The mystery of symbols. Pentagram - what is it? Five-pointed star in a circle symbol meaning

The pentagram is one of the most important magical symbols. The word itself comes from the Greek words "pente", which means five, and "gramma" - a letter; pentagram - a figure with five vertices, formed by two ascending intersecting rays that extend from each side of the pentagon, thus creating a star. According to the Western esoteric tradition, at the beginning of his training, the Magician had to comprehend the Secret of the pentagram and master its ritual. "Those who regard this ritual as a mere means of summoning or exorcising a spirit are not worthy to possess it. Properly understood, this ritual is the Medicine of the Metals and the Stone of the Wise," wrote Aleister Crowley in his work "The Palace of Peace."

For us Thelemites, the pentagram has special meaning as a symbol of the Divine nature of man ("Every man and every woman is a star", Book of the Law I: 3) and as a symbol of the Goddess of the starry sky - Nuit ("A five-pointed star with a circle in the middle, and a red circle", Book of the Law I: 60) . But only by deeply penetrating the meaning of this symbol can we comprehend it inner essence- as the Key to understanding the Divine and Human worlds.

The first known images of the pentagram come from Sumer and ancient Egypt, countries where magic is said to have originated. Five-pointed stars painted on clay, found in the ruins of the ancient city of Uruk, are believed to date back to around 3500 BC. uh..

Pentagram of Ancient Sumer

Images of pentagrams are also found on Egyptian statues. As Arthur Waite reports in his New Encyclopedia of Freemasonry, the Egyptians called the pentagram “the star of dog-headed Anubis.”

Already in ancient times, the pentagram was interpreted in two ways. The pentagram was widely known as a “good” protective sign of protection from all evil, but for initiates it was also a powerful sign of power over the earthly world. For example, in Babylon the pentagram is commonly found on royal seals, and according to modern scholars ( E. Douglas Van Buren, Symbols of the gods in Mesopotamian art. 1945; Beatrice Laura Goff, Symbols of Prehistoric Mesopotamia. 1963), it personified “the power of the ruler, extending to all four corners of the world.”

The pentagram symbol is found in the religious and magical traditions of many peoples. For the Jews, it was associated with their sacred Pentateuch, received by Moses from God; the ancient Greeks called the pentagram Pentalpha: Triple Triangle. If we translate this word from Greek, it means five letters Alpha, in their interlacing they formed a five-pointed star. The Greeks depicted her on their shields. For early Christians, the pentagram was a reminder of the five wounds of Christ (from the crown of thorns on his forehead, from the nails in his hands and feet), which he received while suffering for humanity, it also symbolized the Trinity and the Dual nature of Christ (Divine and human). In addition, the “Star of the Magi” was identified with it, which helped the eastern sages find the baby Jesus.

It seems that the first to talk about the pentagram as a symbol of everything earthly world the Pythagoreans began to speak. They taught that the world consists of five interconnected elements (Fire, Water, Air, Earth and Ether) and chose the pentagram as a secret symbol of belonging to their society. At the same time, the pentagram also symbolized the 5 years of silence that each student had to endure. The Gnostics also taught that the pentagram is a symbol of intellectual omnipotence and power, who painted it on their talismans.

The pentagram, called the “seal of King Solomon,” was known to Arab magicians. According to the famous Kabbalah researcher Gershom Scholem, magicians medieval Europe learned about the “seal of King Solomon” precisely from Arabic manuscripts. Scholem writes: "In Arab magic the 'seal of Solomon' was widely used, but originally it, enclosed in a circle, was relatively rare. Even then, the hexagram and the pentagram were interchangeable, and the name ["seal of King Solomon"] applied to both figures ( Gershom Scholem, . .).

It is important to note that medieval magicians were well aware of the dual role of the pentagram. For example, the Goetia directly contains instructions to wear a pentagram (called there a “pentagonal”) on the chest during magical work: “this will protect you from danger, and will also [help] command the Spirit.”

During the Renaissance, another secret of the Pentagram was revealed. If you inscribe a human figure into it, associate it with four elements (Fire, Water, Air, Earth) and the fifth - the Spirit, which controls them all, you will get an image of the Microcosm - a sign of our Spiritual Work on the material plane. The famous magician Cornelius Agrippa first wrote openly about this in 1531 in the second book of his Occult Philosophy. An image of such a pentagram and the corresponding Divine IHShVH (where Sh is a symbol of the Divine presence, spiritualizing the four material elements), was published by the astrologer Tycho Brahe in his work Calendarium Naturale Magicum Perpetuum in 1582.

Pentagram of the Magicians of the Renaissance

Of course, the pentagram is also used in the Rosicrucian-Masonic tradition. Images of a human figure in the form of a pentagram, as a symbol of the microcosm, are found in the book “History of the Micro- and Macrocosm” (1617) by the famous Rosicrucian of the century, Robert Fludd. Pentagrams adorn early Masonic documents of the 17th - 18th centuries.

Eliphas Levi tried to fully describe all the secrets of the pentagram in the 19th century in his famous work “The Doctrine and Ritual of High Magic”: “We begin to explain and dedicate the Holy and Mysterious Pentagram. So, let all the indifferent and superstitious close the book; they will not see anything , except darkness, or will be outraged. The Pentagram, which in the Gnostic schools is called the Flaming Star, is the sign of intellectual omnipotence and autocracy. It is the Star of the Magi; it is the sign of the Word who created flesh, and, according to the direction of its rays, this absolute magical symbol represents orderliness , either disorder, the Holy Lamb of Ormuzd and St. John, or the accursed Goat of Mendes. This is consecration or profanation; this is Lucifer or Venus, the morning or evening star. This is Mary or Lilith, victory or death, day or night. The pentagram with two rising ends represents Satan in the form of a goat at the Sabbath; when one end rises, this is the sign of the Savior."

However, it is difficult to believe that this passage from the wise Levi requires a literal reading. Proof of this is the explanation of the drawing with the image of Mendes, which is present on the adjacent pages: “The Goat of the Sabbath. Baphomet of Mendes. A pantheistic and magical image of the Absolute. The torch located between the horns denotes the balanced mind of the triad. The compound head of the goat is not simple and bears some of the features of a dog, "ox and donkey, personifying the full responsibility of matter for everything and the body's atonement for one's carnal sins. Hands - denote the holiness of work."

Baphomet Levi

Wise Levi placed many “traps for fools” in his texts, which worked successfully in the 20th century. Having dreamed up the "Church of Satan" in 1966, Anton LaVey was faced with the need to invent a catchy symbol that would attract the attention of the general public to this commercial project. By calling the inverted pentagram with the face of a goat inscribed in it, the “Symbol of Baphomet,” he made many Christians and Satanists believe in the “antiquity” and “originality” of this symbol, dating back almost to the times of the Knights Templar.

"The Symbol of Baphomet" by LaVey

Of course, having recognized Christianity’s monopoly on truth, it is quite logical to assert that inverted symbols are symbols of “Satanism”, endowed with some kind of harmful power. However, in fairness it is worth noting that the early Christians were not distinguished by such a poor understanding of symbolism. As it is said in the early Christian legend “The Passion of the Apostles Peter and Paul”: “Peter begged to be crucified upside down, for he believed that he was not worthy to be crucified in the same way as the Lord and his teacher Jesus Christ, the Son of God, would have been crucified.” What a pity that the Apostle Peter did not realize that by doing so he was inventing a symbol for future “Satanists”!

As for the inverted pentagram, at the beginning of the history of Christianity it was interpreted as a symbol of the Transfiguration of Christ. And it is the inverted pentagram that stands on the seal of the Roman emperor Constantine, who made Christianity essentially state religion and, later, canonized by the Church for this.

Pentagram of Constantine

To understand the reasons for this interpretation, one should turn to the works of ancient Kabbalists. According to them, the inverted pentagram is “Zeir Anpin”, Microprosopus or “Small Face” of the Lord, which forms the six lower Sephiroth on the Tree of Life: Hesed-Geburah-Tiferet-Netzah-Hod-Yesod, separated by an Abyss from the three Higher Sephiroth. However, “Zeir Anpinom” is also one of the names of Tipharet, the Divine Son, through the union with which our world (lower Sephira - Malchut) could be saved. By identifying Christ with Tiphareth, Christian Kabbalists could quite logically identify the entire inverted pentagram as a whole with him.

Aleister Crowley interpreted the inverted pentagram as the rays of the Sun falling on the earth or a spirit spiritualizing matter. He also used it as a symbol of the universal androgyne - Baphomet, reconciling contradictions and personifying the onset of a new Aeon.

In Levi's time, Crowley wrote in The Book of Thoth, "archaeological research had not yet advanced very far and the nature of Baphomet was not well understood. But at least Levi was able to identify the god Pan in the goat depicted on the map."

To better understand the nature of Pan, let us turn to the ancient Greek historian Herodotus. Identifying Mendes with Pan, Herodotus writes: “The Mendesians also count Pan among the host of eight Gods and claim that these eight Gods are more ancient than the Twelve. (...) The goat and Pan are called the same in Egyptian - Mendes. When I was in this district , happened amazing event: The goat openly had an affair with a woman, and everyone knew about it.”

It is quite obvious that the last words refer to the performance of the Great Ritual of Hierogamy: the marriage of God in the guise of a Beast and an earthly woman. Greek mythology is full of such examples, and, at the same time, they never carry a “black” “satanic” meaning. On the contrary, as a rule, the purpose of rituals of this kind was the birth of a Magical Child, a Crowned and Conquering Hero.

In his works, Aleister Crowley used both the traditional (Liber O, “Star Ruby”) and the inverted pentagram (Liber Reguli). However, of course, there is no reason to assume that the rituals described in it are divided into “black” and “white” ", carry some kind of "malicious meaning".

In conclusion, it would be best to quote Crowley's own words from the Liber Reguli: "We insist that all actions should be equal; that the fact of existence confirms the right to exist; that evil is just a word denoting some random hostility between two equally justified forces (otherwise the universe would be as inexplicable and impossible as action without reaction); that the orgies of Dionysus and Pan are no less holy than the Masses in honor of Jesus."

© PAN"S ASYLUM Oasis O.T.O.

Greetings, dear readers. Do you know what a pentagram is?

Yes, that's right, this is one of the most recognizable protective occult symbols, this is a five-pointed star pointing upward. This is a straight pentagram. Or, to make it more clear, five isosceles triangles located on the sides of a regular pentagon.

A star inscribed in a circle is called a pentacle. But today we will also discuss the meaning of the inverted pentagram.

Various interpretations of the symbol

The first mention of the sign dates back to approximately 3500 BC. It is believed that this symbol arose in Mesopotamia due to the observation of the movement of Venus. IN different times and by different religious classes the sign of the pentagram was interpreted differently. For example, you can trace its following meanings (now we are talking about a straight, not inverted pentagram):

The general thing is that this sign is characterized by special protective properties. Do you remember how Mephistopheles managed to get into Faust’s house? The scientist did not complete the pentagram (designed to protect against evil spirits), leaving a small gap in the corner.

Sign of the Devil or Strongest Defense?

With the straight pentagram everything has now become clear. What does the inverted sign symbolize? We are all accustomed to the fact that the antipode always carries opposite qualities. Day and night, sun and moon, light and darkness, God and devil...the pentagram is straight and inverted. Let's try to figure it out. To do this, let us again turn to history.

With the “light” hand of the French occultist Alphonse-Louis Constant (known under the literary pseudonym Eliphas Levi), the inverted pentagram became a symbol of Satanism. Levi, in his work “The Doctrine and Ritual of High Magic,” argued that a star with one end up is the sign of the Savior, with two ends up is the sign of Satan (or the devilish goat Baphomet at the Sabbath). The upper ends of the star are the horns, the sides are the ears, and the lower end is the muzzle of the goat. However, on the forehead of Levi's depiction of the goat Baphomet (with the body of a woman) there is an upright pentagram, while on his hands are written words translated from Latin as “disintegrate” and “freeze.” Where is the logic? Unclear.

The founder of the Church of Satan organization, Anton Sandor LaVey, registered trademark in the form of the “seal of Baphomet”. It is believed that Eliphas Levi, with his statement that the sign of the inverted pentagram belongs to Satanism, created a kind of trap for the uninitiated.
As we see, in our time, Satanists have absolutely “taken possession” of the symbol of the inverted pentagram. However, this is not its original purpose. This symbol is widely used by various sorcerers and occultists. It signifies physical and mental omnipotence and is capable of repeatedly enhancing the energy-information flow. Symbolizes the power of matter over spirit, the triumph of the magician over the elements, and his power.

This symbol is widely used in horror films and in modern mystical and magical books, attributing to it the negation of the Holy Trinity (three corners pointing down).

In magic there are even special ways of drawing an inverted pentagram. Those who are familiar with them are able, by drawing it in a certain way on a photograph of a person, to strengthen or, on the contrary, weaken his power.
This concerns the diabolical interpretations of the symbol of the inverted pentagram. However, not everything is so mundane and unambiguous, friends, because anything can be turned upside down, but will there be truth in it?

The Pythagoreans associated this symbol with the chaos from which everything arose, with the darkness that hid in five different corners, this darkness was the source of wisdom. It was the inverted image that was the first.
In early Christianity, an inverted five-pointed star symbolized the Star of Bethlehem. And the explanation for this is simple: when the Magi walked into the light of the star, it showed them with a ray directed downwards where the birthplace of Jesus was located. Gradually, this symbol began to characterize the transfiguration of Christ, as well as his descent into the world (indicating his coming with its ray). Thus, in Christianity the symbol of an inverted star was and is widely used, although Lately less and less due to the widespread misconception about its involvement in Satanism and the occult.

Constantine the Great, the Roman emperor who elevated Christianity to the rank of state religion, had on his seal the symbol of an inverted pentagram.

In the works of Andrei Rublev, in particular on the icon of the Transfiguration of the Lord, Christ is depicted against the background of an inverted pentagram. Such signs can be seen on stained glass drawings and frescoes in some Catholic and Christian cathedrals and churches.

Currently, the highest military award in the United States (the Medal of Honor) is an inverted five-pointed star.

If the upright pentagram is a symbol of the elevation of the spirit over matter, then in the inverted pentagram the spirit descends from above as grace. Aleister Crowley adhered to a similar interpretation; he believed that this is a symbol of the rays of the sun, which, falling on the earth, spiritualize matter.

If there is a need to communicate with evil spirits(entities carrying negative energy), or to confront them, but so that they cannot harm you, you should use the symbol of an inverted pentagram. With its help, black magicians subjugate the forces of evil, and this symbol is able to protect everyone else from these same forces.

Magicians and sorcerers charge amulets with images of both the forward and reverse pentagrams in a special way. Of course, if you believe in it and if there is such an opportunity, then it can be done. But for us, ordinary people, to use protective equipment For such a talisman, all you need to do is use your imagination. The five-pointed star is a very multifaceted sign, so it is able to bring to its owner what the owner himself puts into the concept of this symbol.

The use of the pentagram comes down not only to wearing protective amulets, but also to meditative practices, to imaginary and real outlines of figures in certain ways.

You have the right to form your own opinion about the meaning of the pentagram inverted.

Don't forget to share useful information with your friends, good luck and prosperity.

Story

The first known images of the pentagram date back to around 3500 BC. e., these are five-pointed stars drawn on clay, found in the ruins of the ancient city of Uruk. Images of pentagrams are also found on Egyptian statues. As Arthur Waite reports in his New Encyclopedia of Freemasonry, the Egyptians called the pentagram “the star of dog-headed Anubis.”

The pentagram was widely known as a sign that protects against all evil; the belief in its protective properties was so deep that in Ancient Babylon it was depicted on the doors of shops and warehouses to protect goods from damage and theft. It was also a powerful sign of power for the initiates. So in Babylon, for example, this sign is often found on royal seals, and, according to modern scientists, it personified “the power of the ruler, extending to all four corners of the world.” According to another version, the most ancient designations of the pentagram symbolized the goddesses Ishtar and Duat.

The Jews associated the pentagram with their sacred Pentateuch, received by Moses from God. The ancient Greeks called the pentagram Pentalpha, which means "five letters alpha", since the symbol can be resolved into alpha five times. For early Christians, the pentagram was a reminder of the five wounds of Christ: from the crown of thorns on his forehead, from the nails in his hands and feet.

The pentagram appears on the seals of Alexander the Great.

The pentagram, according to Agrippa (15th century), was used by the Pythagoreans as a distinctive sign of belonging to their community. They taught that the world consists of five interconnected elements (Fire, Water, Air, Earth and Ether). To reflect this doctrine, five letters were depicted around the pentagram:

• ύ - ύδωρ (upper right corner), symbolizing water;
• Γ - Γαια (lower left corner), symbolizing the earth;
• ί - ίδέα (the highest point), symbolizing the idea, or spirit according to another version - ίερόν (temple);
• έ - έιλή (lower right corner), symbolizing fire;
• ά - άήρ (upper left corner), symbolizing air.

The pentagram is also found on Gnostic talismans, as a symbol of intellectual omnipotence.

According to the famous Kabbalah researcher Gershom Scholem, the magicians of medieval Europe learned about the pentagram under the name “seal of King Solomon” from Arabic manuscripts.

In Arab magic, the “seal of Solomon” was widely used, but initially it, enclosed in a circle, was relatively rare. Even then, hexagram and pentagram were used interchangeably, and the name ["seal of King Solomon"] applied to both figures.

- Gershom Scholem, . .

The pentagram was also among the symbols of the Templars. The Roman Emperor Constantine I included the pentagram in his seal and amulet because he believed that thanks to it he had found true faith and accepted Christianity. The English warrior, Sir Gawain, nephew of King Arthur, used a pentagram as a personal symbol and placed it on his shield in gold on a red background. The five sharp points of the star symbolized the five virtues of knighthood - “nobility, courtesy, chastity, courage and piety.” In the 19th century, the pentagram appeared on Tarot cards after they became associated with Kabbalah.

The festive procession of the pentagram ended during the Inquisition. The thousand-year-old folk symbol of protection, the pentagram, has been turned into evil. It was given a new name "Witch's Foot" (English). Witch's Foot, German Drudenfuß) . For many millennia, the pentagram has represented a symbol of goodness and light. And in just 500 years, she turned into a symbol of evil.

Unfinished Pentagram

The German poet Goethe, in the tragedy “Faust,” describes a case when the devil Mephistopheles entered the home of the scientist Faust, because the pentagram on his house was poorly drawn, and a gap remained in the corner:

Mephistopheles: No, it’s a little difficult for me to go out now. There’s something stopping me a little: A magic sign at your doorstep.

Faust: Isn't the pentagram to blame for this? But how, demon, did you sneak after me? How did you get into trouble?

Mephistopheles: You deigned to draw it poorly, And a gap remained in the corner, There, at the door, and I could freely jump up.

Pentagram in occultism

Pentagram and microcosm

During the Renaissance, another symbolism of the pentagram was adopted. If you inscribe a human figure into it, connecting it with the five elements (Fire, Water, Air, Earth and Spirit), you will get an image of a microcosm - a sign of occult “spiritual work” on the “material plane”. The famous magician Cornelius Agrippa first wrote about this in 1531 in the second book of his “Occult Philosophy” (after his name, the pentagram of the microcosm is sometimes called the “pentacle of Agrippa”). Astrologer Tycho Brahe went further, in his work “Calendarium Naturale Magicum Perpetuum” in 1582 he published an image of a pentagram, on the rays of which were depicted the letters of the Kabbalistic divine name of the savior IHShVH ( יהשוה - Pentagrammaton), where ש - is interpreted as a symbol of the Divine presence, spiritualizing the four material elements, symbolized by the name יהוה.

Inverted Pentagram

Almost everyone has heard of such a symbol as the pentagram, the significance of which in the art of magic cannot be exaggerated. In films and TV series on occult themes, comics, books and other indispensable companions in the life of a modern person, this symbol is ubiquitous. Find out in more detail about what a pentagram is, where it came from and what it is used for.

In the article:

Pentagram - the meaning of a sacred symbol

Initially, and right up to the present day, the five-pointed star had the meaning of a talisman and a symbol designed to keep evil out of the house and protect residents from bad thoughts and other people’s negative energy. Or, conversely, do not let evil out. To protect the home in ancient times, a pentagram was applied to doors, thresholds and load-bearing supports of the house to give them strength and durability.

Occult philosophy of Agrippa

The pentagram should be created extremely carefully - from left to right, in no case allowing interrupted or trembling lines. The slightest gap destroyed all the protective power of the symbol and allowed the evil that found the loophole to fall upon the one who made the mistake with redoubled force. Well, this happened to the infamous Faust in the poem of the same name by the famous classical writer Goethe.

In addition, in his titanic work “Secret Philosophy” or “Occult Philosophy”, Agrippa of Nettesheim described the pentagram as the embodiment of the personality of a whole and integral person. According to this medieval scientist, the four rays of the star symbolized the four elements and corresponded to human limbs - legs and arms. The fifth limb, the head, coincided with the fifth ray, which is a symbol of the spirit that controls all the elements. This interpretation later brought Agrippa the fame of a warlock and sorcerer.

The pentagram began to have a modern dual appearance - with the ray (top) up or the ray (apex) down - only closer to the twentieth century. The once-famous mystic and occultist Eliphas Levi, who was extremely fond of Agrippa’s “Occult Philosophy,” made a lot of efforts so that the pentagram began to have a clear division into a tool of white magic and a means of black magic. The symbol with the top up is the purity of the spirit that rules the world, and the top down is a sign of perverted human nature and freedom of the darkest passions.

Of course, for the average person this symbol remains a symbol of Satanism and rockers. But the pentagram, whose meaning has changed over the centuries, is more than just a sign of the devil-worshipping church. In different eras, under different rulers, religions and states, its meaning was either positive or negative. However, magicians and witches, as well as other occult practitioners, astrologers and esotericists have always been closely associated with the five-pointed star inscribed in a circle.

What does the pentagram mean now and what did it mean for our ancestors

As mentioned above, in modern times this symbol has spread everywhere and is mainly associated with Satanism, summoning demons, occult practices and all the other negative things associated with magic. The history of the pentagram is tightly intertwined with the history of Christianity - Catholic priests declared the pentagram a devilish symbol necessary for.

During the rampant Inquisition, they began to call it “the witch’s foot” and the gift of the devil. From then to this day, there is an opinion among ordinary people that only servants of the forces of darkness wear clothes and jewelry with such signs. After the sixties of the last century, the sex revolution, the emergence of rock culture, the pentagram is no longer such a stigmatized symbol, but in the mass consciousness it is still an attribute of informals and renegades.

Reproduction of the first metropolis of Uruk, which existed in the 3rd millennium BC. e. in Southern Mesopotamia in Iraq

The first images of a five-pointed star date back to three thousand five hundred BC. Tablets with symbols pressed into clay were discovered by archaeologists in the ruins of the ancient city of Uruk. It is believed that the pentagram was a symbol of Venus and meant its movement along the celestial trajectory. In addition, the sign was associated with two stars - Phosphorus and Eosphorus, Morning and Evening. It is worth noting that Lucifer, aka Dennitsa, was originally called the Morning Star - probably, for such a connection with Satan, the pentagram was declared by the clergy to be the devil’s seal. What the pentagram represents, the light forces, has become no longer entirely important.

IN Ancient Egypt this symbol was associated with the dog-headed Anubis, the god of the dead. For the Egyptian dead, the pentagram means stars that do not shine in the afterlife. Sometimes she was depicted on the statues of the pharaohs and on the ceiling of the tomb.

In Babylonia, the five-pointed star was a symbol of the sun god Shamash

The pentagram became most widely known in Babylon as a talisman and talisman, protection from evil. It was drawn not only on residential buildings, as we have already said, but also in stores and warehouses to protect goods from pests and thieves. In addition, the pentagram was used to designate royal power, which extended to all directions of the world. Therefore, the pentagram was often used in seals. According to a slightly different interpretation, early Sumerian pentagrams are tied to the goddess of fertility and love Ishtar, as well as the Sumerian afterlife called the Duat.

The Greek followers of the scientist Pythagoras, the so-called Pythagoreans, believed that the world consists of five elements - fire, water, air, earth and ether as a connecting element. We have already talked about Agrippa, the medieval author who laid the foundation for the modern understanding of the occult and its symbols. So, according to him, the Pythagoreans’ pentagram served as an ideal reflection of their doctrine and was a distinctive sign of this closed society, which grew up on the basis of the Pythagorean school.

The Jews associated the pentagram with sacred texts, the so-called Pentateuch. It was received by the prophet Moses as a gift from God. Alexander the Great, who conquered half the world, followed the example of the ancient kings. He used it as his seal. Didn't ignore this one occult sign and the famous Knights Templar. Emperor of Rome Constantine the Great, who made Christianity the state religion. And even one of the knights Round table from the legend of King Arthur used this sign. Arthur's nephew, Sir Gawain wore a golden pentagram on his shield, painted red as a representation of the knight's cardinal virtues at the end of each peak. These virtues are nobility, courtesy, chastity, courage and their crown - piety.

Emblem of the five wounds of the crucified Christ

The pentagram in Christianity, before acquiring the meaning of a witch attribute, was a symbol of the Suffering of Christ, since Jesus was crucified with a crown of thorns on his head, as well as with nails in his hands and feet. Ironically, some apostates from church dogmas and followers of Greek teachings believed it to be a symbol of omnipotent intellect. In addition, in early Christian teachings, what the pentagram means was the previously mentioned torment of Christ, and unity with God as a perfect being.

According to some assumptions, Arab magicians used the pentagram under the name “seal of Solomon.” Under this guise, European occult practitioners of medieval Europe learned about its existence from Arabic grimoires brought by travelers from the East. It should be noted that the seal of Solomon is understood as both a pentagram and a similar symbol - a hexagram, most often associated with the Chinese tradition of magic.

The five-pointed star acquired its modern features during the Renaissance with the help of the works of various mystical researchers. For example, the Prague alchemist and astrologer Tycho Brahe in his book “Calendarium Naturale Magicum Perpetuum” created an image of a five-pointed star, on the tops of which he depicted the letters of the Divine name from another popular mystical teaching - Kabbalah. Thus, combining two occult traditions, he expanded the types of pentagrams with the so-called “Pentagrammaton”.

Calendarium Naturale Magicum Perpetuum

Mentioned in the first subtitle, Eliphas Levi had a hand not only in dividing symbols into white and black. At his suggestion, the inverted pentagram became the sign of Stana and Baphomet, who appears in the form of a black goat. He also used an ordinary star pointing up in the image of Baphomet, successfully contradicting himself.

At the end of the nineteenth century, the author of “The Key to Black Magic,” Stanislav de Guaita, published an image of a pentagram, around the circumference of which he wrote in Hebrew the name of the biblical monster “Leviathan,” placing “Samael Lilith” between the rays. Later, the founder of modern Satanism, the enterprising American La Vey, made this image (without the last inscription about Samael and Lilith) his trademark, all rights of which are protected by copyright law.

It is believed that the pentagram is a certain symbol of redemption, embodied in something carnal, some living and thinking being. This idea lies at the root of all Abrahamic, that is, Christian religions- the atoning sacrifice serves through its death to the continuation of the lives of subsequent generations. Suffice it to recall the replacement of human sacrifices with large and small cattle, which symbolized people giving their lives to the deity.

Pentagram - a symbol of magic and its types

The most famous types of pentagrams may be. The figure of Solomon is undoubtedly extremely important in religious, mythological and magical history. The creation of these symbols, namely, that Solomon himself is questioned by skeptics, however, they bear his name. It is believed that from David, his father, Solomon at the beginning of his reign received a special sign - a star with six points, which was made up of two triangles correct form, superimposed on each other.

Great Key of Solomon

Solomon placed this gift in his ring and seals, which granted him power over the spirits. It is believed that it was on the basis of the six-pointed star of Solomon that medieval European magicians drew their five-pointed pentagrams, slightly modifying them. This may have prompted the Grand Inquisitor Thomas de Torquemada to nickname this light symbol the “devil’s pentagram” or “witch’s foot.”

The nickname of the positively charged white pentagram, a five-pointed star with its apex pointing upward, is “Druid's Foot.” This pentagram is a symbol of white magic and is used in rituals to limit any forces in influencing the outside world. Most pentagrams, which are sold as jewelry in all kinds of shops, are symbols of white magic and protection. However, when purchasing any amulet or talisman, you should be extremely careful. It is not for nothing that magical pentagrams are divided into light and dark. And the designation of the pentagram as a symbol with many interpretations may be very different from the one for which you first took it. Before purchasing a talisman, you should find out what the pentagram that catches your fancy means.

Nowadays, the types of pentagrams are represented by three branches of magic. That is, these signs are protective, personal and with the symbols of nine planets applied to them. Personal ones are closely connected with. They are compiled individually, taking into account many factors. First of all, the date of birth of a person, the date of name day and the name of the guardian angel, horoscope sign, planet and element under whose auspices the child was born.

This is perhaps the most powerful of the pentagrams, since it establishes a close energetic connection between the human aura, the guardian angel and the heavenly patron. Pentagrams with symbols of planets are aimed primarily at fulfilling any desire, making it come true. They are compiled purely individually, taking into account all the characteristics that rarely coincide even among the most similar people. Such signs become tools of white magic.

The most ancient of all may be pentagrams of protection, which are rooted in the very creation of amulets. They were made by our distant ancestors from bone, iron and other materials. The protective pentagram is an assistant in a specific situation, during a long journey or good luck in business, or recovery from a serious illness. White magicians claim that special rituals are necessary to awaken the protective properties of the amulet.

A symbol of evil and destruction - a five-pointed inverted star, on the contrary, does not need additional incentives, conspiracies and energy charging. Negative events and negative emotions charge it with power if the owner does not have the special knowledge to use or cancel such energy. In any case, the use of black magic one way or another leads to bad consequences, which then become extremely difficult to correct.

The Pentagram and its secrets October 26th, 2013

The modern word Pentagram apparently comes from the Greek " pente" - five and " gramma" - a letter (meanings of “line or line” are also possible); its other names are also known, such as, for example, pentalpha and pentageron. In general, the pentagram has many names - almost every nation or magical tradition had its own name for it, or even several, for example, the Egyptians called it “ Star of Isis" or " Star of the Dog-Headed Anubis", and the Pythagoreans - " Pentalfa" Like a geometric figure - a pentagram, it is a star formed by the intersection of the extended sides of a pentagon (regular pentagon). A pentacle is a pentagram inscribed in a circle. Today, the pentagram is perhaps one of the most famous magical symbols. At the same time, it is one of the most ancient, significant and powerful.

History of the pentagram and its meanings

Unfortunately, it is now impossible to say for certain how exactly the pentagram symbol originated. The first reliable archaeological sites of symbols having

pentagonal symmetry, date back to the first ten thousand years BC, but it is possible that the pentagram existed earlier. One of the possible versions is that it appeared as a result of astrological observations of the planet Venus and began to be used by the priests and magicians of Mesopotamia. The fact is that when observed from the earth, Venus passes through all the signs of the zodiac in the sky in 8 years, while making 5 “curls” of the trajectory. If you draw a classic astrological circle with the signs of the zodiac, mark these “curls” on it and connect them, you will get a clear pentagram.

One way or another, with the advent of written sources, we can say more about the meaning of this symbol. In ancient civilizations (Sumerian, Ancient Egyptian, Babylonian, Assyrian, etc.) the pentagram had a dual meaning. Firstly, it was considered the strongest symbol of help and protection, which was depicted on amulets, house doors (to protect the home from various harms), clothing and religious objects. Secondly, for initiates it was a symbol of secret power and might. We can say that it was a symbol of magic itself in a broad sense in those days. Also in ancient Egyptian writing there was a hieroglyph in the shape of a five-pointed star. There are opinions that it meant “enlightenment, learning” or “enlightened, blissful spirit” (however, there are other interpretations).

After this, the pentagram was widely used in various spheres of human life - in addition to all of the above, it could be found on state symbols, seals and coins, it was used as an element of coats of arms and banners, and depicted on shields. Independently of each other, different peoples begin to use the pentagram - for example, it appears in India and China. To describe all the meanings that have ever been given to the pentagram, it is necessary to write a separate huge work (if at all possible), in this article we will outline only the main milestones of its history.

IN Ancient Greece the pentagram was also called " pentalpha", since it was obtained by intertwining five Greek letters " alpha" The pentagram played important role in the teachings of Pythagoras. He calculated that it contained the golden ratio and therefore came to the conclusion that it was the geometric embodiment of mathematical perfection. Subsequently, it will become an important symbol for his followers. The Pythagoreans called the pentagram Hygieia (also the name of the ancient Greek goddess of health) when

used it as a symbol of bodily and spiritual harmony and perfection. At the same time, they used it as a symbol of their community, which also symbolized the five years of silence before initiation. The Pythagorean school, perhaps, was the first to present, now a classic, the concept that the world consists of five elements - fire, earth, water, air and ether (although Empedocles is considered the first to develop the concept of elements). Based on it, the pentagram, on the rays of which these five elements are located, is a symbol of the universe in a state of perfection and harmony. Subsequently, this interpretation will be reflected in Hermeticism and alchemy. The pentagram was also used by the Pythagoreans when teaching geometry and arithmetic directly as a geometric figure and has since been included in a number of training courses. And we can still see their echoes even in modern courses and textbooks.

The peoples of ancient India and China also came to the use of the pentagram, and probably independently of other civilizations. In VI BC. e. In China, the concept of Wu Xing arose, which means “five movements” or “five transformations,” which was a logical continuation of the Yin-Yang concept. According to them, the interaction of the universal principles of Yin and Yang gives rise to five elements, or otherwise - five elements, of which the world visible to us consists and thanks to the interaction of which it exists. These five elements are different from the five elements European tradition- according to Wu-sin, these are Fire, Earth, Metal, Water and Wood. The interaction pattern of these elements forms a pentagram. This scheme formed the basis of ancient Chinese philosophy, traditional medicine (for example, acupuncture, where it is successfully used to this day), and was widely used in numerology, fortune-telling practices and martial arts.

The pentacle was revered in ancient (and not only) Japan, as well as among the American Indians.

For the Jews, the pentagram was a symbol of the sacred Pentateuch, which, according to legend, was received by Moses from God.

The symbol of Islam is considered to be a five-pointed Star with a Crescent (although this symbol, of course, existed before Muhammad, whom Muslims consider their prophet). In Islam, the pentagram symbolizes the five main pillars of this religion, and sometimes the five daily prayers.

Next, it would be logical to talk about the use of the pentagram in Christianity, however, due to trends that have arisen recently, we will temporarily skip this topic and cover it in detail a little later, but now we will talk about the later use of the pentagram. In the twelfth century, Hildegard of Bingen, a nun and abbess, wrote works in which she considered the pentagram as a symbol of man (this was partly motivated by the fact that pentagonal symmetry is characteristic of man - the pentagram can serve as a schematic representation of him, we have five limbs, five senses, etc.). And since man, according to Christian beliefs, was created in the image and likeness of God, the pentagram for her became his personification.

This story, long forgotten in wide circles, as well as the works of Hildegard herself, could have long been consigned to general oblivion, but perhaps it was her ideas that formed the basis for the further development of the pentagram as a symbol among mystical Christianity, Hermeticism, alchemy and the occult. They gradually developed a tendency to associate the pentagram with a person. Perhaps this is also the influence of the emerging Humanism. Sometimes the image of a person was simply inscribed in the pentagram, as was done, for example, by Cornelius Agrippa in his “Occult Philosophy”. As a result, the classic Pythagorean pentagram of Fire, Earth, Water, Air and Ether with a person inscribed in it began to symbolize the Microcosm and the spiritual work of man manifested in the material world. Drawing parallels with alchemy, we can say that in it such a symbol could mean the “Great Work,” although the alchemists themselves often used their own symbol to designate the “Great Work,” which is largely due to their tradition.

After this, the pentagram was used by various occult-religious and other movements and orders - Gnostics, Freemasons, Rosicrucians, Martinists, etc.

Nowadays, the pentagram, among other things, is also a symbol of the Wiccan tradition and neo-paganism (especially in Western countries). This is one of the most common signs that can be found almost anywhere - from state flags to ritual objects.

Are the pentagram and inverted pentagram a symbol of evil?

Recently, the opinion has spread significantly that the pentagram or the so-called “inverted pentagram” (with one end pointing down and two points up) is in one way or another connected with some kind of negativity, evil, dark forces, etc. d. Basically, something similar can be heard from some (though by no means all) Christian hierarchs, seen in various mystical thrillers and “horror” films, and sometimes even heard from some unenlightened magicians who have little understanding of the history of this issue.

To expose this misconception, it is best to turn to perhaps the most unexpected, at first glance, source - namely, Christianity itself, its symbolism, architecture, iconography and history. This may surprise some, but Christians themselves actively used both the pentagram and the inverted pentagram. As we have already written, these symbols existed long before the emergence of Christianity, but it adopted them from previous magical traditions and gave them new meaning. Thus, the “inverted pentagram”, which is now so actively reviled, along with the usual one, already for the early Christians became a symbol of the Star of Bethlehem. The explanation for this is simply banal and is connected with the biblical parable about the wise men who, following a star, found Jesus and

They brought him gifts - with her beam directed downward, she pointed them to the place where Jesus would be born, because according to scripture, she moved across the sky from east to west and stopped right above the cave with the baby’s cradle. Sometimes in the images, to emphasize this idea, the beam was extended to the ground. Not to mention ancient monuments, such images can be found even in modern religious literature, although their use has significantly decreased due to the spread of the mentioned misconception.

In an effort to be objective, it is necessary to make a digression here and mention that the Star of Bethlehem has come a long way historically - at different times and in different areas of the planet it was depicted in different ways, and with different amounts rays, since the number of its rays is not limited by the Christian canon, nevertheless, it can be confidently stated that the pentagram was also widely used as the Star of Bethlehem. Actually, in this capacity, it has survived to our times, for example, in the form of the tradition that came to us from Europe to decorate the Christmas tree top with a pentagonal star.

Early Christians wore the “inverted” pentagram precisely as a guiding amulet, to gain spiritual guidance and protection - so that higher power protected and guided them. The Holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Emperor Constantine I the Great, who stopped the persecution of Christians and, in fact, made Christianity the state religion of the Roman Empire, placed an “inverted” pentagram on his personal seal.

Gradually, the inverted pentagram became a symbol of the transfiguration of Christ, as well as his descent into the world (that’s why it is directed downwards). In particular, one can recall the famous icon of Andrei Rublev “The Transfiguration of the Lord,” painted by him at the beginning of the 15th century, where Christ is depicted against the background of a clearly visible inverted pentagram. Here it must be emphasized that Andrei Rublev is one of the most famous and most revered Orthodox icon painters, who, by the way, was canonized. He was the author of many rules that later became the canons of icon painting and the contribution that he made can still be felt in icon painting. An inverted pentagram, along with an inverted cross in Christianity, can also symbolize the Apostle Peter, since, according to biblical legends, he was crucified on an “inverted” cross - upside down.

In general, it should be said that in the Christian tradition the symbol of the pentagram developed and acquired new meanings and applications, which, in the end, accumulated quite a lot. As we have already written, it was used by Christians as an amulet of protection and spiritual guidance (later the cross began to play this role), and was a symbol of transformation and the descent into the world of Christ. It also symbolized the 5 wounds of the crucified Jesus, the 5 joys of the Virgin Mary, etc. It was also a symbol of the Savior himself - the five ends symbolized the holy trinity, as well as the divine and human nature Jesus. Subsequently, this scheme will become one of the foundations of the occult concept of the Pentagrammaton. The association of the Savior with a five-pointed star was also sometimes justified by quotations from the Bible, for example: “I, Jesus, have sent My angel to testify to you this in the churches. I am the root and the descendant

David, the bright and morning star” (Rev. 22:16). Among cabalistic Christianity one could find the following explanation of the pentagram as a symbol of Jesus: “... the inverted pentagram is “Zeir Anpin”, Microprosopus or “Small Face” of the Lord, which is formed on the Tree of Life by six lower Sephiroth: Hesed-Geburah-Tiferet-Netzach-Hod-Yesod, separated by an Abyss from the three Higher Sephiroth. However, “Zeir Anpinom” is also one of the names of Tifiret, the Divine Son, through the union with which our world (lower Sephira - Malchut) could be saved. By identifying Christ with Tiphiret, Christian Kabbalists could quite logically identify the entire inverted pentagram as a whole with him.»

As in antiquity, the pentagram and inverted pentagram were actively used by Christians in heraldry. For example, we can consider the coat of arms of the ancient German family Wieser. At the same time, the pentagram was also used by the spiritual orders of knights. Here, as an example, we can consider the Order of the Knights of Bethlehem (or as it was also called the “Order of Bethlehem” or “the Order of the Crusaders of the Red Star on Blue” - “ Betlemitani o Ordine militare" And " Ordine crociferi con stella rossa in campo blu"Italian). It arose as an order of crusaders during the first crusade. It is interesting to us because, as its name suggests, its coat of arms was a red pentagram on a blue field.

Pentagrams can also be found on medieval

robes of priests, drawings, stained glass windows, mosaics, bas-reliefs of temples, churches and cathedrals. So the bas-relief in the Church of St. Peter and Moses in Solina (Croatia), IX-XI centuries. contains a very obvious pentagram. IN catholic church St. Peter and Paul (XIII century) in the Estonian city of Kaarma (Saaremaa island) you can see a painting in the form of an inverted pentagram. The window of the north nave of the Amiens Cathedral in France (it was built between 1220 and 1410) is made in the form

an elaborate stained glass window depicting an inverted pentagram. If you find yourself in Hannover, then

you can see a huge inverted pentagram (adjacent to the hexagram) on the so-called “Market Church” (Marktkirche German) St. George and St. Jacob, built in the 14th century. IN cathedral St. Stephen's in Vienna, built between 1359 and

1511 there is a bas-relief depicting the adoration of the Magi, on which there is a pentagram

symbolizes the Star of Bethlehem. In the northeastern part of the Bethlehem Basilica of the Nativity (according to Christian tradition, it was built on the site where Jesus was born) near the northern exit from the Cave of the Nativity, there is an Armenian altar on which you can distinguish a clear relief pentagram,

symbolizing the Star of Bethlehem. The Moscow Theological Church, built in 1805, is also capable of surprising the unenlightened with a bas-relief with a pentagram on its

wall. And the Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood in St. Petersburg is simply replete with various images of pentagrams. And all of the above are by no means exceptions, but only bright and famous examples. In general, in the majority large temples, churches or basilicas, you can, in one form or another, find an image of a pentagram.

Thus, the myth that the pentagram or an inverted pentagram has since ancient times been considered symbols of some kind of evil or something similar can be considered debunked. Just the opposite - everything historical facts they say the opposite. There are several versions of the origin of this misconception and several key events associated with it. There are versions that the beginning of the negative perception of the pentagram was the rise of the Inquisition or the massacre of the Templar Order. However, the author of this article has not yet been able to find any significant arguments in favor of the first version; the second was argued mainly by the fact that many Templars had pentagrams as part of their coats of arms. However, this was a common practice both before and after the Templars. In addition, as we have already shown, pentagrams were actively used later, in Christian iconography, painting and architecture.

Perhaps the first to associate the inverted pentagram with the devil was the French occultist Alphonse Louis Constant ( Alphonse Louis Constant fr.), better known under the pseudonym Eliphas Levi Zahed, who lived in the 19th century. In his work “The Teaching and Ritual of High Magic,” he wrote that a pentagram with two rays facing upward is a symbol of Satan. However, it should be noted here that in the millennia of history of this symbol, this was perhaps the first documented statement of this kind. Previously, there was no such information either in Christian sources or anywhere else. Thus, this opinion was first expressed in mid-19th century. As for the very source of this opinion, everything is not so simple here either. Despite the fact that Eliphas Levi has some authority as an occultist (albeit sometimes questioned), his opinion can hardly be considered the only correct one. Them

moreover, given the age of this symbol and the numerous traditions, cults and esotericists of the past who did not adhere to such an opinion. It must also be taken into account that at that time Levi’s interpretation did not become some kind of sensation that turned the world of occultism upside down - it existed, but it existed quietly and peacefully along with other interpretations of the pentagram symbol that contradicted it. It did not change the perception of the pentagram by the broad masses (most of whom, it must be admitted, had no time for these matters at that time). Finally, a number of modern occultists, who, perhaps, to some extent, can be considered descendants and continuers of the tradition, into the formation of which Eliphas Levi made a significant contribution, point out that in this case his words must be interpreted not literally (speech, in this case, we are talking about the Order of the Eastern Templars).

For the perception of the pentagram in Russia, an important milestone was the coming to power of the Bolsheviks - because one of their main symbols was the red five-pointed star. The hierarchs of the Russian Orthodox Church admit that before the revolution the pentagram was actively used by the church and the turning point in this sense came precisely as a result of persecution Soviet power to the church. This was one of the key factors for changing the perception of the pentagram by Russian believers. The second important milestone was an event that occurred in the USA in 1966 - then Howard Stanton LaVey (also known as Anton Szandor LaVey) founded the so-called Church of Satan and (being familiar with the works of Eliphas Levi) made a stylized inverted pentagram with inscribed in it is a goat's head and a number of signs, the symbol of this organization. Subsequently, the shocking effect that attracted attention and detailed coverage of this organization in the Western media became the reason for the spread of associations of the pentagram with Satanism among the broad masses. To top it off, the release of various films and other mass media products began, which, being historically unreliable, also contributed to the strengthening of these associations.

Thus, as we see, the opinion about the connection of the pentagram with something negative arose only in the second half of the 19th century, and became truly widespread only in the second half of the 20th century. And the foundation of this opinion is very shaky - in fact, everything is based only on the mystical experience and experiences of Eliphas Levi.

It is noteworthy that the indiscriminate denunciation of this symbol (as well as some others), which was quite common among church hierarchs of a certain quality, soon hit them themselves - numerous pentagrams and hexagrams in churches now serve as grounds for accusing the church itself, that it is mired in Satanism or that it is controlled by Jews (a version popular among nationalists). Here we can only shrug our shoulders and note that the desecration of one’s own (and the world’s) spiritual and cultural heritage could hardly have ended differently.