Sigil magic is one of the most recognizable forms of spiritual work and spellcraft. When we think of magic in fantasy books, television, and movies we often think of someone in robes chanting while drawing peculiar symbols by candlelight and this is for good reason. Sigils are found in most forms of magical and spiritual practice in one way or another going way back to the original forms of spellcraft.
Sigils and their involvement in magic goes back even before systems of writing. The Elder Futhark, for example, is an alphabet today but was originally a series of symbols representing spiritual and philosophical concepts and those of the Northern Path of spirituality study and use these runes even today and work potent magic as part of their study and craft. The leading theories as to why sigils are so effective involve common psychology more than anything else, especially when it comes to magic directed inward. If we have a specific effect in mind, creating a sigil makes a symbolic and visual representation of that effect that when observed helps us reach the state of being needed to create that effect. Adding sounds or a name to the sigil that is spoken or chanted further adds to the association as does specific movements like tracing the sigil in the air with your finger. The more you focus your mind and body on the sigil and the effect it represents the more easily you as a whole can focus your will to create the desired effect in the real world. The psychology of it is simple. It’s difficult to focus on a specific effect and recall the feeling of creating this effect after the fact. If you associate a sigil with this effect along with a specific series of sounds, words, and movements, the easier it becomes to remember what it was like and achieve this state again when you want to. Your brain goes, “Oh, when I see and do this I’m supposed to achieve this state of being” and the rest can become as simple as recalling a memory.
Chaos Magick theorizes that all of us are a three-fold being of subconscious bodily function that communicates in physical sensations and chemical messages, consciousness that communicates in thoughts, and a higher self that communicates in symbolism. It is handy and curious that sigils are a perfect way of engaging all three. The shape and feeling behind the symbol engages the higher self, the name of the sigil engages the conscious self, and the motions made in drawing the sigil and the sound of the name engage the subconscious and body. All three are directed towards the same willed result. Every system of spiritual and magical practice has their own version of this idea and even within Chaos Magick there are competing ideas. Whether our “higher self” is a deity, a force, or some ideal version of ourselves and whether our “subconscious” is simply our brains, the physical and natural world around us or parts of us that we keep hidden from ourselves the general idea and theory still holds true: It is a joined state of being where we focus all of ourselves, conscious and unconscious, towards a single result that creates the best results in our magic. But wouldn’t it be handy to be able to simply and easily reach this state whenever we please? To become focused, aware, confident, and powerful on a whim whenever we need it? A sigil can help!
The sigil we’ll be making in this exercise is one that is three-fold. One symbol to represent our higher selves, one to represent our conscious selves, and one to represent our subconscious and material selves. Spirit, mind and body. Craft a symbol to represent each for yourself. Ideally, reach this state you are trying to recreate first through meditation or ritual and let your higher and lower selves guide you in the creation of these sigils to represent them. They should be simple shapes that are easy to trace in a single movement. Once you have a visual symbol, associate a word or name with it. Again, let your higher and lower selves guide you in this. It’s only fair that they get to name themselves, right? It even helps if each sigil has their own specific color in your mind to help further represent your higher, lower, and conscious selves. With each of these associations you are creating a bridge between your conscious self and your other aspects. Trace these simple sigils in the air while focusing with your higher and lower self to engage all three and establish a union of focus and intent. Now, draw these three sigils overlapping each other. Observe this new shape. Trace each individual sigil in the air, again drawing up the feeling and name associated with them one after another and envision them becoming one sigil. If you’ve done this successfully you should achieve this singular, clear, focused state of being where you have engaged every aspect of yourself. If not or only partially, don’t worry. The more you practice with the sigil you have created the more effective it becomes. To do this again at a later time, simply trace the three sigils over each other again while reciting the words and recalling the feeling as though you are calling out to all aspects of yourself to bring it all together again in perfect harmony.
It is a relatively simple charm that does not require a lot of time, preparation, or materials, but can be just as potent as a long drawn out ritual or meditation with practice. If you can do this with a simple three-fold sigil, what else can you do with the same process? Anything. Any effect inner or outer can be cast in this way with one or more sigils representing the concepts you, your higher self, and your lower self focus on. Let’s take another example, a sigil to clear your mind of unwanted thoughts; another essential skill for any practitioner of the magical arts to have:
Achieve this unified state again and feel out several words to represent this effect. Any words that feel right to you will do. “Focus, calm, clear, empty, still, stone, frozen, open, gateway,” so on and so forth. Any word that feels right to you, regardless of their real meaning. If your higher self seems to especially favor one word, let your higher self guide you in the creation of a sigil representing this word. Do the same for your subconscious and then the same for yourself. Again, engage all three at the same time by drawing, speaking, and overlapping these sigils and you should find the effect comes easily. If it does not, don’t despair. Remember once you craft a multi-sigil like this and the more you practice using it the more effective it becomes and the more naturally the effects come.
If you already subscribe to a system of magic or belief that has their own symbols, see if you can use this method with the existing symbols. An Elder Futhark bind rune for focus and clarity, for example, could comprise of the runes Isa, Naudhuis, and Thurisaz or another combination that feels particularly right to you. If you are a wiccan-style witch then use physical objects in addition to symbols to help further represent these concepts such as herbs, incense, candles, or other decorations. If you consider yourself a druid or shaman, think of parts of the natural world that represent what gives you tranquility and focus such as the soothing sounds of the ocean, the chill of ice, or specific plants and animals that represent what you want to achieve in yourself. If you engage in a spiritual practice with a focus on belief in and prayer to deities, find a few that either embody or can help grant the effects you desire. In the case of these parts of the natural world or deities, create a sigil that represents them in the same way we made the other sigils in the exercise. This form of spellcraft is incredibly flexible and there are many versions and applications of it, so get creative and make it your own by incorporating the things that resonate with you most!
I hope this simple guide helps to educate the novice and open them to practical work, give inspiration to the adept looking to expand their horizons, or perhaps help the more experienced and accomplished practitioner remember the roots of their practice. Magic doesn’t have to be elaborate to be effective and practice makes perfect.
