Magick utilizes patterns, which are forms of energy. Each pattern is like a fingerprint, indicating where the magick came from and where its intended designation lies. Witches often say, “As within, so without; as above, so below.” This adage may help you understand that all things on the spiritual plane have some kind of representation in the here-and-now. Shape is the manner in which metaphysical patterns manifest themselves in the mundane world.

Any shape can have meaning (just look at ink blots!). Intricate shapes strengthen concentration and your ability to perceive detail, beauty, and complexity. Simple shapes free the mind to imagine what lies beyond the pattern. Two patterns that are gaining popularity in contemporary Western spiritual traditions, the mandala and the labyrinth, can be either elaborate or simple.

Numbers, letters, and geometric shapes are common symbols you see around you every day, usually without giving them a second thought. The average person only recognizes the obvious meanings of these familiar images, but to someone versed in occult knowledge they reveal something deeper.

The Shape of Things

Geometric shapes contain symbolism that transcends time and place. The cross, for example, isn't unique to Christian belief; it existed it in ancient Celtic, Egyptian, and Native American cultures, too. This simple yet powerful image represents the union of the archetypal male energy or heaven (the vertical line) with female energy or earth (the horizontal line).

The star is a common symbol of hope, the circle a well-known symbol of wholeness. Spirals represent life energy in many cultures. Triangles signify trinities, whether Father-Son-Holy Spirit, maiden-mother-crone, past-present-future, or some other threefold concept. The following list gives the symbolic meanings of basic geometric shapes:

According to green witches, the shape of a natural item provides a blue-print for how it should be used magickally. If you find a heart-shaped stone or leaf, for example, apply it to spells that involve matters of the heart. You see a heart, you think love — and that thought produces positive energy to support the witch's intention.