The pentacle is regarded as sacred geometry and a powerful protective symbol for thousands of years. Found within the design of Nature, from the five-petaled apple blossom to the seed configuration within the fruit itself, it carries association with witchcraft, mysticism and the Goddess. The tradition of ceremonial magic designates the points as representative of the elements: Earth, Air, Fire, Water, and Spirit at the topmost. It is the contemporary religious symbol of Wicca and Neo-paganism. The moon has long been the symbol of the goddess, and the phases represent the parts of a woman's life: the waxing moon represents the Maiden, the Full Moon the Mother, and the Waning Moon the Crone.