Photos by Magenta
Last week we did a piece about how the Nazis have ruined runes for us.
This week we want to talk about creating sigils using planetary squares, or magick squares, instead for magickal purposes. We use these squares to create ‘sigils’ rather than runes, but you can call them whatever you like. The sigils are then used in magick, and can be carved onto items as part of spell work. But first, we need to explain about planetary squares, so let’s back up a little bit….
What are planetary squares?
Planetary squares come from maths, not magick. But in maths they are called magic squares. But they’re not magick. Yeah, its weird. And complicated.
Bascially, ancient scholars from China to Europe used these magic squares for maths before anybody used them for anything magickal. At some point in the middle ages, Arabic scholars attributed the first 7 magic squares to the 7 known planets as something to do with Astronomy, Magick and Maths was particularly en vogue. These scholars were also pretty keen on talismanic magick, and their rhetoric about the magickal application was pretty convincing. Hell, we think so all these centuries later. So dull squares of maths became magic(k)al.
Although we hate maths (urg!) we love how sometimes maths can be magick in disguise. They are squares of numbers arranged in rows and columns. What makes them magic (in a maths sense) is that when the numbers in the rows and columns are added up, they all add up to the same amount. That’s all we know about why maths cares so much about squares with numbers in them because urg. Maths.
The 7 planetary squares
You can test out the magic maths if you want to, just do some adding and stuff. All the numbers in a row, all the numbers in a column and all the numbers on a diagonal all add up to the same number for each square.
Saturn
Jupiter
Mars
Sun
Venus
Mercury
Moon
Creating sigils using planetary squares
It’s worth knowing a little bit about the characteristics of the planets before working out which square to use, our little outline of each planet on our Casting Spells page can help here. This is important because when using the planets’ characteristics it’s gotta be the right one. It’s no good asking Mars for help with a love spell. So, in the back of our mind keep the fact that Venus is the planet with characteristics of love. That’s important later!
To make a sigil, we need to think about what it is we want and boil it right down to one word. This can be harder than it sounds. For example, if we want “a loving relationship” we need to boil this down to “love”.
Once we have a word, it’s time to turn numbers into letters.
You can do this using a numerology chart.
Pythagorean Numerology chart
We like this one attributed to Pythagoras.
He was a Greek mathematician and philosopher who invented triangles.
Kidding. He did do a lot of maths though.
So back to our example, to bring “love” into our lives, we turn letters into numbers by using the Pythagoras numerology chart.
L = 3, O = 6, V = 4 and E = 5.
Now we plot the word “love” onto the Square of Venus. Because earlier we noted that Venus was the planet all about love.
Using the Pythagoras numerology chart, start at the number 3 and draw a line to the number 6. Then a line to the 4 and a final line to number 5. This means we’re drawing a line connecting the numbers, that when translated back into letters spell out our word “love”.
For a bit of pizazz, we like to add a little connector whenever we make a new line, this looks like a teeny tiny circle.
The word “love” plotted on the square of Venus would look like this and the lines we’ve been doodling then becomes the sigil (displayed on the bottom)
This sigil is now charmed with all the power of Venus and can be used in magickal practice all about love. For example, by carving the sigil into a candle, or on a talisman or a wall or floor as part of a ritual or spell.
If you have questions about this just reach out and ask. We’re happy to assist!
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