Hawk’s Cry

Path of Spiritual Progression

Many interpretations of the pentacle are used by different people. The points can represent the five elements, wind, fire, water, earth and spirit. It can represent the Goddess with her arms and legs outstretched. It is also the head of the Horned God.

It also shows the steps of spiritual progression. Those steps are Will, Hope, Faith, Peace and Love. It is the process that souls go through in their path of enlightenment and reunion with the divine.

Will

First, there is will, as expressed in Logos (Word). This is the essential first step that begins everything. It is will that determines what will come next because it sets the direction. Small children begin life with will. They know what they want and they announce their desires at the top of their lungs. To make any change or progression in life (spiritual or otherwise), one must know their will.

If one is unhappy with their job, they may develop the will to change to a different career. They need to decide what job would make them happy and see it in detail in their mind.

Hope

After will is developed, hope must follow. The person must have hope that they can express and complete their will, that their will can be accomplished. If there is no hope, their will is nothing but an idle daydream. If someone has big dreams, yet seems unable to make solid steps toward accomplishing them, it can be due to a lack of hope. It is hope that provides the spark to launch dreams into action. If one wishes to change careers, they must not just see the new career in their mind, but they must believe that it can be accomplished. They must have hope that they can do the work required for the transition and that they can be good and happy in the new career.

Faith

Hope is the spark, but a spark is not enough to accomplish one’s will on its own. It must have a stream of power to endure for the length of the journey. The spark of hope must grow to a blaze and be sustained, which is done by faith. One must have faith that their will is going to be achieved. Otherwise, it is a lost cause.

A person who wishes and hopes to change careers may have conviction that it will happen, but they don’t take the concrete steps needed to accomplish their dream. Maybe they don’t sign up for the classes needed to make the transition. It is because they subconsciously believe that they will fail, and that failure is not worth the attempt. Failure can result in embarrassment and financial hardship. It can result in the loss of self-image. They need the faith that they can achieve their dream to fuel them through the dark days when everyone says it is impossible.

Peace

Once sufficient faith has been built up for the journey, it is time for peace. Peace allows one to know in their core that their will is going to be achieved. It is an inner knowing or confidence that though the path is hard, it will be completed.

The person changing their career knows in their heart that when they complete the training and quit their old job, the transition will be complete. At this point, they have hope that their new career will be achievable and will fulfill their dreams. Their faith in themselves is providing a constant source of energy and drive. Their inner peace allows them to focus on starting the concrete steps needed without the distractions of worry and fear of failure.

If the person lacks the peace necessary for the process, then impatience sets in. They don’t see the changes as fast as they want. As a result, they can lose the faith and even the hope they previously had. It is a very delicate time because if peace is not attained, the initial goal (will) can turn into a regret.

Love

Will, hope, faith and peace are elements that set the stage for the transition. They influence the higher planes (or sephiroth) and slowly bring the manifestation of the will downward. Love is the creative force that brings the will to the lowest planes of manifestation, the physical.

The person is signed up for the classes necessary to learn their new career and has planned out the path of their transition. They are practicing their new skills with enthusiasm and passion. The love they are using maintains and strengthens their will, hope, faith and peace. It is a constant drive that pushes them through the long and tedious path of studying and practice.

If the love falters, it can twist into bitterness and resentment. The person can feel betrayed by themselves, others, the Gods or the universe. In this case, there is a strong chance their peace previously attained will be shattered with fear and doubt.

If love does not falter, it will cause the will to manifest on the physical plane and the goal will have been accomplished.

Will

The Path of Spiritual Progression is not a linear path. Once the will has been accomplished, the person’s eyes are opened to the larger possibilities available. New goals will form in the person’s mind. They may see that changing careers was in itself a small step on a larger path. Their will expands to a new and higher level. As a result, the cycle repeats itself.

The Pentacle

I see these five steps represented in the pentacle. The top point is will, the next point (in a deosil direction) is hope, then faith, peace, love and back to will. The points are combined in a circle to show that they are in a series. They progress from one to another; they are unified; they repeat, as in a spiral.

The star represents one’s spiritual self working through each step, rising higher each time. They are touching the circle at each point because they are unified with the path. It is also a reminder that all components of the Progression must be built and maintained throughout the journey, as they all build on each other. One is never completely done with a step, since all future steps along the Great Work rest upon the foundation of the previous steps.

The star’s arms and legs are outstretched as one expands their understanding and unity with the universe. As they grow along the path, they become a shining star, showing others the way as they have walked.

And the journey is repeated in themselves and the people whose lives they touched.