“When the mind does not doubt the will stops hesitating, and the man got what he wants.”
Tag: eliphas levi
“The Pentagram signifies the domination of the mind over the Elements, and the demons of Air, the spirits of Fire, the phantoms of Water, and the ghosts of Earth; all are enchained by this sign. Equipped therewith, and suitably disposed, you may then behold the Infinite through the medium of that faculty which is like the soul’s eye, and you will be ministered onto by legions of angels and hosts of fiends…. It follows that, by means of the imagination, demons and spirits can be beheldd, really and in truth; but the imagination of the Adept is diaphanous, whislt that of the crowd is opaque…. The Pentagram is called in Cabbalah the Sign of the Microcosm…. By the Pentagram also is measured the exact proportions of the great and unique Athanor necessary to the confection of the Philosopher’s Stone and to the accomplishment of the [alchemical] Great Work.” – Transcendental Magic: It’s Doctrine and Ritual by Eliphas Levi
From Transcendental Magic, its Doctrine and Ritual:
“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 occultism, 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 androgyne 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 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 androgyne arms of this sphinx of the occult
sciences.”* Image & Text by Eliphas Levi
Many people mistake this for a symbol of evil, the pentagram says otherwise, this is a symbol of light, education, and growth. It is the reflection of the One in visible form. To truly understand this symbol one must hit the books, meditate, and look within.
Eliphas Levi – Formation of the Soul, “La Clef des Grands Mystères” (The Key to the Great Mysteries), 1861.
A diagram showing the formation of the Soul in Kabbalah. The top three circles represent Neschamah, Ruach and Nephesch. Ruach and Nephesch, influenced by Neschamah, proceeds to Michael, the good Angel of the Soul. From Nephesch, dominating Ruach, it proceeds to Samael, the evil Angel of the Soul. The Tzelem, or image, is double as it reflects both Michael and Samael alike.
The Bembine Tablet of Isis and Eliphas Levi’s Key to the Tablet.
The Bembine Tablet is a Key to the Ancient Book of Thoth. Although the scenes are Egyptianising, they do not depict Egyptian rites. Figures are shown with non-customary attributes, making it unclear which are divinities and which kings or queens. Egyptian motifs are used without rhyme or reason. However, the central figure is recognisable as Isis, suggesting that the Tablet originated in some Roman centre of her worship.
The diagram of Levi, by which he explains the mystery of the Tablet, shows the Upper Region divided into the four seasons of the year, each with three signs of the Zodiac, and he has added the four-lettered sacred name, the Tetragrammaton, assigning Jod to Aquarius, that is Canopus, He to Taurus, that is Apis, Vau to Leo, that is Momphta, and He final to Typhon. Note the Cherubic parallel – Man, Bull, Lion and Eagle. The fourth form is found either as Scorpion or Eagle depending upon the Occult good or evil intention: in the Demotic Zodiac, the Snake replaces the Scorpion. The Lower Region he ascribes to the twelve simple Hebrew letters, associating them with the four quarters of the horizon. The Central Region he ascribes to the Solar powers and the Planetary.
In the middle we see above, the Sun, marked Ops, and below it is a Solomon’s Seal, above a cross; a double triangle Hexapla, one light and one dark triangle superposed, the whole forming a sort of complex symbol of Venus. To the Ibimorphos he gives the three dark planets, Venus, Mercury, and Mars placed around a dark triangle erect, denoting Fire. To the Nephthæan triad he gives three light planets, Saturn, Luna, and Jupiter, around a light inverted triangle which denotes Water. There is a necessary connection between water, female power, passive principle, Binah, and Sephirotic Mother, and Bride.
Ancient signs for the planets were all composed of a Cross, Solar Disc and Crescent: Venus is a cross below a Sun disc, Mercury, a disc With a crescent above and cross below, Saturn is a Cross whose lowest point touches the apex of the crescent; Jupiter is a Crescent whose lowest point touches the left hand end of a cross: all these are deep mysteries. Levi in his original plate transposed Serapis and Hecate, but not the Apis noir and Apis blanc, perhaps because of the head of Bes being associated by him with Hecate. Note that having referred the 12 simple letters to the lower, the 7 double must correspond to the central region of the planets, and then the great triad A.M.S. the mother letters representing Air, Water, and Fire remain to be pictured, around S the Central Iynx, or Yod, by the Ophionian Triad the two Serpents and the Leonine Sphynx. Levi’s word OPS in the centre is the Latin Ops, Terra, genius of the Earth; and the Greek Ops, Rhea, or Kubele (Cybele) often drawn as a goddess seated in a chariot drawn by lions; she is crowned with turrets, and holds a Key.
Scans of Eliphas Levi’s “The History Of Magic, Including A Clear And Concise Exposition, Its Rites, And Its Mysteries” published in 1922 and translated, with preface and notes, by Arthur Edward Waite. The images are placed according to their order of appearance and these are 11-20.
The image of Baphomet was originally created in 1854 by occultist Eliphas Levi for his book Dogme et Rituel de la Haute Magie (“Dogmas and Rituals of High Magic”). It reflects a number of principles considered fundamental to occultists, and was influenced by Hermeticism, Kabbalah, and alchemy, among other sources.
“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 hermetism, 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 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.
Occult Aspects 