Occult symbols explained: the Hexagram

The hexagram, also known as the six point star and thestar of David, is one of the most recognizable symbols in mystical and religious study. Other than the cross, few other symbols have been as pronounced throughout history. The star became very recognizable during WWI when Adolf Hitler assigned the star to all Jewish members of German society. It is attached to much human suffering but also to a culture rich in mysticism and deep spirituality.

The star, formed from two triangles one pointed up and one pointed down, is represented by six points. The upward pointing triangle represents male energy, heaven, and fire. The lower triangle represents female energy, water, and Earth. This symbol was also represented as the union of Heaven and Earth, man and woman, fire and sea, and of Israel and Judah. This unification of Judah and Israel was created by King David, hence the name Star of David. In Greece this is the symbol for the great Androgyne and can be found in Pythagorean studies as well as in ancient Egyptian texts relating to the Androgyne. The Androgyne was the original Creator that was genderless. Rather than being male or female, the Androgyne had energies reflecting both genders so indistinguishable as to be unable to tell one trait from the other. The reflection of this may be found in the symbol's early representation of the soul in geometric form. In multifaceted form, it represents the multidimensional mercaba, the flower of life or the chariot of the gods, the basic spiritual expression of the soul in connection to divinity.

In mystical and occult practice the symbol is reflective of the adage, as above so below, the equivalent to as in heaven so it is on Earth, the manifestation of energy from the ether into the world. We see this in the Christian Bible in Genesis and in Revelation where the will of God is pronounced on Earth as it is in Heaven. This is clearly represented with the two triangles pointed in opposite directions.

The star forms six points and the number six is a number found very often in occult lore. The number itself represents quite a few things. In early Semetic-Sumerian translations of Genesis, the world was created in six days. On the other spectrum and many translations later, the world ends with the number 666, the number of the Beast. The number six however is connected to several human rulers, Nero being among the most commonly associated. His name numerically values at 666. In Gnostic traditions the number 6 is the number of humanity, the number of man, and falls short of the sacred numerical value 7. The repetitive factor of the number may be associated with the religious concept of triplicities. For instance, the Triple Goddess is said to have three aspects, many times those aspects have aspects (depending upon the culture). The Triple God is also said to have three aspects, although few cultures assign those aspects to others. The Holy Trinity is also said to be made of three divine aspects, Father, Son and Spirit. The alignment of the Unholy Trinity would be attached to the number of 666, Satan, Lucifer, Beelzebub and Satan, the Antichrist (his human incarnation), and the third unknown only as the evil variation of the world.

Another explanation of the negative connotation of the number six, is the rise of Gnosticism as a religious expression in early Christianity that embraced the Mother Goddess as Sophia, the Holy Spirit, in triplicity as well as Jesus Christ and the Holy Father. This representation did not view the Holy Spirit as something separate from these divinities but rather as something that was actively connected to them. Early aspects of Gnosticism include Simon Magus who may have been a threat to the the early formation of Christian theology. Either way, the connected points indicate an alpha and omega and the reconfiguration of Earth as Heaven on Earth.

In Chinese traditions the number six is used in a form or oracular divination called the I Ching which features up to 64 variations of lines numbering six in nature. These six lines are broken into various lengths and configured into groups of six called hexagrams each one having different meanings. Mo, a form of dice divination, also features six sided dice. In Pythagorean tradition, the number six represents truth, luck, or chance.

The six point star may also be found in the Greater Key of Solomon as a protective sigil for invocation. It may be found on candles in modern occult stores and is a popular symbol among the voudoun and Hoodoo communities for protection. The candle for Psalm 23 is commonly shown with this star and various other symbols and inscriptions. In more every day forms of sacred geometry, some cars have caps that feature the six point star and the universal badge of deputies and sherrifs is the six pointed star. The star is also associated with occult exorcisms and gaining protection and angelic assistance therein. It is noteworthy that in ancient Palistinean archeology the symbol is noted in ancient temples and shrines and it is the pentacle, not the hexagram, that is noted as being the Shield of Solomon.

In India, mandalas showing the six point star lend to meditative direction and is often contained within a series of other shapes. As the merkaba, the six pointed star is often portrayed as being multidimensional and having many many circles within circles forming the basis for all life and the universal connectivity to the Divine.