Weapon of Earth - Pentacle, How to construct the earth pentacle Options

I'm building an earth pentacle to use in my rituals, but i have some doubts on its creation.

I'm building it around 6 inches, out of some wood boards i glued together.

I read in "Modern Magick" by "Kraig" that it is better to be concave, because this would direct the energy directly back to the one who sent it, in case of an attack.

I really don't agree to that, as i don't see how anything reflects back to its origin on something concave differently from something flat. I also don't understand why it has to be used against attacks, as it is obviously meant as a defensive weapon, or a shield. And a shield is definitely not concave, more the opposite.
It just doesn't add up, Kraig's theory, and it leaves me confused...

Could anyone give me some advise on this.
Also, the origin of the god names that are meant to go around it are not given in Kraig's book, I would like to know them to. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/huh.gif)

I read through this interesting thread on the earth pentacle. I suppose that if you are a staunch traditionalist following in a certain tradition, then you have to approach the creation and use of your weapons in a very technical and fundamental (and fundamentalist) way. If you don't develop it to specification, then you've built in flaws according to the consensus paradigm of your tradition and it may come back to bite you because of the reality that you are playing in. (Ie, "it must be this way, not that way, or else.")

I was not trained in that tradition and it goes against the grain for me although I am fascinated by folks who do follow such paths. I agree, however, that obsession with tools and forms can be a limitation. But if it works, then my own view is irrelevant. Post-modern magic has veered away from traditionalist and spirit-focussed views but that does not mean that traditional ceremonial magick is irrelevant. It certainly needs to be practiced and preserved as a high art.

I had been trained to establish my weapons in a way related to personal relevancy, not formula. When it came time for me to make my earth weapon, I made an adaptation of the 12th plate of the Azoth of the Philosophers, which is-a 15th or 16th century alchemical pictorial book. I had been acclimated, after doing elemental and angelic evocation meditations ,to think about the earth weapon as a mirror. Whereas I began to use the Azoth mandala that I made for mediations on the elements, the archonic spheres, the sephira, etc., I now use a plain pentacle-shaped mirror as my earth element weapon. I also use mirrors in relation to the chalice in mediitation and magic--but this is spontaneously arising magic, not forumla that you will find in a 17th or 19th century grimoire based on medieval Hermetic or reconstructionist concepts.

Kraig may have suggested that the earth weapon be concave because John Dee used a concave magic mirror (a black piece of obsidian) in his scrying work.


Russet--is a rust color--an orangy,brownish red
Citron is a fancy way of saying "yellow" (citrons are kind of like lemons, or citrus fruits --lemons, grapefruits, oranges, limes)
And olive is the color of the usual looking jarred, green martini olive

These are earth colors, the point being that the earth pentacle should be earth colors.

What kind of paint did you use? If you used acrylic or water-soluable latex paint, you can coat the image with acryllic gel medium, which comes in either glossy or matte finish (you will want the matte finish if you don't want glossiness) Acrylic lacquers also are avaiIlable. Golden acrylic products are the best but are rather expensive. . If you buy clear lacquer at the hardware store, it may come in a matte finish, but you also want to look for a product that boasts that it is "non yellowing."

This post has been edited by Zosimo: Sep 17 2008, 06:47 AM