The pentagram is a common symbol in witchcraft. It represents the five elements of Spirit, fire, air, water and earth. A quick google search and you can find out all kinds of information on this symbol. What I am focusing on is the Double Pentagram, one upright and one inverted.
The upright pentagram represents Spirit manifesting into its more dense parts. The top point is where spirit is found. This element is the most refined of all elements. It is the purest form that anything can strive to be. In spiritual alchemy, it is the destruction of the ego and the transformation into a more enlighten being. Like the three wise men of our age Buddha, Christ and Merlin. For more info on this I recommend Christopher Penczak's book. You can't comprehend it using your 5 senses because, physically, it is nothing but, if properly trained, you can gain knowledge and conversation because it is everything. Spirit is everywhere and nowhere. It is found through our creation of art, music and writing. It is the essence of everything. It is associated with the crown chakra. The crown chakra allows us to perceive the universal energy, spirit, that emanates throughout the whole of creation and allows the divine without, a gateway into the self. The Divine beings found in Spirit are the Gods, but this is not the end.
As you trace the symbol starting at the top point and working your way to the bottom right, the next point is fire. Fire is the element that cleanses and purifies. If Spirit is the energy that is everything and nothing, Fire is its part that stimulates and challenges. Fire is pure desire. Fire is the first of the four parts that is issued forth from spirit as Fire has no substance. Fire is change as the flame is the change of state found within the mixture of chemicals. Fire is not stable or consistent. It is unbalanced and for ever changing. But as fire is created from spirit, it is a continual process. The Divine being found in Fire is the elemental King Djinn, but this is not the end.
As you trace this symbol from the point of fire to the next point to the upper left, you get to the point of Air. Air is the next step that is issued forth from Fire. Air is the patterned process of creation. It is the geometry and movement of everything that is. There is a delicate balance between all these elements that make up the universe, air governs the secret knowledge of these patterns that hold and balance the universe. As Air holds the information on how the universe is molded and gives it a voice. The Divine being found in Air is the elemental King Paralda, but this is not the end.
As you trace this symbol to the next point horizontally to the right, you end at the point of Water. This next step allows for the design of the universe to be expressed. Water is what represents the universes feelings on a higher level. Water is the base for all life that is created in the universe. It is the divine womb where everything is birthed. It is the combination of elements, it is connection and it is the universes promise of love and healing. As water is the primal ocean within which everything finds life, The Divine being found in Water is the elemental King Nichsa, but this is not the end.
As you trace the symbol down to the left, you get to the point of Earth. Earth is most closely linked to our physical world as it is the densest of all the elements. It is the foundation on top of which everything if formed. It is stable and secure, calm and steady, continually transmuting into what the other elements desire. As Earth is the densest and easily the most understood. The Divine being found in Earth is the elemental King Ghob, but this is not the end.
As you trace the final line back to the top point you end up back to the point of Spirit. The reason for this is that everything has Spirit. In humans there is the soul. Soul is an acronym for Symbol Of Universal Light. Our soul is the divine light found within all of us and it radiates through our chakras. The upright pentagram is the symbol of man being created. How we end up becoming manifested into our material world. The Divine being found along this last path is Homo sapiens, at least it is our soul that is found here, but this is this the end?
Have you ever heard the story of The Fall? According to Genesis 3 the Fall is described as the primal event at the beginning of our creation that turned the first man and woman from a state of innocence and obedience to God, to a state of guilty disobedience and doomed to the so called Original Sin. Well, I do not subscribe to this telling. I view the “Fall” as just that a Fall caused by, for lack of a better term, density. As the elements and there beings go from Spirit, refined energy, to Earth, dense energy, the “weight” can no longer sustain in its form as the upright pentagram and it “Falls” so that the point of spirit becomes the bottom point and thus the paradigm of Spirit manifesting in a pure state becomes even more dense. The balance of the Pentagram becomes off because of the shift of Spiritual energy from the point of Earth moving back to the point of Spirit.
The Inverted pentagram was made famous by Dr. Anton LaVey and his use of it as the symbol for Baphomet. Its points are given Hebrew letters that form the name of a mythical sea creature known as Leviathan. This sea creature is viewed as the keeper of the Abyss. If you have studied Qabalah, the non-sephiroth is called Da’ath and means knowledge. It is the point at which the initiate falls into the Abyss. LaVey used this symbol as the gateway to knowledge or holder of knowledge as Satan is considered a “Fallen” angel who some believe left Heaven on his own accord to bring “Fire” or “knowledge” to humans. In the material world, the inverted pentagram represents nature. Nature is our reality. Nature holds the knowledge for us to learn from. Nature is not just found on our planet but is found throughout the universe. Some planets might have a complicated natural world while others may not. For example, Earth compared to Mercury; while Earth may have a complex eco system, Mercury has a disastrous weather environment.
When you study at the inverted pentagram you will find that the points that represent Fire, Air, Water, Earth and Spirit become more tangible. Fire takes on the qualities of passion, as passion is found in all living creatures. Air takes on the qualities of expression, as all living creatures express themselves in various ways. Water takes on the qualities of Compassion, as compassion is shown by living creatures. Earth takes on the qualities of security, as living creatures seek the security of their parents, mates and/or shelter. Finally, Spirit takes on the quality of humility, as humility is the final lesson that all living creatures learn.
The qualities of passion, expression, compassion, security and humility form the soul of mankind. The story of the fall teaches that mankind lost the connection to the divine and unless you’re baptized, you never regain that connection. Satanism looks to the inverted pentagram as the gateway to the knowledge. I believe that, like the teachings of the Qabalah, you can have all the knowledge in the world but without the wisdom and understanding to apply that knowledge, you will “Fall” short. The five qualities, once learned, can help you to that wisdom and understanding. Assisting you in crossing that abyss that the upright pentagram fell through and refining your being back to its creation from Spirit.
Spirit is both the beginning and the end.
And forever the cycle turns.
Spirit is both the beginning and the end.
And forever the cycle turns.
Blessed Be