The seven-pointed star, also called a heptagram, is an ancient symbol that holds deep meanings in various cultures, and traditions including witchcraft, and alchemy.
In this article, let’s delve deep and explore 14 profound meanings associated with the 7-pointed star and the life lessons it holds within.
Let’s start by looking at the 2 main types of the 7-Pointed Star and how to draw them.
Two Types of the 7-Pointed Star
The 7-pointed star can be drawn in two different ways known as the 7/2 (or order 2) star and the 7/3 (or order 3) star.
Both these types are constructed based on how you connect the points/vertices within a heptagon (7-pointed polygon). If you connect every 2nd point you get the 7/2 star and if you connect every 3rd point you get the 7/3 star.
Let’s see how to draw the 7/2 star. As shown in the image below, we start with the first point of the Heptagram and then connect every second point till the star is complete.
To draw the 7/3 star, as shown in the image below, we start with the first point and then connect every third point till the star is complete.
The following image shows a beautiful pattern that is created when we join both the 7/2 and 7/3 stars.
Now that we know how the star is drawn, let’s look at the 14 powerful spiritual meanings associated with this star.
14 Meanings Associated with the 7-Pointed Star
1. Illumination & inner wisdom
When we pass white light through a prism it splits into 7 distinct colors. Thus white light or visible light contains within it 7 colors. This phenomenon also explains why rainbows display seven colors.
The seven-pointed star symbolically captures this phenomenon. Each of its corners signifies one of these colors. The star’s center, where all lines converge, represents the light source and the very essence of illumination.
Thus, the seven-pointed star is a powerful emblem of illumination, inner wisdom, knowledge, and spiritual enlightenment.
Moreover, the star encourages us to ignite our curiosity and begin to look at things from a deeper perspective. Just as white light conceals the seven colors within it, everything around us possesses a magical and hidden dimension that only becomes visible when we delve deeper.
2. Sun & Infinite Solar Energy
In Hinduism, the Sun God, Surya, travels across the sky in a chariot pulled by seven horses. These seven horses symbolize the seven colors. Therefore, the seven-pointed star also represents the Sun and the infinite solar energy that is responsible for all life on Earth.
3. Seven Days of the Week & the Cyclic Nature of Life
In ancient times, the seven-pointed star was often used to symbolize the seven planets (wandering celestial lights) visible to the naked eye (considering that we did not have any telescope back then). These were the Sun, Moon, Mars, Mercury, Jupiter, Venus, and Saturn. What made these celestial lights special was that they wandered in the sky independently as opposed to other stars.
The Babylonians revered these celestial bodies as seven major deities watching over them. In honor of these deities, they established a system whereby each god was worshipped on a specific day. This led to the creation of the seven-day week, a concept that was later embraced by the ancient Hebrews and numerous other cultures worldwide. The sequence of the days was organized based on the planets’ distance from Earth.
The seven-day week starts with the day of the Sun or Sunday, followed by the day of the Moon (Monday), the day of Mars (Tuesday), the day of Mercury (Wednesday), the day of Jupiter (Thursday), the day of Venus (Friday), and finally, the day of Saturn (Saturday).
Each of these days is connected in a continuous line within the seven-pointed star (as shown in the image above). When you trace the star’s lines, they interlink in an endless loop, echoing the cyclical nature of the universe.
4. Alchemy & Transformation
To the ancients, the 7-pointed star not only represented the 7 planets but also the 7 important metals known during that time. These metals were also sacred to alchemy and correlated with the 7 planets. So Gold was associated with the Sun, Silver with the Moon, Iron with Mars, Mercury with Mercury, Tin with Jupiter, Copper with Venus, and Lead with Saturn.
The seven-pointed star signifies the interconnectedness of these seven metals and their potential to be transmuted into one another through the alchemical process. For instance, it was believed that one could turn a base metal, like lead, into a much more valuable metal, such as gold. This also symbolizes the principle that energy cannot be created or destroyed but can be transformed from one form to another.
Thus, the seven-pointed star serves as a reminder and an inspiration to identify elements within you that you wish to change and transform into more desirable traits. In essence, it symbolizes the possibility of inner alchemy – the transformation of our personal characteristics or behaviors into something more positive or beneficial.
5. Independence, Freedom, Individuality, and Travel
As mentioned earlier, the ancients were fascinated by the 7 wandering celestial lights (planets) in the sky.
What differentiated these celestial lights from the other stars was that all other stars kept their relative positions and moved in unison across the sky. For instance, the stars of the Big Dipper or the Orion’s Belt are always in the same position. They don’t rearrange their configuration into something else.
But these celestial lights (along with the Sun and the Moon) moved or wandered independently on their own unique paths and were not part of any cluster or constellation. Each night they were found in a different location. Thus these stars were also known as the ‘Wandering Lights in the Sky’.
Since the 7-pointed star represents these seven wandering celestial lights, it also represents independence, travel, and individuality or following your own unique path in life without going by the norm. It represents the freedom to explore, to be different, and to carve out your own unique journey.
6. Deeper Self-Awareness
In Witchcraft and many Pagan traditions, the 7-pointed star is known as the Elven Star and is said to represent the 7 directions which include East, West, North, South, Above, Below, and Within.
Thus the star encourages you to expand your awareness and your perspective of things and look beyond conventional norms and belief systems. It encourages you to connect with your inner self and explore higher dimensions of knowledge and consciousness.
7. Humility & Knowing Your Limitations
The 7-pointed star also symbolizes humility, being pragmatic, and knowing your limitations. This is because the number 7 is a sacred number that refers to the state of physical limitation. As an example, you cannot fold a sheet of paper in half more than 7 times. The paper’s surface area decreases in half with each fold making it impossible to make any more folds after 7. This is true irrespective of how big the paper is.
Understanding your limitations and maintaining a pragmatic approach is crucial, as it guides you toward your intended life path, rather than leading you down a route not suited to your talents or potential.
8. Guidance & Direction
In various ancient cultures, the seven-pointed star represented the seven bright stars of the Big Dipper in the Ursa Major constellation.
In the old days, navigators would look to the sky to find the Big Dipper constellation. The Big Dipper has two bright stars, Dubhe and Merak, that serve as navigational pointers. These stars lead the observer’s eye directly to the North Star, Polaris (as shown in the image above).
So, the seven-pointed star, embodying the Big Dipper, symbolizes guidance and direction.
9. Abundance, Good Fortune, & the Cycle of Life
Continuing from the previous point, the 7 stars of the Big Dipper hold special significance across different traditions, primarily due to their unique celestial behavior.
The stars of the Big Dipper, which look shaped like a ladle, revolve around the North Star, also known as the Pole Star or Polaris. As mentioned earlier, the ladle’s outer rim comprises two stars (Dubhe and Merak) that, when connected with an imaginary line, point directly to the Pole Star (as shown in the image above). This constant celestial rotation, which shifts position with the seasons, forms a pattern resembling a Swastika over the course of the year.
In Hinduism and many other cultures and religions, the Swastika is a symbol of abundance and good fortune throughout the year. It also symbolizes the act of creation and the cyclical nature of existence. Thus the 7-pointed star also symbolizes the same.
10. Creation, Completeness, & Perfection
As per the Book of Genesis, God created the world in 6 days, and on the 7th day, he rested. This concept of 7-day creation is represented by the 7-pointed star. Since the universe was completed in 7 days, the 7-pointed star can also represent completeness and perfection.
The concept of creation is also represented by the 9-pointed star and the 8-pointed star.
11. New Beginnings & Good News
Along with the Big Dipper (as discussed earlier), the 7-pointed star has also been used to represent the 7 bright stars in the Pleiades constellation (also known as the 7 sisters). This group of stars holds significant meaning across diverse cultures and ages, acting as a beacon in the night sky.
What’s interesting about these stars is that they were used as a navigational aid and even as a celestial calendar, particularly by farmers and sailors. In ancient Greece for instance, the heliacal rising of the stars signaled the time to start planting crops. For sailors, it signaled the beginning of the sailing season. Similarly, for the Maori people of New Zealand, the heliacal rising of the stars signaled the start of a New Year.
Thus the seven-pointed star symbolizes Guidance, New beginnings, Positive Energy, Abundance, and Good News.
12. Eternal Love
Number 7 and the 7-pointed star is linked to eternal love and marriage in various cultures and traditions.
For instance, in Hinduism, when a couple gets married, they take 7 turns together around the sacred fire (known as Saat Phere). This signifies that their bond will last for seven lifetimes.
Similar to Hinduism, in Jewish tradition, the number 7 is linked with love, marriage, and togetherness. In Jewish marriages, the bride circles the groom seven times. This symbolizes the creation of a new family circle and is also believed to form a wall of protection and good luck for the groom.
Also, during a Jewish wedding ceremony, seven blessings (Sheva Brachot) are recited over the couple wishing for a long and happy married life.
13. 7 Chakras or Energy Centers
In Hinduism the 7-pointed star primarily represents the 7 chakras or the 7 energy centers present in the body. These include the Root Chakra, Sacral Chakra, Solar Plexes Chakra, Heart Chakra, Throat Chakra, Third Eye Chakra, and Crown Chakra.
14. Knowledge, Wisdom, and Learning
As per Egyptian mythology, Seshat was the ancient goddess of wisdom, knowledge, and writing. she was also the goddess of architecture, astronomy, astrology, building, mathematics, and surveying.
The emblem of Seshat was a seven-pointed star and she was often depicted with a 7-pointed star above her head. The star is considered to represent the seven pillars of wisdom that Seshat was said to have erected and the seven heavens she was associated with. Thus the 7-pointed star also represents Knowledge, Wisdom, and Learning.
Other Meanings Associated with the 7-Pointed Star
Apart from the meanings mentioned in this article, people can wear or use the 7-pointed star symbol for various reasons. For instance, they could be part of a Shamanic, Witchcraft, or Druidic group that uses this symbol such as the Otherkin community. Furthermore, the symbol holds a sacred status among Wiccans who follow the “Faery” tradition, where it’s referred to as the Elven or Fairy Star.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the seven-pointed star is a powerful symbol rich in profound spiritual meanings and life lessons. Its many interpretations, from symbolizing transformation to promoting self-exploration and understanding our limits, provide a guide for growth and individuality. Its link to celestial bodies and alchemy reminds us of our deep connection with the universe.
