A student of the occult opens the Goetia for the first time and sees a page of intricate diagrams. Some are labeled “seal,” others “sigil.” They look similar. They are not. A sigil is a constructed symbol created for a specific magical intent, often by condensing letters or shapes. A seal is a pre-existing symbol, usually from a grimoire, used to invoke or bind a specific spirit. The key difference: sigils are made; seals are received.
Learn the key differences between sigils and seals in occult practice: origins, creation methods, and how each is used in ritual magic.
What Exactly Is a Sigil?
A sigil is a personalized symbol designed to encode a single magical intention. The word comes from the Latin sigillum, meaning “seal” or “sign,” but in modern occult use it has taken on a distinct meaning. A sigil is not inherited from a grimoire. It is invented by the practitioner for a specific purpose: to attract love, to find a job, to break a habit.
The process of making a sigil is deliberate. You write a statement of intent in the present tense, remove duplicate letters, and combine the remaining letters into a single abstract shape. The result is a compact glyph that holds the full statement inside its lines. The sigil is then “charged” through a ritual act (meditation, orgasm, trance) and released into the subconscious to work.
The modern sigil method is almost entirely the invention of one man: Austin Osman Spare.
Where Did Sigils Come From? The Spare Revolution
Before the early 20th century, the word “sigil” was used loosely to mean any magical symbol, including seals. The distinction we draw today comes from the work of the English artist and occultist Austin Osman Spare (1886–1956). Spare was a gifted draftsman who studied ceremonial magic but found its fixed hierarchies and rigid seals unsatisfying. He wanted a magic that was personal, direct, and free of inherited authority.
In his 1913 book The Book of Pleasure (Self-Love), Spare outlined a method for creating sigils from written statements. He called it “the alphabet of desire.” The practitioner would condense a sentence into a monogram, then forget the original meaning so the symbol could act on the unconscious directly. Spare believed that conscious will blocked magical results. The sigil bypassed that block.
Spare’s method was revived in the 1970s and 1980s by chaos magicians like Peter J. Carroll and Ray Sherwin. Carroll’s Liber Null & Psychonaut (1978) codified the sigil technique into a core practice of chaos magic. Today the Spare method is used by witches, chaos magicians, and eclectic practitioners across traditions. The sigil is one of the most democratic magical tools: no grimoire, no hierarchy, no permission needed.
What Exactly Is a Seal?
A seal is a fixed symbol attributed to a specific spirit, planet, or angel. Unlike a sigil, it is not invented by the practitioner. It is received from a grimoire, a vision, or a tradition. The seal acts as a signature of the entity. Drawing it correctly is a form of address: it calls the spirit into the circle and binds it to the magician’s will.
The word “seal” in this context comes from the Solomonic tradition. The Key of Solomon (14th–15th century) contains dozens of seals for planetary spirits, angels, and demons. The Lesser Key of Solomon, compiled in the 17th century, gives each of the 72 Goetic spirits a unique seal. These seals are not decorative. They are functional keys. The magician draws the seal on a talisman, a lamen, or the floor of the circle to establish a connection.
Seals are also found in the Heptameron (16th century), the Ars Goetia, and the works of Heinrich Cornelius Agrippa. In the Three Books of Occult Philosophy (1533), Agrippa describes planetary seals as “characters” that capture the celestial virtue of a planet. They are fixed by tradition. Changing them is not permitted.
How the History Explains the Difference
Spare’s sigil method was a rebellion against the fixed seals of ceremonial magic. He wanted a magic that could be made by anyone, for any purpose, without relying on ancient authorities. The seal tradition, by contrast, assumes that certain symbols have inherent power because they were revealed to wise men or angels. The magician does not create the seal. The seal is given.
This difference in origin leads to a difference in use. A sigil is charged and released. A seal is drawn and kept. A sigil works by being forgotten. A seal works by being remembered and reproduced exactly. A sigil is a one-time tool for a specific intent. A seal is a permanent key to a specific spirit.
Symbolism: What Each Symbol Actually Means
A sigil carries the meaning you put into it. The lines and curves are not arbitrary. They are the residue of a sentence. The symbol of a love sigil might contain the letters of “I attract true love now.” The symbol itself is a cipher. Only the practitioner knows the key.
A seal carries the meaning of the entity it represents. The seal of the demon Bael, for example, is a complex arrangement of curves and crosses. It is not a cipher for a sentence. It is a portrait of a relationship: the spirit’s rank, its planetary correspondence, its office. The seal of a planet like Jupiter contains the planetary square, the spirit names, and the character of the intelligence. Every line has a fixed meaning derived from the tradition.
In practice, this means a seal can be used many times for the same spirit. A sigil is usually used once and then discarded. The seal is a permanent tool. The sigil is a temporary spell.
Practices: How You Actually Use Each One
We create sigils in a quiet room with a pen and paper. The process is simple. Write the intent: “My finances improve.” Remove duplicate letters: M Y F I N A C E S P R O V. Combine the remaining letters into a single shape. We trace the final sigil onto a clean sheet, stare at it until the lines blur, then burn it or bury it. The act of destruction releases the sigil into the unconscious. We do not think about it again.
We use seals differently. We draw the seal of a Goetic spirit on a piece of virgin parchment with a quill and ink made from specific ingredients. The Key of Solomon instructs us to draw the seal of the planet Jupiter on a silver plate with a steel stylus. We place the seal inside the triangle of art, or we wear it as a lamen on the chest. The seal is not destroyed. It is stored in a silk bag or a wooden box, kept for the next invocation.
The seal demands precision. A single misplaced line can break the connection. The sigil demands intention. The exact shape matters less than the charge.
The confusion between sigil and seal is compounded by other terms. A talisman is an object charged with a specific purpose, often carrying a seal or sigil as part of its construction. A pentacle is a disc inscribed with symbols, often a seal, used as a ritual tool. In the Key of Solomon, the pentacles are complex seals for planetary and angelic forces.
A sigil is not a talisman. A sigil is a symbol. A talisman is an object that may contain a sigil. A seal is not a pentacle. A pentacle is a physical disc; a seal is the design drawn on it.
In chaos magic, the terms are sometimes used interchangeably, but the historical distinction is clear. We keep them separate in our library because the difference matters in practice. If you are working with the Goetia, you need the exact seal. If you are casting a personal spell, you make a sigil.
“All occult symbols are sigils.” No. Many symbols are seals, planetary characters, or angelic signatures. The word “sigil” is often misused to mean any magical symbol, but the Spare method is specific.
“Seals are always demonic.” Seals appear in angelic, planetary, and alchemical traditions. The seal of Jupiter is not demonic. The seal of the archangel Michael is found in the Key of Solomon.
“You can create a seal for a spirit.” You cannot. A seal is fixed by tradition. If you invent a symbol for a spirit, you have made a sigil, not a seal. The spirit may not respond to it.
“Sigils are only for chaos magic.” The sigil method has been adopted by Wicca, folk magic, and modern witchcraft. It is a technique, not a tradition.
FAQ
Can a seal be used as a sigil? Not directly. A seal carries a fixed meaning. Using it for a personal intent would be like using a company logo to sign a personal letter. It may work, but it is not the intended use.
Do I need to draw a seal exactly? Yes. The seal is a signature. A misspelled signature is not valid. Use a grimoire copy, trace it, or print it from a reliable source.
How do I charge a sigil? Methods include staring until the lines fade, orgasm, chanting, or deep meditation. The goal is to bypass the conscious mind and implant the intent in the subconscious.
Are seals dangerous? Seals are tools. The danger comes from the spirit, not the symbol. If you draw the seal of a Goetic demon without proper preparation, you may attract attention you cannot handle. Respect the tradition.
Closing
The difference between a sigil and a seal is not academic. It determines how you create, use, and dispose of the symbol. A sigil is a personal spell. A seal is a key to a spirit. Both are powerful when used correctly. For deeper study, explore our guide to the Goetia and demonology, the glossary of occult symbols, and our practical guide to creating sigils.