Sigils
A sigil is a symbol you create with the intention of changing your reality in accordance with your will. All sigils are encoded with a specific purpose, for example, to attract a romantic partner, to set strong boundaries, to be more financially prosperous, to heal your inner child – the possibilities are limitless.
While sigils were used in the past to symbolize and conjure up spirits, these days, sigils are used in a personal way to symbolically represent and manifest our own desires.
Sigil magic is the formal practice of creating sigils (or intention-charged symbols) to change your reality. Those who practice sigil magic incorporate self-reflection, creativity, willpower, and ritual to manifest their desires. Sigil magic is based on the philosophy that we are co-creators of our reality. As such, we are empowered to make the changes we desire so long as they align with our ultimate destiny and the will of Life.
Benefits of Creating Sigils
Sigils are quickly becoming one of my top five most used spiritual tools. Here’s what I have observed from my own experience and others who have experimented with sigils:
You feel empowered
You feel more responsible for your life, choices, and actions
You become more aware of the interconnected nature of reality
You get to express your creative side
You become more decisive and intentional
You feel more motivated
You learn the difference between lust and desire (more on this in the “shadow side of sigils” section below)
You recognize yourself as a conscious co-creator of your life
You feel connected with Life/Divine more deeply
You develop more hope knowing that most situations can change if you will them to
And of course …
Your life can change dramatically and drastically in accordance with your intent!
Please know that spirituality isn’t meant to be solely about passivity, surrender, and the destruction of the ego – it can also be about creation. As always, I prefer to follow the path of the middle and have balance in my own spiritual practice.
How Do Sigils Work?
Sigils are essentially like little seeds that are planted within the unconscious mind.
Many things enter the depths of our minds, but not all of them are placed there intentionally or take root. What gives sigils their power is the energy and intention behind them – and that is what helps them to sprout and blossom into manifestation. The symbolic nature of the sigil also helps bypass the rational (skeptical) mind and enter the unconscious where possibilities are endless.
As the language of the deep mind is symbolic, sigils basically ‘speak’ to your unconscious. How cool is that?
How to Make a Sigil (For Beginners)
Now that you understand the importance of focusing on your own needs and desires, let’s learn how to make a sigil.
There are many ways of making sigils. Below, is a simple, no-fuss guide describing the most popular method out there. This is the very same method I continue to use until this day and have received wonderful results from:
What you will need:
Pen
Paper
Check your motivations
In other words, do you really need to create a sigil? Be careful of going sigil-crazy and forming elaborate symbols to attract a new computer (when you can just get it repaired) or better friendships (when you can stop being a dick to your current friends).
Sigils are not a replacement for action. Yes, sigils can help you manifest just about anything – but you also have to put in the work. Don’t be lazy. Sigils will create inner changes, but you need to be responsible for making outer changes first.
If you need a more objective way to assess your motivations, I recommend using oracle and tarot cards. There are all kinds of cards out there ranging from religious, to new age, to secular – so you don’t need to be donning a velvet turban to enjoy their benefits. Tarot and oracle cards are wonderful tools to help you self-reflect and look at different angles.
Write down your intention
Avoid being too vague or too complex. Be specific. A good example of a clear and specific intention is, “More confidence around my boss.”
Poor examples of this same intention might include, “More confidence” and “More confidence around my boss next week at the business meeting at 2 pm.” One of these intentions is too vague (sigils work best when you are specific), and the other is too complex.
You can phrase your intention in any way that speaks to you. Examples might include:
I am …
I need …
I want …
I wish …
I desire …
More …
Or simply write the qualities you desire, such as “self-protection and maturity around my parents” – I actually find this approach to be more effective than beginning with the words mentioned in the bullet point list above.
I personally discard of phrasing such as “I would really like more of …” as the sigils become very hard to create. Try to simplify your intention as much as possible.
Also, ensure that you create one sigil for every intention. Don’t cram numerous desires into one sigil. For example, don’t create a sigil for the statement, “I desire to have a big family full of seven kids in a mansion by the ocean.” Create one sigil for each of those intentions.
You’ll also need to be realistic and use your common sense. Don’t create a sigil for becoming a millionaire if you have no intention of working hard or putting in the effort in physical reality. Don’t create a sigil for becoming the CEO if you are nowhere near qualified. Similarly, don’t bother creating a sigil for that which is most likely going to happen. Pick something that has a 50/50 chance of happening.
Finally, (I promise this is about as complex as it gets), keep your intention phrased positively as that is much easier for the unconscious mind to understand. For example, instead of writing, “I will not feel scared and anxious around others,” phrase your intention positively such as, “I feel calm and empowered around others.”
Avoid being too vague or too complex. Be specific. A good example of a clear and specific intention is, “More confidence around my boss.”
Poor examples of this same intention might include, “More confidence” and “More confidence around my boss next week at the business meeting at 2 pm.” One of these intentions is too vague (sigils work best when you are specific), and the other is too complex.
You can phrase your intention in any way that speaks to you. Examples might include:
I am …
I need …
I want …
I wish …
I desire …
More …
Or simply write the qualities you desire, such as “self-protection and maturity around my parents” – I actually find this approach to be more effective than beginning with the words mentioned in the bullet point list above.
I personally discard of phrasing such as “I would really like more of …” as the sigils become very hard to create. Try to simplify your intention as much as possible.
Also, ensure that you create one sigil for every intention. Don’t cram numerous desires into one sigil. For example, don’t create a sigil for the statement, “I desire to have a big family full of seven kids in a mansion by the ocean.” Create one sigil for each of those intentions.
You’ll also need to be realistic and use your common sense. Don’t create a sigil for becoming a millionaire if you have no intention of working hard or putting in the effort in physical reality. Don’t create a sigil for becoming the CEO if you are nowhere near qualified. Similarly, don’t bother creating a sigil for that which is most likely going to happen. Pick something that has a 50/50 chance of happening.
Finally, (I promise this is about as complex as it gets), keep your intention phrased positively as that is much easier for the unconscious mind to understand. For example, instead of writing, “I will not feel scared and anxious around others,” phrase your intention positively such as, “I feel calm and empowered around others.”
Cross out letters
Once you have a sentence that captures your intention, it’s time to cross out all vowels and repeating letters.
For example, if your statement of intent was, “ I am safe and secure in my own skin,” you would then go and cross out all of the vowels:
Then go and cross out any repeating letters – you will then have the remaining letters msfndcrywk:
Create a symbol
After simplifying your sentence, you will then take the remaining letters and create a symbol:
Don’t worry if you can’t create an elegant looking symbol at first. Keep playing around until you find something you like. You don’t need to be an artist and your symbol doesn’t even need to look like a sigil – just create something that speaks to you. If you like it, you’ve done your job.
Rearrange the letters in any conventional or unconventional way you like. For example, you can choose to turn some letters upside down, enlarge other letters, minimize the rest, or merge two letters together. Have fun and enjoy the process!
Once you are done, take a moment to congratulate yourself. You have now created your first sigil!
How to Activate a Sigil
Activating a sigil involves infusing it with energy and propelling it into your unconscious mind. There are many ways to complete this final stage of sigil magic.
Some people prefer to enter an altered state of consciousness through dancing, chanting, meditation, sex, sensory deprivation/overwhelm, visualization, etc.
Other people like physically and symbolically destroying their sigils – such as through burning, burying, tearing or dropping them into water.
For a truly dynamic way of activating your sigil, try combining both methods.
Here is a simple method that anyone can use:
What you’ll need:
Fire-proof pot, bowl or cauldron
Matches/lighter
Your sigil paper
Step 1 – Find a quiet place
Ensure you’re undisturbed as you’ll need to focus. You don’t need a fancy setup if you don’t have one. Otherwise, try sitting in your sacred space/altar (if you have one in your home).
Step 2 – Close your eyes
Ground yourself by focusing on your breath. Practice a bit of mindful meditation by observing your breath going in and out. When you are ready …
Step 3 – Pick up your sigil
Stare at your sigil for a few minutes. You may like to hold the sigil close to your face or put it far away. Either way, gaze at your sigil until your vision gains a dreamlike quality. (If not, just gaze at it for a couple of minutes and reflect on its significance.)
Step 4 – Burn your sigil and visualize
When you’re reading, bring out your matches/lighter, hold your sigil paper over your fire-proof dish, and light it on fire. When the paper catches fire, wait for a few seconds, then drop it into the dish. Alternatively, scrunch up your sigil into a ball, place it in your fire-proof container, then light it (this is a safer option as you’re less likely to get burned).
As you watch your sigil burn, imagine that the flames are burning inside of your mind as well and creating an opening to your unconscious mind. Allow your mind to become completely empty as you become consumed in watching your sigil burn.
Once your sigil has turned to ash, imagine the opening within your mind closing and returning back to normal.
Step 5 – Forget and release
Now the bulk of the work has been done. What happens next is out of your hands. But the core thing to remember is to forget and release. Don’t dwell on your sigil. Don’t obsess over it. Don’t attach to it. Let the Universal Will take over and do its thing. The more you think about it, the more you’re involving your conscious mind. This is the equivalent of burying a seed in the ground but then digging it up every day to make sure it’s growing. Leave it alone!
And that’s it.
Close your ritual space and carry on with your other daily business.
Does Sigil Magic Work?
That’s up to you to figure out. But in my experience, yes, it does. However, I also understand that creating sigils isn’t for everyone, so please do experiment and see for yourself.
Sigil surroundings are exactly what they sound like. They are shapes, designs, and/or glyphs you put around your sigil in order to enhance its magickal purpose. This part of sigil magick is usually never talked about, and it is very hard to find online, or in any other sources. Some of this information will be based off of kuji kiri, and majutsu which are two japanese mysticisms, but most of it will be base on chaos magick, and other western magicks, but I digress.
Circle:
The circle is a powerful symbol used in all different types of magick. It embodies the energies of protection, unity, cycles and focus. In sigil magick the most talked about, and used sigil surrounding is the circle. The magickal purpose of drawing a circle around your sigil is to allow its energy to build up around itself, and to protect the sigil from being tampered with. Some practitioners are so into using circles around their sigils, that they actually draw two of them to ensure there will be no leaks of the sigil’s energy. Some of these practitioners will also fill the inter space between these two circles with other sigils, magickal symbols, and/or a magickal alphabet of some kind to enhance the energy of the sigil within.
Triangle:
The triangle represents the trinities, and embodies the energies of ascension, manifestation, and duality. Sigils surrounded by a right side up triangle will be much more expansive, and active, and sigils surrounded by a right side down triangle will lower the spiritual energy to a more tangible plane level, and make the sigil a lot more passive. Triangles are also used in the act of manifesting spirits, and other entities. Being used in order to trap them, and to keep them away from you during the summoning, and manifestation. These type of triangles are usually a “Triangle Of Art”. The triangle part is use to magnify the strength of the spirit, while usually names of gods, or other sigils a place along the outside sides of the triangle to trap the spirit in. I believe the reason that a “Triangle Of Art” is not some other shape is, because the triangle is the first shape with space in the middle. Meaning it’s the first shape to hold space from a side perspective, and only three sides to barricade in order for the spirit to not be able to sneak out.
Square, And Rectangle:
Square embodies the energies of structure, balance, and community. Although I use the word square most of all this can be used in a rectangle. Sigils surrounded with a square allows the sigil to be housed, and reserve its energy. It is for sigils that are used in more of a balanced state where its energy will be used more like a battery, and called upon. The square also allows the energy of the sigil to steep, and if there are more sigils, and/or magickal symbols in the square, their energies will combined together making a new, and unique energy.
Pentagram, And Pentacle:
The pentagram, and pentacle embodies the energies of the elements, power, and protection. Certain practitioners would place their sigil in the very center of the pentagram, or the pentacle to allow them to be stronger, and to take on the energies of the elements. Using the pentacle would also mean you would gain the magickal benefits of the circle also pretty much supercharging your sigil. Also the spots on the arms, legs , and head of the star could be used as a prime spot to place more sigils in order to enhance your original base sigil.
