just a random topic but what are peoples thoughts on the wearing of a pentacle ?

i have had 2, an inverted one and upright one sintce i began my path and practice, but havnt really wanted to wear them in everyday dress lol . dont know why !! supose cos most people i know that wear them are not pagan, wiccan , witch , warlok (wizard,please dont moan about my use of the term lol ) tey just tend to follow a punk/gothic use of the symbol and think it looks good .... rambling there ....

just want to know what the general view of pentagrams are and if anyone wears them, and if anyone considers them part of or not part of paganism and witchcraft and any other religeous or magickal craft...

i wear a small pentagram ring on my thumb. i'm not a great fan of pentagram pendants for the reasons you've stated- goths wearing them as fashion accessories etc. the best thing about a ring is that i can change the 'direction' of the pentagram- good for worrying fluffy new agers who run at the site of an inverted pentagram:)

LUMI

cool

I don't wear a pentagram as such but I do wear a grey pentagon shaped stone around my neck. It's the normal way up but noone can see it anyway because it is inside my shirt. It doesn'y matter what it means to other people, it's what it means or symbolizes to you that matters.

Caruma

i know ,i supose im also worried that i might be mistaken for beng wiccan , its ot a bad thing justt feel rude if i have to say actualy no ! hehe.... (no ofence to any wiccans , love you all really )

Used to wear one - many, many years ago. One night in the pub a chav got a tad belligerent and demanded to know if I was a "Satinist"...
I explaind (in words of as few syllables as possible) that no, I wasn't. I was a velvetist.

I have a pentagram pendant and a moonstone pentacle pendant, both of which I absolutely love.

I alternate wearing them with my owl pendant.

I wear them because they do symbolise, for, me, earth, air, water, fire and spirit.

Occasionally I get comments, but since I'm very open about wearing them in the same way that others may wear a crucifix, I just don't think it's a big deal.

It means a lot to me, and that's why I wear my jewellery.

I am also heavily into flocking!!!

(Just ask Lucy...)

I wear a pentacle all the time, but always wear it under my shirt.

i for got to mechen that i have a pentagram tattoo on my ower back but for some reason that feels different and more important than the jewelry version .... still want to get others opinions tho.

I have one with the moon phases around the outside. Wear it all the time in fact I think the only time I have taken it off since I got it was when I had to have an x-ray done.
Also have a pent ring which again I wear all the time, though I have lost weight since I got it so its a wee bit loose these days.

It probably feels more important because it's with you all the time without you feeling that it's there. It never jabs into you or anything and so there is no question of whether or not it is the most important. You can't get rid of it now so it's always closest to you, thus making it more important.



I've said that in a very round about way haven't I!

The ring etc is man made and can be taken off, but the tattoo, although man made is literaly part of you! (Is that any clearer?)

Caruma

I also wear a pentacle together with an oak tree. I wear it as a symbol of my search and a symbol to myself of my abandonment of xianity.

Does it matter what others think? You are who\what you are!!
I have a pentacle pendant, earrings and ring. I dont wear them as a fashion statement. I am what I am... witch in learning!!!

Catrina x

Branching out eh?!

Dear Tas Mania,

I like your sense of humour! Yes you could say I am branching out, out into the wonderful world of trees! Agree whole heartedly with your profile statement. That disenchantment with organised religion but feeling that there has to be more to it is what set me on my search.

All the best.

Since I honour the life and work of Pythagoras and am intrigued by the golden section, I have a pentagram in a circle

--

Jez

I don't have jewelry but i have a triquetra at the base of my back and its as important to me as yours is to you for the reasons you mentioned.



elbee7

I wear a pentagram as a necklace most of the time, and to me it symbolises a whole heap of things, including my paganism, the ancient Greek idea of protection, the philosophy of Pythagorus et al, the five elements, and apples.

Indeed, for me it is a simple representation of my online name. The apple connection is from the idea that if you cut an apple in half sideways (ie. across the core) the pips form a five-pointed star.

It is also the path of Venus across the night sky as viewed from Earth, plus a whole load more.

I initially bought it before I realised I was pagan - I didn't actually know how important a symbol it is to some members of the pagan community until later.

I wear it openly because I'm not ashamed of who and what I am, and I refuse to hide my path because it may offend others. Obviously, if there was a dress code that banned religious jewelry I would take it off, so long as others had to do the same. I was also slightly sensible and didn't wear it for my job interview.

It does help identify other people who follow a pagan path - just like wearing the cross or a fish suggests a follower of Chritianity - although I used to know someone who wore a Star of David pendant not because she was Jewish but because she liked it.

That's not to say that all pagans wear a pent or agree on the symbolism - since when have pagans agreed on anything!

So in summary I wear one because it is important to me. Not because I feel that I have to or ought to, but simply because it feels right.

I wear mine because it was a present from my daughter. What better reason is there?

I flit between a pentacle, a goddess symbol and just a gold disc (my kinda god symbol) depending on where I am and what I'm doing.

I usually wear the pentie, but if I'm woring with a Church group I tend to wear something less 'in your face' Pagan. Not that I'm ashamed about my beliefs, I just want to keep my proffesional and my personal seperate.

Q

I have a lovely pentagram but I don't wear it very often. I don't have a strong attachment to it. I sometimes wear it when I know that I'm going to come up against in your face Christians because it gets up their nose. (Honestly I am not that confrontational). I think Im a bit uncomfortable with the pentagram because people keep thinking im a devil worshiper and really dont get the idea that I dont believe in the devil. that and the amount of young wannabe goth type paganish teenagers with too much angst are wearing them left right and centre without any real understanding of the symbolic meaning.

Generally I prefer to wear my Ankh. Which goes everywhere with me and I feel completely lost without it. I have ankh earings which also go everywhere. The only time I dont wear them is when im wearing a posh frock and I want to wear something that matches. This makes me feel very lost and quite disloyl (and being a creature of habbit with a touch of OCD) I usually pin the ankh to the inside of my dress. What is nice is that for the first time recently I was recognised as pagan from my neckalce which was a lovely feeling.

I used to have a lovley Artemis pendant but I lost it somewhere on the way home from Canada. If anyone knows where I could get another one I would be most grateful.

I've been wearing a small silver upright pentacle necklace since i bought a few months ago, I don't see why I shouldn't Christians and Catholics wear cross's etc. I've had no comments yet except someone noticing it wasn't a star of David, and he wasn't rude about it just interested in my religious beliefs.

I do have a silver pentacle with runes around it but I only tend to wear it if I am going out somewhere. I have a mjolnir I wear all the time except in the shower etc. The Pent' is very nice not too big, but quite classy in an understated way. It is the mjolnir that means more to me though.

2 questions - what is a mjolnir?
And what significance does the direction of a pentangle have - as a Christian I was always led to belive a downwards pointing one was a sign of the black mass etc!!

The Mjolnir is Thor's hammer.

The downward facing pentagram is, I believe, used by Wiccans (ie ones who are going through the formal degree training) to indicate having attained their 2nd Degree. It's got bugger all to do with any black masses or Satan - both Christian constructs and having no place in paganism.

I know a few Satanists (again, nothing to do with Satan ) who wear the pentagram that way to indicate body or self over world-spirit, which is part of their ethos.

And of course there are the teenage wannabe shockers who wear the pentagram facing downwards because they want to frighten people into thinking they're hard... Bless...

What are Satanists then?

Well, the ones I know follow the teachings of Anton La Vey and Crowley to some degree - the emphasis is on looking after No. 1 rather than the teachings of Jesus to look out for each other. The name (Satanist) is generally applied to denote the opposition to Christian teachings - eg, where Christianity teaches to care about your spiritual being for the hereafter, Satanists prefer to live for the here and now. Where Christianity teaches to turn the other cheek, Satanists will exact their revenge. Where Christianity teaches frugalness, poverty and meekness, Satanists prefer to live life as fully as their means will allow, enjoying life, indulging in the Christian sins of gluttony, lust, sloth etc.

It's a short, and very glib overview, but the Satanists I know do NOT sacrifice anything other than their own blood, or things (non-living!) which are precious to them, they don't slaugther babies and drink their blood, they do NOT worship Satan, some of them worship the Egyptian God Set, and some honour Lucifer as the lightbringer (Lucifer's original title before the Christians got to it). They're peaceful, happy, pet-loving and good parents, delightful people who don't impose their beliefs and views on others and generally just want to live their on lives without condemnation.

As already posted by Pomona Mjolnir is Thor's hammer. It is usually worn as either a sign of troth ( faith ) in the old norse gods or as a protective charm, or both.

Having been brought up as an east coast Scottish Presbyterian, I can well relate to the "vices"! If you're enjoying ANYTHING, then, by default it/you must be BAD.
Oh dear.
But not to worry - now I am "saved" (cackles)

I know several people that have read the Satanist 'bible' (and have experienced traumatic things as a consequence ). When taken to an extreme, anyone who believes in themselves are Satanists. Indeed, when looking deeply into this, we only ascertain that Satanism is evil through the teachings of the Bible. (This subject fascinates me).

With regards to Pentacles, I have about half a dozen Pentagram pendants, and several other bits and bobs around my room. I believe in the 5 elements, and very strongly in what it represents. However I don't hold it against people who wear them without believing in it, because to them, it symbolises fashion and thus is of little consequence.

Woah. I seem to have written a small essay.
RavenDaughter x

Do you mean that it's only the bible which defines Satanism as evil, or do you mean that the bible is to be heeded in its warnings?

The former. Personally, the only influence I have had telling me that Satanism is evil is a Christian one. Some of my best friends are Satanists, they are amazing people.

From what I've read and heard from Christians, it seems that, at least to the proper hard core christians, anything that isn't christianity or christian is satanism. The logic seems to be that if you're not worshiping the christian god you're actually worshiping satan, and the fact that he shows himself in different forms is a testiment to his power and influence

Kristofski x

I have two pentacles, one silver and second one with Celtic Runes...
I charged and blessed the second one and put a spell on it.

The Idea is that it brings me closer to the elements in everyday life and in everything I do...Sometimes It comes to my mind with different isuess, like protection,charm or need of inspiration then I visualise its form and suddenly feel "connected"

Im trying to live magically and wearing a pentagram is always reminding me of that :-)

I wear a pentagram pendant, have done for a long time. I wear it over or under my clothes...depends how it hangs!

Not been on the boards in a while.

I wear my pentacle 24/7, it's pewter, got a thick border with some futhark runes on it. I don't wear it visibly to avoid uncomfortable discussions like "so , what are you then?" To which I sort of grimmace and go "well, a little bit of this and a little bit of that with a smidge of this and a pinch of that..."

Am I a bad Pagan?

I recycle too if that helps.

i have no idea how this got on to saitanism but any hoo! there are 2 kinds of saitenism , one is actual doom gloomy , antichrist , silly mixed up xtianity an the other is philospfical saitanism, in this form the teaching is that we are equal to deity and it seem , from what i have found that , 'saitan'' is seen more of as anarchitype for personal bettement than as a being to be honered and worshiped. i like some of the thoughts behind this branch of saitanism, but think that the use of the word saitan dosnt really bode wll all be it symbolic.

The hebrew ord that saitan comes from origonaly was a word or term used to denot someone who is a lier deciver or somone not to be trusted it was never refered to as a being of fresh vengance and geloucey againsed the abrehamic god, the jewish beleife has the leviothan and azazile whithc i supose are their virsions of the xtian saitan, but posably are malevalent demmigods from the hebrew desert folk law befor the development of the almighty elohim / aten/ faceles and suposed one and only true god .

the reason why i have a small inerted pentergram is because i see thembothe as a magickal yin and yang the balance of good and evil , he mix of black and white magick , the harmon of life and death sand i supose as a representation of the mail energy in nature being represented with honrs. im ot trying to be frteninig i just feel that it works for me .

Synaptyx! Good to see you back!

Hey Andy, how are ya!?



(Soz mods, should have pm'd that)

Nope! I don't wear a Pentacle as it's not something that really attracts me.

I think the pentacle is a great symbol. I used to wear one but nowadays I wear a Triskele and a silver pendant of my old mate Pan.

Stupid question which is probably way off topic, but is there any real difference between Satanists as defined by Pomona and Hedonists?

Also, I have a silver pent, set in a circle with the runes symbolising the four elements round it and my birthstone in the middle and I wear it with pride! In fact when one of my young nieces asked me why I wore it, I told her it was to ward off the fundies (their dad's current squeeze is a fundie and a total hypocrite to boot but that's a whole different story)

BB from TTT

I dunno TTT, but it does sound as both groups like living life to the full.

fizz

AFAIK, it's perfectly possible to be an ascetic Satanist, whereas an ascetic Hedonist is a contradiction in terms!

Hedonists are people who devote themselves to the good (material) things in life, without regard to spiritual concerns. Hedonism isn't into denial of pleasure, but the pursuit of pleasure.

Anyone following a spiritual path of some sort will, at some point or another, deny themselves a material pleasure to obtain a spiritual goal. It could be as simple as not drinking on one occasion to keep one's mind clear for a spiritual activity.