Solomon · Six-Pointed Star · Union of Opposites · Kabbala

The Seal of Solomon

Two interlocking triangles — one pointing up, one pointing down — forming the six-pointed star. The symbol of Solomon's dominion over spirits, of the union of heaven and earth, of fire and water reconciled. One of the most universally recognised sacred symbols in the world, carrying different meanings in every tradition that has adopted it.

Also called
Star of David · Magen David
Traditions
Jewish · Islamic · Masonic · Alchemical
Points
6 outer · 6 inner · 1 centre
Kabbalistic
Heart of the Tree of Life
Section 01

The Geometry — As Above, So Below

The Seal of Solomon is formed by two equilateral triangles — one pointing upward, one pointing downward — interlocked so that each penetrates the other to its midpoint. The result is a six-pointed star with a regular hexagon at its centre, six small triangles at its points and the two large triangles visible within the whole.

The upward-pointing triangle is the alchemical symbol of fire — ascending, active, masculine, spiritual, the element that rises toward heaven. The downward-pointing triangle is the alchemical symbol of water — descending, receptive, feminine, material, the element that flows downward toward earth. Their interlocking creates the symbol of the union of opposites: fire and water reconciled, heaven and earth joined, spirit and matter interpenetrating. As above, so below — the hermetic maxim — finds its visual form in the Seal of Solomon.

The hexagon at the centre — formed by the overlapping area of the two triangles — is one of the most stable and efficient geometric forms in nature. It appears in honeycomb, in the crystalline structure of ice and carbon, in the atmospheric hexagon at Saturn's north pole. The Seal of Solomon places the most stable natural form at the heart of the union of opposites — stability as the fruit of reconciliation.

Section 02

Across Traditions

Jewish — Magen David
The Star of David (Magen David — Shield of David) became the primary symbol of Judaism relatively late — widespread use dates primarily to the 17th century in Prague and became universal only in the 19th century. Its adoption as the symbol of the Jewish people culminated in its placement on the flag of Israel in 1948. In Kabbalistic tradition, the six points correspond to the six directions of space; the central hexagon corresponds to the Tiferet — the Heart of the Tree of Life, the sphere of beauty and balance.
Islamic — Khatim Sulayman
In Islamic tradition, the Seal of Solomon (Khatim Sulayman) was the ring given to Solomon by God, engraved with the name of Allah, which gave him power over jinn, demons and animals. The ring was said to have been lost in the sea when stolen by a demon who impersonated Solomon for a period — recovering it restored Solomon's kingdom. The six-pointed star appears throughout Islamic architecture and decorative art as a symbol of divine sovereignty.
Masonic
In Freemasonry, the interlocking triangles appear as the Star of David in lodge decoration and as a symbol within the Royal Arch and Scottish Rite degrees. The two triangles represent the union of the individual soul with the divine — the human triangle ascending to meet the divine triangle descending. The six points are associated with the six days of creation; the central point with the divine rest of the seventh day.
Alchemical
In alchemy, the two triangles are explicitly fire (upward) and water (downward) — their union representing the reconciliation of opposites that the Great Work seeks to achieve. The Seal of Solomon as the union of elemental opposites is the same operation as the philosopher's stone: the substance that reconciles what ordinary nature keeps separate, transforming base metal to gold by uniting what the fall of matter divided.

The Goetia connection: The Key of Solomon — the most influential grimoire in the Western magical tradition — uses the Seal of Solomon as the primary protective symbol for the magician who summons spirits. The seal is drawn on the floor, worn as a medallion and inscribed on the tools of conjuration. Its power is the power of the union of opposites: the magician who stands at the centre of the six-pointed star stands at the point where heaven and earth meet, and from that point commands both.

Section 03

In Plain Sight

The Seal of Solomon appears on the flag of Israel, in the decoration of mosques and synagogues worldwide, in Masonic lodge rooms, on Hindu yantras (where the interlocking triangles represent Shiva and Shakti — identical to the alchemical fire and water reading), in Buddhist mandalas, on the US dollar bill's reverse (as part of the arrangement of stars above the eagle), and in the architectural decoration of buildings across the religious and secular world. It is one of the most universally distributed sacred symbols in human culture — adopted independently or through transmission in virtually every major tradition.

← Previous
The Rose Cross