Solomon's Seal: an ancient symbol of wisdom and mystery
Discover the enigmatic Seal of Solomon, a symbol steeped in history and mystery. Linked to the construction of the mythical temple and to King Solomon in the Jewish religion, the Seal is much more than a simple artistic representation. Its concentric circles, associated with Solomon's ring, are imbued with esoteric symbolism, often explored in medieval books on demonology. Used in Freemasonry, the Seal of Solomon is also linked to esoteric elements such as the Philosopher's Stone, the Ark of the Covenant, and the meeting of opposing principles.
Its influence even extends to the Koran, underscoring its place in various religious traditions. Dean Winchester, main character in the "Supernatural" series, ventured into the world of Solomon's Seal, bringing a modern dimension to its mysticism." Superstition" is another series in which the seal is used as a protective weapon by the Hastings family against evil entities.
In medieval stories such as "The Fisherman's Tale", the Seal of Solomon is mentioned in connection with themes of power and protection against dark forces. The "Secrets of the Cross" and the "Books of Demonology" also explore its mysteries, while the "Testament of Solomon" reveals ancient rituals and mystical signs associated with the seal.
Beyond its use in esoteric traditions, the Seal of Solomon has links with specific geographical locations, such as the Duchy of Brabant and southern Spain, where stories and legends lend it an aura of mystery and power. It is also associated with legendary objects such as the Emerald of Hermes Trismegistus and artifacts like the copper bottle and the lead cork.
Writer Rudyard Kipling and fictional character Richard Castle also explored the mysteries of the Seal of Solomon in their works, adding cultural depth to its intrigue. Well, you will discover it in this article: the Seal of Solomon is a captivating symbol!
Star of David or Seal of Solomon?
The Star of David and the Seal of Solomon are two different symbols but they are sometimes used interchangeably because they are somewhat similar visually. The Star of David is generally represented by a hexagram, a six-pointed star formed by the superposition of two equilateral triangles. This symbol is strongly associated with Judaism and is present on the flag of Israel.
The Seal of Solomon, on the other hand, has a more esoteric meaning. It is also represented by a hexagram, but it is often surrounded by concentric circles, making it a more elaborate star. The Seal of Solomon is historically associated with King Solomon in Jewish tradition and is linked to esoteric and mystical elements. It has been used in various traditions, including Freemasonry and other esoteric practices.
A word of history about the Star of Solomon
The Wikipedia page on this subject is particularly interesting. Here's an extract.
The six-pointed star is a symbol that has been universally used since time immemorial for a variety of purposes, and initially had no specific name. It has been chosen both as an emblem and a decorative figure in conflicts and in the arts, probably because of the geometric harmony it suggests. From Asia, with the Japanese Kagome, its use spread to the Hindu peninsula, later to the Arabian Peninsula and on to the West.
Hexagrams appeared in pre-Islamic Arab civilizations, then in Judaism from antiquity onwards. It can be found on the lintels of synagogues in Galilee (2nd to 4th centuries), including the one in Capharnaum, or on a Jewish tombstone in Taranto in Italian Apulia (circa 3rd century). In the synagogues of the time, the symbol was affixed to the mezuzah to give it protective power.
The hexagram was used by kabbalists to make segulot (amulets and talismans), but was not expressly called the " shield of David ". It is also used to fill in spaces or mark chapter divisions in Hebrew and Arabic manuscripts.
In early medieval Europe, this geometric figure also appeared in Christian churches as architectural decoration, predating its first known use in a synagogue by the Jews.
The use of the six-pointed star as a Jewish symbol became widespread around the 11th century, notably on the flyleaf of Hebrew Bible manuscripts such as the Leningrad Codex dated 1008 (see below).
The six-pointed star became the distinctive symbol of Prague's Jewish community, probably in the 14th or 17th century.
From the 18th century onwards, Vienna's Jewish quarter was formally distinguished from the rest of the city by a milestone with a hexagram on one side and a cross on the other.
It became internationally associated with Judaism when it was adopted as the symbol of the Zionist movement at the end of the 19th century.
From the 20th century onwards, this star also appeared on the flags of countries apparently with no direct connection with Judaism.
What is the spiritual significance of the magic Seal of Solomon?
The power of Solomon's Seal: a symbol of protection
Solomon's Seal is a symbol of sacred geometry represented by a six-pointed star made up of two superimposed triangles (sometimes intertwined), one pointing upwards, the other downwards. The Seal of Solomon is also known as a hexagram, or Star of David.
The symbolism of the Seal of Solomon is rich, making it at least as esoterically important as the pentagram. In fact, the two symbols are closely linked.
The 6-pointed star is a very ancient symbol, sometimes called the Seal of Solomon. King Solomon is said to have worn a hexagram as an energy shield, a magic ring, hence the name given to this powerful protective tool since that time. It has also been called the Star or Shield of David when depicted in a surrounding circle (Magen David).
The expression "Shield of David" is used from the 11th century onwards in a siddur (traditional prayer book), as an emblem of the God of Israel, independently of the poetic use of the symbol.
It evokes the divine protection of King David and his dynastic house. It appears at the end of the Samkhaynu blessing recited after the reading, on Saturdays and public holidays, of the Haftara portion of the Book of Neviim/Prophets.
However, this star was not originally Jewish. The Zionist movement that chose this symbol for Israel's flag in the 19th century borrowed it from the symbolic heritage of mankind. The surrounding circle is very important, reinforcing the protective aspect of the symbol by sealing it with an aura of control.
Since ancient times, the hexagram has been found throughout the East, in Phoenicia, Armenia, where it is the Wheel of Eternity, and India, where it is traditionally the symbol of Shiva/Shakti, harmony and the heart chakra.
Until the 15th century, the Star of David or Seal of Solomon was a magical protective symbol, represented on Jewish and non-Jewish amulets. It only became representative of Judaism, as the Latin cross is for Christianity, after the expulsion of the Jews from Spain in the 15th century, and thanks to the development of printing.
The Hexagram: symbol of balance
Hindus refer to 7 chakras as the main centers of the etheric body. Their attachment points are called "lotuses" (Padmas). They are located on the body's central axis and are surrounded by thousands of smaller, secondary centers. The pranic energy that circulates through them uses the 72,000 etheric channels (nadis) to supply the body with energy.
Good circulation in each of the 7 centers enables activation of the central channel. Each chakra has a specific function, and the heart chakra is the center of this sequence.
The three lower chakras are linked to material management:
- The 1st, the base chakra, is linked to stability and security;
- The 2nd, the sacral chakra, is linked to sexuality and energy control;
- The 3rd, the solar chakra, is linked to the will to achieve and formalize.
The three higher chakras are linked to spiritual management:
- The 5th, the laryngeal chakra, is linked to communication and clair-audience;
- The 6th, the frontal chakra, is linked to mental synthesis and clair-voyance;
- The 7th, the coronal chakra, is linked to the causal soul and spiritual contact.
The 4th, the heart chakra, is thus located in the middle of the 7-chakra sequence. It fluidifies and smoothes the passage of energy at this point of balance.
The heart center radiates around the physical body, with a diameter of several meters. It embodies this balance in the energetic body, as does the hexagram, which is also a symbol of balance, with the two triangles of matter and spirit interpenetrating.
The representation of these two triangles, one pointing upwards and the other downwards, symbolizes a double polarity, like fire rising and water falling, or forces from above (cosmic) and forces from below (telluric) in a constantly renewed balance. A bit like the symbol of Yin and Yang.
The Seal of Solomon, rich in mysticism and esotericism, is often associated with temple construction, both symbolically and spiritually, where each line and circle evokes wisdom and balance. In esoteric traditions, the ritual use of Solomon's Seal bears witness to the construction of the inner temple, symbolizing the quest for knowledge and spiritual harmony.
Hexagram and Pentagram: macrocosm and microcosm
In Kabbalah, the hexagram represents the unity of the macrocosm, as opposed to the pentagram, the sign of the microcosm.
These two symbols are also found in many works of magic.
In Kabbalah, the hexagram represents the unity of the macrocosm, as opposed to the pentagram, which is the sign of the microcosm.
In alchemy, the Seal of Solomon symbolizes the green dragon and the red dragon, which oppose and reconcile each other.
It is also linked to the number 7: the six points and the point in the center.
It encompasses the 7 base metals, as well as the 7 main planets in our sky.
- In the center, reside gold and the sun. The upper point is silver and the moon. The lower point is lead and Saturn.
- The points on the right: top: copper and Venus, bottom: mercury and Mercury.
- The points on the left: top: iron and Mars, bottom: tin and Jupiter.
This is an ancient alchemical symbolism that originated long before the discovery of Pluto and Uranus.
The hexagram is a two-dimensional representation of a tetrahedral star, also called the Merkaba, made up of two interlocking tetrahedrons. It has a vertical central point at the top of the figure (symbolized by the central point) and is superimposed on the same point at the bottom.
To go further, here's the hexagram deconstructed by Eliphas Levi and Omraam Mikhaël Aïvanhov.
This symbol complements the pentagram. Traditionally, the pentagram symbolically represents the microcosm, Man (and his five extremities: four limbs plus a head), while the hexagram or Solomon's seal symbolically represents the macrocosm, the World. In fact, the two triangles are supposed to designate Matter ascending towards Spirit, and Spirit descending towards Matter, i.e. the two substances of the Universe (Spirit and Matter) complementing each other thanks to two forces (one bringing down, the other bringing up).
Eliphas Levi, identifies hexagram ("Solomon's triangle") and world ("macrocosm"):
" The great Symbol of Solomon. Quod superius sicut quod inferius [words from the Hermetists' Emerald Table: what is above is like what is below]..
The unity of the macrocosm is revealed by the two opposite points of the two triangles... So the universe is balanced by two forces that keep it in equilibrium: the force that attracts and the force that repels... Solomon's triangle. Plenitudo vocis [plénitude de la voix, en latin]. Binah [lettre hébraïque]. Physis ["nature", mot grec]... These two triangles combined in a single figure, that of a six-rayed star, form the sacred sign of Solomon's seal, the shining star of the macrocosm. The idea of the infinite and the absolute is expressed by this sign, which is the great pentacle, i.e. the simplest and most complete summary of the science of all things"
Source: Éliphas Lévi, Dogme et rituel de la haute magie (1854-1861), in Secrets de la magie, Paris, Robert Laffont, coll. "Bouquins", 2000, p. 8, 62-66.
Equally logically, the two triangles can be seen as representations of the Masculine and Feminine, in more or less broad senses: active principle and passive principle, plus pole and minus pole, Man and Woman, male sex and female sex. The "masculine" triangle points upwards, the "feminine" triangle downwards.
It represents the meeting of the two Elements, Fire and Water. The character for Fire is a triangle pointing upwards, with a horizontal line running through it, while that for Water is a triangle pointing downwards, also with a horizontal line running through it. The Fire triangle points upwards as the flame rises; the Water triangle points downwards as the water flows, falls and descends. Breaking down the hexagram, these two triangles are clearly visible.
Omraam Mikhaël Aïvanhov also identifies the hexagram with the macrocosm, and develops the correspondences. The six points represent, successively from the top to the right, the six colors: blue (top), green, yellow, orange (bottom), red, violet; six zodiac signs: Sagittarius (top), Scorpio, Leo, Cancer (bottom), Aries, Pisces:
"The triangle of fire contains the three colors: red, yellow and blue. Red corresponds to Aries, golden yellow to Leo and blue to Sagittarius... The water triangle corresponds to Cancer, Scorpio and Pisces. Green corresponds to Cancer, orange to Scorpio and violet to Pisces... The water triangle is that of woman, i.e. the heart, the feminine, passive side of love. The fire triangle is that of man, the active principle of wisdom. We must therefore be born of these two principles - love and wisdom - if we are to live and enter the kingdom of God. These two principles of love and wisdom produce truth..."
Source: Mikhaël Omraam Aïvanhov, Amour, Sagesse, Vérité, Paris, Éditions Izgrev, 1946, p. 21.
Why wear Solomon's seal (pendant or ring)?
If you wear a hexagram it will protect you even better if you establish a psychic link with the symbol. It is the interaction you create with him that becomes a valuable help, and not the other way around.
You can also visualize a luminous hexagram at the level of your heart, to strengthen balance, promote peace and develop unconditional love. What is important to understand is that activating the hexagram inside you allows the symbol to take on its full dimension.
How do I use the Solomon's Seal?
The Seal of Solomon is an ancient symbol with many meanings, whether esoteric, mystical or religious.
In some esoteric practices, the Seal of Solomon is considered a talisman or amulet, worn as jewelry or engraved on personal items. It is said to bring protection, luck and spiritual balance.
The symbolism of the Seal of Solomon is found in Freemasonry where it is used as a symbol representing the search for wisdom, knowledge and balance between opposing forces. It is found on Masonic jewelry or emblems.
Some people use the Seal of Solomon in their meditative or spiritual practices by placing a canvas in their space dedicated to their spiritual practices. In meditation, we can focus on the symbol to promote concentration and inner harmony.
The Seal of Solomon is sometimes used in magical or esoteric rituals. It can be drawn on ritual objects, candles, or used in magic circles in connection with specific invocations or rituals. For your rituals, we recommend the energizing tray or the harmonizing mat.
Where can I find a Solomon's Seal?
We offer a range of items featuring this symbol.
Items that are useful on many levels, combining the practical with the spiritual.
How do I draw / trace Solomon's Seal?
You'll need a sheet of paper, a compass and a ruler.
The shape is easy to trace without any advanced mathematical knowledge other than the ability to measure equidistances (notion of a circle).
By being composed of two superimposed equilateral triangles, this star reveals a central hexagon, each of whose six sides is the side of one of the six equilateral triangles that make up its six points.
The angles visible are 60° and 120°. By connecting the intersections or points, subdivisions of 20°, 90°, 10° or 30° can also be made.
Solomon's seal has various shapes: it can be surrounded by a circle, the two triangles can have lines that pass, at the intersections, once above, once below. One triangle may be drawn entirely in black, the other with white between its lines. A single-colour Star of David is often distinguished from Solomon's Seal, made of two intertwined triangles of contrasting colors.
We come to the end of this article on the Seal of Solomon: an enigmatic symbol, bearer of a rich history imbued with mysticism and spirituality.
This seal transcends cultural and religious boundaries, since it is found as much in Jewish tradition as in esoteric and Masonic practices. Whether as a protective talisman or as a representation of an inner temple building, the Seal of Solomon is thought provoking. I hope it will have aroused your curiosity.
Its enduring legacy across different eras and disciplines reaffirms its status as a timeless symbol, inviting you to explore the mysteries of wisdom, knowledge, and spiritual harmony that it embodies.
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Sources
Wikipedia
Le pouvoir des symboles published by Éditions Trajectoires
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Francoise A. - 06/15/2022 20:39:21
super article que je classe pour y revenir merci