Recognizing The Occult---Part 3

 

This is the third of some posts I will publish on occult symbolism. I've written much on occult practices and how it influences things like music and movies, but not so much on occult symbols. Sometimes my friends will ask, "I want to buy [certain item they show me] but a writing or a picture on it looks strange. Is it occult?" Good question. Sometimes someone will know something is occult, but they don't know exactly why it's bad, other than the general condemnation of the occult by the Church and found in the Bible. 

This post will continue to expose occult symbolism. While many things today are occult, not every symbol or writing we don't understand is automatically "occult." We must learn to discern. You may be better equipped to help a family member or friend who has some occult symbol in his/her possession and may not realize it, thinking it harmless. My first post in this series was published on 4/27/26.  It is well worth reading first if you have not already done so--it gives some background on symbolism which I will not repeat here. 

I claim no credit for any of the material in this post. All I did was compile the research on the occult into a terse and reader-friendly installment on this blog. The material comes from many online and print resources.  I hope you find it useful. Please comment and let me know if you got something out of it.

God bless you all, my dear readers---Introibo

"Protective" Charms and Amulets

These charms locate protection in objects rather than God's care. Unlike blessed sacramentals (e.g., scapulars, Miraculous Medal, etc.) which derive their efficacy from God through the blessing of the Church, these objects are considered powerful per se.

Hamsa

Meaning: A hand raised to stop the darkness. This open-palm symbol is a gesture of forbidding—a spiritual “Stop” sign against the invisible threat of the “Evil Eye.” It appeals to the deep human fear of envy, offering a tangible shield to clutch when the world feels predatory. It promises that a metal charm can do what prayer supposedly cannot: physically block a curse.

Origin: Very ancient, originating in the Mediterranean and North African regions. Later named for Fatima (daughter of the false prophet Mohammed) or Miriam (sister of Moses), the symbol is prominent throughout the Middle East and holds significance for both Moslems and Jews.

Uses Today: Worn as jewelry, hung in homes, shops, hotels, and taxis. Also adopted by peace activists as a social identifier emphasizing common beliefs between different religions.

Why it should not be used: The Hamsa promises visible, tangible protection from unseen threats, appealing to those who want something to hold onto when fear grips them. It claims to be "powerful" of itself and is seeped in occult ideas of "protection" apart from God, Who alone can offer true protection. 

The Evil Eye

Meaning: A mirror for malice. This unblinking blue eye is designed to stare down the curse of envy. It operates on the principle of “like cures like”—fighting the hostile gaze of a stranger with a permanent, watchful eye of glass. It is a talisman of paranoia, worn by those who feel constantly watched and want a "spiritual bodyguard" they can wear on a bracelet.

Origin: Rooted in antiquity, with references in Babylonian texts dating back approximately 3,000 years before Christ. The modern Evil Eye (aka "Nazar amulet") originated in Turkey and fits within a broader ancient Mediterranean and Middle Eastern tradition.

Uses Today: Commonly found in tourist shops as keychains, bracelets, baby accessories, and fashion motifs. Traditionally hung in windows or doorways to ward off undesirable influences.

Why it should not be used: The Evil Eye charm appeals to those anxious about unseen threats and malicious gazes, promising visible protection from its own occult power against invisible forces. It is pagan in origin and used by occultists.  

Crystals and Gemstones

Meaning: "Spiritual energy" on demand. This worldview treats the spiritual realm like a vending machine where specific stones store and emit energies for various purposes. Need sobriety? Buy Amethyst. Need vision? Buy Lapis Lazuli. It promises that we can “program” creation to serve our will, using the right rock to dispense the right vibe whenever we want it.

Origin: Ancient reverence for minerals as eternal and incorruptible. The Hebrew High Priest’s breastplate featured twelve stones which God ordained to represent the twelve tribes of Israel (Exodus 28). However, later historians like Josephus linked these stones to the Zodiac and months, a connection that mystics and Rosicrucians later seized upon to build their esoteric and evil systems.

Uses Today: Used in modern Wicca (witchcraft) for charging, grids, chakra alignment, ritual baths, pagan altars, and cleansing rites. Crystal balls serve as divination tools for "clairvoyants." Worn as talismans and identity badges signaling New Age/occult affiliation. There can be legitimate uses, e.g., a geologist or someone interested in geology who likes to study them or keep a collection for esthetic purposes totally divorced from anything occult. 

Why it should not be used: Crystals appeal to those wanting programmable spiritual power; stones you can charge, cleanse, and control for healing and "energy." Unless used for a specific non-occult purpose, you are giving witness and credence to the belief in "vital energy," and a heretical pantheistic worldview that almost all in the occult have adopted.

Esoteric Transformation and Nature Symbols

These symbols promise transformation through natural cycles or self-realization, independent of, and in opposition to the One True God of Catholicism. 

The Ouroboros

Meaning: The devouring circle. A snake eating its own tail is the perfect image of a closed system. It represents a universe with no Creator and no Savior; only endless recycling of the same matter and energy. It is self-cannibalism masquerading as eternal life, symbolizing the “unity of opposites” where

destruction feeds creation.

Origin: Its earliest known appearances are from 14th-century BC Egyptian tombs; it was later adopted by Greek philosophers and became a prominent symbol in Gnosticism, where it represented eternity and the soul of the world, and in alchemy, where it symbolized the unity of opposites and the closed, self-

sustaining, cyclical process of destruction and re-creation necessary for transformation.

Uses Today: Common in esoteric art, tattoos, and alchemical imagery, it represents beliefs in reincarnation, pantheism, and endless renewal without divine intervention.

Why it should not be used: The Ouroboros denies a Creator, Savior, and a final purpose, trapping existence in endless self-renewal. It is Gnostic/pagan in origin, and displays belief in the false, pagan, and heretical idea of reincarnation. 

The Infinity Symbol (Lemniscate)

Meaning: The soul unbound. In the occult, this isn’t just math; it is a claim to the divine attribute of limitlessness. It asserts that the human soul is eternal, uncreated, and sovereign—a fluid figure-eight representing a closed loop of “perfection” where all opposites (male/female, dark/light) are balanced within the self. It is the visual equivalent of the serpent’s lie: “You will not surely die.”

Origin: Introduced as a mathematical device in 1655 by John Wallis, though later esoteric groups adopted it to represent the “hermetic seal” of the universe. It appears in the Tarot (above the Magician’s head) to symbolize infinite potential and the power of the human will to unite heaven and earth.

Uses Today: Popular in jewelry and tattoos as an esoteric identity marker signifying limitlessness or continuity. Appears in occult systems like the Tarot Cards and forms the base of the Leviathan Cross (the evil "Crux Satana").

Why it should not be used: The infinity symbol in occult contexts declares, “I am infinite, limitless, self-existing”—the soul as eternal and divine in itself. It is a blasphemy against Almighty God. 

Conclusion

As I wrote in my first two posts on this topic:

Symbols have deep meaning and are important. They link things tangible to realities that are intangible. We can't see love, but when a man brings red roses to his wife, love is symbolized. The ultimate symbol of love is the crucifix, God died so we may live forever. Those are wonderful symbols. However, when the symbol is linked to intangible evils by symbolizing heresies, immoralities and calling upon (evil) spirits for "protection" they become an invitation (wittingly or not) for evil to enter your life. Invite evil in and it will take you up on your request.