Who is Baphomet?
Baphomet is an enigmatic, goat-headed figure found in several instance in the history of occultism. From the Knights Templar of the Middle-Ages and the Freemasons of the 19th century to modern currents of occultism, Baphomet never fails to create controversy. But where does Baphomet originate from and, most importantly, what is the true meaning of this symbolic figure? This article looks at the origins of Baphomet, the esoteric meaning of Baphomet and its occurrence in popular culture.
Throughout the history of Western occultism, the name of the mysterious Baphomet is often invoked. Although it became commonly know name in the twentieth century, mentions of Baphomet can be found in documents dating from as early as the 11th century. Today, the symbol is associated with anything relating to occultism, ritual magic, witchcraft, Satanism and esoterica. Baphomet often pops up in popular culture to identify anything occult.
The most famous depiction of Baphomet is found in Eliphas Levi’s “Dogme et Rituel de la Haute Magie“, a 1897 book that became a standard reference for modern occultism. What does this creature represent? What is the meaning of the symbols around it? Why is it so important in occultism? To answer some of these questions, we must first look at its origins. We’ll first look at the history of Baphomet and several examples of references to Baphomet in popular culture.
Origins of the Name
There are several theories concerning the origins of the name of Baphomet. The most common explanation claims that it is an Old French corruption of the name of Mohammed (which was Latin-ized to “Mahomet”) – the Prophet of Islam. During the Crusades, the Knights Templar stayed for during extended periods of time in Middle-Eastern countries where they became acquainted with the teachings of Arabian mysticism. This contact with Eastern civilizations allowed them to bring back to Europe the basics of what would become western occultism, including Gnosticism, alchemy, Kabbalah and Hermetism. The Templars’ affinity with the Muslims led the Church to accuse them of the worship of an idol named Baphomet, so there are some plausible links between Baphomet and Mahomet. However, there are other theories concerning the origins of the name.
Eliphas Levi, the French occultist who drew the famous depiction of Baphomet argued that the name had been derived from Kabbalistic coding:
“The name of the Templar Baphomet, which should be spelt kabalistically backwards, is composed of three abbreviations: Tem. ohp. AB., Templi omnium hominum pacts abbas, “the father of the temple of peace of all men”. 1
Arkon Daraul, an author and teacher of Sufi tradition and magic argued that Baphomet came from the Arabic word Abu fihama(t), meaning “The Father of Understanding”. 2
Dr. Hugh Schonfield, whose work on the Dead Sea Scrolls is well-known, developed one of the more interesting theories. Schonfield, who had studied a Jewish cipher called the Atbash cipher, which was used in translating some of the Dead Sea Scrolls, claimed that when one applied the cipher to the word Baphomet, it transposed into the Greek word “Sophia”, which means ” knowledge” and is also synonymous with “goddess”.
Possible Origins of the Figure
The modern depiction of Baphomet appears to take its roots from several ancient sources, but primarily from pagan gods. Baphomet bears resemblances to gods all over the globe, including Egypt, Northern Europe and India. In fact, the mythologies of a great number of ancient civilizations include some kind of horned deity. In Jungian theory, Baphomet is a continuation of the horned-god archetype, as the concept of a deity bearing horns is universally present in individual psyches. Do Cernunnos, Pan, Hathor, the Devil (as depicted by Christianity) and Baphomet have a common origin? Some of their attributes are strikingly similar.
The ancient Celtic god Cernunnos is traditionally depicted with antler horns on his head, sitting in “lotus position”, similar to Levi’s depiction of Baphomet. Although the history of Cernunnos is shrouded in mystery, he is usually said to be the god of fertility and nature.
In Britain, an aspect Cerennunos was named Herne. The horned god has the Satyr-like features of Baphomet along with its emphasis on the phallus.
Pan was a prominent deity in Greece. The nature god was often depicted with horns on its head and the lower body of a goat. Not unlike Cerenunnos, Pan is a phallic deity. Its animalistic features are an embodiment of the carnal and procreative impulses of men.
Pope Sylvester II and the Devil (1460). In Christianity, the devil has similar features to the pagan gods described above as they are the main inspiration for these depictions. The attributes embodied by these gods became the representation of what is considered evil by the Church.
The Devil Card from the Tarot of Marseilles (15th century). This card’s depiction of the devil, with its wings, horns, breasts and hand sign is undoubtedly a major influence in Levi’s depiction of Baphomet.
Robin Good-Fellow (or Puck) is a mythological fairy said to be a personification of land spirits. Bearing several attributes of Baphomet and other deities, he is here shown on the cover of a 1629 book surrounded by witches.
Goya’s 1821 painting “Great He-Goat” or “Witches Sabbath”. The painting depicts a coven of witches gathered around Satan, portrayed as a half-man, half-goat figure.
A Baphomet-like figure on the Notre-Dame-de-Paris Cathedral, which was originally built by the Knights Templar.
Eliphas Levi’s Baphomet
This depiction of Baphomet by Eliphas Levi’s from his book Dogmes et Rituels de la Haute Magie (Dogmas and Rituals of High Magic) became the “official” visual representation of Baphomet.
In 1861, the French occultist Eliphas Levi included in his book Dogmes et Rituels de la Haute Magie (Dogmas and Rituals of High Magic) a drawing that would become the most famous depiction of Baphomet: a winged humanoid goat with a pair of breasts and a torch on its head between its horns. The figure bears numerous similarities to the deities described above. It also includes several other esoteric symbols relating to the esoteric concepts embodied by the Baphomet. In the preface of his book, Levi stated:
“The goat on the frontispiece carries the sign of the pentagram on the forehead, with one point at the top, a symbol of light, his two hands forming the sign of Hermeticism, the one pointing up to the white moon of Chesed, the other pointing down to the black one of Geburah. This sign expresses the perfect harmony of mercy with justice. His one arm is female, the other male like the ones of the androgyn of Khunrath, the attributes of which we had to unite with those of our goat because he is one and the same symbol. The flame of intelligence shining between his horns is the magic light of the universal balance, the image of the soul elevated above matter, as the flame, whilst being tied to matter, shines above it. The ugly beast’s head expresses the horror of the sinner, whose materially acting, solely responsible part has to bear the punishment exclusively; because the soul is insensitive according to its nature and can only suffer when it materializes. The rod standing instead of genitals symbolizes eternal life, the body covered with scales the water, the semi-circle above it the atmosphere, the feathers following above the volatile. Humanity is represented by the two breasts and the androgyn arms of this sphinx of the occult sciences.” 3
In Levi’s depiction, Baphomet embodies the culmination of the alchemical process – the union of opposing forces to create Astral Light – the basis of magic and, ultimately, enlightenment.
A close look at the details of the image reveals that each symbol is inevitably balanced with its opposite. Baphomet himself is an androgynous character as it is bearing the characteristics of both sexes: female breasts and a rod representing the erect phallus. The concept of androgeniety is of a great importance in occult philosophy as it is representative the highest level of initiation in the quest of becoming “one with God”.
Baphomet’s phallus is actually Hermes’ Caduceus – a rod intertwined with two serpents. This ancient symbol is has been representing Hermetism for centuries. The Caduceus esoterically represents the activation of chakras, from the base of the spine to the pineal gland, using serpentine power (hence, the serpents) or Astral Light.
The Caduceus as symbol of chakra activation.
The Science is a real one only for those who admit and understand the philosophy and the religion; and its process will succeed only for the Adept who has attained the sovereignty of will, and so become the King of the elementary world: for the grand agent of the operation of the Sun, is that force described in the Symbol of Hermes, of the table of emerald; it is the universal magical power; the spiritual, fiery, motive power; it is the Od, according to the Hebrews, and the Astral light, according to others.
Therein is the secret fire, living and philosophical, of which all the Hermetic philosophers speak with the most mysterious reserve: the Universal Seed, the secret whereof they kept, and which they represented only under the figure of the Caduceus of Hermes. 4
Baphomet is therefore symbolic of the alchemical Great Work where separate and opposing forces are united in perfect equilibrium to generate Astral Light. This alchemical process is represented on Levi’s image by the terms Solve and Coagula on Baphomet’s arms. While they accomplish opposite results, Solving (turning solid into liquid) and Coagulation (turning liquid into solid) are two necessary steps of the alchemical process – which aims to turn stone into gold or, in esoteric terms, a profane man into an illuminated man. The two steps are on arms pointing in opposite directions, further emphasizing their opposite nature.
Baphomet’s hands form the “sign of Hermetism” – which is a visual representation of the Hermetic axiom “As Above, So Below”. This dictum sums up the whole of the teachings and the aims of Hermetism, where the microcosm (man) is as the macrocosm (the universe). Therefore, understanding one equals understanding the other. This Law of Correspondence originates from the Emerald Tablets of Hermes Trismegistus where it was stated:
“That which is Below corresponds to that which is Above, and that which is Above, corresponds to that which is Below, to accomplish the miracles of the One Thing”. 5
The mastery of this life force, the Astral Life, is what is called by modern occultists “magick”.
The Magician tarot card displaying the Hermetic axiom “As Above, So Below”
“The practice of magic – either white or black – depends upon the ability of the adept to control the universal life force – that which Eliphas Levi calls the great magical agent or the astral light. By the manipulation of this fluidic essence the phenomena of transcendentalism are produced. The famous hermaphroditic Goat of Mendes was a composite creature formulated to symbolize this astral light. It is identical with Baphomet the mystic pantheos of those disciples of ceremonial magic, the Templars, who probably obtained it from the Arabians.” 6.
Each of Baphomet’s hands point towards opposing moons, which Levi calls the Chesed and the Geburah – two opposing concepts taken from the Jewish Kabbalah. In the Kabalistic Tree of Life, the Sefirot, Chesed is associated with “kindness given to others” while Geburah refers to the “restraint of one’s urge to bestow goodness upon others, when the recipient of that good is judged to be unworthy and liable to misuse it”. These two concepts are opposed and, as everything else in life, an equilibrium must be found between the two.
The most recognizable feature of Baphomet is, of course, its goat head. This monstrous head represents man’s animal and sinful nature, its egoistic tendencies and its basest instincts. Opposed to man’s spiritual nature (symbolized by the “divine light” on its head), this animal side is regardless viewed as a necessary part of man’s dualistic nature, where the animal and the spiritual must unite in harmony. It can also be argued that Baphomet’s grotesque overall appearance might serve to ward off and repel the profane who are uninitiated to the esoteric meaning of the symbol.
In Secret Societies
Although Levi’s 1861 depiction of Baphomet is the most famous one, the name of this idol has been circulating for over a thousand years, through secret societies and occult circles. The first recorded mention of Baphomet as a part of an occult ritual appeared during the era of the Knights Templar.
The Knights Templar
Baphomet presiding over a Templar ritual by Leo Taxil.
It is widely accepted by occult researchers that the figure of Baphomet was of a great importance in the rituals of the Knights Templar. The first occurrence of the name Baphomet appeared in a 1098 letter by crusader Anselm of Ribemont stating:
“As the next day dawned they called loudly upon Baphometh while we prayed silently in our hearts to God; then we attacked and forced all of them outside the city walls.” 7
During the Templar trials of 1307, where Knight Templars were tortured and interrogated by request of King Philip IV of France, the name of Baphomet was mentioned several times. While some Templars denied the existence of Baphomet, others described it as being either a severed head, a cat, or a head with three faces.
While books aimed for mass consumption often deny any link between the Knights Templar and Baphomet, claiming it to be an invention of the Church to demonize them, almost all reputed authors on occultism (who wrote books intended for initiates) acknowledge that the link. In fact, the idol is often referred to as “the Baphomet of the Templars”.
“Did the Templars really adore Baphomet? Did they offer a shameful salutation to the buttocks of the goat of Mendes? What was actually this secret and potent association which imperilled Church and State, and was thus destroyed unheard? Judge nothing lightly; they are guilty of a great crime; they have exposed to profane eyes the sanctuary of antique initiation. They have gathered again and have shared the fruits of the tree of knowledge, so that they might become masters of the world. The judgement pronounced against them is higher and far older than the tribunal of pope or king: “On the day that thou eatest thereof, thou shalt surely die,” said God Himself, as we read in the Book of Genesis.
(…)
Yes, in our profound conviction, the Grand Masters of the Order of the Templars worshipped the Baphomet, and caused it to be worshipped by their initiates; yes, there existed in the past, and there may be still in the present, assemblies which are presided over by this figure, seated on a throne and having a flaming torch between the horns. But the adorers of this sign do not consider, as do we, that it is a representation of the devil: on the contrary, for them it is that of the god Pan, the god of our modern schools of philosophy, the god of the Alexandrian theurgic school and of our own mystical Neo-platonists, the god of Lamartine and Victor Cousin, the god of Spinoza and Plato, the god of the primitive Gnostic schools; the Christ also of the dissident priesthood. This last qualification, ascribed to the goat of Black Magic, will not astonish students of religious antiquities who are acquainted with the phases of symbolism and doctrine in their various transformations, whether in India, Egypt or Judea.” 8
Freemasonry
Shortly after the release of Levi’s illustration, the french writer and journalist Léo Taxil released a series of pamphlets and books denouncing Freemasonry, charging lodges with worshipping the devil. At the center of his accusations was Baphomet, which was described as the Mason’s object of worship.
“Les mystères de la franc-maçonnerie” (Mysteries of Freemasonry) accused Freemasons of satanism and worshipping Baphomet. Taxil’s works raised the ire of Catholics.
The Book cover of “Les mystères de la franc-maçonnerie” depicting a Masonic ritual presided by Baphomet, who is literally being worshipped.
Anti-Masonic image by publicist Abel Clarin de la Rive, 1894.
In 1897, after causing quite a stir due to his revelations on French Freemasonry, Léo Taxil called a press conference where he announced that many of his revelations were fabrications 9. Since then, this series of events has been dubbed the “Léo Taxil Hoax”. However, some would argue the probability that Taxil’s confession may have been coerced in order to quell the controversy involving Freemasonry.
Whatever the case may be, the most likely connection between Freemasonry and Baphomet is through symbolism, where the idol becomes an allegory for profound esoteric concepts. The Masonic author Albert Pike argues that, in Freemasonry, Baphomet is not an object of worship, but a symbol, the true meaning of which is only revealed to high-level initiates.
“It is absurd to suppose that men of intellect adored a monstrous idol called Baphomet, or recognized Mahomet as an inspired prophet. Their symbolism, invented ages before, to conceal what it was dangerous to avow, was of course misunderstood by those who were not adepts, and to their enemies seemed to be pantheistic. The calf of gold, made by Aaron for the Israelites, was but one of the oxen under the layer of bronze, and the Karobim on the Propitiatory, misunderstood. The symbols of the wise always become the idols of the ignorant multitude. What the Chiefs of the Order really believed and taught, is indicated to the Adepts by the hints contained in the high Degrees of Free-Masonry, and by the symbols which only the Adepts understand.” 10
Aleister Crowley
The British occultist Aleister Crowley was born about six months after the death of Eliphas Levi, causing him to believe that he was Levi’s reincarnation. Partly for this reason, Crowley was known within the O.T.O., the secret society he popularized, as “Baphomet”.
A signed picture of Crowley as Baphomet.
Here’s Crowley’s explanation of the etymology of the name Baphomet, taken from his 1929 book The Confessions of Aleister Crowley:
“I had taken the name Baphomet as my motto in the O.T.O. For six years and more I had tried to discover the proper way to spell this name. I knew that it must have eight letters, and also that the numerical and literal correspondences must be such as to express the meaning of the name in such a ways as to confirm what scholarship had found out about it, and also to clear up those problems which archaeologists had so far failed to solve…. One theory of the name is that it represents the words ???? ??????, the baptism of wisdom; another, that it is a corruption of a title meaning “Father Mithras”. Needless to say, the suffix R supported the latter theory. I added up the word as spelt by the Wizard. It totalled 729. This number had never appeared in my Cabbalistic working and therefore meant nothing to me. It however justified itself as being the cube of nine. The word ?????, the mystic title given by Christ to Peter as the cornerstone of the Church, has this same value. So far, the Wizard had shown great qualities! He had cleared up the etymological problem and shown why the Templars should have given the name Baphomet to their so-called idol. Baphomet was Father Mithras, the cubical stone which was the corner of the Temple.” 11
Baphomet is an important figure in the Thelema, the mystical system he established at the beginning of the 20th century. In one of his most important works, Magick, Liber ABA, Book 4, Crowley describes Baphomet as a divine androgyne:
“The Devil does not exist. It is a false name invented by the Black Brothers to imply a Unity in their ignorant muddle of dispersions. A devil who had unity would be a God … ‘The Devil’ is, historically, the God of any people that one personally dislikes … This serpent, SATAN, is not the enemy of Man, but He who made Gods of our race, knowing Good and Evil; He bade ‘Know Thyself!’ and taught Initiation. He is ‘The Devil’ of the Book of Thoth, and His emblem is Baphomet, the Androgyne who is the hieroglyph of arcane perfection … He is therefore Life, and Love. But moreover his letter is ayin, the Eye, so that he is Light; and his Zodiacal image is Capricornus, that leaping goat whose attribute is Liberty.” 12
The Ecclesia Gnostica Catholica, the ecclesiastical arm of Ordo Templi Orientis (O.T.O.), recites during its Gnostic Mass “And I believe in the Serpent and the Lion, Mystery of Mystery, in His name BAPHOMET.” 13 Baphomet is considered to be the union of Chaos and Babalon, masculine and feminine energy, the phallus and the womb.
The Church of Satan
Although not technically a secret society, Anton Lavey’s Church of Satan remains an influential occult order. Founded in 1966, the organization adopted the “Sigil of Baphomet” as its official insignium.
The Sigil of Baphomet, the official symbol of the Church of Satan features the Goat of Mendes inside an inverted pentagram.
The Sigil of Baphomet was probably heavily inspired by this illustration from Stanislas de Guaita’s La Clef de la Magie Noire (The Key to Black Magic).
Illustrations from La Clef de la Magie Noire (1897)
According to Anton Lavey, the Templars worshipped Baphomet as a symbol of Satan. Baphomet is prominently present during in Church of Satan rituals as the symbol is placed above the ritualistic altar.
In The Satanic Bible, Lavey describes the symbol of Baphomet:
“The symbol of Baphomet was used by the Knights Templar to represent Satan. Through the ages this symbol has been called by many different names. Among these are: The Goat of Mendes, The Goat of a Thousand Young, The Black Goat, The Judas Goat, and perhaps the most appropriately, The Scapegoat.
Baphomet represents the Powers of Darkness combined with the generative fertility of the goat. In its “pure” form the pentagram is shown encompassing the figure of a man in the five points of the star – three points up, two pointing down – symbolizing man’s spiritual nature. In Satanism the pentagram is also used, but since Satanism represents the carnal instincts of man, or the opposite of spiritual nature, the pentagram is inverted to perfectly accommodate the head of the goat – its horns, representing duality, thrust upwards in defiance; the other three points inverted, or the trinity denied. The Hebraic figures around the outer circle of the symbol which stem from the magical teachings of the Kabala, spell out “Leviathan”, the serpent of the watery abyss, and identified with Satan. These figures correspond to the five points of the inverted star.” 14
In Popular Culture
Mostly due to the influence of Aleister Crowley and Anton Lavey on popular culture, references to Baphomet can be found throughout popular culture. In some cases, such as with heavy metal bands, the references are rather clear and unequivocal – these bands in no way conceal the influence of these schools of occultism on their imagery. Here are some examples:
Death Metal Band Behemoth – Cover of Zos Kia Cultus
Death metal band The Black Dalia Murder – Album cover of Ritual.
Marilyn Manson – Anti-Christ Superstar album cover
Rammstein’s Pussy refers to the androgyny of Baphomet. The second guy from the right also does the “As Above So Below” hand sign.
In mainstream (“corporate”) pop culture the references are a lot more vague and concealed. Aimed at a younger crowd, the references are existent but, probably not recognized and understood consciously by most of the audience. Here are some examples.
Lady Gaga.
Pop singer Kerli.
Screen shot from the popular online game Ragnarok.
Album cover of “Baphomet” by Kiichi
Many more obscure references can be found by those “who have eyes to see”.
In Conclusion
Baphomet is a composite creation symbolic of alchemical realization through the union of opposite forces. Occultists believe that, through the mastery of life force, one is able to produce magick and spiritual enlightenment. Eliphas Levi’s depiction of Baphomet included several symbols alluding to the raising of the kundalini – serpentine power – which ultimately leads to the activation of the pineal gland, also known as the “third eye”. So, from an esoteric point of view, Baphomet represents this occult process.
However, over time the symbol has come to signify much more than its esoteric meaning. Through controversies, Baphomet became, depending of the point of view, a representation of everything that is good in occultism or everything that is evil in occultism. It is, in fact, the ultimate “scapegoat”, the face of witchcraft, black magick and Satanism. The fact that the symbol is rather monstrous and grotesque has probably helped propel the symbol to its level of infamy as it never fails to shock organized religions while attracting those who rebel against them.
Since gaining widespread recognition in popular culture, the image of Baphomet is now used as a symbol of anything regarding occultism and ritualism. In corporate-owned mass media, which has ties with secret societies, the figure of Baphomet appears in the oddest places, often to audiences too young to understand the occult reference (Secret Arcana’s sister site Vigilant Citizen documents the occurrences of Baphomet and other occult symbols in music videos, movies and fashion). Is Baphomet used in pop culture as a symbol of the power of the occult elite over the ignorant masses?
After centuries of myths, hoaxes, propaganda and disinformation on both sides of the spectrum, can we truly answer the the original question posed by this article: “Who is Baphomet?”. Is it a symbol of Satan or of spiritual enlightenment? Is it a symbol of good or evil? The answer lies within the symbol itself: It is both. In Egyptian mythology, Toth Hermes was a mediating power between good and evil, making sure neither had a decisive victory over the other. Baphomet represents the accomplishment on this cosmic task on a very small scale, within oneself. Once perfect equilibrium is attained on a personal level, the occult initiate can point one hand towards the heavens and one hand towards the earth and pronounce this hermetic axiom which reverberated through millenniums: “As Above, So Below”.
- Eliphas Levi, Dogmes et Rituels de la Haute Magie ↩
- Arkon Daraul, A History of Secret Societies ↩
- Eliphas Levi, Dogme et Rituel de la Haute Magie ↩
- Albert Pike, Morals and Dogma ↩
- English translation of the Emerald Tablet ↩
- Manly P. Hall, The Secret Teachings of All Ages ↩
- Malcom Barber and Keith Bate, Letters from the East: Crusaders, Pilgrims and Settlers in the 12th-13th Centuries ↩
- Op. Cit. Levi ↩
- The Confessions of Léo Taxil, April 25 1897 ↩
- Albert Pike, Morals and Dogma ↩
- Aleister Crowley, The Confessions of Aleister Crowley ↩
- Aleister Crowley, Magick, Liber ABA, Book 4 ↩
- Helena and Tau Apiron, “The Invisible Basilica: The Creed of the Gnostic Catholic Church: An Examination” ↩
- Anton Lavey, The Satanic Bible ↩
Some scary stuff there!
Keep em coming VC!
Thumbs Up~
Why do you consider this “scary”?
Is it because your family taught you that way? If so, I dare you to think outside the box for a little.
You’ll like it.
wow jimmy youre rude. it is scary, scary that so many idiots think this is cool instead of condemning satan
It isn’t scary. Read the article. It is very hard to decide what a symbol represents (and represented over the millennia). Baphomet is definitely not scary. He seems to be all for balance. That’s cool.
Balance? Its chaos. And who is the god of chaos? Thanks…
Again, I kindly ask you to leave all your beliefs aside for five minutes, read the article in a purely scientific and pristine objectiveness, analyze it, think about it, and then come back, and answer me with your conclusions.
I guess occultism just isn’t “scary” to some anymore nowadays? The symbol of Baphomet itself is bizarre, but what truly is stimulating is the thoughts and ideas behind it. I agree with learnsomething and siva that it is scary. While balance is objectively a good attribute, disguising it in esoteric symbols that further the evil machinations of occult societies isn’t.
@Jimmy! Bro,while u read with the objective scientific mind,i need u to know that there’s no place for balance of good & evil. Scriptures clearly proves that both are against each other;and another reason y there cant be balance is tht Jesus has overcome the world-hence good is the victor;any good outside him is futility. Avoid the mind control saga and get a relationship with him thats if u havent-its the only WAY out of the crap they wanna sell to us ! Gbam!!
agree with you man these are ugly things yach thoo!
Yes. I agree with you. We have been brainwashed by the mainstream church, the education etc. We need to challenge the knowledge we have been taught. We need to think outside the box. To gain better insight.
Yes we do need to think outside of the box because both sides of the spectrum seem to be misleading. But thinking outside of the box does not mean following other peoples interpretations of what symbols mean, because at that point you may be thinking outside of the Christian box but you are still within the occult box. We always look to outside sources for an understanding of the truth; but you only know the outside world even exsists because of processes going on inside your mind, ie you see an object because light reflects off the object and hits your retina sending a signal to your brain letting you know you saw that object. When you dream it is a process totally internal to your mind, but you can’t tell the dream world from the real world until you wake up, and when you wake up you may still be dreaming but you won’t know until you wake up. So maybe the path to enlightenment is not something you can go to outside resources for maybe it’s an internal rubix cube that you must solve yourself. After all truth is subjective, two people can tell different accounts of the same story and both pass lie detector tests because they believe their account to be true, you notice things other people don’t so whats true to you is not always true to someone else. Right and wrong are relative, example we kill animals to eat, in our world we are just trying to survive but in the animals world we are heartless monsters. Guilt is how you determine right and wrong, if you feel like what you are doing is wrong then it’s wrong and if you feel like its rightthen its right. Soliders kill innocent people all the time to feed their families, some of them feel like they are just doing what they have to do and some end up wit post traumatic stress syndrome or drug problems because they feel like what they did was wrong. Pretty much we need to start looking in instead of looking out for the truth. Because when your read someone else’s opinion and you feel like it changed your life it’s because there was already something in you that felt that way they just put it in words or made you feel like it was ok to feel that way, but it was you making the decision that it was worthy of changing your life.
Thank you. That was a great read! Like most articles on secret arcane and vigilant citizen, having said that I am very confused on why there is no articles about the true horrific nature of the rituals perpetrated by the secret societies, frats, sects, brotherhoods and cults you are referring to including smaller atrocities by unbrella operations such as the “church of Satan”( even more hacky than most mainstream religions). I think people need to know the sexual, physical abuse, the torture and ritural slaughter of innocent women and children to uphold there twisted ideal of spiritual collateral known to some as thelema. All the institutions your writers refer too are involved and for most it is a requirement for the initiate to take part in the disgusting act to elevate to the next level further research onto this important aspect of the beliefs and acts of the powers that be could help you elaborate more on the symbolism portrayed in the subjects concerned
Interesting article.
You’ve given people all of the technical and historical meanings behind Baphomet but what you didn’t give us is your belief. So, what do you believe vig? Should people look upon Baphomet as an allegory for spiritual enlightenment or is it the embodiment of evil as most believe?
why should they be forced to share their personal beliefs? It provides an unbiased view for those of us who haven’t fallen into the trap of christianity, like the majority of you sheeple? is it because you like being told how to think???
Show a little patience, some need to wake up from their slumber first.
Totally agreed.
If Vigilant gave his opinion 96% of the people who read this site (of which 78% are Christians) would scream “God save us from baphomet”. Instead of realizing their own opinion. In other words, it would evn more biased than it is today.
That’s the reason why I can’t openly talk about this stuff with anyone I know, that’s why I can’t meditate in peace, because my family and friends would think I’m a crazy satanist with no moral.
In my opinion the symbol of the baphomet is a depiction of duality, which in itself has nothing to do with evilness, but the catholic church has made it look that way.
I’m sorry Jimmy, but you and I seem to have grabbed our opinions from the same source, as I feel the exact same way.
lmao.
You are one of the wise indeed.
Haha thanks, but being wise involves many other things, I just try to learn everyday.
I think that’s a good philosophy to take when you’re young (I’m 16)
It seems us 3 are on the same page in the book of wisdom..
I completely agree with both of you
I also can’t meditate openly for the same reason
Haha true to the point, yet I begun to understand such things when I was merely 14, and it has come to be a small, yet significant part of my life. It’s better to learn it young, that’s what I’ve always believed, no matter what it is you are learning. And learning things such as these, you can see the symbolism, and the truer intentions of the people who use the symbols out there in person. I believe that these philosophies and doctrines might start to become very important within the next two years, and I mean important to even those who don’t know them.
No naive and young but certainly far from wise.
“A fool thinks himself to be wise, but a wise man knows himself to be a fool”-Shakespeare. I agree. Wisdom only comes to those who admit their own ignorance. ^_^ That is the path towards enlightenment, with God’s help of course.
Jimmy, How do you know the percentages of Christians and non christians reading these articles.
If VC wanted to disclose his/her religious background he/she would have done so by now.
I doubt that people will be influenced by his religious affiliation. Only TRUTH will set a persson free.
So after these facts, people should allow God to work through them and bring to a point of Godly decisions.
Well, actually VC says in vigilantcitizen.com that he’s some kind of mystic Christian of sorts, I don’t recall the exact words, not even if he removed the page, but in the past it did.
Now, about the so-exact numbers, if you read along the lines you would understand that those percentages were taken out of my pocket just to make my point clear, and not actually product of some research…
Finally, I’m not saying that VC’s religion is to be taken by people as some advice, but if he gave his opinion people would rather spit “God saves us blablabla” just because they automatically perceive it as bad, or even worse (or perhaps equally as wrong) would assimilate VC’s thinking instead of thinking on their own.
Greetings.
Have to agree with you Jimmy. If we remove the conditioned response (or as much of it as we can). We see that these ancient symbols were used within Mystery schools to teach. They were not “worshipped” by initiates, but only by the profane who did NOT understand their meaning and value. Early on, due to the Churchs’ Agenda of destroying and corrupting the Mysteries, they used these images to represent “Their Devil”. Another reason to later keep some of these symbols secret, as the profane had been led to mis-understand them.
To see the same kind of crap now, look at the article with relation to Anton LeVay and his pathetic Church of Satan. They claim the symbol as if its theirs, then the profane can now point to it and proudly claim: “SEE, its Satanic..”! Bollox, this is the art of confusion, we each of us, almost automatically turn from this image as we get a sense of its “evilness”, and therefore are led away from its hidden truth. Symbols are Signs, the Dark Occultists (wannabe Muppets) have obscured our view by placing worng meaning over the sign, now very few of us can read it, as its been hidden once again beneath the veil of FEAR!!
Thats my 2 cents anyway
@Hermetic Poet
I agree.
Satanist have made it look that way not Christians…..
It’s evil, and it is good. It is a representation of both. The ‘embodiment of evil’ theory is one fabricated by the church to lead people away from true enlightenment and scare them towards worshipping the pope, the church, the bible, et cetera, and to create an ignorant following of ‘sheeple’. I don’t have to tell you that most christians in america today are devoid of religion, constructing huge temples of worship, churches ‘of christ’, when even in the bible itself it states that the body is the temple and to specifically not build huge religious buildings, as they are not need or proper. I used to be a christian, and I could not bear going to the same church as many people that I knew to be hypocrits. Many ‘christians’ are only so because they want other people to think of them as good, to create a veil of pleasantness, an act, such as the acts that many politicians put on these days.
@ Jorgo, you are very correct having said that, but it is sometimes difficult to be patient with the ignorant, you know what I mean?
D.A.,
“I don’t have to tell you that most christians in america today are devoid of religion, constructing huge temples of worship, churches ‘of christ’, when even in the bible itself it states that the body is the temple and to specifically not build huge religious buildings, as they are not need or proper.”
You are absolutely right! It is distressing to me that so many “followers of Christ” (Christians) fail to read their Bibles and apply it to their lives. Frankly, I question their Christianity. There are SO many things people in churches (both Catholic and Protestant) do that the Bible actually speaks against. Calling someone “father” for example. Not all Christians are like this, but I regret there is such an inordinate amount who do, I have seriously struggled with calling myself a Christian and I haven’t been to church in over a year.
I also get really tired of those who label/say things without thinking them through just because a leader thinks that way. What’s sad is that isn’t what the Bible advocates at all. Respect authority, but take your ultimate orders from God alone.
Yes, thank you, I take it by the name you wrote under that you are in fact a christian? Well consider this, did Jesus/Isa in fact establish the ‘Christian Religion?’ Not at all. He did, however, have disciples, a following. It wasn’t till years later, that christianity as a religion came to be. IF i considered myself a christian, I would not use the name ‘Christian’. I would consider true ‘Christians’ to be, in fact, disciples of Christ.
“did Jesus/Isa in fact establish the ‘Christian Religion?”
Not sure what you mean by “Isa”. From what you wrote I think I agree with you. A true Christian is a disciple/follower of Christ. Which is what the name “Christian” means. I would argue though that there is no such thing as a Christian religion. Wait!
I know, there is a religion which calls itself Christian, but by its very nature it denies Christ. If this sounds confusing, just read the Bible. In the gospels Jesus rebuked the Pharisees for being religious, and even in the Old Testament God spoke through the prophets telling the Israelite’s he wasn’t interested in dead animals (sacrifices) in and of themselves, but the act was supposed to move them closer to God. God told them he was more interested in the condition of their hearts, than their numbers of animals.
True Christianity is not about religion/following sets of rules/doing whatever your leader insists. True Christianity is about a relationship with God which affects and defines your entire life. It isn’t something you just “fit in” on Sunday morning or at Bible study group or whatever. There is ton more to it, but this is my very basic definition.
A man cannot save himself.
it is said that the body is the temple so as to tell christians they should not defile their bodies, you took it all too literally ! and from your statement alone then, so you should be worshipping yoon your own self now since its the temple.
And why should I take your word for it? The body is the temple because your true temple is where you go, meaning you can speak to God anywhere, not just in a church or in the presence of priests. These material things further indicate the lack of true religion and faith. And a man, in fact, CAN save himself. Buddha is a prime example. Observing all the pain and suffering of the people around him, he set out on a journey to discover why so many people suffer, and it came to him in his quest for enlightenment. Buddha says desire is the true cause of suffering. Was he wrong? If you desire money and do not have it, are you not suffering multiple losses at once? If you desire money, you desire to spend it, and on your desires. Open the mind, life is more interesting that way
Buddha was all about himself. If you notice, he progressively went into isolation. First by leaving family and friends and society in general (living in a monastery/cave/etc.) then culturally and physically by leaving certain foods, drinks, and clothing. Next, mentally by near constant meditation in which you are supposed to open your mind by closing it (not thinking).
He seemed to get a lot out of it, but what about the family he left behind? He was hardly altruistic either, and if you are spending so much time saving yourself, you can’t possibly help others.
Not to mention several of his sayings encourage this style of living so others will look on you as something great. Sounds like an egotist to me.
Buddah also mentioned nothing about God. He believed everything is an illusion. Today everyone seems to be a universalist or Humanist when they tend to forget that all Major religions contradict each other in the most Critical points. How do I figure out where I stand. I see how they attack the deity and Gospel of Jesus Christ and his saving grace. No, Man can never save himself. The world needs a savior and it is evident in history and todays events. Jesus is coming back again.
I don’t have to tell you that most christians in america today are devoid of religion, constructing huge temples of worship, churches ‘of christ’, when even in the bible itself it states that the body is the temple and to specifically not build huge religious buildings, as they are not need or proper. I used to be a christian, and I could not bear going to the same church as many people that I knew to be hypocrits.
—————————–
The part about the Bible stating that the body is the temple of the Lord is correct, the part about not building huge temples is so untrue that its unfathomable someone agreed with you. If you are going to say things back it up with scripture references.
“Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; 20 you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body,” (1 Cor. 6:19-20).
Well, if you believe in the bible, you must believe God can speak directly to us. So what if I were to tell you that God told me himself? Would I be crazy? Or would I be a prophet? (: Just because I don’t worship the bible and read and analyze every phrase in it, doesn’t mean I can’t understand it. Why should there be a need of expensive temples and stained glass and the like, when I can go into my back yard and worship God on my own, without need of priests or altars or cardinals or popes or any of the bloating nonsense?
If you really want to seek God for answers because he is not a Genie to answer your beck and call. he doesn’t play games. youtube Askcliffe. It raises all the questions people have and usually the reason most people don’t believe in Christ is because of “hypocrites” and has nothing to do with Jesus himself. It’s quite sad. They say they don’t want to be influenced by they are already influenced by people behaving badly and say “oh Bush claims hes a christian and he did bad things” therefore I won’t even bother reading a Bible because he claimed he did. if you have the know how on how to research the occult through these websites then do yourself a favor and read the Gospels for yourself. Then decide.
Nick says…….
“Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; 20 you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body,” (1 Cor. 6:19-20).
I read this as saying – you are property, bought and paid for. So you better take care of my investment,
Or else!!
Love you VC
Great as ALWAYS
Baphomet come from the Egyptian god Ba-neb-deb -> Baneb djedet -> baphomet.
Ba: soul, neb: lord, deb: Mendès. associate to the moon, nightfall and fecondity
This was so fascinating! Thanks again, V!
Loving all things that you post on this site , Keep it up.
I agree. VC deserves the credit for researching the information on baphomet so indepth and advising the greater public. Whilst each person is entitled to their own opinion and judgement I dont think that they should be prescriptive for their personal beliefs. Having said this, all now have fresh knowledge of Baphomet and who he/she /it represents. None other than Satan/Occult. We all will someday stand before the judgement seat of God and he will be the final judge. We perish because of lack of knowledge. Through this article we have come to learn and know and must very wisely choose what we will live.
I’m surprised that the article didn’t mention that a lot of paintings depict Moses with horns.
Moses, was the initiator of the Israeli tribes into a new state of being, the desert where he and the Israeli tribes wandered for forty years is the place of Sut/Set, power-zone of the ancient Egyptian deity of the south, which determines Upper Egypt.
The number forty carries association with the Hebrew alphabet letter Mem, and the element water or blood, reminiscent of the flood of water or blood which purifies, renews, fertilizes, the stage between death and new life, or resurrection.
Perhaps these are the reasons Moses is depicted as the horned god in certain paintings.
One school of thought re: Moses is that the words for ‘halo’ and ‘horns’ were confused in translation. My classical art history advisor firmly believed that.
The horns likely represent the Age of Aries the Ram in which Moses and Judaism were born . Jesus Christ and Christianity ushered in the Age of Pisces the Fish hence the fish symbolism associated with Jesus. We are said to be living in or are about to transition to the Age of Aquarius the Water-bearer in which many occultists believe a new, sole, religion will take over all others.
The horns likely represent the Age of Aries the Ram in which Moses and Judaism were born . Jesus Christ and Christianity ushered in the Age of Pisces the Fish hence the fish symbolism associated with Jesus. We are said to be living in or are about to transition to the Age of Aquarius the Water-bearer in which many occultists believe a new, sole, religion will take over all others.
Great article VC. I curse the Baphomet and all it represents.
How could one praise this article and then completely ignore the main point of the article? The Baphomet is not evil, just as the Yin-Yang symbol is not evil, the two are one in the same.
I’ve never seen a Goat head, breast with rod of snakes do any good. It looks sinister and has no, and I mean no vibes that it can even be good. I’ve read the entire article and many others of VC. Judging from your posts I can tell you’ve done research on all the major religions but probably fall into the category of I won’t pick one because I think I’m too smart for that. I agree, nobody is saved by religion but by God’s grace through his son Jesus Christ. John 3:16. I am completely aware of all the “Da vinci code/Zeitgeist” and the evidence they provide or lack thereof hasn’t put a dent on Christ’s deity. Neither has Islam, from the way you say “Isa” you must have watched those Farkhan vids on Youtube aswell. Mohammed came 600 years after Christ who in his time said “false prophets and christs would came after me”. The Koran has no inconsisentency except for the fact that it was writen by a man who never met christ and who wasn’t even literate. Although VC is a “Mystic Christian” I don’t know what that means, I hope he believes in Jesus Christ as his lord and savior. So what are you living for? and whats the evidence that what your living for is true. I live to serve God (Jesus) and people.
peace be upon those who want the truth
The consummation of the Great Work is not activation of the pineal gland, but illumination of the heart, as Eliphas Levi indicates in numerous places. In one chapter of his History of Magic, he ridicules the Eastern practices as ineffective. Crowley states:
The next sphere reached by the aspirant is named Beauty, numbered 6, and referred to the heart, to the Sun, and to Gold. Here he is called an “Adept”. The secret Truth in this place is that God is Man, symbolized by the Hexagram, (in which two triangles are interlaced).
In the last sphere he learnt that his Body was the Temple of the Rosy Cross, that is, that it was given him as a place wherein to perform the Magical Work of uniting the oppositions in his Nature. Here he is taught that his Heart is the Centre of Light. It is not [sic?] dark, mysterious, hollow, obscure even to himself, but his soul is to dwell there, radiating Light on the six spheres which surround it; these represent the various powers of his mind. (Aleister Crowley)
Well done VC…
Read Revelation 20:10… BAPHOMET (AKA THAT OLD SERPENT THE DEVIL AND SATAN) IS HEADED TO THE LAKE OF FIRE!
PRAISE GOD!
And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever. Revelation 20:10 KJV
Marco, Please try to analyze the article for a minute before spouting out bible quotes. Hes simply explaining that baphomet is a symbolic figure with a deeper symbolic meaning, in order for you to understand this you must think outside of the christian box. When you see this you think immediately of your christian devil or satan, you have to understand that these people dont believe in christianity including the devil or satan. Satan /the devil/ lucifer is a christian religous figure and anyone who understands and idolizes the symbolic meaning of baphomet obviously does not believe in christianity unless their gnostic. The image of baphomet has a totally diffrent symbolic meaning to them than it does to you. If you want to understand the article its crucial not to mistake baphomet for the christian devil. I also think the term “Church” of satan might be confusing people as to baphomet being a worshipped as a religous figure , the church of satan is actually an athiest group that follows Antons Laveys writings, baphomet is the symbol they use to represent their group or “church” but they don’t worship anything.
Actually, the quotes DO say the Baphomet symbol represents Satan. But occultists see that as a good thing, since Satan to them is Lucifer the “light bearer”.
“The symbol of Baphomet was used by the Knights Templar to represent Satan.” (“The Satanic Bible” by LaVey)
Let’s be real, Satan is who he is in the world due to the fact that such an evil can be attributed to many things. Just because a Mr. Anton LaVey states in his book, which was published in recent history, that the Templars used the Baphomet to symbolize satan, does not mean it is truly so. Anton LaVey wrote his book centuries after the Templars were even around, so I don’t think the founder of a more vulgar religion is a credible expert on the subject of the Knights Templar. But then again, neither am I. But the Baphomet, as illustrated and examined by Eliphas Levi, never had anything to do with Satan. In fact, the only reason it has a goat head with horns that LaVey took and made his sigil out of, is to scare away the weak minded, those who do not understand. It is, in a sense, a scarecrow in the field of the occult. Not at all a representation of evil.
My point is “the church” did not invent Satan out of the blue to keep people in line. Occultists through the ages have believed in his actual existence, one example being LaVey’s own words.
To understand the statement you quoted you must understand Anton Laveys perspective as to who or what satan is, this statement might help you understand
“In this essay LaVey now explains why, if he does not believe in literal concepts of gods or devils, he chose the name “Satanism” to describe his religion.
LaVey points out the origin of the word “Satan” as a term to mean “adversary”, anything that gets in your way. He likewise describes the mythological and literary significance of Satan in history, from the Greek Pan to the “scapegoat” used to absorb men’s sins to the co-opting of pagan deities and devils by Christianity.
LaVey’s final assessment is that as Satan and all the devils have represented man’s carnal nature made sinful, and the opposition of everything from servile god-worship to conformity, Satan as a literary and mythological figure is the ideal symbol for a religion that exalts man’s carnal and independent nature. LaVey’s view of Satan might be best compared to John Milton’s literary Satan, a proud and independent beast.”
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Satanic_Bible#The_Book_of_Lucifer
If you read further in to Anton Levay you will ultimantly realize that he is an athiest and so are the followers of his writings/ religon/ occult (watever term suits your opinion best) .
The depictions of a half human/half animal figures or dietys have been around since the begining of time, the ancient egyptians have similar figures in their heirogliphics, the ancient greeks idolized pan before christianity even existed, surely pan is not the christian satan even though he resembles him and looks evil is he?
Now lets re-examine Laveys statement
“The symbol of Baphomet was used by the Knights Templar to represent Satan. Through the ages this symbol has been called by many different names. Among these are: The Goat of Mendes, The Goat of a Thousand Young, The Black Goat, The Judas Goat, and perhaps the most appropriately, The Scapegoat.”
My interpratation of his quote is that Lavey believes the Knights Templars idolized a symbolic figure resembling baphomet that to them was a symbol of the carnal insticts of man kind, Laveys symbolic definition of satan is very similar to what HE believes the Templars symbolic definition of baphomet was being that he believes satan to be a mythological symbolic figure that respresents the carnal insticts of man that religions try to supress and make sinful. I guess the real question is what makes Lavey so certain that he can explain without a doubt the symbols the templars used and exactly what they represented to them, last time i checked he wasn’t born anytime near any knights templars. It is also well believed that the only time the knights templar said anything about baphomet was when they were being tortured by King Philip, if someone was gouging your eyes out you would probly say watever they wanted to hear.
“My point is “the church” did not invent Satan out of the blue to keep people in line. Occultists through the ages have believed in his actual existence, one example being LaVey’s own words.”
@Christian
Who invented or coined the term and image of satan if the church didn’t? The church actually did invent satan or the devil , If you really think occultists believed in satan before christianity will you please name one occutltist or occult group that worshipped satan before christianity? I doubt you could even name one occultist or occult group that worships satan to this day. I don’t know why you refuse to understand that Lavey DOES NOT believe or worship the actual existence of satan, its a symbolic figure to him and his group. Please do your research
Truth Seeker,
I understand how LaVey views Satan. Not as an actual being, but a representative of human carnality. I have been to the Church of Satan website before this (research) and get how they view things.
The Bible mentions the name Satan/Devil, but it does not describe him as a goat/satyr/etc. The Bible describes him as an angel of light, and a being that is beautiful, but prideful. The Bible says he roams the Earth and seeks souls to devour, but there is no portrayal of him as what we tend to picture him today.
The image of Satan is based on all those other ancient cultures’ you named. Something interesting I’ve learned is many ancient gods have different names, but are really the same and can still be seen today in various forms. There are also many symbols that repeat themselves throughout history and culture.
Dear Truth seeker
Anton Levey founded the Church of Satan and founded the “bible” of Satan. So try not to package the practice any differently. Baphomet represents Satan. Try reading the book by Rebecca Brown who was instrumental in getting a Satanist out of satanism and see what the ex-satanist has to say regarding all the signs and symbols. Baphomet being one of them.
God knows all things and will test the hearts of the people.
@ Concerned
“Anton Levey founded the Church of Satan and founded the “bible” of Satan. So try not to package the practice any differently”
I could care less what you believe Anton Levey founded, i simply speak the truth, anyone who creates an athiestic religion is an egotistical person who needs followers, anyone who follows an athiestic religion is a follower in search of a leader or guidance.
“Baphomet represents Satan. ”
Wow those are strong words without any proof , If you actually read the article you would understand that baphomet does not equal satan to some people, did you even read the Eliphas Levi’s section of the article???
“God knows all things and will test the hearts of the people.”
Thanks for the info.
Well Said Marko
Thats exactly who BAPHOMET is. “That serpent of Old, the devil” God has a place reserved for him and that is the lake of Fire, together with the false prophet. Satan knows that his time on earth is limited and he is causing Chaos with the people of the earth that have been bought with a price (the Blood of Jesus Christ). Following biblical prophecies, we are almost at the end of the age and all evil will go. The kingdom of the earth will become the kingdom of God and he will Rule and reign. No place for baphomet or any other name that satan and his demons will masquerade as.
Its a pity that when people die they will find out the truth of who the real God is and who Satan(Baphomet) is and then its too late as there will be no second chance. So all those that oppose the true identity of baphomet, allow GRACE to save you from evil. I guarantee that 99% of you have never been reared with Godly principles and values, hence your easy diversion from the Truth.
“Its a pity that when people die they will find out the truth of who the real God is and who Satan(Baphomet) is and then its too late as there will be no second chance. So all those that oppose the true identity of baphomet, allow GRACE to save you from evil. I guarantee that 99% of you have never been reared with Godly principles and values, hence your easy diversion from the Truth.”
Have you died??? did you find out who the real god is????? no you haven’t. I guess till then you are insulting every other religion their is. I hope your right.
The figure of the Baphomet is a fascinating image to research as one descends deeper and deeper into initiated occult meaning defining the mystic figure.
Other interpretations as to the figures mystic meaning make Baphomet a vehicle of unending speculation.
“The figure represents Ham or Chem or Khem-Zoroaster the Sebekh, Archon and incarnation of Capricorn, the goat-headed Dragon of the Sea.
Baphomet and the Mendes pentagram are genealogical badges-early forms of heraldry-incorporaring the symbolism of the blood rites.
It is a dynastic marker.
The flame between the horns is the Flame of Womb-fire or Starfire, enlightenment through drinking the fluid of the womb.
The wings of Baphomet are Swan’s wings. This immediately speaks of the Swan Princes, Grail Princesses and Fairy Queens which symbolize the Dragon blood-line.
Baphomet is a Nephilim”.
Reference book; The Dragon Legacy, The Secret History of an Ancient Bloodline by HRH Nicholas de Vere, Sovereign Grand Master-The Imperial and Royal Dragon Court and Order of the Dragon Sovereignty.
OK, that’s related to the cup of Babalon (imbibing of the menstruum for magickal purposes), and we’ve already established that Babalon is the perverted feminine principle, not the wholesome one. Interesting – that would make Baphomet the symbol of the negatively aspected version of the union of male and female (Samael and Lilith), a kind of unconscious enmeshment that enslaves the sacred marriage in matter rather than the positive transcendent Coniunctio that catalyzes it in spirit. That makes a whole lot of sense to me.
I recently read the Kybalion and couldn’t help but notice some of the hermetic principles presented in Levi’s depiction of Baphomet.
As already mentioned the Principle of correspondence (“As above, so below”), but also the Principle of Gender and the Principle of Polarity (->moons). The zigzag at the bottom and top of the picture might be a reference to the Principle of Vibration.
Besides, the torch and the goathead might represent different planes:
goathead= Plane of Animal Mind (to which supposedly today’s human belongs)
torch= Higher plane (Enlightenment?)
I like that, the animal plane theory, it makes so much sense. And The Kybalion comes to us from the same origins as that of Eliphas Levi’s philosophical works, although in different but similar context.
i havent yet read all of the article yet however from what i have read so far.. the part where you said “..The Templars’ affinity with the Muslims..” , im not sure if you ment the muslims supporting templars or not .. but i was going to say genraly that at that period of time the tem[;ars started a so called ‘holy war’ and invaded muslim countrys.. so if you where saying that muslims and the templaers where some how worthing together so to speak then you are very wrong… however if you didnt mean that then this is just a genral comment .. hope this dosent cause offense since i do like your articles..
He was quoting, you know…..
ah k , maby i missed the quotation marks lol
In fact Templars joined the crusades against the muslims but they were on a whole different quest, their intent from the beginning was so different from that of the vatican forces, so yes there was a contact between them and the Assassins aka Hashasheen (takers of marijuana) who were a mystic rebellious ismaili (a shia offshoot sect) and those people had very deep esoteric knowledge.
The bottom line, you were right the crusades in general were not working with the muslims but the templars who were mystic outlandish group did had contact with some muslim groups.
you can search the history of the Assassins and their relation to the templars.
I Love the way you pack up every detail to give us a good clear point of view.
You’re attempts are appreciated. Thanks.
Im not anti Christian at all but you guys really need to try to think a bit beyond that into which you were born.
Many people are too afraid to admit to a truth that contradicts everything that their early lifetime was composed of, that is why many adults automatically shun things such as this or categorize them negatively as ‘crazy’ or ‘satanic’, as such that is also why young people these days are so fascinated by it, because from a young age they are introduced these days to odd or different, radical things, rather than the same old religious teachings over and over and over spoon fed to them by ‘grandma’ or ‘grandpa’ or the christian/catholic church which dominates the minds of most americans these days, et al, “In God We Trust”.
DA,
Not all churches or Christians are Catholic. There is a BIG difference in fact from Catholics and other church-goers and those who actually try to live their lives according to the Bible, not the pope or pastor, or anyone else.
You are missing the point, I put the two together to categorize them into one entity, as such they are one, however each individual church has it’s own set of rituals. And you must admit, most Americans are either Christian, Catholic, or Jewish, which in effect have branched off of each other over the centuries. There was Judaism, and then decades if not centuries after Christ was allegedly crucified, the Catholic church, and after that was born the Protestant reformation. All have a similar, if not the same deity, which is an omnipotent mystical being with no image that is referred to as ‘God’, which the word itself can have various meanings, personifications, and interpretations.
Allegedly crucified? There is a lot of historical data (Roman data) to prove Jesus lived and was crucified. Even the Koran admits it. Look it up.
“however each individual church has it’s own set of rituals.” Unfortunately, this is true but Biblically it shouldn’t be. I invite you to check out my blog in which I have made many fellow Christians mad by pointing out how much church/Christians do not look like what the Bible actually teaches.
http://www.myfathershouse.squarespace.com
I’m not sure what you mean by a mystical God? Oh, and before the Catholic church (established by Roman Emperor Constantine), there was a significant church/fellowship of believers described in the Book of Acts.
Isa is the name of Jesus in the Koran. In the Koran, it states that Jesus was never crucified, he wasnt the embodiment of God, he was a Prophet of God, and like all the other prophets, he ascended to heaven. The Romans crucified an imposter to satisfy the Jews and Romans. I have looked it up, in fact, and I am more ready to believe the Koran than the bible, as too many people idolize the bible. And also, books written hundreds of years ago by men are NOT credible facts, I cannot stress this enough.
Greetings,
I want to comment on some of your statements:
1-“false prophets and christs would came after me” yes Like Paul of Tarsus who was a bitter enemey of early followers of Jesus, who then magically had a vision in Damascus (these were by the way said to be satanic {evil} vision) and CON-verted into the way of Jesus, which by the way was called The Way not christianity, those who set up the religion which were called Christianity were the romans in the 2nd century AD. which was so much borrowed from the ideas of Paul, hence it got to be called paulianity not christianity. Besides the ancient early followers were called Nazarenes.
2- “The Koran has no inconsisentency except for the fact that it was writen by a man who never met christ and who wasn’t even literate. ” this sentence has INCONSISTENCIES in my opinion, if Prophet Muhammad didn’t meet Jesus does it mean the book he brought to the people wasn’t true one?? how come? I can’t see any relation. So by this logic can we say that since Jesus lived centuries after Moses that his message wasn’t true and he was an imposter? this doesn’t make any sense. Also you said that the Koran was a book written by a man who was not even literate; I say that this fact itself, if really happened, is alone an evidence that this book wasn’t written by him and can mean the book was given to him by angelic means.
3- Salvation by grace? you mean The Creator of all has sent a man who was innocent and then put him of the cross to be punished in behalf of guilt ones (humanity) ??? this doesn’t make sense either and it contradicts the ab initio notion that The Creator of everything/God/G-d is a just entity. This act doesn’t imply justice of God. And what sin are you talking about? there is no primary sins of humans since birth!
And was jesus willingly or not going to be crucified? there is a you tube channel for someone giving citing from the Bible this channel is named (I am not proselytizing this religion but it is due to the fact that the owner of the channel was a christian and reads often in his videos from the Bible)
channel name is converted2islam
Very accurate, it’s a good thing you wrote an article on this, as many people would have automatically assumed it is a symbol of evil or of the devil as today’s society is a very ignorant one indeed.
This is so confusing to me. Is baphomet related to islam and mohamed, I just dont get it?
It is, in fact, related to all religions. The Baphomet is a symbol in recent history meant to depict an ancient philosophy that is at the very center of all religions today. The Baphomet is not related to islam and mohamed, but rather Islam, Mohamed, Catholicism, Christianity, Hinduism, as well as many other faiths and religious teachings are related to the Baphomet, you see what i’m saying? It is a symbol from a philosophy which branched out into all of the current religions of the world today. And, as the kids game ‘telephone’ goes, over the years, words passed down can be skewed and confused.
How ever u dress it up, horned dude + breast = creepy.
I see some folk establishing a relationship between Islam and the goat dude when all I got from the article was that the origins of the name was somehow intended to mock the prophet of Islam.
Keep in mind also that Islam is completely independent of Arab and other cultural influences (but has rather influenced them in some way). The Islamic faith itself claims to be part of the single religion which has existed since man, hence it’s shared history and striking similarities with Christianity and Judaism. Islam claims all true religion come from a single source but some have been corrupted over time (REMINDER: This is just the Islamic point of view).
While all this talk of duality and chakras may appeal to rational inquiry, it is still knowledge which is based on conjecture and as such needs to be dealt with cautiously. I personally would keep away from such discourse not simply because I’m scared to open my mind or because I lack objectivity but simply because I recognize I don’t have the pre-requsite knowledge with which to deal with the subject.
VC articles provide food for thought but by no means is the information provided enough to draw some lasting comprehensive conclusion. So when viewer say “Praise be to God… this is demonic” it doesn’t mean they’re scared to open their minds, the fact that they visit this site would prove to the contrary.
The human mind, powerful though it may be… is still just clay, easily molded by those who mold.
No article written by any man should be taken as infallible truth, although, when you look at more than just one article, or written set of words in general, that speak through many angles about the same thing, you can start to perceive and outline and a general, albeit, incomplete form of the truth. And it is this outline of truth that is the guiding star to the actual and whole truth, you have to extract the consistencies. However, your point of view is just, I must admit. Conjecture or not, though, most of the source material has been lost or destroyed, the doctrines and legends preserved, whether it be the bible, the koran, the torah, the story of Buddha, or even the epic of Gilgamesh, it is these things that you must bring together and take a close look at to develop one’s own version of the truth. But an automatic categorization to evil of material such as this is truly ignorant and closed minded, am I not correct? An open minded person would not be so quick as to shun something at the sight of horns or pentagrams. And keep in mind, that if something as this can be called conjecture, then what in the world can truly NOT be called conjecture? A devout belief in god? Conjecture. Christ’s resurrection? Conjecture. Space Aliens? Conjecture. Freemasons? Conjecture. The United States government’s true processes and actions? Conjecture. TV news? … Do you see what I am saying? Everything in the world is conjecture, and it is from all of these things, whether you believe in them or not, that develop and form every individual’s version of the truth. So who, truly, is telling the truth? Who should we believe? No one, we must believe only the things that make the most sense to us, whether they are absolute fact or absolute fiction. No one can be truly right or wrong, but people can be truly dim or truly brilliant. Closed minded, or open minded. Conjecture is no reason to not try and understand. It is merely an unattractive voice that confuses people. Delve through it.
D.A.,
“most of the source material has been lost or destroyed, the doctrines and legends preserved, whether it be the bible, the koran, the torah, the story of Buddha, or even the epic of Gilgamesh”.
Actually, archeologists HAVE found original source material for all of these documents except for Buddha as his story was passed orally for centuries before actually being written down. Don’t take my word for it, look it up from several sources.
“No article written by any man should be taken as infallible truth”
I absolutely agree. This is where personal, unbiased, dual-sided/multifaceted research comes into play.
“But an automatic categorization to evil of material such as this is truly ignorant and closed minded, am I not correct? An open minded person would not be so quick as to shun something at the sight of horns or pentagrams.”
If the person truly understands the meaning and history behind said symbol (as an example), and their “version of truth” sees it as bad, they cannot be close-minded. To them, it should be shunned. Is this not your philosophy?
I would argue rather, that while we as humans cannot ever know the entire truth (as you correctly pointed out earlier), there is still truth (not just conjecture) to be found. Several witnesses to a car accident may perceive different things, but the facts remain the same. Conjecture comes when there are no facts on which to base beliefs, such as claiming the driver must have been drunk (or whatever) when they actually know no such thing.
“We must believe only the things that make the most sense to us, whether they are absolute fact or absolute fiction.”
This makes no sense to me. How can you claim to search for truth (if you believe it is out there) if you would rather settle for fiction? The old adage that truth is stranger than fiction aptly applies here. Many things may not make initial “sense” to us, but they are truth nevertheless.
It is true that gravity causes objects to fall, that the sun has risen and set for centuries, the moon has a monthly cycle, and human nature has never changed. You may not like those (or any other particular) facts, but you cannot change the fact they are fact.
“No one can be truly right or wrong, but people can be truly dim or truly brilliant.”
Many brilliant people have done horrible things, and many “dim” people have done beautiful and heroic things. If there is no sure right or wrong, the world will devolve into chaos. There would be no point for the judicial system (which judges right and wrong), no point for altruism, no point for public honors or disgraces. A world in which people can freely choose with no consequences of what is right and wrong would be hell indeed.
“Actually, archeologists HAVE found original source material for all of these documents except for Buddha as his story was passed orally for centuries before actually being written down. Don’t take my word for it, look it up from several sources. ”
Several sources, although they may be given by ‘credible experts’, could still be incomplete though. Missing facts, apocrypha, the bible itself these days is incomplete. There are several known books that were not put into but are mentioned in the bible, and even more books that were lost. No religious text is truely complete in its original form these days. All we have is what the ‘experts’ tell us. Lets face it, its probable that no one reading this will actually get up and go search for lost books or even go to the original scrolls and translate and verify these things for themselves. All we have is what is put in front of us.
“If the person truly understands the meaning and history behind said symbol (as an example), and their “version of truth” sees it as bad, they cannot be close-minded. To them, it should be shunned. Is this not your philosophy?”
Many people can be deceived easily into believing their opinion is truth. And as the Catholic/Christian church itself automatically shuns things such as these, it does not me what they would call truth is true. There is a fine line, almost literally (Study the Sephiroth) between true Truth and Illusion. Just because some one can be deceived into thinking something is true, does not make it so. And this would implicate that their version of the truth is not truly understood. Effectively, this makes said person closed minded.
“This makes no sense to me. How can you claim to search for truth (if you believe it is out there) if you would rather settle for fiction? The old adage that truth is stranger than fiction aptly applies here. Many things may not make initial “sense” to us, but they are truth nevertheless.”
As some say, ignorance is bliss. Having said that, some people will believe in things that are infallibly, in the eyes of God, absolute fiction, and others the opposite. And they will understand each other as wrong, no matter which side of the argument is TRULY wrong.
“It is true that gravity causes objects to fall, that the sun has risen and set for centuries, the moon has a monthly cycle, and human nature has never changed. You may not like those (or any other particular) facts, but you cannot change the fact they are fact. ”
Although it may be perceived as ‘true’ that gravity causes objects to fall, you have only been told that throughout school and most of your life. But just because the majority make it seem true, does that truly mean it is true? (I am not denying the existence of gravity, by the way) If everyone said it is a fact that seat belts save lives, does that make it so? Unfortunately, no, however it may be safer to keep it on, there is no telling whether it will for sure save your life. If you were told all of your life that a specific human race are bad people, would that truly make it so? Facts are only facts because the majority states it to be so.
“Many brilliant people have done horrible things, and many “dim” people have done beautiful and heroic things. If there is no sure right or wrong, the world will devolve into chaos. There would be no point for the judicial system (which judges right and wrong), no point for altruism, no point for public honors or disgraces. A world in which people can freely choose with no consequences of what is right and wrong would be hell indeed.”
Look around you. People perceive right and wrong at their own will, not because it is truly right or wrong. The judicial system would have rapists go free and innocents be imprisoned for a lifetime. The world is already, and hes been, in perpetual chaos. This truly is hell, look around you, turn on the News. Murder, adultery, cheating, stealing, deception, genocide, it is everywhere. Although it is true that there are good things happening too, they are paralleled by everything bad. Public honor and disgrace is recognition for events that have happened, whether right or wrong. Billionaires would be praised for their charisma while at the same time across the world be despised for deception, just as an example.
“Several sources, although they may be given by ‘credible experts’, could still be incomplete though.”
Sorry, but this sounds like rationalizing away evidence. Like saying, sure the sun has always risen, but it might not tomorrow. True, it may not, but you still plan on going to school/work on the “off chance” it does. A truly open-minded person will examine credible evidence carefully and base their beliefs/opinions on what seems logical and true.
Try looking up evidence from the other side of the argument (in this case the lost books, apocrypha, etc.).
“Lets face it, its probable that no one reading this will actually get up and go search for lost books or even go to the original scrolls and translate and verify these things for themselves. All we have is what is put in front of us.”
While a sad statement and somewhat pessimistic, you are right. Most people won’t look up their own information. I’m not one of those though, and anyone genuinely searching for truth won’t be either. I am a great student, but I like to look beyond what is just put in front of me. That’s how people become “sheeple”.
“Many people can be deceived easily into believing their opinion is truth.” I totally agree.
“Facts are only facts because the majority states it to be so.” While I agree with what you wrote prior to this statement, facts are facts because they are fact. I know that sounds like circular thinking, but take your seatbelt example. After neutrally recording (studies) whether seatbelts have an effect on saving lives in car accidents or not, it was the overwhelming trend that seatbelts do in fact save lives. They do not save every life, but then the study does not guarantee such an outcome, only that your chances of living are better with a seatbelt on. This is not a culturally made up idea.
With your example about racism, many societies now know that certain races are not inherently bad. It was never a “fact” that they were, but a generally held, societal-accepted opinion. Fads, opinions, and fashions are dictated by society, but facts are neutral.
“People perceive right and wrong at their own will, not because it is truly right or wrong.” I agree. I am well aware of the news, and you are right.
D.A.,
I applaud your courage to think out of the box and look at all religions rationally. But just a tip: don’t be too quick to generalize. Yes, there are overarching truths that can be learnt from all of the world’s greatest religions – Judaism, Buddhism, Christianity, Islam and so on… but that statement you made about the original documents no longer being available – that is a statement that has only been generalized from the other religions and applied onto the last one – Islam. You might want to do a little more research on whether or not there are only some fragments of the Koran left, or whether there is clear evidence that the entire original manuscript exists today in the same form that it was during the very lifetime of its Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). No research has successfully found a different version of the Koran anywhere in the world in any time in history. Here’s a book that details its history, using traceable historical evidence: http://www.islamicbulletin.com/services/details.aspx?id=411. And an interesting talk on why the Koran, even if you don’t look at its history, is impossible to have been the work of a human being, and must certainly be from the God whom we all seek to worship: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BaS5NsvZ4yM
There’s this, too, which doesn’t entirely represent Islamic views, but the numbers do contain very interesting findings on research into the content of the Koran: http://pressthat.wordpress.com/2007/05/02/nusemantics-in-the-quran/
PS. Just FYI – Google research on Islam might be a little tricky. Like the mainstream media, it prefers Islamophobia and other hate-speech to anything useful, and has a history of entirely removing certain useful websites from its searches, even if you directly search the website’s name.
Some one these days telling you the Koran is complete and as pure as it was written by the Prophet Mohammed is not a fact. I did not say that the Koran has different versions, but I was implying that there is probably very few people in this world today that know for sure whether or not the Koran these days is in its purest form. It was written centuries ago, so you yourself cannot know whether or not there is different versions, or whether the version you own is the true pure form of it as dictated by the Prophet Mohammed. All you have is faith to go on, in the end, for you yourself, with hard evidence, cannot prove that it is the true words of Mohammed.
Not at all D.A., I do not have only faith on which to believe the Koran. There is indeed plenty of hard evidence. In fact it is this evidence when I found it, that truly strengthened my faith. It is not “someone” telling me, but centuries of collected and agreed upon scholarship (history, language, archaeology), from scholars of different faiths, not just Islam. You said, “I was implying that there is probably very few people in this world today that know for sure whether or not the Koran these days is in its purest form.”
As you said, there are just “*probably* very few people”… that is just something that is “probable”, and is based on a generalization of your knowledge from other faiths – but you have no evidence at all for this specific faith. You need to be open-minded and do your research first – you spoke without even trying out the links I mentioned. You needn’t believe them if you don’t want to of course. But it isn’t fair to jump to conclusions without even bothering to look for the evidence of what you say. I too am completely skeptical of believing in things without hard evidence. And I firmly believe all of us *should* be skeptics without evidence. Because when we allow ourselves to believe whatever it is that we *want* to believe, we are deifying ourselves and our egos, holding ourselves higher than truth. And this spirals down to “Truth is the first casualty of war”. Knowledge truly does liberate us and bring peace.
I believe that the book I linked you to in the previous post describes the concept of “authentic chains of narration” in Islamic history. In Islamic histiography there is a special field dedicated to the Criticism of Narrators – where every known man or woman who was said to have narrated or written down a Koranic verse or quote from the Prophet of Islam during his lifetime is meticulously scrutinized in terms of different criteria (such as well-established piety, honesty, memory etc), and ranked in order of believability. Then when a quote is known to be have been transmitted from a person, it too is ranked in believability according to how believable the person was who quoted it. In many cases, many different people had quoted the same thing throughout time, which gave strength to the text being quoted, but each of them still had to be scrutinized. (The criticism was done and agreed upon by several, several people who knew these narrators personally). If someone was suspected of being dishonest, or forgetful, or hypocritical, the quote will be *degraded* in terms of authenticity, or rejected outright as forgery. The criteria of believability also includes the fact that a quote cannot be accepted if it cannot be traced in an openly witnessed and unbroken chain of honest narrators right to the Prophet. So for example, if the quote is said to be quoted by X, and heard from Y, then if X and Y were known never to have met each other in history, the quote is not accepted. There’s a lot to it. And you are welcome to verify whether or not every verse in the text of the Koran passes every test of believability (both in terms of oral transmission as well as written transmission). Also, there is the fact that all existing historical documents show no difference in content, including the texts that go right back to the lifetime of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). You can see portions of the old text on any of the links here:
http://www.islamic-awareness.org/Quran/Text/Mss/
All the scrutiny and compilation of the scripts of the Koran that were written down *during* the life of the Prophet (peace be upon him) – not centuries later, all of this was compiled in only 15 years after his death, by those people who were alive and closest to him *during his lifetime.* This fact is not existent in any other faith. And these are indeed common conclusions based on evidence from the professional scholarship of many many people, over time and space, even including those who approached the Koran only with the intention of defaming it and spreading hate and anti-Islam sentiments. So this is not guesswork based on probability. (Please don’t mind – no offense intended here!) Just meant to give you some hard facts. It would be great for you to check out those links (and any other for/against arguments related to them, as long as you’re fair and open-minded) – before forming your conclusions. You can also take a look at the third reply to comment#57 on http://vigilantcitizen.com/latestnews/naming-names-your-real-government/
Peace!
“Once perfect equilibrium is attained on a personal level, the occult initiate can point one hand towards the heavens and one hand towards the earth and pronounce this hermetic axiom which reverberated through millenniums: “As Above, So Below”.”
Thans for the article Vigi. I think we live in an age when all the distintions are blurred into one another. Because;
The “as above so below” position of the baphomet figure reminded me of the whirling derwishes from Mevlevi origin. The way the baphomet’s right hand points the sky and the left one points the earth is very much reminiscent of the way the whirling derwish points the sky with his right hand, and the earth with his left hand. I am not sure if it makes sense or not, but the connection is obvious.
“The dervishes extend their arms, the right palm faces up and the left down. The energy from above enters through the right palm, passes through the body which is a visible channel, and, as this grace is universal, it passes through the left palm into the earth. With extended arms, the dervish embraces God ”
look at the image:
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/iUfHfuygXxM/TgzLRF1UU8I/AAAAAAAAAQI/d4yAAEJcPT8/s1600/whirling%2Bdervish.gif
here is another resemblance, Jesus the Christ pointing the sky with his right hand: http://afterthespirit.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/Christ2.jpg
here the Budha figure in the almost same position: http://afterthespirit.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/imagesbudd2.jpg
and finally look Plato on the left, Aristotle on the right from Raphael’s “The school of Athens”
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Sanzio_01_Plato_Aristotle.jpg
LoL! who imitates whom, and what is the proto image? I guess this explains the way how mankind complicates the Truth, by multiplying it in different forms. The truth is Simple, is not it?
Hi Quest!!
how are you friend?
this link is only to enrich the discussion as to what’s the link between those thought schools (secret societies and non-secret ones)
thedyinggod.com
by David Livingstone, really very interesting study
hi Hussein, i am fine brother thank you!
hope u are doing good, too.
thanks for the link, seems an interesting one..
upss sorry for the bad link about the derwishes in the previous comment. here is the fresh link:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Whriling_dervishes,_Rumi_Fest_2007.jpg
i find this interesting… i always assumed that baphomet was evil.
Must admit I don’t have the attention span today to read this thoroughly, but I’m impressed by this centralist? And honest article.
Interesting on an artistic basis as was just doin dualistic symbolism, has anyone heard the tale of the twin Christ? and that of a circled Tau cross (as above/so) a theory about the bottom abesnt part of the Origin of the Milky Way and am now on to animal but more interested in the
Phoenix and griffen.
A griffen is interesting as part divine, part
animal.
Main point I want to talk crap about is Kandinsky and A Woman in Moscow; first painting to depict the astral plane (apparently).notice the entwining lines through the centre of the woman such as the diagram up there with the dude and thesnakes?
I can see some people now sayin’ baphomet represents to use Vigilant exact words “Is it a symbol of Satan or of spiritual enlightenment? Is it a symbol of good or evil? The answer lies within the symbol itself” ?… How can “meaning” reside in itself (the symbol) ?… What is THIS meaning ??!! . This a VERY puzzling statement indeed !
Also i quote Vigilant: “In Egyptian mythology, Toth Hermes was a mediating power between good and evil, making sure neither had a decisive victory over the other. Baphomet represents the accomplishment on this cosmic task on a very small scale, within oneself.”…. Now was Thoth a real historical figure or a myth ? if so, so is Baphomet, so how can the he/she be a “mediating power between good and evil within oneself on a very small scale” if the he/she is FICTIONAL !!!!! … Confused ???….Da Riddle continues !!!
Symbols are rife with meaning. That’s sort of the entire point of a symbol. Also it says Thoth-Hermes and Baphomet “represent” the mediation, not carry out the mediation personally. Riddle yourself up some books then learn to read them.
The Kiichi album cover is sick!
VG, did you find about the Rammstein album cover from the comment I left in the Symbolic pics a few weeks ago? I so, that’d make my day!
I’m sorry for being ignorant I’m only 12 but why do people always point to the roman Catholic as the one that switch things around I’m sorry I’m naive it’s just I’m having a hard time believeing this
Just open your mind, and take from all the things you read or are told, and you decide what is true or not. Eventually, you will be lead to, if not the absolute truth, then a close enough truth that will be sufficient for your own satisfaction. Most importantly, don’t let anyone tell you what or how to think unless you truly understand why with utmost certainty.
Sweetheart do NOT BE SORRY.
All I can say is…READ. Follow your heart. You can do no wrong with the eyes of unconditional love.
Always look at all sides of the situation, as there may not be just two.
Always seek a THIRD opinion. Nothing is set in stone, the only constant in life is change.
The Catholic church has…well…always been ‘in the money’. If you would notice, all the AMAZING, COMPASSIONATE healers of the Ages have never done so for money.
My favorite bumper sticker says, “Jesus didn’t heal for profit.”
The Catholic church… and the christian one… and the Jewish one…. and the satanic one… most religions of today just want your money :p
Hello friend!
I want to say to you that you are in the right path, and you don’t have to be sorry for being naive, people are born naive, and must grow to learn and seek their own truth.
You kind of remind me, people always used to say I was smarter than most of my friends, and this lead (or perhaps I lead myself) me to read many things that a normal kid at my age wouldn’t have ever read.
I first read about all this “end of the world illuminati satanic hullabaloo” when I was 13 years old. Now I am 16 and see things very different.
I’ll give you a few tips:
* Question everything, EVERYTHING, don’t take ANYTHING for granted, not even your own thoughts.
*Read everything, even if it doesn’t fit your beliefs.
*If you feel uncomfortable being open with this around people, do it privately
*Google is your friend, but as stated above, don’t take anything you read as true, unless you find it appropiate.
Your other question has already been answered.
Greetings
This is exactly the stuff i want to read about V! Keep up the good work
If Baphomet is the mediator between good and evil – maintains the balance between the two and makes sure that the one does not overpower the other – then Baphomet is not doing a really good job because this world is seriously messed up – more evil on this earth than good!
Has anyone one read the article VC did on Aleister Crowley – please see section on have intercourse with animals and mother! If Baphomet is related to Aleister Crowleys religion can somebody please explain the good in that!!!
I think I will stick to my religion that teaches us that God is good! He is indeed!
wow wow wow wow wow.That…….is a wild boy.That shit is not necessary..Hell no.
And about gay sex being the highest level of w/e is a bit biased.No it can be done with male and female too.
He naturally preferred it which is why it felt that way to him.And I can say this because if one wanted to create a magical it would have to be with a male and female.In fact you would need 2 extremely high level violet consciousness that are exact optimum complementary opposites and everything must be insync.You cant do it with a guy which is why he probably was always unsuccessful.It was a spiritual cap for him it wasn’t meant to be.
I never read dude honestly.I stayed away from him.All I know about him is what I read here and that is some wild shit wtf. I had to say something on that cause that looks soo bad.Shit ared im gone.
Also, Moses was commonly displayed as having horns, as horns were never originally a sign of evil, but of an initiated person at one with nature, like Baphomet and Pan
When just the sight of a symbol excites unthinking reactionary hatred, and fear, then we have already been successfully conditioned, programmed, and mind controlled, by whatever force in whatever name to achieve that force, or deity, purposeful willed intent.
When just the sight of a symbol excites righteous indignation, aggression, violence, and prejudice, then we have returned again to the Middle Ages, when men, women, the mentally impaired, to include small children, were cruelly tortured before they were horrible burned alive for the lest suspicion, and unproven accusation, of being associated with a mere symbol.
If we haven’t learned by now, thanks to the efforts of the creator of this web-site, and the multitude of informational blodgs, that knowledge is neither good nor evil, but it is the use of knowledge which determines its moral or immoral, vice or virtue, application and character to influence the greater good, or to serve the greed’s of the selfish few, who seek self serving aggrandizement, at the price of their own souls, then we ourselves are guilty of the terrors of mind, we blatantly, and righteously, accuse others of, in the name of whatever deity believed in.
If the endless wars and bloodshed of spiritual and religious conflict throughout these long centuries, has not proven that we ourselves are the monsters shaped, conditioned, programmed, manipulated, and mind controlled, to achieve secret and hidden agendas, then we are unable to recognize ourselves in the mirror of self reflection, and have ourselves become what we most loath and hate, with unthinking, and unreasoning, lust and perverse passion.
A symbol is not the thing in of itself, but the representation of an idea, which can be used to achieve good or evil, just as the word of God, has been used to achieve both good, and evil, by its worshippers.
The symbols of the cross, and the star and crescent, has murdered, raped and ravaged untold millions of innocent and ignorant human beings, throughout their recorded usage in the annals of human history.
We must learn to think before we open our mouths and evolve our mind by opening our mind.
No one is infallible, “for who among us is already perfect in the eyes of their creator”.
Majestic. Well said.
I give this comment two thumbs up, as little as this may mean to anyone.
I could not have said these things better myself.
I recently read “Foxe’s Book of Martyrs” written in the 1600′s (?) and found it both appalling and enlightening. John Foxe was raised a Catholic and went to school to become a priest. He was doing very well when he stumbled upon some unsavory findings in his studies regarding actions of the Catholic church throughout history. He was kicked out and eventually on the run for his life for speaking out about them.
He lived through the persecutions of Bloody Mary, and took 11 years to write this book of history during Elizabeth’s reign. Many things he claimed I looked up for myself, thinking they couldn’t be true or were elaborations. Nope, they were horrifically true. The majority of heretics the Catholic church is infamous for burning? Protestants.
Very well said Yomael. I concur with your statement 100%
Right on- if we are not here to learn, then what are we doing?
Christianity is so relevant as the church ripped off a lot of pagan imagery and also called other associated with it evil and associated it with hell to scare people away from mystic iconography. I’m pretty ignorant myself.
Look into iconoclasm maybe? Christianity has definitely shaped our perception of symbols today, but not all types areaccountable. They are historically the best example of esoteric art. That and Bosch?
Great article as usual!
I found throughout my research on the Knights Templar that the only time that some of the admitted to Baphomet worship was when they where being tortured by Philip the Greedy and the Dud Pope. It is common knowledge that confessios made under torture don’t stand up in the light of day…and they had methods that even Gitmo doesn’t have. All there wealth was confiscated and they were hunted down and put to death..as I am sure you know. They where exonerated a few years ago, but mud really sticks!
Question: Why does Baphomet look so stupid?
Like any question, it is a valid one.
Probably looks that way because it is a collection of occult symbolism in one illustration. It starts to lose the funny look after you being to understand the meaning of all of it’s symbols and the philosophy behind it.
amazing VC thumbs up
Edit:
Like any question, it is a valid one.
Probably looks that way because it is a collection of occult symbolism in one illustration. It starts to lose the funny look after you *begin* to understand the meaning of all of it’s symbols and the philosophy behind it.
Sorry im half asleep :p
Great article!
I must say I personally don’t like it. He was so important to Crowley that he can’t be positive figure imo…He got Templars banned no?
Breathing air was probably pretty important to Crowley too. Should we all not breathe?
I bet he liked ice cream and chocolate and sunshine too….best ban those! They’ve been tainted with Crowley! Oh no!
The man is not the symbol. The man used the symbol. Because symbols are tools. It’s not Baphomet’s fault Crowley ended up a pervy junkie.
The Templars got smacked down because the King of France owed them lots of money, and they expected to be paid back. I bet that’s the true rationale behind many ‘moral’ crusades.
ROFL.
Good use of ‘smacked down’, and a very valid point you make as well.
“A devil who had unity would be a God”
Now that’s something to think about, isn’t it?
That’s like the Osiris/Set duality – the concept that the devil is just the flip side of God.
“I am the Lord and there is no other god.
I create both light and darkness, good and evil;
I bring both blessing and disaster.
I, the Lord, do all these things.
Isaiah 45;7
Sut/Set/Seth, the ancient Egyptian deity of the desert, where the tribes of Israel wandered for forty years, was worshipped as the god of the desert/borderland, not because of an historic association with the desert where his cult-centers flourished, but because of his affinity with forces from Outside, beyond the borders of the cosmos.
The Hyksos/Hekshus, a Semitic, Hebrew nomadic people who for a time established a dynasty in Egypt, worshipped Sut/Set/Seth.
Sut/Set/Seth was a deity greatly feared by his worshippers, a deity who switched from good to evil in the blink of an eye. His great strength was needed by both the gods and man whom he protected. (From occult researcher and Typhonian Adept Kenneth Grant).
“I am the Lord; there is no other god.
I will give you the strength you need,
although you do not know me.
I do this so that everyone from one
end of the world to the other may know
that I am the Lord and there is no other
god”. Isaiah 45; 5-6
“Seth, great of strength, son of Re, the Ombite, the chosen of Re-Herakhty”. ( From occult researcher and Typhonian Adept Kenneth Grant).
A lot of people think Levi muddied the waters by making a symbol that he claims was that of the highest achievable state of man’s consciousness look just the way that many people would picture a demon, embodiment of the lowest possible state of consciousness. It is true that gold is found in the earth’s muck, but I also feel that if you want to get a point across, making it as confusing and misdirected as possible is not the best way to go about it. Maybe that is the whole point – he wanted to hide something of value so he made it look like crap to the majority. I think it was in Illuminatus! that the ‘Templar kiss’ confused with oral sodomy was revealed to be the activation of the root chakra, so things are not always as they seem, but I do agree that making a symbol look as malevolent as old Bapho is off-putting. Write ‘Solve et coagula’ on it all you like, it still doesn’t mean alchemical gold to me.
Maybe there is all this controversy when the simple truth of the matter is that Levi was just a really bad artist. LOL
Here’s something that may sound far-fetched. I propose that Baphomet=Hermes/Mercury. Here’s why:
One symbol heavily associated with Mercury is the snake-that seen on medical symbols (When you start to look at how pagan gods are depicted, they nearly all have snakes somewhere).
Look up an image of the “Mercury” symbol. Notice the female symbol topped by a crescent (which can either represent the triple-moon-goddess or Baphomet).
Mercury was always known as a dangerous poison.
Astrologically, Mercury stands for/influences the intellect.
Hermes/Mercury was a hermaphrodite and is used in the uniting of opposites (sounding familiar yet?) It denotes the ascension of humans to divinity and gods descending to man. Which leads into its popular use in alchemy.
Several other websites have ascribed Mercury (Roman) to Hermes (Greek), Odin (Germanic/Viking), Thoth (Egyptian), Nabo (Babylon/Assyrian), Budha (Hindu), owls (Maya), India, China, Islam, and even apparently ancient aliens and angels. (http://www.crystalinks.com/mercury.html)
You’re picking up speed. However, to further clarify your research, I suggest reading a good old fashion book. Literally, not sarcastically, I am of course talking about a specific book, Eliphas Levi’s “Dogme Et Rituel De La Haute Magie”, otherwise known as Transcendental Magic: Its Dogma And Ritual. It mentions Hermes Trismegistus, or Thrice-Great Hermes, as he was know for being the greatest philosopher, greatest priest, and greatest king, and it also mentions the true meanings of the Baphomet, otherwise known as the Sabbatic Goat. And, as well, the philosophies in this book are indeed a feast for thought.
Good luck in your research. (:
Menes was biblical figure of Mizraim (an ancient and historical name for Egypt). Menes/Mizraim was a great grandchild of NOAH if I remember correctly. Hermes is associated with CUSH (grandson of NOAH) father of NIMROD (the great apostate and first mighty ruler after the world flood of 2370 B.C.) Cush & Nimrod established falso and idolatrous religion and people worshiped these men from thereon under different names, HERMES, OSIRIS, TAMMUZ, etx.
In Ragnarok (the game), Baphomet is a beast you can slay to level up, get rare items, etc… the horns of Baphomet is one of those items. The reason it protects against Demi-humans is because last time I checked the baphomet is their lord so they can’t do anything to the wearer of his horns (all in the game lore). Other than Baphomet is the Beelzebub, which is really a high leveled fly (considering he is the lord of the flies, it’s actually hilarious.)
The assertion described in this article that attempts to connect Freemasonry with Baphomet is disingenuous at best. The illustration given clearly states that the image is part of the “Taxil hoax”. No other proof has been provided here that connects Baphomet with Freemasonry in any way.
I am a Freemason who is a member of the Blue Lodge, the York Rite, the Scottish Rite, and many side bodies. At no time was anything even remotely resembling Baphomet ever shown, described, depicted, or otherwise communicated to me or any of my fellow Masonic brothers.
Unfortunately, anti-Masons will tell you that what a Freemason says is unreliable either because he is deceived by “higher-level” Masons know, or he is a higher-level Mason and is thus deceiving. As a man and Mason, I can only give you my word of what I have studied and experienced first-hand. I challenge ANY Freemason, current or past, to provide evidence that Baphomet is indeed connected to Freemasonry.
Does this challenge still stand? Because I accept it…but I want to make sure you’re actually going to see it before I present the proof…
How can anyone claim that Christianity is a trap? That’s ridiculous. And how is everything good suddenly being turned evil, right under people’s noses, and they do nothing about it? I’ll give this to Satan-he knows what he’s doing.
I will not fall into this trap of confusion. To hear some people say “the Devil is the master of confusion” – it’s quite obvious as to why after reading this. In reading about the origin of the Baphomet, there was a part (from VC’s site) saying that it represented being one with God or equality to God. The only imposter I know from my Christian teachings who desired to be Him was Satan. When that came not to be, then opposition was born– good-bad, light-dark, black- white, understanding –confusion etc..
I don’t buy that the Baphomet represents some kind of duality. It can’t be both. True believers are not skeptic because skepticism leads to confusion and doubt. Since I believe there is only one almighty, God and no equal, anything representative of this thought such as the Baphomet is evil and work of the Devil.
No in fact true honest skepticism will turn you back to the truth whether it is with you or with others
Very informative article but i would love you to note that the Bible does not depict the devil/evil as a double horned beast.The Bible depicts the devil as a serpent(Gen 3)and a dragon(Rev 12).It is the teachings of the Roman Catholic Church that depict the devil/evil as a double horned beast.
The average man is incapable of finding the energy to perceive beyond his daily limits, and calls the realm of extraordinary perception sorcery, witchcraft, or the work of the devil.
Turn everything into what it really is: the abstract, the spirit, the nagul. There is no Witchcraft,no evil, no devil. There is only perception.
Carlos Castaneda- The Power of Silence
You will be surprised to know that there are religions in the world which don’t have any devil: Taoism in China has no devil;
Jainism in India has no devil;
Buddhism has no devil.
But the most surprising thing for you will be that all these religions don’t have God either.
So there is a certain relationship between God and the devil.
God and the devil cannot exist separately. If one is accepted, the other has to be accepted.
You cannot think of God without the devil; you cannot think of heaven without hell.
The polar opposite is absolutely necessary.
One lie leads to another lie.
The religions who believe in God have to declare that the devil is a reality.
If the devil is only a fiction, then their God also is a fiction.
The reason behind this declaration is not to prove the reality of the devil, but to support the reality of God.
If God is the thesis, then the devil is the antithesis;
And the misery of the whole world is that the people who have beenteaching God, love, good, have not been aware of the polar opposites which are coming in automatically.
Osho – The God Conspiracy
I read whole comments and I saw that this is the baphomet…
A lot of people missing the point here. It seems a lot of people have simplistic dualities in their heads, which are caused by their Christian faith. Belief in Christianity (particularly Evangelical) does not lead to open-minded thinking. It leads to intolerance of others and their beliefs, i.e narrow-minded thinking.
The simplistic duality here is:
Belief in the Christian God= good
Belief, portrayal or worship of pagan icons and symbols = evil
I think there is a profound misunderstanding here, and a way of looking at VC and Secret Arcana’s articles as supporting the world view that Christianity is being undermined by ‘secret’ forces of pagan, satanic and atheist origin. Shockingly, I’ve even seen ecological humanist beliefs put in this category. That may be VC’s view also, but that’s not how I read and interpret his articles.
Hmm
What can i possibly add to this list that represents the human thoughts and emotiones on a article?
You all get a valid piece of info, unsided , untouched.
All sides jump in atheist/christian(all sorts),moslim/all coloures, and bam,amazing
What did they call it again??
DIVIDE AND CONQOURE.
As some said,but its a 2 way street.right? Think and look outside the box
That goes for all,
For me, for the ones saying bapho is kk.those saying he s the devil,for those who say he isnt real he just represents,for those saying he s dual
All just calm down, think and breath for a moment,sit down enjoy your life.
No need to bite each other.We all know and get it thats somethings are just not going swell these days .We all get the fact this world is under bad managment and that this manegment isnt very nice.
So again calm down , you come here to read cause you think/feel VC has good info,right.
Most stuff you can find for youre self you just need to know where the sewer pitts are .
But you know he/she already does so so its easier.
So read and learn from what is brought to the table,if you get into a dog fight it means you are eating crumbs of the floor.
When you eat from the table you are no dog that needs to fight over words you sit at the table and
digist, seperate the good from the bad in your view.You adjust your thoughts on certain things or you sharpen your thoughts underbuild the things you eat.
So to all
Enjoy youre life/live well/prosper/have patience/know youre self/ educate youreself/ do not place youre self above others/ be human and stay free/find the path to life
This and much more
OE
Ive heard or read somewhere that Baphomet is a dual entity that is a combination of Adams spirit/opposite, Samael, and Eves spirit/opposite Lilith. When Adam sinned he unleashed Death/Samael/13 into the world creating the age of Kali that we live in. In Hindu culture Baphomet is considered to be Kali, and the worship of Kali is considered an external/maya religion. Maya is a Sanskrit term for external religion so therefore the Mayan Indians in my opinion also externally worshiped Baphomet/Kali by the most primitive means, but I believe the Mayans call it Shak Muul, and the face in the Mayan Calendar could also symbolize Baphomet.
http://cdn.pitchfork.com/images/original/148653.livingthing525.jpg
Do you think this has it as well? Or are these just innocent photos of horned animals?
Great article!!! You did a great job gathering those photos!
Yep, very vivid and impressive photos.
Such a great article ! I learned new things, thank you VC !
Bathomet is Mars. Also known as Archangel Sammael. He and Gabriel (Mercury) are under direct command of High Priest Metatron (Moon). Being the Devil is just one of his tasks.
So is Metatron Thoth or Osiris?
The greatest trick the devil ever pulled was convincing the world he didn’t exist.
Ps: i will not worship no god nor live by any set of laws given to us by an invisible all powerful being, i wil only live human, Hi… Seriously…. Awesome article dude i love it very informative… Ummm… U guys didnt know yet ? Lol god is lucifer, lucifer is light, just cuz u read theres a bunch of evidence and research that jesus claimed to be god doesnt mean he was, also theres one ultimate truth that noone can deny if they r true to them selfs, where is god when kids are rotting alive in desaese, or being molested by some inhuman bastard, thats right we r alone left here to live with out knowing why we are alive and the most powerful most inteligent being in the universe is lucifer, god, hahaha truth is brutal u want to find salvation? U wont by loving jesus, i do agree that we al should be good and nice to eachother and respect but seriously theres so much more…
Wow! That’s really informative. It’s about time people open their eyes to what is going on in this world. Great job, VC. Keep up the great work.
Thank you for the great article as usual VC . . . : )
I did a bit more digging into this topic and found the following; start reading at the bottom of page 92:
http://tinyurl.com/3c7ow4r
cant we share this article on facebook……………its a gr8 one!!!!!!!!!!!
gr8 job vc!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The ignorance spewing from all sides is most amusing. Little do you know, you know little. The Christians won’t listen anyway, their ignorance is active, so there is little point trying to persuade them. They have been persuaded by simplicity and are far too bigoted and lazy to change now.
The wannabe seekers read a few things and decided they were mysterious and knowledgeable enough before they actually learned anything. Wisdom will not reach them as there is too much effort involved for their sensibilities to bear.
@Soror
All i learned from your post is your good at judging and criticizing others. Not surprisingly, no anwswers or info from yourself, would you care to inform or enlighten us almighty one????????????? Please share the “wisdom” you’ve obtained rather than criticizing everyone else. Your post is un-informative and egotistical. It’s quite easy to be the “know it all” without explaining your of point of view or opinion on the subject. Please inform us enlightened one.
this is scary to some of us as scary=confusion and something none of (some) of us ever expected slapping us in the face might kind of be confusing… and i don’t get it, why would they try to attain enlightenment through this if it comes with a super heavy price?! i mean it’s right in there?? as good and evil comes together as one, if you get enlightenment, peace and happiness, their own teachings say you’ll get confusion, chaos and devestation.
very enlightening!!
This is evil. The Occult means Hidden. Now I now why.
If our God is for us, than who could ever stop us, and if our God is, what could stand against?
Not this filth, that’s for sure. God reigns supreme. Let the hidden remain hidden for as long as it can.
Wow this was a VERY, VERY detailed article and I’ve learnt a lot about the mysterious Baphomet. Of it’s origins in the Knights Templar, to it being used as a symbol for Satanism, black magic, witchcraft etc., and it now being used in pop culture in different videogames and musicians who I’m sure know exactly what they’re doing. IMO I think this Baphomet thing is very evil, it just looks so hideous, the way I’ve been raised my parents would call that thing Satanic and do a prayer eliminating all demonic spirits that it brought with it.
I guess it’s just a case of over the centuries people have depicted it in the things which they see it as and so maybe it is neither good nor evil, just the way you look at it. But I suppose the only way to find out is to ask the Knights Templars.
Any way you slice and dice the subject of good and evil….no man or woman can escape the dual nature of “reality” considering that we are born with a split brain which represent two very different experiences of consciousness…the left brain reasons, classifies and judges while the right hemisphere connects us to everything and everyone and is loving.
Therein lies the paradox of which the symbol of Baphomet might originate.
How can we perceive anything in an objective way when we are looking out with such a limited perspective that has been subject to conscious/ subconscious conditioning individually and collectively.
There is a book written by a brain surgeon called “My Stroke of Insight.” It is about about a woman who spent her whole life studying the brain from the left brain perspective, has a stroke on the left side of her brain and spends the next seven years in her right brain recovering her health and continuing her work inadvertently. She goes on to make a full recovery and writes a very detailed account of her journey in the right brain. Her book explains that we all have the capability to access our right brain and should do it more often to find a greater sense of peace and love.
Ancient astrologers used to consider saturn to be satan because it is the planet of karmic responsibility. Wherever saturn is in your birth birthchart is an area of accumulated karmic debt over lifetimes of soul incarnations and is where you will experience yourself over and over again until you recognize what the mirror is reflecting. This is where all your perceived dramas, fears, and lessons will be experienced and learned. It is the evolutionary goal and purpose for your souls incarnation.
For every action, there is an equal reaction…For every cause, there is an effect. These cosmic laws =KARMA
Nothing or no one can escape their past…And it turns out, Saturn is the karmic dealer. A necessary evil I’d say.
As above.. so below
Deepak Chopra says,” I am not in the world, the world is in me” “I am not in the universe, the universe is in me.”
“I am not in the mind, the mind is in me.”
If you wish to experience peace and love in the world, start with the man in the mirror because evil is a projection of our shadows, that is the only thing you can control….Know thyself to understand the universe.
Mercury is the planet of communication, knowledge and anything mind related. It is known as the trickster, the mind is what creates the separation we perceive in the world. The mind is a tool that can be used for construction or destruction.
A person can live without a brain as long as their heart is still beating because the heart is the seat of the soul.
Point in fact..a man in recent history was born without a brain and is a functioning adult who lives unassisted.
All religions have the same potential which is Unconditional Love, but they aren’t able to get out of the mind long enough to realize it. And this is where Satan, I mean Saturn plays his role like a greedy maestro.
Interesting article…I notice there is a similarity between Baphomet and the Assyrian demon Pazuzu, perhaps the origins of Baphomet are much deeper and more mysterious then is known? Fascinating to read about this
Good grief, Baphomet is Jahova everybody.