Many Neopagans, especially Wiccans, use the pentagram as a
symbol of faith similar to the Christian cross or the Jewish Star
of David. Its religious symbolism is commonly explained by
reference to the neo-Pythagorean understanding that the five
vertices of the pentagram represent the four elements with the
addition of Spirit as the uppermost point. As a representation of
the elements, the pentagram is involved in the Wiccan practice of
summoning the elemental spirits of the four directions at the
beginning of a ritual.
The outer circle of the circumscribed pentagram is sometimes
interpreted as binding the elements together or bringing them into
harmony with each other. The Neopagan pentagram is generally
displayed with one point up, partly because of the "inverted"
goat's head pentagram's association with Satanism; however, within
traditional forms of Wicca a pentagram with two points up is
associated with the Second Degree Initiation and in this context
has no relation to Satanism.
The circle around a pentagram (transforming it in to a pentacle)
is a symbol of unity, wholeness, infinity, the goddess, and
protection. To earth-centered religions throughout history as well
as to many contemporary pagans, it represents the feminine spirit
or force, the cosmos or a spiritualism Mother Earth, and a sacred
space. The five-pointed star is representative of the four primal
elements (earth, air, fire and water,) and traditionally a fifth,
called spirit. The circle binds them together to create life. When
pointing up, the pentagram can represent spirituality's dominance
over the material (pentagram) bound inside the laws of the cosmos
(circle).
Disclaimer:
Do not approach this series lightly. If this were only a 500'
bushwhack, I would call it hellish. The roots will trip you, the
branches will shred you and poke your eyes, and the insects will
consume you. But it's not 500'. It's over 12 bloody miles! I highly
recommend you bring snake boots, lots of water, long pants, long
sleeve shirt, lots of water, good hat, pokey stick, lots of water,
spare everything, bug spray, lots of water, writing utensils, cell
phone, lots of water.
Did I mention bring lots of water?
You may find a laminated clue slip in this cache. If you do, you
might want to solve the riddle. This will help you locate the Gaia
puzzle cache nearby. Please leave clue slips in the caches you find
them in.
