One of the most useful tools in witchery, by far, is the humble sigil. You've seen them everywhere, no doubt: from the pentacle and pentagram to demonic seals to bindrunes, every path its own view of and approach to what we'll call, for the sake of simplicity, sigils.
But what is a sigil, in short? A sigil can be any symbol, as simple or as intricate as you desire, inscribed in some way onto a surface and activated in various manners. The purposes of sigils are varied: from binding a certain energy to a place, person or item, to calling upon an entity, to activating or sealing a spell.
So what are the methods of making and using a sigil? Here I like to break things down into three categories, as follows:
This is not only a temporary sigil, but one which, by design, requires its destruction in order to be used. This is often done in quick spells and in rituals, where an act of one's will is required. A good example is the burnaway sigil: inscribed on a piece of paper or on a bay leaf, either on its own or together with a more detailed wish.
Sigils carved into candles burned as part of a ritual also fall into this category, and so do symbols drawn on the bottom of your pot during cooking, or etched into your pie crusts or bread doughs. The activation here comes simply from the act of consumption.
Due to their quick-lived and practical nature, several of these already exist in common practice, such as the aforementioned pentacle. As for original ones, they tend to take on very simple forms, or use the stripped down designs of more ornate sigils.
A good way to make a consummable sigil are the number or letter board methods: where you write down your intended wish, strip it of vowels and duplicate consonants, and then either assign a number to each letter and arrange them in a square, or simply write down the alphabet as onto a spirit board, and finally trace out your design as so:
As stated in the image, binding the symbol inside a circle isn't a must, but rather more a traditional design choice. Symmetry or geometric consistency are also not a requirement, and are up to the will of the caster.
These methods of sigil composition are very popular and very practical, and friendly to newcomers especially; and while they are perfectly good to use, I would advise making sigilcrafting more personal than mathematical. For this, look inwardly and add to the symbols offered by the boards, or try composing your own sigils from scratch using imagery that is striking to you:
You can also use sigils made by others, so long as you have permission.
This one is intended for medium to long term application, or at least in applications where its immediate destruction doesn't constitute a condition for its activation. This is perhaps the most widely used type.
For this, the sigil is inscribed on something that is not intended to perish very soon: drawn on paper placed into a spell jar or buried with a spell, carved into the back of a wooden spoon or onto a doorframe, drawn onto a wall or container (or even onto a person's skin!), stitched into a piece of clothing, etc.
This type of sigil is typically activated with a separate act of will (a power word, an incantation, a period of meditation, etc) or with a substance such as blessed water or oil, with light from a celestial body or with an sprinkling of ash from a ceremonial fire. It can also be activated as soon as it is drawn if any of these substances are used for drawing it.
However, unlike the consummable category, these will require regular recharging, by any method you see fit of those stated above.
As with the previous category, the sigils used here can range from very simple to very ornate; it is up to the caster and their intent, ultimately. But here you may find more elaborate designs or even entire scenes, meant to mark an occasion or lock in an important blessing:
Here, the examples are a sigil for a successful partnership (platonic, romantic, professional or otherwise), with the goal of a long duration and shared ideals, passion and energy; one for focus and success in academic endeavours; and one for protection against the ill-intent of foes seen and unseen.
This type of design in particular can be used as a message, as any recipient should be able to intuit what the caster meant to say. Even if they don't, this can be very useful for direct action against or in favour of someone, as it is a good way to get your work inside their home. Packed into a letter alongside herbs, crystal shards or rusty nails, you can send either a blessing or a curse upon the recipient.
Here, too, you can use others' sigils, with permission. It can, however, be a good idea to make your own, as this is a personal matter.
Finally, the most seldom and most respectfully used. This appears in acts of communing with or worship of otherworldly entities, and as such, is typically unique and the creation of custom, not of the particular caster. However, of course, should you contend with an entity never before encountered or scarcely documented, a sigil apt for their name can be made.
These are typically not charged or activated in any way, and are rather more used as heraldry: on altars or devotional pieces, they signal to and strengthen the caster's bond with the entity in question, or designate a space where it is welcome to dwell.
In closing: as with most things pertaining to magic, no two witches will share the same exact view on the use and making of sigils, and meditation on both is advised. Remember as well that your preference for sigil composition may change over the years, and that the closer you grow to your designs and the more satisfied with them you are, the more power they will hold.
All sigils displayed in this post are free to use, should you wish!
