Pagan Symbols and Their Meanings

The star represents the four elements plus spirit and the circle joins them. A symbol used to represent earth.

This symbol is also sometimes calle dthe triple goddess symbol. It represents the three phases of the moon and for some the three phases of womanhood - maiden, mother and crone.

The first crescent, the waxing moon stands for new life, rejuvenation and new beginnings. The middle circle represents the full moon, when magic is most powerful. Finally, the final crescent represents the waning moon and a time to send away or finish things.

The eye of Horus is an ancient Egyptian symbol used for protection. This symbol is also known as The Wadjet (or Ujat, which means Whole One). The Eye of Horus is believed to have healing and protective powers and to ward of evil spirits. Because of this is often found in protective amulets.

The Ankh is an Egyptian hieroglyph meaning life or living. It is also sometimes known as the Egyptian Cross, or crux ansata, (Latin for 'cross with a handle')

Over time it has come to symbolise eternal life and immortality or to symbolise spiritual believes as opposed to religious.

This symbol represents the three aspects of the goddess, maiden, mother and crone. In Greek legend, Hectate was the guardian of the crossroads before she evolved into a goddess of magic and sorcery.

The wheel is used to symbolise the power of knowledge and life.

The triquetra has been used to symbolise the holy trinity but predates Christianity by some time. It has been found in Celtic and Nordic inscriptions and arts or Germanic coins and also some 11th century Swedish runes.

Some modern traditions use it to represent the connection between the mind, body and soul. In Celtic-based Pagan traditions it is often used as a symbol of the three realms of earth, sea and sky.

This symbol, also known as a triskelion is generally considered to be a Celtic design but it has also been found on Buddhist writings. The exact design varies but always features one shaped repeated three times interlocking.

Some Celtic traditions use the triskele to represent the realms of earth, sea and sky.

The septogram is also know as the Faery or Elven star. It is used by some faerie traditions but is also associated with other magical traditions.

Seven is a scared number in many traditions and this star is used to represent different sets of seven things by different people. These include:

• the seven Pleiades (stars)
• the seven days of the week
• the seven major Hindu chakras
• the seven classical planets (sun, moon, Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn)
• the seven notes in a diatonic music scale (white notes)
• the seven tenants (balance, harmony, humility, learning, reincarnation, tolerance and trust)
• the seven elements (earth, air, fire, water, above, below and within)

The number 3 is often considered to relate to heaven and the higher realms and 4 to the earth. 3+4 = 7 heaven and earth together as a whole.