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DSC00896 - Woman with Victorian Dress - Alisha (San Francisco) by Loupiote

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Woman with Victorian Dress - Alisha (San Francisco)

Photo taken at the 2010 How Weird Street Faire in San Francisco.

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10198-burning-man-2006 - Thai Ear jewelry by Loupiote

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Ear jewelry

"Trinkets and Trifles" wrote: I think the person put it on backward... it's an ornament in a Thai traditional dance, supposedly for a mythical character.

Photo taken at the Burning Man 2006 festival (Black Rock Desert, Nevada).

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DSC02369 - Sextant Tower - Burning Man 2015 by Loupiote

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The Sextant Tower was probably the highest climbable structure at Burning Man 2015, and one of my favorite installation. It was very well built by a metallurgist aerospace engineer. There was also a zip-line installed at the top of the tower, and a bar that could be access only by climbing 15 feet up that vertical ladder.

For more info, go to the Sextant camp website.

Photo taken at the Burning Man 2015 festival (Black Rock Desert, Nevada).

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DSC02237 - Cranes and Cherry Pickers - Burning Man 2015 by Loupiote

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Cranes and cherry pickers allow a few people to get a better view of the Temple burn.

Photo taken at the Burning Man 2015 festival (Black Rock Desert, Nevada).

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DSC02382 - Woman with Back Tattoo - Japanese Etching Style by Loupiote

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Jane's Back Tattoo - Japanese Etching Style

Photo taken at the Burning Man Decompression Party 2010 (San Francisco).

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DSC00653 - Red Bandana - Masked girl by Loupiote

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Masked girl - Red Bandanna

This photo was used as a model for this painting by Nils Westergard.

Photo taken at the Burning Man Decompression Party 2008 (San Francisco).

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DSC02083 - Brainchild - Burning Man 2015 by Loupiote

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Metal sculpture with giant baby legs and a cage.

Brainchild, by Michael Christian

More info about this sculpture on the Burning Man site.

Photo taken at the Burning Man 2015 festival (Black Rock Desert, Nevada).

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DSC01700 - Manta Ray Fly-By - Burning Man 2015 by Loupiote

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Burning Man-ta Ray Fly-By, by Colin O’Bryan & Peter Hazel

Photo taken at the Burning Man 2015 festival (Black Rock Desert, Nevada).

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DSC07741 - Burning Man 2009 - The Rainbow Brite's - Girls with Rainbow Tights and Japanese Umbrellas by Loupiote

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If you have the name for this group, please post a comment or email me, thanks!

The Rainbow Brites - Girls with Rainbow Tights and Japanese Umbrellas

Those costumes are based on the Rainbow Brite character from an animated television series, see details here: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rainbow_Brite

Photo taken at the Burning Man 2009 festival (Black Rock Desert, Nevada).

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DSC07276 - Life is Short - Don't Make it Shorter - BRO Road Sign (India) by Loupiote

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Road sign from BRO (the Border Roads Organisation), that built the mountains roads and bridges between West Bengal and Sikkim, as part of "Project Swastik".

For more info about the Border Roads Organisation (BRO), read en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Border_Roads_Organisation.

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DSC02148 - El Pulpo Mecanico - Burning Man 2015 by Loupiote

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El Pulpo Mecanico

The huge flame-throwing articulated metal octopus is built out of mostly scrap metal. The mechanical octopus was designed and created by artist Duane Flatmo and the spectacular fire effects and electrical systems were created by Steve Gellman.

Photo taken at the Burning Man 2015 festival (Black Rock Desert, Nevada).

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DSC02252 - Clock Ship Tere Blowing Fire - Burning Man 2015 by Loupiote

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This art car is called The Pirate Ship, aka The Clock Ship Tere, by Andy Tibbetts.

For more info about this art car, go to www.facebook.com/ClockShip.

Photo taken at the Burning Man 2015 festival (Black Rock Desert, Nevada).

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DSC02466 - Stainless Steel Art Car - Burning Man 2015 by Loupiote

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Stainless steel art car created by Henry Chang, who previously created a similar car called Mr Fusion.

An hyper engineered fantasy dragster! Entirely made of stainless steel, except for the tires rubber.

If you know the actual name of this art car, please post a Comment or email me.

Photo taken at the Burning Man 2015 festival (Black Rock Desert, Nevada).

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DSC00940 - burning man 2007 - Fire conclave by Loupiote

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Dai Zaobab, with the

Pyronauts of Giza, at the Fire conclave

Photo taken at the Burning Man 2007 festival (Black Rock Desert, Nevada).

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DSC06156 - Cave Spider - Sulawesi by Loupiote

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Cave spider, spotted in Sulawesi, Indonesia

It was about 10-12 cm in diameter, including the legs. It looks like a Hunter Spider.

If you can identify the spider species, please post a comment or email me.

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DSC09073 - Shanti (Alex) spinning a fire staff (San Francisco) by Loupiote

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Shanti (Alex) spinning a fire staff (San Francisco)

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DSC04698 - Large Cave Spider by Loupiote

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Cave Spider spotted in Londa burial cave, located in the Toraja region of Sulawesi, Indonesia.

It was about 10-12 cm in diameter, including the legs. It looks like a Hunter Spider.

If you can identify the spider species, please post a comment or email me.

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DSC08691 - Mehndi - Henna Tattoo by Loupiote

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Mehndi - Henna Temporary Tattoo

A really nice intricate Mehndi (henna tattoo) design. She told me she had it done before coming to Burning Man.

Henna work by Oakland CA based hennalounge: www.hennalounge.com.

Photo taken at the Burning Man 2009 festival (Black Rock Desert, Nevada).

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iPhone Photo: "Moonshine" Reflecting On Reflections At Sunset - IMRAN™ — 500+ Views! by IMRAN® 14 MILLION Views!

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09/01/09 was a spectacular summer day on Long Island, New York, when I went for a walk around my home boardwalk. I should have brought my pocket camera along but the iPhone 3GS did a decent job capturing the stillness of the beautiful moment at Heron Pointe in East Patchogue as the moon shone above in front while the sun was setting behind me.

IMG_0196

DSC01445 - BigRed - Giant VW Beetle Art Car - Burning Man 2015 by Loupiote

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BigRed, the giant Volkswagen Beetle art car

The BigRed Beetle art car, made by the same team that created Walter, the giant VW minibus.

The Beetle art car is based on the sub-frame of Walter Class 1500 Crash Truck (Fire truck).

For more info and photos of the construction of this art car, go to www.facebook.com/pages/BigRed/343484268996732

Photo taken at the Burning Man 2015 festival (Black Rock Desert, Nevada).

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DSC08484 - burning man 2008 - Weird Masks - Lollipop by Loupiote

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Masks by Emma Hardy - www.emmahardy.net

Photo taken at the Burning Man 2008 festival (Black Rock Desert, Nevada).

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DSC12778 - Human Sacrifice on Crocodile Stone - Wat Phu Champasak (Laos) by Loupiote

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Crocodile Stone - Wat Phu Champasak (Laos)

Experts think this carved stone might have been used for human sacrifices more than 1000 years ago.

I tried to convince Sabine, a German virgin, to get naked and be sacrificed on the stone, but unfortunately she was too shy to take her clothes off. It would have been a much better photo!

Some people may consider that it is sacrilege to do such photo on this very sacred stone. My friend was thinking that, but i finally managed to get her on the rock, and she did not get struck by a lightning and gods did not do anything bad to her, so if there are still any gods left, i think they were not mad at us :)

Wat Phu Champasak is an amazing Khmer Hindu temple complex ruin in southern Laos, near Pakse.

For more information about this place, check the Wat Phu Champasak set page.

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DSC01846 - Barbie Death Camp - Burning Man 2015 by Loupiote

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Thousands of Barbie dolls are sent to gas ovens for extermination, at the blasphemous and politically incorrect Barbie Death Camp.

Photo taken at the Burning Man 2015 festival (Black Rock Desert, Nevada).

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DSC08071 - burning man 2008 - View from the top of the 80 feet (24m) high firetruck ladder by Loupiote

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View from the top of the 80 feet (24m) high firetruck ladder

Being at the top of this free-standing, wobbleling ladder was quite scary, but the view was breathtaking. I wish i had closed the aperture more to get a sharper shot. oh well...

Truck owned by greg glover, with the conversion to art car being a collaborative

project of the black rock international burner hostel early crew.

Photo taken at the Burning Man 2008 festival (Black Rock Desert, Nevada).

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DSC07539 - Tongue Piercing and Lip Piercing by Loupiote

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Photo taken at the 2011 How Weird Festival (San Francisco).

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DSC01496 - Burning Man at Night - Burning Man 2015 by Loupiote

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Night view from the top of the Sextant Tower, probably the highest climbable structure at Burning Man 2015.

I believe that the camp with the lights and a performance show going on is Sin City. If you can confirm that, please post a comment or email me!.

Photo taken at the Burning Man 2015 festival (Black Rock Desert, Nevada).

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DSC00702 - Skull Makeup - Red Roses - Dia de los Muertos - Halloween (San Francisco) by Loupiote

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Woman with Skull Face Paint - Dia de Los Muertos (San Francisco)

Photo taken at the Dia de los Muertos procession in the Mission (San Francisco) on Nov 2, 2009.

For more info on this event, please check out my Dia de los Muertos series.

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DSC01701 - WTF? What The Fork? - Burning Man 2015 by Loupiote

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WTF? (What The Fork?), by: Rico Morales

16′ tall shiny fork, stuck into the ground, represents the fork in the road, a point of decision and departure.

On the Playa there are no roads so the choices are limitless.

Photo taken at the Burning Man 2015 festival (Black Rock Desert, Nevada).

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DSC01441 - Woman with Feather Headdress - Burning Man 2015 by Loupiote

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Woman with a feather headdress, posing in the E of the DREAM sculpture during a dust storm (aka "white out").

Photo taken at the Burning Man 2015 festival (Black Rock Desert, Nevada).

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DSC02565 - Ventriloquist Dummy - Folsom Street Fair 2015 (San Francisco) by Loupiote

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Ventriloquist with his puppet in gay leather police uniform outfit, at the Folsom Street Fair 2015 (San Francisco)

His t-shirt says "I Think He's Gay".

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DSC01847 - Barbie Dolls Pushed into Gas Ovens - Barbie Death Camp - Burning Man 2015 by Loupiote

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Thousands of Barbie dolls are sent to gas ovens for extermination, at the blasphemous and politically incorrect Barbie Death Camp..

Photo taken at the Burning Man 2015 festival (Black Rock Desert, Nevada).

If you like this photo, follow me on instagram (tristan_sf) and don't hesitate to leave a comment or email me.

DSC06257-v2 - Young Woman with Phoenix Bird Chest Tattoo by Loupiote

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Jacqulynn and her beautiful Phoenix bird tattoo.

Jacqulynn is a talented and inspiring San Francisco performer and artist. Her friends call her "Jaq of all trades".

Photo taken at the Stafford Lake Park Sunset Party (near San Francisco).

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DSC08302 - Abandoned Factory (San Francisco) by Loupiote

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Abandoned factory (San Francisco)

The Washington Packing Corporation was a tuna canning factory and operated in the early 1960's, until botulism killed several people who ate tuna canned in this factory.

The people who have been there noticed that this wheel spins continuously with the power of the wind in the airduct.

Check my other photos of this abandoned factory.

This photo was #143 in interestingness for Aug 5, 2006 (checked at 4:10 am on Aug 6, 2006).

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DSC00001 - Lily spinning fire staff with feet (San Francisco) by Loupiote

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Fire performer Lily spinning fire staff with feet (San Francisco)

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DSC01965 - Japanese Girl with Tiger Mirror Sunglasses - Burning Man 2015 by Loupiote

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Japanese girl with tiger orange mirror sunglasses

Photo taken at the Burning Man 2015 festival (Black Rock Desert, Nevada).

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DSC04447 - Muslim Women Wearing Niqab (India) by Loupiote

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Muslim women wearing Niqab (Islamic head cover) in a street market, in Old Delhi (India).

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DSC01900 - Cosplay Furry Creature - Burning Man 2015 by Loupiote

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Cosplay furry creature with horns.

Nor sure what animal this is supposed to be?

Photo taken at the Burning Man 2015 festival (Black Rock Desert, Nevada).

If you like this photo, follow me on instagram (tristan_sf) and don't hesitate to leave a comment or email me.

DSC04619 - Girl with Silver Bra and Silver Hat on Bicycle in White Out (Dust Storm) - Burning Man 2013 by Loupiote

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Asian woman with silver bra and silver hat on bike, spotted during a dust storm.

Photo taken at the Burning Man 2013 festival (Black Rock Desert, Nevada).

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DSC01697 - Woman with Blue Scarf - Burning Man 2015 by Loupiote

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Woman with blue goggles and a blue scarf mask at Center Camp.

Photo taken at the Burning Man 2015 festival (Black Rock Desert, Nevada).

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DSC06641 - Burning Man 2009 - People on Darwin Dome - Geodesic Dome by Loupiote

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People on Darwin Dome

Word is that this dome was built by Camp Tetrion / Overkill from Hawaii.

Photo taken at the Burning Man 2009 festival (Black Rock Desert, Nevada).

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2254-burning-man-2005 - cubatron by mark lottor by Loupiote

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The Cubatron by Mark Lottor

Photo taken at the Burning Man 2005 festival (Black Rock Desert, Nevada).

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20715-burning-man-2006 - Damon the Vampire by Loupiote

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Damon the Vampire

Damon Knight - www.myspace.com/demonickiss13

See my other photos of Damon.

Photo taken at the Burning Man 2006 festival (Black Rock Desert, Nevada).

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THE SACRED PENTAGRAM also called the pentacle, pentalpha, pentangle, ... When the masters in Alchemy say that it needs but little time and expense .... in the sign of the Pentagram, which Paracelsus proclaims to be the ... by Hughes Songe

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In alchemy, earth was believed to be primarily cold, and secondarily dry, (as per ... is Ghob, and the earth elementals (following Paracelsus) are called gnomes. ... left point of the pentagram in the Supreme Invoking Ritual of the Pentagram.Modernist Alchemy: Poetry and the Occult

books.google.fr/books?isbn=0801431468 - Traduire cette page

Timothy Materer - 1995 - ‎Literary Criticism

In his description of the magical powers of the pentagram, he cites the most famous of the medieval alchemists, Paracelsus (63). In a passage particularly ...

Paracelsus | The Tree of Life

kimgraaemunch.wordpress.com/tag/paracelsus/ - Traduire cette page

The key to Alchemy – The Trinities ... The trinity in Alchemy, based on Jacop Boehme and Paracelsus, are Sulphur, ..... The Pentagram and the Ether Streams.

Although the origin of this symbol is lost in time, some occult authorities try to trace the source of its esoteric significance back to an astronomical phenomena, the so called “Pentagram of Venus" . The synodic period of Venus is approximately 584 days. Plotting the greatest elongation west or east of this movement five successive times over a period of approximately 8 years and 5 days traces the figure of a Pentagram on the Zodiacal belt. Incidentally, the numbers 5 and 8 continue to play a role in the Rosicrucian symbolism of the pentagram, as will be seen further on.

The pentagram has been found on potsherds from the pre-cuneiform Uruk period of ancient Babylon (3500BCE). In later periods of Mesopotamian civilization it appears in cuneiform writing to represent the four cardinal directions with the fifth point representing “above;” as such, it represented the dominion of royal authority extending to “the four corners of the world and the heavens above.”

The symbol also appears in Egyptian hieroglyphics, associated with the Goddess Sopdet, who was represented in the night sky by the brightest star, Sirius, the so called Dog Star in the constellation of Canis Major[ii]. Interestingly, the name Sirius is from the Greek word seirios, which means “burning,” and brings to mind the Blazing Star of Alchemy.

The Pythagoreans called the Pentagram Hugieia, with the combined meanings of “health,” “wholeness” and “blessings.” The letters of this word were placed around the points of the pentagram. According to Iamblichus, the five-pointed star was the Pythagorean sign of recognition and held sacred as a symbol of divine perfection. The Greek Goddess of Health was Hygeia, or the Roman Salus. Both of these names appear on talismans from Greek and Roman periods, with the image of the pentagram central.

Pythagoras was a known traveler, and the fact that he appears in Indian tantrik texts by name as Yavanacharya (“the Greek teacher”) may explain why the Pentagram also appears in early Hindu tantrik writings and art.

To the ancient Hebrews, the Pentagram was the symbol of Truth and the five books of the Pentateuch. Ameth, the Hebrew word for Truth, is associated with humanity by the kabbalistic technique of temurah using the Aiq Beqr system, which utilizes letter substitution according to specific rules[iii]. Later it will be seen that the very geometry of the Pentagram also encodes the idea of mankind and Truth.

The Pentagram found its way onto many Gnostic amulets. According to Budge. Gnostic amulets contained the pentacle which contained the ineffable name YHWH within it. More often the names Moses or Solomon were represented, Moses because he was connected with the setting up of the brazen serpent, and Solomon because his seal worked miracles.”[iv]. The early Christians associated the Pentagram with the five wounds of Christ. Later kabalistic Christians would associate the name of Christ in Hebrew characters, IHShVH or Yeheshua, to the five points of the pentagram. This method also shows the divine Tetragrammaton associated to the four points of the star, with the fifth top point being ascribed to the Hebrew letter shin, which symbolized spirit and fire, or the Holy Ghost. Thus the pentagram represented the descent of the divine fire into the world.,The Pentagram has been associated with the Star of Bethlehem or Three Kings’ Star, which led the Magi to the newborn Christ. Of these ideas Pike writes: The Star which guided [the Magi] is that same Blazing Star, the image whereof we find in all initiations. To the Alchemists it is the sign of the Quintessence; to the Magists, the Grand Arcanum; to the Kabalists, the Sacred Pentagram. The study of this Pentagram could not but lead the Magi to the knowledge of the New Name which was about to raise itself above all names, and cause all creatures capable of adoration to bend the knee.[v] In the Arthurian legend of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, the Pentagram was emblazoned in gold on Gawain’s shield, representing the five virtues of generosity, courtesy, chastity, chivalry and piety. The symbol of the pentagram appears on many Knights Templar graves in France, as well as being intrinsic to the architecture and positioning of many chapels. One dramatic example is the mysterious shrine of Rennes du Chartres, said to be a center of Templar activity, which is situated in the center of a ring of mountains that form a nearly perfect pentagram. The symbolism of the Western Mystery tradition has assigned the four elements of earth, air, water and fire to the four points of the pentagram, with the top point being attributed to the quintessence, or spirit. From this pattern is then attributed Kabalistic hierarchies of Archangles (Auriel for Earth, Raphael to Air, Gabriel for Water, and Michael with Fire), the Four Worlds (Assiah, Yetzirah, Briah and Atziluth), parts of the soul, and many more correspondences which are too lengthy to address in this paper.

Central on our Rosicrucian Altars in the S.R.I.C.F. is the figure of the Pentagram (also called the pentacle, pentalpha, pentangle, pentancle), a five pointed star, formed by 5 straight lines between the vertices of a pentagon and enclosing another pentagon. The name pentagram is Greek, from penta (“five”) and gramma (“letter”). One of the most intriguing symbols of esotericism, it is has been held to have magical properties since time immemorial, and is a symbol that has been both revered by initiates as a talisman of power, and shunned by the masses in abject fear for hundreds of years.

Today the image of the five pointed star has become almost obsequious to the media, and the symbol has been used to promote Rock music and movies, feed Satanic furor with tales of “ritual slayings,” and other hype. Additionally, the many neo-pagan movements have adopted the pentagram as their ensign of “natural religion.” More recently, novels such as The Davinci Code have weaved a colorful blend of fact and fiction, and once again brought the image of the Pentagram into popular view. At the same time, there is a long, somewhat quiet esoteric history of usage associated with this symbol which initiates in all times have utilized.

Despite the seeming commonplace appearance of this symbol, it is little understood. This paper will endeavor to highlight some of the symbolic meanings of the pentagram, looking at historical usage across cultures and languages; Masonic usage in both the Craft and Higher Degrees, with emphasis on our Rosicrucian usage; the geometric properties inherent in the symbol, and western occult traditions of initiation and ceremonial magick. It is hoped that this paper will help to cut through the popular misinformation about this symbol, and shed some Light on the real properties and use of this powerful, sacred figure.

HISTORICAL USAGE

Although the origin of this symbol is lost in time, some occult authorities try to trace the source of its esoteric significance back to an astronomical phenomena, the so called “Pentagram of Venus” shown in the figure below[i]:

pentagram_venus

The synodic period of Venus is approximately 584 days. Plotting the greatest elongation west or east of this movement five successive times over a period of approximately 8 years and 5 days traces the figure of a Pentagram on the Zodiacal belt. Incidentally, the numbers 5 and 8 continue to play a role in the Rosicrucian symbolism of the pentagram, as will be seen further on.

The pentagram has been found on potsherds from the pre-cuneiform Uruk period of ancient Babylon (3500BCE). In later periods of Mesopotamian civilization it appears in cuneiform writing to represent the four cardinal directions with the fifth point representing “above;” as such, it represented the dominion of royal authority extending to “the four corners of the world and the heavens above.”

The symbol also appears in Egyptian hieroglyphics, associated with the Goddess Sopdet, who was represented in the night sky by the brightest star, Sirius, the so called Dog Star in the constellation of Canis Major[ii]. Interestingly, the name Sirius is from the Greek word seirios, which means “burning,” and brings to mind the Blazing Star of Masonry.

The Pythagoreans called the Pentagram Hugieia, with the combined meanings of “health,” “wholeness” and “blessings.” The letters of this word were placed around the points of the pentagram. According to Iamblichus, the five-pointed star was the Pythagorean sign of recognition and held sacred as a symbol of divine perfection. The Greek Goddess of Health was Hygeia, or the Roman Salus. Both of these names appear on talismans from Greek and Roman periods, with the image of the pentagram central.

Pythagoras was a known traveler, and the fact that he appears in Indian tantrik texts by name as Yavanacharya (“the Greek teacher”) may explain why the Pentagram also appears in early Hindu tantrik writings and art.

To the ancient Hebrews, the Pentagram was the symbol of Truth and the five books of the Pentateuch. Ameth, the Hebrew word for Truth, is associated with humanity by the kabbalistic technique of temurah using the Aiq Beqr system, which utilizes letter substitution according to specific rules[iii]. Later it will be seen that the very geometry of the Pentagram also encodes the idea of mankind and Truth.

The Pentagram found its way onto many Gnostic amulets. According to Budge

Gnostic amulets contained the pentacle which contained the ineffable name YHWH within it. More often the names Moses or Solomon were represented, Moses because he was connected with the setting up of the brazen serpent, and Solomon because his seal worked miracles.”[iv]

The early Christians associated the Pentagram with the five wounds of Christ. Later kabalistic Christians would associate the name of Christ in Hebrew characters, IHShVH or Yeheshua, to the five points of the pentagram. This method also shows the divine Tetragrammaton associated to the four points of the star, with the fifth top point being ascribed to the Hebrew letter shin, which symbolized spirit and fire, or the Holy Ghost. Thus the pentagram represented the descent of the divine fire into the world.

The Pentagram has been associated with the Star of Bethlehem or Three Kings’ Star, which led the Magi to the newborn Christ. Of these ideas Pike writes:

The Star which guided [the Magi] is that same Blazing Star, the image whereof we find in all initiations. To the Alchemists it is the sign of the Quintessence; to the Magists, the Grand Arcanum; to the Kabalists, the Sacred Pentagram. The study of this Pentagram could not but lead the Magi to the knowledge of the New Name which was about to raise itself above all names, and cause all creatures capable of adoration to bend the knee.[v]

In the Arthurian legend of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, the Pentagram was emblazoned in gold on Gawain’s shield, representing the five virtues of generosity, courtesy, chastity, chivalry and piety.

The symbol of the pentagram appears on many Knights Templar graves in France, as well as being intrinsic to the architecture and positioning of many chapels. One dramatic example is the mysterious shrine of Rennes du Chartres, said to be a center of Templar activity, which is situated in the center of a ring of mountains that form a nearly perfect pentagram.

The symbolism of the Western Mystery tradition has assigned the four elements of earth, air, water and fire to the four points of the pentagram, with the top point being attributed to the quintessence, or spirit. From this pattern is then attributed Kabalistic hierarchies of Archangles (Auriel for Earth, Raphael to Air, Gabriel for Water, and Michael with Fire), the Four Worlds (Assiah, Yetzirah, Briah and Atziluth), parts of the soul, and many more correspondences which are too lengthy to address in this paper.

MASONIC USAGE

The Zelator ritual of S.R.I.C.F. briefly introduces the symbolism of the Pentagram on the Altar to the new postulant:

The Five-pointed Star reminds us of the five points of felicity, which are to walk with, to intercede for, to love, to assist, and to pray for our Brethren, so as to be united with them in heart and mind.

As an emblem of the five points of felicity, the Pentagram reminds us of our duties towards our brethren of the Rose and Cross throughout the world.

Further in the ritual the subject of number symbolism is addressed, and the number five is explained as

the emblem of Health and Safety; it is also denominated the Occult number; the Pentagram was a famous talisman; it represents Spirit and the four elements.

The reference to health and safety is interesting as it is reminiscent of the Greek hygeia discussed earlier.

The Pentagram may be seen as symbolic of the entire course of initiation in the S.R.I.C.F. First Order, as the elemental degrees are easily associated with the elemental points of the Pentagram; while initiation into the Second Order represents the quintessence or fifth, top-most point of the Star. In this way, the candidate of the S.R.I.C.F. symbolically builds up the power of the pentagram internally as they progress through and assimilate the lessons of the degrees. Entrance to the Second Order would then represent Adepthood, as the initiate has established the flaming star within their very heart of hearts and embodies the very essence of the Pentagram, and is a living embodiment of the Stone of the Philosophers.

Within the Craft degrees, the figure of the Pentagram may also be seen in the image of the 5 rayed Blazing Star. According to Albert Pike, the pentagram is synonymous with the Blazing Star of Masonic Lodges:

The Blazing Star in our Lodges, we have already said, represents Sirius, Anubis, or Mercury, Guardian and Guide of Souls. Our Ancient English brethren also considered it an emblem of the Sun. In the old Lectures they said: ‘The Blazing Star or Glory in the centre refers us to that Grand Luminary the Sun, which enlightens the Earth, and by its genial influence dispenses blessings to mankind. It is also said in those lectures to be an emblem of Prudence. The word Prudentia means, in its original and fullest signification, Foresight: and accordingly the Blazing Star has been regarded as an emblem of Omniscience, or the All-

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THE SACRED PENTAGRAM

by Bro.Gregory H. Peters

Burlingame Lodge No. 400 F&AM

Grand Lodge of California

32° Ancient & Accepted Scottish Rite in the Valley of Burlingame

Companion of King Solomon Chapter No. 95

Frater of the Golden State College of Societas Rosicruciana in Civitatibus Foederatis.

Note: paper presented first at the November 2004 Convocation of Golden State College Societas Rosicruciana in Civitatibus Foederatis.

Editor's Note: the paper has been edited for publication on this website

The Sacred Pentagram

INTRODUCTION