW. If you use “I will,” sure, you’ll get your desired outcome, but when? It leaves it so open to interpretation. The sigil could go off tomorrow, or next week, or next month.… Using “I am” shows the sigil that it needs to have already happened, is already happening, so it works to make it so.
However, this is just a suggestion - some people find that sigils work just as well for them if they use “I will” instead of “I am.” It comes down to each individual person, and trying out each technique for yourself should prove beneficial in knowing which you prefer to use or which works for you.
Do you have to write down the statement of intent when making a sigil?
No. If you are confident in being able to keep the statement in your mind as you work and imbue those desires into your design, you should be fine without writing it down. I think it is best for beginners, though, to start with writing the statement down and using its letters as building blocks, to imprint your desires more easily into your sigil, and to keep what you want to happen firmly in mind.
Should I remove the vowels from a statement of intent?
You can if you want to. I tend to keep them, because it gives me more shapes to work with when it comes to designing the actual sigil. It’s a matter of preference.
Do I need to use all the letters?
Nope, not at all. If you feel you don’t need that letter, don’t use it.
What if I find the letters hard to work with?
You can break down the letters further into their basic shapes. I do this, and it does make the crafting a lot easier. A would break down to / - \, P would be | ), you get the idea. You also don’t have to use every single shape if you don’t feel you need to, either.
Can I use pre-existing symbols in sigils?
Of course. These symbols have their meanings for a reason, and their associations with your intent will help it with its goal. Your sigil can be abstract, or it can physically represent your desires - whatever you prefer.
Do sigils have to be in any certain shape or pattern?
Only if you want them to be. Everyone’s aesthetics and creation methods are different. if you want to use symbolism from shapes and designs in your sigils, go right ahead. If you want a lot of swirls or lines, do that. If you don’t want any noticeable pattern, that works too! The only reason the shapes and patterns matter is if it appeals to you, if you like how it looks - that can make a sigil stronger. If that’s what you want to do, do it; otherwise, don’t worry about it.
Can I use colors for sigils, or do they need to be drawn in black?
Draw them in whatever color you want - bonus points if you use color correspondences to match to the sigil’s intent!
Does stroke order (the order in which I draw the lines) matter for sigils?
Only if you let it be so, or you are using a sigil made by someone else who has specified it is necessary.
Do I have to use my first language?
Not at all! You can use any language or alphabet to make sigils from. Some people even use pop culture or made up alphabets; I’ve even made sigils out of a code my friend and I wrote in high school. Experiment and have fun with it - there are many alphabets out there that you could try, like the [theban alphabet], or this [shadow script] created by a fellow Tumblr user.
Can I use a sigil created in another language?
Absolutely. It is the intent that matters, and intents are universal.
I just drew a design without any statement in mind, what does that mean?
You drew a cool looking symbol. I previously thought that these were “blank sigils,” that could just be filled with an intent after creation, and they would work just as normal sigils would. Evidence from people sending in their experiences and stories has shown me that drawing a design with no intent, then filling it with one later, doesn’t work as well; the “blank sigil” doesn’t seem to hold the intent or the charge very well at all. So, for the most part, when you draw random symbols like that, it’s just a random symbol.
My personal belief is, without a statement of intent for a symbol to act upon, it isn’t really a sigil, just a unique symbol.
However, your experience could be something different. If you wish to find out if a symbol you’ve drawn randomly has any meaning, look up existing symbol association, try some divination methods, see if anything comes up.
I’d say so, absolutely. The sigil needs energies put into it, to activate it and allow it to work its magic. You can’t expect a computer to work without it being plugged in to a power source. A car can’t run without gas. Humans can’t run without food. Same thing goes with sigils. Creating a sigil will give it a bit of a charge, but it is recommended to charge it with an additional method to ensure it gets all the energies it needs to work at its full ability.
What are some charging methods?
There are so many ways to charge sigils, it’s baffling. People are constantly coming up with new methods to fill sigils with energy every day. Coming up with your own charging “rituals” and thinking outside the box are highly encouraged.
dance and physical exercise
the elements (air, fire, water, earth)
basic energy work (using your own energies)
electronics and technology
These are not ALL the methods, just some to give you some ideas to work off of, and hopefully inspire your own.
You can find links for more charging methods [here].
Is one charging method better than any other, or are they all equal?
Some charging methods might be more suited for certain intents than others. The energies match the desires better, based on the “wavelength” and the feel of said energies. You probably wouldn’t want to charge a sleep sigil with physical activity or coffee beans. Besides that, it’s all just moving energy around; there’s not really a supreme way to do that, just many ways. One method isn’t necessarily better than any other, and personal preference can also have a role as well.
Okay, so what’s a BASIC charging method then?
The simplest method, that requires no other supplies besides the sigil you wish to charge and yourself, is filling the sigil up with your own energy. The way I do this is, I hold the sigil in my hands, or hold my right hand over wherever the sigil is located (skin, object, etc.). I channel up energy from the ground, so I don’t exhaust myself in the charging process. I pull the energy through me, to somewhere near my heart, and fill it with my intent and desires (I call this “programming”). I then push that energy down through my arm, out my hand, and into the sigil. I repeat this process multiple times, until I feel the sigil is adequately charged.
With this method, remember to be mindful of your personal energy levels, especially when just beginning to work with sigils. It is very easy to drain yourself, take too much energy and leave yourself exhausted, and this can come with unwanted side effects.
Are you serious about exhausting yourself from charging a sigil?
Yes; sigils tend to take energy during their creation and require it for charging, and generally that energy comes from yourself. If you’re not familiar with your energy levels, it is easy to take too much from yourself and put it into a sigil, leaving you feeling tired or drained. It’s a relatively common “symptom” or result - it’s happened to me a fair number of times, too.
The best way to stop this is to pull energy into yourself before charging, to make sure there is lots of energy to give the sigil so you won’t be taking it all from yourself.
The more you work with energies, the better you will be at gathering and retaining, and the less tiring sigil charging will be over time. Figuring out your energy limit and staying within it is great as well, though that can take time and experimentation.
In the case of this happening, cease any energy work or spellwork, and take some time to rest - have some water, maybe even a snack, relax and do something you enjoy. You should be feeling better soon.
What’s the best method for me to use to charge sigils?
I have found that it is best to associate your charging method with your intent. For example, a sigil to bring more energy might best be charged under the sun. Besides that, though,choosing a method is up to you, based off your own judgement, and what you feel you and your sigil need.
Do I need to destroy a sigil for it to work?
Not necessarily. Destroying a sigil is moreso about releasing the energy within it, to allow it to act out in the world; however, people have found that destruction isn’t always necessary for a sigil to work or to feel its effects. Some prefer to keep their sigils intact, so they can keep it and its energies close and feel it at work. It comes down to what you prefer to do, what you think is necessary.
How can I “break” or “turn off” a sigil after it’s activated?
I would rip it apart or erase it, do what you can to physically remove it or destroy it, and declare that all the energies within that sigil have been released and nullified. Make sure to state that the sigil has been broken / deactivated, that it can no longer act out its purpose.
If the sigil has already been destroyed, then just stating that the sigil has been broken, its energies released and nullified, and no longer able to act upon you or the world, should be enough.
How do you feel about sigils as tattoos?
Sigils would make great tattoos, as long as you plan to use the sigil / have need of its effects constantly in your life. Otherwise, you’ll have a sigil on your body for an obsolete purpose. It won’t do anything negative, the design just won’t work anymore since it no longer has any purpose.
I would recommend doing a test run of the sigil first, however - draw the design on your body with pen or marker, charge it, and see if it works as desired, and that it may not come with any unexpected side effects. Magic is sometimes chaotic, and doesn’t always act in ways we expect or think it should.
Can I reuse a sigil I have used before?
Yep! As long as you remember the statement of intent you used, and have a reference for the design, there is no problem reusing a sigil after it has already been used. You will need to recharge it, however. Every separate instance of a sigil needs charging.
What do you mean by “every separate instance?”
Every time you draw a sigil for the first time, charge it. Even if you’ve used it before, that particular time you drew it, it needs energies in it to work. The charge will not carry over from the old use, the first sigil, since those energies served their purpose the first time and are no longer around.
Can I keep a book filled with sigils to use later or for reference?
Yup; as long as you don’t charge a sigil it is just a picture of a symbol, so you can keep it around without it having any effect on your life (yet).
Some people also draw “nullification” sigils on the inside covers of books they keep their sigils in, to prevent them from gathering any energy to be used as charge.
My sigils look different from everyone else’s, did I do something wrong?
No. Every person has their own aesthetic and style. We each draw and create differently, so it make sense that our designs are unique too. As long as you like how your sigil came out, it doesn’t matter if it looks starkly different from other sigils with the same intents. You have your own style, you are unique, and it comes across in sigils. It’s what makes them so awesome.
My sigils don’t look good at all, am I making a mistake?
Not necessarily. It takes some time to get the hang of working with sigils. My early sigils were pretty bad, looking back on them now. Just like with any skill, it takes time and practice to hone your talents and get to where you want to be. Just keep working, keep practicing, keep drawing sigils, and I’m sure you’ll find yourself in a place where you’re happy with your designs soon enough. Your style will come with time and practice.
I keep trying to draw a sigil but it doesn’t feel right, what do I do?
Try an alternative creation method. Try using a different alphabet or language. Try rephrasing your statement of intent.
If none of those things help you create a sigil that works for you, it may be a sign that now is not the time to create and use a sigil for that intent. Give it a break for a couple of days, then go back to it and see if anything has changed. If not, try an alternate method of magic (like a candle spell or herb sachet).
Can’t sigils do everything?
It’s more like, sigils are more applicable to certain intents than others. All magic has things it’s “best used” for. There are some intents that just don’t align well with particular methods. For example - I wouldn’t try to use sea magic techniques for a spell to help align yourself with a fire elemental.
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