Matrika #2 @7314
Fri Apr 27 16:31:51 1990
The Pentacle is a Magickal tool that some folks do not use.  Their reasoning

is sound since it is obviously an adaptation from ceremonial Magick, as is the

athame.  These people use only the wand and the chalice in their work.  But I

like the use of the pentacle and athame because Wicca has always been quite

ecclectic and drawn from several Pantheons and systems.  So it doesn't make

any sense to me to say we can draw on all systems EXCEPT the Kabbalah as used

in Ceremonial Magick.  Also I like the way using all 4 of these main tools

that most traditions and practitioners share brings correspondences to the 4

suits of Tarot cards and to the 4 elements.

The Pentacle is a flat disk, traditionally inscribed on copper and coated with

a clear finish of some type to prevent corrosion after it has been inscribed

with the continuos 5-pointed star or pentegram.  This is not an open pentacle

like many witches wear.  It is ENGRAVED on the disk.  The reason being you put

SALT on this disk in circle and if it was open all the salt would be on the

altar, on the floor, everywhere but where you need it.

I have also, recently, seen some pentacles inscribed on slices of agate put

out by cauldron Crafts in Maryland that are JUST GORGEOUS.  Since the pentacle

is feminine and relates to earth either the copper or the stone is

appropriate.  However brass I find less so as it is usually considered a solar

metal and masculine.  That is why I also prefer to avoid brass chalices.  

Copper chalices are avoided because they give off a metallic residue that is

poisonous into the liquid, if they corrode - and alcohol in wine or ale and

acid in wine or juice WILL do this.  But copper is perfect for the pentacle.

What you engrave on your pentacle is entirely up to you.  The NeoGardnerian

and NeoAlexandrians (as well as the originals of these traditions) have very

specific symbols that they always use.  Other traditions sometimes have

specific symbols they require as well.  But others just use a plain pentacle,

or tht pentacle with runic symbols of their choosing or whatever has meaning

to them.  I have seen beautiful pentacles - in fact our distributor of jewelry

carries them - that are pentegrams surrounded by inscribings of Celtic

knotwork.

I have also seen some gorgeous stained glass altar pentacles - my favorite of

these was one where the points where the colors of the elements.  The 4 lower

points were the Red, Yellow, BLue and Green my traditio ascribes to the

elements and the top one was silver for Spirit/Divinity.  The center and

background were a lovely violet color.  Obviously SOMEONE put a lot of work

into it.

One note - a specific coating I have found to work well on copper pentacles so

that the salt doesn't destroy them is CLEAR NAIL POLISH.  This has to

periodically be reapplied however.
T

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