Symbolism is the language of the Mysteries; in fact it is the language not only of mysticism and philosophy but of all Nature, for every law and power active in universal procedure is manifested to the limited sense perceptions of man through the medium of symbol. Every form existing in the diversified sphere of being is symbolic of the divine activity by which it is produced. By symbols men have ever sought to communicate to each other those thoughts which transcend the limitations of language. Rejecting man- conceived dialects as inadequate and unworthy to perpetuate divine ideas, the Mysteries thus chose symbolism as a far more ingenious and ideal method of preserving their transcendental knowledge. In a single figure a symbol may both reveal and conceal, for to the wise the subject of the symbol is obvious, while to the ignorant the figure remains inscrutable. Hence, he who seeks to unveil the secret doctrine of antiquity must search for that doctrine not upon the open pages of books which might fall into the hands of the unworthy but in the place where it was originally concealed.
Symbols find their origin beyond the human world, in the properly supra-human, metaphysical world, within the Principle, the Unity at the source of all beings and things. Symbolism does not express, it suggests a correspondence between two worlds of distinct order: non manifested and manifested, invisible and visible, night and day, darkness and light as the lotus coming out from the depths to the surface of water.
The transmission of the meaning of symbols to a man who has not reached an understanding of them in himself is impossible. This sounds like a paradox, but the meaning of a symbol and the disclosure of its essence can only be given to, and can only be understood by one who, so to speak, already knows what is comprised in this symbol. And then a symbol becomes for him a synthesis of his knowledge and serves him for the expression and transmission of his knowledge just as it served the man who constructed it.
In symbolism, an inverted figure signifies a perverted power.
The black magician does not create, he simply inverts what is. However, he cannot use the symbols of white magic without bringing down upon himself the forces of white magic, which would be fatal to his schemes. He must therefore distort the hierograms so that they typify the occult fact that he himself is distorting the principles for which the symbols stand. Black magic is not a fundamental art; it is the misuse of an art. Therefore it has no symbols of its own. It merely takes the emblematic figures of white magic, and by inverting and reversing them signifies that it is left-handed.
A good instance of this practice is found in the pentagram, or five-pointed star, made of five connected lines. This figure is the time-honored symbol of the magical arts, and signifies the five properties of the Great Magical Agent, the five senses of man, the five elements of nature, the five extremities of the human body. By means of the pentagram within his own soul, man not only may master and govern all creatures inferior to himself, but may demand consideration at the hands of those superior to himself. The pentagram is used extensively in black magic, but when so used its form always differs in one of three ways: The star may be broken at one point by not permitting the converging lines to touch; it may be inverted by having one point down and two up; or it may be distorted by having the points of varying lengths. When used in black magic, the pentagram is called the "sign of the cloven hoof", or the footprint of the Devil. The star with two points upward is also called the "Goat of Mendes", because the inverted star is the same shape as a goat's head. When the upright star turns and the upper point falls to the bottom, it signifies the fall of the Morning Star.
The bloodlines and the secret society network have their own secret language which is hidden in plain sight. Unlike our left-brained, alphabetical languages like English, Spanish, or French, the Brotherhood language is right-brained and pictographic like Egyptian Hieroglyphs or other ancient written languages; it is composed entirely of symbols. The esoteric meanings of these symbols are taught incrementally as secret society initiates climb the ranks, all the while displaying broad, benevolent, and usually false meanings to the uninitiated.
The use of symbols to convey meaning to the initiated and to conceal it from the uninitiated is as old as civilization. A clear understanding of the symbolic way of thinking is necessary if you are to unveil and comprehend the "esoteric" (hidden or secret) meaning of the symbols of ancient and modern times.