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Astrologer Paige Ferris explains the origin & significance of these hidden symbols
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When it comes to the occult, there is an incredibly wide range of symbols, signs, and sigils with roots in ancient mystical traditions that have become popular in modern occult practices. We talked to astrologer Paige Ferris to help us light a path for you to dive into this fascinating history—keep reading for a list of 33 occult symbols that includes where they originated, what they look like, their meanings, and how they’ve been used in different occult practices.

  1. The ankh is a symbol of life, protection, and eternity. As an ancient symbol, it appears as a cross with a loop on top. The loop is believed to symbolize the sun, while the horizontal bar of the cross stands for the horizon and the vertical bar the sun’s path as it rises over the horizon. Originating in ancient Egypt as a symbol held by Ra, the sun god, the ankh is used as a pagan symbol in neo-pagan rituals when placed on altars for blessings or to channel energy.[1]
    • Origin: Egypt

    Meet the wikiHow Expert

    Paige Ferris is a tarot reader, astrologer, and intuitive psychic. She’s also the founder of Catalyst Healer, where she specializes in using practical occultism and psychological astrology to help empower her clients.

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  1. It is made up of a goat's head with horns and a pentagram on the forehead (for spirit above matter), along with a torch between the horns (for divine knowledge). Baphomet’s torso is human-like and unisex, with a muscular build, female breasts, bat-like wings, human arms, and goat legs. Its arms read "solve" and "coagula.” It signifies the duality of opposites, like good and evil or male and female, as well as esoteric wisdom in occult traditions. Baphomet is often seen performing a 2-finger salute hand sign, while modern interpretations sometimes include 2 young children at Baphomet’s side.[3]
    • Origin: 19th-century French occultist Eliphas Lévi
    • A caduceus (staff with two snakes) is usually found in Baphomet’s lap as a symbol of balance and phallic power.
    • Sigil of Baphomet: The official symbol for the Church of Satan, the sigil is an inverted pentagram with the head of Baphomet (a goat) forming the 5 points of the star. The points also include 5 Hebrew letters spelling "Leviathan,” to signify chaos.
5

Solar symbol

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  1. The most prominent of them is the solar disk, which is a circle with a central dot, which signifies the sun, the king or gold in alchemy, or the divine principle. It’s also associated with Apollo or Ra in ancient Roman and Egyptian mythology. In pagan traditions, the sun represents the cycles of life, death, and the cosmos itself.[4]
    • Origin: Egypt, Mesopotamia, Mesoamerica
    • Sun cross (the solar wheel): A pre-Christian symbol signifying the sun, the 4 seasons/cardinal directions, and cosmic order used in modern occultism.
    • Black sun: A variation of the ancient Sonnenrad (sunwheel), which was appropriated by Nazis during World War II.
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9

Heptagram

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  1. Also known as a septagram, the heptagram is a 7-pointed star that is drawn using 7 straight strokes. It has unique meanings, depending on the tradition associated with it. For example, the heptagram wards off evil in Catholicism, has mystical significance in Kabbalism, and stands for the first 7 verses of the Quran in Islam. Occultists in Thelema use the heptagram to represent the great mother Babalon, while neo-pagans refer to it as an elven star.[9]
    • Origin: Catholicism, Kabbalah, Islam, and ancient pagan
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10

Unicursal Hexagram

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  1. It is an unbroken 6-pointed star drawn in one continuous line to form an interlaced knot-like design. Along with an upward and downward pointing triangle, the points symbolize the sun, moon, and four elements. Hexagrams represent unity, interconnected energy, and the harmony of opposites, including heaven and earth, male and female, or light and dark. It’s used in Hermeticism, Thelema, and Wicca to invoke spiritual forces when performing rituals.[10]
    • Origin: Judaism (Kabbalah), Alchemy
    • The unicursal Hexagram has its roots in the hexagram (2 interlocking triangles) that resembles the Star of David once used by Solomon.
    • Occultist Aleister Crowley created his own variation of the hexagram with a 5-pointed flower in the center to signify the 5 elements.
11

Icelandic staves (Galdrastafer)

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  1. The intricate symbols based on Icelandic folk magic are used when performing visual spells. Each rune is said to have a specific purpose, which ranges from breaking locks and providing protection to enhancing fertility and having better luck in fishing. The staves are connected to pagan traditions, Nordic gods, and Icelandic history.[11]
    • Origin: 7th-century Icelandic grimoire
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14

Leviathan cross

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  1. It features a double cross with an infinity symbol at the bottom. The double cross is associated with the harmony achieved between the physical and spiritual worlds, while the infinity symbol stands for the eternal cosmos. The Leviathan cross is also known as Satan’s cross, as well as the alchemical symbol for black sulfur, a part of the Philosopher’s Stone. Modern Satanists sometimes use the Leviathan cross; it appears in the Church of Satan’s Bible, created by Anton LaVey.[13]
    • Origin: The Secret Order of the Knights Templar
    • The Leviathan cross is also called the sulfur cross or the brimstone symbol.
    • The Philosopher’s Stone is a substance in alchemy that is said to turn base metals into gold, creating an"Elixir of Life" that grants immortality.[14]
15

Sigil of Lilith

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  1. It is believed to be a stylized version of Lilith’s name in the Theban (or witch’s alphabet), and often features an upward-pointing triangle with a hook at the bottom, encircled or connected to crescent moons (for the feminine) and a serpent or owl. Lilith was thought to be Adam’s cursed first wife in the Bible; she also appears in ancient Mesopotamian texts as a demon goddess of the night. Early occultists and Wiccans often used this sigil in rituals and as a symbol of protection, and it has also become a goth symbol and an emblem for feminine power.[15]
    • Origin: Christian/Hebrew Bible, ancient Mesopotamia
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16

Monas Hieroglyphica

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  1. It combines many elements into a universal hieroglyph: on top are a crescent moon and a circle with a central point (for the sun; below them is a cross standing for the 4 elements of earth, water, air, and fire; on the bottom are 2 semicircles symbolizing the Aries ram. The combination of symbols is used by occult traditions as a tool for meditation and as a key to unlock the hidden knowledge behind Hermetic philosophy.[16]
    • Origin: 16th-century occult philosopher John Dee
17

Ouroboros

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  1. It depicts a serpent biting its own tail, which forms a circle to represent renewal and the harmony of opposites. Ferris says that the ouroboros symbolizes the cycle of recurring transformation, including rebirth, life, and death, as well as “the alchemy of ‘it’s not just an end, but also a beginning.’”[17] Dating back to Tutankhamun's tomb, the ouroborus is a part of gnostic beliefs, where the head and tail of the serpent stand for the connection of the earthly to the divine.[18]
    • Origin: Greece, Egypt
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18

Pentagram

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  1. Ferris says an upright pentagram symbolizes the material plane, combining earth, air, fire, water, and spirit into one.[19] The ancient Greek philosopher Pythagoras also viewed it as a symbol of health and protection, which led to its use in occult practices to protect and provide balance.[20]
    • Origin: Mesopotamia, Greece
    • When the 5-pointed star is enclosed in a circle, it becomes a pentacle.
    • Ferris adds that an upside-down (or inverted) pentagram or pentacle can symbolize shadow work, materialism, or greed.[21]
    • The inverted pentagram became more associated with goth symbols and darker occult practices, while the regular pentagram remains a Wicca symbol that is also used in ceremonial magic.
21

Seal of Solomon

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  1. The 6-pointed star consists of 2 layered interlocking triangles to reflect the harmony of opposites, including heaven and earth, male and female, or light and dark. Legend has it that Solomon used the hexagram to control spirits and create miracles. It’s also used to invoke spiritual forces within ceremonial magic, and is a sign of protection.[24]
    • Origin: Judaism (Kabbalah), alchemy
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22

Seal of the Theosophical Society

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  1. It’s made up of multiple symbols that include the Sanskrit AUM (Om) on top (the divine), a whirling swastika within a circle (creation), a ouroborus (serpent swallowing its tail, which signifies eternity), a 6-pointed Star of David (spirit and matter), and an Ankh (life) in the center. The seal includes the motto, "There is no religion higher than truth,” and is used as an emblem of the Theosophical Society.[25]
    • Origin: Theosophy
    • Theosophy was a mystical spiritual movement founded by Helena Blavatsky in 1875 that blended Eastern and Western esoteric traditions.
23

Sigil of Lucifer

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  1. It consists of a chalice-like shape with an “X” that symbolizes physical power, an inverted triangle as a sign of water and knowledge, and a “V” that represents duality. Also called the “seal of Satan,” it’s associated with Lucifer’s freedom, knowledge, and rebellion, and is linked to the balance of creation and earthly existence. It’s used in rituals to invoke Lucifer and as a symbol of protection.[26]
    • Origin: 16th-century Italian grimoires (the Grimorium Verum or “Grimoire of Truth,” which were used to invoke Lucifer as the "light-bringer" or "morning star.”[27]
    • Sigil: Any magical symbol thought to have mystical properties.
    • Lucifer is a name for the devil, and appeared in the Bible as a fallen angel who challenged God.
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29

Symbol of Chaos

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  1. Also called the chaos star, the chaos symbol is an 8-pointed star with arrows at the tips. It’s linked to the idea of the unpredictable nature of reality and is used in chaos magic to encourage practitioners to shape their reality through focus and will.
    • Origin: Eternal Champion, written by Michael Moorcock
    • Chaos magic is a modern magical practice without dogma that focuses on achieving goals through the power of the mind.
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31

Tetragrammaton

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  1. As a sacred geometry symbol, it consists of a pentagram (five-pointed star) surrounded by a circle, which contains the Hebrew letters YHWH (Yod, He, Vav, He) inside the points. It often includes other divine names or symbols like seraphic wings, eyes, or planetary emblems. It has been used in Judeo-Christian mysticism, Kabbalah, alchemy, and astrology as a symbol of protection that also represents the microcosm of the universe.
    • Origin: Judaism (Kabbalah)
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32

Tree of Life

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  1. It appears as a geometric diagram with 10 interconnected circles (Sephiroth) linked by 22 paths; they form 3 pillars, each one symbolizing divine consciousness in Kabbalah, or Jewish mysticism. In Celtic traditions, the tree of life is also depicted as a physical tree within a circle with mirrored roots and branches, which stands for universal connection and harmony. Various occult practices use the tree of life to connect the material world with the divine.[32]
    • Ferris says that the Tree of Life showcases the stages of creation and maps out the progression of consciousness.[33]
    • Origin: Judaism (Kabbalah)
35

Zodiac Man

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  1. The zodiac man depicts the human body as a microcosm of the universe. A diagram linking the body to zodiac signs, it features a naked androgynous human figure that has each body part labeled or connected by lines to the 12 signs of the zodiac, as well as planets. It’s said to represent the celestial influence on humanity, and was mostly historically used to guide medical procedures, so they aligned with the lunar calendar.[37]
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  1. https://youtu.be/kKa6irQ980o?si=VwX9fNZ7eHXcji-u&t=699
  2. https://youtu.be/kKa6irQ980o?si=kZo7KMn0WKUkXR6j&t=422
  3. https://solar-center.stanford.edu/folklore/symbolism.html
  4. https://youtu.be/kKa6irQ980o?si=XSutDufFeCXVn5ar&t=322
  5. https://www.history.com/articles/what-was-the-philosophers-stone
  6. https://youtu.be/kKa6irQ980o?si=H4MURNzKodh_gJ-h&t=261
  7. https://www.scribd.com/document/460606633/List-of-occult-symbols-pdf
  8. Paige Ferris. Astrologer. Expert Interview
  9. https://youtu.be/kKa6irQ980o?si=3r6DCLF9P4U3l9SO&t=461
  10. Paige Ferris. Astrologer. Expert Interview
  11. https://youtu.be/kKa6irQ980o?si=lo3FOUnkdtd7S6wO&t=515
  12. Paige Ferris. Astrologer. Expert Interview
  13. https://youtu.be/kKa6irQ980o?si=DCPKhW0wN0imvRbZ&t=807
  14. https://www.scribd.com/document/460606633/List-of-occult-symbols-pdf
  15. https://youtu.be/kKa6irQ980o?si=P7C8A6gBpI3_Byow&t=570
  16. https://www.scribd.com/document/460606633/List-of-occult-symbols-pdf
  17. https://youtu.be/kKa6irQ980o?si=cKpHLXmtCJuhWZCK
  18. https://www.ancient-symbols.com/symbols-directory/the-sigil-of-lucifer.html
  19. https://youtu.be/kKa6irQ980o?si=BpwMN_tDnwPE2-w2&t=649
  20. https://news.artnet.com/art-world/5-occult-symbols-decoded-2704827
  21. https://www.scribd.com/document/460606633/List-of-occult-symbols-pdf
  22. https://news.artnet.com/art-world/5-occult-symbols-decoded-2704827
  23. https://spells8.com/10-common-occult-symbols-do-you-know-them-all/
  24. Paige Ferris. Astrologer. Expert Interview
  25. Paige Ferris. Astrologer. Expert Interview
  26. https://symbology.wiki/symbol/triple-goddess/
  27. https://shamtam.com/blogs/magazine/30-most-powerful-esoteric-symbols
  28. https://news.artnet.com/art-world/5-occult-symbols-decoded-2704827

About This Article

Paige Ferris
Co-authored by:
Occult Symbolism Expert
This article was co-authored by Paige Ferris and by wikiHow staff writer, Maryana Lucia Vestic, MFA, M.Phil.. Paige Ferris is a Tarot Reader, Astrologer, and Intuitive Psychic based in Jackson County, MI. With over 6 years of experience, Paige is the founder of Catalyst Healer and specializes in practical occultism and psychological astrology. Paige offers astrology and tarot readings designed to empower her clients and help them achieve their goals. She provides 1:1 in-person and virtual readings to clients, appears at galas, expos, and other events, and shares readings and insights to her over 18k followers on social media. This article has been viewed 5,659 times.
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Co-authors: 2
Updated: February 18, 2026
Views: 5,659
Categories: Symbols | Paranormal Beliefs
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