Pent Tag!

[Gede]

MM~
Don't you love when you attract the "good" type of attention when wearing your Pentagram? Last night my boyfriend and I went to Video Ezy to (shock horror!) rent videos and I was lingering around the counter just looking at things when one of the guys working there said loudly "Pentagram hey" and I just nodded, smiled and wandered off. After we had paid for our videos and we were about to leave he stopped us and said "Now I have to ask but do you know what that (glancing at my Pent) means?" My boyfriend looked at the ground and smiled and I replied earnestly, "The five Elements" to which he then asked "Do you know what it is used for, and I answered "It can be used to signify a Witch's faith". He then smiled at me knowingly and asked straight out, "Are you Witches then?" My boyfriend who had to keep from laughing just stood there and I smiled and said "Yes, I am". He then went on to ask "So honestly, no joke, what can you guys do?" And because he was being very nice about it and seemed to really be enjoying the conversation I talked a little about energy manipulation and drawing strength and power from the Earth and Nature etc. and he nodded and seemed to know what I was going on about. He then told me that he believed in it all and not to worry about being too straight-forward with him because that was the case. And of course right before he left he asked, "What's the fifth Element?" to which I swiftly responded "Spirit". He then told me he was just testing me, gave me a cheeky grin and we were off...So I had an all-round interesting night doubled with several other little occurrences ;) Was he a Witch...I don't know...but I have a feeling he is very curious. I think I might have to go back to the store and speak with him again! Does anyone else have any experiences like mine they would like to share?

Namaste, Gede...

[Toby Stimpson]

LOL...wow, that must have been a strange encounter for you...I was laughing just reading it. I love when ppl know what paganism is, or even know how to identify symbols and what not, good chance to make new friends :). Good story!! Namaste

Tobias

[Raidenmaru]

I also mention that the pentacle, including specifically the cross in the pentacle, was considered a symbol of healing knowledge. The points are the elements, and the center can be thought of as where you are. Aristotle's followers wore it as well.

It's sorta hard to find the history of it :S

[SacredWithin]

Wow, that's cool. Like attracts like. :)

[Raidenmaru]

Well, exactly. It's sort of an esoteric in-thing, if you must. But as I found out in AAAS conference, it's only because you don't know The Secret Handshake:

"Oh, a pin, so we can get recognized by other, right?"
--->"You're saying it's a nerdy pin? No! It's..."
"I mean, it's an in thing, like a secret handshake. Like spot the endocrinologist right in your supermarket"
--->"That's because we haven't taught you the secret handshake yet, I see"

You will find our our handshake soon enough, tovarisch.

[Windsmith]

That's fascinating, Gede. Sorta reminds me of the early days of Pagan persecution; there's a story (could be apocryphal, but I like it anyway) that when 2 people met who each suspected the other might be Pagan, one would casually draw an X with a line connecting the top 2 points in the dirt. If the other was a Pagan, they would draw an inverted V connecting the bottom 2 points, which created a pentagram. Then they'd know it was safe to discuss their faith. Like I said, it could be totally apochryphal, but I've always loved it.

The closest I ever came to an experience like that was the day I was wearing both my pentacle and a t-shirt with the name of my alma mater written in Hebrew. One of my coworkers (who didn't know I was a witch) looked at that odd combo for a minute & then said, "Well, that's quite a statement you're making there." It was quite an entertaining moment.

[Pure Ahimsa]

I met a few people which I became really good friends with through my penti. Some witches, some people just interested and started up a conversation.

[XxAuroraxX]

wow, interesting. you will have to go back to the store to talk to him again.
i was wearing my pentacle one day around town because it was a sabbat (can't remember which one now because it was so long ago) and i went into the bank to get soem money out, i had seen a lovely top and i just had to have it, you know how it is! and the woman who was serving me looked straight at my pentacle then at my face. i know what she was thinking, i knew she thought i was a satan-worshipper. she kept asking me questions, personal details like post code address, date of birth etc. she wouldn't accept my signature. she kept looking at me so weirdly. she wouldn't let my draw my money out of the bank. i had never had that kind of trouble before, with or without my pentacle. i haven't been in the bank again, afraid that she is there. i know it's stupid.

P.S I did get the top, lol

[Pentangling_57]

Hehe. Great stories, all of you. Perhaps I should get a pent necklace. Just for the stories. ;) Or, if you sometimes don't feel like explaining it to people, you could tell them that it's a portable conversation piece.

[Rhaevyn]

I've had a lot of good responses to my pentacle. My favorite was at the Ob-gyn after my annual about two years ago. I was going to check out when two nurses saw my pentacle. One asked if I had a relative who was a police officer because it looked like the sheriff's star. She said she thought maybe said relative died and I wore it as a way to remember that person. I told them that I was Wiccan. They asked what that was. I said it's a Neo-Pagan religion. They asked what I believed. Ah, what a perfect opportunity!

I said something along the lines of, "We believe in and honor the cycles of life and nature. I believe in both a Goddess and a God because, as you know from working here, it takes the two for the creation of new human life. (To this, they nodded knowingly!) Our main tenet is to do no intentional harm, and we respect the rights and beliefs of others." A few other quick summary phrases, and they looked really happy to learn something new! I felt absolutely no hostility or persecution from them!

[kismet]

When I was in college, I wanted to put a pentacle on my hematite rosary. (I had purchased the rosary merely because I thougt it pretty. I was raised Lutheran.) It was one of my more confrontational ideas. I'm glad I never did it, because it was intended to aggravate people.

I would like to buy a pentacle one day. I worry that people will automatically assume I'm wiccan, which I am not. Right now I wear a version of a celtic knot, along with an Om that hubby just got me for Yule.

[Ron]

LOL...wow, that must have been a strange encounter for you...I was laughing just reading it. I love when ppl know what paganism is, or even know how to identify symbols and what not, good chance to make new friends :). Good story!! Namaste

Tobias
I'm going to have to agree with old Toby. I was gunna write something similar, but I'll just ditto him.

:D

[Jolixte]

I've worn several celtic knots including one that has a pentacle in it, and my guidance counselor asked me one day if I was a Druid. I'm not, but it still suprised me that he knew what that was. :D

[Rhianna813]

Fun interaction....maybe you made a new friend? This does remind me of the time I was in a tattoo parlor and making an appointment. I pulled out my Witches' Datebook to schedule. Keep in mind I am in my 30's and have that office-girl-next-door look. The receptionist dude said something like "hmmm a witch's datebook. So are you a witch?" and I said "Yup." and smiled. He said " Are you a good witch?" and obviously meant good vs evil but I chose to take it like skilled vs unskilled (like are you a good soccer player?) and I replied "Yes I'd like to think I am... I've been practicing for long enough!" hehehe we all laughed.

Of course there's another story that was not so friendly. I have a leafy pentagram tattooed over my heart. I had just gotten it done in fact and was in a grocery store (in a very liberal hip part of town in Portland OR). The guy in front of me started to walk away but started pointing at me and very angrily saying "does your bubby know about that?" and other stuff I really didn't understand. Everyone was looking at me and and him. It was confusing and embarassing. I finally deducted that.....

Bubby is like the Yiddish or Jewish word for Grandma (I think) and he mistook my pentagram for a star of David. I understand that many jews (especially older ones) are against tattooes because of the Holocaust. I think that is why this guy freaked out on me. Very odd encounter!

Rhianna

[Windsmith]

" Are you a good witch?" and obviously meant good vs evil but I chose to take it like skilled vs unskilled (like are you a good soccer player?) and I replied "Yes I'd like to think I am... I've been practicing for long enough!" hehehe we all laughed.
Hah. Excellent answer.


Of course there's another story that was not so friendly. I have a leafy pentagram tattooed over my heart. I had just gotten it done in fact and was in a grocery store (in a very liberal hip part of town in Portland OR). The guy in front of me started to walk away but started pointing at me and very angrily saying "does your bubby know about that?" and other stuff I really didn't understand. Everyone was looking at me and and him. It was confusing and embarassing. I finally deducted that.....

Bubby is like the Yiddish or Jewish word for Grandma (I think) and he mistook my pentagram for a star of David. I understand that many jews (especially older ones) are against tattooes because of the Holocaust. I think that is why this guy freaked out on me. Very odd encounter!
Yup, "Bubby" is Yiddish for grandma. And, for whatever it's worth, although the Holocaust has cemented Jewish disapproval of tattoos, the main reason most Jews are against tattoos is even more fundamental - there is an injunction in Torah against them: "You shall not make gashes in your flesh for the dead, or incise any marks on yourselves: I am the Lord." So strangely worded. But pretty much every verse in Leviticus ends with "I am the Lord." Like he was afraid the Israelites were going to forget who was making all these rules... :geez: I sometimes think that YHVH is a very insecure deity....

[blueangel]

All these stories have really inspired me to get a pentagram. I've always kept very low-key about my beliefs outside my home. (Actually outside my room since my parents don't know.) But I was thinking how many people you see with a cross to symbolise the fact that they are Christian, so why shouldn't I wear a pentagram?

Now I've heard some more positive stories I feel happier about getting and wearing one. Thanks!