The Public Grimoire

I call upon the Five Elements for protection all day.

Air, be with me and protect my mind.

Water, be with me and protect my heart.

Fire, be with me and protect my will.

Earth, be with me and protect my body.

Ether, be with me and protect my whole being.

If you need ideas and suggestions for what kind of sigils to create, consider using Abraham Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs as a guide to give you enough ideas to make your own personal grimoire of sigils. You can even use it to get ideas to make your own non-sigil spells. You can also use it as a template for organizing your book of shadows.

Maslow's hierarchy can be surprisingly useful as a map for magical practice because it gives you a way to ask what need am I actually trying to address?

One approach is to treat each level as a "sphere of operation":

1. Physiological Needs 🍞

Health, energy, food, housing, material stability

2. Safety Needs 🛡️

Protection, warding, financial security, overcoming fear

3. Love and Belonging 🤝

Friendship, community, family harmony, finding one's tribe

4. Esteem Needs 👑

Confidence, charisma, reputation, skill development

5. Self-Actualization 🌟

Creativity, life purpose, mastery, spiritual development

6. Self-Transcendence ✨

Communion with the divine, service, mystical experiences

For a magician, this can become a diagnostic tool.

Before casting, ask:

"Which need is this working actually serving?"

For example:

A prosperity sigil might not really be about money. It might be about safety.

A glamour spell might not be about attractiveness. It might be about esteem.

A devotion to your patron deity might not be about obtaining favors. It might be about self-transcendence.