The Pentacle

When I first came out of the broom closet, I have to admit, most people took it pretty well.  For the most part, people are curious and open minded and like to learn about new things. But there are always a few people who see me wearing a pentacle, and automatically cross to the other side of the street. This is thanks in part to the magic of Hollywood. They often associate the pentacle with murder, human sacrifice, and in general all things evil.  But this symbol has nothing to do with anything so negative. Of course, there will always be the few who try to pervert something beautiful. There are fanatics in all walks of life. And there will always be people who twist symbolism to suit their own purposes.  But the majority of pagans are earth loving and peaceful.


The pentacle is a simple sign. Its a star in a circle. This symbol can represent many things to many people.  There are so many different traditions out there,  its impossible to say that its the same for everyone. But for most Wiccans , the pentacle is representative of the four elements--earth, air, fire, and water along with the fifth element which is spirit. For many, it is considered a symbol of protection.  Wiccans and other pagans will wear the pentacle as jewelry, in the same way that some people would wear the cross.

While predominately a pagan symbol today, the pentacle has survived for thousands of years and has been used by many different religions. At one time, it was even used to represent the five wounds of Christ.   It is rumored to be a symbol used by the Free Masons, and can be found in traditional tarot card decks. So as you can see, there may be many interpretations of what the pentacle stands for, but the one thing I know for a fact is that no symbol is  evil. The only negative connotations associated with any symbol are the ones that we attach to it.