Pentagram

To the Celts, the tree was a source of basic sustenance- a bearer of food, a provider of shelter and fuel for cooking and warmth. Without trees, life would have been extraordinarily difficult.  The most sacred of all the trees to the Druids was the oak, which represented the axis mundi, the center of the world.  This symbol clearly depicts the trunk as the axis mundi with the branches, as the rest of the world, encompassing it and connecting both that which is above and bellow.

World Tree

The Egyptian symbol for life.  While some believe that it represents a hand mirror many others believe that the horizontal and vertical bars of the lower tau cross represent the feminine and masculine energy, respectively. This combination of male and female symbols (the cross and circle) in the ankh suggest fertility and creative power. The top loop also symbolizes the sun on the horizon, and suggests reincarnation and rebirth

Ankh

This symbol is formed from three intertwined yonic vesicas, often with a circle binding them together.  Yonic, from the Sanskrit word yoni, means “reproductive organ”, and refers to creativity.  Vesicas refers to a vessel.  Thus, this symbol represents the triple goddess in her three forms, virgin, mother, and crone.  It has also been said to represent life, death, and rebirth.  It was later converted by Christians to represent the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

Triquatra

The spiral is a universal Pagan symbol, depicting the “coming into being”, the endless outward cycle of our lives and our path to completion (think enlightenment).  Generally, the spiral represents a broadening of consciousness, which is the destination arrived after a long journey.

Spiral

The triple triangle is called the Valknut. It is the symbol of Odin. He would use it to bind and unbind runes and is an Asatru symbol.

Valknot

Mjolnir, or Thor's Hammer, is an ancient Norse symbol, a stylized representation of the legendary magical weapon of the Norse God Thor. "Mjolnir" means "lightning," and symbolized the God's power over Thunder and Lightning. The Hammer Mjolnir was said to always return after it had been thrown. The Thor's Hammer amulet was worn frequently by believers as a symbol of protection.

Hammer of Thor

The Maze or Labrynth is a unicursal (one continuous line) maze, as it presents a clear path to the center. Seen all over the British countryside it was often made during Beltane.

Labrynth

This symbol represents the three phases of the moon; waxing, full and waning.  It also represents the three phases of the Goddess ; The Maiden, the Mother and the Crone. 

Trimoon/Goddess

The Horned God represents the primal force within all things. He is the Lord of the Forest and of animals, is both hunter and hunted, and  rules the season of winter. He represents male sexuality, virility, and strength.  Known by many names, he leads the Wild Hunt and is Lord of the Underworld.  Another side of The Horned God is the Sun God, a god of truth, healing, the arts, and music, a great sage and magician. He is the projective, conscious mind and a being of intellect.

The Horned God

The Eye of Horus represents a human eye with the cheek markings of a falcon. Wedjat or Udjat means whole or restored, and refers to the right eye of Horus.  As the sun it symbolizes health, healing, well being, masculine energy, as well as reason and mathematics.  The left eye represents the moon and reflects fluid, femininity, lunar energy, and rules intuition and magick.  Together, the eyes represent the whole of the universe or the transcendent power of Hours.

The Eye of Horus/Ra

The Pagan Student Alliance Logo

 

The pentagram has existed for thousands of years through a variety of cultures. It has been ascribed numerous meanings, but mostly it has been a symbol of protection and invocation. The pentagram is usually depicted point-up, and many Wiccans will rabidly insist it is only used in this orientation, thus further distancing them from Satanists.   However, there are in fact some Wiccans, who use pentagrams oriented in both directions. Point-up represents the Goddess, point-down represents the God as a "horned pentagram". The pentagram symbolizes the union of the five basic elements, earth, air, fire, water and spirit.