Q&A: Are sigils useless after activation?

I also had a question about sigils: Can they be used as tokens or runes, perhaps as something to write on oneself, tattoo on oneself, graffiti onto areas of affect for example, or are they virtually useless post-activation?” ~ andromedovs via Tumblr

You have great instincts! A sigil is just a symbol, and it only has the meaning you give it. As a symbol, you can use a sigil in any way you like. You can create entire rune sets of sigils, or use it as a personal emblem that stands for something you believe in, strive for, or simply want to bring a little closer to reality.

Sigils exist at that strange crossroads between art, communication and the deeper stuff of magick, the subconscious and belief. Part of the power a sigil has comes from the very act of creating it. It’s not just an expression of a desire, it’s your personal expression of it.

When you activate a sigil, you’re not diminishing the art you’ve created. The sigil is just an ingredient in that recipe. It has plenty of emotional energy thanks to the intent and desire that went into it’s creation, but it doesn’t stop being a cool piece of art just because you used it for a ritual. That emotional power doesn’t go away, either.

There are some traditions that say “Forget that sigil once you’ve activated it!” but I’ve never found their reasoning to be compelling. I think it misses the point of what symbols, art and sigils are really all about in favor of some deeply debatable supernatural assumptions.

It’s your sigil. If it has meaning to you after you’ve activated it, trust that feeling. If it doesn’t let it go. Use it in the way that feels right to you. Far from being useless after an activation, it might be exactly the touchstone you need to bring the desire it represents into your reality.