On the Baphomet

Baphomet, from Eliphas Levi's "Dogme et Rituel de la Haute Magie", 1854

THIS is NOT and image of "Devil worship" but of an ancient Christian mystical sect. The image, known as 'Baphomet" comprises aspects of angelic, animal, masculine and feminine form (yes, baphomet is meant to have tits) and it represents UNITY of the earthly and the divine, hence the torch which crowns it, representing the Divine Light of illumination, inspiration and creation.

Often depicted with the word "Solve" at the right hand, which is pointing up, and "Coagula" at the left hand pointing down, it is often mistaken for meaning "separate yourself from the heavens" and "Join with the forces of hell" and may even be the inspiration behind the common concept of "right-hand path" and "left-hand path" which is not entirely accurate.

From the word "Solve" we get "dissolve" and from "Coagula" we get "coagulate" so one is about breaking things apart while the other is about melding them together. Remember, this is a symbol of UNITY between supposedly opposing forces. It is a reminder that Heaven and earth need not be disparate things, that they can in fact be united within us.

The occult and esoteric implications are that the "light" can divide, dissolve, or wash away things while the "dark" brings them together, condenses, and coalesces. The Baphomet is not an idol or god, but a symbol of the mystery of spiritual alchemy, the act of studying, understanding, and utilizing the powers of heaven and earth and all parts between so that we can rediscover the divine nature within ourselves and achieve greater unity with God.

The Baphomet is first mentioned in relation to the Knights Templar, who were accused of blasphemy for worshiping an idol and summarily stamped out after years of fighting blasphemy and hereticism themselves in the name of the church. Were they tempted away from doctrine by the heathen hoards? Did they become disillusioned by the atrocities they were forced to visit upon non-believers? Were they actually founded on this rather Gnostic approach to Divinity, or was it all just a smokescreen created by Holy Rome to cover up their own heinous actions? We may never know for sure.Levi talks about the Baphomet and, later, Guaita speaks on the "Sabbatic Goat" in reference to a pentagram with two points up as the counter to the single-point-upturned version meant to represent unity between Adam and Eve with the holy name "Yeshua" in hebrew letters around it. The "goat" was meant to represent inequity had invoked the names "Samael" and "Lilith" with the word "leviathan" surrounding it in Hebrew. This symbol was adopted by the Church of Satan in the late 1960's and christened "the sigil of baphomet" by them, though they are in fact separate entities.

I haven't much against the church of satan on the whole. I do not mind saying that I find their core principles relatively inoffensive. I also don't mind saying that I find much of their constituency and execution of those principles fairly pedantic, and they don't mind saying "fuck you" to that opinion. To each their own. The fact that they feel entitled to all symbols associated with "corruption" and the like is a little annoying from the perspective of one who actually KNOWS the meanings of these symbols. For instance, the "inverted cross" is in fact the cross of St. Peter and a symbol of humility. The "inverted" pentagram (two points up) is actually just the alchemical sign for the elements dominating the human spirit, the division of the quintessence, as opposed to the human spirit being the pristine distillation of the four elements. When you distill something, the "essence" goes up and is condensed, you see. So, then you have four points, the elements, below one point, the spirit, the essences of the four, the "quint-essence" goes into the One. So, when you have the One below and the four flying off in separate directions, you have the quintessence leaving the human soul. Whatever may be left, the slag or sludge if you will, may well be considered the element of "corruption" but it is sure a stretch. As for the rest, the Baphomet and the Cross of St. Peter, well that is just silliness. 

I think it is cool that the church of satan managed to get a Baphomet erected outside a government building in Detroit, and even the organizer apparently went on record saying something about Baphomet representing "reconciliation of opposites" so it is not a total miss, but it would have been better had some Gnostic church or some such been at the helm. I personally think the Baphomet is a wonderful symbol, one which represents principles and concepts which are quite near and dear to my own heart. As such, I would very much like to see it recognized for what it truly is. Hence this blog.