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March 30 - March 30, 2023
We are both body and spirit for a reason. While the body is temporary, the spirit is eternal and carries with it a bit of your personality that lasts after death.
Pagans see people as existing on three levels: the physical self, the mental and emotional self, and the spiritual self.
As part of celebrating this experience, pregnancy rites of passage focus exclusively on the parent(s), not the baby. Gifts are typically given that help the parent(s) through this transition, that may help them in caring for their new child, or that are commemorative of this experience.
Many Pagans believe in reincarnation, so death is seen as a necessary step in order to continue your spiritual journey. While none of us can say with any certainty what happens after death, there is a general view that we find ourselves in the spirit world or Otherworld, where we remain for a period of time. While there, we may be grappling with memories and residual energy from our lives that cling to us, we may reunite with ancestors who help us process our experience and adjust to our new purely energetic state, and we may integrate any lessons from our lives that we learned as part of the
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This manner of being active within the spiritual layer of the world is called magick.
A five-pointed star (pentagram) bound by a circle, the pentacle is an ancient symbol found in many different cultures and religions, including Christianity. It is apotropaic, meaning it is a symbol of protection. It is also the generally recognized symbol of Wicca, relating to the element of Earth.
With two crescent moons on either side of a circle, the triple moon symbol represents the lunar cycle in the northern hemisphere (as it shows the waxing, full, and waning phases) as well as goddesses associated with the moon. It can be used to draw in lunar energies or to help with focus in working with lunar deities.
Also known as the wadjet, the Egyptian eye of Horus is depicted as a right eye. It is associated with protection, the lunar-associated god Horus, good health, and power.
Similar to the eye of Horus, the eye of Ra is depicted as a left eye. It is associated with the solar-aligned god Ra, good fortune, and creation.
A cross with the upper vertical bar formed as a loop, the Egyptian ankh represents life and the power to maintain and restore life. It sometimes represents air and breath (especially as in “the breath of life”).
Also known as the strophalos, Hekate’s wheel is a common symbol among devotees of the goddess Hekate, representing Her as a triform goddess (not a triple goddess). It is used as a focal point in ritual, as part of evoking Her in workings, and as a representation of one’s devotion to Her.
Also called a trefoil knot or trinity knot, the triquetra originated among Celtic peoples, likely in the seventh century. In modern Paganism, it is used to represent feminine deities; land, sky, and sea; and the modern concept of maiden, mother, and crone as used by Dianic Wiccans.
Comprised of three interlocking spirals, the triskele is an ancient Celtic symbol representing movement and motion, especially cycles. Modern Pagans may also use it to represent the three levels of the self; land, sky, and sea; and any other particular meaningful association with the number three.
A seven-pointed star, it is sometimes called an elven or faery star. Its seven points are given a variety of associations, particularly the seven directions (north, east, south, west, above, below, and within) and the seven planets.
A modern symbol representing divine feminine energy, the spiral goddess taps into the procreative powers associated with women who menstruate. The spiral on the belly is indicative of the creative powers of the uterus as connected to pregnancy. It is a favored symbol among feminist witches and Pagans.
An ancient symbol of various forms, the labyrinth combines the wholeness of the circle with the inward/outward movement of the spiral. In Paganism, it can be used to enter a trance state, by walking a labyrinth or by tracing a small labyrinth with one finger or a stylus. It is especially useful for finding answers to problems by seeking a way through the maze.
The alchemical symbol for air is frequently used to represent the element of air. It is depicted as a masculine, upward-pointing triangle bisected by a horizontal line. This symbol allows you to tap into the elemental qualities of air: intellect, communication, and travel.
Depicted as a feminine, downward-pointing triangle bisected by a horizontal line, the alchemical symbol for Earth is often used to represent the element of Earth and to tap into its qualities of strength, stability, and constancy.
In alchemy, the element of fire is depicted as a masculine, upward-pointing triangle. This symbol is common throughout Paganism. It is used as a simple means of tapping into the transformative and protective qualities of the fire element.
A feminine, downward-pointing triangle, this symbol also comes to Paganism from alchemy. It is an effective way to tap into the water element’s qualities of fluidity and psychicness.
A circle topped with an upward-pointing crescent, the horned god symbol is modern, coming into Paganism from Wicca, where it represents the masculine deity. It is a symbol of divine masculine energy and the creative, protective, and wild energies often associated with such traits.
An ancient Germanic symbol, the helm of awe is a symbol of protection and power, believed to be able to strike adversaries with terror so as to prevent them from attacking. It is often used in Paganism as a symbol of physical, mental, and spiritual protection.
A common symbol throughout many ancient cultures, the tree of life is also known as the world tree and by the name Yggdrasil in Heathenry. Its meanings are varied, representing a connective force linking the physical world and the spirit world, immortality, and fertility.
Originating in ancient Greece, this symbol depicts the rod held by the god Asclepius. It is frequently confused with the caduceus. A rod with a single snake twined about it, the rod of Asclepius represents medicine and healing.
Often confused with the rod of Asclepius, the caduceus is a rod twined with two serpents and sometimes depicted with wings at the top, carried by the god Hermes. It is associated with commerce and business.
Depicted as a snake (sometimes a dragon) eating its own tail and forming a circle, this symbol is common within Western esotericism. It represents wholeness, eternity, and the cycle of life, death, and rebirth.
A Norse symbol found within modern Heathenry, Mjölnir is the war hammer carried by the god Thor. It is a symbol of protection and is also used to denote a devotee of Thor, in addition to being used as a representative symbol of Heathenry in general.
Although the name is modern, this symbol of three interlocking triangles is common in ancient Norse mythology. The name means “slain warrior knot,” while the symbol itself is associated with Odin and protection.
The spiral is an ancient symbol found in numerous cultures. In modern Paganism, it represents creative energy, movements, and cycles. It is often used in magick to draw energy in or send it out, depending on whether the spiral is drawn in a clockwise or counterclockwise direction.
The representative symbol of modern Druidry, the awen symbolizes divine inspiration. It is a modern symbol, and its three lines are also viewed as representing the three domains of land, sky, and sea.
