Sigils: Frequently Asked Questions
* Updated November 5th, 2015 *
A sigil is a magical symbol of intent. It is a design created for a specific purpose, with a goal in mind, and then charged with energies to assist in bringing about said goal.
Where did sigils come from?
Sigils were originally used in medieval ceremonial magic, to summon angels and demons (as seen in [The Lesser Key of Solomon]). This isn’t how sigils are (mainly) used nowadays - or at least here on Tumblr. The modern method of “sigilization,” using a statement of intent and compressing it into a physical design, was brought about by Austin Osman Spare, then made popular by Peter J. Carroll in his book [Liber Null]. Since then, the use of sigils has become a core part of a branch called chaos magic and practiced by many in many different ways.
Chaos magic? What’s that?
Chaos magic is a branch of magic that doesn’t really have a lot of strict rules or solid structure. It’s why it’s called chaos magic. The practitioners of chaos magic, called “chaotes,” use many modern methods in their craft (they’re pretty eclectic), using belief as a tool, and are encouraged to experiment and create their own personal methods of doing things. Peter J. Carroll also had a hand in this branch of magic, which can be seen in his books Liber Null & Psychonaut.
Do I have to be a “chaote” to use sigils?
Nope, that’s just the branch of magic they come from. People can argue that by using sigils you’re already classified as a chaote, but I feel it’s just another one of those labels that describes a magical path, and you don’t have to be part of it to use its key elements. (I can cook with magic, doesn’t necessarily make me a kitchen witch.) Anyway, moving on!
What can sigils be used for?
Sigil magic is very versatile, and can be used for a wide variety of things. Protection, confidence, glamours, focus and motivation, sleep and nightmares, drawing in or attracting certain people or qualities, banishing or pushing away certain people or qualities; sigils can amplify certain aspects or traits within yourself, or diminish them; sigils can also have an effect on other objects, such as enchanting them for specific purposes; you can even use a sigil to encourage growth in plant life. If you can think of something you need, it can likely be done with a sigil.
That being said, there are certain things that magic should not be used for, and those things also correlate with sigils. Mundane methods should never be ignored in lieu of magic.
How would I successfully use a sigil?
It depends on the sigil and its intent. A sigil for anxiety might be best drawn on your skin where you can feel its constant effect versus being destroyed. A sigil for banishing a bad quality would be best ripped up or buried, to symbolize ridding yourself of the quality. Once you have your sigil and know what it is for, thinking of the best way to apply it comes down to the individual person, what you hope to gain, and also what you have available for you to use.
Yes! Anyone can make sigils and start using them at any time.
How would one go about creating a sigil?
Sigil creation methods are generally pretty personal to the person using them, though most have similar basic structures and can work for others if they “connect” with it. It’s all about you and what you feel and need.
A basic sigil creation method goes something like this:
create a statement of intent
break down that statement of intent by removing duplicated letters - any letter that repeats more than once
use the remaining letters to create a symbol while focusing on your intent/goal
charge the sigil by putting energies into it
Links for other creation methods will be provided at the end for further reference.
What if I don’t like a creation method, or it doesn’t work for me?
You don’t need to stick with it. If you find it’s not working, or not suiting your needs, try another one. Another thing you can do is modify an existing method to suit your needs better. Take a method that you like, add or remove some steps to make it more personal to you, switch some things around. Experiment!
Can I make a sigil for someone else, or use a sigil someone else has made?
Yes, you can make a sigil for another person; the best way to do so would be to use their full name in the statement, like “[full name] passes their driver’s test.” If you have a photo of the target, you could draw the sigil on their picture, and this removes the need to use their full name in the statement.
It is also definitely possible to use sigils other people have made. It is why so many of us take requests for them. Some people say that sigils are stronger if made yourself, since they are more personal, and that may have its applications, but there is no reason not to try a pre-existing sigil if you are drawn to it… unless the owner of the sigil has asked no one to use it, of course!
What exactly is a statement of intent?
A statement of intent is, well, a statement dictating your goals, wishes or desires. Some examples would be “I am confident,” “I am protected from any negative intentions,” or “I am hidden from those that would seek to harm me.” It is a sentence dictating what you wish to happen, and creating a sigil from the letters of your statement will help bring it into effect.
Why do you keep using “I am?” What about “I will?”
“I am” programs the sigil, and lets it know that the effects are happening RIGHT NOW, so the sigil has to work to make it happen RIGHT NOW. If you use “I will,” sure, you’ll get your desired outcome, but when? It leaves it so open to interpretation. The sigil could go off tomorrow, or next week, or next month… Using “I am” shows the sigil that it needs to have already happened, is already happening, so it works to make it so.
Do you have to write down the statement of intent when making a sigil?
No. If you are confident in being able to keep the statement in your mind as you work and imbue those desires into your design you should be fine. It is best for beginners, though, to start with writing it down and using its letters as building blocks, to imprint your desires more easily into your sigil and to keep it firmly in mind.
Should I remove the vowels from a statement of intent?
You can if you want to. I keep mine, because it gives me more shapes to work with when it comes to designing the actual sigil. It’s a matter of preference.
Do I need to use all the letters?
Nope, not at all. If you feel you don’t need that letter, don’t use it.
What if I find the letters hard to work with?
You can break down the letters further into their basic shapes. I do this, and it does make the crafting a lot easier. A would break down to / - \, P would be | ), you get the idea. You also don’t have to use every single shape if you don’t feel you need to.
Can I use preexisting symbols in sigils?
Of course. These symbols have their meanings for a reason, and their associations with your intent will help it with its goal. Your sigil can be abstract, or it can physically represent your desires, whatever you prefer.
Do sigils have to be in any certain shape or pattern?
Only if you want them to be. Everyone’s aesthetics and creation methods are different. if you want to use symbolism from shapes and designs in your sigils, go right ahead. If you want a lot of swirls or lines, do that. If you don’t want any noticeable pattern, that works too! The only reason the shapes and patterns matter is if it appeals to you, if you like how it looks - that makes a sigil stronger. If that’s what you want to do, do it; otherwise, don’t worry about it.
Do I have to use my first language?
Not at all! You can use any language or alphabet to make sigils from. Some people even use pop culture or made up alphabets; I’ve even made sigils out of a code my friend and I wrote in high school. Experiment and have fun with it - there are many alphabets out there that you could try, like the [theban alphabet], or this [shadow script] created by a fellow Tumblr user.
Can I use a sigil created in another language?
Absolutely. It is the intent that matters, and intents are universal.
I just drew a design without any statement in mind, what does that mean?
You drew a cool looking symbol. I previously thought that these were “blank sigils,” that could just be filled with an intent after creation, and they would work just as normal sigils would. Evidence from people sending in their experiences and stories has shown me that drawing a design with no intent, then filling it with one later, doesn’t work as well; the “blank sigil” doesn’t seem to hold the intent or the charge very well at all. So, for the most part, when you draw random symbols like that, it’s just a random symbol.
Absolutely. The sigil needs energies put into it, to activate it and allow it to work its magic. You can’t expect a computer to work without it being plugged in to a power source. A car can’t run without gas. Humans can’t run without food. Same thing goes with sigils. Creating a sigil will give it a bit of a charge, but it is recommended to charge it with an additional method to ensure it gets all the energies it needs to work at its full ability.
What are some charging methods?
There are so many ways to charge sigils, it’s crazy. People are constantly coming up with new methods. Coming up with your own charging “rituals” and thinking outside the box are highly encouraged. I will provide some links below for various charging and activating methods, as well as a quick list of some ideas to get you started:
dance and physical exercise
the elements (air, fire, water, earth)
basic energy work (using your own energies)
electronics and technology
These are not ALL the methods, just some to give you some ideas to work off of, and hopefully inspire your own.
Okay, so what’s a BASIC charging method then?
The simplest method, that requires no other supplies besides the sigil you wish to charge and yourself, is filling the sigil up with your own energy. The way I do this is, I hold the sigil in my hands, or hold my right hand over wherever the sigil is located (skin, object, etc.). I channel up energy from the ground, so I don’t exhaust myself in the charging process. I pull the energy through me, to somewhere near my heart, and fill it with my intent and desires (I call this “programming”). I then push that energy down through my arm, out my hand, and into the sigil. I repeat this process multiple times, until I feel the sigil is adequately charged.
Is one charging method better than any other, or are they all equal?
Some charging methods might be better for certain intents than others. The energies match the desires better, based on the “wavelength” and the feel of said energies. You probably wouldn’t want to charge a sleep sigil with physical activity or coffee beans. Besides that, it’s all just moving energy around; there’s not really a supreme way to do that, just many ways.
Yes, sigil work is energy work. If you’re not familiar with your energy levels, it is easy to take too much from yourself and put it into a sigil, leaving you feeling tired or drained. It’s a relatively common “symptom” or result - it’s happened to me a fair number of times. The best way to stop this is to pull energy into yourself before charging, to make sure there is lots of energy to give the sigil so you won’t be taking it all from yourself. The more you work with energies, the better you will be at gathering and retaining, and the less tiring sigil charging will be over time. Figuring out your energy limit and staying within it is great as well, though that can take time and experimentation. If you find yourself tired and drained after charging sigils, sit yourself down with some food and drink and just relax; take a break from working with sigils and let yourself recharge and get some energy back.
What’s the best method for me to use to charge sigils?
It’s best to associate your charging method with your intent. For example, a sigil to bring more energy might best be charged under the sun. Choosing a method is up to you, based off your own judgement, and what you feel you and your sigil need.
Do I need to destroy a sigil for it to activate?
No. Destruction is one of many charging methods used for creating sigils. If you would prefer to keep the sigil to carry around and feel its constant effect, do so.
How can I “break” or “turn off” a sigil after it’s activated?
I would rip it apart or erase it, do what you can to physically remove it or destroy it, and declare that all the energies within that sigil have been released and nullified. Make sure to state that the sigil has been broken / deactivated, that it can no longer act out its purpose.
How do you feel about sigils as tattoos?
Sigils would make great tattoos, as long as you plan to use the sigil / have need of its effects constantly in your life. Otherwise, you’ll have a sigil on our body for an obsolete purpose. It won’t do anything negative, the design just won’t work anymore since it no longer has any purpose.
Can I reuse a sigil I have used before?
Yep! As long as you remember the statement of intent you used, and have a reference for the design, there is no problem reusing a sigil after it has already been used. You will need to recharge it. Every separate instance of a sigil needs charging.
What do you mean by “every separate instance?”
Every time you draw a sigil for the first time, charge it. Even if you’ve used it before, that particular time you drew it it needs energies in it to work. The charge will not carry over from the old use, since those energies served their purpose the first time and are no longer around.
Can I keep a book filled with sigils to use later or for reference?
Yup, as long as you don’t charge a sigil it is just a picture of a symbol, so you can keep it around without it having any effect on your life (yet).
My sigils look different from everyone else’s, did I do something wrong?
No. Every person has their own aesthetic, and it’s very important to like the appearance of your sigils. We each draw and create differently, so it make sense that our designs are unique too. As long as you like how your sigil came out, it doesn’t matter if it looks starkly different from other sigils with the same intents. You have your own style, you are unique, and it comes across in sigils. It’s what makes them so awesome.
My sigils don’t look good at all, am I making a mistake?
Not necessarily. It takes some time to get the hang of working with sigils. My early sigils were pretty bad, looking back on them now. Just like with any skill, it takes time and practice to hone your talents and get to where you want to be. Just keep working, keep practicing, keep drawing sigils, and I’m sure you’ll find yourself in a place where you’re happy with your designs soon enough.
[A Beginner’s Guide to Sigil Craft]
[A Brief Overview of Sigil Magick]
[Chaos Magic : Basic Sigil Magic]
[Charging and Firing Sigils]
[Charging Your Sigils-A Brief Explaination]
[A Crash Course in Sigils]
[Creation and Activation]
[Destroying Your Sigils. A Huge Mistake?]
[An Essay on Sigil Crafting]
[How Caito Makes Sigils] and [A Clearer Explanation]
[How Do You Make Your Sigils?]
[How Frieda Makes Sigils]
[How I Use the Keyboard on My Phone to Create Sigils]
[How to Charge a Sigil Playing Video Games]
[How to Make Your Own Personal Sigils]
[Magick Squares, Sigils and Planetary Seals]
[On the Preparation and Usage of Sigils (part 1)]
[On the Preparation and Usage of Sigils (part 2)]
[A Personal Method of Charging Sigils]
[Pokécraft: Unown Sigils]
[”Practical Sigil Magic: Creating Personal Symbols for Success” by Frater U.D.] (pdf)
[Sea Witchcraft: Maritime Signal Flags as Sigils]
[Sigil Charging Method: Blood and Pain]
[Sigil Charging Method: Sex, Orgasm and Semen]
[Sigil Charging Method: Sunlight]
[Sigil Crafting Method One]
[Sigil Creation with Planetary Magic Squares]
[Sigil Magic. Making a Magical Sigil]
[Sigil Magick: How To Make and Charge a Sigil]
[Sigil Making Process, by Richtor]
[Sigil Making Process, by Rook]
[Sigil Masterpost - Techniques, Warnings, and Thoughtforms, Oh My!]
[Sigils in Theory and Practice]
[Sigils Reboot: How tTo Get Big Magic From Little Squiggles]
[Shoaling: Making Sigil Magic More Awesome Since 2010]
[Short Term Sigil Activation]
[Three Sigil Design Methods]
[Using Your Sigil (What Do Now?)]
[Writing Sigils with Sparklers]
