Making your own sigil
Sigils are, in the most basic sense, personal symbols that are imbued with the magick and intentions of the user. Much like ancient runic alphabets, sigils have many uses and can be inscribed into objects or tools of magick, worn as amulets or given as gifts. However, unlike established magickal alphabets, sigils represent a goal or word that is connected to your own personal magick, goals or purposes.
As an example, spells to attract money require you to mark an amulet or candle with a symbol that is unmistakably associated with the currency of that region. Because that symbol is strongly associated with money, it harbours the user’s intentions and funnels them out into the universe. It’s the same for sigils, except that instead of a commonly used symbol, the meaning and design of the symbol is a potent secret known only to its creator and those the creator chooses to share the meaning with. The power of a personal sigil is much more potent than the symbol for money because it has a greater connection to the creator of the sigil and is created usually with a very particular purpose in mind.
As a rule, the stronger the intention, the stronger the magick, so it makes sense that a symbol developed by you personally can be a formidable magickal device indeed. They do however, require a little preparation to create and imbue with magick. You will need to have a clear idea of what you want the sigil to symbolise, and what intention you wish it to imbue, so meditating on your intentions or writing them down several in the few days before creating the sigil is a good idea.
The key to creating an effective sigil is to surround yourself with objects that will enhance the intention you wish to imbue in your sigil both before and during the sigil creation ritual. For example, having a gift or item from a particular person with you will help focus your mind so that you can create a protection or health sigil tailored for that person. Likewise, an object that reminds you of a happy time will help to create a happiness sigil. If my sigil is designed for nature magick, I like to perform the ritual in a natural environment or if I wish to dispel negative energies from my home I will perform the ritual at home. Photographs, colours, gifts, letters – anything that will call strong feelings to the fore of your mind will enhance the power of the ritual – but be sure you do have a very specific intention in mind, or the sigils potential may be tarnished with mixed messages and uncertainty, or even deliver effects that are contrary to your intention!
What you will need
1 x candle of a colour that is most applicable to the sigil you wish to create. For example, a pink sigil for friendship or a blue candle for a sigil to enhance calm.
A marking tool that you feel most comfortable with (a pen, pencil, paintbrush etc). Again, using an ink colour that corresponds with the intention of the sigil is ideal, but light ink can sometimes be hard to see, so use what feels right.
Several pieces of thick white paper and something to lean the paper on (I use my Book of Shadows).
An item to help you focus your mind on a particular feeling, memory or intention.
Creating your sigil
Cast your circle with all your sigil creating materials with you.
Light the coloured candle you have selected and say “this (colour) coloured candle signifies my intentions, sharpens my focus and guides my intent”. Say this a few times until you start to feel more focused. You may also like to repeat the properties you wish to imbue into your sigil aloud a few times. Again, do what feels right to help you get focused and calm. Place the candle before you.
Arrange your paper and writing utensils before you and sit in a comfortable position.
Close your eyes (or alternatively stare at the flame of the candle before you) and think about what you want your sigil to mean. If you have a personal item to focus on, hold it in your hands and take the time to bring those particular thoughts and emotions into focus.
When you feel charged and focused, there are a few methods you can use to start to form your sigil. You may begin to see signs of the sigil forming in your mind’s eye. If this starts to 
happen, take your pen and draw what you have seen. It may take a while to fully conceptualise the sigil this way, but take the time to focus and transcribe the sigil as accurately as possible.
Another method is to take your writing utensil and place the tip of the utensil on the paper, keeping your wrist loose. Allow your hand to move freely, concentrating on the energies you wish to imbue. I usually close my eyes for this process, and often discover my hand has been moving without me even noticing, leaving intricate lines and pen marks to form a sigil.
Finally, if you are having difficulty finding movement within your hand, turn your gaze to the coloured candle you lit at the start of the ritual. Say aloud “(coloured) candle, symbol of my intentions, guide my hand, help me to read the energies that surround me, so mote it be”. I like to say this several times, growing in volume with each round. Now, keeping your pen to the paper, try to mirror the movements of the flame with your hand as it flickers in the air. I find that of all three methods, this creates the most organic designs, if you are concerned about how your sigil looks visually.
Once you feel you have completed your sigil design, you may notice that the lines you draw may look jagged or untidy, but don’t worry! The transferal of the sigil from the surrounding energy to your hand can produce slightly jagged results due to inevitable interference from surrounding energies and the limitations of the physical body. You can clean up the lines of the sigil, but continue to keep the intention and purpose of the sigil vividly in your mind while making amendments.
When you are happy with your sigil, hold it in both your hands and feel the power of your focus and energy flow into the sigil one final time. Visualise it glowing with the colour of your intentions. Blow our the coloured candle and wave the sigil gentle in the smoke.
You may want to re-draw the sigil or secure the original piece of paper inside your book of shadows and keep it in a safe place, ready for when you will need it.
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