sigilization

Sigilization refers to the creation and use of sigils, which are symbolic glyphs intended to represent a specific desired outcome or intention. In many occult and magical traditions, a sigil is conceived as a personal sign that concentrates will or desire, often used as a tool to influence events, inner states, or creative processes. The term sigil derives from late Latin sigillum meaning seal.

Historically, sigils have appeared in various forms across magical and esoteric practices; in the 20th century, the modern form of sigilization was popularized by the British occultist Austin Osman Spare, and later adopted by chaos magic practitioners who emphasize the autonomous creation of symbols and the testing of belief.

Practitioners describe sigilization as involving two stages: creation and charging. Creation typically involves distilling a specific intention into a compact glyph, sometimes by transforming a phrase into a stylized symbol. Charging refers to a period of focused attention, meditation, or ritual intended to impress the sigil upon the subconscious or the universe, depending on the practitioner's framework. After charging, the sigil is often concealed, discarded, or forgotten to allow the intention to work unconsciously.

Applications of sigilization include personal development, goal attainment, and focus enhancement within spiritual, magical, or artistic contexts. The practice is largely unverified by empirical science, and interpretations vary widely across traditions. Critics argue that apparent effects may reflect psychological factors such as expectation, altered attention, or confirmation bias.