INTRODUCTION TO SIGIL MAGIC

CHAOS MAGIC

• Founded by Peter Carroll, England, late 1970s

• Iconoclastic – reaction against perceived sterility of
magical orders
• Emphasis on practical results and experimentation
• Beliefs can be used to shape experience
• Practical enchantment via sigils and servitors
• Taboo breaking
 WHAT IS A SIGIL?
AN ENCAPSULATION OF INTENT OR DESIRE
A PICTOGRAPHIC REPRESENTATION OF INTENT OR DESIRE
A TYPE OF PRACTICAL ENCHANTMENT
BELIEF-AGNOSTIC MAGIC
 SHORT HISTORY LESSON

• Austin Osman Spare

• Henry Cornelius Agrippa - The Third Book of Occult
Philosophy
• Carroll’s Liber Null and Psychonaut
• Grant Morrison’s comic series The Invisibles

A O Spare, 1904
 HOW TO MAKE A SIGIL (THE PART YOU CARE ABOUT)

BEST PRACTICES
• WRITE DOWN YOU INTENT OR DESIRE (USE ALL
CAPS) • USE POSITIVE WORDS INSTEAD
• CROSS OUT ALL THE VOWELS OF NEGATIVE WORDS
• CLEAR GOALS
• CROSS OUT ALL REPEATED LETTERS • USE PRESENT TENSE STATEMENTS
• DRAW A PICTURE USING THE REMAINING LETTERS • DESCRIBE COMPLETED GOAL
RATHER THAN DESIRE FOR THE
• REDRAW THE PICTURE (AGAIN) GOAL
• KEEP GOING UNTIL IT LOOKS “RIGHT” (SPOOKY,
MAGICAL, “CLICKS”) “I HAVE $100” INSTEAD OF “I WANT
MORE MONEY”
 EXAMPLES OF OPTIMIZED STATEMENTS
(GORDON WHITE AT RUNE SOUP)

• “I AM MY IDEAL WEIGHT” OR “I WEAR SIZE 12” RATHER THAN “I

WISH TO LOSE WEIGHT FAST”.
• “I WHOLLY OWN MY HOUSE” RATHER THAN “I WISH TO BE
MORTGAGE FREE”.
• “I AM IN A LOVING RELATIONSHIP” RATHER THAN “I WANT TO
FIND LOVE”.
TYPO! IT’S OKAY SINCE THE LETTER “N” IS ENCODED AND MY INTENT WAS CLEAR.
 GIVE IT A TRY
(SOMETHING YOU DON’T CARE ABOUT)
BEST PRACTICES
• WRITE DOWN YOU INTENT OR DESIRE (USE ALL
CAPS) • USE POSITIVE WORDS INSTEAD
• CROSS OUT ALL THE VOWELS OF NEGATIVE WORDS
• CLEAR GOALS
• CROSS OUT ALL REPEATED LETTERS • USE PRESENT TENSE STATEMENTS
• DRAW A PICTURE USING THE REMAINING LETTERS • DESCRIBE COMPLETED GOAL
RATHER THAN DESIRE FOR THE
• REDRAW THE PICTURE (AGAIN) GOAL
• KEEP GOING UNTIL IT LOOKS “RIGHT” (SPOOKY,
MAGICAL, “CLICKS”) “I HAVE $100” INSTEAD OF “I WANT
MORE MONEY”
 WHAT NOW?
TURNING THE INTENT INTO REALITY
(OR)
ACTIVATING AND CHARGING THE SIGIL
 HOW DO THEY WORK?

• THE IDEA IS TO FILL THE SIGIL WITH ENERGY (CHARGING) AND EMBED IT
IN YOUR DEEP MIND (FIRING)
• THE INTERPLAY OF CONSCIOUS AND SUBCONSCIOUS AWARENESS OF
THE SIGIL RELEASES THE MAGIC AND INFLUENCES PROBABILITY
• CARROLL DIVIDED METHODS INTO “EXCITATORY” AND “INHIBITORY”
• EXPERIMENTATION WITH METHODS IS IMPORTANT (CHAOS MAGIC)
 SEX MAGIC

• LOOK AT THE SIGIL OCCASIONALLY AND

STARE DIRECTLY AT THE SIGIL AT THE
MOMENT OF CLIMAX
• ALONE OR WITH FRIENDS!
• DRAW THE SIGILS ON WITH BODY PAINT
• QUICK RETURN, BUT QUICK RESISTANCE
 PAINFUL METHODS

• SAME IDEA AS SEXUAL CLIMAX

• SHARP SUDDEN PAIN CAUSES YOUR MIND
TO BLANK
• GRADUAL, LOW-LEVEL PAIN CAN CAUSE
TRANCE STATE
• STARE AT THE SIGIL WHILE SELF-INFLICTING
OR HAVING THE PAIN INFLICTED
MEDITATION – THE “BEST” WAY (YMMV)

• MOST CONSISTENT RESULTS

• HARDER TO GET THE HANG OF
• “DID IT FIRE? DID I STARE LONG ENOUGH?”

• HELPS TO HAVE A DAILY PRACTICE

• START AT 5 MINUTES AND TRY TO WORK UP TO 10-
20 MINUTES EVERYDAY
MEDITATION – QUICK REVIEW OF BASICS

• SIT COMFORTABLE
• VASE BREATHE
• FOCUS ON BREATH

• GOAL ISN’T MINDLESSNESS, BUT MINDFULNESS

• FEEL CHEST EXPAND, HEAR SOUND OF AIR THRU
NOSTRIL, FEEL BODY TOUCHING THE GROUND
• LET THOUGHTS AND EMOTIONS COME AND GO
• DON’T GET ATTACHED TO THOUGHTS
 MEDITATION EXERCISE 1
HERMETIC BREATHING

• SIT UP STRAIGHT
• FEET FLAT ON THE FLOOR
• TAKE A FEW VASE BREATHES
• INHALE – 5 COUNT
• HOLD – 5 COUNT
• EXHALE – 5 COUNT
• HOLD – 5 COUNT
• CAN VARY THE COUNT
• INHALE – 4 COUNT
• HOLD – 5 COUNT
• EXHALE – 6 COUNT
• HOLD 4 COUNT
 MEDITATION EXERCISE 2
WIM HOF BREATHING

• BACK STRAIGHT, SITTING COMFORTABLY • HOLD UNTIL GASP REFLEX KICKS IN

• VASE BREATH INHALE THROUGH NOSE • INHALE FULLY FOR 10 SECONDS
• EXHALE FORCEFULLY THRU MOUTH LIKE • REPEAT WHOLE THING TWO MORE TIMES
BLOWING UP A BALLOON
• REPEAT FOR ABOUT 30 BREATHES
AT THE END YOU’LL BE IN A MILD TO MEDIUM
• INHALE FULLY, EXHALE AND HOLD WITH TRANCE STATE.
CLOSING OFF AIRWAY
 MEDITATION AND SIGIL ACTIVATION

• USING EXTENDED MEDITATION OR THE • SHAKE IT GENTLY, FLICK IT

ABOVE EXERCISES PUT YOURSELF IN A MILD
• EVENTUALLY THE PICTURE WILL “DEFLATE”
TRANCE STATE
• IT WILL STOP LOOKING MAGICAL OR
• STARE AT A SIGIL SPECIAL
• LET YOUR EYES WONDER OVER IT
• LOOK AT IT AND SAY
• KEEP STARING • “DOES NOT MATTER, NEED NOT BE”

• …
 KEEP OR THROW AWAY?

• CLASSIC TEXTS (SPARE AND CARROLL) RECOMMEND DESTROYING THE SIGIL AND NEVER,
EVER THINK ABOUT IT AGAIN
• BASED ON FLAWED UNDERSTANDING OF HOW THE MIND WORKS
• SEE G. WHITE REFERENCE IN READING LIST

• EXPERIMENT!
• I KEEP THE ONES I CHARGE WITH MEDITATION AND DESTROY THE ONES CHARGED WITH
EXCITATORY METHODS
• IF YOU KEEP ONE AND IT LOOKS “FUNNY” SAY AGAIN “DOES NOT MATTER, NEED NOT BE”
• TAKES ADVANTAGE OF MODERN UNDERSTANDING OF HOW THE MIND WORKS
 LUST FOR RESULT

• LUST FOR RESULT CAN KILL MAGIC

• DRAWS THE ENERGY FROM WORKING YOUR INTENT. YOU ENCHANT
“FOR THE WANT RATHER THAN THE HAVE”
• USE IT FOR TO YOUR BENEFIT!

WHEN YOU BEGIN OBSESSING OR THINKING ABOUT YOUR

ENCHANTMENT, FILL YOU MIND WITH POSITIVE BENEFITS OF THE
MAGIC WORKING.
• IF YOU OBSESS ABOUT HOW THE MONEY WILL ARRIVE, FEEL YOUR
MIND WITH THOUGHTS OF HOW IT WILL FEEL TO SPEND THE
MONEY INSTEAD
BALANCE!
 TROUBLESHOOTING

Q: WHY AREN’T MY SIGILS WORKING?

A: VARY CHARGING METHODS, TRY THEM MORE OFTEN, START WITH “SILLY” GOALS.

Q: AM I DRAWING THEM RIGHT?

A: YES. YOU REALLY ARE.

Q: WHY DID THEY STOP WORKING?

A: THERE SEEMS TO BE SOME TYPE OF DIMINISHING RETURN ON SOME METHODS (SEXUAL
CLIMAX) FOR SOME REASON. TRY OTHER FIRING METHODS (MEDITATION).
 SHOALING BEHAVIOR
An aggregation of fish is …any collection of fish that
have gathered together in some locality.

If … the aggregation comes together in an interactive,

social way, they may be said to be shoaling. Although
shoaling fish can relate to each other in a loose way,
with each fish swimming and foraging somewhat
independently, they are nonetheless aware of the
other members of the group as shown by the way they
adjust behavior such as swimming, so as to remain
close to the other fish in the group. Shoaling groups
can include fish of disparate sizes and can including
mixed-species subgroups.

(Wikipedia)
 SHOALING AND THE ROBOFISH

• MOST USEFUL AND IMPORTANT DEVELOPMENT IN SIGIL TECHNIQUES SINCE CARROLL

REINTRODUCED THEM IN THE 1970’S
• INSTEAD OF USING SIGILS AS SINGLETONS OR SEVERAL UNRELATED ONES, MAKE SIGIL SHOALS
• BREAK DOWN A LARGE GOAL INTO SEVERAL SMALLER ONES (THE SHOAL) AND FIRE THEM ALL IN
SEQUENCE
SHOALING AND THE ROBOFISH
 SHOALING AND THE ROBOFISH

• THE LAST INGREDIENT IS THE ROBOFISH

• INCLUDE A SIGIL FOR SOMETHING THAT WILL CERTAINLY HAPPEN
• THE ROBOFISH SIGIL IS GUARANTEED TO MANIFEST
• IT PULLS THE REST OF THE SIGILS IN THE DIRECTION OF ACTUALITY FROM POTENTIALITY
• MIX IT UP WITH THE REST OF THE SHOAL AND ACTIVATE THEM ALL AT THE SAME TIME
• SHORT CIRCUITS LUST FOR RESULT
 SIGIL RITUAL

• SET UP THE THEATER (CANDLES, INCENSE, ALTAR, ETC)

• BANISH/CENTER/MAKE A CIRCLE AS YOU SEE FIT
• CALL A GOD OF MAGIC (HEKATE, ISIS, YAHWEH, ETC)
• MEDITATE FOR 5-10 MINUTES UNTIL YOU’RE IN A MILD
TRANCE
• ONE-BY-ONE PICK UP THE SIGILS AND ACTIVATE THEM
• GIVE THANKS/BANISH/CLOSE AS YOU SEE FIT
QUESTIONS?
 READING LIST

• Liber Null and Psychonaut, Peter Carrol – Kick started Chaos Magic, historical reference
• Sigils Reboot: How To Get Big Magic From Little Squiggles, blog post by Gordon White,
http://runesoup.com/2012/03/ultimate-sigil-magic-guide - Modern guide, introduces shoaling
• Hands on Chaos Magic, Andrieh Vitimus – Extensive guide to (chaos) magic, includes meditation,
energy work, sigils, servitors, evocation magic, shadow work and more
• Pieces of Eight and Chaos Protocols, Gordon White