The pentagram and hexagram in magic – what the symbols mean and a protective ritual

The pentagram and the hexagram are the two most recognisable symbols of the Western magical tradition. They appear on amulets, in old grimoires and in protective rituals. Many theories and misunderstandings have grown up around their meaning, so here we explain what they symbolise, how students of magic understand them, and what is involved in one of the best-known rituals in which they play the leading role.

The pentagram – star of the five elements

The pentagram is a five-pointed star drawn with a single unbroken line, often enclosed in a circle (in which case it is sometimes called a pentacle). Many cultures have long regarded it as a symbol of magical workings, and in modern witchcraft it has become the principal religious emblem. It carries many meanings: its five points represent the five senses or the five elements – earth, air, fire and water joined by a fifth element, spirit (known in Indian tradition as akasha).

Among practitioners of magic, the most widespread belief is that a pentagram with a single point facing upwards signifies the victory of spirit over matter. That is why it is considered a symbol of good and a protective sign. An inverted pentagram – with two points facing upwards – is interpreted as the triumph of matter over spirit and is sometimes associated with so-called black magic. In traditional practice, therefore, the pentagram should always be drawn with one point uppermost.

The pentagram as an amulet

People who practise magic often carry small pentagrams with them – preferably made of silver. Silver is regarded as the metal sacred to the Goddess and the Moon, so according to tradition it is the right material for magical jewellery. Such a pentagram is meant to protect its owner and act as a talisman or amulet.

The hexagram – the six-pointed star

A somewhat less popular magical symbol is the hexagram, a six-pointed star made of two overlapping triangles – one pointing upwards, the other downwards. The same shape is known as the Star of David. In magic it symbolises the union of opposites: fire and water, heaven and earth, the spiritual and the material.

Both symbols – the pentagram and the hexagram – are used above all in protective rituals and in rites intended to strengthen the effectiveness of magical practice. There are many ceremonies in which they play the central part.

The Lesser Banishing Ritual of the Pentagram

The best known of these is the Lesser Banishing Ritual of the Pentagram. It comes from the Western ceremonial tradition, draws on Kabbalistic symbolism and invokes Judaeo-Christian names of God and of the archangels. Practitioners perform it to cleanse a space of outside influences, to feel protected and to sharpen their concentration. According to those who practise it, performing the ritual regularly means that, over time, life begins to run more smoothly and the aura becomes stronger and full of energy. The ritual should be carried out with respect, calm and focus.

Before you begin, simply spend a few minutes relaxing and clearing your mind. You will need a ritual dagger or – instead – the index finger of your “power hand”, meaning your dominant hand. The ritual consists of tracing pentagrams in the air and vibrating, or intoning, sacred words and names.

Part one: the Kabbalistic Cross

Take the dagger in your power hand and stand facing east.
Touch your forehead and say: ATAH (Thine is).
Touch your chest (or solar plexus) and say: MALKUTH (the Kingdom).
Touch your right shoulder and say: VE-GEBURAH (and the Power).
Touch your left shoulder and say: VE-GEDULAH (and the Glory).
Clasp your hands at chest height and say: LE-OLAM (for ever), followed by AMEN (so be it).

Part two: the four pentagrams

Still facing east, trace a large pentagram in the air in front of you. Picture it as glowing – in the elemental version, yellow. Point your dagger or finger at its centre and intone: YOD-HEH-VAU-HEH.
Turn 90 degrees to the right, to face south. Trace another pentagram – this time red – point to its centre and intone: ADONAI.
Turn to face west, trace a blue pentagram and intone: EHEIEH.
Finally turn to face north, trace a green pentagram and intone: AGLA.
Turn back to the east, completing the circle.

Part three: calling the archangels

Imagine that you are surrounded by a closed circle, with four great, shining pentagrams at the four quarters of the world. Stretch your arms out to the sides and say:

Before me Raphael,
behind me Gabriel,
on my right hand Michael,
on my left hand Uriel (Auriel).
About me flame the pentagrams,
and within me shines the six-rayed star.

The ritual is closed by repeating the Kabbalistic Cross. According to tradition, it removes foreign spiritual influences from your surroundings, provides protection and energy, strengthens the aura and helps shield you from people who “drain” your strength.

Invoking the energy of the elements

Another interesting and much simpler exercise is invoking the energy of the elements. Its aim is to gather the natural energies present around you so that they help you achieve a chosen goal. Practitioners claim that the effects appear fairly quickly, and that over time the practice becomes ever more effective.

Sit cross-legged and clear your mind – for the practice to work, you need to free yourself from worries and problems.
Stretch both arms straight out in front of you, with your hands clenched into fists.
For a few minutes, try to feel the forces around you becoming ever more distinct and flowing into you.
When you feel you have gathered a great deal of energy within you, open your hands and “throw” it out in front of you, visualising very clearly the goal or task it is meant to accomplish.
Speak an affirmation – a single sentence that describes your goal.

A symbol worth understanding

The pentagram and hexagram are neither “good” nor “evil” in themselves – their meaning depends on the tradition and on the intentions of the person using them. In Western ceremonial magic they serve above all for protection, focus and bringing order to the practitioner’s inner world.