Axioms: XIII. Law of Personification

“The Magician’s Companion: A Practical & Encyclopedic Guide to Magical & Religious
Symbolism”
Bill Whitcomb, 1997
Llyewellyn Publications

XIII. Law of Personification


           Any concept, force, object, or phenomena may be considered to be alive, to have a personality, to be an entity.


Corollary of Personification
(Law of Invocation and Evocation)

          Any concept, forces, or objects which manifest as entities can and should be treated 

as real beings. These beings (patterns) can also be viewed as objectified aspects 

of ourselves, but it is useless (perhaps even dangerous) to take this attitude while 

actually dealing with them. Do not be fooled just because something is only the 

personification of a pattern of energies. You can be described this way, too.

          This is something I have always found most interesting. The idea behind this is that things we power energy into become more and more complex as we do so. At a certain point they become living entities, not flesh and blood but they develop an intelligence which affords them the status of a living entity in a magical sense. This is something that can be seen in symbols such as the Christian Crucifix, the Wiccan Pentacle, the Druid Awen, etc. All these items have so much power poured into them by their believers that they become complex intelligent entities.

          The Law of Personification can be seen more clearly in the study of Runes. Anyone who is truly into the study of the Runes will tell you they are living entities. They are intelligent in a way that gives them much of their power. They are revered and respected by the people who work with them.

          So when you are working with symbols, concepts or objects show them respect because all of your effort and energy may very well have done their work in creating a magical entity.