Arts and The Craft: Seal of Samhain

The sources for this working draw from greco-roman mythology and classical occultist grimoires. In both the use of planetary seals is employed. “Planet” is a latin word which originally meant “wanderers”. This was due to the fact that the classical planets were seen traveling a line through space, the ecliptic, passing each other at intervals of time that science had yet to explain. With this understanding of the word, the classical planets were Moon, Mercury, Venus, Sun, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn (in order in fastest perceptible orbit on the ecliptic line). Each with its own god persona and lore. Later, occultists took this combination of astronomy, and mythology and constructed sigils and seals to draw from the idea of that power.

I focused on Mercury and the Moon to tie in to the through-the-veil meanings of Samhain, or Halloween. Traditionally the moon is tied to water and intuitions. As a goddess she was fierce, a huntress, protective, beautiful. Mercury was a guardian of the crossroads, a farrier of souls to the underworld, a master of commerce. In the greek version of Mercury, Hermes, he was also a messenger more swift than any other. Knowledge was his trade.

The Seal Is based on the fourth pentacle of Mercury, from the Clavicula Solominis grimoire, from the book containing the order of the planetary pentacles. This incites wisdom and hidden knowledge to come forth. This seal, in its original form, aids in acquiring understanding and seeks to penetrate what it is hidden. The versicle (symbols around the seal) is in two parts. Starting at mid-left and going clockwise is a slight alteration of an elongated sigil to the Mercury. Starting and mid-right and continuing down clockwise is a sigil to the Moon.

The Spell Here is an original spell about walking between worlds, the crossroads, and invitation to true sight. It is calligraphed in an antiquated gothic script. The translation is as follows;

On this night, thin is the veil,

at Darkest hour I see most clear.

Warmth of the candle light on my face,

cold of the night against my back.

I roam with the spirits of this land.

Both worlds I seek, and see as one.

What I will I now become.

By these seals, here writ,

grant me hidden knowledge.

May I freely walk the unseen paths,

and open the far gates of wisdom.

Guardian of the crossroads;