Part of a sigil refused to burn.

[Romolo]

Yesterday, upon completion of a ritual, I burned a sigil (written on a piece of paper), but then I noticed that a part of the paper refused to burn. The oval piece had brown rims and two eye-like dots. Not wanting to let anything of the sigil “unburned“, I lit it again, and then again. Only the third time did it finally transform into ashes.

What are some best practices with burning sigils? Also: should I interpret this as a bad or good omen? Should I have kept the “face”?

Background info: I was completing the second rite of the Hekataeon’s initiation which deals with masks and the nature of Hekate.

 

[Diluculo_DelFuego]

Yesterday, upon completion of a ritual, I burned a sigil (written on a piece of paper), but then I noticed that a part of the paper refused to burn. The oval piece had brown rims and two eye-like dots. Not wanting to let anything of the sigil “unburned“, I lit it again, and then again. Only the third time did it finally transform into ashes.

What are some best practices with burning sigils? Also: should I interpret this as a bad or good omen? Should I have kept the “face”?

Background info: I was completing the second rite of the Hekataeon’s initiation which deals with masks and the nature of Hekate.

Interesting. The owl is a sacred animal to her and is known to watch. It could be the pepper was folded too tight, that's occurred to me with demon script petitions before. Tweezers

 

[Vandheer]

The oval piece had brown rims and two eye-like dots. Not wanting to let anything of the sigil “unburned“, I lit it again, and then again. Only the third time did it finally transform into ashes.

Could it be that there was some kind of blockage manifesting and by the third time you overcame it?

 

[Romolo]

Thank you for your replies. I indeed noted a blockage within myself, fueled by doubts (did the ritual go well?) and mixed with disbelief/surprise/fear. A whole spectrum of emotion bundled into a few seconds.

I will try to fold the sigil more gently next time.

 

[Vandheer]

Thank you for your replies. I indeed noted a blockage within myself, fueled by doubts (did the ritual go well?) and mixed with disbelief/surprise/fear. A whole spectrum of emotion bundled into a few seconds.

Confidence is definitely a key if you ask me - Last thing you want in a ritual is to have doubt seeping in, because it is interfaring with the ritual, and may lead to sabotage. Obviously such feelings dont go on a whim because Vandheer from Wizardforums said so, but practice should sweep them away.

Post automatically merged: Dec 6, 2023

Think of a magician of medeival times. All that preparation, praying, fasting, calculating optimal times, safety measures, etc. Nowadays many people ask "Is all of this really neccesary" and the answer seems to be no. But you can be damn sure they will be confident they WILL succeed after all that work.

 

[pixel_fortune]

How did you burn it? I ask because paper is surprisingly hard to just burn

The first time I tried to burn a sigil, I thought I could just set fire to it, and that would be it - I mean it's paper, of course it'll burn. But no, it really doesn't catch that well. You have to keep relighting it. I tried spraying it with 99% ethanol, which made for impressive flame but still didn't completely work. All very embarrassing

Now I use a natural firestarter (they're basically bundled of wax-soaked straw/hay, you can buy on Amazon or hardware/camping stores etc) in a big clay bowl with sand in it (to absorb heat), and that burns by itself for about 10 minutes so it doesn't matter that paper is weirdly nonflammable.

Although even then, sometimes bits of visible sigil can be leftover.

Someone needs to do a PSA for new magicians that printer paper actually doesn't burn that well.

ANYWAY, if you have experience burning sigils and this one behaved weirdly, then it might mean something, but if this is the first (or second or third) sigil you've tried to burn, it's just the dumb paper problem

I've been thinking of getting stage magicians flash paper to write them on, now THAT'D burn fast

A common practice is to use charcoal (like for incense) though I think it takes a bit to get hot. I've never tried this. I like how much flame the firestarters make, and they're basically smokeless.

You can also get paper from fabric stores that dissolves in water, which makes for a good effect (it's meant to be used to pin backings on fabric and stuff when you're sewing, and then you can just soak it and the paper disappears)

 

[Diluculo_DelFuego]

Tracing paper, often used in art on a light table may burn easier, or rice paper.

Post automatically merged: Dec 11, 2023

PSA ... Sticky notes don't burn well, and probably may be slightly toxic.

 

[Mannimarco]

I like to hold the sigil over the fireproof container with a pair of tongs, or something similar, and light the bottom of the paper. Printer paper burns extremely well when held upright in the air.

 

[pixel_fortune]

I like to hold the sigil over the fireproof container with a pair of tongs, or something similar, and light the bottom of the paper. Printer paper burns extremely well when held upright in the air.

I think "tongs" is the crucial bit I was missing there. Had to just throw it quickly into the bowl

 

[Robert Ramsay]

I tend to just flush old sigils down the toilet

 

[Romolo]

if this is the first (or second or third) sigil you've tried to burn, it's just the dumb paper problem

It was indeed one of my first sigils (to be exact, the second one). I am developing a better technique now. It also helps to be fearless, just let the flame grow bright and big. I think I will get some fancy tongs on a flee market and some kind of cauldron.

I’m starting to understand that burning the sigil is first and foremost about overcoming your own fears (“what If I… burn down the house?”) and then also, esthetically, the experience of witnessing a clear and hungry flame, how it all crumbles into ash, the sharp orange of the rims near the end...

Thanks for your answers and input everyone! I became wiser.

 

[Anziel_Merkaba]

Sounds like a typical blockage to overcome, or something was trying to stop you from doing whatever you were doing.

In this case to me it feels like you might be trying to rush your practice and it was a warning to slow down and take a moment to verify where you are by the spirits you are working with. I'd recommend doing that, since my 'feelings' like this are usually right.